The World Through the Eyes of Jesus

 BY Argie Simonis 

In today's message I will begin with the words of the apostle Paul in his letter to the Colossians:

" Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)

Greece has been a global cradle of civilization. Greece is also the homeland of philosophy, which is why I would like to examine the term philosophy under the prism of the word of God.

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Philosophy ('love of wisdom' in Ancient Greek) is a systematic study of general and fundamental questions concerning topics like existence, reason, knowledge, value, mind, and language. It is a rational and critical inquiry that reflects on its own methods and assumptions.

~Source: Wikipedia.

Philosophy as a science is a tool given to human hands by God, and as it should be for every science, its credibility depends on whether its findings are in harmony with the revelation that the Lord gives us through His word. In other words, science must stand as a collaborator of God and not against Him.

We are at war and we must be on guard:

" For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

The devil will come in every way and trick to confuse us, to offend us, to distract our attention from God, turning it to insignificant and meaningless things.

Philosophy and human traditions are weapons that the devil uses against us and  many people do not recognize them in order to resist and fight.

Let me not be misunderstood, I like traditions only as long as they do not oppose the word of God. Jesus gives us a serious warning about this:

" Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." (Mark 7:13)

Paul writes to Titus:

" But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." (Titus 3:9)

and to Timothy:

" Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do." (1 Timothy 1:4)

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By definition, philosophy is a way of thinking.

Every person has their own philosophy, that is, their own way of thinking. Some typical examples:

There are people who are optimists, pessimists and realists.

- The first group includes people who tend to look on the bright side of life. They are gullible and dreamy, constantly thinking positive thoughts, even when these thoughts have no basis.

- On the other hand, pessimists tend to have a negative approach to everything. They have difficulty trusting others and often complain, claiming that they cannot change anything in their lives. They are usually wounded people who see the world through the prism of their traumatic experiences.

- Realists do not take risks easily. They are cautious and always grounded in reality, but a reality as they perceive it with their square logic.

Another example is rich people who, without real need, are excessively frugal and live in constant deprivation with a poverty mentality, even though they know that the word of God says:

" But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

" For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." (2 Corinthians 8:9)

There are people whose knowledge of the Scriptures is not enough to change their philosophy. The way they think, right or wrong, determines exclusively how they act or react to their environment.

For example, if you have been hurt by people and have not surrendered it to the Lord to heal you so that you can forgive them and peace can come to your heart, then every rejection and every negative behavior you experience, even if it is something small, will always seem like a mountain to you. But what does the word of God tell us?

" There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

When we understand how much God loves us, fear has no place in our hearts. Fear basically works the same way as faith. When we are afraid, we believe in something negative. People who live in constant fear are the ones who always believe the worst that can happen, and let them know that

" The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (Psalms 34:7)

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---- THE MIND OF CHRIST ----

Being a Christian does not necessarily mean you have the right mindset. Your spirit has been born again, but your mind needs to be refined and renewed, and that is something you must do:

" And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

When we get born-again, our spirit is completely changed:

" Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

" But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

" For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:16)

The mind of Christ that we have in our born-again spirit is the one that must be formed in our natural mind according to Rom. 12:2 that we read. Those of us who are in the Lord today, have our own biography. Some were born and raised in a Christian environment, but some come from completely different backgrounds:

" For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" (Ephesians 5:8)

Everyone wants a better life, but as soon as you talk to them about change, they back down. You read the Scriptures but you don't let it change your philosophy and the way you were taught to do certain things. So what kind of change do you expect to see?

Another typical example:

You know that by the stripes of Jesus you have been healed (1 Pet. 2:24) and that the Lord

" Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence." (Psalms 91:3)

But because you have been taught that every spring and fall is the season for viruses, you prepare and expect to get sick once or twice a year.

But God's word tells us:

As you think in your heart, so are you... (Proverbs 23:7)

Everyone's philosophy is shaped by the way they were raised, the experiences they had, and the theological influences they received. Whatever has happened to you, however, Paul writes:

" ... let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Romans 3:4)

This means that we must put what the Lord says above what our family, our background, or our doctrinal position says.

