David Wilkerson: The Coming of Jesus

atalayafinal33:

The Crucifixion of Jesus from a medical perspective

I do not know of anyone else who ever died for me, I do not know of anyone else who would ever love me enough to go through this so I could spend eternity with such love. Thank you, Jesus, thank You!

Following gotten here:

http://ianvincent.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/the-crucifixion-of-jesus-from-a-medical-perspective/#comments

The Anatomical And Physiological Details Of Death By Crucifixion:
By Dr. C. Truman Davis
A Physician Analyzes the Crucifixion.
From New Wine Magazine, April 1982.
Originally published in Arizona Medicine,
March 1965, Arizona Medical Association.

Crucifixion was invented by the Persians in 300 BC, and perfected by the Romans in 100 BC.

1,It is the most painful death ever invented by man and is where we get our term “excruciating.”

2,It was reserved primarily for the most vicious of male criminals.
Jesus refused the anaesthetic wine which was offered to Him by the Roman soldiers because of His promise in Matthew 26: 29, “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

3,Jesus was stripped naked and His clothing divided by the Roman guards. This was in fulfilment of Psalm 22:18, “They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.”

4,The Crucifixion of Jesus guaranteed a horrific, slow, painful death.
Having been nailed the Cross, Jesus now had an impossible anatomical position to maintain.

5,Jesus’ knees were flexed at about 45 degrees, and He was forced to bear His weight with the muscles of His thigh, which is not an anatomical position which is possible to maintain for more than a few minutes without severe cramp in the muscles of the thigh and calf.

6,Jesus’ weight was borne on His feet, with nails driven through them.
As the strength of the muscles of Jesus’ lower limbs tired, the weight of His body had to be transferred to His wrists, His arms, and His shoulders.

7,Within a few minutes of being placed on the Cross, Jesus’ shoulders were dislocated.
Minutes later Jesus’ elbows and wrists became dislocated.

8,The result of these upper limb dislocations is that His arms were 9 inches longer than normal, as clearly shown on the Shroud.

9,In addition prophecy was fulfilled in Psalm 22:14, “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint.”

10,After Jesus’ wrists, elbows, and shoulders were dislocated, the weight of His body on his upper limbs caused traction forces on the Pectoralis Major muscles of His chest wall.

11,These traction forces caused His rib cage to be pulled upwards and outwards, in a most unnatural state. His chest wall was permanently in a position of maximal respiratory inspiration. In order to exhale, Jesus was physiologically required to force His body.

12,In order to breathe out, Jesus had to push down on the nails in His feet to raise His body, and allow His rib cage to move downwards and inwards to expire air from His lungs.

13,His lungs were in a resting position of constant maximum inspiration.
Crucifixion is a medical catastrophe.

14,The problem was that Jesus could not easily push down on the nails in His feet because the muscles of His legs, bent at 45 degrees, were extremely fatigued, in severe cramp, and in an anatomically compromised position.

15,Unlike all Hollywood movies about the Crucifixion, the victim was extremely active.
The crucified victim was physiologically forced to move up and down the cross, a distance of about 12 inches, in order to breathe.

16,The process of respiration caused excruciating pain, mixed with the absolute terror of asphyxiation.

17,As the six hours of the Crucifixion wore on, Jesus was less and less able to bear His weight on His legs, as His thigh and calf muscles became increasingly exhausted.
There was increasing dislocation of His wrists, elbows and shoulders, and further elevation of His chest wall, making His breathing more and more difficult
Within minutes of crucifixion Jesus became severely dyspnoeic (short of breath).

18,His movements up and down the Cross to breathe caused excruciating pain in His wrist, His feet, and His dislocated elbows and shoulders.

19,The movements became less frequent as Jesus became increasingly exhausted, but the terror of imminent death by asphyxiation forced Him to continue in His efforts to breathe.

20,Jesus’ lower limb muscles developed excruciating cramp from the effort of pushing down on His legs, to raise His body, so that He could breathe out, in their anatomically compromised position.

21,The pain from His two shattered median nerves in His wrists exploded with every movement.

22,Jesus was covered in blood and sweat.

23,The blood was a result of the Scourging that nearly killed Him, and the sweat as a result of His violent involuntary attempts to effort to expire air from His lungs.
Throughout all this He was completely naked, and the leaders of the Jews, the crowds, and the thieves on both sides of Him were jeering, swearing and laughing at Him.
In addition, Jesus’ own mother was watching.

24,Physiologically, Jesus’ body was undergoing a series of catastrophic and terminal events.

25,Because Jesus could not maintain adequate ventilation of His lungs, He was now in a state of hypoventilation (inadequate ventilation).

26,His blood oxygen level began to fall, and He developed Hypoxia (low blood oxygen).
In addition, because of His restricted respiratory movements, His blood carbon dioxide (CO2) level began to rise, a condition known as Hypercapnia.

27,This rising CO2 level stimulated His heart to beat faster in order to increase the delivery of oxygen, and the removal of CO2

28,The Respiratory Centre in Jesus’ brain sent urgent messages to his lungs to breathe faster, and Jesus began to pant.

29,Jesus’ physiological reflexes demanded that He took deeper breaths, and He involuntarily moved up and down the Cross much faster, despite the excruciating pain.
The agonising movements spontaneously started several times a minute, to the delight of the crowd who jeered Him, the Roman soldiers, and the Sanhedrin.

30,However, due to the nailing of Jesus to the Cross and His increasing exhaustion, He was unable to provide more oxygen to His oxygen starved body.

31,The twin forces of Hypoxia (too little oxygen) and Hypercapnia (too much CO2) caused His heart to beat faster and faster, and Jesus developed Tachycardia.

32,Jesus’ heart beat faster and faster, and His pulse rate was probably about 220 beats/ minute, the maximum normally sustainable.

33,Jesus had drunk nothing for 15 hours, since 6 pm the previous evening.
Jesus had endured a scourging which nearly killed Him.

34,He was bleeding from all over His body following the Scourging, the crown of thorns, the nails in His wrists and feet, and the lacerations following His beatings and falls.

35,Jesus was already very dehydrated, and His blood pressure fell alarmingly.

36,His blood pressure was probably about 80/50.

37,He was in First Degree Shock, with Hypovolaemia (low blood volume), Tachycardia (excessively fast Heart Rate), Tachypnoea (excessively fast Respiratory Rate), and Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).

38,By about noon Jesus’ heart probably began to fail.

39,Jesus’ lungs probably began to fill up with Pulmonary Oedema.

40,This only served to exacerbate His breathing, which was already severely compromised.

41,Jesus was in Heart Failure and Respiratory Failure.

42,Jesus said, “I thirst” because His body was crying out for fluids.

43,Jesus was in desperate need of an intravenous infusion of blood and plasma to save His life

44,Jesus could not breathe properly and was slowly suffocating to death.

45,At this stage Jesus probably developed a Haemopericardium.

46,Plasma and blood gathered in the space around His heart, called the Pericardium.

47,This fluid around His heart caused Cardiac Tamponade (fluid around His heart, which prevented Jesus’ heart from beating properly).

48,Because of the increasing physiological demands on Jesus’ heart, and the advanced state of Haemopericardium, Jesus probably eventually sustained Cardiac Rupture. His heart literally burst. This was probably the cause of His death.

