Really enjoyed the clear speaking in this devotional today, regarding the amazing characteristic of Christ living in and through His church! As the first line says, "The church is not an entity separate from the Person and work of Christ." WOW!  Ephesians has such a wonderfully high vision of the ekklesia!  Consider verse 22 in the second chapter - "In Him you are also being built together for a dwelling place of God in Spirit."  What words can be used to express this?  As the song says, "It is joy unspeakable and full of glory and the half has never yet been told!"  "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Ephesians 1:22-23 The church is not an entity separate from the Person and work of Christ. We should not think of the church as something different from His Person and work. The church is a description of Christ with the fullness of His Person in His Body resulting in a testimony of all that He has accomplished in His work to produce us as His expression. So the church is simply a manifestation, an extension, of Christ's Person and Christ's work. Coming from various backgrounds, we may have different ideas of what "church" means. The church is a building, or the church is an assembly of people, or the church is what we experienced for years and maybe were disappointed with. "Church" could mean many different things to us. But we need to see a simple and clear revelation of the church--it is nothing less and nothing more than the Person and the work of Christ embodied and expressed through His people. This is the way we need to consider the church. Properly speaking, the church is an extension of Christ's Person and His work. When the Bible says that we are His Body, it adds, "the fullness of Him who is filling all in all." This is how we are Christ's extension. It is by His filling us. As we are being filled, there is an expression of all His riches. Look at His Person, look at His work. Then you know the church. The church is simply Christ Himself and all that He is dispensed into all of us, with all the riches of His Person and His work flowing from each one of us to express His fullness. What a marvelous realization of what the church is. It is just Christ and more of Christ filling all His organic members. From The Supplied Life by B. Freeman

Dan 9:25, The call went out to "restore" Jerusalem, what does that mean? Is it meant to say that the call went out from a gentile king to restore the complete religious system of Israel along with the city? Or is it meant to restore the city alone without necessarily meaning their religion? --- In one sense, according to the Dan 2 statue, Jerusalem cannot be fully restored until the gentiles are no longer ruling the city. That is when the toes end (1967). The statue begins when Jerusalem falls to Babylon. The statue ends when Israel rules the city again (1967).  The entire times of the gentiles (ToGs) is from Gold Babylon until the end of the iron and clay, the whole length of the statue.  The ToGs that Jesus talked about in Lk 21:20-24, 24, was 70 AD until 1967. It was the 2nd part of the statue, the ToGs. This second part of the statue, from 70 AD- 1967, is the subject in the Revelation.   Interesting. I am now thinking about how Jesus is the Ark of the Testament. I did see the imagery in Rev 11:19 where Jesus is revealed.  But now I am thinking of Him being the embodiment of the Ark in His everyday life. Teaching the people, doing miracles, and showing mercy as the living Ark of the covenant. Quite a concept, thank you for sharing those thoughts.     The covenant that Jesus confirmed for 7 years, Gal 3:17, was not ended until 37 AD when most of Israel rejected the new Pentecost gift of the Holy Spirit covenant. It  was not ended when Jesus was killed. His death was from before the world began and a necessity for the new covenant to begin. It was not because they killed Jesus that the covenant was ended, it was because they rejected the new Pentecost covenant. That is the reason that Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. If they would have accepted the new Pentecost kingdom, then they would have been forgiven and protected from the gentiles.    The AoD was Titus in 70 AD, in the temple. Titus, son of Caesar/Perdition. Mk 13:14.   John 19:34-37, this scripture was fulfilled at the death of Jesus. It is past and not future. The thought that Israel will have some kind of future miracle eye opening is not scriptural.  The sign to Israel was the resurrection, Matt 16:4. The sign to present Israel is the restoration of Jerusalem, 1967, Matt 24:30-31, the 5th trumpet. ---- Rom 11:26, " .... all Israel shall be saved, ...", Who will be saved?  Who is "all Israel"? Rom 9:6, "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel." It means that not everybody who is a flesh descendant of Israel is of the Spirit of Israel. That is, just because you are descended from the flesh of Jacob it doesn't mean that you have the spirit of Jacob, that leads to salvation through obeying the gospel call to a covenant with God. The gentiles are adopted into the family of Israel. So when it says that, "all Israel will be saved", it means that all those who are Israel after the Spirit and who have obeyed the gospel will be saved, Jew and gentile, but not those descendants of Israel after the flesh who are unbelievers. These present children of Israel have continued to reject the gospel Pentecost kingdom.   Not everyone has, but apparently not enough to keep the covenant protection over them.   The 3 1/2 times is not years. The 3 1/2 times of the Revelation is 70 AD- 1967.  This is the second part of the Dan 2 statue that Jesus said would complete the ToGs, Lk 21:24. Israel has already completed the time in sack cloth mourning for Jerusalem. The Law and prophets are being taught which witness/testify about Jesus. The time of the gentile trampling is ended and is not future.     Since Jerusalem is restored, 1967, it is impossible for the statue to exist any longer. The Roman iron does not control the people in Israel or Jerusalem any longer. ---- Dan 2:33-34, The feet were iron and clay already before the stone strikes them. " .... which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, ..."  

