My Great Grandfather Saw the Welsh Revival

My great-grandfather EDWARDS saw the Welsh revival.

In the early morning while he was delivering milk, it was so foggy he couldn't see very far into the distance, but all over the city he could hear households up singing, praying together in their homes, my great-uncle Idris told me.

Newspapers reported that 70,000 new converts were ADDED TO THE CHURCHES within just a few weeks of the revival starting—over 100,000 within six months; and up to 150,000 within nine months, according to some accounts.

To put that in perspective, that was around a quarter of the adult population at the time—7% of the nation’s population. New converts suddenly boosted CHURCH MEMBERSHIP to around 56% of the entire Welsh population. In just nine months.

Imagine seeing the same proportion-to-population of sudden growth in church memberships all over say Brisbane, Ipswich, the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, and in virtually every town and city all across Australia, or wherever you may live, within just weeks or months, and seeing it reported on the front pages of newspapers or in the 6 o'clock news. It would be like if nearly 2 million people were to get saved and join churches across Australia, in just months.

The proportion of salvations in many towns was so staggeringly high that in many towns it felt like whole communities had been saved. Magistrates arrived at local courts to find absolutely no cases to try. Police walked the streets with nothing to do. Pubs and taverns closed down. Converts repayed debts voluntarily. Miners walked to work singing hymns out loud together. Pit-ponies that had been trained to respond to swear-words didn't move, because the miners didn't swear anymore! Rugby games were cancelled because spectators and some top players alike were going to revival meetings instead.

The new converts of the revival became the most enthusiastic and committed segment of the churches. And it was a sustained impact: because a couple of years later, reportedly around 90,000 of those new converts still remained active in the churches.

That was the great 1904/05 Welsh revival. Those were the kinds of stories I grew up hearing. Hearing of meetings in which the Holy Spirit was free to move, spontaneity, was therefore the standard, our 'normal', for my brother and me, as young teenagers, new Christians.

My great-great-great-grandfather (William Edward Edwards) was also part of an earlier revival in Wales, the 1859 revival. He held 'Experiencing God' meetings in his home. There were between 80,000-110,000 converts in that revival too. It inspired the building of non-conformist chapels all across Wales. (W. Edward Edwards was credited with founding the Congregational Church in Montgomeryshire.) As a result of the revival, there was a societal transition to where such chapels became the centre of national life. The revival also brought profound unity between the denominations.

Young people traveled, carrying the revivals. Welsh missionaries in North East India saw an outpouring of the Spirit. The revival there was so transformative of society and so lasting, that the proportion of Christians in the North East Indian States of Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya remains at 88%, 87% and 75% respectively of the entire populations to this day. Schools and literature were developed. Welsh choirs and hymn-singing still remain part of their cultures.

The Welsh love of spontaneous congregational singing, and the experience of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and healing, and Holy Spirit-led meetings resulted directly in the formation of the Apostolic Church movement, and the Elim Church movement, and contributed greatly to Azusa Street and the birth of Pentecostalism worldwide. (Frank Bartleman, who was of Welsh descent, had direct contact with Evan Roberts, and did much to see revival spread to Los Angeles, and to fuel interest in the ensuing outpouring at Azusa Street.)

Many later revivalists and missionaries, you’ll find, either had Welsh ancestry, or they were strongly impacted by those who saw the Welsh revival (including Oral Roberts, Rodney Howard-Browne, J Edwin Orr who influenced Billy Graham, and Reinhard Bonnke who was influenced by the Jeffreys, etc).

Soon after the revival, my great-grandfather emigrated to Blackstone, Qld, with eight children including my grandfather who was eight. They attended the Welsh church at Blackstone where earlier Welsh migrants had gathered under a tree and prayed that the revival they'd experienced in Wales would happen in Ipswich and spread. And he became a deacon there.

Silkstone Baptist Tabernacle had only just started, as a church-plant out from Ipswich Baptist Church, so the Edwards's also went there. A close-knit Welsh family with eight growing children and teenagers must have been quite formidable, suddenly arriving in a new church which still only had about 20 attendees! Especially considering the family built their home right next door to the church manse, two doors up from the church.

The Edwards's started a milk run, and an ice-works, and some became builders, and made their own bricks and built their own houses. My grandfather and his brothers formed a gospel singing quartet. Even after they each became adults with their own families, they'd all still come together at my great-grandfather's home every Saturday night, playing sport in the backyard, or indoor games, cooking, eating, singing, chatting and sharing desserts.

So when the young John Hewitt, known as the ‘Welsh revivalist’, still single, arrived in Ipswich, he became almost family to the Edwards's at Silkstone, and became especially close friends with my grandfather, in the early 1920s. He was sent to Australia by the Apostolic Church in Wales which had formed out of the revival.

While Hewitt was preaching at Dinmore Baptist Church, the organist fell-out under the power of God speaking in tongues, his son John Hewitt Jr told me. (John Hewitt Snr later held meetings in Customs House in Brisbane, which contributed to the founding of Glad Tidings Tabernacle [now Hope Church, at Albion]).

John Hewitt also packed out Adelaide Town Hall, where many were reportedly saved, healed and baptised in the Holy Spirit. This was before many Pentecostal denominations had yet formed in Australia. He went-on to co-found the Apostolic Church of Australia, which grew to have hundreds of Pentecostal churches across Australia, Papua New Guinea, and other Pacific and Asian countries.

So there was always a revivalist/Pentecostal element in the church at Silkstone, my mother says, including the Allsops, and Mrs Irene Ross who had gone to Japan from Wales as a missionary before WWII. During the war she came to Ipswich, and married. There was something alive about her: even as a child I could see it in her eyes. Silkstone Baptist Church grew to become one of the largest, most evangelical Baptist churches in Queensland.

When the Herschells moved to Ipswich and were instrumental in starting Ipswich’s first Assembly of God (today called Journey Church), my grandfather also joined there. He played a 1920s Rickenbacher lap-steel. The church started in the Herschell's home. My great-uncle Idris eventually built their first church-building, at Pring Street. And dad’s cousin Gladys joined the church, and was especially friendly with the Herschells.

One of the Herschells visited my dad in hospital before my beloved dad went to be with the Lord last year. He told me that through the Edwards's of Silkstone there was a strong connection between Silkstone Baptist Tabernacle and Ipswich Assembly of God in those days.

When the Assembly of God at Raceview (today called Ipswich Region Assembly of God, and pastored by Mark Edwards) was planted out of Ipswich Assembly of God, my great-uncle Idris also built their first building, on Robertson Road.

Another Welsh family, R. T. Edwards and sons, also pastored at Raceview Congregational Church, and brought a special evangelical touch. I'm still hearing of people who were impacted for God there.

Crowds of people from churches all across Ipswich used to all walk into town on Sunday nights after their own churches’ night services, and have combined crusade meetings in Ipswich Town Hall, and there were regular open air outreaches in Bell Street near Ipswich Station.

