Tag Archives: Christ

October 31, 2026 · 10:06 am

The Shield of Faith and Hope—Working Together to Produce Agape Love

Faith and Hope United

Faith is “being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NET). Faith rests upon the promises of God and gives certainty to the hope He has placed before us. Though His promises remain invisible to our physical eyes, faith enables us to embrace them as realities that will surely come to pass.

Hope is founded upon the Word of God and the promises He has spoken. He has promised His children eternal life, a dwelling place in the New Jerusalem, and the inheritance of a glorified spiritual body (Revelation 21:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:42-54). Because these promises have not yet been fully realized, we hope for them. Faith, however, gives us assurance that what God has promised will indeed be fulfilled.

Thus, faith and hope are inseparably linked. Hope looks forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises, while faith is the confident assurance that those promises are certain. “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and convinced of what we have not yet seen” (Hebrews 11:1).

Hope, Faith, and the Production of Agape

This relationship between faith and hope provides the foundation upon which agape love is manifested. Hope is generated through hearing the Word of God and receiving His promises. For this reason, Scripture says, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

As we hear His Word, the Holy Spirit works within us, revealing truth and granting understanding through His gentle illumination (John 16:13). These spiritual insights strengthen our faith and teach us to walk in His ways. As we continue on this path, agape love increasingly abides in our hearts. We become grateful to Christ for calling and choosing us and for revealing His divine purpose to us. Every road that leads to Him ultimately brings us into the blessing of His abiding presence (John 15:4-10). His presence and abiding in us is Agape Love.

The Hope Set Before Us

(Romans 8:14-29)

The Apostle Paul describes several aspects of the hope that God has given to His children:

  • God’s glory shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18).
  • The sons and daughters of God are those who are led by His Spirit (Romans 8:14).
  • The whole creation eagerly awaits the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19).
  • Creation itself was subjected to futility in hope that it would one day be delivered from corruption and decay (Romans 8:20-21).
  • We hope for what we do not yet see, waiting patiently for its fulfillment (Romans 8:24-25).
  • God foreknew, called, and predestined His people to be conformed to the image of His Son, “the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).

These promises constitute the hope of our calling. Although they remain future realities, faith enables us to be fully persuaded that God will accomplish all that He has promised.

The Faith of Christ Toward Us

This is the hope of which we are sure and the faith by which we are convinced. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, demonstrating both the depth of His love and the certainty of His purpose (Romans 5:8). He saw beyond what we were and looked toward what we could become through His grace.

Christ endured the cross because of the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). He looked forward to the harvest of sons and daughters who would respond to His calling. In this sense, His actions reveal a perfect confidence in the Father’s plan and purpose. He showed us the way and invited us to follow Him into the same hope-filled faith.

The Faith of God

(Genesis 1:26-28; Isaiah 46:9-10)

From the beginning, God exercised faith in the sense described by Hebrews 11:1. He was completely assured of what He purposed to accomplish and fully convinced that His plan would come to pass. Before creation itself unfolded, He declared the end from the beginning and established His purpose for humanity (Isaiah 46:9-10).

God’s purpose has always been to expand His family by bringing many sons and daughters to glory (Hebrews 2:10). He was certain that His plan would succeed and that His Word would not return void. This divine certainty is reflected in His works throughout history and is now shared with us through the faith that comes from hearing His Word.

A powerful example is found in the resurrection of Christ. The Father was fully assured that His power would raise His Son from the dead, fulfilling every promise He had spoken (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:4). This demonstrates God’s unwavering confidence in His own purpose and power. Before we ever existed, He had already determined that His promises would stand and that His redemptive plan would be fulfilled. Such confidence is the very foundation upon which our faith rests.

Conclusion The shield of faith is inseparably connected to hope and agape love. Hope looks forward to the promises of God, faith embraces those promises with certainty, and agape is the fruit produced as God’s Spirit works within us. Through hearing His Word, receiving His promises, and walking in His ways, we grow in faith and become established in hope. As this process unfolds, the love of God increasingly fills our hearts, directing us ever closer to Him. Therefore, faith, hope, and agape remain inseparable companions in the life of every believer, for “now abideth faith, hope, charity [agape love], these three; but the greatest of these is charity [agape love]” (1 Corinthians 13:13).       Kenneth Wayne Hancock [Having made it this far, you have been blessed by our Father. For He is the One who gave this to me five days ago. This is His letter to us all. I have been studying it for five days. I found out that the knowledge found here is a precious spiritual commodity. Don’t skip over it like a butterfly floating to the next flower. Go over this several times. Dig deep and you will put your house upon the Rock.]

