💥 Podcast: Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life"

 

 

(This podcast was previously recorded and published on March 7, 2021)

 

No man can go to God except through Jesus, The Word.

So if we are tempted to go a way opposite to that which we read in the New Testament Bible, we know we cannot go to God that opposite way.

Galatians 5

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 

 

==

 

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I (the Word) am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by ME (the Word of God).

 

 

Matthew 26:51-54   And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear. (We see in John 18:10 it was Peter did this)

52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to MY Father, and HE shall presently give ME more than twelve legions of angels?

54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

 

 

Matthew 26:42-44  He (Jesus) went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O MY Father, if this cup may not pass away from ME, except I drink it, THY will be done.

 

 

Galatians 1:6-8   I marvel that ye are so soon removed from HIM that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

 

 

Psalm 78:49   HE (God) cast upon them the fierceness of HIS anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

 

John 8:44   Jesus said to the Jews who sought to kill Him:  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

 

Revelation 3:5  Jesus says:   He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before MY Father, and before HIS angels.

 

 

Revelation 22:12-15   Jesus says: And, behold, I come quickly; and MY reward is with ME, to give every man according as his work shall be.

13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

14 Blessed are they that do HIS commandments (God's commandments), that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

 

 

I Corinthians 6:9-10   Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

 

I Corinthians 10:13  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.

 

 

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Psalms 63: 1- 6  O God, THOU art my God; early will I seek THEE: my soul thirsteth for THEE, my flesh longeth for THEE in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
 

2 To see THY power and THY glory, so as I have seen THEE in the sanctuary.
 

3 Because THY lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise THEE.
 

4 Thus will I bless THEE while I live: I will lift up my hands in THY name.
 

5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise THEE with joyful lips:
 

6 When I remember THEE upon my bed, and meditate on THEE in the night watches.

 

 ***

 

Proverbs 27:9  Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

 

***

Philippians 3:13-15  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

 

***

 

 Romans 12:19-21  Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is MINE; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
 

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

 

*** 

Ephesians 6:10-13  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

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💥 Acts 14 (Reading through the BIble)

 

1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

² But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their minds evil affected against the brethren.

³ Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of His grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

⁴ But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles.

*** 

 ⁵ And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,⁶ They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: ⁷ And there they preached the gospel.

(If they won't receive you as you share The Word, just go elsewhere.)

***

⁸ And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked:

⁹ The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and (Paul) perceiving that he had faith to be healed, ¹⁰ Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet.  And he leaped and walked.

¹¹ And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men.

¹² And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.

¹³ Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people.

¹⁴ Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes (making themselves look as nothing in the flesh), and ran in among the people, crying out,

¹⁵ And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:

¹⁶ Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways.

¹⁷ Nevertheless  HE left not HIMSELF without witness, in that HE did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

¹⁸ And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

¹⁹ And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

²⁰ Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

***

²¹ And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

²² Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

²³ And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

***

²⁴ And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

²⁵ And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down into Attalia:

²⁶ And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they fulfilled.

²⁷ And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how HE had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

²⁸ And there they abode long time with the disciples.

 

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💥 Podcast: Jesus says: "My sheep hear MY voice"

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 24, 2021)

 

Do you hear the voice of Jesus?  Are you aware of the Holy Spirit of Jesus bringing thoughts to your mind to help you and to guide you in the way of God?

Are you born again?  If you are born again you do have the Spirit of God in you.  

I Corinthians 3:16   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Jesus says:

John 10:27-29  MY sheep hear MY voice, and I know them, and they follow ME:  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of MY hand.

My Father, which gave them ME, is greater than all; and no man (none) is able to pluck them out of MY Father's hand.

I Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

The Spirit of God which is in us guides us into all truth, reminds us of that which Jesus has said to us, teaches us all things, and shows us things to come.  (John 14:26, John 16:13)

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter, the helper.

If you have been born again, you have the Spirit of God in you.  Therefore you are able to follow what Jesus says to you by HIS Spirit.  You can hear Jesus' voice as the Holy Spirit brings thoughts to your mind to show you what to do.

You might need to be more aware of thoughts coming to your mind.  And how to recognize those thoughts that are from Jesus by HIS Spirit.

Romans 8:14   For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

*****

My experience is that the Holy Spirit speaks in a very gentle voice, bringing to my mind scriptures and concepts in the moments that I have to make decisions in this life so I can know the way God wants me to go in the issues at hand.

John 14:26  Jesus says:  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in MY name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:13  Howbeit when HE, the Spirit of truth, is come, HE will guide you into all truth: for HE shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever HE shall hear, that shall HE speak: and HE will shew you things to come.

I Corinthians 2

9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love HIM.

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by HIS Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 

 

 

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💥 Scriptures:

 

James 3:17  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

 

 ***

 

Hebrews 4:15,16  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

***

Proverbs 29:26  Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh from The Lord.

 

***

 

Matthew 5:43-45 (Jesus says) Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

44 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;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for HE maketh HIS sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

 

*** 

 

Hebrews 10:38-39 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, MY soul shall have no pleasure in him.

