Aug. 28, 2022 (1st day of 6th biblical month)

Matt. 5:13-16 You (true Christians) are the salt of the Earth.

Matthew 5:13-16, the context shows that we shouldn't hide from the world. We should share what we have to offer. Salt and light are both very important things that the world must have in order to live. You can't live without either of these.

But we can also carefully examine why salt and light is extremely important to the world. For today's purpose, we'll focus on the properties of salt.

Romans 12:1-2 Salt/We can be defiled contaminated
Don't be conformed to this world (don't become robots, nor blind ignorant sheep), but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Salt/We can be defiled contaminated by over focusing on sports, bad music, bad movies, society, brainwashing and religious programming.

2 Peter 1:1-12 Other spiritual "minerals" in salt/Christians:
These other minerals spiritually can be called faith and perseverance and love, etc.

Salt:
-Adds flavor, as a spice.
-Preserves food
-Purifies and disinfects
-Heals

Adds flavor, as a spice.
Wars have been fought over spices! Cinnamon, for example, has at times been considered more valuable than silver.
(By the way, I absolutely love a cup of hot water with cinnamon and honey, and is extremely beneficial for health, and helps with a bloated stomach.)

We add flavor into the world. Our Christian flavor shouldn't be bland, dull and depressing and boring but rather excitement and rejoicing and celebration. We add spice to the world.
Our worship services don't need to be boring.
Our life doesn't need to be boring.

Legalism is the opposite of good flavor.
We can add flavor to the world by giving compliments and giving smiles.
-by teaching truth that makes sense. False doctrines don't taste good.
The "feast days" or "holy days" are more appropriately called "Fiestas" because that word is more indicative (defines) what they are, as lively celebrations. It doesn't mean "a large meal", but rather, "a party, swinging back and forth in drinking".
I think of David dancing with feeling, instead of being fake, choreographed.
Our worship should be closer to what some of the Pentecostals do, rather than the fake Baptist churches. However, without the legalism.
www.isawthelightministries.com/worship.html

Deut. 14:22-27 The 2nd tithe and alcohol for the fiesta, and a gift offering. Feasting included and buying things to enjoy.
www.isawthelightministries.com/tabernacles.html
www.isawthelightministries.com/alcohol.html

Preserves/protect: Luke 22:36 Buy a weapon of self defense.
Many other verses speak of war against the wicked.
We preserve freedom and righteousness in the world as well as family and masculinity and femininity.
Contrary to what many think, true Christians should be involved in politics and in the community, to preserve Christian values and principles.
We shouldn't be pacifists. Sometimes the action of preserving requires the action of fighting parasites, infection, etc.
We also preserve the original scriptures.

Purifies/Disinfects, remove infection:
Removes infection: Willing to disfellowship and forsake.
1 Cor. 5:1-5
We purify/disinfect by evangelism. But also by fighting and destroying the infection of evil.

(Forgot to say in the sermon:) Salt burns when poured onto a wound/sore. It's not the most pleasant taste as a mouth wash, etc. But it does the job.
As we witness to the world, the word of God often hurts and burns, as it reaches the infection. But the burning brings healing via disinfection.

:5 proves 2nd Resurrection as an opportunity for people to be saved.
(Added to sermon) :8 proves the keeping of the fiestas, holy days, in the New Covenant time frame.

Heals: Luke 4:18
We heal people physically, mentally and spiritually. We provide the necessary nutrients, the truth, to the world.
We set the example of natural health.

Aug. 20, 2022 (23rd day of 5th biblical month)

Romans 14:1-23
15:1-7 Paul says that it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

1 Cor. 8:9, 13 Paul says but take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

Was Paul correct?
Let's examine several places in the bible that talks about stumbling blocks so that we can understand what a stumbling block is, and is not.

Leviticus 19:13-15
14 Don't put a stumbling block in front of the blind.
A stumbling block is something that causes someone to fall/sin.
A hindrance to salvation or spiritual growth.
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
The hindrance is sin.)

Exo. 34:10-17 When God sends us to war against the wicked nations/tribes, we are not to make agreements/treaties with them. Because if we compromise with the wicked, or try to coexist with the wicked, they will corrupt us as stumbling blocks. = Cause us to fall away from the true God.
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
The hindrance is sin.)

