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    The final days of Jesus Christ’s life on Earth, from His entry into Jerusalem, to his resurrection, reveal a story of faith, love and purpose. This was a time when Jesus, God’s Son, showed who He was and why He came. Each day of Jesus’s journey to Jerusalem, and the cross, carries a lesson, a promise kept, and a glimpse of His heart. As He said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

    We begin with Palm Sunday, Matthew 21:1-11, when Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, a choice that showed he was a lowly king, meek and humble, and fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy: “Rejoice greatly… behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass.” Zechariah 9:9. A multitude waved palm branches, and “… cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” Matthew 21:9. But Jesus wept over the city, warning in Luke 19:41-44, “If thou hadst known… the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes,” teaching that rejecting Him would bring ruin.

    Jesus drove out those selling in God’s temple, declaring, “Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Matthew 21:19. After that, the scribes and chief priests sought to kill him, because they feared Him, for all the people were astonished at His words. Mark 11:15-18

    Later, He faced questions from the Jewish leaders in the temple, who asked about His authority to teach these things, and He answered their question with a question about John the Baptist, which they could not answer, so neither did He answer their question, showing His wisdom and faith in God. He then shared a story with them of a son killed by selfish men, and warned of the consequences. Matthew 21:28-46. He praised a widow’s small gift of two mites in the offering, all that she had, proclaiming that those who give from their lack are more blessed than those who give from their abundance. Mark 12:42-44

    “Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper …," a woman anointed Jesus with very expensive oil. Judas Iscariot (the Betrayer) complained about the waste, stating that the oil could have been sold and the money given to the poor, but he really wanted to steal from the profits. Jesus replied that the anointing of the oil prepared Him for His burial, a sign of His coming death and resurrection. Judas Iscariot then betrayed Him by conspiring with the Jewish leaders to turn him in to them for 30 pieces of silver, Matthew 26:6-15, as Jesus warned, “And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!” Luke 22:22

    The next day, Jesus ate with His disciples. He took bread and wine, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body… this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission [payment] of sins,” offering the new promise of salvation through His sacrifice. Matthew 26:26-29. He washed their feet, teaching humility, humbleness and love, His purpose shining brightly, as He neared the cross. John 13:5

    In deep sorrow, He prayed to the Father, sometimes so intensely that his tears became drops of blood: “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt,” Matthew 26:36-44, accepting our punishment, as Old Testament prophecy foretold: “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities …” Isaiah 53:5

    He was betrayed and crucified without justification, but not without purpose: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

    He rose from the dead, as proclaimed by the angel at His empty grave: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:1-6. He gave His life so we could live, and He leaves a legacy of faith, hope, love, peace, and eternal life to all who believe in Him.

    Happy Resurrection Day! Happy Easter!


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    ​"Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us," Ephesians 3:20


    From Milk to Meat: Growing in Christ’s Deeper Truths

    Picture humanity’s journey with God as a vast tapestry, stretching across time, each thread woven with faith. The Bible tells us we are transformed from glory to glory, shaped into His image as our faith in Him grows. 2 Corinthians 3:18. In Old Testament days, a world of famine, drought, and enemies on every side, Israel's faith was shaky. They lacked the faith to produce even their most basic necessities. Deuteronomy 8:7-10; 1 Corinthians 3:2. Moses and Aaron, however, had meat-level faith in God, to liberate the Jews from Egyptian bondage. Faith that could actually provide the food, water and protection Israel needed in the wilderness. Noah had meat-level faith, and trusted God to save him through the Great Flood. Genesis 6:22. Abraham had meat-level faith when he raised his knife over his only son, Isaac, to sacrifice him as commanded when his faith was tested. That’s real “meat," a deeper faith. How many Christians can honestly understand that level of faith?

    "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:12-14

    “Milk” is the basic faith that leans on God for survival, like food, water and safety. The Israelites cried, "... for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Exodus 16:2-3. Their faith was stuck asking for basic necessities because they lacked basic necessities, and because they had no room for the  greater faith available to them, as their hearts were full of need instead of faith in God. Abraham, Noah, Moses and others in the Old Testament had faith that moved mountains Matthew 17:20. In the New Testament, we see milk and meat in 1 Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” That you may grow thereby into meat-level faith and the power promised by Jesus. As Paul describes in Hebrews 5:14: “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

    When Jesus came, He taught that obeying His commandments keeps us close to His love: John 15:10 “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love." He opened up deeper truths about God’s kingdom, like the nearness of His rule: Matthew 4:17, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” the power available to believers Mark 16:17-18, and the promise of eternal life John 3:16. Some receive milk for survival because their hearts cry out for it, like Israel in the desert pleading for bread: Exodus 16:3, “Would to God we had died… when we did eat bread to the full”. They had no room for more faith, because despair has crippled them. They failed to realize that God provides for His children who believe He does (faith). Matthew 6:31-32

    Others, like the apostles, received both milk and meat. Jesus told them not to worry about food or clothes but to trust God’s provision and power. Luke 22:35 “When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.” Still others live in abundance through faith, receiving also meat for power, because their hearts desire it: Philippians 4:19 “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." What we get depends on our faith, our needs, and God's Will, and we get what we deserve based on our faith. God knows our heart. Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” The "fruit of his doings" are not voluntary actions; they are involuntary actions inspired in our heart by Holy Spirit, who guides us into all truth. John 16:13

    Jesus does not just save us and leave us at the starting line. He invites us into a life of authority and power. In Mark 16:17-18, He says, “In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” This kind of life takes faith, even just a tiny bit, like a mustard seed, that can move mountains. Stepping into Christ’s promised power is a process of seeking, desiring, meditating on God's Word and bringing into captivity even your thoughts to the obedience of Christ. For me, personally, it was, as I said, an involuntary and immediate knowledge, feeling, or understanding (hard to describe) of Christ's heart, and a yearning to be like Him. Not all see the same signs, because the Holy Spirit hands out gifts as God chooses. 1 Corinthians 12:11. But God does say, draw near to me and I will draw near to you. James 4:8. And, call on me and I will show you great and mighty things. Jeremiah 33:3. Have you called on God lately, to ask for greater faith, to ask for His Holy Spirit? Luke 11:13

    Think of milk as God keeping His people alive. Psalm 37:25 says, “Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” That’s survival faith. Meat is different; it is about power. John 14:12 promises, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.. and EVEN GREATER.” Paul calls this meat, meant for those who have grown to discern right from wrong, good from evil. Hebrews 5:14.

    For over a hundred years, Pentecostals and Assemblies of God have held tight to this, living and breathing the power of Mark 16:17-18, and the gifts of Scripture, as the last denomination fully following the Bible’s call to this vast power promised by our Lord and Savior to all who believe!

    The Holy Spirit changes how we see God. Jesus promised He would send the Spirit to live inside of us forever. John 14:16-17. We see this at Pentecost where people spoke in tongues and preached with courage. Acts 2:4. Back in tough times, like Israel wandering in the desert for 40 years, people just wanted relief from the oppression of the wilderness, and lack of food and water. They cried out for bread and water. Numbers 11:13. The deeper faith Moses had in God's promises actually fed them with the manna in the morning and the quail at night. Moses' faith in God brought food from heaven and water from a rock. Exodus 16:4, 17:6

    Faith leads to abundance as promised:

    "    But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

    "But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully." 2 Corinthians 9:6

    "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." 2 Corinthians 9:8

    "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." Ephesians 3:20

    "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

    These promises allow faith to grow beyond asking for basic necessities. As Jesus said, the Father knows what we need. When we realize this, we remove the boundary for faith to grow from milk at first, and then meat, or Spiritual Power, as promised by Jesus. Acts 1:8 says, “Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” This meat faith knows God is close, guiding us like sons. Romans 8:14

    This journey is about lining up with God’s Will. Milk faith focuses on getting by, surviving. Israel begged, “What shall we eat?” Exodus 16:3. Moses trusted God to provide, saying, “Is the Lord’s hand waxed short?” Numbers 11:23. Meat faith knows God sees our needs before we ask. Matthew 6:8 says, “Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Obedience puts us in step with His purpose. Matthew 6:10. The Spirit molds us to please God. Philippians 2:13. Milk faith gets survival, as Matthew 6:31-33 promises, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God… and all these things shall be added unto you.” Meat faith steps into God's Power of discernment, as Scripture defines: "But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:14

    So how do we grow from milk to meat? It depends on our faith in God and what we need and want from Him. Milk faith is for beginners. Paul fed it to the Corinthians because they were stuck arguing and fighting. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. It’s like Israel begging for bread Exodus 16:3, the simple trust that God will keep us alive. Peter puts it this way: “Desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. 1 Peter 2:2. That is the starting point. Meat faith goes deeper, trusting God’s Will and power. Hebrews 6:1-6 says, “Let us go on unto perfection,” beyond the basics. In hard times, faith feeds the hungry: Psalm 37:19 says, “In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.” In good times, meat faith grabs hold of power and plenty: Acts 1:8 promises power, and 2 Corinthians 9:8 adds, “God is able to make all grace abound toward you.” Growth means trusting more, having more faith in God to do what He said He will do. If you think you are stuck, you stay stuck. If you believe God is bigger, you rise: Proverbs 23:7 “As he thinketh in his heart, so is he”.

