Tuesday, December 20, 2022
Friday, December 16, 2022
Thursday, December 15, 2022
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Friday, November 18, 2022
Do not underestimate the impact you have on those around you. Even if they say nothing, people are noticing how you move through the storm. Live in such a way that people can see the God in you -- hold your head high, keep a smile on your face & speak life into others. The Christ Within is not just your birthright; it is your legacy...
Thursday, November 17, 2022
Water baptism
1 Peter 3:21 "The figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save.us (not putting away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,"
Peter is teaching that 8 people were in the ark and went through the judgment unharmed, it is comparable to the Christian's experience of salvation being in Christ, the ark of one's salvation.
Baptism... By the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Peter is not teaching water baptism, but he is teaching a figurative into a union with Christ as an ark of safety from God's judgment. Christ's resurrection demonstrates God's acceptance of Christ's substitutionary death for the sins of those who believe ( Acts 2:30-31; Romans 1:4).
"Baptism doth also now save us": does not mean water baptism is essential to salvation. It can't wash away the "filth of the flesh," Baptism is a testimony of one's faith in the resurrection because it symbolizes our resurrection with Him.
To be sure nobody misunderstands him; Peter clearly says he is not talking about water baptism when he says " Not putting away the filth of the flesh."
Water baptism is the outward show of the death of the body and rising from the water into a new life with Christ our redeemer. The real baptism that will save us is the changing of the heart.
Friday, November 11, 2022
America
America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian explorer who set forth the then-revolutionary concept that the lands that Christopher Columbus sailed to in 1492 were part of a separate continent. A map created in 1507 by Martin Waldseemüller was the first to depict this new continent with the name "America," a Latinized version of "Amerigo."
Friday, November 4, 2022
Creation
“Are we able to know how many days apart Adam and Eve were created?”, the answer is yes. The answer is that both Adam and Eve were created on Day 6 of God’s creative work. Here is how we know.
First, read Genesis 1:26a: “26aThen God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” This is from the English Standard Version (ESV)of the Bible. The ESV has this footnote about the word “man” in verse 26a. The footnote says, quoting: “The Hebrew word for man (adam) is the generic term for mankind and becomes the proper name Adam.” So verse 26a is talking not just about the individual first man “Adam”, but collectively about mankind in general.
The read Genesis 1:26b: “26bAnd let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” The third word in v. 26b is the pronoun “them”, referring to a plural noun, a number of persons. The verse says God created more than the one person “adam”, created in v. 26a, i.e., He created them.
Then read Genesis 1:27: “27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” God created both male and female when He created people on Day 6. This is emphasized by the last word in the verse, again, the pronoun referring to a plural number of persons, them. The plural them is repeated twice in Genesis 1:28, in verse 28a: “28aAnd God blessed them,” and again in 28b: “28bAnd God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply….” So God is blessing more than one person, them, in 28a, and commanding more than one person to be fruitful and multiply in 28b. And from v. 27, the “them” are both male and female.
Then read Genesis 1:31 through 2:2. Genesis 1:31: “31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”. Then Genesis 2:1-2: “1Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done.” God saw that everything was very good, and upon seeing that, Day 6 of creation ended. Then in Genesis 2:1 it says the heavens and the earth were finished, and in v. 2 it says God had finished the work he had done, and He rested.
That’s it. There is no more creating after that. Everything God created, He created during those six days of active creating. He didn’t create anything, after creating male and female, on Day 6, or anytime thereafter
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Friday, October 28, 2022
Saturday, October 15, 2022
Friday, September 30, 2022
Sunday, September 18, 2022
Sunday, September 11, 2022
Surnames
Rhea was first used as a surname among the descendants of the ancient Scottish people known as the Picts. It was a name for a prosperous person. The Gaelic form of the surname Rhea is Mac Rath, which literally means son of grace or son of prosperity.
Wednesday, August 31, 2022
Salvation
Salvation cannot be bought and it's not by good works or by good behavior. Salvation comes by responding favorably to the Gospel. That message is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1 through 4. Everyone will spend eternity in one of 2 places. That is everyone's decision for themselves to make. Heaven or hell. Choose wisely. Don't make the choice depending on someone else's behavior or even your own behavior. Make the choice in light of who you are and who CHRIST is. Conviction of our sins comes by the HOLY GHOST leading to repentance and salvation. To look at our good behavior or the lack thereof in others leaves one in condemnation. Thankfully, we have a choice because of the cross of CHRIST and HIS resurrection. Choose wisely.
