It is the anointing of the Living Word that comes across to us from the printed pages of the Holy Bible.
The vehicle of auditory reception through spoken language or reading the printed page are all vehicles of the anointing of Almighty God towards us.
Without that anointing it is just spoken words or typed words on a page that will have no more meaning then any other words we hear or read. It is the anointing of Almighty God that makes the difference.
One can listen to the Bible or read the Bible and even know it in one's own memory, but if there is no anointing upon it it becomes just more words to us. When Almighty God anoints His Word to us through what ever vehicle He chooses the Living Word of God comes alive to us and does what God intended it to do in us and through us.
It doesn't matter if the printed words are misspelled or misspoken, it is the Word of God just the same.
We still experience the anointing of God through His Living Word.
Today I have a perfect example of this.
I have taken a copy of a copy of a copy of a simple old cassette tape. A low grade analog audio tape made 40 years ago. Because of the many times it has been copied and because of the fact that it was originally produced on a mass production cassette tape copier the quality of the audio is very poor. There is crosstalk in the background and tape speed differentials along with sound threshold spikes.
And yet the Word of God is still the content of this particular tape recording inspite of all it's auditory artifacts.I still got super blessed and edified as Brant Baker and Shekinah Fellowship had intended when they first made this tape available as a ministry tool..
I totally knew that I had to use all of my computer skills and a few audio cleaning programs and such to do what ever I could to bring this teaching from the Word of God to a new generation.
I formatted it into MP3 Surround after I balanced the stereo image and cleaned up as many of the artifacts as possible with out loosing clarity.
There still are quite a few rough patches that nothing could be done about. And yet the anointing of Almighty God is unmistakable even though the vehicle of transmission to you and I is flawed in comparison to today's digital perfection and high definition that we have all become accustomed to .
That is what is so wonderful and awesome about the Word of God. It is alive and active no matter how God should move towards you and I. Even through a 40 year old low grade recording.
I am making this teaching available called "The Power Of Grace And Mercy" #452 first given from the Fox West Coast Theater in Long Beach CA so many years ago, by pastor Brant Baker of Shekinah Fellowship
It took me a few days to clean up this tape and reformat it to MP3 surround and upload it to a file server. I think that you will like it.
It is my hope to be able to do this with all of the cassette tapes I have of Brant Baker's teaching of the Living Word of God. Unlike most so called ministries we here at Shekinah Fellowship today do not believe in the common practice of using anything we can to generate income or donations for ourselves.
When God guides God provides.
The calling of God is the enabling of God.
He doesn't need our help or our schemes to generate income.
Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
The Power Of Grace And Mercy
By Brant Baker
Shekinah Fellowship
Tape Ministry #452
Link:
http://wtrns.fr/Zidbm7Hg_-hL6
***
11/2/2014
The above link has expired and I can't seem to locate it at the moment.
I offer a short video while I try to locate the tape:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8qknVXGPeY
Welcome to my place! It's great to have you here! AN INTERESTING WEB DESTINATION
Sunday, October 31, 2010
PARTIAL BIRTH,LIMITED ATONEMENT AND THE UNPARDONABLE SIN
There is no such thing as being a little bit pregnant. You are either ‘Born again’ or you’re not. If a New Testament prophet makes a mistake, is he suddenly unborn again and under the Old Testament law to be stoned as a false prophet, or is their forgiveness, grace and restoration found in the New Testament for such a prophet? 1 Corinthians 13:9 says "For we know in part, and we prophecy in part." No one is perfect.
The same grace and restoration for the act of committing adultery is the same grace and restoration extended to the prophet for making a prophetic mistake unless of course you believe in limited atonement for the forgiveness of sins.
Mormon theology excludes the sin of murder from the atonement but the true church of Jesus Christ preaches that in Christ we have complete forgiveness of all sin. If we as Christians believe the gospel we preach, we must include forgiveness for any and every sin. All of our sins are washed away.
In Ephesians 4:11 God has given five ministry callings. All five are under the same atoning blood of Christ. I cannot think of even one evangelist, pastor or teacher that does not make an occasional mistake. Does that disqualify them from the office that God has called them to? Of course not; they humbly repent and continue. The same is true for the apostle or prophet.
When it comes to the office of apostle or prophet the majority of teaching in Christian circles places them during what they call the ‘apostolic age’ and for prophets, during the ‘period of the prophets’. Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest of the prophets and yet his ministry did not occur until many years after the period of the prophets.
Concerning apostles - the office began with the original twelve apostles of the lamb and no one can add to them or take away from them. Judas lost his place of apostleship and God replaced him, but there will always only be twelve original apostles of the lamb.
The problem with limiting the office of apostle to only the twelve during the apostolic age is that the Bible mentions other apostles that were not among the number of the original twelve. When you have additional apostles in the New Testament that are outside the original number of the twelve apostles, what do you do with them? You can’t very well call them apostles of the apostolic age because they were not identified in scripture until after the ascension of Christ and the birth of his church. It wasn’t until Jesus ascended into heaven that Ephesians 4:8 says he gave gifts unto men. Ephesians 4:11 "And he (Jesus) gave some, apostles, and prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers." This was quite some time after the life and ministry of Christ and his apostles. What was Jesus doing from heaven in giving men the office of apostle if there were only the twelve he had already made apostles?
Pastor Tilson Shumate
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to calling Jesus Christ an Apostle, and the twelve apostles of the Lamb, the New Testament calls several others apostles:
Barnabas and Paul Acts 14:14
James the Lord's brother Gal 1:19
Andronicus and Junia Rom 16:7
Silvanus and Timotheus 1Thess 1:1; 2:6
Apollos 1 Cor 4:4-9
Two unnamed brethren 2 Cor 8:23
Epaphroditus Phil 2:25
The word translated "Messenger" in these verses is the same Greek word translated "apostle" elsewhere.
The same grace and restoration for the act of committing adultery is the same grace and restoration extended to the prophet for making a prophetic mistake unless of course you believe in limited atonement for the forgiveness of sins.
Mormon theology excludes the sin of murder from the atonement but the true church of Jesus Christ preaches that in Christ we have complete forgiveness of all sin. If we as Christians believe the gospel we preach, we must include forgiveness for any and every sin. All of our sins are washed away.
In Ephesians 4:11 God has given five ministry callings. All five are under the same atoning blood of Christ. I cannot think of even one evangelist, pastor or teacher that does not make an occasional mistake. Does that disqualify them from the office that God has called them to? Of course not; they humbly repent and continue. The same is true for the apostle or prophet.
When it comes to the office of apostle or prophet the majority of teaching in Christian circles places them during what they call the ‘apostolic age’ and for prophets, during the ‘period of the prophets’. Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest of the prophets and yet his ministry did not occur until many years after the period of the prophets.
Concerning apostles - the office began with the original twelve apostles of the lamb and no one can add to them or take away from them. Judas lost his place of apostleship and God replaced him, but there will always only be twelve original apostles of the lamb.
The problem with limiting the office of apostle to only the twelve during the apostolic age is that the Bible mentions other apostles that were not among the number of the original twelve. When you have additional apostles in the New Testament that are outside the original number of the twelve apostles, what do you do with them? You can’t very well call them apostles of the apostolic age because they were not identified in scripture until after the ascension of Christ and the birth of his church. It wasn’t until Jesus ascended into heaven that Ephesians 4:8 says he gave gifts unto men. Ephesians 4:11 "And he (Jesus) gave some, apostles, and prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers." This was quite some time after the life and ministry of Christ and his apostles. What was Jesus doing from heaven in giving men the office of apostle if there were only the twelve he had already made apostles?
