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Revelation 13:1-2 - And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.   Daniel’s vision recorded in Daniel chapter 7 tells us that he saw the four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea. What is the prophetic meaning of winds? Winds represent strife, war, or conflict. Jeremiah 49:36 -  And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.   A comparison of Daniel 7:3-8 and the beast in Revelation 13:1-10 bears similarities. Daniel 7:23 prophetically defined a beast as a kingdom. Both Daniel and John also saw political systems and leaders that they described using the term "Beast". In Revelation 13 verse one John sees this beast coming up "out of the sea."   What is the prophetic significance of sea? Rev. 17: 15 - And He saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.  What is the meaning of heads and horns ? Rev. 17:9-  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.   Dan. 7:24a - And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them.  Crown on the head signifies leadership position.    What does Daniel 11:36-39 say about this individual? And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.     An antichrist is someone who denies the existence, position, authority and leadership of Christ but the Scriptures tell us about one who will be the evillest of all.   The Antichrist of all antichrists will multiply all the previous acts of blasphemy and create an ethos which will influence the populace to reject God and everything which is godly. He will exalt himself "over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's Temple, proclaiming himself to be God" This evil personage will be a master of deceit even in the religious realm. His exposure is near because the New World Order is being enacted swiftly.    Let us examine the Beasts Greece- The Leopard Kingdom   Leopard-like beast (331-168 B.C.) - Dan. 7:6 -A fter this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.   The belly & thigh of brass in the image of Daniel 2 and the leopard of Dan.7  and the he-goat of Dan. 8 represent the Grecian kingdom led by Alexander. Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia was the son of Philip and Olympias and is said to have been born at Pella B.C. 356, and succeeded his father B.C. 336. The wings signify the speed by which he conquered the then world and also how his kingdom would be divided.   At the height of its power after the conquest of the entire Persian Empire, the empire encompassed millions of square miles spanning three continents: Asia, Africa and Europe.   Greece is called "Javan" Genesis 10:2. The Greek empire included the entire ruins of the Persian Empire: modern territories of Iran, Turkey, parts of Central Asia, Pakistan, Thrace and Macedonia, much of the Black Sea coastal regions, Afghanistan, Iraq, northern Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and ancient Egypt as far west as Libya. Alexander caused Hellenism to be predominant everywhere he conquered.  · The boundaries of the Empire of Greece around 323 BC        were as follows: 1. North: Albania, North Macedonia, and Bulgaria 2. West: The Ionian Sea, which separated Greece from Italy 3. East: Turkey 4. South: Mediterranean Sea   When Alexander died there was much commotion before his kingdom was divided among four of  his generals. Dan. 8: 21-22- And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.   Traits of the Leopard kingdom: (1) engaged in high level human trafficking, (2) believe that everyone should obey their religious and cultural practices (3) worshipped rulers as gods (4) engaged in magic because the people consulted oracles, and used charms and idols to deter misfortune or to cast spells. During this era much focus was placed on Astrology as people seek divination through the movements of the sun, moon and planets. Mede & Persians - The Bear Kingdom   Feet of a bear (538-331 B.C.). Dan. 7: 5 -  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.  Dan. 8: 20 - The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.   The first Persian Empire took control of the Middle East after the fall of the Babylonian Empire. It is also called the Achaemenid Empire and they worshiped a fire god, Zoroaster. It is also represented as the breast and arm of silver on the image in Daniel 2. From 539BC to 331BC, the Persian Empire was the most powerful state in the world. It ruled from Persia (now Iran)  and governed from Egypt to India. It had rich resources of water, fertile farmland, and gold.   The bear was raised higher on one side because at first the Medes were stronger than the Persians then later the Persians superseded the Medes. The 3 ribs in the bear's mouth are believed to symbolize the 3 countries which Medo-Persia conquered while creating an empire.  These countries were Lydia, Babylonia, and Egypt.   Traits of the Bear kingdom: Persian rulers were proud and thought themselves infallible and do not change their laws. They took the title of “King of Kings” and demanded total obedience from their subjects. King Darius divided the empire into 20 provinces and province was ruled by a governor, called a SATRAP. A bear is a very intelligent predatory animal which generally keeps to itself, but becomes dangerous if you get into its way or it thinks you are a threat to it.  