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There is much evidence that this Book, the Lamb's Book of Life in Revelation and the Book of Life of th4Old Testament is one book. Before you pass on, give me a chance to explain why.

Psalm 69:28 Blot them out from the Book of Life; yea, let them not be written with the righteous. This tells me that at one time, the unrighteous were written in the Book of Life since they can be blotted out. On the other hand... Psalm 139:16: "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not…  ( Click for more )

I was sitting in our Sunday School class and we were discussing some things prior to our lesson. One of the ladies spoke about Congress's serious lack of concern over abortion. This was just shortly after I'd written an article about Paragraph M. What I found in that research for that article was very disturbing... and was so very encouraging, too. I shared my research with my SS class. It isn't well known because the so-called Right to Choose proponents have done so much to squelch it.

I was happily in the middle of breakfast when I heard that the Supreme Court had upheld Congress…  ( Click for more )

I love the story below. I have kept it for many years because it always reminds me that it is my responsibility to listen for God's voice. I don't know who wrote it, or even if it is true. But, the message is a good one.

Back when the telegraph was the was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A…  ( Click for more )

For what is your life? James asked. It is only a vapor for a little time then vanishes away.

Talk about putting things in perspective.

I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I threw a temper tantrum today. I have an average size plate with an average size fork, and I'm sitting in my spot minding my own business. And yet, people (and myself) keep piling things on my plate. They do look good, mind you. Smell good and taste good. But, when the stuff gets stacked two feet high, there is a feeling of overwhelming that pervades my stomach. Ever been there? Don't worry, you…  ( Click for more )

One of my all time favorite songs is "For I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day..." That is found in most hymnals even though it is such a very old song. So old, it is found in 2 Timothy 1:12. How sweet to have that deep confidence and that utter trust in the One who saves us from that most heinous day of judgement. There is another verse in that chapter that holds sweet assurance.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God did not give a spirit of cowardice to us, but of power and of love and…  ( Click for more )

There are 41 senators that are deceived into thinking that aborted babies are not worthy of medical care if they survive the abortion process.

One of the latest bills (S.311) that was put forth to protect babies that live through the abortion process. "...establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must exercise in the event a child is born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion.

A health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as reasonably provided to another child born alive at the same…  ( Click for more )

My beloved friend Stan over at Birds of the Air wrote a beautiful post about loving his wife. It isn't an Ode to Love or a Sweet Puff... it is simply a declaration of one man saying that the love he has for his wife comes directly from God. His love for his wife is perfected by God. This is the truest of observations, I believe.

But... I'm going out on a limb here, I do not think it is possible for a human being to be able to unconditionally love another person.

Parents have great love for their children... but, that love is birthed at birth, flesh of my flesh and…  ( Click for more )

The message of the Cross is "No Stones". There are two stories that come to mind which convey this strongly and Jesus is prominant in both. One is the woman who was caught in adultery and brought before Jesus, the other is the Woman at the Well. Can't you just feel the heat of that day? It was the sixth hour. Jesus was weary from His journey. He was hot and He was thirsty, but that didn't stop Him from recruiting a most unlikely missionary. Someone who was counted as worthless in her village, but would be instrumental in the salvation of the entire village...

Jesus instructed…  ( Click for more )

And He said to them, Why did you look for me? Did you not know that I must be busy in the affairs of My Father? Luke 2:49

Did you not know? The Apostles knew and they were busy about God’s business and carrying out the Great Commission. Everyone they met, they told. Apollos knew, but he didn’t have the whole story. Paul knew, but he had to go to Arabia for three years to get the whole story. Timothy knew, but he got stomach aches from it. Luke knew, and he wrote about it so centuries of believers would have the story. What about you? Do all you know and are all…  ( Click for more )

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To lose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh? Those words of Isaiah found in chapter 58 shed a great deal of light on the mision that our forefathers set down of these United States. Isnt' this what we are doing in Iraq? Just asking. It seems so to me. Isn't it what our church…  ( Click for more )

The word Worship means to bow low and to serve. In actions, it means,

Obedience regardless of the apparent cost, as Abraham obeyed.

It can be done from a distance as the Children of Israel did when God came to the Tabernacle

It involves the heart, the ears

Sacrifice as ordained by God

Confession and repentance is crucial to experience worship

David shows us his style of worship in 1 Chronicles 16 starting with verse 8.

1 Chronicles 16:8 Give thanks to Jehovah,…  ( Click for more )

Deuteronomy 30:19 I call Heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, that you may live, you and your seed,

Deuteronomy 30:20 to love Jehovah your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For He is your life, and the length of your days so that you may live in the land which Jehovah has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give it to them.

Actually, to get the full effect of God's command here, we need to explore chapter 30 from…  ( Click for more )

Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, You stay here with the ass. I and the boy will go over there that we may worship and may return to you.

Genesis 22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac; and he took the fire and the knife in his hand. And the two went together.

שׁחה

shâchâh

shaw-khaw'

A primitive root; to depress, that is, prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God): - bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance,…  ( Click for more )

1"Shout! A full-throated shout!

