Monday, June 30, 2014

precious prayer form Roy S thank you Jesus!!!!!

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray this prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind, rebuke and bring to no effect; all division, discord, disunity, strife, wrath, murder, criticism, condemnation, pride, envy, jealously, gossip, slander, evil speaking, complaining, lying, false teaching, false gifts, false manifestations, lying signs and wonders, poverty, fear of lack, fear of spirits, deceiving spirits, religious spirits, hindering spirits, retaliatory spirits, occult spirits, witchcraft spirits (including Jezebel, Delilah, and Apollyon the Destroyer), spirits of antichrist and all familiar and territorial spirits. I bind all curses that have been spoken against me. I bless those who curse me, and pray blessings on those who despitefully use me. I bind all spoken judgments made against me, and judgments I have made against others. I bind the power of negative words from others, and I bind and render useless all prayers not inspired by the Holy Spirit; whether psychic, soul force, witchcraft, or counterfeit tongues that have been prayed against me. I am God's child. I resist the devil. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I put on the whole armor of God. I take authority over this day, in Jesus name. Let it be prosperous for me, and let me walk in your love, Lord. The Holy Spirit leads and guides me today and fills me with all needed gifting and graces. I discern between the righteous and the wicked. I take authority over Satan and all his demons, and those people who are influenced by them. I declare Satan is under my feet and shall remain there all day. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I am God's property. Satan, you are bound from my family, my mind, my body, my home, and my finances. I confess that I am healed and whole. I flourish, am long lived, stable, durable, incorruptible, fruitful, virtuous, full of peace, patience and love. Whatsoever I set my hands to do shall prosper for God supplies all my needs. I have all authority over Satan, all demons, and beasts of the field. God, I pray for the ministry You have for me. Anoint me God for all you have called me to do for You. I call forth divine appointments, open doors of opportunity; God ordained encounters and ministry positions. I claim a hedge of protection, by the Precious Blood of Jesus, around myself, spouse and children (names), throughout this day and night. I ask You God, in the name of Jesus, to dispatch angels to surround me, my spouse, my children, godchildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, today and everyday, and to put them throughout my house and around our cars, souls and bodies. I call on Your holy angels to protect my house from any intrusion and to protect me and my family from any harmful demonic or other physical or mental attacks. I ask all of this in the name of Jesus. "God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and He has been my Savior" (Isaiah 12:2 NAB). Amen. Alleluia. Amen

Fathers Love Letter

My Child, You may not know me, but I know everything about you. Psalm 139:1 I know when you sit down and when you rise up. Psalm 139:2 I am familiar with all your ways. Psalm 139:3 Even the very hairs on your head are numbered. Matthew 10:29-31 For you were made in my image. Genesis 1:27 In me you live and move and have your being. Acts 17:28 For you are my offspring. Acts 17:28 I knew you even before you were conceived. Jeremiah 1:4-5 I chose you when I planned creation. Ephesians 1:11-12 You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. Psalm 139:15-16 I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. Acts 17:26 You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14 I knit you together in your mother's womb. Psalm 139:13 And brought you forth on the day you were born. Psalm 71:6 I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. John 8:41-44 I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love. 1 John 4:16 And it is my desire to lavish my love on you. 1 John 3:1 Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. 1 John 3:1 I offer you more than your earthly father ever could. Matthew 7:11 For I am the perfect father. Matthew 5:48 Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand. James 1:17 For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. Matthew 6:31-33 My plan for your future has always been filled with hope. Jeremiah 29:11 Because I love you with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3 My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore. Psalms 139:17-18 And I rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 I will never stop doing good to you. Jeremiah 32:40 For you are my treasured possession. Exodus 19:5 I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul. Jeremiah 32:41 And I want to show you great and marvelous things. Jeremiah 33:3 If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29 Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 For it is I who gave you those desires. Philippians 2:13 I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine. Ephesians 3:20 For I am your greatest encourager. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. Psalm 34:18 As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. Isaiah 40:11 One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes. Revelation 21:3-4 And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. Revelation 21:3-4 I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus. John 17:23 For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. John 17:26 He is the exact representation of my being. Hebrews 1:3 He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you. Romans 8:31 And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. 1 John 4:10 I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. Romans 8:31-32 If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me. 1 John 2:23 And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. Romans 8:38-39 Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. Luke 15:7 I have always been Father, and will always be Father. Ephesians 3:14-15 My question is… Will you be my child? John 1:12-13 I am waiting for you. Luke 15:11-32 Love, Your Dad Almighty God

Sunday, June 29, 2014

2 Kings 2:24 Elisha Mocked

Elisha Mocked 23And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. 24And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. 25And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

RAPTURE IN BIBLE

BELIEVE IN THE RAPTURE: Here's 7 essential reasons why so many pastors, scholars, and evangelists believe in the coming Rapture: 1) The word 'Rapture' IS in the Bible: It's 'RAPTURO' in Latin meaning 'caught up' (1 Thess 4:17); it's astounding how many Christian leaders do not know this 2) "For God has NOT appointed us to wrath" (1 Thess 5:9). The Great Tribulation is for those who rejected Christ 3) "I will SPARE YOU from the hour of trial coming on the whole earth" (Revelation 3:10) - the Rapture is the only viable way God can spare his saints before the Tribulation 4) GOD'S CHARACTER: God has never destroyed the wicked with the just. Ever. Think Noah. Think Sodom and Gomorrah. He 'raptured' Noah and he 'raptured' Lot. And He will 'rapture' US. 5) Jesus said He will come as a THIEF IN THE NIGHT (2 Peter 3:10). This is plainly meaning the Rapture. There is no surprise or 'snatching away' when the tribulation events unfold and thus the 'thief in the night' passages in 2 Peter and 1 Thessalonians make no sense, but for the Rapture. 6) The verses "Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left" (Matthew 24:40) make no sense outside of a Rapture. This is not referring to the Second Coming. 7) There is no mention of the church during the judgment time in Revelation - this is clearly and unequivocally showing that the church will not go through the Tribulation. Please SHARE with all your friends who may be extremely confused by the scoffers and doubters ("Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 2 Peter 3:3)

Friday, June 27, 2014

verse of the day

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. Matthew 16:25 KJV

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Bishop went to Rainbow Bridge Tuesday 6/24/2014 MISS HIM SO BAD BUT GOD SUSTAINS ME!!!

SPONSOREDCreate Ad SPONSORED Free Shipping Both Ways zappos.com Riena Maxi Dress Women's Dress - $67.99 - Shop Now Overstock Clearance nomorerack.com 3-Pack: 100% Cotton Cami Solution Outfit Transformers. Shop Now! Joint Relief In 1 Week? beneflex.com The newest discovery in joint relief can help in just 7 days! Free Samples honest.com Get 2 free sample kits of Honest Company products! Try 7 products for your home and family Frances Plante likes this Save big on Shell fuel! shell.us Sign up FREE for the Fuel Rewards Network™, get 25¢/gal bonus at Shell. Fuelrewards.com Protect What’s Important lifelock.com Protect yourself from Data Breach, Identity Theft & More. Learn how now! English (US) · Privacy · Terms · Cookies · More Facebook © 2014 Donna Schmier Yesterday at 4:34am · PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR ME THAT THE FATHER WILL COMFORT ME DURING THE LOSS OF MY BELOVED BISHOP--HE HAS AN APPOINTMENT AT 9:30 a.m. for RAINBOW BRIDGE-- HE HAS BEEN FAMILY AND SUCH A JOY BUT HE IS IN PAIN AND I WILL NOT ALLOW HIM TO SUFFER---- THANK YOU ALL I KNOW ALL PET LOVERS WILL UNDERSTAND AND PRAY FOR ME!!! LikeLike · · Share Ephraim Solomon, Nene Emeterio Labajo, Ivan Russell and 9 others like this. Shirley Benjamin OH MY SO SORRY WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYER YES I KNOW HOW YOU MUST BE FEELING Yesterday at 4:35am · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier Thank you Yesterday at 4:36am · Like · 1 Nancy Jinks I do know how hard that is and I'm so so sorry! Yesterday at 4:36am · Unlike · 2 Donna Schmier Thank you Yesterday at 4:37am · Like · 1 Rosie Bailey prayers to you Yesterday at 4:46am · Unlike · 2 Te Bow ...prayers, I have been thru this... Yesterday at 4:47am · Unlike · 2 Jason Robert Cartie prayers to you donna Yesterday at 5:18am · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier Thank you Yesterday at 5:21am · Like Sally Alibong Palabrica i sent my prayers too,, Yesterday at 6:33am · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier Thank you Yesterday at 6:34am · Like Lori Fitzgerald Praying for you dear sister. I am so sorry about your fur baby Bishop. Yesterday at 6:49am · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier Thank each of you but keep those prayers coming--I take much comfort in 3 things we had 14 years of LOVE and joy,He WILL NOT BE IN PAIN AND SUFFER ANYMORE and he is joining his fur family who has gone on--Duke,Ruffles Dutchess Chipper it hurts bad but I love him enough to do what's best for HIM!!!!! Yesterday at 6:58am · Unlike · 1 Winola Bush Swinks I am so sorry for your loss. It's so very painful to see them suffer. The Lord our God hold you close during your time of grieving. 23 hours ago · Unlike · 1 Ivanna Bijou Awwwww man.... 22 hours ago · Unlike · 1 Karen M Cade So sorry Donna. May the Lord comfort you abundantly! 18 hours ago · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier You know Karen HE IS it is so awesome HIS peace and I KNOW I did the right thing Like I told the vet--I love him to much to see hm suffer!!! 18 hours ago · Like Karen M Cade Karen M Cade's photo. 18 hours ago · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW AND I KNOW HE WATCHES ME__HE ALONE IS THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT (YES EVEN IN THE DEATH OF A BELOVED PET) HE SEES WHAT CONCERNS HIS CHOSEN CHILDREN AND PROTECTS AND COMFORTS AND HE DOES USE HIS OTHER CHILDREN TO COMFORT THE ONE IN TIMES OF LOSS TYPJ (THANK YOU PRECIOUS JESUS) 9 mins · Unlike · 1 Karen M Cade I know the sorrow, have been there MANY times regarding beloved pets and also animals that I briefly hand fed and cared for if only for several days...the Lord knows our heart and only he has a way to comfort like no one else!! 5 mins · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier A-men last night was HARD BUT JESUS COMFORTED ME haven't slept more than 6 hours since Sunday and last night I kept 'hearing him walking around,eating all the rest) I KNOW it will get better with time and am looking for another dog NO NEVER REPLACE B...See More 1 min · Like Karen M Cade Karen M Cade's photo. Just now · Unlike · 1 Donna Schmier Yes my sister indeed HIS AMAZING GRACE!!!!! Just now · Like

