Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 13:13-15
13:13. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
13:14. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
13:15. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Verse 11-18 = the beast coming out of the earth, namely the false prophets.
Verse 13-15 =the signs of the false prophet. They perform the great signs until making fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. It is the same as the demonstration of power with the physical signs such as the healed disease, the riches, and so on until making the fire of disobedience without the spiritual signs and purpose.
Why do they make the fire come down from heaven?
Consequently, they become the same as the Antichrist and experience the fire of punishment, until being destroyed in hell forever.
Philippians 3:18-19
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:
3:19. whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame--who set their mind on earthly things.
If we set our eyes and mind on earthly things in the service and ministry to God, we will be influenced by the great signs and the fire from the false prophet and become the enemies of the cross.
It means rejecting the cross and the fire of suffering or the sprinkling of blood.
The only way from God to enter Heaven is through the cross. By rejecting the way of the cross, one will follow the false prophet whose way is comfortable to the flesh, but contrary to the word of God. So, it brings him to the fire of punishment.
Peter was a great servant of God, but he rejected the cross. It means that he also rejected the true teaching Word. Therefore, we must be careful.
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21.From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
16:22. Then Peter took Him asideand began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
16:23.But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!You are an offenseto Me, for you are not mindful ofthe things of God, but the things of men."
Verse 21 is about the way of the cross.
Peter rejected the fire from Heaven (the fire of the cross) because he was influenced by the fire of the false prophets, namely the influence of the world. So, he became the stumbling block or the millstone.
It means becoming the servant of God who has a hard heart and keeps on doing sin to get the physical things. The important thing is that flesh is comfortable. This is the life who will be drowned.
Revelation 18:21
18:21.Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstoneand threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylonshall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
The great millstone is the servant of God who rejects the cross, so he is used in building the false body, namely the body of Babylon.
Revelation 17:3
17:3.So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a womansitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
'a woman' = Babylon.
'a scarlet beast having seven heads and ten horns ' = the Antichrist.
This woman sits on the Antichrist. It means putting the Antichrist as the head, it is the same as relying on money.
1 Peter 2:5
2:5.you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
If we are willing to accept the cross or having the spiritual view, we will be shaped into the living stones even though we are sinners.
The living stone = the royal priesthood = the priests and kings = the holy priesthood.
The processes of becoming the living stone are as follows:
In conclusion, the living stone is the servant of God who is holy, faithful, and righteous. So, he is used in building the perfect body of Christ. It means that we put Jesus as the Head or worship Him as the King of kings and as the Bridegroom of Heaven.
The duty of the living stone is 'to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ'.
There are three kinds of spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God as follows:
Let us bring all our weaknesses to God!
God blesses us.
Revelation 13:13-15
13:13. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
13:14. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.
13:15. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
Verse 11-18 = the beast coming out of the earth, namely the false prophets.
Verse 13-15 =the signs of the false prophet. They perform the great signs until making fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. It is the same as the demonstration of power with the physical signs such as the healed disease, the riches, and so on until making the fire of disobedience without the spiritual signs and purpose.
Why do they make the fire come down from heaven?
- To compete and falsify the fire from God.
- To deceive men including the church of God, so they worship the Antichrist.
Consequently, they become the same as the Antichrist and experience the fire of punishment, until being destroyed in hell forever.
Philippians 3:18-19
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:
3:19. whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame--who set their mind on earthly things.
If we set our eyes and mind on earthly things in the service and ministry to God, we will be influenced by the great signs and the fire from the false prophet and become the enemies of the cross.
It means rejecting the cross and the fire of suffering or the sprinkling of blood.
The only way from God to enter Heaven is through the cross. By rejecting the way of the cross, one will follow the false prophet whose way is comfortable to the flesh, but contrary to the word of God. So, it brings him to the fire of punishment.
Peter was a great servant of God, but he rejected the cross. It means that he also rejected the true teaching Word. Therefore, we must be careful.
Matthew 16:21-23
16:21.From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
16:22. Then Peter took Him asideand began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!"
16:23.But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan!You are an offenseto Me, for you are not mindful ofthe things of God, but the things of men."
Verse 21 is about the way of the cross.
Peter rejected the fire from Heaven (the fire of the cross) because he was influenced by the fire of the false prophets, namely the influence of the world. So, he became the stumbling block or the millstone.
It means becoming the servant of God who has a hard heart and keeps on doing sin to get the physical things. The important thing is that flesh is comfortable. This is the life who will be drowned.
Revelation 18:21
18:21.Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstoneand threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylonshall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.
The great millstone is the servant of God who rejects the cross, so he is used in building the false body, namely the body of Babylon.
Revelation 17:3
17:3.So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a womansitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
'a woman' = Babylon.
'a scarlet beast having seven heads and ten horns ' = the Antichrist.
This woman sits on the Antichrist. It means putting the Antichrist as the head, it is the same as relying on money.
1 Peter 2:5
2:5.you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
If we are willing to accept the cross or having the spiritual view, we will be shaped into the living stones even though we are sinners.
The living stone = the royal priesthood = the priests and kings = the holy priesthood.
The processes of becoming the living stone are as follows:
- To believe in Jesus and repent. It means stopping doing sin to return to God.
Repenting is the same as bearing the cross. - Being renewed by water baptism and the Holy Spirit.
Romans 6:4
6:4. Therefore we were buriedwith Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raisedfrom the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
The implementation of the true water baptism is that one who has believed Jesus and repented must be buried in water with Him to be raised from water with Him. As a result, he walks in newness of life or the heavenly life, namely the life in the anointing of Holy Spirit.
