LLM Question of the Day for 8-8-2011, and, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 5 of 12

First the Question: The LORD Jesus Christ in anticipating Calvary, called it His Baptism. True or False?

Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-5-2011

Question: The word....APOSTLE....is NOT found in the Gospel of John. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Out of the 634 responses we received 92.6% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 5 of 12

LET’S CONSIDER THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH

The Holy Spirit, in Hebrews 12:2, instructs believers to look unto Jesus “the Author and Finisher of our Faith, Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Then He adds, “CONSIDER Him Who endured such contradiction of sinners,” the One Who resisted unto blood striving against sin.

As we consider the Author of our Faith, let us consider the Greek word here translated ‘Author.’ The word is literally ‘Chief‑Leader.’ There is another word translated ‘Author’ in Hebrews 5:9. In Hebrews 5:8-9 we learn that the LORD Jesus, through the things which He suffered, being made perfect, “became the ‘Author’ of eternal salvation. The Greek word here translated ‘Author’ means ‘Causer.’

As we think of the LORD Jesus as the ‘Chief‑Leader’ of our Faith and the ‘Causer’ of eternal salvation, let us think of Him also as the ‘Finisher’ of our Faith. The Greek word translated ‘Finish’ is also translated ‘End’ in the Bible. When we read, in Hebrews 7:25, that God is able to save to the ‘Uttermost’ all who come to Him by the LORD Jesus, because the glorified Christ ever makes intercession for them, we think of two other Scriptures; namely Philippians 1:6 and John 13:1.

In Philippians 1:6, Christians are given ASSURANCE of their eternal security in Christ, “being confident of this very thing that He Who began the good work will ‘Perform’ (finish, consummate, complete) it unto the day of Jesus Christ.” Then John 13:1, “Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, “having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the ‘End’.” The word translated ‘Uttermost’ in Hebrews 7:25 means “all the way to the end.” The word translated ‘Perform’ in Philippians 1:6 has about the same meaning. In John 17:2, John 17:12, and John 17:24 we learn what it means to be saved all the way to the end. Christ gave eternal life to those believers whom the Father gave to Him. He kept them while He was in their midst. Then He committed their keeping to His Father. (John 17:15). Then this petition in that great prayer, “that they be with Me where I am; and may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me.”

CONSIDER THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION

As all people on this earth should ‘Consider’ the LORD Jesus as the ‘Author and Finisher of our Faith,’ which means to consider Christ in Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary (Hebrews 12:1-5), we are told in Hebrews 3:1, “Consider ‘the APOSTLE and High Priest of our confession,’ Jesus Christ.”

There are five different Greek words translated ‘Consider.’ These different Greek words mean, “exercise your mind”, “contemplate”, “estimate”, “reckon thoroughly”, “deliberate”, “reason.” Today we would say, “use your head”.

But when we read that “the natural man receiveth NOT the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14), we know that we have to do more than use our heads. Here we are reminded of the instructions of the Holy Spirit, by the pen of the Apostle Paul, recorded in 2 Timothy 2:7, “CONSIDER what I say: and the LORD give thee understanding in all things-Remember that Jesus Christ-was raised from the dead, according to my Gospel.”

May the LORD, by the Holy Spirit, give to us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, that the eyes of our understanding may be enlightened. (Ephesians 1:15-18).

THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

Concerning Melchisedec, we are told, in Hebrews 7:4, “Now ‘CONSIDER’ how great this man was. He had neither beginning of days, nor end of life.” (Hebrews 7:3). In Hebrews 6:20 we are told that Jesus is made a High Priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec. In John 17 we can see this High Priest at work, interceding for all whom the Father had given Him. Note these words of the High Priest to His Father in heaven, uttered in John 11:41-42, “Then Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me: and I know that Thou hearest Me always.” This is why He is able to save to the ‘uttermost’ (all‑the-way‑to‑the‑end) believers who come to the Father through the Son; those whom the Father gives to the Son.

In the Gospel of John, which begins with the LORD Jesus Christ as the “Incarnate Word”, The One Who was with God in the beginning and Who was God (John 1:1-2 and John 1:14), we may truly consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Jesus Christ. Moreover in the Gospel of John, in chapters eighteen and nineteen we may consider Him in Gethsemane and on the cross of Calvary, enduring contradiction of sinners and enduring the cross of Calvary. Surely we should consider or contemplate the meaning of the Savior’s word at the time He yielded up the ghost “Finished.” (John 19:30-31). He was made lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor that He should by the Grace of God taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9 and 1 Peter 3:18).

In making this last statement we think of another ‘CONSIDER’, the words of Caiaphas, the high priest who apparently did not understand the meaning of his own words when he said, “Nor ‘CONSIDER’ that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not”, “he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation (Israel) and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together it ONE the children of God that were scattered abroad.” (John 11:49-52) With this prophecy of Caiaphas we think of the words of John the Baptist in John 1:29, “the next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith Behold the Lamb of God Who beareth away the sin of the world.”

Both of these Scriptures cause us to think of the LORD’s words to the man who was born blind, as recorded in John 9:1-7. To this blind man the Apostle of the Father said, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation ‘SENT’). He went and he washed, and came seeing.” (John 9:7). Why did the Holy Spirit give us the words, “which is by interpretation ‘SENT’?” This Greek word translated ‘SENT’ is ‘APOSTELLO.’ The Greek word translated ‘APOSTLE’ is APOSTOLOS.’

The LORD Jesus told religious Nicodemus that he had to be born from above to see the Kingdom of God. (John 3:3). Christ told Nicodemus that He (Christ) had to be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, and those who believed in Him would be born anew, could see and enter the kingdom of God, and have eternal life. (John 3:13-16)

Nicodemus had to wash in the ‘Pool of Sent,’ to see. You got that so far?

The man born blind was able to see after he had washed in the pool of Siloam, or the pool of the ‘APOSTLE.’

It is very interesting to note that the word ‘apostle’ is not found in the Gospel of John. The twelve apostles, called ‘apostles’ in Matthew, Mark, Luke and Acts, are not called ‘apostles’ in John. They are called ‘disciples’. But more interesting is the fact that forty‑one times, in John’s Record, the LORD Jesus is “THE SENT ONE.” In John, Christ speaks of Himself time and again as “Him Who God Hath Sent,”…“Him Whom The Father Sent”…“Him Whom Thou Hast Sent,” “Him Whom He Hath Sent.” About seventeen times the word translated ‘SENT’ is ‘APOSTELLO’. Five times the LORD Jesus uses this word in His prayer in the seventeenth chapter of John.

Thus we see that Jesus Christ in John, is the “Apostle and High Priest of our Confession.”

In John 5:36 we have these words of the Father’s Apostle…“The works which the Father hath given Me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of Me, that ‘THE FATHER HATH SENT (APOSTELLO) ME’”. Here we think of the words of the apostle Paul which he wrote to the Corinthians who denied his apostleship, “truly the signs of an ‘apostle’ were wrought among you, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.” (2 Cor. 12:12). The apostle Paul describes this in detail in Romans 15:16-20, “through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God.” Concerning the twelve apostles of Christ we read, in Acts 5:12, “by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people.” In Hebrews 2:4 again we read that these signs and wonders witnessed that the twelve were Christ’s apostles.

In John 20:21 the LORD Jesus, after His death and resurrection, said to the twelve, “As My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you.” Christ was the Father’s Apostle. The twelve and Paul were Christ’s apostles. In His prayer to His Father the LORD Jesus said, “As Thou hast ‘SENT’ (APOSTELLO) Me into the world, even so have I also ‘SENT’ (APOSTELLO) them into the world.” (John 17:18). Is everyone grasping this? These are very important points, so read through this message again if needed.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question of the Day for 8-5-2011, and, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 4 of 12

First the Question: The word....APOSTLE....is NOT found in the Gospel of John. True or False?

Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-3-2011

Question: Is God's order today, in this Dispensation of Grace....To The Jews First, (Ephesians 3:2, Romans 11)? Yes or No?