Friday, August 12, 2022
Paralytic mans friends
In Matthew 9:8 the crowd chose to glorify God in response to Jesus' power. They glorified God who had given that kind of power to men. Scripture doesn't tell us but the people understood that he had this authority because He was the Son of God. Still, the crowd glorified God.
In response to your question about the paralytic man's friends: In Mark 2:5 we see that Jesus saw the faith of the paralytic man's friends. Keep in mind the man was paralyzed. He had to rely on his friends to get him to Jesus. The persistent effort and aggressiveness of his friends were evidence of their faith in Christ to heal.
In the time of Christ, most homes in Israel had flat roofs. There would be a stairway outside that went up to the roof. The roof was made from dried-out slabs of clay. A uniform coat of fresh, wet clay was then put over the slabs of hardened clay to seal out the rain. The paralytic man's friends took him to the roof of the house and dug out the top coat of clay, then they removed several of the slabs until they had made enough room to lower him down in front of Jesus.
The paralytic man's friends had a great love for their friend and showed great faith in Jesus.
Men have got the impression that God got a cowardly man to deliver His people. Is God going to use the most unfit person to deliver Israel from the Midianites, Amalekites and the children of the East? God doesn’t operate like that. God raises up men to do His work and He raises them up with the ability to do as He commands them. A lot of people assume because Gideon was threshing wheat by the winepress at night (Judges 6:11) he was afraid. The Midianites greatly oppressed Israel and had taken all they had (6:4-6). If anyone had any food they would have to use much caution and wisdom.
Judges 6:11 “And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which [was] in Ophrah, that [pertained] unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide [it] from the Midianites.”
Gideon is living in a time of strong oppression. The Midianites are taking everything the Israelites have. Gideon got wheat by threshing it at night so he could hide it from them. So, Gideon was cautious and wise.
In Judges 6:12 an angel of the Lord appeared to him calling him a mighty man of valor. That doesn’t sound like he is a coward.
Judges 6:13:13-16 “Sir,” Gideon replied, “if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.”
14 Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!”
15 “But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”
16 The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”
It’s difficult to assume that Gideon was a coward from these verses. At first he didn’t question the angel regarding his courage but only about the Lord being with him. He reasoned that if the Lord was with him, he would not be oppressed. Next he said that he was the least in his house and that his family was poor. This doesn’t mean he was a coward, this shows that he was humble. Gideon didn’t see himself fit for such a big task.
People also bring up his reaction when he saw the angel. Who wasn’t afraid when they saw an Angel of the Lord. Balaam fell flat on his face (Numbers 22:31) so did David and the elders of Israel (1 Chronicles 21:16) and so did Sampson’s parent’s (Judges 13:20).
25 That night the Lord said to Gideon, “Take the second bull from your father’s herd, the one that is seven years old. Pull down your father’s altar to Baal, and cut down the Asherah pole standing beside it. 26 Then build an altar to the Lord your God here on this hilltop sanctuary, laying the stones carefully. Sacrifice the bull as a burnt offering on the altar, using as fuel the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down.” A lot of people come down hard on Gideon because of how he obeyed this command.
27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the Lord had commanded. But he did it at night because he was afraid of the other members of his father’s household and the people of the town. Being brave doesn’t mean your stupid. Gideon had to go in and bring down his father’s altar of Baal, as well as cut the grove beside it then make an altar to God and make a burnt offering for Him. The men in that city, as well as his father, were idol worshippers. He wasn’t going in there in broad daylight and do all that. He wasn’t afraid of what the men would do to him, rather he feared they would try to hinder him from doing what God wanted. I believe he done it at night so he wouldn’t have to deal with the men of the city.
Judges 7:2-3
2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. 3 Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight. Gideon did not go home with the others.
4 But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.”5 When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs. In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.” 6 Only 300 of the men drank from their hands. All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream. It should be clear by now that Gideon was a mighty man of valor.,
Wednesday, July 13, 2022
Salvation
Salvation cannot be bought and it's not by good works or by good behavior. Salvation comes by responding favorably to the Gospel. That message is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1 through 4. Everyone will spend eternity in one of 2 places. That is everyone's decision for themselves to make. Heaven or hell. Choose wisely. Don't make the choice depending on someone else's behavior or even your own behavior. Make the choice in light of who you are and who CHRIST is. Conviction of our sins comes by the HOLY GHOST leading to repentance and salvation. To look at our good behavior or the lack thereof in others leaves one in condemnation. Thankfully, we have a choice because of the cross of CHRIST and HIS resurrection. Choose wisely.
