Month: December 2016

God is a Jealous God

Bethany Christian Living

Many today don’t see anything wrong with having statures of Hindu gods and so on. They just see them as pretty statures to decorate their homes. Little do they know they are inviting themselves with all sorts of problems. They are false gods and God is a jealous God. Demons come with these statures and curse those who have them. Because the people who own them without knowing are giving Satan permission to do so. In other words people are worshiping demons without them knowing it. There is only one God. Everything that doesn’t honour God is false and will bring down all kinds of problems on people, like demon possessions for example. This might sound far fetch, but it is true. Just ask the people who have to cast demons out of people and hear what they have to say. People complain about Catholics having statures of Jesus and Mary (that brings you closer to God), but at the same token will have a Hindu stature on their front verandas. They don’t see how they are contradicting themselves.

1 John 5:21. Little children, keep yourself from idols.

Be Faithful to Jesus

Bethany Christian Living ,

is(10)Many non-believers do study Christians if they live up to Jesus teachings or not. Not one of us follow Jesus perfectly and non-believers don’t understand that. They expect perfection from us all. So when we stumble we can hear them say ‘and they call themselves Christians.’ Churches are the same. Even a good Church, you are going to find imperfections. I know Churches fight amongst themselves and all presume they know best, including me as an individual I know. We are expected to believe in everything the Churches teachers is true. And there is so many different opinions out there. In truth we should follow Jesus not the Church. We are all individually a Church by itself any way.

Doesn’t Matter Which Church You Belong to

I have been both a Protestant and a Catholic and I can tell you both Churches were full of very nice Christian people, but when I was in my greatest need both Churches let me down. The only reason why I am a Christian today is because Christ never let me down. So sometimes I get puzzled why people leave Jesus because of somebody or the Church has let them down. Their faith must be in people or the Church they belong to and not God. God never fails anybody who calls on Him. The trial might not go away in a hurry, but God will give you grace to carry it. Sometimes we don’t feel God is near because we believe we are too unworthy for God to want us. That is a cleaver lie, so don’t believe in it, I have many times and it is not wise to believe that God can’t love you. Jesus died for you don’t ever forget that.

Strong Faith

Most Christians especially those with a very powerful and strong faith got it for a reason. They have been truly been tested. And when you past the test even by the ‘skin of your teeth’ you get rewarded like you can’t imagine with a much stronger faith. That is how God works. A passage came to me ‘seven times refined.’ I don’t know where to find it in the Bible, but I know it is there. When silver goes through the furnace to be purified, you should see all the junk that comes out of it. It is not a pretty sight. God gets rid of a lot of junk from us by allowing these trials come our way. If we suffer without leaning on God we grow worse, but if we call on Jesus all throughout the trial and really turned to Him for help, we come out so much stronger than when we enter in the trial. It is how God works. Remember we are at war with Satan. It is not meant to be a picnic. Growing pains are never easy to deal with.

Psalm 37.5. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

Put your faith in God, not the Church you belong to. Jesus is the truth and the way, not Churches. They are very necessary, but you must listen to what the Spirit of God is telling you and not let some man made doctrine rule you.

Salvation and Rewards

Bethany Christian Living

Revelation22:12 “Behold! I am coming quickly, and my reward is with Me to reward to each according to his deeds.”

This is a new thought for me. We all know salvation is a free gift. You believe in Jesus and accept His gift of Salvation from your heart and follow Him, you now become a born again Christian. It doesn’t make any difference if a person is a new or an old believer the reward here is the same. We all receive the free gift of salvation. But what about the reward of doing good deeds, will it go unnoticed? We know they won’t. Jesus says He will ‘reward each according to His deeds.’ I believe Salvation and rewards are two different things. Somebody might be saying I know that, but I didn’t. Every saints degree of perfection is different from one another and at different levels. The more you act on a grace the more God gives you so that you will grow rich in grace. So that is a reward for not wasting grace. And then you receive a greater reward in heaven according to your deeds,  that nobody will ever take away from you. This is something I never thought of before in this way, and to me it is a great deal clearer than how I use to think. I am hoping this is right because it has a calming affect on me.

 

What Jesus Did for Me

Bethany Christian Living

isW102ZQ1LI wrote this out for myself and then thought there may be others who would like to use this as to meditate the love Jesus has for you personally. That Jesus not only suffered to pay for the world sins but each and every one of us individually. I admit it is not written that well but I was afraid if I tried to tidy it up it would lose its punch, if you know what I mean.