My grandfather and uncle Les used to travel townships between Brisbane, Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley packing out church halls on Saturday nights, playing musical instruments and sharing the gospel.

That was the heritage and environment that my father, Bruce Edwards, now with the Lord, grew up in.

In one of those crusades in the Town Hall, my father, aged 14, three days before his 15th birthday, got saved. Dad was a promising sportsman, but he refrained from pursuing Sunday sports to instead make his life count for Jesus Christ. Two weeks later he preached in the open air.

My mother also has Welsh ancestry. She learned piano at age 8, from her aunt Myfanwy. Auntie Myfanwy conducted the Silkstone State School choir, founded the Ipswich Choral Society, and led choirs to win numerous State eisteddfods, for which she received the British Empire medal.

Mum's great-grandfather Wildey had played musical instruments live on radio. They had family musical nights in their home too. Their farm was in the area now called Raceview; and Wildey Street was named after them. At just age 14 my mother was the church organist for Booval Congregational Church.

Mum's friends invited her to Silkstone Baptist. Walking home under the stars, they talked with mum about getting saved. At an Easter Endeavour Camp, at Beaudesert Show Grounds, mum responded to the very first altar call.

Mum and Dad happened to both get baptised together on the same night, both aged 15, with Shirley Williams and Betty Springall, at Silkstone Baptist Church. Mum began playing piano for the church. And Dad was involved in ministry activities from the start.

‘Uncle’ Ron Edwards and dad formed a company called Tabernacle Electronics, underneath the Edwards family home. They traveled townships beyond Ipswich, showing Moody Fact and Faith films. This was before everyone had TVs.

Tent crusades were also held across Ipswich, like in Newtown Park. Uncle Les's organ was used, dad said. On one occasion some Catholics tried to burn the tent down!

When dad and mum were engaged and studying at Queensland Bible Institute, Irene Ross said to them, "I'm praying you to Japan".

Mum and dad married, and soon afterwards sailed to Japan as missionaries, with baby Peter in arms, my older brother. It was only 19 years after the War had ended: reconstruction was still taking place. Dad and mum learned Japanese; and worked with the missionary organization for 12 years.

Afterwards they were led to settle back in Ipswich for a while. Charismatic Renewal was happening, and in-between services at Silkstone, our family started attending the wonderful gatherings at Christian Life Centre, Brisbane; and others from Silkstone Baptist, hungry for the Holy Spirit, also went. Charismatic home meetings started happening across Ipswich.

Percy Mole of Bundamba had experienced personal renewal. Through his long-time friendship with a former Apostolic Church minister, Bill Hawkins, then an elder at CLC Brisbane, Percy started attending Trevor Chandler's meetings at CLC in Brisbane too. (Bill Hawkins’ in-laws had been saved in the Rhonda Valleys, Wales, during the revival.)

Eager believers were traveling to CLC Brisbane from churches all over, including from Ipswich, to be filled with the Spirit or to celebrate what God was doing.

Percy had the seed-thought, "Why not a fellowship for the Ipswich folk?" Pastor Trevor Chandler didn’t have a vision for Ipswich at first however, Percy said. But he said that when he met Bruce Edwards, my dad, at CLC in Brisbane, it was a confirmation to him that a church would indeed start in Ipswich.

At some point, Trevor Chandler and Bill Hawkins visited Ipswich, and the ‘go ahead’ was given, Percy said. At the instigation of the Ipswich folk, Sunday morning services started, in rented premises in East Street Ipswich, in October 1978. Members of Percy's home meeting, and a number of the former Silkstone Baptists who'd been driving to CLC Brisbane in-between their own church-services, were the new church’s early adherents.

One of the early attendees formerly of Silkstone Baptist, was Mrs Thelma Atwell. Thelma had been hungry for more. She’d sensed something special about Irene Ross, and about dad, and mum told her that dad had the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Thelma said, “I knew it!” Soon afterwards she got baptised in the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues by herself at home. Her love for the Lord and for people drew a number of others also.

Our family joined a few weeks after the launch, after mum fulfilled her obligation to play piano for Silkstone's Christmas production. A pastor at the time made it well nigh untenable for my parents to remain at Silkstone. From our very first Sunday with the new church, mum played piano every week; and dad shared the ministry with Percy. There were 17 people on our first Sunday. That was in 1978. And speakers from Brisbane CLC also visited to preach, into 1979.

Less than a year later the first building was already bought for the church, at Brassall—largely thanks to a donation by dad’s cousin Ron Edwards, Percy said, prompting pastor Trevor Chandler of CLC Brisbane to say, “Looks like Ipswich is a goer.”

The church attracted people interested in the Holy Spirit, and new converts were coming to the Lord, including me on Sunday night December 16,1979.

Once in their own building the church started a second Sunday service, with fellowship tea in-between, and a Sunday school. That was in the latter part of ‘79.

Percy and dad each had the opportunity to become the career-pastor of the growing church. But Percy previously had Apostolic Church associations. From its inception the Apostolic Church movement had the revelation of the fivefold ministry (decades before the Latter Rain Movement of the 1940s). They ordained ministers not with the generic title of 'pastor', but each to his specific calling, whether that be apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, elder or deacon. Percy felt that his calling was not ‘pastor' but 'teacher'. And dad didn't feel it was his calling at the time either—he said he was an ‘exhorter’.

So, the following year after the church had moved into its own building, Vince Esterman from Brisbane moved to Ipswich and was welcomed as Christian Life Centre Ipswich’s first fulltime pastor, in January 1980.

After some time Eugene Bognar also became an associate pastor; then John Pasterkamp became the next senior pastor, after Vince and Denise went to France; next was Phillip Mutzelburg; then Carl, and two more pastors on—Mark, and now Brad, it continues as an established church in the city of Ipswich (now called Catalyst Church).

A recent music director there also had Welsh ancestry, and also happened to have been taught by auntie Myfanwy.

A number from the church have gone out on missions over the years, and have seen outpourings of the Spirit.

After many years at the Ipswich church, mum and dad ministered in Japan again; then eventually became pastors of the Gold Coast Japanese Church, for some 24 years, and Elders in Surfers Paradise Assembly of God (today called Presence Church).

How did the Welsh revivals, with their wide, deep and continuing impact, start?

The 1859 revival was triggered by news of a noontime prayer meeting in New York started by a layman. Attendance at the New York prayer meeting quickly exploded, and captured attention. Hungry believers in Wales began gathering to do the same and pray—and it instantly sparked the 1859 nationwide revival.

The great 1904/05 revival was started by a young man Evan Roberts who'd heard of previous revivals in Wales, and hungered for it. One day while praying for revival, God gave him the gift of faith for it, and he saw a vision of 100,000 souls. He went and asked his pastor if he could speak to the youth about it after church. The pastor allowed it. There was an immediate outbreak. And the youth decided to meet again, and then again, until nine months later 100,000-150,000 had been saved nationwide. Pentecostal outpourings had been sparked the world over. And the impact is still going today.

