#218.0497

scottSTANLEY

I have felt very impressed of the Lord to make this study today and even to get into an explanation of the abiding before we have prayer, so that when we have prayer, we can all pray in agreement together and seek the Lord for deliverance from these problems in our lives and these things that hinder--I guess you could say the sin that doth so easily beset us. I would like to explain abiding in Jesus Christ and explain some aspects of it that perhaps we have not understood yet. When we talk about abiding in Christ, we're not simply talking about the fact that Christ lives in our hearts. You know, I can listen to many denominational preachers and all of them tell you that Jesus Christ is to live in your heart, and abide with you. They'll even use that word. But the difference between what they say and what the Lord has given us to preach and to share are the mechanical workings of abiding in Christ. Not again just simply that He's with you, but how to allow Him to rule your life. THAT is what the Lord has made clear to us. Acts 17:26, 27: 

After the statement is made or the fact is given that God has chosen the time and place that each one of us were to live, the very next verse (27) tells us why he chose the time and place that we are to live. And he says, that they should seek the Lord if haply they might feel after him and find him. Now that verse is very revealing because it tells you how you find the Lord. It says that you feel after him. In past studies, I've pointed out that this is a heart verse. It doesn't use the word heart, but that is what he's talking about. It is in your heart that you feel things, that you feel after God and find him. Connect this with Romans 6:17,18: 

17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, [and we could just put self right there, because anything that's not of Christ's faith is sin] but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

We were the servants of self, sin, but you have obeyed from the heart into a form of teaching which was delivered you.

 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

Again, you seek and feel after God in your heart, and you obey from the heart into a teaching delivered you. Now, in so far as I have understood it, that teaching that we obey from the heart that sets us free from sin is the abiding truth. And again, abiding is the mechanics of allowing God to rule in your heart. In Romans 10, he speaks of this as the word of faith and it is abiding in Christ. Paul will define this for us. I would like to read this with you and point out a depth that I have never seen before. In Romans 10:6:

 6 But the righteousness which is of faith [which is the abiding truth, what we've been speaking about, speaks like this] speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

But what does it say? Now here it is, the righteousness which is of faith. Here's what it says. The word of Christ is nigh thee, even in your mouth, and in your heart. That is the word of faith which we preach. Now if that be so in your life, if the Lord is in your heart, and in your mouth, the following verses tell you how to be delivered from the bondage of sin. Follow this closely:

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

If you will confess or speak the same things with your mouth, that the Lord Jesus would speak, and believe in your heart that God accepted that sacrifice, that He is living, in fact He's alive in me, and these are His words, believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. Notice in verse seven, it isn't who is going to descend into the deep, to bring up Christ again from the dead. You see, that's something you're already supposed to understand and believe, and that you are saying the same thing that He says with your mouth, you will be saved. 

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

Let's talk about "with the heart you believe unto righteousness." There isn't a single one of you that doesn't already know in your heart the things you are doing in your life that God does not approve of. You already know it in your heart, the sin problems that you are facing. And if the Lord Jesus Christ were to literally walk into your house and come over and physically stand inside of your body and be in your shoes and literally have that happen, you already know changes that He would make in your life if He were to live your life. Now with your heart you can sense that right and that wrong. With your heart you believe into righteousness, into what is right. With your heart you believe into that. Take this thought and look at Romans 2:14. In Romans 2:14, he talks about the Gentiles which don't have the law, and yet they do the things contained in the law. He says that they are a law unto themselves. 

15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

Isn't that the new covenant? If I were to go read the scriptures about a new covenant will I make, I'll write my law on their hearts; well, here Paul defines what that means. He says they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience accusing or excusing. Take this thought and go to verse 26:

 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

Therefore if the uncircumcised people keep the righteousness of the law... What does he mean by circumcision? Again in verse 29, circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit. You see, in Jer. 17, we are told that our hearts are deceitfully wicked, desperately wicked - and we know that about ourselves. But what is it that keeps our hearts pure and clean? With the heart I believe unto righteousness, but now the next part is, with my mouth confession is made. See, I will speak it as Christ will speak it. So here is the abiding truth. Not only do we allow the Lord to search our hearts, "search me O God and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts;" not only do we allow his mentality to come into us and to look at our lives the way He would look at it and receive His understanding, but then to profess it, to say it as He would say it, to call it as He would call it.

