"Identifying the enemy in your life"
By: Dr. Michael Smith
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Friend, this is a scripture that if we fully understand it, we realize that the enemy is really powerless. You will understand that the enemy operates only through deception and lies, and through the impregnation of negative thoughts, other than that God has removed all access from him. If you notice Satan had to go before God and gain approval and permission to do what was done to job, so really the things Job went thru were brought on by God not by Satan. I know this probably shakes some religious minds up.... First of all let’s look at 1 Peter 5:8 and the first word is Be, This in itself is an empowering, enriching word that is spoken as a command, for we see in webster’s that Be means to have an existence to dwell in or with. There is a place in God we can dwell (Psalms 91:1) Next let’s look at the word sober: In the Greek it means to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate and not influenced or effected by emotions including anger and frustration. Stop and think for a minute, how many times do things happen in our life, where we make wrong decisions because they are only done thru emotions? Next, we see the writer again saying be vigilant: In the Greek we see that this is giving us instruction of how we can be sober in our lives and in and the circumstances that we face on a daily basis. For us to be vigilant we must collect our faculties, wake up arouse ourself from sleep, which includes sitting or lying, from disease, or death from obscurity, inactivity, and nonexistence lest some destructive calamity suddenly overtake us. this is confirming that the enemy operates thru deception and lies only. I don’t know about you but we could stop there and I already feel more equipped to handle things in life, just simply by understanding how the enemy operates, and what I must do and how I must live in order to combat his deceptive ways. Next, we see the writer identifying him as the devil this in important for we see thru the scriptures that he (the devil) has many names or characters as he presents himself to us. This is important so that we can identify what character or nature we are up against in life. When we see devil we see the character of someone slanderous, accusing falsely, exposing to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation. This is confirmed over and over again that the enemy only operates thru deception and lies. Please take the time to study I Samuel the 17th Chapter. For now we continue and see the devil as the accuser of the brethern, these are very important words for without them, the entire meaning of the scripture is changed and the enemies ability and weaponry becomes stronger against us. It simply is showing and exposing him to the body of Christ as someone that tries to appear ferocious….Please, it’s important that you don’t take him lightly at all…but don’t let him instill a fear in you, that he is more than what he actually is. For here we see the scripture comparing him to a roaring lion, but notice now he walketh about, I don’t know about you but as I read, there are those little words that appear so insignificant, but they seem to catch my attention and they seem to reveal so much in the scripture that over the years we have passed by. For here we see that the word about is used in a negative to express intent or determination to accomplish something. Now he’s seeking in the Greek this is referencing to seek out by thinking,(To be a gate keeper) to enquire into to crave someone or something. Wow….Now we see the writer ends this verse in a bang by revealing his intention and purpose…”whom he may devour” the Greek says to gulp up swallow destroy drink down. My favorite writer in the scripture says it better than all in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Not every situation or circumstance in life is what it appears to be, the enemy and life presents it much more complicated than it actually is. Step back and look at your problem thru the eyes of your understanding Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. I pray this has done as much for you as it has for me Please comments are encouraged and appreciated Thank you and God bless.
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They were all ? one accord
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Acts 2:1-2
First of all I want to point we are talking about an experience, that took place with the early church. And when the day of Pentecost (The fiftieth day, the day of freedom, liberation. The second of three great Jewish feast celebrated) was fully come, I Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. they were all with (Accompanied by) one accord in one place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Friend, it’s coming Church get ready it’s coming. Pentecost was a unique time of liberation and freedom for all under any type of bondage in the natural, But we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a new wave of Pentecost, I must remind you of the Prophecy of Joel written minded those of the early church. Acts 2:16-17 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; where we that are under spiritual bondage will be set free from the slavery of our health, financial, racial and cultural bondages. Let’s look at what the writer was saying for a moment Notice if you will they are all with one accord they were not in one accord. Accord in the Greek this is translated as to having one passion, being in sync or rhythm with those around you. How long has it been since we seen all churches in that place? Even the Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4:13 “Till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. It seems like we live in a day where everyone has their own agenda, and interpretation. I find it so amazing that we have One God and how many different translations of the him St. John 1:1? And then verse 2 says “Suddenly” unexpectedly ….I’m telling you my friend it’s on the verge of happening and it will take the church world by surprise as they will be ushered into the upper room of the Spirit of God and liberated from all that has bound them down…..But you must be ready…..Why must we be ready you say? Look at the word sound in the Greek we see that as a loud confused noise, a roar of sea waves. Just picture it the body of Christ roaring through the land with a roar of rushing water….Friend, A flow of rushing water moves everything out of it’s way nothing can stop it or hinder it…… And then we see the word rushing meaning to bring in by announcing an inward move of the mind. That will bring a forcible move of the Spirit of God upon the land. And that forcible move will be the wind that will fill the house. Please notice it don’t fill the people, it fills the house simply meaning to change the environment. The effects of wind moves one condition out and new one in. and that wind is the respiration or breath of God that is revitalizing and restoring life, healing and joy back to the Body of Christ.
"Sexism in the church"
This is a very touching and sensitive subject, as we have have cultures in this day that the man is definite the dominant one and the head of the house. But as we look at sexism we see it is one gender, usually male, having dominance over the other gender, usually female. The Bible contains many references to women that, to our modern mindset, sound discriminatory towards women. But we have to remember that when the Bible describes an action, it does not necessarily mean that the Bible endorses that action. The Bible describes men treating women as little more than property, But as you look thru the word of God we a much different portayal of the woman. For the scripture says Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing (to be furnished, to be secure, to succeed), and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Notice the writer in the OT when we find a wife we find a good thing.....not someone to dominanate or control but we find someone one that furnishes us with success and security. Notice in Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet (aid, support, bodyguard, someone to surround him) for him. So by these we know that God does not approve or validates such actions. However I see and realize that it appears that we have fallen off course, But please allow me to reassure you that God has a plan and it is fully on course with it, as the Bible is far more focused on reforming our souls and our Spiritual life and relationship rather than our societies and cultures. God knows that a changed heart will result in a changed behavior. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. I do believe as a man myself that we have a mission and we are empowered with a call to fall in line with the word of God as Ephesians 5:21-25 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; During the Old Testament times, virtually every culture in the entire world had similarity in there structure. That status of history is very clear"not only in Scripture but also in the rules that governed most societies. By modern value systems and the view point of the world we live in, that is called "sexist (prejudice, discrimination based upon gender, behavior conditions or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on gender)." God ordained the order in society, not man, and He is the author of the establishment principles of authority. However, like everything else, fallen man has corrupted this order. That has resulted in the inequality of the standing of men and women throughout history. The exclusion and the discrimination that we find in our world is nothing new. It is the result of the fall of man and the introduction of sin. Therefore, we can rightly say that the term and the practice of "sexism"is a result of sin. The progressive revelation of the Bible leads us to the cure for sexism and indeed all the sinful practices of the human race. To find and maintain a spiritual balance between the God-ordained positions of authority, we must look to Scripture. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old, as the Old Testament is the Architectural drawing of the new testament. And in it we find principles that tell us the correct line of authority and the cure for sin, the ill of all humanity, and that includes discrimination based upon gender. The cross of Christ is the great equalizer. John 3:16 says, "Whoever believes," and that is an all-inclusive statement that leaves no one out on the basis of position in society, mental capacity, or gender. We also find a passage in Galatians that speaks of our equal opportunity for salvation. "You are all sons (not a gender statement) of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus' Galatians 3:26-28. There is no sexism at the cross. The Bible is not sexist in its accurate portrayal of the results of sin in both men and women. The Bible records all kinds of sin: slavery and bondage and the failures of its greatest heroes. Yet it also gives us the answer and the cure for those sins against God and His established order"a right relationship with God. The Old Testament was looking forward to the supreme sacrifice, and each time a sacrifice for sin was made, it was teaching the need for reconciliation to God. In the New Testament, the "Lamb that takes away the sin of the world" was born, died, was buried and rose again, and then ascended to His place in heaven, and there He intercedes for us. It is through belief in Him that the cure for sin is found, and that includes the sin of sexism. The charge of sexism in the Bible is based upon a lack of knowledge of Scripture. When men and women of all ages have taken their God-ordained places and lived according to "thus says the LORD," then there is a wonderful balance between the genders. That balance is what God began with, and it is what He will end with. There is an inordinate amount of attention paid to the various products of sin and not to the root of it. It is only when there is personal reconciliation with God through the Lord Jesus Christ that we find true equality. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). It is also very important to understand that the Bible's ascribing different roles to men and women does not constitute sexism. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God expects men to take the leadership role in the church and the home. Does this make women inferior? Absolutely not. Does this mean women are less intelligent, less capable, or viewed as less in God's eyes? Absolutely not! What it means is that in our sin-stained world, there has to be structure and authority. God has instituted the roles of authority for our good. Sexism is the abuse of these roles, not the existence of these roles.
This is a very touching and sensitive subject, as we have have cultures in this day that the man is definite the dominant one and the head of the house. But as we look at sexism we see it is one gender, usually male, having dominance over the other gender, usually female. The Bible contains many references to women that, to our modern mindset, sound discriminatory towards women. But we have to remember that when the Bible describes an action, it does not necessarily mean that the Bible endorses that action. The Bible describes men treating women as little more than property, But as you look thru the word of God we a much different portayal of the woman. For the scripture says Proverbs 18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing (to be furnished, to be secure, to succeed), and obtaineth favour of the LORD. Notice the writer in the OT when we find a wife we find a good thing.....not someone to dominanate or control but we find someone one that furnishes us with success and security. Notice in Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet (aid, support, bodyguard, someone to surround him) for him. So by these we know that God does not approve or validates such actions. However I see and realize that it appears that we have fallen off course, But please allow me to reassure you that God has a plan and it is fully on course with it, as the Bible is far more focused on reforming our souls and our Spiritual life and relationship rather than our societies and cultures. God knows that a changed heart will result in a changed behavior. Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. I do believe as a man myself that we have a mission and we are empowered with a call to fall in line with the word of God as Ephesians 5:21-25 21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; During the Old Testament times, virtually every culture in the entire world had similarity in there structure. That status of history is very clear"not only in Scripture but also in the rules that governed most societies. By modern value systems and the view point of the world we live in, that is called "sexist (prejudice, discrimination based upon gender, behavior conditions or attitudes that foster stereotypes of social roles based on gender)." God ordained the order in society, not man, and He is the author of the establishment principles of authority. However, like everything else, fallen man has corrupted this order. That has resulted in the inequality of the standing of men and women throughout history. The exclusion and the discrimination that we find in our world is nothing new. It is the result of the fall of man and the introduction of sin. Therefore, we can rightly say that the term and the practice of "sexism"is a result of sin. The progressive revelation of the Bible leads us to the cure for sexism and indeed all the sinful practices of the human race. To find and maintain a spiritual balance between the God-ordained positions of authority, we must look to Scripture. The New Testament is the fulfillment of the Old, as the Old Testament is the Architectural drawing of the new testament. And in it we find principles that tell us the correct line of authority and the cure for sin, the ill of all humanity, and that includes discrimination based upon gender. The cross of Christ is the great equalizer. John 3:16 says, "Whoever believes," and that is an all-inclusive statement that leaves no one out on the basis of position in society, mental capacity, or gender. We also find a passage in Galatians that speaks of our equal opportunity for salvation. "You are all sons (not a gender statement) of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus' Galatians 3:26-28. There is no sexism at the cross. The Bible is not sexist in its accurate portrayal of the results of sin in both men and women. The Bible records all kinds of sin: slavery and bondage and the failures of its greatest heroes. Yet it also gives us the answer and the cure for those sins against God and His established order"a right relationship with God. The Old Testament was looking forward to the supreme sacrifice, and each time a sacrifice for sin was made, it was teaching the need for reconciliation to God. In the New Testament, the "Lamb that takes away the sin of the world" was born, died, was buried and rose again, and then ascended to His place in heaven, and there He intercedes for us. It is through belief in Him that the cure for sin is found, and that includes the sin of sexism. The charge of sexism in the Bible is based upon a lack of knowledge of Scripture. When men and women of all ages have taken their God-ordained places and lived according to "thus says the LORD," then there is a wonderful balance between the genders. That balance is what God began with, and it is what He will end with. There is an inordinate amount of attention paid to the various products of sin and not to the root of it. It is only when there is personal reconciliation with God through the Lord Jesus Christ that we find true equality. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32). It is also very important to understand that the Bible's ascribing different roles to men and women does not constitute sexism. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God expects men to take the leadership role in the church and the home. Does this make women inferior? Absolutely not. Does this mean women are less intelligent, less capable, or viewed as less in God's eyes? Absolutely not! What it means is that in our sin-stained world, there has to be structure and authority. God has instituted the roles of authority for our good. Sexism is the abuse of these roles, not the existence of these roles.
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Why do we argue?
Can't we all just get along?
I find it amazing that we all declare that we are Christians, Saved by grace, yet we argure and debate the Scriptures, And yet it is clear that God hates discord and fighting among His children II Corinthians 12:20, Galatians 5:15, James 3:14, 4:1-3, Philippians 2:3-4. says, "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." You ever heard the old statement “It’s a dog eat dog world” The reality is most churches really do not have the heart of God. Even as in the Old Testament churches today are building empires. If every believer lived by the rule of Philippians 2:3-4, arguing would virtually disappear. Parents frown upon bickering between siblings, and God is a Father who also frowns on it. However, there are three key words in this question that deserve attention:
Christians, always, and arguing.
First, the term Christians has not only been badly misused in recent years, but it’s now fashionable to say I’m Christian. Its no longer measured by lifestyle and behavior as the Scripture declares Matthew 7:20 wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Now anyone who celebrates Christmas or who attends church occasionally can claim to be a "Christian." However, according to Jesus, "Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father in heaven" Matthew 7:21. Much of the fighting and arguing we hear about is between people who might go by the name of "Christian" but who are not true followers of Christ. Selfish ambition, pride, and greed can rule within a church full of unbelievers just as in the rest of the world. There are whole lot of denominations that are so far from the truth detailed in the Bible that they can hardly be classified as Christian Revelation 3:17-18. So, we should keep in mind that much of the arguing is between unsaved people such as imposters posing as believers. Look at the scriptures Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 2 Timothy 3:1-9 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. So it’s pretty simple that standards are much higher in the scripture than they are in the modern world. As our Government continues to approve laws where the church must allow, tolerate and accept sin in the house. That now we have adapted to the standards of the world and not the scripture… “From Such Turn Away” The second term always is a bit misleading. If we weed out those who are not truly born again and look only at the relationships among the real Disciples of Christ, there is much to celebrate. Christians working together in harmony have created thousands of charitable organizations. They are not "always" arguing. Most Spirit-filled churches have a large core of solid Christians who unselfishly use their time, talents, and money to serve their church and community and fellow brethren without bickering. The media are quick to showcase anything negative within the church but are strangely silent about the thousands of praiseworthy deeds done every day by Christians working together in love. The True church of Jesus Christ is a family. Those who have placed their faith in Christ are allowing His Spirit to transform them and have been adopted into the family of God Ephesians 1:5, Romans 8:15. And, as with any family, there are disagreements. There are personality clashes, differing opinions, and ideas that won't work together. When each is convinced that his or her way is the only right way, the clash can be permanent. Friend, with all due respect yes each church as a mission and vision to serve the community in a different way. But the scripture says Habakkuk 2:2 2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. However, differences of opinion do not always produce negative results. Even the apostles had disagreements. In Acts 15:36-41, we read of Paul and Barnabas having such a sharp contention that they split up, chose new ministry partners, and went separate ways. The result was that even more churches were planted and God's message was spread to more people. Paul and Barnabas eventually reconciled and continued together to spread the gospel. Ok buckle up because this is the term or the root of the problem, arguing, this also needs to be addressed. A discussion between sharply contrasting viewpoints is not necessarily an argument. The deity of Christ, salvation through faith, and the need for repentance are not negotiable. But some secondary issues in God's Word leave room for differences of opinion and or interpretation. Some common disagreements pertain to end-times prophecy, gifts of the Spirit, baptism, and church structure. While there is only one accurate interpretation of everything in the Bible, a human being's ability, will or desire to discern that one interpretation can be faulty or lacking. Two godly men can see the same issue differently. Most church denominations arose out of these contrasting interpretations. But those denominations are not necessarily embroiled in an "argument" with each other. Paul addresses this in Romans14. He warns believers to welcome those new to the faith who may have convictions that differ from those of the seasoned saint. Verse 5 says, "One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." In other words, there are some issues that are not weighty matters, and we need to practice grace in accepting the sincerely held convictions of other believers. Doing so consistently would eliminate much of the arguing that taints the reputation of the body of Christ. We must study God's Word and express what we believe it teaches II Timothy 2:15 , but we must do so with humility and love, giving grace to other believers who see things differently I Corinthians 13:1-2. Ultimately, in the end we are all accountable and will answer to the heavenly Father for how we treat each other Matthew 12:36. Every child of God should remember that our Father places far more importance on our showing love than He does on our being "right" on every issue I John 4:20-21.The bigger is person/church is the one that can walk in harmony and unity despite differences of opinion and theories.
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What is Religion/ Religiosity?
We live in a hour when people are not only obsessed with, but we are under control with man’s agenda, likes, dislikes and with man’s Religious and Man-made doctrinal theories of what they think or feel Is right or wrong, and its merely based upon their own personal convictions. This is very evident today in the church, and its called "Religiosity" this can be defined as "the exaggerated embodiment of certain aspects of religious activity." Religiosity is characterized by excessive involvement in religious activities. Religiosity usually entails extreme zeal and affection outside and beyond the norms of one's faith or beliefs. Often, religiosity reflects one's individual beliefs and theories more than those that have Biblical foundation. Another term used for religiosity, though less often, is "religiousness," "the state of being superficially religious." I’m sure you know the bible identifies it in 2 Timothy 3:5-7 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. To summarize, religiosity is a term used by Christians and non-Christians alike to refer to religious activity in the extreme. Religiosity is an inappropriate devotion to the rituals and traditions of a religion. Religiosity is something that should never be a characteristic of a follower of Jesus Christ, but, sadly, it sometimes is. Whenever a Christian takes his/her eyes off his or hers personal relationship with Jesus Christ, religiosity/religiousness can be the result. It is often easier to observe the rules, rituals, and traditions of a religion than it is to live and maintain a passionate God-fearing relationship with the Lord. How can religiosity be avoided? It is a matter of perspective and priority. What is the priority? It is worshipping and following the Lord Jesus Christ, John 4:21-24 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Or is it fulfilling the rituals and traditions of a religious organization? What is the perspective? Do we serve God in order to "earn" His love or to be seen and admired by other people, or do we serve God because we love Him and are grateful for the wonderful salvation He has provided? Religion, ritual, and tradition are not the problem. The attitude and devotion behind the religious practice is the problem.
Romans 1:24-25 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. I urge you friend to understand and don’t get caught In a religious spirit, but understanding the scripture gives us specific instructions Colossians 3:1-2 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. God bless you my friend…
We live in a hour when people are not only obsessed with, but we are under control with man’s agenda, likes, dislikes and with man’s Religious and Man-made doctrinal theories of what they think or feel Is right or wrong, and its merely based upon their own personal convictions. This is very evident today in the church, and its called "Religiosity" this can be defined as "the exaggerated embodiment of certain aspects of religious activity." Religiosity is characterized by excessive involvement in religious activities. Religiosity usually entails extreme zeal and affection outside and beyond the norms of one's faith or beliefs. Often, religiosity reflects one's individual beliefs and theories more than those that have Biblical foundation. Another term used for religiosity, though less often, is "religiousness," "the state of being superficially religious." I’m sure you know the bible identifies it in 2 Timothy 3:5-7 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. To summarize, religiosity is a term used by Christians and non-Christians alike to refer to religious activity in the extreme. Religiosity is an inappropriate devotion to the rituals and traditions of a religion. Religiosity is something that should never be a characteristic of a follower of Jesus Christ, but, sadly, it sometimes is. Whenever a Christian takes his/her eyes off his or hers personal relationship with Jesus Christ, religiosity/religiousness can be the result. It is often easier to observe the rules, rituals, and traditions of a religion than it is to live and maintain a passionate God-fearing relationship with the Lord. How can religiosity be avoided? It is a matter of perspective and priority. What is the priority? It is worshipping and following the Lord Jesus Christ, John 4:21-24 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Or is it fulfilling the rituals and traditions of a religious organization? What is the perspective? Do we serve God in order to "earn" His love or to be seen and admired by other people, or do we serve God because we love Him and are grateful for the wonderful salvation He has provided? Religion, ritual, and tradition are not the problem. The attitude and devotion behind the religious practice is the problem.
Romans 1:24-25 24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. I urge you friend to understand and don’t get caught In a religious spirit, but understanding the scripture gives us specific instructions Colossians 3:1-2 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. God bless you my friend…
"SOWING AND REAPING""Sowing and Reaping"
2 Corinthians 9:6
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
"NOT ONLY IN THE WORLD BUT IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND YOUR FAMILY"
Friend, This is probably the most valuable thing we as men and women need to learn about relationship. It's important that you realize you must become both in action and in deed the very thing you are looking to get out of your relationship. If you are looking for affection become affectionate, If you are looking for unconditional love then Love unconditionally. As you look at the Laws of God we find the scripture says:
Galatians 6:7
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
I guess the issue is really we don't fully understand the term of
Websters says the word sow is to deposit, to set into motion, to introduce into a selected environment.
To go one step further let's define the word based on Numerology, We find the word sow has 3 letters and the #3 is the number of spiritual completion. So that tells us in order for us to become complete we must make those around us complete. Let's face it we live in a self centered world. It's a dog eat dog world for the most part. We are always looking how we can get ahead. The scripture says it very plain and gives us step by step instructions for getting ahead in life. Let's take a look at some of them.
Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Notice the first word in the Luke 6:38 "GIVE" as hard as it is, it's the key that gives us access into everything That God has prepared for us.
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
See friend, we can't begin imagine what God has laid up for us at this point, and sometimes it looks dark and grim. But when you and I learn to practice the art of "Sowing" Wow it's amazing the things God has prepared for them that love him. I know you say in mind what does me loving God have to do with
"SOWING AND REAPING"
Well, the bible says
John 14:23
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
So see if we love him we will keep his word, (Galatians 6:7
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap). and give it access in our daily lives. Now let's look at the word
"REAPING"
websters says to reap is to gather the benefits and rewards and the profits from their investments. Wow, friend does that excite you? it motivates me. Just thinking of gathering the benefits, rewards and profits of all the seeds I have sown into life, family and relationships. Now you may say well, I desire affection, love or passion or whatever it is you desire in your life. Again we must return to God's word for guidance and instruction.
"SEED TO THE SOWER"
2 Corinthians 9:10
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
This was the Apostle Paul writing about God giving seed to the sower. Friend, This is the laws of God that started in the creation of mankind found in
Genesis 1:28
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
I challenge you today to make a choice to stop focusing on you, your needs, your wants and your desires and start focusing on making your mate, your family and those around you complete, remember sow has 3 letters and 3 being the number of completion. If you look at the word complete Websters says it's having all the necessary parts and elements, or the empowerment, the ability to see what God will do. Friend, he has given you the seed the ability and the power to possess whatever you want.
It will all depend upon what you do with the seed God has given you.
2 Corinthians 9:6
6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
"NOT ONLY IN THE WORLD BUT IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP AND YOUR FAMILY"
Friend, This is probably the most valuable thing we as men and women need to learn about relationship. It's important that you realize you must become both in action and in deed the very thing you are looking to get out of your relationship. If you are looking for affection become affectionate, If you are looking for unconditional love then Love unconditionally. As you look at the Laws of God we find the scripture says:
Galatians 6:7
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
I guess the issue is really we don't fully understand the term of
- "SOWING AND REAPING"
Websters says the word sow is to deposit, to set into motion, to introduce into a selected environment.
To go one step further let's define the word based on Numerology, We find the word sow has 3 letters and the #3 is the number of spiritual completion. So that tells us in order for us to become complete we must make those around us complete. Let's face it we live in a self centered world. It's a dog eat dog world for the most part. We are always looking how we can get ahead. The scripture says it very plain and gives us step by step instructions for getting ahead in life. Let's take a look at some of them.
Luke 6:38
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Notice the first word in the Luke 6:38 "GIVE" as hard as it is, it's the key that gives us access into everything That God has prepared for us.
1 Corinthians 2:9
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
See friend, we can't begin imagine what God has laid up for us at this point, and sometimes it looks dark and grim. But when you and I learn to practice the art of "Sowing" Wow it's amazing the things God has prepared for them that love him. I know you say in mind what does me loving God have to do with
"SOWING AND REAPING"
Well, the bible says
John 14:23
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
So see if we love him we will keep his word, (Galatians 6:7
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap). and give it access in our daily lives. Now let's look at the word
"REAPING"
websters says to reap is to gather the benefits and rewards and the profits from their investments. Wow, friend does that excite you? it motivates me. Just thinking of gathering the benefits, rewards and profits of all the seeds I have sown into life, family and relationships. Now you may say well, I desire affection, love or passion or whatever it is you desire in your life. Again we must return to God's word for guidance and instruction.
"SEED TO THE SOWER"
2 Corinthians 9:10
10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)
This was the Apostle Paul writing about God giving seed to the sower. Friend, This is the laws of God that started in the creation of mankind found in
Genesis 1:28
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
I challenge you today to make a choice to stop focusing on you, your needs, your wants and your desires and start focusing on making your mate, your family and those around you complete, remember sow has 3 letters and 3 being the number of completion. If you look at the word complete Websters says it's having all the necessary parts and elements, or the empowerment, the ability to see what God will do. Friend, he has given you the seed the ability and the power to possess whatever you want.
It will all depend upon what you do with the seed God has given you.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/img-0668_orig.jpeg)
"AFTER THE DEATH"
Joshua 1:1-9
1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Now look at the blessing that came after the Death of Moses
1.Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you,
2. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:
3. as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
4. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance
5. be thou strong and very courageous,
6. turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
7. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
8. Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
"AFTER THE DEATH"
Judges 1:1-2
1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
Notice the Question:
Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
and the response is:
Judges 1:2
2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
So Friend Judah will go up and fight our battle when it seems like you can't go another step Hold on the bible says that even in the death of Abel, Cains brother that his blood cried out for him....
Genesis 4:8-10
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
This is amazing that when we feel like we can't go another step the blood of Christ takes over and becomes our voice. Now you may say in your religious mind that well Dr. Smith that was in the OT and yes your right. But it's important that you remember that the OT is nothing more than a type and a shadow of the NT. Let's look into the NT and see what the word of God has to say:
Romans 8:26-28
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
See, even in the new NT the spirit takes over and cries out in our behalf.
Acts 16:16-26
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Notice, Paul brought to pass the death of not only the profit that the people were getting from the damsel, but also the death of the spirit she was possessed by. Now watch and see what happens......
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
See now in the natural Death brings a troubling spirit, of stress and distress, but only to those who walk in the flesh, and lean to the flesh. (Psalms 1:1)
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
this is the process of what death does in our lives the transition if you please that we has Gods children walk thru
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners (Greek: legitimates) heard them.
And at midnight...(the word midnight means in the midst of something). Notice God don't keep them from going into it but the bible says: Psalms 34:19
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, (commotion, disturbance) so that the foundations (beliefs, theories and ideas) of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
Get ready for God to show up and show out in your situations and circumstances. God is going to open the prison doors that have had you bound and deliver you from your bondage.
1 Corinthians 15:51-56
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
"I hear the sound of an abundance of rain"
Joshua 1:1-9
1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Now look at the blessing that came after the Death of Moses
1.Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you,
2. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:
3. as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
4. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance
5. be thou strong and very courageous,
6. turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
7. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
8. Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
"AFTER THE DEATH"
Judges 1:1-2
1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
Notice the Question:
Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
and the response is:
Judges 1:2
2 And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
So Friend Judah will go up and fight our battle when it seems like you can't go another step Hold on the bible says that even in the death of Abel, Cains brother that his blood cried out for him....
Genesis 4:8-10
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
This is amazing that when we feel like we can't go another step the blood of Christ takes over and becomes our voice. Now you may say in your religious mind that well Dr. Smith that was in the OT and yes your right. But it's important that you remember that the OT is nothing more than a type and a shadow of the NT. Let's look into the NT and see what the word of God has to say:
Romans 8:26-28
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
See, even in the new NT the spirit takes over and cries out in our behalf.
Acts 16:16-26
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.
Notice, Paul brought to pass the death of not only the profit that the people were getting from the damsel, but also the death of the spirit she was possessed by. Now watch and see what happens......
19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
See now in the natural Death brings a troubling spirit, of stress and distress, but only to those who walk in the flesh, and lean to the flesh. (Psalms 1:1)
21 And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
this is the process of what death does in our lives the transition if you please that we has Gods children walk thru
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners (Greek: legitimates) heard them.
And at midnight...(the word midnight means in the midst of something). Notice God don't keep them from going into it but the bible says: Psalms 34:19
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, (commotion, disturbance) so that the foundations (beliefs, theories and ideas) of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
Get ready for God to show up and show out in your situations and circumstances. God is going to open the prison doors that have had you bound and deliver you from your bondage.
1 Corinthians 15:51-56
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
"I hear the sound of an abundance of rain"
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To manipulate is to negotiate, control or influence for one's own advantage. Spiritual manipulation is a technique used by some abusive churches and cults to control individuals and acquire gain, all the while giving the impression that their teachings are based on the Bible. Some religious groups take Scriptures out of context in order to support their beliefs. They isolate "proof texts" and "cherry pick" verses to persuade the uninformed that their interpretation is right, even to the extent of claiming they alone have "the truth" and everybody else is wrong. Some have even altered the Bible and produced their own translation to support their religious bias.
Some denominations use scholastic dishonesty to manipulate. They will use partial quotations from first-century Christians and eminent Bible scholars in suggesting that they agree with their views. Take, as an example, the booklet "Should You Believe in the Trinity?," published by the Watchtower Society. Page 7 includes a partial quote from Justin Martyr: "Justin Martyr, who died about 165 C.E., called the prehuman Jesus a created angel who is 'other than the God who made all things.' He said that Jesus was inferior to God and 'never did anything except what the Creator . . . willed him to do and say.'" What's missing from this partial quotation is significant. Justin Martyr said that the "Son, who also, being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God." Nowhere did Justin Martyr say the pre-human Jesus was a created angel. Some individuals manipulate Scripture for their own personal benefit. A controlling husband might demand that his wife submit to him as the head of the house and quote Ephesians 5:22 ("Wives, submit to your husbands"). But that same man might purposefully overlook verse 26, which says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her." Instead of taking the bits of Scripture he approves of and using them to lord it over his family, he would do well to read 1 Corinthians 13 and practice the type of love that is patient, kind, protects, trust and perseveres, etc. During a conversation between Christians, someone might say, "The Lord has told me that. . . ." This phrase essentially shuts down the conversation because it implies that, since God has spoken a word, there can't be any further discussion. Don't be fooled by this trick; it is a form of spiritual manipulation. Or a preacher says, "Sow into my ministry, and God will repay you. Sow, and you will reap! God is no man's debtor." Could such preaching simply be an exploitive appeal for money? Is the preacher trying to influence people for his own financial advantage? If so, it is spiritual manipulation. Another form of spiritual manipulation occurs when abusive churches and cults twist Scripture to give more authority to the leadership and keep the members under their control. One example is the use of Hebrews 13:17 as a basis for demanding unquestioning loyalty and obedience to the leaders. Some religious groups view questioning the leaders as equivalent to questioning God. Some leaders claim to have divine authority and approval; thus, to disobey them is to disobey God. This is perhaps the most destructive and deadly form of spiritual manipulation, and it has no place in a true church. Victims of spiritual manipulation seldom realize what's happening to them. Here are some indicators of a spiritually manipulative church:
Legalism
Demands for obedience
Unquestioning submission
Punishment (loss of privileges, shunning or expulsion)
Misplaced loyalty
Emphasis on performance
Exclusivism ("we alone are right, and everybody else is wrong")
Isolation (refusal to associate with anyone but spiritual brothers and sisters)
Humiliation of the "disobedient"
Abusive churches train members to block out any information that is critical of the group. With enough thought and information control, the leaders can get those under their control to defend their new identity against their former identity. The first line of defense is denial - "What you say isn't happening at all." Next comes rationalization - "This is happening for a good reason." After that, justification - "This is happening because it ought to." Finally, wishful thinking - "I'd like it to be true, so maybe it really is." A characteristic of spiritually abusive systems is that a misplaced sense of loyalty is fostered and even demanded. This is not about loyalty to Christ, but about loyalty to an organization, church or leader. Because authority is assumed or legislated, following that authority must also be legislated. This is accomplished is by setting up a system where disloyalty or disagreement with the leadership is construed as disobeying God. Questioning leaders is not allowed. After all, the leader is the authority, and authority is always right. Such spiritual manipulation denies the truth of Ephesians 1:22, which says that Christ is the Head of the church. Our loyalty is due Him. All Christians need to be alert to spiritual manipulation and follow this example from Acts 17:11: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." Did the apostle Paul take offense when the Bereans researched to ensure that his preaching was based on Scripture? Of course not, because Paul knew his preaching would stand up under exhaustive scrutiny. Likewise with all teaching and preaching - we must hold it up to the light of God's Word before we accept it. Any religious group that prevents its members from doing independent research, or from challenging what the leadership says, must have something to fear. Jesus told His disciples they would be like sheep among wolves and instructed them to be "shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16). The Master's yoke is easy, and His burden is light. He gives us rest and is gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:28-29). That is the Christlike example all who shepherd Jesus' flock must exemplify.
Dr. Michael Smith in Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks Christian Center Enjoy the word! The End of All Flesh Part 1 |
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Dr. Michael Smith in Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks Christian Center Enjoy the word! The End of All Flesh Part II |
Dr. Michael Smith in Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks Christian Center Enjoy the word! The 400 Silent Years! |
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Support Dr. Michael's blog: https://libertyministry.blogspot.com
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Get Dr. Michael Smith's newest book on Amazon.com
Let's take a trip into the five-fold ministry.
We promise you will never see the Five-Fold ministry the same again. it does not follows man's theory, or Man's agenda. This book reveals the supernatural purpose of why the five realms of anointing were initiated by God and written by the Apostle Paul.
https://a.co/d/eHZa3TS
Let's take a trip into the five-fold ministry.
We promise you will never see the Five-Fold ministry the same again. it does not follows man's theory, or Man's agenda. This book reveals the supernatural purpose of why the five realms of anointing were initiated by God and written by the Apostle Paul.
https://a.co/d/eHZa3TS
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“Flesh or Carnal”
I believe this is probably the most questionable topic, we blame the flesh for so much and even tho the actions are manifested through the flesh I can’t help but believe that the flesh only has the ability to do what its commanded to do. It seems there are people in life today that battle with the same weakness day after day, and just can’t seem to get victory over it. Let’s be honest with each other, you can’t win a battle over something when you don’t understand what it is, and or what is empowering it, when life and breath leaves a body then you have nothing more than a shell. No power, No ability, No strength and No emotions!. Those 4 areas are produced from the Soul man. When you look at the Soul you will find it’s described as your emotions, passions, desires and appetites. This is what empowers the flesh. We see in Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh meaning human nature with its frailties physical or moral and passions, carnal-minded, fleshly. The writer Paul says in Romans 8:3-8 The weakness of flesh, God had to send his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, or Christ became the second Adam I Corinthians 15:45 and for sin, condemned sin (the adamic nature) in the flesh: 5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. So it’s important that we understand that when the scripture deals with the word flesh we see the same meaning as Carnal. but as we see the flesh it’s powerless for again the writer says Ephesians 6:12 we wrestle not against flesh and blood. So while it may manifest through your flesh, that is not where the battle lies, it’s much deeper than that my friend. John Knox was a famous Scottish clergyman, a leader in himself of the Protestant Reformation, and a man who has been considered to be the founder of the Presbyterian denomination in Scotland. This man is admired by contemporary theologians as someone who was the perfect example of someone with a zeal for God and a commitment to the truth of Scripture. Yet, History tell us that as he grew close to his death, this man of God admitted his own personal battles with the sin nature he inherited from Adam (Not Flesh) Romans 5:12. He continued by saying, "I know how hard the battle is between the flesh and the spirit under the heavy cross of affliction,. I know the grudging and murmuring complaints of the flesh…" The statements sounds a lot like that of Paul who openly acknowledged a personal struggle with his sin nature (Adamic Nature): "For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. Romans 7:15-21 Paul describes it so perfectly For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me, thus is manifested through the flesh (The Physical body). For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh (Carnal Nature being Adamic Nature); for the desire is present in me, but the action of doing good is not. Friend, there is a waging war against the law of the Spirit and it’s making us a prisoner of the of the Adamic Nature of sin which is in my members. Paul says Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" Romans 7:14-24.
Paul states in his letter to the Romans that there was something "in the members" of his body that he calls "my flesh,” (Carnal Nature) which produced a difficulty in his Christian life and made him a prisoner of sin. Martin Luther, in his introduction to the book of Romans, commented on Paul's use of "flesh" by saying, "Thou must not understand 'flesh,' therefore, as though that only were 'flesh' which is connected with unchastity, but St. Paul uses 'flesh' of the whole man, body, and soul, reason, and all his faculties included, because all that is in him longs and strives after the flesh." Martin Luther's comments point out that "flesh" equals to the affections, desires,emotions and appetites that run contrary to God, (The animalistic Soul man)not only in the area of sexual activity, but in every area of life. To get a solid understanding of the term "flesh" this requires us to examine its usage and definition in Scripture, how it manifests in the life of both believers and unbelievers, the consequences it produces, and how it can ultimately be overcome.
A Definition of the "Flesh"
The Greek word for "flesh" in the New Testament is sarx, a term that can often in Scripture refer to the physical body. However, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament "the physical body as functioning entity; in Paul's thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh (Carnal) is, all forms of sin are likewise present, and no good thing can live."
The Bible makes it clear that the creation did not start out this way. The book of Genesis says that mankind was originally created good and perfect: "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image (reproduction or imitation of the form of a person), after Our likeness (the quality or state of being like someone). Simply meaning in his image was God seeing us as pictured image of his passion, his love and appetites, and then after his likeness was the result of the of us being a reproduction or imitation of Gods love, passion and appetites. . . Thus we see as God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" This is simply the establishment of the soul of man. Genesis 1:26-27. Please notice the scripture says Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Because God is perfect, and because an effect always represents its cause in essence that is, a totally good God can only create good things, or as Jesus said, "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit" Matthew 7:18, both Adam and Eve were created good and without sin. But, when Adam and Eve sinned, their nature was corrupted which for all purposes let’s call the dysfunctional gene, animalistic Soul or Adamic Nature, and that nature was passed along to their offspring: "When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth" Genesis 5:3. The fact of the sin nature is taught in many places in Scripture, David's declaration, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me" Psalm 51:5. David does not mean he was the product of an adulterous relationship or affair, but that through his parents they passed along a dysfunctional gene or sin nature to him. In theology, this is sometimes called the "Traducian" (from the Latin term meaning "from a branch") view of human nature The Traducian view is that a person's soul is created via his parents, with the child inheriting their fallen nature in the process. The Bible's view of human nature differs from that of Greek philosophy in that Scripture says the physical and spiritual nature of mankind was originally good. Such thinking eventually produced a theory that the body (the physical) was bad, but a person's spirit was good. but it’s not the physical man at all, It comes from the Adamic nature that were birthed down thru time from generation to generation for the scripture says 1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." The Gnostics believed the physical world was created by a demi-god called the “Demiurge. opposed the doctrine of Christ's incarnation because they believed God would never take on a physical form, since the body was evil. The apostle John encountered a form of this teaching in his day and warned against it: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge the Lord Jesus, is not from God" 1 John 4:1-3. Further, the Gnostics taught that it did not matter what a person did in his body, since the spirit was all that mattered. So contrary to Greek thought, the Bible says that mankind’s nature, both the physical and spiritual, were good, yet both were adversely affected by sin. The end result of sin is a nature often referred to as the "flesh" in Scripture-something that opposes God and seeks sinful gratification. Dr Smith defines the flesh this way: "The flesh is the house/dwelling place for the Soul and Spirit. It is dwelling place that houses the Soul of man and the Spirit of God, However the Carnal nature or animalistic soul man is a compulsive inner force inherited from man's fall, which expresses itself in general and specific rebellion against God and His righteousness. People teach that the flesh can never be reformed, improved or brought under subjection but the scripture says 1 Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Our Lord and Saviour proved that flesh and it’s weakness and inabilities can be brought under subjection as he did it for 33 years. The only hope for escape from the law of the flesh is its total execution and replacement by a new life in the Lord Jesus Christ."The struggle and the Manifestation with the Flesh is empowered by the Adamic Nature birthed in us from the fall of man which produced the animalistic Soul man. How does the flesh manifest itself in human beings? The Bible answers the question this way: Galatians 5:19-21. Examples of the flesh's outworking in the world are evident. Consider a few sad facts taken from a recent survey on the effect of pornography in America. According to the study, every second in the U.S.:
• $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography
• 28,258 Internet users are viewing pornography
• 372 Internet users are typing adult search terms into search engines And every 39 minutes, a new pornographic
video is being created in the United States.
Such statistics underscore the statement made by the prophet Jeremiah who mourned that "the heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9. The Consequences of the Flesh The Bible says that living in the flesh produces a number of unfortunate consequences. First, Scripture states that those who live according to the flesh, and who never desire change or repent from their sinful behavior, first of all we can’t please God and therefore will experience separation from God both in this life and the next:
•Romans 6:21
•Romans 8:13
"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” Galatians 6:7-8 Further, a person also becomes a slave to his/her animalistic nature: "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in Harmony and righteousness?" Romans 6:16. This slavery always leads to a destructive lifestyle and deteriorated living. As the prophet Hosea said, "For they sow the wind and they reap the whirlwind" Hosea 8:7. The fact of the matter is that obeying the carnal nature always results in the breaking of God's moral law. Nevertheless, in a very real sense, a person can never break the law’s of God's, although he can certainly disobey it. The same is true of moral actions: a person may disobey God's moral law through the manifestation of his Carnal way of living, but he will only prove the moral law of God true by breaking himself in some way via his own behavior.
Overcoming the Flesh
The Bible provides a three-step process for overcoming the flesh and restoring oneself to a valid relationship with God. The first step is a walk of honesty where a person acknowledges his sinful behavior before God. This involves agreeing with what the Bible says about everyone born of human parents: people are sinners and enter the world in a broken relationship with the God who made them: It’s a reality that we are born with the adamic animalistic nature. this is why a baby goes thru dedication to break that link.
• Psalm 130:3
• 1 John 1:8, 10
Walk in the Spirit
The next step is a walk in the Spirit, which involves calling out to God for II Chr 7:14 salvation and receiving His Holy Spirit that empowers a person to live rightly before God and not obey the carnal desires. This transformation and new walk of life is described in several places in Scripture:
•Galatians 2:20
•Romans 6:11
•Galatians 5:16
•Galatians 3:27
•Romans 13:14
•Ephesians 5:18
•Psalm 119:11
Starving the animalistic nature
The last step is a walk of death, where the carnal animalistic nature is starved of its desires so that it eventually is brought under subjection to the Spirit of God. Even though a person is born again through the Spirit of God, he must understand he still possesses the old nature with its desires that war with the new nature and the desires that come from the Spirit. From a practical standpoint, the Christian purposely avoids feeding the old, carnal nature and instead practices new behaviors that are driven by the Spirit: Mark 3:27 talks about the strong man. Who is your strong man?
•1 Timothy 6:11
•2 Timothy 2:22
•1 Corinthians 9:27
•Colossians 3:5
•Galatians 5:24
•Romans 6:6
•Ephesians 4:20-24
I once heard someone when ask about sin describe sin and the flesh this way: "Whatever weakens your reasoning, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes away your hunger and desire for spiritual things, if anything empowers and or increases the authority and the power of the carnal nature over the Spirit, at that point that has become sin however good it is in itself." One of the goals of the Christian life is the victory of the Spirit over the animalistic adamic nature and a change of life, which manifests in righteous living before God. Although the struggles will be very real as the Bible make this very clear, Christians have an assurance from God that He will bring them thru the storm and give them victory over the flesh. "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6.
Thank you and God Bless. Comments are appreciated.
Dr. & Mrs Michael Smith
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“The Heart”
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Have you ever heard the statements, give your heart to the Lord? I love you with all of my heart? Please know my heart? These are all very real, but in fully understanding them in, it sheds a new perspective on the the thought of the heart. The obvious is not about the heart as a vital organ, or just a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. Neither are we concerned with romantic, philosophical, or literary definitions. Instead, let’s understand the spiritual significance of the heart as it pertains to our walk and relationship with God. The Bible mentions the human heart almost 300 times. In essence, this is what it says: the heart is that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell. Have you ever went thru a hardship and told God you don’t have a heart for me? I did and that is how this came about. I’m 42 years in ministry, and yes I struggle also. I remember as I was frustrated and angry why and how could and would God do this to me, even tho I know the word and I believe my relationship is strong in God Yes, friend I ask the ever famous question “Do you even have a heart?” we’ll did he ever answer my question….. “YES” God has emotions and desires, He, too, can be said to have a "heart." We are created in his image and after his likeness, so if we have a heart, than God does also. Look at David he was a man "after God's own heart" Acts 13:22. And God blesses His people with leaders who know and follow His heart 1 Samuel 2:35; Jeremiah 3:15. The human heart, in its natural condition, is evil, treacherous and deceitful. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" In other words, the Fall has affected us at the deepest level; our mind, will, emotions, desires and appetites. They all have been tainted by sin-and we are blind to just how pervasive the problem is. We may not understand our own hearts, but God does. He "knows the secrets of the heart" Psalm 44:21; see also 1Cor. 14:25. Jesus "knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew the heart of man" John 2:24-25. Based on His knowledge of the heart, God can judge righteously: "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings" Jeremiah 17:10. Jesus pointed out the fallen condition of our hearts in Mark 7:21-23: "From within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean." Theses are manifested thru the Flesh or body of man, but the root and the stem is the heart of man! Mans desires, emotions, appetites. The scripture says James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Our biggest problem is not external but internal; all of us have a heart problem. In order for a person to be saved, then, the heart must be changed. I once heard someone say we must be a “change agent” This only happens by the power of God in response to faith. "With the heart one believes unto righteousness" Romans 10:10. In His grace, God can create a new heart within us, changing the things we desire and crave. Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26. He promises to "revive the heart of the contrite ones" Isaiah 57:15. God's work of creating a new heart within us involves testing our hearts Psalm 17:3; Deuteronomy 8:2 and filling our hearts with new ideas, new wisdom, and new desires II Cor. 5:17; Nehemiah 7:5; 1 Kings 10:24; 2 Corinthians 8:16. The heart is the seat of all spiritual life in our being, and the Bible places high importance on keeping our hearts pure: Philippians 4:8 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.
"Above all the most important thing in our walk with God is that we guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life" Proverbs 4:23.
"I love you with all of my heart"
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Have you ever heard the statements, give your heart to the Lord? I love you with all of my heart? Please know my heart? These are all very real, but in fully understanding them in, it sheds a new perspective on the the thought of the heart. The obvious is not about the heart as a vital organ, or just a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. Neither are we concerned with romantic, philosophical, or literary definitions. Instead, let’s understand the spiritual significance of the heart as it pertains to our walk and relationship with God. The Bible mentions the human heart almost 300 times. In essence, this is what it says: the heart is that spiritual part of us where our emotions and desires dwell. Have you ever went thru a hardship and told God you don’t have a heart for me? I did and that is how this came about. I’m 42 years in ministry, and yes I struggle also. I remember as I was frustrated and angry why and how could and would God do this to me, even tho I know the word and I believe my relationship is strong in God Yes, friend I ask the ever famous question “Do you even have a heart?” we’ll did he ever answer my question….. “YES” God has emotions and desires, He, too, can be said to have a "heart." We are created in his image and after his likeness, so if we have a heart, than God does also. Look at David he was a man "after God's own heart" Acts 13:22. And God blesses His people with leaders who know and follow His heart 1 Samuel 2:35; Jeremiah 3:15. The human heart, in its natural condition, is evil, treacherous and deceitful. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" In other words, the Fall has affected us at the deepest level; our mind, will, emotions, desires and appetites. They all have been tainted by sin-and we are blind to just how pervasive the problem is. We may not understand our own hearts, but God does. He "knows the secrets of the heart" Psalm 44:21; see also 1Cor. 14:25. Jesus "knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew the heart of man" John 2:24-25. Based on His knowledge of the heart, God can judge righteously: "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings" Jeremiah 17:10. Jesus pointed out the fallen condition of our hearts in Mark 7:21-23: "From within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man unclean." Theses are manifested thru the Flesh or body of man, but the root and the stem is the heart of man! Mans desires, emotions, appetites. The scripture says James 1:14-15 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Our biggest problem is not external but internal; all of us have a heart problem. In order for a person to be saved, then, the heart must be changed. I once heard someone say we must be a “change agent” This only happens by the power of God in response to faith. "With the heart one believes unto righteousness" Romans 10:10. In His grace, God can create a new heart within us, changing the things we desire and crave. Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26. He promises to "revive the heart of the contrite ones" Isaiah 57:15. God's work of creating a new heart within us involves testing our hearts Psalm 17:3; Deuteronomy 8:2 and filling our hearts with new ideas, new wisdom, and new desires II Cor. 5:17; Nehemiah 7:5; 1 Kings 10:24; 2 Corinthians 8:16. The heart is the seat of all spiritual life in our being, and the Bible places high importance on keeping our hearts pure: Philippians 4:8 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.
"Above all the most important thing in our walk with God is that we guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life" Proverbs 4:23.