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October 26, 2026 · 1:06 pm

Taking the Shield of Faith

If God has called you, then you will experience trials of faith. Scripture tells us not to be surprised when these seasons come, for they are an essential part of God’s work in perfecting His people. Peter wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” These trials are not evidence of God’s absence but of His refining purpose. Through them, He purifies faith, strengthens character, and conforms us more fully to the image of Christ. In these moments believers learn the necessity of taking up “the shield of faith,” God’s provision against the fiery darts of the wicked one. (1 Peter 4:12; James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5; Ephesians 6:16)

The victory of the Christian life is not found in the strength of our own faith, but in receiving, appropriating, and walking in the faith of the Son of God, which enables us to endure every trial and bear increasing fruit unto God. (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16; John 15:5)

First, there is only one true faith, and that faith is found in the Son of God Himself. Our old man was crucified with Christ, and through faith we have been united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. This is a gigantic leap of faith. Because we now live in Him, we are called to live by His faith rather than our own natural strength. Paul testified, “I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.” Christ extends His faith to us, but we must receive what He freely provides. Therefore, the apostle exhorts believers, “Above all, taking the shield of faith.” The Christian life is not merely believing about Christ but living by what Christ Himself supplies. (Romans 6:1-11; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16)

The faith of Christ protects the believer and enables him to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Yet this raises an important question: What exactly is the faith of the Son of God? Most believers have read the Scriptures concerning faith, but have we truly understood them in the depths of our hearts? Before we can effectively wield the shield of faith, we must understand the nature of the faith God has provided through His Son. (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:6)

This question is of great importance. Many sincerely say, “I believe in Christ.” Such belief is the beginning of the Christian walk. Yet standing firm in the faith of Christ while Satan’s arrows assault the mind is another matter altogether. As we draw nearer to our Savior and seek deeper fellowship with Him, opposition often increases. God desires that His people move beyond spiritual infancy, build their house upon Christ the Rock, and bear not merely fruit, but “more fruit” and ultimately “much fruit.” (John 15:2, 5, 8; Matthew 7:24-25; Ephesians 6:16)

Therefore, let us dig deeper into the unsearchable riches of Christ. Let us seek from the Holy Spirit a thirtyfold, sixtyfold, and hundredfold understanding of the faith of Jesus Christ. Spiritual fruitfulness is inseparably connected to spiritual understanding. As the Spirit opens our eyes to the heart and mind of Christ, we become increasingly equipped to walk in victory, maturity, and fruitfulness. (Ephesians 3:8; Mark 4:8, 20; John 16:13)

Before examining the faith of Christ in greater detail, it will help us to review some foundational truths concerning faith itself. Every aspect of our relationship with God begins, continues, and matures through faith. The just live by faith, walk by faith, and overcome by faith. If faith is so central to the Christian life, then we must understand what Scripture means when it uses that word. (Hebrews 11:6; Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7)

One of the Bible’s foundational definitions is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Another translation renders it, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see” (NET). Faith is a God-given certainty concerning realities that cannot yet be perceived by the natural eye. It reaches beyond the visible world and lays hold of what God has spoken because it rests confidently upon His character and His promises. (Hebrews 11:1; Romans 4:20-21; 2 Corinthians 4:18)

Conclusion We have seen that trials are a normal part of God’s refining work in the life of every believer and that victory over those trials is found not in human resolve but in the faith of Christ. The shield of faith is more than a doctrine to admire; it is a spiritual reality to be received and exercised. As believers learn to depend upon the faith supplied by the Son of God, they are enabled to withstand the attacks of the enemy, grow in spiritual maturity, and bear increasing fruit unto God. Having established that the Christian life is lived through His faith rather than our own, we are now prepared to examine more closely what the faith of the Son of God is and how it operates within the heart of the believer. (Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 6:16; Hebrews 11:1; John 15:5, 8) Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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October 19, 2026 · 10:10 am

“God My Savior”–Mary Praises Yahweh as Her Savior

Throughout the Scriptures, Yahweh repeatedly declares Himself to be the Savior of His people. The prophets knew no other Savior, Israel expected no other Savior, and the covenant revealed no other Redeemer. Yet when Mary, the mother of Yahshua, lifted her voice in praise, she rejoiced not in a future savior distinct from Yahweh, but in “God my Savior.” Her words are profound because she spoke them before the birth of Yahshua, the Son of God. She spoke them even before the conception of the child in her womb. In doing so, Mary’s testimony harmonizes with the prophets and reveals the identity of the One who would be manifested through the miraculous birth.

Thesis: Mary’s words of praise prove that Yahweh is the Savior, who entered the womb of Mary as the Spirit He is and was manifested in the man Yahshua the Christ.

Yahweh Declared Himself to Be the Savior

Long before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah repeatedly identified Yahweh as the Savior. “I, even I, am the LORD [Yahweh]; and beside me there is no saviour.” (Isaiah 43:11) “And all flesh shall know that I the LORD [Yahweh] am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.” (Isaiah 49:26) “For I am the LORD [Yahweh] thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” (Isaiah 43:3)

These declarations leave no room for another divine Savior separate from Yahweh. He alone claims that title. He alone is Redeemer. He alone is Savior. Thus, when the New Testament speaks of salvation, it must ultimately trace that salvation back to Yahweh Himself.

Mary’s Declaration: “God My Savior”

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he announced that she would bear a son who would be called the Son of God (Luke 1:26-33). This would not occur through human conception but through the operation of the Holy Spirit.

After receiving this message, Mary traveled to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was already six months pregnant with John. As Mary entered the house, Elizabeth’s child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Through divine revelation she recognized the blessedness of Mary and the child she would bear (Luke 1:39-45).

It is in this setting that Mary offered her song of praise: “My spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1:47) She could not have been referring to the man Christ, for he was not even conceived as yet. The only God she has ever known was Yahweh. So she refers to Him as “God my Savior.”

