Trinity, Prophecy Reveals

Trinity Exposed in Prophecy!
Taken from Isaiah 28, [KJV]

There are times in our lives, when something special happens, and, we know
that we were blessed of God and will forever hold it dear in our hearts. This
is one of those events. A visitation from the Lord is not rare to me, but this
sort of revelation is beyond special. Am I making myself someone important
enough that our Lord Jesus Christ would visit? Not at all, I just love his Word
enough to be searchful and inquisitive. John penned, Jesus spoke: 16:24
” Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your
joy may be full.” I take that to heart and seek God for everything in my life.

Why ask for this subject, well, I didn’t really. I was asked to give a statement
on Is. 28:16 in a home study meeting, and as I refreshed myself with the
scripture; the Lord began to deal with me. I am always ready and willing to let
him lead, so, this is the results of that encounter. In my using Is. 28 before
was to show “Jesus” in prophecy and I always centered on the ‘cornerstone’.
This time, the Lord made it a point to open my understanding to the
first 15 verses and I was physically and emotionally stunned at what he has
shown me.

Before I began, let me lay a very quick foundation. We must understand the
sole purpose of prophecy. In not giving you the ‘websters’ take on it, let me
give you scriptural findings that makes this study profound. Revelations 19;10
” And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not:
I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus:
worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The latter part
is without denial, any prophecy given was given to show Jesus and his authority
thru his testimony! Isaiah 28: 1-15 is an ensample of this very truth. We find
ourselves being introduced to drunkards overcome with wine! We are quickly
brought to attention when verse two states: “Behold, the Lord hath a mighty
and strong one, [1] which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a
flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.”
Lets look at the original of strong one. ‘ammiyts [am-meets] means mighty,
courageous and used when speaking of an individual as common, and not an army.
Commentary has it the Assyrians as the strong one, it is improper to assume it
to be an army. What we do have is Jesus mentioned; and, as the rest of this
scripture is inline with what we know from other mentions concerning water.
Jeremiah 17:13 “…because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living
waters.” So, it is indeed an individual identified in verse two to come and cast
down wth the hand.

The priest and the prophet are in err in drunkeness as well, not one sober
enough to listen to the teachings of “he” in verse nine. He needs to teach
knowledge and make them to understand his doctrine and they are too drunk!
He proclaims for one to be able to understand needs to be ‘weaned from the
milk, and drawn from the breast.’ There has to be a certain sobriety towards
the doctrine and the giver of knowledge. For it is of most importance one
understand the manner in which this knowledge of doctrine is proclaimed.
You and I find ourselves facing the most important scripture in the Old
Testament just now; verse ten. “For precept must be upon precept, precept
upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”
What you just read is as if God cupped his hands to his mouth and yelled as
loud as possible, “I am proclaiming, exaggerating, stressing the most important
thing known to man, so, pay close attention, because your very life depends
on knowing what I am about to say. This is not left up to you to interpret, I
am laying down ‘rules upon rules’ and ‘line upon line so you can know how to
follow [verse 5] “..the Lord of host”..who wears a crown of glory, and
speaks to his people. This ‘Lord’ is original to Yhovah, [Jehovah] self
existent, eternal. His shouting was heard throughout time, for it was in
verse eleven that we know when He gave his precepts upon precepts
and line upon line and it was his doctrine we must hear and follow.
[11] “For with stammering [la'eg- law-ayg, means foreign to the speaker
and hearer] lips, [from ones mouth] and another tongue will “he” speak
to this people. Acts two, we find: “And sudenly there came a sound
from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house
where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues
like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were filled with
the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave
them utterance.” Now, we know when this drunkeness was and when
“he” needed to teach knowledge of his doctrine that everyone must hear
and obey, or, find themselves disobeying God’s ‘precepts upon precepts’.
It is now established that we must heed Jesus’s teachings, or perish.
The manner in which it was given made his teachings of most importance.
It was given in a double double superlative, the same as rapping the gavel
on the judges desk and pronouncing you with sentence.
In this case, it doesn’t have to be a sentence, it can be life for evermore!

To all positives, there is a negative. It is so, even with God, he has an
opponent. We find also, that God spoke to this opponent in verse fifteen.
Same time, same place, Jerusalem in the time of Jesus on earth.
[14, 15] “Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule
this people which is in Jerusalem.” The Lord has already addressed Ephraim,
and the priest and prophets and the people; who is he speaking to now?
The world ruling power in that time was Rome. Herod the king, tried to kill
Jesus as a child to stop his growing up and causing the Jews to follow
him instead. [Matt. 2] Pilate was the Roman govenor that sentenced Jesus
to the demands of the ‘drunken’ Jews that couldn’t listen to sound doctrine.
This being the ‘rulers’ of the people, there is more to be said to them.
“Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with
hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through,
it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under
falsehood have we hid ourselves:” The covenant with death was meted
out on the cross and it was hell itself they agreed with that it
would end Jesus’s ministry and reign, but it didn’t happen as they had
planned. When the ‘overflowing scourge passed through, they were left
behind. The church was born in a mighty wind, overflowing to over three
thousand in a day and the ‘rulers’ and drunk Jews were left out. It was
then they began to make a ‘refuge of lies’ and under ‘falsehood have they
hid themselves. What is this? Everything Jesus taught, they changed it
to try and defeat him more so. He said to be baptised in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins..they changed it to baptising
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Jesus taught full emersion,
they changed it to sprinkling, Jesus taught to be filled with the Holy Ghost
and speak in tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance, they denounce it
in all religions that practice the erronous baptism. Most of them says it is
of the devil to speak in tongues. Was Peter, John, James, Matthew, etc
of the devil? If Matthew 28:19 was a baptism formula, then why did Matthew
do as the rest on the day of Pentecost? he was baptised along with the
rest in the name of Jesus Christ. Jesus said I am in the Father, the Father
is in me, we are one. The Roman church came up with three ‘persons’ in God.
Luke records Jesus as saying: [10:21-24] “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit,
and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto
babes: even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are
delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the
Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will
reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed
are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many
prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have
not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard
them.” Jesus was allowing them a glimspe into the revelation of who he was.

History also records the ‘refuge of lies’ and ‘falsehood’ of the Romish church.
It is recorded by Josephus, Quintus Tertullian and others the sufferings the
Romish church inflicted on the Christians for not recanting their faith in
“Jesus Christ, their God”. They demanded of each to deny their ‘birthing
experience’ taught by Jesus Christ to Nicodemus in John 3:3 “…Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, Except a man be ‘born again’, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.” The ‘kingdom’ is always referring to the ‘church’. One must be born
into the church…precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon
line, line upon line… More history proves, that, in time, the Roman church
continued to change things contrary to the taught gospel of Christ. In the
Creeds, Councils, and by their, so called ‘church authority’ they have
continued with the refuge of lies and in falsehood still hide themselves and
deny the written word of God as supreme. It is as well with any religion that
follows their teachings of the trinity, etc. If was the epitomy of the
‘refuge of lies’. It is named as ‘anti-christ in 1John 2:18- “to denieth that
Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
That is explained as “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the
Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. It simply
says, they cannot be separated, you can’t have one without having the other.

Frankly, I wish I were wrong about this, I have many, many dear friends
living with this form of doctrine. But, God has spoken, it is as he intended
and no one can dispute its value to our lives as a direct warning. It is my
appointed duty to warn, exalt and admonish each to heed this prophecy
as the rest of the Bible, the infallable word of God. It is to be taken at its
face value.

GRACE DISPENSATION ENDING WITH A BIG BANG!

I feel sure that all ‘Christian’ religions believe we are in the dispensation of Grace. It began on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapters 1&2. Shortly thereafter, Corneilius and his household was filled with the Holy Ghost and baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins. He being an Italian, [Gentile] ushered in the Grace dispensation as Gentiles were grafted in as God’s chosen people. According to scripture, one must embrace the infilling of the Holy Ghost and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ as this identifies they have been placed into the ‘kingdom’ of God. ‘A peculiar people, a royal priesthood, the church of the living God’. Paul tells us in Romans 8:14 it is essential we be filled with the Holy Ghost; as it is how we are recognized when God chooses to take us home. We must follow our example: Jesus Christ; and heed to his every Word. He told Nickodemus in John 3 he must be born of water and spirit..it began with the 120 in the upper room and will continue throughout the grace dispensation. This ‘born again’ experience is the essence of Grace. This experience is when God takes full control of the tongue and saves the rest of us with it…I know that sounds strange, but it is essentially what happens. James teaches our tongue is an unruly member of the body, it destroys, murders, commits sins of all sorts; so, if it is taken control of, the rest of us will follow. Thus, why one must speak in tongues [unknown to them] as a sign God is now in control. Certain religions teach it is not for us today, contrar, my bible says in Acts 1:8 ” But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. What power gives us this witnessing ability? Holy Ghost power and no one has been filled with the Holy Ghost without speaking in tongues. Don’t be one to deny the meaning of the Word of God and try and make it say other than is given.

It is ture that our beloved Grace Dispensation is about over, we are fast approaching that ‘uttermost’ part of the earth. Current events taking place as we take notice of world changes tells us we are in the advanced endtimes. When you see a New World Order, you see a One World Govt. When you see an international court, world health organization, the talk of a one world currency, you see the rebuilding of the ‘beast’ in Daniel. As you see this take place, you must be aware scripture says the anti-christ and false prophet is present and ready to take control. As you witness govenments taking control of your lives and taking control of your children and their teachings; you see a world shutting out God and assuming his role, and this is the preeminence of a ‘man’ ruling the world. God is being kicked out of our lives on a daily basis. Talk show hosts refuse to listen to scripture to explain why we have an onslaught of ’special groups and organizations’ that are contrar to human decency and morals. The Word of God is omitted in our goverments, schools, work places, and courthouses. Man has chosen to take control and shut out Gods commandments. Different factions vying to take control of our daily lives, telling us what to grow in our garden, taking our guns that kill no one, and telling church pastors they cannot teach against pernicious lifestyles that gave God reason to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. The wars and rumors of wars of the nature we see today is setting up the stage to full fill Zechariah 14 just before Jesus Christ returns. We are knocking on the door of the emminent prophecy in Revelation 9:14-21 as it must start at the river Euphrates…Iraq and Iran. There is so much more to mention, but you get the picture, we are there….uttermost part of the earth.

As it seems doom and gloom for the world, it doesn’t have to be for us as individuals. God is still in control and pouring out his Spirit on all flesh. My local church just was visited recently by a minister of a predominately black baptist church and many of his congregation attended with him. The nature of their visit was to enquire about the infilling of the Holy Ghost and after Pastor Black taught on it, 24 were filled and sanctified! Our next service, more filled and blessed of God. Pastor Black then visited their chruch and baptised all in the name of Jesus Christ. God is still choosing people to serve him. It is not the name over the door, it is the experience in the heart that saves. Everyone can have this experience..baptist, methodist, ect…it is not monopolized by Pentecostals..God is no respector of persons. He has only one church, those filled with his Spirit. This same salvation experience is being poured out worldwide and millions are experiencing the ‘power’ of God in their lives. All nations, all peoples, are hungry for God and seeking him in all honesty as we are all feeling an urgency in the air. Everyone I meet feels the times are different and something is pressing each and everyone of us to take notice that there is a need to change, there is something missing in our lives…if you feel this, kneel and call out to God, he is the answer, or, find a Spirit filled church in your area and find that God is so very real and personal with his chosen…II Peter 3:9.

A LAND OF MILK AND HONEY

Just before the Christmas hollidays, I began to have a burning/stinging pain in the prostate area. I suddenly had
vivid recollections of my Dad who in 1961 complained of
the same. Just after, he had one of the very first surgeries
known in that timeframe to remove everything and tie what
was left to the colon for voiding. Being so involved in giving
and recruiting friends to give blood made me very aware of
the scope of it and it was very sobering for a teenager.

