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Who ever finds this webpage I would consider it a privilege to help you some way if you think of yourself as a Christian. I think in my life that I found in this Christianity the goal of the faith. And I don't want to offend anyone because this faith is supposed to build you up so that you can stand proud before the Lord Jesus.
Maybe I should explain myself a bit, before you read on because you don't know me. I was born in 1958 in the town of San Mateo. My town is south of San Francisco about twenty miles. I went to the public schools near my home. In 1969, I joined the boy scouts and made it to the rank of Life Scout by about 1973. In Junior High School, I was introduced to marajuana. I hung around with people that also smoked marijuana. When I look back at that exact moment and time that I took that first hit of this drug, that the course of my life must have turned a page for the worse. When I was 16 and attending high school I flipped over the handle bars on my bicycle and broke my front teeth, and I was high on marijuana at the time. I mean that if I can help anyone right now and today, if they question whether using drugs is ok, or if they are lost as to what to do. I can say that without a doubt, I found out that this use of drugs will only hold your life back. All the good things of life can or could possibly pass you by, and you won't realize what is happening. I will warn you now, if you are using drugs that are known to be illegal and dangerous, you would be better off to throw out any of these drugs, and never use these substances again. I realize now that my life would have been better and more wholesome, and I would have enjoyed a better life, and might have lived longer and had a family. But as it turned out, I didn't have a wife or children. And I never held a job for any length of time. Maybe it was me, because I was using drugs, or maybe the people that hired me must have known I was using drugs. The way it worked out was I didn't amount to my full potential. To this day I am living at home with mom, my mom is 91 and I have been taking care of her for 10 years. I don't think it is a bad thing or that God judges my life for the way it all turned out, but I want to let you know that there is a piviotal moment in everyone's life that it could go bad, or good and you can not take it back.
By the time 1977 came and went I had finished high school. When I graduated I was still using drugs and had made no preperations to continue my education. I signed up with the commuinity college as a late registrant, in art and ceramic classes. I mean I had no definite major that meant anything for my life. Up to this time in my life I was never a working man. I had only held temporary employment via agencies. I mean living on a few dollars at home with my parents I was able to pay a few bills like auto insurance and gasoline, my parents never charged me rent, and they fed and provided for me. I tried to be a good son. By the time I was into my twenties, I was on my way to ruin. Nobody wanted to be my friend and I wasn't working regular, I didn't know anybody anymore.
I was twenty two years old in the year 1980. I didn't have a regular job then, and with little or no money I haden't many friends either, what I had was faith. I must step back in time to introduce Jesus Christ in my life so you can understand where I am. I had not been a church goer in my formative years. But one Christmas night, I remember I was 16 years old when I turned on the television and caught the last five minutes of the Oral Roberts Christmas broadcast. I decided to help his ministry and Gods ministry and wrote down the address to send in a donation. I only had one dollar to my name when I made up my mind to send money to Oral Roberts. The next day I convinced my mother to give a dollar and my grandmother who lived with our family, she also gave a dollar for a total of 3 dollars to help God and Oral Roberts. Whenever I had the chance to give a few bucks to the Oral Roberts ministry I sent something in. It was never so much money but I wanted to help. If anyone is still reading this far I can assure you that God knows who you are, and your life is very precious, and you have a place in this great adventure of life, and God is with us all. I want to return to the year 1980, because this is when I was called by God in a very unique way, and I want to give you a special gift to lift you up in faith, on my level, I hope you will read further.
However one can interpret my calling to the faith of Jesus Christ, I can only explain that it is for the pleasure of God above, that a person will ever see a miraculous vision, or a voice, or a visitation. Something miraculous happened to me in 1980. Below is a link to a video. This video is similar to the morning that I went for a walk at sunrise. I was a despondent young man at the age of twenty two, I was not sure if I wanted to live or end my life. I could not see or perceive, any good or evil, mostly my thoughts were empty as I left the house for a walk. I walked to the local park and I could see it was going to be a beautiful sunrise. I smoked some marijuana and I felt like walking to a good place to see the sun come up. I walked to a open space that in 1980 was an undeveloped area with only a road that was gated off from cars and it was a quiet place that I liked to go. When I had walked about a mile and a half to this place that is known as Sugarloaf Mountain I had reached the end of Laurelwood Drive, and there is a gate, and a little hill to walk up. There I was upon the top of this little hill, and I was thinking if I want to see the sun come up over the east bay hills, I have to walk through the park, and up the hill to the top of De-Anza Blvd. I began to walk again and was going west on the tenderfoot trail. I was only twenty feet down from where I was, and the spirit of God or an Angel appeared in a small oak tree that used to be growing along the road there (it's called the tenderfoot trail these days). At the moment it appeared I was startled, and what happened was, I yelled "Get out of here" and I was still walking as this spirit which was only a few feet on my right. I was thinking I cannot look at it, but I got a look out of the side of my eye and it looked like the blue spark of an arc welder yet not as intense, thousands of little sparks swirling among the leaves of the tree and above it to a height of about nine feet, and it made the sound of a bush burning with fire, it made a crackling sound, and the bush was unharmed. I kept walking and when I got to the bottom about 50 feet more I turned around and it was gone. It was very scary. But I am sure it was the One or like the One Moses encountered in the account of the burning bush, as told in the bible. Location is below where I saw the Burning Bush.
