Please read this carefully and prayerfully because it contains the truth of God's word that can revolutionize your life.

Note: From time to time the same scriptures will be used. This is done for emphasis just as the same statement is used numerous times in God's word for that reason. is of utmost importance that every child of God realize where we are on God's time table.

Every child of God must spend more time in God's word and build their faith in order to be able to overcome the attacks of Satan as we head into the last days.

There is a possibility that you will read things here that you have never read or heard before. If you read prayerfully with a desire to serve God and be blessed by Him, His Holy Spirit will give witness with your spirit that these things are true. When this happens, you cannot begin to operate on it immediately. You will have to read and read until faith comes before things will work for you.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a re-warder of them that diligently seek him.

The Greek word translated as diligently seek actually means to crave. Of course, if a person craves something they will diligently seek it.

The word hearing in that verse has the sense of hearing and hearing until faith comes. Here is another verse that backs that up.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

The following verses accurately describe the way things are today and are the reason that Christians must get deadly serious with God so He can give them divine protection and provision as things continue their downward spiral.

2 Tim. 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2 Tim. 3:3 Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2 Tim. 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, you children of Israel: for the LORD has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Hosea 4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood.

Hosea 4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwells therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yes, the fish of the sea also shall be taken away.

Hosea 4:4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for your people are as they that strive with the priest.

Hosea 4:5 Therefore shall you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

Hosea 4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

Hosea 4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

Hosea 4:10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

Hosea 4:12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declares unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

Hosea 4:13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

Hosea 4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that do not understand shall fall.

Hosea 4:15 Though you, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not you unto Gilgal, neither go you up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD lives.

Hosea 4:16 For Israel slides back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

Hosea 4:18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love.

As you have read verse 6 says “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”. Since God's children are being destroyed today, isn't it logical that they are being destroyed for the same reason? Isn't it also logical that they are doing the same things they did then for the same reason?

They don't know fully who they are as children of God. They only think of God in terms of His all powerfulness. They don't understand the reality of Him as father. They don't know why He made man. They think He made man just to worship Him.

The truth is that He made man because of His father heart. He wanted a family that would love and obey Him so He could bless them and make them happy, which would make Himself happy. We see this from the following two verses.

Jo. 16:24 Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Many Christians think they have to die to get all that God has provided for them. That is due to a lack of knowledge.

Col. 1:13 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

One is that God has delivered us from the power of darkness. What does that mean? It means that Satan(who is the power of darkness) no longer has any authority over us.

The second thing is that we are already in the kingdom of God's son and everything in it is available to us when we meet the terms given in God's word.

Until a child of God knows that they have a right to something, they cannot ask for it in faith and God cannot give them what they are seeking unless they ask in faith.

For example, two of the ways that people are destroyed are by sickness and disease. Few people live in a healthy body and don't have to take any kind of medicine.

Yet, just as Jesus shed His blood and took our sins at the cross for our soul, few people know that He went through two things there for us to live in a healthy body.

Most Christians only know about one of them. They know that Isaiah 53 says that “with His stripes you are healed” and Peter said “by His stripes you were healed”. Isaiah 52 tells the rest of the story.

Isa. 52:14 As many were astonished at you; his visage(appearance) was so marred(disfigured) more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

That disfigurement didn't happen from the beating. It was the result of what Jesus went through while He hung on the cross. During the three hours of darkness, His body experienced the worst case of every sickness, disease and accident that would ever touch a human body and it became so grotesque, had they been able to see it they couldn't have handled it. That was the reason for the darkness.

Not only do we have that as proof that it is God's will for His children to live in a healthy body, we have these verses.

Ro. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

It is clear from that verse that we are to present out bodies in sacrifice. If God is willing to accept a broken body in sacrifice today He has changed.

Mal. 1:8 And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.

Ro. 10:9 That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

Ro. 10:10 For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Sadly, more often than not, when a person is given that information, they are not told the true and necessary meaning of believe. It is not mental assent. It means that the person believes to the point that they stake the destiny of their soul on believing Jesus was and is the son of God.

When a person truly believes and confesses, the person gets born into the family of God and their want to changes.

2 Cot. 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.

2 Cor. 5:18 And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

So if a person makes a confession of belief in Jesus and their want to doesn't change, they haven't become a new creature. In other words they have not been born into God's family.