"I love you with all of my heart"
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Note: It seems like everyone either wants or has a title. Please don't fall for everyone that calls themselves apostles; prophets; evangelists; pastors and teachers; I urge you to know them that Labor amoung you I Thessalonians 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you. Friends these are gifts given to the body of Christ and to serve a purpose according to the scripture. Not according to man's agenda!
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By: Dr. Michael N. Smith
Let me introduce myself by telling you a little bit about me. My heart is for nothing more than to teach and preach the gospel, and not be treated like I'm a threat to anyone, or anyone's ministry. It's simple, I desire to see people grow in their understanding of the Word of God. The scripture says in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed (To be dumb, or silent) for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected (to refuse, or dispise) knowledge (discernment, perception), I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. I urge you to focus on "because thou hast rejected knowledge". Why would we reject or dispise learning about the Gospel, Why do we continue being satisfied with nothing more than stories, it's not meant to be a competition. The Apostle Paul says "Till we all come in the unity of the Faith". If I'm guilty of anything, its the desire to see people grow, and stop being satisfied with just a story from the pulpit of our churches. I'm tired of seeing people being scammed by these homemade self appointed prophets, and apostles. I'm not hear to try and eliminate the prophetic or Apostlic ministry but to alert people that the Gospel is the most accurate prophecy they could ever receive. These people that tell you they can teach you how to prophesy (It's gift from God not from man). Friend there's a reason the scripture says "2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. In closing of my introduction, I ask this question, is the Spirit of the Lord in the Church? or have we or are we under the control and under the spirit of manipulation of man's opinions and theories.
Let me introduce myself by telling you a little bit about me. My heart is for nothing more than to teach and preach the gospel, and not be treated like I'm a threat to anyone, or anyone's ministry. It's simple, I desire to see people grow in their understanding of the Word of God. The scripture says in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed (To be dumb, or silent) for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected (to refuse, or dispise) knowledge (discernment, perception), I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. I urge you to focus on "because thou hast rejected knowledge". Why would we reject or dispise learning about the Gospel, Why do we continue being satisfied with nothing more than stories, it's not meant to be a competition. The Apostle Paul says "Till we all come in the unity of the Faith". If I'm guilty of anything, its the desire to see people grow, and stop being satisfied with just a story from the pulpit of our churches. I'm tired of seeing people being scammed by these homemade self appointed prophets, and apostles. I'm not hear to try and eliminate the prophetic or Apostlic ministry but to alert people that the Gospel is the most accurate prophecy they could ever receive. These people that tell you they can teach you how to prophesy (It's gift from God not from man). Friend there's a reason the scripture says "2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. In closing of my introduction, I ask this question, is the Spirit of the Lord in the Church? or have we or are we under the control and under the spirit of manipulation of man's opinions and theories.
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Why do we bow our heads when praying?
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Please allow me to share that I’m not here to try and change the way you pray or worship, I’m simply here to enlighten your understanding in the scriptures. There are Some that say the main reason we bow our heads when praying is because we are showing reverence and respect to God. it shows that we are humbling ourselves before the Lord. The only reason that I have ever come up with for bowing our head while praying is to help block out distractions. Just think about it Why do people pray with their heads down? This has always bothered me and even been somewhat of a concern of mine. Why do people pray with their head bowed down? The truth is that bowing heads and/or closing eyes is to help people focus on the prayer, as getting distracted is very easy when looking around. Bowing one’s head as always had a two-fold meaning in one respect it a sign of shame and guilt and the other a sign of reverence and respect as well. While everyone has an opinion regarding this topic, I choose to go to the scriptures The important thing to understand is that this is not a requirement. There is no rule written in the Bible which states that we are to bow our heads. Some people kneel, , some raise their hands to heaven. Some close their eyes to block out distractions. I’m not here to change the way you do things just to make you think. This is what is seen in Matthew 6:6 when it says that you should “go into your room and shut the door”. It is to block out everything else and make prayer a private act of reverence. The truth is that we can’t always go into a room and close the door. The choice is up to you; there’s all different ways to show respect and reverence to God. Psalm 121 1-2 I will lift up mine eyes (Hebrew translation means spiritual faculties) unto the hills (Hebrew translation Promotions), from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Then we see in the New Testament Colossians 3:1-2. If ye then be risen (Greek translation to be given new life and vigor) with Christ, seek those things which are above (Greek translation quarters of the Heaven, (Northward representing toward the throne of God, and true worship), (Now this is unique in itself Psalms 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Isaiah 14:13-14 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High). where Christ sitteth (Ephesians 1:18-22 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, on the right (Proverbs 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour). hand (Greek translation a place of honor or authority) of God. 2 Set your affection (To exercise the mind) on things above (Greek translation quarters of the Heaven, (Northward representing toward the throne of God, and true worship), not on things on the earth.
Could it be that we bow our heads because we were taught to and it’s become nothing more than a tradition and a ritual? The scripture Matthew 13:14-17 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Then David writes to us in Psalms 34:8 8 O (this letter means to perceive) taste (to discern) and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Please understand that when dealing with the five sense it’s important to know that when you hear you see and when you see you hear.
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Please allow me to share that I’m not here to try and change the way you pray or worship, I’m simply here to enlighten your understanding in the scriptures. There are Some that say the main reason we bow our heads when praying is because we are showing reverence and respect to God. it shows that we are humbling ourselves before the Lord. The only reason that I have ever come up with for bowing our head while praying is to help block out distractions. Just think about it Why do people pray with their heads down? This has always bothered me and even been somewhat of a concern of mine. Why do people pray with their head bowed down? The truth is that bowing heads and/or closing eyes is to help people focus on the prayer, as getting distracted is very easy when looking around. Bowing one’s head as always had a two-fold meaning in one respect it a sign of shame and guilt and the other a sign of reverence and respect as well. While everyone has an opinion regarding this topic, I choose to go to the scriptures The important thing to understand is that this is not a requirement. There is no rule written in the Bible which states that we are to bow our heads. Some people kneel, , some raise their hands to heaven. Some close their eyes to block out distractions. I’m not here to change the way you do things just to make you think. This is what is seen in Matthew 6:6 when it says that you should “go into your room and shut the door”. It is to block out everything else and make prayer a private act of reverence. The truth is that we can’t always go into a room and close the door. The choice is up to you; there’s all different ways to show respect and reverence to God. Psalm 121 1-2 I will lift up mine eyes (Hebrew translation means spiritual faculties) unto the hills (Hebrew translation Promotions), from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Then we see in the New Testament Colossians 3:1-2. If ye then be risen (Greek translation to be given new life and vigor) with Christ, seek those things which are above (Greek translation quarters of the Heaven, (Northward representing toward the throne of God, and true worship), (Now this is unique in itself Psalms 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. Isaiah 14:13-14 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High). where Christ sitteth (Ephesians 1:18-22 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, on the right (Proverbs 3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour). hand (Greek translation a place of honor or authority) of God. 2 Set your affection (To exercise the mind) on things above (Greek translation quarters of the Heaven, (Northward representing toward the throne of God, and true worship), not on things on the earth.
Could it be that we bow our heads because we were taught to and it’s become nothing more than a tradition and a ritual? The scripture Matthew 13:14-17 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Then David writes to us in Psalms 34:8 8 O (this letter means to perceive) taste (to discern) and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Please understand that when dealing with the five sense it’s important to know that when you hear you see and when you see you hear.
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Studying the Bible matters because God matters. We study the Bible because it is God’s word to the world. We want to hear him. We want to slow down and carefully, thoughtfully, and reverently hear what he has to say to us. How valuable are these words? “Psalms 19:10 says More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb”. Two of the greatest pleasures our world pursues—money and food, the truth be known, the Bible satisfies us more than both. The apostle Paul wrote, II Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:“. Just as we breathe out every word we speak, God breathes out every scripture in the Bible. It alone is inspired in this sense. We cannot say this about any other book on the shelf anywhere in the world only the Word of God (The Bible). First of all we have to be willing to admit that studying the Bible is different than reading the Bible. When we read the Bible, we move through a text at a natural reading pace. I remember as a child and as I grew every bible I received My mother wrote this scripture in the front of the Bible II Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Just think for a moment when we study the Bible, we slow down and we think things through. We ask questions and we search out meaning. You may read the first chapter of Ephesians in thirty seconds, but when you take time to study it, you find that you can study it for years. You may come to the end of reading the gospel of John in two hours. But you can never come to the end of searching its depths. This means we can expect a lifetime of happily moving deeper and deeper into God’s word. Maybe that’s what were afraid of growth, Studying the Bible requires diligence and dependence.,We give ourselves to study—that’s diligence. But we must also pray for God to open our minds to understand—that’s dependence. Paul said to Timothy, “think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in all things. We do the thinking, God gives the understanding. Focus on the word thinking we find in the scripture John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. The Greek translation for the word think is to be a doorman a gatekeeper. No mater how we choose whether its to kneel when we study or not, the fact is, our focus needs to less on our physical posture and more on the posture of our hearts. We are the doorman, the gatekeeper by our thinking, God gives the understanding of the revelation of not who he is but what he desires to be in our lives thru our study. When we study the Bible, we seek to understand the author’s message. We honor people when we seek to understand them. We dishonor them when we carelessly put words in their mouths. We express our love for God by seeking to know what his word actually says, not what we wish it to say. Every text in the Bible has two authors—the divine Author and the human author. The divine Author ensured that the human author’s words were exactly as he intended. Peter wrote, For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.“ Our Passion is to seek the divine Author’s meaning by discerning the human author’s meaning. Remember Jesus Told Peter in Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And because he understood the divine author’s message he was rewarded in Matthew16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. A key to studying the is asking the right questions. We often leave our time studying the Bible with answers to the questions we asked. In light of this, one of the best ways to make progress is to learn to ask the most fruitful questions. Here are five: 1. What does this word mean? 2. What is the author’s flow of thought? 3. How did the author organize and structure this text? 4. What is the author’s purpose, or aim, in writing this to his audience? 5. How does this text connect to the gospel and the larger storyline of the Bible? My friend context is crucial. Another important question: “why did the author write this here? If you received a three-page letter from a distant friend, you wouldn’t just read page 2. You could spend all day “studying” that page, but until you read pages 1 and 3, you will not fully understand your friend’s message. The authors of the Bible organized their books intentionally. Don’t you recall the scripture I Corinthians 14:40 "Let all things be done decently and in order. So, we step back and think through the author’s flow of thought. Studying the Bible involves thinking paragraph-by-paragraph, section-by-section, and seeing how everything fits into the overall structure and flow of the book. The Bible leads us to God’s heart. Thomas Goodwin wrote that the Scriptures were written “to bring down and lay before us the heart of God. St John 1:1,3-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. The whole of Scripture puts God’s multifaceted glory on display. It shows God’s heart that we might trust him with ours. Paul wrote, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. God aims to instruct us not as an end itself, but to encourage our hearts with hope. He gave us the Bible St. John 1:1 or himself made flesh St. John 1:14 because he loves us, and he wants us to feel loved by him. He wants us to hope in him and know, deep down, with an unshakable confidence, that we are his. Friends the ultimate goal of studying Scripture is to see the savior. We are not studying a book but the body of our Lord and Savior. The Apostle Paul himself said it in I Corinthians 11: 24 Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. All lasting growth in the Christian life happens as a result of I Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.. Therefore, as we pursue spiritual growth, we do it by “seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. We study the Bible to see Jesus more clearly. And as we behold God’s glory in Christ, we become like him. But this takes work—we labor to study the Bible to remove all our wrong conceptions of Christ. We study because we are discontent with a foggy vision of him. The goal of studying the Scriptures is to see the Savior and become transformed by that the revelation of his glory. Studying the Bible is as much a community project, as a personal project.We make progress in studying the Bible when we do it together, working through questions and sharing insights. And this includes not just face-to-face conversations, but also reading the reflections of others. Bible study guides and assist us with insights and questions to provoke deeper thoughts. What about commentaries? If I was studying the book of Romans, and the Apostle Paul was also sitting at the table with me, I would unhesitatingly ask him for his take on the text. I cannot do that; but I’m grateful he wrote down his own thoughts in his writings to the church . If we believe that the Spirit leads us to make progress in our study, then we should also assume he’s helping others along as well. A proper reliance on the Holy Spirit in study, then, doesn’t lead us into isolation. It leads us to learn from others. Remember “Iron sharpens Iron” Stop thinking you know everything! And stop making excuses why you can’t study. Studying the Bible leads to true flourishing. What can we expect from studying the Bible? We can expect to flourish in the ways that matter most. One of my favorite writings is found in Psalms 1:1-3, Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Who doesn’t want to be truly happy? Who doesn’t want live a life of flourishing? The God who made us shows us the way: from morning to night, meditating on his word with great delight.
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Before I dive into this writing to deep, I want to make it perfectly clear that I’m not here to pass judgement on anyone’s belief, or any religious denomination. But I’m not sure if you have noticed, but I sure have that through the study of Church history we have witnessed many "strange fires" please allow me to clarify that statement by simply calling them strange theories where man has taken the word of God totally out of context to fit their own personal agenda. The early apostles had wanted the Church at every age to be forewarned against these fires. For this reason they warned the people of God against "another Jesus" and "a different gospel" and "a different Spirit". II Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. "Jesus only" is it a false theory or even a different gospel? Even though the Son and the Holy Spirit are equal in deity to God the Father, they subject themselves to Him in their roles. This solemn truth is ignored these days in the spiritual world. In some circles, they only talk about Jesus, In others, they always talk about Holy Spirit, The Father is forgotten in so many cases. My wife and I go to a full gospel church, with a full gospel preacher." The phrase “Full Gospel” are frequently made by Pentecostal or Charismatic people to denote their denomination or describe their doctrine. Non-Pentecostals are often offended by the usage of the words "full gospel" They often ask "Do we then preach a half gospel?" Well Let’s examine this issue in the light of the Scriptures. Leaving out our personal theories and feelings. The words fullness" and "gospel come together only twice in the New Testament, and that is when Paul concludes his Epistle to the Romans. "From Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ... When I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ Romans 15:19,29. 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. From what Paul has written in the other Epistles, we can understand that what he meant by what he wrote to the believers in Rome was that he did not leave out any part of the "whole counsel of God" in his preaching. The word "gospel" is an anglo-saxon word meaning "good tidings." This is brought out on the first Christmas day in the angelic announcement to the shepherds. The gospel is the "good tidings of great joy to all people". The best definition of the gospel is given by Paul in I Corinthians 15:1-4 15 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: If you read the same thing that I did when I was studying this out you will agree that Paul claims that he "received" it personally from the Lord in verse 3. He writes, "I neither received it from man, not was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ" Galatians 1:11,12. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. His definition reads like this: "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scripture in I Corinthians 15:3-4. This is the gospel in its purest and fullest form. Any deletion or addition corrupts it Galatians 5:4. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. When we hear the Full Gospel Churches, speak we see that they include in their message the need to be baptized in water by immersion, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and exercising the gifts of the Spirit. They point out that the other evangelical Churches stop with repentance and faith. But according to the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, even "baptisms... laying on of hands..." etc., are all simply the "elementary" or the "first" principles of the doctrine of Christ. This is confirmed in Hebrews 6:1,2. In other words water baptism, Spirit anointing, and Gifts of the Spirit are only the A-B-C of Christian life. The foundation is not the building! "Let us go on to perfection!" Church its time for change! Those who call themselves as full gospel preachers preach about healing and pray for the sick in their meetings. And in so many ways they are stuck there. Unfortunately the gospel content in their sermons is usually low. They spend too much time telling stories and talking about their experiences. On the other hand the sermons of the late great Billy Graham, does not pray for the sick in public crusades, are consistently rich in gospel content. The gospel is not primarily about how to be healed, rather how to be saved Matthew 1:21, Acts 16:31, Romans 1:16. The only modern day "Jesus Only" movement, also known as Oneness Pentecostalism or oneness theology, teaches that there is only one God, but denies the tri-unity of God. Please I don’t critize or judge I simply want you to you to understand in Hosea 4:6 6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. In other words, oneness theology does not recognize the distinct persons of the Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It has various forms-some see Jesus Christ as the one God, who sometimes manifests Himself as the Father or the Holy Spirit. The core doctrine of Oneness Pentecostal / Jesus Only is that Jesus is the Father and Jesus is the Spirit. There is one God who reveals Himself in different aspects. This teaching of the Jesus Only / Oneness Pentecostals has been around for centuries, in one form or another, this is simply a teaching that God operated in different forms or modes at different times-sometimes as the Father, sometimes as the Son, and sometimes as the Holy Spirit. But passages like Matthew 3:16-17, where two or all three Persons of the Godhead are present, contradict this teaching completely. This was called Modalism was condemned as heretical as early as the second century A.D. The early church strongly contended against the view that God is strictly a singular person who acted in different forms at different times. They argued from Scripture that the tri-unity of God is evident in that more than one Person of the Godhead is often seen simultaneously, and they often interact with one another, here is just a few scriptures to confirm that Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7, Genesis 1:26, 3:22. Oneness I’m sorry my friends but with 49 years of studying this gospel Pentecostalism / Jesus Only doctrine is completely unsupported and unbiblical. The concept of the tri-unity of God, on the other hand, is present throughout Scripture. It is not a concept that is easily grasped by the mind. And because man likes everything to make sense in his theology, movements such as the Jesus Only movement-not to mention the Jehovah's Witnesses-regularly arise to try to explain the nature of God. Of course, this simply cannot be done without doing violence to the biblical text. Christians have come to accept that God's nature is not subject to the limitations we might like to put on Him. We simply believe Him when He says, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts"' Isaiah 55:8-9. If we can't understand His thoughts and ways, we accept that we cannot fully understand His nature, either.
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JOY VS HAPPINESS
Joy is something we all long for but that often seems difficult to grab hold of. Experiencing joy should be a part of every not only Christian's life, but every persons life. While Joy is a of fruit of the Holy Spirit, it’s also an attribute of the nature and character of not only who but what God is to his people and thus joy is produced only by God's work in us. The truth is that even the most mature Christians experience periods of joylessness. For instance, Job wished he had never been born Job 3:11. David prayed to be taken away to a place where he would not have to deal with reality Psalms 55:6-8. Elijah, even after defeating 450 prophets of Baal with fire called down from heaven I Kings 18:16-46, fled into the desert and asked God to take his life I Kings 19:3-5. So the question that is always ask how can we experience joy in the Christian life? The first thing is to realize that joy is not the same as happiness. When we look at the scripture we see Nehemiah 8:10 says The joy of the Lord is our strength, We see David write in Psalms 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. You may notice the Bible often uses the word joy instead of happiness. Finding Happiness in the scriptures isn’t easy. And that’s because the Bible isn’t concerned in making people happy. Instead, the Bible focuses on joy. While these two words are often used interchangeably, they aren’t the same. While joy is more consistent and is cultivated internally, It comes when you make peace with who you are and how you are. Whereas Happiness is circumstantial and tends to be externally triggered and based on other people, things, places, thoughts, and yes even events. Joy is a heart posture, the revelation and exposure of God’s nature in one’s life. The root word for joy in the Greek is chara, which is closely related with the Greek charis for "grace." Joy is not only a gift of God, but is the very character and nature of God. We find this being confirmed in St. John 1:1-14 Joy comes when we are aware of God's grace and His favor. It becomes evident that one way to experience joy is to focus on God. Rather than dwelling, and living in our difficulties or those things robbing us of our peace. This is not to say we should deny our discontent. I find it amazing that the scripture tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. As many of the psalmists patterned, we can pour out our hearts to God. We can tell Him bluntly all the things that ail us. But then we submit those things to Him. For the scripture teaches us in I Peter 5:7 Casting all you care (distraction) upon him; for he careth for you. The book of Philippians has much to say about joy, even though Paul wrote the epistle from prison. Philippians 4:4-8 gives some advice and guidelines for experiencing joy in the Christian life: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! . . . The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things." Here we see the importance of praising God, remembering that He is near, praying about our worries, and keeping our minds focused on the good things of God. We can experience joy when we intentionally praise. David wrote that the study of God's Word can bring us joy Psalms 19:8. We experience joy in our intimacy with God through prayer. And we experience joy by keeping our focus on godly things rather than on difficult circumstances. Jesus also gave some instructions regarding joy. In John 15, He talked about abiding in Him and obeying Him. He said, "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love Which is the character of God I John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete". One of the keys to joy is living in obedience to God. Another way to experience joy in the Christian life is through community. God gave Elijah rest and then sent a man, Elisha, to help him. We, too, need friends that we can share our hurts and pains with. We long to be with God, finally restored to our original design. Life can be lonely and discouraging. Others help remind us of truth, carry our burdens with us, and strengthen us to continue on. Joy is meant to be a hallmark of the Christian life. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit and yes which even an attribute and a empowerment of God’s nature in us.
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What is a Hospice Chaplain?
By: Dr. Michael N. Smith
I’ve served as a hospice Chaplain now for 3 years, I’ve seen Chaplains that are loaded with degree’s come and go. It appears that what I believe about the title of “chaplain does not match with what most feel a hospice chaplain is.” It’s proven time and time again that some hospice patients refuse a chaplain’s visit simply because of the title “Chaplain”. Could introducing someone as a “chaplain” immediately lead to a close door? Absolutely! I wonder if the stumbling block is simply based upon what a chaplain is perceived to represent. Wasn’t Shakespeare correct in “Romeo and Juliet:” What’s in a name, (or if. You please a title)? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet? Whether the chaplain is Jewish or Buddhist, a layperson or professional clergy, volunteer or paid, they all carry the fragrance (or odor) of . . .Religion. I believe the truth of the matter is, it’s not the title of the position, it’s what society has affiliated the position with. “Religion”. Since my ordination into the ministry almost 50 years ago, as well as completing my Doctorate, I’ve had various titles: minister, pastor, associate pastor, and yes even a hospice chaplain. When a new hospice staff member or a grieving family member asks about my background, I simply tell them I’m Michael Smith. I’ll let you decide.
Not good? Good? An open door? A closed door?
What’s the difference between a pastor and a chaplain? Here’s one explanation, Chaplain: Ministers to All, regardless of belief, or ethnic background. The environments where chaplains serve typically don't have a chaplain for every Christian denomination and rabbis for those of the Jewish faith. So, chaplains are trained to minister to all faiths without pushing a specific denomination. In a crisis, a person's place of worship is secondary. The chaplain's concern is to help the individual overcome a specific problem or work through a traumatic situation. He may ask if the individual has a specific religion and, if so, try to talk to him using examples from his faith. Having a religious belief at all isn't a prerequisite to getting help from a chaplain, if an individual wants counseling, the chaplain is there for him.While Pastors Focus on Specific beliefs because they primarily minister to people of the same religious faith. Priests work with Catholics; other pastors work with people from their own such as Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, or other Christian denomination; rabbis work with people in their own synagogue. If someone outside of their faith or congregation walked in and asked for help, most likely they would provide it. But their main role is to serve the people of their own church who share the same faith. Many chaplains, however, are employed by the armed forces, as well as by nonreligious organizations to bring comfort and support to those who need and want it. The title of pastor is bestowed on religious leaders in Protestant churches, for example, but a pastor also may be a rabbi, priest. Pastors focus on ministering to those of their own faith or those who wish to convert. Chaplains may be of any faith and typically do not discuss their personal faiths with those to whom they are ministering unless they are asked.
In hospice, a patient must be under the care of a nurse. Other staff, often referred to as the “hospice team”—social workers, home health aides, chaplains, volunteers, and more—provide additional support. While nurses regularly visit, patients (or their health care power of attorneys) can decline contact from the rest of the team. I’ll bet chaplains rank near the top for declines.
The question is, Is it the title? I suspect the No chaplain, thank you very much responses are because patients fall under one or more of the following categories:
• Have their own minister.
• As atheists or agnostics, they don’t identify as religious or spiritual.
• May be spiritual, but don’t care for any religious “authority.”
• Have had no experience with any faith or faith tradition, so why start now?
• Only wants visits with a like-minded believer.
• Had negative experiences with religion or a religious leader.
• Now while the following is true, I have found that the closer they get to death the greater the demand/request is for the Chaplain. Don’t want a priest until the end. Chaplains = last breaths. In my three years, I’ve seen some people have the mind set Avoid a chaplain, avoid death?
Can you think of other reasons?
Though biased, I advocate for saying “Yes” to the chaplain. When there are six months or less to live, every possible hospice resource should be used to make those days meaningful. Nurses will help with medications and management of pain. Social Workers provide emotional support and are knowledgeable about key resources and the various benefits. Home Health Aides can make a huge difference by assisting patients with simple but essential hygiene. Everyone has physical, emotional, and practical needs. We also have, I deeply believe, relational and spiritual needs. And that’s a key role of the chaplain in hospice. While I was writing this, I came across the Association of Professional Chaplains describes it this way, Chaplaincy care is grounded in initiating, developing, and deepening, and bringing to an appropriate close, a mutual and empathic relationship with the patient/client, family, and/or staff. The development of a genuine relationship is at the core of chaplaincy care and underpins, even enables, all the other dimensions of chaplaincy care to occur. A good hospice chaplain will never bring in his or her beliefs, theories, agenda, or traditions. A good hospice chaplain will not share about his faith or to persuade you to follow his way. Whether visiting once or often, chaplains seek to establish a relationship with you and let you take the lead with your needs. As a Chaplain it’s important to meet the patient where they are at, to build rapport. And yes, you might go several visits with them where religion, and beliefs are never even discussed. I remember a scripture in Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. A chaplain should never go in and preach to someone; that’s not our role. Our role isn’t to tell you what to believe. Our role is to say, “What is it you believe and how does that help you — or not help you — in this process, this process of dying, this process of letting go of the life you’ve loved (or maybe have not loved) and reaching a peaceful place?”
I believe there are many that some have had lousy experiences with chaplains. I guess here the question is simple, what do we change the the chaplain’s title to? Spiritual Counselor? Spiritual Care Coordinator? I’ve read that the military jargon for chaplains is “Sky Pilot.” What about Holy Joe? Or Holy Jane? Padre? Madre? God’s guy or gal? I know it sounds funny. But this is serious. Titles matter.
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“Chaplain” likely emerged in the 4th century from the Latin, cappellani. Christian legend claims that St. Martin, a military leader turned bishop, had once sliced his mantle in two pieces with his sword so a poor man would have warm clothing. That half-cloak became a religious relic, taken into battle as a symbol of God’s blessings. When not in use, the relic as well as other religious “treasures” were housed in a chapel. A chaplain was appointed to be in charge of the chapel.
Chaplain and chapel have decidedly Christian and military origins. As the title evolved, a chaplain came to designate an ordained clergy or trained volunteer linked to a particular institution. Those hazy, venerable origins continue to inform two key parts of the modern chaplain. First, their role was rooted in one person relating directly and personally with another. I hope today’s chaplains symbolically give a “cloak” to those they serve, providing guidance, support, warmth, and comfort. Second, every institution—military, hospital, hospice, and more—can be made better when someone is designated to uphold the spiritual side of what it means to be fully human. What do you think is the best title? Hospice chaplains work within the realms of mystery and meaning. When you work with the soul of a person rather than their physical body, you are in a place that defies definition and is so vast in its importance, it can seem daunting. There are no specific protocols to follow, no prescribed systems for “fixing” what might be ailing the spirit of a patient. In my three years as a hospice chaplain, I have learned that as a spiritual caregiver, your effectiveness has very little to do with what you bring to the patient. It has everything to do with meeting the patient at where they are and how you are with the patient.
I focus on these three areas in offering spiritual care to hospice patients:
I Honor the Patient’s Environment.
No two patients are alike in how they define who they are spiritually or what they find meaningful. While yes attaining a patient’s spiritual background is an important first step in getting acquainted but can be much harder than it sounds. Many of my patients have advanced dementia, so I often need to seek information from family members who may or may not know much about the spiritual life of their loved ones. If there was religious background, it certainly helps to find that out. But in a country where much of the population is described as “spiritual and not religious”, religious background sheds only a dim light on what really matters to an individual. As a chaplain, I’ve learned that most female patients love to talk about family, their children, and grandchildren, while men love to discuss their hobbies, and or the job they retired from There’s many times that you find yourself on thin ice or holy ground. Many patients can feel awkward in talking about what really matters, even though I come to them at a very momentous time for such conversations. Spiritual relationship and beliefs can be very private and personal, and suddenly sharing these deepest feelings to a stranger can be difficult. Build rapport, establish relationship with the patient and the family. As I walk the hospice journey with a patient, I gradually understand more clearly their big picture of meaning and then I support that. If a patient is a devout Jew, I would connect him or her to a Rabbi, if needed, and I would provide Jewish prayers during my visits. If a patient is Buddhist, I would offer guided meditation. Or the big picture of meaning might not be religious at all but rather, all about the patient’s family. The most important thing may be the patient’s love for their family. Engaging in life review while looking at family photos, or something they built or designed is one way of building rapport and establishing relationship. Friend, I assure you, you can’t walk the final journey with a patient and not build relationship while maintaining professional boundaries.
Whatever the larger context of meaning is for a patient, I hope to help that individual connect to it in a way that honors the mystery and meaning of what their life has been and their legacy will be.
I Make a Connection.
Being at the end of your life can be a very lonely time. Everyone must make this journey. No one can do it for us, and we only do it once. When I meet patients for the first time, I am deeply aware of what a solitary process dying is. As crazy as it is, you don’t know how they feel you’ve never died! The biggest comfort of all for the patient is that they know and understand that they are not alone, that someone cares about the experience they are going through, and that their life, feelings, and emotions matters. It is very important that I am able to provide a warm and positive moment with my patients. I do this through compassionate presence and attentive deep listening. A gentle touch to the shoulder for a nonverbal patient and finding out what music they enjoy and use the playing of soothing music (it does not have to be hymns) can help provide a feeling of connection. Just bringing a smiling face into the room is a comfort to many patients. As always, I am very conscious that my work is not about me and what I bring to patients. It is all about the patient and what they need. So, I watch for ways to connect that allow for an enriching visit in natural ways. For example, I have encountered patients who has dementia and is largely nonverbal. Most of my visits have been ones of smiling, laughing, meeting them where they are at, and what brings joy to them. At this point the family is your biggest asset, in assisting you in bring peace and comfort to someone that already feels lost. Friend, maybe the patient is not religious so let the patient and family be comfortable in declining your prayer, or don’t even offer a prayer for the first two or three visits. I visited, a patient that I was told he’s not religious and the family was scared for me to even do a visit. I told the family please introduce me as Mike, part of the. Support team. I walked in and saw a picture of heavy equipment and him standing by the machinery. So immediately I allowed that to control the conversation. I didn’t even offer prayer! My second visit with him was in his back yard for a while, then to his room. He told me you know Mike people think I’m a bad person, I assured him I was not one of them. He continued by telling me he talks to God every day and loves God. At the close of the visit, I assured him he would not offend me if he declined my prayer, he looked at me and said please pray. As I walked to me car, he followed me and I as I prepared to get in my car, He shook my hand and said, “I like you, and I look forward to our next visit”. and he smiled again and seemed warmed by our interaction. Feeling a connection to another is elemental to what matters to our soul. It can be as simple as noticing a simple picture, a hat the patient wears and bringing attention to it.
I bring a comfortable and peaceful Presence
My most important goal as a chaplain is to be a non-anxious presence for those in the dying process. Being admitted to hospice care and knowing you are in your final chapter naturally produces anxiety and depression. It is essential in spiritual care to provide a sense of calm and peace in the midst of this new reality. I always tell my patients about the cheapest medicine on the market Proverbs 17:22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Spiritual care is not about providing a toolkit full of strategies to fix souls before the end of life happens. It is about meeting them where they are at and sharing this important chapter and providing comfort and peace by how I am with the patient. Being a non-anxious presence allows the patient to be however they need to be in this moment. They can express their fears and grief and I will hold those feelings for them and stay calm. I can embody the larger context of peace and meaning and enable the patient to learn to relax into the process of letting go. I remember a scripture in David’s writings Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God: simply meaning to release or let go. Spiritual care is about being there when it matters most and at difficult times. It is not all the time playing hymns, reading scriptures, or discussing spiritual topics. I encourage you as a hospice chaplain be yourself, don’t be so heavenly minded that your no earthly good. Isaiah Chapter 61 says it best The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach (exhibit) good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Dr. Michael Smith
By: Dr. Michael N. Smith
I’ve served as a hospice Chaplain now for 3 years, I’ve seen Chaplains that are loaded with degree’s come and go. It appears that what I believe about the title of “chaplain does not match with what most feel a hospice chaplain is.” It’s proven time and time again that some hospice patients refuse a chaplain’s visit simply because of the title “Chaplain”. Could introducing someone as a “chaplain” immediately lead to a close door? Absolutely! I wonder if the stumbling block is simply based upon what a chaplain is perceived to represent. Wasn’t Shakespeare correct in “Romeo and Juliet:” What’s in a name, (or if. You please a title)? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet? Whether the chaplain is Jewish or Buddhist, a layperson or professional clergy, volunteer or paid, they all carry the fragrance (or odor) of . . .Religion. I believe the truth of the matter is, it’s not the title of the position, it’s what society has affiliated the position with. “Religion”. Since my ordination into the ministry almost 50 years ago, as well as completing my Doctorate, I’ve had various titles: minister, pastor, associate pastor, and yes even a hospice chaplain. When a new hospice staff member or a grieving family member asks about my background, I simply tell them I’m Michael Smith. I’ll let you decide.
Not good? Good? An open door? A closed door?
What’s the difference between a pastor and a chaplain? Here’s one explanation, Chaplain: Ministers to All, regardless of belief, or ethnic background. The environments where chaplains serve typically don't have a chaplain for every Christian denomination and rabbis for those of the Jewish faith. So, chaplains are trained to minister to all faiths without pushing a specific denomination. In a crisis, a person's place of worship is secondary. The chaplain's concern is to help the individual overcome a specific problem or work through a traumatic situation. He may ask if the individual has a specific religion and, if so, try to talk to him using examples from his faith. Having a religious belief at all isn't a prerequisite to getting help from a chaplain, if an individual wants counseling, the chaplain is there for him.While Pastors Focus on Specific beliefs because they primarily minister to people of the same religious faith. Priests work with Catholics; other pastors work with people from their own such as Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, or other Christian denomination; rabbis work with people in their own synagogue. If someone outside of their faith or congregation walked in and asked for help, most likely they would provide it. But their main role is to serve the people of their own church who share the same faith. Many chaplains, however, are employed by the armed forces, as well as by nonreligious organizations to bring comfort and support to those who need and want it. The title of pastor is bestowed on religious leaders in Protestant churches, for example, but a pastor also may be a rabbi, priest. Pastors focus on ministering to those of their own faith or those who wish to convert. Chaplains may be of any faith and typically do not discuss their personal faiths with those to whom they are ministering unless they are asked.
In hospice, a patient must be under the care of a nurse. Other staff, often referred to as the “hospice team”—social workers, home health aides, chaplains, volunteers, and more—provide additional support. While nurses regularly visit, patients (or their health care power of attorneys) can decline contact from the rest of the team. I’ll bet chaplains rank near the top for declines.
The question is, Is it the title? I suspect the No chaplain, thank you very much responses are because patients fall under one or more of the following categories:
• Have their own minister.
• As atheists or agnostics, they don’t identify as religious or spiritual.
• May be spiritual, but don’t care for any religious “authority.”
• Have had no experience with any faith or faith tradition, so why start now?
• Only wants visits with a like-minded believer.
• Had negative experiences with religion or a religious leader.
• Now while the following is true, I have found that the closer they get to death the greater the demand/request is for the Chaplain. Don’t want a priest until the end. Chaplains = last breaths. In my three years, I’ve seen some people have the mind set Avoid a chaplain, avoid death?
Can you think of other reasons?
Though biased, I advocate for saying “Yes” to the chaplain. When there are six months or less to live, every possible hospice resource should be used to make those days meaningful. Nurses will help with medications and management of pain. Social Workers provide emotional support and are knowledgeable about key resources and the various benefits. Home Health Aides can make a huge difference by assisting patients with simple but essential hygiene. Everyone has physical, emotional, and practical needs. We also have, I deeply believe, relational and spiritual needs. And that’s a key role of the chaplain in hospice. While I was writing this, I came across the Association of Professional Chaplains describes it this way, Chaplaincy care is grounded in initiating, developing, and deepening, and bringing to an appropriate close, a mutual and empathic relationship with the patient/client, family, and/or staff. The development of a genuine relationship is at the core of chaplaincy care and underpins, even enables, all the other dimensions of chaplaincy care to occur. A good hospice chaplain will never bring in his or her beliefs, theories, agenda, or traditions. A good hospice chaplain will not share about his faith or to persuade you to follow his way. Whether visiting once or often, chaplains seek to establish a relationship with you and let you take the lead with your needs. As a Chaplain it’s important to meet the patient where they are at, to build rapport. And yes, you might go several visits with them where religion, and beliefs are never even discussed. I remember a scripture in Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. A chaplain should never go in and preach to someone; that’s not our role. Our role isn’t to tell you what to believe. Our role is to say, “What is it you believe and how does that help you — or not help you — in this process, this process of dying, this process of letting go of the life you’ve loved (or maybe have not loved) and reaching a peaceful place?”
I believe there are many that some have had lousy experiences with chaplains. I guess here the question is simple, what do we change the the chaplain’s title to? Spiritual Counselor? Spiritual Care Coordinator? I’ve read that the military jargon for chaplains is “Sky Pilot.” What about Holy Joe? Or Holy Jane? Padre? Madre? God’s guy or gal? I know it sounds funny. But this is serious. Titles matter.
+ + +
“Chaplain” likely emerged in the 4th century from the Latin, cappellani. Christian legend claims that St. Martin, a military leader turned bishop, had once sliced his mantle in two pieces with his sword so a poor man would have warm clothing. That half-cloak became a religious relic, taken into battle as a symbol of God’s blessings. When not in use, the relic as well as other religious “treasures” were housed in a chapel. A chaplain was appointed to be in charge of the chapel.
Chaplain and chapel have decidedly Christian and military origins. As the title evolved, a chaplain came to designate an ordained clergy or trained volunteer linked to a particular institution. Those hazy, venerable origins continue to inform two key parts of the modern chaplain. First, their role was rooted in one person relating directly and personally with another. I hope today’s chaplains symbolically give a “cloak” to those they serve, providing guidance, support, warmth, and comfort. Second, every institution—military, hospital, hospice, and more—can be made better when someone is designated to uphold the spiritual side of what it means to be fully human. What do you think is the best title? Hospice chaplains work within the realms of mystery and meaning. When you work with the soul of a person rather than their physical body, you are in a place that defies definition and is so vast in its importance, it can seem daunting. There are no specific protocols to follow, no prescribed systems for “fixing” what might be ailing the spirit of a patient. In my three years as a hospice chaplain, I have learned that as a spiritual caregiver, your effectiveness has very little to do with what you bring to the patient. It has everything to do with meeting the patient at where they are and how you are with the patient.
I focus on these three areas in offering spiritual care to hospice patients:
I Honor the Patient’s Environment.
No two patients are alike in how they define who they are spiritually or what they find meaningful. While yes attaining a patient’s spiritual background is an important first step in getting acquainted but can be much harder than it sounds. Many of my patients have advanced dementia, so I often need to seek information from family members who may or may not know much about the spiritual life of their loved ones. If there was religious background, it certainly helps to find that out. But in a country where much of the population is described as “spiritual and not religious”, religious background sheds only a dim light on what really matters to an individual. As a chaplain, I’ve learned that most female patients love to talk about family, their children, and grandchildren, while men love to discuss their hobbies, and or the job they retired from There’s many times that you find yourself on thin ice or holy ground. Many patients can feel awkward in talking about what really matters, even though I come to them at a very momentous time for such conversations. Spiritual relationship and beliefs can be very private and personal, and suddenly sharing these deepest feelings to a stranger can be difficult. Build rapport, establish relationship with the patient and the family. As I walk the hospice journey with a patient, I gradually understand more clearly their big picture of meaning and then I support that. If a patient is a devout Jew, I would connect him or her to a Rabbi, if needed, and I would provide Jewish prayers during my visits. If a patient is Buddhist, I would offer guided meditation. Or the big picture of meaning might not be religious at all but rather, all about the patient’s family. The most important thing may be the patient’s love for their family. Engaging in life review while looking at family photos, or something they built or designed is one way of building rapport and establishing relationship. Friend, I assure you, you can’t walk the final journey with a patient and not build relationship while maintaining professional boundaries.
Whatever the larger context of meaning is for a patient, I hope to help that individual connect to it in a way that honors the mystery and meaning of what their life has been and their legacy will be.
I Make a Connection.
Being at the end of your life can be a very lonely time. Everyone must make this journey. No one can do it for us, and we only do it once. When I meet patients for the first time, I am deeply aware of what a solitary process dying is. As crazy as it is, you don’t know how they feel you’ve never died! The biggest comfort of all for the patient is that they know and understand that they are not alone, that someone cares about the experience they are going through, and that their life, feelings, and emotions matters. It is very important that I am able to provide a warm and positive moment with my patients. I do this through compassionate presence and attentive deep listening. A gentle touch to the shoulder for a nonverbal patient and finding out what music they enjoy and use the playing of soothing music (it does not have to be hymns) can help provide a feeling of connection. Just bringing a smiling face into the room is a comfort to many patients. As always, I am very conscious that my work is not about me and what I bring to patients. It is all about the patient and what they need. So, I watch for ways to connect that allow for an enriching visit in natural ways. For example, I have encountered patients who has dementia and is largely nonverbal. Most of my visits have been ones of smiling, laughing, meeting them where they are at, and what brings joy to them. At this point the family is your biggest asset, in assisting you in bring peace and comfort to someone that already feels lost. Friend, maybe the patient is not religious so let the patient and family be comfortable in declining your prayer, or don’t even offer a prayer for the first two or three visits. I visited, a patient that I was told he’s not religious and the family was scared for me to even do a visit. I told the family please introduce me as Mike, part of the. Support team. I walked in and saw a picture of heavy equipment and him standing by the machinery. So immediately I allowed that to control the conversation. I didn’t even offer prayer! My second visit with him was in his back yard for a while, then to his room. He told me you know Mike people think I’m a bad person, I assured him I was not one of them. He continued by telling me he talks to God every day and loves God. At the close of the visit, I assured him he would not offend me if he declined my prayer, he looked at me and said please pray. As I walked to me car, he followed me and I as I prepared to get in my car, He shook my hand and said, “I like you, and I look forward to our next visit”. and he smiled again and seemed warmed by our interaction. Feeling a connection to another is elemental to what matters to our soul. It can be as simple as noticing a simple picture, a hat the patient wears and bringing attention to it.
I bring a comfortable and peaceful Presence
My most important goal as a chaplain is to be a non-anxious presence for those in the dying process. Being admitted to hospice care and knowing you are in your final chapter naturally produces anxiety and depression. It is essential in spiritual care to provide a sense of calm and peace in the midst of this new reality. I always tell my patients about the cheapest medicine on the market Proverbs 17:22. A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Spiritual care is not about providing a toolkit full of strategies to fix souls before the end of life happens. It is about meeting them where they are at and sharing this important chapter and providing comfort and peace by how I am with the patient. Being a non-anxious presence allows the patient to be however they need to be in this moment. They can express their fears and grief and I will hold those feelings for them and stay calm. I can embody the larger context of peace and meaning and enable the patient to learn to relax into the process of letting go. I remember a scripture in David’s writings Psalms 46:10 Be still and know that I am God: simply meaning to release or let go. Spiritual care is about being there when it matters most and at difficult times. It is not all the time playing hymns, reading scriptures, or discussing spiritual topics. I encourage you as a hospice chaplain be yourself, don’t be so heavenly minded that your no earthly good. Isaiah Chapter 61 says it best The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach (exhibit) good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Dr. Michael Smith
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What is Thanksgiving?
A Day to Give Thanks
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2021 occurs on Thursday, November 25th. However, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on a different date. In 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the second Monday in October, which is called Columbus Day in the United States.
For Christians, Thanksgiving not only has a patriotic history, but it also has spiritual roots that go back to the Old Testament. In the United States, Thanksgiving is historically a day to praise and thank God the Father for blessings and to ask Him to heal the wounds of the nation. It was also a national day of repentance to humbly repent for our sinful ways and our disobedience to God’s plan for our lives. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863. During the Civil War, as President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving: As a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our God. And I recommend to them that while offering up the sacrifices of praise justly due to Him for our deliverances and blessings, We as a nation commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the intervention of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility that we as a nation will once again in the unity and Union as one Nation under God.
The First Thanksgiving
The truth of the matter is that Abraham Lincoln wasn't the first president to declare a national day of thanksgiving for the people of the United States. In 1789, George Washington proclaimed "a day of public thanksgiving and thanks" to thank God for his protection and as the source of all that is good. In a proclamation, he wrote,
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious God, who is the Author and finisher of all the good that was, that is, or that will be —That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble gratitude — for his care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation…The history of Thanksgiving in the United States is often traced back to 1621 when the Plymouth Colony settlers and the Wampanoag shared a meal celebrating the harvest. Their trial began in 1620 with the voyage of the storied Mayflower, a 65-day-long ordeal in which 102 men, women, and children crossed the stormy Atlantic in a space the size of a city bus. Then followed a cruel New England winter for which they were ill-prepared. Due more to exposure than starvation, their number dwindled rapidly, so that by the onset of spring fully half of them had died. Fourteen of the eighteen wives had perished, and widowers and orphans abounded. That the Pilgrims could celebrate at all in this setting was a testimony both to their faith in God and the empowering of resilience and hope established by God’s grace. Yet celebrate they did, sometime in the autumn of 1621 after God had granted them a bountiful harvest. It’s an inspiring story, and it’s for Christians this Thanksgiving to remember it. I don’t know about you, but my wife and I have sit down numerous times in the last several weeks, with tears filling our eyes telling God how grateful we are for his blessings, and the encouragement that we receive when we sit down with Christian friends and hear of how God has sustains in hard times. Remembering the Pilgrims’ story is a lot like that, although the testimony comes to us not from across the room but from across the centuries. The celebration lasted for three days. Here's how settler Edward Winslow described their thankful hearts, And although it is not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want. The tradition of giving thanks continued spontaneously in the colonies. Winslow wrote at length about the occasion that the Pilgrims would have remembered as their first Thanksgiving Day in America. It occurred in the summer of 1623, nearly two years after the event that we commemorate. During that summer a two-month-long drought threatened to wipe out the Pilgrims’ crops, and the prospect of starvation in the coming winter loomed over them. In response, Governor Bradford “set apart a solemn day of humility, to seek the Lord by humble and fervent prayer, in this great distress.” The Pilgrims gathered for a prayer service that lasted some 8-9 hours, Sounds like something the modern day church needs today! and by its end, a day that had begun hot and clear had become overcast, and for the next fourteen days a steady, gentle rain restored the parched earth. “But, O the mercy of our God,” Winslow exulted, “who was as ready to hear as we to ask.” Some historians link the pilgrims' Thanksgiving celebration to the holiday of Sukkot, also called the Feast of Tabernacles in Leviticus 23:33. Other scholars point out the Puritans' debate of having a fixed date to give thanks; instead, they would proclaim special days of prayer. While the link between Thanksgiving and Sukkot is uncertain, there is no doubt that God calls his people to give thanks.
A Thanksgiving Sacrifice
God set up a system for the Israelites to show their thankfulness through a specific thanksgiving sacrifice called a peace offering Leviticus 7:11-15. "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings that one may offer to the Lord. If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil. With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread." The person who made this type of sacrifice was doubly blessed. First, he had a situation that caused him to want to give thanks to God, and second, he was able to celebrate the blessing by sharing a good meal with the priest and others.
"I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. "Psalms 116:17 Jesus taught His disciples to make sure they had been reconciled in their relationships before making a sacrifice. “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24
Thanksgiving Allows Us to Give Praise and Thanks to God
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! We give thanks to the Lord for His goodness and His love.” Psalms 100:4
“Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!” Psalms 95:2
Our choice to give thanks should be based on God's name and His character — His righteousness, goodness, and love.
"I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High." Psalms 7:17
God's steadfast love is the number one reason we should give thanks. "…'Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!' For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord."
The phrase "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!" is found in six different verses.
In case we missed how important this is, David repeats this three times in his writings:
Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever. 136:2
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever. 136:3
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever. 136:26
"… I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds." Psalms 9:1
"Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Psalms 111:1
"… O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!" Paslms30:12
"… will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise." Psalms 79:13
Thanksgiving Reminds Us to Be More Than Grateful
For many people, the Thanksgiving holiday is a time to be grateful. Interestingly, the word "grateful" is not in the King James Version of the Bible and listed only once in the). Similarly, "gratitude" is only listed a couple of times in the NIV and once in the ESV. I guess the question is what’s Wrong with being grateful? Gratitude is an attitude. Giving thanks is an action. Gratitude appreciates the blessings in one's life, but on its own, it is insufficient. Christians are called to be doers of the word James 1:22. We have to go beyond being grateful and be intentional about giving thanks. The Bible commands us to give thanks. "Give Thanks" appears in the Bible over 128 times in 62 verses. In the majority of these verses, "Give thanks" is imperative. As believers, we are to actively give thanks to God for who He is and the great things He has done. The command to give thanks is not based on our circumstances but on who God is. We are to thank God in anticipation of what He can do. "Rejoice always, pray with out ceasing, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." I Thessalonians 5:16-18. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6.
Thanksgiving Is a Response to God's Grace and Love
"…We give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. Psalms 75:1.
"... Proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds." Psalms 26:7
“Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.” Ephesian 5:4
"… as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God."II Corinthians 4:15.
“Say also: "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.” I Chronicles 16:35.
“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. II Thessalonians 1:3.
