Sunday morning, Easter, dressed, right before we go to church, I step outside to put a new trash bag in the large, trash barrel. We had our Easter festivities the day before—a potluck dinner and egg hunt and games for the kids. We have discovered the kids love to play with water pistols. We had a generous supply of little pistols handy and two five-gallon buckets of water ready for pistol “ammo.” Immediately after the meal and egg hunt, the water began to fly among the kids and a few certain “adults” (yours truly). We had a grand good time. Back to the trash barrel. I had emptied the trash barrel the day before, and I knew we would be having guests Sunday afternoon. I wanted to get a trash bag in the clean barrel before anyone put something messy directly in the barrel. That would require a barrel cleaning. Gotta keep that thing clean or the ants have a hey-day. I pop the trash bag open to lower it into the barrel, not noticing our hummingbird feeder directly above it. My head raises up and bumps the feeder, spilling a goodly amount of the sugar water on my head. Well, we needed to leave for church, and I did not want to have to go in and go through the routine of fixing it. I just made sure the right hairs were in the right place to let it dry, while off to church we go. So, Easter morning, I go to church with a sweet anointing of sugar water on my head. I did find out that if you want your hair to stay in place, put sugar water on it. A tornado would probably not mess your hair up! Anointed with the anointing of sweetness—that was my thought as I went to church. That is what we all need. We need to be anointed with the anointing of sweetness by the Spirit of God. I thought of Jesus, how the Word says He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power who went about doing good, healing all who were oppressed by the devil. Even though Jesus was anointed with the sweet Holy Spirit of God, doing good for all people who were sick and suffering, still, the wicked, critical religious people hated Him and opposed what He was doing. But the sweet anointing of the Holy Spirit did not cave to religious opposition. In fact, that sweet anointing went into the temple and overtured the tables of merchandising God’s people, and ran the hucksters out who were just making a living on God’s people. Jesus, anointed with the sweet presence of the Holy Spirit, turned the temple into a prayer and healing center (Matthew 21:12-15). Social clubs are for the world. The sweet anointing of the Spirit is for the church, so the world can come and be healed in spirit, soul and body by the power of God. We need that sweet anointing.
Author: admin
preachJesus77
Dishwasher Safe
Barb likes the dishwasher. My personal preference is to handwash the dishes right after use, dry them and put them away. That disorder goes back to the fact that I am “three-inch screw.” Being labelled “three-inch screw” goes back to the time we were taking some adjustable shelves off the wall using a hand screw driver. I had put the shelves up hastily, using a power screw driver. I could not find any screws lying around except some three-inch screws. Well, I just zipped them right in there to put those little adjustable shelf rails on the wall. An inch and a half screw would have been plenty, but as it went easy and hasty with the power tool, in they went. Well, taking them out at a later date with a hand screw driver was an arduous task that evoked much griping and complaining by the operator, yours truly. With the wife hearing and seeing all the fuming and commotion, I was promptly labelled “three-inch screw” for using three-inch screws for those little shelf rails. I must admit to the fact that I am a tad bit on the anal side when it comes to doing things, shall we say, opposite of sloppy and half-way. And that propensity is exactly why I like to hand wash dishes. I like to give individual attention to each coffee cup to make sure there is not one coffee stain on the inside walls or bottom of the cup. I know, a well-stained cup is said to carry a better cup of coffee, but some of us are just that way. We think we have to get everything just right. Loosen up! But, when unloading the dishwasher, sometimes I find some dishes that are not perfectly clean. I concede to the use of the dishwasher, going along with just sticking them in there and running that pre-programmed cycle for expediency and ease. However, it sometimes falls short of that individual scrubbing that always produces a nice, clean and shiny dish or utensil. Things that are “dishwasher safe” can be run through that programmed cycle and maybe come out clean, with no permanent change to the dish or utensil. Did you know there are lot of church attendees who are dishwasher safe? We can go through the programmed church cycle, and we may or may not come out clean. There is one thing for sure, we are resilient to permanent change. You know, it would be good to turn the religious dishwasher off sometimes and hand-wash each individual “dish” and “utensil.” Each one would receive personal attention until clean. The needed change would be put into effect! “But that is a lot of work!” we gingerly complain. “Yes, it is,” comes the reply, “but the change would be thorough and permanent.” When each person has a personal encounter with God, we call that “conversion.” The Lord Jesus Christ becomes central in our life instead of us just running through another programmed religious cycle.
