The Porter and the Door

John 10:1 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”

I love this chapter of scripture because I love being part of the fold of God. I love being a child of God, I love that God gave me all of this. I am so thankful that before the foundation of the world God made a fold and filled it with sheep, and God chose me to be part of that fold as a sheep. I am thankful that before the world was created that God gave His flock His elected Shepherd, Jesus His own Son. Wow, just thinking about it all sends wonderful chills up and down my entire being. This chapter lays out God’s full plan and fulfilment of salvation. It tells us so many beautiful things about what God has done for us in salvation. First it tells us that the fold has a “door”, and this door is the one single way into the fold of God that houses the sheep. V. 2 “But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” If you are going to be a sheep in the fold of God then the door is the way, you cannot enter another way. V. 1 “…He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” There is one door, and that door is Jesus Christ, if you do not go thru Him to be saved then you are a “thief and a robber” and not a sheep. The door has a Porter, “To him the porter openeth” V. 3 the porter controls the entrance through the door, if the porter opens the door and when you hear the Shepherd call, then come inside. If the Porter never opens the door you will never hear the Shepherd’s call because the Porter only opens to the Elect. “he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.” V. 3 His own, is the elect. John 17:2 “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.” It is only in the Shepherd that the sheep will find everything they need, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. Good food for His sheep, fed to them by His under-shepherds in His churches. Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:” V. 10 the false churches and the false ministers in those false churches, they seek to steal from Jesus’s churches and trying to destroy them. They are thieves and robbers trying to steel the name church and truth, trying to change it all into lies and deception. V. 12 “But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.” He is not a true Pastor he is a “a wage worker” of Satan and only seeks to profit, he truly only cares about the money. The more sheep he can steal the more profit he can have. He will leave the flock for more money more prestige, he doesn’t care about the church. “The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.” V. 13 Jesus cares about the flock, because He died for them, His under-shepherds love and cares for the flock because they are Jesus flock. Money means nothing to them, while most are given love gifts it is not required. A true shepherd of the Lords flock never allows money to interfere with the care of the Lord’s flock. The Lord Jesus Christ is our Shepherd He is our caretaker, He will never leave us not ever forsake us, ever! Our Shepherd knows us, He has known us since before the foundation of the world. We know Him because God created us to love Him and to hear His voice when the Holy Spirit opens the door and we hear His sweet call. But until the door is opened and the Saviour calls no one will ever hear His voice. I thank God I had the ability to hear the sweet voice of my Saviour and when I did I answered the call because my Father made me to hear it.  V.V. 28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” Amen!    

Christians Do Not Need To Worry.

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (7) And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6 – 7

If you are a Christian then you are a child of the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords. Jesus said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.” John 10:28 – 29 Please just give that some thought! No one, no one at all can do anything to us in any way unless God allows it, and if God allows it, it cannot be stopped. Our Heavenly Father is over all and controls all, only He can control our everyday happenings in life. Paul writes to this Philippian church “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing…” I have read where this church and people were a very worrisome people, but aren’t we all like that, yes, we are. My mother was one of the most worrisome people I ever knew that woman worried about every child she had until she went to be with the Lord. But God said we are not to worry, and as His children we have nothing to worry about. To be careful for nothing means - to be anxious about or to take thought not in even one thing or person – meaning, we are to never fear anything but God. God said "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: (14) Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:13 – 14 We must remember that our life is in God’s hands, He has set our bounds, therefore everything is in God’s ordained and predestined will, nothing will happen differently. God went on to say, “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” James 4:15 Instead of thinking about something, we ought to be to praying about it, because the answer is not within us until God reveals it to us. Job wrote, “(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)” Job 8:9 Bildad kept telling Job he needed to repent, Bildad spoke to Job as though he knew what God was doing, he thought Job had sinned and was being punished by God, but he was wrong. Folks, our life is God’s to give, it is not in our hands, nor is our destiny is not in our hands. Our life, the good, bad, pretty, and the ugly, is all the ordained will of God. Look, God allowed Satan to bring ugliness to Jobs life because God was proving to Satan how strong Job was, or how strong God had made Job. We are nothing without the power of God, not only in somethings, but in every detail of our life. We can only do as God allows and will accomplish as God gives grace. God went on to say, “…but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” All we must do is to ask God because it is He who gives us our understanding, He gives wisdom and knowledge, only God knows. We sometimes think we know this or that only to find out we don’t know anything; we don’t know God’s will until God reveals it. If we have a need then ask of God because God is the only one to help, remember this, “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. (8) Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matthew 6:7  - 8 Folks, do not worry about things, just trust in God, He is our Father and He greatly cares for us. He has promised to supply all our needs as He chooses. His choices may not be our choices but believe me, God knows our every need in life. He will never leave us on our own, He will always and in everything be controlling the situations of life. It doesn’t matter what life brings we are not alone, the decisions and choices are not ours, ask God He has the answer. Even if it leads to our death, it is God’s purpose in our life. So beloved, be careful in nothing, if God leads you into it, He will get you through it. God never leaves us on our own, no matter what. God promised Joshua these words, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9  We, His children have that same promise!

