How God Changes the Hearts of People- The Apostle Peter...."

 

Who of us speaks with good intentions and yet when it comes down to it we find we have actions that do not match our expressed intentions? 

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Today Pastor Jim Ewing speaks about Peter. A man who had his laundry exposed to the world beyond his own life time upon this earth. All written down in our Bibles so anyone can know Peter's life. How humbling!

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His aggressiveness made Peter a natural spokesman for the twelve. Often, however, he spoke before he thought, and his words led to embarrassment.

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Most of us remember Peter for denying Christ three times during the night of Jesus' trial. Following his resurrection, Jesus took special care to rehabilitate Peter and assure him he was forgiven.  

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Peter the apostle is one of the most prominent characters in the Gospels, a rough and tumble man whose emotions often got him into trouble, and yet he was clearly one of the favorites of Jesus Christ, who loved him for his big heart. 

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 Jesus included Peter in his inner circle when he took Peter, James, and John into the house of Jairus, where Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead (Mark 5:35-43). Later, Peter was among those same disciples Jesus chose to witness the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). Those same three saw Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33-42). 

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 Peter was a fiercely loyal man. Like the other 11 apostles, he left his occupation to follow Jesus for three years, learning from him about the kingdom of heaven. Once he was filled with the Holy Spirit after Pentecost, Peter was a fearless missionary for Christ.

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How God Changes the Hearts of People- The Apostle Peter...."

Apostle Peter


And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And straightway they left their nets, and followed Him". 

 -Matthew 4:18-20. ....

Is there a more interesting disciple of the Savior than Peter?

 I've heard many humorous messages over the years spoken about him because of his propensity to 'put his foot into his mouth', to speak before thinking, and for his alternate bravery and cowardice in the face of danger.

 It appears that Peter was one tough dude.

 When Jesus called him, he left all- immediately- and followed Him. He was a bold talker, his loyalty to his Lord was unfeigned and strong, and I have no doubt that he'd walk up and punch a man in the face if the man had said anything less than good about Jesus.

 Some have wondered out loud why Jesus would choose such a tactless time bomb of a man to be His disciple. I think that Peter was a wonderful example of God's grace and power, as he eventually became perhaps the most important and influential disciple that Jesus had.....

Now, we all know of his bold affirmations of his love and loyalty to Jesus, of his being the first to declare Jesus' divinity ("Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God"), of his being rebuked by Jesus for suggesting that Jesus would not go to the cross, of his denial of his Lord in the face of persecution- but it's what happened after the Holy Spirit fell upon the disciples that we see a dramatic change in this wild man.

 He boldly proclaims to observers just what had happened to those in the upper room as God poured out His Spirit, he proudly testifies of Christ in the face and in the very midst of imprisonment and persecution- he is bold, sure- but no longer boastful, no longer trite, NO LONGER LIVING FROM HIS FLESH.

God had changed this man from a loud fraidycat to a man who eventually wrote two epistles dealing with standing for Christ IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION (1 Peter deals with persecution via enemies from without, 2 Peter addresses the reality of enemies from within the Body of Christ)...

Everybody is different, and God does not make 'cookie-cutter' Christians. Peter was not a GQ kind of guy. He was 'rough around the edges', to be sure. He was also somebody whom God's hand was upon mightily.

 God help me, I want to be a man like that!

En Agape,
Pastor Jim Ewing

Biblical Wisdom For The Word Wise

Every Christian Should Share The Gospel Message.

The only thing that you as a Christian can not do in Heaven is share the Gospel message with the unsaved. What you do down here on earth now matters for all eternity. I despise the damnable attitude that "not everyone can evangelize."  Every Christian can and should share their faith with others.

Luke 11:33
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

This is more then the so called "life style evangelism." This is proactive sharing of the Gospel. Actually going out and sharing with the unsaved. Have you ever done that?

James 5:20
Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Not only that but save someone for eternity. Jesus saves. Jesus came here on earth to make a way of salvation. It was important to the trinity. It should be important to you. More then building churches, more then meetings.

Jesus gave up His life on earth for our salvation.

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Matthew 18:14
Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

All of us 'Jesus People' got it. We knew how to share proactively with the unsaved. We were very good at sharing with others.

But today we are losing the youth in America.

We have to allow the Holy Spirit to take control of the Church if we want to win the youth for Christ in this generation.
"The study shows that 16- to 29-year-olds exhibit a greater degree of criticism toward Christianity than did previous generations when they were at the same stage of life. In fact, in just a decade, many of the Barna measures of the Christian image have shifted substantially downward, fueled in part by a growing sense of disengagement and disillusionment among young people. For instance, a decade ago the vast majority of Americans outside the Christian faith, including young people, felt favorably toward Christianity’s role in society. Currently, however, just 16% of non-Christians in their late teens and twenties said they have a "good impression" of Christianity."

http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrow&BarnaUpdateID=280

May the Holy Spirit convict us for thinking otherwise. We need to get out there and do the work of the Gospel. we need to witness. We have this truth and this incredible power of God backing us up and we are being passive and stagnant when it comes to spreading the Gospel. O but we give to others to do what we are to be doing. Truth be told, every one of those "others" live a better more profitable earthly life then you or I do. Everyone of them. Don't think so? Go look at your pastors home and at his job security that you provide him. Check out how well off his children and his children's children are doing.