How do you speak to those in your family? What kind of sin problem, what kind of rut have you gotten yourself into, you see? If you sit back and say, well you know, the Lord knows me. He understands what I'm going through, and He knows the pressure I'm under, and He knows....and we lay it all out there, that's presumption. That is not speaking it the way the Lord Jesus Christ would speak it. Again, search your heart. Search your heart, take a long look at your heart and realize what it is. Face what it is, accept what it is that you know God wants you to change and do differently, and then call it the way He would call it. That is the abiding truth, to hear the voice, be swift to hear, slow to speak your own words. That is the abiding truth. Take this over to Ezekiel 36:25:

 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

That clean water that he will sprinkle upon you is what you just heard in the abiding message - the fact that He lives in your heart, the fact that He will search your heart with His understanding, the fact that you must confess the Lord Jesus Christ, speak as He would speak and call it as He would call it and face it as He would have you face it. That is the clean water. And He says when you receive the clean water: 

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you:

Stop for just a moment. What comes first? Obedience to God or the Holy Spirit and then obedience? Well, it depends on what you claim to be obeying. Hold your place in Ezekiel 36 and look at Acts 5:32:

 32 And we are his witnesses of these things [words]; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The Holy Spirit is given to them that obey Him. Well, when I say this word "obey" somehow I think in our minds we get this picture of the law and the statutes, and judgments and all these things that we've got to do but that isn't what he's asking you to obey. There's one labor, and that is to be in Jesus Christ. That is how you are in Jesus Christ. You let that voice remain in you and you let Him search your heart; you let Him guide your life and you confess it and call it as He would call it. You see, that is to obey God, that is what He wants you to do. And when you obey God, the Holy Spirit is given unto you. That's why I said in Ezekiel 36, that the clean water is that abiding message. Let's look at Ezekiel 36 again:

 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

You see, that's how you receive His spirit within you. You take His thoughts and you speak His words and you live His life, and when you do that, He is giving you a new heart. Now your heart is desperately wicked but what is it that keeps your heart pure? It is to speak it as He would speak it. That is what keeps you pure. If you speak it in your own presumption, then you come up with all the excuses and all the reasons why it is OK to live the way you're living and to do the things you're doing, and to be the person you're being, even though in your heart, you sense in your heart that you are not clean, and again you know that if He were to walk into your house, and sit down at the kitchen table with you, and talk to you, He would not approve of your life and what you're doing in it. You already know that. All right, with your heart believe unto righteousness. With your heart, your conscience accusing or excusing, believe unto righteousness. Now call it what he would call it. When you do that, you are receiving a new heart, you are receiving a new spirit, you are receiving a heart of flesh. And He says I will walk in you and cause you now to keep my statues and my judgments, and you'll do them. But again, the labor of God is abiding in Jesus Christ, and abiding in Jesus Christ is more than the fact that He lives in your heart. Abiding in Jesus Christ is how to let Him rule in your heart. Jesus asks this question. Why do you call me Lord and don't do the things that I say? I want to have a word of prayer with you before we get further into this study.

 Most Gracious Heavenly Father, You are Yah the only true and living God and You have brought us such a depth of understanding of how to allow Your only begotten Son to bring You into the very depths of our soul. And we accept that and we pray together and confess unto You, Father, our sins and our lack of searching You with our hearts and our lack of confessing the Lord Jesus Christ. We ask You to forgive us. We pray, Heavenly Father, to be set free. We pray, Heavenly Father, to receive that new heart and the holy spirit which You say You give to those who obey You, who receive that clean water of sprinkling and allow the spirit to come into our lives. Again, there is no other God but Thee and how we long to glorify You with our lives. Father we know we need to obey You. Obedience to the faith of Christ is the reason this gospel is given to us and we pray to glorify You with it. Heavenly Father, I pray from this point forward that our lives change and that You be absolutely in control of us, that we give You that dominion so that You can be seen, that we might be walking out of darkness in Your perfect light. We ask, Heavenly Father, that You would bless this study and help us see that we might help others. Only the blind lead the blind. We pray, Heavenly Father, that Jesus might give them sight. And we ask it in His precious name, Amen.