Easter is not about the Resurrection

Acts 12:4 “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

As Christians we need to understand that there are no holidays that God has ordained as scriptural. Also, as Christians we should not share an ordinance of God with the world. Christianity and the world do not mix. The world hates Jesus, and they hate His Father, and because they hate them, they will hate Christians and who we are. Luke 6:22 “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.” The world does not celebrate the Lord Jesus Christ, they detest Him, they hated Him so much they crucified Him for nothing. They hate churches, they hate the bible, they hate the truth of that bible, the world would never celebrate anything praising our Great Lord. Christians are ordained to worship is “spirit” and in “truth” not in fantasy or fiction. John 4:23 - 24 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” We must understand that there are two kinds of worshipers in the Christian world, (1) true and (2) false, therefore, just because people call themselves worshipers of God does not mean they are. True Christians and churches worship every Sunday morning also called the Christian Sabbath or the morning Jesus rose from the grave. That resurrection had nothing to do with “Easter” because the word “Easter” means “Passover” not the “Resurrection”. The entire meaning of easter is not about Jesus or the resurrection and therefore it is wrong for churches to celebrate it in their service. How can a church celebrate easter and remain in “Truth”? Isn’t the church supposed to be the “pillar and ground of truth”? First the word is given a false definition because it means Passover, second it is falsely defined as the Resurrection, third it is more about the easter bunny and easter eggs and little to do with Jesus or His resurrection. Oh, and “NO” it is not ok for a church to celebrate this holiday. Some may ask “what does it hurt”, it hurts a churches worship in “spirit” and “truth”, how can you worship in truth if you’re celebrating a lie. For a church or Christians to share any event, no matter the name of it, with Jesus is unscriptural, because Jesus doesn’t share His glory with a fictional Easter Bunny or a Santa Clause. Even if these two fictional personalities were not mentioned, the bible never instructs us to celebrate either event with the world. Be careful what you do in your worship and make sure it is “scriptural”, “in Truth”, and “spiritual” and neither Easter nor Christmas meet these requirements.                   

Jesus speaks to the church before His ascension.

Acts 1:4 - 5 “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. (5) For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

