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    THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN YOU

    "And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.Romans 8:11
    God truly works in mysterious ways. Can you see all of the ways He works in your life?

    Heavenly Father, thank you for our many blessings. Thank you for not forsaking us. Let Your words flow through me and not my own. In Jesus' name. Amen.

    So, we did not go to church this morning. We had that 'nor'beaster' come through New England. We probably got 5 to 6 inches of snow at our house Saturday, and it was pretty windy all afternoon and night. I prayed this morning and asked God if we should go to church today, which I try to do on a regular basis. We live about 30 minutes away. Anyway, I kept getting the same answer, No. I had no idea why, but we stayed home.

    Instead, I pulled up our church service on Facebook, and sang along with the Worship Team. When I opened the service on Facebook, my husband said something like, Hey, it is just like being in church. I said, Yeah, but not really, I don't feel the Holy Spirit here, or the Holy Spirit isn't here, something like that. So, I was singing along with the worship songs, and the Holy Spirit came over me, at home, and I began to sob uncontrollably while I was singing, still trying to get the words out. First, it felt like a sense of shame for the life I had lived, and then a sense of the love of the Father, who saved us by His grace, or favor, for no other reason than He loved us. 

    God was reminding me that the Holy Spirit is inside us, believers, and, therefore, He is wherever we are.  I mean, of course I knew that, but the Holy Spirit was reminding me. Perhaps, God told me not to go to church today, so I could be reminded of that, or perhaps He spared me the embarrassment of breaking down and sobbing uncontrollably in front of the church congregation. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. 

    Stop what you are doing. Raise your hands in the air. Give all glory, honor, praise and thanksgiving to God, Most High, the great I Am, and watch Him come right down where you are standing, and ". . . fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises." Romans 15:13

    Romans 8:9 - But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

    Hallelujah. Praise God. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.


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    BAPTISM

    "BAPTISM" AUDIO BLOG

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    Proverbs 4

    20 "
    My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn;

    Open your ears to my sayings.

    21 Do not let them escape from your sight;

    Keep them in the center of your heart.

    22 For they are life to those who find them,

    And healing and health to all their flesh."
    ***UPDATED FEBRUARY 7, 2022 see below***

    Father God, thank you for loving us and not forsaking us. Thank you for Your Word and Your gifts, talents, miracles, signs and wonders. Thank you for these Testimonies for You with which you have blessed me, and that prove to me, and hopefully those who read them, that Your Word is alive, and that you truly have not forsaken us. Thank you for giving us ears to hear and eyes to see. Amen.

    Now, if you are like I was until recently, you probably do not know that there are two types of baptisms: Baptism in Water, and Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. ***UPDATE FEBRUARY 7, 2022: Sunday after church, God turned on another light for me. Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Baptism in fire, are two separate baptisms. In other words, they do not come together, at the same time, or at least not necessarily. If you think about it, fire is passion. When you hear prophets, pastors, or ordinary people, speak with a passion for God, a fire for God, then you know that they have received Baptism in Fire.

    I still do not understand the differences completely, but I have a general idea about Baptism in Water and Baptism in the Holy Spirit, based on my firsthand experience with, first, water at 13 years old Thank you, Jesus, and recently, in the last few months, with Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Click here to read my Testimony about being baptized in water at 13 years old.

    So, what is Baptism in the Holy Spirit? How do you know if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit? 

    (courtesy of lwaog.net/)

    The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance: Acts 2:4Acts 10:44-46Acts 19:1-6

    The speaking in tongues that occurs from Baptism in the Holy Spirit is, in essence, the same as the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians, but is different in purpose and use: 1 Corinthians 12:4-101 Corinthians 12:28

    End quote.

    "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 2:17 

    The differences I see between speaking in tongues in Acts and 1 Corinthians, without having studied the subject other than reading the Scripture, is that in Acts, it says, "in the last days," everyone will be given these gifts, including speaking in tongues, to bring as many people as possible back to God, by showing His miracles, signs and wonders through them.

    1 Corinthians 12, on the other hand, is referring to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues, being bestowed on people whom "God has set in the church," church leaders, and is not specifically designated for "the last days."

    This week, while working on our church website, and reading about Baptism in the Holy Spirit, I realized that, yet again, God was at work in my life. God is Great - All the Time!