1.      I can’t help myself, I can’t help God without His Grace, and I can’t do anything without God.

2.      Jesus took my place at Calvary. He took the beatings that were meant for me. He was stripped off His clothing in public for me. He was mocked, scoffed and hated for me. He became weak for me. He was crowned with very long thorns for me, because of my pride and arrogance. He was sentenced to Death and Judge by three judges. The Judge of this world was judge guilty for me. It should have been me. He was nailed to the cross slowly for me and made fun of. He received no compassion except by a very few people for me. He had to face fear and shed His blood for me. He shed every drop of blood for me. He truly did take my sins upon His shoulders and took them all the way to be crucified for me. And He struggled with the weight nearly fainting and half dead while carrying that cross for me. He was sneered at by the passer byers. Every part of His body was slashed and parts ripped off for me. He was stretched on the cross as far as they could stretched Him for me and He was on the cross for three hours before He died for me. He couldn’t breathe properly because of me. He took my place well and truly, all my sins and weakness on the cross. There was nothing left to do to save me. By His merits, sacrifice and blood and His wounds I am truly healed and restored to my former glory and beauty. It is all His hard work. And His love for me is unquenchable. It is everlasting. It will never die. I am His and there is nothing Satan can do to stop it. Because Jesus stands in front of me fighting every battle before me. He has won. He is victorious and now my sins are forgiven and I am now worthy as His Bride. Because He, Jesus said so. The King of kings said so. I was bought at a high price. I am His.

Now all we have to do is believe and receive and follow Him.

The Bride and Christ

Bethany Supernatural Gifts from God

isRKENV7PDI had a vision a few months before I became ill. I must have been thinking about the rapture, because I saw a vision and it was like I was looking through a curtain and I saw Jesus and His Bride. The Bride didn’t look like me, but represented me at that time. I now think that is also represents all His Brides now. God has done that to me before. He has given me a half vision and half visitation kind of thing and it clearly teaching me one thing, but as time passes by He then teaches me something else from it, that I didn’t think of before. So that I can look at the vision deeper.

Well the bride was in a very beautiful wedding gown as we all can imagine. And Jesus hand went out to hold the Brides hand. Then immediately I felt I was behind the curtain and I gave Him my hand. It was so romantic. I can’t say this enough ‘He wasn’t Prince Charming, that all women desire to meet, but the King of kings Charming. He is so glorious and romantic. I don’t know how to explain it better than that. I told a man once that men are a bride of Christ too and his response was ‘I don’t want to wear a dress.’ I didn’t say anything more to him, but a prophet saw men dressed in white suits, I forgotten what they are called, those evening ones.

One day we are going to see Him face to face. He is so majestic and we are nothing, and yet He treats us like we the only thing that matters to Him. Who would want to miss it? That was all I saw, but it stays with me more than most of my visions and visitation experiences I ever had. I think because it is one of the most personal ones, where you feel He is in love with you.

Forgiveness

Bethany Prayer

is570FUPLHI watched a YouTube show about a man didn’t forgave his wife for about three days. And on the third day he had a car accident and died. An angel took him first to heaven to show him what it was like and then showed him hell. The angel told him, he would have gone to hell if this was his day to die. Meanwhile his wife arrange his body to be at church where many and many people prayed for him to be raised from the dead, which he did.

This story affected me very strongly. You can be doing really well, but for lack of forgiveness can go to hell. God will only forgive us if we forgive others. Since we are so wicked we can’t change ourselves, so it is so important to confess our sins to God and pray that God softens our hearts so that we can forgive all and really mean it. And do our best at forgiving.

So I wrote down a list of people from early years to now that I was having problems with forgiveness. I used the rosary beads and said the below prayer for each one that I needed to forgive.

Eternal Father I offer up the Sacred Heart of Jesus with all its love with all its suffering and with all its merits to bless …… with eternal life and bless me with a forgiving heart towards ……

While I was praying it for the first person I felt God’s Spirit in me as if He was agreeing with me and working in me. I want to be ready for the rapture or my death whichever comes first.

I beg you to write a list down also, because it does help. And write down their good points that also helps to forgive them. It helps to know just how wicked we are so we won’t be guilty of judging others too. God does answer prayers, but we have to persist in our asking and really want it. We also need to know what our real motives are. Are we serving God or doing a good deed to get praise. Self-examination is so necessary to keep us on top of things.

To cover yourself, I believe strongly to pray for the hour of your death. I have heard stories of people testimonies of seeing people in hell, who lived a good Christian life, but was tempted by the devil to stray and the devil then arranged their deaths before they had time to repent. So I strongly suggest and not put it off praying for the hour you die that you are found worthy and ready for God to take you when He does. It would be a terrible thing to go to hell and not heaven because you were trick into sinning and die a sudden death not giving you time to repent.  This is where saying the Rosary really helps us.

Two Beautiful Prayers

Bethany Prayer

Two Beautiful Prayers

Oh most rich treasury of all virtues, how greatly do I rejoice  that thee alone, and through Thee, flows every good; and that all in comparison of thy perfection is as nothing! I thank Thee, Lord, for this and for all other good gifts, which Thou hast  Bestowed upon ….. Remember, Lord, my poverty and my  Sore need of all … virtues!

