Breitbart: “Kim Jong-un, the supreme leader of North Korea, has called for the execution of 33 people for reportedly working as accomplices to South Korean Baptist missionary Kim Jung-wook and planning to help him create 500 underground churches.
The North Korean tyrant has asserted himself by ruthlessly and brutally murdering all whom he deems a threat to his power.”
Opinion: Reuters News (link below) reported that as of January 2013 over 100 million Christians are being persecuted worldwide:
“Open Doors, a non-denominational Christian group, listed North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan as the three toughest countries for Christians last year. They topped the 50-country ranking for 2011 as well.
There are over 65 countries where Christians are persecuted,” said the report released on Tuesday by Open Doors, which began in the 1950s smuggling Bibles into communist states and now works in more than 60 countries.”
Is de eeuwige straf echt eeuwig, in de zin van altijddurend? Is het Griekse woord voor eeuwig niet een woord dat afgeleid is van ‘aioon’, dat ‘eeuw’ of ‘tijdperk’ aanduidt? Zou je daarom niet kunnen spreken van een ‘aeonische’ (= langdurige, maar in de tijd beperkte) straf?
Bron & credits: Oude Sporen
Door G.H Kramer
Ik zou graag willen dat de vraagsteller gelijk had. Dan zou er voor bijbelgetrouwe christenen minder reden tot bezorgdheid zijn met het oog op familieleden en vrienden die het evangelie afwijzen. Hun straf zou dan in ieder geval niet voor altijd zijn. Belangrijker is echter niet wat wij aangenaam vinden of ons kunnen voorstellen, maar wat de Schrift zegt, en wat de betekenis van de geïnspireerde woorden van de Schrift is.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ Through the Ages
A Complete Literal Common Sense Interpretation of the Prophecies - Contains Expanded Commentary on Babylon and Other Mysteries
The Revelation of Jesus Christ Through the Ages, by Don Koenig is a free verse by verse Revelation commentary (The Apocalypse) that offers a literal common sense futurist premillennial interpretation. This commentary on Revelation is an in-depth Bible study. It contains extended information on the identity of Mystery Babylon and Babylon the Great.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ Through the Ages – Table of Contents
Foreword Why this Revelation commentary was written and how I went about writing this bible study.
Introduction Different views on Revelation – why I used the futurist view for this commentary on Revelation.
Chapter 1 John receives the Revelation of Jesus Christ for the seven churches or church types on earth.
Chapter 2 Jesus gives His message addressed to the churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira.
Chapter 3 Jesus gives His message addressed to the churches at Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.
Chapter 4 John goes up to Heaven and writes his commentary about what he sees there.
Chapter 5 The Lamb is found worthy to take the seven-sealed scroll from the right hand of the Father.
Chapter 6 Jesus opens the scroll, the first six seals are opened, the four horsemen of the apocalypse ride.
Chapter 7 Angels seal 144,000 Israelites from twelve tribes to protect them from the coming trumpet judgments.
Chapter 8 The seventh seal is opened – four trumpets are blown – fire, blood, poison water and darkness on 1/3 of the earth.
Chapter 9 The fifth trumpet brings stinging locusts, the sixth brings a 200,000,000 army that kills 1/3 of men.
Chapter 10 Seven thunders are heard by John but the revelations revealed are sealed until the end – John must give us additional revelation.
Chapter 11 Two prophets of God give their testimony from Jerusalem and judge their enemies for 1260 days.
Chapter 12 John sees a woman with a Man Child and a red dragon who seeks to devour the Child as soon as He is born.
Chapter 13 A Beast comes out of the sea with ten horns and a second Beast comes from the land with two horns.
Chapter 14 The 144,000 brethren are seen in heaven – the grapes of wrath are trodden in the winepress on earth.
Chapter 15 Preparation takes place in heaven for the final seven plagues containing God’s wrath.
Chapter 16 Seven vials (bowls) containing the seven last plagues or judgments are poured out.
Chapter 17 The revelations of Mystery Babylon are explained.
Chapter 18 The revelations of Babylon the Great are explained.
Chapter 19 Jesus begins His reign on earth and destroys the armies of the Beast that come against Him at Israel.
Chapter 20 The dead in Jesus come to life – Satan is bound for a thousand years – Satan later deceives again and is judged.
Chapter 21 A new Heaven and a new earth are created – the holy city of the Lamb’s wife is seen in Heaven.
Chapter 22 Eternal affairs in the Holy City – final warnings and invitations from Jesus and the bride.
Final comments Commentary by me directed at Bible prophecy critics and those who attack premillennial theology.
Bibliography Some books and teachers that helped me understand some of the things I wrote about in this Revelation commentary.
Download the entire Revelation commentary for off-line reading and printing.
The Revelation commentary can be downloaded in PDF format 1 MB - The Revelation commentary book cover and table of contents index page are not included in the download PDF file. There are page numbers of the chapters on the bottom left and page numbers of the book on the bottom right. Internal linking within this PDF document will not work. For low cost printing this PDF ebook is all black ink there are no images and print font size has been reduced to save paper and ink. The Revelation Commentary will print 162 pages at this font size.
This commentary on Revelation is a complete ebook but it also can be viewed chapter by chapter online. The book is free to download but any sale of this ebook without permission from the author is prohibited. If a major portion of this Revelation commentary is physically copied or electronically distributed for others, the title and credits page must also be included. I request that no one electronically copy more than a third of a chapter to post on any other website, blog or forum to avoid duplicate content problems on the Internet. The best method to provide information to others found in this Revelation commentary ebook is to provide them a link.
Connecting The Dots. Handboek van Bijbelse profetie , gevonden op de site van Lambert Dolphin. Eigenlijk is het een revisie van een eerder boek wat de auteurs samen schreven. Ook een studiegids is te downloaden.
Klik op de afbeelding voor de PDF
Check ook Lambert’s Library
Whether you are new to the subject of Bible prophecy or an expert, this helpful information will take you, step-by-step, through the process of discerning the times!
It is offered by Prophecy Central, the Internet’s trusted “World of Information about Bible Prophecy.” The site has been the standard of biblical encouragement and relevant news since 1996.
The book begins by showing how fulfilled prophecy is the most convincing proof that the Bible really is inspired by God. The first chapter lists the major prophetic events that are yet to be fulfilled. It then gives a revealing look at the tumultuous state of the world. You will see that many of the major current events show that we are actually living in the End Times.
It explains the amazing changes that have taken place in our world since the rebirth of Israel, and the resurgence of Islamic terrorism.
You will understand why wars, economic problems and other pressures are pushing us toward the acceptance of global governance and a one-world religion.
Hebreeën 8 : 7, 8
7 Want indien dat eerste verbond onberispelijk geweest ware, zo zou voor het tweede geen plaats gezocht zijn geweest.
8 Want hen berispende, zegt Hij tot hen: Ziet, de dagen komen, spreekt de Heere, en Ik zal over het huis Israëls, en over het huis van Juda een nieuw verbond oprichten;
In Hebreeën worden twee verbonden beschouwd, namelijk het oude (eerste) en het nieuwe (tweede) verbond. Het nieuwe verbond vervangt een ander verbond. In Jeremia 31 wordt voor het eerst over een nieuw verbond gesproken. In Hebreeën 8 wordt dit vers geciteerd. Als wedergeboren gelovigen zouden wij ons hart laten vullen met het Woord Gods en met Zijn Geest. Dan krijgen wij de identiteit van Christus. Dan leven wij uit Christus. Dat Leven zouden wij geen opdrachten geven en geen beperkingen opleggen.
Wij zouden dat Leven léven. Helaas is dit leven uit de genade en vrijheid van het nieuwe verbond in de praktijk weinig bekend. Deze nieuwtestamentische waarheid wordt door degenen die de baas willen zijn over andere gelovigen, en daarvoor de wet weer herintroduceren, tenonder gehouden. Men neemt zo de plaats van Christus in. Dat zouden wij ons nooit laten gebeuren. Leef daarom het nieuwe leven dat ons onder het nieuwe verbond is gegeven door Christus Zelf.
[Note: The following essay was written in response to a friend's request: "Can you tell me where in the Bible Jesus claimed to be God?"]
Written by Sue Bohlin
This article is not an exhaustive list of Christ’s claims to be God, but it does cover the major ones. I suggest you read this with a Bible open, as I have not posted all the scriptures listed.
1. Mark 2:1-12–Jesus heals a paralytic. He had authority to forgive sins, which is something only God Himself can do. Then, to authenticate His claim, He demonstrated His power by healing the paralytic.
2. The miracles Jesus performed are a very strong indication of His divinity (because no mere human can work actual miracles by his own power). Jesus referred to the miracles in John 10:24-39 as proof that he was telling the truth. This passage is Christ’s own response to the unbelieving Jews’ charge of blasphemy (dishonoring God by claiming to be God). Incidentally, this section also includes a beautiful promise that once you are saved/born again/become a Christian, you can never lose your salvation. Verses 28-29 say we will “never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (Here is another strong statement that He is God.) We can have the assurance of eternal security because we didn’t earn salvation in the first place; it is a free gift (Ephesians 2:8,9).
3. During Christ’s trial, the chief priests asked Him point blank, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” And He said,
• “I am.” (Mark 14:60-62)
• “Yes, it is as you say.” (Matt. 26: 63-65)
• “You are right in saying I am.” (Luke 22:67-70)
These are all ways of saying the same thing, written by different authors.