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Savage wolves

Savage Wolves Jack Kelley http://gracethrufaith.com “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30). It didn’t take long for Paul’s warning to the elders of the Church in Ephesus to come true. Within the lifetimes of the original apostles false teachers had invaded the Church and were spewing their doctrines around wherever they went. Paul called such people false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. He said they are servants of Satan whose end will be what their actions deserve (2 Cor. 11:13-15). John said they have the spirit of anti-Christ. He said, “They went out from us but they didn’t really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us they would have remained with us, but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19). In other words they may attend a church but they are not part of the Church. And, as we saw in a previous study, Jude said, These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever (Jude 12-13). Peter was the most aggressive in his condemnation of the false teachers. Here are some excerpts from 2 Peter 2, a chapter devoted entirely and exclusively to false teachers. But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping (2 Peter 2:1-3). He said it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness then to have known it and then turned their backs on the sacred command that was passed onto them (2 Peter 2:21). And the Lord said even though they will claim to have prophesied in His name, and in His name driven out demons and performed many miracles, He will deny them entry into the kingdom saying, “I never knew you. Away from me you evil doers” (Matt. 7:22-23). You would think with the advent of the written word, all this false teaching would have stopped, because believers could check what they were hearing against what the Bible says to see if they were being told the truth or not. But the reality is that even in countries where the Bible is readily available most believers simply don’t take the time to read and understand it. A great majority seems to be content with having someone else read it for them and then tell them what it says. These believers have always been fair game for the false teachers. Even today, when information abounds, average Christians know very little about what the Bible really says. Many are more familiar with what false teachers tell them it says than what they know from their own study. Keeping The Wolves At Bay What’s the remedy for this, you might ask? How do we avoid being deceived by these savage wolves? The answer comes in just one word, wisdom. James 1:5-8 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” It’s sad that so many believers who do read the Bible don’t ask the Lord for the wisdom to understand. But even among those who do ask not everyone receives it. This is because deep down most people have doubts about whether the Bible is the actual Word of God. They see conflicts between Biblical descriptions of certain events and what they have come to believe about these events from other sources. They are caught between the claims of an infallible God and the opinions of fallible man. According to James, this makes them double-minded. He said they shouldn’t expect anything from the Lord. The only ones who ask for and receive wisdom are those who believe wholeheartedly that God is all that He claims to be, has done all that He claims to have done, and will do all that He has promised to do. The Bible is a supernatural document that can only be understood by those who have been given supernatural ability (1 Cor. 2:14), but all true believers have access to this ability. It comes from the Holy Spirit who is sealed within us (Ephes. 1:13-14). Faith is the key that unlocks this ability because it takes faith to put aside our human understanding and accept God at his word. As you increase in faith, you will increase in understanding His Word, and as you increase in understanding His Word, you will increase in faith. It’s a never ending cycle. A Great Blessing I count it as one of the great blessings of my life that when I finally responded to the Lord’s call I was at a point where everything else I had depended on for strength had failed me. It seemed like the gods of money, self determination, and materialism that had once been the mainstay of my life were now working against me. The life I had constructed for myself was based on human tradition and the basic principles of this world. When it suddenly came crashing down around me I was reduced to the humiliating position of being a tenant in one of the apartment buildings I had previously owned. My home and all my earthly possessions were gone. The Lord was showing me that the gods I had been worshiping had proven themselves untrustworthy. Now please understand that through all this I had thought of myself as a Christian. I was a regular church goer, a sunday school teacher, chairman of the building fund committee and one of my congregation’s leaders, a ruling elder. But since I didn’t have a personal relationship with the Lord I was a Christian in name only, a church goer whose real gods were the things of this world. The great blessing I gained from the experience of losing everything was that I no longer retained any faith in the wisdom of this world. I had no further interest in trying to reconcile the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God, but considered them to be irreconcilable. God said, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate” (1 Cor. 1:19). For me that was already happening. I strongly felt the need to learn more about God’s word. Since I was going to trust Him with both my earthly life and my eternal life it seemed logical to learn all I could about Him. This was especially true since by the time I would know from actual experience whether He was trustworthy to save me from my sins it would be too late. I would already be dead. In what I now believe was the Lord’s doing, a friend convinced me to listen to a set of cassette tapes on Bible prophecy. It covered prophecies that have been fulfilled in the past as well as those that are still in our future. By the time I had finished I was convinced that the Bible contains an unbroken string of prophecies that were spoken and then fulfilled by God stretching back to the beginning of time. I knew that could only be accomplished by someone who stands outside of time and therefore knows the end from the beginning, an ability God claims for Himself. In Isaiah 46:10 He said; “I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times what is still to come.” It made sense to me that if God fulfilled all those prophecies in the past then certainly He will fulfill the future ones too. After all, fulfilling prophecies is the way He proves to us that He is who He claims to be. In Isaiah 42:8-9 He proclaimed; “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” Therefore I determined that I would accept His word for things even when it ran contrary to what I’d been taught in school or what I’d come to believe through my experience. No matter what the outcome of my life, when I stood before Him I wanted to be able to say, “I took you at your word.” These decisions, which I believe were inspired by God, have helped me greatly in my search for wisdom because they follow the instructions James gave us to believe and not doubt. You see, the Bible doesn’t contain any multiple choice answers to the Great Questions of mankind. For example, it only offers one explanation for the creation. It only gives us one way to be saved, and one way to be certain we’ll remain so. There’s only one version of the end times contained within its pages. After a person has decided to accept God’s word as it’s written, the Bible becomes a lot easier to understand because there’s only one truth and that truth is revealed consistently throughout. Understanding that makes identifying false teachers simple, just like Paul said it would be in Acts 17:11. The Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning Of Wisdom(Proverbs 9:10) When used in reference to God, the Hebrew word translated fear means respect, reverence, piety. When we learn to approach God’s word with respect, reverence and piety, believing that it consists entirely of a message straight from the Creator of the Universe to us, and is therefore not something to be treated casually, we’ll start to acquire its wisdom. The ability to teach the Bible is a gift from God (Romans 12:6-8), Some have it and some don’t. But the wisdom to understand it is something He makes available to all. He asks only that we believe and do not doubt. As I said at the beginning, most Christians are content to let others do the reading and tell them what it says. Complaining that the Bible is too difficult to read they completely ignore the fact that they’ve been given a supernatural ability to help them comprehend it, and if they just ask they can have it in abundance. When we approach God with respect and reverence, not doubting but seeking only to understand, He will grant us His wisdom and we will understand His word like never before. It’s the strongest defense there is against false teaching and the only thing that will keep the savage wolves at bay. Selah 06-21-14

