Messiah’s SheepShed
"John the Apostle"
Part One

Introduction to:
John's Gospel of the “Living Son of God”
“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in this book, but these are written
that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and
that believing you might have life in His name,” John 20:30-31.

The Gospel of the Early Church was proclaiming that Yeshua, Jesus
is Messiah and Son of God, and its teaching was based on 'signs'
that Jesus gave as His credentials and eye witness accounts of His
life and 'resurrection,' If Yeshua did not raise out from among the
dead...then there is NO message to give; we are just another one of
the many religions! For John, His Gospel is to bring the reader to
believe in the Messiah and receive life, eternal life, to inherit the
Kingdom!

Written probably around A.D. 70-95, and I believe, after the
Apocalypsis experience on the island of Patmos, which vision given
to him by Yeshua the Messiah. I believe it was through this
Prophetic Revelation, which gave him the greater insight that
Matthew, Mark and Luke's Gospels do not have. In Hebrew this
would be called...the Sohd level or "Seeing Beyond the Veil." Surely,
we must acknowledge that John was taken into another 'time,'
another 'dimension,' where he witnessed future events ... called
Prophecies. He was taken behind the Veil. The Apostle Paul was
taken beyond this world’s boundaries, as was Enoch, places beyond
the stars and planets!

Incidentally, Matthew is the only Gospel that mentions the 'Church.'
The 'Church' is not the Kingdom! We are people of the Kingdom.
But they are side by side. The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are
given to the Church so that "the gates of Hell [not to Hell, the
counsels and powers of hell] cannot prevail against it"...as Hell's
gates, and counsels, did not prevail against Christ, our Rock! And
how else? For we are offsprings, stones of that Rock! These 'keys'
are the weapons, 'supernatural' powers of Heaven, given to the
Church for warfare, prevailing power using the Spirit’s sword in
hand to hand combat.
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This Kingdom of Heaven is just that, Heaven's Kingdom on Earth!
We need these keys to prevail against Satan's 'supernatural'
kingdom! The Messianic Kingdom is not an 'earthly' Kingdom such
as Britain, America, Africa, Russia, Europe, etc. the kingdoms of
this world are not 'eternal.' They, along with the world will pass
away; they will be rolled up and changed! Literally.

Christ gave the disciples only spiritual power, to proclaim the Gospel
of the Kingdom in the demonstration of the Holy Spirit's power, it is
invisible, but more powerful than any other demonstrative sign in the
world! And the disciples used this weapon against Satan! They had
power to forgive sin in the Name of Jesus, Jn 20:23. They had the
Spiritual authority to excommunicate the believers, living ungodly,
out of the church...in order that the leaven of sin would not leaven
the whole lump. In fact, they were commanded to do so. If the
Roman Catholic Church had been exercising this commandment the
pedophiles in the priesthood would have been immediately
disciplined and excommunicated. Since she did not, the Lord, by the
world has lifted up her skirts so that all can see her nakedness.
However, not only the RCC, but any exalted ministry building for
themselves a kingdom! The entire system is being corrupted. Which
is called covetousness [1 Co 6:10]. The spiritual powers were
granted for setting Christ's teachings, His doctrines, into the New
Covenant.

They were given the Doctrines of baptism, the laying on of hands
and the rite
of the Lord’s Supper. The laws of the kingdom were given by Jesus
in Matthew’s Gospel 5-7 to the church, this is important. The “Body
of Christ”
was not given the power of the Sword, or the right to establish or
take possession of, or transfer the kingdoms of this world...as the
Roman Catholic Church has done. The Messianic Church, His
Body, was given the Sword of the Spirit and the armor of God to
war against the angelic forces of Satan, which, is also an invisible
spiritual Kingdom ... As Jesus himself used!

Christ was not sent to wield a sword or possess a worldly kingdom,
for He said, "My kingdom is NOT of this world...if it were, my
disciples would fight you as the world fights," and His people are not
of it either. O, the things which have been done and are being done
in the Name of Christianity! To His disciples He said, "As the Father
Sent Me, even so, send I you. Because all power on earth and in
heaven have been given to Me, because of this fact, go into all the
world and teach them to observe all My commandments I have
given you."
Paul said, "Not that we lord it over your faith," and again, "The
weapons of
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our warfare are not carnal or worldly weapons." Mt 28:19-20; Jn 20:
21; 18:36; 2 Co 1:24; 10:4; Jn 15:18-25; Jn 17:14 seq. they are not
of this world!

An Ecclesiastical Kingdom was Set-Up
When another worldly kingdom was set up, after the truth of the
Gospel was suppressed, on the pretext of 'ecclesiastical power,' a
constitution of Boniface VIII, claimed that the pope is by divine right
lord of the kingdoms of the world. This statement, and other similar
notations by others, caused horrible darkness to descend over the
true church, and also after this anouncement caused great
disturbances to arise in Europe. Because these statements were false
and impious, the ministry of the True Gospel was neglected...only
few stood their ground and paid the price! The true knowledge of
faith and of the 'spiritual kingdom' was all but extinguished.

Christian righteousness was thought to be that external government
which the pope set up. And then the popes began to seize kingdoms
for themselves, transfer kingdoms, and harass the kings of almost all
the nations of Europe, but especially the emperors of Germany, with
unjust excommunications and wars, sometimes in order to occupy
Italian cities and sometimes in order to make German 'bishops'
[should be called 'overseers'] subject to their power and deprive the
emperors of the right to appoint bishops. It is written in the
'Clementines,' "When the imperial throne is vacant, the pope is the
legitimate successor." So the pope not only usurped dominion
contrary to the command of Christ, but he exalted himself
tyrannically over kings. What he has done that is so deplorable is the
pretext that he can transfer the keys of a worldly kingdom by the
authority of Christ and that he can attach salvation to believe such
dominion belongs to the pope by divine right. The consequences
demonstrate that they have had great plagues in the true Church.
And yet, we see the 'same spirit' in the ministries today. They begin
in humble simplicity ... then their own 'names' begin to appear over
their ministries, their 'kingdoms.'


Distinction Omnes 22; Boniface VIII's bull Unam Sanctam
p 326, Treatise & Power 5-8. The Book of Concord.

The Kingdom an Inner Principle
Judgment already taking place
Only the Gospel of John gives us a glimpse of that "Eternal
Kingdom."
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In the Synoptic Gospels the revelation of Christ's glory is associated
'primarily' with His eschatological 'coming,' His return at the end of
time, Mt 16:27 seq. This is the basic traditional teachings of Christ's
coming again: the expectation of the "Last Day," Jn 6:39seq.; 11:24;
12:48, of the 'coming' of Jesus, 14:3; 21:22seq., of the resurrection
of the dead, 5:28 seq.; 11:24; and of the last judgment, 3:36; 5:29,
are all found in the fourth Gospel, but in it this eschatology (last)
receives a new and double emphasis: not only is the End here and
now... it is also an 'inner principle' and  an external event.

In this way the 'coming' of the Son of man is interpreted primarily as
the 'coming' of Jesus to this world through His Incarnation, His
'lifting up' on the cross, and of His return to His own disciples
through the Holy Spirit. In the same way 'judgment' is presented as
something already taking place in human hearts, and eternal life
[John's counterpart of the synoptic 'kingdom'] is made to be
something actually present already in the hearts of those who have
faith. Study the Letters to the Churches Rev 1-3 on the judgments in
present daily lives of His people that calls for repentance as well as
blessings!

That these 'last things' should be seen as present is not surprising,
since salvation throughout history centers on Christ's historical Life
and Death and
Resurrection. Beyond the Jews looms something more fundamental...
the 'world,' the (k)cosmos, this earth, the human race, those hostile
to God who hate Christ and His disciples. John 7:7; 15:18,19; 17:14
& see 1:9-10, the darkness, 8:12, which is controlled by Satan, the
'prince of this world,' 1 Jn 2:13 seq.; who challenges God and His
Anointed. If we have Christ in us...then we are His anointed also,
therefore, we are challenged by Satan as well!