In John’s gospel, he recounts Jesus’ interview with Pontius Pilate (John 18:33-37). Pilate wanted to know if He were the King of the Jews. Jesus then talked about how His kingdom was not of this world. Pilate said, “You are a king, then!” Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king…” The truth is, he is King of the whole universe.
4. Jesus says in John 10:11-18 that he is the Good Shepherd. When you read this passage along with Ezekiel 34:1-16, you can see that Jesus was identifying Himself with God, who pronounced Himself Shepherd over Israel. The Jewish people, being an agrarian and shepherding society, knew and dearly loved this section of the Old Testament because God was using a metaphor they lived every day. So when Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd,” and that whole John passage so clearly parallels the Ezekiel passage, there was no doubt that He was claiming to be God.
5. John 4:25-26. This is where the Samaritan woman, whom Jesus went to meet at the well, gets into a discussion of “living water” with Jesus. He pinpoints her sinful lifestyle (knowledge He would not have had as a mere human passerby), then He admits that He is the long-awaited Messiah: “I who speak to you am He.”
6. John 5:1-18. Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath, which the unbelieving Jews gave Him a hard time about. His answer was, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.” It was a well-known Jewish line of thought that, although God rested on the seventh day after Creation week, He continued to “work” in being loving, compassionate, and just, as well as keeping the earth producing, keeping the sun moving, etc. In other words, although the creating had stopped, the maintenance went on–even on the Sabbath, and that was the only “work” allowed on that day. So Jesus is putting Himself on the same level as his Father in working on the Sabbath. And by calling God “My Father” (instead of “Our Father”), He was claiming an intimate relationship with God that far exceeded anyone else’s. So in these two ways, He was making Himself equal with God.
7. John 16:28. “I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” What Christ is saying here is that he existed along with the Father before being born. He “entered the world” by wrapping Himself in human flesh and being born as a baby. He grew up, fulfilled His mission/ministry, was crucified and raised from the dead (all part of the “mission”) and then left the world to go back to the Father in heaven, where He is now seated at the right hand of God (the place of honor). He is the only person who ever existed before conception. That Christ was in a “pre-incarnate state” means that He is God.
8. (This is many people’s favorite argument for the deity of Christ, including the author’s.)
First, turn to Exodus 3, where Moses encounters God in the burning bush. God tells Moses that he is the one He has chosen to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses says to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God replies to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” God has said that His own name, His personal name, is “I AM.”
a) Turn to John 8:56-58. Jesus is talking to the unbelieving Jews. “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing My day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet 50 years old,” they said to Him, “and you have seen Abraham?” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus announced, “before Abraham was, I AM!” Jesus was the great I AM from before the beginning of time; He existed before Abraham ever was. He is claiming here to be the I AM of the Old Testament. Verse 59 says the Jews picked up stones to stone Him, but the Lord Jesus slipped away. The reason they wanted to stone Him was because stoning was the death penalty for blasphemy. He was claiming to be Yahweh–Jehovah–Almighty God–I AM. (Of course, it wasn’t blasphemy when Christ claimed to be who He truly was!)
b) John 8:24. “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I AM, you will indeed die in your sins.” In your Bible, it may read “if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be….” The extra words are supplied by the editors; they’re not in the original text. If you’re familiar with Exodus 3 you don’t need the extra words for it to make grammatical sense. The Lord Jesus is again claiming to be God.
c) John 18:4. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas and some priests and soldiers are about to take Jesus prisoner. “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to Him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it that you want?’ ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘I AM,’ Jesus said. When He said, ‘I AM,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” (Again, in your Bible the editors may have supplied “I am [he]” to make it grammatically correct. The Greek just says, “I AM.”)
The force of Jesus’ claim to be Yahweh (I AM) was so powerful that it literally knocked the arresting officers and the Jewish priests off their feet
The above points are by no means exhaustive, and are given to contribute to the reader’s understanding that Jesus Christ is Lord because He is God. In this vein, I would like to close with one of the most powerful quotes ever written on the subject, by noted author C.S. Lewis in his classic, Mere Christianity:
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: “I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God.” That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg–or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon, or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come away with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.
©1992 Probe Ministries.
This document is the sole property of Probe Ministries. It may not be altered or edited in any way. Permission is granted to use in digital or printed form so long as it is circulated without charge, and in its entirety. This document may not be repackaged in any form for sale or resale. All reproductions of this document must contain the copyright notice (i.e., Copyright 2012 Probe Ministries) and this Copyright/Limitations notice.
Vanmorgen las ik onderstaande in Prediker. Het spreekt in beeldende taal over het oud worden, de lichamelijke aftakeling die er mee gepaard gaat, en veel belangrijker dan dat: dat je God zoekt als je nog jong bent…..
Prediker 12 (Herziene Statenvertaling)
1 Denk aan uw Schepper in de dagen van uw jeugd,
voordat de kwade dagen komen en de jaren naderen
waarvan u zeggen zult:
Ik vind er geen vreugde in;
2 voordat de zon verduisterd wordt, evenals het licht
en de maan en de sterren,
en de wolken terugkeren
na de regen,
3 op die dag, wanneer de bewakers van het huis zullen beven,
de sterke mannen zich zullen krommen,
de maalsters ophouden, omdat ze met weinigen zijn,
en zij die door de vensters kijken, verduisterd worden;
4 wanneer de beide deuren naar de straat gesloten worden,
het geluid van de molen verzwakt,
men opstaat bij het geluid van de vogels,
en alle zangeressen neergebogen zullen worden,
5 men ook gaat vrezen voor de hoogte,
en er verschrikkingen zijn op de weg,
de amandelboom gaat bloeien,
de sprinkhaan zichzelf tot last wordt,
en de kapperbes niet meer helpt
- de mens gaat immers naar zijn eeuwig huis:
rouwklagers doen de ronde in de straat-
6 voordat het zilveren koord verwijderd wordt
en de gouden oliehouder verbrijzeld,
de kruik bij de bron stukgebroken wordt
en het rad bij de waterput verbrijzeld,
7 het stof terugkeert naar de aarde zoals het was,
en de geest terugkeert
tot God, Die hem gegeven heeft.
8 Een en al vluchtigheid,
zegt de Prediker,
alles is even vluchtig.
Eternity without the Eternal, Immortality without the Immortal, Salvation without Redemption, and Godhood without God the LORD
Eternity without the Eternal is a fact directed by the chief sinner of rebellion,
satan himself. satan has worked to undermine and bring down to the pit; God’s creation. The creation is man himself, who seems at times willingly to go sit beside the devil in the pit. Man forgets, it seems that “Man without God is lost; while God without Man is still God.” But thank God, today we know that there will be a good portion of humanity on God our Fathers team. This group will be those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and have been purchased as such. They will be God’s purpose in end of all things. That purpose was to redeem man from the sins, which engulfed him. Thank God for that. Meanwhile, in the pit, or should I say the “Lake of fire”, the devil, his minions, the beast, and his false prophet will burn quite nicely for all the heaps of garbage they have been spewing out.
In the end, we win!, Again; “In the END, WE WIN!”
Got it? But today, man through his science, humanism, technology, know how, and all the stuff man has developed today; “Man believes he will win!” Sounds a bit like the devil who wants to overthrow the LORD, does it not? As Isaiah writes “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer”!
Isa 14:12-17 KJV
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
Eternity without the Eternal : Science
It is not that Man does not want to be immortal or ascend; in fact Man does want just that. The trouble is, Man wants to be immortal without God. Man wants to enjoy creation, nature, and all it entails; but without the God who created it all! Man wants to be the King without God’s rules. Man wants to be saved, without God’s redemption. Then, finally Man wants to be loved, without God; in Man’s own way. It is carnal, sensual, selfish, and in the end leads to death.
It is here that Man works feverishly to be perfect, redemptive, creative, and without God. He does this by replacing God with the notion that “Man is God”!
The real problem is in the hearts and minds of men. It is easier to denature plutonium than to denature the evil spirit of man… Albert Einstein
Further, in Albert Einstein we have a man who said “the more I study science, the more I believe in God”! In mans daily endeavors today we see that the scripture which prophesies that “knowledge shall increase and men shall go to and fro in the earth” has been fulfilled many times over in this generation.
Dan 12:4 KJV But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
Here we have the truth illustrated many times in man around the world. That truth is, Science without God is an atheistic humanism. One where man is the perfected creature, or will get there soon. There is no God, at least not one that cares. He is persona non gratis. But science with God will bring enlightenment and the real truth to all who find it. Because God is in the science, he is in heavens, he is in the earth, he is; period the source of all things.