We must put what the Lord says above what our personal experiences, our culture, or the traditions of the place we live tell us. It is obvious that our society is going from bad to worse, and God warns us:

" Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20)

But even if this is so, the word of God encourages us:

" Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me." (John 14:1)

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---- THE JOY ----

" Rejoice evermore." (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

" Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

" In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Paul even repeats it twice in his letter to the Philippians, in case we didn't get it the first time:

" Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)

Large and expensive scientific studies have concluded that the person who smiles more becomes happier, while the sullen person is more unhappy.

" ... let God be true, but every man a liar..." (Romans 3:4)

But God’s word tells us that the exact opposite is true. Joy is not just a feeling. It is the fruit of the Spirit that lives within us (Galatians 5:22). It is a decision we make that regardless of what is happening around us we will rejoice in the Lord and give thanks to Him. If we do this we create a channel and the joy that is stored in our spirit will also manifest in the physical. So smiling does not make you happier, but our joy in the Lord and our thanksgiving to Him paints a smile on our lips, makes us happy and increases our faith:

" Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:7)

Just as happiness works, so does unhappiness or depression. The ungrateful person who is away from God will be constantly gloomy and unhappy.

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---- THE MYSTERY OF GODLINESS ----

Let's move on to another equally important and at the same time controversial topic:

" And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (1 Timothy 3:16)

The mystery of godliness is great not because it is an mystery that cannot be known, but because it is hidden in the natural man and is known only to the faithful hearts in whom God is revealed:

See what Paul tells us:

" Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:" (Colossians 1:26)

" To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" (Colossians 1:27)

Christ is a mystery. He is not discovered, but revealed, made manifest to us by the Spirit of God. Many attempts have been made to interpret this mystery, and it often becomes a subject of controversy among Christians. Many theories have emerged, which only cause divisions and strife within the body of Christ.

- Is God one or many?

- Is He two in one?

- Is He three in one?

People of other religions mock us Christians and call us polytheists.

Of course we know that God is one, and in the Bible He reveals Himself to us as Father, as Son and as the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

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---- THE MYSTERY OF MAN ----

I will take a different approach to explaining some things, and I believe it will help you to settle this matter in your heart. Furthermore, there will be a better understanding of the Bible, even in places that are difficult to understand or seeming contradictions that some claim to exist in the Bible.

With our limited minds it is impossible to explain an infinite and eternal God. So before we enter the sanctuaries of God, why not start with something more tangible? So let's start with man first:

" So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." (Genesis 1:27)

I will begin by analyzing the nature of man. Through the word of God we will see the characteristics of our being as humans, and what happens when a person functions with, or without God.

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In 1 Thessalonians we read:

" And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Here we clearly see that as humans we are an entity consisting of spirit, soul and body. These are parts of ourselves, separate in one aspect, but also in perfect unity with each other. My spirit is not the same as my soul, my soul is not the same as my body, nor is my spirit the same as my body. Spirit, soul and body, however, coexist in perfect harmony and unity.

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----BODY ----

Our physical body is easy to perceive. It is the part of ourselves that we can see in the mirror. With it we perceive our physical environment. We see, hear, smell, feel and taste. With it we move, work, sleep and wake up. Our physical body is what gives us access to this world.

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----SOUL ----

Our soul is made up of our mind (thoughts, desires, dreams), our will and our emotions. I can use physical violence on you and hurt you with a blow, but I can also hurt you without even touching you, if I use harsh words against you for example. In the first case I hurt you physically, in the second case I hurt you mentally.

Some equate the soul with the spirit as being the same, but the Word of our God refutes this:

" For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

There is a distinction between spirit and soul, but they are inextricably linked to each other like the marrow to the ligaments.

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---- SPIRIT ----

The definitions of body and soul  have been given and we saw the difference between the soul and spirit. Let's define what our spirit is.