Judges 8:24-35 The ephod (outer chest apron or breast plate) became a stumbling block. It doesn't explain why. It could be because it was idolized because of all of the gold.
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
The hindrance here is probably the love of money.)

1 Sam. 18:20-21 Saul gave David his daughter as a wife as a stumbling block (hindrance)
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
The hindrance here is a female that was purposely placed into David's life as a hindrance.)

2 Chron. 28:23 The Assyria gods (Easter, Christmas, Trinity, etc) are stumbling blocks.
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
False religion is the hindrance.)

Jer. 3:1-3 People seeking/using/following several ministers of Babylon, rather than the one shepherd god appointed to them. These false shepherds/ministers are stumbling blocks to the people. They hinder people's growth in the real truth.
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
False religion & false preachers & false leaders are the hindrance.)

Matthew 16:23 Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s”.
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
Peter's own will that was contrary to Gods will as the hindrance.)

Matthew 18:5-7 "whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, ...
Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!”
(Here, is our liberty to live, a "stumbling block" to others? No.
The stumbling blocks are things that causes people to sin or fall away from God.)

Romans 9:31-33 Christ "a stumbling block".
This is very different from all of the previous examples!
Christ was/is a stumbling block to the Jews because they don't have faith to believe that Jesus is God, the Messiah and rose from the dead.
In other words, their legalism, and misunderstanding of scripture and lack of belief/faith is the real stumbling block. Not really Jesus.

Should we stop preaching Jesus just because faith in Jesus is a stumbling block to some people? No!

1 Corinthians 1:22-30 “…but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness”.
Christ is a stumbling block to worldly people, scientists, "smart" people, atheists, because they think that they are more logical and more intelligent than people of faith.
Again, its their lack of faith that is the real stumbling block, not really Jesus.
Should we avoid speaking of Jesus around atheists and other unbelievers? No!

---

Now that we understand what a stumbling block is, let's go back to the first verses that we looked at.

Romans 14:1-2
14:1 "weak in faith". It is that person's lack of faith that is the real problem. Not the person who eats meats in front of vegetarians.
Not the person who doesn't fast on the Jewish fast days.
Not the person who isn't obsessed with fasting.

Jesus condemned people for having weak/small faith:

Mat. 6:30 But if Theos (The Alpha & Omega) so clothes the grass of the field, which is [alive] today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, [will he] not much more [clothe] you? you of little faith!

Mat. 8:26 He said to them, “why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

Mat. 14:31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Returning to Romans 14:19 "building up one another". That reminds me of Ephesians 4:11-16 where it says that God has brought the administration of the church to bring the church into unity of doctrine and into maturity that is comparable to the measure of Christ.
Appeasing people doesn't do that!
Avoiding meat because of vegetarians doesn't do that.
Avoiding alcohol because of people's wrong doctrines doesn't accomplish that.
Helping people to stay babies doesn't accomplish that.

Even as Paul brought more understanding to the church, over and above what Moses brought, so must also the apostle Zimmerman bring more understanding and greater maturity over and above what Paul brought.
It's time for the church to gain greater faith, more maturity and stronger examples for people coming into the truth, and those that we witness to. Acting like babies for the people to stay babies, isn't the way to bring people to greater faith.

Romans 14:21 Paul said that it would be good to not eat meat or drink alcohol in front of someone who didn't believe in doing so.
I must disagree. Even as Paul was wrong in 1 Cor. 11 when he said that nature teaches us that it's a shame for men to have long hair. Nature absolutely does not teach any such thing! Numbers 6 proves Paul wrong on that issue. Nature proves Paul wrong on that issue. Long hair on a man is the natural design of God.
Long hair on men was a sign of honor, strength & holiness in the Israelite culture. Paul was speaking as a person aligning himself with the culture of the Roman Empire of his time.

Colossians 2:16-19 says that we shouldn't allow people to condemn/judge us for drinking alcohol, eating meat, or celebrating the feast days/sabbaths of God. It says that those people falsely believe in over crucifying the flesh for holiness.
Compare verse 19 with Ephesians 4:11-16. Therefore the apostle Zimmerman is helping us to grow up, become more mature, come into unity of doctrine, greater faith, etc. by teaching us that we shouldn't allow people to hinder our liberties. We should freely exercise our liberties as a sign of much faith and correct doctrine.

