The Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, for the first century Church, was an Awesome, Powerful and Necessary participant of their lives.

Jesus said He would send the Spirit, to guide, direct and protect us, to empower us for His service, to heal the sick, cause the lame walk and the blind to see. To comfort the brokenhearted, and raise the dead.

The Holy Spirit fulfilled that promise for many years until He didn’t. What happened?

Man’s Wisdom versus the Wisdom of God. Man’s Plan, versus God’s Desire. Man’s Fear versus Faith.

“Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?” (Mark 4:40)

It is a time of great anxiety, a Pandemic, a deadly virus, what must we do?

We as a Church have come to man’s wisdom. That is OK, it is where we live, it is the level of Faith and Trust we have in God.

I include myself in this mix. The Power of God today seems outdated and somehow a sweet dream. He doesn’t do that anymore. (If He ever really did?)

When the disciples of John the Baptist came and asked Jesus, are You the One? He answered:

“Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.“. (John 7:22)

If someone came to the door of our Churches today, what would they see or find?

An empty building, full of empty suits, speaking empty words of Faith that is no longer believed.

I know we love and desire to serve the Lord. My heart breaks every time I miss the mark of the high calling of God. Yet, I continually miss the mark.

We must take a lesson from Abraham: ‘He believed God and it was counted as righteousness.’ (Romans 4:3). (The Birth of Isaac)

‘You see that Abraham’s faith and what he did worked together. His faith was shown to be genuine by what he did.‘ (James 2:22 NOG). (The Sacrifice of Isaac)

The lesson of Enoch:

“By faith, Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.“ (Hebrews 11:5-6)

WE MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS, AND THAT HE IS A REWARDER OF THEM THAT DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.

He rewards us with health, deliverance, protection from plagues and the arrows of our enemies. As we walk through the valley of the shadow of death He is with us, our cup runneth over. (Psalms 23; 91)

Faith is mentioned 336 times in the Bible. It is the Rock of our Salvation If we could only believe?

“All things are possible to him that believes.” (Mark 9:23)

Unfortunately, we no longer rely on the Holy Ghost, we are living with The Ghost of Our Faith.

I pray the Church will return to its first love and regain the Power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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Yesterday, I was on a tear. I could not believe all the closings of schools, churches, stadium events, even many workplaces. How can people be such Wussies? Afraid of a virus?

I was reminded of the NCAA Tournament, (in the ’90s), when Michel Jorden scored some 38 points while battling the Flu, throwing up in a bucket, during the game. (That was what men did, no retreat, no surrender). America is the Land of the Free, and Home of the Brave.

What happened?

I was terribly wrong. If you do not go into crowds, (for sports, church or any activity), for fear of contracting the virus, you are doing exactly the right thing. Stay in, so you are not infected or infect others.

This is ‘JUST COMMON SENSE.’ We should use the minds the Lord has given us. After all, the early Christians hid from those who would persecute them. We want to live to fight another day.

That is the Worlds Wisdom. No one can fault us for that.

I do wonder what we are doing with our Measure of Faith? We believe in Salvation, but not much beyond. Why? Because we are not fully grown, adult Christians. We are Unbelieving Believers.

We have not exercised our Faith, Grown it, Used it, Practiced it because we are not taught how to feed ourselves, we are only fed Sunday mornings, and some of us Sunday night and Wednesday.

We cannot grow strong and effective with so little nourishment and exercise.

If we do not believe the Word of God, we should not try to walk in that Word.

“Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?” The evil spirit said. (You cannot rely on someone else relationship with God. We must have our own.). (Acts 19:15).

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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All mankind is given the ‘Measure of Faith’. ( Romans 12:3) What is that measure? The amount needed to believe the Gospel and accept Christ as Savior.

He died for us all, we can all be delivered, saved, and healed. We need only ‘To Believe,’. (Mark 5:36).

“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)

He must be Preached. Taught. Honored and obeyed. His Power must be Demonstrated! It is up to us. How and Why have we failed?

Paul in Romans 15:19 tells us he fully Preached the Gospel. To fully Preach the Gospel, involves more than Words, it includes the Power of God.

“Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

Unfortunately, many who Preach do not Demonstrate His Power. Why? Their Measure of Faith doesn’t Measure.

Faith needs to be active in the one praying as well as the one prayed for.

