Refreshment in Refuge

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 14:32:00 +0000

The art of prayer

Is prayer an art?

I can be lost in wonder at the beauty of some prayers. David's for example how Psalm 16 begins, A Secret Treasure of David. Watch over me, O God, for I take refuge in You... Or how about Paul's in Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may yet abound more and more in full knowledge and all perception, 10 for you to distinguish the things that differ, that you may be sincere and without blame for the day of Christ, 11 being filled with fruits of righteousness through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Some prayers have been combined with music which settles the soul’s yearning such as David’s cry after he acknowledged his sin with Bathsheba, Create in me a clean heart, Oh, Lord, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and remove not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me, the joy of my salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

What glory shines from our faces and our lives when we exercise our faith by praying? It is well with the soul as one song declares, when we know Who is powerful enough to deliver us from our troubles. And if not deliverance, then we are sustained through them. God is pleased with our faith.

But the simple prayer of Jesus, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do," is one of the greatest works of art of all time. The wonder and beauty of this plea from the cross in His darkest hour, and His deepest pain cannot be fathomed in a lifetime. This is our lesson. This is God’s pleasure that we forgive through faith as He forgives us.

It takes faith to forgive, because it is not all right that someone intentionally inflicts pain on God’s children. Forgiving does not call the action of injustice all right. What it does do, is free the person forgiving from the clawing clutches of anger, bitterness, and hatred. When those things take over the heart, it leaves little room for God’s love. Praying for your enemies is the best road to forgiving them.

My Dad used to ask me to say the blessing every single time I was upset or angry about something. Every time, before I was finished praying, my heart was filled with peace and I could look at whatever had upset me with clearer vision.

If it is hard to pray for your enemy, then pray, “May God bless and keep _______ far away from me.” Or pray as Beth Moore suggests in her book, Praying the Word, O Father, please cause the love of Christ to compel me to do what is right in this challenging situation. (2 Corinthians 5:14)

And isn't it absolutely wonderful that Jesus prayed for us! As Paul points out we were sinners, ugly and unlovely, but He first loved us in our unlovely state. Jesus prayed, in John 17:10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine and I have glory in them.

Of course this part of His prayer is for His disciples, the eleven who were faithful. However, I am a disciple of His and I am expected to bring Him glory. Jesus has glory in me. Selah! What an awesome thought. How I act. How I present myself to the world. What I think, either brings glory to Him or shame. He took the burden of all my sins. He counted the shame of the cross as nothing compared to the joy on the other side.

John 17:13 And now I come to You, and I speak these things in the world, that they may have My joy being fulfilled in them.

Jesus spoke His prayer in the world. That is difficult to understand. But when we consider that He lay all His riches aside and stepped away from His place beside His Father so that we could understand God better, understand how we are to conduct ourselves righteously, understand the stark difference between good and evil in order to choose the good and reject the evil. Yes. I can absolutely see how that fills me up with Joy. Indescribable, unmistakable, unquenchable joy.

So is part of the art of prayer the joy that accompanies the presence of God? I believe it is. If we become pray-ers by rote, repeating prayers without feeling or understanding their meaning, then the joy is not in it or in us.

Paul tells us to "Pray without ceasing." That is in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Doing that is definitely an art: To develop our relationship with God to such a degree that our every thought is a conversation with Him. That is an art form worthy of pursuing.

I believe it is also worthy to laugh with God. He has such a wonderful sense of humor, after all He gave one to us if we just exercise it.

So interesting that Paul also cautions us to give thanks in everything (he means in the good times and the bad times) for this is the will of God. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise the prophecies, keep back from every form of evil. Then he gives a blessing: May the God of peace Himself fully sanctify you, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. What a glorious blessing!

May the God of peace fully sanctify you, dear reader, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. May you pursue the art of prayer so that your tender relationship with our LORD blossoms into the eternal fragrance that pleases God. Amen and Amen.

Gina Burgess, Author and Columnist

Excerpt from Refreshment in Refuge, 2010

May 1944 -- Interview with Dr. Ray Mitchell

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 14:00:00 +0000

By Gina Burgess
Lifestyles Editor
It is early 1944. The 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), better known as Merrill’s Marauders need replacements. A young volunteer named Ray Mitchell wants to volunteer to the Army. His father drives him and his cousin from Picayune to Camp Shelby just outside of Hattiesburg and drops them off at the gate. Only now, after being a father does Mitchell understand what must have been occurring in the chest of his father that day.