A bear is forceful because it claws and bites.  Babylon - The Lion Kingdom   Mouth of a lion. Dan. 7:4a 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth (606- 538 B.C.) A lion, is a fitting symbol of Babylon. The Old Testament prophets called Babylon a lion. Jeremiah 51:37-38 -   And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant. They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions' whelps. A lion with eagle’s wings was a prominent symbol on Babylonian coins and on Babylon’s walls. The lion which is called the king of the jungle and an eagle which is the chief of birds compose a fitting description of Babylon.   Traits of the Lion kingdom: The emperor is worshipped as god. They engage in high level idolatry and expects everyone to adopt their idolatrous lifestyles. They act with a sense of superiority, amass wealth and disregard persons who they think are not in their league. Babylonians acted viciously, were unmerciful, proud, high-minded and very ungodly and boastful yet they were intelligent and strategical.   How did/will the beast get its power? Rev. 13:2b   In  538 A.D. Emperor  Justinian's Decree of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome over the Church began the prophetic 1260 years of temporal rule by the Roman church. As emperor he had the power to disperse and establish authority. the Indescribable Beast -The fourth beast This is the final kingdom is termed the indescribable beast because it possesses the characteristics of the other three kingdoms. We welcome your questions and feedback.  You may contact us at ofthelivinggodchurch@gmail.com http://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/

A Summary of Revelation 14:1-5   Our study will focus on Revelation 14:1-5 which reads, “ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of  harpers harping with their harps: And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were  redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God”.   Matthew 23:9 tells us that Almighty God is our Father. Jesus Christ, the Son of God is the Lamb which was slain to redeem us from sin. He blotted out the Mosaic Laws which were against us (Galatians 3:19, 24, Galatians 4:4-5; Colossians 2:14) and gave Himself as an eternal sacrifice once and for all. The one hundred and forty-four thousand are Israelites who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice. There are twelve thousand each from the tribes of Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph and Benjamin. Hebrews 12:22 refers to Mount Sion as the city of the Living God and the heavenly Jerusalem. Earthly Jerusalem is referred to as Zion. Revelation 14:3 tells us that those around the throne were redeemed and sang a new song. Those persons are Jews who accepted and believed that Jesus Christ would be humans’ liberator. This is not telling us that they are now in heaven around God’s throne but is pointing out their relationship to God. Presently they are all asleep awaiting the resurrection of the just.    The redeemed were not defiled with women and they were the first-fruits unto God and to the Lamb. Prophetically woman refers to Church (Jeremiah 6:2, 2 Corinthians 11:2). Not being defiled by women means that they were never involved in false worship. They were spiritual virgins obedient to the Commandments of God and His Ordinances. They were the first persons to access salvation.    The Ten Commandments which God has given to everyone and which must be obeyed by all who desires to be in His Glorious Kingdom.   Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made the heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.   Honour thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.   Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not commit adultery.    Thou shalt not steal.   Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.   Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant. Nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour’s.   Revelation 14:1 tells us that the redeemed had their Father’s name written in their foreheads. This means that their knowledge is centred on sound religion. They never engaged in any act of disobedience to God’s words. Thus, in them was found no guile or sinful actions. Jesus actually met a man who had no guile. His name was Nathaniel. When He met Nathaniel He said, ‘ Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile”. John 1:47   Today many of us claim to be followers of Christ and hope to inherit eternal life.  How can we know if we are walking right? How can we identify those who are walking right?  Luke 6:43-49, tells us clearly. It reads , “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”   Let us earnestly seek to please God so that we too can be assured of everlasting life when God creates a new heaven and a new earth.   Writer - A. E. Fisher We welcome your questions and feedback.  You may contact us at ofthelivinggodchurch@gmail.com   http://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/

