The Harbingers

St Paul's Chapel, New York City September 2001
The trade centers fell and the debris hit and knocked down a sycamore tree on the property of this church. The church was unharmed and became a refuge, help center and memorial for the destruction.
All the following information is gleaned from my reading. None unless specified is original to me.

Free Book Library | Amazing Facts

Free Book Library | Amazing Facts

Total eclipse of Blood Moon on night of October 7-8 | Tonight | EarthSky

Total eclipse of Blood Moon on night of October 7-8 | Tonight | EarthSky

End times?

What are the end times? The end of the world? Nuclear war? Should we prepare and store away food and guns?
I have some ideas. We are currently as of 2 nights ago 9/21/2014 engaged in a war with Isis and we are Bombing targets in Syria along with some Arab nations. Russia is upset because we are over stepping our bounds. We just told them the same thing as they walked into the Ukraine. Israel has just shot down a syrian jet that flew over Israeli air space.
As I looked at my computer screen tonight explaining my latest theory to my wife I said "I believe that we are going to engage in this war against Isis and then the arab countries that we are in association with will use the weapons we have over there against Israel. A few headlines down on Yahoo news, Arab nations are using their new US provided weapons against Isis.

So here is my advice. We still have to live and go on with life, but prepare!
Put some food items away. The best thing is to stock up them rotate your stock by using it regularly and then keeping it stocked. This looks like, you buy 10 cans of tuna, you eat two cans per week from your stock and buy two cans to put back into your inventory.
Get some simple tools. An axe to cut wood. Ways to make a fire. Don't go crazy with generators and powered items unless you have unlimited money to bury fuel tanks in the ground. Did you notice that you can get ethanol free fuel now? Why is that? So the government can prep? Think of things you will need. Buckets for water, rags, cleaning solvents.
As soon as bad times hit I suspect moneys value will drop rapidly. Start living off the land immediately don't use up your supplies first. Use them as supplements especially if your in cold weather country. If you have children perhaps a trip to the local salvation army clothes store to get a few pairs of larger clothes. Don't spend a lot but a few dollars now will pay off later.

So here is why. I believe that God loves us. He sent His son to die for us. Do you love your spouse?
Does your spouse love you? How do you know. Well they tell me you may say. What if they were in a bar with some good looking people around? Do you trust them? Sure would feel good to know they could get an offer and turn it down because of their love for you wouldn't it.
In this same way I believe God want to know His people love Him and desire Him with their whole heart. We are referred to as His bride and he does say He is a jealous God.

I believe that soon with the coming blood moons (God says He put them in the sky for signs and wonders) over the next 13 months (to October 2015) we are going to see the start of the period of tribulation. I believe that tribulation period is going to last 7 weeks of years as some passages refer to time. 49 years. This will bring man to total dependence on God. Every knee shall bow the Scriptures say. 49 years without an infrastructure will bring us all to one of two lifestyles, outlaw or amish.

Prophecy is all through the scriptures ans when the blood moons fall on jewish holidays that is when God is warning us. This is about to happen. For more on the blood moons. Search Mark Biltz on the web. God bless!!!

The Christian is now part of Israel?!

I believe that according to the Holy Scriptures we are "grafted in" to God's special possession. We are looked at by God as though we are Israel. You may or may not agree with that statement but there are more questions if we do believe this. They have been answered for me by the following article. 

Should Christians Observe the Israelite Festivals?

Should Christians observe the Israelite festivals? Are they necessary for salvation?

LIST OF FESTIVALS
(It is advisable to read Leviticus 23 from the Bible along with this study. All of the Festivals are listed in Leviticus 23. All were observed at the sanctuary in the wilderness and later at the temple in Jerusalem. All were accompanied by sacrifices and offerings. All were prophetic of future events—all of which have been, or are in the process of being fulfilled except The Feast of Tabernacles. Seven yearly sabbaths were observed in connection with these feasts.)

Passover Feast
This included the slaying of the Passover lamb on the 14th of the first month, partaking of the lamb and observing the Passover sabbath on the 15th.

Unleavened Bread Feast
This lasted seven days and the first day coincided with the Passover on the 15th and continued through the 21st day of the first month, (Nisan). The 15th and 21st were sabbaths.  Why unleavened bread?  Leaven represented sin and it was also the type of bread eaten the night that they left Egypt.

On the second day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was the offering of the “Wave Sheaf.” This was the offering of the first of the barley harvest. This represented Christ's presentation before the Father on that day--Sunday the 16th of Nisan in 31 AD. (John 20:17)  This was called the "firstfruits" of their harvest and represented Christ who is called “the firstfruits” from the dead. 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 says, "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

Pentecost Feast—Feast of Weeks
Fifty inclusive days, counting from the day after the Passover sabbath, a feast and sabbath were to be observed. This feast represented, in type, the outpouring of The Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. All this historically occurred, fulfilling the prophecy.

