Wednesday, December 10, 2014

FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I AMONG THEM.” - Matt 18:20 By Tuese Ahkiong

FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I AMONG THEM.” - Matt 18:20

By Tuese Ahkiong

I often hear people use this verse to support their view that Christ is now with us because there is a minimum of 2 or 3 of us gathered. I’m like, so, if we’re by ourselves does that mean Christ is not with me?

-Confused look on their faces appears.

I’m like, YHWH is omnipresent, so how the heck could anyone ever be out of His presence?

Psalm 139:7-12

⁷Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
⁸If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
⁹If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” ¹²even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

1 John 4:15

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.

*If God abides in a believer NOW, how is it that Christ is in the midst of 2 or more believers? In what sense is Christ among a plural gathering of believers?

Matthew 18:20 is such a butchered verse. It’s one of those verses that people love to take of context because it sounds so nice when Christians are in a prayer meeting or fellowship time. But what does it mean in the context? That’s the question the student of the Bible should be asking. A simple reading of the context would easily give the answer. The passage is about church discipline or conflict resolution involving 2 or 3 witnesses as established in The Old Testament.

Matthew 18:15-20

¹⁵“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶But if he does not listen, TAKE ONE OR TWO OTHERS ALONG WITH YOU, THAT EVERY CHARGE MAY BE ESTABLISHED BY THE EVIDENCE OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. ¹⁷If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. ¹⁸Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ¹⁹Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I AMONG THEM.”

The following is a couple examples from the Old Testament regarding witnesses being established.

Deuteronomy 17:6

ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO WITNESSES OR OF THREE WITNESSES the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.

Deuteronomy 19:15

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. ONLY ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO WITNESSES OR OF

THREE WITNESSES SHALL A CHARGE BE ESTABLISHED.

The following are few NT examples of using the principle of 2 or 3 witnesses.

2 Corinthians 13:1

This is the third time I am coming to you. EVERY CHARGE MUST BE ESTABLISHED BY THE EVIDENCE OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.

1 Timothy 5:19

Do not admit a charge against an elder except on THE EVIDENCE OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.

Hebrews 10:28

Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES.

So, Matthew 18:20 is NOT about Christ being present when 2 or 3 Christians are gathered in fellowship or a prayer meeting, rather, Christ is present to exercise discipline when the church elders and leaders were present to proclaim Christ’s discipline.

Here is a case example of Paul scolding “The church gone wild” Corinthians for tolerating a dude doing the nasty with his father’s wife.

1 Corinthians 5

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. ²And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.

³For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and AS IF PRESENT, I HAVE ALREADY PRONOUNCED jUDGMENT on the one who did such a thing. ⁴WHEN YOU ARE ASSEMBLED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND MY SPIRIT IS PRESENT, WITH THE POWER OF OUR LORD JESUS, ⁵YOU ARE TO DELIVER THIS MAN TO SATAN FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FLESH, SO THAT HIS SPIRIT MAY BE SAVED IN THE DAY OF THE LORD.

⁶Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? ⁷Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

⁹I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. ¹¹But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. ¹²For what have I to do with judging outsiders? IS IT NOT THOSE INSIDE THE CHURCH WHOM YOU ARE TO JUDGE? ¹³God judges those outside. “PURGE THE EVIL PERSON FROM AMONG YOU.”

**The assembling in The Name of The Lord (v4) is the 2 or 3 witnesses gathered to exercise judgment (with a lower case j).

Here’s 2 bones for you thinkers. Satan in this passage is apostate Israel (I will cover this in another article). And another bone is The Day of The LORD was in 70A.D.

· “FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I AMONG THEM.”

This passage is NOT about fellowship or a prayer meeting among 2 or more Christians.

This passage is about Christ being among 2 or 3 witnesses in the sense of authority to exercise discipline.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Did/Does Yeshua (Jesus) have kids? One of the titles of Christ is EVERLASTING FATHER How can Christ be a Father unless He has kids? by Tuese Ahkiong

Did/Does Yeshua (Jesus) have kids?

by Tuese Ahkiong

One of the titles of Christ is EVERLASTING FATHER

How can Christ be a Father unless He has kids?

