Martyn Isles does a great job at looking at “what is a woman” from God’s perspective. God created us and He has told us in Genesis exactly why He created us and the roles He assigned to men and women.
Sadly, the world has jettisoned God and His Word and is intent on playing God in His world. Moreover, they are totally unaware that they are under the control of the enemy of God, Satan, and his minions.
The confusion that surfaces when the world is considered to be the result of random chance with no meaning or purpose is evidenced by transgenderism which insists biological identity and sexual identity are different and why our leaders are unable to answer the question “what is a woman” or “what is a man “for that matter.
We are blessed to have a man of the calibre of Martyn Isles heading up A.C.L.
Jesus is coming back, and He is warning those who want to be on his side to be ready. God is calling us all to leave behind terrible habits, addictions, and anything that pulls us away from Him. The movie below reveals where sin is headed and why it’s so crucial that we are not slaves to it. It explores how to overcome sinful addictions and the meaning of repentance. This is one to see, share, and watch with a group! Unlimited lawlessness is now possible with augmented reality. We are living in a time when the prophesied apostasy (falling away) in the church is already happening and it will only increase as Satan steps up his demonic activity to destroy mankind. Satan understands his time is short.
AoC Network is a Christ-Centered content creator with a goal to represent God’s Kingdom online. Learn more at https://www.aocnetwork.org/about-us
I do not agree with their interpretation of the parable Jesus told of the rich man and Lazarus in this video and ask you to consider the following exposition of this parable.
Does the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 teach an eternal hell of conscious torment? No! It is a parable Jesus used to emphasize a certain spiritual lesson. The point of the story is found in verse 31. Parables should not be taken literally—otherwise, we would believe that trees talk! (See Judges 9:8–15.)
The traditional view is to take the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man literally, but I believe as many others do that it is a parable that Jesus told to the Pharisees and Sadducees as it followed other parables that all start with the same intro: “There was a certain man”
The two parables here both have to do with “mammon” (money) and the misuse of it. If the first is clearly a parable, why not the second, for it is in the exact same section of scripture?
The Jewish Rabbis of Jesus’ day commonly used parables as teaching tools. This is in part why Jesus used them to correct the Pharisees (self-righteous religious leaders) who were unjustly criticizing what he taught.
Here are some other facts making it clear that Luke 16:19–31 is a parable: 1. Abraham’s bosom is not heaven or paradise. (Hebrews 11:8–10, 16). 2. Abraham was not in heaven in bodily form so how can Lazarus literally be comforted by Abraham? 3. People in hell cannot talk to those in heaven (Isaiah 65:17). 4. The bodies of the dead are in their graves (Job 17:13; John 5:28, 29). The rich man was in bodily form with eyes, a tongue, etc., yet we know that the body does not go to hell at death but remains in the grave, as the Bible clearly teaches. 5. People are rewarded at Christ’s second coming, not at death (Revelation22:12). 6. The lost are cast into the Lake of Fire (Hell) after the White Throne judgement not when they die (Matthew 13:40–42).
Why did Jesus give this parable here?
In the first thirteen verses of Luke 16, we find Jesus teaching his disciples about being wise stewards and that man cannot serve both God and mammon (money, earthly possessions, etc.). The Pharisees overheard what Jesus said and, knowing it also applied to them, roundly criticized him:
“Now the Pharisees who were also covetous (greedy and lovers of money) heard all these things, and they ridiculed Him.” (Luke 16:14).
Jesus tells the Pharisees that they seek to justify themselves before men and not God. After a few more comments he speaks this parable that is in direct response to their finding fault with what he taught.
The parable begins: “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, and daily indulged himself in luxury.” The rich man in this parable is a symbol for the Pharisees and Sadducees themselves.
“And there was a certain poor man named Lazarus, who was laid at his porch, full of sores.” (Luke 16:19 – 20). Why did Christ refer to this poor beggar as Lazarus? There are two reasons. One is the meaning of his name. It means ‘whom God helps.’ or ‘assistance of God‘. The Pharisees prided themselves on their righteousness through strict obedience to their interpretation of God’s law. They particularly despised the gentiles. The irony here is that those who honestly believed they served and represented God would not help someone “whom God helps.” They disdained someone whom God accepted.
Lazarus in this parable represents the Gentiles – the world outside of God’s chosen people. God’s people (particularly the Pharisees and Sadducees) treated the Gentiles like dogs who were full of sores (spiritual sickness) and in need of rescue (help from God). The Gentiles like Lazarus were stopped at the gate of the temple (which represents the entrance to God) and were not allowed to go inside (never to have a relationship with God).
