PILGRIMS! By Lambert Dolphin

This article by Lambert Dolphin is really a composite of several different articles (written by Lambert and also Ray Stedman, excepting others I have inserted) accessible by links throughout. This is an exciting subject as it deals with our eternal Home and the glories that await us there! The greatest of these, being the immediate and direct presence of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ Himself! The embodiment of what heaven is: Himself!

To read this article in it's original form, go to Lambert's website here.

So with no further delay, let's dig in to what Lambert has for us!

There are Two Jerusalems: One is Below, One is Above

The Bible speaks of two Jerusalems, not merely one. As Abraham was promised a heavenly family, as numerous as the stars of the heavens, and also an earthly family, a numerous as the grains of sand on the seas shore, so the coming time of redemption will feature a restored earthly Jerusalem, capital city of the Planet Earth, capital city of Israel. But there is also a great space city, a magnificent gateway city to the rest of the universe, Jerusalem Above, the mother of us all. 

Are the two Jerusalems connected? Probably yes. The Temple in Jerusalem on earth may well prove to be the "gateway" for "travel" to and from the orbiting space city New Jerusalem.

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LEVITICUS – A HOLY PEOPLE’s ACCESS to The HOLY GOD – Chapter NINETEEN & TWENTY

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Leviticus by pastor Chuck Smith 

LEVITICUS 19 & 20: “THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD DON’T MIX” – by Sonny Islas; listen to the Youtube audio here.  

INTRODUCTION: The Book of Leviticus deals with the duties and responsibilities of the Priest but it also focuses on HOW God deals, connects and interacts with all of the Nation of Israel. Hence the Moral Laws (10 Commandments – and their detailed explanations), the Dietary Laws (What foods to eat – for their wellbeing), the Ceremonial Laws (Animal Sacrifices, cleansings, and Feasts) and the Judicial Laws (Which points to how to deal with crimes and criminals).
The main purpose of these loving laws was to make Israel stand out in a pagan world as God’s chosen people.

LEVITICUS 20:26 makes this clear
“And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.”

In the New Testament, regarding the Church of Jesus, it’s no different.

In MATTHEW 5:48 Jesus the LORD says,
“Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

1 PETER 1:15-16 says,
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I Am holy.”

The Jews were set apart then by the Old Testament scriptures, and the Church is set apart now by the Old Testament and New Testament scriptures (the whole counsel of GOD). Mainly Jesus’ teachings and their commentary – that is, New Testament epistles.

The problem with much of the Church today is that they think that being like the world is the best way to win the world, but the opposite is true. Israel failed to represent God time and time again because they too caved into the world’s evil ways.

The reality is this, the world (aka the Harlot) belongs to Satan and his wicked ways, and the Church (aka the Bride) belongs to God and His righteous ways – and there is a world of difference.

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LEVITICUS – A HOLY PEOPLE’s ACCESS to The HOLY GOD – Chapter SEVENTEEN & EIGHTEEN

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire
Complete Study of Leviticus by pastor Chuck Smith 

LEVITICUS 17 & 18: “Regarding the World’s Two Religions” – by James Fire, Facebook video. 

INTRODUCTION: John MacArthur did a phenomenal job, teaching about how there really aren’t countless numbers of religions in the world. There are really only two religions. The true religion as established by GOD upon the righteous sacrifice of Christ by grace, shedding His blood on the cross for our sins; that’s one. The other is the religion of self, that by our own deeds, and being ‘a good boy’ and following the rules, ‘God will accept me’. This second religion glories in the works of the flesh; the first religion glories in the Cross of our LORD Jesus Christ (GAL 6:13-14). Every religion in the world demands that we perform for our salvation; not biblical Christianity. Biblical Christianity saves by grace and then by the Spirit, empowers us to perform – not for salvation, but because of salvation!

