Covenant – James G. Owen, Author

A Life Without Jesus is a Difficult Path and Hope is Found

by James G. Owen

“Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.”

Proverbs 13:15

Darkness, the spiritual nature, is found throughout the earth. Its presence is evil and makes life difficult. Our lives were placed on this path after the disobedience of Eve and Adam. They were told by God the Father and Creator that they would work the soil for their sustenance, and Eve would bear labor in birthing children. From that day sin became generational in the manner man is born into the way of sin.

What is sin? It is a general term used by Christians to denote the different levels of wrongdoing. In our minds we perceive sinfulness from bad to worse even though God sees them as one big lump of disobedience. This word really means to “miss the mark”, and is unintentional, but there are levels of sin that are committed intentionally in rebellion against God. The intentional sins are various forms of sexual immorality, murder, theft, lying, vile affections, deceit, wickedness (corruption), envy, whisperers, malignity, backbiters, haters of God, boasters, inventors of evil things, covenant breakers, being unmerciful, and without understanding (Romans 1). Our actions should cause guilty feelings and shame and should prick our conscience so that we will reflect and change our hearts.

People all over the world live in a world of sin. Some do not realize the difficulty of their lives because a life of sin is all they have ever known. At times, they will tell you how hard their life is because of life’s experience of dealing with the death of loved ones, the misbehavior of kids, or difficulties they are having because of what life generally brings us. People throughout the world bring difficulty on themselves because of their idolatry, in worshiping demons, participating in the occult, or may be businesspeople and working to obtain wealth, or simply materialistic. Anything that a person covets will become idolatry. The most common idol is money.

We, mankind, were created by God to possess freewill. All of us decide who we serve on earth and in the supernatural. Man, either chooses Jesus as their Lord, or Satan who is described in Isaiah 14 as the son of Dawn as their lord. The choice is made by default is Satan and can be changed in accepting Jesus by seeking forgiveness of sin.

The way of the transgressor is hard because we are trapped in the bondage of sin. Our lives are made hard because of our unwise decisions because sin is pleasurable. There are opportunities of getting rich quick, which plays on our greed, and the desire by fiat. Decisions that affect us emotionally by seeking revenge for something someone has done against us causes us to reap consequences and find ourselves incarcerated, by taking drugs to overcome being abused, or drowning our sorrows using liquor. Sickness and disease cause our lives to be difficult as well, and never considering there is a higher power that can help us live a better life. Some have heard of Jesus, but some have not heard. The lifestyle of sexual immorality may result in sexually transmitted diseases, and if left untreated can cause death or mental illness.

Human life is based on needs. People live in poverty because of various reasons. The lack of skills to make a living, politics, or being overtaxed by government entities. This would bring difficulty in meeting the needs in life, and not having a faith-based system to keep hope within our hearts. Everything I have said here in the article can bring distress and depression, but as I said earlier there is a way out of this path of hardship.

As a Christian looking backward before my conversion, I have experienced some difficulties in my life. I know the feeling of having a yoke, a weight on my shoulder working to meet my needs and worrying about money. I have had other difficulties like dealing with death of loved ones and friends. The difficulty of dealing with personalities, and sickness. I see the evil and corruption in America and the world. I cannot fully fathom the level of the evil I see. Even as a sinner I would marvel at the level of evil and corruption, and that is due to my Christian upbringing. Listening to news reports and seeing the faces of people I see an emptiness I have never seen before, and that emptiness is caused by the deepness of depravity they are involved in. In their eyes I do not see joy. All I see is a lack of hope. I see and feel fear from the American people.

The world today is communicating fables to the people and convincing them it is truth. Their truth is presented in various forms of mediums to persuade people. Over the decades and centuries, the fables would come in the form of false theology. Now it is propaganda and disinformation in the mix of deception. Why the fables? Why false doctrines? The reason for the fables and the false doctrines is to keep people from believing in Jesus and coming to faith. In Jesus there is life, is eternal, and a gift given freely to all mankind. All is required is to accept Jesus and salvation into your heart. There, the Spirit of God will flow freely, and a joy rises from within, and sometimes it is unexplainable. The spirit of the recipient will know it is the Spirit of God because he has created us to sense his Spirit. People who create fables and false doctrines do not posses the Spirit of God.

There are different types of people who are living a life without Jesus. Some believe that God does not exist, but he does. We see his handiwork everywhere with our eyes and even through microscopes. By seeing his handiwork and through science we can see the works of our mighty God. Even though with all the evidence of his existence many people do not see an escape from the despair, bondage, and the darkness. They may see their salvation in themselves which is humanism. The answers to our human plight are found in our Creator—God.

Light counteracts and causes darkness to flee. Many years ago, I found this hope. This hope I found was giving my life to Jesus. From that point forward, I have had my problems, temptations, have sinned, but God and his son Jesus had mercy on me and granted me grace once again. I know the experience of living for Jesus. It is a joyful, and a spirit of love arises when I compare the life before, and my life now because I am redeemed. The old man has died, and the new man has arisen within me. A change took place in my heart and his Spirit filled my soul. My outlook, insight, and paradigm changed. I saw the world with fresh new eyes. Yes, all of this is spiritual, yet there has been a physical change within my soul. The change taken place is a changing of the mindset from sin to righteousness. The will and the desire to no longer sin, to do the things I once did, and a new desire boiled up from within to live in righteousness and to follow the commandments of God. My life, mind, and heart were changed because of the new covenant that Jesus fulfilled, and I came to learn and follow the teachings of Jesus who taught the old law at a higher form with an infinitesimal amount of grace. A superabundance of grace.

Why would a person live a life without Jesus? Why live-in despair when there is a better avenue of life? The way of the transgressor is difficult, but the way of following Jesus is easier. Though I must tell you even life as a Christian disciple is challenging, we have hope in the fellowship of other believers. There is encouragement, understanding, and wisdom that is found in the reading of the Bible. Our souls are fed in doing so and recharged by prayer. Paul in his writings in the New Testament teaches us how to live in our Christian walk. We are to keep our eyes on the prize, which is eternal life, doing good works, purging the sin through prayer, and resisting the devil. His letter of Ephesians tells us how to interact as a church and be successful.