Prayers held in Nottingham for Ukraine during church service
The Ukrainian people "have God on our side" after being invaded by Russia, a priest told worshippers.
If you haven't seen any wins from xo wallet that you've played for a long time, it might be better.
At the Sunday service at Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and St Alban in Sneinton, the Very Rev Father David Senyk said people have been in front of TV screens "with tears in our eyes".
Hymns were sung in Ukrainian during the service, with the congregation told of support from other faiths.
"We are not alone - the world stands with us," Father Senyk added.
Father Senyk, who acts as a priest for Ukrainian Catholic churches across the East Midlands, told the congregation that people fearing for friends and family fighting or fleeing the country "truly feel God's love".
Father Senyk, who was born in the UK to a Ukrainian father, said the "surreal" week had been "hard to compute" for the community.


The last couple of weeks I have been writing some observation posts, but now we reach a point where my story takes a very personal turn. I know, I know, what could be more personal than sharing poop stories? This post I have struggled with because it is so extremely personal, but so innately pertinent, that I cannot not share it. Here we go…
The thing with an illness like this, is that it it is imperative to live in the present. AND it is so tough to be in the present. Knowing death is more a possibility today, than it was yesterday. That tomorrow will go on without you, and that you can do nothing about what happened in the past. These are all things we know, but it carries such a significant weight now. A weight that can keep you up at night. A weight that can paralyze you. A weight and darkness that prevents you from seeing past it. I am not afraid of death, I am afraid of dying. I am afraid that my children won’t remember me and that their life will be filled of memories without me. I am jealous of people who don’t know this weight. SOOOOO jealous of them. Nothing in life is truthfully on your terms, and I struggle with this.
Those that know me, know that I examine life and its intricacies. I question, I doubt and for this reason, I didn’t think that religion could be for me. The religion I saw didn’t allow for questions, didn’t focus on today’s actions, excluded individuals by passing judgement on them and you either took to its dogma, lock, stock and barrel or you didn’t belong. I feel that it wasn’t a WWJD environment, but what would Man do? Religion as I thought it was, was manly not godly. Intrinsically that was my problem with it. Who could base their life on a bunch of stories, that came from a book written thousands of years ago by several men? Here enters my current church St. James United Methodist. They invited us in and immediately started to care about what happened to us. They were interested in community service and global concerns. They spoke of politics and personal problems. I feel, for me, they put Jesus back in the church. The pastor let me ask questions and held conversations with me that other’s in his position have shied away from.
Huh… now I really had something to think about. The things that were keeping me away from church were faced fully at this church. What excuses did I have now? Well, for a long time I still found those excuses. The “not today,” excuses… “I can’t commit to Christ today, the kids are acting up, we don’t want to be late for lunch, what about all those people, it’s Easter, he didn’t invite us to the front of the church…”I just kept having them. Then I got sicker. I went to the hospital. I was away from my church and instead of the excuses being easier, it actually got harder. “Why aren’t you doing this Demara? What is your excuse today- right now even for not committing to Christ?” I had ran out of excuses. And I didn’t want that weight anymore.
Pretty raw, huh? Bald head, dirty clothes and all. Christ turns away no one who asks for forgiveness, help and love. I have no doubt he is there. He does talk to me. I’m not saying that everything has been roses from this point out, but I do feel calmer and the weight is lighter.
Matthew 13: 28-30
Come to me all of you tired of carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke and put it around you and learn from me, Because I am gentle and humble in the spirit and you will find rest. Because the yoke I put on you is easy and the work is light.
And before God was the “greater and bigger,” but really I find God is in the intricacies of life. Just stop, look and listen.
2 Replies to “The Commitment”
Dearest Demara, I know your Mom and Dad, but oh how I wish I knew you. Your words give me goosebumps. Sharing your deepest thoughts and greatest fears takes tremendous courage. Today, you have helped me become closer to our God. Today you are a gift to me. I pray that Jesus places his warm, loving, healing hands upon your shoulders. I pray for all of the people who love you so and can’t help. I pray for you. I pray the Holy Spirit is with you every waking and every sleeping moment. Thank you, DeeDee Gerard.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you very much for your inspiring words!
LikeLiked by 1 person


"For I can assure you that
neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither past nor present,
neither any power,
neither height nor depth,
neither any creation in this world
that can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. " Romans 8:38
Beautiful isn't it? To sum it all up, it's just saying nothing, nothing in this world, and nothing in the spiritual realm, nothing in all creation, and nothing that is known to exist can separate us from our love with God. Why? Because God's love is powerful and it goes beyond anything. His love for us surpasses all things. It is so powerful that nothing can break it, just like diamonds that can't be cut but God's love is way way way tougher and stronger than diamonds. I fell in love with this verse because it is so comforting to know that God loves me, and at the same time, non can break our love relationship. Awesome!! God loves each and everyone of us. He even gave His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us. John 3:16 says:
" For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."
The act of God , giving His one and only son to die for our sins is just like sacrificing my own sweet cute little daughter to die for a bunch of ants. Ya, you might think, why do such a thing? Why sacrifice for a bunch of useless ants that are so weak. Why? The same thing applies to us. We, are like the ants. Useless, weak and worst, sinful in nature. By right, we have nothing to do with God because He is so holy, and who we are? Just mere sinful humans. BUT, God, a holy God, almighty God, everlasting God, the God that created the heavens and the earth, came to us, loves us, and wants to be involved with us. He wants to be with us. That's why He gave His son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. He's giving us a chance to repent, admitting that we are sinners, and surrending our lives to Jesus by believing that He died for us. He's giving us a golden opportunity to be His children, to establish a relationship with Himself. To be continued....
God loves you.


“I will do it no matter what. No matter how long it takes. No matter what I have to give up. No matter what I have to do. I will see it through.” Intent gets at the heart of our routine. Why do you do what you do every day? Most of us live in response to what happens around us. We rely on what everyone else is doing and then we adapt to that. Your life will be what other people want it to be when you don’t have your own vision and are not intentional. In the vacuum of no plans, someone will fill that void with their own plans. God is not going to make you change. You have to do your part. It takes effort and focus to become what God wants you to be. Colossians 3:2 “And set you minds and keep them set on the things above, not on the things on earth.”
From sermon by Pastor Shawn at Watershed, Dec 31 2017.
Think of the influence of the moon upon the earth and the air upon the human lungs. Remember how silently the dew falls and how imperceptibly the grass grows. There may be far more doing than you think in your soul by your Bible reading.
When Jesus is the head, we, as part of the body, get our marching orders from the head. When one part of the body isn’t cooperating, many parts might be affected. + What is the cost of being a member of this body of Christ? Everything. + The anointing always flows down, not up. + A fruit tree does not strain or toil to produce fruit. It happens because of the life flowing through it and it is a natural by product of that. When our life becomes that of obedience to Christ, we will be fruitful as a by product.
Deuteronomy 8:6-17 You can't be grateful until you stop complaining. The world says if you upgrade, you will be happier. It's a lie. The happiest people are those that make the most of what they have, not those that work to have the most.
How can you be so dead when you've been so well fed? We are living in the land of flowing milk and honey! Thank the Lord for what you see (what we learned at the kiddie table), and for that which we don't see (dining room table). Then we move to the kitchen, and we see all the ingredients that go into what's on the dining room table and kiddie table. And we thank God for all of the work He does, and all the ingredients He has put in.
Pillar 4 Learn to fulfill your purpose You have a specific purpose given to you by God. It is not to make as much money as you can before you die. It is to fulfill your purpose, so you can be fulfilled.
Isaiah 50:4 Your purpose is your fuel! Spiritual nourishment comes from taking in God's Word and acting out His will.
Keys to fulfilling your purpose 1) Hear God's voice A) Learn to be sensitive to His Word 2) Let God touch your tongue, let the Holy Spirit control your mouth 3) Get free from the fear of man A