Answer: NO! Out of the 689 responses we received 73.9% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 4 of 12

THE BUILDERS TWICE REJECTED THE STONE

In John 1:11 we read that Christ’s own did not receive Him. Presently we will comment on Psalm 118:21-24, Matthew 21:42, and John 12:37-40, concerning Israel’s rejection of Christ. When Israel rejected Christ and delivered Him to Pilate for crucifixion and death, the LORD Jesus said, “this is the LORD’s doing and it is marvelous in our eyes” (Matthew 21:42). Then we read in Acts 5:31-32 that the LORD sent the Holy Spirit to witness that He had raised Christ from the dead to be Israel’s Prince and Savior. When Israel rejected the resurrected Prince and Savior and God cast them away, He THEN sent reconciliation to the Gentiles. (Romans 11:15). Then the Apostle Paul broke forth in different language saying, “this is the LORD’s doing.” Note what Paul said in Romans 11:33-34.

There is a sense in which there is a difference between the new birth of John 3:3-8 and the new creation of 2 Corinthians 5:17, yet believing sinners today are saved by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit shed upon them abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior. (Titus 3:5-8). Millions of believing sinners have been preached into the Body of Christ by God’s messengers who have preached “ye must be born anew” and the explanation in John 3:5-16. So that you all are aware, there are a few Bible teachers, who admit that millions have been preached into the Body of Christ by hearing truth contained in John’s Gospel, but then who also state that John himself did not become a member of that Body. They attempt to prove this by Galatians 2:7-9.

WHEN WERE BELIEVERS BAPTIZED BY THE SPIRIT INTO THE BODY?

When we read in John 3:5 that believers had to be born of the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of God, and read with this John 7:38-40 that the Holy Spirit had not yet been given because Christ had not yet been glorified (John 16:7), we may wonder how anyone could have been born of the Spirit before Pentecost. Also, when we read Matthew 15:24 and Matthew 10:5 that Christ and His Apostles were sent to Jews and not to Gentiles, and know that Faith cometh by hearing the Word, we know that believing Gentiles were not being baptized by ONE SPIRIT into ONE BODY while the LORD Jesus was in the land of the Jews as Jesus of Nazareth. (Acts 10:38-39).

From John 1:12-13, and John 10:28, and John 17:2 we could judge that at the time the LORD Jesus gave believing Jews the power to become the sons of God and gave to them eternal life, they were the sons of God and had eternal life before the historic beginning of the Church, Which is the Body of Christ.

John’s Gospel was written that the readers might believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and believing might have life through His Name (John 20:31), and John did not write until years AFTER Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 A.D. and the Jews were scattered, so it would seem that two generations of Jews died without having the opportunity to read John’s Record, and be convinced.

Moreover we do not know whether John’s Gospel was in written form to send out to the third and fourth generation of Jews, so that they might read it and believe that Jesus was the Son of God and their Messiah. Surely, sadly, the great majority of the present day Jews will not study this marvelous Record or even read it. They still prefer Moses to Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God.

So, with all of their religious activities, with millions and millions of dollars invested in their synagogues, the Jews are condemned already, because they have not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18). If the LORD Jesus should speak to them today, He would say what He said to the unbelieving Jews in John 8:44, to those Jews who denied His eternal Deity, “ye are of your father the devil.” “He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father Who hath sent Him.” (John 5:23).

In the fourth chapter of John’s First Epistle we read, in verses nine, ten, and fourteen, that God the Father sent His Son. It is interesting to note that in this fourth chapter of First John the word ‘love’ is found twenty-seven times. We can understand why Christ, in Colossians 1:13, is called “the Son of God’s love.”

In Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5, in Mark 1:11 and Mark 9:7, in Luke 3:22 and Luke 9:35, we read that the Father spoke from heaven concerning Christ, “This is My Beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.” Surely the Father was well pleased with all that the Son did and said in John’s Gospel, which is indeed a message of love; and YET in John’s Record the Father did not speak from heaven concerning His well beloved Son.

There is a difference of opinion among Bible students as to whether the LORD Jesus Christ (about 33 A.D.) spoke the words of John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave….”, or that it was the Apostle John who was LED to declare the truth of John 3:16 57 years later by the Holy Spirit. It is no easy task to know, as to all the verses whether, the Apostle John, the LORD Jesus, or even John the Baptist was speaking. But, regardless, we read in John 3:35, “The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands.”

We read in John 3:17 that God, the Father, ‘sent’ His Son. We read in John 3:16 that He ‘gave’ His Son. We read in John 6:38, John 6:42, John 3:13, John 8:42, John 16:28, John 17:8 and John 18:37, the testimony of God’s Son, “I came”. In John 10:28, John 6:27, and John 6:51 we read the words of Christ, “I give”. In John 10:11 we read Christ’s words, “the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” “I am come that they might have life….more abundantly.” (John 10:10).

In John 14:27 Christ gave peace.

God, the Father, did speak from heaven when His Son said, "glorify Thy Name.” (John 12:28). The voice from heaven replied, “I have both glorified it, and wilt glorify it again.” Surely now we understand better the meaning of 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jest came into the world to save sinners.”

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question of the Day for 8-3-2011, and, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 3 of 12

First the Question: Is God's order today, in this Dispensation of Grace....To The Jews First, (Ephesians 3:2, Romans 11)? Yes or No?

Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 8-1-2011

Question: There is a great difference between Matthew 15:21-27 and Romans 10:12-16. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Out of the 633 responses we received 84.2% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 3 of 12

BACK TO PENTECOST....ON TO PERFECTION

Many Christian workers today like the slogan, “back to Jesus,” and prepare their messages ACCORDING to their slogan as opposed to the Scriptures. They mean well. And, we can understand why the Modernists and other unsaved church-members delight to find their so-called “social Gospel” in Matthew, AND why they prefer to have very little to do with John’s Record.

But evangelical Christians, who are eager to see sinners saved and who labor with zeal and enthusiasm, know that they have a very difficult task when they endeavor to preach from Matthew, Salvation by Grace to Gentiles.

They know, or SHOULD know, the great difference between Matthew 15:21-27 and Romans 10:12-16. In the first set of Scriptures the LORD Jesus, sent ONLY to Israel, speaks of the Jews as ‘children’, and of the Gentiles as ‘dogs’. In Romans 10:12 we read that there is NO DIFFERENCE between Jews and Gentiles. After reading the eleventh chapter of Romans we know that God’s order was NO LONGER “to the Jew ‘FIRST’.” (Romans 1:16, Acts 3:26, Acts 13:46, Mark 7:27).

After the truth of Romans 11 was revealed, the Jews, like the Gentiles, had to come to God through Christ as “sons of Adam” and not with special, priority claims as “the children of Abraham.”

Another group of so-called evangelists are as confused as are the “back to Jesus” preachers....they are those evangelists whose slogan is, “back to Pentecost”. God’s instructions are “on to perfection” (Hebrews 6:1-4), which means on to Ephesians 4:7-14 and on to Romans 16:25.

To better understand this principle of progressive revelation, (“On to perfection”), let us carefully consider the experience of an eloquent messenger who was, through ignorance, preaching a Bible message which was not up to date. In Acts 18:1-3 we find the Apostle Paul abiding in the home of a fellow tentmaker, Aquila, who also was a Jew. Priscilla was the wife of Aquila. This Jew and his wife were driven out of Rome, together with other Jews. Then later on they went back to Rome. Paul referred to them as “helpers in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 16:3). If they were Paul’s helpers, then surely we know that Paul was their helper and their ‘Grace’ teacher in Christ Jesus. At the time Paul was living in their house (Acts 18:3), the Apostle Paul had received the Gospel of Grace by direct revelation from the RISEN LORD Jesus. (Galatians 1:11-12). Think of the privilege that Aquila and Priscilla enjoyed, learning the LORD’s new message from the Apostle Paul and then laboring with Paul to teach the ‘Grace’ message to others.