Pastor Tilson Shumate
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to calling Jesus Christ an Apostle, and the twelve apostles of the Lamb, the New Testament calls several others apostles:
Barnabas and Paul Acts 14:14
James the Lord's brother Gal 1:19
Andronicus and Junia Rom 16:7
Silvanus and Timotheus 1Thess 1:1; 2:6
Apollos 1 Cor 4:4-9
Two unnamed brethren 2 Cor 8:23
Epaphroditus Phil 2:25
The word translated "Messenger" in these verses is the same Greek word translated "apostle" elsewhere.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Moores Law Break Through
"Progress on metal-insulator-metal diode manufacturing was just reported online in the professional journal Advanced Materials (abstract). For the first time a high-performance 'metal-insulator-metal' diode was created with cheap materials. This is a fundamental discovery. It could change the way manufacturers produce electronic products at high speed, on a huge scale, and at a very low cost, even less than with conventional methods."
http://oregonstate.edu/research/partnering/advance-could-change-modern-electronics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law
http://oregonstate.edu/research/partnering/advance-could-change-modern-electronics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law
Annas Was Without Jurisdiction Day Eight
Day Eight
The Illegal Trial Of Jesus Christ
Annas Was Without Jurisdiction
Location:
People's Court
Shekinah Fellowship
Room 101
Ms Suzy, Jurist in this court room:
Having taken the Christ into custody, they immediately led Him to the house of His bitterest enemy, Annas, who was the dominating influence over not only the Sadducees but the Sanhedrin as well- and whose son-in-law, Caiaphas, was the presiding judge.
"And led Him away to Annas first."
Why was He taken there? In order that Annas might have personal knowledge of His arrest, so that he could then contact his disreputable son-in-law, and have him call the nighttime session of a select group of the Sanhedrin, while the friends of Jesus were still asleep.
The private examination of Jesus by old man Annas was illegal for three reasons: (1) It was conducted at night, in violation of the Hebrew laws; (2) no individual, not even a judge, had the right to question the accused judicially; (3) private examinations of anyone charged with crime were not permitted by the Hebrew law.
Here is a question from the Jewish law, applicable to the situation:
"An accused man shall never be subjected to private or secret examination, lest, in his perplexity, he furnish testimony against himself."
Can it be said that Annas, who, with his five sons had served in the high office of high priest for about fifty years, was not familiar with that law, which, incidentally, had been in force for over two hundred years? Certainly he was acquainted with that and all of the other laws of the Hebrew society; but, in his desperation to be rid of the Christ, he trampled upon the law, in the hope of obtaining some kind of incriminating statement from the lips of Jesus, and thereby have some basis for the filing of criminal charges. Knowledge of the law, followed by a deliberate breach of it, is the best evidence of willfulness!
No judge, sitting alone, could conduct an examination of the accused. The lowest Hebrew court was known as the court of three- consisting of three judges, who sat as a group. Moreover, we know that Annas was not a judge, but a former high priest, with no authority whatever.
This was a good and wise law for judges, for the full protection of anyone against whom some criminal charge had been filed. It served to protect him from making some incriminating statement, which could be used against him on the trial of his case.
When Annas had Jesus before him, we note that he inquired as to His disciples and His doctrine. And Jesus answered and said:
"I spake openly to the world; I even taught in the synagogue, and in the Temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why asketh thou Me? Ask them which heard Me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said."
Jesus was certainly well within his legal rights to make such a reply. In effect He was merely calling attention to the fact that, without exception, His teachings were all made public, which many heard.
It was then that one of the petty officers, in the home of Annas, violated the Hebrew law by striking the Christ in the face! And this corrupt, political boss merely smiled in approval at such unlawful conduct. And Jesus did not complain, but made this pertinent remark:
"If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why smitest thou Me?"
This was perfect illustraction of courage, as well as logic and truth.
Biblical history reveals that, at the times referred to herein, Annas, Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod all lived just a short distance apart from each other- hence the convenience of being in close contact with the situation, with a minimum of effort or loss of time. And the time element was to be a factor- since they were in a great hurry to have Jesus condemned before His friends became aware of His plight.
Annas was smart enough to know, whatever might be the nature of the Kingdom which Jesus was advocating, there would be certainly no position therein for him or his colleagues. Kings do not mix with swine!
Not being able to obtain any sort of incriminating statement from Jesus, at that secret, after~midnight examination, Annas directed the group of men to take the Christ before Caiaphas for trial. And, far from being a trustful individual, he personally led them to the palace of the high priest. Moreover, he remained there at the palace of his son-in-law, giving directions and orders as to the proceedings before the Greater Sanhedrin. Indeed, this cheep, weather~beaten Annas was not going to miss an opportunity to supervise the cowardly "Trials" of the Lowly Nazarene.
Annas had been before the selected group of the Sanhedrin but a very few moments when he began to engage in a whispered conference with Caiaphas. "Was the stage all set?" "Had any details been over-looked?" "Had Caiaphas summoned only the known enemies of Jesus?" He was demanding an affirmative answer to each inquiry! And, it must be admitted, he had no occasion to be dissappointed with the answers which fell upon his obnoxious ears!
Yes, everyone was ready- even the Christ- although He was all alone; friendless but unafraid!
Caiaphas, in considering the plight of Jesus, had said: "It is expedient for us that one man should die for his people." And by that statement he conveyed the idea that it was thought best to take the life of the Christ, for the sake of the people whom he represented.
It was ironical that Jesus, in quite a different and more reverent sense, likewise felt it was, indeed, "expedient that one men should die for His people:"- and He would be that Man; ready to die, all alone, for a sin-cursed world, whose only redemption could be found in the precious blood of a crucified Christ.
Another observation can here be made, respecting the series of unlawful acts which were done by those evil enemies of the Christ:
The Hebrew law expressly prohibited the condition of "any proceedings, involving a capital case, at night." A capital case is one wherein the penalty of death may be imposed.
We have already pointed out, beyond question that, after the arrest of Jesus, beyond the midnight hour, He was immediately taken to Annas for the examination. Therefore, the unlawful examination was had in the nighttime, contrary to existing laws on the subject! So, we find Annas deliberately, knowingly and willfully trampling upon the solemn laws of his own society. With men of that calibre in Judea, there is little wonder that a sense of unrest and turmoil could be observed everywhere.
AT LUNCH TODAY
Yesterday I heard a sermon taken from 1 Kings 13 about an old prophet challenging the word of a younger prophet. Today at lunch it happened to me. An old prophet walking by our table recognized the Bishop that I was having lunch with. They talked a while catching up on ministry things when the word of the Lord came to me.
I told the prophet that he had a green light from the Lord to pursue the ministry that God had given him. He said, "I don’t receive that." I agreed that he could easily build a good case against the word of the Lord by saying such things as, "Lord, the last time I tried people spoke against me. I went into dept. I was hurt and the one left holding the bag."
I was extra bold, because I had just been answering a question the Bishop was asked me when this man walked up and sat down. The Bishops question was, "What is it that God has called you to do?" I surprised myself with this reply, "Encourage prophets"
When the word of the Lord comes to us it will usually increase as we act upon it. Sometimes it comes in the form of a disturbance within your own soul or spirit and all you can do is try putting it into words.
The old prophet rejected my encouragement because it posed a personal threat to him.I told the old prophet that he was in a pit and didn’t even know it.
When Jesus called fishermen to become fishers of men, the Bible says, "And they straightway left their nets and followed Him" (Mt. 4:20).
It is always wise to wait upon the lord, but never wise to wait upon circumstances.
Pastor Tilson Shumate
I told the prophet that he had a green light from the Lord to pursue the ministry that God had given him. He said, "I don’t receive that." I agreed that he could easily build a good case against the word of the Lord by saying such things as, "Lord, the last time I tried people spoke against me. I went into dept. I was hurt and the one left holding the bag."
