It's Not Just The Prodigal Son

Imagine that mankind is God's child. Not only is that child a wandering prodigal, wasting his inheritance on loose living and squandering. But that child can be, and often is, quite savage and barbaric. "Which thing God hates" I'm sure! How would you create a universe? One free from such potential?

Has The Gospel Message Lost Any Of Its Glory Since First Delivered?

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.. ..And man, "male and female, in His own image".

And every thing was very good" [from Genesis 1:1, 27 and 31].  And God himself, surely? Is both Life (itself) and Perfection (without flaw or weakness or limitation).

"..The Lord God breathed into his nostrils (the) breath of life, and the man became a living creature" [Genesis 2:7].

But in their heart, mankind has wandered away from perfection and God who is life. (A possibility and side effect of thinking ability?) "For all have sinned" (in the original language - missed the mark) "and come short of the splendor of God" [Romans 3:23]. And "the results of sin" (imperfection) "is death" [Romans 6:23]. Imperfection, being the opposite of Life/God.

"But! The gift of God is eternal life in Jesus!" [Romans 6:23]. "Which works" (the rescue) "was finished from the foundation/creation of the world" [Hebrews 4:3].

Jesus said, "If I be lifted up from the earth" (on the cross) "I will draw all men to me" [John 12:32]. Another translation puts it like this - "And I" said Jesus, "when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

1 Timothy 4:10 says "we trust in the living God! Who is the Savior of all men! Especially of those who believe." Another version says "who is Saviour of all men -- especially of those believing." God, our Father, is the savior of all.  -- Perfect (surely?) makes no mistakes. Can lose nothing.

"...He made known to us the mystery of his will, that when the times reach their fulfillment He might gather together all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth" [Ephesians 1:9,10]. "And through Jesus to reconcile all things to Himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven.." [Colossians 1:20].

"Behold," the Book of Revelation says "I make all things new.. the river of life from the throne, as clear as crystal.."

"He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes between nations. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, with none troubling, for the Lord Almighty has spoken" [Micah 4:3,4]. "The cow and the bear shall graze, their young ones shall lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox" [Isaiah 11:7].

Christianity has been made up of human beings, and the gospel message has been passed down through human hands for nearly two thousand years. That the message has lost some of its glory, and picked up some baggage along the way, is not surprising. As the Gospel (Greek for "good news") has come to be preached and taught, it would seem one of two impossibilities would be true. God is not perfect, certainly not all powerful. Or, God is not all good. But some darkness resides within Him. (And thus He too misses the mark, and can only fade?)

Is it possible we have come to greatly underestimate Him? And His great plan (intent) of salvation and reconciliation (perfection)? "The grave" has been translated to read "hell". Which, surely, casts a great shadow upon His character. And contradicts both the good news and the Holy Bible. The "lower part of the earth" and "the place of the dead" is still the grave.

"Preaching via the Spirit to those awaiting the ark and flood", was in that day, not in a mythical, all hope is lost 'hell'. "These will be coming into eonian (agelasting) chastening/curtailing" has been translated into "these will go away into eternal punishment" [Matthew 25:46 ]. And the phrase "in the deepest depths of darkness, locked into judgment" also, does not equate to a lower chamber in 'hell'! A closer translation for judgment, would be "decision" (from the Greek word "krisis"). Even "Gehenna" the city dump has been translated to read 'hell'!

"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before Thee" Psalm 22:27.

"So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it" [Isaiah 55:11]. "I have sworn by Myself, the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and it turns not back, that to Me, every knee shall bow and every tongue swear" [Isaiah 45:23].

"‘As surely as I live' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me, every tongue will acknowledge God’” [Romans 14:11]. Ultimately, all humans will repent.. there may even "be weeping and gnashing of teeth" in "outer darkness" but if God says all will bend the knee and all families of the nations will worship (rejoice) before Him, who are we to contradict His Word. His Promise.

In 1 Corinthians 15:22-28, it says, "In Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order - Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then (also) -- the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having abolished all rule, authority and power.. and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.. all things having been subdued unto him, that He may be (the) all in all".

From Revelation 21:1,4,5 - "There will be new heavens and a new Earth.. God shall wipe away all tears ...there shall be no more death. Behold, I make all things new."

"..Though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.." [Psalm 46:2]. Even if man's world were to crash in an hour and fall in a day, "HIS kingdom will never end!" [Luke 1:33].

"We will not fear, for God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble" [Psalm 46:1].