In verse 22, we see that something unnatural has occurred. Both die, Lazarus is carried away by the angels into Abraham’s bosom and the rich man ends up in hell. Note what verse 22 does NOT say! It does NOT state that the beggar went to heaven. It also does not say the rich man, immediately upon death, was tossed into some eternal Hell. The verse says the beggar is carried to “Abraham’s bosom.” But what does this phrase mean? What is significant about Lazarus being in the bosom of Abraham? Being in the bosom of someone is a symbol of love and closeness John 13:23 “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.” Lazarus (symbol for the Gentile nation) being in Abraham’s bosom (place of spiritual promise to be loved and close to God) illustrates the roles have switched. Galatians 3:14 “so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” Now Lazarus is in the place where the rich man (Pharisees and Sadducees) was. So, what was the cause of such a radical change in the status of God’s chosen people and the Gentiles? Let us see what Jesus had to say about it; Matthew 23:33 “You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of Hell [Gehenna – God’s Judgement]?” The roles switched because of the arrogance, self-righteousness, and disobedience of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They did not see a need to help others, they boasted about having the law of the prophets, and they worshiped themselves, but things just changed
Lazarus is carried into a close relationship with Abraham (who represents faith in God and salvation). He is allowed entrance into God’s kingdom (but it does not state when this occurs).
We now come to the verse that has led countless people who study the Bible to believe in a fiery Hell where sinners suffer forever. However, four times in Revelation we are told of the second death: Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:11, and 21:8. Moreover, the Bible teaches that there will be just punishment of the unrepentant for sins committed on earth which is followed by the second death in the Lake of Fire.
“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”Revelation 21:8
We also find proof in verse 23 that this parable is not meant to be taken literally in every detail. Both the rich man and Lazarus are shown to be alive after they died. If we take verses 22 and 23 literally, it would mean the resurrection of the dead has already taken place!
Here is some further proof of why this story should not be taken literally in all details. How could the rich man know who Abraham was when he had been dead for 1,800+ years? Also, it would be difficult for the rich man to recognize Lazarus in a glorified body, as he had been an emaciated pile of bones and flesh and full of sores during his physical life. The difference would have been appalling.
Additionally, Luke 16:24 reiterates how the roles of these two men have changed. The rich man was without need of help when the beggar was in dire straits and now, he is in a dire situation when the beggar is without need. In effect, Christ is giving a warning to the Pharisees that their state in life could quickly change, therefore they should not be so smug and look down on others.
Remember, my son, that in your lifetime you were given all the good things, while Lazarus got all the bad things. But now he is enjoying himself here, while you are in pain. Besides all that, there is a deep pit lying between us . . . (Luke 16: 25 – 26).
Jesus got the immediate attention of the Pharisees by using Abraham as a character in his lesson. Christ is showing that one needs to live his life correctly today, not wait until the next life to make amends.
The last four verses of this parable describe Father Abraham explaining to the rich man that his five brothers (Judah had five brothers) have the prophets (the Old Testament scriptures) as a witness. Jesus knew full well that the arrogant religious leaders boasted about their knowledge of the scriptures, but their hearts were hardened. Despite the many O.T. prophecies about Himself, the Pharisees and Sadducees continued not to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
The rich man goes on to explain that if one is raised from the dead they will believe (repent). People claim that the story of the rich man and Lazarus is not a parable because Christ identifies a character with a real name as in this case, the name Lazarus. They say that this fact alone is proof because Christ never used a real name in any other parables. Do you think that it is ironic that there is an actual person in the book of John that has the same name, Lazarus who was sick and died but Jesus raised him from the dead which is the same context of the rich man’s inquiry? You see, Christ was spoken of and prophesied about many times in the Old Testament. Jesus makes another prophecy in this parable stating that if they will not hear the words of the prophets; neither will they believe if one is raised from the dead. Jesus used the real name Lazarus because he already knew that he was going to resurrect a real person named Lazarus shortly thereafter from the dead to further prove his point in the parable.
“He said to him, ‘If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead‘”.(Luke 16:31)
Jesus ultimately tells us the meaning of the rich man and Lazarus parable. He was telling the Pharisees (who were self-righteous hypocrites) that since they did not truly believe and follow what Moses and the prophets wrote, no amount of miracles and wonders would be able to change their minds and alter how they lived life. It was the hardness of their hearts that kept them from truly repenting and serving God. Jesus knew that despite adequate proof of His own resurrection these Pharisees and Sadducees would still not believe He was their prophesied Messiah.