To continue my story I have to tell you I have not told many people what happened that day, November 1st, 1980. But I am telling this to whoever wants to listen that there is something unseen in this world and in the biblical times they knew it as God. Let me continue. As I had been walking so that I could see the sun rise, I had to keep walking through the park, and up De-Anza Blvd. In those days houses were under construction on that street and I was walking up the street backwards and I had just reached a point where I could see the hills of the east bay, and I was still slowly walking backwards up and up. Then I heard the rooster (cock) crowing in someone's backyard. Ok, bring to mind the scripture in the bible where it says;
Mark 13:33 (KJV) Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mark 13:34 (KJV) For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Mark 13:35 (KJV) Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
Mark 13:36 (KJV) Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
Mark 13:37 (KJV) And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Here below is a video clip that I made some years later. I am not really proficient to make it look really good but you can get the idea. I didn't have a video recorder back in 1980, but I made this some years later, it dosen't look exactly like it did then but close enough. The sun was coming up over the east bay hills and the clouds were shades of red or orange, and above me in the clouds was the image of a face with horns on its head and it was smiling. Beyond me to the north the clouds were purple and at the very north there was the face of a dog and it had horns. Looking eastward was a single white cloud just over the sun as it came up a beautiful sun rise.
http://www.lanaifaith.com/video/sunrise1980.wmv
http://gregory007.tripod.com/video/sunrise7.wmv
You know in the bible where it says that;
Mark 13:35 (KJV) Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:
All this came to be a big surprise, because I never expected to be the person to see these things or be a messenger of God, or even a witness of these things. I still cannot to this day figure everything out, because I have never been told to do anything or be a preacher or go door to door and witness for Jesus Christ. And I am unexperienced in all the technical knowledge of this religion. I have read most of the bible, and I can only add a few things from this point that I think I might have the answer you seek. I can only approach a position as a witness in that I think I have some idea of what we or you should be looking for concerning the second coming. If you have read this far, I can only say what I feel, that I have learned a few things I don't know everything and I certainly don't think I am better than you or smarter, I only offer some ideas so that if anyone hears what I say that you might have something workable I am still a bit lost myself.
"1 Corinthians 4:15 (KJV) For though ye have ten thousand instructors in
Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you
through the gospel."
The kingdom of God belongs to little children. You might have read that same scripture:
Luke 18:16 (KJV) But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of
God.
We all grow up to take our place in this great adventure of life and being a Father is a natural thing. You might hear a preacher tell you that you will never make it, or something of the like, not everybody takes a place as preacher and or teacher, for the scripture declares:
1 Thessalonians 5:12 (KJV) And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which
labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1 Thessalonians 5:13 (KJV) And to esteem them very highly in love for their
work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
They're saying have respect for them have taken this responsibility to lead you in these matters of faith. It seems as you might suspect that there are great men who are Fathers on behalf of the gospel, and we need their leadership. And there are others running charities, who have their place of leadership. It's all there just as it has always been there, there has always been Fathers and leaders.
Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no man will come to the Father except by me.
What I believe is that this teaching Jesus is saying, he learned from God the Father, we in turn learn from Jesus.
Matthew 11:27 (KJV) All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no
man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save
the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Another teaching by Jesus, we have the gospel as our guide, how he forgave us even though we are sinners.