49,To slow the process of death the soldiers put a small wooden seat on the Cross, which would allow Jesus the “privilege” of bearing His weight on his sacrum.

50,The effect of this was that it could take up to nine days to die on a Cross.

51,When the Romans wanted to expedite death they would simply break the legs of the victim, causing the victim to suffocate in a matter of minutes. This was called Crucifragrum.

52,At three o’clock in the afternoon Jesus said, “Tetelastai,” meaning, “It is finished.”
At that moment, He gave up His Spirit, and He died.

53,When the soldiers came to Jesus to break His legs, He was already dead. Not a bone of His body was broken, in fulfilment of prophecy (above).

54,Jesus died after six hours of the most excruciating and terrifying torture ever invented.

55,Jesus died so that ordinary people like you and me could go to Heaven.

Brother Ian says: All He Asks You is to Love Him, Your Lord, Your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’!!

Can’t you even do this for Him?

Then ON TOP OF ALL THAT was the grief and anguish of being separated from the Father and left in a state of perceived forsaken-ness, forsaken but not forsaken: when He was “made to be sin for us” He would have lost all consciousness of the Father’s fellowship, and hence the cry and the question, Eli Eli, Lama sabachtani?

Just to think that our Lord went thru all this willingly, and with the power to escape it at any time….. Amazing love, how can it be? That thou my God should die for me!

And then to rise from the dead!

A Sissified Needy Jesus?

Amen, Brother!

bororean:

Reach out of the Darkness

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. — Colossians 1:13,14 –

The following video is one of those old songs I liked as a teenager. But, I have to be honest about something. It confused me as the title is called Reach OUT of the darkness, yet it is sung Reach out IN the darkness. To actually reach out IN the darkness appears that one would be asking for the things in the dark. The words, “reach out in the darkness and you may find a friend,” bothered me for years. After coming out of the Occult, my interpretaion was of that friend, would be a demon.

I always especially like the lyrics that say, “I knew a man who I did not care for. Then one day, that man became a friend of mine.” That spoke volumes to me as a teenager. Over the years, I have learned I can have friends from all walks of life. Not to be confused with a sister or brother in the Lord. But friend. A friend who I know would mean me no harm and who knows I mean them no harm.

I guess it is how one wants to see it. As for me, from where I sit and in my personal life, I now see a meaning in this song as reaching out into the darkness to pull those who are in the dark into Jesus’ marvelous light of truth. Of course you can not force anyone and I dare not try. That is manipulation. And if one can be manipulated to follow God, one can be manipulated to not follow God. On the other hand, I would be lying if I did not say this blog is meant to lead others into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Of course it is and if that is not seen, then I am doing something terribly wrong.

There are those all across the world who are trying to reach out of the darkness that torments them. Others are perfectly content being there and have absolutely no desire to come out. Of those, I would say let them stay there. God is perfectly capable of reaching them. You can pray for them, of course. And if God Himself has not called you to go there, then do not do it. Focus your attention on where God wants you.

Jesus said: “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.” – John 3:18 -20 –

Jesus became not only my Redeemer, my Savior, my Lord, my King, but my Friend. He actually reached into the darkness of my soul and brought me into His Kingdom of light.

As children of the light, we are to reach out to others and bring them into His marvelous light. You never know, who will end up being your friend in the process, thus becoming your sister or brother.

Even now, if you are reading this blog entry — knowing that it’s main objective is to lead others to Jesus Christ and the truth — know it or not, you have come here, not in the name of Redeemed Hippie, but in the name of Jesus Christ.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” — Matthew 18:20 — Jesus

Oh, and I do happen to think it is groovy that the Remnant of God, wherever she is, is coming together in pockets all over the earth in one way or the other. Peace!

Carleen Sabin:

What are you Feasting on?

Yesterday was my husband’s and my anniversary. Married for 25 years – I wanted to do something somewhat special for my husband. So I chose a particular restaurant. After we began eating, I remembered the last time we ate there and I had said, “Never again will I come back here,” as the food was just not all that good the first time and neither was it last night. Huge disappointment. I told him I was sorry for choosing this place while biting my tongue as not to ruin our anniversary by complaining about the food. As usual, dear husband was very gracious towards me.

I left feeling grateful that at least I had food to eat. Plus, I didn’t have to cook, but still would have rathered stayed home and eaten a simple sandwich or frozen pizza. It would have given me the same results — one of having eaten something.

As a diabetic, I have learned I have to eat whether I want to or not. If not, I become weak, shakey, confused, disoriented and even crabby. There have been times when I have just grabbed whatever was around me, shoved it in my mouth and swallow just so I could begin feeling somewhat normal/better. But that isn’t enough. I had to learn what it is I am to eat. Grabbing a cookie here or there just to make the hunger  go away so I could continue on with what I was doing, is not the same thing as a healthy diet. I have had to literally learn to stop what I was doing and go fix something somewhat nutritional.

Sometimes, we all feast on things that fill us up, so to speak. But they aren’t always nutritional. The food last night was bland, the salad fixins, being especially bland, probably due to being hybrid veggies. Yech. The meat had a taste of not being freshly cooked. The shrimp? I don’t even know what that was suppose to be or where it came from. The Brownie surely would taste good, I thought. Uh, but no. If I had known it was not going to taste like one of my own, I would not have wasted my time. The only thing that tasted good was the one strawberry dipped in chocolate, but I very well could not make a meal out of that, now, could I?

This has not been an easy lesson for me to learn — to eat correctly. It takes self-control and an ability to focus. Two things that have never been what I would call any virtues on my part. Still not anything great on my part, but God will continue that good work of not only teaching me, but helping me in learning to take care of this temple in which He dwells.

The things we feast on, are the things we become.  If I feast on things that have hurt me, I will become unforgiving and bitter. If I feast on those things that I find confusing, I will become paranoid and suspicious. If I feast on those things which bring fear, then I become paralyzed. If I feast on the things which I hate, then I will become hate.  If I feast on that which makes me angry, I will become rage.

Ah, but, if we feast on… “… whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. – Philippians 4:8 –

…if we feast on these things, then the Kingdom of God is being built within us. The world around us is going to hell in a hand basket, but we as sons and daughters of the living God, are not of this world. His Spirit lives in us to do His work — however He sees fit, whenever He sees fit. It is His doing, not ours.

The feast we are to feast on, is not the things of this world. But His Word. We are to be so full of His Word that His anointing to do good, to speak truth would be so like getting up from a table feeling completely full that we could not but help shout the things of God! Doesn’t that excite you, Church!? It does me!

We do not have to partake of the garbage of this world. We don’t have to go scrounging around in garbage dumps to find that which God wants to feed us. He has given us His Word. The Bible — a living entity. The only thing on this earth that can change a heart from darkness to true light. The only thing that can impart grace to the hearers. The only thing that can renew our minds in the way God desires. The only thing on this earth that is … living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12 –

Why? Because Jesus is the Word! …and His name is called The Word of God. — Revelation 19:13 –

That WORD is alive, He lives!

Christian, you do not have to settle for less. You have the living God in you and He desires to feed you from His table. One of a complete feast. Do not eat just anything. Do not let yourself go hungry! Feast on that which is alive!

