Part 2 of Unlocking the Melchizedekian Priesthood - Hebrews 6 and 7

Looking at the background of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Essenes, we explore WHY Jesus warned His followers to BEWARE of the "teaching" of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:6). What "teaching" was He warning them about? What did the Essenes believe and what did/do the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) reveal about the coming Messiah? We look at a couple of fragments from the DSS, in particular, the Melchizedek Document that reveal what they believed the Messiah was coming to do and WHO the Messiah would be. We can then better understand the purpose of the Book of Hebrews. This is part 1 in a series.

A re-recorded Part 2 where I cast the vision for this Advent Season - to prepare ourselves. To ask the Lord HOW we can be more holy, something we are commanded to be.

This Advent challenge includes a call to fast - from food for some, but from social media.

This is the beginning of a message where I consider the idea of being a 'Remnant' in this hour. Defining the word/concept; what it means and also at least one of the dangers inherent in the term.

The 2nd part of the message, I have decided to leave off as I presented the irrefutable evidence that Christmas is NOT a pagan holiday. I will share 2 blog links where I have presented the evidence.

Title #1: Is Christmas a 'Pagan' Holiday/ (2023)
Link #1 - https://joel2generation.blogspot.com/2023/11/is-christmas-pagan-holiday.html

Title #1 - Is celebrating Christmas on December 25th something that came from paganism? NO.
Link #2 - https://joel2generation.blogspot.com/2022/11/is-celebrating-christmas-on-december.html

Additionally, I shared an 8 minute video by Mike Winger (YouTube) where he completely dismantles the arguments that Christmas Trees are pagan.
Title: "People are still making stuff up about Christmas Trees"
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BionQkX2i7w

I will follow this message with Part 2 which is the challenge of entering Advent (which begins today) with the mentality of what God would require of us to prepare for what lies ahead.

Natalie shares a powerful message about the hour we are in and our mandate to both BUILD and BATTLE

What hour do we find ourselves in? What are God's purposes for His Church in this hour? Are we being set free from a modern-day "Babylonian Captivity"? Is God about to judge the "Babylonian System"? Is Donald Trump a type of Cyrus? Do Isaiah 45 and Isaiah 47 have something to teach us today?

Over 20% of the Gospel of Matthew deals with the Pharisees. Is this so that we can use them as our 'whipping posts' to illustrate all the bad things religious people can do? Or, did God have those verses included because we are more like the Pharisees than we realize? I believe the latter is the case.

In this message, I share my own "pharisaical tendencies".

I begin with a play off of Tim Hawkin's, "You might be a Redneck if..."

My version - I might be a Pharisee if...

…IF I AM THE SELF-APPOINTED CORRECTOR OF EVERYONE ELSE'S DOCTRINE

IF I THINK THAT THE "SPEAK THE TRUTH" PART OF "SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE" IS THE "KEY" TO THAT VERSE…

…IF ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES IS "THE SPIRITUAL MAN JUDGES ALL THINGS" (1 Cor. 2:15)

IF PRAYING THE IMPRECATORY PSALMS MAKES ME OUTRAGEOUSLY HAPPY…

…IF I THINK THE “GIFT OF DISCERNMENT” MEANS KNOWING WHAT IS WRONG IN EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIFE

IF I AM SITTING HERE THINKING ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE WHO REALLY NEEDS TO HEAR THIS MESSAGE…

I continue in 1 Peter 3 - basically, there are 3 sections to this passage. One of them deals with suffering in the Christian's life being God's will. Not an easy topic. Thus the title. But there are some other key things in this passage - Christ's "descent to the dead" from the Apostle's Creed (2nd Century) is referenced. Part of Christ's descent was His proclamation to the "spirits in prison" which is discussed in this message. I end with the importance of baptism which is often de-emphasized in modern Christianity. That was not the case in the Apostolic age and the early church.