Book of Mark, Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

Jesus Heals a Paralytic

1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Jesus Calls Levi

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

15 And as he reclined at a table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

A Question About Fasting

18 Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

Biblical Heart Check

 Biblical Heart Check

I truly believe this is one of the scariest prayers a human being can pray to God.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Pslam 139:23-24

Why is this scary? Because if you are being honest, God will show you the truth. Most likely you will have some serious changes to make. Deep serious changes. Real changes. Life-altering changes. You may be believing in God, however, you may still be living for you. This prayer and this series may point out some things in your walk with God that you will need to change immediately. Are you ready to do so?

The world says to follow your heart. In some cases, some churches falsely teach this as well. “See, God is all about love. Love comes from the heart. Love one another without judging, no matter what, or you are not loving. Follow your heart and desires in business, life, and all things. You will be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Forget about that old concept of sin and hell. A loving God is not going to send you to hell. Do as you will. Follow your heart and you will be a good person and a loving person, full of compassion and love.”

This is a lie straight from hell itself. It is the worst thing any child of God can do. Why?

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

God saw this before the flood and He said this.

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

Following the flood, God said this.

“The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.” Genesis 8:21

The flood did not fix us. The flood did not heal our hearts. You are still born into evil, and we are still evil, and “every intent of the thoughts of our hearts is still only evil continually.” This is just a fact. If you do not have God, you are evil. Following your heart will lead you down evil paths. You will do evil things. This is what we will be talking about in this series, “Biblical Heart Check.” If you dare, join us for the next few weeks, and we will do just that. Here is what is coming up.

What distractions or desires tend to take root in your heart? Here are a few:

Love of money and possessions: The Bible warns against the dangers of materialism and the temptation to prioritize wealth over God. For example, Matthew 6:24 says

"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."

Pride: Pride, or an inflated sense of self-importance, can blind us to our faults and lead us away from God. Proverbs 16:18 says

"Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall."

Idolatry: This refers to worshipping anything other than God, including created things or even ourselves. It can manifest in a desire for power, status, or pleasure that supersedes our devotion to God.

Worldly desires: The Bible speaks of the world's allurements and how they can distract us from following God's will. 1 John 2:15-16 says

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—does not come from the Father but from the world."

How can you be more intentional about guarding your heart with God's word and prayer?

Are there any areas of unforgiveness, bitterness, or pride that may be hindering your spiritual growth?

What practical steps can you take to live a life that is more aligned with God's will?

I am warning you that this is not going to be one of those feel-good, “God Loves you” sermon series. “God wants you to be rich” sermon series. This is going to be an in-depth, possibly painful to some, hopefully, ground-shaking, heart-melting, God-molding, life-changing, series.

I pray that God will lead us through this. God will speak to us through His Word and His will and His way will be known to us. That we, as children of God, will be changed for the better. I say this a lot, but in series like this one, I mean it more than I can say. Please, do not take anything I say as absolute truth. Do not simply follow me and share whatever I say because I say it. PICK THIS US {Holding the Bible} READ IT! Look it up yourself. If you come across something in here {Holding up the Bible} that offends you, you are wrong. It is you that needs to pause and look in a mirror. You need to pray about it and ask God “Why am I so offended by this?”

Why am I seemingly wasting an entire Sunday for this coming right-up message? Because I want you to get ready. I want to get prepared. I want you to pray about it. We are going to pray here in a second, but I want you to pray about it yourself. Prepare yourself to hear God’s Word and feel the convictions if they come. Prepare yourself to be ready to make some possible life-changing choices and grow closer to God. Let us pray.

“First of all, all the praise and glory be to you, God. We come before you to pray as your word declares, for eyes to see, ears to hear, and most importantly, a heart to receive your Truth, your Word, and your Righteousness.

We understand that your ways are higher than our ways. We know that your thoughts are higher than our thoughts and that we don't know anything unless you reveal them to us through the Holy Spirit and your Word.

We have an image of ourselves, and our lives that may or may not be in line with you and your Will and plans for us and our lives. As we go through this sermon series, I pray that you speak to us and to whomever you choose to directly and deeply into our spirit so that we do not miss what you have for us. Even if it is something that you know will offend us, tell us, show us, guide us, and help us to understand.

We love you God, and we yearn to be closer to you. Please be with us, in your precious and Holy Name, Amen.”

We have a new home base, coming to you live from NY. New beginning, new season, same God. Same Truth. Same Yeshua. Nothing has nor will change until the end of time as we know it here on Earth. Nothing will change by geography, time, or the will of man. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. What was sin, is sin, and will mostly kill you quicker today than ever, and the result of living a life outside of God and His Will is death. Are you ready to fully have God examine your heart? Are you ready to truly pray,

“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”

Are you honestly ready to hear God’s answer?