Does the Old Testament, or Jesus himself, or anyone other than Paul, say that we should not eat meats in front of vegetarians? Or should abstain from alcohol in front of people who don't believe in it? No.

Paul isn't Jesus. Paul wasn't perfect. Paul was just a human pastor, capable of mistakes. Several times, he said that some of his words were not from God.

1 Cor. 8:1-13 Paul's opinions about people's weak faith and meats sacrificed to idols.
Let's see what Jesus himself said twice:

Rev. 2:12-14 Eating foods sacrificed to idols, absolutely forbidden by Jesus, and called a stumbling block!
Rev. 2:18-20

No matter what Paul said, and no matter what we think Paul said, we absolutely can't eat foods sacrificed to idols, such as halal marked foods, which is one of the physical manifestations of the spiritual mark of the beast.

Examples:
As far as "not causing your brother to stumble":
What if I was running/jogging shirtless, or mowing the lawn shirtless and suddenly saw a legalistic Pentecostal. Should I suddenly cover up? No!

What if a Christian man is shirtless at the beach and suddenly sees a fully clothed Amish family or fully clothed Pentecostal family? Should he suddenly cover up? No!

When I take Passover Communion with real wine as the bible teaches, should I avoid teaching this truth, or hide it, just because of some people's false doctrines and paranoia of alcohol? No!

When we are at the Fiesta of Tabernacles celebrating God's holy days, and doing as the bible encourages in drinking alcohol for the fiesta days, and someone unexpectedly comes to visit, should I hide the alcohol, or stop drinking because the person is legalistic or has false doctrine, or because he/she is an over condemning person? No!

If I am drinking, shirtless, in my own home and a Pharisee comes to visit, should I hide my body and hide my joy and hide my liberty in Christ and hide what makes the heart merry, just to appease/baby their weakness? No!

I live my life barechested as God intended for men to do. Should I stop living my life when someone comes to visit? No!

If I go out to eat at a restaurant with friends, should I avoid ordering alcohol/meat/pork because one of the friends is weak in faith? No! (Unless of course, if one or more is an alcoholic.)

How does any of these things cause them to sin/stumble?
We are not bringing them into false religion, or to idol worship.
Remember the biblical examples of stumbling blocks!

The only stumbling block in any of these cases/examples is Jesus Christ!
Therefore, the real stumbling block in all of these examples, and in vegetarians, is the people's lack of faith.

Their lack of faith shouldn't become a stumbling block to us!
I say that allowing them to hinder our liberty is a stumbling block to us!
We shouldn't allow anyone to hinder out liberty in Christ!!!!

Instead, if any of these weak people say anything about our actions, we should share with them the true word of God so that they can learn and mature!
They can't learn from us if we baby them!

Confirmation: On the day that it came to me that I should do this sermon, just a few minutes later after coming to that conclusion, I saw on the internet a meme/image that said: "My rights have nothing to do with your feelings".
In today's wicked society, too many people are too easily offended by masculinity, the bible, God, and by anything that is right and good. And too many people want to take away the rights of the righteous. People want to ban guns, free speech, and freedom.
Now, more than at any other time in history, real men should/must stand up for our freedoms, and exercise our freedoms; and not allow the weak immature, faithless people from hindering our freedoms and rights.

It was immature, legalistic, religious women that brought about the banning of all alcohol in the USA in the 1920's. It was also those same type of people who raised the age of consent laws in the early 1900's, contrary to what the bible teaches, and contrary to the biblical example. Modern western people are brainwashed by modern western traditional legalistic religion & don't understand the bible. And it was also those same type of people that eventually took away many more of our rights as human beings.
History repeatedly shows that when we give up our rights because of legalistic religious people, we actually lose those rights completely! It becomes illegal to do what is natural.