Meetings were spontaneous. There was a sensitivity to the Spirit. Often nothing would be led from the front. Singing was instigated by the congregation only in response to what the Holy Spirit had already been free to do in the meetings. Often there was no preaching nor song-leading from the front as such, yet many got saved.

Welsh people can do institutional church very well too if they have to - but there's something in the psyche of many of them that wants something more - and they tend to really hit their straps when and where the Holy Spirit is truly free. Many of them nurture firsthand accounts in their hearts from relatives, of how God moved when man and institution and program and music from a stage didn’t get in the way. And it’s not easy to be satisfied with anything less.

One night I had a dream of ancient Welsh people, talking together about the Lord, about revival, about how it's meant to be, how it can be. It made me feel that there are former generations of revival that we are to build upon—we're on their shoulders—we are to build wisely. We are to know what they knew about the move and manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

So help us Lord!

Like the stories in the Old Testament—if you dig ditches, when God tells you to, you will wake up in the morning and find that God Himself has caused them to be filled with water. If you bring vessels, not a few, when God tells you to, God will keep supernaturally filling them with oil, as you pour out, until you've got no more vessels to bring.

The size of what God does, has something to do with the size of the space we give Him. What God will do is limited only by how much room we give Him.

He will fulfill your hearts desires.

Isn't the Father wonderful!

Without Limitation

"Go ye into all the world
And preach the Gospel to every nation"

The Apostles heeded His Word
And went without hesitation

But until the Holy Ghost was given
The upper room remained their station

"Wait for the promise," Jesus had told them
They were filled with anticipation

In one place for ten days they waited
All in good relation

With the women and Mary and His brothers
They continued in prayer for the duration

Matthias along with the eleven
As an Apostle received his registration

For one-hundred-and-twenty people
It was a time of preparation

Then when the day of Pentecost was fully come
The room was shaken with vibration!

They all began to speak with other tongues
As the Spirit gave them dictation

When this was noised abroad
The city was filled with consternation

"How do we hear every man speaking our language—
Is this mere intoxication?"

"These are not drunk as ye suppose"
Peter stood and gave the quotation

"This is that which was spoken by Joel"—
The empowerment for the ministration!

"What must we do?"
The people asked in desperation

"Repent and be baptized, and you'll receive the Spirit too
For the Promise is to you and your children to every
generation"

In that way, in one day
Three-thousand became the Church's population!

And today in contemporary society
We are still in the same situation

Its not by might, nor by power
Nor by human orchestration

It's by the Spirit
When He comes in manifestation...

...that we will attract the harvest
without limitation

It's by letting go
Of our reputation...

...allowing rather
the Spirit's impartation...

...that we shall enjoy
the greater celebration

A Reported Testimony of an Alleged Healing of a Brain Lesion

A friend of mine told me that his wife had started complaining of severe headaches.

So he took her to a specialist. CT scans revealed a donut-shaped brain tumour 1.5cm in diameter.

The prognosis, if she had an operation, was dismal - because it was a solid tumour with almost the density of the skull. Without an operation, she was given only two years to live.

Since the prognosis was so bad even if she had an operation, they decided not to go ahead with the operation.

They knew that if she didn't receive a miracle, she was going to die.

But she told her doctor, "I'm going to trust my Lord Jesus Christ for my healing."

Over time her pain worsened, to the point she couldn't stand any light or sound or even her husband and their two children. Eventually he had to sleep separately, on the couch.

She eventually became so weak they went back to see a doctor. And the doctor said he would operate the very next day, then sent them both home for the night.

That night her condition worsened. She became discoloured, and almost paralysed down one side.

My friend brought the children alongside their mother's bed to say their last goodbyes.

She prayed for them and hugged them; and feebly she asked their father to bring their children up in the ways of the Lord.

"I'm going Home, but you must preach the gospel," she said to her husband.

While he was lying alone on the couch that night he began sobbing uncontrollably.

"I don't want to see her die, Lord! She always believed you were going to heal her, but now she's dying. I know you never fail Lord."

Suddenly he felt the Holy Spirit, and he saw a vision. On the wall in front of him, he said, it was like someone had written the words:

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal and to kill and to destroy: but I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).

Thief?

"I'm not going to accept a 'thief' (Satan) robbing me of my wife!" he thought to himself.

The vision vanished.

Then a second Scripture appeared on the wall, he said:

"...God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all those that were OPPRESSED of the devil; for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).

The word 'oppressed' seemed to stand out to him.

He'd been taught though that as a Christian his wife couldn't be oppressed by a demon.

But then a third Scripture seemed to appear:

"My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.

For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life" (Proverbs 4:20-23).

"Lord, how do I attend to your Words?" my friend asked.

The answer came that he was to attend to John 10:10 and to Acts 10:38.

He thought about that for a moment - then he went to his wife's bedside - it was 8:15pm - and took authority over the spirit of death and over the spirit of cancer.

Then he got back on the couch and continued praying silently until about 4am - and then he got into bed beside his wife and went to sleep.

A few hours later he was woken-up by a familiar, vibrant voice he hadn't heard for a long time.

"Wake up! I'm healed!" he heard his wife saying happily, "The Lord Jesus healed me last nigh!"

There she was standing in front of him, already showered, her beautiful knee-long hair all shampooed, fully dressed.

They went straight back to the doctor. The Radiologist had new Cat Scans done.

"I think they've made a mistake," the doctor said, "because these Cat Scans show no brain tumour. It has to be a mistake".

"No, Doctor, Jesus healed her!" my friend said.

"My God never fails," his wife added smiling.

"We have to check this out, because it's impossible. I've never seen anything like this before," the doctor said.

So instead of having an operation that day, they both came back home.

A month of investigations followed.

The radiologist said, "I'm a man of science. I don't believe in God. But I have to admit there's definitely Someone up there taking care of you."

In the joy of it all, my friend's wife conceived their third child, he told us, grinning.

Many of their relatives were Hindus, and he and his wife had been praying for their salvation for a long time. As a result of seeing this miracle of healing, many of them became Christians.

I saw my friend and his beautiful family again not too long ago, including the youngest child, all grown-up now.

He's still preaching the Gospel of course and praying for people for healing and deliverance - with his healthy, happy, adoring wife always by his side.

All still so full of life and love for the Lord JESUS - and for everyone they meet.

I've Posted my friend's story, with what he said are his wife's before-and-after pictures, before—but I thought I'd Share it again today. (I haven’t sought to independently verify the pics.)

The Gift of Tongues

Speaking in tongues means speaking a language you don't know or understand, as the Spirit gives you utterance.

The New Testament mentions:

a) tongues of men;

b) tongues of angels;

c) other tongues;

d) divers kinds of tongues;

e) diversities of tongues;

f) new tongues; and

g) unknown tongues.