Romans 10:15

And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!


1 Corinthians 9:14

Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:12

... Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:17

For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.

1 Corinthians 9:18

What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.

Proverbs 11:30

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Get that? Is Wise...

Christian Teacher Chuck Missler Speaking About UFO's And Life In Space

Chuck Missler used to teach from the pulpit of Calvary Chapel Of Costa Mesa California. Here are a few of his studies on a controversial topic that most Christian teachers stay clear of. Chuck, a Naval academy graduate and former Branch Chief of the Dept. of Guided Missiles, had a remarkable 30-year executive career. He served on the Board of Directors of 12 public companies and was CEO of 6 of them.
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The Truth Is Out There.
Fox Mulder
X-Files

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 Interesting related links out there, just for fun.
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The first civilian exposure of what NASA has always known:
The Secret NASA Transmissions
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Disinformation mixed with facts:
John Lear interview
in four parts

Jeremiah The Prophet

Watch Jeremiah- Entire movie in 1 part in Family | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

I trust this account of heaven because the Chinese children who had the visitation of visions had never heard of Jesus Christ.

Too Many Heavens: On Travelogues to the Great Beyond

Over the years I have seen a lot of books appear telling me of someones visit to heaven and what it was like for them. Here is an analysis of their reports and how they differ.

Here is the first book of some people who saw heaven that I ever read (Free on~line copy). I found it at a Catholic Bookstore in Costa Mesa California called "Sacred Heart Treasure House." The first Christian oriented book store that I Could find back in 1967, Christianity had not been commercialized yet.

The kids in the book were Chinese and had never heard of Jesus Christ so their accounts of heaven were more reliable it would seem.

Life Expectancy Of Ministries

Why do most places where God is manifesting Himself only last around ten years?

  I will do my best to explain my comprehension and understanding that I have acquired over my many years of observation.

And as always this is only a mere glimpse of this exhaustive topic that I favor as being a primary topic.

In my own Christian experience, since I was 17, I have seen various home "Bible studies" and Churches come and go over the years. Some of them shot up in numbers of people attending them faster then others.

If the Holy Spirit is manifested in anyone of them people hear about it and will want to attend. The general pattern is God shows up and the people hear about it and the fellowship or Church starts growing.

Lonnie Frisbee used to say, "Get under the spout where the glory comes out!"

They will last for around ten years or so. Then something happens and the Holy Spirit is no longer manifesting His presence like He did at first.

Why?

I recall a conversation that I had with Romain, the assistant pastor of Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, in 1973. During the course of the conversation he told me a story.

He said that a man had gone to heaven and was greeted by Peter at the pearly gates. Peter started to give him a tour of heaven. As they came to an area with a wall Peter started to talk softer in almost a whisper. The man asked him why he was whispering. Peter replied, "On the other side of this wall there are Calvary Chapel people, they think that they are the only ones here, I don't want to ruin it for them."

I got Romain's point.

When God is manifesting His presence in our midst we can get an attitude that somehow we are uniquely special and perhaps better then other Churches or fellowships etc. An attitude of elitism can set in. We can start thinking how right on we are and how off others are when compared to ourselves.

God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

James 4:6 –
 “God resists (stands against, opposes, hinders) the proud (arrogant,

smug), but gives grace (help, aid, assistance, ability) to the humble.”

1 Peter 5:5-6

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Where did pride originate?

Isaiah 14:12-17 – Pride originated with Lucifer, the devil. Five times he said, “I

will.”

The solution for pride.
 

Matthew 18:1-4 –
The disciples asked Jesus who would be greatest in the kingdom of

heaven. He called a child to Himself and said, “Whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

I have never seen a child filled with pride. I have never seen a child projecting prideful looks and attitude.

Nothing quenches the Holy Spirit like pride.
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God will leave and step over you to manifest elsewhere.
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Ever notice how the old work of God will always oppose the new work of God. When Shekinah Fellowship started the old place where God was noted to be manifesting spoke against it from their pulpit. I know because I was there and heard it with my own ears.
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God will always move on when pride sets in.
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When the Vineyard Association of Churches started in the early 80's the old work of God resisted them. This is the typical pattern that I have witnessed over the years.
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The point of this post is that if you want God to continue to manifest His presence in your midst you have to watch yourself and keep from getting proud and thinking that somehow your better and greater then others.
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Another thing that will abolish a growing fellowship or Church is teaching bad doctrine or false teachings. I know places where this has happened.
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The people of God read their Bibles and get instruction from the radio and TV as well as from their place of worship. Most of them have discernment and can sense or tell when something is off. They will leave and not come back.
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John 10:27

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

 John 10:5

 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

I have a good friend who recently killed off his own fellowship with false teaching. His growing fellowship reversed and shrunk when he brought in false teaching. He had been roped in by a false teacher of last days things and started to parrot those teachings and the sheep left his growing fellowship when he did this.