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Bad Theology

Jun 23, 2014 Bad Theology Some longtime members of the Presbyterian USA are waking up to a new reality, only days after the conclusion of the denomination’s General Assembly. There, a slight majority voted in favor of divesting from three companies—Hewlett-Packard, Caterpillar, and Motorola—that do business with Israel. The divestment strategy, part of a broader “BDS” agenda (Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions), has been coordinated by a relentless wing of the PC-USA, the left wing. The victory is a real one for opponents of Israel and Christian Zionists. Make no mistake: Christian supporters of Israel are in the crosshairs of the haters of Zion. In fact, one can track the parallels as Israel is (astonishingly) castigated internationally…in the wake of the Hamas kidnapping of three Israeli youth. Just as the Jewish state is villainized while being a victim of Middle Ages-level anti-Semitic incitement, so too are Christian Zionists vilified at every turn. My friend Brian Schrauger was hauled into Palestinian Authority headquarters last week and questioned. Brian, a freelance journalist who has provided some of the only reporting of anti-Israel activity (including the infamous “Christ at the Checkpoint” conference in Bethlehem), was warned that he wasn’t safe living in Beit Jala, a village outside the famous biblical town. PA/PLO officials told him that “locals” and “internationals” had complained about his reporting. What this means is that they put his life in danger. Internationals. Is anyone else outraged about this? The Jew Haters in the Church are feeling giddy now, what with divestment now enshrined in the PC-USA. All these other wins for the other side have emboldened folks like British activist Stephen Sizer and American filmmaker Porter Speakman, Jr., who both lobbed hateful jabs at Brian, via Twitter. Sizer asked if he had enjoyed the PA “hospitality.” Is anyone else outraged about this? These events are happening at the same time Israeli forces search for the three youth (Naftali Fraenkel, Eyal Yifrah, and Gilad Shaar). On Thursday of last week, U.N. chief Ban Ki-Moon said there was no “concrete evidence” the three boys had “actually” been kidnapped! What kind of world are we living in? The effrontery of Ki-Moon, evidently just another garden-variety diplomatic hack, is still shocking. One would expect such a punkish response from a terror entity, but for the head of the global body to show such indifference to Jewish life and suffering is astonishing. When Israel is perceived to be on the ropes, her enemies rub their hands together and laugh. A Religion News Service article about the divestment victory in Detroit (ironic location) hit on a key point, one I’d like to develop: “But the vote also bodes ill for Presbyterian-Jewish relations, which are particularly fragile since the publication in January of ‘Zionism Unsettled,’ a booklet produced by the church-chartered IPMN and sold on the PCUSA website, which argues the right of a Jewish nation to exist in the Holy Land is based on bad theology.” A host of anti-Christian Zionist/Israel activists promote this idea that we have “bad theology.” Stephen Sizer, Gary DeMar, Colin Chapman, Gary Burge, Brian McLaren, Lynne Hybels. The list goes on. But I want to make a point here that I hope you will take to heart: a person who appears to speak with authority is not the same as a person who speaks with authority. Brian McLaren is feted by much of the religious world. Gary Burge has an advantageous perch at Wheaton. Sizer, somehow, finds the money and time to globe trot to bash Israel. Hybels uses the powerful bully pulpit of the Willow Creek Association to spread her activism. Yet critical thinking is required here. I point you to a short essay that Hybels wrote for a Catalyst-distributed booklet, “Known.” The booklet was printed specially for the Catalyst Dallas event in May, 2014. Listen to her faith journey, which took her from the “old-time religion” to…something else. “In my early forties I experienced a crisis of faith. The Christianity I’d grown up with was about being good and working hard and following the rules in order to placate an angry God. It was about being an athlete winning the prize and a soldier advancing the work of the Kingdom, thereby avoiding hellfire and damnation. A sensitive little girl, I took it all to heart and did my best. But after nearly four decades of striving to earn God’s love, I was exhausted. God had become a burden I no longer had the energy to carry. “So I quietly turned by back on God.” Bill Hybels is now 62, so his wife is, I believe, in her late 50s. One of the interesting elements of her story is that she turned her back on God relatively recently. Let’s say that was 15 years ago. By that time, Willow Creek, both the local church near Chicago and the gargantuan Willow Creek Association (a coalition of 7,000 churches, from 90 denominations in 90 countries) had become perhaps the leading influential body with the Evangelical community. That means that Lynne Hybels pretended to be what everyone thought she was. For some time, she and her husband had associated with left-leaning thinkers. They have hosted Bill Clinton, Tony Campolo, and T.D. Jakes, among others. A little-known fact is that this dynamic ministry duo has been mentored since the 1970s by anti-Israel propagandists, as well. Further in the “Known” article, Lynne Hybels reveals that in her faith crisis, she began to read the works of folks like Julian of Norwich and Thomas Merton. She began moving more to the left. Eventually, she says, she became “thankful” for turning her back “on my childhood god.” She emphasized that she had come to also turn her back on “words” by which she must mean Scripture alone. Hybels has stated since then that when it comes to the “theology” of the Christian Zionists, well, she simply rejects that particular brand of theology. See how clever this is? For those who don’t dig deeper, Lynne Hybels sounds like a great spiritual leader. In point of fact, she rejects what the Bible says about Israel and the Jews in prophecy because she wants to reject it. Do you see? She decided not to accept the biblical promises to the Jews. That’s why she fits in so well with her friends, the Awad family of Bethlehem. I’ve had conversations with them and with other Palestinian Christians who have told me they simply “don’t like the OT promises to the Jews.” So they ignore and sanitize those ubiquitous passages from sermons, lectures, books, and blogs. They advocate for a worldview that parallels that of the PLO, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction. A quick aside: I’m aware there are different views of the origins accounts in Genesis, among Christians. However, it is incredibly fascinating to learn that Darwin and his friends in England in the mid-19th century did not arrive at their naturalistic conclusions because of “science.” Various modern scientific fields such as geology, astronomy, and biology were in their infancy, research-wise. Rather, Darwin and his “X-Club” associates—men like Thomas Huxley, Herbert Spencer, and Joseph Dalton Hooker, who met regularly for dinner for 30 years in London—came to their personal views because they wanted to disbelieve the Bible. It’s as simple as that. Why do you think evolutionary philosophers like Charles Lyell arrived at an age for the earth of hundreds of thousands of years? Because they were making it up! Why did not Lyell assign an age to the earth that fits current evolutionary thought, 4.5 billion years? He knew that such vast ages would never square with his contemporaries, so he said, in essence, “Look, go ahead and believe in Genesis, the flood, etc. It’s just that the scientific method today shows us clearly that the earth is much older than the biblical chronologies allow.” This was the beginning of widespread disbelief in the Bible, in the Western world. Compromise with Genesis led to compromise elsewhere. Those long ages? Lyell, Huxley, and Darwin knew perfectly well they had cooked and manipulated the data, for philosophical reasons. They then sold it to the masses as fact. The point I’m trying to make is that all anti-Bible philosophers simply decide not to believe some or all of it, and because they sound like authorities, many believe them. Those who created “Zionism Unsettled” and their friends do not reject Christian Zionism because it is “bad theology.” They reject it because they want to. Millions are being deceived by the deep and dark associations that have now infiltrated evangelicalism. (You can read my latest blog at the Jerusalem Post here, for added detail: http://blogs.jpost.com/content/evangelicalism%E2%80%99s-useful-idiots) The hatred of Israel, Jews, and their friends the Christian Zionists is accelerating. It is in large part because advocates of the Palestinian Narrative are demonizing folks like us 24/7. We have different ideological views because we make choices. We decide what to believe. It really is as simple as that. Palestinian propagandists would have you believe they arrived at their worldview because they are just seekers of truth. Those who support divestment, demonization of Israel, and mainstreaming Palestinian propaganda should at least be honest enough to tell their constituencies that they arrived at their worldview because it a philosophical choice. Don’t expect them to do that, however. Such an admission would neutralize their propaganda.

verse of the day

The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalm 121:7-8 KJV

I did plagerism and posted this on facebook adult children

Parents of Estranged Adult Children Patricia Jones, M.A. Home Pastor Background Payment Make Phone Counseling Appt. Phone Counseling Benefits E-mail Counseling Submit E-mail Question FAQ's Contact Us Browse Counseling Categories Abortion Abused Women Abused Men Abused Minister's Wives Abusive Relationships Abusive Personalities Adult Children Of Abusive Parents, Siblings & Other Family Members Adultery Why do you put up with Abuse? 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Are You The Family Scapegoat? Adult Children Of Abusive Parents, Siblings & Other Family Members Biblical vs.Secular Counseling Do You Live With A Psychopath? To Whom Much is Given Much is Required Do You Compromise Christ? Good Versus Evil In God We Trust I'm 63 & I'm Tired Narcissistic Mothers Narcissist- Scapegoat- Golden Child Dynamics How To Recognize the Abusive Personality What Is Happening to America? When You Need A Friend Why Does God Allow Good People To Suffer? Visit Patricia's Corner Why Adultery Is Wrong Mary Did You Know? Inspirational Videos Finding Joy God's Beautiful Colors Here's To The Heroes Interview With God One Pair Of Hands I Believe It Is Well With My Soul One of the most painful things that a family can go through other than losing a child to death, is for that child to become an adult and then disown and estrange themselves from their parents. They may do this to one parent or both parents. Regardless of whether it is both parents or just one, the results for the estranged parent (parents) is a devastation that is so severe, it affects almost every facet of their lives. There appears to be an "hidden epidemic" of this phenomena going on today in America and I daresay it is world wide. While it does affect the parent who is estranged no matter what their sex, there is evidence that it is happening to mothers more than fathers. Perhaps this is due to the fact that mothers are the "nurturers" and are usually the primary caretakers of their children during their growing up years. And in the case of domestic violence, they may also be the "victims" of their abusive husbands at the same time they are trying to raise their children. So for a mother to be nurturing and protecting of her children while she is living in fear and in an explosive environment, is a tall order for any woman to meet. But most of them try anyway. There are as many reasons why estranged adult children cut off their parents as there are grains of sand in the ocean. The list is endless, some of it is justified and most of it is not. Here are some of the most common reasons that adult children state to justify their actions. 1). The parents divorced and they side with one parent over the other, or they are upset with both parents. 2.) They do not approve of their parents new spouse and are jealous of that spouse and feel abandoned by the parent. 3.) They are used to the parent paying for everything that they want, and when the parent decided that they are grown up now and should pay their own way, they get furious and disown the parent. 4.) One parent is actively, willfully, and manipulatively brain washing the adult children against the other parent by telling them lies about that parent, or making them think that whatever they did wrong in the marriage when the kids were growing up was the result of the actions of the other parent. This is called Parent Alienation Syndrome. (By doing so, they exonerate themselves from all the negativity that the children may have built up against them, and even make the adult children feel sorry for them and see them as the "victim" of the estranged parent.) 5.) They have moved away and met new friends who are very disrespectful to their parents as well, and who convince them that "family is not important" and that their "new family is their friends." 6.) They have met someone who they marry or live with , who does not like their parents and who influences them to cut off their parents from their lives. These types of spouses are usually very controlling, insecure, and jealous of anyone that takes their partners attention off of them. They issue ultimatums that are "either them or me" types of threats. 7.) Sometimes they are ashamed of the parent/parents because they have married into a more lucrative family and lifestyle than they grew up in. And materialistic concerns and status are more important to them then being supportive of their parents no matter what their economic status. Figuratively speaking, their values have changed for the worse. 8.) Some parents have done such a good job of raising their children that they did too much and these adult children have now become narcissists who care only about themselves and who have become cruel and heartless towards the very people that got them where they are today. They have turned into "people we don't know" or "people we love, but don't like anymore." In fact, many estranged parents feel like their adult children are complete strangers when they used to be very close to them and their "best friend." Justified reasons why adult children cut off their parents. 9.) Interfering relatives, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, grandmothers, grandfathers, mothers, fathers, cousins, etc. who actively slander the estranged parent to their adult children because they have issues with them themselves and see this as a form of revenge, and who actively try to be the surrogate best friend, mother, father, etc. of the adult children. Which means the dysfunction in this family was well in place before the adult children were even born. 10.) The adult children have become involved with a religious cult, or friends who tell them they do not need their families and that the cult/friend is their family. Or the reverse. They have become involved with atheists who actively recruit them to give up their faith in God and thus their ties with their believing, more conservative parents. Also, they have become so involved with a super conservative church that they think their parents are not Christians and are going to hell. 11.) They have taken something that you said or did, and misinterpreted what you meant or did, and will not listen to any explanation that you have which would clear up their misinterpretation. They will not talk to you, forgive you, or allow for any latitude to mend things. You find yourself between a rock and a hard place. There are endless reasons, or a combination of reasons for the estrangement, but the bottom line is the estranged parent is shocked, numb, sad, angry, disappointed, dismayed, cannot believe that this has happened to them, depressed to the point of not being able to function, and even suicidal. It feels like your child has died. But you know they are alive and just not available to you anymore. Many times your estranged child will prevent you from seeing of having any contact with your grandchild, so not only are you an estranged parent, you have also become an "estranged grandparent." There are legitimate reasons why adult children disown their parents. But they are very obvious to everyone. The parent was abusive to them mentally, emotionally, verbally or physically when they were growing up and the abuse continues to this day. Or they are a practicing alcoholic, or drug addict, are narcissistic themselves or are controlling and intrusive, and won't allow their adult children breathing room or independence or privacy. They could be the meddling "mother-in-law" or the sexually abusive father, etc. They are "toxic parents" who drain their adult children emotionally, using guilt to manipulate them, and who have no lives of their own so they are way too dependent on their adult children for their happiness. How do adult children estrange their parents from their lives? Estrangement can be a gradual "falling away" that takes place over weeks, months, and sometimes years, or it can be "sudden" and takes you by surprise. It may be "on again off again" and you feel like you are walking on egg shells, not knowing when the next hurtful comment is made, the next abusive email or phone call comes, or the next "slam the door in your face" happens. They stop emailing you, or answering your emails, they don't call you or accept your phone calls, they block you on Facebook, or block or change their phone numbers, they threaten you with a restraining order if you come near them or their house, they refuse to let you see the grandchildren, they don't invite you to their wedding, their baby shower, their college graduation; pretty much every single "once in a life time event" in their lives you are excluded from. You are not welcome at births, weddings, funerals, grandkids birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc. You are not called on your birthday, or Mother's Day, or on holidays. You have to rely on other people to tell you what your child is doing or even what they look like anymore. Is it any wonder that estranged parents are depressed, confused, and feel hopeless and lost? Other Questions you may have: 1.) Should I keep trying to contact my adult child or should I wait it out? 2.) What does God think about this ? 3.) How do I handle feeling guilty? Even when I have done nothing wrong? 4.) What resources are out there to help me get through the day? 5.) Should I just show up on their door step or place of work and confront them? For Help & Advice Search Site Search Instructions for Email Counseling and Telephone Counseling & Services and Fees. StatCounter - Free Web Tracker and Counter Protected by Copyscape Online Plagiarism Check Copyright © 2006 - 2014 Dove Christian Counseling Center. All Rights Reserved Accept Credit CardsTell a friend about this pageAdd this page to your favorites. Estrangement from your adult children is one of the most painful experiences that a parent can go through and it helps to have someone to talk to about it. If you are at a stage of despair right now and cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel, please do not hesitate to contact me by following the instructions below. Patricia Jones, M.A.