Needless to say, I quickly began to pray and seek the
Lord. But, I also began to be dispondent knowing I may be
facing a very serious battle. I had an appointment just before
Christmas with my ENT for my bi-annual checkup as I am
loosing my hearing to a mystery illness that makes me loose
my balance and screems 5 different noises in my head. He
gave me a strong anti-bio for a sinus infection and it helped
with the prostate burning as well. It did not do away with it,
but helped alieviate it. I was still praying and one morning I
felt strongly impressed with a thought: ‘Why did I refer to the
land as flowing with milk and honey’? I know when this happens,
I am in for a wonderful lesson.

I have an electronic bible I can type in a phrase and it will
search and give me all the verses with it. I was kinda
supprised over 22 books popped up. Remember at the end of
the 40 year journey, they sent in spies to check out the land
and some came back ready to proceed and some said nay,
there’s giants that make us look like grasshoppers? Well, forty
years or so before that, Jehovah told them in Deut. 6-7 not to
worry, he was leading and providing and to just keep moving.
What did they do, they wandered in the desert for 40 years and when they arrived, they balked and debated among themselves
if they were able to conquer. It is human nature to take issues
that arise and try and handle them ourselves, but all the time
asking the Lord to intervene. He already has! Our problem is;
we don’t accept his promises as a done deal. We know that
God has no variableness, but we still balk and stress out; even
when we know the promises given.

A land flowing with milk and honey. What was Jehovah telling
them? Researching milk will provide one with knowledge of the
most awesome food source for living beings. It is best when it
is not processed as it contains so many needed nutrients,
vitimans, minerals. Heat it and it is almost destroyed. I was
blown away when I researched honey and found it to be the one
and only food source that will NOT spoil. With the two food
sources combined; we have a complete diet that will sustain
life, but Jehovah didn’t stop there, he gave them ‘brooks of
water, fountains and depths that spring out of the valleys and
hills, a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates,
oil of olive, and honey. Do you get the impression of “heaped
up and running over”? Flowing says it will never end! Everything
to sustain the body while the body sustains life. In studying
honey, I found a simple mixture that seems to heal any sickness
known to man. Raw, [unprocessed] honey and Ceylon Cinnamon.
True cinnamon cannot be bought off the shelf, we have
cassia from Vietnam and Indonesia; it is not the same. Ceylon
is now Sri Lanka, and true cinnamon comes from its trees.
It was one of the most expensive items on the trade routes
of biblical times. I found a supplier and ordered two pounds
for just over twelve dollars…God is so good.

I no longer have any pain. Am I cured? Yes! I have a
promise that has witnessing scriptures that tell me I am.
Was it the formula I take? No, it just helps maintain as it
was supplied by the Lord. He is faithful and provides however
he promised. Isaiah 53:5 says we are healed; and 1Peter 2:24 says we were healed and thats because those stripes happened.
Its a done deal. If the world tarries, I will pass on with
some sort of reason…but God will still be in control. My
eternity began when I was filled with the Holy Ghost; not
when I die. Anything other than my souls salvation is
trivial to me; I am already bought with a price and I accept
all promises and intend to keep proceeding.

Authority Issue

I heard a message on this recently and it was so profound, I thought I would post as much as I can remember, or try to give it in its context with my wording.

We all have an Authority Issue; no exceptions, except Jesus. Why? He IS the AUTHORITY. How we came about having the issue was from Garden disobedience; ‘don’t eat of the tree of both good and evil.’ ‘If you do, you will die’. And we all will die at some point or be taken by the Lord in the very last of days. The Authority Issue was not just sin, it was that substance provided from eating of the tree; knowledge of good and evil, it gives us a mindset to think for ourselves what is good and what is evil. That alone is Gods call and we were not welcome to intrude. When we repent, we give back that which was taken, and return to God total sovereignty over our lives. Being filled with His Spirit [Holy Ghost] places us back in our dominion status and we simply/totally follow His lead. The AUTHORITY gave His Word, thus, we already have the interpretation; we are not allowed to give our own as to what we think it means. God’s AUTHORITY is sovereign, and needs no help from us, that was established in the garden when we were cast out. To have “Him” back in our lives can only be by total obedience. Case in point: if we deny this, we have an Authority Issue.

If we are truely following AUTHORITY [Jesus], then we have 100% instructions in scripture; He is His Word. That point alone is narrow in perception, but broad in our living for God; He has no boundries/we should have no boundries. That doesn’t give us a right to decide our dress, appearance, actions, works, and speech [all holiness issues dominated by the HOLY Ghost]. We don’t have a right to decide the Word means this or that, it was determined by the AUTHORITY and He reveals it to His chosen when we search the scriptures and couple it with prayer in the Spirit; that is how we can know the fruits of true saints and others alike. When man takes it upon himself to decide, we end up with decension and therefore over 33,000 religions claiming to be right with God. With the Authority Issue in play, we then have opinions of man on what is truth and that is ALWAYS wrong because we are not the AUTHORITY. We have a gross misconception in todays churchs; the Holy Ghost is not our help mate to do good; it is our total AUTHORITY. So many left their ’first love’ at the altar and walked away with the baggage they had packed over a lifetime; more comfortable with it than with Jesus in control. Without total honesty in our hearts, this message wont be worth a hill of beans; but it is nevertheless, God given truth.
Point being, if we are totally following Jesus Christ [AUTHORITY] we are in total unison in heart, soul, mind, and SPIRIT. We are in one mind, one accord, led by One God into one baptism, one faith, and one salvation and are in One church. [Eph. 4] These are facts we cannot dismiss with our authority issue; it was given back to God to decide what is good and evil and we must listen and heed. If we disagree with one another, we both should take the bible and pray God reveal; but the hard fact is, someone still wont accept it; for they are listening to the authority issue and not the AUTHORITY. [end message]

This preacher is a very small frame man of the most delicate nature [spirit] and so soft in his deliverance, that, he is so contrasting to his sermon. But, no one was walking out/in, doing other things of distraction; we were spell bound to the Word!! It wasn’t the least bit offensive, it was soul binding and profoundly felt in the Spirit to be truth and from God. I was completely sold on the idea I was wrong all these years thinking “I” had learned some things and as long as I heeded, I was alright. That is not walking after the Spirit, so, what is? Walking with God is being led of God; nothing is left out, nothing is left up to our mindset; He is AUTHORITY in even the smallest things. What am I talking about? We must allow the Holy Ghost to be our conscience and make our decisions accordingly. If we decide our steps in anything, we are still having an authority issue. Do we all have a true Holy Ghost conscience? [I was challenged beyond words, I no longer want to believe I am right on the ’issues’, I want the Holy Ghost to provide the answer.]

Gifted Kids Are Special

A new baby was born into the household. That hadn’t happened in just under thirteen years. As soon as the new baby was placed in its bassinet, Bess made a request. At first, the parents refused because Bess was a gifted child and surely didn’t know how to respond to a newborn. But, at Bess’s persistence, they relented and let her go in alone. Standing  just outside the door peeking in, they quickly realized their fears were unfounded. Bess tip toed up to the crib and placed her face just outside Misty’s and whispered: ‘ Tell me what its like to be close to God? I have been gone awhile and I feel I am forgetting. You can whisper it to me since you’re not supposed to talk, or, just squeeze my finger and I’ll know.’  Bess placed her finger in the very little hand and it pressed so tight! ‘Oh yes, now I remember’ and she began to weep. ‘It feels so wonderful coming thru your little hand, God is so sweet and now I remember how He loved me so much. I knew He did, but I was just forgetting.’ ‘Thank you little sister, and I want you and I to remind each other as long as we live.’

The parents walked in with tears streaming down their faces, and stood with Bess looking at Misty and realized they were all babies at that very moment before the Lord. It is those moments that make a family, it is those moments that binds our lives to the Lord. It was that moment that started Dad and Mom on their own journey to feel God on a regular basis and it has been so for a long, long time. ” Out of the mouth of babes”, means more than we so often allow it to. It is the voice of a baby that speaks directly to God, that is much, much better than a mere prayer.

I know this is the season we tell the baby Jesus story in many ways, but lets do something better this year. Lets all just take a prayer time and go before the Lord as a child without words and groan praise and adolation unto the Lord. Wash out the world and focus on Him as He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Yo, Straight Talk

Recently, I came across some videos of an Eqyptian turned Christian, and he explains a few subjects to Islamics that they don’t understand. One is ‘Was Jesus God?’, and, the other they surely don’t understand, ‘the three persons in one God theory’. He explains both, and I’m going to pick up on one of his explanations and show he is right to the core of creation.

In three videos, he explains the only trinity he finds in scripture. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, but God was before and had no beginning or end, thus, God Exist. The first time God reveals himself in His existence is in creation. So, number one witness is: existence, omnipitent, omnipresent, and creation. The next time He reveals himself to us is in the flesh, this is the witness of intelligence, or spoken word. Isaiah 28 calls his word, precepts upon precepts, [rules upon rules] to be followed if we intend to please God. Shortly thereafter, He reveals Himself as a witness of Life, Spirit, Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, that, when placed in repentant, [and washed] man redeems him from damnation. One God, and never three ‘persons’. Persons is not and cannot explain the existence of Spirit, for Spirit is not a person. Mine and your spirits are not our flesh, it only dwells in our flesh, but inseparable as we have need of both to live. The flesh will perish, the spirit can/will live on. God, in his infinite wisdom, proved this is how it must be as His flesh died on the cross, but His Spirit lives on. It must be the same with us in our salvation. When He resurrected His body, it was the ultimate proof we also will be resurrected to live again, either with God or without. [Romans 8:11]

Now, lets take up that subject, salvation. Naturally, it is only for us as we are the sinners. But, by design of God, it is identical to His three witnesses to man. We are to be saved in like manner. First, we need to realize that in the beginning, man sinned and our [created] being was tarnished, separating us from God. Therefore, we recieved a judgement from God and when God speaks, His word cannot be returned to Him or be voided as it will always exist. Our death sentence will never end. But, God loved us so much, He decided to make a way that we can find redemption if we so choose. He came as a man, [intellect/spoken word], taught His precepts/rules, and provided sacrificial blood for atonement. This provides us a way of escape from the standing judgement of death. His body died, burying our sins in His blood. And the third witness of our salvation is His Spirit living in us to guide us into all of His truth. Now, lets break it down in simpler terms. First, we need to confess we were born in sin, [our existence], then we need to recognize God paid our price, [blood atonement/baptism to wash away our sins], and then, thirdly, life as He lives in us as we are filled with His Spirit. It is emperitive our salvation identify with God’s provisions He designed before the beginning of the world. What event most coincides, and provided salvation and ultimately started the church of the Living God? There is only one beginning in salvation, it is the threefold witness of the book of Acts. Repentance of sin, baptism washing away those sin, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost as His Spirit gives the utterance. Therefore, we are spoken into Spiritual Life for evermore. Oh, I know. We can fall from His grace, but, salvation is designed to keep Satan from taking you away from Him again, unless you decide to turn again unto your vomit. That makes God really cool, He has it together and I want to be a part of His plan…

Sleepy Brain?

Does your brain sleep when you do?

Most of us dream about five times each night. But we only remember a dream if we’ve been woken in the middle of it. Dreams may help us arrange thoughts in our mind. By the time you are 80 years old, you will have had over 233,600 hours of sleep! That’s the same as sleeping for 26.67 years. We dream about 4-5 times a night, so the average 80-year old will have had 131,400 dreams in their lifetime. How many dreams have you had, and how many can you remember? While you sleep, your brain is still active. When you dream, your brain is as active as it is when you are awake. No one knows why we need sleep. Without it we can’t think logically and we lose co-ordination. Perhaps sleeping gives the brain and body time to recover and sort out the day’s events. This is interesting news to me as I remember being taught in early years; ‘an idle mind is the devils workshop.’ Well, I’m certainly idle when sleeping, but I don’t mean to be the devils workshop. Even more serious, if I don’t know TO dream, but, do it 5-6 times a night, who IS in control? I’m surely not. Does that question bother you as much as me? Here is more data on dreaming…

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[quote]
Dreaming and REM Sleep
We typically spend more than 2 hours each night dreaming. Scientists do not know much about how or why we dream. Sigmund Freud, who greatly influenced the field of psychology, believed dreaming was a “safety valve” for unconscious desires. [Man! I hope not] Only after 1953, when researchers first described REM [rapid eye movement] in sleeping infants, did scientists begin to carefully study sleep and dreaming. They soon realized that the strange, illogical experiences we call dreams almost always occur during REM sleep. While most mammals and birds show signs of REM sleep, reptiles and other cold-blooded animals do not.

