Servias Ministries Blog

There are five crowns available to pursue.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 9:

24  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an incorruptible (imperishable) crown.

This crown is also called the Victor’s Crown and is awarded for self-control and having victory over the flesh.

And in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 2:

19   For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?

20 For you are our glory and joy.

This crown is awarded for fruitful labor for the Lord in the lives of others. This is the soul winner’s crown, the winning of the saved to the Kingdom.

James wrote by The Holy Spirit in James chapter 1:

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who Love Him.

Jesus Himself spoke of this crown in Revelation chapter 2:

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

The Crown of Life is for those who have persevered, endured trials, and even faced death, and yet still remain faithful.

Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Peter chapter 5:

2   Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

This crown is for those who have shepherded and tended the flock and yearned to see them grow.  These have the heart of Christ.

Paul wrote of the fifth crown in 2^nd Timothy chapter 4:

7  I have fought an excellent fight. I have finished my full course with all my might and I’ve kept my heart full of faith.

8 There’s a crown of righteousness waiting in Heaven for me, and I know that my Lord will reward me on His day of righteous judgment. And this crown is not only waiting for me, but for all who Love and long for His unveiling.

This last crown is for those who radiate Christ’s Life in all they do.  They live His Life, do His Will, and Love His appearing.

As believers, we are to strive to obtain all of these crowns, not just one. These are FATHER’S tangible expressions of His approval. Consequently, our sole ambition should be to labor, strive, and make it our aim to be well pleasing to God. Every seed we sow, every word we speak, and every deed we do is “banked” with God and will one day spring up in a wonderful harvest of works. As written earlier, every act of the present is registered in Heaven.

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 21:

5  Then He Who sat on the Throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these Words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.

8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

What will Jesus use to reference when evaluating our lives?

Our fruitfulness must be based on the foundation of Christ.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 3:

11  For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,

13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.

14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.

15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Any work or fruit that survives the fire of judgment will be rewarded. Any work that burns in the fire will be considered a loss. The test will be conducted as a “baptism of fire” to prove its worthiness.

The fleshly things will be burned, and the Spiritual things will be rewarded. There is only one set of building materials that will withstand the fire—the things that the Holy Spirit not only prompts in our lives but also does in our lives—the gold, silver, and precious stones. The fleshly things—the wood, hay, and stubble—will feed the fire.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Timothy chapter 2:

20  But in a Great House there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.

21 Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, Love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

And in Galatians chapter 6:

7  God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest.

8 The harvest you reap reveals the seed that you planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self-life into this natural realm, you can expect a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting Life of the Spirit.

9 And don’t allow yourselves to be weary in planting good seeds, for the season of reaping the wonderful harvest you’ve planted is coming!

10 Take advantage of every opportunity to be a blessing to others, especially to our brothers and sisters in the family of faith!

“Good works” are those words, deeds, and actions that are not only prompted by the Holy Spirit, but also performed through the power of His Spirit.  If, however, our works are done with the self-centered motive of being seen by men and applauded by them, then that becomes its own reward. There will be none other.  Unconditional Love should be at the core of our motivation.

In Colossians chapter 3:

23   Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord Himself and not merely for others.

24 For we know that we will receive a reward, an inheritance from the Lord, as we serve the Lord Yahweh, the Anointed One!

25 A disciple will be repaid for what he has learned and followed, for God pays no attention to the titles or prestige of men.

Unfruitful branches are cut off from the Vine.  We must pay close attention to the resulting fruit of our lives and repent of those words and acts which will not pass the test of FATHER’S Justice.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Psalm chapter 89:

14   Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your Throne; Mercy and Truth go before Your Face.

My recommendation- be quick to repent of unfruitful words and works.  Christ shall reward every man according to his work.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 16:

27 I, the Son of Man, will one day return with My messengers and in the splendor and majesty of my Father. And then I will reward each person according to what they have done.

What will Jesus look at during our evaluation?

Our Eternal destiny is never in question at the Judgment Seat of Christ!