I was extra bold, because I had just been answering a question the Bishop was asked me when this man walked up and sat down. The Bishops question was, "What is it that God has called you to do?" I surprised myself with this reply, "Encourage prophets"
When the word of the Lord comes to us it will usually increase as we act upon it. Sometimes it comes in the form of a disturbance within your own soul or spirit and all you can do is try putting it into words.
The old prophet rejected my encouragement because it posed a personal threat to him.I told the old prophet that he was in a pit and didn’t even know it.
When Jesus called fishermen to become fishers of men, the Bible says, "And they straightway left their nets and followed Him" (Mt. 4:20).
It is always wise to wait upon the lord, but never wise to wait upon circumstances.
Pastor Tilson Shumate
Bait of Satan
Taking offence can trap you. Learn how to not be ensnared in victim mentality and walk in forgiveness. Satan is laying traps for you, and his most deceptive snare is attacks on your person. Learn how to respond to hurts and insults in a godly way.
OFFENCE (OFFENSE) 1. skandalon ^4625^ originally was "the name of the part of a trap to which the bait is attached, hence, the trap or snare itself. "In NT skandalon is always used metaphorically, and ordinarily of anything that arouses prejudice, or becomes a hindrance to others, or causes them to fall by the way. Sometimes the hindrance is in itself good, and those stumbled by it are the wicked. (from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
(Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The Readers Digest Universal Dictionary defines " to take offence" as a) to become angered, b) displeased, c) resentful, d) even to feel hurt. " To offend as to a) create or excite anger, b) resentment or annoyance, c) or hurt the feelings of, d) to be displeasing or disagreeable to.
Have you been trapped? This book exposes one of Satan's most deceptive snares used to pull believers out of God's will. It is the trap of offence. Jesus said, "It is impossible that offences will not come" (Luke 17:1). Nevertheless, most people who are ensnared by the bait of Satan don't even realise it. So don't be fooled! You Will encounter offence, and it's up to you how you're going to let it affect your relationship with God. Your response will determine your future. You can be delivered from the bait of Satan, stay free from offence and escape the victim mentality. Don't let another's sin or mistake affect your relationship with God!
Contents:
1. Me, Offended
2. Massive Offensive
3. How Could This Happen to Me
4. My Father, My Father!
5. How Spiritual Vagabonds Are Born
6. Hiding From Reality
7. The Sure Foundation
8. All That Can Be Shaken Will Be Shaken
9. The Rock of Offence
10. Lest We Offend Them
11. Forgiveness: You Don't Give - You Don't Get
12. Revenge: The Trap
13. Escaping the Trap
14. Objective: Reconciliation
Many who were involved with Shekinah Fellowship left because they were offended. Some were harshly treated and wrongly accused.
When offence comes upon us we must deal with it or become ensnared. If ensnared, and not properly delt with, the offence leads to bitterness. Bitterness destroys.
Hebrews 12:15
looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
Ever run across people who have been offended and have not forgiven the offender? There is such bitterness towards the offender. Paul tells us that it is a 'root' of bitterness that springs up and causes trouble. The net result is that many become 'defiled' by it.
John Bevere goes into depth with this topic in his excellent book. I am not pitching his book, that is not my intention here. I do regard his book as a resource that covers the ground with grace to counter the roots of bitterness. If anyone were to look deep within their soul and honestly assess that they have not released the offender by which offence entered their life, they may, by the grace of God, realize that they have roots of bitterness choking out blessing.
John takes the reader through, in detail, how offence can occur and what to do about it from a biblical perspective.
'Prosperity Gospel' .....
I want to add a brief P.S. to pastor David Sloane's "Money Grows On Trees" message http://shekinahfellowship.blogspot.com/2008/07/money-grows-on-trees.html
from a while back. There's a certain teaching that I remember as a young Christian back in 1975 that troubled me, even as a very young believer. Well, time has moved on, and this 'teaching' has infiltrated a good portion of the Body of Christ by now, and the saddest part of this whole subject is that once again, the pure glorious Gospel of the salvation message- the message that, for over 2000 years has, by the power of the Holy Spirit been drawing millions of lost souls to the Savior for the forgiveness of sins, and the impartation of eternal life (the only kind of life, by the way, that God gives) has yet again been compromised by a number of slick 'preachers and teachers'........
In the past it was the judiazers, the gnostics, direct demonic attack in various forms (attacks which continue to this very day), cultic influence and the like, but today there is a not so subtle mutation of the Gospel called the 'prosperity doctrine', also known by genuine believers as the 'name it- claim it' or 'blab it and grab it' teaching......
The idea is in truth occultic in essence, yet many people follow it as if it were a genuine biblical doctrine. Sad- very sad. The deception makes me want to cry when I see once Christ-adoring believers fall for the enemy's prosperity lie, but God didn't call me to cry and be depressed, He called me to call out this garbage and point to it's error. Pastor Sloane already gave a beautiful denunciation of it, and so I'll just add a small bit here.....
Matthew 10:38&39 says, "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it." The 'prosperity' crowd claims that, as believers, we have a right to live like 'king's kids'! Now, where do you find that in scripture? The passage that I just referred to stands in direct opposition to that line of thinking, doesn't it? This kind of heresy is what people will fall for when their love of Christ grows cold. Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conversation (behavior, manner of living) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee' ".
You see? We must continue to pursue and cultivate our love for Christ Himself, or our love and devotion to Him will wax cold and we will cease to love Him out of a pure heart. When that happens, we will begin to look to other things for our satisfaction- things that will never satisfy our soul- never! Because only Christ can truly do that.....
Do you see why the 'prosperity' teaching must be forcefully refuted and denounced by all honest believers? Listen to what 1 Timothy 6:5&6 say- "Perverse disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain." Beloved, do not be fooled- look to Jesus for all things, and avoid the covetous attitude that is encouraged by these people.....
Perhaps the scariest thing about this teaching is the fact that it's followers are told that faith is a force, and that your words are carriers of that force, so that you basically create your own reality- good or bad- with your words. Therefore, according to these false teachers, if you 'confess' positive things, then positive things will happen in your life, and if you confess negative things- well, I think you get the picture. This teaching is pure occult, sprinkled with Christian jargon.....
Christian, believe the Gospel, love Jesus with all your heart, trust Him only, and He will keep you and protect you from such aberrant teaching, which comes from the pit and smells like smoke.
En Agape,
Pastor Jim Ewing
from a while back. There's a certain teaching that I remember as a young Christian back in 1975 that troubled me, even as a very young believer. Well, time has moved on, and this 'teaching' has infiltrated a good portion of the Body of Christ by now, and the saddest part of this whole subject is that once again, the pure glorious Gospel of the salvation message- the message that, for over 2000 years has, by the power of the Holy Spirit been drawing millions of lost souls to the Savior for the forgiveness of sins, and the impartation of eternal life (the only kind of life, by the way, that God gives) has yet again been compromised by a number of slick 'preachers and teachers'........
In the past it was the judiazers, the gnostics, direct demonic attack in various forms (attacks which continue to this very day), cultic influence and the like, but today there is a not so subtle mutation of the Gospel called the 'prosperity doctrine', also known by genuine believers as the 'name it- claim it' or 'blab it and grab it' teaching......
The idea is in truth occultic in essence, yet many people follow it as if it were a genuine biblical doctrine. Sad- very sad. The deception makes me want to cry when I see once Christ-adoring believers fall for the enemy's prosperity lie, but God didn't call me to cry and be depressed, He called me to call out this garbage and point to it's error. Pastor Sloane already gave a beautiful denunciation of it, and so I'll just add a small bit here.....
Matthew 10:38&39 says, "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it." The 'prosperity' crowd claims that, as believers, we have a right to live like 'king's kids'! Now, where do you find that in scripture? The passage that I just referred to stands in direct opposition to that line of thinking, doesn't it? This kind of heresy is what people will fall for when their love of Christ grows cold. Hebrews 13:5 says, "Let your conversation (behavior, manner of living) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, 'I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee' ".
