Extract from our Weekly Bulletin

October 16, 2016

Here are a few Bible verses I want to share with you:

Matthew 17:1-8, especially verse 5 (New King James Version)
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount
1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
3 And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.
4 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
7 But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”
8 When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

Mark 9:2-13, especially verse 7 (New King James Version)
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount
2 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them.
3 His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
4 And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.
5 Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—
6 because he did not know what to say, for they were greatly afraid.
7 And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
8 Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
9 Now as they came down from the mountain, He commanded them that they should tell no one the things they had seen, till the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10 So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.
11 And they asked Him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
12 Then He answered and told them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things. And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?
13 But I say to you that Elijah has also come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him.”

Luke 9:28-36, especially verse 35 (New King James Version)
Jesus Transfigured on the Mount
28 Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.
29 As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.
30 And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
32 But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
33 Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said.
34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.
35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
36 When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

John 13:20 (New King James Version)
20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

I emphasise on “He who receives me receives Him who sent me…”

John 14:12 (New King James Version)  
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

I emphasise on “The works that I do he will do also…”

John 14:19-26, especially verse 23 (New King James Version)
19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.
20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.
21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”
23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 15:20 (New King James Version)    
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

This is very important, i emphasis on “They will keep yours also”

John 16:27  (New King James Version)
27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came forth from God.

I emphasis on “The Father Himself loves you…”

Luke 16:27 (New King James Version) 
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house

Mark 16:15-18, 20 (New King James Version)
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.

This is Christ’s ministry and since we want to be in the center of God’s perfect will we are not condemned.

John 15:20 (New King James Version)
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

I emphasis on “They have persecuted me.”

Jeremiah 1:17-19 (New King James Version)
17 “Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you.
Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.
18 For behold, I have made you this day
A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land—
Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests,
And against the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you, But they shall not prevail against you.
For I am with you,” says the Lord, “to deliver you.”

Jeremiah 6:16,17 (New King James Version)
16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, And ask for the old paths, where the good way is, And walk in it; Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

Ezekiel 2:4,5 (New King James Version)
4 For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’
5 As for them, whether they hear or whether they refuse—for they are a rebellious house—yet they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Ezekiel 3:7,10,11 (New King James Version)
7 But the house of Israel will not listen to you, because they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted.
10 Moreover He said to me: “Son of man, receive into your heart all My words that I speak to you, and hear with your ears.
11 And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ whether they hear, or whether they refuse.”
This is the word of God.

I raise a cry on this day, so just as Jeremiah says return to the old paths and believe what God says. “This is my dear son, hear Him.”

Are you a child of God?
Does God make exceptions to anyone?   No, He says that we are all ‘children’.
So then His voice from the heavens says: “These are my dear children, hear them.” God has placed us as lookouts so that we play the trumpet. We are close to the end there is no time brothers to play religion. It is time to look for God while He can be found.

God says: “Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And he will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:7).

God loves us all equally and its not condemnation that He wants to place over you, but for the Holy Spirit of God to speak to us in the deepest of our being so that we realize that before God the sin of rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft (1 Samuel 15:22,23 read it brother).

The enemy has us entertained in doctrinal problems and as we read in this passage the prophet Samuel asks Saul: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord?” Truly obeying is better than all the sacrifices. The word of God says: “Pray constantly.”

The Lord Jesus said: “You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is just like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

He says not to forget about the poor. He says that if you do not love your brother whom you have seen how can you love God whom you haven’t seen…He says, Keep my commandments. He says, Listen to my prophets. He says, Bring your tithes to the storehouse and find food in my house. He says, Don’t judge one another because with the same rod that we measure, we will be measured.

He says, God expects mercy from us.

When they brought to the Lord Jesus a woman found in the act adultery, by law she had to be stoned to death, the Lord said to them: “He that is without sin cast the first stone.” After a while He lifted her head and asked: “Woman where are those who were accusing you? Did any condemn you?” She answered: “None Lord.” So Jesus said to her: “I don’t condemn you either. Go and don’t sin any more.”

Of course this doesn’t mean we have a legal right to sin but if we do sin, we have a lawyer in Christ. Think, ponder it brother and let’s put into practice the word of God.

God Bless You
Ps. Marisa Varjabedian