Blowing of Trumpets Feast
This was celebrated on the 1st day of the 7th month. It's purpose was to herald the coming of The Day of Atonement on the 10th day, calling the people to prepare their hearts, examining their lives and making things right with God.

The Day of Atonement
This was understood to be a day of judgment when all sin was dealt with and the people, the priest and the tabernacle/temple were cleansed. And, then the scape goat, a type of Satan, was held responsible for the sins, having them placed on his head. And he was led away into the wilderness.  (See Leviticus 16 for the details of The Day of Atonement.)

Feast of Tabernacles
Five days after The Day of Atonement, the joyous Feast of Tabernacles began, not only as a reminder of the Children of Israel dwelling in tents in their sojourn to Canaan, but also prophetically of the future rest in Heaven of the faithful. It was a joyous time because the people felt cleansed from the burden of their sins and at peace with God. This feast lasted for 8 days with sacrifices each day. The 15th and 22nd were sabbaths.

ACTIONS DURING FESTIVALS
Animal sacrifices, meat and drink offerings, afflicting souls, confessing sins, rejoicing.

EVIDENCE FOR CESSATION OF THE FESTIVALS

Does the Bible say that the sacrifices and offerings will cease?
Daniel 9:27, KJV. "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease. . ."

Was there historical evidence that the earthly temple services of sacrifices came to an end in fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy?
Matthew 27:50-51, "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent. . ."

LOCATION OF THE FESTIVALS
The Festivals and offerings of animals and meat and drink offerings connected with them were offered at the sanctuary in the wilderness and later at the temple in Jerusalem. Three times a year the men of Israel were to gather for these which included 7 yearly sabbaths. (1. Passover and unleavened bread, 2. Pentecost and 3. Day of Atonement followed by Feast of Tabernacles)

ORDINANCES

Besides, Jesus, what else was nailed to the cross and blotted out?
Colossians 2:14, KJV "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross"

What were these ordinances about?
Colossians 2:16, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days". . . [the seven yearly sabbaths]

What did all these offerings and yearly sabbaths point forward to?
Colossians 2:17, NLT "For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality."

Were the Gentiles required to be circumcised and keep the law of Moses?
Acts 15:1,5, KJV  "And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. . . .But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

What was the decision of this Jerusalem council in 49 AD regarding keeping the law of Moses and circumcision?
Acts 15:19-21, KJV "Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day." In other words, the Gentiles and Jews were hearing the commandments about the feasts as Moses' books were read—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.)

What did the letter from Jerusalem say to those in Antioch?
Acts 15:23-29 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

Was the decision of the Jerusalem counsel, God's decision and directions?
Acts 15:28, ASV. "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:"

Is there another Bible reference that describes the cessation of the feasts?
Ephesians 2:15, KJV, "Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. . .

Ephesians 2:15, NLT "He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups."

Are any of the feasts said to be ordinances?
Numbers 9:12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all theordinances of the passover they shall keep it.

Colossians 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross

Does this “blotting out” and “abolishing,” include the seventh-day Sabbath?
No.  Col. 2:16, 17 indicates that the sabbaths mentioned here are prophetic, ("shadows of things to come").  This could only be true of the yearly sabbaths that were prophetic of Christ's sacrifice and ministry.  It therefore could not apply to the weekly Holy Sabbath Day which is not a shadow or prophecy of Christ's sacrifice and ministry. The weekly Sabbath was established at Creation and is what we could call a birthday memorial of Christ's creative work. A birthday memorial cannot be eliminated or changed any more than your own birthday or national holiday because all three are permanent historical events. An event that is not only a memorial, but also a sign of knowing God and a covenant of salvation and a forever friendship celebration and worship day, would have no reason to be removed. And it would have every reason to remain just as it was originally established by Christ. (Psalm 111:7, 8; Isaiah 58:13, 14; Exodus 20:8-11; Mark 2:27, 28; Exodus 31:13-18; Isaiah 66:22, 23.)

The Sabbath is one of The Ten Commandments. As such it portrays the perfect character of God and righteousness and The Ten commandments serve as a ruler for right living which will be used in the judgment to decide who is worthy of eternal life. (Matthew 19:17-19; James 2:8-12; Revelation 22:14)

Are there passages in the Bible besides the prohibitions for the Gentiles in Acts 15 in which days to be regarded and food to be eaten is to accommodate those who have mistaken ideas about days and food?  Yes. This is seen in 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 14, in which those who do not understand about food offered to idols or observance of the feasts are not to have their consciences harmed by others, (even though the food and feast days to be observed are not God's requirements).

