WALKING The COVENANT WAY: PART 6 of 8: the LAND (Palestinian) Covenant

~ by James Fire

When you’re reading a book or any printed instructions and you come across words or sentences that are underscored, you know that this is information you need to pay close attention to; that it’s something of vital importance.

GOD had already established His covenant with Abraham, which entailed three aspects:

1) His descendants would be as vast as the stars of heaven and the sands of the seashore.

2) That he and those of his kin with like faith would inherit “the land” (GEN 12 and GEN 17).

3) And that all the nations of the Earth would be blessed through his seed (specifically, that being Christ Jesus, the Messiah of Israel.

The Abrahamic Covenant as we know is an unconditional one – it was all left to GOD to fulfill; Abraham only needed to believe Him.

Having made these precious promises GOD decided to underscore one aspect of this covenant at the time when Moses had led the people of Israel to the eastern shore of the Jordan river, just on the other side of Canaan land. GOD wanted to make absolutely clear that this land was given by Him to His people – to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the nation of Israel.

Thus the term “Land Covenant” or more widely known (though it’s a misnomer) as the “Palestinian Covenant”. Some Christians unknowingly use this term, not understanding that Palestine was a name given to that land by Roman Emperor Hadrian as an insult, wanting to divest the Jewish people from having any identity to the land GOD had given to them.

The Land Covenant underscores GOD’s unconditional promise to give this land specifically to the Jewish nation.

In this article (6th of 8), we’ll take a close look at what the LORD has underscored for Israel, and for our learning, what He would have us (and the unbelieving world at large) pay close attention to!

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 15

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

DEUTERONOMY 15: “DEBT PAID IN FULL” by Albert Lopez check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: According to research online, if you ever had a debt it goes into “collections” it stays on your credit report. A credit report is a system that I think we all at one point or another get familiar with because we need good credit to possibly get a car a house or some other type of loan.

What happens when you don’t’ pay a loan? Debt collectors report accounts to the credit bureaus, a move that can impact your credit score for several months, if not years. ... Collector Calls. ... Credit Report Marks. ... Unfavorable Interest Rates. ... Job Hunting. ... Lawsuits. ... Collections are a continuation of debt owed and can stay on your credit report for up to 7 years from the date the debt first became delinquent and was not brought current.

There is much more to say on this subject; I’m sure some of you have much more knowledge on this but I say this to show you that it’s a possibility that maybe the seven years a debt is connected to and individual and their credit report; can somehow help us see what we are about to read.

The big difference is that this system that we will read about is not set up by any man-made financial institution or government. No, this system is set up by God himself for his people to remind them how they must treat each other and how they must Trust God!

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TTUF Presents: The BEREAN CALL - FLOCKING TO FABLES–PART 2 of 2

FLOCKING TO FABLES–PART 2

February 1, 2023

T. A. McMahon

The biblical basis for this two-part article is:

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

In this part, the focus will be on a significant cause that is turning Christendom away from “sound doctrine,” away “from the truth,” and “turned unto fables.” It’s called mysticism.

As we noted, mysticism is the obscurity of biblical doctrine. It is a process of taking the truth of God’s Word and distorting it so badly that it becomes devoid of reason, logic, and common sense. It is a completely subjective process that rejects the objective truth presented in the Scriptures.

Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, defines the doctrine of the mystics as “a religious sect who profess to have a direct intercourse with the Spirit of God.” The communication however, is with demons, all of whom reject God’s truth. Yet it’s good for us as believers to be continually reminded of what God's truth entails.

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 14

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

DEUTERONOMY 14: “YOU ARE A SPECIAL TREASURE” by Sonny Islas, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: As we continue in the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses continues to remind Israel what God expects from them before entering the Promised Land.

DEUTERONOMY 14:1-2
1 "You are the children of the LORD your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave the front of your head for the dead. 2 "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

Because death and mourning are inevitable, The LORD makes it clear that He didn’t want Israel to mourn for their dead in the same way pagans did or the Canaanites did.