Full sermon audio: https://soundcloud.com/isawthelightministries/aug-20-2022-cause-not-my-brother-to-stumble-is-a-hinderances-to-liberty-and-maturity

Related articles:
www.isawthelightministries.com/alcohol.html
https://isawthelightministries.com/Mans-Domain/barechest.html

Announcement: Next weekend, worship services will be on both Saturday and Sunday, because Sunday Aug. 28 will be the first day of the 6th biblical month.
www.isawthelightministries.com/newmoons.html

Fall in Love With God
Aug. 13, 2022 (16th day of 5th biblical month)

Devoted Time with God, or with true Sisters/Brothers:
You should not allow hindrances/interruptions during worship, sermons, prayer, bible study or fellowship times. These are times that should be devoted to God. You should tell family and friends and anyone that would interrupt such times, that these are the days/times to not call and not visit, or not knock on your door. (Even put a sign on the door during those times, to please not interrupt/knock.) If they really care about you, they should understand. If not, then they don't respect you and are not worthy of your friendship.

Sermon: Falling in Love with God:
For most "Christians", their entire Christianity is focused on only one thing: Salvation = not going to hell (forgiveness, mercy, Grace).
Do you love your spouse just only because he/she didn't kill you? No!
Only because he/she forgives you? No!

I'm not minimizing the greatness of his sacrifice. We should love God for his sacrifice and forgiveness and salvation.
But shouldn't we also love God for his righteousness in punishing the unrepentant wicked? Yes.
And his many other good qualities?
Don't we usually fall in love with people for their many good qualities?

Let's take a look at just a few of God's good qualities:

Isa. 3:11 Rev. 16:4-7 He is faithful to punish the wicked, and no one gets away with anything.
Jer. 23:24 His ever presence and faithfulness. He's present when you need him at any time of day and night, when no one else is available or willing to hold your hand.
Romans 7:12 His righteous laws.
Rev. 19:16 His authority.
Ps. 33:1-9 His power.
1 Cor. 1:24 His wisdom.
His perfect plans.
His design in creation (his artistic abilities & skills).
His sense of humor.
And so much more.

Stop limiting your relationship with God to only salvation, and allow that relationship to God to become Love.

Full sermon audio: https://soundcloud.com/isawthelightministries/aug-13-2022-fall-in-love-with-god

Notice: Please be in preparations for the observance of the upcoming holy days.
https://www.isawthelightministries.com/holydays.html
Sept. 26 1st day of 7th month = Fiesta of Trumpets
Oct. 5 Day of Atonement (Fast from sunset on 4th until sunset on 5th.)
Oct. 10-16 Fiesta of Tabernacles (Commanded day of rest & worship assembly is Oct. 10.)
Oct. 17 Last Great Day (Commanded day of rest & worship assembly.)
Live in tents from Oct. 10-17. No long distance travel Oct. 10, 16, 17.
No setting up tents or removal of tents Oct. 10, 16, 17.
Establish tent on Oct. 9. Remove tent on Oct. 18.
Long distance travels -Oct. 9, Oct. 18+.

Aug. 6, 2022 (9th day of 5th biblical month)

1 Tim.1:18-20 and 2:1-4 Praying for the lost.
This is the only bible passage, that I could find so far, that teaches praying for the salvation of lost individuals.

1:20 add reference to 1 Cor. 5:5 which proves that some people will be saved in a future life. The life of Isa. 65:20, Rev. 20:3, 7-8
Matt. 25:31-46

Almost, but not exactly:
Romans 10:1 "My prayer to God for them (the Israelites) is for their salvation."
But we need to read the context.
9:3-4, 27-33
9:3 add reference to Mark 8:36 which shows that Paul was wrong to want to lose his own salvation for other people. We should never allow anyone else to hinder our own salvation.
Romans 9:27 Add reference to 11:26 and Matt. 8:12
10:1 The context shows that Paul prayed for the salvation of the Judeans. This is about praying for a nationality, a race of people, a group, a nation. It's not the same as praying for individual people.
Of course we can pray for our nations and our tribal/native people of our race. We have other biblical examples of that.
11:26 Add reference to 9:27

There are many verses that support teaching and evangelism of the lost. But really only 1 Timothy teaches praying for lost individuals to be saved.

I searched to try to find any bible verse supporting praying for the salvation of the lost. Could not find any other than 1 Timothy.

