What Makes A Christian
Mood:  not sure
Topic: A Christian

"What makes a Christian?"

                                              Sister. Betty Neal

                                                              And

                                                Bishop Michael Neal, D.D.

                                               

   This world is packed with people calling themselves Christians, but are they all Christians?  To my way of thinking there are four types of Christians,  {so called.}

1-  II Tim. 3:1-6,  This chapter is talking about the time of Apostasy, or a Great falling away, from the faith. for you have to have something, before you can fall away from it.  Paul was talking about it, warning people of it, over two thousand years ago.  It happened then, and it is happening now.  Apostasy, Is the act of professing Christian, who on purpose, eyes wide open, reject the truth of Gods' word, and turns a back to the world and away from God.  I said professing, but not possessing.  There is a difference.

2-  II Tim. 3:5 Tells us that they have" a form of Godliness, but denying the power of it, from such turn away."  These people depart from the faith; but not from the outward appearance of Christianity.  They have a form of being a Christian.  They dress up on Sunday, and go to church {More Like a Club or a place to get together} with a Bible under their arm, sing songs, testify, give their offering, but far some reason they have fallen away from the faith.  They have on purpose, rejected the faith, the truth that was once delivered to the saints by the apostles.  But take a look at them, they look like everyone else, but inside where you can't see, they are empty, for to reject Jesus Christ is to be empty. 

Another type, are the ones that may be in error concerning the truth, which may be the result of ignorance to the word.  Acts 19: 1-6  John the Baptist disciples,  "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?  But they answered,  "We have not so much as heard whether there is any Holy Ghost.   Now, sometimes this is the pastor’s fault they do not believe, so they cannot or will not teach it to the people.  The blood will be on their hands that preach not the true word of God.  In truth, and in power of the Holy Ghost.

We Note that even in the days of Paul that the people were turning from the True word of God, (Galatians 1:6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(Galatians 1:7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

As we still see today that the word of God has been so Perverted that it is hardly recognizable from the the word Preached by the Apostles, But the world puts the words God, Lord & Christ to what ever they want and call them-selfs "Christians". But as we look more a Paul himself said in (Galatians 1:8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

He did not stop with saying it once he repeated himself again in
(Galatians 1:9) As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. The Gospel and Christians have forsaken their First "Love" { Jesus Christ } and have gone after "False Teaching" having the Form of Godliness but denying the "Power" their of.  We must Remember that to call oneself a "Christian" we Must first put "ON" Christ and to put on Christ we Must "Live" His True word and let his word come a live in Us, then and only then we can call our selfs a "CHRISTIAN"

But concerning the ones in ignorance, could it be they have been snared by Satan?  II Cor. 4:3  "But if our gospel is hidden or veiled it is hidden to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."  Could that be the reason that they are lost?  Is this then their only destiny?  If the veil was lifted by the truth, can they be saved, like Israel?  II Tim. 2:25-26  "And that they recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by  him at his will."

3- Another type is found in the parable of the wheat and the tares.  The Tares believe that they are the wheat.  They set beside the wheat in the pews in the house of God, so therefore they believe that they are the wheat, but the Tares can never be saved for the Tares are all they are, and all they will ever be.  They can never be the wheat.  They  cannot, nor will not, ever be able to change their nature.  These were never in the faith, for Satan sowed the tares among the wheat.  These are found in the church as well as outside the church.  Take a good look, we can't tell them from the wheat, only the angels, at the last day may separate them.  For they have grow up in the church, growed attached, close to the wheat.  Wherever the children of God are, there also are the children of Satan.

But concerning the ones in ignorance, could it be they have been snared by Satan?  II Cor. 4:3”But if our gospel is hidden or veiled it is hidden to them that are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."  Could that be the reason that they are lost?  Is this then their only destiny?  If the veil was lifted by the truth, can they be saved, like Israel?  II Tim. 2:25-26”And that they recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

3- Another type is found in the parable of the wheat and the tares.  The Tares believe that they are the wheat.  They set beside the wheat in the pews in the house of God, so therefore they believe that they are the wheat, but the Tares can never be saved for the Tares are all they are, and all they will ever be.  They can never be the wheat.  They cannot, nor will not, ever be able to change their nature.  These were never in the faith, for Satan sowed the tares among the wheat.  These are found in the church as well as outside the church.  Take a good look, we can't tell them from the wheat, only the angels, at the last day may separate them.  For they have grow up in the church, growed attached, close to the wheat.  Wherever the children of God are, there also are the children of Satan.

What makes a Christian?"  You must be baptized in the name of Jesus, to be covered by his blood.  You must go down in the water to be buried in like matter as Jesus Christ was, to rise up out of the water, or resurrected in like matter as Jesus Christ, to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, and to walk in the newness of life.  Walk as Christ walked, showing forth the attributes of Jesus.  A Christian shows forth Christ in the way that we walk, in the way that we talk, the way that we dress.   In our attitude, and in our spirit.  It is more than just saying "I am a Christian."  Anyone can say that.  Tares will not, nor can not ever become "Christ like," for they are like their master Satan.  I John 3: 2  "Beloved, now are we the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."  But don't misunderstand, apostasy shall continue.  I John 2: 19  They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifest or made known, that they were not all of us."

