How true!

“Genocide = dead human beings”

“Holocaust = dead human beings”

“Starvation = dead human beings”

“Abortion = dead human beings”

“They seem similar to me..”

“but I would also say that in general the welfare and livelihood of those of us in the here and now takes precedence over those who have not yet entered the world.”

The above are quotes from the commenter_____Not this writer…

Oh! War = Dead Human Beings! Reality vs. Scripture? Reality vs. imagination…Judgements and the religious-right winged Leaders vs. St. Matthew 7: 2… (Our Christ Jesus, as he was ending His “Sermon on the Mount”).

“Judge not, that ye be not judged.” “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”

“Some of those guidelines currently are covered by the First Amendment, but those types of freedoms are vanishing around the world.”

Ans: The First Amendment is a USA created freedom. The rest of the world …Not there, but maybe, don’t you think would be Nice, No Great, No Heaven? Reality and not of this world…Please help me with?

• This Reverend would love to see a perfect world with our First Amendment. I would love to see newborn children enter into this world; parents filled with love for their new child, a ready bedroom with all the baby needs from crib to formula and on and on and…
• This Reverend believes in LIFE! Where life begins (human or not) is currently an error or truth thru semantics. Example: My God is bigger than your god…ad infinitum? And oops; this Reverend is an old white man. No! Not a notion of racism and… “Jesus loves the little children,
  all the children of the world.
  Red and yellow, black and white,
  All are precious in His sight,
  Jesus loves the little children of the world.” Words: C. Her­bert Wool­ston (1856-1927); Music: George F. Root (1820-1895) And! So do I…

And! In Milwaukee, there once was a month of small horrors…little Children having babies (not one but nine children).. The youngest was a beautiful, just turned 11 year old, riding on a gurney clutching a stuffed teddy-bear, victim of an orphanage and a rape by some big man though-”not my daddy and I hurt” and….this precious child was African American…(Should have aborted during the first trimester—you be the Judge)?

This Reverend is not a racist…This God-loving minister  brings scripture to the streets and in my writing. My heart during that “month of Horror,” had I not believed with all my being in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ would have been torn from my body and my soul. Instead! My heart was just broken and the reality…But enough about me.

• Because of the “no female” concept in China; by the end of 2010, this government will realize that they are about 120 million girls short and about 120 million boys with no girls…oops!

Should we believe in abortion? Should we believe in reality…“and love sister is just a kiss away”—Rolling Stones.

Gay Marriage is another wonderful example of our First Amendment…Let us pray that we will still enjoy that freedom 10 years from today.

And! I pray that our Right-Winged Clergy grow Left-wings so that our Dove of Peace may fly once more…Amen.

Too many people view Jesus as such a pious person who loved His way through life, which He did. But not with the syrupy love that the world attaches to Him not to mention those that label themselves as believers. If we had witnessed all that the outsiders did, how would we have perceived His training methods? “THE NATURAL MAN DOES NOT RECEIVE THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD FOR THEY ARE FOOLISHNESS TO THEM, NOR CAN HE KNOW THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED”- 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14. “Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful”- Proverbs 27:5-6. “He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward, than he who flatters with the tongue”- Proverbs 28:23.

Did Christ get angry with His disciples? Of course He did! They must have frustrated Him greatly at times. But for the outsider’s to presume that they understood His teaching methods would be foolishness indeed as says the Scripture. How could they? They were in natural mode! Even some religious people had a hard time understanding Jesus. How do you think the outsider’s would have handled Jesus’ rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees from Matthew 23:33. “SERPENTS, BROOD OF VIPERS, HOW CAN YOU ESCAPE THE CONDEMNATION OF HELL?” Do you really believe that Christ spoke those words in a soft and inoffensive way?

There are those that do not understand rebukes or those that assume the wrong things. The Apostle Paul admonished us to imitate him even as he imitated Jesus Christ. Outsiders: ” How can He expect those religious leaders to listen to Him when He talks to them like that? Those words are offensive to the max!”

Yes, they are offensive but bathed in love. Jesus spoke them because He doesn’t want anyone to perish but He wants all to have eternal life in Him (2 Peter 3:9). Christ’s disciple making could be perceived as being negative and critical, that is, until you learned of His reason. He wanted to perfect them and that meant having them believe in Him. They had to come to the place that the Apostle Paul had. “WHAT THINGS WERE GAIN TO ME, THESE I HAVE COUNTED LOSS FOR CHRIST AND COUNT THEM AS DUNG”- PHILIPPIANS 3:7-8.

Before you “assume” anything about how Christ trained those He loved think back on all that you’ve learned in this message. You will then have a far better understanding of what love is all about and how Christ daily practiced that in all His dealings with mankind. Then, go and do likewise!

by John Calvin, from the Institutes of John Calvin and Calvin’s Commentary on Hebrews

“For in [Christ] ‘all treasures of knowledge and wisdom are hid’ (Colossians 2:3) with such great abundance and richness that either to hope for or to seek any new addition to these treasures is truly to arouse God’s wrath and provoke him against us. It is for us to hunger for, seek, look to, learn, and study Christ alone, until that great day dawns when the Lord will fully manifest the glory of his Kingdom (cf. 1Corinthians 15:24) and will show himself for us to see him as he is (1John 3:2). And for this reason this age of ours is designated in the Scriptures as ‘the last hour’ (1John 2:18), the ‘last days’ (Hebrews 1:2), the ‘last times’ (I Peter 1:20), that no one should delude himself with a vain expectation of some new doctrine or revelation. ‘For at many times and in many ways the Heavenly Father formerly spoke through the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken in his beloved Son’ (Hebrews 1:1-2), who alone can reveal the Father (Luke 10:22); and he has indeed manifested the Father fully, as far as we require, while we now see him in a mirror (1Corrinthians 13:12)” (Institutes 4.18.20).