SUMMARY

One noted Christian commentator says this about the ceremonial system given through Moses: “The whole system must be swept away. . . . He would thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four thousand years had pointed to His death.”

Colossians 2:16-17, NLT, "So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or [yearly] sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality."

 The yearly feast days pointed forward, (in other words, were prophetic), of Christ's sacrifice. They were to be celebrated at the temple in Jerusalem with meat, drink and animal offerings. When they were fulfilled in Christ's sacrifice, Christ resurrection, Christ's ascension briefly on Sunday morning as represented by “the wave sheaf,” and Pentecost, 50 inclusive days later, there was no need to continue the feasts. In fact, to continue the feasts would seem to indicate that one did not believe they had been fulfilled! A Christian writer puts it this way: "To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah."

 It might be a danger, if one urges the keeping of the feasts, to neglect our commission of Matthew 28:19-20, ASV, "Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

Matthew 24:14, KJV,  "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."

Revelation 22:20, KJV, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

APPENDIX

“For ever”
Exodus 21:6, KJV, "Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever."

Obviously, the servant isn't still serving the master today and into the ceaseless ages, but did so as long as life lasted. And, the sacrifice of animals will not continue into the New Earth where there will be no more death. (Revelation 21:4) As you can see, “for ever” does has its limits.

From Bible scholar, Frank Holbrook, we have this note about the phrase, “for ever” since that is used about some of the feasts in the Old Testament:

How Long is ‘Forever’?
A major reason why some Christians are led to believe that the typical festivals of the Temple should be observed permanently as part of the Christian religion is because Israel was instructed to keep them “forever.” For example:

Exodus 12:14, 17 "And this day [Passover] shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever" [Hebrew, ‘ôlām; Greek Septuagint, aiōnios].
...And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever"[Hebrew, ‘ôlām; Greek, aiōnios].

To Western minds the expression “forever” means “endlessness.” However, this is not the meaning to the Eastern mind-set when either the Hebrew `ôlām or the Greek aiōn/aiōnios is used. While these terms may be translated “forever” or “everlasting/eternal” in English, both the Hebrew and Greek words derive their length from the nature of the object described.

For example, if we say, “God lives forever” (in Hebrew/Greek terms), we do, indeed, mean “endless,” because by nature the Deity is immortal or eternal. But if we were to say, “King Darius, live for ever” (Daniel 6:6), it would simply mean, Live a long life. The phrase would not mean “endlessness” at all, because man is mortal and subject to death (Job 4:17). For another example, see 2 Samuel 7:16, 19. Although God promised David a dynastic throne that would last “for ever,” David understood the promise to mean “for a great while to come.” It actually ended with Zedekiah in 586 B.C. The emphasis of the Hebrew and Greek terms translated “for ever” in the Bible is on duration. A thing or person exists continuously without break—endlessly or until it comes to an end—according to its nature.

Thus, when God called for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread to be observed “for ever” (or more accurately, that the ordinance governing these should be an “everlasting/eternal” ordinance), He simply meant that these typical festivals were intended to be observed regularly for as long as He intended the typical system to last. In this case, it meant a regular, annual observance of these festivals until the Messiah—the Antitype to their symbolism—should come and die for the sins of the world. “Christ our passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7). By its very nature no typical rite or observance was ever intended to be permanent.

Grab It!!!

I was working on a washer today in a laundromat and found several dollars worth of coins. I used some of them to test the machine and the rest I took and washed and left in the sink. I saw a family of three, a mother and two girls. I walked over to get my work order signed and on the way back I saw the youngest heading towards the store her hand clenched tight and a smile on her face I heard her say "yessssssss"! I wondered what would happen if her older sister had seen her? Would she fight for the money? I think so.

I smiled, then a wave came over me. This is salvation! We find it, a gift we do not deserve we are to grab it and fight for it and hold it. It is ours for the taking.

We teach our children not to fight but maybe we should teach them to fight. Fight for what is worth the fight! Salvation from God through Christ is our most treasured prize. Will we fight for it? Will we keep it? Will we treasure it? It is not to be taken lightly but to be cherished and prized. Then when we have it we can share it because once we realized the immeasurable value of it we can share it because then we truly HAVE IT!!!!!