REM sleep begins with signals from an area at the base of the brain called the pons. These signals travel to a brain region called the thalamus, which relays them to the cerebral cortex – the outer layer of the brain that is responsible for learning, thinking, and organizing information. The pons also sends signals that shut off neurons in the spinal cord, causing temporary paralysis of the limb muscles. If something interferes with this paralysis, people will begin to physically “act out” their dreams – a rare, dangerous problem called REM sleep behavior disorder. A person dreaming about a ball game, for example, may run headlong into furniture or blindly strike someone sleeping nearby while trying to catch a ball in the dream.

REM sleep stimulates the brain regions used in learning. This may be important for normal brain development during infancy, which would explain why infants spend much more time in REM sleep than adults. Like deep sleep, REM sleep is associated with increased production of proteins. One study found that REM sleep affects learning of certain mental skills. People taught a skill and then deprived of non-REM sleep could recall what they had learned after sleeping, while people deprived of REM sleep could not.

Some scientists believe dreams are the cortex’s attempt to find meaning in the random signals that it receives during REM sleep. The cortex is the part of the brain that interprets and organizes information from the environment during consciousness. It may be that, given random signals from the pons during REM sleep, the cortex tries to interpret these signals as well, creating a “story” out of fragmented brain activity. [end quote]

Joseph is living proof dreams can get you in trouble, especially if you remember them as he did. Wow, my brothers, I had a dream, then another,,and then he spent years of his life in Egypt.

I have been honored to have remembered a few dreams as well, the dream would wake me and I would go intercede for someone; I may know them, I may not. I have been shown my future in a dream, but didn’t know it until the events had passed, then I was allowed to see the connection. But, my thought on this is most sobering, I have been told by four ministers that do not know each other, or in anyway have contact; have had the same dream within a few years apart.

They all dreamed different at first, one may have started out with him at church; another traveling. One saw tanks in the streets and enemy soldiers advancing. But in the midpoint of the dream, each lined up and coincided perfectly. That part was: ‘then I saw coming over the horizon a great wall of fire, progressing and burning everything in it’s path. When it got to a building, people would run out and go to the next building and then it would began to burn, they ran until there was no place to go. They were all gathered in one place and stood in the fire. Nothing was spared.

Bad nights sleep? No. I contend as they did, it was a dream given from God. Warning of the times just into our future. Our world is in trouble and it will not stop until prophecy is fullfilled. Paul warned us in II Tim. 3 that in the last days, people would be high minded, haters of truth, blasphemers, proud hearted, and would war against those who hold true to God’s will. So, how to be able to escape those that run from that wall of fire? The same salvation as in Acts 1&2, it was the beginning for all mankind from Adam/Eve and it has not ended, it is still God’s one and only plan [Ga 4]. No way out of this world saved, unless we bow to the Lord and let Him fill us with his Spirit as he has been doing since bible times. Many religions say that was done away with and another salvation was given by Paul in Romans, etc…not so; that would make Jesus Christ a liar. There is no other salvation plan in the bible that constitutes a ‘born again’ experience as in Acts 2:38 and Acts 1:8 “But ye shall recieve power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” You and I are living in that uttermost part. Peter, and the rest of the one hundred and twenty people aren’t here to witness, but who is? Those of us that have the same experience are to be witnesses; let your light shine daily and allow God to give the increase.

Elder Botros on Godhood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBCEnHOn1gI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o66lPcPlBZI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxOK6CibbgQ

This video is interpreted and you have to listen close, but, what did I hear? He explains just who Jesus is; God. How refreshing to know they are out there doing a work for the Lord.
[UPDATE 9/14] I didn’t realize there were three videos, the other two are on the right side list, it is ver interesting how he explains Godhood and who Jesus is. Unique is the word.

Closer than we think

/http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5572

This article lends new information that we are so close to hitting Iran in a matter of days/weeks. Yes, it will happen because Bush cannot leave it to a rogue Politician if one is elected. The Bush administration feels it is iminent we take out Irans neuclear accomplishments before they take out Isreal. For us Christians to consider this, it must happen or bible prophecy will be altered.
But, I have a question as most people with a brain; if they attack the neuclear sites wont that release it into the atmosphere? Yes, and that will ultimately start WWW-III even thou it may be a delayed start.
This whole scenario tells us all we need to prepare our lives with God or be a victim to procrastination of an eternal nature. Repent while you can, and get right with God.
Oh I know, the ships over there have been floating around the world for centuries, yes, but Iran didn’t have neuclear capabilities then that has to be stopped.

Endtime Appeals

http://www.endtime.com
Events that lie just ahead

Peace treaty for the Middle East. When signed, it will mark the beginning of the 3½ years preceding the revealing of the Antichrist. President Bush thinks it will happen yet this year.
Israel will build her temple on the Temple. Mount Must happen within 3 years from the time the Middle East peace treaty is signed.
World War III—2 Billion people will die! Will start from the area of the Euphrates River—the area of Iraq and Iran.
Antichrist will come to power This will happen 3½ years after the Middle East peace treaty is signed and will begin the final 3 1/2 years to Armageddon & the Second Coming of Jesus to earth.

How soon will these four major prophetic developments happen?

The first of them is likely within the next 12 months!
Once the Middle East treaty is completed, the other three prophecies will come to pass within the next three and one-half years. Though we can’t guarantee that the Middle East treaty will be signed within the next year, events certainly seem to be pointing that way!

What should we do?

Most of the world does not know that the prophecies are being fulfilled right now.
We need to reach every person on earth with this truth immediately!
WE CAN DO IT! It is within our power to launch this effort THIS WEEK!

We can reach the world for just $10!

If every person receiving this email will contribute a “one time” gift of just $10, we will be able to reach the entire world with the message that “The Endtime is Now”…and what to do about it! The cost for the equipment we need to reach around the world every day is $500,000. Fifty thousand people are receiving this email. If every person donates just $10, we can reach the entire world with this vital message!

100% participation required!

It is in our power to reach the world, and it will only cost us $10 each! The only requirement is that WE MUST HAVE 100% COOPERATION! This will only work if every single person participates. It is so easy! Each of us have the power to make it happen or to cause it to fail. Think of it! Just $10 to reach the entire world! With 100% participation, we can reach the world yet this year!

Your FREE GIFT

We will send (electronically) our brand new, just produced, Interactive Prophecy Timeline absolutely free to every person that gives $10 to reach the world. This chart shows the timing of all the major prophecies that will come to pass between now and Armageddon. Click on the event and an article comes up explaining the event. Pass your curser over the scripture that prophesies the event and the text of that scripture is displayed.

Please respond immediately, since after September 26, 2008, this Interactive Prophecy Timeline will be $29.00.

TO GIVE, CLICK HERE
Don’t procrastinate! Act now!
Remember, we need 100% participation to make this work.

*Your key to financial blessing
“Give, and it shall be given unto you.”—Jesus Christ (Luke 6:38)

Alaska’s Gays

http://www.christianpost.com/article/200080906/palin-church-promotes-transforming-lives-of-gays.htm
This is an article on Palins church in Wasilla that has help for Gays. I personally think it is admirable to take an initiative to help anyone that may be willing to adhere the bible facts on homosexuality. One may be gay, but they are very bright and wonderful citizens that understand the bible when reading. It is the hardcore that could care less what the bible says, they promote their lifestyle in force. I personally know a few with the problem and I feel they would welcome help as given by this church. There is only one unpardonable sin, and its not being gay, but Gays need to repent of their sins just as anyone to make it to heaven and for sure, God decides what is right and wron Way to go Wasilla Bible Church and those they help.

About Page

This is ABC’s site and over 1700 comments on the interview of Sarah Palin, V.P. hopeful. The vast majority are chiding Gibson for a bias interview, well, he chose questions like “Bush Doctrine”…I must have been absent that day, I never heard of it, but then, I don’t listen to any news but McLear News Hour on PBS. I guess they must have missed it to. My prediction, in the next two/three weeks or so, the media mogals will have tagged Palin’s religion as “sect” or “cult”. It has to happen as news today has to be biased and negative to the hilt. They think American are idiots and so indoctrinated by Hollywood, they can’t comprehend anything but tabloid trash or and argumentive duo that reaks of stupidity. I say all Americans and whoever else cares, needs to boycott all news entities and listen to PBS. Now, I’m going to sit under my Pergola and eat some watermelon.

Salvational issues are most often debated as doctrine; there is only one salvation and one baptism, [Eph. 4:5] oh and one Lord.

Need up to date prophecy information for our day and time? this site has the most precise info available. Rev. Baxter is the foremost teacher of prophecy for the last 40+ years. He has been right on, I have grown to trust him.

this is a must read for serious Christians wanting to please God in everyday life. [I couldn’t believe it was then as it is now..!!

Polycarp has current articles of interest and his forte is church history; go and join the Discussion thread there, he loves the conversation. I’m not up to snuff enough to stay with him and colleagues.

James is a student/father/husband/employee stretching time to the LIMIT !! Go encourage him, you will love what you read..good blogger!

Vice President hopeful was baptised in the name of Jesus Christ. Her path will be interesting to follow. I confess, she has given me hope in this election year.

My Poetry

WE ARE THE PEACE-MAKERS

We are the peace-makers
We are the dreamers of dreams
Walking on lively sea-breakers
Living in flowing, rushing streams

World-movers and world-forsakers
On whom the crystal Light gleams
Yet, we are the movers and shakers
Of a dying world, it seems

With wonderful, meaningful ditties
And out of a fabulous story
We wake the worlds great cities
We fashion a Saviors glory

One Lord with a dream, at pleasure
Has come forth to conquer a crown
Twelve with a new song’s measure
Trampled a fallen empire down

We, in the following ages vying
To keep buried the past of the earth
Stand tall against adversity without sighing
Creating a crystal city with our mirth

SOUNDS OF LIFE

What was he doing, our great God’s plan?
With the sound of a great mighty wind
He gives life an eternal meaning for man
Sweeping, washing away our sin

Staves of acclamation resound
From the recesses of the heart
With accentual stress of sounds
Rythm abounds, setting us apart

Life’s sound is a path with no end
Strecthing before us like a train
An experience on which we depend
Our souls gift providing refrain

Life’s hill to climb, causing rose colored cheeks
A valley to ascend, rind closing of the ears
Look up to an eastern white clouds peaks
For in his throne room, he dries you tears

A BOYS MEMORIES

In time when honesty and innocence were standards in living
door locks were seldom used
the shirt off our backs in giving
crime was a dog killing chickens, oh, he pays his dues!

I know that sounds trivial, oh, but honey!
let me explain, it was a very serious matter
it cost Mom her much needed egg money
Mom jumped, yelled, spit and spattered

Why the big fuss? its only a loss of two, three bits
back then, that bought salt, flour and a pound of lard
so you to tell Mom she threw a senseless fit
we were simple country folk and times were hard

But, something you should know
she’s fixin to tell ya about the mouths to feed
also, when Moms mad, a summer’s shower will turn to snow
no banker can better explain money and need

Pound for pound, the ole dog tucked tail and ran
Mom was only five foot tall and really small
but ole dog, ‘heck with the chichen, i’ll git while I can’
getting dark, so Mom was afraid to fall

After it was all said and done, I had to laugh
Mom with a garden hoe in her hand, chasing a black and tan
the way he ran, you would think Mom was tall as a geraffe
Mom picked up the hen, ripped off the feathers, fried it in a pan

Long, long ago memories of a lad that are so dear
ole dog and Mom have gone on to be with the Lord
but, me and my memories will keep them so very near
simple times, living; didn’t know how to be bored.