Easter: The Meaning
I found it interesting in Acts 12:4 that Herod, who had already killed the apostle James, was going to deal with Peter “after Easter.” No doubt, Herod was making a favorable political move to not offend the Jewish leaders in violating Easter. Curious about the exact meaning of Easter, I went to the Greek language in the concordance and Mr. Wikipedia and other online information about the origin of the term Easter. “Easter,” in the Greek is “pascha” which means “Passover.” In all my years of walking with the Lord, I never stopped to look the word up. I was actually surprised at it’s meaning. I just associated Easter with Jesus’ resurrection, and bunnies, and getting the fresh grass mowed, and not planting certain things in the garden until after Easter (some of your older folks can identify with that last item). But I was glad to learn that, and in reading Wikipedia, I was impressed on how clearly the gospel and the facts about Easter were presented. So, I’ll just give you the quote to pass it along to you: “Easter celebrates Jesus’ supernatural resurrection from the dead, which is one of the chief tenets of the Christian faith. Paul writes that, for those who trust in Jesus’s death and resurrection, ‘death is swallowed up in victory.’ The First Epistle of Peter declares that God has given believers ‘a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ Christian theology holds that, through faith in the working of God, those who follow Jesus are spiritually resurrected with him so that they may walk in a new way of life and receive eternal salvation, and can hope to be physically resurrected to dwell with him in the Kingdom of Heaven. Easter is linked to Passover and the Exodus from Egypt recorded in the Old Testament through the Last Supper, sufferings, and crucifixion of Jesus that preceded the resurrection. According to the three Synoptic Gospels, Jesus gave the Passover meal a new meaning, as in the upper room during the Last Supper he prepared himself and his disciples for his death. He identified the bread and cup of wine as his body, soon to be sacrificed, and his blood, soon to be shed. The Apostle Paul states in his First Epistle to the Corinthians: ‘Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.’ This refers to the requirement in Jewish law that Jews eliminate all chametz, or leavening, from their homes in advance of Passover, and to the allegory of Jesus as the Passover lamb.” This quote ties it all together nicely. Our resurrected Lord Jesus Christ has impacted this whole world in a tremendous way, and the biggest one is yet to come. Take this Easter to give Jesus your whole life, be rid of sin (leavening), and be ready to meet Him in the air.
Ladies Liberated
Jesus came to a loose-living, man-loving woman in Samaria and poured Living Water into her. When she met the man Jesus, and “perceived” that He was that prophesied “Christ,” the Spirit-anointed Messiah, she immediately left what she was doing. She went back into the city to the men of that city, and told them she met the Christ. Many heard and believed. Jesus stayed in Samaria a couple of days and many more believed on Christ because of His own word to them. One woman got the revelation of Jesus Christ and rocked a whole city—and Jesus never forbade her to speak. In fact, He went and backed her up on what she was saying (John 4:1-42). The Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost on men and women. All were filled and began to speak out about the “wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:1-13). Peter explained this was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophesy, “I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy…my servants…my handmaidens…shall prophesy…and whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:16-21). Paul wrote to the legally influenced Galatians and said, “For ye are all children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26-28). Yes, Paul, using scriptural authority corrected two situations with talkative, pushy, domineering women who were eager to learn (1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). But he continually had to correct talkative, pushy, domineering men who were preaching another gospel and another Jesus and another spirit to the church (1 Timothy 1:3). Paul’s correction to the women was in no way a mandate across the board to muzzle the maidens! In no way was Paul negating the prophecies of old and the work of Jesus Christ to set all men and women free and on fire for Him! Yes, men and women have their place and their position in the home. Their place is to be mutually supportive team members to work together to have a godly home. This is to continue in the church and in society. Men and women are to work together as mutually supportive team members to get the work of the Lord done in the power of His anointing under His direction. Adam and Eve (before sin), Jesus and the Samarian woman, Paul and Phobe (and other women), Aquila and Priscilla, Philip and his four daughters—all these and more are a fulfillment of sons and daughters working together. The fields are ready to harvest. The time is short. The need is great. Men! Women! Boys! Girls! Rise up in the power of His anointing and pay no attention to the nay-sayers. Joyfully reap the harvest! Rock the city for Jesus!
