This is a link to the Annie Johnson Flint Poem,
"The Jesus Way"..
Hope you enjoy it...
http://www.homemakerscorner.com/ajf-jesusway.htm
Monday, January 3, 2011
Seeking something higher than God......................
Dear Mr Pearl....
I am a busy mother whose children go to a Christian school. I am realizing that without another close female in my life who could share house duties, it is harder on me than it should be. I meet with 2 prayer groups each week and have them pray for me and my family by name. My biggest need is for help physically in caring for the house work and someone to sit in quiet worship with me. I need at least 4 hours per week of meditation time & self- actualization time. It is 4 am now and i'm up writing my friends to ask for prayer and see if they know of any girls with 5 children of their own who might be as stressed as I am. I am frustrated because of my culture and my isolation from regular and close fellowship with wise women. I have a heart desire to change my current lifestyle and to live a rich, full, and meaningful life, and I am motivated so because I want the best for God. I trust you will send me some good advice.
Love in Him...
T.P.
Dear sister T.P.;
Your divine calling is to serve your family. True worship of God is not dependent upon other people or special circumstances, nor does it require a time of meditation. The Spirit of God is present when you wash the dishes or pick up(for the 40th time), the dirty clothes, and he is there while you prepare meals for your family in the evening, or while you wipe a snotty nose... God never intended for you to have intimacy with another woman, whether in worship or otherwise. Stimulating your own inner feelings in the name of worship is selfish, approaching idolatry. Your seeking of "self-actualization" in the name of spiritiality is a mixture of foolish psychology and emotional insecurity.
You are part of a trend sweeping through church womens circles--a pursuit of intimacy and deep feelings apart from your husband. This inner-stimulation is what my husband calls"spiritual masturbation". It has nothing to do with the God of The Bible. It is Spiritually more akin to Eastern Mystic meditation. when your spirituality competes with your service to others(especially your husband and family), it is just that---"your spirituality". Jesus said to Peter,"do you love me"...then "feed my sheep". God does not call women to be mountain-top gurus or to seek someone out for their personal benefit. He commands them to be "keepers at home", to "obey their husbands," to "render due benevolence(make love to him)," and "reverence" him. Remember that the sin of Eve was to seek deeper understanding and to be like the gods. Independent of her husband, she thought to go deeper. Her ambition was personal spiritual fulfillment. Which is the most selfish drive that can possess a person and the easiest to justify, humanly speaking. It is that foundation of all sin and rebellion.
Learn to read the Scriptures just a few minutes per day or here and there throughout the day, and meditate on what you read as you work. Sing unto the Lord. Dont allow the "lonely womens club" menatlity to sweep over you and away from your role as a wife and mother. Your time at church and prayer meeting is sufficient enough time with other women. Focus on your life and your life at home for your husband and children
There is grave danger in becoming emotionally dependent on other women. Too many times I have seen this lead to something abnormal and sick. Your husband and God should be the ones to whom you turn for emotional support and intimacy. Women who seek higher spirituality end up feeling and acting spiritually superior to their husbands and others in the church, and its a death knell to a healthy, marriage .Spend that "desired" spiritual time with your husband, where real growth and maturity can and will be found.
Seek to serve your family by tying your little ones shoelaces, reading a book to your toddler, telling a simple bible story to the whole gang, and making sweet love with your husband. these are the things that God counts as important in knowing and loving him.
Love to you..Debi
"A wise woman never expects anyone to serve her, and is therefore never dissappointed. She is ready to help, always the giver. By her example, her children learn to cheerfully and energetically serve."
Love to all who read.
~~~TERRI~~~
I am a busy mother whose children go to a Christian school. I am realizing that without another close female in my life who could share house duties, it is harder on me than it should be. I meet with 2 prayer groups each week and have them pray for me and my family by name. My biggest need is for help physically in caring for the house work and someone to sit in quiet worship with me. I need at least 4 hours per week of meditation time & self- actualization time. It is 4 am now and i'm up writing my friends to ask for prayer and see if they know of any girls with 5 children of their own who might be as stressed as I am. I am frustrated because of my culture and my isolation from regular and close fellowship with wise women. I have a heart desire to change my current lifestyle and to live a rich, full, and meaningful life, and I am motivated so because I want the best for God. I trust you will send me some good advice.
Love in Him...
T.P.
Dear sister T.P.;
Your divine calling is to serve your family. True worship of God is not dependent upon other people or special circumstances, nor does it require a time of meditation. The Spirit of God is present when you wash the dishes or pick up(for the 40th time), the dirty clothes, and he is there while you prepare meals for your family in the evening, or while you wipe a snotty nose... God never intended for you to have intimacy with another woman, whether in worship or otherwise. Stimulating your own inner feelings in the name of worship is selfish, approaching idolatry. Your seeking of "self-actualization" in the name of spiritiality is a mixture of foolish psychology and emotional insecurity.
You are part of a trend sweeping through church womens circles--a pursuit of intimacy and deep feelings apart from your husband. This inner-stimulation is what my husband calls"spiritual masturbation". It has nothing to do with the God of The Bible. It is Spiritually more akin to Eastern Mystic meditation. when your spirituality competes with your service to others(especially your husband and family), it is just that---"your spirituality". Jesus said to Peter,"do you love me"...then "feed my sheep". God does not call women to be mountain-top gurus or to seek someone out for their personal benefit. He commands them to be "keepers at home", to "obey their husbands," to "render due benevolence(make love to him)," and "reverence" him. Remember that the sin of Eve was to seek deeper understanding and to be like the gods. Independent of her husband, she thought to go deeper. Her ambition was personal spiritual fulfillment. Which is the most selfish drive that can possess a person and the easiest to justify, humanly speaking. It is that foundation of all sin and rebellion.
Learn to read the Scriptures just a few minutes per day or here and there throughout the day, and meditate on what you read as you work. Sing unto the Lord. Dont allow the "lonely womens club" menatlity to sweep over you and away from your role as a wife and mother. Your time at church and prayer meeting is sufficient enough time with other women. Focus on your life and your life at home for your husband and children
There is grave danger in becoming emotionally dependent on other women. Too many times I have seen this lead to something abnormal and sick. Your husband and God should be the ones to whom you turn for emotional support and intimacy. Women who seek higher spirituality end up feeling and acting spiritually superior to their husbands and others in the church, and its a death knell to a healthy, marriage .Spend that "desired" spiritual time with your husband, where real growth and maturity can and will be found.
Seek to serve your family by tying your little ones shoelaces, reading a book to your toddler, telling a simple bible story to the whole gang, and making sweet love with your husband. these are the things that God counts as important in knowing and loving him.
Love to you..Debi
"A wise woman never expects anyone to serve her, and is therefore never dissappointed. She is ready to help, always the giver. By her example, her children learn to cheerfully and energetically serve."
Love to all who read.
~~~TERRI~~~
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Who are you?
Just some thoughts from Grandma......
What is in your heart?
Are you trying to become like Jesus, or just pretending? Does his very heart touch yours? Do you keep it in the back of your mind that , "This is just the way I am"? Do you make excuses for how you act? Do you treat others the way Jesus taught or the way you want? Do you think life "owes" you? Do you believe in the "saving" power of Jesus, or do you want to stay where you are?
Are you yearning to be more "CHRIST LIKE"???? That is what the word Christian means, not to stay where you are, but, want to change and be more like HIM!!
In the next few years, perrilous times are coming, will you be ready Spiritually?
Love to all who read....
~~~~^^^TERRI^^^~~~~
What is in your heart?
Are you trying to become like Jesus, or just pretending? Does his very heart touch yours? Do you keep it in the back of your mind that , "This is just the way I am"? Do you make excuses for how you act? Do you treat others the way Jesus taught or the way you want? Do you think life "owes" you? Do you believe in the "saving" power of Jesus, or do you want to stay where you are?
Are you yearning to be more "CHRIST LIKE"???? That is what the word Christian means, not to stay where you are, but, want to change and be more like HIM!!
In the next few years, perrilous times are coming, will you be ready Spiritually?
Love to all who read....
~~~~^^^TERRI^^^~~~~
Friday, December 17, 2010
I dont wanna be like MaMa...................
