Saturday, October 28, 2017

Give me Fruit

We all, at least most of us, like some kind of fruit. Bananas, apples , oranges are liked by most people. Godly principles, like fruit, are also very welcome in our lives and in society. When your neighbour is kind to you, or the driver beside you on the interstate, uses his signal light and kindly waits for an opening before changing lanes, you are happy, because it makes for safer driving. Society benefits when godly actions are used . War wouldn't start. There would be no greed. But Fruits of the Spirit are exactly what it says...Fruits that the Spirit gives. these Fruits you cannot conjure up because we are a sick sinful people. We want our own way right from childhood. Some of us are still screaming to get our own way...tantrums just like the terrible two's. When you come to Christ and give your life to Him, God expects you to walk, talk and be like Jesus. How in the world can we do that? No way in the flesh. But we are a new creature, aren't we? We have the truth. We have allowed Acts 2:38 to start us on the road of following Jesus. Sometimes it's almost like we are Jekkyl and Hyde. Remember the poem..."Two natures beat within my breast. The one is cursed, the other blessed." When we are in Christ, we still can't live for Him unless we allow Him to rule. Unless we yield to Him. Yielding and submission is NOT what we like. That old flesh wants to rule and reign. Pride. Living for Jesus is yielding to His will, His desires and His plan. These are already stated in the scriptures. The Fruits that the Spirit gives are...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, meekness, gentleness, self control.. How do I get these ? Yielding and submitting and then there is another way, that I just read this morning. Another thing we don't like. Hebrews 12:11..."Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby." So, chastening will come. We can remember also, that He will never put on us more than we can handle...as we are leaning on Him. Also, He will never leave us nor forsake us. So, the question is 'Do I want Fruit?' another question is, "Am I bearing Fruit?'

Monday, August 14, 2017

The Beggar (poem)

There once was a Beggar , who went through the town By day asking pennies, by night a whole crown He never had slept neath a fine feather bed Nor lay his head down on a fluffy bedstead. To no one he talked, To no one laid bare His trials and heartaches, His troubles and care. At death no one missed him, A small spot was gone The night would not miss him, And nor would the dawn 9/17/08

What does "Tongues" do?

1 Corinthians 14:2 speaks to God not to men :4 edifies the speaker :2 speaks mysteries in the Spirit :5 if it's interpreted, it edifies the church. Otherwise it doesn't :6 Doesn't profit the hearers because it's between you and God :12 Spiritual Gifts are to edify the church, so tongues is only one on one, you and God, unless interpreted :14 My spirit prays to God ( often I had forgotten, didn't know about eg. other people or situations or things tucked away in my subconscience , but it came out during praying in tongues) .This is when the understanding becomes fruitful because God interprets the tongue :15 I will pray with the spirit :22 tongues are a sign to unbelievers. In church believers must seek to edify the Body :28 speak to himself When you are used to Heal, to speak knowledge or wisdom , to help someone, to perform a miracle, to prophesy, to discern spirits, you do all that in your own language and you, yourself may be thought of as someone great or that you are really someone. When you speak in tongues, you're thought of as a weirdo ! You speak words God gives you in a language not your own. You become just like one in the upper room. It's a humbling experience to yield your unruly tongue to the Holy Spirit. Our tongues do so much mischief, but God can use it to glorify Him ! But, we must let go of pride. No church can operate in the 9 Gifts of 1 Corinthians , until they've been to Acts 2 ! Some churches have teachings on how to operate in the Gifts, but it's impossible to operate in the Gifts of the Spirit unless you have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit like in Acts. ! Corinthians was written to Spirit filled Believers who had all been filled with the Baptism of the Spirit . That is the initial step. Totally apart from operating in the 9 Gifts. First you must start in Acts 2:38 and be Born Again. Repent, Be Baptized in water in Jesus' name and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Every time in Acts when a group or individual was filled with the Spirit, they spoke in tongues. Then God will use you in one or more of the 9 Gifts.

Is hell real ?

Many people don't want to talk about or think about hell. Of course it's an awful subject. But it's real. I wish no one would go there but many chose to when they rebel against God. There are only 2 masters. God or Satan. You have to chose. In not deliberately choosing to follow Jesus , you have chosen to follow Satan . Satan leads you to death, destruction and ultimately to the place destined for only him and his angels, which is hell. He wants you to go there with him. He hates God. He was so delighted when Jesus was nailed to the cross, but when Jesus rose from the grave, Satan' s hold on death and hell were loosed. So now, you can choose Jesus ! He came to give you Life and Peace and Joy and much more. He brought salvation so you can choose Jesus and get forgiveness of your sin and then be in right relationship with God. Jesus is God in the flesh. Immanuel God with us. God Himself took on flesh so He could save you because He loves you. You are His creation. He made you to love and worship Him but He gives you the choice. Hell is real. You can read about it in the Bible. The Bible is God's Word. The only book completely True with no falsehood whatsoever.