In my spiritual walk knowing Jesus I have seen frowns and hard looks turn into joy. I have heard of everyday lives being changed. People being blessed by jobs and places to live. Lives changed from alcoholism and drugs. Their countenance and health becoming better and the presence of healing. You can see it on their faces. Things like worry and fear are no longer present because we have learned not to fear the things that the devil puts upon us. Life in Jesus makes us stronger within and even words and the looks of men cannot cause us to fear because we know that God is with us. So, why would you live without Jesus any longer?

Note: All scripture given is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

God Gives You Grace to Reach Your Destiny

by James G. Owen

Grace is not messy, and this word implies being disorderly, confusion, and untidy. Grace is orderly because everything we see in nature is orderly. In fact, grace is clean, pure, and planned. Grace is a gift that is freely given by our Creator because he loved us so much to provide a way out of imperfection caused by sin, and a path to escape the second death which is eternal damnation. The gift of Grace is undeserved because Adam and Eve chose to disobey and sin entered all creation, and the result is a curse that runs through the generations of mankind.

Jehovah, God our Father and Creator loved us so much that he was merciful on mankind and provided grace. Instead of letting us remain in an undeserved state he chose to bring us into an unmerited state of grace because in his redemption of mankind grace would perfect us to a higher plane by which we were created, a return to the original state of man in his image.

Grace is more than unmerited favor. Grace is a ladder to higher spiritual growth and brings us to a point where we are used in the defeat of Satan by means of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. You see, grace in the Greek is charis, a blessing and blessings from out of his kindness towards us. Grace is an operation, a process. From the beginning of forgiveness and becoming born again (our soul is saved to attain eternal life) grace takes us to sanctification in which we are cleaned up being readied to serve to spread the gospel to the world to win souls to become disciples of men. Next, we are brought to the level of receiving a spiritual gift, and our spirits will display to people the fruits of the Spirit, which is how people recognize us as disciples of Jesus because the Spirit will bear witness.

Grace grows from just unmerited favor to charisma which is Greek for the Holy Spirit action of emboldens people to be able to witness to people, and will show its power, Dunamis in meeting needs of the unsaved. Charisma also leads the person to work in spiritual gifts as I have mentioned above. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit: to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits: to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.”

After the distribution of the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit these gifts we find they will be administered through the five- fold evangelistic ministries. They are found in Ephesians 4:11-14.

“And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; ^for the perfecting of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a fullgrown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:”

As we grow spiritually, we will become more experienced in our ministerial work gaining wisdom and knowledge. Also, through the times of trials and temptations in overcoming them we are brought to a higher plane of grace. He moves us higher each time we overcome, thus perfecting us to serve in greater capacities.

Within the spiritual gifts and the ministries are the fruits of the Spirit that will display themselves. The gifts of the Spirit are:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

God has brought us on a journey from salvation and forgiveness to working in his kingdom to win other souls from the enemy that were to be destined for destruction. He has brought us to full fruition in the operation of grace so that we can meet our destiny. God is working to bring all things to an end and is saving those people who accept him as Lord and King. For it is Jesus who is the head of the kingdom and will be eternally on his throne. He is reigning now and sitting at the right hand of Power.

Notes:

1. Scriptures used as been taken from the American Standard Version and the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

2. Greek 5486 charisma, Biblehub.

3. Greek 5485 charis, Biblehub.

4. Merriam-Webster Dictionary for definition of messy.

Faithfulness—Being and Remaining Faithful to God

By James G. Owen

A young man saw a lady across the church congregation wondering if she was single. So, after church he went to introduce himself to her. Upon meeting her they chatted for a while getting acquainted and then he asked her to if she would go out with him on a date the next week. She said yes, and a friendship began to spring. As we know there are steps in a relationship between a man and a woman. Eventually, they decided to be exclusive, and not to date another. This began a covenant, a promise not to consider another person for possible dating. Each remained within the covenant they made to each other, and their covenant was sealed by marriage. A covenant over another covenant. The marriage covenant ideally is to be for life.

As they continued to live being married the couple made time for each other, confirmed their feelings and emotions for one another, and their love for each other grew as the years went by. Never looking at another person, nor even had vain imaginations, their marriage was successful until one passed away. The spouse passing went to be with Jesus to be granted of their inheritance which is eternal life, which is a spiritual wedding between God and the past spouse. While we are here on earth having accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are betrothed to him awaiting our marriage. The physical and the spiritual covenants parallel to one another. We make the choice in whom we become betrothed and marry. This is an example of faithfulness.

Faithfulness defined is an allegiance, an oath or covenant created between two parties. To be faithful is to not commit any acts against the covenant made. As in marriage, one will not commit adultery and hurt the spouse. It is a promise made and shall not be broken.

In the moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior in receiving salvation we create a covenant between God and us. We are to be faithful to him as though he is the Groom, and we are the bride. For the Church is described in scripture as the bride of the bridegroom, and he will come after he has everything under his feet to claim his bride. All of us are his bride, collectively the Church.

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”

Isaiah 61:10

As our relationship with God and us we are to remain faithful, and we are faithful as stewards of our house. Our house is our body, soul, and spirit. In scripture our house is also described as a temple of God. For he dwells within us after sanctification has occurred in the salvation process. We are responsible for the upkeep of his house, to keep our sanctification current, and not yielding to sin or temptation. Even though we have trouble remaining faithful because of temptation and yielding to sin, God is always faithful to us in the relationship. He understands why we fail and continues to love us. All we must do is confess we have failed and restore the relationship. The relationship requires stewardship from each other.

“Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

1 Corinthians 4:2

Two people in a relationship or covenant will be faithful and remain faithful if they genuinely love one another. They know that any breach of the relationship will cause pain, distress, and distrust. The same goes with God and us. He is faithful to us because that is his nature, and because he loves us and will take care of us in sustenance and care. When we need him, we can go to him in prayer and God will listen to us. Caring spouses will listen to one another and work out the differences too. Whether earthly covenants or spiritual covenants both takes work to remain in faithfulness. Forgiveness is part of remaining in faithfulness to one another, and if a man or a woman does not forgive it puts a strain on the covenant or will negate the covenant. Both must be forgiving to stay within covenant, and this is the same in relation to God and us.