    Some people say faith isn’t about moving from milk to meat. They might argue it is just trusting God, not chasing signs like Mark 16:17-18. Or they could say what we get from God depends more on our situation than our faith. They have a piece of the picture. The Spirit does give gifts differently. 1 Corinthians 12:4. God does meet our specific needs. Matthew 6:33. Israel’s lack of faith depended on Moses's meat faith. His meat faith worked miracles and fed them because he trusted God’s words. But Jesus connects trust in God to personal power. He says, “All power is given unto me." Matthew 28:18. He gives that power to us. Luke 10:19. He promises signs to those who believe. Mark 16:17-18. He even says we will do greater works than him. John 14:12. Paul pushes us to grow beyond milk. Hebrews 6:1. The Bible shows us that faith can reach higher, into meat, when we are ready. All we have to do is believe!

    Israel’s poor in spirit leaned on milk. Matthew 5:3. Noah and Abraham trusted God for meat. Since Jesus rose in 33 AD, God’s grace has poured out abundance over two millennia—think electricity, roads, tools, plenty and abundance—that have lifted our eyes from survival to power. The early church grabbed the power Jesus promised: Peter healed a lame man. Acts 3:6: “In the name of Jesus Christ… rise up and walk." Today, in 2025, some mock Mark 16:17-18, but God’s feast has always been available to all who believe. John 11:26. Milk keeps us alive in tough spots and     lackadaisical times. Meat empowers us in plenty and zeal. Faith grows as we trust God's Plan and His Word. 

    Start with the word 1 Peter 2:2, have faith in God Hebrews 11:6, obedience to His Word John 15:10, and strive (pray) for His gifts Acts 1:8. Wherever we are, scarce or full, God gives us what our faith can hold.

    May He bless you and keep you always. Amen.

    ​    (See also my other blogs on this subject: "The Sign of Jonah" and "Glory to Glory in Religion"
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    "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." Joel 2:23

    Around March 2, 2025, Holy Spirit showed me how Christian religion/denominations over the ages have evolved through the church's (believers) levels of faith in God, pushing man towards Him, from glory to glory (more faith to even more faith, the former rain and the latter rain Joel 2:23 above). "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

    All glory, honor, praise and thanksgiving to God Most High. Let Your Children hear. In Jesus's Name. Amen.

    Gifts Remained When Jesus Ascended

    1 Corinthians 1:7-8 states, "So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This means that believers are fully equipped with spiritual gifts, like faith, wisdom, prophecy, healing, fighting evil, and casting out demons, as Jesus said in Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs shall follow them that believe [everyone, anyone who believes]; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." These scriptures mean that believers lack nothing as they eagerly await Jesus’s return. These gifts sustain and empower, not only them in their faith until that day, but are also for the edification and encouragement of the church, the faithful. Unbelievers, the unfaithful, get only the resurrection as their sign, because their minds are blinded by the God of this world. 2 Corinthians 4:4. See also my blog titled, "The Sign of Jonah," here.

    Jesus points to Jonah and the whale as the sign for the unfaithful who taunted Him for more signs, even though they had seen His many miracles. The resurrection is the final sign, a call to believe and have faith unto obedience, not just awe at His sacrifice. John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said unto him, "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." He will keep my words; my Father will love him; and THEN we will come unto him and make our abode with him (Holy Spirit).

    1 Corinthians 13:10-12 "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." This refers to the return of Jesus, "that which is perfect." When He comes, partial things, like incomplete knowledge or temporary gifts, will no longer be needed, as His return will bring full revelation and completion. This is reinforced by Philippians 3:20-21: "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body," ["that which is perfect is come"] showing that Jesus’s return not only ends the need for temporary gifts, but also transforms believers, removing their sinful, "vile" nature to make them like Him in perfection. So, the gifts from Holy Spirit in the New Testament have not ceased, but they are signs for the faithful.

    In this blog, we will focus primarily, though not exclusively, on     Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."

    Let's take a look at how this plays out over the two millennia (2000 years) since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We will pinpoint clergy and lay people who performed miracles according to Mark 16:17-18 above, mostly excluding the works of Jesus, because those works are well recorded in the Bible. This is a broader picture of how God's purpose continued to flourish among common people after Jesus's ascension, even though the church often denied miracles, or even limited them to clergy only.

    Present Day: Picture a weathered tent glowing beneath a Southern California moon. Evangelist Mario Murillo preaches with the fire of the Holy Spirit, as a man steps forward, declaring his fentanyl addiction shattered in a moment of belief and repentance. He drops his crutches to the dirt, trusting God’s power, and the crowd erupts with shouts of praise. Or, step back to the 1950s, where Oral Roberts fills a grainy TV screen, praying over a blind woman who blinks into sight as families watch from home, breathless. These scenes throb with healing’s pulse, rooted in Mark 16:17-18 above.

    For 2,000 years, healing has carved a path through history, driven by faith, met by God’s sovereign Will. He shapes it as the Potter molds the clay, per Isaiah 64:8: “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” God’s Will reigns, searching hearts (for faith). Hebrews 11:6 cuts no corners: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

    Faith’s the deal. God’s the boss. And the Spirit propels us to greater glory, as 2 Corinthians 3:18 promises: “But we all… are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

    Let’s look at Faith Healing from the early church to now.

    Healing kicked off with Jesus and the apostles in a brutal Roman empire, where people were yearning for freedom from oppression. Mark 16:17-18 laid the promise, and Mark 16:20 proved it: “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” Peter healed a lame man in Acts 3:6: “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.” Around 64 AD, Nero persecuted Christians, blaming them for a fire that gutted Rome as historian Tacitus records. At that time, Paul healed on Malta, when he met Publius’s father, “sick of a fever and of a bloody flux.” Paul “prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him” Acts 28:8. Believers saw these acts, Peter’s lame man walking, Publius’s dad recovering, as proof God had not left them to Rome’s flames. God’s Will is sovereign over the faithful. He knows what is in man. John 2:24-25

    Healings did not end with the apostles. Acts 9:10-18 brings Ananias in Damascus. God said to Ananias, “Go thy way: for he [Saul/Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me," and Ananias laid hands on Saul, saying “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus… hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight… And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales."

    Acts 8:6-7 shows Philip in Samaria: “For unclean spirits… came out of many… and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.”

    Healing’s arc did not flicker out after Jesus's crucifixion and ascension to heaven. It burned steady from 33 AD onward. The post-apostolic years of 60 to 203 AD saw church fathers and martyrs carrying the flame. Even the stretch from 203 to Rome’s fall 1000 kept healing alive despite patchy records and fading literacy. Faith met God’s sovereign Will in churches, monasteries, and martyr's tales. Jesus said in Matthew 17:20, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” That speck of faith, small but real, sparked God’s power through the ages.

    Rome flipped the script in 313 AD, legalizing Christianity via Constantine’s Edict. Healing shifted as bishops took charge. Augustine in North Africa wrote in "City of God" (426 AD) of a blind man at a Milan shrine. A blind man, trusting martyr relics, got prayed over by Augustine and received sight.

    Around 432 AD, Patrick hit Ireland. Patrick, l    ater Saint Patrick, was a fifth-century Romano-British missionary and bishop who brought Christianity to Ireland. A druid chieftain, sick with fever, believed Patrick’s God could fix him; Patrick prayed, the fever broke, and clans turned to Christ, per the Annals of Ulster. God’s sovereign Will, stacking faith in the hearts of men.

    After centuries of tension, the church split in 1054 when leaders in Rome and Constantinople excommunicated each other over doctrine and control, dividing Christianity into Western (Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches. The Middle Ages followed, a rugged span from the 5th to 15th centuries where Europe grappled with war, famine, and disease. Healing held steady through it. Around 1080 in southern France, Bernard of Clairvaux, later a saint, prayed over a boy blind from birth. The boy stood and saw light for the first time, as Herbert of Clairvaux’s 12th-century "Life of Bernard" notes.