Things my dogs teach me: Let the Master Touch You

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
— Matthew 8:2,3 –

When our blue-tic Beagle, Jethro, began to get eye infections, I had to put ointment in his eyes. I dreaded it because this dog did not let you touch him if he thought you were checking something out on his body that needed care. He never bit me, but he would try if I somehow didn’t trick him into letting me. When it came time to put ointment in his eyes, I had to think of a way to make it “fun” for him in order to get him to submit to my care. I began by muzzling him. Or at least try. He was not going to have it. But when I grabbed a little can of sausages and let him see me go through the little ritual of opening the can — making sure he got a good wiff — laying the little sausages out, cutting them into pieces, he watched and waited as his slobber drooled on my kitchen floor.

I began to train him with the bits of sausages. Making it a game. He got muzzled, let me put ointment in his eyes and after we were done, he knew he was going to be rewarded. It did not take long for him to not even need the muzzle. He was perfectly content to come to me and let me do what needed to be done. Knowing he had little sausages waiting for him.

I guess in a way you could say, he had his eyes set on the prize before him.

Dolly, my smallest dog sometimes wakes up with an infection in her eyes. The first time it happened, it alarmed me. I didn’t want to have to muzzle this sweet little timid dog. It would confuse her, making her more timid. I never want my little girlies afraid of me.

I decided I would not muzzle her and just see what would happen. As I got the ointment, the dogs being curious little creatures, were under foot, hoping it was to be a treat for them. I got my reading glasses to use as I can’t see up close without them. The whole time speaking in a low soothing voice telling them what good girls they were.

They went to their bed where they followed me, and laid down. Instantly rolling over. Perfect sign of submission. Dolly let me put the ointment in her eye without trying to bite or wiggling out from under me! Dixie on the other hand, seeing what I was doing to/for her little sister, hid the upper part of her body under the bed. As if the master couldn’t see her rear end sticking out!

Aren’t we like this sometimes? We either allow the Master to touch us or we don’t.

We all hurt at some time or another. Either through sicknesses, circumstances or things that have been said or done to us. We have done things to hurt others (intentionally or not) that may may end up being the very thing to come back and bite us. Our human nature — our flesh, tends to go off somewhere and nurse our wounds. We may try to find ways to bring healing to ourselves through things that lead to types of death — physical or/and spirtual. We may go here or there looking for that one thing – one person that can “fix” it. Yet, on the other hand, we may reach the point of not wanting anything or anybody touching us. Eventually we come to a place where we realize there is nothing that can. We even stop running to others, even to other Christians. It is then, we more or less throw in the towel, giving up, perhaps feeling a sense of hopelessness. We find we are not running anymore in seeking that perfect “fix.”

You wonder if you will ever see the light of day, if there is anything good under the sun at all. We realize all our running to – and -fro has done nothing but wear us out. Friend, would you believe me if I told you that is a great place to be!? His desire for you is to bring you into the place He wanted you from the beginning of the moment He began to create you in HIS image. His desire is to make you whole, to heal, to bring restoration, to REDEEM. The Master desires to touch you!

Perhaps you have said “no” in your heart, thinking, “I’m too rotten. I’m unclean, vile before the eyes of a holy God.” I would have to agree with you. Yes, you are. You are rotten and unclean. God already knows. Just as He knows it about me and every other human being on the earth.

There is only One who makes clean. Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice.

Or perhaps you have thought, “But you don’t know the things done against me.” You would be right. I do not. But God knows. Isn’t it enough that He knows?

He sees us trying to hide. I think we probably look ridiculous to Him when we do that. Just as goofy as Dixie with her butt stuck out from under the bed. I, as Dixie’s master, did not come up behind her and kick her. Nor did I reprimand her harshly, trying to force her out from under the bed. For one thing, she was not the one who needed the ointment. If she had, I would have found a tender way to deal with her. I don’t want my girlies hiding from me when I aim to do them good.

God does not want you trying to hide from Him, either. You can’t. So you may as well come out in the open with Him anyway and admit you need HIS touch. Not those whom you may have been running to. Not that one special prayer that Christians sometimes look for in their time of need. Not that one person who we have run to on occassion. Not that one new book which you hope has all the answers. Not that one revival meeting. Not that one conference some may say you need to attend.

God is jealous over you. Not in a bad way that some people like to portray, but in a good way. He wants you to know HE is the one who heals, HE is the repairer of the breach, HE is the one who redeems. Not because He is some selfish God who needs us to know these things for His sake. But because of who He is. A loving God, a merciful God, a kind God. He knows the only way you can be safe in your soul, is if you submit every hurt, pain and suffering to Him. To trust in anything else is idolatry. That is sin.

Whatever you are facing, whatever your circumstance, take it to the Cross. Be willing to die. You are not alone. He will show you how as He is right there with you. He is willing to touch you in spite of any foul and festering wounds. Let the Master touch you.

Help me not to forget, Oh God!

A couple or so weeks ago, my husband called me as he was leaving work to tell me he was on his way to Immediate Care center. “Now, don’t be alarmed, I’m ok.” I don’t know what it is about those particular words, but they never work. I thought my heart was going to stop. I tried to stay calm. I invisioned him on the side of the road, car turned over, bloody and all broken up, waiting for the ambulance.

He went on to say he had felt some discomfort in his chest and he was going to have it checked out. After hanging up, I prayed and continued to wait by the phone. I could not think, focus or move from room to room without a terrible dread. After seeing him clutch his chest a few nights before, I wondered if we were about to go through one big trial.

Had it not been for that previous incident, I may not have felt such awful dread. He ended up in the hospital, stayed one night, had some tests ran and tests came back good. However, they did attribute his discomfort as possible angina and sent him home with nitroglycerian. We both are very grateful that it was nothing worse.

While my husband was gone, I experienced such lonliness. My sadness was so great that no human being could touch it. Lonliness I have gotten used to, but not the kind I had that night. My very best earthly friend was not with me. The one who I have shared almost every single thought, desire, hope, heart break and disappointment for almost 25 years. A man who is able to listen, who understands me better than anyone on the earth, who can somehow find it within himself to put up with me, who has never abused me in any way, always kind, patient, never once raised his voice to me, a man who is such a complete opposite of me that it balances us both in a way that is both beautiful and practical for the two of us.

I love this man who God led me to. We are growing old together. He still compliments my looks, even when I am at my worse — He grins when I tell him he needs to get new glasses. He will eat some of the most awful slop I manage to create in the kitchen, when I will not touch it. He tells me it is good and I tell him he only says so because he’s too cheap to throw the stuff out. He is honest with me and will tell me I’m a little kooky at times, helping me to see I really am kooky. He likes to tell people his “wife is an artist.” Though I would differ on that. He’s not easily intimidated by me, like most men I’ve known. He knows my bark is much worse than my bite. Though he will take great pleasure in telling his friends I am his little bull dog. He unashamedly will tell other men, “she’s the mechanic in the family.”

Through him, I have been able to see that yes, gentleness is true strength. He is the one good with numbers and paying the bills, when my attention span is that of a gnat. He has been dedicated to the Lord since day one of our marraige, always faithful to rise early and spend time with Him in the Word. He’s calm, practical, logical, reserved, quiet, when for the most part I am none of those. He is as stable as a rock. People who know us both, know my husband is a wonderful man and they see how well matched we are in spite of being so different from one another.