 

 

 

Can You Believe It
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Can You Believe it ??

Can You Believe It

                                           By: Sister Betty Neal          

 

You know I find it very interesting that there is all kind of Churches in the world today.  There is the Baptist, the Methodist, Pentecostal, Lutheran, and Catholic Church, etc.  And each one teaches something different, yet each one claims to be the truth and nothing but the truth.  The Apostle Paul said in I Cor. 1:10-17  "Now I beseech you (that means, I beg of you, or to ask earnestly) by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

   Paul went to many cities, and preached in many churches.  Churches that were in the homes, or in the synagogues, but whether the apostles were in a church in Phili, Galatians, Ephesus, or Rome, I ask you, did Paul or any of the apostles bring in a different truth, or a different gospel to each of these churches?  No he did not.  So if Paul did not, and Peter did not, and the rest of the apostles did not bring in another gospel, but they all preached the same thing.  Why do not preachers, preach the same truth that they preached?  Why do we have so many different beliefs, if everyone is preaching the truth, as they claim?

   Gal. 1:6-9 Paul said, "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel which is not another, but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  But that we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accused.

   Are there some of us that do not have the unperverted gospel of Christ?  Or do we all believe that we all have the one true gospel of Christ?  Let us reason together:  Did Paul and Peter preach One Lord, one faith and one baptism at one church, and then preach the trinity at another?  Did they preach and teach baptism in Jesus' name at one church, and the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost at another?  No, they did not.  They did not intend to bring confusion and division to the house of God, but there is confusion and division in the churches today.  I Cor. 1:12-13  "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, or I of Appollos, or I of Christ.  Is Christ divided?  Was Paul crucified for you?  Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?  I think not.

II Peter 3:16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scriptures.  Also verse 17-18  they both (Peter and Paul) received the Holy Ghost the very same way.  Both spoke in tongues.  Paul said,  "I speak in tongues more than ye all."  Do you actually believe that they did not preach this at every church that they went to?  Neither can I believe Peter preaching one gospel at one place, and Paul preaching something different at another.  What kind of mess would that be?  But we have the very same thing today.  Is it not the same Spirit or is it?  Paul said in Gal 1:8-9  "But though we, or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you that that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."  Paul wanted us to understand this so he repeated it,  "As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.  Verse 10  "For do I now seek the favor of men or of God?  Or do I seek to please men?  For if I yet please men I should not be the servant of Christ.

 

   A preacher cannot please both man and Jesus Christ, like he cannot serve two Gods, the Lord Jesus Christ and Satan.  We do not need men pleasers.  Every denomination has the truth, or so they say, yet they each teach different doctrine, how can that be.  They claim to have the truth, but I ask of you, how many truths are there?

Some people believe, just go to any church on Sunday.  Why should I go to just any church, when even the basic things of the bible are not taught.  One preacher baptizes in the name of Jesus, the next one baptizes in the trinity.  They have never figured out after all these years who the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are.  But the one who teaches Jesus knows who they are.  There is only one that gave his life on the cross of Calvary.  Only one that is coming back for His Church.  "There is no other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ.  Not Mary, not Paul, not Peter, but Jesus.

   One church believes in speaking in other tongues as evidence of having the Holy Ghost, others believe that as soon as you say the sinner’s prayer, "We are born again."  That is not so, let me ask you, How did Peter and Paul know that they had been born again of the water and of the Spirit?  Acts 19 chapter tells us how they knew that John the Baptist' disciples had been born again and Cornelius household, Acts 10 chapter (the Gentiles)

   Every church believes that they have the only access to the truth.  Every soul in those churches, believe that they are saved, and other churches are not.  Tell me, how can they all have the whole truth?  Some of them have a part of the truth, and others don't have any.  Are the preachers only teaching as much as they know, but don't know enough to be preaching?  Were they called by God or did they think that preaching would be a good vocation?  We don't need more preachers.  We need more preachers preaching the truth.  Are they preaching just what they are told that they can preach, like " Don't step on my toes, by coming down to hard."  Just preach "God is Love," that is a safe subject.

Time is running down, we don't need showmanship in the pulpit, we need leadership.  Souls are ignored in the shuffle.  I was sitting in church one day and I heard a sister whisper just enough for me to understand her, when the preacher was reading I Thess. 5:14  "comfort the fainthearted, support the weak, be patient with all men."  She whispered softly, "What about me?"   How many more sitting in churches today fell the same way?  They are concerned about their soul, and they need help, but they are not getting it.  We need preachers that are not ashamed to shed a few tears for the unsaved of this world, instead of taking an ego trip and trying to act so holy.  If a preacher is not called by God to preach his word, then that preacher has no business being in the pulpit.  But I am sorry to say, there are many preaching, that don't know what they are saying.