Our spirit is the core of our being, the part of us that has life and is inextricably linked to both the soul and the body:

" And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7)

What we have just read is our soul that was given the spirit by the breath of God and the earthen man became a living soul.

The spirit gives life to both the soul as we have just seen, and to our physical body:

" For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (James 2:26)

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---- BEING BORN-AGAIN ----

These are some very important things that the Word of God teaches us and we need to know them. Let's see some more practical matters.

In John chapter 3, we see Nicodemus, a Pharisee teacher, visiting Jesus at night. This was because he was afraid that someone would catch his eye and put him out of their synagogue,

" These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue." (John 9:22)

Jesus explains to Nicodemus what being born-again means:

" Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

" That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6)

Here Jesus explains that only those who are born in a natural body (the fetus is in water in its mother’s womb) and those who are born from above, that is, of the Spirit, can enter the kingdom of God. Both conditions are necessary.

What does Jesus mean when he said:

" Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

This rebirth occurs by accepting Jesus into our lives. Christ becomes Lord in our lives when we repent of our sins and with a sincere heart we receive Him. He is waiting for us to invite Him into our hearts:

" Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20)

This is how we receive salvation. Paul explains this in his letter to the Romans:

" But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;" (Romans 10:8)

" That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)

" For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10)

So the Lord comes and dwells within us and we become His temple:

" Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16)

Now, because

" God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

In which part of us do you believe God resides? In our spirit of course:

" But he that is joined unto the Lord is ONE spirit." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Do we now understand Paul's words?

" Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

---- MATHEMATICAL PROOF ----

Let's use a mathematical proof to see what this brand new creation we become when we get born-again. It is a method used by Aristotle and Euclid.

With this method, I will show you the truth of something, based on the fact that its opposite is false or incorrect.

- During our born-again experience, our body remains the same. If we were men before, we continue to be men after. Our physical characteristics remain the same. Our age, the color of our hair and eyes remain the same. If we had some extra pounds before, we will continue to have them, unless of course we start a diet :). So this new creation does not refer to our body.

- Our soul (mind, thoughts, desires, dreams, will, emotions) also remain the same, until they are changed and renewed through the Word of God:

" And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

Can you see now that this new creation does not refer to either our body or our soul?

- So which part is left? Our spirit. That is exactly where this new birth takes place. We cannot see our spirit, but that is what becomes a brand new creation as we read in 2 Cor. 5:17. We are a new creation because the Spirit of God comes and becomes one with our own spirit (1 Cor. 6:17) and all the wisdom and knowledge of God, this mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) are stored in our spirit.

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---- THE RENEWAL OF THE MIND ----

Let's look at something else here:

" Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12)

Those of us who have accepted Christ the Lord into our lives have received salvation. What does Paul mean here?

First of all, you cannot work something you do not have. This salvation that we have received in our spirit, we are called to work it out in our soul and in our body through the renewal of our mind:

" And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

To do this requires time and effort on our part. By studying the Bible, this indestructible seed of God's word takes root in our heart and begins to bear fruit. It becomes the channel through which all this mind of Christ that is stored in our spirit begins to flow into our soul, our mind and our thoughts. So we begin to be transformed first in our mind and the first thing we experience is healing in our emotions. 

We become happy, we love more easily, we forget the harm that has been done to us more quickly, we forgive more easily, we get angry less, we uproot roots of bitterness from within us, and do you know what the result of all this is? We experience healing in our body as well. The Bible is full of examples of how healing the way we think is for our health:

" For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." (Proverbs 23:7)

" A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken." (Proverbs 15:13)

" A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)

And of course the way we think will also affect the way we speak:

" O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:34)

" A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." (Matthew 12:35)

" Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." (Proverbs 16:24)

I hope this message has helped you understand some things and see them with new eyes. In future messages I will dive deeper into the mind of Christ, where and how the devil has access to our lives, and how we can, with the authority and power given to us, resist and fight, so that we can experience a victorious life.