Careful !

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU READ

I have a computer site that offers all translations of the bible and also original writings, lexicons, etc. This is good for getting different views, but different views only show [most times] an adversarial view to the original meaning. Not everyone is willing to commit to truth, [Matt. 7:21] I wish to show an example of this with our very familiar scripture in which we embrace as the launching of the doctrine of Christ. First off, it is not up for interpretation. It says what it says and the only way to obey it is to know the whole of Jesus’s teachings; one cannot follow Christ without knowing him. It you are to build a house, you need to use a proper foundation before you place the walls and roof on, or else it will be incomplete and unstable and may fall with the first storm.

There was [and is] a simple design to the doctrine of Christ. It was designed for the lowly of heart, the simple, the sinful, the abased, the self exhaulted, the greedy, the poor, and the scholar. It was NOT designed for the scholar to interpret and use as a pointing finger; ‘you are wrong, listen to me.’ The fact is, we all have built within us the ability to ‘feel’ the truth when it is given, and not be satisfied until we have heard it.

Acts 26 is Paul preaching to King Agrippa for his defense of departing ultra Judiasm for the newly, Christian doctrine. Verse 24, we find Festus accusing Paul of being mad [imbecle, lacking reason] for all that he gave in his defense. We know it was not the case, but it shows how the adversary loves to turn the tails and accuse the righteous with his very own form of deception. Therefore, true believers have been called heretics from the very beginning of the church. It is satans way to defend his improprieties, for he has nothing to offer but deception. I personally find myself feeling a certain vindication with the comment, I can identify with Paul and he most assuredly identified with Christ.

It is headed Wesley’s Notes..he wasn’t the only one, 99.9% of writings are falsehood or have strong errors. Our hope lies in the .001, and that is the Written Word of God!

 

 

QUOTE: Wesley’s Notes

2:38 Repent – And hereby return to God: be baptized – Believing in the name of Jesus – And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost – See the three – one God clearly proved. See Ac 26:20. The gift of the Holy Ghost does not mean in this place the power of speaking with tongues. For the promise of this was not given to all that were afar off, in distant ages and nations. But rather the constant fruits of faith, even righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Whomsoever the Lord our God shall call – (Whether they are Jews or Gentiles) by his word and by his Spirit: and who are not disobedient to the heavenly calling. But it is observable St. Peter did not yet understand the very words he spoke

[END QUOTE]

It is beyond absurd to state Peter did not yet understand what he spoke. Lets take in account he was with Christ throughout his ministry, crucifiction, resurrection, and was given ‘the keys’ to the kindom. What part of that gives hint Peter didn’t know what he was saying? Now, you and I can take Festus’s statement to Paul and apply it to Wesley and others that denounce the doctrine of Christ, ‘Sir, you are mad with much learning’. Wesley, followed after Luther, Calvin, etc, and they followed after Agustus, Tertullian, Clement, and they all were partakers of trying to figure out God and his ‘Word’ with mental capacities and it just cannot be done. It is too simple to make it complicated, but, they did and became mad men swallowing in their own desires to know more than God about God. Incredible undertaking and a gross misjudgement of a beautiful truth. The irony is, God made it simple for humans to find his truth, humans made it difficult because they can’t fanthom God doing anything on their level. [Romans 8:1-17]

NEVER MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN!

“Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this Man.” -John 7:45,46.
“I have given them the words which Thou gavest me.” -John 17:8
“His name is called THE WORD OF GOD.” -Revelation 19:13
“..no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father..” Luke 10:22
“But unto the Son he saith, ‘Thy throne, O God, is forever..” Heb.1:8
******
When the officers who had been sent by the chief priests and Pharisees to take the Lord Jesus into custody returned without Him, they gave a most extraordinary reason for their failure to carry out their orders. For, in reply to the demand, “Why have ye not brought Him?” they gave the strange answer, “Never man spake like this man.” This reply is the more surprising because it came from the lips of men whose very occupation tends to deaden all the sensibilities that are natural to human beings.

The record does not state just what were the words which so impressed their hearts that they dared not touch the One who uttered them; but it may be gathered from the context that the sayings of Christ recorded in this chapter [John 7:33-38] were part at least of what they heard. Those sayings made a great impression upon others also; for we read that some, when they heard them, said, “Of a truth this is the Prophet”; while others said, “This is the Christ”.
The statement made by those constables contains a truth far more profound, doubtless, than they had any concept of. It is a statement of fact. Hence it is either true or false, and is open to proof or disproof. Moreover, it invites a comparison between the words spoken by Jesus Christ and all of mankind to follow. What would such a comparison show? Would it show that Jesus Christ did indeed speak as never man spake? God had foretold by Moses the coming of One concerning whom He said, “I will put My words into His mouth” (Deut. 18:18, Is.28:10). Is Jesus Christ that Prophet? Did He indeed speak the very words of God? Is it true, as declared at the beginning of the Epistle to the Hebrews, that God Himself has, in these last days, spoken unto us as the Son? [note scripture above] Here is a question which manifestly is of the highest importance; yet it is one which people of ordinary intelligence are quite competent to decide; and this blog is written for the purpose of presenting the materials which will enable them to decide it.

When Christ was here among men, He frequently made appeal to the works done by Him as proof that the Father had sent Him (Mat. 11:4-6; John 5:36; 10:24, 25; 15:24). But skeptics of our day can evade the force of that witness by denying that the accounts of the miracles of Christ, found in the Gospels, aren’t true or were allegorical. They cannot, however, thus set aside the witness of His words for obviously, if those words are of such a nature, and have in them such qualities, as are not to be found in the utterances of other men, then there can be no escape from the conclusion that He from Whom they proceeded, whether it was Jesus Himself, or, [Father] who put words into His mouth, was more than a man! For if those sayings have super human qualities, then it is manifestly just as impossible for men to have invented them, and put them into His mouth, as for a man to have uttered them.

Let it be carefully noted, that, the proof of the origin of the sayings attributed to Christ lies in those sayings themselves. This must needs be so; for if indeed His words are, as He Himself said, “spirit and life” it is simply impossible that those qualities should not be discernible in them. The words which are reported to us by the Gospels as the words of Christ are still with us. They speak for themselves. If Divine, they will clearly exhibit qualities which God alone could impart to them; and if human, they will plainly display the infirmities, imperfections, and limitations, which characterize all human utterances. And not only so but the marks of origin, whether Divine or human, will be such that anyone of ordinary intelligence can distinguish them upon examination. This is why religious factions from early on, turned away from using scripture and began to use each others argumentive ideas pondered. There are doctrines today that simply cannot stand up to the ‘Words’ taught by our Lord Jesus Christ! These internal evidences, which lie in and are part of the words themselves, constitute proofs of origin of the most conclusive character. For just as the brilliancy, of the words of Christ have inherent qualities, not to be found in the sayings of any other, which declare with absolute certainty their unique character and origin.

It is most certainly clearly seen upon examination of the records, that Jesus Christ spake of His personal relation to the human race as never man spake. The difference in this respect between His words and those of any other with whom He could be compared is incalculably great. Take for example the words of John 7:37, 38, which apparently the officers heard: “If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.” Certainly none of the great ones of earth ever spake like that, or could conceivably have so spoken. If we try to think of some prominent personage, whether of the past or present, into whose lips we could put those words, the impossibility of so doing will be evident at once. The boastfulness, the self-confidence, the pretentiousness of man has gone to extravagant lengths; but none ever did or ever could claim to be, to his fellow mortals, or to do for them, what Jesus Christ habitually and consistently claimed to be, and to do. No Branham, no Graham, no whomever, could say what Christ’s words claim for us, they would provoke only scorn and derision. Yet none who read the Gospels are aware of the slightest incongruity in such sayings on the lips of Jesus Christ; for they are in perfect keeping with the ‘manifestation’ later revealed. It follows that the only way whereby the sayings attributed to Him can be accounted for is by assuming that the One pictured in the Gospels was, and is truly ‘Father’ as the Son of God.

In John 6 we have the account of the miraculous feeding of the multitude with the five loaves and two fishes; and there we read that Christ spake of Himself to the crowds who had witnessed and benefited by that miracle, as the bread of life, saying, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst”; and again, “I am the living bread which came down from Heaven, [Father]; if any man eat of this bread he shall live forever”; and again, “Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:35,51,53).
Here again are words such as never man spake, either before or since. For these sayings are not only radically different from all others whereof we have a record, but they make a claim so stupendous that we cannot even imagine a mere man giving utterance to it.

Again, in the eighth chapter of this same Gospel is found a saying of Christ wherein He speaks of still another relation which He claims to sustain to all mankind. He there says, “I am the Light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Thus, in three successive chapters of John’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus Christ announces Himself as the Bread of life, as the Water of life, and as the Light of life. These are relationships which are so impossible for a man to occupy towards his fellowmen that we cannot conceive of a mere human being claiming the power to fulfill them. Moreover, Christ presents Himself in those relationships not only to men of His own day and nation, but to men of all nations and all generations. Assuredly then we can say, and without fear of contradiction, that never man so spake since the world began.

No saying has ever spread so widely, or has moved so many hearts, as that of Christ in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This one saying, if we had no other, would fully justify the statement of the officers. It has all the sublimity of an utterance of God, yet it comes from the lips of a man. Here is One who, though meek and lowly in heart, yet calmly and confidently offers to revive all the weary and heavy-laden ones of earth, even as many as will “come” to Him. It is the saying of One Who is conscious that He has at His disposal the resources of omnipotence. But more than that, it calls upon all men to submit to His authority, and to put themselves under His instruction. He thus presents Himself as the Lord and Teacher of all, making, at the same time, the stupendous promise that He can afford “rest” for every soul. Most assuredly we can say it is simply impossible that any man should so speak.

Another saying which is worthy of special attention is that spoken at the grave of Lazarus: “I AM the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he die, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die” (John 11:25, 26). In the majesty of its form and the sublimity of its thought this saying is manifestly Divine [Father]. No man could conceive such an idea as this,which indeed is the basic truth of Christianity,namely, that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead carries with it the resurrection also of all His believing people. And no man could have expressed that idea in words of such majestic simplicity and power. With all possible emphasis and conviction we set to our seal that never man so spake.
It would require many pages to set forth and to comment upon all the sayings of Jesus Christ in which He has spoken of the relation in which He stands to all the world. He speaks of Himself as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”; as “the Good Shepherd,” come to lay down His life for the sheep; as the One who has power on earth to forgive sins; as the One to whom all authority is given in Heaven and on earth; as the One who will return in power and glory to judge all nations and all men; as coming from the Father, and returning to the Father; and as being One with the Father.

No man ever so spake, even in the moments of greatest self-exaltation, or in the wildest flights of imagination. But to Jesus Christ, on the contrary, such sayings were habitual, and they are perfectly consistent with all His words and actions. Hence we have, in this class of sayings alone, quite enough to force every candid mind to the conclusion that what those constables declared concerning Him was true. In this connection we cannot refrain from pointing out, that if any mortal man could conceivably have said of himself, and of his relations to other men, the things which Jesus Christ habitually asserted of Himself, he would have become an object of ridicule, or would have been regarded as a victim of insanity. In the case of any mere man the utter falsity of such pretensions would be quickly and clearly be apparent to all. In the case, however, of Jesus Christ, not only were those sayings accepted by the men of His own day and generation as being in perfect harmony with His personality, but the history of centuries bears testimony to the convincing fact that men of all nations and languages, and of all ranks and degrees of intelligence and learning, have received those utterances as the literal and exact truth, and always with the result of unspeakable benefit to themselves, and of good to the communities among which they have lived.