There is no one who is not involved in this demonic conflict of the
spirit: the world, who face to face with the Word, suffers it's
'judgment,' 12:31-32, receives its verdict, and admits defeat, 16:7-
11,33. Christ gives His life, 10:18, He is lifted up on the cross, but
willingly, and only in order to enter His glory, 12:32, a glory that is
made visible even in this world to the confusion of unbelievers and
ending in the defeat of Satan once and for all. God's victory over
evil, His salvation of the world, is already guaranteed by Christ's
resurrection in glory; the return of Jesus at the Last Day will be
nothing but its confirmation!
NJB p. 1739
 "As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
Even
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so, Christ, once at the end of the ages, has appeared to put away sin
by the sacrifice of Himself. And to those who 'eagerly' wait for Him
He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin [again on the
cross] but for their salvation [to be completed]. Romans 8:16-27.
Physical death does not cause loss of consciousness; meaning:
having inward knowledge of; aware of; having the use of one’s
faculties; the state of being mentally awake to ones surroundings.
There is still an Existence! There is a life after this; SFB Hebrews 9:
27.

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I have heard several testify of an after-death experience. They had
all their senses in tack. They went right on 'thinking' and 'feeling' and
'seeing' and 'tasting.' They found themselves already in a place of
'judgment.' When we see a person die and that person is in pains of
death...and he or she and the world 'thinks' that after death there will
be no more pain...'so let me die'...they are sadly deceived! If one
does not have the Spirit of Jesus Christ living within him or her...the
anguish has only begun! The message of coming to Christ Jesus to
be saved is a message of "Repentance."

One cannot continue in his or her lifestyle any longer. This is the
reason one MUST be born from ABOVE ... NOW while still living
in his or her body of clay. The soul and spirit never die, never!

We must preach about this state of conscious existence we will have
forever. It is an eternal fact whether we are a believer or an
unbeliever. How does one come into His presence behind the veil?
By the Blood of Jesus! The way has been made. Just kneel, if you
are able, but if not, kneel in your heart and 'talk' to God the Father
through Jesus Christ wherever you are day or night awake or asleep.
Mt 5:22 WW SFB judgment, crisis; Strong's #2920 'crisis' a decision
[is made]. The NT uses the word primarily in a forensic sense,
especially of the divine judgment. Time is heading for the event
when all sin will be confronted, dealt with, and judged accordingly.

If one desires 'eternal life' he or she must enter the 'Kingdom' NOW.
"Unless you are born again you cannot SEE the Kingdom of God.
Most assuredly, I say to you [Jew and Gentile alike] unless one is
born of water 'even' the Spirit, he cannot ENTER the Kingdom of
God. That which is born of the flesh IS flesh, and that which is born
of the Spirit IS spirit." Many people have caught this phrase 'born
again' and used it by saying, 'I have been born again.' Yes, but by
which spirit? If the fruits of the Spirit of Christ are not absolutely
produced in the life of the person who declares he or she is reborn of
God...then they ARE None of His. The apostle John makes it so
very clear to everyone.

The Primival Light The Shekina(h) Glory
What is birthed into the saint is Christ's Spirit of Glory! The very
Glory of the Kingdom of Heaven, of God. The Primival Light.
WW glory, doxa: Strong's #1391; Compare "doxology", "paradox",
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"heterodoxy", and "orthodoxy". Originally, an opinion or estimation
in which one is held. Then the word came to denote the reputation,
good standing, and esteem given to a person. It progressed to 'honor'
or 'glory' given to peoples, nations, and individuals. The NT doxa
becomes splendor, radiance and majesty centered in Jesus. Here
'doxa' is the majestic, absolute perfection residing IN Christ and
evidenced by the miracles He performed. It is not the same 'honor'
and 'glory' the world seeks after...the praise of men more than God's
Glory. The honor of 'titles' & 'degrees'. See Mt 17 & view Christ's
Glory! (This secret of Messiah’s glory, relating to the Lord Jesus and
His Body of Believers, is my favorite portion of Scripture)!

"Make Me a sanctuary so that I can dwell among them [the
Israelites]. Where I can manifest My presence!" Ex 25. The 'Glory'
of Yahweh is the manifestation of God's presence. It is not a place
of 'honor' or 'glory' as the world interprets doxa. That 'Doxa' of the
OT, "became 'flesh,' it was Incarnated," says John, "And lived
among us and we 'SAW' His 'Doxa' the
‘glory’ as of the only begotten Son of God.” The glory that rested on
Mount  
Sinai...we saw it. That devouring fire on the mountain, we saw it.
That brilliant Light, we saw it, you know, Shekinah that appears on
the mercy seat, we saw it. That invisible Word, the Primival Light
that created everything that exists, we saw it. The awe-inspiring Tent
and Temple of the old regime, that which exists in the Mosaic law...
that Wisdom has been made flesh, we saw it and handled it. We saw
God's Shekinah Glory active in Him. Yahweh God was formed in
Jesus and He allowed us to see Shekinah when His Glory broke
through the carnal flesh of Jesus on the Mount.

So now John tells us that this same 'Spirit of the Resurrection's
Glory' is now dwelling in the one who has been reborn from above...
of another Kingdom, not of Planet Earth. The New Jerusalem ... she
is our Mother. The City on Mount Zion in Heaven ... from whence
comes our citizenship and our help. We are aliens here on Planet
Earth. Jesus said, "They are NOT of this world." His Kingdom isn't,
He wasn't, nor are we any longer. We must let this revelation sink
into our "knower!"

We are in it, but not of it! We have been translated into the Kingdom
of God's dear Son. The Kingdom of Glory-Primival Light, The Light
of Glory cannot be imprisoned by darkness [evil powers of Satan].
Darkness cannot extinguish it, the world is passing away and behold
all things will be made new. It has begun
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in us, darkness is passing away IN US! As we near the End, this
Glory in His people will grow brighter and brighter unto the perfect
Day. O, for the times and seasons when the 'Glory' at times pierces
the veil of our human nature and reveals the resurrection fully to the
unbelieving saints and world! O, our Father God, please be active in
us, and be manifested and magnified in Your Son's Temple, that is,
His Body; His Spiritual House. Come, Lord Jesus, in an
unprecedented way, as never before, to your saints. Pull down all
exalted 'titles,' which we 'glory' in, in the churches.  Reverend, Most
Reverend, Bishop, Archbishop, Holy Father, Doctor of, et cetera.
Get rid of all outward 'adornment that glorifies the flesh.' Father, the
world and Your saints, who truly love You want only to see the
manifested ''glory" of Christ Jesus! Amen.

"For Your Blood can make the vilest sinner free!”
Shalom!  SheepShed of Sent Ministries.
 
John’s Gospel
Lesson One

John 20:21
"As the Father Sent Me, so Send, I you!"
Did the Lord Jesus direct the Spirit of God? Did He have the mind
of God? Can we, can I, move the Hands of God? What does the
word 'Sent' mean?
20:21 sent, apostello (ap-os-tel-low); Strong's #649; Compare
"apostolic."
To commission, set apart for a special service, send a message by
someone, send out with a mission to fulfill, equip and dispatch one
with the full backing and authority of the sender [Sender]. "Who has
directed the Spirit of the Lord,
or as His counselor has taught Him? With whom did He take
counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of
justice? Who taught Him knowledge … And showed Him the way of
understanding?" Is 40:13-14

The Lord Jesus was Anointed [Christed] with the Spirit without
measure.
"Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand [One who has
strength to rule], And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward
is with Him,
And His work before Him." Is 40:10.

"O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings. Lift up your voice with
strength,
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Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your
God!' "
"Zion" ... the people of God ... Have that word and are privileged to
bring it wherever they have been Sent. Lift up your voice fearlessly,
believing God to confirm it! "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has
spoken." Is 40:5

Is This Not Beautiful?
"Christ did not 'Send' me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no
effect. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For
it is written: 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to
nothing the Understanding of the prudent,' "et cetra.

Paul tells us that he had the 'mind' of Christ; which was the Spirit of
God who searched out the knowledge, the understanding, the
wisdom of Yahweh ... because no one knows the things of God
except the Spirit of God.
"And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words
of man’s wisdom, but (in the words that) demonstrated the Spirit’s
wisdom and power.”
In other words, Children, it is “By My Spirit!” God’s Holy Spirit
demonstrated the power and wisdom of the Kingdom, when Paul
delivered the full Gospel message of the Cross … Christ’s death and
resurrection! The Lord Jesus’ strategies and His delegated authority
He handed down to His Disciples;
known as the “Keys of the Kingdom!