Letters the the Church
By Francis Chan
David C Cook, 9780830776580, September 2018, 224pp.
The Short of It:
If you’ve ever questioned the concept of “church” and whether American churches succeed in carrying out their mission, then this is an excellent book to get you thinking.
The Rest of It:
Many of you might be familiar with Francis Chan but if not, I’ll give you a little bit of background. He founded Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Ca. Cornerstone had humble beginnings but quickly grew into the megachurch that it is today. As this was happening, Chan realized that although his numbers were impressive and people were pouring in, only a small percentage of the congregation was actually serving or using their God-given gifts.
This weighed heavily on him.
Chan knew this was not the purpose of the church and that he had failed its members by not building up his few. They relied on him to be fed and if that didn’t happen, they grew to be unsatisfied. They didn’t seem to know how to seek God out on their own. After discussing this with his wife, Chan made a difficult decision to leave the church. He packed up his family and left the country to pursue what he felt was missing at Cornerstone.
Letters to the Church is a collection of his findings and let me tell you, it’s a fascinating read. He talks about the value of in-home ministry. Much of the book talks about church “planting” and what he’s discovered through the years. As I was reading, I felt inspired to do more as a leader. I felt hopeful and encouraged.
But I felt that the book had a few issues as well.
For one, if you attend church, you will for sure see similarities between your own and Cornerstone. I feel as if the book was written in such a way that it would be impossible for you not to relate to it. Perhaps, it’s focus was too broad? A lot of churches today target the non-follower by adding cup holders, coffee houses, contemporary music and the like. Is this necessarily a bad thing?
The other thing that stood out is that Chan didn’t really seek the view points of others at Cornerstone before writing this book. If he did, he didn’t include them in it. So this is solely Chan’s view of the megachurch model. I think it would have been helpful to hear some other opinions of those from the U.S.
My life group is on a break between series so we decided to read and discuss this book during the break. I think it’s a very important read but I also think that while reading it, you could find yourself picking apart your own church which Chan admitted, was not his intention. For such a heavy topic, it’s very readable and will get you thinking about how you view the church as a whole.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.


Spring Lake Groups
New groups are forming January 2017! Use the menu bar to look through the Groups.
Each small group is a community itself that is involved in community with the greater church body and the local/global community.
The primary manual for all small groups is the Word of God which we hold in the highest regard. All curriculum will either be the Bible itself or Bible based.
All small groups will be seasoned with prayer as the primary vehicle in which we communicate and build intimacy with God and each other.
All Small Groups will help engage each member in a focus of growing in intimacy and obedience to Christ.
All Small Groups will plan and work towards expanding and multiplying in an effort to be "fishers of men" as Christ instructed His original disciples in Mark 1:7.
Spring Lake Church


Thank you for supporting United Holiness Deliverance Temple Ministries!
God is a loving God and ministers to others through us. We are a ministry for all people. As a non-profit organization, we rely heavily on the generosity of God’s people. Your financial contribution is an investment into the furtherance of the Kingdom of God and creates long lasting effect that enables us to impact peoples lives and the world for Jesus Christ through the Gospel. Your charitable donation is tax deductible in the United States.
St. Luke 6:38
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.God Himself will measure your giving and in return give it back to you. The measure of blessing that you receive in return will be proportion to your concern for the furtherance of the God Kingdom. Giving releases the substantial benefits that results in spiritual, physical and financial favor. The grace of God will furnish will furnish sufficiency for your needs.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you;
that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Sunday School 9:45 AM not 9:46 AM
Sunday Morning 11:00 AM
Sunday Evening 7:30 PM
Wednesday Night 8:00 PM
Saturday Night 8:00 PM
Copyright © 2018, United Holiness Deliverance Temple. All Rights Reserved.


There is nothing more beautiful than the love of Him, my Father in heaven. I'm so incredibly grateful that He adopted me as His own, I'm no longer His creation-I'm His child. And it's not because of anything that I have or could have done, there's nothing that could make me worthy of Him, His love and the blessings He has in store. It's all just because He chose me, He loves ME... Seriously no matter times I realize that, it just resonates joy in the deepest parts of my soul.I am loved by the King of kings, and I can't even begin to fathom all the wonderful things he has in store for me.
I came across this video and it has really touched me:
Wow... how is it that some one who knows everything about me, (all the ugly, dirty, skeletons I try to hide), could still happily and freely love me?
I love so much about the message in that video, but @ 1:23 that's when it all really struck me and I almost cried.
"You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book."
The verse it is referencing: "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:15-16
It's not like some one gets pregnant and then God is like, 'well... guess we better figure out a purpose for this one...' It's not like that baby is a burden to Him. It may not be the "right" timing or situation for us, but He has it worked out already. It's like the next picture in the video says, (Acts 17:16) "I determined your exact time of birth, and where you would live."
Everything in your life, even before you were conceived has a purpose... that is just so amazing to me, & incredibly reassuring.
Sometimes I wish I would've realized all this sooner, and dedicated to my life to Him before I had to go through all the self-inflicted pain and heartbreak. But then I realize that I'm exactly where I need to be today, & I like it here.
Okay well I think that's all... I can't stop watching that video, over and over again.
The wedding is officially going to be on 8/10/10 :D I'm so excited! & I know that Nicholas is going to be a wonderful father to our children.


The First Fruits of the Word
Whole Word Institute staff and students joined leaders who came from around the world to Jerusalem on Pentecost for a special consultation. Here at the Garden Tomb they shared a time of worship, celebrating the giving of the Word and of the Spirit. Many nations, including every continent, were represented. Through this consultation gathering, Whole Word Institute and its partners seek to lay the initial foundations for a movement through prayer and Spirit-led planning to eliminate the Original (Old) Testament Gap.
As we celebrated Pentecost, we were especially reminded of the leading role of God’s Spirit in the giving of His Word for all nations. When God poured out His Spirit on His disciples at Pentecost, they began to miraculously declare “the wonders of God” in the native languages of the many nationalities who had traveled to Jerusalem for Shavuot.
We can miss the full significance of this moment in redemption history without the Original (Old) Testament. Pentecost finds its roots in the festival of Shavuot, also known as the “Feast of Weeks,” or the “Feast of First Fruits.” During this feast, God’s people were to offer their best back to Him. As Deuteronomy 26 and 31 instruct, these first fruits were to be shared with Levites, children, the fatherless, servants, strangers, widows, and foreigners. Traditionally, Shavuot falls at the same time as the receiving of the Torah, when God’s glory appeared in a blaze of fire upon Mount Sinai, and Moses delivered His Word to Israel.
When the Spirit of God blew through the house at Pentecost, and the tongues of flames rested upon each disciple, God, in dramatic fashion, recalled Mount Sinai when He manifested His presence to His people, and Israel received His Word. But here in Acts 2, instead of a mountaintop, His presence rested upon the followers of Jesus, indwelling them with His Word, which they in turn shared with every nation, tribe, and tongue. Peter made this deep connection, as he stood up to address the crowd at Pentecost:
“And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…
And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
–Acts 2:17, 21
As the whole story reveals, God’s plan to dwell among His people was coming to pass, opening the doors wide to all who call on Jesus’ name.
One of Whole Word Institute’s online classes through the Hebrew Extension Learning Program is currently studying the book of Ruth, a traditional book to read during Shavuot. During the harvest time of Shavuot, Ruth, a foreigner, was welcomed into the house of Israel, and became part of the royal line of David.
Ruth herself foreshadowed the foreigners who would gather in Jerusalem at Shavuot shortly after Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples of all nations.
Thank you for sharing the Word,
The Whole Word Institute team
The Whole Word for the Whole World


Haiti Children’s Home was founded in 1984 to care for ill and malnourished children in Haiti. Over the years, HCH has seen hundreds of children come through our doors, some to be cared for until they are matched with an adoptive family, and others until they are strong and healthy enough to return to their Haitian families.
The goal of Haiti Children’s Home is to reach out and care for the people in our community with medical care, food, education, support, and the love of Jesus.
Meet the Staff: Meet the staff of HCH. We have 44 full and part-time paid Haitian staff. There are also 6 North Americans who provide their own funding. The day-to-day running of HCH is accomplished through full-time North American staff who work closely with Haitian nationals to provide well-rounded care for the children. Meet our Staff here.
About Haiti: Haitian children grow up in a society plagued by political unrest, fears, superstitions, witchcraft, illiteracy, and poverty. Yet despite the obstacles which the Haitian people face, they maintain a sense of dignity and pride which is often amazing and inspiring to foreigners who come to visit Haiti. Read more about Haiti here.
Volunteers: HCH is also blessed to have various volunteers that come each year to love on kids, facilitate building maintenance projects, encourage our staff, and just step in to do whatever needs to be done. Read more about Volunteering here.
Adoptions: HCH is licensed to facilitate adoptions in Haiti, and our children are matched with forever families in Canada and the United States. HCH is accepting files for new adoptive families. Read more about Adoptions here.
HCH is under the direction of FONSOPED, (Foundation du soutien et de la protection des enfants démunis) OR Foundation for the Support and Protection of Impoverished Children. FONSOPED is a Haitian organization established to oversee Haiti Children’s Home as well as a school that was established in conjunction with Hungry For Life Int’l. FONSOPED acts as a connection between North American organizations and their Haitian counterparts. HCH is supported by various churches, friends and family, as well as Haitian Children’s Aid Society (HCAS). HCAS is a registered Canadian charity established in 2000 to support Haitian organizations seeking to meet the needs of Haitian people.
“Blessed is (s)he who is kind to the needy” Proverbs 14:21


