For If the Dead Rise Not

What a week this has been!

Tuesday I got word that a woman was dying. She is a mother of 6 with 4 of them still dependent upon her. I prayed and asked God what He wanted me to do. I just somehow knew that I would know the next day.

The next day I found out that she had died at 9:25PM the night before. When I had prayed, she had already passed.

My wife came with these cool verses- 1 Corinthians 15:16a and 17b:

"If the dead rise not... your faith is vain..."

That and every other scripture where Christ raised the dead, I was ready for the dead to be raised. Thursday was the scheduled viewing, so Thursday was the day!

Thursday was quite a day to be sure! I started out of the house for work, and the only thought that was on my mind was seeing that lady raise from the dead... my feet carried me across the porch, everything went kind of gray, then my eyes opened. I was lying on the ground! Apparently there was some frost or ice on the porch and my feet never touched the steps! As far as I can tell, I bounced on my arm all the way down the steps.

The pain that I felt was not like anything I had felt in a long, long time. I cried out to God, and begged for help. The arm was obviously broken and the bones were rotated at least 45 degrees from where they were supposed to be.

I wasn't getting any relief and I was getting shocky fast. I didn't have anybody else to call, so I called John G Lake Ministries in Texas. The only way to get a human being to pray with was the "press X if you are going to die in the next 30 minutes". I wasn't in that bad of shape, but leaving a message wasn't good enough.

I spoke to Jonathon, and he prayed with me. The pain was right at the threshold of what I could handle, but the bones returned to their proper place and alignment.

[THANK YOU, LORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

The pain persisted...

That evening we went to the "viewing" at the funeral home. I bent down and put my hand on the deceased's folded hands. I spoke quietly into her ear, "It is not your time yet. The scriptures say 70 and even 80 years, but you're not that old... You are a mother, and your children need you. This is your job by God's design... I speak LIFE into you in Jesus' name... Get up, get up NOW! in Jesus' name."

Nothing happened.

With the smell of formaldehyde still in my nostrils I sat down in the back with my wife. We watched and waited.

Nothing.

I know what God's Word says. Lay hands on the sick, raise the dead... I did my part and I believe God ALWAYS does His.

The next day her body was committed to the ground and she was buried.

???

I believe The Word; I believe God.

What happened?

My faith was shaken.

We went to the grave site this afternoon. I needed to inquire of God; I wanted to understand.

We knelt down under the canopy from the the grave site service. The fresh pile of dirt was like a stinging dull blade to the chest.

"Father, I believe You and I believe Your Word, but I don't understand this."

The answer was immediate and to the point.

"Get your armor on and wait for Me"

Armor is easy, right? Ephesians 6:10-18... and that's the typical answer, after all, we've heard it all before... right?!

We read without reading (Isaiah 6:9-10).

What is "truth"? "God's righteousness"? Peace, Faith, Salvation...

If God said get it on, it's time to get it on.

The latter part of the answer comes from Psalm 27:14 "...wait, wait I say on the Lord"; but back up one verse and read them together-
"Yet I am confident I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD."  - Psalms 27:13-14 NLT

I am, I am confident that I indeed will see all the good things that God has planned...

... it's His plan; it will be accomplished.

It still hurts though. Signs, miracles, and wonders are supposed to follow those that believe. I believe...

"The LORD is there to rescue all who are discouraged and have given up hope."  - Psalms 34:18 CEV

"The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time. For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken! Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. But the LORD will redeem those who serve Him. No one who takes refuge in Him will be condemned." - Psalms 34:18-22 NLT

It's time to suit up. I'm going to put on the last suit I'm ever going to wear...

... and wait on the Lord.

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Contentment With God's Abundance

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook; my comments below-

Michael Druckenmiller Sr.

1Ti 6:8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

You ask a hard thing, Lord!

There are so many "Gadgets" to "acquire"...

This verse is in the middle of...