Was Jesus crucified on a Friday and resurrected on a Sunday? Is there a Good Friday and an Easter Sunday? This is a popular accepted belief but is it right? Matthew 15:9 tells that our worship will be in vain if we follow the traditions of man instead of obeying God’s truth as found in His words. How can Jesus have been in the grave for three days and three nights if He died Friday afternoon and rose before sunrise on Sunday? This would have been two nights and one day.   Jesus said being in the grave for three days and three nights was a sign of His Messiah-ship. Matthew 12: 38-40, “ Then  certain of the scribes and the Pharisees answered, saying, Master we would see a sign from Thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seekest after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s (fish’s) belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. ”     Jesus clearly stated the difference between day and night. In John 11:9-10: Jesus asked, ‘ are there not twelve hours in a day? If any walk in the day he stumble not because he seeth the light of the world. But if a man walk, in the night he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.’   Jesus clearly stated that after three days He would rise again.  (Matthew 16:21; 20:19). He proved right because on the third day, God resurrected Him. When Jesus rose from the grave, He became our Saviour and Redeemer. If we accept His sacrifice, we have obtained the right to call God, Father. After His resurrection, Jesus remained on the earth for forty days before He returned to His Father’s throne.   Before He died Jesus openly declared that He would be resurrected on the third day. Therefore, the rulers tried to secure His body by sealing the sepulchre with a huge stone. Pilate gave orders that His grave be made secure because he was afraid someone would take away the body and then say that He had risen (Matthew 27: 62-66). Pilate did not understand the power of God.   Jesus was not crucified on a Friday neither was He resurrected on  a Sunday. This is a Babylonian tradition which honours Baal, the god of the rising sun, who is also Satan. This is why sunrise services are important at Easter; it is an old pagan Babylonian practice for Baal worshippers.   Some have wondered why the word Easter is in the Bible. (Acts 12:1-4) If you read carefully you will understand that it was not the Children of God who intended to celebrate Easter but it was evil King Herod and other idolaters. This was his Roman custom because they did not worship the true and living God. Years later when the Romans claimed to have accept Jesus Christ, they transferred all their pagan practices to Christianity and polluted God’s truth.  They hid the Bible for years and so the populace had no opportunity to know God’s words. Whatever the Roman church taught them they accepted. That is why today Christianity is tainted by the filthiness of paganism.   Nimrod was Noah’s great grandson and he built the tower of Babel and the city of Babylon. The word Babel means confusion and it is from this word that we get the word Babylon. Nimrod’s wife was Semiramis. After his death she began to tell the people that he was living in the sun and had become the sun god. This was the beginning of sun worship. She also got pregnant and claimed that it was Nimrod who was now a god impregnated her. This was a master plan from the devil as he inspired her to imitate Jesus’ conception. Her son Tammuz was born on the twenty fifth of the tenth month (December). When her son Tammuz died, she proclaimed a forty days annual sorrowing period. Today this is the period we call Lent.   Semiramis is also called Astarte, who is the goddess of fertility. For this reason, during this pagan period there are Easter eggs and bunnies and the festivity of carnival. When Israel began to engage in the pagan worship of Astarte, God spoke about it to Jeremiah, the prophet.  J eremiah 7:18-19, The children gather wood and the fathers kindle the fire and the women knead the dough to make cakes to the queen of heaven and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger saith the Lord; do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces . The cake which they usually bake is now modernized and called bun.     When Was Jesus Crucified?   Jesus was crucified during the Week of Unleavened Bread. The first day of this Feast is on the fifteenth of Abib and it is called the High Day Sabbath. (John 19:31) The weekly Sabbath comes after it. Therefore there were two Sabbaths in the week in which Jesus was crucified. The two Sabbaths are the 15th of Abib which is the first day of the Week of Unleavened Bread and the weekly Sabbath. Jesus had two meals with His Disciples on the fourteenth of Abib. He had the Passover with the twelve and the Lord Supper with the eleven because Judas had gone to complete the plan to betray Him.   Jesus was crucified in the midst of the week according to the two-fold prophecy in Daniel 9:27, ‘ and he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate even until the consummation and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.’ The midst of the week is Wednesday. Wednesday begins on the night that we call Tuesday night and end Wednesday evening when the sun is setting. God’s day begin at sunset. Gen. 1:5, and the evening and the morning was the first day. Today many do not know this because of the changes that were made by false teachers. Daniel 7:25, and he shall speak great words against the Most High and think to change times and laws and they shall be given into his hand until time and times and dividing of time.   When was Jesus placed on the cross? Mark 15:25, 33-34  tells us, and it was the third hour and they crucified Him. When did he die? And when the sixth hour was come there was darkness over the land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabach-thani. Which is being interpreted, My God, My God why hast Thou forsaken Me . (Matthew 27:45-46)   Jesus became accursed for us. Not only was He hung on a tree as a common sinner but He was placed on the Roman’s pagan symbol of worship. The cross is a pagan symbol and in Jesus’ context it is referred to as a tree. Deut. 21:22-23, and if a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he be put to death and thou hang him on a tree. His body shall not remain on the tree but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day, for he that is hanged is accursed of  God, that thy land be not defiled which the Lord thy God giveth thee .   The Jewish law forbids dead bodies to remain on trees/cross not only on the sacred days but any day. If the accused is not dead by sunset the bones would be broken to speed up death. Jesus’ bones were not broken as was prophesied by David in Psalm 34:20, He keepeth all His bones not one of them is broken.    John 19:33 tells us, But, when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they break not His legs.  Having looked at the length of time Jesus said that He would have been in the grave; let us now use identify the time of death and resurrection.     Time of Jesus’ Death & Resurrection    Bible time is divided in hours or watch. Every watch lasts for three hours namely 6 o’clock to 9 o’clock, 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock, 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock, 3 o’clock to 6 o’clock. The first hour in the watch is referred to as the first hour. Therefore, the first hour would be approximately 6 o’clock.  Jesus went on the cross at the third hour which would be about 9 o’clock; He died at the ninth hour which is about 3 o’clock. Jesus was laid in the grave and remained there for three days and three nights. Let us accept that the 9rd hour is 3:00p.m. and calculate His resurrection .   Wednesday 3:00p.m.- Thursday 3:00p.m = 24 hrs. Thursday 3:00p.m- Friday = 24 hrs. Friday 3:00p.m – Sabbath 3:00p.m = 24 hrs. Total 72 hours Remember to calculate the night before the day   L et us now summarise the lesson . Jesus ate the Passover and the Lord Supper on  a Wednesday night (Bible time) Tuesday night (Roman time) He was taken in after the Supper. They interrogated and abused Him throughout the night. On Wednesday  morning he was led to the hill to be crucified. He died in the afternoon. Thursday was the fifteenth of Abib, the High Day Sabbath. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Friday  – preparation day for the weekly Sabbath. The followers of Christ also prepared spice to anoint His body. Saturday  (7th day) – weekly Sabbath. As soon as Sabbath was ending the women ran to the tomb to embalm Jesus. When they came, He was already risen.    Previously the word dawn meant going towards and not early morning. Jesus was resurrected on the Sabbath (Saturday) before the beginning of Sunday night (Bible time) and Saturday night (Roman time). When the women came to the tomb Sabbath afternoon, Jesus was already resurrected. After a restless night Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb a second time early Sunday morning. At this time, she met the resurrected Jesus. (Matthew 28:1-6; John 20: 1-18) Think carefully about this Bible truth.   Writer- A. E. Fisher We welcome your questions and feedback.  You may contact us at ofthelivinggodchurch@gmail.com http://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/

The letter of Jude consists of one chapter but it is a comprehensive summary of the Bible. Jude verses one and two say: “ Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Jude was a follower of Christ and he wrote an epistle to the Church in which he addressed several principles of righteousness. He is referred to as a servant. A servant is one who offers service and is subjected to a ruler. But who is a servant in the spiritual context? A religious servant is one who engages in spiritual matters and serves a master in the spiritual realms.   A spiritual servant either works for the Holy Divine God, or for the evil god, who is Satan. Those who labour for the devil will receive the reward of eternal damnation and those who labour for Jehovah shall receive everlasting life. It is impossible for you to work for both of them. Jesus said that you cannot serve God and Mammon.   