What is the true value, Meaning and Significance on Thanksgiving to us as Christians
As Christians, we can reclaim Thanksgiving — rather than just being a day where we eat too much and strategize our Black Friday sales plan of attack — we can go back to our historical and spiritual roots as we give thanks to God. We can follow Abraham Lincoln’s example by repenting and asking for God’s forgiveness for our personal sins and our nation’s perverseness. We should seek to reconcile with others and apologize for the harm we have caused. Our actions should reflect our grateful hearts. We should thank God for the people that are in our lives. We can acknowledge God's blessings as we enjoy a meal with friends and family. We can share the grace that God has given us by serving the homeless or inviting people who have no place to go on Thanksgiving Just having an attitude of gratefulness is not enough. We need to say "thank you" to God for the kind and wonderful things He has done for us. When we give thanks to God for the good things in our lives, we are honoring His provision, protection, and steadfast love. Saying "thank you" by praising Him, worshiping Him, and honoring Him for what He has done for us is an appropriate response to God's kindness. We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign Revelaton 11:17.
If your trying to decide a moving heart felt prayer for your Thanksgiving, Think about these:
I want to pause and thank you for the blessings surrounding me. For another day, for family, friends, for food on the table. You are the source of all good things and praise you for the simple things that bring us joy. Help us keep our eyes on your this day and every day so our lives may be filled with praise and joy. Amen.
Lord God, we gather around this table to humbly thank You for all that You have given us this past year – not just what is on this table, but who is sitting around this table. Thank you for life and laughter, for health and happiness, for relationships and memories. Thank you, too, for the lessons learned and the tears we’ve cried because of Your ability to grow us through them.
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Here is the book cover and the introduction to Dr. Smith's newest book coming soon, I hope...... it's the rough draft so please don't be critical.
Introduction:
WHY? This is probably one of, if not the most powerful words ever spoken by mankind. While there are those that see it as someone questioning authority. I believe It’s the key to the door of knowledge, structure and order, as well as assigns purpose and value. Webster’s says for what cause, reason or purpose. Little do we even realize or acknowledge that the Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
This simple word “WHY” all by itself establishes Cause, Reason and Purpose to everything.
Is it wrong to say Why? No for we see in the scripture of Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
W…..Hebrew…..vav meaning Hook numerical value 6 number of man.
H…...Hebrew….Hhet meaning Life numerical value 5 number of Grace
Y…...Hebrew….Yod meaning God of Action numerical value 10 meaning divine order.
Trust me friend, I’ve used this word a million times in my life, never one time giving it a second thought as to its value and importance. To me it was nothing more than to question something, little did I realize that I was actually opening the door to knowledge, structure and order, in not only my personal relationship with those around me but most importantly in my relationship with God.
The final interpretation of Why?
Man is hooked to Grace by God’s action and divine order.
Introduction:
WHY? This is probably one of, if not the most powerful words ever spoken by mankind. While there are those that see it as someone questioning authority. I believe It’s the key to the door of knowledge, structure and order, as well as assigns purpose and value. Webster’s says for what cause, reason or purpose. Little do we even realize or acknowledge that the Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
This simple word “WHY” all by itself establishes Cause, Reason and Purpose to everything.
Is it wrong to say Why? No for we see in the scripture of Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
W…..Hebrew…..vav meaning Hook numerical value 6 number of man.
H…...Hebrew….Hhet meaning Life numerical value 5 number of Grace
Y…...Hebrew….Yod meaning God of Action numerical value 10 meaning divine order.
Trust me friend, I’ve used this word a million times in my life, never one time giving it a second thought as to its value and importance. To me it was nothing more than to question something, little did I realize that I was actually opening the door to knowledge, structure and order, in not only my personal relationship with those around me but most importantly in my relationship with God.
The final interpretation of Why?
Man is hooked to Grace by God’s action and divine order.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/fbc518fc-d396-432a-88af-495788faf86d-1-105-c.jpeg?1633918574)
Imprisoned by unforgiveness
The facts are real, our humanistic nature in giving forgiveness can be incredibly difficult.
Sometimes the hurt is very deep, such as when a spouse or a parent hurts us or when we’ve been harshly bullied, whether it’s in our job, our home. Or even our church. Anyone who has suffered a grievous hurt knows that when our inner world is badly disrupted, it’s difficult to concentrate on anything other than our turmoil or pain. When we hold on to hurt, we are emotionally imprisoned, and our relationships suffer. Forgiveness is strong medicine for this. When life hits us hard, there is nothing as effective as forgiveness for healing the hurt and pain we experience. Trust me I’ve realized that many people especially those that are religious or have a religious background seem to have misconceptions about what forgiveness really means—and they may completely avoid it. Please don’t misunderstand me there are those that deep down want to forgive but wonder if they can. Most of us generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment, anger or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. Just as important as defining what forgiveness is though, is understanding what forgiveness is not. In my forty nine of ministry, and studying of God’s word about forgiveness, I want to make clear that when you forgive, you do not gloss over or deny the seriousness of an offense against you. While I believe that forgiveness does mean forgetting, It does not mean condoning or excusing offenses. Though forgiveness can help repair a damaged relationship, it doesn’t obligate you to reconcile with the person who harmed you, or release them from legal accountability. Instead, forgiveness brings the forgiver peace of mind and frees him or her from damaging anger. While there is some debate over whether true forgiveness requires positive feelings toward the offender, some agree that it at least involves letting go of deeply held negative feelings. In that way, it empowers you to recognize the pain you suffered without letting that pain define you, enabling you to heal and move on with your life. Forgiveness does not necessarily come easily; but it is achievable! if we are willing to put in the effort. Please if your struggling with this read slow and careful.
2. Forgive yourself
Most of us tend to be harder on ourselves than we are on those that hurt us. The reality is we struggle to love ourselves, we have no self-esteem or confidence. If you are not feeling lovable because of actions you’ve taken, you may need to work on self-forgiveness and offer to yourself what you offer to others who have hurt you: a sense of worth and value despite your actions. In self-forgiveness, you honor yourself as a person, even if you are imperfect. If you’ve broken your personal standards in a serious way, there is a danger of sliding into hating yourself. When this happens, you may not take good care of yourself—you might overeat or oversleep or start smoking or engage in other forms of “self-punishment.” You need to recognize this and move toward self-compassion. Soften your heart toward yourself. After you have been able to self-forgive, you will also need to engage in seeking forgiveness from others whom you’ve harmed and right the wrongs as best as you can. It’s important to be prepared for the possibility that the other person may not be ready to forgive you and to practice patience and humility. But, a sincere apology, free of conditions and expectations, will go a long way toward your receiving forgiveness in the end.
3. Become “forgivingly fit”
We work daily of being physically fit, we spend hours in the gym to look good. When the reality is while we look good on the outside we are nothing more than a land mine waiting to go off. I’m not against looking good, I think extremely important. I do believe that we need to prioritize things in our lives, establishing a firm a solid foundation to who and what we are. The scriptures tell us in 1 Timothy 4:8. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. To practice forgiveness, it helps if you follow the Apostle Paul prescription in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing (Renovation) of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. This requires you to work on positively changing who you are and by learning to be what I call “forgivingly fit.” Just as you would start slowly with a new physical exercise routine, it helps if you build up your forgiving heart muscles slowly, by incorporating regular “workouts” into your everyday life. You can start becoming more fit by making a commitment to do no harm whether in action or words, in other words, making a conscious effort not to talk negatively about those who’ve hurt you. You don’t have to say good things; but, if you refrain from talking negatively, it will feed the more forgiving side of your mind and heart. You can also make a practice of recognizing that every person is unique, special, and irreplaceable. You may come to this through spending time with God, praying and studying his word. It’s important to cultivate this mindset of valuing the people around you, so that it becomes harder to discount someone who has harmed you as unworthy. You can show love in small ways in everyday encounters like smiling at a angry cashier or taking time to listen to a child. Giving love when it’s unnecessary helps to build the love muscle, making it easier to show compassion toward everyone. If you practice small acts of forgiveness and mercy extending care when someone harms you in everyday life, this too will help. Perhaps you can refrain from honking when someone cuts you off in traffic, I know OUCH! or hold your tongue when your spouse snaps at you and extend a hug instead. OMG!
Sometimes pride and power can weaken your efforts to forgive by making you feel entitled and inflated, Thinking you have to have the last word. so that you hang onto your resentment as a noble cause. Try to catch yourself when you are acting from that place, and choose forgiveness or mercy,
4. Address your inner pain
It’s important to identify who has hurt you and how. This may seem obvious; but not every action that causes you suffering is unjust. For example, you don’t need to forgive your child or your spouse for being imperfect, even if their imperfections are inconvenient for you. To become clearer, you can look carefully at the people in your life your parents, siblings, peers, spouse, coworkers, children, and most importantly even yourself and rate how much they have hurt you. Perhaps they have exercised power over you or withheld love; or yes even they have physically harmed you. These hurts have contributed to your inner pain and need to be acknowledged. Doing this will give you an idea of who needs forgiveness in your life as well as provide you a fresh place to start. There are many forms of emotional pain; but the common forms are anxiety, depression, unhealthy anger, lack of trust, self-hatred or low self-esteem, an overall negative worldview, and a lack of confidence in one’s ability to change. Have you ever thought maybe the reason you hate everybody and maybe you’ve been accused of being racist, its not because you are, its simply your not happy with you! All of these forms of pain and hurt can be addressed by forgiveness; so it’s important to identify the kind of pain you are suffering from and to acknowledge it. You can’t change what you refuse or deny to anknowledge. The more hurt you have incurred, the more important it is to forgive, at least for the purpose of experiencing emotional healing. You may be able to do this on your own, or you may need the help of a Friend or your Pastor. However you approach looking at your pain be sure you do it in an environment that feels safe and supportive.
5. Develop a forgiving mind through understanding
I was reading a article where they have determined what happens in the brain when we think about forgiving and have discovered that, when people successfully imagine forgiving someone they show increased activity in the neural circuits responsible for empathy. This tells us that empathy is connected to forgiveness and is an important step in the process. I remember one time I had an argument with my wife and I screamed at her, and she screamed back at me. I told her don’t holler at me and it was then I heard the voice of the Lord speak to me “Every action deserves a reaction” “You reap what you sow” If you examine some of the details in the life of the person who harmed you, you can often see more clearly what wounds he carries and start to develop an understanding for him. First, try to imagine him as an innocent child, needing love and support. Did he get that from the parents? Research has shown that if an infant does not receive attention and love from primary caregivers, then he will have a weak attachment, which can damage trust. It may prevent him from ever getting close to others and set a trajectory of loneliness and conflict for the rest of his life. You may be able to put an entire narrative together for the person who hurt you from early child through adulthood or just imagine it from what you know. You may be able to see his or her physical frailties and suffering, And begin to understand the common humanity that you share. You may recognize them as a vulnerable person who was wounded and wounded you in return. Despite what she may have done to hurt you, you realize that she did not deserve to suffer, either Recognizing that we all carry wounds in our hearts can help open the door to forgiveness.
6. Find meaning in your suffering
When we suffer a great deal, it is important that we find meaning in what we have endured. Without seeing meaning, a person can lose a sense of purpose, which can lead to hopelessness and a despairing conclusion that there is no meaning to life itself. That doesn’t mean we look for suffering in order to grow or try to find goodness in another’s bad actions. Instead, we try to see how our suffering has changed us in a positive way, and yes even use our suffering as a launching pad. Even as one suffers, it’s possible to develop short-term and sometimes long-range goals in life. Some people begin to think about how they can use their suffering to learn to cope with the journey of life, because they’ve become more resilient or brave. They may also realize that their suffering has altered their perspective regarding what is important in life, changing their long-range goals for themselves. It’s important that we understand to find meaning is not to diminish your pain or to say, I’ll just make the best of it or All things happen for a reason. You must always address the hurt and the pain, in yourself and to recognize the injustice of the experience, or forgiveness will be shallow. Please remember you manage the pain, don’t empower the pain to manage you. Still, there are many ways to find meaning in our suffering. Some may choose to focus more on the beauty of the world or decide to give service to others in need. Some may find meaning by speaking their truth or by strengthening their inner resolve. If I were to give one answer, it would be that we should use our suffering to become more loving and to pass that love onto others. Finding meaning, in and of itself, is helpful for finding direction in forgiveness. Remember this very famous and powerful phrase by our Lord in Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
7. When forgiveness is hard, call upon other strengths
Forgiveness is always hard when we are dealing with deep injustices from others. I have known people who refuse to use the word forgiveness because it just makes them so angry. I’ve had or should I say I have people like that in my life now. It’s seems like I’m always the one asking for forgiveness. It took me along time to realize I had to forgive myself for empowering them to use me in life. We must understand that its OK we all have our own timelines for when we can be merciful. But if you want to forgive and are finding it hard, it might help to call upon other resources. First remember that you must admit and recognize that you are struggling with forgiveness, that doesn’t mean you’re a failure at forgiveness. Forgiveness is a process that takes time, patience, and determination. Try not to be harsh on yourself, but be gentle and foster a sense of quiet within, an inner acceptance of yourself. Try to respond to yourself as you would to someone whom you love deeply. The bible says in Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. The scriptures continue in Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Surround yourself with good and wise people who support you and who have the patience to allow you time to heal in your own way. Also, practice humility not in the sense of putting yourself down, but in realizing that we are all capable of imperfection and suffering. Try to develop courage and patience in yourself to help you in the journey. Also, if you practice bearing small slights against you without lashing out, you give a gift to everyone—not only to the other person, but to everyone whom that person may harm in the future because of your anger. You can help end the cycle of inflicting pain on others.
If you are still finding it hard to forgive, you can choose to practice with someone who is easier to forgive—maybe someone who hurt you in a small way, rather than deeply. Alternatively, it can be better to focus on forgiving the person who is at the root of your pain maybe a parent who was abusive, or a spouse who betrayed you. If this initial hurt impacts other parts of your life and other relationships, it may be necessary to start there.
8. Develop a forgiving heart
When we overcome suffering, we gain a more mature and realistic understanding of what it means to be humble, courageous, and loving in the world. We may be moved to create an atmosphere of forgiveness in our homes and workplaces, to help others who’ve been harmed overcome their suffering, or to protect our communities from a cycle of hatred and violence. All of these choices can lighten the heart and bring joy to one’s life.
Some people may believe that love for another who’s harmed you is not possible. Trust me I’ve been there repeatedly in my life. But, I’ve found that many people who forgive eventually find a way to open their hearts. If you shed bitterness and put love in its place, and then repeat this with many, many other people, you release yourself from the prison of anger and bitterness and become freed to love more widely and deeply. This kind of transformation can create a legacy of love that will live on long after you’re gone.
In summary I want you to understand that forgiveness does not condone, give approval, or give permission for someone to hurt and or abuse you. The act of forgiveness releases you from being imprisoned by someone or something. And propels you into your full potential and destiny, both in relationships as well as your walk with God.
The facts are real, our humanistic nature in giving forgiveness can be incredibly difficult.
Sometimes the hurt is very deep, such as when a spouse or a parent hurts us or when we’ve been harshly bullied, whether it’s in our job, our home. Or even our church. Anyone who has suffered a grievous hurt knows that when our inner world is badly disrupted, it’s difficult to concentrate on anything other than our turmoil or pain. When we hold on to hurt, we are emotionally imprisoned, and our relationships suffer. Forgiveness is strong medicine for this. When life hits us hard, there is nothing as effective as forgiveness for healing the hurt and pain we experience. Trust me I’ve realized that many people especially those that are religious or have a religious background seem to have misconceptions about what forgiveness really means—and they may completely avoid it. Please don’t misunderstand me there are those that deep down want to forgive but wonder if they can. Most of us generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment, anger or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. Just as important as defining what forgiveness is though, is understanding what forgiveness is not. In my forty nine of ministry, and studying of God’s word about forgiveness, I want to make clear that when you forgive, you do not gloss over or deny the seriousness of an offense against you. While I believe that forgiveness does mean forgetting, It does not mean condoning or excusing offenses. Though forgiveness can help repair a damaged relationship, it doesn’t obligate you to reconcile with the person who harmed you, or release them from legal accountability. Instead, forgiveness brings the forgiver peace of mind and frees him or her from damaging anger. While there is some debate over whether true forgiveness requires positive feelings toward the offender, some agree that it at least involves letting go of deeply held negative feelings. In that way, it empowers you to recognize the pain you suffered without letting that pain define you, enabling you to heal and move on with your life. Forgiveness does not necessarily come easily; but it is achievable! if we are willing to put in the effort. Please if your struggling with this read slow and careful.
- Know what forgiveness is and why it matters, (you can’t do something you have no understanding of its power)
2. Forgive yourself
Most of us tend to be harder on ourselves than we are on those that hurt us. The reality is we struggle to love ourselves, we have no self-esteem or confidence. If you are not feeling lovable because of actions you’ve taken, you may need to work on self-forgiveness and offer to yourself what you offer to others who have hurt you: a sense of worth and value despite your actions. In self-forgiveness, you honor yourself as a person, even if you are imperfect. If you’ve broken your personal standards in a serious way, there is a danger of sliding into hating yourself. When this happens, you may not take good care of yourself—you might overeat or oversleep or start smoking or engage in other forms of “self-punishment.” You need to recognize this and move toward self-compassion. Soften your heart toward yourself. After you have been able to self-forgive, you will also need to engage in seeking forgiveness from others whom you’ve harmed and right the wrongs as best as you can. It’s important to be prepared for the possibility that the other person may not be ready to forgive you and to practice patience and humility. But, a sincere apology, free of conditions and expectations, will go a long way toward your receiving forgiveness in the end.
3. Become “forgivingly fit”
We work daily of being physically fit, we spend hours in the gym to look good. When the reality is while we look good on the outside we are nothing more than a land mine waiting to go off. I’m not against looking good, I think extremely important. I do believe that we need to prioritize things in our lives, establishing a firm a solid foundation to who and what we are. The scriptures tell us in 1 Timothy 4:8. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. To practice forgiveness, it helps if you follow the Apostle Paul prescription in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing (Renovation) of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. This requires you to work on positively changing who you are and by learning to be what I call “forgivingly fit.” Just as you would start slowly with a new physical exercise routine, it helps if you build up your forgiving heart muscles slowly, by incorporating regular “workouts” into your everyday life. You can start becoming more fit by making a commitment to do no harm whether in action or words, in other words, making a conscious effort not to talk negatively about those who’ve hurt you. You don’t have to say good things; but, if you refrain from talking negatively, it will feed the more forgiving side of your mind and heart. You can also make a practice of recognizing that every person is unique, special, and irreplaceable. You may come to this through spending time with God, praying and studying his word. It’s important to cultivate this mindset of valuing the people around you, so that it becomes harder to discount someone who has harmed you as unworthy. You can show love in small ways in everyday encounters like smiling at a angry cashier or taking time to listen to a child. Giving love when it’s unnecessary helps to build the love muscle, making it easier to show compassion toward everyone. If you practice small acts of forgiveness and mercy extending care when someone harms you in everyday life, this too will help. Perhaps you can refrain from honking when someone cuts you off in traffic, I know OUCH! or hold your tongue when your spouse snaps at you and extend a hug instead. OMG!
Sometimes pride and power can weaken your efforts to forgive by making you feel entitled and inflated, Thinking you have to have the last word. so that you hang onto your resentment as a noble cause. Try to catch yourself when you are acting from that place, and choose forgiveness or mercy,
4. Address your inner pain
It’s important to identify who has hurt you and how. This may seem obvious; but not every action that causes you suffering is unjust. For example, you don’t need to forgive your child or your spouse for being imperfect, even if their imperfections are inconvenient for you. To become clearer, you can look carefully at the people in your life your parents, siblings, peers, spouse, coworkers, children, and most importantly even yourself and rate how much they have hurt you. Perhaps they have exercised power over you or withheld love; or yes even they have physically harmed you. These hurts have contributed to your inner pain and need to be acknowledged. Doing this will give you an idea of who needs forgiveness in your life as well as provide you a fresh place to start. There are many forms of emotional pain; but the common forms are anxiety, depression, unhealthy anger, lack of trust, self-hatred or low self-esteem, an overall negative worldview, and a lack of confidence in one’s ability to change. Have you ever thought maybe the reason you hate everybody and maybe you’ve been accused of being racist, its not because you are, its simply your not happy with you! All of these forms of pain and hurt can be addressed by forgiveness; so it’s important to identify the kind of pain you are suffering from and to acknowledge it. You can’t change what you refuse or deny to anknowledge. The more hurt you have incurred, the more important it is to forgive, at least for the purpose of experiencing emotional healing. You may be able to do this on your own, or you may need the help of a Friend or your Pastor. However you approach looking at your pain be sure you do it in an environment that feels safe and supportive.
5. Develop a forgiving mind through understanding
I was reading a article where they have determined what happens in the brain when we think about forgiving and have discovered that, when people successfully imagine forgiving someone they show increased activity in the neural circuits responsible for empathy. This tells us that empathy is connected to forgiveness and is an important step in the process. I remember one time I had an argument with my wife and I screamed at her, and she screamed back at me. I told her don’t holler at me and it was then I heard the voice of the Lord speak to me “Every action deserves a reaction” “You reap what you sow” If you examine some of the details in the life of the person who harmed you, you can often see more clearly what wounds he carries and start to develop an understanding for him. First, try to imagine him as an innocent child, needing love and support. Did he get that from the parents? Research has shown that if an infant does not receive attention and love from primary caregivers, then he will have a weak attachment, which can damage trust. It may prevent him from ever getting close to others and set a trajectory of loneliness and conflict for the rest of his life. You may be able to put an entire narrative together for the person who hurt you from early child through adulthood or just imagine it from what you know. You may be able to see his or her physical frailties and suffering, And begin to understand the common humanity that you share. You may recognize them as a vulnerable person who was wounded and wounded you in return. Despite what she may have done to hurt you, you realize that she did not deserve to suffer, either Recognizing that we all carry wounds in our hearts can help open the door to forgiveness.
6. Find meaning in your suffering
When we suffer a great deal, it is important that we find meaning in what we have endured. Without seeing meaning, a person can lose a sense of purpose, which can lead to hopelessness and a despairing conclusion that there is no meaning to life itself. That doesn’t mean we look for suffering in order to grow or try to find goodness in another’s bad actions. Instead, we try to see how our suffering has changed us in a positive way, and yes even use our suffering as a launching pad. Even as one suffers, it’s possible to develop short-term and sometimes long-range goals in life. Some people begin to think about how they can use their suffering to learn to cope with the journey of life, because they’ve become more resilient or brave. They may also realize that their suffering has altered their perspective regarding what is important in life, changing their long-range goals for themselves. It’s important that we understand to find meaning is not to diminish your pain or to say, I’ll just make the best of it or All things happen for a reason. You must always address the hurt and the pain, in yourself and to recognize the injustice of the experience, or forgiveness will be shallow. Please remember you manage the pain, don’t empower the pain to manage you. Still, there are many ways to find meaning in our suffering. Some may choose to focus more on the beauty of the world or decide to give service to others in need. Some may find meaning by speaking their truth or by strengthening their inner resolve. If I were to give one answer, it would be that we should use our suffering to become more loving and to pass that love onto others. Finding meaning, in and of itself, is helpful for finding direction in forgiveness. Remember this very famous and powerful phrase by our Lord in Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
7. When forgiveness is hard, call upon other strengths
Forgiveness is always hard when we are dealing with deep injustices from others. I have known people who refuse to use the word forgiveness because it just makes them so angry. I’ve had or should I say I have people like that in my life now. It’s seems like I’m always the one asking for forgiveness. It took me along time to realize I had to forgive myself for empowering them to use me in life. We must understand that its OK we all have our own timelines for when we can be merciful. But if you want to forgive and are finding it hard, it might help to call upon other resources. First remember that you must admit and recognize that you are struggling with forgiveness, that doesn’t mean you’re a failure at forgiveness. Forgiveness is a process that takes time, patience, and determination. Try not to be harsh on yourself, but be gentle and foster a sense of quiet within, an inner acceptance of yourself. Try to respond to yourself as you would to someone whom you love deeply. The bible says in Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. The scriptures continue in Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Surround yourself with good and wise people who support you and who have the patience to allow you time to heal in your own way. Also, practice humility not in the sense of putting yourself down, but in realizing that we are all capable of imperfection and suffering. Try to develop courage and patience in yourself to help you in the journey. Also, if you practice bearing small slights against you without lashing out, you give a gift to everyone—not only to the other person, but to everyone whom that person may harm in the future because of your anger. You can help end the cycle of inflicting pain on others.
If you are still finding it hard to forgive, you can choose to practice with someone who is easier to forgive—maybe someone who hurt you in a small way, rather than deeply. Alternatively, it can be better to focus on forgiving the person who is at the root of your pain maybe a parent who was abusive, or a spouse who betrayed you. If this initial hurt impacts other parts of your life and other relationships, it may be necessary to start there.
8. Develop a forgiving heart
When we overcome suffering, we gain a more mature and realistic understanding of what it means to be humble, courageous, and loving in the world. We may be moved to create an atmosphere of forgiveness in our homes and workplaces, to help others who’ve been harmed overcome their suffering, or to protect our communities from a cycle of hatred and violence. All of these choices can lighten the heart and bring joy to one’s life.
Some people may believe that love for another who’s harmed you is not possible. Trust me I’ve been there repeatedly in my life. But, I’ve found that many people who forgive eventually find a way to open their hearts. If you shed bitterness and put love in its place, and then repeat this with many, many other people, you release yourself from the prison of anger and bitterness and become freed to love more widely and deeply. This kind of transformation can create a legacy of love that will live on long after you’re gone.
In summary I want you to understand that forgiveness does not condone, give approval, or give permission for someone to hurt and or abuse you. The act of forgiveness releases you from being imprisoned by someone or something. And propels you into your full potential and destiny, both in relationships as well as your walk with God.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/63943b22-bd86-4e9e-9160-49a5e11c124c.jpeg?1609526952)
Understanding the spiritual significance of your New Year!
Yes….there I was wondering again and wanting to fully understand and be enlightened to see what is the spiritual significance of a new year. I Hope and pray you are blessed if you take the time to read this fully. I’m often accused of not being able to write something short, sweet and simple. But I truly believe you’ll receive a spiritual awakening and be able to advance more quickly in your walk and service as a child of God. Genesis 1:14 says, And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
All these signs, seasons, days, and years are shadows of Christ Col 2:16-17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. At the end of the Bible, Revelation 21:23 says And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Christ is the real light of the people in the world John 1:4. and people can only touch real light when they touch Christ. It’s important that we realize that Days, months, and years are nothing more than opportunities prepared by God. When we realize that Our God is more than just a supreme being in the heavens, is a God of new beginnings as evidenced by His divine characteristics displayed in His creation. God created the universe such that there would be days, months, and years. Every twenty-four hours the earth revolves on its axis in such a way that we have a night followed by a new day. Similarly, the moon revolves around the earth in such a way that we have new moons, new months for new seasons. The earth revolves around the sun in such a way that we have new years. All these days, months, and years are really nothing more than opportunities prepared by God. In the physical universe, God ordained that all the living things should be regulated by days, months and years, whether plants or animals. For example, farmers plant their seed in the spring in order that they may reap in the fall. Children grow, year by year, making progressive advancement in their education, knowledge and communication skills. Such a natural principle also applies to our business or career as well. If we had difficulty in our education, career or business in one year, we still have a new year with a new opportunity to start again. Because there is always the opportunity for the next year, we should not be discouraged but grasp the opportunity for a new beginning. Spiritually, we have such opportunities not only year after year, but month after month, and even day after day. God is constantly presenting us with opportunities to grow. Every step, thought, day, month and year can be and is a new beginning. In our spiritual life there should be days, months and years. With the Israelites there was the Feast of the Passover as a great beginning in the first month of their sacred calendar, the month of Abib Exodus 12:1-2. “Abib” means sprouting, budding and denotes a new beginning of life. So from this we can see the spiritual significance of a new beginning being for sprouting, for growing. For example, we may be short in pursuing the Lord, reading the Bible, poor in prayer, loose in preaching the gospel and unfaithful material offering like the waning of the moon. However, then we can let this failure pass and have a spiritual new moon. We can also have a spiritual new day. We may have experienced a failure one day. Yet, after resting for the night we can have a new beginning when we rise up in the morning. One of my favorite verses concerning having a daily new beginning is Lamentations 3:22-25. which says, “It is Jehovah’s loving kindness that we are not consumed, for His compassions do not fail; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” We need to be like Jeremiah who realized His need to contact the Lord afresh every morning, putting our entire hope in Him, waiting on Him, and calling on His name. It’s regrettable that as Christians we may enter into a new calendar year without entering into a new spiritual year. While celebrating the beginning of a new calendar year, we may fail to prepare ourselves for a new spiritual year and thus have no proper ending and no new preparation for a new spiritual beginning. We need to keep a spiritual new year before God. In order to have a spiritual new beginning before the Lord, we need go before God to review and settle our condition before Him from the passing year. Just as a business owner who must settle his outward accounts at the end of each year, we must settle our inward accounts with the Lord. May we all learn this spiritual lesson. That is, from this year forward, I hope that we all will have a proper spiritual conclusion to each passing year and a proper beginning of each new spiritual year. May we all consider before the Lord how we have spent our time, the things in which we have failed and those in which we have overcome. Then we need to have a thorough clearance so that we may have a new beginning. There are two very important principles concerning days, months and years: Their relationship to light-bearers God in Christ is our light-bearer John 8:12; 9:5. Every change in our spiritual condition depends on our fellowship and communication with God. So in order to experience a new spiritual year, we need to seek God’s face, not his hand and commune with Him. Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. We need to bring our spiritual condition, our past and our present to Him. We need to place it before Him to receive His Glory. We need to open ourselves to Him so that the Spirit may come and shine on the sacrifices, for the scripture says Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. that we place before Him. It is only such fellowship with God that bring in the changes signified by days, months and years. Every change in our spiritual condition depends on our meeting God. May we be those, who at the end of the year, go before God, bringing our life and work and our spiritual condition from the previous year to Him in prayer in order to receive His enlightenment. Then when we encounter His shining on our shortages, failures and mistakes, we simply confess them to Him such that we receive His forgiveness and cleansing I John 1:9. In this way our past is terminated and we experience death. Then as we pray, we will receive God’s fresh grace, fresh enlightenment, fresh power and fresh promises. In this way we will have a new beginning before God and will experience resurrection. Our spiritual journey is a continual process of such death and resurrection even as Paul expressed in Philippians 3:13, “Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before.” This refers to an ending and a new beginning. The changing of days, months and years depends on God Himself. The changing of days, months and years is the issue of our contacting God as light and of death and resurrection. Whenever we contact God we are in the presence of light and when we contact Him we enter into death and resurrection. So the proper ushering in of a new year is to have a new beginning and a new beginning is the issue of touching God and meeting God. We are separated from the people of the world to experience a new spiritual beginning. Such a new beginning is not according to the festivities of the worldly celebrations but one of spending sober time to meet God at the beginning of each new year. In such times we may even come to Him with sorrow, fasting, confession, regret, and repentance. We may also ask Him for His mercy and His grace with prayer and petition. In this way we will truly have a new beginning of a new spiritual year.
Yes….there I was wondering again and wanting to fully understand and be enlightened to see what is the spiritual significance of a new year. I Hope and pray you are blessed if you take the time to read this fully. I’m often accused of not being able to write something short, sweet and simple. But I truly believe you’ll receive a spiritual awakening and be able to advance more quickly in your walk and service as a child of God. Genesis 1:14 says, And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
All these signs, seasons, days, and years are shadows of Christ Col 2:16-17. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days. 17. Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. At the end of the Bible, Revelation 21:23 says And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Christ is the real light of the people in the world John 1:4. and people can only touch real light when they touch Christ. It’s important that we realize that Days, months, and years are nothing more than opportunities prepared by God. When we realize that Our God is more than just a supreme being in the heavens, is a God of new beginnings as evidenced by His divine characteristics displayed in His creation. God created the universe such that there would be days, months, and years. Every twenty-four hours the earth revolves on its axis in such a way that we have a night followed by a new day. Similarly, the moon revolves around the earth in such a way that we have new moons, new months for new seasons. The earth revolves around the sun in such a way that we have new years. All these days, months, and years are really nothing more than opportunities prepared by God. In the physical universe, God ordained that all the living things should be regulated by days, months and years, whether plants or animals. For example, farmers plant their seed in the spring in order that they may reap in the fall. Children grow, year by year, making progressive advancement in their education, knowledge and communication skills. Such a natural principle also applies to our business or career as well. If we had difficulty in our education, career or business in one year, we still have a new year with a new opportunity to start again. Because there is always the opportunity for the next year, we should not be discouraged but grasp the opportunity for a new beginning. Spiritually, we have such opportunities not only year after year, but month after month, and even day after day. God is constantly presenting us with opportunities to grow. Every step, thought, day, month and year can be and is a new beginning. In our spiritual life there should be days, months and years. With the Israelites there was the Feast of the Passover as a great beginning in the first month of their sacred calendar, the month of Abib Exodus 12:1-2. “Abib” means sprouting, budding and denotes a new beginning of life. So from this we can see the spiritual significance of a new beginning being for sprouting, for growing. For example, we may be short in pursuing the Lord, reading the Bible, poor in prayer, loose in preaching the gospel and unfaithful material offering like the waning of the moon. However, then we can let this failure pass and have a spiritual new moon. We can also have a spiritual new day. We may have experienced a failure one day. Yet, after resting for the night we can have a new beginning when we rise up in the morning. One of my favorite verses concerning having a daily new beginning is Lamentations 3:22-25. which says, “It is Jehovah’s loving kindness that we are not consumed, for His compassions do not fail; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” We need to be like Jeremiah who realized His need to contact the Lord afresh every morning, putting our entire hope in Him, waiting on Him, and calling on His name. It’s regrettable that as Christians we may enter into a new calendar year without entering into a new spiritual year. While celebrating the beginning of a new calendar year, we may fail to prepare ourselves for a new spiritual year and thus have no proper ending and no new preparation for a new spiritual beginning. We need to keep a spiritual new year before God. In order to have a spiritual new beginning before the Lord, we need go before God to review and settle our condition before Him from the passing year. Just as a business owner who must settle his outward accounts at the end of each year, we must settle our inward accounts with the Lord. May we all learn this spiritual lesson. That is, from this year forward, I hope that we all will have a proper spiritual conclusion to each passing year and a proper beginning of each new spiritual year. May we all consider before the Lord how we have spent our time, the things in which we have failed and those in which we have overcome. Then we need to have a thorough clearance so that we may have a new beginning. There are two very important principles concerning days, months and years: Their relationship to light-bearers God in Christ is our light-bearer John 8:12; 9:5. Every change in our spiritual condition depends on our fellowship and communication with God. So in order to experience a new spiritual year, we need to seek God’s face, not his hand and commune with Him. Revelation 3:20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. We need to bring our spiritual condition, our past and our present to Him. We need to place it before Him to receive His Glory. We need to open ourselves to Him so that the Spirit may come and shine on the sacrifices, for the scripture says Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. that we place before Him. It is only such fellowship with God that bring in the changes signified by days, months and years. Every change in our spiritual condition depends on our meeting God. May we be those, who at the end of the year, go before God, bringing our life and work and our spiritual condition from the previous year to Him in prayer in order to receive His enlightenment. Then when we encounter His shining on our shortages, failures and mistakes, we simply confess them to Him such that we receive His forgiveness and cleansing I John 1:9. In this way our past is terminated and we experience death. Then as we pray, we will receive God’s fresh grace, fresh enlightenment, fresh power and fresh promises. In this way we will have a new beginning before God and will experience resurrection. Our spiritual journey is a continual process of such death and resurrection even as Paul expressed in Philippians 3:13, “Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before.” This refers to an ending and a new beginning. The changing of days, months and years depends on God Himself. The changing of days, months and years is the issue of our contacting God as light and of death and resurrection. Whenever we contact God we are in the presence of light and when we contact Him we enter into death and resurrection. So the proper ushering in of a new year is to have a new beginning and a new beginning is the issue of touching God and meeting God. We are separated from the people of the world to experience a new spiritual beginning. Such a new beginning is not according to the festivities of the worldly celebrations but one of spending sober time to meet God at the beginning of each new year. In such times we may even come to Him with sorrow, fasting, confession, regret, and repentance. We may also ask Him for His mercy and His grace with prayer and petition. In this way we will truly have a new beginning of a new spiritual year.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/img-2200.jpeg?1608817656)
Merry Christmas to all. From Dr. Michael Smith and Liberty Ministry.
Astrology vs the Word of God
Now this is important, and please I'm not in anyway trying to change your fears, beliefs, theories or opinions I'm just trying to enlightend your knowledge of the Word of God. Remember the Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. And again in Ephesians 1:18-2218 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Let's look at the story of the Birth of our Lord and Savior
Matthew 2:1-10
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem (house of Bread) of Judaea (He shall be Praised) in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east (A new day, sunrise, God's light and Glory. St. John 1:14) to Jerusalem,2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, (Please pay attention here it indicates to us that "they have seen his star in the east) and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem (Set ye double peace) with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea (house of Bread) (He shall be Praised): for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, (A new day, sunrise, God's light and Glory. St. John 1:14) went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Now I want you to understand that in Psalms 147:4 He telleth (The eth is very significant, as it means a repetitive process, continual) the number of the stars (Prince, God's omniscience); he calleth (To proclaim, to call out) them all by their names ( Character, Reputation) .
Next we see in Exodus 28:17-21
17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
I want you to understand that the number twelve is the number of God's government. The enemy does not have procreative powers, he can create or establish anything new!
St. John 1:1-4
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
PLEASE STOP GIVING THE DEVIL CREDIT BY USING HIS PERVERTED AND CONTAMINATED THEORIES AND OPINIONS, WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A CHURCH IS MISSING THE MAGNIFICENT WORK AND POWER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, BY AVOIDING WHAT GOD HAS ESTABLISHED FOR US, and simply not understanding the Word of God. Ecc. 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
For Bookings and scheduling please contact Dr. Smith at [email protected] or by calling 719-744-7644
Astrology vs the Word of God
Now this is important, and please I'm not in anyway trying to change your fears, beliefs, theories or opinions I'm just trying to enlightend your knowledge of the Word of God. Remember the Apostle Paul said in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. And again in Ephesians 1:18-2218 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Let's look at the story of the Birth of our Lord and Savior
Matthew 2:1-10
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem (house of Bread) of Judaea (He shall be Praised) in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east (A new day, sunrise, God's light and Glory. St. John 1:14) to Jerusalem,2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, (Please pay attention here it indicates to us that "they have seen his star in the east) and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem (Set ye double peace) with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea (house of Bread) (He shall be Praised): for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, (A new day, sunrise, God's light and Glory. St. John 1:14) went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Now I want you to understand that in Psalms 147:4 He telleth (The eth is very significant, as it means a repetitive process, continual) the number of the stars (Prince, God's omniscience); he calleth (To proclaim, to call out) them all by their names ( Character, Reputation) .
Next we see in Exodus 28:17-21
17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
I want you to understand that the number twelve is the number of God's government. The enemy does not have procreative powers, he can create or establish anything new!
St. John 1:1-4
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
PLEASE STOP GIVING THE DEVIL CREDIT BY USING HIS PERVERTED AND CONTAMINATED THEORIES AND OPINIONS, WHAT WE ARE DOING AS A CHURCH IS MISSING THE MAGNIFICENT WORK AND POWER OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, BY AVOIDING WHAT GOD HAS ESTABLISHED FOR US, and simply not understanding the Word of God. Ecc. 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
For Bookings and scheduling please contact Dr. Smith at [email protected] or by calling 719-744-7644
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/c0b92154-4019-4555-b76d-ac28fd5dbaa3-1-201-a.jpeg?1608393601)
In working in our ministry, and doing what God has appointed us to do, it's important that we remember there are three elements that must fall in line. Let's look!
Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
1. Season: Appointed time
2. Time: Experiences
3. Purpose: Delight, Pleasure.
Now if you notice Season-6, Time=4 and Purpose=7
6+4+7=17 Is the number of Victory. Then if you take the 3 words and add 7+3=10 which is the number of Divine Order.
If you would like to have Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith in your church you can email us at [email protected] or call him direct at 719-744-7644
Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
1. Season: Appointed time
2. Time: Experiences
3. Purpose: Delight, Pleasure.
Now if you notice Season-6, Time=4 and Purpose=7
6+4+7=17 Is the number of Victory. Then if you take the 3 words and add 7+3=10 which is the number of Divine Order.
If you would like to have Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith in your church you can email us at [email protected] or call him direct at 719-744-7644
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/0dbb298f-c6f5-42b4-9fe2-72ef1344d887-1-105-c_orig.jpeg)
Focus creates blindness!
Have you ever thought that maybe you've been focused on the wrong things in life, and that has made you blind to what God really desires to do in your life. A very powerful word was the declared by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. it's kind of a waste to spend so much time and energy and become so focused on temporal things that are here today and gone tomorrow. it reminds me of that song the Elvis Presely would sing we're caught in trap and I can't walk out. I want you to think about this "Your problem is your solution, and your solution is your problem". I have two of my books that I would like to highly recommend to you if your in this place 1. From the prison of purpose to the prison of Praise 2. Living on the wrong side of almost. Your focus will and has determined your destiny!
Have you ever thought that maybe you've been focused on the wrong things in life, and that has made you blind to what God really desires to do in your life. A very powerful word was the declared by the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. it's kind of a waste to spend so much time and energy and become so focused on temporal things that are here today and gone tomorrow. it reminds me of that song the Elvis Presely would sing we're caught in trap and I can't walk out. I want you to think about this "Your problem is your solution, and your solution is your problem". I have two of my books that I would like to highly recommend to you if your in this place 1. From the prison of purpose to the prison of Praise 2. Living on the wrong side of almost. Your focus will and has determined your destiny!
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/5b7b3f64-3b2e-4ed8-8b8f-be1ca13ca87d-1-105-c.jpeg?1608392152)
"Be still",
Those are two very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"They that wait",
Those are three very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"Stand Still",
Those are two very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"Let not",
Those are two very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"After the death",
Those are three very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
Think about it where would we be without the words "God Said"
I find it so amazing we try to impress ourselves as well as other's how many times we've read the Bible thru, when in reality there so much power In "God said" the scripture says
Tell me have you ever read Zechariah? you’ve probably read right past those words without giving them another thought. I know I have. But “small things” or “small beginnings” is something we can all relate to. Although it’s sometimes hard to focus on future greatness, goodness, victory when we’re in the midst of small beginnings, we must remember that God works in great ways through things that appear to be small and insignificant to all of us. What’s your “small beginning?” A job, a relationship, a project? Maybe it’s the beginning of recovery in health or from addiction? Or perhaps it’s the small beginning of a ray of sunshine in trials and tribulation of everyday life. Whatever it is remember the Lord, and His mighty works and His faithfulness to you in your circumstances. Then ask yourself the question that God spoke to the prophet Zechariah:
“Who has despised the day of small things?”
Zechariah 4:10
The last couple of days I’ve had this verse in my spirit. Remember when the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon and were discouraged at the smallness of the foundations for the new temple and the greatness of the task before them. The Lord sent his prophet Zechariah to encourage Zerubbabel and the people with the promises of His Word. As we head into 2021 we believe the Lord will be faithful to fulfill His promises to us as we step out in faith. I’ve been asking myself, why is it that we tend to despise, or look down on small things or small beginnings? What does the Lord have to teach us about ourselves in that statement from Zechariah 4:10 Here are a few reasons I thought of, I’m sure you can think of more. We tend to despise small beginnings…
1) Because small beginnings don’t appear successful, revelatory. You know they don't give us the WOW feeling. We tend to like the big scene, the big program, the big building, the finished product, just as the people in Zechariah’s day. They scoffed at the small beginnings of the rebuilding of the temple.
2) Because small beginnings are hard. They require work and we are prone to spiritual laziness.
3) Because we tend to think the small things are unimportant. But every great work of the Lord starts out small! Small beginnings take faith in the promises of God.
4) We tend to despise the day of small beginnings because we’re often surrounded by negative, grumpy, people who prefer to point out faults and delight in critizing and they discourage us! It was by grace that the children of Israel were brought back from exile to rebuild the temple, so Zechariah commands Zerubbabel to shout, “Grace!” to the mountains of rubble.
Those are some of the reasons we tend to despise the day of small beginnings.
So now, why shouldn’t we despise the day of small things? Again, I’ve thought of a few reasons: We should not despise the day of small beginnings…
Because this is how God works. In the natural world, God takes a little pine cone, and from it grows a mighty Sequoia tree.
Those are two very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"They that wait",
Those are three very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"Stand Still",
Those are two very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"Let not",
Those are two very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
"After the death",
Those are three very empowering, enriching words, they will alter the course of your life.
Think about it where would we be without the words "God Said"
I find it so amazing we try to impress ourselves as well as other's how many times we've read the Bible thru, when in reality there so much power In "God said" the scripture says
Tell me have you ever read Zechariah? you’ve probably read right past those words without giving them another thought. I know I have. But “small things” or “small beginnings” is something we can all relate to. Although it’s sometimes hard to focus on future greatness, goodness, victory when we’re in the midst of small beginnings, we must remember that God works in great ways through things that appear to be small and insignificant to all of us. What’s your “small beginning?” A job, a relationship, a project? Maybe it’s the beginning of recovery in health or from addiction? Or perhaps it’s the small beginning of a ray of sunshine in trials and tribulation of everyday life. Whatever it is remember the Lord, and His mighty works and His faithfulness to you in your circumstances. Then ask yourself the question that God spoke to the prophet Zechariah:
“Who has despised the day of small things?”
Zechariah 4:10
The last couple of days I’ve had this verse in my spirit. Remember when the Israelites returned to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon and were discouraged at the smallness of the foundations for the new temple and the greatness of the task before them. The Lord sent his prophet Zechariah to encourage Zerubbabel and the people with the promises of His Word. As we head into 2021 we believe the Lord will be faithful to fulfill His promises to us as we step out in faith. I’ve been asking myself, why is it that we tend to despise, or look down on small things or small beginnings? What does the Lord have to teach us about ourselves in that statement from Zechariah 4:10 Here are a few reasons I thought of, I’m sure you can think of more. We tend to despise small beginnings…
1) Because small beginnings don’t appear successful, revelatory. You know they don't give us the WOW feeling. We tend to like the big scene, the big program, the big building, the finished product, just as the people in Zechariah’s day. They scoffed at the small beginnings of the rebuilding of the temple.
2) Because small beginnings are hard. They require work and we are prone to spiritual laziness.
3) Because we tend to think the small things are unimportant. But every great work of the Lord starts out small! Small beginnings take faith in the promises of God.
4) We tend to despise the day of small beginnings because we’re often surrounded by negative, grumpy, people who prefer to point out faults and delight in critizing and they discourage us! It was by grace that the children of Israel were brought back from exile to rebuild the temple, so Zechariah commands Zerubbabel to shout, “Grace!” to the mountains of rubble.
Those are some of the reasons we tend to despise the day of small beginnings.
So now, why shouldn’t we despise the day of small things? Again, I’ve thought of a few reasons: We should not despise the day of small beginnings…
Because this is how God works. In the natural world, God takes a little pine cone, and from it grows a mighty Sequoia tree.
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We’re seeing happen right before our eyes, We’re struggling with it, and yet we as a Nation, a church are standing by and allowing it to happen and doing nothing about it. Satan is stealing our young people and not only those who have been raised in strong Christian families, but young people as a whole. Kids are being blinded by the enemy. Blinded by religious manmade theories and opinions. Moms and Dads are confused and stunned. I don’t understand how this could have happened. They are denouncing God, and his power, and we wonder why nothing we say or do is reaching them. America, it’s time we hold ourselves accountable, we can’t fix what we don’t acknowledge. This is crushing Parents and grandparents across the world. Especially to the remnant who have kept their love for God fervent in this dark and evil time. The question is What is going on? Last night God spoke to my spirit. You can be very sure the religious spirit, The adamic nature This enemy will not go unpunished. And you can also be very sure God will restore the children of the godly. God Himself will activate a rescue mission. The seed of the righteous will be redeemed by an appointment with God. Ecc 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: God himself has set a time for His power to come upon them. Here’s what we need to know right now: This crisis happened because Satan has infiltrated the world and the church with nothing more than a religious spirit. Rather the Church taking God to the World, the world has came to the church. But I want you to realize something the scripture says in Matthew 12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. There is a Remnant that did’nt compromise! Let’s realize David wrote in Psalms 68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. The reason it happened, despite our best efforts and bringing them up in a Christian home, is not a mystery. This is the work of Satan, it’s nothing more than a religious spirit The Bible tells us that the god of this world has blinded these young ones. II Corinthians 4:4 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. The devil has stolen their faith (Substance) and continues to shut out the light of the true and uncontaminated Gospel. This is an important starting point. Realizing how this happened. While it may release you from guilt, it does requires us to be accountable to the Word of God, which empowers you, and equips you to fight back effectively. It’s all the work of Satan. He wants to keep that child bound, confused, and in sin. There are many ways my friend to look at sin but there’s only one way to diagnose it, and that is thru the scripture. James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. The problem goes way beyond counseling, preaching, or parenting strategies. It’s going to take we as a nation and the local church to return back to bible basic principles, and understand the mission and the purpose of the ministry which is found in Ephesians 4:12-25 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. What you have sown into them is greater than the power of the devil, and it will prevail. God has set a time for His power to come upon them. Our children have been attacked unfairly. Trust me when I tell you they will also be blessed ‘unfairly.’ When Jesus announced His ministry and read from Isaiah, He finished by declaring the year of God’s favor. There is no way around it—favor is favoritism. This is how God’s favor falls out: just as you have been unfairly attacked, so shall you be highly favored. Your child will be impacted by that favor.