I was lost the night my husband was gone. I went to bed that night without him by my side. Wondering if he would be with me soon or if the coming days would bring us stays in the hospital. Or if he would even come home at all. Our marriage from day one had been spent dealing with sick and aged loved ones. Starting with my father who had surgery after surgery, sometimes year after year. Then there were other family members. Some with Altzimers. Then his mother, then my mother. It had been an ongoing thing. Barely a reprieve until the next crisis would develop. My mother was the last. It has been about four years now that we have not had to deal with any such major events.

Laying in bed that night, I began to question my strength, my abilities, my stamina, my resources should we have to begin dealing with another what has always been to me, a life-stopping event. Already weak in many areas, I felt I was about to be pounded in the ground. Not able to rise above what might be needed if my husband were not well. I began to remember things that I would fuss about with him. ”Don’t set that there, put it in the sink.” ” “What do you think this is, a barn? Shut the door.” “Hey, you got the ketchup out. How about putting it up?” “Whatta ya think I am, your maid? Pick up after yourself.” “You want to live in a pig sty? Fine!”

The one thing that I was remembering though was the constant kicking, jerking he does in his sleep. I looked over at his pillow and thought, “Oh dear God. Please bring him home to me. I won’t ever again kick him back.” I meant it — for the time, anyway.

Something within me cried out, “Help me not to forget, oh God, what this feels like!” As painful as it was, as lonely as it was … I did not want to forget. In the past, I would run to and fro doing my best to forget the pain and suffering that was in my midst. Yet, as hard as I would try, I could never escape it. It was always there reminding me of how miserable life was at the time. My trying to forget even made things worse. And there I was, asking, begging God to let me not forget this lonliness, this pain? Somehow it did not make sense to me.

Dear husband is home with me now and life has continued peacefully without any incidences. I’ve given it a lot of thought as to exactly what I was asking of God. I’ve not forgotten that particlar affliction of lonliness and pain. I’ve not tried to run from it. I guess in some strange unexplainable way, I have embraced it.

It is not a bad thing.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes. — Psalm 119:66-68 –

You see, I had gone astray in my heart towards my husband. No, it wasn’t like I was committing adultery going out being with other men.  Nothing like that at all. It was the cares of the world, the darkness that has taken over the whole world had taken over me. I could not enjoy one minute with my dear husband because I was much too busy focusing on all the bad things. Yet, it was a type of adultery. So I will call it what it is — sin.

If a sinful woman can feel this kind of thing pertaining to just one night of being alone without her husband, should not the Bride of Christ feel so much more towards her Groom?

Are you apart from the Bridegroom doing your own thing? Have you let other things come between you and your Husband? If so, He wants you to know He still desires to have you back. His love for His Bride is forever.

The Stench of Man verses the Fragrance of God

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. — 2 Corinthians 2:15,16 –

The things of man are like a rotting corpse. Ever been to a funeral and watched as people pass by the dead body and say things like, “She/He looks good”? I suppose it is the polite thing to do. I am certainly not judging anyone during a time of grief. I just find it odd that we pay so much attention to something that is dead, something that had to be prepared for viewing, usually new clothes had to be bought. People stand, grieving, looking down at their loved one in hopes they look similar to what they remember. Almost like hoping, the dead body will give some kind of comfort. But it never will. It lays there — dead. It can not rise up and give you one last kiss or embrace. There is nothing comforting about a dead body no matter how much outward work is put into it.

Too many times what man calls pleasing, what man esteems, what man lifts up — much like a rotting corpse – is nothing more than a stench to the nostrils of a holy God. Today, there are many dead things trying to exalt themselves over that which is alive. I’ve heard them on TV. I hear them on radio, I have seen it in the pulpits. I’ve even seen it and smelled it in Christian bookstores over the years.

I’ve come to the point where it is grating to my ears and it sounds like noise. Irritating, grinding, useless, vain empty chatter. It means very little, if anything to me.

Too many times I have touched and clung to, that which is unclean, rotting, dead. All the while still, hoping in that passage of He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. But, if we allow ourselves to take on a dead thing, then that dead thing will take us on. We have to let go of the dead things and embrace that which brings life, if we want to be alive in Jesus. There is no other way.

The stench of man, no matter how great the fire that kindles it, no matter how long it has been rotting, will never win over the fragrance of God. No, not ever.

The stench of man always points back to self. Self is the one to be adored, worshipped, trusted and esteemed. Stench camps all over the place. Don’t believe me? Look at government, look at those in politics, look at some of the ministries you may support, look in your own church! Look and see what kingdoms they try to build here on earth. Look and see how they wish to enslave you, making you subserviant not to the One True God, but to them, causing you to cling to the dead things!

Are the things you cling to releasing the fragrance of God in your life, or is there a stench? I know. I know what that stench smells like because I have had it all over me! It is even within this blog! I know from where it came! It came from clinging to dead things. Hoping somehow they could rise up and embrace me and make me feel better, lead me to a sense of safety. That in and of itself is idolatry! But I did not know, I did not know. Still, it made me guilty! Guilty of trusting in worthless idols!

God over and over has told me to stop doing this or that, but no, I, in my rebellion –  in sin, have done the other! We know we should do what God tell us, but we say in our hearts: ”I will not. I am justified for feeling the way I feel.” Ok. But be ready to accept the consequences of such an act. It brings death. You can try and dress it up, you can try and get around it, you can even try to make up for it (as if we can) by thinking we can somehow fake God off by doing some good work. The fact remains — you are dead. Completely dead and your works, your trying is nothing but a stench before the nostrils of God.

So how is the fragrance of God realeased? I think it begins when you find yourself getting sick of the stench around you. When you finally notice that you have picked up the stench and it resides on you, that too is probably a good indication, that it is about time to have the fragrance of God released in your life.

If you are one who has become sick of the stench of the world, run to Him! Do not wait, lest the dead things continue to defile you. If you already have the stench of the dead upon you, do not be embarrased or afraid to run to the Father. He already knows you stink and He is probably more than likely the only One who has been able to put up with your foul smell.

Let the sweet smelling aroma of a perfect holy living sacrifice arise in you!

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. — Ephesians 5:1,2 –

Calling a Spade a Spade

Too many Christians today are too willing to swallow the words of their favorite teacher or prophet. When confronted with the fact that many of them are blatant deceivers, kooks and manipulators, the rest of us are always accused that we are too negative, that we must always say nice thing. Well, Jesus didn’t think so. 

Following article gotten here:

http://www.wickedshepherds.com/Callingaspadeaspade.html

Some think that it is wrong to point out false teachings and other kinds of evil and to call names, let alone to name who these false teachers are!  Is this what we read in the scriptures?

In the scriptures, Jesus many, many times had serious confrontations with the religious leaders of his time.  In fact it was the religious leaders who ultimately called for his death.  (As mostly is the case……same is true for today)  All through His life, they were waiting for the right moment.

                            “…For this cause therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him,

                                 because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also called God

                                 His own Father, making Himself equal with God.  John 5:18

                                “Some therefore of Jerusalem said, Is not this He who they

                                 seek to kill?  And lo, He speaks openly, and they say nothing

                                 to Him…”  John 7:25-26

                                 “And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might

                                  put Him to death; for they feared the people.  Luke 22:2

                                 “Now after two days was the feast of the Passover and the

                                  unleavened bread: and the chief priests and scribes sought

                                 how they might take Him with subtlety and kill Him…” Mark 14:1

                                 “But the Pharisees went out, and took counsel against Him,

                                  how they might destroy Him  Matt12:14

                                 “So from that day forth, they (the chief priests and Pharisees

                                 and council) took counsel that they might put Him to death.  John 11:53.

