Greeting. Philippians 3:4 Though I [Paul]might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. The Apostle Paul was a very highly educated man but had no confidence in his fleshly interpretation of the scriptures. In the next verse he boasts of his physical credentials. Philippians 3:5 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; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. Something I spiritually never saw before in the above verse, that there is a righteousness in the law. In other words, he was living a righteous law according to man's standards: most so-call Christians cannot even say that. The Prophet Samuel also lived a high moral standard according to mortal man’s law. 1 Samuel 12:3Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed:whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you. Spiritually our carnal mind bribes us with pride and envy by thinking we can spiritually understand the scriptures. We take a scripture by our own interpretation and our own interpretation flatters us. Daniel 11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries. We all as sinful people have loved to quote scriptures or God’s covenant, it makes us look good at Jesus expense, and besides, it makes us look righteous before our friends. 2 Corinthians 5:21For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Proverbs 6:24 to keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. God's law in the Bible is represented by a woman; when we put our own interpretation, it becomes an evil woman. The United States Supreme Court uses an image of a woman to represents its laws. Oh, how our flesh loved to be flattered. Acts 12:21And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. In our own minds we all see ourselves as a King Herod, and our royal apparel represents we are spiritually rich in the things of the world. 1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. This verse has nothing to do with the physical rich, but those that have exalted their thinking above God and trust in their worldly, devilish, sensual thinking. When we can humble ourselves to hear the faith, then God can give us His true riches or His word. When have we ever heard that anybody enjoyed being humbled? Luke 14:11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. On any given Sunday man in spiritual royal apparel which are rags, speak the wisdom of man. James 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten. Spiritually great orators sound like they are speaking God’s wisdom, but to a discerning ear they speak lies. If God has given us His Spirit, we are able to discern the following: John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. We can always speak our own glory or wisdom about the scriptures, because that is all we ever possessed, but you will receive glory from men. Again, oh how we love to quote scriptures, the flattery we given ourselves is next to divine. Drug stores sell excess of 5000 beauty products all design to flatter our flesh and empty the wallet. Psalm 5:9For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. False shepherds love to flatter the the congregation of the dammed, to add to their physical numbers of members. These devouring [ spiritually devour God’s word] wolves are very skillful at this tactic. Matthew 7:15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Our tongue is the enemy of our own soul, it speaks evil of God’s word and destroys the souls in God’s word. Psalm 78:36Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. Acts 12 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. Acts 12:23And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. We all want the glory that comes from other men and not from God. This subject of King Herod being eaten of worms is very deep, as we progress in this letter, in hope that God reveals even more. END OF PART 1 Michael Rudolph Hodges 6/24/2021
RICH MEN
1 Samuel 8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Mentally we bribe ourselves by making the scriptures into a fleshly Interpretation that flatters our minds. Exodus 23:8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. The gift in the above verse does not have to be something physical, but what we say or do that Justifies or flatters ourselves. Perhaps we know we should be studying the Bible my comparing scriptures with the same words in them, yet we feel if we do something physical for somebody it makes us look good to ourselves and others, yet does nothing to help us grow spiritually. Thus, we have just bribed ourselves on what looks good to us. To become a spiritual being is just allowing God’s words to judge our thoughts and that’s the last thing we want. I observed something in the cosmetic section the other day in a drug store, the posters said this certain cosmetic will give women younger looking eyes. The cosmetic industry sure knows how to flatter people, and the mirror without the makeup is the real judge. In fact, the more judgment we received from God’s word the more the carnal mind will persecute the words we receive. Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Our own unrighteous thoughts will persecute the thoughts of God until God takes vengeance on our wicked thoughts and destroys them. Our thoughts will be destroyed by the fire contained in His word if we can spiritually discern them. Hebrews 12:29for our God is a consuming fire.Deuteronomy 9:3Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the Lord hath said unto thee. When we are in the day or God's light, we will begin to see that our enemies or the false witness against God’s word are being driven out and destroyed in our minds. Every time God showed me something new about his word my old thoughts or carnal meaning to that scripture is destroyed: I have heard from above.
1/1/2022 Michael Rudolph Hodges
THE BRIBE