You see? We must continue to pursue and cultivate our love for Christ Himself, or our love and devotion to Him will wax cold and we will cease to love Him out of a pure heart. When that happens, we will begin to look to other things for our satisfaction- things that will never satisfy our soul- never! Because only Christ can truly do that.....
Do you see why the 'prosperity' teaching must be forcefully refuted and denounced by all honest believers? Listen to what 1 Timothy 6:5&6 say- "Perverse disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain." Beloved, do not be fooled- look to Jesus for all things, and avoid the covetous attitude that is encouraged by these people.....
Perhaps the scariest thing about this teaching is the fact that it's followers are told that faith is a force, and that your words are carriers of that force, so that you basically create your own reality- good or bad- with your words. Therefore, according to these false teachers, if you 'confess' positive things, then positive things will happen in your life, and if you confess negative things- well, I think you get the picture. This teaching is pure occult, sprinkled with Christian jargon.....
Christian, believe the Gospel, love Jesus with all your heart, trust Him only, and He will keep you and protect you from such aberrant teaching, which comes from the pit and smells like smoke.
En Agape,
Pastor Jim Ewing
How God Changes the Hearts of People- Matthew the Publican.....
Over the next few days, I want to take a look at different examples of how God apprehends peoples' hearts and changes them- beginning with Matthew, author of the first gospel.... His name was Levi, but he became known by the name Matthew, meaning 'gift of God'. What a wonderful name given to a man once known as a thief! He was a tax collector (or publican), and tax collectors were not exactly thought of highly in those days, as they were notoriously crooked, mean and dishonest, demanding as much from the people as they could, and then some- but when God changes a person, He does it completely, thoroughly, from the inside out, and Matthew was no exception. He was working when Jesus walked by. Jesus looked at him and said, "Follow me".
The Savior called him right from his front desk in Capernaum, and Matthew got up and followed Him from that moment forward. That is amazing, isn't it? Now, a number of people have tried to tell me that Matthew (as well as Peter and the others whom Jesus called directly) already knew who Jesus was, and decided that following Him would just be the right thing to do. I even read in a commentary, "Matthew's immediate response and following would indicate some previous acquaintance with and confidence in Jesus". As I've said before, I don't believe that for one second. I believe that God in flesh looked upon man, and man responded. These men didn't sit there and think, "Gee, I've heard of this man, and he seems to know what he's talking about, so I guess I'll drop everything I'm doing and follow him". No- they saw something in Jesus. Something that they had never seen or heard or felt in their entire lives prior. It was the authority and power of Almighty God, and they were intensely drawn to Him, and none of them were ever the same again. Now, that's power!
Many of today's 'intellectual' Christians still like to think that those whom Jesus directly called simply used their brains in a bright, intelligent manner and deduced that walking after this man was the best course of action at the time. Nonsense! Matthew was drawn immediately by the power of God, and the fervor with which he had previously stolen from people was now used to proclaim the message of the One who looked upon him and beckoned, "Follow Me." .....
God still draws people today- supernaturally, by His Spirit- and lives are still changed by His power, and His power alone. Now, I don't want to be misunderstood here- oftentimes a person under the conviction of the Holy Spirit will ponder, count the cost of becoming a child of God, and make a decision for Christ after much time and many dealings by the Holy Spirit. This is perfectly good and normal, and it is still the Holy Spirit working in and dealing with an individual. Nonetheless, I believe that God' s calling of certain people- Matthew, Peter, Paul and others as recorded in scripture, were instant and very real apprehensions of those individuals' hearts by the Spirit and power of God, and for God's own purposes.
We will deal with other examples of how God changes the hearts of people in the next few days.
En Agape, Jim Ewing
The Savior called him right from his front desk in Capernaum, and Matthew got up and followed Him from that moment forward. That is amazing, isn't it? Now, a number of people have tried to tell me that Matthew (as well as Peter and the others whom Jesus called directly) already knew who Jesus was, and decided that following Him would just be the right thing to do. I even read in a commentary, "Matthew's immediate response and following would indicate some previous acquaintance with and confidence in Jesus". As I've said before, I don't believe that for one second. I believe that God in flesh looked upon man, and man responded. These men didn't sit there and think, "Gee, I've heard of this man, and he seems to know what he's talking about, so I guess I'll drop everything I'm doing and follow him". No- they saw something in Jesus. Something that they had never seen or heard or felt in their entire lives prior. It was the authority and power of Almighty God, and they were intensely drawn to Him, and none of them were ever the same again. Now, that's power!
Many of today's 'intellectual' Christians still like to think that those whom Jesus directly called simply used their brains in a bright, intelligent manner and deduced that walking after this man was the best course of action at the time. Nonsense! Matthew was drawn immediately by the power of God, and the fervor with which he had previously stolen from people was now used to proclaim the message of the One who looked upon him and beckoned, "Follow Me." .....
God still draws people today- supernaturally, by His Spirit- and lives are still changed by His power, and His power alone. Now, I don't want to be misunderstood here- oftentimes a person under the conviction of the Holy Spirit will ponder, count the cost of becoming a child of God, and make a decision for Christ after much time and many dealings by the Holy Spirit. This is perfectly good and normal, and it is still the Holy Spirit working in and dealing with an individual. Nonetheless, I believe that God' s calling of certain people- Matthew, Peter, Paul and others as recorded in scripture, were instant and very real apprehensions of those individuals' hearts by the Spirit and power of God, and for God's own purposes.
We will deal with other examples of how God changes the hearts of people in the next few days.
En Agape, Jim Ewing
Friday, October 29, 2010
Praying for the sick
Brant Baker would say, "I have learned to yield to the Holy Spirit. Brant Baker has nothing to offer, it is all Jesus. I am nothing at all. If God can use a nobody like me He can use anybody."
Oral Roberts said. "I have been asked many times what the anointing is. I searched the scriptures for every instance when individuals or groups felt God's anointing. I saw that by experiencing the presence of God, they were able to do mighty exploits for the Lord. I saw, too, that when the anointing of God's Spirit did not rise up in them, they were as ordinary in themselves and in their works as any of us are today. There was no halo around them. They were not superman or super women. Thet were believers but still flesh and blood.
I focused on Luke 4:18, Jesus said to the people in the synagogue in Nazareth,where He had grown up:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor,
He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted,
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised.
The revelation came to me that the anointing is a time when God separates you from yourself and fills you with His glory so that when you speak it's like God speaking, and when you act it's like God acting. You are yourself, but you are not yourself. I mean, you have not taken leave of your senses. Still, you are keenly aware that another self-the Spirit of God Himself-has taken over and is, at that time, in full charge of you, and you are acting under His divine unction or guidance and power from above.
The glory of the Lord that comes upon you at the time of anointing removes all fear, fills you with a holy boldness, and gives you revelational knowledge of how and what to do. It is an incomparable experience. God who is in you is now flowing up by His Spirit from your belly area (your inner being) and giving you a covering that Satan cannot penetrate (see John 7:38-39).
The difficulty that I have when the anointing comes upon me...in the heat of this experience I have an insatiable desire to literally drive the sickness or disease or demon or fear or poverty or any other destructive power out of the person. I confess it is a driving force possessing me far beyond any powers of my own. My normal compassion appears to be multiplied a thousand times. My urgency to rid the person of the tormenting power of Satan almost consumes me.
The tangible presence of God- is not mine. It belongs to God. The prophet Elijah said, "Let God be God" 1 Kings 18:24. That is exactly what I had to learn to do"
God loves us. God will move through each of us.
And these signs shall follow all who believe, they shall lay their hands upon the sick, who will recover.