Friday, July 8, 2022
Lots wife
Question: How can Christians say, after God kills Lot's wife for merely looking at the destruction of her home, that he is still an ALL loving & ALL merciful being?
Answer: You are assuming that there was nothing wrong with Lot’s wife looking back at her home’s destruction in Sodom. But what longing in her heart made her look back in the first place? Did Lot’s wife long for her life and/or possessions amid the sin and evil of Sodom? We do not know, for only God knows what is in a person’s heart (Acts 15:8). However, from the passage of scripture that records this event, we do know that one of the angels of the Lord told Lot and his family to flee Sodom for their lives and to not look back (Genesis 19:17). Given this, Lot’s wife was disobedient to the instructions that God had given them, and she suffered the consequence for her disobedience (Genesis 19:24-26).
So yes, God is all-loving and all-merciful. You seem to be overlooking the fact that God instructed His angels to deliver Lot and his family from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. We must remember that God is also all-just. There is a penalty that God has justly assigned to all who choose sin (disobedience to God’s order and will for their lives). That penalty is death (Genesis 2:16-17). We must also remember that God in His love and mercy has provided for us, the Way to be delivered from the sin and death we deserve (Romans 3:23, 6:23; John 3:16; John 14:6).
For more thoughts on the action of Lot’s wife please see the GotQuestions answer given in the link below:
Sunday, June 26, 2022
Thursday, June 23, 2022
Confession
Jesus taught that believers must continue to seek God's forgiveness daily (Matthew 6:11-12). After salvation, Christians miss the mark (Philippians 3:12; James 3:2, 8, 4:17). That's why John said, " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." Sins confessed to God will not hinder us from walking in the pure light of genuine fellowship with Jesus Christ.
When a person dies, their spirit goes back to God and the body returns to dust (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Believers go directly to heaven and nonbelievers seem to be sent to a temporary holding place to await their final resurrection, judgment, and eternal destiny. It will be a place of torment. So, the unbeliever will see God at the final judgment.
It is normal to not understand everything you read in the Bible. You need to find a good Bible-believing church. The pastor of that church and the deacons will be willing to help you in any way they can..
Sources: https://www.gotquestions.org/where-do-you-go-when-you-die.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/what-happens-after-death.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/confess-our-sins-faithful-and-just.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-church.html
Read all of the sources above.
Monday, June 20, 2022
The fear of Hell
The fear of Hell is also known as hadephobia. Hadephobia comes from two Greek words, Hades meaning Hell, and phobos meaning fear. So Hadephobia means fear of Hell.
Hadephobia should not be part of a Christians life. It’s true that Hell is real. It is a place where the unredeemed go, but you needn’t worry – if you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, you are saved from that. Believers have the promise: “Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them” (Revelation 20:6). And there is this one: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death” (Revelation 2:11).
Because Jesus took your punishment and now intercedes on your behalf you need not suffer from hadephobia. You needn’t fear ever being separated from God.
Time and time again God tells us not to fear (Luke 12:32). There is no fear in love.
If you are experiencing any kind of fear, including hadephobia, here are some practical steps to take:
1) Make sure you are saved. It is only the child of God who does not need to fear hell. The saved have the Holy Spirit—the Comforter—in their hearts.
2) Do away with anything that promotes mental images of scary things, e.g., horror movies, occult practices, etc.
3) If your fear persists, get qualified professional help, just to rule out anything clinical.
4) Fill your mind with God’s Word (Matthew 4:4). There is a reason why the Word is likened to food for your daily sustenance.
Sunday, June 19, 2022
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Baptism
Baptism is significant in that it represents the forgiveness and cleansing from sin that comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism publicly acknowledges one's confession of faith and belief in the gospel message. It also symbolizes the sinner's entrance into the community of believers (the church).
Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Monday, May 2, 2022
Saturday, March 19, 2022
Ouija Board
Ouija boards are not “magical” boards nor are they providing you with the ability to talk to your loved ones who have passed away. When a person participates in playing with an Ouija board, they are directly communicating with demons. Satan and his demons are always trying to deceive mankind.
Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Blood, Sweat
Hematidrosis is a rare, but very real, medical condition that causes one’s sweat to contain blood. The sweat glands are surrounded by tiny blood vessels that can constrict and then dilate to the point of rupture, causing blood to effuse into the sweat glands. The cause of hematidrosis is extreme anguish. In the other gospel accounts, we see the level of Jesus’ anguish: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38; Mark 14:34).
Bible
Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord. (Psalm 31:24)
Joe Biden Doesn’t Care if Ukraine Wins, But Why?