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CROSSING The ‘T’s TTUF STUDY 1st THESSALONIANS Ch. Five & Conclusion

~ by James Fire

1st THESSALONIANS Chapter Five & Conclusion

INTRODUCTION: What is a King without a kingdom? What is a Captain without a ship’s crew? Conversely what would that kingdom or ship be like without their king or Captain? Both are needful and necessary.
The pastorate is not a one man show. The church is only a one man show if by that Man, you are referring to the LORD Jesus Christ. He is the head of the body, the LORD of the church, the blessed Bridegroom of the bride.
Thus with these GOD-ordained ministers, who lead and guide the church in accordance with the will of GOD as expressed through the Scriptures and directed through prayer have an authority as overseers, to lead by example (2 THESS 3:9), and the saints are to follow the pastors as these leaders follow Christ (1 COR 11:1).

In a day and age in which we live, where authority is not just questioned, but challenged and even denied, anarchy can infest the church with this ‘fever’ of society. What is needed, both from pastor as well as congregation, is humility. Humbleness to lead the flock and humbleness from the flock to follow.

Paul gets into all of this and more in this last section in closing out this 1st of 2nd epistles to the church of the Thessalonians!

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LEVITICUS – A HOLY PEOPLE’s ACCESS to The HOLY GOD – Chapter 15 & 16: “Cleansing By Blood and Water – A Distinctive of Calvary”

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Leviticus by pastor Chuck Smith 

LEVITICUS 15 & 16: “Cleansing By Blood and Water – A Distinctive of Calvary” – by James Fire, Facebook video. 

INTRODUCTION: Where we are now in our study of LEVITICUS deals with cleansing and sanitation, customs, morals, etc., and the all-encompassing purity of life as a condition for divine favor. (LEV 12-20). We in the New Testament, because of Christ and His Spirit of grace, we have GOD’s favor already (we don’t have to work to earn GOD’s approval as they did under the Law), but in response to this grace, this ‘unmerited favor’, we love and serve the LORD, willingly surrendering our all to Him, which as it says in ROM 12:1, is our “reasonable service”.

We have yet to see the specifics about the purity of priests and offerings (LEV 21 & 22). 

Then the Five Annual Feasts will be examined in: LEV 23.
The Feast of the Passover is addressed (April 14), commemorating the Exodus (LEV 23:5). The Feast of Pentecost (June 6) commemorates the giving of the Law (LEV 23:15). 

The Feast of Trumpets (Shofars), aka Rosh Hashanah (October 1), commemorating the end of harvest time, also preparation time for the Day of Atonement or Yom Kipur; (which we will touch on briefly here; LEV 23:23-25). 

The Day of Atonement (Oct 10), the High priest enters the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people (LEV 16 & 23:27-32). 

The Feast of Tabernacles (Oct 15), commemorating life in the wilderness, and thanksgiving for the harvest (LEV 23:39-43).
Then there are General Enactments and Instructions, which will be examined in the last three chapters: (LEV 25-27).

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LEVITICUS – Chapter THIRTEEN & FOURTEEN: “LEPROSY: A SEVERE SKIN & SIN PROBLEM”

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Leviticus by pastor Chuck Smith 

LEVITICUS 13 & 14: “LEPROSY: A SEVERE SKIN & SIN PROBLEM” – by Sonny Islas, Facebook video. 

INTRODUCTION: In order for us to understand and appreciate the Old Testament, especially books like Leviticus, we need to understand that God, that is, Yahweh was the King over this people group: Israel. This type of government is known as a Theocracy. Here’s a basic definition of a Theocracy: A Theocracy is a form of government in which a deity of some type (in this case it’s the One true God) is recognized as the supreme ruling authority, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries (in this case, Moses and the priests of Israel) that manage the day-to-day affairs of the government. – Wikipedia’s Definition

Another thing to keep in mind is that Leviticus means: The Duties of the Levites or Priestly Duties. One of their main duties was to upkeep the Tabernacle (the tent of meeting/worship), to pray and to perform animal sacrifices. But here in Leviticus 13 and 14 we find that they had the responsibility of examining bodies that may be infected with Leprosy or other severe skin conditions. They were in a sense – public health officers, like our modern CDC: Center for Disease Control (Only they didn’t have to deal with Dr. Fauci! … if you know what I mean).

It was their job to prevent an outbreak of leprosy in the camp – very much like it is a pastor’s job to not allow flagrant sin to spread in the church. And the main way in which the pastor does that is to pray against it, to preach against it and to carefully counsel those who are infected by it (to the point of being overcome by it).

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