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The Spirit revealed God's mind to him ... and he spoke the mind of
Christ and 'directed' Christ's Spirit ... who gave evidence to the
truth. Why, because the burden of proof rested, not on the
unbelievers, but on Paul who was preaching the 'Cross' ... Jesus
bore witness to Paul's message BY THE HOLY SPIRIT ...
the foolishness of God's wisdom! Everything that will ever be done
has already been finished in the 'Cross' of our Lord Jesus Christ!
The Holy Spirit will give evidence to it! Paul said, “But we have the
mind of Christ!” This is not carnal thinking, but a mind that has been
renovated and restored by the Holy Spirit!

The Spirit does not demonstrate His supernatural power with signs
and wonders, as evidence, to shows, programs, fictional movies and
musical videos that demonstrate the flesh. The Spirit does not need
'mood music' to stimulate our hearts, but He does use music, it often
prophesies ... bringing the glory and singing praises to our Father in
Christ!

We are told that when the disciples went out preaching the 'good
news of Jesus' ... signs and wonders followed them because “God
worked with them.” The message was given; the oracles were
spoken; before the Spirit of Glory worked with them.  "We carry
this Treasure in earthen vessels," said Paul. The Treasure is the
Glory! The Gospel message is the revealing of the “Truth!”  

No one will find victory outside the Cross of Christ. The god of this
age, the demons of hell, and the principalities and powers were all
defeated on the Cross. This was and still is God's wisdom, and its
foolishness will bring to nothing the 'understanding' of the wise!
What we need as children of God, and in fact, is absolutely
necessary in order to know and understand the things of God is
revelation from God by the Spirit ... and then walk in that revelation;
otherwise the devil will come and take it away from you [us].

The carnal (fleshly) minded Christian, the person whose mind is
constantly thinking on the 'things of this world' will never understand
nor have the mind of the Spirit ... which is the mind of Christ
Himself! This doubled minded Christian will never press onward and
upward into the Kingdom of God. Ask yourself when setting up a
program of some kind…would the Lord Jesus do this or that?

The Lord Jesus, speaking about His Kingdom or Vineyard, put it this
way,
"I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in
him,
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bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing ... IF you abide
in Me, and My words  abide [live]  in you, you will ask what you
will, and it shall be done for you." John 15:1-17  "When He [the
Holy Spirit] has come He will convict the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: [all three are convictions produced
by the power of the Holy Spirit], of sin, because they do not believe
in Me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father and you see Me
no more [the Spirit has taken Christ's place inside the disciple and
Jesus is reigning at the  Right Hand of God]; of judgment, because
the ruler of this world is judged ... ... I still have many things to say
to you, but you cannot bear
them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come [to
you], He will guide you into all truth: for He will not speak on His
own authority [but He does speak about Himself], but whatever He
hears, He will speak; and He will
show you things to come. He will glorify Me [this is the reason He
gives evidence in glorifying Jesus, in confirming His words], for He
will take of Mine and declare it unto you. All things that the Father
has are Mine. Therefore I said He takes of Mine and declares
[makes it known] to you,” John 16:5-15.

Are There Conditions?
How was the Father revealed? or, how was the Father glorified in
and through the Lord Jesus? Jesus told His disciples that if you have
known Me, you have also known My Father. But Phillip wanted
Jesus to 'show' him the Father!
"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me?"
Listen carefully, because Jesus is the pattern Son of how the 'sons
and daughters' are to manifest or be identified with the Father in the
Son. The Father is not manifesting His sons, His children, that will
come after the resurrection!

Jesus explained,
"The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority,
but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, or else
believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.
This is a fact, 'I say to you, he/she who believes in Me, the works
that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do,
because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that
will I do, that the Father may be glorified [manifested or revealed
and honored] in the Son.
If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.' "John 14:7-14.
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The Condition
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he/she who
loves Me.
And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love
him and manifest, reveal Myself to him" [Note, it is to an individual,
not to a congregation, but to him who keeps His commandments.
And every believer can keep His commandments and this is how we
overcome! It is an individual’s responsibility and he is judged
according to his own lifestyle of works.
"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you," John 14:15-21.

What does manifest [emphanidzo] mean? John 14:21.  Strong's
#1718: A combination of en, "in," and phaino, to cause to “shine," to
appear, come to view, reveal, exhibit, make visible, present oneself
to sight of another, be conspicuous. In v. 21, emphanidzo is the self
revelation of Jesus to believers [who keep His commandments]. A
secondary meaning of the word is to declare, make known. [These
are Christ's Body who are for 'signs and wonders]. SFB, Acts 3:15,
22;  24:1;  25:2, 15.

The apostle Paul tells us that the whole Creation is waiting and
travailing for the manifestation of the 'sons of God.' This is our
destiny! That is, in the completed salvation of our bodies at His
coming. Ro 8:18, seq. But if we are to share His Glory
[manifestation of] we also must share His suffering as well! Now!
"Yes, and all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution,"
Romans 8; 2 Tim 3:10-1

What must take place in order for the "branch" to bear fruit and
manifest the Father in the Son, in His Body on Earth? That is, in the
same way as the Apostle Paul said, “When it pleased God to reveal
(to magnify, manifest) His Son in me!”

Jesus is the True Vine.
"I Am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch
in Me that does not bear fruit He cuts away; and every branch that
bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit."
... "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide
in Me."
"I Am the vine, and you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and
I in him,
bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing," John 15:1-5.
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What does it mean to prune?
1) To cut off or remove dead or living parts or branches of (a plant
or branch, for example) to improve shape or growth.  2) To remove
or cut out as superfluous. 3) To reduce, to remove what is
superfluous or undesirable. To improve shape/form, remove what is
undesirable!
What is not Christ-like ... "Until Christ is formed in you," said Paul.
Much of the time, when the Father begins to "prune" ... the branch
resists the pruning and will not abide in the Vine. Then what
happens?
"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch [cut off
from the vine] and is withered; and they gather them and throw
them into the fire, and they are burned." John 15:6.

The Lord Jesus is revealing to us one of the 'mysteries' of the
Kingdom. The OT tells us in Isaiah 5:1-7 that Judah/Israel was His
vineyard. And that He expected good grapes, a people obedient and
holy, a witnessing people who produced the 'image' of Yahweh.  
This vineyard represented God's Kingdom on earth and it was not to
be of this world ... God was Ruler of it.

Jesus told the chief priests and elders of the Jewish people ...
"because when God had Sent His servants (prophets) to the
vinedressers to collect His fruit ... they beat one, killed one and
stoned another, then finally killed the Son to seize His inheritance."  
"Therefore, the owner of the vineyard would take the vineyard away
from them and lease His vineyard to other vinedressers who will give
Him the fruits in their seasons." That would be in the Spring after
the 'early rains' and again in the fall after the 'latter rains.'
We must have the 'rains' in order to gather the harvests! O Lord
Jesus, help us to have ears to hear! May we Lord, rise early in the
morning, so that You can give us a disciple’s ear for hearing… the
mind of the Spirit.

Because they rejected the Son, the Stone, Jesus reveals, "Therefore
I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and given
to a nation bearing the fruits of it. And whoever falls on this stone
will be broken; but on whomsoever it falls, it will grind him to
powder." Mt 21:33-45.

The Branch of The Lord
The Lord is expecting the branches, who are one with Christ [the
Vine], to bear much fruit in their seasons. What season is it now?
My son-in-law and
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daughter have a vineyard. There must be a time of preparation in
each season [pruning and lifting up the vines etc.] before the grapes
appear in order to have a good and an abundant harvest. And
WITHOUT RAINS [of the Spirit, that is], there will be no
MATURE GRAPES to harvest! A freeze, too much rain at a certain
season, birds, locusts, squirrels, raccoons, and bugs can destroy the
fruit. These, spiritually speaking, are the devil’s way to keep the
branch from
producing an abundance of “good fruit.” The Lord had told His
disciples that He wanted them to bear much fruit … and that their
fruit should remain! To me, Children, that fruit is ‘people’… as in
multiply and replenish the earth! Some produced 30, 60 and an
hundred fold in their life in the Kingdom.