We are living in perilous times and they will continue to become more perilous. Therefore, it is imperative that every child of God get more serious with God than they have ever been. Every child of God must meet the condition set out in God's word to be taught by God's Holy Spirit. That is the only way they will ever get a true understanding of God's word. Where do you find the condition? Here.

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire(intensely crave possession) the sincere(un-deceitful, unadulterated) milk of the word, that you may grow thereby:

The term intensely crave is like a dope addict craves dope or an alcoholic craves alcohol. They have one characteristic in common. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, thinks or does, they are going to get what they are craving.

When a child of God makes the no back down decision that they want the truth of God's word above anything else in the world and when they get it they are going with it no matter what anyone else says, thinks or does, and even if they find that some things they believed were wrong, God's Holy Spirit will teach them and it will revolutionize their life.

1 Cor. 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Why is it important for everyone to speak the same thing? Because there is much confusion otherwise and God is not the author.

Satan no longer has authority over children of God. What many don't know is that they have authority over Satan and many who do know, don't know how to exercise that authority.

Christians have been given the authority to use the name of Jesus when dealing with Satan. When a child of God doesn't know they have that authority or they don't use it, then Satan will continue to deal them misery.

While sickness, disease and accidents are the primary weapons of Satan, his other and very powerful weapon is thoughts. Very many people, perhaps, consider themselves as physical beings. That is a mistake. People are spirit beings living in a physical body to operate in the physical world. As such, there are three sources for their thoughts. Some are theirs, of course, some are from God and some are from Satan. The only sure way to determine what the source is, is to know God's word.

1 Jo. 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

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

When Jesus said in that verse “He that believes”, He wasn't talking about just believing to be born into God's family. He was talking about believing the truth that God's children have the authority and responsibility to use the name of Jesus to do the things Jesus did. This next verse is a confirmation of that.

1 Jo. 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Notice that it says, “and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God”. Does that make sense? It does when you understand that the second believing he is talking about is believing that God's children have the authority to do the things Jesus did, using the authority of His name.

One of the reasons that few Christians are receiving all that is rightfully theirs as children of God is that they are not doing what Jesus did.

That leaves no doubt that Christian are to do what God's word says for them to do. In fact, if they don't do what they are told to do, it will not be done. They can plead, beg and cry for God to do it but He will not heed. Also by not doing it, they deceive themselves, which opens them up to the deception of Satan, and allows him to steal what is rightfully theirs.

So if you want to be blessed by God, start being obedient in what you already know. Get serious with God and find out what else you are responsible to do and do it.

The Greek word translated followers in that verse actually means imitators. When a child imitates a parent, they walk, talk and act like the parent. Talking is the most important as evidenced by the following verses.

Pro. 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Ro. 4:17 (As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were.

How does calling things that be not work? This is how. Once a person asks God for something or to do something, they should not keep asking because continued asking indicates that they don't have any idea if God will answer their prayer or not. It is a lack of faith and God can't answer.

So how is this applied here? Once a person have asked, from then until the answer becomes a reality, they confess that they have what they asked for or that God has done what they asked Him to do.

What happens is that the first time they make the confession, they plant the seed. As they continue to make the confession they water it, fertilize it and get the weeds of doubt and unbelief out. It builds their faith to the point that their faith reaches out and reaps a harvest.

Any time a person begins to act on that, Satan immediately begins to make things go wrong to get the person to speak doubt or unbelief. Just one word of doubt is all it takes to cut down the stalk. Unless the person starts making their confession again they will not get a harvest.

Normally, when a person doesn't get their prayer answered, they think it is because it wasn't God's will. That isn't necessarily the case. If the prayer isn't contrary to God's word, it is His will. So be sure what you ask for isn't contrary to God's will, then meet the requirements to get it and you shall have it.

Due to a lack of understanding, many people think that they can read God's word just like they read a newspaper and they will understand it.

Fortunately this is not the case because, the truth of God's word and how to use it is so powerful that if it could be obtained that way, evil men would use that power for destruction.

God's word makes it abundantly clear that only those who have been born again(back into God's family) can get the understanding and even they have to meet conditions given in His word.

God says in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…. Sadly that hasn't changed over the years because Christians are still being destroyed by sickness, disease, accidents by people who are controlled by Satan, by weather forces, which some people erroneously call acts of God.