Olympics 2024 - Blasphemy!

 BY Argie Simonis 

Last Friday, July 26, the opening ceremony of the summer Olympic games took place in Paris. I was so saddened and upset with what I saw from these  videos and images of shame that are actualy going around the world.

And this, because in a sporting event like this, instead of promoting sportsmanship and noble competition, I saw blasphemy, abnormality and immorality promoted in all their glory, and indeed in front of the eyes of many millions of spectators.

Parades of drag queens, transgenders, homosexuals and all sorts of people of the LGBTQ+ community, even showed off their genitals in front of the cameras and in front of small children.

In another video I saw the horseman of the Apocalypse deliver the flag of the Olympic games, and with the flag he delivered the message of the future that is in store for us:

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." (Rev. 6:8)

The culmination of the shame, the insult and the blasphemy against Jesus Christ himself and all of Christianity, was the parody of the Last Supper, where an LGBTQ+ group pretended to be Jesus and His disciples to make fun of that night, shortly before the Lord surrendered to His executioners.

~~ This constitutes an open attack against Christianity. ~~

Have you ever wondered why we don't see similar attacks against Muhammad, Buddha or founders of other religions anywhere?

Because they are all team darkness.

See what Jude writes in his letter:

"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;" (Jude 1:17)

"How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts." (Jude 1:18)

"These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit." (Jude 1:19)

What Jude writes to us in his letter describes exactly what happened at the opening ceremony of the summer Olympiad in Paris! It was a modern version of Sodom and Gomorrah which, due to the popularity of this event, went around the world and passed before billions of eyes.

Something similar happened at Eurovision, which my wife and I have stopped watching for years now, because of the disgrace it has become. And be sure that nothing happened by chance or coincidence. Everything they present is carefully selected and planned in every detail, considering all these billions they have invested to promote their perversed agenda.

I am sure that many of you share our feelings and concerns about this decline. Today I'll be giving an introduction on this topic.

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---- WOKE CULTURE

What does WOKE mean and why this insistence on enforcing this culture?

Those of you who haven't heard it before, it's time to listen and get informed, because it's something that, apart from America and some European countries, has ALREADY invaded Greece.

~~ Woke is an adjective derived from African American Traditional English (AAVE) originally meaning "awake to racial prejudice and discrimination."

Beginning in the 2010s, it began to be used as a slang (sign language) for awareness of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBTQ+ rights. Woke has also been used as shorthand for certain ideas of the American Left regarding identity politics and social justice, such as white privilege and reparations for slavery in the United States. ~~

~ Source: Wikipedia

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In orderfor this to appear attractive to the people, it began as a resistance to "social inequality" and to the defense and promotion of wronged "minorities". But in reality, what is happening is that every Biblical value is trampled. These people are not simply agnostics or atheists. They are not indifferent to Christ; they are His enemies, totaly antichrists.

The apostle John writes:

"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." (1John 4:3)

Paul writes:

"Let no man deceive you by any means ..." (2Thes. 2:3)

"Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2Thes. 2:4)

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work..." (2Thes. 2:7)

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," (2Thes. 2:9)

"And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2Thes. 2:10)

John writes in his letter:

"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son." (1John 2:22)

"Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." (1John 2:23)

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Around the world there are many different cultures that have their place in every society, but when these cultures invade our lives and try to impose themselves on us, we as Christians not only must not remain silent and uninvolved, but we are called to take a stand , to speak the truth and condemn the evil that is happening. Do not forget that the battle we are fighting is spiritual:

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12)

Do you know these people are targeting our children? They are trying at this tender age to indoctrinate them and introduce them to their perverted ideologies.

Even within the movies industry, high-ranking executives have admitted that they try to fill their movies with as much weird and perverted elements as they can.

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If you dare to say that the gender of a person (male-female) is not decided but it is discovered, you are considered a bigot expressing a hate speech against what they call the "alphabet community".

