"SO THAT..."

Hebrews 13:5-7 NCV

⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said,

“I will never leave you;Matthew 28:18-20 KJV

¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Acts 1:7-9 KJV

⁷ And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

⁸ But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

⁹ And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

    I will never abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

⁶ So that we can boldly say,

“I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper.
    People can’t do anything to me.” (Psalm 118:6)

⁷ Remember your leaders who taught God’s message to you. Remember how they lived and died, and copy their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

We know these words of Jesus as The Great Commission.  The writer of Hebrews reminds us of  how and why we should obey Jesus’ instructions…”so that.”  We can boldly, confidently, without fear tell all those we have opportunity as we go about in the world about Jesus because His Spirit is within us to empower and help us…so that, we can tell about Him! 

Jesus said to tell them everything He has told us about Who He is, where He came from, why He came, what He did and why He left.  He also said to tell how knowing Him has changed your life and how He can do the same for them. 

Jesus came from Heaven to earth to redeem mankind from the bondage of SIN.  He ONLY could give His blood as the perfect sacrifice because He was without sin.  He did this by dying on a cross.  Then He rose from the dead 3 days later to a new life He had never known before and would be changed forever!  We are to tell the world that they are redeemed and that they can be set free from the bondage of sin by believing in what Jesus did and asking Him to give them a new life they have never known before that is changed forever! 

He promised He was preparing a place for those who believe in Him and have received His Spirit and would come back for them and take them to be with Him in the place He had prepared.  We are to tell others until He comes!  Scripture indicates that ALL things have been fulfilled and we are the last generation to tell that He is coming SOON!

So…why aren’t we doing what He said we should be doing until He comes?  Not telling is NOT preventing Him from coming, it is only preventing you from hearing “well done, good and faithful one” when He comes!

You know how to tie a gift, Lord!  You are with us in The Holy Spirit “so that” we can do Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8 – Your way for Your glory; “so that” we can give You our best; to boldly witness, teach, disciple and baptize with water and The Word “without fear…” because I have Almighty God as my Helper!

O Lord, I love You, and Your Word sustains me.  Your Word today has become my life handle and confidence.  Thank You for proving Your Presence and for pursuing a Love relationship with me full of reality.  May the passion of loving You draw others in – “so that” You will be a reality to us all!
                                                                                                                                         2/12/2012

IT'S TIME TO LOOK UP!

For years I have been enjoying the mystery and delight of watching the pine trees introduce us to The Holy Week of the Passion of Christ and His Resurrection.

Today as I was driving to work and thinking on these things, I watched the trees along the side of the road.  To my delight many of them were pointing their fingers heavenward and it caused me to raise my hands and heart in praise and anticipation of the celebration coming soon!

If you haven't seen this spectacular wonder, start looking up at the pine trees.  You will see the tips of their branches lifted like fingers and hands in praise to The Creator and announcing the coming of Easter and Passover.  They do this every year a couple of weeks before Easter!  Almost overnight the fingers will transform into crosses lifted toward Heaven reminding all of us of what our Creator God did to redeem us from the bondage of sin. Then the crosses become the new life on the tree. 

As the pine trees display their yearly message of telling us that Easter is coming...I wondered about mankind (especially those who have received the gift of salvation) and our praise.  Are we pointing the world to the cross?  Are we demonstrating the new life of The Holy Spirit of God living within and helping us to love as He loved?  Our lives should be pointing others to Heaven…like the trees!

I stay amazed at the wonder of God and His creative genius!   May we demonstrate that He lives! ~Betty

"You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God." Isaiah 43:12

Jesus said:  "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,

will draw all men unto Me."  John 12:32

Prayer: Father God, thank you for the created world that declares your glory and proclaims the work of your hands. Help us this day to look up and see the splendor of your presence with us amidst the ordinariness of the daily tasks at hand. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

HAVE A MESSAGE AND BE ONE!

“Preach the Word!”  (2 Timothy 4:2)

“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”  

(John 6:53)

“…you shall be witnesses unto Me…” (Acts 1:8)

Before you can preach (proclaim) the Word, you must become related to the Word!

John said that Jesus was The Word…and those who received the Word and believed shall become children of God. (John 1:12)  We are His sons and daughters and that makes us descendants of The Word, and the Message must be a part of us.  Our lives must be a holy example of the reality of His Spirit and our message His words, just as Jesus’ words are spirit and life. (John 6:53)

How does one’s life become a holy example of God’s Message?  It takes a heart broken by conviction of sin, baptized by the Holy Spirit, and crumbled into submission to the purpose of God.  The purpose of God is to become One with Him in our relationship with Jesus through His crucifixion and resurrection. (Galatians 2:20)

We have the example of becoming God’s Message as we look at Jesus’ disciples after Pentecost and the baptism of The Holy Spirit.  The receiving of The Holy Spirit made them the incarnation of what they preached, literally becoming God’s message in the flesh…”you shall become witnesses to Me…” (Acts 1:8)

What a Holy Life we have:  SON/DAUGHTER – MESSENGER – WITNESS OF ALMIGHTY GOD!