You and God are now partners in the salvation of your child. We must take our stand in the Spirit. That is where this evil originates, and that is where it will be destroyed. Our battle is in the supernatural. It will demand a presence of God in your life, your home and your church such as you have never known. But it will be worth every sacrifice, that we as a nation and church have to make. You must believe that the manifestations of the presence of God will make Satan powerless against your loved one. Yes, they often get worse when you start declaring a miracle, but don’t be fooled. Remember how rebellious Saul of Tarsus was, right up to the moment of his violent conversion. Trust in the inevitable and supernatural intervention of God. Nehemiah 4:14: And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Do not lose heart! These current conditions remind me of those that existed right before the Jesus Movement swept California and we saw the hardest cases in the youth culture saved and delivered. They too had abandoned their parents’ faith. They went into extreme immorality and showed no sign of turning back. Then they encountered the power of God.
You and God are now partners in the salvation of your child. We must take our stand in the Spirit. That is where this evil originates, and that is where it will be destroyed. Our battle is in the supernatural. It will demand a presence of God in your life, your home and your church such as you have never known. But it will be worth every sacrifice, that we as a nation and church have to make. You must believe that the manifestations of the presence of God will make Satan powerless against your loved one. Yes, they often get worse when you start declaring a miracle, but don’t be fooled. Remember how rebellious Saul of Tarsus was, right up to the moment of his violent conversion. Trust in the inevitable and supernatural intervention of God. Nehemiah 4:14: And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.” Do not lose heart! These current conditions remind me of those that existed right before the Jesus Movement swept California and we saw the hardest cases in the youth culture saved and delivered. They too had abandoned their parents’ faith. They went into extreme immorality and showed no sign of turning back. Then they encountered the power of God.
Have you ever wondered why it seems like you never get ahead emotionally, spiritually or financially?
Think about this Job 3:25 says For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
The things you fear, you create. most of our problems are self induced by what we fear.
Think about this Job 3:25 says For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
The things you fear, you create. most of our problems are self induced by what we fear.
Coming Soon to Amazon.com
Dr. Michael Smith's newest release
WHY?
Dr. Michael Smith's newest release
WHY?
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One of Dr. Michael Smith's newest book now available on amazon.com or by calling 719-744-7644 or by email [email protected]
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One of Dr. Michael Smith's newest book now available on amazon.com or by calling 719-744-7644 or by email [email protected]
Fear does not stop death.
it stops life.
Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace.
it stops life.
Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace.
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America in an identity crisis
I wonder where we've lost our identity (The distinguishing character or personality). Our Power, (Legal or official Authority & Influence) Our Authority (Power to influence
Genesis 1:26-28. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
I wonder where we've lost our identity (The distinguishing character or personality). Our Power, (Legal or official Authority & Influence) Our Authority (Power to influence
Genesis 1:26-28. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
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There are three stages the enemy is demonstrating himself in the modern day Church. and those three form the Trinity of the Underworld. Revelation the 13th Chapter.
1. The devil (The Dragon, The accuser of the brethern) A picture and imitation of our Father God in the Heavens
2. The Anti-Christ Romans 8:6-7 (This is symbolic of a religious movememt one that is an imitation of Christ St. John 1:1-16. 33 years our Lord and Savior lived and preached on this earth.
3. The Anti-Christ The False Prophet
We see in Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a 1. leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a 2. bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a 3. lion: (The Characterics of the trinity of the underworld) and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
God, himself done this very thing to his son Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
The scripture writes something very intriguing right in the midst of the Trinity of the underworld being revealed we see in 13:9 If any man have an ear ( faculty of perceiving with the mind, the faculty of understanding and knowing) (Ephesians 1:18 Eyes of your understanding), let him hear.
Now my friend I encorage you as the scriptures declares in Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
What were about to realize that we are living in a religious corrupt world. Now while I fully believe in the Kingdom message I don't believe everyone that declares they are preaching the Kingdom message and they are a kingdom church, even know what the Kingdom message is all about. Lets look and see, how the Trinity of the underworld is being revealed right under our noses, Were shouting with it, singing with it, yes even attending church with it. First we see the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet, and we see that this is nothing more or less than the SATANIC TRINITY, Satan's imitation of the "Divine Trinity."
In the invisible Dragon we have the FATHER (the ANTI-GOD) Revelation 1:1.
In the Beast we have the SON OF PERDITION (the ANTI-CHRIST) Revelation 1:2-10, begotten of the Dragon, who appears on the earth, dies, and is resurrected, and to whom is given a throne by his Father the Dragon.
In the False Prophet we have the "ANTI-SPIRIT Revelation 1:11-18, who proceeds from the "Dragon Father" and "Dragon Son," and whose speech is like the Dragon's.
The Dragon then will be the ANTI-GOD, the Beast the ANTI-CHRIST, and the False Prophet the ANTI-SPIRIT, and the fact that all three are cast ALIVE into the "Lake of Fire" (Rev. 20:10) is proof that they together form THE SATANIC TRINITY.
I'm not asking you to just read this and accept, I encourage you open the Word of God, read the scriptures. I can't emphasize strong enough that you not only understand but apply II Timothy 2:15 1 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. This is the greatest part of your spiritual arsenal regarding spiritual warfare. Let's look and see how these three will excute their mission and purpose here on earth.
1. The Dragon will be the ANTI-GOD, St. John 1:1
2. The "Antichrist" is to be a KING and to rule over a KINGDOM. He will take the "Kingdoms of this world" that was offered to Christ, and was refused. Matt. 4:8-10. He will also Elevelate himself, and claim to be the visible form of an invisible God. St. John 1:14
3. As you read this I want you to fully understand that Dr. Michael Smith fully believes in and the operation of the prophetic ministry in the church today. but I do believe it's the most misused and abused gift in the church. Now as you read this, tell me does this not seem familiar in the modern day Church? Thess. 2:4. But the False Prophet" is not a King, He does not lift himself, he elevates the First Beast which is the Antichrist. His relation to the First Beast is the same as the Holy Spirit's relation is to Christ. His mission is to cause the earth and the inhabits to worship the "First Beast." He also has power to give life, and in this he imitates the Holy Spirit. And as the followers of Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the "Day of Redemption" (Eph. 4:30); so, the followers of Antichrist shall be sealed by the False Prophet until the "Day of Perdition." Rev. 13:16-17. The False Prophet will be a "Miracle Worker." While Jesus was a "miracle worker," He did all His mighty works in the "power" of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38.
1. The devil (The Dragon, The accuser of the brethern) A picture and imitation of our Father God in the Heavens
2. The Anti-Christ Romans 8:6-7 (This is symbolic of a religious movememt one that is an imitation of Christ St. John 1:1-16. 33 years our Lord and Savior lived and preached on this earth.
3. The Anti-Christ The False Prophet
We see in Revelation 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a 1. leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a 2. bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a 3. lion: (The Characterics of the trinity of the underworld) and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
God, himself done this very thing to his son Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
The scripture writes something very intriguing right in the midst of the Trinity of the underworld being revealed we see in 13:9 If any man have an ear ( faculty of perceiving with the mind, the faculty of understanding and knowing) (Ephesians 1:18 Eyes of your understanding), let him hear.
Now my friend I encorage you as the scriptures declares in Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
What were about to realize that we are living in a religious corrupt world. Now while I fully believe in the Kingdom message I don't believe everyone that declares they are preaching the Kingdom message and they are a kingdom church, even know what the Kingdom message is all about. Lets look and see, how the Trinity of the underworld is being revealed right under our noses, Were shouting with it, singing with it, yes even attending church with it. First we see the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet, and we see that this is nothing more or less than the SATANIC TRINITY, Satan's imitation of the "Divine Trinity."
In the invisible Dragon we have the FATHER (the ANTI-GOD) Revelation 1:1.
In the Beast we have the SON OF PERDITION (the ANTI-CHRIST) Revelation 1:2-10, begotten of the Dragon, who appears on the earth, dies, and is resurrected, and to whom is given a throne by his Father the Dragon.
In the False Prophet we have the "ANTI-SPIRIT Revelation 1:11-18, who proceeds from the "Dragon Father" and "Dragon Son," and whose speech is like the Dragon's.
The Dragon then will be the ANTI-GOD, the Beast the ANTI-CHRIST, and the False Prophet the ANTI-SPIRIT, and the fact that all three are cast ALIVE into the "Lake of Fire" (Rev. 20:10) is proof that they together form THE SATANIC TRINITY.
I'm not asking you to just read this and accept, I encourage you open the Word of God, read the scriptures. I can't emphasize strong enough that you not only understand but apply II Timothy 2:15 1 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. This is the greatest part of your spiritual arsenal regarding spiritual warfare. Let's look and see how these three will excute their mission and purpose here on earth.
1. The Dragon will be the ANTI-GOD, St. John 1:1
2. The "Antichrist" is to be a KING and to rule over a KINGDOM. He will take the "Kingdoms of this world" that was offered to Christ, and was refused. Matt. 4:8-10. He will also Elevelate himself, and claim to be the visible form of an invisible God. St. John 1:14
3. As you read this I want you to fully understand that Dr. Michael Smith fully believes in and the operation of the prophetic ministry in the church today. but I do believe it's the most misused and abused gift in the church. Now as you read this, tell me does this not seem familiar in the modern day Church? Thess. 2:4. But the False Prophet" is not a King, He does not lift himself, he elevates the First Beast which is the Antichrist. His relation to the First Beast is the same as the Holy Spirit's relation is to Christ. His mission is to cause the earth and the inhabits to worship the "First Beast." He also has power to give life, and in this he imitates the Holy Spirit. And as the followers of Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the "Day of Redemption" (Eph. 4:30); so, the followers of Antichrist shall be sealed by the False Prophet until the "Day of Perdition." Rev. 13:16-17. The False Prophet will be a "Miracle Worker." While Jesus was a "miracle worker," He did all His mighty works in the "power" of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:38.
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By: Dr. Michael Smith
Death, if the truth be known the most secure and powerful people and dedicated believers still has moments when they fear death. I guess you could say its built into our systems to avoid death. And death was not an original part of God's plan for His creation. We were made to be whole and holy, living in paradise in communion with Him. The introduction of death was a necessary response to the admittance of sin into the world. That is why the scripture itself declares in Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: If we didn't, we would have to live in a sinful world for all eternity. Knowing this doesn't necessarily counteract the reaction to the thought of your own mortality. The fragility of our physical bodies and the sudden cessation of life are violent reminders of our lack of control in a large, dangerous world. We do have a great hope, that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. And He did go to prepare a place for us so that we can join Him we in the scriptures this is confirmed in of John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. But it might help to consider the more immediate, practical considerations we're faced with. Beginning with, what is the actual fear? There are several aspects of death that can potentially cause fear. Fortunately, God has an answer for each of them.
1. Fear of the unknown
What exactly does it feel like to die? What can you see as your life leaves your physical body? How will it come about? Is it anything like people have reported-a bright light? A group of relatives? No one knows for certain what it feels like, but the Bible does describe what happens. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Then we must look into Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: So it’s important that when we leave our body, we are at home with the Lord. What a reassuring thought! We will stay in this state until Christ comes and resurrects the believers 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. I guess the question that most of us wander is when we will be given a new, and glorified body?
2. Fear of loss of control
By the time humans reach adulthood, they have a pretty good idea how to interact with the world around them. They know how to find what they need, get to where they want to be, and interact with others in a way that fulfills their intent. Many though, even those who profess a trust in God, are so fearful of not being fulfilled in their needs that they feel they have no choice but to manipulate their surroundings and those around them, in order to feel they have been or are being fulfilled. We have all met men and women who abuse and grasp out of fear. They don't trust God to provide for their needs, so they take care of things themselves. They don't trust others to give them the time and consideration that they feel they need, so they begin to place demands for what they think they need. How much more they must fear the thoughts and feelings of losing whether part or total loss of control upon their deaths. As Jesus said to Peter, describing how he would die, We see in St. John 21:18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. Before Peter ever received his warning, he denied Jesus out of fear. Directly after the warning, he reacted by demanding to know how John was going to die. But then we see after Jesus returned to heaven, Peter took the gift of the Holy Spirit and became a new person-one whose passion for Christ's message far out-stripped his need to control his surroundings Acts 5:17-42 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. The fact is that the Holy Spirit alone gave him the strength to face whatever challenges he might face.
3. Fear for the ones that are left behind
The Christian view of death is "separation." Ultimate death is separation from God. With physical death, we will be separated from our loved ones on Earth, and yes this could be for a short time. And depending on the fact of their personal relationship and walk with God. If they are also Christians, then and then will we know that the separation will be a short blink of an eye compared to the eternity we'll spend with them in heaven. However, If they are not Christians, that will not be the case. Our commission, then, becomes to use this time together to talk to them about where they will go when they die. Ultimately, however, the decision rests with them. Just as God gives them the room to choose, we must also allow them the right and the opportunity to choose.
4. Fear the act of dying
The process of dying is the reality that few of us know how we will die. Quick and painless, in our sleep, is probably everyone’s preference. a long, drawn-out illness-the mystery of it, the inability to prepare, can be frightening. If we do know, if we've been diagnosed with a terminal illness, the thoughts of when and where can still be scary.
But it is only a moment. A moment nearly everyone has gone through or will go through. And, when that moment is over, we can claim Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Often, being informed helps and also actively participating can help lessen the intensity and distress of the fear. Can we, is there steps we can take to prepare yourself and those around you.
The Practical Steps Overcoming the fear of death.
There are many people that truly believe that they shouldn't die because they have too much to live for. All this means is that they are overwhelmed with unfinished business and responsibilities that wouldn't be taken care of if they were gone. Trust me those things won't keep you from dying if it's your time. Doing what you can to make sure they're seen to can alleviate or even reduce the amount of fear you might experience. If you have a business or children or other dependents, consider their care. Make sure all of all the necessary paperwork is organized and easy to find. Reconcile broken relationships before you're unable to, its always important to value your relationships more than your ego. But don't live for dying. There's a difference between taking responsible steps and being obsessed with the thought of dying.
The Physical steps of Overcoming the fear of Death.
If you have strong feelings about what you want to happen to you should you become incapacitated, be responsible now write them down and place them in a secure place and make your family aware of where they are. It's entirely possible that during the course of an illness or injury, you'll lose control over the situation and be unable to make your wishes known. Get a living will. Let those closest to you know what you want-or at least tell them where it's written down. Choose someone you trust to be authorized to make decisions for you should you become unable.
The Spiritual steps of Overcoming the fear of death.
Now while we have looked at and discussed the Practical and Physical steps of overcoming the fear of Death, its vitally important that we look at the spiritual steps. While all These are all steps to assist us in keeping up responsibilities or maintain some sense of control, My friend the fact remains that they don't get to the meat of the matter. The most important thing to remember regarding death is the truth about life. We all love our family and care for them, but God loves them more. You may worry about your earthly responsibilities and the legacy that you have established, God's more concerned with a kingdom perspective. All the paperwork in the world won't bring the peace of mind of one simple action: abide. In the middle of living this life, with these people, in this world, it's difficult to keep in mind that this is just a temporary condition, and not a very good one at that. I John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I John 2:15-17 says, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
How we remember this is by abiding 1 John 2:24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. Staying in the truth of His Word, believing what He says about us and the world around us, will equip us with the proper perspective regarding this life and the life after death. Friends, When we are able to understand and keep our thoughts in line with the Word of God we'll be able to fulfill 1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Our purpose will be evident that we do not belong to this world that others will see it, too. We will so take ownership of our position as children of God that we will actively seek the day we can be like Christ and see Him as He is.
Death, if the truth be known the most secure and powerful people and dedicated believers still has moments when they fear death. I guess you could say its built into our systems to avoid death. And death was not an original part of God's plan for His creation. We were made to be whole and holy, living in paradise in communion with Him. The introduction of death was a necessary response to the admittance of sin into the world. That is why the scripture itself declares in Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: If we didn't, we would have to live in a sinful world for all eternity. Knowing this doesn't necessarily counteract the reaction to the thought of your own mortality. The fragility of our physical bodies and the sudden cessation of life are violent reminders of our lack of control in a large, dangerous world. We do have a great hope, that He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world 1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. And He did go to prepare a place for us so that we can join Him we in the scriptures this is confirmed in of John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. But it might help to consider the more immediate, practical considerations we're faced with. Beginning with, what is the actual fear? There are several aspects of death that can potentially cause fear. Fortunately, God has an answer for each of them.
1. Fear of the unknown
What exactly does it feel like to die? What can you see as your life leaves your physical body? How will it come about? Is it anything like people have reported-a bright light? A group of relatives? No one knows for certain what it feels like, but the Bible does describe what happens. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Then we must look into Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: So it’s important that when we leave our body, we are at home with the Lord. What a reassuring thought! We will stay in this state until Christ comes and resurrects the believers 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Corinthians 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. I guess the question that most of us wander is when we will be given a new, and glorified body?
2. Fear of loss of control
By the time humans reach adulthood, they have a pretty good idea how to interact with the world around them. They know how to find what they need, get to where they want to be, and interact with others in a way that fulfills their intent. Many though, even those who profess a trust in God, are so fearful of not being fulfilled in their needs that they feel they have no choice but to manipulate their surroundings and those around them, in order to feel they have been or are being fulfilled. We have all met men and women who abuse and grasp out of fear. They don't trust God to provide for their needs, so they take care of things themselves. They don't trust others to give them the time and consideration that they feel they need, so they begin to place demands for what they think they need. How much more they must fear the thoughts and feelings of losing whether part or total loss of control upon their deaths. As Jesus said to Peter, describing how he would die, We see in St. John 21:18 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish. Before Peter ever received his warning, he denied Jesus out of fear. Directly after the warning, he reacted by demanding to know how John was going to die. But then we see after Jesus returned to heaven, Peter took the gift of the Holy Spirit and became a new person-one whose passion for Christ's message far out-stripped his need to control his surroundings Acts 5:17-42 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, 23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people. 26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28 Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. 29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35 And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. The fact is that the Holy Spirit alone gave him the strength to face whatever challenges he might face.
3. Fear for the ones that are left behind
The Christian view of death is "separation." Ultimate death is separation from God. With physical death, we will be separated from our loved ones on Earth, and yes this could be for a short time. And depending on the fact of their personal relationship and walk with God. If they are also Christians, then and then will we know that the separation will be a short blink of an eye compared to the eternity we'll spend with them in heaven. However, If they are not Christians, that will not be the case. Our commission, then, becomes to use this time together to talk to them about where they will go when they die. Ultimately, however, the decision rests with them. Just as God gives them the room to choose, we must also allow them the right and the opportunity to choose.
4. Fear the act of dying
The process of dying is the reality that few of us know how we will die. Quick and painless, in our sleep, is probably everyone’s preference. a long, drawn-out illness-the mystery of it, the inability to prepare, can be frightening. If we do know, if we've been diagnosed with a terminal illness, the thoughts of when and where can still be scary.
But it is only a moment. A moment nearly everyone has gone through or will go through. And, when that moment is over, we can claim Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Often, being informed helps and also actively participating can help lessen the intensity and distress of the fear. Can we, is there steps we can take to prepare yourself and those around you.
The Practical Steps Overcoming the fear of death.
There are many people that truly believe that they shouldn't die because they have too much to live for. All this means is that they are overwhelmed with unfinished business and responsibilities that wouldn't be taken care of if they were gone. Trust me those things won't keep you from dying if it's your time. Doing what you can to make sure they're seen to can alleviate or even reduce the amount of fear you might experience. If you have a business or children or other dependents, consider their care. Make sure all of all the necessary paperwork is organized and easy to find. Reconcile broken relationships before you're unable to, its always important to value your relationships more than your ego. But don't live for dying. There's a difference between taking responsible steps and being obsessed with the thought of dying.
The Physical steps of Overcoming the fear of Death.
If you have strong feelings about what you want to happen to you should you become incapacitated, be responsible now write them down and place them in a secure place and make your family aware of where they are. It's entirely possible that during the course of an illness or injury, you'll lose control over the situation and be unable to make your wishes known. Get a living will. Let those closest to you know what you want-or at least tell them where it's written down. Choose someone you trust to be authorized to make decisions for you should you become unable.
The Spiritual steps of Overcoming the fear of death.
Now while we have looked at and discussed the Practical and Physical steps of overcoming the fear of Death, its vitally important that we look at the spiritual steps. While all These are all steps to assist us in keeping up responsibilities or maintain some sense of control, My friend the fact remains that they don't get to the meat of the matter. The most important thing to remember regarding death is the truth about life. We all love our family and care for them, but God loves them more. You may worry about your earthly responsibilities and the legacy that you have established, God's more concerned with a kingdom perspective. All the paperwork in the world won't bring the peace of mind of one simple action: abide. In the middle of living this life, with these people, in this world, it's difficult to keep in mind that this is just a temporary condition, and not a very good one at that. I John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. I John 2:15-17 says, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
How we remember this is by abiding 1 John 2:24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. Staying in the truth of His Word, believing what He says about us and the world around us, will equip us with the proper perspective regarding this life and the life after death. Friends, When we are able to understand and keep our thoughts in line with the Word of God we'll be able to fulfill 1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Our purpose will be evident that we do not belong to this world that others will see it, too. We will so take ownership of our position as children of God that we will actively seek the day we can be like Christ and see Him as He is.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/1ae89b56-503f-4905-87fc-4f932a384a5b.jpeg?1580187523)
Well I realized something today, The scripture says John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. What I realized is that the scripture don't say: And ye shall be popular and the popularity shall make you free.
So I guess here goes the few churches and friends that I do have!
I have not tagged anyone but please feel free to share, but as hard as it is for some be mature and respectful in your comments and feel free to unfriend me.
Here is how Trump Hating Christians think:
Fight Those Who Are Fighting For You and Aid Those Who Are Fighting Against You.
Would you like to see what a blank stare look like? Simply ask a Trump Hating Christian, “Who would you rather have as President? Give me a name. In the war that is being waged against every one of our freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion and everything we hold dear as a free nation in the battle to protect the unborn, the family, and morality, One Nation Under God! who’s your candidate for President? No, I mean one who can actually win.” There are those that would choose a man based solely on skin color, is that right way to choose our leader?
The reality is they struggle to come up with an answer. The the wheels in their heads start spinning in vain as they search for the right response. Finally, in their frustration, you will hear them spout a string of religious babbling. Like: “God’s answer to our mess can’t possibly be Trump, because he is a flawed human being.” And, what? Do you think the God-hating candidates on the left are saints? God has used several flawed leaders to bring about His will: Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, for example.
Trump is a bizarre answer to our national calamity—I’ll give you that. But he is the answer. That’s why he turned the economy around. That’s why he has added conservatives to benches all across America: two Supreme Court Justices and 187 judges—and there are 18 more awaiting Senate approval.
Because he is the answer, he removed the gag order on Churches and preachers, He moved to restore prayer in schools, and became the first President in history to address the March for Life Rally. Let’s face it friend if Hillary had won, do you honestly believe that we would even recognize America right now? I will tell you whether you want to admit it or not the answer is NO! As far back as I can remember, there have been a cluster of Christians who yearned for respectability among the secular academics. Instead of believing God’s word that says, “He has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise,” they foolishly seek the approval of those the Bible truly calls fools. And what do they have to show for it? Here’s something you probably don’t realize Today, something happened that should horrify you. England just banned Franklin Graham and his crusades. Why you ask? What is his crime? A Biblical view of marriage. The magistrates who banned him said: "we can no longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city. We have informed the organizers of the event that the booking will no longer be fulfilled. “England has, in essence, said that their values matter more than free speech. With the millions of born-again believers in Britain, how could this happen? How many of them stepped away from leaders who took moral stands and looked for flaws in their character to make excuses for not voting for them?
Hear this! They did not ban Franklin Graham because of Donald Trump, but because of the Word of God that he stands for, you know that book that is the number one seller called the Bible. How many of those believers in the U. K. do you think ever thought it would come to this?
Well, Friend it is coming to this, in America, We have self- righteous hypocrites that call themselves ministers, prophets and teachers that do nothing more than promote segregation, division and strife among God’s people. and not just through demon-driven leftists, but through ambivalent believers who refuse to find either the courage or the humility to accept but most of all to obey and submit to the very scriptures they are a representative of Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. The President God has given us. Is he flawless, NO, Is he perfect? NO Here’s when we see the difference between the Religious people, those that are crying release unto us Barabbas (Luke 23:1-56) (Galatians 6:1) You don’t have to like him, You don’t have to like his skin color, Don’t we as the body of Christ have enough confidence in the God that we serve? That he can place who he wants in the White house? I’m sorry God didn’t consult you self-righteous religions hypocrites. President Trump has been raised up to stand as a firewall against the powers of darkness so that the church can rise up and be the church. And, what is at stake, my friends, is the future of America.
So I guess here goes the few churches and friends that I do have!
I have not tagged anyone but please feel free to share, but as hard as it is for some be mature and respectful in your comments and feel free to unfriend me.
Here is how Trump Hating Christians think:
Fight Those Who Are Fighting For You and Aid Those Who Are Fighting Against You.
Would you like to see what a blank stare look like? Simply ask a Trump Hating Christian, “Who would you rather have as President? Give me a name. In the war that is being waged against every one of our freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of religion and everything we hold dear as a free nation in the battle to protect the unborn, the family, and morality, One Nation Under God! who’s your candidate for President? No, I mean one who can actually win.” There are those that would choose a man based solely on skin color, is that right way to choose our leader?
The reality is they struggle to come up with an answer. The the wheels in their heads start spinning in vain as they search for the right response. Finally, in their frustration, you will hear them spout a string of religious babbling. Like: “God’s answer to our mess can’t possibly be Trump, because he is a flawed human being.” And, what? Do you think the God-hating candidates on the left are saints? God has used several flawed leaders to bring about His will: Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus, for example.
Trump is a bizarre answer to our national calamity—I’ll give you that. But he is the answer. That’s why he turned the economy around. That’s why he has added conservatives to benches all across America: two Supreme Court Justices and 187 judges—and there are 18 more awaiting Senate approval.
Because he is the answer, he removed the gag order on Churches and preachers, He moved to restore prayer in schools, and became the first President in history to address the March for Life Rally. Let’s face it friend if Hillary had won, do you honestly believe that we would even recognize America right now? I will tell you whether you want to admit it or not the answer is NO! As far back as I can remember, there have been a cluster of Christians who yearned for respectability among the secular academics. Instead of believing God’s word that says, “He has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise,” they foolishly seek the approval of those the Bible truly calls fools. And what do they have to show for it? Here’s something you probably don’t realize Today, something happened that should horrify you. England just banned Franklin Graham and his crusades. Why you ask? What is his crime? A Biblical view of marriage. The magistrates who banned him said: "we can no longer reconcile the balance between freedom of speech and the divisive impact this event is having in our city. We have informed the organizers of the event that the booking will no longer be fulfilled. “England has, in essence, said that their values matter more than free speech. With the millions of born-again believers in Britain, how could this happen? How many of them stepped away from leaders who took moral stands and looked for flaws in their character to make excuses for not voting for them?
Hear this! They did not ban Franklin Graham because of Donald Trump, but because of the Word of God that he stands for, you know that book that is the number one seller called the Bible. How many of those believers in the U. K. do you think ever thought it would come to this?
Well, Friend it is coming to this, in America, We have self- righteous hypocrites that call themselves ministers, prophets and teachers that do nothing more than promote segregation, division and strife among God’s people. and not just through demon-driven leftists, but through ambivalent believers who refuse to find either the courage or the humility to accept but most of all to obey and submit to the very scriptures they are a representative of Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. The President God has given us. Is he flawless, NO, Is he perfect? NO Here’s when we see the difference between the Religious people, those that are crying release unto us Barabbas (Luke 23:1-56) (Galatians 6:1) You don’t have to like him, You don’t have to like his skin color, Don’t we as the body of Christ have enough confidence in the God that we serve? That he can place who he wants in the White house? I’m sorry God didn’t consult you self-righteous religions hypocrites. President Trump has been raised up to stand as a firewall against the powers of darkness so that the church can rise up and be the church. And, what is at stake, my friends, is the future of America.
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1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
1 Chosen Generation 16 letters This is the number that represents love and sacrifice in spiritual numerology.
2. Royal Priesthood 15 letters This is the number of Peace and covenant in spiritual numerology.
3. Holy Nation 10 letters This is the number of Divine order in spiritual numerology.
4. Peculiar People 14 letters . This is the number of Righteous authority.
16+15+10+14=55 This number is a connotation of the double influence of the number 5. Number 5 symbolizes God's goodness, grace, and kindness. 55, therefore, symbolizes the intensity of the Grace that God has for all His creation.
Why? that ye should shew forth the PRAISES of him (Notice the word Praises are plural not singular).
1. HALLAL is a primary Hebrew root word for praise. Our word "hallelujah" comes from this base word. It
means "to be clear, to praise, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish."
onicles 7:6; Ezra 3:10-11; Nehemiah 5:13; Psalms
18:3, 56:4, 63:5, 150:2-4; Isaiah 62:9; Jeremiah 20:13; Joel 2:26
2. YADAH is a verb with a root meaning, "the extended hand, to throw out the hand, therefore to worship
with extended hand, to lift the hands."
3. TOWDAH comes from the same principle root word as yadah, but is used more specifically. Towdah
literally means, "an extension of the hand in adoration, avowal, or acceptance."
4. SHABACH means, "to shout, to address in a loud tone, to command, to triumph."
5. BARAK means "to kneel down, to bless God as an act of adoration, to salute."
6. ZAMAR means "to pluck the strings of an instrument, to sing, to praise;
7. TEHILLAH is derived from the word halal and means "the singing of halals, to sing or to laud;
Of him who hath called you out of darkness (Misery, calamity, obscurity) into his marvellous light; Notice not to his marvelous light but INTO his marvelous light.
Please if you enjoy this and would to schedule Dr. Michael Smith. Please call 719-744-7644,719-496-6505 or inbox message here or send email to [email protected].
1 Chosen Generation 16 letters This is the number that represents love and sacrifice in spiritual numerology.
2. Royal Priesthood 15 letters This is the number of Peace and covenant in spiritual numerology.
3. Holy Nation 10 letters This is the number of Divine order in spiritual numerology.
4. Peculiar People 14 letters . This is the number of Righteous authority.
16+15+10+14=55 This number is a connotation of the double influence of the number 5. Number 5 symbolizes God's goodness, grace, and kindness. 55, therefore, symbolizes the intensity of the Grace that God has for all His creation.
Why? that ye should shew forth the PRAISES of him (Notice the word Praises are plural not singular).
1. HALLAL is a primary Hebrew root word for praise. Our word "hallelujah" comes from this base word. It
means "to be clear, to praise, to shine, to boast, show, to rave, celebrate, to be clamorously foolish."
onicles 7:6; Ezra 3:10-11; Nehemiah 5:13; Psalms
18:3, 56:4, 63:5, 150:2-4; Isaiah 62:9; Jeremiah 20:13; Joel 2:26
2. YADAH is a verb with a root meaning, "the extended hand, to throw out the hand, therefore to worship
with extended hand, to lift the hands."
3. TOWDAH comes from the same principle root word as yadah, but is used more specifically. Towdah
literally means, "an extension of the hand in adoration, avowal, or acceptance."
4. SHABACH means, "to shout, to address in a loud tone, to command, to triumph."
5. BARAK means "to kneel down, to bless God as an act of adoration, to salute."
6. ZAMAR means "to pluck the strings of an instrument, to sing, to praise;
7. TEHILLAH is derived from the word halal and means "the singing of halals, to sing or to laud;
Of him who hath called you out of darkness (Misery, calamity, obscurity) into his marvellous light; Notice not to his marvelous light but INTO his marvelous light.
Please if you enjoy this and would to schedule Dr. Michael Smith. Please call 719-744-7644,719-496-6505 or inbox message here or send email to [email protected].
Ships don’t sink because of the water around them. Ships sink because of the water that gets inside them. So my friends don’t let what is happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.
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2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
STUDY: The devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge (Acquiring knowledge means acquiring a example that satisfactorily explains past and present experience and eqquips us to intelligently prepare for future experience that lead to our destiny). on an subject, especially by means of a book. a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation. to devote time and attention to acquiring knowledge on an subject
APPROVED: Some people believe that it is overcoming tests and trials that will help you gain God’s approval or favor. They often get this view from Paul giving instruction to Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Some translations of this verse will include or emphasize being a “hard worker” or as in the Amplified translation below “tested and tried” as ways we can earn God’s approval.
“Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, Amplified).
Paul wasn’t telling Timothy he needed to work harder or suffer tests and trials to show or to prove to God he was worthy of His approval. We know Timothy was a young minister who some despised because of his youth. His mother was Jewish, so he had knowledge of the Old Testament law, and Paul saw great potential in this young man who eventually would be part of Paul’s team in spreading the gospel.
We as Believers, we don't need to earn God’s approval we already have it! remember we were created in his image.
Paul himself discovered something in the scriptures that changed his life. Hence, he was pointing his young protege to the same life-changing discovery he made. Paul tells Timothy to study the scriptures to show that you are approved of God! He wasn’t challenging Timothy to work harder at being a better Christian or to do his best to pass tests and trials to earn God’s approval. Instead, He wanted him to see from God’s Word that because of what Jesus did, he was already approved of God. What a relief to get off the treadwheel of religion to rest and relax in knowing God approves of you.
When as believers, discover who we are in Christ. Our identity, approval, and acceptance with God do not come from overcoming test and trials in life. They do not prove to God how worthy we are. We overcome in life because of who we are in Christ.
Paul had to discover this truth for himself when he studied the scriptures. He wanted Timothy to make the same discovery that he already had God’s approval because he was in Christ.
God’s approval removes all guilt, shame and condemnation Romans 8:1
Paul goes on to say, “a workman that needs not to be ashamed.” When you don’t know if God approves of you or not, you will feel ashamed. It shows in your lack of confidence in God.
Paul reminds Timothy to “rightly divide the word of truth.” When you divide something, you cut it in two or separate it. Paul was reminding Timothy not to mix the Old Covenant law with New Covenant grace. Truth is Paul was pretty passionate about this point. He addresses these issues in his letter to the Roman churches and goes into great detail in his letter to the Galatians. They had mixed law with grace and produced a false gospel. They stopped seeing the miracle-working power of God in their midst. Friend, we are seeing this more and more in the modern day church we are taking old Testament Hebrew customs and bring them into our churches. When the purpose is to be used as teaching tools.
Truth is if Timothy had made the same mistake as the Galatians, he wouldn’t have seen or experienced God’s approval of him. Condemnation, shame, and guilt would have ruled and reigned in his heart. His spiritual life would be one of frustration and uncertainty. Doubt would replace faith, and fear would replace peace.
Whenever we question God’s approval and acceptance of us, we live in denial of what Jesus did for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” 2 Corinthians 5:19–21.
Discover the truth of God’s approval and acceptance of you, and it will drive out guilt, shame, and fear; it will give you the boldness to do what God has equipped you to. Paul’s boldness in the Lord came from making this discovery for himself, and we all should discover the same truth for ourselves.
ASHAMED: feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
You should be ashamed of yourself. feeling inferior or unworthy.
This is exactly what the enemy has and is doing to the Church World as a whole. Lets look into the scripture John 10:10 . The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
If you would like more information, or have questions regarding the Word of God. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] of inbox Dr. Michael Smith here
STUDY: The devotion of time and attention to acquiring knowledge (Acquiring knowledge means acquiring a example that satisfactorily explains past and present experience and eqquips us to intelligently prepare for future experience that lead to our destiny). on an subject, especially by means of a book. a detailed investigation and analysis of a subject or situation. to devote time and attention to acquiring knowledge on an subject
APPROVED: Some people believe that it is overcoming tests and trials that will help you gain God’s approval or favor. They often get this view from Paul giving instruction to Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15.
Some translations of this verse will include or emphasize being a “hard worker” or as in the Amplified translation below “tested and tried” as ways we can earn God’s approval.
“Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, Amplified).
Paul wasn’t telling Timothy he needed to work harder or suffer tests and trials to show or to prove to God he was worthy of His approval. We know Timothy was a young minister who some despised because of his youth. His mother was Jewish, so he had knowledge of the Old Testament law, and Paul saw great potential in this young man who eventually would be part of Paul’s team in spreading the gospel.
We as Believers, we don't need to earn God’s approval we already have it! remember we were created in his image.
Paul himself discovered something in the scriptures that changed his life. Hence, he was pointing his young protege to the same life-changing discovery he made. Paul tells Timothy to study the scriptures to show that you are approved of God! He wasn’t challenging Timothy to work harder at being a better Christian or to do his best to pass tests and trials to earn God’s approval. Instead, He wanted him to see from God’s Word that because of what Jesus did, he was already approved of God. What a relief to get off the treadwheel of religion to rest and relax in knowing God approves of you.
When as believers, discover who we are in Christ. Our identity, approval, and acceptance with God do not come from overcoming test and trials in life. They do not prove to God how worthy we are. We overcome in life because of who we are in Christ.
Paul had to discover this truth for himself when he studied the scriptures. He wanted Timothy to make the same discovery that he already had God’s approval because he was in Christ.
God’s approval removes all guilt, shame and condemnation Romans 8:1
Paul goes on to say, “a workman that needs not to be ashamed.” When you don’t know if God approves of you or not, you will feel ashamed. It shows in your lack of confidence in God.
Paul reminds Timothy to “rightly divide the word of truth.” When you divide something, you cut it in two or separate it. Paul was reminding Timothy not to mix the Old Covenant law with New Covenant grace. Truth is Paul was pretty passionate about this point. He addresses these issues in his letter to the Roman churches and goes into great detail in his letter to the Galatians. They had mixed law with grace and produced a false gospel. They stopped seeing the miracle-working power of God in their midst. Friend, we are seeing this more and more in the modern day church we are taking old Testament Hebrew customs and bring them into our churches. When the purpose is to be used as teaching tools.
Truth is if Timothy had made the same mistake as the Galatians, he wouldn’t have seen or experienced God’s approval of him. Condemnation, shame, and guilt would have ruled and reigned in his heart. His spiritual life would be one of frustration and uncertainty. Doubt would replace faith, and fear would replace peace.
Whenever we question God’s approval and acceptance of us, we live in denial of what Jesus did for us through His death, burial, and resurrection.
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” 2 Corinthians 5:19–21.
Discover the truth of God’s approval and acceptance of you, and it will drive out guilt, shame, and fear; it will give you the boldness to do what God has equipped you to. Paul’s boldness in the Lord came from making this discovery for himself, and we all should discover the same truth for ourselves.
ASHAMED: feeling shame, guilt, or disgrace
You should be ashamed of yourself. feeling inferior or unworthy.
This is exactly what the enemy has and is doing to the Church World as a whole. Lets look into the scripture John 10:10 . The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
If you would like more information, or have questions regarding the Word of God. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] of inbox Dr. Michael Smith here
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How some feel about the Prosperity message!
Well, you might find it hard to believe but, Yes some actually hate the prosperity message! I guess Hate is a strong word. Using it should always be done cautiously. People today hate a lot of things, and while there are those that will condemn you for using hate the scripture in itself tells in Ecc 3 there is a season for it. but we must ensure that the hate is channeled in the right way, and we’re hating the right things. Hate is simply defined as “intense or passionate dislike” and can be a helpful learning tool for others who may be wondering why you feel so strongly about the prosperity message. In several simple paragraphs, I want to share with you why I Dr. Michael Smith hates the prosperity message. Please I want you to understand that I don’t necessarily hate the people preaching it or family members who propagate it, nor do I believe that malicious or violent behavior toward a prosperity preacher is becoming of Christians. Such a thing is detestable. Still, there is an anger that God considers to be righteous (Ephesians 4:26) and we have a duty as Christians to push away apathy and embrace action when it comes to anything that tears down our God and the truth that his Word stands for. Hatred, is not always a bad thing. Anger toward that which is “anti-Christ” is acceptable in God’s sight, but it should always be accompanied by humble prayer and biblical explanation lest we become the dragon we’re trying to slay.
With a level-headed understanding of the kind of “hatred” in focus, here are five bullet points why I absolutely hate the prosperity message:
- I hate the prosperity message because it’s not good news.I’ve heard friends say, “There’s really no such thing as the prosperity gospel because there is only one gospel.” I completely agree, though I still prefer to use the terminology because people understand it so easily. “Gospel” literally means good news, and the prosperity message is not that at all. While prosperity preachers sell what appears to be good fortune, it’s actually damning heresy that paves the road to hell. Too strong? Not when you compare the true gospel to the lunacy that prosperity preachers promise. I love seeing lost people saved by the Gospel so much that I hate anything that gets in the way of them hearing transformational truth (Galatians 1:6-12; Romans 1:16).
- I hate the prosperity message because it blasphemes Scripture.If you love God's word, would you ever want to lie to people about what it really says? One of the most hateful and abusive things happening in the church today is when a ministers opens the Bible and uses it as a tool for deception and manipulation. This is blasphemy. This is what prosperity preachers do. The Bible declares some incredible things about itself. 2 Timothy 3:16 specifically reminds us that Scripture is “God breathed.” How dare someone take what comes directly from the Holy One and use it for personal gain?
- I hate the prosperity message because it insults Christ. I hate the way the prosperity message insults our Lord and saviour. He’s worthy of honor, glory and praise. One day, every knee will bow before Him and declare Him King (Romans 14:11). But for now, there are those who smear His heavenly name to build their earthly empire. They ascribe promises to men that Jesus never made. Jesus did not come to inaugurate a get-rich-quick scheme for humanity, To bail you and I out of debts that we created and are legally bound to. He came to fulfill a redemptive plan. What an insult to make Jesus into a lottery ticket! Jesus didn’t die on the cross to provide a steady stream of Bentley’s, Big Diamonds and large bank accounts. It’s important that we understand the scriptures here. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. III John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. He died on the cross to provide our atonement. We deserved wrath for sin but He took our place. We deserved an eternity in hell but He ensured heaven would be home for those who put their faith in Him.
- I hate the prosperity message because it exploits the poor. Slowly read 1 John 3:17-18 for a moment: “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but indeed and in truth.” Now, imagine a prosperity preacher flying into a poor country on a private jet, staying in luxurious hotels far away from the slums, and then packing a soccer stadium with 300,000 desperate people in order to exploit them for money and good TV marketing. Then, imagine the prosperity preacher airing their perfectly edited program on some social media platform, or any other platform, and telling their American and global audience to give money to help the poor people they’re reaching who need the gospel. Lastly, imagine the money pouring in and the ministry CFO ensuring that millions of dollars goes to the “anointed” leader to fuel his lavish lifestyle. Wash, rinse, repeat. I’ve been there and done that. It’s fun on the inside but scary once you think about eternal ramifications. God loves the poor. Exploit them and you’re going to be dealing with Him one day.
- I hate the prosperity gospel because it has become nothing more than a virus that is affecting the local church. Our passion and concerns are focused more on the almighty Dollar than on the soul of man. Men yes the scripture say the Workman is worthy of his hire! But I’m sorry if you get offended with me. But if we’re going to see one side lets look at both sides of the scripture 1 Timothy 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (GO GET A JOB) Have you ever been tossed by a wave in the ocean? I remember watching them on TV one day, I could sense the feeling of total helplessness as I watched them surf in California. The commentators talking about the Forecast of 10-foot swells. I’m sure nothing is more disheartening than being crushed by the momentum of something you cannot control. Similarly, I hate the prosperity gospel because it has produced a massive wave of destruction across the globe. Worst of all, that wave has taken Churches and Christians and left them broke, busted and disgusted.
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Judges 1:1-2
1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
2 And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
I want to understand there is somethings happening in your life, but something must happen for those changes to be activated in your life. Were not talking physical but emotional and spiritual!
Verse one, says "After the death Joshua it came to pass"
Israel (The church) questioned him and said "Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?"
Now, we see that Lord quickly responds to them.
Judah shall go up: behold, Notice here that the word Judah represents Praise Now there is much more to Praise than the average Church explores or excutes in their services today. Let's look:
There are seven realms of Praise, now the number seven is a number that represents divine Perfection and Perfection represents to be complete, furnished and equipped. This is important because Praise is your warfare against the enemies attacks on you financially, emotionally, physically and Spiritually.
1.YADAH to worship with the extended hand. The giving of oneself in worship and adoration. To lift your hands unto the Lord. It carries the meaning of absolute surrender as a young child does to a parent - "pick me up, I'm all yours". Scriptures: Gen. 29:35, 2 Chron. 7:6, 20:21, Psalms 9:1, 28:7, Psalms 33:2, 42:5,11, 49:18, Isaiah 12:1 . 3034 yadah; hold out the hand; physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively, to bemoan (by wringing the hands) . Yadah in practice - Lift my hands to Him and say how I am surrendering myself to Him. List the ways that I am surrendering to Him. Be diligent. Be disciplined. Be specific. Take the discipline and SAY to the Lord how I am surrendering to Him. With my hands uplifted - surrender unto my God - spirit, soul & body. Totally commit myself to my father.
2.TEHILLAH to sing, to laud. A spontaneous new song. Singing from a melody in your heart by adding words to it. This refers to a special kind of singing-it is singing unprepared, unrehearsed songs. Brings tremendous unity to the body of Christ. Singing straight to God. Can move into tehilah anytime. Singing it the second time would be ZAMAR. It is the praise that God inhabits (sits enthroned on)(Psalm 22:3) God manifests Himself in the mids of exuberant singing. Scripture: Psalms 22:3, 34:1, 40:3, 66:2, 2 Chronicles 20:22
praise, a song or a hymn of praise
a) praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God)
b) the act of general or public praise
c) a praise-song (as a Hebrew title)
d) praise (demanded by qualities or deeds or attributes of God)
e) renown, fame, glory
3.BARAK To kneel or to bow. To give reverence to God as an act of adoration. It implies to continual conscious giving place to God. Blessing the Lord, extolling virtue. There is a sense of kneeling and blessing God as an act of adoration in the word BARAK. Physical application - To bow, kneel or to do this with the intent in my heart that He is my KING and I yield to HIM. I am acknowledging Him as KING and GOD. SONG: BLESS THE LORD Scripture: Psalm 103 tells us how to bless the Lord and then goes on to enumerate those blessings: loving kindness, satisfaction redemption, honor, renewal. We bless the Lord by remembering all of these things. to kneel; to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):
4.HALAL . 1 Chron. 16:4, 23:5,30, 25:3, 29:13, Neh. 12:24 (this word appears over 110 times in the OT) . To be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causatively, to celebrate; also to stultify: (make) boast (self), celebrate, commend, (deal, make), fool (-ish, -ly), glory, give [light], be (make, feignself) mad (against), give in marriage, [sing, be worthy of] praise, rage, renowned, shine.
1) to shine
a) (Qal) to shine (figurative of God's favor)
b) (Hiphil) to flash forth light
2) to praise, to boast, to be boastful
1) to be boastful
2) boastful ones, boasters (participle)
1) to praise
2) to boast, to make a boast
c) (Pual) to be praised, to be made praiseworthy, to be commended, to be worthy of praise
d) (Hithpael) to boast, to glory, to make one's boast
e) (Poel) to make a fool of, to make into a fool
f) (Hithpoel) to act madly, to act like a madman
5.TOWDAH To give worship by the extension of the hand in adoration or agreeing with what has been done or will be. This word is common- ly found in connection with sacrifice-applying the giving of thanks or praise as a sacrifice before reception or manifestation. Thanking God for something that I don't have in the natural. Agreeing with His Word - faith in His Word. This form of praise goes in operation just because His Word is true. "Father, I thank YOU that YOUR WORD is TRUE. As we raise our hearts and hands in praise to the Lord, it involves a sacrifice, especially if one is very sick in body. The carnal mind would fight and ridicule this particular action, but there is great faith in TOWDAH as praise. The lifting of the hand symbolizes agreement. The right hand symbolizes my covenant with my my Father. As I go through the scriptures, God is seen extending His Right Hand to me. That's the covenant. When He extends His right hand to me, He's saying to me - ALL THAT I AM IS YOURS, and when I extend my right hand to Him, I am saying "All that I am is yours and I agree with what You're saying. It is the sacrifice that God honors by His performing of miracles. The ATTITUDE for TOWDAH is: I'm thanking God. I'm agreeing with God that it is as He says. I don't care what it looks like. I'm agreeing with what His Word says. Example: Father, I thank You that I am healed. Psalm 42:4, 50:23, Jer. 17:26 . an extension of the hand, adoration; specifically, a choir of worshippers: , (sacrifice of) praise, thanks (-giving, offering). confession, praise, thanksgiving
6.ZAMAR To sing with instruments. To make music accompanied by the voice. One of the musical verbs for praise in the book of psalms. It carries the idea of making music in praise to God as in Psalm 92:1. The word ZAMAR also means to touch the strings, and refers to praise that involves instrumental worship as in Psalm 150. The one word is usually translated "sing praises". The idea of striking with the fingers]; to touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument, i.e. play upon it; to make music, accompanied by the voice; hence to celebrate in song and music: give praise, sing forth praises, psalms.
7. SHABACH to address in a loud tone, a loud adoration, a shout! Proclaim with a loud voice, unashamed, the GLORY, TRIUMPH, POWER, MERCY, LOVE OF GOD. This word implies that testimony is praise. The phrase "shout unto the Lord" can be understood as the action of SHABACH. It is not just being loud. You should have the attitude of putting your whole being into it, an attitude of being totally uninhibited. Scripture: Psalm 117:1, 63:3-4 . To address in a loud tone, commend, glory, keep in, praise, still, triumph.
Now let's continue to look at verse 2
2 And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
Now I want you to closely pay attention that Judah goes up not down, The Scripture specific says "Judah shall go up" this reveals that your praise is now and will always be your defence against the enemies attacks. Next, I want you to see the word BEHOLD, Here the writer is saying Stop and look! "I have" signifying the work has already been established and accomplished. delivered the land into HIS HAND.