Jesus said "Abide in me" [John 15:4] and “if you abide in My word, truly my disciples ye are, and ye shall know the truth" [John 8:31].

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.. We may come near, then, with freedom, to the throne of grace, that we may receive kindness, and find grace -- for seasonable help" [James 4:8; Hebrews 4;16] ..for the help and ongoing transformation we need.

"We shall be like Him" [1 John 3:2].

"For the fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (gentleness), faithfulness, humility, and self-control (temperance)" [Galatians 5:22,23].

"God is love" [1 John 4:8].
  

Are The Ancient Holy Days Of Israel The Salvation Plan Outline?

I've been thinking on this (and talking about it) for a long time. I'm so happy, finally the words have come together into some sort of cohesive sense [1 Corinthians 14:7,33]. I hope!

The ancient Holy Days of God (Leviticus 23:1-44) describe UR! Otherwise known as universal Reconciliation and Redemption [Jonah 2:9] Or CU Christian Universalism.
Each Holy Day represents Jesus (Messiah).
The Spring Holy Days:

[#1] He was and is the Passover (Lamb). [Leviticus 23:5, New King James Version - "On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover."

[#2] He is the Unleavened Bread. (The oven was "the grave").

[#3] After three nights and three days, "at even" as the weekly Sabbath day was ending...
        He is the "First Fruits unto God". [1 Corinthians 15:17,18 and 20] "First Fruits" is Thanksgiving for the entire (grain) harvest. [1 Corinthians 15:20,21,22]

Then fifty (pent) days later (was) the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of God, wholly dependent upon the first three Holy Days earlier in the season. [Leviticus 23:1-22, the Spring Holy Days [#1-4] fulfilled by Jesus, it would seem, as His First Advent.]

There were two harvests in the land. The fruit of the land harvest is in..

The Autumn Holy Days:

[A] On the first day of the seventh month [Leviticus 23:24].. a blowing of Trumpets (also called New Year's).

[B] 10 Days (1000 yrs?) Later, The Day Of Atonement (DOA) - "Any person who is not humbled in this same day, shall be cut off from among his people." [Leviticus 23:29] "I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it.. ..And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and scrolls were opened, and another scroll was opened, which is that of the life, and the dead were judged out of the things written in the scrolls. -- according to their works; and the sea did give up those dead in it, and the death and the hades did give up the dead in them, and they were judged, each one according to their works; and the death and the hades" (place of the dead, the grave) "were cast to the lake of the fire -- this [is] the second death; and" (then?) "if any one was not found written in the scroll of the life, he was cast to the lake of the fire." (Who's, not going to "believe" after having been resurrected, etc?) [Revelation 20:11-15] "Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all." [1 Corinthians 15:28]

[C] 5 Days (500 yrs?) Later, The Feast of Booths (or Tabernacles/Tents) - the joyful observance of the vintage and fruit harvest. "Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine." [Deuteronomy 16:13] "And you shall take for yourselves, on the first day, the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days." [Leviticus 23:40]
   "..a statute forever..." [from Leviticus 23:41]
   "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth.. and..`Lo, the tabernacle of God [is] with men, and He will tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them" [Revelation 21:1-3]
   "And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles." [Zechariah 14:16]

"..I will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My tabernacle or dwelling place also shall be with them; indeed I will be their God, and they shall be My people." [Ezekiel 37:26c,27]
The Fall Holy Days, A-C, fulfilled by Jesus' long 2nd advent, like His 1st fulfilled the Spring Holy Days.

In the middle of writing this, I found myself thinking about Ultimate Reality, God's blueprint, how things will be after all is accomplished. In my mind's eye I saw the family I married into blending with, becoming family, with the one I was born into. (Barely at all have the two met.) Now this may seem obvious, but I don't remember ever realizing it to this degree before. It started when I found myself thinking of my mother in law, who passed away a little over thirty years ago. I thought if my family likes my husband, which they do, they will just love.. my mother in law. Then in my imagination I started to think of some dear aunts.. and sisters in law. Brothers, sisters, cousins.. And so on... all the beautiful branches of families and races, all God's family.. All safe. All beloved of God.

What Am I Saved From?

I am saved from the potential of every imperfect way. And from myself! I am the beast! I am the harlot! Metaphorically speaking, that is. From where do the beast and the harlot come? They spring forth from mankind. And I'm saved from annihilation. "The wages" (result) "of sin" (imperfection) "is death"/nonlife. For God is both Life (and Perfection). Surely?!

