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This book of the bible is frequently and
erroneously
referred to as the start of "The Church, The Body of Christ".
99.44% of fundamental, bible-believing teachers and pastors
embrace this falsity as truth! The fact is, The Book of Acts is
primarily about the unbelief of Israel and God's postponement of
her program. |
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These books of the bible are where believers in this dispensing
of God's grace should go for their day-to-day doctrine on
living. These books contain the revelation of the mystery,
otherwise known as the gospel of Jesus Christ. |
Click here to
contact LMM
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For though
I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity
is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward:
but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is
committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that,
when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ
without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
1
Corinthians 9:16-18
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REMEMBER,
THE FOUR SYNOPTIC GOSPEL ACCOUNTS OF THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS
CHRIST WERE WRITTEN
TO
ISRAEL UNDER THE LAW:
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SINCE
PROPHECY IS SUCH A HOT TOPIC THESE DAYS, DID YOU EVER WONDER WHAT THE
TRIBULATION SAINTS WILL STUDY AFTER THE BODY OF CHRIST IS RAPTURED?
Doctrine
for
The
Tribulation Saints after the rapture of the Body of Christ:
Here Israel is now back at the forefront under the law against the
imminent judgment and earthly return of The Messiah, Jesus Christ.
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1 For this cause I Paul, the
prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, 2 If ye have heard of
the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to
you-ward: 3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the
mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 4 Whereby, when ye
read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) 5
Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as
it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the
Spirit; 6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the
same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the
grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his
power. 8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is
this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the
unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is
the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the
world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus
Christ: 10 To the intent that now unto the principalities and
powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the
manifold wisdom of God, 11 According to the eternal purpose
which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have
boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. 13
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my
tribulations for you, which is your glory -
Ephesians 3:1-13 |
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Light according to the knowledge
of God.....The
word "light" or a portion of the word is found 125 times in 100
verses in the New Testament alone
with an interesting breakout as
follows:
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In the four gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the word "light" is used 47
times.
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In the book of Acts alone
it is used13 times.
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In letters to The Tribulation Saints
who get saved after "the departure" the word "light"
is used 21 times;
11 in Revelation, 5 in John's letters to the
saints,....2 times in Peters letters (1 in each), and 2
times in Hebrews and once in James.....
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The word "light" is used
19 times in Paul's letters
but when combined with it's usage in Acts, nearly all of the
instances the word is used pertains to the ministry of Paul
and his gospel of grace.
Roughly 32 of the 47
times (70% of the time) the word light is used, it pertains to
the apostle Paul describing illumination in regards to
understanding the perfect and complete knowledge that
Jesus Christ has imparted to us! In addition, there are
some outstanding verses, that speak of "light" especially those
verses that many of us may have memorized in Sunday school or
during bible study.
4 In him was life; and the life was
the
light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the
darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John. 7 The same
came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men
through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent
to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which
lighteth every man that cometh into the world. -
John 1: 4-9
Christ "The Light"
John the Baptist bore
witness to that "Light"; Jesus Christ the true Light!
Jesus Himself confessed that He was The Light in John 8:12 and
again in 9:5. The gospel of John spoke distinctively about light
in accordance with the knowledge and direction as compared to
being in darkness.
There are so many ways
that Our Lord Jesus Christ
tries to tell us about His teachings using elementary and basic
terminology.....as in the principle of light versus darkness. We
go into a dark room and what do we do? We turn on the light so
we can see more clearly.
John 12:35, 36
- Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light
with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon
you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he
goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye
may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and
departed, and did hide himself from them.
I believe Our Lord lays
the foundation of "light" in the basics of his teachings in the
four gospels (to Israel but for our understanding) until we are
seasoned enough to understand that the light Christ wants us to
embrace pertains to doctrine or perfect and complete
knowledge.....and being able to be mature enough to understand
light in the next level.......light that appears to be light but
in fact is no light at all. it is here where The Body of Christ
stumbles.
Knowledge according to
"light"
Paul testified of the
light that was shown upon him at his miraculous conversion in
Acts 22 and 26 but notice what he says in regards to the work of
Satan in Acts 26:13-18:
13 At midday, O king, I saw in the
way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun,
shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And
when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking
unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16 But rise, and stand upon thy
feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make
thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou
hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto
thee; 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles,
unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their eyes, and to turn
them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan
unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in
me.
