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The Gospel Song I Believe

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Some tell me I sing like Elvis!  I wonder?   I have made a video singing the gospel song I believe.  A beautiful song and one of Elvis’s. I hope you like it.

Elvis was The King of Rock 

Anyway this song has some very  precious words.   I LOVE to sing and actually if you invite me to your Christian congregation I would love the opportunity to sing to the Lord to bless you.   I hope by God’s grace to have more songs played on this website.   Well, how about leaving your comments.   God bless you all; in the love of Jesus our savior.

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Jewelry And the Christian

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ornaments

ornaments

The issue jewelry and the Christian has long been contentious.  Should Christians wear jewelry?   What does the bible really teach?   Some Christians say that the wearing jewelry is wrong; these people often quote a few Bible passages and insists that God absolutely condemns jewelry. There are other Christians who point out that there are a number of verses that mention jewelry in a positive sense.
At the heart of this confusion is the question, “What does the Bible really say about jewelry?”

Background

When studying this issue that has such a large cultural element, it is almost impossible to gain a complete understanding of the Bible without background study. The background alerts us to the cultural issues that the passage originally addressed.   So let’s look into the background of the wearing of jewelry.
In the territory of the Old Testament during Old Testament times both Canaanite and Israelite men and women wore jewelry and make-up.   It appears that there where eight uses for jewelry in the Old Testament.   Jewelry was used for:

(1) Personal beautification

Tab_high_priestIt 1s noteworthy that one of the basic purposes of the Jewish High priest’s special and unique attire was to beautify ( Exod 28:2).   In Isaiah 3:16-23 God describes many types of jewelry used at least partly for beautification. This passage in Isaiah appears to condemn jewelry, however it may be that it was the excessive, pride, behavior and sexual promiscuity of these women that was really being addressed here and condemned by God. God would strip them of their proud arrogance and humble them!

 

(2) Currency and evidence of wealth

Rebecca and Abraham's Servant at the Well exhibited 1833 William Hilton the Younger 1786-1839 Presented by Robert Vernon 1847 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/work/N00338

Rebecca and Abraham’s Servant at the Well

Abraham’s servant (Gen 24:22), took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels” and gave them to Rebekah.
In ancient Mesopotamia, the bride price paid by a prospective groom’s family included clothing, jewelry, food, drink, and oil. Jewelry was also part of the dowry paid by the bride’s family. This was the case in the story of Rebekah. In this particular case it was a gift to the bride to ensure her financial security. In other words, it is functioning as a nest egg in case of need.

(3) Social Status

Jewelry served as a symbol of social status. It was used by the people belonging to the high strata of society. This was particularly true of those from the palace who dressed and adorned themselves in accordance to their social identity. According to 2 Samuel 1:10, King Saul wore a crown and armband. Also, the jewelry mentioned in Ezekiel 28:11-19 (in connection with the king of Tyre) signifies royal or princely status.

(4) sign of authority and religious significance

saul_Jewelry served as a sign of authority. In Egypt, kings and judges may have worn pendants and necklaces with images of the goddess Ma’at, while in Israel kings wore a crown at the minimum.

The religious significance of Jewelry may have been one of its most important functions. Jewelry identified the religious beliefs or position of the wearer, such as the Israelite high priest. In heathen religions jewelry was assigned supernatural abilities and was worn to protect the wearer from various forms of evil. While the Old Testament does not mention this use directly, the Israelites did occasionally bring jewelry to God, as in Numbers 31:50.

Jewelry in the Greco-Roman World

We continue discussing the issue jewelry and the Christian.   Should Christians wear jewelry?   What does the bible really teach?     We will continue in our background study and consider jewelry in the Greco-Roman world.  There is less information about jewelry’s use in New Testament times than in Old Testament times.   A very probable reason for this could be the fact that there were many similarities existing in the Greco-Roman world and the Ancient Near East (ANE).  We know that jewelry was common in the Roman Empire. The Oxford History of the Classical World has this to say:

“The wearing of excessive jewelry was a practice which [Roman] legislators had long since given up trying to curb, though moralists still condemned it. Pliny rails against women who wore pearls on their fingers, on their earrings, and on their slippers, and reports with disapproval how Caligula’s first Empress, Lollia Paulina, turned up to a feast wearing emeralds and pearls on her head, hair, ears, neck, and fingers”.  It seems that it was the Roman who invented the engagement ring,  for the The dictionary continues, ” rings were very common. Men wore rings as signets, while women wore them to signify engagement”.   

Rings in the Roman Empire are particularly interesting. At various times, different types of rings were used to signify social status.  Rings signified a person as slave or free, citizen or non-citizen, aristocrat or commoner. These rules were enforced by law, but were gradually relaxed as more people wanted to be able to wear fancier rings.

Jewelry in the Greco-Roman World during this period doubtless functioned in much the same way as it did in the ANE with regard to its religious aspects. It probably was accorded supernatural powers and used as protection from evil or a method to persuade the gods to act in a certain way.

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How I Aim to Support My Preaching Ministry

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SUPPORTING MY MINISTRY AND HELPING 3RD WORLD BELIEVERS –

Screenshot_3To my Beloved brothers and sisters of our Risen saviour, The Lord Jesus Christ.  Greetings!  Many are aware that I have been proclaiming the gospel and  evangelizing in regions of the world since 2007.  Since that time I have been  praying for the sick and also taking financial help to the less well off pastors and Christians in their needs. God has miraculously supplied my needs and provided for me to fly to Philippines in six years.   Two of those visits my wife also travelled with me.  I do thank God for the sacrificial giving to God ‘s work that has enabled me to travel and minister.

However it has always been my dream to support my travels, preaching and giving as much as possible by my own labors – as did the apostle Paul.   To this end have been trying to build up a business on the internet.  At times I have been discouraged but I’m still praying and hoping that I can succeed on this “ business venture” to support my ministry and help others.

PRAYING FOR A LAME MAN IN PHILIPPINES

PRAYING FOR A LAME MAN IN PHILIPPINES

In the regions I have traveled  pastors often need food and financial help. The congregations they care for are not rich enough to support them and the work of God adequately. For example, previously in 2014, I was preaching the gospel on the Philippine radio airwaves from Butuan City with Pastor Lubel  Quitoriano. I was hoping to continue having my sermons broadcast from this station however – The radio station had to be  closed down for a while due to financial pressures.   Thank to my Internet work I was able to help him continue transmitting this month.  Pastor Lubel is praying for finances to continue  transmitting into regions where the pure gospel is often not heard!

ARENAS OF BUSINESS

In order to seek to support my preaching ministry and travels as well as helping poorer believers I have embarked on two areas of business:

ARENA 1- WEBSITE BUILDING AND UPKEEP

My first area of business to help my ministry is the making and hosting websites for customers.

I offer high quality websites made to customers specification.
A WEBSITE (TYPICALLY) FIVE PAGES INCLUDING AUDIO/VIDEO PICTURE GALLERY – WILL TYPICALLY COST £7.99/MONTH.  THIS CAN INCLUDE FREE HOSTING PLUS A FREE DOMAIN NAME.

After building the website to the customer’s specified requirements I will be available on and ongoing basis to offer advice to the customer on the site’s maintenance /development. Anyone interested contact me Via Contacts Page : or on my mob 07429668940 to talk it over.

ARENA 2 – AFFILIATE MARKETING

 Affiliate Marketing – I currently have a Christian bookshop online where a very large selection of Christian books, bibles, DVD music and films, mp3 downloads and other items can be bought.   If you go to my FAMILY CHRISTIAN BOOK STORE PAGE  you can browse through the store.  If you finally decide to buy through my website YOU WILL PAY NO EXTRA but by purchasing on this website you will be helping my ministry. (NOTE prices are in US ($) dollars. – to convert to Pounds (£) simply multiply by approx 0.62 exchange rate).

For you who visit this website, please DO pray for the success of my ministry and also for the online business ventures.  I am also an AFFILIATE for:

All categories of Items On Amazon.co.uk . (My Affiliate Amazon Link is on the right side of every webpage).

 

The Power of The Name of Jesus in Baptism

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Baptism is not a mere sign

baptism-beginning-of-a-new-life_0Sometimes Christian argue, “If baptism is a mere sign, and if it does not regenerate or justify, why should we baptize at all? It is completely useless.” The answer is that through baptism, God bestows great spiritual blessings to the believer.

Like the written Word (which in its ultimate analysis is also a sign), baptism is a God-given means of revealing Himself to His people. We are blessed when we receive God’s truth by faith and obedience. Neither the Word nor the sacraments confer any spiritual blessing in a magical or automatic manner. The Bible would be of no benefit to me if I simply hear or read it without believing and obeying God’s commands and promises. “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” ( Heb 4:2). Thus, James also warns us, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

So why should we baptize ? Baptism is God’s Word in a living and dramatic form. When a Christian understands the meaning of baptism, believing the great transformation that has occurred in his life, and obeys its message, baptism becomes the means of grace and life. Thus the apostle Paul first reminds us what baptism really means:

“Don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” ( Rom 6:3, 4).