“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”

Deuteronomy 7:9

As we live our life righteously, think of how our life can be a testimony to someone who does not have a relationship with God. Our lives show either good fruit, or bad fruit. Either will cause a person to decide to live for God or not. They are watching us and how we are faithful and the manner we remain faithful. God never fails us. He can never be unfaithful because he is truth, love, and compassionate about being in a relationship with us, and he knows a righteous relationship is life, and that its result is eternal life with him. That is our inheritance. The inheritance for the married couple, the man and the woman are their testimony to future generations. This is the heritage of the earthly couple, their testimony. God’s heritage is the righteous living of his children who come to live with him eternally.

The success of being faithful and remaining faithful is having hope in each other and living a righteous life and placing our hope in God. His compassion is new to us every morning and his love is refreshed.

“They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”

Lamentations 3: 23-24

Be faithful to each other. Be faithful in your promises remaining true to both sides. Above all remain faithful to God.

Notes:
Merriam Webster Dictionary online.

All scripture is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

Braving the Coming Global Storm—Hope into Victory

by James G. Owen

The disciples were sailing on a ship on the Galilean Sea. It was nighttime and very dark, and I can imagine only a candle lit for light inside the ship on a lower deck. The disciples were on the main deck when the storm began to rage. The ship was listing side to side and being tossed. The front of the ship going up high over the waves. The waves of the sea were very rough. The voyage was treacherous, and the disciples were afraid because they knew that some ships were not successful in making the journey across the sea. Before them, many men had died in similar storms. Peter is watching the storm on deck, and then he sees Jesus in the distance walking toward them on the water. He beckons Jesus to let him walk on the water, to come to him. In those days it was reported by sailors seeing a spirit walking on the water. They believed it was the spirits of the dead who had lost their lives of storms past. In the culture of their day the people thought the storm god Baal was angry and caused the sea to rage.

After hearing Peter’s call, Jesus tells Peter to step out of the ship and walk on the water. Peter obeys while keeping his eyes on Jesus while he walked on the water. As he looked downward at his feet he began to sink in the sea. He began to cry out for Jesus to save him. Jesus was there at the very moment Peter began to be taken down into the sea. Jesus reaches out his hand, Peter quickly grabbed his hand and was pulled upward to safety within the storm. As Jesus and Peter walked together on the water to board the ship, the wind ceased, and the sailors on board saw and believed what they had just witness and saying among themselves, Jesus who walked on the sea is the Son of God. Why? Because no man can walk on the sea without the help of God or being God.

All of us have storms that come into our lives. The storms are various throughout our lives, and these storms either causes us to mature, or they bring us down to destroy us. Many of the storms we encounter is our fault because of sin, lack of faith, or just a circumstance in life. But I am here to tell you after going through many trials and storms in my life there is hope. Where is the hope many may think? They have looked to and fro on this earth while not regarding God our creator. People have looked for peace, love, and hope in the ways of the world, but could not find it because they were looking in the wrong place, and their hearts were not on God. God is the place, the person in which we find hope and we can trust him to get us through. All we must do is obey his commandments and live in his covenant. He takes care of his children. We may go through storms, trials, and tribulation but he is always present. We reach out to him through prayer, fasting, and believing up on his word as we read the scriptures and believe.

The hope that we are looking for to give us peace within this world is a peace of mind knowing we have eternal life as we live our lives. This peace gives us strength to carry on. We receive this hope and peace in giving our lives to God by accepting his son Jesus. This is called salvation because we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb Jesus. When we believe upon Jesus, accept him as Savior, and are forgiven of our sins then we have been given the spiritual tools to victory. The tools given us we will need to learn to use. The tools begin with faith, even though a small measure is given to us at birth we must learn to exercise our faith to see and bring greater things in our lives. To trust and believe what our faith has spoken, and realizing it is the grace of God that has saved us. When the storms come, we should remember our faith and then become determined in our mindset to endure because as we endure, we are working towards an inheritance, a blessing, and a blessing even I cannot comprehend because it is so large and continuous. God loves us and wants us to be victorious! It is his children, those who know him and have given their hearts to him to serve him on earth. Through the salvation process is how we become to know God, and he to know us. Together we enter a relationship of friendship, intimacy, and finally marriage when he returns to receive his bride —the Church.

The spiritual way to victory here I will list to summarize, so that all can see in one place to receive it in our hearts and mind. They are faith, trust, grace, salvation, redemption, peace, hope, Jesus, endurance, and blessings. Jesus is always in the middle of the process. For it was through him we have been given the victory! Through him we have found liberty, peace, and hope to endure. The prize is eternal life.

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. “

Philippians 3:14

This process we have been given throughout scripture will get us through any storm, battle, trial, or tribulation. We Americans, and the world are in a global storm. It is a physical and spiritual storm, but the spiritual storm is the largest aspect. We must realize we are seeing evil like we have never experienced. I believe evil will increase as time and days go by until we see our blessed Savior returning in glory and majesty on the Last Day. The last day is spoken of by John in his gospel,

“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

John 6:40

As I conclude this group of scripture presents the truth and the hope to us all. It is only through Jesus that a hope is given that will bring us joy, peace, love, and understanding. Through him hope has become life.

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

John 7: 37-39

As of Acts 2 the Holy Ghost has been received and has continued until our present day. Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to strengthen us to serve, to empower us so that we can do the same ministry as he did while alive on earth. It is through his Spirit that the rivers of water flow when we receive the Holy Ghost at the time of salvation, and has we experience the living water flowing in our prayers and life. It is the witness of the Holy Spirit to others who see the hope and that God lives within because the Holy Spirit is our witness. Those of you who do not have Jesus in your life you can receive it today. Just reach out, pray, and ask him for forgiveness. This is how you receive hope. Those of you who know Jesus have hope knowing you have him in your life. Arise and live a holy and victorious life!

