A Call To Worship I Corinthians 14.

Wow! This one is a call to Spiritual Reformation.  I am a consumer, but I am to be a strengthener of my brothers and Sisters through the Holy Spirit.  Listen to Pratt's Call  We go up and ascend to the throne and must remember that our brothers and sisters need a helping hand, a reminder to breathe, an encouraging word.   This Sunday: I will do my best to encourage all by positive words of God, and smiling upon my brother who may be hurting, and holding to my word and spend time with friends. Maybe, I will even put down my kindle. so that I am attentive to all in that two and half hour period.  I know that the penalty of prophesying and not doing is equal to be a traitor to the throne of God. I pray that my awkward insulation will burst the seams and be like new wine in old wineskins.

What does it mean to abide in him?

As God's first born children left Egypt, the Egyptians were moved by the spirit of God to give them Gold,  and Jewels, and precious things. The Chosen's hearts became inflamed.  So instead of worshiping God, they turned towards a New God: the Golden Calf.  Working with their newly acquired Gold they attempted to supplant God with a God they could see and worship in their newly formed.  They deemed the Golden Calf more worthy than a God they could not envision.

 Jesus received a blessing of anointment from his father when John baptized him in the Jordan.  Jesus was tempted right afterwards for forty days in the desert by the Devil.  But instead of creating food from stone, or throwing himself off of the top of the temple, or claiming what was already his; he abide in the LORD.
Jesus walked under the shadow of God to illustrate God's enduring Love: love that does not change,  lasts forever, and  provides enough to eat when times are tough.

We are chosen to be stewards of a kingdom that is not yet complete but has already been redeemed.  We must turn to the LORD and repent for a Heavenly Kingdom is near.

50 AD: The Whisperers Whisper in West-Corinth

Whisperers dried voices; like wind in dry grass, were ready to burst into flame. They whispered meaningless words amongst themselves.

They prayed in their Corinthian Synagogues for an answer to the Christian Pests.

They sent Petitions to Rome

Rome sent the letters back, return to sender.

Christianity burst forth onto the world, burning-up with fever.

Prayer: (Prayer Starter: Exodus 3:4-5)
When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the Bush, "Moses, Moses! And he said, "Here I am." Then God said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."

30 AD: The Full Pascal Moon Lit the Other Side of the Jordan

In the Light of a Pascal Moon

The Pascal Moon lit the other side of the Jordan. The red hills were witness to a fateful day, when we put the King of the Jews up onto a piece of wood.

Almighty God Ungirded him,
eager to mount the Gallows,
Unafraid in the sight of many:
He would set free mankind.
I shook when His arms embraced me
but I durst not bow to the ground,
Stand fast I must.

Say you want a Revolution:
Revolutions often happen in the Rural Areas first. Revolutions then grow in strength and attack the Urban Center. Not this revolution. This revolution attacked the fortification first and quickly surrendered. Jesus was surprised when he saw the armed strength of the Roman Band. He replied, "Did you think you were coming to overpower a bandit?" He gently surrendered.

Was this a human movement?
Jesus left no written record. He had chosen twelve men to be witness of the day. These were ordinary men, not necessarily leaders who could make a movement happen. In fact scripture says in Matthew 11 "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and violent take it by force." He was telling his men that to bring the Kingdom to the people one can not use force. Humanistic force harms the Kingdom of Heaven.

Who were his men?
One of these twelve men betrayed him with a kiss. One of the twelve named the Rock (who would later be a significant part of church growth) had betrayed him three times in the course of a night.

What was the mission:
None of his twelve chosen men immediately understood the full light of The Mission. The mission was later defined.

Lasting Impression:
How did a simple movement, in a far off land, one prone to human failure, grow to effect me today in a far off non existent land?

Written while listening to the Podcast:
Groove Electric
Books Referenced:

Bruce F.F. New Testament History. Garden City, New York: Anchor Books, 1972.
Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1982.
Latourette, Kenneth Scott Christianity Through the Ages: New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1965.
Davie, Donald ed. The New Oxford Book of Christian Verse Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 1981.

373 AD: Compromise: We don't Need No Stinkin Compromise Purity of the Cross

God is in the purity of the cross, the purity of the word.

1 Timothy 4:1 The spirit clearly says that in later times some would abondon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.

373 Roman Empire: God never compromises to the will of man. He is the type of Coach that never punts for a better position on the field. He is a coach of miracles so he will always go for it on 4th down.

Athanasius knew that toleration of doctrine that looks similar but is not taints the purity of the Cross. Athanasius knew that the Arieans based their hope on Toleration. The state of Rome hoped to maintain peace through a compromise. They did not see what the big deal was; "Why can't y'all just get along." Constantius hoped to build a compromise between the Arians and the Athanasiusians.

Constantius compromise was to build a new vocabulary of toleration. He coined the term homoiousion(of similar substance) to replace homoousion (Same substance).

Athanasius stood against this idea of "similar substance". He did not see that this replacement helped the Christian Cause. He also did not like being told by the state government what Church should or should not accept. And if the Son is the "Word" and "Wisdom" of God, how was there a time when He was not? It is the same as if they should say that God was once without Word and Without Wisdom?"

If we tolerate what is not written in the bible, what is not the WORD of GOD, than we transgress the kingdom. Witness's do not add anything to the event but truthfully tell what they saw.

Latourette, Kenneth Scott Christianity Through the Ages Harper Chapel Books, New York: 1965.

325 Answers to Heresy from the Early Catholic Church

The Early Catholic Church worked to safeguard the pure story of the cross.