( Millions of religious messengers today, many of them saved, do not seem to know what a great spiritual crime it is to pervert the ‘Grace’ Gospel, with religious doings and law keeping, and thus subvert souls and corrupt the minds of believers and unbelievers from the simplicity that is in Christ (Acts 15:24, Galatians 1:7-10, 2 Cor. 11:1-3). )

Note the experience of the eloquent preacher. His name was Apollos. We read concerning him in Acts 18:24-28, “And a certain Jew name Apollos, an eloquent man, and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus This man was instructed in the way of the LORD: and being fervent in the Spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the LORD.” So far splendid. How the LORD needs such messengers today! But! But what? Note the last statement in Acts 18:25, “knowing only the baptism of John.” His slogan was not only “back to Pentecost and Acts 2:38,” “back to Mark 16:16,” “back to Jesus and the Gospel of the Kingdom,” but ALSO, “back to John the Baptist, and baptism unto repentance for the remission of sins.”

Then a great change took place. Apollos was taught the difference between the ‘Kingdom’ message of John the Baptist and the twelve Apostles, and, the ‘Grace’ message which the RISEN Christ revealed to and through the Apostle Paul.

We read in Acts 18:26 what Aquila and Priscilla did after they had heard Apollos preach, “they took him unto them and expounded unto them the way of God more perfectly.” Then Apollos became a real help to those, who, with him, believed through Grace. (Acts 18:27).

There are thousands upon thousands of eloquent preachers today, (and some who are not eloquent), who are fervent and zealous, who teach diligently salvation by repentance toward God, Faith in the LORD Jesus Christ, and by baptism with or in water. Many of them are mighty in their favorite Scriptures, interpreting all salvation messages in the light of Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, and Acts 22:16. They dogmatically contend for water baptism in John 3:5, “born of water;” in Romans 6:3-4, “water baptized into Christ’s death” and “buried with Him by water baptism.” They interpret Galatians 3:27, Colossians 2:12, and Ephesians 4:5 as water baptism. Many of them even read water into Titus 3:5-6. They apparently have no desire to understand the meaning of Romans 11:11; that when and because of the ‘FALL’ of Israel, Salvation was sent to the Gentiles in a new way, at which time God ushered in a new spiritual program and dispensation, “the Dispensation of the Grace of God for Gentiles” (Ephesians 3:1-3).

Up to the time the RISEN LORD Jesus Christ revealed this eternal purpose of God to and through the Apostle Paul, it was called “The Mystery of Christ.” In the Scriptures it is plainly stated that the Kingdom, which Christ will establish on earth when He returns as the Son of man, will be God’s Kingdom prepared ‘FROM’ the foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34), WHEREAS the Body of Christ, into which believing Jews and Gentiles are reconciled by the cross (Ephesians 2:15-16), into Which they are baptized by the Holy Spirit, was purposed by God, in Christ, ‘BEFORE’ the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Not knowing this difference, they make no attempt to obey Ephesians 3:9, “make all (saints) see what is the dispensation of the Mystery.” They do not believe the Apostle Paul’s testimony in 1 Corinthians 3:10; that by the Grace of God he (Paul) was appointed the LORD’s chief builder (head carpenter) to lay the foundation. They prefer Peter’s Keys of the Kingdom. Their favorite verse in the Bible is Mark 16:16.

These religious, confused, pastors, preachers, and teachers, may be like Apollos in several ways; but unlike Apollos, they are not unprejudiced and humble enough to be led in the way of God more perfectly, and learn that there is almost as much difference between “the Gospel of the Kingdom” preached by Peter and the Eleven, in Acts 2:38, “BEFORE the Fall of Israel,” and the message preached by the Apostle Paul in Titus 3:4-8, “AFTER the FALL of Israel (Romans 11:11-12),” as there is between Law and Grace.

As we diligently, prayerfully, and thoroughly study Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the ministry of the twelve Apostles in the first chapters of the Book of Acts, when it was unlawful for the Apostles to preach to Gentiles (Acts 10:28, Acts 11:19), we certainly know that the Gentiles were not receiving Divine mercy because of Israel’s unbelief, as in Romans 11:30; that the believing Gentiles were not rich because of the diminishing and fall of Israel. (Romans 11:12).

Inasmuch as we read that thousands of Jews were saved from Pentecost on (Acts 2:41; Acts 4:4; Acts 5:14; Acts 6:7; Acts 9:42), we know that the Apostle Peter could NOT have truthfully said at the time he preached to the household of Cornelius what the Apostle Paul said some years later concerning Israel, “the election hath obtained it (righteousness); but the rest were blinded.” (Romans 11:7). Then Paul proclaimed the Mystery of Romans 11:25, that a blindness in part had happened to Israel UNTIL the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. Then what? Then all Old Testament prophecy will be fulfilled, and God’s ‘Kingdom’ nation (Israel) will be saved. (Romans 11:26-29).

Every minister of Christ should search the Scriptures diligently to learn WHY after the LORD chose Peter’s mouth to preach to Gentiles (Acts 15:6; Acts 10:34; Acts 11:18) He then sent Peter to the Jews (Galatians 2:9) and WHY He raised up an Apostle, who was NOT one of the ‘twelve’, to be the Apostle to the Gentiles. (Romans 11:13).

Take the time to read the setting of the Apostle Paul’s statement that he glorified his office as the Apostle of the Gentiles, by reading the verses immediately preceding his statement in Romans 11:13, and the verses immediately following. The setting is very important. We should interpret John 1:11 in the light of all we have stated in the past few paragraphs.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

{jcomments on}

LLM Question of the Day for 8-1-2011, and, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 2 of 12

First the Question: There is a great difference between Matthew 15:21-27 and Romans 10:12-16. True or False?

Look the verses up, and then please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 7-29-2011

Question: The RISEN Christ never instructed the Apostle Paul to preach to Gentiles what He instructed the Apostle Peter to preach to Israel on the day of Pentecost. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Out of the 668 responses we received 75% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 2 of 12

WHAT GOSPEL IS IN JOHN’S RECORD?

In the first verses of the third chapter of John’s Record we learn of the ‘good news’ by which a BELIEVER, (not repenter or baptized one), enters into the Kingdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 we learn how BELIEVING sinners inherit the Kingdom of God. So we MIGHT conclude that the Gospel by which a BELIEVER enters or inherits the Kingdom of God is the Gospel of the Kingdom.

HOWEVER, surely we have learned by comparing Matthew and John that different phases of the ‘Kingdom’ are presented in these two Records. As we analyze John’s Record, which is a very difficult task, we may think of the Apostle Paul’s words in Acts 20:24-25, “that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the LORD Jesus, to testify ‘the Gospel of the Grace of God. I have gone preaching ‘the Kingdom of God’.” The Apostle Paul had preached Jews and Gentiles into the Kingdom of God, into the Body of Christ, with “the Gospel of the Grace of God.” (Galatians 1:11-12). The RISEN LORD never instructed Paul to preach to Gentiles what He instructed Peter to preach to Israel on the day of Pentecost. When the Apostle Peter preached to Israel Acts 2:38 and Acts 3:17-21 there was ‘Grace’ in the propositions, but “the Gospel of Grace” is different from Acts 2:38 and Acts 3:17-21.

In Luke 2:40 we read that the Grace of God was upon the Child Jesus. In Luke 4:22 we read of the ‘gracious’ words which proceeded out of the mouth of Jesus. As we think of these two statements concerning the LORD Jesus Christ we should think of the wonderful truth of 2 Cor. 8:9, “ye know the Grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye, through His poverty might be rich.”

Christians, who know that they are saved by Grace, without religious deeds or good works, delight to join with the Apostle Paul in the wonderful ‘Grace’ truth of Ephesians 1:6-7, “to the praise of the glory of God’s ‘Grace’, wherein He hath ‘Graced’ us in the Beloved, In Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His Grace.”

In this Epistle to the Ephesians we find the word ‘Grace’ 13 times. In the Epistle to the Romans we find the word ‘Grace’ 22 times. Unto the Apostle Paul was given ‘Grace’ to preach to Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. (Ephesians 3:8). Paul declared that he was what he was by the Grace of God; and that that Grace was not bestowed upon him in vain; for he labored more abundantly than all others. The Apostle Paul said, in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “not I but the Grace of God that was with me.”

