A Personal Relationship with God through Christ Jesus

04/17/2024

Acts 21:37-40 &Acts 22:1-21 Voice Paul’s Testimony .
[37] They were just leaving the temple area when Paul asked the commandant,
Paul: May I say something to you? Commandant: Do you speak Greek?
[38] We thought you were that Egyptian who recently stirred a rebellion and led 4,000 assassins out into the desert. But if you speak Greek, then obviously you're not the person we supposed.
[39] Paul: No, I'm a Jew, originally from Tarsus in Cilicia. I'm a citizen from an important city.
Please, I beg you, let me speak to the people.
[40] The commandant agreed, and Paul stood there on the steps, motioning for the people to be silent. The crowd settled down, and Paul spoke in their native tongue, Aramaic.
22:1-21
[1] Paul: Brothers and fathers, please let me defend myself against these charges.
[2] When they heard him speaking Aramaic, a hush came over the crowd.
[3] Paul: I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia. I was raised here in Jerusalem and was tutored in the great school of Gamaliel. My education trained me in the strict interpretation of the law of our ancestors, and I grew zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
[4] I encountered a movement known as the Way, and I considered it a threat to our religion, so I persecuted it violently. I put both men and women in chains, had them imprisoned, and would have killed them-
[5] as the high priest and the entire council of elders will tell you. I received documentation from them to go to Damascus and work with the brothers there to arrest followers of the Way and bring them back to Jerusalem in chains so they could be properly punished.
[6] I was on my way to Damascus. It was about noon. Suddenly a powerful light shone around me,
[7] and I fell to the ground. A voice spoke: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?"
[8] I answered, "Who are You, Lord?" The voice replied, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, the One you persecute."
[9] My companions saw the light, but they didn't hear the voice.
[10] I asked, "What do You want me to do, Lord?" The Lord replied, "Get up and go to Damascus; you will be given your instructions there."
[11] Since the intense light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.
[12] I was visited there by a devout man named Ananias, a law-keeping Jew who was well spoken of by all the Jews living in Damascus.
[13] He said, "Brother Saul, regain your sight!" I could immediately see again, beginning with Ananias standing before me.
[14] Then he said, "You have been chosen by the God of our ancestors to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice of God.
[15] You will tell the story of what you have seen and heard to the whole world.
[16] So now, don't delay. Get up, be ceremonially cleansed through baptism, and have your sins washed away, as you call on His name in prayer."
[17] I returned to Jerusalem, and I was praying here in the temple one day. I slipped into a trance
[18] and had a vision in which Jesus said to me, "Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem fast! The people here will not receive your testimony about Me."
[19] I replied, "But Lord, they all know that I went from synagogue to synagogue imprisoning and beating everyone who believed in You.
[20] They know what I was like and how I stood in approval of the ex*****on of Stephen, Your witness, when he was stoned. I even held the coats of those who actually stoned him."
[21] Jesus replied, "Go, for I am going to send you to distant lands to teach the outsiders."

This is the testimony of the day Paul was saved. These Jewish leaders are prepared to squabble with Paul about the law. But in his wisdom, Paul disarms them with his story.
When Paul invites his audience into his experience with the supernatural, it makes debating the finer points of the law seem ridiculous. The same will occur with “your story.”
It was so dramatic that the Lord said through Ananias, “The God of our forefathers has destined and appointed you to come progressively to know His will [to perceive, to recognize more strongly and clearly, and to become better and more intimately acquainted with His will], and to see the Righteous One (Jesus Christ, the Messiah), and to hear a voice from His [own] mouth and a message from His [own] lips;
You will tell the story of what you have seen and heard to the whole world.”
Thus, Paul went from killing “believers of the name of Jesus” to “calling upon His name to wash away their sins”.
Our best witness is our testimony, each ‘believer’ was been impacted by God to believe, trust, and be saved. Our best testimonial is the one that changed our life from a sinner unto accepting our Savior as Lord.

As a believer, each of us has a testimony, of when why we believed, the change that occurred. It is the most important message that led you to Christ. It is the primary message of accepting the Great Commission of telling others of why “you believe”.

Write it down as best as you recall, practice it, know it to be able to retell it and let God use you to build His Kingdom.

04/11/2024

Acts 21:27-36 Voice
[27] The seven days of purification were almost completed when some Jews from Asia recognized Paul in the temple. They grabbed him.
[28] Asian Jews (shouting): Help! Fellow Israelites! This man is an enemy of our people, our religion, our law, and this temple! He travels around the world subverting our holiest customs! He is at this moment desecrating this holy temple by bringing outsiders into this sacred place.
[29] In this accusation, they were confused-they had seen Paul elsewhere in the city with Trophimus the Ephesian, and they assumed that one of his current companions was Trophimus.
[30] It was too late to clarify, though, because word spread and soon a huge crowd rushed to the temple. They held Paul and dragged him from the temple and shut the doors behind them.
[31] They beat Paul, and it was clear they intended to kill him. By this time, word of the uproar reached the commandant of the Roman guard assigned to Jerusalem.
[32] He led a group of soldiers and officers to the scene. When the mob looked up and saw the soldiers running toward them, they stopped beating Paul.
[33] The commandant took him into custody and ordered him to be bound with two chains. He conducted a preliminary interrogation - asking Paul's name, (and) what he had done.
[34] Members of the crowd were shouting over each other, and the tribune couldn't hear a thing, so he ordered Paul to be taken back to the barracks.
[35] When they came to the steps leading down from the temple, the crowd was seething with such violence toward Paul that the soldiers had to pick him up and carry him.
[36] Then the crowd followed. Crowd: Away with him! Away with him!