The Father is "Now Hiring."
"For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a landowner who went out early
in the morning to 'hire' laborers for His vineyard." [A laborer is
worthy of his hire].
"For many are called, but few are chosen."] Mt 20:1-16.

Zechariah tells us about 'The Coming Branch.' The Angel of the
Lord prophesied to Joshua, saying, "If you will walk in My ways,
And if you keep My command, Then you shall also judge My house,
And likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk
Among these who stand here [the angels]. Hear, O Joshua, the high
priest
[who is a type of Christ], You and your companions who sit
before you, For they are signs and wonders [types of those who sit
before Christ, the Branch; the Laborers that we are to ask the Father
for and others too of course]. For behold, I am bringing forth My
Servant the Branch."
Zech 3:6-8; Con’d. 9-10.

Let us pause here and read Isaiah regarding the branch of the Lord
Jesus in it's End-Time Season ... after it has been "pruned and
purified" and restored of it's God-Image.[see Is 3].

The Restored Branch of Zion
"In that day the Branch of the LORD, will be beautiful and glorious;
(both Israeli & Gentile Branches), And the 'fruit' of the earth shall be
excellent and appealing For those of Israel who have escaped," (We
are included in the
Abrahamic Covenant)."And it shall come to pass that he who is left
in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy ... everyone
who is recorded
15
among the living in Jerusalem." "When the Lord has washed away
the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem
from her midst by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning,
then the Lord will 'create' above every dwelling place of Mount
Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the
shinning of flaming fire by night. For over all the 'glory' there will be
a canopy. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime
from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from the
storm."[This is the Feast of Tabernacles ... the final Feast]. Is 3-4:6.
SFB The term Branch in Isaiah and the other prophets refers to the
coming Messiah (see 11:1; 53:2; Jer 23:5; 33:15 and note on Zech 3:
8). Only when He rules will the evils described in ch. 3 be cleansed
away.

What does it mean Restoration?
Is 4:2,4. This text prophesies the restoration of the "God-Image" in
man, or His divine nature and family tie with man. SFB.
The entire concept of  "The Holy Spirit and Restoration" not only in
man, but restoration for all Creation, has been accomplished by the
Messiah Yeshua in His first coming/appearing on the cross ... We
will study this 'Restoration' and what it means in following Lessons.

What does it mean Wondrous Signs?
"They are for signs and wonders."   

The Messiah’s priesthood after the order of Melchisedec are for
Zech 3:8 wondrous signs, Mophet, Strong's #4159; miracle, sign,
token, wonder. Used 36 times in the OT, its first occurrence is in Ex
4:21, where God mentions the "wonders" that Moses will perform
before Pharaoh 'against' Egypt. Mophet is translated 'miracle' in Ex 7:
9. Generally it is translated 'sign' (Chr 32:24) or 'wonder' (Ps 105:
27). While Mophet contains the idea of something miraculous, in
some references it seems to connote an illustration or an example.
For instance, the psalmist appears to make a complaint when he
states, "I have become as a wonder to many." (Ps 71:7). Ezekiel is
described as a 'sign' to the house of Israel, in the NT the believers
themselves are for signs and wonders as evidence to Christ.  As
Jesus said, “You are My witnesses, My evidence of Me!” (Ezk. 12:
6, 11; 24:24, 27) SFB, ShSd.
   In the Branch, we who are discipled by Him ... in the Messianic
Kingdom, are to BE 'signs and wonders' as He was. He gave the
example as the Son of
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God ... what it be like, all are sons! This was and is His teaching to
His vineyard in John 15. Remember, there is neither male nor
female, Jew nor Gentile in the Kingdom of Messiah We are all one
in the Seed promised to Abraham ... which is fulfilled in Jesus
Christ! We are Abraham's descendants all ...  through faith in Christ.
Even the "blood of the grape," Jesus used as symbol, of His own
'blood' that sealed this New Order of Covenant!
   "Unless you drink My blood you have no life in you." The life of
the flesh is in the blood! Selah! "For His Blood can make the vilest
sinner free!
According to the Lord Jesus, every branch in Him must bear fruit. It
must submit to 'pruning' ... it must abide in the vine otherwise it is
cut off, withers, and is destroyed (burned). These are hard words for
us to receive and most don't.
But thank You, Father God, for telling us the truth!
Shalom Children, SheepShed of Sent Ministries

"JOHN CONT'D"

Lesson Two
John Record of the Messiah, Son of God
“When He, the Spirit comes [to you], He will tell you things to
come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and
reveal it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore,
He will take of Mine and declare it to you." John 16:14-15.
   By revealing the 'hidden depths' of the mystery of Jesus [which
Paul claimed to be the mind of Christ, and also to be things that "eye
has not seen, nor ear heard nor entered into the heart/spirit of man,
the things that God has prepared for them who love Him ... but He
has revealed them unto us by His Spirit 1 Co 2:6-16], for the Spirit
makes His 'glory' known. Jesus in His turn manifests the 'glory' of
the Father, 17:4 seq.; from Whom comes everything He possesses,
NJB.

"He who comes from heaven bears witness to the things He has seen
and heard ...He is attesting that God is true, since He whom God has
sent speaks God's own words. for God gives Him the Spirit without
measure.
The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything into His
hands (power)." John 3:35.
   "He will show even greater things than these, works that will
astonish you,
Thus as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son
gives life to anyone He chooses; For as the Father has life in
Himself, so He has granted the
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Son to have life in Himself. . . My testimony is greater than John's;
the works My Father has given Me to perform [do], these same
works of Mine
testify that the Father has sent Me. The Father who sent Me,
bears witness to Me Himself." John 5:22, 26, 27, 36, 37.
   
"Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son so that Your Son may
glorify You; so that, just as you have given Him power over all
humanity,
He may give eternal life to all those You have entrusted to Him,"
John 17:1-2.
   
By the Father's decree, all things are 'in the hands'
('power') of the Son, 4:34, 35; 10:28,29; 13:3;
17:2; 6:37-39; Mt 11:27; 28:18; on this is based the sovereignty.
John 12:13-15; 18:36-37, that He will assume on the day of His
'lifting up', 12:32; 19:19; Ac 2:33; Eph 4:8; and on that day, the
'prince of this world' will forfeit his kingdom, John 12:31, NJB.

Said Jesus, "The water [Spirit] that I give him will become in him a
spring of water, rising up unto eternal life." John 4:14. Peter said,
"Until the 'day dawns' and the Morning Star arises in your hearts," 2
Pt 1:19. Paul says, "Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the
Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom [liberty]. And all of us, with
our faces unveiled like mirrors reflecting the glory of the LORD [the
Spirit], are being transformed into the image that we reflect in
brighter and brighter glory, this is the working of the Lord who is the
Spirit, 2 Corinthians 3:15-18.






SPACE BLANK . . .  
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Jesus prayed, "Father, I want those You gave Me to be with Me
where I Am
[seated at the Right Hand of God, where He is ruling], so that they
may always see My glory which You have given Me ... " John 17:24
seq.

The Holy Spirit & Restoration
Acts 3:19-21, Peter said, "Heaven must receive [or retain] Jesus until
the 'times' of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the
mouth of all the prophets since the world began." This statement of
Peter, made to the Jews, does not say, that, "heaven must retain
Jesus until after the times of restoration of all things which God has
spoken since the world began." Peter says, that is, "until the 'times'
of."

What was the first prophecy of any 'restoration'?
Speaking to the Serpent ...  God said, "I will put enmity between you
and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall
burse your head,
And you shall burse His heel," Genesis 3:15.

What does it mean to restore?
"To restore" means to "bring back to a former or original condition."
In the Scriptures, when anything is restored, it is always increased,
multiplied or improved so that its later state is better than the original
state.
Jesus said, "I came to give you life, and to give it more abundantly,"
which finally ends up being eternal. Joel 2:21-26. Restoration in
every dimension is at the heart of the Christian gospel. It is woven
through all the Scriptures and must be at the foundation of our
ministry of the truth.