Like a well-trained
lawyer, Paul makes his case to King Agrippa through his
conversion by taking the king to the physical "light' that
blinded him at Damascus and transitioning his case to the
"light" of knowledge apart from the darkness that Satan uses to
blind the Gentiles! Here Paul states in verse 18 that this
(light) would give them the knowledge to receive forgiveness
of sins and inheritance among them which are set apart by faith
in The Lord Jesus Christ...unheard of and unfathomable before
Paul revealed it beloved!
It is this fact and this
truth that has Satan and his angels anxious to keep mankind in
darkness through counterfeiting the gospel of grace through
false teachings. How??? Let's look at some more
light-filled verses on this matter....
2 Corinthians 4:1-6
- 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received
mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of
dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of
God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending
ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But
if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom
the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ,
who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach
not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.
Paul's ministry was
forever challenged friends and I am afraid that not much has
changed to day regarding
 this
matter! As Paul wrote of the certainty of the gospel he received
from Christ in his second letter to the Corinthians, he
specifically addressed the issue of knowledge according to light
as it pertains to the law of Moses in the latter part of chapter
3 and continued to the grace-age saints in chapter 4.
But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light
of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine unto them.
Notice what the apostle says in verse 3 in regards to those that
are lost. If we are to study to show ourselves approved we need
to understand that the god of this world (The Devil, the Prince
of the power of the air - Eph. 2:2) has blinded (no light) the
minds of them that believe not so that "the light of
glorious gospel of Christ should shine (beam down or illuminate)
unto them!
Notice, Paul is not
talking about conduct, what movies you watch, who you associate
with...yes important choices but not the core, destructive issue
presiding in The Church: The Body of Christ and separating lost
mankind from God.
6 For God, who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts,
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ.
Through Jesus Christ, light
illuminated out of darkness and shined into our hearts to give
us the "light of
knowledge" which in the Greek (gnōsis)
is described as " the deeper more perfect and enlarged
knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more
advanced"....
2 Corinthians 6:14
- Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with darkness
Counterfeit "light"
The last verses that need to be
pointed out on this topic are in 2 Corinthians 11 and come off
the heals of Paul again defending his ministry while having a
jealous concern over the members of this church:
3 But I fear, lest by any
means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so
your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we
have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye
have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not
accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Christ revealed to Paul
that Satan would use the same means to deceive members of His
Body in the same fashion as Eve was deceived; through subtlety
(sly, crafty, cunning, false wisdom). The fact that Paul used
Eve one who sinned out of ignorance as opposed to Adam, one who
sinned willfully, is further indicting to believers. The apostle
was concerned that Christians would have their minds corrupted
(destroyed) from the simplicity that is in Christ. Notice he did
not say that cults, other religions or faith systems would
corrupt for in verse 4, Paul spoke of those that would preach
"another" Jesus....of whom he and his ministers of grace did not
preach about. Further, Paul warns of "another" Spirit and
"another" gospel. There are so many erroneous teachings of the
Holy Sprit today that I could devote an entire edition on the
subject. I have found that many believers today do not even make
a distinction between the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit
under this wonderful dispensing of grace in comparison with how
he operated in the Old Testament under The law. As an example
and thankfully under grace, The Holy Spirit baptizes us,
indwells us and eternally seals us unto Christ; a component of
spiritual blessings that Old Testament saints did not have
friends!
Paul was also concerned about
believers accepting "another" gospel. Here, the Greek word for
"another" is "heteros"
denoting that Paul was not warning his
 followers
about a false gospel, a gospel indeed...but of a different
type. An extreme example would be if a believer preached the
gospel of Noah; when it rains, get on the ark for the Lord will
destroy the earth! The fact is, its a true gospel, its another
gospel, its not false....but it is not relevant to today.
That is what Paul was warning of...those that would preach of
Christ and His true gospel account but erroneously making it your doctrine
for today while attempting to negate what the Risen, Glorified
Christ revealed to Paul:
16
Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though
we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we
him no more. 17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of
reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them;
and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now
then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech
you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to
God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. -
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
Friends, what I am
trying to say is that not only was Paul warning about false
Christ's, (many claiming to be Christ) but he was admonishing
believers about those that would teach about Jesus' earthly
ministry in place of what Jesus would later reveal according to
the riches of His grace! This is why Paul wrote by inspiration:
"Wherefore henceforth know
we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more"....