This long passage begins with an accusation, even mostly false. Then even the law-keepers of that time, got it wrong, but to the public, they had pronounced Paul guilty based upon the crowd’s response, as well as the Roman enforcers.
The media today often does the same thing and many “buy into” false accusations, pronouncing a guilty verdict without investigating the facts.

Are we influenced by public opinion or do you seek the truth, through God?

04/06/2024

04/04/2024

With Alveda King – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

04/04/2024

Many refer to this as the Lord’s Prayer.

It is actually the disciples prayer. This is the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to use.

Do we consider ourselves disciples of Jesus?

Then this is my prayer.

Every line points us to trust Jesus!

Our Father, Jesus and ours

Is in Heaven, His and Jesus’ residence, where He is building us a mansion.

Hallowed or Holy is His name, His name is His character and nature, Jesus is Holy and transfers that holiness to us.

He makes His Heavenly Kingdom available to us on Earth when we apply faith. Only keep the faith and believe in Jesus

God’s will be accomplished in us. We need to work toward obedience in living out His will, Hebrews 11:6 reinforces this portion of the prayer. He gives us the ability to enter both His Kingdom and to do His will. (See Wednesday April 3rds post).

Our God is our provider. What we need most every day, every moment is to realize Emmanuel is with us. He gives us His daily bread, Jesus is the Bread of life. Seek first p, His Kingdom, His righteousness, see after Jesus to be with with us, we need today’s portion of Jesus to succeed.

There is only ONE whose forgiveness that we really need, that is God, the Son. Jesus forgive us.

Only Jesus should be the One who is leading us away, and through temptations, He does not put us through the trials or temptations, He leads us in victory over them.

Evil will be on this Earth until Jesus defeats Satan and binds Him in Hell according to the end of Revelation.

For His is the Kingdom, His is the power, and it is His glory that each of us should seek after.

Eternal life will begin the moment that we recognize Jesus, He is our forever.

So be it, AMEN!

This is a prayer for us to us to build our faith and trust in Jesus when we turn to Him.

Please pray this without ceasing.

This is my strength.

04/03/2024

What must we do to do works that please God?

Place our full belief on the “ONE” that The Father sent, JESUS!

John 6:26-29,32-33,35-40 NASB
[26] Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
[27] Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal."
[28] Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"
**********
[29] Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
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[32] Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is

My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.

[33] For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."
[35] Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
[36] But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.
[37] All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.
[38] For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
[39] This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.
[40] For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

Jesus … said, "Truly, truly, … you seek Me, not because you saw miracles, but because you ate and your belly was filled. Food dissipates, get flushed out of your system but eternal food provides eternal life, which is only given by Jesus, the Son of Man for on Him the Father, God, has set the seal of proof to pleasing Him."
Those who were discipled by Jesus asked Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?"

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[29] Jesus answered … them, "This is the work … believe in Him whom our Father has sent."
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Jesus then said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave Heaven’s eternal bread … but …

My Father gave the true bread … of heaven.

… the bread of God … which came down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."
Jesus then said, "I am that bread of life; anyone who comes to Me will not hunger, and ALL who believes in Me will never thirst.
But … you … have seen … and you do not believe.
All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and of those who come to Me - I will certainly not cast out.
I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him, My Father who sent Me.
This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me - I lose none of them, not one, but raise them up on the last day.

For this is the will of My Father, everyone (any spectator) who beholds (or that discerns, literally experiences or intensively acknowledges) Jesus, the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I, Myself will raise him up on the last

See April 4th post.

03/30/2024

. Happy Easter to you and your family!

03/30/2024

COMMUNION

Get elements and let’s take Communion together, this Easter Weekend …

1 Corinthians 11:23-26
[23] I pass on to you the tradition the Lord gave to me: On the same night the Lord Jesus was betrayed, He took the bread in His hands;
[24] and after giving thanks to God, He broke it and said, "This is My body, broken for you. Keep doing this so that you and all who come after will have a vivid reminder of Me."
[25] After they had finished dinner, He took the cup and in the same way said, "This cup is the new covenant, executed in My blood. Keep doing this; and whenever you drink it, you and all who come after will have a vivid reminder of Me."
[26] Every time you taste this bread and every time you place the cup to your mouths and drink, you are declaring the Lord's death, which is the ultimate expression of His faithfulness and love, until He comes again.

His death provided for EVERYTHING that we will ever need for this life, (this mortal life while we remain on Earth) and to then extend into our forever immortality.