Another distinguishing characteristic of the utterances of Christ is the absolute authority with which He always spoke. In this respect again (and the characteristic is exceedingly important for our present purposes) He spake as never man spake.
For the sake of comparison, we would bring to mind that among all who preceded Him none had spoken with authority surpassing that of Moses. But Moses always gave his commands as preceding not from himself but from God, his invariable formula being, “Thus saith the Lord.” In the most marked and significant contrast to this are the words of Christ, as for example, in His Sermon on the Mount, where He quietly assumes the power and authority to modify, repeal, and add to, the legislation of Moses, giving as the only and all-sufficient warrant therefor His “But I say unto you.” In this it is manifest that Jesus Christ puts Himself before men as none other than He who gave the law to Moses. No wonder then that they who heard Him were astonished because “He taught them as having authority” (Matt. 7:28,29).

This remarkable characteristic of speaking as with absolute and supreme authority may be discerned in all the recorded utterances of Christ. Never is the note of authority lacking, as often it would be if He were other than “the Lord of all”; for no pretender could possibly keep his sayings on the superlatively high level that would be necessary in order to support such a claim. But in His case, whether He spoke to the leper, or to the paralytic, or to the blind, or to the lame, or the deaf, or the dead, or to winds and waves, or to the fig-tree, or to the demons, or to His servants when He sent them upon a mission, it was ever as the One whose very word compels obedience, as the One who in the beginning said “Light be,” and instantly light was. In a word, every utterance of His is in perfect keeping with His own statement, “All authority is given unto Me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore” (Mat. 28:18-20). It is simply an impossibility (and who can fail to recognize it?) that any man could impart to his every word this Divine quality of “having authority,” or that men could have invented such a character, and put into his mouth utterances which, no matter under what circumstances they were spoken, are found to be, when closely scrutinized, impregnated with the consciousness of having supreme and absolute authority. But one conclusion is possible from these facts, namely, that Jesus Christ is Immanuel, God manifest in the flesh.

Only on one incident, I was awarded the priviledge of hearing His voice. He spoke to me, audiblity, but to my spirit, about a former Pastor; I could only respond with exactness to his question. I then was ‘taken’ up and shown this Pastors entire ministry, then His acceptance into Heaven, then to a small chapel somewhere here with the Pastor in a casket. I was then given the choice to either leave him or bring him back. All this time I didn’t see Christ, just felt his presence and heard his voice…oh, that voice! It was the most beautiful speech I will ever hear, it was impossible to pad the truth, and I was soaked with tears from the experience. I spent the day wrestling with this burden and all the while, my wife was trying to find ths Pastor, we hadn’t seen or heard from them for over 17 years. This started 3 a.m. and 5 p.m , I recieved a call from his wife..she began to tell me he was doing better…I interupted and told her I had no clue what we were discussing, I just was given a burden for him..she explained he had 5 bypass surgery that day and around 3am he died. They worked on him and revived him thinking it wouldn’t last he was so weak. Jesus Christ and I had our visit at his death, I did as instructed and Bro. Scott lived another 11 years! At the end of this 11 years, Sis Scott passed on, and a week later Bro. Scott died in his sleep.
I have never been the same since then, one cannot actually hear the voice of God and not be changed forever! NEVER A MAN SPAKE LIKE THIS MAN!!

Was Jesus God?

One of the most demanding questions in Christianity today is; Is Jesus God?
Or, Is Jesus His Own Father? I know I have already lost some of you as you
just decided, how heretical !. Any imbecile knows Jesus cant be
his own Father. If I were only relying on my own intellect, it would be my take
on it as well, but, when dealing with spiritual facts about Jesus, were not
dealing with just a man! That is the key to this whole concept and question.
It is the deciding factor many people fail to realize when reading scripture.
Scripture was not designed for carnal mentalism, nor, can we use it to decide
any aspect of its meaning. Paul said it best in Romans 8:1-17. He places carnal
mentality and flesh in the dead zone, but, spiritually seeking AFTER the
Sprit is life. Lets seek a spiritual understanding of who Jesus is, from his
own definition. We simply cannot go anyplace else to find the answer, and yes,
there is one.

Although, it is a fact, Jesus never said he WAS God; it is also a fact he did
proclaim that he was.The first example should be, John 10:30 I and my
Father are one. If we notice the reaction of the Jews, the meaning of
that scripture cannot be denied. They took up stones to stone him, because
he makest thyself God. Another factor we need to notice, he never
corrected their thinking, he left it as they perceived and touched on explaining
all three aspects of his teachings. I and my Father are one, because
I said, I am the Son of God, and the Father is in me, and I
in him. This alone, shows inseparability, I cannot be separated because we
are one. 1John 5:7]

John 20:28 Thomas is declaring to Jesus; My Lord and my God, but,
we must note this is after his resurrection. A very key point and again, Jesus
Christ, now] does not correct him. Other scripture relating this fact is,
Titus 2:13, 2Peter 1:1, and Hebrews 1:8 But unto the Son he saith,
Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness
is the scepter of thy kingdom.Let me stray from the subject
briefly. The word scepter caught my attention and needs defining. Scepter
of righteousness defines the priesthood of the church, kingdom].
Refer to my article: Intrinsic Persona of God in Christ Now, back to
Jesus.

John 1:1 ..the Word was God John 1:14 ..the Word became
flesh and 1Tim. 3:16 And without controversy, great is the mystery
of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into
glory. Paul made no mistakes in how he wrote of Jesus, Father, Son,
and God. I know he may seem to make distinctions, but he is making
distinctions in works laid out for mankind. Acts 20:28 tells us
something of a different nature; Take heed therefore unto yourselves,
and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with
his own blood. We now have completed linkage of rightly divided
scripture showing Jesus was the Christ, God in flesh, and the Holy Ghost
that bought us with his blood. There can be no separation, for it was a
work that is called line upon line in Is. 28. Jesus was
worshiped as God; Matt. 2:11, 14:33, 28:9,17 and Luke 24:52, then John
9:38. Not one time did he correct any of these incidents. It was why he
was here, to lead us into all truth and sit with us in communion
and fellowship. Lets not deny him that opportunity by lessening his
position to a mere man. There is an undeniable fact; no one, absolutely
no man could redeem us but God in flesh. It took pure blood to save a
wretched crew such as you and I.

[To add this later]; in Heb. 11:24-27 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the peasures of sin for a season; [Esteeming the reproach of Christ...]” Why is it Paul wrote it this way, when we know Moses didn’t know ‘the’ name of ‘Christ’? It’s because Paul knows just who Christ is, the Father/God/..Christ was and is his name. When adding Jesus in baptism and Christ as well, we are ‘going outside the camp, bearing his reproach’, Heb. 13:13. We take on and identify with the sufferings of Jesus unto repentence, and the salvation of Christ, the Holy Ghost/Spirit.

bible source: KJV]
>

Enoch, Are You Willing?

Chapter 11 Of The Book Of Enoch
1 “And in those days I will open the store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven, so as to send them down upon the earth over the work and labour of the children of men. And truth and peace shall be associated together throughout all the days of the world and throughout all the generations of men.” [end quote]
First, I have to dispell any doubt or fears of my using the Book of Enoch as a basis of thought. I would not use it, [even thou the book is mentioned by Peter, Paul, and quoted by Jude] if it was equivocal in a sense that it disputed our beloved Bible. I find it to do just the opposite, it brings to light many parts of scripture that will effect us even in our future. A most refreshing and spiritual feeling is emulated in me as I read. I am positive it was inspired of God, and I join the Apostles and Jude in loving its content enough to use it for our thought for this blog.
My thought comes from the end of an account of how the earth was corrupted by fallen angels and how they came down to earth and coveted themselves wifes of the children of men. It was described that they took wives and taught them all sorts of vain and erronious living and produced gaints as children. God sent an angel to tell Noah to “hide himself” and prepare to be saved with his offspring as God prepared to destroy the world with a great deluge. My opening quote is after the flood and it was a promise to Noah and his sons. There is no doubt we are the decendents of Noah, [as the earth has not been destroyed by fire yet], we can also relish in the fact that we are enjoying the “store chambers of blessing which are in the heaven.” Notice what is blessed. Our ’work and labour’. But be keenly aware of the association given with our blessing. I don’t know about you just now, but this association sets my soul on fire! “TRUTH AND PEACE” cannot be separated as they are bedfellows by the design of God. Two attributes of Gods nature given to men for an eternity! “Here, my sons, have my truth and along with it comes peace, and if you have truth, you have Me in your mist.” Lets keep in mind in the course of this thought that this is our second chance from God to do and complete a ’labour of work’ pleasing to our Creator. Lets also keep in mind that the world had just been destroyed. Why? It became totally corrupt and sinful to the point that only one man with offspring was found set apart and safe from judgement. I am sad to have to account that history has proven sin did not die in the flood, just the sinful. So, it was Enochs calling to continue to denounce mankind for sin and corruption, and in doing so, he portrayed it with rage, anger, and damnational speech. As Enoch was enspired to write, one can feel the volatility of Gods disdain for sin. Oh, but we have a promise! Truth and Peace. Lay hold on the truth and one can please God. What more were we created for? but to serve God with a surrogate love. Yes, we must allow Jesus Christ to substitute [or replace] our sinful nature with his truth and all is well in our labours.
One may ask, what is truth? Most have a concept as it is a small part of our nature to seek it out, but, be assured; one does not know the true meaning of truth until they know God. Oh, I know, most everybody knows who God is, but that is not knowing God; that is knowing ’of ’ God. A total difference between the two. Many religions today know who God is, but so did the fallen angels and they trembled in fear. The distinction made with that verse of scripture shows they knew their fate as partakers of sin and having no remission. It was the fact they knew where they stood with God, it was there ’relationship’ lost forever, thus they knew him and not only knew of him. As man was made a little lower than the angels, we inherently have the same ability to know our fate. In all honesty, there is no difference in this aspect as we were both made by God. Our difference is, we are redeemable…Oh, Lord, I must take a moment to give thanks to you for such a one who cares and loves as you do! Never, ever could mankind design so great a love as this. Therefore, I have the pleasure of knowing you. May our work and labour please you all the days of our lives. Thank you Lord, that I, [along with the redeemed] am able to say I know your truth, for it is in me a light unto my path for righteousness sake. Continue to condemn sin in me as it rears its uglyness, make clean my spirit with your loving presence. That is knowing God, to allow him to purge us of our sins. It is his sole desire on our behalf, to eradicate, [pull up by the roots] and surround us with his righteous self. Truth? When you see a true child of God, you see a distinctiveness that is beyond the call of this natural world. Are you peculiar in the sense that you please God and not ’hollywood’? Lets get real and to the point; do you think you can emulate ’hollywood’ and please Jesus Christ?
Folk; knowing God cannot be empiric, we must follow Gods design to true salvation. It is the only way one can know truth, and his truth can set you free. Free is peace. Love Him with all your heart, mind, and soul.

“Intrinsic Persona of God in Christ”

INTRINSIC PERSONA OF GOD IN CHRIST

This phrase was given to me in prayer and
meditation one morning and it has gripped my heart, mind
and soul since. When God speaks to our hearts/souls, it is not idle
words, nor is it always meant just for us; he speaks to one in his
kingdom for all to hear as well. We are one in Christ! Please feel the
unity of his word as I give what has been given to proclaim
before a people that need to align themselves to a time that
has not yet been, except, in a plan ‘before the world was’.
As mere humans, we have limited ability at best to see into
the future. We, as a people, lost that ability in the garden,
but there was a time it was restored unto us, it is called
‘born again’ [John 3:3]. A restoring to our dominion status with God as
our provider and creator. EVERYTHING is given by God to
those that live ‘in’ him and he lives ‘in’ us [1John 5:20]. He is sole provider, [true God, and eternal life]
of the little things as well as the great things that make us
capable of prenotions such as this subject. I am simply saying
God LEADS his chosen as he provides us insight so that we
may prepare for an event beyond our comprehension. Our
inertial guidance can only be the Holy Ghost within; he is
sole [2] proprietor of his church [kingdom] and we are ‘free
servants’.