Mark 16:17
We read the scriptural accounts of healing miracles and we wish Jesus were here to cure the sick in our day and age. With more and more hospitals being built, doctors unable to keep up with the needs of an increasing population, and many illnesses still considered incurable, we could certainly use this charism of healing.
The Good News is, we do have the healing love of Jesus Christ with us today. The gifts of healing manifested by the Lord have been delegated to each person who accepts Jesus as his Savior, believing him to be the Son of God.
Before He was crucified, Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to the Father" John 14:12.
Jesus was telling the disciples that ministering to the blind, the halt and the lame was not going to stop when He was no longer visible. The commission to carry on the healing work was given to "whoever believes in Him. The works would be even greater because they would no longer be performed by one man, but by everyone who professes Jesus as Lord.
Jesus made us extensions of Himself in order that multitudes of people could be touched and cured by His love. He has no hands to lay on the sick but our hands. If, as Christians, we really believe the Lord dwells within us, then it should not come as a surprise that we can pray for the sick and they will be healed. We merely provide the vehicle through which the love of God can shine forth.
Christians are accustomed to thinking that the gift of healing is reserved for certain individuals who receive a supernatural calling from God to go forth and heal. All of us can pray over the sick. Whoever means whoever. "Whoever believes in me will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to the Father."
You have been called, you believe in Jesus Christ. So you see, you fit the equation. Conditions are right for you to start praying over the sick with an expectancy to see God heal them. Try it. Go out and pray over sick people and see what takes place.
David Sloane
COMPLETE YOUR MISSION
Jesus said, "... many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). I wonder why He said," few are chosen." I know that God has a special plan for each of us. A possible rendering of the verse might be quoted: "Many are called, but few are willing to birth the call."
How can we know for sure that we have answered the call, and is it better to be chosen than it is to be called?
When you answer the call, you will find that you were also chosen. You were chosen before the foundation of the world.
Finding your niche in the body of Christ is the most important part of life. It puts God on the throne of your life, and with that, everything else will fall into place.
Although all are called to salvation, not all birth that call and thus become born again. Likewise, all who answer the call to salvation, and are born again, do not go on to walk with God in the fullness of their calling. They have entered the kingdom of God and are numbered with the saints but never go on to walk in the authority of that kingdom.
"Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat" (Matthew 7:13). All are called to the narrow road, although, only a few will heed that call and find it. Those who do not heed the call to salvation are on the broad road that leads to hell.
According to Holy Scripture, only a few will find their way to heaven, and even fewer of those few will ever move on in God, after they are saved, to complete their mission inlife. In Matthew 7:14 Jesus said, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Only a few of the "few there be that find it" are daring enough, and will explore heaven long enough to really walk with God in their calling. They not only enter heaven, they bring something back, much like those who have died and lived to tell about it.
To find your mission in life, you must first find your Creator; the one who designed your mission. Find the one that called you and then completely answer that call. Begin at the beginning. "In the beginning God..." (Genesis 1:1). Man sinned and fell away from God. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). To start from the beginning, "Ye must be born again" by accepting Jesus Christ into your heart as your personal Lord and Savior. He will then send His Holy Spirit to instruct, lead, and guide you, back to the glory of God; which is the fullness of why you were created.
God will not leave His people without meaning and purpose; He desires to lead you as the good shepherd.
After you have been birthed into the kingdom of God, you need to venture into that kingdom and birth your call. The call for which you were chosen. 2 Peter 1:10-11 says, "...give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall. For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." An entrance for you means access for you, and with that, you cannot fail, "ye shall never fall." Give diligence to make your calling sure, and be content to blossom where God plants you. "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called" (1 Corinthians 7:20)
It may take a lifetime, and it may cost you everything, but it is in the realm of reality to fulfill your call. "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matthew 9:29). What God has done for others, He can do for you.
Pastor Tilson Shumate
BINDING AND LOOSING
In Matthew 18:18 Jesus said, "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
In an article on "Binding and loosing," by Christian Research Institute, founded by Dr. Walter Martin the power to bind or loose was reduced to the hiring or firing of people. The article argued that Mt. 18:18 was limited only to the subject of church discipline and that Christians are in no way authorized anywhere in Scripture to bind demons. The article claims that we as Christians can only resist the devil in our own personal lives.
I see major problems with that concept of spiritual warfare. Any Christian that is active in anyway with intercessory prayer for the loosing of loved ones from the grip of Satan will understand my position. We do not merely resist the devil, we overcome him. Revelation 12:11 proclaims, "And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Not only did they resist the devil in their own lives, but they aggressively overcame him for the lives of others.
The CRI article made heavy reference to ‘context - context – context’ claiming the context of Mt 18:18 deals with binding or loosing people, not demons. A careful examination of the verse will reveal that Jesus said whatsoever, not whosoever - "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Mark 3:27 "No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house." In context, the strong man is Satan. There are several verses in Mathew 12 and Mark chapter three where Jesus himself teaches on binding and casting out Satan.
We must put everything to the test of Holy Scripture. Do as the Bereans in Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Don’t believe any person or even an angel of light that tries telling you that you have no power over the devil. Jude 1:3 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
I exhort you in the Lord to be mighty through God, 2 Corinthians 10:4 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." In Luke 10, Jesus gave the disciples power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and in Mark 16 he gave that same power to all who believe. Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Mark 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues." Notice, ‘in my name’. That is the key to understanding Jude 1:9 when Michael the archangel was contending with the devil. He did not rebuke the devil by his own power, but said," The Lord rebuke thee." It is only by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony that we can also say, ‘The Lord rebuke thee Satan’. Always keep in mind that the battle belongs to the Lord, apart from Him we can do nothing. It is in His name that we bind the work of the enemy. Philippians 4:13 promises, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Pastor Tilson Shumate
In an article on "Binding and loosing," by Christian Research Institute, founded by Dr. Walter Martin the power to bind or loose was reduced to the hiring or firing of people. The article argued that Mt. 18:18 was limited only to the subject of church discipline and that Christians are in no way authorized anywhere in Scripture to bind demons. The article claims that we as Christians can only resist the devil in our own personal lives.
I see major problems with that concept of spiritual warfare. Any Christian that is active in anyway with intercessory prayer for the loosing of loved ones from the grip of Satan will understand my position. We do not merely resist the devil, we overcome him. Revelation 12:11 proclaims, "And they overcame him (the devil) by the blood of the lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Not only did they resist the devil in their own lives, but they aggressively overcame him for the lives of others.
The CRI article made heavy reference to ‘context - context – context’ claiming the context of Mt 18:18 deals with binding or loosing people, not demons. A careful examination of the verse will reveal that Jesus said whatsoever, not whosoever - "Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Mark 3:27 "No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house." In context, the strong man is Satan. There are several verses in Mathew 12 and Mark chapter three where Jesus himself teaches on binding and casting out Satan.
We must put everything to the test of Holy Scripture. Do as the Bereans in Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Don’t believe any person or even an angel of light that tries telling you that you have no power over the devil. Jude 1:3 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
I exhort you in the Lord to be mighty through God, 2 Corinthians 10:4 "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds." In Luke 10, Jesus gave the disciples power over unclean spirits to cast them out, and in Mark 16 he gave that same power to all who believe. Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Mark 16:17 "And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues." Notice, ‘in my name’. That is the key to understanding Jude 1:9 when Michael the archangel was contending with the devil. He did not rebuke the devil by his own power, but said," The Lord rebuke thee." It is only by the blood of the lamb and by the word of our testimony that we can also say, ‘The Lord rebuke thee Satan’. Always keep in mind that the battle belongs to the Lord, apart from Him we can do nothing. It is in His name that we bind the work of the enemy. Philippians 4:13 promises, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Pastor Tilson Shumate
Daily caffeine 'protects brain'
The drink has already been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer's Disease, and a study by a US team for the Journal of Neuroinflammation may explain why.