The Judgment Seat of Christ will be for revealing and rewarding the kind of Christian life the believer has lived—a spiritual life with fruits of righteousness or a carnal life with very few good deeds. This judgment will be on the basis of a believer’s works only.

What’s being weighed is our worthiness, our qualifications, our fitness, our readiness, and our preparation for positions or levels of responsibility in the future kingdom.  Our justification is never in jeopardy. We are Eternally secure in that respect.

This judgment is where our works will go through the refining test of fire and the Lord will search our hearts and minds and expose the truth.  This is also the time that each of us will give an account of our faithfulness, our obedience, and our perseverance.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Romans chapter 14:

12 Therefore, each one must answer for himself and give a personal account of his own life before God.

We will be evaluated on the basis of what we did with the time, the talents, and the treasures that we were given here on earth

And in 1^st Timothy chapter 5:

24   The sins of some people stand out and are well known. Yet there are others whose sins are not as obvious, but the Truth of who they really are will eventually be seen and will bring them judgment.

25 It is the same way with good works, even if they are not known at first, they will eventually be recognized and acknowledged.

In the parable of the ten talents, the Judgment Seat of Christ is where the reward of “entering into the joy of the Lord” or the loss of being cast into the darkness outside the Throne Room is pronounced.

The Beloved Disciple wrote in 1^st John chapter 1:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Unconfessed sin will be judged because it quenched God’s Spirit and prevented any “works of righteousness” from being produced. Because these carnal believers didn’t apply the above passage in order to cleanse their lives, they quenched God’s Spirit in their hearts and, consequently, no “fruit” could be produced.

Our Heavenly Father is not only a Loving God, He is also a just God. His Love brings us to Him as a gift, but His justice demands a review of our lives—every thought, word, and deed, whether good or bad.  Be assured, we will be evaluated.

The following might be a good self-assessment test:

Did we Love Him and Love others? (Matthew 22:37–39)

 Did we walk by the Spirit, showing forth His Life, His Love, Wisdom, and power? Were we “fruit-bearing?” (John 10:10)

Did we make choices to follow God, regardless of our feelings?

Did we Love our enemies? (Luke 6:35)

Did we do everything from a heart of Love? (1 Corinthians 13:1–3)

 Did we stay yielded, so that He could be strong through us? (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)

Did we do everything for His glory? (Matthew 6:1–6)

Did we follow the Spirit’s leading and feed the poor and visit those in prison? (Matthew 25:35–36, 40)

Did we seek His will and not our own? (John 5:30)

Did we always have a servant’s heart? (Matthew 20:25–27)

Did we continually deny ourselves, follow Christ, and put others first? (Titus 2:12; Luke 9:23)

Did we witness for Him with our lives? (Daniel 12:3; 2 Peter 1:2–11)

Did we preach the Gospel in and out of season? (Matthew 28:19–20)

Did the fruit from our lives remain? (John 15:16)

All of God’s future blessings will be determined by our faithfulness and our obedience to do His Will here and now. Therefore, our inheritance, position, and privileges in the coming kingdom are all still at stake.

All believers will be judged in Heaven by His Love and justice.

The first judgment occurs at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Corinthians chapter 5:

9  Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.

10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

11   Since we are those who stand in Holy awe of the Lord, we make it our passion to persuade others to turn to Him. We know that our lives are transparent before the God Who knows us fully, and I hope that we are also well known to your consciences.

It is essential for our understanding of what we are to expect once we are taken up to Heaven.  Many believers solely rely on grace to conduct their own priorities yet there will be an assessment of what we did here on earth In HIS Name.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd Timothy chapter 2:

10   Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with Eternal glory.

11-13  This is a faithful saying:

For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him.

If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

This judgment Seat is God’s gateway to the Millennial reign.  In chapter 4, Paul continues:

1  Timothy (and us), in the Presence of our Great God and Our Lord Jesus Christ, the One Who is destined to judge both the living and the dead by the revelation of His Kingdom—I solemnly instruct you to

2 proclaim the Word of God and stand upon It no matter what! Rise to the occasion and preach when it is convenient and when it is not. Preach in the full expression of the Holy Spirit—with Wisdom and patience as you instruct and teach the people.