Okay This Is Weird

I was born on 05/05/55. So people tell me I should play the lottery using fives, especially "55". I never have. But here's a weird thing. I've become convinced that Daniel chapter 12, verse 11, is prophecy that Jerusalem's "Wailing" or "Western Wall" where prayers are offered daily, will be in some way taken away or removed. And is a sign.

I think most Bible prophecy buffs and scholars believe verse eleven refers to a third temple and its sacrifices being terminated. (This of course might make verse eleven an even later date to take note of, than one if the "Wailing Wall" is demolished.)

In Matthew chapter 24, the first two verses, the disciples were praising and saying to Jesus how magnificent the temple and temple complex was.

But Jesus said, "See all these? Not one stone shall remain atop another." I do not believe this has been (fully) fulfilled yet. The "western" section of the "wall" remains standing, after the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem which occurred in 70 a.d.

Daniel 12, eleven and twelve, read "From the time the daily sacrifice" (or place of daily sacrifices of prayer and praise?) "is removed, and the abomination which makes desolate" (666?) "is set-up, shall be 1,290 days" (three 30 day month years, plus seven months; or, that is, 43 Hebrew thirty day months). "Blessed is the one who waits and comes to 1,335 days" (forty five days later).

I have of course, been praying to know if how I'm reading this is accurate or not accurate. (That the 666 apparatus will be set up 3.5 years, plus one month after Israel's Wailing Wall is removed, taken away or destroyed. And will hum along for 45 days.) I don't want to pass along something which is not true.

The weird thing? To me, anyway? Today I learned that in 1967, the Israeli paratrooper brigade which liberated Jerusalem, finding themselves at the sacred Western Wall, was brigade No. 55.

Note - it's hard for "one" to "wait and come to" 1,335 years, which is how it is most often interpreted. (Just because 3.5 is used elsewhere.)

 Whatever that sign is, of verse 11, I think it's important to take note of.

(I also posted this on my other blog - Bible Prophecy For Today )

Fine And Dandy Or Thanatos And Tartarus

I don't begrudge anyone comfort when having lost a loved one. Absolutely not. And I do of course believe we will again see our loved ones who have left us. And I most ardently believe in "happy ever after" for all God's children.

But if we take a 'life goes on' into an after life, for granted, how will we learn to fully abhor death? And, therefore too, every thing that leads to it, all imperfection, no matter how small?

More and more I find myself thinking our heavenly Father is designing by this life of learning good from evil (life from death!) ..not only that we would have affection and compassion for our fellow person... our brothers and sisters, but that we would truly, truly abhor death. And all its causes - within our selves, most of all - which is all and any tiny straying from God, knowing full well that He is Life itself and Perfection. Therefore imperfection, is the opposite of life. And its a course - imperfection - which is irreversible, because imperfect, by itself, cannot make itself perfect.

It is darkness, even deepest darkness "tartarus", and is the bottomless pit (of potential)! Without God's salvation (Great Plan Of) we would all perish. But this journey through imperfection (surely?) is an unavoidable journey and lesson. Do you know why? (Or that is, what makes me think so? After all, it is only theory!)

What was God's other choice? No rational creatures? ..ever..?

monastic mourning.. (happens to us all..)

Streams Of Living Water

I was thinking today, about how glorious the all made new will be. How a part of the glory will be the earth made new, "wherein righteousness is to dwell". The physical universe. I was thinking about this as I was looking at a glorious tree this evening, with a glorious sunset behind it.

When I happen across the idea, I find myself rejecting it (strongly), the idea that we will be some sort of floating consciousness. If that's what God wanted, that's what He would have made. (Imho.)

Those heavenly creatures around His Throne, crying "Glory! glory! glory! To He who is, and who was and is to come".. Real creatures. I would be sad to think they are mere metaphor for some abstract mystery. Not that I don't believe in abstract mysteries! And maybe like all things they are metaphor.. (also). But I think people need a gospel and a promise they can get their teeth into.

I think the living water is first and foremost within. Refreshing and keeping "alive", renewed and inspired the soul/being/individual. But I also think it will be a literal river of crystal clear sparkling water(s) upon the planet made new. In the vicinity of which the lion will eat straw like the ox and the bear will graze with the cow. I also think His leading His own to springs of living water includes during critical apocalyptic days when he will lead His own to fresh water. (Artesian.)