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Mark Chapter 1

 Chapter 1

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,

    who will prepare your way,

3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:

    ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

    make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

The Baptism of Jesus

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased.”

The Temptation of Jesus

12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Jesus Begins His Ministry

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Jesus Calls the First Disciples

16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

Jesus Heals a Man with an Unclean Spirit

21 And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many

29 And immediately he left the synagogue and entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon's mother-in-law lay ill with a fever, and immediately they told him about her. 31 And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

32 That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door. 34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Jesus Preaches in Galilee

35 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, 37 and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” 39 And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Jesus Cleanses a Leper

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

Getting to Know "The Force" 8

The Final is the essence or meaning of something, A thing's core quality or nature

The Hebrew word Ruach is translated as "Spirit". The Greek word Pneuma is also translated as "Spirit". The English word "Spirit" all mean the same thing. The same general implication underlies all their applications: that of an often powerful, invisible, immaterial, motivating force. This unseen force inspires or encourages people to do something, good or bad. Its quality needs to be more relevant at this point.

It's important to note that these applications are not always clear-cut, and the meaning of "Spirit" in a particular passage can depend on the surrounding context. However, understanding these eight categories can help us to more accurately interpret the many uses of the word "Spirit" throughout the Bible. They are

1-The Divine Spirit: Referring to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, God himself.

2-The human spirit: The immaterial part of a human being, distinct from the soul and body, responsible for our thoughts, emotions, and will.

3-The breath of life: The animating force that gives life to all living creatures.

4-The wind: Often used as a metaphor for God's presence or power.

5-An attitude or disposition: Referring to a person or group's prevailing mental or emotional state.

6-A supernatural being: Angels, demons, and other spiritual entities are sometimes called spirits.

7-A gift or talent: Certain abilities or skills are attributed to the spirit in some contexts.

8-The essence or meaning of something: A thing's core quality or nature.

Today we will wrap up this series at number 8

8-The essence or meaning of something: A thing's core quality or nature.

We can explore several perspectives on how the Bible depicts the core quality or nature of various things. We can start with us. Mankind. What is our core nature?

The Bible offers various perspectives on human nature. Genesis depicts humans as created in God's image, capable of both good and evil. He gave us free will so we need to choose to love Him and trust in Him for all things. He created all things for us. Yet, we were tempted by the devil with his original sin, Pride. A desire to be God. At this time, Sin crept in and now Sin and death ARE our natural and core quality of nature.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

When we sinned. When we did the only thing on the entire planet that God said not to do, evil and sin came into the human heart. We did horrific things. God nearly wiped us out, but then, by His grace, saved humanity and tried to give us a do-over. Another chase. Only to learn that sin and evil are still in our hearts.

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

In the flesh, by ourselves, we do not stand a chance at overcoming it.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9

Jesus Himself said this.

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34

You know that old saying, “Follow your heart.” Yeah, that is the worst thing you can do. Without God, it will lead you to sin and death.

Jesus also said this about the human heart.

“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45

How can this be if indeed,

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

This is one of them there contradictions. {Sigh} Nope. You see, we still have to talk about God’s core quality or nature. Which is? Love, justice, mercy, power, creativity, and faithfulness. Now to save this from becoming another sub-series, we will put it this way. Because of God’s Love for us, He created us, created all for us, has mercy on us, and uses His power for us, because he is faithful to us. Did I cover all? I think so. LOVE. God is Love.

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:8

How much does He love us?

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

That is correct. Not because we earned it. Not because we deserved it. We were not even trying to be obedient. No, while we rejected Him, offended Him, sinned against Him.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17

He made it this simple. However?

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” John 3:18

It is this simple.

“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:12-13

It is not because of our core quality or nature, rather it is because of His. God. The God that IS Love that loves us so. Make no mistake about it, There is nothing you can do to earn your way to heaven. It does not matter what your “religion” may say. The price is too high. Not to mention it has already been paid. Paid in blood. Paid by His blood. The blood of Jesus.

If we live in the world that God created for us, a God that loves us so that He came and became us, suffered and died for us, and we are now His children, why then is there all this suffering and evil? The Bible acknowledges the presence of suffering and evil in the world while offering different explanations and responses, most of it boils down to us. We create a lot of suffering and evil. Can the devil be blamed for some? Of course. However, remember what we just recently talked about. Yes, the devil is real. Yes, he is the lord of the world. Yet? He is not an equal to, God. He cannot force us to do anything. He does not have to. All he has to do is keep us away from the promise. Keep us away from the blood. Keep us away from Jesus. The only “way, truth, and life.” We will mess things up pretty well all by ourselves.