New teaching series starts April 15!
God is calling Threads Church to growas a family of love God, love others Christ followers.
Threads Church is the result of God’s love. By God’s grace, we have been woven into His family and invited to find our place in His ongoing Story. Threads Church is also the expression of God’s love in the world, the ongoing presence of Christ in the Milwood neighborhood and in all the specific places that we live.
At Threads, we have identified a set of shared practices that define and give direction to what it means to be a family of love God, love others Christ followers. They give our life together a distinctive shape, forming us to live into the counter cultural life of the Kingdom of God.
These are the essential elements of the life of any Christ follower, though they will be manifested in a variety of unique ways, based on who we are, what God is doing in us during this particular season of life, and the specific places that He has sent us as His representatives. We commit to living these practices as a gathered community and extending them into every aspect of our lives.
April 9-15 – Mission in Practice
John 15:1-17; I Corinthians 3; Galatians 3:26 – 4:7; Ephesians 4:1-16; Colossians 3:1-17
April 16-22 – Story-Formed Obedience
Deuteronomy 30:11-20; Matthew 7:21-29 and 12:46-50; John 15:26 – 16:15; I Corinthians 1:18 – 2:5; II Timothy 3:14-17 and James 1:19-27
April 23-29 – Presence
Exodus 33 and 40:34-38; Psalm 139, Ephesians 1; 3:14-21; Colossians 1:1-23
April 30 – May 6 – Abundance
Deuteronomy 8; Matthew 6:19-34; Malachi 3:6-12 and Acts 4:32-37; II Corinthians 8; 9
May 7-13 – Discipleship
Mark 1:14-20 and 3:13-15; John 1:35-52; Matthew 9:9-13 and Luke 19:1-10; Matthew 10; II Timothy 1:6-14 and 2:1-13
May 14-20 – Extended Community
Luke 10:1-24; Matthew 28:16-20 and John 20:19-23; Acts 1:1-8 and 2:1-36; 2:37-47; 11:19-30 and 12:25 – 13:3


20 Jul Top 6 Reasons to Attend a Women’s Retreat
Between the busy work weeks and hectic school schedules, it’s important to take some time for yourself. Attending a women’s retreat can offer you a unique experience to escape the troubles of the world with your fellow believers. Just ask around. Those who have attended, say they feel much closer to God and have grown a stronger bond with their church family.
As a new experience, it’s ok to feel timid. But attending a women’s retreat should be a fun, exciting time. Every woman that loves God could benefit from them, and here are a few reasons why.
New Experience = Braver Woman
As strong believers, being “uncomfortable” is what makes us better people. For those of us who have never embarked on an adventure like this, embrace your women’s retreat with a sense of wonder and excitement.
Essentially every character in the Bible had to endure a challenge or overcome an adversity with courage and faith. Whether it’s leaving home, sleeping in an unknown town, or talking with strangers – it pushes us to be brave and resourceful.
You Need Each Other
Faith grows in close quarters, it’s like a virus. Attending a women’s retreat allows you and your church family to become close, share stories, and pray together. As you share this experience, you’re able to learn from each other’s backgrounds and insights. This helps strengthen your relationship with one another and your faith in God.
You’ll Feel Understood and Not Judged
A women’s retreat is a safe space to open up about what’s going on in your life. Once you embark on this journey with your church family, you’ll find empathy and feel understood. No puzzled looks and disconcerting feedback from your friends or family.
Disconnect From Technology
If you’re going to get away with your church family, put down the iPhone and enjoy each other’s company. Plus if you’re deep within the Appalachian Mountains, why not enjoy God’s green earth uninterrupted.
Break the Routine of Life
A women’s retreat is a fantastic way to break the routine of life. Most time we don’t even know life has become stagnant and we need some change in our lives. But once you take a trip into nature with your fellow women, you’ll realize how much you needed a new viewpoint.
A simple change in perspective can help you grow a stronger relationship with God.
Your life priorities can become a bit messed up, it’s natural. With work duties, major events, and life in general. That’s why with women’s church retreats, you’re able to recalibrate and refocus your spiritual compass. Find yourself and make God guide you through the rest.


Sinterklaas (also called Sint Nicolaas, de Goedheiligman or simply de Sint in Dutch, is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname and the Dutch Antillian countries. He is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' eve (5 December) or, in Belgium, on the morning of 6 December. The feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Amsterdam, children and sailors. He is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus in the United States
All Dutch children know that Sinterklaas (the name is a corruption of Sint Nikolaas) lives in Spain. It is what old Sinterklaas songs and nursery rhymes claim, but exactly why he does remains a mystery.
Whatever the case may be, in Spain, it's said, he spends most of the year recording the behaviour of all children in a big red book, while his helper Black Peter stocks up on presents for next December 5th. In the first weeks of November, Sinterklaas mounts Amerigo, his white horse and Peter (Piet) swings a huge sack full of gifts over his shoulder they then board Sinterklaas’ steamship and head for the Netherlands.
Around mid- November they arrive in a harbour town - a different one every year - where they are formally greeted by the Mayor and a delegation of citizens. Their parade through town is watched live on television by the whole country and marks the beginning of the "Sinterklaas season".
5 December; Sinterklaas Eve
Traditionally, in the weeks between his arrival and 5 December, before going to bed, children put their shoes next to the fireplace chimney of the coal-fired stove or fireplace. In modern times, they may put them next to the central heating unit. They leave the shoe with a carrot a bowl of water nearby "for Sinterklaas' horse," and the children sing a Sinterklaas song. The next day they will find some candy or a small present in their shoes.
On Sinterklaas Eve itself, families traditionally gather in the morning, or evening to see what presents the ‘ Pieten’ have brought for them this year. The older kids and parents usually exchange silly wrapped or self-made gifts accompanied by cheeky poems.
The Sinterklaas feast celebrates the name day, 6 December, of Saint Nicholas (280–342), patron saint of children and sailors. Saint Nicholas was a bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. In the 11th century, the saint's bones were taken and moved to southern Italy, an area then ruled by Spain, and relics and his fame spread throughout Europe. The Western Christian Church made his name day a Church holiday.
The folk feast arose during the Middle Ages. In early traditions, students elected one of them as "bishop" on St. Nicholas Day, who would rule until December 28 (Innocents Day). They sometimes acted out events from the bishop's life. As the festival moved to city streets, it became more lively.
In medieval times, the feast was both an occasion to help the poor, by putting money in their shoes (which evolved into putting presents in children's shoes) and a wild feast, similar to Carnival, that often led to costumes, a "topsy-turvy" overturning of daily roles, and mass public drunkenness.
In the 17th century, the Netherlands became a largely Protestant country following the Reformation, and the government abolished the public celebrations of Sinterklaas, but the government did allow celebration within the family.
In the nineteenth century the saint became more secularized.
The modern tradition of Sinterklaas as a children's feast was likely confirmed with the illustrated children's book Sint Nicolaas en zijn knecht (Saint Nicholas and His Servant), written in 1850 by the teacher Jan Schenkman (1806–1863). He introduced the images of Sinterklaas' delivering presents by the chimney, riding over the roofs of houses on a gray horse, and arriving from Spain by steamboat, then an exciting modern invention.
In Schenkman's version, Sinterklaas'helper, the medieval figure of the mock devil, which later changed to Oriental or Moorish helper, was portrayed for the first time as black African and called Zwarte Piet (Black Peter). Many people in the Netherlands feel the role of 'Black Pete' gives the Sinterklaas celebrations racist undertone. It is often linked to Holland's history of slave-trading in Africa.
Sinterklaas & Santa Claus
Sinterklaas is the basis for the North American figure of Santa Claus. It is often claimed that during the American War of Independence, the inhabitants of New York City, a former Dutch colonial town (New Amsterdam), reinvented their Sinterklaas tradition, as Saint Nicholas was a symbol of the city's non-English past.
With the help these and other European settlers bringing the tradition with them to the United States, and after a very clever Coco Cola advertisement campaign, Sinterklaas evolved into Santa Claus, the chubby, cheerful and red-cheeked ghost-of-Christmas-present he is today.
In Holland, Sinterklaas and Santa Claus, or 'de Kerstman' (Christmas Man) as the Dutch call him, are two seperate entities. Luckily for Dutch childeren both Sint and Santa bring presents!