Notice that Jude was writing to those who are sanctified by Almighty God, the God of all creation. What does it mean to be sanctified? When one is sanctified by God that individual is set aside by God for His divine purpose. A sanctified person cannot be a companion to wrongdoers because they are not cut from the same cloth.   How can you be sanctified? Sanctification cannot be bought neither can one bribe the Giver. It comes from your obedience and commitment to the will of God. When you are sanctified by God, you will say as Jesus did in John 4: 34, ‘My meat is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work. ’ A sanctified person not only lives righteously by following the example set by Christ but also work diligently to spread the Gospel of Truth and to win souls for the Kingdom of God.   Notice that the sanctified soul is preserved and called in Christ . Jesus said in Matthew 20:16, “ many be called but few chosen .” The only ones who will be chosen are those who walk in total obedience to the will of God. There are several principles which one must follow if one desires to be called and chosen by God. Such principles include: being truthful, honest, trustworthy, faithful, committed, prayerful and spiritually fervent. Hypocrites will not be chosen by God because He does not condone hypocrisy.   The sanctified individual is preserved by Christ. Why it is that Christ is the One who offers preservation and why is it necessary for Him to preserve us? Romans 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God   and Romans 6:23 says “ the wages of sin is death . 1st John 3:4 explains that whosoever committeth sin trangresseth also the Law because sin is the transgression of the Law.   Within your body there is war of good against evil and Romans 8:7 tells us that this war is a result of our carnal mind . Your carnal mind makes you an enemy to God because you willingly commit sins instead of living holy. Why does the carnal mind sometimes overpower you? Ephesians 6:12 gives the reason. ‘ For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.’     Although the devil has set his snare there is a way of escape. John 3:16  tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life .” Jesus gave His life to redeem us back to God. Isaiah 53:6 reminds us, all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the  Lord  hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.   When you are a true follower of Christ you are preserved by Him; no weapon which is formed against you shall prosper. He carries you through the storms of life and when your enemies rise up against you; He shall defend you. A true believer is totally covered by the blood of Jesus.   According to verse two -mercy, peace and love is multiplied within the life of a believer. The believer cannot incite war but must be a peacemaker. The believer must be merciful; Jesus stated in Matthew 5:7, “ blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain   mercy .” L ove is the foundation of a believer’s life. I am hereby referring to the pure, healthy agape love which is the love of God which one gets from God as you live in obedience to His will.   If you have not yet surrendered to Christ then today is your hour of salvation. Please remember that tomorrow is not promised to you. God is your Creator and Keeper and He has given you all the blessings which you now enjoy. All He requires in return is that you serve Him in truth and honesty. If you have not yet accepted Him you need to do so now. Psalm 115:17, ‘ the dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into silence.” Writer:: A. E. Fisher We welcome your questions and feedback.  You may contact us at ofthelivinggodchurch@gmail.com http://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/

A STUDY OF THE LETTER OF JUDE   Jude verse 3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”   Jude spoke about the common salvation. What is the common salvation? The word common means that it is something for everyone regardless of class, colour or race.   The word salvation comes from the root word salvage which means to save, rescue, retrieve, reclaim or to recover.   Before you had accepted Christ, you were lost in sin but after accepting Christ as your personal Saviour you were rescued from the clutches of the devil. Acts 4:12 tells us, “ Neither is there salvation in any other name: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”   The plan of salvation is God’s free gift to mankind and it is available to everyone. Jesus died to redeem everyone regardless of our situations. His love knows no boundary. To obtain this wonderful salvation you must first hear, believe and accept the Gospel of Christ. After you have accepted it, you must live in obedience to God’s word. Your life cannot be repaired spiritually unless you accept and follow Jesus as your Redeemer. Romans 1:16 tells us, “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek .”   