I can only hope that he wakes up and pays attention to this.

The sheep follow Jesus Christ and another they will not follow. My friend's congregation fled! It is always like this for God's sheep. 

But there are those who will ignore the inner voice of discernment and continue off in error to their own destruction.

If you want your fellowship to continue to grow, stick to the Bible and stay away from speculation. Keep the people from pride, teach them that it is God's grace that He is manifested in their midst and not because of anything that they are or do.

Fellowships and Churches will continue to grow and die. It is a pattern that repeats over and over again. Just look at how many fellowships and Churches pepper the land. They come and go over the years...spent denominations are everywhere!

To keep from ending up on the junk heap, teach the Word of God, not speculation. Teach your people about the grace of God. Give them Jesus Christ!

John 12:21

The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

It is not you or any other man that they want to see!

They want Jesus Christ.

 While we are still alive on this earth we are to lift up Jesus Christ to others.
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John 12:32

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

While at face value of context this verse of scripture primarily refers to the cross of Christ. But there are always streams of meaning behind scriptures.

The stream or principle I want to bring up is that when we here on the earth will lift up Jesus Christ before others, He will draw humankind to Himself.
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If you are not presenting Jesus Christ, the sheep will leave and go where He is being presented and lifted up. I will venture to guess that my good friend was not lifting up Jesus Christ and his sheep left.
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 Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Train the focus of your sheep upon Jesus Christ, He is who they want.

 Numbers 21:8

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live."
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Here is a type of this focus on Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. Moses is instructed to make a serpent and put it up on a pole for all to see. Anyone who had been bitten by the poisonous snakes was instructed to look up at the snake Moses had made and they would be healed. those who did not look up to the snake died of the snake bite.
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This is a type of Jesus Christ being lifted up before the people. See what happens when the people focused on the type of Jesus Christ?

 The people were complaining because of lack of bread and water, when the plague of fiery serpents came upon them. Their focus was not on Almighty God. The solution was to look to God, Jesus Christ.
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The point I want you to see is no matter what is wrong in your Churches or Fellowships they can be repaired by focusing the people upon Jesus Christ. Lift Jesus Christ up before the people. 

And Jesus Christ will draw everyone unto Himself.
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A very simple equation, so simple even a child can understand it. Violate the equation and your sheep will go elsewhere.
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My friend violated the equation to his own hurt...

Don't make the same mistake, give the people Jesus Christ, lift up Jesus Christ before them. They want Jesus Christ and Him alone for He is worthy!
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Revelation 4:11

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

 Revelation 5:9

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

 Revelation 5:12

Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

David Sloane

God Changes Hearts

So  is it intellectual assent or dynamic impact? What was the underlying reason or cause that changed people's hearts when they encountered Jesus Christ? Or was it entirely something else?

During the time of Jesus in the first century Israel, there were publicans and tax collectors who could coldly walk up to a man and tax him for what he was carrying, and much more. These tax collectors were hated and despised because they usually were fellow Jews who were working for Rome. How could a tax collectors heart be changed?

Pastor Jim shares how some hearts were changed in this very insightful message.

David Sloane

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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

Space suits and such...

"NASA, in collaboration with ILC and Philadelphia University, has designed three different cover layers for its new spacesuit prototype, Z-2. NASA will let the public decide which of the three designs will actually be built. Voting is open through April 15, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. 

Here are brief descriptions of the three designs: 'The "Biomimicry" design draws from an environment with many parallels to the harshness of space: the world's oceans. Mirroring the bioluminescent qualities of aquatic creatures found at incredible depths, and the scaly skin of fish and reptiles found across the globe, this design reflects the qualities that protect some of Earth's toughest creatures. ... 

"Technology" pays homage to spacesuit achievements of the past while incorporating subtle elements of the future. By using Luminex wire and light-emitting patches, this design puts a new spin on spacewalking standards such as ways to identify crew members. ... 

"Trends in Society" is based off of just that: being reflective of what every day clothes may look like in the not too distant future. This suit uses electroluminescent wire and a bright color scheme to mimic the appearance of sportswear and the emerging world of wearable technologies.'"

Ok...go to the Smithsonian and look at the space capsule that supposedly landed on the moon. Check out the very small door opening of it and please tell me how a full grown man in a space suit with a hugh square box air conditioner on his back came through that opening.