1 Cor. 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Note: It says hidden wisdom.

1 Cor. 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Note: It says princes of this world.

1 Cor. 2:9 But as it is written, Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him. Note: It isn't received automatically.

1 Cor. 2:10 But God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. Note: The knowledge and understanding are revealed by God's Spirit.

1 Cor. 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. Note: Only the Spirit of God knows the things of God.

1 Cor. 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Note: Paul was talking to Christians.

1 Cor. 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Note: He is reiterating the fact that only by the Spirit of God do we get understanding.

1 Cor. 2:14 But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. Note: Natural means one who has not been born again.

1 Cor. 2:15 But he that is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. Note: He means that a Christian who has met the terms to be taught the truth understands thing of the spirit but those who haven't met the terms does not understand him.

1 Cor. 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. Note: Only those who have been taught by God's Spirit have the mind of Christ.

That is 100% correct. Every human is an heir of eternal life. It seems that many people don't fully realize or understand that truth. Once a person takes the necessary action to receive eternal life, the person immediately is an heir of every good thing that God has provided for the heirs.

It is our sincere desire that by the time you finish reading this, you will understand and make the commitment to receive your inheritance of eternal life if you haven't done so. If you are already a child of God our desire is that you will begin to receive every blessing that God' desires to give you.

There are so many conflicting stories out there in the world about God and the origin of man and the earth that confusion reigns supreme. This confusion has one source. It comes from the enemy of all mankind. His name is Satan and is commonly referred to as the devil. As a result of the confusion, many people have rejected God and His son Jesus Christ.

Every human is an heir of Almighty God because of Jesus' death on the cross. As mentioned in the paragraph above every human has an enemy whose name is Satan. He is the mastermind of all the confusion. The reason he does what he does is because he hates Almighty God with a burning passion. He can't do anything to God directly. He can only get at God by getting humans, which are the crown of His creation, to believe his lies, so God cannot bless them.

Gen. 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

Here we find God using the pronouns us and our. That is a clear indication that there was more than one involved in the making of man.

While there are those who deny that there was more than one involved in the making of man, it is because of a misunderstanding caused by Satan. Satan doesn't want anyone to believe there was more than one, to keep them from believing in the activity of God's Holy Spirit in peoples lives and the truth that Jesus was and is God's son, sent to earth to provide the means for humanity to return to the family of God.

Throughout God's word we find references to Him as father. The fact that He used the phrase, ”in our image and after our likeness” is a clear indication that His reason for making man was His father heart. He wanted a family that would love Him and obey Him so He could bless them and make them happy, which would make Himself happy. Also, giving man authority over all of the things on the earth is an indication that He intended for man to have control over everything that God had created.

It is very apparent that something went wrong along the way. Let us see if we can find out what it was and why it happened. We can check on one instruction that was not followed.

It is unfortunate but the following verse is misunderstood by many. They say that God didn't mean that they would die the day they ate the forbidden fruit but would start dying. That may be due to the fact that they don't understand what death is. Physical death is separation of the spirit from the body. Spiritual death is separation from God. So the day that Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, they died spiritually.

Gen. 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.

As a result of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit, the entire human race was born into the family of Satan. Therefore, because of not understanding that, many people believe that a person will go to hell for any number of sins. The truth is that those who go to hell do so because they stay in the family of Satan.

Jo. 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.

John didn't say takes away the sins of the world. He said the sin. All the sins of humanity are the result of that one sin. That sin is believing the lies of Satan.

Every sin that is committed by anyone is the result of the lies that Satan tells them. This statement by Jesus should make that clear.

Jo. 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Probably, the most powerful and damaging lie ever told by Satan is that he doesn't exist. Once a person accepts that lie it is easy to accept the lies that hell doesn't exist, that Jesus wasn't and isn't the son of God and that God has no desire to bless His children.

Jo. 10:10 The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

How are people destroyed? By sickness, disease, accidents and murder. What do people need to know in order to avoid being destroyed? God's children(Christians) need to know that it is not His will for them to be in a sick and in broken down body, and what He did to provide them a healthy body.

No child of God can ask for anything in faith unless they know they have a right to it. If they don't ask in faith, God can't give it to them.

Heb. 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Ro. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

That verse says to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable. Let's look at what is not acceptable.