Saturday, June 21, 2014

GOD ALWAYS WARNS OF DESTRUCTION

Ezekiel 33:5 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. Psalms 35:8 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. Colossians 1:28 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Ezekiel 33:4 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. Ezekiel 3:17 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. Jeremiah 4:20 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. Jeremiah 6:10 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. Ezekiel 3:20 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Ezekiel 3:18 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Romans 3:16 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Destruction and misery are in their ways: Job 30:24 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction. Proverbs 21:15 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. Lamentations 3:47 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction. Ezekiel 7:25 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none. Job 18:12 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be ready at his side. Job 21:20 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Job 21:30 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. Job 26:6 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. Job 31:23 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure. Psalms 88:11 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Proverbs 10:14 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. Proverbs 15:11 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? Proverbs 18:12 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. Proverbs 27:20 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. Proverbs 31:8 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Isaiah 10:25 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction. Isaiah 13:6 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Jeremiah 50:22 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction. Joel 1:15 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Job 28:22 | Read whole chapter | See verse in context Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.

Bombs

New post on Now The End Begins Israeli Bombers Light Up Gaza Strip In Retaliation For Thursdays Rocket Attack by NTEB News Desk Israel seeking to eliminate terror group Hamas Loud explosions echoed across Gaza early Sunday morning, as Israeli planes bombed sites in the Palestinian enclave, hours after at least two rockets were shot at Israel. israeli-planes-hit-gaza-in-response-to-rocket-strikes-iron-dome-intercepts-june-21-2014 “We have repeatedly addressed the consequences facing those who seek to endanger the lives of innocent civilians,” IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said in a statement regarding Thursday’s strikes. “We shall persist with our determination to combat terror elements and eliminate the pending threat to Israeli lives.” Bombings were reported in areas around Khan Yunis and Rafah, in the southern end of the strip, starting at about 3:30 a.m, according to Palestinian sources. There was no immediate word on casualties or damage. The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it had targeted three “terror sites” in the southern strip and one in the center. It said direct strikes had been confirmed. Palestinians reported that sites belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad had been targeted. The air strikes came a day after Gazan terrorists fired several rockets at Israel, all which landed in open areas or failed to clear that Palestinian enclave. The last 10 days have seen an uptick in tit-for-tat Gazan rocket fire and Israeli strikes as tensions have ramped up in the wake of the kidnapping of three Israeli teens in the West Bank, followed by a massive Israeli operation to recover them and destroy the Islamist Hamas movement. source - Times Of Israel

Red Heifer

Life Religion & Spirituality General Religion Significance of the Perfect Red Heifer See alsoGeneral Religion Tribulation Bible Prophecy Temple Paula Garrett Toledo Biblical Prophecy Examiner Subscribe Advertisement FacebookTwitterPinterest LinkedinGoogle Plus June 21, 2014 The Jews have been preparing for the past 27 years for the rebuilding of the third temple. But even though all preparations are going ahead as scheduled, the actual process of building could not begin without a sign from God. This sign as stated in the Bible, is in the form of a perfect red heifer, which is needed for the cleansing and dedication ceremony of the new temple. Perfect red heifers are rare and for one to be born, is said to be a divine sign from God that the Messiah will soon come! Perfect red heifers are so rare that only 9 were used for sacrifices throughout all of history. In January of 2014, a red heifer was born on a farm in the US and is said to be without spot or blemish. But what is even more amazing is that these people who have the heifer are raising it according to Jewish law in the hopes that it can be used in the dedication ceremony to the new temple. It is currently 5 months old and when it reaches 6 months, they plan to send the cow to Israel as a gift for this very purpose. Having the perfect specimen is a sign that the temple must be built now. But to start the sacrificial practice again, means that the age of grace has to be over. This is because when Jesus died on the cross over 2,000 years ago, animal sacrifices had ceased. People were no longer held by the old law as Jesus was the perfect sacrifice for our sins. When he died animal sacrifices had ceased and the Holy Spirit came down onto man. This is the age of grace, but with this perfect heifer being found, the sign is now here that the age of grace is just about over. During the period of grace, this is from the time Jesus died on the cross and the temple was destroyed until now, there was no temple, because a temple was not needed. During the age of grace, all the followers of Christ became the temple of the Lord. God in the form of the Holy Spirit resided within them and they were the temple. But when the age of grace is over, the Holy Spirit leaves the earth along with all those who were the temple of God. This is when the rapture of the church occurs. So the temple or temples will be removed from the earth during this event. This will make way for the building of the physical temple, which will then be needed as a replacement, located in Jerusalem for the coming of Jesus as King of Kings to reign for 1,000 years here on the earth. When the rapture occurs and the age of grace is over, Israel will once again be under the old law. As once again there will be a physical temple with sacrifices. The red heifer is the go ahead from God to build the temple and it is a sign that the rapture will occur any moment. Time is short to accomplish this mission so things must progress quickly. The heifer to be used for sacrifice is now 5 months old and will be considered a full grown adult when it reaches about 3 and ½ years old. Since the Bible says it must be a heifer, which is female calf, then there is only around 3 years left to sign and agreement and to get the temple completely built before this heifer becomes an adult cow. And before a temple can be built, there would have to be a peace agreement in the middle east which would allow the Jews to build the temple on the so called “Temple Mount”. Expect this to happen quickly as God's plans are falling into place. Netanyahu had said some time ago that it would only take a year to build the temple as all the pieces have been made, the plans have been put into place as well as the groundwork. He said that it would only be a matter of putting the pieces together, like the pieces in a puzzle. So if this is the red heifer the Jews have long been waiting for as a sign to herald in the Messiah, then things must move rapidly. The peace agreement and rapture must be at the door. God is already preparing the replacement for the current temple, which are the Christians who are about to leave very soon! But the Bible says when they say peace and safety, sudden destruction comes upon the whole earth. This is judgment for those who are left behind, a trial unlike anything ever seen before on the face of the earth. Jesus promised to save anyone from the hour trial who have asked forgiveness of their sins and turned away from them. Ask Jesus into your heart and He will save you from that which is about to come. Give your life to Jesus today!

Friday, June 20, 2014

Jews returning in record numbers

Prophecy Being Fulfilled As Jews Return To Israel In Record Numbers by NTEB News Desk The promised regathering is happening "Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a great company shall return thither." Jeremiah 31:8 The AP reports this week that Jews in France are fleeing by the thousands to return to their ancestral home of Israel, and Jerusalem it's capital. More than 5,000 are on track to leave this year, the most since after the Six-Day War in 1967. Well more than half of the world's Jewish population now live in Israel, according to the Jewish Agency. jews-makiing-aliyah-returning-to-israel-jerusalem-in-record-numbers-prophecy The bible promises that in the last days, God will regather His people from the four corners of the world where He had previously scattered them. In March of 2013, the Daily Mail reported that for the first time in Israel's modern existence, there were more Jews in Israel than anywhere else, including the United States. Census statistics revealed that Israel's total population has reached eight million, with the surge in the Jewish community thought to have been fueled by returning members of the diaspora. "Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come. Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel." Ezekiel 11:16,17 In 2010, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the prophecies of Ezekiel 37 have been fulfilled with the regathering of Israel. Netanyahu said that "Jews sprouted new branches and grew deep roots. Dry bones became covered with flesh, a spirit filled them, and they lived and stood on their own feet, as Ezekiel prophesied". We live in momentous and tumultuous times, times of great change and upheaval. But it is also a time where the ancient prophecies are coming true, and the promise of the Holy God of Israel to regather His people in the last days is being abundantly kept. Those who bless you I will bless... Am Yisrael Chai.

Acts 18:9-10

9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

Grocery Store

"HEAVEN'S GROCERY STORE" I was walking down life's highway a long time ago. One day I saw a sign that read, "HEAVEN'S GROCERY STORE" As I got a little closer the door came open wide And when I came to myself I was standing inside. I saw a host of ANGELS. They were standing everywhere. One handed me a basket and said, "My Child shop with care". Everything a Christian needed was in that grocery store. And all you couldn't carry, you could come back the next day for more. First, I got some PATIENCE: LOVE was in the same row. Further down was UNDERSTANDING: You need that everywhere you go. I got a box or two of WISDOM, a bag or two of FAITH. I just couldn't miss the HOLY GHOST, For it was all over the place. I stopped to get some STRENGTH and COURAGE To help me run this race. By then my basket was getting full, But I remembered I needed some GRACE. I didn't forget SALVATION, For SALVATION was free, So I tried to get enough of that To save both You and Me. Then I started up to the counter To pay my grocery bill, For I thought I had everything To do the MASTER'S Will. As I went up the aisle, I saw PRAYER: And I just had to put that in, For I knew when I stepped outside, I would run into Sin. PEACE AND JOY were plenty They were last on the shelf. SONG and PRAISE were hanging near, So I just helped myself. Then I said to the angel, "Now, how much do I owe?" He smiled and said, "Just take them everywhere you go.” Again, I smiled and said, "How much do I really owe?" He smiled again and said, "MY CHILD, JESUS PAID YOUR BILL A LONG, LONG TIME AGO." Author: Author Unknown

Thursday, June 19, 2014

verse for married people

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, Ephesians 5:25-26 KJV

Monday, June 16, 2014

WHAT IS GOD DOING?

