Holy Spirit's Workshop

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When Jesus was in Jerusalem for a Jewish festival the Jews were upset with Him because He healed a cripple on the Sabbath.  The action was inappropriate as far as the Jews were concerned… because of the Law of Moses.  It did not matter that the cripple had suffered like that for 38 years.  What was more important to those Jews who were zealous for the law and their traditions was that the law was observed.  This blatant lack of empathy for the suffering and those trapped in situations beyond their control is one of the greatest faults of all who are confident in their righteousness before God and seek only to gratify their own needs and praises before God.  As it was for them, so it is for us now.

Just as the Jews were upset with Jesus for healing a cripple on the Sabbath because it broke the law and their traditions instead of rejoicing that there was such a miracle in the midst of their feast, so likewise, the religious church has been far more concerned about things like women in ministry than our inability to heal the sick or multiply the food.  And like Jesus, elect, many things that you will do when the church is having a celebration will cause them to persecute you for breaking their laws and traditions.

As those Jews increased their persecution of Jesus by John 5.16 because He said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working,” it came to the place where Jesus had to end the conversation, saying, “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father.  Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?”

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“If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive.  But for the sake of the elect, whom He has chosen, He has shortened them,” said Jesus as He was teaching the twelve the signs of the end of the age as they were leaving the temple of Herod for the last time.  For Jesus never visited the temple again… not during His torture and suffering nor, as it is recorded, did He ever go near that temple again after His resurrection.

Now what did Jesus mean when He said that the Lord – the Holy Spirit – would cut short the days… that is, He would shortened them for the sake of the elect?  This is now topical and time to bring this to your attention, elect, for thanks to the advances in the discoveries of science, scientists are now able to measure the effect of the Earth’s rotation by major earthquakes.  It is now a published fact that scientists have calculated that the 2004 earthquake off Aceh and the 2010 Chilean earthquake may have shortened the day by 6.4 and 1.2 microseconds respectively.  For those who still think that Jesus’ words have no literal fulfilment but only figurative fulfilment, it is time to think again and realise that His words are truly true and they find fulfilment both literally and figuratively, physically and spiritually.

To those who would exclude creationism out of the school curriculum in favour of evolution, we ask which ’scientist’ or ‘great philosopher’ of 2,000 years ago predicted in their journals the increase in revolution and warfare, the great increase in earthquakes, famines and pestilences by their observation?  Yet our Lord Jesus, without a reputation for scientific or philosophic enquiry, accurately predicted and stated that a time would come when this Earth would have an increase in earthquakes, famines and pestilences… as well as the general social breakdown with an increase of evil, even children killing their parents.  So learn this, elect… scientists only discover the science, but God created the science, and there is a high difference between the discoverer and the Creator.  The discoverer has no idea the purpose of what he has discovered although he may utilise it… but the Creator knows the purpose of what He has made before He even made it.

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“But woe to the Earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!  He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short.” At least Satan knows that his time is short, but unfortunately for the people of God, God can only say, “…My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”

The ignorance we display concerning the amount of time left for us is what puts us in danger of suffering the fate of Jerusalem as it did in AD70 when these dreadful words of Jesus were fulfilled:  “The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side.  They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls.  They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognise the time of God’s coming to you.”

Likewise, all who fail to recognise the time of Christ our God’s coming will suffer dreadful times of ‘destruction.’  What is ‘destruction’?  It is not just dying, for all who are in Christ are alive to God.  The destruction is the destroying of that which we have valued and devoted our time to, which is wickedness in the eyes of God.

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The cursing of the fig tree on the first morning after the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem is often used as an example of teaching on faith.  Indeed, Jesus, when questioned by the disciples on that first morning and when reminded by Peter the next morning, spoke to them about faith.

Firstly in Matthew 21.20 when the disciples asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” And again the next morning as they were going back to Jerusalem… they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look!  The fig tree You cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in Heaven may forgive you your sins.”

Indeed the cursing of the fig tree by Jesus on that first morning after the entry when He said, “May you never bear fruit again!  May no one ever eat fruit from you again,” is a perfect demonstration of the power of the spoken word by a P/person with faith that is doubtless and in whom is the power of God.  That which Jesus said happened immediately, for it is written:  Immediately the tree withered. And the disciples saw this and were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

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Peter asked, “Lord, are You telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”  The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.”

