Middle East (Israel, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen)
A Time of Sorrows Precedes the Great Tribulation
Matthew 24:6-8: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Middle East (Israel, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen)
Middle East, term traditionally applied by western Europeans tothe countries of SW Asia and NE Africa
lying W of Afghanistan,Pakistan, and India. Thus defined it includes Cyprus, the Asianpart of Turkey, Syria,
Lebanon, Israel, the West Bank and Gaza,Jordan, Iraq, Iran, the countries of the Arabian peninsula
(SaudiArabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain,Kuwait), and Egypt and Libya.
The area was viewed as midwaybetween Europe and East Asia (traditionally called the Far East).
The term is sometimes used in a cultural sense to mean the groupof lands in that part of the world predominantly
Islamic in culture,thus including the remaining states of N Africa as well asAfghanistan and Pakistan.
In the 20th century.The Middle East hasbeen the scene of political turmoil and major warfare, including
World War I, World War II, the Arab-Israeli Wars, the Iran-Iraq War and the Persian Gulf Wars.
Hello to all my viewer all around the world… Today, we are going to pray about and discussing Middle East (Israel, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen) – When I think of the Middle East, the first thing comes to mind for me is a wonderful Doctor I use to work for back in the late 80’s , and early 90’s and well into the new millennium as his Transcriptionist and patient… Not only did I do private consultant work for him transcribing his medical reports for his private practice, after I left my regular day job at the hospital, I became one of his best consultants, and then his best heart patient’s as well and friend. (lol) Until this day, he was the best Cardiologist I ever had that I worked for and was my Professional Doctor, and I would like dedicate this piece to him on today… Dr. Frank G. Pourzia, MD (Cardiologist) – He was a real blessing to me and gave me my first big break at working from home doing Medical Transcription. Then he merged with a large group that I worked with at the hospital, and I ended up getting that after hours contract as well working for some of the finest Cardiologist in Long Beach, California..
Being that he was from the Middle East, his accent was very thick, and most of the girls would save his reports he would dictate for me because I at the time when he first arrived on the scene were the only girl that could understand what he was saying.. It really sounded pretty clear to me. I became so use to his voice… Not only did he speak his native language and English, he spoke French fluently and the sound of his voice speaking in French would literally blow me away… To this day, I never knew what he said at the end of each tape, but it left me with big professional smile on my face (lol)… He was the greatest, and still is in my mind.. He left me with a different impression of the middle east as we developed a beautiful friendship as well. I learned more about his struggles as a young lad… He has a story to tell, and I need to google to see if he’s written his book as of yet…
I personally have many friends from the Middle East… .I tend to get along with almost every Middle Eastern man I meet.. When I moved to Irvine, I discovered that it was highly populated with people from the Middle East… My old next door neighbor was from Iraq, and he was just one of the sweetest guys you ever want to lay your eyes on… Professional, and full of joy… I miss Jay so much, but I can’t ever forget him because he left me with half of his home when he moved his beautiful mom back to Iraq which was her native land that she loaned for… I can see her smile, and always said good morning to her when I would see her, knowing that she only spoke the Arabic language and watch Algeziera television, which I was amazed to see how many channels the U.S. does carry here for the middle Eastern to stay in the loop in what’s going on back home… I pray for Jay and his mom all the time.. They were a real blessing to me!
Get Connected to God, and Stay Connected! TBN has launched all over the world and so have I via Internet - I can be reached all around the world even in the middle East in places like:Israel, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen... Look at God!!!
Middle East (Israel, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen)
Economy of the Middle East
The Economy of the Middle East is very diverse. Composed of Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen the individual economies range from hydrocarbon exporting rentier economies to government led socialist economies to free market economies.
Collectively, the region is best known for producing and exporting oil. The oil industry does significantly impact the entire region, both through the wealth that it generates and through the movement of labor. Most of the countries in the region have undertaken efforts to diversify their economies in recent years, however. In the report, Science-Metrix says the number of scientific publications listed in the Web of Science database shows that the standard growth in the Middle East, particularly in Iran and Turkey, is nearly four times faster than the world average.
To learn more about the Middle East Crisis right now, I have enclosed some local information on a conference if anyone is interested in attending:
What Does the Bible Say About
the War in the Middle East?
The summer of 2006 has brought many trials to people all over the world. One of which is the war escalating in the Middle East. Along with war, we are seeing a plethora of other evils and tribulations abounding in the world. Some people have experienced drought, while others have lost everything by floods. We are seeing many different kinds of natural disasters all over the globe, with tsunamis, hurricanes, mudslides, volcanoes, earthquakes, tornados and fires. We are living in an hour when these things are described with adjectives like catastrophic, extreme, massive, intense, acute, excessive, tremendous, severe, huge, record-breaking, unheard of, frightening, gigantic and uncontrollable. The upheavals in the earth are pictures of the upheavals in society with terrorist attacks, wars (physical as well as cultural wars), anarchy, violence, and murder. The evils in the earth are producing fear in mankind. The Bible tells us that when we, as Christians, see these things happening on a worldwide scale, we should look up, for our redemption is drawing near. We are told by Jesus not to be troubled. The only way we can remain free from being troubled is to know the One who has overcome all things and stay close to Him. Jesus is the only One who can sustain us in the hour of tribulation.
A Time of Sorrows Precedes the Great Tribulation
Matthew 24:6-8: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
We are currently experiencing the “time of sorrows” that is spoken about in this verse. Other verses call this the “time of birth pains or travail.” War is one of those birth pangs and especially the war in the Middle East.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-10:
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
Bible Prophecy Declares Israel Will be in the Center of End Time Events
The war in the Middle East is actually a threat of tribulation for the entire world. Prophecies in the Bible spoke of this day and told how Israel would suffer under the siege of armies that would try to destroy them. In the end, they will not be destroyed as a people, as they are destined to have their eyes opened to Jesus, the Messiah, and many Jews will find redemption and salvation in Christ. The words of Jesus recorded in the Bible speak of a time of trouble that has never been experienced in history, but is soon to break out, that will be the trigger for the beginning of what Jesus called “The Great Tribulation.” This event will occur in the Holy Land among the Jewish people.
Matthew 24:21-22: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
The book of Daniel also speaks of this same time in history.
Daniel 12:1: “And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”
Mark 13:5-14:
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:
6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains.
Luke 21:20-24 (NIV): 20“When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. 25“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
What Is the Abomination of Desolation?
The Bible says that when we see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, that an event called the “abomination of desolation” will occur there, and those living there should flee to the mountains for safety. This “abomination of desolation” will cause great sorrow for women who are pregnant and those who have young children. We know that nuclear radiation causes deformities in unborn children, as well as children and this scenario would be a dreadful one for pregnant women and nursing mothers. I realize that this scripture has been interpreted in many different ways, but I would like to share with you what I believe this scripture means and challenge my readers to ask the Holy Spirit for a witness to this interpretation.
God wants us to understand the Bible and He promises that if we wholeheartedly seek Him, He will hear and answer (Jeremiah 29: 12, 13). If we want to understand, we can. It may not come all at once, but as we seek Him, He will open our eyes. One of our shortcomings as Christians is that many of us have listened to end-time teachings but never have asked the Holy Spirit if the teaching is the truth. We have considered ourselves ignorant and assumed the teachers must have all the answers. But God wants each one of us to understand His Word, and He will give us understanding as we seek Him for it. He will confirm His true teachers and teachings if we seek Him by faith, with a pure heart. We have a responsibility to“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21).
The word “desolation” comes from the word “desolate” which means “uninhabited, deserted and barren.” What kind of war would leave a city desolate so that it could not be inhabited? This would be a horrible abomination on any land. This is a perfect description of the aftermath of a nuclear blast.
Matthew 24:15: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
We all know that Jerusalem is referred to as the “Holy Land” or the “Holy Place” so if the “abomination of desolation” is the result of a nuclear attack, then this scripture tells those who live in Judea to flee to the mountains to escape the fallout.
The book of Isaiah also gives a description of the daughters of Jerusalem who will become bald and mourn the many dead in the land. Baldness is one of the things that happens as a result of radiation.
Isaiah 3:24-26 (AMP): “And it shall come to pass that instead of the sweet odor of spices there shall be the stench of rottenness; and instead of a girdle, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth; and searing [of captives by the scorching heat] instead of beauty. Your men shall fall by the sword, and your mighty men in battle. And [Jerusalem’s] gates shall lament and mourn [as those who wail for the dead]; and she, being ruined and desolate, shall sit upon the ground.”
What Event Triggers World War III?
This war is not the battle of Armageddon, but rather a third world war that occurs at the beginning of the tribulation, while Armageddon happens at the end of the tribulation the way that I see it. This causes some confusion for some in the time line of end time events. The news of the day is already speaking about World War III and the inhabitants of Israel are already prepared for the threat of a nuclear bomb. Men of God recorded these prophetic words of Jesus over 2,000 years ago, proving the Bible to be the inspired Word of God.
Some people believe that the scripture in Matthew 24, regarding Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, was already fulfilled in 70 AD when Titus and his armies laid siege upon Jerusalem in the first Jewish-Roman war and totally destroyed the city and the temple. However, if we pay close attention to the scripture in these verses, we will notice that his disciples asked Jesus three questions. So there are actually three prophetic events that Jesus talked about. One of which did occur in 70 AD, but the other events are still futuristic.
1.) Tell us when shall these things be (the temple stones thrown down)?
2.) What shall the sign of thy coming be?
3.) When shall the end of the world (age) be?
Matthew 24:1-4:
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
We are also warned that deception will be one of the major things that will abound right before the coming of the Lord. Therefore, we must seek the truth with our whole heart in order to avoid being misled.
When was the Jewish Temple Destroyed?
Matthew 24:3 (AMP): “While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?”
1.) The first question as to when the temple stones would be thrown down did occur during the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, as Titus not only destroyed and burned the temple, he also destroyed the wall around Jerusalem, except for one small portion that was used for a camp, according to Josephus, a historian of the times.1But the rest of the wall was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was nothing left to make those that came to Jerusalem to believe it was even inhabited. Even the trees were cut down and the country became desolate in every way.
However, verses 21-22 of Matthew 24 have not been fulfilled yet, as the world has not experienced the kind of tribulation that Jesus describes here as being so terrible that no flesh would be saved without the Lord intervening by shortening those days of tribulation. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”
What is the Sign of the Coming of the Lord?
2.) What is the sign of the coming of the Lord? In Chapter 12 of the book of Revelation we find a description of the church that was a great wonder and sign in heaven. Isaiah speaks of a people who will be a holy people who will show forth the glory of the Lord in the time of the end. So the “sign of the Lord” will be an overcoming church who will preach and demonstrate the gospel of the kingdom of God during a time of great tribulation.
Revelation 12:1: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.”
Isaiah 66:18-20:
18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.
20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.
When Shall the End of this Age Occur?
3.) When shall the end of this age be? Matthew 24:13-14 says,“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Notice the end comes after the “gospel of the kingdom” is preached, not after the “gospel of salvation” is preached. No one knows the exact timing for this event as the Bible only tells us the signs of the times we are to watch for and instructs us that the most important thing is to be ready to meet the Lord as many will be taken unaware.
2 Peter 3:10:
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Matthew 24:19-24:
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.
23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.
24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold, I have told you before.
Matthew 24:36-44:
36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
God Will Use His Overcomers to Demonstrate His Kingdom Power
The end will only come after God demonstrates His kingdom power and authority in the earth through a remnant of His people who are totally dedicated and committed to His will. This company of believers are known by a number of names. the Bible describes them as:
The Bride of Christ, the Overcomers, the Remnant, the Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, the Joshua Generation, and the Third Day Company. This company of believers will perform signs and wonders and do exploits in the name of the Lord, so that the message of salvation will go out into the whole world during the time of the abomination of desolation.
1 Peter 2:9: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”
Daniel 11:31-32:
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
Revelation 1:5-6:
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Revelation 3:21-22:
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Revelation 21:5-8:
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Jesus is Our Refuge in Tribulation
Luke 21:25-28:
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Psalm 91:1-11:
1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
There is only one way that we can overcome the fear and anxiety of the age during this time of sorrows and tribulation, and that is to give our hearts to the Lord, as we can only find our refuge in Him. We are to prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord. We must all remember that God is in control, even if things around us are out of control. We are also instructed in the Bible to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, as these evil wars are never the will of God, but come about because of the will of fallen men who rebel and reject God.
Psalm 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.”
Jesus does not want us to be fearful during this hour, but rather to look to Him for our guidance, safety and peace.
John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
1 Wikipedia Encyclopedia: Seige of Jerusalem (70 AD)
Israel, the Church, and the Middle East Crisis Conference
The events in the Middle East continue to draw the eyes of the world toward a fulcrum of historical, spiritual, and prophetic importance. The Israel, the Church and the Middle East Crisis Conference will help you understand the current Middle East conflict from a biblical perspective and grow in your understanding of the critical role Israel and her neighbors play in the unfolding of prophetic events. This event will help you know how to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Date: March 23-24, 2012
Location: Biola University, La Mirada, California
Online Registration
Registration fee is $35.
Group rate for 10 or more people is $25 per person.
Registration fee includes lunch.
Student Registration
Conference is free for students with presentation of valid student ID at the door
ISRAEL, THE CHURCH, AND THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS CONFERENCE
Conference Information. Accommodations, Speakers, Schedule, Media, Registration, Student Registration
VIDEO: CHARLES FEINBERG CENTER
Why is the Charles Feinberg Center important? Watch this five-minute video to find out! Mitch conducts a brief interview with Dr. Barry Leventhal, a Jewish believer and the Provost and Distinguished Professor of Church Ministry and Missions at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Matthews, North Carolina.
REGISTER TODAY!
The Israel, the Church and the Middle East Crisis Conference will help you understand the current Middle East conflict from a biblical perspective and grow in your understanding of the critical role Israel and her neighbors play in the unfolding of prophetic events. This event will help you know how to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
The more career altitude you gain, the more necessary supportive relationships become by Karen Taylor Bass Posted: April 15, 2010
Mentorship
Mentorship means the act of studying with an advisor or coach.