An open vision

I opened a door and walked into a room. The room was dark. In the room I stumbled around in the darkness and I came to find a book. I opened the book and started to read it and as I did a small candle started to flicker. The more I read the brighter the light became. I found that the light was in me now. The light shown into the dark room. I saw monsters. I was not scared of the monster but upset at them for robbing me of life. I accepted what the book said. I was royalty a son of a King. The King sent His Son to pay a price for me, for my freedom. I believed this and proclaimed it with my mouth. I held the book and it became sword in my hand. I used it to kill the monsters in the room. I read more. The light grew, I saw more monsters that needed to die. I also saw myself, the biggest monster of all. Slowly the Book changed me from and ugly monster into more like the Son of the King that was sacrificed for me. I saw myself in the room with many other light bearing beings around me in a big circle. Way outside of that circle of light there was still darkness and monsters yet to be slain and I saw others in darkness and I was told to carry my light to them.
I looked close and I saw a person on my right shoulder and on my left shoulder. I asked what are they?
One looks angelic and the other is in chains but is very loud. I was told the angelic one is your new life, it is free and tells you and guides you in the good things that God has for you. And the other I asked? Well the other is your old self. It has no power unless you free it but it has a voice that you can listen to if you want.
It will put doubt and fear in your life. It will guide you back into you old ways. I said well that's stupid. Why should he be there? What power on earth keeps him there? The reply...you do!!!!!

Find the light!!!!
Christ is the light!!!!

Some Random Thoughts

I want More! -
I hear so many people say they want more. More of God, more of His Spirit, more of Christ in their life.
Well? How much more do we need? God says He gave us everything he could give us and that what would He hold back from us if He gave us His son? So what if we have all we need? God says he will equip us to do His work. So what then are we waiting for? If you have the basic knowledge of Christ and salvation then you have more understanding then most of the world. So get going, ask God to show you where he wants you to work and start doing His will. You may not see the second step until you take the first one.

Forgiveness -
 A new way of looking at things has come to my mind. When you do something to someone as in a bad thing then you become indebted to them. When they forgive you they forgive your debt and set you free. When you are indebted you pay the price with the loss of who you should be. You become hardened or less loving or sensitive. The Lord's prayer says forgive us our debts as we forgive those who are indebted to us. To not forgive is also to hang on to an attitude of indebtedness and Christ say forgive so that you may be forgiven. So when we forgive we release that person from their chains and we are also releasing ourselves from the bond of debt with that person. This is what Christ has done for us. Adam put us in debt when he sinned. Christ paid the debt and we are free.

Tithe-
I heard a sermon the other day and it made  a lot of sense. look at the tithe in this way. The 10 % tithe is plowing the ground an offering above that is planting the seed. There is a scriptural difference between the tithe and the offering. If you want to see God work financially in your life then increase you giving. Ask God for wisdom and move forward with faith. If you have made a wreck out f your finances then move slow but move.

Rebuke, repent and forgive-
This is the teaching of Christ, In love correct and forgive. Show me in the scriptures where it say if you have a problem with a person to go to the pastor of the church? No it doesn't. It says go to that person because you love them and they are part of the body that you are in. If you don't love them enough to do this then shut up and move on.

God is always faithful and he loves His people. Walk in the royalty of who you are, a son or daughter of the King, sibling to Christ Jesus!!

Changing seasons?!

The book of Jeremiah is an extremely hard book for me to read. Page after page God is mad his people they are stupid, ignoring him and making idols and he is going to punish them. In descriptive form he says what he is going to do to them and how much they will regret leaving the Lord God of Heavens Armies for pagan idol and gods that they have made with their hands. WHY? Well because he has made them HIS people. They have had his blessing through Abraham they have been given many things by their God. Protection, land, blessings, you name it God took care of them. What has he asked for in return? Their obedience to him and his commandments. Every chance they had they would turn and take a piece of wood and make an idol. Is this hard to understand? Well you have a lovely spouse, you bought her a nice car, you give her a roof over her head nice clothes to wear and yet you constantly find her with the homeless man who gives her nothing.
This is where we are. We say we love God but yet what do we do. We will trade our time with Him for the first interesting thing that comes up. In fact a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the most fulfilling relationship possible. He loves you more than anyone else.

We have begun a Church in our home and just recently made the switch from our church that we had been going to. Amazing things have happened. First let me explain that it is not what you would think a "normal" church service would be. We sit around the table and discuss the Holy Scriptures. Sometimes for an hour and sometimes for up to 3 hours. One person brings a message from a passage of scripture. Then we debate and talk and pound out the truth of Gods word. We are trying to imitate the early church. No frills but we do take communion together. The best part is who it is that attends and that is some people that did not go to church previously that God got a hold of. I could tell his Spirit was working on my sister in law 'M'. She is a 'pistol'. You never have to worry if she likes you or not or if she approves of what you are doing. She WILL tell you. I love her for that. I gave her the book "Heaven is for Real" and it grabbed her. She had questions and next thing I know we are having a bible study. Then her daughter 'S' started coming who is also my oldest sons ex wife. So in my eyes she is still my daughter "inlaw". I like the daughter though. My baby boy and my middle girl along with my wife.