Notes:

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

Life and Culture in America—The Changing of Mindset

by James G. Owen

Life and culture were vastly different before the computer age came to America. As a boy I remember going to the variety store, the 5 & 10 stores where one can buy a different item needed for the home, and toys for the kids. I would buy the wind-up trucks and cars that were less than a dollar and play in the sand with them. Also, plastic soldiers were part of my younger days. The source of communication was by telephone, CB radio, HAM radio, church socials, or hanging out on the drag, meaning sitting and talking with your friends at a hamburger joint while other teenagers’ road the same streets that made a circle. Life then was listening to soft rock, the songs of Jim Croce, and my country music favorites.

As I got older, I began to see the first microwaves, calculators, and by the time I graduated college computers were coming into the colleges and universities to learn the Basic Code and programming. Typewriter’s were the keyboards of that day, and we had a lever to make the carriage return to the left of the page, now it is the enter key. Life was slower, and people knew one another better. That is the just a small peek into yesterday. There was more going on, but at a much slower pace.

The changing of America took place during the 1980s forward. Technology increased at a greater pace. This period in our history we saw the Radio Shack computers, Apple computers, cell phones, and later the internet. Information at your fingertips began to come, and the minds of Americans began to change, to be mesmerized by the screens of technology, and now we are consumed with everything digital. In the past we had our imaginations, told stories to one another, and dreamed. Today our minds are captured by the screens of computers, TV’s, cell phones, tablets, and pods. We are doing less critical thinking in our current times and believing what we are being told in the news, and all forms of media. Our imaginations have turned from cranial to virtual, and we are becoming less social and isolated with gadgets. Our minds have been captured. Our minds being filled with interests of the world with all forms of subjects, immorality, and games. Technology can change us without us realizing, and it shows up at the dinner table, restaurants, and in church gatherings where people are more interested in their phone screens than interfacing with real humans. Games that are violent are creating violent people who take what they encountered and reenact it. The articles, literature, books, magazines we read online influences us, and changes our moral and value system. These changes affect our spiritual lives, that is the area that should be the most surprising and we should come to realization. These worldly changes keep us from the word of God, our prayer life, and in the ministry of others. The change affects our righteous living because we are bombarded with immoral images, desensitizes us from life because of the influence and advocation of abortion. We should be concerned about moral values, and the sanctity of life, but we are more interested in pleasure and convenience. We tell ourselves we do not have the time for God, but the technology has become our god, an idol. We make time for the technology and what pleases us there on the screen. Do not get me wrong, technology is a great tool for us if we use them correctly and in balance, but what I see as well as others is an imbalance in life.

The enemy, Satan, wants our minds in carnality to keep our minds off God. Anything he can use to corrupt our minds he will use. Many of us do not realize we are in a battle of our minds. There is a tug of war between Satan and God, but I will tell you Satan will lose. He already has lost but he is working before his demise to take everybody he can with him to eternal separation. Paul in his New Testament letters tell us,

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Romans 8: 5-6

To return us to balance would be to get our minds upon God through the reading of his scriptures and doing the good works of our faith. To work continually for the salvation of man by presenting the gospel to all. We are to get our minds off the world, off the pleasures of the flesh. It is the world that brings trouble, suffering, depression, stress, and anxiety, but it is being in the presence of God that brings peace to our spirits.

We are in a war, and that war is for our souls. The mind currently is being controlled through indoctrination of philosophies and ideologies, speech has been suppressed, and truth repressed. The war is to keep us separated from God, knowing his truth, and teaching his truth. Also, in the speaking of truth in history and current affairs. Since we are in a war, what does each side provide us? Satan’s side presents us with death, corruption, and the promise of mankind being his own god. That lie has been unabated since the garden of Eden. The promise of being our own god brings a person desiring power, and influence, and causes the mind and soul to be prideful. This characterization in man is against God the Father. All sin is against God. The war rages against our mind. Again, Paul reminds us of the war.

“But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Romans 7:23

If Satan can keep our minds from serving and pleasing God through the pleasures of sin, then he has complete control of us. We do need God to help us out of this trap and ask him to help us overcome. The war of the mind would be from the partaking of addictive substances, images, pagan religions, Gnosticism, false doctrines, and fables. Satan wants to keep you blinded of things eternal, to prevent you from realizing your purpose in life and from attaining your destiny. Satan works to destroy all of God’s creation.

“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

2 Corinthians 4:4

What does God want for us? He wants us to obey him. The Father wants us to have life, joy, freedom in life and spiritual worship. He works as a parent for us so that we can see the purpose God created us to achieve so that we can be happy in our purpose while he gets glory out of us living a holy and balanced life. He wants us to see, to hear, and be beware of things that can defeat us. Most of all, God wants us to conform to his image and remain in him because he has so much to give us in return for obedience. To conform to his image, we can have a relationship with God, and will not be separated by the veil of sin. We must be the guardian of our minds, and our souls.

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:2

How do we renew our minds? Our minds are renewed by continual and daily prayer asking God to purge the sin out of spirits every day, and every hour if needed. We must strive to please the Lord in our living, and in serving each other in meeting needs through good deeds. This is a testament of our faith and showing love to one another as he intended.

How do we prove ourselves? By sanctification, and by the trials and troubles that challenge our faith that refines us. Sometimes the troubles and the sadness that life brings seem to be like we are in a fire, that life is overwhelming at times, but we are to welcome these times knowing it is improving us spiritually and helping us grow in maturity of our spirit so that we can help others who are in trouble and in spiritual need. It is the overcoming of these troubles and trials that brings us to perfection to righteousness.

Be on guard, for Satan comes as a wolf. He is a deceiver, and we must use discernment to be able to discern truth from a lie. We must be watchful, for evil is everywhere and tries to trap us in situations. We are to remain blameless, and to make sure that anything that causes us to spend time away from God could become an idol to us. The changing of life and culture creates a challenge to our minds and does affect our spiritual life. In the year of 2020, the world changed dramatically, and America changed. Change is still going on in America and seems to be changing at an exponential rate, not just in changes in technology, but in all areas of culture. Look for the positive things that will edify God and refuse the negative. Spend more life away from the screens and notice the difference in your thinking and decisions. America, look for a wave of the Holy Spirit in revival and respond to the Lord while we have time. The change spiritually will change the culture and the nation.