Baptism means that believers are united with Christ. His death is their death; His resurrection life is their life. Then the apostle Paul applies this great Gospel truth in a practical way:

“In the same way count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:11-13).

Conclusion

So the answer to the question ” why should we baptize ” is : Baptism is not the means by which we receive salvation. We are forgiven and purified by faith in Christ, followed by baptism to signify that amazing reality. Every professing Christian should be careful not to be deceived in thinking that he is right with God simply because he or she had been baptised – one could be baptised and still be lost. On the other hand, for every true believer, baptism is God’s sign of his saving union with Christ and baptism carries in it all the AUTHORITY, GRACE, PRESENCE and blessing of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Jesus The Lion Lamb

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Today we will be looking at ” Jesus the lion lamb ” from Revelation chapter 5 and the scroll with seven seals.

lion-and-the-lamb

Jesus The Lion Lamb

Scripture Reading – Revelation chapter 5

In Revelation 5:1 the One sitting on the throne, (God) has a scroll in His hand sealed with seven seals. The scroll itself contains the title-deed to the redemption of the earth, Israel, the church and the whole universe.

scrollGod’s plan and design to bless and to perfect in every way is so complete that there is NO MORE ROOM either inside or outside the scroll for anything to be added to his purposes! All these blessings are released to us through our lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the covenant he made with his own precious blood. Oh, may our eyes be opened to see more and more with spiritual vision the plans that God has for those that love him, ( 1 Corinthians 2:9).

In Revelation 5:2-4 we see that no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. John “wept much because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.” No cherubim, no seraphim, no angel or man was found who could open God’s scroll and release his intended blessings on Israel, the church, the earth, to you, to me, to the universe. It would indeed be sad if none was found who was able to “ open the scroll”. But praise God, One has been found worthy! Only ONE has been found worthy! It is our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.  Jesus the lion lamb!  The message of the angel is ” weep not.  Dry your tears away.”

We and all men might well weep and all be wretched and sad if there was no Christ, no Lamb to overcome for us; no scroll with seven seals opened! But we do not need to weep. We can rejoice that God has released such a glorious destiny to each one of us through Jesus the lion lamb sacrificed for us on calvary!

We have so many, many blessings Amen.  God tells us who believe, ” Dry your tears away “.

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What is Water Baptism?

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The primary facet of Christian baptism’s meaning is IDENTIFICATION with Christ. God ordained baptism as a key to how to live with Christ in His new life, within God’s kingdom having been saved from the evil kingdom of the satanic world system.   As soon as a person believes and puts their trust in The  Lord Jesus as saviour they enter into eternal life; as an individual, they are regenerated and given the free gift of eternal life ( John 3: 16, John 5:24).   

[ THIS WEBSITE IS BEING CURRENTLY UPDATED]

Receiving eternal life then, as an individual believer is a personal matter.  God’s full salvation however,  is concerned with MORE THAN RECEIVING ETERNAL LIFE INDIVIDUALLY – It also involves a communal aspect.     God’s full salvation also involves coming out of one fellowship and kingdom and being placed by God into another kingdom.   As we continue we will see that salvation involves both  ENTERING INTO INDIVIDUAL ETERNAL LIFE  and  COMING OUT FROM THE SINFUL DOMAIN AND FELLOWSHIP OF SATAN’S KINGDOM. 

 In Baptism, The AUTHORITY OF THE NAME OF JESUS not only identifies the believer with the death of Christ, freeing him from the fellowship of the evil satanic world system – It also identifies the believer with Christ’s glorious and powerful resurrection, raising him or her with Christ into the new kingdom of The Lord Jesus!

 So we see that Salvation includes both a coming out of the evil world system and an entering in to the eternal life of God. 

How To Live With Christ

how to live with ChristIn Romans 6:3-4  the Apostle Paul puts the matter this way:

Romans 6:3-4  – Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that  just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Buried through baptism into death

Paul introduces the thought of burial; he says that with Christ we have been buried through baptism into death. In the natural realm, a person dies first and then afterwards is buried. But Paul says that that we are first buried, and then we enter into death. According to the Bible, we, the believers, are buried into death with Christ and through baptism. Baptism is more than symbolism. It carries the authority of The Lord Jesus Christ and it is very powerful when linked with faith!