Lord God, I am listening with a pounding heart searching for clarity to what I’m hearing – “God infleshed!”  Why does that paint a different picture to me than “Spirit-filled” or “Indwelling Spirit”?  That’s POWER!  And with it, the life is to be the Message…the power of Resurrection and Pentecost living in me?!  I am overwhelmed.  May it be so, as You have said, Lord.  Be glorified!

THE TEMPLE & JESUS

December 28, 2014 Bethel Sunday School Lesson ~  

Focal Scripture:  John 2:13-3:16

Today we connect the dots of the meaning and purpose of The Temple and how it relates to Jesus and to us.  We observe Jesus and the first Passover of His ministry; and the first Pharisee who received the New Birth.  Jesus comes to the Temple for the first time in His ministry and creates a lasting memory!  Let's look at the Temple and remember why it was made, what has happened to it, and where is it today?  We connect the dots to understand Jesus' actions and how they apply to us today.

We need to take a look at the instructions that God gave about a place for His Presence to be among His People. 

He first gave instructions for the Tabernacle in the 40 years of the nation Israel roaming in the wilderness (Exodus 25); and then through David’s desire for God to have a permanent House, God gave him instructions on how to build the Temple that was actually built and called Solomon’s Temple 

(I Chronicles chapters 22-29; 2 Chronicles chapters 2-6).  That Temple was destroyed when the Babylonians came and took the Israelites captive and destroyed The Temple and Jerusalem.(Jeremiah 27)  Then as we read in today’s lesson, Herod built the last Temple.  The future Temple (show menorah) will be built during The Tribulation. (Daniel 9 & 11, Matthew 24)

It is Passover (Exodus 12) that has brought Jesus to Jerusalem and the Temple.  Let’s remember that Jesus would have been coming to Jerusalem for the Passover every year of his adult life.  Can we imagine how this moment was brewing in His heart.  Judgment and cleansing must begin in the House of the Lord.  The House of Prayer and Worship had become a place of merchandise and politics. 

Passover was to remember what God had done in freeing the Israelites from bondage in Egypt and looking forward to Him sending the Messiah who would free them from the bondage of sin.  The shedding of blood was the means that brought life from possible death.  I think Jesus was also thinking about the Passover that would come in a couple of years that would be that moment when the Perfect Passover Lamb would shed His blood redeeming the world from SIN.

As Jesus cleansed the Temple of all that was not honoring God, so we must do the same with our bodies.  (I Corinthians 3:16-17)  1John 1:9  As we accept the revelation that all those born again of The Spirit become the new Temple of God, we are given a heavy role as High Priest. (1 Peter 2:9)  We are greater privileged because we don’t just enter into the Holy of Holies, but the Holy of Holies is within us and The Presence of God dwells there.  Consider why we must be Holy – set apart for God!  Consider how we enter His Presence and why we come to Him.  We ARE the new Body of Christ and we need to have the same zeal He did about the Temple…it was consuming!  We must be as harsh as He was about getting rid of everything that would prevent worship, prayer and concentration of Almighty God.

My personal challenge is that it should be “a delight…not a duty!”

There was those in the Temple who were observing Jesus actions and I’m sure some became fearful, some angry and some pleased.  One such person was a Pharisee named Nicodemus.  He must have followed Jesus when He left the Temple to privately speak with Him because He observed Jesus actions and his spirit was moved to believe that Jesus was from God.

Jesus tells Nicodemus what he must do to be saved and explains to all of us about “being born again!”  Let us listen again and examine ourselves to be sure that we have The Son of God born in us as well.  We will be changed forevermore and the characteristics of The Son of God will become evident in our lives.  Do we need to do some cleansing?  How about a beautification makeover?  How about some praising?  Today is the day of salvation, now is the acceptable time!  (2 Corinthians 6:2)  We have the prospect of a new year for a new beginning…for new life!  Let’s make 2015 a Jubilee Year unto The Lord!

THE TEMPLES:

First – The Tabernacle

Solomon’s Temple

Herod’s Temple

The Born Again

Tribulation Temple

How close are we to the building of the last temple mentioned in Revelation?

 The Temple Institute in Jerusalem is making plans for the 3rd Temple to be built.

The Golden Menorah is already made and stands encased outside in the Old City. 

Here's a picture I took when I was there: 

Rejoice in Dance - Teaching video for "Hora" dance

ARE WE READY FOR BATTLE?

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,

but against the rulers,

against the authorities,

against the powers of this dark world

and against the spiritual forces of evil

in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:12

Choose your battles well…and your leaders!

To be battle ready, a soldier must:  be physically fit, in uniform, skilled in weapons and ammunition.

Since our battle in life is NOT against flesh and blood, but the spiritual world of darkness and evil, we have to prepare with a different mindset than what we normally think about life.  First, we have been cleverly deceived.  It has been subtle and expertly infiltrated into our senses.  We have compromised our morals and intellect until what we see, hear, taste, feel and think has been reversed.  Right has become a subject of debate and freedom of expression.  We have become blinded and desensitized by self-centeredness and greed.  When TRUTH was challenged – we compromised, like getting into a cool spring of water on a really hot day and being told that you’ve got time, you deserve it, it’s free and can’t harm anything!  Now, we find ourselves having listened and lingered and like the proverbial frog kept adjusting to the temperature and feeling satisfied.  We don’t even realize that we are in boiling water about to die!