As well, Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Peter chapter 4:

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?

Paul makes it explicitly clear in Romans chapter 14:

10  But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.

11 For it is written: “As I live, says the LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God.

There is nothing hidden from God and HE has HIS Book of Remembrance for each of us.  However, the Blood of Jesus Christ does blot out our past as we repent.  Still, there is the issue of fruitfulness that will be evaluated.

Paul brings this to light in 1^st Corinthians chapter 4:

3   But personally, I’m not the least bit concerned if I’m judged by you or any verdict I receive from any human court. In fact, I don’t even assume to be my own judge,

4 even though my conscience is clear. But that doesn’t mean I stand acquitted before the Lord, for the only Judge I care about is Him!

When the Lord makes His appearance, He will bring all that is hidden in darkness to light and unveil every secret motive of everyone’s heart. Then, when the whole Truth is known, each will receive praise from God.

Many believers do not like to hear that there is going to be an accounting and a judging of ourselves (not only for the good things we have done, but also for the bad). Those who are deemed “worthy (“those who are prepared and fit”), will inherit blessings and privileges (Colossians 3:24). Those who are found not worthy will suffer loss.

1st Corinthians 3:13–15 tells us, “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss (of reward , positions of responsibilities, and privileges); but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Don’t let your mindset keep you in a small place.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Thessalonians chapter 4:

16  For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

18 Therefore comfort one another with these Truths.

Over the years, I have heard many interpretations, especially allegorical or symbolic in nature.  The problem is such interpretations seem to limit Jesus in the actual act of descending, even though there is no problem with Him literally ascending on the third day.  Is it any more difficult for Him to cause both the dead and the living to ascend to Heaven at that time?  I say “No”.

The true church will be spared the seven years of tribulation on earth.  The following verses clarify this:

14   For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who died while believing in Him.

15 This is the Word of the Lord: we who are alive in Him and remain until the Lord appears will by no means have an advantage over those who have already died, for both will rise together.

The catching away (harpazo) is based on FATHER’S unconditional Love, not man’s viewpoint or opinion.  This catching away denotes removal by force or action.  See Matthew 11:12, Matthew 13:19, John 6:13, John 10:12, 28, 29, Philip in Acts 8:39 where the eunuch saw him no more, Paul caught up to the third heaven.in 2^nd Corinthians 12:2, 4, Revelation 12:5.  Clearly, the usage denotes removal from a particular place or state. 

This takes care of any thought of a “partial Rapture.” We are all going to be caught up together in the air and we are all going to be with Him forever!  This is the time we will receive our glorified bodies and, finally, be freed from the presence of sin.

It is written by THE SPIRIT in Daniel chapter 12:

1  “At that time, the great angel-prince, Michael, protector of your people, will take his stand. It will be a time of great distress, the worst trouble your nation has ever known. When that time comes, your own people will be spared—all those whose names are found written in the Book of Life.

2 “Multitudes of those who are sleeping in the Land of Dust will awaken, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace.

3 Those who are wise will shine radiantly as the sky at midday. And those who turn many to the way of righteousness will shine brightly as stars for all eternity.

4 “And you, Daniel, must guard these Words and keep the scroll sealed until the time of the end. Many will go here and there, and knowledge will continue to increase.”

Knowledge is increasing at a very rapid pace.  There are many end-times signs mentioned by Jesus.  The five wise virgins were prepared for the Bridegroom’s arrival to take His bride away… He was not staying.

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Don’t let your mindset keep you in a small place.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 2:

16 For “who has known the Mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the Mind of Christ.

Should we be walking in the Mind of Christ?  The Holy Spirit reveals the thoughts and purposes of Christ and we are meant to implement those purposes here on earth.