Biblical uses of tongues included:

a) publicly addressing a congregation in tongues;

b) speaking privately in tongues, to oneself and to God; and

c) whole groups or congregations speaking in tongues out loud at the same time, declaring the wonderful works of God, magnifying God.

The Bible refers to:

speaking in tongues;

praying in tongues;

singing in tongues;

giving thanks in tongues; and

blessing in tongues.

In a situation where someone is holding a congregation's undivided attention, and addressing them in an unknown tongue, Paul's advice was that two or three such speeches in tongues would be ample before someone else with the gift of the interpretation of tongues should be given a chance to interpret—so the congregation could understand and benefit. Or, if no-one with the gift of interpretation was present, the speaker himself could pray that he might interpret. Otherwise, the speaker was better to refrain from addressing the congregation in the unknown tongue—and instead to speak privately to himself and to God in the tongue. Even though no-one understood the tongue, it was a valid way to speak to oneself and to God, because in the spirit he was speaking mysteries. That was really just common sense, wasn't it, in that scenario. And Paul thanked his God that he spoke in tongues more than them all.

But that advice was not to say that a whole congregation couldn't all speak in tongues out loud at once together. On the day of Pentecost 120 people spoke with other tongues; Cornelius' household spoke in tongues when the Spirit fell on them while Peter was still speaking; and at Ephesus, 12 people were filled with the Spirit and spoke in tongues and prophesied. In those cases no-one was holding the congregation's undivided attention while intrusively addressing them in an unknown tongue: all were speaking in tongues together, declaring the wonderful works of God, and magnifying God. That was totally Scriptural too. That was collective worship versus corporate address. Two different scenarios, where two different protocols would be acceptable, beneficial and normal.

The Bible says tongues were edifying—to a congregation, when it was interpreted; and to the speaker, even when it was not interpreted; it magnified God, when whole groups or congregations spoke in tongues together—and to unbelievers, tongues were a sign. (Other signs that followed believers included casting out demons; being unharmed; and laying hands on the sick and the sick recovering.)

No wonder Paul said he would that they all spoke in tongues! Paul commended a congregation for earnestly desiring spiritual gifts such as tongues, for being zealous for spiritual gifts, and for not coming behind in any gift.

In the Bible, believers received the gift of tongues after the Holy Ghost came upon them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost; or when hands were laid upon them; or when the Spirit fell upon them while the preacher was still preaching.

Some were filled with the Spirit after having first been baptized in water (like the Samaritans; Saul [Paul]; and the Ephesian disciples); and some spoke in tongues before being baptized in water (at Cornelius' household)—but hearing and believing the gospel always came first. For some it all happened on the same day—for others, there were days in-between.

Once a person had received the Holy Ghost and initially spoken in tongues, thereafter they could speak in tongues again and again, Paul said.

The Bible contrasted two ways of praying (and of singing):

a) with one's understanding; and

b) with one's spirit (as the Spirit gave utterance) - that is, in tongues

—both ways were at the believers’ disposal.

The Bible says diversities of tongues is a gift which God has set in the church (along with apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healings, helps and governments).

And tongues shall continue (along with faith, hope and love) it says, until that which is perfect has come, when we shall see face to face.

"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands" (II Timothy 1:6).

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:37,38).

Healing

I used to get bronchitis twice every winter. I'd have to go on antibiotics, and then near the end of winter it would return and I'd have to go on antibiotics again—twice, each winter. More than one doctor was shocked or said it was the worst they'd seen.

At that time a visiting Evangelist wanted to pray for me on a prayer-line at church, and I sort of went along with it. But to tell you the truth, I wasn't really determined to be instantly, miraculously healed. Being sick and having a temperature wasn't nice, but I could carry on stoically. Oddly, the demand to choose faith to receive healing somehow felt like a bit of a chore, to my weakened mind, will and body. Maybe when I was younger being crook was a bit of a novelty, I don't know—but it seemed easier putting up with it, and almost comforting, just going along with the course of things. So I wasn't really expecting very much to happen, honestly.

(Do you know, it's possible for a sick person to accept prayer for healing, and yet not really be engaging. It's possible as believers to desire to pray for a person, yet the person himself mightn’t be ready to receive. That’s how I was, at first.)

But then one year, I had bronchitis again. I'd accompanied a friend driving from Queensland to a pastors' intensive at the Commonwealth Bible College (now called Alphacrucis) at Katoomba, NSW. It was cold, and I coughed all night. It must have really annoyed everyone else trying to sleep in the retreat dormitory. I reached the point where I said to myself, I've had enough of this, I’ve got to get healed.

I hadn't started a course of antibiotics that winter. But the very next night during the meeting, the speaker at the front said spontaneously to everyone, "There is a healing anointing here. Put your hands on wherever you are sick..." and he said he would pray. I eagerly placed my hand on my chest, and he prayed a single prayer from the front for everyone at our seats. This time I was determined—or, I knew—I was going to receive healing. Instantly, all the congestion in my chest was gone. I was healed. I never coughed again, much to the relief of everyone else in the dorm I'm sure.

Sometimes I still marvel: where did all that congestion in my chest go? How could it have just disappeared into thin air? One moment my chest was full of it: next moment the congestion just didn't exist anymore.

And I've never had bronchitis like that again, after all these years!

(Only, after climbing Mt Warning in the dark one night in winter, and after many years a small number of times, I had a bit of phlegm.)

That's how easy receiving healing was, this time. No-one even laid hands on me.

Looking back, I know that right before I got healed, what I had said in my heart was different to what I was saying in my heart the time before, when I wasn’t healed.

Notice according to the Scripture: we won't have what we believe only—it says we shall have what we believe and SAY:

"For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall SAY unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall BELIEVE that those things which he SAITH shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he SAITH.

Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them" (MARK 11:23,24).

It mentions ‘believing’ twice, but ‘saying’ three times.

Like the woman with the issue of blood:

"For she SAID within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole" (Matthew 9:21).

She got what she said she’d get: she wasn't just ‘believing’ generically, broadly, passively.

When you think about it, believing in the heart and confessing with the mouth had the same role in our getting saved:

"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy MOUTH, and in thy HEART: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:8-10).

Heart and mouth—believing and confessing Christ—results in salvation.

Like the prodigal son:

"And when he came to himself, he SAID, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

I will arise and go to my father, and will SAY unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee..." (Luke 15:17,18).

He said, and he acted—and the father welcomed him back with great joy. He wasn’t just passively believing good things about his dad and his dad’s house.

As with salvation, so with healing—sometimes a person may yet need to ‘come to himself’, to have had enough, and to say within himself that he's going to be healed. Then receiving and ministering healing might be relatively easy.

(This isn't the only criteria in what can happen to believers though. And God can make all that beautiful too, in its time. All in-keeping with His Divine nature and His Word.)

Believing, speaking, and acting also have the same role in receiving the Holy Spirit. You can nearly tell when someone is ready to receive the Holy Spirit, just like when someone is ready to receive salvation, and it can be the same with receiving healing—and in receiving anything else we desire and ask. Readiness to receive is almost observable.