It is my conviction that this was Jesus’s final farewell to the church He had started. I understand that most believe that the church started in Acts 2, but I believe that the Lord Jesus Himself started the church during His earthly ministry. I also am a convinced man that it was the leadership of the church that the Great Commission was given too. Therefore, I must conclude that the authorized power to present the gospel message, the authority to teach all nation, and the power and authority to baptize belongs to the local church. The New Testament covers a lot of years, basically from 27ad to 90ad (they years are not exact but and example) therefore a lot happened in those 60 or so years. Jesus started calling His church out after His temptation, Matthew 4:18 - 20 “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. (19) And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (20) And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” Until this time the preaching of the gospel was in one man’s hands, John the Baptist who was in jail when Jesus started calling out His church body. Here in Acts chapter 1 we can see the church that Jesus started and it was located in Jerusalem. Acts 1:12 “Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.” Just as Jesus gave the church leadership the great commission, He also here gives them other commissions. (1.) “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem…” The church was never to act on their own, she has always waited on the leadership and the power of God, either in Jesus or the Holy Spirit. Since Jesus had ascended the church was to wait on their empowerment of the Holy Spirit. (2.) “but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” This means the church’s power would be totally immersed by the Holy Spirit, every move would be under the authority and leadership by the Holy Spirits empowerment. The church should never act alone of God’s power. (3.) The church did not know God’s plan, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” Since the church did not know the plan of God, it could not execute anything without the power of God who is Omniscient. The churches today should never move until the Holy Spirit has clarified the Fathers go ahead.  After Jesus had left the church, she must have felt alone, saddened, but they continued to hold worship services, (13) And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. (14) These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” We also see the church membership vote on a replacement for Judas who betrayed Jesus. (26) “And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” (My personal opinion on this vote is a whole story in itself.) However, the vote shows to us that the church, 120 members in place made a choice and made a vote to select another Apostle. The thought here is (1.) the church existed before Acts 2, and (2.) the church must be empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to make any move. The churches are not alone because Jesus’s promise to them was God would never leave them alone but that the comforter would always be with them and their empowerment would be the Holy Spirit. We see the results in chapter 2:41 “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” All I can say is, Wow!

Liars are deceivers.

Galatians 1:6 – 7 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

Satan is very powerful, he is very persuasive, he comes in the light of Christianity but is a deceiver. He is so sly he can even fool some Christians. As Christians we need to keep our faith charged up because no one is beyond being deceived, Satan is just that powerful. If you fail to charge your spiritual energy every day, if you fail to pray and read your bible every day, if you fail to attend church every week, you are a target for Satan’s deception. We must always remember how God saved us, by His grace and through faith, we had nothing to do with our salvation because it is a gift from God. We must always remember that God said there is only one gospel, Paul describes that gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1 - 4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” It is without question the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, nothing more and nothing less. Paul said this is the very gospel that saved him, and it’s the very gospel that saved every sinner that is ever saved. It is Satan’s goal through his liars and deceivers to change the gospel for another one that includes works.  Paul clearly states the message of the Gospel, because it was this message that the Judaizers were changing. Verses 3 - 5 “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, (4) Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (5) To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Therefore, Paul made it a very important point that if your saved through this gospel then never listen to the Judaizers, who were changing the gospel to include works. Today, in our time they are called Arminian’s, these people get their name from Jacobus Arminius who was Protestant who taught based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian’s that works are part of the gospel. His goal was to combat the Sovereignty of God with works for salvation. Basically, he was an arm of Satan’s liars and deceivers to combat the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Their still teachers of his lies in the world today, they are everyone who teaches works for salvation. Anyone who teaches that a person must do anything for salvation is a deceiver and is preaching Satan’s lies. Ephesians 2:9 “Not of works…”, Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”, 2 Timothy 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”. I could go on and on with scriptures that call them liars, but my space is limited. God said just how these deceivers would change the truth into Satan’s lie, “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: (25) Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.” Amen. Romans 1:24 – 25 Folks, we must understand that Satan is vey sly, cunning, and deceiving, God said he comes as and angel of light but he is a liar and a murderer. 2 Corinthians 11:14 - 15 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” Their messages are always passive, they teach no doctrine, they always tell people how God want’s them to prosper in life. But, behind their phony smile is an evil heart spreading lies, and their reward from Satan is piles of money hid in their houses. Loads and loads of money, because Satan blesses his own servants, but their destiny is the eternal fires of hell. There is an old true saying, if you play with fire you’re going to get burnt. If you play with the devil, if you play in the world’s system and thinking, you’re going to fall into Satan’s deceptive trap. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 Always remember the grace that delivered you and the gospel message that saved you. Because, works takes glory away from Jesus Christ and gives that glory to man’s works, God warned us of this, beware!