WAKE UP THE WORLD’S ON FIRE!

It’s time to have a splash of cold water thrown in our faces and bring us back to our senses and TRUTH!  Truth hasn’t changed!  Belief has changed! 

CHRISTIANS UNITE!

It’s time for The Army of God to rally and go to Boot Camp.  It’s time to REPENT – turn away from our wicked ways.  It’s time to refocus, get cleaned up and turn back to GOD!  HE IS THE ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED FROM SURE DESTRUCTION!

Step One:  To come to God, you must believe that He is.  You get to know Him from The Creator’s Instruction Manuel, THE BIBLE.  “To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become Children of God.” (John 1:12)

Step Two:  Be battle ready!  Physically, in uniform, weapon

Spiritually this is BODY, SOUL & SPIRIT

~ Physically-this definitely requires exercise that produces a fit, strong, healthy body.

                    -the fuel for the body is the food and drink that is put in it.  God created the body and food for it and said it was to be plants and herbs including nuts, grain and seeds and meat without the blood in it.  The meat we see Him instructing the Israelite's to eat was fowl, beef, lamb, and fish.  He never said the unclean forbidden animals were ever approved for eating.  The exception to the rule was ONLY if not eating would offend someone and keep them from believing in God.  It was not approval to eat it because it tasted good!  Remember who made the fruit on the forbidden tree look delicious and taste good?

                     -the food should be a balance of ¼ meat or legumes; ¼ whole grain; ½ vegetables & fruit *best in raw form or at least half uncooked.  Beverage should be primarily water.  Teas and juices secondary.

***A sick or handicapped body cannot function in battle and weakens the unit.

~~Spiritually the body is the Temple of The Holy Spirit-it belongs to God and is set part for His plans and purpose, holy.  The Joy of the Lord is the strength; the power is the Spirit of God that is the life breath from within; Prayer and The Word – food.

~Uniform-It is first the identity of the army you are in.  Secondly it is designed to protect the body from head to toe from the weather and the environment.  It is a camouflage.

~~Spiritually the identity of the Christian is Undividedly Devoted Faith in Jesus Christ.  The evidence is Love…joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, meekness and self control.

~Weapons-the soldier must know his weapons so well that he can assemble and load in the dark!

                  -the weapons must be in excellent condition and the soldier must have expertise in how to use it.

~~Spiritually the weapons are The Holy Spirit and The Word of God which is the Sword of The Spirit and Prayer that is the power.  The Holy Spirit will never leave us or forsake us… He is our Helper in time of need when we call on Him in prayer…He will bring to our remembrance the Word of God that always defeats the Enemy; we must have our artillery full so that He has much to use. 

Here’s some ammunition to fill your artillery belt:

Ephesians 6:13-18

Matthew 4:4
Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8

John 16:33

Romans 8:35-39;  12:21

Hebrews 4:12;  13:5-6

James 4:7-8

1 John 4:4;  5:4

Rev.2:7;  17.14; 21:17

~December 6, 2014

HOW TO PRAY

HOW TO PRAY

~<<:>>~

 “If you abide in Me and My Words abide in you,

you shall ask what you will and it shall be done.”

John 15:7 

We have to be in a right relationship with God before we can bring anyone else into a right relationship with Him!

~<<:>>~

“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint”

Luke 18:1

PRAY about everyone and everything

based ONLY on Redemption ~ not out of sympathy!

REDEMPTION: The Reality ~ Jesus was born in the flesh to redeem the whole world from sin, and place it unimpaired and rehabilitated before the throne of God.

REHABILITATION means the putting back of the whole human race into the relationship God designed it to be in, and this is what Jesus Christ did in Redemption. Anyone can enter into union with God on the ground of what Our Lord has done on the Cross.  (Re-created into a new being by The Spirit of God.)

Lord, thank You for clearer understanding about how to pray. 

The prayers You honor come from those who Love You and have been redeemed and know this is the only answer for every person and situation.  Thank You for more power as I pray for these You have brought to my heart and mind this morning. Thank You for what You are going to do to reveal Yourself.

~<<:>>~

“We know mot what we should pray for as we ought

but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” 

Romans 8:26

INTERCESSION is unity in prayer with God’s Heart!

Pray that His Atonement may be realized in other lives as it has been in yours. 

Prayer is the working of the miracle of Redemption in me which produces the miracle of Redemption in others by the power of the Spirit of God which is in me prompting me to pray. 

It is my life in God empowered by The Spirit of God that enables me to bring others to Him.!

Thank You, Lord for this new day as a fresh beginning to set apart my conscious will to be totally Yours; so that I can consciously intercede for those who are part of my circumstances.  My part is vital for Your Indwelling Spirit to take my prayers and intercede according to Your will.  I am in awe at the importance of my relationship with Your Spirit.  Help me to guard my conscious life from defilement by making it a shrine of the Holy Spirit.