Peter, from the beginning of his gospel message, proclaims the
necessity of repentance and a returning to God for cleansing of sins.
By doing this ... times of refreshing would come from the presence
of the Lord and it would also prepare for the return of the Lord ... in
order that the 'times' of restoration of all things might be completed;
ending with a New Heaven and a New Earth restored!

Many believe it is now, in these last days, that "all things" prophesied
will be fulfilled. The ultimate restoration is to return the church, as to
the bride of Christ, to the majesty and glory God intended for her
from the beginning. To accomplish this restoration, God has begun
to release His purity and grace [by
19
pruning the branches] to all who desire to be holy. The sifting has
begun in order that the "unshakable may be revealed & remain &
'Israel be restored'."
Heb 12:27-29, “For our God is a consuming fire.” But this doctrine
of the “restoration of all things” happens before the Lord Jesus
returns! It is also called: The Third Day; or, The Day of The Spirit.

God multiplies when He restores. And so, in His restoration work
today, God is not simply restoring the church to the glory it
manifested in its Infancy. He is seeking to restore it to a state more
powerful, majestic, and glorious than anything the world has yet
seen! But Saints, we must be separated, and cleansed; God has not
changed His holiness. The Right Hand, the Arm of God will be
outstretched in glory revealing the Unshakable Kingdom, not the
unshakable Church! Do you remember the "prophetic revelation" the
Lord gave to Marvin Ford when he died and was taken before the
throne of God?
"Before I come for My church, I will Come to My church in an
‘unprecedented’ way.

Yes, the world will have a great falling away from God and some
'saints' will fall away with them ... but the overcomers will not! Jesus
says He will have a people "without spot, wrinkle ... a people
blameless at His second appearing!
For more examples of multiple restorations see: Ex 22:1; Job 42:10-
12; Ml 10:29-30. Check Scriptures regarding the "Latter House.”

After being dismissed from the Garden and barred from the Tree of
Life that stood in the midst, Adam begot children that were in his
own image of self-centered disobedience, rather than in the image of
God. From that point man fell deeper and deeper into depravity,
until the Lord deemed it necessary to destroy the race and start over
with Noah and his family. God gave the 'sign' of the rainbow that the
earth would not be destroyed by water again ... He told Noah and
his sons to multiply and replenish the earth.

With the call of Abram the purpose of the LORD began. The 'great
nation' He promised to bring forth through Abraham began with
Israel, but was destined to become the 'Body of Christ,' the church,
the household of God. Although there are many prophecies
concerning Israel, we can rest assured that for their fulfillment God
had the Body of Christ at heart from the beginning ... because Israel,
that 'great nation,' is fulfilled in the Body of Messiah Yeshua. The
church is no more an afterthought than was God's promise of His
Messiah ...
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Yeshua, Jesus Christ. The LORD will never accept the blood
sacrifices of bulls and goats again to atone for sin of any kind,
period! Genesis 4:12.
To the Israelites, God promises to send a prophet like Moses, for
their complete salvation. The Israelites refused to hear God for
themselves, insisting that He speak to them through Moses.  
Abraham walked with God through 'faith' ... God directed him
personally. However, God gave the 'law' to the Israelites through
Moses. The angels of God are the mediators. The Lord put them
under animal sacrifices of the 'blood' atoning for sins. They were
under the letter of the law ... called the Mosaic system. This 'law'
acted as a schoolteacher to point them toward the coming of the
Messiah who would shed His 'blood' for their sin and also for the sin
and restoration of the whole world.

Because the Messiah was promised to Abram ... before the law ...
we are now not under the 'law' but back under 'faith.' We are to
walk with our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ as
Abraham walked with God. We have been given the very Spirit of
the Son. We are of the SEED of Abraham according to the
'Promise'. We walk by 'faith' and not by sight! The Lamb of God
lived the 'law' perfectly. He did not "come short of the glory of God."
We are given the Holy Spirit so that we can hear His voice ... in
order to walk as Jesus walked.

Self-Restoration without the cleansing of the Blood of Christ is futile.
"For His Blood can set the vilest sinner free."
Jeremiah 8-10 and Lamentations 2, shows us the failure of Israel and
the devastation of Jerusalem because they refused to hear God. We
see the 'cause' and 'effect' of their stubbornness, rebellion,
immorality, idolatry and corruption afflicting the entire nation of
Israel. Saints, take a good look around you, what do you see? Our
'America' is full of corruption; as it is worldwide! The Lord
commands us, "come out from among them and be separated, don’t
touch the unclean thing.” As God became Israel’s enemy, we also, if
we do not heed His commandments, will find Him our enemy too,
“for judgment begins at the House of God.

Jeremiah 9:3 summarizes their plight, which resembles that of many
in today's church; "And they do not know Me." God wants us to
know Him, “Behold, how blessed is the man whom God reproves,
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty,” read Job 4-6.

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The Corruption in the Sheep-Pen
That is, in the Ministries who feed themselves, who water down the
word of God, who "show boat" the Cross of Christ, and the sheep
who hear man rather than God, will find themselves saying, "Lord,
Lord, open the door unto us!" ... "And they do not know Me."
Ezekiel 34:1-

Because the people had rather hear man than God, the Sheep were
soon hearing lies. Even today the Christians are hearing lies and are
not aware of it, are being fleeced while so-called Shepherds are living
in 'High Places' begging for donations. They did not and do not feed
the flock spiritual food but carnal, soulish food. Some Leaders today
are behind so many doors ... one cannot get an audience with them
without making special appointments and most likely not then! I call
them "the Untouchables."
.
Our Shepherds are 'politicians ' The Church has become a 'Political
Empire' with many small ruling kingdoms!  One can't be led by the
Spirit anymore ... 'you have to know somebody' if you want to be
heard!
But in the 'Church' this is not to be so! .
Both sons and daughters of Yahweh, please hear this, "For thus says
the Lord God: 'Indeed, I Myself will search for My Sheep and seek
them out. As a Shepherd seeks after his flock ... so will I seek for
My sheep." He has never wavered from His commitment to restore
the intimate love relationship that was lost in Eden.

Man cannot earn God's acceptance by his own performance of
'religious rituals,' observing certain rules and regulations, performing
rituals, and speaking certain words; Lighting candles; repeating the
prayer-beads; kissing relics and all the external activities which are
being done today in the modern churches, which things do not bring
us into His Glory.

The Lord told the Israelites, that, "He despised their ritualistic
worship and empty sacrifices, and lip-service devotion, He had
become sick of their singing, in which they only mouthed deceptive
words that meant nothing to them [but today they make good
material for selling recordings & videos]. He vowed to turn their
singing into wailing and cause their songs to become songs of
Lamentations " Amos 5:21-22; Is 58:4-5; Jer 7:4; Amos 5:23; Jer 7:
34 The Father's House has become a House of Merchants, the work
of man's hands!
22
In Hebrews 12:26-27, the Lord tells us, that, “He is going to shake
the 'works' of Men's Hands.” Everything Israel and Judah built up in
generations of self-effort was an abomination to God, and He
systematically gave over to destruction all they had accomplished by
"the works of their hands."
Jer 1:16; 32:29-36.

The Apostle Paul summarizes the shaking

God is determined to perform a shaking on everything built by the
hand of man, in the energy of the flesh, He has vowed to shake
them down. Only the things that cannot be shaken ... the things built
in His eternal power and wisdom ... that is, His Kingdom, will
remain.

The great shaking Paul prophesied has begun and is continuing in the
church today. For the same evils that plagued Israel, seeking to
please God by external performance, lapsing into idolatry and moral
decay, corruption in leadership, and worshiping the works of men's
hands ... are too present even in the church. Their removal is an
essential part of the restoration process. Young people, Christian
rock 'stars' are an abomination to God; your swooning over them
and rushing to their concerts is no different than the worlds spirit!
These concerts and stage performances, even in churches, are
motivated by the spirit of fame and importance ... they are ministers
who lift him or herself up. Not all are in this category but one must
be on guard so that he/she does not fall into Satan's trap. Don't be
seeking idol worship for yourself.. Instead of 'dressing self up' ... self
needs to be 'dressed down' ... way down!

