Tip – New Year’s Resolution – Use a Dictionary
In the Old Testament, God told the children of Israel to possess the land.
In today’s world, the land that must be recaptured from the land of wokeness is vocabulary.
This is the process that the progressive left uses to change vocabulary.
A new term or concept is introduced in a manner of “cute” or “trendy” or “viral video”.
After a while, though quite ridiculous, it becomes a part of mainstream thought, because it goes unchallenged.
The idea that a man can have a baby would be an example.
What kind of thinking is this that defies the laws of biology?
What kind of sloppy thinking is this?
Men regard its nature and cause as divine from ignorance and wonder….
— Hippocrates, On the Sacred Disease
What would scientists of prior centuries say about some of the recent, woke, unproven ideas?
After the introduction of a term with an unnatural, unscientific, unproven, untested definition, i.e., a “woke” definition, those who wish to use the traditional form of the word may begin to self-censor…If I say that, what are the consequences? Will I lose likes on Facebook? And in the case of well known celebrities or politicians, Will the press criticize me for not going with the new form of the word?
Then there is persecution against not only the word, but also against the whole cultural lifestyle from which the original word emerged, and against those who prefer the old cultural lifestyle.
Let’s take some common words: man, woman, marriage, family.
Have you seen the above process in action?
Whenever you question the use of a word, look up the historical meaning of a word. Don’t look at the modern day meaning, but the historical meaning.
Historical meanings came about as society moved towards law and order, based in part on a Judeo/Christian influence.
Western society is now is a state of de-evolution. Vocabulary is de-volving as well.
A New Year’s Tip…use a dictionary to look up original, historical meanings of words.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Repost: He Looked Beyond My Faults – The Singing Contractors
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Singer “Previously Believed Jesus Was a ‘Silly Story'”
Singer M.I.A. Says She Received ‘Biggest Backlash’ of Her Career For Saying ‘Jesus is Real’
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Abimelech Knew When He Was Confronted What Was Happening
In today’s modern age, when there are hearings in the Senate, we often people being questioned say that they have no knowledge, or can’t remember, or can’t answer, questions posed to them.
This was not the case years, centuries, ago in the case of Abimelech and Abraham.
Abimelech was the ruler of Egypt.
While we don’t know his relationship to the Lord God of Israel, Abimelech was able to hear the Lord and understand why his nation had a problem.
Abimelech understood cause and effect.
As a leader, he did not blame the problem on the people.
He saw where he had gone wrong because of misinformation, he corrected things, and the national problem was solved.
Imagine a story like this being printed in the papers today. There would be ridicule and mocking.
However, because Abimelech had the moral strength to do the will of God, his nation recovered.
Genesis 20:1 (KJV) And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
18 For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Then and Now
The Bible is consistent in the history and message it gives. The reason for this is that there is one ultimate author, the Lord God.
God inspired certain men to write down words that God wanted humanity to know. And those men each had particular calls on their lives…Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, John, the various prophets. But in the end, they were relaying a message that came from God.
They did not sit down, as is done in marketing venues of today, thinking, how can we increase our brand, and what should we write about today?
They were simply pipelines through which the message and power came. That was the secret of Moses, and of all the servants of God in the Old Testament. They obeyed God, and like the opening a sluice keeping back water, the water of the Holy Spirit came through them.
Because they were simply vessels, not originators of the messages they gave, but simply pipelines through which the messages came, the themes of the Bible repeat, because again, the true author of the Bible, God, kept repeating the message through them, trying to get the same message across to humanity.
II Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
How many times do you tell your children the same thing? God is the ultimate Father.
According to Biblical standards, everything is established in the mouth of two or three witnesses. Here are several witnesses as to one of the repeating themes of the Bible.
I John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
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Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
So how does this apply to today?
The same serpent in the garden is offering the same temptations to men for the same rewards.
The driving force behind the folly of evolution is to convince the masses of mankind that there is no God, and therefore they must look to a “survival of the fittest” cadre of people to rule the world and give their wills, their money, their hopes, their dreams, their capital, their talents, their real estate, their children, and their power over to this “survival of the fittest”. That is the story line.