I would like to share my story with you...It is simple but probably common, and it needs telling. When I was a child, I was always aware that my mom was distrustful of my dad. If one of us children did a bad thing, she was quick to deal with us,"so Daddy will not whip you too hard," If Dad was giong out to buy something, she would worry outloud that "he will be foolish in how he spends his money." When he got laid off, I remember her saying over and over,"I guess I need to learn to trade. Someone in this house has to work." I cannot fault her in any area of motherhood. She kept us fed, clothed, and warm. But when I think of my mother, I think of a worried, fretful, woman who was always ticked off at Dad. Our Home was tense. I have a few memories of her smiling. I cannot remember a time when she sat on Dads lap or danced around the room in playful fun. He was not a mean man. I remember hard whippings, but not any harder than the neighbor kids got. I remember him being interested in me. He taught me how to do simple things, fun things, but because of her, I always avoided Him. Us kids are grown now.
My brother did great in his life. His marriage has been good, and his children seem well adjusted. When he was growing up, he was gone to work with Dad all the time. Us girls never went with Dad, and so we were at home listening to mom talk about how hard her life was.
All of us girls had terrible youths, and we have all had bad marriage troubles. Our kids have not done well. , but we know Mom played a big part in our misery. She still lays all the blame on Dad, although we all know he was just an average guy. I always knew I did not want to be that kind of wife and MaMa. I wanted my children to remember me as loving their dad and enjoying life. I did not care if we lived in the back of an old van and ate junk food. I wanted my children free of tension and the feeling that their dad was a jerk who had to be tolerated. My first marriage ended after a few short months. I determined when I married again that I would do it right. When I got married the second time, I lost my way and didn't even know it. When I realized that we would have to move becaus my husbands company was down sizing, and he was out of work, I packed in bitterness, while silently accusing him of not being a good provider and forcing me out of my lovely home. Then one day I looked up at him and saw the same lost look on his face that I had seen on my dads face a thousand times when Mom was "taking care of the family". I was just like my mother!!! Something inside me broke, and I hated the "wonderful person I was", It was then I remembered my promise to myself to never be like my "condeming" mom.
I had bought your "Joy in training" DVDs and marriage tapes months before our move, but had not watched them. I knew the time had come. I settled doen in the living room among the boxes, and before long the whole family had joined me. We laughed and laughed at the big old mountain man telling the funny stories.
We sent the children to bed and finished the "Wives honor your husbands" tape. My laughter turned to weeping, and my kind husband held me in his arms while I begged for forgiveness. I cannot tell you how changed our family i! . My husband is thinking of starting a business. He has wanted to for years, but my fear of failure has held him back. NO MORE!! If we end up living in a van, thats ok. I am sad for lost ground with my children. More then anything, for my daughters, I want to break this ugly chain, of bitter, critical womanhood. I have asked their forgiveness and found they were glad to be over this tension. They know that from now on, theyr are going to have a a mama who thinks their daddy is the greatest, guy. I am so ashamed when I think of all the earthly hell I have put him through. Our children are going to grow up secure in love, NOT insecure in a spotless house, insurance paid, and name-brand clothes. Life has never been sooooo good. Better late then neve I guess...
From all of us, a great big thanks!!
Shelia
This woman is obeying the Word Of God; she is loving her children by loving their Daddy.
Are YOU????
Love to who read....
~~~***TERRI***~~~
My brother did great in his life. His marriage has been good, and his children seem well adjusted. When he was growing up, he was gone to work with Dad all the time. Us girls never went with Dad, and so we were at home listening to mom talk about how hard her life was.
All of us girls had terrible youths, and we have all had bad marriage troubles. Our kids have not done well. , but we know Mom played a big part in our misery. She still lays all the blame on Dad, although we all know he was just an average guy. I always knew I did not want to be that kind of wife and MaMa. I wanted my children to remember me as loving their dad and enjoying life. I did not care if we lived in the back of an old van and ate junk food. I wanted my children free of tension and the feeling that their dad was a jerk who had to be tolerated. My first marriage ended after a few short months. I determined when I married again that I would do it right. When I got married the second time, I lost my way and didn't even know it. When I realized that we would have to move becaus my husbands company was down sizing, and he was out of work, I packed in bitterness, while silently accusing him of not being a good provider and forcing me out of my lovely home. Then one day I looked up at him and saw the same lost look on his face that I had seen on my dads face a thousand times when Mom was "taking care of the family". I was just like my mother!!! Something inside me broke, and I hated the "wonderful person I was", It was then I remembered my promise to myself to never be like my "condeming" mom.
I had bought your "Joy in training" DVDs and marriage tapes months before our move, but had not watched them. I knew the time had come. I settled doen in the living room among the boxes, and before long the whole family had joined me. We laughed and laughed at the big old mountain man telling the funny stories.
We sent the children to bed and finished the "Wives honor your husbands" tape. My laughter turned to weeping, and my kind husband held me in his arms while I begged for forgiveness. I cannot tell you how changed our family i! . My husband is thinking of starting a business. He has wanted to for years, but my fear of failure has held him back. NO MORE!! If we end up living in a van, thats ok. I am sad for lost ground with my children. More then anything, for my daughters, I want to break this ugly chain, of bitter, critical womanhood. I have asked their forgiveness and found they were glad to be over this tension. They know that from now on, theyr are going to have a a mama who thinks their daddy is the greatest, guy. I am so ashamed when I think of all the earthly hell I have put him through. Our children are going to grow up secure in love, NOT insecure in a spotless house, insurance paid, and name-brand clothes. Life has never been sooooo good. Better late then neve I guess...
From all of us, a great big thanks!!
Shelia
This woman is obeying the Word Of God; she is loving her children by loving their Daddy.
Are YOU????
Love to who read....
~~~***TERRI***~~~
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Crayons....
There are lots of crayon colors in one box, there are dull ones, shiny ones, quiet ones and loud ones.. ..but they all get along in the same box..How do you get along with all the other crayons that are in the box where you live/work, or go to Church????
Love to all who read.........
.~~~***TERRI***~~~
Love to all who read.........
.~~~***TERRI***~~~
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
DO NOT DISTURB?!
I just had a thought,............. is that "Do not disturb" sign still on your heart, so when the enemy of our souls comes to whisper in your ear, "...go ahead and gossip, tell little white lies, a 1/2 truth, cheat on your taxes...." He CANNOT get those thoughts in?,
Are you Dear Sisters ..."taking EVERY thought into captivity, unto the obedience of Jesus Christ...?
Love to all who read...
***^^^TERRI^^^***
Are you Dear Sisters ..."taking EVERY thought into captivity, unto the obedience of Jesus Christ...?
Love to all who read...
***^^^TERRI^^^***
Have you made the kingdom committment?
When foreigners desire to become citizens of the United States of America, they are required to take an oath the United States, like most other governments, will not allow those who wish to become citizens apply for citizenship. To straddle the fence. Naturalized citizens can't claim that their loyalty and allegiance belong to the United States if they retain allegiance to some foreign government. Our government wont allow that. It wants undivided loyalty from any who apply for citizenship.
So it should come as no surprise that Jesus the King requires similar loyalty from those who wish to apply for citizenship in His kingdom. In fact, He demands an even greater degree of loyalty:"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. ...He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses life for My sake will find it....whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disiciple"(Mt. 12:30, 10:37-39; Luke 14:33).
The United States does not require persons to forsake all they have to become citizens. But Jesus does. In His Kingdom, there can be no divided loyalties. Jesus will not be relegated to a subservient role by anyone or any thing. He requires all or nothing. In fact, thats the very reason Jesus tells us to count the cost before deciding to join His kingdom. "For which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it---lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish."(Luke 14:28-30). Jesus has no desire for us to start something we wont finish."No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God"(Luke 9:62).
If we truly understand the kingdom and grasp what it means, it will be more precious to us then anything we own. : The kingdom of Heave is like treasure hiddden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells al lthat he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, went and sold all that he had and bought it"(Mt. 13:44-46).
Actually, in times of war, even earthly governments expect their citizens to put loyalty to their country ahead of every other loyalty, including their own families. It sometimes happens in times of war that fathers an sons fight against each other and that soldiers kill their own brothers. In fact, during war, earthly kingdoms expect their citizens to lay down their lives if necessary for the good of their country. Any real government expects this type of loyalty from its citizens.