Jude encourages us to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Faith in this context refers to doctrinal beliefs and teachings; not our beliefs or teachings but that which God has set in place for us to obey. Hebrews 2:1 reminds us, “ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”   I will list a few of the tenets of doctrine which the Lord has given to us: salvation through Jesus Christ, baptism by immersion in water and being led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a gift from God to all who follow after righteousness; it is the power of God and it is not a third person. Other tenets include adhering to the Ten Commandments which were written by God on tables of stone, follow a diet of clean foods as outlined by God and partake of the Lord Supper once annually.   Doctrinal truths include knowing that Jesus sp ent three days and three nights in the grave and there will be a new heaven and a new earth and the saints shall dwell on the earth. The biblical teachings of Christ have not changed. He got it from His Father and He gave it to us. While He was on earth, He lived by the word of God, His Father.   The Scriptures tell us that after fasting for forty days and forty nights Jesus was hungry for the literal food and Satan came and tempted Him to create bread from stones but Jesus rebuked him by telling him that, “ Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God . ”   It is the Word of God that gives life and leads us in the Light. David said in Psalm 119:105 , Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path .” Psalm 119:130 further tells us, “ The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple .”   To earnestly contend for something means that you hold unto it dearly; you would never do anything which opposes or compromises that belief. You hold values and teachings so sacred that you would willingly be sacrificed than to compromise.   Today there are many persons who claim to be Christians but they are not living in obedience to the word of God. Thus, it is that the label of Christian is often meaningless and does not promote the holy righteous standard of God. It is more profound if one be called a Child of God.   When you are true to God and live by His words, you are a Child of God. Every Child of God is a saint. Even the word saint has been corrupted because when many think of the word saint they think about persons from a particular faith who are dead and are now being worshipped. Such worship is idolatrous. A saint is a genuine Child of God and is a saint not by the decree of man but by the words of God.   Do you want to be a saint for the Lord? If you do then listen, understand and follow the advice given in Jeremiah 6:16, “Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways, and see and ask for old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” If you should take a close look in Christendom, you will realise that persons have deviated from the Good Way and are walking in a path which leads to damnation.   As we continue in this study you will become more aware of how far we are going away from God. We will understand that not every worship is acceptable to God and will know that many who possess a godly intention will be sent to destruction in the time of judgement. Through a thorough study of Jude, we will be identifying doctrinal errors and then we can amend our ways and our doings.      Writer: A. E. Fisher We welcome your questions and feedback.  You may contact us at ofthelivinggodchurch@gmail.com https://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/

Jude verse 3“ Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”   Let us focus on what is meant by the common salvation as mentioned in Jude 3.   What is salvation and why is it referred to as common? Salvation is for everyone because Jesus died for everyone. The common plan of salvation began when God made the covenant with Abraham. When Jesus met the woman at the well at Samaria and they were discussing salvation and worship He told her that salvation is of the Jews. This does not mean that God was only concerned about the redemption of the Jews. He loves everyone equally but He had made a covenant with Abraham because He wanted a people who would live holy and be an example to the world.    Jesus is from the lineage of Abraham. It is not that Abraham obtained special privileges; Abraham was faithful and obedient to God. We obtain salvation through obedience and faith in Jesus Christ and through His mercies we are saved from the guilt and penalty of sin. Ephesians 2:8 tells us, ‘ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. ’   The idea of salvation implies deliverance, safety, preservation, soundness, redemption and healing. Salvation includes justification, redemption, grace, propitiation, glorification, imputation, forgiveness and sanctification. Thus, it is that Brother Paul said, “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greeks.”   Salvation through Jesus Christ saves you from the clutches of the evil one, thus it is that Satan does not have dominion over you. Before you had accepted Christ, you were slated to die both physically and spiritually. Romans 3:23 & 24 remind us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that we are justified freely through the redemption of Jesus’ blood. Have you stopped to ask yourself what would be the state of the world’s inhabitants if Christ had not died for us and offered us the opportunity to repent of our wickedness and return to God?   