What you're really asking for, is that God will save that person now/soon.
But there's problems with that:
1. It's already God's will that all people be saved, and so God already has the perfect plan for that person's salvation. What you are asking GOD to do, is to do that He already plans to do, thus is a waste of prayer time. You don't need to ask/tell God what to do. He already planned to do it!
2. God's plan might be for that person to be saved in the 100 years after the 2nd resurrection, not in this current time. Your request for that person to be saved in this life, might be contrary to God's perfect plan for that person. You're rushing GOD!
3. The person that you are praying for makes his/her own decisions. It's not up to God to save him/her. But rather, it's up to that person to change their mind and accept God. Yet that person can't hear your prayers for them. It's not GOD that you need to petition, but rather the person themselves. So actually talking to that person would be more effective than praying for their salvation. Again, it's not a problem with what God needs to do, but rather what the person needs to do. So why are you talking to God about it? He's already been reaching out to that person, and all people.

Verses that people wrongly use to try to verify praying for the salvation of lost individuals:
John 14:13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Luke 10:25-28 Love your neighbor as yourself.
There's many ways that you can show love toward your neighbor, including wanting them to be saved. But these specific verses don't prove, nor provide, any additional evidence for praying for the salvation of the lost.

2 Peter 3:9 God wants all people saved. Yes. But this says nothing about praying for their salvation.

Matt. 6:9-13 Jesus taught us how to pray. This says nothing about praying for someone else's salvation.

In summary, we might could pray for someone's salvation according to just only one passage of scripture in 1 Timothy. But however, it's more effective to pray for our own interaction with that person, rather than the person themselves. It's not a good idea to base doctrine or action upon just one passage of scripture, especially since we also see Paul's own faults and mistakes. It's not really logical to pray for people's salvation when God already wants to save them and already has such a plan for it. We're not going to change God's mind about that. So it's really a vain prayer.

What's more effective to pray for a lost person:
-Mercy on a person.
-Judgment on a person.
-Blessing/anointing on our witnessing/evangelism.
-Help with the right words to say to someone. The right witnessing/evangelism techniques.
-Our patience/longsuffering with the person.
-That God would consider putting another/additional or replacement person in their path/life for additional witnessing/evangelism to that person.
-That God would consider softening their heart.

Divine Confirmation:
I firmly believe that a chat message that I saw this morning confirms today's sermon. I really believe that Jesus knew that she would be sending the message and entered into my mind the topic/subject for today. I had written the sermon notes the night before! Then received the prayer request for the lost today.
We should all pray for the help of Jesus to transform our minds, and way of thinking about death and salvation, away from traditional Babylonian thinking that everyone must be saved in this life and what salvation is. It's not just one prayer and just faith alone. James 2, Mark 16:16 Acts 2:38 John 6:53

Miracle Confirmation:
After the sermon, brother Jared handed me a paperback bible study that he had found this morning in the house. It's not something that I had laid down this week. It's something that he had felt compelled to notice. The topic of the little book is "Not my will". On the back, it includes the words "How do we pray for the needy world? (My note = the needy world = the lost!) Read Matt. 9:35-38 and be prepared to be God's answer to your own prayer!"
Matt. 9:35-38 refers to asking God to send more laborers (ministers, deacons, pastors, evangelists & other people witnessing) to the world. That relates to the sermon, because it's more effective to pray for our own evangelism and for the ministry, rather than praying for God to save people.
We are the body of Christ on Earth. It's our job to put the truth out there into the world, so that people may be saved, and if they reject it, then the people have made their choice. This is a huge major, powerful confirmation. By the way, I did not write the bible study book that Jared found this morning. And it had been placed there by my wife, and neither my wife or Jared knew what I would be preaching today. Praise Jesus for this huge miracle confirmation!
Just also noticed that the little bible study book also refers to Matt. 6 for "the Lord's model for prayer", which we also had read in the sermon today. And also the book references a bible verse that I had quoted in the sermon but didn't know or say the verse number, which is 1 John 5:14-15 that if we ask anything according to his will, then he will do it!
We need to realize that "his will" includes his plans. It's not his plan to save everyone in this life, but rather has planned 2 resurrections. There's a lot in this little book that powerfully confirms today's sermon and teaching! ELELUJE!

Full sermon audio: https://soundcloud.com/isawthelightministries/aug-06-2022-prayers-for-the-lost