Then tell me how the thin fabric of the space astronauts suits protected them d=from the intense hot and cold of space and the intense radiation of space?

Air conditioners can not work in a vacuum. On Earth, air is warmed and cooled by convection and conduction, or collisions between individual air molecules and the circulation of air. In space, heating and cooling occur only by way of radiation – objects are warmed by solar rays warm and cool off by emitting infrared energy. 

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 "After a furious bidding war in Vienna on Saturday, a Japanese camera collector has bought a Hasselblad camera for $910,000 in a record-setting auction of what's been widely called the 'only camera to come back from the moon.' But contrary to claims repeated across the Internet on Monday, this isn't the only camera to come back from the moon. 

In fact, some think it may have never landed on the moon at all. And because of rules surrounding most NASA property, its sale may actually violate U.S. law. One thing we know: the 70mm Hasselblad 500 is one of fourteen cutting-edge cameras that astronauts used in orbit around the moon and on the lunar surface during the Apollo program.

 All of the images we have from those moon missions were taken by these machines, which were either mounted inside the command module that circled the moon or were attached to space suits at the chest. This particular camera was, reports the Verge, among many other sources, 'used on the moon during the Apollo 15 mission in 1971,' and 'is special in the fact that it's returned to Earth.' That's because astronauts were often instructed to jettison their cameras on the lunar surface in order to save precious kilograms during the return trip."

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Just so you know...
 
"The U.S. government will treat Bitcoin as property for tax purposes, applying rules it uses to govern stocks and barter transactions, the Internal Revenue Service said in its first substantive ruling on the issue. Today's IRS guidance will provide certainty for investors, along with potential income-tax liability.

 Under the ruling, purchasing a $2 cup of coffee with Bitcoins bought for $1 would trigger $1 in capital gains for the coffee drinker and $2 of income for the coffee shop. ... Under the IRS ruling, Bitcoin investors would be treated like stock investors. Bitcoins held for more than a year and then sold would pay the lower tax rates applicable to capital gains — a maximum of 23.8 percent compared with the 43.4 percent top rate on property sold within a year of purchase.

 For investors with losses, U.S. tax law allows taxpayers to subtract capital losses from any capital gains. They can also subtract up to $3,000 of capital losses a year from ordinary income.'"

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From the NSA sucks file...
 
"Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter defended the disclosures by fugitive NSA contractor Edward Snowden on Monday, saying revelations that U.S. intelligence agencies were collecting meta-data of Americans' phone calls and e-mails have been 'probably constructive in the long run.' 'I think it's wrong,' President Carter said of the NSA program. 'I think it's an intrusion on one of the basic human rights of Americans, is to have some degree of privacy if we don't want other people to read what we communicate.'"

 It's important to note that Carter doesn't believe Snowden should necessarily get a pass for his actions. Carter said, "I think it's inevitable that he should be prosecuted and I think he would be prosecuted, [if he comes back to the U.S.] But I don't think he ought to be executed as a traitor or any kind of extreme punishment like that." Nevertheless, Carter thinks NSA surveillance has gotten out of control. "We've gone a long way down the road of violating Americans' basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned."

He added, "For the last two or three years, when I want to write a highly personal letter to a foreign leader, or even some American leaders, I hand-write it and mail it, because I feel that my telephone calls and my email are being monitored, and there are some things I just don’t want anybody to know except me and my wife."

***

 http://www.cancersquad.com/2011/05/forks-over-knives-must-see-film.html
 
TIL there is a religion called Christian atheism. Practitioners believe in essentially the same things as traditional Christians except that the Bible is completely metaphorical and that God and/or Jesus is an allegory for human morality rather than a real being.

Turkey has invaded Syria!

Whenever women say they hate men and they'd be happy with never being in a relationship.

 Anybody got a jack?

 http://imgur.com/7HnXg14

Oh ya...

Source of drinking water for many...
Malfunction at a BP refinery sends oil into Lake Michigan

Wanna watch excellent documentaries for free?

I agree!
Poll: 78% of Americans favor proof of citizenship before being allowed to vote

Who is Jesus?

“Who do you say that I am?”

Jesus Christ once asked, “Who do you say that I am?”

Have you ever thought about who your fellowship or church says Jesus is? Have you actually explored the different iterations that come from churches. Have you ever given thought to who the Jesus you think you know is. What is the Jesus you hold in your mind and heart like?

My Jesus performed miracles. Does yours?

My Jesus performed miracles in which humans were healed of diseases and physical maladies. Two blind men were healed, a paralyzed man was cured, a leper was cleansed, a woman was healed with a long term hemorrhage of blood.

My Jesus performed miracles over nature. He walked on the sea and He stilled a storm. He cursed a fig tree, causing it to wither.