2 Peter 1:1-4
[1] … To those who have received a faith … by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:
[2] Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
[3] seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
[4] For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them we may become partakers of the divine nature, and escape the corruption that is in the world …

Communion is the Greek word Koinonia. Communion is only for persons who profess their faith in God.

It is defined as the mutually agreed upon partnership, a (literal) participation, a (social) exchange - , the giving of some things or commodity from one party for the other party, or the conferring of items of value by benefit from one party to the other - (an act to) communicate distribute and fellowship.
It is our covenant, the contract between God and us - as believers - of partnering with the Almighty, the Creator, in His plan to give us His Son as our Savior and Lord.
When we enter into this koinoinia, we are accepting our portion of the “new covenant”, while we receive all of the provisions from God along with His promises.

Each element; the bread and the wine of Jesus blood, are differing symbols with differing benefits of the provident supply and care instituted by God!

Take the bread in your hands.
With the bread God provides for the needs of our flesh according to Matthew 6:25. These include life (which contains health), provisions of food - eat, drink; what we wear - put on. Life is more than nourishment, and the body more than just clothing. When we partake of Jesus, the Bread of Life, we receive God’s supernatural touch to our health, but

Everything we need, which is served at the Table of the Lord—
divine healing,
divine health,
divine life, and
divine victory!

Communion isn’t just a “religious meal” or the “religious ritual” that many denominations and people have made it out to be.
NO!
The Table of the Lord is Holy.
When we partake of it in faith, all of hell trembles. Why?
The Table represents the devil’s TOTAL DEFEAT and
Christ’s TOTAL VICTORY.
At the Table, His victory is freely extended to us, as our victory encompasses
healing,
provision,
joy, and
abundant blessings.
Also
forgiveness,
protection,
freedom,
deliverance,
peace,

So as we receive Jesus, the Bread of Life, today expect to receive healing,
provision,
joy, and His shalom peace and
abundant blessings.

Matthew 8:17
These miraculous healings fulfilled what the prophet Isaiah had predicted: He took our infirmities upon Himself, and He bore our diseases.
Isaiah 53:5 says of His body be broken >
He was crushed for our iniquities; … And by His scourging we are healed.
1 Peter 2:24 … - the Scripture says, “Through His wounds, you were healed.”⁠

His broken body, provides the wholeness that you need in your physical and emotional life, today.
Eat the bread.

Now -
Taking of the wine of Jesus blood, which has the spiritual aspects of the blessing of our God going to the cross on our behalf shedding His blood. Here we receive forgiveness, His righteousness transferred to us in exchange for our sins, His holiness and justness instead of failures. We are made right, holy, and perfected by His love.

Now taking of the cup,
Isaiah 53:5 But He was pierced through (His blood was shed) for our transgressions, … The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him …
2 Corinthians 5:21
He, the Anointed One, who had never experienced sin, became sin for us so that in Him we might embody the very righteousness of God.
1 Peter 2:24
He took on our sins in His body when He died on the cross so that we, being dead to sin, can live for righteousness. …

So with the cup receive His shalom peace,
abundant blessings,
as well as
forgiveness,
protection,
freedom,
deliverance and
righteousness.

Drink of the cup.

Father, we want to Thank You for this miracle time of receiving the benefits of Your New Covenant and all that we receive from our Lord going to the cross in our place.
We are made right with You, in Jesus name.

03/26/2024

. Does God lie?
HE cares when when His children are sick

Faith comes by hearing and hearing and hearing and hearing. Read these out loud again and again until your spirit responds.

Psalm 41:3
The LORD nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.

Matthew 15:29-31
Jesus returned to the Sea of Galilee and climbed a hill and sat down. A vast crowd brought to him people who were lame, blind, crippled, those who couldn’t speak, and many others. They laid them before Jesus, and He healed them all. The crowd was amazed! Those who hadn’t been able to speak were talking, the crippled were made well, the lame were walking, and the blind could see again! And they praised the God of Israel.

Philippians 2:27
And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another.

Matthew 4:23
Jesus traveled throughout the region of Galilee, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And He healed every kind of disease and illness.

Matthew 10:1
Jesus called His twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.

Matthew 8:17
This fulfilled the word of the Lord through the prophet Isaiah, who said, “He took our sicknesses and removed our diseases.”

03/25/2024

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

This is one I can honestly say I have never seen circulating so; if this touches you, forward it.

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed this....

The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!' Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.

Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely!

Is it really significant? Yes!

In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it...

The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now, if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.

The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done.'

But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because........... The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

He is Coming Back!

Praise the name of Jesus!

03/24/2024

Lord,
I know that You want Your people healed and even the unsaved others who have been afflicted by cancer.
I rebuke cancer and I am expecting a turn-around for everyone whose bodies are being attacked by Your enemy, who according to Your word cannot prevail over Your people.
In Jesus name.

If God were to withhold the healing of His people after Jesus has gone to the cross to pay for our sins, then it would mean that healing is more important than Jesus, and that Jesus lied when He was on the cross when He declared “It Is Finished”!

My God does not lie!

Cancer be gone, dissolved from your assignment of causing sickness and disease and even death, in JESUS name!