Jesus expects no less. Why? Because His kingdom is a real kingdom. And unlike earthly kingdoms, the kingdom of God is always at war(Eph. 6:12). As Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a mans enemies will be those of his own household. (Mt. 10:34-36).
Jesus requires of His citizens the same level of loyalty, love, and commitment that fervent patriots give their countries during times of war---if not higher. Being a citizen of the kingdom of God is not fun and games---its serious business. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life"(John 12:25).
More later this week...
Love to all who read...
~~~***TERRI***~~~
So it should come as no surprise that Jesus the King requires similar loyalty from those who wish to apply for citizenship in His kingdom. In fact, He demands an even greater degree of loyalty:"He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. ...He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses life for My sake will find it....whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disiciple"(Mt. 12:30, 10:37-39; Luke 14:33).
The United States does not require persons to forsake all they have to become citizens. But Jesus does. In His Kingdom, there can be no divided loyalties. Jesus will not be relegated to a subservient role by anyone or any thing. He requires all or nothing. In fact, thats the very reason Jesus tells us to count the cost before deciding to join His kingdom. "For which of you intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it---lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, "This man began to build and was not able to finish."(Luke 14:28-30). Jesus has no desire for us to start something we wont finish."No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God"(Luke 9:62).
If we truly understand the kingdom and grasp what it means, it will be more precious to us then anything we own. : The kingdom of Heave is like treasure hiddden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells al lthat he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, went and sold all that he had and bought it"(Mt. 13:44-46).
Actually, in times of war, even earthly governments expect their citizens to put loyalty to their country ahead of every other loyalty, including their own families. It sometimes happens in times of war that fathers an sons fight against each other and that soldiers kill their own brothers. In fact, during war, earthly kingdoms expect their citizens to lay down their lives if necessary for the good of their country. Any real government expects this type of loyalty from its citizens.
Jesus expects no less. Why? Because His kingdom is a real kingdom. And unlike earthly kingdoms, the kingdom of God is always at war(Eph. 6:12). As Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a mans enemies will be those of his own household. (Mt. 10:34-36).
Jesus requires of His citizens the same level of loyalty, love, and commitment that fervent patriots give their countries during times of war---if not higher. Being a citizen of the kingdom of God is not fun and games---its serious business. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life"(John 12:25).
More later this week...
Love to all who read...
~~~***TERRI***~~~
Monday, December 6, 2010
Chapter 3.....To Love their Children...VERY important!
Ladies.
This takes a whole lot more time than I thought going chapter by chapter...were only on Chapter 3.....
Let the children lead them....
The most important thing a mother will dofor her children is to create an atmosphere of peace and how?... by deeply loving their Daddy and being satisfied with life.
Several years ago, my husband did a Family Life Seminar for homeschooling families at a large, very conservative Church. The people were given age appropropriate questionnaires before we got there. Each Homeschool child(from every child who could write, up to single adults still living at home) was asked 2 questions:
1. Is your home happy?
2. What one thing would you like to see chang in your home that would make you a happier
person?
We were not expecting profound answers. We thought the children would say that they wanted name-brand clothes, or more freedom, or maybe more access to video games. We hoped we would get a few serious answers, like some kids saying they wanted to spend more time with their parents or they wanted to be trusted. Their responses shocked and saddened us.
Out of 75 responses, only 2 or 3 children considered their home happy. Nearly all 75 answers of the second question were basically the same. 10 year olds (who could barely spell) to single colleg -age adults had the same hopes and anguishes. They all said something to the effect of, "I wish Mama and Daddy would love each other", and the younger the writers wrote their answers like these, "Our home would be happierif Mama and Daddy would not fight","I would make my Mama and Daddy like each other,""We would have a happy home if Mama would not talk bad about Daddy," and "I wish Mama would not talk back and make Daddy get mad and yell." OOOPS!!!
The older ones wrote along these lines, "Our house would be a more peaceful place if Mom did not walk around with this frozen bitternes,"" I feel like we live in a war zone."
This takes a whole lot more time than I thought going chapter by chapter...were only on Chapter 3.....
Todays is probably the most important of all, without this, none else matters ....PLEASE READ ON!!
Do we really know How To Love?
Titus 2:4-5:"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to LOVE their children...."Let the children lead them....
The most important thing a mother will dofor her children is to create an atmosphere of peace and how?... by deeply loving their Daddy and being satisfied with life.
Several years ago, my husband did a Family Life Seminar for homeschooling families at a large, very conservative Church. The people were given age appropropriate questionnaires before we got there. Each Homeschool child(from every child who could write, up to single adults still living at home) was asked 2 questions:
1. Is your home happy?
2. What one thing would you like to see chang in your home that would make you a happier
person?
We were not expecting profound answers. We thought the children would say that they wanted name-brand clothes, or more freedom, or maybe more access to video games. We hoped we would get a few serious answers, like some kids saying they wanted to spend more time with their parents or they wanted to be trusted. Their responses shocked and saddened us.
Out of 75 responses, only 2 or 3 children considered their home happy. Nearly all 75 answers of the second question were basically the same. 10 year olds (who could barely spell) to single colleg -age adults had the same hopes and anguishes. They all said something to the effect of, "I wish Mama and Daddy would love each other", and the younger the writers wrote their answers like these, "Our home would be happierif Mama and Daddy would not fight","I would make my Mama and Daddy like each other,""We would have a happy home if Mama would not talk bad about Daddy," and "I wish Mama would not talk back and make Daddy get mad and yell." OOOPS!!!
The older ones wrote along these lines, "Our house would be a more peaceful place if Mom did not walk around with this frozen bitternes,"" I feel like we live in a war zone."
LADIES...HOW DO YOU LOVE YOUR CHILDREN??????????????
Let these 75 Homeschooled children/young adults lead you to this important truth:
LOVE THEIR DADDY, HONOR THEIR DADDY,OBEY THEIR DADDY AND FORGIVE THEIR DADDY!
Ladies...Friends...Loved Ones...Sisters.. DO YOU???
Until later...
Love to all who read...
~~~***TERRI***~~~
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Kingdom that turned the world upside down............
The kingdom of God is within you...
If all of this was not astonishing enough, Jesus told the Pharisees something even more startling: "Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!", or "See there!", For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you"(Luke 17:20,21).
What kind of kingdom is this? A kingdom thats within you??? Jesus was truly introducing something marvelously new---something revolutionary. This was not just a new kingdom. It WAS a new TYPE of kingdom. It was a type of kingdom that was totally different from what anyone---Jew or Gentile---had ever heard of before. A kingdom that is "within you".
"Oh, I see," you may be thinking. "Jesus was talking about a spiritual kingdom, not a real one." No, Jesus was talking about a real kingdom. The ancient kingdom of the Israelites was definately a real kingdom, wasnt it? It had real kings, real subjects, and real laws. The kingdom of God is just as real as the ancient Israelite kingdom. It too has a real king, real subjects, and real laws. It's domain encompasses the entire earth, even though most of the earths population are not citizens of this kingdom.
What did Jesus mean whne He said that the kingdom of God is within you? Tertullian, an early Christian writer, commented on this phrase, "Now who is there who does not understand the phrase, "within you", to mean in your hand or within your power? That is, if you hear and do the commandments of God?" Anybody can choose to be a citizen of the kingdom of God if he is willing to make the needed commitment. A person doesn't have to travel anywhere or pay any sum of money to become a citizen.
Now, many greek scolars today that Luke 17:21 should be translated, "The kingdom of God is in your midst," rather than "within you". In other words, the King and some of His subjects were already standing there inthe midst of those religious leaders who asked Jesus when the kingdom was coming. The kingdom was in their midst, but they didn't realize it.
Whichever significance Jesus intended by the phrase,"within you" or "in your midst", the principle is still the same. His kingdom has no national boundries, no earthly king, and no military forces. His subjects live within the midst of the peoples of this world, yet the world cannot see this kingdom. Becoming a citizen of Gods kingdom is within reach of everyone. In fact, what makes Gods people the subjects of this kingdom is something within them---the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
More later...
