Communion and the Corona Virus.

Corona Virus! The word strikes fear in the general population. Many deaths are being reported. Bad news is rampant in the news but I have good news---God has a solution. Join us in the video below and see how communion can heal and even protect you from the virus. One thing I need to clarify----Doctors and medicine are good to have and combined with prayer can help in getting you healed, but when all hope is gone...God has good news! As you listen to how communion can help you, you will want to break bread with the Lord on a daily basis. God bless.

Pastor's post---03/05/2015

                     
                                                

                           Courtesy of www.kosherstock.com-Matzo cracker


                           A look at communion--Part II

                  In our last study, we saw how the some of the disciples of Jesus misunderstood the message of communion. Many were offended when he spoke of eating his flesh and drinking his blood but Jesus was making a point. He was breaking them out of their traditions and religion to bring them to a higher place in God. Many times, we miss the true meaning of communion with the Pastor saying a few scriptures. Afterwards, we drink the grape juice and cracker and then go on our way.
                 The word says to do this in remembrance of me(Jesus). We see it as salvation for our spirits. We see the juice symbolic of his blood shed on the cross but that is as far as we go. We need to see the whole picture. Years ago, when I went to a Baptist church, this minister prior to having the church take communion issued some warnings. He said that communion was only for the saved. In that service, he warned the unsaved and those who were sinning, not to partake of the communion elements. How many times have you heard that warning being issued? ( I Cor 11:27-28)  
                  We can read it from scriptures, but Pastors need to issue a solemn warning. If there is any who is not saved, to make it plain and to, also, issue an invitation to Salvation. Also, we need to examine ourselves--Is there strife in our hearts, unforgiveness, sin,etc?  We need to pause and take inventory through the Holy Spirit. Folks, this is very serious in God's eyes and not doing it properly can cause many to get sick, weak or die. ( I Cor 11: 30) We are renewing God's covenant!
                   Another beauty of communion is to encourage people to look at the broken body. That body represents healing. I, for one, like to celebrate communion with the Matzo cracker. Why, because I believe that is unleavened bread and it was the bread that Jesus used to celebrate communion. Another reason why I, personally, like to use it is that the marking on it represents the stripes that Jesus took for you and me. 
           Physical healing is a part of Salvation. The Greek word  includes Spiritual, physical and financial salvation. A case in point is James 5:15. It says to save the sick. Why? Because the physical healing in one's body is physical salvation. When celebrating communion, Pastors ought to encourage their flocks to receive healing in their bodies and emotions. It is included in communion. In my next post, I will have more on communion. God bless. 

Other helpful links---

http://wordandgrace.blogspot.com/2015/03/pastors-post-03042015.html

http://wordandgrace.blogspot.com/2013/06/some-thoughts-on-lamb-of-god-part-1.html


                   

Are you kingdom-minded?

                                            

                                  

                                  Picture courtesy of  freedigitalphotos.net


                                                       ARE YOU KINGDOM MINDED?

                      "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." (Matt 6:10)

                Greetings. In this devotional, that is the question we must ask ourselves---Are we kingdom-minded? The word tells us that we are kings and priests unto God. God has delegated his power unto us to be Kings/Queens over our circumstances and affairs of life. In fact, the word says that we are seated in heavenly places. We are destined to rule.

                In order to comprehend our position in Christ, we must be familiar with his will. First, let's remember that his word is his will. He speaks to us through the word. It amazes me how I hear many Christians saying-- I need a word. They go to church and say--- I need a word. They go to prophet so and so and say--- I need a word. If you have a Bible, God has a word for you. God is speaking to you 24/7. His word is a sure word of prophecy.Now having said that, let's start with the following verse below in order to learn how to become kingdom-minded. This gives us a glimpse of God's will....

 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he  heareth us" (I John 5:14)

                 Many will use this to justify the fact that God did not answer their prayer because it was not according to God's will, but if you read the next verse carefully, it brings it to a different light...

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that

we desired of him. (John 5:15)

           If you read this carefully, pay attention to the words heareth and hear. Now we know that God hears prayers when we pray according to his will. We can all agreed to that, but in verse 15, it says --and if we know that he hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions....That is expressing confidence. How do you know he heard you? First, we need to know his will. (Col 1:9)  You cannot express confidence if you don't know his will when you pray. 

           It is a shame that we play the game of chance with God. A que sera, sera. The word, clearly, states that we walk by faith and not by sight. We need to realize that even though the circumstances may say the contrary, they will have to bow down to the word of God. Let's use another verse to better understand God's will ( Matt 6:10) It says...Thy kingdom come, thy will be done!  God wants to bring his kingdom down to earth so that his will can be done. Is sickness in the kingdom of God? No. Is poverty in the kingdom of God? No. When we see the blessings of God on earth, we are having a taste of his kingdom. There were instances when Jesus told his disciples to say the kingdom has come unto you when performing the miracles of healing.(Luke 10:9) 

                     Another way to better understand this is through another verse. As we read this, one thing that stands out is that this was written in the Old testament. Lets take a careful look at the following....