This is why remembering Romans 8:27-28 is such a blessing.

“And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

We are evil. We deserve death. He is love. He intercedes for us, on our behalf. He can and does take what we screw up, what others may try to do to us, including the devil by the way, and turn it into good. We just have to trust in Him.

Remember. God is Love. What is Love?

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13

It is in that love that we have hope and redemption: Despite the struggles and challenges depicted in the Bible, a core message is ultimately one of hope and redemption. Many find hope in God's promises of forgiveness, restoration, and new life.

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him, we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:1-8

It is now and always has been all about God and His love for us. The force is real. It is known by another name. That name is Love. Do you know the Love of God? If you have not already done so, you need to ask Jesus into your life, then say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Coming Right Up, Book of Mark

 Let's chat

Hey folks, if you have been with us here at TAG, {The Truth According to God} for the past 50 weeks, congratulations, you just read through the entire book of Genesis. That's right, we wrapped up Genesis last week.

Some people find it truly difficult, and some see it as nearly impossible, to read through The Word of God. They struggle to stay on target and find themselves falling away and failing to complete what they start out wanting to do so badly. There are a few reasons for this.

1 - The Word of God is not natural. It is supernatural. It is alive. It is real and ever working in this world and in people's lives.

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

We are natural and we crave the things of the flesh, which is opposite of, and even opposed to, the things of God. Sometimes we pick up the Bible and try to read it with our carnal minds. This is a problem.

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:5-8

When you pick up this book {Holding up the Bible} you should pray about it. Ask God to give you eyes to see, and a spirit to receive His word. Ask Him to give you the Holy Spirit to interpret and to understand what His word is telling you. The word declares that God is willing to give wisdom and understanding to those who ask Him.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5

2 - The Cares for this world.

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” Matthew 13:18-23

Again, when you read God's word, you should pray to Him and ask for guidance and even time to do so. Set a routine. Get up an hour earlier. Go to bed an hour later. Skip that TV show. Miss that next newscast. Make it a priority to read God's Word, ask for His guidance for your understanding, and never forget that God's Word is absolute and just. Therefore, if it says something that offends you, or goes against what the world says, it is true. The world is wrong. It IS just that simple.

3 - Offensive content

To elaborate a bit more on the last topic, you may become offended at something you read in The Word. Abortion is murder. Psalm 139:13-18, Exodus 21:22-25, Homosexuality is sin, Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Ezekiel 16:48-51, {Think America} Romans 1: 18-32. Jesus IS the only way to Heaven? John 14:6, Matthew 7:21–27, John 6:63, He promised that those who believe in Him will have Eternal Life John 3:14–15. He is the gate of the sheep John 10:7; The Bread of Life John 6:35; and the Resurrection John 11:25.

It really is simple. It is in the Book. If The Bible tells you it is a sin. It is a sin. It does not matter one iota what you may think about it. What a man says about it. What even the courts say about it. It does not matter what world leaders, the news, or famous people say about it. If the world chooses to ignore The Word of God, it doesn't change sin to good. Rather it heaps up the punishment that will eventually come. If you become offended at something you read, pray about it. Ask God why. Seriously look in the mirror. God is always right and just. His Word is always right and just.

4 - Compassion for others.

Wait. What? Yup. Having a false sense of compassion for others can stop you from reading God's Word. Why? See above. I believe in God. I even believe in Jesus. However, my mother believes in Buddha and my best friend is gay and believes in a loving God where all are welcome and encouraged to just be themselves. There is nothing wrong with that in my eyes. Or you may have something in your past or know someone that you know the Bible will talk against. Well, I just do not believe that this or that is really sinning. I'm just going to live my life and let God sort it out in the end. That is simply judging the Bible based on what others have told you.

In today's society, Jesus would have detractors on every side. Pretty much like He did then. Jesus does not measure compassion in a merely temporal, circumstantial way. His measure of compassion is eternal and transcendent. His goal, His mission, and His compassion are rooted in something deeper than a feeling. It is based on holiness and goodness. Absolute righteousness. Try reading it for yourself and ask God to put it in the proper context and help you to understand. It will change your life.

Book of Mark

We will be diving into the book of Mark starting next week. We will see how Mark has a unique perspective and his way of teaching us who Jesus really is. Join us for the next 16 weeks and let's read the book of Mark together. One chapter a week. That's it. That's all. Not too tough if you choose you really want to do it. Remember, pray. Ask God to show you what He wants you to see as we go through Mark together. You will have a better understanding of who Jesus really is by the end. Trust me on that one.

Until next time. Be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus IS Lord!