Mark 13:32 (KJV) But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the
angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
No man knows when he will decide to take a leadership role in the ministry of God. The angels don't know but the Father knows. That day and that hour you make a decision to do this for God, that is the day of his coming in you, that day and that hour you realize the Father in you and you are in the Father. The same thing Jesus said all along but you may never have realized it. I only grasp at the idea I think I am on to something
I cannot be sure of what I am saying because I am not a genius. I am like everyone else, I only read the bible, I am not a scholar in anything biblical. What I want to do is try to open a door for intelligent dialog and only try a theroy and you take it or leave it. But I would like to think that what we are talking about the man and his formation of the dust, is not actual dust, but rather in a spiritual metaphorical. The man is any man, and the dust is a starting point in a process of learning the things of God. God instructed Moses personally. He took the man (Moses) who spiritually is lower that the dust under the feet of God. For as the bible says:
Isaiah 66:1 (KJV) Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
God is above all as high as the heavens. We are beneth God as far as the dust beneth his feet. As Moses wrote for us, he was the priestly son of pharoah, and it was the custom for anyone in the presence of pharoah to bow their heads as low as the dust and kiss the ground so to speak. This I believe is what moses is giving us as an example, that as we raise up as sons of God, and become Fathers that everything will be accomplished that God began in us as we believe in him and believe in Jesus his Son. When everything is accomplished this way, as men become Fathers on behalf of the gospel for the sake of our world, then God can rest his spirit upon his work, and the man who has become enlightened and taked this responsibility can enter into the rest of God as spoken in the bible. Reference a couple verses from paul's writing in the book of Hebrews:
Hebrews 4:1 (KJV) Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
Hebrews 4:3 (KJV) For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
Hebrews 4:4 (KJV) For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
Hebrews 4:5 (KJV) And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
Hebrews 4:8 (KJV) For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
Hebrews 4:9 (KJV) There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Hebrews 4:10 (KJV) For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased
As Jesus himself preached to the apostles, saying:
Matthew 10:14 (KJV) And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Jesus could have meant that the man of God was supposed to be recieved with great gladness and he was the Messiah and the Israelites were looking for Messiah. The apostles were the diciples who then became apostles ready to teach. See Jesus raised them up spiritually in the things of God, and gave them power to heal and works of miracles. Somewhere between the time Moses wrote that the first man Adam was formed of the dust, and though hundreds of years that men struggled to know this religion, and then the appearing of Jesus Messiah, who raised up apostles from among regular ordinary men, to be the great men of God. Does that make sense? The men we know as the apostles went preaching and for those who did not recieve their message of teaching, Jesus said shake the dust from off your feet, he is saying they will never learn, as well as it seemed they did not inherit the Kingdom of God. In closing with just a few of the things that I think I know cause I don't know everything, Remember the story where Jesus washed the feet of the diciples: John 13:3 (KJV) Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
John 13:4 (KJV) He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
John 13:5 (KJV) After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
John 13:6 (KJV) Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
John 13:7 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
John 13:8 (KJV) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
John 13:9 (KJV) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
John 13:10 (KJV) Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
I think Jesus trying to teach us a mystery that we might understand or we may never figure it out. The washing of feet. Among all of us, me included I need the comforting words from time to time, because I might secretly harbor unjustified feelings that make me angry that God could allow all the troubles in this world, who am I to question, or harbor such feelings. But the ministry that we are to recieve is the ministry of reconciliation as it says in the bible: 2 Corinthians 5:20 (KJV) 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.
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:18 (KJV) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2 Corinthians 5:19 (KJV) 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.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (KJV) 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.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV) 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.
I was thinking for times when I need a little comfort I read the bible, I try to keep a clear conscience towards God.
See if you can or will you find it in your heart to go to church, it is a good place, I believe that.
Acts 1:6 (KJV) When they therefore were come together, they asked of him,
saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
For example:
Exodus 18:13 (KJV) And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to
judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the
evening.
As to regarding that, Jesus mentioned: Acts 1:7 (KJV), the Father has set by his own power the times and the seasons, refer back to the scripture;
Take a look at the verse of scripture as Jesus said himself:
Exodus 18:20 (KJV) And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt
show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
It seems that at the time the diciples received the Holy Ghost, they began to preach the message of the resurrection from the dead by faith in Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:1 (KJV) And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the
captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them,
And the bible also reads where Peter explained how Jesus came to bless the people, by the Holy Spirit;
Is not this the message that we hear in all the churches, that what we are to believe in, or have faith in Jesus, and that if we live a good life that we will be partakers of the same salvation that was preached over two thousand years ago.
You Think Going To Church Is a Good Thing, I Know You Do.
Do You Want To Know The Secret Of the Second Coming Of Jesus Christ Messiah...