Ladies on Purpose
Ladies on Purpose (Ladies OP), is the women’s group my wife, Barbara, has recently started. They’ve had two sessions. The ladies meet each Tuesday evening from 6 to 7 pm in the kitchen/dining area of the Lighthouse Church at 2800 Military in Benton, AR. All ladies are welcome. They meet together and fellowship and have a drawing and door prizes. I think it is sort of a party atmosphere. They have goodies that my wife and some of the ladies bring to share for refreshments. It is not a churchy atmosphere, but Barbara does teach healing from the inside out. Her goal in starting the meetings is to impart to women how valuable they are and understanding God’s view of women. For centuries women have been relegated to a lesser place in society, particularly in the church. This lesser place in the church is largely due to an interpretation of the Bible that says women across the board are to be silent in the church. As with any scripture, none should be taken of a “private” interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). That word “private,” in the Greek language means “pertaining to self that is one’s own…or separate” (Strong’s Concordance G2398). So those two passages referring to women keeping silent in the church needs to be interpreted in view of all the other scriptures referring to women speaking in the church. Joel prophesied that God would pour His Spirit out on all flesh (all people) and your sons and daughters would prophesy. This happened on the day of Pentecost. Later, Philip had four daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9). I doubt if they went outside and prophesied to a fence post. Aquila and Priscilla had a church in their home. They ministered together and corrected Apollos’ teaching showing him the “way more perfectly” (Acts 18:26). Phebe was a “servant” of the church (Romans 16:1). “Servant” in the Greek language means “an attendant…a waiter; specifically, a Christian teacher and pastor…deacon or deaconess (Strong’s Concordance G1249).” The women of Corinth were to ask their questions to their husbands at home instead of asking out loud across the room of the church. Husbands and wives sat across the room from each other then, as they do today in that part of the world. Paul told Timothy that he did not allow pushy, contentious women to act independently of the husband. Paul also did not allow pushy, contentious legalizer men to operate in a meeting. The husband and wife are to be subject to God for ministry. A single woman ministry, just like a single man ministry, is to be subject to the Lord and the elders of the Body of Christ. But it is plain as day that in general women, just like men, are to pray, prophesy and minister the Word. Some preachers are telling fifty percent of the church to be quiet. No! We need laborers for the harvest! Women! Rise up in the power of the Spirit and share Jesus everywhere you go!
Don’t Be Defrauded
When the Israelites came out of Egypt, there was not one feeble person among them. About five million people, and not one feeble person among them! (Psalms 105:37) Wow! It was God’s will to heal them! You say, “Yeah, but what I am experiencing, I brought it on myself.” The Israelites sinned and brought destruction on themselves, and the Bible says, “He sent His word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalms 107:20). One time they murmured against Moses so that serpents were biting and killing them by the thousands. They brought it on themselves. But God told Moses to make a brass serpent and lift it up on top of a pole and tell the people to look at it—just look at it! When they looked at it, they were healed! It was God’s will to heal them! That’s the scripture Jesus used when He explained to religious, law-keeping Nicodemus how to be born again. He told him that the Son of man, referring to Himself, would be lifted up and whoever believes in Him, whoever looks to Him, would have eternal life. Do you realize that Jesus was lifted up, hung on a cross, and became sin for us so that we can be healed spiritually, mentally, physically, and in every way? Even if we brought it all on ourselves, His love and His sacrifice stand for eternity, so that whoever looks to Him in persistent faith and obedience will be delivered. Jesus came to give abundant life. The devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. The devil will defraud us of our inheritance in Christ, if we let him. A Google definition of defraud is “to take something illegally from a person, company, etc., or to prevent someone from having something that is legally theirs, by making statements that are not true.” It means to take advantage of. The devil is a liar. The word and the work of Jesus is truth. Which are we going to believe and embrace—God’s will to heal in Christ Jesus or the devil’s design to defraud? I know of a sister in the Lord who opened her home to help another lady, and the lady is slowly destroying the sister’s home, and making the sister miserable. Do you think that is God’s will? No! That is defrauding. “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because the Lord is the avenger of all such”—pay attention! (1 Thessalonians 4:6) People and the devil will take advantage of you and rob you of your legal inheritance if you let them! Jesus paid for abundant life for you! Go for it! Just like you work out and exercise for your body, work out and exercise each day with the truth of the word of God. Believe in Jesus and apply His truth to your life each day. Remember the Israelites. Refuse to be defrauded. Take what is rightfully yours in Jesus Christ your Lord!