“This, however, remains certain: the perfect doctrine he has brought has made an end to all prophecies. All those, then, who, not content with the gospel, patch it with something extraneous to it, detract from Christ’s authority. The Voice that thundered from heaven, ‘This is my beloved Son; … hear him’ (Matthew 17:5; cf. Matthew 3:17), exalted him by a singular privilege beyond the rank of all others. Then this anointing was diffused from the Head to the members, as Joel had foretold: ‘Your sons shall prophesy and your daughters … shall see visions,’ etc. (Joel 2:28). But when Paul says that He was given to us as our wisdom (1Corinthians 1:30), and in another place, ‘In him are hid all the treasures of knowledge and understanding’ (Colossians 2:3), he has a slightly different meaning. That is, outside Christ there is nothing worth knowing, and all who by faith perceive what he is like have grasped the whole immensity of heavenly benefits. For this reason, Paul writes in another passage: ‘I decided to know nothing precious … except Jesus Christ and him crucified’ (1Corinthians 2:2). This is very true, because it is not lawful to go beyond the simplicity of the gospel And the prophetic dignity in Christ leads us to know that in the sum of doctrine as he has given it to us all parts of perfect wisdom are contained” (Institutes 2.15.2).

“And when he speaks of the last times, he intimates that there is no longer any reason to expect any new revelation; for it was not a word in part that Christ brought, but the final conclusion. It is in this sense that the Apostles take ‘ the last times’ and ‘ the last days.’ And Paul means the same when he says, ‘Upon whom the ends of the world are come’ (1Corinthians 10:11). If God then has spoken now for the last time, it is right to advance thus far; so also when you come to Christ, you ought not to go farther: and these two things it is very needful for us to know. For it was a great hindrance to the Jews that they did not consider that God had deferred a fuller revelation to another time; hence, being satisfied with their own Law, they did not hasten forward to the goal. But since Christ has appeared, an opposite evil began to prevail in the world; for men wished to advance beyond Christ. What else indeed is the whole system of Popery but the overleaping of the boundary which the Apostle has fixed? As, then, the Spirit of God in this passage invites all to come as far as Christ, so he forbids them to go beyond the last time which he mentions. In short, the limit of our wisdom is made here to be the Gospel” (Commentary on Hebrews 1:1).

1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. …
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
—

I remember when I was a child, there was a one-panel comic in the newspapers called “Love is.” The comic was like “Family Circus” for the “flower children,” an outgrowth of the generation that grew up talking and singing about “peace and love.” Each day there would be these two figures – typically a little boy and girl, nude as if in the Garden of Eden – and they would illustrate some quality or expression of romantic love. The comic strip still exists today, and the ideas are cute and somewhat timeless: Love is being real corny, Love is 24/7, Love is patient. Every day, we get a little reminder of what romantic love is.

Today’s Scripture selection from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is one of the most quoted passages in the whole Bible. Millions of people every year mention those verses or hear them, have them hanging on a wall in their home, or even have a cross or a picture frame in the office with those words on it. And like that little comic, people look at those verses as a guidepost to romantic love. This passage is read nearly every day at weddings all around the world, as if to remind us all about how a husband and wife ought to behave in their romantic love for each other. But there’s a problem with that: Paul isn’t talking about romantic love!

This whole chapter of First Corinthians is talking about love in the context of the exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the word Paul uses for “love” is not the “eros” of romantic love but the “agape” of divine love. Yes, by all means, we SHOULD love our spouses and our children with the same love we feel for God and our fellow man, but we should never narrow this passage down to just romantic or familial love.

Note that in defining this “agape” love, Paul speaks a lot about what love is not:

• Love does NOT envy
• Love does NOT parade itself
• Love is NOT puffed up, etc.

Why does Paul do this? Why use negatives to define something so positive? Because Paul is trying to guide his readers away from the kind of love and fellowship they thought they knew. Paul is directing them away from romantic love and toward a mature love for God.

• Love for God does not envy
• Love for God does not parade itself
• Love for God is not puffed up
• Love for God does not behave rudely
• Love for God does not seek its own
• Love for God is not provoked
• Love for God thinks no evil
• Love for God does not rejoice in iniquity

Get the idea? When we exercise the gifts of the Spirit – e.g. prophecy, healing, knowledge, and even faith – then we need to do these things with a quality of love like we have never known before. Where in a romantic relationship, we might be jealous of others who love our spouse, in “agape” we should INVITE others to love God as we do. Where in a romantic relationship, we might get angry at someone for mistreating our spouse or react badly to criticism of our relationship, in “agape” we rejoice in truth and should always keep our eyes upon our beloved God, knowing that He is the righteous judge, that He alone bestows vengeance and recompense for wrongs against Him.

