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For over forty years, John Johnson (Simply Saint Nick) has been a character actor and historical presenter, notably bringing the role of Santa Claus to life in the most authentic way. His debut on stage (and as Santa no less) was at the age of six in an elementary school production of “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Since then, John has gone on to study acting with the Alban Arts Academy in Saint Albans, West Virginia. He has also attended classes taught by such artists as Pam Chibora, Leah Turley, Sean Watkins, Adam Bryan, Marlette Carter, and Kelly Strom. He has performed regionally in such shows as “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” as Father Christmas (2011), “Miracle on 34th Street” as Kris Kringle (2012), “The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus” as Nicholas (2013), and “Adventures in Santa Claus Land” as Santa (2019). He has also performed the role on local television commercials and on various Christmas specials regionally. But it isn't his acting abilities that make Santa John unique. Rather, it is his great faith in Christ – the Reason for the Season. Yes, John has always portrayed the role from the Christian perspective which goes all the way back to Nicholas of Myra (270-343AD). Nicholas was the prototype of the Santa we know and love today. Santa John has studied carefully over his lifetime both the history and the traditions of the character that he portrays. His portrayal emphasizes service to Christ, love, joy, peace, and hope – the bedrocks of the season. Couple these things with the fact that Santa John truly loves children, maintains a jolly demeanor, and a deep love of the role and you have something special in him. The additions of real whiskers, custom tailored suits, and real accessories make Santa John someone to believe in. In 2023, Santa John even wrote a book about his life, his faith, and role as Santa Claus. It is available at Westbow Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Christianbooks.com. Click the title to get a copy of “Simply Saint Nick: My Life as a Real-Life Christian Santa Claus.” Amazon link https://a.co/d/97qKnNo Interview with the Christian Chronicle, December 2023 https://christianchronicle.org/peace-on-earth-and-goodwill-to-men-christian-santa-professes-christ/ https://simplysaintnick.com/
Are you ready to break free from the chronic stress program that's holding you back? Join Dr. Kara Wada as she chats with Dr. Tiffany Tajiri, a clinical psychologist, trauma recovery expert, and the creator of Freedom Rhythm, a unique emotion-focused movement program. In this episode, Dr. Kara and Dr. Tiffany explore the power of neurohacking to overcome chronic stress and unlock your full potential. Discover how Freedom Rhythm, a movement practice that uses silks to project emotions, can help you release negative energy, shift your subconscious programming, and create the life you truly desire. Learn practical tips for becoming aware of your thought patterns, identifying limiting beliefs, and embracing your authentic self. This insightful conversation will empower you to take control of your mental and emotional well-being and step into your highest self. EPISODE IN A GLANCE -Introduction to Dr. Tiffany Tajiri and Her Background-Embracing All Facets of Who You Are and Pursuing Your Passions-The Science Behind Freedom Rhythm and Using Silks to Project Emotions-Becoming Aware of Subconscious Programs and Changing Deleterious Patterns-Listening to Your Intuition and Following Your Spiritual Compass-The Power of Imagination and Manifesting Your Future-How to Connect with Dr. Tiffany Tajiri and Access Her Resources ABOUT DR. TIFFANY TAJIRIDr. Tiffany Tajiri is a board-certified clinical psychologist, trauma recovery expert, the creator of Freedom Rhythm: E-motion Focused Movement, and the reigning Dr. America 2024. As a former professional ballet dancer, she combined her passions for dance and neuroscience to create the first and only E-motion Focused Movement—a comprehensive mind and body protocol to inspire awakened living. Dr. Tiffany's latest publication by Westbow Press incorporates the use of Freedom Rhythm—it is entitled, BORN TO CREATE. Dr. Tiffany is an Air Force Veteran, former Army Clinic Chief, and the first American woman to publish a faith-based combat recovery book entitled, PEACE AFTER COMBAT. She is the CEO and founder of Freedom Rhythm, PLLC and her nonprofit organization, Energy in Motion. But most importantly, she is the mother and the wife to a retired Army combat Veteran. Her mission is to inspire people to create a life they love by teaching them how to harness the incredible power of their mind! CONNECT WITH DR. TIFFANY TAJIRIWebsite → https://www.freedomrhythm.org/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/drtiffanytajiri/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089038381657&mibextid=LQQJ4d X/Twitter → https://x.com/drtiffanytajiri YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@DrTiffanyTajiri TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@drtiffanytajiri Get Dr. Tiffany Tajiri's Book "Born to Create: Neurohacking to Break Free!" → https://a.co/d/bTghmr8 ABOUT DR KARA WADAQuadruple board-certified pediatric and adult allergy immunology & lifestyle medicine physician, Sjogren's patient and life coach shares her recipe for success combining anti-inflammatory lifestyle, trusting therapeutic relationships, modern medicine & our minds to harness our body's ability to heal. CONNECT WITH DR WADAWebsite → https://www.drkarawada.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/karawadamd/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/immuneconfident/ Podcast Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/becomingimmuneconfident/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/KaraWadaMD Twitter → https://twitter.com/CrunchyAllergy TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@immuneconfident SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER → https://www.drkarawada.com/newsletter Get Dr. Kara's weekly dose of a naturally-minded and scientifically-grounded approach to immune system health. JOIN THE 3RD ANNUAL VIRTUAL SJOGREN'S SUMMIT WAITLIST! → https://www.sjogrenssummit.com/ A two-day online event dedicated to providing you with the knowledge, tools, and community you need to thrive with Sjogren's.
Dr. Tiffany Tajiri is a board-certified clinical psychologist, trauma recovery expert, the creator of Freedom Rhythm: E-motion Focused Movement, and the reigning Dr. America 2024. As a former professional ballet dancer, she combined her passions for dance and neuroscience to create the first and only E-motion Focused Movement—a comprehensive mind and body protocol to inspire awakened living. Dr. Tiffany's latest publication by Westbow Press incorporates the use of Freedom Rhythm—it is entitled, BORN TO CREATE. Dr. Tiffany is an Air Force Veteran, former Army Clinic Chief, and the first American woman to publish a faith-based combat recovery book entitled, PEACE AFTER COMBAT. She is the CEO and founder of Freedom Rhythm, PLLC and her nonprofit organization, Energy in Motion. But most importantly, she is the mother and the wife to a retired Army combat Veteran. Her mission is to inspire people to create a life they love by teaching them how to harness the incredible power of their mind! Connect with Tiffany Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drtiffanytajiri/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtiffanytajiri X - https://twitter.com/DrTiffanyTajiri Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TiffanyTajiriWhite/videos Connect with David Hill Public Website: www.davidihill.com Real Estate University: www.realestatelistings.club Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidihill/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidihill 20-Minute call: https://www.davidihill.com/strategycall FACEBOOK COMMUNITY Please follow and join my Group- https://www.facebook.com/groups/ptmastery/
It can be hard enough to seek the counsel of a professional psychologist, let alone find one that can speak to your specific struggles with good and true theology. Grounded in Scripture, centered on Christ, distinguishing Law and Gospel, and living under a theology of the cross, Lutherans have a unique approach to Christian counseling. Guest Dr. Rick Marrs is a seminary professor and licensed psychologist who authored the book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered. In this episode, Dr. Marrs guides listeners through the initial hurdle of identifying a trusted Christian counselor and describes what makes counseling through the lens of Lutheran theology unique and particularly beneficial. Marrs also answers questions about the modern trend toward telehealth counseling and discusses the upsides and downfalls of this practice. Bio: Dr. Richard “Rick” Marrs is professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. Marrs was called to the faculty in the fall of 2006. He previously served as the dean of faculty (2010–13), director of Continuing Education and Parish Services (2007–09) and director of the Master of Divinity (M.div.) and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs (2013-21). His areas of interest and expertise include pastoral care and counseling, Christian counseling and Christian reconciliation. Before coming to the Seminary, he served at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Junction City, Kan. (2000–06), first as a vicar and then as a pastor. He was a professor of psychology and a counselor at St. John's College in Winfield, Kan. (1983–86; admissions counselor 1982–83), and at Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill. (1986–98). He also has done counseling, clinical and consulting work with Lutheran Child and Family Services; the Baldwin Center for Psychological Services; the Center for Applied Psychology and Forensic Studies; the Kansas State University counseling center; Rapha (a Christian inpatient psychiatric group); Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Mich.; Lutheran Special Education Ministries; and various districts of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). Marrs received certification for pastoral ministry through the Seminary's RAR Program and earned his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) both from Concordia Seminary (2001, 2008). He also holds an Associate of Arts (A.A.) from St. John's College (1978); a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) from Concordia College, River Forest, Ill. (now Concordia University Chicago) (1980); a Master of Science (M.S.) in counseling from the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kan. (1985); and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in counseling psychology from Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, Ill. (1994). He has been licensed as a psychologist since 1996. In 2019, Marrs published the book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered, which focuses on the relevance of Luther's soul-care theology in Christian counseling (WestBow Press). He continues and expands that discussion in a blog series on Concordia Theology. He and Seminary Emeritus Professor Dr. Robert Kolb also are co-authoring an article about Lutheran contributions to the theology of Christian psychology. Marrs contributed the new introduction to the reprint of Walter J. Koehler's book Counseling and Confession: The Role of Confession and Absolution in Pastoral Counseling (Concordia Publishing House, 1982, 2011). He has authored numerous Bible studies, articles and training programs for the LCMS. He also co-authored The Lesson Organizer Routine, a special education learning strategy trainer for the University of Kansas' Edge Enterprises, which has sold more than 20,000 copies. Marrs is married to Laura, who operates her own professional organizing business. They have two adult daughters, two sons-in-law and four grandchildren. Marrs coached the Seminary's varsity tennis team from 2007–16 and still enjoys playing tennis. He also competes nationally in stair-climb races. Learn about LCMS Life Ministry at lcms.org/life, and email us at friendsforlife@lcms.org. Not all the views expressed are necessarily those of the LCMS; please discuss any questions with your pastor.
Rev. Dr. Richard Marrs, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of the M.Div. and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what God says about emotions, why we have emotions, and what role emotions play in our well-being, decision making, and faith. Find his book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered from WestBow Press at amazon.com and westbowpress.com. Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag "Mental Health Monday." This is a rebroadcast from May 17, 2021.
We are reminded throughout Scripture that God has intentionally set us apart for a purpose. Not only for a purpose, but it also means that we are called to live and think differently than the rest of this world. It's a mindset just as much as it is a lifestyle.As we go in depth on this topic, being 'set apart' does not mean that we put ourselves on a pedestal. Actually, it is the lens that helps put ourselves in alignment with God's perspective. As we begin to understand just how set apart we are from this world, we also begin to understand exactly what God means when He says that the entire world is full of deception and under the sway of the evil one. God wants His people to take no part in that and to understand the reality of the Christian life and the spiritual tension of living in a world that God has already called us out of.Learn more by visiting www.promise-perspective.com Contact me at: stephanie@promise-perspective.comOrder my book, 'Rest in the Rainbow' here: WestBow Press: https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833546-rest-in-the-rainbow Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Rainbow-Finding-Strength-Promises/dp/166425613X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rest+in+the+rainbow+book&qid=1646685411&sprefix=rest+in+the+rainbow+%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rest-in-the-rainbow-stephanie-schlueter/1140972723?ean=9781664256132 Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tpppodcast)
God laid a heavy conviction on my heart several years ago to stop listening to secular music. The moment I finally let go and obeyed, everything changed. I was able to turn away from a lot of sin in my life, and the greatest change from it all was that I was able to hear from God so much more clearly, in ways that can't be explained--only experienced.Music is designed for influence--both good and bad, and it is way more spiritual than you think. I hope to encourage you as you join me in this episode, as I share my testimony as well as some small changes you can make right now that will put you in the right direction to help you in your walk with Jesus.Learn more by visiting www.promise-perspective.com.Contact me at: stephanie@promise-perspective.comOrder my book, 'Rest in the Rainbow' here: WestBow Press: https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833546-rest-in-the-rainbow Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Rainbow-Finding-Strength-Promises/dp/166425613X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rest+in+the+rainbow+book&qid=1646685411&sprefix=rest+in+the+rainbow+%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rest-in-the-rainbow-stephanie-schlueter/1140972723?ean=9781664256132 Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tpppodcast)
In this episode, I am announcing that my daughter and I wrote a children's book. You can buy it online at Barnes and Noble, Westbow Press and on Amazon. We are so excited to share the good news with you. If you would like to leave a comment or if you have a question, please go to this link: anchor.fm/diana-tuckervbm/message. Also, please visit our website. Website: www.vbministry.com Our children's book link: https://vbministry.com/books --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/diana-tuckervbm/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/diana-tuckervbm/support
In order to understand global events, we must have a biblical perspective. Growing up in a church, I was never taught the history of Israel. I was never taught how relevant that nation is to biblical prophecy. All prophecy is centered around the nation of Israel--it's God's prophetic timepiece. We are also living in times where there is a growing condemnation against that nation, and it's important that we know the promises God has made to Israel and His people (the Jewish people), including the Gentile believers as well. It's not until you know the history of Israel that you can better understand God's heart and biblical prophecy. Prophecy is given to us as a tool, so we can see how worldly events are aligning with biblical warnings. Now more than ever, God is sounding the alarm.I hope you join me in this episode, because there is a lot worth learning and unpacking as we dive into this content. Order my book, 'Rest in the Rainbow' here: WestBow Press: https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833546-rest-in-the-rainbow Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Rainbow-Finding-Strength-Promises/dp/166425613X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rest+in+the+rainbow+book&qid=1646685411&sprefix=rest+in+the+rainbow+%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rest-in-the-rainbow-stephanie-schlueter/1140972723?ean=9781664256132 Contact me: stephanie@promise-perspective.comFor more information, visit www.promise-perspective.com Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tpppodcast)
Battle of Gog & Magog…the Abraham Accords…the shifting of global power…the conditioning of the world to receive the coming Antichrist…I've been wrestling with finding the words to say to promote this new episode. Only God knows how fervently I pray for people to be able to see things through the lens of God's truth and discernment. I pray for the veil to be lifted for people every single day. I have underestimated the power and relevance of Scripture my entire life. I've been deceived by this world for so long that it's only right that I fight for God's truth now. It wasn't until I started to read God's Word for myself, and pray for discernment that I was able to better understand just how alive and relevant the Bible is today. Unfortunately, and as you learned in Episode 15, only 16% of Christians are devoted Bible readers, and the majority of Christians (66%) rarely read or never read their Bible. We are in a culture battle for truth, yet God's Word, which has impeccable accuracy and reliability in truth, prophecy and warning, is the one we rely on the least and is being shoved to the back burner of society. My heart hurts because I know God's heart is hurting for people. Prophecy is given to us for encouragement AND warning. It has taken me about a month to prepare Part 1 and Part 2 for you all, and I say this with with all humility: I fear God way too much to speak on something without anointing and confirmation. You can't find this information on the news. It's something that only God can reveal to us, and He is pouring out His Spirit all over the place. I really encourage you to listen. Order my book, 'Rest in the Rainbow' here: WestBow Press: https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833546-rest-in-the-rainbow Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Rainbow-Finding-Strength-Promises/dp/166425613X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rest+in+the+rainbow+book&qid=1646685411&sprefix=rest+in+the+rainbow+%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rest-in-the-rainbow-stephanie-schlueter/1140972723?ean=9781664256132 Contact me: stephanie@promise-perspective.comFor more information, visit www.promise-perspective.com Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tpppodcast)
As I'm preparing content to drop a Part 1 and Part 2 series on biblical prophecy, I wanted to take this week to pause and encourage you through a short discussion about a verse from the book of one of Jesus's disciples: Mark.What Jesus said in Mark 2:17 is something that should make each of us pause and reflect. Jesus said, "I didn't come to call the righteous, I came to call the sinners." Let's dive in. Order my book, 'Rest in the Rainbow' here: WestBow Press: https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833546-rest-in-the-rainbow Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Rainbow-Finding-Strength-Promises/dp/166425613X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=rest+in+the+rainbow+book&qid=1646685411&sprefix=rest+in+the+rainbow+%2Caps%2C78&sr=8-1 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rest-in-the-rainbow-stephanie-schlueter/1140972723?ean=9781664256132 For more information, visit www.promise-pespective.com Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tpppodcast)
It's official-I just published my first book!! I have prayed and worked so hard to make sure that God's heart was poured into every ounce of this book. I want people to understand that I am just a vessel. A broken vessel at that, who loves Jesus, with an obedient heart that desires to be used by Him. This is the posture we must have in order to carry out His message to others. God gets all of the credit, not me. All glory and praise go to Him. I want to spend some time with you today, talking about how the call to write a book came about, the publishing process, as well as what you can expect as a reader. Get your heart ready! Every time I sat down to write, my prayer was, "Your words, God, not mine." Rest in the Rainbow is God's words, just in my handwriting. Listed below are the links to order!WestBow Press (my publisher): https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833546-rest-in-the-rainbowBarnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rest-in-the-rainbow-stephanie-schlueter/1140972723?ean=9781664256132Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Rainbow-Finding-Strength-Promises/dp/1664256148/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1L9924O7IY197&keywords=rest+in+the+rainbow+book&qid=1646093638&sprefix=rest+in+the+rainbow+book%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-3 To learn more, visit www.promise-perspective.com Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tpppodcast)
Righteous Business is the kind of business that everyone should practice. Whatever your business is, it is your responsibility to do it righteously. This means conducting ourselves according to the wisdom of the Word of God. As we study through Proverbs 12 throughout this year, my hope is that each episode will challenge you to become a better steward of the resources given to you by God, a better leader of the people around you, a better manager of the organization if which you are a part, and a better follower of Jesus as you deepen your understanding of His Word and Will for your life. My new book Righteous Business is out! It is available in several retailers across several countries, but can also be purchased directly from my publisher, Westbow Press, at the link below. By purchasing this book, you are investing in yourself as a leader, as well as in the work that God has set before me to do as a leader and an author. I appreciate all support, whether through a book purchase or through the listener support options available through my podcast! https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/828374-righteous-business --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rumination/support
Pastoring during a Pandemic with Rev. Dr. William Smith Alton is joined by Reverend Doctor Smith, a faithful and committed pastor of Second Missionary Baptist Church. Rev. Dr. Smith is passionate about proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, making the Word of God relevant in the lives of believers, and building the kingdom of God in the congregation and community. In this episode Alton and Rev. Dr. Smith take a deep dive into the church of today, discussing the ways the current pandemic has required the church take a virtual shift, the current racial climate, nationalism within the church, and much more. Pastor Smith has been recognized by Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC as a Lewis Fellow, Calvin College (Summer Seminar, Oasis Preaching Seminar), Morehouse College as a MLK Scholar. Reverend Doctor Smith has served on several denominational, ecumenical, and community boards. He is leading Second Missionary Baptist Church in participation with denominational conventions and associations. He is presently writing his first book with Westbow Press, a division of Thomas Nelson. Enjoy this incredible conversation! 1:42 Introduction to Reverend Dr. William Smith 2:41 Rev. Dr. Smith shares his journey into becoming a pastor. 5:00 Rev. Dr. Smith's current ministry 5:43 The ways the COVID pandemic has affected the church 16:23 The correlation between ministry and mental health 20:33 Rev. Dr. Smith's thoughts about the current racial climate 28:19 A discussion on nationalism within the church 40:28 Continued adjustments the church may need to make 43:47 Things to consider for churches that have been impacted economically during the pandemic. 50:26 Rev. Dr. Smith shares about his wife and family Connect with us: Subscribe to our podcast and share with others. Sign up for our newsletter: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/3ORVW8T/blackmovesfirstsignup (https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/cu/3ORVW8T/blackmovesfirstsignup) You can also view us on the web at http://www.blackmovesfirst.com/ (www.blackmovesfirst.com). Follow us on Instagram http://www.instagram.com/blackmovesfirst (www.instagram.com/blackmovesfirst) & Facebook https://www.facebook.com/blackmoves1st (https://www.facebook.com/blackmoves1st) Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFdUxfpQdSfDm_TnB-iSsOg (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFdUxfpQdSfDm_TnB-iSsOg) Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackmovesfirst (https://twitter.com/blackmovesfirst)