The significance of this statement is often overlooked. Mary did not say, “My son is my Savior.” She said, “God my Savior.” The God to whom she referred was the God of Israel, Yahweh Himself.

Even more remarkable is the timing. Mary spoke these words before she had given birth and before she had conceived. The Savior she rejoiced in was already present in her understanding as Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Savior Was Yet to Be Conceived

Luke 1:35 places special emphasis upon the future nature of the conception: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”

This is in the future—“shall come upon you”—“shall overshadow you”—“the holy thing which shall be born…shall be called…”

And then Mary refers to Yahweh [there is only one God] as “God my Savior.” “Christ” means the “anointed one.” The man Yahshua of Nazareth, born of Mary, was the chosen anointed vessel that would house the Great Spirit, Yahweh, the Creator. This entity would be called the Son of God.    Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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October 16, 2026 · 4:30 pm

The Heart of the Father, the Mind of Christ

[From Chapters 6 and 7 of my book, The Additions to the Faith]

To contemplate Yahweh’s purpose is to seek the mind of Christ and the very heart of the Father. Such a pursuit stretches our small hearts and minds and enlarges them until we begin to see through God’s eyes. As He declares, “My thoughts are not your thoughts.” God has His own agenda and purpose. We, too, have plans and desires for our lives, but few possess the same purpose that fills the heart of our Heavenly Father. Herein lies humanity’s great dilemma. (Isa. 55:8-9)

From the beginning, God has worked according to a master design. Though mankind often wanders from that design, He patiently waits for His crowning creation to come into harmony with His purpose. His dealings with Israel reveal this patience. He took the twelve tribes as His wife, intending to bring forth sons and daughters through a spiritual union with them. Yet they pursued the gods of the nations around them. Through Jeremiah He lamented that faithless Israel had committed adultery and had been given a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, His mercy remained, and He promised forgiveness and restoration if they would return to Him. (Jer. 3:6-14)

Behind all of God’s dealings stands a purpose that is both simple and profound: God is reproducing Himself through a chosen company of human beings. Certainly, He loves us and desires to save us from sin and self-destruction. The mind of Christ does not remember our sins and faults. Satan does and throws it up to us in a constant barrage of celluloid-like scenes from our sordid past. Satan remembers and hurls memories at our mind until we awaken to what is really going on. No, our father does not remember the sins of our past so, why should we remember them? But salvation is only one part of a much larger eternal plan. To understand that plan, we must consider what is contained within the very word “Father.” (Eph. 1:4-12; Rom. 8:29)

What Is in the Father’s Heart?

A father is one who begets life. The title itself implies offspring, reproduction, and inheritance. One cannot truly be a father apart from children. Thus, the desires of the Father’s heart are revealed in His name. His purpose is to bring forth sons and daughters who bear His likeness and share His nature. (Luke 3:38; Heb. 2:10; 2 Pet. 1:4)

Many claim God as their Father, yet often deny the spiritual law that He established from the beginning: every seed bears after its own kind. If God is truly our Father, then His purpose should become our purpose. His desires should become our desires. We should seek to know His mind and participate in the work that fills His heart. The Father’s great purpose is to reproduce His life, His character, and His love until He fills creation with the expression of Himself. Humanity was created to be the vessel through which this purpose would be accomplished. (Gen. 1:11-12, 26-28; Eph. 3:14-19)

Walking in Agreement with the Spirit

This understanding is essential if we are to walk in the Spirit. Scripture commands us to “walk in the Spirit” and to “abide” in Christ. Yet how can we walk with Someone if we do not know where He is going? As Amos asks, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” To walk in the Spirit requires agreement with the Spirit. We must understand not only where God is leading, but also why He is moving in that direction. (Gal. 5:16, 25; John 15:4-5; Amos 3:3)

Christ perfectly understood this. Throughout His life He was occupied with His Father’s business. He possessed the mind of the Father and devoted Himself to completing the Father’s work. And what was that work? The reproduction of God’s life through the Seed Son. (Luke 2:49; Phil. 2:5; John 4:34; John 17:4)

Creation itself testifies to this purpose. Everywhere we look, life seeks to reproduce itself. Plants bear seed. Animals multiply. Humanity is driven to seek companionship and family. These patterns are not accidental. They are witnesses embedded in creation that point to the Creator’s own purpose. God is reproducing His life and His love, and mankind is the spiritual soil in which this divine work is taking place. (Gen. 1:21-28; Rom. 1:20)

Only when we understand and embrace this purpose can we truly walk in the Spirit and abide in Christ. If our worship, ambitions, and prayers are centered upon a different objective, then we are no longer abiding in Him. To abide in Christ is to remain in fellowship with His purpose and to align ourselves with His plan. (John 15:4-8; 1 John 2:24-28)

From Servants to Friends

This is also the pathway from servanthood into friendship with God. Jesus told His disciples, “I call you not servants … but friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” A servant obeys commands without understanding the larger purpose. A friend is entrusted with the secrets of the heart. What greater privilege could there be than to know what the Father is doing and to be invited into His counsels? (John 15:15; Ps. 25:14)

Nor was this privilege reserved only for the first disciples. In His prayer recorded in John 17, Christ expanded this promise to all who would believe through their testimony. He prayed that we might share in the same unity and glory that existed between Himself and the Father. This invitation extends to us today, if we have faith to receive it. (John 17:20-23)

