Remind us of the gospel

1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel* I preached to you,* which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved,* if you hold firmly* to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received* I passed on to you* as of first importance* : that Christ died for our sins* according to the Scriptures,* 4 that he was buried,* that he was raised* on the third day* according to the Scriptures,* 5 and that he appeared to Peter,* * and then to the Twelve.* 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.* 7 Then he appeared to James,* then to all the apostles,* 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,* as to one abnormally born.

"abnormally born." That's great. Aren't we all?

Thank you for your Son! He's the only one not abnormally born. And by Him we are reborn. Normal. :-)
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Prophecy???????

Here's a fun nugget to chew on: What can the following possibly mean????

Follow the way of love* and eagerly desire* spiritual gifts,* especially the gift of prophecy.* 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue* * does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him;* he utters mysteries* with his spirit.* 3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening,* encouragement* and comfort. 4 He who speaks in a tongue* edifies* himself, but he who prophesies* edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,* but I would rather have you prophesy.* He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues,* unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.*



Love. It. Love. God showing us how.
Power.
Hope.
Peace.
Fruit.
Love. It.


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The Gospel is the Good News of the Kingdom of God

"Gospel" means "Good News". It's all Good News. It's ALL the Gospel good news of the Kingdom of God!!!

 ~~~~

The Kingdom of God is…

• not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

  • not a matter of talk but of power

The Kingdom of God is…

• A place of Rescue

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.

The Kingdom of God is…

• A place where the King dies for our sins, in our place.

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The Kingdom of God is…

• A place of LOVE

knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

whoever loves God is known by God.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

Love never fails.

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

Do everything in love.

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

The Kingdom of God is…

• A place of FREEdom

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.

The Kingdom of God is…

• A place of Fruit

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness.

In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.

Live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

The Kingdom of God is…

A PLACE like no other place on Earth, because it’s not on Earth, it’s in Heaven; a PLACE where all of the above exists and you feel them in your heart and in your friendships and in your family; a PLACE where the above breaks into your life and lives and your ekklesia; a PLACE which is spiritual and magnificent and expanding throughout the Earth, sometimes hidden, sometimes visible, but always present; a PLACE where we partner with God, accepting His gift and His gifts, and believing who we ARE in Christ — a new creation!

A PLACE where the King is actually a Shepherd; and we are His Sheep because we here His voice, and we follow….where ever He may lead.

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me

They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’

Grace Song Lyrics | Laura Story Lyrics |

GRACEMy heart is so proud. My mind is so unfocused.I see the things You do through me as great things I have done. And now You gently break me, then lovingly You take me and hold me as my father and mold me as my maker.Chorus:I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abound?



"And you answer: " My child, I love you.And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."At times I may grow weak and feel a bit discouraged, knowing that someone, somewhere could do a better job. For who am I to serve You?I know I don't deserve You. And that's the part that burns in my heart and keeps me hanging on. Chorus*I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abounds?"And you answer: " My child, I love you. And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."You are so patient with me, Lord.As I walk with You, I'm learning what Your grace really means. The price that I could never pay was paid at Calvary. So, instead of trying to repay You, I'm learning to simply obey Youby giving up my life to you For all that You've given to me.Chorus: I ask you: "How many times will you pick me up, when I keep on letting you down?And each time I will fall short of Your glory, how far will forgiveness abounds?"And you answer: " My child, I love you.And as long as you're seeking My face, You'll walk in the pow'r of My daily sufficient grace."

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit 1 Corinthians 2

God’s Wisdom Revealed by the Spirit

 

We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written:

 

“What no eye has seen,


what no ear has heard,


and what no human mind has conceived”[b]—


the things God has prepared for those who love him—

 

 

 

10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.

 

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

 

 

 

“Who has known the mind of the Lord

 

so as to instruct him?”

 

 

 

But we have the mind of Christ.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Mom. Thank you, thank you.

My Mom's Bible. She was so very full of God in the last several years of her life. She died in 1997, leaving a legacy of love and commitment to families and children. I have had her Bible on my desk for several months now, enjoying the highlight passages and imaging her very encouraging words about the Lord's love and of God's Spirit with us. Thank you, Mom. I love you and miss you.

Christ is the ONLY Way to the Father-Enter the Spirit to guide us! Hallelujah!

John 14

Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled.* Trust* in God* ;* trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there* to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back* and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.* 4 You know the way to the place where I am going."

Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas* said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6 Jesus answered, "I am* the way* and the truth* and the life.* No one comes to the Father except through me.* 7 If you really knew me, you would know* my Father as well.* From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8 Philip* said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.* How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?* The words I say to you are not just my own.* Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.* 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith* in me will do what I have been doing.* He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask* in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.* 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor* to be with you forever- 17 the Spirit of truth.* The world cannot accept him,* because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be* in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans;* I will come to you.* 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.* Because I live, you also will live.* 20 On that day* you will realize that I am in my Father,* and you are in me, and I am in you.* 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.* He who loves me will be loved by my Father,* and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22 Then Judas* (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"*
23 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.* My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.* 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.*
25 "All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Counselor,* the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name,* will teach you all things* and will remind you of everything I have said to you.* 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.* I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled* and do not be afraid.
28 "You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.'* If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father,* for the Father is greater than I.* 29 I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe.* 30 I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world* is coming. He has no hold on me,
31 but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.* "Come now; let us leave.

John 15

















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Amazing Book: A--MAZE--ING!!! A must read for all concerned citizens (of heaven)

Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices

Frank Viola

Frank Viola (Author)

› Visit Amazon's Frank Viola Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

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(Author), George Barna

George Barna (Author)

› Visit Amazon's George Barna Page

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(Author), Lloyd James (Narrator)

I read the original by Viola in 2003 (pictured here on the right) but the revised version in 2008 combines Barna's comments and edits and really packs a punch. DO NOT read this book if you want to believe the same things about church practices, church programs, and church leadership. This book messed me up and now I'm reading it again with a couple interested in house church. This time through I'll attempt a book review. For now, here's the product description from Amazon and a video from YouTube (which is sort of funny):

Product Description

Have you ever wondered why we Christians do what we do for church every Sunday morning? Why do we "dress up" for church? Why does the pastor preach a sermon each week? Why do we have pews, steeples, choirs, and SEMInaries? This volume reveals the startling truth: most of what Christians do in present-day churches is not rooted in the New Testament, but in pagan culture and rituals developed long after the death of the apostles. Co-authors Frank Viola and George Barna support their thesis with compelling historical evidence in the first-ever book to document the full story of modern Christian church practices. Many Christians take for granted that their churches practices are rooted in Scripture. Yet those practices look very different from those of the first-century church. The New Testament is not silent on how the early church freely expressed the reality of Christ’s indwelling in ways that rocked the first-century world. Times have changed. Pagan Christianity leads us on a fascinating tour through church history, revealing this startling and unsettling truth: Many cherished church traditions embraced today originated not out of the New Testament, but out of pagan practices. One of the most troubling outcomes has been the effect on average believers: turning them from living expressions of Christs glory and power to passive observers. If you want to see that trend reversed, turn to Pagan Christianity...a book that examines and challenges every aspect of our contemporary church experience.

Amazing Scriptures (and there are dozens more where these came from). What could these passages possibly mean????

Leviticus 4:25
Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt
offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.

Leviticus 8:23
Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right
hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

Leviticus 17:11
For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the
blood that makes atonement for one’s life.

Revelation 5:9
And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with
your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Romans 3:25
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

Romans 5:9
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace

Ephesians 2:13
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own
blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:14
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse
our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Hebrews 10:4
It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Mark 14:24
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.

Matthew 26:28
This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 2:14
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of
him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil

1 Corinthians 11:25
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you
drink it, in remembrance of me.”