Furthermore, Paul is telling us this: Love for God never fails. “Agape” love endures while all other forms of love will fail! “Agape” love is the one thing that we have now that will still be around even at the end of time. When Christ returns and Satan is cast down once and for all, when the New Jerusalem descends upon the New Earth, then our faith and our hope in Christ will become reality and will no longer be needed. But LOVE – that boundless and powerful “agape” love between God and man – will endure forever. THAT love is the conduit for God’s power in our lives. Where hope is the anchor that keeps us firmly fixed upon God, love is the chain between God and us. Where prophecy tells us a little about God, we know with complete certainty that God is love. Where healings hint at God’s power, love reveals God to us His full majesty and grace. Where faith is the substance of things hoped for, love is the present manifestation of that for which we hope. Where in my lifetime I may express God’s love in my humble way for a few individuals, God expresses His love for us in sending His only Son to die for all of us so that we might live.

So before we get too caught up in using Scripture to define love in our relationships with friends and family, let us remember that our first love is God. Our love for God needs to be all these things Paul writes for us and much more. Our love for God needs to be so strong that it “suffers long” and will endure through all things, never failing, just as nothing can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Loving Father, I thank You for the love you have shown and shared with all of us. You alone can love us so powerfully and so purely. I pray, Lord God, that I might reflect that love, that the quality of my love for You would be as humble, gracious, holy, and unending as Your love for me. Amen.

Esther 8:14 (NIV) ~ the couriers, riding the royal horses, raced out, spurred on by the king’s command. 

Oh, how this verse captures my imagination. It stirs me up with a fire within my bones to make haste with the message of the gospel. These horses were no ordinary horses, but royal ones bred as champions, the finest, and the best you would ever find. These riders were trusted with a message of deliverance, a promise from the King, which brought great rejoicing for whom it was intended. The Darby Translation of the Bible brings this verse alive with these words: “The couriers mounted on coursers and horses of blood went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king’s commandment.”

Horses of a royal bloodline bred for the King’s purposes. Those who rode on them were chosen for their integrity, chosen for their loyalty to the King. They were those who, at a moment’s notice would, with great haste, obey the King’s command.  Here we have those chosen by the King to be couriers of his message, fired on by the King’s command to bring the good news. 

Time is pressing within our land, people need the good news. Quick! Let us mount the King’s horses and be couriers of His message to His people who are longing to have hope and longing to be given good news so they may rejoice, for their King is mighty to save! 

Listen, can you hear? Look! Can you see how with haste come the King’s trusted couriers into every hamlet, every village, every town and every city to declare the good news from the King? Full of zeal and with a smile, so delighted to share with one and all this message, “Today is the day of Salvation, trust in the words of the King and be saved! Believe in His promise and live!” When the people received the good news and believed in the promise from the King, they celebrated with great joy. 

My friend, God speed our calling as we, with great haste, climb upon the King’s horses and ride with a purpose, driven with love, fired up by the King’s commands to bring His message of good news to the people. Let us therefore ride the lengthen and breadth of our land with the urgent message from our King to one and all, declaring in His authority, “Today is the day of Salvation, trust in the words of the King and be saved! Believe in His promise and live!” When you received the good news from the King and believe in his promise, you will celebrate with great joy, for your King is strong to deliver and mighty to save. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

How do we live without forgiveness… how can we maintain communication with our savior without giving the forgiveness we have received.  Let us all freely forgive as we have been forgiven…not just because we don’t want to be judged as we judge others, but because we want to do it in true imitation of Jesus Christ. 

In forgiving others we find ourselves closer to Him.  In forgiving others we can heal the deepest wounds. 

Father help me to continue to grow a forgiving heart.   Help me to forgive not just because I don’t want to be judged as I judge others but because I do it in imitation of you. 

Your adopted son… John

Happy Thanksgiving (belated)
Eid Mubarak

This week we celebrated Thanksgiving and Eid Al-Adha. They go together really well. Thanksgiving is all about giving thanks to God, the one to whom all thanks is due, for all good things are from him. With Thanksgiving coming one day before Eid Al-Adha I found myself thinking a lot more about sacrifice and how I am so grateful that God has provided the greatest sacrifice.

During Eid Al-Adha Muslims sacrifice a sheep and then share the meat with the poor. The Eid commemorates the time when Abraham was willing to obey God by sacrificing his son. This story is in both the Tawrat (Genesis 22:1-19)and the Qur’an (37:100-113). See below to read the full text in both books.

It is a remarkable story of obedience. Abraham was going to kill his son in order to obey God. But at the last moment God stepped in and stopped him. Then God provided the sacrifice. As it says in the Tawrat, “He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The LORD will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided’” (Genesis 22:12-14). The Qur’an says, “When they had both surrendered, and he threw him on his face, We called, ‘Abraham, you have fulfilled the vision.  Thus we reward those who do good.  This was a clear test.’  And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice and left for him in later times ‘Peace be to Abraham’” (37:103-109).

Both texts make it clear that God was the one who provided the sacrifice in place of Abraham’s son. And the Qur’an adds a very significant comment. It says, “We ransomed him with a great sacrifice.” There is nothing particularly great about a ram in and of itself. Certainly it is not greater than a human. So the greatness of the sacrifice must come from something else. What makes the sacrifice great is that God provided it and he used it to ransom Abraham’s son.

This whole story points forward to the great sacrifice that God provided for all mankind – the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah. (I know that Muslims don’t believe Jesus died on the cross, but the Injil teaches this. What the Qur’an teaches about the death of the Messiah and whether the Injil is trustworthy are posts for another day [both will be good topics for Contentious Issues]). The Injil says, “Christ our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7) and “But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:26-28).