After we have read Paul’s Epistles and permitted the Holy Spirit to teach us the meaning of Ephesians 3:1-3, that the Apostle Paul was the prisoner of Jesus Christ for Gentiles and was given the responsibility of making known “the Dispensation of the Grace of God,” we certainly should know that Paul was the LORD’s ‘Grace’ messenger. Paul used the word ‘Grace’ about 100 times in the Book of Acts and in his 14 Epistles. Through the Apostle Paul, the RISEN, glorified Christ revealed to the human race His all sufficient, over abounding Grace for sinner and for saint. (Romans 5:20 and 2 Cor. 9:8).

Wonderful truth is revealed in Romans 3:24-28, that any kind of a sinner, who receives Christ as Savior, is justified freely, by God’s Grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; WITHOUT the deeds of the law. In Romans 4:4-5 we learn that by God’s Grace, “to him that worketh NOT, but BELIEVETH in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his Faith is counted for righteousness.” This we learn also in 2 Cor. 5:21 and in Romans 10:9-10.

The Apostle Paul, who used the word ‘Grace’ about 100 times, used the words “righteousness,” “reconciliation,” “redemption,” “forgiveness,” “salvation,” “justification,” “hope,” about 200 times. Five of these words are NOT found in John’s Gospel, and then ”salvation” only once, and ”righteousness” once.

SIN AND GRACE IN JOHN’S RECORD

In John 5:24-25, and in John 8:24, and in John 11:25-26, we learn that the unBELIEVEr is DEAD in sin. However in these same verses, and in many others in John, we learn that where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound. In John’s Message we learn the truth of Romans 5:21, “that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might Grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our LORD.”

In Romans 4:15 we learn that “the law worketh wrath.” In 2 Cor. 3:7 we learn that the law is “the ministration of death.” In John 1:17 we read, “the law was given by Moses; but Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” Then in John 20:31 we read WHY the Holy Spirit directed John to write the Record of the life and ministry, the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ: “that ye might BELIEVE (not repent and be baptized), that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and BELIEVING, ye might have life through His Name.”

In John 1 we begin with the LORD Jesus Christ as eternal God, the Creator of all things. In John 1:11 Christ is the Stone rejected by the Builders (Israel). (Psalm 118:21-25; Matthew 21:42). In John 1:29 Christ is the Lamb of God Who beareth away the sin of the world. In John 1:14 we read that the ‘Incarnate Word’ was full of Grace and Truth. In John 1:16 we read, “of His fullness have all we received and Grace upon Grace.” Hear Christ’s testimony in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Now we want to explain why we call “The Gospel of John”: “The Book of Life.” In John’s Message we have abounding Grace and life more abundant for BELIEVERS; Divine son-ship for as many as receive Christ, to them that BELIEVE on His Name. (John 1:12-13).

GRACE IN MATTHEW, MARK, AND LUKE

We quoted Luke 2:40 and Luke 4:22 describing the Grace of our LORD Jesus. But with the exception of these two statements, in all of the 2902 verses in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we do not find the word ‘Grace’ ONE time. Most assuredly we find the manifestations of Grace in those three Books. But God’s people should know the DIFFERENCE between ‘Grace’ in “the Gospel of the Kingdom” and under the reign of law; that is, Grace in former dispensations, AND, the present “Dispensation of the Grace of God for Gentiles” in which we have presented to us the wonderful Grace message of 2 Timothy 1:9.

Shortly before the Apostle Paul departed to be with Christ, at the time he testified that he had finished his course, kept the Faith and fought a good fight (2 Timothy 4:3-7), he wrote 2 Timothy 1:9-11, “God, Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and Grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began: But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, Who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and incorruptibility to light through the Gospel. Whereunto I (Paul) am appointed a preacher, and an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.” When the Apostle Paul said that the Man Christ Jesus, the one Mediator, gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in ‘due time’, he also added, “whereunto I (Paul) am ordained a preacher, an apostle and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

Now, pay attention: the ‘due time’ for the Gentiles was NOT at the time the LORD Jesus said, in Matthew 15:24, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, when He said to His twelve apostles, in Matthew 10:3-8, “go not into the way of the Gentiles.” Here, let us compare Romans 15:8-16, in which verses we read that Jesus Christ was a Minister to the Jews and the Apostle Paul was the minister to the Gentiles. There was a real difference between the Gospel Christ on earth preached and the ‘Grace’ Gospel that He, the RISEN Christ gave by direct revelation to the Apostle Paul. (Galatians 1:11-12).

We are told that Matthew was written within a few years after the death and resurrection of Christ, perhaps before Peter preached to Cornelius, the Gentile (Acts 10:34). We are told that Paul died about 68 A.D., about 2 years before the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem and killed many Jews, in fulfillment of Matthew 22:7. We are told that John did not write his ‘GOSPEL’ until at least 20 years after Jerusalem was destroyed.

It will prove most interesting and informative to compare the messages of Christ and His apostles in Matthew with the message of unmixed Grace in the Apostle Paul’s last Epistle, 2 Timothy.

Surely the careful, spiritual, intelligent student of the Scriptures has learned that, in Matthew, Jesus of Nazareth was in the midst of Israel, under The Law, presenting some of the principles and benefits of the New Covenant, preaching a mixture of law and Grace to “the children of the Kingdom.” (Matthew 8:12; Matthew 5:17-18; Matthew 23:1-3; Galatians 4:4; Acts 13:23).

Near the close of the Book of Matthew the LORD Jesus refers to Himself as “The STONE”; to Israel, as “the builders,” reminding them of Psalm 118:21-25. The builders were rejecting the “STONE” (Matthew 21:42), but that rejection was the LORD’s doing. Inasmuch as we learn by studying Matthew, Mark, and Luke, that Israel’s Messiah was repeatedly reminding the ‘builders’ of their obligation to the Law, AND, we know that, had any disciple of Christ taught “the children of the Kingdom,” during the days that Jesus of Nazareth went about doing good in the land of the Jews (Acts 10:38-39), that “ye are not under the law, but under Grace” (Romans 6:14) (Colossians 2:16), THAT disciple would have been out of the will of God! Consider that.

“BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question of the Day for 7-29-2011, and, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 1 of 12

First the Question: The RISEN Christ never instructed the Apostle Paul to preach to Gentiles what He instructed the Apostle Peter to preach to Israel on the day of Pentecost. True or False?

Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 7-27-2011

Question: The word Gospel is not found ONCE in the Gospel of John. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! The word ‘Gospel’ is not used in John’s Record; the word ‘Grace’ is found in only three verses; and the word ‘Kingdom’ is found in only three verses. But, what we want to know is this: According to the documentary evidence, the written Message which the Holy Spirit directed John to write, what Gospel IS presented in John’s Record? Out of the 635 responses we received 81.8% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, THE GOSPEL OF JOHN....THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, pt. 1 of 12

Some time ago there was an evangelist who announced that he was going to speak on The Fifth Gospel. He read Romans 2:16, Romans 16:25, and 2 Timothy 2:8, in which verses the Apostle Paul called the Gospel “My Gospel.” Then said the evangelist, “if you insist upon calling Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, “The Four Gospels,” I will call Paul’s Gospel, “The Fifth Gospel.”

So just as “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” has been erroneously called “The Revelation of Saint John the Divine,” the Apostle John’s Record of the life and ministry, the sayings and doings, the death and resurrection of the Eternal, Divine, Omnipotent, Omniscient, sinless LORD Jesus Christ has been erroneously called, “The Gospel of John.”

Some theologians and Bible expositors tell us that in John’s Record we have a combination of “the Gospel of the Kingdom” and “the Gospel of the Grace of God.” But most of them THEN say that there is NO difference between “the Gospel of the Kingdom” and “the Gospel of the Grace of God.”

It is very interesting to note that the word ‘Kingdom’ is found in three verses in John’s Record: John 3:3, and John 3:5, and John 18:36. And that the word ‘Grace’ is also found in three verses: John 1:14, and John 1:16, and John 1:17. But what may be a surprise to many is the fact that the word ‘Gospel’ is not found ONCE in John’s Record.

