A True Believer is a Changed Believer! "And Such Were Some Of You.... But Now You Are Washed, Sanctified, and Justified..."

The Kingdom of God Suffers Violence and the Violent Take It By Force

I awoke today with a heaviness at the realization of sin, it's power over all creation since the fall, and the utter desolation of souls being ravaged by this destruction on a daily basis. This scripture came to mind in Matthew 11. It talks about violence being done to the kingdom of God and vile, evil men, literally TAKING, and stealing the goodness of God by force. 

Everyday babies are being murdered, children raped, mother's ripped from their babies as they are forced to send them off to daycare and public schools... Evil, vile men, think they own the world...
As Christians, our job is to stand up like John the Baptist and cry "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand!!!" Our job: preach the Gospel of Salvation, Repentance from dead works...
Repent, for God's justice is swift and can come at any moment.

Matthew 11

12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize]. 13 For all the prophets and the Law prophesied up until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come [before the kingdom]. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.

16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like little children sitting in the market places, who call to the others, 17 and say ‘We piped the flute for you[playing wedding], and you did not dance; we wailed sad dirges [playing funeral], and you did not mourn and cry aloud.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking [with others], and they say, ‘He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking [with others], and they say, ‘Look! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners [including non-observant Jews]!’ Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds [in the lives of those who respond to Me].”

     

I've been blessed to see a handful of real, bonafide, RADICAL salvations in the past several years...Growing up in the Church, I had never seen these. I was around a lot of "good people" who really thought they were pretty good, and Jesus was just a nice ticket to Heaven... They fed the homeless, even clothed the poor, but not once can I recall seeing the power of God flow through someone to literally make them a new creation...

What is a new Creation? Being born anew is a total transformation.... 
Can a man enter his mother's womb and come out again a baby? This was a mocking question from a religious leader to Christ (John 3:4) 

   

     

And yet, we do, if we are really truly saved, we enter the womb of God, and we die to ourselves... for a lack of a better example... like the Phoenix rising from ashes... funny, how it takes a pagan tale to show forth the truth of God's power. For, truly, especially  in America, this real salvation, real transformation is a rare thing..  
(Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. According to some sources, the phoenix dies in a show of flames and combustion, although there are other sources that claim that the legendary bird dies and simply decomposes before being born again)

I grow weary of Christians making excuses for sin, making excuses to nurse this vile boil they love so much... When speaking out on homosexuality, (in love), I had a fellow minister grad tell me "don't you know that most men sitting in Church on a Sunday morning look at porn?" 
I grew hot and righteously angry... yes, that is why I don't attend one of those churches. Now, don't get me wrong, if God has called you to a church, you'll know. Stay, grow, be led... But ask yourself

Is the power of God here to truly change the most vile beings?1 Corinthians 6 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; [d]neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate [by perversion], nor [e]those who participate in homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers [whose words are used as weapons to abuse, insult, humiliate, intimidate, or slander], nor swindlers will inherit or have any share in the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you [before you believed]. But you were washed [by the atoning sacrifice of Christ], you were sanctified [set apart for God, and made holy], you were justified [declared free of guilt] in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the [Holy] Spirit of our God [the source of the believer’s new life and changed behavior].

I don't serve the same God as many in the modern  American church...for it doesn't preach the Gospel...

What is the Gospel? The Gospel is "turn and repent..." the Gospel is "come as a little child, humble..." The Gospel is "unless your old ways change and you truly become a new creature, you have no place in Heaven..." 

These are not my words, these are Christ's
Jesus said many would call and say Lord Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and even cast out devils? But he will say "depart from me, I know you not.." (Matthew 7:22)
Why will these people not make it to Heaven, they called Jesus Lord...
They never became a little child, they never humbled themselves, they never turned away from their old sins, they never let Christ change them into a new creature.. 

Matthew 18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a little child and set him before them, 3 and said, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, unless you repent [that is, change your inner self—your old way of thinking, live changed lives] and become like children [trusting, humble, and forgiving], you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever [a]humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives and welcomes one[b]child like this in My name receives Me; 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [by leading him away from My teaching], it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone [as large as one turned by a donkey] hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

 

Stumbling Blocks

7 “Woe (judgment is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!