"See that you do not refuse Him who speaks [from heaven].
For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth,
much more shall 'we' not escape if  'we' turn away from Him who
speaks from heaven,
whose voice then shook the earth; but now He has promised, saying,
'Yet once more I shake not only the earth, but also heaven.' Now
this, 'Once more,' indicates the 'removal' of those things that are
being shaken,
as of things that are created [made, some translate], that the things
which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are
receiving
a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we
may
serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is
a consuming fire." Heb 12:25-29. The unshakable Kingdom ... God
reigns over both the angels and His saints on Mount Zion in the
Kingdom of Heaven, the
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eternal and spiritual Jerusalem, which comes down out of Heaven.
We find the Lord calling for judgment and chastisement on the
Apostasy of the people. 'True' repentance brings healing and
restoration. No other kind of repentance will be accepted ... if we
want to escape the shaking and remain in God's unshakable
Kingdom.

What does God mean in Acts 15:16-18, regarding "The Restoration
of the Tabernacle of David?"
A question was raised whether the Gentiles could be accepted as
Christians without submitting to the Law of Moses. Peter responded
by noting that neither the Jews nor their fathers had been able to
bear the burden of the Law; therefore, it made no sense to burden
the Gentiles with it. "We believe that through the grace of the Lord
Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they [the
Gentiles]." James confirmed Peter's statement by quoting a passage
from Amos, in which God promises to "rebuild the tabernacle of
David . . . so that mankind may seek the LORD." Acts 15:11, 16-17.
Many other Scriptures refer to the tabernacle of David, though not
always by that name . . .  

The name often used is "Zion," Jerusalem's mount where the
tabernacle stood and where God dwelt among His people! His
people are “Zion!”

Joel 2 begins with the cry. "Blow the shofar in Zion, and sound an
alarm in My holy mountain!" Hebrews 12:22 says" "But you have
come to Mount Zion." Both refer to the tabernacle of David. An
understanding of the concept of God's restoration of this tabernacle
is essential. for it gives a clear, biblical view of what God is doing in
the church today and in Israel national.

The origin and description of the tabernacle of David was established
shortly after David succeeded Saul as king. The ark of the covenant,
which represented the presence and power of God, had been
captured by the Philistines. After a series of plagues, the Philistines
returned it to Kirjath Jearim, where it remained at the house of
Abinadab. David coveted God's manifest presence with him and the
people of Israel,
so he sought to return the ark to Jerusalem and place it in a tent on
Mount Zion. 1 Sam 4:1-7; 2 Sam 6; 1 Chr 13-16.
   Prior to it's capture, the ark had been housed in the tabernacle of
Moses ...
24
resting in the inner chamber called the Most Holy Place. No one but
the high priest was allowed to enter into the presence of the ark, and
he only once a year to sprinkle the blood of a sacrificed animal on
the mercy seat that covered the ark. The people could approach only
to the outer court of the tabernacle to present their sacrifices and
worship God. Hebrews 9:1-7.

The tabernacle of David marked a revolutionary departure from this
system of 'separating God from the people.' Without violating the
spirit of the law of Moses, David restored a spirit of intimacy again
between the people and the Lord.

What is the significance of the Restoration of the Tabernacle of
David?
The great significance lay in the fact that the ark, the very presence
of God, was back in the midst of the people in Jerusalem. The
people were taught by David to worship God with hymns, psalms,
praise, thanksgiving, and rejoicing. Singing to HIM in the first person
and not in the third person. Some sixteen ministries were ordained to
be performed twenty-four hours a day. seven days a week. None of
these ministries were related to guilt or condemnation; all reflected
recognition of the mercy and lovingkindness of God and His
unconditional acceptance of all who approached Him in faith. [There
He manifested Himself].

Restoration of the tabernacle of David today means doing away with
legalism, judgmentalism, and condemnation, but ministering the
Spirit to the hurting people of the church and the world with the
open and accepting arms of a loving God [without compromising the
Word or yourself ... stand firm in your walk with Jesus]. The Lord is
inviting all to return to Him, to let Him wipe away their sins, and to
receive the refreshing that comes from His presence. Especially to
Israel national Heb 10:1-25; Acts 3:19 It also means ... 'that as Jesus,
housed the ark, the Shekinah Glory, within His body, which is the
same as the 'tent,' and walked in the midst of the people manifesting
God's presence ... so today under the New Covenant of the Spirit of
Life in Christ Jesus, that same Shekinah Presence should be housed
in the 'tent' of the Christian’s body revealing His presence! This is
Restoration for each one of us to be reflecting His Glory!

Just as the tabernacle of David represents restoration of the
fellowship with God that was lost in Eden, so the BRANCH
symbolizes restoration of the God-
25
image-godliness and the family tie with God. Isaiah 4:2,3 speaks of a
"righteous Branch of David" that will spring forth. That Branch is
Christ, the Head of the true 'Vine,' kingdom of God ... the vineyard.
[Which we have studied]. It is peopled by those who have received
salvation by the new birth. Jesus identified Himself as the Vine and
His disciples as the branches and He said they would bring forth
much fruit if they abide in Him.

He states that He wanted this fruit to remain! To me, this means
more than producing character. I believe that it means
to bear, as in birthing fruit of the womb, spiritual sons and daughters,
and in raising  that fruit with all of the attributes of the Spirit and
image of Christ! Therefore, in order to do this ... one most have a
very personal  relationship with their Lord to conceive..

One must be 'in Christ' and 'stay in Christ,' as God restores His
people to the
Father child relationship, which, was broken by Adam's
disobedience. We, therefore, are brought back into the household of
God and are destined to be conformed to His image. But even now
we reflect His glory; John 15; Eph 2:19; Romans 8:29.

The Lord illustrates the restoration of His intimacy with His people
through the analogy of the Bride and Bridegroom. The passage in
Revelation 19:7-9 depicts the wedding feast of the Lamb, Jesus,
when He claims His Bride, the Body of Christ, after she has made
herself ready for Him. Paul tells how ... by submitting to God and
allowing herself to be cleansed by the washing of His Word, so that
she may be presented to the Bridegroom without, spot, wrinkle, or
blemish. "Bone of My bone and flesh of My flesh." Eph 5:25-27.

Who is responsible for this Supernatural work?
It is His own Holy Spirit! The prophet Joel foretold a day when God
would pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Thus, His power would be
shared with all "His people" and not limited to one chosen individual.
This explains why Christ told His disciples it was to their advantage
for Him to leave them and go to the Father, because then the Holy
Spirit could be sent to indwell each of them, to fill them and to
enable the 'supernatural works' of God to be done through them.
The regeneration of man's dead spirit is the work of the Spirit of
God. [He is the "Finger" and "Hand" of God.] This was, according
to Jesus, the  
BETTER WAY than Him staying on earth.
26
Jesus, in His body, could only be in one place at a time...limited. But
His Spirit is omnipresent & omnipotent! John 17; 16:7; Titus 3:5-6.
Finally, Jesus tells the disciples to do nothing until the Holy Spirit has
come. Then, He promises, they will be empowered to witness of
Him and their witness will spread the Good News throughout the
world. He will bear witness to them, by the Spirit, as they bear
witness of Him. Everything that will be done for Christ in and
through the 'believer,' will be done through the Holy Spirit ...
everything! This is what Jesus meant when He said, "Without Me
you can do nothing! Acts 1:8.


What does Restoration mean to me?
In both the Old and New Testament it means life. Moses said of the
Lord, "He is your life." Paul speaks of "Christ who is your life." And
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may
have it more abundantly." But David says, "He restores my soul." I
believe my soul runs through my blood ... it is the life of the flesh,
not only my 'brain.' Deut 30:20; Col 3:4; John 10:10; Ps 23:3.

It means to me, as an individual, the replacing of spiritual death with
spiritual life, God's life! Ezekiel describes just such a transplant. But
not only do we receive a new type and quality of life; but we must
also grow in it. In many verses we see that process of growth as a
work of the Holy Spirit. By His Holy Spirit, God continues and
perfects the work He began in us at salvation. How sad it is though
... that in most congregations ... the saints are starved to death of
spiritual food that will bring the believer to the fullness of Christ.
They no longer hunger for the 'deep' things of God, and He says of
us "they don't know Me!" Ezek 36:25-28; John 16:23; 17:22; Ro 8:
13; Phil 1:6; 2:13; Col 1:27.