As we embark on this 40 day journey of Lenten season, I’ve lost count on the days, and we are probably around day 25 or something like that.. (lol) I will elaborate on Mentorship in the piece and pray that God sends me someone live and in person I can actually sit up under and be mentored.
It is so important. I have my source, and I’m satisfied. I really recommend that you make Jesus your ultimate source to be mentored by. He really is everything that you need. Begin to study and read your bible on a dialy basis, it really makes a difference, and develop a prayer life which will lead you to the relationship and mentorhsip you could ever receive!
However, in the natural realm, it’s nothing like being able to reach out and touch them from time to time for that real hug you might need along the way. I’m thankful for my mentors words he speak daily and the advice he throws in the air. I catch it, and I know exactly is for as it might be for many. Nevertheless, we as humans will always have our pick and chooses as to whom we will listen too. I remember years ago when I was trying to be an entrepreneur, I met a guy at work name George in the break room at HealthCare Partners Medical group in 1999 that introduced me to the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” Robert Kawasaki, and I began reading his book and grasping his concept of teaching. I grasp it, and I passed it on to my oldest son Jermaine, whom I shared the book with back when and he took every concept and ran with it. Only years later he would find his very own person mentor who were one of the very first Internet Marketers on line back in the 90′ and the new Millenium. I thank him from heaven, which he as sinced passed away in a devistating car accident on a racetrack a few years back. Mr. Corey Rudl, of the internet marketing center in Canada. He took my son under his wing who was using his Corey’s products in later years in high school and strongly by college at UCI. He grew his business from nothing to a multimillion dollar corporation that is still going strong on today. So no one really can tell me personally anything about mentoring a person. It is vital for growth and future potential success in whatever field you explore in.
I share this with you on today: I don’t care whomever you choose to mentor you or you choose to mentor someone else, always stay connected to God which is your ultimate source to be mentored by. Read you bible to find answers that no man has. My greatest Mentorship comes directly from the bible itself when I feel all alone and have no else to talk to, I turn to God in prayer and I pick up my bible, now m electronic bible and it fills every void and question I may have. Then he sends along the Man-of-God to confirm exactly what he said in his word. Oh, thank you Jesus. I thank God for being mentored by the best… “My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!”
Man does not live by bread alone
Meaning: Physical nourishment is not sufficient for a healthy life; man also has spiritual needs. I found four different scriptures that he starts out by saying: “Man does not live by bread alone….”
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.Matthew 4:4
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:4
Man does not live by bread alone.. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live. Deuteronomy 8: 2-3 (King James Version):
Philippians 2:3 (NIV) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
“Imitating Christ’s Humility – If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,but made himself nothing, taking the very natureof a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.
When we speak of mentorship, you can cover a wide range of topics being that everyone has their own path that have chosen, and depending on the path, depends on the area you will need mentoring or mentorship in. Once you become proficient the area of expertise then you should become qualified to mentor someone else.
I have a dream of mentoring teen girls in new ministry and coaching them from the beginning of life to the end. I feel life experiences has qualified me to help some young lady and even young men to travel down the right road. Not the forbidden path I chose. Nevertheless, God had the final say in my destiny and I’m so glad.
I’m so thankful today that my biggest mentor when I was younger was my oldest sister. She was well rounded, smart and very intelligent and full of vision and education. As she became older in her latter years, I noticed a change in her teachings, and to this day I’m yet to figure out somewhat what happened? So now, today I took what I could get from her, and now I turn to God, and the small still voice I can hear in my spirit that keeps me on the right track even when I want to do wrong and I see this light when I know that I am doing right.
Recently, God sendt me one the greatest mentors to my life that I have not witness in over 32 years as a young lad. His teaching and then anointing on his life draws me to him like a magnet. It seems like everything he says line up with the Words of the Lord and my spirit is able to receive from him. Even when he is not preaching, and he is just blogging on Facebook or Tweeting, it always feels like the messages are custom just for me, knowing that they are for missives. It’s that type of mentorship I loaned for many of years, and now that it’s here and I have exacly what I need, I roll with flow. I’m no sure if I will ever have the opportunity to sit down in person and meet with mentor, and I really don’t need to for the past 5 years and it’s been grand. I connected to him way back in the myspace days, and remember being his number one friend for a week or so or longer after making my profile picture one of his famous sermons that dealt with an area in my life that I thought could never be corrected. Through listening to his teachings, I began to change things in my little by little, and today I’m still doing the same but on a much larger scope being that I’ve grown tremendously in the Lord. Through his different programs he offer right here on line, I was able to rebirth and give birth all over to my ministry that I blog from on today “World In Focus International” (WIFI) – It’s all about staying connected to God, and praying that God will connect you to the right person, at the right time. I’m reminded of my greatest spiritual mentor of all times, Dr. Jamal H. Bryant who say Sunday after Sunday – “You are in the right place, at the right time, hearing the right word and I’m going to add, from the right preacher that is connected to God. It really does make a difference that your spirit can connect to whomever is mentoring you and whomever you are mentoring. I’ve mentored quite a few young folks in my days starting with very own 29 year old from a little lad, and my own daughter. I’m no so sure if I did as well with my daughter as I did with my son, but they both were a joy to impart into. Now, my job is not done yet, I have one more child left at home that I mentor on an minute-by- minute basis. He has (ASD) Autism which sometimes require a little more mentorship than it did with my two older children… I found that my baby will get just what his siblings got, but sometimes we go the long way around and then he comes in through the door and things start to make sense to him. Nevertheless, I’m thankful that God gave me wisdom enough to be able to mentor my own, and of course they have their sources they rely on, and I”m certain that God is their number one source because he is mines and that was the majority of mentorship with them and always will be.
A young businessman learning from a seasoned executive is an example of a mentorship.
I found this interesting article on on SpenceSmith.com blog concerning women, and them finding a mentor. I sometimes think it’s a littler hard for us a woman to be mentored in certain areas. Normally we just rely on God and our inner intuition…
Question… Why do women typically have a harder time finding a mentor than men do?
This past week I posted “Mentors” which you can read here. It’s about how important mentors have been in my life.
After reading through some of the comments I’d like to back up and say this about where I am in my life now. It took a long time for me to get where I am in my career and in the relationships I have with my most trusted friends. I’ve had several mentors over the years and have been in several small groups. This doesn’t mean they were all good. Some were… some weren’t and as you would imagine, the right fit whether in a small group or a one on one situation comes when you feel the most comfortable to really be who you are and open up.
But as I read through some of the comments on my post and talk about mentors in normal offline conversation, I’m particular intrigued by what woman typically say about mentors… they general say this…
“It’s hard for me to find another woman to mentor me or find a small group of women to connect with.”
So… for those of you who are seeking mentors and those who are mentors…
Why do women typically have a harder time finding a mentor than men do?
I’m a soldier in the ‘Army” of the Lord… If I die, let me die in the Army of the Lord…
(Exodus 9:1)
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Get Connected to God, and Stay Connected!
Armed Services (Active and Reserve)
Today we are discussing “Armed Services (Active and Reserve) on this 40 day journey of prayer and Lenten Season. I feel this is a real good subject to talk about being our county has been in a war for quite some time, but I believe God is getting ready turn some things around in our county. I have some family members and friends that are apart of our Armed services (Active and Reserve). Right at this moment, I dedicate this post to my best friend’s son ‘Shawn Shawnyboy Smith” who is currently working at the United States Army and is currently stationed on armed active duty in Kandar, Konar, Afghanistan From Long Beach, California . God bless him and protect him on today Dear Jesus..”Your turn around is on the way “Pooh”… Thank you for protecting and serving our Country..
I also am thankful for everyone that has served currently or in your past work experience.. To be commended.
Also, I have to give a shot out to my play son Edward Boyd who just returned from Japan serving our Country… He Also served in Iraq and other various dangerous places and have made it out and is now serving as a civilian in the world of Information Technology. Thank you Edward!!!
The military forces of a nation; “theirmilitary is the largest in the region”; “the military machine is the same one wefaced in 1991 but now it is weaker”
Active Guard Reserve (AGR) is a military program in both the United States Army and the United States Air Force. The program puts members on full time active duty status so they can help the National Guard. They help with training, recruiting, administering, organizing, and instructing the Reserve Components. There are 17 ares that the AGR work in. These areas are: signal, recruiting, finance, transportation, medical service corps, public affairs, military police, quartermaster, aviation, civil affairs, chemical corps, army nurse corps, engineer, adjutant general, judge advocate general’s corps, military intelligence. You must be at least 18 and younger than 55 to be in AGR. You need to be ranked between SPC and SFC. You also need to meet the physical fitness standards they have in place. You will receive medical benefits, full retirement after 20 years of active duty, tuition and education assistance, and PX/commissary benefits.The Armed Forces Reserve Act of 1952 was a response to the severe weaknesses in the U.S. reserve forces and inequities for veterans revealed by the partial mobilization during the Korean War. Pressured by reserve and veterans’ organizations, Congress sought to improve reserve organization and most immediately to restrict the vulnerability of Korean War veterans to future service. The act established three categories of reserve forces—ready, standby, and retired—subject to different liabilities for mobilization. The most important of those categories, the ready reserve, was authorized a strength of 1.5 million personnel, including the entire National Guard. The ready reserve could be mobilized in a national emergency declared by the president. The act allowed individual reservists and Guardsmen to volunteer for active duty. That enabled the armed forces to use them in routine peacetime operations and contingencies without incurring the political and diplomatic risks associated with mobilizations. The act strengthened the influence of reserve and Guard officers in the military planning process.
We would cordially like to invite you to our First Annual Hope and Health Mother’s Day Extravaganza Tour 2012. “ An evening of Hope, Health awareness and a Gospel Jazz concert, and more. World In Focus International Ministries (WIFI) & RBP Ministries presents the Hope & Health Mother’s Day Extravaganza 2012 On May 8, 2012 at 4:30 p.m at New St. Paul Baptist Church, Pastor Lorenzo Edwards who is the Host Pastor and church for this wonderful event. 1525 W. Santa Ana Blvd. * Santa Ana, CA (714) 542-8971. We will be featuring, Dr. Ron Pearson, Kinji Baker, Marjane’ and Robert Flournoy / Loaves and Fishes x10 Ministries, much more to be announced concerning health and wellness. The hope and health tour was given to me by God a few years ago when I posed a question to a Gospel artist that I used to play with “What kind of charity work did they do” and they said “man are you kidding this is my livelihood”!! Well that was it for me and so the inception for the “Hope and Health” tour was conceived.The concept was simple put on a series of concerts to promote the message of Salvation through the avenue of Gospel Jazz which has no words but strong musicality arrangements and my idea was to share my testimony on the breaks and give God all the glory for blessing with a gift I can bless his people with (THE HOPE)The Health portion is simple we offer services to help the body of Christ know about the crippling devises the devil uses called “Diseases”. We check for such things likeHigh Blood PressureDiabetesHeart and Lung DiseaseAnd Healthy Nutrition PlansIn my opinion you cant effectively serve God when your body's racked with pain or your on so many different drugs you cant think effectively. So with a different thought plan for survival here we go, the Hope & Health tour is set in place to change lives, to change a generation from no hope to a new hope, something real and tangible that will make people take life serious and hopefully bring them into a new relationship with God.After the amusement parks and festivals then its on to juvenile detention centers, male and female jails and take the message to the people who need it most. He's coming soon and we that are saved have to come up with new ways to bring the church, the people back into the fold, its all about Kingdom Building and if that’s not our goal then we are missing the mark Please RSVP as soon as possible via telephone, or e-mail to let us know how we may place you on the program / worship experience. We are asking each church or group that will be in attendance to render an ‘A” selection , praise dance or instrumental musical selection,Min. Ron Pearson, CEO H&H MINISTRIES 909-486-3341 Min. Evelyn Diane Thomas, CEO President WIFI Ministries http://www.wifiministries.org / ministerevelyn032@att.net (714) 488-WIFI (9434)2012 Mother's Day Extravaganza
Today as we continue on this 40 Days of Lent and Prayer season. Today we will be praying and discussing our Mental Health. Our mental health is very important. You really don’t realize how important it is to have all of your faculties functioning properly. I believe with a sound mind, anything you desire in life to conquer you can. I seriously do not take mental health lightly and would like for each of my readers to take time study up on mental health.
Believe it or not, it’s not just an adult issue, but mental health affect many of our children with diseases like Autism (ASD), ADHD, ADD, Asperberger’s /Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). I will elaborate more later in this piece concerning Autism, since it visisted my world over 8 years ago when my youngest son was born. Thanks to people like Oprah, Toni Braxton, Jenny McCarthy-who is the Author of a great book called “Louder Than Word” which was a New York Times Bestseller… She speaks on A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism. – Great book that I recommend any parents that have a child with Autism.
MENTAL HEALTH
1. A state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life.2. A branch of medicine that deals with the achievement and maintenance of psychological well-being. 3. A person’s overall emotional and psychological condition: Since witnessing the accident, his mental health has been poor.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
And when they came to the crowd, a man came up to him and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. …
The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. …
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. …
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
What is autism?
Autism is a complex developmental disability that causes problems with social interaction and communication. Symptoms usually start before age three and can cause delays or problems in many different skills that develop from infancy to adulthood.
What is an autism spectrum disorder?
Different people with autism can have very different symptoms. Health care providers think of autism as a “spectrum” disorder, a group of disorders with similar features. One person may have mild symptoms, while another may have serious symptoms. But they both have an autism spectrum disorder.Currently, the autism spectrum disorder category includes:
Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (or atypical autism)
In some cases, health care providers use a broader term, pervasive developmental disorder, to describe autism. This category includes the autism spectrum disorders above, plus Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and Rett syndrome.
This Web site uses “autism spectrum disorder” and “autism” to mean the same thing.