LGBPTTQQIIAA+ (Alphabet Soup): Any combination of letters that attempts to represent all identities in the queer community.

(LGBTQI+): This term stands for: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer and Intersex

It also includes: Pansexual, Transgender, Intersex, Asexual, Ally +

So anyone who opposes all this perversion is under persecution. Financial cancelation, exclusion from groups and social media, and labels and names are being attached to him that no one would like to have.

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~~ Here I want to emphasize that as Christians we love ALL people and accept them into the church so that they can know and accept Christ in their lives, but we NEVER compromise our faith NOR cut and sew the Holy Bible to suit their ideologies their. ~~ 

The Lord warns us in His word:

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1John 2:15)

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1John 2:16)

"And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (1John 2:17)

Two main features characterize the modern society we live in:

1. It has rebelled against God

2. It has redefined the concept of good and evil:

When we rebel against God it means that God ceases to be the supreme authority that decides what is good and what is evil. From the moment man rejects God and takes Him out of the scene, then he makes himself a god, begins to act like a god, and now he sets the concepts of good and evil.

"This is right, and this is wrong."

"This is good, and this is bad."

The Prophet Isaiah warns us:

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Is. 5:20)

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----- SEXUALITY

Reading the history of the people of Israel in the Old Testament, we see that all these pagan peoples that surrounded them

(Canaanites, Moabites, Jebusites, Philistines, and many others), had something in common: Idolatry, mixed with sexual immorality.

If we look historically at the development of paganism, we will see that the occult and sexual immorality always go hand in hand. Priestesses-prostitutes were inside the temples and offered their "services" to visitors.

Have you ever wondered why the devil is so interested in your sexuality?

He does, because sexuality is the most personal and precious thing you have. And

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy..." (John 10:10)

When we read in the Scriptures that Adam knew his wife Eve and she gave birth to Cain, the word "know" is for the sexual intercourse, and it means that you know someone on a level that you cannot know anyone else.

God intended sexuality to be something beautiful and special to be enjoyed and shared within marriage, in a married couple.

Marriage and family, is the first and most sacred institution that God himself established in the garden of Eden, and this institution is what the devil seeks to destroy, through the confusion and distortion of sexuality.

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Unfortunately today there are even Christians who fall into this WOKE culture trap. It is the so-called liberal and progressive Christians who claim to have found a way to make Christianity more attractive and acceptable to the world.

This is very dangerous, because it may look like it professes Christianity, but these people have neither Christ nor the truth.

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

In the next videos we will make we will see:

- The basic elements of WOKE culture and the identification points of progressive and liberal WOKE Christians,

- The demonic spirits behind it all,

 And much more.

We ask that you join your prayers with ours.

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:" (2Cor. 10:3)

"(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)" (2Cor. 10:4)

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (2Cor. 10:5)

We pray for those people whom the devil has bound, that their eyes will be enlightened to know the truth, because the truth will set them free.

Amen!

The principle of multiplication.

BY Argie Simonis 

I continue in the series we started on finances, and today we have math. Not the standard math of this world, but God's math.

God is actualy very good in math.

He Knows how to add and subtract:

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." (Is. 61:3)

He Knows how to divide:

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4:12)

I left multiplication for the end, because that's what I'm going to talk about today.

For the principles of multiplication. This, along with the message about the principle of the first, which we talked about on Thursday's live, are the two most important lessons, the epitome of everything we have said so far about finances.

God, apart from our peace, our joy, our relationship with Him and our relationship with other people, He can ALSO multiply our finances.

Who doesn't want to see God multiply their finances? And I'll say it again, having money is not a bad thing. Covetousness, the love of money is evil. This is what Paul writes in his first letter to Timothy.

So it's not a bad thing to have money, as long as you keep your priorities straight, and that's something we've explained in the previous messages in this series.

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Today we will see how the Lord multiplied five loaves and two fish, and we will examine the spiritual principles behind this miracle. How we can live by these principles, and how our possessions can be multiplied so that we too can feed multitudes.