Acts 1:8 (KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
I am not trying to just copy and paste, but I put it here so that you can read along
without jumping around the internet. Now I am not going to push heavily that I am certain,
whether I know how to pray, or say that anyone is praying vainly, or doing it right or wrong.
Lets approach this topic together on equal ground and you decide if what I say is going to
do anything to make a valid point.
Now the way that I have learned to pray, is that by reading the scripture, that I have come
closer to knowing more of what this whole bible and new testament is all about. I was under the
impression that Jesus from the begining, has always preached that we should have a closer relationship
with God, and that we can even call God our Father, and he said, pray to your heavenly Father, who is unseen,
and he will reward us.
I am like everyone else. I have prayed in my mind, or thought hard on a want or need, and like
everyone else I did not get the thing that I wanted. At the point of disappointment, prayer becomes unrewarding,
as I pray and get nothing, something that, as being a human being and not understanding it, leaves me exhausted
spiritually.
I have come to believe, that prayer as our Lord intended for us, was more spiritual than I first thought it would be.
Jesus was a very smart man. At first, and having read the gospel a hundred times or more, it didn't sink in as to what or
how to pray to God for something. And only knowing what I read in the gospel and nothing more, as well as the old testament,
the bible is a big book, and without help from, the men of the church who should be the responsible leaders in
the church, it was my own bible study, to discover my self what praying is about.
To sum up what Jesus said, and I want to share my ideas about our praying, because I think I have decided that I
have grasped the meaning of the Lord's Prayer, I write it here, see if what I say is correct.
I believe that when we study the scripture that in effect is our prayer. God sees our prayer and the reward is knowledge.
Having this knowledge then establishes us all in God's kingdom. And I believe as I think I have said before that God's
kingdom is a kingdom of fathers. I have come to this conclusion that all these things come together in agreement, that as
we all grow in knowledge of this great ministry of God and become fathers in the faith, and leaders in our Lord's house.
To sum it up in short so that it is not confusing;
We read the bible, and as we pray (or study the scriptures) that the Kingdom of God, our heavenly Father gives us the reward
of understanding. We become fathers in the chruch. That is a big step for any man. But if I have inspired you to seek
a greater stand in God's house, then go for it.
Going beyond getting the knowledge of being a father in the church, and
the reward being the knowledge, then how can a prayer become a real miracle, I can only grasp at it.
Another verse of the Lord's Prayer.
As in heaven so in earth. Jesus showed great miracles of healing. Two things that Jesus said could be the open door
for miracles and healing in the earth, and it was written in the gospel of John 3rd chapter. I can't be sure but I might be on to
something, but continue reading.
In John's gospel 3rd chapter;
John 3:1 (KJV) There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of
the Jews:
John 3:14 (KJV) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of man be lifted up:
And reading further;
John 3:22 (KJV) After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the
land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
I have a neighbor, a russian man who purchased the home on the other side of the fence of my home. And he invited me to church a couple of times and I had not been to church in years. This is recently too. The church has changed a lot since I had been some years ago. It seemed like the message was a subtle or vague version of the gospel mixed with the preacher asking for as much money for the church as you feel to freely give. I mean the church does cost money to run and I understand that, I believe Jesus understood that too. It's the way it is presented that really turns me off. I am not offended or anything but maybe that is why I had not been to church in such a long time. My friend is a really good guy, and he met his wife in the church, and he has a great fanily. So church is a really great thing, I believe in church, that it is good for society, I have always liked listening to a preacher, it has always been interesting to me.
I don't know where I am going with this, but a couple things I have been thinking about, maybe three. It is the story where the scribes inquired with Jesus about the greatest commandment and Jesus reply, you are not far from the kingdom of God.
Mark 12:28 (KJV) And one of the scribes came, and having heard them
reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him,
Which is the first commandment of all?
I am a strong believer that the gospel was meant to make believing in God, and the new testament, to make it easier on all of us. Simply put, all Jesus said is that you are to love God with all your heart, and treat your neighbor as you yourself would like to be treated. That is as simply put as I see it. If anyone has a ministry, certainly this principle alone would make for interesting dialog as a sermon. There is a lot of preachers talking up grandious sermons, and this principal alone would set us all free from having to listen over and over on things that confuse us as believers.