Sunday, August 13, 2017

ME (Pride)

I live in my little world I look at Me, Myself and I All revolves around Me All on Me depend and rely. If I would disappear Become obsolete and not The earth would stop rotating The air grow stale and hot I am the center , the median All depends on Me No other can accomplish No other so beautifully.

Full Cupboards

A kitchen full of groceries is a good feeling. You've just come home with bags of canned goods, fruits, vegetables and frozen items. You bought three types of bread, plus many milk products...and all those sweet things, that not only the children, but you also, love. You have then put away all those things in their proper places. You sit down for a breather and think, " Ah, a kitchen full of groceries and very full cupboards ! Our personal lives are often depleted, too. We need a fill-up in our hearts and spirits. How do we get this ? How do we get the needs of our hearts met ? We're sad, we're lonely, we want peace with God, we want to have peace with others, we want to have a home in heaven, we want to see God, we want forgiveness from God and from others when we do wrong, and we want to be "good" and do the right thing. Jesus said, " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God. Blessed are they that mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they be sons of God. " He also said, " Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven ; and forgive men when they sin against you (so that) your heavenly Father will also forgive you ." When we treat others as God wants us to treat them, we will in return also receive a blessing. Jesus promised that we would. When we show mercy, forgiveness, weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice, we will also receive those things back to us when we need them. Our cupboards in our heart, will not be empty, but full. When we pour ourselves out, so to speak, for the things that are dear to God, He will see to it that when we have need, we can open our cupboards and find them full. Remember when He said," Give and it shall be given unto you". If we are stingy, unmerciful, unforgiving, haughty, not praying for others, not being sad and caring for those who are sad, we do not get a blessing back. We have not given, so we won't receive. They say that when we are depressed, we should not stay locked up in our home, but go out and find someone in need and help them ! I have found that this really gets me out of my depression. Praying for the needs of others and concentrating your heart of them, really helps. I love to cook when there are alot of things in my kitchen cupboards to chose from ! Full hearts - Full cupboards ! There's the old faithful saying - Do unto others as you want them to do unto you !

Friday, June 09, 2017

Love fulfills the Law

Romans 13:10 says that Love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law. THE LAW ! Must be the Law of Moses from Exodus 20. I looked that up and put the word Love in place. Love has no other gods before Me. Love does not make unto yourself any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. Love does not bow down thyself to them nor serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God , visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments. Love does not take the name of the Lord they God in vain. Love remembers the Sabbath day to keep it Holy. Six days love labors and does all it's work. But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God . In it Love shall not do any work, You nnor your son nor your daughter, your manservant nor your maidservant nor your cattle nor the stranger that is within thy gates. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth , the sea, and all that is within them and rested the seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Love honors his father and his mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God gives thee, Love does not kill. Love does not commit adultery

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Is Jesus in the Eucharist?