That verse leaves no doubt that God will not accept anything but a healthy body. Some will say He has changed in that because we are no longer under the law. Has He really changed? Here is His word on that.

If He doesn't change, then He still requires a healthy body, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto, God, which is your reasonable service. That being the case, we have some more verses that shed light on it.

1 Pet. 2:24 Who, his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.

Jesus' bearing our sins on the cross and shedding His blood is guaranteed undisputable proof that it is God's will for us to be born back into His family. Jesus also experienced two things at the cross, which are guaranteed, undisputable proof that it is God's will for his children to live in a healthy body.

Isa. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Isa. 52:14 As many were astonished at you; his visage ((appearance)) was so marred (disfigured) more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

That came about because of what Jesus experienced while He hung on the cross. During the three hours of darkness, Jesus' body experienced the worst case of every sickness, every disease and accident that would ever touch a human body. It became so grotesque that had they been able to see it they couldn't have handled it. That was the reason for the darkness.

Since it is abundantly clear that it is God's will that His children live in a healthy body, they should never use the phrase, “if it be thy will”, when asking for healing. The terrible reality is, that using that phrase when praying for healing has caused more deaths than all the weapons of humanity throughout history. It shows a lack of faith. That is why God can't provide healing when it is used.

Not only are God's people destroyed for lack of knowledge but they fail to receive everything that is rightfully theirs as children of God, due to lack of knowledge. So, let's look at some things that are lacking.

They don't truly know who they are as children of God. They just think of God as the all knowing, all powerful, creator in heaven. They don't fully understand why He made man, so they miss the reality of His being father even though they use the term father. God made man because of His father heart. He wanted a family that would love Him and obey Him so He could bless them and make them happy which would make Him happy.

Jo. 16:24 Hitherto have you asked nothing in my name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Now that we have established the reason God made us, let us consider some other reasons Christians don't get everything that is rightfully theirs.

They don't know what is rightfully theirs. Therefore, they don't know what they have to do to get what is theirs. So it stands to reason that they don't know how to do what they must do.

Col. 1:13 Who has delivered us from the power of darkness, and has translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

Since God has already translated His children into the kingdom of His dear son, it stands to reason that everything there, is available when anyone meets the conditions given in God's word.

It must be pointed out that in the above verse and most others in the New Testament, the Greek word translated ask, is not like our word ask. If we ask someone to do something, it is their prerogative whether they do it or not, but that word ask is a demand for something due.

In order to give a clear understanding of that, let us digress for a bit. Let us check some verses in Hebrews chapter 9.

Heb. 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb. 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

We must point out that one of the meanings of the Greek word translated testament is devisory will. These next verses indicate that will is the proper translation.

Heb. 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator lives.

Since will is the proper translation, the word ask being a demand for something due, means that when we have met the terms of the will we have a legal right to what we are asking for.

Jo. 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;

If people are not free in any area, it is because they do not know the truth or they are not acting on it. In all probability, they do not know the truth because they have not met the conditions set forth below.

1 Pet. 2:2 As new born babes, desire(intensely crave possession) the sincere(un-deceitful, unadulterated) milk of the word that you may grow thereby.

The phrase intensely crave possession, means like a dope addict craves dope or an alcoholic craves alcohol. They have one characteristic in common. It doesn't matter what anyone else says, thinks or does, they are going to get what they are craving.

How does that apply to a Christian? It applies this way. When a child of God makes the no back down decision that they want the truth oh God's word, more than anything else in the world, and when they get they will go with it no matter what anyone else says, thinks or does, and even if they find out that some things they believed were wrong, God's Holy Spirit will teach them the truth and it will revolutionize their life.

This verse of scripture gives two reasons that Pastors and teachers should be diligent in preaching and teaching the TRUTH of God's word.

One is that God's people are still being destroyed today just as they were when Hosea first put the verse forth.

What are some of the things that people lack knowledge about that causes them to be destroyed? Let us look at a few.

Let us consider each of those things. Most people are of the belief that humans are physical beings when in reality they are spirit beings. As spirit beings they have three sources of their thoughts. Some, of course, are their own. Some are from God's Holy Spirit and some are from the devil. So, one of Satan's methods of operation is by putting thoughts in people's minds. That is why we are told to try the spirits whether they be of God. The only way to do that is to compare the thoughts to God's word. A person cannot make that comparison if they don't know God's word.