8 “If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. 9 If your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you [that is, remove yourself from the source of temptation]; it is better for you to enter life with only one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fiery hell.

10 “See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11 [c][For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

My dear friend Kansas was severely abused by people who should be put to death. Millions of people all over this globe will be suffering a severe punishment from the Almighty God in an act of Justice...

 

Revelation talks about the Saints, the martyrs who cry out for God to bring swift justice and judgement... All get the chance to turn and repent. Let me make this clear... All can be saved... but those who, in their heart, deny Christ, they will suffer a swift punishment. And Christians, we've got to get out of the way of God's Divine hand. 

And they cried out in a loud voice, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood." Revelations 6:10 

We don't seek revenge. We seek justice. We seek the evil to be put to an end. We seek the end of the Nazi regime, the killing, the rapping, the thievery.. and as in war, sometimes people need to die, they are so very evil. 

There is a war happening right now... Ephesians 6

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

It's not a battle between flesh and blood, but the spirit world. You can't take down evil men in the flesh or more heads more evil will arise. Only in and through the power of the Spirit of God can you take down such evil as the Rockefellers, the Carnegies, the Fords (who all were led by evil greed to enslave the American people for profit) 

Four years ago my friend Kansas was a man in a struggle, fighting to get out from under the hand of oppression... God delivered him. You know how? By showing him what a Godly family looked like... By embracing the natural cycle of life, by embracing the purpose of marriage as a wholesome, healthy place to raise children. Marriage without the desire for children, as our ancient church fathers have always said, is fornication, is adultery... This thought set him free from years of sexual abuse... by seeing God's perfect plan, and whole heartedly embracing it... Satan lost his grip forever over this young man...

He has been on a journey for four years. He has been working out his salvation with fear and trembling. He has become saved, sanctified, set apart, and a totally new person. The Gospel went inside of him and like bleach, made all the vile sin white as snow

"Come now, let us settle the matter," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18

Kansas wrote this the other day... it's such a powerful Word from the Lord... It is a call to repentance, a call to put on those spiritual battle attire, stop nursing sin, and cut off the head of the serpent.. We should be taking down demons and evil everywhere we go... We should live like there is no tomorrow and yet like we are preparing for many future generations. We aren't afraid to die.. we aren't afraid of persecution... we only fear we will not do enough and like Paul... that somehow after preaching the Gospel to others, he himself would become disqualified for the race

1 Corinthians 9
"27 But [like a boxer] I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached [the gospel] to others, I myself will not somehow be disqualified [as unfit for service].

( this was in spurred by  an article about a Christian family's persecution and their children being taken away)  http://www.christian.org.uk/news/children-seized-from-parents-for-christian-indoctrination/)

   

Man I feel a fire burning inside of me right now, and I have to let it out. The Lord told me that you reader out there, what you think is your problem: that isn't your problem. He says he has heard your cries and dried your tears, but you have nothing to fear with the Lord of Hosts. Those that walk freely, those of inherited power adhere to Christ and Him only. What God has given, let no man take away. Let no man separate. They do not hear no. They do not receive of no. Here is why. In the church often times someone is walking in the power of God and in come the naysayers... you cannot do that... you cannot say that. People are turned from the power and the glory, to the departed and the weakened.
You feel like a bride left alone standing at the alter... the voices cry out your Father has forsaken you! He has abandoned you! He has departed from you and left you all alone! What do you have to say now for your most high God? Where is he now in your time of need? Stay in the Word, stay in the truth!
   