"We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I BELIEVED, and therefore have I SPOKEN; we also believe, and therefore speak" (I Corinthians 4:13).

Believing, and speaking. You have that same spirit of faith. It’s very near you—in your heart and in your mouth. And you shall have it.

Sometimes with some things, though not always, we’re not waiting for God: He might be waiting for us. Our hearts might need preparing.

Others’ hearts might need to be made ready too. Just like you might need to work with a person a bit, sharing the Word with them, before their heart is ready to receive salvation, similarly we sometimes might need to work with a sick person a bit ‘til their own heart says within himself, “I shall be made whole”.

It is God Who works in our hearts by His gracious Word to make us willing and able. If in anything we aren’t quite ready yet to say in our hearts that something shall be so, may God the author of our faith faithfully bring our hearts to that place.

“So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.

“But God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith”.

“To another [is given] faith by the same Spirit…” (I Corinthians 12:9).

Then shall “…the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion…” and “…Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel” (Psalm 20:1,2,4).

Another time I was surprised when someone received the Holy Spirit. I had no idea she was anywhere near ready, yet she was filled with the Spirit and started speaking in tongues, her face full of joy and glory.

What do you desire? What are you imagining? All things, whatsoever you desire, think, ask, pray, believe, SAY (in your heart, or out loud) and act on—you shall have.

Give and it Shall Be Given Unto You

Driving through Burleigh Heads one day, I noticed an antique shop was having a closing down sale. So I went in—and I bought a Royal Doulton display plate, at a discounted price. The picture on it was of a lion in repose, with nice colours of background scrubland. It was a collectors' item, belonging to the Africa series. I wasn't looking for such a thing, but it looked nice, and I liked it, so I bought it.

A few days later I was visiting a retired lady missionary-friend in her home. By then I'd already become fond of the plate; and I thought I mightn't easily come across such a beauty again any time soon for such a price—but I felt led to give the plate to her. After I offered it to her she told me that only that week she'd been desiring a picture of a lion, and that she'd always loved Royal Doulton. So she got both her desires in one! The next time I visited her townhouse, she had it nicely mounted on the wall in the hallway from the entrance.

Just a few days afterwards, my sister contacted me and told me that a friend of hers from Ipswich had visited her at the Coast and had left a box for me. So I went around—the box was full of plates, some of them collectible brands. A whole box full! I took the box to our church's Transformations rehabilitation/discipleship house, and let them take all the plates they could use; and some I took to a local auction house, which sold for more than what I'd spent on the original display plate.

And then after some time, I ended-up obtaining not only another Royal Doulton collectible display plate with the very same picture (of the lion), of the very same (Africa) series; but also a second Royal Doulton with another picture, a picture which I had always liked (of Murray River gums and reflections, in the style of artist Henry J. Johnstone). Now both plates are displayed on top of a nice cabinet in my late beloved father's study.

As our wonderful Lord JESUS said:

𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟔:𝟑𝟖
𝟑𝟖 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮; 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞, 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐦. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.

Running over. It really works!

Another time I was browsing in a large secondhand bookstore, and came across an old book. It was a title I'd heard about, so I was a bit thrilled with the discovery, and bought it. That day I was visiting my brother in Brisbane, and I felt to give the book to him. I thought he'd appreciate it even more than I.

Just a couple of days later a lady in our church invited me to come to her house and to take as many of her late-husband's books as I wanted. He had been a Uniting Church minister. She offered me so many books—I backed a ute up on her driveway, and came home with boxes full, a ute load! Many of the books were titles l liked even more than the book I'd given to Peter my brother. I literally didn't have room enough to receive it all. I had to try to find missionary organizations to send them to.

As the Scriptures said:

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐒 𝟑:𝟗,𝟏𝟎
𝟗 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞:
𝟏𝟎 𝐒𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐁𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐞.

𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈 𝟑:𝟏𝟎
𝟏𝟎 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐈𝐓.

Not room enough to receive it!

I've experienced that a return on giving nearly always comes pretty-much straightaway, usually within just two to three days, or a week at the most—always without having told anyone. It’s actually fun watching it happen.

Like, one time my dear mum had sore feet, so I helped her get into a new pair of supportive shoes. I think I went halves with her. Then that very week, someone approached me at church and said to me, "Come down to the car park—I've got some things to give you." She opened the boot, and had a box full of men's shoes, my size, and invited me to take not just one pair, but all I liked.

The longest I can remember it taking, is eight months. When I was leaving Malaysia, I left my guitar at the church staff-house there for the volunteers to use. It was my first guitar, it had a good tone, and it was a YAMAHA, though the action was a bit hard to play. When I was picked up at Brisbane Airport, the first thing my friend said to me was, "What have you given away?" Then one day eight months later when I was visiting Transformations, a resident named Jeromy owned a guitar, and he invited me to strum it. Then he said, "Have it". It had a built-in pickup and equalizer, and a nice case. And then a long time afterwards, a son of a very good friend in Ipswich also gave me a guitar—a Yamaha, with a nice tone, and a very easy action. And then soon after that, someone else offered me a guitar too. I said to him, "I already have a guitar'—but he insisted. Today I have seven guitars, each of them given to me. I've had to store them at different houses in different cities.

In Proverbs it says that he who gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and He will repay Him.

When Jesus sat beside the Temple treasury, and watched how the people donated money, many who were rich threw-in a lot. And a certain poor widow came, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called His disciples to Him, and said to them:

"Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living".

The Lord sees.

“There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself” (Proverbs 11:24,25).

The most precious thing we can give, is our lives to the Lord in service of others through the gospel:

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝟏𝟎:𝟐𝟖-𝟑𝟎
𝟐𝟖 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦, 𝐋𝐨, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐞.
𝟐𝟗 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥'𝐬,
𝟑𝟎 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐄𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐀𝐍 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

In Matthew’s account, Peter asked, “What shall we have therefore?” And Jesus promised that in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of His glory, they who had forsaken all and followed Him also shall sit upon twelve thrones.

Paul said it is the most blessed life-stlye:

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟐𝟎:𝟑𝟓
𝟑𝟓 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝, 𝐈𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞.

It is exemplified in the life, death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus to the Throne. One day, many of the Jews wanted to take Him and make Him a king. But He withdrew. Then some Greeks came, wanting to see JESUS. His disciples remarked, "All men are seeking for you". But He said that except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it gets sown, it can become a harvest. Instead of seizing kingship over the world, He said that if He is instead lifted up on the cross, afterwards He would draw all men to Him. He became obedient to the point of death, even a cruel death on a cross. And now, how rich is His inheritance in the saints, which His Father has given Him! Of the increase of His government and peace, there is still no end!

No wonder the Psalm says, "I delight to do thy will O God; and to walk with thee is not grievous unto me, for I delight to do thy will."

He who saves his life shall lose it, but he who loses His life for His sake and the gospel's, shall find it, and shall keep it unto everlasting life, and He will raise Him up, Jesus said.

