Where there is a story... There is a dream.

Nintendo DS Lite

2011-11-27T07:52:00.001-08:00

Sent from archie's iPod.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

When Things Don't Work... Jesus Has a Plan!

2011-11-18T10:54:00.001-08:00

Guest Post by Luis Rey

I had a desire to preach about Jesus, and I always said that if
whatever I wanted to be didn’t work out, then I would be an
evangelist. I never wanted to be a “pastor” in a church, even though
many people thought I would be one.

After pursuing a career in music for a few years and having some
success, I felt the “call” to full-time ministry (more on this below).
Through the years, I constantly struggled with my consistency in my
walk with God, and at times, felt the pressure of “being better” being
in a position of authority in the organized church. What I didn’t
understand was that I was walking in ignorance.

You see, I had asked Jesus to come into my life when I was a child,
but I never understood what it meant to receive the life of Christ in
exchange for my life. I walked in great zealousness for God, trying to
either earn my relationship with Him, or working to prove I was worthy
of His blessings. My friends, I lived a life much like a Pharisee,
trying to please God by following all the rules, because that’s what I
thought a good Christian does. I had a mental assent that Jesus would
forgive me, but to me that included feeling a lot of remorse, tireless
confession, depression and even desperation. There were things in my
life that were destroying me and I found myself without the strength
to conquer them, and instead of trusting in the Spirit, I thought it
best for me to try even harder. My faith wasn’t in Jesus, it was on my
ability to make things right with God.

But God in His great mercy and patience had other plans for me. You
would think after serving in some powerful churches, several
mega-churches in fact, and serving as a pastor and student pastor that
I would walk in understanding, right? I tell you that just because a
man has a position or title does not mean he walks in truth. In the
quietness of my heart and through a desire to overcome my frustration
with my life that had a form of Godliness yet without power, I heard
the true message of Jesus. This message filled my soul as I truly
heard of what Christ has done for us, according to the great grace and
love of God. I began to hear the gospel of God’s work reconciling the
world unto Himself, which included me, without any help of myself. The
power of the Spirit revealed to me that I was no longer a slave to my
sin, that in fact, my old-self HAS been crucified with Christ, and if
I am like Christ in His death, then…get this…I am assuredly like Him
in His resurrection… in THIS life! The New Covenant of the loving
Father began to wash over me, in which He says, “AND THEIR SINS AND
THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." Father began to reveal
Jesus in me, as I began to walk as a new creation, not because I had
tried to become one, but because in Jesus, I am one!

The true Good News, the Gospel, of Jesus Christ invaded my life, my
heart, my soul, and my mind. I truly had to come to repentance,
changing my mind about where my righteousness was found, and I now
place my faith in the grace of Christ Jesus alone. I discovered that
in being transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of
the Son, that I am no longer working as a slave to please God, but I
am resting in the truth that I am a son, and if a son, a co-heir! And
though I “serve” God today, I serve Him as a son, prayerfully doing
whatever it is He asks of me.

Out of this great awakening from my slumber, I realized that there is
no such thing as “full-time” ministry, that ALL who are in Christ
Jesus have been given the ministry of reconciliation. Through this,
Father began to open my eyes to His Kingdom beyond the four walls of
the modern-day expression of the church. As part of that awakening, my
wife Ashley and I gave up the assurance of a full-time paying job at a
church and began a journey being led of the Spirit to preach and teach
the Gospel wherever doors open.

There is so much more to our journey with our beautiful children, and
we are hungry to preach this beautiful and powerful Gospel of Jesus to
as many people as possible. We also want to encourage you in your
ministry of reconciliation and we ask that you join us in furthering
the Gospel throughout the United States and the rest of the world.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Miracles Authenticate the Holy Presence of Jesus

2011-11-02T08:41:00.001-07:00

Guest Post: by Jim of Mozambique

At the weekly Staff Meeting with Heidi we heard the stories of 5 blind
people that were healed in the last couple weeks! Exciting stuff!
One was a Muslim Cleric ... his eyes were totally white. During
prayer his eyes turned a beautiful brown and he began seeing. He is
now following Jesus and the whole village is coming with him!

We also heard the story from Zimbabwe of a young christian who set out
to do what Jesus did. Someone told him that the things Jesus did, he
could do. So he took his Zimbabwe BMW (a bicycle) and started going
door to door, asking if anyone was dead in that house. After knocking
on several doors and receiving a negative answer he knocked on a door
only to find that the young daughter there had just died.

He went and began to pray for her and in his words "She got more dead."

So he read the Scripture about Jairus's daughter and saw that everyone
was put out of the room so he ordered everyone out. Then he read that
Jesus spoke to the young girl and told her to get up. So he did that.
Several times. And she got up! Then, like Jesus, he told her family
to give her something to eat.

He said it was not because of great faith and that mostly it was a
mistake. He didn't know what to do and was just trying whatever came
to mind.

The victories here are great. Great victories come from great
battles. We do not speak of the battles very much, but they do
happen! We choose not to focus on the battles but on our King Who IS
Victor!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Much Love

Jim & Twyla

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"I said hey, is this my problem? Is this my fault?"~Paul Simon

2011-10-27T05:57:00.001-07:00

For the most part... life in America is pretty grand. Our needs are
met and most of the time in excess. We have multiple cars and eat in
nice restaurants. Mostly, we are blessed with far more than we ask.
It is in this comfortable state, we can easily lose track of who the
provider really is.

Then something happens totally unplanned or maybe even a long series
of things. The car breaks down. We develop a pain and the doc says
it is incurable. Our spouse declares their love for another. Our
children are busted for drugs and skipping school. The list goes on.
I wonder why the list even exists. I didn't do anything to cause any
of these catastrophes.

It's true... you and i may not have done anything to cause these
catastrophes, but the struggles of life are predictable. It is from
these struggles, Jesus fulfills His promise "all things work together
for the good of those that love the Lord." The good comes about from
the truth spoken by Jesus... ",,,from your side, you must give your
confirming evidence".

When we are wounded in our side by life's struggles, we are to give
evidence to the world of God's power and sovereignty. Will the
evidence for the world come from living a defeated life or living a
victorious life in love with Jesus? What evidence will the world see
in your life today?

“When the Friend I plan to send you from the Father comes—the Spirit
of Truth issuing from the Father—he will confirm everything about me.
You, too, from your side must give your confirming evidence, since you
are in this with me from the start.”~Jesus

Paul Simon sums it up nicely, this way...

was having this discussion
In a taxi heading downtown
Rearranging my position
On this friend of mine who had
A little bit of a breakdown
I said breakdowns come
And breakdowns go
So what are you going to do about it
That's what I'd like to know
You don't feel you could love me
But I feel you could

It was in the early morning hours
When I fell into a phone call
Believing I had supernatural powers
I slammed into a brick wall
I said hey, is this my problem?
Is this my fault?
If that's the way it's going to be
I'm going to call the whole thing to a halt

You don't feel you could love me
But I feel you could
You don't feel you could love me
But I feel you could

I was walking down the street
When I thought I heard this voice say
Say, ain't we walking down the same street together
On the very same day
I said hey Senorita that's astute
I said why don't we get together
And call ourselves an institute

You don't feel you could love me
But I feel you could
You don't feel you could love me
But I feel you could

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"We are to love the people of the world. They may respond with hate. How's that work for you?"~archi

2011-10-25T04:44:00.001-07:00

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"...sometimes it seems darkness is all that is left." ~archie

2011-10-22T08:38:00.001-07:00

Friend.

Imagine if you will, a place of total darkness... Now strike a match!
The light of the world is revealed. How long will you carry the match
and never strike it?

In the beginning there was darkness. The earth was void. God brought
light to dispel the darkness. God created man and placed him in a
world that is naturally dark. Light was created to dispel this
darkness.

Sometimes.... darkness seems to overtake the light... it is again in
this darkness that God created the light of the world in a man name
Jesus. Today... Jesus is the light that dispels the darkness, but we
have a responsibility to call on the light of Jesus. Too often we in
arrogant boldness try to create the light...

It is in this darkness we become trapped....

There is but one creator. He has created light, but we must choose
the light. Without the light, there is only darkness. Nothing good
will come of the darkness. Ultimately, the darkness will bring death.

For some the death will come early.

The truth is that God created light to dispel darkness. There is but
one way out of the darkness. His name is Jesus.

Choose to strike the match!

archi

=====================================
IN TRIBUTE TO A FACEBOOK FRIEND WHOSE LIFE ENDED EARLY IN DARKNESS

Black water traces its way on the ground, pools and swirls until
darkness surrounds but cry out. Come save me now....

Lonely sorrow in the dusty mind, the traveler on the road, pick up
those 6 strings and play. Come find the weary heart today... Carry
the sorrow, Make a stand, Lend a shoulder, to understand, there is a
way....there is a way

Pick up your feet on this dusty road of lifes troubled
consequences...rule the dusk and dawn of all things in life. You will
make ammends. Lay down the gun, needles, suicide, depression and the
like. It's going to be a long journey through the black water
tonight.

Carry me! Through the dark water of life.. Carry me! No more
dragging in the strife.. Carry me home tonight...I'm tired of this
pain... Fuck it all or forget it well, I'm living through this tonight

Shadows come through misty gray mornings so dark, down to the old pool
I start but damn that water....Its so cold inside my heart. Lend me a
boat alright, let me rule that water and sing. Carry me over the dark
water moat. Don't let that poison touch me again. I don't give a
damn what you say I can't do. I'm crossing this today.

You don't have to carry me! No, I'm walking now. Don't carry me! I
am learning how. Don't carry me! I have found the way to walk on
that black water and leave it all today! Blessid soul, dark no more,
not weary or afraid. Blessid heart and mind of God is where I am to
stay. Holy one am I my friends and no one can hold me down. I'll rise
up on that black water and soar above the clouds.

BY Jacob Heynen
====================================

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Jesus Attends a Medical Marijuana Gathering... huh?!

2011-10-21T10:29:00.001-07:00

Guest post by a friend of mine:

I have an update on ministry in the medical marijuana direction...I've been going to a Patient Grower Network lodge, and just looking for those GodSpot opportunities...they come along here and there with each othering, but that was not the cake God has in store...this lodge is probably about the most legitimate example of how the medical marijuana program SHOULD look...it is a social network, and they do a lot for real patients, who are in real pain and suffering...they function very much like a church SHOULD function...interestingly, this lodge used to be an Eagles hall prior, and was originally built as a church...

...so, I've been getting to know the people that are connected to this place, and God showed me that to chew on for a while...(very relevant flashback) my dad was a music teacher, and a regular teacher towards the end, but he laways loved music...music was always something he influenced on me...of course, my parents (most likely just my mom) wanted me to be in the band in school, and reluctantly I did that...when I was in youth group as a teen, my friends and I were in the church band...I played bass because I hadn't started hearing music at this age, and I labeled my self "the whole-note bandit"...well, that was a long time ago, and music dropped as an interest or routine in my life...

...slowly, I started, not just listening, hearing music...knowing it more and more so to speak...I didn't play any instruments over the years, but I seem to enjoy making structure with finger rhythms...back to now here, there's a guy who volunteers to help run the lodge, and me and him are around the same age so we got along well...he also had his guitar, bass, and drum kit at the lodge...he liked to play, and one day asked me if I wanted to jam with him...so I ignored my social anxiety and self analysis for once and played the song my heart heard...then he says to me, "ok, you're in the band too"...what?...apparently, they had been looking for people to be in the band, this guy has lots of musical talent, and I just happened to be that guy to add too...long story shorter, we now have four members, and THIS IS GOD'S HOOK/LINE/SINKER: 3 of us started in youth group bands...WORD...

...added bonus, this last weekend I was able to share a big chunk of Truth with one of the lodge members...this lady had so many legal/institutional thoughts stumbling her vision, that I knew as it was happening that was just a taste of what He can do...very Filling

...anyways, I'm pressing on, as a member of the lodge band, and there might be the potential for other venues (we've been asked to come play a few places now, but we're not quite comfortable as a group yet)

...just wanted to let you in on where He is working me these days...I definitely would have to say Word on this one Arch, later...

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"Hungry homeless people should disclose their religious affiliation."~huh?!

2011-10-16T08:59:00.001-07:00

i am protestant. i gave my money to a catholic. it makes me wonder if i should ask about one's beliefs prior to feeding?~sarcasm

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

It seems most of the time, God reveals and provides opportunity without warning...

2011-10-14T22:23:00.001-07:00

I was in Starbucks minding my own business, when a lady shows up with a couple large empty covered plastic containers. A Starbucks employee proceeds to give her all the dated pastries for her containers and she hangs around at a table in front me sorting things out.

After a while, i get up to leave and go to work. I stop in front of her and make comment that i bet she is going to make some people happy. She explains she is from the Saint Assisi or something catholic church and these pastries will go to feed the homeless. As we are chatting about the local homeless shelter, i am doing a heart check and i think God is saying give her money. You have to understand there was a time when giving from my excess was not challenging at all. Today, i give from what i don't have and i am very aware to give without God's direction is stupid.

So as she is talking, i am thinking, "God. Do you want me to give? i am not sure and i want to be responsible with the little i have." i am confident this thought was from God. "Whether you give or not, you will know my will when you walk out the door." It reminded me of the times, i heard God and chose to ignore the opportunity to be used by Him. I get that really sick feeling in my stomach that i just blew it.

Today, i was not going to blow it. i reached in my pocket and pulled out the exact amount God had impressed on me (without counting). I handed it to the lady and without a word, began walking out. She yelled, "What's your name?" I wish i had said, "Jesus."

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I have a confession and hope the "Big Gulp" will suffice at communion.

2011-10-14T04:51:00.001-07:00

Some weeks go better than others in my estimation of walking daily with Christ. I've noticed it is mostly is the other guy that is sinning and the little juice cup and cracker is sufficient at communion. Sometimes, it seems i recognize my own sin and realize i could really use a "Big Gulp" portion of grape juice to cover it all. i am grateful Jesus covered it all on the cross and i can leave the "Big Gulp" for those that think they need it.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I stopped and chatted with the bearded lady...

2011-10-13T21:43:00.001-07:00

How far out of the way will you walk to avoid the person that obviously does not fit in?

There is a bearded lady that frequents the coffee shop that i hang out at. She doesn't seem particularly lonely as she is always talking to imaginary people as she smokes a tiparillo. Nobody talks to her or him (i am unsure which she may be), but i stopped and asked how she was doing. I didn't know if she would answer as i was obviously interrupting her conversation, but she found time.

The bearded lady, said she was doing fine but was a little strapped for cash. She opened her purse and pulled out her coin purse to show me. It had a dollar and a few coins. I didn't have any money, so i apologized and said i'd have some money for her the next time. She was ok with that and continued her conversation.

I have frequently avoided this lady as she is dirty, smells bad and is different. It occurs to me, possibly the ones needing the most help are those we try to avoid the most.

Daily i am reminded Jesus abides in me. i wonder if Jesus is pleased to avoid the dirty, the smelly and the different?

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I was blind from birth. Jesus made note. Now i see.

2011-10-13T04:49:00.001-07:00

As the story goes...

"Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth." This man could have just as easily been you or i. We are all born blind. We have eyes yet we do not see.

"His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here." How quickly we are able to pick the defects out of other people, judge them for their failures, sadly shake our heads and move on. We certainly don't want any of their dirt to rub off on us.

"Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.” As a believer, Jesus abides in you and i. We are to see people through Jesus eyes. It is through Jesus we have sight and see others illuminated by His light. It is in His light we are to work energetically.

"He said this and then spit in the dust, made a clay paste with the saliva, rubbed the paste on the blind man’s eyes, and said, “Go, wash at the Pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “Sent”). It is Jesus desire that we see. If it is your desire, He will open your eyes and give sight. He will give sight according you His terms, not yours. If He choses mud in your eye, to create sight. Be blessed. Get muddy!

"The man went and washed—and saw." If is in obedience and humility that we go where Jesus sends us. With belief, we are cleansed and sight restored.

Soon the town was buzzing. His relatives and those who year after year had seen him as a blind man begging were saying, “Why, isn’t this the man we knew, who sat here and begged?” Others said, “It’s him all right!” But others objected, “It’s not the same man at all. It just looks like him.” He said, “It’s me, the very one.” Miracles happen. People are drawn to them. As one who has miraculously received sight, i am blessed. In the presence of Jesus, i am to testify to the miracle in my life. i was blind, now i see.

They said, “How did your eyes get opened?” “A man named Jesus made a paste and rubbed it on my eyes and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ I did what he said. When I washed, I saw.” Sharing the results of Jesus love in your life, does not require a theology degree. Your story is simple and sweet. You listened. You obeyed. You were healed. Now tell.

“So where is he?” A very simple question sums up the story.... so where is He? Where is this man called Jesus?

Quotes by Peterson, Eugene H. (2006). The Message Remix 2.0: The Bible In contemporary Language (p. 1910). NAVP9. Kindle Edition.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

At the call center: "mumble... mumble.... mumble..."~caller

2011-10-12T11:02:00.001-07:00

I've taken a job at a call center. I have opportunity to communicate with hundreds of people weekly. Most of my experiences are good ones. We share life in a few minutes and mostly we both enjoy the experience. They have needs and i do the very best i can to find a solution for their need. But sometimes... the caller is a challenge and i let my warp humor get the best of me.

"mumble... mumble.... mumble..."~caller

"Thank you for calling, Mrs. Smith"~me

"My name is not Smith and I am a man!"~caller

"Snicker.... "~me

Of course this does nothing for my performance review... chuckling.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Low expectations, produce low achievers...

2011-10-12T10:15:00.001-07:00

I am convinced the quality of success is predetermined by expectations established early on. Seldom will one with low expectations ever achieve stellar success. Those individuals who achieve much ... started with high expectations. ~archie

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

CANCER-FREE AND OUT OF PAIN ~ YAY!!!!

2011-06-30T20:20:00.001-07:00

Kimber Cummings

I have to share this amazing testimony! My mom had called me recently to pray for her friend in California, Alma, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She has undergone surgery and treatment, but was finally determined to be terminal. She had to be placed back in the hospital to try to manage her pain this week, but nothing they did was even touching it...excruciating!

I spoke with mom this morning and she just asked that I pray that the pain stop. However, I began to pray and thank Daddy God that He, the God of peace, swiftly crush this cancer under His feet and set Alma free from the cancer and the pain. Just an hour or so ago, mom called me to report that the pain had completely stopped and the doctors ran more tests and found NO CANCER AT ALL!!!!!

Mom also said that she had been watching a program last night and some unknown minister was praying for people and said that God was going to begin to heal cancer. Mom stood in prayer for Alma last night and today she is CANCER-FREE AND OUT OF PAIN ~ YAY!!!!! I pray the same prayer for Kate too ~ Yes and Amen!!!!!

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Sometimes a "non-event" can change your life. Be Blessed!

2011-06-29T06:55:00.001-07:00

Today, I woke up with the thought that today was a "non-event" day. I shared the thought with my wife as i prepared to go to a meeting planned that would likely impact my life in a significant way. The meeting never happened and a "non-event" was created.

How often are you disappointed in life because an expected event does not happen? Supposing you are expecting to close the business deal of a life time or maybe you are expecting to meet someone who may prove out to be a life partner and the event never happens. The "non-event" creates opportunity for great disappointment, right? But should it really?

Disappointment is natural because all we see is the past and today's "non-event". The future is elusive and we so want to change the future in our favor. If the "non-event" took form and created the planned event, the future imagined would be blessed and bright. Yet today is a "non-event". What shall i do? What shall you do?

I've developed a bit of a different realism to life. I look at the Biblical concept that all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord. I bank on that principle. I then also imagine that the evil ones that lurk about are not very bright, but great at following patterns and getting in the middle of the normal flow of life. So it works like this in my imagination....

I drive to work the same way every day. The evil ones make note of that. Some day, they will craft an event on my way to work that will destroy me in some way. Possibly, a fatal auto accident or whatever can create hell in my life. God sees the plans of the evil one and much to my surprise, I have a flat tire in my driveway. My schedule changes and the planned event by the evil one becomes a "non-event" and God's promises are fulfilled. Pretty cool, right?

The trick in living life to the fullest is to recognize the "non-events" or the "events" that create the "non-events" as a blessing even when it does not seem like it. When the tire is flat... don't cuss it. Praise it for the "non-event" created and the evil one kicked in the teeth, one more time... It may be, the flat tire has prevented certain catastrophe in your life.

In all things give thanks... and even give thanks for the things that never happen.

--
God Spots: http://37stories.wordpress.com

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I look forward to the day when I am not amazed by miracles.

2011-06-07T17:46:00.001-07:00

Jim Taylor

June 7 at 8:49am Report

Archie .. The Iris Regional Conference (June 2 - June 5) was marked by the miraculous. Held in the village of Mieze, over 2500 people attended it .. many from the remote bush around the area.

During the Conference a little girl of about 8 months was brought by her mother. The girl had no pupils .. her eyes were just white orbs. As she was prayed for the pupils formed in her eyes and she began to see for the first time in her life!

Another notable miracle was a young boy of about 4 years of age who was born crippled and had never walked. He not only got up on his own, but also walked and ran.

Many people testified to healing from all types of illness. Many many gave their lives to Jesus as the Holy Spirit moved in the meetings.

The last day of the meeting, bread was being passed out for breakfast. There were only 1500 bread rolls but there were at least 2500 people standing in line to receive bread!

Some of the leaders were worried, fearing anger from people who would be turned away hungry. But Pastor Juma (District Pastor from Mieze) said, "Pray and give them bread."

And the bread did not run out until every person had been fed!

This is the 4th time in 5 years that food has been multiplied at Mieze.

God is still at work in the earth!

Blessings

Jim

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Shall i pick and choose what law to follow or shall i pick love spiced grace?

2011-06-05T06:21:00.001-07:00

G-d

To know that G-d exists (Ex. 20:2; Deut. 5:6) (CCA1). See What Do Jews Believe?.
Not to entertain the idea that there is any god but the Eternal (Ex. 20:3) (CCN8). See What Do Jews Believe?.
Not to blaspheme (Ex. 22:27; in Christian texts, Ex. 22:28), the penalty for which is death (Lev. 24:16) (negative).
To hallow G-d's name (Lev. 22:32) (CCA5). See The Name of G-d.
Not to profane G-d's name (Lev. 22:32) (CCN155). See The Name of G-d.
To know that G-d is One, a complete Unity (Deut. 6:4) (CCA2). See What Do Jews Believe?.
To love G-d (Deut. 6:5) (CCA3). See What Do Jews Believe?.
To fear Him reverently (Deut. 6:13; 10:20) (CCA4).
Not to put the word of G-d to the test (Deut. 6:16) (negative).
To imitate His good and upright ways (Deut. 28:9) (CCA6).