In this very appealing video, we are told that tens of thousands of children out there identify as transgender. We are also told that the Whittington family is a typical American family. As well, we are told that gender and sexuality are different. I would suggest that all three claims are false.
Ryland’s mother said that the child spoke to them before she could speak that she was a boy. Prior to the child coming out as a boy at age five, the parents began sex experimentation with the child. Those facts should get the alarm bells ringing.
The following statistics are given to us: 60% of transgender youth turn to self-harm and 50% to suicide according to research by the Trevor Project ( The world’s largest safe space social networking community for LGBTQ youth). These statistics are alarming however the Trevor Projects’ solution to the problem is equally alarming.
In Australia and many other western countries, to offer God’s solution (the only true solution) to the transgender problem is a gaolable offense. Even presenting God’s solution to the parents in order to save their children would get you reported to the authorities.
God and his commandments have been rejected by the majority of people as they were by the people of Noah’s Day bringing God’s judgement upon them. Moreover, Jesus told us that at the time before His return will be like Noah’s Day when lawlessness abounded. Persecution of active Christians (living out their faith) will be considered just.
“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22
“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”” Luke 18:7-8
God’s Word gives us many examples of people who went to God for help but David is a standout
David had just been anointed King over Israel and the Philistines heard of it and searched for him.
“So David inquired of the Lord, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?’ The Lord answered, ‘Go up for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into your hand.’ So David went and at Baal Perazim, there he defeated them. David exclaimed, ‘the Lord has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.’ Therefore he called the name of that place Baal Perazim (Master of Breakthroughs).” (2 Samuel 5:17-20)
The Philistines went up once again and deployed themselves in the valley of Rephaim (giants.) David enquired again of the Lord. This time the Lord said, ‘you shall not go up: circle round behind them, and come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the trees advance quickly. For then the Lord will go out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.’ And David did what the Lord commanded him, and drove back his enemies.
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There are times when we need a breakthrough from the Lord. The problem is beyond us, we need Him to act. Wisely David enquired of the Lord and very wisely he followed the Lord’s instructions and there was a breakthrough.
In itself, that breakthrough was a battle rather than the whole war, for the Philistines returned and threatened again. Very wisely David enquired again and did not repeat the previous strategy. This time the Lord’s plan was different. Again, following the word from the Lord, David had victory over his enemy.
When we need a breakthrough, for the problem is greater than us, we can enquire of the Lord. We can listen for His answer but note that it may need patience which is difficult when we are under threat. Yet scripture assures us that we will receive an answer –
‘Ask and it will be given to you…For everyone who asks, receives.’Matthew .7:7-8
The apostle Peter confirms that the breakthrough will come if we stand firm. He says ‘Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God…cast all your care on Him…be sober and vigilant… The devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. Resist him and stand firm in the faith… Then after you have suffered a while the God of all grace will give you the breakthrough – He will perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.’ (from 1 Peter 5:6-11)
Paul wrote to the Ephesians telling them to stand and when they had done everything to keep standing – always looking out for the sword of the Spirit – that specific word (rhema) from God, that specific instruction just like David received when he enquired of the Lord. Our breakthrough comes in the same way – ask, listen and obey the specific instruction, not relying on previous victories for God’s strategy is always right for every problem. Patience is needed!
Why is patience needed? Because patience is having its perfect work in us. Patience is abiding under pressure – enduring. So we keep standing and waiting for the breakthrough which will surely come at the right time.
This teaching by Torben will surprise many but it makes sense of what Jesus is warning us against in Matthew 24 when He said that many will come and say, “I am Christ,” and deceive many. As Torben points out, these are not people who dress up like Jesus, who look like Jesus, who are going around here on earth saying, “I am Jesus, follow me.” These people will not deceive many, because who wants to follow a person like that? We would think that they are insane or that they are very evil and full of demons, and not somebody we should listen to.
Because of the translation from Greek to English, we have misunderstood what Jesus is saying. Jesus is actually warning and saying that many will say, “I am anointed,” or, “I have a special anointing you don’t have so follow me,” and those people will actually deceive many. Why? Because in the New Covenant we are living in, the anointing we receive is the Holy Spirit, and every time people say you need a “special anointing,” they are saying the Holy Spirit isn’t enough, and they lift themselves up and make people depend on them, instead of letting people understand that when they got the Holy Spirit, they are now able to do what Christ has called them to do!
