Welcome to Today's Voice Christian Fellowship
~04/18/2024: "And Measure It Not, Part 8"
Elder, “Teknon”: Father’s “measuring,” “judgment”; teknon, doesn’t measure full stature…
Revelation 11: 2 (KJV)
2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Luke 15: 28-31 (KJV)
28 And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in [*into the Tent of The Tabernacle of Meeting]: therefore came his father out [*into the Outer Court], and intreated [*begged] him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son [*Teknon], thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine…
Ephesians 4: 11, 13b (KJV)
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers [*the 5-Fold Fatted Calf];
13 Till we all come… unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
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Elder: “identifies” as “outer court”…
Revelation 11: 2 (KJV)
2 But the court which is without (*outside) the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
Luke 15: 28 (KJV)
28 And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out (*into the outer court), and intreated (*begged) him.
Revelation 21: 7, 8, 27; 22: 15 (KJV)
7 He that overcometh (*gets over himself, gets over his own self-righteousness and ego) shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone (*in the outer court): which is the second death.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
15 For without (*outside, in the outer court) are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
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“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure (1)the temple of God, and (2)the altar, and (3)them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [*Revelation 11: 1, 2 (KJV)]”
“And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out [*of the Tent, or Tabernacle, and into the Outer Court], and intreated [*begged] him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do (1)I serve [*"have I slaved for..."] thee, neither transgressed (2)I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest (3)me a kid, that (4)I might make merry with (5)my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. [*Luke 15: 28-30 (KJV)]”
The Teknon, or immature son, derives their identity from their performance, or obedience, from their ability to do good (*or, “what ‘God’ is telling them to do”) and abstain from evil; and hence, the only god you will find the Teknon worshiping is themselves, along with their own self-righteousness… comparing, judging and condemning everyone and everything else by that false standard… including the Father himself. The Teknon is self-absorbed and full of self-pity. Self-pity is self-worship. The song, “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen,”comes to mind. The Teknon perverts Grace into a self-serving, self-promoting message of Personal Convenience: “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. [*Jude 1: 4 (KJV)]” The Teknon doesn’t measure unto the fullness of the stature of the Huios, the Mature Son; but is choosing to hold onto the things found in the Outer Court, the things which The Lamb has already crucified and mortified on His Cross. This is why Apostle John is instructed, regarding the Outer Court: “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not…”Again, this has absolutely nothing to do with performance or obedience; but rather, the Older Prodigal’s glaring absence of his own Father’s love in his heart, and that (specifically) toward his own brother and the world around him. But then again, how can we freely give away unto others what we don’t have for ourselves: the genuine, unconditional, all-inclusive love of our heavenly Father… that is toward us, personally, on a very personal level? And then again, the Teknon is choosing to spend the majority of his time working, sweating and stinking (identifying) with the hired help in the fields. I wonder, have we ever considered just coming in from the (*“mission”) fields, simply getting away from people who are possessed by a slave’s mentality toward God (*as Him being some “heavenly pharaoh”); and just sitting in the quiet, with an open New Testament and an open heart… toward the Spirit of The Living God, who dwells deep within us? It is a sure-fire way to get excommunicated from your “church,” and to lose all of your so-called friends, casual acquaintances, superficial relationships, and manipulative family ties (bondage); but then again, isn’t that all just a bunch of shit anyway? Apostle Paul, and the other Apostles of The Lamb certainly thought those things to be all just a bunch of shit… in comparison:
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ [*on THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE!], and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by [*Christ’s Own] faith: that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the [*actual walking in…] resurrection [*life] of [*from] the dead [*in this temporal life, AND ON THIS SIDE OF THE GRAVE]. [*Philippians 3: 3-11 (KJV)]”
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“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure (1)the temple of God, and (2)the altar, and (3)them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [*Revelation 11: 1, 2 (KJV)]”