Caffeine is the most widely consumed drug in the world, most commonly from the beverages coffee, tea and soda. An estimated 80% of the world's population consumes a caffeine-containing substance daily. A typical 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of instant coffee contains about 100 mg of caffeine -- about twice as much as a cup of tea or a 12-ounce (360-ml) can/bottle of soda. A 30-gram chocolate bar might contain as much caffeine as half a cup of tea. Pure caffeine can be obtained in powders, caplets or tablets in products like NoDoz®.
The English word caffeine comes from the French (Spanish & Portugese) word for coffee: café. Caffeine has been identified in over a hundred species of plant, but the most highly cultivated sources are the seeds (beans) of the berries from the coffee tree (Coffea arabica or Coffea canephora, variety robusta), the leaves & leaf-buds of the tea bush (Thea sinensis, also known as Camellia sinensis), the nut of the kola tree (Cola acuminata) and the seeds (beans) of the fruit from the cacao (cocoa) tree (Theobroma cacao). Why caffeine is found in so many plants is a matter of speculation, but a popular theory is that caffeine functions as a natural pesticide insofar as caffeine is lethally toxic for the larvae of mealworms, mosquitos and tobacco hornworms, among others.
Could you forgive?
Luke Rodolph stood on the rim of Upper Silas Canyon, enjoying the magnificent view that stretches all the way to Lander.About 300 feet below him, Peter Absolon was climbing a new route up the cliff face of Leg Lake Cirque.The two would never meet, but in a matter of moments, they would be forever linked. One would be dead, the other torn by regret.
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2007/08/29/news/top_story/9d8f833439d94449872573460006247b.txt
Luke Rodolph stood on the rim of Upper Silas Canyon, enjoying the magnificent view that stretches all the way to Lander.About 300 feet below him, Peter Absolon was climbing a new route up the cliff face of Leg Lake Cirque.The two would never meet, but in a matter of moments, they would be forever linked. One would be dead, the other torn by regret.
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2007/08/29/news/top_story/9d8f833439d94449872573460006247b.txt
Thursday, October 28, 2010
24 Hour Fitness New Admittance Thumb Print Program Is Toast. Heres why...
"An Australian high school has installed 'secure' fingerprint scanners
http://www.zdnet.com.au/sweet-bypass-for-student-finger-scanner-339306878.htm
for roll call for senior students, which savvy kids may be able to circumvent with sweets from their lunch box. The system replaces the school's traditional sign-in system with biometric readers that require senior students to have their fingerprints read to verify attendance. The school principal says the system is better than swipe cards
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/26/3048694.htm
because it stops truant kids getting their mates to sign-in for them. But using the Gummi Bear attack,
http://cryptome.org/gummy.htm
students can make replicas of their own fingerprints from gelatin, the ingredient in Gummi Bears, to forge a replica finger. The attack worked against a bunch of scanners that detect electrical charges within the human body, since gelatin has virtually the same capacitance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance
as a finger's skin."
http://www.zdnet.com.au/sweet-bypass-for-student-finger-scanner-339306878.htm
for roll call for senior students, which savvy kids may be able to circumvent with sweets from their lunch box. The system replaces the school's traditional sign-in system with biometric readers that require senior students to have their fingerprints read to verify attendance. The school principal says the system is better than swipe cards
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/26/3048694.htm
because it stops truant kids getting their mates to sign-in for them. But using the Gummi Bear attack,
http://cryptome.org/gummy.htm
students can make replicas of their own fingerprints from gelatin, the ingredient in Gummi Bears, to forge a replica finger. The attack worked against a bunch of scanners that detect electrical charges within the human body, since gelatin has virtually the same capacitance
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance
as a finger's skin."
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
'''Rev Brant Baker of Shekinah Fellowship'''
Brant Baker was a Christian man with an anointing from God similiar to Kathryn Kuhlman's in the early seventies on the West Coast of America. His meetings could be called a sensational healing revival. He came into the spot~light in a strip mall located on 7th Street in Long Beach CA. His fellowship was best known for the healing meetings on Saturday nights at Pastor Billy Adams' First Foursquare Church in Long Beach CA.Pastor Billy Adams and his wife can be seen here:
http://www.music4us.com/shekinah.htm
http://www.music4us.com/shekinah.htm
Shekinah Fellowship eventually acquired the old West Coast Theater across the street from the Convention Center on Ocean Boulevard . Some say that the Marquee out front had Brant's name in large letters above the name of Jesus Christ in smaller letters. It read, "Rev Brant Baker appearing with Jesus Christ."
This somehow reflected the slow decline of his ministry as he was falling back into his past at that time. http://www.cinematreasures.org/theater/1971/
Brant's life has been ex·punged from the records by Christiandom possibly because he died in 1985 of aids. Brant was introduced to Jesus Christ by Billy Graham in 64.
This is not verified but some say that in the late sixties Pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel fame would hold bible studies in Brant's mother's home in Newport Beach before taking the helm of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa located on Church Street in Costa Mesa CA. Some say that the women of the home Bible studies purchased a new suit for Chuck.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary_Chapel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvary_Chapel
Brant had a clothing store located on 17th Street in Costa Mesa across from The Builders Emporium hardware store. Brant gave away all the clothing to the Jesus People who were living in some of the communal homes of Calvary Chapel before going into the ministry. His Bible studies became noted for the moving of the Holy Spirit in powerful ways. As the study continued to grow it became known as Shekinah Fellowship.
Brant told in testimony of how he was involved in the Hollywood scene before his salvation experience. He told of how he hung with the rich and famous of that crowd during the many parties that he would attend. He experienced the emptyness and the futility of that life. He told of the darkness and the allurement that he experienced during this period of his life.
Brant would attend every meeting at the Shrine Auditorium in LA that Kathryn Kuhlman had there.
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathryn_KuhlmanAfter those meetings he would sit outside on the steps and plead with God for the same type of an anointing upon his ministry. He would cry for hours afterward, saying, "God I have got to have that anointing or I will die!". One day as Brant was praying for people God started to heal them. And as word got out that God was moving at Shekinah Fellowship through Brant, people started coming from all walks of life.
As Shekinah grew in reputation Brant shaped and molded the ministry after Kathryn's. He had catcher's who stood behind people as he prayed over them because just like in Kathryn's meetings they would fall over backwards under the power of the Holy Spirit as he lightly touched them on the neck. He had a magnificient choir and several musicians in the fellowship. Brant had "workers" who moved in the word of knowledge who would be scattered throughout the crowd to prompt people who were healed during the meetings to go up and share the story of their healing. Today at Benny Hinns meetings you can observe somewhat the same format.
As Brant continued to pattern his ministry after Kathryn's he rented out the Long Beach Municiple Auditorium. It was full of people who had come to see God work. Brant continued to rent adutoriums in CA, holding healing type meetings where people were getting healed of all types of afflictions. His popularity continued to grow and churches started inviting his ministry to visit them.
Shekinah Fellowship got the attention of TBN the Christian television station. Paul and Jan Crouch invited Shekinah to their program. So Brant started to garner more followers as viewers became aware of his ministry. Brant was on his way to filling the space vacated by Kathryn...But such was not to be. Today no one at TBN will hardly mention Brant's name. Even Benny Hinn who eventually became Kathryns apparent replacement has not been told about Brant by TBN... not until Pastor Schumate of Shekinah Fellowship told the Brant Baker story to Benny Hinn at a Christmas party recently (Christmas 2005).
Just like Lonnie Frisbee who passed through the land like a modernday John the Baptist, Brant passed through the land like Jesus the healer. But strange as it may seem, no one wants to talk about Brant. Why? Because just like Lonnie, Brant died in 1985 from aids which can possibly be an embrassment to the fundamental evangelical mind set.