Feel the heat!!
It was a Wednesday and a special midweek meeting was called for the next night to pray for my daughter in law. I said "ok I am gonna fast". M says well "what is that"? So I explained the Biblical principle of fasting. She decided she would too. Thursday night came and we all gathered. I started to pray for S and anointed her with oil. I am an anointer, I feel every person I pray for if I can anoint them I will. I felt the prescence of the Spirit as I prayed. After I finished I asked if anyone else wanted to pray. M said "is it hot in here"? I said "no not really". She said " feel my hands they are burning" she put them on me and they were like heating pads. I pointed "go pray for S" She said her hair was wet she was so hot. I laughed and explained briefly that hot hands are a sign of the presence of God's Spirit on you and that he is here do work through you. She laid her hands on her daughter and prayed. Her daughter felt the heat in her body. Then my wife and M both believed that my daughter Madison was supposed to pray for S as well. So Madison went over next to her and placed her hand on S and prayed a very simple prayer. Both M and Madison weren't sure what to pray. God only wants our obedience not our fancy words, only our heart

I was at the mall last night. Young men and women walked by me, hair neatly groomed some were buff and toned, well dressed. They were prepared to impress to have a presence. How much more should the lover of our soul have some of our time. Read his love letter to you. Speak to him in a quiet place and then...Listen!

His ways are not our ways.

Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks on the heart. There are a lot of family details in this story so bear with me. My wife's grandfather just passed away. I came home from work and My wife started to tell me how her father sent a message through his son my wifes brother to my wife that she nor her sister were allowed to go to the funeral or he would not be responsible for what happened. To say I got angry would be an understatement. I didn't swear  but I did raise my voice and if not for the Spirit of the Lord in me I would have gone down to where the boy works and given him a piece of my mind. I didn't sleep well that night. I prayed and asked God to calm me and watch over my wife as she went to the funeral. The next day I prayed hard as I drove around to my different stops during the day. I actually asked God to give her dad a sour stomach so he would have to miss the funeral. While I prayed I heard God say to me "I have a better way". I thought for a minute what could be better than my way? Oh yeah Gods way is always better. I saw angels surrounding her as I prayed. I asked God to show me why I was so defensive when someone threatened us. I know it is a mans job to protect but I really was on the edge. God pulled me away from the situation and allowed me to see like from a distance the situation. I held guilt for not being able to protect my mother when she was married to my dad. I asked God to forgive me for not being able to protect her. I was balling my eyes out. Now the rest of the story. My dad and mom had been married fell into hard times and the relationship became abusive. My dad walked out on my mom. Left her with a farm, bills, 4 kids under 12 and one on the way. Yup that was me. I never knew I held this. I do not know why I held this but I am protective of my mother as well as my wife. I cannot stand abuse. Now I know why and why I respond so intensely. I felt a weight off after I confessed this.
I came home from work and picked up the girls and headed to wednesday night service as my wife her mom and sister were heading to the funeral. When I got to church the pastor and I prayed for the situation. We saw restoration as we prayed for safety and for God's protection.Then he said he wasnt feeling good that night so I prayed for him along with one of the ladies from church. We all felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. I told him what had happened to me during the day.
So what happened at the funeral? Well my wife uncle hugged her and cried when he saw her and he held my wifes hand whenever he wasn't in line. Her whole family comforted her and her dad just shook her hand and did not act out in any way. So we saw the restorarion as her family came around her and they comforted each other and God used an uncle, he didn't have to send an angel he already had someone waiting to take care of the whole thing and protect my wife, physically and emotionally.
Gods ways are not our ways and Gods thought are not our thought for he has a more excellent plan for us....If we only believe and have faith.

What are they doing here?!!!

On to the next major event of equal importance. I will not use names as all these people are alive and known. We had started going to our new church and I saw someone I thought I recognized. They were a friend of a family member that was involved in my divorce. Wow I bet it just got silent. Yes I am divorced. So lets take a short recess. I do not believe in divorce I do not believe it is biblical in fact Jesus clearly states in Mark 10:5 "because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept". So because of our hard hearts. I also believe it takes two. It takes two to make a marriage work and it takes two to make a marriage fail. Right? Wrong! It takes two to make it fail it takes three to make it work. You must have God in your relationship. You must have a guideline a ruler a standard and that is the Love that God is. 1 Cor 13:4 - 7says

⁴Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud⁵or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.⁶It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.⁷Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Enough said.