It is the same as living in righteousness and faithfulness.
This is called as the weapon of righteousness, the priest and the king, or the servant of God who serve and minister to Him in in righteousness and faithfulness.
Being righteous and faithful is the same as winning over sin.
After that, we must be shepherded.
Proverbs 12:26
12:26.The righteous should choose his friends carefully,For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
We must be shepherded in order to not being misled, but we are sanctified continuously to become the holy priest. From the royal priesthood, we get the increase to be the holy one.
In conclusion, the living stone is the servant of God who is holy, faithful, and righteous. So, he is used in building the perfect body of Christ. It means that we put Jesus as the Head or worship Him as the King of kings and as the Bridegroom of Heaven.
The duty of the living stone is 'to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ'.
There are three kinds of spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God as follows:
- Presenting the body to God.
Romans 12:1
12:1.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Presenting the body starts with returning the tithes that is the possession of God. After that, we can sacrifice our time, effort, et cetera. It continues until we can present the whole life to God.
The requirements to present the body to God are as follows:- 'a living sacrifice' = being controlled by the Holy Spirit. It refers to the Golden Candlestick or the perseverance in doing the General Service.
We are controlled by the Holy Spirit, so we can be righteous and faithful in service and ministry to God. - 'holy' = being controlled by the true teaching Word. It refers to the Table of Showbread or the perseverance in doing the Bible Study Service and Holy Communion.
We are sanctified from sins, so we can live in holiness. - 'acceptable to God' = being controlled by the love of God, so we can be obedient. It refers to the Golden Altar of Incense or the perseverance in doing the Prayer Service.
As the result, we live from the mercy of God, so we can live in anywhere, anytime, and any circumstances up to the eternal life. - 'a living sacrifice' = being controlled by the Holy Spirit. It refers to the Golden Candlestick or the perseverance in doing the General Service.
- Presenting psalms / spiritual songs and giving thanks to God.
Ephesians 5:19-21
5:19.speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
5:20. giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5:21.submitting to one another in the fear of God.
The condition in singing, giving thanks, and playing instruments to God is that the Word must dwell in our hearts to rebuke and sanctify us. So, we can receive the wisdom from God in order to make our services acceptable to Him and others.
Colossians 3:16
3:16.Let the word of Christdwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
The characteristics of serving in holiness and wisdom of God are as follows:- Being humble, namely considering others more important.
- Having the fear of God, namely hating sins.
- Being humble, namely considering others more important.
- Praying in the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Ephesians 6:18
6:18.prayingalways with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,
How is to pray in the anointing of the Holy Spirit?- It starts with confessing and forgiving each other. So, the blood of Jesus wipes all our sins, and we receive peace. We live in righteousness, so our prayer becomes the prayer of a righteous man.
James 5:16
5:16.Confess your trespassesto one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous manavails much. - The prayer of a righteous man is according to God's will, namely praying with the tongue of the Holy Spirit or with a broken heart.
Romans 8:26-28
8:26.Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
8:27.Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
8:28.And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
If there is the Word, we will pray with a broken heart. We confess all our flaws and weaknesses physically and spiritually.
The results are as follows:- The Holy Spirit helps us facing the weak heart.
1 Corinthians 8:7
8:7.However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
The weak conscience means as follows:- The heart that is easily disappointed, hopeless, and proud of the physical things, so one leaves/neglects the spiritual one.
- The heart that is easily defiled by sins.
It means that we are not disappointed, hopeless, and arrogant, but we keep giving thanks to God and believing in Him.
1 Chronicles 19:13
19:13.Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight."
If we are strong and of good courage, God will do what is good in our lives. Everything is good up to experiencing the atmosphere of Paradise. - The heart that is easily disappointed, hopeless, and proud of the physical things, so one leaves/neglects the spiritual one.
- The Holy Spirit helps us facing the temptation.
Mark 14:38
14:38.Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
The weaknesses of the flesh in temptation are as follows:- Doing sin when facing the temptation. The Holy Spirit helps us so that we keep living in righteousness.
- We cannot solve the problem, so we are often stressed until leaving God.
The Holy Spirit helps us to keep calm, and He will solve every problem that is impossible to us. Let us face everything in peace.
- Doing sin when facing the temptation. The Holy Spirit helps us so that we keep living in righteousness.
- The Holy Spirit helps the weak hands or the hands which hang down.
Hebrews 12:12
12:12.Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees,
The hands which hang down mean as follows:- Being unfaithful in the service and ministry to God.
The Holy Spirit is able to renew us to be faithful and fervent in spirit to serve and minister to God until He comes a second time.
Romans 12:11
12:11.not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving theLord; - We cannot worship God, but being dry spiritually or feeling tortured in worshipping Him.
The Holy Spirit helps us to love worshipping God. We experience the crucifixion of the flesh with all its desires, so the Holy Spirit renews us from the fleshly men to the spiritual ones as Jesus.
Titus 3:5
3:5.not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
We are renewed to be obedient until the flesh does not speak anymore. We become the house of prayers.
By being honest and obedient, everything will become successful and beautiful in His time. Many doors will be opened for us.
When Jesus comes a second time, we will be renewed to be as perfect as Him to be worthy to welcome His coming on the glorious clouds. We sit beside Him on the throne of Heaven.
- Being unfaithful in the service and ministry to God.
- It starts with confessing and forgiving each other. So, the blood of Jesus wipes all our sins, and we receive peace. We live in righteousness, so our prayer becomes the prayer of a righteous man.
Let us bring all our weaknesses to God!
God blesses us.