Love not the world.

James 4:1 -10

This chapter of James 4 speaks a lot of about the battles and struggles we face as Christians.

Verses 1 - 5 seems to speak on the quarrels and evil motives that believers face within themselves.

We quarrel because the source of it starts from our evil desires, whether it's the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh or the pride of life (1 John 2:15 - 17).

It plainly states in verse 4:

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
What should this mean for the true Christian?
Well if we love the ways of world, or have little grievances to how things are going in the world :
(1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.)

and claim to love the LORD then, we are enemies of God.

Are we grieved because if sin? Are we grieved when men accuse us of hating or judging, when we uphold biblical truth and principles?

Some may think it's okay to sin because they can just be forgiven because God is merciful. That is taking the grace of God in vain. It would be likened to Saul (if you have read about how he disobeyed God in two things and was rejected of God because of His disobedience) in 1 Samuel 15.

There is so much in the media that can turn one's heart from God, from desiring holiness and closeness to God. It gives us enjoyment in the things that displease God. Is there anything in the media that can please God? There isn't much.

But there is a solution. Our hearts by nature are wicked, even after we have been saved. There is still some level of resistance to the will of God. Flesh desires fleshly things (Romans 8). But if we walk in the Spirit we will not fulfil the things of the flesh.
God gives grace to the humble, to resist sin and the devil. Grace isn't just some arbitrary thing that we can just claim on a whim. It is a working force in the life of the believer. It teaches us to say no to ungodliness.

Who are the humble? Those who submit to the will of God. It is not just submitting to what man says (although if it brings God glory, let it be so), but rather, if it comes to obeying God's commandments then pleasing man and self, will have to take the back seat.

In verse 7 and 8, it says to submit to God, to resist the devil AND to draw nearer to God. We can't resist the devil if we do not draw near to God.

We need the presence of God to know what is right in His sight. As we come close to Him, we recognize of sins and we repent of them. Repentance isn't just saying sorry but it is a lifetime practice of recognizing sin, confessing it as sin, turning away from them and a growing in holiness.

We learn His will but studying His words, and meditating upon them.

Verse 9 -10 shows that being a Christian doesn't always call for laughs and a bed of roses. There will be times where as we recognize our sinful state before a holy God, we will be broken before Him. Seeing the sin around us will grieve us too. Seeing it in our communities and schools and families... Something like Ezekiel 9.
God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

God bless in the name of Jesus Christ.

He is Able

So I had initially found the songs from Michelle Utley Thompson at Sermon Index, I was poking around the Interwebs to see if I could find the lyrics  to one of her songs, "He is Able", I was feeling a bit down today, frustrated with life, I truly felt so burdened today, I actually said to myself, "I give God thanks that this life is not all that I have to look forward to..." and that song I had intended to learn because I needed comfort. The Lyrics go a little something like this:

He is Able

Like peering through a window blurred with rain,
Emotions run together in a flood of doubt and pain.
We pray the best we can,
But we must leave it in His hands.

Yet I know when my eyes fail to see, He is able.
And even though it seems impossible to me, He is able.
But if He chooses not to move
In the way we prayed He would be confident,
He is working it all together for my good.
I will stand behind His word, for He is able.

Questions seem to haunt us night and day:
How could God allow our hearts to be turn this way?
Does He listen when we call?
Or is He even there all?

Yet I know when my eyes fail to see, He is able.
And even though it seems impossible to me, He is able.
But if He chooses not to move
In the way we prayed He would be confident,
He is working it all together for my good.
I will stand behind His word, for He is able
He is able

And as the night is in wait dawning
And if it ever fades away,
I stand to face another day.
I will stand behind His word
For He is able, He is able, He is able

Sometimes we have down times, I know, I've had my fare share, even when I'm smiling, I may be having a frustrating day, but why smile? Because others need to see a smile that day, they need to be comforted and know that regardless of the sinking ships we seem to be in on a daily basis, that God is able to deliver us out of them all. I must give thanks for the friends and family that God has given me, that eases the passage of life... May they make it in,  we can all hang out for eternity. This is the beauty of the gospel, those who accept Christ Jesus, the Son of God shall receive this beautiful promise:

Revelations 21:4

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Don't consider the distance, consider the destination. Don't give the devil a chance...

Will you have your tears wiped away?

The song list has been updated!!

When thou goest to the house of God.