Now, we have learned to define truth from John 14:6 where Jesus Christ said I am the way, the truth and the life. But in recent studies the Lord has shown me a scripture in Proverbs 23:23. And this seems to kind of fine tune that meaning of truth so I'd like to share this with you. Proverbs 23:23: 

23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.

Now, first of all, the word "also" isn't there. If I take the word "also" out of this verse it leaves me with a bible definition of truth. Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. We know from past studies, years ago, how wisdom is a picture of the Saviour and we know again, in John 14:6, he says, I am the way, I am the truth, and I am the life. In this scripture it seems to uphold that, the fact that truth is defined here as these three things: wisdom, instruction and understanding. And when you think about it, those three words define what we have been talking about already in this study. The wisdom of God, the instruction of God and the understanding of God. If you are living as a Christian, having had a born again experience, and you understand the wisdom of God is Christ, and if you are not receiving his instruction as we described earlier, where you seek him with the heart, and profess it as he would profess it, confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and then receiving his understanding, you're not walking in Christ. You're not walking in the truth. The truth is wisdom, instruction and understanding. If you are still living with your thoughts on the earth and you are not understanding spiritual truth, then that is not Christ's understanding.

How can you say that you have the man when you walk not in the wisdom of God, when you receive not God's instruction and when you walk not in his understanding? It's one thing to be a baby in Christ and to grow into these things, but remember the Saviour said, if I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have had sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin.

So I began tracing out the word "fool" because fools, through Proverbs, are described as people who reject God's wisdom, God's instruction and God's understanding, God's knowledge, God's perception. They seem to reject all of that. There were two words that I traced out in particular. [191] in the Strong's and [3684]. Both of these are different Hebrew words, but they appear to be synonymous as you trace them through the scriptures; synonymous in that they both reject God. Let me tell you something. You can be a bible believing Christian and still not be walking in Christ's wisdom, not receiving Christ's instruction and not receiving Christ's understanding. So I want to read some of the scriptures that are laid out for us concerning the fool.  Remember, there are two different words for fool but they seem to be synonymous. There are scriptures that seem to tie the two together and we will get to those, but for right now let's just read starting Proverbs 1:7:

 7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: right there, I could put--the Lord's knowledge. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of His knowledge.] but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

So here we have this word "fool" [191] and also the word "despise" [936]. It actually means "to trample with the feet." They trample wisdom and God's instruction with their hearts. They hate God's knowledge. Do you want me to tell you why people hate God's knowledge? Because God's knowledge is to trust absolutely and solely in God. That is what God's knowledge is; that is what he is teaching us to do--not to trust in your self and in your own definition of the Bible, but to lay everything aside and, by faith, reach into the mind of Christ and receive the knowledge of God. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of his knowledge. Fools trample under feet Christ and the instruction from Christ.

Now, let's stay in Proverbs 1 and look at verse 20. We're going to look at the other fool [3684]: 

"Concourse," where is that? In the opening of the gates of your understanding; in the city she utters her words, her speech. This is taking place inside of your mind. 

How long will you easily enticed people love to be easily enticed? And you scorners who make a mock at sin? How long will you delight in your scorning? And you fools [3684], how long will you hate knowledge?

 23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.