1Ti 6:5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

Know any televangelists like that? Good Grief! Most of the "believers" I come into contact with have some form of an 'askewed' "Prosperity" as a *core* doctrine.

1Ti 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

But, properity in this world's "gadgets" means nothing without Godliness, ie., God-like-ness. He has said that He is not willing that *any* should perish. Hmmmm. Am I? Are we showing God-Like-Ness towards those around us. Or, is it the "accutrements" of Godliness we are seeking.

1Ti 6:7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

But, there is something we take with us... A heart toward God or a Heart toward the things of this world.

The rest of the passage is a bit scary for those of us with a "gadget" addiction that can only properly be whetted by wealth.

But, I have to ask myself... What or Who, am I really seeking...

My response:

That turns into a very interesting study.

vs 17 unlocks the door to understanding- "...God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."

It's the thoughts and intents of the heart that need to be examined.

It started with the first commandment to have nothing before God. The tenth commandment is related in that desiring things can consume the thoughts and desires of the heart.

If you love God you will hate the lust for goods; if you desperately cling to money and desire more, you will despise God- Luke 16:13

Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them."   - Mark 7:15
He went on: "What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person's HEART, that evil THOUGHTS come--sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, GREED, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person."  - Mark 7:20-23

...who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Timothy 6:17b

There is a false teaching/doctrine that christians HAVE to be poor. As I said, that is false.

Notice the abundance here-

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your HEARTS hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied. "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"  - Mark 8:17-21

Jesus was trying to make them understand several things; after all, that topic started a few verses earlier with a warning about false teachings/doctrines...

Ponder the water into wine... that had nothing to do with necessity at all.... think about that....

This is old testament, but perfectly ontopic-

...no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Psalm 84:11

Jesus told us quite plainly-
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."  - Mark 12:30-31

Matthew 6:24-34 - towards the end - ...ALL these THINGS will be given to you...

So when God says He will give us EVERYTHING for our ENJOYMENT,  gadgets are included.

It's not the gadgets that will condemn you, it's their priority in your life. If it bothers you, repent, and then ask God to show you if there is an issue or not; "if any of you lacks wisdom... (James 1:5)

I just happened to be studying a similar line of thought in the scriptures when I saw this post. You helped me focus my studies... thanks.

Love you man....


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Eis A Asa, Becoming An Asa

June 2, 2010 I spoke "eis a asa".

At the time I had absolutely no idea what it meant. I hoped that it did mean something and that I would at some point come to an understanding of what it meant.


G1519
εἰς
eis
ice
A primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time, or (figuratively) purpose (result, etc.); also in adverbial phrases.: - [abundant-] ly, against, among, as, at, [back-] ward, before, by, concerning, + continual, + far more exceeding, for [intent, purpose], fore, + forth, in (among, at unto, -so much that, -to), to the intent that, + of one mind, + never, of, (up-) on, + perish, + set at one again, (so) that, therefore (-unto), throughout, till, to (be, the end, -ward), (here-) until (-to), . . . ward, [where-] fore, with. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively.

G760
Ἀσά
Asa
Thayer Definition:

Asa = “physician, or cure”

1) son of Abijah and king of Judah
Part of Speech: noun proper masculine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: of Hebrew origin H609

