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.

"I will sing to the LORD , for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea." Exodus 15:1

"For I am the LORD "Your Healer."
Then they came to Elim, where twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped by the water." Exodus 15:26-27


⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved— Ephesians 2:4-5

III. Lords Super- Not About Us- Him

11.08.2008
Dear Ms. Winfrey,
I am delighted in your invitation to speak about my book, 55 Words on God. I am sorry but I decline your invitation. What about selling my book? God is a direct marketer to the heart. God draws readers to books, if that is his will.

Loving appreciation,
Gregorio Roth

Alas, I did not receive a letter from Oprah!!!

Heaven is opened by our savior, our final rabbi, our great LORD: Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Deuteronomy 3:24 O LORD GOD you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours. Thank you for allowing me to find the book The World's Shortest Stories. I need to sharpen my writing up, to be only able to write 55 Words per Story creates a rewarding challenge. I ask that you continue to work with me on my writing so that my gift can Glorify You.

II. Right Assurance of Salvation

LORD's Supper II: Right Assurance of Salvation....

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the father, is this: To visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James 1:27

One plastic bottle
Amongst seas of thrown plastic
Does it matter? Yes!

Gregorio Roth
May 2008

C.H. Spurgeon (1834-92) wrote this about the LORD's supper:

What food luxurious loads the board,
when at his table sits the LORD!
The wine how rich, the bread how sweet,
when Jesus deigns the guests to meet!

If now with eyes defiled dim,
we see the signs, but see not him;
O may his love the scales displace,
and bid us see him face to face!

O glorious Bridegroom of our hearts,
your present smile a heav'n imparts!
O lift the veil, if veil there be,
let every saint your glory see.

Prayer: Deuteronomy 3:24 O LORD GOD you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours. Your cross continues to be revealed bit by bit, word by word, act by act, and even though I at times feel that I have dived deep, I have just begun to see your splendor. Thank you for your splendid grace! I ask that you continue to give me inspiration, insight into your word, and your ways. Amen.

I. Lord's Supper - Oh, Holy Wonderbread!!!!! On Communion and Brotherhood

The sun was setting, aspen trees were still green; the aspens were about to turn into a blaze of fire.

We drove our Dodge Neon carefully, about fifteen miles per hour, up the Mountain Pass. We knew that it was time to get going. If we did not go over the pass by 8 pm we would be stuck in Aspen Colorado. A place for the uber-rich, not for hicks like us.

The deer came out, as we navigated up the mountain pass. . We captured the deer in our throw away cameras and discussed the Christian Communion:
"Some people are strange?"
"You got that right."
"Christ in a piece of bread,
"Divine honors, Oh Holy Piece of Bread!"
"Oh, holy wine!"
"Yeah, I could use a beer, just about now."
"Milwaukee's Best, things don't get better than this."
"I love you man!"
"I love you too, but you aint getting my Bud Light."

Scripture:
John 6
I Corinthians 11
Col 1:15-20

Letham, Robert The Lord's Supper Eternal Word in Broken Bread Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2001.

49 AD: Dogs out Of Rome

An ode written about feelings about leaving Rome in 49 AD. all Jews and Christians had to leave Rome due to a decree by Claudius.

Sepulchers and tombs, old memorials.
Leave Rome
Undisturbed in pepetuity, we
Leave Rome.

We respecting our Holy God;
in triumph
No one disturbs Rome's Decree.
We Leave Rome

Some of the Language for the poems inspiration was an inscription found in Nazareth written before 44 AD.

Scripture Cited:
Matthew 28:12;
Acts 24:5; 18:2; 17:6

Timeline:
49 AD: Expulsion from Rome by Roman Authority
48-49 AD: Writing of Galatians
51 AD: writing of I Thessalonians
51-52 AD: writing of II Thessalonians
53-55 AD: At Ephesus (Acts 19:1-20)

1. Bruce F.F. New Testament History. Garden City, York: Anchor Books, 1972. (268-278)
2. Shelley, Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1982. (41-52)
3. Campbell, Joseph Primitive Mythology: The Masks of God New York, N.Y.; 1959. (229-281)
3. Illustration: Marvel Comics

November 10, 41 AD: Protecting A Community- Two Views...

I wax desperate with my imagination!

Scene: Alexandria, Egypt.... after the death of Gaius and the issuing in of Claudius... A letter written by Claudius on the State of Alexandria has just been read.

After hearing the letter read to the group...

Judas of Alexandria:
Let's follow. 'Tis-it not fit to protect our Jewish settlement.. here in Alexandria?

Why should we not meet and practice our customs, for they are ordained by God.

Josephus:
Have after. To what issue will this come? Your already on my last nerve.

Judas of Alexandria::

Alas, something is rotten in the state of Alexandria.

Josephus:
Heaven will direct it. For we have always had equality civil rights with them. The empire under Augustus did not prevent the nomination of the ethnarchs, because they desired all their subjects should be able to remain faithful to their representative customs.

Judas of Alexandria::
Nay, let's protect our rights. For the hordes of gentiles come at noon.

Josephus:

Should we follow Rome?

I say yea, for they have always protected us from the hordes.

Judas of Alexandria:

I say Nea, for Gaius is mad.

Gauis is a madman. Gaius is mad. Claudius will be just as bad, or worse!!!

