Outreach Site:  Israel’s armed forces, including the air force, have been on their highest level of preparedness since Friday, Jan. 25.  Defense Minister Ehud Barak cut short an overseas family trip to be flown home in a hurry Saturday, Jan 26.  Israel on Highest Alert for War with Hezbollah/Syria

A senior Israeli officer told AFP that large Hizballah forces are parked at Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons stores poised ready to seize them. If this happens, said the officer, “A decision to attack Syria or Lebanon will need to be implemented immediately.”

Likud/Beiteinu collapsing in the polls.

Aretz Sheva:  If elections were held again Tuesday, Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid [Middle Class, Social Justice Peace]  party would come out the winner, according to a new survey from Geocartographia. The Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) party would benefit as well, and would rise to the third place.

Likud and Labor would both suffer, with Likud earning just 25 seats and Labor in fourth place with 12, compared to the 31 and 15 that the parties won, respectively, in the elections.

ISTANBUL – Kurdish militants will announce a halt to hostilities with the Turkish state in February according to the timetable of a fledgling peace process aimed at ending a 28-year-old insurgency, a newspaper report said on Tuesday.

As an initial confidence-building step, around 100 fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) guerrilla group will disarm and withdraw from Turkish soil, the Hurriyet daily said.

Turkish intelligence officials began talks with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan in late 2012 and Hurriyet said talks had also been held with the PKK in northern Iraq, where most of the group’s militants are based.

LCG NEWS:   Recently I became aware of certain rumours to the effect that the senior elder in Kenya had died, and that the “new” LCG man in Nairobi has been offending many LCG members in Kenya, and that LCG Kenya was in a state of breakup.

I wrote personally to Rod Meredith about the matter and he passed it on to LCG’s East Africa man, Doug Winnail; who has passed this short explanation back  to me

The reports you are receiving from East Africa are wild rumors.  The minister who died, died 5-6 years ago after leaving the LCG.  There are no mass defections going on.  Someone is simply trying to stir up trouble and confusion.  Sincerely, Douglas Winnail.

It appears that some person is attacking the LCG, by circulating false rumours in the North American churches about Kenya, in order to try and discredit the LCG, or their elder in Kenya.

Please be advised that this rumour is utterly false.  Please do not pass this rumour on. If you do receive these accusations, please inform your source that the accusations are utterly false.  You may quote this post as your backup.

ALEXA:  I thought that I would put up this about the Alexa website ranking system for those who think that some  rankings are so impressive.

  The Alexa ranking system is easily manipulated and there are companies who will inflate your stats for a price.  Here is just one company that offers to manipulate Alexa for a sum.  Alexa rankings mean almost nothing.

 Mark 1-3 

Mark :  The Gospel of Mark narrates the Ministry of Jesus from his baptism by John the Baptist to his death and resurrection. It focuses particularly on the last week of his life (chapters 11–16) in Jerusalem.  According to tradition and some early church writers, the author is Mark the Evangelist, the companion of the apostle Peter.

Mark 1

The gospel of Jesus Christ is the Gospel that Christ taught; therefore in its broadest meaning the full Gospel is ALL the teachings of Jesus Christ, and not some truncated partial Gospel about a coming Kingdom of God.  The whole Gospel is about ALL the teachings of Jesus Christ; about keeping ALL the commandments; about the deeds and the nature of Christ; about the Salvation and reconciliation to the Father that Christ’s sacrifice beings; It is the Gospel about the way INTO eternal life and what the conduct of humanity must become and remain for all eternity. .

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 28:20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Mark begins with the ministry of John Baptist who was called of God from outside the official ministry of his day and was never ordained by any man.  John was called and ordained by God to preach REPENTANCE from sin, from commandment breaking, to prepare the way for the coming of Christ to make atonement for repented sin.

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 1:2As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

John wore a cloak of hair against his skin and ate only basic needs, NOT desiring the pleasures of this world.  He was humble thinking nothing of himself.

1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

John was inspired directly by God and he knew that the sacrifice of Christ would atone for sin and reconcile to the Father; permitting the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Great numbers of “Called Out” had been given the Holy Spirit since Able, Heb 11; in FAITH that the Creator would come and would fulfill his mission.