What are the symptoms of autism?
The main signs and symptoms of autism involve problems in the following areas:
Communication – both verbal (spoken) and non-verbal (unspoken, such as pointing, eye contact, and smiling)
Social – such as sharing emotions, understanding how others think and feel, and holding a conversation
Routines or repetitive behaviors (also called stereotyped behaviors) – such as repeating words or actions, obsessively following routines or schedules, and playing in repetitive ways
The symptoms of autism can usually be observed by 18 months of age.There are many possible red flags for autism – behaviors that may be signs or symptoms of autism. Some features may mean a delay in one or more areas of development, while others may be more typical of autism spectrum disorders. If you think your child shows red flags for autism, talk to your health care provider.
What are the treatments for autism?
There is no cure for autism, nor is there one single treatment for autism spectrum disorders. But there are ways to help minimize the symptoms of autism and to maximize learning.
Behavioral therapy and other therapeutic options
Behavior management therapy helps to reinforce wanted behaviors, and reduce unwanted behaviors. It is often based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
Speech-language therapists can help people with autism improve their ability to communicate and interact with others.
Occupational therapists can help people find ways to adjust tasks to match their needs and abilities.
Physical therapists design activities and exercise to build motor control and improve posture and balance.
Educational and/or school-based options
Public schools are required to provide free, appropriate public education from age 3 through high school or age 21, whichever comes first.
Typically, a team of people, including the parents, teachers, caregivers, school psychologists, and other child development specialists work together to design an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to help guide the child’s school experiences.
Medication options
Currently there are no medications that can cure autism spectrum disorders or all of the symptoms. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved any medications specifically for the treatment of autism, but in many cases medication can treat some of the symptoms associated with autism.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclics, psychoactive/anti-psychotics, stimulants, and anti-anxiety drugs are among the medications that a health care provider might use to treat symptoms of autism spectrum disorders.
Secretin—a hormone that helps digestion—is not recommended as a treatment for autism.
For more information about treatments, check out the What are the treatments for autism? section of the NICHD publication Autism Overview: What We Know.
Is there a link between autism and vaccines?
There is no conclusive scientific evidence that any part of a vaccine or combination of vaccines causes autism, even though researchers have done many studies to answer this important question. There is also no proof that any material used to make or preserve the vaccine plays a role in causing autism.Although there have been reports of studies that relate vaccines to autism, these findings have not held up under further investigation.Currently the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about research on autism and vaccines. Its Concerns About Vaccines and Autism web site provides information from the federal government and from independent organizations about vaccines and autism.
Is autism more common in certain groups of people?
Three groups are at higher-than-normal risk for autism spectrum disorders, including:
Boys
Siblings of those with autism
People with certain other developmental disorders, such as Fragile X syndrome
Northern Regional Center
Phone: 866-640-4106Northeast Regional Center
Phone: 877-568-5205Southeast Regional Center
Phone: 800-234-KIDS (5437)Southern Regional Center
Phone: 800-532-3321Western Regional Center
Phone: 800-400-3678
Regional Centers are dedicated to supporting families with children and youth with special health care needs and the providers who serve them. The Centers are staffed by specialists who can help get answers, find services and connect you to community resources. Their services are free and private.
Mental health consumer advocates, caregivers, and healthcare providers offer practical information and answers about all aspects of mental health recovery.
It’s important to know that these serious mental health conditions are brain disorders. They may be due to environmental or genetic factors. No particular family member did anything to cause them; nobody did anything wrong to acquire a mental illness.
Understanding and knowledge are important steps toward empowerment. The more engaged people become—and the more they learn about their mental health condition—the more prepared they will be to develop a comprehensive treatment plan and begin the lifelong process of mental health recovery.
Remember, information is always evolving. There’s a lot of information out there – so it’s helpful to keep up with the latest information and research from credible sources.
Click here for a list of suggested and trusted resources with frequently updated information.
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand,” ISA 64:8.
The Lord wants us to submit to him as the clay in the hand of the potter. The scripture says in the book of Isaiah 64:8 says, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.”
This is a process, but I’ve seen come it to pass in my own life… There is a time in our lives when there is peace with God; then there are times when all hell has broke loose and you know that your life has been shattered into little bitty pieces… I had a recent wilderness experience that made me feel as though nobody cared that was close to me… Every issue in my life seemed magnified only for God to be glorified in it all. All we have to do is surrender our problems to him and trust him to handle them..
See, it’s when we are in those little bitty pieces, is when God is still testing to see if we are going to trust him or if we are going to handle our situations on our own…
If I had my way, I would seek revenge for all the horrible things people have done to me, but my bible tells me that Vengeance is mines says the Lord… Sometimes it seems like justice just wont’ get served to any one no matter how you try… This has been happening in my life since 1999 when a simple trip to the Dentist turned into a complete blood bath leaving my mouth paralyzed to this very hour.. My life was shattered due to a dentist who had severed my artery working on tooth #18 which controls the major nerves in your mouth…
What they did not know at the time in 1999 when I was going crazy for those few days that sharp bone fragments were pressing against my nerves sending shock waves to my brain driving me insane… My sister took me the hospital and told the people I was a schizophrenic… As I lay there broken into little bitty pieces… I cried “Father God, help me oh Lord” What is she saying… It was fortunate that the hospital she took me too I use to work there in training as young lad and the Dr. that saw me knew me pretty well from the actual hospital I had worked at for over 12 years… She began to explain to my sister the characteristics of a person that really schizophrenic… I remember her telling my sister that people in that state of mind do not care about grooming themselves… (check), she’s well groomed and matching… hmm… she went on to tell her that she did not think that was the case…. Well bottom line, they transferred me to another hospital for observation as I was in serve excruciating pain not knowing what to do at this point… I get to the next hospital and they put me in a room with 98-year-old Caucasian woman that is in her final hours dyeing… I’m in severe pain, and this woman is in her feces, and her body is cutting loose because that’s what happens to some people in their final hours of dyeing… If I was not crazy by then, I am now… Then I had a nurse coming in asking me a serious of physiological questions and refused to give me pain meds if I did not talk to her… By this time, I’m frustrated and I’m now about to loose my mind because these bone fragments are driving me literally insane… – Yes, by this ladies final breath that was in the other bed I lost it… I could not lay in the next bed to watch someone die.. I felt it was cruel and unusual treatment for a patient that was being accused of being a schizo put in this position… So I went off on the nurse, and she lied and said I said I was going to kill the dyeing lady – Can I say that again – Dyeing lady that was on her last breath – “Kill her” She lied so they could declare me a 51/50 and put me on a 72 hour hold in their phyc ward… Now, I really had to strategize how to get out of there… Well, I was the assistant to the Medical Director and Care Manager at the time of the dental incident, and my first bad reaction happened to me while I was at work sitting at my desk and I was literally seeing these little floaters that looked like bubbles all over the room.. I remember blacking out at my desk and waking up in California Hospital where they said I was having a bad reaction to pain meds… My sister did not know the missing link to why I was acting the way I was so she took it upon her educated self to agree with another doctor who I think asked her was I a schizo.. while I was on pain meds that I was sensitive too – they did not know at the time that I was allergic to Vicodin which was causing me to hallucinate.. I made a phone call to my boss, and she spoke to the Doctor that was handling my case and explained to him that they needed to get me out of there and finish the work in mouth that was the root cause of why I ended up at the hospital in the first place initially in Los Alamitos one Saturday morning… . Of note, never go over your first mind… I went to the dentist for a routine check up at Western Dental… Had that done… Then some greedy Dentist comes in the room with my x-rays saying you really need to have your wisdom teeth removed because they are causing a great overcrowding in your mouth.. I said “No not today because I have to be at work this evening at my 2nd job at the imaging clinic where I worked too… _ He began to sell me, and harass me how much better my smile would look if I let him remove the two teeth on both sides… He said it would only take about 10 or 15 minutes to do both… What he did not know is my teeth had hooks on them from the roots and they needed to be surgically removed by a real orthodontic surgeon… He proceeded anyways with tooth number #18 and messed around and broke it… Now if that was not enough, he pulled out his scaffold knife and began to cut the tooth out of my mouth.. He became obsessed and agressive as I was awake under local anesthia… He went so deep until he hit my artery in tooth# 18 which controls your four bottom teeth on your left side of your mouth, your left half of your lip and the gums that that the 4 bottom teeth are rooted in. Yes, my mouth has been paralyzed since 1999 causing me great pain and anxiety.. The doctor began to yell out as he was all covered in my blood from the busted artery.. I need an ambulance… I need someone to help me cauterize tooth #18 or she is going to bleed to death… Somehow after perfusely bleeding he was able to stop it.. Blood was shooting out like a fountain.. After this procedure, would my life change forever up to this very time I live right now…
Well back to the story>>> What my sister did not know or the hospital she had taken me too was the work up that had already been done… They had determined that Saturday when I rushed into the hospital for severe blood loss, that the only way I was not going to be paralyzed in the moth was if the fragments were removed and a nerve from my foot was removed and then transplanted into my mouth.. That was the only chance I had to get some feeling back into that area of my mouth… Well, it became an issue of who was going to pay for that procedure… Of note, the authorization had come through and the insurance company had called my desk at the job to let me know that the emergency authorization was approved and I needed to get to Santa Monica at St. John’s hospital right away to have surgery performed. I was then released from the psych ward immediately after the director explained to them that I was not crazy but I was suffering from the trauma that had taken place in my mouth and the pain meds were causing me to act unseemly… It was all fixed with the words of my boss from Care Management. My mom came to pick me up from there, and I did not know nothing about crossing the red line until paper work was signed.. “The red line, yawl…” smh… that’s another story.. I just wanted out of that place and asked God why did he not come and see about me sooner? I was hurt and my life was shattered into little bitty pieces… They were in the process of getting me to an mMaxillofacial specialist after I left the hospital in Los Alamitos. The 2nd hospital was smart enough to contact the first hospital I was in to find out why I was on the drugs in the first place and California Hospital downtown Los Angeles were able to put two and two together..
Well after the first surgery of removing the bone fragments from my mouth that were touching the nerves of my brain.. The Maxillofacial specialist came back into the room and said everything I did today will be apart of criminal investigation and civil law suit because this was totally negligent on the initial dentist at Western Dental… Dr. Hakkaki.. I hope he is not practicing dentistry on anyone after what he did to me in 1999 that would change my game forever up until this day…
Well, the major surgery of the transferring of nerves from my foot to my mouth did not happen because the insurance company would not agree to pay the $30.000 the surgery would cost which needed to be done within 90 days of the initial incident to restore my nerves back to somewhat normal. This particular surgery had only been attempted on one other study in another state, and they had contacted him to perform the surgery on me, but it never happened for financial reasons…
The bottom line to this story is my mouth is still paralyzed to this day… A kiss has never been a kiss again… A hot cup of coacoa or cofee has never tasted the same because it’s hard to gauge hot and cold with a paralyzed mouth.. To look at me, my mouth looks normal but it does not feel normal… I’ve been to the top specialist in California at every school for dentistry and not one has been able to solve my problems… The only comfort I get is when the master touches me with his finger of LOVE and takes over my body is the only peace I receive in the midst of my storm… I took very strong legal drugs for many of years from 1999 to 2002 which altered my personality forever… I was a functional ,working person on a cocktail con-cautions of Darvocet, and Nuerontin which is a neurological drug that relax numb nerves in your body so your brain don’t interpret numbness as pain. I was already taking that particular drug for my premature multiple sclerosis…Now, I was on a double dose.. My life became messier than messy…
Well what took care of most of my pain is when I got pregnant and was now on 14 different medications to stay alive for all the other problems the pain meds had caused… I had to make a choice.. What the heck was I going to do now… I did not believe in abortion, so I had to make a call within myself to say I have to keep this baby regardless. They sent me to a genetic specialist that investigated all 14 different drugs I was on and they determined that not one of drugs would have any affect on the new baby’s life… So I proceeded.. However, after the amniocentesis which is a procedure where they inject a very long needle into your belly to take amniotic genetic fluids from the baby, then they discovered that my baby had xyy syndrome which was genetic and could only be passed to him by his father and they needed him right away ti give his blood to be tested.. Well by this time, I’m six or seven weeks pregnant and really not getting along with Dad, and by this time, Dad had went back to Oregon where his children and ex-wife and I guess girlfriend Lisa who sent him a bus ticket.. He was out, and my daughter in I helped him go… Then shortly thereafter he ends up in some trouble and lands him self in jail for quite some time… All bad! Now I’m getting the Jail house letters and collect calls.. You guys know the story if you ever been involved with someone who is locked up.. Then they all of sudden finds God and their thole world has been turned around until they are released and see the light of day…. There was never a month that went by that I did not hear from him up until 8 years when he finally returns back for his mom’s funeral this past December.. Of note, my son had one request for Christmas 2011, and that was he wanted to spend Christmas with his Father… It happened… They spent the best 8 days together of his entire life. You would have thought they have been together all their lives… Yes, I’m lead to tell the truth… 8 years to get back to meet his baby for the very first time… Letters after letters… Phone calls after phone calls…. I’m coming baby.. I want to be a family… I love my son… Etc., Etc.. – Then we discover later on before 18 months old that my son has Autism as well as the XYY syndrome, which is one chromosomes to many resulting in severe behavior problems… I mean severe, then combine it with the autism…
So I conceived this child after being celibate for a period of time after so many horrible relationships… This time in my life, I was doing big things in ministry.. No way in the world could Ms. CEO and President present she was pregnant to the church… (shaking my head)… My career was over in ministry!!!! I felt dirty and low down shame before God.. You talk about a piece of broken clay… Broken…
During this whole process since 1999 I had been saying out of my mouth that “I want a baby before I turn 40” I really did not know what I was saying being that my personality was no longer the same… I remember even going to my Bishop six weeks before I got pregnant and asking him to pray for me to get pregnant>>> (BAD) and all wrong.. He did.. Six weeks later, I go back to Bishop and say, well I’m pregnant and you can now have this beautiful building that we were having church at for the past 7 years.