2 Corinthians 5:18 (KJV) And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us
to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation;
Even I don't understand this completey. I think this is where the church has worked out a knowledge above the common man, where a great wealth of knowledge and life times of experience lay rest in archives. Can a common person understand what it means to reconcile the human race unto God, by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. It is something that a person in a lifetime may never understand, and the church has this on record all the great and not so great men, their life in record, and of their faith and sacrifice for the charity and love of the common man. And this is what makes my contribution as a single common man, well insignificant. I can't even approach it in scale. The hard work that brought me the word of God so that I can read it, and learn something. I am thankfull for it.
http://www.lanaifaith.com/blog/
http://ftp.pwp.att.net/n/e/neptunium/id/index2.htm
http://users.rcn.com/neptunium/
The Return Of Jesus Christ Is Near !
The Kingdom Of God. Has The Kingdom of God Been Established in the Earth....
Some of the better known preachers are teaching that Jesus Christ will return soon. Of all the teaching that I have ever heard, it sounds interesting, however it falls short, or fails to edify the chruch to any constructive end. But of all the teaching that we have heard I think we can all agree that if we leave it to God, whether of not Jesus comes today or some day in the future, we can trust in God that it will happen in his own time that he has said in the book of Acts.
Acts 1:7 (KJV) And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or
the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
Acts 1:8 (KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
I am not going to say that I know anything for sure because I can only guess at what the Lord meant when he said, "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." It is very confusing, because we were not there and we did not know if he (Jesus) spoke to the diciples, whether the land of Israel was to rule as an earthly all powerful kingdom with God as it's Supreme king, with all kingdoms beneath the kingdom of Israel, or whether Jesus had something in mind along the line of Fatherly instruction. Let me try to explain, because it is very hard thing to understand I don't think I have all the facts myself, but I am going to try.
It seems true to me, as the bible reads, concerning the way Moses divided up the judging among the Israelites, as in the bible it reads;
Exodus 18:14 (KJV) And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the
people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest
thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even?
Exodus 18:15 (KJV) And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people
come unto me to inquire of God:
Exodus 18:16 (KJV) When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge
between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his
laws.
Exodus 18:17 (KJV) And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that
thou doest is not good.
Exodus 18:18 (KJV) Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people
that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to
perform it thyself alone.
Exodus 18:19 (KJV) Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and
God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest
bring the causes unto God:
Exodus 18:20 (KJV) And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt
show them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
Exodus 18:21 (KJV) Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able
men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over
them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties,
and rulers of tens:
Exodus 18:22 (KJV) And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it
shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small
matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall
bear the burden with thee.
Exodus 18:23 (KJV) If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so,
then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their
place in peace.
Exodus 18:24 (KJV) So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and
did all that he had said.
Exodus 18:25 (KJV) And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them
heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of
fifties, and rulers of tens.
Exodus 18:26 (KJV) And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard
causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
Exodus 18:27 (KJV) And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his
way into his own land.
Isee it this way, or I believe that the kingdom that Jesus had in mind to establish in the earth, already exsists today right now in all the churches. There are men in charge of the entire faith, for instance the Pope is completely in charge of the Catholic Church. He certainly dosen't handle all the small matters but is regarded as the head authority in charge. Just as in the days of Moses, where he stood before all the people (the Israelites) from the dawn to sundown. In matters where, men who inquired of God, Moses, made them to know the statues of God. And today in our time, men of God are in charge of chruches. We go to church, respecting that the man in his place in the house of God, is the reliable man that we can trust, just as we would trust our own fathers. This is that statute, established in Moses time, when he heard the people Israel.
Exodus 18:22 (KJV) And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee..
Acts 1:8 (KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Now whatever happened to the diciples when the Holy Ghost had come upon them, we don't know. I can only guess (but I am making a good guess) that, the Holy Ghost, is that spirit that goes out from God the Father with instructions for what to do, as the bible reads;
And Jesus added to that;
Acts 1:8 (KJV) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come
upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Acts 4:2 (KJV) Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached
through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.
Acts 3:26 (KJV) Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him
to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Is There Anyone Here That Wants To Be Part of a Church Revival !
You might think of yourself as a christian. I would like to think of myself as a christian. Of all the religions, in all the world, the christian message is one of the most compelling messages yet to be written, because Jesus was crucified, and died, was burried, and later raised to life and seen by many witnesses. There is a growing number of people that are decidedly indifferent, as to the message of the Gospel. What I mean is that, people know there is a Jesus, and they believe it is good to live a good life, but they do not worship Jesus or go to church. So the faith of Jesus and the Gospel is in danger of becoming a secular kind of faith, kind of like saying everybody knows there is a Jesus, what more is there. Well what was supposed to happen was that the message of the Gospel, would be accompanied by works of miracles, and signs and wonders. It was by signs and wonders that established Jesus as the Son of God. And it was by witnessing something like a miracle, as an eye witness that made the Gospel the compelling message of faith and a world renowned religion, in all the world. Whenever there has been a miracle, it has been tested, is it true, and if truely a miracle, then more the glory to the foundation of that same faith that began in Jerusalem more than two thousand years ago. Jesus said; What should we pray for or what did Jesus say about how we should pray. Prayers and miracles and healing.
