Is there Mixture in the body?

By Patnac - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1023571(1)

 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  (2 Cor 6:16)

                         I am about to share some very important facts about communion. At the risk of being called a legalist, I want to sound the alarm. There is mixture in the body especially in the celebration of communion. If you are a Pastor of a church, this is for you. The round communion wafer which came from the Catholic church has its roots in Paganism. Now, hear my heart, I realize that there are many Catholic brethren who are, truly, born again and love Jesus. I, also, realize that tradition and error are in every church in some measure or another, but this theme is so serious that I needed to share what the Lord placed in my heart. 

                       Idolatry has crept into the body of Christ. Every Sunday, we celebrate the communion elements with a round wafer. This is wrong and I will share some main points with you about this. First, it is, clearly, written that when Jesus celebrated communion with his disciples, he broke the bread-

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.  (I Cor 11:23-24)

                It is written that he broke the bread, the round wafer is not broken so that is the first point. Second, communion was celebrated with unleavened bread (2). A wafer is not bread. The round wafer dates back from Babylonian times in which they worshiped the sun God. Thru time and cultures, there was more added to the round wafer. Some cultures in the past believed that eating the round wafer(Called cakes in the Bible--Jer 7:17-19, Ezekiel 8: 15-17, Jer 44:16-19 ) gave them the God power of the Sun. Even now, some churches, believes that the round wafer and the cup turns, literally, in the blood and body of Christ.
                 
                 Folks, we need to get back to the Jewish roots. Communion should not be perverted with mixture. Some may say it makes no difference but think about this---this wafer which some churches celebrate communion with, has Babylonian roots!  Would the Lord accept this as the new covenant? I believe that not only would he reject it but it would open the door for Satanic attacks upon us and our families.

                Again, I know that this is, not, a popular subject but consider this--When eating food, there are some items that I, personally, don't care about but eat them anyway because they are good for you....i.e. carrots. This may be food that you may not care about but is good for you. It may,even, increase our blessing a hundredfold. Let's serve God and get mixture out of our life, today. God bless. 

(1) Author does not necessarily agree nor endorse this message.
(2) Unleavened bread---https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matzo#/media/File:3matzot.jpg

The Original Rocky!

   

                               
                          Image courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net


And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matt 16:18)

              For this Bible study, let's focus on Peter. His original name was Simon but Jesus changed his name. Why? Because he wanted to speak some things into existence in Simon's life. Up to now, Peter was shaky in his faith. He was a tough guy, no doubt about it. Fishermen in those days were a tough breed, braving storms and going days without sleeping trying to catch fish but Jesus wanted to speak spiritual strength and firmness in Simon's life. 

          The name Peter means "Petros" or a Stone. Some theologians believe  that it may have included the name Rocky. Whether this is true or not, I like to think of Peter as the original Rocky. Think about it, Peter had a quick temper and was a tough guy. He was the first to try to walk on water but he failed. He got rebuked by Jesus by talking without thinking. He, even, denied Jesus, backslid and went back fishing, but Jesus did not give up on him.

           Thank God for grace. When Jesus rose from the dead, he went after Peter. He did not give up on him. Look at the words that he spoke to him below as he ministered to him---

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. (Luke 22:31-32)

Notice something peculiar? He called him Simon. Why? Because he forgotten that he was Peter(Rocky). He was allowing his flesh to control him that is why Jesus called him Simon. Jesus wanted him to recognize his present situation. Peter, also, had a hard time forgiving himself for having denied Jesus. Therefore, he was not working in love. The word says faith worketh by love. (Gal 5:6)

Not working in love towards yourself or others can hinder your faith. I have talked to many Christians who are beating themselves over a sin that they have confessed. They have had a hard time forgiving themselves. One point to remember is that Peter wept bitterly. (Luke 22:62) Thank God for grace! Thank God for the love of God. Jesus had told him that his faith was not going to fail. There was healing of a broken heart, restoration and conversion. Hallelujah! God is a good God. 

We, too, have a Rocky spirit. Let us learn from Peter's example that no matter how hard you have fallen, you can come back and move mountains with your faith. Instead of saying--"Yo', Adrian, I did it", We can say---I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. God bless.  

         

                    

Develop a Tree mentality!

                                                       
                                       A Palm tree near a beach (*)

The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;  (Psalms 92:12-14) (**)

                        Do you have a tree mentality? You should. As I read these verses, I did a research on the Palm and the Cedar tree of Lebanon. Both are unique in their characteristics and it speaks to us today. The Palm tree, when it is planted in the desert, it reaches deep into the ground for water. 