Another way that Satan destroys God's people is by attacking them with sickness, disease and accidents and making them believe it is somehow God's will and God's doings.

Luke 13:16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?

2 Cor 5:21 For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

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

John 14:13 And whatsoever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

In verses 13 & 14 the word ask is strictly a demand for something due. That is based on meeting the terms of the written Will. Most of the time that ask is in the Gospels that is the meaning. Therefore, just asking will not get anything.

Even when people are told what they are to do and how to do it, if they don't get in the word and build their own faith they can't operate in faith.

John 21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He said unto him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said unto him, Feed my lambs.

John 21:16 He said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? He said unto him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you. He said unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:17 He said unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, do you love me? And he said unto him, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said unto him, Feed my sheep.

Notice Jesus didn't say win millions of souls. He didn't say build great congregations and buildings. He didn't say go through a lot of rituals. He said feed three times. Anytime an instruction is repeated it is of vital importance to understand and do it.

Many people try to resist the devil when they realize what he is doing but he doesn't flee. Why? Because they don't submit themselves to God first. Or they may submit themselves to God but never resist the devil so he stays and does his thing. Either way he continues to cause the problem.

This is a critical point for Christians to know. To get the desired results they must do everything that the instructions say to do for a particular thing. Leave off just one thing and there will be no success.

God is not the cause of hurricanes. They are the activity of Satan. If all Christians knew what their authority is and started using it we would not have the destruction caused by hurricanes and other things of nature.

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

Jesus clearly stated that the things He did would be done by those who believe on Him. What did He do about the weather?

Mk. 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Even though a person may know that those scriptures are in God's word they will not work for them unless they study them until faith builds in them. Faith comes by hearing and hearing God's word.

Ro. 13:11 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.

Whatever God's word says for us to do, will not be done unless we do it. Praying for God to do it will not get it done.

One is about the Sabbath. Many believe that Sunday is the Sabbath. That is incorrect. Saturday is the Sabbath. Some Christians think they are to keep the Sabbath. This is incorrect. The Sabbath has nothing to do with gentiles nor Jews if they accept Jesus as their Savior. God specifically told the nation of Israel that it was a sign between Him and them.

Ex. 31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

Ex. 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Another common misconception is that it is ok for women to pastor churches or be deacons. Wrong. The qualifications for those offices are clear and distinct. While a woman may believe that God has called her to one of those offices, she is wrong. God never calls anyone to do anything contrary to His word.

That is why God's word tells us to try the spirits to see if they are of God or not. The only way to know is to know the word.

1 Tim. 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

1 Tim 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre(money); but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

1 Tim. 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 1 Tim. 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Titus 1:5 For this cause left I you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders(deacons) in every city, as I had appointed you:

Titus 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

1 Tim 2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

Deu 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD your God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that the LORD your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth:

Deu 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall hearken unto the voice of the LORD your God.

Some will say that was talking about the nation of Israel so it doesn't apply to us. It does unless we are told elsewhere that it doesn't. God says in this next scripture that He doesn't change.

In the following verse We are told that God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. That hasn't changed one iota since it was first written.

Deu 28:15 But it shall come to pass, if you will not hearken unto the voice of the LORD your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day; that all these curses shall come upon you, and overtake you:

Deu 28:22 The LORD shall smite you with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue you until you perish.

Deu 28:27 The LORD will smite you with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof you can not be healed.

Deu 28:35 The LORD shall smite you in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot unto the top of your head.

Deu 28:60 Moreover he will bring upon you all the diseases of Egypt, which you was afraid of; and they shall cleave unto you.

Deu 28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon you, until you be destroyed.

Deu 28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, till you be destroyed; because you hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you:

Deu 28:47 Because you served not the LORD your God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things

Now let us look at what God has provided for us concerning sickness and disease. Notice carefully that sickness and disease were a curse of the law.

Gal 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangs on a tree:

Gal 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Mat 4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

Mat 8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done unto you. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Mat 8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:

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

Mat 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Mat 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely you have received, freely give.

Mat 12:15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from there: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;

Mat 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and saw.

Mat 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

Mat 15:30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus' feet; and he healed them:

Mark 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

Mark 6:5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

Luke 4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.