 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. (Deut 11:21)

                 In the Old testament, God wanted to give his people days of heaven upon the earth. His covenant included long life and blessings. We, as covenant children, are no different. The word says that we have a covenant based on better promises. Yes, we are going to go through problems and testings, that is a given. The good thing about this is that we can turn our misery into our ministry. We can turn our tests into a testimony. Don't look at your trials and testings as a final end. NO! Look at it as a stepping stone! Your greatest victory lies ahead. God bless. 

                    

Pastor's Post---March 2, 2015

                                                  Behold the lamb!

" And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!"
                  (John 1:36)


                              What comes to mind when you hear the word--Lamb of God? Is it just a phrase or a deep meaning that hits close to the heart. We, all, know that Jesus is the lamb of God, but what is implied behind those words? Let's look at some highlights of Exodus 12:1-10----

• A lamb was chosen out of the flock. It had to be without defects or blemish. It, also, had to be a firstborn. (Exo 12:5)
• It was to be set aside for a couple of days and be put under observation.(Exo 12:3-6)
• It had to be shared with others. (Exo 12:4)
• It had to be roasted in fire. (Exo 12:8)
• No leftovers. You had to eat the whole lamb. Whatever was left was burned in the fire. (Exo 12:8-10) 

                 LAMB CHOSEN OUT OF THE FLOCK---Jesus was called the second and last Adam (I Cor 15:45). He was without defect or blemish. He had never sinned and is called the firstborn of the church and assembly of God. Why? Because he started the church. He, also, was the first man to enter heaven. 

                PUT UNDER OBSERVATION---When you hear the words--"Behold, the lamb of God", it implies to stare. When you stare at something, you see some details of that object. Some may be good and some bad, but with Jesus, all that you see in him is good. We need to stop and meditate on what things he has given to us. 

               SHARED WITH OTHERS---When you read Exo 12:4, it says if the household is too small, invite your neighbor over for dinner. God is more than enough. His salvation and his benefits is too much for us to keep it for ourselves. We need to share his gifts and blessings with others. A lost and hurting world wants answers. Jesus can provide what they need!

                ROASTED WITH FIRE-----The lamb had to be cooked and well done. Jesus said that he would spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth.(Matt 12:40) You may reason--It means that Jesus was buried and would raise again. When we think of buried, we think of being below the earth in our western thinking. 

                       The Bible says that he was buried in a cave, not under the earth. This implies, something, deeper. Friends, did you know that the deeper you dig in the earth, the hotter it becomes----It is a scientific fact! Years ago, some Russian scientists wanted to do some research and dig below the earth, now mind you, this was around the '60's when atheism was running high. What they found was, not, only that it got hotter but their equipment went haywire. They saw some spirits that began to manifest themselves along with the noises of people in agony.

        Needless to say, their thinking was changed and now they are saved.(A link to that story is provided below.) Friends, what Jesus was saying was that he would suffer the torments of the fires of hell and then rise up again--Hallelujah! Jesus did not finish his sacrifice on the cross,  he finished it in hell. When Jesus said at the cross---It is finished! He was claiming victory and speaking of those things that are not as though they were!

               NO LEFTOVERS---They had to eat the whole lamb. The eyes, the stomach, the livers, the ears, etc. You may feel repulsed, but get ready to put on your dancing shoes and give a shout to God. When they ate the following items, they got healed--

'

• The eyes---The blind received their sight.
• The ears-- The deaf can hear
• The stomach--Diabetics are healed
• The liver---Liver disease being healed and so on...

             PS 105:37 says that there was not a feeble one among them. Feeble in the Hebrew means sick. So, as they ate the lamb and obeyed God, they got healed. I like the Cecil DeMille's movie,The Ten Commandments, done in 1956. It was well-made for that time, but one thing that I saw was that some scenes were not in line with the word.

               On one scene, when the Jews came out of Egypt, you see them in rags and some on crutches. It was a different scene as far as God's word was concerned. God had a different perspective ---They were healed and came out with silver and gold! This is far better than Cecil DeMille's version! When we got out of Egypt, which symbolizes the world, we have all we need in Jesus. So, think on these things as you hear the word----Behold the lamb of God! God bless!

Bible verses provided by biblegateway

Picture provided by...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:German_ewe_grazing_closeup.jpg

Sounds of hell link..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iPIXq_jGMQ

     

Making a demand from God's power!