Did you know that in some places, the desert has water underneath? Parts of Israel were desert until the Jews came into the land.(Psalms 35:1-2 NIV) (1) They developed tremendous technology to irrigate the waters from the desert to transform it into an oasis. Likewise, when we are in a "desert", we can reach down deep into the Spirit-man and water ourselves with the joy of the Lord! As we do that, circumstances will change and we will see miracles happen. 

A  point to remember is that these trees (Cedar and Palm trees) in Psalms 92:12-14 were planted in the courts of the Lord. The word says to come into his courts with praise. (Ps 100:4) No matter how intense your testing may be---Praise him! He will turn your testing into a testimony. Now, let's look at the Cedar tree in Lebanon and it's characteristics. I want to emphasis two main points. First, it grows upward symbolizing spiritual growth. 

The second point is that it would last up to 1,000 years. Let's be real, unless we are living in the Millennium, we will not last 1,000 years. This symbolizes the legacy of our impact for Christ. What impact will you leave your loved ones, community or even your nation that will last 1,000 years? Folks, it is time to develop a tree mentality. Even our Lord Jesus is compared to a tree of life! So, bearing this in mind, let's apply these principles in our lives and move onto victory. God bless. 

(*) By Patrick Verdier, Free On Line Photos - Photo: http://www.folp.free.fr/Open.php?getTabSigIdeImg=1859Description: http://www.folp.free.fr/AddComment.php?getTabComIdeImg=1859, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68821 (Mr Verdier does not necessary support the contents of this blog.)
(**) Bible verses courtesy of www.biblegateway.com
(1) http://bibleanswerstodayblog.com/israel-makes-the-desert-fertile/ 

Interesting links---
(1) For a more detailed look at the Palm tree and Cedar of Lebanon,
check out this link. It contains great pictures and deeper thought....http://bit.ly/2c1v4vT
(2) Check out my latest book...http://www.prayerswithpower.com/
(3) http://literacybase.com/its-time-to-be-joyful/

Pastor's notes--A look at the priesthood of God.

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Rev 1:6)(1)


                                Greetings. I want to share with you about the priesthood and it's importance. While much can be said about Rev 1:6, I want to focus on two words---Kings and Priests. The word "King" denotes power and authority and we have been exposed to multitudes of teachings regarding this subject but not much on the "Priest" aspect. 

                       To understand the priesthood, let's look at the Old testament and the following verse below--

                 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.  (Exo 19:6)

                         If you read the Old testament accounts of Israel, they forsook their calling and God had to come up with Plan B--Raise up a priesthood out of the seed of Aaron. (Numbers 3:1-3) Sad state of affairs but what happened to Israel that disqualified them from being a nation of priests? Upon a careful study of the word priest, we find the answer.

 The Hebrew word for priest is Cohen. The root word means to draw nigh to serve. Please bear this in mind because when Israel had a choice to draw near to God, they drew back. They preferred Moses to speak to them (Exo 20:19) This little incident caused Israel to lose their calling and privilege of hearing God face to face. In return, God had to go to Plan B and raise up Aaron and his seed. Upon further study, the failure of Israel not drawing nigh to God caused them to get further away from him and get deeper into sin. 

Beloved, exercise your priesthood by drawing nigh to God. Serve him with praise and worship. Make it a point to hear from God and follow through with his instructions. You have the privilege of hearing from God and experiencing his presence. As you practice this, do not be surprised if you get addicted to his presence. It can be a life-altering experience that will bless you and your seed to come. God bless. 


(1) Verses courtesy of www.biblegateway.com
For more on the priesthood, check out this link....http://curiousandcozy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/high-priest-garments-gallery.jpg
Check out our facebook page---Word and grace. (The one with the world) 
https://www.facebook.com/wordandgrace56/?fref=ts
               

A wake up call.

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.(Ps 82:3-4)

                          Greetings. These scriptures spoke to me as I conducted my daily Bible study. As I meditated on this, God told me that we as a body, need to wake up. I want to focus on the needy. Every day, a baby's life is terminated. Every day, innocent blood is shed. A baby cannot talk nor express the pain involved in the abortion process. Folks, blood has a voice and when it is shed in cold blood, it cries for vengeance. (Gen 4:10) 

                           Recently, a bill was introduced to abort a baby at 9 months.(1) Can you grasp this? 9 months! I do not want to get political because I have, always, believed that the donkey nor the elephant will save America but the lamb. Nonetheless, the body needs to wake up and be united. Yes, the above scriptures talk about the poor, too but we cannot look at the government to meet those needs.