When a sinner repents and believes in the Lord Jesus, he or she should then immediately be baptized into Christ. To baptize this new believer into Christ is to put him into the death of Christ. When he is baptized, he is actually buried. This burial results in death to his or her old sinful nature. This is what it means to be buried with Christ through baptism into death.

Every person waiting for water baptism is a person in the process of dying. Through baptism such a person is put to death. Having been identified with Christ and with His death, he is immersed in water and is buried. Through baptism, he enters into the actual experience of death with Christ.

A NEW PERSON IN RESURRECTION 

This burial has a glorious consequence. As Christ was raised from among the dead through the glory of the Father, (Rom 6:5), we also may walk in newness of life. This indicates that after baptism we become a new person in resurrection. When we are immersed in the water, we enter into death. But when we come out of the water, we enter into resurrection. We all need to have such a wonderful realization and understanding of baptism.

GROWING THROUGH BAPTISM

In Romans 6:5 Paul goes on to say, “For if we have grown together with Him in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection.” We have grown together with Christ in the likeness of his death, that is, in the baptism mentioned in verse 4. Now we see that we shall also grow in the likeness of His resurrection, that is, in the newness of life, also mentioned in verse 4. The important point is that to be baptized is to grow. One who has been baptized has grown in the likeness of Christ’s death and now is growing in the likeness of His resurrection.

Christian baptism is your personal identification with the greatest act of human history.  The greatest act in all history was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Your guilt of sin  before God is removed the moment you trust in Christ.   Baptism is your personal testimony to, and the inward assurance of, your passage from the old life to the new life.  You died to your old life of sin as you identify with Christ’s death and you rise ‘ from the waters’ in resurrection newness of life with him!

Noah’s Flood –  Baptism That Saves

According to the writings of the apostle Peter the flood waters are a picture (type) of Christian baptism. Baptism in the mighty Name of Jesus and with his authority is powerful in translating a believer from the evil kingdom, society or realm of this sinful corrupt world system into the kingdom of out Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

1 Pet 3:18 to 22 – Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,   by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,  who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype ( ‘counterpart’ – Greek antitypos) which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 

ME, BAPTISING IN THE PHILIPPINES

ME, BAPTISING IN THE PHILIPPINES

Christian baptism is far more than just a symbol of our death with Christ and our being raised to new life in him. It contains the authority of the Name of Jesus Christ and a  powerful grace is given to the believer in baptism.  As the believer full of Christ’s presence and faith submits to the ordinance of baptism,  faith in the operation of God brings great blessing (Col 2:12).    The believers faith is not from himself; it is the gift of God (2 Pet 1:1).  The Lord who is the Author and Perfecter of  faith (Heb 12:2)  in baptism by  the faith produced by the operation of the living God brings the experience of  resurrection life to the believer.

Receiving eternal life is an individual matter.  As soon as a person believes the gospel and places their faith in Christ, in that instant they are eternally saved and receive the free gift of eternal life!  They will never perish, (John 3:16, John 5:24).  However God’s full and complete salvation involves is more than an individual matter.  It has a deeper collective perspective.  God’s full salvation involves coming out of the corrupt God-rejecting  world society and system; it involves coming out of that kingdom into a new kingdom.

The believer, in a genuine experience of baptism is translated out of the dominion, influence and power of the corrupt world system.  Just as Noah was delivered out of his evil society and landed in a new righteous realm – the believer, in baptism experiences the translation into God’s new kingdom society

baptism-beginning-of-a-new-life_0Watchman Nee has written these words: “Baptism is your emancipation from the world. It frees you from the brotherhood to which you once belonged. The world knew that you were one with it.  Now however, the moment you are baptized, it immediately becomes aware of the fact that you are finished with it. The friendship which you had maintained so many years has now come to an end. You were buried in the tomb, you terminated your course in the world.  Before baptism, you knew you had believed and received the free gift of eternal life.  After your baptism, you know you are saved out of this corrupt world system into God’s kingdom.   Everybody now recognizes that you are the Lord’s, and that you belong to Him.”  

“He that believes and is baptized shall be saved. ( Mark 16:16)”   Having believed and been baptized, it is now an open fact where one stands.  But with that inward reality, baptism puts one outside of the world and terminates the former relationship with the world. Baptism, therefore, is separation from the power and influence of the world, unto God.  This is Christian baptism’s meaning!

It is my prayer and hope that you have been blessed by this article.  Perhaps you would like to leave a comment on my blog.  Please do.   Or perhaps you would like to contact me from my CONTACT page and write concerning your understanding and personal experience of baptism.   If your thoughts and comments are good I may include them as a blog.  God bless you

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