What does Restoration mean to the Church? To the church as a
whole, restoration means more than becoming a reproduction of the
New Testament church. It means becoming all God originally
intended the church to be. Remember, restoration means the
establishment of something more and better than the original. It was
then  in its Infancy! WE GROW UP TO MATURITY!, SAINTS!

First, restoration means that the church will display the kind of love
Jesus demonstrated during His ministry on Earth. By this love, He
said, all men would know His disciples. Restoration also means the
'release' of God's power without measure  through the church ...
[therefore, through the individual].
27
That release will come through His people as the gifts of the Spirit
operate without restraint or restriction under the direction of the
Holy Spirit in your holy spirit by God's love. Remember, the saint's
spirit has been birthed again, birthed 'holy.' We are not taught that
today. John 13:34-35.

Through the full operation of the gifts and ministries that God
appoints, and operating in the love essential to His own nature, the
church, His body, will reach a level of maturity and unity that can be
measured only in terms of "the stature of the fullness of Christ"... As
the body of Christ becomes a Spiritual House inhabited by a holy
priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through
Jesus Christ, all men will be drawn to Him; then the world will at last
see the Glory of God through His restored body. Remember, it must
begin through someone ... so, Lord Jesus, let it begin in and through
me.
Eph 4:13; 2:20; 1 Pet 2:5.

Portions of the "Restoration" is taken from the Spirit Filled Bible
(SFB), p.p. 2012-2017; by James Robison.

The Holy Spirit represents the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth;
He is God's Right Hand and Arm, He enforces Christ's authority.
Even His angels are clad with His Spirit of Glory! His Name is in
them! We are to wrap ourselves in His Spirit's glory like a garment!  
We are called by His Name. We are His EVIDENCE!!! Saints, we
must have a testimony " 'greater' than that of John the Baptist, the
works our Father has given us to do, 'which are Mine,'" says Jesus,
"will testify, give evidence that Jesus has sent us." Selah! If we do
not go forward ... we will regress back to type.

"For His Blood can set the vilest sinner free."
Shalom, Children! SheepShed of Sent Ministries


SheepShed
"John Cont'd."
Lesson Three

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things
were made by Him, and without Him nothing was made that was
made. 4 In Him
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was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in
the
darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. [Darkness could
not lay hold or overcome it, could not put it out. (Did not have the
power to put it out)!  See Strong’s #2638. The darkness does not
and cannot gain control of it.] John says, "darkness is passing away."
Where? In the believer! The beliver should be growing brighter and
brighter with God's GLORY as we come to the perfect Day of
Atonement.

Note: the Word that created everything was in the beginning, not the
'flesh.' The Word [Logos] was invisible, but became visible in the
body and blood of Yeshua, Jesus. His flesh was the son-of-man [of
Mary], but the Invisible Word was the Son-of-God. What was 'in'
Him was life and that life was 'Light,'  it was what the O.T. called
Shekina Glory, which 'shown' and rested upon the face of Moses
and  also rested above the Mercy Seat in the O.T. Tabernacle Holy
of Holies, and is now hidden behind the veil of flesh of the Lord
Jesus. Therefore, we must understand that the words, which were
and are invisible, that the Words spoken are life and light, they are
Spirit. Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits
nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are Life."
If this is so, and it is, Jesus' invisible words, when spoken, actually
radiated life and power and are capable of creating!
Think of it. The kind of words which created the visible from the
invisible, John 6:63; Genesis 1!

Jesus had abundant life; He was full of grace and truth! He was
given that Life of the Spirit without measure, it rested on Him and
filled Him. Yet,  we have been taught by the 'carnal mind' for many
years that the 'more abundant life' is material things ... our Lord
Jesus did not have an abundance of material things, nor do we find
that He supplied  His mother nor His disciples an abundance of this
worlds possessions. Needs, yes! The thief [the devil] came to steal,
kill and destroy [life]..."I have come that they [you] may have life,
and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

The meaning is Restoration of the Holy Spirit …
Which touches the 'visible' and is in you welling up into Eternal Life.
As I give myself to Him, God gives Himself to me...in abundance.
Think about it. What else is there worth having? He is my
Inheritance! Abundantly means: Strong's # 4053: Superabundance,
excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough,
profuse, extraordinary, more than sufficient. [We
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Christians should be turning the world upside down with this
'abundant' supply of life and power. That is, shaking the world's
ideas about who Christ Jesus is with His Majesty above all names!
See Eph 3:19-20.

Adam's spirit was life and light. He was even clothed with the glory
of God … until he sinned. His spirit became a spirit of darkness. All
of a sudden he 'knew' evil, good and evil! Adam and Eve became
ruled by the 'rulers of darkness of this world.' Eph 5:8; 6:12; Col 1:
13; 1 Pet 2:9.

But Jesus, who said, "Let there be light," when darkness covered the
earth, has said to our darkened spirits..."Let there be light!" And this
very same Light has shone in our hearts, which God calls a
regenerated spirit and the darkness cannot not put it out; vs. 5.



It is to grow 'brighter' and 'brighter' [as darkness passes away] unto
the perfect day...the Day of Atonement, the resurrection! Now then,
sons of Light, we speak to the darkness and take control of it by the
words of our mouth as Jesus taught us. Darkness is evil, "In Him is
no darkness at all."
6 There was a man 'Sent' from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to bear witness to the Light, that all
through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was ‘Sent' to bear witness of that Light.
9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into
the world.

Note the word 'Sent.' Many go...who are not 'Sent' by the Spirit.
They have not been equipped! This is the reason the message of
Christ is proclaimed in the 'soulish realm.'  Especially today! The
Church has become a Theatre. John the Baptist was a 'voice' coming
from a wilderness where he had been well trained in hearing the
word of the Holy Spirit and equipped for the prophetic work of his
ministry. Like the two witness in Revelations 11... he came in 'sack-
cloth' ... eating as his food locusts and wild honey. What kind of diet
is that for a 'man of God?' Is this an example of the Elijah task
which is being preached today? I think not!

At least, saints, it is not anywhere near what we are being taught.
Many of our Elijah-leaders today are expensively dressed,  live in
homes costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, if the truth were
known, it is staggering! I can hardly believe what I have been
hearing. I am sick of heart! Is this prosperity for the
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Christians in America only? We, who know the 'voice' of the Spirit,
perceive that something is terribly wrong ... for we have taken on the
culture of the spirit of modern America and are calling it the Spirit of
Heaven!  
We have cleverly accomplished what the Roman Catholic's did
during the changeover into the Pontifical Office.
    We have taken Hollywood's spirit into our midst and just
'renamed' the pagan practices to a 'Christian' accepted vocabulary.
Yes, we have ruling in most of the churches in America
'Hollywood's spirit' and it knows how to merchandise the flesh and
soul of the saint to Mystery Babylon. But our Lord requires pure
worship!

Paul tells us that the "Spirit wars against the flesh and the flesh wars
against the Spirit ... they are contrary one to the other." The Lord
has birthed a holy spirit in us and given His Holy Spirit to use as the
sword in putting to death the works of the flesh! Flesh loves to be
exalted and Satan knows the flesh [his nature] very well. It is
through 'fleshly' desires that demons and Satan work after placing
his thoughts into the mind of man and when those thoughts are
conceived and acted upon one of his demons enter in. Gal 5:17;
John  13:2, 27.

13) 'We 'become' sons of God "who are born by the will of God,
His Spirit, not those who are born of flesh and blood, nor of the
'will' of man."
If we have been birthed by the Spirit which came down from
Heaven, of that Kingdom, not of this world, then we are to live by
the power [Spirit] of that heavenly kingdom! by the Spirit of our
Inheritance! The Lord Jesus went back to where He came from
[Heaven] and that in a glorified human body as a man ... not a
woman! Women need to return manhood back to men!