Love to all who read.....
~~~!!!TERRI!!!~~~
If all of this was not astonishing enough, Jesus told the Pharisees something even more startling: "Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, "See here!", or "See there!", For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you"(Luke 17:20,21).
What kind of kingdom is this? A kingdom thats within you??? Jesus was truly introducing something marvelously new---something revolutionary. This was not just a new kingdom. It WAS a new TYPE of kingdom. It was a type of kingdom that was totally different from what anyone---Jew or Gentile---had ever heard of before. A kingdom that is "within you".
"Oh, I see," you may be thinking. "Jesus was talking about a spiritual kingdom, not a real one." No, Jesus was talking about a real kingdom. The ancient kingdom of the Israelites was definately a real kingdom, wasnt it? It had real kings, real subjects, and real laws. The kingdom of God is just as real as the ancient Israelite kingdom. It too has a real king, real subjects, and real laws. It's domain encompasses the entire earth, even though most of the earths population are not citizens of this kingdom.
What did Jesus mean whne He said that the kingdom of God is within you? Tertullian, an early Christian writer, commented on this phrase, "Now who is there who does not understand the phrase, "within you", to mean in your hand or within your power? That is, if you hear and do the commandments of God?" Anybody can choose to be a citizen of the kingdom of God if he is willing to make the needed commitment. A person doesn't have to travel anywhere or pay any sum of money to become a citizen.
Now, many greek scolars today that Luke 17:21 should be translated, "The kingdom of God is in your midst," rather than "within you". In other words, the King and some of His subjects were already standing there inthe midst of those religious leaders who asked Jesus when the kingdom was coming. The kingdom was in their midst, but they didn't realize it.
Whichever significance Jesus intended by the phrase,"within you" or "in your midst", the principle is still the same. His kingdom has no national boundries, no earthly king, and no military forces. His subjects live within the midst of the peoples of this world, yet the world cannot see this kingdom. Becoming a citizen of Gods kingdom is within reach of everyone. In fact, what makes Gods people the subjects of this kingdom is something within them---the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
More later...
Love to all who read.....
~~~!!!TERRI!!!~~~
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
What is the kingdom of God?
Every kingdom has 4 basic components:(1) a ruler or rulers, (2) subjects, (3) a domain or area of rulership, and (4) laws. Gods kingdom is no different. It has a ruler, subjects, domain and laws.
However, because Gods kingdom is a revolutionary kind of kingdom, these 4 basic components take on unique aspects.
To begin with, Gods kingdom has no erthly ruler, its ruler is Jesus Christ, who reigns from heaven. Earthly kingdoms periodically change rulers and policies. In contrast, Jesus is eternal, and His policies dont change." Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever"(Heb. 13:8).
Who are the subjects of the kingdom of God? the Jews? No, Jesus told the jews quite pointedly, "I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it"(Mt. 21:43). Who was this nation to whom Jesus said He would give the kingdom? The Romans? The British? the Americans? NO....it was none of these for the Scriptures tell us, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave not free, there is neither male not female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. A d if you are Christs, then you are Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise"(Gal. 3:28, 29).
So all of us who belong to Christ---all of us who are genuinely born again---we are the subjects of this kingdom. We have become the heirs of Gods promise, the citizens of His new nation. In writing to Gentile Christians of his day, Peter addressed them with the following words:"You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclain the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy"(1 Peter 2:9-11).
So the subjects of Gods kingdom are called to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, just as the Israelites had been called(Exodus 19:5,6). However, the kingdom was taken from the Israelites and given to a nation that would produce the fruits of righteousness---the nation of born again believers.
One unique aspect of the kingdom of God is that its subjects dont occupy a certain portion of the earth, like the subjects of other kingdoms. The citizens of Gods kingdom are interspersed among all nations of the world. This feature has caused continual conflict for the kigdom of God. Thats because its citizens always live under 2 diffferent kingdoms---a kingdom of the world and a kingdom of God.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "The hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father"(John 4:210. Gods kingdom would have no earthly capital nor shrine.
All of this was something beyond the experience of both the Jews and the Gentiles of Jesus' day. the kingdom of the Israelites had encompassed a specific grographic area. So had all of the kingdoms of man. The Israelites had always had a physical location where theur tabernacle or temple was placed. For a thousand years, that place had been Jerusalem. Every human kingdom has an earthly capital, but Gods kingdom does not.
More later..
Next, The Kingdom of God is within you....
Love to all who read...
***~~~TERRI~~~***
However, because Gods kingdom is a revolutionary kind of kingdom, these 4 basic components take on unique aspects.
To begin with, Gods kingdom has no erthly ruler, its ruler is Jesus Christ, who reigns from heaven. Earthly kingdoms periodically change rulers and policies. In contrast, Jesus is eternal, and His policies dont change." Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever"(Heb. 13:8).
Who are the subjects of the kingdom of God? the Jews? No, Jesus told the jews quite pointedly, "I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it"(Mt. 21:43). Who was this nation to whom Jesus said He would give the kingdom? The Romans? The British? the Americans? NO....it was none of these for the Scriptures tell us, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave not free, there is neither male not female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. A d if you are Christs, then you are Abrahams seed, and heirs according to the promise"(Gal. 3:28, 29).
So all of us who belong to Christ---all of us who are genuinely born again---we are the subjects of this kingdom. We have become the heirs of Gods promise, the citizens of His new nation. In writing to Gentile Christians of his day, Peter addressed them with the following words:"You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclain the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy"(1 Peter 2:9-11).
So the subjects of Gods kingdom are called to be a holy nation, a kingdom of priests, just as the Israelites had been called(Exodus 19:5,6). However, the kingdom was taken from the Israelites and given to a nation that would produce the fruits of righteousness---the nation of born again believers.
One unique aspect of the kingdom of God is that its subjects dont occupy a certain portion of the earth, like the subjects of other kingdoms. The citizens of Gods kingdom are interspersed among all nations of the world. This feature has caused continual conflict for the kigdom of God. Thats because its citizens always live under 2 diffferent kingdoms---a kingdom of the world and a kingdom of God.
Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "The hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father"(John 4:210. Gods kingdom would have no earthly capital nor shrine.
All of this was something beyond the experience of both the Jews and the Gentiles of Jesus' day. the kingdom of the Israelites had encompassed a specific grographic area. So had all of the kingdoms of man. The Israelites had always had a physical location where theur tabernacle or temple was placed. For a thousand years, that place had been Jerusalem. Every human kingdom has an earthly capital, but Gods kingdom does not.
More later..
Next, The Kingdom of God is within you....
Love to all who read...
***~~~TERRI~~~***
Song of Solomen 3:4
"..I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go...."
Reflecting on "To Love Their Husbands"......
The physical union between a man and a woman is so beautiful, so otherworldly that God uses the intimate relationship to illustrate our relationship with him(Ephesians 22-33).
"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church"(Ephesians 5:32).
Traits of a good helpmeet
A good helpmeet glories in answering her husband needs.
She learns to know his needs even before he is aware he has them.
She empties her mind of the cares of this world so her body can respond to him with eagerness.
Traits of a wife who is in danger of disobeying the Word Of God
Accuses her husband of lust toward her because he wants to be intimate more than she does.
Accuses her husband of being insensitive when he needs to be intimate and she doesn't feel the desire.
Excuses her lack of wanting to satisfy him intimately on the grounds that _________________...(You fill in the blank, the excuse list may be VERY long).
Make a new habit....
Make a list of personal plans of how you are going to love your husband. Be sure you come up with lotsd of bright ideas. I would suggest at least one special date a week... Plan on different addition to your "birthday suit" each week......Have fun!!!!
Getting serious with God...
The Song Of Solomen is the 22nd book of the Bible. It is a love song/play that was written by Solomen about his wooing and wedding of a shephard girl.
All 8 chapters tell the story of longing for the lover, finding the lover and what the lovers did when they were together. Most writers find a need to turn the passage into a spiritual picture of Christs love for the Church. I certainly believe that old Solomen was thinking of the sexual expression of his love for her when he wrote it, and I think the same when I read it. What do you think? As you read "God's" novel aboaut the intimate relationship, ask yourself if you feel toward your husband the same hunger as the shepherd girl did for her lover. Make a written list of things you are goint to do that will start a "change" reaction in your actions. Your feelings will follow suit.