The greatest truth that we have constantly failed to learn, apart from all that we have already failed to learn, is the times set by the Father by His authority for His children and servants to be fed.  As the Lord said, “…give them their food allowance at the proper time…” The food allowance that Jesus spoke of to Peter is in the context of being ready for God’s plans for you when He was asked by Peter, “Lord, are You telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

By Luke 12 Peter may have noticed and realised that even though Jesus would teach and preach, there were some teachings that were the exclusive privilege of just the twelve, such as when He taught the Parables of the Sower, the Weeds, the Yeast and the Mustard Seed to the crowd and the disciples, but when they were alone with Him and asked Him, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field,” not only did Jesus explain the parable, He then went on the teach them (the disciples) the Parables of the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl and the Net about the Kingdom of Heaven.  And when they had understood these parables of the Kingdom of Heaven, He then spoke again and taught them the parables of the Kingdom of God – the Parables of the Growing Seed and the Mustard Seed as applied to the Kingdom of God as well.

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“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority,” was said to the eleven men who did not believe enough to hold onto His words, “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee,” to believe the message of the angels and the women enough to go.  As such, if you are still where the eleven were… more concerned about the restoration of Israel than about the advent of God’s kingdom on Earth… more afraid of your enemies and contemporaries so that you would hide behind the closed doors of the rooms of your heart rather than burst out and run to Galilee because you have heard “He is alive!” and now you are going there to see for yourself, still more interested in doing things your way rather than believe and obey what He said… then it is truly true, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.”

However, if His words abide in you and you abide in Him so that where He is you are also, then ask whatever you wish and whatever you will, and it will be given to you.  Just make sure that His words do abide in you and that you do abide in Him first.  You see, Jesus said, “If you remain (abide) in Me and My words remain (abide) in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” He did not say, “If you remain in Me or My words remain in you, ask…”  Many, many… indeed, all who believe in Jesus have and do in one way or another abide and remain in Him, for as He has said, “For My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Put simply, salvation does not make you fulfil the conditions of John 15.7, but rather, having been saved, you have used that salvation to change your heart until it is a good and noble heart that receives the word of Jesus like fertile soil receives a seed and yields back to Him a harvest of 30, 60, 100 times as much as His words being thought, spoken and done.

If, however, you have used the salvation to ensure that you are preaching and abiding by James the Younger’s recommendations – making sure you avoid eating food sacrificed to idols or strangled meat or blood, as well as avoidance of sexual immorality and observance of other parts of the Mosaic law that suit you, like tithing a tenth or warning those who are of the New Covenant about the effects of the sins of the forefathers – then John 15.7 is not fulfilled in you.  You may be in Christ and Christ may remain in you, but His words do not.  As such, if even the apostles were told, “It is not for you to know…” then who can know?  Anyone who remains in Him AND in whom His words remain.  How do you know His words remain in you?  When you find yourself always thinking about them, always speaking in relation to them, and always doing something to practise them.

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The whole design of the temple is to focus in on the Holy of Holies.  The design of the gold lined walls and floor and the thick curtain was so that the din from the busyness of what was happening around the temple – the worshippers and the slaughtering of the sacrifices – would not hinder one who had entered the Holy of Holies from listening to the One with whom he or she was speaking face to Face.

There was only one who had entered this place when Jesus walked the Earth, and that one was able to focus in even in the midst of Martha’s banging of the pots and the jovial activities of the disciples, just like the noises at the temple.  Nothing else mattered.  It did not matter whether it looked right, but what did matter was who she was listening to, what He was saying, and how He was saying it.

There is a design and a pattern for this temple, and those who find it are few.  Even for those who find it, the pattern is so intricate that it takes constant adjustment, and many of the few go no further, but think it is enough to remain where they are.  They ask for love, mercy and grace from God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  But they do not consider that they miss out on the greater glory they could give the Son, their Saviour, His Father and the Holy Spirit.  And so they neglect to honour Them in not continuing to finish the course to complete the whole pattern of the temple.  This is why those who desire to go further are only able to continue by ongoing repentance.

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Your reaction to the truth that the times are set by the Father’s own authority will determine whether you stand with Satan or against Satan.  For Satan, even the times are set as it is written:  Then I heard a loud voice in Heaven say… “Therefore rejoice, you Heavens and you who dwell in them!  But woe to the Earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!  He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.”

For if indeed the times are set as Jesus said they are, and they are, then even Satan knows there is only a limited period of time by which he can still roam free on the Earth before he faces his millennial incarceration and then his eternal disposal in the lake of burning sulphur.  Disposed like one would dispose of excrement, hence the term ‘the lake of burning sulphur.’  The lake – the second death – is not a prison like Tartarus and Hell are, for even in a person you still have a certain status and certain definition of existence and even a hope of release or parole.  However, the lake of fire is not a person; it is God’s disposal unit of all that is no longer needed and has no future place or purpose at all.  So what goes there is like what goes into a cesspool, not even a rubbish dump but a cesspool, from which there is no possibility of salvage, hence salvation.