While most believers,
pastors and teachers think that Satan is doing his best work in
the bars, strip clubs, adult Internet sites and flop houses of
the world our Adversary is getting a stronghold IN THE CHURCHES
across the landscape! He has successfully accomplished his
biggest victory by getting pastors and teachers to pervert the
gospel as noted above. At the church you attend:
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How often is the
dispensation of grace taught?
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Has the topic of
"The Mystery been discussed?
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Over the past year,
what percent of bible instruction would you say is dedicated
to Paul's letters and his doctrine?
5 For I suppose I was not a
whit behind the very chiefest apostles. 6 But though I be rude
in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made
manifest among you in all things. 7 Have I committed an offence
in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have
preached to you the gospel of God freely? 8 I robbed other
churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9 And when I
was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man:
for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from
Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from
being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. 10 As the
truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting
in the regions of Achaia. 11 Wherefore? because I love you not?
God knoweth. 12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut
off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they
glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no
marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall
be according to their works.
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2 Corinthians 11:5-15
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Today's World News
Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania
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"Four score and seven years ago our fathers
brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived
in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all
men are created equal.
 Now
we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether
that nation, or any nation so conceived and so
dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great
battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a
portion of that field, as a final resting place for
those who here gave their lives that that nation might
live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should
do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can
not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The
brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have
consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or
detract. The world will little note, nor long remember
what we say here, but it can never forget what they did
here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated
here to the unfinished work which they who fought here
have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to
be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us
-- that from these honored dead we take increased
devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full
measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that
these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this
nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom --
and that government of the people, by the people, for
the people, shall not perish from the earth." - Abraham
Lincoln
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The
unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When
in the Course of human events it becomes
necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have
connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth,
the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind
requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the
separation.
We
hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That
to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving
their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any
Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of
the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government,
laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in
such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and
Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long
established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and
accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to
suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by
abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train
of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a
design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is
their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for
their future security.
— Such has been the patient
sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which
constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history
of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries
and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an
absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be
submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for
the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing
importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should
be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend
to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large
districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of
Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and
formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual,
uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records,
for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his
measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with
manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others
to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of
Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise;
the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of
invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that
purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing
to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the
conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent
to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their
offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of
Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the
Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the
Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to
our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to
their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders
which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring
Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging
its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument
for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and
altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested
with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection
and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and
destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to
compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with
circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most
barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to
bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their
friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to
bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages
whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all
ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in
the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by
repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act
which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have
warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend
an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the
circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to
their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the
ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would
inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have
been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must,
therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation,
and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace
Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in
General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world
for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority
of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That
these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent
States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown,
and that all political connection between them and the State of Great
Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and
Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace,
contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and
Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support
of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine
Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes,
and our sacred Honor.
- John Hancock
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge
Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart,
Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George
Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison,
Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur
Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
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COFFEE
CORNER
Eagle Story
by Jeff Guidry
Freedom
and I have been together 10 years this
summer. She came in as a baby in 1998 with two broken
wings. Her left wing doesn't open all the way even after
surgery, it was broken in 4 places. She's my baby.
Freedom & Jeff
When Freedom came in she could not stand. Both wings were
broken, her left wing in 4 places. She was emaciated and covered
in lice. We made the decision to give her a chance at life, so I
took her to the vets office. From then on, I was always around
her. We had her in a huge dog carrier with the top off, and it
was loaded up with shredded newspaper for her to lay in. I used
to sit and talk to her, urging her to live, to fight; and she
would lay there looking at me with those big brown eyes. We also
had to tube feed her for weeks.
