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"But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered . . ." Luke 12:7
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 Jesus tells His followers that they will fish for people. Luke 5:1-11 1 "And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets. 3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. 4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. 5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net. 6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake. 7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord. 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken: 10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. 11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him." Jesus raised the widow's son from the dead. Luke 7:11-17 1 "And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about." A woman touches Jesus' cloak and is immediately healed. Luke 8:43-48 43 "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46 And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." Jesus heals a woman's spine who could not stand up straight. Luke 13:10-17 10 "And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. 14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. 15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." Jesus heals a man of abnormal swelling. Luke 14:1-4 1 "And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go;" Jesus cleanses 10 lepers, but only 1 praises God, and thanks Jesus. Luke 17:11-19 11 "And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." Jesus restores the ear of the high priest's servant. Luke 22:50-51 50 "And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him." God raises Jesus from the dead. Luke 24:5-7 5 "And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
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 Jesus casts out an impure spirit. Mark 1:23-28 23 "And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him. 28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee." Jesus heals Simon's mother-in-law of a fever. Mark 1:30-31 30 "But Simon'swife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them." Jesus heals a leper. Mark 1:40-45 40 "And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. 43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter." Jesus heals a deaf man and loosens his tongue. Mark 7:31-37 31 "And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. 32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. 33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. 35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. 36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak." Jesus restores a blind man's sight in Bethsaida. Mark 8:22-26 22 "And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town." Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.  Jesus heals a centurion's servant.
Matthew 8:5-13 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.” Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?” The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.” And his servant was healed at that moment. Jesus calms the storm. Matthew 8:23-27 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Jesus casts out demons into a herd of pigs. Matthew 8:28-34 When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town, and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. Jesus heals a paralyzed man. Matthew 9:1-8 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town. Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!” Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” Then the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. Jesus raises a synagogue leader's daughter. Matthew 9:18-26 While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples. Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment. When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes, he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up. News of this spread through all that region. Jesus restores the sight of two blind men. Matthew 9:27-31 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they replied. Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region. Jesus casts out a demon from man who could not talk. Matthew 9:32-33 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” Jesus completely restores a withered hand on the Sabbath. Matthew 12:10-13 And a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. Jesus casts out demons from a blind and mute man. Matthew 12:22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. Jesus feeds five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish. Matthew 14:15-21 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Bring them here to me,” he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. Jesus casts out demons from a Canaanite woman's daughter. Matthew 15:22-28 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Jesus feeds four thousand with seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Matthew 15:32-39 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?” “How many loaves do you have?” Jesus asked. “Seven,” they replied, “and a few small fish.” He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, and when he had given thanks, he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and they in turn to the people. They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children. After Jesus had sent the crowd away, he got into the boat and went to the vicinity of Magadan. Jesus casts out demons from a boy whom His apostles could not heal. Matthew 17:14-21 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed at that moment. Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Jesus touches the eyes of two blind men, and they receive sight. Matthew 20:30-34 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him. Jesus causes a fig tree to wither. Matthew 21:18-22 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked. Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen. Be sure to watch the next part, "Jesus' Miracles (2 of 4)- MARK."  John 11 1 "Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. 8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. 10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. 11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! 37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done." Teach your children the bible. PARENTS FIGHT BACK! 1. Pray for Disney to have a change of heart; 2. Remember your God-given right as a parent to instruct your children in the ways of the Lord; 3. Refuse to accept the idea that corporations have the right to push woke politics on your children; and, 4. Stand firm as an American citizen and speak the Truth of God boldly. Make the Bible Great Again! Amen!  "But He said, 'Leave the children alone, and do not forbid them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" Matthew 19:14 "You are not far from the kingdom of God." Mark 12 28 "Then one of the scribes [an expert in Mosaic Law] came up and listened to them arguing [with one another], and noticing that Jesus answered them well, asked Him, 'Which commandment is first and most important of all?' 29 Jesus answered, 'The first and most important one is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul (life), and with all your mind (thought, understanding), and with all your strength.’ 31 This is the second: ‘You shall [unselfishly] love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.' 32 The scribe said to Him, 'Admirably answered, Teacher; You truthfully stated that He is One, and there is no other but Him; 33 and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to [unselfishly] love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.' 34 When Jesus saw that he answered thoughtfully and intelligently, He said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' And after that, no one would dare to ask Him any more questions." Jesus said, when you love Him and love your neighbor as yourself, an unselfish love, 'you are not far from the kingdom of God.' Heavenly Father, let it be so, in Jesus' Name! Hallelujah. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.  "But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]." 1 Corinthians 12:31 "Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away." 1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never fails, never fades away, nor ends. "And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13 'THE CHOICEST GRACES': 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Love 'The greatest of these is love.' 1 Corinthians 12 The Use of Spiritual Gifts 1 "Now about the spiritual gifts [the special endowments given by the Holy Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led off after speechless idols; however you were led off [whether by impulse or habit]. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one speaking by the [power and influence of the] Spirit of God can say, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers]. 5 And there are [distinctive] varieties of ministries and service, but it is the same Lord [who is served]. 6 And there are [distinctive] ways of working [to accomplish things], but it is the same God who produces all things in all believers [inspiring, energizing, and empowering them]. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good. 8 To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; 9 to another [wonder-working] faith [is given] by the same [Holy] Spirit, and to another the [extraordinary] gifts of healings by the one Spirit; 10 and to another the working of miracles, and to another prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], and to another discernment of spirits [the ability to distinguish sound, godly doctrine from the deceptive doctrine of man-made religions and cults], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues. 11 All these things [the gifts, the achievements, the abilities, the empowering] are brought about by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, distributing to each one individually just as He chooses. 12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts, though many, form [only] one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one [Holy] Spirit we were all baptized into one body, [spiritually transformed—united together] whether Jews or Greeks (Gentiles), slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one [Holy] Spirit [since the same Holy Spirit fills each life]. 14 For the [human] body does not consist of one part, but of many [limbs and organs]. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” is it not on the contrary still a part of the body? 16 If the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” is it not on the contrary still a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole [body] were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now [as things really are], God has placed and arranged the parts in the body, each one of them, just as He willed and saw fit [with the best balance of function]. 19 If they all were a single organ, where would [the rest of] the body be? 20 But now [as things really are] there are many parts [different limbs and organs], but a single body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 But quite the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are [absolutely] necessary; 23 and as for those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, these we treat with greater honor; and our less presentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 while our more presentable parts do not require it. But God has combined the [whole] body, giving greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 so that there would be no division or discord in the body [that is, lack of adaptation of the parts to each other], but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it. 27 Now you [collectively] are Christ’s body, and individually [you are] members of it [each with his own special purpose and function]. 28 So God has appointed and placed in the church [for His own use]: first apostles [chosen by Christ], second prophets [those who foretell the future, those who speak a new message from God to the people], third teachers, then those who work miracles, then those with the gifts of healings, the helpers, the administrators, and speakers in various kinds of [unknown] tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]." Or, as the King James version tells us at 1 Corinthians 12:31, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way," which is followed immediately in 1 Corinthians 13, describing the 'excellence of love.' Unselfish love is a gift from God, God's choicest grace (favor) for man, and one for which we should earnestly desire and strive. Hallelujah. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.  "The curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked: but he blesses the habitation of the just." Proverbs 3:33 Have you heard people say, 'once saved, always saved'? What does it mean? Can you continue to sin after you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and still expect to receive eternal life? Ephesians 2:8-9: 8 "For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast." God's Word does tell us that we are saved by His grace, and not by works, but it also tells us many other things about what He expects from us. As a matter of fact, practically the entire Old Testament is God telling us what He expected from the Israelites, and then the Gentiles at the time. We now have the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sins, but does that mean we should continue to sin, breaking God's precepts and commandments? God forbid! Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 5: 18 "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Will we be called 'the least' or 'great' in the kingdom of heaven? Still, that doesn't sound too bad, right? At least we are in the kingdom of heaven, right? Nope, wait. There is more! Hebrews 10:26 is probably familiar to most of us: "For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate]," Seldom, however, do I see the remaining verses, 27 through 30, quoted with v. 26, especially v. 30: 30 “For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine [retribution and the deliverance of justice rest with Me], I will repay [the wrongdoer].” And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.'” "And again, 'The Lord will judge His people.'" Who are 'His people'? Taking the two verses 26 and 30, as if they are in the same context, the Scripture is referring to the ‘believers’ in Jesus Christ. ‘The knowledge of the truth,’ received in v. 26 comes from the Holy Spirit, which believers can receive only after having accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. John 14:6 Likewise, Romans 14:10-12 tells us that we will ALL (believers) stand before the judgment seat of Christ and confess, and give account of ourselves, to God. We know that God will have compassion and mercy on whom He chooses. Romans 9:15. Should we abuse, or take advantage of, God's grace or good favor? God forbid! Romans 6 1 "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Jesus said, Sin No More! "Afterward Jesus finds him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, you are made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing befall you." John 5:14 “She answered, ‘No one, Lord!’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you either. Go. From now on sin no more.’” John 8:11 Jesus also said, "For it is not those who merely hear the Law [as it is read aloud] who are just or righteous before God, but it is those who [actually] obey the Law who will be justified [pronounced free of the guilt of sin and declared acceptable to Him]." Romans 2:13 Sin No More! ‘Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Matthew 5:18-19 Amen. Jesus says, Repent or Perish (Luke 13 below) The definition of 'repent' is not to simply accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. The definition of 'repent' is to turn away from sin! Likewise, the definition of ‘righteous’ is not to simply accept Jesus Christ either. Would you be surprised to find out that ‘righteous’ means to obey God? Or, Sin No More! "For it is not those who merely hear the Law [as it is read aloud] who are just or righteous before God, but it is those who [actually] obey the Law who will be justified [pronounced free of the guilt of sin and declared acceptable to Him]." Romans 2:13 The unrighteous, guilty, sinful, sexually immoral, liars, murderers, adulterers, thieves, will not inherit the kingdom of God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Luke 13 Repent or Perish 1 "Just at that time some people came who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate [the governor] had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus replied to them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they have suffered in this way? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish. 4 Or do you assume that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed were worse sinners than all the others who live in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish.” Parable of the Fig Tree 6 Then He began telling them this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any; 7 so he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground [depleting the soil and blocking the sunlight]?’ 8 But he replied to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, [just] one more year until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; 9 and if it bears fruit after this, fine; but if not, cut it down.’” Some Historians note that the Galileans were probably at the Temple offering sacrifices, when Roman Governor Pilate’s soldiers came through and killed them all at the sacrificial altars, thereby mingling their blood with the slain lambs’ blood. Pilate wanted more money from the Temple treasury, but the Jews refused, so Pilate sent men dressed as citizens, and armed with daggers, into the crowds, demanding money, and killing whomever resisted. The Jews who were reporting this to Jesus in v. 1 above were implying that they were better than the Galileans because they did not die like that. And, v. 4. Notice that Jesus repeats v. 3 again at v. 5, showing a sense of urgency: "I tell you, no; but unless you repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways and live changed lives], you will all likewise perish.” Jesus’s answer shows that the Jews who told Him about the Galileans believed that God had permitted them to be killed due to their sins. Jesus was letting them know, in no uncertain terms, that those who died were not necessarily greater sinners, but rather the Jews should themselves repent, turn away from sin, and that if they did not repent, they would all perish as well. So, considering in context Luke 13:1-5, as well as the 'Parable of the Fig Tree’ which follows Luke 13:6-9, as with much in the Bible, there is a lot of debate about whom the fig tree and the vineyard represent. Let’s focus on what we do know from the parable. God is looking for fruit on the trees. Surely, He would do the same with His vineyard. He has given us a season to change our lives, before the trees that do not produce fruit are cut down. v. 9. Praise God. Amen. Again, 'repent,' which Jesus himself tells us to do, means to turn away from sin. Sin No More! Romans 2 3 "But do you think this, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things, and yet do the same yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment and elude His verdict? 4 Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]? 