So this weekend I give thanks to God for doing what I cannot. I cannot purify myself. I cannot remove my sin. I cannot ransom myself. I cannot redeem myself. But God has provided. He has provided a great sacrifice. He has ransomed me. Thank you God.

The texts from the Qur’an and the Tawrat

The Qur’an (37:100-113):
“Lord, give me one of the righteous,” so We gave him good news of a gentle son.  When he could walk, (Abraham) said, “Son, I saw in a dream that I must sacrifice you.  Look and see.”  He said, “Father, do what you have been commanded.  Lord willing, you will find me patient.” When they had both surrendered, and he threw him on his face, We called, “Abraham, you have fulfilled the vision.  Thus we reward those who do good.  This was a clear test.”  And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice and left for him in later times “Peace be to Abraham.”  Thus we reward those who do good.  He is one of our believing servants.  And we gave him news of Isaac’s prophethood and goodness, and we blessed him and Isaac.  Some of their descendants were good, and some obvious wrongdoers.

The Tawrat (Genesis 22:1-19):
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

Today, I was reminded of a few experiences I had about Jesus.  They were within the last 15 years. 

1)  I was new to USA and had no idea or concept about Good Friday.  I was deep in meditation and I had a very clear and concise vision of Jesus.  Later that day, while driving I heard on the radio, it was Good Friday

2) The love of Jesus is beyond comprehension.  I was deep in Samadhi and saw the first encounter of Jesus with Judas.  What is not known is that even on the day Jesus saw Judas, he knew that Judas would betray him.  However, the love of Jesus was so intense that love became objectified – it was no longer an abstract or emotional feeling but had become a solid reality even in the gross physical world.  I remain immersed in that environment till my Samadhi was broken.  For the following few weeks, any thought of Jesus brought intense tears to my eyes!  I can say with certainty that Jesus was an avatar of Love!

The places where Jesus roams still vibrate with the divine love.  However, it is so amazing that inspite of all the love in those areas, it remains a source of many a violent conflict right now!  One can only imagine how violent a place it would be if Jesus had not roamed those areas and had not left the vibrations of love there.  If only the people living there could turn within and feel that love, all violence in the area would cease. 

Jesus forgave all those who crucified him.  However for Judas, his words were, “It would have been better for mankind if he was never born”  A warning for all those who betray!  It is not a sin that is looked upon lightly by God.  As per Yogananda, Judas finally achieved salvation 800 or so years later.  He was born again in India and was in Orissa near Jagannath Puri.  Even in that birth, Judas continued to have a strong love for money.  It had to be overcome before final salvation came to him.

According to Yogananda, during the missing 15 years (duration?) of his life, Jesus was in India.  There is a picture of him on the walls of Jaggnath Puri.

3) I have in the past mentioned my other encounter about Jesus.  However, I will recapture it here.  I had a fairly long and unbroken experience of his love.  He appeared before me but his feet never touched the ground.  His love and the light on his face and my own unworthiness (more on this later) made it impossible for me to see anything but his feet.  He started telling me a story where he guided a lost girl from danger.  She happened to be a Jewish girl who was lost and in danger.  She prayed ardently to God (her concept of the Jewish God, not Jesus).  Jesus told me how he affectionately guided her and got her out of danger.  I was perplexed a little. 

I asked, “But she did not pray to you!”

His answer, “Did she not pray to God?”  Then he transmitted without words the immense understanding, that no matter how someone prays to God, it makes no difference to him, he will help and answer.  This is very similar to what is said in the Gita, “Oh Arjuna, no matter how someone prays to me, in any form,  I accept his prayer and answer him”

My second question, “Why are there so many sects in Christianity?”

His answer, “Do they not all pray to God?”  Once again, without any exchange of words, he subsequently said, “I permit all faiths to exist because they all lead to me”  Once again, this is very reminiscent of the Gita.

My last question was, “When will I be pure, like you?”  Obviously, the time was not ripe and he disappeared with that question!  The level of purity Jesus had took several births.  As per Yogananda, in his previous birth or life, Jesus had already reached perfection as Elijah! Even in that birth, when it was time to depart, he had taken “akash Samadhi”, his body was seen to rise in the skies in a blaze!

4)I have had other minor visions of Jesus but none as profound as the above. 

This is all I can remember now.  Perhaps, more will come to me in the future.  These are all experiences in the remote past, burried now by many more current experiences.

It’s All About Jesus!

Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin

SMALL STRAWS IN A SOFT WIND by Marsha Burns — Nov. 27, 2009:

Beloved, this is a time of second chances. You will recognize this path because you’ve been this way before. However, it will be of great benefit to you if you will take the time and put forth the effort to pay attention to details. Discern My work as opposed to the work of flesh or the work of the enemy so that you can respond differently than you have in the past. There are some life lessons here that will serve you well if you will see things in the light of revelation and discern the difference between reacting in the flesh or responding in the Spirit, says the Lord.

Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

One may have awakened by the sound of the alarm this morning.  One may have cleaned the bathroom.  One read the Spirit of Prophecy Bulletin.  One may have begun one’s praise at 3:30 AM.  One sung songs of praised to the Lord, confessed one’s sins and thanked the Lord.  One may have had just a minute before one had to leave one’s prayer closet.  One opened the bible and read the verse Isaiah 19:11.