Notes:

All scripture is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

God Exists—We See the Evidence of His Existence

by James G. Owen

God exists. The debate still rages on, and even in my younger days the debate was present. People presenting the same questions and answers, saying the evidence they resented were facts. Some even leaned to science to answer their questions, but science only disproved their theory of God’s nonexistence.

One of the questions is, does God really exist? The evidence that God exists is all around us. Look up into the skies and see the clouds, the sun, and in the night, the stars, and with the help of a telescope we can see planets from a far, galaxies, and stars being formed and more. In space, we see that creation is continual because we can see millions of miles into space and watch the creation of a star, planet, and monitor black holes. With a microscope we can see things we cannot see with our naked eye, but we can see into the smallest with an electron microscope, and with phase microscopes we can see life from bacteria, protozoans, shelled amoebas, diatoms, blue-green algae, the snail, and the Nautilus shell and so much more. We know God exists in the photosynthetic process of the exchange of light to create food for the plants, and the exchange of the cycle of oxygen to carbon dioxide, and the burning of carbon dioxide to oxygen. All life needs light! All life needs water! Life and water are symbolic of God’s Spirit! In Romans, Paul tells us we can see the largest of the creation, yet the smallest. It takes an intelligence to place creation into being and making of man because we are intricate and complicated, while harmony and order is set into creation. We see mathematical constants in creation, frequencies of different kinds, and the mathematical equation is used in different parts of creation we can see. The mathematical constant is the Fibonacci constant. We see it formed when a carpenter uses a plane to shave a wooden piece down to size. It comes from the plane as a spiral of thin wood. We see the spiral in hurricanes, dust devils, and even in the composition of art. We see it plainly in all types of creation. God shows his power and glory of order in his creation. The order within creation makes things cohesive and one.

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”

Romans 1:20

Even after explaining God exists by seeing him in creation there are people who still will not believe. People who do not believe in God’s existence is not only denying his existence, but his power, and resist the existence of the supernatural, yet they will believe in angels and other supernatural beings. He clearly shows us his glory and power through his creation, and in his word. All we need to do is read the story of the exodus, and the ministry of Jesus and of Paul. Others deny the existence of God by claiming his word, the bible, is not inspired but written by man. Yes, he used men to write the bible, but his word is inspired because the men who inscribed the books, some of them were hundreds, if not thousands of years apart, yet all of God’s word meshes with other works. His word is historical, scientific, and is of wisdom and an excellent counsel to give strength and peace to man’s heart.

Another reason why some people do not believe in God is because of the behavior and actions of Christian people. Whether one realizes it or not, all of us are being watched by others. They watch our behavior to see if we are different than them. They compare us with others while looking at their lives. There are many reasons I suppose that people watch others. Some watch to confront us about our morality and values, while some are looking for a better life. So, people if you claim to be a Christian, then you should walk the walk, and talk the talk because you will be influencing others to eventually come to Jesus, or not. If you live for Jesus as his disciple, then let your light shine to them, and live righteously and holy. In this manner the unbeliever will see God in you, and know there is hope, and there is something better than what they are experiencing. Our lives in holiness are a witness unto those and the witness proves to them that God exists. God exists in your testimony of how he brought you out of sin, and delivered you from things like addiction, alcohol, and drugs.

The Christian behavior is a counter to the Devi’s behavior. The behavior, morals and value system are based on scripture in the Mosaic law, and in the behavior of Jesus. God’s morals and values give life to the soul and freedom, while the Devil’s behavioral system is of sin and death. His system is three-fold, that is to steal, kill, and destroy. Why would anyone want to live in that behavioral system since it brings physical and spiritual death? Yes, God exists and even the demon’s tremble.

“Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”

James 2: 19

People say they do not believe in God because they do not believe in religion. They believe in man, his intelligence, and abilities. Their belief system includes philosophy, the sciences, and even fables. Some are connected to Christian churches, and I am glad they are, yet they deny the existence of God. Speaking about science, it does reveal good and usual things which turn into technology, medicine, and forms of travel, but science also denies God’s existence. All are the workings of man, so the unbeliever in God does participate in a religion, and that religion is humanism.

Creation is real, the earth is hung on nothing, nothing but gases, and the planets and moons are in perfect orbit. Even the atoms of life are mini universes. You see, there is a God who creates order by repetition, and within creation are laws and science have proven these laws through mathematics, physics, thermodynamics, logic, biogenesis, and chemistry. Creation is about uniformity, and balance. Creation is governed by the law of God. For creation to be within its uniformity and harmony, then man should believe in God’s son Jesus to restore the harmony within their life. Sin has caused an imbalance of nature, and sin entered creation by the disobedience of man. So, for creation to return to its original state then God had to send his son Jesus to be the sacrifice for man to have a new inheritance (Ephesians 1), a harmonious creation in which to live and continue the relationship between God and man as intended.

For our existence, we must acknowledge there is a God because of the evidence around us, and the evidence we find deep in biology, space, and other sciences. Our proof of the existence of God is also our spiritual relationship with him because he speaks to his creation and placed within our hearts an innate sense there is a power greater than anything we experience, and he has written his laws upon our hearts, our mind that holds our conscience. God exists.

“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

Jeremiah 31:33

Notes:

All scripture used is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

Website: answersingenesis.org, “God and Natural Law”.

Website: pewresearch.org, Facttank, 10 Facts about Atheists.

Website: thoughtcatalog, 12 Atheists Explain Why They Don’t Believe in God. Lorenzo Jensen III.

God’s Gift—Grace, Our Inheritance, and Redemption in Ephesians

By James G. Owen

Grace, a subject St. Paul talked about a great deal. Grace defined is unmerited favor, but could be love expressed by our Creator, and loved us so much that he created a plan of salvation before everything in creation was created—before the world began. God being the Father called us to be his children, and because of sin we were separated and that kept us from knowing him spiritually, a breach in our relationship between God and us. So, God in his wisdom extended grace to mankind before the world existed. Grace was part of his plan.