Torah

To honor the old and the wise (Lev. 19:32) (CCA17).
To learn Torah and to teach it (Deut. 6:7) (CCA14). See Torah.
To cleave to those who know Him (Deut. 10:20) (the Talmud states that cleaving to scholars is equivalent to cleaving to Him) (CCA16).
Not to add to the commandments of the Torah, whether in the Written Law or in its interpretation received by tradition (Deut. 13:1) (CCN159). See Torah.
Not to take away from the commandments of the Torah (Deut. 13:1) (CCN160). See Torah.
That every person shall write a scroll of the Torah for himself (Deut. 31:19) (CCA15). See Torah.

Signs and Symbols

To circumcise the male offspring (Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3) (CCA47) See Brit Milah: Circumcision.
To put tzitzit on the corners of clothing (Num. 15:38) (CCA10). See Tzitzit and Tallit.
To bind tefillin on the head (Deut. 6:8) (CCA9). See Tefillin.
To bind tefillin on the arm (Deut. 6:8) (CCA8). See Tefillin.
To affix the mezuzah to the doorposts and gates of your house (Deut. 6:9) (CCA12). See Mezuzah.

Prayer and Blessings

To pray to G-d (Ex. 23:25; Deut. 6:13) (according to the Talmud, the word "serve" in these verses refers to prayer) (CCA7). SeePrayers and Blessings; Jewish Liturgy.
To read the Shema in the morning and at night (Deut. 6:7) (CCA11). See Jewish Liturgy.
To recite grace after meals (Deut. 8:10) (CCA13). See Birkat Ha-Mazon: Grace After Meals
Not to lay down a stone for worship (Lev. 26:1) (CCN161).

Love and Brotherhood

To love all human beings who are of the covenant (Lev. 19:18) (CCA60). See Love and Brotherhood.
Not to stand by idly when a human life is in danger (Lev. 19:16) (CCN82). See Love and Brotherhood.
Not to wrong any one in speech (Lev. 25:17) (CCN48). See Speech and Lashon Ha-Ra.
Not to carry tales (Lev. 19:16) (CCN77). See Speech and Lashon Ha-Ra.
Not to cherish hatred in one's heart (Lev. 19:17) (CCN78). See Love and Brotherhood.
Not to take revenge (Lev. 19:18) (CCN80).
Not to bear a grudge (Lev. 19:18) (CCN81).
Not to put any Jew to shame (Lev. 19:17) (CCN79).
Not to curse any other Israelite (Lev. 19:14) (by implication: if you may not curse those who cannot hear, you certainly may not curse those who can) (CCN45).
Not to give occasion to the simple-minded to stumble on the road (Lev. 19:14) (this includes doing anything that will cause another to sin) (CCN76).
To rebuke the sinner (Lev. 19:17) (CCA72).
To relieve a neighbor of his burden and help to unload his beast (Ex. 23:5) (CCA70). See Love and Brotherhood.
To assist in replacing the load upon a neighbor's beast (Deut. 22:4) (CCA71). See Love and Brotherhood.
Not to leave a beast, that has fallen down beneath its burden, unaided (Deut. 22:4) (CCN183). See Love and Brotherhood.

The Poor and Unfortunate

Not to afflict an orphan or a widow (Ex. 22:21) (CCN51).
Not to reap the entire field (Lev. 19:9; Lev. 23:22) (negative) (CCI6).
To leave the unreaped corner of the field or orchard for the poor (Lev. 19:9) (affirmative) (CCI1).
Not to gather gleanings (the ears that have fallen to the ground while reaping) (Lev. 19:9) (negative) (CCI7).
To leave the gleanings for the poor (Lev. 19:9) (affirmative) (CCI2).
Not to gather ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard (Lev. 19:10) (negative) (CCI8).
To leave ol'loth (the imperfect clusters) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10; Deut. 24:21) (affirmative) (CCI3).
Not to gather the peret (grapes) that have fallen to the ground (Lev. 19:10) (negative) (CCI9).
To leave peret (the single grapes) of the vineyard for the poor (Lev. 19:10) (affirmative) (CCI4).
Not to return to take a forgotten sheaf (Deut. 24:19) This applies to all fruit trees (Deut. 24:20) (negative) (CC10).
To leave the forgotten sheaves for the poor (Deut. 24:19-20) (affirmative) (CCI5).
Not to refrain from maintaining a poor man and giving him what he needs (Deut. 15:7) (CCN62). See Tzedakah: Charity.
To give charity according to one's means (Deut. 15:11) (CCA38). See Tzedakah: Charity.

Treatment of Gentiles

To love the stranger (Deut. 10:19) (CCA61). See Love and Brotherhood.
Not to wrong the stranger in speech (Ex. 22:20) (CCN49).
Not to wrong the stranger in buying or selling (Ex. 22:20) (CCN50).
Not to intermarry with gentiles (Deut. 7:3) (CCN19). See Interfaith Marriages.
To exact the debt of an alien (Deut. 15:3) (affirmative).
To lend to an alien at interest (Deut. 23:21) According to tradition, this is mandatory (affirmative).

Marriage, Divorce and Family

To honor father and mother (Ex. 20:12) (CCA41).
Not to smite a father or a mother (Ex. 21:15) (CCN44).
Not to curse a father or mother (Ex. 21:17) (CCN46).
To reverently fear father and mother (Lev. 19:3) (CCA42).
To be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28) (CCA43).
That a eunuch shall not marry a daughter of Israel (Deut. 23:2) (CCN136).
That a mamzer shall not marry the daughter of a Jew (Deut. 23:3) (CCN137). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
That an Ammonite or Moabite shall never marry the daughter of an Israelite (Deut. 23:4) (negative).
Not to exclude a descendant of Esau from the community of Israel for three generations (Deut. 23:8-9) (negative).
Not to exclude an Egyptian from the community of Israel for three generations (Deut. 23:8-9) (negative).
That there shall be no harlot (in Israel); that is, that there shall be no intercourse with a woman, without previous marriage with a deed of marriage and formal declaration of marriage (Deut. 23:18) (CCN133). See Marriage.
To take a wife by kiddushin, the sacrament of marriage (Deut. 24:1) (CCA44). See The Process of Marriage: Kiddushin and Nisuin.
That the newly married husband shall (be free) for one year to rejoice with his wife (Deut. 24:5) (affirmative).
That a bridegroom shall be exempt for a whole year from taking part in any public labor, such as military service, guarding the wall and similar duties (Deut. 24:5) (negative).
Not to withhold food, clothing or conjugal rights from a wife (Ex. 21:10) (CCN42). See The Marital Relationship.
That the woman suspected of adultery shall be dealt with as prescribed in the Torah (Num. 5:30) (affirmative).
That one who defames his wife's honor (by falsely accusing her of unchastity before marriage) must live with her all his lifetime (Deut. 22:19) (affirmative).
That a man may not divorce his wife concerning whom he has published an evil report (about her unchastity before marriage) (Deut. 22:19) (negative).
To divorce by a formal written document (Deut. 24:1) (affirmative). See The Process of Obtaining a Divorce.
That one who divorced his wife shall not remarry her, if after the divorce she had been married to another man (Deut. 24:4) (CCN134). SeeDivorce.
That a widow whose husband died childless must not be married to anyone but her deceased husband's brother (Deut. 25:5) (CCN135) (this is only in effect insofar as it requires the procedure of release below).
To marry the widow of a brother who has died childless (Deut. 25:5) (this is only in effect insofar as it requires the procedure of release below ) (CCA45).
That the widow formally release the brother-in-law (if he refuses to marry her) (Deut. 25:7-9) (CCA46).

Forbidden Sexual Relations

Not to indulge in familiarities with relatives, such as kissing, embracing, winking, skipping, which may lead to incest (Lev. 18:6) (CCN110).
Not to commit incest with one's mother (Lev. 18:7) (CCN112). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit sodomy with one's father (Lev. 18:7) (CCN111).
Not to commit incest with one's father's wife (Lev. 18:8) (CCN113). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's sister (Lev. 18:9) (CCN127). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's father's wife's daughter (Lev. 18:11) (CCN128). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's son's daughter (Lev. 18:10) (CCN119) (Note: CC treats this and the next as one commandment; however, Rambam treats them as two). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's daughter's daughter (Lev. 18:10) (CCN119) (Note: CC treats this and the previous as one commandment; however, Rambam treats them as two). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's daughter (this is not explicitly in the Torah but is inferred from other explicit commands that would include it) (CCN120). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's fathers sister (Lev. 18:12) (CCN129). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's mother's sister (Lev. 18:13) (CCN130). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's father's brothers wife (Lev. 18:14) (CCN125). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit sodomy with one's father's brother (Lev. 18:14) (CCN114).
Not to commit incest with one's son's wife (Lev. 18:15) (CCN115). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's brother's wife (Lev. 18:16) (CCN126). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's wife's daughter (Lev. 18:17) (CCN121). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with the daughter of one's wife's son (Lev. 18:17) (CCN122). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with the daughter of one's wife's daughter (Lev. 18:17) (CCN123). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to commit incest with one's wife's sister (Lev. 18:18) (CCN131). See Prohibited Marriages and Illegitimate Children.
Not to have intercourse with a woman, in her menstrual period (Lev. 18:19) (CCN132).
Not to have intercourse with another man's wife (Lev. 18:20) (CCN124).
Not to commit sodomy with a male (Lev. 18:22) (CCN116).
Not to have intercourse with a beast (Lev. 18:23) (CCN117).
That a woman shall not have intercourse with a beast (Lev. 18:23) (CCN118).
Not to castrate the male of any species; neither a man, nor a domestic or wild beast, nor a fowl (Lev. 22:24) (CCN143).

Times and Seasons

That the new month shall be solemnly proclaimed as holy, and the months and years shall be calculated by the Supreme Court only (Ex. 12:2) (affirmative) (the authority to declare months is inferred from the use of the word "unto you").
Not to travel on Shabbat outside the limits of one's place of residence (Ex. 16:29) (CCN7). See Shabbat.
To sanctify Shabbat (Ex. 20:8) (CCA19). See Shabbat.
Not to do work on Shabbat (Ex. 20:10) (CCN6). See Shabbat.
To rest on Shabbat (Ex. 23:12; 34:21) (CCA20). See Shabbat.
To celebrate the festivals [Passover, Shavu'ot and Sukkot] (Ex. 23:14) (affirmative).
To rejoice on the festivals (Deut. 16:14) (CCA21).
To appear in the Sanctuary on the festivals (Deut. 16:16) (affirmative).
To remove chametz on the Eve of Passover (Ex. 12:15) (CCA22). See Passover.
To rest on the first day of Passover (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:7) (CCA25). See Passover.
Not to do work on the first day of Passover (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:6-7) (CCN147). See Passover.
To rest on the seventh day of Passover (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:8) (CCA27). See Passover.
Not to do work on the seventh day of Passover (Ex. 12:16; Lev. 23:8) (CCN148). See Passover.
To eat matzah on the first night of Passover (Ex. 12:18) (CCA23). See Passover.
That no chametz be in the Israelite's possession during Passover (Ex. 12:19) (CCN3). See Passover.
Not to eat any food containing chametz on Passover (Ex. 12:20) (CCN5). See Passover.
Not to eat chametz on Passover (Ex. 13:3) (CCN4). See Passover.
That chametz shall not be seen in an Israelite's home during Passover (Ex. 13:7) (CCN2). See Passover.
To discuss the departure from Egypt on the first night of Passover (Ex. 13:8) (CCA24). See The Passover Seder.
Not to eat chametz after mid-day on the fourteenth of Nissan (Deut. 16:3) (CCN104). See Passover.
To count forty-nine days from the time of the cutting of the Omer (first sheaves of the barley harvest) (Lev. 23:15) (CCA26). SeeThe Counting of the Omer.
To rest on Shavu'ot (Lev. 23:21) (CCA28). See Shavu'ot.
Not to do work on the Shavu'ot (Lev. 23:21) (CCN149). See Shavu'ot.
To rest on Rosh Hashanah (Lev. 23:24) (CCA29). See Rosh Hashanah.
Not to do work on Rosh Hashanah (Lev. 23:25) (CCN150). See Rosh Hashanah.
To hear the sound of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah (Num. 29:1) (CCA30). See Rosh Hashanah.
To fast on Yom Kippur (Lev. 23:27) (CCA32). See Yom Kippur.
Not to eat or drink on Yom Kippur (Lev. 23:29) (CCN152). See Yom Kippur.
Not to do work on Yom Kippur (Lev. 23:31) (CCN151). See Yom Kippur.
To rest on the Yom Kippur (Lev. 23:32) (CCA31). See Yom Kippur.
To rest on the first day of Sukkot (Lev. 23:35) (CCA34). See Sukkot.
Not to do work on the first day of Sukkot (Lev. 23:35) (CCN153). See Sukkot.
To rest on the eighth day of Sukkot (Shemini Atzeret) (Lev. 23:36) (CCA37). See Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
Not to do work on the eighth day of Sukkot (Shemini Atzeret) (Lev. 23:36) (CCN154). See Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah.
To take during Sukkot a palm branch and the other three plants (Lev. 23:40) (CCA36). See Sukkot.
To dwell in booths seven days during Sukkot (Lev. 23:42) (CCA35). See Sukkot.

Dietary Laws

To examine the marks in cattle (so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean) (Lev. 11:2) (affirmative). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat the flesh of unclean beasts (Lev. 11:4) (CCN93). See Animals that may not be eaten.
To examine the marks in fishes (so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Lev. 11:9) (affirmative). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat unclean fish (Lev. 11:11) (CCN95). See Animals that may not be eaten.
To examine the marks in fowl, so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Deut. 14:11) (affirmative). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat unclean fowl (Lev. 11:13) (CCN94). See Animals that may not be eaten.
To examine the marks in locusts, so as to distinguish the clean from the unclean (Lev. 11:21) (affirmative). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat a worm found in fruit (Lev. 11:41) (CCN98). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat of things that creep upon the earth (Lev. 11:41-42) (CCN97). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat any vermin of the earth (Lev. 11:44) (CCN100). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat things that swarm in the water (Lev. 11:43 and 46) (CCN99). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat of winged insects (Deut. 14:19) (CCN96). See Animals that may not be eaten.
Not to eat the flesh of a beast that is terefah (lit torn) (Ex. 22:30) (CCN87). See Kosher slaughtering.
Not to eat the flesh of a beast that died of itself (Deut. 14:21) (CCN86). See Kosher slaughtering.
To slay cattle, deer and fowl according to the laws of shechitah if their flesh is to be eaten (Deut. 12:21) ("as I have commanded" in this verse refers to the technique) (CCA48). See Kosher slaughtering.
Not to eat a limb removed from a living beast (Deut. 12:23) (CCN90). See Kosher slaughtering.
Not to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day (Lev. 22:28) (CCN108).
Not to take the mother-bird with the young (Deut. 22:6) (CCN189). See Treatment of Animals.
To set the mother-bird free when taking the nest (Deut. 22:6-7) (CCA74). See Treatment of Animals.
Not to eat the flesh of an ox that was condemned to be stoned (Ex. 21:28) (negative).
Not to boil meat with milk (Ex. 23:19) (CCN91). See Separation of Meat and Dairy.
Not to eat flesh with milk (Ex. 34:26) (according to the Talmud, this passage is a distinct prohibition from the one in Ex. 23:19) (CCN92). SeeSeparation of Meat and Dairy.
Not to eat the of the thigh-vein which shrank (Gen. 32:33) (CCN1). See Forbidden Fats and Nerves.
Not to eat chelev (tallow-fat) (Lev. 7:23) (CCN88). See Forbidden Fats and Nerves.
Not to eat blood (Lev. 7:26) (CCN89). See Draining of Blood.
To cover the blood of undomesticated animals (deer, etc.) and of fowl that have been killed (Lev. 17:13) (CCA49).
Not to eat or drink like a glutton or a drunkard (not to rebel against father or mother) (Lev. 19:26; Deut. 21:20) (CCN106).

Business Practices

Not to do wrong in buying or selling (Lev. 25:14) (CCN47).
Not to make a loan to an Israelite on interest (Lev. 25:37) (CCN54).
Not to borrow on interest (Deut. 23:20) (because this would cause the lender to sin) (CCN55).
Not to take part in any usurious transaction between borrower and lender, neither as a surety, nor as a witness, nor as a writer of the bond for them (Ex. 22:24) (CCN53).
To lend to a poor person (Ex. 22:24) (even though the passage says "if you lend" it is understood as obligatory) (CCA62).
Not to demand from a poor man repayment of his debt, when the creditor knows that he cannot pay, nor press him (Ex. 22:24) (CCN52).
Not to take in pledge utensils used in preparing food (Deut. 24:6) (CCN58).
Not to exact a pledge from a debtor by force (Deut. 24:10) (CCN59).
Not to keep the pledge from its owner at the time when he needs it (Deut. 24:12) (CCN61).
To return a pledge to its owner (Deut. 24:13) (CCA63).
Not to take a pledge from a widow (Deut. 24:17) (CCN60).
Not to commit fraud in measuring (Lev. 19:35) (CCN83).
To ensure that scales and weights are correct (Lev. 19:36) (affirmative).
Not to possess inaccurate measures and weights (Deut. 25:13-14) (CCN84).

Employees, Servants and Slaves

Not to delay payment of a hired man's wages (Lev. 19:13) (CCN38).
That the hired laborer shall be permitted to eat of the produce he is reaping (Deut. 23:25-26) (CCA65).
That the hired laborer shall not take more than he can eat (Deut. 23:25) (CCN187).
That a hired laborer shall not eat produce that is not being harvested (Deut. 23:26) (CCN186).
To pay wages to the hired man at the due time (Deut. 24:15) (CCA66).
To deal judicially with the Hebrew bondman in accordance with the laws appertaining to him (Ex. 21:2-6) (affirmative).
Not to compel the Hebrew servant to do the work of a slave (Lev. 25:39) (negative).
Not to sell a Hebrew servant as a slave (Lev. 25:42) (negative).
Not to treat a Hebrew servant rigorously (Lev. 25:43) (negative).
Not to permit a gentile to treat harshly a Hebrew bondman sold to him (Lev. 25:53) (negative).
Not to send away a Hebrew bondman servant empty handed, when he is freed from service (Deut. 15:13) (negative).
To bestow liberal gifts upon the Hebrew bondsman (at the end of his term of service), and the same should be done to a Hebrew bondwoman (Deut. 15:14) (affirmative).
To redeem a Hebrew maid-servant (Ex. 21:8) (affirmative).
Not to sell a Hebrew maid-servant to another person (Ex. 21:8) (negative).
To espouse a Hebrew maid-servant (Ex. 21:8-9) (affirmative).
To keep the Canaanite slave forever (Lev. 25:46) (affirmative).
Not to surrender a slave, who has fled to the land of Israel, to his owner who lives outside Palestine (Deut. 23:16) (negative).
Not to wrong such a slave (Deut. 23:17) (negative).
Not to muzzle a beast, while it is working in produce which it can eat and enjoy (Deut. 25:4) (CCN188).

Vows, Oaths and Swearing

That a man should fulfill whatever he has uttered (Deut. 23:24) (CCA39).
Not to swear needlessly (Ex. 20:7) (CCN29).
Not to violate an oath or swear falsely (Lev. 19:12) (CCN31).
To decide in cases of annulment of vows, according to the rules set forth in the Torah (Num. 30:2-17) (CCA40).
Not to break a vow (Num. 30:3) (CCN184).
To swear by His name truly (Deut. 10:20) (affirmative).
Not to delay in fulfilling vows or bringing vowed or free-will offerings (Deut. 23:22) (CCN185).

The Sabbatical and Jubilee Years

To let the land lie fallow in the Sabbatical year (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:2) (affirmative) (CCI20).
To cease from tilling the land in the Sabbatical year (Ex. 23:11) (affirmative) (Lev. 25:2) (CCI21).
Not to till the ground in the Sabbatical year (Lev. 25:4) (negative) (CCI22).
Not to do any work on the trees in the Sabbatical year (Lev. 25:4) (negative) (CCI23).
Not to reap the aftermath that grows in the Sabbatical year, in the same way as it is reaped in other years (Lev. 25:5) (negative) (CCI24).
Not to gather the fruit of the tree in the Sabbatical year in the same way as it is gathered in other years (Lev. 25:5) (negative) (CCI25).
To sound the Ram's horn in the Sabbatical year (Lev. 25:9) (affirmative).
To release debts in the seventh year (Deut. 15:2) (CCA64).
Not to demand return of a loan after the Sabbatical year has passed (Deut. 15:2) (CCN57).
Not to refrain from making a loan to a poor man, because of the release of loans in the Sabbatical year (Deut. 15:9) (CCN56).
To assemble the people to hear the Torah at the close of the seventh year (Deut. 31:12) (affirmative)
To count the years of the Jubilee by years and by cycles of seven years (Lev. 25:8) (affirmative).
To keep the Jubilee year holy by resting and letting the land lie fallow (Lev. 25:10) (affirmative).
Not to cultivate the soil nor do any work on the trees, in the Jubilee Year (Lev. 25:11) (negative).
Not to reap the aftermath of the field that grew of itself in the Jubilee Year, in the same way as in other years (Lev. 25:11) (negative).
Not to gather the fruit of the tree in the Jubilee Year, in the same way as in other years (Lev. 25:11) (negative).
To grant redemption to the land in the Jubilee year (Lev. 25:24) (affirmative).

The Court and Judicial Procedure

To appoint judges and officers in every community of Israel (Deut. 16:18) (affirmative).
Not to appoint as a judge, a person who is not well versed in the laws of the Torah, even if he is expert in other branches of knowledge (Deut. 1:17) (CCN64).
To adjudicate cases of purchase and sale (Lev. 25:14) (CCA67).
To judge cases of liability of a paid depositary (Ex. 22:9) (affirmative).
To adjudicate cases of loss for which a gratuitous borrower is liable (Ex. 22:13-14) (affirmative).
To adjudicate cases of inheritances (Num. 27:8-11) (CCA73).
To judge cases of damage caused by an uncovered pit (Ex. 21:33-34) (affirmative).
To judge cases of injuries caused by beasts (Ex. 21:35-36) (affirmative).
To adjudicate cases of damage caused by trespass of cattle (Ex. 22:4) (affirmative).
To adjudicate cases of damage caused by fire (Ex. 22:5) (affirmative).
To adjudicate cases of damage caused by a gratuitous depositary (Ex. 22:6-7) (affirmative).
To adjudicate other cases between a plaintiff and a defendant (Ex. 22:8) (affirmative).
Not to curse a judge (Ex. 22:27) (CCN63).
That one who possesses evidence shall testify in Court (Lev. 5:1) (affirmative).
Not to testify falsely (Ex. 20:13) (CCN39).
That a witness, who has testified in a capital case, shall not lay down the law in that particular case (Num. 35:30) (negative).
That a transgressor shall not testify (Ex. 23:1) (CCN75).
That the court shall not accept the testimony of a close relative of the defendant in matters of capital punishment (Deut. 24:16) (CCN74).
Not to hear one of the parties to a suit in the absence of the other party (Ex. 23:1) (CCN65).
To examine witnesses thoroughly (Deut. 13:15) (affirmative).
Not to decide a case on the evidence of a single witness (Deut. 19:15) (CCN73).
To give the decision according to the majority, when there is a difference of opinion among the members of the Sanhedrin as to matters of law (Ex. 23:2) (affirmative).
Not to decide, in capital cases, according to the view of the majority, when those who are for condemnation exceed by one only, those who are for acquittal (Ex. 23:2) (negative).
That, in capital cases, one who had argued for acquittal, shall not later on argue for condemnation (Ex. 23:2) (negative).
To treat parties in a litigation with equal impartiality (Lev. 19:15) (affirmative).
Not to render iniquitous decisions (Lev. 19:15) (CCN69).
Not to favor a great man when trying a case (Lev. 19:15) (CCN70).
Not to take a bribe (Ex. 23:8) (CCN71).
Not to be afraid of a bad man, when trying a case (Deut. 1:17) (CCN72).
Not to be moved in trying a case, by the poverty of one of the parties (Ex. 23:3; Lev. 19:15) (CCN66).
Not to pervert the judgment of strangers or orphans (Deut. 24:17) (CCN68).
Not to pervert the judgment of a sinner (a person poor in fulfillment of commandments) (Ex. 23:6) (CCN67).
Not to render a decision on one's personal opinion, but only on the evidence of two witnesses, who saw what actually occurred (Ex. 23:7) (negative).
Not to execute one guilty of a capital offense, before he has stood his trial (Num. 35:12) (negative).
To accept the rulings of every Supreme Court in Israel (Deut. 17:11) (affirmative).
Not to rebel against the orders of the Court (Deut. 17:11) (CCN158).