Something of Eternal Value
Sometime in the next twenty or thirty years or so, I will be checking out of this hotel called earth, and I will be staying in my permanent home in Heaven. One day it dropped in my heart that I wanted to leave something behind for my kids and others that would be of eternal value. I’m not a rich man in money and goods; besides, that stuff is not in itself eternal. I observed how the Apostle Paul wrote letters that were preserved and passed down to others. That guy is still winning souls by the millions and blessing millions more. So, I figured if I took sixty years of what I have learned in walking with the Lord, and got it down to the basic Bible message that will benefit all, that might be of eternal value. I’ve been through a lot in those sixty years. I can say one thing about it all: God is faithful. He is true to His Word. He is true to His Spirit-anointed Son, Jesus. He is true to me and to all people. We can truly trust God. I am very thankful that by His mercy and grace, we can all have an abundant-life relationship with Him. Abundant life starts by having peace and assurance that because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, we are made right with God. Repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ brings us into eternal life with Him, and releases the blessings of God upon us. For sixty years I have loved to share Jesus, and it gets sweeter as the days go by. But, back to what I started to say. I want to leave something behind of eternal value, so I wrote a book. It is entitled, “What is God’s Answer for Me, and the Rest of the World.” If we will take the Word of God at face value and get the over-all picture of the revelation of Jesus Christ (Christ means “Spirit-anointed Messiah”), we will find God’s answer for our life. You can catch a fish and serve it to a person for a meal, or, you can share with that person how to get the equipment and how to fish, and you can feed that person for a lifetime. And, they can teach others how to get the equipment and how to fish. So that is what I have attempted to do. I have taken sixty years of Bible study and walking with the Lord (and times of not walking with the Lord), and I have put it into words that will give you the understanding of how to get that equipment and how to use it to your and others benefit. I, of course, would like for every person to read the book. It’s not a money-making scheme. It is a message, replete with life experiences, that is burning in my heart to share with all. Amazon and Barnes and Noble carry it.
Rescued and Rendering Gratitude
I marveled as I heard the story of one of my daughter’s dogs she rescued. To look at the dog with his scarred head, you would think he had been in many fights. But the fact is that due to gross neglect, the dog was covered in deep bacterial infections and fungi with running sores all over his head and body. These deep sores left scars. His internal digestive condition was such that his body was not digesting food, so he was malnourished to the point of starvation. Those infections were in his paws so he could hardly walk, and certainly, each step was with pain. These sores and his skin condition made him extremely sensitive to touch. Just to touch him would cause him to react. His lowered immune system caused him to be resistant to cure and healing, and it made him subject to any infection, fungus or any other debilitating condition that might come his way. With much hair missing and being covered with oozing sores, he was a sight to behold. Most would think he was worthy of a bullet to put him out of his misery. But not the heart of an animal rescuer. The heart of the animal rescuer sees beyond the present condition and rolls up the sleeves and proceeds to administer the cure. The daily routine was overlooking the reactions from frequent, painful medicated baths. Internal medications had to be administered daily. Slowly, his digestive system had to acclimate to nutritious food. In that period of time there is much regurgitative and diarrhea reaction. Slowly, patiently, daily, the rescuer administers the cure. In time, the conditions are conquered. The dog goes from torment to tranquility. Knowing the story, one can understand the loving look of gratitude that emanates from the dog’s gaze to his owner and master. What a picture of how the Lord Jesus works to rescue those who are out of the path of abundant life! Many people are carrying many spiritual bacterial and fungal sores. Outwardly, we can look really good and pretty, but inwardly we can be filled with fear, skepticism, hatred, bitterness and evil thoughts of all kinds. We can adapt to our misery, but we are sore to the touch, so easily offended and angered. Our walk is affected by sore feet. We can’t handle good, spiritual food so we spew out negative opinions wherever we go. The Good Shepherd, Christ Jesus, draws us to Himself and takes us in. His daily, loving, tender, patient care administers the Word of truth and the Spirit of life and power to us. Slowly, our torment is transformed into tranquility. The very image of Christ is formed within us. In Him there is life, peace, purpose and power. Living in the life and nourishment that only Jesus can provide through His Word and Spirit, is the way to abundant life and contentment. With Jesus as Lord and Master, we can gaze upon Him and render praises for all eternity.