https://mailchi.mp/255067e223f7/preemptor-update-news-and-views-488239?e=76d0c55db118“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,Because He has anointed MeTo preach the gospel to the poor;He has sent Me [i]to heal the brokenhearted,To proclaim liberty to the captivesAnd recovery of sight to the blind,To set at liberty those who are [j]oppressed;19To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”SEE HERETODAYPART # 44 EWHY? SO MUCH PAIN SUFFERING AND DAMAGETHE RAGGED EDGE RADIOLISTEN TO LIVE RADIO MONDAY TO FRIDAY AT 6PM EST WORLDWIDEUSE GLOBAL STAR MOBILE APPS LISTEN ALSO ON I-PAD & I-PHONE ANDROID & TRUCKERS CB CHANNEL 19M-F TO LISTEN LIVE AT 6pm ESTCLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE ON STREAM 3CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE ON STREAM 56pm Eastern Standard Time/click use Global star 3 & 5 media & mobile devices/or call in to listen by phone call in 605-4758092 or call in 712-7709418WTTP FM 101.1 LIMA OHIO KCCG 106.9 FM Oklahoma KYAH AM 540 UTAH12 new AM stations added through LIBERTYRADIOUSA------------------------------------------------------------https://duckduckgo.com/?q=hands+of+glory&ia=webO Sovereign and Gracious Lord, we ask You for your support for those who are persecuted and suffering for your name's sake. You have told us that this is our lot in this present evil age. But there are many who are suffering beyond measure–they and their children. You know who they are. We bring them before You for safety, for relief, for comfort, for encouragement, for strength to stand true to You in their trials. Uphold them with your righteous right hand. Comfort, strengthen, encourage, and heal them. Make them to know your approval and sustaining presence. Help them to live graciously forgiving those who persecute them. We come against the evil and misguided groups who violently oppose your people. Remove them as You see fit from the scene. Destroy their powers. Bring peace and institute better governments, policies, and ease the restrictions against Christian gatherings and worship. Grant that the gospel will sound out bright and clear in the midst of such havoc. Come against Satan and his agents who persecute your own. Destroy their schemes and their power. Send your angels to protect your people. May they see your power at work, repent, and turn to You. Thank You for your intervention in Jesus' name. Amen. Prayer for the Persecuted Church Lord Jesus, many of your people suffer at the hands of governments and false religions. We are not surprised, for You told us that this is our lot in following You. We lift up to You your hurting believers. Comfort, strengthen, encourage, and heal those who suffer for your sake. According to your will, change the hearts of the opposition. May many turn to You. Restrain the rest. Allow changes in laws and treatment of Christians that will allow them to gather and to worship freely. I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Prayer against Witchcraft and Satanism We realize, holy and sovereign Lord, that You have allowed and limit the activities of false religions including witchcraft and Satanism. We pray that You will restrain their activities against your people and your Church. You are building your Church in number and in quality even in the face of the opposition of the unseen world of spirits. Protect your people from the activities, curses, and spells of these enemies. We pray against those who on the day of the full moon, at the new moons, at the equinoxes, and who at their special calendar dates meet to ask wicked spirits to carry on their programs and purposes against your people. Prevent their sacrifices and their prayers from effectiveness and send your angels among them to disrupt their proceedings. Defeat their evil intentions. Show your power to frustrate them. Bring many of them to repentance and come to Christ. Let us see your intervention in their defeat and turn many to You. We pray in the powerful authority of the crucified, risen, and exalted Christ. Amen. Prayer for Peace We know, Father God. that there will be no lasting peace until the Lord Jesus returns to personally reign in righteousness. He will govern with a rod of iron all the nations as a beneficent king. But until that time, be pleased to keep as much peace as pleases You and carries out your plans. Defeat the intentions and acts of terrorism where You please that your people may live in peace and witness to the gospel of peace. We pray especially for the peace of Israel, your chosen people. Protect them and prosper your grace among them. May many come to recognize the Lord Jesus as Messiah and trust Him for their personal and national well being. May your glory be known world wide. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Conclusion These are but a few suggestions that serve as patterns for your prayer in spiritual warfare. Check out the Psalms for the imprecatory prayers. Psalms 7: 10. and 28 are good examples of praying against the enemy. Learn to incorporate into your times of prayer such prayers as have been written here. You could set aside a special part of the day for serious warfare praying. You might organize groups of believers concerned for these matters to encourage each other and to pray together. You need not cover everything that has been presented in one period of time. You can space it out, but I urge you to give yourself seriously to spiritual warfare praying.Dickason Th. D., C. Fred. Winning the War Through Prayer: Spiritual Warfare Praying . WestBow Press. Kindle Edition. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=spiritual+warfare+song+dont+tread+on+me&iar=videos&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DvCImmP1xauU
Adventist Voices by Spectrum: The Journal of the Adventist Forum
I interview Tom Stone about his new book, In the Shadow of the Pyramids: A Reflective Commentary on the Narrative of Deuteronomy, published by Westbow Press, a subsidiary of Thomas Nelson. Tom earned a BA in Theology from Newbold College and a PGCE in Religious Education from the University of Oxford. He is an ordained elder at the Newbold Church. We discuss how Tom, a young religious education teacher, decided to pursue this writing project, how this grew out of his own devotional practice, why he argues that Deuteronomy is a story of liberation with themes of social justice, and how God wants us to change our society so that we prioritize the marginalized and oppressed. In the Shadow of the Pyramids on Westbow Press - Amazon
Hello Book Lovers, Authors, dreamers, and those of you interested in taking the next step to learn about getting a book published. I live on a sustainable farm with my husband and four children for those of you who don't know me. I'm an established author of inspiration, fiction, children's books, a journalist, a stay-at-home mother, and an advocate for healthy living. I publish a weekly blog and podcast (Herb' N Wisdom™) and am a Print Specialist for Pufferprint. If you're like me and want to know everything I can about someone and their upcoming projects, here is an interview I did with the Veteran Crowd Spotlight. Since you now know who I am, we can dive right into our topic: Heather's book writing tips and how you can use these tips to make your dreams and book writing goals come to life. In short, Preparing Your Book/Files/Manuscript Part One. It doesn't matter if we are talking about a children's book, the book printing process to include how to print your own book, or novel writing. Or simple things like what information you need before heading to a publisher to include ISBNs and author bios. We are going to cover it all and, in the end, ease your mind and frustration so you can take that next step or create a more fluid process of getting your book published the next time around. Ready to start? Let's do it! To begin, I want to clarify a few things. I will be talking about different types of publishing. For instance, traditional publishing is where the author turns in their work to a literary agent who finds them a traditional publisher. That publisher then uses their resources to edit, advertise, etc. Self-publishing is another platform where you go through a company such as WestBow Press, turn in your manuscript or files, and then they charge you a certain amount to edit, create the cover, advertise, and take you from the beginning of the process to the printing of your book. Indie publishing is where you do all of the work, cover, layout, bio, acquire your own ISBN, and then take it to a printing company to have it printed or use an online platform like Smashwords, Amazon, or Barns&Noble. And lastly, we have a mixture where you are like an Indie publisher but companies like Pufferprint offer ISBN's, barcodes, and formatting help. These have an additional cost but are calculated for each project, so you are aware upfront of what those will be before you begin. So to recap, we will discuss: Traditional publishingSelf-PublishingIndie PublishingAnd a mixture of Indie and Self-Publishing With those in mind, let's start with preparing your files. Preparing your book/files/Manuscript Part One Since we are talking about different books, like children's books versus fiction or biographies, there are different processes. Not only in what you need to complete before submitting your work but because some of you are going straight to a literary agent and some of you are going through a print company, like Pufferprint or the self-publishing route. For traditional publishing, where you are trying to catch the eye of a literary agent, it is best and most of the time required to have your manuscript finished/fully completed. In cases where you already have a literary agent, you may have a partial idea or manuscript for your next book since you have an established relationship. Now, if you have multiple books, say a series, it is wise to have your first book completed and then a snippet or one-page synopsis of EACH additional book in the series. This way, a literary agent/publisher is not only aware that your book is a series but that you as the author know the storyline and direction of your project. For self-publishing, you can sign on with a company before completing your manuscript, but nothing happens until you turn your finished project in, so I would recommend, no matter what, complete your manuscript. Your Manuscript is Finished. Now what?
Joining me for the last episode of the season is Dr. Jay, who just published her devotional, The Truth Is, A Weekly Devotional For Your Family. Though it is the first conversation that happens in-person for the podcast, it will not be the last. Please follow the podcast on whatever podcast platform you listen to. If that is YouTube, be sure to click the subscribe button and hit that notification bell as you are watching the video on YouTube. My YouTube Channel (162) Garret Grove - YouTube A Few of My Favorite Things Podcast Playlist https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMR0m1gTEbyEy2Ti5Caghx8DcSIIPU_tq If not, go to one of the two links below. They are to Apple Podcasts and Spotify, respectively. The entirety of season 1 is only on podcast platforms. This episode and season 2 are available both on podcast platforms and YouTube. Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-few-of-my-favorite-things/id1538790836 Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3fTQKZ3WctSq6cmMk83q53?si=mgSnvpqmTLK0g56OJwjGCg Please be sure to look at some of my other content as well, such as the Going Places, Eating Things Blog, as well as my Local Guide profile on Google Maps. Blog Going Places, Eating Things – There are places to go and things to eat! (wordpress.com) Local Guide Profile https://maps.app.goo.gl/jQ3EwNeedTXVxcgw6 Below are links to the Dr. Jay and Sons' devotional on the publisher's website, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. WestBow Press https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/814866-the-truth-is Barnes & Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-truth-is-dr-jay-and-sons/1138796944 Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Truth-Weekly-Devotional-Your-Family/dp/1664218653 Last but certainly not least, a much needed shoutout to Diamond Style for the music in this episode is deserved. I used the same music for my podcast last season and I have always loved it. Diamond Style's YouTube channel (163) BEATS by Diamond Style - YouTube I am glad that you read through everything! Be sure that you like and share this episode with others and please leave feedback. I would love to have dialogue with you in the comments section. This has been a great season! Thanks to all who have supported me in this rather fun endeavor. I hope you are looking forward to Season 3 just as much as I am! But before then, be on the lookout for some bonus episodes coming soon. As always, stay prosperous. Garret
History is sprinkled with revolts against kings, nations, and governments that were considered oppressive. When studied, it looks like everybody and their mother revolted about something down through the millennia. Some of the revolts were small and localized, others were larger. Some encompassed a nation (or nations) struggling for freedom from a larger and stronger oppressor. The list of historical revolts of one kind or another number into the hundreds. I am not a fan of Wikipedia because they are generally biased on all things conservative but look under the list of revolts. It is a colossal list of revolts from all quarters of the globe. The list refers to humans revolting against other humans for numerous reasons. The revolts are of this realm or of the natural world. The greatest revolts and rebellions in history are not referred to by Wikipedia because they have been spiritual and not based on natural concerns, ideology, or politics. I am writing about the massive revolts against God’s Word that permeate spiritual history. I am referring to the revolt against the Father’s moral authority and order in the universe. The first great revolt or rebellion happened in Heaven. Lucifer tried to usurp God’s throne. Big mistake! That insurrection was joined by a third of the angelic host that supported Lucifer’s short-lived attempt to dethrone God and set up a new kingdom. Huge mistake! It was an uprising doomed to failure from its inception. No one can dethrone God the Father! (See Isaiah 14:12-17, Ezekiel 28:12-19, and Revelation 12:7-9.) [i] We know about Adam and Eve’s rebellion and how that affected the planet, and everybody born in it. (Genesis 3) That treason and revolt against God’s commandments required the redemption paid for by Jesus through His death and resurrection. There was the rebellion against God that led to the worldwide flood in the time of Noah. Wickedness, corruption, and violence filled the earth to the place that it needed washing, cleansing, and a fresh start. (Genesis 6) We are set for a fresh start, and I don’t mean a globalist and demon-inspired “reset”. I mean that we are ready for the melting of the elements and a new heaven and new earth. So much foolishness is being spread about global climate change (formerly global warming). Don’t worry about a little temperature change because the earth will melt like a snowball in hell, and God will make a new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells! But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men….But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:7, 10-13 NKJV) Jesus said the condition of the earth right before He returns will be as it was in the days of Noah. When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived. (Matthew 24:37 CEV) Just as it was when Noah lived [in the days of Noah; Genesis 6--9], so it will be ·when the Son of Man comes again [ in the days of the Son of Man]. (Luke 17:26 EXB) What was it like in the days of Noah? The Lord saw that the wickedness (depravity) of man was great on the earth, and that every imagination or intent of the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually. (Genesis 6:5 AMP) That means that when Jesus returns that people without God will be extremely wicked (depraved), full of violence, and every inclination of the thoughts of their minds will be only evil all the time. That sounds almost identical to the demonrat political platform! The [population of the] earth was corrupt [absolutely depraved—spiritually and morally putrid] in God’s sight, and the land was filled with violence [desecration, infringement, outrage, assault, and lust for power]. (Genesis 6:11 AMP) Jesus said that it would be like that before His coming back to the earth. The depravity and wickedness we see on the earth today should not be a surprise. The depiction of the world in the days of Noah describes our world today. The days of Noah have begun. There is no question. Biblical prophecy has come to pass right before our eyes. Something happened March/April of 2020 that had never happened before since the inauguration of the church on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. It caused the entire church on a worldwide scale to bow down in a revolt against God’s Word, commandments, and the example of the apostles and leaders of the church in Acts. Again, none of the above should surprise us because Jesus prophesied that a great revolt or rebellion would happen, and Paul clearly taught about it. Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessnessis revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NIV) Note the following Bible version: Do not let anyone fool [deceive] you in any way. That day of the Lord [v. 2] will not come until the turning away from God [great rebellion; apostasy; Matt. 24:11–12; 1Tim. 4:1; 2Tim. 3:1–5; 2Pet. 2:3; Jude 18] happens and the Man of Evil [Wickedness; Lawlessness; probably the Antichrist; 1John 2:18; Rev. 13], who is on his way to hell [the son of destruction; John 17:12], appears. (2Thessalonians 2:3 EXB) That is an unusual version because the connected references in Scripture are injected into the verse. It’s a little distracting when trying to read a verse, but it is also informative and a quick reference to other verses that have a similar theme. Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed]. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 Amplified) Note the word “rebellion” in verse three. Older translations use the word apostasy, but that is a transliteration and not a definition of the original Greek word apostasia. The word apostasia means a departing from, but more importantly here, it means a rebellion or revolt. Bible versions CEB, DRA, ESV, GW, GNT, ISV, LEB, TLB, MOUNCE, NOG, NET, NLT, and 10 others besides the three I already gave you, translate the Greek word apostasia as either rebellion or revolt. [ii] That means that 25 translations favor revolt or rebellion. I am using the word revolt because it better defines what I am referring to. The great revolt is a massive departure from the Word of God and a rejection of His moral authority. Here is one of the versions that translates apostasia as “revolt.” Don’t let anyone deceive you about this in any way. That day cannot come unless a revolt takes place first, and the man of sin, the man of destruction, is revealed. (2 Thessalonians 2:3 GNT) The great revolt has begun on a massive scale! Here is a reference to this revolt in the words of Jesus. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:11-14 NKJV) That refers to the great rebellion or revolt, and it also signals a great move of God that will shake the earth right before the coming of the Lord! I’ll say more about the greatest revival this earth has ever seen a little further down in the article. But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV) Many churches showed that they lacked spiritual power in their religious tradition when they closed their door upon the whim of perverted government officials. We are living in the actual fulfillment of these prophetic verses right now. Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. (1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV) Yes, the church on a worldwide scale was deceived (with rare exceptions) into a revolt against Heaven! They received the Covid-19 doctrine of demons and shut down their churches in obedience to Satan. The revolt or great rebellion is not something that is coming, it is something that has already begun on a global scale. I've never seen anything like this and neither has anyone else since the beginning or inauguration of the church in Acts 2. No one has ever seen where the entire church on a worldwide scale has shut down operations.[iii] Yet, many pastors and churches are acting as if nothing happened and are not addressing the HUGE deception in every church that shut down. Yes, I know there were a VERY few exceptions of churches that refused to close, but nothing on this scale. It’s like having a wooly mammoth in the room and denying its existence! Pastors and churches are trying to sweep the behemoth under the rug! How can anyone be so blind as to not see it stomping around among them? I used to have a neighbor living above me in an apartment complex that would stomp around almost every morning to get ready to go to work. I wondered if she was a part of the Broadway production “Stomp” and was practicing her part every morning. This woman may have weighed 120 pounds soaking wet, and yet she stomped around as though she were a 12-ton elephant! I could set my watch by her stomping at 5:30 AM every weekday. At first it was bothersome, but I got used to it. No use in talking to management about it because no one would have believed that such a small woman could be so heavy on her feet! Christians have a huge prehistoric creature like the wooly mammoth stomping around in their churches and yet they refuse to see it! It truly is a bizarre time in Christianity. Again, I have never witnessed anything like it. Nobody I have asked has lived through anything like this in all their years. I’ve asked people in their 80’s and up and no one has seen it before. I’ve read books on church history throughout the ages since its inauguration in Acts 2. There is no record of something like this on a global scale. There were city, state, or national persecutions and forced church closures. There were and are many of those, but churches closing on a global scale in a unified revolt against the Word of God, that has NEVER happened before! Some persecutions were so severe that it led to the beating, imprisonment, and martyrdom of many church leaders and their flocks. Church history is full of stories of small and great persecutions against Christians, Persecution started early in the book of Acts. Sometimes Christians had to flee to get away from the destruction of the wicked against them, but never, no, NEVER, has the entire church shut down operations worldwide! What could this possibly be other than a GREAT FALLING AWAY, great revolt, or REBELLION? The church has rebelled on a massive scale. They have rebelled against God's Word and have done so publicly and brazenly. Yes, there were a few exceptions, but when all but a handful of churches in the USA and a few in Canada stayed open, something horrific has happened! This massive revolt against God is being swept under the rug and ignored as though it will go away on its own. It will not go away without repentance! The Great Revolt and Rebellion Against God All that I am going to mention here requires the public ministry of the church. When churches closed they rebelled and revolted against what God has commanded churches to do. *Most churches closed operations on a global scale in opposition or in rebellion to Hebrews 10:25 and the example in the book of Acts. Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 AMPC) The more you see the day of the coming of the Lord approaching, should all the churches close their doors? NO! The more we should be faithful to assemble! To assemble is not via video chat but in person ministry. There is no such thing as assembling long-distance. It happens ONLY when the saints get together to worship the Lord, teach and preach, and minister as the Spirit leads. NOWHERE in the entire New Testament are we told to shut down our churches because the government tells us to. Many in the churches foolishly took their stand and said, “Oh, but we closed because we are supposed to be under the authority of the government according to Romans 13! We were obedient to the governing authorities.” We should be subject to the ruling authorities UNTIL the governing authority commands us to disobey the Scripture! That is the dividing line. We follow the laws of the land UNTIL the laws violate the Word, then we must choose obeying the Word of God without exception. God is first! His Word is our supreme authority. Nothing is bigger than God, and nothing is above His Word, not even His Name! (Psalms 138:2) The early Church would not stop preaching in the Name of Jesus even after severe warnings, threats of imprisonment, or beatings. The “ruling authorities” commanded them to stop, but they would not do it. They would not shut up or shut down! They were following the Highest authority! But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. (Acts 4:17-20 NIV) Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail… “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood. Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!... They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (Acts 5:17-18, 28-29, 40-42 NIV) Threaten them, command them not to preach and teach, jail them, and beat them with whips, and they go right back out to continue with their ministry! They NEVER stopped! That is what the churches should have done, but they didn’t! They were told to shut down and they disobeyed the Scripture and the example of the apostles in the book of Acts, and they bowed their knee to Covid restrictions and mandates! Repent! Do it now, and then repent publicly because your actions were public when you surrendered to the world and the devil! Churches rebelled and revolted against gathering to continually to hear the Word. (See 2 Timothy chapters 3 and 4.) *Churches rebelled against ministering from their pulpits and having altar calls for people to be saved, ministers stopped going, and people were not getting baptized in water. It was a revolt against the great commission in Matthew 28:19 and it was a revolt against Mark 16:17,18 on casting out demons, speaking in new tongues, and laying hands on the sick. We are supposed to heal the sick, and not be afraid of any disease! Churches allowed the devil to stop their healing ministry to the sick, many of them for months! Ministries with “healing rooms” closed their doors! What? Ministers with healing ministries were afraid of a virus with a 99.97 % survivability post infection rate, and they donned their masks and practiced everything the wicked ordered them to do! Could you imagine that. You have a healing ministry but closed because of a virus? What kind of cowards does that make these people? Please, I beg you to repent because the Body of Christ shouldn't have to do without you. Others in dead or dying churches were not doing the Word anyway with their sissified and corrupted ministries of preaching fluffy cotton-candy messages. They didn’t believe in healing anyway. These must also be confronted with the truth that THEY SINNED, and that they must repent, that is, IF they want mercy and grace from the Lord. If they don’t repent, their fate is already sealed with the enemy. They need to get out of that stinking religious trash and begin to preach the Word without compromise. *The Church revolted against the Table of the Lord (communion) instituted by Jesus. (1 Corinthians 11:25-30) *The Church revolted and rebelled against laying hands on people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues. (Acts 10:44-46, 8: 19:6) *The Church rebelled and revolted in its healing ministry and anointing the sick with oil in the name of the Lord. (James 5:14-16) *The Church revolted against performing weddings ordained by God between a man and a woman. (1Corinthians 7:1-4) *The church rebelled and revolted against true religion. (James 1:27) The list could go on. Instead of the church being a beacon of light on the hill, it became the lamp under the table with all its mask wearing! It became Moses when he came from the glory and presence of God on Sinai, and so much glory was coming from his face that he had to veil it! The world veiled the glory (whatever glory was in it) of the church and masked them as a mockery to the Word! Do you understand now that a REVOLT or REBELLION has been sustained by most churches on a worldwide scale for the better part of a year? Do you realize that most Churches all over the planet are guilty of a revolt and rebellion against Heaven? Following is what Samuel told Saul when he did not recognize his own disobedience and rebellion to the Word of the Lord. Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed [is better] than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as [serious as] the sin of divination (fortune-telling), and disobedience is as [serious as] false religion and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you as king. (1 Samuel 15:22-23 AMP) REBELLION is equivalent to the practice of witchcraft and idolatry. The church worldwide submitted to idolatry and witchcraft when they rebelled globally against the Word of God! Every single church that closed submitted to rebellion and a revolt against God’s authority, and as such pastors, ministers, and churches must repent by the millions. Globally, right now, there should be massive repentance, but I don't see it anywhere. Many are acting like it never happened. Do you see massive repentance? Do you see congregations and pastors coming to repentance on social media or on their church websites? Churches are starting to open but without any remorse or repentance. Do you think they will have the presence of the Lord without repentance? Do you think there will be any anointing there? I am sorry to burst your bubble (not sorry at all), but those that rejected the Word of the Lord are rejected by God until they repent. Why are not churches and pastors repenting for rebellion, witchcraft, and idolatry? Why? Why don't they feel the need to repent? Where is the remorse for sin and unrighteousness? Yet I am glad now, not because you were hurt and made sorry, but because your sorrow led to repentance [and you turned back to God]; for you felt a grief such as God meant you to feel, so that you might not suffer loss in anything on our account. For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death. For [you can look back and] see what an earnestness and authentic concern this godly sorrow has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves [against charges that you tolerate sin], what indignation [at sin], what fear [of offending God], what longing [for righteousness and justice], what passion [to do what is right], what readiness to punish [those who sin and those who tolerate sin]! At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in the matter. (2 Corinthians 7:9-11 AMP) What is the condition of a person that refuses to repent or of a person that can’t even see their sin like Saul? Should they expect the presence of the Lord? Will the Lord come to their aid unless they repent? Will the Holy Spirit be among the rebellious that have yielded to idolatry and witchcraft? Is it the right Biblical perspective to believe the Spirit of the Lord will be among those that resist Him? Are all the non-repentant for their rebellion against the Word of the Lord to expect God's anointing and victory? Are pastors that refuse to repent for their rebellion to believe that they will be OK because of grace? Remember Saul's rebellion! If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 NKJV) For this is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said: “In repentance and rest you will be saved, in quietness and trust is your strength.” But you were not willing. (Isaiah 30:15 NKJV) Many are expecting a great end-time revival. I am too. Great manifestations of God’s glory will come to pass, but will that happen without repentance? Only where there is humility and repentance will grace flow like a river. The prideful and rebellious get NOTHING from God! Thank God for the gift of repentance! Thank God for His mercy and goodness! He never fails to forgive and cleanse from unrighteousness all those that will humble themselves and repent of their wicked ways and turn back to God! If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9 NASB) The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NET) But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble… Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:6, 10 NET) All over the world, there is a deadness among most Christians of all denominations. Even among those that were anointed, until they repent for revolting against Heaven there will be no anointing. If they don’t repent of their rebellion, they will perish. I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. … I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. (Luke 13:3, 5 AMPC) There is still as little time to repent, but the time is quickly ending. The reality is I am not holding my breath expecting all those that bowed their knee to repent. I hope they do, but like the false prophetess Jezebel, the Lord will give the rebellious time to repent, but eventually, that will end. Jesus said that! I gave her time to repent [to change her inner self and her sinful way of thinking], but she has no desire to repent of her immorality and refuses to do so. Listen carefully, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her [I will bring] into great anguish, unless they repent of her deeds. (Revelation 2:21-22 AMPC) Lord, do Your eyes not look for honesty? You have struck them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to accept discipline. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent. (Jeremiah 5:3 NKJV) I have listened and heard, They have spoken what is not right; No one repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, Like a horse charging into the battle. (Jeremiah 8:6 NKJV) If one does not repent, He will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and taken aim. (Psalms 7:12 NKJV) This is what the Lord God says: “Repent and turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations.” (Ezekiel 14:6 NKJV) For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32 NKJV) Never postpone repentance! Never! Postponing repentance is like playing Russian roulette consistently with a .44 magnum revolver! Sooner or later, the one who plays will eat a bullet! It could cost you eternity with God and you wind up in a devil’s hell if you postpone repentance. The great revolt or rebellion has begun! Don’t be fooled! It’s here now for all to see. It is not the time for “nice” preaching. Too much is at stake. “Nice” will not save or deliver anybody! The church NEEDS voices proclaiming strongly and consistently, “Repent, and get ready to meet the Bridegroom! He is coming!” Have you ever read the parable of the ten virgins? “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’ But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut and locked. Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you [we have no relationship].’ Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come]. (Matthew 25:1-13 AMP) Five were devoid of oil for their lamps or the anointing that produces light or the fire of the Spirit. They had no oil for their lamps. They were not ready to meet the Lord. The five alert virgins with oil for their lamps were slumbering but got ready and they went into the wedding banquet with the Lord. The door was slammed shut and the five unprepared virgins were left outside with the words, "I never knew you." No one in the Church will be able to hang on to anybody else’s coattail and go in to meet the Lord when He comes. That is what the 5 unprepared virgins tried. You will not be able to rest on granny’s, uncle’s, mama’s, dad’s, pastor’s, or your church’s supply of oil. You will need your own “oil”! Get it now and do not wait till the last moment because while you are struggling to get right with God and get the anointing, the Master will come, and you will be left out! Now, here is something startling about that prophetic Word. Could the five unprepared virgins mean that half of the people that call themselves Christians will be left out because they are not going to be ready to meet the Lord when He comes for them? Yes, I believe that is exactly what that means, but then there is the other glorious side to this. Could the five prepared virgins mean that even though the church looks basically dead right now because it almost universally shut down in a revolt against Heaven, that the Lord is going to work on the Church in one final moment of time before His coming and that half of all Christendom will be ready to go meet Him? Wow! Could that mean that something so glorious and so powerful is going to happen in Christendom before the Lord comes that out of the 2.5 billion professing Christians 1.25 billion will be ready to meet the Bridegroom? Because of what is getting ready to explode on the scene, what kind of numbers could we be talking about? It is going to be staggering. Glory to God! What kind of Church is He going to present to Himself? Is it going to be a decrepit, run down, powerless, gutless, cowering, fearful, capitulating, compromising, unfaithful, and whoring Church? NO! So that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God], so that [in turn] He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy [set apart for God] and blameless. (Ephesians 5:26, 27 AMP) His real and true Church will be a glorious church without the spot or wrinkle of sin or any such thing when it is presented to Him! Something is getting ready to happen that will shake the Body of Christ to its core. In fact, I believe it will shake the planet with God’s power and deliver such a blow to the enemy’s camp that the kingdom of darkness will never recover. Something so powerful and so amazing is getting ready to happen that it will cause people to turn to God by the millions. Many have prophesied about a move of God that will cover the globe right before the coming of the Lord, and I believe we are starting to see it come to pass right now! Where? As an example, when churches all over the planet shut down, I know of two churches in my area that refused to shut down and cave to the false prophets of Covid. For these churches, 2020 was the greatest year in their history, and 2021 is even bigger. By April of 2021, all of 2020 was surpassed in both churches! Miraculous ministry growth and multiplication is taking place. Both churches have multiplied in size, outreach, income, and most importantly, in souls coming into the kingdom! The anointing has increased exponentially in these churches! It has been an amazing testimony that I have had the privilege to watch up close and personal. If your church closed, NEVER go back unless the pastor repents publicly for rebellion and a revolt against Heaven. Find a church that never closed its doors, and if you are too far away from one that did not surrender to Satan’s lies, ask the Lord if you can start one in your area! The Lord is calling the few and the strong in Him to start churches in their areas that will not compromise the Scripture no matter what happens. Download a free PDF copy of “A CALL TO RETURN: Restoring the Roots of our Relationship with Jesus” here unless you want to pay for a physical copy or purchase more. Barnes and Noble, Christian Book , Westbow Press have it available. It would be good seed to get extra copies and send them out. It would benefit the Kingdom of God. The church at large needs this message more right now than ever before! Buy a thousand copies and send them out! I receive VERY little per copy sold. Making money was never the reason for the book. The point of the book was and is to bring to repentance the lukewarm and backslidden in the churches, and to help get the Church ready to be presented to the Lord. What can you do to help? You can help get this timely message out by sending this article to everybody you know. Forward the podcast. Send them "A Call To Return." Do your part to get this message out. Be like an evangelist and be fervent about it! If you have any questions on all the false Covid 19 policies and procedures imposed by the CDC, Fauci, and local government officials, please go to my previous articles and there you will find all the info you need debunking it all. NOTES: [i] Some reject this interpretation of these verses but there are many reasons to believe it is right. [ii] The three-letter abbreviations refer to Bible translations or versions. Find them at http://biblegateway.com. [iii] Only a handful of churches remained open in North America. These are led by HERO pastors, my kind of heroes! All of them were arrested at one point or another, and even now, a few pastors are in jail in Canada for keeping their churches open. Now on to today's podcast message:
Join in for a reading of my book, published in 2012 by WestBow Press!!! It is an insightful look at what the Bible has prophetically predicted about things that are happening in our world today!!! I pray that you will learn and enjoy!!! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Rev. Dr. Richard Marrs, Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Director of the M.Div. and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about what God says about emotions, why we have emotions, and what role emotions play in our well-being, decision making, and faith. Find his book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered from WestBow Press at amazon.com and westbowpress.com. Hear Mental Health Mondays each Monday at 9am CT! Find all episode with the tag "Mental Health Monday."
Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings. (1 Timothy 4:1 NET) 10 And then many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one other. 11 Many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 This Good News of the kingdom shall be proclaimed in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:10-14 Tree of Life Version) 1 Now regarding the arrival of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to be with him, we ask you brothers and sisters, 2 not to be easily shaken from your composure or disturbed by any kind of spirit or message or letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 3 Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion (the falling away, the apostasy) comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NET) Many deserting or turning away from the faith means it will be a great falling away or apostasy, and it is already happening! You are foolish if you don't see it! That is a subject that my dad, Israel Rodriguez, preached about often. After I received Jesus in December of 1973, I watched and heard my dad preach and minister for 10 years before he passed away and went to heaven in 1983. He must have preached hundreds of times about the great falling away, the antichrist, the mark of the beast, the wrath of God, judgment, hell, and the lake of fire. He preached often from the book of Revelation and the prophetic Scripture that dealt with the end-times. Of course, he also preached about healing, repentance, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and tongues, and the promises of God, but he leaned heavily on the former. Unfortunately, I did not want to pay too much attention to his messages of hell, fire, brimstone. When he would begin to preach on all that, I thought it was either condemnation or bordering on it, but it was delivering, healing, and saving truth. I often disliked those fiery messages because I thought they weren’t “good news.” How wrong I was! Did you read my previous post on “Gospel Preaching Versus Anemic Sermonettes”? It will straighten out wrong ideas about what is Gospel preaching. My understanding of “good news” has changed dramatically since my dad preached those mighty sermons, especially over the last 12 years. It was a slow process of learning for me. Mentally, I am pretty sharp, but this has little to do with mental capacity and everything to do with receiving spiritual understanding by the Spirit. It took a while to get this straight in my spirit. Let me summarize good news preaching by stating this: “Good news” is whatever the Holy Spirit gives you to minister to the people, based on the Scripture. That is true even when the message is harsh, tough, and offensive. If it comes from Him, then even if it is speaking about God’s wrath and the lake of fire, then that is “good news”, and the anointing will rest upon it. During the ministry of Hispanic evangelist, Yiye Avila (from Puerto Rico-now deceased), I learned that he often preached and ministered along the same lines as my dad. After a message like that you wondered who could receive Jesus. To my surprise, deaf ears and blind eyes would be healed, and the crippled would walk in every one of his crusades. The miracles were intense, varied, and abundant. During a Yiye Avila crusade in Miami (around 1980), my Dad and I sat on the platform in the section reserved for visiting ministers. Dad knew Yiye for many years, even before Yiye was saved. Yiye preached for almost two hours about the antichrist, the great falling away, the great white throne judgment, the lake of fire, and the coming of the Lord. He also preached about living holy lives and being a witness. Then he prayed for the sick and the power of God electrified the place. It was like sticking your finger in the electrical outlet! Paralytics walked and many other miracles took place. Wheelchairs, walking sticks, and braces were lifted in the air above people's heads, and the miracles flowed like water. It was awesome to watch and hear the mighty healing and miracle testimonies. After that, he called for people to come to repentance and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Hundreds responded to the call! Some people ran to the front to receive Jesus. The gospel was preached as a witness (undeniable proof or evidence), and people streamed to the front! John the Baptizer preached “good news” to the people that came to hear him. (Luke 3:18) Have you ever read what he preached? Let me give you a taste of it: John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 9 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:7-9) You won’t hear that in most churches! Those words came from the fiery neighborhood prophet of God! How would you like to wake up to, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?” Then, Luke 3:18 has the unmitigated gall to call ALL he preached GOOD NEWS. It was good news because it woke people up to the truth and brought many to repentance! It also brought persecution and vitriol from the religiously brainwashed people, and those that loved their sin. It was good news when John rebuked the adulterous relationship Herod had with his brother’s wife! Herodias was still married to Phillip, but she left him and went away and married Herod the tetrarch! (Luke 3:19, 20) It was adultery times two! How could that rebuke and others for Herod’s many sins be good news? In John’s case, the “good news” preaching led to his martyrdom. Herodias deceived Herod. She made her daughter dance sensually before Herod and he fell for the trap. The dancing forced Herod’s hand after he promised the girl anything she wanted. She asked for the Baptizer’s head on a platter! Herod granted the wish. My dad always gave many Scripture references during his anointed messages. He was an excellent student of the Word. Often, he would stay up most of the night to study and pray. To top it off, my dad was an anointed, passionate, authoritative, Bible preacher. His preaching oozed with zeal, authority, and power. Let me add this: I saw some of the most amazing miracles under his ministry that I have ever seen. I’ve seen many wonderful miracles and healings as I have ministered the anointing of the Holy Spirit to the people through the laying on of hands. There have been many undeniable proofs! I saw the same and more under dad’s ministry. Many were saved, healed, baptized in the Holy Spirit with tongues, and delivered from demons under that anointing he carried and wore so well. Dad had manifestations of unusual miracles like Paul did. (Acts 19:11, 12) Now, I am getting ready to tell you a little bit of my story. Maybe you will begin to understand why I take the responsibility laid on me to come down so hard on all the Covid surrendering churches, pastors, ministers, congregations, and telling them to repent. Soon, I think you will understand why I am striking a death blow on compromise, capitulation, and surrender! Others may have their own reasons that God has used in their lives, and some may be copy cats, but here is my “testimony.” It's not a copy cat story! Some have had a spotless ministry record and an idyllic marriage to one woman for many years. My hat is off to you and I salute you for a job well done. That is truly awesome! Thank God for tried and true ministers that have been faithful all these years and are a shining example! Surprise! I wish my story was a sweet story of loving the same woman in marriage and a pure ministry for 50 years or more, but it is far from that. Sorry, if you thought you were reading after some glorious ministry of 60 years! No so here, even though I started very early in ministry. Are you ready? My lack of listening with my heart to the WHOLE Word of God that my dear dad was preaching had a part in my falling away from faithfulness to God and His Word. I didn't follow his example. I was missing a huge part of Bible teaching and instruction that could have kept me out of huge problems, misunderstandings, errors, compromise, and sins. I taught some of what he taught about the end times at our Bible school, but I never taught it in public. I didn't like that message for the general public. Without that important information delivered in public as a part of our spiritual weapons of warfare, I wasn’t ready to deal with what happened, and neither were the people of our church family! I went through major failure in ministry after being an anointed pastor and teacher on radio and TV, one that saw abundant results! From 84 until around 1988, we had one of the largest, if not the largest, or at least the fastest growing church in Puerto Rico. There is a lot of history here since the ministry was established in Puerto Rico in 1978 or so. My dad opened the way through his ministry to establish that church by plowing the field. The field needed plowing with TNT because traditional views contrary to God's Word were entrenched in Puerto Rico. My dad came with the explosiveness of Holy Spirit C-4 that shook churches and people everywhere he went. In late 1976, I started travelling to minister with my dad in Puerto Rico while I continued to pastor a church in Florida. The anointing would come on me heavily and my delivery and ministry to the people would increase dramatically while I was ministering in Puerto Rico. It didn't take long until I realized the Lord was calling to Puerto Rico. Dad ministered often on radio and at churches in Puerto Rico throughout the 70’s, and I joined him and my mother in 1978 to establish that church, but I will keep it short. As soon as I arrived, I was thrust into a place in the anointing I had never been in. It was tangible, and a ministry of laying hands for healing the sick and for the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and tongues burst onto the scene. It is not an exaggeration. So much history, and so many wonderful things to write about, but that may come at a later time. I was the pastor of Iglesia Fe es La Victoria (Santurce, Puerto Rico) that ministered to the entire island via radio and TV, and to thousands of people every Thursday and Sunday. On any Sunday morning, we would jam about 2,000 men, women, and children into the theatre complex. Though we did not have an official membership roster, we knew from the people tithing and giving weekly that about three thousand or more people were being ministered to in the services alone. That excluded the media ministry and its glorious impact. The Word increased and multiplied EVERY day. Interestingly, the crowd that came on Thursdays was almost entirely different than the people we ministered to on Sundays. The smaller theatres in the complex were for children’s church, Bible school, and for overflow, and we often overflowed! People were saved (they repented and were converted to God and the Lord Jesus), healed, baptized in the Holy Spirit with other tongues, and delivered from demons during those services and over radio and TV. It was so richly wonderful and glorious! Dramatically and disgustingly, I missed the Lord’s direction in ministry because of my own hardheadedness and pride, and the anointing of the Spirit that caused all the growth and powerful ministry to the people began to wane in 1988-1989. I remember the day and moment, right in the middle of me preaching, when the anointing crested like a wave and began to decrease like a wave crashing on the shore. It was the sickest feeling in my gut I have ever had. It was painful and distressing because I knew I had grieved the Holy Spirit, but I couldn’t see any way out. I was blinded. Everybody knew I was destroying the work of the Lord via my own doing, especially when I quit ministering and teaching like I had before in the anointing and power of the Spirit and became like a boring college professor with no power, no results, and no anointing. Yuk! Stick your finger in your throat and gag! It was VERY bad! After a few months of that kind of dead ministry, Yiye Avila called me personally in early 1989 to see what had happened to me. He told me on that call that he listened to all of the messages I preached as often as he could, but that he saw a stark difference in my ministry starting in 1988. What happened to Dan Rodriguez? He tried to help me and correct me, but I