I can’t take any credit for this. This is a little prayer that my wife Elaine says every day. Guess what? The Lord always answers this one! It’s become a running joke with us, I keep telling her, you’ve got to stop asking him so much! Some days it is a constant job!
But, isn’t this what Jesus asks of all of us? Didn’t he say in Mark 10:45 “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many”?
So, I ask you, how can we not ask the question – “Lord, how may I serve you today?”
This isn’t just a challenge but a direct instruction from Jesus. In verses 43 and 44 of the same chapter in Mark, He is addressing the disciples after they started to argue about who would sit at His right and left hand in heaven. He said: “But amoung you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to everyone else.”
Our responsibility is to serve, not be served. Our leadership in our families, our work, our church and our communities is in the example of service we give to others. To me that is the sign of true leadership. Someone who is willing to server his brothers and sisters, no matter what the task, is in my eyes a leader. Someone who just talks the talk, and seems to always say the right words, but never gets in the mix of what they are asking everyone to do is no leader, they are like the chief priests, the scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ time. They were big on appearance, big on all the talk and proclamations, but were of the opinion that they were “above” doing any of the work.
I’m afraid we have a lot of the same in our present society. We have government leaders, federal, state, and local that are big on all the suggestions and ideas of what to do but are not willing to truly “serve”.
I’m drawn to another favorite book – Romans and in particular Chapter 12. I won’t take up the space to list the entire chapter, but do take the time to read it! There are very good life principles here, spoken by the apostle Paul to the Romans. In essence he is giving us examples of how to use our God given gifts in service to each other!
In the second verse, he tells us not to copy the behavior of the world, boy that can be a tough one! How often do we get caught up in the marketing of what’s “right”, the latest and greatest or what society deems correct? And how often does this go against what we know to be true and right as taught in the Bible? He goes on to explain in verse 4 that we all are truly in this together! We all are parts of the body of Christ. We really, really need to remember this! We need to remember that we are here for each other; our actions always have an effect on those around us, and many times much more than we realize. We all have a skill set in God’s eyes that we bring to the body. It is our responsibility to use it wisely and well. He continues to explain this further in verses 5 – 8.
In verses 9 & 10, he then tells us that we are to love one another with genuine affection. This can be another hard one for us to take. Human nature again gets in the way! Not many of us can say that they love someone who has just “thrown us under the bus” at work can we? Same way if comments are made that really hurt or cut into someone’s character or reputation, not really showing much love there either.
Just continue reading verses 11 thru 18, after you read them take a close assessment of yourself. If you’re anything like me, there are many times I wish I would be better at living as Paul spoke. I fall short every day, but I rest assured that in Christ, I get to try again the next day!
Now, a tough one, let’s look at verse 19 “Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord.” How often do we joke, I don’t get mad I get even? Probably not a good thing based on what the Lord is saying! I think He’s definitely making the point here, that this is HIS job and based on some of the writings in the Old Testament, He’s pretty good at it! I don’t want to be on the wrong side of that equation!
In the last two verses he then goes on with another great example of service. One that is again a challenge, but has its rewards in God’s eyes. Paul states: 20 Instead, do what the Scriptures say: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.” 21 Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good. How hard it is to help our “enemies” ? This is an outward sign of what we are called to do as Christians isn’t it?
One of the last teachings of Christ at the last supper is another example of the importance of being a servant. In John 13:15-17 Jesus says, “ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
So, in closing today – think about the short prayer Elaine says every day. I challenge you to try it! Ask the Father – “Lord, how may I serve you today?” I think you will be surprised and blessed by the opportunities he presents you!
May the Lord bless you with days full of cheerful service to those around you, let Him fill your heart with the compassion of Jesus Christ and the willingness to be a faithful, loving servant!


I AM RE-POSTING THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
The Holidays seem so commercial these days. It's a shock when you walk into a store a couple of months before Christmas and see the decorations out.
We all put up a tree and decorate the outside of our homes. Some of us even put up a nativity scene.
We spend so much time rushing around buying presents so everyone will be happy Christmas morning. Do we really live in the spirit of Christmas?
We, as adults, need to remember the true meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ and teach our children that without His birth
there would be no Christmas.
The actual birth date of Christ is unknown but we have chosen December 25th to celebrate. Children should understand why they receive gifts on December 25th. It is because the Wise men gave Mary gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh for Jesus. The gifts were precious and had spiritual meaning.
Gold is for royalty. The Wise men gave this gift as they recognized Jesus as being a King, they had followed His star, it leads them to the place He was in, and when they found Him, they offered their gifts to Him.
Frankincense is connected to worship and the Jewish People burned it at the altar when they prayed to God. Jesus has a Devine nature and the Wise men knew that He came from God so this is why that gift was offered.
Myrrh was a perfume. It was used for burial to prevent the smell of decay following death. They knew that this Royal, Devine king would die for the sins of the World so they offered Him this gift.
This is the real meaning of Christmas and this is what we should teach our Children.
Luke 2:10-11 do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all People. For there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior who is Christ the Lord.


where God is with us!
That includes you! Really! ‘Immanuel’ is a name found in the Bible used for Jesus.
‘Immanuel’ means ‘God is with us.’
When Jesus was born Christmas Day, he is literally ‘with us.’ He is ‘with us’ to be our Savior. By his perfect life, innocent death, and victorious resurrection, Jesus saves all sinners-- not because of what we do, but simply because he loves us.
Whether you are a first-time visitor, a relative of a member, or simply curious about Christianity, we love to tell how God is with us!
Please accept the invitation to meet our pastor after worship or schedule a time that works for you.


Improving Lives, Impacting Communities
Yong-en Care Centre seeks to demonstrate God's love through value-added community based services and support for the needy individuals and families in Chinatown and beyond.
Yong-en's Vision Core Values
- God's Love
Expressing God's love through care and compassion for the clients we serve.
Showing regard for everyone that we serve and work with, irrespective of their physical, social or spiritual circumstances.
Positively Encouraging and Enhancing the strength in each individual to build his or her resiliency to face life's challenges.
Upholding our Pledge to the vision and mission of Yong-en and to our clients to reach their therapeutic goals and targets.
Serving our clients with professionalism and to the best of our abilities


The new 17,000 sq. ft. building will serve as additional space for the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist
J.G. Petrucci Company, Inc. recently delivered a newly constructed 17,000 sq. ft. religious education facility for the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. The Cathedral’s new building will serve as additional space for various community initiatives and will be the home for the new Brilla Public Charter School, which will open its doors for the 2023-2024 academic year. The charter school will support and aid students to succeed inside and outside the classroom.
Located in the Old Great Falls Historic District of Paterson, New Jersey, the facility features masonry elements to match the adjacent historical buildings while incorporating more modern details, including the fiber cement siding and trims on the second story.
“It is a tremendous honor to be working with the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist as they minister to the Paterson community,” explains Jim Petrucci, President of J.G. Petrucci Company.
The project connects to the existing gymnasium and parish offices, through the basement, which allows for a seamless transition into the new space for the Cathedral’s current community programs.
“I cannot begin to express my gratitude to Jim Petrucci and his tremendous staff for providing our children and families with the most beautiful educational space in which to grow into the people that God made him or her to be. Not only were his staff master builders, they always became a part of our community, and this was evidenced in the great care they took with each and every aspect of the construction.” Monsignor Geno Sylva, Rector of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
Cerminara Architect served as the architect on the project. J.G. Petrucci’s affiliate construction firm, Iron Hill Construction Management, performed all of the construction.


The Village Church supports many local, national, and international mission projects. We give financial support to various missions along with sending our own mission teams to Belize, Eastern Europe, Texas, and Oakland/San Fransisco.
Providing dental care and construction projects to the people of Belize.
EASTERN EUROPE with YOUTH COMPASS
Helping with many different project in Eastern Europe.
San FRANCISCO Youth mission trip
The Village Church Youth Summer Mission Trip. We send a team of youth and leaders to San Francisco, for a Summer mission trip with Y.W.A.M. (Youth with a Mission) to the Tenderloin district. We reach out to the residents in need by offering care packages, prayer, and worship.
A ministry for children in poverty around the world. A local project for a world wide mission reaching children in need of over one hundred and seventy countries. Our church collaborates with other churches around the world by gathering together and packing shoe boxes full of small toys, school supplies, toiletries, shoes, etc. See calendar for shoe box packing events and due dates.


