I was involved in a social media conversation which ultimately lead up to a pretty interesting proposal.
A scientist type of fellow was interested in setting up an experiment which might encourage skeptics of the Christian faith to examine findings for proof that God exists.
The particular gift I am speaking about is that of speaking in tongues.
Before I go too deeply into my thoughts about this experiment I'd like to give note to the Biblical discussion of gifts as stated by Paul the Apostle.
1 Corinthians 2:12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1 Corinthians 12 is the Chapter in which Paul explains each of the nine gifts given by the Spirit.
1 Word of wisdom
2 Word of knowledge
3 Faith
4 Healing
5 Working of miracles
6 Prophecy
7 Discerning of Spirits
8 Diverse kinds of Tongues
9 Interpretation of Tongues
Before and after Paul names the Spiritual Gifts he is very specific about who gives them and why he gives them.
1 Corinthians 12:6
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1 Corinthians 12:11
But all these worketh that one and same self Spirit, dividing to every man severally, as he will.
In all Biblical reading I have done in both OT and NT these gifts given to men are always given for proof of God's existence, or that of Jesus as the Messiah's existence. An example of wanting to use these gifts for self aggrandizement is also noted in the Bible here: Acts 8: 18-23
Let me be clear about operations of Spiritual Gifts given by the Spirit of God.
No man by his own choice can activate any of these gifts without Holy Spirit instruction, or assistance.
These are not actions or doings solely of man's intention.
It is very important to understand that as Jesus preached, He preached exclusively to the Gospel of a Kingdom Coming and always of who the Kingdom came from, being God the Father.
In the last days, Jesus warned us of the false one coming, claiming to be Him, doing miracles and wonders to deceive the world.
I think it would be difficult to create an experiment, which would validate God's existence through examining instances of those claiming to be speaking in tongues. The main reason for difficulty is this: nobody can predict when the Holy Spirit will act as God would design any use of these gifts.
Many believers today say that being baptized in the Holy Spirit happens when you speak in tongues. That may be true, but Acts 8:17 clearly indicates that the laying on of hands is also a manner to receive the Holy Spirit. Those that would say the Holy Spirit Baptism is exclusive to speaking in tongues are speaking a faulty doctrine to what scripture states. As God is not the author of confusion, it is hard for me to imagine that importance isn't given to the gifts in order that they are listed. Speaking in tongues is 8th.
Acts 2: 6-12 describes plainly how God used those of the Upper Room receiving of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost delivered the gift of Tongues. They were all Galileans speaking to 16 different languages as represented in the scripture so that all understood the work of Jesus. This means they knew to speak a language not of their own learning.
Now in terms of creating an experiment to validate God's existence among skeptics, I would let the skeptics do as they desired. God in His way may decide to participate in such a test. As for myself, I'd not have anything to do with such an experimentation.
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
In the following verses the workings of faith follow from the beginning to now.
I don't think it is possible to believe in God without having faith. I certainly know that when I was trying to understand faith, I didn't believe in God. I knew of God as people spoke of Him, but I did not know Him.
If you check back on the spiritual gifts list Faith is the 3rd gift given by God.
Moreover when Jesus was speaking to his disciples after his resurrection he told Thomas, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believed.
There are those in this world that will flatly reject God. There are others which do not reject Him, but don't actually have a need to include Him into their lives. There are those who claim to know God, but in fact know nothing of Him. There are also those that can't live this life without a relationship with God.
The only way one can have a relationship with God is through His son Jesus. Jesus born of a woman came into flesh. He lived as a human and died knowing all the pains, doubts and fears we all face. His time on earth was nothing short of an example on using the nine Holy Spirit gifts in operation determined by God for His own purpose.
The wisest choice any person can make is the understanding of who Jesus is, what he did and why he did it.
The most foolish thing anyone can do is not investigate the life of Jesus thoroughly. He is alive, and you best believe He is coming back for His kingdom.
Peace and Blessings
Pastor Martin
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Monday, August 17, 2015
Modern Babylon
I read a message the other day. Here is the sight: http://survivetheenddays.com/nfop_i2/?t=
The guy doing the info ad made some remarkable associations to what he believes to be modern day Babylon. He supports even further his thinking by going through the book of Revelation and giving names to King of the North and King of the South.
The piece is provocative and I'm sure many will consider it less than worthy to consider, but they might also be #LeftHandChristians that Jesus said would be counted as goats.
For quite some time I've been speaking to urgency of times as we are in the days known as the Beginning of Sorrows. Because many folks want to know more of how one should interpret Jesus' revelation to John in the book of Revelation, I think this is a pragmatic discussion on coming troubles for some and Great Glory for others.
I am in no way promoting the product in the above link.
Peace and Blessings
The guy doing the info ad made some remarkable associations to what he believes to be modern day Babylon. He supports even further his thinking by going through the book of Revelation and giving names to King of the North and King of the South.
The piece is provocative and I'm sure many will consider it less than worthy to consider, but they might also be #LeftHandChristians that Jesus said would be counted as goats.
For quite some time I've been speaking to urgency of times as we are in the days known as the Beginning of Sorrows. Because many folks want to know more of how one should interpret Jesus' revelation to John in the book of Revelation, I think this is a pragmatic discussion on coming troubles for some and Great Glory for others.
I am in no way promoting the product in the above link.
Peace and Blessings
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Perilous Times
The world is in chaos as we approach the Shemitah.
Once again in our culture the lunacy has begun in another general election cycle.
Ferguson is erupting again while elsewhere in the world all kinds of innocents are slaughtered.
Even those fighting for independence as countries are left to their own overwhelming survival.
What are we to focus on, how are we to respond?
For me, I have taken it upon myself to seek God's will for myself and others in all things I do.
Wisdom from earlier times that I wrote goes unheeded even as it is prophetic. I have tried to
market the writing, but I can't even give it away, folks are just to focused on whatever their particular interest is for them.
I notice many folks are talking about God. I suppose that is a good thing, but talking about God for me isn't enough. Because of our particular situation I have been working for our only provision of income. My wife has been doing her own bit of work for the Lord as she is guided. She has just published a book with the help of other friends who are also mindful of serving the Lord. The name of the book she wrote is "Cast Down - A New England Haunting". It is marketed as a paranormal romance, but for her thinking she calls it a Christian horror story. She has also begun another book written from the same story line.
Everyone involved in the work of her service to the Lord is in very difficult economic reality. Who isn't these days? I see God's hands all over this writing. The Holy Spirit helped me to support her in this endeavor, and I do mean Helped!
For my own doing in His service my prosperity isn't in monetary wealth, but rather a wealth of helping others along in very desperate situations. In a couple of other posts I spoke about Don. Well now Alex is in the picture. Jobs are abundant because the company we work for is also in the business of serving God in their own ways. The owner is confident and growing more confident in purchasing more properties. My pace in rehabbing these properties is not something usual for him, so I guess he is coming around to utilizing his resources based upon risk for production potential. Six months ago he was cash strapped because he didn't have the right management team. He is providing low cost housing for people in a big industry here in the south. He owns trailer parks.
Six months ago I started on one job doing a complete rehab. The guy I went in with on the job claims to be a Christian, but he burned me for more money than I could afford to lose. I was upset, but the Holy Spirit had a strong hold on me so in a very big moment I said my piece and forgave him. The owner worked with me through the deficit and gave me more work as he decided to make investments. Today I'm overseeing four jobs with two other bids I have given ready to go. I also have help. Don now rents from Ed and Alex is also renting but is in arrears due to his own troubles within family.
We are still very close to economic calamity. Just as other folks are too. We are however building for the days ahead, we have hope in the Lord. All those that are connected with me will have knowledge and faith in the Lord or they will learn about His ways. Because this is His doing there will be no interlopers. Plenty of folks have asked if I had any work, but I wasn't nudged toward their way in offering. I am not saying they have to be active Christians, God forbid! What I am saying is that His purpose is revealed to me as He designs.
My wife even helped out today when the office asked if I knew anyone who could clean up for showing units I had been working on. Tina had already had one of the other guys employed in there cleaning, but not to my satisfaction. Tina and my wife get on very well, and she is always bragging to my wife about how she never has to worry about jobs I am on. So when the opportunity of need presented itself, my love shared a few hours with me in a unit I was working on and the other one right next door I had completed last week.
Brothers and sisters, I know it is written that our deeds for the Lord should not be made known for the sake of building ourselves up as the Pharisees do. I however believe that for all the professing to love God, not enough is being done for the least of these. All the folks involved with myself and my wife are encouraged for doing what the Lord said we should do. In their own particular situations they have reason to thank the Lord. And in days such as the perilous ones we face, how can sharing the doing of service to God be considered prideful? By an example these words should give you inspiration to do something, anything that you can as God reveals His purpose to you! Remember we are all adopted into his family, and how glorious is it to introduce others that may or may not know God into an ever greater demonstration of His Holy Spirit Operations?
Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10
I believe there are many hopeless sinners waiting for God to provide a miracle. Those facing eviction, loss of family, illness, or just something worthwhile to do in this frustrating life can find peace in Jesus arms as promised by God when the faithful will do more than talk about scripture or knowing God.
John 14:12
We do not need to show God's love by our attendance at church. We need to find those that are truly looking for the truth and deliver to them the abundance we know as disciples of the Jesus' living church.
We can do it at work, or in our day's moments. We just have to have the courage and willingness to let the Holy Spirit guide us to do God's will. This is the manner in which we will be delivered through these perilous times.
And for the link to my wife's new book!
Cast Down - A New England Haunting
Peace and Blessings
P.Martin
Once again in our culture the lunacy has begun in another general election cycle.
Ferguson is erupting again while elsewhere in the world all kinds of innocents are slaughtered.
Even those fighting for independence as countries are left to their own overwhelming survival.
What are we to focus on, how are we to respond?
For me, I have taken it upon myself to seek God's will for myself and others in all things I do.
Wisdom from earlier times that I wrote goes unheeded even as it is prophetic. I have tried to
market the writing, but I can't even give it away, folks are just to focused on whatever their particular interest is for them.
I notice many folks are talking about God. I suppose that is a good thing, but talking about God for me isn't enough. Because of our particular situation I have been working for our only provision of income. My wife has been doing her own bit of work for the Lord as she is guided. She has just published a book with the help of other friends who are also mindful of serving the Lord. The name of the book she wrote is "Cast Down - A New England Haunting". It is marketed as a paranormal romance, but for her thinking she calls it a Christian horror story. She has also begun another book written from the same story line.
Everyone involved in the work of her service to the Lord is in very difficult economic reality. Who isn't these days? I see God's hands all over this writing. The Holy Spirit helped me to support her in this endeavor, and I do mean Helped!
For my own doing in His service my prosperity isn't in monetary wealth, but rather a wealth of helping others along in very desperate situations. In a couple of other posts I spoke about Don. Well now Alex is in the picture. Jobs are abundant because the company we work for is also in the business of serving God in their own ways. The owner is confident and growing more confident in purchasing more properties. My pace in rehabbing these properties is not something usual for him, so I guess he is coming around to utilizing his resources based upon risk for production potential. Six months ago he was cash strapped because he didn't have the right management team. He is providing low cost housing for people in a big industry here in the south. He owns trailer parks.
Six months ago I started on one job doing a complete rehab. The guy I went in with on the job claims to be a Christian, but he burned me for more money than I could afford to lose. I was upset, but the Holy Spirit had a strong hold on me so in a very big moment I said my piece and forgave him. The owner worked with me through the deficit and gave me more work as he decided to make investments. Today I'm overseeing four jobs with two other bids I have given ready to go. I also have help. Don now rents from Ed and Alex is also renting but is in arrears due to his own troubles within family.
We are still very close to economic calamity. Just as other folks are too. We are however building for the days ahead, we have hope in the Lord. All those that are connected with me will have knowledge and faith in the Lord or they will learn about His ways. Because this is His doing there will be no interlopers. Plenty of folks have asked if I had any work, but I wasn't nudged toward their way in offering. I am not saying they have to be active Christians, God forbid! What I am saying is that His purpose is revealed to me as He designs.
My wife even helped out today when the office asked if I knew anyone who could clean up for showing units I had been working on. Tina had already had one of the other guys employed in there cleaning, but not to my satisfaction. Tina and my wife get on very well, and she is always bragging to my wife about how she never has to worry about jobs I am on. So when the opportunity of need presented itself, my love shared a few hours with me in a unit I was working on and the other one right next door I had completed last week.
Brothers and sisters, I know it is written that our deeds for the Lord should not be made known for the sake of building ourselves up as the Pharisees do. I however believe that for all the professing to love God, not enough is being done for the least of these. All the folks involved with myself and my wife are encouraged for doing what the Lord said we should do. In their own particular situations they have reason to thank the Lord. And in days such as the perilous ones we face, how can sharing the doing of service to God be considered prideful? By an example these words should give you inspiration to do something, anything that you can as God reveals His purpose to you! Remember we are all adopted into his family, and how glorious is it to introduce others that may or may not know God into an ever greater demonstration of His Holy Spirit Operations?
Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10
I believe there are many hopeless sinners waiting for God to provide a miracle. Those facing eviction, loss of family, illness, or just something worthwhile to do in this frustrating life can find peace in Jesus arms as promised by God when the faithful will do more than talk about scripture or knowing God.
John 14:12
We do not need to show God's love by our attendance at church. We need to find those that are truly looking for the truth and deliver to them the abundance we know as disciples of the Jesus' living church.
We can do it at work, or in our day's moments. We just have to have the courage and willingness to let the Holy Spirit guide us to do God's will. This is the manner in which we will be delivered through these perilous times.
And for the link to my wife's new book!
Cast Down - A New England Haunting
Peace and Blessings
P.Martin
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Light vs. Dark
I thank God for His Sabbath.
I praise Him for the wisdom He sends for anyone with an ear to hear,
or with eyes to see.
Faithful I am thankful for you and looking forward to being in the Lord's presence with you
when His appointed time comes. It is on my heart to hearken you all so that you may consider with all sincerity and conviction the state of your spiritual man.
While Jesus taught this world, he was asked by his disciples about a man casting out devils in Jesus name.
The disciples forbad the man for his actions and Jesus told them:
Mark 9: 39-40
Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil against me. For he that is not against us is on our part.
The division of America is setting the stage for a time soon to come. The latest ruling handed down from the Supreme Court concerning Men Loving Marriage, opens the door to the threshold persecutions we'd endure in Jesus' name. This decision comes as the darkness in this world grows stronger and bolder.
Divisions of race, wealth, ideology and man's morality are raging and fomenting chaos in our lands.
Even believers are taking it upon themselves to enter into the prevailing arguments for and against their ideas of what is wrong and right. The result is a hatred propagated among all of us as God's children.
While we believe to be righteous in our attempts to rebuke the wrongness we see, we fall short of the 2nd greatest commandment. To love one another as we love ourselves. While we fight against those we presume to be wrong we also minimize the importance of our 1st and greatest commandment, To love God with all of our minds, body and soul.
Confusion, anger, chaos are the temptations the enemy loves to see us all involved in because we act in darkness even if we presume to be in the light. There can be no more instruction on who and what the enemy is written by Paul in Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Jesus knew of wickedness and iniquity of all men. His charge in preaching for the 3-1/2 years he walked on this earth was a method of how we should live in obedience to all the laws and statutes of God. He showed us possible methods to fight evil given to us from on High! He gave us power to defeat the enemy, but did so with instructions many have either forgotten, dismissed or rejected.
Whether or not the Holy Spirit thrives in us depends on how we as believers welcome Him into our hearts.
If we are angered and part of the chaos this world is embroiled by, how can spread His gospel, or serve the least of these he charged us to work after? Are we ignoring the Great Comforter Jesus sent us?
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring things all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Faithful see the times for what they are! Many are being slaughtered in the Middle East for their faith in Jesus! Even in our own country millions of the innocent are killed in what man considers to be legal medical procedure known as abortion. Now we find that fetus remains are being mutilated and sold! The possibility of giving nuclear power to known enemies of our country and Israel waits on a vote!
Come with me to Revelation 6: 9-11
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and the testimony which they held: And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How Long, O Lord, holy and true, does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The time is close when Jesus will no longer be a mediator for the sins of man to the holy Father in Heaven.
Some call this the time of probation. Whatever you want to call it, once Jesus leaves this work, you'll either be written in the book of Life, or you won't.
The times to come will be impossibly difficult to imagine. The things we are witnessing now are nothing to what is yet to unfold. The great day of wrath comes after the impending tribulations which are just beginning.
In our own country, once a land of freedom we see our liberties being removed each and every day. No matter how much we fight this growing darkness it still goes on as it must. No country or nation can prevent what must happen These things are written by God and they WILL come to pass. The signs in the heavens will become apparent later this September with the last of the blood moons triad all while we are in a super Shemitah year.
It is very possible that the leveling hand of God will set up a time for the coming of the Antichrist spoken of in Prophecy. We will most assuredly have to be standing in the light, or we will be counted in the darkness.
Faithful... turn off the world of chaos, put away the agony. Lift yourselves to the only salvation we have and know what he offers. The sixth seal is presented for being broken and read in the heavens very few are aware of for the chaos here blinds them to it.
Peace and Blessings
I praise Him for the wisdom He sends for anyone with an ear to hear,
or with eyes to see.
Faithful I am thankful for you and looking forward to being in the Lord's presence with you
when His appointed time comes. It is on my heart to hearken you all so that you may consider with all sincerity and conviction the state of your spiritual man.
While Jesus taught this world, he was asked by his disciples about a man casting out devils in Jesus name.
The disciples forbad the man for his actions and Jesus told them:
Mark 9: 39-40
Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil against me. For he that is not against us is on our part.
The division of America is setting the stage for a time soon to come. The latest ruling handed down from the Supreme Court concerning Men Loving Marriage, opens the door to the threshold persecutions we'd endure in Jesus' name. This decision comes as the darkness in this world grows stronger and bolder.
Divisions of race, wealth, ideology and man's morality are raging and fomenting chaos in our lands.
Even believers are taking it upon themselves to enter into the prevailing arguments for and against their ideas of what is wrong and right. The result is a hatred propagated among all of us as God's children.
While we believe to be righteous in our attempts to rebuke the wrongness we see, we fall short of the 2nd greatest commandment. To love one another as we love ourselves. While we fight against those we presume to be wrong we also minimize the importance of our 1st and greatest commandment, To love God with all of our minds, body and soul.
Confusion, anger, chaos are the temptations the enemy loves to see us all involved in because we act in darkness even if we presume to be in the light. There can be no more instruction on who and what the enemy is written by Paul in Ephesians 6: 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Jesus knew of wickedness and iniquity of all men. His charge in preaching for the 3-1/2 years he walked on this earth was a method of how we should live in obedience to all the laws and statutes of God. He showed us possible methods to fight evil given to us from on High! He gave us power to defeat the enemy, but did so with instructions many have either forgotten, dismissed or rejected.
Whether or not the Holy Spirit thrives in us depends on how we as believers welcome Him into our hearts.
If we are angered and part of the chaos this world is embroiled by, how can spread His gospel, or serve the least of these he charged us to work after? Are we ignoring the Great Comforter Jesus sent us?
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring things all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Faithful see the times for what they are! Many are being slaughtered in the Middle East for their faith in Jesus! Even in our own country millions of the innocent are killed in what man considers to be legal medical procedure known as abortion. Now we find that fetus remains are being mutilated and sold! The possibility of giving nuclear power to known enemies of our country and Israel waits on a vote!
Come with me to Revelation 6: 9-11
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and the testimony which they held: And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How Long, O Lord, holy and true, does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The time is close when Jesus will no longer be a mediator for the sins of man to the holy Father in Heaven.
Some call this the time of probation. Whatever you want to call it, once Jesus leaves this work, you'll either be written in the book of Life, or you won't.
The times to come will be impossibly difficult to imagine. The things we are witnessing now are nothing to what is yet to unfold. The great day of wrath comes after the impending tribulations which are just beginning.
In our own country, once a land of freedom we see our liberties being removed each and every day. No matter how much we fight this growing darkness it still goes on as it must. No country or nation can prevent what must happen These things are written by God and they WILL come to pass. The signs in the heavens will become apparent later this September with the last of the blood moons triad all while we are in a super Shemitah year.
It is very possible that the leveling hand of God will set up a time for the coming of the Antichrist spoken of in Prophecy. We will most assuredly have to be standing in the light, or we will be counted in the darkness.
Faithful... turn off the world of chaos, put away the agony. Lift yourselves to the only salvation we have and know what he offers. The sixth seal is presented for being broken and read in the heavens very few are aware of for the chaos here blinds them to it.
Peace and Blessings
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