                       Please do not misunderstand me, thank God for the government stepping in to help with the needy, but where is the church in the midst of this? Working with a phone ministry, my heart aches when I hear people who are about to get their lights cut off. Mortgages overdue and cars about to be repossessed. I asked them about their churches helping out and,in some cases, the church turns them down.
                   Just like Joseph, who stepped up the plate and used his wisdom to save Egypt so should the church raise up with wisdom to help others. I remember as a baby Christian, I had no money to fix my car but I spoke faith to it declaring that it was going to be repaired. A year had passed by and no car. Friends would ask about the car and when I said God was going to provide, they would snicker and smile.

                            I would depend on others for rides to the church and it was a challenge but God,always, provided. While on a Bible study, the Lord touched the heart of the area Pastor to raise money to repair my car. Then, a Christian mechanic came to my aid and fixed the car--free of charge! After the good deed was done, the area Pastor told me to be a blessing and provide rides to the church. God is so good.

        The church needs to rise up and lift up their voices against injustices. We need to go to our war rooms and pray. Pray that the evil of abortion would be eradicated from this country. Pray that the church would rise up in wisdom to provide answers to the body's financial problems. Together in unity, we can do it. God bless.

Note--To those who are reading and enjoying my posts, I would like to hear from you. I would, gladly, share our ministry's vision and direction. Feel free to contact me especially if there has been any issues in ordering my book. God bless. 

(1) http://www.truthandaction.org/100-democratic-senators-vote-for-abortion-9-months-pregnancy/

Finances got you down? Discover how to pray for your finances.....http://amzn.to/1lyY2BX

                 

Is your church motivating you?

                         

                                                         Pray for your church and Pastor. (1)           

           Is your church motivating you for God? If you are not in a church, you should be. Scriptures commands us to not to forsake the church. (Heb 10:25) The word says that we are the army of the Lord. There is not such thing as an army of one. We need each other.

                         True, some have been hurt in the church. Others have seen the fire leave the church. We are living in strange and interesting times. A popular Christian leader who is well known in the body said that having a sex-change surgery is not sin. Folks, no doubt about it---deception is creeping in the church but that does not give us reason to not fellowship with one another. 

                        First, we need to realize that there is no such thing as a perfect church. Churches have flaws and, sometimes, we jump to conclusions and see a couple of faults and want to jump ship. Sometimes, we visit a church flowing with the anointing and we get some nice feelings by the Spirit but I can assure you, there are some flaws in the background. If your church has flaws and it is not major then stay. Pray and see how you can make a difference. Is your Pastor lukewarm and the fire has gone out from the church? Pray. Sometimes, we do not see behind the scenes. Maybe your Pastor may be going through a tough trial.

                       When you have a church in which the fire and anointing flows, you want more.Watching God move in his power can be addicting. David experienced it and wanted to bring it outside the sanctuary(Church) walls....

                 O God, thou art my God;early will I seek thee; my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.(PS 63:1-2) 

                       David was so motivated by his fellowship in the sanctuary that he sought God early.God was in his mind constantly and even though, he was in a dry place, he longed for the power to flow.Tests and trials may sap all faith and hope in God but when you go to church, you can get recharged. So, don't go through your tests and trials alone. Go fellowship with other like-minded brethren and get ready to turn it into your testimony and triumph. Praise God! 

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Peter%27s_Cathedral,_Adelaide#/media/File:StPeter_2179.jpg

Finances got you down? Discover how to pray for your finances.....http://amzn.to/1lyY2BX

Fear Not!

         

                               Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net


 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears (Psalms 34:4)

           Have you ever been so full of fear that you cannot think straight? Have you made poor choices only to find yourself in a worse situation? David did. Being persecuted and sought after like an animal, King Saul wanted to kill David. So, he went to the land of Gath to hide himself, which belonged to the Philistines. The Philistines were enemies of Israel and when they saw Israel's champion fleeing to their territory, they wanted to kill him. Talk about jumping from the pan to the fire--David situation was unique. 
         King Achish, who lived at Gath saw him and was persuaded by his officers to kill him. Scriptures says that David was afraid but he was one to think quick on his feet. He pretended to be crazy.(I Samuel 21:11-13) He was not concerned about what people would think of him. His life was on the line. His actions helped save his life and get a quick deliverance from the hands of King Achish. Psalms 34 was written after David's deliverance and he credited God with his rescue. (PS 34:4)
           Perhaps you made a bad decision in a business deal. Maybe you left your spouse thinking that it was better on the other side. Many who may be reading this may be out of God's will and gotten yourself into enemy territory. I got good news---God is merciful. He can get you out of any self-inflicted problem and get you the deliverance you need. Just like David was delivered out of the fear of King Achish, so he can deliver you. 
               Take some time to do some self examination in your life. If you are out of God's will, come back. God is merciful. Get yourself out of enemy territory and get back on track with God. He is a God of a second chance. God bless.