Even John himself had that spirit from the womb!  Tet once Christ began his ministry, the Holy Spirit would not be given to men until Christ finished his ministry and fulfilled his mission, by paying the price for all sin.  Even his eleven were not given the spirit of God until after the resurrection of Christ.

1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

Then Jesus [Yeshua] came to be baptised; and the Father revealed himself and proclaimed Yeshua as his son before all the people present.

1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus was them tempted in the wilderness where he overcame Satan, Mat 4.

1:12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

When Jesus overcame Satan and as he was about to begin his mission, John was arrested and put in prison

1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Jesus called to Simon Peter and his brother Andrew and shortly after called James and John also brothers; see Mat 4:18 for more information

1:16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 1:18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

1:19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets. 1:20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

The Sabbath after calling his disciples Jesus began to teach in the Synagogue.  For more about the Synagogue see, All About the Education of Jesus Christ

It is probable that the first sermon was preached at the very Synagogue where these young men had been educated in their childhood.  Yeshua [Jesus] would have apprenticed to the best Rabbi [probably Gamaliel] at the age of 15, and by the age of 30 would have been fully learned in all the scriptures and ready to be a Rabbi himself. making his debut in the Synagogue where he grew up.

These folks had known him as a child and young man and now he returned fully trained in all the knowledge that the doctors of the scriptures could teach; coupled with the inspiration and understanding of his Father.

No wonder the people were astonished at his learning, wisdom, and his great authority over the very spirits.

1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.

1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.

Jesus then begins to heal the sick and his fame is spread across the whole region.

1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.

Still on the Sabbath.

1:29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon [Peter] and [his brother] Andrew, with James and John.

1:30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

The word spread so quickly that by end of Sabbath evening there were crowds at the door seeking healing.

1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

The sick were gathered and also onlookers, so that most of the city was at the house of Simon [Peter].  The casting out of demons was a prophetic analogy of the binding of all unclean spirits at the coming of Christ the next time;  in the same manner, the healing’s of his first coming are only a very tiny part of the healing’s in both flesh and spirit that are soon coming to this earth.

The sacrifice of Christ has come and is only once, however the first ministry of Christ is only a shadow of the coming ministry of Jesus Christ as the High Priest and ONLY Mediator between the Father and humanity!

1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. 1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus knew that it was imperative that he maintain his relationship with the Father

1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

The disciples then looked for him and found him.  And at that time Jesus began to travel from town to town preaching.

1:36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 1:37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

1:39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

The leper who could NOT contain himself for his joy and thereby broke his word and failed to keep the request of Chirst.

1:40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 1:44And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

1:45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Mark 2

1 And again he entered [returned to]  into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised [reported] that he was in the house. 2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

At this point the teachings of Christ diverge noticable from the church of that day; as Jesus claims the right to forgive repented sin.

2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

The scribes recognized that Yeshua was taking on himself the prerogatives of God.

2:6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

Yeshua [Jesus] then began to reason with them; that he had the power from God to heal and forgive sin.

2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 2:9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 2:10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

Jesus said that the healing was a proof of his calling from the Father and his mission to heal BOTH the flesh and the spirit by forgiving repentant sin.

2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Christ then walked down to the beach for a break but the people followed him; and he continued to teach to the the Gospel of repentance and salvation.

2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.

It was at that time that Jesus called Levi to join the other four as his disciple.

2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

The sinful gathered around Christ to hear his message of repentance and deliverance; as they will soon do in the coming Kingdom of God.

2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

then the religious elite of the COG of that day; who were too righteous in their own eyes to speak with sinners, questioned Christ as to why he would eat and drink with the sinners.  Now eating and drinking is the internalizing of nourishment, and is an analogy of the internalizing of spiritual nourishment by hungering and thirsting after the Word of God.

Jesus then said that he came to call sinners to REPENTANCE!

2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Jesus says that those who are a part of the bride cannot fast in sorrow when their Husband is with them; but when he is gone away for a time, then will they fast for sorrow that they are not with him where he is.

2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not? 2:19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

These are hidden parables that Christ will make clearer over time. After Jesus teaches of the bride and Bridegroom, he then teaches a parable of repentance; that men must be made new through repentance and the atoning sacrifice of the Lamb of God; before they can receive the Holy Spirit of God..