Lets look at a time Jesus prayed an intercessory prayer and
take our liberty to re-understand some of its elements that
is not common among religious factions today. John 17 records:
“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also
may glorify thee; An thou hast given him power over all flesh,
that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given
him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent. I have glorified
thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest
me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own
self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
Skip to verse 8: “For I have given unto them [Apostles] the words which
thou gavest me; and they have recieved them, and have known
surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that
thou didst send me. [10] And all mine are thine, and thine
are mine; and I am glorified in them. ” The re-sounding theme
in this prayer is glorification. It is the one thing desired, and
explained in detail how and why it is needed. Lets view it as
a scepter, because that is exactly what it is. Scepter: ‘imperial
authority, sovereignty invested by royalty.’ Glory: ‘the condition
of highest achievement; circle of light.’ I now have a totally
new perception of omnipresence, omnipitence and the meaning of dispensations. Can you see with
me how God has passed Himself down thru his diety and not
one time lost his idenity? Can you see He ‘was’, ‘is’ and ‘is to
come’? Can you see with me the totality of God’s presence, not
only in and thru Jesus Christ, but to the Apostles and they passed it to mankind in Acts 1&2 ? [those of us that took
on Christ in name and Spirit !] When the glory
came to Jesus, he said [11] “And now I am no more in the world,
but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father,
keep through thine OWN NAME [JESUS CHRIST]those whom thou has given me,
that they may be one, as we are.” The Greek/English Lexicon
reads: “And no longer I am in the, ‘world’, and these in the
world are, and I to thee come. Father Holy, keep them in thy
name whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as
we.” Jesus is speaking of an event to take place as if it HAD
been done, glorification. Lets pay close attention in Acts 1:21
” Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all
the time that the LORD JESUS went in and out among us,”
Acts 2:36 ” Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly
that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,
both Lord and Christ.” Just as Jesus was glorified, we can’t
know he is ‘Lord’ until we have been glorified with the infilling
of his Spirit. We are then glorified, and hold the scepter of
glory until his return. God bore himself a body to pass thru the
blood, death, burial, [supreme sacrifice]
that he could reside ‘in’ us. “INTRINSIC PERSONA OF GOD IN
CHRIST”

Intrinsic: [as in Anatomy] ‘located within, or, exclusively of.
Persona: [psychol] ‘the outer personality, or, facade [fa-saad]
presented to others by an individual.’ God born himself an
anatomy and his persona was ‘visioned’ in his personality: “..no
greater love than this..” “I will not leave you comfortless: I will
come to you..” ” But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost..” “
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me…
but the Father dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” ” And I
knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the
same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending, and REMAINING ON HIM, the same is he which
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” ” But God be thanked,
that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the
heart that ‘form of doctrine’ which was delivered you.” “For
the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.” ” And they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance.” INTRINSIC PERSONA OF GOD IN
CHRIST PASSED ON TO THOSE THAT WERE GIVEN TO HIM…

It is imperitive we drop the debate issues of Christianity
and focus on our souls salvation. There is no other doctrine/
salvation other than that Christ taught and delivered. One can
can use various scripture for ‘another’ form of salvation, but
until they submit to Jesus Christ, they are a tinkling symbol.

Typology

TYPOLOGY BY EXAMPLE FOR UNDERSTANDING

This may seem strange to you, but I am starting from the
ending, and working my way back to the beginning. It will
take more than one blog to get to the starting line, but it
most assuredly is “worth the drive”. Kids invariably ask on
a trip; ‘are we there yet?’. Well, pipe down,[LOL] and go
get a tall drink, [you'll need it] and get comfortable;
this is the most endeared subject to our Creator. He
designed it ‘before the world was’ and it is the
catalyst for all mankind, and He has been the author from
start to finish. The bible bears out there is ‘but One
God’ [Is.44:6] “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel,
and his redeemer the Lord of host; I…the first, and I
am the last; and beside me….no God. I left out the added
English words to give a keen visual, because this verse
used to puzzle me many years ago. It sure sounds like two
right? Well, in a sense, it is, but the very same “One
God”. We’ll get to the explanation within. But, another
two verses that coinside with these are, [Is 45:5] “I..the
Lord, and …..none else, ….no God beside me; I girded
thee, though thou hast not known me:” [Don't let that
'not known me' throw you, He was speaking to Cyrus.]
The other is [Is.48:12] “Hearken unto me, O Jacob and
Israel, my called; I..he; I..the first, and I…the last.”
Why all this? It establishes ‘home base’ ‘first base’
umpires and there is no second or third in God’s game!
He is a jealous God, and shares with no other gods.

Hmm, I’m almost past my attention span and not even
started. Typology: the study of types, symbols. [2]
symbolism by representation. Human beings were designed
and TOTALLY operate within a standard representation of
tangible substances. Our five senses are initiatory in
our discovery of the next second in our lives. We
identify everything with them. We survive because of them.
We also die because of them. So, our lives are predicated
upon our senses, they feed the brain information and it
tells us to keep our hand out of the fire. Wipe our nose,
its leaking, bow a knee to God, He is supreme. Lets get
started, but this is by no means an all exclusive of the
types and shadows; or similitudes used within God’s creation.

[1John 5:6] “This is he that came by water and blood,
…Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water AND
blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because
the Spirit is truth.” I could stay right here and spend
the rest of this whole blog series on this one verse, but
I will supress and move on. But, you must ’see’ the
typology here before moving…water AND blood, witnessed
and beareth [makes available] by the ‘Spirit’. When you
see the capital ‘S’ that is God; plain and simple. God
came in water and blood? Yes! These ‘three’ elements take
us from the ‘human’ known to the spiritual unknown. Don’t
stay in the flesh [typology], get in the Spirit and the
Spirit in you and there is so much you can know from God.
Why were these three elements linked together? Redemption.
Because your senses has taught you both good and evil.
You were introduced to evil thru your earthly mother,
Eve and earthly father, Adam. The ‘Spirit’ had to take
on both blood and water for our redemption. Jesus Christ
was His name when it happened. Now, lets transistion a
little.

Before the cross, death, burial, resurrection, infilling
of the Holy Ghost for redemption; there had to be some
way to appease God and find forgivness. It was called law.
But, lets go even further back than that, lets go back to
the very beginning of redemption and see what it took for
an Israelite to get out of Egypt. They were given explicit
instructions how to excape. Those that didn’t adhere, died
there. Those that applied the blood on the door post were
able to make it to the water and cross over, and THEIR EMENY
DIED IN THAT WATER!!! See the typology? See the similitude?
Make no mistake; going down in full emersion in baptism in
the name of Jesus Christ is MOST ESSENTIAL.
The Israelites had to be delivered thru blood and water and
the ‘Spiritual’ cloud led them and fed them manna. And they
grumbled and they died by the tens of thousands because they
could not see or wait for the finish line, the promised land.
Their flesh was just way too important to them, after all it
was ‘their’ life! [We only live once: have you heard that one
before?] They were seeing the tangiblenes only and if they felt
they were loosing it, what had they to gain? Indeed. This same
attitude prevails so strongly today, as people grumble with
the written word and say, no, I can’t do it that way God,
I want to do it my way..its easier, and I’m pretty with this
stuff because I want to please myself and those around me. If
I look holy, then I will be scoffed at and looked down on. I
don’t want to use your salvation plan, because the tongues part
I don’t understand; I don’t want to separate from the world,
Lord, because I love doing these things…ok enough head bashing
lets move on.

[1John 5:7] “For there are three that bear witness in HEAVEN,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three ARE
ONE”. That takes us back to Is.44:6 doesn’t it? See who God
is, was, and will be? Yes! Thank you Lord God for being my
redeemer and coming in the flesh and letting Him die for me. He
accomplished something I could never do, and that is pay
my price for sin. You came in your flesh and shed your
blood and water poured out of your side that I could be
submersed/cleansed of my enemy. Oh how important it is,
and, facsimilie religions are doing away with it because
they don’t want to listen to your Word/Jesus Christ!
How sad it is people are still grumbling at your designed
plan for their redemption! People, are you willing to
allow God to convert you from a sinner to a saint? He
made the rules before He even made the world, how is it
that people are so arrogant to think they can over rule
His plan? He will only honor those that honor His Word
to “the jot and tittle” for it will not change or can
be changed. Please don’t be too upset with me, I only mean
to jog us into realizing God is and always will be in
control. If you felt a little uneasy, its called conviction;
listen to the small still voice of your concience and let
God design you in ‘His’ image and you chose to forget the
world! Until next time, God bless and take care.

Typology Cont’d

Typology Cont’d

In the last blog, we started with 1John 5:6 and then went
back to Exodus 6 to show that typology and similitudes are
the standards in showing how God has designed salvation for
his chosen. Jesus said in Matt. 28:20 “Teaching them to
observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo,
I am with you always, …unto the end of the world. Amen.”
So, the chosen have a duty to perform, ‘obeserve all things
whatsoever I have commanded..” It is then, by all accounts,
most important we understand the typologies and similitudes
of the Old Testament that was so aptly fulfilled in the New.
Commanded leaves no doubt as to our duty. It does not give
us a choice of which doctrine/religion or set of scriptures
we want to chose; it gives us one choice, to follow the words
of Jesus Christ for all he said was instructional; thus we
must consider them commandments. The same is for the Epistles,
for they were inspired by God, thus, they are commandments
as well. I don’t care what you believe, it must be inline
with scripture and if it doesn’t suit you, then why are you
here? This writer had occasion to feel the Spirit of God lift
from him because of sin, and I can tell you, I no longer
cull any of God’s word as trivial or unimportant. I listen
to EVERY word! It took years of repentance to find favor and
I wont ever do that again! No sin, or slackness is worth
feeling the loss of his Spirit, that was by far, the most
miserable I have ever been. Flames of hell couldn’t have
hurt me more! Therefore, I am able to take you to this
subject with the deepest conviction it is truth!

As I vaguely pointed out in the last blog, I didn’t want
to expound too much as it may become boring, but the
Israelites had to apply blood to the door post, they had
to pass thru the water, [where their enemies died] and was
led by a ‘Spiritual cloud’ by day and it fed them as their
needs commanded. You and I have commanding needs today, we
think we want for nothing, but not really, there is a need
in our lives for a Savior just as there was then. Blood,
water, and Spirit. It takes the three in unison to lead us
humans from the known into the spiritual unknown. We then,
have a witness and that witness is described in 1John 5:8
“And there are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit,
and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
Believe it or not, that is a commandment that if the three
are not in agreement, you are not saved. You have no choice
but to use all three. It is a sad day that ‘religions’ are
kicking the water out of the equasion, but that is only
because they didn’t have the ’spirit’ as well. They are
very much against the ‘infilling’ of the Holy Ghost because,
I would have to speak in tongues and that is of the devil
today…hogwash!! not one inkling of proof to that lie.
What Jesus Christ set in motion is to last until the
“uttermost part” of the earth [Acts 1:8] The redeemed have
inherited this thing within us to seek out something
‘eternal’ for our lives. It is the ‘dominion status’ we
lost in the garden, God is wanting to restore our status
with him and it is done through the ‘Witness’ of
Jesus Christ our Lord.

When we have accomplished this witness experience for
ourselves, that being repentence: sins washed away in
baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, infilling of the Holy
Ghost [blood applied, life given] and we have become a
‘new creature’’spiritual creature’ we have embarked on a
new journey.
We then are exposed to two aspects of the gospel. First,
is the work God has done FOR us and, the second being
the work He has done IN us. If we can understand this,
we can walk with God succinctly defined. Paul told the
Corinthian church in the first epistle, [15:1-4]
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which
I preached unto you, which also ye have recieved, and
wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye
keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have
believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all
that which I also recieved, how that Christ died for our
sins according to the Scriptures:” EVERYTHING IN OUR
CHRISTIAN WALK MUST POINT TO JESUS CHRIST; HIS LIFE, HIS
PLAN OF SALVATION, HIS COMMANDMENTS. If it does not, then
we don’t have a chance in hades with anything less.