The love of Christ is awesome and sufficient to answer to your needs. If you are paying scant regards to the love of God and the plan of salvation, Romans 6:23 reminds you that, “ the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Every true worshipper of God is committed to God. The pleasures of this world do not hold any form of attraction to the True Worshipper. It is impossible to serve two masters at the same time. While this is true, observation will reveal that worldly customs in many forms have become dominant in places of worship. This tells us that people are moving away from true worship and are now worshipping other gods except the God of heaven. That is why Jesus said, “ not everyone that says Lord, Lord shall enter .”   Today Christendom is in trouble because many are only expressing a form of godliness. How can you differentiate between the true believer and the false worshippers? The true believer is the one who is living as a real Child of God and is in agreement with what Paul wrote to the brethren at Galatia. Galatians 2:20 says, “ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me . ”  If you are a believer can you truthfully say that you are crucified with Christ? Bear in mind that you cannot reach a conclusion unless you understand what it means to be crucified in Christ.   Examine yourself inwardly; are your thoughts Christlike? Would Jesus agree with the way in which you think? Look at your outward appearance. Have you changed your appearance or your sexual orientation? How about your dressing? Does your dressing show the difference between godliness and ungodliness? Or do you believe that how you dress as a Child of God does not matter? There are many who say that it is the heart that matters; do you know that everything that you do comes from your heart; therefore, if your heart is not right your dressing, speech, behaviour, manner of worship and everything else that affect your salvation cannot be godly.   There are many who believe that salvation comes by works inclusive of doing penance or afflicting oneself even to the point of suffering crucifixion. This is not a requirement from God and separate and apart from adorning yourself or behaving in a godly manner. Remember that salvation is a free gift; your work as in your physical work of your goodness cannot lead you into salvation.   The divine order is first you obtain salvation then your spiritual change is manifested through your works. You must first recognize that you are a sinner who needs to be saved by grace. The believer is saved by conforming totally to Christ. Therefore, I implore those who have not yet accepted Christ to submit to the authority of the Lord. Those who have forged a relationship are being warned to walk in holiness before God. Remember that God is to be held in reverence and no hypocrite shall stand before Him. If you are insincere, you will be rewarded for your evil. You might fool man but you cannot fool God. Romans 13:11 warns us, “ And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now, is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” Jesus Christ is coming soon all the signs are foretelling His appearance. Are you ready to welcome Him?   Writer: A. E. Fisher    We welcome your questions and feedback.  You may contact us at ofthelivinggodchurch@gmail.com   https://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/

TRUE CONVERSION- GODLY TRANSFORMATION   http://www.pillarandgroundofthetruth.online/ Do I need to change my lifestyle? do i need to be converted? None of us was born perfect and everyone needs to repent and accept Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When you accept Christ as your personal Saviour you will be obedient to God. This is a sign of conversion.   Nothing in life is static; there are always changes. This is also true of our individual lives. Our bodies change as we grow older and our lifestyle also changes.   God does not expect us to remain in any sinful condition because He has given us the chance to repent and be a better person.   Although it is important to do things which will cause physical changes for example males cutting their hair to ensure proper grooming the most essential change in your life is a spiritual change.   Man was made in the image of God but sin marred that image. Romans 8:5-8 reminds us, “ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So, then they that are in the flesh cannot please God .   The word carnal means to be sensual, wanton, lascivious, fleshly and animalistic. These verses are telling us that the natural person is more attuned to do wrong than to follow the precepts of God. Anyone who desires to obey God must become more attuned to God than with the world. One can only be attuned to God when one has been converted.   How can you know if you are converted or know that someone is converted? What is expected of a converted person? Is there possibility that one can be converted yet carnal?   