My Jesus performed miracles over things and objects. He fed the five thousand and He changed the water into wine. He summoned a fish with a coin in it’s mouth.

My Jesus performed miracles in which those who were dead arose. His power conquered death itself.

My Jesus expelled evil spirits and demons out of humans who were tormented or insane.

Greatest of all, my Jesus forgives sin. He forgave a known thief on the cross, a woman taken in adultery. Many was the time that my Jesus healed and uttered the phrase, “Your sins are forgiven.” This is more amazing than the miracle He performed.

What was the effect on humans who saw these miracles? Were their lives changed in any way for having witnessed a miracle, even though that miracle was not performed directly on them?

What is the effect of Jesus’ miracles on us, on each of us as contemporary Christians who hear and seek to respond to his question, “Who do you say that I am?”

Some humans have a Jesus who does not perform miracles. Would Jesus still be Jesus the Christ if He had not performed any miracles? Do you still believe in miracles? Can your Jesus perform miracles today?

A miracle is not the momentary event; it is the miracle’s long range effect on humans. Jesus performed His miracles to say something to humans about the relationship between God and God’s people. He performed miracles out of His love and His empathy with those who suffered. Miracles were and are part of Jesus calling and ministry.

Luke 4:18-19
18The 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 brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

“Lazarus, come out.”
John 11:43

These words originally rang out in a quiet cemetery, in the midst of a small group of humans in grief over the loss of a loved one. The words back then were directed towards a small cave, a cave from which a sealing stone had just been removed, a cave where the body of Lazarus had been placed four days earlier.

The words rang out from this Jesus, my Jesus, despite the warning from the dead man’s sister that the forces of decomposition would already be at work and that the stench from the cave would be overpowering.

The words rang out, and a figure of a man bound in grave clothes emerged from the depths of the dark cave. It was Lazarus the man who had been dead. He walked out of the tomb, fully alive. Then Jesus said, “Unbind him and let him go.”

Lazarus was not the only person Jesus raised from the dead. On at least two other occasions He had only touched those who were dead and fully restored their life.

“Lazarus, come out.”

Place your own name their and close your eyes as you hear my Jesus. Hear His strong voice ring out your name. My Jesus who overcame death, calls out your name. He calls out to you in that darkened cave that you have been placed. That cave that can not hold you. That obstacle in your life that has been holding you. Illness, poverty, demon possession, that seem all so permanent in some ways. All arenas that Jesus, Almighty God, is in control of.

Jesus performed amazing miracles. Now you hear His voice saying to your circumstances, “Unbind him, let him go. Unbind her, let her go.”

God of love and mercy sets you, the captive free. Praise Him. Lift up your hands and give praise to Him. Worship Him!

You have been restored…“Who do you say that I am?” asks my Jesus.

David Sloane

Shepherding The Sheep

So many times I turn on my radio to hear teaching from my local Christian radio

station while driving, only to turn it off with in a few minutes. Why?

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Because invariably the man teaching is essentially beating up on the sheep. The whole tone of his message is negative and really robs the listener of hope and joy. I wonder to myself, if anyone who is a non Christian were to hear their message would they be driven away from accepting Christ and the Christian life?

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Today's teaching by pastor Jim Ewing shines the spot light on this mistreatment of God's people. 

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Leadership From God's Perspective

John 3:16 - 18

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

I'd like to emphasize here and now that for the Christian, the issue of forgiveness is forever settled ...

Christ settled it on the cross, and His resurrection from the dead guarantees our own resurrection unto life eternal. Condemnation therefore is not an issue with the genuine believer. But what about the discipline of the Lord?

I believe that there is some confusion nowadays concerning His rebuking of His own. There is something presently existing in the Church today concerning the chastisement of God that I believe flies in the face of His own intention. We must always remember that God LOVED His fallen creation, and didn't stop loving us when we fell. He gave us His Son to not only take away our sins, but also raised Him from the dead, so that we could have eternal life! Christ's resurrection guarantees our own...

The thing that is so missing in today's Church is the RESTORATIVE aspect of the Lord's rebuking of His children. There is always a divine purpose in Godly rebuke. It is never to bury us in our own guilt- just imagine how easy that would be for Him to do if He didn't love us with an everlasting love!- but rather, God's chastisement always has in mind the intention of bringing us OUT of our present defeated condition, and- here it is... restoring us in PRACTICE what is already POSITIONALLY ours!

You might never know this from some who might want to use their 'authority' to CONTROL those whom God has placed under their care. This must be addressed and corrected immediately! Those whom God has placed in authority over us in a pastoral or leadership sense, have the God-given responsibility to lead us in the way of godliness and righteousness- never for their own ends, never to lord it over a person or group of people, or to further his own agenda, but always for encouraging the sheep entrusted under his care to follow the Savior with all of their hearts.