We must
recognize there are ‘three’ sets of spirits in the world.
God and his angelic host, Satan and his angelic host, and
our own spirits that must serve one of them; we have no
choice but to serve. Does any of this make sense to you?
I think its elementary whom we choose when we look at it
this way. If one believes anything other than Christ
crucified, then they have made a conscionable pack with
Satan the reviler. The undeniable fact is, it must be
Jesus Christ and His plan all the way or you fall short
and serve the lessor. There is a coming up short taught
in scripture! My most learned lesson in living for God
is; keep myself in line with HIS SPIRIT and all else
will be taken care of.

When a person recieves salvation, his spirit
is brought into FULL COMMUNION with God’s Spirit. Let
me also point out as this is the beginning; if we stopped
there, we still die lost! I know that sounds strange and
contradictory, but we must progress as a truly oiled
and sychronized machine led by his Spirit as we ‘die’ to
our spirit. How does this work? You know as well as
I; spirit of prayer, worship and praise, and study to
show ourselves approved. That is allowing His behavior
system to replace ours. THAT is how you must proceed for
the rest of your life. Now I ask you, is that not an easy
yoke to bear? Much easier than the ‘other’ set of spirits.

I want to mention one more type and shadow. This one
is most important as it defines whom we serve. You
cannot serve one if you don’t know him. In Old Testament
times there was an ark of the covenant. No now, forget
Harrison Ford and that ridiculas movie. This ark was by
all standards the ’seat of God’. It signified not only
his presence, but his power ‘in the hands of the priest’.
It was the ark that the priest approached and sought
forgivness of sins for the people and they were cast
ahead for another year and NO PRIEST EVER SAT DOWN IN
THE HOLIEST OF HOLIES, if he did he died. In this ‘tent’
temple, there was water, blood sacrifice, and the Holies
of Holies that forgave sin. We are now that royal
priesthood, able to go in and seek forgivness of the
one that ascended and sits on the ‘right hand of God’.
This is not two thrones and two God’s as you know there
cannot be. It says [1Tim 3:16] God ascended and sat
in total power over salvation, [paraphrased]. He sits on
the mercy seat as we speak and you can find forgivness
for sins as long as he is ’sitting’. No more blood
sacrifice needed, it was paid on the cross. 1John 5:20
“And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given
us and understanding, that we may know him that is true,
and we are in him that is true, …in his Son Jesus
Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

The right hand of God is signifing POWER, and THAT IS
A POSITION!! It is the ’sitting’ position that gives
grace instead of grief for sin, it is a position that
gives agape instead of judgement, it is a position that
gives talents/gifts that we may become the sons of God
in works worthy of a righteous priesthood. Jesus Christ,
the Priest that could sit down and cast sins from our
lives, no other has or could do that, not even Aaron.

There are so many typologies/similitudes in scripture and
the creations, but our most important is the symbolical
“blood”, “water”, and “spirit”. That is the salvation
plan of Jesus Christ. Take it to heart!

Deliverance

DELIVERANCE NEEDED?

Deliverance: a setting free; rescue or release. [2] the fact or state of being
freed. [3] to offer an opinion, judgement, etc; formally or publicly expressed.

How many times have you been delivered? From what have you been set
free? Have you delivered an opinion or judgement? Was it to set free or to
bind? Was this opinion or judgement well thought out before executing it?
Valid questions that make me take inventory of my life and cause me to
look back and assess myself and most especially my walk with God. How
do we stand with our Judge at this time? There comes a time we need
deliverance, without it, we are doomed. We, as humans are most
often caught up in affairs that we have no control and began to look for
a judge, an officer of some sort, or just plainly find ourselves seeking God.

I want to bring out something in this setting that was brought to my
attention as I had a conversation with my older sister. I was reading
from Exodus 6: 2,3 as we were discussing the ‘names’ that God has
used since the beginning of mankind. It has been a topic this last few
weeks and I was given a new take on this scripture, one that has escaped
me for years until now. It is amazing how we miss the most simple things
in scripture when we are focused on another subject, but God has more
meaning, and as He needs, He will reveal in due time. Thank God for
the fruits of the Spirit and the meat of His Word!

“And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And
I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of
God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.”
Why was this being explained to Moses? It has special significance as
His name will always have a specific meaning. It identifies what He is
doing for his people at any given period of time. As God Almighty, he
was creator to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Creator of the Heavens and
Earth, all that was present with them, and themselves as His Chosen.
Creator as He provided them livelihood, land, goods, promises, and for
Jacob; bondage. Although bondage for Jacob was a life saving experience
for Israel later, it was nonetheless, bondage. This brings us to the
name changing explained to Moses. It had come time to deliver His
people from bondage, and He needed to use a name to identify His
work in their behalf. JEHOVAH: [websters] transliteration of the
Tetragrammaton YHWH; the vowels appear through arbitrary
transference of the vowel point of adonia, [My Lord]. Same identity,
same God, new name/work to be done. I can’t help from wonder at this
point, just how much experience God had in delivering someone from
slavery/bondage? It is our first account that He had to ‘deliver’ His
people from Egypt, a type of the world. This was a physical deliverance.
Because of its physical provenance, it required certain requirements.
Nevertheless, it was deliverance and it seems it was God’s first time.

My new thought on this was; whether it was physical, spiritual;
there was a need to be delivered. It is so like God to demand His
children be completely free! No matter the circumstance, no matter
the situation, God does not allow His children to be under any type
of bondage. Lets elaborate on this a minute. Habits, Slavery, Sin,
other gods, facsimilies of religion, worldly govenments to a great
extent; so many ways we can be bound, but none is acceptable to
God when it comes to His chosen. That is magnificent! A Father
with such care for His own. His children are to be totally free; totally
delivered. Nothing halfway with our Lord, it is a complete work that
may take time, but it must be finished. Is it for our sake? No, it is
not; God is author and finisher of our faith, so it is for Him that we
be totally free because, He cannot fail, so that makes our being totally
free a requirement that He holds Himself to. My friends, you cannot be
a work partially done, He just simply doesn’t work that way.

Another scripture enlightenment was in Isaiah 62. This is as
simple as the other, but profound in its concept. “For Zion’s sake
will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,
until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation
thereof as a lamp that burneth. [2] And the Gentiles shall see thy
righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called
by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” We, that
search out ‘Christ’ in prophecy have used this so many times to
point to Jesus and also, the event in Acts where Cornelious and
household were saved. This is correct, but I have a new take on
this and lets look at it again. From the beginning of verse 1, we
notice God as speaking to Himself; “For Zion’s sake will I not
hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the
righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation
thereof as a lamp that burneth”….as this appears as being said
as if God is planning in His thoughts, he says “the Gentiles shall
see thy righteousness…glory…and “I” will be called by a new name.”
He will ’speak’ His new name at that time. This whole passage is
most definitely God’s planning for the Gentiles and He is doing it
as a thought within Himself. I will paraphrase verse 3. “I” as man,
will be a crown of glory in my own hand,[when 'hand' is mentioned,
it is signifying Gods power] a royal diadem: ["royal
power, authority, or dignity with a crown."] Again, “I” am coming
in righteousness and salvation to the Gentiles and “I” will have a
new name that “I” will use; and “I” will be a crown of glory with
power and authority as “God” to show them they are no longer referred
to as Forsaken, Desolate, but they will be the delight of the Lord.

We ultimately have the new name in baptism, but He had to bear
the ordinance of that name before we could obtain His ‘works’. I said
all this for this one simple point: His chosen and delivered were able
to go so far in deliverance and they began to reject its ultimate finale. He
grafted in the Gentiles and now provides for us the same offer of
salvation. But make no mistake, it comes with the same stipulations;
full deliverance/full freedom or we suffer the same fate as Israel
proper. Are you willing to allow God to make you ‘free’? It is more than
just spiritual, it is a total work from any sort of bondage. For, if
Gods Spirit dwells in us, He cannot be bound, He must be totally free.

Early writings of Martyrdom

This is a writing of Quintus Tertullian pertaining to eye witness accounts of Christians being Percecuted for their love of God. These words seem so visual that, one must be prepared to suffer emotions of deep depths and soaring heights! I can only hope in Christ I am found as faithful as Perpetua, 22 yr. old with infant and the others willing to give up life to hold to a love and faith in “Jesus Christ, their God”.

Perpetua: Personally Written of Her Martyr
and Saturus’ Vision of Perpetua and Self

CHAPTER I
WHEN THE SAINTS WERE APPREHENDED, ST. PERPETUA SUCCESSFULLY RESISTED HER FATHER’S PLEADING, WAS BAPTIZED WITH THE OTHERS, WAS THRUST INTO A FILTHY DUNGEON. ANXIOUS ABOUT HER INFANT, BY A VISION GRANTED TO HER, SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT HER MARTYRDOM WOULD TAKE PLACE VERY SHORTLY.
1. The young catechumens, Revocatus and his fellow-servant Felicitas, Saturninus and Secundulus, were apprehended. And among them also was Vivia Perpetua, respectably born, liberally educated, a married matron, having a father and mother and two brothers, one of whom, like herself, was a catechumen, and a son an infant at the breast. She herself was about twenty-two years of age. From this point onward she shall herself narrate the whole course of her martyrdom, as she left it described by her own hand and with her own mind. [Quintus Tertullian]

2. “While” says she, “we were still with the persecutors, and my father, for the sake of his affection for me, was persisting in seeking to turn me away, and to cast me down from the faith — ‘Father,’ said I, ‘do you see, let us say, this vessel lying here to be a little pitcher, or something else?’ And he said, ‘I see it to be so.’ And I replied to him, ‘Can it be called by any other name than what it is?’ And he said, ‘No.’ ‘Neither can I call myself anything else than what I am, a Christian.’ Then my father, provoked at this saying, threw himself upon me, as if he would tear my eyes out. But he only distressed me, and went away overcome by the devil’s arguments. Then, in a few days after I had been without my father, I gave thanks to the Lord; and his absence became a source of consolation to me. In that same interval of a few days we were baptized, and to me the Spirit prescribed that in the water baptism nothing else was to be sought for bodily endurance. After a few days we are taken into the dungeon, and I was very much afraid, because I had never felt such darkness. O terrible day! O the fierce heat of the shock of the soldiery, because of the crowds! I was very unusually distressed by my anxiety for my infant. There were present there Tertius and Pomponius, the blessed deacons who ministered to us, and had arranged by means of a gratuity that we might be refreshed by being sent out for a few hours into a pleasanter part of the prison. Then going out of the dungeon, all attended to their own wants. I suckled my child, which was now enfeebled with hunger. In my anxiety for it, I addressed my mother and comforted my brother, and commended to their care my son. I was languishing because I had seen them languishing on my account. Such solicitude I suffered for many days, and I obtained for my infant to remain in the dungeon with me; and forthwith I grew strong and was relieved from distress and anxiety about my infant; and the dungeon became to me as it were a palace, so that I preferred being there to being elsewhere.
3. “Then my brother said to me, ‘My dear sister, you are already in a position of great dignity, and are such that you may ask for a vision, and that it may be made known to you whether this is to result in a passion or an escape.’ And I, who knew that I was privileged to converse with the Lord, whose kindnesses I had found to be so great, boldly promised him, and said, ‘Tomorrow I will tell you.’ And I asked, and this was what was shown me. I saw a golden ladder of marvellous height, reaching up even to heaven, and very narrow, so that persons could only ascend it one by one; and on the sides of the ladder was fixed every kind of iron weapon. There were there swords, lances, hooks, daggers; so that if any one went up carelessly, or not looking upwards, he would be torn to pieces and his flesh would cleave to the iron weapons. And under the ladder itself was crouching a dragon of wonderful size, who lay in wait for those who ascended, and frightened them from the ascent. And Saturus went up first, who had subsequently delivered himself up freely on our account, not having been present at the time that we were taken prisoners. And he attained the top of the ladder, and turned towards me, and said to me, Perpetua, I am waiting for you; but be careful that the dragon do not bite you.’ And I said, ‘In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, he shall not hurt me.’ And from under the ladder itself, as if in fear of me, he slowly lifted up his head; and as I trod upon the first step, I trod upon his head. And I went up, and I saw an immense extent of garden, and in the midst of the garden a white-haired man sitting in the dress of a shepherd, of a large stature, milking sheep; and standing around were many thousand white-robed ones. And he raised his head, and looked upon me, and said to me, ‘Thou are welcome, daughter.’ And he called me, and from the cheese as he was milking he gave me as it were a little cake, and I received it with folded hands; and I ate it, and all who stood around said Amen. And at the sound of their voices I was awakened, still tasting a sweetness which I cannot describe. And I immediately related this to my brother, and we understood that it was to be a passion, and we ceased henceforth to have any hope in this world.
CHAPTER II
PERPETUA, WHEN BESIEGED BY HER FATHER, COMFORTS HIM. WHEN LED WITH OTHERS TO THE TRIBUNAL, SHE AVOWS HERSELF A CHRISTIAN, AND IS CONDEMNED WITH THE REST TO THE WILD BEASTS. SHE PRAYS FOR HER BROTHER DINOCRATES, WHO WAS DEAD.
I. “After a few days there prevailed a report that we should be heard. And then my father came to me from the city, worn out with anxiety. He came up to me, that he might cast me down, saying, ‘Have pity my daughter, on my grey hairs. Have pity on your father, if I am worthy to be called a father by you. If with these hands I have brought you up to this flower of your age, if I have preferred you to all your brothers, do not deliver me up to the scorn of men. Have regard to your brothers, have regard to your mother and your aunt, have regard to your son, who will not be able to live after you.
Lay aside your courage, and do not bring us all to destruction; for none of us will speak in freedom if you should suffer anything.’ These things said my father in his affection, kissing my hands, and throwing himself at my feet; and with tears he called me not Daughter, but Lady. And I grieved over the grey hairs of my father, that he alone of all my family would not rejoice over my passion. And I comforted him, saying, ‘On that scaffold whatever God wills shall happen. For know that we are not placed in our own power, but in that of God.’ And he departed from me in sorrrow.
2. “Another day, while we were at dinner, we were suddenly taken away to be heard, and we arrived at the town-hall. At once the rumour spread through the neighbourhood of the public place, and an immense number of people were gathered together. We mount the platform. The rest were interrogated, and confessed. Then they came to me, and my father immediately appeared with my boy, and withdrew me from the step, and said in a supplicating tone, ‘Have pity on your babe.’ And Hilarianus the procurator, who had just received the power of life and death in the place of the proconsul Minucius Timinianus, who was deceased, said, ‘Spare the grey hairs of your father, spare the infancy of your boy, offer sacrifice for the well-being of the emperors.’ And I replied, ‘I will not do so.’ Hilarianus said, ‘Are you a Christian?’ And I replied, ‘I am a Christian.’
And as my father stood there to cast me down from the faith, he was ordered by Hilarianus to be thrown down, and was beaten with rods. And my father’s misfortune grieved me as if I myself had been beaten, I so grieved for his wretched old age. The procurator then delivers judgment on all of us, and condemns us to the wild beasts, and we went down cheerfully to the dungeon. Then, because my child had been used to receive suck from me, and to stay with me in the prison, I send Pomponius the deacon to my father to ask for the infant, but my father would not give it him. And even as God willed it, the child no long desired the breast, nor did my breast cause me uneasiness, lest I should be tormented by care for my babe and by the pain of my breasts at once.
3. “After a few days, whilst we were all praying, on a sudden, in the middle of our prayer, there came to me a word, and I named Dinocrates; and I was amazed that that name had never come into my mind until then, and I was grieved as I remembered his misfortune. And I felt myself immediately to be worthy, and to be called on to ask on his behalf. And for him I began earnestly to make supplication, and to cry with groaning to the Lord. Without delay, on that very night, this was shown to me in a vision. I saw Dinocrates going out from a gloomy place, where also there were several others, and he was parched and very thirsty, with a filthy countenance and pallid colour, and the wound on his face which he had when he died. This Dinocrates had been my brother after the flesh, seven years of age? who died miserably with disease — his face being so eaten out with cancer, that his death caused repugnance to all men. For him I had made my prayer, and between him and me there was a large interval, so that neither of us could approach to the other. And moreover, in the same place where Dinocrates was, there was a pool full of water, having its brink higher than was the stature of the boy; and Dinocrates raised himself up as if to drink. And I was grieved that, although that pool held water, still, on account of the height to its brink, he could not drink. And I was aroused, and knew that my brother was in suffering. But I trusted that my prayer would bring help to his suffering; and I prayed for him every day until we passed over into the prison of the camp, for we were to fight in the camp-show. Then was the birthday of Geta Caesar, and I made my prayer for my brother day and night, groaning and weeping that he might be granted to me.
4. “Then, on the day on which we remained in fetters, this was shown to me. I saw that that place which I had formerly observed to be in gloom was now bright; and Dinocrates, with a clean body well clad, was finding refreshment. And where there had been a wound, I saw a scar; and that pool which I had before seen, I saw now with its margin lowered even to the boy’s navel. And one drew water from the pool incessantly, and upon its brink was a goblet filled with water; and Dinocrates drew near and began to drink from it, and the goblet did not fail. And when he was satisfied, he went away from the water to play joyously, after the manner of children, and I awoke. Then I understood that he was translated from the place of punishment.
CHAPTER III
PERPETUA IS AGAIN TEMPTED BY HER FATHER. HER THIRD VISION, WHEREIN SHE IS LED AWAY TO STRUGGLE AGAINST AN EGYPTIAN. SHE FIGHTS, CONQUERS, AND RECEIVES THE REWARD.
1. “Again, after a few days, Pudens, a soldier, an assistant overseer of the prison, who began to regard us in great esteem, perceiving that the great power of God was in us, admitted many brethren to see us, that both we and they might be mutually refreshed. And when the day of the exhibition drew near my father, worn with suffering, came in to me, and began to tear out his beard, and to throw himself on the earth, and to cast himself down on his face, and to reproach his years, and to utter such words as might move all creation. I grieved for his unhappy old age.
2. “The day before that on which we were to fight, I saw in a vision that Pomponius the deacon came hither to the gate of the prison, and knocked vehemently. I went out to him, and opened the gate for him; and he was clothed in a richly ornamented white robe, and he had on manifold calliculae. And he said to me, ‘Perpetua, we are waiting for you; come!’ And he held his hand to me, and we began to go through rough and winding places. Scarcely at length had we arrived breathless at the amphitheatre, when he led me into the middle of the arena, and said to me, ‘Do not fear, I am here with you, and I am labouring with you;’ and he departed. And I gazed upon an immense assembly in astonishment. And because I knew that I was given to the wild beasts, I marvelled that the wild beasts were not let loose upon me. Then there came forth against me a certain Egyptian, horrible in appearance, with his backers, to fight with me. And there came to me, as my helpers and encouragers, handsome youths; and I was stripped, and became a man? Then my helpers began to rub me with oil, as is the custom for contest; and I beheld that Egyptian on the other hand rolling in the dust. And a certain man came forth, of wondrous height, so that he even over-topped the top of the amphitheatre; and he wore a loose tunic and a purple robe between two bands over the middle of the breast; and he had on calliculae of varied form, made of gold and silver; and he carried a rod, as if he were a trainer of gladiators, and a green branch upon which were apples of gold. And he called for silence, and said, ‘This Egyptian, if he should overcome this woman, shall kill her with the sword; and if she shall conquer him, she shall receive this branch.’ Then he departed. And we drew near to one another, and began to deal out blows. He sought to lay hold of my feet, while I struck at his face with my heels; and I was lifted up in the air, and began thus to thrust at him as if spurning the earth. But when I saw that there was some delay I joined my hands so as to twine my fingers with one another; and I took hold upon his head, and he fell on his face, and I trod upon his head? And the people began to shout, and my backers to exult. And I drew near to the trainer and took the branch; and he kissed me, and said to me, ‘Daughter, peace be with you:’ and I began to go gloriously to the Sanavivarian gate. Then I awoke, and perceived that I was not to fight with beasts, but against the devil. Still I knew that the victory was awaiting me. This, so far, I have completed several days before the exhibition; but what passed at the exhibition itself let who will write.”

CHAPTER IV
SATURUS, IN A VISION, AND PERPETUA BEING CARRIED BY ANGELS INTO THE GREAT LIGHT, BEHOLD THE MARTYRS. BEING BROUGHT TO THE THRONE OF GOD, ARE RECEIVED WITH A KISS. THEY RECONCILE OPTATUS THE BISHOP AND ASPASIUS THE PRESBYTER.
1. Moreover, also, the blessed Saturus related this his vision, which he himself committed to writing: — ” We had suffered,” says he, “and we were gone forth from the flesh, and we were beginning to be borne by four angels into the east; and their hands touched us not. And we floated not supine, looking upwards, but as if ascending a gentle slope. And being set free, we at length saw the first boundless light; and I said, ‘Perpetua’ (for she was at my side), ‘this is what the Lord promised to us; we have received the promise.’ And while we are borne by those same four angels, there appears to us a vast space which was like a pleasure-garden, having rose-trees and every kind of flower. And the height of the trees was after the measure of a cypress, and their leaves were falling incessantly. Moreover, there in the pleasure-garden four other angels appeared, brighter than the previous ones, who, when they saw us, gave us honour, and said to the rest of the angels, ‘Here they are! Here they are!’ with admiration. And those four angels who bore us, being greatly afraid, put us down; and we passed over on foot the space of a furlong in a broad path. There we found Jocundus and Saturninus and Artaxius, who having suffered the same persecution were burnt alive; and Quintus, who also himself a martyr had departed in the prison. And we asked of them where the rest were. And the angels said to us, ‘Come first, enter and greet your Lord.’
2. “And we came near to place, the walls of which were such as if they were built of light; and before the gate of that place stood four angels, who clothed those who entered with white robes. And being clothed, we entered and saw the boundless light, and heard the united voice of some who said without ceasing, Holy! Holy! Holy!’ And in the midst of that place we saw as it were a hoary man sitting, having snow-white hair, and with a youthful countenance; and his feet we saw not. And on his right hand and on his left were four-and-twenty elders, and behind them a great many others were standing. We entered with great wonder, and stood before the throne; and the four angels raised us up, and we kissed Him, and He passed His hand over our face. And the rest of the elders said to us, ‘Let us stand;’ and we stood and made peace. And the elders said to us, and enjoy.’ And I said, ‘Perpetua, you have what you wish.’ And she said to me, ‘Thanks be to God, that joyous as I was in the flesh, I am now more joyous here.’
3. “And we went forth, and saw before the entrance Optatus the bishop at the right hand, and Aspasius the presbyter, a teacher, at the left hand, separate and sad; and they cast themselves at our feet, and said to us, ‘Restore peace between us, because you have gone forth and have left us thus.’ And we said to them, ‘Art not thou our father, and thou our presbyter, that you should cast yourselves at our feet?” And we prostrated ourselves, and we embraced them; and Perpetua began to speak with them, and we drew them apart in the pleasure-garden under a rose-tree. And while we were speaking with them, the angels said unto them, ‘Let them alone, that they may refresh themselves; and if you have any dissensions between you, forgive one another.’ And they drove them away. And they said to Optatus, ‘Rebuke thy people, because they assemble to you as if returning from the circus, and contending about factious matters.’ And then it seemed to us as if they would shut the doors. And in that place we began to recognise many brethren, and moreover martyrs. We were all nourished with an indescribable odour, which satisfied us. Then, I joyously awoke.”

Source: “The Martyrs of Perpetua and Felicity” Quintus Tertullian [A.D. 197-207]