    In 1224, Francis of Assisi took it further in central Italy. He found a leper outside Assisi, sores raw and reeking, and washed him while praying Psalm 107:20: “He sent his word, and healed them.” Francis’ faith stood firm, and the leper rose healed, skin clear, sores gone, per Thomas of Celano’s 1228 account.

    Then, the 1340s hit hard with the Black Death, a plague that killed nearly half Europe’s people, some 25 million, leaving survivors under lords’ thumbs. Pilgrims trekked to Santiago de Compostela, a Spanish shrine tied to St. James. In 1348, church records note a lame man walked home after hands were laid on him. 

    On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a German monk, nailed his 95 Theses to a Wittenberg church door, calling out the Catholic Church for selling indulgences, which was cash for forgiveness, a scam fleecing peasants while priests grew fat. His words spread, and soon folks could read scripture in their own languages, not just the Latin that was locked in by Catholic clergy. Healing took a back seat as Luther and his crew preached salvation by faith alone, not miracles, but Anabaptists, considered radical believers at the time, kept healing alive. In 1525, they hid in Swiss barns, and laid hands on a woman burning with fever. She cooled off, and stood up, per Mennonite histories. 

    The 1700s saw Europe and America lean into reason. Thinkers sneered at faith, and churches went cold. John Wesley flipped that in 1742, preaching outdoors to coal-stained miners in England. His journal logs a Bristol woman whose tumor shrank after he prayed, a crowd of 200 watching.

    Across the ocean, the Second Great Awakening erupted in 1801. At Cane Ridge, Kentucky, 20,000 gathered in a muddy field. Preacher Peter Cartwright prayed over a lame boy who stood, and took steps, as hymns shook the trees, per eyewitness diaries. 

    From 1906 to 1909, Los Angeles trembled with a spiritual awakening. A revival known as Azusa Street blazed to life at 312 Azusa Street, where William J. Seymour preached in a rundown warehouse, the Revival birthing Pentecostalism in 1906, and ultimately Assemblies of God in 1914. Early Pentecostals saw Azusa as God pouring out His Spirit anew, fulfilling Joel 2:23's "latter rains," representing God's Spirit bringing spiritual renewal and transformation: "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." From glory to glory through the ages.

    Sweaty, multiracial crowds gathered at Azusa Street, shouting praises as the Holy Spirit fell on the crowds with power, bringing tongues, healings, and prophecies. They carried an urgent faith, alive with the promise of 1 Corinthians 12:10: "To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy." They believed they stood in the last days, as Acts 2:17 declares: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy." This outpouring of Spirit, the former and latter rains, transforms lives, from glory to glory, as 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 affirms: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

    The "Apostolic Faith," a publication edited by William Seymour during the Azusa Street Revival, widely circulated the healing testimonies from the events, with its circulation reaching up to 50,000, amplifying reports of miracles like restored sight, healed limbs, and even deliverance from chronic illnesses and diseases. It was reported that a crippled woman cast aside her cane and walked after prayer. Blind eyes opened, fevers broke, and tumors vanished before crowds numbering in the hundreds. Frank Bartleman’s book "Azusa Street" also testifies to these daily wonders, a foundation for all who followed. The Revival, which lasted from 1906 to roughly 1909 (with some influence extending to 1915), was marked by intense spiritual experiences and claims of supernatural occurrences. In addition to healings, attendees reported that uneducated individuals spoke in foreign languages they had not learned, languages recognized by immigrants present, like German or Yiddish, as evidence of "speaking in tongues" Acts 2:4. Other accounts describe people being "slain in the Spirit," falling under divine power, and experiencing dramatic transformations, both physical and emotional. Acts 9:1-43; Ezekiel 1:28; John 18:6; Revelation 1:17; Matthew 17:6

    The Birth of Pentecostalism

    From the root of the Holiness movement, leaders like Charles Parham and Seymour pushed further, seeking the Holy Spirit’s indwelling as a distinct baptism marked by tongues. Acts 2:4 "They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues." Thus, Pentecostalism was born, and stands as the last literal-Bible-following denomination that has evolved in over 100 years. These believers proclaim the gospel that Jesus, the only begotten Son of God John 3:16, died for our sins 1 Corinthians 15:3, rose from the dead on the third day 1 Corinthians 15:4, and is now exalted in heaven at God’s right hand Acts 2:33, a truth received by faith in God alone, with repentance, or turning from sin to God, sealed by the Holy Spirit’s power John 14:26. Taking Mark 16:17-18 at its word, they have faith in Jesus's promise, and expect tongues, healings, and signs, a biblical fidelity unmatched since its 1906 rise, sparking renewals like the Charismatics of the 1960s, yet holding firm as the final bastion of Scripture’s plain following.

    Born from the Holiness movement’s emphasis on personal piety and sanctification, Pentecostalism pushed further, insisting on a distinct baptism in the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." This visceral experience broke from the quiet traditions of mainline churches, offering spiritual empowerment to all who sought it. The movement prizes supernatural feats in everyday lives, restoring the church to its apostolic and post-apostolic roots, where the Spirit moves freely among the faithful.

    From its Azusa Street spark, Pentecostalism grew into one of Christianity’s fastest-growing streams. By the 21st century, it claims 600 million adherents, per Gordon-Conwell’s 2020 estimate, flourishing in America, Africa, Latin America, and Asia, often, though not exclusively, among the poor and marginalized who find hope in its promise. Luke 4:18-19. This growth reflects an emotional, living faith, that critics sometimes call theatrical, questioning the authenticity of its miracles. Yet Pentecostals stand firm, declaring they live the Bible, not merely read it, preparing the world for the end. The movement’s appeal lies in its raw power. It carries forward the urgent call of Azusa, a beacon of God’s Spirit in these last days, lighting the path for Christ’s return.

    Other significant sparks of God's miracles flowed from Azusa Street:

    Maria Woodworth-Etter preached across America in the 1910s, her book "Signs and Wonders" chronicling feats. In Indiana, a paralyzed man rose and walked in 1913. In Ohio, deaf ears heard in 1915. A woman’s goiter shrank mid-meeting in 1914, all witnessed by thousands.

    Charles Parham, co-founder of Pentecostalism, preached healing alongside Seymour. His early 1900s meetings saw sickness flee, though specific cases remain less documented than Azusa’s flood.

    John G. Lake established healing rooms in Spokane during the 1910s. His ministry claimed 100,000 healings over five years, including cancers dissolving and blind eyes seeing, a testament to persistent faith.

    The Roaring Years: 1920s-1930s

    Aimee Semple McPherson built Angelus Temple in Los Angeles, her ministry peaking in the 1920s and 1930s. Her magazine "Bridal Call" reported a blind woman regaining sight in 1921, a crippled man discarding his cane in 1923, and a deaf mute speaking in 1926. Thousands left crutches behind, their healings archived by her Foursquare Church.

    F.F. Bosworth held campaigns nationwide in the 1920s. His book "Christ the Healer" recounts a cancer patient restored in Texas and blind eyes opened in Illinois by 1925, with dozens of letters pouring in from each revival.

    Charles S. Price joined the healing wave in the 1920s. In Canada, blind eyes saw and the lame walked, his meetings filling halls with believer testimonies of God’s touch.

    Smith Wigglesworth, a British evangelist, shook the 1920s and 1930s. Tumors melted under his hands, and the sick rose healed, his bold faith leaving a trail of miracles across continents.

    The Era of Television and Prosperity Believers: 1940s-1950s Revival

    The 1940s and 1950s marked a peak, a time when God’s power surged through many hands. William Branham launched his Healing Revival in 1947 at Jonesboro, Arkansas, before 20,000 souls. Deaf ears opened, a man deaf for twenty years hearing anew. Polio-stricken children walked, their legs straightening mid-prayer in 1950. Tumors fell from bodies, a woman’s mass dropping in 1948 before the crowd. In Durban, South Africa, in 1951, 100,000 watched a polio girl toss her crutches, her healing one of fifty or more per meeting.

    Oral Roberts filled tents in Tulsa during the 1950s. His magazine Healing Waters detailed arthritis untwisting a woman’s hands in 1955, a boy’s leukemia vanishing by 1952 with clear blood tests from his family, and cancers shrinking under prayer in 1954. Television captured the lame walking, a man casting aside crutches live, with over 1,000 healings per campaign.

    Jack Coe preached boldly in Dallas during the 1950s. A paralyzed woman stood unaided in 1952, cancers dissolved in 1954, and blind eyes saw in 1953, each revival yielding hundreds of claims in "Voice of Healing."