Jesus called the religious leaders of His day “whited sepulchers”, “fools”, “blind guides”, “hypocrites”,  “serpents”, “murderers”, “a generation of vipers,” and many such names. Jesus spoke this way to the religious leaders throughout His ministry.  He virtually had nothing nice to say about them.  But yet there are many in the church today who say that Jesus never spoke this way.

Read Matthew Chapter 23 again and see what it says.  Jesus’ words, in practically the entire chapter, are directed at the scribes and Pharisees. 

Do you think that Jesus would speak to the church leaders today in the same way? 

Does Jesus change?  Have the church leaders changed?  Yes indeed.  They’ve gotten worse!

You know as well as I, that if Jesus were to return today, there is not one church on the face of the earth who would hire Him to be their “Pastor”.  Not one!  And why is that?  Because people today do not want to hear the truth.  Their church leaders are fine outstanding men who deserve to be followed,thank you!

The scriptures speak of things getting worse and worse, and if you read carefully, it’s not talking about the world, but the church and the leaders in the church!

To be sure, when it came to the common people, Jesus was the “Humble Servant.” His ministry to them was marked with compassion.  He “was moved with compassion for them.”

He gave the gospel to them. 

He fed them.

He healed them.

He wept with them.

He spoke gently and mildly to them.  “Martha, Martha,”………”Simon, Simon.”

He identified with the people and knew many were distressed,

as sheep not having a shepherd.

When it came to the common people, Jesus ministered to them in meekness and gentleness, as His words showed.

But when it came to those in the church; when it came to the “great ones”; when it came to the church leaders and so-called experts in the law, something changed.

His ways, His mannerisms, His countenance, His words “EXPLODED.”

In all of His confrontations with the church leaders, you could see the difference in His whole attitude, especially in His words.  Jesus was exposing their evils. He was exposing their false teachings and hypocrisy like no one ever did before.  And in so doing, many others were starting to “see the light.” 

His words were as the voice of a trumpet.

Likewise today, there is much evil lurking in many churches and in those in positions of “church leadership.” The unbiblical authoritarianism and spiritual abuse within the ranks of the so-called “eldership” is rampant.  

The hijacking of many marriages by these wolves in sheep’s clothing resulting in the destruction of many lives is evil beyond words. 

To speak of these atrocities in anything less than an angry, forceful tone would be almost impossible.  Anger doesn’t have to be sin, just like God’s anger that is mentioned probably hundreds of times in the scriptures, is not sin.

Perhaps the time has come for some others to express a little anger at what is going on with these wicked shepherds who are killing and scattering God’s flockfor their own power and glory and ego!

Perhaps the time has come for some others to express a little anger at these spiritual  monsters who deliver their poisonous and blasphemous theology to so many unsuspecting souls, parents, and innocent children.

Yes, as we speak, there are many WHO KNOW what is going on.

As we speak, there are those in the church today who would readily stand up and say “NO”to the spiritual bullies and to flee from them and to deny them their control over them! Yet, for some, they also know that to do this would only invite persecution and a living death.  So they remain.

But wouldn’t you rather suffer the former than to loose your soul and deny your Savior and Heavenly Father?

Many choose serving their spiritual bullies, thinking all the while they are serving their Lord.

Some also think that it’s wrong to name these people. They call it “spreading evil” or “trying to restrict this evil to only certain individuals and places.”  As has been said over and over on this website, this is a world wide evil that is taking place.

And what do the Scriptures say of this anyway?

Look through the letters of the Apostle Paul.  Many times he mentions specific individuals by name.

                               Galatians 2:11ff  “But when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him

                               to his face, because he was to be blamed……and I said to Peter before them all….”

                              1 Timothy 1;19ff  “…which some made ship wreck concerning the faith,

                              of whom are Hymeneus and Alexander…..”

                              2 Timothy 2:17ff  “…and their word will have growth like gangrene – of

                              whom is Hymeneus and Philetus, who missed the mark concerning the truth…”

                              2 Timothy 4:10 “…for Demas deserted me, loving the present age…”

                              2 Timothy 4:14-15  “Alexander the coppersmith showed many

                              evil things to me.  The Lord will give to him according to his works. 

                              You also guard against him, for he greatly resisted our words.”

In 3 John verse 9, John named Diotrephes as one who does not receive the brothers, but throws them out of the assembly.

Jude exposes the errors of Balaam in verse 11.

In Revelation Chapter 2, twice the Nicolaitans are singled out and the warning is given concerning their works and their teaching.

And there are many from the Old Testament too.

We are living in a day when false teachers and their dastardly deeds abound.  A faithful messenger will warn those in the churches.   They will identify these churches by name, as well as their “leaders,” calling a spade a spade.Just like the Lord Jesus did; just like the Apostle Paul did, and others as well.

People’s lives are being destroyed.  Marriages are being destroyed.  It’s not enough to just “generalize” a situation or play games and “hint” at what is being said.  Are there any faithful messengers around anymore?

Ken Cascio

Webmaster

Hunker Down with Jesus: The Boat that Floats!

NOTE: This was originally written three years ago. I offer it again at this time.

Saints, some awful times are pressing in on us. Such as the world has not seen. Take all the evil men and wrap them up together as one, and it still will not compare what will take place one day. Satan is building his government on this earth. He is using vile wicked men and women in high places of power — evil people who call good evil and evil good.

But we are not to be taken by surprise. For the Word of God has already told us these things would happen.

I suspect they will want to kill us one day. But this too, should be no surprise. Jesus has told us many times we would be hated for His Name sake.

I know we all have heard the teaching when Jesus and his disciples were on the boat in the sea. A raging storm developed while Jesus was asleep. The disciples scared out of their minds, began crying out to him, “Don’t you care we are about to die!” Now remember, these were probably tough burley men. Surely they were used to storms. It probably was not the first time they were in one. Many times before they depended upon their own strength to man the sails and button down the hatches — so to speak.

So what was so different from this storm? The difference was Satan himself was in the middle of it, trying to kill them all!

I can imagine those strong men doing everything in their physical strength to get control of the boat! I can hear the shouting over the raging sea. I can see the activity of man power at work. I can almost smell the salt sea in my nostrils. I can feel the violent rocking of the boat and the waves of water violently hitting me in the face. I can imagine all of these things.

But to imagine someone asleep? Nope, only Jesus could sleep through something like that! He was comfy too. Because it says he was sleeping with a pillow.

Why were they in the boat to begin with? Jesus had just gotten done preaching to the multitudes and even had worked miracles.

So the storm hits them and what is the first thing the disciples do, besides panic? They forget the miracles they had previously seen. A leper being healed, a paraplegic healed, Peter’s mother-in-law healed from a fever, demons cast out. It says He healed ALL who were sick.

So I imagine Jesus in his physical body was tired. No sin in being tired now, is there? So if it is was no sin for Jesus, then do not be hard on yourselves in the days to come. Lay down, get comfy, hunker down with Jesus in that place of rest between just you and Him. Let Him be more than enough.