Of course, it is not actively put that way on the news, but it is subtly advanced through psychological warfare of which satan is the chief. Satan subtly approached Eve and through being able to reach her, both Adam and Eve, and subsequent humanity, ended up with the consequences of the Fall at the Garden of Eden.
But let’s look at this “survival of the fittest”. Here are some names, who are, or who have been, at (or who have been connected to) the peak of worldly power and authority: Biden, Hunter Biden, Jeffrey Epstein, Fetterman.
Is this the survival of the fittest evolving to rule the world or is this something else?
Reread the scriptures.
Those who worship mammon control the money supply through the printing of fiat money which they have control over. For example, they can authorize the printing of fiat money, send it back to themselves hidden and clothed in spending packages, or through sending aid to Ukraine and then laundering it and funneling it back to through the now defunct FTX for multiple purposes, including election manipulation.
So what’s the end game?
Satan was thrown out of heaven for trying a coup against the throne of God. He came to the earth and convinced Adam and Eve to commit treason against God. Since then, satan has tried to take over the authority or throne of the world. Jesus came in the fullness of time and defeated satan. In a sense, Jesus brought the “game of thrones” back to the starting point in the garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve could have resisted satan, but did not. Those who believe in and confess Jesus as Lord now have authority, through the name of Jesus, and through the Blood of Jesus, over satan, just as Adam had authority by default until he gave it away.
Yes, Jesus won the victory, but it needs to enforced. Some wait for Jesus’s Second Coming to enforce it. My Bible says that Jesus gave the keys to the church.
In any case, if satan, through those who serve him can maneuver mankind to being locked into some kind of electronic cyberborg existence, some kind of electronic mark attached to man, then there will be an attempt to lock mankind in electronically to satan’s agenda.
Satan knows the Bible. He knows that his ultimate end is being cast into hell and the lake of fire.
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
We see, from reading the Bible, that demons have preferences as to where they would rather be.
Mark 5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
14 And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.
15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.
16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.
18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.
19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.
20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.
21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:
22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.
23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.
25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Matthew 12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.
25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
26 And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.
28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.
30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.
31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.
44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
The Folly of Evolution
If you live long enough, you will see that many news stories are never resolved, but simply pushed under the table and not discussed any more. News cycles are short. People’s memories are short. Assumptions and outcomes are proclaimed as ultimate truths by a compliant media. Life moves on and society adjusts to the new paradigm, even if the paradigm was built on a lie.
It is easy to see the process as it has been in full swing the last few years. Fear of Covid was perpetrated on the public through authority figures and a compliant press. Economies were shut down. Power was centralized in the hands of corrupt politicians. Damage was done in multiple ways. Then, after the damage was done, there began to be a bit of backpedaling, but there remains a continued attempt to move forward to consolidate more power at any time the public lets down its guard. The Covid story had a purpose, a political purpose, a power-centralizing purpose.
The story of evolution is the same. Below are quotes from people of prior centuries who admitted that evolution was not solid science. Yet, because there was an agenda connected to the story of evolution, it became another “move along, nothing to see here” story and few even consider the topic relevant to today.
However, it is an extremely relevant topic. The root of evolutionary ideas, not challenged, not torn down and wiped out of science books forever, have led us to where we are today.
Because God created man, and man did not evolve, then mankind should look to God for salvation and direction, personally and nationally. The Bible is clear about how mankind should live. God communicated with man in the beginning through Adam. That was lost at the Fall. For all who would receive Him, Jesus brought the solution through his death, burial, and resurrection. It is again possible for man to communicate with God and seek God’s wisdom and direction in solving the various problems of mankind. But that will never happen as long as the existence of God is denied, as long as man is told that he evolved from the slime, and as long as the gospel is hid by atheist governments that want to remain in power.
Those who want to put forth alternate lifestyles, ideas and concepts opposed to Biblical principles, do so to garner votes, power, and funding. Those who want power and wealth have a vested interest in a “fluid” story about life. The story is crafted and presented in a way that is advantageous for the propaganda objective of the moment; the story is fluidly changed as needed.