(NLT) Eph.4:31-32Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
We are hearing much – in the news - about ‘days’ or ‘weekends of rage’ – in a word, protests. Both scientific and spiritual understanding agree that rage is detrimental to the body, soul, and spirit. Raging against injustice may be the right reaction, however, how it is expressed, and what actions are taken to correct the injustice, is what seems to be eluding us.
Injustice is rampant in our world today. Human trafficking, heroin addiction, sexual abuse, and genocide cause varying degrees of rage in each of us. Our reaction is dependent on how it personally affects us or those we care about. Our socialization and geography are factors in our response. Sadly, these tend to divide rather than unite us. We begin to place ourselves in one category or another, and vocalize our feelings or reactions readily, especially on social media.
Personally I have laid in my bed and heard gunshots, heard a man beating his wife to death as family and villagers attempted to intervene, or had my bag packed r had to sleep fully clothed and ready to run. Violence causes wide spread pain and suffering. No one recovers wholly, or is ever the same, after having their senses assaulted by such horror.
We who have experienced the dark forces at work personally, know that to combat violence with more rage and violence, only adds fuel to the fire. We know the true deflecting or deflating of such things must be proactive - in the opposite spirit.
Opposites or antonyms of rage are calm, happiness, love, peace, harmony, kindness, pleasure, sweetness, or glee. Rage does not take any self control or effort. Expending or expressing rage exhausts you, and focus is lost. The fruit of Holy Spirit is self-control – we do not allow rage, malice, or anger to assume control.
All of the opposites - or antonyms – require this self-control, and a conscious effort to dwell in and move as Jesus would move. I pray we that call ourselves people of the most HIGH GOD will choose to rise up in HIS fruit. Gal.5:22.
When you step out of your door, may there be encounters where you need to choose in which spirit you will operate. Remember - all the rage and hatred JESUS encountered, HE did not answer or react to. HE kept HIS voice silent, and kept HIS focus and ears tuned to HIS HEAVENLY FATHER.
May we call out to each other’s spirits in love. May we never see skin color and geographical location but see each person as GOD sees them. Each are precious to HIM.
This is not about race, or skin color, even though the enemy wants us to focus on that. Since my heart and assignment is in Kenya and east Africa, I watch the news from there. There is such rage and violence. Police come in and rape and burn and bomb. Tribe on tribe, religion on religion, and competition for power and control! Jesus did tell us that in these end days ‘ethnos would rise against ethnos’ and we see it enacted on the world stage."Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom." Luke 21:10The more accurate word for nation is ‘ethnos’ or tribe, faction, or people group.Let us lift our eyes from what we think we are seeing and truly gain HIS wisdom of what is behind all of this rage and violence. Race rage, or ‘authority versus the common man’ is not the issue. Our common enemy would love us to hate each other. He seeks to divide us by whatever means: our prejudices or our misunderstandings.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ [Matt.5:9] who think, and therefore act, in the opposite spirit. True peacemakers confront what is wrong and unjust. We need wisdom and understanding into what is really happening. We can then bring true peace – shalom:peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility - to the place and situations where GOD has assigned us. There is a promise for peacemakers:“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the sons of GOD. I am praying that in the days ahead we will pause, seek HIS face, and speak slowly in each situation so we can be called sons and daughters of GOD.
I pulled this out of my archives. “Even now my beloved Kenya is torn apart in the midst of re-elections. Police are killing civilians for protesting injustice. Spiritual leaders are working hard and storming heaven to keep this from forming forces by tribe, but instead to call forth a time where we join forces as children of the most HIGH GOD.” This truth is a relevant here in the USA as it is in the current run-up to the Kenyan re-election.
Matt. 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
II Chronicles 7:14-1614 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 16 For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.
How did Jesus Celebrate His Birthday on Earth?
11/27/2019 4:00:00 PM by: Hannah Hunter
Paul and Pauline in this Season
11/19/2019 6:30:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
A Day in the life of an Expat in Kenya
11/11/2019 2:00:00 PM by: Hannah Hunter
Conquerors in the Nest
10/30/2019 3:00:00 PM by: Hannah Hunter
A Look at Fear
2/22/2019 10:37:00 PM by: Zach Hunter
The Beauty of the Cross
2/15/2019 11:45:00 PM by: Zach Hunter
Turning Disgust into Grace
2/8/2019 11:10:00 PM by: Zach Hunter
Take My Faith
1/12/2019 5:17:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Love is really REALLY hard (but totally worth it)
1/5/2019 8:05:00 PM by: Zach Hunter
Is He Lost or Am I?
12/29/2018 6:30:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
12/22/2018 6:00:00 AM by: Zach Hunter
Sold Out Slaves
12/15/2018 6:30:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Stirring Deep Wells
12/1/2018 12:20:00 PM by: Tyler Robertson
11/24/2018 6:30:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
God's Play Room
11/17/2018 6:55:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
11/10/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
11/3/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
10/21/2018 6:50:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
10/6/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
9/22/2018 6:45:00 PM by: Tyler Robertson
Mapacha "The Twins"
9/15/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
Venomous Snakes Thwarted
9/10/2018 2:30:00 PM by: Hannah Hunter
In His Arms
9/1/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
Follow Love’s Thread
8/25/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
8/18/2018 8:40:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
8/11/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Same Old Days
8/4/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
A Child of Mine
7/29/2018 1:00:00 PM by: Tyler Robertson
He is I Am
7/24/2018 11:40:00 PM by: Tyler Robertson
7/7/2018 8:55:00 PM by: Tyler Robertson
The Dire Hour
6/30/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Joyful Warriors for the Kingdom
6/23/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
Daughters of the Mountain
6/16/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Daniel and Malicious Intent
6/9/2018 12:35:00 PM by: Hannah Hunter
6/2/2018 10:30:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
5/26/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
5/19/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Micaiah - I Stand With Him!
5/12/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
The Sense of God
5/5/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Removing Junk from your Treasure Chest.
4/28/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
To know the pain.
4/21/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Meeting my Maker
4/14/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Stop! In the name of Love!
4/7/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
For Such a Time
3/31/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Rejoice in the Fear!
3/24/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
In the Blood
3/17/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Can't Fight the Need
3/10/2018 12:15:00 PM by: Tyler Robertson
3/3/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Let Freedom Ring
2/24/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
2/17/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
2/10/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
2/3/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Measure of Faith
1/27/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Darkest of Nights
1/20/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Destination: Church Unknown
1/13/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
1/6/2018 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
Blessed Are the Servant Healers
12/30/2017 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah Hunter
Honoring HIS Wishes
12/23/2017 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah S. Hunter
How is Your Shine?
12/16/2017 7:00:00 AM by: Lori Meed
Beatrice-Bringer of Joy
12/9/2017 7:00:00 AM by: Hannah S. Hunter
11/18/2017 10:42:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
11/11/2017 10:40:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
What Happened to the Church?
11/4/2017 10:34:00 AM by: Tyler Robertson
Antithesis of Rage
10/28/2017 10:29:00 AM by: Hannah S. Hunter
10/21/2017 10:18:00 AM by: Hannah S. Hunter
10/11/2017 12:43:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Eye of the Needle
10/11/2017 12:24:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Wells Every Where
9/11/2017 1:01:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
9/11/2017 12:59:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Third World Eyes
9/11/2017 12:57:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Songs of Joy in Drudgery
9/11/2017 12:53:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Spirit of Sanballat
8/11/2017 12:55:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Guardian in the Night
8/11/2017 12:45:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Sacredness from Kenya’s Wilderness
7/11/2017 12:49:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
11/7/2016 1:33:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Perception, Prayers and Purpose
11/7/2016 1:32:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
11/7/2016 1:29:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
10/21/2016 1:34:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Kenya Elections 2017
10/12/2016 12:48:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Define Rest and Refuge
10/11/2016 2:47:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Soaring or Sailing
10/11/2016 2:46:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Life Threatening Worms
10/11/2016 2:45:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Mapacha, The Twins, and Micronutrients
10/11/2016 2:45:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
10/10/2016 2:48:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
When Seasons Come Too Early
8/6/2016 2:49:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
RVP (Restoration Village Project) Kilgoris, Kenya
6/15/2016 2:50:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
1/23/2016 2:53:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Free Flow, Clarity, and Airlift
1/16/2016 2:53:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
1/9/2016 2:54:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Wilderness Base Camp
1/2/2016 2:55:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
The General’s Tent – 2015 Posts
12/29/2015 2:56:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Control Held by None
12/25/2015 2:58:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter
Qualifications for Vessels of Honor
12/19/2015 2:59:00 PM by: Hannah S. Hunter