“And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out [*of the Tent, or Tabernacle, and into the Outer Court], and intreated [*begged] him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do (1)I serve [*"have I slaved for..."] thee, neither transgressed (2)I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest (3)me a kid, that (4)I might make merry with (5)my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf. [*Luke 15: 28-30 (KJV)]”
The christian demands to be entertained and amused by fiction, fantasy, fables, politics, conspiracy theories, and “end-time event”-signs; but has little, if any, genuine love in their hearts toward one another, much less toward The World. We want a “rapture” to “take us out of here”; because that is much easier than being a living, sacrificial tabernacle for the love of our Father to inhabit, here on the earth. We are far more interested in “doing what our heavenly pharaoh requires,” in order to “go to heaven” and avoid “hell”; than we are interested in loving one another, getting to know one another, gathering together and fellowshipping with one another around The Lamb and His Finished Work, and in the presence of our Father. What a shock it will be unto the self-righteous christians; when they find that everyone, whom they hate and despise, will be with them forever “in heaven”! “Heaven” just might be their “true hell”! In fact, the only thing you have to do to make a christian hate you, and murder you, is simply share with them the truth of The Gospel of The Lamb; and they will mock and crucify you, just as their spiritual forefathers did unto The Lamb, Himself. In fact, in the four gospels, recorded in the Holy Scriptures; the scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians are types and shadows of the modern-day christian. The greatest resistance that King David encountered was not from The World; but from those who claimed to be of His own house...
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“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure (1)the temple of God, and (2)the altar, and (3)them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [*Revelation 11: 1, 2 (KJV)]”
“And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out [*of the Tent, or Tabernacle, and into the Outer Court], and intreated [*begged] him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do (1)I serve [*"have I slaved for..."] thee, neither transgressed (2)I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest (3)me a kid, that (4)I might make merry with (5)my friends… [*Luke 15: 28, 29 (KJV)]”
“For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [*under the Law]. But when that which is perfect is come [*Grace, The Lamb], then that which is in part [*the Law] shall be done away. When I was a child [*under the Law, like the Older Prodigal Son], I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man [*under Grace, and through The Lamb], I put away childish things [*the Law… just as the Younger Prodigal Son did, after his Father’s embrace]. For now we see through a glass, darkly [*under the Law]; but then [*under Grace, and through The Lamb] face to face: now I know in part [*under the Law]; but then [*under Grace, and through The Lamb] shall I know even as also I am known. And now [*under Grace, and through The Lamb] abideth faith, hope, charity [*our Father’s love], these three; but the greatest of these is charity [*our heavenly Father’s unconditional and all-inclusive love]. [*1 Corinthians 13: 9-13 (KJV)]"
Until the Younger Prodigal Son comes home, identifying with the Father in The Lamb and thereby exposing the true heart of his own Father, his Older Prodigal Son-Brother only knows in part, and prophesies in part; not only unto the rest of the household servants, but also unto the rest of the whole world around him. It is how the Father is responding unto the Younger Prodigal Son, that is now “doing away” with everything that the Older Prodigal Son had perceived his own Father to be. This is what is greatly angering the Older Prodigal Son! The true image of his own Father, which is now exposed toward the Younger Prodigal Son, is both a complete and direct contradiction of the false image of the Father, which the Older Prodigal Son has harbored in his heart, now, for so long. Have we never read, “For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: and not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that [*the Law] which is abolished [*done away]: but their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it [*the heart] shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away [*done away]. [*2 Corinthians 3: 12-16 (KJV)]” “That which is perfect” is already come, is already here: the unconditional and all-inclusive love of our Father, sent in The Lamb… who is the true Light of who our Father really is, of all our Father is really like… even, the very brightness of our Father’s glory, and the express image of His person. The Lamb is The Light, even “that which is perfect,” and He “is come”! But we keep raising our middle fingers in The Lamb’s Face, and toward one another!