You see, right there in verse 23, the fact that he makes known his words unto you, that is receiving his Spirit. You don't receive his Spirit just simply because you ask. You receive his Spirit because when he makes known his words to you, you receive them and you walk in his Spirit. But in verse 24, he says:

 24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: [and would have none of my reproof]

 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

29 For [because] that they hated knowledge, [they hated God's knowledge] and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would [have] none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

32 For the turning away of the simple [easily enticed] shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. [and in this prosperity, in their own peace, in their own riches that they possess, their own thoughts, their own understanding, is going to destroy them] 

Remember at the end of Revelation when the beast and false prophet are destroyed, their flesh is consumed by birds, by the unclean spiritual thoughts that they refused to lay down, and their own riches destroy them. So here we have both fools in Proverbs 1: [191] and [3684]; and we see that they are synonymous. Both hate the knowledge of God. Both despise God's knowledge, God's wisdom, God's instruction. This doesn't have to be an atheist. This doesn't have to be somebody who totally rejects knowledge about God. We're talking about people who claim to be in the church and who reject the knowledge of God. That's two different things.

 Proverbs 3:35

Shame is self. Shame is nakedness and this word "shall be the promotion" is actually "to exalt". Look in your margin. Fools exalt their shame. The wise inherit glory, but shame or self is what fools exalt. Again, I hate to sound like a broken record, but it's like I want to make this point that as you read the scriptures, if you are remaining literal in your interpretation of them, that is your "self" interpreting the book. The only thing you exalt is self when you teach that stuff.

We know that Proverbs 8 is about Christ: 

3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. [Remember Rev. 3:20, I stand at the door and knock]

Ezekiel 36: I'll give you a new heart, I'll put a new spirit within you. Everyone has a heart. Not everyone is walking in the heart of Christ. I just want to read a few of these verses as we go through here. Proverbs 10:8:

 8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool [a fool of lips] shall fall.

Remember how we stated in Romans 10:10, you believe with the heart unto righteousness, and then with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. A fool of lips shall fall. A wise person in heart will receive the commandments of God. And how do we know you've received them? Because you confess them and you call it the way it is. But a fool of lips will fall. That is the person walking in presumption, confessing that it is OK for them to live the way they are living, saying God knows the way I am. Yes he does. That's why he's giving you the commandment to come out of it. 

9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

If I were to ask you to define sin, hopefully, by this time you would have put 1 John 3:4 and Romans 14:23 together. And you would understand that sin is the breaking of the law but also anything that is not of faith is sin. You would understand that the law, there's only one law that God has given you, and that is to obey his Son. That is the clean water that he sprinkles upon you to turn to his Son and allow his Son to live his life through you. Fools make a mockery of that. Fools make a mockery of sin. To a fool, they'll read 1 John 3:4 and sit on it, and say sin is to break the law. And then they will go and interpret the law for you. They make a mockery of the true meaning of what sin is and they deny God when they do that. Let's look at another scripture, Proverbs 16:22: 

22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but the instruction of fools is folly.

What comes out of a fool's mouth when they instruct you and tell you how to live your life in taking their literal laws? What comes out of their mouth is folly. This word "folly" is [200]. This word "fool" is [191] and they are rooted in one another. What the fool produces is the folly. Well, if you will look in Proverbs 13:16:

 16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open his folly.

This word "fool" is [3684]. But he lays open his [200], his folly. You see, [3684] and [191] are synonymous. They are doing the same things. They're speaking the same things. Let's go to chapter 17:16. Here's a good question:

 16 Wherefore [why] is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom, [possess Christ] seeing he hath no heart to it?

Why is there, in the works of people who reject the knowledge of God, the understanding of God, the instruction of God and the wisdom of God--why do they try to possess wisdom when it isn't in their heart to do that? When He does send a messenger to them to express to them spiritual truth, and elevate their thinking, they reject it. They have not heart to receive it. Good question isn't it? Let's look at chapter 24. The verse I want to read is verse 7, but I can't leave out the first 6 verses. You know, all of this flows together:

 1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with them.

2 For [because] their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by [God's] understanding it is established:

4 And by [God's] knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.

5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of [God's] knowledge increaseth strength.

6 For [because] by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counselors there is safety. [There is safety in the great counselor--not in a multitude of counselors--that is in the great counselor.]