His plan of salvation expanded into atonement, a sacrifice, and redemption. The atonement was that a price had to be made, and a perfect man who was fathered by God to be the sacrifice, and to make sure the price was paid in full then the son of God would give his life on the Cross. This caused sin to be defeated, and death would be defeated by his resurrection. His plan of salvation also ushered in the last covenant, the new covenant of Jeremiah 33, called the better covenant. This covenant annulled the old covenant, and it was to give all of us life, both Jew and Gentile. The old covenant could not save people from sin because the blood spilt was from the blood of bulls and other animals, but the blood of Jesus the perfect man who lived a blameless life, his blood could save all of mankind. His plan God created wanted us to be blameless, to be free from sin.

In Ephesians 1, God predestined us to adoption, to make all of mankind his children. Predestination means he predetermined his plan, and what he wanted his creation to be and how to interact in creation and in man’s relationship to God. He wanted to invest himself into his creation, to be available should his creation need him, and it proves man would need him forever. He adopted us, he chose us to be in a relationship to him, just like an earthly father and mother would adopt an orphaned child so that the child would have a life, freedom, and to take care of the orphan’s needs. The orphan would grow in maturity and fulfill the purpose and destiny injected to him at conception.

What did God predetermine his creation, man, to be like? He wanted us to be like him, to conform to the image of Jesus, and we see what Jesus was like by reading the gospels about his character and spirituality. God wanted man to act with righteous morals, to be obedient, pure, having wisdom, and come to the knowledge of him, Jesus, and of course his Holy Spirit.

“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

Romans 8: 29-30

How would I explain predestination further to make sure it is understood? Well, consider God the Father as an artist. The artist will have a format in which the person will follow. Not every artist will create the same, but I see God creating much the same as I would create. My process would be to conceive of an idea, plan his creation by sketching, taking note of the color palette, and whatever means he needs to execute his creation. God, as an artist I see would have much the same process but would decide what his creation will be and the extent of his creation, and foreordain the creation to possess order, beauty, and in his plan, he conceives of a rescue. That rescue was salvation. His creation would be perfect. Man’s creation would be imperfect. God’s creation would make a choice and fall into sin and would only have one way to salvation. Man’s creation may take several attempts, but is not guaranteed success, but the Father’s creation will have success as man stays within the boundaries of his grace, that he purges himself daily. God knew his creation would fail and that is the reason for salvation.

The Father calls man to salvation by the convicting of man’s heart by his Holy Spirit. Conviction by the Holy Spirit is the movement of the Spirit to cause the man to realize he had sinned through his conscience, and the thoughts of his sin will come to remembrance. The conviction will tell us we know we are not pure, and the Spirit is beckoning us to come to a decision for forgiveness. When a person decides to repent, to receive forgiveness justification will be enacted meaning he is pardoned of his sin, no longer held guilty.

Further into Ephesians 1 we see Paul writing about redemption. Redemption comes to us by his saving grace. We are saved by God’s grace, that he loved us so much he would provide a way out of sin so that we would not be condemned to eternal death by choosing his Son Jesus. Why did he give us grace? Because of our innocence and not having knowledge of what sin would cause, and never having the experience of evil. Redemption gave us access to God through faith. When he made man, he planted a grain of faith within his being, and we have been taught to enact that faith, meaning believing whatever we conceive will be done as long it is within, he will of God and his word.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

Ephesians 2:8

What else would redemption bring to man? The redemption of man would be his inheritance. The inheritance would be eternal life, and to live in the New Earth that God would create for his children. This inheritance is guaranteed if we live in obedience, growing in wisdom, knowledge, and trusting in God. As we spend time with God you learn more about him, his personality, and his ways. Spending time reading the bible, in prayer, and the interaction of the Holy Ghost within us is how we learn to know and learn of him. As we get to know God, we will see his glory more as time goes by, and we understand the inheritance he has chosen for us. Those who have accepted Jesus are his chosen ones. As we interact with God in prayer, and the reading of his word he constantly reveals himself and his works. He shows us his full power in his works of the Holy Spirit through us and from us ministering to others.

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1: 13-14

The inheritance is given to us as soon as we give our life to Jesus, and this inheritance was also assured by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and by the fulfilling of the new covenant. The cross gave us the victory over death, and through Jesus resurrection he ascended to heaven to sit on David’s throne and to administer the kingdom to bring things to an end. He is there sitting by the right hand of God reigning until his return to earth.

We see in Ephesians 1 that God has set Jesus above all creation giving him all authority as the head of the Church and the kingdom, and that God is Israel (God prevails). His Church is his body, his temple where the Holy Spirit dwells. In administering his covenants God has brought all the major covenants to fulfillment. His Church is prevailing in the last covenant sharing the gospel to the world so that all men will have the chance to salvation that was predestined before the beginning of creation. Grace, faith, salvation, and redemption were in place waiting for the time to come to being to bring men out of sin and to bring in the New Earth, which is Eden and the inheritance.

God deals with man through his covenants written in his word, and dispensation (administration) to cause man to stewardship (relationship) with him giving him deliverance and restoration. Can you see the love of God in all his actions? Why would God go to such lengths if he did not love us? The fact is his action is the ultimate love anyone would express. Wouldn’t a parent on earth not do the same? Your hope that Paul writes about in his letter is within God’s grace, and your hope is the resurrection that conquers death for eternity. Let me ask you this. Are you willing to change to live a righteous life to achieve eternal life? To assure your place in a beautiful, perfect place for eternity? To live and not die. Are you willing to place all things on the altar so you can break from the bondage of sin and your habits? Are you tired of sin? Tired of uncertainty? If so, make your decision so that you will assure your place in God’s record of life.

Notes:

From the website messie2vie.fr Strong’s Hebrew 3478, Yisrael.

All scripture given is taken from the King James Version, Pubic Domain, BibleGateway.

Delving into Understanding Hope: What is Hope and Why We Should Hope?

Hope is endurance and looking for the prize at the end of the road.

By James G. Owen

What is hope? Hope is to be expectant, to have trust and being patient. It is about having trust in a God that will provide for his children and ministering to our needs. Hope is to wait and endure. It is also about a promise, our guarantee of an eternal life. Hope is endurance and looking for the prize at the end of the road.

The definition of hope among secular people does not take on a spiritual rational. Their rational is to hope for something material, or ephemeral. As in a lady hoping to be married and having children, or a little boy dreaming about being an astronaut. Their hopes are attainable, but for some people what they hope for will never come true.