    Now, I started learning about the Pentecostal denomination only a couple of years ago, during the lockdowns, by watching Pentecostal prophets giving prophecies and sermons. Occasionally, one will  speak in tongues briefly in a prayer, or sometimes someone else will interpret what they are saying.

    Then, recently, I heard someone speak about praying in tongues. It was a very powerful sermon. He said praying or speaking in tongues is a language only God understands, and it causes Satan to flee from you. Hallelujah! Amen. So, I tried. I started praying in tongues. All glory to God in the Highest.

    How to: Pray to God out loud as you normally would, in private. Pray for the Holy Spirit to fill you, and then open your mouth and let another language, or 'tongue,' come out. 

    What does this have to do with my Testimony to God's Power? Well, I noticed over the last few months, and the content of my blogs show it as well, that I am being drawn more into the service of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

    Literally, I have received a download, if you will, of "an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, a deepened reverence for, and intensified consecration and dedication to, God's work; and, a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost," as described below in the experiences associated with Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

    Baptism In The Holy Spirit

    (courtesy of lwaog.net)

    All believers are entitled to, and should, ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father regarding Baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ, as was the normal experience of believers in the early Christian Church. With Baptism in the Holy Spirit comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts, and their uses in the work of the ministry: Luke 24:49Acts 1:4Acts 1:81 Corinthians 12:1-31

    The benefits and experiences associated with Baptism in the Holy Spirit are completely distinct from, and after, the experience of the new birth, or Baptism in Water.  Acts 8:12-17Acts 10:44-46Acts 11:14-16Acts 15:7-9

    With Baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:


    • an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work: Acts 2:42; and,
     
    • a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost: Mark 16:20


      God truly is great and amazing, and we thank Him for it! Thank you, Father. All honor and glory and praise and thanksgiving to God, the Father, the great I Am. Amen.
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    THE VEIL

    "THE VEIL" AUDIO BLOG

    ​Heavenly Father, thank you for our many blessings. All glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving to God, Most High. Bless those reading this. Amen.
     
    God’s plan is that we remember who we are, what our purpose is here, and that we return to Him, in Jesus Christ.
     
    Who knows that we all have a purpose? It is the very reason for our existence on earth:
     
    “In Him also we have received an inheritance [a destiny—we were claimed by God as His own], having been predestined (chosen, appointed beforehand) according to the purpose of Him who works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will,” Ephesians 1:11
     
    According to the purpose of Him, with the counsel and design of His Will! Not our own will.
     
    THE VEIL
     
    “And we all, with unveiled facecontinually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18
     
    What is the ‘veil’ about which Apostle Paul writes above when he says, ‘with unveiled face’? Plainly speaking, it is a veil over us that keeps us in darkness, and in the dark about who we really are: Light and love, from God, the creator.
     
    In Biblical times, the Israelites, who lived under the Mosaic Law, Moses’ Law (the Law), had a veil of blindness and ignorance upon their hearts. The Law was oppressive and difficult to follow, as Jesus tells us in the New Testament. Hebrews 7:18-19 tells us that the law was weak and useless, and never made anything perfect.
     
    “For, on the one hand, a former commandment is cancelled because of its weakness and uselessness [because of its inability to justify the sinner before God] (for the Law never made anything perfect). . .” Hebrews 7:18-19
     
    Those seem like harsh words. I no longer see them as ‘harsh,’ however, but more frank. The Law condemned people to sin and death.
     
    In Matthew 23:23-24 below, Jesus is being frank with the Pharisees and scribes, when He says, woe to them, for not fulfilling the primary spirit of the Law, which is ‘justice and mercy and faithfulness.’
     
    He is telling them, I want you to be saved, but how can you escape judgment? By your actions, you will be condemned.

    Matthew 23:23-24 “Woe to you, [self-righteous] scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you give a tenth (tithe) of your mint and dill and cumin [focusing on minor matters], and have neglected the weightier [more important moral and spiritual] provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the [primary] things you ought to have done without neglecting the others. You [spiritually] blind guides, who strain out a gnat [consuming yourselves with miniscule matters] and swallow a camel [ignoring and violating God’s precepts]!”
     