Godliness has promise and profit, not only in this life, but in the life to come, said Paul.

Seeing and Sharing Visions

𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦.

The ancient prophet Joel foretold it:

𝐉𝐎𝐄𝐋 𝟐:𝟐𝟖
𝟐𝟖 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐲, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐄𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒:

The apostle Peter quoted it, and said that the outpouring of the Spirit in the upper room on the day of Pentecost had happened in fulfillment of it (see Acts 2:14-21).

When I was a young teenager, a new Christian, I was hungry for it. I remember kneeling in prayer one day and saying to God, "You said in your Word that 'young men shall see visions'. I'm a young man, so..." And I went on to tell God that I therefore expected to see a vision.

And it wasn't too long afterwards that I did see my first vision. But it was so real, I didn't think of it as a 'vision'. It was as real as if someone was to sit in your room and talk with you. To this day I still can't tell whether it was in the body or not, whether it was physical or not—that's how natural it felt. It was only a long time afterwards that I thought maybe that experience was an answer to my prayer to see a vision. Paul, and others in the Bible, experienced seeing visions in such a way that they couldn’t say for sure it wasn’t physical (for example, see II Corinthians 12:1-7). Sometimes a number of disciples experienced it together. The experiences included components which they couldn’t say weren’t physical.

It's okay to ask for visions, to ask for such things, you know! In I Corinthians 12-14 Paul commended the Corinthians for 'earnestly desiring' the expressions of the Spirit, for 'coveting' it, and for 'coming behind in no gift'. Sometimes I think if we were to ask for such things, we might see more of it!

Another type of vision is when unexpectedly you go into a scene; you go into it so thoroughly that your physical surroundings seem to disappear. It's like you are right there in the scene. Peter had this type of vision while praying and fasting on a rooftop; so did Paul (in the Book of Acts)—and in Revelation, John called it being 'in the Spirit'. You're totally caught up in it. For the moment, you become all but unaware of your surroundings. But afterwards, when the vision has ended, you know it was a vision—you know you've been in the Spirit—it's not like you're unable to tell whether it was a physical experience or not.

With these types of visions, you might not only 𝘴𝘦𝘦—you might also interact with what you're seeing. You might engage in two-way conversations with others you might see in the vision (John did, in the Book of Revelation).

Sometimes in a meeting a number of people might go into the Spirit, into a vision, together—and everyone else in the meeting can see and hear that they are acting and interacting together with each other and with whomever or whatever they are seeing and hearing in their vision. Then afterwards they might tell the congregation all that they saw and heard. We can let the move of the Spirit in meetings get to this depth.

Another type of 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 is where the physical surrounding in front of you disappears, and you see a scene unfold—but as it's transpiring, you're still somewhat aware of your surroundings and of your physical posture while you’re seeing it.

On occasion, through the gift of the ‘discerning of spirits’ (I Corinthians 12:10), as the Spirit wills, you might see an angel, or demons, or maybe even see the Lord whose we are and whom we serve. But others standing by might not see it. We can ask for more of this, and the Lord will do it among us.

Then another type of 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 could maybe be called 'mini-visions': you 'see' a picture—it's like your imagination, except you know it didn't come to mind just because you were already imagining something along those lines: rather, it comes by the Spirit of God, and you are aware of the picture. It might have a personal meaning for you; or you may be meant to share it. You likely also know the meaning, and you can tell it too. Sometimes you may not know the meaning: but the meaning might be revealed to someone else standing by.

Kenneth E. Hagin described three types of visions as: open visions, trance visions and spiritual visions.

Visions provide edification, exhortation, comfort and revelation; and it can have an impact on visitors, resulting in them getting saved—for the furtherance of the gospel, all to the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Joel, and Peter quoting it, said this will happen 'afterward'—'in the last days'—as God 'pours out His Spirit'—before the 'great and terrible day of the Lord'. In other words, it's still for today, and it's for you and me. It can happen in our meetings. We can pray particularly that our ‘young’ experience it, even children.

"𝐀𝐒𝐊 𝘺𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯; 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘦𝘭𝘥 (𝘡𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘩 10:1).

Spend Time Speaking in Tongues!

 

One of the best pieces of advice I feel I can ever give anyone, is: 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘦𝘴.

Paul said speaking in tongues edifies you:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟒
𝟒 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟...

That means speaking in tongues builds you up—like a building being built. That's good, isn't it!

Sometimes all it takes is one sentence in tongues—and you already feel refreshed. It's like pressing the restart button on a computer, or refreshing the screen. You know and feel that something good has been accomplished, and that everything is okay. Sometimes you might even start to feel a note of joy in your spirit. You might smile, and chuckle or laugh. That's the note of victory. Your spirit has been edified.

Whenever you don't know what else to do—if ever your heart and mind are overwhelmed—you can always speak in tongues. Speaking in tongues is one thing we can do perfectly—because it bypasses our limited understanding. When we speak in tongues we aren't speaking from our understanding, but with our spirit—as the Holy Spirit gives us utterance. And who knows the mind of God better than the Spirit of God! So when we don't know what to pray for as we ought, speaking in tongues is a way we can pray in accordance with the perfect will of God.

Paul said that a person who speaks in tongues is speaking not unto men but unto God, for no-one understands him, nevertheless in the spirit he's speaking mysteries:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟐
𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝: 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦; 𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

When we pray in tongues, we may be praying about things known only to God—things which perhaps only the Spirit can reveal. It is therefore an effective way to make petitions, supplications and intercessions. It can solve problems, set-up Divine appointments, and establish destinies.

Paul mentioned speaking, praying, singing, blessing and giving thanks in tongues (see I Corinthians 14).

Kenneth E. Hagin said that nearly all of the blessings he experienced in his long and fruitful life and ministry could be attributed to two things: acting on the Word, and praying in other tongues. Coming from him, that's saying something!

He shared that when he was a young teenage preacher, he used to go to a hay barn and pray in tongues. As he did so, if I remember correctly, he felt that when he would be in his 60s, a major thrust of his ministry would be the printed page. And it came to pass! Millions of his books and his magazine were distributed in many languages and nations. And many major ministers have given credit to the foundation that Kenneth E. Hagin's books gave to their own ministries. By praying in tongues, brother Hagin was praying into existence the very plan and purpose of God for his ministry, decades in advance.

Over the years I've often felt that when you meet a person who speaks in tongues a lot, you can almost tell. There's something about them. After all, speaking in tongues involves tapping-in to the Spirit—to God's supernatural ability. So someone who speaks in tongues a lot, is like when the water table under a parcel of land sits very close to the land surface—it doesn't take very much for some of that water to spring up and flow. To such a person, revelation always seems just below the surface; they seem to be of quick understanding; and they don't seem to have to dig too deep before they can also express the Spirit in additional ways besides tongues which are also helpful to the people around them (like words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, and the interpretation of tongues).