“Wanted: Volunteers for a Dangerous, Hazardous Mission in Jungle Warfare” stated the sign that young Mitchell saw.
“Pretty music was playing in my head,” he says in his memoirs, “as I signed. Take a long sea voyage to a beautiful, lush, green island in a far away land and forget those that are overburdened in the 65th Infantry Division at Camp Shelby. The salt air will do wonders for your health and attitude. Not only did I sign the paper, I took one back to my company and got thirteen more nice soldiers to agree to that beautiful trip with me. None of them speak to me any more, but I think I am the only survivor.” (May, 2007)

That began Cpl. Mitchell’s trip around the world with a stop off in Burma and China chock full of horrors that we cannot imagine. Many on the ship that zig-zagged across the Atlantic Ocean had not volunteered for jungle warfare, which left those who had, the butt of many jokes during the 31 days it took to get to Bombay, India. That is where squads were formed and Cpl. Ray Mitchell was given 12 men to “look after”, some of them were cooks and bakers, military police and green (untrained) recruits.

Six days of train travel, took them to a beautiful meadow, smooth enough for aircraft to land. C-47 and C-46 transport planes landed and the troops quickly boarded. After a lengthy flight, they landed to load guns, ammunition and other supplies needed to fight a war. Guns were passed out to each man.

“Keep the gun that lands in your lap. We’ll match you with your weapon later,” they were told.

On the seventh day from landing in Bombay, all noncoms (non-commissioned officers) were ordered to a meeting, and Cpl. Mitchell went.

“You will be flown into combat this morning,” Those words still cause the muscles in his chest to constrict today.

“Your mind races,” he said. “‘Combat!’ We are just a bunch of men that were put together on a ship, we had not trained together for a single day. Some of my guys didn’t even know what a combat pack was. Others looked at the weapon they held like it was a snake. Some knew nothing about the M-1 rifle, they were not infantry, but could use the carbine. Trades were made. We had several -03 rifles that the fellow in military police took. One fellow that was in cook/bakery school took a .45 pistol as I did. I could use any of them, but it was necessary to have each man with a gun he could use.”

This motley group’s first mission was to protect the Battalion Commander and Headquarters on the flight to combat. Mitchell didn’t even have time to tell his 1st Sergeant they were flying out.

The Battalion Commander wanted to know what was taking so long to land the plane, and sent Mitchell to the front of the plane to find out.

Mitchell was told, “You tell the old so and so there are a bunch of Jap Zeros over the landing site and we ain’t going in till they are gone. Now, if he’s in such an all fired hurry, he can jump out and walk.” Mitchell may have been young, but he was wise enough just to mention the Zeros to the Commander. After the “Jap Zeros” cleared the area below, they landed.

“We were told that the only men to stay on the plane were those flying it or those that got shot while we were in the process of landing,” Mitchell said. “We are digging in along the edge of the runway at Myitkyina, Burma. It is the end of May, 1944 and we have no idea of what we are suppose to do now that we are here." “During the last part of the campaign for Myitkyina, we were pushed to move forward and take the city. We were tired, hungry, sick, but with the promise of a flight back to India, clean clothes, bath, back pay, the promotion that we had been put in for earlier, and a leave to rest, we fought on just a little harder During the period of our heaviest fighting we received word from the rear supply that we were using too much ammunition. That hurt our feelings. I have no idea what the supply was using as a comparison to gauge the amount used,” Mitchell said.

“We had some very bad days,” he added. “We were bombed twice by B-25s bombing from 5,000 feet. Why? The enemy had no anti-aircraft guns where we were. It was very devastating to be bombed at all, but by your own force with never any explanation, or a ‘sorry it happened.’ To dig out the bodies and pick up the body parts of your friends, stays with you the rest of your life.”

Mitchell was called to Battalion Headquarters the same day more than 200 men were ambushed and killed. Seventeen of the company made it back behind friendly lines.