What in the World Is God Doing? By Gene Lawley Here in America we have a culture that has not been slam-dunked very much in past decades. Not since the Civil War have we fought wars on our own land, and of course, that one was against each other. We seem to have developed a mindset that nothing should go wrong, and America will survive forever and ever. But something seems to be going wrong, nevertheless. Are we collectively thinking, “What is God doing?” (That is, by those who are thinking with any awareness at all.) The sovereignty of God over the entire world is declared by the psalmist in Psalm 62:11, “God has spoken once, twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.” And further, in Psalm 75:6-8, he tells us that it is God who puts leaders in place to bring judgment upon sinfulness, for He has a purpose to forward His plans and appointed times. As Daniel sought the Lord for answers about Nebuchadnezzar's dream, he recorded this: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him” (Daniel 2:20-22). God knows the end from the beginning, this is well-established in the Bible and for those who have been paying attention; the facts on the ground—the compelling evidences—are exploding before our eyes. For example, after the weekend of June 7-8, 2014, when Pope Francis had met with the Palestine leader, Abbas and the president of Israel, Peres at the Vatican to pray for peace, and with Utah Senator Mike Lee representing the Mormons, and Joel Osteen, apparently representing Protestants, this headline appeared: “Pope Francis on Frantic Quest to Unite All Religions Under Rome.” [1] Beginning Where It All Started According to Titus 1:2 God had a plan of redemption for mankind in place before time began. So He knew before creation that His highest creation, man, would fall away and need to be rescued from his rebellion against his Creator. It is too much for this finite mind to grasp how One who is eternal and always is, never was, can map out a plan for mankind in blocks of time and arrive at a predicted ending result. But God did it! He knows the end from the beginning, and vice versa. When man rebelled, he took the bait from the devil, hook, line and sinker, as the saying goes. The first two offspring of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, revealed in their lives a division that permeates mankind to this very day—a lineage of faith and one of works of the flesh. Cain murdered Abel! Later on one of God’s spokesmen would write down the core method of His overall plan: “The just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). But the principle of faith ruled in the relationship from the very beginning. In succeeding segments of time various effects of man’s rebellion were dealt with, including the judgments of Noah’s flood and later, the Tower of Babel and the confusion of tongues that scattered mankind into all the world. Hidden in the details of those and other interchanges between man and God were foreshadows of things to come. In all of these periods of time God miraculously held together and maintained that thread line of faith from Adam to his son, Seth, who replaced Abel, and following to succeeding generations. At this point, Stephen’s message to the religious leaders after the resurrection of Jesus gives us a concise summary from the calling forth of Abraham up to that time in Jewish history. Look it up in Acts 6:8 to 7:60. Here you will see the struggles of the Hebrew nation, the promise of a coming prophet like Moses and their rejection of Him when He did not come as a conquering sovereign who would free them from bondage to Rome. Or, was it because He exposed their self-righteous sinfulness? When Moses was given the law on Mount Sinai and later, as recorded in Leviticus 23, God gave him instructions for seven annual festivals that were to be celebrated on specific days every year. It was a package deal and marked the Hebrew calendar for all years following that time. The feasts started with the Passover celebration, which was strong in their memory, having been the final straw that broke the hold over the Hebrews by the Egyptian Pharaoh. But this festival also pointed to a future Passover that would fulfill the foreshadowing promise in the feast. That first feast was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross, and two immediately afterward were the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of First Fruits. As Jesus was in the grave for three days and nights, then rose again, bodily, He also fulfilled those two portraying festivals. Fifty days later the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated and the promise of the Holy Spirit to indwell believers was fulfilled. These four of the seven feasts had been fulfilled, and Stephen was among that first wave of believers who then “turned the world upside down!” The disciples had gathered around Jesus just before He ascended to heaven and asked Him if He was going to restore the kingdom to Israel at that time. Jesus indicated that that was for another time and season and directed them to another purpose, that of being witnesses to Him throughout the whole world. Thus began the project that James describes in Acts 15:14 as a time when God would “take out of the Gentiles a people for His name.” Paul later declares, in Romans 11:25, that this period of time would continue until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,” and Israel would be blinded in part to the promises of the gospel until that “fullness” was accomplished. These subsequent centuries, then, have seen the carrying out of that commission of Acts 1:8. Luke records in his gospel account these words of Jesus: “And they [of Israel] will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). He sums up the scattering of all Jews from their land after the destruction of Jerusalem and their temple in 70 A.D. and their final uprising and defeat in 136 A.D. In the words of the prophets God had told them this would happen and that in the latter days He would restore them to their land (Ezekiel 36). Jesus told the disciples a parable of the fig tree: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place” (Luke 21:29-32). It is broadly recognized that Jesus is referring to Israel as the fig tree, and its budding with new life as pointing to Israel’s restoration as a nation among the nations. Israel was recognized as a sovereign nation by the United Nations on May 14, 1948. In the passage above we can see that this “budding of the fig tree” means that God’s time for the completion of the “times of the Gentiles” is nearing its end. Jesus says that the generation alive at the time of the budding will see all things that are to come to pass until Jesus returns again. The budding of “other trees” in that parable could be referring to the growing formation of the one world government. If you could squeeze the centuries since the crucifixion into the layout of one Jewish calendar year with its marked feast days, you would see the first sixty days, generally, covering the times of the first four feasts, then a lengthy period of time that matches that period of time that some call the age of grace, the time when God is taking out of the Gentiles a people for His name. Then you would see that the summer months having neared their end and the final harvest days are approaching. You would also see the final three feasts marked on the calendar and note that their fulfillments have not happened yet, but this generation has not ended. Jesus said “when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:31). God’s Parallel Purposes In the total plan of God there seems to be two parallel purposes, perhaps even three. One, the redemption of fallen man through the sacrifice of a perfect man, Jesus Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh, that by His shed blood sin might be forgiven. (“…Without shedding of blood there is no remission [of sins]” (Hebrews 9:22). The second, actually not unlike the first, in that it was proof that man could not save himself, is the proof to mankind that he is not able to govern himself, even in the best of circumstances. At the proper time, God pulled Abraham out of Ur and his family to make of him a new nation, wherein God would be their King. Eventually, the Israelites wanted a king like the evil nations around them. So God had Samuel anoint a man named Saul from the tribe of Benjamin who was a stalwart specimen of humanity and looked kingly to the people. But he did not have a heart for God and failed miserably. However, note this—he was not of the tribe of Judah, from which Jacob had said that the scepter would never depart (Genesis 49:10). And in that foreknowledge, Jacob was looking far ahead to the coming of the Messiah from the tribe of Judah. So the king thing did not work out; the Israelites continued to rebel against the Lord, even to their kings being evil and disobedient. It led to God’s punishment by scattering them to the far corners of the earth while He reached out to the Gentiles with the gospel to bring forth from them a people for His name. However, the Hebrew nation served the purpose of being a vehicle and an environment for the entrance of God into man’s history and to nurture Him to and for His ultimate purpose of the Cross at Calvary. As the plan developed over the centuries, known as the church, the Body of Christ, the true believers, governments and kingdoms were born and expired while organized religion flourished. Finally, an earnest desire for freedom from state controlled religion led men to the New World and an opportunity for freedom of worship of God as their hearts desired. The United States of America was formed with a Declaration of Independence, a Constitution, and a Bill of Rights that was to ensure a citizen’s freedom under the laws of the land. But alas, it was not to be so. It has turned out with the Gentiles, just as it has been seen with the Hebrews, and just as God has allowed man to prove once again: Sinful man cannot govern himself, even with a government structured with God-given principles of moral integrity, truth and justice. Thus we see this great nation drained of its moral integrity and struggling with internal conflicting ideologies of individual freedom versus a social welfare society dependent on government bureaucracy. The internal secret complicity for the destruction of America’s sovereignty for the ultimate One World Government seemingly is threaded into the very fabric of every agency of the government and apparently, it only awaits God’s appointed time for its conclusion. A possible third purpose in God’s plan has to do with the universal spiritual warfare between good and evil, between God and Satan. In Ephesians 6:12 it speaks of spiritual wickedness in high places. This could well be speaking of that wickedness finding its expression in high places in government as well as in the heavens. It seems that the judgments and evilness of man described in the gospel accounts of the end-times and in Revelation are effected on earth, and that “great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads,” as Satan is identified in Revelation 12:3, is said to be the power, throne and authority of all the kingdoms of the world and that coming beast of world domination, the one world government (Revelation 13:2). The end result of that scenario is reported in Revelation 19 and 20 and shows God as the winner. The three facets of God’s plan are on schedule. The times and seasons are here. [Jesus said,] “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke21:28). In another place He alerts us to: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matthew 24:42). It is well past time to take those words seriously! Endnotes [1] http://www.nowtheendbegins.com/blog/?p=22485 Contact email: andwegetmercy@gmail.com

Sunday, June 15, 2014

enroll in kdp

Make More Money Reach More Readers KDP Select Global Fund June 2014 $1.2 Million Why Enroll in KDP Select? Earn higher royalties Earn your share of the KDP Select Global Fund amount when readers borrow your books from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. Plus, earn 70% royalty for sales to customers in Japan, India, Brazil and Mexico. Maximize your book’s sales potential Choose between two great promotional tools: Kindle Countdown Deals, time-bound promotional discounting for your book while earning royalties; or Free Book Promotion where readers worldwide can get your book free for a limited time. Reach a new audience Help readers discover your books by making them available through the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library and reach the growing number of Amazon Prime customers in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France, and Japan. Enroll now Frequently asked questions What is the Kindle Owners' Lending Library? The Kindle Owners' Lending Library is a collection of books that Amazon Prime members who own a Kindle can borrow once a month with no due dates. Your books will still be available for anyone to buy in the Kindle Store, and you'll continue to earn royalties from those sales like you do today. For more information, click here. What does it mean to publish exclusively on Kindle? When you choose to enroll your book in KDP Select, you're committing to make the digital format of that book available exclusively through KDP. During the period of exclusivity, you cannot distribute your book digitally anywhere else, including on your website, blogs, etc. However, you can continue to distribute your book in physical format, or in any format other than digital. See the KDP Select Terms and Conditions for more information. Where can I see the terms and conditions of KDP Select? Click here to see KDP Select Terms and Conditions.