First please I know this is long but the nuggets in this are just to valuable to pass up. Notice that Praise is identified on the masculine side . "HIS" The word is always referred to on the masculine side. Look at St John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Then we see thru the scriptures in Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. As you study the seven realms of praise you will see this is confirmed. While America's Churches classify praise as nothing more than a dance, a scream, an emotion, and yes that does fall into the seven realms but there is so much more to praise its an empowering, equipping relationship with God.
Next we see Hand. Now just from the fact that the land is delivered into the hand, reveals to me that were talking about an open hand. here we this means power, custody and direction.
In 2019 what's the most powerful word that can be used in our vocabulary? But wait not only used in our vocabulary but demonstrated in our actions. Remember life and death are in the power of the tongue.
You can change where you live, your clothes, your hairstyle and even your job but life and death are in the power of the tongue!
Genesis 1:3
3 And God said, (LET) there be light: and there was light.
Psalms 68:1-3
LET God arise, LET his enemies be scattered: LET them also that hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so LET the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But LET the righteous be glad; LET them rejoice before God: yea, LET them exceedingly rejoice.
St John 14:1
LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Just take note below what happens when you LET:
2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Psalms 46:10
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The phrase "Be Still" in Hebrew means to let go, to release, Stop fighting.
LET: To free from confinement, to permit to enter, or leave, to make an adjustment, to give unrestrained expression to an emotion or utterance To release one's hold on something.
SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE, YOUR MARRIAGE, YOUR EMPLOYMENT AND YES EVEN YOUR ENVIRONMENT, WHEN YOU JUST RELEASE AND LET GO!
You can change where you live, your clothes, your hairstyle and even your job but life and death are in the power of the tongue!
Genesis 1:3
3 And God said, (LET) there be light: and there was light.
Psalms 68:1-3
LET God arise, LET his enemies be scattered: LET them also that hate him flee before him.
2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so LET the wicked perish at the presence of God.
3 But LET the righteous be glad; LET them rejoice before God: yea, LET them exceedingly rejoice.
St John 14:1
LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Just take note below what happens when you LET:
2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
4And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
Psalms 46:10
10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The phrase "Be Still" in Hebrew means to let go, to release, Stop fighting.
LET: To free from confinement, to permit to enter, or leave, to make an adjustment, to give unrestrained expression to an emotion or utterance To release one's hold on something.
SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE, YOUR MARRIAGE, YOUR EMPLOYMENT AND YES EVEN YOUR ENVIRONMENT, WHEN YOU JUST RELEASE AND LET GO!
PREPARE FOR CHANGE! MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS! A NEW ORDER IS BEING USHERED IN NOT DENOMINATIONAL DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN BUT SUPERNATURAL.
20 is the number of redemption
19 is the number of Faith
20+19=The redemption, renewal and restoration of our Faith not in Religion, Denominational theories or orders but in our creator, redeemer and Lord and Saviour.
20 is the number of redemption
19 is the number of Faith
20+19=The redemption, renewal and restoration of our Faith not in Religion, Denominational theories or orders but in our creator, redeemer and Lord and Saviour.
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29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him.
AND HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THAT WAS BROKEN DOWN.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones
HE BUILT AN ALTAR IN THE NAME OF THE LORD:
and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
Please take note there are two altars one was repaired, and this was the altar of the Lord. The other he built an altar in the name of the Lord.. It's important that we as the Body of Christ understand the signifiance of both of these altars.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him.
AND HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THAT WAS BROKEN DOWN.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones
HE BUILT AN ALTAR IN THE NAME OF THE LORD:
and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
Please take note there are two altars one was repaired, and this was the altar of the Lord. The other he built an altar in the name of the Lord.. It's important that we as the Body of Christ understand the signifiance of both of these altars.
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Remember, Things are not what they appear.........
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith
8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.
9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us.
10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.
11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.
13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith
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1. Be Sober: The word Be is to exist, dwell and occupy. There is two letters in the word Be, two signifies to divide, separate (you have to get up from where your at, to go to where you want to be. (Sober) 5 letters and the number five is the number of grace and atonement. 5+2=7 and seven is the number of Spiritual Perfection meaning to equip, furnish and complete.
2. Be Vigilant: Here we start off with the Word Be again showing command. Vigilant: here we see eight letter's and eight is the number of a new begining and Resurrection thereof. taking the first command and add it to the second you fulfill the Apostle Paul's writings in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transofrmed by the renewing (the renovation of) of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Now add 8+2=10 and ten is the number of Divine order. Which is the manifestation of the empowering process.
But wait if you look deeper into this and add 7+10=17 Here we find that seventeen is the number of Victory and in Romans chapter eight there are seventeen things listed which cannot separate us from the love of God. In Hebrews chapter 12 there are seventeen differences in the Old Covenant compared with the New Covenant.
Because: God never does anything without first establishing purpose for the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Your (Not his) adversary the devil, This establishes and confirms the difference between humanistic, theological and Revelatory understandins and thus, is so important for you and I (Things are not what they appear) II Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(Humanistic view) as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Please Notice he's roaring Not biting, he's only seeking whom he may devour our mindset of what we see and where we are either empowers him, or disables him.
By: Dr. Michael Smith
2. Be Vigilant: Here we start off with the Word Be again showing command. Vigilant: here we see eight letter's and eight is the number of a new begining and Resurrection thereof. taking the first command and add it to the second you fulfill the Apostle Paul's writings in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transofrmed by the renewing (the renovation of) of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Now add 8+2=10 and ten is the number of Divine order. Which is the manifestation of the empowering process.
But wait if you look deeper into this and add 7+10=17 Here we find that seventeen is the number of Victory and in Romans chapter eight there are seventeen things listed which cannot separate us from the love of God. In Hebrews chapter 12 there are seventeen differences in the Old Covenant compared with the New Covenant.
Because: God never does anything without first establishing purpose for the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Your (Not his) adversary the devil, This establishes and confirms the difference between humanistic, theological and Revelatory understandins and thus, is so important for you and I (Things are not what they appear) II Corinthians 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
(Humanistic view) as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Please Notice he's roaring Not biting, he's only seeking whom he may devour our mindset of what we see and where we are either empowers him, or disables him.
By: Dr. Michael Smith
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Isaiah 10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
I would like you to notice a few very important points in this verse....
1. And it shall come to pass in that day
2. Not just anybodies burden, but his burden, shall be take away from off thy shoulder (the seat of God's government)
3. and his yoke shall be destroyed (9 letters and the number nine is the number of judgment the Spirit of truth) Please take note the burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, but the yoke shall be destoryed. because of the anointing.
I would like you to notice a few very important points in this verse....
1. And it shall come to pass in that day
2. Not just anybodies burden, but his burden, shall be take away from off thy shoulder (the seat of God's government)
3. and his yoke shall be destroyed (9 letters and the number nine is the number of judgment the Spirit of truth) Please take note the burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, but the yoke shall be destoryed. because of the anointing.
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The Scriptures tell us in St. John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Without getting to technical I would encourage you to pay very close attention to the punctuation marks and their locations. Then it's important to understand their use and their purpose.
Notice it says "In my Father's house are many mansions" It never promises you and I a mansion! when it comes to you and I the scripture only says "I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go and prepare a place for you" So then according to the scripture what we are promised is a place, now before you get the religious feathers ruffled he continues by saying "that he will come again, and receive you unto himself; that where he is there we may be also. Makes you wander than what is the purpose of mentioning the mansions? I know don't panic I'm not going to leave you in the valley of decision let's look at Ephesians 1:20-21 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: So I guess the question is where is the place that is being prepared for us? More to come on this subject at later date if you want to partner with Liberty Ministry follow the link for your gift, whether it's monthly or a one time gift.
Please copy the link and paste into your search bar
paypal.me/thewarriors
Without getting to technical I would encourage you to pay very close attention to the punctuation marks and their locations. Then it's important to understand their use and their purpose.
Notice it says "In my Father's house are many mansions" It never promises you and I a mansion! when it comes to you and I the scripture only says "I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go and prepare a place for you" So then according to the scripture what we are promised is a place, now before you get the religious feathers ruffled he continues by saying "that he will come again, and receive you unto himself; that where he is there we may be also. Makes you wander than what is the purpose of mentioning the mansions? I know don't panic I'm not going to leave you in the valley of decision let's look at Ephesians 1:20-21 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: So I guess the question is where is the place that is being prepared for us? More to come on this subject at later date if you want to partner with Liberty Ministry follow the link for your gift, whether it's monthly or a one time gift.
Please copy the link and paste into your search bar
paypal.me/thewarriors
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David wrote something very simple yet revelatory, if only we as the body of Christ just understood the message that David was truly conveying to us. He wrote,
Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd: I shall not want.
While it's easy to look at this and get a humanistic view, and even a theologicial view, There is something much deeper in this verse.
If you feel that your suffering from lack in some category in some your life, this could very well be your turning point in life. Now, while I could give this to everyone it's not appointed for everyone. Its not for the curious, the nosy, or for those religious people that get turned on by revelatory word. It's for those who truly have a hunger to see a change in their lives. all you have to do is send me a private in box message and Dr. Michael Smith will send to you FREE the revelatory view of what David is telling the body of Christ.
if your that one Person needing relief from the Realms and bondage of lack email me at [email protected]
If you want to partner with Liberty ministry and help us in our pursuit to build Warriors around the World for Christ please follow the link
paypal.me/thewarriors
Psalms 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd: I shall not want.
While it's easy to look at this and get a humanistic view, and even a theologicial view, There is something much deeper in this verse.
If you feel that your suffering from lack in some category in some your life, this could very well be your turning point in life. Now, while I could give this to everyone it's not appointed for everyone. Its not for the curious, the nosy, or for those religious people that get turned on by revelatory word. It's for those who truly have a hunger to see a change in their lives. all you have to do is send me a private in box message and Dr. Michael Smith will send to you FREE the revelatory view of what David is telling the body of Christ.
if your that one Person needing relief from the Realms and bondage of lack email me at [email protected]
If you want to partner with Liberty ministry and help us in our pursuit to build Warriors around the World for Christ please follow the link
paypal.me/thewarriors
When I saw this on Facebook I just had to share because there are so many that declare Christianity so strongly and have nothing but hate for our President, I incourage you Read This.....and understand the scriptures and NO it's not because of his skin color, I'm not that shallow I voted for Obama and I'm sorry he do nothing but brought a moral ruin upon America Same sex marriage, removing freedom of speech and choice from Pastor and we as the Church set back and praised it and allowed it.
They are the Christians who hate Trump. Let’s call it for what it is: hate. It is their hate—strange for professed Christians—that dulls their ability to see the inaccuracy of their comments and their myopic views.
One sanctimonious ranting Christian said, “there’s nothing Biblical about Trump.” Actually, there’s nothing Biblical about that statement. The prophet Daniel served Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel recognized the role a pagan king played in God’s unfolding drama. The church’s ability to work with Trump is totally Biblical.
Now I must clarify, lest I incur the wrath of Trump supporters. I am not calling Trump a pagan king—I’m sure he much more moral than his enemies know—I am saying that if Daniel could work with Nebbie, how much more we can work with the Don.
I tried hard to figure out believers who hate Trump. Our side won a long overdue and miraculous victory and they choose to aid and abet the other side. Is it because their favorite “Christian” didn’t win and they are sour grapes?
And why didn’t these conservative Christians hold Reagan to the same standard? They adored him even while Nancy was studying horoscopes in the White House.
They didn’t require any president to be a squeaky clean pastor until Trump.
Yeah his tweets can be a bit much. And okay, president Trump is not as smooth as Reagan…but, maybe we don’t need smooth right now.
But there is something else that is really strange, (hypocritical is more like it) why didn’t these guardians of morality speak out against Obama? T.D. Jakes even attacked Franklin Graham for questioning Obama’s Christian Faith. Told him not to judge a brother. Hold that thought as we explore another question…
How could you not question Obama’s Christianity? Obama begged the question by dropping the Christian card whenever it suited him (something Trump never does). Meanwhile, Barack fought for same sex marriage, late term abortion, and was the most Biblically hostile president in our history.
Click on this link to see the list of his acts of hostility toward Christians https://wp.me/p1vrzp-3DQ
Back to Jakes. So why do so many Christian leaders—who said it was wrong to judge Obama—judge Trump?
Trump is not a pastor. He is a businessman who loves America. As far as his faith? I am not qualified to determine his spiritual depth since I’ve never had the chance to meet the man.
“He is like Hitler and the church is being fooled” said another comment. Please remove your tinfoil hats and listen. Hitler never had 98% of the media against him. Trump has never called for a new constitution. Hitler never tried to protect Israel. I could go on and on.
Maybe if Trump had been the first president to address the march for life. Maybe if he had chosen an on fire born-again vice president. Maybe if he has rescinded executive orders that banned federal funds from Christian organizations. Maybe if he overruled the Johnson Amendment that banned the free speech of pastors. Maybe if he had moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem. Maybe if he had put someone on the Supreme Court who helped Christian bakers practice freedom of religion. Maybe then you would support him. Oh wait…he did all that.
God has done a miracle and the enemy wants to make short work of the amazing breakthroughs we are witnessing by dividing the church. Instead of being a religious outlier you should be thanking God, praying, supporting the president, and voting.
If your asking God when will I ever see deliverance from all that is going on in my life, All you have to do is remember what is the key to seeing your salvation and deliverance that we so desperatly desire
"Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord"
"Stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord"
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And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. Isaiah 10:27
Notice it's not because of theories, ideas, man made doctines or denominational guidelines that destroys the yoke
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE ANOINTING!
What is the anointing, How does it come about?
Matthew 16:13-19 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist*: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them,But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The Word Christ means the anointed one, the anointing comes by having an intimate relationship and by knowing not only who he is, but what he is.
Notice it's not because of theories, ideas, man made doctines or denominational guidelines that destroys the yoke
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE ANOINTING!
What is the anointing, How does it come about?
Matthew 16:13-19 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying,Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? 14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist*: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them,But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
The Word Christ means the anointed one, the anointing comes by having an intimate relationship and by knowing not only who he is, but what he is.
The Impregnating sins in the pulpits of America's churches.
This is truly a problem of America's Churches today is that we get alot of denominational message that are full of man's theories, idea's and emotions, and the church is receiving fragments of the genuine unadulterated Gospel. As only parts of the gospeln are truly being proclaimed. This is nothing new, as the serpent gave Eve only what would benifit him and what he wanted her to hear. In Acts 20:26,27 Paul says to the Ephesian church elders, “I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.” Acts 20:26, 27. Unlike many modern day, if you please those that call themselves preachers, There is one man in the Word of God named Paul that refused to edit out and water down the difficult parts of the scriptures and the his message. He insisted on preaching the complete unadulterated gospel. HIstory tells us that Pope Gregory wrote about the “Seven Deadly Sins,” which involved pride, gluttony, envy, lust, anger, greed and laziness. Well, while I’m a strong believer that every coin has two sides, and yes that is one side called the natural deadly sins, I believe as there is natural there is also Spiritual. I Corinthians 15:42-49. So let’s take a look now at Seven Deadly Sins that we as ministers are impregnating our people with from the Pulpit of our churches.
1. PREACHING CHRIST AND LEAVING OUT THE CROSS
If only we as minister's of the Gospel could loose our focus of titles and positions, and return the mindset of the Apostle Paul as he determined to know and preach nothing except Christ and Christ crucified 1 Corinthians 2:2. Today it seems we preach everything but Christ and the cross, causing many to live as enemies of the cross For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Philippians 3:18, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Philippians 3:10 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: II Timothy 2:12. It's important to understand and acknowledge that we can't and won't have true relationship and intimacy with Christ, if we don't have relationship with the cross as the scriptures declare in Ephesians 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. The Apostle Paul writes in For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; II Corinthians 4:17.
2. PREACHING SALVATION YET AVOIDING SANCTIFICATION.
No change Christianity. This truly sounds like a problem that is dominant in the world that we live in. So many claim Christ today with no evidence or change in their lives, I once heard this phrase "You are what you eat said a wise old man, and God if that's true I"m a garbage can" and yes the very person that is housing your local pulpit is at least partially to blame. First of all the word Salvation means deliver or deliverance the word Sanctification is a gift given through the power of God to a person and to set them apart, declare holy and consecrate, to make legitimate or binding as free from sin. Looking deeper into the two words first being Salvation with nine letters it's important to understand that the number nine signifies Judgment the Spirit of truth. while the word Sanctification has fourteen letter's, this number signifies Righteous and authority. Friend, it's simple you can't have authority without being righteous and you can't be righteous and not have authority.3. PREACHING DECISIONS WITHOUT DISCIPLESHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY.
No commitment Christianity. Sounds like the perfect formula for filling the Church Building! I know this World is full of Mega churches, medium size Churches and yes even small Churches that are filling the pews every Sunday Morning crowds and decisions, but are we making disciples? I'm afraid not! we live in religious society today that it's all about numbers. My friend, I admonish you to remember in Matthew 16:13-19 Jesus ask Peter whom do men say that I am? Peter responded "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and other, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Jesus then turns to Peter and says "But whom say ye that I am? Yes decisions are made, but for that decision to be valid they have to know who he is! as Peter responds to the LORD'S question "Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God". The scriptures declares in Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Stop counting number's and start building Disciples with responsibility.4. PREACHING LOVE WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT TO DISCIPLINE.
No compliance Christianity. Jesus is Lord, and because He is Lord, he heals, delivers, provides and saves. I will never question that he is LORD of All!! but let's look just for a moment Hebrews 12:6-7 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7.If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. Romans 8:28-39 speaks volumes to us as the Apostle Write in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. sound heavely right? but continue reading in verses 35-39 we encounter many things that are designed to dicipline us in our walk with God. Remember For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; II Corinthians 4:17.
5. PREACHING PROSPERITY WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY OF PURPOSE.
No cause Christianity. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing. Friend, I'm so sorry but this is Dr. Smith's pet peve if you please. I see great Churches and devoted God fearing God loving committed Christians all over the World struggling to pay the monthly utilities, Mortage payments, as well as various other obligations. I hear message upon message of tithing and sowing seed. They use the scriptures II Corinthians 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; but the more I look at the scriptures the more frustrated I become as I read in Matthew 6:30-34 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. But it don't seem to end there I read in III John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Let's me just say the Soul is not valued as a $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 or even a $100 bill, it's the appetites, passions, desires and emotions of you and I. I'm a strong believer that focus creates blindness, so maybe the real issue is not the amount of money you give or don't give but the Word of God declares in II Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. I know this goes totally against the religious teaching of today and maybe I'm simple minded, but I don't read there that his love, his blessing or even his promises are based upon the amount of money you giveor don't give. but with the type of heart it is given. Preacher's we have a obligation to lead God's people into a life of prosperity, I don't now nor will I ever question that, however I do question the path that we are using to get God's people into the realm of prosperity. I remember the man at the pool of Bethesda, the Pool nor money ever entered into the equation of how is healing came about, Friends there are to many examples to mention The lady with the blood issue, the man at the gate beautiful, The woman of Samaria. Just take a moment and look back into Matthew 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Romans 8:15 says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’. This verse contrasts two spirits: an impersonal “spirit of bondage” or “spirit of slavery” and the Holy Spirit, called here “the Spirit of adoption.” Other translations render the phrase the Spirit of adoption as “God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children”, “the Spirit makes you God’s children”, or “a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children”. Maybe just maybe we need to stop trying to take people back into their old nature and allow them to fully experience what the Apostle Paul meant when he said in II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
6. PREACHING BLESSING WITHOUT BIRTHRIGHT.No covenant Christianity. Esau threw away his birthright and still expected a blessing. It does not work that way. If we want the blessing, we must accept the covenantal responsibilities that go with the birthright. Let's take a deeper look into those two words, first of all let's look at blessing Webster's says approval or encouragment, God's favor and protection. Now look at this word and you'll see it has eight letters this is the number of a new beginning. I know everyone loves this message on sunday morning. But now we must look and acknowledge the word "Birthright" a particular right of possession or privilege heritage and legacy. Now here comes that part of that Sunday Morning message that tends to turn most Church Goer's and notice I didn't say Christians but their stomach and at this point they have to go home because their not feeling well...... "Birthright" Now you'll see ten letter's, Just incase your wandering how to activate that new beginning in your life, your home, your marriage but most of all in your heart. The number ten means Divine order I Corinthians 14:40 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. Decently in the Greek means honourable, while order in the Greek means fixed succession of rank or character official dignity. In closing Praise is the blessing While Worship is the Birthright.
7. PREACHING REVIVAL WITHOUT CHANGE.
No transformation Christianity. We are called to be salt and light, to impact individuals, cultures, families and nations. The gospel is supposed to be transformational. I have certainly been guilty of all of above at different times in my life as a preacher. Over my 48 years in ministry I have matured, hopefully, I’m being more and more faithful to preaching the the unadulterated Word of God. I believe again referring to the scriptures while it's easy to get caught up in man made denominational theories of the bible. The scripture says in Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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. While this type of Word may not always be popular. The results are proven as the Apostle writes in Ephesians 4:13-14 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,(John 1:1,14) unto a perfect (equipped and furnished) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of (meaning a representative of someone or something) Christ (The anointed one): 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; We need less man-made revival's and more transformational moving of the Spirit of God in the Church.
This is truly a problem of America's Churches today is that we get alot of denominational message that are full of man's theories, idea's and emotions, and the church is receiving fragments of the genuine unadulterated Gospel. As only parts of the gospeln are truly being proclaimed. This is nothing new, as the serpent gave Eve only what would benifit him and what he wanted her to hear. In Acts 20:26,27 Paul says to the Ephesian church elders, “I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.” Acts 20:26, 27. Unlike many modern day, if you please those that call themselves preachers, There is one man in the Word of God named Paul that refused to edit out and water down the difficult parts of the scriptures and the his message. He insisted on preaching the complete unadulterated gospel. HIstory tells us that Pope Gregory wrote about the “Seven Deadly Sins,” which involved pride, gluttony, envy, lust, anger, greed and laziness. Well, while I’m a strong believer that every coin has two sides, and yes that is one side called the natural deadly sins, I believe as there is natural there is also Spiritual. I Corinthians 15:42-49. So let’s take a look now at Seven Deadly Sins that we as ministers are impregnating our people with from the Pulpit of our churches.
1. PREACHING CHRIST AND LEAVING OUT THE CROSS
If only we as minister's of the Gospel could loose our focus of titles and positions, and return the mindset of the Apostle Paul as he determined to know and preach nothing except Christ and Christ crucified 1 Corinthians 2:2. Today it seems we preach everything but Christ and the cross, causing many to live as enemies of the cross For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. Philippians 3:18, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; Philippians 3:10 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: II Timothy 2:12. It's important to understand and acknowledge that we can't and won't have true relationship and intimacy with Christ, if we don't have relationship with the cross as the scriptures declare in Ephesians 4:10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. The Apostle Paul writes in For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; II Corinthians 4:17.
2. PREACHING SALVATION YET AVOIDING SANCTIFICATION.
No change Christianity. This truly sounds like a problem that is dominant in the world that we live in. So many claim Christ today with no evidence or change in their lives, I once heard this phrase "You are what you eat said a wise old man, and God if that's true I"m a garbage can" and yes the very person that is housing your local pulpit is at least partially to blame. First of all the word Salvation means deliver or deliverance the word Sanctification is a gift given through the power of God to a person and to set them apart, declare holy and consecrate, to make legitimate or binding as free from sin. Looking deeper into the two words first being Salvation with nine letters it's important to understand that the number nine signifies Judgment the Spirit of truth. while the word Sanctification has fourteen letter's, this number signifies Righteous and authority. Friend, it's simple you can't have authority without being righteous and you can't be righteous and not have authority.3. PREACHING DECISIONS WITHOUT DISCIPLESHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY.
No commitment Christianity. Sounds like the perfect formula for filling the Church Building! I know this World is full of Mega churches, medium size Churches and yes even small Churches that are filling the pews every Sunday Morning crowds and decisions, but are we making disciples? I'm afraid not! we live in religious society today that it's all about numbers. My friend, I admonish you to remember in Matthew 16:13-19 Jesus ask Peter whom do men say that I am? Peter responded "Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elijah; and other, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. Jesus then turns to Peter and says "But whom say ye that I am? Yes decisions are made, but for that decision to be valid they have to know who he is! as Peter responds to the LORD'S question "Thou art the Christ the Son of the Living God". The scriptures declares in Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Stop counting number's and start building Disciples with responsibility.4. PREACHING LOVE WITHOUT THE COMMITMENT TO DISCIPLINE.
No compliance Christianity. Jesus is Lord, and because He is Lord, he heals, delivers, provides and saves. I will never question that he is LORD of All!! but let's look just for a moment Hebrews 12:6-7 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7.If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? Proverbs 13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. Romans 8:28-39 speaks volumes to us as the Apostle Write in Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. sound heavely right? but continue reading in verses 35-39 we encounter many things that are designed to dicipline us in our walk with God. Remember For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; II Corinthians 4:17.
5. PREACHING PROSPERITY WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY OF PURPOSE.
No cause Christianity. God blesses us so that we can be a blessing. Friend, I'm so sorry but this is Dr. Smith's pet peve if you please. I see great Churches and devoted God fearing God loving committed Christians all over the World struggling to pay the monthly utilities, Mortage payments, as well as various other obligations. I hear message upon message of tithing and sowing seed. They use the scriptures II Corinthians 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness; but the more I look at the scriptures the more frustrated I become as I read in Matthew 6:30-34 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. But it don't seem to end there I read in III John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Let's me just say the Soul is not valued as a $1, $5, $10, $20, $50 or even a $100 bill, it's the appetites, passions, desires and emotions of you and I. I'm a strong believer that focus creates blindness, so maybe the real issue is not the amount of money you give or don't give but the Word of God declares in II Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. I know this goes totally against the religious teaching of today and maybe I'm simple minded, but I don't read there that his love, his blessing or even his promises are based upon the amount of money you giveor don't give. but with the type of heart it is given. Preacher's we have a obligation to lead God's people into a life of prosperity, I don't now nor will I ever question that, however I do question the path that we are using to get God's people into the realm of prosperity. I remember the man at the pool of Bethesda, the Pool nor money ever entered into the equation of how is healing came about, Friends there are to many examples to mention The lady with the blood issue, the man at the gate beautiful, The woman of Samaria. Just take a moment and look back into Matthew 6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. Romans 8:15 says, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’. This verse contrasts two spirits: an impersonal “spirit of bondage” or “spirit of slavery” and the Holy Spirit, called here “the Spirit of adoption.” Other translations render the phrase the Spirit of adoption as “God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children”, “the Spirit makes you God’s children”, or “a Spirit that shows you are adopted as his children”. Maybe just maybe we need to stop trying to take people back into their old nature and allow them to fully experience what the Apostle Paul meant when he said in II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
6. PREACHING BLESSING WITHOUT BIRTHRIGHT.No covenant Christianity. Esau threw away his birthright and still expected a blessing. It does not work that way. If we want the blessing, we must accept the covenantal responsibilities that go with the birthright. Let's take a deeper look into those two words, first of all let's look at blessing Webster's says approval or encouragment, God's favor and protection. Now look at this word and you'll see it has eight letters this is the number of a new beginning. I know everyone loves this message on sunday morning. But now we must look and acknowledge the word "Birthright" a particular right of possession or privilege heritage and legacy. Now here comes that part of that Sunday Morning message that tends to turn most Church Goer's and notice I didn't say Christians but their stomach and at this point they have to go home because their not feeling well...... "Birthright" Now you'll see ten letter's, Just incase your wandering how to activate that new beginning in your life, your home, your marriage but most of all in your heart. The number ten means Divine order I Corinthians 14:40 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. Decently in the Greek means honourable, while order in the Greek means fixed succession of rank or character official dignity. In closing Praise is the blessing While Worship is the Birthright.
7. PREACHING REVIVAL WITHOUT CHANGE.
No transformation Christianity. We are called to be salt and light, to impact individuals, cultures, families and nations. The gospel is supposed to be transformational. I have certainly been guilty of all of above at different times in my life as a preacher. Over my 48 years in ministry I have matured, hopefully, I’m being more and more faithful to preaching the the unadulterated Word of God. I believe again referring to the scriptures while it's easy to get caught up in man made denominational theories of the bible. The scripture says in Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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. While this type of Word may not always be popular. The results are proven as the Apostle writes in Ephesians 4:13-14 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,(John 1:1,14) unto a perfect (equipped and furnished) man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of (meaning a representative of someone or something) Christ (The anointed one): 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; We need less man-made revival's and more transformational moving of the Spirit of God in the Church.
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When you lose your purpose you will never achieve your destiny!
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When you lose your purpose you will never achieve your destiny!
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
Five points we need to focus on and understand:
1. It happened at Midnight.
2. They prayed.
3. Sang praises.
4. They done it unto God.
5. Prisoners heard them.
Please in closing notice there are 5 specific points that need to be dealt with so that we fully understand When and what happened.
Five points we need to focus on and understand:
1. It happened at Midnight.
2. They prayed.
3. Sang praises.
4. They done it unto God.
5. Prisoners heard them.
Please in closing notice there are 5 specific points that need to be dealt with so that we fully understand When and what happened.
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Friends, remember when the Doctor's, family or friends try to install something negative into your mindset and life, the Apostle Paul gives us instructions of how to unistall this type of material in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed (To another's fashion or pattern of thinking) to this world (Period of time, age or season): but be ye transformed BY the RENEWING (Renovation) of your mind (Thought, feeling, purposes, desires and will. The intellectual faculty of understanding, The ability to perceiving divine things ), that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
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From the Heart of Dr. Michael N. Smith
The hardest thing for us as Christian's to understand is when "God says all is well"
Remember this one thing the scripture says in
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
What you and I may think when we here God say "All is Well" could be totally different from what the Master actually means.
The hardest thing for us as Christian's to understand is when "God says all is well"
Remember this one thing the scripture says in
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
What you and I may think when we here God say "All is Well" could be totally different from what the Master actually means.
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For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
I John 5:4 Please take note of the wording it’s not whosoever but whatsoever? Notice the Apostle Paul’s writing in
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Is this the manifestation of the modern day And unto the modern day Laodiceans church write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, † I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I John 5:4 Please take note of the wording it’s not whosoever but whatsoever? Notice the Apostle Paul’s writing in
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Is this the manifestation of the modern day And unto the modern day Laodiceans church write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, † I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Psalms 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Understanding this is so important because we have a responsibility that is reaveded to us:
Glad: To rejoice arrogantly
House: Dwelling place Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty St John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many manisions: if it were no so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3. And if I go and prepare a place fro you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also. Ephesians 1:20-21 which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21. Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
STOP WAITING FOR YOUR INHERITANCE AND TAKE POSSESSION OF WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY YOURS!!!
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Transition: Have you ever given this any thought?
The truth is we are filled with so much Fear and anxiety everyday either by watching the news, reading the newspaper, And what's even scarier than all that is that we are receiving it from the pulpits of America's churches. It's important that we understand the scripture says in II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. breaking that down so we can get a more revelatory understanding of what the writer is saying let's look For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
Yes friend, I understand that our Nation is somewhat unsettled but that is not a reason or excuse for the Church to waver in our relationship and confidence in the God that we serve. Remember David said in Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Friends, we are right now at the doorway of Transition, The change and the development of a new environment, a new realm, a new stage and most importantly a new mind set in the condition of the Church....it's so important that we remember Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I challenge all to understand I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
If The God that we serve was able to keep the Children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, inspite of all the obstacles and challenges they faced IS HE STILL GOD?
Now I'm not saying to avoid or to ignore things! I am saying don't allow your relationship and mindset to be shaken by the negative messages that are being preached from the pulpits of America's churches. Let's focus on our responsibility as David writes "This is the day which the LORD hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.
Dr. Michael N. Smith Sr.
The truth is we are filled with so much Fear and anxiety everyday either by watching the news, reading the newspaper, And what's even scarier than all that is that we are receiving it from the pulpits of America's churches. It's important that we understand the scripture says in II Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. breaking that down so we can get a more revelatory understanding of what the writer is saying let's look For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.
Yes friend, I understand that our Nation is somewhat unsettled but that is not a reason or excuse for the Church to waver in our relationship and confidence in the God that we serve. Remember David said in Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
Friends, we are right now at the doorway of Transition, The change and the development of a new environment, a new realm, a new stage and most importantly a new mind set in the condition of the Church....it's so important that we remember Job 3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. I challenge all to understand I Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
If The God that we serve was able to keep the Children of Israel for 40 years in the wilderness, inspite of all the obstacles and challenges they faced IS HE STILL GOD?
Now I'm not saying to avoid or to ignore things! I am saying don't allow your relationship and mindset to be shaken by the negative messages that are being preached from the pulpits of America's churches. Let's focus on our responsibility as David writes "This is the day which the LORD hath made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.
Dr. Michael N. Smith Sr.
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You know what amazes me more than anything, American's are concerned about the US strike of Syria, Presidents Trump's actions, Gun violence, education, unemployment, it seems like our concern is for everything imaginable even the price of tea in China When biblically the bible says
2 Chronicles 7:14 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
If your really concerned about America 3 things must happen 1. Humble yourself
2. Pray
3. Seek his Face
Transition awaits us
This word which means the process of changing one from one position to another, The development of a new mindset. CHANGE!!!!
2 Chronicles 7:14 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
If your really concerned about America 3 things must happen 1. Humble yourself
2. Pray
3. Seek his Face
Transition awaits us
This word which means the process of changing one from one position to another, The development of a new mindset. CHANGE!!!!
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“Freewill”
I guess the most famous saying in the Christian mind, is I have a free will…..But tell me friend, do you really? I mean with all the writings in the Word of God is there really such a thing as “Free Will” Let’s look at some scriptures Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Notice if you would God didn’t ask them and it was not a request. After God blessed them, He said unto them to BE (This was in the form of a command) fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue and have dominion. If you study the simple little word BE: To have, maintain, or occupy a place, situation, or position. To remain unmolested, undisturbed, or ininterrupted. If you study just the letter B in the Hebrew it means Master, Possessor, Husband and owner. The letter B in Hebrew has a numeric value of 2 The number 2 talks of choices that one has to make and that duality of choices can cause danger and when these opposites meet, there is harmony. The Biblical Meaning of Number 2 deals with separation, things that are divided, or things that brings about division. The number 2 being the first number that can be divided it is regarded as the fundamental number for division. It has also been used while referring to discord and even war. Ruin and death are also believed to be connected with the biblical numerology number 2. It is also believed that the early Christians did not like the number 2; they believed that it represented the division between the soul of man and God and then we have the letter E in the Hebrew has a numeric value of 5 this number shows God’s grace or atonement. Thus proving that the Grace of God is truly sufficient and made perfect in our weakness. So I will ask you do we really have free will? We was born with a destiny and purpose Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the LORD is upon me because …… purpose. Then you always hear people say I have a choice….I guess you can say you do……but looking at choice it has 6 letters and 6 is two fold 1. The number of man and 2. The number of harmony which really both seems to confirm the numerical definition of the word choice which is the manifestation of your strong man which is what controls your soul…..
By: Dr. Michael N. Smith
I guess the most famous saying in the Christian mind, is I have a free will…..But tell me friend, do you really? I mean with all the writings in the Word of God is there really such a thing as “Free Will” Let’s look at some scriptures Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Notice if you would God didn’t ask them and it was not a request. After God blessed them, He said unto them to BE (This was in the form of a command) fruitful, multiply, replenish, subdue and have dominion. If you study the simple little word BE: To have, maintain, or occupy a place, situation, or position. To remain unmolested, undisturbed, or ininterrupted. If you study just the letter B in the Hebrew it means Master, Possessor, Husband and owner. The letter B in Hebrew has a numeric value of 2 The number 2 talks of choices that one has to make and that duality of choices can cause danger and when these opposites meet, there is harmony. The Biblical Meaning of Number 2 deals with separation, things that are divided, or things that brings about division. The number 2 being the first number that can be divided it is regarded as the fundamental number for division. It has also been used while referring to discord and even war. Ruin and death are also believed to be connected with the biblical numerology number 2. It is also believed that the early Christians did not like the number 2; they believed that it represented the division between the soul of man and God and then we have the letter E in the Hebrew has a numeric value of 5 this number shows God’s grace or atonement. Thus proving that the Grace of God is truly sufficient and made perfect in our weakness. So I will ask you do we really have free will? We was born with a destiny and purpose Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the LORD is upon me because …… purpose. Then you always hear people say I have a choice….I guess you can say you do……but looking at choice it has 6 letters and 6 is two fold 1. The number of man and 2. The number of harmony which really both seems to confirm the numerical definition of the word choice which is the manifestation of your strong man which is what controls your soul…..
By: Dr. Michael N. Smith
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From Dr. Michael Smith
To all Pastor's, Preacher's and Minister's. PLEASE READ, AND COMMENT AND MAKE THE CHANGE!
Could it be?
I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
I fully understand this scripture but let's be real with each other, have we become nothing more than the Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding (Loud noise) brass or a tinkling (clanging) symbol (hollow). Has our manmade denominational structure and our order ruled out the move of God from the Church? Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect (invalidate, disannul, to render void deprive of force and authority) through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many like things do ye. Are we ruled by the 12 noon hour to prevent from offending some? When the reality is we are grieving the Spirit of God remember an old song we use to sing as child in church "Give up let Jesus take over, and he'll make a way for you"
St. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
II Corinthians 3:17 Now the LORD is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is Liberty.
Preacher's, Pastor's and Minister's WHERE'S THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD?
To all Pastor's, Preacher's and Minister's. PLEASE READ, AND COMMENT AND MAKE THE CHANGE!
Could it be?
I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
I fully understand this scripture but let's be real with each other, have we become nothing more than the Apostle Paul writes in I Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding (Loud noise) brass or a tinkling (clanging) symbol (hollow). Has our manmade denominational structure and our order ruled out the move of God from the Church? Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect (invalidate, disannul, to render void deprive of force and authority) through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many like things do ye. Are we ruled by the 12 noon hour to prevent from offending some? When the reality is we are grieving the Spirit of God remember an old song we use to sing as child in church "Give up let Jesus take over, and he'll make a way for you"
St. John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
II Corinthians 3:17 Now the LORD is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is Liberty.
Preacher's, Pastor's and Minister's WHERE'S THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD?
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Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
I want you to please pay close attention to the following statements and the words that have been capitalized.
KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
THOU SHALT BIND ON EARTH
SHALL BE BOUND IN HEAVEN
SHALT LOOSE ON EARTH
SHALL BE LOOSED IN HEAVEN
Do we as the Body of Christ really understand the what the writer is saying? there are various promise declared in this verse, first the keys being given to us, then the empowerment of binding and loosing. Please give your feed back and comments to this, and to the following questions.
What do the keys Represent?
What does it mean that they are of the Kingdom and not to the kingdom?
What does it mean to bind?
What does it mean to loose?
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“Pleading the blood”
Is there biblical foundation?
First of all, I want to state that in no way am I saying your wrong for using the terminology “I plead the blood” I’m simply trying to take you to a better understanding of the empowerment that already exist in your life and you don’t have to plead for anything in God, IT’S YOURS! I want the body of Christ to come to the knowledge and understanding that it’s not necessarily the words that you use that empowers your prayer, but it’s the condition of your heart and the life style you lead that is the empowering force to your prayer. The bible is very specific in the instruction of our prayer life in James 5:16 telling us that the effectual (producing a desired effect) fervent (Very strong passion) prayer of a righteous man availeth (To be a force available, to be serviceable), much. Sometimes, people are so concerned about the format of the prayer that the passion and intensity don’t exist. The bible says in Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (We see this also referenced in Mark 7:6, Romans 3:13) So I admonish you today that in your prayer life don’t focus on how eloquent you sound, or how strong your vocabulary is, but focus on the condition of your heart and life before God. Please don’t allow your self to be so wrapped up in the traditions of religious teaching of the past that it effects your prayer life and your relationship with God. The bible says in Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect (Greek: to render it void, deprive of force and authority) through your tradition (Rituals), which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Now let’s look into the phrase of the day…..
“Pleading the blood of Jesus”
We see that the history of this prayer is a teaching that can be traced to some of the early Church teachings. When people speak of “pleading the blood of Jesus in prayer” they are referring to the practice of “claiming” the power of Christ over any and every problem by using the phrase “I plead the blood of Jesus over whatever circumstance they are dealing with.” “Pleading the blood of Jesus” has no biblical foundation whatsoever in Scripture. No one in the Bible ever “pleads the blood” of Christ. I’ve have seen and experienced that there are those who “plead the blood” as if there was something magical in those words or as if by using them their prayer is somehow more powerful. The scripture in itself teaches us in James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. This teaching is born from the misguided and traditional religious views of prayer that prayer is really nothing more than a way of manipulating God to get what we want rather than praying for His will to be done. The whole religious movement is founded on the false teaching that faith is a force and, if we pray with enough faith, then God guarantees us health, wealth, and happiness and will deliver us from every problem and every situation. In this view, God is simply a way to get what we want instead of being the holy, sovereign, perfect, and righteous Creator that the Bible reveals Him to be. But the truth is found in III John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Those who teach this Religious falsehood have an tainted view of man and our “rights” to plead what we want and get God to respond the way we want. This is in opposition to true biblical faith demonstrated by the life of Paul and his approach to suffering and trials. Paul wrote that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” 2 Timothy 3:12. But the Word of Faith teaches us that, if we suffer or are sick or struggle with sin, it is because we do not have enough faith or that we are not pleading the blood of Jesus to claim what is rightfully ours. But we do not see Paul pleading the blood of Christ or claiming what is “rightfully his” when he was faced with trials and persecution. Instead, we see his unwavering faith in Christ no matter what the situation: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” I Timothy 1:12 Paul had not only “learned but also taught us through his writings that in whatever state I am in to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:11-13 Paul’s faith was in Christ alone, and he could say with conviction, “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen!” II Timothy 4:18 “Pleading the blood” is commonly a practiced as a tradition of a religious act more than a biblical act. Saying certain words does not make our prayers more powerful, nor do they move God any faster. Furthermore, “pleading the blood” of Christ is not needed to defeat Satan. He has already been defeated, and, Considering the principle of the Passover, once the blood was applied to the doorpost, it was a permanent application, that when the death angel saw the blood he would pass over to the next. Once we are truly covered by the blood of our Lord and Savior and we truly live under grace, Satan has no power over us other than what God allows for His purpose and glory. Colossians 1:13 makes this perfectly clear: “For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.” Rather than “pleading the blood” of Christ for protection or power, We should learn and obey the command in James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Please again, I’m not criticizing those of you that use the phrase “I plead the blood” I’m simply what you to understand that we as the body of Christ no longer have to argue our case as in the Spiritual court room of life, But now under the protection of the Blood covenant of the New Testament the scripture says in Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. Rather than practicing an religious teaching that has no biblical foundation as a model of prayer, let’s practice and follow the simple instructions of Scripture 1.leading a pure life before God, 2. Taking captive all our thoughts to avoid giving sin a place, 3. Confessing our sins when we fail those first two precepts, 4. And putting on the full armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-17. The Bible is full of instructions of how to live a victorious life in Christ, and pleading “the blood of Jesus” is not one of them. We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ, and He is our High Priest and mediator who “always lives to make intercession” for us Hebrews 7:25. As part of the body of Christ we are already under His protection; we simply need to live day by day trusting in Him for what He has already promised and empowered us with.
To be a sponsor of liberty ministry please send your gift thru this secure website and remember to always support us with your love and most of all your prayers....
Is there biblical foundation?
First of all, I want to state that in no way am I saying your wrong for using the terminology “I plead the blood” I’m simply trying to take you to a better understanding of the empowerment that already exist in your life and you don’t have to plead for anything in God, IT’S YOURS! I want the body of Christ to come to the knowledge and understanding that it’s not necessarily the words that you use that empowers your prayer, but it’s the condition of your heart and the life style you lead that is the empowering force to your prayer. The bible is very specific in the instruction of our prayer life in James 5:16 telling us that the effectual (producing a desired effect) fervent (Very strong passion) prayer of a righteous man availeth (To be a force available, to be serviceable), much. Sometimes, people are so concerned about the format of the prayer that the passion and intensity don’t exist. The bible says in Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. (We see this also referenced in Mark 7:6, Romans 3:13) So I admonish you today that in your prayer life don’t focus on how eloquent you sound, or how strong your vocabulary is, but focus on the condition of your heart and life before God. Please don’t allow your self to be so wrapped up in the traditions of religious teaching of the past that it effects your prayer life and your relationship with God. The bible says in Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect (Greek: to render it void, deprive of force and authority) through your tradition (Rituals), which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
Now let’s look into the phrase of the day…..
“Pleading the blood of Jesus”
We see that the history of this prayer is a teaching that can be traced to some of the early Church teachings. When people speak of “pleading the blood of Jesus in prayer” they are referring to the practice of “claiming” the power of Christ over any and every problem by using the phrase “I plead the blood of Jesus over whatever circumstance they are dealing with.” “Pleading the blood of Jesus” has no biblical foundation whatsoever in Scripture. No one in the Bible ever “pleads the blood” of Christ. I’ve have seen and experienced that there are those who “plead the blood” as if there was something magical in those words or as if by using them their prayer is somehow more powerful. The scripture in itself teaches us in James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. This teaching is born from the misguided and traditional religious views of prayer that prayer is really nothing more than a way of manipulating God to get what we want rather than praying for His will to be done. The whole religious movement is founded on the false teaching that faith is a force and, if we pray with enough faith, then God guarantees us health, wealth, and happiness and will deliver us from every problem and every situation. In this view, God is simply a way to get what we want instead of being the holy, sovereign, perfect, and righteous Creator that the Bible reveals Him to be. But the truth is found in III John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. Those who teach this Religious falsehood have an tainted view of man and our “rights” to plead what we want and get God to respond the way we want. This is in opposition to true biblical faith demonstrated by the life of Paul and his approach to suffering and trials. Paul wrote that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” 2 Timothy 3:12. But the Word of Faith teaches us that, if we suffer or are sick or struggle with sin, it is because we do not have enough faith or that we are not pleading the blood of Jesus to claim what is rightfully ours. But we do not see Paul pleading the blood of Christ or claiming what is “rightfully his” when he was faced with trials and persecution. Instead, we see his unwavering faith in Christ no matter what the situation: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that day” I Timothy 1:12 Paul had not only “learned but also taught us through his writings that in whatever state I am in to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:11-13 Paul’s faith was in Christ alone, and he could say with conviction, “The Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen!” II Timothy 4:18 “Pleading the blood” is commonly a practiced as a tradition of a religious act more than a biblical act. Saying certain words does not make our prayers more powerful, nor do they move God any faster. Furthermore, “pleading the blood” of Christ is not needed to defeat Satan. He has already been defeated, and, Considering the principle of the Passover, once the blood was applied to the doorpost, it was a permanent application, that when the death angel saw the blood he would pass over to the next. Once we are truly covered by the blood of our Lord and Savior and we truly live under grace, Satan has no power over us other than what God allows for His purpose and glory. Colossians 1:13 makes this perfectly clear: “For He has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sins.” Rather than “pleading the blood” of Christ for protection or power, We should learn and obey the command in James 4:7, “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Please again, I’m not criticizing those of you that use the phrase “I plead the blood” I’m simply what you to understand that we as the body of Christ no longer have to argue our case as in the Spiritual court room of life, But now under the protection of the Blood covenant of the New Testament the scripture says in Isaiah 59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him. Rather than practicing an religious teaching that has no biblical foundation as a model of prayer, let’s practice and follow the simple instructions of Scripture 1.leading a pure life before God, 2. Taking captive all our thoughts to avoid giving sin a place, 3. Confessing our sins when we fail those first two precepts, 4. And putting on the full armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-17. The Bible is full of instructions of how to live a victorious life in Christ, and pleading “the blood of Jesus” is not one of them. We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ, and He is our High Priest and mediator who “always lives to make intercession” for us Hebrews 7:25. As part of the body of Christ we are already under His protection; we simply need to live day by day trusting in Him for what He has already promised and empowered us with.
To be a sponsor of liberty ministry please send your gift thru this secure website and remember to always support us with your love and most of all your prayers....
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/img-0443_1.jpg?1514657673)
Is Divorce Biblical?Is Divorce Biblical?
Here is a topic that has affected Christians all over the world and as imprisoned many, based on a religious theory that man has established. When looking at how the Bible looks at divorce, it is important to keep in mind the words of Malachi 2:16, "I hate divorce, says the Lord God." It’s important that we remember that whatever grounds the Bible possibly gives for divorce, that does not mean that should be the first course of action, God does not desire a divorce to happen. Let’s look ath what the Bible says, concerning grounds for divorce: (1) sexual immorality Matthew 5:32; 19:9 and (2) abandonment by an unbeliever I Corinthians 7:15. Even in these two instances, though, divorce is not required or even encouraged. The most that can be said is that sexual immorality and abandonment are grounds for divorce. I once heard a statement that haste makes waste, So friend I encourage you Confession, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration are always the first steps. Divorce should only be viewed as a last resort. The question still remains in the minds of many, Are there any grounds for divorce beyond what the Bible explicitly says? Perhaps, but we do not presume upon the Word of God. It is very dangerous to go beyond what the Bible says I Corinthians 4:6. The most frequent additional grounds for divorce that people inquire about are spousal abuse emotional or physical, child abuse emotional, physical, or sexual, addiction to pornography, drug alcohol use, crime imprisonment, and mismanagement of finances such as a gambling addiction. None of these can be claimed to be explicit biblical grounds for a divorce. But understand we are not saying that they are not grounds for divorce and that God would approve of. For example, we cannot imagine that it would be God's desire for one to remain with another who physical abuse is occurring to them or their children. In such an instance, the one being abused should definitely separate themselves and the children from the abusive mate. It’s important to always set the goal of repentance and restoration to be your first recourse, not necessarily immediately beginning divorce proceedings. Please understand, by saying that the above are not biblical grounds for divorce, we are definitely not saying that a man/woman whose spouse is engaging in such activities should remain in the situation. If there is any risk to self or children, separation is a good and appropriate step. Another way to look at this issue is to differentiate between biblical grounds for divorce and biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage. Some interpret the two biblical grounds for divorce mentioned above as the only grounds for remarriage after a divorce, but allow for divorce with no remarriage in other instances. This is where we become imprisoned by religious and man made theories. In summary, what are the biblical grounds for divorce? The answer is sexual immorality and abandonment. Are there additional grounds for divorce beyond these two? Possibly. Is divorce ever to be treated lightly or employed as the first recourse? Absolutely not. God is capable of changing and reforming any person. God is capable of healing and renewing any marriage. Divorce should only occur in instances of repeated and unrepentant sin. God does not intent for one to be treated as a doormat for another.