"  And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?" ( Mark 5:29-30)

                     I know that title sounds strange, perhaps some may find it disrespectful. The faith message has suffered from grave misunderstandings because people get the wrong message. When we talk about confessing the word, they, immediately, say you are ordering God around. That, my friends, is not true. We are not ordering God around, but we are making a demand on his power. Mark 5:28 indicated that the woman said something. She said that if I can touch his clothes, I shall be whole. The Greek says that she kept saying. 
                     You see, my friends, when you have faith, you say something.That woman was releasing her faith and made a demand on God's power. Remember, in Mark 5:30, it says that virtue had gone out of him. That virtue is translated as God's power. That woman's faith was making a demand on the power of God. In Mark 5:34 as well as other scriptures says..."Thy faith hath made thee whole!" He gave credit to her faith.
                     Throughout my life, I have heard Christians saying---I am waiting on God!" Yes, my friends, there is a time to wait, but what are you doing in the meantime? If you are not confessing God's promises, you may be waiting forever. Now, concerning demand, let's look at it from a different angle. We, all, know that God's promises are Yea and Amen, but did you know that they are stored in the bank of Heaven?  The word is compared as hidden treasures!
          Me and my wife have a joint checking and savings account. She can make any withdrawal to our account at any time because her name is in that account. A withdrawal is a demand on our money. She does the proper paperwork and Voila---The money is there! I don't take offense at that, because what's mine is hers. We are joint heirs with Christ, so if healing and prosperity belongs to us, we can make a demand through faith. We can say in the name of Jesus and withdraw from our faith account.
             That is why it is so important to meditate and confess God's word on a daily basis. We need to build up a faith bank deposit for the evil day. Faith is the currency in heaven that helps us to meet life's toughest challenges. You and I have a miracle in our mouth. Let's start using it and build up our faith account. I like the Greek translation of saith in Mark 11:23. It means Legos in the Greek. We, all, know what Legos is. It is some building blocks that kids play with. As we confess the word, we are building an image of Identification with Christ, healing, prosperity, etc. So, today as well as everyday---Make it a priority to confess God's promises over your life! God bless. 

Scriptures---II Cor 4:13
                 Mark 10:52
                 Luke 17:19
                 

Words have power!

      " My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. (Prov 4:20-22)

                    In this morning, I want to share some thoughts with you. Who has ever heard the following---"Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never harm me?" That is a statement that has been popular throughout the years but is not true. WORDS CAN HARM YOU IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE! Who many children, especially "Preacher's kids" have winded up in jail because of words? Words can build or destroy. It is a medical fact that words can improve or destroy your health based on how you talk. Scientists have found that life and its forms were created by sound. Where did the sound come from? Words? Who spoke these words? God! (Gen 1) 
               God's word is powerful. Notice what he says---ATTEND TO MY WORDS! When you read God's word, do not read it like you're reading a newspaper. Attend to it. Give it your foremost attention. 
                 The next step is to incline thine ear. In other words, to hear it. It does good to read the word to where you can hear it because faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.Our society does not like repetition, but God's word is repetitious. Why? God wants it to sink in. The word can change our mind, flesh and even circumstances. The word is powerful!
                               When it goes to your heart, it will have a life of its own. Life in your flesh to heal you and to change your circumstances, so decide in this day, that the word will have 1st place in your life. Spend some time in the word. It may just save your life. 

Verses provided by www.biblegateway.com

                   
                             
              

                      
                  

The living word!

" When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." (John 11:4)


                     Tradition has taught us that God gets glorified in sickness. Nothing could be further than the truth. At first glance, we see that this verse may support that tradition, but let's do some digging to see the hidden treasure of this wonderful verse. Lazarus was sick unto death. His sisters came to him, asking him to heal their brother.
                    What did Jesus do? He said-"THIS SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, THAT THE SON OF GOD MIGHT BE GLORIFIED THEREBY!" I guess that when the sisters left, they might have been scratching their heads and asking themselves-"DID YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS SAYING?" Nevertheless, they figured Jesus would be there sooner or later!
                   Notice, Jesus took his sweet time and left to see Lazarus. When he arrived, Martha laid the "blame" game on the Lord. Notice, this same Martha was the one who was worried about the work that she had to do in her house. Jesus, who was present, was teaching her sister the word. Worried about her work, she told Jesus to stop teaching and tell her sister to help her.  Jesus told her to leave her sister alone because she was spending time learning from God! (Luke 10:40-42) 
                   Wrong priorities played a part in Martha's life. Priorities in her work and not focusing on God. No wonder she fell apart and blamed Jesus when Lazarus died! Then, she got herself together and spoke faith-"whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." (John 11:22) Here,we see a battle. Your mind is in a battle! Your mind has to be in line with God's word and every thought has to be taken captive!
                     Then, Jesus ordered her to remove the stone. Again, we see a battle of the mind. Martha reasoned-He has been dead for 4 days. Why should I remove this stone when he is stinking by this time? Here is what Jesus responded. Watch this, or you'll miss out on this wonderful revelation!--
       " Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)
                  What was the glory of God? When he raised Lazarus from the dead and healed him! When did he tell Martha this? Days before he died! Had Martha received the word, just like the Roman Centurion did, all these troubles could have been avoided! (Matt 8:8) God is not glorified in sickness-HE IS GLORIFIED IN MIRACLES AND HEALINGS!! (Matt 15:31,Matt 9:8) Friend, the word is alive and full of power. It raised Lazarus from the dead. It will make a difference in your life if you believe! Use the power that is in his word today! 

Father, Thank you for speaking to me. In this day, Minister to me and help me to trust in your word. Your word is alive and has power. Your word heals and delivers me. Your word is destroying yokes in my life. It is taking me out of financial lack and oppression. Thank you for delivering me. Thank you for sending your word--In Jesus name. Amen