Saturday, June 14, 2014

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

The Promises of God By Vernon Gray “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” ( 2 Corinthians 9:8). EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED OR COULD NEED IS IN CHRIST JESUS. JESUS IS SUFFICIENT! “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:33, 34). “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” ( Ephesians 1:3). We have all things NOW. However everything we need is there on God’s timetable, not on ours. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). If we are to “know” that all things are working together for our benefit, there is another principle that we need to assimilate into our thinking. The born-again person is primarily a spiritual being. We are creatures that the Holy Spirit has sealed as “heavenly.” We belong in heaven, and our home is not here on this earth; our home is the Father’s House. Essentially we are ambassadors, sojourners and pilgrims in transit to our true home, which is in heaven. Therefore… A. WE HAVE A HEAVENLY CALLING. “Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus” (Hebrews 3:1). B. WE ARE AMBASSADORS. “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us…” (2 Corinthians 5:20). C. WE ARE SOJOURNERS AND PILGRIMS. “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and fellow pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). D. WE ARE CITIZENS OF HEAVEN. “Now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19). Although we are here on this earthly plane, we are nonetheless heaven-bound. We are spiritual beings, housed in a physical body; we live our earthly lives on a planet that is claimed (by default) by the sworn enemy of God. In comparison to heavenly blessings, there are relatively few earthly blessings or promises for the “born-again” in the Bible. This may seem odd, because we are to live here until either we are called home, or until we are raptured . There are, however, blessings of a spiritual nature that are all encompassing, and far superior to the temporal blessings of the kingdom message. Read carefully what Paul says… “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3). You will notice that these blessings are not “through” Christ, but “in” Christ. To have greater blessings than these is difficult to imagine. BUT NOW! How do these spiritual blessings in heavenly places apply to us in the here and now? The answer is actually quite simple, we are spiritual beings, and everything we do is a reflection of who we are in Christ. Everything we do should be done “as unto the Lord,” (Colossians 3: 23) and we cannot be separated from who we are in Christ. We are “full time” in Christ and therefore we are all in “full time” ministry no matter what your station in life is. When we are at work, we are spiritual beings at work in the flesh. (Christ in us, as us.) When we are parenting, we are still spiritual beings performing a human task. (Christ in us, as us.) When we are sick or needy, we remain spiritual beings living in a fleshly body that is in need of healing or restoration. (Christ in us, as us.) When we are performing the function of a husband or a wife, we are expressing spiritual truths through our very lives. We remain still, spiritual beings. (Christ in us, as us.) In everything that we do here on this earth, we are expressing heavenly truths through the Christ in us. To be blessed with ALL spiritual blessings in heavenly places, is by far superior to being blessed with temporal or earthly blessings such as those found in the kingdom message. “Spiritual blessings in heavenly places” include every aspect of our lives here on this earth. If you are sick, or in trouble of any kind, if you are in need of money or work, ALL these temporal things are included in the blessings that are yours in Christ. Your temporal life here on earth is an extension of who you are in Christ. God makes no difference between your earthly life and your spiritual life: God sees you as He created you to be, you as a unique person with Christ as your life. We can learn a great lesson from what Jesus taught the disciples in Matthew 6:25 -34. “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet you heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you from worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” The temporal things of this life are given to us in order to teach us Christ; to bring us to the knowledge of Christ in us, and to be used as a learning tool. The enemy has great pleasure in turning that which is for our tuition into that which is to be fretted and worried about. Every trial has its negative and positive side; depending on how we view it. Worry diverts our attention to the negative of any circumstance or situation. “Be anxious for nothing…” (Philippians 4:6). “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5). “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Our heavenly calling as believers is emphasized throughout the New Testament… “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). “…and raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 2:6). Paul was in prison chained to a Roman guard, (Acts 28: 20 and 2 Timothy 1:16) yet he did not rebuke the devil or perform some “spiritual warfare.” Paul did not resign in defeat because he lacked the faith to get out of his situation. On the contrary, Paul’s chains became a symbol of victory because he saw through the circumstance to what God was accomplishing in his life. Paul was not ashamed of his chains, nor was he deterred in doing what God had instructed him to do; his chains only re-enforced his resolve, and magnified God’s purpose for his life. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). God is the master of hijacking the worst of our trials, and the darkest of our fears for His glory and for our ultimate good. You have no need for earthly blessings or promises, because every aspect of your life in the flesh is included in whom you are in Christ. The only blessings you now need as the born-again, are those blessings already given to you by the Father; namely, “every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ.” TO TRY AND LIVE BY OR CLAIM ANYTHING LESS IS FOOLISHNESS. Consider this verse from 2 Corinthians 4:11 “For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” And Colossians 1:24 “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body which is the church.” Vernon Gray. grayworxx@gmail.com

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Bookshelf | Reports | Community | KDP Select Introducing Kindle Countdown Deals A new KDP Select book promotion tool to help maximize your sales. › Learn More Make More Money Reach More Readers ► Learn More KDP Select Global Fund June 2014 $1.2 Million Add new title Search Title Contributors US List Price Date Submitted Status Show: All KDP Select Learn more Kindle MatchBook Learn more Other Book Actions Unshakable Faith (ASIN: B005MCEK84) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Sep 10, 2011 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll › Edit Book Details › Edit Rights, Royalty and Pricing › Unpublish How Big Is Your Forgiveness? (ASIN: B005VMDD88) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Oct 14, 2011 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll › Edit Book Details › Edit Rights, Royalty and Pricing › Unpublish Sometimes God Speaks In a Whis... (ASIN: B005G8L6O0) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Aug 7, 2011 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll › Edit Book Details › Edit Rights, Royalty and Pricing › Unpublish GOD'S LAST NAME IS NOT DAMN (ASIN: B007KWSCKG) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Mar 16, 2012 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll

Bookshelf | Reports | Community | KDP Select Introducing Kindle Countdown Deals A new KDP Select book promotion tool to help maximize your sales. › Learn More Make More Money Reach More Readers ► Learn More KDP Select Global Fund June 2014 $1.2 Million Add new title Search Title Contributors US List Price Date Submitted Status Show: All KDP Select Learn more Kindle MatchBook Learn more Other Book Actions Unshakable Faith (ASIN: B005MCEK84) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Sep 10, 2011 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll › Edit Book Details › Edit Rights, Royalty and Pricing › Unpublish How Big Is Your Forgiveness? (ASIN: B005VMDD88) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Oct 14, 2011 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll › Edit Book Details › Edit Rights, Royalty and Pricing › Unpublish Sometimes God Speaks In a Whis... (ASIN: B005G8L6O0) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Aug 7, 2011 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll › Edit Book Details › Edit Rights, Royalty and Pricing › Unpublish GOD'S LAST NAME IS NOT DAMN (ASIN: B007KWSCKG) Donna Schmier (Author) $0.99 Mar 16, 2012 Live Store links › Enroll › Enroll

Verse of the Day

Verse of the Day Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on email Listen to this chapter Subscribe to the Verse of the Day The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. Psalm 19:1-2 KJV

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

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BE SOBER AND VIGILANT by RON AND NATHANIEL GRAHAM