These articles are full of demonic spells, of lies, of witchcraft, and of enchantments. The church says wow, that is so awful, Jesus, please come back to our fallen world! We are just going to crawl up in our hole like weak fuzzy bunnies until He either returns or changes the world. As mighty man of God Justin “Justman” says, do not wait on a move of God, BE A MOVE OF GOD! Do not sit down, lie down in the bunker! Get back up! Join in the fight! Be not a speaker of the Word only, but a DOER OF THE WORD (James 1:22)! Follow God, not man, regardless if anyone follows you or not. (dear friends names here) and others have been given direct words about family and farming. Others are called to street evangelism. This Word and power is for NOW, NOT LATER! I give the Lord praise for not allowing their Spirit to get broken to these truths. It is easy for the church to look in and say, “that farm is not God!” “That is not God's call for your life!” “You could be doing something else for the Kingdom!" Shall the foot say because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body (1 Cor 12:15)?
God has shown me that you out there are deprived of the purpose driven life that Christ spoke to you of. You cannot do anything with it... you cannot glorify God by speaking of it... Fear or words from others set a curse on it. Let this be scattered as far as the east is from the west oh Lord. We read of farming persecutions, yet do not pay heed to just how FAST things are changing. They are moving by ACTING, NOT SITTING! 1 Timothy 4 is here, it is now, Christ speaks to the churches. Forbidden to marry, abstinence from meat. If you are not moving, you are not glorifying God. We need the Word of God again! We pay heed to everything that proceeds from the mouth of God (Mat 4:4)! I see how if you walk with Christ in humility where you are called to be right now, even in the inner city, God will provide for you. You need faith for that. Walk in that. God's command went out... He kept and increased His people in Babylon. Know that. Live that.
  http://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/norwegian-govt.-seizes-5-children-from-parents-for-alleged-christian-indoct
This article, while a sad turn of events, we must keep our eye on Christ and not the flesh. God never said, do not be fruitful and multiply because the world is too bad. Do not farm, do not have a family... just give up. It is not in the Word. Christian birthrates are at all time lows because they are bound to the devils lies of non fruitfulness. All these problems out there would already be crushed if Christians had children 5, 10, 15 years ago. Think about it. Look all around you, the victory is in the children. Children are overcoming in a mighty way, while the parents are still sitting around dangling their feet in the pool saying, well, maybe the water is warm. Prevent them not from coming unto me (Mat 19:14). You are being deprived of all the strength and wisdom they have to offer you. You are being deprived of the joy in the mantle of teaching them. That is your calling... writing blogs or lessons for them. The anointing of God seeks to heal your wounded and weary soul.
I know the fear that can overcome you... but ONLY LISTEN TO THE ONE WHO HAS A-L-R-E-A-D-Y OVERCOME THE WORLD (John 16:33)! I can hear the church right now... oh Jacob cannot have anymore children, the world is just too bad, something might happen... does Padan Aram have a 24 hour pharmacy for birth control? Tell Rachel and Leah to stop praying for children, that's not God. Better yet, lets become Catholic and rather than God, declare vows and bow before man and pagan gods (doctrines of demons, of devils (1 Tim 4). Ha. Listen to Christ, not fear! Joseph gets thrown into the pit and here they come again saying see, I told you that was a bad idea having Children. I see you lost your little ewe lamb! I bet your God cannot deliver him back unto you! Joseph spends years working for Pharaoh... church rebuke again, “man, how can you work under Pharaoh? THAT IS NOT GOD!” I speak this, as if you do not read these articles as an overcomer, they will overcome you. Listen to Christ, not what your pastor or congregation says.
I am telling you, I feel sorry for those who took those children honestly. Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing (Luke 23:34). They have no idea just how mighty and powerful for the Kingdom a young believer is. They have no idea of the power of Christ as a comforter and a deliverer. I see those children swinging their spiritual swords around slicing all their heads off. I see those captors dying at their feet. I see them being returned after a Christ glorifying separation with a full apology. Whatever happens, God is the author of the story! If He has told you the next chapter of your life, read those Words with authority!
Here me now, if God tells you to do it, do not fear how you will get through it! Fill me up! Let me carry more burdens for the brethren. I am praying for you. I know how fear can cripple a man. There was a time for that but not now. THERE IS NOTHING STOPPING YOU! SEE IT, LIVE IT, KNOW IT. GREEN PASTURES AND WIDE OPEN SKIES! Reader, I am telling you, that is what is in store for you and I. Christ cannot be contained. He cannot be stopped.