Hold nothing back--a trumpet-blast shout!

Tell my people what's wrong with their lives,

face my family Jacob with their sins!

2They're busy, busy, busy at worship,

and love studying all about me.

To all appearances they're a nation of right-living people--

law-abiding, God-honoring.

They ask me, "What's the right thing to do?'

and love having me on their side.

3But they also complain,

"Why do we fast and you don't look our way?

…  ( Click for more )

A trip to the store on Wednesday had me reaching for a blindfold. What are women thinking? I saw lots of belly fat through thin T-shirts. I saw lots of chest skin and held my breath hoping against hope that a woman’s breasts would not fall out of her shirt when she bent over to unload her basket. Why do women think this is pretty? Why do young girls cheapen themselves by wearing next to nothing?

Why aren’t mothers telling their daughters, "You can’t wear that, it makes you look cheap," which is what my mom said more than once as I was bouncing…  ( Click for more )

What is the one thing that usually gets us in trouble? James says it can light a fire. James 3:5 So also the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how little a fire kindles how large a forest! I used to have a plaque that had an "Elroy-was-here" face on it. If you are too young to remember that, back during WWII, you could find this hand drawn icon in a lot of different places. It was a straight line with a huge nose draped over it and large round eyes and hands on each side of the nose gripping the fence. My plaque read, "Lord, help me to keep…  ( Click for more )

Motivational Spiritual Gifts and how Jesus illustrates them

As a Server He worked with His hands as a carpenter, He washed His disciples feet and said the greatest is the servant. He exhibited a great amount of energy in his 3.5 year ministry. How He kept going is an amazing feat. If you'd like the Biblical references for these, email me and I'll send them to you. As a Teacher He continuously taught as He went. The crowds would gather, He would sit and teach. He taught at synogogues and on the hill sides in boats and as He walked along. He fulfilled the Law. He taught Truth…  ( Click for more )

Practical Applications The epitome of practical application of Spiritual Gifts is Jesus. He had them all in equal measure and applied them perfectly. We only need to read one of the Gospels to find Jesus illustrating them all. Since we are not Jesus, and since God promised us a prominence in one gift for the edification of the church body as well as for our own motivations, we have a huge range of applications to discover. You have probably already thought of various applications for your gift as well as the gift of others in your church. If you are on a personnel committe or a…  ( Click for more )

Attributes of the Gift of Mercy Greek word – Eleeo (el-eh-eh'-o) -- to have mercy on to help one afflicted or seeking aid to help the afflicted, to bring help to the wretched to experience mercy kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one's self merciful of God towards men: in general providence; the mercy and clemency of God in providing and offering to men salvation by Christ the mercy of Christ, whereby at his return to judgment he will bless true…  ( Click for more )

Attributes of the Gift of Administration

Also called the Gift of Organization

Greek word – Proistemi (pro-is'-tay-mee) - to set or place before to set over to be over, to superintend, preside over to be a protector or guardian to give aid to care for, give attention to profess honest occupations Histemi (his’-tay-mee) word origin -- to cause or make to stand, to place, put, set to bid to stand by, [set up] in the presence of others, in the midst, before judges, before members of the Sanhedrin; to place …  ( Click for more )

Attributes of the Giver

Please note from the definition that this gift is not limited to people with large sums of money and is not limited to the giving of money. This gift considers time, talent, and any resource God gives as the best to use in the work God has for us to do. It is often confused with the gift of server. Take careful note of the differences. Greek word – Metadidomi (met-ad-id'-o-mee) is a compound word and comes from meta – afterward, after the fact and Didomi – 1. to give 2. to give something to someone of one's own accord to give…  ( Click for more )

I hope you have realized by now that God gives each of us a healthy dose of each gift so that we can function properly within the Body of Christ as well as to understand why our siblings act in particular ways or say peculiar things. I now find it amazing how I can pick out who has which gift. I understand people so much better and I can usually predict with a fair amount of accuracy how a person will react in a given situation. It is almost uncanny, but I know it is the Holy Spirit.

This week, we'll study the Attributes of the Teacher. Regardless of whether you are a man or a…  ( Click for more )

__________________Attributes of the Server Gift of SERVICE – MINISTERING Greek word – Diakonia (dee-ak-on-ee'-ah) service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others of those who by the command of God proclaim and promote religion among men of the office of Moses of the office of the apostles and its administration of the office of prophets, evangelists, elders etc. the ministration of those who render to others the offices of Christian affection esp. those who help meet need by either collecting or distributing of charities the office…  ( Click for more )

Don't you just love Paul? Boy can he ever write a sentence that goes around the world and still make sense, right? Have you read Galatians lately? It is packed with so many jewels of wisdom that it is hard to wear them all. We are looking at the seven gifts that Paul talks about in Romans 12. Exhorter is next on the list. What exactly is an Exhorter?

Greek word – Parakaleo (par-ak-al-eh'-o) to call to one's side, call for, summon to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc. to admonish,…  ( Click for more )