Be Sober, Be Vigilant By Ron and Nathele Graham Ron Graham was called home on March 14, 2013. He began writing this commentary before his death and had asked me, Nathele Graham, to continue his service to our Lord by finishing what he began. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking who he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:8-9). By the time Peter had written this epistle he had matured a lot. In the Gospels we see him as the one who was enthusiastically rash. On one hand he would valiantly declare that he would defend Jesus to the death, but a few hours later he was the one who denied that he knew Christ. It was Peter who tried to stop Jesus from going to Jerusalem because there He would be crucified. “But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men” (Mark 8:33). Oh, it was Peter speaking, but Jesus knew who inspired his words. Peter thought he was doing the right thing in trying to stop Jesus from being harmed by the leadership of the Jews, but he hadn’t been vigilant in studying the Old Testament prophets, nor had he been vigilant in listening to all that Jesus taught. By the time Peter wrote this letter he had learned well what happens when vigilance is not a priority. This is an important concept for Christians today to come to grips with. “Be sober”…don’t take salvation through Jesus lightly. A great price was paid for our salvation, and that should be a sobering thought to every Christian. “Be vigilant”…don’t let your guard down. Satan will always try to devour those who are not vigilant to study and apply God’s word to our life. It is not always easy for the born-again believer to walk the path God has set before us and without due vigilance it can be easy to wander, especially during these end times in which we live. Sometimes we fail and head off in the wrong direction, but that usually happens when we are not sober or vigilant in our walk with Jesus. When failure happens Christians have a personal Savior who is always with us no matter where we wander. This should be very convicting, and it is if we are truly born again. When we wander into the presence of evil we must understand that our Savior is standing right beside us, beckoning us back. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:5-6). The word “conversation” is the King James word meaning the manner of life, character, and deportment. As Christians we must always be on our guard to live our faith so that we will not stumble in our walk. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, lives right inside of us and He will guide us away from temptations if we let Him. Sin in our society is so prevalent that many people, both Christians and non-Christians, no longer look at evil as they should. Sin is glorified as we listen to Satan’s lies rather than Jesus’ truth. Many people today feel nothing is sinful as long as it feels good and seems right in their own eyes. They now give credence to evil and immoral lifestyles by accepting them as legitimate. Christians need to be sober and vigilant and not compromise God’s Word at all. Jesus never said it would be easy, but He will always be with us as our example and our strength to resist joining ourselves to worldly sin. He will never leave us nor forsake us, but we need to be sober and vigilant to follow Him in our Christian life. That “Christian life” isn’t something we do on Sunday morning. No, it is a 24/7 way of life, or as King James says “conversation.” Staying on the strait and narrow path takes discipline and courage, courage even when faced with a loved one who might disagree with our position on the Bible; discipline to stay the course instead of faltering because of the influence of that loved one. Anytime we place anyone or anything before God we are in error. As believers we know that no one or no material thing should come before Jesus Christ in our life. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). These are strong words from our Lord. Jesus must come first even if our family or friends turn on us for our faith. When Peter and the others chose to follow Jesus their life was in danger. We can read about how Saul, later known as Paul, pursued Christians with vengeance. He did so with the blessing of the Jewish leaders. Things aren’t much different today, especially in Muslim countries and China. The same devil who sought to devour the early Christians stalks his prey today. Christians make a choice each day to take up our cross, crucify our own free will, and follow Christ. Many Christians, though, aren’t able to cope because they allow too many distractions to permeate their lives. When we stop being sober and vigilant and give in to sin, that’s when we feel guilt and often we remove ourselves from fellowship with God. Remember, Christ is always with us and once we accept His sacrifice the Holy Spirit is sealed within us. When we choose to wander into sin we take God with us. That should be a sobering thought for any Christian. It’s easy to get distracted. If you let your Bible lay around to collect dust and abstain from fellowshipping with likeminded believers you’ll come to realize just how simple it is to follow the wide road that leads to destruction. Christians should not go even one day without reading scripture verses or speaking with our Lord; this is how we stay sober and vigilant. Bask in God’s word and submit to His will. Remember, too, that when we sin we have the promise of forgiveness “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). It’s better to be sober and vigilant and not sin, but through Jesus we have forgiveness. The things that become a hindrance in our walk with Jesus are things we need to get control over. Take a minute and think of everything that you put ahead of Jesus. Jobs are necessary, but they can become first in our lives and be placed ahead of Christ. How about when you get home from your job and just want to relax in front of the TV? Television is a big distraction and filled with glorified sin, so why watch it? Wouldn’t it be better to read your Bible? Or at least put a recorded Bible tape on and listen to that. When you listen to music do you choose Christian music or do you fill your mind with secular filth? Anything we place ahead of Christ will become a stumbling block in our path. These distractions can be strongholds used by the enemy to get in the way of your Christian walk. Like a roaring lion, the devil is looking to devour you. The next time you feel yourself being led down the wrong path go to your Bible and read through Proverbs. In one way or another, Solomon hits on just about every distraction known to man. It’s also a good idea to get an accountability partner. Brothers or sisters in Christ can be a great help when it comes to being sober and vigilant. Tell them what is distracting you and affecting your walk, they’ll understand. You never know, they may be suffering through the same distractions as you. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:17-18). Notice that Paul says “praying always.” Prayer is our connection with God. Never stop praying. When you find yourself tempted to stray remember that we have an advocate with God the Father which is Christ Jesus our Lord. I know many Christians who think that they should not pray for themselves. Who knows your struggles better than you? If you are being sober and vigilant you will always be in prayer so temptation cannot overtake you. Even though the enemy rails against us and wants to devour us, Jesus is always there to defend us. Is there anything more important in life than living as Christ would have us live? When I accepted Christ I found joy that could never be attained by worldly standards. Only living for Christ can bring the peace everyone is looking for. “For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1 Peter 1:24-25). In looking at the big picture, life on earth is very short—like the grass and flowers that fade away. Pleasing God needs to be the Christian’s goal. How do we please Him? By being sober and vigilant in our Bible study will tell us how to please Him, then living in a way that reflects what we read. In pleasing Him through our lives we also find peace and joy unlike any pseudo-pleasure this world has to offer. Listen to the voice of experience from Peter…be sober, be vigilant. God bless you all, Ron & Nathele Graham

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

joel osteeen exposed

Joel Osteen Prosperity Gospel Revival Show Hits $850 For Top Ticket Price by NTEB News Desk Living his best life now for sure "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Revelation 3 Whether you are a fan of the motivational speaker from Texas or not, one thing is absolutely for certain. Joel and Victoria Osteen are, without a doubt, living their best life now. joel-osteen-night-of-hope-christian-con-artists-church-laodicea-great-falling-away-best-life-now "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:" Revelation 3 In the days before Christianity became the Church of Laodicea prophesied in the 3rd chapter of the book of Revelation, there were mighty men of God, great, Holy Spirit filled preachers who traveled the world setting up tents and seeing souls get saved. Men like DL Moody and Billy Sunday who pounded the sawdust trail looking for lost sinners. That day is not our day. Not even close. Joel Osteen's version of the old-fashioned tent revival meetings are glitzy affairs attended by the upper-crust of society. With tickets prices being (yes, they charge you to come) starting at over $100.00 and going all the way up to $850.00, you would have to be pretty well of to afford to even walk through the door. joel-osteen-night-of-hope-christian-con-artists-church-laodicea-great-falling-away-best-life-now-ticket-prices-1 "What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel." 1 Corinthians 9:18 This is light years removed from the day where the preacher raised all the money for the revival and depended completely on the love offerings from God's people to pay the expenses. joel-osteen-night-of-hope-christian-con-artists-church-laodicea-great-falling-away-best-life-now-ticket-prices-2 "What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel." 1 Corinthians 9:18 It is well within your right to be a fan of this man's message, such as it is. Also within your rights to spend your hard-earned money to increase the size of his bank accounts. But do not call this man a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That he absolutely is not. He is nothing more than Tony Robbins with a Jesus fish in a $4,000 suit. The Apostle Paul said that to charge people to hear and receive the Gospel is an abuse of the preacher's power. But Joel Osteen can breathe easy on that count - he doesn't preach the Gospel. No, where he will be held accountable will be for leading millions of people astray and to Hell with the false Prosperity Gospel. H/T to PimpPreacher.com for ticket price photos