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in Philippians 3:

10  And I continually long to know the wonders of Jesus and to experience the overflowing power of His resurrection working in me. I will be one with Him in His sufferings and become like Him in his death.

11 Only then will I be able to experience complete oneness with Him in His resurrection from the realm of death.

12 I admit that I haven’t yet acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with passion into His abundance so that I may reach the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me to make me His Own.

13 I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead.

14 I run straight for the Divine invitation of reaching the Heavenly goal and gaining the victory-prize through the anointing of Jesus.

15 So let all who are fully mature have this same passion, and if anyone is not yet gripped by these desires, God will reveal it to them.

16 And let us all advance together to reach this victory-prize, following one path with one passion.

Our high calling is contained in The Lord’s Prayer.  Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 6:

9  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your Name. 10 Your Kingdom come. Your Will be done On earth as it is in Heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

“Thy Kingdom come” is generally neglected by the various ministries.  Most Christians today have no real idea what this means. Yet there are more promises and prophecies about this “Kingdom” than any other period in the entire Bible!

In the Old Testament, there were four unconditional covenants, commitments on FATHER’S part:

1.   The Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12: 1-4)

2.   The Land Covenant (Deuteronomy 30:3; Genesis 15:18)

3.   The Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:8–17)

4.   The Everlasting Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31)

The Davidic Covenant has yet to be fully established on earth.  Would Jesus have us pray “The Lord’s Prayer” if He did not plan to rule and reign on earth for 1,000 years, a millennium?

The Beloved Disciple recorded by The Holy Spirit in Revelation chapter 19:

11  Now I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.

12 His Eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His Gead were many crowns. He had a Name written that no one knew except Himself.

13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies in Heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

15 Now out of His Mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And He has on His robe and on His Thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Heaven is not ruled by a rod of iron.  However, the earth will.  Be assured that the devil’s kingdom, power, and authority will be fully removed by Our Lord Jesus Christ!

Are you willing to receive the Word with all readiness of mind?

Luke recorded by The Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 17:

10  That night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to the city of Berea, where they once again went into the synagogue.

11 They found that the Jews of Berea were of more noble character and much more open-minded than those of Thessalonica. They were hungry to learn and eagerly received the Word. Every day they opened the scrolls of Scripture to search and examine them, to verify that what Paul taught them was true.

12 A large number of Jews became believers in Jesus, along with quite a few influential Greek women and men.

Parables are prophetic in nature.

Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 25:

14  For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a Man traveling to a far country, who called His own servants and delivered His goods to them.

15 And to one He gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately He went on a journey.

The servants that Jesus was talking about here are His own servants— those who belong to Him. In other words, they’re believers. You can’t say that only two of the servants were saved and the third one was not. They were all “servants” and they were all “saved”—because they were all waiting for His return.

19  After a long time the Lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

To the first two servants, Jesus said:  ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.’

24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.

25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

26 “But his Lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.

27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

28 Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The word unprofitable simply means “not worthy of” (in the sense of not being fit or prepared).  This man was not worthy of entering the joy of the Lord’s Presence, because he had not been faithful, obedient, or persevering. Thus, he wasn’t qualified to enter the joy of the Lord.

The word cast out means he was cast forth from his original position grudgingly, a position he was once a part of but was now ejected, sent forth, and sent away. This Greek word is always used in connection with the outer darkness or the darkness outside.  It’s simply the darkness outside the light of God’s presence.  It’s a place outside the room where the obedient servants are enjoying God’s presence, but evidently contiguous to it.

In this darkness outside, the unfaithful servant will experience weeping and gnashing of teeth, which simply means “profound regret.” Keep in mind that God does not wipe away our tears until the end of the Millennium.  Jesus says, “I will wipe away all tears from their eyes,” speaking of Heaven, not the Millennium.  The outer darkness is “the darkness outside the limits of the lighted palace.

The Beloved Disciple speaks of darkness when he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1 John 2:

9  He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

10 He who Loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

It’s all about walking in Agape Love and producing fruit thereof.