    A.A. Allen shook tents in the 1950s and 1960s. Tumors dropped from a woman in 1955, per "Miracle Magazine." A blind girl’s eyes cleared in 1958, and deaf ears popped in 1956. Film from the 1960s shows a man tossing crutches, with 500 healings per meeting.

    T.L. Osborn took healing abroad in the 1950s. In Thailand, a blind woman saw. In Cuba, a deaf mute spoke. His crusades yielding hundreds of miracles per event, recorded in "Healing the Sick."

    Gordon Lindsay coordinated the revival through "Voice of Healing." He documented a boy’s clubfoot straightening in 1948, his work amplifying thousands of healings across this span.

    Many from this era were prosperity believers, holding tight to scripture that promises abundance to fulfill more good works. "    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:" 2 Corinthians 9:8. Anyone who has ever experienced this prosperity or abundance knows that God is able. "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again." Proverbs 19:17. "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." Luke 6:38. Not just words, but the word of the living God. Man will reap what he has sown, good or bad. Amen.

    The Broadening: 1960s-1970s

    Kathryn Kuhlman filled Pittsburgh halls in the 1960s and 1970s. Her book "I Believe in Miracles" lists a goiter shrinking in 1967, cancers vanishing in the 1970s, and wheelchairs emptying, with thousands of testimonies logged by her foundation.

    Benny Hinn began in Florida by the late 1970s. A blind man saw in 1979, arthritis fled, and his 1980s crusades saw the lame walk and cancers depart, hundreds claiming healing per event.

    John Wimber founded the Vineyard in the 1980s, his influence stretching into the 1990s. His book "Power Healing" records back pain lifting and deafness ending by 1987, with dozens healed per meeting, including a woman’s migraines ceasing in 1985.

    The Late Century: 1980s-1990s

    Morris Cerullo preached globally in the 1980s and 1990s. In Brazil, blind eyes opened in 1985. In the Philippines, cripples walked in the 1990s, his ministry tapes claiming thousands healed.

    Rodney Howard-Browne was a Pentecostal evangelist, rooted in the movement’s emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s power, as seen in his upbringing in a Pentecostal family in South Africa and his ministry’s focus on spiritual gifts like tongues and healing. His launch of "holy laughter" in the 1990s, which he framed as a sign of end-times revival, flowed from this foundation, echoing Acts 2:17 "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh." After all, laughter is a fulfillment of Luke 6:21 "Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh," linking spiritual hunger and weeping to a divine outpouring of joy. Some embraced his views as a fresh move of God, and some dismissed them as unbiblical excess. Yet his Pentecostal convictions amplified the movement’s end-times fervor. In Florida, chronic pain left in 1993, a mute spoke, and dozens testified to healings amid revival joy (laughter).

    Kim Clement rose in the 1990s, continuing until 2016. Migraines stopped in the 2000s, a woman’s leg pain eased in 2010, his healings sparse but real to his faithful followers.

    The Present: Post-2016 to March 2025

    Hank Kunneman ministers in Omaha to this day. Arthritis eased in the 2020s, a woman’s back pain vanished in 2022, with dozens of healings yearly reported by his believing flock.

    Robin Bullock preaches in Alabama, ongoing. A deaf man heard in 2019, a tumor shrank in 2023, his miracles documented in videos for the faithful.

    Heidi Baker serves in Mozambique, ongoing. Blind eyes opened and a deaf boy heard in 2018, her ministry logging hundreds of healings yearly for believers.

    Todd White heals on streets and stages into 2025. Legs lengthened in 2019, a woman’s limp departed in 2020, pain fled in 2021, with dozens per event sworn by the faithful.

    Mario Murillo holds tent revivals in California, ongoing. Cripples walked in 2022, chronic illness lifted in 2023, his events claiming hundreds of healings.

    Sean Feucht leads worship rallies into 2025. Chronic pain healed in the 2020s, mobility returned in 2022, with dozens of miracles reported by his believing crowds.

    The 1940s and 1950s Healing Revival undoubtedly shone brightest, with William Branham, Oral Roberts, Jack Coe, A.A. Allen, T.L. Osborn, and Gordon Lindsay together claiming tens of thousands of healings. Yet, every era, from William J. Seymour in 1906 to Sean Feucht in 2025, bears witness to God’s hand. The flow of miracles never ceased after the apostles, but, again, Matthew 12:39 warns, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas." The resurrection of Christ stands as a sign for all, but miracles bless believers, fulfilling Mark 16:18. As the last days draw near, the Spirit pours out, and the faithful see His wonders.

    So, faith is the deal, and Hebrews 11:6 slams it home: “without faith it is impossible to please him.” Jesus knows hearts, Matthew 9:4 “And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” A woman in Matthew 9:22 believed, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” Bartimaeus in Mark 10:52 trusted, “Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.” The lame man at Bethesda (John 5:6-9) answered Jesus’s “Wilt thou be made whole?” with action, rising when told. Lazarus rose from the dead in John 11:39-44 “Lazarus, come forth.” Martha, Lazarus's sister's, faith in John 11:22 “I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”

    For more about the importance of faith, see also:

    "A New Heart" here" 

     "The Holy Spirit Transforms"

    "By Faith"

    "The Triumphs of Faith"

    Healing’s arc runs from the early church’s grit to today’s tent revivals, fueled by faith and God’s sovereign Will. God reigns as Potter, us as clay: Isaiah 64:8 “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter.” We are changed, 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, from glory to glory. Rough vessels all, the Potter’s sovereign Will crafts faith's arc, pushing us to greater glory, in His image, and toward Him.​

    Signs Beyond Healing: Mark 16:17-18 Through the Ages

    Mark 16:17-18 lays out a bold promise: “In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Beyond healing, believers, often on the fringe, like today’s Pentecostals and Charismatics sparking revivals, live these signs, trusting God’s Will with mustard-seed faith Matthew 17:20. Clergy and lay folk since Jesus’s ascension cast out demons, spoke strange tongues, and tangled with serpents, fueled by belief and God’s sovereign power.

    Casting Out Devils

    Exorcisms flared across centuries, proclaimed by a mix of Roman Catholic priests, Protestant clergy, and everyday believers stepping boldly into the fray with faith in Jesus’s name. Around 313 AD, Ambrose, a Milan bishop, confronted a man raving with a spirit; Ambrose rebuked it with authority, and the man calmed. "Life of Ambrose" records it plainly.

    In 1801, at Kentucky’s Cane Ridge Revival, a Methodist lay preacher, meaning a regular believer, not ordained, faced a woman shrieking and thrashing, hallmarks of possession; he prayed for hours, commanding it out in Jesus’s name, and she stood steady, per eyewitness diaries.

    By 1975, Father Gabriele Amorth, Rome’s top Catholic exorcist, tackled a teen girl in Italy howling with voices not her own; months of relentless prayer broke the grip, per his accounts.

    That same year, Bob Larson, a Protestant radio evangelist, took on a Denver teen growling unnaturally, live on air, and Larson’s faith pressed through till the teen settled, per "    Dead Air."

    In 2005, Wanda Pratnicka, a Polish laywoman, claimed thousands of exorcisms remotely, like a Chicago man plagued by voices since childhood, who found peace through her prayers, per her records, showing faith meeting God’s will to kick darkness loose across time.

    Exorcisms Between 100 and 313 AD: After Jesus’s ascension in 33 AD, exorcisms did not fade. Early Christians kept them alive into the New Testament’s close (~100 AD) and beyond. Around 150 AD, Justin Martyr wrote in "First Apology" (Chapter 6) that Christians, clergy and lay, cast out demons in Jesus’s name, proving Christ’s power over pagan gods; no famous cases, just a steady hum of belief. Irenaeus, around 180 AD in "Against Heresies" (Book II, Chapter 32), noted believers expelled demons with prayer, commonplace, not tied to rank. Tertullian, near 200 AD in "Apology" (Chapter 23), said Christians drove out spirits with Jesus’s name, faith, not magic, fueled it. Origen, around 248 AD in "Against Celsus" (Book VII, Chapter 4), claimed even uneducated Christians, lacking formal learning, cast out demons with prayer and touch.