5 But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed." Romans 2 14 When Gentiles, who do not have the Law [since it was given only to Jews], do instinctively the things the Law requires [guided only by their conscience], they are a law to themselves, though they do not have the Law. 15 They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts; and their conscience [their sense of right and wrong, their moral choices] bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or perhaps defending them 16 on that day when, as my gospel proclaims, God will judge the secrets [all the hidden thoughts and concealed sins] of men through Christ Jesus. Sin No More! 'Lest a worse thing befall you.' John 5:14 above. "Then when lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death." James 1:15 Romans 14 5 "But because of your callous stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are [deliberately] storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 He will pay back to each person according to his deeds [justly, as his deeds deserve]: 7 to those who by persistence in doing good seek [unseen but certain heavenly] glory, honor, and immortality, [He will give the gift of] eternal life. 8 But for those who are selfishly ambitious and self-seeking and disobedient to the truth but responsive to wickedness, [there will be] wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and anguish [torturing confinement] for every human soul who does [or permits] evil, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and inner peace [will be given] to everyone who habitually does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality [no arbitrary favoritism; with Him one person is not more important than another]." God is very patient with us. He is waiting for us to bear good fruit (our thoughts, words, actions, deeds) in the name of Christ Jesus! "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you." Revelation 3:3 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:12 See my blog titled, ‘The Harvest,’ for My Testimony to God’s Power, and how important it is to Wear the Full Armor of God, so you can withstand the wiles of the devil, and pass your ‘test.' The Time is at Hand. Jesus is coming like a thief in the night. Are you ready? Who will be left behind? Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ! 2 Corinthians 10:5. And, ask and God will show you great and mighty things. Jeremiah 33:3 Hallelujah. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen. JESUS PRAYED "Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death . . ." Hebrews 5:7 THE HOLY BIBLE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT The Holy Spirit is in you [believers]! "What? know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19 Did you know that we talk to God through our prayers, and He talks to us when we study and meditate on the Bible, His Word? It's true. In His short time on earth, Jesus prayed to God many times about things that are written, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." John 21:25 JESUS PRAYED "After He had dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When it was evening, He was there alone." Matthew 14:23 "But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray [in seclusion]." Luke 5:16 "Now it happened that as Jesus was praying privately, the disciples were with Him, and He asked them, 'Who do the crowds say that I am?'” Luke 9:18 "It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples.'” Luke 11:1 "And being in agony [deeply distressed and anguished; almost to the point of death], He prayed more intently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down on the ground." Luke 22:44 JESUS PRAYED FOR THE CHILDREN "Then children were brought to Jesus so that He might place His hands on them [for a blessing] and pray . . ." Matthew 19:13 MY HOUSE SHALL BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER 45 Jesus went into the temple [enclosure] and began driving out those who were selling, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’ . . ." JESUS PRAYED FOR HIS APOSTLES "but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith]." Luke 22:32 JESUS PRAYED FOR BELIEVERS 9 I pray for them; I do not pray for the world, but for those You have given Me, because they belong to You;" . . . 20 “I do not pray for these alone [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for [all] those who [will ever] believe and trust in Me through their message," John 17 "In the days of His earthly life, Jesus offered up both [specific] petitions and [urgent] supplications [for that which He needed] with fervent crying and tears to the One who was [always] able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission toward God [His sinlessness and His unfailing determination to do the Father’s will]." Hebrews 5:7 JESUS SAID PRAY TO AVOID TEMPTATION "and He said to them, 'Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not fall into temptation.'” Luke 22:46 PRAYING IN THE NAME OF JESUS "By stretching forth your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage." Acts 4:31 THE HOLY BIBLE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God. We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit]." 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 I heard a prophet say that God said that the hand of the Lord swirls around believers who are reading His Word, and gives them understanding. Hallelujah! Amen! Proverbs 2 1 "My son, if thou will receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou cries after knowledge, and lifts up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seeks her as silver, and searches for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He lays up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keeps the paths of judgment, and preserves the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. 10 When wisdom enters into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:" JESUS PRAYED AFTER HIS BAPTISM "Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, the [visible] heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “You are My Son, My Beloved, in You I am well-pleased and delighted!” Luke 3:21-22 JESUS PRAYED THREE TIMES BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION Matthew 26 39 "And after going a little farther, He fell face down and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible [that is, consistent with Your will], let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.'” . . . 42 "He went away a second time and prayed, saying, 'My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.'” . . . 