Dennis, you certainly have put a lot of time and effort into your response. Very nice! I don’t expect to receive any further comments that offer such a response so, if you do not mind, I will try and have a discussion with you on the little horn (and I believe you also agree the “little horn” is a literal person but the “anti-Christ” is NOT  a literal person but is someone who goes against God, His Word, etc. Thus, if I or anyone rejects Jesus, or preaches a different gospel, and does not obey His commands is one that exhibits an “anti-Christ” spirit or behavior.  Consequently, we might simply need to focus on who this little horn is, what does he do to meet the characteristics or attributes of the “little horn,” and perhaps the most important factor is to identify WHEN he arrives or has arrived.    If you would like to move forward with this exercise, on a slow, step by step basis, we might start with Daniel where he is first revealed.    So, assuming you will agree to move forward, I will begin with my thoughts and you might respond- for or against or add and subtract from these comments. 1) the 4 and only 4 kingdoms in Nebuchadnezzar’s image reveals Rome as the 4th kingdom in chapter 2. 2) within the 4th kingdom which is composed of iron (legs and feet of iron), there are two other entities/persons, etc., that are symbolized WITHIN the iron kingdom (specifically shown within the feet).        a) the clay (yet to be identified as to what type of clay) represents the Jews who are now back in Jerusalem (70 weeks of years prophecy at the time of the expected Messiah), and the 10 toes at the end of the feet. At this time in their revealing, God has labeled them as “toes” NOT KINGS. These “toes” have also not be revealed at this time, but will be clearly identified in chapter 7 when God gives us His next vision of the 4 kingdoms and how they have progressed since the time of Nebuchadnezzar. I will stop here and ask for your opinion and thoughts on the above. I would ask you to consider these comments above which come out of Daniel 2 (no need to bring in Revelation, Matthew, Isaiah, etc., at this time.    Let me know if you would like to continue.. thanks, Charlie   

I really like the Underwood one.  I have heard her say both that and How Great tho Art is difficult to sing without getting over emotional.  Both put me over the edge.

NAMES & DESCRIPTIVE TITLES OF THE ANTICHRIST The seed of Satan: Genesis 3:15 (KJV) And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Satan is a mimicker of everything the Lord does. Satan tried to prevent the Messiah from coming by contaminating the bloodline of Jesus via Genesis 6:1-4 and the murder of young children. He has had someone ready in every generation to step in, IE., Hitler. He will have a son (Antichrist), and the False Prophet will act as his holy spirit; most likely, in my opinion, a Catholic Pope. The Little Horn: Daniel 7:8 (KJV) I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. Three nations, powers, or global zones don’t go along with his program; they are defeated and come under his control. A mouth speaking great things: No doubt when he speaks, he will deceive and mesmerize the masses with his eloquent speech as an orator. He will make Hitler look like a stuttering babbler. The King of Fierce Countenance: Daniel 8:23 (KJV) And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. Dark sentences: חִידָה (ḥî·ḏā(h)): n.fem.; ≡ Str 2420; TWOT 616a—1. LN 32.21 riddle, enigma, i.e., the asking of a hard question (as a game) to be solved or guessed, implying scorn or taunting toward the persons being asked (Jdg 14:12–19 passim; Hab 2:6+); 2. hidden things, intrigue, something secret and difficult or impossible to be known (Nu 12:8; Ps 78:2; Da 8:23+). By the power and indwelling of Satan as his son; the Antichrist will have superior intelligence and wisdom to solve problems of the globe. King of Bold Face Biblical Man, King — A later monarch over a kingdom split from the goat’s horn in Daniel’s vision who would understand riddles. Commonly believed to be Antiochus IV Epiphanes, skilled in riddles. This ability implies wisdom in the ancient Near East (see Dan 5:12). Antiochus displays worldly wisdom, making him skilled in intrigue. This designation emphasizes his duplicity (see vv. 25; 11:21, 23, 27, 32). Antiochus Epiphanes was a watered-down type and shadow of the coming Antichrist. The Prince That Shall Come: Daniel 9:26 (KJV) And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. שָׁמֵם (šā·mēm): v.; ≡ Str 8074; TWOT 2409—1. LN 20.31–20.60 (qal) be desolate, be devastated, destitute, laid waste, ravaged, ruined, deserted, i.e., be in a destroyed and ruined state, implying the object or area destroyed is now abandoned from all help, deserted, or in personal poverty.  