First: The apostles kept the story alive, by being careful about succession of the gospel truth.

Second: Iraneous, Linus and other men codified the New Testament.They finally agreed on the twenty-seven books in the New Testament by 367.

Third: . The Apostles Creed was a big shield in preserving the Gospel Truth:

1. Answer to the Marcionites belief that a wicked God called Demiurge created the heaven and earth:
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;

2. Answer to the Marcionites belief that Jesus was a seperate God, who remained hidden until out of pure Love He revealed himself in Christ:

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.

He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit,
and born of the Virgin Mary

3. Answersto the Mysteries and their belief that there is no historical signifigance to Christ.
He suffered under Pontious Pilate;
was crucified, and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day he rose again from the dead.

4. Answers to Montanism who believed there were future prophets who would be able to judge our world. The Montanisms stand in the way of the Biblical Fact that Jesus alone judges the quick:
He ascended into heaven,

and is seated on the the right hand of God the Father almighty.

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

5. Answers to Novation belief that sins/relapses could not be repented of once baptized:
I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

6. Answers to the Gnostic and Marcionites separation of soul and body. They believed that the body was evil and bound the soul in a prison. The biblical truth is that our bodies are not evil in of themselves... they mean enough to be resurrected...
the resurrection of the body,


and the life everlasting. Amen.

The heresies were a threat because they could drive away the believer from the core truth of the gospel. They were much like Oprah in there attempt to take "God out of the Box".
Marc Driscol beautifully critiques this gospel.

These are my observations on how the Apostles creed answers the Heretic Threats. If anyone wants to shine some more light on this issue please reply to my post. I am just trying to learn here!!!! And know I do not have the education needed to be an expert on this in the least....

950-1350 AD: Our Lady's Juggler

Our Lady's Juggler: Anatole France

The story, Our Lady's Juggler, tells the story of a juggler turned monk who has no gift to offer a statue of the Virgin Mary except for his ability to juggle well. Anatole France chronicled this old medieval legend in 1892. The story shows that one honors God by performing our true calling well.
I am a Deli Clerk. I love the challenge of meeting customers needs. God blesses me in serving others. Like Barnaby (in the story) I struggle to make a living. Like Barnaby I attempt to live an upright life full of hope. The story is true to the protestant work ethic in that one does not need to be called to a "high" position to please God. God is pleased when we are strong and cheerful with our work. Read it for yourself: Our Lady's Juggler .

Tradition, Tradition: From the Sermons of Meister Eckhart

"The past can be a resource for the present."

Alister Mc Grath

Meister Eckhart in 1300 fell into disfavor with Rome because of his preaching. The following is a part of a sermon. The sermon shows the Protestant thinking about the holy scripture, the believer and the church. Enjoy-

I have a capacity in my soul for taking in God entirely. I am as sure as I live that nothing is so near to me as God. God is nearer to me than I am to myself; my existence depends on the nearness and presence of God.

In whichever soul God's Kingdom appeareth, and which knoweth God's Kingdom, that soul needeth no human preaching or instruction; it is taught from within and assured of eternal life.

As for outward works they are ordained for this purpose that the outward man may be directed to God. But the inner work, the work of God in the soul is the chief matter; when a man finds this within himself, he can let go externals. No law is give to the righteous, becuase he fulfills the law inwardly.

Stepping Lightly on the Path

James 1
(My interpretation) We walked away from our protection. We decided to rebel. We caused a great strain. God was sad. He desired to have us walk gently on the tundra. He did not want us to waver on the walk. He wanted what was best for us. 'For the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind." James 1:6 He did not deceive us. But we were deceived by the cunning alluring ways of the beautiful witch holding the apple. A good witch is never ugly. In fact witches are beautiful, because our perception of beauty creates an easy trap. We (us guys) loved the boobies and the booty. But did not see the strain pictures have on our relationships. As the prophet Nahum wrote, "And all for the countless whorings of the prostitute, graceful and of deadly charms who betrays nations with her whorings, and people with her charms." Nahum 3:4 So are we bound by the moral decay? No! We do not need to add more to the lines on our face. We do not need to walk hard. Because, Jesus walked into it for us. He helped us uproot our weeds. He burned the clippings in a great pile, a smell pleasing to the LORD. "Draw water for the siege; strengthen your forts; go into the clay tread the mortar; take hold of the brick mold." Nahum 3:15 As Matthew Henry said, "He is a strong hold for every believer in times of trouble, that cannot be stormed or taken; and he knoweth those that trust in Him."
Or as the Dashboard Confessional wrote:

"You throw yourself
Into their arms
Mistresses have all the fun
But no one's ever there to take you home

Box up your gloves and your
Down coats
Bound for the sun and the
West coast
Where upper crust tragedies abound

A tip for the girl at the
Coat check
The guy at the door and the
Bar back
They know your face
Oh so well

But movies never made you famous
All your dreams got lost or traded
And all you ever cared about got lost

But you were surely still an actress
Older men would find attractive
And all you ever dreamed of was the cost

Where there's gold, there's a gold digger

We are KOBE BEEF Awaiting the Slaughter House

Amos 4:1

We are the Kobe Cows of Bashen. We sit grazing on fine grains. We eat our ice cream. We are delighted. We build fine houses thinking they will always be there. We build up debts on our credit cards. Our houses become foreclosed. We become oppressed and poor because we do not turn the true source of our wealth. So run to him! Run to our LORD! Run to our LORD now.