   The Holy Ghost is needed to preach His word.  A sermon, which anyone can acquire from the internet or through the mail that someone else has prepared for them, but a message is from God.  He has messages, you know.  If you have,  "Eyes that can see, ears that can hear, and a heart that can feel"  A heart of flesh, not of stone.

   Churches may be getting bigger, but not better, for they are just teaching half-truths.  Churches are getting so big they can't hear that little whisper,  "What about me."

   Many preach the Rapture, but do they believe that it is soon to come.  Jesus is coming back.  "Can you believe it?"   Sure, sermons sound good, and everyone can go home feeling good, but messages are from God.  Some toes may get stepped on to be able to save some soul. 

   If the Holy Ghost is leading some preacher, then you can be assured he is preaching the Apostrine, the same teaching that Peter and Paul preached.  It's time preachers got serious about the ministry.  In the days we are living in, is no time for a clown in the pulpit, cracking jokes.  Jesus, is coming back.  No, we don't know the exact day, but he said it in his word, and I believe it.  Can you believe it?  It is time to get our soul saved.  Do you believe it?

 

 

 

 

Walking In The Light
Mood:  happy
Topic: The Light

The thought : Walking in the light of God's word.

Isa. 5:20 says:  "Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."

   Now we know that every body is not going to be saved.  Everybody does not want to be saved.  Now they may not know it, but they are walking in darkness.  If we do not have Jesus in our lives, if we do not walk in the light of God's word, and worship him as the King of King's, and Lord of Lord's, if we do not live our lives for him each day, and thank him every morning, noon and night, for just giving us life, breathing air into our body.  If we do not set aside some times each day to pray, to read his word, to meditate on his mercy and his goodness.  Then we are walking in darkness for Jesus is the light of the world.  St. John 8:12  "Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, "I am the Light of the World.  He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."  We need to make a decision, do we call evil good, and good evil.  Do we call bitter sweet, and sweet bitter, or do we call it just like it is, sin is sin, whether it is in a pain of blue jeans or a three piece suit.  You could place "sin" in a box, and tie it with a beautiful ribbon, with a bow on top of it, but sin still lives in the box.  You might even camflody it as love, but unless it is as God ordained it in marriage, it still remains sin.  We are to walk in the light, as we come to the light, for sin lives in the darkness.  Things that are evil, unholy, and ungodly live in the darkness.  You may perfume it, bathe it, but it still stinks to the nostrils of God.  Psa. 119:105  "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."  God's word show us where we are now standing with him, and a light shows us what steps to take next.  The world is living, and walking in darkness, but to them they say they are walking in the light, and you can't tell them any different.  They are as dead men walking, if they are not walking in Jesus, who is the "Light of the world."  What the world see's is artificial light, not the spiritual from God.   "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  St. John 9:5  No one can hide their sins in the darkness, no matter how hard they try.

 

 

I Cor. 4:5  "Until the Lord come, who both will bring to light, the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsel of the heart."  God gives every man the right to choose, and I am sorry to say, most men choose sin, because they love the darkness.  In our home we feel safe, for there is light in our home.  Not the natural light, but the spiritual light, because we try to see to it that Jesus lives there with us and in us.  But once we go outside we step into a world of darkness, and the only light we have is the light we take with us inside, which is the Holy Ghost.  Satan is the Prince of this world, he is the Prince of darkness.  Isa. 59:9  "Therefore is justice far from us, neither doth righteousness over take us, we want for light, but behold obscurity, for brightness, but we walk in darkness."  Obscurity:  means, conceal, confuse, darken, gloomy, hard to make out.  We look outside, and we say it is daylight, the darkness of the night is over, but to some it is still dark.  Their minds are dark, they live in darkness, because their minds are evil, their desires are evil.  St. Matt. 6:23  "But if thine eye be evil, the whole body shall be full of darkness.  If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness."  Jesus was the Light of the world.  Even though he no longer walks the earth in human form, he walks it in his sons and daughters.  We are now the Light of the world.  So let your light shine that others may see Jesus Christ in us.  St. Matt. 5:16  "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorfy your father which is in heaven."  If we do not have Jesus, who is the light of the world, for our light comes from him, and if a person does not have Jesus in their lives, then how can they have any light.  Their light is only artificial light.  Artificial Christianity, or pretending to be the real light as the Pharesees.  The world cannot have the light, and leave Jesus out.    The Church world cannot have the light and leave Jesus out.  Everyone out there in the world that has Jesus Christ in their lives, let your light shine that some other soul may see the light and you may help them along life's way.  May God Bless.   