“I remember it so well,” says Mitchell. “It was the day I became acting Sgt. Major of 2nd Battalion. I had then more than two hundred men missing in action. This number continued to climb until the battle ended in August of 1944, and the 5307th CUP was deactivated. “The “second Team” paid its dues although no one seems to read or hear about these men and what they experienced in those jungles.”

Several Battalion Commanders came and went, some so quickly it seemed to Mitchell they were there a week or less.“There was one major,” he said, “whose first order was for all officers and non-coms to wear their insignia of rank, you know how that went over.

“Fortunately, he tried to show one of the old Sargeant [sic] veterans that had served in Panama how to shoot an old beat up 37 mm antitank gun, but he forgot the recoil...he failed to listen to warnings. He got the full impact of that recoil in the face. He was evacuated with heavy lacerations to the face and eye area. I hope he’s still alive, and I hope his experiences mellowed his ways. He paid a heavy price.”

Mitchell and the rest of the 2nd Battalion pressed on, finally taking the city. When the city fell, Mitchell was given duty finding MIAs. He had to scour through lots of bodies that had lain in the jungle heat for days.

Merrill’s Marauders, named for their commander Brig. Gen. Frank Merrill, was a behind enemy lines fighting unit. They were sometimes 300 miles behind enemy lines in jungle so dense it was dark on the ground. Their mission took them on foot 1,000 miles, hacking through foliage, trudging over mountains and through valleys filled with mud, and through such furious rain it was more like a swift waterfall than rain.

By October of 1944 only 200 fighting-trim men were left of the 3,000-man force. Most had been struck down with insect-born disease, others had been killed in the five major battles this force won and the 30 skirmishes won despite being far outnumbered.

In November 1945, Mitchell landed in Tacoma, Wash., and saw the sign, “Welcome Home! Job Well Done!” Mitchell said it was great to walk down that plank and set foot on the soil of a free nation. Can you put a price of freedom? “No way,” he says.

Part 2 of 6 parts The Burma Campaign is here.

Merrill's Marauders are featured
here on YouTube.

Crowns of the Believers

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 14:30:00 +0000


Book Cover jpeg

Study about the
Crown of Protection...
The Crown of Separation ...
The Crown of Insolence ...
The Crown of Lovingkindness and Crown of Tenderness ...
and the other crowns of the believers.

It's finally here! It's available on Amazon, and other eStore book stores.

...and for Kindle, too.

Grab your copy

I did a lot more digging using the Hebrew and Greek lexicons. Then, I taught this study to my Thursday morning Bible study class. Wow! When I updated it with more in depth research you won't believe what I found. There are more than 7 crowns that we receive. Isn't that amazing? There's several crowns of the same type, but of different kinds. There is also a crown of insolence... and yes, Christians can wear this crown.

This has been such a popular post, I decided to use my updated notes and write a book.

It isn't long, and it isn't expensive.