The LORD directed John to write five Messages or Books; namely, the so called “Gospel of John,” his three Epistles, and “The Revelation.” In the first four of these Books the word ‘Gospel’ is not found; and only once in “The Revelation.” In Revelation 14:6 a very strange evangelist is preaching “the everlasting Gospel,” (an angel in the midst of heaven). The minister of Christ is supposed to be, expected to be, a Faithful steward of the Mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1-4). The minister of Christ who contends that the “everlasting Gospel” of Revelation is the same as “the Gospel of the Grace of God” (Acts 20:24), which was given by special revelation from the RISEN Christ to the Apostle Paul (Galatians 1:11-12; Ephesians 3:1-3), is certainly NOT a steward of the Mysteries of God, but rather a workman who needeth to be ashamed because he does not rightly divide the Word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15).

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM vs. THE GOSPEL OF THE GRACE OF GOD

We have mentioned above the fact that the word ‘Gospel’ is not used in John’s Record; that the word ‘Grace’ is found in only three verses; and the word ‘Kingdom’ is found in only three verses. What we want to know is this: According to the documentary evidence, the written Message which the Holy Spirit directed John to write, what Gospel IS presented in John’s Record?

We may, of course, turn to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and learn what Gospel Christ and His apostles preached during the years of the public ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God by miracles and signs in the midst of Israel. (Acts 2:22). We learn in Matthew 3:2, Matthew 4:17, and Matthew 10:5-8, that John the Baptist, Jesus of Nazareth, and the twelve apostles ALL preached: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Then read in Mark 1:14-15: “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled; the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the Gospel.” We read in Matthew 4:23 and Matthew 9:35, “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching ‘the Gospel of the Kingdom,’ and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.”

In Matthew 10:3-8 and in Luke 9:1-6 we learn that the LORD Jesus instructed and empowered His twelve Apostles to preach the same Gospel and to perform the same miracles. But let us keep in mind the truth of Matthew 15:24 and Matthew 10:5-7; that the LORD Jesus plainly stated: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”, and, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.”

Years after the LORD Jesus had died, resurrected, and gone back to heaven, He appeared to the Apostle Paul in the temple in a vision and said. “I will send thee far hence to the Gentiles.” (Acts 22:17-22). Several years later Paul testified, in Romans 15:8 and Romans 15:16-21, that Jesus Christ, while here in the flesh, was a Minister of the circumcision with a ministry and message which was in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy, but that he, Paul, was a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

In this same Epistle to the Romans the Apostle Paul declared that there was NO difference between the Jew and the Gentile (Romans 10:12-13); that salvation was sent to Gentiles when and because of the ‘FALL’ and ‘CASTING AWAY’ and ‘DIMINISHING’ of Israel. (Romans 11:11-15). (Romans 11:30). Reconciliation and Divine mercy were offered to the Gentiles. Then the Apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) wrote; “the Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men” (Titus 2:11). He wrote, in Romans 16:25, that members of the Body of Christ were to be established by “MY Gospel”, the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the Mystery kept secret since the beginning of the world. (Romans 16:25).

Surely we recognize a most radical change between the day the LORD Jesus instructed the twelve apostles to go to Israel, preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, AND, the day the RISEN, glorified Christ instructed the Apostle Paul to proclaim the Grace of God at hand for all men and to establish members of the Body of Christ with Divine truth NOT mentioned or contemplated by Old Testament prophets.

Surely every spiritual, intelligent, Spirit taught member of the Body of Christ knows that Israel is God’s ‘Kingdom’ nation. They should know that God’s spiritual program for the human race, for Jew and Gentile, CHANGED when and because God set aside His ‘Kingdom’ nation (albeit temporarily); that, when and because of that great change, God ushered in “The Dispensation of the Grace of God for Gentiles,” which Paul called “The Mystery of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:1-3). But now back to Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

In 19 of the 27 Books from Matthew to Revelation the word ‘Gospel’ is found 104 times, (yes, I counted). Then the Greek word translated ‘Gospel’ is translated several times ‘glad tidings.’ In 8 of the 27 Books the word ‘Gospel’ is not found. In ALL of the Apostle Paul’s Epistles he mentions ‘Gospel,’ except in Titus. Yet in Titus the wonderful, glorious, blessed, Gospel of Salvation by Grace, without works or religion, is presented. Any spiritual, intelligent, Spirit-led student of the Scriptures who will compare the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, from Matthew 4:23 to Matthew 8:5, “the Gospel of the Kingdom” and the more than fifty religious requirements and obligations in these Scriptures, with Titus 3:3-8, should certainly say, “what a difference between the two Gospels!”

The New Testament Scriptures have much to say concerning “the Kingdom.” The word “Kingdom” is found 155 times in these 27 Books. In the Apostle Paul’s Epistles he mentions “the Kingdom of God” 12 times and “the Kingdom of Christ” 4 times. In Paul’s Epistles we learn that members of the Body of Christ inherit “the Kingdom of God and of Christ” (Ephesians 5:5); that members of the Body of Christ have been transferred into the Kingdom of the Son of God’s love. (Colossians 1:13-14).

In the Apostle John’s Record we find the words of the LORD Jesus to Nicodemus, recorded in John 3:3 and John 3:5, that no person can see or enter the Kingdom of God without regeneration; that the person who BELIEVES in Christ, Who was lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, is born from above, born anew, born of the Spirit, born of water. (John 3:6-15). Aside from John 3:3 and John 3:5 the only other verse in John in which we find the word ‘Kingdom’ is John 18:36. In this verse we have the words of Christ spoken to the heathen judge, Pilate, “My Kingdom is not of this world: If My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now is My Kingdom not from hence.”

Ok, but now here, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we find the word ‘Kingdom’ 119 times, in 119 verses. In Matthew we find the ‘Kingdom’ mentioned 55 times in 55 verses. In the first 13 chapters of Matthew we read much about “the Gospel of the Kingdom,” about “the Kingdom of Heaven.” We have in the 14th chapter 7 ‘Kingdom’ parables. In the 6th chapter we have the ‘Our Father’ prayer, with the petition, “Thy Kingdom come.” In the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th chapters of Matthew we find the “Beatitudes,” “the Sermon on the Mount,” the “Golden Rule.” In those chapters we find more than 50 commands of Christ, including various religion ceremonies and ordinances given for the obedience and practice of Christ’s disciples and other Israelites.

Now by way of comparison and contrast, from John 1-13 of John’s Record, we find NOTHING of the sayings and doings of Christ, His Apostles, and other Israelites WHICH are recorded in Matthew 1-13, EXCEPT in the thirteen chapters of Matthew and the thirteen chapters of John the record of the life and ministry and message of John the Baptist, which was FOR Israel. (Luke 1:16; Luke 1:80; Acts 13:24; Acts 18:25; Acts 19:4).

Even in this recorded ministry of John the Baptist more than 50% of the facts related in John’s Record are NOT recorded in Matthew. Matthew mentions the name ‘JOHN’ 26 times; 23 times referring to John the Baptist, 3 times to the Apostle John, the son of Zebedee. More than 70% of what Matthew tells us concerning John the Baptist is NOT found in John’s Record. John mentions the name ‘JOHN’ 20 times in his Record; all 20 times referring to John the Baptist. The Apostle John does not mention himself by the name ‘JOHN’ in his Gospel or in his three Epistles; but he does 5 times in Revelation. In John’s Record the Apostle John calls himself, “one of the disciples whom Jesus loved,” “that disciple whom Jesus loved,” “that other disciple.” And this is very interesting: inasmuch as the Holy Spirit is presenting, in John’s Record, the eternal Incarnate Word as the “Apostle and High Priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1), the disciples of Christ are NOT called ‘apostles’ in John’s Record.