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TTUF Presents: A Two Part article from The BEREAN CALL: FLOCKING TO FABLES—PART 1 of 2

FLOCKING TO FABLES—PART 1

January 1, 2023

T. A. McMahon

“Flocking to Fables” has to do with great numbers of people being overwhelmingly drawn to things that have no basis in reality. They have been bewitched by myths...or what the Bible calls "fables." Hopefully, that will be made clear as we proceed.

As we wonder what we may be facing in the year 2023, there are indications from Scripture that give us some good ideas. Actually, one is really good, and the others are not so good. The really good one is that our Lord and Savior may return to this earth to catch up His bride, His church, taking believers with Him to Heaven in the Rapture (1 COR 1:5-7; 15:51-54)! That might happen soon, and nothing could be better.

There are also a number of not-so-good things that will take place should the Rapture not happen as soon as we'd like. Knowing them is not a matter of special prophetic insight, but simply reading what the Bible declares lies ahead and checking to see if any of it has, or is, taking place. The primary prophecy for our consideration is:

2 TIMOTHY 4:3-4
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."
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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 13

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

DEUTERONOMY 13: “SHUN IDOLATRY OR SHUN GOD?” by Albert Lopez, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: To shun something is to avoid or reject someone or something. To steer clear of; to forsake or abandon.

That word may not be a word that you or I use very often but it was very important for the children of Israel to hear and understand what it meant, who said it, why He said it as well as what would happen if you listened to this command/warning or what would happen if you didn’t listen to it. Through Moses God told His people how dangerous idolatry is and what the consequences of partaking in it are. God is also going to instruct on what to do to shun idolatry.

We may say that we don’t participate in idolatry but if we are honest with ourselves, we are as guilty at times and perhaps more so than the children of Israel were of Idolatry and shunning God’s voice and commands. As we have preached before, putting anything or anyone before God and giving it more value than God is by definition, idolatry. Giving our time, energy, and resources to that something is taking away from what He deserves from us. Not reading God’s Word and not having a prayer life and possibly even not being interested in the things of God; are good indications that there is some danger of idolatry in one’s life. Moses discussed three ways in which temptation to idolatry was likely to come to Israel:

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TTUF PRESENTS CALVARY TUCSON’s 2023 Conference on APOLOGETICS

The go to verses for Christian apologetics are:

1 PETER 3:14-15
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled." 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

The word “defense” elsewhere in other translations is “answer” and in the Greek it’s apologia, which means: “a plea, an answer, a clearing of self-defense”. In this sense, it carries the same idea as a witness taking the stand in court and providing a testimony with the objective of clearing someone of an accusation, and, or to state a record clearly so that the truth is known in any given matter.

And notice the context in which this is given:

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STUDY In The Book of NEHEMIAH – Part THREE TRIUMPH by TRANSFORMATION

INTRODUCTION: Just as Jerusalem was taken in three sieges by king Nebuchadnezzar and the armies of Babylon, she was eventually, fully restored with three visitations: by Zerubbabel (EZRA 2:1-2), Ezra (EZRA 7:1-6), and lastly by Nehemiah (NEH 2:11) and the rebuilding of the wall around “the city of GOD”.

As we will see, the first part of this book involves the formidable task of removing the wreckage of the old wall and rebuilding it. This takes place in chapter 1 to 3; remarkably, this only took about fifty-two days to accomplish! Then the even more formidable task is attended to from chapter 8 to 13: the restoration of the people.

To see both the city as well as the people transformed from what they had become – the walls physically ruined, the people spiritually ruined – to once again become a GOD fearing people who love the LORD truly and prove it by their devotion and obedience to His commandments within the restored, strong walls and bulwarks that separated the Jewish people from the Gentiles who desired to see them fail. This entire work was commenced in 444 B.C. and was completed in 425 B.C. – totaling 19 years of toil and effort. The LORD saw to it that His people were restored politically as well as spiritually.