1 Timothy 4 But the [Holy] Spirit explicitly and unmistakably declares that in later times some will turn away from the faith, paying attention instead to deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 [misled] by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared as with a branding iron [leaving them incapable of ethical functioning], 3 who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from [certain kinds of] foods which God has created to be gratefully shared by those who believe and have [a clear] knowledge of the truth. 4 For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5 for it is sanctified [set apart, dedicated to God] by means of the word of God and prayer.

7 But have nothing to do with irreverent folklore and silly myths. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness [keeping yourself spiritually fit]. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness (spiritual training) is of value in everything and in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. 9 This is a faithful andtrustworthy saying worthy of full acceptance and approval. 10 It is for this that we labor and strive [often called to account], because we have fixed our [confident] hope on the living God, who is the [b]Savior of all people, especially of those who believe [in Him, recognize Him as the Son of God, and accept Him as Savior and Lord].

Saving a country from the corruption of men.

   

                                      Veteran's Day

        All men are Dependent on God  

            The only time a man, woman, or  a country is justified to fight a war is when the cause is just, fair, and they have prayed diligently on their knees before God, free from sin themselves, and they have the conviction of God upon their souls. A person must be  free to volunteer out of a sense of honor, duty, and responsibility before God Only then can  a country  ask  people to fight to the death as in war.

   

The American revolutionary war, the Civil war, war against the Nazis, etc, those were wars with the conviction of God upon the hearts and minds of people.  

      Men and women should not fight because they they will receive an education paid for, or other superficial military benefits. Without the "goodness" of God, without a "good" righteous cause; men and women are just "murders", mercenaries, hired guns.

   




   

        Do not ever trust a man without a sincere devotion to God to save the country or keep his word.  Only someone filled with the power of God can live up to that expectation.  Obama sins because no one has preached to him the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and convicted him of his sins.

 I think about John the Baptist here and Herod. He told Herod that taking his brother's wife was a sin.

       

               Most American's want to live honest, free,sinless lives. (sinless lives: do not want to take things that don't belong to them, by stealing  lying, falsely accusing others, punishing innocent people; abusing power, position, do not want to have affairs, do not want to disrespect their parents or elders, do not want to murder innocent children through contraceptives or abortion, etc.) But if you are paying taxes you are doing all of the above.

   

        The only road to freedom is in the power of God by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ:    

   

        Turn from sin, turn to God and you will be free.  You will share in the freedom of the saints. You can live sinless pure, holy, honest lives before God and share with the Saints the blessings of God. God will protect you, lead you and provide for you.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

        God's protection, and provision is there with the his anointing, he will ordain you with power as you preach the Good News of Jesus Christ dying for all men so all men may live free happy healthy lives under God's leadership of the Holy Spirit.  As the gospel is preached God's power to save our souls and heal the country and it's people does manifest itself.

     People will no longer say; "why doesn't God do something, why doesn't God answer my prayers?"  "Why doesn't he heal "Good" people?"  ...Everyone will see miracles as we trust God and preach his Gospel. For healing, health, protection, provision comes from God as we obey and preach the Good news of Jesus Christ.  

       That is where God's power is- in  preaching the "real" Gospel and miracles will happen... (the real gospel is not:: God loves you just the way you are. The real Gospel: is turn from sin, turn from people who sin, God will clean your mind to do sinless GOOD works, instead of works that are full of darkness and sin. God will lead you to sinless holy pure Christian ways of obedience to God's precious Holy sinless Word- the Bible. God will empower you  so you do not sin but turn people from sin to the love of God.

        Just like any Good father God always says :"Be Good", "do the right thing", "tell the truth," "don't steal", "don't lie", "love your brothers and sisters in the Lord", "Treat people good, the way you would want them to treat you", etc.  For God is very good and expects his children to be good also.

Meet with God today!                                                     The Holy Bible will tell you all about him!