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“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure (1)the temple of God, and (2)the altar, and (3)them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [*Revelation 11: 1, 2 (KJV)]”
“And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out [*of the Tent, or Tabernacle, and into the Outer Court], and intreated [*begged] him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do (1)I serve [*"have I slaved for..."] thee, neither transgressed (2)I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest (3)me a kid, that (4)I might make merry with (5)my friends… [*Luke 15: 28, 29 (KJV)]”
The Older Prodigal Son, like most of us today, takes the Law and perverts it into a very twisted mutation of Grace. Grace is not some sort of “divine enablement” given unto us, so that we might “finally” be able to keep the Law, “please God” and earn and maintain His blessings. No! Grace is freedom from the Law, so that we might truly live the supernatural, resurrection life of Jesus Christ; that flows out of our divine union with the Eternal Godhead, which we share with Them in our spirits: “…but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness [*His love] unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [*Romans 6: 13b, 14 (KJV)]” If we are no longer under the Law, but under Grace; then why would we ever think that Grace empowers us to keep the Law? Absolute, foolish nonsense!! Notice how the Older Prodigal Son who remains under the Law, sweating and stinking with the household servants in his own Father’s fields, makes personal reference unto himself, five times? “5” is the Biblical number signifying Grace. But there is no “I” in Grace. Grace never draws attention unto “me,” “myself,” “I,” “my,” or “mine”…
“For if I build again [*by returning to Law-keeping] the things which I destroyed [*by simply believing in Jesus], I make myself a transgressor. For I through the [*fulfilled] law [*of Christ’s death on the cross] am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by [*our keeping] the law, then Christ is dead in vain. [*Galatians 2: 18-21 (KJV)]”
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“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure (1)the temple of God, and (2)the altar, and (3)them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [*Revelation 11: 1, 2 (KJV)]”
“And he [*the Older Prodigal Son] was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out [*of the Tent, or Tabernacle, and into the Outer Court], and intreated [*begged] him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve [*"have I slaved for..."] thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends… [*Luke 15: 28, 29 (KJV)]”
Apostle John is told, regarding the Outer Court, to “…leave [it] out, and measure it not…” Notice the phrase, “and measure it not”. In Ephesians 4, Apostle Paul signifies that The 5-Fold Ministry (the true, Fatted Calf) is given so that we would, “…all come… unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. [*Ephesians 4: 13 (KJV)]” In both of these verses, the same Greek word is used for “measure”. The things that are found in the Outer Court are the very things that are keeping us from loving one another, from gathering together and fellowshipping with one another around The Lamb, in our Father’s presence, and with our Father’s love for one another; and hence, they are preventing us from “measuring up,” simply because we will not let go of them! These are the very things which the Teknon (the immature, Older Prodigal Son) values. Hence, “the measure” is not the result of some long, drawn-out process, through which we think that we can (someday) achieve “God-likeness,” by mere external obedience or performance. No! Our apprehending, or attaining unto “the measure” is simply the effect… of our “letting go”… of everything that Apostle Paul mentions on his Dung-Pile List, in Philippians 3. They are the things found in the Outer Court. The “cause” which triggers this “letting go-effect”… transforming us from a “Teknon,” and into a “Huios” (*a mature, Adopted Son)… is none other than the revelation of our Heavenly Father’s unconditional and all-inclusive love… as He is only seen in, and by, and through… The Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Pure Gospel is preached and heard:
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: (1)circumcised the eighth day, (2)of the stock of Israel, (3)of the tribe of Benjamin, (4)an Hebrew of the Hebrews; (5)as touching the law, a Pharisee; (6)concerning zeal, persecuting the church; (7)touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what [*these afore-mentioned] things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith… [*Philippians 3: 3-9 (KJV)]”
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“And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure (1)the temple of God, and (2)the altar, and (3)them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. [*Revelation 11: 1, 2 (KJV)]”
“And he gave some, (1)apostles; and some, (2)prophets; and some, (3)evangelists; and some, (4)pastors and (5)teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind…[*Ephesians 4: 11-17 (KJV)]”
Well, it is “Good Friday” once again. That means it is high-time for all of us christian hypocrites to slither out of our holes once again, and “go to church” one out of the two or three times every year, when we choose to do so, to play “dress up” in the eyes of men, women, and our preferred, outdated and obsolete, vain priesthoods; and then for us to return, afterward and once again, to hating one another, dividing and separating ourselves from one another, being indifferent toward one another AND TOWARD THE GOSPEL, as we continue to look for signs in the sun, moon, and stars…. awaiting some traditional “rapture” which is never coming… and meanwhile, plugging for our favorite political candidate to become our “messiah” instead of Jesus, because we hate The Lamb. We prefer The Lion of The Tribe of Judah who, ironically, is only mentioned once in The Book of The Apocalypse of Jesus Christ. Whereas The Lamb is noted twenty-nine times; the number “29” signifying our departure out of “Babylon,” our departure out of “confusion by mixing” the Law back on top of Grace.