Injuries and Damages

To make a parapet for your roof (Deut. 22:8) (CCA75). See Love and Brotherhood.
Not to leave something that might cause hurt (Deut. 22:8) (CCN190). See Love and Brotherhood.
To save the pursued even at the cost of the life of the pursuer (Deut. 25:12) (affirmative). See Life.
Not to spare a pursuer, but he is to be slain before he reaches the pursued and slays the latter, or uncovers his nakedness (Deut. 25:12) (negative).

Property and Property Rights

Not to sell a field in the land of Israel in perpetuity (Lev. 25:23) (negative).
Not to change the character of the open land (about the cities of) the Levites or of their fields; not to sell it in perpetuity, but it may be redeemed at any time (Lev. 25:34) (negative). See Levi.
That houses sold within a walled city may be redeemed within a year (Lev. 25:29) (affirmative).
Not to remove landmarks (property boundaries) (Deut. 19:14) (CCN85).
Not to swear falsely in denial of another's property rights (Lev. 19:11) (CCN30).
Not to deny falsely another's property rights (Lev. 19:11) (CCN36).
Never to settle in the land of Egypt (Deut. 17:16) (CCN192).
Not to steal personal property (Lev. 19:11) (CCN34).
To restore that which one took by robbery (Lev. 5:23) (CCA68).
To return lost property (Deut. 22:1) (CCA69).
Not to pretend not to have seen lost property, to avoid the obligation to return it (Deut. 22:3) (CCN182).

Criminal Laws

Not to slay an innocent person (Ex. 20:13) (CCN32). See Life.
Not to kidnap any person of Israel (Ex. 20:13) (according to the Talmud, this verse refers to stealing a person, distinguished from Lev. 19:11, regarding the taking of property) (CCN33).
Not to rob by violence (Lev. 19:13) (CCN35).
Not to defraud (Lev. 19:13) (CCN37).
Not to covet what belongs to another (Ex. 20:14) (CCN40).
Not to crave something that belongs to another (Deut. 5:18) (CCN41).
Not to indulge in evil thoughts and sights (Num. 15:39) (CCN156).

Punishment and Restitution

That the Court shall pass sentence of death by decapitation with the sword (Ex. 21:20; Lev. 26:25) (affirmative).
That the Court shall pass sentence of death by strangulation (Lev. 20:10) (affirmative).
That the Court shall pass sentence of death by burning with fire (Lev. 20:14) (affirmative).
That the Court shall pass sentence of death by stoning (Deut. 22:24) (affirmative).
To hang the dead body of one who has incurred that penalty (Deut. 21:22) (affirmative).
That the dead body of an executed criminal shall not remain hanging on the tree over night (Deut. 21:23) (negative).
To inter the executed on the day of execution (Deut. 21:23) (affirmative)
Not to accept ransom from a murderer (Num. 35:31) (negative).
To exile one who committed accidental homicide (Num. 35:25) (affirmative).
To establish six cities of refuge (for those who committed accidental homicide) (Deut. 19:3) (affirmative).
Not to accept ransom from an accidental homicide, so as to relieve him from exile (Num. 35:32) (negative).
To decapitate the heifer in the manner prescribed (in expiation of a murder on the road, the perpetrator of which remained undiscovered) (Deut. 21:4) (affirmative).
Not to plow nor sow the rough valley (in which a heifer's neck was broken) (Deut. 21:4) (negative).
To adjudge a thief to pay compensation or (in certain cases) suffer death (Ex. 21:16; Ex. 21:37; Ex. 22:1) (affirmative).
That he who inflicts a bodily injury shall pay monetary compensation (Ex. 21:18-19) (affirmative).
To impose a penalty of fifty shekels upon the seducer (of an unbetrothed virgin) and enforce the other rules in connection with the case (Ex. 22:15-16) (affirmative).
That the violator (of an unbetrothed virgin) shall marry her (Deut. 22:28-29) (affirmative).
That one who has raped a damsel and has then (in accordance with the law) married her, may not divorce her (Deut. 22:29) (negative).
Not to inflict punishment on Shabbat (Ex. 35:3) (because some punishments were inflicted by fire) (negative). See Shabbat.
To punish the wicked by the infliction of stripes (Deut. 25:2) (affirmative).
Not to exceed the statutory number of stripes laid on one who has incurred that punishment (Deut. 25:3) (and by implication, not to strike anyone) (CCN43).
Not to spare the offender, in imposing the prescribed penalties on one who has caused damage (Deut. 19:13) (negative).
To do unto false witnesses as they had purposed to do (to the accused) (Deut. 19:19) (affirmative).
Not to punish any one who has committed an offense under duress (Deut. 22:26) (negative).

Prophecy

To heed the call of every prophet in each generation, provided that he neither adds to, nor takes away from the Torah (Deut. 18:15) (affirmative).
Not to prophesy falsely (Deut. 18:20) (CCN175).
Not to refrain from putting a false prophet to death nor to be in fear of him (Deut. 18:22) (negative).

Idolatry, Idolaters and Idolatrous Practices

Not to make a graven image; neither to make it oneself nor to have it made by others (Ex. 20:4) (CCN9).
Not to make any figures for ornament, even if they are not worshipped (Ex. 20:20) (CCN144).
Not to make idols even for others (Ex. 34:17; Lev. 19:4) (CCN10).
Not to use the ornament of any object of idolatrous worship (Deut. 7:25) (CCN17).
Not to make use of an idol or its accessory objects, offerings, or libations (Deut. 7:26) (CCN18). See Grape Products.
Not to drink wine of idolaters (Deut. 32:38) (CCN15). See Grape Products.
Not to worship an idol in the way in which it is usually worshipped (Ex. 20:5) (CCN12).
Not to bow down to an idol, even if that is not its mode of worship (Ex. 20:5) (CCN11).
Not to prophesy in the name of an idol (Ex. 23:13; Deut. 18:20) (CCN27).
Not to hearken to one who prophesies in the name of an idol (Deut. 13:4) (CCN22).
Not to lead the children of Israel astray to idolatry (Ex. 23:13) (CCN14).
Not to entice an Israelite to idolatry (Deut. 13:12) (CCN23).
To destroy idolatry and its appurtenances (Deut. 12:2-3) (affirmative).
Not to love the enticer to idolatry (Deut. 13:9) (CCN24).
Not to give up hating the enticer to idolatry (Deut. 13:9) (CCN25).
Not to save the enticer from capital punishment, but to stand by at his execution (Deut. 13:9) (negative).
A person whom he attempted to entice to idolatry shall not urge pleas for the acquittal of the enticer (Deut. 13:9) (CCN26).
A person whom he attempted to entice shall not refrain from giving evidence of the enticer's guilt, if he has such evidence (Deut. 13:9) (negative).
Not to swear by an idol to its worshipers, nor cause them to swear by it (Ex. 23:13) (CCN13).
Not to turn one's attention to idolatry (Lev. 19:4) (CCN16).
Not to adopt the institutions of idolaters nor their customs (Lev. 18:3; Lev. 20:23) (CCN21).
Not to pass a child through the fire to Molech (Lev. 18:21) (negative).
Not to suffer any one practicing witchcraft to live (Ex. 22:17) (negative).
Not to practice onein (observing times or seasons as favorable or unfavorable, using astrology) (Lev. 19:26) (CCN166).
Not to practice nachesh (doing things based on signs and portents; using charms and incantations) (Lev. 19:26) (CCN165).
Not to consult ovoth (ghosts) (Lev. 19:31) (CCN170).
Not to consult yid'onim (wizards) (Lev. 19:31) (CCN171).
Not to practice kisuf (magic using herbs, stones and objects that people use) (Deut. 18:10) (CCN168).
Not to practice kessem (a general term for magical practices) (Deut. 18:10) (CCN167).
Not to practice the art of a chover chaver (casting spells over snakes and scorpions) (Deut. 18:11) (CCN169).
Not to enquire of an ob (a ghost) (Deut. 18:11) (CCN172).
Not to seek the maytim (dead) (Deut. 18:11) (CCN174).
Not to enquire of a yid'oni (wizard) (Deut. 18:11) (CCN173).
Not to remove the entire beard, like the idolaters (Lev. 19:27) (CCN177).
Not to round the corners of the head, as the idolatrous priests do (Lev. 19:27) (CCN176).
Not to cut oneself or make incisions in one's flesh in grief, like the idolaters (Lev. 19:28; Deut. 14:1) (CCN28).
Not to tattoo the body like the idolaters (Lev. 19:28) (CCN163).
Not to make a bald spot for the dead (Deut. 14:1) (CCN164).
Not to plant a tree for worship (Deut. 16:21) (negative).
Not to set up a pillar (for worship) (Deut. 16:22) (CCN162).
Not to show favor to idolaters (Deut. 7:2) (CCN20).
Not to make a covenant with the seven (Canaanite, idolatrous) nations (Ex. 23:32; Deut. 7:2) (negative).
Not to settle idolaters in our land (Ex. 23:33) (negative) (CCI26).
To slay the inhabitants of a city that has become idolatrous and burn that city (Deut. 13:16-17) (affirmative).
Not to rebuild a city that has been led astray to idolatry (Deut. 13:17) (negative).
Not to make use of the property of city that has been so led astray (Deut. 13:18) (negative).

Agriculture and Animal Husbandry

Not to cross-breed cattle of different species (Lev. 19:19) (according to the Talmud, this also applies to birds) (CCN142).
Not to sow different kinds of seed together in one field (Lev. 19:19) (CCN107).
Not to eat the fruit of a tree for three years from the time it was planted (Lev. 19:23) (CCN105). See Tu B'Shevat.
That the fruit of fruit-bearing trees in the fourth year of their planting shall be sacred like the second tithe and eaten in Jerusalem (Lev. 19:24) (affirmative) (CCI16). See Tu B'Shevat.
Not to sow grain or herbs in a vineyard (Deut. 22:9) (negative).
Not to eat the produce of diverse seeds sown in a vineyard (Deut. 22:9) (negative).
Not to work with beasts of different species, yoked together (Deut. 22:10) (CCN180).

Clothi

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Death is not a new thing...

2011-05-25T20:53:00.001-07:00

In the last few months, there has been no break from seeing new pictures and videos from around the world with death and destruction. It is easy to capture the heartache felt by one who has lost everything. To see the deep anguish etched on their faces touches one deep to the soul, but still they are just a picture. It is easy to turn the page, click the screen or terminate the video and move on to something more pleasant.

Today I got the message. An elderly guy in his late 80's called into the call center. I don't even know why he called, but he was exceptionally articulate and we struck up a conversation. I asked him what he credited for his longevity. He left me with this advice and 4 letters. A M T D. Attitude Makes The Difference. It was a simple thought, but he believed it summed up his life. I suggested he could add one more letter, "G" at the end for God. He quickly replied, "You'd have to put "G" at the beginning."

Some time later, a guy about my age called and asked if I would make note on his account that his wife had died. I try hard to share in their experience when I get a call like this, because I don't want to sound flippant while "check marking a box" on the computer screen. I stepped over the line in call center etiquette and asked him if his loss was a surprise. He said, "Yes." with a deep emotion to his tone. His wife had a clogged carotid artery and they had surgically repaired the artery. She had healed nicely and gone home.

After some days with good reports, they were confident they had beat problem. Then one night, she passed before the ambulance could get there.

It seems so inadequate and sterile to say someone has passed. The pain is deep and emotion raw. The someone has passed. There is nothing to say that will bring the person back. They have passed. It seems as we live our lives, attitude does make a difference, as we enjoy the short time we have those we love.

I hurt for this guy. I teared up at work while chatting with him and i with incredible inadequacy promised to pray for him tonight. I'd be honored if you would to.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I remember hearing the screams through my window...

2011-05-22T21:00:00.001-07:00

Aaron David

May 22 at 10:47pm Report

Working on tact. I remember hearing screams through my window one night around 2 am. I was 11. I pulled on my pants and jumped out my window. I followed the screams around the corner. It was a boy, a few years older, in front of his burning home. He was in a state i'd never witnessed before.

The house was smoking badly and I could feel the heat through the open front door. He said his father and sister were inside. He wanted to go in, but I knew he would die, so I stopped him. He agreed to wait for the fire dept. But when they got there they were so inept that it took them almost an hour to get the hose on and to suit a guy up with oxygen tanks, the house was blazing by then, and his father died because of it.

I failed, they failed. Luckily his sister had gotten out and was hiding in the back yard, but the kid hated me forever. I was angry about it for many years. How careless the firemen were. They seemed untrained at all. That's the kind of anger I have, Archie, the frustrated kind.

But now that house is the world and the inept firemen are the churches, and I know the smoke will burst into terrible flames soon..... but this time I'm running towards the smoke and I'm encouraging others, not stopping them.

I can't fail this time, Archie. This is my second chance. Shalom

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"impotent love requires a stick."~archie

2011-05-17T02:19:00.001-07:00

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"If you don't get it right... I will whack you!"~God

2011-05-16T07:17:00.001-07:00

Carrot and the Stick

I have lived a life knowing of God's love and believing in God's wrath. It is much like the carrot and stick in real life. Some people will

encourage others with a carrot or a promise of reward for performing some task in a manner meeting with their approval. Others will threaten with a stick or some threat of retribution if one does not do as they demand.

Both scenerios are performance based and how we live most of our life. My impression of God likely is much like the carrot and the stick. If I do good, God rewards me. If I do bad, God whacks me. This performance based relationship of God is endorsed by most of mankind. I have pleaded with friends for the possibility of an alternative view toward God, but no one really wants to listen. My friends are comfortable with a reward and punishment relationship with the Father. It makes me wonder if because this is there expectation, maybe that's what the Father gives them.

Over the years, I have begun to appreciate the love of God more and fear His wrath less. It would seem from the carrot and stick principle I would be falling on the side of leading a life based more on God's love than His wrath and that would be partially true, but it is more than just an enhanced appreciation of His love in exchange for me "doing" good according to His will.

It has occurred to me God did it all when Jesus died on the cross for my sins and your sins. There is nothing you or I can do to be worthy of Christ's love. As matter of fact, I don't think there is anything you or i can do to make God love us any less or any more. God's love is without measure and withheld from no one. His love for you and I was authenticated by what Jesus did on the cross.

It is this gift of love God has given us that negates the carrot and stick principle of God's performance in your life. Consider if you might the largest thing imaginable and then realized God's love is bigger. If God's love is so big, how big must the stick be to whack us. I think the thought of a stick this big is ridiculous and yet mankind readily believes God whacks us to get our attention.

One can not endorse the concept of God whacking without acknowledging He is whacking Jesus. As a believer in "The Way", Jesus abides in you and you in Him. I believe all the whacking was done on the cross and now God draws us to Him with His love. His love is dimensionless, unmeasurable and uncontainable. His love wraps around us and abides within us.

His love is all we need to be drawn to Him and readily enthusiastically praise Him. It is in our response to His love and He is Gloried. It is not what we do for Christ, but who we are in Christ...

We are a child of the King, robed in His righteousness and fully loved beyond our imaginations. It is with His love in our lives, He has no desire and no need to once again raise His stick in an expression of wrath. Today we are the recepients of His love expressed on the cross through Jesus Christ who saved us from God's wrath.

amen.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

There is a reality of Jesus abiding that changes life's very existence.~archie

2011-05-16T07:03:00.001-07:00

Permanent Abiding
by Hudson Taylor

The Spirit of God revealed to me the truth of our oneness with Jesus as I had never known it before.

As I read, I saw it all! "If we believe not, he abideth faithful." I looked to Jesus and saw (and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed)! That He had said, "I will never leave thee."

"Ah, there is rest!" I thought. "I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I'll strive no more. For has not He promised to abide with me never to leave me, never to fail me?" And, . . . He never will.

...As I thought of the Vine and the branches, what light the blessed Spirit poured direct into my soul! How great seemed my mistake in wishing to get the sap, the fullness out of Him! I saw not only that Jesus will never leave me, but that I am a member of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. The vine is not the root merely, but all root, stem, branches, twigs, leaves, flowers, fruit. And Jesus is not that alone He is soil and sunshine, air and showers, and ten thousand times more than we have ever dreamed, wished for or needed. Oh, the joy of seeing this truth! I do pray that the eyes of your understanding too may be enlightened, that you may know and enjoy the riches freely given us in Christ.

...It is a wonderful thing to be really one with a risen and exalted Savior, to be a member of Christ! Think what it involves. Can Christ be rich and I poor? Can your right hand be rich and your left poor? Or your head be well fed while your body starves? ...No more can your prayers or mine be discredited if offered in the name of Jesus (i.e., not for the sake of Jesus merely, but on the ground that we are His, His members) so long as we keep within the limits of Christ's credit a tolerably wide limit!

The sweetest part, ... is the rest which full identification with Christ brings. I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize this; for He, I know, is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest position He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult His grace is sufficient. ...So, if God should place me in serious perplexity, must He not give me much guidance; in positions of great difficulty, much grace; in circumstances of great pressure and trials, much strength? No fear that His resources will prove unequal to the emergency! And His resources are mine, for He is mine, and is with me and dwells in me.

And since Christ has thus dwelt in my heart by faith, how happy I have been! ...I am no better than before. In a sense, I do not wish to be, nor am I striving to be. But I am dead and buried with Christ ay, and risen too! And now Christ lives in me, and "the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

...Do not let us consider Him as far off, when God has made us one with Him, members of His very body. Nor should we look upon this experience, these truths, as for the few. They are the birthright of every child of God, and no one can dispense with them without dishonoring our Lord. The only power for deliverance from sin or for true service is Christ. And it is all so simple and practical!

"But are you always conscious of this abiding in Christ?" Mr. Taylor was asked many years later. "While sleeping last night," he replied, "did I cease to abide in your home because I was unconscious of the fact? We should never be conscious of not abiding in Christ."

(Taylor, Dr. and Mrs. Howard, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret. London: China Inland Mission. 1935. pgs. 114-116).

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Osama Bin Laden Made the News for the Last Time

2011-05-02T00:28:00.001-07:00

Luis Rey

My brothers and sisters, I understand emotions and feelings are high in the wake of this news. However, quite simply, Jeff you have taken great liberty in building an argument that was not even present, then accusing me to teach a "false do

ctrine."

I made no appeal to "mourn a killer", nor in any way did I use Scripture for some "ethereal rant." Quite simply I stated that Jesus died for Osama Bin Laden and that God does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked...whether through execution or natural causes. If God does not take pleasure, why would we? Neither does He take pleasure in the loss of life of the righteous.

This true message is a "heart check" for many people who have rejoiced at bin Laden's death claiming that he got what he deserved. Do not forget that you are not receiving what you deserve only because of the grace of Jesus, as He has taken what you deserve. Does it offend you that Jesus would have mercy on Bin Laden too?

God does not rejoice at his death even if it "supposedly" saves lives. What if his death incites his followers and they become more violent and kill more? Has God's wisdom now been found lacking? I tell you no, His wisdom is not man's logic.

Zach, my brother, let us not try to pull our brothers into hypothetical traps that only ensnare men and insinuate men to be cowards. Peter said he would never deny Christ, but he did. Men don't always know how they will respond in a situation, even if they think they do. Let us not bless God then curse men with the same tongue.

My friends, the argument here is the difference in opinion of how the United States and any other government for that matter, would or should handle things compared to the Kingdom of God. Do not confuse the US government to be God's Kingdom.

Why do some of you paint God as one who is out to "whack" people? You do not know what Spirit you are of, for the Son of man came to save men's lives not destroy them.

Do you not remember those upon whom the tower fell in Siloam? Do you think their sin was greater than all the men of Jerusalem and that is why they died? I tell you no.

Several of you comment on how Osama rejected Christ and must now face judgement and hell? How do you know, and are you the judge of that?

I fear that the religious spirit will drive people to be more disappointed in who is not in Hell.

What is the message that we send when we say as a Christian that we are proud of killing our enemy? We say the same thing the terrorists said on the day they flew into the towers.

Quite simply, Jesus died for Osama bin Laden as He did for all mankind. We may be thankful that we "feel" safer tonight, but we know that to be an illusion, and in fact, the very opposite may be true. We ARE thankful that this man brings no more terror to anyone. But...I will not rejoice in the bloodshed of my enemy.

If you want to comment further on this post, remember that the people you are writing to are not an enemy hidden away in some cave somewhere, that they are real people. Please don't assassinate each other's character with your words...

Shalom

11 minutes ago · Like

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I am not trying to convert anyone to 'my' viewpoint...

2011-04-30T10:55:00.001-07:00

Guest post: Jim Taylor

It frightens some people to even think of questioning their beliefs. I am not sure why. I know in myself, though I question the things I believe I don't question Him! I have come to know Him as Love. I have come to see His character as kind, extremely patient, willing to give everything for me! He has never gotten angry with me when I walked away or denied Him. He has never cast me off when I made wrong choices - even when I knew I was making wrong choices. He has not gotten discouraged with me or given up on me in the many many times He could have.

So when I question beliefs, I am not questioning Him.

I do not know the answers to the eternal questions about the afterlife. Those who are assured that they understand it all do not bother me. I am not trying to convert anyone to 'my' viewpoint, for I am not sure I have one at this point, other than God's character is such that - in the end - no action of His will ever be judged by anyone as being wrong.

I do know that Papa God is good .. All the Time! I know He is kind and loving .. much more so than earthly dads. And I know that He is right. I choose to bow my knees and willingly say that Jesus is my Lord. I trust my life to Him. Literally. I have no problem putting everything I have in His hands and going any place any time He wants. I have no problem selling all that I own and following Him. My life is His. I don't have to know or understand in order to live in Him. All I have to do is quit trusting in everything but Him ... let go and live in Him.