2:21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. 2:22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

Corn [maize[ was unknown until it was discovered in the western hemisphere. Jesus then allowed that a person could take and eat, just like we might pluck and apple off a tree to munch on Sabbath.  Notice that there was NO gathering and and bearing away of any more than a few mouthfuls to satisfy immediate humger;  there was no buying as the law of gleaning was in effect; and there was no cooking.

2:23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn [grain]  fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn [grain]. 2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

David had fled by horse for three days without food and was ready to faint while being pursued by a band intent on his murder.  That was a really serious ”ox in the ditch” and a true situation where the law of mercy superseded the law about who might eat of The Bread of Presence.

2:25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

The Sabbath was made for man to take time to spend with God;  It was never meant to be a burden, but rather a relief from the burdens of our daily physical lives. A break from cooking, lawn mowing, daily work; so that we might have personal time with God to learn those things of lasting value from him.  These men were with their Creator and listening to him as they grabbed a handful of grain to munch.

This situation does NOT justify going into a restaurant and paying others to sin, and partaking with them in their sins.

2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

Mark 3

It is not a certainty that this was in Capernaum, since in Capernaum they were used to him healing on the Sabbath.  Rather this appears to be somewhat later in Jerusalem, and that Yeshua was here breaking with the doctors of the law who had been his teachers.

A good part of the animosity of these men is that of a student proving his teachers wrong, and rising above them.  The wisdom of Jesus excited envy and jealousy in those who had had high honour and were always right in their own eyes; just like any new understanding  does in the church today.

3:1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 3:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

Jesus showing wisdom placed the question before his detractors; and then leaving they no way out; he healed the man.  That enraged them and they began to see him as a real threat to themselves and sought ways to destroy him.

3:3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 3:4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

3:6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

Jesus then went back to the seashore to escape his persecutors, but the people followed him.

3:7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, 3:8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

He then asked for a ship [probably from his fishermen disciples], and continued to preach from the boat to the shore and to heal many.

3:9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him. 3:10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues. 3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. 3:12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

Then he went up on a hilltop, and there called those he wanted, and commissioned them to go out and preach his words, heal the sick and cast out demons.

3:13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 3:14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

At this point the twelve were given power to preach what Jesus had taught them; and power over sickness and evil spirits.

3:15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 3:16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;3:17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: 3:18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,3:19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

The crowds were compacted around Christ so they could not as much as eat anything.

3:20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

3:21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself [is overwhelmed].

The religious establishment of the COG of that day were so jealous that they declared that Jesus had gone mad. Saying that Yeshua had a demon.

3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

Jesus answered them by saying:

3:23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? 3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

Brethren:  the House of God is NOT divided!  His house [his temple] is a spiritual house and not a physical corporation!  While a corporate church splits and divides, none considers that it is NOT God’s temple anyway!

Only those who have sincerely repented and committed themselves to hate and abhor compromise with any  f God’s commandments; who dedicatedly follow the Lamb wherever he goes; regardless of what any man or corporation tells him; only the man who endures to death itself in zeal for all the commandments of God;  IS a part of the true spiritual church of God!

Those who predict the end of the corporate church of God groups are probably correct.  What they do not understand is that those truly called of God and dedicated to him are NOT all in any any such group, they are scattered individuals in many groups and often standing alone.

Very very soon now the COG Groups will be destroyed as corporate organisms in the tribulation, but the numbers of those who have God’s spirit and are faithful to God will grow and grow! Organizations perish, but the faithful shall never perish; instead they shall make themselves ready for the Kingdom is now at hand!

The following parable teaches that when a strong spirit makes a man his house; only one stronger that it can drive it out.  Therefore only the power of God drives out demons.

3:27 No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Those who call good evil and evil good are blaspheming against the good spirit of God and are in danger of damnation unless they repent.  This is a great problem in the church today as many call their false traditions good, and justify them against God.

3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 3:29But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. 3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

Then Jesus revealed that all those who follow his teachings and eat the meat of God’s word with HIM; are his spiritual family!  No organized corporate church is the family of GOD!  That is a grand LIE; to distract people from the spiritual family of Christ and the Father!

Yes there can be a corporate church family,  but it is NOT the family of God!

ONLY those who uncompromisingly keep all of God’s commandments; which is doing and internalizing the will of God; are a part of the family of God!!!

3:31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 3:32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 3:33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 3:34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 3:35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

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