I want to share a little passage with you today and it says,

Ecclesiastes 5:1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

This passage is not a long one but it is one to consider, when we go to church, or gather to worship the Lord God, Our Creator, we should recognize who He is and what He is about, which is HOLINESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS and conformity to His Son Jesus Christ.
When we go to church, we gather to learn more about Him and what He wants from us, through His Words and through His Spirit inspired messages. This is the first aim we should when we go before His presence. The focus is Him, not us. As one hymn puts it,

Lets for get about ourselves, concentrate on Him and worship Him.
Lets for get about ourselves, concentrate on Him and worship Him.
Lets for get about ourselves, concentrate on Him and worship Christ the Lord. Worship Him, Jesus Christ the Lord.

Though, this song is not from the Bible, it speak to the attitude we should have before God. Actively, trying our hardest to keep our focus on Him.

Sometimes the case is, we go for the brethren rather than for God, for the presence of people than the presence of God and when we are called upon to do a mite of service for the Lord we are reluctant. Why? God seeks not your ability, lest you boast of your self but rather, availability and a humble heart, because God made us and knows what we can do through of ourselves and all the more what we can accomplish through Him. So let us restore the place where we have fallen and help one another to do the same.

I leave you with this last set of verses:

Isaiah 58:
  13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:
  14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Easter, Let's Count

This is a simple question, a parable if you will. It does have a Scriptural thought to it though.Here is the scenario:

I am paying $1000 US for each day (24 hours) I spend in my room. I will be staying for 3 days and 3 nights.

Therefore I will spend a total of $3000 US and will leave about the same time I arrive.

I arrive at the hotel at the evening of Friday (before the sunset), that I may see the setting sun from my room when I check in. It is a wonderfuls stay so far as the weekend unfolds.

On the Sunday morning however, someone comes and knocks on my door. It is a notice for me to check out, for my time as expired, according to management.

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Questions:

1. Did I get my money's worth?

2. Did the hotel lie to me?

3. Did I interpret the time span differently than the normal?

4. When should I have left?

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Answer the above questions before continuing please.

Post your answers in the comments.

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Before, you continue, I want you to pray. Pray that God through Jesus Christ, will reveal Himself to you. That His love will envelope you and gently guide you, not by your will but by His will. That you would humbly submit and say: "Lord what would you have me to do?"

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So most if not all of you may have figured that you did not get your money's worth huh?

Well I'd believe the same thing. If anything counting 3 days and 3 nights, I should have left about the same time on the Monday evening huh?

It's interest you count that hotel scenario like that. Simple and easy huh?

Let's Begin

Now let's say Jesus Christ is gonna spend 3 days and 3 nights as He told the Pharisees:

Matthew 12:38-40 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

So now we have our same scenario only with Jesus Christ the Son of God, who cannot lie.

A majority of us know of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We say that Christ was put in the grave on the Friday evening as the sabbath drew near, and early morning on the first day (Sunday) He rose again. However looking back on the same scenario before (I do it so you won't justify), we'd probably try to recount something to justify

I put forward this: If we look at the different accounts of the crucifixion of from Matthew to John, each provides some different information.

Let's look at the following scriptures:

Matthew 28:1-7 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. 5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. 6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.

Notice the first verse there. What does it imply? Did it say He rose again, as it began to dawn towards the first day?

Nope, it shows that in the end of the sabbath (still within sabbath time since the dawn here implies that something is about to begin) two Marys were going to see the sepulche. By the time they got there, Christ had already risen.

But in the other accounts, it sounds differently

Matthew 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mark 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.

Luke 24:10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.

John 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

They are different. In each account, a different set of women came to the sepulchre and in each account it seems like a different time of day. One could say that due to the fact that their Lord, Saviour and King had died, it must have been such a trauma for them, especially Mary Magdalene, who went more than once. There could have been doubt as it pertains to his resurrection:

John 20:8-15 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. 11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Seems she was still mourning though that other disciple believed. So this scripture puts forth evidence that she was fully aware and had some doubt.

When was Jesus Christ resurrected then?

That's a good question. Before we can figure that out we have to conclude when he resurrected, according to scripture.

In Matthew it gives the earliest account of when the women went to visit the tomb of Jesus Christ, during sabbath as it came to a close. When they got there, the stone was already roled away, and there was no body found. The guards had fainted (became as dead men). There were angels found in the sepulchre proclaiming his resurrection.

If you understand time in scripture, look a Genesis that shows how a day is:

Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.

Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

As it states, eveneing then morning. Evening starts around sunset. So the new day, based on scripture, starts every sunset and not the man-made midnight. As the name states "midnight"which is the middle of the night.

The lights in the sky show the division of day and night and so on.

If we look at when Jesus Christ was buried, it was before the sunset of the preparation day:

John 19:28-31 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. 31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Notice how I underline that part there. It actually tells you the type of sabbath it was to be. Most will say that it was the weekly sabbath but there are actually more than one type of sabbath in the Bible (Leviticus 23). This high day sabbath was not a weekly sabbath, but rather one of these. The two Marys went to the tomb on the closing of the weekly sabbath (Matthew 28:1).

Another thing to note is why the bodies should be brought down before the sabbath:

Deuteronomy 21:22-23 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

It really is helpful to read through the entire Bible. It does give a better understanding of things, even pertaining to the gospel.

Another scripture points to the fact that Christ was on the cross about the ninth hour of the day:

Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

This is not 9am or 9pm (just to clarify) but rather 9 hours after sunrise, which would around 3pm or there about, whch mean there was roughly 3 hours to get Christ of the cross and bury Him.

So Jesus Christ was buried before sunset, therefore He arose before the sunset, on the weekly sabbath.

Burial Day - Counting Back

If we count back from His resurrection, we'll find the day of the week the Messiah was cut off.

So here we go:

3 Days ________________3 Nights___________

Saturday Morning Friday Evening

Friday Morning Thursday Evening

Thursday Morning Wednesday Evening

Daniel 9:25-27 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

To have a bit more understanding, check out: http://www.bible.ca/ef/expository-daniel-9-24-27.htm

Not only was Christ cut off in the midst of the week prophetically, but he really was cut off in the middle of the week.

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I really do pray that all who read this will consider, don't take it as truth because I posted it here but look into it yourselves. You have reasoned that Good Friday to Easter Sunday does not add up to 3days and 3 nights.

Please seek after God through His Word, not through a preachers mouth, know it for yourself, there's so much wisdom that God has to offer. Be like those in Berea:

Acts 17:10-11 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Pray for the truth of God, you cannot find the truth if you have your own pre-conceived ideas about His Word.

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

We really do have to know the Word for ourselves:

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I do pray that as much as you who read and share this, will seek to lean on the Lord Jesus Christ in truth.

God bless you all and much love for you all.

If you're not saved, and want to live for Christ, maybe you lack the belief. As Him: "Help thou my unbelief."

Isaiah 55:1-9 is a beautiful invitation for anyone who wants to turn from wickedness.

If you believe that you believe, but you have not been living righteously, consider Psalm 50, Matthew 7:13 - 27.

Look into the origins of Easter, why it's called Easter, why we have these "lovely" traditions we love so much.

All to celebrate Christ. Consider Jeremiah 10:1 - 8.

Did it originate with Christ or is there another reason?

Yours Sincerely,

Lushane Alano Jones

Those Who Wait Upon the Lord Shall Renew Their Strength

Job 14:1 - 14
1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.
8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground;
9 Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Job, in his trials, reflects upon the frailty of mankind and what short time he has to live. He also compares man to that of a tree; that when a tree is cut down it has hope to grow, even from a small bud but when man is cut down he will not rise again.

Yet even in what seems like utter despair for Job becomes hope, even for us:

Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

We may not know our appointed time but we can wait each and everyday until our change comes. Regardless of our trials, no matter how long it takes, if can endure for the the time and trust in God each day that He knows EXACTLY what He's doing. We can be sure that when the change comes, it will be most glorious.

John 5:1-9

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

Now consider this man. He had a problem for 38 years. That is a long time. It must be frustrating for this man, when he is about to go into the pool, that there is another person there ahead of him. This does not have anyone to help him to get into the water. 38 years this man is waiting for deliverance. He could have given up the first 10 or so years of trying but he still tried.

Then Jesus steps in and the scripture says that He knew that the man had the problem for so long. Jesus Christ came to him and asked this impotent man a simple question: Wilt thou be made whole?

The man states his dilemma and Christ responds: Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

Bless the LORD! We have to be patient as we wait for our deliverance. It may be rough and things might seem hopeless at times but remember this:

Romans 5:3

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

James 1:2-4

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

James 5:7

7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Consider this man, a farmer. He plants seeds and waits for it to grow. So too is our walk with Christ. The farmer does not just plants the seed and then go for a time and come back expecting the plant to just be fruitful.

No.