So the disciples run to Him in terror crying out, “Don’t you care we are about to die!?” In other words, “Why aren’t you up with us helping us man the sails?! We could use you about now!”

Isn’t that just like we are sometimes? I am SO guilty of this. We see all hell breaking lose all around us and we want everybody else to see it too. Never mind they are all comfy on their pillow. Oh yes, some ARE asleep and apathetic and those need to be waken up.

But others just might be hunkering down with Jesus and that is a good thing. So may God give us all discernment on who is sleeping and who is resting with Jesus.

But when we panic, what we are really doing is wanting someone to come to our rescue. We are wanting someone to man the sails with us.

And yes, there is a time and place for that. But if Jesus is in the boat, there is no excuse for panic. (I speak to myself right now.) In fact He is not only IN the boat, He is THE boat that floats!

Hollywood has shown movies of Jesus getting up and standing and rebuking the sea. But I’m not so certain it happened that way. Who knows? He may have just rolled over and rebuked it right then and there. No theatrics, no drama. Just plain old Holy Ghost power that did not need any special music in the background, did not need the fanfare of men, did not need an audience. Just simple Holy Ghost power that said, “Peace, be still!”

We have that very same annointing in us, Church. So we needn’t go looking here or there to get it or to receive it. We already have it. Who is man that I have to go tramping off after his annointing or power when the same Spirit that is in Christ Jesus dwells in me? That is an insult to God Himself! I will not do it. Especially now. We have to know Jesus has got to be more than enough in ALL things now.

And then he rebuked his disciples saying, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

Let us be careful going around rebuking anyone for what some may consider a lack of faith during these last days. Unless you yourself are parting seas and oceans and able to stop a storm, actually healing the sick besides putting on a show, then do not dare speak about someone else lacking faith. Jesus is the ONLY One who can get by with saying those words. He is perfectly capable of speaking to his children at any time.

Dare not say them to me. Because you too, may find yourself trembling at some point with the attitude, “Don’t you care we are about to die!” I will show you mercy.

One thing is for sure, it STILL made the disciples question who He was. They fearfully asked, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Who was He? He was and is Almighty God! He is the One who takes the weak and makes them strong! He is the One who brings peace in the midst of the storm! He is the One who is more than able to keep us!

Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Getting comfy with Jesus may be no small task. Vile dark things are coming out in the news everyday. We will begin experiencing things we never experienced before. Some of us will be tested in many different ways. But it is important to take that time out and get comfy with Him in the midst of the storm.

Let His Word wash over you. When you have no words to say because your heart is overwhelmed, He has given us Psalms. Speak them out.  Tell Him exactly how you think and feel. Even though, He already knows, talk to Him. Talk to Him as if He were sitting right in front of you. He is you know? You just can not see Him. And He cares about every single thing that is on Your heart. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Church, there is a storm a brewing. Oh it’s coming like never before. Find that secret place of the Most High and dwell there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. We are gonna have to ride this storm out one way or another. So get in the boat with Jesus. He IS THE boat that floats!

Jesus isn’t “A” god — He IS God

taliforgod:

The Rapture, Islam and the Second Coming of Christ

No one has to be left behind. Call upon the Name of Jesus. Turn from wickedness and believe in the one and only begotten Son of God.

nodoubt257:

You are the Light of the World

I shouldn’t be, but I am. Still constantly amazed at how dark the world is getting. Families being ripped apart, nation against nation, marriages being tested in ways they never thought possible, children so rebellious that those whom have passed on a couple generations ago, would be shocked if they could see the youth of today. There is little respect — if any – for the elderly, the sick or the unborn. Politicians lying through their teeth just to get a vote. Good being called evil and evil being called good. Society is a cess pool of putrid filthy dung. I could go on and on, but I digress.

I look around and cry out to God, How long, oh God, will You continue to hold back Your wrath and judgments?

I’ve learned the past year or so, that you don’t have to be a blazing fire to make some kind of impact in one way or the other against the darkness in those around you.

Imagine if you will, cock roaches. You see a few during the day, but it is at night when they are most active. You step into the kitchen and turn on the light and then you see them everywhere. What is the first thing they do? They scatter back into the crevices from where they hide.

This is the very same thing that darkness does. It will always try to hide it’s deeds, lest they be exposed.

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12,13 –

Did you see that? It says “DESIRE.” It does not say if you have it all together, or if you have all your ducks lined up, it says if you DESIRE. If you are a child of God bought and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, then you have THE Light of the World within you. Even if you think your light is as small as a pin head at times, you still have THE ONE TRUE Light in you. The darkness is growing so much that even that tiny little light exposes what is in the heart of man.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew. – 5:14 -16 — (Jesus)

Yet, in the meantime, let us not be surprised and may we not forget:

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

John 15: 17 – 19 (Jesus)

Jesus, Jesus — there’s something about that name

To those of you who know Him: Can you still remember the day you called out his Name? Can you remember that very first love? How excited you were to tell everyone you knew that you met Jesus?

Oh, friend, I remember! I remember meeting Him and having such a burning desire to tell everyone. Surely, everyone would want to know about this Jesus who took me from darkness to light in the blink of eye? I was wrong. Oh, how wrong I was. I lost some friends. They thought my coming to Jesus meant I would turn into an instant snitch or something and want to see them arrested for smoking pot and dropping acid. I could not make them understand that was the last thing on my mind. I just wanted to share the best thing I had ever found: Unconditional love, forgiveness and the truth I had been searching for.

I did have one friend. She had become born-again two weeks before me and had been praying for me. I hadn’t known about it. I reluctantly (thinking she would reject me) called her to tell her I was born-again. She got so excited and said, “I got saved two weeks ago and I’ve been praying for you!”

My very first sister in the Lord! Oh the family of God is a remarkable and awesome thing.

At some point, we planned on going to our first Christian concert at the church we attended at the time. I came down with the flu and could not go. I was heart sick. I wanted so badly to go. So I laid in bed with a fever feeling sorry for myself.

She went and then dropped by after the concert. She had bought me an album of the group who had been there. The following song was on the album. It takes me back to a good time. A time where my heart remembers the time of my first love. Can you remember your first love? Are you still with your first love or have you let the cares of the world take you away? I know what it is like to have gone astray from your first love. More than likely you don’t mean to do it, may not even have known it was happening. But one day you think to yourself, where did He go? Friend, He didn’t go anywhere. We get side tracked so easily, don’t we? We let things of the world sweep us away. We become involved in so many things, staying busy, and sometimes trying to do the “right” thing, that we soon look around and may ask ourselves, “Ok, where is Jesus?”

I know He never leaves us or forsakes us, so He has to be around somewhere. I can tell you where He is this very minute. He is lifting you up to the Father in prayer. He is interceeding for you to come back. He is not waiting with some bull whip in his hands to punish you. No, he is waiting patiently for you to come back and have that first love relationship again. It is not meant to be a one-time event. No. It is meant to last forever!

Oh how Jesus loves us!

mytreasure777:

The Cross or Self-Esteem

UPDATE: I was wrong about something. It has been brought to my attention that the Simon in this passage is not Simon Peter, but a Pharisee. I apologize for my mistake. Thank you, Ian, for telling me.)   

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
“There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

– Luke 7:36-50 –

Can’t you just picture it? A woman — and not just any woman — but one who was known as a harlot — dared to come in the midst of all these learned and holy men, disrupting their dinner. She knew she would not be welcomed. She knew there would be those there who would look down upon her and despise her very nature.