So for the sake of ease lets call the woman Jane and the man John. Jane and John were firends of my family member we will call him Ralph. Ralph came to town and within 7 months I was terminated and kicked out of my house. Did I do things wrong? Yes I definately did. So what then was the problem. I trusted this person with information. I told Ralph things that no one else knew. When I got fired my boss knew things that Ralph knew. He also counselled my wife at the time and told her it was her right to divorce me. Ralph to this day thinks he did nothing wrong. I thought that I had put all this behind me. It was 10 myears ago. That I had dealt with my divorce and all the ugliness and moved on. That is until I saw John and Jane. I made the connection. Jane was talking to my wife. When we got home her and I talked Jane started putting pieces together and said oh so you're Darryls son's stepmom and so on. I was mad, wy did they have to be here. Of all the churches and they have only been there for a little over 2 years. Why this church, why now? It was all ruined!! Then I realized I had not dealt with anything I just pushed it under a rug 10 years prior and now it was all coming out. I hated. I hated them all. They lied they were deceitful they hurt me they..it didn't matter. What mattered was what was I going to do. Would I be obedient to my God who gave his son for me and then he forgave me for being responsible for killing his own son. 

I was still having my quiet time and in the word as well as listening to CD's. Well over the next month not everyday but in close proximity to each other the cd I listened to and the book I was reading in addition to the Bible and the sermon on Sunday were all in the same area. Forgiveness, repentance, regardless of what the other person believes or does we are to forgive. Then It moved into loving those around us not with our love but the love of God. He can love through us if we allow him to. How? By being immersed in his word and in his presence. By believing that his words are true, by faith. I was freed from my hatred and anger. It still makes me uncomfortable to think about and thats ok. If you got into a car accident would it be something you would want to think about? No! The rage and hate are gone and I have forgiven and expressed love and release. I didn't feel the vistory right away but I claimed it right away and I stood on it. How can we expect to be forgiven if we do not forgive.

Love one another as I have loved you - God

The second event

We were sitting again at the revival services and we had sat down after the singing and Doug started preaching. He feels out his sermon as he goes which is fine because he is well versed on his scriptures. So this night he starts talking about the soul man and the spirit man and the flesh and goes into detail as to their interrelation with a relationship with God.
For clarification lets examine a few labels. Labels are funny things. What I label something and what you label it may be different so for the sake of this writing I will state some label that I have come to know. First the flesh well that of course is the shell in which we live a piece of skin with 98 cents worth of chemicals in it. Second the soul. I used to know and speak of the soul as the eternal part of us but in fact it is not it is the essence of who we are, it is our personality. Third is our spirit. This part is the eternal part, the part that never dies. Our mind is inside the soul. The soul and the spirit are attatched to each other and cannot be seperated. Both the soul and the spirit are manifested or made apparent through the flesh. When we die the spirit and soul are freed from the body. The soul is the sinful or carnal part of our being. Our spirit comes alive unto God when we accept Christ as our saviour. That alive spirit is still attached to the soul which lives in the flesh.
Back to Doug. As he spoke he told of the sinful nature of man and he used a visual example he would step to his right and stand in the place of the "soul man" or carnal man and then he would step sideway again to his left and represent the spirit man. As he stepped from side to side he explained that when we are saved we become spiritually alive or alive in the spirit and that our spirit communes with Gods spirit. We still have the option of going over into the soul man but we are still God's possesion. We may decide to openly sin but we are not belonging to the soul man but stepping back into it as he moved from left to right. Many of us have heard the saying that we are sinners saved by grace. Well I heard a new verse. 2 Cor 5:21 For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [Jesus].
Ok so I have heard the verse before but never like it hit me tonight. I am the rightousness of God. WOW!! My mind started working through this as Doug continued. You can choose to live in the flesh and be controlled by it or you can walk consciously in the spirit. I had never heard it this way before. Then it started to come together. If I think I am a sinner then what do sinners do? Well they sin of course but if I am the rightousness of God then well I don't have to sin. Then we got into some more verses (Romans 8: 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Now when we talk about the spirit we are talking about the Spirit of God inhabiting our Spirit and making it new. Then we listen to and our conrtolled by the "Spirit". Now here is where the power comes in. Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead, lies in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. The he demonstrated as I have never heard before. Again I have read and heard this verse read but it never sank in. What does it say? Does it say Christ rose from the dead? Nay it say The Spirit of God, yes the one that hovered over the face of the waters at creation went down to hell because that is where Christ went with the weight of our sins and the Spirit of God entered. Demons splattered against the wall running and screaming as the power of God came down to raise the Son of God. Satan crawling on his hands and knees when just a second ago he thought he had one for Christ himself was there. The Spirit of God then Raised the Son of God to life.
That Spirit lives within you when you take on the new life in Christ. It was sinking in now and I was getting excited. Things that I made excuses for all my life were nothing now. I had the power of the Spirit of God in me. I was ready to step out of that soul man permanently and walk in the newness of the Spirit. And.....I did. I prayed and cast off the old soulish man with his fleshly desires. The lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. I cast off all those things that bound me some of which had been with me all my life. Now comes the confession. I can confess it because I am now free from it. At the age of 4 or 5 I became sexually active thanks to a babysitters son. I am not crying here or looking for sympathy but an evil entered my life that would manifest itself through lust and pornography for over 40 years. But on this night it died. I buried that old man and I walked in the new man the Spirit man. I would drink occasionally and smoke and I cussed quite a bit. By the power of God yes that Spirit that raised Christ from the dead that lived within me I shook off all those things. I didn't taper off. I dropped them! Flat! Cold! Done! Praise God.  I have since then made some changes in my life. I have given up and when I say given up I mean cut out dependence on or eliminated totally daily coffe, adding sugar to things cut down on white bread, watching tv. I stick to a few clean shows like duck dynasty or pickers. I am cautious not to watch shows that have sexual notes in even to the point of low cut shirts. Why? am I a prude. Well maybe but I do not want my mind to become desensitized again. Stop and look at what you are watching or listening to. Would you want that woman in your house with your husband or that man in the house with your wife? Cast off the old and fill your mind with the good things of God. I do not want to be enslaved to anything. I do not want to "have" to do anything. My last big struggle is my eating which I am working on.
The knowledge of who we are in Christ makes the difference. We are children of the King bought with a high price. The blood of his son. We ARE the rightousness of God and to say we are sinners is to blaspheme what Christ did for us. Yes we may sin but we cannot allow ourselve to practice sin.
Here is the difference. I still sin. For example my child does something I don't want them to and I lose my temper and yell. I sinned I say I'm sorry to God and move on. Practiced sin is what we have to eliminate to be free. For example your wife works late on thursdays so you have a weekly date with your computer and the women of a certain website. you ask for God to forgive you after each incident but you know next week your gonna do it again. That is practiced sin. Satan has you in a snare that you cannot get out of. He will take you deeper and deeper. Get free! Walk in the light.