As We Undergo Training

The proverb says "train up a child". And we are all God's children. As a parent myself, the goal in the training of my own children was for them to be able to stand on their feet and make good choices and decisions in their life. There was a place for punishment - no t.v., no games, or whatnot, but the end goal was to produce a person who could rationalize concerning good, and not so good choices.

The ability to know where things lead. What will be the results and consequences from this choice, this action, or that action? As a parent, it was not ever my intention to produce a child who would forever be dependant upon me to make the right choices for them. To forever have to punish and reward was not the end I ever had in sight. I wanted to raise up children who would know and understand for themselves, right from wrong (good from evil).

As a child of God, I believe experience is the best teacher, for all of us. The looking back upon the burnt out ashes of life lived apart from God is a forever lesson. The smoke of our crashing and burning will rise up for ever and ever..

Does The Book Of Revelation Follow The Pattern Of Israel's Holy Days?

This site/paper -
http://www.originofnations.org/HRP_Papers/Charts/Feast%20Days%20&%20Revelation.pdf - shows a chart suggesting the Book of Revelation correlates with Israel's ancient Holy Days

The idea rings true to me.

Copy / Pasted :

Holy Feast Day/Book of Revelation Parallels, (and I thought I'd add how the Feast Day is fulfilled)

Chapter --- Prophecy – Event --- Holy Feast Day

1 --- Introduction – Christ the Lamb of God --- Passover (Jesus is the Passover Lamb, unblemished, etc)

2-3 --- Seven Churches – sin in spiritual Israel and examining the self --- Seven Days of Unleavened Bread (Jesus is the Unleavened/free from sin/flaw Bread of Life, Manna from heaven)

4-5 --- Christ the Lamb, Redeemer  – worthy to open the scroll --- Sheaf of the Firstfruits during the DUB(days of unleavened bread; my note: no, "Firstfruits" always falls on the Sunday of Spring Holy Week)

6 – 8:6 --- Seven Seals of the Scroll  – Pentecost(?) ---- or part of FirstFriuts? (1st horseman of the apocalypse, white horse, victor, ride continues to 'end') "the scroll is opened (unrolled) and out comes a white horse and rider.."

7:4,9; 14:4 --- Two Wave Loaves/Two Multitudes – Israel and the Gentiles --- Pentecost (Acts 2,from many lands)

8:7 --- 11:19 – Seven Trumpets --- Trumpets

12 --- INSET (hooray, someone else sees this chapter is an insert, whole on its own)

13 --- 19  – Great Tribulation --- Trumpets  ---this, and the rest, is where I would differ
20:1-3  – Satan bound --- Atonement
20:4-6  – Millennial reign of the Messiah --- Tabernacles
20:7-15  – Judgment Last Great Day
(Quote: The above chart is based on the information contained in David Hill’s booklet on The Correlation between the Holy Days and the Book of Revelation)
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This makes more sense to me:

Trumpets --- calamities/judgments announce the return of Jesus, the blown shofar "come to the Lord"
     7th Trump - His return/1st resurrection/beginning of His 1000 year reign (represented by the 10 days of "Trumpets"?)
          Bowls (of final bubbling and spilling over consequences)/Judgment
               (quick & ?concurrent) and Satan bound

Day of Atonement --- 2nd resurrection, judgment day (represented by 5 days between DOA & Tabernacles?)

Tabernacles! --- "God will now tabernacle with man" - The New Jerusalem and the very throne of God come to Earth (made new in a universe made new) - God filling all things every where - "all in all")

Late Easter Poem For Earth Day

Try as we may
To keep each and every day..
In the end, they all slip away..

Yet peridot buds upon the trees,
Every year scripted,
A message for thou's and thee's.

With the blue sky above,
And the crashing of the seas,
All a proclamation of His truest love.

What I've Been Up To Lately

During 2014 I worked on a reading schedule of reading the four gospels as one continuous account.  I was semi happy with the result. You see, it turned out to be a bit repetitive in places. So I have been working on dividing the reading into two six month schedules.

I've managed to, I hope, have the two schedules done, and am now proofreading my way through the first one. It's going very well!

Previous to this, I followed a schedule of reading one gospel per season of the year. I also like to read the letters of the New Testament in the order they were believed to have been written. Reading them this way brings out a much more complete and clearer picture - a cohesive whole picture - of the days and events of the earliest believers, the first churches as they sprang up and grew, and the challenges they faced. This schedule can be found here - http://inner-monastery.blogspot.com/p/daily.html

Life In Himself

From John 5:26-29

"..as the Father hath life* in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life* in himself... the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment."