 Coercion and intimidation are never God's way, and anything or anybody that would steer you away from seeking the Lord FOR YOURSELF through prayer, reading His word, and worshiping Him and Him only, should be avoided.

Again- God does and will rebuke and chastise His own:

 Proverbs 3:11 & 12- "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of His correction; For whom the Lord loveth He correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." 

 and Hebrews 12: 7 & 8 "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then ye are bastards, and not sons."

Do you see the restorative nature in God's discipline? It is always done in love, it is always for our highest good. Why?


Because He loves us with an everlasting love! Beloved, do not ever let condemnation- regardless of the source- grab a hold of you- in any manner shape, or form... You, Christian, are His joy, and His shining pride- Never forget that!

En Agape, pastor Jim

What Do You Give Them?

 Lately there has been a subtle campaign in the media to get everyone to "Give Back."

What this means exactly we have not a clue.

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 Give back to whom? Why must we give back? And what are we giving back that we have apparently taken from them? 

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 Here in this teaching pastor Jim Ewing has a great answer to the question, "What do we give them?"

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Laymen and preachers both alike will appreciate this short and powerful message that gives us the keys to a more effective impact upon our giving to others. 

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David Sloane

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We Must Give Them Jesus

  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."
 John 3: 16 & 17

We as believers have read this portion of scripture so many times that it can become old to us if we let it. I pray that as you read it here, God will make it fresh and new and powerful in your own heart- that is so important, because unless we see the true condition of the world, we will never really feel a passion for the lost the way God wants us to.

 Whosoever believeth in Him should not PERISH- We've always got to keep in mind that those without Christ are lost- forever lost. And there's simply no other way that they can have eternal life than the genuine gospel of Christ.

I'll get to the important word 'genuine' in just a moment, because that is actually what I'm writing about now, but I love the way that a young Billy Graham put it as I watched an old video of him a few years ago, concerning the gospel. "If God had to send His precious Son to a cross to die for your sins and mine, then you can take it to the bank- you're not getting to heaven by any other means than that cross!"

So powerful, yet so simple- or is it? Well, it was certainly meant to be, but I ask you- when was the last time you heard the simple gospel preached in the power of the Holy Spirit?

 When lost people hear preachers of today, do they understand that they are in fact eternally lost and without any hope at all, save for the cross of Christ? Do they hear that without Christ's resurrection, there is no hope of eternal life?

I am very, very concerned that those without Christ and yet searching for the truth, are sometimes hearing a weak, cheap counterfeit 'version' of God's Word. I've dealt with this in previous writings, but I have yet another concern- even when we hear the preaching of God's Word, it so often seems to have become more of an intellectual treatise than the impartation of life by the Holy Spirit.

 You can know Jesus like you know George Washington, in a historical sense- and many seem to know Him about as intimately. That kind of knowledge will not save anybody- it's simply a recollection of words and facts.

 Let me repeat the question, "When was the last time you heard the simple gospel, the GENUINE gospel preached in the power of the Holy Spirit?"

It is a life-changing experience, and once you've known it, you could never go back to the lifeless, 'textbook' stuff that so many preach today. To those who preach the Word on a regular basis, I plead with you- We've got to give them Jesus!

 We've got to give lost people the Bread of Life- as He is, not as we would have Him. Are we so dependent on the Holy Spirit that we pray before preaching, "God, please, please be here! Please get ME out of the way, so that they may hear YOUR words, not mine! That they would receive from YOUR Spirit, not my clever ideas or my excellent exposition of Your Word- God, please!

 That is what God wants to hear, and He WILL answer that prayer with great delight! Are we giving them Jesus? They are eternally lost without Him. Real preparation begins on our knees, long before we ever open a book. Look to Him, lean on Him, and He will go with you as you share Him with others!

God bless you with His Presence!

En Agape,
pastor Jim

Do You?

We Believe

1. We believe that there is one living and true GOD, eternally existing in three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, equal in power and glory; that this triune God created all, upholds all, and governs all things. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; Hebrews 9:14)

2. We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, fully inspired without error in the original manuscripts, and the infallible rule of faith and practice. The Word of God is the foundation upon which this church operates and is the basis for which this church is governed. We believe that the Word of God supersedes any earthly law that is contrary to the Holy Scriptures. (Isaiah 28:13; Nehemiah 8:8; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:21)

3. We believe in the person of God the Father, an Infinite, personal Spirit, perfect in holiness, wisdom, power and love; that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men; that He hears and answers prayer; and that He saves from sin and death all those who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:27; John 4:24; 1 Timothy 1:17; Titus 1:3)

4. We believe in the person of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles and teachings, his substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension into heaven, perpetual intercession for His people and personal, visible return to earth. (Isaiah 7:14; Micah 5:2; Matthew 1:23; Mark 16:19; Luke 1:34-35; John 1:1-2; John 8:58; John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 1:2; Revelation 1:8)