Those who want you to believe in evolution want you to believe in the “survival of the fittest”. Of course, “the fittest” means them and therefore they believe that they have the right to control your future.
That includes, in their minds, how your children are educated, what can and can’t be spoken on social media, whether or not you have a right to self defense, whether you can eat meat or bugs, whether you have to take a toxic jab that can make you infertile or kill you, whether or not you can buy and sell, whether or not your bank account remains open, whether you can get a loan, whether your church can be open or not…all this and more is supposedly to be decided by those who by their craft of lawfare and manipulation of the money supply and corruption of law push to create a world in their own image where they rule and you have no rights.
The Declaration of Independence states, in part, the following.
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
If God creates all man equal, then it is not the law of the jungle that rules in the affairs of men.
Men do not have the right to push their agendas for lust, power, or stolen wealth on others.
Men do have the right to live in harmony according to the Word of God.
The struggles of today…population reduction by globalists, worthless money, GMO food, the takedown of the food supply, the takedown of infrastructure, a proxy war in Ukraine in an attempt to keep a hegemony of corrupt western leaders in power, transgenderism, open borders, fentynal…all the problems of day are because people have been taught that there is no Creator, no guiding principles of life, and therefore they must be subject to taskmaskers who loudly proclaim that they are the kings of the jungle and must be obeyed.
These taskmaskers bribe, threaten, blackmail, extort and do all sorts of legal and economic manipulation to pull governments, corporations, and individuals into subservience to the taskmaskers’ agenda.
If humanity overall acknowledged that it is here because of being created by a Creator, and that the Creator has dictated the rules for existence, and that all men and nations must abide by those rules, the world would change over night.
Below are some quotes and thoughts for your consideration. These quotes talk about unproven science which is what the current world system is banking upon for the truth of its existence.
Look around. Is the fruit of denying Jesus Christ his rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords over this world, is it working?
Do evolutionary fables bring about good fruit?
Darwin:
“I am conscious that I am in an utterly hopeless muddle. I cannot think that the world as we see it, is the result of chance; and yet I cannot look at each separate thing as the result of design … Again, I say I am, and shall ever remain, in a hopeless muddle.” Link
Bateson:
“Though we must hold to our faith in the evolution of species, there is little evidence as to how it has come about, and no clear proof that the process is continuing in any considerable degree at the present time.” Link
Bateson has been described as a “very militant” atheist. Link
Lord Kelvin:
Lord Kelvin was astonished at the preachers and teachers who are trying to apply the doctrine of evolution to the fundamentals of the faith. He said:
I marvel at the undue haste with which teachers in our Universities and preachers in our pulpits are restating the truth in the terms of evolution, while evolution itself remains an unproven hypothesis in the laboratories of science. Link
Article: Evolution remains an unproven theory
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Moses my servant is dead
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Joshua 1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying,
2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Crossing the River
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There is mention of various rivers or seas in the Bible, each with its own significance: The Red Sea, the Jordan River, the river in the book of Ezekiel, as well as other rivers.
There is one river that is spoken of symbolically in song. Death is spoken of as a river that must be crossed.
Statistically, many people cross that river at Christmas time; perhaps it is because as they hear the retelling of the Christmas story, and understand it, that they make their peace with God, and are in the best state spiritually to move to the next realm.
John Bunyan, in The Pilgrim’s Progress, alludes to this river.
{386} So I saw that when they awoke, they addressed themselves to
go up to the city; but, as I said, the reflection of the sun upon
the city (for the city was pure gold) was so extremely glorious
that they could not, as yet, with open face behold it, but through
an instrument made for that purpose. So I saw, that as I went
on, there met them two men, in raiment that shone like gold; also
their faces shone as the light. [Rev. 21:18, 2 Cor. 3:18]
{387} These men asked the Pilgrims whence they came; and they told
them. They also asked them where they had lodged, what difficulties
and dangers, what comforts and pleasures they had met in the way;
and they told them. Then said the men that met them, You have but
two difficulties more to meet with, and then you are in the city.