Again by way of comparison and contrast, whereas in Matthew, the LORD Jesus imposed upon His disciples and other Israelites more than 50 ceremonies, religious observances and commands, (which had their rightful place under the reign of Law), the principal thing that the disciples and other Israelites were to do in John’s Record was to “BELIEVE.” The word “BELIEVE” is found 100 times in John’s Record. We do learn in John 3:22, in just one short verse, that the disciples of Jesus were baptizing. We do not have any record of what they preached or what they were told to preach, as we have in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In John’s Record we do not have any mention of miracles performed by the 12, as we do in the other three Records.

Instead of laying down the law to Israelites as in the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule and the Kingdom parables, we read these words in John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto Him (Jesus), What shall we do that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye BELIEVE in Him Whom He hath sent.” Then in John 16:7-10 we learn that the Holy Spirit was to be sent to convict condemned sinners of the sin of unbelief; “because they believe not on Me (Christ).” The Holy Spirit was to convict or reprove them of righteousness, because Christ was going back to His Father. (John 16:10). Here we might mention the fact that this future ‘righteousness’ in John 16:10 is the only mention of ‘righteousness’ in John’s Record. Salvation is mentioned just once, in the words Jesus spoke to the woman in Samaria; “Salvation is of the Jews.” (John 4:22). Jesus is called ‘Saviour’ just once in John’s Record, and that by Samaritans, who were saved during Christ’s visit to their city: “we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (John 4:42).

We certainly learn in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, that sin is the transgression of the Law. But in John’s Record we read the words of Christ, “if ye BELIEVE not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins”, and, “he that BELIEVETH in Him (Christ) is not condemned; but he that BELIEVETH not is condemned already, because he hath not BELIEVED in the Name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 8:24 and John 3:18).

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question of the Day for 7-27-2011, and, A Study of the Epistle of James, pt. 3 of 3

First the Question: The word Gospel is not found ONCE in the Gospel of John. True or False?

Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 7-24-2011

Question: God had no Gentile Apostles. True or False?

Answer: TRUE! All of the Apostles were Jews! And out of the 679 responses we received 66.7% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, A Study of the Epistle of James, pt. 3 of 3

All of these unscriptural Pastors, Preachers, and teachers who tell their disciples to look to the atonement for the healing of diseases….will die, if Christ does not come back within a reasonable time. Would they die, if healing of the body were in the atonement? No!

A child of God is blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies. He is a child of God because of the atoning work of Christ. And therefore, the “all things” that every believer has in Christ are because of His atoning work. But the theory of healing in the atonement as taught by the modern healers in the Church is absolute heresy.

Surely every true Christian believes in earnest prayer for the sick and should pray that God will bless every means that is being used to bring about the recovery of that sick one. Moreover, hundreds of God's people have been raised up from serious illness in answer to the prayers of God's Faithful children even after physicians have abandoned all hope. If THIS is what is meant by “Divine healing,” surely every sensible Christian believes in Divine healing.

However, the common “healing” heresy with which the Body of Christ is today troubled is that the miraculous sign healing of Yahuwshua of Nazareth and His apostles is still God's order for the Body of Christ, because “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” By “Divine healing” then in this heresy, is meant “spiritual healing of physical diseases,” without material remedies; other than anointing with oil.

There are several verses of Scripture which are often emphasized to support the claim of these people; but before we quote these verses we call your attention to the different words translated “sick” in this fifth chapter of James.

Is any sick? The word here used is “Astheneia”, literally, “without strength.” The very same word is used in Roman 5:6, “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Look what it says, when we were yet sick, soul-sick, sin-sick. And then in Isaiah, “The whole head is sick.” Isaiah 1:5. The prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the word used is ”Kamno”, meaning “weary or tired from toil.” I will leave it to you to explain the why of this change of words.

Now, for the several verses, so often used in healing circles today:

“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Matthew 8:17.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” John 14:12.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 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.” Mark 16:17-18.

“By whose stripes ye are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24.

Now the last statement is explained by the other words of the verse in which it is found and has NO reference whatever to the body. This verse in the Apostle Peter's epistle we shall refer to as we proceed to study the statement in Matthew.

“Himself Took Our Infirmities, and Bare Our Sicknesses” Matthew 8:17. Yahuwshua of Nazareth was a man, approved of God by miracles and wonders and signs in the midst of Israel. Acts 2:22. However, “The Mystery among the Gentiles.” “Christ IN you the hope of glory” is quite different. Colossians 1:27.

“The Word was God”, Christ was in the form of God. The Word became flesh, which was ANOTHER form. The form of a servant, a Man, and a Jew. However, NOW, He is the resurrected God-Man; GLORIFIED. The same Person, but three different forms.

Healing the sick was a part of the Kingdom program of Yahuwshua of Nazareth. Two Greek words, “bear” or “bare”, are used in the New Testament Scriptures: “Anaphero” and “Bastazo.” Bare our sickness is “bastazo.” However, “Bare our sin in His own body on the tree” is ”anaphero.” 1 Peter 2:24. This Greek word “anaphero” is used only one other time in the Scriptures, as bear. “So Christ was once offered to bear (anaphero) the sins of many.” Hebrews 9:28.

These two verses speak very definitely of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross of Calvary. For what? For SINS. Never is there any suggestion that Christ died for the believer's sicknesses. But time, and time again do the Scriptures say in many different statements that Christ died for our sins.

“Bastazo” is used many times in the Scriptures; Matthew 3:11, “bearing shoes”; Luke 11:27, John 12:6, Luke 14:27, John 16:12, “bear the saying of Christ”; Acts 9:15, Galatians 6:2, Romans 15:1 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak.”

How does one Christian bear the infirmities of another? Certainly not by making atonement; not by dying. Again, “Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.” One law of Christ is the law of life for believers because of His death and resurrection. We have not power to lay down our lives and take them up again. This “bear” is the same “bear” used in Matthew 8:17.

Does this explain the expression: “Greater Works Than These Shall He Do; Because I Go To My Father.” John 14:12. Yahuwshua of Nazareth fed five thousand hungry people with half a pound of food. What Christian has fed more than that number with the same number of loaves and fishes? What Christian has calmed the storm? What Christian has walked on the water? What Christian has turned water into wine by miracle? What Christian has died on a cross and abolished death and destroyed him that had the power of death; that is the devil? What Christian has said goodbye to his earthly companions and gone to heaven in a body?

All of the people whom Jesus Christ healed afterward died of the same, or some other, physical ailment. The death rate of the human race, saint and sinner alike, is still one apiece, regardless of the method of healing employed.

Ten lepers were healed by Yahuwshua at one time. Luke 17:14. To the only one who returned to him to praise God, He said, “Thy Faith hath made thee whole.” Were the others saved men? Surely not!

Some hours after Jesus gave sight to the blind man in John 9, He said to the man, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” The man said, “Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?” “It is He that talketh with thee.” He said, “I believe and worshipped Him” John 9:35-38.

To the man sick of the palsy Yahuwshua said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee”, before he healed his infirmity. By the way, where is the Christian who can do a greater work than forgive sin? It is a far greater work to get a man saved from the damnation of hell than to get him healed of fever or rheumatism. By the way, this is the only case where Jesus healed sickness AFTER forgiving the sinner his sins. This case of the palsied man.

Yet, some of the healing preachers today are telling their hearers that they must accept the sacrifice of Christ for soul salvation before they can have physical healing. Is this according to the way Christ and His apostles healed? What saith the Scriptures!

Those who are doing “the greater works” today should not insist that sick people be saved before they can have Divine healing. If they are to prove that Ya-hweh Yahuwshua, the LORD Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today and forever by duplicating his miraculous works and thus demonstrating His Deity in the realm of natural science, they should not CHANGE the order He followed when here in the midst of the Jews; the Jews who require a sign. God’s “sign people”.

And these “miracle workers” should give to the skeptic public the right to choose the character of miracle to be performed; if they are to be convinced of the Deity of Christ by those who are doing the greater works. One will say, “feed five thousand hungry people with these few loaves and fishes, and I will believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Another says, “My brother died four days ago. I prefer to have him raised.” By the way, was it because of Lazarus' Faith that he was raised???