"life" = #2222 in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance - "zoe" - "life, lit or fig, life" - "from #2198 - to live"

From John 10:15

"..I lay down my life* for the sheep."

"life" = #5590 - "pneuma" - "breath"

From 1 Corinthians 15:53,52

"..this mortal must put on immortality.. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

"..as the Father hath life in himself, so He gave also to the Son to have life in himself... the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and they shall come forth; those who did the good things to a rising again of life, and those who practised the evil things to a rising again of judgment."

Never Give In To A Bully

Concerning words.. And debate. One of the surest signs that you are the more accurate in a dialogue is when the other side displays a sort of bullying attitude. Instead of presenting points which support their view, the tactic is to belittle another's view. To intimidate.

Condescension is a close relative to this.

"Be gentle with all.. with a mild spirit.. forgiving one another.. pray for those who despitefully use you.."

A Rugged Realist?

Don't you think the Father Most High is a rugged realist? It's like He is saying to mankind you can't do such and such.. For it leads to death. So why would you do it? In the day that you do it, it will lead to death.

Don't, do it.

Of course all of us humans have been born into it! We're just naturally born imperfect. God is both life and perfection. That makes imperfection the opposite of life. We're not all evil, but the potential's there.. It's a veritable bottomless pit. History my dear proves that, over, and, over. Once a creature walks out of God's will and presence, they become imperfect. An irreparable state.

Irreparable for us, imperfect cannot make itself perfect. But not for Him. Because, of course, He did it. "Reconciled us to Himself while we were still yet sinners!" In the cosmic bank of what we owe, a sort of karma if you will, or just natural consequences and results, Jesus paid it all, including our death. Jesus on the cross. [For "death could not hold Him".]

"If I be lifted up from the Earth" Jesus said, "I will draw all to me". .."The mystery that's been hid for ages, Christ in you." .."Born again.." .."Behold I will make all things new".. "The lion will eat straw like the ox, the bear will graze with the cow." .."Eye has not seen, nor the ear heard, or heart imagined, all that He has prepared.."

Ragged Soul

An ode to lost loved ones..

In a piece of my heart,
There is a hole.

Too many friends and loved ones
Have left the fold.

They've passed away.
My spirit's cold.

But I have listened..
On the wind it's been told,
The first gene pool,
It shaped us all..
A shining perfection,
   .....A silent call.

Perfect makes no mistakes,
Loses nothing at all.

"The lion will eat straw like the ox,
The bear, will be seen grazing with the cow."

My heart is at peace.

But I miss them anyhow.

[Verse is Isaiah 11:7]

One Body One Faith

“..And to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed; not `And to seeds,' as of many, but as of one, `And to thy seed,' which is Christ ...There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
 ---
...That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel...to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.. ..Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
---
...For his body's sake, which is the church.. ..There is one body and one Spirit...  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
---
...For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body... Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
---
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready and there was given to her that she may be arrayed with fine linen, pure and shining, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.'

(Individually, we are Christ's brethren. But collectively, now betrothed or engaged to Him, later union at the marriage supper of the Lamb.)
---
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

And lo, I tell you a secret; we indeed shall not all sleep, and we all shall be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, in the last trumpet, for it shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we, we shall be changed: for it behoveth this corruptible to put on incorruption, and this mortal to put on immortality; and when this corruptible may have put on incorruption, and this mortal may have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the word that hath been written, `Death was swallowed up by victory; where, O Death, where is thy sting? where, O Hades, thy victory?' and the sting of death [is] sin ...thanks, to Him who is giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ; so that, my brethren beloved, become ye stedfast, unmovable, abounding in the work of the Lord at all times, knowing that your labour is not vain in the Lord.
----
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
---
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Gal 3:16,28,29 --- Eph 3:6,19-21 --- Col 1:24; Eph 4:4-5 --- from Eph  5:23-32 --- Rev  19:7,8 --- 1 Thess 4:16-17 & 1 Cor 15:51-58 --- Rev 22:17 --- Eph 1:22-23

The Prophesied Spirit Of Elijah

It's not only that without God we die, cease to be, but on the way is depravity. All things move. There is constant motion and the motion toward extinction of life - without God's intercession - has got to become darker and darker, as that's the course one's on.


And so we all were, in all the different human degrees, but it was the same road all were on, when "Christ died for us" (in our place) ..and so the world is.

My alternate title for these thoughts was "worst case scenario". Anywhere, where there has been a worst case scenario possible, somewhere in the world and time, that scenario has played out.