What a phenomenal thing for Jesus to say to us Protestants! " Take, eat, this is My Body", during the Lord's supper; and, " Drink of it , all of you, for this is the Blood of My Covenant," This is found in the book of Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Here they were, dining together, the 12 disciples and Jesus. it was the Passover, and they were keeping the feast in obedience to the Law of Moses.
The Passover meal of lamb, etc, was eaten at twilight, and so, here was this group, eating, while reclining at the table in the evening.
The lamb part is important because Jesus is the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.
Jesus took bread (unleavened, because yeast is a symbol of sin), blessed it, and broke it. Then, the cup of wine. He said that it was His Blood poured out for the forgiveness of sin.
He kept the Law and then He fulfilled the Law of Passover in Himself. If you, in Moses day, had not put the blood of the lamb on your doorpost and lintel, then your firstborn son would die. Jesus is the unleavened Bread since He has no sin, and He also called Himself the Bread that comes down from Heaven. He is the firstborn son of Mary, and also the only begotten of the Father, and yet He chose to die for all those who do not have the blood of the lamb on their doorposts, or their hearts, so that we can have His Blood applied. The sinless died for the sinners.
The bread and the wine that they had that Passover evening, was to be done in remembrance of Jesus. The Body of Jesus would soon be given for us, on the Cross. The Blood of Jesus, would soon be poured out for us. 1 Corinthians says, "As often as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup, you proclaim the Lord's death, until He comes".
So, what about those today, who say that when we have the Lord's Supper or Communion, the bread becomes His Body and the wine becomes His Blood?
First of all, when our Lord was breaking the bread and passing out the wine, there He was, in person, with His Body passing out the food, and with His Blood inside Himself!
After His resurrection, (Luke 24) He was walking on the road to Emmaus, with 2 disciples. After He broke the bread, when they were eating, the 2 disciples suddenly recognized Him. Yet, His body was in complete form, before them, and what was not spilled at the Cross, of His Blood, and during the beatings, was flowing through His Body.
They who believe the bread changes into His Body, and the wine changes into His Blood ( the word is transubstantiation), believe it in actuality. It actually changes after it has been blessed. All over the world, at the Mass, everyday, there is the Body and Blood of Jesus being eaten by all those celebrating the Eucharist .Now, we must be careful, because Christ died Once and for All. Let's go then to Hebrews.
Many lambs and goats died in the Old Testament sacrifices, to atone for the people's sin. So, here comes Jesus and He is called " The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" Hebrews 9 says that Christ entered the Holy Place, Once and for All, by means of His own Blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Approxiametly 2000 yrs ago, Christ died, only Once, shed His Blood at that time only, for us, so that we , who lived at any time through history, could receive forgiveness of our sin. The shedding of His Blood brought forgiveness of sin.
Look at verse 25. "Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly..verse 26.. for then He would have had to suffer repeatedly, since the foundation of the world. 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 once to die, and after that comes the Judgement, so Christ, having been offered Once, to bear the sins of many, will appear the second time.
Eat My Body! Drink My Blood! It means something! Jesus didn't use meaningless words just to hold a conversation. Jesus came for a purpose. He had His whole Self fixed on that purpose.
So, how do we partake of Jesus? How do we take on Christ? How do we become members of Christ? He ascended to Heaven so how can we eat of Him now?
Down to the very basics...first you must believe. John 6:34 says , " There are some of you who do not believe." Believe on what? "The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit and life." So, believe what Jesus is saying...and that is, not only the words in red, but the whole Bible.
Concerning blood, let's look back into Exodus, where all the children of Israel, were to apply the blood of the lamb to their doorposts and lintels, so their firstborn would not die, when the angel passed over. Therefore the name Passover. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission, or washing away , of sin. Christ's Blood must be applied to our lives, or else we will die for our own sin, and not have eternal Life. "The Blood of Jesus His son, cleanses us from all sin." " In Him we have Redemption, through His Blood. the forgiveness of sins, according to the richness of His Grace" Ephesians 1 ."Ransomed ...through the Blood of Christ " 1 Peter 1 .
Back to believe. If the Israelites hadn't believed that they were to apply the blood to their doorposts, of course they would not have done so. First, you must believe. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." You go no where unless you believe in something or Someone. But, that is not applying the Blood. You cannot apply Christ's Blood yourself, because His Body and Blood are in Heaven, and He is coming Bodily, later, for the second time. His physical Blood is not on earth, and is not being kept in any vial in Europe, and since He is the High Priest, there is no priest on earth who has the power to change bread and wine into His Body and Blood. That's magic. God is not into magic. There is also no "miracle" involved at the Mass, since the bread and wine stay bread and wine.
So, the next step is to apply the Blood.." Drink My Blood"! ! Cor 6:11...but you were washed....in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." Hebrews 10:11.." Our bodies washed with pure water." The Corinthians and the Hebrews had already been washed. Washed? Took a bath? Look at Acts 2:38. "Be Baptized, everyone of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission (washing away ) of your sins."
We all believe, if we say we are Christians, that Jesus name is above All names. We believe that Jesus died and rose again. So, in Baptism, Jesus name is applied to our lives. Jesus name (when we are Baptized by immersion, under water, like as He went down into death and rose again) applied to you, is when our High Priest applies His Blood to you. The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. There's the washing. But, it's not magic either!. The water you get Baptized in, is WATER, before , after and during. the change that happens...the Big Miracle that happens, is a spiritual one, and happens inside of you.
Where is your spirit? It's inside of you. Where does your sin dwell? Inside you. Outwardly, we do junk that started inside of us. This inside, needs to be made new.
Acts 4:12 "No other Name by which you must be saved." But, the Name must be applied, and that is done only through being Baptized in Jesus Name.
So very much of scripture, is taken away when you believe and practice, the catholic Eucharist.
Peter preached the first sermon! We hold up Peter so much! Then, why don't we obey what he taught under God's anointing? In Acts 10:48, Peter commanded them " to be Baptized in the name of Jesus Christ". Commanded! people say that, that was THEN and this is NOW, so it's not for today. Well, then forgiveness, grace, mercy, Joy etc are not for today either. If it's all for THEN, why do we read the Bible? Why do we preach it? All the different groups, like the Ephesians, the Galatians, the Corinthians, had all been Baptized in water, in Jesus Name, after repenting of their sin. To all these groups, and the rest, like the Philippians, Paul, Silas and others had gone and had preached and had started churches. The salvation message is in Acts. It started there, for ALL of them, and so it must start there for us!
Eat His Body .Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness , for they shall be filled. ( Matthew5:6). "Come, buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money on that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to Me and eat what is good and delight yourself in rich food...Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:1-6
"Whoever feeds on this Bread, will live forever" John 6:58 Then He says that the Spirit gives Life and that the flesh is of "no avail". Jesus is not talking about eating His physical Body. He is talking spiritually.
So much of what we are in the kingdom, is done through our spirit connecting with His Spirit. First...salvation is a gift and happens in your spirit. Second...the fruit of the Spirit is exactly that - in your spirit from His Spirit. Third...His Mercy, Grace, Forgiveness, etc, all are free from Him and happen in your spirit. All, from First to Third are gifts. None can be earned through penance, saying the rosary, lighting candles, praying for the dead, praying to Mary or any saint (Mary and the saints do not answer prayers, since it is only the Son who intercedes for us to the Father...only He can stand in the gap for us between Satan and the Father), nor doing Good deeds and giving alms. We CANNOT earn our salvation. Our righteousness is as filthy rags.
You want to be "full" of Christ? Be filled with the Spirit...like they did in the book of Acts...in Acts chapter 2...the evidence being speaking to God in "tongues", another language that God gives you to use in prayer, so you can commune in your spirit with His Spirit and have Him inside of you giving you power to live the Christian life. This is also something we cannot earn, but when we are Baptized in His name, He promises to give us His Spirit.
Then, eat of the Word...the written Word...which is Christ...daily! Then walk as a Follower of Christ, learning from Him and learning from others whose aim is also, to be a disciple and a Follower of Jesus.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