Luke 5:15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.

Luke 6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

Luke 6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

Luke 9:11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spoke unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

Some people have made the ridiculous statement that sometimes God gets glory from someone being sick. Nowhere in God's word is there a single statement about God being glorified when someone was sick. This next verse tells you when God gets glorified.

This next verse really should be enough to let people know that it is not God's will for His children to be sick.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Mal 1:8 And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto your governor; will he be pleased with you, or accept your person? says the LORD of hosts.

1 Cor 6:19 What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?

1 Cor 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

John 10:10 The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Just as surely as Jesus shed His blood and took our sins at the cross for our souls, He did two things at the cross for us to have a healthy body. Isaiah said:

Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. That was the first thing. He also said this:

Isa 52:14 As many were astonished at you; his visage(appearance) was so marred(disfigured) more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

That took place during the three hours of darkness as Jesus hung on the cross. During that period His body experienced the worst case of every sickness, every disease and every accident that would ever touch a human body and it became so grotesque that if they could have seen it they could not have handled it.

I must add a personal word of testimony here. A few years back, I had gone to bed one night. I was lying on my back and quicker than a split second, God showed me that body. It was so horrible that I recoiled so forcefully; I think I pushed the bed down about 5 inches or so. Prior to my learning that it is God's will for me to live in a healthy body, I had high blood pressure, arthritis, crazy heart and even spasms of my scalp. Today, I am in perfect health and take no medicine.

The question is: “Are you going to believe Satan's lies and let him destroy you and your loved ones or are you going to believe God's word and live in a healthy body, the temple of the Holy Spirit?”

Here is what Peter had to say on the subject. 1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.

The healing has already been provided. It is up to us to meet the terms to get it. As far as God is concerned He has provided your healing. You just have to ask for it by faith. You have to build your faith for healing just like for anything else.

The phrase “If it be your will” should NEVER be used when praying for a sick person to be healed. That is not faith and God cannot answer that prayer. That phrase has killed more people than all the weapons of humanity throughout history.

Just because the Holy Spirit may have born witness with your spirit that what you have read is true, you cannot get results immediately. You must build your faith by reading the scriptures above regularly or read them from the bible until you build your faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.

Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. That means hearing and hearing.

Josh 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.

The word meditate here means to utter, mutter and speak aloud which coincides with hearing and hearing in Ro. 10:17.

Let me say up front that it is not my responsibility to get anyone to believe God's word. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. My only job is to present the truth.

2 Cor. 10:4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your ADVERSARY the devil, as a roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour:

ADVERSARY, refers to a person, group, or personified force contending against another. ADVERSARY suggests an enemy who fights determinedly, continuously, and relentlessly:

Are not Christians today, God's people? If they are, are they not being destroyed today and for the same reason as in Hosea's day?

When you hear most Christians talk you would think that God is their adversary. They say things like: God let this bad thing happen to me to teach me something. Or, God is in control so if it happens it must be His will. In fact lately I have been hearing a preacher with a huge church talking on TV about going through a lot of bad things and when he asked God, he said God told him that all of it was coming from Him because He is in control.

1 Pet 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour:

1. Whoa! What did Peter say? He said our adversary is the devil, did he not. If God is our adversary, why did Peter say the devil is? Could it be that the lack of that knowledge is part of the reason God's people are being destroyed? Well if the devil is our adversary, what are we to do about it? Check the next verse.

1 Pet 5:9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Peter tells us that we are to resist. What does that mean? Here is Webster's word on resist. Resist: to withstand, strive against, or oppose. Strive: to contend in opposition, battle, or any conflict. Contend: to assert or maintain earnestly. Assert: to state strongly or positively; I think you will agree by the time we finish that the last is the proper meaning.

2. Many people have the erroneous idea that we are physical beings but we are not. We are spirit beings living in a physical body in order to operate in this physical world.

Jesus told us this in John. John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

You might ask: What does God being a spirit have to do with us being a spirit?”. This is what it has to do with it.

Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our IMAGE, after our LIKENESS: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.

One more scripture. Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. See. It says that man became a living soul not a living body. Webster's word again. soul n. 1. the principle of life, feeling, thought, and action in humans, regarded as a distinct entity separate from the body; the spiritual part of humans as distinct from the physical.