Isaiah 9:6-7

⁶For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, EVERLASTING FATHER,

Prince of Peace.
⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

1) CHRIST IS WONDERFUL COUNSELOR

Isaiah 28:29

This also comes from the Lord of hosts; he is WONDERFUL IN COUNSEL and excellent in wisdom.

2) CHRIST IS THE MIGHTY GOD

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “WHO IS AND WHO WAS AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.”

Revelation 4:8

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY, IS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND IS AND IS TO COME!”

Revelation 11:17

saying, “WE GIVE THANKS TO YOU, LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, WHO IS AND WHO WAS, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

3) CHRIST IS EVERLASTING FATHER

Everlasting Father can be defined as one who possesses Everlasting Life.

John 1:11-13

¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 14:18

¹⁸“I will not leave YOU AS ORPHANS; I WILL COME TO YOU.

Romans 8:16

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD,

Romans 8:17

AND IF CHILDREN, THEN HEIRS—HEIRS OF GOD AND FELLOW HEIRS WITH CHRIST, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

Romans 8:21

that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and OBTAIN THE FREEDOM OF THE GLORY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD.

Galatians 4:22-31

²²For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. ²³But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. ²⁵Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶BUT THE JERUSALEM ABOVE IS FREE, AND SHE IS OUR MOTHER. ²⁷FOR IT IS WRITTEN,

“REJOICE, O BARREN ONE WHO DOES NOT BEAR;
BREAK FORTH AND CRY ALOUD, YOU WHO ARE NOT IN LABOR!
FOR THE CHILDREN OF THE DESOLATE ONE WILL BE MORE than those of the one who has a husband.”

²⁸Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹BUT JUST AS AT THAT TIME he who was born according to the flesh PERSECUTED him who was born according to the Spirit, SO ALSO IT IS NOW. ³⁰But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with THE SON OF THE FREE WOMAN.” ³¹So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of THE FREE WOMAN.

Revelation 21:1-11

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, PREPARED AS A BRIDE ADORNED FOR HER HUSBAND. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

⁵And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. ⁷The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ⁸But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

⁹Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “COME, I WILL SHOW YOU THE BRIDE, THE WIFE OF THE LAMB.” ¹⁰AND HE CARRIED ME AWAY IN THE SPIRIT TO A GREAT, HIGH MOUNTAIN, AND SHOWED ME THE HOLY CITY JERUSALEM COMING DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN FROM GOD, ¹¹HAVING THE GLORY OF GOD, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

***Christ is a Father and has children. He produced spiritual children since His marriage to His bride, the ekkllesia (the church) in 70 A.D.. Part of marriage is companionship, pleasure, protection, and reproduction. Christ and His wife produced the first Christian children through The Gospel so yes, Christ has children in a spiritual sense. These children went on to produce children and so on who are Christ's great grandchildren.

2 Corinthians 11:2

For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.

*Paul proclaims the Gospel to the covenant world. The elect remnant of The OT are

4) CHRIST IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE

Luke 2:14

“Glory to God in the highest, and ON EARTH PEACE AMONG THOSE WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED!”

Colossians 1:20

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, MAKING PEACE BY THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS.

Ephesians 2:14

For HE HIMSELF IS OUR PEACE, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK by Tuese Ahkiong

Revelation 3:20 is one of the most misused verses in Scripture. It is often used in unbiblical alter calls where non-believers are told that Christ is knocking at the DOOR of their heart and needs them to open it because He can’t force His way in because He is a gentleman. LOL. Plus, when you see the painting, there is no DOOR knob on Christ’s side. It can only be opened from the inside. –Where the heck do they get this!!!?? They get it from their imagination.

Hello, who does Scripture say opens hearts?

Acts 16:14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. THE LORD OPENED HER HEART to pay attention to what was said by Paul.