The Desolator: Daniel 9:27 (KJV) And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. שִׁקּוּץ שָׁמֵם (šiq·qûṣ šā·mēm)1 abomination that causes desolation, a horrible thing which defiles, i.e., an object or event causing the vacating of a holy site (Da 9:27; 11:31; 12:11+) One week is seven days, which represents seven years. The ‘midst of the week’ is precisely the midpoint of the tribulation or 1,260 days of 360-day Hebrew years in [3.5 years; mid-tribulation]. He previously made a covenant with Israel, allowing the Temple to be built and animal sacrifices to resume. As soon as he stands in the Holy of Holies in the Temple and declares himself to be god, in earnest, he will ransack Israel and start martyring the Jews by the hundreds of thousands. They will probably flee to the caves of Petra, Jordan. A remnant of one-third of the population will be protected by the Lord and saved. A Vile Person: Daniel 11:21 (KJV) And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. Vile Person: (bā·zā(h)): v.; ≡ despise, show contempt for, think lightly, i.e., pertaining to feeling of contempt for an object, because it is regarded to be bad, or of little value, often with behaviors toward the object (including speaking scorn and ridicule) which correspond to that contempt (Ge 25:34); (qal pass.) be despised (Ps 22:7); (nif) be despised, be contemptible (1Sa 15:9); (hif) cause to despise (Est 1:17. Flatteries: חֲלַקְלַק (ḥǎlǎq·lǎq): n.fem.; ≡ slipperiness, slickness, i.e., having the state or quality of viscosity, and so be treacherous to walk upon (Ps 35:6; Jer 23:12+); 2. LN 33.251–33.255 empty words, i.e., words that promise, but are not fulfilled, with a focus on the flattering quality of the promises (Da 11:21, 34+), note: some translate as “hypocrisy” and “intrigues” as more specific kinds of falsehoods. The Willful King: Daniel 11:36 (KJV) And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. The Abomination of Desolation: Matthew 24:15 (KJV) When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) The Man of Sin: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; That man of sin: We cannot know who this man of sin is before he is revealed. The Antichrist is revealed when he “confirms” a seven-year covenant with Israel and the many. This also is the ‘official’ start of the seven-year [2,520 days] tribulation. Falling away: Some expound that falling away is the Rapture of the Church, but I disagree. I believe it is a falling away from the true Gospel and, having itchy ears and believing a lie, falling away from having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord. Son of Perdition: I find it interesting that only two people in the Bible are called “son of perdition”; the Antichrist and Judas Iscariot. Perdition: ἀπώλεια (apōleia), destruction, ruin (Mt 7:13); waste, needless squandering of a resource (Mt 26:8; Mk 14:4). 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; The Lawless One; Wicked: 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (KJV) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: The Antichrist: 1 John 2:18 (KJV) Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 1 John 2:22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 John 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ANTICHRIST (ἀντίχριστος, antichristos). A figure empowered by Satan who functions as an enemy of Jesus Christ and the Church. In the context of apocalyptic literature, this figure performs false miracles, deceives many to discourage people from worshiping the true God, and persecutes God’s people and His chosen people the Jews. He will deny that Jesus came to earth in the flesh and deny there is a supreme God and Son of God. ἀντίχριστος (antichristos), ου (ou), ὁ (ho): n.masc.; ≡ Str 500; TDNT 9.493—LN 53.83 antichrist, one who opposes Christ, implying the usurping of Christ and his position 1Jn 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2Jn 7+ The Beast: Revelation 11:7 (KJV) And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Revelation 13:1 (KJV) And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. The Idol Shepherd: Zechariah 11:17 (KJV) Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. Revelation 13:3 (KJV) And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. This sounds as if there’s an assassination attempt on the Antichrist or he is mortally wounded in a battle. The Lord only has the power to resurrect the dead. I suspect this is another deception of the king of destruction and deceit, another lie. The Wicked One: Matthew 13:38 (KJV) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The Adversary: Psalm 74:10 (KJV) O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? The Assyrian: Isaiah 10:5 (KJV) O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. Assyria, the