Don’t allow yourself to be disqualified from being an overcomer!

Paul wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1^st Corinthians chapter 9:

24  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified (a castaway).

To be disqualified means to fail the test or meet the requirements.  There is a difference between an overcomer and those who are “overcome”.

Paul also wrote by The Holy Spirit in Titus chapter 1:

15  It’s true that all is pure to those who have pure hearts, but to the corrupt unbelievers nothing is pure. Their minds and consciences are defiled.

16 They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are disgusting, disobedient, and disqualified from doing anything good.

If Paul was concerned about being disqualified, we should be as well!

Paul never doubted his justification for a moment, as he preached in Romans 8:38–39 that “nothing would separate us from the Love of God.” But he was concerned about losing the prize of the reward of inheritance.  He knew that it was possible to be saved and yet still not participate in the coming Kingdom, that is, to be justified and yet not have a part or a role in the Millennium.  Consider Moses who was disobedient and was not able to enter into The Promised Land.

We are to forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before, we are to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

We will either overcome or be overtaken. The goal of the race is that we might become “partakers of His Holiness, conformed into His Image” and win the prize. This is the reason why Satan is on such a rampage to destroy the message of overcoming and inheriting the kingdom.

Peter understood this when he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd  Peter chapter 1:

2  Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

3 as His Divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Paul, as well, wrote by The Holy Spirit in Hebrews chapter 12:

7  If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?

10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His Holiness.

Don’t run from the testing and chastening, embrace them with the expectation of becoming a partaker of HIS Holiness as an overcomer.

FATHER has given each of us different talents, abilities, and giftings to advance the Kingdom of God here on earth. The question is: What have we done with these talents? Have we used them wisely, squandered them, or buried them?

At Laodicea, Christ stood on the outside, not within. This is a major problem today and is a severe warning!

Laodicea represents the last days church, which is neither “hot nor cold.”  The music and worship programs create excitement, but the message is so watered down that it does not stimulate a renewed personal commitment of obedience and faithfulness to the Lord. As this Scripture notes, it is “neither hot nor cold.” It is lukewarm! Today’s deadness in churches comes from following the Truth only with our minds, not with our hearts or our lives. These saints said they were rich and in need of nothing, but in truth and from God’s perspective, they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. He is speaking about nominal and unfaithful Christians who are found to be “naked” because they do not have on the appropriate clean and white wedding garments.

Jude wrote by The Holy Spirit in his Epistle which describes the end-times:

11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

12  These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;

13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

17 But you, Beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:

18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

If you go into a church, will you find The Holy Spirit?  Will you hear a message focusing on Jesus Christ?  Will you find an altar and a call to repentance?  I am just asking for a close friend… Jesus!

Paul also spells it out as he wrote by The Holy Spirit in 2^nd  Timothy chapter 3:

1  But you need to be aware that in the final days the culture of society will become extremely fierce.

2 People will be self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They will boast of great things as they strut around in their arrogant pride and mock all that is right. They will ignore their own families. They will be ungrateful and ungodly.

3 They will become addicted to hateful and malicious slander. Slaves to their desires, they will be ferocious, belligerent haters of what is good and right.

4 With brutal treachery, they will act without restraint, bigoted and wrapped in clouds of their conceit. They will find their delight in the pleasures of this world more than the pleasures of the Loving God.

5 They may pretend to have a respect for God, but in reality they want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these!

6 For they are the ones who worm their way into the hearts of vulnerable women, spending the night with those who are captured by their lusts and steeped in sin.

7 They are always learning but never discover the revelation-knowledge of Truth.

8 History has given us an example of this with the Egyptian sorcerers Jannes and Jambres, who stood against Moses in their arrogance. So it will be in the last days with those who reject the faith with their corrupt minds and arrogant hearts, standing against the Truth of God.

Look around and you can see every aspect of society mentioned above!

Interesting that FATHER has had Servias focus on the Book of Revelation as well!

Apophis means “a demon serpent of darkness.”