 

Thru The Looking Glass
Mood:  happy
Thru the Looking Glass."  When we look at ourselves, what do we see?  Do we see ourselves as we really are?  Or are we like Alice in wonderland, looking at a make believe world?  James tells us that after we see ourselves in the mirror, we go away, I guess satisfied with what we see looking back at us.  But are we seeing only what we want to see?  Are we truthful with ourselves?   Is all we see the outer man, our physical body, the natural man?  Read James 1: 22-25.  How do other people see us?  How do we see ourselves ( naturally, Spiritually)  When we look into the perfect mirror of God word, how do we see ourselves?  God looks on the inside.  We need to ask ourselves "How does the world see us?  We are in this world, but we are not suppose to belong to it.  Does the world see us as one "Of them?"  If so, something is sadly lacking, something is wrong, if we fit into their life style.  Jesus said come out from among them and be ye separate.  If we are worldly conformed, we need to examine ourselves.  What separates a good person from a bad person, a saint from a sinner?  A very fine line, my friend.  A very fine line.  We are all subjected to the same desires, wants, needs, weakness, even as Jesus was in his time here on earth.  Everyone walks that fine line, between light and darkness.  Just a little nudge is all that is needed.  It is the keeping power of Jesus, that separates a true saint from a sinner.  If the world see us as a "good old boy; buddy, buddy, if it looks on us as just one of the boys, we are marching to the beat of the wrong drummer.  How do we "the Church,"  see the world?  Do we see it as hopelessly lost, that no one else wants to be saved?  That all are saved that are going to be saved?  This world, as we see it, will not be saved, the world will be destroyed, but as long as there is life, there is also hope, and the ability to make a choice, and a change.  How does the World see the Church?  Some see it as a haven, in time of need. Some see it as a building, filled with hypocrites.  A little boy in church one day asked his mother,  Do we have to pay to get into heaven?  I guess one of the main questions is:  How does the Church see itself?  I believe it looks upon itself as a queen in all her splendor, million dollar churches,  Thousand attending every Sunday.  It sets lofty.  But we find in Revelation 3:15- 17  "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot:  I would thou wert cold or hot.  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and know est not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."

The Old Signs
Mood:  surprised

 

 

“The Old Signs”

 

The other day while driving in my old hometown, that has grown over the years

We were looking for a building at the intersection of two roads. My Mom & Dad

Were with me and my wife, and my Mother said that the old land marks had changed or move so much that it was hard to recognize where we were at or

Where we were going. At the time, I did not think much about what she had said

However, later it came to me that there is a message in there. The verse came to me in Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. We {Man Kind} have changed so many things in the world we use to know, some good and some not so good. I know in my short life span (50) years I have seen many changes in the towns around me that I grew up in, so much that it is had to remember how things use to be. When so many things change it becomes hard to find my (Our)

Way in the places, we use to know so much about. The word of God in Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; we know that the word of God does not change nor does God himself. Man has changed the word of God so much to try

And fit and justify there way of Life, that it would be hardly know to the Saints of Old. The Old Paths and Old Signs that were left by Peter & Paul have been taken down and new ones put up pointing in the Wrong direction and so many

Are losing the way. Even those I am afraid in the Apostolic Faith, we read in

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. All so we find in Mark 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. The Deadly Thing is false Teaching’s, so we know that we that keep the Old Paths, see, and look for the Old Signs will

Be the “Very Elect” for it says “IF it were Possible” we know that if we stay upon

The way of Holiness, we will find our way to where we are going. We will see and hear of the new ways and new signs that man has put up before us but we

Know that they are not the true way. 2 Peter 2:15 which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; we must not lose our way no matter

How the Signs change or things change around us, we must Not love the new ways with all of it “Trappings‘” we Must keep on the Old Paths and follow the

Old ways that were set Long ago First by the Lord Jesus and then by His Apostles. For Paul him self said in 1 Corinthians 9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! And In Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. We Must Look for the signs that the

Old saints like Paul Taught and Preached and Woe be it to the ones that do and have, moved, and Remove these old signs and the old paths. For if we get Lost on this road and go down it too far, we may get lost and Never find our way back as so many have. We must keep our eyes upon Jesus For he is our Guide and our way keeper, the world may change around us, but we must not change around the World! So no matter how the world may change and look different

We must keep on the Path that is laid before us, and to make it to the End which is life ever lasting!!

  Written & Posted By Bishop. Michael Neal, D.D. ( J.C.A.M.I. )

The Tree Of
Mood:  happy

                    The Tree Of “Life” Revisited

 

 

 

 

Key Text: Genesis 3:22, Revelation 2:7.

 

Genesis 3:22 (KJV)

22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

 

Revelation 2:7 (KJV)

7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that over-cometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

 

At first note that in the book of Genesis this tree was in the Mist of the “Garden” in the Presence of Man, but not given to eat. But we note that in the book of Revelation this

Tree is in the Mist of the Paradise of “God” = the Garden Of Eden was all so the Paradise of God. But now God will “Give To Eat of the tree of Life” but only to those

Who have “Overcome!”.. So now we see that man will get back to the Garden of Eden to the Place where man was before “Sin” cast Him Out!!. Want that be a Wonderful

Day. But now we must ask our self’s How do we get back? What must we do?