didn’t listen. Dumb and dumber could be a description of me then! Yiye was my elder in the Lord and had been a friend with my dad for some years. I should have respected that association but I didn't. I gave Yiye some ignoramus reasons and hung up the phone as soon as possible. I didn't want to hear that I was wrong. In my heart, I knew I was wrong even while I talked to him, but I was too hardheaded and prideful to repent and get back to ministering like I should. Isn't that amazing? The Lord sent me an anointed evangelist to get me back on track and so I could repent, but I ignored him, and refused to repent, and it cost me the loss of everything. It didn't take long. I faltered miserably and sinned often in the early 1990’s, though it was nothing reported by the news media. There was no public scandal like skipping town with the secretary, music director, a prostitute, or by going gay! In my case, the secretaries were not available, the music director was a man, I was never involved with a prostitute, and I wasn't a homosexual! I did not steal money and move to Bora Bora! I mention those sins because they seem to dominate church scandals often. The church members were spared of public scandals, but my life was one big dung-filled scandal! I was like Samson in that respect. My sinful activities got my eyes plucked out (blindness), my hair cut off (the key to the anointing), and I was left grinding a very heavy millstone like a burro! My enemies were ecstatic! I left the ministry in early 1993 totally dazed and confused, and the church that had ministered to thousands of people dwindled away until on good days there were a couple of hundred left. Those that stayed were the stubborn. They should have all left. Every one of them! Today, in the same situation, I would have left early on as soon as I perceived the decline in the anointing. As soon as I would have seen that the altar calls had greatly decreased and finally were non-existent, and little to no results were evident, I would have been gone! Don’t stick around in a dying church or you will die with them! I’m sorry to say that many of those that stayed, DIED, and as far as I know, never came back! As a side note: Don't ever return to the Covid-caving churches and pastors that closed their doors for months, and became supporters of antichrist activities, UNLESS they publicly and vocally repent of their sins! Why? They are either already dead or they are dying UNLESS they repent! (Luke 13:3, 5) Any and every church that closed, supported the antichrist agenda of closing down the assembling of the church as a body (Hebrews 10:25), rejected continuing evangelism, baptism in water, (Matthew 28:19, 20), altar calls, laying hands on the sick for healing and anointing with oil for healing and repentance (Mark 16:18; James 5:14-16), the Lord's supper (1 Corinthians 11:25-30), the laying on of hands to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues (Acts 19:6), and just about every other church activity! What about baby dedications, preaching the Word to the saints, visiting prisons, hospitals, and performing wedding ceremonies? It was a suspension of Church fellowship and activities that totally contradict what the church in Acts did when they were commanded to stop preaching in the Name of Jesus and end their meetings! (See Acts chapters 4 and 5!) I will come back to that in a moment. I spent most of the 90’s refusing to recognize or admit my sins. I fell away from the Lord and I was miserable! I lost everything I held dear, including family and friends, but I refused to repent of my sins and get myself right with God. It was my own doing. It was all my fault. There was no one to blame but me. I refused to see the truth. Yes, I am brutally honest with myself. I learned to do that. It did not come naturally. It’s so very uncomfortable, and it makes me squirm just to retell it, but it is so extremely important! A rude awakening and a brutal honesty about your spiritual condition is absolutely necessary. Repentance is not possible without being brutally honest with yourself. Blame others for your sins and you will NEVER get out of them! I have seen people do that. I've done that. It is like Adam and Eve after they sinned. Adam blamed God for giving him "that woman" that gave him the forbidden fruit to eat. Eve blamed the fact that the fruit looked good to eat and it was all the serpent's fault! (See Genesis 3.) There was no excuse. It was their fault, but they refused to admit that they were at fault, and they did not repent, at least not in Genesis 3. By 1996, I began to seek the Lord consistently, but I had not come to repentance yet. I read my Bible and continually asked for God’s help. I did not need rocket science or "special" revelation to repent, but I was blinded by tragedy, despair, and sin. I was the problem, and no one else was responsible but me. It was good to finally come to that realization, but none of that mattered until I repented. Many were praying for me. My mother and grandmother never quit praying for me to be restored. There were others that took it upon themselves to pray for me every day. I didn’t know about any of that until some years after I repented. To set up a story I'm going to tell you, I lived in New York City until early 1999. How anybody can live in all that mess called New York City is beyond me. It's much, much worse now with the hell Cuomo and De Blassio have created for all New Yorkers, especially with all the Covid trash. It's become a totalitarian regime and police state! I know people that have lived in the city their whole lives and don't want to live anywhere else. Now, finally, a large number of New Yorkers are seeing the light and moving to other states! Many are moving to Florida. Please leave your devil-inspired politics up there. You voted in De Blassio and Cuomo and look at what your demon-inspired politics got you. Don't bring your libtard views to Florida or else continue travelling west until you reach sunny California and "enjoy" Gavin Newsom's Marxist hell. Sorry New Yorkers, I don't feel sorry for your predicament! You created your feces and garbage covered streets with your liberal views by voting in devils to lead your government, and now you are "enjoying" the fruit of your support of demon-inspired politics. Hey, you can always repent and cry out to God for mercy! Apply 2 Chronicles 7:14 here! While in New York, a “dumb ass” (from KJV- 'a speechless donkey') spoke to me from the Lord in 1998! A non-Christian, a sinner, half-drunk, and after smoking a joint, suddenly sobered up and his visage changed. Oh oh! He looked straight into my eyes and stated in a completely sober voice, “Dan, you have to get back to preaching and ministering!” What?! I knew it was the Lord. I could see it in his eyes! He had no clue what he said! Then, he pulled out a fifth of rum from his coat pocket and chugged it down like water! This guy would have never said that to me of his own accord in a million years! The dumb ass spoke to the mad (crazed) and backslidden “prophet”! I am not calling myself a prophet, but you get the message. It’s sad when you are so hard hearted and so blinded by pride that the Lord has to use a dumb ass to get your attention! Yes, I like "dumb ass" better than "donkey" as used in most modern translations. It seems to get my message across better! See the story of Balaam and the donkey that received the temporary ability to speak in Numbers 22:21-33 KJV. In March of 1999, I finally admitted, confessed, repented of my many sins, and got right with God. I humbled myself before the Lord, as it were, in dust and ashes. It was truly an amazing coming back to the Lord Jesus! He came and forgave me and cleansed me of my unrighteousness, and He set me free! His holy presence and glorious power came into my tiny apartment like a sudden thunderstorm, and the manifestation of His glory stayed there and on me for days. It was truly for me a “WOW” experience! Listen carefully here because it was a close call for me. This should put the fear of God in many that are reading this now. This is for you, and never forget it! After I repented, the Lord spoke to me vividly and clearly. It would not have been clearer or louder if someone were standing next to me and yelled it into my ear. The Lord said to me that 1999 would have been my last year on earth had I not repented. Oh my God! The door for me to repent was going to slam shut in my face by the end of the year! Not only was that a scary and horrifying thought, but a harsh warning that still makes me feel shocked and in awe when I think about it. It makes me shiver. Just a little longer and I would have gone to hell for all eternity! Just now, it hit me again and I stopped typing, and with tears in my eyes I gave thanks to the Lord for His enduring mercy! Glory to God! I almost lost out with God for all eternity, but when I humbled myself and repented, He received me with arms wide open! My God! Yes, an awfully close call. Too close. The moral of the story is: Never postpone repentance! Never! It could cost you eternity with God and you wind up in a devil’s hell if you postpone repentance. Hell would have received me had I died in the condition I was in before repenting. I was a mess. I was a sinner, even though I had been an anointed minister of the Gospel. I had gone back to wallow around in the muck and miry vomit of the world. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:20-22 NASB) Get it? I was close to going to a devil’s hell for practicing sin or lawlessness! I would have been like Judas Iscariot! He had a powerful ministry among the other apostles and was sent out by Jesus to preach repentance, heal the sick, and cast out demons, (Matthew 10:1-4) but he lost it all when he betrayed the Lord and never repented! Like Judas, I once had a glorious ministry, but I would have lost it forever and gone to a devil's hell and the the lake of fire for practicing lawlessness. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NASB) Thank God for the gift of repentance! Thank God for His mercy and goodness! He never fails to forgive and cleanse from unrighteousness all those that will humble themselves and repent of their wicked ways and turn back to God! It will work even for backslidden preachers! I am living proof of that! If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9 NASB) The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NET) But he gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble… Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you. (James 4:6, 10 NET) Maybe now you can understand why I talk relentlessly and harshly about the Covid-surrendering pastors and churches that bowed down to the false prophets of Baal, and many refuse to repent! I was like them in the fact that I fell away at one time and refused to repent, and know what refusing to repent will do. Even at the very beginning of the Covid mess, I was almost led away with all the unbelieving churches and pastors, but it was very short lived because I could see and feel the fear behind it. It was evil and I knew it. What did I do to get out of that demon-inspired and fear ridden mess that began March/April of 2020? I quickly turned off all social and the lying news media. Yes, all the alphabet soup news had to go! Next, I hooked into ministries, churches, and pastors that refused to bow their knee, and were propagating the truth. Finally, I quit giving my tithes and offerings to the dead, and ONLY tithe and give to two churches that NEVER surrendered to the lying Covid antichrist spirit. That is what changed me completely! I am getting REFIRED, RENEWED, and REFRESHED every time I go to their services or attentively watch them online! I didn’t want to be one to speak up now and tell pastor, ministers, and Christians all this via writing. Some of it is really embarrassing and it certainly doesn’t get you invitations to preach! It is too graphic and thorny a reality for most pastors and churches to take in. They lack the fortitude, the “testicles” to face the truth about their compromise and sin during this Covid-lying mess. You better find your "testicles" in a hurry before you are destroyed by the enemy! I am also specifically addressing the Latin community because I am a part of it! Most people on my mailing list are Spanish speaking people. It’s OK though. Probably 99% read English, and many speak it as well. I know some from the Fe es La Victoria days. Others I’ve met after that time, and a number of them are pastors or ministers. Some I have no clue who they are. One ministry couple already asked me to remove their names from the ministry mailing list. This message is not to their liking. Unfortunately, the Spanish-speaking and Latin churches folded like a deck of cards when the Covid mess hit. Many of those churches in the U. S. A. are still closed because they lacked the “spine” to take a stand for the Lord! I say, REPENT NOW, all you cowardly Latin pastors and churches that submitted to the lies of the devil and closed your doors, agreed with the wicked Fauci and government lying narrative, and obeyed an antichrist spirit. Closed churches with all their social distancing, alcohol gels, "vaccine" compliance, and masks, obeyed the false prophets of Covid (like Baal)! Many lukewarm Christians in the Latin churches are cowardly afraid of a virus with a 99.97% post-infection survivability rate! Seriously?! That's not even the issue. The issue is your damning unbelief against Jesus being your healer and your refusal to trust in Him in the midst of it all! Do you remember the scriptural truth that all the cowards and the cowardly submissive will have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone! You don’t? See, I answered for you. Here it is. But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practitioners of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)—[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. (Revelation 21:8 Amplified Bible) It is time to repent for being cowards! The unbelieving-faithless are the unfaithful to the Lord and His Word. Right now, many people in Christianity qualify for at least the first part of that verse! They are “scared to death” of a sickness because they don’t believe the Scripture when it tells us that Jesus bore their pains and carried their sicknesses and diseases! (Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4, 5; 1 Peter 2:24) They don’t put their trust and confidence in the Lord according to Psalms 91 and 103:1-5! They have fallen away from the faith or they deny the truths of God’s Word. You are bare and naked before God! (Hebrews 4:12, 13) You can’t hide anymore behind your worthless religion, church, denomination, or pastor. Your façade has fallen off. With you wearing that external mask, your lukewarm spiritual mask is showing! Your true colors are visible. You can’t deny your lukewarm-ness anymore. Everybody knows your true spiritual condition now. You have a form of godliness, but you DENY the power of God! (2 Timothy 3:5) The great falling away has begun! Don’t be fooled! It’s here now for all to see. It is not the time for “nice” preaching. Too much is at stake. “Nice” will not save or deliver anybody! I know some will disagree and think I am taking this too far, but more teaching along the fire and brimstone type messages are called for now. The church NEEDS this now to prepare to be presented to the Lord. Many need to repent before it's too late. I was dismayed in 2008 when I saw that many pastors and ministers were falling for the deception espoused by hyper or pseudo (wrongly taught) grace, once-saved-always-saved, Calvinist teachers and prophets. I saw the direction they were headed with that ungodly teaching. I could see that they were leading themselves and those they were teaching into loose living and sinful lifestyles. They were teaching grace without repentance or faith-faithfulness. They were espousing doctrines of demons. At that time, the message of “repentance” flooded my heart and soul. Unfortunately, I didn’t take up the mantle of a “zeal” for repentance. I did not wear it very well. I kept putting it on and taking it off. It was extremely uncomfortable. It was way out of my comfort zone. “Repentance” for the lukewarm and backslidden lit up my spirit again in 2013 and culminated in January of 2015 when my book, A CALL TO RETURN was published. The Church at large was not ready to hear or read about repentance. The book went over like a lead balloon. Hopefully, many are ready to be called out to repentance, but we must face an unfortunate truth. It could be that many are less likely to hear about needing to repent now that their lukewarm and cowardly façade is visible for all to see it. They could harden themselves. God wants to give them mercy, and He will give it IF they humble themselves! I believe all cowardly Christians will have the opportunity to repent. Whether they do repent or not will be on them. Let me say this. The open door of repentance for the lukewarm and for the rebellious or backslidden in the churches will come to an end. Don't let the door slam in your face! Have you ever read Matthew 25:1-13? It is the parable of the ten virgins. Five were devoid of oil for their lamps or the anointing that produces light or the fire of the Spirit. They were asleep or they were not ready to meet the Lord. The five alert virgins with oil for their lamps were ready and they went into the wedding banquet with the Lord. The door was slammed shut and the five unprepared virgins were left outside with the words, "I never knew you." Have you ever heard that before? I quoted it above in Matthew 7:21-23 when speaking about the backslidden ministers. Thank God that many other ministers are stepping up with a message similar to this one. Some ministers are out there telling Christians-in-name-only to REPENT! They took up the zeal for repentance seriously and are running with it. I'm so blessed to see that! I am the least likely for a mission like this one, at least in my own thinking. It is almost like the Lord is telling a joke by using me for anything in this area of ministry. Haha on the devil! You would think God would choose a “better qualified” candidate with no "history" against him. If you look at my past, it is fraught with stuff that would seemingly disqualify me here. Maybe God does the choosing of the “less likely” on purpose! No one can look at my history admirably! I certainly have NOTHING to offer anyone in my own self. In Christ there is EVERYTHING good and righteous to offer everyone that will receive from Him! The message presented is very simple. Humble yourself and come to repentance! If you do that, He will show up mightily in your life, pull you out of the miry clay, and set your feet on a solid rock! How this message affects you will depend on you. Reject repentance and you are already signed up for your own horrific death. Accept repentance and God's holy presence will get in you and on you and supernatural change will take place in your life! Take the forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness that Jesus bought and paid for with His own blood! Repentance is the way back to His goodness, mercy, and blessing! It is available right now! Do you know what is happening in the church right now? The Lord is sifting His Church like wheat. He started doing that a few years ago. It intensified many-fold in 2020. (Matthew 13:24-30, see below) The lukewarm and masquerading Christians (tares) were forced out of the closet! They couldn’t hide their unbelief and lukewarm-ness anymore. They are being rooted out and will be separated. If they don’t repent, they will finally be gathered up and burned in the fire. Jesus taught that ominous and damning truth. I am just a repeater of His message. Another parable He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while he was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed also darnel (weeds resembling wheat) among the wheat and went on his way. So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the darnel (weeds) appeared also. And the servants of the owner came to him and said, Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have darnel shoots in it? He replied to them, An enemy has done this. The servants said to him, “Then do you want us to go and weed them out?” But he said, “No, lest in gathering the wild wheat (weeds resembling wheat), you root up the (true) wheat along with it. Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary.” (Matthew 13:24-30 AMPC) That is a truth that most evangelical, Pentecostal, Word-of Faith, Prophetic, Spirit-filled, or independent churches stopped preaching long ago. Forget the art and seeker-friendly sissified gatherings that many have mistakenly labeled as “churches”. They are pusillanimous social clubs (pubs). They never preach the truth of Scripture because they no longer preach the Bible. You will hear in those weak churches, “We just preach love and acceptance”. Instead, they should be preaching “repentance and the kingdom of God” in the fire of the Holy Spirit like Jesus did! Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” (Mark 1:14, 15 NET) Repentance for the forgiveness of sins is what Jesus commanded us to preach in His name to all nations, but most churches do not preach repentance. They preach “feel good” messages that never confront sin. …And repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47 NKJV} From that time Jesus began to preach this message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!” (Matthew 4:17) The apostles were authorized and anointed by the Spirit through the ministry of Jesus. Here is what they preached and did. So they went out and preached that all should repent. They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with olive oil and healed them. (Matthew 6:12, 13) Have you heard all the sissified monotone voices of some preachers that are more feminine than they are masculine? Have you seen the clown show at the churches with those “pastors” wearing their tight-fitting obscene jeans with holes in them? Are they in their mid-life crisis now? Are they really men or are they conforming more to the world’s gender neutrality abomination and becoming more femininized? Instead of being like John Wayne, they are more like “Jane” Wayne, and that might be pushing it a lot! Monotone preachers are not the fiery and very masculine hero prophets and preachers like Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptizer, Paul, Peter, James, Stephen, or Jesus. That is only naming a few in Scripture. How about preaching like Whitmore, Dowie, Lake, Richey, Bosworth, Wigglesworth, others from the last few centuries that preached with the fire of God! Many today don't even have the guts or “testicles” that women like Sarah, Deborah, Esther, Rahab, or Jael had. Jael drove a tent peg with a mallet through the temples of Sisera (enemy army general) into the ground while he was hiding under a rug and slept (Judges 4)! That godly woman had no fear of repercussions or even of death! What a woman! What about women like Maria Woodworth-Etter, Aimee Semple-McPherson, Lillian Yeomans, and others? Yep, the sissified monotone preachers are a bunch of “Jane” Wayne’s and don't even come close to having that kind of fortitude! I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. … I tell you, No; but unless you repent (change your mind for the better and heartily amend your ways, with abhorrence of your past sins), you will all likewise perish and be lost eternally. (Luke 13:3, 5 AMPC) Getting back to John the Baptizer, remember that he was sent to tell the religious leaders what hell-bound sinners they really were, that they had to repent, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord! Tough ministry, but it was righteous. It was not glamorous and was greatly despised by many that were bound by religious demons and going to hell. Their only option was to repent! Hey John, please pass the locusts and wild honey! Camel’s hair? No. I’ll pass on that. Too itchy. I think I will stick to cotton. Hanes will do fine. T.M.I., I know, but I don’t care. I got over caring what others think about me or this message. Read my lips: I DON’T CARE! I do care about people coming to repentance. I just don’t care if you like me or you don’t. It is liberating when you come to realize that likes or dislikes are irrelevant. Take that to your Fakebook or Twit page! That was on purpose. You should already understand that NOWHERE in the entire New Testament are we told to shut down our churches because the government tells us to. The early Church would not stop preaching in the Name of Jesus even after severe warnings, threats of imprisonment, or beatings. They would not shut up or shut down! But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. (Acts 4:17-20 NIV) Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail… “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood. Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!... They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. (Acts 5:17-18, 28-29, 40-42 NIV) BIG Haha! Threaten them, command them not to preach and teach, jail them, and beat them with whips, and they go right back out to continue with their ministry! They NEVER stopped! That is what the churches should have done, but they didn’t! They were told to shut down and they disobeyed the Scripture and the example of the apostles in the book of Acts, and they bowed their knee to Covid restrictions and mandates! Repent! Do it now, and then repent publicly because your actions were public when you surrendered to the world and the devil! We are supposed to heal the sick, and not be afraid of any disease! I’ve laid hands on a lot of sick people. Some had transmittable diseases. I’ve never been sick over any of that. Never! Churches allowed the devil to stop their ministries, many of them for months! Some of them were not doing the Word anyway with their sissified and corrupted ministries of preaching fluffy cotton candy messages. These must be confronted with the truth that THEY SINNED, and that they must repent, that is, IF they want mercy and grace from the Lord. If they don’t repent, their fate is already sealed with the enemy. They need to get out of that stinking religious trash and begin to preach the Word without compromise. What will it be pastors and churches that have succumbed to the enemy? What will be your next step? Choose this day whom you will serve! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15 NKJV) Download a free PDF copy of “A CALL TO RETURN: Restoring the Roots of our Relationship with Jesus” here unless you want to pay for a physical copy or purchase more. Barnes and Noble, Christian Book , Westbow Press have it available. It would be good seed to get extra copies and send them out. It would benefit the Kingdom of God. The church at large needs this message more right now than ever before! Buy a thousand copies and send them out! I receive VERY little per copy sold. Making money was never the reason for the book. The point of the book was and is to bring to repentance the lukewarm and backslidden in the churches. How tragic that more churches didn’t listen to this message in 2015. Had they done so much of what has happened could have been averted. What can be done now? You can help get this timely message out by sending this article to everybody you know. Forward the podcast. Send them "A Call To Return." Do your part to get this message out. Be like an evangelist and be fervent about it! ________________ In case you didn’t get the information from my previous articles on useless masks, vaccines, and more, here it is again with some additions: Canadian doctors and medical professionals reject the closures, lockdowns, quarantines, and masks: https://medicalkidnap.com/2021/03/10/canadian-doctors-speak-out-against-government-covid-restrictions-masks-and-vaccines-not-needed/ At the end of the article, listen to the 11-minute video presentation. Doctors from other countries speak out: https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/doctors-around-the-world-issue-dire-warning-do-not-get-the-covid-vaccine/ Mask mandates: Medical studies on the use of masks reveal a few shocking things: *Masks are useless at stopping viruses from infecting a person wearing one, and from stopping the virus from escaping the mask if someone is infected. Keep in mind the fact that ALL viruses are much smaller than the microscopic openings in the material used for masks. "It's like using a chain link fence to keep out mosquitos!" I heard someone else say that, but I don't remember who it was or I would give them credit because it really gives you a mental picture of what I am saying here. *Masks hinder the intake of air for breathing (up to 30%) and hinder the exhaling of carbon dioxide into the air. That means that what you are rebreathing under the mask is partly carbon dioxide (a waste product that is unbreathable) and not the air you need to live! That contributes to the diminished function of a lot of internal organs! There is evidence that surgeons have decreased mental acuity after 4-6 hours in the operating room after using a surgical mask. The real losers here are the little children being forced to wear masks for hours a day. What do you think oxygen deprivation together with carbon dioxide inhalation is doing to their developing brains and internal organs? It is child abuse and it is criminal. Here follows an article by Dr. Margarite Griesz-Brisson MD, PhD. a Consultant Neurologist and Neurophysiologist with a PhD in Pharmacology, with special interest in neurotoxicology, environmental medicine, neuroregeneration and neuroplasticity on the child abuse and criminal demand to mask up children: https://www.globalresearch.ca/covid-19-masks-crime-against-humanity-child-abuse/5726059 *Studies indicate that continual use of masks will have a detrimental effect on the immune system and will contribute to infections in the gums and lungs. Look at this article: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/mask-mouth-dentists-warn-prolonged-use-of-masks-leading-to-poor-oral-hygiene Dr. Lee Merritt on the falsehoods of masks: https://www.americasfrontlinedoctors.com/custom_videos/mask-myths A surgeon speaks out on the falsehood of the general population wearing masks: https://principia-scientific.com/surgeon-destroys-myth-if-masks-dont-work-why-do-surgeons-wear-them/ Penile shrinkage because of mask usage: https://nationalfile.com/study-chemical-that-causes-penile-shrinkage-found-in-face-masks/ Men, masking up is death to your manhood! Take off that stinking mask! Your wife will thank you! Interviews with Dr. Richard Urso: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4BfPl2EzMI https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/show/conservativebusinessjournal/id/17376962 The medical profession is slowly but surely revolting against all the lies of Covid-19, and they are coming from different countries around the world. In some countries, and in some local socialist governments (NYC and others), they are implementing an ID card to prove you have been vaccinated or you can’t go into a business or eat at a restaurant. That is just like wearing the emblem of the beast! The same has been done with mask wearing. Sometime back, I tried to get my little boys ice cream at two different shops on Treasure Island (next to St Petersburg Beach) and they would not serve me without a mask! Did I yield? No way! I went through a Chick-Fil-A drive through and got each one of my boys an Ice-Dream! Haha! Trust me, it’s not an advertisement. Chick-Fil-A closed in store service and tripled up on their drive-thru operation. They also capitulated! “May no man eat fruit of you hereafter forever?” Mark 11 anyone? That may have been Jesus’s attitude and words to a non-productive ice cream shop, I mean, fruit tree. Hmm! Nazi-like measures similar to those used against Jews in Germany are in place! Jews were forced to identify their businesses with a special emblem (a star) so Germans faithful to the Third Reich would not buy from them or sell them anything. In many places, you can’t buy or sell unless you have on a mask, and still, churches don't get it and try to defend their closure actions and capitulating ways. At a SunBank/Truist bank, I was told that to come into their lobby to open an account, I had to wear a mask! Do you know that many states have laws on their books that prohibit wearing a face mask inside a bank and most businesses? It wasn’t that long ago that if you wore a mask inside a bank, you were considered a criminal trying to rob the bank! I refused to wear a mask in their bank, so, I couldn’t open the account there. Food, money, grocery stores, government buildings, and what else is coming? If that doesn’t sound like preparation for the antichrist's one-world government in training with the mark of the beast, then I don’t know what would! Saint reading this, are you still yawning and sleeping? Vaccination, forced vaccinations, vaccination passports: Article and 55 minute interview with Dr. Kaufman: https://vaccineimpact.com/2020/censored-dr-kaufman-they-want-to-genetically-modify-us-with-covid-19-vaccine-loses-his-job-and-willing-to-go-to-jail-to-resist/ The associated deaths and side effects from the "vaccines" are running into multiplied thousands and maybe millions all over the planet. Now a new phenomenon is taking shape among the vaccinated as brain function after vaccination in many can begin to go haywire. The root of these dire problems with people passing out, going into an intense mental fog, and losing perception of reality, is being only now taking center stage among the vaccinated. There a huge amount of reports of non-sensical auto accidents because of these issues among the vaccinated. This is no joke and no conspiracy theory. It may take weeks or months before this begins to make headlines, but I have already read many reports about this terrible vaccine side-effect, and here is the science behind it. Vaccines can modify DNA permanently and contribute to Mad Cow Disease like symptoms and illnesses in humans: https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/science-mrna-vaccines-alter-dna/ https://naturalnews.com/2021-04-08-mrna-vaccines-may-cause-your-body-to-churn-out-prions-eat-your-brain-mad-cow-disease.html# 8 ways that the mRNA vaccine can kill you by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny: https://www.brighteon.com/3ef68971-87ad-4ac5-9a1c-8552364d8ccd https://rumble.com/vd0vrj-interview-with-sherri-tenpenny-about-dangers-of-vaccines.html New medical research reveals that the Pfizer mRNA vaccine can lead to the development of common neurodegerative diseases. I hope the government doesn't bury the research, so I suggest you download it and keep a copy for your records, especially if you stupidly took the experimental "vaccine". That way, when you get crippled from some neurodegenerative disease, you can try to sue Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or Astra Zeneca for damages. News flash: The government has released big pharma from liability for any injuries or deaths resulting from the "vaccines." Basically, that means that if you get a neurological disorder, a debilitating disease, or die from the experimental "vaccine", big pharma cannot be sued. Below is the PDF of the research paper that recently came to light, though it was accepted by the SciVision Publishers (medical journals and medical research site) January 18, 2021. That was 4 months ago from me publishing this article! News like this can really travel slowly. This should be FRONT PAGE news on CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS and the rest of the alphabet soup devil-inspired news networks! Don't hold your breath because the fake news, mainstream media, are corrupt and in bed with the devil. This paper will not see them light of day on any major news channel or social media. It doesn't fit their agenda or lying narrative. It took Nationalfile.com to report it. https://nationalfile.com/report-pfizer-vaccine-confirmed-to-cause-neurodegenerative-diseases/ PDF research paper: https://scivisionpub.com/pdfs/covid19-rna-based-vaccines-and-the-risk-of-prion-disease-1503.pdf The side effects of these demon-inspired experimental gene modifiers erroneously called "vaccines" will have a huge effect among the vaccinated population. Watch for a huge increase in senseless accidents of all kinds and generally people losing their minds and ability to concentrate and carry out everyday activities. It will be a plague unto itself and demonstrate that the supposed cure is a million times worse than the coronavirus! More than 52,000 medical professionals worldwide have signed the Great Barrington Declaration at https://gbdeclaration.org/ calling into question the draconian Covid 19 policies, procedures, and vaccinations: https://healthimpactnews.com/2020/covid-has-caused-tens-of-thousands-of-medical-doctors-and-scientists-to-wake-up-to-corruption-in-the-medical-industry/ Israel’s “vaccination passport” and the violation of the Nuremberg Code: https://vaccineimpact.com/2021/israelis-cry-out-to-the-world-to-stop-mandatory-covid-injections-as-lawsuit-is-filed-in-international-criminal-court-over-nuremberg-code-violation/ Chananya Weissman: 31 Reasons Why I Won’t Take the Vaccine. Some points have to do specifically with what is going on in Israel, but we see the same nonsense in the U. S. A. New York Teachers for Choice: https://nyteachersforchoice.wordpress.com/2020/09/20/top-10-reasons-why-a-covid-vaccine-should-not-be-mandatory/ Mandatory vaccines, or forcing people to get vaccinated, is a direct violation of the Nuremberg Code that was established after WW2 to counteract Nazi policies and practices. These are all signs of the times where the antichrist system is being pushed to set things up for the still future man of sin or lawlessness. This is not funny! Listen to what Bill Gates is doing NOW with injections from this medical doctor: https://media.gab.com/system/media_attachments/files/073/075/235/original/214821d7b2498c91.mp4 Look at the latest official info (May 2021) on deaths and injuries from the experimental gene altering injections falsely labeled as vaccines that are already reported. These numbers are way behind the real numbers but it shows you what all these injections are doing to the people receiving them. There are many more serious injuries and deaths yet to be reported. Of course, as expected, the mainstream lying-devil media is saying that no injuries or deaths can be directly linked the Covid injections. When perfectly healthy people die within minutes, hours, or days after taking the injections, and they complained of severe reactions to the injection, even a moron with little gray matter upstairs could see it was linked. But for the zombies (lukewarm and weak former Christians and the devil worshippers) that mindlessly watch the news media and the lying garden gnome Fauci and believe everything they say, ignore the truth to their own doom. https://healthimpactnews.com/2021/genocide-in-the-u-s-continues-3848-deaths-118902-injuries-following-covid-injections-children-now-being-reported-as-dying-also/ We must take a stand. The protests are going on all over the world. There is a complete media blackout on these protests going on worldwide. Video of just ONE day of protests against the overreach and removal of our human rights by tyrannical governments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvXXgPHyPFE Why are not churches protesting? The simple truth is that most churches submitted to the Covid lie brought through an antichrist spirit, and they have not repented. Where is all the righteous indignation and anger against evil! Now to today’s podcast message:
Some deny the importance of dealing with behavioral issues in our churches because these are “external.” Does this mean that we are to ignore external behaviors and not bring correction or rebuke? Some say that if you deal with the heart, then the external behavioral issues will go away. What is at the heart of all behavioral issues? Is it a lack of understanding grace, God’s love, the sacrifice of Jesus, etc.? Is it a lack of a revelation of Jesus? Is it a lack of revelation knowledge? I have heard many reasons for why people engage in immoral activities, but the most prominent one is “heart issues.” To begin, many completely overlook the huge amount of verses in the New Testament that deal with; you guessed it, behavioral problems. We will look at some of them later. Does the Lord deal with behaviors? Does the Lord deal with the exterior, or is He only looking at the internal, the heart? People are quick to quote the statement the Lord made concerning His choice for a king. Usually, the second part of the verse is quoted. It states God doesn’t look at the appearance but at the heart. Because this verse is quoted partially almost every time I have ever seen it in print or heard someone quote it, many strange ideas have developed around it. Look closely at the verse: But the Lord said to Samuel, “Donʼt be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7 NET). What happened here? God sent Samuel to Jesse’s house to anoint one of his sons to be the next king over Israel. God warned Samuel not to look at the physical appearance and think that height was a qualification necessary for a king. He already had that experience with Saul. Saul was head and shoulders taller than anyone in Israel. The Lord needed for him to forget that, and make the right choice. The next king was to be the youngest son of Jesse, a ruddy (maybe red hair and fair skin with freckles) sheepherder! The outward appearance that the Lord was referring to had everything to do with height and physical appearance. It was not an excuse for overlooking evil actions or sin. “The Lord looks at the heart” had NOTHING to do with dismissing sin and unrighteous acts in the body because those are external or of the flesh. God was not telling Samuel that if outwardly the one anointed for king was sinning, that He would look beyond that external evil and see something good in the heart. That would be utterly absurd! But, that has been what I have heard people say about backsliders living a sinful lifestyle. They say, “Oh, even though he or she is backslid, the Lord knows his or her heart, and they will be OK if they die in their sin.” Some say it differently, but it all boils down to providing an excuse for people’s sins. I heard the above said by prominent ministers after one famous singer died tragically. The singer died because of alcohol abuse and a drug overdose. The person lived in fornication, and yet many sought to excuse their sinful lifestyle. “The person knew Jesus as a child,” according to one prophet, so all their sins would be overlooked “because it was all external” and “God knew the person’s heart.” I take issue with those highly ignorant statements because they violate a plethora of Scriptures! Some think that the Lord will overlook and ignore what people do in their bodies as Christians, even if it is contrary to God’s moral commandments. No, He won’t ignore it! The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, “God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.” (Psalms 10:4 NET) To believe that God doesn’t hold us accountable for sin in the body is equivalent to the way a wicked arrogant person thinks! Paul had a vastly different view than is often expressed in modern namby-pamby, sugar coated, spineless, sissified, marshmallow, cotton-candy, Christianity. The descriptors are to make sure you got what kind of Christianity I am referring to, one that is totally different than BIBLE Christianity! Here we go. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness, because what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them … Therefore, God gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor their bodies among themselves. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason, God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed in their passions for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. …And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed! He will reward each one according to his works: eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and honor and immortality, but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obey the truth but follow unrighteousness. There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew first and also the Greek. (Romans 1:18, 19, 24-32, 2:3-9 NET) Can some people that deny Christian accountability for their sin and evil deeds even read? Paul, the great apostle of, as some say PURE GRACE, wrote that! The only way out of judgment is through humility and repentance where we as Christians confess our sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing through the blood of Jesus! See 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1-3! We will all have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of what we did in our bodies. In time we will all stand in judgment before the throne of the Anointed, the Liberating King, to receive what is just for our conduct (whether it be good or bad) while we lived in this temporary body. (2 Corinthians 5:10 VOICE) The Lord will not ask you on that day what you really had in your heart as good intentions, but He will ask about what you DID in your body. Paul wrote that verse by the Spirit of the Lord! Before David was anointed to be king, the reprobate King Saul reigned over Israel. Why did God want Saul removed from office? Was it because God looked at His heart and saw something evil there even though externally he may have been all right? No! The reason Saul lost his place and anointing to be king was because of his disobedience to God’s commandment. That is what made his heart unfit. Samuel said to Saul, “You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, for now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not endure. The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:13, 14 NASB). Why did Saul lose the kingdom? Saul acted foolishly when he disobeyed the commandment of God. The condition of Saul’s heart was demonstrated by his actions. Closely read this next paragraph. Who is the person after God’s own heart? The one that obeys God’s commands is the person after His heart! God was looking for that. Obedience was what God saw in the heart of David. God saw that David would be obedient to Him. Obedience from the heart was what Saul lacked when he disobeyed the Lord. One more point: One cannot have obedience in the heart and disobedience in one’s actions. That is a fallacy! If you disobey God, it is because you decided to disobey from the heart. If you obey the Lord, it is because you decided to obey the Lord from the heart. The determining factor of your heart is whether you obey or not. A heart after God obeys Him. A heart that is not after God disobeys Him! Then Samuel said, “Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience? Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as a king” (1 Samuel 15:22, 23 NET). Obedience or disobedience to God’s commandments is what determines the condition of the heart after you come to Christ. Christ made it all right in you when you first came to Him. He put in you the will and desire to obey the Lord (Philippians 2:12, 13). Now it is your obedience or disobedience that will dictate the condition of your heart in Christ. You don’t think so? Remember what God said through Samuel? Disobedience leads to rebellion, and rebellion is as the sin of divination. There is also involved presumption, which is like the evil of idolatry. Each of these will contaminate the heart or spirit with filthiness that must be cleansed. Look at Second Corinthians 6:14-18 through 7:1! So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. …But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out- he will be blessed in what he does (James 1:21, 22, 25 NET). James was teaching the brethren in Christ that the way this works is to: Put away all filth and evil excess. That means that you become obedient to the negative commandments of Scripture. When I refer to negative commandments, I am not saying the are “negative” in the bad sense of the word, but that they are commandments that contain a prohibition against an evil action or deed. Everywhere the Word commands you NOT TO DO something; you obey it. For examples: “You will not murder,” nor covet, nor commit adultery, are some of the “negative” or the “do not” type commandments we must obey. (See Romans 13:9, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; Galatians 5:19-21, etc. Humbly welcome the message implanted within you. That refers to receiving the message of Christ and obeying the positive moral commandments. We should obey “love your neighbor as yourself”, “obey your father and mother”, “be filled with the Spirit,” “forgive,” “be kind”, “be angry and do not sin”, “be holy as I (God) am holy,” etc. Live out the message! We must be doers of His Word and His holy moral commandments! Are these compatible with the message of Jesus or do they oppose each other? The book of Revelation teaches that ‘children’ of God are those that “keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus” (Rev. 12:17 NET). Who are the real saints, meaning those called out by God to live holy lives? The book of Revelation says, “Those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus” (Rev. 14:12 NET). Peter taught that if we address God as our Father, we should remember that He judges each one according to their behavior, not according to intentions, desires, or motivations of the heart. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth” (1 Peter 1:14-17 NASB). Living out the message, being obedient to the Lord, and being holy in all our behavior, is living in the reverential fear of the Lord. (See also Second Corinthians 7:1.) There is no such thing as fearing the Lord in your heart but doing evil or sin externally. To sin is to walk away from the fear of the Lord, even if it is for a moment. Notice again that judgment is not be based on the intentions or motivations of the heart. To say that your heart was right though you did wrong will not matter. There is an exception to the above. If you did something wrong but were ignorant of the truth in the matter, God will correct and instruct you to get you out, and keep you from sinning against Him. God did that with Abimelech in Genesis 20:1-7. Abimelech took Sara to be his wife. He believed her to be Abraham’s sister. Abimelech did not know Abraham and Sarah lied about their marriage relationship. God intervened and told Abimelech he was a dead man because he was planning to take another man’s wife. Abimelech was innocent and had integrity in the matter, and the Lord came to him in a dream to stop him from sinning. The difference is that if you know what you are doing is wrong, and yet do it, you will be held responsible and accountable for your actions. Not doing the right thing when you know it is right is a sin. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17 NASB) The only way out of this mess is repentance and confession of our sins before the Lord. He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness! See First John 1:9. Thank God for the Blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7)! There is more to say about this, and I trust you will be looking for Part 2 of this message! For more information on the fear of the Lord and holiness according to the Scripture, read my book “A CALL TO RETURN: Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus.” Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis. Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. ______________ Here are some important and powerful Scripture references that teach about giving and receiving. Let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his support].(Galatians 6:6 Amplified Bible) If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits? (1 Corinthians 9:11 (Amplified Bible) God is able to make every good and perfect gift come to you as you give. He has abundance in mind for the generous giver because He wants such a one to be a conduit (not a reservoir) to continue being generous. Believe it! Where is that in Scripture? Look closely at 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 in the Amplified Bible version: 6 Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]. 7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].(A) 8 And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 9 As it is written and forever remains written, “He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!”(B) 10 Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].(C) 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]. Cross references A. 2 Corinthians 9:7 : Prov 22:9 B. 2 Corinthians 9:9 : Ps 112:9 C. 2 Corinthians 9:10 : Is 55:10; Hos 10:12 Let that sink in, and note how giving and God's blessing on the giver are revealed in those verses. Wow! Use the following links to give into this ministry to help me expand the outreach and spread the Word: paypal.me/danalanrodriguez God loves a cheerful giver; He delights in those whose heart is their gift! Be mightily blessed as you give generously! Do you need healing? Do you know all believers can and should pray for the sick, and expect them to be healed? Here are some powerful truths that will get you ready to receive healing, and prepare you to minister to the sick! Listen to "Ministering and Receiving God's Healing Power- Part 1" in the podcast below. Be mightily and overwhelmingly blessed!