Several good reasons to be Sexy for your man.......
It's fun!
Its healthy...several studies prove regular intimacy makes a person healthier.
It provokes a msn to appreciate you.
It causes Him to feel good about himself.
It mellows a woman out and helps keep her hormones balanced.
It safeguards your husband from wily, sinful women trying to mar his intregrity.
Children benefit from having a mother and daddy who are terribly in love.
It is intended by God to be an earthly example of divine worship and intimacy.
Makes sweet babies........ :)
Until later,,,,,,
Love to all who read.....
@@@!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!@@@
Reflecting on "To Love Their Husbands"......
The physical union between a man and a woman is so beautiful, so otherworldly that God uses the intimate relationship to illustrate our relationship with him(Ephesians 22-33).
"This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church"(Ephesians 5:32).
Traits of a good helpmeet
A good helpmeet glories in answering her husband needs.
She learns to know his needs even before he is aware he has them.
She empties her mind of the cares of this world so her body can respond to him with eagerness.
Traits of a wife who is in danger of disobeying the Word Of God
Accuses her husband of lust toward her because he wants to be intimate more than she does.
Accuses her husband of being insensitive when he needs to be intimate and she doesn't feel the desire.
Excuses her lack of wanting to satisfy him intimately on the grounds that _________________...(You fill in the blank, the excuse list may be VERY long).
Make a new habit....
Make a list of personal plans of how you are going to love your husband. Be sure you come up with lotsd of bright ideas. I would suggest at least one special date a week... Plan on different addition to your "birthday suit" each week......Have fun!!!!
Getting serious with God...
The Song Of Solomen is the 22nd book of the Bible. It is a love song/play that was written by Solomen about his wooing and wedding of a shephard girl.
All 8 chapters tell the story of longing for the lover, finding the lover and what the lovers did when they were together. Most writers find a need to turn the passage into a spiritual picture of Christs love for the Church. I certainly believe that old Solomen was thinking of the sexual expression of his love for her when he wrote it, and I think the same when I read it. What do you think? As you read "God's" novel aboaut the intimate relationship, ask yourself if you feel toward your husband the same hunger as the shepherd girl did for her lover. Make a written list of things you are goint to do that will start a "change" reaction in your actions. Your feelings will follow suit.
Several good reasons to be Sexy for your man.......
It's fun!
Its healthy...several studies prove regular intimacy makes a person healthier.
It provokes a msn to appreciate you.
It causes Him to feel good about himself.
It mellows a woman out and helps keep her hormones balanced.
It safeguards your husband from wily, sinful women trying to mar his intregrity.
Children benefit from having a mother and daddy who are terribly in love.
It is intended by God to be an earthly example of divine worship and intimacy.
Makes sweet babies........ :)
Until later,,,,,,
Love to all who read.....
@@@!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!@@@
Sticky keyboard...LOL!? :)
Good day all who read ..a few weeks ago my grandson was eating a "otter pop" above my keyboard when suddenly it dripped, right on my keyboard :) ...welllllllll............now it is sticky and my keys wont hardly come back up when pushed....it seems to be melting over to the next key and that is my space bar,,,,,,,,,soooo that is why posting today, instead of yesterday.... it will take me way longer now, but, I will try....
Love to all who read....
~~~!!!TERRI!!!~~~
Love to all who read....
~~~!!!TERRI!!!~~~
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The kingdom that turned the world upside down..
What the apostles preached...
You may be thinking to yourself, "Okay, maybe Jesus preached about the kingdom, but it was different with His disiciples. He told them to preach about the new birth and salvation, not about the kingdom, right"? wrong. When Jesus commissioned the disciples, he specifically told them to preach about the kingdom. Notice His preaching instructions: "As you go, preach, saying,"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."......He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick....Heal the sick there, and to say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you"(Mt. 10:7, Luke 9:2, 10:9). Please understand that these are not a few isolated proof texts. In nearly every passage where Jesus gave preaching instructions to His disciples, He told them to preach about the kingdom.
You no doubt remember the disciple who said he would follow Jesus, but that he first had to bury his father. What did Jesus tell Him? "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kigdom of God"(Luke 9:60).
But please don't misunderstand me. I am in no way minimizing our need to be Born Again and to be saved. These are crucial aspects of the Gospel. However, they are a means to an end---entering the kingdom of God. Jesus never intended that His followers would preach about salvation and the new birth apart from the kingdom. The kingdom is an absolutely crucial part of the gospel. When we tell people aboaut salvation--but say nothing about the kingdom---we are not preaching the Godpel.
And what gospel was it that Jesus said would be preached in all the world before the end? He said, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come"(Mt. 24:24). A gospel is being preached throughout the world today, but it is the gospel of the kingdom.
More tomorrow....
Love to all who read...
~~~!!!@@@TERRI@@@!!!~~~
You may be thinking to yourself, "Okay, maybe Jesus preached about the kingdom, but it was different with His disiciples. He told them to preach about the new birth and salvation, not about the kingdom, right"? wrong. When Jesus commissioned the disciples, he specifically told them to preach about the kingdom. Notice His preaching instructions: "As you go, preach, saying,"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."......He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick....Heal the sick there, and to say to them, "The kingdom of God has come near to you"(Mt. 10:7, Luke 9:2, 10:9). Please understand that these are not a few isolated proof texts. In nearly every passage where Jesus gave preaching instructions to His disciples, He told them to preach about the kingdom.
You no doubt remember the disciple who said he would follow Jesus, but that he first had to bury his father. What did Jesus tell Him? "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kigdom of God"(Luke 9:60).
But please don't misunderstand me. I am in no way minimizing our need to be Born Again and to be saved. These are crucial aspects of the Gospel. However, they are a means to an end---entering the kingdom of God. Jesus never intended that His followers would preach about salvation and the new birth apart from the kingdom. The kingdom is an absolutely crucial part of the gospel. When we tell people aboaut salvation--but say nothing about the kingdom---we are not preaching the Godpel.
And what gospel was it that Jesus said would be preached in all the world before the end? He said, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come"(Mt. 24:24). A gospel is being preached throughout the world today, but it is the gospel of the kingdom.
More tomorrow....
Love to all who read...
~~~!!!@@@TERRI@@@!!!~~~
A great big Thank-you!!!
As I was just finishing up this book, I received a large box in the mail It was full of nice home canned apples and pumpkin bread mix...the office ladies who received the box could smell the wonderful aroma through the box.....Since I did not recognize the name of the sender, I searched and finally found a letter explaining the wonderful gift! here is her letter for you to enjoy. We ate the apple pie the next day....
Dear Michael and Debbie;
Hello! My husband and I are very thankful to you both. Love your videos on marriage(Husbands love your wives, wives, honor your Husbands), I found myself apologizing to my husband many times. We watched the wife tape first, and a week later my husband said it was time to watch the husband tape. As he put it on, he jokingly said to me, "I'm a little scared," It was great!"
Well..., then I read the Holy Sex book and WOW!, Thanks alot!!! That is when I decided to send you my apple pie in a jar and the pumpkin spice bread, which are 2 incredible aromas to have baking.
My husband recently commented on how great God is, and he said that ayear ago he would have said it was God who was breaking us up(my fault for trying to play his conscience), but NOW it is God bringing us closer together!
I cannot tell you enough how grateful I am(ARE YOU!!!???), I can see the peace and joy even in our children. I personally think every woman should read the book, and I have already passed it on to several friends, and they and their husbands are also very thenkful. I am currently talking to my pastors wife to see if she might want to read it.
Mu friend and I joke that even when we are older, she will teach wives how to submit, and I will teach them to be" suggestive" with their husbands. Smile!! Oh, what joy life is becoming in our house. (How is yours ladies?) I am thankful to God for being soooo patient with me...Well, enjoy your treats, we are enjoying ours!!!
Thank-you!
His Help Meet....
Ladies...How is your intimacy with your DH...This is what keeps HIM AT HOME!!!!
You may laugh, but , it is the truth, that is how men are made.....to NEED their women...
Love to all who read...