Well a Man Named Nicodemus asked Jesus the same Question in John 3:3 (KJV)

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. now Nicodemus must have been rubbing his head wondering how in the world can “I” be Born again??. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. .. so now lets

Understand the being born of the water, for this we go to the Book of Acts, for Peter

Tells us what we Must! Do. But first we must know a little about Peter and his Big

Key in all this. So we see that in Matthew 16:18 (KJV)

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:19 (KJV)

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. so we see that Jesus Him self gave to Peter the Keys of the Kingdom

On how to be Born again. These Keys were first Preached by Peter in the Book of Acts.

So now we can go onto the book of Acts and see what Peter said in the 2^nd Chapter

Acts 2:38 (KJV)

38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

So now we see how we are to be Born of the Water by being Baptized in the Name of Jesus and being born of the Spirit by receiving the Spirit of Jesus in the Form of the

Holy Ghost. But we Must see that we Must speak in Tongues just as Peter Did

Acts 2:4 (KJV)

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Then and Only Then will we have the Keys Of The Kingdom and we will be Born Again Of the Water and Of The Spirit as Brother

Nicodemus was wondering so much about. But Now what?? Well it does not end hear

Jesus Tells us in Hebrews 12:14 (KJV)

14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

These are the Keys to Overcome The only way to get to the Tree of Life ! Jesus

Says by Paul in Philippians 4:13 (KJV)

13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Only By Jesus Christ Can

We make it, For God gave of Him Self in order to Buy us back to the Place we once were

Before Sin! The Garden of Eden

 

“Paradise”! And The “Tree Of Life”

Everlasting

  Bishop. Michael Neal, D.D. (JCAMI)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Forgotten Soldiers"
Mood:  surprised
Topic: Soldiers

This Is one of the Big issues of our time, but is not heard about much because it is sweep-ed under the rug and hope that it is not seen and heard about. But in this day of "War" and sayings of "Support our troops" it needs to be seen and heard about. This is For the Forgotten Soldiers and the Forgotten Hero's, Not the ones you see or hear about on news, but the ones setting or Lying in your VA Hospital or Living under a Bridge, Maybe in your own home town. These Soldiers are the Forgotten ones, the ones that served at least the Minimal time for there country, They are the ones that have lost a leg or two, a arm or two and in some even there Minds Locked up within them selfs. Some have lost every thing in life and are standing in soup Lines trying to eat, Has our "Loving" country forgotten them? these Forgotten Soldiers,? These Forgotten Hero's? In some cases YES!. They truly Gave there ALL, There Legs for there Country, There Arms For there Country, There Right Minds. Some times the Hero's are not the ones with there "Names Of A Wall" Or "Marker" Just take a walk in the Halls of a VA Hospital and you will and can see a lot of them. My Dad worked there for years and as a child i would see these men who have Lost There "Dignity" to the point of Urinating on a tree out side of the Hospital Not really knowing where they were at or what they were doing. So when we think of Support our troops lets NOT forget these "Forgotten Soldiers" for at one time they were the ones that we were saying Lets "Support" and at one time these Soldiers that we are saying "Support our troops" could be "The Forgotten Soldiers"

 

Written By and Posted By Bishop Michael Neal

Homosexuality
Mood:  blue

                                           Against Homosexuality

                              Prepared by and Edited by Bishop Michael Neal, D.D.
   

 

   
    

   
    The Bible is clearly against the practice of homosexuality. God
    did not intend for male and male, or female and female to have sexual
    relations. As the popular saying goes, "God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and
    Steve!" He made woman for the man and not a mam for a man or a woman for a woman,
    he meant for "Man" to be frutfull and reproduce {Have children} it is kinda hard
    to do that with a "Man & Man" or a "Woman & Woman"? how many times in nature have you
    seen a Male Dog mate with another Male Dog, or a Female Dog Mate with another Female
    Dog {or any other Mammal for that matter}. But man kind will do most anything that
    the flesh will tell them to do, unless and untill they put the thier flesh under the
    power of God and the Holy Ghost. So now lets see what the "Word of God" says in the
    Bible.

    The OT & NT condemns homosexuality. The Law of Moses said, "You
    shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is an abomination"
    (Leviticus 18:22; c.f 20:13).

    The OT also condemns "sodomites," which were male temple prostitutes (I
    Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; II Kings 23:7). Some would argue that these male
    prostitutes were for the female worshippers, but it was primarily the males
    who involved themselves in the cultic worship of the pagan temples. The male
    prostitutes were for the purpose of homosexual acts with other men.
    The NT is just as clear on this issue as is the OT. In Romans 1 Paul was
    demonstrating how the Gentiles have failed to live up to the revelation of
    God given them. He wrote of the many evils they did while suppressing the
    knowledge of God revealed to them (Romans 1:18-21). Such evils included
    idolatry, fornication, maliciousness, disobedience to parents, hate for God,
    inventions of evil things, and homosexuality.. Paul plainly declared,
    "Because of this [the suppression of truth resulting in idolatry], God gave
    them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations
    for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations
    with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed
    indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for
    their perversion" (Romans 1:26-27, NIV). Although homosexuality is not named
    as such here, the act of homosexuality is clearly described. It was in
    judgment that God allowed men and women to have sexual relations with the
    same sex, but they did receive in themselves their due punishment for such
    indecent acts.