My son who was the young Pastor of our ministry at the time had went off to college and was not as active he normally was when he was there full time.. So we tried new things that did not work.. So I decided that it was time for me to sit myself down and just be 37-year-old, confused and pregnant… You talk about a broken piece of clay.. Broken from the gutter-most to the uttermost.. Broken.. If what all I had been through, I now had to find a way to fix my pain in my mouth.. I tried everything from healing tapes, Anagelisic oral meds on my face.. Just anything I could use that would not cause any harm to my unborn fetus… During this time period, I began to cope with my pain like never before… Now, not only did I have the physical pain in my mouth… I now carried the mental shame of letting God down once more… How could I do this when things were going for us in ministry.. Things never returned back to the same.. I had the beautiful baby, and returned back to the church.. Baby got Christened like a King and it was a beautiful sight to see my beautiful baby at the alter.. He was drop dead gorgeous.. Everyone from the doctor who looked after my care asked me – are you sure your baby is not Asian being he had little bitty slits for eyes… All I could see were those were my eyes with no eye lids like most Asian baby’s do have… No, I was certain that he was a fully black because I was a 150% sure who his Dad is.. Today, they look like twins with the same manor-isms and all.. Just amazing… So the happy part to this story is my pregnancy fixed my broken heart – Did not have to take the strong heart medicine any longer – so on, and so on.. I had now learned how to deal with my mouth and facial pain a little bit better… Although, the baby fixes a lot of things in my life, I developed type 2 diabetes during the pregnancy which they call gestational diabetes which is common in women over 35 and pregnant… Well, I tried my best to get rid of the diabetes, but it just will not go away.. I report that I have graduated from having to inject 2 different kinds of insulin into my body after losing 40 pounds, I graduated to the pill call Metaphor-min which is a deadly stinky pill that makes my body produce the extra insulin it needs… To this day, I believe God is going to heal me from diabetes as well.
I tell a lot of history in this piece because I felt compelled to do so being my life is an open book and this insert will go into my biography I’ve been writing forever so long entitled: “Let my baby live” This title extends back to something that happened when I was 16 and pregnant… My God, my God… My testimony is so great, and it should be a help and a blessing to some young girl to let her know that abortion is not your only option… You too can still live again after going through a humiliating ordeal.. I did, and you can too.. That’s another whole chapter of my life.. .I will get there soon to share with my readers…
In close, “I still am the clay, and he is the potter” Work on me Dear Jesus and shape me into the Woman of God you will have me to be!!!! I receive you with open arms….
Written from the heart by: Minister Thomas
Of note: This story is uncut and unedited and unscripted because it’s really too painful to read it all over again… You all pray for me as I grow stronger in the Lord!!!
God says, “I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26
“I will take away sickness from among you. . .” Exodus 23:25,26
“He forgives all my sins and heals ALL my Diseases.” Psalm 103:3
“I will give you back your health again and heal your wounds.” Jeremiah 30:17
“The Lord will remove from you all sickness. . .” Deuteronomy 7:15
“My counsel shall stand, and I WILL do ALL my pleasure.: Isaiah 46:10
“Yes, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to Pass. I have purposed it. I will also do it.” Isaiah 46:11
“God cannot lie.” Titus 1:2
“I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass. Ezekiel 12:25
Today is March 13, 2012 and we will be discussing on this 40 days of prayer and Lenten journey: “Medical issues”. I’ve had my fair share or medical issues starting from a child dealing with severe allergies, feeling like I always have a cold. Come to find out after extensive allergic scratch test that there are many things I am allergic too, but the most significant item in the whole wide world that has caused me the most grief and medical issues in my life are being allergic to Grass and Trees… I was the kid that had to got to the allergy and dermatology doctor’s office twice a week after school for that dreadful injection to build anti-bodies against grass and tree substances… To this day I still take medications for the existing NO cure allergies… Although, they have come a long way with medicine offering non drowsy substances like Claritin and Claritin-D which works miracles for me and my children who also suffer from severe allergies… My youngest son, Justin suffers from sever peanut allergies, and we have almost lost him twice to Anaphylaxis (Anaphylactic shock) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening type of allergic reaction. Symptoms develop rapidly, often within seconds or minutes. They may include the following: Abdominal pain or cramping; Abnormal (high-pitched) breathing sounds;..
Fortunately, both times it was no fault of mines because he was not in my possession when the indirect products with nuts were given to him. You never think of chicken and think peanuts right? Well, you better think again a become an advit label reader when you have a family member that is severely allergic to a specific food product. Some people are allergic to bananas, celantro, etc.. My point I’m trying to make is everybody is different and there are no two people alike that share the same physical or mental make up.
As we explore medical issues, there are several medical issues we could tackle from Health and Wellness, Allergies as we are covering, High blood pressure, Diabetes, Type, I and Type 2 diabetes. Cancer, Strokes, Heart Attacks, Multiple sclerosis which I tend to know a very lot about since 1990… I was diagnosed with a rare case of premature multiple sclerosis, but it’s only aggravated when I become stressed out and my immune system began to deteriorate… Also, it is aggravated by different Cholesterol drugs, and blood pressure medicines that include a water pill that can cause you to urinate more frequently allowing you to loose potassium which plays a severe roll in controlling muscle spasms…. There are diseases that we have no control over like type 1 diabetes that my 7 year old nephew was diagnosed with.. No, it’s nothing anyone did wrong with his diet or exercise, but it has to do with his auto immune system and the beta chromosome that are no lo longer providing his pancrease with the insulin it needs… It’s just all about knowing how the human body works… As for me an my son, I am a type 2 diabetic, and my son was a borderline type 2 diabetic… Now this type of diabetes, you can control because the pancreas actually is still working an making insulin, but it’s just not making enough because either we are feeding our bodies wrong and not getting enough exercise…There is a great difference in the two medical illnesses but they are both pretty much treated the same in the end… Insulin where you take to help your body produce the correct amount is needed to function normal.
Let me go back to Type 1 diabetes which is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, and was previously known as juvenile diabetes. In type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.
Nevertheless, I could go on and on about medical issues being I have a slew of them myself… I thank God that I am as functional and ambulatory as I am and still live a normal life despite all the medical issues I have… Medical issues do not control you, you control them. That’s why it’s important to be in tune with your body and know when issue are arising….
There are other areas we surely need to discuss strokes and heart attacks which are silent killers. Know where your blood pressure level are and know what is normal range, high range , etc. for you diastolic pressure and your systolic pressure.. No the difference. Alos, your Cholesterol – know the difference between your good cholesterol and you bad choleserol that harvest in the body… A high cholesterol could lead to a massive stroke and or heart attack without warning, so it is vital that you be checked out by a qualified Internal medicine physician.
Medial issues are a part of our everyday lives, but we can fix a lot of stuff ourselves by how we take care of our bodies…
1) Eat Healty and cut out the junk food and resort to those 5 fruit and 5 vegetables a day and watch things begin to self heal in our bodies.
2) Exercise.. Yes I said exercise is they key… Get your body moving if you can.. It’s worked miracles for me, even with the current muscle issue I deal with on a daily basis…. Diet and exercise is key to healthy living!!
3) Have a physical and be tested to know what you normal and abnormal ranges are on your blood work so your doctor can better assist you with your medical issues.
4) Ladies with a family history of Breast CA and CA in general needs to have their yearly mammogram to prevent breast cancer which is in the leading cause of death in woman in the 21st century.. Also, for us ladies, have your yearly pap smear done as well.
5) Men, have your physicals done too, make sure when you get over 50 or before if you have a family history of prostate Cancer – have that simple blood test done , I think it’s a PSA and then have that yearly rectal exam and Colonoscopy to check for prostate Cancer and polyps … These simple test can save your life…
There are so many medical issues we could discuss.. We could go on and on and on… HIV/AIDS, Luekemia, Hodgkins diese, Autism, blindness, death and mute… We could elaborate all day…
I do feel compelled to enclose some informaton on allergies and anaphaxis shock syndrome… We are required by law to have a botle of Benydryl and Epi-pens in place and case a person with severe allergic reaactions like my son has…
What Does the Bible Say About Doctors?
Are They a Gift from God?
Lorraine Day, M.D.
The word “Physician” is not mentioned in the Bible
Neither the word Physician nor the word Doctor is used in the Bible. The word mistranslated as Physician is actually the word healer. It is thetranslators who have presumptuously – and wrongly – defined a Physician – a present-day Doctor –as a healer.
But the Bible, in the original, says something quite different.
Who claims to be our Healer?
God says, “I am the Lord who heals you.” Exodus 15:26
“I will take away sickness from among you. . .” Exodus 23:25,26
“He forgives all my sins and heals ALL my Diseases.” Psalm 103:3
“I will give you back your health again and heal your wounds.” Jeremiah 30:17
“The Lord will remove from you all sickness. . .” Deuteronomy 7:15
“My counsel shall stand, and I WILL do ALL my pleasure.: Isaiah 46:10
“Yes, I have spoken it. I will also bring it to Pass. I have purposed it. I will also do it.” Isaiah 46:11
“God cannot lie.” Titus 1:2
“I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass. Ezekiel 12:25
When Jesus was on earth, He NEVER referred anyone to a Physician
God needs no middle men. When Jesus was on earth, when someone came to Him for healing, He never referred the person to Luke, the “Physician.” Jesus healed the person directly and personally. And He healed him either with His Word – which we have today, in the form of the Bible – or He healed him with natural methods – clay, water, etc.
Jesus NEVER used drugs, although we know that some types of drugs were available in His time. When Jesus was on the Cross, He was offered a type of drug to ease His pain, but He refused it.
In the Bible, What was the consequence of seeking out anyone else except God for healing?
Asa, King of Israel sought out the physicians INSTEAD of depending on the Lord – and Asa DIED!
“And Asa, in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, was diseased in his feet (probably diabetes), until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought NOT to the Lord, but to the physicians (human “healers”)
“And Asa died . . . and rested with his fathers (ancestors).” 2 Chronicles 16:12,13
Ahaziah, King of Israel, and son of the wicked King Ahab (who was married to Jezebel), was ill and did not seek God, but sought the god of Ekron – sorcerers. And Ahaziah DIED!
“And Ahaziah was sick and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this disease.
“But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the King of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is NOT a God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
“Now, therefore, thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt NOT come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt SURELY DIE.” 2 Kings 1:2-4
God is our Healer and He doesn’t share that job with humanity. The consequence of seeking out anyone except the Lord for healing – is death!
But HOW Does God Heal?
Jesus certainly did miraculous healings when He was on earth, but there was always ONE requirement. The person wanting to be healed HAD TO BELIEVE. He or she had to believe that Jesus WOULD do what He had already PROMISED to do – and that is to heal ALL our diseases. (Psalm 103:3)
If a person BELIEVES in Jesus, then they will follow His ways, and not “man’s” (the doctors’) ways.
Jesus said, “If you LOVE Me, KEEP My Commandments.” John 14:15
Here is the way God heals ALL our diseases:
“Thou shalt therefore keep the Commandments, and the statutes (laws – including God’s Ten Natural Health Laws) and the judgments (decrees) that I command thee this day, to do them.
“Wherefore it shall come to pass, if you hearken to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy that He swore unto your fathers:
“And He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee; He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy grain, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy cattle, and thy flocks of thy sheep, in the land that He swore unto thy fathers to give thee.
“Thou shalt be blessed above all people; there shall not be male or female barren among you (the cure for infertility!) or among your cattle.
“And the Lord will take away from thee ALL sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt (symbolic for Sin), which thou knowest, upon thee: but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.” Deuteronomy 7:11-15
Moses:
When God told Moses to build the sanctuary in the wilderness, God gave very specific directions for how it was to be built – down to the last tassel on the robes of the priests. It was up to Moses to follow God’s plans explicitly and NOT to follow his own plans. Moses was NOT ALLOWED to consult with the human “experts” on sanctuary-building. God gave the directions, and Moses carried out EXACTLY what God had told Him to do.
God not only made the PROMISE, God also gave the PROCESS by which His PROMISE was to be accomplished.
The ONLY one who can fulfill a PROMISE, is the ONE who made it.
Noah:
When God promised Noah He would save him and his family from the flood, God gave Noah very explicit instructions on how to build the ark – including what kind of wood, the specific dimensions of the boat, etc. Noah was not allowed to consult the human “experts” on boat-building. It was up to Noah to follow God’s plans explicitly and NOT to follow his own plans. God gave the directions, and Noah carried out EXACTLY what God told Him to do.
It was by following God’s instructions explicitly that Noah and his family would be saved.
God not only made the PROMISE, God also gave the PROCESS by which His PROMISE was to be accomplished.
Disease is a Spiritual Problem
When God PROMISES to “heal ALL our diseases,” God also gives us the PROCESS by which His PROMISE is to be accomplished. We are not allowed to consult human “experts” on healing, such as the orthodox medical doctors, but we must follow ONLY God’s way.
God not only has made the PROMISE, God also gives us the PROCESS by which His PROMISE is to be accomplished.
Disease, virtually ALL disease, BEGINS as a Spiritual problem. It begins in the “heart” because we want to live, eat, think, act, and handle stress our OWN way, rather than GOD’S way. We are in rebellion against God, whether we realize and acknowledge it or not. Only MUCH later do the physical symptoms appear – as a result our OWN bad decisions.
We believe we have Free Will and the right to exercise it, but Jesus said,
“I came NOT to do My OWN will, but the WILL of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38
We give ourselves disease, one day at a time, by following OUR OWN will, rather than following GOD’S WILL for our life.
Shouldn’t I Pray for a Miraculous Healing?
Certainly God can perform a miraculous healing, but what good would that do in your life? It would allow you to continue to live, eat, think, act, and handle stress your OWN way, rather than changing your heart. It would just be another carnal wish for a “Quick Fix” and you would eventually develop your disease again because you would not have CHANGED the way you were living, eating, thinking, acting and handling stress.