{388} Christian then, and his companion, asked the men to go along
with them; so they told them they would. But, said they, you must
obtain it by your own faith. So I saw in my dream that they went
on together, until they came in sight of the gate.
{389} Now, I further saw, that betwixt them and the gate was a river,
but there was no bridge to go over: the river was very deep. At
the sight, therefore, of this river, the Pilgrims were much stunned;
but the men that went in with them said, You must go through, or
you cannot come at the gate.
{390} The Pilgrims then began to inquire if there was no other
way to the gate; to which they answered, Yes; but there hath not
any, save two, to wit, Enoch and Elijah, been permitted to tread
that path since the foundation of the world, nor shall, until the
last trumpet shall sound. [1 Cor. 15:51,52] The Pilgrims then,
especially Christian, began to despond in their minds, and looked
this way and that, but no way could be found by them by which they
might escape the river. Then they asked the men if the waters were
all of a depth. They said: No; yet they could not help them in
that case; for, said they, you shall find it deeper or shallower
as you believe in the King of the place.
*In the Resurrection of the Righteous. [Rev. 20:4-6]
{391} They then addressed themselves to the water and, entering,
Christian began to sink, and crying out to his good friend Hopeful,
he said, I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all
his waves go over me! Selah.
{392} Christian’s conflict at the hour of death
Then said the other, Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the
bottom, and it is good. Then said Christian, Ah! my friend, the
sorrows of death hath compassed me about; I shall not see the land
that flows with milk and honey; and with that a great darkness and
horror fell upon Christian, so that he could not see before him.
Also here he in great measure lost his senses, so that he could
neither remember nor orderly talk of any of those sweet refreshments
that he had met with in the way of his pilgrimage. But all the
words that he spake still tended to discover that he had horror of
mind, and heart fears that he should die in that river, and never
obtain entrance in at the gate. Here also, as they that stood by
perceived, he was much in the troublesome thoughts of the sins that
he had committed, both since and before he began to be a pilgrim.
It was also observed that he was troubled with apparitions of
hobgoblins and evil spirits, for ever and anon he would intimate
so much by words. Hopeful, therefore, here had much ado to keep
his brother’s head above water; yea, sometimes he would be quite
gone down, and then, ere a while, he would rise up again half dead.
Hopeful also would endeavour to comfort him, saying, Brother, I see
the gate, and men standing by to receive us: but Christian would
answer, It is you, it is you they wait for; you have been Hopeful
ever since I knew you. And so have you, said he to Christian.
Ah! brother! said he, surely if I was right he would now arise
to help me; but for my sins he hath brought me into the snare, and
hath left me. Then said Hopeful, My brother, you have quite forgot
the text, where it is said of the wicked, “There are no bands in
their death, but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble
as other men, neither are they plagued like other men. [Ps. 73:4,5]
These troubles and distresses that you go through in these waters
are no sign that God hath forsaken you; but are sent to try you,
whether you will call to mind that which heretofore you have received
of his goodness, and live upon him in your distresses.
{393} Then I saw in my dream, that Christian was as in a muse
a while. To whom also Hopeful added this word, Be of good cheer,
Jesus Christ maketh thee whole; and with that Christian brake out
with a loud voice, Oh, I see him again! and he tells me, “When
thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through
the rivers, they shall not overflow thee.” [Isa. 43:2] Then
they both took courage, and the enemy was after that as still as
a stone, until they were gone over. Christian therefore presently
found ground to stand upon, and so it followed that the rest of the
river was but shallow. Thus they got over. Now, upon the bank of
the river, on the other side, they saw the two shining men again,
who there waited for them; wherefore, being come out of the river,
they saluted them, saying, We are ministering spirits, sent forth
to minister for those that shall be heirs of salvation. Thus they
went along towards the gate. Link
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Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Repost: The Christmas Guest
Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.
Repost: Christmas Hallelujah
A blog post can only introduce a topic but not cover it in depth. For more study on various topics, click here for links to various Christian ministries.
Depending on the ministry, there may be online church services, YouTube videos, podcasts, radio programs, books, teaching, or more. You have to seek out what they have.