Read part one or you will miss a bunch, because I am not really reiterating anything! Jesus taught that lawlessness would increase as His coming draws near, but that should be for the world and not the church! (Matthew 24:12, 37-30) Jesus is not coming back for a morally corrupt church! No! He has given Himself so that He can present the church as His radiant bride, unstained, unwrinkled, and unblemished—completely free from all impurity—holy and innocent before Him. (Ephesians 5:27 The Voice) Four things are required for moral purity: The desire and willingness to obey moral commands to please the Lord. A consistent overdose of the Word of God in your life. The anointing or fire of the Spirit that purges immoral trash from the heart and mind. Hang out with other people that practice moral purity because “bad company corrupts good morals.” (1 Corinthians 15:33 NET) This anointing and fire of the Spirit isn’t yet found everywhere because many churches have never experienced it or deny it completely. One good thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has done for the Body of Christ is to point out the difference between weak and gutless churches, and those that will go on for God in the power of the Spirit, regardless of circumstance or the attempt of governments to shut down churches. Right now, and since about April of 2020, a purging and a sifting has been going on! After this whole mess blows over completely, watch what happens. Many churches will never again reopen their doors even though some of them had thousands of people attending their services. They were dead (or nearly dead) before the so-called pandemic (non-pandemic) broke out and they are completely dead now. Only those that mean business with God, even unto death if necessary (Revelation 12:11), will be the ones that that overcome and will show and demonstrate the presence and power of God. Yes, it clear in the book of Revelation, and we are fast approaching the fulfilment of all things written there. There is a whole lot of sifting and shaking going on! Frankly, it will only increase from here on out till the coming of the Lord. A distinct difference will be seen between the righteous and unrighteous, between the holy and profane. (Malachi 3:16-18; Ezekiel 44:23) Get used to it! Is the Church supposed to ignore behavioral problems and only deal with heart issues? Let us dive back into this important and timely subject. Let’s settle this once and for all. The apostle Peter taught: As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth” (1 Peter 1:14-17 NASB). According to Peter, external conduct and behavior are essential for all that call God their Father. Holy behavior is demanded and required! God will impartially judge everyone’s work. “You shall be holy for I am holy” refers to holy behavior. It does not refer to positional or received holiness, but to one’s external lifestyle. “Be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy,” should answer this forever, but there is much more in the New Testament on this subject. Does the New Testament exalt “heart issues” and minimize external lifestyle? Only someone that has not read the New Testament, or is blinded by a doctrine of demons, could come to that conclusion. Behavioral issues are discussed in every book of the New Testament! Let’s look at a few representative examples from First Corinthians. Chapter 5 addresses the incestuous relationship a man was having with his father’s wife (5:1-5). That is behavioral any way you slice it! Chapter 6 addresses lawsuits against fellow believers, fornication, and gives us an entire list of unrighteous behaviors (6:1-8, 9, 10, 13-19). Again, all these have to do with external behaviors and lifestyle. Chapter 7:1-40 addresses Christian behavior relating to marital sex, marriage, divorce, and virginity. This chapter is loaded with behavioral issues in these areas. Chapter 8:1-13 discusses not eating food offered to idols so as not to be a stumbling block that may cause your brethren to sin. This chapter discusses an idolatrous eating disorder behavior! In Chapter 10:1-11, Paul instructs the Corinthians not to do the things that the Israelites did in the wilderness and judgment came upon them. Specifically, Paul mentions craving evil things, immorality, grumbling, and testing the Lord. Thousands were judged and died because of those evil behaviors. I hesitated to include First Corinthians 11:1-17 because it deals with hair length, male and female roles, specifically relating to the married couple, and also eating food and drinking alcohol. This portion has been the source of a lot of controversies over the years, but I am pointing it out because something as natural as “hair” and eating and drinking are mentioned. Again, these are behavioral issues that Paul had to deal with in the churches. Paul discusses your haircut, how you stuff your mouth with food, and getting drunk! These are probably as mundane (external) as you can get! Then, after discussing hair, Paul shifts the conversation to a rebuke against people causing divisions in the church of Corinth by eating and others getting drunk (1 Corinthians 11:21, 22)! Could you imagine some people coming to church to stuff their faces and get stumbling, bumbling drunk? Sorry, but you don’t get drunk on grape juice. Do you mean to tell me that alcohol was allowed in the church services? That will blow some traditional, religious, evangelical circuits! Read the text and note that Paul says if you are going to drink (not get drunk because drunkenness is a sin), do it at home for goodness sake! So, drinking fermented grape juice at home was OK in Paul’s view as long you did not get drunk! See also Galatians 5:19-21 where the practice of drunkenness is mentioned as keeping a person from inheriting the kingdom of God. Paul never condemned drinking a fermented beverage with alcohol content at home. Do you think Jesus ate the Passover with grape juice and not fermented wine? Think again. According to Jewish tradition, the Passover Seder (order of service and retelling of the deliverance of the children of Israel from Egypt- (Haggadah) was celebrated with 4 cups of wine (not grape juice)[1], each with at least 3.3 oz. of, you guessed it, fermented, alcohol containing, WINE! I don’t keep wine at home, so don’t get bent out of shape here, though I could, and it would be fine, but I don’t, but I could, but, it is really none of your business! I just had to throw that in there! Haha! The first miracle was Jesus turning water into wine (not grape juice) for a wedding feast! God’s miracle-working power made fermented wine containing alcohol! I understand many are intolerant of anything fermented or with alcohol content in evangelical Christianity. I also understand that if someone had substance abuse problems (or demons) because of alcohol then they should always and forever abstain from it. My issue against most evangelical thoughts and beliefs on the subject is when they make it a sin if someone has a cold beer with their pizza, and THAT is not right. Personally, I like a cold soda with my pizza! For Christians, honestly, if you must do it, refrain from doing it in public so as not to offend other believers that are weak or even to give the appearance of evil before anybody saved or unsaved. (Romans 14:21, 1Thesaalonians 5:22) Anyway, enough of that, but I enjoy busting silly traditional views on the subject. Sometimes, I wonder if some people can even read. Quit judging those that do and those that do not! Read Romans 14 and get over it! Behavior, oh behavior, you continue to appear, and we were just looking at one of the books of the New Testament! Behavior and behavioral issues are found in EVERY New Testament book! How readest thou? That is good, centuries old, KJV! Chapter 14:40 summarizes Paul’s correction of abuses in spiritual manifestations that were happening at this church. All things were to be done decently and in order. That is behavior baby! Ephesians chapters 4 through 6 deal with behaviors or what you do in your body. Colossians chapter 3 deals with behaviors, and so does First Thessalonians 4 and 5! The apostle Peter deals with behaving right in First Peter 1:14-17, as we saw above. He teaches the correct behavior for husband and wife in First Peter 3:1-7. He again deals with behaviors in 3:10-12, 16, 4:1-5, and Second Peter 2:6-9. What about the apostle John? Read these short five chapters and identify all the places he refers to your behavior. He deals with the confession of sins, the lust of the flesh and eyes, the pride of life, practice of sin or righteousness, a love demonstrated in deed and truth, keeping the commandments, etc. All of these, and more deal with moral behavior. Jude 1:7, 8, 15, and 16 deals with, yep, behaviors! How about the book of Revelation, penned by John, the apostle? Read chapters 2 and 3 and see how many things come up in the words of Jesus concerning behavior. At no time does Jesus say, “I know your heart issues, motivations, intentions, or desires!” No! He repeatedly says, “I know your works.” Of course, the Lord knows everything about a human being because nothing can be hidden from Him, whether in the thoughts or our actions (Hebrews 4:11-14). He has and will address evil thoughts on certain occasions (Matthew 9:4; 12:25).[2] The focus of Jesus in Revelation was on: “I know your works” (Rev. 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15), “you need to repent of her (Jezebel’s) works” (Rev. 2:22), and “I will give to each one according to your works” (Rev. 2:23). He addressed their works (actions or deeds) continuously in those chapters, but that is not all. See also Rev. 2:26; 3:2. If you study the rest of the book, you will see works mentioned. (Rev. 14:13; 16:11; 18:6; 20:12, 13). Behaviors or works are mentioned fourteen times! [3] Need I go on? Behavior issues are dealt with in every epistle! Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John all deal with behavioral issues. It is too bad Paul didn't know that he only needed to deal with the heart issues and not all that behavioral stuff! Sarcasm here! Yes, it is necessary at this point for the benefit of those that still cannot see the abundant emphasis on behavioral issues in the New Testament. So, should we now think that dealing with behaviors is to be minimized? Should we deal only with "heart issues" as a priority? Disobedience to God’s moral commandments is at the root of all behavioral issues. We must impose, require, demand, and teach obedience to God and His moral commandments as the standard we are to follow in our churches. Period! It is tragic. Many churches concentrate on being blessed, delivered, redeemed, dealing with bad circumstances, your self-esteem and vision, healing, giving, gifts and fruit of the Spirit, end time prophecy, etc. Some teach about resisting worry, but what about fleeing from fornication? Teaching on kindness is good, but what about training to live a holy life? Some want to be motivated into success as Christian business owners, but what about encouraging people into strong moral principles? That is a real “life” coach! Some teach on forgiveness and faith, but what about teaching on resisting covetousness, idolatry, adultery, lying, and theft? The way things are happening in Christianity, and the perversions we are seeing proliferating among churches, we need a major shift to an emphasis on Biblical moral principles. What about the subjects of dedication, faithfulness, consecration, obedience and loyalty to God and His moral commandments, humility, repentance, and the fear of the Lord? To concentrate only on the redemptive work of Jesus and its benefits, without also teaching about the moral conduct required by the Lord, will severely weaken a church. A church that learns about their “rights and privileges in Christ,” but doesn’t hear much (if at all) about moral responsibilities, will consistently experience immorality in its ranks. Churches that preach the benefits without the emphasis of moral requirements are severely curtailing spiritual growth. We are seeing the fruits of decades of this kind of teaching and preaching sweeping through the Church right now! Sin, darkness, perversion, and all kinds of evil are constantly seen and reported from many sectors of the Christian church. Many emphasize a “bless me” gospel with little to no importance given to moral behavior according to God’s Word. Christian morality has been relegated to a backburner, and in some churches, morality equals bondage! That has to change, or the vicious cycle of the practice of sin and wickedness will continue and even increase. I believe in and preach and teach often on the redemptive work of Jesus and all its mighty benefits, BUT I also emphasize the moral side of the covenant! We cannot preach redemption without also teaching the moral responsibility of the saints! For the world preaching is different. We should only preach redemption to them in the Blood and sacrifice of Jesus. Moral principles are useless for the ungodly as far as making it into the kingdom of God and going to heaven! The ungodly must first receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior. For the believer both are absolutely essential. Let's get our doctrine straight! NOTES: [1] Drinking of wine symbolized gladness and joy, and the four cups were sort of a “toast” corresponding to the four deliverance statements of Exodus 6:6-7. See “To Be A Jew,” page 231, by Hayim Halevy Donin. This book is a good resource for getting a handle on Jewish practice. What many don’t understand is that Jewish orthodox and conservative practice has changed little in 2000 years. Most of what Jews practice in their feast and festivals today was already practiced before the initial compendium of Jewish oral law was written down in Mishnah (c. 200 A. D.) and later discussed among the rabbis in the Talmud (c. 500 A. D.). That is an amazing revelation because we don’t have to go far to sit with Jesus during the Passover meal. We know what they ate, drank, and the story they read of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, and the blessings spoken as they retold the story. We know about the 5th cup left un-drunk at the head of the table. It was called the cup of Elijah reserved for the Messiah because Elijah was to come before the Messiah showed up. “And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:20 NET) There is no question in my mind that this final cup Jesus raised was the cup reserved for Messiah! It was a miracle that no one wound up in the floor overwhelmed by it all! [2] According to Matthew 15:19, “out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts,” and so on. Peter rebuked the new convert named Simon (Acts 8:13) because he allowed wickedness, bitterness, and the bondage of iniquity to reenter his heart. It caused his heart not to be right before the Lord! Do you mean that it is possible to have your spirit defiled by wickedness after you are birthed of the Spirit or “born again?” See Acts 8:20-23. Peter rebuked Simon for the wickedness he displayed with the ungodly offer to pay money for the authority to lay hands on people, so they receive the Holy Spirit. Peter called it the evil “intention of your (Simon’s) heart.” The intention of his heart was displayed by his action. Peter called the wickedness displayed, the intention of the heart. There is a close parallel between intention, thought, and desire of the heart and the action. These cannot be separated too far because what you intend is what you will do, and what you do is what you intended. The only thing that interferes with this connection is when a person that intends to do evil stops the process by repentance. This verse tells us what to do when the spirit or body are defiled by sin: “Therefore, since we have these promises (see 2 Cor. 6:14-18), dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God (2 Corinthians 7:1). [3] Based, again, on Matthew 15:19, it would be foolish to say that Jesus rarely dealt with behavioral issues. What does, “do not sin anymore” (John 5:14), and “from now on sin no more” (John 8:11) mean? Jesus instructed them that they keep their behavior according to God’s commandments. Jesus mentioned the commandments “you shall not murder;” “you shall not commit adultery;” “you shall not steal;” “you shall not bear false witness;” “honor your father and mother;” and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 19:18, 19 NASB). That all started with a question and the answer of the Master concerning what to do if you want to enter into (eternal) life. Jesus responds with that it was necessary to keep (obey) the commandments. To be complete, Jesus said that the questioner had to walk away from possessions that possessed him, selling them, and giving the proceeds to the poor, and following Jesus! That is what we are taught in shortened form in Revelation 14:12 and 12:17. What about the teaching of Jesus on adultery, murder, fornication, and divorce? (See Matthew 5:21-32.) There are other references in the words of Jesus, but these should suffice. Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis. Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. ______________ Here are some important and powerful Scripture references that teach about giving and receiving. Let him who receives instruction in the Word [of God] share all good things with his teacher [contributing to his support].(Galatians 6:6 Amplified Bible) If we have sown [the seed of] spiritual good among you, [is it too] much if we reap from your material benefits? (1 Corinthians 9:11 (Amplified Bible) God is able to make every good and perfect gift come to you as you give. He has abundance in mind for the generous giver because He wants such a one to be a conduit (not a reservoir) to continue being generous. Believe it! Where is that in Scripture? Look closely at 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 in the Amplified Bible version: 6 Now [remember] this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to others] will also reap generously [and be blessed]. 7 Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift].(A) 8 And God is able to make all grace [every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always [under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [being completely self-sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 9 As it is written and forever remains written, “He [the benevolent and generous person] scattered abroad, he gave to the poor, His righteousness endures forever!”(B) 10 Now He who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will provide and multiply your seed for sowing [that is, your resources] and increase the harvest of your righteousness [which shows itself in active goodness, kindness, and love].(C) 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you may be generous, and this [generosity, administered] through us is producing thanksgiving to God [from those who benefit]. Cross references A. 2 Corinthians 9:7 : Prov 22:9 B. 2 Corinthians 9:9 : Ps 112:9 C. 2 Corinthians 9:10 : Is 55:10; Hos 10:12 Let that sink in, and note how giving and God's blessing on the giver are revealed in those verses. Wow! Use the following links to give into this ministry to help me expand the outreach and spread the Word: paypal.me/danalanrodriguez God loves a cheerful giver; He delights in those whose heart is their gift! Be mightily blessed as you give generously!
Allow me to share this with some sarcasm. It is sometimes necessary to get a point across. Jesus used sarcasm and satire repeatedly. If you don't think so, then your Bible interpretation is lacking the truth! Jesus had a cutting sense of humor that was often sarcastic against the religious establishment. One good example is where Jesus asks the Pharisees repeatedly if they can even read the Scripture! (Matthew 12:5, 19:4, 21:16, 21:42, 22:29, 31). Also look at John 10:31-39 and note the sarcasm there when Jesus states, “Is it not written in your law?” In modern speech it sounds like this: “What, can’t you imbeciles (the Jewish leaders present there) read out of your own book?” Don’t get me started and say that Jesus would never call anybody a moron or imbecile. Really? How about Him calling people much worse things? “Imbecile” and “moron” are soft toned compared to the following vitriol laid against the bad Pharisees in the Pharisaic movement of the day found in Matthew 23. “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! ...“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are! And Jesus was just warming up! ..Do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! …“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! …Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. …Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell? (Excerpted from Matthew 23 NLT. Read the whole chapter!) "How readest thou?" (Luke 10:26 KJV) I've used that one a lot! It's a, "What, can't you dummies read" moment! You say you know the Scripture? Are you kidding me? For Jesus to ask a Pharisee if he knew his Bible was akin to asking rocket scientists or astrophysicists if they know that 2+2 equals 4 because they didn't get something you were saying at the moment! Would that be sarcastic and considered highly offensive? Yes, especially to the prideful that thought they were ALL THAT and more! In effect, Jesus was calling the Pharisees He was addressing spiritual morons even though they could quote the Scripture verbatim from the age of ten or so. At his time in history, a Pharisee could quote the entire Bible from their memory by age ten, or at least they could quote large parts of it. Memorization was highly valued in ancient times, much more than it is today. Why, you ask? Books and scrolls were tedious to produce because they had to be written by hand. The printing press wasn't invented by Gutenberg until around 1440, and so, manuscripts were VERY, VERY, expensive! Consistent repetition and memorization were the keys to learning in those days. What about Paul’s statement against the Christian false teachers that claimed that all males must be circumcised to be right with God. (Galatians 5:10-12) In Greek vernacular, Paul simply states sarcastically that those that teach that mess should just go ahead and finish the job by cutting off their male member! He was talking sarcastically about self-inflicted mutilation! “Go ahead and cut it off” is rough and very graphic sarcasm! Paul uses sarcasm and satire repeatedly in his epistles, often in very biting terms, and sometimes humorous. Have you ever heard the term RINO? It is speaking about those Republicans in name only that are registered as Republicans, but their morals are more in line with left leaning policies and they are loose morally in their voting. There are some RINO's among us in Christianity, but they are “Joe- The Christian In Name Only”. This "Joe" promotes what he believes is the “perfect preacher”. I present to you below my sarcasm and satire to get the point across. It's nothing new to those that have heard me before. I use sarcasm in my preaching as did the prophets, Jesus, and let us not forget Paul. All used it to one degree or another to deliver the messages they had burning in their hearts from the Father. R U Ready 4 this? My Perfect Preacher "If you want to be my perfect preacher, then don’t rebuke, refute, or correct me because I don’t believe any of that is love. I want you to give me an easy listening sermonette that requires me to do nothing. I want my preacher to remove all the harsh and hard words by no longer mentioning sin, iniquity, and rebellion to God. If you can always preach to me heaven and good stuff, and make no mention of hell, eternal punishment, or the lake of fire, then you are my kind of preacher. Don’t tell me that, for example, adultery, fornication, and homosexuality are sins and condemned by God in the Bible. Tell me that the commandments are irrelevant today, because once I receive Jesus, God no longer sees my present or future sin. Tell me that God will never condemn me for my sins as a Christian because they are already forgiven. Tell me I don’t even need to repent or confess my sins because that is a “works mentality.” Tell me that I am free from accountability and that, though I am in an adulterous affair, I will still go to heaven even if I die right in the middle of it. Tell me that my homosexual “Christian” cousin is going to heaven because all their future sins are forgiven. Tell me I can practice fornication, shack up unmarried, and still make heaven. Tell me that that is the truth because God doesn't give forgiveness in installments. Tell me that that is PURE grace and I will swallow it hook, line, sinker, boat, fishing pole, and the fisherman! Tell me I can be blessed, healed and prosperous even if I am living a sloppy and sinful "Christian" life. Tell me that neither holiness nor purity are that important as far as going to heaven is concerned. Tell me that the evil actions of my body are my flesh and that my spirit stays pure because it is righteous no matter what I do. Tell me God winks at my sin because His grace is all I need and it is sufficient! Tell me that God's love for me is unconditional and that Jesus will love and take me to heaven even if I do not repent and confess my sins. Tell me that my continued sin will never affect my righteousness in Christ or my relationship with God. Tell me that keeping the moral commandments of God is bondage and the "works of the law." Tell me that the harsh words of Jesus in the Gospels are not relevant today because they were all under the law. Tell me the Sermon on the Mount was the law on steroids. Tell me that faith is “only believe” without faithfulness and loyalty to the Lord. Tell me that the Old Testament should not even be a part of our Christian Bible, and that it was an unfortunate mistake. Tell me that only the epistles of Paul and what he taught on grace is all that is important to the believer. Tell me that all the other epistles and the book of Revelation were written to the Jews and Gnostics and not to Christians from a gentile background, even though Revelation chapters 2 and 3 were written to 7 churches among the Gentiles. Tell me we can learn ONLY examples and shadows from the Old Testament, but that it was all law, and there are no moral lessons there for me under grace. Tell me there is NEVER judgment for the Christian that continues practicing sin, as for example in the story of Ananias and Saphira, and the man committing incest with his father's wife. Tell me that was for another era and not applicable today under grace, though both incidents are in the book of Acts and 1 Corinthians 5. Tell me that I am always righteous because I can never ever mess up my grace gift of righteousness regardless of the sin I choose to practice. Tell me that, because of grace, once I am saved, I am saved forever even though I live contrary to all of God's commandments and reject the words and commandments of Jesus in the gospels. Tell me that the Holy Spirit will never convict the Christian of sin because there is now no condemnation. Tell me that PURE grace requires NO faithfulness, accountability, Biblical morality, keeping the commandments, or doing the Word, because that it is all the works of the law. Tell me we are not under any of that old stuff if we have our faith in Jesus. Tell me all that the above and I will make sure to spread your message by telling everybody that you are a faith/pure-grace preacher and give you time on my influential Christian TV programs. Tell me that and we will celebrate your message as the truth! Tell me all that and we will say that you are right in the middle of the greatest revival known to man with your message of PURE grace. Give me PURE grace alone, please, and you will be my preacher and will have gained my financial support because you are the perfect preacher, the man of the hour!" ______________________________ Joe the Christian In Name Only is one very mixed up and deceived individual. This “Joe” represents those believing in a perverted grace message. In our sarcasm he is a fictional character. I am changing the following saying applicable to all the Joe's out there: If the shoe fits... throw it away! Whatever you do, DON'T wear it! …Our fathers acted arrogantly; they became stubborn and would not listen to Your (God’s) commandments. They refused to listen… So, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt. (Nehemiah 9:16, 17) People that rebel and reject God’s moral commandments begin to look for a leader that is also a rejecter of God's commands. They don’t know it, but these leaders are actually leading them back into slavery! Paul taught that some people that have an itch that needs to be scratched, and those are the ones that heap up to themselves teachers. (2 Timothy 3:16 through 4:4) This happens even though these false teachers promise them freedom with their ungodly message. (2 Peter 2:17-19) Back in the 60’s and 70’s, the hippie culture sang long and hard that they were free and lived free from any moral commands, restraints, or government laws. They talked of the freedom of “free love” (sexual encounters with many different people without any commitments whatsoever), doing drugs, getting drunk, being rebellious, disobeying authority, and living any way they wanted to live. That led many to an early grave because of alcoholism, drug abuse, law breaking, and sexually transmitted diseases. False teachers of a perverted message of grace want us to believe that their commandment-free and no-rules gospel of grace is true freedom. People may experience some euphoria at first because of this “gospel of grace” and its promise of freedom, but if you follow that message, it will lead to BONDAGE and DEATH. A grace message that ignores Biblical moral commands as NECESSARY for real and true freedom in Christ will end up in the dung heap of wallowing again in the mire and filth of this world. (2 Peter 2:20-22) They are headed for destruction! Here is the clincher. Some of these “gospel of grace” preachers once taught and preached good stuff and strong Bible principles. Now their once good messages are sprinkled with an ever-increasing amount of a false message of grace. Some have already run the gamut of this false message. Everything is seen and preached from their false ideas of grace. Many Christians are being fooled into thinking, “Oh they believe just like I do”, because they are hearing the outside without seeing what is inside. Satan is tricky. He does not give you the full error at first. He gives you some of the meat and leaves the poison for later. That is the way some people got rid of bad stray dogs in one neighborhood I lived in many years ago. Give them a big chunk of raw meat with poison in it. To kill a bad rodent or pest you never give them the poison alone. You give them the poison wrapped up in something like peanut butter. That way they will eat all of it and die! Satan transforms himself as an angel of light and he is good at it. (2Corinthians 11:14) It is not a surprise if his ministers do the same! If this has struck a nerve in your heart, send it to as many people as you can. Read my book below, "Faith that Receives the Grace of God" and see what the Scripture says about faith and grace! It is a free download. ___________________ Jesus spoke about entering into life through the narrow gate in Matthew 7. Do you know what that means for the believer? Here are some powerful truths! Listen to Part 3 in the podcast below. This is last podcast in the mini series. Be mightily and overwhelmingly blessed! ___________________ Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! ____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ______________ Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
Intro: Please allow me to share a bit of my testimony of how Jesus and the Holy Spirit started to open me up to some refreshing news. In college, I was a premed student. Spiritually speaking, I would say I was agnostic. During my junior and senior years, I had courses such as human physiology, embryology, and human anatomy. As I studied all the incredible systems of the human body, I came to the conclusion that someone had to design this. This could never happen by chance as many scientists believe. God was working in my life and opening up my heart by studying and observing the miracles of His creation and design of the human body. The Bible is clear that God does miracles and prophets to point people to the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, whether someone is miraculously healed, or Peter walking on water in the storm, or the resurrection, God always points us the the centerpiece of the gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ. In this passage, Dr.Luke wants us to have a clear picture of the refreshing news of gospel and the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. So I want to ask you this morning, do you need refreshing news? 1. First, the Bad News vs. 11-15 1. Illust: R.C. Sproul once said, "The gospel is only good news when we understand the bad news". 2. God uses miracles to point people to the person and work of Jesus Christ; not to individual people 3. Peter talks about the Israel's rejection of Jesus the Messiah 1. They were expecting a militant Messiah, not a suffering Messiah 2. They Failed to listen to the prophets and the Scriptures 3. Because of their sin, they handed Jesus over to be killed and they disowned Him before Pilate even through Pilate wanted to release Him 1. Peter makes it very clear that they exchanged Jesus for the freedom of Barabbas 1. Rev. Dr. Robert Fuggi in his book, A New Model of the Authentic Church. WestBow Press a division of Thomas Nelson Zondervan, 2/8/18 Chapter 6, "I Am Barabbas" p.113 2. This is a picture of God's righteousness and holiness and grace in Jesus Christ 1. The righteous and holy Jesus giving His life for the murderous and sinful Barabbas 2. This is the transition of the passage 3. The Author of Life was killed, but God raised Jesus from the dead 2. Second, the Good and Refreshing News vs. 16-26 1. The resurrection is the Father's validation of the person and work of Jesus Christ 1. There are many witnesses to the fact and reality of the resurrection 2. Freedom and salvation is only available through faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ 1. Our faith is only as good as the object or person in whom we trust 2. Faith in people; people will fail at time 3. Faith in machines; machines will fail at times because people made them 4. Faith in science: science will fail at time because people formulate the observations and theories 5. The list can go on and on 2. When one hears the Good and Refreshing News there is no excuse for rejecting Jesus 1. Scripture reveals and shouts the Good News through all the prophets about the Messiah who would suffer because of our sin 2. Therefore, the only response is repent and turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ 1. This is the good and refreshing news 2. Faith in Christ brings freedom, forgiveness of sin, hope, and new life 3. This salvation by faith alone in Christ is not only available to the Jews, but to the entire world 1. Peter reminded the Israelite people of the promise God made to Abraham that through His offspring, all the people on earth will be blessed 1. John 3:16 2. Peter reminded the Jews the all the Prophets starting with Samuel foretold of Jesus and the cross and the resurrection and the good news 4. Refreshment only comes through repentance of sin and turning back to God through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ 1. Peter's plea is to wake up to the good and refreshing news 1. Come clean with Jesus who dies to pay the penalty, once for all, for our rebellion against God 1. Repent and turn means you have changed your mind about the seriousness of sin and changed the direction of your life from rejecting God to following Him through faith in Jesus Christ 2. This is the only way that we will hear and experience the good news so that we can be refreshed Closing: So, let me ask you this morning, are you tired of bad news all the time? Is it time for good and refreshing news? Listen to the message of Peter, the prophets, and the Word of God. Repent and turn to God so that our sins are wiped clean and we can experience times of refreshment that comes for the Lord.