 Another beautiful prayer.

How great O Sovereign Lord of all, be it my inward joy the knowledge that without Thee I can do nothing, and that Thou art the first and chief Worker in all good things that I do.

I got these beautiful prayers from a book called ‘Spiritual Combat’ by Dom Lorenzo Scupoli. From Sophia Institute Press. St. Francis de Sales, carried this book in his pocket for 18 years. The first prayer is for when you admire somebodies virtues, and to remind you not to put the person’s virtue higher than God.  I also use it for my favourite saints including Mary our Mother. I changed the second prayer a bit, which is something I do a lot with prayers that I like.

 

Cooperating in all God’s Gifts of the Spirit

Bethany Supernatural Gifts from God

1.      Corinthians 28 – 31.

Now God indeed placed them in the congregation. First He placed apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, kind of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Are all having gifts of healing? Are all speaking in tongues? Are all translating? Then you must continually strive for the better gifts.

Paul is telling us to strive for the better gifts. So we are meant to have them and use them for the benefit of the congregation we are in. We are in the last days. God has given us these gifts, but are we allowed to use them in most churches? No!! Because I think the church leaders as a whole are too keen to be the centre of the show. People are keeping quiet about their gifts for fear of rejection. If we are honest most churches are not as friendly as it should be. Do they really help one another when there is a crisis? Do Pastors visit the sick in their congregation or do they only visit their favourites. Many people are in a great deal of pain through rejection. If you let it be known that you have a spiritual gift people have a tendency to label you as mad. How Christian is that!!. is(16)

Spirit filled Christians

Spirit filled Christians should never be surprised at what God does or who He anoints with His gifts. God always chooses the unexpected, God is so creative we don’t know what He is going to do next if we let Him. That shouldn’t surprise us. God is unpredictable. We can never out smart Him. The prophets have been saying only 20% of Christians will be taken at the rapture, because most of the 80% are not living to the full potential as Christians. They have one foot in the world and the other foot in Church.  Something is very wrong with our churches. New believers often complained going to Church is boring. You just sit there and listen to the preacher. Churches shouldn’t be like that we should all have a job to do to make up a wonderful warm loving community that is right on track with God.

Jesus has told different prophets He wants the fivefold ministry to return to our churches. But the problem is people for the most part are in a rut. They want to play it safe. The thing is playing it safe is sitting on the fence and God hates that. Churches in the Western Society are as a whole lukewarm.

Serving God according to Your Gifts.

If the Pastors leaves teaching to the teachers, healing to the healers, prophets to do what they are called to do and the administrators do what they are best at and so on, it would leave a great deal more time for Pastors to do what they are called to do. Supervise everything, but let God move in your congregation and see how He will work miracles before everybody’s eyes. Love has to be felt and present. If that is there people will want to come to your church. Visit your flock get to really know them like you would a friend and let them feel you can be trusted enough for them to share their gifts to you. Give them confidence to demonstrate it with the rest of the congregation. Too many people are more concern about bringing people into their churches they don’t look after their community like they should. If it is a strong community it will naturally attract people. People want love above everything else. If love is not there you will just attract the religious spirit and your church will die.

Be Merciful

Bethany Christian Living

We know we will be forgiven if we forgive others. Do we also realise God will give us mercy, depending on how we are merciful to one another. And to the measure we are merciful. I don’t just mean donating money to a charity but donating our time as well. And also acts of kindness, the way we speak to one another. Are we being helpful to the people we meet? Do we think of others before ourselves and how we think of one another? It all adds up.

God’s mercy is not necessary that if you are generous with your money, God will see to it that you will have all the material possessions that you want and a good paying job, like many are basically teaching. God really wants us to keep our eyes off those things and keep our eyes solely on Him. To will what He will’s for us. The mercy God gives us is His love, providence and protection that will bring the best out of us. God’s ways are not ours.

I remember once I had a good job and my bank account was looking good for my age. I realised I was starting to love money more than I should. So I said to God to ‘make sure I don’t love money more than I love You.’ (You shouldn’t love money at all.)  Knowing God a little I thought He might give me the sack and I have to learn this lesson by being broke. So I told Him ‘but don’t give me the sack.’ I was asked to leave instead!! God answered my prayer, I didn’t get the sack, but I still had to be unemployed most of my adult life to learn not to put my trust in money before God. I love God more than anything now, but God’s mercy sometimes doesn’t always look that merciful at the time.

If we love one another, we will treat one another with kindness. Love covers a multitude of sins and we receive great mercy from God. He will take us home soon. We might have to face persecution first, but in God’s mercy He will give us strength to endure and grace to remain faithful if we practise His will by being merciful to each other.

Matthew 5:7-8. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”