rod of my anger Yahweh used Assyria to punish Israel. Victory in the ancient world was often attributed to the superiority of one’s god. Yahweh is thus presented as truly superior—He, not Assyria’s god, is behind their success. The foreign nations are simply tools in the hands of Yahweh. There’s a long history of Assyria oppressing and enslaving Israel. The Assyrians were Semites (Gen. 10:22), but in the process of time, non-Semite tribes mingled with the inhabitants. They were a military people, the “Romans of the East.” The Profane and Wicked Prince of Israel: Ezekiel 21:25 (KJV) And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, Son of the Morning: Isaiah 14:12 (KJV) How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! False Christs: Matthew 24:24 (KJV) For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. IDENTIFICATION John 5:43 (KJV)  I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. He will come in his own name, and the world will accept him as their messiah; after rejecting the One True Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord. Before the antichrist is revealed, the world will be divided into ten governing units ruled by ten powerful leaders (or kings). The 1973 Treaty of Rome divided the globe into TEN economic global trading zones. It seems possible ten oligarchies may form, as we see forming today. The antichrist, not one of the ten, will arise in power and conquer three of the ten, and they will become only figureheads under him. The other seven kings will submit to him (Daniel 7:23-24; Rev. 17:12, 13, 17). He will come into power before the tribulation (2 Thess. 2:3). He will sign and confirm a seven-year covenant with Israel, which will start the tribulation (Dan. 9:7). The numerical value of his name is 666 (Rev.13:18). The Israelis will know him when he stands in the holy place of the tribulation temple and declare himself to be God (Mt.24:15). Daniel 11:37 (KJV) Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. There’s much speculation and opinion on “nor the desire of women.” It could mean a female worship goddess; he’s a Sodomite homosexual, he doesn’t recognize traditional marriage or is celibate, and has no interest in the opposite sex? I suspect, based on his name, character, traits, and evil like the world has never seen before, he’s a flaming deviant homosexual with not one moral. WORKS OF THE ANTICHRIST He will destroy, deceive, exalt himself, and oppose Christ (Dan. 8:23-25). He will establish a seven-year covenant with Israel, break it after three and a half years, and stop the sacrifices offered during the tribulation (Dan. 9:27). He will desecrate the sacredness of the Jewish temple by standing in the Holy Place (Mt. 24:15) and sitting in the temple, demanding to be worshiped as God (2 Th. 2:3-4). He will set up an image of himself in the Jewish temple, demanding that it be worshiped. Those who don’t are killed (Dan.11:31; Mt. 24:15; Rev.13:14-15). He will magnify himself above and speak against God, and he has no desire for women. (Dan. 11:36-39) He will invade Israel and gain control over many countries. (Dan. 11:40-45) He will obey Satan, demonstrating great power, signs, and wonders. (2 Thess. 2:9) He will be fatally wounded but will be healed. The world will follow him, and he will wage war (Rev. 13:3-4). He will be arrogant, blaspheme God, and overcome the saints (Rev. 13:5-6). He will have authority over the world for 42 months and be worshiped by the world. (Rev. 13:7-8). He will demand that everybody have his mark on them (Rev. 13:16-18).    He will be an elaborate genius.  In Dan. 7:20 we are told that he has "a mouth that spake very great things". As a wizard of words, he will surpass Demosthenes. Here also will the Devil imitate that One "who spake as never man spake." The people were "astonished" at Christ's doctrine (Matt. 7:28) and said, "Whence hath this man this wisdom?" (Matt. 13:54). So will it be with this daring counterfeiter: he will have a mouth speaking very great things. He will have a perfect command and flow of language. His oratory will not only gain attention but command respect. Rev. 13:2 declares that his mouth is "as the mouth of a lion," which is a symbolic expression telling of his voice's majesty and awe-producing effects. The voice of the lion excels that of any other beast. So the Antichrist will outrival orators, ancient and modern. THE ANTICHRIST’S DOOM He will be broken without human agency (Dan. 8:25). What is decreed upon him will be poured out on him (Dan. 9:27). He will come to his end, and no one will help him (Dan. 11:45). He will be slain by the breath of Christ at His second coming (2 Thess. 2:8). He and the False Prophet will be the first occupants of the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:19-20).