This went on for 4-6 weeks, and by then she still couldn't
stand. It got to the point where the decision was made to
euthanize her if she couldn't stand in a week. You know you
don't want to cross that line between torture and rehab, and it
looked like death was winning. She was going to be put down that
Friday, and I was supposed to come in on that Thursday
afternoon. I didn't want to go to the center that Thursday,
because I couldn't bear the thought of her being euthanized; but
I went anyway, and when I walked in everyone was grinning from
ear to ear. I went immediately back to her dowl cage; and there
she was, standing on her own, a big beautiful eagle. She was
ready to live. I was just about in tears by then. That was a
very good day.
We knew she could never fly, so the director asked me to glove
train her. I got her used to the glove, and then to jesses, and
we started doing education programs for schools in western
Washington. We wound up in the newspapers, radio (believe it or
not) and some TV. Miracle Pets even did a show about us.
In the spring of 2000, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma. I had stage 3, which is not good (one major organ plus
everywhere), so I wound up doing 8 months of chemo. Lost the
hair - the whole bit. I missed a lot of work. When I felt good
enough, I would go to Sarvey and take Freedom out for walks.
Freedom would also come to me in my dreams and help me fight the
cancer. This happened time and time again.
 Fast
forward to November 2000, the day after Thanksgiving, I went in
for my last checkup. I was told that if the cancer was not all
gone after 8 rounds of chemo, then my last option was a stem
cell transplant. Anyway, they did the tests; and I had to come
back Monday for the results. I went in Monday, and I was told
that all the cancer was gone.
So the
first thing I did was get up to Sarvey and take the big girl out
for a walk. It was misty and cold. I went to her flight and
jessed her up, and we went out front to the top of the hill. I
hadn't said a word to Freedom, but somehow she knew. She looked
at me and wrapped both her wings around me to where I could feel
them pressing in on my back (I was engulfed in eagle wings), and
she touched my nose with her beak and stared into my eyes, and
we just stood there like that for I don't know how long. That
was a magic moment. We have been soul mates ever since she came
in. This is a very special bird.
On a side note: I have had people who were sick come up to us
when we are out, and Freedom has some kind of hold on them. I
once had a guy who was terminal come up to us and I let him hold
her. His knees just about buckled and he swore he could feel her
power coarse through his body. I have so many stories like that.
I never forget the honor I have of being so close to such a
magnificent spirit as Freedoms.
Hope you enjoy this.
Jeff
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BUY THE TRUTH AND SELL IT NOT
by Cornelius R. Stam
Every true Christian should understand that the truth
costs. If you don't think so, make it your own, value
it, defend it, stand for it, and see if it doesn't cost.
Before you are through it may cost you far more than you
had thought -- hours of ease and pleasure, friends and
money. Yes, the truth costs. Salvation is gloriously
free but the truth costs -- that is, if you want it for
yourself. Many who know the truth won't buy it. They
won't pay what it costs to say: "This is what I believe.
This is my conviction." The truth isn't worth that much
to them.
But in Prov. 23:23 God's Word urges us: "Buy the truth"!
Not, "Buy it if you can get it at a bargain; if the
price is not too great." No, "Buy the truth"! Buy it at
any price. It is worth far more than anything you can
give in exchange for it.
And when you have bought it: "sell it not." How many,
alas, have bought the truth only to sell out again! For
a while they valued and defended some God-given light
from His Word, but presently they sold it again for
something that seemed more valuable. Perhaps it was
peace with others, or position, or popularity or some
other temporal gain. They still gave mental assent to it
but it formed no part of them. It was no longer a
conviction.
Such should read again the Spirit's counsel: "Buy the
truth, and sell it not." He does not say: "Don't sell it
unless you can get a very good price for it." He says:
"Sell it not." Sell it not at any price. Buy it, no
matter what it costs and when it is yours do not sell it
for any price or under any consideration.
It is because the truth is so little valued in this
indifferent age, that many of God's people have become
so spiritually powerless. They hold opinions instead of
convictions, because they have given the infallible,
unchangeable Word of God little place in their lives.
God blesses and uses those who "buy the truth and sell
it not."
Euthanasia
by Paul Sadler, President - Berean Bible Society
Scripture Reading:
"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this
the judgment."