10 virgins

The Ten Virgins As some of you know, COME & SEE Ministries has associated with it a group of prayer warriors who regularly and faithfully go to the throne of God making their requests known to the Lord in behalf of many kinds of personal needs and situations. Yesterday, my daughter Jennifer commented that she was amazed at the severity of some of the requests that often come in. She is so right. Praying for each other is certainly right and good (indeed, that's mainly why we organized this team) and I hope this will continue until Jesus comes. But today I want to share a thought on another kind of prayer. I believe what I have in mind should be on Christian hearts continually, for to be so identifies us with the five wise virgins of Matthew 25. (Quoting from the Authorized King James Version.) 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. As indicated, the five wise virgins had an extra measure of oil and the five foolish virgins did not. Most Christians believe (mistakenly, I think) that the five wise virgins represent the saved and that the five foolish virgins are the unsaved. Actually, the Scripture strongly suggests that all ten are saved. All are called virgins and all have burning lamps which is indicative of salvation. The Lord’s teaching in this parable is not about those who will go to heaven versus those who don’t, but rather instructs us that the unwise virgins didn't have the EXTRA measure of oil like the wise virgins did. And thus, when the bridegroom came, the unwise were not ready to go with him. Since this parable is a picture of the Church in waiting for the Lord to Rapture her for the wedding, this brings up quite a startling implication, doesn't it? (Verse 8 in the Authorized King James version said the lamps of the unwise virgins had "gone out". Newer versions, including the New King James, have corrected this error by inserting "...are going out", indicating that the lamps were flickering, not out. Spiritually speaking, if one's "lamp" is ever lit, it will never go out. To believe otherwise would indicate that one could lose his/her salvation, which we know can never be so. I'm referring here to spirit salvation, not soul salvation. Spirit salvation, i.e., being born again in one's spirit man, is forever and can never be lost. Once saved, the "new man", i.e., the sealed spirit of a true believer in Christ, will spend eternity with Almighty God. But the earthly soul, i.e., the will, mind and emotions, basically one's active life in this world, is another thing altogether. The soul can suffer consequences due to wrong living, and in fact, be "lost". This may come as a shock to readers who equate soul and spirit to be the same thing. Full explanation of this requires much more space than is possible here. It is so important that I wrote an entire book on the subject called What Is Saving Faith? But an article such as this can at least serve to touch on this extremely important subject and hopefully stir one’s thinking regarding it.) This parable is about Christ and the Church, Christ being the bridegroom and the virgins being the saved. The focus is on the Church as she prepares for the Lord’s second coming. Once one sees that it's possible to be saved and yet unwise (i.e., not possessing enough "oil"), the strong implication is that not all Christians go in to be with the Lord at the initial Rapture time! This understanding will come as a surprising shock to most Christians, but a very careful study of the parable reveals something quite different than what most of us have been taught all our lives. Although likely unintentional, it appears that some of the language of most English translations of this parable has for centuries muddied the pure water of the Word as given in the original language. Let me share a few insights recently learned. In addition to the error of verse 8 as described above, verse 5 is also questionable. Most translations say that all the virgins were sleeping. But one careful Bible expositor I know as a friend pointed out to me that actually the Greek text presents us with an "either — or" situation here. That is, the five wise virgins were doing one thing and the five unwise were doing something quite the opposite. In the New King James translation the verse reads: "But while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." The bridegroom tarrying of course refers to the time and place Jesus will be (where He presently is), at the right hand of God the Father interceding for and acting as the High Priest for the Church while it is still in the world. The above translation and others like it obviously leads one to believe that all ten virgins were lying around sleeping. Actually, before we even look a little deeper into the original Greek meanings of the passage, when you really think about it, this doesn't even make good common sense. The parable has already made it very clear that five of the virgins were wise. That being so, it would be totally paradoxical and contradictive that the wise would be sleeping right along with the unwise, rather than being alert and expectant of the bridegroom’s coming, which is what one would conclude if the five wise virgins were indeed wise. We shall see that this conclusion is exactly what the original Greek inferred. Like many other Scriptures, the key to correct understanding of this passage is slightly hidden in certain key words of the Greek text in this passage. The word for "slumbered" is a word which means to "nod", not necessarily "nodding" in the sense of sleepiness but rather in the sense of approval. I’m sure the reader knows very well what I mean, and likely do it yourself at certain times. For instance, when a preacher is speaking the truth to a congregation, often many in the group will voice their approval by saying “AMEN”, but also often some do the same thing by simply nodding the head to and fro, meaning “YES”. This is what the five wise virgins were doing. Nodding their approval and desire for the bridegroom to come. They wanted to see Him. They were beckoning Him to come by nodding their heads approvingly. Get it? If you do, just nod your head and say “Hmm!”, the way I did the first time I heard about this. The second part of the verse refers to what the five unwise virgins were doing — "...and slept". Actually, it should read "or slept" rather than "and slept". In my very limited understanding of Greek sentence structure, whichever conjunction is used in converting Greek into English depends upon the context of the sentence. Sometimes “and” should be used; sometimes “or” should be used. “OR” should be used here. Why so? Clearly, the apostle Matthew is giving us a contrasting view of each of the two groups of five virgins, not a similarity perspective among the ten virgins. They were not all "slumbering and sleeping". They were either beckoning approvingly (by nodding) as they waited for the bridegroom, OR they were lazily sleeping. The wise were doing the former; the unwise were doing the latter. Remember, the five wise virgins had the extra measure of oil. What does this actually mean? An Extra Measure of Oil Well, it means to be ready. It means to be beckoning. It means to be nodding expectantly and approvingly of the coming of the Lord. It means to be Biblically up-to-date. Christians need to be diligent in their search to clearly understand God's Word. Often the leaders in many churches are just as ignorant as the laity on certain subjects. This is due to their theological minds already being made up, maybe even locked due to specific erroneous beliefs established in seminary training. All of us, pastors and congregations, need to be modern Bereans, which means to be continually studying the Bible in depth to see if what we believe and have been taught is in line with what the Bible in fact teaches. And, based on solid, Holy Spirit-directed analyses, when we find real differences between what is said and taught as compared to what we formerly believed, we need to be ready to change our minds, repent, and go another way. Please do not think that I'm being critical of pastors just to be cynical. God bless them. But I think too often many haven't studied their Bibles on their own enough and been willing to change their minds about certain deeper-truth Scriptures, Scriptures such as is being presented here. Example: (Recently, I met a pastor of a large congregation and quickly came to respect him and his basic teaching and preaching. By his invitation to breakfast one day, we spent a couple of hours discussing some prophetic Scriptures. He even took notes! At the end of our conversation he said to me with excitement, “Lance, you have really stretched me today.” I had told him about several conclusions I’ve reached over the past 22 years of prophetic studies. Unusual conclusions. However, after going home and re-thinking all I’d said, he has apparently totally rejected my understanding. I suspect he later thought through everything and decided that my Biblical stance was just too different from the mainstream of prophetic rationale so prevalent in the Church today. He knew that it would be difficult to convey this new thought to his congregation, who likely already held views much like his own. There would just be too many concepts he would have had to change, too quickly. It so happened that when we met he was already making preparations to present to his congregation a series of messages centering on the book of Revelation. I suspect he decided that it was more comfortable to stick with what he had already embraced regardless of how persuasive my understanding at first seemed to him. I mean, after all, “What does an optometrist know?” was surely a question on his mind. “God bless my pastor friend. I’m sure he means well”. Although there are no thus-saith-the-Lord prophets in our day, a Christian layman who may have received unusual insights due to an unction and teaching from the Holy Spirit is as unpopular and as unaccepted as the ancient prophets were.) Who Goes at the Initial Rapture? The brief understanding that I have shared with you here today is perhaps insufficient to fully change your mind about what this parable teaches. But it makes much more sense to me interpreted the way I have presented it than the way I formerly believed. Of course, this raises the question of who will be raptured at the coming of the Lord! Will all believers go at the same time? Or, will some be "left behind"? Do only the wise go? That is, only those with the extra measure of oil? If we have interpreted the parable correctly, the two types of virgins makes it appear that this is the way it will be. I suspect the wise will be those Christians who are really looking forward to Christ's coming and they are gladly anticipating it. These will be "studied up", “confessed up” and "prayed up". The “wise” are Philadelphian believers, that part of the Church described in Revelation 3:7-13 which Jesus said He would keep from the “hour of trial”, the only Church of the seven described in Revelation given this promise. There is definitely a strong contrast among believers in the Church today. Numbers-wise, it appears that the majority of the Church is, if not totally asleep, at least slumbering. Luke-warmness, apathy and carnality best describe the evidence we see in most churches today. Revelation 3 addresses the Laodicean church which many expositors believe describes our age. I believe this description pictures the largest portion of the modern Church. This is not to say that the majority in the Church who profess Christ as Savior and Redeemer are unsaved. Rather, it is to say that the majority is “unwise”. Most are not ready nor are they gladly anticipating the coming of the Lord. Their “oil” reserves are low or non-existent. They are lying around slumbering and sleeping and/or have dirtied their “garments” through carnal living. In most churches I’ve been involved with over the past 22 years, both as member and/or guest, have scorned and rejected my attempts at prophetic input — for example, that there is sound Biblical basis that the Lord is coming soon and that we should be lifting up our heads because all Scriptural predictions and their fulfillment indicate that our redemption draws near. The majority do not want to hear this, including pastors. In fact, I could truthfully even say “particularly pastors”. “Strong prophetic teaching is divisive”, has been a typical response expressed to me. The initial point I made at the commencement of this article was to suggest a special kind of prayer needs to be routinely on the lips of prayer warriors. I believe saints need to become wise, i.e., to come alive and "beckon" for the Lord to return. I believe we need to adopt the apostle John's closing prayer in the Bible, "Even so, Come Lord Jesus!" I don't know about you, but I don't find it easy to truly adopt this attitude. I have to fight the tendency of being quite comfortable and anchored here on earth. But I'm purposing to keep in mind the attitude that I should have, that of looking expectantly for my Lord to come. This takes vigilance. It takes determination. It takes time and effort. This is partly what it means to buy "oil" for ourselves. Who sells this oil? In my honest opinion, providers of this kind of “oil” (i.e., Godly, genuine, deeper-truth-bent teachers) are few and far between. But, thank God, there are some. We need to seek them out. Also, we ourselves need to be continually in process of becoming this kind through self-determined study and prayer. For some reason (s), in the mind of God, having an extra measure of “oil” when Jesus comes is super-important. We Christians need to be busy trying to figure out what it means. Final Thoughts This understanding of the parable of the ten virgins suggests that the Rapture of the Church will be phased rather than a single event. That is, that at the Lord’s coming, there will be a partial removal of a portion of the Church, a “firstfruits” group, the “wise” ones — actually the “bride of Christ”. These will have readied themselves by their good works in addition to having received the new birth by grace through faith in Christ. If this is so, as is suggested by the understanding presented here today of the parable of the five wise and the five unwise virgins, then one could easily conclude that the purpose of leaving behind the lukewarm church will be for a time of purification of the groggy, carnal-prone, Laodician church during the coming Tribulation (i.e., the “hour of trial”). This is truly an awesome thought to contemplate. And frankly, as time marches on and as I study other confirming Scriptures, I’m inclined to believe that the whole Church will not be removed at the same time. If it is, then the conclusion suggested in this newsletter still shouldn’t be harmful. We can just all shout “HALLELUJAH” and say that God’s grace and mercy was greater relative to the sleepy, unwise, Christian “virgins” than I and a few others anticipated. I should point out here that I have written a 400-page book called THE TWO WITNESSES in which I conclude that the Church will be raptured at the mid-point of the final Tribulation. So, you can see that I have of late made a strong swing in my prophetic conclusions. All the years I was writing my book, I confess that there were points in my study that I could see and identify with those who hold to the pre-Trib Rapture position. However, I felt the preponderance of information indicated a mid-Trib Rapture was most indicative, so that is where I decided to take my stand. Actually, it may turn out that both positions are correct. Now, after several years of further study, it appears clearer to me now that God’s “soul harvest” may be much like the way a farmer gathers his crops. Let me personalize this: I was raised on a farm. There were early “firstfruits”. Then there would be the main harvest. In Georgia, our main crop was cotton. There would be some cotton ready to pick early in the season, i.e., those bowls which were on top of the stalks nearest the sun would open first. Then, after a longer period of hot summer and early fall, the top leaves would wilt and die and then the bowls lower down would get their sun exposure and also bloom. Later in the fall, would come the very last of the lowest bowls on the stalk; this was the “gleaning” period. The farmers called it “scrap cotton”. Many times the “scrap cotton” would be given to poor people who would go around asking farmers if they could have that part since the owners didn’t plan to gather it anyway. Some “good” farmers would extend this courtesy. The harvesting typology found in the Hebrew Testament suggests that the above scenario may picture exactly how God will “harvest” the saved at the end of the age. 1. First to be removed will be the “firstfruits”, i.e., the “wise” aspect of the Church, the prepared “virgins” who possess the extra measure of “oil” at the Lord’s trumpet call. 2. Then comes the larger harvest at mid-Trib (as I formerly thought would be the whole Church). Just like the case of cotton gathering, volume-wise, the second part would be much greater than the “firstfruits”. These represent the majority in the Church today, i.e., the Laodicean Church — the sleepy, unwise, carnal, apathetic (although saved) Church. But after the removal of the “firstfruits”, the main harvest (i.e., the more abundant numbers) will probably grow quickly, having heard, although not having responded to, the pleas and urges of the more sensitive Christian “prophets” of today. These two separate events would complete the removal of the total Church. Next... 3. The “gleaning” period would represent the saved of the Great Tribulation, i.e., those saved during the last half of the final seven year period. This period is called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, i.e., that period when the anti-Christ forces will be operating at its fullest potential. These last saved will be a combination of the 144,000 born again Jews as well as all those who put their trust in Christ’s Gospel which they will preach during the last half of the Tribulation. These last ones are not a part of the Church, all of which will have already been removed from the earth, but they will nevertheless be saved and enter Christ’s Kingdom during the Millennium. Are there other Scriptures which affirm the above analysis of the parable of the ten virgins? Yes, indeed, but time and space does not permit going into that today. Forgiveness for sin (s) and eternal destiny was accomplished for Christian believers and was totally paid and won by Christ Jesus. But, maturing in the faith is a process. God expects believers to place good works on the foundation of their faith in Christ. Being a member of the “firstfruits” Rapture, plus receiving rewards at the Judgement Seat of Christ, are at least partly determined by the work Christians do AFTER they are spiritually saved. God supplies the “oil”. But we “buy” it ourselves. I’d like to leave you with an appropriate Scripture which illustrates this principle: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.” Psalm 84:5&7 (NIV). And also, of course, the prayer which all saints should utter regularly: “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, Come Lord Jesus.” Rev. 22:20 (NKJV). A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT: Dear reader, concerning the Lord’s second coming, is your “nod” today reflective of eager anticipation, or apathetic sleepiness? The choice is yours. If you have the doldrums and feel spiritually lulled and listless, I encourage you today — WAKE UP! and “nod” your beckoning approval of the Bridegroom’s coming for you. God’s very best to you today, Lance Johnson, O.D. http://www.comeandsee.org/