And men need to return to God's image!
14) "And we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of
the Father, full of grace and truth."  This glory that they 'beheld' was
not the miracles, signs and wonders ... which glory was invisible.
No, they actually saw the 'Source' of that Glory which dwelt inside
Jesus' body; "which was from the beginning!” Who now lives in the
Believer . . . Deity if you will! John 1:13-14

24) "For the Son of Man will come in the 'glory' of His Father with
His angels [messengers], and then he will reward each according to
his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death till they see [behold] the Son of Man coming
in His Kingdom," Matthew 16:24.
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Those who did not taste death were Peter, James and John, they
saw His 'glory' before they died.
1) "Jesus led them up to a high mountain by themselves; and He was
transfigured before them, His face shone like the sun, and His
clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah
appeared to them, talking with Him." Mt 17:1 [Saint, you need to get
away with Jesus by yourself]!
 What dear saint, were the three disciples seeing? They were "seeing
the Son of Man coming in His Kingdom with the 'Glory' of the
Father made visible to the eyes of His disciples in a future event!
Even Moses and Elijah are seen in their 'glory' as angels
[messengers]. They were discussing with Jesus what was to happen
in Jerusalem.
 If we saints had ears to hear...we would learn, in fact, that there
are prophets, saints of old who have been sent, who now function in
their places among the ranks of the 'ones Sent' from His throne in
Heaven, called messengers (as Moses, Elijah & Enoch). The Jews
believed that prophets or God’s ministers could be sent back with
messages.  The created Angels are fellowservants with the saints,
John tells us! The word 'angel' means 'messenger.' Moses & Elijah
ministered to Jesus. Mt 17; Rev 22:8-9; Mt 16:24-17:6; Zech 3:6. [In
the Melchizedec Priesthood].

Why did the Word become flesh?
Not only so that He could atone for the sins of man and the world ...
but also restore our bodies back to the original purpose of Creation.
And, to show us the Father who is in the Son!
1) "That," John speaking, "which was from the beginning, which we
have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have
looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of
life ...
2) the Life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and
declare to you that Eternal Life which was with the Father
[in the beginning, not the flesh] that Life was manifested ... That
Life is the Father and the Son in the person of the Holy Spirit with
whom we have fellowship one with the other." They actually saw
'Eternity as it really is, Eternity was Shekina, Life & Light, a glorious
Light that shone brighter than earth's 'morning star,' the sun. Christ
was in the 'bosom' of the Father, in the 'Presence' of the Father;
where we should be beholding His glory. 1 John 1:1-3.

The apostle Peter reminding the Christians before his death wrote,
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16) "For we [Peter, James and John his brother] did not follow
cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the
'power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eye
witnessess of His majesty.
17) For He received from God the Father honor and glory when
such a 'voice' came to Him  from the Excellent Glory the Kingdom
of Heaven; This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
18) And we heard this Voice when we were on the holy mountain.
19) And so we have the 'prophetic word 'confirmed, which you do
well to heed as a 'light that shines' in a dark place, until  the day
dawns and the 'Morning Star' [of Heaven]  rises in your hearts."
   Do you see the parallel? You see, the disciples saw the 'Day
Dawn,' they            saw the ‘Morning Star’ arise in the person of
Jesus’ body.

They had a preliminary glimpse of His second coming and how "the
saints who overcome and keep His works to the end" are to be
resurrected by the glorious Spirit... who is the Morning Star ...
dawning at the beginning, not the middle, nor the end, of the Day of
the Lord. They saw the second advent of the Messiah, 2 Pet 1:16-
19; See 1 Co 15 regarding the 'firstfruits' resurrection!

According to the Lord, in the 'Apocalypse,' that He made known
unto John, Jesus said, 26) "He who overcomes, keeps My works
until the end, to him I will give power over the nations ... 27) He
shall rule them with a rod of iron;
they shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels' ... as I also
have received from My Father; 28) And I will give Him the 'Morning
Star.' 29) He who has ears to hear, let him hear what the Spirit says
to the churches."
Rev 2:26-29.

Please note: the overcoming saints receive power over the nations to
break them as the potter's vessels' ... when He comes. Not  when
He comes in our hearts by the Spirit at our 'rebirth.' But when He
comes
with His angels in His Kingdom ... bringing  His reward  with Him.
Jesus received His Messianic Kingdom when He ascended to
Heaven and sat down at the 'Right Hand of God.' He sat down on
the throne promised to king David. King Jesus is reigning now!

Depending on how we have run our race set before us, will we, be
awarded. Some will be awarded 'thrones' to rule over the nations
which enter the 'Age'
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to come. Rev 19:21; 20:1-4; Lk 22:28-30. [To become great in the
Kingdom
of Heaven ... one must become a humble-bond-servant-son].
Jesus said, 24) "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 25) For whoever
desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My
sake will find it. 26) For what profit is it to a man if he gain the
whole world, and loses his own soul? Or  what shall a man or
woman give in exchange for his or her soul? 27) For the Son of Man
will come in the Glory of His Father with His angels, and then He
will reward each according to his works." Mt 16:24-27. [I keep
repeating these things ... because of the teachings which are being
broadcast in today’s media]. If we are not careful, more than likely,  
... standing by the many river banks ... we will fall into these
waters]. Selah!
6) "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit." John 3:6

The Lord tells us through the apostle Paul "first the natural [flesh]
and then the spiritual." Without the 'new spiritual birth' there is no
life and no relationship with God. The new birth is simply more than
being saved. We literally enter a 'new order, 'the order of the
Kingdom of Heaven. The Melchizedec(k) Priesthood. This is why
we cannot change its laws and rules to our own thinking or
understanding! The laws of Heaven are already established! The
Lord wants those laws of the kingdom enforced in our lives here on
planet earth. Mt 5-7

Listen carefully, the word 'partaker' in the Greek does not mean
'possessor,' as in the sense of that of the Hebrew "possessed the
Holy Spirit as an indwelling Person who had come to take up His
permanent abode in the heart." In Luke 5:7 it is translated 'partners,'
indicating one who co-operates with another in a common effort, a
cause or undertaking. In Hebrews 1:9 where the angels are 'fellows'
of our Lord, partners or associates with Him in the work of salvation.
They work with Him and the saints in the service of the heavenly
calling, who have left the earthly calling of Satan's Kingdom and
have identified themselves with Christ Jesus in His Kingdom!

The word is used, "the joint-owner of a holding; "I am partners in
their misdeeds."Thus the word signifies, not a possessor, but a
partner, a colleague, an associate, one who takes part with another in
some one activity. One can become partners with the Holy Spirit in
the sense that they willingly co-operate
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with Him in receiving His pre-salvation ministry, that of leading them
step by step toward the act of faith; can feel His presence moving
them ... then turn away. One who serves alcoholic drinks or
bartends,  even though he or she does not partake of the beverage, is
still participating in that activity. Be not unequally yoked. We must
be careful that we who are 'possessors of the Holy Spirit' ... not just
'church members,' serve the Lord wherever He goes.
Shalom! We love you!  SheepShed of Sent Ministries
     
Sent Ministries
For More Information Contact:
President Pastor Gregory Gibson
Greg & Rolynda
Oklahoma 405-410-1250
greggibson@sentministries.net
Music & Teaching Ministry
Weddings

For Prayer Requests Call:
Mamma Jackie
California 559-686-2461

Mamma Lori SheepShed
lorigibson@sentministries.net
mammalori2002@yahoo.com

IN WEST AFRICA SENT MINISTRIES
Sierra Leone: President
Pastor Momoh & Glorious, Sia
232-76-707393
232-77-553989

Please call or write us if you need to share your burdens with
someone. We all are in need of help some time or other. Depression
and Hopelessness are spirits, Jesus delivers from these demonic
powers. He hears our hearts and Sends His word ... either through
His servants or His ministering angels ... and heals us. Then, He just
may rise up within us by His Holy Spirit and cleanse us in a moment
of time!
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Lord Jesus, Bless and keep those of Your Sheepfold; Give us a
“Sheep-Dip” when we need it! And Father, lift up Your Face; Shine
Your Glory upon Our 'Faces' and give us 'Your' Shalom! Amen.

For Your Blood Lord, has made us, the vilest of sinners clean!
And, we Bless You Jesus, for Your Precious and Holy Blood!
We love you all; in Christ Jesus our Lord
SheepShed of Sent Ministries
SheepShed Publications
Lessons
John