Christians, particularly, are looking for a miraculous healing – a Quick Fix, even though miraculous healings do NOT change lives. When Jesus healed the Ten Lepers, how many came back to thank Him? Only one! Their hearts were not changed.
The “Latter Rain” – How will we recognize it? Is it Already Here?
The Christian churches are praising the Lord for what they consider to be the present-day “outpouring of the Holy Spirit” in signs and wonders, including speaking in tongues and miraculous healings just like the events that occurred with the apostles in the Upper Room at Pentecost fifty days after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, 2000 years ago.
Often quoted is the passage in Joel that refers to God’s Spirit being poured out on all flesh.
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. . . and I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth. . . before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come.” Joel 2:28-31
Two specific time periods for the “outpouring of the Holy Spirit” are spoken of in the Bible where they are referred to as the “Early rain” and the “Latter rain,” symbolized by the early and latter rains of the harvest season. Leviticus 26:1-14, Deuteronomy 11:14, Proverbs 16:15, Hosea 6:3, Matt 5:45, James 5:7.
As mentioned, the “Early Rain” is considered by most Christians to have been given to the apostles in the Upper Room at Pentecost. In speaking of this occurrence, the Bible says the apostles were together in the upper room with over 100 other Christians. “And they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak clearly (literal translation). . . and they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, ‘Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And yet we hear in the dialect in which we were born, Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites. . . in Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the regions of Libya…We hear them speaking in our own language…” Acts 2:7-11
Obviously, the languages (tongues) in which the apostles were speaking were known languages of the time. Their languages were perfectly understood by those from the various respective countries. What they were speaking was NOT an unknown tongue because everyone “understood in his own dialect (dialektos – in Greek).” Acts 2:8
In the subsequent weeks and months, the apostles performed many miraculous healings (See Acts 3:1-13, 6:8) and spoke boldly about the resurrection of Jesus even after they were strongly warned against it, and even after they were imprisoned and beaten.
Characteristics of the “Early Rain” included:
1) Miraculous, instantaneous healings 2) Bold speaking for the Lord 3) Speaking in known languages 4) Preaching of the true Gospel 5) The Spirit fell ONLY on those who had left the organized church. We have NO record that it fell on ANYONE who was IN the organized church of those who considered themselves the “Chosen People.” 6) It not only fell ONLY on those who had LEFT that church, but it fell ONLY on those who were being PERSECUTED BY that very same “Church.” (The apostles were hiding in the Upper Room “for fear of the Jews.”)
We have reason to believe that the “Latter Rain” will have similar manifestations. In fact, many Christians believe that this predicted “Latter Rain” is going on right now in the churches, exemplified by an exciting movement of “Spirit-filled” Christians who are speaking in unknown languages and are being miraculously “healed!”
But we must carefully search the Scriptures to understand the characteristics of the “Latter Rain” and how they relate to the “Early Rain”, the apostles Day of Pentecost.
What are the “keys” in the analysis of the “Early Rain” to unlock the understanding of the “Latter Rain”?
Jesus received a visitor one evening, Nicodemus, a respected religious leader, a Pharisee, inquiring about Jesus’ teachings. “You must be born again,” Jesus told him. “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” Nicodemus asked.
Jesus explained that the first birth, is physical, natural, but the second birth is a spiritual birth. “That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6 He went on to chide Nicodemus saying, “You are a master of Israel and you don’t know these things?” In other words, “You are one of the main leaders, one of the Biblical scholars, of the most religious people on earth and you don’t understand this basic spiritual principle?”
The key is found in 1 Corinthians 15:44-49. Here Paul speaks of two situations, first the natural or physical, and secondly the spiritual.
“And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul (a physical, natural human being); the last Adam (Christ) was made a life-giving spirit (a spiritual being).
“However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.
“The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.”
This passage gives a very important interpretive rule; the first is ALWAYS natural, or physical, and the second is ALWAYS spiritual.
Jesus was explaining this principle to Nicodemus when He said, “The first birth is physical, but the second birth, being born again, is spiritual.
First birth = physical Second birth = spiritual
1 Cor 2:14 says, “The unspiritual man (the natural, or “soulish” man) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned (understood).”
This text tells us that the natural man, the unspiritual man, cannot understand spiritual things. “They are foolishness to him.”
The original Greek word translated as “natural” in the King James Version, is more accurately translated “soulish.” The word “soul” is applied in the Bible to any creature that has the five senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch), such as birds, beasts, and man. The word “soul” in the Bible is never used to describe plants and trees, etc. or non-living things, things which do NOT have the five senses.
Therefore, we can see that the “natural” man, also called the “soulish” man, CANNOT understand spiritual things. In other words, spiritual things CANNOT be understood with the five senses. They can only be discerned (understood) spiritually. Spiritual understanding does NOT use the five senses.
We have already learned that the “first” is always natural or physical, such as the “first” birth (it’s the natural birth of a child) but the “second” birth, or being “born again” is spiritual. The natural birth of a child can easily be detected by the five senses. It can be seen, heard and felt.
However, the “second” birth, being “born again” CANNOT be detected with the five senses. God changes the heart quietly and slowly which cannot be detected by the senses. Only the result can be seen, just like the working of the wind. The wind itself cannot be seen, only the result of the wind. John 3:8
The Lamb of God
The same principle operates for many things in the Bible. The lamb sacrificed for sin in the temple in the Old Testament was the “first” – the physical. But it looked forward to the “Lamb of God” who by His physical death would give us spiritual salvation. Jesus, the Lamb of God, was the “second” – Spiritual fulfillment of the literal, physical sacrificial lamb in the Old Testament sanctuary service.
Manna – Bread from Heaven
The manna that rained down from heaven when the Israelites were in the wilderness was the “first” bread, looking forward to the “second” – the spiritual bread from heaven, Jesus Christ. (John 6:47-52). But the Jews of Jesus’ time ONLY understood it literally. They could not understand the spiritual application because “spiritual things are (ONLY) spiritually discerned.”
The Old and New Covenant
The Old Covenant was the Ten Commandments written in stone. They were physical, they could be seen and touched. And most importantly, humanity was unable to keep them under their own power.
The New Covenant is the SAME Ten Commandments, all ten of them, but now they are no longer written in stone, but Jesus says, “I will write my law on the fleshy tables of your heart.” (2 Cor 3:3) Now humanity CAN keep them but ONLY through the power of Jesus living in you.
Some say that since Jesus died on the Cross, we’re now living under grace, we are NOT under the law because the law was done away at the Cross. However the law was NOT done away with at the Cross, it is still the very same law that is operating, but the NEW Covenant is Jesus’ promise to write that very same law in our hearts, so we will do right because it IS right, not just because we are told to do it.
The First and Second Deaths!
The first death is in us when we are born. As soon as a baby is born, its cells begin to die. That is the “first” death. The “second” death according to 1 Cor 15:44-49, MUST be a spiritual death. That’s the death Paul talks so much about: “I die daily”, (1 Cor 15:31), “I am crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:20), “putting off the old man of sin” (Col 3:9). This is obviously a spiritual, not a physical, death.
In Rev 20:14 we are told that “Death and Hades (the unseen) are thrown into the lake of fire.” How can “Death and the Unseen” be thrown into a literal “lake of fire?”
Obviously the “lake of fire” is symbolic. So what does it mean? We are told in Revelation that “waters” mean people and multitudes. (Rev 17:15) The “Beast” comes up out of the “sea” (Rev 13:1,2) which means it rises in a populated area. So “sea”, because it is water, means people. A “lake” is also water, so it also must mean peoples and multitudes.
The word “fire” is used symbolically and spiritually repeatedly in the Bible. We go through “fiery trials” (1 Peter 4:12). “Buy of Me gold tried in the fire” (Rev 3:18). “Heap coals of fire on his head. . .” (Romans 12:20).
So the “lake of fire” according to the symbology of Revelation, means fiery trials caused by reaping what we have sown. We are put right back in the midst of the people we have wronged in order to reap what we have sown in order to be spiritually purified.
Faith based on miracles is NOT faith!
Simon (Magus) (Acts 8:9) was amazed at the power of the apostles. His case is an example of “faith” founded on miracles, which is very different from the faith which is based on God’s word, apart from the evidence of the senses. Many believed in the Lord when they beheld the signs which He did, yet Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew what was in humanity (John 2:23-25) (Concordant Commentary pg 190).
Acts 8:19: Among the nations in Paul’s later ministries, the spirit is received on believing, without the intervention of apostles, or baptism, or laying on of hands (Eph 1:13). It is no longer manifested by signs and miraculous healings
Signs and Wonder
Paul performs miracles early in his ministry
The need for signs and wonders, in order to believe, is a sign of spiritual immaturity. Early in his ministry Paul performed many miracles. People were healed if they just touched his handkerchief.
“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” Acts 19:11,12
Paul raised Eutychus from the dead. Acts 20:9-12
Later in Paul’s ministry, NO miracles are seen.
Healings are by NATURAL REMEDIES.
But later in Paul’s ministry he tells Timothy to drink (unfermented) wine for his stomach troubles, a natural remedy, rather than sending him a handkerchief so he could be instantly healed (1 Tim 5:23). Also Paul does not miraculously heal his co-worker, Epaphroditus, who almost died. He obviously got well the long, slow way.
“Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
“For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
“For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.” Philippians 2:25-27
Paul obviously did NOT heal Epaphroditus miraculously.
To Summarize:
The Early Rain, the “First of the two “Rains”, was characterized by visible miracles, including resurrections and miraculous healings. These could easily be detected by the 5 senses. No one had to be “spiritual” in order to detect and understand these healings. Even pagans were able to detect these signs.
According to 1 Cor 15:44-49, the “First” is always “natural or physical” so the “Early Rain” as we see, is able to be detected by the “natural” or “soulish” man, meaning it can be detected with the five senses.
But the “Second” is ALWAYS “Spiritual.” It CANNOT be detected with the five senses.
Some say that means that “healings” will not be a part of the “Latter Rain.” But that is NOT the correct conclusion.
Healings WILL be part of the “Latter Rain”, but the healings characteristic of the “Latter Rain” will NOT be miraculous, they will occur slowly and imperceptibly, first by a change in the heart, and then by a slow progressive improvement in the disease by following God’s totally natural Health Plan. This is in accord with the way the Holy Spirit works in the Second Birth (being born again.)
This PROCESS will NOT be detectable with the five senses, only the result will be detected. The ability of God’s Natural Health Plan to heal even the most advanced cancer will NOT be understood by those who are not spiritual, because “Spiritual things are spiritually discerned.”
“The natural (soulish or unspiritual) man receiveth NOT the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because spiritual things are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor 2:14
This is the reason that doctors, scientists, Bible scholars, many theologians and most ministers CANNOT understand how people with advanced, life-threatening diseases can get well by following God’s Natural Health Plan. They are totally UNABLE to understand it because they can only obtain information through their five senses. They are UNABLE to understand Spiritual things.
“And they preached the GOSPEL” boldly!
The word “gospel” means GOOD NEWS! Is it “Good News” that God will save only a small minority of all those who have ever lived on the earth, maybe 20% or so, and the rest will be doomed to burning forever – or a period of time, (i.e. “as long as they deserve”) or they will be permanently annihilated or permanently separated from God in some, as yet unknown, manner?
Saving 20% and destroying 80%! That is NOT Good News no matter how you look at it!
The “Good News” shown throughout the entire Bible is that God is going to save EVERYONE! He’s not going to destroy ANYONE by burning or permanent annihilation. Of course, He won’t save anyone IN their sins, only FROM their sins.
Look at these examples in the Old Testament.
1) The lamb was brought to the sanctuary by the Israelite. The Israelite symbolically transferred his own sin to the lamb by placing his hands on the lamb.
2) Then the lamb was burned up – NOT the Israelite, showing us that it was the sin that was burned up, NOT the sinner!
This clearly shows us that the “sin” will be burned out of our lives by “fiery trials”, we will be “gold tried in the fire.” The sinner will NOT be burned up.
3) When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, what was burned up? Certainly NOT them! It was their bonds that were burned off, the ropes that held them in bondage. The ropes represented the bondage of sin. These were burned off, but the three young men were not touched with the fire. In addition, a fourth person was in the fire with them, “One like the Son of Men” – Jesus.
This episode of the three young men in the fiery furnace is the Old Testament “Physical” representation of the New Testament “Spiritual” application of the Third Angel’s Message in Rev. 14:9-12.
Verse 10: Those who take the Mark of the Beast “shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”
The Greek word for brimstone is theion, which means divine. It comes from the root word Theios which means divinty or the Godhead.
This torment with fire and brimstone occurs “in the presence of the Lamb” meaning that Jesus promises to go through the fire with us, just as He did with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. That is truly Good News! Only this time the fire symbolizes the “fiery trials” that the New Testament speaks about, not literal fire.
If you think it is a “stretch” to interpret this “fire” of Rev 14:10 as the “fiery trials” of purification form sin, then you must explain why the “fire” must be interpreted literally when all the rest of the passage is interpreted symbolically, such as: beast, image, mark, forehead, hand, drinking wrath, pouring indignation into a cup.
ALL of these terms are interpreted symbolically, NOT literally. Then WHY would anyone just pick ONE term from that passage, the term “fire and brimstone” and interpret that literally?
Also remember the rule of “firsts” and “seconds”, the first being physical and the second being spiritual. (1 Cor 15:44-49) The wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by literal fire and brimstone. The wicked resurrected in the second resurrection will be spiritually “destroyed” by having the sin purified out of them by going through “fiery trials” – reaping what they have sown.
Other New Testament texts that reveal that God is going to save EVERYONE!
1) How long did the shepherd search for the sheep? (Luke 15:4) Answer: Until he found it. There was NO cutoff time. (text) Note also that at the time he went looking for the sheep, ALL the rest were ALREADY in the fold. Only ONE was missing, and he searched until he found THAT LAST ONE!