Getting to Know "The Force" 7

 Gift or Talent

We are back to our eight categories of “the spirit” as defined in The Word. The spirit or a driving force, is represented by eight, sometimes unique, categories, all working together as what could be called “the force.” Understanding these eight categories can help us to more accurately interpret the many uses of the word "Spirit" throughout the Bible.

1-The Divine Spirit: Referring to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, God himself.

2-The human spirit: The immaterial part of a human being, distinct from the soul and body, responsible for our thoughts, emotions, and will.

3-The breath of life: The animating force that gives life to all living creatures.

4-The wind: Often used as a metaphor for God's presence or power.

5-An attitude or disposition: Referring to a person or group's prevailing mental or emotional state.

6-A supernatural being: Angels, demons, and other spiritual entities are sometimes called spirits.

7-A gift or talent: Certain abilities or skills are attributed to the spirit in some contexts.

8-The essence or meaning of something: A thing's core quality or nature.

Today we will pick back up at number 7

7-A gift or talent: Certain abilities or skills are attributed to the spirit in some contexts.

The Bible talks about abilities and skills in two main ways: natural talents and spiritual gifts.

Natural talents are innate abilities or skills that people develop through practice and experience. These can be anything from artistic talents like music or painting to practical skills like carpentry or cooking. The Bible doesn't necessarily attribute these directly to the spirit, but they are seen as blessings from God and something to be used responsibly. We see some examples of this as such.

"See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” Exodus 31:2-5

We read things like this.

“Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29

Everyone has at least one natural talent. We are blessed with this as we are born. Some can build. I cannot. Some can paint. I cannot. Some can do marvelous things with computers and such. Some write. Etc.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17

This is why the old saying is so true. "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." If you are born with the gift of song? Sing. Dance? Dance. The love of writing? Write. Whatever it is, do that. It will be natural for you. It will be fun. It will be easy. However?

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24

What about Spiritual Gifts?

“Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” Romans 12:6-8

As much as we may like it, we are not all endowed with the same gifts. I would love to have the gift of healing. I would probably get arrested, because I would be going around slapping people in the head, yelling, BE HEALED. I do not have that gift. Some see the Pastor, oh yeah I’m going there. Some people see the Pastor and think to themself, that is the job I want. Only work one or two days a week for just a couple of hours. I want to lead a church. {Smiling} If you know you know. I am a sower of the seed, a teller of truth, a shower of the way. I am a writer and teacher. Pastors also not only deal with themselves, the temptations of riches, young women, and the sins they struggle with, but they also have to deal with everyone else’s sins in their congregation.

God knows you. He knows you better than you know you. He has a purpose and a plan for you and your life. He has Spiritual Gifts for you. When He knows you are ready. We are not all going to have the same.

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gift of healing by the one Spirit, to another, the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another, the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

To understand it perhaps more clearly. Paul goes on to say it this way.

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-14

If everyone was an eye, who would hear? If everyone was an ear, who would speak? You get the point. If everyone went around healing, where would the teaching be? If everyone prophesied, where would the feeding be? The comforting be? We are all different with different abilities. Both natural and spiritual.

Natural talents come from individual abilities, while spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit.

Natural talents are for individual expression and fulfillment, while spiritual gifts are for building up the church and serving others.

Natural talents could include singing, writing, carpentry, or cooking. Spiritual gifts could include teaching, prophecy, healing, or serving.

If you want to be happy in life, find your abilities. Find your gifts. Do what you were literally created to do. Do what only you can do. Just be you. Be the child of God you are called to be.

Are you His child? Have you accepted His call? If you have not already done so, you need to ask Jesus into your life, then say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of our Lord Jesus, be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!

Book of Genesis, Chapter 50

 Chapter 50

1 Then Joseph fell on his father's face and wept over him and kissed him. 2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel. 3 Forty days were required for it, for that is how many are required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him seventy days.

4 And when the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph spoke to the household of Pharaoh, saying, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, please speak in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 5 ‘My father made me swear, saying, “I am about to die: in my tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there shall you bury me.” Now, therefore, let me please go up and bury my father. Then I will return.’” 6 And Pharaoh answered, “Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear.” 7 So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 8 as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father's household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. 9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen. It was a very great company. 10 When they came to the threshing floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they lamented there with a very great and grievous lamentation, and he made a mourning for his father seven days. 11 When the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning on the threshing floor of Atad, they said, “This is a grievous mourning by the Egyptians.” Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim; it is beyond the Jordan. 12 Thus his sons did for him as he had commanded them, 13 for his sons carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, to the east of Mamre, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 14 After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

God's Good Purposes

15 When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 17 ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

The Death of Joseph

22 So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father's house. Joseph lived 110 years. 23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. The children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were counted as Joseph's own. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25 Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26 So Joseph died, being 110 years old. They embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.