    Jesus is judging righteous judgment John 7:24, and not judging by their fancy clothes and kept appearances. He is exposing their unfruitful works of darkness Ephesians 5:11, and warning others to beware of their actions and deeds.
     
    Why would God, the creator, allow Mosaic Law into His creation, when it was clearly imperfect? Well, Adam and Eve had a choice, and they chose to disobey God and introduce sin and death into the world.
     
    By the Law, we learned what sin is, so that we could learn not to sin through and in Jesus Christ, and once again, be made perfect, like God, light and love, from glory to more glory.
     
    What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, if it had not been for the Law, I would not have recognized sin. For I would not have known [for example] about coveting [what belongs to another, and would have had no sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, 'You shall not covet.'” Romans 7:7
     
    So, the veil of blindness that comes from the Law is taken away through repentance in Christ.
     
    2 Corinthians 3
     
    14 “But [in fact] their minds were hardened [for they had lost the ability to understand]; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed [only] in Christ. 
     
    15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart; 
     
    16 but whenever a person turns [in repentance and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 
     
    17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom].”
     
     
    “ . . . while on the other hand a better hope is introduced [Jesus Christ] through which we now continually draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19
     
    From one degree of glory to even more glory …
     
    Believers who study the Gospel are happy, for their hearts are free in Christ to follow the way of God’s Commandments. Believers have love and light, and with open face, as if looking in a mirror (reflection), they behold the glory of the Lord.
     
    “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.” Matthew 7:12
     
    ‘The essence of the law and the writings of the Prophets.’ So, essentially, everything we know about anything, according to God’s Word. These are not JUST words. God’s Word is alive, and is meant to push us from glory to glory, towards Him.
     
    Apostle Luke goes into further detail about how to reflect God’s glory, love and light, by treating others the way you want to be treated:
     
    Luke 6
     
    27 “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you,
     
    28 bless and show kindness to those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
     
    29 Whoever strikes you on the cheek, offer him the other one also [simply ignore insignificant insults or losses and do not bother to retaliate—maintain your dignity]. Whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.
     
    30 Give to everyone who asks of you. Whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.
     
    31 Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
     
    32 If you [only] love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
     
    33 If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
     
    34 If you lend [money] to those from whom you expect to receive [it back], what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners expecting to receive back the same amount.
     
    35 But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked.
     
    36 Be merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) just as your [heavenly] Father is merciful.”
     
    God’s Words are alive and literal, and truly every action we commit against another individual, we are committing against ourselves, which prohibits us from reaching our God-Willed potential.
     
    By loving and treating everyone as if they were us, then we have fulfilled the letter and the intent of the Law, and the prophets, written about (for our sole benefit), to push us to awaken to our true destiny, from one glory to more glory, and return to God, the source of all things.
     
    All of this proves that our God is a just, forgiving and merciful God, who does not want any to perish, but all to return to Him, in and through Jesus Christ.
     
    He is a God that takes what men meant for evil and turns it to good. Genesis 50:20. Praise God! Amen.
     
    The end of one covenant, the Law, and the beginning of a New Covenant, the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all men.
     
    JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION
     
    Luke 23
     
    44 “It was now about the sixth hour (noon), and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour (3:00 p.m.), 
     
    45 because the sun was obscured; and the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two [from top to bottom]
     
    46 And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!” Having said this, He breathed His last.”
     
    Just like that, in the blink of an eye, the veil [of the Holy of Holies] of the temple was torn in two [from top to bottom], and the Law became fulfilled in two simple commands: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:36-40
     
    So, God, the creator, the source of all things 1 Corinthians 8:6, created us perfect, like Him, in light and love.
     
    Through sin and death, we were torn and wounded; and,
     
    healed by the grace [favor] of God, the Father.
     
    Created Perfect
    Torn and Wounded
    Healed, Bandaged, Revived and Raised Up
     
    Hosea 6
     
    “Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord,

    For He has torn us, but He will heal us;

    He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.
     
    After two days He will revive us;

    On the third day He will raise us up

    That we may live before Him.”
     
    We were saved by the Grace of God, and we will be raised up through the Word made flesh, the resurrection, which is Jesus Christ.
     
    Let’s pray for all of God’s children to remember who they really are, a part of God, the creator, in and through Jesus Christ. Amen.


    See also my blog titled, 'The Veil,' to read about My Testimony to God's Power.