2) How long did the woman search for the coin? (Luke 15:8) UNTIL SHE FOUND IT! Again there was NO cutoff time.
3) Jesus said He came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) EVERYONE has been “lost” at one time or another. So that means Jesus will save EVERYONE!
For many more texts showing that God will save everyone, see the study entitled “What Happens At The Judgment” at www.goodnewsaboutgod.com
In Conclusion:
The Latter Rain has the following five characteristics:
1) There will be many healings from advanced life-threatening diseases, but they will not be instantaneous, miraculous healings. They will NOT be “Quick-Fix” healings. Miraculous healings do NOT change the heart.
Before Jesus healed the paralyzed man whose friends let him down through the roof, Jesus said, “Your sins be forgiven you.” (Mark 2:5) That was the PRELUDE to the man being healed. Forgiveness of his own sins was necessary before his healing could take place.
Notice that Jesus did NOT say that the man was sick because he lived in a sinful world. No, Jesus said, “YOUR sins be forgiven YOU!”
Christians often say that sickness is the inevitable result of living in a sinful world, and that it really has nothing to do with how we specifically live our own lives. They believe that diseases just happen! But they DON’T just happen. Disease is the inevitable result of that individual violating God’s ten natural laws of health. Disease, in virtually ALL instances, is a result of our OWN sin. It occurs because we refuse to give up our right to ourselves and we insist on making our own decisions, instead of giving EVERY decision over to the Lord and following HIS directions rather than our own.
Psalm 103:3 reveals the SAME sequence: “He forgives ALL our sins, and (THEN) heals ALL our diseases.” The repentance FOR, and forgiveness OF, sins is absolutely necessary before complete healing can occur!
The healings will be the result of true repentance of sins, a change in the heart, and a desire to do God’s will by following His Health Plan followed by slow, progressive healing of the physical disease.
This process will NOT be perceptible to the five senses, nor will it be understood by those who are not spiritual. It will not be perceptible nor understood by doctors, scientists, philosophers, scholars, including most Bible scholars, nor will it be understood by the vast majority of ministers and religious leaders. In fact, they will deny that it can happen, and will even attack those who get well by that method.
Remember that the Pharisees, the religious leaders of the “Chosen people”, wanted to kill Lazarus because He exhibited what Christ could do. (John 12:10)
Miraculous healings don’t change lives. Look at the story of Jesus healing the Ten Lepers. Only ONE came back to thank Jesus. Obviously the hearts of the other nine were not changed.
In addition, miraculous healings do not bring about a change in diet and lifestyle so the body and mind can repair themselves. Miraculous healings allow the person to eat and live as they did before, so they will just get sick again.
2) The TRUE GOSPEL will be preached. The GOSPEL means “Good News.” The knowledge that God is going to save EVERYONE is truly Good News! It is the Gospel of Universal Restoration! God loves EVERYONE the same. He has no favorites that He prefers above others.
3) The Gospel will be preached BOLDLY! Those who know this Good News will share it with everyone who will listen. They will not keep silent in proclaiming the wonderful character of God, and they will preach this Gospel WITHOUT fear!
Look at the difference between Peter’s behavior towards the Pharisees BEFORE and AFTER the Day of Pentecost.
BEFORE Jesus was crucified, Peter denied Jesus three times, then later hid in the Upper Room “for fear of the Jews.”
AFTER the Day of Pentecost, Peter had NO fear of the Pharisees. Even though they beat him and put him in prison, he went right back to the synagogue boldly preaching the Good News!
4) The Latter Rain will fall ONLY on those OUTSIDE the organized church, NOT those INSIDE the organized church.
5) The Latter Rain will fall on those who are NOT ONLY OUTSIDE the organized church, but it will fall on those who are being PERSECUTED by THAT VERY SAME CHURCH!
The Latter Rain will be silent, hidden and undetected by the vast majority of Christians who will be looking for a repeat of the Day of Pentecost with visible miracles and other obvious manifestations. The Latter Rain will ONLY be received and recognized by those who are spending daily time with the Lord in DILIGENT Bible study and prayer and who understand the spiritual nature of the Latter Rain.
Is the Health Message the “Right Arm” of the Gospel?
Some Christians believe that the Health Message is the “Right Arm” of the Gospel. By this, they mean that it can be used as an evangelistic “tool” – as an “opening wedge” – to attract the attention of the unbeliever who, as he or she develops an illness or is just in poor health, will be interested. Once the person is attracted by the Health Message, then the Christian can witness to the Unbeliever about the Gospel.
But this is all wrong.
In truth, the Health Message IS the Gospel – the FULL Gospel. Jesus said so, Himself. When Jesus performed physical healings, such as the man with the withered hand – and even resurrections from the dead – such as Jairus’ daughter, He used the Greek word sozo, which means, “to make whole.”
Jesus also used the same word, sozo, when he spoke of salvation, because the word means, “to make whole.” Jesus is making clear to us that when the “heart” is right, when we have given up our right to ourself and have given it over to God,
when we have had a CHANGE of heart, when our heart is one with God, THEN we will want to follow GOD’S way of fulfilling HIS PROMISE of healing. We will follow GOD’S PROCESS – His Natural Ten Step Health Plan – and we will abandon completely and permanently, any way that is devised by man – by doctors!
We will trust ONLY the Great Physician, Jesus Christ, who CREATED us, and wants to Re-Create us into His image – into a New Creation in Christ.
Sozo Means – Healed AND Saved!
The word sozo in the Greek was used by Jesus for both physical healing and spiritual salvation. The Lord is sending us a very clear message: When the heart is right – – THEN healing will occur. Disease begins in the heart – in the attitudes and in the disposition. Since that’s where disease begins, that is where it must first be addressed. God does not look on the outward appearance. He looks at the heart. Doctors cannot look there, they cannot heal the spiritual nature, and that is why they cannot heal disease!
SOZO: Strong’s Concordance, #4982
HEALED:
Mark 5:23: And besought Him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray Thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed (sozo), and she shall live.
Luke 8:26: They also which saw it told them by what means he that was possessed of the devils was healed (sozo).
Acts 14:9: The same heard Paul speak, who steadfastly behold him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed (sozo).
SAVE (36 entries)
Matt. 1:21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save (sozo) His people from their sins.
Matt 18:11: For the Son of man is come to save (sozo) that which was lost.
Luke 9:56: For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save(sozo) them.
Luke 19:10: For the Son of man is come to seek and to save (sozo) that which was lost.
John 12:47: And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I cam not to judge the world, but to save (sozo) the world.
Romans 10:9 (The text at hand.) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (sozo).
1 Tim 1:15: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save (sozo) sinners, of whom I am chief.
Heb 7:25: Wherefore He is able also to save (sozo) them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
James 2:14: What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and has not works? Can faith save (sozo) him?
James 4:12: There is one lawgiver, who is able to save (sozo) and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?
James 5:15: And the prayer of faith shall save (sozo) the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
SAVED (57 entries, all but 4 of them are “SOZO”)
Matt 10:22: And you shall be hated of all men for My name’s sake; but he that endureth to the end shall be saved (sozo).
John 3:17: For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved (sozo).
Acts 2:21: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved (sozo).
Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved(sozo).
Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (sozo).
Eph 2:5: Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved (sozo).
Eph 2:8: For by grace are ye saved (sozo) through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.
1 Timothy 2:4: Who will have ALL mankind to be saved (sozo), and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
1 Peter 4:17,18: For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved (sozo), where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
Revelation 21:24: And the nations of them that are saved (sozo) shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
WHOLE
(In the New Testament, 90 entries: 11 entries are #4982 – sozo)
Matt 9:21,22; Mark 5:28, 34; Luke 8:48,50 the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years, and merely touched the hem of Christ’s garment was told her faith had made her whole (sozo).
Mark 6:56: And whithersoever He entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought Him that they might touch if it were but the border of His garment: and as many as touched Him were made whole (sozo).
Mark 10:46-52 In Jericho, Jesus healed the Blind man Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, and said, “Go your way; your faith has made youwhole(sozo). And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
Luke 17:12-19: Ten lepers came to Jesus, asking for healing. Jesus healed them all, but only one returned to thank Him. Jesus said to him, Arise, go your way; your faith has made you whole (sozo).
THE OLD TESTAMENT
In the Old Testament, HEAL (in all 21 entries, HEALED and HEALETH are #7495 – the Hebrew equivalent of sozo in the Greek?
HEAL
Hosea 14;4: I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
Jer 30:17: For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.
HEALED
2 Kings 2:21,22: And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.
HEALETH
Psalm 103:3: Who forgives all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.
Is there ANY use for present-day doctors?
There are three different categories of medical problems: 1) Trauma,
2) Congenital Deformities, and 3) Disease.
God’s Promise is to “Heal ALL our DISEASES.” Psalm 103:3. The text says nothing about Trauma or Congenital deformities.
Trauma means “injury” such as when one breaks a leg, or is in a motor vehicle accident, or is the victim of a gunshot wound. Jesus had Trauma. He was beaten before He was crucified and He was injured when a crown of thorns was placed on His head. This is NOT “Disease.”
Trauma is NOT caused by the way one eats, lives, and handles stress. Trauma needs to be treated and repaired surgically by a Trauma Surgeon.
Congenital Deformities or Congenital Anomalies are in the category of Birth Defects. A child may be born with a cleft palate, or an extra digit, or a club foot, or some other anomaly. These are NOT caused by the way the child has been living, eating, and handling stress – although, in certain instances, it MAY have been caused by the way the mother was eating, living, and handling stress while she was pregnant.
This is NOT “Disease.” Congenital Deformities need to be surgically corrected by an appropriately trained Surgeon.
Diseases ARE CAUSED by the way we live, eat, and handle stress. In order to get well, we must CHANGE the way we live, eat and handle stress. We must follow GOD’S way, and NOT the ways of “man” – the ways of doctors! (For more information, see www.drday.com)
Doctors learn only TWO methods of treatment: 1) Give DRUGS, to cover up the symptoms by Poisoning or Burning the patient, or 2) Take out – or cut off – the “problem” organ by mutilating surgery.
Drugs never solve the underlying problem. They only “treat” symptoms, and they ALL have side effects. Drugs only change the form or location of the disease, they NEVER cure the disease. That is why, in many instances, the doctor will tell you that you have to be ON the drugs for the rest of your life.
God tells us in Revelation 18:23 that He abhors the use of drugs, because when a person is sick, and has symptoms, it is supposed to be a Red Flag warning to Turn to the Lord for the answers. Something is wrong with the life of the person who is sick, and ONLY the Lord’s Plan can make the person well.
Only GOD can show us how to live, how to eat, how to think and act, and how to handle stress. “Man’s” ways – the ways of “science and medicine” NEVER work in the long run. They may make a person FEEL better temporarily, they may temporarily appear to “shrink” a tumor, but they NEVER work to REVERSE the underlying disease, because NO doctor can address the problem of the “heart.”
THAT is God’s domain. Only God can reach down into your heart, and open up for you the things you need to CHANGE in your life, who you need to forgive, how to love your enemies, how to get the selfishness out of your life. THAT is where DISEASES begin, and NO doctor can touch that area.
God did not give us an extra supply of organs. And organ donations are certainly NOT God’s way.
God tells us that those who give out Drug Medications are an “Abomination to the Lord” and that the WHOLE WORLD will be DECEIVED by their “sorceries.”
“. . . for by thy (the Beast power’s) sorceries were ALL NATIONS deceived.” Revelation 18:23
The word “sorceries” in this text, is the word pharmakeia in the Greek – pharmacy – DRUGS – in English.
The WHOLE WORLD will be deceived by the DRUG medications prescribed by doctors. God defines them as Sorceries and Witchcraft. Because Drug medications are essentially the same as street drugs. They are given to make a patient FEEL better, or to make the lab test numbers LOOK better, but they are only a temporary “Quick Fix.” They NEVER solve the underlying problem, – the actual CAUSE of the disease, which always begins in the “heart” because we want to live, eat, and handle stress OUR way, rather than GOD’S way.
The English words sorceries and witchcraftare the numbers 3784 and 3785 in Strong’s concordance. These words are found in: Exodus 7:11, 2 Kings 9:22,2 Chronicles 33:6Jeremiah 27:9, Daniel 2:2, Malachi 3:5, Isaiah 47:9,12, Micah 5:12, Nahum 3:4.
The equivalent words in the Greek – sorceries, and witchcraft – are numbers 5331 and 5332 in Strong’s Concordance, as found in Galatians 5:20, Revelation 9:21; 18:23; 21:8; 22:15.
That Greek word is pharmakeia, or pharmacy – drug medications – Sorceries and witchcraft, according to the Bible.
The Bible terms drug medications, prescribed by doctors, as Sorceries and Witchcraft – because disease is a Spiritual problem. It begins in the “heart” – in the attitudes and disposition because we want to live, eat and handle stress our OWN way, rather than learning to trust God.
So ANYTHING – including doctor-prescribed drug medications – that pulls us away from God and HIS wisdom – and towards the world and so-called “worldly wisdom” is anti-Christ. God says, “The wisdom of man is foolishness with God.”
Those who prescribe drug medications – doctors, pharmacologists, and pharmacists, are termed witches and sorcerers and poisoners(pharmakos) in the Bible. God is so much against drug medications, because they lead people away from Him, that in the Old Testament, God told Israel:
“Thou shalt not suffer a witch (#3784) to live.” Exodus 22:18 (According to the Bible, a witch is one who dispenses drug medications.)
“There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch (#3784),
“Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer
“For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord.” Deuteronomy 18:10-12
It is not surprising to see that the Greek root “Phar. . .” is in all of the following words that are associated with the enemies of God and Christ:
Strong’s Concordance number:
#5328 – Pharoah – enslaved and tried to destroy the Israelites, the followers of God.