Here is a topic that has affected Christians all over the world and as imprisoned many, based on a religious theory that man has established. When looking at how the Bible looks at divorce, it is important to keep in mind the words of Malachi 2:16, "I hate divorce, says the Lord God." It’s important that we remember that whatever grounds the Bible possibly gives for divorce, that does not mean that should be the first course of action, God does not desire a divorce to happen. Let’s look ath what the Bible says, concerning grounds for divorce: (1) sexual immorality Matthew 5:32; 19:9 and (2) abandonment by an unbeliever I Corinthians 7:15. Even in these two instances, though, divorce is not required or even encouraged. The most that can be said is that sexual immorality and abandonment are grounds for divorce. I once heard a statement that haste makes waste, So friend I encourage you Confession, forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration are always the first steps. Divorce should only be viewed as a last resort. The question still remains in the minds of many, Are there any grounds for divorce beyond what the Bible explicitly says? Perhaps, but we do not presume upon the Word of God. It is very dangerous to go beyond what the Bible says I Corinthians 4:6. The most frequent additional grounds for divorce that people inquire about are spousal abuse emotional or physical, child abuse emotional, physical, or sexual, addiction to pornography, drug alcohol use, crime imprisonment, and mismanagement of finances such as a gambling addiction. None of these can be claimed to be explicit biblical grounds for a divorce. But understand we are not saying that they are not grounds for divorce and that God would approve of. For example, we cannot imagine that it would be God's desire for one to remain with another who physical abuse is occurring to them or their children. In such an instance, the one being abused should definitely separate themselves and the children from the abusive mate. It’s important to always set the goal of repentance and restoration to be your first recourse, not necessarily immediately beginning divorce proceedings. Please understand, by saying that the above are not biblical grounds for divorce, we are definitely not saying that a man/woman whose spouse is engaging in such activities should remain in the situation. If there is any risk to self or children, separation is a good and appropriate step. Another way to look at this issue is to differentiate between biblical grounds for divorce and biblical grounds for divorce and remarriage. Some interpret the two biblical grounds for divorce mentioned above as the only grounds for remarriage after a divorce, but allow for divorce with no remarriage in other instances. This is where we become imprisoned by religious and man made theories. In summary, what are the biblical grounds for divorce? The answer is sexual immorality and abandonment. Are there additional grounds for divorce beyond these two? Possibly. Is divorce ever to be treated lightly or employed as the first recourse? Absolutely not. God is capable of changing and reforming any person. God is capable of healing and renewing any marriage. Divorce should only occur in instances of repeated and unrepentant sin. God does not intent for one to be treated as a doormat for another.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/26114183-2245746022117579-1954484872508205538-n.jpg?1514657351)
What is Sin? Define the concept of Sin
Have you ever set back and thought about something so intense that it bothered you, You know that thing that started out so little and so simple. But the more you thought about it the more complicated you made it?
"Your problem is your solution, and your solution is your problem"
"Focus creates blindness"
I know, your saying Dr. Smith over thinks to many things, but remember the bible says. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. SS 2:15
Now for just a moment, ask yourself to define the concept of sin, Are you starting to think of the ten commandments? maybe alcohol, cigarettes? oh we could on for hours maybe days listing things, murder, theft and other prohibited acts. However in the Hebrew, the word is pronounced: chet for sin. The word לְהַחטִיא carries an idea of making a mistake and missing the target. Now ask yourself how many times in a day have you made a mistake or missed the mark? But really we all have our religious ideas of what sin is and we have all taken on the task judging many in our life time But what does Sin mean in Hebrew?
Judges 20:16 says this about warriors from Benjamin, “Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” This phrase לֹא יַחֲטִא pronounced: lo yachti means “missing the target”.
Related to "חֵטְא" pronounced: chet is another longer form of this word "חַטָּאת" pronounced: chatat this was the name of “sin offering” in Jerusalem Temple Lev 4:3. I personally think it is breathtaking to see how Hebrew language can work. This same word that meant “sin, making an error, or missing the mark”, connected to the sin offering in the Temple itself, becomes a word that can also signify the concept of purification! In Leviticus 14:49 Israelites are instructed about how to cleanse the house from strange mold, “To cleanse the house then, he shall take two birds…” The phrase “to cleanse the house” is "לְחַטֵּא אֶת־הַבַּיִת" lechateh et habait in Hebrew has the word "חֵטְא" chet which is the same word that is connected with “sin or sin offering”. So much so that in the Modern State of Israel for “disinfection” purposes they use the term "חִטֵּא" pronounced: chiteh.
Have you ever set back and thought about something so intense that it bothered you, You know that thing that started out so little and so simple. But the more you thought about it the more complicated you made it?
"Your problem is your solution, and your solution is your problem"
"Focus creates blindness"
I know, your saying Dr. Smith over thinks to many things, but remember the bible says. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. SS 2:15
Now for just a moment, ask yourself to define the concept of sin, Are you starting to think of the ten commandments? maybe alcohol, cigarettes? oh we could on for hours maybe days listing things, murder, theft and other prohibited acts. However in the Hebrew, the word is pronounced: chet for sin. The word לְהַחטִיא carries an idea of making a mistake and missing the target. Now ask yourself how many times in a day have you made a mistake or missed the mark? But really we all have our religious ideas of what sin is and we have all taken on the task judging many in our life time But what does Sin mean in Hebrew?
Judges 20:16 says this about warriors from Benjamin, “Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” This phrase לֹא יַחֲטִא pronounced: lo yachti means “missing the target”.
Related to "חֵטְא" pronounced: chet is another longer form of this word "חַטָּאת" pronounced: chatat this was the name of “sin offering” in Jerusalem Temple Lev 4:3. I personally think it is breathtaking to see how Hebrew language can work. This same word that meant “sin, making an error, or missing the mark”, connected to the sin offering in the Temple itself, becomes a word that can also signify the concept of purification! In Leviticus 14:49 Israelites are instructed about how to cleanse the house from strange mold, “To cleanse the house then, he shall take two birds…” The phrase “to cleanse the house” is "לְחַטֵּא אֶת־הַבַּיִת" lechateh et habait in Hebrew has the word "חֵטְא" chet which is the same word that is connected with “sin or sin offering”. So much so that in the Modern State of Israel for “disinfection” purposes they use the term "חִטֵּא" pronounced: chiteh.
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/images_1.jpg?1514651591)
Note from the Desk of Dr. Michael Smith
God's people must stop living in a fantasy world and begin to understand the difference between the dream and a fantasy. First of all there is nothing unrealistic nor improbable with God, a fantasy only allows you to think about it and wish for it. While a dream is a realm, goal and stage of life that exist and is awaiting you to walk into it. My friends remember Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Friends, stop fantasizing about that healing, any other blessing for you, your home, your country or your church. it awaits for you!
God's people must stop living in a fantasy world and begin to understand the difference between the dream and a fantasy. First of all there is nothing unrealistic nor improbable with God, a fantasy only allows you to think about it and wish for it. While a dream is a realm, goal and stage of life that exist and is awaiting you to walk into it. My friends remember Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Friends, stop fantasizing about that healing, any other blessing for you, your home, your country or your church. it awaits for you!
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/25396063-2227072283984953-1720281554109305765-n_1_orig.jpg)
Was or Wasn’t Jesus Christ
Born on Dec. 25
Is it even possible that December 25 could be the day of Christ's birth?
As we study the scriptures we see that shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus’ birth Luke 2:7-8. Now this put a very dim view on the birth of our Lord and Savior being Dec 25th. If you study history shepherds were not in the fields during December, rather shepherds were placing the herd of sheep under protection because of the cold temperatures. Between history and religion December 25 became extremely popular as the date for Christmas, not because Christ was born on that day but because it was already popular in pagan religious as the celebration birthday of the sun. But the question still remains is it possible that December 25 is the day of Saviors birth? “Lacking any scriptural pointers to the birthday of our Lord, The more you study it confirms that fact that opinions are like noses everyone has one….. early Christian teachers suggested dates all over the calendar. One picks November 18. Another figured Christ must have been born on a Wednesday …A careful analysis of Scripture, however, clearly indicates that December 25 is an unlikely date for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please follow me and let’s take a look at two primary reasons:
A. Shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus’ birth Luke 2:7-8.
B. Jesus’ parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census Luke 2:1-4.
According to Celebrations: Shepherds were not in the fields during December Luke’s account “suggests that Jesus may have been born in summer or early fall. Since December is cold and rainy in Judea, it is likely the shepherds would have sought shelter for their flocks
2. Jesus’ parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census Luke 2:1-4. Such was not taken in winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing mark, and roads were in poor condition. Given the difficulties and the desire to bring pagans into Christianity, “the important fact then … to get clearly into your head is that the fixing of the date as December 25th was a compromise with paganism. Now don’t get your religious feathers ruffled and those religious organizations that want to jump up and down and scream “I told you so” Hold were not done……..LOL So did Jesus Christ birth occur on December 25th? Can we even know when Christ was born? Should we really be celebrating His birth? If Jesus Christ wasn’t born on December 25, Well, we know he was born he lives inside some of us today, so does the Bible give us any indication to when He was born? The biblical accounts point to the fall of the year as the most likely time of Jesus’ birth, based on the conception and birth of John the Baptist. Now this will really throw you for a loop. For all intents and purposes from what I could see and understand with my simple mind it was sometime around mid-October. Now that is great, what society rules as an evil month with Halloween in it, now we are faced with the possibility of our Lord and Savior being born in that time…Ok if Halloween is that evil and that bad, isn’t that just like our Lord to totally disrupt the agenda of Satan? Well, enough on that. Since Elizabeth John’s mother was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Jesus was conceived Luke 1:24-36, we can determine the approximate time of year Jesus was born if we know when John was born. John’s father, Zacharias, was a priest serving in the Jerusalem temple Luke 1:5. this course of service took place from June 13-19 in that year Now as you read and study we find out that it was during this time that Zacharias learned that him and his wife would have a child Luke 1:8-13. After he completed his service and traveled home, the child was born Luke 1:23-24. Assuming the conception of John took place somewhere around the end of June, adding nine months brings us to the end of March/April as the most likely time for John’s birth. Adding another six months which is the difference in their ages it brings us around September/October as the likely time of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus’. Now the season, day or month for which the celebration of Christmas takes place is totally irrelevant, We should totally celebrate the birth of Lord every day of the year, Because truly This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it
From Liberty Ministry and Dr. & Mrs. Michael N. Smith We wish you a happy and prosperous Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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Born on Dec. 25
Is it even possible that December 25 could be the day of Christ's birth?
As we study the scriptures we see that shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus’ birth Luke 2:7-8. Now this put a very dim view on the birth of our Lord and Savior being Dec 25th. If you study history shepherds were not in the fields during December, rather shepherds were placing the herd of sheep under protection because of the cold temperatures. Between history and religion December 25 became extremely popular as the date for Christmas, not because Christ was born on that day but because it was already popular in pagan religious as the celebration birthday of the sun. But the question still remains is it possible that December 25 is the day of Saviors birth? “Lacking any scriptural pointers to the birthday of our Lord, The more you study it confirms that fact that opinions are like noses everyone has one….. early Christian teachers suggested dates all over the calendar. One picks November 18. Another figured Christ must have been born on a Wednesday …A careful analysis of Scripture, however, clearly indicates that December 25 is an unlikely date for the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please follow me and let’s take a look at two primary reasons:
A. Shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus’ birth Luke 2:7-8.
B. Jesus’ parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census Luke 2:1-4.
According to Celebrations: Shepherds were not in the fields during December Luke’s account “suggests that Jesus may have been born in summer or early fall. Since December is cold and rainy in Judea, it is likely the shepherds would have sought shelter for their flocks
2. Jesus’ parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census Luke 2:1-4. Such was not taken in winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing mark, and roads were in poor condition. Given the difficulties and the desire to bring pagans into Christianity, “the important fact then … to get clearly into your head is that the fixing of the date as December 25th was a compromise with paganism. Now don’t get your religious feathers ruffled and those religious organizations that want to jump up and down and scream “I told you so” Hold were not done……..LOL So did Jesus Christ birth occur on December 25th? Can we even know when Christ was born? Should we really be celebrating His birth? If Jesus Christ wasn’t born on December 25, Well, we know he was born he lives inside some of us today, so does the Bible give us any indication to when He was born? The biblical accounts point to the fall of the year as the most likely time of Jesus’ birth, based on the conception and birth of John the Baptist. Now this will really throw you for a loop. For all intents and purposes from what I could see and understand with my simple mind it was sometime around mid-October. Now that is great, what society rules as an evil month with Halloween in it, now we are faced with the possibility of our Lord and Savior being born in that time…Ok if Halloween is that evil and that bad, isn’t that just like our Lord to totally disrupt the agenda of Satan? Well, enough on that. Since Elizabeth John’s mother was in her sixth month of pregnancy when Jesus was conceived Luke 1:24-36, we can determine the approximate time of year Jesus was born if we know when John was born. John’s father, Zacharias, was a priest serving in the Jerusalem temple Luke 1:5. this course of service took place from June 13-19 in that year Now as you read and study we find out that it was during this time that Zacharias learned that him and his wife would have a child Luke 1:8-13. After he completed his service and traveled home, the child was born Luke 1:23-24. Assuming the conception of John took place somewhere around the end of June, adding nine months brings us to the end of March/April as the most likely time for John’s birth. Adding another six months which is the difference in their ages it brings us around September/October as the likely time of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus’. Now the season, day or month for which the celebration of Christmas takes place is totally irrelevant, We should totally celebrate the birth of Lord every day of the year, Because truly This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoice and be glad in it
From Liberty Ministry and Dr. & Mrs. Michael N. Smith We wish you a happy and prosperous Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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From Dr. Michael N. Smith and Liberty Ministry
Merry Christmas
While there are some religious people that lose their sanctification over people using “Xmas” because they consider it non-religious and evil. It turns out, “Xmas” is not a non-religious at all. The “X” is short for the Greek meaning “Christ”. So “Xmas” and “Christmas” are equivalent in every way except their lettering. I find it so amazing that Hosea 4:6 says “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” We will fight and argue over the craziest things! it was a very popular practice, particularly with religious scribes, who are thought to have started the whole “Xmas” thing in the first place. Indeed, the practice of using the symbol “X” in place of Christ’s name has been going on amongst religious scholars for at least 1000 years. Eventually, this shorthand trick spread to non-religious writings where nearly everywhere “Christ” appeared in a word, the Greek Chi would replace that part of the word. For example, in the 17th and 18th centuries, there are numerous non-religious documents containing instances of “Xine”, which was a common spelling for someone whose name was Christine. The “-mas” part on the end of Christmas and Xmas comes from the Old English word for “mass or celebration”. In 1977, the Governor of New Hampshire issued a press release stating that journalists should cease taking the “Christ” out of “Christmas” as “Xmas” was a pagan spelling of Christmas. Perhaps he should have run that press release by a religious scholar before issuing it. Although, even those well versed and respected in Christianity often make the same mistake, such as Franklin Graham in an interview on CNN: “For us as Christians, this is one of the most holy of the holidays, the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. And for people to take Christ out of Christmas. They’re happy to say merry Xmas. Let’s just take Jesus out. And really, I think, a war against the name of Jesus Christ.” Now please understand I love and encourage you to use “Christmas” but don’t get so religious and superficial that you will exhaust energy to fight over it, when you can use that energy to lift up the name of the Lord…..
Merry Christmas
While there are some religious people that lose their sanctification over people using “Xmas” because they consider it non-religious and evil. It turns out, “Xmas” is not a non-religious at all. The “X” is short for the Greek meaning “Christ”. So “Xmas” and “Christmas” are equivalent in every way except their lettering. I find it so amazing that Hosea 4:6 says “My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge” We will fight and argue over the craziest things! it was a very popular practice, particularly with religious scribes, who are thought to have started the whole “Xmas” thing in the first place. Indeed, the practice of using the symbol “X” in place of Christ’s name has been going on amongst religious scholars for at least 1000 years. Eventually, this shorthand trick spread to non-religious writings where nearly everywhere “Christ” appeared in a word, the Greek Chi would replace that part of the word. For example, in the 17th and 18th centuries, there are numerous non-religious documents containing instances of “Xine”, which was a common spelling for someone whose name was Christine. The “-mas” part on the end of Christmas and Xmas comes from the Old English word for “mass or celebration”. In 1977, the Governor of New Hampshire issued a press release stating that journalists should cease taking the “Christ” out of “Christmas” as “Xmas” was a pagan spelling of Christmas. Perhaps he should have run that press release by a religious scholar before issuing it. Although, even those well versed and respected in Christianity often make the same mistake, such as Franklin Graham in an interview on CNN: “For us as Christians, this is one of the most holy of the holidays, the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. And for people to take Christ out of Christmas. They’re happy to say merry Xmas. Let’s just take Jesus out. And really, I think, a war against the name of Jesus Christ.” Now please understand I love and encourage you to use “Christmas” but don’t get so religious and superficial that you will exhaust energy to fight over it, when you can use that energy to lift up the name of the Lord…..
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Kindness or Manipulation
A word for all parents, Minister's,. Pastor's and leaders whether in the church or the private sector. Try it remember your problem is your solution and your solution is your problem.
You’ve heard the phrase “kill them with kindness” as a way to deal with difficult people. My wife and I faced a situation involving some very difficult things in our marriage, and rather than responding to them with the same level of what I judged as rudeness, we agreed to act kindly. I was friendly and clearly stated my intention to resolve the issue in a peaceful way. Yet with each exchange, the response I received seemed more and more unreasonable and downright mean. Kindness wasn’t working. If anyone was getting killed, it felt like me. Then it hit me, I was acting kindly. . I had been using kindness as a way to try and manipulate the situation! Although I was smiling, in my mind I was killing them with anger because my hurt feelings and anger was speaking louder than my kindness was. Have you ever acted kindly outwardly toward someone while inwardly judging them? Have you ever been extra nice hoping it would get you what you want? For instance, perhaps you act incredibly kind to someone who you feel hurt you just so you can prove that you are the “bigger” person. Or maybe you are extra nice to a hostess when you are trying to get the table you want, but then that kindness quickly fades after you’re seated when you are short with the waiter because he got your order wrong. When we are trying to manipulate a situation or someone’s opinion about us by merely acting kind we are coming from our ego. But true kindness comes from our heart, not our head. Genuine kindness is also consistent rather than something we turn on when it feels useful. In our situation we had an opportunity to recognize this, Yes sometimes our feelings were “they are wrong and I am right.” But we in time we were able to see the situation from a different perspective and let go of my attachment to wanting them to be nice back to me. De-personalization was a major key. Sometimes people just are upset and it’s not our job to “kill them with kindness” until they are not upset anymore. Once I really got this I was able to come from place of loving kindness with no attachment to wanting any kindness in exchange. I encourage you to be conscious of truly being kind, rather than just acting kindly. Our nature is to be kind and it just feels better to truly come from this place. You’ll also start to notice that when you set the intention to extend loving kindness to everyone, you’ll get a lot more back in return. It may not be from the people that your ego may want it; however, I assure you that the kinder you are, the more you will be the recipient of random acts of kindness you become. Thank you and I hope and pray you enjoy and this turns your situtation around as it slowy is turning our's around.....
Dr. Michael Smith
A word for all parents, Minister's,. Pastor's and leaders whether in the church or the private sector. Try it remember your problem is your solution and your solution is your problem.
You’ve heard the phrase “kill them with kindness” as a way to deal with difficult people. My wife and I faced a situation involving some very difficult things in our marriage, and rather than responding to them with the same level of what I judged as rudeness, we agreed to act kindly. I was friendly and clearly stated my intention to resolve the issue in a peaceful way. Yet with each exchange, the response I received seemed more and more unreasonable and downright mean. Kindness wasn’t working. If anyone was getting killed, it felt like me. Then it hit me, I was acting kindly. . I had been using kindness as a way to try and manipulate the situation! Although I was smiling, in my mind I was killing them with anger because my hurt feelings and anger was speaking louder than my kindness was. Have you ever acted kindly outwardly toward someone while inwardly judging them? Have you ever been extra nice hoping it would get you what you want? For instance, perhaps you act incredibly kind to someone who you feel hurt you just so you can prove that you are the “bigger” person. Or maybe you are extra nice to a hostess when you are trying to get the table you want, but then that kindness quickly fades after you’re seated when you are short with the waiter because he got your order wrong. When we are trying to manipulate a situation or someone’s opinion about us by merely acting kind we are coming from our ego. But true kindness comes from our heart, not our head. Genuine kindness is also consistent rather than something we turn on when it feels useful. In our situation we had an opportunity to recognize this, Yes sometimes our feelings were “they are wrong and I am right.” But we in time we were able to see the situation from a different perspective and let go of my attachment to wanting them to be nice back to me. De-personalization was a major key. Sometimes people just are upset and it’s not our job to “kill them with kindness” until they are not upset anymore. Once I really got this I was able to come from place of loving kindness with no attachment to wanting any kindness in exchange. I encourage you to be conscious of truly being kind, rather than just acting kindly. Our nature is to be kind and it just feels better to truly come from this place. You’ll also start to notice that when you set the intention to extend loving kindness to everyone, you’ll get a lot more back in return. It may not be from the people that your ego may want it; however, I assure you that the kinder you are, the more you will be the recipient of random acts of kindness you become. Thank you and I hope and pray you enjoy and this turns your situtation around as it slowy is turning our's around.....
Dr. Michael Smith
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John 3:16 says For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
World: The inhabitants of the earth
Gave: Not only represents past, present and future tense, but also to furnish, endue)
Believeth: faithfulness demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support. Also notice the eth at the end meaning continual never ending.
In: here we find enclosure, (Psa 91:1) also it's used to indicate purpose.
Should not perish: To be lost, ruined, or destroyed.
Have: be empowered, to posses, to reign over.
Everlasting: Here my question to you is why did he promise us everlasting life and not Eternal life?
Life: To be fresh, strong, efficient, powerful and efficacious.(successful in producing a desired result)
Just imagine this is nothing more than a brief overview of a scripture that most of us have quoted all of our lives and never fully realized the revelatory nature and empowerment of the love of God I John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. comments are appreciated.
World: The inhabitants of the earth
Gave: Not only represents past, present and future tense, but also to furnish, endue)
Believeth: faithfulness demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support. Also notice the eth at the end meaning continual never ending.
In: here we find enclosure, (Psa 91:1) also it's used to indicate purpose.
Should not perish: To be lost, ruined, or destroyed.
Have: be empowered, to posses, to reign over.
Everlasting: Here my question to you is why did he promise us everlasting life and not Eternal life?
Life: To be fresh, strong, efficient, powerful and efficacious.(successful in producing a desired result)
Just imagine this is nothing more than a brief overview of a scripture that most of us have quoted all of our lives and never fully realized the revelatory nature and empowerment of the love of God I John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. comments are appreciated.
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St. John 4:1-26
Keys:
He left JUDEA: (Praise)
and departed AGAIN INTO GALILEE: (Heathen Circle)
And he must needs go through SAMARIA: (Guardianship)
Which is called SYCHAR: (Intoxication, Strong drink)
This not only speaks Revelation but exposes the state and current condition of many of our lives right now.
Keys:
He left JUDEA: (Praise)
and departed AGAIN INTO GALILEE: (Heathen Circle)
And he must needs go through SAMARIA: (Guardianship)
Which is called SYCHAR: (Intoxication, Strong drink)
This not only speaks Revelation but exposes the state and current condition of many of our lives right now.
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Friends, we live in a time where were so busy with life in general that we neglect the complete study of the Word of God and it's promises. Let's look at one particular part of his body. II Corinthians 9:10 Now may He that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness
Let's take it piece by piece and find the nuggets. First of all we have those that focus soley about money being the seed that is given to the sower, Well, I guess that may be but I hope you will look at different perpespective for a moment. We find in St. John 4:20-23 that even as the Samaritan woman we have somewhat lost our focus
III John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for you life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not neither do they reap, not gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28. And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30. Wherefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32. (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the tihings of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Trust me friend, I'm no way saying you shouldn't give to the Church I believe thats a very important part of our relationship with the Church function and the with God. For the Word says that he "Loves a cheerful giver" and "give and it shall be given". All I'm saying is I think we live in a time and a season where our priorities are a little out of structure
Phillipians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Please take notice of the one word "NEED" as it's in singular form. When we have a need in our everyday life we get emotionally wrapped up in the turmoil and chaos that comes along in this life, and this takes control of our emotions. the scripture says in
Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Is this easy? absolutely not!! It takes a submissive will to the will of God for our lives bringing under control the Adamic Nature (First Adam).
I Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
I think what we need to do now is gather our thoughts and our focus in regards to getting the church and the body of Christ in the right season. The seed that is given to the sower is exactly what God is desiring from the body of Christ which is found in St. John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Please notice III John 2. the Father wishes that we prosper (to be successful) and be in Health (to be uncorrupt true in doctrine), but even as our soul (emotions, desires, affections, the seal of our feelings) prospereth. Friends, I'm not being critical or judgemental at all, I'm simply concerned of the focus that some have taken and how it controls what is preached in the pulpits of our churches, the conversations, and the behaviour of minister's, and Pastor's as well as the Body of Christ. There are so many that are so many out of balance in their approach to finances and church growth, this concerns me for the scripture says Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. Yes, I believe that God puts us in positions for him to reveal himself to us in various ways. However I think when we are out of balance we miss the revelatory revelation of his presence and his power manifested in our lives. The fact of the matter is that praise opens the doors for us, and worship ushers us into his name, and we know that John 14:13-1413 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Psalm 84:1111 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Thank you for taking your time to follow Liberty MInistry
Let's take it piece by piece and find the nuggets. First of all we have those that focus soley about money being the seed that is given to the sower, Well, I guess that may be but I hope you will look at different perpespective for a moment. We find in St. John 4:20-23 that even as the Samaritan woman we have somewhat lost our focus
III John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for you life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26. Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not neither do they reap, not gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27. Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28. And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29. And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30. Wherefore, if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32. (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33. But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the tihings of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Trust me friend, I'm no way saying you shouldn't give to the Church I believe thats a very important part of our relationship with the Church function and the with God. For the Word says that he "Loves a cheerful giver" and "give and it shall be given". All I'm saying is I think we live in a time and a season where our priorities are a little out of structure
Phillipians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Please take notice of the one word "NEED" as it's in singular form. When we have a need in our everyday life we get emotionally wrapped up in the turmoil and chaos that comes along in this life, and this takes control of our emotions. the scripture says in
Colossians 3:1-2 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Is this easy? absolutely not!! It takes a submissive will to the will of God for our lives bringing under control the Adamic Nature (First Adam).
I Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
I think what we need to do now is gather our thoughts and our focus in regards to getting the church and the body of Christ in the right season. The seed that is given to the sower is exactly what God is desiring from the body of Christ which is found in St. John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Please notice III John 2. the Father wishes that we prosper (to be successful) and be in Health (to be uncorrupt true in doctrine), but even as our soul (emotions, desires, affections, the seal of our feelings) prospereth. Friends, I'm not being critical or judgemental at all, I'm simply concerned of the focus that some have taken and how it controls what is preached in the pulpits of our churches, the conversations, and the behaviour of minister's, and Pastor's as well as the Body of Christ. There are so many that are so many out of balance in their approach to finances and church growth, this concerns me for the scripture says Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. Yes, I believe that God puts us in positions for him to reveal himself to us in various ways. However I think when we are out of balance we miss the revelatory revelation of his presence and his power manifested in our lives. The fact of the matter is that praise opens the doors for us, and worship ushers us into his name, and we know that John 14:13-1413 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Psalm 84:1111 For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Thank you for taking your time to follow Liberty MInistry
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/img-0010.jpg?1508076889)
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Have you ever took the time to really just study the scripture and see the jewels that are there for you?
AND,
BEHOLD,
I send the promise OF my father UPON you:
But TARRY ye IN the city of JERUSALEM,
UNTIL ye be ENDUED with POWER from on high.
Well, here we are again we live in a world of fast food and fast cars, and we seem to have the mindset that the things of God operate in the same manner, and in some cases that may be true but not in this. God works in his time and his season and it's important for us to know and understand the season and times of God (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There are ten words that I have capitalized, the unique thing here is that the number 10 is the number of divine order. and the scripture says in I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently (honourable, influential, wealthy & respectable) and in order (due based on arrangement).
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Have you ever took the time to really just study the scripture and see the jewels that are there for you?
AND,
BEHOLD,
I send the promise OF my father UPON you:
But TARRY ye IN the city of JERUSALEM,
UNTIL ye be ENDUED with POWER from on high.
Well, here we are again we live in a world of fast food and fast cars, and we seem to have the mindset that the things of God operate in the same manner, and in some cases that may be true but not in this. God works in his time and his season and it's important for us to know and understand the season and times of God (Ecclesiastes 3:1). There are ten words that I have capitalized, the unique thing here is that the number 10 is the number of divine order. and the scripture says in I Corinthians 14:40 Let all things be done decently (honourable, influential, wealthy & respectable) and in order (due based on arrangement).
By: Dr. Michael Smith
![Picture](/uploads/3/7/4/4/37444569/published/img-0205.jpg?1508001172)
Friends, we live in a day and a time where there seems to be chaos on every hand, this is why it's so important that we as Christians maintain our focus, and hold fast our vision. The scripture says in Colossians 3:2 Set (To establish a pattern, to place on a high seat) your affection (emotions, passions, and desires to exercise the mind, to be of the same mind Genesis 1:26, Philippians 2:5). on things above (This is a unique word in the Greek meaning of the quarters of heaven, northward, (the word North means toward the throne of God) the Jerusalem. Friend, the revelation does not stop there by any means as we now define the word Jerusalem from the Greek the name Shalem whether as a town or diety, is derived from the root as the word shalom meaning peace, so then the common interpretation of the name Jerusalem is now "The city of Peace or the Abode of Peace". Now can you begin to see what the writer is telling the body of Christ in Colossians 3:, for us to establish our passions, desires and emotions in the place of peace.......For in Ephesians 1:21 it's Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.
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Ephesians 6:11
Put on (Nothing else in this verse matter if you don't understand these two words)
the (brings direction, points)
whole (complete every phase, facet unadulterated)
armor (nature, character, personality, image and likeness)
of God (representative of God elohim, power, strength)
that ye may (that: empowerment, ye: personal may: sufficiently equipped)
be ( exist, occupy and dwell)
able (capable, empowered)
to stand (remain uninjured, and unaffected)
against (withstand, oppose)
the wiles (the deceptions, trickery, lies)
of the devil (representative of false counterfiet,)
This is what is so amazing about the Word of God, there is 12 different messages in this verse. Then what's also unique is the fact there are 12 different points in this verse and the number 12 is the number of Government.
God's character and nature must govern who we are and how we live our lives!
By: Dr. Michael Smith
Put on (Nothing else in this verse matter if you don't understand these two words)
the (brings direction, points)
whole (complete every phase, facet unadulterated)
armor (nature, character, personality, image and likeness)
of God (representative of God elohim, power, strength)
that ye may (that: empowerment, ye: personal may: sufficiently equipped)
be ( exist, occupy and dwell)
able (capable, empowered)
to stand (remain uninjured, and unaffected)
against (withstand, oppose)
the wiles (the deceptions, trickery, lies)
of the devil (representative of false counterfiet,)
This is what is so amazing about the Word of God, there is 12 different messages in this verse. Then what's also unique is the fact there are 12 different points in this verse and the number 12 is the number of Government.
God's character and nature must govern who we are and how we live our lives!
By: Dr. Michael Smith
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Tithing and offerings?
I’ve learned a lot in my 45 years of ministry some has been very profitable and some has fell by the way side, There is one teaching that has always intrigued me. Growing up in the church, the concept of tithing was drilled into my some what hard stubborn head.
When I use to ask the question “why do we tithe? My Mom’s response was nothing really to biblical or really spiritual it was simply “We tithe because we are told to”.
We tithe in response to Jesus dying for us.
We tithe because the church will close if we don’t.
We tithe so we won’t live in and under a curse.
We tithe because it’s the right thing to do.
I’m not sure if that is the message that my Mom really wanted to convey to me but that is what I got out of it…. Tithing was basically done out of fear of a curse being placed upon them, or was given totally out of obligation
When we realized church should be more than a religious social gathering, we got away from talking about tithing. The new conventional wisdom believes that outsiders and a lot of even church members thought all the church cared about was their cash, so the best way to get them to listen to the Gospel was to stop talking about money. I know the favorite scripture that most people use is found in I Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root (an underlying unseen support) of all evil (troublesome, injurious, destructive and worthless). Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains. I’m sorry but I can’t help but see that those two words (root and evil) each have 4 letters and the number 4 is the number of procreative power…..Simply the writer is sending us a message that the love of money, please not money but the love of money is the underlying support which is birthing, creating and establishing a troublesome, injurious, destructive and worthless appetite and behavior.
I’ve always said there is two sides to every coin so we must be balanced in our theories and beliefs so let’s look at Eccclesiastes 10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. While we still believed that true believers should tithe, we seem to want to ease the new believers into it. Well the truth of the matter is that we live in the most unbalanced supposedly spiritual revelation of the Gospel. On one side we have those churches that still yell and scream that your cursed with a curse if you don’t pay tithes, using Malachi 3: 8-11 as their foundational scripture. I often wander if they have ever took the time the read the rest of Malachi? Then you have on the other side the prosperity preachers yelling and screaming, while they use II Clorinthians 9:10 for their foundational scripture yet they never explain what happens to the seed that falls by the way side Luke 8:5. They just keep screaming and yelling and driving us deeper and further underground than we’ve ever been..
Let’s face it and finally be real with the issue at hand…People are sick and tired of the religious scheme that we should give because it’s the best investment plan on the planet, or we have promised them the debt cancellation promise, or we have those people that are paying for and buying a prophecy (A WORD FROM THE LORD). When all we do is hear and watch Stories of preachers with airplanes and multiple mansions pad their pockets and continue to take the funds from the local church, lol in the name of God, So the local Pastor has to keep the tithe and offering message on the down low. Giving is still more than a good idea, it’s a biblicial concept and standard Well, I don’t know how you feel and personally I’m really am not interested in your opinions. Some people feel tithing is an old testament law while other’s say it still stands today…. Personally I’m not concerned one way or another. The facts are very plain the Law did not end with Malachi, we see in Matthew 5:17 that Christ came to fulfill the law and the prophets, thus proving to us that the Law did not end until the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. which occurred in Luke the 24th chapter.
The last thing we ever want to do is give is the impression that you are being forced or manipuplated.
I know there a lot of people that would like us to stop talking about tithe and even offerings all altogether? But friend that would be like taking away your inheritance. I know some consider it offensive. My problem with the way we’ve talked about tithing is it completely misses the point.
Giving because I’m told to or because or because the church needs it aren’t bad things, they’re just secondary.
I feel that we as Minister’s of the Gospel are limiting and restricting God’s people in their growth and their knowledge of not just who God is but what he desires to be to us. Please understand that in no way do I feel that the concept of tithing is right or wrong, or whether it’s Old or New Testament concept. I was raised to tithe, I believe 100% in it. But I don’t believe that we have to threatened, manipulate or bribe God’s people to give. When we ourselves can be walking examples of Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory. Now it’s important to identify the Word “Need” as it is in singular form when we understand that even the Apostle Paul declares in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be te transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. This economic world that we live has so corrupted our mindset that we believe we have mutipule needs, when in fact the Word of God declares to us we have but one need! III John 2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul (appetites, passions, desires & emotions). Well, at this point I believe it’s necessary for us to look deeper into the Word of God Matthew 6:25-34 confirms to us that we don’t have multipule needs. This is exactly why are mindset needs to be renovated. Colossians 3:1-2 says If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Friends, the fact is God’s ultimate desire for his body is for us to be blessed, be successful and be in sound mind, uncorrupt, true in doctrine,, but the key has been is and will always be even as our soul (appetites, passions, desires and emotions) prospers.
In closing tithing and offering is without a doubt a biblical concept that was given and ordered by God…The problem is the way some have carried out the order that God has given. They have done it through manipulation and fear, the scripture says through the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians 9:6-7 6. But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7. Every man accoding as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. Truly we have some that have taken out the cheerfulness of giving and placed people under an obligation where they give out of fear and necessity. Let’s stop limiting and restricting the growth of God’s people, and let’s begin to teach them how to live blessed and prosperous as God intended
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Matthew 24:4-7
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed (To perceive, try the Spirits) that no man deceive (Seduce) you.
5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and deceive (Seduce) many.
6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these must com to pass, but the end is not yet.
7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines (destitution), and pestilences (Plagues, disease), and earthquakes (commotion), in divers places.
Well my friend, we have learned one thing thru these storms around that country, yes these storms have revealed one thing that we are a divided nation and don't really know anything we have and are fulfilling Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge" Some of the country has blamed (credited) the devil for these storms, while other's are blaming (crediting) God. My counsel to all these professed self appointed preachers that are trying to be weather men and women STOP!! The reality is friend, when God sends his wrath upon this nation it will be unescapable! our mission as men and women of God is to declare the love, the healing and restoring power of God to a nation that is seeking and pursuing something more than a theory and a religion but an unadulterated, life giving hope restoring gospel. If you really and truly believe that God is trying to draw people to him, let me empower you with a revelatory word my friend St. John 12:32 says And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Our mission is not to condemn, criticize or judge but our mission is simple "Lift Jesus higher, Lift him up for the World to see"
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed (To perceive, try the Spirits) that no man deceive (Seduce) you.
5. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and deceive (Seduce) many.
6. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these must com to pass, but the end is not yet.
7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines (destitution), and pestilences (Plagues, disease), and earthquakes (commotion), in divers places.
Well my friend, we have learned one thing thru these storms around that country, yes these storms have revealed one thing that we are a divided nation and don't really know anything we have and are fulfilling Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge" Some of the country has blamed (credited) the devil for these storms, while other's are blaming (crediting) God. My counsel to all these professed self appointed preachers that are trying to be weather men and women STOP!! The reality is friend, when God sends his wrath upon this nation it will be unescapable! our mission as men and women of God is to declare the love, the healing and restoring power of God to a nation that is seeking and pursuing something more than a theory and a religion but an unadulterated, life giving hope restoring gospel. If you really and truly believe that God is trying to draw people to him, let me empower you with a revelatory word my friend St. John 12:32 says And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Our mission is not to condemn, criticize or judge but our mission is simple "Lift Jesus higher, Lift him up for the World to see"
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What is so amazing about how God dealt with mankind is the fact that before he fully created mankind or even spoke to mankind he blessed them, look at Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and said unto them.......Be
1. Fruitful
2. Multiply
3. Replenish
4. Subdue
5 Dominion
The question is do we have a revelatory understanding of the five realms of power that God has blessed us to occupy?
1. Fruitful
2. Multiply
3. Replenish
4. Subdue
5 Dominion
The question is do we have a revelatory understanding of the five realms of power that God has blessed us to occupy?
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Understanding what you study in the Word of God can and will be life changing, Reading with humanistic understanding can and will produce confusion, condemnation and Spiritual death for the Scripture says Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life II Corinthians 3:6
II Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.
Wow.....when you fully understand what your reading and what your seeing, revelatory power is released inside you to be who and what God has appointed you to be
First you must understand what is and what does the Word Sprit mean, and when you understand what that word means, then you must acknowledge who or what that Spirit is a representative of. Then and only then will you be qualified to live, walk and experience the power of Liberty.
II Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.
Wow.....when you fully understand what your reading and what your seeing, revelatory power is released inside you to be who and what God has appointed you to be
First you must understand what is and what does the Word Sprit mean, and when you understand what that word means, then you must acknowledge who or what that Spirit is a representative of. Then and only then will you be qualified to live, walk and experience the power of Liberty.
Friends I keep hearing the Psalms "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the LORD" This is a revelatory message to the New Testament Church! Friends, this is not a building with Natural stone. But Hebrews the 8th and 9th chapters talks about a new Tabernacle, John 14th chapter talks about a place prepared for us, Ephesians 1:18-23 talks about an elevated realm with God. God is calling us out of the hum drum religious experience that we encountered in our churches for so long a time, Friends, This is the time, This is the season, Genesis 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: What is so unique about this that Genesis is actually the Greek word for generations meaning the source or the origin of someone or something. God is calling us back to our Roots Genesis 1:26-28
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"Identifying the enemy in your life"
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Friend, this is a scripture that if we fully understand it, we realize that the enemy is really powerless. You will understand that the enemy operates only through deception and lies, and through the impregnation of negative thoughts, other than that God has removed all access from him. If you notice Satan had to go before God and gain approval and permission to do what was done to job, so really the things Job went thru were brought on by God not by Satan. I know this probably shakes some religious minds up.... First of all let’s look at 1 Peter 5:8 and the first word is Be, This in itself is an empowering, enriching word that is spoken as a command, for we see in webster’s that Be means to have an existence to dwell in or with. There is a place in God we can dwell (Psalms 91:1) Next let’s look at the word sober: In the Greek it means to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate and not influenced or effected by emotions. Stop and think for a minute, how many times do things happen in our life, where we make wrong decisions because they are only done thru emotions? Next, we see the writer again saying be vigilant: In the Greek we see that this is giving us instruction of how we can be sober in our lives and in and the circumstances that we face on a daily basis. For us to be vigilant we must collect our faculties, wake up arouse ourself from sleep, sitting or lying, from disease , or death from obscurity, inactivity, and nonexistence lest some destructive calamity suddenly overtake us. this is confirming that the enemy operates thru deception and lies only. I don’t know about you but we could stop there and I already feel more equipped to handle things in life, just simply by understanding how the enemy operates, and what I must do and how I must live in order to combat his deceptive ways. Next, we see the writer identifying him as the devil this in important for we see thru the scriptures that he (the devil) has many names or characters as he presents himself to us. This is important so that we can identify what character or nature we are up against in life. When we see devil we see the character of someone slanderous, accusing falsely, exposing to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation. This is confirming over and over again that the enemy only operates thru deception and lies. For now we continue and see the devil as a, these are very important words for without them, the entire meaning of the scripture is changed and the enemies ability and weaponry becomes stronger against us. It simply is showing and exposing him to the body of Christ as someone that tries to appear ferocious….Please, it’s important that you don’t take him lightly at all…but don’t let him instill a fear in you, that he is more than what he actually is. For here we see the scripture comparing him to a roaring lion, but notice now he walketh about, I don’t know about you but as I read, there are those little words that appear so insignificant, but they seem to catch my attention and they seem to reveal so much in the scripture that over the years we have passed by. For here we see that the word about is used in a negative to express intent or determination to accomplish something. Now he’s seeking in the Greek this is referencing to seek out by thinking, to enquire into to crave someone or something. Wow….Now we see the writer ends this verse in a bang by revealing his intention and purpose…”whom he may devour” the Greek says to gulp up swallow destroy drink down. My favorite writer in the scripture says it better than all in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Not every situation or circumstance in life is what it appears to be, the enemy and life presents it much more complicated than it actually is. Step back and look at your problem thru the eyes of your understanding Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. I pray this has done as much for you as it has for me Please comments are encouraged and appreciated Thank you and God bless.
One of a Kind
Persistence + Courage = CONFIDENCE
Need more confidence?
What is it anyway?
Some say It’s a quiet, inner being and a connection to who you are.
Confidence, this comes from stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s having the courage to do and try new things, while expanding yourself in all avenues of your life. Just look at what the scripture says:
2 Timothy 1:6-7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Confidence is all about growing and moving forward, even if you fall flat on your tail. It’s about getting right back up and trying again and again. Develop your very own inner belief system and let it help you navigate what you want for yourself. Create a list and list your strengths. Now stand on your own two feet and say to the world here I am! It’s not about getting it right or having to be perfect, but it’s all in the doing! Take action every day, even if you feel you can’t. Move, make one call, and take one step!
You ever heard the old story about the guy the guy that fell off the horse, and that if he hadn’t gotten back on at that moment he might of never rode again...
(“getting back on the horse”).
So the whole point here is to never give up, even if you land in Mess. Maybe the next time, you will do something a little differently, or slightly better. But keep trying. That is the key.
The Bible says in:
James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Confidence comes from a deep-seated being within. You to discover within yourself what you want and what makes you happy. Then it’s acting on it that becomes your belief. It comes from building on what you are good at and many times improving upon what you aren’t good at. It is about learning to gain more skills and a sense of how to do something. Practice makes perfect. You can't be afraid of failure, because success is birthed thru failure....
Job 3:25
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Malcolm Glad well says, “It’s all in the practice of doing that makes you successful.” It’s allowing yourself to step out of your comfort zone, this is probably the hardest thing for most of us. But while pushing yourself and evolving into all that you can be. Persistence is what confidence is all about. If you believe in yourself and trust that what you are doing feels right, and sometimes it may not even feel right. But you have to know is it the fear of failure. don't let past failures determine future success. Step out now of your comfort zone, and you will realize that you are on the right path.
Confidence is one of the coolest things in life. That is, however, if you don’t abuse it. You want to be confident, not entitled or arrogant. To really have confidence is living a very humbling existence. Plant seeds, water them and nurture them with love. Let them grow and soon enough you will see the fruits of your labor.
Step out of your comfort zone and take small action steps. It’s all up to you. You have the control over your life. Believe in yourself and your dreams, and have the courage and the persistence to make it happen. You will stand taller in all of your being and you will feel like the most blessed person in the world. Gaining true confidence is one of the greatest feelings, so go ahead and take the first step!
Persistence + Courage = CONFIDENCE
Need more confidence?
What is it anyway?
Some say It’s a quiet, inner being and a connection to who you are.
Confidence, this comes from stepping out of your comfort zone. It’s having the courage to do and try new things, while expanding yourself in all avenues of your life. Just look at what the scripture says:
2 Timothy 1:6-7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Confidence is all about growing and moving forward, even if you fall flat on your tail. It’s about getting right back up and trying again and again. Develop your very own inner belief system and let it help you navigate what you want for yourself. Create a list and list your strengths. Now stand on your own two feet and say to the world here I am! It’s not about getting it right or having to be perfect, but it’s all in the doing! Take action every day, even if you feel you can’t. Move, make one call, and take one step!
You ever heard the old story about the guy the guy that fell off the horse, and that if he hadn’t gotten back on at that moment he might of never rode again...
(“getting back on the horse”).
So the whole point here is to never give up, even if you land in Mess. Maybe the next time, you will do something a little differently, or slightly better. But keep trying. That is the key.
The Bible says in:
James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Confidence comes from a deep-seated being within. You to discover within yourself what you want and what makes you happy. Then it’s acting on it that becomes your belief. It comes from building on what you are good at and many times improving upon what you aren’t good at. It is about learning to gain more skills and a sense of how to do something. Practice makes perfect. You can't be afraid of failure, because success is birthed thru failure....
Job 3:25
For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Malcolm Glad well says, “It’s all in the practice of doing that makes you successful.” It’s allowing yourself to step out of your comfort zone, this is probably the hardest thing for most of us. But while pushing yourself and evolving into all that you can be. Persistence is what confidence is all about. If you believe in yourself and trust that what you are doing feels right, and sometimes it may not even feel right. But you have to know is it the fear of failure. don't let past failures determine future success. Step out now of your comfort zone, and you will realize that you are on the right path.
Confidence is one of the coolest things in life. That is, however, if you don’t abuse it. You want to be confident, not entitled or arrogant. To really have confidence is living a very humbling existence. Plant seeds, water them and nurture them with love. Let them grow and soon enough you will see the fruits of your labor.
Step out of your comfort zone and take small action steps. It’s all up to you. You have the control over your life. Believe in yourself and your dreams, and have the courage and the persistence to make it happen. You will stand taller in all of your being and you will feel like the most blessed person in the world. Gaining true confidence is one of the greatest feelings, so go ahead and take the first step!
Friends, are we as a body really ready for what lies ahead of the latter house? As we look deep into the scripture we see in
Hosea 6:1-2 A powerful and enriching promise to the latter house Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn,(To pluck up) and he will heal (To restore favor) us; he hath smitten, (Chastise) and he will bind (Heal) us up. 2. After two days will he revive (To nourish, quicken, recover) us: in the third (3 the number of Spiritual completion) day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight.
Truly my friends, We are the latter house, again my question to the Body of Christ is are we ready to embrace the transitional and strategic moves that God is preparing for us as he puts the Wood (Humanity) in order as he told the Prophet Elijah in I Kings 18:33
Haggai 2:9 The glory (Weight, honor, abundance, riches and splendour) of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of host: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of host.
God bless you from Dr. & Mrs. Michael Smith and Liberty Ministry.
Hosea 6:1-2 A powerful and enriching promise to the latter house Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn,(To pluck up) and he will heal (To restore favor) us; he hath smitten, (Chastise) and he will bind (Heal) us up. 2. After two days will he revive (To nourish, quicken, recover) us: in the third (3 the number of Spiritual completion) day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight.