I don't question Him. I choose to live in Him.

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"Some things will just have to stay UNKNOWN..."~Teri

2011-04-21T20:51:00.001-07:00

Guest Post by Teri Undreiner

For the last few days I've been in a few discussions where the Bible has been under fire. The discussions were on women and men, heaven and hell, baptism and not, saved, and unsaved, health and sickness, demonism and mental illness, etc. etc. etc...These were all great discussions and of course I have my own views and consider them "right". But...when it really comes down to it, no one really knows for sure.

The Bible was written in a far off land in a whole different set of circumstances and languages. We can't REALLY know if Hell is literal or symbolic because we've never been there. We can't REALLY know if women and men should have different roles in the church because we can't exactly talk to the original authors of the letters. I use to be a person who took EVERYTHING literally (except the things I didn't want to;) One of these things was healing.

When I read the Bible, Jesus seemed VERY sure that I could and should heal the sick and raise the dead. Well..He said that those who couldn't did not have faith. So...I wanted to be faithful. Hmmm, a couple people were actually healed ( or so it seemed) but still ....no dead came back to life. That made me mad cuz I gave it my ALL! My argument was, " If you told me to do it, GOD, then you have to follow through. I did my part!". And all it caused with stress and anger in me. I finally gave up trying . ( to the sadness of some friends on their deathbed. ) I couldn't take the stress anymore.

I began looking at all our favorite belief systems in the christian church. What i found is that we all have our faves that we take literally and we throw others out because we don't see them happening, thus...not literal. I recall a verse where Jesus said, " what is easier to say, They sins be forgiven you, or, rise take up your bed and walk?" It's easier to say "your sins are forgiven you", than it is to heal somebody. I think it's because we can't SEE sins being forgiven but we can SEE whether someone is healed or not.

Throughout all these controversial issues that surround us, I have come to a place in my life of realizing that we do pick and choose. Most all of us. "This is literal and this is not", depending how important we think something is to faith, to us, to OUR ministry or gender etc, to salvation, to others. This has cut me to the chase in my own life and beliefs. I realize how much I pick and choose and will defend something to the death of what I believe if I have to. But, there is something else. Some things are worth fighting for to me, except when it pulls people apart.

NOW... I know that there were divisions in the Bible and many would say that it is good to divide so that the "true" and "false" followers would be revealed. When I look at the people that I love and know in the Christian Faith...I can't say that any of them are "false". Even when I disagree with them and their belief system makes me mad. I still know that they are doing the best they can with what they know and believe. JUST LIKE ME. And to be honest, I'm not willing to judge them or LOSE them from my life. They are IMPORTANT to me. I'm ONE OF THEM and they are ONE OF ME, regardless of our differences.

That's just where I am. Some things will just have to stay UNKNOWN for sure until we get there. BUT, for right now? I got people. I'm not willing to let anyone go for the sake of differences in beliefs. I'm just being honest. AND, I'm not willing to allow strife and turmoil hinder the relationship with people I love, no matter what it is about. Beliefs come and go. Church politics come and go. But, my friends are here right now and I want to continue with them until they or I go. This has brought me to a place of peace.

I have so many different types of friends and I like it that way. My world might be easier if we all believed the same or were the same, but that wouldn't be very colorful. What i have come to is this: The world will know we are christians by the love we have for one another. NOT by any other thing. Not by what we believe about Hell and Heaven, Women and Men, health or sickness, THIS or THAT. They will know me by how I love and honor others.

So..I guess I'm becoming a MODERATE. LOL! Doing all things with moderation. I still have my STRONG beliefs that I feel very confident in, but not to the exclusion of others. I just can't do it. I want the fragrance that comes from my life to be sweet and uplifting, encouraging, and loving. I hope that I can be accepted for that, even if that is all I have to offer. In the end, when I'm dying and someone can't raise me from the dead, they can at least know how much they will miss me because of that fragrance when they were around me.

So, here is my verse for the moment: 2 Cor: 6: 3-12 " we give no offense in anything but commend ourselves as ministers of God"..and then he goes on to say OUTRAGEOUS things! Paul and Jesus offended people all the time but it wasn't intentional. In this verse I am amazed at what things he wrote down that he would not give offense in. The hardest things! I can't even imagine.

In that vein, I will probably offend people from time to time but know this: YOU are much more important to me than ANYTHING we could ever talk about or disagree about. YOU are who I love. Not pet peeves that I can't prove or disprove . It's all about YOU and it's all about Christ in ME and YOU. And to those who are reading this that do not want to be in Christ....it's all about YOU as well, for me.

It's this simple, at least for me. Life is a journey and it's like being on a Potters wheel...we aren't finished till we're finished. We are all going to look so different than we look right now. We are going to be stretched and twisted, kneaded and baked and the outcome will be beautiful in it's time. Until then....GRACE to all.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

People are willing to die for their beliefs. How about you?

2011-04-20T07:05:00.001-07:00

GUEST POST by believer in "the way":

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I am deeply moved this recent month that the mainland government start a new wave of persecution....... in Beijing and all over China (except HongKong of cause) .....

I kindly ask for your precious pray for the Beijing Watchmen Church, the biggest underground church in Beijing. It faces a great persecution in Beijing. Pastors and church leaders are being custody in home. The government does not allow them to use their church building for service so they could only worship the Lord in the street. Then, the police catch them and put many of them in jail...... A few days ago, I have got a message from a sister from my Beijing church. She said that the situation their was very intense. Even my church pastor was called by the police. Luckily the police do not make trouble to him.....

The underground church in Beijing now is starting a prayer and fast for BJ Watchmen Church. I kindly ask for your prayer support for standing together with our mainland Chinese brothers and sisters.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Is there no higher calling than priest?

2011-04-11T08:27:00.001-07:00

Guest post by my friend...

Luis Rey

Most of the time, people are "alert" to the major doctrines that lead people down the obvious path of destruction. We often see "doctrines of demons" as the things that lead people to live radically different from what we view as "normal Christianity."

I would say that the most difficult false doctrine to discern is the one that actually enforces a "typical Christian life." In other words, the teachings of much of the Church today tell people that the typical Christian life is based on following certain steps to be a more effective Christian. It may sound good and even spiritual, and may even be used with Scripture to support it, but it in fact, has more to do with Spiritual self-help or works-based sanctification than as something that is accomplished through Jesus alone.

If there is still "work" for us to do regarding our salvation, righteousness and sanctification, then we can never fully rest in what Jesus has accomplished, and here is the danger. There are many men, who continue to preach what man must do to be "right" with God, and it usually involves pointing out problems in people's lives, and then giving the answer. It is a constant state of self evaluation, instead of a man or woman pointing to the constant state of beholding Christ. These teachings force people to constantly look at themselves in the mirror instead of beholding Christ.

As long as I can get you to look at yourself, you will always need me to tell you when and where to look, and how to fix it. In doing so, I have enabled you to live your faith in a form of voyeurism through what I believe, in which you are looking to me, and living your faith through what I am telling you should and shouldn't do. This makes faith passive, and relegates our faith to: going to church, tithing, joining a small group, serving in the church, trying to be a good person, etc. These things in themselves when understood are not bad, but they are not the totality of our faith.

Whenever a pastor or priest or whomever sees himself as the "bridge" between people and God, or when we see these men or women with "higher callings" than ourselves, then we have fallen to a form of man-made philosophy that is found in the doctrines of demons. These doctrines leave people watching someone else in front of them "perform" the service for God, while they sit and either applaud or complain.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

There is a road less traveled and it may be to India...

2011-04-09T03:14:00.001-07:00

Ann Johnstone Back in 2009 God told me clearly to go to a remote village in India and stay with a woman there who, with her two sons, was starting up house churches in many of the surrounding villages. This was in an area where there is much persecution. I only knew of the woman via emails we had been sending each other over the previous year. (She found my name on a U.S. based House Church resource website). You can imagine how people thought I was crazy, but I just knew I had to go.
My son works in South India but had been holidaying in Australia so I decided to travel back with him. I then went on my own by train to the nearest station to the village (about 4 hours away), not knowing if there would be anyone at the station to meet me. The people on the train thought I was a bit mad too when I told them I was going to meet someone for the first time. They all put their heads out the train window to see what would happen. Well, I stepped onto the platform and looked around at a couple of hundred people. Wasn't sure what to do next when a voice in the crowd called out, "Hello Maam, this is Babu". Mother and adult son were there to meet me.

Well, to cut it short, God did amazing things during my time in the village. People came streaming up to the 2-roomed house where I was staying (very basic - no plumbing etc) and wanted prayer. Even Hindus came. Little children kept following me and wanting to know more about Jesus. From morning til night I was praying for people (for salvation, healing, marriage-breakdowns, etc etc) and speaking to the crowds that met on the roof-top. It was an amazing time of God working in that village - and of me learning to trust Him to do the impossible.

I learned that other people's opinions, circumstances, etc, were all secondary. When God wants you to step out and do something that seems impossible, we can trust Him to be in control every step of the way. The opinions of others, circumstances, and barriers are all secondary ... and will change. God's faithfulness never changes. And all the glory is His.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Men yelled, women sobbed, two babies on board were screaming..... http://www.holyfodder.com

2011-04-04T10:04:00.001-07:00

Guest Post by Bonnie: I apologize in advance for the length of this... you have asked me to tell you what happened last Friday night and it took me a day or two to process it, and write it down. I pray when you read this you will fall to your knees and thank God, as I do every time I think back to what he did. My puny words fail to accurately describe how I feel about Him... I will just tell you what happened as best I can.

I have a chain that was given to me in Israel by God through a shopkeeper that has on it my promise from the Lord: “When you go to the left or the right, your ears will hear a voice saying ‘This is the way’, walk in it.” (Is 30:21) I never take it off. It is my proof that I am where He wants me, that He sends me where He needs me to go.

Friday I was getting ready for the day in the office at the HEA mission center, after which I would take a bus to go about 5-6 hours away to Coatzacoalcos, the city where I grew up and my parents ministered, in another state. As I was blow-drying my hair I heard in my spirit“Take off the chain, don’t wear it tonight.”

Even as I reached up to take it off I wondered why and the voice came again “Leave the chain, take my promise.”

Later as I slipped on sandals there was that voice in my mind, again “You will need more than that. Thick socks. Tennis shoes.”

I could have wondered, but for some reason, I didn’t. The entire day I was following instructions from Him and I finished my work and prepared to leave. Once on the bus at 6:30 in the evening I reached for my throat where I usually wear my chain and thought again, “Leave the chain, take my promise.”

I sat in the seat to the right of the bus driver, immediately by the door. After an hour or so it was dark and I began to listen to Francis Chan’s sermon ‘Crazy Love”. I rested and closed my eyes as I listened, about 9 pm the bus was silent as everyone seemed to doze and I heard Francis Chan say: "If I really believe that God values treasures others, wouldn’t my life be about giving away all I have and even DYING so they can hear His message? Do I believe Romans 8 that God Himself lives inside of me and I am DIFFERENT from the people on the earth? That I must be radically different because this is HIS reputation, and I have this supernatural being in me... would I even be afraid of dying, if I truly believed this, so that others would know Him and spend eternity with Him?.... "

That's when I heard the Lord say “My child, It’s time. And I am with you.”

I sat up quickly and pulled out my earpieces, looked out the window. The night exploded into lights and I heard “Pop! Pop Pop!”; realized our bus was being shot at. Heard the glass of the bus door shatter, felt the shards as they covered us. Felt the swerve of the bus as the driver tried to control it, turned to the lady next to me and woke her up and said "We are being held up but God is with us. Spread the word.” Women screaming, the men climbing on board yelling “This is a hold-up, we will not kill you if you do as we say.” It was an explosion of sound and assault: Their faces covered by scarves, tearing at our jewelry, watches, grabbing our purses, thrusting their hands down our blouses to search for money, guns waving, dragging the bus driver out of his seat, driving the bus into the the bush, past trees, down down into a ravine and up up up about two kilometers into tall grass and trees. Men yelled, women sobbed, two babies on board were screaming.

All the while, inside of me: peace. A knowing that He is there. "This is what you meant all day, Jesus. That I am not lost somewhere, you know where I am and I am safely in the palm of your precious hand."

The bus careened to stop. As I searched for my wallet to give them my money and they tore off my earrings and screamed and poked to see if I had more , I heard Him say, very distinctly “Say yes, say yes, say yes. I will tell you when it is time to say no. I am with you now and I will be with you then.”

The bus finally came to a stop. As the men were going through the bus they dumped out backpacks to fill them with whatever they wanted of value, cell phones, money, jewelry, cameras. Pretty soon a big guy with a black bandanna around his face who seemed to be the ringleader told all the men to get up and go out and all the male passengers followed them out. I couldn’t see what was happening outside, I heard one man grunt in pain, I assume they hit him when he didn’t do what they said quickly enough, I heard a shot and I prayed it was a warning and no one got shot. Eventually they told all the women to get up and leave the bus. We stood in front of the bus, in the lights, we saw the male passengers on the side of the bus, hands on the bus, spread eagled. They pushed us down into the dirt, made us lie down, faces in the dirt, hands at our necks. They frisked us and as they did that the girl next to me began to throw up. “Calm down," I said, “Don’t draw attention to yourself ."

"I’m pregnant," she moaned, "I can’t stop as long as I am lying on my stomach.”

I raised my head and told the two men with the guns on us. “She’s pregnant. Will you let us get up and hold our hands behind our head? She could choke.” After much swearing from the men, they allowed all the women to get up as long as we held our hands on the back of our neck.

Feels better.

We can breathe.

The moon was amazing.

We were glowing in the moonlight.

“Time to speak," He said.

They ran over to the male passengers. Someone had tried to run, they made them undress from the waist down to keep them from running. You could hear them kicking the man who tried to run. Women were sobbing.

“Time to speak.“

"Do you see the moon? It is amazing! ' I said to the women, " We didn’t know we would be here tonight but He knew and He prepared this place for us, and gave us this amazing light.”

"He is up there, looking down on us." One of the women said.

"No, that’s the best part, He is right here. In some of us and walking through and around us.” We had our hands on he backs of our neck, guns pointed at us, I began to pray out loud. For His protection, for the the protection of His blood over each and every person there. Over and over again I prayed for His peace, peace that only He can give, and His blood around us, protecting us. Someone started singing down the line, a Catholic song, most joined in. Someone said Hail Mary's....

"Pray for the men."

(Gulp. Really, Lord? )

"Do you believe me? Pray for those who persecute you."

I looked at the now three men in front of us holding guns on us and I began to pray for them, out loud. I prayed that God would have mercy on them, no matter what they did this night. As I prayed I l began to love them and I knew it was Jesus loving them through me. I prayed "It was never supposed to be like this, God, you wanted us to have a relationship with you, but we sinned... and the bond was broken. And you sent your son Jesus, to die for our sins, mine and theirs, to pay the price...." I went all the way through to "You have a plan for these men, and this is not it. Even at this moment you love them and you are making sure I say it so that they hear it, that you are knocking on the door of their heart and all they have to do is say "yes," to you and they will be forgiven and be set free of this life of sin....." Once I was done praying this way for the 1st man, I did the same for the 2nd man, "Father I ask for the man with the blue shirt, I ask for mercy and blessings for him and his family. You want him to know you love him and you have a plan for his life. That it was never supposed to be this way...." When I got to to the third he got mad and yelled "Don't pray for me!" and he got back on the bus to help the others as they ransacked everything. I kept praying, three times, in prayer, the entire plan of salvation was laid out...and everyone heard. The male passengers still standing on the side of the bus with their arms on the bus ... the men guarding them, and the ones guarding us.

The man in the gray bandanna that had told me not to pray came back off the bus, and screamed at me " I told you to stop!" and I did.

Then he pointed his gun at the women and said "Undress, all of you. Everything off."

"It's time to say 'No'. I am with you." I heard Him say.

I took about a half step forward and said, " We aren't going to do that. We have cooperated fully in everything you asked, we have given you everything we have, but won't undress."

He screamed at us "Take off your clothes!" I heard sobbing behind me. Pleading.

I said, "No, we aren't going to do that."

He grabbed my hair on the right side of my head and pulled, and put his gun under my chin and screamed "Get undressed or I will kill this woman."

Someone behind me began to pray out loud.

I said "No, don't. God says we don't have to do that. Don't do it." Calmly. Firmly. (those of you who know me well know how amazing THAT is! Supernatural grace.)

He let go of my hair and he was holding the gun with both hands, pushing it under my jaw line and he was furious. He was a couple of inches shorter than I am and I had my head way back and I was looking in his eyes. Sweat pouring down his face into the bandanna, he screamed "I will kill you right now!"

"My life doesn't belong to you, it is God's, and only He can take it. God told me to say no and that He would take care of me."

The man was screaming something and I heard the whisper "Watch me."

I remember a chill running through my body.

I remember thinking: This is it.

I will either see the hand of God in a miracle, or in seconds I will be looking into the precious face of my Jesus.

As I write this, this is the only part of the story that makes me weep. I knew I was a second away from being face to face with Jesus. In spite of all the evil all around, that moment was unbearably precious.

He glared at me and I heard the gun click and push hard against my jaw. And nothing else.

His fury seemed to turn to terror. He pulled down the bandanna off his face and examined the gun, over and over again to see why there had been no shot. While he was doing that, the big man in the black scarf had heard what was going on and he stormed off the bus roaring like a bull. "No seas cochino!" He yelled. "Don't be a pig! I told you to check the women, I didn't tell you to undress anyone and I never said you could kill anyone!" He pushed him away and backhanded him and the man fell back and as he did, a shot rang out, hitting no one.

It was as if a line had been drawn by the Holy Spirit, past which they could not cross.

I told the men, "You can check us but don't get funny. We have given you everything we have, there's no need to insult us any further." They nodded and checked the pockets but never touched us as they had been trying to do earlier. When it was time to check me none of them would, so I turned my pockets inside out so they could see they were empty. The big man said to me, "You can get on the bus now." I told him I would be last, after all the women. I asked him to please return all the clothes to the male passengers on the side of the bus, he nodded and went to tell someone to do that. We got on the bus and they told us to wait 10 minutes before backing out down the mountain. The bus driver waited a 1/2 hour and it took us about 1/2 hour to back out. At one point it was so steep and dark that we most of us (those that could) got out to lessen the weight of the bus.

As we did, the women were telling their husbands that God had saved them from having to take off their clothes and perhaps being raped, that God had spared my life, that the gun hadn't worked. "Did you know we prayed for mercy for them? I heard them ask. "Did you know God has a plan for our lives and even for theirs? Tell them about God's plan,' They told me.

When we got on the bus I prayed with many of them to accept Jesus, and together we prayed for each of the 7 men that had attacked us.

When I calmly relayed what happened to the police a couple of hours later they said " I believe you are in shock." Later, when I told part of the family over the phone, I was calm and clear and I thought "Maybe I am in shock. Four days later I know the truth: I am walking in grace. When He gives you grace, you don't need courage because there is no fear. I'm in grace, and I am in awe of a God who cares about such details as my Israel necklace, reminds me of His promises, walks with me, talks to me and stops bullets when He decides.

I lost my iPad, iPhone, iPod, all the money I had with me, digital camera, etc...

in the place of this 'stuff' I have a new awe of God. Words fail me to describe the sweetness of His presence and the far-reaching consequences of His grace. For two years I have said I live and walk in a miracle and today I know I am a miracle.

I must also admit I have a new longing: the one to see Him face to face as I briefly thought I would the other night. I know that one day I will. In the meantime, He has called us all to be His light in the darkness we are the element of change in this world. We walk in His promise that we will walk in the world but not be of the world, and the we will be protected from the evil one:

John 17:15-19, in Jesus' prayer for us:

My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

I pray as you read this you are touched with the awe and wonder I have been living in since that night: God SHOWS UP. He STILL shows up. He has an amazing plan and even though He djoesn't have to, He still uses humans to accomplish them. I am in awe of this privilege!

Thank you for your love and your support, and for making it this far in a long email.... How can I NOT proclaim His wonders???

Fully His and in absolute awe of what He's doing.....

~Bonnie~
El Señor cumplirá en mí su propósito. Tu gran amor, Señor, perdura para siempre; ¡no abandones la obra de tus manos!
Salmo 138:8

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of your hands.
Psalm 138:8

www.KingdomTales-bonnie.blogspot.com

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I'd Rather Rain Fire From Heaven...

2011-03-30T08:54:00.001-07:00

In life's journey, I have tried to become more Christ-like. It is what children of God are called to do. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes I fail. God in His grace encourages me to keep pressing forward in the adventure to become more like Him.

God provides His Word as a means to determine what it means to become more Christ-like. It gives instruction on what He likes and what He doesn't like. It gives examples of how He acts and reacts in different situations. This provides insight into our own lives and suggest how we should behave.

A struggle I have had over the years is a desire to rain fire down on the adversary or to pray for God's love and blessings on the adversary. I look at God's prophet who challenged the hundreds of prophets of baal and fire rained down on his adversary at the end of the day. But then I remember when Jesus' disciples asked if they should call fire down from heaven and Jesus rebuked them. It has left me confused on how I should pray.

Recently I had a strong desire to call fire down from heaven, but something inside seemed to say I should be praying for love to come down from heaven. I have to admit, I didn't want to pray love on my adversary. They didn't deserve it and I felt good to call down fire in judgement. I thought I had Biblical precedence to back me up. Admittedly, I understand now how wrong I was.

My confusion has cleared. It seems calling fire down satisfies the flesh and does nothing for the heart. It requires judgement on my part and I am not fit to judge. In stead of becoming more Christ-like, I have tried to become God. This is obviously dumb at best and disastrous likely.

There is a freshness and new life found when God reveals and we obey. I've drawn a simple conclusion. My responsible is to love. As one of my facebook friends (Allison) has said, there is not us and them. There is only us. I am to pray love on us.

It is in that love, God is glorified and we are blessed. It is in that love, we are able and promised to live fruitful lives having all our needs met. God even promises that all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord. It is all wrapped up in this concept of limitless love.

When love is prayed on your adversary, an amazing thing happens. I believe God sets boundaries around you personally, much like God puts boundaries around Job. God allowed satan to do his worst, but with boundaries. It is within these boundaries that God promises His grace is sufficient and it becomes real in your life.

I have personally experienced God's protective boundaries or hedges and actually seen them in action. I have read and heard amazing testimony of others where beyond reason, boundaries were set and the evil ones were not allowed to cross.

When the final chapter is written, God may call fire down from heaven. He created all and He has authority to judge and execute as He sees fit. We are to love.

It all starts with love and it ends with love. May God be Gloried in it all.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Wonderful God Spot... what exists beyond....

2011-03-23T20:03:00.001-07:00

When pastor Todd Burpo and his wife, Sonja, asked their 4-year-old son Colton a simple question, they never expected his extraordinary response: Colton recounted an experience that reinforced their faith forever. Read an excerpt.