44 "So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words once more." JESUS PRAYED AT HIS LAST BREATH "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Matthew 27:42 Thank you, Jesus. There is power in God's Word, and His Word says that there is power in prayer. "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them." Mark 11:24 Hallelujah. Praise God. Amen. COUNT YOUR BLESSINGSCount your many blessings, name them one by one! Ephesians 1 3 Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ, 4 just as [in His love] He chose us in Christ [actually selected us for Himself as His own] before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy [that is, consecrated, set apart for Him, purpose-driven] and blameless in His sight. In love 5 He predestined and lovingly planned for us to be adopted to Himself as [His own] children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the kind intention and good pleasure of His will— 6 to the praise of His glorious grace and favor, which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved [His Son, Jesus Christ]. Amen! Heavenly Father, thank you for our many blessings. Your Word is True and Just, and provides blessings to those who see and hear it. May Your Words always flow through us until You come. Even so, come Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen. Now, no one understands God's timeline completely, or His Word, for that matter. This is why there are so many varying opinions, spanning over hundreds, even thousands, of years. God even makes it clear in His Word that men speak of things they do not understand. Jude 1:10 Everything Visible and invisible, or supernatural, is made By, For, and In God! Colossians 1:16 One thing we should understand from His Word though is that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. We really do not need to know anything else. God made our choice very simple. Hallelujah! Amen. God is Good - All the Time! The Book of Revelation is a prophecy about what will happen to those who make the wrong choice, those who choose the wrong road or path, because, as I said, God made it really easy, and there are only two choices in this life: God or Satan. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:28 We know throughout the Bible, however, that God is gracious and merciful and wants everyone to return to Him, and He never allows us to be tempted more than we can withstand. For this reason, the Bible is full of blessings for believers: "Blessed and worthy of praise be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ," Ephesians 1:3 Now, in the Book of Revelation, God specifically provides Seven Blessings to believers. All seven blessings pretty much have the same theme: Repent, turn away from sin, and turn to Jesus Christ, and you will be blessed! Which coincidentally is also the same theme God has put on my heart in these blogs for the last year! Praise God. Hallelujah. Amen. The Seven Blessings of the Book of Revelation The First Blessing "Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near." Revelation 1:3 Read the prophecy, the Book of Revelation. Hear the words of the prophecy. Keep the things written in it, in your heart; take heed of the words. Be blessed by God. The Second Blessing "Then I heard [the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes, [blessed indeed],” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest and have relief from their labors, for their deeds do follow them.” Revelation 14:13 Remain steadfast in Christ until the end, even unto persecution and death. Be blessed by God. The Third Blessing “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is he who stays awake and who keeps his clothes [that is, stays spiritually ready for the Lord’s return], so that he will not be naked—spiritually unprepared—and men will not see his shame.” Revelation 16:15 Keep your 'eye' single, spiritually perceptive, focused on God, wearing the Full Armor of God, and meditating on His Word day and night. Be blessed by God. The Fourth Blessing "Then the angel said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” And he said to me [further], “These are the true and exact words of God.” Revelation 19:9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9 Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and obey God. Be blessed by God. The Fifth Blessing "Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) and holy is the person who takes part in the first resurrection; over these the second death [which is eternal separation from God, the lake of fire] has no power or authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and they will reign with Him a thousand years." Revelation 20:6 "You who obey the Lord’s commands, listen to what he says: 'Your brothers hated you. They turned against you because you followed me. Your brothers said, ‘When the Lord shows his glory, then we will rejoice with you. But they will be punished.'” Isaiah 66:5 Believers in Christ will take part in the first resurrection. Unbelievers will take part in the second death. Choose God now! Turn to Christ in full obedience. Be blessed by God. The Sixth Blessing “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is the one who heeds and takes to heart and remembers the words of the prophecy [that is, the predictions, consolations, and warnings] contained in this book (scroll).” Revelation 22:7 This blessing is almost exactly the same as the First Blessing, which would probably indicate some urgency for man to read, hear and obey, or take heed of, this prophecy (the book of Revelation). The Seventh Blessing "Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are those who wash their robes [in the blood of Christ by believing and trusting in Him—the righteous who do His commandments], so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14 How many will "enter by the gates into the city?" God's Word tells us that the road to heaven is narrow and difficult to follow, and few will find it, but that the road to hell is wide, and many will find it. The road is not difficult to follow because the Word is difficult to understand. To the contrary, He tells us that 'the god of this world' [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers: "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." 2 Corinthians 4:4 Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and turn (back) to God in full obedience. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.  Heavenly Father, thank you for our many blessings. All glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving to God, Most High. Bless those reading this. Amen.