Hope in the spiritual and biblical sense is totally different because it involves for us to have a relationship with God. That relationship begins in a prayer for forgiveness after believing he sent his son Jesus as our Savior and accepting him. When we hope in the biblical sense, we inactivate our faith knowing this kind of faith is long term. It is a hope to long for all the days of our lives, yet knowing if we stay on the righteous path, we will achieve our goal, and God’s goal for us, and that is to be with him. Hope is a prize of eternal life, and we achieve our goal by not walking in the flesh but walking in his Spirit. We cannot walk the road alone because of the obstacles that are placed in our path by the enemy, Satan, who does everything he can to keep us from victory.

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”

Romans 8:1-3

Satan has accused us in God’s court of sin, or anything he can think of to accuse us, but if we walk in faith living in it, then we are free from the law of sin and death. Our walk is not by works, though we do works to win others to Jesus, the law of works cannot save us, only Jesus can through his blood and ushering in the new covenant.

To have hope, and to achieve our goal of eternal life, we must be unmovable and determined and keep ourselves in the word of God by daily reading and study. This is paramount. We are human, and if we make a mistake or sin, then we are to get right back up after asking for forgiveness and move forward. Jesus is our hope.

“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”

Colossians 1:5

The word of truth in the gospel is how we are saved by the blood of Jesus, and we are to take on his image by living and acting like he shows us in the first 3 books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. He was perfect, pure, and obedient while listening to the voice of God, and for the voice of God to lead and guide. The word tells us how to live our lives, what God expects, and we will find our purpose in life by reading the bible. Also, prayer leads our lives as well because of our worship, and learning to stop and listen.

Will the road be easy in our walk on the road to hope and eternal life? Scripture teaches us that we will have temptations, trials, and tribulations. Some of will face persecution for serving Jesus, and this may mean torture or death, but it is an honor to be persecuted. Persecution will come to some, but not all, but what tribulation and trials come our way works patience to be within us. It is by patience we learn to endure, and to perfect our walk. It is by this experience we gain knowledge, wisdom, and understanding to help others walk the path and to give them hope

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:”

Romans 5:1-4

For us to have hope here on earth, and the eternal hope, God sent his son to be the last sacrifice, to end the old covenant and annul it, to bring in a better covenant that will save a man by his blood, and not cover the sin by the burnt sacrifices of bulls. The better covenant was to begin his kingdom here on earth, and we enter his kingdom on earth by accepting his salvation by faith through grace. The new covenant prophesied that God would write the law upon our hearts, our minds and conscience so that the law would pass because it could not save us, but made us aware of our sins, and was to school us in righteous behavior. The hope that we look for is the return of Jesus and for him to resurrect us to life, and this is how Satan will be finished and sent to the lake of fire, for our victory is in the resurrection and it is the final blow to Satan.

Our hope is to be with Jesus eternally in the new earth and heavens. For a short while we will be fellowshipping with Jesus at the marriage supper of the lamb before we embark on our new lives and work in his perfect, pure, and balanced new creation. We will be made perfect and incorruptible because of the resurrection of our bodies on the Last Day. This is the reason we should hope because of our knowledge of a coming new world with peace and no longer a worry or fret, we are to set our eyes on the prize and not consider anything material, for we cannot gain in earthly things.

Notes:

All scripture is taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

A Dianoetic Process: Seeking an Answer That Evades a Profound Question About Healing

By James G. Owen

The question that evades or flummoxes a biblical scholar or an average person when asked. Why does God heal one person, but another person does not get healed? Can this question that bewilders the people queried be answered? In my opinion, there is an answer, but we must investigate the scriptures for the answer.

In seeking an answer for this question lets discuss healing from a scriptural point of view, and how it is received.

Healing in scripture begins in the Old Testament. The first healing experience that comes to my mind is the brazen serpent (nahash nehoshet) in Numbers 21:8-9. Here, the people were being bitten by fiery serpents. Some had died because of the bite. It was the Lord God, Jehovah that told Moses to construct a serpent on a pole. So, Moses had a fiery serpent and pole constructed and informed the people to go before the brazen serpent and look up on it and those bitten would live.

There is symbolism here of the serpent being placed on a pole. The pole is the symbolism of the cross that Jesus was sacrificed upon at his crucifixion. This portion of scripture causes me to think of the promise in the book of Genesis of a promised Messiah and his actions.

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:15

By placing the serpent on the pole shows the beginning of the defeat of Satan. It is the Messiah who will bruise the head of the serpent and the serpent to bruise his heel. So, when the people went before the brazen serpent and looked up on it, they were acknowledging Satan’s defeat and the presence of the Lord who heals, and a gain in salvation because they were spared from the effects of the poisonous venom of the serpent. What was the action of healing in the scripture in Numbers 21? The action of the smitten people was they “looked upon” as they went before the brazen serpent on the pole. When we go to get healing, whether we present ourselves at the altar, or in another manner, we are coming before the one who was crucified and the sacrifice that provides for our healing as prophesied in Isaiah. Here in the action of looking upon an acknowledgment of God is made known and we present ourselves to him. In this presentation of ourselves we are asking for grace.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

Here in this prophetic scripture the provision of salvation was promised by the atoning blood of Jesus because he was the Son of God shedding his blood for our sins. He was the perfect sacrifice because he had the DNA of God the Father within him as well as the DNA of mankind. By providing for our salvation, he also provided for the healing of people so that they would be able to perform the spreading of the gospel to the world by destiny and purpose.

What happens when a person is healed? In an unbeliever coming to God for healing, two things should occur, that is the salvation of the person being forgiven of their sins after asking for forgiveness which is a witness that God work within their lives, but also a witness to others in the congregation, or gathering group of changes taken place. Changes in the spirit of the person from spiritual death to life, and the physical healing of the person’s body.