The title of this article is a provocative question. It was meant to be confrontational and challenge long-held ideas, but it will end on a positive note. Sometimes you have to dismantle some things to build them up correctly. Old run down buildings will have to be gutted to fix them up. Construction often begins with destruction of the old before something new and beautiful can be built. Spiritually, that is sometimes required. (See Jeremiah 1:10.) Plowing always comes before planting, watering, and harvest. Consider this article plowing, so that the seed of God’s words can be sown, and a mighty harvest can be produced! (See Isaiah 28:24-29, Mark 4:14-20.) Many quote the words in the book of Hebrews, "I will never leave you or forsake you"(Hebrews 13:5). Jesus said at His ascension, "I am with you always"(Mathew 28:20). He also taught us in John 14:16 that the Helper or Advocate (the Holy Spirit) would be with us forever (John 14:16). These are glorious and powerful truths, and I treasure them. As blessed as these promises are, they do not stand-alone or exist without context, accountability, or zero responsibility. The way many Christians use these promises leaves a very wrong impression. Most Christians believe that the presence of the Lord will continue with a person regardless of their persistently wrong lifestyle of sin. I am not referring to you if you sin as a believer and repent of your sin according to Luke 13:3, 5 and 1 John 1:9. On those occasions, we have the grace or provision of God in the blood of Jesus available to us. I am not referring to the follower of Jesus that may sin, but the sin is not their lifestyle. I am specifically referring to those that have made sin a lifestyle even though they call themselves Christians. That is my question. Will the Lord abide with Christians forever even if they are practicing lawlessness? Let’s study this. According to Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus will tell those practicing lawlessness to depart from Him because He never knew them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Matthew 7:21-23 NET) What does that mean? The Lord will say those terrible words of rejection to the practitioners of lawlessness, even though at one time they were used miraculously. How did the Lord use them miraculously? Obviously, these were at one time followers of the Lord Jesus, but later in life, they followed a path of breaking God’s moral laws. I know that this does not fit in with much of modern theology evangelical Christianity, but Jesus said that. Are we going to believe His words or man-made theological ideas? Do you know that we have numerous biblical examples of those that started out with God, but began practicing lawlessness, and finally wound up in the “dung heap.” Judas Iscariot is a case in point. He began as an anointed disciple of Jesus sent by the Master to heal the sick and to cast out demons. (See Matthew 10:1-8.) He was a minister anointed to do a supernatural work on behalf of the Lord. Judas Iscariot actually walked in supernatural power for a time. Something changed in him. In the process of time, Judas turned to covetousness and theft, and betrayed the Lord Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas finished his life by committing suicide. He died in his sin. (See Acts 1:15-19; Matthew 27:3-10.) He will be one of those mentioned by Jesus in the passage quoted above. Judas will one day stand before the Lord and attempt to use his past supernatural ministry as an excuse to be accepted, but the Lord will reject him with those terrible words, “I never knew you; depart from me.” He died as a practitioner of lawlessness, and for eternity he will perish away from the presence of the Lord. (See 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9.) Something is way off with our charismatic, evangelical, and protestant theology if we think that Christians practicing lawlessness can enjoy God’s presence now, or if they die in their sin without repentance. Judas didn’t get away with it, and he won’t get away with it at the judgment! He will be rejected for eternity. According to Jesus, believers that die being practitioners of lawlessness will be rejected. That is a Bible principle, but it also applies to this life... Read more by downloading the FREE 14-page PDF by using this link. ___________________ ABOUT THE PODCAST Jesus spoke about entering into life through the narrow gate in Matthew 7. Do you know what that means for the believer? It's some powerful truths! Listen to it below. This is part 2. ___________________ Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! ____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ______________ Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
It should be obvious to any watchful believer that the violent elements in the riots in some cities were instigated by the devil. It is Satan that comes to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 10:10) All three elements of Satan’s agenda for the earth were seen in the riots and violence perpetrated by Black Lives Matters members and supporters, and by other violent groups such as Antifa. Of course, there were political reasons for the attacks. There is a mad push to destabilize the government, law enforcement, and to establish socialism by force. Hatred for all things Trump by the Democrats and the far left is the main reason in the natural, but there are spiritual implications for all this evil manifested in the streets of America. Satan failed to cause the Coronavirus pandemic to permanently shut down freedom and bring the earth under a one world government. His next step was to then let violence flow in the land and see if he can shut down a country that was based on Biblical principles (America) in our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Our country was not based on white supremacy as was Nazi Germany. We had godly founding fathers that believed that God was in the establishment of America. “Oh, but black slavery was a part of American society back then,” some way retort angrily. Yes, it was, as it also a part European society and in many other nations. Slavery was an ungodly institution, and it eventually led to the Civil war in America where the Democrat South fought to keep their slaves, and the Republican North fought to make the black slaves free in every respect. Yes, that part is usually ignored by many spouting off that America is essentially and fundamentally racist, a statement that is as big a lie as Satan! The Democrat party was established to continue slavery, as opposed to the Republican party that believed that all men were created equal according to our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and even the Declaration of Independence. Slavery was a part of society going back millennia. It was and is wrong to enslave other human beings, but that is not the whole truth. Many were made slaves after their country was defeated in a time of war. The vanquished often became the slaves of the nation that conquered it. Nebuchadnezzar and the conquest of all the land of Israel is a case in point. Babylonian troops conquered the land and took many thousands back to Babylon to become slaves of the kingdom. Read 2 Chronicles chapter 29-31, the Book of Daniel, and of course, the last few chapters of the book of Jeremiah. Slavery was a very ancient institution. Slaves have existed among all colors and creeds. How about the truth that people of fairer skin were slaves of the darker skinned Egyptians? Egyptians made slaves of many tribes and people. They made slaves of the Israelites. Do you remember? It was not all black slavery. MANY were slaves that were not black Africans. It is ignorance of world history to believe that. Did you know that Nazi Germany made slaves of Jews, Poles, and many others that were not black? Read the truth in history. Don’t fall for the lies of the revisionists! Did you know that slavery was not all forced? Have you read it in the Scripture? Many sold themselves into slavery voluntarily so they could have protection, food, and lodging. Read the Bible! The Roman Empire enslaved MANY different countries and peoples. The Persians did it. The Assyrians did it. The Philistines did it. Ancient Israel did it.The emperors of China did it. The Umayyads did it. The list goes on and on, because all ancient nations that defeated another nation took in slaves. That my friend is a historical fact. Yet, it was ONLY in the United States of America that long and bloody battles were fought to the death during the American Civil War to liberate black slaves from oppression. Why? Because one of the founding principles of our country is that we are all created equal as human beings. Black, white, or GREEN, it matters not what is the color of your skin. It is an unalienable right in our country. A bloody Civil War was not fought not in India, Russia, China, Japan, Europe, Canada, South America, Mexico, Asia, or any other nation to assure constitutional freedoms of the black people. Only in America! Don’t let leftist propaganda fool you! America is one of the least racist countries on the planet. Yes, there are a few crazies in America that believe in white supremacy, but not many when compared to other countries. In some countries, there is a strict caste system in place, few women’s rights, and some form of slavery still exists. If you don’t believe that then you probably haven’t travelled much to other parts of the world, and you believe all communist and leftist Democrat demonic propaganda. I know people from other countries that have travelled extensively, and they confirm that America is one of the least racist countries on planet Earth. South Africa was once controlled by apartheid where blacks were non-citizens. When apartheid was abolished and blacks came into power, now the opposite is true. South Africa continues to be a violently racist country of blacks ruling over the whites, often with violence, and inequality. Now whites are the oppressed minority in South Africa. Where is the outcry against the oppression of the white South Africans? Ask anybody that is from certain Muslim countries about women’s rights in their country. Ask them about their prospective tolerance of other religions. Generally, there is NONE. Many women are not allowed vote, hold high government office, or even get a driver’s license. Ask anybody that has left communist China if there is freedom of speech or if you are free to have religious services. Try burning the Chinese flag in open protest. See what that will get you. I totally disagree in burning U. S. flags, and I think there should be some penalty for doing so to a national symbol, but not long-term imprisonment, banishment, or death! Why is it that one caste will not marry into another caste in India? Why are there violent clashes between Hindus and those of other religions in India? Tolerance? Again, the list could go on for many pages. Quit believing the humongous lie that America is fundamentally racist because it is not! How come NONE of the European countries have ever had a black man serve as their president or prime minister? Why has India never had a Christian as president? Why has Saudi Arabia never had any high governmental position held by a woman or a Christian? Why has communist China condemned or imprisoned (or tortured and killed) dissenting groups and voices in their country? Why have they suppressed Christianity, Islam, and many other religious groups? The same goes for North Korea and other countries. Shut up your mouth if you want to tell me America is racist! Whoever believes that nonsense is stupid beyond belief! America is exceptionally low on any racist and oppressive scale! I think the most oppression we have had here recently is from Democrat governors and mayors during the Covid-19 shutdowns. They were a shoe in for communist and totalitarian control of the people. It was and is disgusting to watch. They refused over and over to stop their oppressive measures. They loved the power to control the populace and didn’t want it to stop! They wanted to control and shut everything down, if possible, until the election, as a political scheme to use it to condemn and malign Trump. It was converted into a political weapon, but then something totally unexpected happened. George Floyd died during his arrest from a heart attack and there was fentanyl and other trash in his system. Did you know he was a convicted felon? We only see video at the tail end of his arrest. I would like to see the entire arrest video and all the details come out before judging law enforcement. I remember the incident with Rodney King and how the media played ONLY the tail end of the video showing Rodney King being beaten with batons by the police. Yet, when it went to trial the officers were acquitted when the whole video was seen and showed how the police officers did everything they could restrain King FIRST, and only escalated to batons when King was acting like a crazed animal and resisted arrest. Do you remember the riots then? Do you remember the looting? It was all unjustified and it was demonically inspired violence. Peaceful protest for the death of George Floyd have turned violent because Antifa and other terrorist groups got involved for political reasons. What did all this rioting do with the quarantines, and all the stay-at home orders? They all went down the toilet! The falsehood of all the Democrat governors and mayors and their reasons for the shutdown of the economy, churches, schools (etc.) was proven to be only a political ploy! With the violent looting, shootings, and clashes, these Democrat mayors were proven to be liars. After their cities began to burn, all the shutdowns ended immediately! Did you notice that the violent riots broke out in Democrat controlled cities? How come few if any cities under a Republican mayor had any violent clashes? Hmm. Things that make you say, “Hmm.” For those that wanted to get Trump out of office November 2020, with all this nonsense during Covid-19 and the violent riots, they signed on to his reelection. They made Trump’s reelection that much easier. May the wrecking ball (TRUMP) continue to destroy and drain the vast swamp in Washington and in the U. S. government! May a new government arise that lives and breathes the Constitution and our Bill of Rights! May great repentance flow in our streets and may a revival like this world has never seen be poured out on our land! I believe it has already begun! Glory to God! _________________________________ PODCAST INFO: Matthew chapters 7 and 19, Revelation chapters 12 and 14, and John chapter 14 are at the center of this teaching, and it is powerful and will open your eyes WIDE! I quote Jesus and what the apostle John heard from the Lord in the Revelation and keep my comments to a minimum. Do you want to know what Jesus said about entering into eternal life? Let's study what He said about it! The audio podcast can be found via the button at the bottom. Be mightily blessed! Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! ____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ______________ Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
Rev. Dr. Richard Marrs, Associate professor of Practical Theology and director of the M.Div. and Residential Alternate Route (RAR) Programs at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, joins Andy and Sarah to talk about the premise behind his latest book Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered (WestBow Press, 2019), including what Christian counseling generally means, concerns about mainstream Christian counseling, and what Lutherans uniquely bring to the table for mental health services. Find Dr. Marrs' book at westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/779045-Making-Christian-Counseling-More-Christ-Centered. Find details about the Concordia Seminary Prof Insights: Faculty-Led Workshop August 6-8, 2020, at csl.edu/event/prof-insights-faculty-led-workshop-series-professor-marrs. Find details about the Concordia Seminary / Concordia Wisconsin Continuing Education course beginning September 8, 2020, at csl.edu/event/scripture-in-counseling-continuing-education-course-begins.
Kip is president of Family Wealth Leadership; a wealth management and multi-family office firm, but unique in that they coach family members and future generations to mitigate the damage wealth can cause in family relationships. With that experience as a foundation, Kip is the author of a new book, The Legacy Family; Father, Son, and "Holy Coach" Questions Answered: 1. Why did you write this book and who can benefit from reading it? 2. The title is unique. Is there a story behind the title? 3. As a family's net worth increases, especially if that includes a family owned and operated business, does that create challenges and haven't the families already addressed these issues through the estate planning they have done with their attorneys? 4. Is this a self-help book? Contact Info: Website: www.familywealthleadership.com Email: kkolson@familywealthleadership.com The book is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Westbow Press, and www.kipkolson.com. If anyone is interested in meeting with us for a complimentary initial interview, we will give them a copy of the book. Help this Guest out - Click the LinkedIn button to Share this interview with your contacts! Show host Bill Black is a Certified Exit Planner who helps Business Owners plan for their future Succession, Exit and Transition. For a free White Paper on Exit Planning text EXITPLAN to 44222. Advisors: If you would like to be interviewed, get info and sign up at www.ExitCoachInterviews.com
Imagine your old wardrobe from 10 years ago, even your favorite jeans or shoes wear out, get too small or need an upgrade! In the same way, we need to make sure we are clothing ourselves with God's newest fashions for our spirits. Clothe yourself in righteousness. Put off your old self and put on your new self in true righteousness and holiness. Because we are created in God in true righteousness and holiness, we need to put on his ways. Briana gives examples of what this looks like in our relationships. What does it look like to put off anger through prayer? What does it look like to walk in the power of the newness of the Holy Spirit? Let's check out Ephesians to find out! Order Briana's book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Westbow Press. Read her blogs and listen to her conferences at Briananei.com.
I am not asking the world this question. The world needs to come to Jesus FIRST before any of this can be applied to them. After they make Jesus Lord, now comes the question: Do you want to really live? The Scripture tells us exactly what is required! Listen first to part one of this short two-part series. Download part 2 using the button below after my free book and PDF offers. Be blessed! Glory to God! Do you have questions about grace, law, faith, and the commandments? Are these things being taught correctly at your church? The following two free resources will answer truckloads of questions, and set you free! What are you hearing at your church? Are you being taught that biblical commandments are unnecessary to regulate Christian behavior under grace? Is your pastor telling you that you no longer have to obey the commandments of God, and that it is ONLY love and grace now? Are we to "X" out all commandments today? What do pastors mean when they say that the church is ONLY under the commandment of love? Why are many churches rejecting God’s commandments? Is this the revelation of the hour? What are the consequences of denying biblical commandments? Do you know what is happening to churches that preach a gospel that denies all moral commandments as recorded in nine (9) of the Ten Commandments, and all over the Bible? Why is lawlessness running rampant in so many sectors of the church? Why have adultery, fornication, homosexuality, pedophilia, theft, covetousness, occult practices, idolatry, and many other immoral activities spread into many churches? Could it have something to do with the denial, rejection, minimizing, or replacing of God’s moral laws revealed in Scripture? You bet it does! It is truly amazing to me that pastors often don't see the correlation between loose morals in their churches and their lack of teaching the moral commandments of God. Faith in God's moral guidelines also comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). I've been in churches where year after you year nothing is taught about God's moral guidelines. I am not exaggerating! This free 62 page PDF, “Did the Grace of God Cancel Biblical Commandments” will teach you WHY Christians MUST obey MORAL commandments according to the New Testament! We also teach you WHY Christians are NOT subject to CEREMONIAL commandments that were meant ONLY for Israel. This is vital information for pastors, churches, and the entire Body of Christ! Don't be deceived! Download this free 62 page PDF using this link. It fills in some gaps in our book, "Faith that Receives the Grace of God." They compliment each other, and they are completely free of charge. Be mightily blessed! _____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ____________________ Get it as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
For the one who wants to love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit. And he must turn away from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer. But the Lord’s face is against those who do evil. (1 Peter 3:10-12) What a declaration, and Peter is quoting the Hebrew Scripture from Psalms 34:12-16! The New English Translation from Psalms 34:10, the same verse Peter quotes in 1 Peter 3:10, asks the questions: Do you want to really live? Would you love to live a long, happy life? Well, do you really want to live? Then we should pay close attention to the instructions David and Peter are emphasizing here! That is what we do in this two-part series. Don’t miss them, and be blessed by them! The podcast button is found at the end of this page after the book announcement. ______________________ Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed!
Matthew chapters 7 and 19, Revelation chapters 12 and 14, and John chapter 14 are at the center of this teaching, and it is powerful and will open your eyes WIDE! I quote Jesus and what the apostle John heard from the Lord in the Revelation and keep my comments to a minimum. Do you want to know what Jesus said about entering into eternal life? Let's study what He said about it! The audio poodcast can be found via the button at the bottom. Be mightily blessed! Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! ____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ______________ Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
This is the final teaching in this series, and it is heavy duty! Download it at the bottom of the page. As in every teaching in this series, it confronts some traditional ideas head-on and kills some sacred cows. Welcome to the slaughter of traditional religious beliefs! In this study, we look at eternal judgment, judging yourself, standing before the judgment seat of Christ, and the wrath of God. How about some Christians getting their name blotted out from the book of life? These truths are a part of the gospel message in Christ that most churches ignore or water down. Paul and the apostles did no such thing! They taught these subjects within their presentation of faith in Christ Jesus. We trust this series has made you search the Scriptures for yourself, and has set you free from false religious thinking. Be mightily blessed with the unfolding of God's Word that gives light! (Psalms 119:130 NASB) Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! ____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ______________ Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón.
