Wednesday, October 30, 2013

It's All Greek to Me

Yahweh calls us to study His word night and day (Deuteronomy 6). Growing up, my family rarely spoke about Yahweh, but when they did it was the fire-and-brimstone-burner-of-sinners God. So, I really wasn’t into studying about Him as much as I was into hiding my bad deeds from Him. My exasperated mother would say, “Can’t you give God one hour a week?!”

Well, now that I have a relationship with Yahweh, I want to learn as much about Him as possible. I started to read the lexicons alongside with my Bible reading, which has really helped to learn what Yahweh meant when He said what He said. Everyone should be using the lexicons.

This week, I learned the meaning behind the word sorcerer. Revelation 22:15 uses the word pharmakos, meaning one who makes potions. Pharmakos were those who were involved in human sacrifices. A modern-day example are the abortionists who use chemicals to kill babies. Another example would be psychologists who use chemicals to change people’s moods (some of the medicines they use have warnings of suicidal thoughts). Let’s not forget the drug dealers who sell addictive drugs to ensure a person sacrifices everything (their family, well-being, even their souls) for their next high.

Pharmakos is alive and working their black magic even today.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Praise report

Late last night I got a call from my sister that she and a car load of kids and moms were stranded at the zoo. They needed a jump start. I get down there, put the jumper cables on but their car would not start. After a little bit we were all getting a little frustrated trying to figure out why the heck their car won't start.
Then I said, "Hey! God said in all things to praise Him. So let's praise him!" So with the little kids and the mom's we all started to praise the Lord. About one minute later a fella drove by asking if we needed help. I said, "We need a miracle; got any???" He parked, came over, wiggled the connections, they sparked, and then he instructed me to rev the engine and had my sister turn the key. The car started! We all shouted for joy! My sister said, "God bless you!" to the man and he had the biggest smile on his face. We all had big smiles on our faces.

Our bumps in the road are opportunities so others can bless us, opportunities that we can take to praise God in the midst of trial, and opportunities to be a good example of how to overcome.



Thursday, October 24, 2013

Can God hate a baby? Did He?

David said....
Psalm 51:5 I know I’ve been a sinner ever since I was born.
    I’ve been a sinner ever since my mother became pregnant with me.
Yahweh said....
Malachi 1:2 “I loved Jacob, 3 but Esau I hated.”
Paul said....
Romans 9:1 I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen by race. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; 5 to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ. God who is over all be blessed forever. Amen.
6 But it is not as though the word of God had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his descendants; but “Through Isaac shall your descendants be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as descendants. 9 For this is what the promise said, “About this time I will return and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebecca had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad, in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of his call, 12 she was told, “The elder will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
I am glad we spoke about this today. Here’s some questions I have:
Did Paul lie?
Was Paul inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak this as truth, that God hated Esau before he was even born?
Did Paul claim this of his own volition and was not inspired by the Holy Spirit? If so, then Paul’s writings should be taken out of the Bible and we should only read the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (including Revelation written by John).
No one wants to believe that God could do anything that we consider wrong. This reminds me of my aunt. For the longest time she did not believe that anyone would actually go to hell. She could not bring herself to believe that a loving and forgiving God would send any of His creation to burn for eternity. Then she read about the Passover when God killed the 1st born of those who did not have the blood of the lamb on their doors. She was shocked and horrified to find this out. She had watched the 10 Commandments with Charlton Heston but she never comprehended that it was God who did the killing until she read the story herself. It shocked her that God did not stop the killing of the “innocent” babies when Moses was floated down the river. And that He didn’t stop the killings when all the babies were killed by King Herrod when he wanted to kill Yeshua. My aunt reluctantly came to the conclusion that when you live in a fallen world there’s some really messed up things that happen. In our own strength, to cope, we trick ourselves into believing lies to help us deal with the truth.
I never want to mislead people, only speak the truth. So, either the truth is that God has the capacity to hate a baby (regardless of His reason) or Paul is a liar (and God came to hate Esau later after he had sinned, giving Yahweh a reason to hate Esau).
Something to consider is that at the beginning of chapter 9, Paul defends himself by saying that that he’s speaking in truth and not lying. But whatever you decide to believe what God is capable of doing and not doing, when it comes down to it, no matter what God decides to do or not do, His actions/decisions are just and right and good.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

FW: Food Donation Box

This is the letter I just emailed to my boss. Something to think about doing at your place of business or church, club, etc. This could get very serious. Food stamp recipients cannot wait a month to go to the store but they may have to. I heard one homeless man interviewed say that "if people can't get their food stamps they'll steal, people will do what they have to do."
The pantries are going to be cleaned out if we don't help. People are always bashing Christians for not stopping human suffering. Let's shut their mouths by digging deep into our cupboards and shopping for extras to head this off!!
~Becky
From: Becky Cheek
Sent: Wednesday, October 16, 2013 9:32 AM
To: Blank
  Cc: Blank
  Subject: Food Donation Box
 
Hi,
 
I am sure you heard that the food stamp program had a computer crash that lasted 10 hours, which caused a few food stamp recipients' cards not to work, which made them panic. They overran a few Wal-Mart stores demanding food. It was really amazing how fast people raided the store shelves in such a short amount of time. The food banks tried to help but were cleared out in no time.
Now there is a new issue that would be much worse and will affect all food stamp recipients. Due to the government shutdown, the food stamp program has been told not to issue credit to the food stamp cards for the month of November, until further notice.
 
But we may be able to help if we put a box up to collect canned goods and shelf-stable milk to bring to the Open Door Mission by the end of October. ODM always need donations but come November, the month of big Thanksgiving dinners, the demand most likely will be unprecedented should the food stamp recipients not receive their credits. If by the grace of God they do receive their credits, then great. Either way, we've helped the less fortunate.
 
Let me know if it is okay to put a box up for donations. Joel said he has a spot to put a box.
 
Sincerely yours,
 
Becky Cheek, Administrative Assistant
 
I am an American by birth and a Christian by rebirth.
I am an American by race, and a Christian by grace.
 

Monday, October 14, 2013

FW: MUST watch for every woman!

You must watch this for yourself and with the females around you. Pass this on and spread the worth!


Check out this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/t6T3MwMBqBU


P.S. Paul, I didn't have your mom's email so please pass this on to her. I think I have Autumn's but not sure so pass it on to her too.