Battlefield of the Mind

An Evil Heart

Isaiah 58 Ministries                                                                       July 27,   2013

Pastor Leah Svensson
Commentary: Matt Stoskopf  aka Kansas

Scriptures:  Acts 5:1-11, Matthew 11:25-30, Matthew 12:32-37, Matthew 15:16-20, Acts 8:18-24


                                                                Sermon
                                     
                                                        Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

                                                             An Evil Heart

         The Women pictured here is an evil heart. She wrote "The Women's Bible", which is anti-Christ. She and other;Feminists and Humanists, (witches) set out to rip apart the validity of the Bible, of the Divinely Inspired Scriptures and their truth- only the devil wants to do this, not fair minded individuals.

         Gensis 9: 5-7  And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

6 “Whoever sheds human blood,

by humans shall their blood be shed;

for in the image of God

has God made mankind

7 As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”

     

     When someone plans to conspire against another person, they are not just doing this to a human being but to God.  Speaking, gossiping, and planning behind someone's back, no matter how "good" your intentions, usually leads to very very bad things happening. It is  a very very dangerous thing to do and you could lose your life; it will destroy the lives of others. Truthful, (before God), open honest relationships, with repentant hearts mend and heal..........

              "NEWS FLASH"  \\...COM.  |  In our society today this is what "everybody" does, it is a very worldly concept. It splits and divides, (i.e. :Republican, Democrat, feminist, gays, businesses, public school system, all use this practice) It is feuding.............

           This is the Advocation of Violence against innocent, "good hearted", people made in the image of God!

All "rightful" legal authority comes from God to protect "good hearted" human beings.  People with evil in their hearts lie and speak badly about others in secret, behind their backs to separate people who truly love and care for each other. (Friends, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husband, wife, child, neighbors, etc.)  They will smile at you, like they are innocent of harming you.    It is a very satanic practice. The devil is in your heart or the person speaking to you.  Rid yourself of people like that! People are innocent until proven guilty, under God. Everyone has a right to defend themselves under God according to his word, against these false accusations.

                                    Commentary

                                                                                     by Kansas

  You can see Satan's concept of rivalry all over our government today.  It doesn't matter if it is local, state, or federal.  The devil causes people to split off into little small groups so that they can start fighting with each other over issues.  The devil tells each one a different lie, and the result is lawlessness.  There is only one right way, and that is following God, the God of the bible.  Many of these people will tell you that they are following God, but they aren't.  God is eternal, unwavering, unchanging.  He is exactly the same way now as he was in the beginning.  If these politicians were truly following God then He would reveal to each one the exact same thing.  We believe in not being unequally yoked.  Jesus didn't come to party with sinners and tax collectors.  He came and those chosen ones instantly, instantly repented from the lies that were put upon them by the world.  They became free and separate of it.  When you spend your days tied to someone of an evil heart, one who has rejected the gospel countless times you are going to get hurt.  You can't completely follow God yourself, as they are going to do anything in their power to ruin your belief in God, and your peace or sound mind.  When we get to the level the disciples were at if these people attempt to hurt us God will strike them down at our feet.  Until that day however we must pickup our cross and walk, and let the dead bury the dead.  We must have compassion on those who are abused and broken themselves, but God has set us free from those of truly evil hearts.

                                        References:
                   
  [{feud noun 1.Also called blood feud. a bitter, continuous hostility, especially between two families, clans, etc., often lasting for many years or generations............2. a bitter quarrel or contention: a feud between labor and management. verb (used without object)......3.to engage in a feud............. feud n. A bitter, often prolonged quarrel or state of enmity, especially such a state of hostilities between two families or clans.}]..............

Vigilantes. vigilantes 

Noun A member of a self-appointed group of citizens who undertake law enforcement in their community without legal authority, a member of a volunteer committee organized to suppress and punish crime summarily (as when the processes of law are viewed as inadequate); broadly : a self-appointed doer of justice

         
     

Ananias and Sapphira
Acts 5
1 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet.
3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.”
5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.”10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

Matthew 12: 32  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

33  “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34  You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35  A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Father Revealed in the Son

Matthew 11:25-30

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27  “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 15:16-20

16 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them.19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”

Acts 8:18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”