###!!~~~TERRI~~~!!###
Dear Michael and Debbie;
Hello! My husband and I are very thankful to you both. Love your videos on marriage(Husbands love your wives, wives, honor your Husbands), I found myself apologizing to my husband many times. We watched the wife tape first, and a week later my husband said it was time to watch the husband tape. As he put it on, he jokingly said to me, "I'm a little scared," It was great!"
Well..., then I read the Holy Sex book and WOW!, Thanks alot!!! That is when I decided to send you my apple pie in a jar and the pumpkin spice bread, which are 2 incredible aromas to have baking.
My husband recently commented on how great God is, and he said that ayear ago he would have said it was God who was breaking us up(my fault for trying to play his conscience), but NOW it is God bringing us closer together!
I cannot tell you enough how grateful I am(ARE YOU!!!???), I can see the peace and joy even in our children. I personally think every woman should read the book, and I have already passed it on to several friends, and they and their husbands are also very thenkful. I am currently talking to my pastors wife to see if she might want to read it.
Mu friend and I joke that even when we are older, she will teach wives how to submit, and I will teach them to be" suggestive" with their husbands. Smile!! Oh, what joy life is becoming in our house. (How is yours ladies?) I am thankful to God for being soooo patient with me...Well, enjoy your treats, we are enjoying ours!!!
Thank-you!
His Help Meet....
Ladies...How is your intimacy with your DH...This is what keeps HIM AT HOME!!!!
You may laugh, but , it is the truth, that is how men are made.....to NEED their women...
Love to all who read...
###!!~~~TERRI~~~!!###
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Continuation of "The kingdom that turned the world upside down".....
A different Kingdom...
The year AD 30 began like any other year. Jewish priests still offered daily sacrifices in the temple. Farmers worked in their fields, an women washed their clothes inthe streams. Fishermen hung uptheir nets to dry on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. But suddenly a prophet named John burst upon the scene! Clothed in camels hairand a leather belt, John made a striking figure. And he brought withim a startling message---the kingdom of God was at hand!
the kingdom of God was at hand? to the Jewsm this meant that the messiah was about to come. It meant the overthrow of rome! It meant they would soon have back their independence as a nation. No wonder that Jonhsmesssage caught everyones attention. People began flocking tohim to find our what they needed to do to prepare for this kingdom.
However, when John identified Jesus as their long awaited Messiah, most Jews were not excited. Jesus of Nazereth??? He didntseem a all like the Messiah they were expecting. He was obviously no warrior. And He didnt even attempt to organize an army to liberate the Jews from Rome. In fact, He didnt even PREACH against the romans.
What did He preach aboaut? Iwould like to ask you, the reader, that question? What was the theme of Jesus' preaching? Mans need for salvation? Gods love for mankind? The necessity to be born again? The fact that Jesus would die as as ransom for us?
Jesus certainly spoke about al of these things. And they are all essential truths. But none of them was the THEME of His message. The Scriptures record only one occasion on which Jesus spoke about the new birth: his private talk with Nicodemus. He mentioned His dying as a ransom for us only one time. There are only 5 or 6 passages in which He even used the word salvation....
No, the theme of Jesus' message was the Kingdom of God. ther are nearly one hundred references to the kingdom throughout the Gospels furthermore, most of Jesus' parables were about the kingdom. In fact,Jesus said that the reason He was sent to earth was to preach about the kingdom:"I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I was sent"(Luke 4:43). Thats not what were used to hearing, is it? Weve all been given the impression that the primary purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to save us from our sins. And that definately was one of the purposes of His coming here. but it was NOT His only purpose.
Where ever He went., Jesuspreached about the kingdom of God. "From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand....And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease,,,but when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and soke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. ...Then Jesus went about all the cities and vllages, teaching in their synagoaues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people'(Mt. 4:17, 23; Luke 9:11, Mt. 9:35).
The irony is that although the kingdom of Godwas the theme of Jesus' preaching, the message of the kingdom is almost totally missing from the gospelthat is preached today. Whats the theme of most preaching today? Its mans personal salvation, isnt it? Its not the Kingdom of 'God.......
More later this week...my fingers get tired typing....
Love to all who read...
@@@!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!@@@
The year AD 30 began like any other year. Jewish priests still offered daily sacrifices in the temple. Farmers worked in their fields, an women washed their clothes inthe streams. Fishermen hung uptheir nets to dry on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. But suddenly a prophet named John burst upon the scene! Clothed in camels hairand a leather belt, John made a striking figure. And he brought withim a startling message---the kingdom of God was at hand!
the kingdom of God was at hand? to the Jewsm this meant that the messiah was about to come. It meant the overthrow of rome! It meant they would soon have back their independence as a nation. No wonder that Jonhsmesssage caught everyones attention. People began flocking tohim to find our what they needed to do to prepare for this kingdom.
However, when John identified Jesus as their long awaited Messiah, most Jews were not excited. Jesus of Nazereth??? He didntseem a all like the Messiah they were expecting. He was obviously no warrior. And He didnt even attempt to organize an army to liberate the Jews from Rome. In fact, He didnt even PREACH against the romans.
What did He preach aboaut? Iwould like to ask you, the reader, that question? What was the theme of Jesus' preaching? Mans need for salvation? Gods love for mankind? The necessity to be born again? The fact that Jesus would die as as ransom for us?
Jesus certainly spoke about al of these things. And they are all essential truths. But none of them was the THEME of His message. The Scriptures record only one occasion on which Jesus spoke about the new birth: his private talk with Nicodemus. He mentioned His dying as a ransom for us only one time. There are only 5 or 6 passages in which He even used the word salvation....
No, the theme of Jesus' message was the Kingdom of God. ther are nearly one hundred references to the kingdom throughout the Gospels furthermore, most of Jesus' parables were about the kingdom. In fact,Jesus said that the reason He was sent to earth was to preach about the kingdom:"I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I was sent"(Luke 4:43). Thats not what were used to hearing, is it? Weve all been given the impression that the primary purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to save us from our sins. And that definately was one of the purposes of His coming here. but it was NOT His only purpose.
Where ever He went., Jesuspreached about the kingdom of God. "From that time, Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand....And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease,,,but when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and soke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. ...Then Jesus went about all the cities and vllages, teaching in their synagoaues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people'(Mt. 4:17, 23; Luke 9:11, Mt. 9:35).
The irony is that although the kingdom of Godwas the theme of Jesus' preaching, the message of the kingdom is almost totally missing from the gospelthat is preached today. Whats the theme of most preaching today? Its mans personal salvation, isnt it? Its not the Kingdom of 'God.......
More later this week...my fingers get tired typing....
Love to all who read...
@@@!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!@@@
Lyrics to a Steve Camp song....He Covers me
I usually do not post lyrics to songs on this blog, but, I just could not let this one past my eyes, it came in the form of a poem.
He Covers me....
Oh Lord, I feel so barren and ashamed of who I am
How I often fell
I hid it well
A lie I cannot defend
So I lean upon Your mercy
As I confess my sin to You
It is no easy way
No saving face
When you finally see the truth
Let my life be fill with only You
Sometimes the pressure builds atound me
And I feel about to break
I suffer patiently from wrongs done to me
But vengence isnt mine to take
Let me glory in my weakness
Until Your strengths revealed in me
It is Your Grace alone that helps me carry on
To be the man(woman ) I long to be
Let Your life be perfected in me
(Your the Light) Until its You they see
I know that someday I will be free
the weight of sin shall be released
But for now He covers me
And though the trials never end
I learn to take them as my friend
For each day He covers me
And though heartache surrounds me
I know Your love is around me
Nothing can separate me from You
OH! Lord I know its true.....
Ladies...take this to heart...
We are going to really need it in these last days....LEAN ON HIM, TRUST Him, Depend on Him.....to be all you need and allow Him to Cover you....
Love to all who read...
~~~!!!@@TERRI@@!!!~~~
He Covers me....