Yet, it didn’t stop her from going to Jesus.

I can hear the voices and see the looks on the faces of her accusers: disdain, proud, self-righteous. She was in the way. Didn’t she realize that they had a very important dinner? Their plans were like many today who have guests speakers in churches: hopes of making them look good, hopes that they too could be part of the in crowd – just by having someone important in their midst.

I suppose some of them were even thinking they had a thing or two they could teach Jesus!

I suppose there may have been some there who in their hearts thought, this woman; this harlot, this woman of the world, is way out of line. Perhaps rebellious against the holy men. After all she was not invited. Who does she think she is by coming here and making such a scene? Wasting oil on this man’s feet. Stooping and washing His feet, drying His feet with her hair. How dare her! Why we had more important things planned!

Jesus knew her too. He knew who and what she was. Yes, she was a sinner, a harlot. And yet, this Jesus let her touch Him! I am almost certain the holy men thought to themselves, How dare him! He makes us look bad by letting such a vile woman touch Him!

If they did think such thoughts, they were right: He did make them look bad. For there was none there who was holy but Jesus. If no one else knew it, that woman knew it. She knew, because she was not comparing herself to the holy men of that day. She may have felt out of place there, never-the-less, it did not stop her from going to the One Person she knew who would have mercy upon her.

Jesus knew what was in each and every heart.

I love the way He ignored the holy religious leaders by asking Simon the question.

I love how Simon responded: He simply said, ”Teacher, say it.” I don’t know, but perhaps Simon was the only man in the room who was ready to hear what Jesus had to say. I believe He knew that whatever Jesus was going to say was going to be something to blow them all away. I believe He was just waiting to hear from no one but Jesus.

Then again, perhaps Jesus was looking right into Simon’s heart bringing conviction. I do not know.

So Jesus spoke. No one dared to question Him. Or challenge Him.

I believe that woman knew before she even entered the room, that this man, this Jesus, was her Redeemer.

Self-esteem teaches you must love yourself before you can love others. Really? Show me that in the Word of God. Prove it to me. You can’t because it is not true. What did Jesus say? He said, “ Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

Notice: He did not sugar coat her sins. He told them, yes, her sins were many. What must she have thought? Was she embarrassed? Did she care that He said these things openly about her? She could have jumped up, ran out the door and hid in shame. But she didn’t. She chose to stay. She KNEW there was no else to go.

If that were to happen in the modern day apostate church there would be many who would have told her, “Okie dokie, Jesus said you are forgiven but now come on over here to teacher/apostle/evangelist/prophet/pastor so-n-so and let them counsel you so you can learn how to develop some self-esteem. Your past is just wretched and now you must learn how to forgive yourself and we have just the right people to guide you.” 

Bride of Christ, can some of you not see that this kind of mindset takes away from the work done on the Cross? It leads back to flesh. The flesh will ALWAYS reap corruption. There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. — Proverbs 14:12 –

The Cross will always point back to repentence, to Jesus, to His work done FOR us.

Note what Jesus did NOT say. He did not tell this precious woman, “Now, go learn to love yourself so you can learn to love others.” NO! THAT would have pointed back to herself. My goodness, can’t you see, she had had ENOUGH of herself. That is why she sought Jesus out.

He had forgiven her! Glory, glory, glory! Glory to the Redeemer! That was enough. It was more than enough! 

What was her faith? Her faith was in nothing and no one but the God man whom she dared to stoop down and wash His feet. She KNEW who He was. She knew there was no where else to go. Her Forgiver. Her Lord. Her Redeemer.

I imagine she gave very little thought about her self-esteem after being forgiven! She walked out of there free! Free from her past! Free from her sins! Free from caring what others thought of her! Free! No longer bound by guilt or shame! For He whom the Son sets free, is free indeed!

CHOOSE THE CROSS. I tell you the truth…there is no other way!

The Gospel: Simple enough for a child to understand

My friend, Mkayla, wrote the following. So simple, a child should be able to understand. But isn’t the Gospel supposed to be simple? Man makes it hard — God makes it simple. Thank you, Mkayla.

http://mkayla.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/a-retelling-of-the-good-news/

A Retelling of the good news

I believe that God created man in His own image. Two of them to begin with, who were placed in a beautiful place to live, without hassles. God walked with them and spoke to them every day and enjoyed the company of His creation and called it good. Eventually these created beings made the wrong choice out of their God-given right to free will, the right to choose. They did not listen to God, their Father, but listened instead to a well-formed lie woven by a crafty manipulator. They called the lie the truth and found that it was good. They were banished from paradise and the hassles of life as we know it began.

After that God made many covenants and attempts to reconnect with His people throughout time. He gave them laws and blessings and waited patiently, with what He refers to as longsuffering, (we say this loooonnngsuuuuferrrrriiiiiinnnnngggg) for them to respond. But man’s heart, despite all the good given to him, is wicked. Man continue to fail and to live in sin by making bad choices through the act of – again – God-given free will. I want to add here that man’s continued failure came as no surprise to God. This is an important point because the next thing – the greatest thing – was not God’s plan B. God was not like Ford Motor Company who some decades ago needed to get a better idea. No, this plan, this one plan to end all plans had been there before even the foundation of the earth. He just had it tucked in His back pocket for the right time to come rolling around. Waiting is not a problem to God because to Him one thousand years is like a day. You and I can’t hardly wait for the next payday to come rolling around, much less the next thousand years!

Ok. So enter Jesus. Yes. Jesus. Yeshua. The Messiah, the one and only son of the Most High God. Jesus, although He is called the Son of God is really God Himself, God in the flesh and as we are told He is called Immanuel. And, wait because it gets better. Jesus, the son of the Most High God, the one sent to deliver God’s people was born of a virgin named Mary – just a little bit of a girl really, not a big bustling woman, not a well-known well dressed woman of the world that all the girls looked up to, just little bitty Mary who had never once had sex.

An angel, a real one not called Emma, visited Mary and told her that the Lord had found favor with her and that she was going to have a child and that the name would be Jesus. When she asked how that was to be, her having still been a virgin, the angel not called Emma told her that she would be visited by the Holy Spirit. This is a true visitation because the same angel told Mary’s boyfriend Joseph the same thing. Then, nine months later she indeed gave birth to a baby boy, the one who would even deliver her. As a woman and a mother this astounds me. Some days we have thoughts or realizations that make us feel like we ran splat right into a wall. This is one of them and it happens every time I think that a young girl gave birth to the one who would deliver and save anyone who called on His name – the name above every name. Jesus is the one who came to bring people back into relationship with God. He came to fix that bad decision made by free will that banished man from paradise. The one that made us have kids with runny noses who wouldn’t do what we said despite our blessings and rules. The kids who insist on doing things their own way. The ones with free will. Ahem.

