Who will not have to take up their cross during the Great Tribulation?

Is it the church of Philadelphia? There are 7 Spirits of God (all one, but sevenfold, thus 7 churches. I wonder if the temperament of the churches are like human temperaments?  I'll have to pray about this and search for more info.

I was weeding

Today I weeded a flower garden. I had to be careful not to pull out the flowers along with the grass that was growing. My friend hadn't weeded since we planted it in May. The grass had shoots that grew along the ground to start a new root.

I wondered about why there were weeds and remembered that it was to make work harder after the fall, but as I pulled the weeds and thought about the tares among the wheat parable, and how Jesus taught with examples of nature I realized that there is probably a parable in all the things we have to work against. God revealing Himself to us about all things. The sheep, the goats, the wheat, the weeds.

This life is good not perfect. All the things we call trials, and the hardest of losses, death of a loved one, all prepare us for the next life.

The 2 drachma tax of Matthew 17:24-27

Someone once told me that they believe Christians stand before the judgment seat the same as non-Christians.  I use the word Christians to include anyone who is considered a sheep after the people are divided into two groups of followers and non-followers of the One True God.

In verse 25 Jesus asked Simon [Peter] from whom do kings collect taxes, from their sons or strangers? Simon said strangers.

So from whom will the King of kings and Lord of lords exact justice? From strangers who do not know Him, not from those who He called His family, or His followers who know His voice, His sheep.

Old Testament law also prevented charging interest on loans to fellow Jews. In Deuteronomy 23: 19 & 20 it says, "You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest. ²⁰ You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess."

That is the law that Simon [Peter] knew. The poor were also exempt. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed are those who know how wretched they are compared to Jesus, and He will not charge interest on judgment day, but like the 7 year Jubilee, all debts are forgiven. I am sure this will be re-instituted during Jesus' thousand year reign.

Deuteronomy 15:1-3 15 “At the end of every seven years you shall grant a remission of debts. 2 This is the manner of remission: every creditor shall release what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor and his brother, because the Lord’s remission has been proclaimed. 3 From a foreigner you may exact it, but your hand shall release whatever of yours is with your brother. "

I love the Law!

Who are the Sadducees and Pharisees of today?

Reading Matt. 16 and wondered who would be  the false teachers today? They would be church leaders. Anyone adding to scripture or anyone TAKING AWAY OR IGNORING SCRIPTURE.

Have to write "The Justified Wrath of the LORD God of hosts"