I know how bad this makes me look as a Christian.
However, I refuse to put on a front that I am perfect, have "it all figured out," OR that living a life following Christ is easy for me. I am far from perfect, I most definitely don't have even the slightest clue what "it" is much less do I have "it" figured out even partially, and living my life for OR by Christ is easy, simple, or clear cut. It's just not. It's just not.
For some months now (maybe even years?) I have had this inspiration to study scripture in a way that I feel is a little more approachable for me - one that is wholly grounded in visuals. The idea is that I would do the following:
- Read scriptures from my life-application study Bible on a DAILY basis
- Meditate on said scriptures
- Create something from what I get from the messages that I am reading - that can be drawing, painting, sculpting... ANYthing that is visual and made by my hands, heart, and imagination.
Yesterday when I was sitting in church my pastor brought up the topic about how Christians generally don't know the Bible even close to well enough. He said that there are agnostics and atheists who actually know God's word better than most Christians. He went on and on about it but the jist of it all was that I am not reading enough of my Bible and therefore am not learning anything from it. To say I felt convicted by this would be a gross understatement. And honestly? This very feeling has been weighing on me for some time now. I am terrible at Bible study, I know it, and I have done pretty much nothing about it. Still, that doesn't mean that I don't want to be better at it. I absolutely do and it is just about me stepping forward in confidence that even though I can fail, that doesn't mean I am a failure because I can turn things around and do better and BE better.
So, I've finally done it. The "brainchild" I have carried with me for long enough has finally been born into a new blog. *Seriously? Yes. ANOTHER blog for me to keep up with and maintain!*
To my credit (and in my defense), I am doing a scripture study in this way so that I am a little more accountable to what I'm doing, how I'm doing it, and IF I am doing it. I'm not doing this blog to build up readership or as a possible future source of revenue. I'm doing it because scripture study is what I'm supposed to do and that's that. I won't be linking it permanently on this blog though I might mention it every now and again in blog postings but if you are curious about it or just want to join me, we could form our own online community for visual Bible studying and call ourselves "How Great Thou ARTists," y'think? *I know... I know... so punny, yet delightfully appropriate...*
|Here is a screenshot of my new blog: How Great Thou ART. Bookmark it, blogroll it, visit it, JOIN with me!|
So that's what I've been doing this weekend on my end. Just wanted to share it with you all.


The Holy Trinity is the Christian doctrine of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit three-in-one.
The word “Trinity” never occurs in the Bible. This is true for many words that Christians use, so it is a non-issue.
The first most obvious passage and most likely easiest to remember supporting the Trinity is John 1:1-2. It states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” This verse makes it obvious that God is not just one
John 17:5 makes it clear that Jesus existed before the world existed. In it, Jesus prays, “So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.”
Jesus even affirms that He and the Father are the same in John 10:30. Here is what Jesus says in John 10:27-30. “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
The trinity is also affirmed in John 14:7-11 where Philip and Jesus are talking. Jesus says, “If you know me you will know my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.
How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does His works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves.”
John 8:28 is also a very important verse. “So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.”
While the words “I am” may seem quite insignificant, this is not true in this case. The words “I am” play a very important role. When God talked to Moses, he said that His name is “I Am.” Here, we once again see, “I Am.” Jesus says, “I Am He.”
If the Trinity were false, there would be no use in the command found in Matthew 28:16-20, it would also make the words of Jesus blasphemy.. It says, “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but
And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
It was blasphemy to put anybody or anything as high as God, and yet Jesus did exactly this. There would be no other way for Jesus to be sinless if He were not God as well.
Titus 3:8 also gives proof for the Holy Trinity. “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobediant, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The saying is sure. I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone.”
In this passage, both God and Jesus are called Savior. Then, the Holy Spirit comes to us through Jesus.
Then, there is the blessing found in 2 Corinthians 13:13. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.”
Even a few verses from the Old Testament can help point towards the Holy Trinity as well.
Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon
Genesis 3:22 “Then the Lord God said, ‘See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.’”
Genesis 11:7 “Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.”
Then, there are verses that would also be blasphemy in the Bible if the Holy Trinity were not true.
There’s John 8:12 and 1 John 1:15. The first one talks about Jesus and the second one about God.
“Again Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.”
Then there is Ezekiel 34:16 which talks about God and Luke 19:10 which talks about Jesus.
“I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong, I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.”
“For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”
Psalm 24:10 talks about God and 1 Corinthians 2:8 talks about Jesus.
“Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.”
“None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”
1 John 1:15 talks about God and John 8:12 talks about Jesus.
“This is the messaage we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all.”
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
In any of these, if Jesus were not God, this would be complete blasphemy. Praise God that Jesus is God and this is not the case.
While some people may not see it, there are plenty of things on earth to help them understand this mystery.
One of the simplest is three-leaf clovers. A three-leaf clover is one plant, but it has three leaves. If you take off a leaf, it is not a three-leaf clover any longer, just as if you took one entity of the Trinity away, it would not be God.
Another way to look at trying to pull the Holy Trinity apart is looking at an egg. Everybody will agree that an egg has three parts: The shell, the white, and the yolk. Together, these three things make an egg. It is possible to take a needle, put a hole in the egg shell, and drain the
white and yolk into a bowl.
You can then take another bowl and separate the white and the yolk. You can set the shell in yet another bowl. If you look at the shell, it’ll still look like an egg, but it won’t be a real egg. The white and the yolk are missing. Each part is now missing two parts in order for it to be an egg. If you take apart each part of the Trinity, then it is no longer the triune God.
Yet, the most basic thing we have to help us understand is something that is crucial to all of our lives. It is something used in a sacrament of the church as well. That would happen to be water. Specifically, H2O. H2O can exist in three forms. It can be liquid water, steam, or ice. If there are enough temperature variations within a specific area, it can exist in all three forms at once.
Think of a snow capped mountain during a rainfall. There is obviously air, ice, and liquid water. The same is true if you get a glass of ice water and bring it near a stove where you are boiling water. All three states of H2O exist at one time. They always will exist at one time somewhere. You cannot separate these things and make it so one is not H2O. All of them will always be H2O no matter where they are.
It is the same with God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three are one.
Written by BridgeIleneDelaney
Bridget Ilene Delaney is the founder of Everlasting Light Publications and lives with her family in Lake Charles, LA.
Find More Holy Spirit ArticlesKnow someone that could use this information? Send this page by clicking on the SHARE button below:
Christians are Searching for::
- what is the holy trinity in christianity
- what is the trinity in the bible
- what is the trinity bible study
- what is holy trinity in christianity
- what is the holy trinity for christianity
- holy trinity bible study
- WHAT IS HOLY SPIRIT BIBLE VERSE
- where is the holy trinity in the bible
- what is trinity in the bible
- using a pine needle to explain the Trinity


In most places where She Is Safe works, following Jesus is a decision that can cost a great deal, including one’s life. Still, our fellow Christians are not retreating, but stepping forward to show and speak God’s love into the lives around them. We believe in the importance of praying together with them, both on the International Day of Prayer and year-round.
Every work day, we gather to lift up our persecuted brothers and sisters in prayer. If you would like to begin praying with us, you can look at the prayer map in this year’s Life Change Report, pray through the different initiatives on our Work Page, and read and pray with us as we explore God’s work on this blog.


The transformative power of education and great teachers.
Sister Mary Vincent IHM, my grade 6 teacher and the principal of the school, called me into her office once. She said sadly to me, “I hear you told a dirty joke.” Caught, I admitted yes, Sister, I did. She asked “What was the joke?” Puzzled, I innocently replied, “Well, Sister, which one?” She was shocked: “So there’s been more than one!” For my penance, she had me read four books about the saints as little boys. The nuns expected us to grow up to be saints. I am by no means a saint. I did learn we each need to do what we can to save our own soul.
Monsignor Joseph Truxaw served as pastor of the Church from 1935 to 1972. Sister Mary Vincent IHM was principal and our grade 6 teacher in 1963-64. A young nun, Sister Joan Marie IHM, taught us in the afternoons. Sister Zita IHM was our grade 5 teacher in 1962-63. She taught us cursive longhand. She was strict and demanding. Mrs. Reynolds was our grade 4 teacher 1961-62. My mother paid $7.50 monthly tuition each for my sister and I to attend the school.
Historian Kevin Starr writes covers the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and their relationship to Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, in his book Golden Dreams: California in an Age of Abundance 1950-63 (2009).