What other things will facilitate healing? First is belief in God. Healing is facilitated by believing that God is the only God and that he is all powerful, and that he provides grace sufficient for every need. How do we come to believe in God? We come to believe in God and who he is by reading the bible and encountering people who know him through the experience of his saving power, salvation, and by their own testimony. The child of God can point you to scripture of how to know God and his Son Jesus. It is through believing that God’s word is true, and that he is present in his creation, and by faith we come to believe. Second is grace. We are saved by grace through faith. After receiving salvation, it is our responsibility to keep ourselves purged of sin daily through sanctification through prayer. Living a righteous life before him our grace increases along with our faith and knowledge because we are spending time searching and reading the scriptures in the bible. We are growing and becoming greater by our increased affection for God and the blessings he has given us, the provision he brings, and by the fruits and proof of our newfound morality. Grace comes by obedience and gratitude.

Healing came to the people following Jesus because they had seen others healed. Those healed believed what Jesus taught and trusted him fully. They knew by his works that he was from God because no man could perform such miracles that they witnessed. The people believed because of the wisdom and the fruits of his life that he remained sinless. He could not be tested and fail or deceived because Jesus was part God because he was born of a virgin and his father was Almighty God, the Great I AM. To be clear he was tested by Satan after his baptism by John the Baptist, but he was victorious! So, his healing comes to us as a promise and through the fulfilling of the new covenant.

So, what is the answer to the perplexing question that people ask? Why some are healed instantly, and others are put on hold, so to speak? This is my answer while working the dianoetic process. Those who are healed instantly are ones who are needing salvation. Those who are saved have a purpose that God wants them to fulfill by working in the kingdom of God and it is his will, and desire for them to be instantly healed to continue to serve. Those who are not healed instantly should make sure they are obedient in their spiritual walk and growing in the knowledge of Jesus, and that their walk shows the fruits of the Spirit. While conducting my study for this article those who are disciples, he wants us to persist. Make sure our hearts are right and all in in order. Work your faith by believing, keeping your petition before God, and placing full trust in him. We must also realize that he may not heal because we may not remember him, and in the example of Paul may use this as a thorn to keep our minds upon him, never giving up while we are continuously working for the kingdom. It is through the pain of trials, sicknesses, tribulations, and the experiences of living that he refines us.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

1 Peter 5:10-11

“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.”

Zechariah 13:9

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

2 Peter 3:18

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

2 Corinthians 12:9

In conclusion, there may be other solutions to this profound question. I do believe that any other answer will be shown in the scriptures of the bible and by revelation through prayer or a word from the Lord. So, we must keep searching the scriptures for answers while placing our faith totally in him knowing that everything is done according to his will and mercy. He has a purpose for everything. Keep searching.

Notes

https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Nehushtan.html

https://www.biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm

Grace, the Greek definitions for grow G 837 and grace G5485. Tecarta Bible.

All scripture used is from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.

The Devil, Disease, and Deliverance: Origins of Illness in New Testament Thought, CPT Press Cleveland, Tennessee, by John Christopher Thomas, 2010.

The Resurrection of Jesus: Is the Resurrection Real, or is it a Fable?

What does the word resurrection mean? It is the raising of the man, woman, or child from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit, which is a person in the in the godhead (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) of the Father. God is a trichotomous God, yet he is One.

Is the resurrection real? In 1 Kings 17:17-24, I am reminded as I write this article of Elijah and the widow’s son. The widow’s son fell ill and died. The lady complained to Elijah saying she had to pay for her sin by her son’s death. I can imagine that Elijah was grieved by the complaint and learning of the boy’s death. He took the widow’s son to the bedroom and laid him there, and for three times he petitioned God the Father to raise up the boy. After the third time God permitted him to come to life, and the boy did live. Imagine the look on Elijah’s and the widow’s face. With Elijah it must have been the look of determination and of faith. With faith we can move mountains and in enacting our faith we have authority. Elijah’s authority at this time was with the Father, even though God’s Spirit raised the boy from the dead. Also, seeing is believing and the widow believed by sight, and by the word of God that came from Elijah which was truth.

“And the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

1 Kings 17:24

In Ezekiel, we can read about the story of the dry bones coming together as an army to fight for the Lord. Many think this is a story of the Holocaust, and it could be, but as I have been thinking on my writings this week it could be the raising of an army to go forth to bring the gospel to every man on earth by those who believe in Jesus, the Church.

Also, the basis in the New Testament that the resurrection is not a fable, but truth lies in Jesus raising the body of Lazarus who was dead for four days. It is at this point in the degradation of the human body that it begins to have a stench. Jesus waited until this forth day to prove that the man was dead, I believe, for the people to believe. Jesus by the word of his mouth, just as in Elijah’s case, commanded Lazarus to come forth. Looking upon the sepulcher where Lazarus was laid the people watched as Lazarus came forth clothed in his grave clothes. Here, we see the Old Testament giving its account and the New Testament giving witness of the other.

On the third day after Jesus was crucified, he arose just like he told the disciples. On that same morning there is another account in the New Testament, and that is the saints in the graves of Jerusalem were resurrected and walked the streets. Imagine the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Father. In the Father there is all power and can do the impossible. Surely there were people who did not believe that Jesus was resurrected, but there were many who did because of his actions in his ministry prior to his death. Jesus, arose, folded the grave clothes as he came out of the grave with the gravestone having been rolled away by two angels. Was the sepulcher guarded? Yes, by Roman guards, but they fell asleep, being put to sleep by the angels.

“And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,”

Luke 24: 2-6

Imagine the scene as Mary Magdalene and others came to the grave and saw his grave empty and wondering who took him. They didn’t believe at this time, but there were two men at Jesus’s grave site and reminded those present of Jesus’s words. Even telling the apostles they did not believe but came to believe after being reminded, and in the days forward of Jesus coming to him before his ascension. He was seen by many over the land of Palestine before the feast of Pentecost. It was important for Jesus to die for us, and to be resurrected. It is by his death and resurrection that Satan was defeated, and those who choose life through Jesus, death can no longer sting or take hold.

Resurrection is real. Jesus’s resurrection is real and not a fable. Even today, we see a form of resurrection in the hospitals where people are given a shock to get their hearts beating and through resuscitation. Being Pentecostal, I have heard many stories of people being resurrected by the Holy Spirit in church services. We have been given the power through the Holy Spirit given to us, and the Holy Spirit came after Jesus’s death. Remember, Jesus said he would be with us always, and he is through the Holy Spirit.

Note: All scripture used was taken from the King James Version, Public Domain, BibleGateway.