Oh Lord, I feel so barren and ashamed of who I am
How I often fell
I hid it well
A lie I cannot defend
So I lean upon Your mercy
As I confess my sin to You
It is no easy way
No saving face
When you finally see the truth
Let my life be fill with only You
Sometimes the pressure builds atound me
And I feel about to break
I suffer patiently from wrongs done to me
But vengence isnt mine to take
Let me glory in my weakness
Until Your strengths revealed in me
It is Your Grace alone that helps me carry on
To be the man(woman ) I long to be
Let Your life be perfected in me
(Your the Light) Until its You they see
I know that someday I will be free
the weight of sin shall be released
But for now He covers me
And though the trials never end
I learn to take them as my friend
For each day He covers me
And though heartache surrounds me
I know Your love is around me
Nothing can separate me from You
OH! Lord I know its true.....
Ladies...take this to heart...
We are going to really need it in these last days....LEAN ON HIM, TRUST Him, Depend on Him.....to be all you need and allow Him to Cover you....
Love to all who read...
~~~!!!@@TERRI@@!!!~~~
Monday, November 15, 2010
Awake my beloved...
As you all know, Mondays we are going through the book, "Created to be His Helpmeet"....We are about 1/2 way through it....There is much more to cover...sooooo, stick with us....
Awake my beloved....
This is a letter that the Pearls(the authors of this book) received from a real person...
When I picked up your book, called "Holy Sex", I was afraid to read it. I thought you wou would tell me that what I was feeling was wrong---but you did not, and instead you have given me a wonderful gift.
We have been married for 26 years, and our love is getting better as we grow older. This part of our mariage has always been fulfilling, we each seek to please each other. I have a wonderful partner in bed and I am blessed.
Enjoying my husband has always been fine with me, but I have experienced a deeper longing and a "hunger" for him. I thought this was wrong. Times when I eand touched him from head to toe, for me were feelings of adoration and sometimes worshipof him, and I felt it was all wrong. I loved him sooo much, and I desired to pour all of my being into him, but I struggled with whether it was right to do so.
There are times when I am so into him that at the end of our intimacy, I weep. He has asked me why, andIi can't explain, other then, with all that I am I feel grateful for his love. I feel completely satisfied.
You have helped me accept that our Creator designed us to be spirit, soul, and body, and that "onenes" in flesh can be more than physical; it can have a spiritual and emotional essence that is pure.
It was 2 this morning when I finished your book. I woke my beloved and shared myself with him without reservation. I wept in his arms afterwards, and all was good. Thank-you for your book.....
Brenda
Marriage between and man and woman is a picture of our relationship with Christ. It is a great mystery. The physical union between a man and a woman is so beautiful, so otherworldly, that God uses this intimacy to illustrate out relationship to Him.
The Great mystery includes spiritial closeness. emotions lopeness, the intensity of feelings, and the act of loving. Marriage in all its completeness is what God chose as an example of Christ and the Church. It wasnt something figured out by Adam and Eve and passed down through the ages to us.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled"(Hebrews 13:4).
Brendas great satisfaction did not come because her husband was so spiritual, sensitive, or endowed with some special sexual gift. This couple is experiencing what God intends for all couples. In husband and wife relationships, God always speaks first to the wife, telling her to submit , and then to the husband, to LOVE,, Brendas relationship with her husband started with her attitude of honor and thanksgiving toward him. You can see where it took her.
"There be 3 things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not, The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid."(Prov. 30:18-19).
Love to all who read...
~~~**TERRI**~~~
Awake my beloved....
This is a letter that the Pearls(the authors of this book) received from a real person...
When I picked up your book, called "Holy Sex", I was afraid to read it. I thought you wou would tell me that what I was feeling was wrong---but you did not, and instead you have given me a wonderful gift.
We have been married for 26 years, and our love is getting better as we grow older. This part of our mariage has always been fulfilling, we each seek to please each other. I have a wonderful partner in bed and I am blessed.
Enjoying my husband has always been fine with me, but I have experienced a deeper longing and a "hunger" for him. I thought this was wrong. Times when I eand touched him from head to toe, for me were feelings of adoration and sometimes worshipof him, and I felt it was all wrong. I loved him sooo much, and I desired to pour all of my being into him, but I struggled with whether it was right to do so.
There are times when I am so into him that at the end of our intimacy, I weep. He has asked me why, andIi can't explain, other then, with all that I am I feel grateful for his love. I feel completely satisfied.
You have helped me accept that our Creator designed us to be spirit, soul, and body, and that "onenes" in flesh can be more than physical; it can have a spiritual and emotional essence that is pure.
It was 2 this morning when I finished your book. I woke my beloved and shared myself with him without reservation. I wept in his arms afterwards, and all was good. Thank-you for your book.....
Brenda
Marriage between and man and woman is a picture of our relationship with Christ. It is a great mystery. The physical union between a man and a woman is so beautiful, so otherworldly, that God uses this intimacy to illustrate out relationship to Him.
The Great mystery includes spiritial closeness. emotions lopeness, the intensity of feelings, and the act of loving. Marriage in all its completeness is what God chose as an example of Christ and the Church. It wasnt something figured out by Adam and Eve and passed down through the ages to us.
"Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled"(Hebrews 13:4).
Brendas great satisfaction did not come because her husband was so spiritual, sensitive, or endowed with some special sexual gift. This couple is experiencing what God intends for all couples. In husband and wife relationships, God always speaks first to the wife, telling her to submit , and then to the husband, to LOVE,, Brendas relationship with her husband started with her attitude of honor and thanksgiving toward him. You can see where it took her.
"There be 3 things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not, The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid."(Prov. 30:18-19).
Love to all who read...
~~~**TERRI**~~~
This is it for today....More next week...
don't forget about the other book were going through...tomorrow...
Friday, November 12, 2010
"The kingdom that turned the world upside down.." contd'
Chapter 2...The Right-side up Kingdom.....,
As we shall see shortly, thekingdom that turned the world upside down is a unique kingdom. It's a kingdom of upside-down values.
In 1978, Donald Kraybill wrote a book entitled, The upside down kingdom, in which he explored some of these upside down values of the kingdom of God. But to fullly understand this upside down kingdom, we must first look at a kingdom that was right-side up.
The Scriptures introduce us to this right-side up kingdom in the Book of Exodus, where God speaks to the Israelites:"Now therefore, if you will obey My voice and keep My convenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people, for all the earth is Mine, and you shalll be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."(Ex. 19:5,6)
This was Gods offer to the israelites: that they could be His special kingdom of priests. And the Israelites accepted His offer. They entered into a covenant with Him at Sinai. Like most covenants, this covenant was 2 sided. IF the Israelites obeyed Gods voice, then they would be to Him a "Kingdom of prieses and a holy nation>" Like any other kingdom, the nation Israel was to have a ruler and laws. However, their King, Lawgiver and Judge was to be God Himself(Isa. 33:22). The laws of the kingdom of Israel were the Masaic Law, given directly by God.
Despite these special features, the kingdom of Israel was still an eartthly kingdom. In most aspects, it was similar to the kingdoms of the world. It had a physical, geographic territory. Its people were a distinct ethnic nationality. They defended their kingdom with earthly soldiers, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Like all other earthly kingdoms, the Israelites expanded their territory through the use of the sword. In the eyes of the surrounding nations, the most distinctive thing about the Israelites was that their Law forbade the use of idols.
In fact, even Gods promised blessings to the Israelites were earthly, material blessings: "If you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, ...blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increases of your herds..the Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses. ...And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground...The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its seasosn.>>>You shall lend to many nations, but shall not borrow(Deut. 28:1-12)
But it was not only the blessings that would be matyerial. If the Israelites broke their covenant, their punishments would likwise be earthly, physical: The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies...You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine or gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them"(Deut. 28:24,25,38,39).
In short, the ancient kingdom of Israel was a right-side up kingdom. Its pattern was even understandable to the other nations of the world. In fact, in many aspects, ancient Israel was modeled after the same pattern on which their nations had been built. The primary difference was that the other nations imagined it was their gods who had established them as a people. They believed it was their gods who prospered them materially when they worshipped these gods. And they believed it was their gods who punished them with droughts and famines when their gods were displeased with them. In many ways, the world view of the Gentile nations was quite similar to the world view of the Israelites. The primary difference was in matters of religion and morality, not in matters of state.
But the ancient kingdom of Israel, which was predominantly earthly, was not intended as an end in itself. It was meant to be a tutor leading the Israelites to something far grater----a kingdom that would truly not be of this world.