He first clears the land of weeds, rocks and debris. Then he tills the soil and rake it nice and proper, putting time and effort into it.

He toils for this land to be prepared, then he plants the seeds. He doesn't leave it. He waters it everyday he can, he clears around it when weeds and bugs come along and puts the time and effort into it and expects it to be fruitful.

Let's even take a flashback on the children of Israel, while they were in bondage under the Egyptians for 400 years.

For so long they were there and the Lord hearkened to their cries, and sent deliverance through Moses. And even while they were freed from captivity and were at the Red Sea, they murmured and complained wanting to go back to Egypt, wanting to find some other way out of the situation, maybe the left or right route. But Moses proclaimed that they should stand and see the salvation of the LORD, and God cut a straight path through the sea for them to walk on.

It is important to remember that even if things don't go the way you want it when you want it, remember not to go down to Egypt for help nor turn away from the path of righteousness.

Isaiah 31:1

1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!

Deuteronomy 5:32

32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.

God bless in the name of Jesus Christ our LORD, Saviour and Redeemer.

Song: ChristOurLife - I Will Wait (Live)

The Keys of The Kingdom

Judges 15:14-20
14  And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.
15  And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.
16  And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.
17  And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.
18  And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the uncircumcised?
19  But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.
20  And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty years.

The Spirit of the Lord was mightily upon Samson, it was not by his own power, but by the power of God, by the Spirit of God enabling Samson to do much more than the natural man. It is thus why we seek the power of God, that we might truly know the power that God has given to HIS Church, He has given HIS Church the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to bind and loose things on earth.

Matthew 16:18-1918  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

The verses highlighted tell us, that the keys, though seemingly given to Peter, were given to the Church of God! Whatsoever we bound on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever we loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Matthew 18:15-1815  Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16  But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

It is a good thing to forgive thy brother or sister or anything for that matter, but as the scriptures saith and as Christ saith, we speak to our brother one away and if they fail to hear, take another or two with yourself  to reason with them, also to gain thy brother, but also to confirm the matter. If your brother fails to hear you and the other brethren, tell The Church, and yet another time if he fail to hear the final authority on earth, then so shall the word pass, let him be to thee as a heathen man and a publican. Sounds like a harsh thing, but if this behaviour is allowed to continue in The Church, then conflict would arise between members of The Body of Christ and the oppressor, so Christ knew, without a doubt what HE said, and even if that wasn't the case, we should heed HIS Word, for HE IS The Word. Sometimes we allow things to creep into The Church, and for the sake of making everyone welcome, the Truth in compromised... I say of a truth that GOD's TRUTH CANNOT BE COMPROMISED, just as HE is UNCHANGING, so is His Truth.

God recognises His Church as the final authority on earth before HE returns for HIS people. Look at this:

Matthew 18:18-20
18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
19  Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Where two or three are gathered in the Name of The LORD Christ Jesus, touching ANYTHING, we shall ask concerning God and HIS Will, then, if we agree on it, then Christ in the midst of us will agree as long as it is for righteousness sake. PRAISE GOD for another one of His promises!

We truly need to stand on the promises of The LORD Jesus Christ, they do not fail. Believe me, use faith, use the keys.

Just remember when the apostles and disciple were in the upper chamber and they were? IN ONE ACCORD, THEY AGREED! Then the Holy Spirit descended as was promised by the LORD. Now I can see why tarrying for the baptism of the Holy Spirit is necessary in one accord, sometimes rather than one's own self.

Here's another scenario where the keys are used.

Luke 10:17-19
17  And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Nothing shall by any means hurt us. Remember when Paul was bitten of the viper...

Acts 28:3-63  And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand.4  And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.5  And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.6  Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.

It was a promise that was delivered, Paul wasn't even there, when Jesus said it, but yet, Paul stood on the promises by faith and these assurances and promises weren't just for them of old time, but even for us now, God is still working and He needs workers for the harvest. Souls who have a genuine for souls and not just quantity of souls to step into church but QUALITY souls who genuinely love God and want to serve Him.

Use the keys, faith is the key that opens the doors, it is as an electronic supermarket door, it won't work if you don't step towards the door, faith is when you step if when the doors are closed, yet believe that by the grace of God, they will open, the same delivered Daniel from the King's decree in Daniel 6, (please read along), the same delivered the three Hebrew boys in Daniel 3 and so many others. Look in Hebrew 11.

Be faithful and serve God, in all things. I pray this for all that will and won't read this. God bless you all, in Jesus' Name!