#5329 – Pharisees – those who murdered Christ
#5331 – Pharmakeia – drug medications – sorceries, also often kill those who
take them
#5332 – Pharmakeus – one who drugs or poisons people – druggist (and
physicians who give out drugs. Actual definition – poisoner or sorcerer
– one who poisons or kills.
#5333 – Pharmakos – the same as #5332
“By their sorceries (#5332 – drug medications) were ALL nations deceived.” Revelation 18:23
These five Greek words, all beginning with “Phar”, define those who, 1) have tried to enslave and destroy the followers of God, and 2) those who murdered Christ, and 3) those who are attempting to annihilate the rest of the population of the world with drug medications.
God states anyone who gives out Drug Medications (defined as witchcraft in the Bible), should NEVER be allowed to be a part of God’s people. In today’s era, that would mean doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and anyone else who prescribes or administers Drugs.
Witch houses and Drug stores
In the guide book “Visitor’s Guide to Salem, Massachusetts”, written in 1895 about the town where the famous Witch Trials took place, the following quote appears on page 6:
“If a stranger inquires for a “Witch house” he will be directed to a dark scowling building which is set back far enough from the sidewalk for a drug store to stand in front of it.” (Published by Essex Institute, Salem, Mass.,1895)
Witchcraft and Drugs have been associated with each other in America for over a hundred years, and they have been associated in the Bible for thousands of years!
How long have DRUGS been around?
The origin of modern Drug medicine (“Quick Fix” medicine) in “treating” disease is considered to have begun in the 1930’s and 1940’s with the discovery of the first antibiotic, Penicillin, by Sir Alexander Fleming in 1928. Subsequently, the Drug industry exploded, and today there are more drugs (ALL of which are harmful) than one can count.
But as long ago as the 17th century, the phrase patent medicine was known, and referred to the marketing of medical elixirs. The “medicines” were not really patented but if a particular product found favor with royalty, a letter patent authorizing the use of the royal endorsement in advertising, was issued.
The name stuck until well after the American Revolution made these endorsements by the crowned heads of Europe obsolete. As noted, few if any of the nostrums were actually patented, as chemical patents came into use in the USA in 1925. And in any case, attempting to monopolize a drug, medical device, or medical procedure was considered unethical by the standards upheld during the era of patent medicine. Furthermore, patenting one of these remedies would have meant publicly disclosing its ingredients, which most promoters wanted to avoid.
Within the English-speaking world, patent medicines are as old as journalism. The use of letters of patent to obtain exclusive marketing rights to certain labeled formulas and their marketing fueled the circulation of early newspapers.
Please note, nothing has changed!
A number of American institutions owe their existence to the patent medicine industry, most notably a number of the older almanacs, which were originally given away as promotional items by patent medicine manufacturers.
Many patent medicines contained herbs, or were composed of Native American recipes, and others invoked the power of electromagnetism to heal ailments. Toward the end of the period, a number of radioactive medicines, containing uranium or radium, (Radiation) were marketed. These apparently actually contained the ingredients promised, and there were a number of tragedies among their devotees: most notoriously, steel heir Eben McBurney Byers was a supporter of the popular radium water “Radithor”. He contracted fatal radium poisoning and had to have his jaw removed in an unsuccessful attempt to save him from bone cancer after drinking the “radium water.” (Cancer is CAUSED by radiation!) Water irradiators were sold that promised to infuse water placed within them with radon, which was thought to be healthy at the time.
Those who, even today, believe that Doctors and Scientists know what they are doing when it comes to treating disease, need only to look back at the last couple of paragraphs. All doctors admit that Radiation CAUSES cancer. Yet, when a patient already HAS Cancer, the doctors give that patient Radiation – a “treatment” that CAUSES Cancer!
This is outrageously stupid on the part of “modern” medicine and the doctors who practice it!
When journalists and physicians began focusing on the narcotic contents of the patent medicines, some of their makers began substituting acetanilide, a particularly toxic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, discovered in 1886, for the laudanum they used to contain. This ingredient change probably killed more of the nostrum’s users than the narcotics did, since the acetanilide was toxic to the liver and kidneys. This compound has largely been replaced by the use of the supposedly less toxic acetaminophen, a drug that is in the same category.
Those who sold or prescribed acetanilide-containing medicines in the 1800’s are now referred to as “Quacks.” However, acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol (a truly “Patented” medicine), considered by the U.S. government and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as a generally safe and effective pain reliever, is responsible for 56,000 injuries, 25,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths every year.
The use of acetaminophen for a period of more than 10 days has been shown to cause risk of severe liver damage, according to the FDA’s own advisory panel. The U.S. Acute Liver Failure Study Group found that acetaminophen poisoning is the leading cause of liver failure in the nation. Some of these instances of liver failure occur even when following the dosage recommendations printed on the bottle.
The risk of liver failure is dramatically increased if a person is taking more than one acetaminophen-containing drug at a time, and there are more than 200 over the counter products that contain acetaminophen, including medicines for pain, fever, colds, and coughs.
So WHO are the present-day “Snake Oil Salesmen”?
The present day doctors and pharmacists prescribe and sell drugs that are just as harmful, or even more so, than the supposed “Snake Oil Salesmen” of a hundred years ago.
What is the difference? The only difference is whether Organized Medicine endorses them. If a medicine is not controlled by the pharmaceutical companies or by Organized Medicine, it, by (their) definition, is “Quackery” because it will cut into the profits of those two groups.
If they cannot control it, they will brand it “Quackery”!
Patent medicines were supposedly able to cure just about everything. Nostrums were openly sold that claimed to cure or prevent venereal diseases, tuberculosis, and cancer. Clark Stanley the “Rattlesnake King” produced Stanley’s snake oil, publicly processing rattlesnakes at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. His liniment, when seized and tested by the federal government in 1917, was found to contain mineral oil, 1% fatty oil, red pepper, turpentine and camphor, similar to today’s capsaicin and camphor liniments.
Thus, the term “Snake Oil salesman” was born.
Who are the REAL “Quacks”?
In the late 19th century, a chemical compound named Calomel was frequently prescribed by orthodox physicians as a “tonic” – taken internally – to make one “healthy and energetic.” Calomel is Mercury chloride, a highly toxic compound. All mercury-containing compounds are toxic to the body.
George Washington may have died prematurely at the age of 67 because his physicians treated a respiratory illness with bloodletting and calomel. (Vadakan, M.D. V.V., (Winter/Spring 2005) “A Physician Looks at the Death of Washington.” Early America Review, Archiving Early America.
My paternal grandfather died in 1923 from bone cancer, his body wracked with pain caused by the horrifically toxic, mercury-containing Calomel “tonic” prescribed for him repeatedly by his physician. He died at the age of 38 leaving a young widow and six children, the oldest (my father) was 16, and the youngest was 3 years old.
My father told me many times how he would visit his father in the hospital as he lay dying as a result of the doctor-prescribed death potion, and how, as he walked down the hospital corridor towards his father’s room, he could hear him screaming in pain every time he moved the slightest amount in his bed.
Present-day doctors shake their heads about these supposedly “unintelligent” occurrences by doctors a hundred years ago. They think that today’s science has advanced remarkably. But they are doing the same stupid things today. They give numerous mercury-containing vaccinations to tiny babies and young children and claim that they are good for them, even though they cause autism and other types of brain damage, dentists put mercury-containing amalgam fillings in everyone’s teeth and claim they are harmless in one’s mouth, even though the government demands that the material must be treated as highly toxic “hazardous waste” when the filling is removed from the patient’s mouth, and is in the dentist’s hand.
In 1943, my maternal grandmother was sent to her death by doctors who gave her the poisonous chemotherapy treatments for her cancer, by the “world-renown experts” at Memorial Hospital in New York (now known as the “famous” Memorial-Sloan Kettering Hospital). They continued the “treatments” as she became weaker and weaker, until she and my grandfather (a well-to-do dentist) were broke from the costs. Then they referred her to Kings’ County Hospital for the indigents, to continue the horribly painful and life-destroying chemotherapy and radiation – until they finally were successful in killing her.
So, again, just WHO are the “Snake Oil Salesmen”?
More “Brilliance” in Orthodox Medicine
While working at the Vienna General Hospital in Austria, Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis discovered in 1847 that the incidence of puerperal fever, also known as childbed fever could be drastically reduced by the use of hand washing standards. Up until that time, doctors delivered babies with their bare unwashed hands, having no idea that cleanliness was important to decrease disease. Without the use of hand washing, 5-30 percent of mothers died after giving birth. After the institution of hand washing, that figure was reduced to 1-2 percent.
At that time, diseases were attributed to many different and unrelated causes. Each case was considered unique, but Semmelweis’ hypothesis was that there was only one cause – all that mattered was cleanliness. This was an extreme assumption at the time, and was largely ignored, rejected and ridiculed. Even though his patients’ survival was vastly increased over all the other doctors in the hospital, he was dismissed from the hospital and had difficulty finding employment as a medical doctor.
Semmelweis was outraged by the indifference of the medical profession and began writing open and increasingly angry letters to prominent European obstetricians, at times denouncing them as irresponsible murderers. His contemporaries, including his wife, believed he was losing his mind and he was in 1865 committed to an insane asylum. Semmelweis died there only 14 days later, possibly after being severely beaten by guards.
Semmelweis’ practice only earned widespread acceptance years after his death. He is now, 150 years later, considered a pioneer of antiseptic procedures.
Nothing has changed!
Nothing has changed in modern medicine. Those who do not conform to the corporately-endorsed medical norms of orthodox medicine, even if their modalities of treatment can be proven to be far superior to the establishment’s ways, are ignored, rejected and ridiculed – and their license to practice is often revoked. That is the power of Organized Medicine. Its power – and its practices – approach that of the Mafia!
Do it OUR way, or WE will destroy you!
It is just as true today as it was 150 years ago – a physician is not allowed to vary from the establishment in the treatment of any disease, even if he or she can prove it to be superior. Yet that archaic, contemptible, and stifling attitude is described by those who have it, as “progressive” and “scientific.”
God help us all!
Drugs NEVER Cure Disease
But Drugs NEVER Cure Disease and Diseases DON’T Just Happen. We GIVE them to ourselves by the way we live, eat, and handle stress. This is Satan’s way to take us down. God says to us, “Turn to Me. I want to CHANGE your life in every way.”
But Satan whispers in our ear, “You don’t need to change anything. You can keep living, eating, acting, thinking, and handling stress the way you always have. Here, take a PILL. It will make you FEEL better.” And that it will, but your disease will continue to progress, and will eventually kill you.
That is why doctors Never Have, and Never Will, find a Cure for ANY disease, because they only “treat” symptoms – with innately harmful and poisonous drugs, or by burning radiation, or by cutting out organs, none of which can CURE anything.
And organ donationsare NOT the answer, because in order to receive an organ donation, the physician will have to DESTROY what is left of your immune system by giving you POISON – chemotherapy – that, in this instance, they call “Immunosuppressive therapy.” But the drugs used are the identical drugs that are used for “chemotherapy” when you have cancer.
And please notice that they term it a “therapy” when they are DESTROYING the ONLY system in your body that can get you well.
And an organ recipient must stay on these drugs – ALL of which will eventually CAUSE cancer – permanently, or they may reject their donated organ.
That is why it is obvious that God does NOT approve of organ donations. God has given us the way to GET WELL – by HIS Natural Ten Step Plan. He does not want us to have our organs removed. He has given us the way to get our sick organs well. All we have to do is REBUILD our immune system by following GOD’S way.
But How About Alternative – “Holistic” – Doctors?
Many people are realizing that Orthodox Doctors and their use of Drug Medicine do NOT cure disease. On the contrary, they often result in severe pain for the patient, and major damage to the patient’s body. Because of this, many are turning to Alternative therapies and “Holistic” doctors who rarely, if ever, use Drug “medicines.”
Aren’t they the answer to this dilemma?
“Holistic” doctors claim to treat the mind, body, and “spirit.” That certainly sounds good. But what do they mean by that?
They believe that the way a person eats is important – and they are right, but the “diet” they promote is NOT God’s Ideal Diet. In fact, the vast majority of these Alternative, “holistic” practitioners don’t even believe in God. The majority of them don’t believe in God at all, and if they do, it’s a New Age god of Eastern Medicine – a combination of Hinduisum/Budhism/New Ageism. They promote yoga, Eastern meditation – a dangerous emptying of the mind, a “spirit force” that is NOT the God of the Bible. And it is the antithesis of Jesus Christ.
When one develops a disease and experiences symptoms, those are blessings from God and should be recognized as such. They should be generate huge RED FLAG WARNING to you that something is wrong in your life, and that you should turn to the Lord, and that you should follow HIS ways and His ways only – NOT the ways of “man” – whether they are orthodox doctors or alternative practitioners.
Orthodox doctors will prescribe harmful DRUGS to cover up your symptoms or mutilating SURGERY to cut off your body parts or cut out your organs, “therapies” that will NEVER address the root cause of your problem. They will o turn you AWAY from the Lord, from learning what you really need to do to get well. Everything they promote will seduce you AWAY from changing your life – from changing your habits – from learning to know God and HIS ways.
But Alternative doctors will do the same thing, even though what they promote may be less expensive and less damaging to your body. They will prescribe bushel baskets full of man-made vitamins, minerals, and other types of supplements, and machines, devices and black boxes that they claim will measure intermediate end-points, such as pH, and they will try to manipulate those parameters artificially.
But what they are doing is still directing you AWAY from turning to God and HIS ways – AWAY from learning GOD’S totally Natural Health Plan. They, too, are only treating symptoms, rather than the “heart” – the root cause of the problem. They are incapable of treating the “heart” – because that is God’s domain.
So, whether the doctor uses orthodox therapies or alternative therapies, they are treating you in “man’s” way – NOT God’s way. They offer you a “Quick Fix” – a way to feel better fast without having to change your lifestyle, your habits, and your way of handling stress – a way to feel better fast without having to learn to know God, up close and personal.