The Preacher must pray the Prayer of Faith. The recipient must believe to receive. Is the Lord able to ‘See your Faith’?

Do you fight to get close so you can touch the hem of His garment? ( Luke 6:19) How often did Jesus say; ‘According to your Faith?’

Every believer has the ability to heal the sick, raise the dead, give sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf. What? Do you disagree?

Are you a believer? A disciple? A Faithful Follower of the Lord? Do you long to know Him more?

John 14:12

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.“

When He sent out the 12 in Matthew 10:7-8, He commanded them:

“And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.“

We are His disciples and apostles today. There is no expiration date on the Power of God. No, the lack of signs, wonders, and miracles, is our problem, we no longer seek His anointing, His hand working through us.

Saints, Pray, Fast, Ask, Seek, and Knock. His Mercy, Grace, and Power are available to ALL WHO BELIEVE.

What is your Measure of Faith? We must Build it! Grow in Jesus (Jude 1:20; Romans 12:1-3)

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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Are You Blessed or Cursed? As a Christian, I have had many opportunities to ask this question, in my own life.

The Preacher tells us in Ecclesiastes 9:2:

“All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.“

I have had times of want and times of plenty. The times of plenty are desired and longed for, yet want and trouble can appear in a moment.

The secret to surviving both is our attitude and actions. We all experience trouble, how do we react? Why is it happening to us?

Deuteronomy 28: 58.

“If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 59. Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.”

The curses are many and quite harsh. It is easy to get on the curses list. Refusing to listen to and obey the Lord.

On the other hand, it is easy to claim and live with blessings.

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 World English Bible

“It shall happen, if you shall listen diligently to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments which I command you this day, that Yahweh your God will set you on high above all the nations of the earth:

and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God.

You shall be blessed in the city, and you shall be blessed in the field.

You shall be blessed in the fruit of your body, the fruit of your ground, the fruit of your animals, the increase of your livestock, and the young of your flock.

Your basket and your kneading trough shall be blessed.

You shall be blessed when you come in, and you shall be blessed when you go out.

Yahweh will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be struck before you. They will come out against you one way, and will flee before you seven ways.

Yahweh will command the blessing on you in your barns, and in all that you put your hand to; and he will bless you in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

Yahweh will establish you for a holy people to himself, as he has sworn to you; if you shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, and walk in his ways.

All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of Yahweh; and they shall be afraid of you.

Yahweh will make you plenteous for good, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, in the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers to give you.

Yahweh will open to you his good treasure in the sky, to give the rain of your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand: and you shall lend to many nations, and you shall not borrow.

Yahweh will make you the head, and not the tail; and you shall be above only, and you shall not be beneath; if you shall listen to the commandments of Yahweh your God, which I command you this day, to observe and to do [them],

and shall not turn aside from any of the words which I command you this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.”

Obedience…. So easy it is hard. Well worth the effort though.

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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In life, we must make choices. We choose to follow the way of the Lord, (Salvation, Peace, and Love), or we follow the path of bondage.

Where we will serve the enemies of Righteousness and be in hunger and thirst, naked and in want, yoked in iron and eventually be destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:48)

The other path promises bread from heaven to feed us and water from a rock for our thirst, and that we will possess the promised land, in freedom, Peace, Love, and Joy. (Nehemiah 9:15)

The Lord promises that ‘IF’ we hunger and thirst for righteousness, we shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6). Jesus is the bread of life, he promises that if we come to and believe in Him, will never hunger or thirst. (John 6:35)

Does He mean this, in this world today?

Do you realize Moses spent 40 days and nights, twice with neither food not drink? Impossible right? No, he was with God, (Jesus) and was fed Spiritually and was filled.

The same thing happened with feeding the 4,000, they were there 3 days with nothing to eat till he multiplied the loaves and fishes. He had fed them Spiritually until then.

We, as Christians should learn to Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness. ‘But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.‘ (Matthew 6:33)

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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As babies we long to be held, and touched by Mom and Dad, it comforts us and causes us to feel safe and protected.

As we grow, a pat on the shoulder or back gives us encouragement, pushes us to do a better job, to excel.

We touch one another to convey love, (good), and sometimes lust, (not good).