There’s another splat into the wall moment coming up. Jesus grew into a man and began to teach all who would listen about the Father and about the kingdom of God. He chose twelve men who liked to make bad decisions, but they listened and believed in Him. Because Jesus is God He could tell the condition of the hearts of those around Him. Many hated this because they wanted to continue to live out their lives of the lie, the one that began by the crafty manipulator so long ago. Oh no. Crafty never left the scene. He’s always been there. So in their blindness and their insistence on being right – their pride – and because of their kinship to Crafty, they hated Jesus and planned to get rid of Him. But many others loved Him and to those He gave forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

Jesus taught his disciples many things and spoke of His own death and the coming of the Holy Spirit who He also referred to as the Comforter. He told them that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of sin, which is the need to make those dumb free will choices, and that He would lead them into all truth. Then the dark and dreadful day came that Jesus was arrested and taken from them. He was brought to a court where His destiny had already been decided. They mocked Him even though He loved them they beat Him nearly unrecognizable. Then they put nails in His hands and feet and hung Him up that way to die on a cross.

This is what I do not understand. People can read this story and those facts of the savage brutality, which was an act of wicked, wicked hearts, and they are not moved. Yet, those very same people will rise up against someone who mistreated a dog.

Only three people remained to watch Jesus die. Only three. One was His mother Mary. Then they took Him down, loving wrapped Him in cloths and laid Him alone in a tomb. Have you buried a child?

Those who hated Jesus thought it was the end. The crafty one thought he had won and that people would forever be under his rule. He often thought more of himself than he should and is how he ended on his belly. See? They were all wrong. Jesus rose on the third day, defeating the death of the cross, winning the battle and proving to all that He is indeed God. Because no one has the power to overcome death but God himself. Kinda lets the umph out of those vampire stories, huh? Team Edward, Team Jacob sorry, you lose too.

So let’s look at this because for a long time I never got the Jesus gotta die thing. When the two were removed from paradise and were banished it was because of their sin in not doing what God said. Sin leads to death. Don’t debate it in your mind just accept it as fact because as humans it will never make sense. It is necessary to give life to live, so then God came to earth to die in our place so that if we believe in Him we will not die but live forever. Yes, there is a physical death but then we live again with Him. It’s another wall moment because God who is capable of anything could have done any of it or all of it differently but chose not to. That is His love. Don’t miss that point because it is the greatest. And if you decide to do the free will thing here and miss it you will die in your sin and it will be too late to change your mind later on.

Jesus appeared to His disciples and again, taught them, ate with them, comforted them. The first person who saw him was not a man, but a woman. Ha. I love that. It’s one up for the girls. Jesus told His disciples He would be leaving them. He told them to go and wait in a room for the gift to come. As they spoke He went up into the heavens and they watched Him go. Again, there was a visit from an angel, this one wasn’t Emma either, who told them they would see Him come again in the same way they saw Him leave. Translated this means that Jesus will be in the heavens the next time we see Him! The Message says Jesus disappeared mysteriously. Don’t read the Message. It is a book authored by the crafty one, yes, he has books, and this one is a well hidden fact.

The disciples and followers of Jesus went to the room and waited. It was their turn for longsuffering. They were obedient to the instructions of their Lord and were given the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. He came with might and power. He came with great authority and as Jesus said He would, He convicted the people of sin. Many were saved – 3,000 at time and the church of Jesus Christ grew in number and influence. They knew they had the free will choice to do stupid and purposeless things. They knew that they could leave at any moment and return to their homes and to their jobs and wine vats. But they chose something different. They chose to hear the word and they received it well. Many of them gave their lives so that others could hear the news of Jesus Christ. And to this day it continues. That is the basic story of the gospel of Jesus Christ that is to be preached to all creatures to the ends of the earth.

And you thought Steven Spielberg could tell stories!

Jesus came to earth in a way that the people did not expect Him to. They were waiting for a ruler to restore their kingdom. Jesus told them His kingdom is not of this world. I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit came in a way that they did not expect either. Who could prepare for such power? Have you ever spoken the word of God to someone and you knew there’ s no way those words could have come from you? That was the Holy Spirit. It’s a kapow deal. A step up from the wall moment. But make no mistake, the Holy Spirit is Jesus, He is God and in that He is distinct. Crafty has his own distinctions and men have once again traded the truth for the lie and called it good. Catch that.

This is a simplified version, my having had no forethought on this at all! – and that is the point. It is simple. But, its such a crazy story – not my retelling but the real complete unabridged one found in the bible. And still some days, even though I believe and know that it is true I wonder why… or how. It is bizarre to my human, selfish mind why God would go and do the things He went and did. But, I think that’s the point.

Who else would do such a thing but God Himself?

splat right into the wall.

Are You a Good Person?

Video for those who trust in their own goodness.

See, in no way do I believe I am better than the next person. It is those of you who think you have no need of a Savior, who believe you are better. You have put your faith in yourself. Trusting in your own goodness, when there has only been One who is good; the God/Man Jesus Christ.

Your goodness – my goodness is a stench before the nostrils of a holy and perfect God.

thewayofthemaster:

You call him Yeshua, I call him Jesus

Some years ago, I was friends with a couple of godly women. We would meet regularly having Bible studies. These women loved the Lord with all their hearts and they were wonderful teachers. However, they came to a point in their Christian walk where they stopped using the name of Jesus and began using Yeshua for a season. Which was fine with me, other than they made me feel less spiritual because I still used the name of Jesus. I always have and always will speak the name Jesus.

You may say Yeshua, I say Jesus. It’s not enough to make me split hairs with you and part from your fellowship. The fact that you love Him is enough for me.

carpentersdaughter2: There are many on youtube who are teaching that unless we call Jesus by His Hebrew name, we will not be saved. They teach that Jesus is a false God and he can’t save anyone. This is but another lie from the enemy, and there is not one scriptural basis for this teachings. BEWARE of many on this site who are teaching this. Their videos are smooth and their lies taste like honey but is deadly poison. They teach that the Bible is corrupted and that only their teachers can repair the Bible. This is taught so it can give credibility to their lies. They know their is no scriptural backing for their teachings.

MUHAMMAD VERSES JESUS CHRIST

Perhaps, you are a Muslim. Perhaps you are one who believes in killing in the name of your god –murdering those of us who confess Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life. Or perhaps you are one whose true aim is to walk peacefully among your neighbors. Perhaps just perhaps, this is you; one who hates evil and violence and desires to walk in real peace with your neighbor. If so, then let me tell you about my Jesus.

Then decide which God you will follow. May the God of love, mercy and holiness open up blind eyes. 

RealPeaceOfIslam:

The strength of the Lord is a remarkable thing

Years ago, my husband and I took a trip to Toronto Canada. There is a street called Yong Street that stretches for miles. People from every nation walked it checking out the hundreds if not thousands of local buisnesses. It was a site to behold. I began to get tired of walking and started to complaining that my feet were hurting. Needless to say, I become a grouch. That is until I heard a voice say, “God bless you, Mam.” I turned to see who spoke. I saw no one at first and began to walk on. It was then that I noticed a nice looking young man on the sidewalk. He had no arms and legs. He looked up at me and smiled. His friend was playing Amazing Grace on the guitar. I had not noticed before. I looked down at the man and told him “God bless you too.” We may have chatted for a bit, I don’t remember, it has been so long. All I know is that after leaving him I no longer complained about my feet hurting.

Even now, when I reach a state of feeling like I can not go on any longer, I think of that young man who took time out of his day just to bless a stranger. He has no idea how he blessed me. May the following be a blessing to you also.

We all need encouraging every now and then. Who else but Jesus can make such a difference?

…for in Him we live and move and have our being. — Acts:17:28 –

jackbigbox: