CHOICES: Things To Consider
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Monthly Archives: July 2019
GRATEFUL
Two days ago I was going about watering some plants. As I was walking around the room my left foot caught the edge of an ottomon. Before I knew it I was propelled to the floor in less than a second with my chest, knee and chin hitting the floor… hard! It happened so suddenly that I had no time to brace myself. My husband helped me up. I couldn’t get up on my own. Then it was time to survey the damage. Pain in my chest, wrist, chin and knee!
Now the interesting thing about the knee is that it was my “good” left knee that was hurt in the fall. I had recently started physical therapy for my right knee which has issues, and it was working so well. I was so encouraged. In fact I was about to do my at home exercises when I fell. It was amazing to me how quickly things can change. I mean it’s not that I didn’t know that because Scripture tells us so. But even so, the fall was a shock.
Proverbs 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
I often thank the Lord that the day had not brought forth anything bad.
It was painful to walk, but I could walk. We prayed. The next morning I felt better, but I knew that I needed to see the doctor and I did. She sent me for an X-ray to see if there was a fracture. I really wasn’t worried because the pain was not as bad as the day before. But then the dreaded phone call came. You have a fracture in your knee and you need to see an Orthopedic surgeon tomorrow. 😩
More prayer. I was texting with my friend telling her about my fall. She replied “Leaning on the everlasting arms”. A phrase from the popular Christian hymn, the words “everlasting arms” found in Scripture. It so comforted me.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
I continued to ask the Lord for mercy. I prayed that I would not need surgery and that the doctor would not say that I could not walk until the fracture healed. I prayed that the Lord would have pity on me, his child, and touch my knee. I prayed my mustard seed of faith, and I prayed and asked the Lord to please answer.
I went today, x-rays in hand, to my appointment with the Orthopedic Surgeon. Although my knee pain was minimal by then, all I could think of was that I had a fracture in my knee! I prayed and lifted my hands to the Lord in the exam room waiting for the doctor come in.
The doctor came in, looked at the x-rays up on the screen, and said I see the fracture and pointed to it. Then he examined my knee. He said the fracture wasn’t bad. So no surgery, no cast, no crutches, just the knee brace I was wearing was sufficient. He said take it easy and be careful and come back in a week for another x-ray.
Hallelujah! What a relief! Thank you Jesus! \o/
I am so grateful to the Lord for yet another answered prayer and another deliverance! Pure mercy. Thank you Jesus.
Praying now for complete healing because I still feel bruised in body.
Psalm 103
1{A Psalm of David.} Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;
18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY
The New Testament/Covenant replaced the Old Testament/Covenant for the Jew.
and…
the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: Ephesians 3:6.
– Scripture makes this clear.
Hebrews 8:
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Hebrews 10:
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
– The Gospel of Jesus Christ was to the Jew first
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
– Gentiles… without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise… made nigh by the blood of Christ
Ephesians 2
11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
– The mystery is that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs.
Ephesians: 3:
1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
– the blessing of Abraham
Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
– they are not all Israel, which are of Israel
– Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children
Romans 9:
1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:
4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;
5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
– children of the promise are counted for the seed
Romans 9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
– if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise
Galatians 3:29 And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Summary:
1. The Old Testament/Covenant was replaced with the New Testament/Covenant.
2. The New Testament/Covenant was to the Jew first.
3. They are not all Israel, which are of Israel.
4. Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children.
5. The promise is still available to the Jews, they have not been replaced, for the Scripture says… if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
6. The Gentiles, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.
COUNTERFEIT
I was picking out new eyeglass frames recently when one of the workers noticed my Jesus hat and said she liked it. When I went back to pick up my glasses a few days later she was the one who took care of me. Remembering this woman’s positive comment about my hat I handed her a Bible tract. I usually give the little Bible tract to everyone. If they already know the Lord they can pass it on.
When these situations happen, if possible, I like to give a mini testimony of my coming out of the Roman Catholic Church. If it appears that the person is a born again Christian I will say that many/most Protestant churches accept the Roman Catholic Church as a valid Christian denomination. Not true I say. I tell them I was a Roman Catholic and an idolator who prayed to Mary etc.
I like to tell other Christians the truth about Rome, truth they may not know, so that they would be encouraged to evangelize the lost Roman Catholic people. As I spoke to this woman, who gladly listened, I said Rome preaches “another Jesus” and “another gospel”. I don’t think she understood. She did not seem to be familiar with those words. Then I finally said Roman Catholicism is a counterfeit gospel that will not save anyone, Roman Catholics need to be evangelized. She got it!
We need to be so very very clear about what Roman Catholicism really is.
Roman Catholicism preaches a counterfeit soul damning gospel.
How many have tried to pass off counterfeit money as the real thing?
How about a counterfeit diamond or other gem someone may have bought thinking it was genuine.
How many counterfeit products are there on the market deceiving people and robbing them of their hard earned money?
BUT we are not speaking of temporal evils such as counterfeit money or counterfeit gems.
We are speaking about eternal souls being robbed of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are speaking about a counterfeit Christianity and a counterfeit Jesus impersonating the real Jesus.
The consequences are eternal for those who have been deceived by Rome.
Let us pray for grace to clearly and boldly speak the truth in love, whenever and wherever the Lord gives the opportunity.
1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
PEACEMAKERS 