Good Muscadine Juice
I like that red muscadine juice that Post puts out. We keep a bottle in the refrigerator and a back up in the pantry. I don’t care for the wine. Dad used to make muscadine wine. The juice was good starting out, but by the time it went through the fermentation process, it lost all its sweet goodness. Besides, I messed with alcohol, and now I don’t indulge in the bottled (or canned) spirits. But the muscadine juice, I like. I like to use it every morning to take communion. It’s not a religious ritual with me. It is just a reminder. The Word says as often as you choose to do it, do it as a reminder of what the Lord has done for us. There are a couple of pills and a vitamin that I take first thing in the day. I just call them my communion “elements,” and with a big swig of the muscadine juice from the refrigerator door, I serve a reminder to myself. I say, “Thank you, Lord, for taking a beating so I can be healed and strengthened and my youth renewed; and thank you, Lord, for dying on the cross and shedding your blood so that my sins are all taken away and I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ imputed to my account. Thank you, Lord, that I stand righteous in your sight because of what Jesus has done for me.” This starts every day off with a fresh realization of what I have in Christ Jesus, the Spirit-anointed Son of God. God wants us to keep in mind what Jesus has done for us. That’s why He gave us the ordinance of communion. He wants us to “discern” or realize the worth of what Jesus did for us and apply it to our life by faith. If we partake of communion (the Lord’s supper) “unworthily” or “irreverently,” not understanding and applying His work to our life, then we live under condemnation and in weakness and sickness, and sometimes even premature death. If we partake of communion as just a religious ritual, not stopping to thank Him for what He has done, and apply it to our life by faith, then we continue in bondage. Communion is designed to help set us free in every way so we won’t fall under the same condemnation as the world of spiritual darkness, defeat and sickness in body. Whether we do it corporately at church or privately at home, or both ways, it is to serve to liberate us in spirit, soul, and body. It is God’s ordained reminder— “This Do in Remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). We are to examine ourselves to see what we are dwelling on and believing. Do we have sin in our life? Then by faith, run to the blood for cleansing. Do we have sickness in our life? Then by faith, run to the broken body of Jesus for healing. Remember what Jesus has done for us.
Successful Business
Over the years I have engaged in different businesses. When the rage of the age was waterbeds, I put in a waterbed store. It lasted about a year and a half. I had a vision and desire, but I did not have sufficient capitalization and a solid business plan along with some of the other proper preparations for a successful business. How does the saying go? “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.” That’s basically what happened. Through a financial settlement, I later in life put in a combination art gallery, book store, gourmet coffee shop and worship center. I had the money, but I did not have the research and plan. I took some ideas from another part of the country and tried to apply those ideas to the local area. People in this area hardly new about latte, cappuccino and coffees such as that, at that time. People were accustomed to craft items, but were strangers to bronze art. The type books I carried were not the books that fit into the mainstream demand of the general public at that time. Now these items are well known and widely distributed. Timing was a factor. Successful business needs proper provisions in operation, proper planning and operating by that plan and doing things in proper timing. These are just a few of the factors involved for a successful business. The same things can apply to the operation of the kingdom of God. Along with vision and desire, we need to have the proper spiritual equipment and provisions in operation. Being born again and baptized in the Spirit of God are the basic provisions of spiritual life and power. Our “business plan” for the kingdom of God is given to us in the Book, the Bible. In God’s business though, even understanding and “going by the Book,” needs to be done through the revelation of Jesus Christ given by the Spirit of God. It takes living in and by the Spirit of God to properly discern God’s business plan. It does not operate by a carnal understanding. This only brings division. Also by the Spirit, we are able to discern and operate in God’s timing of things. Just because something is revealed to us does not mean it is time to implement that action or activity. Just because something might be good does not mean it is God, and in God’s timing. Just as successful business is dependent on careful adherence to the factors involved, so does operating successfully in the kingdom of God depend on our careful adherence to the guidance and leadership of the Lord. When we are operating out of God’s daily Word (Gk. “rhema”) given to us by the Spirit, and not just head knowledge of the Word (Gk. “logos”), then we can operate in God’s purpose with God’s power. “Lord, help us all to wait upon you and shut up long enough to hear you, and do what you want us to do.”