One may have left one’s prayer closet, logged onto the website to pray for outstanding prayer requests.  Thank you Jesus.

Psalms 116:9-11 (NLT)
⁹ And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!
¹⁰ I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
¹¹ In my anxiety I cried out to you, “These people are all liars!”

This is an interesting part of this chapter. We understand that first ADAM prayed to GOD, then he rested in GOD, now he is walking with the LORD. His relationship has been restored with the LORD, and his faith; (vs 10), has been restored. His faith that the LORD will do all He has promised, and HIS faith that the LORD will not take away the rest HE offers as long as we are willing to put it there. I love verse 11, because I think what David is trying to communicate is that ALL MEN, whether they know it or not believe in GOD. We know this from Romans 1 and Romans 2. Romans 1 says that ALL MEN are without excuse because creation itself cries out the existence of GOD. Romans 2 says that our conscience bears witness within ourselves that GOD exists!!! So again, “all men are liars.” They are liars because they act against the VERY thing that they were created for, TO WALK WITH GOD!!! To worship HIM. To serve HIM. To bring HIM GLORY and none other, (1 Corinthians). So David found himself to be walking with GOD again, just like ADAM, Abraham, and Enoch.  So they did so should we be able to right?? So if this is the case, how do we do this and make sure that we can ” walk with GOD too.”

1) Read the Bible- I guess not just read the bible, but STUDY the bible. If we want to walk with GOD we need to KNOW HIM. He has revealed HIMSELF in this book. It is written so that we can know HIM here on earth. It is powerful, alive,and active inside the hearts of men. We need to study, and memorize scripture, and read it daily. Psalms tells us this, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” Or another way of saying it is: ” This book will either keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”

2) PRAY- Remember my definition of prayer from an earlier blog. We need to be in this constant state of prayer with the one that created us and is sovereign over us. The bible tells us if we love HIM we will obey HIS commandments. So in order to know HIM and what HE wants we need to PRAY, and hear and FOCUS HIS WILL upon OUR LIVES!!

3) Fellowship- Fellowship with other believers. We are told to not forsake the assembling of the brethren.  Church membership, and attendance has lost its meaning over the years.  A later blog will be written on this, but for now understand it is of utmost importance in helping us in our walk with GOD.

4) Accountability- This could have been put with #3, but it needs to be separate too.  Have 1, 2, 3, or even 4 people you have around you to keep you accountable in walking with the LORD. To go to for prayer, to go to for counsel, and to be sure you stay on trac with the LORD. This is where many leaders have fallen, and Christians as well because we think we can do it ourselves. We cant and we were never meant to be. The bible says we are to carry one anothers burdens, we are to help each other out.

Remember the LORD is the ONLY ONE we can place 100% trust in. All others are human and will hurt you, disappoint you, and even fail you. YES, EVEN YOUR PASTOR some day will do this, but he is human too; SURPRISE, SURPRISE.

Pray for how YOU are to walk with the LORD BETTER, and remember. “Love the LORD your GOD with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Danny

“Aslan, Aslan. Dear Aslan,” sobbed Lucy. “At last.”

The great beast rolled over on his side so that Lucy fell, half sitting and half lying between his front paws. He bent forward and just touched her nose with his tongue. His warm breath came all round her. She gazed up into the large wise face.

“Welcome, child,” he said.

“Aslan,” said Lucy, “you’re bigger.”

“That is because you are older, little one,” answered he.

“Not because you are?”

“I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.”

–C.S. Lewis, Prince Caspian (New York: Harper Collins, 1951), 141.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten
by Robert Fulghum

Most of what I really need to know about how to live
and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain,
but there in the sand pile at Sunday school.

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don’t hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life—learn some and think some and
draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic,
hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

God’s kingdom is ultimately spiritual in nature and only in that way can it be exercised upon earth.

The Christian And The Kingdom

Background
When the Jews heard John’s message that day what did they understand it to mean? They hoped for a literal, earthly kingdom. Even on the Ascension mount (Acts 1:6) the disciples asked about Israel receiving the (earthly) kingdom. To exist, a kingdom requires three things: a king, subjects, and a territory to rule. When God said to Moses, “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6) He established the main features: God as king and the nation Israel as the subjects. But note, they are a kingdom of priests. From the earliest inception, God established that an essential feature of His kingdom is the spiritual exercise of authority over the individuals and their spiritual service to God.

In Deuteronomy 17:14-20, God further revealed that He eventually intended to establish a man as king over them. Though God established David as the earthly king over an earthly kingdom, the spiritual mind always saw that a greater than David was in view, David being a type of Christ. In Psalm 22:28, David wrote, “The kingdom is the Lord’s.” In Psalm 103:19 he wrote, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.” King David recognized that the Lord is king. Finally in Isaiah 9:6-7, the prophet reveals that “a son” shall exercise the rule upon the throne of David and over his kingdom. We know this “son” to be Jesus of Nazareth.

In this way John the Baptist held out to the nation that the time for the culmination of all God’s prophecies regarding the kingdom and the exercise of God’s authority had come. No wonder Luke writes that “the people were in expectation” (Lk. 3:15). Perhaps, finally, the great drought of Hosea 3:4 would be over and the promise of Hosea 3:5 would be fulfilled! But before that can happen, notice what Hosea 3:5 states: “Afterward the children of Israel shall return and seek the Lord their God … They shall fear the Lord.” Thus John’s great message, “Repent!” God’s kingdom is ultimately spiritual in nature and only in that way can it be exercised upon earth. In that one word “repent” lies the crux of the whole matter. How is God to bring to pass the exercise of His sovereignty in the lives of fallen mankind? The answer to this question is the essence of the kingdom message.