5. We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, Who came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify and empower for ministry all who believe in Christ; (Acts 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:18; John 16:8-11; Romans 15:13,16; Hebrews 9:14)

6. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is an abiding helper, teacher, and guide. (John 14:16-17, 16:8-11)

7. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit and in the exercise of all Biblical gifts of the Spirit. (1 Corinthians 14)

8. We believe that all people are sinners by nature and, therefore, are under condemnation; that God regenerates based upon faith by the Holy Spirit, those who repent of their sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. (Acts 8:15-17; Titus 3:5)

9. We believe in the universal church, the living spiritual body, of which Christ is the head and all who are born again are members. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 4:15-16)
10. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ committed two ordinances to the church: (a) full immersion water baptism, and (b) the Lord's Supper. (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

11. We believe also in the laying on of hands for the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the ordination of pastors, elders, and deacons, and for the receiving of the perpetuity of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 6:6, 8:17; 1 Timothy 4:14)

13. We believe in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ which is His personal, visible return to earth and the establishment of His millennial kingdom, in the resurrection of the body, the final judgment and eternal blessing of the righteous and endless suffering of the wicked. (Matthew 16:27; Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16, 20: 11-15)

14. We believe in what is termed "the apostles' creed" as embodying the fundamental facts of the Christian faith.

15. We believe in a literal Heaven and a literal Hell and that all those who place their faith, hope and trust in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in Heaven with the Lord, while those who reject Jesus’ free gift of salvation will spend eternity separated from the Lord in Hell. (Matthew 5:3, 25:31-34; Hebrews 12:23; 1 Peter 1:4; Psalm 9:17; Matthew 5:22, 18:9; Luke 12:5)

16. We believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church where all believers will meet the Lord in the air and be taken out of this world prior to the Tribulation that will come upon the earth. (Matthew 24:29-31; Luke 21:36; Romans 1:18, 5:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; 2 Peter 2:7-9; Revelation 5:7-10, 7:13-14

Mulder's World:

Once upon a time, the only contrails in the sky were thin lines, high in the air, that quickly disappeared.

 These contrails form when the warm vapor trail produced by airplane engines meets the cold air found at high altitudes, over 30,000 feet. Since the early 1990s, a different type of vapor trail has become commonplace in the US, Canada, England, and Spain.

And now globally.

These chemtrails, originally reportedly emitted from unmarked air force tankers, typically create varying patterns of Xs, grids, and parallel lines.

 They look like regular contrails at first but quickly expand in width instead of disappearing.

 Eventually, they spread across the sky, forming a thin, white veil or 'fake cirrus-type cloud' that remains for hours. … Solar Radiation Management proposes to reflect a portion of the sun's radiation back into space.

Commercial airliners have now been equipped to spray chemtrails by satellite signals controlling the process.

 http://climateviewer.com/geoengineering-weather-control.html

 Conspiracy Fact:  the Department of Defense first published “Chemtrails” in 1990 as the title to a (Oxford dictionary)  Download your PDF copy of “Chemtrails“

required chemistry course for new pilots attending the esteemed US Air Force Academy.

The term “chemtrails”, and its implied meaning was eventually adopted by civilian observers to describe unusual jet contrail emissions.

 http://skywatchmap.org/

Our Skies Are Changing

http://chemtrails.cc/

“Chemtrails Are Happening All Over The World”

 http://awakenvideo.org/2014/01/blantant-haarp-frequencies/
 (Video) TTA's are Tesla Tec Arrays

The Undisclosed Purpose of CHEMTRAILS from eloise hess on Vimeo.

Thursday sprinks

Ya...ain't God great dudes! He did that.

"Using a single pollinated pine seed, researchers have sequenced the entire genome of the loblolly pine tree--and it's a doozy. The tree's genome is largest yet sequenced: 22.18 billion base pairs, more than seven times longer than the human genome. The team found that 82% of the genome was made up of duplicated segments, compared with just 25% in humans. The researchers also identified genes responsible for important traits such as disease resistance, wood formation, and stress response."

 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God himself has made it plain to them.

 Romans 1:19

Jesus Christ made the Loblolly pine tree and everything.

 Colossians 1:16
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.

John 1:3
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:10 
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

 The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the simplest worm.

This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ. (John 1:1-5)

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"Two University of Southern California grads were looking to start a digital content company so they decided to roll the dice and create a home-made (but incredibly professional looking) television commercial for Tesla — just to see if they could get some attention for it. Well, apparently, mission accomplished. R.J. Collins and James Khabushani took $1,500 and created a 60-second Tesla 'faux-mercial' dubbed 'Modern Spaceship' that is well, pretty good. Elon Musk noticed, tweeted it and has helped the thing go viral."