We must take the handle, before the knife is plunged in.

Josephus:

Something is a foul!

But we must be aware of provoking any trouble, least we get all of our rights wiped away.

Josephus is real, and some of the dialogue comes directly from a letter written by Claudiuos Caeser Augustus Germanicus, translated by Josephus. Judas is a representative of the anti governmental view held by some Jews at the time. Judas was a common name back then due to the love of the Jewish Hero, Judas Maccabee. I also used Hamlet Act 1, scene 4, 87–91 to help me in creating the dialogue. Also this is not a critique of Judaism or Jewish History, it is an attempt to look at all of us. We all feel that our rights will be threatened. We all point to another person, another group, to blame. This I feel is truly aweful for it is us that need to change not a "them".

This is not a critique of Judaism or Jewish History, it is an attempt to look at all of us. We all feel that our rights will be threatened. We all point to another person, another group, to blame. This I feel is truly aweful for it is us that need to change not a "them". I am proud of my Grandparents, Pearl and Alex who were both Jews. I wear my grandfather's ring with pride, and tradition. See: Testimonial.

Diversity Calender: Thanks to N.E.A.
All Saints Day: Also known as All Hallows or Hallowmas and observed by Roman Catholics and some western protestant Churches, this feast day honors all saints, known and unknown.

46 AD: The Jerusalem Decree

Dan the man the Derb of Derbe was loudly discussing the news from Jerusalem. The tantrum was caught on TMZ,

DMDD"What does it mean they want to circumcise us? I aint gonna let any Jew or Christian near me. I say no to amendment 2, which defines a Christian by circumcision. Aint no way they can prejudize against me.

Waiter at the Vine Room: Sir, we can see you are upset. But can you please be more quite. You are disturbing the rest of our customers.
DMDD: Do they know who I am?
Do they know who I am?

This is not a critique of Judaism or Jewish History, it is an attempt to look at all of us. We all feel that our rights will be threatened. We all point to another person, another group, to blame. This I feel is truly aweful for it is us that need to change not a "them". I am proud of my Grandparents, Pearl and Alex who were both Jews. I wear my grandfather's ring with pride, and tradition. See: Testimonial.

35-48 AD: A NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN AD AGAINST SAUL OF TAURUS

The Apostle Paul the Early Years
A NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN AD AGAINST SAUL OF TAURUS endorsed by the EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
"Borderline Psycho Path Rampaging Zealot..."
That's what friends of the Early Church are saying about Saul of Taurus. And some of our brothers want to speak to him?
Last weekend, Saul of Taurus, agreed to attack Christians, so that he could maintain the purity of the Jewish Faith. He has always stated, "The New should Go, so the Old can Stay."

The fact is: He was there... He was there the record shows that He was there when our brother Steven was stoned to death.
Something just does not add up?
Cat out of the bag Mr Saul of Taurus.
Why would we even make an attempt to talk to him after all his Zealous activities? Barnabas, Peter, Ananias, and James the Just must have fallen on their heads to suggest we continue to talk to Paul. We the brethren of the early christian Church just do not see why we are thinking about discussing our future with Mr. Saul of Taurus. We have worked tirelessly to protect our fellows in these fragile early days.
"Borderline psychopath..."

"Doesn't add up...."

"Cat out of the bag"

"He was there ... the record shows... "

Does Saul of Taurus sound like someone you want to discuss a future with?
We don't care that he has changed?
There must be a mighty wind to change a man Mr. Saul of Taurus ....
or is that Paul... same person different names.... what is he attempting to cover up....
what type of change?
Simple Truth of Antioch states, "Stoner, stoner, stoner, stoner, No Way, stoner, stoner, stoner."

Going Deeper:
Deuteronomy 27:26 21:23
Acts 22:3
I Cor. 15:9
Gal 1:14
Philipians 1:21 3:6 3:12
Romans 10:4

Resources:
Bruce F.F. New Testament History. Garden City, York: Anchor Books, 1972. (234-246)

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.

30 AD: Ieus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorun: King of the Jews

What does it mean to be a religion where our God has been humiliated?

What is the cross?

Why does it matter to us today?

Why does the Cross need to remain pure?

Why won't deodorant take away the odoriferous smell off the cross?

Cicero warned, "Let the very name of the cross be far, not only from the body of a Roman citizen, but even from his thoughts, his eyes, his ears."

This weekend someone stole our two Church signs. These were signs were very important to the community of Redeemer Presbyterian Lakeland. They represented the desire of our community to reach out to those who may need some fellowship. The signs were put up in Love by our church. Our group loves the 863; and we do not make any type of indictment on the 863.

We don't believe in forcing our message down the guts of non believers. We do not try to market God to unbelievers. We believe our role is to witness to the Glory of God. We see this as telling others what Christ has meant for us.

But the Cross does smell! Humanity us humans, are responsible in the death of our Messiah and our God in flesh.

So why would someone steal our signs? How do we explain the anger towards the concept of Church?

How do we combat the human evil the human church has been part of for ever?

How do we show love when Christianity is an Exclusive Truth in a time of Relative Truths?

These are questions our Church and other Churches are working to answer. In the mean time we desire to bring our yearnings of peace and love, and our desire to dialogue in truth with others.

Shelley Bruce L. Church History in Plain Language Waco, Texas: Word Book Publishers, 1982.