    Famous Clergy Cases Beyond Ambrose: Beyond Ambrose, famous clergy left their mark with exorcisms tied to faith and God’s will. Martin of Tours, around 371 AD, a French bishop, faced a possessed man in a village; he ordered the demon out with a stern word, and the man was freed. Locals spread his fame, per Sulpicius Severus’ "Life of Martin." Benedict of Nursia, around 520 AD, founder of Western monasticism, expelled a demon from a monk raving in his monastery; Benedict prayed and struck with a rod, the monk calmed. "Gregory the Great’s Dialogues" (Book II, Chapter 16) tells it. Columbanus, an Irish missionary around 600 AD, cast a demon from a man in Gaul; he commanded it out, the man stood sane. Jonas of "Bobbio’s Life of Columbanus" (Book I, Chapter 19) notes his European reach. John Wesley, Methodist founder, around the 1740s, prayed over a woman convulsing in Bristol; he rebuked a spirit, she quieted. His Journal (1742) shows clergy faith at work. These were not small feats; faith met God’s will, shaking evil loose.

    Serpent-Handling and Poison-Drinking Through Time

    In Mark 16:18, Jesus commissions His disciples, declaring, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall... They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them...” This is not a nod to snake-handling or poison-drinking rituals, as 1st-century Judea had no such cults, and the early church did not practice these things. It is a promise of power over danger. For the disciples at the time, it signaled fearless mission work amid real risks, not a call to stunts. Jesus clarified in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you." Additional scripture reinforces this with Psalm 91:13, “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet." As well as Paul’s encounter in Acts 28:3-6: “And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand… And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.”

    These scriptures echo Christ’s triumph in Hebrews 2:14-15, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” They represent authority over Satan, “as a roaring lion” seeking prey 1 Peter 5:8, not a call to grab snakes or down poison, but faith overcoming anything meant to harm us. As Joseph said in Genesis 50:20, what man means for evil, God turns to good.

    There are few if any recorded tales of snake handling or poison drinking in the early church. Church fathers like Justin Martyr (2nd century) mention healings, not serpents, leaving it quiet until much later.

    Fast forward to the 20th century, and in 1909, Ambrose Clark, a Tennessee lay preacher, gripped copperheads at a Grasshopper Valley revival. He trusted Mark’s word and walked off unbitten, locals swore by it, per oral tales.

    George Hensley took it further in 1910, grabbing rattlers mid-sermon in Sale Creek. He believed God would shield him, dodging death until a 1955 bite took him, per church lore.

    The 20th-century Pentecostal surge tied to Mark 16:18 kicked off with Azusa Street in 1906, and believers latched onto signs like healing and tongues, but Appalachia’s Holiness folks (1910s-1920s), led by Hensley, added serpents as proof of faith over danger.

    James Miller, a Kentucky preacher, started in the 1920s, survived a 1945 bite with prayer, and preached till 1970. His faith held firm, per family accounts.

    Dolly Pond Church of God with Signs Following, since the 1940s, saw layman John Brown Jr. handle vipers in a 2021 service. He took a bite, prayed it off, and lived, per church talk.

    Yet today, it is a tiny fringe of snake handlers, a few hundred in Appalachia like Dolly Pond, banned in Tennessee since 1947, and seen as protection rather than a mandate. Faith drives those few who do, God’s will deciding the outcome.

    Tongues Across the Centuries

    Tongues did not vanish after the early church; it simmered through time, popping up among believers trusting the Holy Spirit’s move. Irenaeus (130-202 AD) noted it in "Against Heresies," describing believers speaking new languages, while Tertullian (200 AD) saw it in North Africa.

    In 1706, Camisard refugees in France spoke tongues amid persecution. These lay Protestants trusted the Spirit’s rush, per their diaries.

    In 1906, Azusa Street’s lay crowd, factory workers and maids, spoke new languages as William Seymour preached. Dozens believed the Spirit hit nightly, filling a warehouse with strange speech, per revival logs.

    In 1922, Aimee Semple McPherson, a Pentecostal evangelist, led a service in Los Angeles. A mechanic named John Doe spoke fluent Mandarin he had never learned, trusting God took over, per Foursquare Church records.

    In 1980, David Wilkerson, an Assemblies of God pastor, prayed over a New York teen who stammered into tongues mid-service. The kid trusted it and kept praising, per Wilkerson’s memoirs.

    In 2004, during the Toronto Blessing, laywoman Sarah Jones spoke a Slavic tongue mid-prayer at a packed meeting, untrained. She believed God moved, per church logs.

    All of these acts require the smallest of faith to perform, faith the size of a mustard seed.

    Changed From Glory to Glory, Through the Ages

    Proverbs 9:4-6: "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” And to him who lacks sense, she says, 'Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.'"

    This passage encourages the simple to seek wisdom and understanding, implying a progression from basic to more profound knowledge. Faith to faith, glory to glory.

    Isaiah 28:9-10: "Whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those just weaned from the milk? Those just taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."

    From glory to glory through two millennia, and Apostle Paul brings it home in 1 Corinthians 3:2: "I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."

    These verses speak about the gradual and incremental nature of learning and understanding, similar to the idea of moving from milk to solid food, glory to glory.

    Jump to 2025, and many are still fed with milk, unable to bear meat. Yet that mustard-seed faith that moved mountains, defied empires, and built glory, God’s sovereign Will shining through history’s edges, can still be seen by his most ardent believers, through faith that can move literal mountains. Remember, in a world crushed by Rome, where taxes bled dry the already oppressed, and soldiers cracked skulls for nonpayment, Jesus was the original fringe. He appeared with hope for the masses of weary seeking relief. His ways were considered unorthodox, or "fringe," to the Jewish elders. He preached love: Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself Matthew 22:36-40. Even more difficult to hear or understand, He preached, “Love your enemies” Matthew 5:44, which sounded wild in an age of despair and manmade rituals, where they had been taught to hate their enemies.

    And, so we are changed from glory to glory, in His image. 2 Corinthians 3:18. The rain, the former rain, and the latter rain. Joel 2:23

    ​Amen.

  • Published on
    "The Son of Man [Jesus Christ] will be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill Him, and after three days He will rise." Mark 9:31

    This is a word God put on my heart recently about repentance, faith, and salvation. Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word, Your Son, and Your Spirit. Let Your children with ears hear. Amen.

    The story of Jonah is more than a tale of a man and a fish. Jonah 1,2,3. It is a powerful study of God’s grace, human stubbornness, and the cost of not responding to God's call. When God first called Jonah to warn Nineveh, a wicked city ripe for judgment, Jonah did not just hesitate to answer, he ran from God's command, and boarded a ship to Tarshish. What followed was not immediate damnation, but a wake-up call: God sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest that rocked the ship. The men were afraid, and they threw Jonah into the ocean, and the waters became calm. Then, God caused a mighty fish to swallow up Jonah, leading to three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish. It was God's warning for Jonah, a taste of the consequences of rejecting God’s call, swift and severe.

    From the ocean’s depths, and the belly of the fish, Jonah prayed:

    Jonah 2

    1 "Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,

    2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heard my voice.

    3 For thou had cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

    4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple."

    "I will look again toward thy Holy temple," signaling his return to faith in God (repentance). God then tells the fish to spit out Jonah, and it spits him out onto dry land. Then, God called to Jonah again: "And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee." Jonah 3:1-2. This time, Jonah obeyed God, and God's warning through Jonah to Nineveh sparked repentance across the city, saving it from destruction. Flawed and defiant, Jonah became a vessel of salvation, not because he was perfect, but because he turned back to God and His ways.

    Jesus points to Jonah as a sign, when He says, "As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." Matthew 12:40. Jonah’s deliverance foreshadowed Christ’s resurrection, a triumph over death that stands as the ultimate proof of God’s power. God saved Jonah from the whale's belly, and Nineveh from destruction. He also saved His only Son, Jesus Christ, from the whale's belly ("three days and three nights in the heart of the earth"). God saved the city of Nineveh through Jonah. He saved all of mankind through Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

    But, there is a sharper edge here. Jesus spoke in Matthew 12:40 above, to an evil and adulterous generation, who demanded more signs, a crowd unwilling to accept him despite seeing with their own eyes his many miracles. He was not speaking to the faithful, but skeptics and foes like the Pharisees who sought to catch him in his words and accuse him, as Luke 11:54 and Mark 12:13 reveal. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared and said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus did not leave us. He has all power in heaven and in earth, and He gave us that power as well. Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19; 2 Timothy 1:7; Acts 1:8; John 14:2

    Just as God called Jonah and Nineveh to repentance, the resurrection is His call for man's repentance, to believe in His Son, and to have faith unto obedience, not just awe at His sacrifice. Love requires love. As Jesus said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15

    Faith means following Him, and obeying Him.