The promise that whatever we ask in His name will be done is connected to this abiding relationship. When we are united with God’s purpose, our prayers become expressions of His purpose. We begin to ask for the things that advance His work, and those prayers find their answer in Him. (John 15:7, 16; 1 John 5:14-15)

Joining the Father’s Work

The tragedy is that many believers pursue purposes that differ from God’s own. When our ambitions, ministries, and religious activities are rooted primarily in human desires, we mistake our plans for God’s will. True worship is not merely offering God our ideas of what should be done. It is joining ourselves to what He is already doing. (Matt. 15:8-9; Prov. 14:12; Isa. 29:13)

When we understand His purpose and commit ourselves to its fulfillment, something changes within us. The power of the Spirit increases in our lives because we have become fellow workers with Christ in the Father’s business. Christ is finishing the work given to Him, and the members of His body are called to share in that same labor. (1 Cor. 3:9; Mark 16:20; John 14:12)

Our calling is to bear witness to the truth that God is reproducing Himself through the Seed Son. As Christ’s life grows within us, the reality of His resurrection becomes evident through transformed lives, spiritual power, and the works of God manifested through His people. The world is to see the life of Christ expressed through those in whom the Seed has come to maturity. (Gal. 2:20; Col. 1:27; Rom. 8:11; John 12:24)

Wisdom Before Power

Yet this journey begins with wisdom and knowledge. It begins with seeing what God is doing and understanding why He is doing it. Significantly, the first gifts of the Spirit listed by Paul are the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. Before power comes understanding. Before effective service comes revelation. (1 Cor. 12:8; Prov. 4:7)

As we come into agreement with the Father’s purpose, the Spirit supplies the wisdom, knowledge, and gifts necessary for us to participate in His work. And that work, from beginning to end, is the desire that has always filled the Father’s heart: the reproduction of His own life and character in His sons and daughters until His purpose is fully accomplished. (Eph. 4:11-13; Rom. 8:29; Hab. 2:14; 1 Cor. 15:28)

In short, some humans will love God. They are “the called according to His purpose.” He knew them from before. He gave them a predestiny “to be conformed to the image of His Son. He predestinated them; He called and chose them; He justified them and glorified them. Having done all this for us, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. (Romans 8:28-37)

Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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October 2, 2026 · 8:21 am

The Seed‑Son: The Mystery of God’s Reproduction

Every generation asks, Who is the Son of God? But few ever ask the deeper question: What is the Son of God? Scripture speaks of Him not only as a Person but as a Seed, a Word, a Logos—containing within Himself the entire destiny of God’s purpose. To understand Christ is to understand the mystery of God’s reproduction, the mystery of election, and the mystery of the sons and daughters who will bear His image in the final harvest.

The Son of God is the Seed‑Word in whom the fullness of God and the destiny of His elect are written; and those whom the Father reveals this Seed to are the very ones through whom He will reproduce Himself, manifest His life, and finish His work on earth.

The Son as the Seed‑Word

“In the beginning was the Word.” Yahweh declares Himself the First, the Beginning, the One who calls all generations from the start. Christ likewise says He is the Alpha, the Beginning, the First. The Father is the Word, and the Word is the Logos, and the Logos is the Seed. Christ Himself interprets the parable: “The seed is the word of God.” Therefore the Seed/Word/Logos “was made flesh and dwelt among us,” and this Seed was called both the Son of God and the Son of Man. Christ is the Seed‑Son, the grain of wheat that must fall into the ground and die to bring forth much fruit. (Isaiah 41:4; John 1:1,14; Revelation 1:8; Luke 8:11; John 12:24)

The Seed Contains the Fullness of God and the Names of His Elect

Just as a tiny garden seed contains the entire destiny of the plant—from germination to harvest—so the Seed‑Son contains “all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Inside this divine Seed is written the destiny of all whom He will reproduce Himself through. The Father’s business is the reproduction of Himself, and the Son declared, “I must be about My Father’s business.” The Seed is not merely Christ’s identity; it is the blueprint of God’s entire family, the encoded life of every son and daughter who will be conformed to His image. (Colossians 2:9; Luke 2:49; Romans 8:29)

The Son Reveals Himself Only to the Elect

Who is destined to see the Living Word? Scripture answers plainly: only those to whom He chooses to reveal Himself. “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.” It is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. Jacob was loved; Esau was not chosen. This is not cruelty—it is the austere wisdom of God, who chooses vessels for His glory. Christ Himself prayed, “They were Yours, and You gave them to Me.” Those who receive His words, believe His sending, and keep His truth are the ones chosen to behold the Seed‑Son. (Romans 9:13–16; John 17:6–10)

The Elect Are Given to the Son for Reproduction and Warfare

Because we are given to Christ, we are not our own. We were bought with a price—the ransom of His own life. The Father gave Him souls who would follow Him into the hundredfold harvest, souls who would not follow a stranger’s voice. These chosen ones are enlisted into Yahweh’s spiritual army. The Old Testament battles, tribes, and patriarchs serve as types and shadows of the warfare required to defeat Satan today. The New Testament saints are like knights conquering strongholds, answering the call of the Father’s army. If God is for us, who can be against us? (1 Corinthians 6:20; Matthew 13:23; John 10:4–5; Romans 8:31; Hebrews 11)