Truly my friends, We are the latter house, again my question to the Body of Christ is are we ready to embrace the transitional and strategic moves that God is preparing for us as he puts the Wood (Humanity) in order as he told the Prophet Elijah in I Kings 18:33
Haggai 2:9 The glory (Weight, honor, abundance, riches and splendour) of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of host: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of host.
God bless you from Dr. & Mrs. Michael Smith and Liberty Ministry.
Welcome into the Mind and thought pattern of Dr. Michael N. Smith
Question?
Has anyone ever wandered where the word season's came from and why they named them 1. Winter 2. Spring 3. Summer 4. Fall and why they always categorize them in that order, what each one of them mean? The unique thing in the Old & New Testaments, the word season's is always referred to in spiritual sense. We find in Ecclesiastes 3rd chapter we find a list of not 4 but 28 season that God has ordained and sanctioned for the Body of Christ. In Ecclesiastes, in the chapter 3 verses 2 to 8, enumerates 28 "times" in these 7 verses: There is a time for giving birth and a time for dying, for planting and for uprooting what has been planted, to kill and heal, to destroy and build, to cry and laughter, to mourn and dance, to throw stones away and to gather them, to embrace and to refrain from embracing, to search and lose, to keep and discard, to tear and sew, for keeping silent and to speak, to love and to hate, and finally a time for war and a time for peace. Here is some unique information concerning the number 28, It's the period to which the man generally finishes his growth. Twenty eight heartbeat are necessary in order that a red droplet of blood traverses all the circuit of our body.
The menstrual cycle of the woman is approximately 28 days. Ok now let's look at what numerology has to say about the number 28 A major mention of the number 28 in the Bible is found in Exodus 26:2 that tells us of the curtain that separates men from the Holy of Holies - "The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements". The verse clearly tells of the barrier between God and men. This is the very same type of curtain which was torn in two (from top to bottom) when Jesus died on the cross. First lets see the number 28 as a whole in numerology we see this number means the Christ in you, or the God in you, now let's see it broken down the number 20 means Redemption: time of waiting, While the number 8 means New beginning, resurrection, holy man / new man : Jesus' transfiguration was on the eighth day circumcision was to be on the eighth day, eight souls were saved in the flood. maybe, I'm boring you and then again maybe now you are fully intrigued. What ever the case may be my friend the reality is St. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Weakness is so powerful....
Philippians 4:13
Here we see the early church was unanimous in its testimony that Philippians was written by the apostle Paul. I feel this letter reveals the stamp of genuineness. It’s evident that Paul wrote the letter from prison, and likely with the help of Timothy. The time of writing the Book of Philippians was approximately A.D. 61.. Talk about empowering and enriching one’s life, The scripture we are dealing with today will make you feel like there is nothing you can’t overcome. Phillippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Personally I I love the way it starts off very personal…”I can do” truly that is a statement that each and every one of us need to learn, as it seems when we become overwhelmed with the circumstances of life that we will feel weak and powerless…sometimes this is brought on by the circumstances of life and sometimes by another person of a religious background that becomes critical and judgmental because of the way you feel. But the bible says friend, II Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. It’s in the times and season’s of weakness when we actually experience the power and the presence of God’s strength in our lives. I’ve always thought is was funny how the religious world criticizes one when they struggle in life but the fact remains you will never know God as a healer if your never sick, you will never know God has a provider if you don’t experience need, The fact is God allows us to walk through season in our lives so that he can reveal his love and power to us. This is exactly why Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things. One key word in that phrase is do in the Greek this means to have or exercise the force, to be whole in body, to be in sound health. Wow…Just think everytime we say the phrase “I can do” we are exercising the force of the power of God in our lives. And demonstrating that we are whole in body and sound in health. Then we see a little word that we probably never really pay a lot of attention to. That word is “All” first of all 3 is the number of spiritual completeness, and in Webster’s all is defined to be complete and the entire amount. Friend, God didn’t empower us to win half the battle, but to be complete in all that we do in life. This is why the writer says “All things through Christ, there is no other way friend, you must learn to put your total trust and dependency upon God. For Christ means the anointed one and it’s because of the anointing the yoke shall be destroyed NO OTHER WAY! Friend, it’s through him alone that we are strengthened, meaning to be strong, endued with strength, to be bold and as I read this I had to laugh for one Greek interpretation of the word strengthened is to be head strong. So the next time someone tells you, your head strong take it as a complement…..God bless you from Dr. & Mrs. Smith and Liberty Ministry.
Your Special to God....
Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. What a word for this hour by starting off with three powerful words. Be not afraid!! I guess my question is of What? We serve and all power, all knowing, all seeing God that holds our destiny, our path in his hands. Truly the prophet said it “Be not afraid” In the midst of turmoil and chaos God is bringing about a calming spirit upon the land, While some preachers are preaching doom and gloom and despair God is saying to the body of Christ love me and serve me and put your life in my hands and you have NOTHING to fear!!!! Then the prophet continues by saying for the pastures (habitation meadows) Psalms 23 “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” of the wilderness do spring, for the tree Psalms 1 “Ye shall be like a tree planted by the rivers” beareth (to support, sustain and endue) her fruit (offspring). Friend, God don’t base his care on social status, income, race or religion or cultural background. For the prophet confirms that here by ending that verse the fig tree and the vine do yield (to distribute, deliver, appoint) their strength (a force a army of virtue, valor and strength. To be able active with might power and riches) but friend we all have work to do it don’t matter if you feel like a fig tree or vine both will yield their strength each and every one of us have something to do today for God Get up from where your at and be about the father’s business.
Who and What are you
I Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God , follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
This is truly a picture of the Modern day Religious Denominations that we have in the World. There are some that say it's wrong to wear jewelry, some that say it's wrong to wear pants, some say it's Jesus only While other's say trinity, some say women can't cut their hair, While we have Baptist, Pentecost, Methodist, Presbyterian, United Pentecost, Divided Pentecost, Assembly of God and Church of God, Church of God of Prophecy and Church of God in Christ. Some say there way is the only way! But the prophet Elijah says How long halt ye between two opinions? Friends, it's not about the name on your door, the name of your Denomination.
It's truly about understanding who and what you are in God The Bible declares in
II Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people. Your mission statement is That you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
Our vision statement is found in
Isaiah 61:1-The Spirit of the LORD is upon me; because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn; 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
The prophet said How long will you halt between two opinions?
Joshua said....in Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day who ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house , we will serve the LORD.
The year 2017 the season of redeeming Victory for the Body of Christ
Since numbers play such an important part in the Revelation of God's plan for this nation as a whole and since the Lord Jesus Christ controls history the meaning of the year always reveals God's plan for this nation. The number 2000 means: crossing the Jordan. When Israel was ready to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land, the people were commanded to follow the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant but to stay "about 2,000 cubits" away (Joshua 3:1-4). The number 2,000 symbolizes the boundary of the Promised Land in Numbers 35:5, where the cities to be given to the Levites in the Promised Land were to be surrounded by pastures that extended outward 1,000 cubits from each side of the the city wall (Numbers 35:1-5). The 2,000 cubit wide pasture represented a miniature Promised Land. Therefore, the number 2,000 refers to crossing the Jordan, which was the boundary of the Promised Land. Crossing the Jordan was the first step in the conquest of the Promised Land, which represented Spiritual Warfare and was a new idea. The plan for crossing the Jordan was: Follow the Ark. The Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle represented the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Israelites followed the Ark, they were following the Lord. Joshua 3:2-3. It came about at the end of three days that the officers went through the midst of the camp; and they ordered the people, saying, "When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, your God, with the Levitical Priests carrying it, then you shall march out from your post and follow behind it. The Levitical Priests, who were responsible for the ministry in the Tabernacle, would carry the Ark across the Jordan. The Koathites carried the Ark during the journeys in the wilderness; but the Levitical Priests were always in charge, and they carried the Ark on ceremonial occasions. The people were camped beside the Jordan, each family in its assigned camping space. When they saw the Levitical Priests move out, they were to break camp and march behind it. The Lord leads the way. The explanation given for staying 2,000 cubits away was: "However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before. (Joshua 3:4). The people were commanded to stay back a half mile so they could see the Ark. There were approximately two million Jews counting women and children, and it would take perhaps half a day for them to all cross the Jordan with their flocks and baggage. Since they had never "passed this way before," they needed to follow the Ark. The Ark was a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ, our all and in all. Since they had never done this before, the Lord would point out what to do every step of the way. Like soldiers in combat, if they obeyed orders, they would make it. Crossing the Jordan and conquering the Promised Land was unprecedented. No scripture had been written about it. It was a new theory. A theory is nothing more than a system of thinking - not just an advance on the previous cycle of thought. The Jews would write this chapter in history, by obeying the commandments of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of Israel would lead them every step of the way, but since they had never "passed this way before," they must adhere to the orders to succeed. Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5) In preparation for crossing the Jordan, Joshua commanded the people first to sanctify themselves. It also included putting on clean clothes, the symbol of sanctification, and refraining from martial relations (Genesis 35:2, Exodus 19:5). Whereas, Rebound before the Church Age did include acknowledging sins, it did not include the Filling of the Holy Spirit, which is unique to the Church Age. Those who had survived the wilderness wanderings had learned to use Rebound; so they understood this command. Those who did not use Rebound had already died the sin unto death in the wilderness. This command is very similar to the command that Moses received on Mount Sinai when Israel was called a "Holy Nation" (Exodus 19:3-6). The words, holy and sanctify, are the same Hebrew root.The next day, the Lord would "do wonders" just as He had done to free Israel from Egypt (Exodus 3:20, 15:11). The word for wonders is the Hebrew pala', which means supernatural, extraordinary acts, or wonders. The Lord would open up the River Jordan just as He had opened up the Red Sea. The Miracle of Drying Up the Jordan The Lord would solve the problem of crossing the Jordan because it was full and overflowing its banks that time of year. You shall order the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the River Jordan, at the Jordan you shall stand still. (Joshua 3:8) At the Jordan the priests are were to stand still and watch the Lord perform a miracle. When the soles of the feet of the priests, stepped into the Jordan River, then the Lord would dry it up with a dam upstream. It shall come to pass that when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, shall settle down in the River Jordan, the River Jordan shall be cut off - that is, the waters which flow down from above shall stand still as one heap. (Joshua 3:13) The water of the Jordan was outside its banks, but as soon as the Levitical Priests stepped into the water, then the Lord would dry up the Jordan by making a dam upstream. As the water flowed down from upstream, the water head continued to rise higher like the water behind a dam. Joshua 3:14-1It came to pass when the people pulled out from their shelter to cross over the Jordan with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in front of the people, When those who carried the Ark came up to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the Ark dipped in the edge of the water, furthermore, the Jordan overflowed all its banks all the days of the harvest, Then the waters which came down from above stood still: they rose up in a heap very far off by the town of Adam which is by the side of Zarathan; and those waters which flowed down over to the Sea of the Plain, the Salt Sea (Dead Sea), were completely cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The word translated, "cross over," is `abar, which is the same as the word for passover. Just as Israel had passed over the Red Sea with Moses after the Passover, the next generation crossed over the Jordan with Joshua. In both cases the Lord performed the miracle. The explanation of the Jordan being full and overflowing in verse 15 is added to further attest to the miracle. The Jordan opposite Jericho was 10-12 feet deep even at the fords during the harvest season, unlike summer. Crossing the Jordan that time of year was regarded as a heroic feat (I Chronicles 12:15).When the feet of the priest got to the edge of the flood waters of the Jordan, then the Lord performed a miracle and dammed up the river upstream. The location of the dam was in the region of Adam and Zarathan, which are believed to be about 15 miles upstream, although the exact locations are not known. The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm upon dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:17) The priests stood in the middle of the river bed on dry ground with the Ark until all the nation of Israel had crossed over dry shod. Moses left Egypt with a ruler's staff, with which he requested the dividing of the Red Sea. Joshua entered the Promised Land with the Ark, the symbol of the Lord, the ruler of the Nation. It's important to understand that the Calendar Notes the year 2000 is the last year of the 20th century - not the year 1999. That is because the calendar we use started in year 1 AD and not zero. Thus, the end of the first thousand years was 1000, and the end of the next thousand years is 2000. The current millennium did not end until December 31, 2000. The Spiritual meaning of the year 2000 is that it is a boundary before entering the new millennium in 2001. Since the number 2000 means crossing the Jordan, the entire year was dedicated and devoted to crossing the Jordan Spiritually. No one knows the day of the Second Advent and the beginning of the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever, it begins, We know for a fact it was not 2001 because there are 7 years left in the Jewish Age to be fulfilled before the Second Advent.Summary The year 2000 means crossing the Jordan. Just as those who crossed the Red Sea all had Positional Sanctification, those who crossed the Jordan all had Experiential Sanctification. Experiential Sanctification requires increase and improving. It also requires knowledge of Bible Doctrine John 17:17. Looking back at 2000, believers with Bible Doctrine will cross the Jordan to conquer the Promised Land. They witnessed wonders of the fulfillment of the Plan of God as the Lord Jesus Christ led them to a new strategic objective. They learned a new idea, which possibly was the obeying of the Holy Spirit. They have never been this way before. The watchword will be "follow the Ark," which represents the Lord Jesus Christ.The wilderness wanderings were a time of punishment and opportunity for Spiritual growth. Crossing the Jordan will be a new course with a new strategic plan, new leadership, and a new idea's . It will be a time of sanctification, strict obedience to the Divine order and Plan of God, and learning the new strategy for the conquest of the Promised Land. It will be a time of grace promotion for those who have solidified a relationship with God as the Body of Christ goes thru a reorganization. The old theories will vanish, and the new battlefield will lie ahead. Those with Biblical foundation and obedience will have one of the rare privileges of all history, reliving the crossing of the Jordan Spiritually in the Angelic Conflict. They will use Ephesians rather than the book of Joshua to light their path. They will use the standard of the fulness of blessing of Christ for their metrics rather than the dimensions of the Ark of acacia wood and gold which the priests carried across Jordan. The we look at the number 17 Spiritually this symbolizes "overcoming the enemy" and "complete victory." God
overcame the sins of rebellious humans when he began to flood the earth through rain on the 17th of the second Hebrew month. Noah's ark and its eight passengers rested on the mountains of Ararat on the 17th of the seventh month (right in the middle of God's annual Holy period known as the Feast of the Tabernacles). Jesus Christ gained a complete victory over death and the grave when God resurrected him near sunset on according to the Hebrew Calendar Nisan 17 (Saturday, April 8, 30 A.D.).
In the book of 1Corinthians the thirteenth chapter, the seventeenth mention of the word 'love' comes when the apostle Paul states that it is the GREATEST gift of all (1Corinthians 13:13). God's unending love (John 3:16) is truly victorious over all things. Those who stay faithful to God to the end of their lives will gain the victory over the grave when they are miraculously brought back to life (1Corinthians 15).
Daniel 7's beasts have seven heads and ten horns, for a total number of 17. They represent world-ruling powers from Daniel's time to the Second Coming of Jesus. The devil's end-time system (Revelation 13) will have seven heads and ten horns, which totals 17. All mankind will very soon obey and worship the devil and the Beast power. They will war against those who have faith in Jesus and keep the commandments, thus achieving a victory (though short-lived) against God's people (Revelation 13:1 - 8).
True Christians, however, will gain the ultimate victory over God's adversaries when he resurrects them back to life (Revelation 15:2; 20:4). One of the major themes of the Day of Atonement (commonly referred to as Yom Kippur), which occurs in the seventh Hebrew month on the tenth day, is the binding of Satan (Revelation 20). Thus, 10 plus 7 equal the number 17, which testifies to Christ's perfect overcoming of Satan. Now when we see 2017 we see the redeeming of Victory, the restoring of a tested and perfected praise back to the Body of Christ, which will bring about the healing and restoration of our land II Chronicles 7:14. WELCOME TO 2017
From the Desk of Dr. Michael N. Smith Sr.
Joel 2:21-24
EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR......GET UP FROM WHERE YOUR AT AND GO TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE....
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. The prophet Joel literally brings it alive in the hearts of every man and woman. Fear not, don’t be afraid anymore God did not give you the Spirit of Fear but of Love, Power and a sound mind. Then the prophet begins to give us instruction how to enter into the realm of recovery and restoration. Be glad in the Hebrew this means to spin round under the influence of any violent emotion. Oh my friend we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a violent emotion of power, joy, healing and restoration that we have never experienced. But the prophet don’t only want you to be glad he continues by saying and rejoice; In the Hebrew it’s telling us to brighten up, cheer up, make merry and to rejoice arrogantly. Get so wrapped up in what God is doing in your life and the praise you have that you lose yourself in your praise. Remember this Job 3:25 says For the thing which I greatly (sense of dread) feared (was startled by) is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Friend, don’t walk in Fear or dread in this season for God is here to give you life and give it to you more abundantly. Last and certainly not least we see the prophet saying for the LORD will do great things. I'm telling you when you understand this in the original Hebrew translation you will shout......for it means to grow, become great or important. Make powerful praise magnify. Wow..all that out of the phrase will do great things.... Friend, it's hear get up and walk into it!!!!!
From the Desk of Dr. Michael Smith
I Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Today my friends, The question is How long will America allow ourselves to be torn between two opinions, How long will we allow them to divide us and separate us for the word opinions in the Hebrew means to be cut off as a branch is removed from the tree. St. John chapter 15 verse 2 says Every branch Hebrew: Bread or communion) in me that beareth not fruit (Praises, which are presented to God as a thank offering)he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth ( to prune from guilt and useless shoots) it that it may bring forth more fruit. In closing my friend we see in Eph 4:11 that he gives the 5-fold ministry in verse 12 we see the purpose of the 5-fold ministry and in verse 13 it's so important that we notice the first 10 words 1,"Till we all come in the unity of the faith" it don't stop there 2. "and of the knowledge of the Son of God" 3. "unto a perfect man" 4. "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" My friends the five fold ministry is to serve for a season and for a purpose. But we have allowed ourselves to be torn by religious opinions and denominational theories, that has and is preventing the five fold ministry from operating in a supernatural capacity rather than a natural capacity.
Question?
Has anyone ever wandered where the word season's came from and why they named them 1. Winter 2. Spring 3. Summer 4. Fall and why they always categorize them in that order, what each one of them mean? The unique thing in the Old & New Testaments, the word season's is always referred to in spiritual sense. We find in Ecclesiastes 3rd chapter we find a list of not 4 but 28 season that God has ordained and sanctioned for the Body of Christ. In Ecclesiastes, in the chapter 3 verses 2 to 8, enumerates 28 "times" in these 7 verses: There is a time for giving birth and a time for dying, for planting and for uprooting what has been planted, to kill and heal, to destroy and build, to cry and laughter, to mourn and dance, to throw stones away and to gather them, to embrace and to refrain from embracing, to search and lose, to keep and discard, to tear and sew, for keeping silent and to speak, to love and to hate, and finally a time for war and a time for peace. Here is some unique information concerning the number 28, It's the period to which the man generally finishes his growth. Twenty eight heartbeat are necessary in order that a red droplet of blood traverses all the circuit of our body.
The menstrual cycle of the woman is approximately 28 days. Ok now let's look at what numerology has to say about the number 28 A major mention of the number 28 in the Bible is found in Exodus 26:2 that tells us of the curtain that separates men from the Holy of Holies - "The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall have the same measurements". The verse clearly tells of the barrier between God and men. This is the very same type of curtain which was torn in two (from top to bottom) when Jesus died on the cross. First lets see the number 28 as a whole in numerology we see this number means the Christ in you, or the God in you, now let's see it broken down the number 20 means Redemption: time of waiting, While the number 8 means New beginning, resurrection, holy man / new man : Jesus' transfiguration was on the eighth day circumcision was to be on the eighth day, eight souls were saved in the flood. maybe, I'm boring you and then again maybe now you are fully intrigued. What ever the case may be my friend the reality is St. John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Weakness is so powerful....
Philippians 4:13
Here we see the early church was unanimous in its testimony that Philippians was written by the apostle Paul. I feel this letter reveals the stamp of genuineness. It’s evident that Paul wrote the letter from prison, and likely with the help of Timothy. The time of writing the Book of Philippians was approximately A.D. 61.. Talk about empowering and enriching one’s life, The scripture we are dealing with today will make you feel like there is nothing you can’t overcome. Phillippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Personally I I love the way it starts off very personal…”I can do” truly that is a statement that each and every one of us need to learn, as it seems when we become overwhelmed with the circumstances of life that we will feel weak and powerless…sometimes this is brought on by the circumstances of life and sometimes by another person of a religious background that becomes critical and judgmental because of the way you feel. But the bible says friend, II Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. It’s in the times and season’s of weakness when we actually experience the power and the presence of God’s strength in our lives. I’ve always thought is was funny how the religious world criticizes one when they struggle in life but the fact remains you will never know God as a healer if your never sick, you will never know God has a provider if you don’t experience need, The fact is God allows us to walk through season in our lives so that he can reveal his love and power to us. This is exactly why Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things. One key word in that phrase is do in the Greek this means to have or exercise the force, to be whole in body, to be in sound health. Wow…Just think everytime we say the phrase “I can do” we are exercising the force of the power of God in our lives. And demonstrating that we are whole in body and sound in health. Then we see a little word that we probably never really pay a lot of attention to. That word is “All” first of all 3 is the number of spiritual completeness, and in Webster’s all is defined to be complete and the entire amount. Friend, God didn’t empower us to win half the battle, but to be complete in all that we do in life. This is why the writer says “All things through Christ, there is no other way friend, you must learn to put your total trust and dependency upon God. For Christ means the anointed one and it’s because of the anointing the yoke shall be destroyed NO OTHER WAY! Friend, it’s through him alone that we are strengthened, meaning to be strong, endued with strength, to be bold and as I read this I had to laugh for one Greek interpretation of the word strengthened is to be head strong. So the next time someone tells you, your head strong take it as a complement…..God bless you from Dr. & Mrs. Smith and Liberty Ministry.
Your Special to God....
Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. What a word for this hour by starting off with three powerful words. Be not afraid!! I guess my question is of What? We serve and all power, all knowing, all seeing God that holds our destiny, our path in his hands. Truly the prophet said it “Be not afraid” In the midst of turmoil and chaos God is bringing about a calming spirit upon the land, While some preachers are preaching doom and gloom and despair God is saying to the body of Christ love me and serve me and put your life in my hands and you have NOTHING to fear!!!! Then the prophet continues by saying for the pastures (habitation meadows) Psalms 23 “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” of the wilderness do spring, for the tree Psalms 1 “Ye shall be like a tree planted by the rivers” beareth (to support, sustain and endue) her fruit (offspring). Friend, God don’t base his care on social status, income, race or religion or cultural background. For the prophet confirms that here by ending that verse the fig tree and the vine do yield (to distribute, deliver, appoint) their strength (a force a army of virtue, valor and strength. To be able active with might power and riches) but friend we all have work to do it don’t matter if you feel like a fig tree or vine both will yield their strength each and every one of us have something to do today for God Get up from where your at and be about the father’s business.
Who and What are you
I Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God , follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
This is truly a picture of the Modern day Religious Denominations that we have in the World. There are some that say it's wrong to wear jewelry, some that say it's wrong to wear pants, some say it's Jesus only While other's say trinity, some say women can't cut their hair, While we have Baptist, Pentecost, Methodist, Presbyterian, United Pentecost, Divided Pentecost, Assembly of God and Church of God, Church of God of Prophecy and Church of God in Christ. Some say there way is the only way! But the prophet Elijah says How long halt ye between two opinions? Friends, it's not about the name on your door, the name of your Denomination.
It's truly about understanding who and what you are in God The Bible declares in
II Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people. Your mission statement is That you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
Our vision statement is found in
Isaiah 61:1-The Spirit of the LORD is upon me; because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn; 3. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
The prophet said How long will you halt between two opinions?
Joshua said....in Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day who ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house , we will serve the LORD.
The year 2017 the season of redeeming Victory for the Body of Christ
Since numbers play such an important part in the Revelation of God's plan for this nation as a whole and since the Lord Jesus Christ controls history the meaning of the year always reveals God's plan for this nation. The number 2000 means: crossing the Jordan. When Israel was ready to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land, the people were commanded to follow the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant but to stay "about 2,000 cubits" away (Joshua 3:1-4). The number 2,000 symbolizes the boundary of the Promised Land in Numbers 35:5, where the cities to be given to the Levites in the Promised Land were to be surrounded by pastures that extended outward 1,000 cubits from each side of the the city wall (Numbers 35:1-5). The 2,000 cubit wide pasture represented a miniature Promised Land. Therefore, the number 2,000 refers to crossing the Jordan, which was the boundary of the Promised Land. Crossing the Jordan was the first step in the conquest of the Promised Land, which represented Spiritual Warfare and was a new idea. The plan for crossing the Jordan was: Follow the Ark. The Ark of the Covenant from the Tabernacle represented the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Israelites followed the Ark, they were following the Lord. Joshua 3:2-3. It came about at the end of three days that the officers went through the midst of the camp; and they ordered the people, saying, "When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, your God, with the Levitical Priests carrying it, then you shall march out from your post and follow behind it. The Levitical Priests, who were responsible for the ministry in the Tabernacle, would carry the Ark across the Jordan. The Koathites carried the Ark during the journeys in the wilderness; but the Levitical Priests were always in charge, and they carried the Ark on ceremonial occasions. The people were camped beside the Jordan, each family in its assigned camping space. When they saw the Levitical Priests move out, they were to break camp and march behind it. The Lord leads the way. The explanation given for staying 2,000 cubits away was: "However, there shall be a distance between you and it of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you shall go, for you have not passed this way before. (Joshua 3:4). The people were commanded to stay back a half mile so they could see the Ark. There were approximately two million Jews counting women and children, and it would take perhaps half a day for them to all cross the Jordan with their flocks and baggage. Since they had never "passed this way before," they needed to follow the Ark. The Ark was a symbol of the Lord Jesus Christ, our all and in all. Since they had never done this before, the Lord would point out what to do every step of the way. Like soldiers in combat, if they obeyed orders, they would make it. Crossing the Jordan and conquering the Promised Land was unprecedented. No scripture had been written about it. It was a new theory. A theory is nothing more than a system of thinking - not just an advance on the previous cycle of thought. The Jews would write this chapter in history, by obeying the commandments of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armies of Israel would lead them every step of the way, but since they had never "passed this way before," they must adhere to the orders to succeed. Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5) In preparation for crossing the Jordan, Joshua commanded the people first to sanctify themselves. It also included putting on clean clothes, the symbol of sanctification, and refraining from martial relations (Genesis 35:2, Exodus 19:5). Whereas, Rebound before the Church Age did include acknowledging sins, it did not include the Filling of the Holy Spirit, which is unique to the Church Age. Those who had survived the wilderness wanderings had learned to use Rebound; so they understood this command. Those who did not use Rebound had already died the sin unto death in the wilderness. This command is very similar to the command that Moses received on Mount Sinai when Israel was called a "Holy Nation" (Exodus 19:3-6). The words, holy and sanctify, are the same Hebrew root.The next day, the Lord would "do wonders" just as He had done to free Israel from Egypt (Exodus 3:20, 15:11). The word for wonders is the Hebrew pala', which means supernatural, extraordinary acts, or wonders. The Lord would open up the River Jordan just as He had opened up the Red Sea. The Miracle of Drying Up the Jordan The Lord would solve the problem of crossing the Jordan because it was full and overflowing its banks that time of year. You shall order the priests who are carrying the ark of the covenant, saying, 'When you come to the edge of the River Jordan, at the Jordan you shall stand still. (Joshua 3:8) At the Jordan the priests are were to stand still and watch the Lord perform a miracle. When the soles of the feet of the priests, stepped into the Jordan River, then the Lord would dry it up with a dam upstream. It shall come to pass that when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of the whole earth, shall settle down in the River Jordan, the River Jordan shall be cut off - that is, the waters which flow down from above shall stand still as one heap. (Joshua 3:13) The water of the Jordan was outside its banks, but as soon as the Levitical Priests stepped into the water, then the Lord would dry up the Jordan by making a dam upstream. As the water flowed down from upstream, the water head continued to rise higher like the water behind a dam. Joshua 3:14-1It came to pass when the people pulled out from their shelter to cross over the Jordan with the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant in front of the people, When those who carried the Ark came up to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the Ark dipped in the edge of the water, furthermore, the Jordan overflowed all its banks all the days of the harvest, Then the waters which came down from above stood still: they rose up in a heap very far off by the town of Adam which is by the side of Zarathan; and those waters which flowed down over to the Sea of the Plain, the Salt Sea (Dead Sea), were completely cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The word translated, "cross over," is `abar, which is the same as the word for passover. Just as Israel had passed over the Red Sea with Moses after the Passover, the next generation crossed over the Jordan with Joshua. In both cases the Lord performed the miracle. The explanation of the Jordan being full and overflowing in verse 15 is added to further attest to the miracle. The Jordan opposite Jericho was 10-12 feet deep even at the fords during the harvest season, unlike summer. Crossing the Jordan that time of year was regarded as a heroic feat (I Chronicles 12:15).When the feet of the priest got to the edge of the flood waters of the Jordan, then the Lord performed a miracle and dammed up the river upstream. The location of the dam was in the region of Adam and Zarathan, which are believed to be about 15 miles upstream, although the exact locations are not known. The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm upon dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan. (Joshua 3:17) The priests stood in the middle of the river bed on dry ground with the Ark until all the nation of Israel had crossed over dry shod. Moses left Egypt with a ruler's staff, with which he requested the dividing of the Red Sea. Joshua entered the Promised Land with the Ark, the symbol of the Lord, the ruler of the Nation. It's important to understand that the Calendar Notes the year 2000 is the last year of the 20th century - not the year 1999. That is because the calendar we use started in year 1 AD and not zero. Thus, the end of the first thousand years was 1000, and the end of the next thousand years is 2000. The current millennium did not end until December 31, 2000. The Spiritual meaning of the year 2000 is that it is a boundary before entering the new millennium in 2001. Since the number 2000 means crossing the Jordan, the entire year was dedicated and devoted to crossing the Jordan Spiritually. No one knows the day of the Second Advent and the beginning of the Millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever, it begins, We know for a fact it was not 2001 because there are 7 years left in the Jewish Age to be fulfilled before the Second Advent.Summary The year 2000 means crossing the Jordan. Just as those who crossed the Red Sea all had Positional Sanctification, those who crossed the Jordan all had Experiential Sanctification. Experiential Sanctification requires increase and improving. It also requires knowledge of Bible Doctrine John 17:17. Looking back at 2000, believers with Bible Doctrine will cross the Jordan to conquer the Promised Land. They witnessed wonders of the fulfillment of the Plan of God as the Lord Jesus Christ led them to a new strategic objective. They learned a new idea, which possibly was the obeying of the Holy Spirit. They have never been this way before. The watchword will be "follow the Ark," which represents the Lord Jesus Christ.The wilderness wanderings were a time of punishment and opportunity for Spiritual growth. Crossing the Jordan will be a new course with a new strategic plan, new leadership, and a new idea's . It will be a time of sanctification, strict obedience to the Divine order and Plan of God, and learning the new strategy for the conquest of the Promised Land. It will be a time of grace promotion for those who have solidified a relationship with God as the Body of Christ goes thru a reorganization. The old theories will vanish, and the new battlefield will lie ahead. Those with Biblical foundation and obedience will have one of the rare privileges of all history, reliving the crossing of the Jordan Spiritually in the Angelic Conflict. They will use Ephesians rather than the book of Joshua to light their path. They will use the standard of the fulness of blessing of Christ for their metrics rather than the dimensions of the Ark of acacia wood and gold which the priests carried across Jordan. The we look at the number 17 Spiritually this symbolizes "overcoming the enemy" and "complete victory." God
overcame the sins of rebellious humans when he began to flood the earth through rain on the 17th of the second Hebrew month. Noah's ark and its eight passengers rested on the mountains of Ararat on the 17th of the seventh month (right in the middle of God's annual Holy period known as the Feast of the Tabernacles). Jesus Christ gained a complete victory over death and the grave when God resurrected him near sunset on according to the Hebrew Calendar Nisan 17 (Saturday, April 8, 30 A.D.).
In the book of 1Corinthians the thirteenth chapter, the seventeenth mention of the word 'love' comes when the apostle Paul states that it is the GREATEST gift of all (1Corinthians 13:13). God's unending love (John 3:16) is truly victorious over all things. Those who stay faithful to God to the end of their lives will gain the victory over the grave when they are miraculously brought back to life (1Corinthians 15).
Daniel 7's beasts have seven heads and ten horns, for a total number of 17. They represent world-ruling powers from Daniel's time to the Second Coming of Jesus. The devil's end-time system (Revelation 13) will have seven heads and ten horns, which totals 17. All mankind will very soon obey and worship the devil and the Beast power. They will war against those who have faith in Jesus and keep the commandments, thus achieving a victory (though short-lived) against God's people (Revelation 13:1 - 8).
True Christians, however, will gain the ultimate victory over God's adversaries when he resurrects them back to life (Revelation 15:2; 20:4). One of the major themes of the Day of Atonement (commonly referred to as Yom Kippur), which occurs in the seventh Hebrew month on the tenth day, is the binding of Satan (Revelation 20). Thus, 10 plus 7 equal the number 17, which testifies to Christ's perfect overcoming of Satan. Now when we see 2017 we see the redeeming of Victory, the restoring of a tested and perfected praise back to the Body of Christ, which will bring about the healing and restoration of our land II Chronicles 7:14. WELCOME TO 2017
From the Desk of Dr. Michael N. Smith Sr.
Joel 2:21-24
EVERYTHING YOU WANT, IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FEAR......GET UP FROM WHERE YOUR AT AND GO TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE....
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. The prophet Joel literally brings it alive in the hearts of every man and woman. Fear not, don’t be afraid anymore God did not give you the Spirit of Fear but of Love, Power and a sound mind. Then the prophet begins to give us instruction how to enter into the realm of recovery and restoration. Be glad in the Hebrew this means to spin round under the influence of any violent emotion. Oh my friend we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a violent emotion of power, joy, healing and restoration that we have never experienced. But the prophet don’t only want you to be glad he continues by saying and rejoice; In the Hebrew it’s telling us to brighten up, cheer up, make merry and to rejoice arrogantly. Get so wrapped up in what God is doing in your life and the praise you have that you lose yourself in your praise. Remember this Job 3:25 says For the thing which I greatly (sense of dread) feared (was startled by) is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Friend, don’t walk in Fear or dread in this season for God is here to give you life and give it to you more abundantly. Last and certainly not least we see the prophet saying for the LORD will do great things. I'm telling you when you understand this in the original Hebrew translation you will shout......for it means to grow, become great or important. Make powerful praise magnify. Wow..all that out of the phrase will do great things.... Friend, it's hear get up and walk into it!!!!!
From the Desk of Dr. Michael Smith
I Kings 18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
Today my friends, The question is How long will America allow ourselves to be torn between two opinions, How long will we allow them to divide us and separate us for the word opinions in the Hebrew means to be cut off as a branch is removed from the tree. St. John chapter 15 verse 2 says Every branch Hebrew: Bread or communion) in me that beareth not fruit (Praises, which are presented to God as a thank offering)he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth ( to prune from guilt and useless shoots) it that it may bring forth more fruit. In closing my friend we see in Eph 4:11 that he gives the 5-fold ministry in verse 12 we see the purpose of the 5-fold ministry and in verse 13 it's so important that we notice the first 10 words 1,"Till we all come in the unity of the faith" it don't stop there 2. "and of the knowledge of the Son of God" 3. "unto a perfect man" 4. "unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" My friends the five fold ministry is to serve for a season and for a purpose. But we have allowed ourselves to be torn by religious opinions and denominational theories, that has and is preventing the five fold ministry from operating in a supernatural capacity rather than a natural capacity.
From the Desk of Dr. Michael Smith
The surgery for my father has been increased from a triple bypass to a Quad bypass. We ask all of our friends and family to please continue to support us in your prayers and your love during this season as we believe God is and will see us thru this season we are in. During this time all I keep hearing is the scripture that says In everything give (The act of surrendering) thanks: (The act of an expression) Now when we look at the word expression it's so important to fully understand because this is what we are surrendering to Expression: Something that manifests, embodies, or symbolizes something or someone else, a mode or means of representation of a higher power. for this is the will (Purpose, choice, desire and pleasure) of (Now this is very important because the word OF is so unique as it means that the word will is a representative of God. This brings to light the scripture in Pauls writings Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. God in Christ Jesus concerning you. My friend I have a promise that God is and will work this out for my praise embodies him because he has given me the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesses Isa. 61.
Thank you for your love and support...God bless
The surgery for my father has been increased from a triple bypass to a Quad bypass. We ask all of our friends and family to please continue to support us in your prayers and your love during this season as we believe God is and will see us thru this season we are in. During this time all I keep hearing is the scripture that says In everything give (The act of surrendering) thanks: (The act of an expression) Now when we look at the word expression it's so important to fully understand because this is what we are surrendering to Expression: Something that manifests, embodies, or symbolizes something or someone else, a mode or means of representation of a higher power. for this is the will (Purpose, choice, desire and pleasure) of (Now this is very important because the word OF is so unique as it means that the word will is a representative of God. This brings to light the scripture in Pauls writings Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. God in Christ Jesus concerning you. My friend I have a promise that God is and will work this out for my praise embodies him because he has given me the garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesses Isa. 61.
Thank you for your love and support...God bless
Friend, The Word of God says in Isaiah 52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem,the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.
Now let's break it down Awake not once but twice the word is used, it's important to take notice that there is a coma following the first awake and a semi colon following the second Awake. The first punctuation mark simply indicates to us that the writer wants us to slow down and take time to understand the word being used. and then by the use of the semi colon, we see the writer telling us again to pay attention to what we are reading..Awake in the Hebrew means to stir up to arouse, to be excited, to be triumphant. We see in the verse that the prophet Isaiah is trying to show us that in the New Testament Covenant God is simply trying to get the Body of Christ to arouse be stirred, and for us to put on his strength.... God is right now calling for us to to be stirred from our despondency. Friends, God is calling now for the Body of Christ to awake from our distrust, dullness, and sluggishness and for our expectations and confidence in our God to be restored. Friend, I challenge you to notice, the Prophet Isaiah is telling the people (YOU AND I) it's time to arouse ourselves from sleep and get up from where we are and go to where we want to be in him.
Stay tune more coming on this verse.......
Now let's break it down Awake not once but twice the word is used, it's important to take notice that there is a coma following the first awake and a semi colon following the second Awake. The first punctuation mark simply indicates to us that the writer wants us to slow down and take time to understand the word being used. and then by the use of the semi colon, we see the writer telling us again to pay attention to what we are reading..Awake in the Hebrew means to stir up to arouse, to be excited, to be triumphant. We see in the verse that the prophet Isaiah is trying to show us that in the New Testament Covenant God is simply trying to get the Body of Christ to arouse be stirred, and for us to put on his strength.... God is right now calling for us to to be stirred from our despondency. Friends, God is calling now for the Body of Christ to awake from our distrust, dullness, and sluggishness and for our expectations and confidence in our God to be restored. Friend, I challenge you to notice, the Prophet Isaiah is telling the people (YOU AND I) it's time to arouse ourselves from sleep and get up from where we are and go to where we want to be in him.
Stay tune more coming on this verse.......
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Where you are is as important as Who you are......
Friends, are you living a life where have almost achieved something, You almost seen God move in your circumstances, you almost got blessed in Church? The reality is my friend your living on the wrong side of Almost. The cause is you keep going into a new day, a new season with an old mindset. the scripture says in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed (FASHION ONESELF IN ACTIONS). to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing (RENOVATION) of your mind, (FACULTIES OF PERCEIVING AND UNDERSTANDING) that ye may prove (ALLOW) what is that good,(HONOURABLE) and acceptable, (WELL PLEASING) and perfect, (COMPLETE, MATURE, THE CONSUMMATION OF HUMAN INTEGRITY) will of God.
Friends, are you living a life where have almost achieved something, You almost seen God move in your circumstances, you almost got blessed in Church? The reality is my friend your living on the wrong side of Almost. The cause is you keep going into a new day, a new season with an old mindset. the scripture says in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed (FASHION ONESELF IN ACTIONS). to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing (RENOVATION) of your mind, (FACULTIES OF PERCEIVING AND UNDERSTANDING) that ye may prove (ALLOW) what is that good,(HONOURABLE) and acceptable, (WELL PLEASING) and perfect, (COMPLETE, MATURE, THE CONSUMMATION OF HUMAN INTEGRITY) will of God.
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Acts 2:1-2 says And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
First of all I want you to notice of few things in the scripture
1. when the day of Pentecost was fully come. first things the word day is referenced as season when the season of Pentecost Notice the word of as this indicates that the day and or season is a representative of Pentecost, now looking at the word Pentecost here we see the word Pentecost is referenced in the greek as fifty meaning jubilee the day of liberation and freedom. Now it's important that we understand that Pentecost is not a religion but it is an experience it was a time that was manifested by liberating men and women both spiritually and morally from slavery. Friend, truly we are a nation that has suffered both types of slavery, we have been and some are even as we speak enslaved to poverty, sickness, depression and fear. This is and has caused physical slavery to alcohol, tobacco, drugs and financial struggles. Now the writer is telling us that the season of liberation and freedom for God's people has fully matured and come to it's appointed time. But notice they were all with, now we know that from hearing this message thousands of times by many different men and women of God they preach they were in, but it's important to understand I'm not here to speak against them in any way, but to simply bring God's people to the understanding of what the writer if fully saying. The word in is not used in this verse as the writer writes the word With is used. The word in means to be enclosed or wrapped up in, while the word with means to be accompany, join and or lock forces. While this is powerful this is just the beginning of what God is saying to the body of Christ.
Now we see in verse 2 And suddenly meaning unexpectedly there came a sound (a noise, roar) from heaven as of a rushing (a gust of wind inwardly to be prompted) mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. This is the unique part that I want the body of Christ to get ahold of, here we see the scripture use the word house, it's not a physical house but a spiritual house and it's the circumstances, the chaos, and the burdens of everyday life. My friend God is coming in to change your environment of your life Paul said in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing (renewal, renovation) of your mind (The faculty of perceiving, understanding and feeling), that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect (to consummate complete and finished human integrity), will of God.
Friend, Get ready for your change God is about to overtake your circumstances and situations in life.
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The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; Why?
1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
The Spirit of Lord God is upon me because?
That is the question, Now it's important that we continue to study on to find out exactly why the anointing is upon us. Friend, your financial status, social status and church position does not determine whether or not the anointing is placed upon your life. This is something that was pre-determined in eternity past from the foundation of time. The Spirit (breath and mind) of (indicating the Spirit is a representative of someone or something) Lord (Master) God (Jehovah or JHVH) phrase. So now we see The mind and breath that we have is a representative of the Master confirming so many scriptures Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, And God breathed the breath of life into man and man became a living soul.
STAY TUNE FOR MORE TO COME!!
After dealing with the phrase "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; we now see a semi colon telling us to just simply pause and pay close attention to what we just read, for now the writer is preparing to assign us purpose.Truly we all need to feel like we have a purpose in life, as that is what the enemy sets out to do against us is to make us feel like we have no identity or purpose. After the semi colon we see the word because, which brings reason or purpose to us. My friend truly there is a reason and a purpose why the Spirit of the Lord God rest upon us. So the writer continues by saying because the Lord hath, Please pay attention to the word hath for that word is simply signifying that he has done something to us and for us in eternity past, so now we will see what was done in eternity past he hath anointed meaning to consecrate, appoint and ordain so now we see the Lord hath anointed or consecrated and ordained us with a purpose. Then the writer uses the word "me" signifying it's personal.
Well friend Tomorrow we will begin to find out why hath anointed us and why the Spirit of the Lord is upon us.
PLEASE STAY TUNE!!!! (and comments are appreciated)
6-19-2015
Well here we are again looking more and deeper into our purpose as a child of God. We know that the Spirit of the Lord God is upon us because he hath appointed and ordained us,but to do what? The scripture says to preach meaning to declare and publish good tidings the phrase good tidings in the Hebrew mean again to publish and show forth the good news of Christ. But then we learn who we are suppose to preach to...I think this is unique because there is a select group according to the prophet Isaiah preach good tidings to the meek, meaning the poor, weak and afflicted. Then we see a semi colon telling us to stop and think about what we just read.......so let's continue He being the Lord hath again notice it's a past tense phrase sent me (personal) to bind (to wrap up together), up the brokenhearted meaning those that are Spiritually, physically and emotionally a wreck, crushed.
WELL STAY TUNED FOR MORE TO COME!!!
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
The Spirit of Lord God is upon me because?
That is the question, Now it's important that we continue to study on to find out exactly why the anointing is upon us. Friend, your financial status, social status and church position does not determine whether or not the anointing is placed upon your life. This is something that was pre-determined in eternity past from the foundation of time. The Spirit (breath and mind) of (indicating the Spirit is a representative of someone or something) Lord (Master) God (Jehovah or JHVH) phrase. So now we see The mind and breath that we have is a representative of the Master confirming so many scriptures Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord, And God breathed the breath of life into man and man became a living soul.
STAY TUNE FOR MORE TO COME!!
After dealing with the phrase "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; we now see a semi colon telling us to just simply pause and pay close attention to what we just read, for now the writer is preparing to assign us purpose.Truly we all need to feel like we have a purpose in life, as that is what the enemy sets out to do against us is to make us feel like we have no identity or purpose. After the semi colon we see the word because, which brings reason or purpose to us. My friend truly there is a reason and a purpose why the Spirit of the Lord God rest upon us. So the writer continues by saying because the Lord hath, Please pay attention to the word hath for that word is simply signifying that he has done something to us and for us in eternity past, so now we will see what was done in eternity past he hath anointed meaning to consecrate, appoint and ordain so now we see the Lord hath anointed or consecrated and ordained us with a purpose. Then the writer uses the word "me" signifying it's personal.
Well friend Tomorrow we will begin to find out why hath anointed us and why the Spirit of the Lord is upon us.
PLEASE STAY TUNE!!!! (and comments are appreciated)
6-19-2015
Well here we are again looking more and deeper into our purpose as a child of God. We know that the Spirit of the Lord God is upon us because he hath appointed and ordained us,but to do what? The scripture says to preach meaning to declare and publish good tidings the phrase good tidings in the Hebrew mean again to publish and show forth the good news of Christ. But then we learn who we are suppose to preach to...I think this is unique because there is a select group according to the prophet Isaiah preach good tidings to the meek, meaning the poor, weak and afflicted. Then we see a semi colon telling us to stop and think about what we just read.......so let's continue He being the Lord hath again notice it's a past tense phrase sent me (personal) to bind (to wrap up together), up the brokenhearted meaning those that are Spiritually, physically and emotionally a wreck, crushed.
WELL STAY TUNED FOR MORE TO COME!!!
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.
4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
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"Focus Creates Blindness"
"Focus Creates Blindness"
Friend, Today as you start your day
remember this, "Focus creates
blindness". Focus totally on the
goodness of God and his blessing
for your life it's important to know
that 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we
look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the
things which are not seen are eternal. God has more planned for you than you are able to see
with your natural eyes.
"Focus Creates Blindness"
Friend, Today as you start your day
remember this, "Focus creates
blindness". Focus totally on the
goodness of God and his blessing
for your life it's important to know
that 2 Corinthians 4:18 While we
look not at the things which are
seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the
things which are not seen are eternal. God has more planned for you than you are able to see
with your natural eyes.
Count it!!!!
Friend, I was in a powerful anointed service Sunday morning with Pastor Debra Vails and Wow did she minister deliverance in the service, and as she began to speak God just simply began to bring things alive in my Spirit. Thank Sis. Debbie for the Word you ministered into our lives.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Friend, when looking at verse 2 there is so much more here than what we see by just reading this verse. the Word brethren in the Greek means a brother from the womb. And then as you look the writer says count it all joy meaning cheerfulness, calm and delight. when ye fall, This is most unique, For in the Greek the word fall here means to be encompassed or surrounded by or in the middle of something, The only thing as I came to this understanding was what the writer said in Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. and then you understand Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. So friend our being encompassed by circumstances, issues and the turmoils of life, we can't use them as excuses but we must use them as opportunities to excel ourselves into a new level in our relationships with God. Then we notice the writer uses the word divers, this was another word that took me by surprise for in the Greek the meaning is various colours, variegated meaning various costumes, tell me how many times does the enemy present things to us and they look so enticing and rich and good for us? But as we get into them we find the core is rotten and spoiled.....I know To Many!!!!!! The last word in this verse is truly another unique word as we see the word temptations in the Greek means adversity, affliction, trouble sent by God and serving to test one's character, faith and holiness
Stay Tuned
more coming on verse 3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Here we are in verse three and what a word to start out with, Knowing for in the Greek this word means to be aware of, be resolved, and understand. So the writer says Knowing this, that and the word that in the Greek mean because of. Knowing this that the trying proving, making trustworthy. knowing this, that the trying of your faith meaning the trying of your conviction, your character, your
Spiritual fervor and relationship with God. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the Substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So James is referring to the trying of the substance inside you to prove it, and in order to prove something it must first be tested. So now we see that the trying of our substance or faith worketh, meaning to finish, fashion and achieve a completeness in one's life.Wow...Most people in the world would have a allergic reaction to this next word....Because the trying of your substance or faith worketh Patience and Patience in the Greek means cheerful, hopeful, endurance constancy, steadfastness and loyalty and sustaining.... I challenge you to remember what the writer said in Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. It's important that we can and will acknowledge that God has a purpose for everything. I remember the book I wrote in the Philippines titled "From the prison of purpose to the prison of Praise" This was a revelation that God had to bring me through a difficult season in my life, so that he could reveal his reason or purpose for me and in my life.