We continue to observe days, and months, and times, and years (including “holidays”)… looking for signs in the sun, and moon, and stars… because (whether we want to admit it or not) we are still subjecting ourselves unto, and remaining in bondage to the Law of Moses, which Jesus singlehandedly fulfilled on the Cross; while behold, the kingdom of God is within us! We are a wicked and an adulterous generation, that constantly seeks after a sign; and because we have never (actually) read our Bibles in context, we still don’t get that, “Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. 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: 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. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.[*Matthew 12: 38-41 (KJV)]”
The multitude of the Harlot Church’s false prophets and teachers can’t even get the sign of the prophet Jonah right; yet looking for solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, planetary alignments, and constellation positions!!! THERE IS AN EMPTY TOMB IN JERUSALEM, DUMB ASSES!!! JONAH PREACHED THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF THE LAMB, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE SPIRIT OF CHIRST IN HIM! Where is there any corporate heavenly voice today? Almost nowhere! That’s where!! And where is the love of our Heavenly Father’s heart, IN US, and toward one another at all… the other 362 or 363 days per year, and aside from our vain and self-righteous, narcissistic holidays!?!?
Apostle John is told, regarding the Outer Court, to “…leave [it] out, and measure it not…” Notice the phrase, “measure it not”. In Ephesians 4, Apostle Paul signifies that The 5-Fold Ministry is given so that we would, “…all come… unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.” In both of these verses, the same Greek word is used for “measure”. The things that are found in the Outer Court are the very things that are keeping us from loving one another, in our Father’s love; and hence, they are preventing us from “measuring up,” simply because we will not let go of them! These are the very things which the Teknon (the immature, Older Prodigal Son) values. Hence, “the measure” is not some long, drawn-out process, through which we think that we can achieve “God-likeness”. “The measure” is the effect… of our “letting go”… of everything that Apostle Paul mentions on his Dung-Pile List, in Philippians 3.
So if “the measure” is the effect; then what is the cause? That would be the revelation of our Heavenly Father’s unconditional and all-inclusive love… as He is only seen in, and by, and through… The Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Pure Gospel is preached and heard! Our surrendering of these things in the Outer Court can only transpire upon our epiphany of our Father’s embracing of us, and His acceptance of us, in the Person and Finished Work of The Lamb. We will want to “hug Him back,” and consequently we will want to “hug one another”; and in order for us to do so, we will gladly relinquish or “let go”of all these vain, self-serving things by which we have attempted to derive, and build, and maintain for ourselves a false identity in connection with the facade of our Fig-Leaf Aprons.
Remember, each of the individual fig leaves which composes our Fig-Leaf Aprons, is spelled out plainly by Apostle Paul: “Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: (1)circumcised the eighth day, (2)of the stock of Israel, (3)of the tribe of Benjamin, (4)an Hebrew of the Hebrews; (5)as touching the law, a Pharisee; (6)concerning zeal, persecuting the church; (7)touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. [*Philippians 3: 4-7 (KJV]”
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