Brant's life radiated the love of Jesus Christ for a few bright fleeting moments before dimming out in his unexpected death. People were stunned and devastated! Many of the workers in his ministry backslide or just wandered away in deep dissapointment. Some who recovered still hold fond memories of those magnificient times in the Lord when the ministry functioned like a well oiled machine.
Brant's story is just as inspiring as other generals of the faith. He forged new territory when everyone else was involved in "cookie~cutter~christianity." As other churches were stressing correct theological and doctrinal foundations to the neglect of the supernatural side of God, Brant presented a Jesus Christ who loved everyone and demonstrated that love by healing the afflicted and making His presence known.
Brant's sermons always presented the person of Jesus Christ. Brant's Christ's presence transcended words in a sense. In his first letter, apostle John expanded on that, saying that He was the Word of life that they heard and saw and touched. It was Christ's physical presence that sealed it for them and for us all. Those who followed Him experienced Him. They heard, saw and handled the word of life in human flesh as Brant presented Jesus to the people in a powerful "preaching" way. Brant never read from notes as he spoke. His voice would go from being soft and intimate to loud and authorative during the course of his sermons. It was an identifyable moment when the Holy Spirit would come in and take over the service as Brant was preaching. At that point Brant would start to call out the healings taking place around him.
The lights were dimmed when Brant would speak. There would be a bright spotlight on him. He was dramatic to watch, almost like watching a stage performance. Brant Baker had the anointing upon him. If you stood face to face with him. you became aware of the childlike innocence he projected during ministry. There was that glowing sensation of the presence of the Holy Spirit that surrounded him. He was young, good looking,tall and thin, and always well dressed. He won over many people just by his likeable presence. Shekinah's choir could have been rated with some of the finest around.
Towards the end of Brant's life he had dyed his hair blond and did not seem to care that anyone was aware of his return to some of his past short comings.Anyone who had the privelege of sitting under Brant's ministry would tell you that of a certainty God had anointed this young man of God inspite of his personal struggles. The Jesus People would bring the hippies from the streets to Brant's meetings where they would receive salvation. Some would come in vans full of hippies from as far away as Laguna Beach CA.
Over time other churches started speaking against Brant's ministry and would publicly do so from their pulpits. This was hard on Brant who was very emotionally sensitive to what was being said. Like most sensitive people Brant often needed to be by himself to recenter his focus.There are those who are still struggling to recover to this day because of the way that Brant died from aids.
Anyone with a Brant Baker Video, audio tape, testimony or pictures of Brant or Shekinah Fellowship who would like to share in the telling of Brant's story...Please contac us at:
david.surfer51 AT gmail.com
Here is a sermon video of Brant at Google:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1413570822680069556&q=brant+baker&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1413570822680069556&q=brant+baker&hl=en
Perhaps now that the story of Lonnie Frisbee has been told by David Di Sabbatino, others will reconsider allowing Brant's story to be freely told by us...no profit motive...just restoration of the historical record.
For a short period of time Joe Ellen Baker tried to continue the ministry that her son had started in Long Beach CA. Dr. Michelle Corral came out of this fellowship. Here is her site:
http://www.breathofthespirit.org/Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tony Blair's sister-in-law has converted to Islam after having what she describes as a "holy experience" during a visit to Iran.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/oct/24/lauren-booth-converts-to-islam
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/oct/24/lauren-booth-converts-to-islam
Saturday, October 23, 2010
If you could ask God one question and receive the answer on the spot... What would it be?
http://hubpages.com/question/79705/if-you-could-ask-god-one-question-and-recieve-the-answere-on-the-spot-what-would-it-be
http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Does-God-Let-Bad-Things-Happen-to-Good-People
http://hubpages.com/question/79705/if-you-could-ask-god-one-question-and-recieve-the-answere-on-the-spot-what-would-it-be
http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Does-God-Let-Bad-Things-Happen-to-Good-People
Did Jesus rise from the dead?
We all wonder what will happen to us after we die.
When a loved one dies, we long to see him or her again after our turn comes.
Will we have a glorious reunion with those we love or is death the end of all consciousness?
Jesus taught that life does not end after our bodies die.
He made this startling claim: “I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.”
According to the eyewitnesses closest to him, Jesus then demonstrated his power over death by rising from the dead after being crucified and buried for three days.
It is this belief that has given hope to Christians for nearly 2000 years.
http://y-jesus.com/wwrj/6-jesus-rise-dead/
He made this startling claim: “I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.”
According to the eyewitnesses closest to him, Jesus then demonstrated his power over death by rising from the dead after being crucified and buried for three days.
It is this belief that has given hope to Christians for nearly 2000 years.
THE PAOMNNEHAL PWEOR OF THE HMUAN MNID.
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosnt mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclace. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit it bnieg a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
Most people want to control all aspects of their lives. They don't want to just let go in simple childlike faith and trust God fully. To this type of person the above text will be very irritating. They will want everything to be totally under their control as they perceive things. They will not be content until all is in place as they think it should be, even though the 'content' and 'meaning' of the above text still comes across inspite of the spelling.
God at times will hide His hand at work in our lives even though He is still at work. We may think that all is just chaos and out of control. We may even go so far as to think that we have done something wrong and are abandoned by God in a sense. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
Isaiah 55:8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God requires us to put our trust in Him. At times we may not know or comprehend what is going on in our life at a given moment. It is enough to acknowledge that God is still upon His throne and all is well inspite of what we perceive or may think. He is at work.
I once heard a wonderful woman of God (Corey Ten Boom) say that from our earthly vantage point it looks like the chaotic underside of a work of embroidery and that from God's orderly heavenly vantage point it looks as it should look.
Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way...
Isaiah 56:11
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way...
God says:Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God requires us to put our trust in Him. So simple a child can do it.
2 Samuel 22:31
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
Psalm 16:1
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psalm 25:2
O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
Psalm 37:5
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Almighty Master Creator God can be trusted. Jesus Christ loves you dearly!
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Isaiah 55:10
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Has God made promises to you? Does it seem as though you may have misunderstood?
The enemy of our soul is a thief and a robber. Satan will seek to rob us of the promises of God. He will seek to convince us that we were wrong and that the promise of God was only in our imagination, nothing more then a foolish day dream.
Satan will do anything to get us to doubt God, he will do anything to rob us of God's promises to us. Do not look to circumstances of life to decide if God is faithful or not. He is still upon His throne and in all command and authority!
Speaking of Satan:
John 8:44
... He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Look to the content of Gods promises to you and not your current circumstances or anything else.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: Our God is able!!!
Romans 16:20
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Father,We are so thankful to You today for all that You have done and are doing for us. Today we acknowledge Your loving hand at work in our lives inspite of what we perceive or think. We know that Your Word is truth. We know that You are in full control of our lives and that you are able.Amen
Jeremiah 33:14
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Hallelujah! Praise The Lord! So shall it be...
David
"Difficult-to-read fonts make for better learning, according to scientists.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11573666
The finding is about to be published in the international journal Cognition. Researchers at Princeton University employed volunteers to learn made-up information about different types of aliens — and found that those reading harder fonts recalled more when tested 15 minutes later. The article goes on to note a second test in a real school environment: 'Keen to see if their findings actually worked in practice, the Princeton University team then tested their results on 222 students aged between 15 and 18 at a secondary school in Chesterfield, Ohio.'... 'Students given the harder-to-read materials scored higher in their classroom assessments than those in the control group. This was the case across a range of subjects — from English, to Physics to History.'"
Most people want to control all aspects of their lives. They don't want to just let go in simple childlike faith and trust God fully. To this type of person the above text will be very irritating. They will want everything to be totally under their control as they perceive things. They will not be content until all is in place as they think it should be, even though the 'content' and 'meaning' of the above text still comes across inspite of the spelling.