God wants you to get to know Him – that is the whole purpose of life. God wants to straighten out everything in your life, so you will be healed (sozo) spiritually first – HIS way – and then, when you follow His Health Plan – and HIS Health Plan only, with 100% commitment – you will be healed (sozo) physically as well.
God’s Way is the ONLY Way
We are on this earth for one reason only – to learn to Know God and to learn to Trust Him – for everything, including our health, our life, and the lives of our family. That’s why Disease is such a blessing. It is meant to show us that we are incapable of running our own life, to make us realize our need for God to run every aspect of our life, to turn us to God to learn HIS ways, to teach us that God’s ways are true and right and that man’s ways, including the ways of the doctors, can never solve the problems of humanity.
“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is death.” Proverbs 14:12
God says to us, “Turn to Me and LIVE!”
“And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.” Deuteronomy 30:6
“In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.” Deuteronomy 30:16
“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:” Deuteronomy 30:19
God’s way to physical and spiritual health has been around for 6,000 years. It is available to everyone on the face of the earth, rich or poor, educated or uneducated. It consists ONLY of the things that God has made, in the exact form that God has made them. It has NO harmful side effects and it is virtually FREE. And it will make you completely WELL. God GUARANTEES it!
Man’s ways (the ways of “modern” medicine) have only been available for the last 70 years, or so. They do terrible harm to the body God has given you, they are excruciatingly painful in most instances, and they are exorbitantly expensive. And they will NEVER make you well, they will only make you worse – much worse – in the long term, and NO doctor will ever guarantee that their “therapies” will make you completely well.
So why do the vast majority of people – including “Christians – choose MAN’S way over God’s way? Because they do NOT trust in God. They trust in “man” – they trust in “science” – instead of trusting in God and His Word.
But the Bible tells us, “We Ought to Obey GOD – rather than man.” Acts 5:29 We ought to Obey GOD – rather than Doctors – and science (which is constantly changing) – and medicine (which is in total darkness) – and DRUGS (that cannot cure ANY disease)!
God has promised – “I am the Lord who HEALS YOU!” Exodus 15:26
God has promised to “heal ALL our Diseases.” (Psalm 103:3) And He doesn’t need any help from “modern” medicine, drugs, or the doctors who use them. In fact, God refers to all of them as an “abomination.”
God needs NO help from “man” when it comes to healing disease!
The Greek word meaning both Saved and Healed is sozo. God tells us that when our heart is truly and permanently changed so we want to follow Jesus and HIS ways, instead of following the world’s way – the way of the worldly “experts” (doctors, ministers, government leaders) – when we truly receive salvation, THEN our physical healing will begin.
Choosing your treatment is a matter of allegiance, “Will you serve God, or will you serve man (doctors)?”
God instructs us to, “Turn to Me and be Saved/Healed.” Isaiah 45:22
I’ve posted this sermon in honor of folks that are in ministry.. He is preaching unto God’s Glory as usual…
A powerful word from the Lord! Can somebody shout: HE IS ON FIRE!!!
Today as we reach our 20th day on this 40 days of Prayer and Lenten season… Today we are going to pray and talk to you about Ministry…. Have you found your Ministry? Well if you have not as of yet, I serve you notice that we are all Ministers and Ambassadors for Christ, and he has a plan for each one of us individually and collectively. No matter how old you are, you are not too young to work in Ministry. One thing that I like about the God that I serve, is that he has no respect of person. Meaning that everyone is somebody in the eye sight of God.. Man may look at you and deem you one way, but say:” my “GOD!” – I’m so glad that he is the ultimate judge and has the final say over our lives and not man… If you left it up to man, he would leave you in a corn field leaving you to believe that you are not worthy to work their either.. Since being in Ministry all my life, but on a real personal level when my Dad organized the 2nd Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church, In Long Beach where I served as the President/ CEO of our ministry is where I got my real start in Ministry… You have to start somewhere… Don’t get me wrong, as a child I did ministry on another level from being the musicican for our Junior Choir until I was 16 years old, and then messed up and got pregnant.. He turned out to be the biggest blessing of a lifetime, and I love him and all my children so dearly.. There went my very first ministry job out the window… Prior to that, I remember being President a couple of years over our youth department and running early Saturday Morning meetings, and helping out with pancake breakfast’s, etc… Ministry has always been my way of life, being that I grew up following my mom to different churches she would play for when I was a child, and then starting following my Dad around the age of 10-years-old who still is today a dynamic Man-of-God, and a real legend when it comes to traditional preaching of the Gospel… I”m a P.K. – Yes I am!!! 🙂
One day when she finally hung up her hat as a church musician (She still plays today for everybody over the phone (lol). She’s 75 now, and still going strong… I thank the Lord for her despite the differences we may have… And yes, I say it in this piece that it’s ok to agree to disagree with someone and still love them…
I finally chose the church I started doing ministry in at the age of 10 or 11 – years – old… I know at the age of 13, I was baptized and ready to work in ministry, and was filled with so many talents and gifts, and yet chosen by God… There was one day as I sat on the piano in my living on 2045 California Avenue in the city of Long Beach,CA. God began to speak to my heart directly…. I remember playing fluently and singing on the piano “Yes Jesus Loves Me, for the bible tells me so” with tears streaming down my eyes… Saying “Yes to you will Lord” “Yes, to your way Jesus”
Saying “Yes” to the Lord when I was just a young lad at the tender age of 12-years-old. I never had the opportunity to share that with anyone but the Lord…. But from that day , I knew I was special and chosen by God from my mother’s womb to do ministry and a mighty work for the Lord. I can’t go into details what happened after that first “Yes” to the Lord because it seems from that day forward, the devil was angry with me, and only wanted to sift me as wheat as he began to work in my life against what God said… What God says is so, not matter what is thrown your way…
On this journey, I’ve experienced some detours from the age of 12 which I will write about in my upcoming book “Let my baby Live” – It’s a rather painful experience that just would not stop until recently God delivered me and set me free from the hand of bondage. Oh my God today… Some things that hinder us from ministry starts as a child. God speaks to little innocent children like myself, but the devil speaks too. It’s like a war cry and a tug a war game… Only knowing that what you do for Christ will last…. He’s worthy for us to listen to his voice when he calls… When he calls and speak to you… “Answer” We answer the call to everyone else, but we put God on hold thinking that life is going to get better to do ministry…. Well, I serve you notice, It could if that’s God’s true plan for your life… Matter of fact, he is waiting on half of us just to say Yes….
I say this with great joy that my Chosen Call from God to ministry was “Delayed” but never “Denied”… God is waiting on us to do what he has ordained us to do… Don’t let anyone or anybody tell you that you are not worthy to work in ministry…. God can use use a dish rag if he likes to deliver a message. We are all messengers for Christ. You just have to find where you fit in at… Everybody don’t posess the same gift…
The Five Fold Ministry
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Ephesians 4:12 (KJV)
Ministry is for the perfecting of the saints in the five fold ministry
There are many options in ministry as you seek God and find your passion as to where he wants to place you in ministry.. It’s no different from you regular job.. You should like what you do and be trained and qualified to handle the position in ministry.. God can use anybody, and if he anoints you to do a job without the credentials he will provide a ram in the bush to see you through. Some people do have paid positions at some churches in ministry and I have enclosed a listing of Ministry ideas and jobs all around for your review… Of note, most churches do not pay or pay well if you are looking to do ministry as a full time job… Don’t get me wrong, there are some that are able, but from my experience, there are more that cannot afford it being that we should want to give our ministry gifts back to the Lord free of charge being that he gave his whole life for us at the tender age of 33-years old… Makes me want to do ministry on another level when I think of all the Love Jesus showed toward you and I that we might have life and have it more abundantly… God is a provider and I say it again that he takes care of his own…
“God is no respecter of persons.” That means that in the disposition of his saving grace, God is totally sovereign, giving it freely to whom he will (Rom. 9:15-16). Neither earthly condition, hereditary descent, nor outward circumstance secures God’s grace, nor even makes one person more likely to be saved than another (John 1:11-13). Neither will those carnal considerations prohibit God’s saving grace, nor make a person less likely to be saved (I Cor. 1:26-29). God has no regard for those things that distinguish man from one another. His grace is not attracted by anything good in man. Neither is his grace repelled by anything evil in man.
AS GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS, THERE IS NO PLACE IN THE CHURCH OF GOD FOR RESPECT TO MEN’S PERSONS. Our love, generosity, care, and fellowship must not be determined by a person’s position, wealth, race, or social standing. We are not to court the rich or the poor. We must learn to treat all men alike. We all sprang from one common father, Adam (Acts 17:26). Had it not been for the sin and fall of our father Adam, all mankind would be one happy, loving family. Were it not for sin, we would have no divisions among us. It is sin that has produced pride, racism, and social snobbery. Because of the sin of one of Noah’s sons, God divided all mankind into three races, and divided to each race its providential estate in this world (Gen. 9:18-27). But in Christ, and in the church of Christ, these distinctions of providence have no significance (Col. 3:11; Eph. 2:14-22). The sons and daughters of Shem, Ham, and Japheth are one in Christ. In Christ there is no such thing as Jew or Gentile, black or white, Oriental or European, male or female, bond or free, rich or poor, learned or unlearned. God gathers his elect from all races, all classes, all social orders, and all ages, and bestows his grace upon people from all walks of life as it pleases him (Rev. 5:9). This is the thing Peter had to learn and that we all must learn – “God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”
WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT MEAN WHEN HE SAYS BY PETER THAT “GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS?” If interpreted in its context, like all other parts of Holy Scripture, this passage plainly asserts the freeness and sovereignty of God in the exercise of his grace. These words do not mean that God treats all men alike in providence and grace. “God’s grace is him own, and he dispenses it according to his own sovereign will and pleasure” (Charles Simeon). God does distinguish between men (I Cor. 4:7), in election (II Thess. 2:13), in redemption (John 10:11, 26), in providence (Rom. 8:28), and in effectual calling (Matt. 22:14). God chose Isaac and rejected Ishmael. He loved Jacob and hated Esau. The fact is, God gives light and withholds light, gives grace and withholds grace entirely according to his sovereign will, without regard to man’s person (Matt. 11:20-26; Heb. 2:16).
These words do not teach that salvation is by works. When Peter speaks of fearing God and working righteousness for acceptance with God, he is not teaching that men may gain divine favor by works of moral goodness. If salvation could be accomplished by human works of righteousness, then Christ died in vain (Gal. 2:21). If works contribute anything to salvation, then grace is altogether eliminated (Rom. 11:6). Grace and works cannot exist together. They are opposed to one another. The one implies that salvation is paid to us as a debt. The other asserts that salvation is freely, gratuitously bestowed upon us as a gift. The Word of God plainly asserts that man’s works have nothing to do with God’s saving grace (Rom. 3:20; Gal. 2:16; II Tim. 1:9; Tit. 3:5).
This text does not teach that as long as a person is sincere he will be saved, no matter what his religion is. All who are ignorant of Christ and the gospel of his grace are lost, perishing in their ignorance, without excuse (Rom. 1:18-20). Cornelius was saved, accepted of God in Christ because he worshipped as he was supposed to at the time. Believing the Revelation God had given, he trusted Christ, of whom the law and the prophets spoke. There are none today in his peculiar circumstances. This man’s character is not to be applied to religious men and women who deny the revelation of God in Holy Scripture.
The words of our text mean that God does not prefer or despise anyone because of his or her earthly conditions. The Jews thought they were the only people to whom God would ever be gracious. They regarded all Gentiles as dogs, cursed, and rejected of God. But Peter assures us here that all are alike before God. All people need God’s saving grace (Rom. 3:23). The grace of God comes to all the same way, through Christ the sinners’ Substitute (Eph. 1:3-6). All who are saved must come to God the same way, by faith in Christ (Acts 4:12). And all who come to God by faith in Christ are equally accepted in him. All are one with Christ. And all are one in Christ (Gal. 3:28). “Some lie nearer, others more remote from the sun, but they are all alike near to the Sun of Righteousness” (Thomas Manton).
WHO ARE THOSE THAT FEAR GOD AND WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS? Cornelius is described as a devout man who feared God and worked righteousness. But it is contrary to everything revealed in the Bible to imagine that his fear of God and works of righteousness were the foundation of his acceptance with God (Tit. 3:4-5). The only people in the world who fear God and do works of righteousness are those who have been saved by the grace of God, accepted in Christ, washed in his blood and robed in his righteousness. These are the fruits of grace, not the causes of grace. The grace of God that brings salvation causes saved sinners to do works of righteousness (Eph. 2:8-10; Tit. 2:11-14). But grace does not come as the result of works!
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ACCEPTED OF GOD? Peter speaks in our texts of sinners being “accepted with” God. The only way sinners can ever be accepted with God is in Christ (Eph. 1:6). God accepts every gift given and every act performed for him by every believer through the merits of Christ (I Pet. 2:5). As he is pleased with Christ, so he is pleased with all who are in Christ by his grace (Matt. 17:5), because all that Christ has is ours in him by divine imputation. Hence, to be accepted with God means that it will be a righteous thing for God to reward every believer with all the blessedness of eternal glory in the day of judgement (Rom. 8:17).
WHAT LESSONS ARE TO BE LEARNED FROM THIS TEXT AND FROM GOD’S DEALINGS WITH CORNELIUS? Without question, the Holy Spirit has recorded these things to teach us three very important lessons. (1) God’s saving grace is absolutely free and sovereign. No earthly distinctions will secure God’s favor, and no earthly woes will prevent it. (2) No one will ever seek the Lord in vain (Isa. 45:19). Any who walk in the light God gives them will get more light. No one can put God under obligation. We can never merit anything from him, but wrath. Yet this is certain – All who truly seek the Lord find him (Jer. 29:13). (3) If God has no regard for anyone’s person, neither should we. We must neither court the rich or despise the poor. We are to receive all as brothers and sisters in Christ who worship the Lord our God, and treat them as the children of God.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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