7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate. [Wisdom is too high for a fool, because he doesn't open the mouth of his understanding. He chooses not to open his eyes and his ears to receive from Christ; it is too high for him.]

 Proverbs 29:9

9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man [contends with a fool], whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest [in that relationship].

When a wise man contends with a fool, whether you rage or laugh, there's no rest for you. I'll let you think about that one. I have read these scriptures to you so that we could come to Proverbs 22. There is a scripture that I want to share with you there. Look at Proverbs 22:15: 

15 Foolishness [200] is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

I want you to look at this word "child". Don't look at it as a little kid, but look at it as a child of God. He says, the foolishness is bound in the heart of a child. And I know from my own experience with my own heart (and from everyone that I know that understands the abiding truth, and everyone who doesn't), that foolishness is bound in your heart. To turn from God, to not accept His wisdom, to not accept His instruction, to deny His instruction and to deny His understanding of your situation, this foolishness is in every one of us. And we enter into this abiding truth, seeking salvation and, instantly, we go into another wilderness experience where we begin to learn how to receive the truth from God. To be perfectly honest with you, I think the first part of this study, in looking at Romans 10:10, I'm telling you, that was an eye opener for me, to really understand what it means to believe unto righteousness, and then to confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus. But foolishness is bound in the heart of every one of us. And it is so easy for us to deny that voice, or to go on automatic, and just simply start doing, without thinking about what we're doing. But he states right here that the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. Foolishness is in the heart, but the rod of correction--we know that the rod is a message. What verse comes to your mind when I say that? We're going to turn over there in just a second. But I want you to look at Proverbs 22:17 first because this is the thrust of what the Lord is trying to motivate us to do. He says:

 17 Bow down thine ear, that implies you're standing up, you're erect, you're not humble] and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.

18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee [in your belly]; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

19 [so] That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.

21 [so] That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; [so] that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child of God. But it is the rod of correction that drives it far from him. Revelation 11:1:

 1 And there was given me a reed [message] like unto a rod: [a message of correction], saying to me and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar [heart], and them that worship therein.

If you take Romans 10:10 the way I described it to you earlier in this study, you are worshipping God in your heart. You are worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Remember how, at the end of Romans 2, he says circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit? Here in Revelation 11, there was given me a reed (a message of correction) saying, measure the temple of God and the heart, and them that worship therein. Where was he given his message? There was given me a message. Where did he get his message? In Revelation 11:1, we're tying this in with Proverbs 22:15. There is given me a reed, a message like a message of correction, saying to me to rise, or go higher in your thinking. Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar (the altar is the heart), and them which worship in it.

2 She hath killed her beasts [she hath killed her killing-dying to self]; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. [where you come and sit and dine]

 3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, [of your thinking. Where? in the highest places.]

 4 Whoso is simple [easily enticed], let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, [lacks heart, that word understanding is [3820], heart. If you lack the heart of Christ] she saith to him,

6 Forsake the foolish [easily enticed], and live; and go in the way of understanding [Christ]

What does she tell you to do? Eat my bread, drink my wine. Daniel rejected the food of the king of Babylon, the king of confusion. Now, tie this in to Proverbs 4:14: 

16 For they [evil men] sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

[Why?] 

17 For [because] they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

It's self, it's darkness, it's nakedness. In Daniel 1, from the heavens, Daniel refused to eat the meat and drink the wine of the king of Babylon (confusion). Christ would have us come and eat his bread and drink his wine.

What about Daniel 3? That was the image of gold. That's the plains of Dura, and the image of gold and how the Babylonian king commands that you bow to his idol or that you bow to his understanding. And when you don't, they throw you in a furnace of fire. They bind your hands and throw you in a furnace of fire. But the Lord Jesus Christ is with you. You're not alone as you're thrown into the furnace.

What about Daniel 4? Daniel 4 is the story of Nebuchadnezzar and his pride. He is described as a tree and the tree is cut down, and what is put around the stump? Brass & iron; suffering and the fact that you are in bondage has got to be realized. There is a very special verse, all of us should memorize this. It is Daniel 4:26:

 26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy [your] kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.