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 World's Strongest Men Are Descendents Of The Vikings 

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Thursday Tea

"A newly described dinosaur might look like a chicken, but don't be fooled: It was nearly 4 meters long, weighed about 250 kilograms, and lived 66 million years ago in what is today the Hell Creek rock formation in North and South Dakota. That's why its discoverers are calling it the 'chicken from hell,' and indeed it was related to early birds and to feathered, birdlike dinos that brooded over their nests, such as Oviraptor. The creature had a toothless beak, sharp claws, and a tall crest on top of its head. It is the largest Oviraptor-like dinosaur found in North America."

***

"Skipping a good night's sleep can cause brain damage according to a new study. From the article: 'Are you a truck driver or shift worker planning to catch up on some sleep this weekend? Cramming in extra hours of shut-eye may not make up for those lost pulling all-nighters, new research indicates. The damage may already be done — brain damage, that is, said neuroscientist Sigrid Veasey from the University of Pennsylvania. The widely held idea that you can pay back a sizeable "sleep debt" with long naps later on seems to be a myth, she said in a study published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience. Long-term sleep deprivation saps the brain of power even after days of recovery sleep, Veasey said. And that could be a sign of lasting brain injury.'"

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 The Contractors Who Go Where Governments And Armies Can’t Or Won’t 

 A lone tree stands among the mysterious Fairy Circles of Namibia - [2600x1741]

Fairy circles are circular barren patches of land, typically found in the grasslands of the western part of Southern Africa. They are most prolific in Namibia, but are also present in Angola and South Africa. Their diameters vary between 2 and 15 metres. Evidence suggests that the sand termite Psammotermes allocerus is responsible for their creation.
Mysterious Fairy Circles Are ‘Alive’ - From Wired.com
Fairy circle - Wikipedia
Image Source

 Tech Giants Knew About Prism All Along, the NSA's Top Lawyer Says

  TIL the US Pledge of Allegiance was conceived by a magazine to sell American flags to public schools

 BP wins new US oil contracts four years after Deepwater Horizon disaster - wins 24 bids to begin exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, just days after authorities lifted a year-long ban

 Insects living in wetland grasses along Louisiana's coast oiled in the aftermath of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster are still dying, a result of exposure to remaining oil in the marsh almost four years later, according to a Louisiana State University entomologist.

 As a waitress on the Bible belt, there isn't a day that this isn't a problem.

 The biggest known rigid object that can be maneuvered through an L-shaped corner.
So now you know...

Obedience 1

Obedience

Obedience, above Sacrifice

 I feel compelled to begin a study on obedience in what the Lord calls us to do. Also with a special emphasis on being holy and pure, as He is Holy. Let’s start with scripture. (Always a good place to begin) I Samuel 15 Verse 1 :

 " Samuel said to Saul. ‘I am the one the Lord sent to annoint you king over His people Israel: so listen now to the message from the LORD’.

 Samuel tells Saul, that he better listen up, because the Lord has an important message and instructions for him. Now if an undisputed prophet from the Lord came to you and told you that he had a message from the Almighty God specifically for you, you would be jotting down notes and breaking out the tape recorder!

 Verse 2: 
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did to Israel when they waylaid them as they came up from Egypt. 3) Now go, attack the Amalekites and totally destroy everything that belongs to them. Do not spare them, put to death men, and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.’

 Let’s take a look at what the Amalekites did to tick the Lord off.
 Exodus 17: 8-14 While the Israelites had just escaped Egypt, the Amalekites sent an army of men to attack the Israelites. Joshua chose some men and went out to fight them. As long as Moses held up his arms, the Israelites were winning, but if he lowered his arms, the Amalekites were winning.

 You remember the story, he had Aaron and Hur stand beside him, holding up his arms, and Israel was victorious.

 Verse 14:
 "Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven’.

 Verse 15:
 Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is My Banner. He said, "For hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord, The Lord will be at war against the Amalekites from generation to generation. Also in Deuteronomy 25: 17-18 we get a clearer picture of what the Lord promised to Moses, and what he intended to do about it.

 "Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and cut off all who were lagging behind; They had no fear of GOD."

 And here is the prophesy that is to be fulfilled in Samuel 15…verse 19:

 "When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to posses as an inheritance, you shall blot out the memory of Amalek from under the heaven. Do not forget!"

 Okay, back to Samuel 15. Verses 4 – 9…
Saul gathers up an army of men and goes to attack the Amalekites. But he did not follow the Lords instructions to a tee. He took the King of the Amalekites , Agag, alive. He killed everyone else, but spared the best of the sheep and cattle and lambs, everything that was good, he kept. God told him to destroy everything!

 He specifically told him to kill all the cattle etc. But I’m sure Saul, when he saw all those beefy looking animals, was thinking what a waste it would be to destroy perfectly good sheep and cattle. How many times do we reason our way out of obedience? We can use logic to talk our way into just being half obedient.

 To be continued….