Author Gina Burgess

I ask you to purchase the book, and let me know what you think! Give me your insights, discuss what you discover as you study the crowns. I hope to keep updating the book as time goes by so that many believers will know what, how, and why we have these rewards.

~~~~oOo~~~~

Paul was very fond of using The Race as an analogy for the Christian Lifestyle. To the Corinthians, he espoused this theme pointing to the victor in the race receives a crown of corruption. That was a wreath of leaves of laurel which soon withers. In fact the runner coveted the victory much more than the crown. Paul immediately points out that believers’ crowns are incorruptible, lasting forever, being the proof of victory in Christian living.

I have heard studies on “the five crowns” we receive, but there actually are more than five crowns. Believers have already received two of these crowns, which are worn daily.

The crowns and their purposes, which you'll study with me:

Crown of Separation – find out what this crown means, had how to find it in Scripture.

Crown of Protection - is found in Psalm 5:12 translated surround. The Bible tells us there are several different kinds of this crown type. Find out which ones they are, and how we receive this crown.

Crown of Insolence is first mentioned in Isaiah 28:1. The derogatory term, Crown of Insolence, stems from how the Samaritans took great pride in the work of their own hands. Find out how Christians today acquire this type of crown.

Crown of Incorruptibility – Of course Paul describes this crown. Find out how this crown applies to believers today.

Crown of Rejoicing -- Who actually will receive this crown? How does it apply to Christians, and are believers the only ones who wear it?

Crown of Righteousness -- Another crown that Paul describes. We think we know what this one means, but it goes a lot deeper than just being justified by the blood o Christ.

Crown of Life -- Both James and Christ speak of this crown. When do believers start wearing this one?

Crown of Glory -- Peter describes this crown. Does everyone receive this crown? Does anything about our gifts indicate who will receive this one?

Here is the exhortation: We should always be working, using our gifts toward the edification of the body. Setting on a pew hatching nothing restricts the work God has planned for His children to do on earth. Utilizing our gifts ensures we bring God glory and honor.

The Crowns of the Believers gives you precious insight into the real purpose of the crowns. It heightens your insight and opens the doors to in depth study of God's word. I urge you to invest in your copy of this book today. It is well worth the money and your time invested to study this beautiful facet of God's enduring grace and His glory.

Can you fathom a $1 trillion?? It's time to cut the credit card

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Photo by Tumisu on pixbay

If we were to get into HG Wells' time machine and go back 1 billion seconds, the year would be 1993. A billion minutes ago, the Roman Empire was doling out free wine and free food to every Roman citizen over the age of 14... male, of course. The Roman Empire lasted for another few centuries until 476 when Odoacer, the German, deposed Romulus Augustus and that was the end of the western Roman Empire.

Ten billion seconds ago give or take a few years, King Tut was born; and God was still king of the Israelites using judges to keep peace in Israel. That was only 3,163 years ago. One Trillion seconds ago, was 31,712 years ago. The dawn of man was still a twinkle in God's eye, biblically speaking..

One billion seconds is 31.69 years. One trillion seconds is 1,000 times that or 31,709 years.

Now that it's all in perspective... fast forward to 2021 and we can see things haven't changed much at all except Congress is now debating trillions of dollars instead of billions. I've posted this before, but I truly do not think anyone can possibly grasp how much $1 billion is much less $36.5+ trillion which happens to be our national debt at 9:45 am pm on February 5, 2025.In the time it took to type that, the debt, increased more than a million dollars!

It would take longer to count to 1 billion because most of the numbers take longer to say than one second. Perhaps about 95 years to count to one trillion... say 485,732,394,723 real fast, three times. That's only 485+ billion.

A 1-inch stack of $100 bills equals $25,000.It would take three 18-wheeler trailers jam packed to the top to carry 1 billion dollars in $100 dollar bills.

Now, your great aunt Bertha died and left you $1 billion dollars but you must spend $1000 per day or you lose everything... do you have enough days left in your lifetime to spend it all? How long does it take to spend $1 billion dollars if you spend $1000 per day, which would be $30,000 + per month?

It would take 2,740 years to spend that much money.

One TRILLION dollars is 1,000 times that. So it's 274,000 years to spend it all at $1000 per day and 3,000 18-wheelers to transport it, and about 95,000 years to count it.

But, our legislators spend far more than $1,000 every day... they spend your entire inheritance from Aunt Bertha PLUS a lot in one day. That's scary.

We live in the land of milk and honey and it is down right scary that neither Congress nor past president's have seemed to to bat an eyelash at the national debt. The national debt is increasing $1.72 Billion per day. Kinda makes me sick at my stomach, actually.

One billion seconds ago, (1993) the national debt was

$3.1 Trillion

In 2006 the national debt was

$8.5 Trillion

On !February 7, 2025 at 10:20 am the national debt is