I know an Evangelist who, everywhere he went, words of knowledge and gifts of healing seemed to accompany him so easily, and demons came out of people. He taught that all believers can do the works that Jesus did. He said the key is to keep our pump primed, which he said we can do by spending an hour a day speaking in tongues. An hour a day sounds a lot—but he explained that we can speak in tongues while doing other things throughout the day, such as while cooking, washing, walking or driving. You'd be surprised how easily it can add up to an hour! And like I said above, sometimes it only takes a sentence.

Paul explained that once a believer has received the Spirit and initially spoken with tongues, he can thereafter pray in tongues at will:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟓
𝟏𝟓 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧? 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨...

In this verse Paul is contrasting two ways of praying: praying with our spirit (in tongues), and with praying with our understanding. The words 'I will' indicate volition: it's up to us to decide which way we will pray, and when. Sometimes you feel it sort of pressing on your spirit. Give expression to that. That's praying in the Spirit.

Paul spoke in tongues a lot:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟖
𝟏𝟖 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥...

He was referring to when he was by himself praying—not necessarily addressing a congregation in tongues.

And he said he wanted us all to:

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟒:𝟓
𝟓 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬...

That includes you, and me.

Speaking in tongues is one of the best things we can do!

Our precious Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was the first to say that believers shall speak with tongues:

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟕,𝟏𝟖
𝟏𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞; 𝐈𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐬; 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒;
𝟏𝟖 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬; 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫.

And the promise of receiving the Spirit is for everyone:

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟐:𝟑𝟗
𝟑𝟗 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐟𝐟, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥.

The Attitude that Achieves Greatest Results

Let each esteem other better than themselves.

𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟐:𝟑
𝟑 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲; 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐦 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬.

The more we do so in the church, the more we can see the Holy Spirit expressed among us.

Honour all those outside the church also, as we pray that God establishes righteousness in the earth - for the kingdom is the Lord's.

"𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦𝘯. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥. 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨" (𝘐 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 2:17).

Even if others do not do so to us, we can still do so them - and all the more, trusting God.

"𝘉𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘬: 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩" (𝘔𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘸 5:5).

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨: 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘥𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘱, 𝘪𝘧 𝘸𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵" (𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘴 6:9).

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳" (𝘐 𝘗𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳 4:19).

The Lord shall:

"𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭" (𝘗𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘮 20:4).

He'll open the door. He'll make a way. Resulting in the whole body edifying itself in love.

Love never fails!

Ye Are Come Unto the Heavenly JERUSALEM

There is a JERUSALEM which is ABOVE, in heaven.

𝐆𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟒:𝟐𝟔
𝟐𝟔 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥.

Unlike the earthly city of Jerusalem whose citizens were in bondage (under the Old Testament Law, and under Roman occupation), Jerusalem which is above is FREE.

𝐇𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝟏𝟑:𝟏𝟒
𝟏𝟒 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞.

Not only do we have an eternal city in heaven, but it is coming!

𝐈𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟓:𝟏
𝟏 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬, 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬.

It's our eternal home. Jerusalem which is above is the 'mother' of us all who have been born again, born from above (see also John 3:3).

(At Galatia, there were some who were disputing against the good news of salvation for all people simply through JESUS, insisting instead that it was necessary to become Jewish proselytes.

Paul countered that, by contrasting two women, Hagar and Sarah; their two different statuses: bondwoman, and the free woman; their two sons: Ishmael, and the promised son Isaac; and two cities: Jerusalem which then was, whose citizens were in bondage; and the Jerusalem which is above which is free.

Paul equated Ishmael with bondage under the Old Covenant law; the promised son Isaac he equated with people of all nations inheriting salvation simply by faith in JESUS Christ. Hagar he equated with Jerusalem which then was whose citizens were in bondage to the law of sin and death, the curse, and in bondage under Roman tyranny; while Sarah he equated with Jerusalem which is above which is free. Bondage or freedom, death or resurrection life—the choice was theirs.

When they believed in Jesus, they'd become children of God, coheirs with Christ, fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God, part of God's new creation project - irrespective of their ethnicity, and without needing to become Jewish proselytes. There is Jerusalem which is above, and they'd become part of it. Paul didn't want anyone bewitching them back into a system which couldn't deliver.)

Not not only is the city in heaven, and not only is it coming, but we have already come to it. You already have a living connection to it.

In the epistle to the Hebrews Paul touches on all the themes of the city of God mentioned in Psalm 87, and applies it to us as believers in Jesus - and shows that it isn't only about the future: we have a connection to that city already.

𝐇𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐒𝟏𝟐:𝟐𝟐-𝟐𝟒
𝟐𝟐 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐉𝐄𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐌, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬,
𝟐𝟑 𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭,
𝟐𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐛𝐞𝐥.

There is the heavenly Jerusalem, and you have come to it 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺, it says. It's not just a future hope: it's also a present reality.

𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟑:𝟐𝟎
𝟐𝟎 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧; 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭:

Our conversation - our community, citizenship, conduct - is in heaven.

Already. We are crucified, buried, risen and seated in heavenly places with Christ, blessed in Him with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places, Paul taught.

The incorruptible inheritance is reserved for us in heaven, Peter said. That doesn't mean however that the blessing is to stay in heaven. John saw that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟏:𝟏𝟎
𝟏𝟎 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦, 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐝,

Jerusalem comes down out of heaven from God.

"Thy kingdom COME, thy will be done ON EARTH, as it is in heaven," the Lord taught us to pray. That isn't about a future hope only: it's also a present reality. The gospel announces and demonstrates that the kingdom is so at hand that it's even been inaugurated among us though not yet consummated.

Even though John's vision of the city having the glory of God is at the end of Revelation, in part it symbolizes present realities, not only the future.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟐:𝟏,𝟐
𝟏 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐦𝐛.
𝟐 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.

The river flowing from God through that city isn't only for the future, is it: it's for 'whosoever will', right now.

𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝟐𝟐:𝟏𝟕
𝟏𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥, 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐲.

The leaves of the tree in the middle of the city are said to be for the healing of the people of all nations, here and now. It is 𝘯𝘰𝘸 that healing is needed, and available - not in the future. The heavenly Jerusalem is NOW, not just future. Revelation isn't all strictly a lineal chronology: it symbolizes things both future and present (so chapter 1:19 said).

Ezekiel similarly saw a vision of a new city, and the river flowing from the Temple, bringing restoration wherever it flowed. John describes the same theme and imagery and shows its intended meaning and completion through Jesus, the Spirit and the bride. It's for all people of the earth, according to the gospel, and no other way, John saw. There isn't even any more need for a physical temple.

The theme of the kingdom of God in the Bible is both a future hope, to be seen at the second coming of Christ; and a present reality, by the cross and resurrection of Jesus, and by the Spirit, for us, in us, among us and through us for this needy world right now.

The 'hope of Israel' included the future resurrection of the dead, said Paul. But you have been brought near and made part of the commonwealth of the true Israel of God, right now, Paul told the Ephesians.