39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

 

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💥 Acts 13 (Reading through the Bible)

 

1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

² As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate ME Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.

³ And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

⁴ So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

⁵ And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

⁶ And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:  ⁷ Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.

⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

⁹ Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him.¹⁰ And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

¹¹ And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. 

And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

¹² Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

***

¹³ Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

¹⁴ But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

¹⁵ And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

¹⁶ Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

¹⁷ The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with an high arm brought He them out of it.

¹⁸ And about the time of forty years suffered HE their manners in the wilderness.

¹⁹ And when HE had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He divided their land to them by lot.

²⁰ And after that He gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

²¹ And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years.

²² And when He had removed him, He raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also HE gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfil all My will.

²³ Of this man's seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

²⁴ When John had first preached before His coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

²⁵ And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not HE. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of His feet I am not worthy to loose.

²⁶ Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent.

²⁷ For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning Him.

²⁸ And though they found no cause of death in Him, yet desired they Pilate that HE should be slain.

²⁹ And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took Him down from the tree, and laid Him in a sepulchre.

³⁰ But God raised Him from the dead:

³¹ And HE was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people.

³² And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, ³³ God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that HE hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee.

³⁴ And as concerning that HE raised Him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, HE said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.

³⁵ Wherefore HE saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.

³⁶ For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:

(David's flesh was destroyed.)

³⁷ But HE, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

³⁸ Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through This man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  ³⁹ And by HIM all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

⁴⁰ Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;
 

⁴¹ Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

⁴² And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

⁴³ Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

***

⁴⁴ And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.

⁴⁵ But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

⁴⁷ For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

⁴⁸ And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.

***

⁴⁹ And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

⁵⁰ But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

⁵¹ But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.

⁵² And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

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💥 Podcast: A friend of this world is an enemy of God (James 4:4)

 

 

(This podcast was previously recorded and published on March 2, 2021) 

 

James 4:4  Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

If we approve the sins of this world and give support to those who sin in such, then we become the enemy of God.

At the judgment seat of Christ we will be judged by the views God presents in the New Testament Bible and whether or not we agree with God's views as we live on this present earth.

* Romans 1:26-28 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 

 

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

 

* Mark 10:11-12 And HE (Jesus) saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

* I Corinthians 7:10-11 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

* Matthew 5:32 Jesus says: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

- The faithful wife who is divorced by her husband will commit adultery if she remarries but her husband who divorced the faithful wife will be the cause of her adultery.

- The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. 

 

* I Corinthians 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

 

* I Corinthians 6:9-10 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

* Galatians 5:19-21 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

If we support those people who are doing these things and show ourselves friends to them in their acts, we become an enemy to God.

 

2 John vv. 8-11  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

 

I Timothy 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.

 

 

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💥 Scriptures:

 

Matthew 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

 

 ***

 

Hebrews 13:15  By HIM therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to HIS name.

 

***

Proverbs 4:7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

 

***

 

Proverbs 27:1  Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

 

*** 

 

Romans 13:12-14  The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (the Word), and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

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💥 Acts 12 (Reading through the Bible)

 

 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

² And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

³ And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)

⁴ And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

⁵ Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.

⁶ And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.

⁷ And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

⁸ And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals.

And so he did.

And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.

⁹ And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

¹⁰ When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him.

¹¹ And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent His angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.

¹² And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.

¹³ And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda.

¹⁴ And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

¹⁵ And they said unto her, Thou art mad. 

But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. 

Then said they, It is his angel.

¹⁶ But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

¹⁷ But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison.

 And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place.

***

¹⁸ Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter.

¹⁹ And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. 

And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

²⁰ And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king's country.

²¹ And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

²² And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.

²³ And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

²⁴ But the word of God grew and multiplied.

²⁵ And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was Mark.

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💥 Podcast: Born again: What this means. How you can tell if you are born again.

 

 

(This podcast was previously published on April 19, 2021)

 

Being born again means, we are changed instantly by God.  

A young man told me he walked out on his back porch and "something happened."

A woman, who was a long time drunk, said one day "something happened" and she had a great desire to read the Bible after that happened.  She told her husband she was going to quit drinking.  He didn't believe her because he'd heard her say that before.  But this time the power of God was in her to enable her to do those things she could not do before.

In my case, the Holy Spirit spoke these words to me:  "Joan ... you know those mistakes you've been making all these years?  Those weren't mistakes. Those were sins." 

After I heard the word of God, by the Spirit of God, I believed and was instantly changed by God.

I read a portion of Bible (Deuteronomy 18:9-12) to my mother one day and she thought about that which I read to her and she said, "Well ... I guess we'd better not do that anymore."  And instantly she was changed by God.

My uncle wrote to me and said:  "Your mother is changed.  She is really changed."

My dad was born again instantly by God when he was in his 70's.  All of a sudden he wanted to go to church.

Jesus said to Peter: Matthew16:17  

Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

It is not that we learn things and change.  