$36.8 Trillion

We have been spending more than $2 million per minute when in 2011 we were only spending $500,000 per minute in this country of milk and honey.

Gag! ONLY $500,000. How long will it take for the cow to run dry and the bees can't make enough to satisfy even the leanest request for a taste?

FINALLY Prez Trump understands what Stop Spending means. But gov't workers are now suing him for cutting their stay-at-home do-nothing jobs!!! ARRRRG!

No one is entitled to anything unless they work for it. Social Security and Medicare for senior citizens is a must since they have paid all their working lives into the fund. But there is enough fat on the steak it can be trimmed completely and we'll still have enough fat marbled in the muscle to flavor and feed our lean, mean working machine.

That is a Biblical principle that worked well for Paul and the Apostles and it should work well for us. But, like the Romans, some people have become too fat and lazy to work for their supper. But these would rather reach into mailboxes for the government "pay"checks, not go to work, complain about no service at restaurants, not give tips, and eat bonbons by the TV when they aren't rioting in the streets chanting "Sue Trump!
."

Lately, the Democrats have made that possible. Unfortunately, if we are not careful, like the Romans, our money will be monopoly money and the free wine and free bread along with the daily free ham will drain us all dry. Once the masses are deprived of their freebies, they get really nasty.

If things are this bad when the well isn't completely dry with riots, pillaging, murders, and stealing without prosecution, what will it be like when the well is dry?

However, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and render to Uncle Sam what is Uncle Sam's and render to God what is God's. That has worked really well so far. God promises something beautiful when we bring the tithes into the storehouse. He wants us to test Him, try Him, prove Him and the blessings, unmeasured blessings He will pour out on us.

Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, and Busters, et al

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 20:31:00 +0000

I have spent hours viewing several different programs where teams are in hot pursuit of paranormal activities from the netherworld. These teams are in earnest, yet have enormous nerve in that they taunt the entities of whom they are hoping to get physical evidence they exist.

They do exist. They are not ghosts as in human souls. They are spirits as in either angels or demons.

The commonalities are:

1. Heavy air, like swimming through water.
2. Swift temperature changes (both cold and hot)
3. Smells
4. Sounds - popping, foot steps, voices
5. Floating light orbs in photos and on video
Extremely rare is the photo with a transparent person, or even more rare is the video with an apparition in motion.

Every ghost hunter has this mistaken belief that humans who are distressed before they die, or they die untimely, or die violently are somehow locked here on earth to give trouble to others until their business is finished or until... Very few have Christian beliefs, and even fewer have a deep, intrinsic Biblical knowledge.

If they did, they would know absolutely that God is the King of the Universe and He has stated flatly that no spirit shall linger here on earth after death. If they did, they would know that just wearing a t-shirt with a cross on it doesn't protect a person from a demon. If they did, they wouldn't taunt or challenge the spirits they are chasing.

That fact hit home with Saul when he consulted the witch at Endor. In fact, the witch was a lot shocked when Samuel rose up to meet Saul. I imagine her screeching could be heard a mile away. (The story is in 1 Samuel 28).

God was adamant to Israel about not allowing that kind of wickedness in the land.

Leviticus 20:27

"A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them."'

This doesn’t leave room for witchcraft, séances, Ouija boards, channeling or sorcery, does it?”

The term translated "familiar spirits" is fascinating because the Hebrew is obe -- (apparently through the idea of prattling a father’s name); properly a mumble, that is, a water skin (from its hollow sound); hence a necromancer (ventriloquist, as from a jar): - bottle, familiar spirit. We can understand that as being something that is faked, or that demons use the possessed oracle as a ventriloquist uses a dummy.

Interesting that God had Moses use such a word for general description with sorcery. He was illustrating the chicanery of it and the necromancy. The medium's shocked shriek at Samuel's actual appearance proves this wasn't her usual "show". Therefore, she had not truly been raising dead souls, but only pretending to for a fee.

The idols worshiped were demon-based religions, and the gods were demons. (Deuteronomy 32:17 which Paul quotes in 1 Corinthians 10:21 and Psalm 106:37) Therefore we know that God explained why idolatry was so abhorrent so the Children of Israel had no excuse. Other blatant examples are King Manasseh, and his son King Amon; their stories are found in 2 Kings 21:1ff.

What about psychics? What did Paul do about a girl with a divining spirit in Acts 16:16-18? She described as having a Pythonic spirit which is Puthōn (poo'-thone) and comes from Πυθώ Puthō (the name of the region where Delphi, the seat of the famous oracle, was located); a Python, that is, (by analogy with the supposed diviner there) inspiration (soothsaying): - divination.

