9-23-23, Pastor Richard Wilmot -- Submit yourselves unto God … James 4:7 What does it really mean to submit ourselves unto God. Giving up our will to another is not something ones does easily or should one do in most cases. Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.

Too often we walk in our own ways and make our own decisions without seeking the Lord! We walk ourselves time after time right into the devils’ traps, and our sin’s faults and failures gets us into problems, troubles, and failures. The scriptures are given unto us by inspiration from the Holy Spirit, or breathed into us as we put down our will and humble ourselves under His mighty hand.
Do you want God’s blessedness and power? Then obey Paul direction as inspired by the Holy Spirit: Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
The great message in this verse of scripture is that we are to place ourselves at God’s disposal and do His will over our own. We are to surrender ourselves absolutely to God, because we are His property, purchased with the blood of Jesus Christ, for Him to do with us as He will, and use us as He will. John 16:33

 John 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
The teaching or knowledge of God comes clearer and wisdom from His Word are given freely if we ask in faith. James 1:5; II Timothy 3:15-17; John 8:12 The Lord Jesus said: "I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Nothing so blinds the spiritual vision as self-will, pride or sin. The carnal mind cannot see the kingdom it walks in darkness. However, the surrendered mind fixed upon God’s will as it's flooded with the light of Gods revelations. Having our spiritual senses enlightened causes us to discern between good and evil. Hebrews 5:14; I John 3:22 "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight."
Obedience is greater than sacrifice and all blessings come from submission to God’s will. What so ever we ask requires two conditions. First, that we keep His commands. Jesus gave us commands to follow see list of 20 from book of Matthew below. Second, we must be walking in His will and doing His will in all that we do. We are commanded to walk as Jesus walked.
​I John 2:6

​In Revelation 11, the Apostle John is told about two witnesses wearing sackcloth (a garment that symbolizes mourning over judgment) who have been given authority by God. There has been no shortage of theories about the identity of God’s two witnesses. Figurative language and imagery describes the two individuals – causing many to believe they are Elijah and Moses (or potentially Enoch) who have returned to the earth. Elijah and Enoch did not die; but were rather assumed into heaven [raptured!] Some view Moses’s body as being assumed up into heaven and some Jewish traditions viewed them all having to return to die. That said, the use of language reminiscent of these figures does not necessarily mean that they literally are them.
 
The two witnesses’ ministry lasts 1,260 days, which is the same period of time as the 42 months (3.5 years). This number also has connections to the number of years the people of Israel were:

• in the wilderness (2 years and then 40 years of wandering)
• Daniel’s prophecies of a period of tribulation (Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 12:7, 11-12)
• In Revelation 12:6, 14 this number is also used to describe how long the woman (representing the community) will be protected from the dragon’s (Satan’s) attacks
• In Revelation 13:5 this is the period of time of the beast’s blasphemy.
• We also later see that their bodies will be left unburied for three and a half days [showing that number seems to have significance]

 
God protects these two witnesses during this ministry, as those who attack them are killed (Rev 11:5). The language of their defense recalls Elijah who calls down fire (2 Kings 1:10-17), but is probably a closer parallel to Jeremiah 5:14 which does not refer to literal fire; but rather how the words of a prophet are like fire. 
The two witnesses are further described in many different passages from the Old Testament. For example, they are said to be “two olive trees and the two lampstands”  that stand before the Lord of the earth, recalling how the political leader and priest during Israel’s return from exile were described as olive trees in Zechariah 4:4, 11-14.
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Their description recalls Elijah, as it is said that they “have power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying” (Rev 11:6), and Moses, as “they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.” (Rev 11:6)
 
At the end of their ministry, the beast (this is the first reference to the beast in Revelation) who comes out from the bottomless pit “will make war on them and conquer them and kill them” (Rev 11:7), with their unburied bodies lying in the street for three and a half days while people from all nations celebrate their death because they had been tormenting the people (Rev 11:8-10).
 
Another predominant view is that these figures are symbolic of the ministry of the Church in this time as we experience suffering. Before dismissing this as being too confusing or not wanting to read the text closely, one should note how the two witnesses are identified as “two lampstands.”  The allusion to Zechariah about two olive trees only mentions one lampstand, not two; but earlier in Revelation the seven churches are described as lampstands; this could reference the lampstand as a way of connecting the witnesses to the church, with it being two instead of seven here either because only two of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 are faithful.
 
Also, Jesus sends out His disciples two by two to witness of Him. Further support for these witnesses representing the church as a whole is the reference to three and half years and an attack from the beast, as that is reminiscent of Daniel 7:21, in which the saints are attacked by the “little horn” and defeated until “the Ancient of Days” comes.
 
The description of these two witnesses is a reminder of the church’s mission, and that we are called to testify to the truth in this time even in the face of opposition. Majority of scriptures in Revelation are figurative; therefore the symbolic view the whole book sees various cycles and connections. It’s not just about what happens at the end of time; but how the church needs to be faithful right now.
 
*Excerpted and adapted full original report here

​History Is Being Erased, but Not by the Right
9-5-23. Heritage.org [here]  It also seeks to erase American history, especially those iconic symbols that show defiance and national affections by everyday Americans. The Left once again has revealed it wants “inclusion” part  =>

<= of “diversity, equity and inclusion” as a tool to enact unconstitutional language codes that restrict First Amendment rights. It also seeks to erase American history, especially those iconic symbols that show defiance to their false patriotism.