We change when Salvation, gives us a New Heart, a Renewed Mind, and a set of standards that call us to Holiness, to be Set Apart, to be Witnesses of His Love and Grace.

As Christians we love the song, ‘He Touched Me’, for good reason. When we are touched by God, we can be healed, set free, delivered from bondage. It is a Powerful time and a change in our hearts.

In Touching, Miracles can be Conveyed. In Luke, we have 12 examples of touching, Jesus to man, and man to Jesus. Something wonderful occurs each time. It is Wonderful to be touched by Jesus.

The leper said to Jesus, ‘If you will, you can heal me.’. (Like 5). He realized Jesus was able to heal, just not sure He was worthy to be healed. Jesus answered, ‘I will: be thou clean.’, and he immediately was cleaned.

Jesus, raised the dead in, (Luke 7:14), and healed the ear of one who arrested Him. (Like 22:51). When children were brought to Him, He touches them all. (Like 18:15)

All-Powerful stuff, but, there is a better way. How much more Power is there when we learn to touch Him?

Luke 6:19

“And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.”

The woman with the issue of blood, she had spent all and decided if she could touch Him, she could be healed.

Luke 8:44

“Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.”

He was surrounded by a crowd, she had to work to gain access. He recognized her effort.

Luke 8:45-47

“And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately.”

Lord, help us to push through the crowds and learn to touch You

In both Matthew 14:36 and Mark 6:56. We find ‘All that touched Jesus, we’re made whole’.

There is Power in our hands. Will we learn to control it?

Matthew 18:19-20

“Again, assuredly I tell you, that if two of you will agree on earth concerning anything that they will ask, it will be done for them by my Father who is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them.”

We must learn to touch Jesus. To do that today, we probably need to fast and pray. Push through the mass of prayers and help Him to recognize yours.

We must set ourselves apart from the world, with renewed minds, bodies that are holy and acceptable, our reasonable service. (Romans 12:1-3)

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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When I was about 12, my Dad ended up with a Metropolitan, a junker, I think it was a convertible. My friends and I drove that car all over my Dad’s Fix-it Shop yard.

Teaching one friend to drive, he nicked the door of a customer’s car, a Corvette. That was not a pleasant time, for Dad, the customer, or us.

One other time, my brother-in-law, at that time, lived on the 3rd floor of the apartment house next door. He dropped down to us kids, a stack of older Playboy magazines.

A glimpse of heaven for horny young guys, and also a slice of Hell. (Young people do not need access to this stuff).

I also remember, (someone, me? I don’t know), running into the corner of that building.

I don’t remember what happened to that car. It was one of many I drove around the garage yard.

A few years later, a few of us were at a fast food place, in Fitchburg, I think. We had drivers licenses then, and when we walked out of the store, there was a Metropolitan.

I boldly walked up to the lady who was in it, and told her if she ever wanted to sell it? I wanted it. I gave her my number and promptly forgot it.

Some months later I received a call, and an offer to buy the car for One Dollar. I jumped on it. What a wonderful lady she was.

I really loved that little car. It was perfect for me. Unusual, strange, and silly. It was great. Bringing it home the first time, we had borrowed one of Dad’s used cars with a repair plate, and a second repair plate for the Metropolitan.

We were stopped on Rt 2, (I think?), for driving too slow, and ‘were we going to get these cars repaired?’ Thank God we answered yes.

We were told to speed up or get off the highway.

Unfortunately, when I broke this car, by turning onto a sidewalk and pulling the steering box from the frame. It was a problem that couldn’t be repaired.

I have very fond memories of that car and the special girl who rode in it with me. I believe my life would have been very different if I could have kept that car on the road.

I wish I could get another deal like that.

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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Those who believed brought a blind man and asked the Lord to touch him. Mark 6:56 tells us that all who had touched Him were healed.

Saints, do we really believe? Do we introduce the lost to our Lord? Are we bringing our sick to the Faith and Power of our Lord? Do we know how to touch Him?

In Mark 8, we have one of the few times, a healing miracle took more than one touch. We are not told why, but I suspect the Faith was in the men that brought him, and he really didn’t believe.

Jesus honored the friends’ request, because of their faith.

Thanks for visiting,
Know You Are Loved

We all have the relationship we want with God. My desire is a more intimate one.
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Mark 8:22-26

‘And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.’