PROLOGUE

Angels at Arby’s

The Fourth of July holiday calls up memories of patriotic parades, the savory scents of smoky barbecue, sweet corn, and night skies bursting with showers of light. But for my family, the July Fourth weekend of 2003 was a big deal for other reasons.

My wife, Sonja, and I had planned to take the kids to visit Sonja’s brother, Steve, and his family in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. It would be our first chance to meet our nephew, Bennett, born two months earlier. Plus, our kids, Cassie and Colton, had never been to the falls before. (Yes, there really is a Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls.) But the biggest deal of all was this: this trip would be the first time we’d left our hometown of Imperial, Nebraska, since a family trip to Greeley, Colorado, in March had turned into the worst nightmare of our lives.

To put it bluntly, the last time we had taken a family trip, one of our children almost died. Call us crazy, but we were a little apprehensive this time, almost to the point of not wanting to go. Now, as a pastor, I’m not a believer in superstition. Still, some weird, unsettled part of me felt that if we just hunkered down close to home, we’d be safe. Finally, though, reason —and the lure of meeting little Bennett, whom Steve had told us was the world’s cutest baby — won out. So we packed up a weekend’s worth of paraphernalia in our blue Ford Expedition and got our family ready to head north.

Sonja and I decided the best plan would be to get most of the driving done at night. That way, even though Colton would be strapped into his car seat against his four-year-old, I’m-a-big-kid will, at least he’d sleep for most of the trip. So it was a little after 8 p.m. when I backed the Expedition out of our driveway, steered past Crossroads Wesleyan Church, my pastorate, and hit Highway 61.

The night spread clear and bright across the plains, a half moon white against a velvet sky. Imperial is a small farming town tucked just inside the western border of Nebraska. With only two thousand souls and zero traffic lights, it’s the kind of town with more churches than banks, where farmers stream straight off the fields into the family-owned café at lunchtime, wearing Wolverine work boots, John Deere ball caps, and a pair of pliers for fence-mending hanging off their hips. So Cassie, age six, and Colton were excited to be on the road to the “big city” of Sioux Falls to meet their newborn cousin.

The kids chattered for ninety miles to the city of North Platte, with Colton fighting action-figure superhero battles and saving the world several times on the way. It wasn’t quite 10 p.m. when we pulled into the town of about twenty-four thousand, whose greatest claim to fame is that it was the hometown of the famous Wild West showman, Buffalo Bill Cody. North Platte would be about the last civilized stop — or at least the last open stop — we’d pass that night as we headed northeast across vast stretches of cornfields empty of everything but deer, pheasant, and an occasional farmhouse. We had planned in advance to stop there to top off both the gas tank and our bellies.

After a fill-up at a Sinclair gas station, we pulled out onto Jeffers Street, and I noticed we were passing through the traffic light where, if we turned left, we’d wind up at the Great Plains Regional Medical Center. That was where we’d spent fifteen nightmarish days in March, much of it on our knees, praying for God to spare Colton’s life. God did, but Sonja and I joke that the experience shaved years off our own lives.

Sometimes laughter is the only way to process tough times, so as we passed the turnoff, I decided to rib Colton a little.

Our preschooler giggled in the dark. “No, Daddy, don’t send me! Send Cassie ... Cassie can go to the hospital!”“Hey, Colton, if we turn here, we can go back to the hospital,” I said. “Do you wanna go back to the hospital?”

Sitting next to him, his sister laughed. “Nuh-uh! I don’t wanna go either!”

In the passenger seat, Sonja turned so that she could see our son, whose car seat was parked behind mine. I pictured his blond crew cut and his sky-blue eyes shining in the dark.

“Do you remember the hospital, Colton?” Sonja said.

“Yes, Mommy, I remember,” he said. “That’s where the angels sang to me.”

Inside the Expedition, time froze. Sonja and I looked at each other, passing a silent message: Did he just say what I think he said?

Sonja leaned over and whispered, “Has he talked to you about angels before?”

I shook my head. “You?”

She shook her head.

I spotted an Arby’s, pulled into the parking lot, and switched off the engine. White light from a street lamp filtered into the Expedition. Twisting in my seat, I peered back at Colton. In that moment, I was struck by his smallness, his little boyness. He was really just a little guy who still spoke with an endearing (and sometimes embarrassing) call-it-like-you-see-it innocence. If you’re a parent, you know what I mean: the age where a kid might point to a pregnant woman and ask (very loudly), “Daddy, why is that lady so fat?” Colton was in that narrow window of life where he hadn’t yet learned either tact or guile.

All these thoughts flashed through my mind as I tried to figure how to respond to my four-year-old’s simple proclamation that angels had sung to him. Finally, I plunged in: “Colton, you said that angels sang to you while you were at the hospital?”

He nodded his head vigorously.

“What did they sing to you?”

Colton turned his eyes up and to the right, the attitude of remembering. “Well, they sang ‘Jesus Loves Me’ and ‘Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho,’” he said earnestly. “I asked them to sing ‘We Will, We Will Rock You,’ but they wouldn’t sing that.”

As Cassie giggled softly, I noticed that Colton’s answer had been quick and matter-of-fact, without a hint of hesitation.

Sonja and I exchanged glances again. What’s going on? Did he have a dream in the hospital?

And one more unspoken question: What do we say now?

A natural question popped into my head: “Colton, what did the angels look like?”

He chuckled at what seemed to be a memory. “Well, one of them looked like Grandpa Dennis, but it wasn’t him, ’cause Grandpa Dennis has glasses.”

Then he grew serious. “Dad, Jesus had the angels sing to me because I was so scared. They made me feel better.”

Jesus?

I glanced at Sonja again and saw that her mouth had dropped open. I turned back to Colton. “You mean Jesus was there?”

My little boy nodded as though reporting nothing more remarkable than seeing a ladybug in the front yard. “Yeah, Jesus was there.”

“Well, where was Jesus?”

Colton looked me right in the eye. “I was sitting in Jesus’ lap.”

If there are Stop buttons on conversations, that was one of them right there. Astonished into speechlessness, Sonja and I looked at each other and passed another silent telegram: Okay, we really need to talk about this.

We all piled out of the Expedition and trooped into Arby’s, emerging a few minutes later with a bag of grub. In between, Sonja and I exchanged whispers.

“Do you think he really saw angels?”

“And Jesus?!”

“I don’t know.”

“Was it a dream?” “I don’t know — he seems so sure.”

Back in the SUV, Sonja passed out roast beef sandwiches and potato cakes, and I ventured another question.

“Colton, where were you when you saw Jesus?”

He looked at me as if to say, Didn’t we just talk about this?

“At the hospital. You know, when Dr. O’Holleran was working on me.”

“Well, Dr. O’Holleran worked on you a couple of times, remember?” I said. Colton had both an emergency appendectomy and then an abdominal clean-out in the hospital, and later we had taken Colton to have some keloid scarring removed, but that was at Dr. O’Holleran’s office. “Are you sure it was at the hospital?”

Colton nodded. “Yeah, at the hospital. When I was with Jesus, you were praying, and Mommy was talking on the phone.”

What?

That definitely meant he was talking about the hospital. But how in the world did he know where we had been?

“But you were in the operating room, Colton,” I said. “How could you know what we were doing?”

“’Cause I could see you,” Colton said matter-of-factly. “I went up out of my body and I was looking down and I could see the doctor working on my body. And I saw you and Mommy. You were in a little room by yourself, praying; and Mommy was in a different room, and she was praying and talking on the phone.”

Colton’s words rocked me to my core. Sonja’s eyes were wider than ever, but she said nothing, just stared at me and absently bit into her sandwich.

That was all the information I could handle at that point. I started the engine, steered the Expedition back onto the street, and pointed us toward South Dakota. As I hit I-80, pasturelands unrolled on either side, dotted here and there with duck ponds that glinted in the moonlight. By then, it was very late, and soon everyone else was snoozing as planned.

As the road hummed underneath me, I marveled at the things I had just heard. Our little boy had said some pretty incredible stuff — and he had backed it up with credible information, things there was no way he could have known. We had not told him what we were doing while he was in surgery, under anesthesia, apparently unconscious.

Over and over, I kept asking myself, How could he have known? But by the time we rolled across the South Dakota state line, I had another question: Could this be real?

--
God Spots: http://37stories.wordpress.com

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Forgive me if i stumble, but it might be a fall worth taking...

2011-03-19T17:23:00.001-07:00

Do you ever wonder about the depth of your Spirit experience? I do all the time. I wonder why God does this or why God does that. I wonder if there is something more I might do to effect a stronger change on the world via the power of God. I know I can’t do anything, but I believe Jesus abides in me and I in Him. It is with that belief I wonder why I am so impotent when it comes to things of the faith….

It seems much of the miraculous things of the faith are not reachable from where one currently exists. The “unreachables” seem to require change of heart and many times a change of location. There are components of our inner being and physical world that hinder our ability to gain wisdom, knowledge and understanding. It is true we look through glass that filters or hinders our ability to appreciate and incorporate the deeper things of our faith into the life we live.

Much of my life I have had an “off and on” desire for the deeper the things of the faith. There were times when my Spirit was sensitized and I asked for deeper things. Mostly, I didn’t receive them and wondered if what I was experiencing in my church life was all there is. I heard stories of God working in miraculous ways in odd parts of the world, but it didn’t match up with my life. I didn’t know why and I really didn’t work too hard at understanding because life chasing the American dream held plenty of challenges of its own.

The Word says that God will supply all your needs. I suspect 9 out of 10 Christians will quickly respond with “God will not supply according to your wants.” It is safe to say this and experience it, but here is a revelation. It seems to me desiring deeper things of the faith will not be provided as a “want”, but likely only as a “need”. This thought or revelation becomes quickly problematic.

If we desire the deeper things of the faith and they will only be supplied as a result of God’s determination of the need, we may find ourselves in highly uncomfortable situations. These situations or events in our life create the “need” which then activates God’s promise of supply in the need, not the want. It is in the need we begin experiencing the deeper things of the faith.

Confidence in life seems to come mostly from our gage of success in maintaining an ever increasing burden defined by the American way of life. Our society and communities in which we live pressure us to conform to some standard of living the community has determined to be the norm. We are not to get too far past the community or lag too far behind the community’s standards or expectations. I wonder how much of this want “to fit” into the community or society in which we live, negatively impacts God’s desire or ability “to fit” into our life?

There was a monk of old who lived a life of service to his fellow man. In the midst of living he developed a powerful pain in his side. Eventually, the pain in his side would kill him. As he lay in bed with this unbearable pain, he asked a fellow monk to roll him over on to the side where the pain would be the strongest. It was in this unbearable pain, he found himself closest to Jesus.

It seems suffering in the midst of unbearable pain is where each of us has opportunity to experience the reality of Jesus in our lives. I say, “Opportunity” because choice and action is required in the suffering. One has to choose Jesus as the supplier of need which may require a conscious decision to “roll over embracing the pain of suffering”.

This choice is evidenced by a Spiritual realignment of your face into the light of Jesus. Approaching Jesus requires a physical turning from the darkness of the world and allowing the light of Jesus to illuminate your life. It is in the light of Jesus, God is obligated to honor His promise that His grace is sufficient to meet all your needs. One finds self lacking in “want” and having all “needs” met. This is truly a miracle of events that can only be orchestrated by God. God is Gloried with your focus on Jesus.

I know many will read this and think it all sounds good on paper, but not experience any difference in living life. Chasing the American dream will continue. Impotence in your Spirit walk will be the norm and you will die wondering if that was all there is… BUT it doesn’t have to be that way.

You can choose to experience the deeper things of the faith. It begins with desire and quickly followed with need. The desire is a big step of faith, but the need can be the killer of desire. “Job-like” suffering instantly creates need. It is in your very real need, you have opportunity to take baby steps in faith that draw you into a more intimate fellowship through Jesus and with the Father.

It is in this scenario, one finds self experiencing the abiding of Jesus in self and self in Jesus. Life begins to be experienced through a wholly different perspective. The lens through which we view the things of the world begins to bring focus on Jesus. It is in experiencing an abiding presence of Jesus (He in you and you in He) we discover a new life in God’s Kingdom.

The Word says pray, “His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. It is this Kingdom, I believe God desires His children to operate in and out of. It from this place in my Spirit walk, I am not influenced by man’s teaching as I am not conscious of having been taught these principles. I believe them to be true as revealed by God and influenced by an ever increasing appetite for His Word.

So forgive me if I stumble here in explanation, but this is the way it seems I am currently experiencing God.

We live in a physical world on earth that is defined by physical parameters. It is in this world I chose to live most of my life choosing little influence from God on how I chose to chase the American Dream and experience life on my terms. I know many of you in your honesty will admit you are living life on “your terms” and doing a pretty good job of it. After all it is the American Dream.

Living life in the experience of an abiding Jesus, you in Him and He in you inside the Kingdom is contrary to the life you know. As I am a baby in my Kingdom life, I cautiously share a simplistic picture of how life in the Kingdom appears to work.

It seems there is a physical world all encompassing in the existence of mankind. This physical world is created and owned by a loving God and is a subset of God’s existence and influence on the universe. For some reason, God turned the world over to satan’s influence and then created man to live in it. The beauty of man’s existence is God allowing His presence to redefine man’s life on earth as influenced by satan. I hope God makes sense out of this for you, because this is where the meat is.

Through Jesus’ death on the cross and our acceptance in a belief He died for each of us, Jesus promises to abide in us and we choose to abide in Him. I wonder at this point, if Jesus is obligated to abide in us or if He chooses to abide periodically as a result of our choices influenced by our heart’s condition. I believe the Spirit never leaves, but I am not so sure Jesus is obligated to hang around in the midst of sin.

As Jesus abides, we find ourselves in the experience of living in God’s Kingdom as some sort of reality that engulfs us but is not all inclusive of the physical world. It is like a subset surrounding each of us with Jesus and us in the midst of the Kingdom. It is from the midst of life in the Kingdom, miracles are evidenced in our lives and in the physical world outside God’s Kingdom as we know it and in satan’s world.

It is as if we living in the Kingdom of God have the opportunity to ask God to reach outside His Kingdom we are experiencing and influence events in satan’s realm. God’s intervention is in the realm of miraculous and I believe He is thrilled to allow us to participate in the miraculous and bring all Glory back to Him.

The idea of God allowing us to operate in His good will and pleasure to influence things, people and events outside His Kingdom brings sense to the question of why God does or does not do things. I believe it in not God being neglectful. It is His children being neglectful. We do not ask out of the resources of abiding in His Kingdom.

Imagine if His children were all operating from a platform on earth, experienced as His Kingdom and His will on earth was done as it is in heaven. There would be an ever increasing grandness to His Kingdom on earth. This grandness could eventually encompass all of the physical world and be defined by the Kingdom of God totally defeating and expunging the kingdom of satan.

This leads me back to my current experience in Christ. I desire to live out life in God’s Kingdom, influencing the lives of others outside the Kingdom. It is in this desire, I find myself daily redirecting my face toward Jesus and into His light. It is in this desire, I find myself embracing the suffering of Christ.

I have not arrived, but for the first time I am able to better understand my destination and the importance of living out my Christian walk in His Kingdom. It is from this perspective miracles happen, bringing Glory to the Father and His Kingdom continues to grow on earth as it is in heaven.

I pray I have shared truth and if there is error, I thank God for His forgiveness. I wish I had ears to hear and someone had the words to share these ideas earlier in my life. Maybe it will be a help for you in your walk. May you experience the richest and deepest of God’s love.

God bless,

archie

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Much like Earthquakes are inevitable in Japan... a Tsunami is inevitable in our Life.

2011-03-12T09:06:00.001-08:00

I have been following the tragic episodes surrounding the largest earthquake ever to hit Japan and the 4th largest in world history. The effects of the disaster have been catastrophic as seen through the camera's eye. As bad as the scenes are displayed, i am sure the emotional suffering placed on the people of Japan far exceeds any physical loss.

Life is like that. We as humans are made like that. We live our live with hopes and dreams which never include disaster. We do the best we can to achieve our dreams and inevitably disaster strikes. We did not plan for it. We are not equipped for it. It just happens no matter how hard we try to avoid it. Even as God does not choose to love one person any more than He chooses to love another, disaster strikes all with an equal passion of hate.

Some will say disaster is just a freak of nature. I disagree. God did not design a defective universe. He did not design a world with built in fault lines that inevitably will create disaster. I don't believe you will find defects in God's blue print of the universe. There is perfection in God's plan. The defect has to come from the forces of evil. There is no other reasonable explanation.

This logic applies to the life we live. We dream positive dreams because God is a positive God. He places wonderful positive life fulfilling dreams in your heart and in your mind because He loves us and wants us to enjoy the abundant life He has designed for each of us. I believe His plan is a perfected plan, with no defects.

Sadly the forces of evil have other ideas for our future and actively work to create defect in God's plan. Only by the grace of God do we survive the hate owned by the forces of evil.

As you look at the devastation being experienced in Japan, consider the heart of each of the people in the midst of this catastrophe. Pray for God's grace on them. His grace is sufficient.

Even as you pray for the heart of the people of Japan, consider your own life. Consider the catastrophe you have experienced or are currently experiencing. Despite living life the best way you knew how, you are suffering. I am with you. The suffering is not from God. God's plan is perfect and He desires it to be perfected in you. God's plan is full of love. In the midst of your suffering, embrace God's love. Stand firm in it.

Be confident God sees your suffering and did not work it into His plan for you. He hates it. He desires you to live a full life wrapped, comforted and provided for by His extravagant love. So in the midst of struggle, pray continually. Trust God for His love and press on.

Just as earthquakes bring tsunami, the waves will die down and life can be restored by the grace of God in the midst of His love.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Uh.... Problem?

2011-03-11T18:15:00.001-08:00

Guest Post by

Mike Daniel on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 5:20pm

I have a problem.

My problem is that in my talks with church staff, in pastor coaching sessions, with groups of men or couples or singles at retreats, or when filling pulpits or leading church conferences I am beginning most of my messages with the words, "I have a problem."

Now, while I do find that funny, I don't write it to be funny. My problem really is that I begin most of my messages stating that I have - and in fact do have - a problem.

The problem is this: my audience almost never wants what they think or say they want. The church staff who say they want leadership really wants consolation for poor leadership. The men's retreat leaders asking me to share something new and fresh so they can experience a revitalization within their ministry want to only be taught what they already know - and may lynch a speaker they disagree with! Yet, what one already knows is almost never inspiring.

New insight which might lead to new perspective and revitalization requires someone admitting or at least being willing to admit that they have missed something previously - either by error of omission (truth missed) or commission (lies believed) - and if we are honest, usually the latter.

The world wants to be both inspired with newness and affirmed in our "oldness". People want new or even corrected direction without actually being redirected. It's almost as if we all desire MORE of our own thinking hoping it will make a difference in our experience, instead of desiring DIFFERENT thinking than what we already know.

We all want to be MORE right, but never wrong..."Correct AND agree with me so I'm even better at what I'm already about that nevertheless isn't working for me."

What is the solution?

Jesus Christ.

By Him you ARE right. Because of His Life, our Life isn't in our error, but instead our Life is found in His blamelessness. What I'd like to defend so often OF me is NOT me - it's the flesh IN me.

You see, once I recognize that I have flesh IN me but that it is NOT me, then I can admit my flesh patterns without them reflecting badly OF me. And I can only be okay seeing the flesh in me that's not me when I know the REAL me.

(Read the last two sentences two more times.)

Now - you will know the real you by knowing Christ.

When Peter identified who Christ was, Christ revealed who Peter was.

When the two disciples on the road to Emmaus identified who Christ was, they were changed - their fears, hope, perspective, needs, and behavior all changed based on knowing who He was more clearly.

The apostle Paul came to the end of himself on a dirt highway to Damascus that led him face-to-face with God unrecognizable and he said, "Who are you, Lord?" the answer to which changed not only him, but every generation since.

When we know Him, we know ourselves. But herein lies two immediate problems:

1. He is unknowable. Infinite God; finite me. No man can identify God in Christ to any other man.

2. He won't compete against me for centrality in my Life. When you want to bring about your desire for a circumstance, he'll let you try to create, try to be your own source for your needs, try to make circumstance and relationships what you desire, and try to manipulate him and others for your sense of identity and emotional needs, but that's what it looks like for us to pursue ourselves, not Him. He's not needing to prove Himself to anyone; God knows who He is. But do we know in the midst of circumstance and neediness that He is God?

So, that brings us out of a foggy forrest into a sunny meadow - a clearing of what it must mean to come to know Him...

When you come to the end of your self-determination, your independence, your hope in yourself, and your need to self-justify - at that precise moment - you can change your pursuit from you for you, or even God for you, to God for God. We can come to a place of wanting to know Him because of who He is, not what we want from Him. This - trusting Him for my needs enough to not be about my needs - is the opportunity for revelation.

And then Jesus Christ through His Spirit must can you revelation of Jesus Christ.

His is a revelation of Jesus, by Jesus that transforms us in the likeness of Jesus: our thinking, our feelings, and our behavior become His thoughts, His heart, and His will.

So Paul said, "I want to know Christ," forsaking all else that he would otherwise count as gain for that pursuit alone. In other words, what really would be benefit to him, he reconciles as a deficit to himself so that he might pursue Christ alone.

So, today, as you pay bills, and finish projects, and change diapers, and prepare meals, and read reports, and fight traffic, and check movie times, and chat with friends, and walk the corridors of your workplace, and ten thousand other things, ponder this: the Creator of the Universe wants to speak to you words unknowable, reveal Truth unsearchable, and free you to live as you're made to live in ways unimaginable as you are willing and available - okay with whatever He'll reveal and eager for Him alone - for every circumstance and activity to be useful to Him in revealing Himself so that you might live as an experience of who you really are in Him.

That every day might be participating with Him whom you are still discovering... Every challenge an opportunity to depend upon Him more deeply... Every venue a chance to experience His Life, His Joy, His strength, His sufficiency as you trust Him enough with what you need to be about Him instead of about what you need. ...that you might abide in Him who is our Life, know Him more by that abiding, and grow in intimacy with Him as you know Him more.

Problem solved.

ridiculously graced...

-mike.

Mike Daniel

www.StoneLife.org

Phone: 210-646-GRACE (4722)

--
God Spots: http://37stories.wordpress.com

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

How fast do you run from a homeless person?

2011-03-02T10:48:00.001-08:00

I drove to my Starbucks office to work on websites this morning. It was a bit brisk, but sunny and bright. I parked and looking off in a distance I spotted a homeless man. It is pretty safe to label a person as homeless if he is laying on the concrete under a bridge, in a drainage culvert and visibly shivering from a few hundred yards away. I pondered going down to see him, but i thought i didn't have any money so the trip would be fruitless.

I went into Starbucks, got me a nice hot coffee and orange cranberry scone on my Starbucks gift card. It made me smile, put me in a good mood and for a few hours i was quite productive at work. I was working on a website to help a nonprofit business succeed. They had been quoted a couple thousand dollars for the job. I said i could do it for a couple hundred and here i am... close to being done and broke.