@@What does the Lord say about the heart of man:

Mark 7:20-23 And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. ²¹For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, ²²coveting, wickedness, deceit,sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. ²³All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

REVELATION 3

“And to the angel of THE CHURCH IN SARDIS write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.

“‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ²Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. ³Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. IF YOU WILL NOT WAKE UP, I WILL COME LIKE A THIEF, AND YOU WILL NOT KNOW AT WHAT HOUR I WILL COME AGAINST YOU. ⁴Yet you have still a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.⁶He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

⁷“And to the angel of THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

⁸“‘I know your works. Behold, I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR, WHICH NO ONE IS ABLE TO SHUT. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.⁹Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. ¹⁰Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I WILL KEEP YOU FROM THE HOUR OF TRIAL THAT IS COMING ON THE WHOLE WORLD, to try those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹I AM COMING SOON. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. ¹²The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. ¹³He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

14“And to the angel of THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

¹⁵“‘I know your works: YOU ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. Would that you were EITHER COLD OR HOT! ¹⁶So, BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER HOT NOR COLD, I WILL SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH. ¹⁷For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. ¹⁹THOSE WHOM I LOVE, I REPROVE AND DISCIPLINE, so be zealous and REPENT. ²⁰BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. IF ANYONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME IN TO HIM AND EAT WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. ²¹The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and behold, A DOOR STANDING OPEN IN HEAVEN! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

**Verses 14-22 are about Christ admonishing The CHURCH in Laodicea to be either hot or cold for Him. Those who are part of THE CHURCH in general are believers, not unbelievers. Therefore, this passage cannot be about Christ knocking on unbelievers’ hearts. It’s about The Church of Laodicea repenting from being lukewarm. Christ tells them that because He loves them, He will reprove and discipline them. Opening the door to Christ is repenting and being on hot fire for Christ. This leads them to greater, deeper fellowship and communion with Christ. Fellowshipping with a person who repents and eating with him suggests the unity of the communion table.

Luke 12:35-37 “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, SO THAT THEY MAY OPEN THE DOOR TO HIM AT ONCE WHEN HE COMES AND KNOCKS. ³⁷Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.

**Christ was instructing His disciples to be prepared for His imminent return in that (this) generation, 70 A.D.

James 5:7-9 Be patient, therefore, brothers, UNTIL THE COMING OF THE LORD. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. ⁸You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD IS AT HAND. ⁹Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; BEHOLD, THE JUDGE IS STANDING AT THE DOOR.

**Christ was The Judge standing at the door and His coming was at hand.

THERE ARE SEVERAL PASSAGES THAT SPEAK OF BEING PREPARED IN THEIR WAIT FOR THE COMING OF THE LORD WAS AT HAND:

1 Corinthians 1:7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, AS YOU WAIT FOR THE REVEALING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST,
1 Thessalonians 1:10 AND TO WAIT FOR HIS SON FROM HEAVEN,
whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from THE WRATH TO COME.
Titus 2:13 WAITING FOR OUR BLESSED HOPE, THE APPEARING OF THE GLORY OF OUR GREAT GOD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, WAITING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST that leads to eternal life.
2 Peter 3:12 WAITING FOR AND HASTENING THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
Luke 2:25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, WAITING FOR THE CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
Luke 2:38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were WAITING FOR THE REDEMPTION OF JERUSALEM.
Luke 12:36 and BE LIKE MEN WHO ARE WAITING FOR THEIR MASTER TO COME HOME FROM THE WEDDING FEAST, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.
Hebrews 9:28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, WILL APPEAR A SECOND TIME, NOT TO DEAL WITH SIN BUT TO SAVE THOSE WHO ARE EAGERLY WAITING FOR HIM.
2 Peter 3:12 WAITING FOR AND HASTENING THE COMING OF THE DAY OF GOD, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!
2 Peter 3:13 But according to his promise WE ARE WAITING FOR NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH IN WHICH RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLS.
Jude 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, WAITING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST that leads to eternal life.