Spiritual Nature
Once John firmly established in the minds of the people the essential spiritual nature of the kingdom, the Lord is presented as the one qualified to bring this about. In numerous passages, but primarily in Matthew 5-7, Jesus unfolded the spiritual principles of His kingdom. He began with the moral condition of one who would become a subject in the kingdom (Mt. 5:1-12). These all relate the condition of heart and response of soul to the truth of the gospel. Next, he related the moral responsibility of a subject in the kingdom (Mt. 5:13-20) – that of being salt (for God) and light (to the world). Then the Lord explained how the law will relate to life in the kingdom (Mt. 5:21-48).

In each case He contrasted the narrow understanding of the teachers with the full moral weight of the law. Jesus then proceeded to show the character of a subject of the kingdom (Mt. 6). The entire chapter screams out “reality!” God is looking for reality and congruence between the outer and the inner man – reality in giving (vv. 1-4), reality in praying (vv. 5-15), reality in fasting (vv. 16-18), reality in priorities (vv. 18-21), and reality in perspective (vv. 22-34). In chapter 7 the Lord assured access to the kingdom to all who sincerely seek entrance and warned those who would try to fake their way in. His closing image contrasts those who hear the word but don’t obey it with those who do.

Though our Lord preached the gospel of the kingdom – and confirmed its truth with signs, wonders and miracles – the heart of man was still closed to the truth. In unbelief the Lord’s deeds are ascribed to Beelzebub, prince of demons (Mt. 12:25), and the king and his kingdom are rejected. Speaking later to the Jews (Mt. 21:33-44), the Lord pronounced His judgment: “Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and shall be given to a nation producing the fruits of it.” We cannot have the kingdom without the king, and we cannot have the king if there is no moral change in our life. The Lord stated in John 3:3-5 that entrance into the kingdom is only possible if one is “born again” and “born of water and the Spirit.” The transformation in the life, that the Lord stated in Matthew 5-7 as a requirement for entrance into the kingdom, comes not as a result of law-keeping or personal self-reformation efforts, but solely as a result of being born from above. It is the work of God.

Condition
But what is the condition of the kingdom now? What happens to the kingdom as a result of the king being rejected, crucified, risen, and ascended? In testifying before Pilate, Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn. 18:36). In this He indicated that the origin of His kingdom and authority did not come from this world. This very important statement establishes that the kingdom does not rise up as a result of our human efforts or personal faithfulness and godliness. In fact, our Lord stated, “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and return” (Lk. 19:12). The Lord is that man who went to receive his kingdom and to return. This teaches us that the kingdom originates in heaven; hence its being called the kingdom of heaven. The title kingdom of God emphasizes God’s kingdom, authority, and sovereignty. In fact, the parable in Luke 19 was spoken to dispel the notion that the kingdom was about to be manifested. The kingdom always has in view its ultimate manifestation and the Lord’s personal exercise of authority over this world which rejected Him. But what is the character of the kingdom now?

Character
In answering that question we must remember that kingdom truth comprises those instructions in Scripture which relate to the relationship of a redeemed person to the lost world around him. In John 17 the Lord states two truths regarding the believer: while “these are in the world … they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (vv. 11-14). Being “in” the world, yet not “of” the world is what kingdom truth addresses. In John 3:12 our Lord stated that being born again was what He called “earthly things” – relating to the character of our lives here on earth. This is in contrast to “heavenly things” which address our relationship with an ascended, glorified head who is over the whole body, the Church – those seated in the heavenlies with Him (Eph. 1:3, 2:6).

In the parables of Matthew 13 the Lord told what the character of the kingdom would be during the time of His rejection. He characterized this as the mystery of the kingdom of God and heaven. This means that He is bringing out truth never before revealed or even hinted at in the Old Testa-ment. In those seven parables He gives the broadest outline of the establishment and progress of the kingdom during the time of His absence. This is the period of time we are in now. All the principles of the kingdom set forth in His preceding sermons apply to us now in their moral import. What we must realize is that we cannot create “kingdom conditions” on earth by seeking to work through the political realm to establish God’s order here. Only the Lord Himself can do that and He will bring the kingdom with Him.

Course
In Matthew 13, our Lord outlined the course of the kingdom in its “mystery” form – the character of the kingdom during the time of the king’s rejection. Firstly, He established in Matthew 13:3-8 that the progress of the kingdom is through the sowing of the seed, the Word of God (Lk. 8:11). As the Word is sown and souls are brought to faith, Satan opposes that work. Thus, in Matthew 13:24-30 the Lord described how Satan establishes in the world a counterfeit to what the Lord is doing. (Note that there is no mention of Christendom in any of this. Many read Christendom into the parables and completely confuse themselves.) The tares are sown in the field, the world. So we see that a work of Satan will go on during this age which will seek to dilute the work of Christ.

Next, in Matthew 13:31-32 the Lord describes the outward development of the kingdom. It will become great in the world. In fact, it already has. Biblical truth has had many positive effects upon the world and the kingdom has grown tremendously in size. However, in Matthew 13:33 our Lord also shows the moral corruption which will take place in the kingdom. Satan will work externally to oppose its progress (tares), as well as work within to corrupt the kingdom with false doctrine, (the leaven of Mt. 16:12).