Joe Biden Doesn’t Care if Ukraine Wins, But Why?: Joe Biden Doesn’t Care if Ukraine Wins, But Why, Vlad Barney 'Ruble' Putin Meets His Match in Joe 'Mr. Magoo' Biden
Wednesday, March 9, 2022
Jesus
In our life's journey, it is natural to feel a little lost at times... That's okay... This means you are at a crossroads and aren't sure which direction to turn. This is when you look up for direction. The answers are in your heart. The answers will appear when they are supposed to. it's our job to have faith, enjoy the moments of life and continue to do the next right thing.
Sunday, February 27, 2022
1970's
The Seventies Some Tidbits
The decade of the Seventies shows more than any other what happens when inflation goes out of control with prices, wages, interest rates and unemployment and most of the problems could be traced back to one thing that was a major factor OIL Crisis related to the war in the Middle East . At the worst time in mid 70's 1974 Inflation in the US was 11.3% and in the UK 1974 inflation was 24.3% And Interest rates ranged as high as 14.2%.Most things goods and services doubled in price in just one decade
In 1970 a new house cost $23,400.00 and by 1979 was $58,500.00
In 1970 the average income per year was $9,350.00 and by 1979 was $17,550.00
In 1970 a gallon of gas was 36 cents and by 1979 was 86 cents
But the 70's gave us much more than just raging inflation and high interest rates
The US pulled out of Vietnam
The Watergate Scandal
A new genre of music appeared called Progressive rock featuring the likes of Genesis, Yes, Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd. Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Queen, Black Sabbath
The 70's also started using the tools invented in the 60's needed for the digital revolution including the transistor, and Integrated Circuits making things cheaper and more powerful ranging from Calculators to Televisions and the birth of the Home Computer and video games
One other important change which was also caused by the Oil Crisis was the quick uptake of cars from Japan which had smaller engines providing better gas mileage both in Europe and the US
With the 70's came a new generation of passenger aircraft capable of carrying many more passengers ( 747 ) making air travel cheaper and allowing the ordinary family to explore much further afield for holidays.
We can not discuss the 70's without including the liberation of women and the sexual revolution that allowed a more open discussion of anything to do with SEX
With the change in music came a new revolution in fashions carrying on from the more liberal ideas of the 60's of what was acceptable clothing
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Forgivenesss always
When Jesus died on the cross He took all of our sins upon Himself. The Bible assures us God's forgiveness is not limited to what we remember (Romans 8:26-27; Psalm 19:12).
Source: https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/life/2015/03/03/god-forgives-sins-even-forgotten/24281831
Tuesday, February 8, 2022
Exorcism
Exorcism was practiced by various people in the gospels and the book of Acts. The disciples in (Matthew 10); others using Christs' name (Mark 8:38); the children of the Pharisees (Luke 11:18-19); Paul in (Acts 16); and certain exorcists (Acts 19:11-16). It seems that the purpose in Jesus's disciples performing exorcisms was to show Christ's dominion over the demons (Luke 10:17) and to verify that the disciples were acting in His bane by His authority. Also, it revealed their faith or lack of (Matthew 17:14-21). Miracles can be counterfeited (2 Thessalonians 2:9). Jesus said that some who are not truly His may still perform miraculous signs- including exorcisms- in His name.
Romans-Jude also known as teaching portions of the New Testament refer to demonic activity but dues discuss casting them out nor does it exhort us to. We are told to put on the armor to stand against it (Ephesians 6:10-18). Were told to resist the devil (James 4:7), to be careful of him (1 Peter 5:8), and bot to make room for him in our lives (Ephesians 4:27). We are not told how to cast the devil or his demons out of others or that we should even consider doing that.
As the Word of God was completed Christians had more weapons to battle the spirit world than did the early Christians. Casting out demons was replaced, for the most part, with evangelism and discipleship through God's Word. Since the methods of spiritual warfare in the New Testament do not involve casting out demons, it is difficult on how to do such a thing, or whether it is even necessary to do it. It seems that it through exposing the individual to the truth of the Word of God and Jesus Christ.
Sources:https://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-exorcism.html
https://www.gotquestions.org/Catholic-exorcisms.html
RCC
To deny that Roman Catholicism is a cult is to repudiate the reformation and mock the millions of martyrs who died at Rome's hands. The "Christ" of Roman Catholicism is just as false as its "Mary." Remember that a cult according to the Word of God is any group of people that worship anything or anyone other than Jesus Christ, and believe anything contrary to His word as recorded in the Bible.
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
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