Now i have been accused of writing about adventure in life in a prideful way, because it may seem like it is all about me. But you know, it isn't all about me. It is all about Jesus. I want to share what Jesus abiding in me is choosing to do for other people. I want you to know His abiding, also. Possibly though my experiences, you will be encouraged to let Jesus abide in you and assist you in working out your faith.

That was my disclaimer in telling you i was broke, because it impacts the homeless man and i hope it impacts you.

I packed up my laptop and headed to the car. Can you imagine, hours later, the same homeless man is sitting in the same culvert, under the same bridge. He is curled up rocking with a large beer bottle to keep him company. Then the though hits me. I have an emergency $10 in my wallet, along with the phone number to my bail bondsman.. That's another story, all about me and meant for you... i am smiling...

I climbed down the hill and into the drainage culvert. I passively walked toward the underside of the bridge, because it looked like he was thinking about running. As i got closer, i unfolded the ten dollars and knew he would stick around. When i reached him, i gave him the money with no expectations but hoping he would get something to eat. It was the money that bought me the privilege to sit down across from Robert and tell him about a God that loved him.

One thing i have discovered. There is no wrong way to say Jesus abides in you and wants to show His love for you. It doesn't take scripture, although there is power in the Word of God. Robert just needed to know God loved him... God did not require him to quit drinking or smoking to get close. God wants to love him today, just like he is. Dirty. Shivering. Huddled under a bridge in a drainage culvert.

The whole meeting took less than 5 minutes... i shook Robert's hand and we exchanged hugs... as i drove away, i wondered how God would choose to pay the rent this month.

So some will say, this story is all about me. I am hoping you see past that thought and consider it may be all about you.

God bless and enjoy the day.

archie

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

The Picture is the Story...

2011-02-26T12:42:00.001-08:00

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

God is not manipulative in this...

2011-02-21T06:52:00.001-08:00

A guest post by: Mitzi Hopper Sahawneh

Testimony:

I want to share this testimony-- this is an experience-- I know that it can be dangerous to put too much emphasis on experiences-- but I have also found, that by sharing experiences or testimonies, when God wants this, is valuable and used of God. I know this because God has used things, that other people have shared, to teach me and help me to understand things. However, the underlying principles must line up with God's Word.

FAITH-- God will call us to do rash acts sometimes-- on faith alone. What I mean by rash-- is really-- irrational on some level. The rational must be tested for faith to operate.

In thinking about Jack's prayer request, I remember a time when God called me to make a move on faith as well. (this move did not require near the faith of Jack's because I was alone-- I was not married and did not have a family and children to consider-- that makes a major difference and is much more weighty than what I dealt with--- I was alone). Long story short, I came here to visit and never returned back to Georgia, where I was living at the time.

I was visiting for Christmas, but FELT.... yes --FELT-- that I should not leave. God does work in our emotion. We are expected to know when it is God working in our emotion when He is working strongly. I drove two hours to go back to Georgia and FELT strongly that I should not go. I even pulled over to the side of the road and grabbed by Bible.... I found nothing. This seemed contrary to me, because I thought you were supposed to find everything in the Bible! So there I was, at 11:00 at night in Nashville on the side of the road (I was very young--mind you) looking in my Bible trying to make sure this is what God was wanting me to do. I found nothing there.

When I got back on the road to return back here--- it was as if God was saying--- don't you know when I am showing you what to do?! It was as though He was saying-- Don't you recognize My strong pull in your life and don't you believe Me? -- Now He did not say this....... I am not talking about anything audible or anything like that.... but I just could not believe that He was asking me to do this..... it made no sense to me...... but it was Him.

I went back to my grandmother's house, at the time I just assumed that God wanted me to stay a while longer. I had no idea He was going to want me to actually move back here.... but was wondering.

I started to rationalize. I had a job in Georgia and was supposed to work the next day. I felt terrible! I believe STRONGLY that you DO NOT just leave your job, you always work out a 2 week notice (no questions asked)-- that is just the right thing to do--- why would He lead me to do this? This seemed to be contrary to doing the 'right' thing to me. This made no sense. God would never ask me to do something like this... but He did.

They had just started moving me into management-- something I thought God was doing in my life at this job. We see things as they are at this moment in our lives. Our logical conclusions about what God is doing in our lives are all based upon what we can SEE. But God is working on a much higher level. He is using what is going on now in our lives, but He has the full picture. This is why we can look back on our lives and see that we were mistaken about what God was doing in the SEEN world sometimes. We come up with conclusions based upon the SEEN, the things we see in our lives. That is the extent of what God shows us.

God is not manipulative in this. It is --us-- that naturally draws logical conclusions about what God is doing based upon what we can see right now. I know that God does show leaders His vision for things-- goals and so forth-- but sometimes He does not show anything of what is ahead but He fully expects us to know 'His voice' in our lives and to obey.

When I began to look at what God had been doing in my life, I could see His hand clearly at work. It is no mistake that I had already been packing my things up because I thought I was going to start school at a university there in Georgia. So there I had been packing, for several weeks already, getting ready to move, thinking it was going to be about 1 hour away---- when it ended up being here...... 8 hours away and two states away from where I was.

My mind was in a struggle. I just could not believe this was happening. In some ways, I was having to 'weigh out' what I FELT with my convictions (my responsibilities to my job and THIS MADE NO SENSE). I thought it was wrong to not go into work-- I felt very guilty because of this-- yet I knew good and well that God was showing me to stay here.

What I am saying is-- other people may criticize and you may even evaluate things and say 'this cannot be God'......... but it very well may be. There may be some things that do not fit into what we count rational or even ethical!

Anyway, God worked every single detail out. He worked every --- single---- detail ---- out. He worked out the money, the apartment, another job, a Bible college (of which I had NO intentions of at all), EVERYTHING. That is one thing about it--- When God calls you to act on FAITH--- He WILL provide everything. You will know that it is Him.

How do we distinguish between acts of God in experience and our own emotions and feelings. From what I have... well, experienced, there is always a time of deep awareness of God, fasting (not necessarily all the time-- although it has always been with me) -- and a CLEAR --looking to Him. God had been working MONTHS in my life, destroying my idols, emptying me of self and giving a burning desire for Him before this.

These are not times of high emotion and mountaintop experiences in the physical sense. NO! They are the opposite. God draining the desire for the world and showing our shortcomings. He shows Himself clearly and ALL else fades fast in His light!

I lost my electricity at one point and all I did was read my Bible by the light of an oil lamp---- and was FULLY satisfied-- praise be to God! Who cares about lights and electricity when you are feasting on God's Word!!!! What looked like poverty to the world--- was RICHES in reality!

There is a time where God prepares and teaches us and gets us ready for these things. Clearly, this IS God. Me makes Himself clearly present in our lives so that when the time for action appears-- we are without excuse to not act-- AND we will see how God has lined everything up. God makes a way for His will.

God will 'strip us down' to nothing -- so to speak-- so that we are level headed in these things. These acts are important because they become pillars of our faith and will be needed later in our lives. So we can look back and see the faithfulness of God in our lives and because of that--- we can step out again and again on this faith.

While I realize that there are people who have committed murders that claim all of these same things... even that it is God--- this does not diminish in any way, shape, form, or fashion God's works in His children. A counterfeit should be expected-- this does not mean we should not acknowledge these things in our lives-- by no means.

These acts are there to build our faith and the faith of others. AMEN

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Living by Faith is an Adventurous Life

2011-02-20T06:32:00.001-08:00

Posted by a Facebook Friend

Aaron David

February 20 at 8:22am Report

Hi Archie?

Last night I was scouting the web for a church to attend here this morning, one in particular stuck out for no particular reason, so I and brother Seth agreed we would attend. Later I went downtown to busk for our immediate needs and two officers, Matt and Billy, walking their beat approached me. Officer Matt tossed two bits in my case and asked to hear a song, I liked him immensely and immediately. After the song we got to talking about what I was doing in town and gangs and stuff, then Matt said he had some friends who helped people like me with food and shelter and showers. He said he would call them and be back after his next round to tell me if they had room or not.

As I was waiting Seth returned and soon after a kind lady handed me a twenty while I was singing Psalm 134. Right after that Matt and Billy came back, sorry, no room, but food and showers definitely, and Matt handed me the address and number of the joint. I didn't look at it as I stuck it in my wallet to call the # later.

Later last night Seth and I decided to go check out the church we'd felt drawn to. The name had been changed from the web info, but it was the SAME place officer Matt directed us to, a homeless ministry not advertised anywhere!

Like I always say, can't make this stuff up!

God bless you Archie!

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Living in Africa Among the Poor Gives a Fresh Perspective

2011-02-18T04:39:00.001-08:00

Jim Taylor

February 18 at 1:31am Report

Jesus did say, "The poor will always be with you.' ... but what if He did not mean "There will always be poor people" ..? But rather meant "YOU will always have poor people with YOU" ..?

In other words, those who follow Jesus were marked by always being with the poor and the poor with them.

I don't think .. when the 'sheep and goats' judgment comes, that He is going to say "I was hungry and you gave to United Way. I was naked and you gave to the Salvation Army" .... All those things do is insulate us FROM the poor and help salve our conscience so we feel like we have done something.

Yes .. giving to charities helps feed and clothe people. But there is never community that comes out of it. We can go back to our air-conditioned and centrally heated houses in our SUV's while never having had a face-to-face encounter with the poor.

So my question is... what if the Lord envisioned the Church as being filled with the poor? Interacting with the poor .. each member doing so? Living in some kind of community with the poor? Having them always with us?

Different note: A Friend (name edited by Archie) was preaching in a huge Church in the west last month. She was telling us about how lavish it was .. how the seats for the Apostles and Prophets were so plush .. all up front .. and how the poor people were shuffled to the back of the huge building where they wouldn't bother anyone.

When she got up to speak she invited all the poor to come sit in the Apostles and Prophets seats and when they were full she had the rest of the poor sit on the floor in front of the Church while she preached walking among them.

She said she doubted she would get invited back.

Blessings my friend ..I look forward to meeting you face to face in Austin in the near future.

Jim

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

When PUSH comes to SHOVE... do you FOLD or PRESS ON?

2011-02-04T14:32:00.001-08:00

A GUEST POST BY MY GOOD FRIEND RICHARD GLENN

Greetings in Jesus,

Many of you have been inquiring as to my whereabouts and health update. On Saturday, January 29th I was admitted to Fremont Area Medical Center for severe pain in my neck. After preliminary diagnosis I was transferred by ambulance to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. I will not go into detail as to the testing performed as it is quite lengthy thorough and frankly I do not have the energy to go deep into it right now.

Their findings, although we are still waiting for some of the final test results, are that they believe they have discovered several sites of cancer in my body. My spine, my liver and possibly my bone marrow.

As you know, I made a renewed commitment to deepening my personal relationship with the Lord recently and I know this is nothing more than a spiritual attack. Not toward me in particular, but to the intense scriptural and spiritual increase I have been experiencing since the last week of 2010. Satan is not afraid of me, but he is horrified of the Word of God in me. It's the power of the scriptures in a person that he comes to immediately attack. The more of a threat a Christian becomes to him, the more he increases his efforts to either get us to back off of the Word or get us out of his way altogether.

Am I worried? Not in the least. The Lord has given me marching orders [1 Timothy 4: 12-16] and I aim to carry them out.

My confession of faith is that I am cancer free. Jesus is my Redeemer, spirit, soul and body. Sickness and disease may attack me but it is unable to remain in my body. I belong to Jesus Christ. He is my Savior, my Healer, my Refuge and my Strength. God's Word will prevail.

I appreciate your prayers of agreement that God will get the glory He deserves. No offense, but if you are of those who pray, "If it be thy will" that I receive healing then please refrain from praying for me. I love you, but it is without a doubt God's will that I receive my healing. Please, no offense intended but this is too important to leave in the hands of "IF".

I love and appreciate you and will resume my teaching ministry soon. God bless!

Rich Glenn

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Sometimes it feels weird to feel normal...

2011-02-02T08:26:00.001-08:00

GUEST POST: Jim Taylor

As most of you know, I have been battling something for 3 weeks or so and was having a pretty rough time of it. I did the last of the blood work yesterday .. do not know the results yet ... but ....

A couple days ago two missionaries came to pray for Twyla and I. She had fallen in the rain and hurt her back, tailbone and elbow and they also knew I was sick. They brought a 10 year old Mozambican girl with them. They began to pray and the little girl took my hand and began praying in Portuguese. When she did it was like Jesus Himself walked into the room! I cannot describe it, but I knew He was here in way different from just the normal "he's always with us" way we talk about.

While I did not have much change at the time, Twyla's elbow was completely healed and her back and tailbone were much improved.

Over the next two days I continued to improve. I was on a course of light anti-biotics but nothing else. Last night about 2:30 in the morning I woke up feeling strange. I got up, got a drink of water and then realized .. I felt NORMAL! It's been so long it felt weird.

Thank you so much for you prayers. Twyla is still having some stiffness and soreness but is much improved. Keep her lifted up for we know Papa God is taking care of us. Thank you for helping by prayer. It is the thing we ask from everyone.

Blessings

Jim & Twyla

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Suffering is Not for Wimps...

2011-01-29T05:33:00.001-08:00

Mitzi Hopper Sahawneh

Yes. I think about the proverb (I think) that says that all things happen to the just and unjust alike. It comes from the fall I believe. If it is God's will, we can avoid illness---- or maybe is that we just do not ask?

Suffering is a part of our lives, Christian or not. But we know that we are taught about suffering in God's Word. James says it produces perseverance--- which makes me think that we are actually strengthened enduring illnesses. We think of illnesses as BAD but apparently, they actually work good for us. We are told to expect it-- God has taught us in His word to prepare us.

In talking about physical sickness in particular--- I know that when I get sick to the point that I am bed ridden--- I pray...... ALOT! Many times, I believe God used that sickness to bring me closer to Him in prayer instead of me doing all the other things I would have been doing.

Suffering is a blessing because when it is lifted, we appreciate wellness more. When we take our health for granted (which I realize while I am typing this that God is showing me I need to be thankful to Him right now for my health) can become ungrateful.

Also, look at what happens when we are sick. We tell others and they pray for us. There is a sense of need for others--- and others 'share in' the illness so to speak. We learn unity.l

When we glorify God in illness--- that is the grace of God at work--

So I think illnesses are needed to produce things that cannot be produced otherwise. It is a spiritual reality that does not make sense in the world's way of thinking. We know that our suffering here produces for us a better weight in glory.

This is where faith comes in and the Spirit imparting the truth of God's Word to us--- do we believe this or not? Do we really believe what God says when he says that it is producing a better weight in glory? If we do, then we can endure with at thankful heart and praise to God.

If we doubt this, then we are left to try to rationalize in the flesh-- hopeless----

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

16 Dead Bodies Confirmed Resurrected from the Dead

2011-01-23T05:33:00.001-08:00

We say we serve a risen Savior. We say He's in the world today. Yet, periodically when He shows up we are skeptical. We wonder how an event was rigged or maybe the participants were confused or motivated to share stories to build a God they wished was real. It is all very vexing...

There was a time in my Christian life when I would quickly discount the modern day miracles of our times. It was easier to say the events shared were someone's over active imagination and that miraculous gifts were given to apostles of times past. I think there is some truth in that attitude, but not the whole truth.

I am inclined to believe miraculous events occurred in times past, because the hearts of the people were fertile for miracles. The hearts were prime for seeing God at work in very real and tangible ways. I think in America and much of the world, our hearts are not primed for the active participation of God. But, every once in a while someone comes along with a heart after God and He loves it. He chooses to actively participate in their life and those near Him.

Below is an accounting of a God Spot brilliant displayed among of people in need. You will need to choose whether you believe in a God that empowers others to raise people from the dead. It is your choice. What will you do with it?

Caleme, Teresopolis
16 Dead Bodies Confirmed Resurrected from the Dead

Sunday, January 16, 2011
CALEME, TERESOPOLIS, Brazil – People of the barrio of Caleme have witnessed Saturday 5 dead bodies raised from the dead in the street. Another 10 bodies from the morgue have been raised to life. One woman who drowned and was dead was also raised back to life. The people in Caleme reported that 5 American men went near the 5 bodies and yelled, “Rise and live in the name of Jesus.” The dead bodies started to shake and stood up and walked and are alive.

At the nearby morgue, there were 10 dead bodies in the hallway. People said that 5 foreign women went near the bodies and said, “Rise and live in the name of Jesus.” The dead bodies shook and stood up shaking and walking and were alive. People were screaming, yelling. Riot at the barrio of Caleme.

These 5 dead bodies in the street of Caleme have been dead since Wednesday January 12. The 10 dead bodies in the morgue have been left in the hallway since Wednesday. People have talked to the dead risen. They were still weak but were able to talk and they said, “I was in a dark place many people crying, shouting. Was I asleep? Now I am alive!” “I know I was dead. I was in a dark, ugly place. I do not know what happened, but I am back to life. God is alive.”

The families of these dead are celebrating and happy. There has been hope in Caleme since Saturday.

Original commentary on the life giving miracle... http://healingherald.org/2011/01/16-flood-victims-raised-from-the-dead-in-brazil/

Pictures of the tragedy... http://www.aolnews.com/tag/teresopolis/photo/

Thank you Jim Taylor of Facebook for this link.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

The greatest HOPE ever is found in Jesus.

2011-01-17T04:24:00.001-08:00

"I am the vine. You are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, brings forth much fruit; for, without me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is a branch that is cut off and will wither. Men gather these and cast them into the fire to be burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, all that you ask will be done. This is how my Father is glorified; that you bear much fruit and, by doing so, are my disciples."~Jesus

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Matt Needs Your Help in Many Ways. Read on....

2011-01-15T16:18:00.001-08:00

Matt's white count is very, very low as of yesterday so his immune system is very weak. He has been able to stay home for a couple of weeks and just go to hospital for platelets and transfusions, but this morning he started running a fever in the midst of a plumbing crisis at their home.....as Georgia says, when it rains, it pours in more ways than one. Matt was admitted back in the hospital mid-day and they are pumping him full of antibiotics and fever reducers. Doctors are also trying to discover source of infection in his body.

Please be a warrior and pray with your full armour. Pray also for his mother who has to be growing weary of this marathon illness. Georgia is the primary caregiver in the family. She wants to keep up with everything that happens to Matt and I know she has to be exhausted.

I pray "Lord, give her strength and a renewed vitality to face whatever comes her way. Let her find a way to continue to minister to her son and Lord, let her see some victories along the way. Guide the doctors as they search for the source of this infection and bring it under control. Give the whole family hope and faith that grows like a bright flame that can never be darkened. Amen"

Also, if you go to the blog, please remember to click on the google ads so $$$$ can be credited to Matt's medical expenses which are mounting at a rapid rate. Georgia tells me to check out Amazon in the upper left corner and if I need to purchase anything, try to purchase thru Amazon and Matt will be credited.

Miriam Trainer

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

God is Glorified When We Pray Ridiculous Prayers of Faith.

2011-01-14T15:14:00.001-08:00

I have an adult nephew who was diagnosed with cancer in his shoulder.
I don't know exactly what the procedure was to be, but it involved
removing ribs and part of his shoulder blade. This work would be
done in the course of gaining access to the tumor. The whole idea of
this dramatic surgery was scary for family and friends of Todd.

When fact is stated by people with the skill set and knowledge to be
credible in their revelation, prayer becomes problematic for many. If
a doctor says you are going to die from some rare disease, it can
destroy your faith. It seems so ridiculous to begin praying in the
face of fact. I mean after-all, fact is the doctor says you are
dying. It would seem the best prayer you could pray would be that the
passing would be of little pain and you'd have time to get your
affairs in order.

Years back, my dad was diagnosed with terminal leukemia on a Friday.
On Monday he both checked into and out of the hospital. What
happened? Sometime between Friday and Monday, my dad was healed of
cancer. My dad was a man of prayer.

Years later, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer on Friday and the
doctor said i likely only had a few months to live. On Monday, a
specialist told me nothing was wrong with me and forget about what the
previous doctor said. What happened? I was healed.

Todd was diagnosed with cancer. Todd now does not have cancer. Todd
has a non-cancerous tumor that is invasive in nature. Surgery is
scheduled. I have but one question to ask.

Is it ridiculous to ask God for a total and complete healing of Todd?

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I'll rescue you, then throw you a party!

2011-01-12T05:28:00.001-08:00

Psalm 91 - The Message

You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in
Shaddai's shadow,
Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
I trust in you and I'm safe!"

That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
shields you from deadly hazards.

His huge outstretched arms protect you—
under them you're perfectly safe;
his arms fend off all harm.

Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
not flying arrows in the day,
Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
not disaster that erupts at high noon.

Even though others succumb all around,
drop like flies right and left,
no harm will even graze you.

You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
watch the wicked turn into corpses.

Yes, because God's your refuge,
the High God your very own home,
Evil can't get close to you,
harm can't get through the door.

He ordered his angels
to guard you wherever you go.

If you stumble, they'll catch you;
their job is to keep you from falling.

You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

"If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,
"I'll get you out of any trouble.

I'll give you the best of care
if you'll only get to know and trust me.

Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.

I'll give you a long life,
give you a long drink of salvation!"

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Great thoughts on the Trinity by a Janet, a Facebook friend.

2011-01-11T05:54:00.001-08:00

Janet Rice Sloane to Pieter (a Facebook friend), a few questions- who
do you say Christ Jesus is? (Is he an uncreated being as the Father
is? Has the Son always existed just as the Father has always existed).
Do you think we eventually end up as Jesus, as an un-created god-like
being? do you believe Jesus is coming back in the flesh to reign on
this earth? Why does Jesus say I go to sit at the right hand of the
Father and I will send another- the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter. He
speaks of Holy Spirit in the third person, not in first person
grammatical.

According to scripture, as far as I can logically reason, YHVH has
manifested Himself to mankind in three divine Persons: Abba [the
Father], Yeshua [literally "Salvation," the Son] and Ruach HaKodesh
[the Holy Spirit, literally "Breath"]. Yet all three Persons have but
one Name - God is Echdut (this One God may be referred to as Hashalush
Hakkadosh).

Thus, I believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons,
HaAv (the Father), HaBen (the Son) and Ruach Hakodesh (the Holy
Spirit), (Hashalush Hakadosh) and these three constitute ONE (echad)
God being coequal, cosubstantial, coeternal, and have the same
attributes, nature, perfections, and is worthy of the same worship,
confidence and obedience (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19,20; Mark
12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3,4; II Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:13;
Revelation 1:35).

The New Testament doctrine of the Trinity is evident in such a verse
as John 15:26, where the Lord Jesus said: "But when the Comforter is
come whom I will send unto you from the Father, He shall testify of
me."

Jesus doesn't send himself unto us or testify and glorify himself,
that is another's job, and that other is the Holy Spirit.

So we are in disagreement about the Trinity. Some of your thoughts are
provocative and extremely strange, but i will ponder as all knowledge
is useful.
16 hours ago · Like

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Worship at Gracepoint Church, San Antonio

2011-01-09T10:44:00.001-08:00

Archie Rhines
Time to gather at Gracepoint Church, SA... am posting live from a
"traditional" church... imagine that... swing on by..
about an hour ago · Like · Comment

Jennifer Rutledge likes this.
Nathan Lambshead Watch you don't get caught texting during the sermon
about an hour ago · Like

Richard Henry better pay attention or you may be a distraction to the
person staring at the back of your head :-)
about an hour ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead Sounds like me and Richard have both spent time in detention
about an hour ago · Like

Jim Taylor I have been in church services that encouraged texting ..
you could text your answer to a question .. the 'hits' for yes or no
showed on the screen ... a lot of the adults seemed lost but the 3000
teens in attendance were completely involved.
50 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines time to break out your wallet... as an expression of
your love for Christ....
48 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines video clip starts with last surviving member of Anne
Franks ministry..
39 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines Pastor Jeff Harris... radical for Christ... speaks of
Anne Franks... and characterizes Gracepoint as an "unCommon Church"...
37 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines are you experiencing an unCommon life in Jesus...?
35 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead I am anything but common.
35 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines Phillippians.2:5-11 an uncommon life...
32 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines Nathan and Paul.... best of friends...
30 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines SHOCK! The American dream may be contrary to the will of
God... huh? imagine that! sarcasm....
29 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead In that case I am in God's will quite nicely.
28 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines royal priesthood works.... but a peculiar people... you
are a goofball!
28 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines goofball... nl you are chosen... peculiar people...
called out of darkness into His Glory...
27 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines the heater is either cranked up or the Holy Spirit is
moving... maybe both!
27 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead I am a sick, poor peculiar person. No American dream here. lol
26 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines terminology is not "accept Christ".. it is "Exchange Life"....
25 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead What you talkin' about Willis? Who's terminolgy?
24 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines God has a purpose and plan for you... will you humble
yourself and be obedient... be unCommon...
24 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead I ain't going to an unCommon church though.
23 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines as it turns out... i brought the church with me... no
problem. others brought church with them also. we happen to be seated
in the same building considering things of the faith...
22 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines there are about 500 priests here... all in agreement.
Jesus lives and God is love...
21 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead They texting too?
21 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines Jeremiah 1:1-9 there is a purpose in the world...
21 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines no... texting... just the radical... ha! love you brother!
20 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines i am actually sitting up front with my netbook open...
the preach seems to be ok with it... lol
20 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead Time for the final prayer and benediction. I have to
get moving.
19 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines the more jacked up you are... the more God's Glory is
shined through you.... if you humble and are obedient... hey i am just
typing what i'm hearing... if you are "jacked up" listen...
18 minutes ago · Like
Nathan Lambshead I won't ask what 'jacked up' means in reality. :)
Good talking to you Arch.
17 minutes ago · Like

Nathan Lambshead Actually, one of those 'chair jacks' to help me stand
without using internal muscles would be wonderful. :)
16 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines i think the heat in here is preparing me for ministry in
Indonesia or someplace equally hot... if i pass out it will be ok..
probably will just be considered i was slain in the spirit...
16 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines we are called into the world even as God called Jesus
into the world.. we are called to be unCommon... I really like the
thought of being unCommon... it fits me... i have many fb friends that
are equally unCommon... we are radical!
12 minutes ago · Like

Bill Miller Nathan: I have one for sale, lovely tan recliner $900 new,
about 10 years old, just want it out of storage, say $200 cash.
12 minutes ago · Like

Bill Miller HEHEHE.
11 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines may be called to Samaria.... ie cross cultural
experience... maybe at the Muslim apartment complex next door... pray
for the world...
9 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines we are ordinary people called to live extraordinary
lives... for Christ.
9 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines Acts 1:8 our calling in the world...
7 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines closing song.. inspired by God... written this week by
Greg Coplen for this worship experience.... wish you could be here...
5 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines Bill Grimke just popped up in chat from England... we
send you blessings from Gracepoint Church...
2 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines To the life unCommon... running instead of crawling.... amen
2 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines thanks Greg....
2 minutes ago · Like

Archie Rhines folks will be hanging out at the front if you want to
swing by and talk about how God is tweaking your heart...
a few seconds ago · Like

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Be Christian is Radical... It may cost your life.

2011-01-08T08:54:00.001-08:00

Followers of Jesus Christ in the epicenter have endured a dramatic
surge of violence and persecution at the hands of religious and
political extremists in recent weeks and months.

In Iraq, Christians have been attacked and killed in their homes and
in public, forcing nearly a thousand families to flee from Baghdad and
Mosul to the safer Kurdistan region in the north. A separate siege on
a Baghdad church on October 31 killed 58 followers of the Lord Jesus
and wounded 67 others.

In Israel, extremists firebombed an Arab Christian church in Jerusalem
in November. In December, Kristine Luken, an American evangelical
Christian was stabbed to death not far from Jerusalem in what many
believe to have been an act of terror. Her friend, Kay Wilson-an
Israeli believer in Jesus-was also severely wounded in the attack.

In Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the so-called "Supreme Leader,"
publicly warned last fall against the "network of house churches" that
"threaten Islamic faith and deceive young Muslims." Then, during
Christmas, at least 70 Iranian Christians were arrested in their homes
and separated from their families.

Coptic Christians in Egypt have also suffered severe persecution since
2011 began. As a result of two violent attacks this month, nearly 30
people have died and dozens more have been wounded.

Jesus Christ warned His followers that in the last days "they will
deliver you to tribulation and will kill you" (Matthew 24:8). The Lord
also warned His followers that "an hour is coming for everyone who
kills you to think that he is offering service to God" (John 16:2).
The good news is that the Lord Jesus also promised the world that, "I
will build My Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against
it." (Matthew 16:18) Overall, the Church is growing. More people in
the epicenter are coming to faith in Jesus Christ than any other time
in history, and this is a cause for great rejoicing.

By Joel C. Rosenberg

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

How can you not be radically enthused? Jesus abides!

2011-01-07T04:43:00.001-08:00

There was a man called Jesus many years, ago. He lived on God's
creation we call earth. In the process of life, He experienced all
there was to offer and chose to not sin in the midst of sin. This man
called Jesus was God in the flesh. He had a message and task that was
best performed in a body that breathed, hurt and found pleasure just
like you and I.

He chose 12 men and exposed them to His love and plan for mankind. He
gave them wisdom, understanding and knowledge in bite size pieces all
with the expectation of equipping them to also share God's love with
the world. Filled with love, they accepted the challenge and went
into the world preaching the Kingdom and healing the sick.

I desire my love for God to deepen daily. I desire to be one of His
chosen 12. It seems as if I am gaining wisdom, knowledge and
understanding, yet I neither preach the kingdom or heal the sick.

I worry about others who find themselves in the same place as I. They
desire a closer relationship with the Father and have His will
perfected in their lives, but they also neither preach the Kingdom or
heal the sick.

I have to ask the question. Why?

Was the task Jesus assigned to His twelve only for them? I don't
think so. I am unable to accept the idea of status quo being God's
intention for man. I believe He still chooses for His disciples to
preach the Kingdom and heal the sick. I pray for God's empowerment on
you and I as we live God's life to the fullest.

"Then He called His twelve disciples together, and gave them power and
authority over all devils and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach
the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Jesus said to them, Take
nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, nor bread, nor
money; neither take two coats.

Whatever house ye enter, abide and depart from there. Whoever will not
receive you, when ye leave that city, shake off the very dust from
your feet as a testimony against them. They departed and went through
the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere."

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Guest post at God Spots, written by Jack Frost in memory of Edgar Yancey

2011-01-05T07:17:00.001-08:00

Guest Post by Jack Frost in memory of Edgar Yancey

March 2, 1926 - Jan. 3, 2010

I met Ed Yancey in the fall of 2009. He and his sweet wife, Elizabeth, owned a small cabin on a lake where I was living with my family. We had walked past their cabin many times over the previous eight months or so, and I wondered who owned the place. It was in obvious need of much repair and upgrading, and there was a curious rooster standing in the window of the front room, facing passersby as though standing guard.

It was after a members meeting in that year that Ed and Libby stopped their silver Dodge pickup outside our home and knocked on the door. They hesitatingly told me they were in need of some help with some siding on their little cabin, and our landlord had suggested me as a worker capable of doing what was needed done. I agreed to look at the project, and began work on this little home in need of such care.

Over the next year, I was retained to do a variety of improvements to the little cabin; repairs to an exterior wall, replace a wall mounted air conditioner, painting the entire interior of the little place, and plumbing repairs. The last job was to replace the stairs that were so steep and dangerous so Ed would be able to get up to the cabin without danger of falling. He was quite proud of the set of steps I built for him.

Our family became quite good friends with Ed and Libby. One day they asked if we would go to their first home, a small place near Guntersville, Alabama. It was another small home that Ed had built for his new bride shortly after returning from his time in the Air Force during World War Two. I rode with Ed in his silver Dodge pickup, and he told me story after story during the entire hour and a half trip to the site. The return trip brought on more stories and repetition of stories that were obviously important to him. I hope to remember as many of these stories as I can, as they are a part of the history not only of Ed and Libby, but of our country as well.

As stories go, these were not complete, but give an interesting counterpoint to some of the history of our soldiers in World War Two, as well as our veterans returning from the war to settle back into daily life here in the states. Ed was a nose gunner onboard a B-24, one of the more dangerous jobs of the fliers. The chances of a nose gunner returning from a mission were around 50-50. He was onboard one such bomber that took off from a field in Idaho. Gunners were not at stations upon takeoff due to the danger of death or injury from disintegrating props on takeoff. Ed was sitting in the rear of the plane with other members of his crew as the plane gained altitude. Suddenly, the plane made a sharp turn and began to return to the runway. Apparently an engine had failed, and the trip aborted. The gunners sat on the floor, one in front of another with knees close to the chest while the next one leaned on the shins of the one behind. As the plane landed, the landing gear failed, and the plane crashed. The man in front of Ed was thrown against the gunnery pod behind them and had his collarbone broken. There were no other injuries, and the remainder of the crew was put on another plane and sent on their way within the hour.

Ed told of how he and the rest of the crew moved about Europe after the war ended, going from Italy to Germany and France and other places about Europe, seeing sights and waiting on discharge papers.

Upon returning to the states, he proposed to Libby, and she accepted. They were married not long after his return to the states. As a home was needed and money not easily come by, Ed cut logs from the land owned by one of his uncle’s and hauled them by mule to where a truck could take them to a sawmill. He had the logs sawn into lumber and then took them to a kiln to be dried for use in building a home. He build a small three room home just outside of Gadsden, Alabama. He took his new bride to this home, which would be home for a number of years to come. This house stand yet today, although in need of some serious repairs.

It was here near Gadsden that Ed really sprouted. He was a massively intelligent man, and was able to build items the family needed or desired when the finances did not allow for purchasing. He made his own hydraulic system for the tractor he owned, enabling him to lift lumber and materials to add roofing to his home. The same system functioned when he needed to level out land near the home for a yard, and also for the some 300 feet by 100 feet garden that he started and worked for many years, feeding not only his family, but many throughout the valley that were in need as well. He and his father installed a pump and pipeline that irrigated the garden from the nearby creek that flowed past the family land.

When the couple wanted a television, Ed returned to the nearby military surplus store and purchased an old radar screen. He took this home and built the family television from this screen and other parts he gathered. As the home was between two fairly high mountain ranges, he went onto the top of the mountain and raised an antenna, running wires from the mountain to the little house, and was able to get stations from Atlanta, Georgia and Huntsville, Alabama. As others found out about his good signal for television, they purchased signal from him, long before cable TV was a known utility.

Nearby the family home is the Guntersville Lake. Many boats use this lake for recreation. Ed and Libby with their daughter, Sherry, desired to also go boating on this lake. Again, money being a precious commodity, Ed undertook the project of building his own. As they desired a power boat, he took a Buick engine and transmission and built an inboard powered motorboat that they used from a number of years on the lake.

Ed worked many years as a radio engineer. During the war, he had been trained as the backup radio operator on the bomber, and was quite adept at handling all aspects of the systems. After the war, he became one of the main engineers for radio stations in the Huntsville area. He also obtained his own Amateur Radio License and was a long-term member of the local ham radio club in Huntsville. During these years, he also worked for companies that were under contract with NASA and was very involved with building items for NASA. Some of his pieces and inventions as well are part of the Space Station.

I know few men that have impressed me as much as Ed Yancey. He was a gentle man and a gentleman. His love for his wife of sixty-five years seemed to have not diminished even at the age of eighty-four when he passed from this life to his reward. He was a quiet spoken man, and treated all persons I saw him come into contact with respect and consideration. I wish I had known him longer. I will miss him.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I am encouraged. A case of Bibles!

2010-12-30T08:16:00.001-08:00

I am encouraged. I am encouraged by many things. I am especially encouraged by Jesus and when the actions of others reflect a love for Jesus. Yesterday, a friend gave me a case of Bibles. I am encouraged.

I wonder what I will do with a case of Bibles. I was in jail once. I asked for a Bible. The jailer said they didn’t have a Bible. I could send the case of Bibles to the jail for the next person.

A Facebook friend suggested I start a bathroom reader movement. Funny to use the word bathroom and movement in the same sentence with a thought about Bibles. The idea would be to place a Bible on the back of the toilet for people to pick up and read as they take care of business. I like that idea.

I've thought of creating labels to stick on the Bible. It might say, "The Gideons were not here, but steal the Bible anyway."

Periodically, God will place someone in my path that needs a Bible and I will give it to them. The last time that happened, I gave my own Bible to a new friend I met at Starbucks. I have not seen him since, but I pray for him daily.

I am goal oriented. Maybe I should not be. Maybe I should just go with the flow and see where each Bible lands according to God’s will and purpose. I like that. I don’t have to worry about failing to meet goals or expectations of myself.

I will just obediently let each Bible land where God sets up circumstance for another to receive. I hope, God willing, to post God Spots surrounding the Bibles as they find homes…

God bless you and yours!

archie

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I Keep Getting Hit in the Face..

2010-12-27T05:42:00.001-08:00

My dog Spot.

I buy 62 cent bags of hot dogs for my dog Spot. Every night I sit and tear a hot dog in pieces and toss the chunks to my dog Spot. Every night my dog Spot gets hit in the face about ten times with hot dog chunks.

A couple nights ago, he caught his first piece of hot dog, mid flight in the air. My dog Spot wonders why I keep throwing hot dogs at him..

I am much like my dog Spot. God keeps throwing hot dogs in my face. I keep wondering why. Every once in a while, I catch one. Mostly by accident, but God keeps trying.

I hope this next year, I will catch more hot dogs...

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Untitled

2010-12-22T16:58:00.001-08:00

It is a couple days before Christmas. It is time to slow down and appreciate as best we can the sacrifice God the Father made when He allowed His Son to die on the cross for you and I. Three days later He beat death and came back to life. Likely in the previous three days, He experienced pure hell and is proof enough it is God's love and grace we desire.

Today, as I pulled up in front of my house there was a beat up car pulling out of my drive area. It was worn out many years prior and for a moment I was a bit miffed at him hanging in front of my house. I walked on down the drive to see what was going on and was met by an old man who was severely handicapped. He talked poorly. He could scarcely walk without stumbling and his hands shook badly. I figured him a drunk.

We got to talking and he gave thanks that God had spared his life. He had been in a tractor-trailer rig accident that left him paralyzed as a quadriplegic. In God's grace, he had recovered enough to pull weeds and mow grass to buy food. He had stopped at my house to ask if he could do yard work. Needless to say, he didn't leave empty handed and we were blessed to cross paths.

As we chatted about the love God shared with us, he quickly invited me to his church. I am always a bit amused and blessed when someone beats me to extending an invitation for anything. I am especially blessed when someone who appears to have much less than I, is quicker to wanting to give it away.

I committed to pray for Arredondo when God brings him to my mind. It truly is a blessed season and a Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all my friends who follow my posts. I love you all and wish you the richest of blessings for you and yours.

archie

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"..behold, the kingdom of God is within you."~Jesus

2010-12-21T06:08:00.001-08:00

Archie Rhines

There is a power beyond understanding found in the Kingdom of God. That power can be manifested in your life and in the lives of others when operating within the Kingdom of God and in the will of the Father.

"..behold, the kingdom of God is within you."~Jesus

Even though Kingdom truth can be difficult to understand, it can be simply acquired and manifested in your life. You must first seek the Kingdom...

God bless and Merry Christmas!

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The Generous Cure at Grace Point Church by Pastor Jeff Harris

2010-12-19T10:07:00.001-08:00

I am worshipping at Grace Point Church and enjoying the opportunity to blog real-time via their wifi connection. The Pastor is speaking on the generosity of God and how His character of generosity impacts the life of a believer. Contentment in what we have, influences our ability to be generous. As Jesus is the picture of contentment, he is also the picture of generosity. 1 Timothy 6: 11-16.

Focus is a determinant marker of giving versus generous giving. Generous giving comes from a heart tied to unlimited resources. God is the owner of unlimited resources. Speaking of giving love is marginalized by our lack of resources. God gives to those that love generously and pass it on to others. It is in our focus on Jesus.. God gives to us generously and we are pleased to be generous to give to others...

Trust in God who provides. 1 Timothy 6:17

Timothy says....

Fight the good fight
Keep eyes focused on Christ
Act! Give Generously.

Andrew Murray is an encourager and early teacher of our faith.

Act on what you know... after you focus on God and trust in Him. Unless you have consciously chosen to take steps in preparation to ACT, you will have a difficult time being generous in giving. This is true in all areas of life. Prepare to give in love, time, resources, self and all else.

Then, ACT according God's will on your life.

Test your heart. Test God.

Passage Malachi 3:8-10:

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

Pastor Jeff Harris

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"I am not a demon chaser, but that does not make them any less real."~archie

2010-12-16T13:26:00.001-08:00

I was pondering with a friend today about the existence of demons or not. I don't spend much time thinking about it, but almost daily I pray protection around my family. I know my mother and father prayed protection over their children for a lifetime. It is a matter of safety and I think God honors my prayer even if I am unsure of the workings of the evil one.

I believe there have been times in my life when I allowed evil ones to get their claws in me. I seem to have the scars to prove it. I believe they were unable to possess me as I am a child of the king. Being a child of the King does not prevent evil ones from raising hell in and about your life, they just can't have victory in the chaos unless you let them.

I know everyone has a different slant on this evil versus good thing, but I believe what I believe as much out of experience as revelation. Evil and its manifestations are bad, even when they look good. God always wins over evil, because He is the creator. The truth of victory over evil is as simple as a creation or lessor being can not by definition have victory over or rule its creator. It is pretty simple.

As a word of advice... if you see your life going to hell in a hand basket, it is likely your fault. That is rude, right? But it is true. If your life is a snowball rolling down the mountainside gaining momentum and size, it is likely you started the ball rolling and evil ones are having a ball keeping it rolling. You might even prefer to have the company of the evil ones because then at least you are not alone. Am i right?

One of two outcomes are inevitable. You are either going to crash and burn or you will turn to the Father. It is your choice. Most prefer the crash and burn and then claim ignorance in the carnage of destruction. You get to say... if i had only known... But you do know. You know that Jesus is the only way, you just choose to take what seems the only reasonable way, which is your way.

So I have a word for you or rather i have The Word for you. From the depths of the hell you are living... get a new testament copy of The Message and start reading from page one. Only take a break to do the things you must do to exist, then begin reading again. It will take you less than 30 days to read the inspired Word of God in the Message version.

Somewhere in the midst of the read, you will experience life changes.. they will be small at first much like the snow ball of evil rolling down the hill once was. Keep reading. When you finish the book the first time, pick it up and again and start all over. Read page one and go to page two. You don't even have to understand. Just read and ask God to reveal whatever He wants. Don't you pick. Let God pick. He's smarter than you, remember.

So you say, "I could never do that." and I say, "I am sorry. It is unlikely you will ever experience the God I know." It is that simple. Read or die. It seems like a simple choice to me. What will your choice be? Do you prefer being the evil ones playground. Maybe so or maybe you will read. Maybe you will find a love for the Word. Maybe your new snowball rolling down the hill becoming larger everyday will be righteous and you will discover Jesus abiding in you.

I don't know. It is your choice. It is your snowball... It is your fault.

God loves you and so do i. Read...

archie

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There is a world waiting outside the Fraggle's Rock.

2010-12-15T12:24:00.001-08:00

Traveling Matt was a Fraggle by creation and lived underground in the Rock with his many Fraggle friends. The Fraggles were a hard working bunch. They had a deep understanding of life within their Rock and never had a reason or occasion to travel outside the Rock. The Rock was safe. If was predictable. Life in the Rock was controllable. Life was good. Excuse me. Did I just describe a Fraggle's life or was that your life I just described?

One day Traveling Matt got the wild idea to travel outside the Rock. He wanted to explore the world in Outer Space. The very thought of travel to Outer Space created great fear in his friends and family. It made no sense to leave the comforts and predictability of living safe within the Rock. Against all known reason and known sanity, Traveling Matt left to explore the far reaches of Outer Space and sends a series a postcards back home, describing his encounters.

There is much in common with Traveling Matt and us in this world known as Outer Space. The commonality is found in consuming versus just reading the inspired Words of God. Many of us have read the Words of God for a life time. We have read commentaries and studied books written about the Bible and can debate Biblical issues with the best of them.

We, like the rest of the Fraggles are quite content where we are and enjoy the safety experienced while living in the Rock. But every once in a long while, someone peers from within the Rock and sees a world so much larger than life. It is a world waiting to be explored. It is a world that can only be seen through hungrily consuming the very Word of God with the appetite of a lion having been locked in a cage far too long.

I peered out from within the Rock because I knew I would die within the Rock never to experience the life God had planned for me. Sure, I had made my run for Wall Street with an unquenchable appetite to launch an IPO. I had accumulated millions of dollars in real estate and lost the same. I had married good and enjoyed a wonderful family. I had been a "Believer" for almost 50 years, but to my surprise I woke up one day to find my cup empty. There had to be more.

Out of a desire to survive and a belief the Word had to be key to my future, I began reading the Message version of the Word aggressively. Every minute of free time, I read more of the Word. I got up early and went to bed late purposed to read the Word. I discovered my unquenchable hunger to feed on the Words of God out of a necessity to survive, developed into a voracious appetite to consume the Word out of a new found love for God.

Eating the Word drew me back into His presence every time I broke bread with the Father. His presence was predictable and the freshness of His Spirit poured out on my heart was undeniable. I could not get enough. I read the Bible multiple times in a manner of a few months. It was one of the most awesome benchmark experiences of my life. I became a different person.

It is as if I was "born again" even in recognition of my childhood experience of "accepting Christ". The challenge for me today is to somehow communicate to my friends who honestly ask themselves the question, "Is that all there is?" that there is so much more. I missed so much for the first 50 years of my life as a Christian. The so much more is found in the consuming of the Word. Such a simple concept... but missed by most. How about you? Will you take a peek outside the Rock?

Will you take the chance and venture out to discover what you have been missing? I don't know, but I pray so.

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The God Spots Keep Coming!

2010-12-14T14:15:00.001-08:00

"With men, it is impossible; but with God, all things are possible!"

Early this morning and after Bible reading and prayer, I posted on Facebook... "I am waiting for a phone call." It was an impression from God. I had no idea who the phone call would be from. I had no idea what the call would be about. I just knew I was waiting for it.

Later in mid-afternoon, God called me to prayer again. I went to my knees and eventually to my face and prayed. I prayed for the craziness of God pressing it on someone's heart to stumble across me and call me. I prayed that this might be a baseline of work for me, so my family's needs would be abundantly cared for. In the midst of this... the phone rang.

It was a call from a gentlemen who I didn't know and he didn't know me. He had stumbled across me on the internet in the social networking world. We talked at length about our careers and service to the Father. We talked about God's call on his life and God's call on my life. Our callings are a perfect match. The meeting was God ordained.

I believe God has a plan that will be fulfilled over the next few years. The journey began with a calling on each of our lives. Ours paths were brought together with the thought... "I am waiting for a phone call".

Thank you, Jesus.

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This story of Being a bit Different was given me by my Bride as an encouragement. Enjoy!

2010-12-13T08:29:00.001-08:00

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night.

His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing. Bob's wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer Little Barbara couldn't understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad's eyes and asked, "Why isn't Mommy just like everybody else's Mommy?" Bob's jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears. Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob's life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he'd rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn's bout with cancer stripped them of all their savings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn't even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn't buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook! Bob had created an animal character in his own mind and told the animal's story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling. Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose. Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn't end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print,_ Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn't end there either.

Bob's brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore , it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of "White Christmas."

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn't so bad. In fact, being different can be a blessing.

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"Being like Jesus might not be so tough after-all..."~archie

2010-12-13T07:22:00.001-08:00

"The Son of man came eating and drinking and they say he is a glutton, a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners."

Websites built.. http://www.isrv.org ... info@isrv.org Thanks! archie

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Some of the Most Courageous People in the World Live in the Hospital.

2010-12-13T04:55:00.001-08:00

This could be your story....

I was doing pretty good for myself and the wife. We had a good house and great pickup truck. The kids had grown and lived their own lives. We had money for vacations and pretty much did what we wanted. Now I'm woke up every 4 hours at the local Mercy Hospital for the Infirmed. Life stinks!

Yeah, I know that sounds a bit rude. But have you ever woke up with a four inch needle going a place even angels fear to tread. I want to tell you it is not fun and neither is it fair. I think the doctors are just part of a system that thrives on hurting others and then grin as it fills their bank accounts.

I've got to write quick, because they just gave me another shot for who knows what and likely I'll pass out shortly. I still don't get it. I did so much good for the big guy and now this. What is the deal? What is he thinking? Doesn't he know I'm hurting? Doesn't he know I need help? Big guy where are you.......? Sigh.

Just about the time I am ready to black out, this guy appears in the room. Doesn't he know it's not visiting hours. Just a guy in blue jeans and t-shirt with some message on it about saving the whales. He says, 'Hello Mike'. How does he know my name? Must have read the chart? "How are you doing?" he says.

I'm thinking, what an idiot! How does it look like I'm doing? But I say, "I'm ok." Looking in his eyes, I see deep pain mixed with unfathomable love. I don't understand. How can you see pain and love both from a person's eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. I never really cared about a person much less their eyes. But, this guy was different.

It's as if I had a million questions to ask and yet no voice to communicate. I stared into his deep seemingly passionate eyes with an empty grin as I drifted off to some deeply medicated place. Did I just see a blue jeaned guy out of place in my room or was it just part of the drug induced stupor coming on? I'll probably never know, but someday I hope to have answers....

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Which train are you about to catch?

2010-12-13T04:34:00.001-08:00

Seen through the eyes of another, having spent way too much time in the hospital...

Have you ever eaten applesauce with a fork? When you have been in a hospital for as long as I, you begin to appreciate the little amusements of life. Such as, eating applesause with a fork. Oh, I have a spoon. But if I eat with a spoon, the meal will be done and then what will I do? I'm not getting drugged silly as often now, so I have a lot of time to kill. Interesting word to use in a hospital, right? But, I've been thinking about death.

No. I'm not thinking about killing myself, although sometimes I think it might be an easy way out. I'm thinking about all the good I've done and hoping the big guy noticed. You remember when I yelled at him because of this health thing going on? I had been doing all the right things and he whacked me anyway!

Well, I'm trying to be more understanding of him and wondering if I've done enough good to offset the bad I've done. I'd hate it if when I find myself standing or laying at the pearly gates (depending if I'm out of the hospital yet) and the big guy looks at me and says, "Which train are you about to catch?" I mean if he doesn't know, I could be in trouble.

It got me thinking. How can anyone know for sure which train to catch? I suppose it depends on what ticket you buy.

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Beware the Clean Restroom Sign

2010-12-12T14:28:00.001-08:00

I had been on the corner for some time and my bladder was about to burst. I thought that would be cool because the 'heeling tint' was still in town and I knew where I could go get fixed up. But, instead I went to the local sinagog and spotted a 'Clean Restroom' sign.

Now you know what that means. It's like when someone says, 'Trust me' or 'To the tell the truth' translated means watch your wallet. Anyway, I went in this 'Clean Restroom'. It met my expectations. What a mess. I took care of business quick and got out of there.

I respectfully took my assigned seat in the pew upfront. I think it important for others to see me. They might want a blessing or something. What I couldn't figure was why everyone was laughing as I walked down the isle. Then I spotted the tissue paper trailing behind me from my saintly sandal.

How embarrassing. It totally blew my persona, but certainly confirmed my idea of what a ''Clean Restroom" sign really meant. It means just what it says. The proprietor wants YOU to CLEAN the RESTROOM!

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Ever Smuggled a Eucharist?

2010-12-12T14:21:00.001-08:00

"Webster Cook says he smuggled a Eucharist, a small bread wafer that to Catholics symbolic of the Body of Christ after a priest blesses it, out of mass, didn’t eat it as he was supposed to do, but instead walked with it.

Catholics worldwide became furious". Fox Orlando

Now I'm not Catholic so it is a bit hard for me to appreciate the seriousness of the crime. But if I stole a piece of cracker from my church, I don't think anyone would mind. I probably better check next time.

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What Mark do you Wear?

2010-12-12T14:15:00.001-08:00

I listened as he went on to address the executioners: "Follow him through the city and kill. Feel sorry for no one. Show no compassion. Kill old men and women, young men and women, mothers and children. But don't lay a hand on anyone with the mark. Start at my Temple." Ezekiel

The Word says that in the "end times" losers will get a mark of the beast on their forehead. Now, I don't know about you but likely that's not a good thing.

I was wondering what the mark of Christ might look like on your forehead. I figure it could be a bruise or callous made from falling on your face before God. I think I'll start checking foreheads......

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

3Toes Profits Go to Help the Needy.

2010-12-11T21:16:00.001-08:00

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I Have Much to be Thankful For. Being a Slave Rocks!

2010-12-11T07:27:00.001-08:00

I am impressed to be a slave of Jesus Christ. How incredible my master is that to be a slave to Jesus creates a quality of life immeasurably better than anything I could do alone. Think about it. Be a slave and have a better life. It is just like God to flip things upside down on its logic head and create good out of bad.

I am sad for those that lose out on life because of their minds designed rich in logic. Our salvation experience makes not sense viewed through the logical mind of mind and yet makes all the sense in the world when viewed through the lens of our master dying on the cross.

Logically our master died for threatening the stability of the Roman government. Illogically, our master kicked satan in the teeth and rose again three days later, defying death. I am confident, satan had a really bad day back then and continues to have equally bad days as the future rolls on.

Thank you, Jesus!

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FREE Download - Bus Ride Across America - Collecting God Spots

2010-12-10T20:03:00.001-08:00

Hi friends.

I have an early Christmas gift for you. I have pulled a chapter out of my upcoming book titled God Spots. This chapter is built around blog entries from my trip across America by Greyhound bus in search of God Spots. I know you will enjoy the adventure. I have it available for download here or simply click on the hour glass God Spot below.

I will ask a favor. Please let me know what you think about the chapter and if you have interest in the book, God Spots.

Thank you for taking the time to read a chapter from my life.

archie rhines

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A Pharisee enjoys the smugness of seemingly being blessed.

2010-12-10T06:20:00.001-08:00

There are some who will say they were once a Pharisee and voice it as if vinegar is on the tip of their tongue. Immediately one searches the heart in contemplation of salvation status, considering the authenticity of the believer's prayer uttered as a child.

There is a journey to be made and the 23rd Psalm comes to mind.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.."

I think it is possible to wear the robe of a Pharisee and believe in all Jesus did, while having one's salvation totally secure. It is an illusion of Godliness that many will buy into. The illusive role is a comfortable role. A role where one has many friends and supporters. There is seemingly no motivation to seek any other role. It appears God is blessing. It is an easy life and a life quite controllable.

Smugness comes to mind while looking down your nose at those less deserving.

I think a collision between faith and the role of Pharisee is inevitable. It may be that God loves you so much He is unwilling to allow you to live the lie regardless of how innocent you feel. It is in this collision, you will find yourself in the very "valley of the shadow of death". It is a dark place in the absence of light. It is an ugly place. It is a place of death. There is but one way out. Jesus.

The light of Jesus gives direction and meaning. It strips off the grave clothes and wraps one with fresh white linens of purity. As evil as the darkness is... "I will fear no evil: for thou are with me." This is an incredible promise. Without Jesus, you will find no hope for tomorrow.

If you have not found yourself in the "valley of the shadow of death", beware. Check the robe you wear. Write David's Psalm 23 in your memory. You will need it. It is likely your journey will lead to the valley of the shadow of death.

There is but one way out. The path leads to Jesus.

God bless you in your journey.

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Babies in the Faith with an Awesome Mission

2010-12-10T05:31:00.001-08:00

And Jesus said..."..preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick. Cleanse the lepers. Raise the dead. Cast out devils. Freely ye have received, freely give." That's what I'm talking about...

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Untitled

2010-12-10T04:53:00.001-08:00

"Jesus called together His twelve disciples and gave them power to cast out unclean spirits and to heal all manner of sickness and disease." It seems to me... one has all one needs if Jesus abides in you. I am no authority. I just know I had a killer migraine headache for over a year as a preparatory school. One day I said... Jesus. My head hurts. If you abide in me, your head must hurt like hell. Possibly, you can do something about it. I think He grinned. My head was healed a few days later. Like I said, I'm no authority. I just know what Jesus did. Amen.

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There is a Big Disconnect

2010-12-10T04:39:00.001-08:00

The Word says as a believer... Jesus abides in me and I in Him. "He healed every kind of sickness and disease among the people." We reserve the opportunity to heal someone for the guy/gal with "The Gift". Did I get an impotent Jesus? No healing for you, Archie. Just like the soup nazi in Seinfeld? No soup for you!

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Prayers of Faith and Piloting Wide Loads

2010-10-24T15:19:00.001-07:00

I was visiting with my mom this afternoon. We were chatting about times God has chosen to intervene in such a way as we knew beyond doubt God had stepped in. One such time was while growing up in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. My dad was on medical rehabilitation leave and preached at a small mission.

Living in Gold Run was under the most meager of means. There may have been gold there at one time, but I can guarantee it “ran” sometime prior to us getting there. One perfectly normal day, there was no food in the house and no money to buy it. We had an out-of-town guest living with us. So my folks wondered a bit how she would deal with a lack of necessities.

As was my mom and dad's norm, they bowed to pray and asked God to provide a “wide load” piloting job to make the money required for food. Back then, the mountain pass was only a two lane road and state law required a vehicle with flags go in front of the wide load to warn on-coming traffic. As was also the norm in answer to my dad's prayer, the telephone rang and a trucker needed my dad to pilot him over the pass. Our guest was quite surprised at God's direct intervention in our lives.

Today, things have not changed much. My family still has needs. We still depend on God. He continues to provide. It is not so surprising anymore, but is just as every bit encouraging.

God Spots: http://37stories.wordpress.com

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Poor in Spirit - Rich in Faith

2010-10-17T07:53:00.001-07:00

Jim Taylor

My wife and I are learning what it means to "poor in spirit". We have read that "Blessed are the poor in sprit for theirs is the Kingdom of God". Note: "..theirs IS.." not "theirs shall be". Our questions was, "what does it look like to be poor in spirit"?

The poor have no backup plan. Most of the time they have no options. They do not have insurance and credit and savings for a rainy day. (especially in the Majority World) The poor do not have resources. They are totally dependant. They do not have the means to help themselves.
To be 'poor in spirit' is to live totally dependant, without a backup plan, without resources, without a Plan B if Plan A fails. It is to live in the place where .. if Papa God does not help you, everything stops .. you die.

We found that if we live poor in spirit, the Kingdom of God is ours! We can experience it now! We are learning that if we live poor in spirit .. no backup .. no Plan B .. and if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, EVERYTHING WE NEED is ADDED to our lives!

It is risky, it is uncomfortable at times, it is challenging, it is scary. But it is also a blessed place where we see the provision of God .. miraculously.
Do we have times of doubt and struggle? Of course. It wouldn't be real if we didn't. Do we see God's hand move? Yes we do. Have we missed Him? Yes! More than once. Yet He remains faithful.

We are still learning. There is much more to this .. but if you find yourself in that uncomfortable place with no options, no help, no supply, no way out .. you are in the place where you can learn about the blessedness of being poor in spirit. Dont give up!

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

When all hell breaks lose, what next?

2010-10-12T16:17:00.001-07:00

When things go bad, what are the immediate thoughts that comes to mind? Likely at the top of list is, "Why me?" I don't deserve this. Shortly after, there is the honest thought of, "God. Where are you? Don't you care? Don't you see me? Are you blind? Hello?!" .... and then silence.

During that moment of silence... comes that nagging thought, "God. Are you real?" It is a dark place to be when left in this desolate place. I've been there more than once. It is in this dark place we desperately search for answers, hoping with revelation we can exit the darkness.

When you find yourself alone and in the midst of darkness, remember: where there is light, there is no darkness. Light dispells or breaks up the darkness. Jesus is our source of light. That is easy to say, but in practical terms what does it mean? It means if you can but find Jesus you will find the way out of the darkness. Sadly... some do, some don't.

The darkness I refer to is a spiritual lack of light. It is a spiritual void, but it is felt physically. One can find ones' self propelled there because of external physical circumstance. It might be the death of someone or possibly long term illness contributes to your journey. Sometimes the shattering of a dream or the let down felt from abandonment will lead one to a dark place in your life.

As real as the darkness is, we must remember the reality of the light is even more brilliant. So the trick is... how do you once again, turn on the light?

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

The Great Goat Hunt by my friend in Africa - Jim Taylor

2010-10-11T08:57:00.001-07:00

Twyla and I have been looking for a larger goat than what we have at Mieze. We want one with a larger udder that would be easier to milk. Our idea is to keep it here at the house and experiement with various feeds, seeing what affects the changes in feed have on milk production and quality.

So we have been looking ... which I mentioned to young minister who comes by here and who we know fairly well. He said in Mieze Church there was a man who knew where large goats were and that he would be glad to show us. We made an appointment to meet them Saturday morning for the "Great Goat Hunt'.

Saturday at 9;30 AM we meet and make plans. The man says it is quite a ways to where the goats are ... 100 kilometers. At this news I get a little hesitant. I know that distance often does not mean the same to Mozambicans as to us. As I was sorta backing away from the trip the others were saying "it's not that far" .. "we have time" etc.- all of which was true.

So we head out.

Two hours and 120k later we are getting low on fuel and talk begins about how far it is yet. Oh .. it's a long way they tell me. I knew it! At Chure we find a 24 hour station and fill up. Fuel was cheap there, it only cost us about 1400 metacais to fill the tank. ($38 TO $40 U.S.)

We continue to drive until we come to a place where we are told to turn onto a dirt road. The dirt road is like all dirt roads in Mozambique... rough. Now we cannot go more than 30 kph and often slower. Time drags by. The road gets smaller and rougher. About 1PM I ask, "How far is it yet?" and the man says, "Oh .. 5 kilometers." At 1:30 PM we are still not there. I said, "I am sorry but we are going no further. We must get home before dark and we have come a very long way." The man said he understood and then volunteered the information that it was still a long ways to his village. Great.

We turn around and head home. By the time we get back to Pemba it is dark. We had not taken any food with us and had not eaten all day. We stopped at a restaurant about a half mile from home and had a great meal!

We did find a couple nice-sized goats much closer to home .. and within 20k of home I found a huge herd of goats that we are going to check out. And we saw some really neat country... parts of which most Westerners don't see. It was well off the 'beaten path' ... I think we beat our own path in places.

I shared the story with several missionaries here and they just laughed and said, "Oh yeah! I have done that a lot of times."

Personally I think the guy was just looking for a free ride to his old village. LOL!!!

Love to all

Jim & Twyla

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

Mysteries of the Faith

2010-08-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

My disclaimer: Test these thoughts against what you know in the Word.

I have a need. That is not so unusual, because it is likely everyone
has a need. Needs come with life. I was praying about my need to the
Father and wrestling with Him over the issue of serving a God of just
enough or serving a God of abundance. For many years there has been a
conflict with what I believed balanced against what I experienced. I
believed in abundance. I received just enough.

I have many times in the past stated that I serve a God of abundance.
I refuse to serve a God of just enough. I believe that the evil ones
have figured me out and step in between my receiving from a God of
plenty by providing just enough. I still believe that is the case for
me, many times.. I am impatient and when I see just enough offered, I
accept and thank God for just enough when it was not from God at all.
Does that make sense?

Tonight in prayer I once again shared with God that I refused to serve
a God of just enough. I reminded Him of His ownership in everything
as He is the creator. I said it as a blessing and not meant to get in
God's face or challenge Him in any way. I believe God gave me a
thought, I will share with you. Then, you will need to bounce it
against the Word and see if there is any truth to it.

I had the thought of a great banquet table. There was a place set for
me. The plate was over flowing with all types of savory food. A big
red juicy steak had caught my attention and I had cut off a chuck. It
was skewered on my fork and I was waving it in the air as I talked
with God,even as I had a mouth full already. I had every intention of
eating everything on the plate as it was mine and I was hungry. I
had no appreciation for the source of the food. I had no appreciation
for the fact that God had set the table. God had invited me to it.
God had encouraged me to take a seat. God allowed me to eat.

Then, truth was revealed and the mystery of serving a God of just
enough and a God of abundance was reconciled. We have received God's
Kingdom. We live in His Kingdom. We have been given keys to His
Kingdom. It is the keys that open the door to an incredible banquet.
But I believe with the keys come a responsibility.

With the keys, we have the opportunity to gorge ourselves because God
is the creator and a God of abundance. But with the keys to God's
Kingdom comes a responsibility to receive only what we need while
appreciating the fact that our plate is full to overflowing. It is
the receiving according to our needs, that God is Glorified and
honored in our attitude toward Him.

It is such a simple concept, yet took a life time to be revealed.
Maybe you will be smarter than I...

As a bonus, I think it important to note it is unlikely to be wise
waving a juicy chunk of prime steak on the end of your fork while
flippantly chatting with Jesus. .... in total deference to the
provider of the steak.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

I am passionate about this.... I have paid the price to speak.

2010-08-24T19:55:00.001-07:00

I walk up to Job in the midst and say, "I am sorry for the suffering
you are going through. Oh so sorry." Job says, "Yeah. Me too. It will
get better, I believe." WRONG!

I walk up to Job and say, "How's it going?" Job says, "God is AWESOME!
You won't believe the blessing I am in the middle of! Won't you come
join me? Did I tell you? God is AWESOME! His love surpasses
Knowledge!"

I agree. God is AWESOME and I am happy for you! Be blessed. Be
faithful. Be ALL IN! I am there with you! Hand me some pottery. I'll
help you scrap.

Father. Forgive us for lack of knowledge... and poor revelation.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

God Spots are Encouraging!

2010-08-24T04:29:00.001-07:00

Kathleen Heck Freeman of Facebook: Here's my small miracle. 1)
Boyfriend almost gets taken out by a car on his motorcycle 2) The
chiropractor he is sent to is given the choice of paying more to lease
with the doctor he'd been with for 14 yrs or having to move in 3 days
or less 3) Chiropractor moves to space within walking distance of our
home, helps boyfriend to heal and hires this little unemployed girl to
help him out and may even keep her. The LORD works in myseterious
ways.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"Is there a cross handy?"~priest

2010-08-23T13:53:00.001-07:00

It is easy to judge the religious types of Jesus time as bad, because
they killed Him. We have the luxury of looking back and judgment
becomes easy. Jesus is the Son of God and the religious types killed
him, so they must have been bad.

But if you were living in midst of the events of the time, it might
not have been quite so easy to judge the religious as bad. After all,
it was the religious type that were attempting to keep all the law.
That made them good. Right?

I think religion has not changed much at all. I think there are a few
bold pastors who communicate truth regardless of the cost. In their
zeal to communicate truth, other men of the cloth will quickly judge
them as being a loose cannon or a threat to organized religion. If
there was a cross convenient, they might ever be crucified.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream

"There is a dark chasm between belief and unbelief. It is known as IF."~priest

2010-08-11T06:02:00.001-07:00

I have believed in Jesus many years. It is likely you believe in
Jesus. There are few who do not recognize Jesus. Most of those
described will call themselves Christian. It seems believing is but a
1st step to enjoying a Christ centered life.

Many years ago, there was a man with a son who had incredibly bad
seizures from an early age. They crippled him and there were times
when the seizures drove him to wanting to kill himself. This may even
describe you today. You might just rather be dead than go through
what you are experiencing in life. You believe, but there is no
relief...

This man had unsuccessfully sought relief for his son, likely many
times in his life. Nothing seemed to help, but he continued to hope
and thought, "If only..." Upon successfully negotiating his way
through the crowds surrounding Jesus, he cried out, "If you can, then
heal my son!" Jesus said, "IF?..." The man took an incredible leap of
faith over the chasm of doubt, known as "IF" and shouted,"I believe!".

This was a miraculous event in the man's life. The healing was good,
but the miracle was in the leap the man took across the chasm of "IF".
No man comes to the Father but by Jesus. It is Jesus that enables
you to take the leap across the chasm and into the arms of the Father.
There is great healing in His arms. Miraculous healing found only
through Jesus.

Pray today for God through Jesus, to encourage you to take that
miraculous leap of faith over the dark chasm known as, "IF". Pray,
"Help me to believe." End your prayer with, "I believe".

As for the rest of the story... Begin a new life, receiving the
Kingdom of God as a child, allowing it to live in you and you in it.

Posted via email from Archie's Life Stream