The Seed‑Son Reproduces Himself Through His Body

In Christ we are part of the Seed‑Son. He is sowing His people across the earth. Some say the Genesis Seed has already been harvested in Christ, but Scripture shows the harvest is not yet complete. Christ is the Seed planted at His death and raised at His resurrection; His body is the field in which He multiplies Himself. Therefore, we must do what Christ is doing: believe on Him whom the Father has sent, finish His work, and bear witness to the truth of God’s reproduction. When the Seed germinates in us, resurrection power will manifest through signs and wonders. And it all begins with wisdom and knowledge—the first gifts of the Spirit—given to equip us for His purpose. (John 6:29; John 4:34; Matthew 13:38; John 14:12; 1 Corinthians 12:8)

Conclusion The Son of God is the Seed‑Word—the divine Logos containing the fullness of God and the destiny of His elect. Those whom the Father chooses to reveal this Seed to are the ones given to Christ for reproduction, transformation, and spiritual warfare. As the Seed germinates within His people, they become the instruments through whom God finishes His work on earth. The harvest is coming. The sons and daughters are rising. And the Seed‑Son will multiply Himself until the Father’s purpose is complete.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock

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September 28, 2026 · 7:02 am

Sent to Speak His Words: The Mission of Christ in Us

Every movement of God begins with a sending.

The Father sends the Son. The Son sends His apostles. And now, in these last days, He sends His body—the church—to finish the testimony of His Kingdom. To understand our calling, we must first understand His sending, for no one can walk in apostolic power who has not first seen the pattern of the Father.

Thesis

Because the Father sent the Son into the world, and because the Son now lives in His body—the church—every true believer is likewise sent to speak the Father’s words, bear witness to the Son, and participate in His ongoing work of reconciliation.

The Father Sends the Son

The foundation of all mission begins with this: the Father sent (apostellō in the Greek) the Son. Christ did not come of Himself; He came as the Father’s emissary, carrying the Father’s words, the Father’s works, and the fullness of the Father’s Spirit. Scripture declares, “Yahweh was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself,” meaning that the sending of the Son was the sending of God’s own presence into human flesh. When we believe that the Father truly sent the Son, we are positioned to understand our own sending, for the pattern of divine mission begins in Him and extends through His body. (2 Corinthians 5:19; John 3:17; John 20:21)

The Son Sends His Body

Because we believe the testimony of His resurrection, we are placed in the Son—made partakers of His life, His Spirit, and His mission. The church is not merely an assembly; it is the body of Christ, animated by His indwelling Spirit. Thus, the sending of the Son becomes the sending of His people. The prophet John the Baptist said, “He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” If Christ lives in us, then His sending becomes our sending, and His words become our words. We are not sent in our own strength but in His resurrection life, bearing witness to the truth as members of His body. (Galatians 2:20; John 3:34; Romans 10:9; John 20:21)

Purging the Old Leaven to Speak God’s Words

Yet a sobering question arises: If the one whom God sends speaks God’s words, what happens when believers speak error? Many claim to speak for God while teaching doctrines born of human tradition. This is why Paul commands us to “purge out the old leaven,” the leaven of insincerity, falsehood, and fleshly reasoning. The Father prunes every branch in the vine so that Christ—not the old man—may speak through us. Only a purified vessel can carry the words of God with accuracy. To be sent is not merely to go; it is to be cleansed, pruned, and filled with the Spirit so that Christ Himself may speak through His people. (1 Corinthians 5:7–8; John 15:1–5; John 3:34)

Sent to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel

Christ declared that He was “sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” If we are His body, then His mission becomes our mission. Yet few in the modern church understand what this means. The lost sheep are the ten lost tribes of ancient Israel. Who are they today? The mind of Christ is still thinking about them. And the Great Shepherd will find them and restore them in our day.  As Christ walked, so must we walk: sent to proclaim the Kingdom, sent to heal the brokenhearted, sent to preach deliverance to the captives, sent to open blind eyes. John the Baptist was sent to bear witness of the Light; Christ was sent to preach the Kingdom; and now His Spirit sends us to continue His work. (Matthew 15:24; Luke 4:18–19; Luke 4:43; John 1:6–7; John 10:16)

Apostolic Power Through Indwelling Presence

Apostolic sending is not a title—it is a manifestation of Christ walking in His people. When He walks in us, then we are apostles, not by office but by participation in His mission. The same Spirit that sent Christ now sends His body. When the Holy Spirit moves through us, His power is sent forth to reconcile, to heal, to proclaim, and to reveal the government of God. We are not sent to speak our own ideas but to speak the words of the One who lives within us. As the Father sent the Son, and as the Son sends His church, so the Spirit sends His power through yielded vessels who walk in resurrection life. (John 20:21–22; Acts 1:8; Luke 4:18; John 14:12)

Conclusion

The sending of God is a divine chain: the Father sends the Son, the Son sends His body, and the Spirit sends His power through those who believe. To walk in this sending, we must believe the testimony of His resurrection, purge the old leaven, and yield ourselves as vessels through whom Christ continues His work. We are sent to bear witness of the Light, sent to proclaim the Kingdom, sent to the lost sheep, and sent to speak the Father’s words with purity. The mission of Christ did not end at His ascension—it continues in His body. And as long as He lives in us, we are sent.