Our Lord spoke these to the multitude, but three more parables were told only to the disciples. In that of the treasure (Mt. 13:44), the condition of Israel is described and how, though to be set aside, it shall be preserved and the world won by Christ for its benefit (Rom. 11). The parable of the pearl of great price (Mt. 13:45-46) shows the intrinsic value of the Church within the kingdom, and the extent to which Christ goes to obtain it. Finally, the parable of the dragnet (Mt. 13:47-50) describes how, when “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord” (Rev. 11:15), He shall prepare the world for its reception.

Recall that we are salt (savor for God) and light (testimony to the lost). The kingdom parables describe the progress that God’s truth makes in the world. But notice the means: it is by preaching the Word, spreading the gospel, and sowing the good seed in the world that we as subjects advance His kingdom. The exercise of political power, military might, intellectual energy, and philosophy accomplish nothing for God in this world. There might be some cosmetic change, but the objective is not to change the world. The purpose of the kingdom is for Christ to have a sphere where His authority, rights and sovereignty are recognized and exercised – that is, Christ reigning in your heart. The world has rejected Christ, saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us” (Lk. 19:14). But Christ has established a sphere in which He is owned as Lord.

Establishment
As we look back to John the Baptist two things stand out – repentance and baptism. We have seen how repentance is the avenue for receiving God’s truth (Acts 20:21). Throughout the Gospels, baptism is related to making disciples (Jn. 4:1). In Matthew 28:19 our Lord relates baptism to discipleship during the Church age as well. One great feature of kingdom truth is being a disciple, a follower, of the Lord. This discipleship involves surrender of life and will to Him, the result being seen in both the character and service of the disciple. Baptism is the sign that one has died to this world, accepted God’s judgment against him and his sins, and identified with the One who has gone through the judgment for him and raised him up to newness of life (Rom. 6:3-4). Thus, kingdom truth speaks about our relationship to this world: we are dead to it and we are followers of Christ.

In what way, then, is Christ going to establish His kingdom in this world? We know from various parables that a great transition takes place at “the end of the age” – called by the Lord “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk. 21:24) – the time of Gentile domination over Israel. In Matthew 13:39-40 and 25:31-46 our Lord said that a worldwide judgment shall take place as the earthly kingdom is being established. This judgment is designed to remove from the world all that is not fit for the kingdom. No wonder the so-called “Lord’s Prayer” states, “Thy kingdom come.” It comes in, rather than rises up from the midst. In the Olivet discourse (Mt. 24-25) the Lord speaks at length regarding the events which will usher in the earthly kingdom. In Romans 11:25, Paul states that the blindness of Israel will continue until those Gentiles who were to be brought into blessing in the Church have been so blessed. Once that time is completed, God will set in motion a series of events which will lead to faithful Israel’s national repentance and reception of the Messiah. Only then does Christ take the throne of David and exercise His kingship over the millennial earth.

What About Us Today?
What are we called to be and do today? Those who have been brought to saving faith in the Lord have been planted in this world as that good seed, as children of the kingdom. Though we are in this world we are not of it; our allegiance is to another king of another kingdom. We represent Christ in this world and live for Him as disciples following and serving Him. Our desire for each person is to receive the Word that is sown; our desire for this world is for Christ to come, to put all powers under His feet, and to reign in perfect righteousness. But until that day comes we are called to continue “in tribulation and the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:9).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gib Warrick is the Computer Coordinator of the Union County Public Schools in Monroe, North Carolina. He and his wife Carol and their children fellowship with Christians in Charlotte, North Carolina. Gib also preaches regularly at the local rescue mission.

With permission to publish by: Sam Hadley, Grace & Truth, 210 Chestnut St., Danville, IL., USA.

Website: www.gtpress.org

top

What Justin Martyr REALLY said!

Matthew 26:39

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Life Lesson

Today’s word (Word Of Reflection Daily) begins with Jesus agonizing in the garden of Gethsemane. The bible says his crushed soul was filled with anguish, deep distress and “grief to the point of death.” He knew the impending physcial pain, separation from the Father and death before resurrection would soon be quickly upon him. Not very long after Jesus tells Peter, James and John to stay and watch with him. It is here Verse 39 begins wherein Jesus goes a little further and fell face down on the ground to pray.

In pondering over today’s passage several things spoke to me. First in profound awed respect, ultimate show of reverence & humbleness and most extreme demonstration of abject surrender imaginable, it says in the King James and NASB versions that Jesus “fell on his face and prayed”. While I’ve often prayed kneeling, to be quite honest, I don’t recall doing so in such a servile posture. Second despite understanding the magnitude of what was to happen and how much suffering he would endure, Jesus was more concerned with the Father’s will than his. In other words, he was totally obedient, faithful beyond human understanding and trusted God’s plan completely.

Hence, today my take away is to reflect on how the Son responded to the Father. Which was unimaginable reverence, total obedience and complete unwavering trust. And to thus apply it in my life as a guide to strive toward.