    While listing those who would not inherit the kingdom of God, Paul noted
    that homosexuals will not be saved: "Do you not know that the wicked will
    not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually
    immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual
    offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor
    swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 6:9-10, NIV). To
    further demonstrate that these things are not to be named among Christians
    Paul continued to say, "And that is what some of you were. But you were
    washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord
    Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (v. 11).

    The Biblical evidence is conclusive that homosexual relations are ungodly,
    but the case against homosexuality is not limited to the Biblical witness.
    There is also sound reasons to object homosexuality as an acceptable
    behavior. Homosexuality is unnatural. Speaking as plainly as I can, all
    people have "in holes" and "out holes" in their body. Some holes are
    designed to take things into them, and some holes are designed to rid things
    from the body. We should not confuse the obvious purpose of these holes.
    Nature argues against homosexuality as an "alternative" lifestyle.

    Most people who argue for homosexuality will tend to believe in evolution
    also. You could point out to these individuals that even evolution argues
    against their practices. Evolution teaches the survival of the fittest.
    Since homosexuals cannot reproduce offspring, they cannot continue in the
    fight for survival, and thus are an inferior "species." I’m sure that no
    homosexual would like to think of himself/herself in this manner, but their
    own philosophies would lead them to that conclusion. There is no denying it
    that their lifestyle contradicts the natural order of things.

    In conclusion:

    the sin of homosexuality is debase, but homosexuals are in
    need of salvation as are all other sinners. We are to love the sinner, but
    hate his / her sin. All people are valuable and should be loved simply because
    they are created in God’s image. We must respect homosexuals as human beings,
    but never condone or accept their ungodly behavior. There is a difference
    between our position as to the moral nature of homosexuality, and our personal
    feelings towards homosexuals. Some Christians have confused these two issues,
    allowing their position to influence their feelings toward the homosexual person in a
    negative, hateful manner. Such an attitude is unchristian. Let us make it
    clear to our world that we love all people because they are created in God's
    image, but must stand in opposition to their sin against the word of God and his
    word and Spirit. We can never get the Light of the word of God to these Souls if we
    will not or do not speak to them or if we keep them out of the church {Building} because
    of this Sin. We "MUST" remember that the church is a "Hospital" for the souls and Spirit
    of Man, if we shun these souls from it, then they can never be "Healed" {Delivered} . Or even see or know they need to be.....
    
   

"Apostle" & the Apostolic Ministry
Mood:  happy
Topic: "Apostle"

                                               The Nature of the Apostolic Ministry

 

 

Some people would argue that there is absolutely no place for apostles in the church today. Such a ministry, they would say, ended many centuries ago, either in the first century or at least by the time the canon of Scripture was completed and recognized.

Other commentators would be a little more open-minded, but would limit the present role of apostolic ministry to missionary work in areas of the world where the gospel has never yet been preached. In fact, the word "missionary" comes from a Latin word meaning the same as the Greek word "apostolos," one sent forth.

The Function of an Apostle

Before responding to the various viewpoints on whether apostles are - or should be - present today, it is important to first take a look at the role and function of apostles in the First Century churches.

1. Taking the gospel to unreached areas. Paul said to the Romans, "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation" (Romans 15:20).

2. Laying a firm foundation (Christ Himself) for the churches being established. Paul speaks of this important apostolic role: "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise master builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:10,11).

3. Training the initial leaders and appointing elders. When Paul and Barnabas made their second visit to Lystra, Iconium and Pisidian Antioch, they prayed and fasted and ordained elders in each church (acts 14:21-23). Paul likewise instructs Titus to "set in order" the churches in Crete and appoint elders in every city (Titus 1:5).

4. Dealing with specific problems, false doctrines or sins in the churches that had been established. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians illustrates his use of apostolic authority to speak to a number of problems in the church he had planted at Corinth: disunity, immaturity, pride, immorality, taking other believers to court before secular authorities, questions about celibacy and marriage, disputes about meat sacrificed to idols, wrong handling of the Lord's Supper, misuse of spiritual gifts, confusion about the resurrection, etc.

5. Promoting unity in the Body of Christ. The unity principle was applied on many different levels. In Philippi, Paul had to deal with a situation of contention between two ladies in the local assembly, Euodia and Syntyche. In Corinth, there was apparently city wide disunity in the church because of various believers choosing to rally around dynamic leaders such as Paul, Apollos, and Peter. Paul also performed the apostolic role of providing a link of communication and sharing with the universal Body of Christ around the world.

6. Demonstrating and imparting the supernatural dimension of the Kingdom of God. Although it is God's intention for all believers to heal the sick, cast out demons and perform miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit, those in apostolic ministry are particularly to bear this credential. Thus it is said that God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Apostles were often used in a special way to impart the power of God to other believers.