More next week..onto chapter 3..
Love to all who read..
@@@TERRI@@@
As we shall see shortly, thekingdom that turned the world upside down is a unique kingdom. It's a kingdom of upside-down values.
In 1978, Donald Kraybill wrote a book entitled, The upside down kingdom, in which he explored some of these upside down values of the kingdom of God. But to fullly understand this upside down kingdom, we must first look at a kingdom that was right-side up.
The Scriptures introduce us to this right-side up kingdom in the Book of Exodus, where God speaks to the Israelites:"Now therefore, if you will obey My voice and keep My convenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people, for all the earth is Mine, and you shalll be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."(Ex. 19:5,6)
This was Gods offer to the israelites: that they could be His special kingdom of priests. And the Israelites accepted His offer. They entered into a covenant with Him at Sinai. Like most covenants, this covenant was 2 sided. IF the Israelites obeyed Gods voice, then they would be to Him a "Kingdom of prieses and a holy nation>" Like any other kingdom, the nation Israel was to have a ruler and laws. However, their King, Lawgiver and Judge was to be God Himself(Isa. 33:22). The laws of the kingdom of Israel were the Masaic Law, given directly by God.
Despite these special features, the kingdom of Israel was still an eartthly kingdom. In most aspects, it was similar to the kingdoms of the world. It had a physical, geographic territory. Its people were a distinct ethnic nationality. They defended their kingdom with earthly soldiers, armed with swords, spears, and bows. Like all other earthly kingdoms, the Israelites expanded their territory through the use of the sword. In the eyes of the surrounding nations, the most distinctive thing about the Israelites was that their Law forbade the use of idols.
In fact, even Gods promised blessings to the Israelites were earthly, material blessings: "If you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, ...blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increases of your herds..the Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses. ...And the Lord will grant you plenty of goods, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your ground...The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its seasosn.>>>You shall lend to many nations, but shall not borrow(Deut. 28:1-12)
But it was not only the blessings that would be matyerial. If the Israelites broke their covenant, their punishments would likwise be earthly, physical: The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies...You shall carry much seed out to the field but gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine or gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them"(Deut. 28:24,25,38,39).
In short, the ancient kingdom of Israel was a right-side up kingdom. Its pattern was even understandable to the other nations of the world. In fact, in many aspects, ancient Israel was modeled after the same pattern on which their nations had been built. The primary difference was that the other nations imagined it was their gods who had established them as a people. They believed it was their gods who prospered them materially when they worshipped these gods. And they believed it was their gods who punished them with droughts and famines when their gods were displeased with them. In many ways, the world view of the Gentile nations was quite similar to the world view of the Israelites. The primary difference was in matters of religion and morality, not in matters of state.
But the ancient kingdom of Israel, which was predominantly earthly, was not intended as an end in itself. It was meant to be a tutor leading the Israelites to something far grater----a kingdom that would truly not be of this world.
More next week..onto chapter 3..
Love to all who read..
@@@TERRI@@@
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
"the kingdon that turned the world upside down.." contd'......
PLEASE remember, one must read this whole story from the beginning to the end, .....PLEASE read the previous posts....
One might think that the next day the Crusaders were filled with remorse for massacring closr to 100,000 people, many of whom were little children. But not at all, for they were certain that their Lord Jesus christ hda given them their victory and was smiling down at them as their happy King. After all, the Pope himself had put out the call for all good religions to go and free the Holy Land from the Crusaders. He had assured all others the complete forgiveness of sins for any who went on the march.....
One eye witness states...."Now that the city was taken, it was well worth all our previous labors and hardships to see the devotion of the pilgrims at the Holy Sepulcher. How they rejoiced and exulted and sang a new song to the Lord! For their hearts offered prayers of praise to God, victorious and triumphant, which cannot be told in words. A new day! A new joy! New and perpetual galdness! The consummation of our labor and devotion drew forth new words and new songs from everyone. This day, I say will be famous in all future ages, for it turned our labors and sorrows into joy and exultation. This day, I say, marks the justification of all Christianity, the humiliation of paganism and the reneweel of our faith."This is the day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it," for on this day the Lord revealed Himself to His people and blessed them."
But did Jesus view this massacre as something joyous? Had the Crusaders truly advanced the kingdom of God? Or had they done great harm to it?
After all,. 1100 years before, Jesus had planted a kingdom of Love. His subjects were to be known for their love of each other. Not only that, they were to love their enemies as well. Their own King had described Himself as gentle and lowly in heart. The first subjects of this special kingdom had turned their world upside down----not with the sword, but with words of truth and acts of love. So what were people who claimed to be subjects of this kingdom of love and gentleness doing in a distant land, massacring the inhabitants of Jerusalem?
Because my eternal destiny and yours are intricately bound up in this story of the kingdom that turned the world upside down.
Its along story. But its one that needs to be told.
Until next weeek...the rest of the story....
Love toa ll who read...
!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!
One might think that the next day the Crusaders were filled with remorse for massacring closr to 100,000 people, many of whom were little children. But not at all, for they were certain that their Lord Jesus christ hda given them their victory and was smiling down at them as their happy King. After all, the Pope himself had put out the call for all good religions to go and free the Holy Land from the Crusaders. He had assured all others the complete forgiveness of sins for any who went on the march.....
One eye witness states...."Now that the city was taken, it was well worth all our previous labors and hardships to see the devotion of the pilgrims at the Holy Sepulcher. How they rejoiced and exulted and sang a new song to the Lord! For their hearts offered prayers of praise to God, victorious and triumphant, which cannot be told in words. A new day! A new joy! New and perpetual galdness! The consummation of our labor and devotion drew forth new words and new songs from everyone. This day, I say will be famous in all future ages, for it turned our labors and sorrows into joy and exultation. This day, I say, marks the justification of all Christianity, the humiliation of paganism and the reneweel of our faith."This is the day that the Lord hath made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it," for on this day the Lord revealed Himself to His people and blessed them."
But did Jesus view this massacre as something joyous? Had the Crusaders truly advanced the kingdom of God? Or had they done great harm to it?
After all,. 1100 years before, Jesus had planted a kingdom of Love. His subjects were to be known for their love of each other. Not only that, they were to love their enemies as well. Their own King had described Himself as gentle and lowly in heart. The first subjects of this special kingdom had turned their world upside down----not with the sword, but with words of truth and acts of love. So what were people who claimed to be subjects of this kingdom of love and gentleness doing in a distant land, massacring the inhabitants of Jerusalem?
Because my eternal destiny and yours are intricately bound up in this story of the kingdom that turned the world upside down.
Its along story. But its one that needs to be told.
Until next weeek...the rest of the story....
Love toa ll who read...
!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
EXCEPTION!!!!!! Intimacy perversions...
Intimacy the way God intented is the ONLY way to have what God ordained as normal.....intimacy between a Man and aWoman....Any other way is not the way God intended......
Pornography has increased this abomination. It is a filthy practice and medically dangerous. God, the master creator, made a "natural use" of the woman for intimacy. Any man who practices intimacy other than the way God has intended, is automatically suspect for other deviant activity.
"For this cause god gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise the man, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust of one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their thinking, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things which are not convenient" Romans 1:26-28
If you know of any men that" intimately" handles any child call somone!. Dont keep it a secret, that is how sooo many, end up in the state of a crazy person.
"It were bettter for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." Luke 17:2
Ladies, the Scripture is clear....lets not ignore it....
More next week..
Love to all who read..
!!!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!!!
Pornography has increased this abomination. It is a filthy practice and medically dangerous. God, the master creator, made a "natural use" of the woman for intimacy. Any man who practices intimacy other than the way God has intended, is automatically suspect for other deviant activity.
"For this cause god gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise the man, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust of one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their thinking, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do the things which are not convenient" Romans 1:26-28
If you know of any men that" intimately" handles any child call somone!. Dont keep it a secret, that is how sooo many, end up in the state of a crazy person.
"It were bettter for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." Luke 17:2
Ladies, the Scripture is clear....lets not ignore it....
More next week..
Love to all who read..
!!!!!~~~TERRI~~~!!!!!
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