God’s plan is that we remember who we are, what our purpose is here, and that we return to Him, in Jesus Christ. Who knows that we all have a purpose? It is the very reason for our existence on earth: “In Him also we have received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will,” Ephesians 1:11 According to the purpose of Him, with the counsel and design of His Will! Not our own will. THE VEIL “And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 What is the ‘veil’ about which Apostle Paul writes above when he says, ‘with unveiled face’? Plainly speaking, it is a veil over us that keeps us in darkness, and in the dark about who we really are: Light and love, from God, the creator. In Biblical times, the Israelites, who lived under the Mosaic Law, Moses’ Law (the Law), had a veil of blindness and ignorance upon their hearts. The Law was oppressive and difficult to follow, as Jesus tells us in the New Testament. Hebrews 7:18-19 tells us that the law was weak and useless, and never made anything perfect. “For, on the one hand, a former commandment is cancelled because of its weakness and uselessness [because of its inability to justify the sinner before God] (for the Law never made anything perfect). . .” Hebrews 7:18-19 Those seem like harsh words. I no longer see them as ‘harsh,’ however, but more frank. The Law condemned people to sin and death. In Matthew 23:23-24 below, Jesus is being frank with the Pharisees and scribes, when He says, woe to them, for not fulfilling the primary spirit of the Law, which is ‘justice and mercy and faithfulness.’ He is telling them, I want you to be saved, but how can you escape judgment? By your actions, you will be condemned. Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]!” Jesus is judging righteous judgment John 7:24, and not judging by their fancy clothes and kept appearances. He is exposing their unfruitful works of darkness Ephesians 5:11, and warning others to beware of their actions and deeds. Why would God, the creator, allow Mosaic Law into His creation, when it was clearly imperfect? Well, Adam and Eve had a choice, and they chose to disobey God and introduce sin and death into the world. By the Law, we learned what sin is, so that we could learn not to sin through and in Jesus Christ, and once again, be made perfect, like God, light and love, from glory to more glory. “What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, if it had not been for the Law, I would not have recognized sin. For I would not have known [for example] about coveting [what belongs to another, and would have had no sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, 'You shall not covet.'” Romans 7:7 So, the veil of blindness that comes from the Law is taken away through repentance in Christ. 2 Corinthians 3 14 “But [in fact] their minds were hardened [for they had lost the ability to understand]; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed [only] in Christ. 15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart; 16 but whenever a person turns [in repentance and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].” “ . . . while on the other hand a better hope is introduced [Jesus Christ] through which we now continually draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 From one degree of glory to even more glory … Believers who study the Gospel are happy, for their hearts are free in Christ to follow the way of God’s Commandments. Believers have love and light, and with open face, as if looking in a mirror (reflection), they behold the glory of the Lord. “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 ‘The essence of the law and the writings of the Prophets.’ So, essentially, everything we know about anything, according to God’s Word. These are not JUST words. God’s Word is alive, and is meant to push us from glory to glory, towards Him. Apostle Luke goes into further detail about how to reflect God’s glory, love and light, by treating others the way you want to be treated: Luke 6 27 “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you, 28 bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 Whoever strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one also [simply ignore insignificant insults or losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity]. Whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. Whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. 31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. 32 If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend [money] to those from whom you expect to receive [it back], what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to receive back the same amount. 35 But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful.” God’s Words are alive and literal, and truly every action we commit against another individual, we are committing against ourselves, which prohibits us from reaching our God-Willed potential. By loving and treating everyone as if they were us, then we have fulfilled the letter and the intent of the Law, and the prophets, written about (for our sole benefit), to push us to awaken to our true destiny, from one glory to more glory, and return to God, the source of all things. All of this proves that our God is a just, forgiving and merciful God, who does not want any to perish, but all to return to Him, in and through Jesus Christ. He is a God that takes what men meant for evil and turns it to good. Genesis 50:20. Praise God! Amen. The end of one covenant, the Law, and the beginning of a New Covenant, the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all men. JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION Luke 23 44 “It was now about the sixth hour (noon), and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), 45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two [from top to bottom]. 