We are instantly changed by God and are given the Holy Spirit to live in us.

II Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

No man can do this for himself.  He can go forward at church and be baptized and do what they tell him to do to be a member of their church group, but he cannot change inwardly as those who are born of the Spirit of God change.

 

Being born again is an act of God, not an act of the will of man.

Countless numbers are members of a church group, but few are born of the Spirit of God and changed instantly into completely new creatures by God HIMSELF.

Being born again is instant change caused by God and not by mental learning of man. And it is having the Spirit of God living inside of you now to lead you and guide you.

These statements will make no sense to the vast number of church goers who have not been born again by the Spirit of God.

They think we learn everything by acts of our own will, by reading the Bible.

But we cannot understand things of God by reading the Bible until we have been born again by God.

I Corinthians 2:14   But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

Jesus said:  Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.  John 3:3

Paul says they are:  "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."  (II Timothy 3:7)

But we cannot understand things of God by reading the Bible until we have been born again by God and have the Spirit of God in us to guide us and teach us.  It is HIS Spirit causing us to change and to be recreated in the image of God.  

The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

We cannot obtain these "gifts" by copying others who have these gifts.  These gifts of the Holy Spirit are given by God and are not a learned thing but, rather, a part of the new creation which God causes us to be when HE lives in us.

I Corinthians 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

When we were born as babies from our natural parents, we did nothing to cause ourselves to be born.  Neither can we cause ourselves to be born again.  We are children of God by the will of God, and born of HIS Spirit, and recreated by God in HIS image.  

As Jesus was born of the Holy Ghost, we also are now born of the Holy Ghost when we are born again.  

And as Jesus could hear from God the Father, now we also can hear from God the Father by HIS Spirit who now lives in us.

As we inherit traits from our natural parents, now we inherit God's characteristics by being born of HIS Spirit.

We are changed by God and we are no longer like that person we once were.

Have you experienced that instant change from God?  If you have, you know it.  And others see that change in you also.

That is what being born again is.  We now have living in us God's Spirit.

I Corinthians 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

It is not that we try to be godly.  We are godly, for God lives in us now, for we are born of God our Father and have HIS Spirit in us.

*****

Comments by Pam Padgett 

 

My great-aunt, Aunt Eunice, had gone to the Baptist church, I think all of her life.  As an adult she was very active in the Baptist church, even cleaning the church each week.  I'm sure everyone in our family had no doubt that Aunt Eunice was a Christian.

When she was in her 80's, there was a large family reunion.  At one point during the gathering, Aunt Eunice got up and announced with great joy and excitement that she was now born again!  She said she had always thought she was born again, but she now knew that she hadn't been born again until recently.  

I was sitting next to Aunt Eunice's oldest daughter.  She leaned over to me and said "I don't know why Mother is saying this.  She just recently started talking like this.  But she has always been a Christian.  Everyone knows how she has worked at the church and done whatever needed to be done for years."  

This daughter obviously didn't understand being born again, but it caused me to rejoice to hear what Aunt Eunice said. 

Matthew 7:21-23  Jesus said:  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.

22 Many will say to ME in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from ME, ye that work iniquity.

***

Comments by Joan Boney:

My aunt was Church of Christ all her adult life.  She was different from all the other relatives.  We got along great.  They were afraid of her but I was never afraid of Aunt Ardath.  They would say, "What would Ardath say?"  She was their gold standard concerning what was right and wrong.  But she wasn't that way with me.

After I was born again, I was at her house and the Holy Spirit said to me, "Tell her about being taken into heaven."  I didn't want to do that!  She was Church of Christ!  You don't tell supernatural religious things to Church of Christ.  

But I knew it was the Holy Spirit telling me to do this, so I yielded myself to that which the Holy Spirit said for me to do.

I began telling my aunt this story:  After I was born again, I was transported into heaven in the night while I was sleeping.  I was with God and Christ and the Holy Spirit.  (I saw no physical images.  It was in the spirit.)  At that time I was merged into the body of Jesus, made one with the Word of God, God and the Holy Spirit witnessing.

As I told her this story, I noticed that a type of dreamy look came upon her face.

After I finished speaking, she said to me:  "Something like that happened to me once and it was all golden."

Then I knew why we always got along so well.

She once said to me, "I always knew you would never do anything wrong."

I did everything wrong!  But she must have seen me by faith.  For after I was born again I was completely changed instantly.

***

When we are born again, we know we didn't do anything to cause us to be born again or to justify our being born again, it was all by the will of God.

I think this causes us to be more merciful toward those who are not born again.

Romans 9  

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall Thy seed be called.

8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.

10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of HIM that calleth;)

12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

15 For HE saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew MY power in thee, and that MY name might be declared throughout all the earth.

18 Therefore hath HE mercy on whom HE will have mercy, and whom HE will HE hardeneth.

(If you have never experienced these changes from God, I suggest you fall down before God and beg God to have mercy on you.)

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