    Some might say Jonah’s story is different because it happened before Jesus’ sacrifice removed sin’s eternal sting. Back then, rejecting God’s Will brought immediate reckoning, like the storm that rocked the ship, and being in the belly of the fish, since Jesus had not yet ushered in grace. Today, because of the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins, we are justified by faith, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1. We are forgiven when we confess. 1 John 1:9. But does that mean accountability vanishes? Not at all. Take Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11. In the early church, after Jesus' ascension into heaven, Ananias and Sapphira sold property but lied about giving all the proceeds to the apostles. Peter said, "Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto the Holy Spirit," and they fell dead instantly, struck down for deceiving God.

    Or, consider the Corinthians who fell sick or died for dishonoring the Lord’s Supper: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." 1 Corinthians 11:28-30

    God’s grace does not erase consequences; it calls us to obey. For Jonah, it was correction to obedience:     ​"For whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every son whom he receives." Hebrews 12:6. For us, it is no different: "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him." Acts 5:32

    What do we make of this? Jonah’s second chance shows God’s grace is vast, and He pursues even the stubborn, but rejection has a cost, then and now. Had Jonah not repented, the outcome could have been grim, surely the same as God promised an unrepentant Nineveh. Scripture drives this home: "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21. Faith is not just a one-time claim of "I Believe"; it is a life of obedience led by faith and the Holy Spirit that guides. Even the demons "believe," and know Jesus is the Holy One of God: "Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God." Mark 1:24. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." James 2:19. "Knowing" and "believing" with a wicked heart leads to destruction, but believing with a righteous heart, set on God's ways, that leads to life.

    Jesus rose from the dead, proving His authority, and He calls all to follow Him. He obeyed God’s will perfectly, even unto death, because he had God's Holy Spirit. And, He calls us to do the same: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:48. His sacrifice forgives sins: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. Does that forgive every sin forever? If we repent and ask for forgiveness every day, it does. Scripture calls us to "pray without ceasing" 1 Thessalonians 5:17, and also to repent when we pray. When asked by His disciples how to pray, Jesus taught them a daily prayer, the Lord's Prayer, Matthew 6:9-13, "...forgive us as we forgive... and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil..." (repentance). The Ninevites got it, repenting at God's warning through Jonah, and were saved. But for those who do not get it, or do not care Romans 6:16? Jesus warns of a resurrection to death: "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; They that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:29

    Hebrews adds, "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment." Hebrews 10:26-27. That knowledge of the truth comes from the Holy Spirit, given to those who believe in Jesus, who is the truth, and have faith in God: "When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth..." John 16:13. It is not mere head knowledge, but a living revelation, rejected at our own peril.

    B    ut, does Scripture back this up? Let’s see.

    What is the "knowledge of the truth"? The Truth is Jesus Christ: He is the way, the truth and the life. John 14:6. The Holy Spirit teaches believers, who obey God Acts 5:32, all things about Jesus (the knowledge of the truth) John 16:13. It is not a textbook lesson but a revelation that takes root in our hearts, showing us who Jesus was, is, and will be, what He has done, is doing, and will do, and what God expects from us now. Holy Spirit ties it together in our heart.

    John 15:26: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." 

    The Spirit reveals Jesus, making the truth personal and real.

    1 John 2:20, 27: "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things... But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him."

    Luke 12:47-48: "And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required..."​

    The Holy Spirit is inside us when we have faith in God, and believe in Jesus. We must prepare ourselves according to His Will.

    1 Timothy 2:4: "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."​ 1 Timothy 2:5-6 

    2 Timothy 2:25: "In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth."​ 

    It is linked to repentance, a heart-change towards God’s reality.

    2 Timothy 3:7: "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." 

    Some resist this truth, missing its depth.

    Titus 1:1 (KJV): "Paul, a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness."​

    Again, the truth (Jesus) is connected to faith and a life of godliness, which is obedience.

    Hebrews 10:26-27 above is not just a warning; it is a call to hold fast to the truth we have been given, because there is no Plan B. Jesus is the sacrifice, and the Spirit teaches us about Him. Scripture confirms it: The "knowledge of the truth" is a living revelation from the Holy Spirit, given to those who believe in Jesus and obey God. The scripture shows it is not just information. It is life. There is no other way to be saved. The Bible is clear, and the stakes are eternal.

    So, Jonah’s second chance, and Jesus’ resurrection, shout the same truth: God offers deliverance, but He requires a perfect heart and a willing mind:

    "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." 1 Chronicles 28:9

    A perfect heart comes from repentance: Jonah and Nineveh repented (they both turned back... to God), and were saved from destruction. Jesus rose from the dead, proving His authority, and He calls all to follow in faith, seeking forgiveness as we stumble. The sign is there, vivid, undeniable: Before or after the resurrection, faith is not passive. In other words, it leads to action. Compare your life to Jonah's. Are you running from God's call? Has God given you rocky storms, or three days and nights in living hell? Read my blog titled, "The Veil here," about God calling my husband and I to repentance one weekend during a hurricane in 2021. We answered His call to repent that day. Praise God. Have you?

    Faith is active, obedient, alive, beyond mere humanly knowledge, guided by Holy Spirit into a life aligned with God’s Will through Jesus Christ in us, sustained by prayer and repentance.

    Because in the end, God’s Will prevails, and we are either with Him, or against Him. There is the belly of the whale, or there is salvation in Christ, the truth.     There is no middle. 

    Philippians 2

    10 "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

    11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

    See some of my other blogs related to this topic:

    "A New Heart" here" 

     "The Holy Spirit Transforms"

    "By Faith"

    "The Triumphs of Faith"

    Seek God and you will find Him. All glory to God in the highest.

    Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.


  • Published on
    JESUS FEEDS 5,000
    Imagine the 5,000 in John 6:5-14, a sprawling crowd, weary and wanting, seeking freedom from oppression, clustered around Jesus on a grassy slope. He takes five loaves and two fish, blesses them, and feeds every soul. “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.” John 6:11

    Twelve baskets overflow with fragments. It’s a marvel, simple yet vast, and the people whisper, “This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.” John 6:14

    God steps in, turning a hungry throng into a fed flock, and thereby converting many who witnessed the miracle.
    THE WOODSTOCK FESTIVAL 1969
    Now see Woodstock 1969. Half a million souls gathered together, a tide of long hair and patched jeans, washing over a farm in Bethel, New York. They came for rock and roll, and freedom from oppression, and they got the Jesus Movement.

    “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.” Acts 2:17

    God stepped in, turning what some called the forsaken, and reaping believers from the chaos, as God does repeatedly throughout history and the Bible.
    TRUMP RALLY
    Then a Trump rally. Thousands upon thousands, many Christian, red hats as banners, packed tight with chants and cheers. Drawn to promises of peace, and freedom from oppression by a government that no longer works for the people. Romans 13:1 speaks to it: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”

    Like Woodstock’s seekers, this crowd is alive with longing. Is God moving here too, shaping something unseen, just as He has done many times before?
    Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Son, Your Word and Your Spirit. May the world seek You. Amen.

    Recently, there has been a lot of chatter by some Christians on X claiming that other Christians have damned themselves by voting for Trump, so this has been on my heart for a while. I wrote about some of it previously in my blog titled, “RNC 2024,” which you can read here, so I will not repeat what I wrote there. This morning, however, out of the blue, my husband started talking about the Woodstock Festival in 1969, and questioning how so many people, 400,000 +/- souls, all assembled in one place, could have, for the most part, maintained a peaceful gathering? This led to scripture from Holy Spirit, Jacob’s Ladder, and then to this blog.

    When you hear "Bethel," you might think of the ladder to heaven Jacob saw in his dream in Genesis 28:11-19, a ladder to heaven, angels climbing up and down, and God’s voice: “I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest… I will not leave thee.” Jacob awakens, stunned: “Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not… This is none other but the house of God,” and Jacob named it Bethel, meaning “House of God.”

    In August 1969, a different Bethel, Bethel, New York, became its own ladder to heaven. The Woodstock Music Festival turned Max Yasgur’s dairy farm into a cultural and spiritual pivot, shaped by Jewish hands: Michael Lang, Artie Kornfeld, Joel Rosenman, and Yasgur himself. What was by all accounts a debauch three-day party, God turned into a Spiritual Revolution known as “The Jesus Movement,” climbing a modern ladder, from mud to grace.

    ALL ROADS LEAD TO GOD

    Bethel, New York, formerly a part of the larger city of Lumberland, became its own city in 1809, and was named "Bethel" by the Puritans specifically related to the Biblical Jacob's Ladder. Further, The Woodstock Festival was never intended to take place in Bethel, New York. The Festival’s name is derived from Woodstock, a town 40 miles away, where the four organizers first dreamed of a music-and-art fair. But permits in Woodstock fell through, the locals balked at the idea of having half a million people descend on their town, and the clock was ticking for the organizers. They searched diligently for somewhere to hold the festival, and finally, late in planning, received a “yes" from Max Yasgur, a 49-year-old dairy farmer with 600 acres in Bethel, New York. 