Stay Tuned
more coming verse 4
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Well friend here we are and please forgive me for missing a day of writing. I hope you missed reading as much as I missed writing to my Internet family. Well were back and moving on to page 4 a most unique and power verse in this section of God's word. We see in verse three that the scripture ends with this statement that the trying of your faith worketh patience. And we begin verse 4 with the phrase; "But let patience" sometimes I don't think we really realize how much power we have in our lives, well if your not sure and sometimes feel totally powerless look and pay attention to the word "Let" which simply indicates to us that we allow, give permission and or yield authority to someone or something. Friend, it's up to you and I what we allow the enemy to impregnate us with. So continuing on we see what we have to yield to patience, I know to most people this is like a bad word....I remember one day when I was Pastoring a Church I was praying and cried out God give me patience....Wow...after about twenty four hours, lol I was sure sorry I prayed that prayer.....To be cheerful in turmoil, endurance, steadfastness....Trust me it sounds alot easier than it is...Patience is a person who is not swerved from their deliberate purpose and their loyalty to the faith. I know if your real with your self...Your like and God wants me to have or be what???? The writer in verse 4 is saying to us But let patience have to posses or take control of. This next part is quite unique as I heard this message preached this past Sunday morning at our Church by Prophetess Vails and when she came to this part the Holy Ghost quickened me because here we see that patience is referred to on the feminine side "But let patience have her. We see various things in the bible that are identified on one side or the other, we note that the Word is always referred to on the masculine side and the Spirit on the feminine side, We also notice in the book of Proverbs that Wisdom is referred to on the feminine side. But to be perfectly honest with you I was shocked that patience was referred to on the feminine side So lets take time to examine this what are feminine Characteristics: Again as usual God just blows me away for when I began to research the word feminine I found something that really stood out to me "Being unstressed, One way they described the word was one having the final chord on a weak beat, so to get some clarity on this I called a musician, and they told me it's showing the message that the purpose has and is accomplished. And then as I returned to the scripture in James I seen confirmation for the verse continued on saying But let faith have her perfect (which is complete full, and to equip with purpose fulfilled, and to consummate human integrity and virtue). work (deed, undertaking). here as we look at verse further we see the purpose, it's important God does noting without purpose my friend....The scripture ends the word work with a coma, so the writer is telling stop take a breath and fully grasp and understand what you have read. Now the writer continues on by saying that ye may be perfect (in other words to fully understand this that ye may exist, dwell in the fulfillment of God's purpose, which is being equipped) and entire wanting nothing. Wow tell me can you honestly believe that one dirty little word can put you in a place with God where you want nothing.....Well friend I'm going to end here and go ask for patience so I'm in a place of wanting nothing.....
God bless comments are truly appreciated....
Stay tuned
more coming verse 5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Well here we are at verse 5 and God's word never ceases to amaze me friend, Just take note how it starts out....God is always looking and wanting to equip his children. If any of you lack which in the Greek this means someone who feels inferior, or destitute, Let's face it this is a problem in the Church world the enemy is always trying to destroy our self esteem and confidence as a child of God. The writer says lack Wisdom and in the Greek Wisdom means knowledge and in the scripture we find in the Old Testament Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. So the writer is simply saying that we must have the understanding and knowledge of who and what we are in God. If you are lacking in this area you are vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy, so you must as the scripture says in James let him ask or in the Greek it means to crave desire even beg God for the knowledge and understanding of who and what you are in him. It's important that you find your place in the family of God. For the writer says if you lack Wisdom let him ask of God that giveth (to supply or furnish) to all men liberally (openly and sincerely) and upbraideth (bring a reproach upon) not; and it shall (the strongest covenant word) be given him..
Stay tuned
more coming Verse 6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Well here we are with more instruction and direction, I sometimes can't understand how we miss so much when the Word of God is full of direction and instruction for our daily lives. The bible says in verse six But let him ask, Here we see in the Greek this word means to have an uncontrollable crave, beg and desire for something. This is truly an area that we struggle in, it seems when we reach a point in our lives of wanting something, we stop craving and we get angry with God if what we want don't happen in our time frame. Then the writer continues by saying to have this uncontrollable craving in faith and we see in Hebrews 11:1 that the scripture says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So the writer in James is telling us to have an uncontrollable craving in the substance of our relationship and love for our creator and the reason being is that everything lives inside him. for again we see that the scripture says in St. John 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name (Character or Nature) that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. St. John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. So see my friend everything we desire for and crave for is in his name, Now it gets better friend, if everything is in his name and he lives within us than everything is within us already. So when we crave and ask we are simply craving and asking for the manifestation of that thing that we are craving to come forth from within us. Wow....That makes me want to shout.....Now we see in James more instruction and direction telling us that when we ask, we must do it wavering in nothing, Now let's look at the word wavering and see what nugget we find, for in the Greek we see the word wavering means to oppose, withdraw from, discriminate, hesitate and doubt. I remember reading one time that the words doubt and unbelief meant to have an affair on one....Wow..See when we doubt God's ability and power in our lives we are literally having a spiritual affair on him. Yes trust me I know sometimes it's so hard because we don't always understand why God is doing somethings and we wander, and thus we allow ourselves to drift off into a realm of doubt due to the fear of the unknown. This reminds me of a saying "When you least expect it, Expect it" Have you ever noticed that God always shows up in the midst of turmoil and trials, at the darkest moment of our lives? So as we continue to look into what James is telling us we see him describing what we look and act like when we waver in God. For he that wavereth is like a wave (a violent agitation of the sea) of the sea driven with the wind (to agitate) and tossed (ones mind in uncertainty between hope and fear). Friend, I challenge you today Be the change your looking for in your life for the writer Paul says in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God
Stay tuned
more coming verse 7
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Here we are another day and another season in our lives, and what a season it is my friend. This seventh verse is so revealing, that I think so many people that read it don't really understand it. So let's jump right in and see what instruction God has for us. He starts out by saying For let not that man, What man the man that is wavering than he uses a word that is simply amazing if we fully understand it. That word is think for in Proverbs 23:7 the scripture says For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. My friend the word thinketh means to be a gate keeper or a doorman. the instruction is don't be a doorman to the negative thoughts of the enemy. but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. but we see in James that the man that opens his mind, thoughts up to cause him to waver from his loyalty to God, God is simply saying he won't receive anything of the Lord. My friend, we must guard our thoughts, so that are confidence in the power of God does not waver.
Stay tuned
more coming verse 8
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Friend, out of any verse verse eight is one of the most misunderstood verses in the bible, we really don't understand the true biblical meaning of the words double-minded and unstable. Meaning that if we really don't understand the meaning then we can find ourselves in places where we don't understand why we feel and why things are happening the way they are. Let's dive into the verse and see exactly what the writer is saying to us regarding being double-minded and unstable. First of all the writer starts off by saying A double-minded meaning someone divided in interest and uncertain in opinion or purpose. A double minded man is, the word is as simple as it is it points us toward a direction of which we find the condition of a person living a double minded lifestyle. For the writer says A double-minded man is unstable, now as we study this word we can see the lives of so many people are here for unstable means restless someone likely to change course for no apparent reason. Think about it have you ever wandered why you never complete certain task whether it's on the job or home or even church? Constantly changing course from one thing to another. The prophet Elijah said How long will you be torn between two opinions? Friend, it's so important that we have stability in our lives, I challenge you today become stable in your life by establishing and solidifying your relationship with God.
Friend, I was in a powerful anointed service Sunday morning with Pastor Debra Vails and Wow did she minister deliverance in the service, and as she began to speak God just simply began to bring things alive in my Spirit. Thank Sis. Debbie for the Word you ministered into our lives.
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Friend, when looking at verse 2 there is so much more here than what we see by just reading this verse. the Word brethren in the Greek means a brother from the womb. And then as you look the writer says count it all joy meaning cheerfulness, calm and delight. when ye fall, This is most unique, For in the Greek the word fall here means to be encompassed or surrounded by or in the middle of something, The only thing as I came to this understanding was what the writer said in Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. and then you understand Genesis 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. So friend our being encompassed by circumstances, issues and the turmoils of life, we can't use them as excuses but we must use them as opportunities to excel ourselves into a new level in our relationships with God. Then we notice the writer uses the word divers, this was another word that took me by surprise for in the Greek the meaning is various colours, variegated meaning various costumes, tell me how many times does the enemy present things to us and they look so enticing and rich and good for us? But as we get into them we find the core is rotten and spoiled.....I know To Many!!!!!! The last word in this verse is truly another unique word as we see the word temptations in the Greek means adversity, affliction, trouble sent by God and serving to test one's character, faith and holiness
Stay Tuned
more coming on verse 3
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Here we are in verse three and what a word to start out with, Knowing for in the Greek this word means to be aware of, be resolved, and understand. So the writer says Knowing this, that and the word that in the Greek mean because of. Knowing this that the trying proving, making trustworthy. knowing this, that the trying of your faith meaning the trying of your conviction, your character, your
Spiritual fervor and relationship with God. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the Substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So James is referring to the trying of the substance inside you to prove it, and in order to prove something it must first be tested. So now we see that the trying of our substance or faith worketh, meaning to finish, fashion and achieve a completeness in one's life.Wow...Most people in the world would have a allergic reaction to this next word....Because the trying of your substance or faith worketh Patience and Patience in the Greek means cheerful, hopeful, endurance constancy, steadfastness and loyalty and sustaining.... I challenge you to remember what the writer said in Ecclesiastes 3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. It's important that we can and will acknowledge that God has a purpose for everything. I remember the book I wrote in the Philippines titled "From the prison of purpose to the prison of Praise" This was a revelation that God had to bring me through a difficult season in my life, so that he could reveal his reason or purpose for me and in my life.
Stay Tuned
more coming verse 4
But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Well friend here we are and please forgive me for missing a day of writing. I hope you missed reading as much as I missed writing to my Internet family. Well were back and moving on to page 4 a most unique and power verse in this section of God's word. We see in verse three that the scripture ends with this statement that the trying of your faith worketh patience. And we begin verse 4 with the phrase; "But let patience" sometimes I don't think we really realize how much power we have in our lives, well if your not sure and sometimes feel totally powerless look and pay attention to the word "Let" which simply indicates to us that we allow, give permission and or yield authority to someone or something. Friend, it's up to you and I what we allow the enemy to impregnate us with. So continuing on we see what we have to yield to patience, I know to most people this is like a bad word....I remember one day when I was Pastoring a Church I was praying and cried out God give me patience....Wow...after about twenty four hours, lol I was sure sorry I prayed that prayer.....To be cheerful in turmoil, endurance, steadfastness....Trust me it sounds alot easier than it is...Patience is a person who is not swerved from their deliberate purpose and their loyalty to the faith. I know if your real with your self...Your like and God wants me to have or be what???? The writer in verse 4 is saying to us But let patience have to posses or take control of. This next part is quite unique as I heard this message preached this past Sunday morning at our Church by Prophetess Vails and when she came to this part the Holy Ghost quickened me because here we see that patience is referred to on the feminine side "But let patience have her. We see various things in the bible that are identified on one side or the other, we note that the Word is always referred to on the masculine side and the Spirit on the feminine side, We also notice in the book of Proverbs that Wisdom is referred to on the feminine side. But to be perfectly honest with you I was shocked that patience was referred to on the feminine side So lets take time to examine this what are feminine Characteristics: Again as usual God just blows me away for when I began to research the word feminine I found something that really stood out to me "Being unstressed, One way they described the word was one having the final chord on a weak beat, so to get some clarity on this I called a musician, and they told me it's showing the message that the purpose has and is accomplished. And then as I returned to the scripture in James I seen confirmation for the verse continued on saying But let faith have her perfect (which is complete full, and to equip with purpose fulfilled, and to consummate human integrity and virtue). work (deed, undertaking). here as we look at verse further we see the purpose, it's important God does noting without purpose my friend....The scripture ends the word work with a coma, so the writer is telling stop take a breath and fully grasp and understand what you have read. Now the writer continues on by saying that ye may be perfect (in other words to fully understand this that ye may exist, dwell in the fulfillment of God's purpose, which is being equipped) and entire wanting nothing. Wow tell me can you honestly believe that one dirty little word can put you in a place with God where you want nothing.....Well friend I'm going to end here and go ask for patience so I'm in a place of wanting nothing.....
God bless comments are truly appreciated....
Stay tuned
more coming verse 5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Well here we are at verse 5 and God's word never ceases to amaze me friend, Just take note how it starts out....God is always looking and wanting to equip his children. If any of you lack which in the Greek this means someone who feels inferior, or destitute, Let's face it this is a problem in the Church world the enemy is always trying to destroy our self esteem and confidence as a child of God. The writer says lack Wisdom and in the Greek Wisdom means knowledge and in the scripture we find in the Old Testament Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. So the writer is simply saying that we must have the understanding and knowledge of who and what we are in God. If you are lacking in this area you are vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy, so you must as the scripture says in James let him ask or in the Greek it means to crave desire even beg God for the knowledge and understanding of who and what you are in him. It's important that you find your place in the family of God. For the writer says if you lack Wisdom let him ask of God that giveth (to supply or furnish) to all men liberally (openly and sincerely) and upbraideth (bring a reproach upon) not; and it shall (the strongest covenant word) be given him..
Stay tuned
more coming Verse 6
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Well here we are with more instruction and direction, I sometimes can't understand how we miss so much when the Word of God is full of direction and instruction for our daily lives. The bible says in verse six But let him ask, Here we see in the Greek this word means to have an uncontrollable crave, beg and desire for something. This is truly an area that we struggle in, it seems when we reach a point in our lives of wanting something, we stop craving and we get angry with God if what we want don't happen in our time frame. Then the writer continues by saying to have this uncontrollable craving in faith and we see in Hebrews 11:1 that the scripture says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So the writer in James is telling us to have an uncontrollable craving in the substance of our relationship and love for our creator and the reason being is that everything lives inside him. for again we see that the scripture says in St. John 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name (Character or Nature) that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. St. John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. So see my friend everything we desire for and crave for is in his name, Now it gets better friend, if everything is in his name and he lives within us than everything is within us already. So when we crave and ask we are simply craving and asking for the manifestation of that thing that we are craving to come forth from within us. Wow....That makes me want to shout.....Now we see in James more instruction and direction telling us that when we ask, we must do it wavering in nothing, Now let's look at the word wavering and see what nugget we find, for in the Greek we see the word wavering means to oppose, withdraw from, discriminate, hesitate and doubt. I remember reading one time that the words doubt and unbelief meant to have an affair on one....Wow..See when we doubt God's ability and power in our lives we are literally having a spiritual affair on him. Yes trust me I know sometimes it's so hard because we don't always understand why God is doing somethings and we wander, and thus we allow ourselves to drift off into a realm of doubt due to the fear of the unknown. This reminds me of a saying "When you least expect it, Expect it" Have you ever noticed that God always shows up in the midst of turmoil and trials, at the darkest moment of our lives? So as we continue to look into what James is telling us we see him describing what we look and act like when we waver in God. For he that wavereth is like a wave (a violent agitation of the sea) of the sea driven with the wind (to agitate) and tossed (ones mind in uncertainty between hope and fear). Friend, I challenge you today Be the change your looking for in your life for the writer Paul says in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God
Stay tuned
more coming verse 7
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Here we are another day and another season in our lives, and what a season it is my friend. This seventh verse is so revealing, that I think so many people that read it don't really understand it. So let's jump right in and see what instruction God has for us. He starts out by saying For let not that man, What man the man that is wavering than he uses a word that is simply amazing if we fully understand it. That word is think for in Proverbs 23:7 the scripture says For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. My friend the word thinketh means to be a gate keeper or a doorman. the instruction is don't be a doorman to the negative thoughts of the enemy. but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. but we see in James that the man that opens his mind, thoughts up to cause him to waver from his loyalty to God, God is simply saying he won't receive anything of the Lord. My friend, we must guard our thoughts, so that are confidence in the power of God does not waver.
Stay tuned
more coming verse 8
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Friend, out of any verse verse eight is one of the most misunderstood verses in the bible, we really don't understand the true biblical meaning of the words double-minded and unstable. Meaning that if we really don't understand the meaning then we can find ourselves in places where we don't understand why we feel and why things are happening the way they are. Let's dive into the verse and see exactly what the writer is saying to us regarding being double-minded and unstable. First of all the writer starts off by saying A double-minded meaning someone divided in interest and uncertain in opinion or purpose. A double minded man is, the word is as simple as it is it points us toward a direction of which we find the condition of a person living a double minded lifestyle. For the writer says A double-minded man is unstable, now as we study this word we can see the lives of so many people are here for unstable means restless someone likely to change course for no apparent reason. Think about it have you ever wandered why you never complete certain task whether it's on the job or home or even church? Constantly changing course from one thing to another. The prophet Elijah said How long will you be torn between two opinions? Friend, it's so important that we have stability in our lives, I challenge you today become stable in your life by establishing and solidifying your relationship with God.
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“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
2 Corinthians 4:7
"Let the waters be gathered together" Part 3
Well my friend, here we are looking at verse eleven, God here we find is declaring movement. I remember as a child they use to sing that song “The move is on my LORD the move is on” Friend, I’m telling you I’ve never felt more of an urgency in 43 years of ministry as I feel right now, there is truly a shifting in the foundations of the Church world as there is going on right now…..A changing of the guard if you please…..Let’s look at what God is declaring to us in verse eleven. And God said, Wow, what a way to start out a verse….if your struggling today remember 11. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth and it was so. God said! Let to give authorization, permission the Earth the inhabited land bring produce manifest or birth forth to shoot forth grow green grass the richness, fullness. Friend God is declaring a prophetic message to the body of Christ it’s time for us as the church to produce and manifest the richness and the fullness of his word. Then we see as God continues to speak, the herb meaning to glisten, yielding to become pregnant to be made pregnant, seed a practitioner of righteousness, and the fruit the reward to become fruitfulness, tree the firmness, yielding to exercise to fashion to be dressed to appoint and ordain. Fruit offspring after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. Truly during the creation of time as God was doing this in the natural it is and was a prophetic message to the body of Christ of what would take place in the Spiritual. I know some might say how can that be look at the placement of the first Adam in the garden of Eden and then look at the blessing that was placed upon mankind in verse 28 of the first chapter And God blessed them, (MANKIND) and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Notice there are 5 blessings placed upon man 5 steps of the unlimited favors of God, that he blesses mankind with…..Now it’s important to understand that the number 5 is two-fold it represents the in abilities and weakness of mankind which is demonstrated in the garden of Eden and then it also represents grace or atonement which was manifested with the cross experience. I challenge you friend every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is LORD…..every denominational wall will come down, man’s theories will fail! I’m reminded of the scripture in II Peter 3:9 The LORD is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Those blessing that were issued in Genesis 1:28 and that are laying dormant among God’s people in this hour, are ready to be revived, restored and manifested in the church. God bless we here at Liberty Ministry love and encourage your feedback and comments.
Dr. Michael And Rubie Smith
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"Let the waters be gathered together"
Part 2
Friend, it’s so important that when you look and study the scripture, That you don’t read the Word of God but you must Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed but rightly dividing the Word of truth. So let’s continue to look at verse 10. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. Here we see God called the dry the land Earth, in other words he called the dry land the ashamed confused inhabitants of the wilderness, for the word Earth here in the Hebrew means inhabitants of the land or wilderness. And then he begins to assign characteristics as he calls for the gathering together of the waters. He calls them Seas in the Hebrew meaning to roar. Now this is really unique for we see in the story of Jonah chapter 2:10 After the deliverance of Jonah from the watery grave, the LORD commanded the fish to deposit the prophet safely on the dry land, presumably on the coast of Palestine after the three-day return journey. Please notice after the three days in the watery grave the fish was instructed to deposit him on the “dry land” My friend, we may see one thing in the world but God is moving with an under current of his power and the Church is getting ready to be ushered into a coming together, breaking down denominational barriers, theories and doctrinal by-laws established by man…My friend, a Spiritual Earthquake like never before a shifting in the foundations.
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"Let the waters be gathered together"
Part 1
Genesis 1:9-10
9. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear and it was so. 10. And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11. And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth and it was so. 12. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13. And the evening and the morning were the third day.
Friend I believe Genesis is a very important and relevant book for the New Testament Church to fully understand what God’s plan is for the New Testament Church. As we see here in the first chapter and starting with the ninth verse. I love the way it starts we need to really adapt this statement in our lives when the enemy lies to us about the circumstances of life around us. “And God said” Meaning to appoint, declare and commune…Wow Let me assure you friend that you need to get ahold of this….For in the scripture in Paul’s writing In I Corinthians 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. Then look down at verse 49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Friend, if I’ve said it once I’ve declared it a thousand times the Old Testament is a architectural drawing of the New Testament. What God done in the Old testament is and was relevant for the natural side of the Church, but also a picture of the coming out of the New Testament Church in a more powerful Spiritual realm. So it’s important when you see verse nine And God said….This is a declaration of What we in the New Testament Church is about to see. Then he began to describes to us what will happen….Let (to allow, give permission) The Waters (The flood, the spring) under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, Friend, I can’t help but think of Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, (The day the church celebrated the decision of the Holy Ghost upon the church, And the church was Spiritually liberated) They were all with one accord in one place…..My friend John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. We are now entering the season the realm Where God is positioning the Body of Christ by gathering the waters under heaven unto one place….The day of multiple of theories, and denominations will be a thing of the past the waters will come together into one place. Just like they did on the day of Pentecost. God is calling the waters together meaning to bind together by twisting, unto (meaning in the Hebrew according to one’s standards). One (this is unique in the Hebrew it means to be properly united) place (region, quarter and direction). As I sit here, I can see in my Spirit what God is doing…….Get Ready!!!!!! God even has purpose for the dry ground those that feel left out beaten down discouraged and depressed for in Genesis 1:9 it says and let the dry (in the Hebrew we see this means ashamed, confused or disappointed). Let the dry land appear (In the Hebrew the word appear means to cause to see have vision, and learn). And friend what a way to end……”’and it was so” Here it comes You might as well prepare for change the waters are coming together…..God Bless you from Liberty ministry and Dr. & Mrs Smith
Dr. & Mrs Smith
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"To blessed to be stressed"
Part Three
Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners , not sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Wow my friend here we are again looking and understanding the process of how to be blessed, but not only how to be blessed but how to live in the blessing. As we continue in verse three, the first word that is there simply is And….This is telling us that verse three is a continuation of verse 2 And he shall (this is probably one of the powerful words spoken as it’s a decree a covenant word over one’s life) be (if you remember back this word means to exist, dwell or marry) like (to resemble take on the characteristics of someone or something) Tree (in the Hebrew this means to be firm unmovable) Planted (to transplant)(This is God taking you from the chaotic surrounding of this world and hiding you in his presence Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty). By the rivers of water, that bringeth forth (to be published to be assigned, to avenge) his fruit (offspring) in his season(experience or occasion) Remember there are 28 season the writer deals with in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. His leaf (anointing) also shall not wither (to be senseless or foolish or to fade away); and whatsoever he doeth (Not just do but to accomplish and produce). Shall prosper (advance, make progress, to show or experience prosperity). Please take time and process this word as I believe your life and surroundings will be changed. God bless and please comments are appreciated, they let us know that people are being blessed and they minister to other people that may be going through the same thing you are.
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To blessed to be stressed
Part 1
Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners , not sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 2. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
Wow my friend what a word to start out with “Blessed” meaning in the Hebrew how happy or if you look at the numerology aspect of the word with seven letters and seven being the number of Spiritual perfection meaning to be spiritually equipped or furnished. If that don’t get your spiritual blood flowing this morning you need to check your spiritual pulse!!
Is the man that walketh meaning to behave oneself, to exercise in the manner as them) not in the counsel meaning don’t lean or seek their advice. Why not because it’s the counsel of the ungodly, someone hostile to God, condemned and wicked. Nor standeth to abide, arise, remain in a place In the way moral character of sinners which leaves us exposed to condemnation. Nor sitteth to be inhabited to give a dwelling place in the seat of the scornful to be inflated a mocker to think of yourself better than another. What a prescription for you and I to walk in the blessings of God. Friend I challenge you to get up from where your at and go to where you want to be……..God bless you and please comments are encouraged and appreciated.
Mike & Rubie
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Lavish Praise
Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. Here we are talking about how God is going to enrich and bless us in a season of turmoil. I’m telling friend I get so blessed when I see how God just totally takes over right in the midst of Chaos. The prophet Joel is speaking prophetically to us again by saying in the 23rdverse Be (To exist, dwell and marry) Glad(To spin round under the influence of a violent emotion) ye children (A characterization of the son’s of God) of Zion (parched place). This statement right here proves that God manifest during turmoil in our lives and regardless of our circumstances. Now the prophet is telling us to Rejoice in not with but in simply to arrogant with our praise about our God, while wrapped up and enclosed in his presence and character. So it’s our duty to have a arrogant praise in the LORD. But not just the LORD but the LORD your God. Oh here it comes friend there is always a reward and a blessed when we learn how to rejoice in the LORD. For he hath given (past tense) you the former rain moderately, (Think about it for a minute)!!
And (a mathematical equation) he will cause to come down for you….(It’s personal he see’s where your at and what your going through) the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. I’m telling children of God “I HEAR THE SOUND OF AN ABUNDANCE OF RAIN” There is coming a rain storm of Holy Ghost Power upon God’s people, that will put us in the place God has intended for us to be. God bless you from Liberty ministry and Dr. and Mrs. Michael Smith.
Mike & Rubie Smith
Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. Here we are talking about how God is going to enrich and bless us in a season of turmoil. I’m telling friend I get so blessed when I see how God just totally takes over right in the midst of Chaos. The prophet Joel is speaking prophetically to us again by saying in the 23rdverse Be (To exist, dwell and marry) Glad(To spin round under the influence of a violent emotion) ye children (A characterization of the son’s of God) of Zion (parched place). This statement right here proves that God manifest during turmoil in our lives and regardless of our circumstances. Now the prophet is telling us to Rejoice in not with but in simply to arrogant with our praise about our God, while wrapped up and enclosed in his presence and character. So it’s our duty to have a arrogant praise in the LORD. But not just the LORD but the LORD your God. Oh here it comes friend there is always a reward and a blessed when we learn how to rejoice in the LORD. For he hath given (past tense) you the former rain moderately, (Think about it for a minute)!!
And (a mathematical equation) he will cause to come down for you….(It’s personal he see’s where your at and what your going through) the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. I’m telling children of God “I HEAR THE SOUND OF AN ABUNDANCE OF RAIN” There is coming a rain storm of Holy Ghost Power upon God’s people, that will put us in the place God has intended for us to be. God bless you from Liberty ministry and Dr. and Mrs. Michael Smith.
Mike & Rubie Smith
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Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. What a word for this hour by starting off with three powerful words. Be not afraid!! I guess my question is of What? We serve and all power, all knowing, all seeing God that holds our destiny, our path in his hands. Truly the prophet said it “Be not afraid” In the midst of turmoil and chaos God is bringing about a calming spirit upon the land, While some preachers are preaching doom and gloom and despair God is saying to the body of Christ love me and serve me and put your life in my hands and you have NOTHING to fear!!!! Then the prophet continues by saying for the pastures (habitation meadows) Psalms 23 “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” of the wilderness do spring, for the tree Psalms 1 “Ye shall be like a tree planted by the rivers” beareth (to support, sustain and endue) her fruit (offspring). Friend, God don’t base his care on social status, income, race or religion or cultural background. For the prophet confirms that here by ending that verse the fig tree and the vine do yield (to distribute, deliver, appoint) their strength (a force a army of virtue, valor and strength. To be able active with might power and riches) but friend we all have work to do it don’t matter if you feel like a fig tree or vine both will yield their strength each and every one of us have something to do today for God Get up from where your at and be about the father’s business.
Mike & Rubie Smith
We care and so does Christ!!!
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Everything you want is on the other side of Fear
Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. The prophet Joel literally brings it alive in the hearts of every man and woman. Fear not, don’t be afraid anymore God did not give you the Spirit of Fear but of Love, Power and a sound mind. Then the prophet begins to give us instruction how to enter into the realm of recovery Be glad in the Hebrew this means to spin round under the influence of any violent emotion. Oh my friend we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a violent emotion of power, joy, healing and restoration that we have never experienced. But the prophet don’t only want you to be glad he continues by saying and rejoice; In the Hebrew it’s telling us to brighten up, cheer up, make merry and to rejoice arrogantly. Get so wrapped up in what God is doing in your life and the praise you have that you lose yourself in your praise. Remember this Job 3:25 says For the thing which I greatly (sense of dread) feared (was startled by) is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Friend, don’t walk in Fear or dread in this season for God is here to give you life and give it to you more abundantly. Last and certainly not least we see the prophet saying for the LORD will do great things. I'm telling you when you understand this in the original Hebrew translation you will shout......for it means to grow, become great or important. Make powerful praise magnify. Wow..all that out of the phrase will do great things.... Friend, it's hear get up and walk into it!!!!!
Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith
Call for Bookings now
719-964-2245 or 719-320-4677
Joel 2:21-24
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. 22. Be not afraid, ye beast of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Friend, this is our day, our season, our time of restoration and healing for the body of Christ. The prophet Joel literally brings it alive in the hearts of every man and woman. Fear not, don’t be afraid anymore God did not give you the Spirit of Fear but of Love, Power and a sound mind. Then the prophet begins to give us instruction how to enter into the realm of recovery Be glad in the Hebrew this means to spin round under the influence of any violent emotion. Oh my friend we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a violent emotion of power, joy, healing and restoration that we have never experienced. But the prophet don’t only want you to be glad he continues by saying and rejoice; In the Hebrew it’s telling us to brighten up, cheer up, make merry and to rejoice arrogantly. Get so wrapped up in what God is doing in your life and the praise you have that you lose yourself in your praise. Remember this Job 3:25 says For the thing which I greatly (sense of dread) feared (was startled by) is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. Friend, don’t walk in Fear or dread in this season for God is here to give you life and give it to you more abundantly. Last and certainly not least we see the prophet saying for the LORD will do great things. I'm telling you when you understand this in the original Hebrew translation you will shout......for it means to grow, become great or important. Make powerful praise magnify. Wow..all that out of the phrase will do great things.... Friend, it's hear get up and walk into it!!!!!
Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith
Call for Bookings now
719-964-2245 or 719-320-4677
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They were all ? one accord
Acts 2:1-2
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Friend, it’s coming Church get ready it’s coming. Pentecost was a unique time of liberation and freedom for all under any type of bondage in the natural, But we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a new wave of Pentecost where we that are under spiritual bondage will be set free from the slavery of our health, financial, racial and cultural bondages. Let’s look at what the writer was saying for a moment Notice if you will they are all with one accord they were not in one accord. Accord in the Greek this is translated as to having one passion, How long has it been since we seen all churches in that place? It seems like we live in a day where everyone has their own agenda. And then verse 2 says “Suddenly” unexpectedly ….I’m telling you my friend it’s on the verge of happening and it will take the church world by surprise as they will be ushered into the upper room of the Spirit of God and liberated from all that has bound them down…..But you must be ready…..Why must we be ready you say? Look at the word sound in the Greek we see that as a loud confused noise, a roar of sea waves. Just picture it the body of Christ roaring through the land with a roar of rushing water….Friend, A flow of rushing water moves everything out of it’s way nothing can stop it or hinder it…… And then we see the word rushing meaning to bring in by announcing an inward move of the mind. That will bring a forcible move of the Spirit of God upon the land. And that forcible move will be the wind that will fill the house and that wind is the respiration or breath of God that is revitalizing and restoring life, healing and joy back to the Body of Christ.
God bless you from Liberty Ministry and Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith
Acts 2:1-2
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Friend, it’s coming Church get ready it’s coming. Pentecost was a unique time of liberation and freedom for all under any type of bondage in the natural, But we as the body of Christ are getting ready to experience a new wave of Pentecost where we that are under spiritual bondage will be set free from the slavery of our health, financial, racial and cultural bondages. Let’s look at what the writer was saying for a moment Notice if you will they are all with one accord they were not in one accord. Accord in the Greek this is translated as to having one passion, How long has it been since we seen all churches in that place? It seems like we live in a day where everyone has their own agenda. And then verse 2 says “Suddenly” unexpectedly ….I’m telling you my friend it’s on the verge of happening and it will take the church world by surprise as they will be ushered into the upper room of the Spirit of God and liberated from all that has bound them down…..But you must be ready…..Why must we be ready you say? Look at the word sound in the Greek we see that as a loud confused noise, a roar of sea waves. Just picture it the body of Christ roaring through the land with a roar of rushing water….Friend, A flow of rushing water moves everything out of it’s way nothing can stop it or hinder it…… And then we see the word rushing meaning to bring in by announcing an inward move of the mind. That will bring a forcible move of the Spirit of God upon the land. And that forcible move will be the wind that will fill the house and that wind is the respiration or breath of God that is revitalizing and restoring life, healing and joy back to the Body of Christ.
God bless you from Liberty Ministry and Dr. Michael & Rubie Smith
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Why do I have to be content with my state?
Philippians 4:11-12
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need
Tell me have you ever read a scripture in the bible and you feel like that scripture is a brief description of your life? As I read this verse I felt like I have the T-shirt and trophy for this. I guess the hardest thing in the world is to understand the scripture in I Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. How in the world do you expect me to give thanks in seasons of abasement? The writer Paul said in Philippians 4 for I have learned, to have knowledge by association with something, and to be accustomed to something. In whatsoever state or season of life I’m in therewith to be content. I guess the question is, what really is it meant by content when we are children of the Most high King? How can we be content in the season of want, need, hurt and pain? I think of the scripture in I Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. I remember as a child and I hear so many church people today quote this scripture There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, and then one day I noticed something and that was a simple little comma. And that comma told me to take a breath because there is more to come. that ye may be able to bear it. Wow…Now I see that scripture in a whole new light…..We have a tendency to think God is going to bail us out of everything that happens in our lives, People try to make it sound like being a Christian is a bed of roses and I guess you can associate the two because a rose bed is full of thorns, and so also is the life of a Christian. For the bible says in Romans 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. But friend in II Timothy 2:12 we are rewarded If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: I Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. But in as much as that all is incredibly awesome the question remains How in the world can I be expected to be content in those seasons? Well let’s look closer at the scripture to understand what is expected of us as believers. To be content in the Greek we see it references sufficient for one’s self, strong enough or processing enough to need no aid or support. Webster’s says satisfied. I once heard someone say attitude determines altitude, and that is a very true statement. God puts us in seasons to teach us the spirit of gratification and thanksgiving. Gratitude is the key to opening new doors to new seasons in our life. That is how and why it’s important for us to learn to be content in the season of want, need, hurt and pain. We must understand we only have them so that God can reveal his power and glory in and around our lives. The length of the season will be determined by the contentment and gratitude in our hearts. So friend in closing if your searching for the will of God for your life, understand the scripture in I Thessalonians 5:18 In (wrapped up or enclosed in a season) every thing give (yield) thanks: for this is the will (plan, desire) of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. For when we do this then and only then do you experience and understand what the writer Paul says. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose II Corinthians 4:16-17 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, (season) worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.
Dr & Mrs. Michael Smith
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Where is your strength?
Philippians 4:13
Here we see the early church was unanimous in its testimony that Philippians was written by the apostle Paul. I feel this letter reveals the stamp of genuineness. It’s evident that Paul wrote the letter from prison, and likely with the help of Timothy. The time of writing the Book of Philippians was approximately A.D. 61.. Talk about empowering and enriching one’s life, The scripture we are dealing with today will make you feel like there is nothing you can’t overcome. Phillippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Personally I I love the way it starts off very personal…”I can do” truly that is a statement that each and every one of us need to learn, as it seems when we become overwhelmed with the circumstances of life that we will feel weak and powerless…sometimes this is brought on by the circumstances of life and sometimes by another person of a religious background that becomes critical and judgmental because of the way you feel. But the bible says friend, II Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. It’s in the times and season’s of weakness when we actually experience the power and the presence of God’s strength in our lives. I’ve always thought is was funny how the religious world criticizes one when they struggle in life but the fact remains you will never know God as a healer if your never sick, you will never know God has a provider if you don’t experience need, The fact is God allows us to walk through season in our lives so that he can reveal his love and power to us. This is exactly why Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things. One key word in that phrase is do in the Greek this means to have or exercise the force, to be whole in body, to be in sound health. Wow…Just think everytime we say the phrase “I can do” we are exercising the force of the power of God in our lives. And demonstrating that we are whole in body and sound in health. Then we see a little word that we probably never really pay a lot of attention to. That word is “All” first of all 3 is the number of spiritual completeness, and in Webster’s all is defined to be complete and the entire amount. Friend, God didn’t empower us to win half the battle, but to be complete in all that we do in life. This is why the writer says “All things through Christ, there is no other way friend, you must learn to put your total trust and dependency upon God. For Christ means the anointed one and it’s because of the anointing the yoke shall be destroyed NO OTHER WAY! Friend, it’s through him alone that we are strengthened, meaning to be strong, endued with strength, to be bold and as I read this I had to laugh for one Greek interpretation of the word strengthened is to be head strong. So the next time someone tells you, your head strong take it as a complement.
God bless you from Dr. & Mrs. Smith and Liberty Ministry.
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"Identifying the enemy in your life"
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Friend, this is a scripture that if we fully understand it, we realize that the enemy is really powerless. You will understand that the enemy operates only through deception and lies, and through the impregnation of negative thoughts, other than that God has removed all access from him. If you notice Satan had to go before God and gain approval and permission to do what was done to job, so really the things Job went thru were brought on by God not by Satan. I know this probably shakes some religious minds up.... First of all let’s look at 1 Peter 5:8 and the first word is Be, This in itself is an empowering, enriching word that is spoken as a command, for we see in webster’s that Be means to have an existence to dwell in or with. There is a place in God we can dwell (Psalms 91:1) Next let’s look at the word sober: In the Greek it means to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate and not influenced or effected by emotions. Stop and think for a minute, how many times do things happen in our life, where we make wrong decisions because they are only done thru emotions? Next, we see the writer again saying be vigilant: In the Greek we see that this is giving us instruction of how we can be sober in our lives and in and the circumstances that we face on a daily basis. For us to be vigilant we must collect our faculties, wake up arouse ourself from sleep, sitting or lying, from disease , or death from obscurity, inactivity, and nonexistence lest some destructive calamity suddenly overtake us. this is confirming that the enemy operates thru deception and lies only. I don’t know about you but we could stop there and I already feel more equipped to handle things in life, just simply by understanding how the enemy operates, and what I must do and how I must live in order to combat his deceptive ways. Next, we see the writer identifying him as the devil this in important for we see thru the scriptures that he (the devil) has many names or characters as he presents himself to us. This is important so that we can identify what character or nature we are up against in life. When we see devil we see the character of someone slanderous, accusing falsely, exposing to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation. This is confirming over and over again that the enemy only operates thru deception and lies. For now we continue and see the devil as a, these are very important words for without them, the entire meaning of the scripture is changed and the enemies ability and weaponry becomes stronger against us. It simply is showing and exposing him to the body of Christ as someone that tries to appear ferocious….Please, it’s important that you don’t take him lightly at all…but don’t let him instill a fear in you, that he is more than what he actually is. For here we see the scripture comparing him to a roaring lion, but notice now he walketh about, I don’t know about you but as I read, there are those little words that appear so insignificant, but they seem to catch my attention and they seem to reveal so much in the scripture that over the years we have passed by. For here we see that the word about is used in a negative to express intent or determination to accomplish something. Now he’s seeking in the Greek this is referencing to seek out by thinking, to enquire into to crave someone or something. Wow….Now we see the writer ends this verse in a bang by revealing his intention and purpose…”whom he may devour” the Greek says to gulp up swallow destroy drink down. My favorite writer in the scripture says it better than all in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Not every situation or circumstance in life is what it appears to be, the enemy and life presents it much more complicated than it actually is. Step back and look at your problem thru the eyes of your understanding Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. I pray this has done as much for you as it has for me Please comments are encouraged and appreciated Thank you and God bless.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Friend, this is a scripture that if we fully understand it, we realize that the enemy is really powerless. You will understand that the enemy operates only through deception and lies, and through the impregnation of negative thoughts, other than that God has removed all access from him. If you notice Satan had to go before God and gain approval and permission to do what was done to job, so really the things Job went thru were brought on by God not by Satan. I know this probably shakes some religious minds up.... First of all let’s look at 1 Peter 5:8 and the first word is Be, This in itself is an empowering, enriching word that is spoken as a command, for we see in webster’s that Be means to have an existence to dwell in or with. There is a place in God we can dwell (Psalms 91:1) Next let’s look at the word sober: In the Greek it means to be calm and collected in spirit, to be temperate and not influenced or effected by emotions. Stop and think for a minute, how many times do things happen in our life, where we make wrong decisions because they are only done thru emotions? Next, we see the writer again saying be vigilant: In the Greek we see that this is giving us instruction of how we can be sober in our lives and in and the circumstances that we face on a daily basis. For us to be vigilant we must collect our faculties, wake up arouse ourself from sleep, sitting or lying, from disease , or death from obscurity, inactivity, and nonexistence lest some destructive calamity suddenly overtake us. this is confirming that the enemy operates thru deception and lies only. I don’t know about you but we could stop there and I already feel more equipped to handle things in life, just simply by understanding how the enemy operates, and what I must do and how I must live in order to combat his deceptive ways. Next, we see the writer identifying him as the devil this in important for we see thru the scriptures that he (the devil) has many names or characters as he presents himself to us. This is important so that we can identify what character or nature we are up against in life. When we see devil we see the character of someone slanderous, accusing falsely, exposing to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation. This is confirming over and over again that the enemy only operates thru deception and lies. For now we continue and see the devil as a, these are very important words for without them, the entire meaning of the scripture is changed and the enemies ability and weaponry becomes stronger against us. It simply is showing and exposing him to the body of Christ as someone that tries to appear ferocious….Please, it’s important that you don’t take him lightly at all…but don’t let him instill a fear in you, that he is more than what he actually is. For here we see the scripture comparing him to a roaring lion, but notice now he walketh about, I don’t know about you but as I read, there are those little words that appear so insignificant, but they seem to catch my attention and they seem to reveal so much in the scripture that over the years we have passed by. For here we see that the word about is used in a negative to express intent or determination to accomplish something. Now he’s seeking in the Greek this is referencing to seek out by thinking, to enquire into to crave someone or something. Wow….Now we see the writer ends this verse in a bang by revealing his intention and purpose…”whom he may devour” the Greek says to gulp up swallow destroy drink down. My favorite writer in the scripture says it better than all in Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Not every situation or circumstance in life is what it appears to be, the enemy and life presents it much more complicated than it actually is. Step back and look at your problem thru the eyes of your understanding Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints. I pray this has done as much for you as it has for me Please comments are encouraged and appreciated Thank you and God bless.
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Your Special to the body of Christ
Don't allow your value to be measured by someone Else
Friend, we live in a world where it seems someone is always trying to show dominance and control over someone else, whether it's in the work place or church or even in the home. The worst thing a person can experience is a lack of self esteem, and feel inferior to someone else they have contact with on a daily basis. Sometimes this is brought on by social status, Financial status, race or religious affiliation. The Scripture actually deals with this in Genesis 1:16-18 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. God created two and both are identified as great lights the word lights in the Hebrew mean luminary light, luminous body, cheerfulness. This is actually a great description of the body of Christ, we also see in the scripture Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Your status or position in God's eyes is not determined by social status, Financial status, race or religious affiliation. It has been pre-determined by God since the foundation of time. And no one can alter or remove that purpose and destiny in your life! The part that amazes me the most about the scripture in genesis is the fact that God actually takes and gives responsibilities to both lights the greater light meaning the mature light to rule the day season then he refers to the next light as the lesser light meaning young small insignificant unimportant imature but he assigns this light the night season the season of gloom adversity the midnight season. although one is identified as greater than the other they both are assigned a purpose and destiny in life, and no one other than God has the power to alter your purpose and or your destiny in life. Friend, you are special in Gods eyes and don't allow someone in your path to make you feel inferior to them. You are created in the image of a sovereign God. Enjoy your life......
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Smith
Please visit us at
www.libertyministrywarriors.weebly.com
Don't allow your value to be measured by someone Else
Friend, we live in a world where it seems someone is always trying to show dominance and control over someone else, whether it's in the work place or church or even in the home. The worst thing a person can experience is a lack of self esteem, and feel inferior to someone else they have contact with on a daily basis. Sometimes this is brought on by social status, Financial status, race or religious affiliation. The Scripture actually deals with this in Genesis 1:16-18 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. God created two and both are identified as great lights the word lights in the Hebrew mean luminary light, luminous body, cheerfulness. This is actually a great description of the body of Christ, we also see in the scripture Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Your status or position in God's eyes is not determined by social status, Financial status, race or religious affiliation. It has been pre-determined by God since the foundation of time. And no one can alter or remove that purpose and destiny in your life! The part that amazes me the most about the scripture in genesis is the fact that God actually takes and gives responsibilities to both lights the greater light meaning the mature light to rule the day season then he refers to the next light as the lesser light meaning young small insignificant unimportant imature but he assigns this light the night season the season of gloom adversity the midnight season. although one is identified as greater than the other they both are assigned a purpose and destiny in life, and no one other than God has the power to alter your purpose and or your destiny in life. Friend, you are special in Gods eyes and don't allow someone in your path to make you feel inferior to them. You are created in the image of a sovereign God. Enjoy your life......
Dr. & Mrs. Michael Smith
Please visit us at
www.libertyministrywarriors.weebly.com
Word for the season
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Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
I once heard a saying you are what you eat said a wise old man, and God if thats true I'm a garbage can. This is such a true statement, We find that the word thinketh in the Hebrew means to act as a gate keeper, We open the gateways of our lives up to so much trash. Friend we are the gate keepers of our appetites, passions and emotions of the heart Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Truly what ever you take in on this day is what you will be at the end of the day....Don't be a dump for someone's trash today
Philippians 4:8 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.
Who is your Husband?
Friend, this is a prophetic story of the body of Christ in the church world today. Please as you read this apply it to your life who is the dominant force in your soul today?
John 4:16-18
16. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither
In this verse the husband represent what part of her soul is dominant in her life. Romans 8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the spirit , the things of the Spirit. For according to Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. 25. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; This is proven in St. John 4:12 when the woman of Samaria ask Jesus Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle. Proving that the husband in her life was not physical but the part of her soul that was dominant at that point in her life.
17. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
Here we see that in her heart she acknowledges and realizes that she is lacking and missing something in her life, as she denies having a husband and having a relationship.
18. For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
But Jesus being the man that he is begins to read her mail, and let's her know that she has had five husbands, in other words she has had knowledge (intimacy & relationship) with grace as five is the number of grace and atonement. And then Christ continues by telling her the one she is with is not her husband 5+1=6 and six here represents the number of man or carnal and natural. Circumstances in our lives have caused us to have an affair on grace and step out on the grace of God. But friend I admonish you in this hour to remember the scripture in Romans 6:1-2 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? God once told Moses “Take off your shoes for the ground you walk on is holy ground, and that is symbolic of your willing to put your shoes under my bed but you won’t marry me…..Don’t be caught in the type of relationship with Christ make the commitment today!!!!!
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How can I get the devil to leave?
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
This is a very powerful concept that alot of Christians don't fully understand, they go around screaming at the devil, crying and stomping and seeing nothing accomplished. First of all you must learn what it means to submit, meaning to yield to a superior force or authority or will. It's important that we understand that God will not force his plan or will upon you, but you must yield to the plan of God. and then you must submit to God not your circumstance or surrounding. Next we see that thru the submission we now become empowered, Resist: To stand against, to oppose with praise, to remain uninjured and unaffected. Wow...See this has nothing to do with yelling, screaming and stomping in frustration and anger. By submitting to the plan of God in your life you are being empowered to oppose and stand against and remain uninjured and unaffected against the things of the enemy.
Submit=6+Resist=6=12 The number of God's government
What is Sin? Define the concept of Sin
Have you ever set back and thought about something so intense that it bothered you, You know that thing that started out so little and so simple. But the more you thought about it the more complicated you made it?
"Your problem is your solution, and your solution is your problem"
"Focus creates blindness"
I know, your saying Dr. Smith over thinks to many things, but remember the bible says. Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes. SS 2:15
Now for just a moment, ask yourself to define the concept of sin, Are you starting to think of the ten commandments? maybe alcohol, cigarettes? oh we could on for hours maybe days listing things, murder, theft and other prohibited acts. However in the Hebrew, the word is pronounced: chet for sin. The word לְהַחטִיא carries an idea of making a mistake and missing the target. Now ask yourself how many times in a day have you made a mistake or missed the mark? But really we all have our religious ideas of what sin is and we have all taken on the task judging many in our life time But what does Sin mean in Hebrew? Judges 20:16 says this about warriors from Benjamin, “Out of all these people 700 choice men were left-handed; each one could sling a stone at a hair and not miss.” This phrase לֹא יַחֲטִא pronounced: lo yachti means “missing the target”. Related to "חֵטְא" pronounced: chet is another longer form of this word "חַטָּאת" pronounced: chatat this was the name of “sin offering” in Jerusalem Temple Lev 4:3. I personally think it is breathtaking to see how Hebrew language can work. This same word that meant “sin, making an error, or missing the mark”, connected to the sin offering in the Temple itself, becomes a word that can also signify the concept of purification! In Leviticus 14:49 Israelites are instructed about how to cleanse the house from strange mold, “To cleanse the house then, he shall take two birds…” The phrase “to cleanse the house” is "לְחַטֵּא אֶת־הַבַּיִת" lechateh et habait in Hebrew has the word "חֵטְא" chet which is the same word that is connected with “sin or sin offering”. So much so that in the Modern State of Israel for “disinfection” purposes they use the term "חִטֵּא" pronounced: chiteh.