Asa
ā´sa (אסא, 'āṣā', “healer”; Ἀσά, Asá):
(1) A king of Judah, the third one after the separation of Judah and Israel. He was the son of Abijah and grandson of Rehoboam. Maacah, his mother, or rather grandmother, was daughter of Abishalom (Absalom) (1Ki_15:1). The first ten years of his reign were prosperous and peaceful (2Ch_14:1). He introduced many reforms, such as putting away the sodomites or male prostitutes, removing idols from holy places, breaking down altars, pillars and Asherim. He even deposed the “queen mother” because of her idolatrous practices, and of the image which she had made for Asherah (1Ki_15:12; 2Ch_14:3). Though the king himself, in the main, was a zealous reformer, his subjects did not always keep pace with him (1Ki_15:17). With an army of 580,000 he repelled an attack of Zerah, the Ethiopian, and routed him completely at Mareshah in the lowlands of Judah (2Ch_14:6). Directed and encouraged by Azariah the prophet, he carried on a great revival. Having restored the great altar of burnt offering in the temple, he assembled the people for a renewal of their covenant with Yahweh. On this occasion 700 oxen and 7,000 sheep were offered in sacrifice. For the next twenty years there was apparently great prosperity and peace throughout his kingdom, but in the thirty-sixth year of his reign, Judah was attacked by Baasha, king of Israel, at all times hostile to Judah (1Ki_15:32). Baasha continued to encroach and finally fortified Ramah as a frontier fortress. Asa, faint-hearted, instead of putting his entire trust in Yahweh, made an alliance with Ben-hadad, of Damascus. The Syrian king, in consideration of a large sum of money and much treasure from the temple at Jerusalem, consented to attack the northern portion of Baasha's territory. It was at this favorable moment that Asa captured Ramah, and with the vast building material collected there by Baasha, he built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah (1Ki_15:16-22). This lack of faith in Yahweh was severely criticized by Hanani the prophet. Asa, instead of listening patiently to this prophet of God, was greatly offended and enraged and Hanani was put in prison (2Ch_16:1-10). Three years later, Asa was attacked by gout or some disease of the feet. Here again he is accused of lack of faith, for “he sought not to Yahweh, but to the physicians” (2Ch_16:12). Having ruled forty-one years, he died and was buried with great pomp in a tomb erected by himself in the city of David, i.e. Jerusalem. On the whole his reign was very successful, but it is sad to chronicle that as the years rolled on he became less and less faithful to Yahweh and His law.
(2) A son of Elkanah, a Levite, who dwelt in one of the villages of the Netophathites (1Ch_9:16).

Interesting for sure.

More study required!

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NLT For Me?!

I think I've linked to everything I can find online relating to the NLT and it keeps paying off. A month ago I saw something about a free Bible

NLT-1st-edition-celebration-edition-300-Bible-giveaway/

 I signed up, and sure enough, I got one!

That makes the third NLT Bible I have been given!




The first time I rescued some Bibles that got lost in transit from Operation Worship. They were supposed to be shipped to soldiers over sees, but the box got damaged and ended up at the unclaimed freight center in Georgia. From there an eBay seller bought them on a pallet with a gazillion other books, and I subsequently bought them on eBay.

I had never heard of Operation Worship before. I contacted them and we made arrangements to return their Bibles. I got to know them better and ended up with a case of their Army Bibles for hand outs (purchased). They had a contest and I ended up winning a NOTW OW shirt and an NLT Study Bible.





That was the first one.

Next, I got to partake in an exorcism, my first...

... that is a story all by itself!

The young lady involved later gave me her NLT Life Application Study Bible.

That was the second one.

From there I started looking up all the NLT stuff online I could find.

http://www.newlivingtranslation.com/

http://www.nltblog.com/

http://www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation

http://www.tyndale.com/blog/

http://www.facebook.com/TyndaleHouse

With all the news coming in, I received a link to free ebooks. That linked me to the BEST Christian bookstore and resource online- http://www.christianbook.com/

They have THE BEST prices online, period. They have stuff cheaper than eBay!

Click on eBooks, all eBooks, sort by price, Ascending, and you end up with a list that looks like this

All of them that are priced $0.00 are indeed FREE!

And the list changes at least every week.

I found all those freebies and Christian Book.com all because of the NLT Bible and Tyndale Publishers.

Then, I get my third free NLT Bible! It is 2776 of 3000. How cool is that?!

I admire the NLT for its ease in reading. It's like have someone who perfectly understands greek and can speak in plain American english reading the Bible to you.

With that being said, I could be led to believe that God wants me to understand His Word so He keeps giving me Bibles (hint, hint!).

One more cool NLT link; they have an online interkinear

http://nltinterlinear.com/

Check it out.

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