Peter was a Disciple of Jesus and he loved the Lord. He was one of Jesus’ favourite workers yet he had a problem. He believed that Jesus was the Messiah but he also thought that Jesus would set up His Kingdom right then on the earth and destroy the dominance of the Romans. Thus, it was that Peter’s focus was a little out of line. Jesus recognised that Peter had a good heart but needed special assistance.   We read in Luke 22: 31-32, “And  the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fails not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.   At first because of his unconverted state, Peter was unable to properly complete the tasks God had called him to do. However, later when he was converted Jesus gave him, his mandate. Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee. He saith unto him, Feed My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said unto Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep . (John 21:15-17) Conversion was the changing point in Peter’s life. After his conversion he became a powerful Apostle of Christ. He was no longer afraid as he was when he denied Christ; he became very bold.   Zacchaeus was another converted soul. He was extremely happy when he met Jesus. While Jesus was speaking with him. he realized that he was unconverted and needed Christ. Zacchaeus then confessed his sins. He said, “ Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. Jesus was pleased with him and told him, “ This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.   When you are converted, you will seek to make restitution. Restitution means to give back anything which you had stolen. If you had told a lie about someone you must now speak the truth about what you had done; if you stole money or kill someone you must publicly admit your actions. There can be no conversion without restitution. Restitution clears the conscience and give you peace.   A converted soul is easily identified because that individual operates differently from the unconverted. Converted souls speak, eat, dress, talk, walk and think different from others. The change in their lives is both inward and outward. You ought to know that whatever is within your heart is displayed on the outside.   When Paul and Silas were imprisoned, they prayed and worshipped God and God delivered them with a mighty hand. There was an earthquake and a great shaking and the keeper of the prison thought that the prisoners had escape. He was about to commit suicide when the Apostle Paul called to him. The warder was relieved; then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord   Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.   The jailer truly repented and was converted. When he heard the word, he immediately accepted. On receiving the gospel, he immediately became an evangelist by taking the gospel to his household.   While Stephen was expounding the Gospel of Truth to the Jews, the people became extremely angry but their anger erupted when he told them that he saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God in heaven. When he spoke about what he saw the people began to stone him to death. Stephen called to God to receive his spirit. However, the most remarkable thing was that he asked the Lord not to lay the sin to the charge of the murderers. This showed that Stephen was truly converted.   God clearly tells us how we ought to behave and how we can inherit eternal life. Acts 3:19 tells us, “Repent ye therefore, and be converted , that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord .”   Isaiah 55:7 advises, “ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon .”   In Matthew 18:3 Jesus said, " Truly I say to you, unless you are converted  and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”   A converted heart is more willing to obey God than to satisfy carnal desires. Therefore, a converted heart will live by the Laws of God Psalms 19:7 - The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. 2nd Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Luke 21:36 - Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy  to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.   Let us pray   Eternal Father, God of the Universe. Creator and Sustainer of all things. I give You the honour and majesty due to You.  Lord, I am grateful for the chance to be a new creature in Christ Jesus. I thank You that You did not give up on me while I was rebelling against You. How can I express my gratitude for the opportunity to be named a child of the Most High God.  It is my desire to be Your ambassador. Help me to remain humble and obedient. Please help me to keep my eyes focused on godly things and not on the rudiments of this ungodly world. I am grateful that I am no longer held captive by my carnal desires. Father I can feel Your forgiving and renewing love. Thanks for giving me a clear conscience.   As I travel on this new journey, I know that there will be challenges but I am leaving everything in Your care. I ask that You continue to anoint me with Your power. Grant me the spiritual strength to keep on the garment of purity which You have placed on me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.   Writer - A. E. FISHER