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September 25, 2026 · 9:16 am

Esau/Edom Versus Jacob/Israel—Two Nations at War

The story of Esau and Jacob is not merely an ancient family struggle; it is the seed of a conflict that will ripen at the end of the age. Scripture teaches that the harvest is always hidden in the seed, and the end is always concealed in the beginning. Genesis—the seed book—contains in embryonic form the spiritual patterns that will blossom into full maturity in the last days.

The rivalry between Esau/Edom and Jacob/Israel in Genesis is the divinely planted seed of a conflict that will reach its full harvest at the end of the age. What began in the womb of Rebekah will culminate in the final separation of tares and wheat, of the rejected seed and the chosen seed, at the return of Christ.

To demonstrate this, you and I will (1) examine the seed‑beginnings of Esau and Jacob in Genesis, (2) trace the prophetic declarations concerning their descendants, (3) follow the development of these two nations through Scripture and history, and (4) show how Christ and the prophets identify their final harvest at the end of the age. By studying the seed, we will understand the harvest.

Two Nations at War

The conflict between Esau and Jacob is not a minor subplot in Genesis. It occupies nearly half the book because it is seed—the beginning of a spiritual and historical struggle that will be harvested at the end of the age. If one desires to understand the final conflict, one must study its beginnings. For the end is hidden in the beginning, and the harvest is hidden in the seed (Genesis 25–50; Ecclesiastes 3:2). Genesis is the seed book; we are living in the harvest (Matthew 24:32–35).

Two Nations, Two Manners of People

Their story begins in the womb of Rebekah, where Yahweh declares:

“Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels.” (Genesis 25:23)

This is not merely biological; it is prophetic. The “two nations” (Hebrew gôyim) and the “two manners of people” (Hebrew le’ummim) are distinct categories—one political, one spiritual. Their story begins in Genesis, the seed book, and will end at the harvest of the world, at the end of this age.

Esau and Jacob performed many deeds that serve as seeds—patterns—that will be harvested in the last days. A prophet is one who studies these seed‑beginnings, traces the seed line through history, and listens as the Spirit reveals the harvest.

The Birthright and the Blessing

Esau, the firstborn, possessed the birthright—the covenantal inheritance passed from Abraham to Isaac. It included:

  • the covenant promises,
  • the blessing of land,
  • the priestly leadership of the family,
  • and the lineage through which Messiah would come.

Yet Esau despised this holy inheritance. Driven by appetite, he sold his birthright to Jacob for a single meal (Genesis 25:29–34). Later, Jacob—by divine prophecy and providence—received the blessing meant for the firstborn (Genesis 27). This blessing included:

  • dominion,
  • fruitfulness,
  • covenant favor,
  • and the promise that nations and kings would arise from his line.

Esau became bitter and hated Jacob, withstanding him at every turn. This hostility became the seed of a future enmity.

Are Esau and Jacob’s Offspring Still in the Earth Today?

Some doubt it. But Scripture does not. Malachi speaks around 400 B.C.—long after the ten‑tribe Kingdom of Israel was scattered by Assyria (c. 721 B.C.) and long after Judah was taken captive by Babylon (c. 600 B.C.).

Yet Yahweh still addresses Jacob’s offspring: “I have loved you, saith Yahweh… I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.” (Malachi 1:2–3)

He speaks of Esau’s descendants in Edom in the future tense, declaring that though they attempt to rebuild, He will tear down again. This shows:

  • Jacob’s seed still existed,
  • Esau’s seed still existed,
  • and their destinies were still unfolding.

Christ Himself confirms this continuity:

“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the House of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24) The same Spirit that spoke through Malachi speaks through Christ.

Historical Development of Esau/Edom

Edom was conquered by Judah around 125 B.C. Under John Hyrcanus, the Edomites were forcibly converted to Judaism. Within a century, these converted Edomites rose to power in Jerusalem—politically and religiously. Many Pharisees, chief priests, and Herodians were of Edomite descent. They were the ones who conspired to murder Christ. They were archenemies of our Savior.

That is why Christ says this: “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie…” (Rev. 3:9)

Christ exposed their spiritual lineage: “You are of your father the devil.” (John 8:44) The fallen angel Satan is your father. You Edomites/Idumeans have been fathered by the devil.

Furthermore, we have in the parable of the tares this: “The tares are the children of the wicked one… The harvest is the end of the world.” (Matthew 13:38–39) This identifies a seed line sown by the enemy. Put another way, the tares are the seed of Satan.

Thesis Applied: Esau as Tares, Jacob as Wheat

I submit that Esau and his physical and spiritual offspring are the tares—the seed rejected, the seed that withstands Christ and rejects Yahshua the Anointed One. Jacob/Israel’s spiritual offspring through Christ are the good seed, the wheat that will be gathered at the end of the age.

We can see Jacob/Israel’s birthright and blessing when Jacob gives prophecy over his twelve sons. These become the “lost sheep of the House of Israel/Jacob.” These lost tribes are not one or two tribes; they are ten tribes from the old kingdom of Israel.