In stating these six functions of apostles in the First Century church, it must be realized that each of the apostles in the New Testament was unique as to how he carried out his apostolic role. Peter was particularly gifted in reaching out to the lost. Paul seemed to excel in teaching and in building believers together as a functional expression of the Body of Christ. John's apostleship carried with it a prophetic heart that God's people would continually walk together in righteousness with the Lord and love each other. James, the half-brother of Jesus, also seems to have functioned as an apostle, even though the focus of his ministry was more pastoral and localized in Jerusalem.

It is also important to realize that having an apostolic calling did not automatically mean that the apostle had the right to exercise full authority in all places and situations. It was a ministry based upon relationship and not only on calling.

Also, it means that the authority of an apostle waned in certain ways once the local church was firmly established and provided with the oversight of local elders. The relationship and the authority still existed when necessary to intervene in problems not being remedied by the local leadership, but it was Paul's perspective that he was like a father whose role of authority diminished once his son or daughter reached adulthood. His heart was not to establish a "chain of command," but rather to see each church established under the headship of Christ.

What about today?

Many commentators have come to the conclusion that after the Apostle John died, the "apostolic age" officially came to an end and there ceased to be any valid apostolic ministry. This view is based upon two erroneous assumptions:

1. That the role of the apostle was limited to the original twelve apostles chosen by Jesus. A careful reading of the New Testament will show that others are specifically referred to as apostles: Matthias, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Andronicus, Junias, Epaphroditus, and many more. The Twelve are indeed said to have a special role in the purposes of God, but that does not mean they are the only apostles.

2. That there is no need for apostles today. This objection can be best be answered by looking again at the list of functions of an apostle. Are the functions still relevant today?

Relevant Functions for Today

Unreached Areas - Although the gospel has gone out to some degree to every nation of the earth, there are still an estimated 16,000 "people groups" that are geographically or linguistically isolated and have never even heard of Jesus Christ.

Foundation Laying - Many churches in America and all over the world have never really been established on a solid biblical foundation. They have been built upon human traditions and human opinions, but not upon Christ Himself and His eternal Word.

Training Leaders - Today the apostolic function of training leaders has been largely replaced by seminaries and Bible schools. Appointing the leaders of local churches has been made a matter of congregational voting, selection by a denominational hierarchy, or ambitious aspiring young preachers simply starting their own churches and appointing themselves the pastors. The result has often been that leaders are put in places of responsibility that they are not really called to by God, and are not adequately equipped to fulfill. They may have been good students at the seminary, but are likely to miss the kind of personal training and character development that Timothy received from Paul.

Problem Solving - It is clear that local churches frequently encounter problems that they have difficulty solving without outside assistance. Pastors are often without any personal accountability and often have no one to give them input regarding church problems. Sometimes local leaders have blind spots and cannot even see the shortcomings that exist. There still a need today for men of apostolic authority to pierce through the blindness, ignorance and pride, speaking the Word of God to areas of sin, imbalance, false doctrine, division and other problems.

Unity - The disunity of the Body of Christ is still a scandal that robs us of the full blessing of God and undercuts our testimony to the lost. Men of genuine apostolic heart have a burden to see God's people come together as a united family and a united army. They see an overview of the universal church around the world and can sense the heartbeat of what the Lord is speaking. The vision is sorely needed in the church today, and only men of apostolic insight and authority can bring it about in a significant way.

Supernatural - We live in a day when God is moving mightily to restore signs and wonders to the church. For too long we have relied upon our intellect, human wisdom, and persuasive words - the very things Paul put no confidence in: "My message and my preaching were not in wise and persuasive words, but with demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power (1 Corinthians 2:4,5).

Yes, we need apostles today!

I will admit that I've always been a little wary of people who go around calling themselves an "apostle" or "prophet" or some other high sounding title. Sadly, it has often been that those most eager to use such a title have been woefully in character and credentials. Nevertheless, God is raising up apostles to serve His church today, and if we are wise we will recognize our need for such output.

Jesus is restoring His Church today! We still have a long way to go, but let us receive those He sends to be part of the restoration process! I will make this last Note: That the work of a Apostle can all so be done by the "Just Ministers" in and of the Church as well as the Bishop's & Elders.

 

 

 

Saints / Children
Mood:  happy
Topic: Saints

                                                  -From Saints to Cursed Children-

 

 

                                "Cursed children that have forsaken the right way...."
                                                   ( 2 Peter 2: )

 

I am amazed daily at the number of people who still call themselves Christians but have transformed their Christianity and their churches into social clubs where sin is part of their daily routine. Many of these individuals once walked with God in the beauty of holiness, but now they only walk in a church organization and have long since left God and the beauty of holiness that God demands.

It is sad to say, but I say it to warn God's saints in light, many of those once-saved saints are still in the church and in leadership positions, harming many saints of God, as they preach a gospel that is not the gospel of Christ but a bastardized gospel that they are the fathers of. And many of these perdition-bound social Christians are people I used to know in the Lord, and they once knew and loved the gospel of Christ and the word of God!