After you have known that the heavens do rule, not the earth. The heavens rule. And when you accept that truth, you're on your way.

What about Daniel 5? It's the handwriting on the wall and what took place there? That is the night that Babylon fell. Babylon fell. How did Babylon fall? The gates were opened. The understanding is opened. What takes place? The night Babylon fell, Daniel was made third ruler of the kingdom. Not first, not second. That's for the Father and the Son. He was made third ruler of the kingdom - and Babylon fell.

What about Daniel 6? Daniel 6 is really interesting and I want you to turn there. Daniel 6, of course, is where Daniel is thrown into the lion’s den and, as you read Daniel 6, you'll see something really interesting. These people want to find something against Daniel and, of course, you know they can't. So look at Daniel 6:5:

 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

Speaking from the heavens, I'm going to tell you this again: The only commandment God is giving you is to listen to his Son through your heart and allow him to live his life through you. That is the only law you have to worry about. It is so interesting looking at this in Daniel 6:7:

 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counselors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save [except] of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Interesting isn't it? That is exactly the opposite of the abiding message. We are to only seek the voice of God and they make a decree that you can't do that. They wanted to find something according to Daniel's law to cause him to trip. And, of course, what happened? When they accused Daniel, they tried to have the man consumed by a pride of lions--consumed by pride. And yet, what happened? The Lord showed that they were the ones who were consumed by pride and were not listening to the only true and living God.

I think we have looked at the other chapters in Daniel enough that we could go back and see in there, reading from the heavens, what God is trying to say - except for one point which, again, I want to emphasize in Daniel 7. In Daniel 7:2, it is the four winds of the heavens that burst forth, or strive upon the sea, that cause the beasts to rise up. As the four winds blow upon the sea, that is what causes the beast to rise up. And you know, if you would think about this with me, if you would go back in time, in your mind and just think back to the Christian church, going through the first few centuries, as the four winds of the heavens blew upon the sea of humanity, that is what caused Catholicism to rise up. That is what causes the beast to rise up - because people want to fight it. People don't want to accept the truth, and yet they still want to have peace with God. They begin to build their own tower out of their own bricks and they rise up in opposition to the truth. They have to have their rest and their peace, something to make them comfortable, but they don't want the rest and peace that God is offering because it takes away from them being in control of their lives. And hence, Catholicism.

But note again, the winds of the heavens blew upon the sea and up came the beasts. Now there are scriptures that we can tie together, and I think some of you may have already caught them, concerning Revelation 11. Lets turn there. In Revelation 11, when he begins to give his message (and notice the message is from the two witnesses that you see, Michael and Jesus, for it's abiding), as they speak through, they give their testimony. But there is an interesting thing in verse 2:

 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city [the mind of Christ] shall they tread under foot forty and two months [until they have perfected their wickedness].

And that is what we saw in Proverbs 1: 

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise [trample underfoot] wisdom and instruction.

So we see that we are to give our message to the child of God to drive foolishness far from him so that he can walk accurately in Jesus Christ and allow the very essence of Christ to permeate through him.

Let's turn over to Proverbs 7 and we can conclude this study. Proverbs 7, starting at verse 1, the Lord tells us:

 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. [when you read "commandment" think spoken, because that's exactly what it is.] 

2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. [fruit of your understanding]

 3 Bind them upon thy fingers [faith], write them upon the table of thine heart. [that's the new covenant]

 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

5 [so] That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

Now, he is going to go into a description of a person being caught or entrapped by a whore - but I want you to think of something here with me. There is a scripture found in Hosea 4, verse 11: 

 6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, [what is the window of your house? I look through my casement. What if I just said through my understanding?]

7 And beheld among the simple ones [easily enticed], I discerned [understood] among the youths, a young man void of understanding, [heart--lacking heart, he is lacking the heart of Christ]

9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: [these words define self, in darkness. They're not walking in the light of Jesus Christ, they're walking in their own understanding, and a whorish spirit is getting ready to seduce this person and put him in bondage.] 

11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet [heart] abide not in her house:

If you take that thought over to Proverbs 5:3-8: 

5 Her feet [heart] go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. [the grave] 

6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable [unstable], [so] that thou canst not know them.

8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: [the heart of her house, the understanding of her house, stay away from it.]

Back to Proverbs 7:11: 

11 (She is loud and stubborn [it is that stubborn spirit when somebody tries to share the words of truth and you reject them]; her feet abide not in her house:

13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face [the strengthening of her face] said unto him,

14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows. [or saying that it's acceptable to God, this is acceptable to God. But you see, it's your own understanding, your own presumption, doing this to you.]

16 I have decked my bed [resting place] with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed [resting place] with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. [or I could say, so that they smell like Christ. But it isn't Christ. It's one thing, to have a crown like gold, it's

another thing to have a crown of gold. It's one thing to make it smell like Christ, it's another thing to let Christ come in and the smell of Christ permeate the air.] 

19 For the good man is not at home, he is gone a long journey: [they're not abiding]

20 He hath taken a bag of money with him [in his hand, or the treasure], and will come home at the day appointed. [he will come home at the appointed time. In other words, it admits that Christ isn't in it. It smells like Christ, but he isn't in it. He has gone on a long journey, he has taken his riches with him. Some people will even tell you that you can't understand the riches of Christ, you can't think like he does, you can't be in that place. He's gone on a long journey. Remember the spirit of antichrist denies that he is come in the flesh.]

 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; [There is your word, fool [191]; what comes out of his mouth is foolishness, and where does this woman, where does this mindset lead this man? To the correction of the stocks. What are the stocks? It's where your hands and your feet are bound. Your hands and feet are bound together and this is the correction of the stocks. He has rejected the correction of the Saviour - that's the same word. He has rejected that and he has sought the correction that comes in bondage. And all of us have been there. I pray never to go back to that place again.] 

27 Her house is the way to hell [the grave], going down to the chambers of death.

I hate to stop reading here because it goes on to say: Doesn't wisdom cry and understanding put forth her voice. You see, that is what's happening to us. God has made known to us the fact that He is speaking. He has made known to us how to hear him and how to apply the life of the Saviour to our lives and be conformed to His image. By the grace of God, we have been through the first four days of creation and come to the place where the sun and moon are ruling in the heavens, and have entered into the fifth day where He is putting in us everything that has life. The sixth day, He is going to make man in His image so that we can all enter into the seventh day together. And as the Lord is speaking these things to us, and helping us live the life of Jesus Christ, there is always that thought that steals the Saviour away. There is always that thought, that spirit, that we would rather be married to, instead of the Saviour.

You know, there was an interesting thought the Lord gave me, and I'll share this with you before we have prayer. You know, there are two phases to Christianity. You come out of Egypt and then you come out of Babylon. And He says I called my son out of Egypt. But in Isaiah 62, the sons marry the mother. When do you become united to that Spirit, and when did Christ become united? When did that wedding take place? When that man was resurrected, he died and rose again and when he came out of that grave, he was wedded to a perfect mind. He was united forever to that Spirit that we call the Holy Spirit, the New Jerusalem, the mind of God, the city of God. He was wedded to that.

I've called my son out of Egypt, but the wedding will happen after you die. When you become the third ruler of the kingdom, the gates of Babylon will come open and Babylon will fall. The Lord has given us so many pictures, so many signs, and so many ways to see it and I just pray that the people who are rejecting these truths don't discourage you. I know that God is giving this message to many, many people and remember, the way that he has laid for the Remnant Church is narrow, and few there be that find it. We've come to the end of the world, and this country is saturated with man's understanding of the Bible. I pray never to enter into that place again where I continue to give them filthy water like that. I pray that only the words of Jesus Christ come through my mouth and that man {Christ} is in heaven and he speaks from the heavens, and he thinks from the heavens. And he speaks the words of God.