This teaching will be an eye-opener for many, and hopefully also set many free to go out and make disciples in the power of the Holy Spirit as Jesus has called us to do! Below, you will find some of the Scriptures Torben reads in this video. Read them for yourselves. Study them to see what the Word is saying! And do you know people out there who are following a “special anointing,” or following people who are preaching about a “special anointing?” Share this video with them, and let them also see the truth! Here is a link to the podcast Torben shared about in the video: WARNING! EXPOSING: FALSE IMPARTATION – FALSE ANOINTING – FALSE PROPHETS https://youtu.be/aVvIOji6vxY Here is a link to a teaching series where Torben has hours of teaching about the Holy Spirit – who He is, what He does, and how we receive the Holy Spirit: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0… And here is a link to Torben’s movies, where you can see that this life, full of the Holy Spirit, is for ALL of us, and how you can start to live it where you are: http://www.TLRmovie.com. Share this video with other people, and let’s come back to the simple truth we read about in the Bible!
“For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through insults and distress, and partly by becoming companions with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not among those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith for the safekeeping of the soul.” Hebrews 10:30-39
In the present lukewarm, humanistic culture there could not be a stronger SHOUT from the Living God: REPENT or PERISH.
Once we have truly repented, we are then to preach this Eternal Truth – Repent or Perish to all those we come in contact with:
“Then He said to them,‘ Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that REPENTANCE and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.'” Luke 24: 46-47
How often do you hear this message preached in our pulpits? Sadly, not often if at all in many of the denominational churches.
In Acts 2, the apostle Peter explains that a new period in redemption (i.e. the beginning of the church age) occurs at Pentecost with the Spirit’s supernatural outpouring. But a lot of interpreters miss that Peter’s citation of Joel 2, and its celestial disturbances eventlinked to the great and magnificentDay of the Lord, gives us a clue to the completion of the church age.
Jesus confirms the same celestial signs in the Olivet discourse (Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 21) signaling His return to raise believers from the dead and to rapture the remaining Saints prior to pouring out His wrath on the unrepentant with the Trumpet (Rev. 8,11) and Bowl judgments (Rev.16).
Peter’s citation:
Joel 2:31
“‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” Acts 2:17-21
Jesus Olivet Discourse:
“Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.“Matthew 24:29-31
Isaiah
Look, the LORD’s day of judgment is coming; it is a day of cruelty and savage, raging anger, destroying the earth and annihilating its sinners. Indeed the stars in the sky and their constellations no longer give out their light; the sun is darkened as soon as it rises, and the moon does not shine. I will punish the world for its evil, and wicked people for their sin. I will put an end to the pride of the insolent, I will bring down the arrogance of tyrants. I will make human beings more scarce than pure gold, and people more scarce than gold from Ophir. So I will shake the heavens, and the earth will shake loose from its foundation, because of the fury of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, in the day he vents his raging anger.” Isaiah 13:6–13
In Revelation 6 we see the same celestial signs linked to the sixth seal and the announcement that the great day of their (unrepentant) wrath has come.
“When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth… Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?””Revelation 6:12,16
It is at the trumpet blast of the seventh seal that the rapture occurs and John sees the Saints before the throne in their new bodies praising God the Father and Jesus.
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”Revelation 7:9-10
Janet shares the very moving story of her own experience of being orphaned and alone, ending up with nothing, no one. How does a person with that experience of life come to a place where she freely gives her time, energy, and money to care for those who are neglected and abandoned? Filmed on location in the beautiful province of Malaita, Solomon Islands, and ending with a rich, local song of worship sung by 600 people, you will be blessed and challenged by Janet’s powerful story.
Please share it with your family and friends. It is titled “Who is Going to Give Me the love Mum & Dad should give Me.”
American Bible Society today released the third chapter of the 12th annual State of the Bible report, which highlights cultural trends in the U.S. regarding spirituality and Scripture engagement. Today’s release shows that Americans who consistently read and apply the Bible report greater levels of hope and resilience.
American Bible Society is in its twelfth year of conducting State of the Bible, asking American people their opinions and practices relating to the Bible.
“Our research continues to confirm that consistent Bible reading leads to hope and greater flourishing. Christians know that Jesus offers us full life; there’s no surprise here. But for those who are questioning their faith or even who need reassurance after a hard season, the data validates that applying the truths of Scripture leads to better health, better relationships, and a higher sense of purpose and meaning—all while bringing us closer to God,” said John Farquhar Plake, PhD and Director of Ministry Intelligence for American Bible Society. “To put it simply: the Bible’s message is not only spiritually transformative; it also transforms how we experience life on earth. There is restoration and healing in the Word of God, and we urgently need to point our hurting neighbors toward that life-changing truth.”
The State of the Bible 2022 findings come from a survey in January 2022 conducted by the American Bible Society in collaboration with NORC at the University of Chicago, which produced 2,598 online or telephone responses from American adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 