    The Woodstock Festival would go down in history as a free-for-all: naked hippies, marijuana smoke clouds, free love preached like the gospel. Christians saw it as a war on Christian values, the nuclear family, and law-and-order America. Some tied it to a “Jewish agenda,” a trope claiming cultural Marxism aimed at toppling Western norms via sex, drugs, and rock and roll. With Lang, Kornfeld, Rosenman, and Yasgur, all being Jewish, conspiracy whispers swirled: Was this a calculated move to break America’s moral spine? Lang, a 24-year-old dropout turned counterculture guru from Brooklyn, pushed “peace” as rebellion. Kornfeld, a Long Island music executive tied to Capitol Records, had the industry clout to amplify it. Rosenman, an Ivy League-polished Manhattan lawyer, bankrolled the chaos with the only Gentile in the group, partner John Roberts. Yasgur, a Russian-Jewish farmer in conservative Bethel, New York, opened the gate, literally, to the flood, leasing his 600 acres for $75,000, despite his neighbors’ fury.

    Their Jewish roots fueled the narrative, echoing Moses smashing the golden calf in Exodus 32:19, a break from tradition, intentional or not. Yasgur told the 400,000-strong crowd, “I’m a farmer… You’ve proven something to the world: half a million kids can get together for fun and music and have nothing but fun and music.” But was that all it was?

    Woodstock was far from a Church. Yet, it thrummed with 400,000 souls hungering for escape from the death of the Vietnam war, chasing transcendence through psychedelics, Eastern mysticism, open sex, and Hendrix riffs. Despite their intent, whatever it was, all of that “seeking” bore fruit. By 1971, the Jesus Movement erupted. Ex-hippies like Lonnie Frisbee, a Woodstock-era drifter turned evangelist, hit California beaches preaching a raw, long-haired, loving Jesus, unbound by pews. “Jesus Freaks” baptized thousands of "born again" John 3:3 Christian converts in the Pacific Ocean and rivers, strumming “Amazing Grace” on guitars, turning Woodstock’s communal, free-spirited vibe into Christian zeal. Time magazine’s 1971 “Jesus Revolution” cover traced it all back to Woodstock’s wake, from muddy ladder to Spiritual revival.

    This was Bethel, New York’s, legacy as a modern Jacob’s ladder: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” John 1:51. At Woodstock, that ladder was chaos: mud, music, open sex, drugs, a generation’s cry. The Jesus Movement climbed the ladder out of the mud, finding Christ where others saw only ruin. Like Jacob, those 400,000 souls did not expect God to be in that place, that weekend. Yet, He was there. Other seeds grew from Woodstock as well: New Age mysticism, back-to-the-land dreams, but the Christian revival stood the tallest and boldest.

    Whether or not the Woodstock Festival was a deep, dark conspiracy to debauch America, or just four free spirits who wanted to flip the middle finger at the establishment, God took what men meant for evil and turned it for His good. Genesis 50:20. In other words, God bends human plans to His Will: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” Isaiah 55:8. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28. What was sinful for those 400,000 souls became salvation for many of them, and more, because of them.

    Max Yasgur didn’t live to see the full Spiritual fallout of Woodstock. He died of a heart attack in 1973, but his farm remains a reminder. Today, the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts sits there, a testament to that summer of 1969. His Jewish identity adds a poetic twist. Like Cyrus, the Persian king who unknowingly served God’s will in the Bible, Yasgur became an accidental vessel. His field, in a place named “House of God” by chance, hosted a generation’s search for meaning. They all found sex and drugs that weekend, and then a vast majority of them subsequently found Jesus. Bethel, New York, named a “House of God” by fluke, became one for real.

    By all accounts, Lang, Kornfeld, Rosenman, and Yasgur did not plot salvation for the masses that summer. Yet, their roles mirror, “Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus… For Jacob my servant’s sake… though thou hast not known me.” Isaiah 45:1-4

    So, conspiracy buffs say Lang and the others meant to fracture America, 400,000 souls as pawns.

    History tries to portray that they just threw a party for three days in August, 1969.

    Bible prophecy hums otherwise: a farm, a festival, and a ladder to the cross for a multitude.

    Let’s take a quick look at King David, God’s greatest king, and probably one of His most flawed.

    King David is one of the Bible’s most celebrated figures, a man after God’s own heart 1 Samuel 13:14, a shepherd turned king, and the author of countless psalms. Yet, his story is far from spotless. One of its darkest chapters begins with a single, fateful glance from a rooftop. David, seeing Bathsheba bathing, succumbed to the lust of the flesh, and committed adultery with her 2 Samuel 11:2-4. What followed was a cascade of sin: deception, betrayal, and murder. When Bathsheba became pregnant from the affair, David orchestrated the death of her husband, Uriah, a loyal soldier, by sending him to the front lines of battle, where he was killed. With Uriah gone, David married Bathsheba, perhaps thinking he had covered his tracks.

    But God sees all. Through the prophet Nathan 2 Samuel 12:9-24, God confronted David, saying, “Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife." The consequences were severe, as the firstborn child of this union became ill and died, a judgment that broke David’s heart. Yet, in that grief, David turned to God in private, fasting and pleading for mercy, and God heard him. David and Bathsheba later had another son, Solomon, whom the LORD loved, and blessed with great wisdom, and Messianic lineage. As Matthew’s genealogy records at Matthew 1, “David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam," placing him in the direct lineage of Jesus, the promised Christ.
     
    This messy, painful, story reveals a profound truth: God doesn’t require perfect vessels. David was a rough one, flawed, impulsive, and capable of grave sin, but he was also a man who, when faced with his failures, turned to God in private humility. At the height of David’s sin with Bathsheba and Uriah, he stood as an unrepentant king, caught in pride and deceit, hiding his guilt behind his power. Scripture declares, “The thing that David had done displeased the LORD” 2 Samuel 11:2, and God’s judgment came swiftly. When Nathan confronted him, David’s repentance was in front of God and Nathan, and he confessed, “I have sinned against the Lord," and he sought God’s face. Psalm 51 is a personal cry to God, penned by David after Nathan’s rebuke, and lays bare his soul: “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions… Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” Psalm 51:1, 10. 

    Psalm 51 reveals a humbled heart, broken and bent, not for show but for God, proving the LORD weighs what man cannot see:

    “But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

    God’s choice to use David, and to bring Solomon through this imperfect lineage, to Jesus Christ, shows that His purposes are not thwarted by human weakness. As Paul later wrote, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7. David’s life reminds us that our failures do not disqualify us from God’s plan; rather, they can become the raw material for its very fulfillment. Like clay in the Potter’s hands, it is not the vessel’s perfection that matters; it is the One who shapes it.

    ​    Jump to February 2025, and X is ablaze with Christian chatter. Some say voting for Trump has damned their brethren. They point to his scandals, lawsuits, and words, crying, “Ye shall know them by their fruits,” seeing a wolf in sheep’s clothing, where “Beware of false prophets” seems to fit too well. But God's faithful fire back: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” They see a flawed tool in Trump, like Woodstock, not a false god. If Woodstock’s chaos could be turned into a ladder to heaven, a vote, or a flawed man, could be redeemed too. So, there are whispers of hope where some would have us believe damnation looms: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.”

    His supporters say, Donald Trump, like David, is a rough vessel, a leader forged in battles, marked by flaws, yet chosen by God for a purpose, like each one of us. Far from the proud and brass caricature his foes portray, his friends and associates say he carries a quiet humility unseen by the world. He surrounds himself at the White House by spiritual advisors, who pray with him daily, and by a cabinet of openly Christian warriors, whose faith burns bright. In private, with his Christian cabinet and advisors, he seeks God’s face, as David did. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”     1 John 1:9. God alone sees this, and God alone shapes the vessel.

    Trump’s cabinet picks, from Pam Bondi to Kristi Noem to Marco Rubio to Sean Duffy to Karoline Leavitt, and many others, all are bold believers, echoing David’s court of loyal, God-fearing men. These are not polished saints but rough clay vessels, shaped by faith, not perfection.