My heart is made sad this day by his people who have strayed so far away from Him and are attempting with flawed rationalizations that only deceive themselves to justify shame and putrefying sores in God's house. Satan has deceived so many of those whom I once knew in the beauty of holiness, for now they live lives of lies because they received not the love of the truth. And being blinded by Satan's devices, they seemingly cannot be reached any longer because many have been given a strong delusion that Paul said God would send upon them as they continued to believe the lie and not receive the love of truth. Now they will be damned. [2 Thes. 2:11-13]

Many who are not now at the stage of the reprobated mind* cannot actually see or believe that many ministers, pastors, bishops, church members, etc., are really not saved, for they are still in the church singing the songs of Zion. Those false brethren are trees that are twice dead and have been plucked up by the roots, yet they seem green, but they are not alive in God and will soon be cut down. [2 Pet.2:17] They are the fulfillment of a prophecy of Paul many have overlooked, but Paul said that they would come from without the church and from within the church. [Acts 20:29-30]

If a minister is not preaching the rightly divided word of God, he is not a saint in light. The Apostle Peter said, these ministers will entice many with swelling words, but they have erred from the faith. So brazen are wicked ministers today that they assert things they would not dared to speak just since I became saved. They would dare to say that one can sin repeatedly and still be in Christ, one can curse and lie, commit various forms of of adultery and abominations and still be saved, if he only has faith, as if faith is some type of construct in the mind and not a life-guiding principle that fashions behavior and actions; such declarations are not issued from men of God, but from messengers of Satan. For these are damnable lies, concocted by men of corrupt minds who do not know the way of God but the way of these self-serving teachings, as they engage in such sins.

As Paul said during his time, he fought with false brethren and beast, Peter said in the Second book of Peter, Chapter Two that many false brethren shall come. That prophecy of Peter is for today. Many have come and are here; many are not saved as defined by God's word, yet they still claim the name of Christ to take away their reproach [Isa.4:1] But as Paul and Peter said, these ministers have erred from the faith and have pierced their souls through with many sorrows, as they have received the love of money spirit.

But I plead with you, dear child of the Living God, do not allow wicked men to do as, Peter says they would attempt to do: have you forsake the right way of God with great swelling words, promising you liberty after you have escaped the pollution of the world. Stay free, prove all ministers today because they pose the greatest threat to the salvation of many, live the total rightly-divided word of God, and do not allow men to make you cursed children who are now twice dead--dead at natural birth from the curse of Adam that is upon us all and dead again, after having been born again and then falling from this right way of God--and plucked up from the roots out of the kingdom of God. [1 Thes. 5:20; 2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Pet.2:18-20]

My heart is heavy today for the many who are going backward from the right way of God, and many do not even know it, and some do not care; I plead with you, walk in the light, as Christ is the light and hasten to remove yourself from anyone who does not preach the whole counsel of God.

Every person must be born again into the kingdom of God that he or she may grow on into godly adulthood/perfection to see God in peace. Let no man deceive you, we must be a church without blemish, spot, or any such things; we must be a church that has grown into the express image of Christ. That is perfection, and perfection is the next step of salvation, once you are born again. You have to be born out of the world and into God's kingdom so you can be perfected, if you are perfectly born again. Outside his kingdom, you can never become perfect, but inside his kingdom you MUST become perfect. [Mat. 5:48; Eph. 4:11; Heb. 6:1-3] God has given true ministers the wherewithal to guide you in this process.

Dear Child of God, the hereafter is much longer than this present world; for the present is temporal and shall pass away, but the hereafter is eternal. This life and the mere things of this life are NOT worth a glimpse of the King in His Glory. I plead with you to come along with us to glory: Live all the word of God and live eternally with God! Pick and chose of God's word to live and die as a fool dies!

Don't you really want to see God? Really see God! Think about it: to actually, finally, really see God--no man or creature of limited means, but the God of all creation; the maker of all creatures, things living and nonliving! The creator of the universe; the maker of man. To see him who was not created but created all--him who is without father or mother, beginning of day and ending of years. Him who knows all the thoughts and intentions of the heart! To look upon him who is the very essence of life and omniscience and to live forever in his saving grace!

"Oh I want to see him;
to look upon his face.
There to sing forever of his saving grace.
On the streets of glory, let me lift my voice.
Cares all past, home at last
Ever there to rejoice!"

My heart is troubled and saddened by the multitudes in the valley of decision, for I know that the Lord's judgment is soon in that valley. Yet, I am still sick with the love of the Lord, and I say, come Lord Jesus! [Song of Solomon 5:8] But I plead with you who can still be reached to come with me to a city whose builder and maker is God; I plead with you who can still be reached, those who have not gone from saints to cursed children, because I know the terror of God, and I know the end of nonbelievers and those who were once saved and go back--Peter said it is better if they had not known the way of Christ! [2 Pet. 2:20-22]