- Hebrews 9:27
It is our firm conviction that every believer in Christ
should strongly oppose euthanasia on the grounds that it
runs contrary to the revealed will of God. Euthanasia is
the deliberate act of prematurely terminating the life
of someone who is hopelessly ill. This is normally
achieved through the controlled inhalation of carbon
monoxide, by a lethal injection of drugs or withholding
nourishment. Those who are advocates of this unwholesome
rationale believe that it is morally acceptable to end
the pain and suffering of a loved one whose life would
otherwise be meaningless. In the name of compassion
Michigan's infamous "Dr. Death" has assisted in many
such suicides, proclaiming himself to be an angel of
mercy.
Thankfully most physicians still hold to the Hippocratic
oath, which states that every effort should be made to
preserve life. But even more importantly, man has no
moral right to terminate a life that has been given by
God. It has been appropriately said: "Suicide doesn't
end the pain, it only lays it on the broken shoulders of
the survivors." Many seem to have forgotten that it is
God "in whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
and the breath of all mankind" (Job 12:10). We
sympathize, of course, with any family who has a loved
one who is terminally ill. Nevertheless, to cut that
life short may send them to a Christless eternity when
they might have otherwise believed before their natural
death. Also, we may never know how many souls in the
medical profession have been saved because they were in
the presence of a dying saint or family member who was
faithful in sharing Christ. The Lord's consolation at
such times is "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THEE!
JEHOVAH IS HIS NAME
by Russell S. Miller
In
Genesis 15:5,6, God told Abraham to look up and count the
stars, for "So shall thy seed be", and Abraham "believed in
the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness". But
who is the "God" in whom Abraham believed, what is His name?
When
the Israelites were in the bondage of Egyptian slavery and
Moses was commanded to deliver them out of Egypt, he also
inquired about God's name:
"...Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and
shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me
unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name?, what
shall I say unto them?
"And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and He said, Thus
shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent
me unto you" - Exodus 3:13,14
Now
in Exodus 6:3, the Lord again spoke to Moses:
"And I
appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the
name of God Almighty, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not known
to them".
So it
was Jehovah, the Lord God Almighty, in whom Abraham
believed, the same Lord who "made Heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is" (Gen.1:1; Ex.20:11; Eph.3:9).
In
John 8:56 Christ spoke to the Jews of His day about
Abraham's God: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day:
and he saw it, and was glad". How often in John's gospel the
Lord speaks this truth, that "...Before Abraham was, I AM"
(8:56; 6:35; 8:12; 10:7-11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1-5). This is
most interesting, because, in the darkness of that night of
Christ's betrayal and arrest, they fell over "backward" upon
hearing those two little words, "I AM" (John 18:5,6). The
Eternal God was in their presence! And they could only
arrest Him, as He voluntarily surrendered to God's purpose.
So,
Jehovah, of the Old Testament, is the Lord Jesus Christ, of
the New Testament.
In
his epistles, the Apostle Paul relates that this same JESUS
"took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men:
"And
being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" -
Philippians 2:7,8
Thus,
the Apostle points peoples of all nationalities to the
Christ of Calvary's cross as the only means of salvation
today:
"For
what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness.
"Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of
grace, but of debt.
"But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that
justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for
righteousness"
-
Romans 4:3-5
Jehovah means Saviour, Jesus Christ is our only Saviour,
consequently, God will also "count" your "faith" for
"righteousness", if you will simply believe what the Bible
says about Jesus Christ:
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith
in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission
of sins ... that He might be just, and the Justifier of him
which believeth in JESUS"
Romans 3:24-26
"Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus
Christ, Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from
this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."
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A
Letter from a Friend
been revoked".
Joe
knew that this could be a major problem in that he would not be able
to get his work completed without access to area XYZ! However, after
further review of the e-mail, the man quickly discovered that he was
not the intended recipient but instead "copied" or "cc'd" as a
reference only! As it turns out, a collogue of his was the man who lost
his access! Joe, as the superintendent of area XYZ, simply needed to
be aware of this. For a brief moment, Joe confused his TO
mail with his CC mail. Not understanding that distinction for
those brief seconds after reading the message caused severe anxiety for
Joe until he realized the message was indeed TO someone else!
In a much similar example, when
we
read the bible, identifying our TO
mail is very important lest
we make the same fundamental mistake as the person above. Without
understanding the distinction between our "to" mail and our
"cc" or our "reference only" mail, believers inadvertently
"read themselves" into areas of the bible that God did not intend.
The result when this happens: confusion!
(see