I'm not trying to be negative. I'm a very optimistic person, even in the worst of times, God always has something, some blessings up His sleeve. It's just that we humans, I think, do not recognize the gravity of the situation. My daughter was talking about two teenage girls she knows, and her words reminded me of what sort of world some teenage girls are stepping off into.

Do you remember Jessica Lundsford? That's one story I'll never forget. It was so dark. It was so evil. So totally depraved. It represents it all to me, the sex slave trade, the wars, bags of tiny body parts in landfills.. So many would like to ignore the times, "let me live my life" they say (subconsciously?) ..Those folks acting up in the Middle East, they're deceived.. Sure! They're deceived, but they're also doing what they do because they want to.

If God's breath is a consuming fire, I think this world has been on borrowed time for some time now. And yet, although things are so messed up, they're perfect. All is perfect - God is letting things run their course, and using it to thoroughly prove what it is He is proving. (To “all in heaven and on earth.” Eph 1:10; Col 1:20)

And we.. ..are above it all! For we are “seated in heavenly places” because “He is in us and we are in Him” and He “sits at the right hand of the Father”. (Ephesians 2:6; Romans 8:2,10/Galatians 4:19; Hebrews 1:3)

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared..” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

“The wolf and the lamb shall pasture together, the bear will graze with the cow.. the lion will eat straw like the ox” (Isaiah 11:6,7) “Everyone will live under their own vine and fig tree..” (Micah 4:4) ...are just glimpses.

“Of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end..” (Isaiah 9:7)

Spiritual Armor

We are seated above all principalities and powers. Also we are seated above all goings on, here on planet Earth. This is because we are "in Jesus" (Romans 8:1). And Jesus, "is sitting at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1). So we are seated above all these things, for we are seated with Him, what with being "part of the body of which He is the head" (Ephesians 4:15,16).


Ephesians 6:10-18 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

10. As to the rest, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might;
11. put on the whole armour of God, for your being able to stand against the wiles of the devil,
12. because we have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places;
13. because of this take ye up the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to resist in the day of the evil, and all things having done -- to stand.
14. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about in truth, and having put on the breastplate of the righteousness,
15. and having the feet shod in the preparation of the good-news of the peace;
16. above all, having taken up the shield of the faith, in which ye shall be able all the fiery darts of the evil one to quench,
17. and the helmet of the salvation receive, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the saying of God,
18. through all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and in regard to this same, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all believers --

By The Sea

Mark 4:1
"And he began again to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea."

Later..

From John 21:1,6,8-9,12

"After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias... `Cast the net on the right side of the boat` ...the disciples ..dragged in the net full of fish.. and they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.  And Jesus said to them.. `Come and eat`.."

John 21:17,19 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

"He saith to him the third time, `Simon, [son] of Jonas, dost thou dearly love me?' ...`Feed my sheep`.. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, `Follow Me`.."

Beginning A Slow Paced Bible Prophecy Study

Here - http://bibleprophecy4today.blogspot.com/

[ Bible Prophecy For Today ]

They Missed The Boat

Luke 7:27-30

27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, which shall prepare the way before you.
28 For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
29 And when all the people heard Him,even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.
30 But the Pharisees and scribes rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.

So there they were, the religious leaders who had surely read the prophecies of - "a voice crying from the wilderness! Prepare the way of the LORD!" - when the wild figure of John the Baptist came in from the wilderness preaching a message of repentance by baptism, followed by the humble person of Jesus healing the lame and the blind - also prophesied (by Isaiah the prophet).

Romans 9:18

18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Or as another version put it:
18 Everything depends on what God decides to do, and he can either have pity on people or make them stubborn.

Morning Meditation

The Mind Of Man

These days the mind of man is thought to be above the mind of God of the Bible. This results in the idea that the Bible should be "added to or taken from".

It all began with man's theory of evolution as to the origins of life. There is "natural selection" but only of what ability for adaptation is present in the DNA code. Man's theory is not only not proven and not observed, but is also outdated - by our looking into the basic cell, by the discovery of the DNA code in all living things, and by a lack of so many zillions of "missing links"/transitional life forms (if all life evolved from one). Yes there is adaptation, but only if the ability is present in the DNA. It is not true that those who believe in "Intelligent Design" of the universe and life, do not believe in "Natural Selection"!

This false teaching (teacher, prophet) of the origins of life, has turned Western Civilization on its ear. It's a strong delusion which changed Christendom and prepared the way for where the world has gone and is going.