As usual, the failure of those who should know their word but yet do not has led to incorrect preaching concerning even the fate of Hell and those who are in it.  The fires of Hell are eternal; they never go out.  However, the placement of all who are in Hell, in Tartarus, in prison, in Hades and in Sheol is not as eternal as one is led to believe, for it is clearly written:  …Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. They fail to distinguish between Hell and the lake of sulphur.  Those who are assigned to Hell are assigned to punishment and destruction of their souls, like one is assigned to a prison… but those assigned to the lake of fire are assigned to permanent disposal, like a lump of excrement flushed down the toilet to the cesspool, never ever to be found again, into which no one will go to look

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“Therefore consider carefully how you listen.  Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.”

How do we listen?  What are the ways by which a person can listen?  Attentively?  Yes.  With faith and a believing attitude?  Yes.  Diligently with full concentration?  Yes.  Like Mary Magdalene as she sat and listened to Jesus while Martha served?  Yes.  However, when you do listen to what Jesus has just told you and consider carefully how you listen, you find surprisingly that the one common ingredient behind how we all listen is time.

To listen attentively takes time.  It means you have to wait until all that is to be spoken has been spoken.  Concentration takes time… and to listen and believe takes time.  It takes time for what has been said to percolate down into your heart from your mind.  To retain what you hear requires time.  So when Jesus said to us, “…consider carefully how you listen,” the major consideration we must undertake is the time we spend listening.  Do you have time to listen?  How often do we interrupt what is being said so that we can ‘cut to the chase’ as it were?  It is one thing to shorten a long-winded story by someone, but it is another to shorten what the Lord would have to say to you.

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On Monday, the 8^th February, my neighbour called my wife and my wife called me because my neighbour who was four months pregnant was shaking because of a high fever.  So my wife and I first led her in a prayer of repentance and acceptance of Jesus as her Saviour, then we declared healing and commanded the fever to get out and vanish.  After prayer, I told my wife to take our neighbour to the hospital on our motorcycle for a check up.  When they arrived she was completely well and needed no medicine at all.

The day before, my sister was taken to hospital in pain from a cyst for observation.  They told her an operation will cost 35,000 pesos, so I told her that I don’t have money, but what I have I give to her, and that is, Jesus.  So I led her in repentance and to ask forgiveness from Jesus and declared healing in Jesus’ Name.

After I prayed for my sister, another lady asked me to pray for her daughter, Angelica, who was also suffering the same thing, so I prayed for her too.

Today, the 9^th February, when I went to visit my sister to see what had happened, Angelica’s mother met me and told me she was very thankful because Angelica is fine and did not need an operation.  But my sister was given the operation as they also found that she was pregnant outside her ovary.  I continue to pray for her.

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“It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority.” How many times have these words of Jesus discouraged or excused you from coming to the place to boldly approach the Father in the Name of Jesus for the times set by the Father?  Too many, and that is the truth, for after all Jesus did say, “It is not for you to know the times…” therefore we have assumed that it is a general statement for everyone to come under… or is it?

“It is not for you to know the times…” would certainly apply to everyone, especially if you were the apostles who had not believed in the good news on resurrection morning to go to Galilee immediately as the women told you (twice, even thrice), but instead made Jesus walk through a locked door or wall to enter the room where you were hiding for fear of the Jews.

It would certainly apply to any believer, disciple or even apostle who would not stay where Jesus told him to wait, but wanted to go fishing instead because he was bored with waiting.  Ask Peter,  ”Why was there a need to go fishing?”  It would certainly apply to those who having seen the risen Christ and heard Him speak of the Kingdom of God again and again, yet asked Him in the last few moments of His time on Earth a question like, “Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”

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There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven… a most profound observation of Solomon, which unfortunately he did not observe for himself and failed to do what needed to be done during his time as successor to David. Instead of using his time and the peace brought by his father’s years of war to consolidate the supremacy of Israel over all other nations because of her relationship to God, Solomon spent his time introducing other gods, which led Israel into prostitution. The proper use of his time, for Solomon, would have been to use his gift of wisdom to establish the superiority of the way Israel worshipped God over all other nations.

Indeed, one of the real meanings of holiness at a practical level and not at the ‘religious’ level is the proof of superiority. Superiority in this sense: that what you have set yourself aside for – dedicated yourself to – is so perfect that there is no need to add or subtract or detract from it. So when God said to Israel, “…be holy, because I am holy,” He was in fact saying, “Be superior, because I am superior. Be supreme, because I am supreme.”

Had Solomon made good his word to God and remained ‘holy’ to God and therefore rejected every other god, then that would have been a way – the way – of saying to all other nations, “What I already have is more than adequate and superior to what you offer.” Put simply, no one buys a new vacuum cleaner unless the one he has is not doing what he needs it for. As such, any prostitution – any diversion of a person from the God they serve – is an admission that their God is insufficient for their needs.

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