46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Having said this, He breathed His last.” Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two [from top to bottom], and the Law became fulfilled in two simple commands: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:36-40 So, God, the creator, the source of all things 1 Corinthians 8:6, created us perfect, like Him, in light and love. Through sin and death, we were torn and wounded; and, healed by the grace [favor] of God, the Father. Created Perfect Torn and Wounded Healed, Bandaged, Revived and Raised Up Hosea 6 1 “Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord, For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. 2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up That we may live before Him.” We were saved by the Grace of God, and we will be raised up through the Word made flesh, the resurrection, which is Jesus Christ. Let’s pray for all of God’s children to remember who they really are, a part of God, the creator, in and through Jesus Christ. Amen. See also my blog titled, 'The Veil,' to read about My Testimony to God's Power. MAN'S SIXTH SENSE  "Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?" Romans 6:16 Heavenly Father, let your words flow through me, and not my own. In Jesus' name. Amen. Does man have a sixth sense? Are our thoughts, in other words, our mind and feelings, like a sixth sense? At the very least, our thoughts and feelings control our responses to the five senses: Sight, Hearing, Speech, Touch, Taste. First, let's look at the five senses, and God. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10 We are created in Jesus Christ, to perform good works, which God, before time began, ordained, or established or ordered by appointment, decree, or law. These are not JUST words. We know God's Word is powerful: "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 God's Word is a 'discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.' THE FIVE SENSES: Sight, Hearing, Speech, Touch, Taste SIGHT AND HEARING "But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear." Matthew 13:16 Our eyes and ears are blessed by God because we see His blessings in our lives every day, and hear and understand His Word: The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son, who died, was resurrected, and now sits at God, the Father's, right hand. SIGHT Matthew 6 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear [spiritually perceptive], your whole body will be full of light [benefiting from God’s precepts]. 23 But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness . . ." If our spiritual eye is focused on God, then our bodies will be full of light, and will shine with God's Word for all to see. If our spiritual eye is focused on darkness, our bodies will be full of darkness! HEARING "So be careful how you listen; for whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a longing for truth], even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.” Luke 8:18 Listen to God's Word, hear it with your ears, understand it with your hearts and minds. Do not be like Cain, who knew God's Word, but was a poser, a pretender. He pretended to be righteous, thinking he could climb into the kingdom of Heaven through a window to receive God's blessings, instead of coming through the door, as instructed. See my blog titled, Cain and Abel. SPEECH (words) So, we know God's Word is alive, and we also know that our very own words are alive: "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body." Proverbs 16:24 If pleasant words cause healing, then harsh words are certainly the opposite, and cause sickness and death. Also, Matthew 12:37, "For by your words [reflecting your spiritual condition] you will be justified and acquitted of the guilt of sin; and by your words [rejecting Me] you will be condemned and sentenced." By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Jesus tells us that if we have the faith of a mustard seed, we can tell [speak to] a mountain to move, and it will move: "And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say [speak] unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Matthew 17:20 These are powerful words. Our words are alive, and is it no wonder? "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?" We are gods who can create by speaking, thinking about, and acting upon God's Word, which, in turn, will cause our own words, thoughts and actions to create for the greater good of all mankind. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue [speech]: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." Proverbs 18:21 Similar to what Jesus said: live by the sword, die by the sword, except, more appropriately, sting men with your tongue, and you will be stung in the same way, with men's tongues, or words. Or, Do unto others as you would have done unto you. TOUCH 2 Corinthians 2:17 “'So come out from among unbelievers and be separate,” says the Lord, 'And do not touch what is unclean; 'And I will graciously receive you and welcome you [with favor],'" Come out. Repent, turn away from sin. Do not touch what is unclean. Turn to Jesus Christ. Stay away from unrighteousness: Fornication, lying, adultery, murder, stealing, lust of the flesh, all forms of wickedness and abominations to God. "And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest you be consumed in all their sins." Numbers 16:27 Touch nothing of the wicked, unless you be consumed in their sins. TASTE "O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him." Psalm 34:8 Taste the power of God's Word, and take refuge in Him, and be blessed. MAN'S SIXTH SENSE - THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS? Our thoughts, words and actions are the most powerful tools God gave us, in Jesus Christ, because with them, we create the world around us! See some interesting videos about God and Physics here. I know people will say, but thoughts and feelings are not really a 'sense,' are they, not like seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and speaking? Are not the original five senses all operations of our minds? We touch something, and our minds, feelings, thoughts, tell us what it is and how to react to it. Same with the other senses. So, in essence, our thoughts and feelings are the greatest operation of our minds. You could say, our feelings or thoughts are a 'sense' [sixth sense] of who we are, inside our hearts. Thus, thought is the greatest operation of our minds of all the five senses. We think all day long, day and night, even in our dreams. The kinds of thoughts we have are based on what we have stored in our hearts, and determine how we react to the other five senses: taste, touch, sight, hearing, and speech. "Do you not know that when you continually offer yourselves to someone to do his will, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey, either [slaves] of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness (right standing with God)?" Romans 6:16 If we continually offer ourselves in thoughts, words, and actions, to sin, death is waiting. Therefore, if we offer ourselves to God, and righteousness, everlasting life is waiting. "[We are] casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5 "bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." Do not even think sinful things. Jesus said, that just by looking at another woman, a man has already lusted for her in his heart. God knows our hearts. If you are feeling persecuted, deeply saddened, or guilty, and you have no idea why, or perhaps you have some idea, pray out loud to God for forgiveness, repent of [turn away from] any and all sin, and God will provide mercy and relief. "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Philippians 4:8 Think only on honest, just, pure, lovely things, and things of good report, and only on things that have virtue and praise. Anything else is from Satan, the ruler of this world, and will lead to death. Jesus said, Do not love this world. If you love this world, then the love of the Father is not in you. Love people. Hate evil, which is sin and death. “And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 Keep your hearts and minds [thoughts and feelings] on God, and receive the peace the passes all understanding through the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Choose God by choosing His only begotten son, Jesus Christ. Amen. Fruit Loops or Froot Loops? No, you are not losing your mind!The Mandela Effect. Have you ever heard of it? Well, put on your tinfoil hats, and let's step into what will seem like the Twilight Zone for a moment. I do not claim to understand it completely, but the fact that something is occurring cannot be denied, and God has led me here as usual. Hallelujah! Praise God! Thank you, Father! Heavenly Father, let your words flow through me, and not my own, and let your children with ears to hear, hear. In Jesus' name. Amen. First, get a piece of paper and a pen, so you can write down your answers. Write down the first thing that comes to mind. Do not research on the internet until after you first write down all of your answers. PICK ONE OR MORE
First, I will provide you with the 'correct' answers according to the internet. Then, a couple of videos that God put in my path during this journey, followed by scripture. At the end of the blog, I will give my answers to the questions. ANSWERS ACCORDING TO INTERNET
I know it is deep, and I am not yet finished, so hang on. Watch the following two videos of 13-year-old Max Loughan, a theoretical physicist. That is not a typo. He is 13 years old. Sadly, Max says that he does not believe in 'God' or the bible, but weirdly is forced to admit in both videos that they are both real! In the first video, about the Mandela Effect, he tries to say that God's Word, the bible, is not real, but then he pivots and says, Well, the bible describes the worlds in terms a five-year-old could understand. So, I say to him, Don't deny us five-year-olds our creator's instruction manual for life, then! Hallelujah! In the second video, the interviewer asks him, What happens to us when we die? Max says, well, your body rots in the ground and that's it. Nothing. Then, the interviewer presses him, and he is forced to admit that our bodies are made up of energy, and energy can never be destroyed, only transformed, from one form to another form. Max Loughan |
Melanie GarciaFaithful and humble servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Archives
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