God at times will hide His hand at work in our lives even though He is still at work. We may think that all is just chaos and out of control. We may even go so far as to think that we have done something wrong and are abandoned by God in a sense. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
Isaiah 55:8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God requires us to put our trust in Him. At times we may not know or comprehend what is going on in our life at a given moment. It is enough to acknowledge that God is still upon His throne and all is well inspite of what we perceive or may think. He is at work.
I once heard a wonderful woman of God (Corey Ten Boom) say that from our earthly vantage point it looks like the chaotic underside of a work of embroidery and that from God's orderly heavenly vantage point it looks as it should look.
Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way...
Isaiah 56:11
Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way...
God says:Isaiah 55:8
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God requires us to put our trust in Him. So simple a child can do it.
2 Samuel 22:31
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
Psalm 16:1
Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psalm 25:2
O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
Psalm 37:5
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Almighty Master Creator God can be trusted. Jesus Christ loves you dearly!
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
Isaiah 55:10
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
Has God made promises to you? Does it seem as though you may have misunderstood?
The enemy of our soul is a thief and a robber. Satan will seek to rob us of the promises of God. He will seek to convince us that we were wrong and that the promise of God was only in our imagination, nothing more then a foolish day dream.
Satan will do anything to get us to doubt God, he will do anything to rob us of God's promises to us. Do not look to circumstances of life to decide if God is faithful or not. He is still upon His throne and in all command and authority!
Speaking of Satan:
John 8:44
... He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Look to the content of Gods promises to you and not your current circumstances or anything else.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: Our God is able!!!
Romans 16:20
And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.
Father,We are so thankful to You today for all that You have done and are doing for us. Today we acknowledge Your loving hand at work in our lives inspite of what we perceive or think. We know that Your Word is truth. We know that You are in full control of our lives and that you are able.Amen
Jeremiah 33:14
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
Isaiah 55:11
So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Hallelujah! Praise The Lord! So shall it be...
David
"Difficult-to-read fonts make for better learning, according to scientists.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11573666
The finding is about to be published in the international journal Cognition. Researchers at Princeton University employed volunteers to learn made-up information about different types of aliens — and found that those reading harder fonts recalled more when tested 15 minutes later. The article goes on to note a second test in a real school environment: 'Keen to see if their findings actually worked in practice, the Princeton University team then tested their results on 222 students aged between 15 and 18 at a secondary school in Chesterfield, Ohio.'... 'Students given the harder-to-read materials scored higher in their classroom assessments than those in the control group. This was the case across a range of subjects — from English, to Physics to History.'"
Friday, October 22, 2010
Christians should want to serve
The loving person does not remain aloof from life. The loving person is not disengaged or protected from the brutal realities of this life. The loving disciple can never neglect the plight of the poor, the weak and the broken. Rather, God’s love reaches out to us wherever we are. The children of God who have been grasped by this love, like Jesus, invest themselves in the lives of broken and wounded people. People who are shaped by this kind of love are willing to get their hands dirty in the service of others in God’s world, as Jesus did.http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20090807/NEWS/908079960?Title=Christians-should-want-to-serve
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
People Of Jesus Christ
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Just received this from an old friend in an E~mail
The Time Has Indeed Come!
Governors of 35 states have already filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.
This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.
An idea whose time has come!
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest was to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform ... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law.
I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop.
A Constitutional Convention - this is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come. And, with the advent of modern communication, the process can be moved along with incredible speed. There is talk out there that the "government" doesn't care what the people think. That is irrelevant. It is incumbent on the population to address elected officials to the wrongs afflicted against the populace...you and me. Think about this...
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
I'm asking each addressee to forward this Email to a minimum of twenty people on their Address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ."
It Isn’t Insider Trading When Your Senator Does It - Members of the US Congress and their staff have access to inside information, and some have made suspiciously well-timed investments. Why don't insider trading laws apply to them, and what can be done about it?
Governors of 35 states have already filed suit against the Federal Government for imposing unlawful burdens upon them. It only takes 38 (of the 50) States to convene a Constitutional Convention.
This will take less than thirty seconds to read. If you agree, please pass it on.
An idea whose time has come!
For too long we have been too complacent about the workings of Congress. Many citizens had no idea that members of Congress could retire with the same pay after only one term, that they specifically exempted themselves from many of the laws they have passed (such as being exempt from any fear of prosecution for sexual harassment) while ordinary citizens must live under those laws. The latest was to exempt themselves from the Healthcare Reform ... in all of its forms. Somehow, that doesn't seem logical. We do not have an elite that is above the law.
I truly don't care if they are Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent or whatever. The self-serving must stop.
A Constitutional Convention - this is a good way to do that. It is an idea whose time has come. And, with the advent of modern communication, the process can be moved along with incredible speed. There is talk out there that the "government" doesn't care what the people think. That is irrelevant. It is incumbent on the population to address elected officials to the wrongs afflicted against the populace...you and me. Think about this...
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.
I'm asking each addressee to forward this Email to a minimum of twenty people on their Address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ."
It Isn’t Insider Trading When Your Senator Does It - Members of the US Congress and their staff have access to inside information, and some have made suspiciously well-timed investments. Why don't insider trading laws apply to them, and what can be done about it?
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Eating Walnuts Helps Reduce Stress
The Gates Foundation Invests Millions In Monsanto
http://www.care2.com/causes/real-food/blog/gates-invests-millions-in-monsanto/
Blackwater, through Total Intelligence [also owned by Blackwater's founder, Erik Prince], seeks to become the "intel arm" of Monsanto and infiltrate activist groups organizing against Monsanto]
MONSANTO BOUGHT BLACKWATER!!!
Monsanto did NOT buy Blackwater. It was just a giant game of translation party that got blown up by the internet.
Blackwater, through Total Intelligence [also owned by Blackwater's founder, Erik Prince], seeks to become the "intel arm" of Monsanto and infiltrate activist groups organizing against Monsanto]
MONSANTO BOUGHT BLACKWATER!!!
Monsanto did NOT buy Blackwater. It was just a giant game of translation party that got blown up by the internet.
Near Death Experience
"io9 has a scary outline of five times the US came close to accidental nuclear disasters.
http://io9.com/5664390/5-times-we-almost-nuked-ourselves-by-accident
Quoting: 'In August of 1950, ten B-29 Superfortress bombers took off from what was then called Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base in California, headed for Guam. Each was carrying a Mark IV atom bomb, which was about twice as powerful as the bombs dropped on Japan at the end of World War II. Shortly after takeoff, one of the B-29s had engine trouble. On board was General Robert Travis. He commanded the plane to turn back to the base when the landing gear refused to retract. Sensing the plane was going down, the pilot tried to avoid some base housing before crashing at the northwest corner of the base. The initial impact killed 12 of the 20 people aboard, including General Travis. The resulting fire eventually detonated the 5,000 pounds of conventional explosives that were part of the Mark IV. That massive explosion killed seven people on the ground. Had the bomb been armed with its fissile capsule, the immediate death toll may have reached six figures."
http://io9.com/5664390/5-times-we-almost-nuked-ourselves-by-accident
Quoting: 'In August of 1950, ten B-29 Superfortress bombers took off from what was then called Fairfield-Suisun Air Force Base in California, headed for Guam. Each was carrying a Mark IV atom bomb, which was about twice as powerful as the bombs dropped on Japan at the end of World War II. Shortly after takeoff, one of the B-29s had engine trouble. On board was General Robert Travis. He commanded the plane to turn back to the base when the landing gear refused to retract. Sensing the plane was going down, the pilot tried to avoid some base housing before crashing at the northwest corner of the base. The initial impact killed 12 of the 20 people aboard, including General Travis. The resulting fire eventually detonated the 5,000 pounds of conventional explosives that were part of the Mark IV. That massive explosion killed seven people on the ground. Had the bomb been armed with its fissile capsule, the immediate death toll may have reached six figures."
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