In the message I talked about good stewards, I mentioned two types of people: The sowers, that is, those who give to the Kingdom of God, and the eaters, that is, those who use their money only for themselves and their needs. To which of the two do you think God will supply above the ordinary, and why wouldn't God supply abundantly to the sowers?

Today I will use many illustrations, because I believe that this way it will be easier for you to see what the Lord wants to speak to you through this message.

See this picture:

On one side is God who has ALL the money in the world at His disposal, and on the other side are all the people who need Christ, all the missionaries who must be sent to preach the gospel, the orphanages who must be built , the poor who have nothing to eat, the places where there is no drinking water and so many other needs that exist.

In other words, on one side is all the demand and needs of the world, and on the other side are all the resources that can cover every need. Do you know who is in the middle? You!

God will give you some resources and see how you manage them. He doesn't mind if you keep the other 90% for yourself. Will you use the 10% for the Kingdom of God? Will you make it available for Christ to be preached to the world?

The more faithful you are with what God gives you, then He will begin to give you more, and more, and the good thing is that you won't even have to seek this increase. You won't have to chase the blessing because God's blessing will chase you!

will you seem a faithful sower in the little? Then the Lord will multiply your possessions.

"Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)" (2Cor. 9:10)

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1. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF MULTIPLICATION

"And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place." (Luke 9:12)

"But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people." (Luke 9:13)

"For they were about five thousand men..." (Luke 9:14)

Notice that the men alone were 5000. That was how crowds were counted at that time. And because they got married at an early age, in average, each man represented one family. With an average of 4-5 children per family, and together with the women, we are talking about a crowd of around 30,000 people! This was the largest crowd that Jesus ever had while teaching.

Matthew confirms it:

"And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children." (Matt. 14:21)

"For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company." (Luke 9:14)

"And they did so, and made them all sit down." (Luke 9:15)

"Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude." (Luke 9:16)

"And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets." (Luke 9:17)

Personally, I believe there were 12 coffins left over because Jesus wanted each of His disciples to have one.

It's nice to read all this, but even better to experience it. So I would like you to think about how you would respond if you were present at the event that day. Imagine that you are the main character in this story and you are one of the disciples of the Lord. Jesus has been preaching since the morning, you see the crowds in front of you and you realize that

"... the day began to wear away, ..." (Luke 9:12)

There are no restaurants or shops around there. So you, along with the other 11, after holding a small council, the best idea that falls on the table is for someone to go and ask the Lord about what you should do. But he still preaches. You approach the Lord, interrupt Him and tell Him that the people must eat.

Jesus turns and tells you something totaly unexpected:

"... Give ye them to eat..." (Luke 9:13)

You leave with a big questionmark and go to the 11 who are anxiously waiting to hear the news. They start asking you:

"Did you tell Him that the people are hungry? What did He tell you? Will He close the message and let them go home?"

And your answer:

He told me "you feed them."

"What? We feed them? We have 30,000 people here. How should we feed them? With what?"

And suddenly you see a child passing by, holding his lunch pack. You immediately grab him aside and see that he just has 2 loaves of bread and five fish. So you go to Jesus and say, "Lord, that's all we've got," hoping that He'll end the meeting.

Now look at Jesus' answer. He calmly tells them:

"... Make them sit down by fifties in a company." (Luke 9:14)

Here I want to highlight something. Today we know the miracle that happened because we read about it in the Scriptures. And the disciples of the Lord knew the Scriptures, but then they did not have the New Testament that we read today. They only knew the Old Testament. They were the New Testament. Do you know that in the Old Testament there are many of the miracles that Jesus did, but in a different version?

The prophet Elisha, for example, fed 100 people with a few loaves of bread, and had more than enough:

"And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets." (2Kings 4:38)

"And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not." (2Kings 4:39)

"So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof." (2Kings 4:40)

"But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot." (2Kings 4:41)

"And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat." (2Kings 4:42)

"And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof." (2Kings 4:43)

"So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD." (2Kings 4:44)

Don't forget that this food was offered to Elisha. And Elisha was hungry, but before he ate, he shared his food with the rest. That's where the miracle happened. Both the pot was cleaned of the poisoned pumpkin, and a 100 people were fed with a few loaves, and there was leftovers.