The miraculous sign healing of Christ and His apostles is quite different from the healing of Epaphroditus. Miraculous sign healing CEASED after the Apostle Paul said, “The Salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles.” Acts 28:28. Otherwise he would not have told faithful Timothy to take wine for his oft sicknesses. 1 Timothy 5:23. This was not due to Timothy's lack of the Faith. The Apostle Paul praised him for his wonderful Faith. 2 Timothy 1:5.

There is another verse to be explained along with this one, “To another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:9. The only sane and sure method of Scripture interpretation is to study Scripture in the light of other Scriptures. Violation of this principle will produce unbelief or fanaticism. We submit several facts for light on these Scriptures:

No GENTILE Christian ever had hands laid upon him for any purpose in the Christian Church, so far as the Bible record is concerned.

There is not one scriptural reference to one miracle performed by the hands of one GENTILE. God had no Gentile healing servants.

We quote Hebrews 4:4: “God also bearing (them) witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will.” Read this last phrase, because there are certain false prophets who are teaching the people they ought not to say, “if it be God's will.” The miracles with which God witnessed the Apostleship of the Galileans who came down with Jesus to Jerusalem were “divers.” (diverse) Acts 13:31. The Hebrew Christians to whom this epistle of James was written were NOT performing healing miracles.

Miracles were the signs of an Apostle. 2 Cor. 12:12. God had no Gentile Apostles.

With the exception of Philip in Samaria where, “the people hearing and seeing the miracles which he did” and the case of Stephen who “did great wonders and miracles” among the Jews; either the Apostle Peter or the Apostle Paul was present in EVERY case of sign or miraculous healing in the Church mentioned in the Bible after the resurrection of Christ. The Apostle Paul was permitted by God to perform a miracle similar to each miracle performed by the Apostle Peter. Ask yourselves, WHY?

Sign healing was general. There was no hit and miss proposition with either Christ or His Apostles. Therefore the healing movements of today are not genuine. Here’s what the Scriptures say, “And healed all that were sick.” Matthew 8:16; “Healing every sickness and every disease.” Matthew 9:35; “He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them.” Luke 4:40; “The shadow of Peter.” “And they were healed every one.” Acts 5:16.

One of the modern healers whose nefarious traffic is being supported by some splendid Christians, whom he has deceived, or rather whom Satan has, failed with about nineteen out of twenty of the poor unfortunate deluded victims who responded to his invitation at the close of one of his services. And he too supports his healing with, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”; and CONTRARY to the plain instruction of the Apostle James, the minister of the circumcision, he uses oil on Gentiles.

And here is Satan’s TRAP! Just think of the reaction when those who think these healing preachers know the Bible and are preaching true Biblical Christianity, find that the healing is but a foolish theory and sorcery, and then many of them will reason that Christ's atonement for the soul is also a false doctrine.

May God help every true saint to stand firmly AGAINST these healing heresies in this day of apostasy, and say with the Apostle Paul, concerning Satan, “We are not ignorant of his devices.”

Fully trust the LORD in health and in sickness and know that all things work together for good to the Faithful child of God. And be ready to say with the Apostle Paul, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Cor. 12:9. “Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” 2 Cor. 4:16. BUT, are you willing to say: “The LORD gave and the LORD hath taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21.

Now, let me close this 3 part series of messages with this: Mental Science has long since passed the experimental stage, Psychology has worked wonders with many people. Truly there are many imaginary cures of real ills, and many real cures of imaginary ills, Psychic healing. Satan put sickness upon Job. He bound a daughter of Abraham for many years. he said, “all that a man hath will he give for his life” Can Satan perform miracles? Can Satan heal? Now go read 2 Thessalonians 2:7-11.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook

LLM Question of the Day for 7-24-2011, and, A STUDY OF THE EPISTLE OF JAMES, pt. 2 of 3

First the Question: God had no Gentile Apostles. True or False?

Please take a moment to respond at the LLM Question of the Day

And now the answer to the LLM Question of 7-21-2011

Question: No true child of God can or will leave this world one second sooner or one second later than the mo­ment God is ready for that one to depart and to be with the LORD. You will die right on time! True or False?

Answer: TRUE! Of Course it’s TRUE! And out of the 613 responses we received 91.1% of you got it right! Therefore,

Today let us consider, A Study of the Epistle of James, pt. 2 of 3

And as we continue on with this study/message of the Epistle of James please bear in mind this most important statement by the Holy Spirit through James, “As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing.”

If the Apostle James could speak today to the multitude of believing Gentiles who are being beguiled by some of the fraudulent religious teachers, healers, and fanatics which has almost completely swept over Christendom, he would say, “We have concluded that they observe no such thing.” Surely, now, we shall remember these words of James when we read what he says in his epistle concerning anointing with oil. Right? We’ll remember, right? I pray so! Certainly we desire the mind of God in this matter.

There are many members of the Body of Christ, conscientious saints, today who truly want to do the will of God; who do not want to be deprived of any blessing because of the lack of Faith, or lack of understanding of God's Word. God must be sorely grieved with the discord and divisions among His people, with the disagreement and confusion over the subject of healing.

For centuries there has NEVER been so much talk about Divine healing as is heard on every side at this present time. This general discussion of healing has arisen in recent years. The Body of Christ was not troubled with this special emphasis on healing, until this present wave of destructive criticism, known as Modernism, began to sweep throughout the “professing” Church, playing havoc with Church organizations and so-called evangelical seminaries. Surely Satan is using every device to wreck the sane testimony of Christians. How pitiable is the condition of the Christian Church organizations at the present time.

Many of God's children who could not be deceived by this MODERN Christianized agnosticism HAVE been captivated and unbalanced by one of these healing delusions. Really the LORD Jesus Christ is being dishonored today by many men and women who are carrying on their unscriptural healing traffic in His Holy name. Many of them are willfully deceiving the ignorant and gullible religious masses to increase the size of their audiences and the cash receipts in their offerings.

Remember the words of Yahweh Yahuwshua, “A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign” Matthew 16:4. This too, accounts for the throngs who often gather around the fake, and not fake, religious healers of today. The reign of the man of sin is not far off. He is coming “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders; with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish” 2 Thessalonians 2:9.

Satan by his false prophets will try to deceive even the very elect and many of the very elect have joined the ranks of the fanatical healers to help Satan obscure the glorious Gospel of Grace with their nonsensical, unscriptural, and unprofitable theories, which experiences are constantly proving to be false.

It is a well known fact that multitudes of genuine Christians, as well as those who are Christian in name only, never become earnest students of the Bible UNTIL they become enthusiasts in some religious sect which corrupts or twists the Scriptures. Then most of them cease to be like the Bereans who received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so, as they simply follow the leader of the sect.

But for the benefit of the Bereans, those members of the Body of Christ who are true students of Scripture, we send out this message, “Is any among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is any merry? Let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the LORD: and the prayer of Faith shall save the sick, and the LORD shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults (sins) one to another, and pray one for another that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” James 5:13-16.

In every assembly of New Testament saints the spiritual oversight of the flock should be in the hands of matured spiritual Christians.

Christians who would do the will of God should be visiting the sick with their earnest prayers and messages of comfort and sympathy. Many of them are; and God truly is having mercy on many of His children and in answer to the fervent prayers of righteous men and women He is raising them up from beds of sickness, even as He did in the case of Faithful Epaphroditus, Paul's brother and companion in labor, many years ago. Philippians 2:25.

Notice what the Holy Spirit tells us through the Apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 4:20, “Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.” Now Trophimus, too, was a Faithful servant of God and a true friend of the Apostle Paul's. In one case Epaphroditus was raised up. In the other case Trophimus was left sick. And we may be sure that Paul earnestly prayed for the recovery of Trophimus, but for some reason he left him sick. Why? Why are many Faithful deeply spiritual saints on beds of sickness today in spite of many prayers of Faith for their recovery?

Thus we see that the sick are not always healed in answer to prayer: not even the most spiritual, consecrated saints. It is very often the case that it is the will of God that some of this class go home in the LORD Jesus with the first serious illness they have. In fact, no true child of God can or will leave this world one second sooner or one second later than the moment God is ready for that one to depart and to be with the LORD. You will die right on time!