We see how the deeds of Nehemiah were in alignment with the promises and purposes of GOD:

Nehemiah proved himself as a true servant who prayed for his people (NEH 1:4) because GOD preserves His covenant (NEH 1:5).
Nehemiah planned for his people (NEH 2:6-8) because GOD placed those ideas in His servant’s mind (NEH 2:12).
Nehemiah persevered against Israel’s enemies (NEH 4:9,23) because GOD perverted these enemies plans (NEH 4:15,20).
Nehemiah pleaded for unity among his people (NEH 5:10-11) because GOD is pleased with unity (NEH 5:9,13).
Nehemiah perceived falsehoods but remained faithful (NEH 6:2,8,12) because GOD proclaims His Name among the nations (NEH 6:16).

*The above section comparing the servant of GOD with the LORD GOD was taken from a chart in NELSON’s Complete Book of Bible Maps and Charts; pg. 163.

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ANOINTING IN ASBURY: REVIVAL or DECEPTION? Parts ONE & TWO

Part ONE ~

Is THIS A WORK Of GOD In The SAINTS Of KENTUKY And BEYOND?

By now many of us have heard, seen, or read about what’s going on in Wilmore, Kentucky at Asbury University. What at least seems to be a spontaneous revival that began among students, if not the faculty, and the community as they came in to the Hughes Auditorium on FEB 8th, 2023, which hasn’t abated in the least.
It began as the students gathered for the preaching of the Word.
We’ll talk about the content of this teaching a bit later.

This isn’t the first reported revival on this Wesleyan campus however; apparently there have been nine distinct revivals since 1905 at this University. But are these (or this particularly recent example) genuine revivals that spiritually revived and revitalized the church, or simply momentary spiritual experiences of worship? And what we are seeing currently – is this something really from GOD or contrived or perhaps something deceptive that will lure people away into error? Strange Fire, in effect…

The history of revivals here in America, Europe and other nations around the world have all followed a familiar pattern, though there is no clear formula to produce them because the real ones aren’t man made.
The sort of revival meetings that are penciled in on the church calendar with chosen speakers and events are no guarantee whatsoever of a genuine move of GOD.

Revivals at their heart are something that GOD Himself initiates and inspires. And why does He? What purpose do they serve and can we even expect them today?

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 12

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

DEUTERONOMY 12: “UNCOMPROMISED WORSHIP” by Sonny Islas, check out the complete teaching here!

And for even more on this, check out David Guzik’s study on

INTRODUCTION: In Deuteronomy 12, Yahweh God calls for uncompromising worship by the mouth of Moses. Israel must worship in the holy way and in the holy place that GOD has prescribed – How and where God has chosen. Cannan was a land that was pagan through and through and was utterly infested with gloss idol worship. And it’s no different for us NT believers today – we too are called to refrain from anything and everything that dishonors the LORD.

DEUTERONOMY 12:1-5
1 "These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the LORD God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. 2 "You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3 "And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. 4 "You shall not worship the LORD your God with such things. 5 "But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.

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ANOTHER WORD From The WALL - Greg Reid FEB 2023

Things As They Are - February 2023

Dear Friends,

I will be on my way to a pastor’s conference after mailing this. I am looking forward to a few days sitting under good teaching and being immersed in prayer. It has been a long time.

The challenges ahead for the new year are many, but I am looking forward to meeting them and moving forward with the work He has entrusted to me.

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GOD’s RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL

 The following quote is from the online magazine JEWISH VOICE, and the article entitled Absolute Proof for the Existence of God 

“The story is told that King Frederick the Great of Prussia once asked his physician to give him proof for the existence of God. His physician replied, ‘Your Majesty, the continued existence of the Jews.’

“It’s true. The Jewish people are the most persecuted people in history. From [the books of Exodus] and … Esther, down through all the centuries, there have been repeated attempts to destroy them. No other group has been so persecuted. Yet still the Jewish people miraculously survive. But the miracle is even greater than that!

“Before 1948, almost no one was convinced the Jewish people, after centuries of wandering, could return to Israel and reclaim their ancient homeland. But they did. Then, almost no one believed the new State of Israel, surrounded by enemies, would long survive. But [they] did, amazingly winning a long series of wars and conflicts that continue today.

“Few people initially had faith God would fulfill His ancient promise to reestablish the Jewish people in [the land of] Israel. But today, many Christians understand and support the State of Israel and the Jewish people as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy – and an important step towards the eventual return of Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah.”

Read more!

DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 11

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

DEUTERONOMY 11: “BEING STRONG BY FAITH IN GOD’s KINGDOM” by James Fire, check out another teaching on this chapter by Sonny Islas here!

INTRODUCTION: When “therefore” is in the text, that connects what’s about to read, with what was just read prior: you have to back up to the prior text and see what the “therefore” is there for:

DEUTERONIMY 10:17-22
17 "For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 "He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. 19 "Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. 21 "He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen. 22 "Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons, and now the LORD your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.

Beholding the goodness and grace, His tender mercies and kindness; and recognizing that GOD has made Himself the GOD of Israel, Who has been faithful to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (and promised that He would make of them a great nation, “as the stars of heaven in multitude”); having devoted Himself to His people He accomplished impossible things for them… “therefore…” And now we pick up in Chapter 11:

DEUTERONOMY 11:1-7
1 "Therefore you shall love the LORD your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always. 2 "Know today that I do not speak with your children, who have not known and who have not seen the chastening of the LORD your God, His greatness and His mighty hand and His outstretched arm- 3 "His signs and His acts which He did in the midst of Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to all his land; 4 "what He did to the army of Egypt, to their horses and their chariots: how He made the waters of the Red Sea overflow them as they pursued you, and how the LORD has destroyed them to this day; 5 "what He did for you in the wilderness until you came to this place; 6 "and what He did to Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, their households, their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel- 7 "but your eyes have seen every great act of the LORD which He did.
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SEEDS of FAITH or SEEDS of FEAR

 

~ By James Fire 

For a 10 minute summary of this article, visit the MORE GOD, less me YouTube Channel and watch the video.

Scripture states that in the last days perilous times will come (2 TIM 3:1) and that men’s hearts will fail them for fear, because there will seem no way out of the various dilemmas, either personal, national, or global. Scripture speaks of a time ahead when this will become a prevalent condition worldwide:

LUKE 21:25-26
25 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 "men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

As stated above, there is going to be a “shake up” of the heavenly powers, a judgment upon Satan’s unholy hierarchy and this will have profoundly terrible effect on mankind who will be the prey (REV 12:12). Note the word “distress” which in the Greek is sunoche, meaning “anxiety, anguish, distress”. And the word “perplexity” which means “a quandary [something for which there is no viable solution]”. The word for “fear” means “alarm, fright, to be afraid – with exceeding terror.

In the year 2022, a total of about 11.2% of the US population suffered from medium to high anxiety levels: it might not seem like a lot but that percentage equals over 37 million people in our nation who suffer these conditions.
Also, 31% of US adults experience anxiety ‘disorders’ at some time in their lives. And it seems that in recent years, it’s those who are in the 18 to 29 year range that have experienced the most anxiety, and women more so than men (though the number of men experiencing anxiety has steadily increased over the years).

And most notably in statistics: those who have experienced anxiety and depression during the CVD-19 pandemic total about 25% of the US population. The groups being affected most were young people and women. Among the most affected groups, there are record highs of suicide more than any time prior.

Above stats gleaned from the following:

Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Among Adults: United States, 2019

COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide

On a local level, I attended a church leadership meeting recently and one of the pastors there made us aware that many men he spoke with in the last week felt anxiety, a sense of doom and imminent death, whether in feeling or physical symptoms such as extreme heart palpitations, tightness in the chest, numbness (and, or paralysis, blurred vision, etc. from what I've heard from other sources).

We can expect such things to increase – these are among the birth pangs described in MATT 24:8 – and more people being afflicted with this most debilitating condition.
What are the root causes for this phenomenon and what is the remedy?
We have addressed this previously on FROM The MIND Of FIRE: FAITH Over FEAR.

Yet, we will examine these questions further in this TTUF article!

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 10

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

DEUTERONOMY 10: “WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE OF YOU?” by Sonny Islas, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: As we proceed in the Book of Deuteronomy, Moses will continue to remind this new generation of their parent’s past failures and God’s faithfulness. Moses’ goal is to impress upon their hearts (like a good preacher and loving leader would), the importance of knowing what God expects from them once they possess the Promised Land (in our case, once we’re indwelt by the Holy Spirit). Because, again, Israel was called (starting with Abraham and Sarah) and chosen by God to be His holy representatives – to display His light (Biblical truth) and His love (God’s merciful character) to the godless world around them: which they failed to do time and time again.

Today, this responsibility to live for God and to make Him known (through His Word and by our actions) has been given to the New Testament Church.

There are many Christians who say, what does God want from me? What does He require and expect from me? Well that’s a great question and Moses gives us the answer.

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WHAT IS YOUR ROLE (In The Final Acts on the Global Stage Being Set)?

~ By James Fire

(This is a republication of a Two-Part Article from The RED PILL Consortium. It’s been abridged, updated, and revised from the original which you can read at the links provided at the end of this article)

For the FB video teaching recorded at ETERNAL LIVING WORD Church, go here.

Anyone involved with stage theater knows that when props and background scenery are being built, costumes being designed, actors standing with scripts in hand, reciting their lines one to another, that a play is in production.
It's all preparation for opening night; the curtain goes up before a full auditorium, watching as the story unfolds. Shakespeare said it once, "All the world’s a stage, and its people, merely players."

Just as each member of a play has a role that comprises of a character, costume, and script lines, so do we all in real life, but we’re not acting (right??)! Our character reveals who we really are, and it’s really known in times of crisis! We’re either on the side of good, or the side of evil; either children of GOD or children of the devil – there are no orphans.

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 9

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

DEUTERONOMY 9: “Stubborn Sin vs. Sanctified Security” by James Fire; check out the SHINE BRIGHT Church teaching by Sonny Islas here!

INTRODUCTION: We have a contrast between the faithfulness of GOD and the unfaithfulness of man. GOD can be expected to keep His Word, to remain faithful to His promises and oaths (HEB 6:13-18), while we who are weak specks of dust are prone to failure and lacking in integrity. But we have every hope that keeps us secure in that the Spirit of GOD is able to work through us the nature of JESUS, which we experience in the new man.

The LORD in this chapter reminds Israel of their unfaithfulness and even outright rebellion as well as His faithfulness despite them. He also promises to be with them as they confront the Canaanites and conquer them by faith in and obedience to the LORD.

Just as they crossed the river Jordan and into a new life, not as Hebrew slaves, but as the nation of GOD, children of Abraham – we too have entered into new life in Christ. We, like Israel will meet new and different challenges we’ve never experienced before, but our LORD has gone ahead and prepared the way for our victory, and all He asks of us is hearts of loving obedience that will follow wherever He leads!

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RISE of the TEN KINGS - from the CHRIST In PROPHECY Journal

The following article is from the LAMB & LION ministries, unabridged and unedited. To see this article on their site go here.

A forward by James Fire:

We at TTUF believe that the rapture of the church could be at any time, however we also like to make two points in conjunction with this belief:

1) That we will be raptured out of this world prior to the commencement of DANIEL's 70th week and the revealing of the Beast of Revelation, the antichrist, the son of perdition, the idol shepherd (among dozens of other titles).

2) That we may in fact witness the rise of the ten kings mentioned in Scripture who give all their power to the Beast (DAN 7:24; REV 17:12-13). A criticism I have towards my fellow "pre-tribulationists" is the idea that we are going to rapture "before anything bad happens". While maintaining that the church will not be subject to the tyranny of the Beast because she will be absent by the time he is revealed, we at TTUF do not believe that we will necessarily escape any hardships, persecutions, tribulations (in the general sense of the word) at the hands of a global government!

The fact of the matter is, that while we won't be here for the reign of the Beast, we may witness the rise of these ten kings as they rise to power BEFORE the Beast himself rises to dominate the world:

DANIEL 7:7-8

 7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

These ten kings who will pledge complete allegiance to the Beast will certainly have the same heart and agenda as this One World Ruler - a hatred and determination to destroy GOD's saints. The church may very well find herself in a politically harsh situation here in the West that we've never before encountered.

Are we then prepared FIGHTING FIRE with FIRE - Preparing for Persecution For Righteousness' Sake?

Let's now turn our attention to Nathan and Tim:

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 8

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

DEUTERONOMY 8: “GOD HUMBLES US FOR OUR OWN GOOD” by Sonny Islas, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: We are now in Deuteronomy chapter 8. In this chapter we will find the word “humble” 3 times (in verses 2 ,3 and 16). God is always working on making us humble - He’s in the business of making us humble. Because in our fallen nature, we are naturally prideful and self-sufficient, self-dependent, and self-satisfied. Our sinful nature says, “Alright devil! Give me that forbidden fruit, I’ll be god instead!” Like our first mother.

And one of the main reasons God brought Israel to the wilderness for 40 years and allowed them to experience need and hardship, was to show them that God Himself is man’s greatest need. And that God alone is Sovereign and therefore consequently our faithful provider – He is ultimately the only true provider as He is the maker and source of all things. And that man doesn’t live another day, unless God says so – unless God makes manna come down from heaven and makes water burst from a rock – Israel doesn’t see another day or two or so.

Humility is the crown virtue (character and quality of a Christian). In all your getting, get humility – Christlike humility. Because as you know, Pride cast Satan out of heaven (Luke 10:18) while humility exalted Jesus to the heights of heaven (Phil. 2:5-11). Jesus places humility at the top in regard to Kingdom character and Kingdom status. i.e. in Matthew 18:4 Jesus says, “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” The more humble you become, the greater in the sight of God, you become!

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WALKING The COVENANT WAY: PART 5 of 8: the MOSAIC Covenant

~ by James Fire

The next examination of the b’rith of GOD, the LORD YHWH is the covenant He made with Israel through the Law; unlike most the covenants treated thus far, this one (like the Edenic) is conditional, and specific and exclusive to the nation of Israel and no other (Gentile) nation. Or the church for that matter.

As the suzerain of Israel, the LORD GOD had pronounced His blessings upon the nation, sworn to prosper them, protect them, provide for them and to perpetuate them; in exchange, as His vassal, Israel was to serve the LORD with wholehearted devotion that would reflect YHWH’s own, being obedient in all things.

Depending on their faithfulness, willing in their obedience to the LORD, there would be blessing, but if they rebelled, GOD had warned that a long list of curses would pursue them. This is what makes this covenant conditional.

But you might ask, didn’t GOD already promise to bless them unconditionally under the Abrahamic covenant?

Yes! However, those unconditional promises are reserved for fulfillment during the restored kingdom of Israel, under the rule of the Messiah.
Under the Mosaic covenant, Israel was to be a proper representative of a nation that serves the LORD and is blessed for it – they were intended to be a kind of role model for other nations, teaching them what obedience to GOD looks like, what it would bring by way of blessings – or curses for their disobedience!

Imagine if the unconditional blessings were granted to Israel (according to the Abrahamic Covenant) to begin with? After a fashion, they could start to think that they deserved those blessings (granted solely by grace)! So, the LORD in His wisdom decided to “run Israel through their paces” to prove to them how able they were to follow the Law – and after seeing their abject failure, they would all the more recognize the undeserved blessings freely given to them during the reestablishment of the kingdom of Israel!

So we will examine two primary chapters from the book of EXODUS in this article:

EXODUS 19 and 24 (with mention of Ch’s. 3 and 12 as well).

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STUDY In The Book of NEHEMIAH – PART TWO: TRIUMPH by TRANSFORMATION

INTRODUCTION: We continue now (from our Introduction and Chapter ONE of this study) with the prayer of Nehemiah, the king’s cupbearer, and servant to the King of kings!

NEHEMIAH 1:8-9
8 "Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations; 9 'but if you return to Me, and keep My commandments and do them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there, and bring them to the place which I have chosen as a dwelling for My name.'

The passage Nehemiah referred to was written by Moses is DEUT 30:3-4 in regards to national Israel and later it was confirmed by the Messiah Himself in MATT 24:31.

As we saw previously in the first article of this series:

“’They [Nehemiah and Daniel almost a century previously] start off almost identically with homage to the ‘LORD GOD of heaven’: both attribute to GOD His great and awesome character and power Who keeps covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and who keep His commandments, quoting from DEUT 7:9.

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS - Ch. 7

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

DEUTERONOMY 7: “A WAR ORDER BY THE LORD” by James Fire, check out the complete teaching here!

INTRODUCTION: As we journey through life with the LORD leading the way, we learn of Him in all of His glory and grace; His love, His tender mercies, His wisdom and knowledge, His truth and His faithfulness, His glory, and His meekness. His holiness, justice, and judgment.

And just as Israel has a history with YHWH, we have a history with our LORD that we can recall from days and years before, how GOD was and is always faithful in coming through for us and blesses us. This gives us hope and courage in facing any challenges that lie ahead which we know nothing about right now, but they are well within the view of the LORD’s eternal eyes!

He not only sees our circumstances but has already made provision for these unforeseen challenges. The LORD has promised to lead the way and provide for our prosperity and protection, amidst problems and persecutions,
We see this very thing in this book. The children of Israel are going from one challenge to the next, ever since the days of their deliverance from Egypt!

In the previous chapter, we see how the LORD revealed Himself and His marvelous ways through the teachings and warnings He gave to His people, which they were to pass on to their children and to every generation going forward! Last time we read:

DEUTERONOMY 6:1-3
1 "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you, that you may observe them in the land which you are crossing over to possess, 2 "that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. 3 "Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you-'a land flowing with milk and honey.'

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Daniel, Noah and Job – Special Guest Writer: LAMBERT DOLPHIN

~ By Lambert Dolphin; afterword by James Fire

“Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people." (Proverbs 14:28)

The application of a Proverb such as this to our national life, and the times we live in, should be self-evident. We happen to be living late in world history, late in the history of the church of Jesus Christ, and late in our nation's history. It seems to me very likely that a long-delayed series of judgments on America has already begun.

What remains to be seen is how closely a judgment of our nation may coincide with the end-of-the-age judgment of all the nations. Many passages in the Bible talk about the coming judgment of all the nations.

"The great day of the LORD is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of devastation and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, A day of trumpet and alarm Against the fortified cities And against the high towers. I will bring distress upon men, And they shall walk like blind men, Because they have sinned against the LORD; Their blood shall be poured out like dust, And their flesh like refuse. Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD'S wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land." (Zephaniah 1:14-18)

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DEUTERONOMY: A REHEARSAL ON HOLINESS, A CALL TO FAITHFULNESS – Chapter 6

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

DEUTERONOMY 6: “FEARING The ONE TRUE GOD!” by James Fire, check out the teaching on this chapter by pastor Sonny Islas here!

INTRODUCTION: We’ve heard the expression, “No fear!” and deny its effects when it would pounce on us. Too much fear can be destructive and lead to anxiety. Too little fear can lead us into dangers best avoided. For pretended dangers as in movies and thrill rides at amusement parks, those can be fun because we know the danger isn’t real. It’s been said that “Fear is wisdom in the face of [real] danger.”

For a world full of sinners in the hands of an angry GOD, this is good advice. Nobody that’s not redeemed wants to face the Real, Holy GOD on Judgment Day, because it will mean their real eternal damnation (without parole, without bail: upon death, there’s no going back for do-overs!).

Once a soul is redeemed however, there is another kind of fear: it’s a reverential, humble, thankful, and respectful expression in the light of GOD’s sacrificial love Who took our sin, our judgment in our place, not willing that any of us should perish, but have eternal life (JOHN 3:16)!

Because GOD has loved us with this incredibly intense and mind-boggling love we desire to reciprocate and lay down our lives in His service, just as He laid down His life for our salvation!

We fear GOD because He is Holy, and Awesome, and Almighty and All-knowing. We fear GOD because of His heart towards us – such a tender heart of overwhelming love, that we fear to hurt His precious heart by sinning.

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