Do you see how God supplied seed to the sower?

"Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)" (2Cor. 9:10)

~~ Supernatural multiplication takes place in your seed and not in the bread you keep for yourself. ~~

Elisha at the beginning of the same chapter (2Kings ch.2), had multiplied the widow's oil. We see something similar with the prophet Elijah, who miraculously multiplied the oil and flour of the widow in 1Kings 17:14-16

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The reason I mention this is that the Lord's disciples knew these stories. It was in the Old Testament. It was very likely that they assumed that as it happened with the prophet Elisha and the prophet Elijah, as soon as Jesus prayed over the loaves and fishes, they would multiply before their eyes.

Multiplication did take place, but not the way they expected.

Look at what he says in verse 16:

"Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude." (Luke 9:16)

Think about this a bit. He blessed them and cut them (the 2 loaves and the 5 fishes). This is not written, but I want you to imagine it. When Peter comes to take the piece of bread from the hands of the Lord, Jesus says to him:

Peter, I blessed this bread. Take it, give it to the people and wait and see what happens.

"Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)" (2Cor. 9:10)

Peter takes a piece of bread and a piece of fish, cuts it into smaller portions and begins to share. Just as he reaches the last portion, something awesome happens. The loaves and fish are multiplied IN Peter's hands!

~~ The heart of this story is that the miracle was not done in the hands of the Lord, but in the hands of the disciples! ~~

This miracle happened when the disciples did what the Lord told them, even if it didn't make sense to them.

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1. THE FIRST PRINCIPLE OF MULTIPLICATION:

~~ It MUST be blessed before it multiplies. ~~

If the disciples started distributing the loaves and fishes before the Lord blessed them, they would not multiply.

Many tithe only when they feel God "leading" them. They give a little here, a little there, but they don't give the first 10% to the Lord.

There are many believers who do not know this spiritual principle.

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2. THE SECOND PRINCIPLE OF MULTIPLICATION

~~ It MUST be given in order to be multiplied. ~~

What if as soon as Jesus blessed the loaves and fishes, the disciples took them and began to eat them?

The money we have has the potential to multiply when we use it as seed and not as bread for ourselves because the LORD blesses it and increases it:

"Indeed, may he who gives seed to the one who sows, and bread for food, give and MULTIPLY YOUR SEED, and increase the fruits of your righteousness" (2Cor. 9:10)

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---- PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS - PUT THINGS IN ORDER

God will not bless something that is in disorder because He is a God of order. Get your finances in order first:

1. Stop getting into debt with loans and credit cards, and stop buying things you don't need. Buy only the essentials and what you can afford. If you make purchases with a credit card but can't pay it off at the end of the month, it means you used money you didn't have and that's stealing.

2. When it comes to rent against buying a house, that's a personal decision. But whatever you decide, you need to be able to pay it at the end of the month (either mortgage or rent) without charging your credit card and getting into new debt again.

3. Don't get charged for things that lose value over time.

When you start following the Lord's instructions and getting your finances in order, you will see what incredible things God can do for you.

4. Learn to give. And I don't mean your tithe, because your tithe, you don't give it but you return it to the Lord because the tithe is set apart for Him, it is His and not yours.

So learn to give beyond your tithe. This is where all three key questions arise:

- Where should I give?

- When should I give?

- How much should I give?

Ask the Lord, and He will show you:

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (John 10:27)

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Blessing in our life is not about how much we get back for giving, but how much we can help our family and other people as well.

"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again." (Luke 6:38)

God is a God of blessing but also a God of order. It all starts with the first 10% we return to Him. There are other spiritual principles that apply to our finances, such as being generous and giving where the Lord shows us.