Do not as many members in the modern healing sects and cults die as sane spiritual Christians? Is the death rate of either any lower than that of the great number of unsaved people who obey God's physical laws?

God's spiritual and obedient saints die at all ages. So do the rest of the human race, regardless of any peculiar theory or method of healing, with or without the use of material remedies. There is no fixed age for the death of any class of people.

The whole creation is groaning. We who have received the firstfruits of the Spirit are in bondage.

Now, every month science is discovering and demonstrating new methods for curing afflictions, injuries, and diseases and prolonging human life. Chiropractors, osteopaths, and neuropathists, are making wonderful claims of healing. Psychologists and metaphysicians are treating every imaginable and imaginary ailment and reporting marvelous cures. Some say they were able to throw away crutches as the result of repeating over and over, “In every way every day I am getting better and better.”

There are thousands who think that sickness is all in the mind; so they are working on the mind to get rid of every kind of disease in the blood or in any part of the body. Christian Science practitioners are collecting the cash for teaching willing victims to deny the reality of sickness. Many of them who are half or two-thirds dead are lying to themselves or to others about their physical condition and paying expert liars who teach them to lie. Others claim to be cured, and can prove their claims. The Mormons cure all kinds of afflictions and diseases with their oil-anointing elders.

Certainly there is a variety of remedies. There is also a variety of diseases; “divers” diseases. The divers remedies are successful with some of the divers diseases. But while all kinds and classes of healers are busy, the sanitariums and drug-stores are being well patronized; and the undertakers are getting their share of business. Included, in those that they bury, are members of all the different sciences and healing cults in the land.

It is a blessed thing to be relieved of suffering and pain, to be restored from weakness and sickness to strength and health. And, let’s not forget, some of the most ungodly people in the community have this happy experience. However, surely every mentally well-balanced Christian man and woman is praising God for the faithful and capable physicians, surgeons, and nurses, who are doing so much to relieve suffering humanity.

The individual is naturally grateful for the healing method and remedy which has brought relief and is generally ready to recommend it to others. But the next individual with the same malady may be just as Faithful with the same remedy and find it an absolute failure, so far as affecting a cure is concerned. Christian Science says that medical science has never affected a permanent cure. Neither has Christian Science. They all die. However, the LORD Jesus Christ will affect a permanent cure for believers when He comes. Philippians 3:21.

Each of the religious sects who make a specialty of healing has some peculiar theory, and if the individual improves or gets well by applying that theory, then there is a strong probability that the individual will join the religious sect that preaches the theory that brought the relief; and, as a rule, the individual will sing the praises of the healing servant.

There are many healing sects, healing theories, and healing servants. I will leave it to you to explain why some people get rid of their physical ailments by the Christian Science theory. And, it is a fact that they do. But, the Mormons do not believe in any of Mrs. Eddy's (Christian Science) theory, but have a theory of their own. But because they do get some results by anointing with oil, does that prove that Christians should anoint with oil?

Oil belongs to the shadow days of the Old Testament. It belongs in the same dispensation with vows and purifications, shaving of the head, baptism, and circumcision, all of which James approved “for the Jews which believe” twenty-six years after Pentecost.

Now, remember that the Epistle of James is “to Jews which believe.” “To the twelve tribes in the dispersion.” “He was a minister of the circumcision.” REMEMBER, we are not to forget, “As touching the Gentiles which believe; that they observe no such thing.” This Divine principle is to be applied in the matter of anointing with oil. James is the only one who mentions oil and he tells us to observe this principle.

Many of God's true servants have had some blessed experiences using oil on the sick while praying for them, and doubtless most of them will keep on with their oil, no matter what others may say. Different servants use dif­ferent kinds of oil and have different ways of anointing. Some of the folks they anoint do not recover from their ailments; while some do.

The Apostle Paul circumcised Timothy even after James wrote his epistle; but that does not mean that we are to practice that Old Testament custom now. There was a time when it was God's commandment. It was a type of the true circumcision of the heart. Paul practiced it, “because of the Jews” But never did he become a Jew to the Jews after he reached Rome.

Well, how about praying for the sick without the use of oil? It is wrong NOT to do so. Where is the Christian to be found who does not believe in praying for the sick? All Christians believe that with God all things are possible; and that no good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly. “Whatsoever ye ask the Father in My Name ye shall receive.” This is the gracious promise the Savior gave to His disciples.

All Christians know that the Scriptures teach that God does hear and does graciously respond to the prayer of Faith. God's principle still maintains: “Be it unto you according to your Faith.”

AND…Every true Christian is more Faithful and earnest in prayer in the time of serious illness, or adversity, or deep sorrow, or severe testing, than at any other time. Not one such would think of denying the omnipotent power of God or discounting the importance of genuine God-given Faith when praying for a loved one or any saint of God who is in any kind of distress, physical or otherwise. But now, this brings to us this question: Just what are we to understand by the statement, “THE PRAYER OF FAITH SHALL SAVE THE SICK?”

In the Scriptures, James 5, is it the prayer of the anointing elders or the prayer of the sick? Whose Faith here saves the sick? Let them pray over him. But we say UNLESS THE SICK had some Faith he would not send for the elders. But, if the sick man has sufficient Faith, does he need the praying elders? Is not his individual Faith without elders and oil enough to bring about his cure?

Christ said, “That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 18:19. One elder and the sick man would be enough to claim this promise. But in several other places the Savior promises definite results to the individual who prays, in Faith.

Every honest Christian will confess a certain lack of Faith, yet some of the most Faithful saints have been praying for years for the salvation of some loved one, and up to the present time their prayers remain unanswered. They have had others of great Faith join with them and claim the answer to their prayer, on the authority of a precious promise in God's Word. Sometimes this prayer of Faith is answered, often after waiting many years. Sometimes the loved one remains unsaved.

It is a very common experience to see the immediate family of some “healing” Christian so disgusted with the healing fanaticism of that Christian that the members of that family will not even listen to his testimony.

Surely, the salvation of the soul is of more importance than the healing of the body. And yet the prayer of Faith for the eternal salvation of loved ones is not always immediately answered; sometimes not for many years. But if the individual has Faith in Christ, and accepts Him, no prayer is needed to save him. “He that believeth on the Son hath life.”

It is not the will of God that anyone be lost. He will save any one who will believe. Neither is it the will of God that any Christian should be defeated by sin; that any of His children yield to temptation. God had definitely promised deliverance, the way of escape. There is victory over temptation for every true believer. The prayer of Faith will always bring victory.

But the prayer of Faith will not always bring healing. And, if Christ does not come back to receive His own unto Himself within the next hundred years, every faithful saint on this earth, like every unfaithful sinner, will die of some physical ailment. Until the return of Christ, death for saint and sinner alike is inescapable.

And yet, we have some Christians who tell us that the healing of the body is in the atonement. If the sinner really believes in the atoning work of Ya-hweh Yahuwshua, the LORD Jesus Christ, and receives Him as Savior, is he not forever saved? (“Sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” Hebrew 10:10. “Justified from all things” Acts 13:39. “The free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD.”) He has eternal life and spiritually shall never die. This is his because of him having the Faith in the finished work of the LORD Jesus Christ.

But incorruptibility is NOT the Christian's in this dispensation. He is begotten into a lively hope. His incorruptible inheritance is reserved. Otherwise, he would not be in bondage, waiting for the adoption to wit the redemption of his body. Romans 8:23. Every believer must have a body of humiliation until Christ comes, at which time he will receive a glorified body.

In the meantime, physical death is no respecter of persons.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31, while there is still time!

So There You Have it!

Spread this message to everyone you know, far and wide. The time is short

Grace be to you and peace, from God: our Father, and The LORD Jesus Christ.

In The LORD Jesus Christ,
The Lion and Lamb Ministry

Pastor David Picos, D.D.
Minister and Ambassador for Christ in the Ministry of Reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20)

Subscribe Here to the LLM Newsletter , Follow LLM on Twitter , Subscribe to LLM on Youtube , LLM on MySpace , and FaceBook