What is it about Shiloh

I have not found out a whole lot about Shiloh through history..namely Google...but I was reading about it in the Bible. Shiloh was the place where the Tabernacle was set up after the land was divided. Joshua 18:18 . Also they were before the Lord in Shiloh Joshua 19:51 . In I Samuel , the Tabernacle was still in Shiloh when Hannah took Samuel to live with Eli in the House of God. I Samuel 1 . I Samuel 4 , Israel goes to fight the Philistines and loses , so they decide to take the Ark of the Covenant out to battle along with the sons of Eli , who were priests, so they would win. They lost ! The Ark of the Covenant was taken by the Philistines. Hophni and Phineas , the sons of Eli, were killed. Up to this point Shiloh was the Holy City. The Ark was there. The High Priest Eli was there. Shiloh was the chosen city. So then what ? Eli hears the news about the Ark and his sons, and he falls over and dies. The Philistines have lots of trouble with this Ark. They get very sick! They know it's because they have this Ark so they send it back on a cart being pulled by oxen. No man on the cart guiding it. So where do the oxen go ? To Shiloh? No ! They go to Bethshemesh! Then it goes to Kirjathjearem. I am not sure where it went after that, but not to Shiloh. And Shiloh wasn't even chosen after that. Jerusalem was chosen as the center, the place for the Temple. Some say Shiloh means peace or rest or peaceful. What happened in Shiloh actually? Remember Hophni and Phineas killed in battle? And that the Philistines won the battle ? Here's what those 2 priests were like. They committed adultery with the women who gathered at the the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. They were called sons of Belial. They took of the sacrificial meat for themselves, that which was meant for the Lord. They hated the offering of the Lord. It says that the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord. How about the father, Eli? God said Eli honored his sons above honoring the Lord. He knew about the sins of his sons and did not stop them. Nobody repented! God forgives those who repent but in this case nobody repented ! There was drastic punishment not only for Eli and his sons but Israel . What happened to Shiloh itself. Well, it's gone. All I could find out is that perhaps the Philistines destroyed it after they conquered Eben Ezer but that has not been proven. Shiloh is hardly talked about today. The all important city of the east is Jerusalem. The Bible talks about it alot. Jerusalem became the city of David, the chosen city of God for the earthly Kings to dwell and then the coming real KING to dwell in the Millenium. So, what is the point of my little writing ? The point is DON'T try to get away with sin. You may be OK for now and it may seem that you are getting away with sin but there is always punishment or consequence. Jerusalem today, is definitely not a holy city as far as their lifestyle. God sees ! Their time of punishment is coming which God calls The Great Tribulation or Jacob's Trouble. Yet, there is Good News ! Jesus is the Good News! He has a plan of Salvation all set up for us to be forgiven and have a relationship with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He came to bear the sin of the whole world. Salvation is a gift and yet we must receive it. (click on the empty picture and a picture of Shiloh will pop up).