We still "...𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭" from heaven, Paul said (Philippians 3:20), but Jesus also said there is a present aspect to it:

𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟏𝟕:𝟐𝟎,𝟐𝟏
𝟐𝟎 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧:
𝟐𝟏 𝐍𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲, 𝐋𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐨𝐫, 𝐥𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞! 𝐟𝐨𝐫, 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

The kingdom of God is inaugurated right now for, in, upon, among and through us - even though we still await the final, visible, full, eternal coming and rollout of the kingdom of heaven upon earth.

𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟏𝟏:𝟐𝟎
𝟐𝟎 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

Jesus was already expressing the kingdom of God.

𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟏𝟎:𝟗
𝟗 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮.

Jesus bequeathed the same power to us, His body, the church.

Christ is making all things new, yes - but, new creation has also already begun:

First, it began in Christ Himself, by His resurrection from the dead:

"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘧𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘱𝘵" (𝘐 𝘊𝘰𝘳.15:20).

He is:

"...𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥” (𝘙𝘦𝘷.3:14)

“𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘵𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥; 𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦" (𝘙𝘦𝘷.1:18), He said.

In that He died, He dies no more: death has no more dominion over Him.

He is our forerunner.

And then, new creation has begun in us:

𝐈𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟓:𝟏𝟕
𝟏𝟕 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲; 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰.

Although the present heavens and earth with its suffering and tyranny, are yet to pass away, and we do not yet see the new heavens and earth, yet because we are in Christ, new creation is therefore an inaugurated reality. Old things have passed away, all things have become new. I've experienced that. You've experienced it.

Jesus is the first-fruit of new creation, in heaven. In Him we also are new creation, in spirit, on the earth, while we await the redemption of the body, at His coming.

You have been "𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘺 𝘎𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵" and "𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦" (Hebrews 6:4,5).

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an overflow of Christ's glory in heaven, and a foretaste of what's to come for us.

All the Old Testament promises of God, of which ancient Israel were the custodians, are yes and Amen in Christ Jesus unto the glory of God by us.

Since we have this hope, and are also experiencing its present reality inwardly and seeing it expressed powerfully by the Holy Spirit, we therefore:

"𝘋𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴" that we "𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘶𝘬𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮" we "𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥; 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦..." (Philippians 2:14-16).

As He is already in heaven, so are we in the world. We are a holy nation, a royal priesthood, showing forth the praises of He who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. (Even before the second coming there can be a spinoff of that benefit to this world to one extent or another depending.)

The way we are going to be (in future resurrection life and glory) hasn’t come physically and visibly in our experience yet, but when the time comes and we see Him, then we shall be transformed to be like Him (in all His resurrected glory), for we shall see Him as He is.

If we only had hope in Christ in this life, some of our persecuted brethren would be the most unfortunate people of all—but we have the hope of the resurrection, Paul said. But at the same time, since we are already receiving the ultimate outcome of our faith, which is the saving of our souls, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And we reign in life.

I remember the night I experienced becoming a new creation, a citizen of Jerusalem above, and received the future assurance and the present power of resurrection life, and was washed in the precious blood, and clothed in white - the glory of God came into my spirit. As they say, It’s better felt than told!

Have you been born again, and received your citizenship in Jerusalem which is above?

Take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.

"...whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13).

This Clears a Lot of Things Up

I think it clears a lot of things up, and helps make better sense of the whole Bible, when we face it that the claim the New Testament is really making, is that:

The GOSPEL is where the Old Testament was really going all along.

It is how the story was always going to end up.

JESUS Christ is what it was always really going to be all about.

The gospel isn't just something barely foreseen in the Old Testament, inserted merely temporarily into human history until the vision of the Old Testament finally picks up in future.

No, this is it - is the radical claim the New Testament is making.

The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is exactly what the Old Testament was promising, covenanting, foreshadowing, had encoded into law, was in essence celebrating in advance, foreseeing, foretelling, envisioning, prophesying, recording, stating and meaning. Nothing less, nothing more, nothing else - not now, nor in future - the GOSPEL only.

The gospel is the WHOLE end of the story.

I've often said: if God had a better card up His sleeve to play for the salvation of Israel, He'd be playing it now.

The gospel is the best, the only and the final plan God has for the salvation of all mankind - Gentiles or Jews - and for the salvation of the creature. It can't get any better than the best.

GOD has GIVEN His only begotten SON!

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟑:𝟏𝟔
𝟏𝟔 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐨𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟖:𝟑𝟐
𝟑𝟐 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬?

𝐈 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟒:𝟏𝟎
𝟏𝟎 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐬.

𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏:𝟏-𝟒,𝟗
𝟏 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥, 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞, 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝,
𝟐 (𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬,)
𝟑 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐡;
𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝:
𝟗 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐍…

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟐:𝟐
𝟐 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐈 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝.

𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟏𝟓:𝟏-𝟒
𝟏 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫, 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐈 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝;
𝟐 𝐁𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐲𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐧.
𝟑 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐈 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬;
𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬:

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟖:𝟓𝟔
𝟓𝟔 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝.

𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝟐𝟒:𝟐𝟕,𝟑𝟐,𝟒𝟒-𝟒𝟗
𝟐𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟.
𝟑𝟐 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬?
𝟒𝟒 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐈 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐬, 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞.
𝟒𝟓 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬,
𝟒𝟔 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦, 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐚𝐲:
𝟒𝟕 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦.
𝟒𝟖 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.
𝟒𝟗 𝐀𝐧𝐝, 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝, 𝐈 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮: 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐲𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐦, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐲𝐞 𝐛𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡.

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟓:𝟑𝟗,𝟒𝟎
𝟑𝟗 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬; 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐲𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞.
𝟒𝟎 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

𝐈𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝟑:𝟏𝟐-𝟏𝟖
𝟏𝟐 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡:
𝟏𝟑 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐬𝐫𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝:
𝟏𝟒 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝: 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭; 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭.
𝟏𝟓 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭.
𝟏𝟔 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲.
𝟏𝟕 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭: 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲.
𝟏𝟖 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝.

𝐈 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏:𝟗-𝟏𝟑
𝟗 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬.
𝟏𝟎 𝐎𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮:
𝟏𝟏 𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰.
𝟏𝟐 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧; 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨.
𝟏𝟑 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭;

𝐈𝐈 𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏:𝟏𝟔-𝟐𝟏
𝟏𝟔 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐲.
𝟏𝟕 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐦 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝.
𝟏𝟖 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭.
𝟏𝟗 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐲; 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐰𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬:
𝟐𝟎 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
𝟐𝟏 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧: 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭.

𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐖 𝟏𝟑:𝟏𝟗
𝟏𝟗 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐇 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞.

𝐈 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟓:𝟐𝟎
𝟐𝟎 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟏𝟔:𝟏𝟑
𝟏𝟑 𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡, 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡...

𝐈 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝟐:𝟐𝟕
𝟐𝟕 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮: 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐲𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐦.

𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝟐𝟎:𝟑𝟐
𝟑𝟐 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐰, 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐧, 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐮𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝.