Tag: gospel

Examining How and What We Eat 

To the pilgrims of Christ in many nations.  We give thanks to the Lord and the Father for opening the eyes of our hearts to see the truth of the Gospel.  May these words accomplish the work the Lord intends in those who hear.

As we are drawn to the Lord, studying the Scriptures and seeking the truth, we consume spiritual food, advancing us into the kingdom.  Having received the Gospel, we now abide in Him and the mystery which is the living Christ, the commandments making us heirs to His kingdom.

Eph 3:4  Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ

Eph 3:5  Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; 

Eph 3:6  That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 

Eating and drinking symbolize the spiritual truths we consume and take to heart.  These beliefs are what guide, nourish, and sustain one on their walk.  As we eat and drink with Christ, we consume His words, meaning His commandments, and take them to heart.  This is the only way of salvation.  What defiles us is what comes out of a man.  If we eat and drink worthily, by eating at the tree of life that is the commandments, we are reaping the fruits of righteousness.  Eating and drinking unworthily at the tree of knowledge of good and evil leads to the wages of sin.

Mat 15:18  But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 

Mat 15:19  For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 

The adage that “you are what you eat” has great wisdom.  The physical acts of eating and drinking show us these truths [Rom 1:20] that are applicable in the spiritual realm of God.  If one eats or drinks poorly, they become sick, diseased, fat, and may even die.  So, it is in the Spirit.   We learn through Daniel that the Lord’s chosen people, having favour with Him, are given better food to eat, even while in captivity.

Dan 1:8  NKJV But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 

Sitting in captivity with the king of Babylon, those favored of God are given special allowances to eat our requested food and refrain from eating and drinking that which the king gave everyone else.  A test was done, and the countenance of the health of Daniel and the others was far better; thus, they continued eating clean food and refraining from the defiled food of Babylon.

Dan 1:15  NKJV And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 

Dan 1:16  Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 

Eating the food the Lord provides brings the true knowledge of God and great wisdom, and understanding.  This food is the commandments.

Dan 1:17  As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 

Abiding in the commandments is our food, the meat of Christ, and the true living bread. This food provides the strength to perform the greater works, doing the work of the Father who sent Christ, who in turn sends us.  This work is preaching the one true Gospel and revealing the mystery to those ordained to receive the truth.  The sons of God are eating of the Gospel of the Father’s commandments.

Joh 4:32  NKJV But He said to them, “I have food [meat] to eat of which you do not know.” 

Joh 4:33  Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” 

Joh 4:34  Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 

The commandments are also about drinking the new wine that is Jesus Christ.  We taste this wine as we witness the first miracle in our walk with Christ.  As chosen disciples, we accompany Christ to a wedding wherein the water of the Word [we knew in the letter, hearing only] is turned into the wine of the Gospel.  Now we walk out our faith being chastened and transformed by the living commandments that is judging us and making our paths straight.  The kingdom of God is no longer near; it has come unto all that receive the Gospel.  Those who hear are invited to come to the wedding feast with Christ.

Joh 2:1  On the third day, there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 

Joh 2:2  Now both Jesus and His disciples [YOU and ME] were invited to the wedding. 

The true mother of Christ is those who keep His Word as the Scriptures declare.  We are the first to drink of this new wine, and it’s a miracle.

The commandments, Christ the living word, is the true knowledge of God that we eat daily as we follow the Lord.  The living commandments are Christ and is the way, the truth, and the life.  At first, we only hear the commands and do not do them, as we must receive the power of Christ working inside His Holy Temple.  We must patiently wait for the power of His indwelling Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to come.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

The Word of God, the commandments are pure and undefiled, reserved for us in heaven as the favored of God.  These living words are the unleavened bread the Israelites ate in the shadow of the Old Testament.  We do not add to it or take away from the commandments; we just do them.

Pro 30:5  Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 

Pro 30:6  Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 

Israel of old was given strict commands about what they could and could not eat under the law of Moses.  These laws are just shadows of the instructions by which the sons of God are to eat the living word of commandments.  We cover just one example for brevity and understanding.  Swine or pork was forbidden to be eaten because those animals do not chew the cud, meaning they gobble down their food without considering it and meditating upon it.  When one quickly eats up everything in sight like swine, one inevitably ingests bad food with the good food and thereby becomes defiled.  The Lord’s commandments are pure and simple and are not to be polluted by anything.  Those in the Lord do not eat with spiritual swine, as we are commanded to be careful in how we eat and conduct ourselves in the household of God.  Spiritual swine are fornicators and gluttons, covetous for even more food and always adding to the Word of God by their eating.  We are commanded not to eat with them.

1Co 5:11  But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 

These are judgments we make daily, judging actions, not the person, and above all, obeying the Lord.  The detailed knowledge of these Old Testament shadows is not necessary for one to come to the commandments [Christ] and be saved.  The example of swine illustrates the allure of flesh that desires to pursue this other knowledge, forgetting the commandments to only eat at the Lord’s table.  In the end, all that matters is a new creation, and only the living commandments in our hearts cause that to happen.  More knowledge does nothing to advance the grace of God.  Eating unworthily, we dishonor our Father and profane the table of the Lord, despising the commandments, bringing polluted spiritual food to the altar of our heart.

Mal 1:7  Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. 

Mal 1:12  But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. 

After first coming to Christ, all drift away from His law and begin to add to and take away from the commandments.  Now eating defiled food of all kinds, resulting in all kinds of spiritual diseases and sicknesses.  There is no overcoming of sin when we do not hearken unto the voice of the Lord, meaning His commandments.

Exo 15:26  And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. 

Before we receive this Gospel, we are plagued with many spiritual plagues and diseases without overcoming.  Believing in Christ’s Gospel, we are hearkening unto the Lord’s commandments, and all of our spiritual diseases are being healed, and we are raised from the state of death into newness of life.  This comes by the way of Jesus Christ, the Word who is the holy commandments of the Father.

Mat 11:4  Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 

Mat 11:5  The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 

Many say but do not do the commandments of Christ.  This is all of us before we get the power of the Gospel.  We labor to be rich and drift away from doing the work of God, which is believing [doing] His commandments.    Leaven creeps into the food and drink, as there are many false prophets, teachers, apostles, gospels, and even antichrists to be endured.  Departing from the commandments is departing from Christ; we leave our first love.

Rev 2:4  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love [i.e. Christ, the Living Word, the Commandments, the Gospel, the Holy Spirit]

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 

This mystery of the Lord’s ways is shown in the fall of Adam and Eve.  All mankind disobeys the commandment and eats from the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The fruit of this tree appeals greatly to the lust of our flesh and the pride of life living inside these clay vessels.  Satan, the serpent who is the spirit of the carnal mind, tempts us to sin, questioning the commandments by asking, “Did God say not to eat of this tree?” The serpent’s lie is mixed with some truth and we readily stray from the simplicity of the commandment.  If correction is not brought quickly, we can completely fall, thus we have this exhortation.

2Ti 4:2  Preach the word [The Commandments, not knowledge]; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 

The tree of knowledge is the devil’s table and not the Lord’s.  Flesh loves to eat from it as we covet knowledge more than obeying the Lord.  Wherever a man’s heart is, there will be his treasure.  The serpent’s food keeps us in bondage to the law of the Gentiles and the accusing and excusing mindset that is the carnal mind.  Rather than doing the commandments, we justify ourselves by gobbling down food, feasting, and becoming drunk with more of the wine of knowledge.   This is a snare that takes the commandments, the living Christ, coming into our hearts to set us free.

Isa 28:13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. 

If we have the living Christ dwelling in us, being sons of God, we have been set free from the bondage of this cruel cobra venom.

Deu 32:32  For their vine is of the vine of Sodom And of the fields of Gomorrah; Their grapes are grapes of gall, Their clusters are bitter. 

Deu 32:33  Their wine is the poison of serpents, And the cruel venom of cobras

Christ, the true bread of the Father, the living commandments, comes to us twice in the plan of salvation.  This is seen in the shadow of the old, where the tablets of commandments we first do not keep are given to us a second time [See Exodus 34].   We need the second coming of Christ to receive the power that is the indwelling Spirit, also known as our Comforter.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 

This is our patience as we wait and pray for Him to come.  Christ leaves us for a season but promises to come again, and then we are eating and drinking at the Lord’s table in the Father’s kingdom.

Mat 26:29  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. 

Going astray, forsaking His commandments [Christ] and eating and drinking unworthily is written in our book as all things are ours to fulfill.  Everyone being saved is first the prodigal son, who leaves their father’s house in search of riches and riotous living.  We leave the Father in our solemn assemblies, pursuing knowledge and spiritual riches, having many festivals of food and wine as we search the Scriptures.  Our hearts are not yet willing to come to the living God, the commandments which is the Gospel.  If we draw near to Him [the commands], He draws near to us.

Living by every word has us getting spiritually fat when we first hear the commandments and have our ears opened to the Words of God.  With full bellies of the wrong food, we fall asleep and forget [perceive not] the truth.

Isa 6:9  And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 

Isa 6:10  Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed. 

Our falling away from Christ, the commandments come first, and then we are given to see the abomination of desolation in our spiritual house.   This is how our hearts are turned back to the commandments.

Isa 6:11  Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate

This strong delusion is unavoidable as it must come to pass before the Lord returns in the day of the Lord and gives us the power to overcome by the indwelling living commandments that is His Spirit.

2Th 2:3  Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 

2Th 2:4  who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 

The Lord’s table of the true living bread and wine, the commandments, is never esteemed by those who walk in the flesh.  We wax fat in our delusions and pride in our spiritual riches, lightly esteeming the commandments.   We therefore sacrifice to our devils and not to God in this our strong delusion.

Deu 32:15  But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. 

Deu 32:16  They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. 

Deu 32:17  They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

But we cannot eat at both tables as it provokes the Lord, whose name is Jealous.

1Co 10:21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 

We are to always examine how we eat and drink spiritual nourishment. Not eating properly makes one weak and sickly, and many fall asleep, doing no work in the kingdom.

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

Eating defiled food, the bread of adversity, keeps our spiritual house desolate without overcoming and afflicted in lamentation.

Lam 1:4  The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. 

Knowing but not doing the commandments is being unfaithful to Christ.  The Lord takes away from those who waste His talents, and thus He takes the Word of commandments out of our hearts.  Without the rain of the living commandments, a famine of hearing the Words of the Lord [Amo 8] comes, and that is how we are turned over to strong delusion.  A jealous God takes away His tabernacle, feasts, and sabbaths that once sustained us.   We have forgotten the Lord our maker and turned our backs on His commandments.

Lam 2:5  The Lord was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strongholds, and hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation. 

Lam 2:6  And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest. 

The Lord must call us out of this strong delusion that represents Spiritual Babylon within us.  In Spiritual Babylon, we feast on food that is everything but the commandments, and we make idols out of our knowledge of the deep mysteries hidden in the law and the prophets.  We become enemies of the cross of Jesus Christ.

Php 3:18  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.

Eating the Lord’s Supper in the Kingdom

When Christ comes the second time, we belong to Him and receive an earnest deposit of His Spirit of the commandments in which we now walk.  This is the true knowledge of God and the heavenly treasures we pursue, being sons of God led by His Spirit.  To those without the living Spirit, these riches are not attractive, as Christ and His Christ are not esteemed by those in the world.  Following the commandments, we become a stench of death to the world, yet for us of like mind,  we are a sweet-smelling savour to one another.  Knowing the Lord is THE HOLY COMMANDMENTS of the Father is how we lean not on our own knowledge and understanding.

Pro 3:5  Trust in the LORD [The commandments] with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

Pro 3:6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The living commandments within us are what give birth to the new man.  They are our beloved and where we lean [trust] in all ways.

Son 8:5  Who is this coming up from the wilderness, Leaning upon her beloved? I awakened you under the apple tree. There your mother brought you forth; There she who bore you brought you forth. 

The commandments, the Lord’s food, lift us out of our graves rebirthing us to a new life in Christ.

 Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord [The Commandments], and he [the commands] shall lift you up. 

There is great joy in our hearts when our eyes open to see this truth.

We have not yet arrived, having only a measure of the Spirit of the Father’s commandments.  Being in bodies of weak carnal flesh, we carefully watch with whom and how we eat the Lord’s supper.  A little leaven of our fleshly lusts can creep in and spoil the whole meal.  Evil company corrupts, and we are to separate those who continue to practice disobedience and take lightly the Lord’s commandments.  Staying with the simplicity and purity of the living commandments is paramount, and we never allow it to be mixed, added to, or subtracted from.

1Co 5:7  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 

1Co 5:8  Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. [The commandments]

Part 2 – Coming Out of Spiritual Babylon

The Orthodox churches that many come through are just the shadow of Babylon.  The true Spiritual Babylon is primarily within our hearts and also outside in our time of fellowshipping with the many called.  In Babylon, we eat King Nebuchadnezzar’s meat and drink his wine. This means we are pursuing our lust, seeking the mammon of spiritual riches, and not being content with the simple food of the Lord’s commandments.

Dan 1:5  And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king’s meat, and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that at the end thereof they might stand before the king. 

Dwelling in Spiritual Babylon [us in our time], we want nothing to do with THE LAW OF CHRIST, the living commandments.  As soldiers of the Lord, we are commanded to be content with our wages, and those wages are His commandments and the measure of His Spirit given.

Luk 3:14  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. 

Only the Lord can give the increase and give us more faith of His commandments, so we wait on Him to bring us the rain and food we need.  This is entering into His rest, trusting Him to provide.

Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Our activities in Babylon are about the riches and the appearances rather than the doing.  This woman is arrayed in expensive clothing and fine gems, having the appearance of Godliness.  Yet in Babylon, we are dead in our sins, separated from the very commandments that save.  The living Christ, the commandments have not been resurrected within us.  We have not heard the call to arise and come forth.  When the living Word of Christ is revealed, the commandments, and our eyes see it, we are amazed, as was John, at just how strong the delusion of Spiritual Babylon is.

Rev 17:3  NKJV So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 

Rev 17:4  The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 

Rev 17:5  And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

Rev 17:6  I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. 

Babylon is known for its many merchants, meaning those who are buying and selling, which spiritually is the accusing and excusing mindset of the carnal mind.  Here we chase riches of all kinds and clean the outside of the cup while we trade in the unrighteous mammon of knowledge, which is trading in the souls of men.

Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 

Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 

Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 

When Christ is revealed and we see Him as the commandments, we understand and are returned to the simplicity of Christ.  His commandments are our food, the true bread of life.  All go into Babylon as it is written in everyone’s book to spend the appointed time until we hear the call to come out of her.  Only those being made faithful, a small remnant, the little flock, escape in every generation, this being the daughter of Zion.  We escape the captivity to both the world and Spiritual Babylon when we take to heart [EAT] the living commandments.

Mic 4:10  Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field [the world], and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies. 

Christ, the commandments of the Father, are raised from the dead within us the day we leave Babylon.  Being delivered from our bondage to the serpent’s food, we now walk in the Spirit of the living God, the perfect law of liberty.  We become His instruments of service to go preach to the others who have not yet heard.

Mic 4:13  Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. 

The Jerusalem of Babylon within us is not the holy city and is instead likened unto Sodom [Rev 11:8] as we, its congregation, eat leavened bread, and sit idle, not working in the kingdom, neither preaching nor obeying the commandments.

Isa 1:9  Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah. 

Isa 1:10  Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

The Lord hates these Babylonian feasts and solemn assemblies that do not bear His name, meaning the commandments are not in them.  The Lord does not accept the sacrifices of fat beasts filled with their own knowledge.

Amo 5:21  I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. 

Amo 5:22  Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts

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Isa 1:11  To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. 

Isa 1:14  Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. 

The Lord sends His angels and ministers to preach His Gospel to the vessels prepared to hear to bring deliverance to the captives.  Some hear this Gospel of the commandments and come out of Babylon, maybe even today, if they understand.

Rev 14:6  And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 

Babylon within us falls soon after we receive this Gospel of the commands.  The lies cannot stand in the presence of the truth.  We no longer drink of the poison wine from the devil’s table.

Rev 14:8  And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 

The day we leave Babylon and hear and believe the law of Christ, the commandments, is a holy day and brings us great joy.  We are returned to our first love, that is, the living commandments.  Now we are eating the living bread and drinking the wine of life, and sending portions to others by preaching this Gospel.  The joy of the Lord, these indwelling commands, is our strength.  This is the fat, the best portion of the Lord we are eating, which keeps us on the right path, building the temple of God.  Here is the witness for our admonition.

Neh 8:9  And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. 

Neh 8:10  Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepare [Those hungry]; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 

Neh 8:11  So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 

Neh 8:12  And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions [preach the Gospel] and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them. 

The commandments are the hidden treasure of the Lord and the mystery of the Gospel.  When we find this treasure, we sell all the Babylonian spiritual possessions we once valued, and like Paul, we consider it all dung [See Phil 3:4-11].  It is with great joy that we buy the field where the treasure of the commandments is hidden, as the parable shows.

Mat 13:44  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

All men are naturally born spiritual merchants, buying and selling being under the law and its accusing and excusing mindset.  But when we are given to find the pearl of great price, that is the Lord’s commandments, we sell all we have to buy it. Let them with ears to hear and eyes to see receive the Gospel of Truth.  The rich young ruler lacked the ability, the faith of the commandments [Christ], to make this deal with the Lord

 Mat 13:45  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 

Mat 13:46  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 

The merchandising stops.  We are now eating at the Tree of Life and holding to the wisdom of the Proverbs.

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

Most miss this everlasting Gospel preached by the Lord’s angels, as they cannot discern the time and do not recognize Him working through His ministers, supposing they are just gardeners. Most remain sleeping, well fed and comforted at the contemptible table of devils and stay in Babylon.  We pray these words from the Lord open some eyes to see the mystery.

Rom 11:7  What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 

Rom 11:8  (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 

Rom 11:9  And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 

Rom 11:10  Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back always

Receiving this Gospel of the commandments hidden for the ages, we now rejoice and are being made ready and granted our spiritual clothing in the Lord.

Rev 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 

The Wedding Feast of the King

We must be sincere in our faith in the Gospel and embrace the holy commandments with our whole heart, mind, and soul.  Some try to enter into the Lord’s feast without the necessary preparation, which is believing the Gospel of commandments.   Some come without this faith, wearing defiled garments.  We see this in Matthew’s parable of the wedding feast.

Mat 22:11  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 

We only come to the feast and into the kingdom of God through Christ, meaning only by way of the Holy Commandments.  These commandments, Christ is the door and the only way to enter.  Anyone coming any other way is a thief and a robber and was not made ready.

Joh 10:1  “Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 

Joh 10:2  But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

All who come before Christ to show us the way without the commandments are thieves and robbers.  The commandments of Christ are the only door by which we enter into the true feast and partake of the tree of life.   The true sheep do not hear these false teachers and prophets and, in time, are brought in by the door.

Joh 10:7  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 

Joh 10:8  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 

Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

The righteousness of the saints is our faith of Jesus Christ, the living commandments.  Our hope of salvation rests on them and nothing else.  This is the wedding garment required to eat at the true feast of the Lord.  Without actionable faith in the commandments [pursuing holiness], no man shall see the Lord.

Mat 22:12  And the King siith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless [muzzled]. 

Mat 22:13  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

Mat 22:14  For many are called, but few are chosen

The Lord separates His little remnant, the pure virgins having oil in their lamps.  They are the true bride of Christ, having made themselves ready by enduring the persecution and suffering for their faith in the commandments.  We cannot enter in being ashamed of the Gospel, no, we must be bold and preach it to all the nations and kingdoms within and without. Nobody without a wedding garment is allowed to remain at the feast. The Lord, the living commandments,  takes them away and muzzles their mouths.  Those not ready are cast out from the true ones and separated from the remnant being saved.    May the Lord make this clear to all who hear.

As the Lord’s servants, we bid many to this feast by preaching the Gospel, but very few come.  We are commanded to call not our friends, brethren, kinsmen, or “rich” neighbors, but rather go to the poor without all the knowledge, the maimed, the lame, and the blind.  Those who need a physician are the lost sheep now being found.

Luk 14:12  Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 

Luk 14:13  But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 

Luk 14:14  And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. 

The Lord’s ministers are sent to those who cannot invite us back to a feast.  We are not leaving the table of the Lord where we eat His commandments.  We give and expect nothing in return; our reward is Christ.  It is better to give food than to receive it.  Blessed are those who come to our feast, they shall eat the true bread of life.

Luk 14:15  And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 

Many are bidden [called] but very few come because the Lord’s feast is not alluring to flesh versus the devil’s table.  The Babylonian merchandising and trading at the tree of knowledge is far more attractive, and there is no persecution to bear.

Luk 14:16  Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: [Many Called]

Luk 14:17  And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 

Very few of the “spiritual Jews” of the circumcision [THE RICH], those steeped in all the knowledge of the Scriptures and especially the law and the prophets, come to the feast.  They are not hungry and are already filled and need nothing, trusting in their knowledge of the Scriptures to save them.  These are those Paul wrote about to Timothy [2Tim 3] being high-minded, covetous, and proud, having a form of godliness but denying the power of the commandments.  They are ever learning the Scriptures but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, which is the Gospel and is the wedding feast.  From such we turn away and now go to the Gentiles.

These parables of the Wedding Feast give the excuses as to why those called do not come.  They don’t come to the feast of the Lord because they are preoccupied with their fields [the world] or engaged in merchandizing, the buying and selling of knowledge.  They remain bound to the wrong law, being a law unto themselves, and esteem lightly the commandments of the Lord.

Mat 22:5  But they made light of it, [THE COMMANDS, THE FEAST] and went their ways, one to his field, another to his merchandise: 

Luke’s version confirms all the excuses pertain to being engaged in merchandizing and being married to the world.

Luk 14:18  And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 

Luk 14:19  And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 

Those who refuse the invitation of the angels [Rev 14], reject the Gospel and remain in Spiritual Babylon.   They were not given to hear the commandment to come out of her my people, because as yet they are not His people.  The Lord’s house is filled so like the Apostles, we now turn to the Gentiles and go find the lost sheep scattered to many nations.

Luk 14:21  So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 

Luk 14:22  And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 

The door into the wedding feast is closed to those who refuse the Gospel. Remaining on the outside, partaking at the table of knowledge of the tree of good and evil and they shall not taste of the true living bread that is the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ.

Luk 14:24  For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper. 

Those who reject the living commandments after hearing it preached turn on the Lord’s messengers, hating us, thereby holding murder in their hearts.  This is a betrayal of Christ, and the Lord sends His wrath and destroys those who blaspheme against and hate Him [the commandments].

Mat 22:6  And the remnant [that would not come] took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 

Mat 22:7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

Mat 22:8  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. `

Those who reject Christ are rejecting the commandments and are unworthy of eternal life in this age.  We see this in the Acts of the Apostles, as most of the “circumcision”, meaning the Jews having all the knowledge of the Scriptures, reject the Gospel and strive against our preaching.

Act 13:45  But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 

Act 13:46  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 

We are given a ministry to go and preach the Gospel.  We now rejoice in our newfound joy of the lively hope of Christ and the resurrection of His Holy Commandments from the dead.

Isa 61:10  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. 

Grace and peace to the scattered brethren in all the places of this earth.