Their blessing is wonderful. Read it in Genesis 49:22-26 and Deut. 33:13-17. Using the process of elimination, compare the countries of the world to the blessings prophesied upon Joseph. And answer this question: Which country today fulfills these blessings? We must make no mistake. The seeds planted in Genesis will be harvested in the last days.

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September 6, 2026 · 10:22 am

Why the Truth about the Bride of Christ and the Marriage Supper Matter

“What difference does it make?

This is often asked by those who cling to the old assumption that the church is the bride of Christ. My thesis is simple: it makes a great difference to God, because God is truth, and to speak falsely about His Son, His plan, or His prophetic order is to dishonor Him. Christ declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The Spirit is called “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). His Word is “truth” (John 17:17). Therefore, believing in false teachings is not a harmless mistake; it is a contradiction of His very essence.

For truth cannot mingle with falsehood. Light cannot blend with darkness. The Spirit of truth cannot fellowship with doctrines that refutes His nature (2 Corinthians 6:14–15).

We have seen in prior articles that the bride of Christ is New Jerusalem, not the church. We have seen that the marriage supper of the Lamb is not a wedding feast, but a carrion call to vultures after the battle upon the King’s return. Cleaving to these falsehoods is resisting the Spirit of truth. And Scripture is clear: The Spirit of truth does not fellowship with lies. To believe false teachings  is to believe a lie, and lies cannot coexist with the God whose throne is founded upon righteousness and truth (Psalm 89:14).

This is why Paul commands believers to “purge out the old leaven” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Leaven represents corrupting influences—false teachings, inherited traditions, and doctrines that do not align with the written Word. Many professing Christians will face judgment not for immorality, but for refusing to purge doctrinal leaven and choosing comfort over truth.

The Five Foolish Virgins: A Warning to the Last Day Church

Christ’s parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) is a direct warning to the final generation. All ten are called virgins—symbolizing professing believers. All ten have lamps—symbolizing the Word of God (Psalm 119:105). But only five have oil, the symbol of the Spirit of truth.

The foolish virgins had lamps but no oil. They had Scripture but not truth. They had religion but not revelation. They were Christians in name, but their doctrines were corrupted—just as the Laodicean church was lukewarm, self‑assured, and blind (Revelation 3:14–22).

When the Bridegroom came, “they that were ready went in with him… and the door was shut.” The foolish returned too late, crying, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” But Christ answered, “I know you not.”

In today’s vernacular: The five foolish virgins show up to the wedding without the one thing the Bridegroom requires—truth. They knock on the door of the kingdom, but Christ refuses them entry because they lived on borrowed light and secondhand doctrine. They are shut out, left in the darkness, weeping as the celebration goes on without them.

This is not a picture of atheists. It is a picture of Christians who had  not walked in the Spirit of truth.

Truth as Oil, Light, and Fellowship

Oil produces light. Truth produces discernment. When believers cling to false doctrines, they are choosing darkness over light. Their lamps flicker because their oil is contaminated.

The Sunday school song says, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.” But a lamp without oil cannot shine. And a believer without truth cannot walk in the Spirit. Eventually, the lamp goes out, and the believer is left outside the marriage celebration, standing in the night of their own deception.

The Consequence of Rejecting Truth

If we refuse to walk in the Spirit of truth, we will face the same fate as the foolish virgins—rejection at the door of the kingdom. Christ Himself warns of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 25:30). Broken hearts. Shock. Regret. The tragedy of discovering too late that sincerity cannot replace truth.

Therefore, we must repent. We must purge the old leaven of insincerity and untruths. We must cast off inherited doctrines and return to the written Word. The Spirit of truth is calling His people to walk in light, not tradition.

So, yes, believing in falsehoods does make a huge difference. To honor God, we must honor truth—because He is truth that comes initially to us in the written Word.   Kenneth Wayne Hancock 

[I know that some readers are recoiling about these things. But study it out; prove to yourself whether these teachings are true or not. “Prove all things.” No kneejerk reactions. Calmly go deeper into His word and see if what I am teaching is the truth. Let us know what you find out in the comment section.]

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September 3, 2026 · 6:22 am

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb: A Feast for Fowls

If the Apostle John were writing an epistle to us, he would argue that the “marriage of the Lamb” in Revelation is not a mystical union between Christ and the church, but the climactic judgment event in which the Lamb’s victory over the nations culminates in the “marriage supper of the great God,” where the fowls of heaven feast upon the defeated armies. This truth, hiding in plain sight, corrects long‑held assumptions about the bride, the Lamb, and the nature of the marriage supper.

For generations, Christians have spoken of the “marriage of the Lamb” as a tender, mystical union between Christ and the church. Hymns, sermons, and doctrinal statements have reinforced the idea that the church is the bride, Christ is the Bridegroom, and the marriage supper is a heavenly banquet celebrating their union. Yet when we turn to the written Word itself, especially Revelation 19, we find a very different picture, one that is neither mystical nor metaphorical, but stark, literal, and eschatological [dealing with the end of the age].

Revelation 19:7 declares, “Let us be glad and rejoice…for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” Many stop reading here, assuming the church is the wife and the marriage is a spiritual ceremony. But Scripture does not leave us to imagination. It defines the marriage supper explicitly only two verses later: “Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And then, in the same chapter, John is shown what that supper actually is.