 

The first significant event. The Kilei syndrome. Kilei my then 6 year old had a chronic cough. she had it for years and had been to more doctors appointments than I can count. Her last few trips were to Galisano childrens hospital. She had been on every medication known to man. some natural som that would produce terrible nightmares. Sometimes she would get relief for a short time and other medicines no relief at all. We had been in the hospital a few times some stay as much as four days. Her cough would be so deep and so hard that she would cry for relief and we would cry for her feeling so helpless. The cough would go away for a while then come back. No ryhme no reason. It wasn't in her chest although it could lead to pnemonia or bronchitis. She could get worked up in gym class and send her into a coughing frenzy even though she had left the house fine that morning.
So here we are at Doug Stanton's first meeting and at the end of the meeting Kilei starts coughing. We prays for a few people and closes the meeting. We came back the next night and I talked to Doug's wife. She assured me that he would probably pray for Kilei that night that he just  closes the meeting early some nights as he feels the Lord lead. We started the meeting that night and when the prayer time came he prayed for a few people as Kiles cough started again as in she was coughing so much it was disruptive. He closed the meeting out again and I felt myself question. I was upset. Why wasn't he praying for her. What was going on why wouldn't God lead Doug to pray for my daughter.
The next night Doug prayed for her a little but to no avail. I questioned my own faith as we sat around the altar while many were getting prayed for. A man that I have seen at the meetings several times came and sat next to me as I wept and confessed to him my doubts and that I don't have the faith to see Kilei healed. He grabbed me by the back of my kneck and loudly said "oh you don't believe that" . He said this is more about you than her. We talked for a short time. My insides were boiling. I was mad! I was mad at him mad at Doug and mad at God. In silence I got in the car quietly putting the children in and making the 25 minute drive home. My wife asked me what is wrong I just said I was tired. I was in fact tired very tired. I was worn out. I have been in Church all my life but this night I was ready to quit and I don't mean stop going to church I mean give up on God. Throw down say no more I have had it. I cannot do this any longer it make no sense none of it. I did not tell this to anyone that night. I went home got in bed and stewed more. I went to sleep finally after silent tears so as to not draw attention from my wife as it was shamful for me to give up and be hopeless.
The next morning I got up and for some reason in my dismal state went up to church locked myself in and poured my heart out to God. In 20 minutes I prayed through and got my joy back. So what changed? My perspective! Kilei is not my possesion she is my daughter given to me to care for from God and to show her all I know. She is God's daughter and if God wants her to cough then I will hold her hand as she coughs if he wants to heal her then he can but God is God and it is not my priviledge to question him. I looked back into the previous night and saw the darkness that surrounded me, The lies of satan to sway me from my path. I went to revival that night and confessed to some what had happened. Doug prayed for me that night and I fell to the ground. The meetings went on and one night while eating dinner at the house Kilei said when that lady screamed at church it hurt my ears. Angie and I looked at each other puzzled. We decided to test Kilei. We stood behind her and talked in a normal voice and asked if she could hear us she said yes. Then I stood 10 feet behind her and whispered and she heard me. We were filled with joy. Kilei had been scheduled in the next week or
so to have permanent tubes put in her ears ( her second pair) and they were afraid she has already suffered hearing loss because of fluid behind her eardrum or up against her eardrum. Angie looked at me and said wellwhat do we do her appointments are all set. I said just call them and say you want her checked because you think something may have changed. Well she did but the receptionist wouldn't settle for a vague reason. So Angie said you won't believe me if I told you the receptionist said try me. So Angie told her of the healing. Kilei went in to get checked and the doctor said after a physical exam well we can probably put tubes in anyway. Then they took Kilei in for a hearing test and she raised her hands when she heard the sounds in the appropriate ear. Then the test was over and the person administering the test accidentally hit another button a button with a pitch that Kilei should not have been able to hear and Kilei raised her hand. The doctor said you heard that. Yes Kilei replied. "there is no way we are putting tube in her hearing is perfect" Praise God for his miracle healing. There is documentation in the doctors office to prove this.

So I realized I needed to change something. I prayed and asked God to help me and guide me in my new venture.. My house is a bit distacting so I started out going up to my church every morning Monday through Friday and spending a few minutes alone praying to God. I stared using a small list of prayer requests as well as praying for my family some missionaries and some thanksgiving. Some days I may walk around the sanctuary others I knelt at the altar and some days I sat. It was a very personal and close time with God that I was experiencing. Some days I would just thank God for all he has done and others weep over people I loved. It took some time for me to work out my personal quiet time with God and I still walk in it daily, making time and doing what God leads.
Here is the important part is that I was faithful. Before I started my "work" day I sarted my day with God. I would get up and get ready help a bit getting the children their drink and breakfast then off I would go. Between 20 minutes to 45 minutes every morning. I could feel the presence of God. I new he heard me and wanted me to make him a priority. It has been almost a year now and I still spend quiet time with him. I recently was talking with a person that just got saved and told him he need to read the Bible and pray daily. His responsed puzzles me still, he said" I don't think I am ready for that. How can you build a relationship with out getting to know the other person. In reading God's letter to us (the Holy Scriptures)we learn who he is and in fact we learn who we are and what we are in the revealing light of his Spirit.Ok so back on track, I would read the Bible when I got home at night. I could feel a chnage in me and I could see it. The next events went kind of fast. A few months later a revival preacher came to town. Doug Stanton. We heard about his meetings and had seen him before. He is truly an exciting man of God that brings the power of God to the meetings. The meetings were each weeknight for about two weeks. We went almost every night. The meetings start out with some upbeat worship music then he gets into Gods word and preaches and teaches and then he will pray for people. People will be delivered from sickness situations etc. It is not uncommon to find yourself on the floor when he is done with you. Two major events took place in these meetings.

Welcome to my blog. Why did I start such a journey? What a bold name, I must have the corner on religion. Surely by reading my blog you will see my amazing spiritual journey and be lifted to the very throne of God by my insight, wisdom and knowledge. Well I wish. In fact I will share my drudgery struggles and pain. My years of being blinded, stumbling and failing. I jot this all down for two reasons. For I myself to see my travels and to share and maybe someone can grab something to help and encourage them.

I am a 48 year old male. Father of 8. 5 natural and 3 adopted adults. I have always worked hard and failed even harder. I will start at the end of the old. April of 2013 A man named Bill who is in charge of a huge area for outreach and church planting stood in the pulpit. This is a man who works where the rubber meets the road. He reaches out and feeds and cloths 27 of the poorest 100 counties in the United States. They are in Kentucky the coal mines that have suffered through the Obama administration. This is the life that Bill knows and the people he loves. He commands my respect with his work. "Every preacher that wants to start churches will go through a personality assesment as well as other computer generated forms of testing", he continues every one of them does not make it in a church plant. I want to know one thing as he looks into our hearts, tell me about your daily experience with God. How much time do you spend in God's word daily. The waves of reality washed over me. I say I am a Christian man. I act like it most of the time. I participate in church and always help wherever needed. Suddenly the old adage came to mind. Being in a hanger doesn't make you a plane any more than going to church on Sunday makes you a Christian. Don't get me wrong I am saved, baptized and forgiven. I pray and read Gods word but not daily. I have not developed a relationship a constant relationship with God my Father.