Now that we have established the reality of us being spirit, what does that have to do with our warfare? Well, for one thing, it means that there are three sources for our thoughts. Some of course, are our own. Some are from the Holy Spirit, and some are from the devil. Look at these scriptures.

2 Cor 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal(of the flesh), but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

2 Cor 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

So our adversary, the devil, uses thoughts to bring us into captivity and to destroy those who don't know the truth. That is his method of operation.

Prov 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Jesus tells us here how we bring things to pass. What is in our heart is what we speak. Here are some instructions to follow.

Unfortunately, The KJV leaves us hanging because some words are not translated properly. The Greek word translated followers means imitators. So, how does a child imitate a parent? They walk, talk and act like them do they not? All the power is in talking.. How does God talk? Let's find out.

1 Cor 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

1 Cor 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are:

Notice that God has chosen things that are not to bring to nothing the things that are. Well how does He do that? Check this.

Rom 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickens the dead, and calls those things which be not as though they were.

Paul just told us that God calls things which be not as though they were. If we are going to be obedient and imitate Him then we will call those things that be not as though they were.

We are actually using our words to bring things that we don't want, or keeping things we don't want, by the words coming out of our mouth on a regular basis.

A lot of times when people find out that the devil is their problem, they start trying to resist him but don't have any success. The reason is two fold. a. They haven't taken the time to get in God's word and build their faith. b. They don't submit themselves to God first as it tells us below.

Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If you be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Mat 4:6 And said unto him, If you be the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil took him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Mat 4:10 Then said Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.

Jesus didn't try to overcome the devil on His own but quoted God's word. That is our defense today but if a person doesn't know God's word, they are defenseless. Whatever God tells us to do, will not be done unless we do it.

Today it is seldom that people come face to face with the devil as Jesus did. But the devil puts thoughts of doubt, unbelief, fear, and evil in people's minds. When those thought enter the mind the person goes with the thoughts not knowing that they are from the devil.

Every evil deed that is done on the earth, no matter how big or small, no matter how it is done or who does it, is the result of the thoughts put into people's minds by the devil.

Someone might ask, “Why would the devil do all of that?”. The answer is simple. He hates God with a burning passion but he can't do anything to God Himself. His only way to get at God is by causing God's children to suffer by their not knowing the truth and how to defeat him.

Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them.

John 16:23 And in that day you shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

If you remember, I said earlier that our weapons are God's words spoken in faith by us. One of the biggest reasons that prayers go unanswered is because the requests are not made in faith. A person cannot ask in faith unless they know they have a right to what they are asking for. If they don't ask in faith, God cannot answer. The only way a person can know they have a right to what they are asking for is to know what God's word says about it. The only way to know what God's word says is to get deadly serious with God get in the word and let the holy spirit do the teaching.

Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Don't you know that if these people searched the scriptures to see if what the apostles told them was true, then people sure better be searching today.

That is an interesting statement by James. He said if we don't do what the word says then we deceive our own selves. Naturally if we deceive ourselves it opens the door wide for us to be deceived by the devil.

Whatever level a Christian is on concerning the word of God if they will be obedient in that and diligently seek with all their heart to learn more and be more obedient, God will give them the knowledge that sets them free.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed;

Jesus didn't beat around the bush here. He said the truth shall make you free. Shall is an imperative. It doesn't mean, maybe, hope so, possibly, if it's God's will. It means you can depend on it.

Any child of God who meets the condition set forth in God's word, as recorded by Peter, that person will be taught by God's Holy Spirit and their lives will be revolutionized.

1 Peter 2:2 As new born babes intensely crave the un-deceitful, unadulterated milk of the word that you may grow thereby.

The fact that we are told to crave the un-deceitful, unadulterated milk is proof positive that the word does get used deceitfully and it does get adulterated. When it does it is harmful rather than helpful.

The phrase intensely crave is like a dope addict craves dope or an alcoholic craves alcohol. While I have never had any experience with either, I have talked with those who have. Those people have one characteristic in common. It doesn't matter what anyone else says thinks or does, they are going to get what they are craving.

How does that apply? This is how. When a child of God makes the decision that they want the truth of God's word above anything else in the world and when they get it they will go with it no matter what anyone else says, thinks or does, the Holy Spirit will teach them.