Faith in Christ Jesus must have a foundation of righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come. (Acts 24:24,25). We are to test ourselves to see whether we are in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5). In this podcast we look closer at self-control. Self-control means “self restraint- temperance- control of ones passions, desires, and sexual impulses.” It does not mean control of others. It means to control your self and your body. We are to take authority over our words and thoughts. We are to demand obedience out of ourselves according to God’s word, commandments, and requirements. “A man has needs” and “a woman has needs” many say. People that say that mean that sexual union outside of marriage in necessary to quell those “needs.” That is a big fat lie! Paul taught that the body is not for sexual immorality (fornication) but for the Lord… so flee sexual immorality” (fornication) (1Cor. 6:13, 18 NASB). Only in marriage can a man and a woman have the spiritual and physical right to satisfy each other sexually. See 1 Corinthians 7:1-9. God blesses sex in marriage. Outside of marriage, it is cursed! Sexual immorality includes all illicit forms of sex such as: adultery (sexual union with someone other than your spouse), fornication (sexual union between a man and a woman outside of marriage), homosexuality (includes bisexuals), lesbianism (includes all woman that want to act like men), men that are effeminate (includes all transgender), bestiality (sexual union between a human and an animal), and incest. “Oh, I just couldn’t help it. He or she looked so good that I just had to do it.” Lies, lies, lies! People have actually used this excuse when they come for counseling. No, you did not have to do it. Self-control was needed! You didn’t submit to God, and you did not resist the devil! (James 4:7) Instead of controlling yourself, you yielded to the un-renewed mind, conformity to the world, and the old man. You yielded to works of the flesh (Galatians 5:17-21). Nobody made you do anything. You did it! The devil may have tempted you, but who said you has to obey him? No, we resist him and cast him out. We reject his temptation to sin sexually or in any other area that violates God’s Word. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate (self-controlled)in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified(Greek: adokimos)(1Cor. 9:24-27 NASB). We discipline our body and we demand it to be in subjection to God and His Word so that we are not disqualified (adokimos). Adokimosis the same word translated “fail the test” or “disqualified” in 2 Corinthians 13:5. I only refer to this in passing, but another area people need self control is with overeating or anything else that controls you. It could be worry and anxiety. It could be alcohol, prescription drugs, or illegal drugs. It could be pornography. It could be masturbation. It could be the shopping channel! It could be any number of things in control of a human being! See Luke 21:34; 1 John 2:16, 17. Is Jesus your Lord? Have you yielded control of your life to Him? (Romans 10:9) If we have, nothing else of this evil world should control us! If something ungodly is controlling us on some level then true repentance, which includes acknowledging sin and confession of sin, is needed. (See Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:7-10, 2:1.) Other important parts are becoming accountable to spiritual leaders at your church, changing your contributing environment, and getting rid of enabling people. May you be richly blessed with the podcast! See the bottom of the page for PART 9 of this series. Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! ____________ Faith that Receives the Grace of God is so important for you and me right now! There is an abundance of strange teaching in the area of grace. Grace has become for many a proposition "sin all you want without accountability", and a "do-nothing to receive from God." Grace for many is a rejection of Biblical moral commandments, and for others it is a denial of the words of Jesus. Grace, when it is in its right place Scripturally, is beautiful, abundant, and powerful, but it can be misused and misapplied. Unfortunately, grace is often taught wrongly. Instead of amazing grace, it has become gross, devilish, pseudo “grease” and not the Blood-bought-grace taught in the New Testament! This book was written so the Biblical perspective on faith and grace could be clearly presented by using verses in their context and according to the intent of the writers of the New Testament. If you have questions in this area, this free 266-page book is for you. Download the free PDF file here. ______________ Tres Días y Tres Noches en el Corazón de la Tierra debe ser una parte necesaria en la vida de todo Cristiano. El libro enseña específicamente acerca del sacrificio de Jesús. Esto incluye la cruz, resurrección, y especialmente lo que tomó lugar durante las horas en que el espíritu de Jesús dejó Su cuerpo, y cuando su cuerpo fue resucitado de entre los muertos. El mundo tiene sus héroes, pero lo que Jesús hizo por nosotros lo hace el Supremo y Máximo Héroe y Conquistador de todo el universo. La derrota de Satanás, y la potestad dada a la iglesia en el Nombre de Jesucristo, fueron actos sin igual en la eternidad. No te pierdas este libro GRATIS. Ninguna película ha mostrado el verdadero sufrimiento del Maestro en el Calvario y en el centro de la tierra. Prepárate para una aventura gloriosa. Descarga el libro PDF completo usando este eslabón. Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
We mentioned some of the following in these podcasts. Here we write it down for your study. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8 NASB). “He” is the Holy Spirit in this context. Look at this word “convict.” It means the Holy Spirit will expose, reprove, rebuke, and Thayer’s adds: reprehend severely, correct, call to account, show one his fault. In Greek (Strong’s #1651), it is elegcho. The same word is found in John 3:20; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1Timothy 5:20, 1 Corinthians 14:24 (this verse sounds a lot like what Felix experienced as Paul preached); Titus 1:13, 2:15; Hebrews 12:5; Ephesians 5:11. I highly recommend that you look up all these verses. Some Christian circles teach that correction and rebuke is NEVER love. Some teach that the Lord NEVER convicts the Christian of sin. Let’s bust that moronic bubble of absolute nonsense right now because those ideas are big lies. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent (Revelation 3:19 NASB). The Lord loves us and commands the churches to repent. Because He loves us, He rebukes, and disciplines us. It’s that same word elegcho in all the verses above, but notice the connection I am making between John 16:8 and Revelation 3:19. You cannot say the Lord stopped rebuking or bringing conviction to Christians after His sacrifice. If He did stop bringing this conviction-correction-rebuke to the believer, He would have to stop loving us. He will never do that! Love does this rebuking, correcting, and calling to account (see also Heb. 12:5). Get this truth in your heart. Rebuking, correcting, and calling to account can certainly be “speaking the truth in love” as in Ephesians 4:15! At times, love will reprehend severely and that is love all the way. To rebuke is love when done because you do not seek your own but for the benefit of the hearers. (1 Cor. 13:4-9) If you correct or rebuke someone to prove YOU are right, because you want to manipulate or insist that things be your own way alone, or you want revenge because you are hurt, offended, or it makes you feel superior (inflated with pride)—then it is VERY WRONG and not love. Get that straight! How can one be kind and yet reprehend severely and show one his fault? Kind to the person and rough on sin! You don’t grab them by the hair and throw them on the floor. It is kindness that you can come and sit in church, hear the rebuke, apply it, and go home! Just look straight ahead and don’t squirm. Sometimes conviction will make you sweat, squirm, rattle, and shake you. Nobody will know it was you unless the Lord reveals it! If He exposes your sin publicly, be thankful! Below is Part 8 in this series. Listen to all these messages and get these truths from the holy Word of God into your spirit. Be blessed! Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
A denial of the eternal importance of living righteously is running rampant in many churches, but don’t be fooled! In these podcasts, we look at these truths with the Scripture. We give you many verses so you will not be deceived and drink the false “grace” Kool-Aid! Paul taught the exact opposite of what is heard in the hyper and pseudo grace books and by the ministers that promote it, and there are a smorgasbord of them! Many deny the words of Jesus, and some reject the doctrine of repentance from dead works as a foundational teaching of the church (Hebrews 6:1. 2) Some deny eternal judgment, and others reject the book of Revelation. Others think they are strictly living by Paul’s epistles, but they are not. They actually read only selected verses that appear to support their crazy and unsubstantiated doctrines, but worse than that, they reinterpret them in the light of their wrong ideas about grace. Repentance, confession of sins, and walking in holiness and righteousness are NEW TESTAMENT teachings, and never considered “works of the law” or as being “in the flesh” as many in the hyper-grace movement consider them. Should we go on sinning because we are under grace? What shall we say [to all this]? Should we continue in sin and practice sin as a habit so that [God’s gift of] grace may increase and overflow? … What then [are we to conclude]? Shall we sin because we are not under Law, but under [God’s] grace? Certainly not! (Romans 6:1, 15 Amplified Bible) How should we live under grace? Again, Paul taught us exactly how we should live under grace. That is the way we should live, because [For] God’s grace that can save everyone has ·come [appeared; been revealed]. It ·teaches [trains; disciplines] us to ·turn away from [reject; deny] ungodly living and ·the evil things the world wants to do [or worldly desires; sinful pleasures]. Instead, that grace teaches us to live in the present age in a ·wise [self-controlled] and ·right [upright; just] way and in a ·way that shows we serve God [godly manner](Titus 2:11, 12 Expanded Bible). Many deny the significance of godly and righteous living, and some churches reject it vehemently even with verses like the above. Yet, they have no answer for the numerous Scriptures in the NEW Testament that command godliness, holiness, and living in righteousness. They have no answer for the numerous verses in Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John that insist Christians MUST live in godly and righteous behavior. Here is one good example out of many verses that teach that responsibility of the believer to live holy and righteous before God: Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:13-19 NASB). Some have embraced the sinful ways of the world and downplayed the sins of homosexuality and lesbianism, and some churches have accepted same-sex marriage. They are like Sodom and Gomorrah. Some refer to a Christian man and woman sharing the same bed (living together without marriage) as a “problem” or something unimportant instead of calling it what it is: sin, sexual immorality, or fornication! The “s” word (sin) is almost forbidden in some churches. The same can be said about living in self-control and any teaching about eternal judgment of the wicked in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:7). Many will not address these issues. It's time to check up on ourselves (2 Corinthians 13:5). We should judge ourselves so that we are not judged (1 Corinthians 11:31). This message goes down a path less traveled by modern churchianity. This is the path of the Lord, though unconventional, and we are doing our part to make His paths straight. Be blessed with Part 7! Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis. More books have been published and they will become available again in the process of time.
Yes, my statements fly contrary to centuries of traditional Christianity, but the truth is found in Scripture. What will you believe, what you believe or what the Scripture actually says. Let’s break the tradition-o-meter right now. Jesus does not continue to live in those that practice sin without repentance. Ouch! Is that Biblical? We’ve read it every time on these podcasts. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed youare disqualified(2 Corinthians 13:5 NKJV). A person could be disqualified from having Jesus in their life through an insistence to live sinfully, and by a refusal to re-apply the blood of Jesus to their lives through confession of their sins to God (1 John 1:7-9). The practice of sin, or living a sinful lifestyle is what disqualifies a born again Christian from having Jesus in them. The disqualification spoken of here is not that one was a pagan that never knew Jesus, and therefore has never had Jesus in their lives. No, the context of Paul’s statement here is geared specifically towards Christians that have drifted back into sin and have not repented. For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repentedof the uncleanness, fornication,and lewdness which they have practiced (2 Cor. 12:20, 21). We also look at the two parts of righteousness in the New Testament. Specifically, we mention righteousness as the gift of God when we came to Jesus. Then we reiterate that we are told to live righteously, or that we are to practice righteousness. That speaks of keeping moral behavior in line with God’s Word and commandments. All that and a bag of chips, just for you! Sorry, no bag of chips and no bonbons. That’s right. No cotton candy, and no popcorn as you watch a movie. Only the pure and unadulterated Word of God here! That is what will make you grow up in Him. Be blessed with this anointed podcast! Get A Call to Return: Restoring The Roots of Our Relationship With Jesus as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis. More books have been published and they will become available again in the process of time.
Let’s talk about living righteous. This is a part of faith in Christ as Paul taught Felix and Drusilla. But some days later Felix arrived with Drusilla, his wife who was a Jewess, and sent for Paul and heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, “Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.” (Acts 24:24, 25 NASB) If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by Him (1 John 2:29 NET). Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning (1 John 3:7, 8 NET). It is deception to believe that if you practice sin as a Christian you are righteous. NO! ONLY those that practice righteousness are righteous just as Jesus is righteous. Did you get that? According to these verses, the one who practices sin is of the devil. There is no such thing as practicing sin and being righteous at the same time. This next verse will cause traditional ideas to burst like a balloon. In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother(1 John 3:10 NKJV) Can the phrase, “whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God” be any clearer? I don’t think so, but many still fuss with these truths. Believe the Word of God and reject erroneous theology that espouses that you can be righteous and practice sin. Hear this message! Be blessed with these short 15 to 20 minute podcasts! You are loved! ____________________ Get it as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore. From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
Are you righteous in Christ no matter how much you sin? Some would stand firm by the assertion that no matter how much sin permeates your life after conversion, that once you receive righteousness, you are always and forever righteous. Of course, they have reason to believe that way based on some very important verses. Here are some of them: Whom God put forward [before the eyes of all] as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood [the cleansing and life-giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received] through faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.It was to demonstrate and prove at the present time (in the now season) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has [true] faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24, 25 Amplified Bible). For if because of one man’s trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God’s] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)(Romans 5:17 Amplified Bible). For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness] (2 Corinthians 5:21 Amplified Bible). When we come to Jesus, make Him our Lord, and are born again, we are made pure and righteousness from all our past sins. We begin the Christian life with a clean slate! The Lord “passed over and ignored former sins without punishment.” Glory to God! Clean, sanctified, and made righteous in the blood! That is the truth about being born again! Here is a question for you. Though that is the absolute truth, does that mean that you can practice sin like the world as a Christian and continue to be righteous before God? If it’s true that regardless of your sins you continue in righteousness, then what do you do with the following verses? Little children, let no one deceive you: The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as Jesus is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning(1 John 3:7, 8 NET). If you know that He is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been fathered by Him (1 John 2:29 NET). But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous, forgiving us our sins and cleansing us from all unrighteousness(1 John 1:9 NET). If once you are righteous you can never step out of that righteousness through sin, then why must you confess your sins if you commit them? Why must the one who commits sin be cleansed from unrighteousness if once righteous always righteous? Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10 NET). If a Christian practices unrighteousness and does not repent and confess their sins, will he or she inherit the kingdom of God? Did you know Paul refers to things that will disqualify a person from their inheritance in the kingdom of God? That is the other side of the righteousness theme in the Bible. Did you note that I haven’t quoted one verse from the Old Testament yet? This is NEW Testament, but it is also found throughout the Old Testament. Can your spirit be contaminated by sin AFTER you become a follower of Jesus? Some believe that if you sin it is only the “flesh” and that it does not pollute the spirit. If that were true, then why did Paul say the following to the Corinthian church and include Himself in the equation? Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that could defile the body and the spirit, and thus accomplish holiness out of reverence for God(2 Corinthians 7:1 NET). These are truths generally denied or overlooked by many in evangelical Christianity. Here is the truth. When you come to Jesus, you were made righteous by His blood. After you are a believer, if you sin and do not repent and confess your sins to God, then your righteous standing with God is interrupted UNTIL you act on 1 John 1:9. Doing First John 1:9 is how you are cleansed from all the unrighteousness you did and then your righteousness is restored. I know this is a one-two punch against many erroneous and traditional ideas. I am happy to do it because these have been entrenched in our thinking for far too long. It has robbed many Christians from pursuing righteousness in all they do. That is another good point. Why pursue righteousness if you are already righteous forever with no possibility of messing it up through sin? Why did Paul tell Christians to pursue (run hard after) righteousness if righteousness can never be forfeited? See 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22. This podcast will begin to set the record straight in these areas. Be blessed! _______ Get it as an ebook, softcover, or hardcover book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Christianbook, Westbow Press, or order it through your favorite bookstore.From the Back Cover: A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus explores the depths of the Scriptures to excavate, refine, and lift up its words of power, revealing deep truths that will radically change the lives of believers. By tapping into this rich vein of biblical insight, Dan Alan Rodriguez offers Christians the insights to enable them to set out upon paths of discipleship that follow Jesus closely and that lead to profound experiences of His presence and power. Drawing upon the author’s study of first-century Judaism and Christianity and resting upon a diverse array of sources steeped in the foundational texts of these traditions, the twelve chapters of A Call to Return address a series of interlocking topics: a prophetic call to return; the revival of lawlessness; the revival, purpose, and preexistence of God’s commandments; the church’s commandments and their connections to faith, grace, and good works; the association of works of the law to Jewish tradition and ceremony; holiness; the fear of the Lord; each believer as a temple of the holy; and the meaning of loving the Lord Jesus. If you have a sense that Jesus’s message and ministry are calling you to embark upon a walk with Him that might take you away from all in Christianity that requires no accountability or responsibility before God, then A Call to Return—Restoring the Roots of Our Relationship with Jesus is the right book for you to read. It will give you the keys for understanding and responding to the Lord’s call to return to Him and to follow where He leads. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Rev. 2:29 NASB). The PDF of the entire book is free of charge! Use this link to go to the page and download it. Be mightily blessed! Documento portátil (PDF) es completamente gratis.
Raised in a foster home by a Methodist preacher and his family, she was placed there with by another foster mother. Join me as I speak with Joyce Lewis about her walk of life learning to lean on God when all others didn't seem to come through. This book is available on Westbow Press https://www.westbowpress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?Book=603977
Fr. Nicholas talks about his work that uses contemplative practice for stress relief. Moving From Stress To Joy, by Nicholas Amatohttps://amzn.to/2H8Ns3HA Catholic priest since 1970, Amato has served more than 20 years as a pastor. He is a graduate of the Shalem Institute in Washington, where he served as adjunct faculty member and is also an Associate of Mepkin Trappist Abbey in South Carolina leading contemplative retreats there. Over the years, he has served on the Spiritual Formation staff of Saint Luke Institute in Maryland and is the co-creator of the Mepkin Priest Wellness Program. He has studied in Rome and Jerusalem. His full-time ministry includes leading days of recollection, retreats, and parish missions. He has Masters degrees in Counseling and in Theology, and a Doctorate in Educational Administration. His prior work on spirituality is Living in God: Contemplative Prayer and Contemplative Action published by WestBow Press, 2016Contemplative Light is a community of interfaith spiritual teachers rooted in the Christian contemplative tradition providing resources for the healing of persons. This includes resources for:-Contemplative Practitioners: courses, study guides, training materials, articles, podcasts, and lessons on silent prayer and meditation for beginning and experienced contemplatives.-Contemplative Community: to connect, grow, learn from, and support each other on this journey-Resources for Healing Professionals: clergy, chaplains, lay leaders, spiritual directors, and mental health professionals open to the spiritual aspect of the healing processWe provide contemplative coaching at: https://www.contemplativelight.com/contemplative-coaching-page/Support the show (https://contemplativelight.org/)
"Don't you wish that babies came with owner's manuals?!" We've all wish we could understand our kids, loved ones, friends and coworkers better at one time or another. But what about understanding ourselves? Maybe it's self-awareness that can help us know what direction to go in life and how to communicate with others. In this interview, I talk with Dr. Anthony J. Marchese about how discovering our design helps us live a life of significance. Dr. Anthony J. Marchese has over twenty years of leadership experience in corporations, universities, and churches. He is the author of DESIGN: An Owner's Manual for Learning, Living, and Leading published by WestBow Press. Marchese is a corporate trainer, professor, and avid public communicator. Find Dr. Marchese's book here DESIGN: An Owner's Manuel for Learning, Living, and Leading with Purpose www.anthonyjmarchese.com
Having traveled along a journey of healing and redemption, Sherry's greatest joy is the LORD. She leads women's Bible studies, speaks at Christian retreats, and co-chairs a community James 1:27 Team (support group for those of us who care for elderly parents). Her wildlife photography from the South Carolina Lowcountry is featured at women's prayer and healing services. She and her husband are blessed with three sons, two daughter-in-laws, and an adorable granddaughter. Sherry's first novel, The Christmas Bracelet, was published by WestBow Press. She also published an Easter drama, They Knew No Easter, by Lillenas. Grandparents play a unique and profoundly influential role in the lives of grandchildren—second only to parents—yet they are one of the most underserved groups in the church. Today's grandparents don't consider themselves to be “seniors” in the traditional sense. They are generally healthier and more vital than any other generation of grandparents in history. 21st Century grandparents are just as likely to be rocking to their favorite tunes as they are to be rocking in their favorite chairs.
Having traveled along a journey of healing and redemption, Sherry’s greatest joy is the LORD. She leads women’s Bible studies, speaks at Christian retreats, and co-chairs a community James 1:27 Team (support group for those of us who care for elderly parents). Her wildlife photography from the South Carolina Lowcountry is featured at women’s prayer and healing services. She and her husband are blessed with three sons, two daughter-in-laws, and an adorable granddaughter. Sherry’s first novel, The Christmas Bracelet, was published by WestBow Press. She also published an Easter drama, They Knew No Easter, by Lillenas. Grandparents play a unique and profoundly influential role in the lives of grandchildren—second only to parents—yet they are one of the most underserved groups in the church. Today’s grandparents don’t consider themselves to be “seniors” in the traditional sense. They are generally healthier and more vital than any other generation of grandparents in history. 21st Century grandparents are just as likely to be rocking to their favorite tunes as they are to be rocking in their favorite chairs.
Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Antony Gabriel, the Chairman of the Antiochian Heritage Foundation, the recently retired rector of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of Montreal, Quebec, and the author of Reflections on the Priesthood, portions of which have already been published on the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America website. Fr. Gabriel is also the author of the forthcoming book Silence: A Diary of Suffering and Redemption, published by Westbow Press.
Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Antony Gabriel, the Chairman of the Antiochian Heritage Foundation, the recently retired rector of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church of Montreal, Quebec, and the author of Reflections on the Priesthood, portions of which have already been published on the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America website. Fr. Gabriel is also the author of the forthcoming book Silence: A Diary of Suffering and Redemption, published by Westbow Press.
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