Of the great sayings of Jesus, when the diciples asked how to pray he replied to them this:
Concerning Jesus:
Luke 11:1 (KJV) And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain
place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to
pray, as John also taught his disciples.
Luke 11:2 (KJV) And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which
art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in
heaven, so in earth.
Luke 11:3 (KJV) Give us day by day our daily bread.
Luke 11:4 (KJV) And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that
is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Luke 11:5 (KJV) And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and
shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
Luke 11:6 (KJV) For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I
have nothing to set before him?
Luke 11:7 (KJV) And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the
door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give
thee.
Luke 11:8 (KJV) I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him,
because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give
him as many as he needeth.
Luke 11:9 (KJV) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,
and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Luke 11:10 (KJV) For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Luke 11:11 (KJV) If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father,
will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a
serpent?
Luke 11:12 (KJV) Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
Luke 11:13 (KJV) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit
to them that ask him?
John 3:2 (KJV) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him.
John 3:3 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto
thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
As I read through the 3rd chapter of John's gospel something stands out where Jesus says of himself.
John 3:15 (KJV) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life.
Now, if I understand baptism correctly, as in first Peter;
1 Peter 3:21 (KJV) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save
us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
I don't know how to pray to God and get the miracle. But what seems here to be, the open door for a miracle or a healing
could have something to do with our struggle to make it to fatherhood in the church. And as leaders in the church, raising
up the Lord Jesus, for Jesus said, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of man must be lifted
up. It's hard to grasp at the meaning, but then Jesus baptized in the verse John 3:22, and we know that means having a good
conscience toward God. So Jesus lifted up the name of God by his testamony, and he baptized the people to have a good
conscience to God, and there were miracles. How about that!
Unless we become as little children we shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven
I have a new inspiration, because of the word of God. Jesus mentions in the book of Matthew when asked of the diciples, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus answered them saying become as little children and humble yourself you are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Read in the book of Matthew in the 18th chapter.
Matthew 18:1 (KJV) At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying,
Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
Matthew 18:2 (KJV) And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in
the midst of them,
Matthew 18:3 (KJV) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted,
and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:4 (KJV) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little
child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 18:5 (KJV) And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receiveth me.
Matthew 18:6 (KJV) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which
believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:7 (KJV) Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs
be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
I am not saying I know what this means, but I have an inspiration to write today. I have this idea that Jesus meant he wanted us to share the word of God openly. I have a suspicion or I suspect that, the leaders of the churches, all hold the teachings closely so that they maintain mastery over the believers. What I mean is that, today in the churches, and the churches of Jesus time, that the leaders in the church do not tell everything they know, or share their secrets openly. They make money, or in other words a living wage from their position as ministers. If they told everyone what they know then the people would no longer come to church. So there is a problem that Jesus saw in the eariler churches and it is true today. The ministers of God's church are making a living off of the masses, and in turn do not share everything they know openly. A little child, if you know how children speak openly of things, they share what is on their mind openly. This is what Jesus says of us as teachers of God's word; we should speak openly of the things of God. He did not justify, the men of God in his time to rob the people, by preaching empty sermons. I can say that I learned more by studying the bible myself than going to church, I have only occasionly attended church. I believe church is a great thing, and I like church and I like being ministered to. I can't say that I like the message mixed with the kind of subtle demand of money for services, the way preachers do.
Mark 12:29 (KJV) And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments
is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
Mark 12:30 (KJV) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this
is the first commandment.
Mark 12:31 (KJV) And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:32 (KJV) And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said
the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:
Mark 12:33 (KJV) And to love him with all the heart, and with all the
understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love
his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.
Mark 12:34 (KJV) And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said
unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that
durst ask him any question.
We believed in this gospel, there is so much to discover
We sometimes have to trust the man of God. If it is the profession of the ministry to preach Jesus and the gospel, can we just go on love God with all your heart and love your neighbor.
We know that the ministry, as the apostle Paul said, that we have been given is the ministry of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:19 (KJV) 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.
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