Yesterday, we stuffed ourselves with ham, turkey, yams, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, etc…, shared our thanks with family and friends, and watched football, Charlie Brown and movies late into the evening. Today, the Christmas season really begins with a shop till you drop attitude, decorating the house, and spiritually getting ready for the season ahead. So what are we going to do today – hope…

“We have lasting hope through the salvation we have in Christ … Hope means that even when it looks like it’s all over, it’s not all over yet. That’s why the Bible says we can rejoice even in our tribulations. God is working in our hard times to produce proven character and hope in us.”
-Dr. Tony Evans, Totally Saved

Jesus Our Hope

For millions of people, the Christmas season means nothing more than parties, gifts, decorations, and time off work. For Christians, however, this time of year is a happy reminder of the hope we have because of Jesus Christ.

Before Jesus came, God seemed distant, hidden in the Holy of Holies in the temple, accessible only to the high priest. Worshipers wondered whether their sacrifices were acceptable. They doubted their salvation.

Christ means hope—to the person out of work, to the struggling single mother, to the dying believer. Even if you’re just slogging your way through the disappointments of life, if you have Jesus, you have hope. And he is not a false hope, a childish fairy tale that we wish will have a happy ending. When Christ rose from the dead, that ended the argument. Period. Our hope in him is solid and it is real.

Christmas is a renewal of that hope. It reconfirms it for us if our vision has grown dim. It was settled long ago, so we don’t have to doubt any more. Jesus is the fulfillment of our hope, our deepest longings come true.

Psalm 33:22
“May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.” (NIV)

ELIMINATED: www.myspace.com/runningwiththevision

ADDED: www.myspace.com/shanetriapetersonmusic

http://www.xianz.com/shanetriapeterson

http://www.myspace.com/makingthevisionplain

I’m incredibly broken right now. but the cry of my heart is brokenness. [weird, huh?]  I want to be broken more. I want to be more Christ-like. I need Him like a hurricane. To tear my walls down.

I want to be broken. I want the thunder, wind, and rain of God to come crashing down on me. I want Him to break me and mend me. I want Him to demolish me and make beauty out of the pieces. I don’t want to have anything but Him to cling to.

And this isn’t because I’m addicted to pain or anything. In fact, I hate pain.  I hate pain. Emotional, physical, and spiritual. BUT I love God. And I’m willing for Him to break me. I want Him to break me. I want to be molded by Him. I want His perfect love.

I realize the weight of this prayer. It is intense. It shouldn’t be something I’m asking for lightly. And it isn’t. I don’t want to be an agent of Coop. I want to be an agent of God. I need God to be my focus, not others or myself. I don’t want anything but Him. But I really do want Him. And I really want Him to break me so He can break me in to who He wants me to be. I want Him to give me His eyes, His heart, His ears, His love. I feel like I’m clinging on to too much. To a very negative self-image. To pain.  To hope in things besides God. To ambitions. To grudges. To wounds. To bruises. To memories. To lost friends. To broken relationships.

I want to be broken and renewed. I want God to come in like a hurricane. I want to see Him more clearly. I want to be able to love Him more deeply. I want Him to fit in my heart where He belongs. In my God-shaped hole. I want to be broken and healed. I want to be freed through brokenness. I don’t want my will. I want His way.

And if You are the war
Let me be the casualty
Til Im Yours alone

He can see what’s going on soooooooooooooo much better. I want to be broken in accordance with the plans he has for me.

shatter me and mend me,

coop

www.myspace.com/runningwiththevision has been eliminated as I incline my ear to hear the voice of God. GRO MINISTRIES is now in its season of manifestation.  We now have a NETWORKING page on My Space:

www.myspace.com/makingthevisionplain

America was founded on the principles set out in the Bible. It is God who has endowed us with the rights we have, not any man or government.

All states’ Constitutions mention God.

Florida, originally from 1845, contains in its preamble a statement of gratitude to God:“We, the people of the State of Florida, being grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, in order to secure its benefits, perfect our government, insure domestic tranquility, maintain public order, and guarantee equal civil and political rights to all, ordain and establish this constitution.”

See all the states here.

I believe that America is a Christian country, and because we are a Christian country, we have respect for other religions and for those with no religion.  I’m sick and tired of hearing about how we are no longer a Christian nation,(or never were), because we are and we better hope and pray we stay that way.

Christ has said “come unto me, all who are weary and heavy-laden.” He stands with his arms outstretched and he continually knocks on the heart’s door that opens only from the inside.  Nobody is required to be a Christian.  It’s an invitation and a privilege.  But that does not mean that we have to become like any other religion or to become as an atheist with no signs of our faith.

We Do Not have to strip evidence of Christianity from our lives and especially now at Christmas time.  Christmas is a Christian holiday, in case that’s not obvious, so anyone who does not want to celebrate it, just don’t. But Christians should be able to celebrate it any way we want to.  I usually remain silent on my faith, but I’m going to stand up for it as it is being threatened at every hand.

So just leave the mangers alone, damn it.  (And the crosses, too.)

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Merry Christmas

Posted:  11.27.09

Weak from the journey, the long traveling days
Hungry to worship, to join in the praise
Shock met with anger that burned on His face
As He entered the wasteland of that barren place

Priests and the merchants demanded some proof
For their hearts were hardened and blind to the truth
That Satan’s own law is to sell and to buy
But God’s only way is to give and to die

And the Lamb is a Lion who’s roaring with rage
At the empty religion that’s filling their days
They’ll flee from the harm
Of the Carpenter’s strong arm
And come to know the scourging anger of the Lord

The noise and confusion gave way to His Word
At last sacred silence so God could be heard

- Michael Card