ALTAR OF THE ALMIGHTY – Part One of Two

Meeting in the Sanctuary of PSALM 22 and ISAIAH 53

~ by James Fire

HEBREW 7:11-28
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. 15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) 22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: 24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

We devote this article to the utmost of sacred sacrifices, the supreme and paramount of omnipotent sacrifice that secured the propitiation for sin for the sake of the entirety of humanity.

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SHOW CASE SALVATION – Examination of JAMES 2 and 1 JOHN 2 PART TWO of TWO: 1st JOHN Chapter 2

~ By James Fire

Webster’s dictionary definition of a “show case” is as follows:
“1: a glazed case, box, or cabinet for displaying and protecting wares in a store or articles in a museum 2: a setting, occasion, or medium for exhibiting something or someone especially in an attractive or favorable aspect”

Think of your typical Harvest festival, where farmers gather from miles around and display the best of their crops; pumpkins, squash, apples and pears – what have you. They put them on display for the admiration of those gathered as well as for a demonstration of their skills as husbandmen.

The LORD likewise intends for the fruit of the Holy Spirit to be displayed in our lives in ‘Show Case’ fashion, to demonstrate the work of salvation – for the admiration of those who have no such fruit and create in them a hunger for such (MATT 5:6).
The LORD intends such growth in us to display the handiwork of His holiness; to reveal we who are saints, who have the favor of the LORD, and in whom He has instilled such spiritual traits of the truly saved. He displays us intentionally before the world so that they can see what He has to offer, and to see His virtues and thus the LORD is glorified (or hated – by the world).

Any fruit grown will reveal what sort of tree it’s grown from; we know an apple tree by the apples it bears; likewise a pear tree or orange tree. How can we tell a tree of righteousness (ISA 61:3) apart from a tree that is not of the same kind? 

By the fruit of righteousness it bears (PHIL 1:11; HEB 12:11; JAMES 3:18).
No fruiting tree bears immediately of course; and until that time, the casual observer typically can’t tell these trees apart or even from those that don’t bear fruit at all. However, the time does eventually come when fruit is born. The tree is then known by its fruit.
Spiritually speaking, what happens to those trees that don’t bear good fruit? Scripture speaks plainly of this; John the Baptist said:

MATTHEW 3:10
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.

And the LORD Jesus confirmed this:

MATTHEW 7:18-20
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

There is the fruit of repentance (LUKE 3:8); the fruit that evidences salvation (MATT 13:23); fruit that justifies giving the Kingdom of GOD to those who shall inherit it (MATT 21:43). This fruit brings the characteristic of holiness into one’s life with everlasting life, as a promise to such that bear it (ROM 6:22). The very fruit of the Spirit of GOD is something we will be looking into later (GAL 5:22-23; EPH 5:9). 

Fruit is something to be expected in the life of a true believer (PHIL 4:17); fruit that is readily observable: COL 1:6,10). This spiritual fruit is ‘fertilized’ as it were, through the very wisdom of GOD that sows this seed through the Word (JAMES 3:17). All of this good fruit is in contrast with those who are certainly not partakers of the salvation of GOD through the LORD Jesus Christ:

JUDE 1:11-13
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

So with this introduction, let’s begin:

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The JOY of the LORD is OUR STRENGTH

~ by James Fire

We finished only a few weeks ago the ON THE BRINK Prophecy Conference and it was a blessing wasn’t it (We'll have a series of articles accompanying the videos of this coming soon!)?

Always, whenever we look at the signs of the times, how they are beginning to come to pass we look up, for our redemption draws near, and we’ll be seeing JESUS soon! And that is the ultimate reason for our joy!

There are those who avoid prophecy conferences – because it’s all “doom and gloom” they say. Not for the Christian, really: because these signs reveal He is coming back, any day now, and the anticipation is thrilling!

For those who are lost; or playing some cheap plastic Jesus game, sure: these things are full of doom and gloom, because what’s about to happen, and what will be happening in the not too distant future is going to be terrifying.
Even for us Christians – we don’t know the time of the rapture, and so we could, potentially speaking, experience a great deal of these times of trial and tribulation (not the Great Tribulation) but times of trouble and persecution. The LORD told us that any who intend to live godly, to expect such things, right?

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EXODUS – GOD’s MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE of ISRAEL FROM EGYPT – Chapter FOUR

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire
Exodus 1-5 by pastor Chuck Smith

EXODUS 4 – by James Fire, for the Facebook video, go here.

INTRODUCTION: Chapter Four could really be considered Chapter Three – Part Two; because it picks right up from where Chapter Three ends; this is a reminder to us that just because we finish one chapter and begin another, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the start of a new subject, as you would expect in a text book or even a novel. The Chapters as well as the verses were added to our Bibles in the 15th and 16th centuries, so that we may conveniently locate any particular text.

So, by way of a quick review, let’s remember what Chapter three was all about:
The chapter opens with Moses in “the backside of the desert” – not exactly a complimentary location – and for forty years – with sheep (not his own, but his fathers-in-law’s). This was a prince of Egypt that was accustomed to literally, the royal treatment. Now instead of Egyptian servants catering to his every need, he tends to the needs of these sheep – wild and wooly company, indeed!
As pastor Sonny indicated, GOD took forty years to get Egypt out of this man. GOD replaces that in Moses that is unusable with meekness and faith, conditioning the man to become pliable putty and usable in His Almighty hand.
Incidentally – that is a good prayer to pray regularly: “LORD, keep me usable”.

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