Beginning in verse 17, an angel standing in the sun cries with a loud voice, “saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains…both free and bond, both small and great.” This is not a banquet hall. This is a battlefield. The “marriage supper” is the aftermath of Christ’s return, when He smites the nations with the sharp sword of His mouth (v. 15), the armies of heaven follow Him (v. 14), and the fowls feast upon the slain (v. 18).

The marriage supper is a judgment scene, not a wedding reception.

This correlates directly with the other misunderstood concept: the identity of the bride. Revelation 21:9–10 settles the matter plainly. When the angel says, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” he does not show John the church. He shows him “that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.” The bride is the city—the prepared dwelling place of the redeemed. The inhabitants are blessed, but the city itself is the bride.

Thus, the traditional view collapses under the weight of Scripture. The Lamb’s wife is New Jerusalem. The marriage supper is the destruction of the rebellious nations. The blessed are those invited—not to a banquet—but to witness the triumph of the Lamb.

This is not harsh truth. It is clarifying truth. It does not diminish the church; it situates the body of Christ rightly within God’s eschatological order. It does not rob believers of intimacy with Christ; it anchors that intimacy in the larger, cosmic reality of God dwelling with His people in the prepared city—just like our father Abraham. He and those that followed him “looked for a city whose builder and maker was God.”

This truth invites us, not to fight each other, but to edify, as we all dig more deeply, trusting in His word. It simply allows Scripture to speak with its own voice.

These truths have been hiding in plain sight, waiting for readers willing to lay aside inherited assumptions and let Revelation interpret Revelation. When we do, the picture becomes coherent, majestic, and entirely consistent with the prophetic pattern of Scripture: judgment precedes glory, victory precedes dwelling, and the Lamb’s triumph precedes the unveiling of His bride, New Jerusalem.    kwh

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August 30, 2026 · 12:07 pm

The Bride of Christ Is Not What You Think

The Scripture We All Missed

Some truths confront us; others quietly invite us. What follows is not correction but gift—waiting in Revelation for the reader willing to see what the angel truly showed John.

Imagine standing beside John as the angel speaks: “Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” Every believer expects the next scene to be the church. But John does not see a congregation. He does not see a people gathered. He sees a city—New Jerusalem—descending from God.

According to the Spirit of God flowing through the apostle John, the bride of Christ is not the church itself, but the end time reality of New Jerusalem—the prepared, perfected dwelling of God with His redeemed people. The church is His body, the sons and daughters of Yahweh.

I. Scripture Identifies the Bride as New Jerusalem, Not the Church

The most decisive passage on the bride is Revelation 21:9–10. The angel does not say, “I will show you the church.” He says, “I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” And when John looks, he does not see a congregation, nor a company of saints, nor a symbolic picture of the redeemed. He sees a city — “that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”

This is not metaphor. It is identification. The angel interprets the vision for John. The bride is New Jerusalem. The church is the “children of the bridechamber.” Not the bride (Mark 2:19).

This does not diminish the church; it enlarges its hope. The church is not replaced—it is included. It is not the bride; it is in the New Jerusalem. It is not the city; it is citizens of the city. The bride is the whole end time order of God’s redeemed people in their prepared dwelling. The bride itself is the city God has prepared and promised to believers.

This is Scripture’s own language, not a theological slogan. And once seen, it cannot be unseen.

II. New Jerusalem Is Both Place and People—The Completed Family of God

Throughout Scripture, cities often stand for the people who inhabit them. Babylon is both a literal city and the corporate identity of those who belong to her. Jerusalem is both a geographical place and the covenant people. Revelation follows this pattern: the bride is the city, and the redeemed are its citizens.

New Jerusalem is the consummation of all God’s promises—a place prepared, a people perfected, a dwelling where God Himself abides with His own. It is the home of the church, the saints of all ages, the redeemed from every nation, and the whole family of God gathered into one. The bride is not merely ecclesiological; it is cosmic. Not merely congregational; it is the glorious appearance of God’s bride at the time of the end of man’s rule over earth.

This truth does not contradict Paul’s marriage imagery in Ephesians 5. Rather, it completes it. Paul speaks of Christ sanctifying and cleansing the church unto something—unto its final presentation. Revelation shows what that presentation looks like: We, the body of Christ, the church, are purified and glorified, entering the prepared city that is called the bride.

III. Seeing the Bride as New Jerusalem Deepens Our Hope, Not Divides It

This truth is not meant to unsettle believers, but to strengthen them. When we see that the bride is New Jerusalem, we discover that our hope is larger than we imagined. We are not merely waiting for a wedding; we are waiting for a world. We are not merely anticipating union; we are anticipating a dwelling. The climax of Scripture is not the church being married, but God Himself dwelling with His people in a prepared, perfected city.

It is a city that will float down out of heaven. It is an enormous cube, a magnificent edifice unlike anything ever seen before.

This enlarges our worship. It expands our vision of what the time of the end entails. It deepens our understanding of divine indwelling. And it reminds us that the gospel does not end with the church—it ends with the new creation.

Conclusion Our King does not correct us harshly; He invites us gently. The angel’s words still echo: “Come, I will show thee the bride.” And what John saw is what we will one day enter—a city prepared, a dwelling perfected, a home where God Himself abides with His redeemed forever. This is our hope. This is our inheritance. This is the bride of Christ, New Jerusalem.

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