    His supporters stand as a faithful remnant, like Israel under David’s reign. They see in Trump, and his Christian cabinet, a team after God’s heart, not flawless but fervent for righteousness. They have watched him honor God’s name, proclaim Jesus Christ, fight to end wars, protect the unborn, and fight for the American people, while still maintaining compassion for foreigners, children, and those affected by wars. They trust the scripture, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” Proverbs 21:1. His supporters believe, like Yasgur’s field at Woodstock, Trump is a rough vessel, a tool, not a saint. God’s plan was for sinful Woodstock to turn to revival. Who is to say that His plan is not to bend the Trump saga to His glory as well? 

    Are Trump's supporters damned for voting for him? No. How could they be? Scripture says, God blesses those who align with His purposes. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD” Psalm 33:12. Their loyalty flows from faith in God, not folly in man, backing a leader and a cabinet who, like David, stumble but seek God’s will. Romans 8:28 stands firm, “All things work together for good to those who love God.” Scoffers mock Trump’s humility, his dignitaries, blind to God’s work through rough clay. His supporters are vessels too, shaped by the Potter’s hand, bearing a nation’s hope, a world's even, before God, despite the scoffers’ scorn. Trump’s presidency, like David’s rule, mirrors a biblical truth: God uses rough clay for His glory, the fulfillment of His Will, and his good pleasure. "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Revelation 4:11

    So, Bethel’s echo lingers: From Jacob’s Ladder to Woodstock’s muddy fields, God is still flipping chaos to grace, and saving the oppressed. Woodstock waved a peace flag, and proved the world could gather in peace; the Jesus Movement raised a cross, and proved it could kneel there too, all on Bethel’s sodden turf. Trump, his cabinet, and his supporters, stand on this ground, a chaotic world seeking peace, a faithful remnant lifting the cross. Like Woodstock to the Jesus Movement, and David’s humbled turn yielding Solomon, their rough faith may birth a legacy of peace, order and grace, shaped by the Potter’s unwavering hand.

    "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
    ​
    Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
  • Published on
    "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." John 8:36
    For the first time in recent memory, we watched (almost) all of the RNC (Republican National Convention), July 15 - 18, 2024. In conjunction with the televised event, and play-by-play opinions on X.com (Twitter), over the duration of the four-day event, the experience was a giant rollercoaster of emotion for me as a Christian, from start to finish: From joy to disappointment to hope, and back again.

    To be honest, I told my husband, They are pimping out the RNC. Forgive me, Lord. My husband is much meeker and quicker to forgive than me, and he mentioned Mark 2:16-17 below, which we will look at in a moment. This morning, however, God began to put this word on my heart about the Republican National Convention.

    As Christians, it is important that we study and understand the heart of Jesus, so that we do not sin against God. We can see Jesus' heart and what God requires of man in Matthew 5,6,7, Ephesians 4,5,6, Luke 3:10-18, and throughout most of the New Testament.

    The other day I was praying, and I started to say, Father, thank you that I am not like ..... and, then, remembering, Luke 18 below, I stopped myself, and said, Father, forgive me, I am exactly like them.

    Luke 18

    9 "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:

    10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

    11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

    12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

    13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

    14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted."

    This is why we must store God's word in our heart so we do not sin against Him. Psalm 119:11

    Did I expect and hope that the entertainment, music, prayers and speeches at the RNC would have been entirely Christian-oriented? Yes, of course, but, as I was writing this, I realized that it is the Republican National Convention, not a Christian national convention. The RNC represents all voters registered as Republican in the United States of America (USA). America is, and always has been, a melting pot of people, ethnicities, faiths, and religions.

    Thus, the Constitution of the United States of America:

    First Amendment

    Quote: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." End Quote.

    Freedom of religion and free speech rolled up into one short paragraph, allowing Christians to freely teach, study and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in America. Of course, it also means religion and speech are free to everyone else as well, not just Christians. That being said, statistics show that the majority of America is Christian: Of the approximately 350 million people in America, approximately 250 million are Christian, albeit many who could probably use a refreshing of the Spirit! Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

    We should remember that Satan is the ruler of this world,     as it is written in scripture.

    But, we should also remember that Satan can tempt us only so much because God provides a way to escape.

    "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

    It is also written in scripture, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" Matthew 5:44

    Think about it, when missionaries go to foreign countries to preach the gospel of Christ, they move into a community, put their children into foreign schools, attend foreign churches, sometimes churches full of good people who have lost their way to Christ, sometimes churches that worship and pray to false gods. They slowly become members of the community, and may start their own Bible study classes, and slowly reintroduce those people to Christ. Is this not exactly what Apostle Paul did from Ephesus to Corinth? Is this not what we are called to do: "Go ye into all the nations and preach the gospel unto every creature." Matthew 28:19

    We must not become complacent and comfortable in our circle of righteousness. "    For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:” 1 Peter 2:15

    Remember when Jesus preached to the Samaritans, who worshipped pagan gods and were considered unclean to the Jews. Many Samaritans were saved because of His preaching. John 4:1-25

    Anyone can be saved, even those who pray to pagan gods, if they seek the living God, the God of the living: "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [Jesus] shall be saved." Romans 10:13

    Instead of praying, Lord, thank you that I am not like those sinners, we should pray, Lord, forgive them, for they know not what they do. If we are attending the RNC, or praying for those attending: Lord, give us the strength and conviction to confess Jesus and preach the gospel to as many of the attendees as possible, all who have ears to hear. Lord, prosper our discipleship of the lost. In Your Name. Amen. 

    I mean, the RNC was ripe for harvest: "Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38

    Prayer not criticism. We all need a double dose of humility:

    Matthew 7

    3 "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

    4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

    5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

    Yes, there were a lot of sinners at the RNC, because all men are sinners. The Pharisees and scribes called out Jesus for eating and drinking with the publicans (politicians) and sinners:

    Mark 2

    16 "And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him [Jesus] eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

    17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

    ​". . . He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone. . ." John 8:7

    We cannot, as Christians, pick and choose which scripture to follow. The Bible is to be studied as a whole, and it is also written in scripture that all powers that be are ordained by God: 

    Romans 13

    1     "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

    2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation."

    Let's take a closer look at Romans 13:1-2, from Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible, biblehub.com:

    Quote: "Whosoever therefore resisteth the power... The office of magistracy, and such as are lawfully placed in it, and rightly exercise it; who denies that there is, or ought to be any such order among men, despises it, and opposes it, and withdraws himself from it, and will not be subject to it in any form: resisteth the ordinance of God, the will and appointment of God, whose pleasure it is that there should be such an office, and that men should be subject to it. This is not to be understood, as if magistrates were above the laws, and had a lawless power to do as they will without opposition; for they are under the law, and liable to the penalty of it, in case of disobedience, as others; and when they make their own will a law, or exercise a lawless tyrannical power, in defiance of the laws of God, and of the land, to the endangering of the lives, liberties, and properties of subjects, they may be resisted, as Saul was by the people of Israel, when he would have took away the life of Jonathan for the breach of an arbitrary law of his own, and that too without the knowledge of it, 1 Samuel 14:45; but the apostle is speaking of resisting magistrates in the right discharge of their office, and in the exercise of legal power and authority:" End quote.

    The law of the land in America is that we, the American people, have a right to vote on who leads our country. In this upcoming presidential election, more than any other time in our nation, our vote is literally good versus evil. Not to exercise our God-given (see Romans 13:1-2 above) right to vote, or to vote for anyone other than the Republican nominee, who happens to be Donald Trump at this time, is a vote against the Will of God, as it is written in scripture.

    There are 25 items in Agenda 47, Trump's platform, and they are all common sense for a God-loving, God-fearing, sovereign nation.

    Let's take a quick look at the commentary on Romans 13:2 from Barnes' Notes on the Bible from biblehub.com:

    Quote: "Resisteth the ordinance of God - What God has ordained, or appointed. This means clearly that we are to regard "government" as instituted by God, and as agreeable to his will. "When" established, we are not to be agitated about the "titles" of the rulers; not to enter into angry contentions, or to refuse to submit to them, because we are apprehensive of a defect in their "title," or because they may have obtained it by oppression. If the government is established, and if its decisions are not a manifest violation of the laws of God, we are to submit to them." End Quote.

    So, they closed out the final night of the RNC with President Trump's acceptance speech for the 2024 Republican nomination for President of the United States.

    Am I disappointed that he did not once mention our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in his speech? This fact did not escape me, and I was waiting for it. So, you bet I am disappointed, but I am equally thankful that he spoke of God Almighty repeatedly. 

    It was clear from his demeanor that God has humbled him with the attempt on his life, and I pray, and am hopeful, that he will listen to the Will of God, and that all of his common sense platform, Agenda 47, will be accomplished.

    "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18

    God bless you. God bless America. God bless President Trump. In Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.


    ​
    "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God."