He was deeply distressed that the girl kept following him around shouting, "These men are from the most high God and show us a way of salvation." The Greek translated "a way" is hodos which is by implication a road or a progress. The other implication is that there are other ways, these men just point one way.

So does this mean that demons can be prophetic and divine the future? Of course not. The only prophets that are 100% correct are the ones that come from God. Satan is a diviner in the way that he has piles of files about each person and he is crafty enough to use those files against us. He knows our weaknesses better than we do, and he knows our motivations therefore he can be ambiguous while the receiver reads into it whatever serves and gratifies their vain desires; and his servants profit from it. The men who owned the girl profited much by her soothsaying; and it was profit from gullible people who wanted to know what was coming next. Satan had divine permission to lead these ignorant idolaters captive, but unless he offered oracles such as at Delphi, he would not have garnered such adoration and awe.

The demons knew Paul. They knew his mission, thus the girl's following behind them and shouting the truth. Why would Paul be so distressed? There are lots of reasons such as giving credibility to other oracles uttered by the girl, and being followed by demons are two.

Another example are Jewish itinerant exorcists. These profanely used Jesus' name to command demons. Specifically, the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish priest wandered about the land using Jesus' name whom Paul preaches. Acts 19 describes what happened to them. The demons answered back saying, "Jesus we know. Paul we know of, but who are you?" Then the man who housed the demon jumped on these seven, tore off their clothes and mauled them. They scrabbled from the house defeated. This story became well known throughout Ephesus and caused great fear to come upon the people. It also caused many who practiced the occult to pile up their occultic books and burn them. The value was counted to be fifty thousand silver pieces.

The man that inhabited the grave yard which Jesus and His disciples passed was so violent, no one could contain him, nor could chains lock him down. His strength was of ten men. There were many demons in this man and they called themselves Legion. They begged Jesus to cast then into the swine rather than into the Pit. That story is told in Mark 5 and Luke 8.

What does this tell us about demons? Actually Mark 5 and Mark 9 tell us a lot about demons and demon possession. If we begin with verse 1 we find out:
They like being around grave yards which indicates an affiliation with dead bodies.
Demons give humans supernatural strength.
They invade the brain making a human insensible to reason.
They cause crying, and sadistic/masochistic behavior.
They have names. More than one can possess one person and they work in concert to torment.

They recognize Jesus as God's Son and His complete authority. (In Luke 10, Jesus transfers this authority to us.)
They are territorial, desiring to stay in the same region/country.
If they can't indwell a human, they will indwell animal bodies rather than none at all, or be cast into the Pit (Rev. 20:3).
Demons can cause animals to kill themselves, and they like being in a body when it dies therefore they cause suicidal behavior.
They can cause deafness, silence, and rabid animal type behavior.
Demons can indwell from childhood. Mark 9:21 -- To me, this is the most scary aspect of them.
There are certain ways to exorcise specific demons (prayer and fasting etc.).

They use any means to usurp God's glory and worship.
They possess people who are not sealed by the Holy Spirit. Once exorcised, they will come back if the Holy Spirit does not fill up the freshly cleaned vessel.
They use them like dummies to capture others into the occult.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 6 that Satan's demonic forces have a definite hierarchy. Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. We can conclude from this that some demons have more power and authority than others.

I can't help but think Peter was talking about ignorant, foolhardy people who go about challenging things of which they know nothing in 2 Peter 2:10-11 10 and specially those who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise lordship. Bold are they , self-willed; they do not fear speaking injuriously of dignities: 11 when angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring against them, before the Lord, an injurious charge.

Ghost residuals?

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 15:16:00 +0000

After studying for hours all these different "reality" shows about hunting ghosts, a phenomenon reoccurs which these demon chasers call residual sightings.

What happens is they hear voices, footsteps, or gunshots as if the sounds and/or "ghosts" were recreating the history of the place. Gunshots on a battle field, cafeteria voices in a school, smells of perfume in a lady's bedroom. These sightings as well as the sounds and smells seem to have been preserved over centuries.

One celebrity told the tale of his new apartment's "ghosts". A man and a woman were fighting, another man came in and shot the man, then ran right through his bed out of the room. Not a dream, and very real to him. Since this scene played out over and over and over with no deviations what so ever, these images or visions were not sentient beings but more like a recording being replayed. The celebrity found out that his apartment was actually built on top of the roof of this old building and it had been the home base for gangsters during the late 20s and early 30s.

Since there are many sightings such as this, what should we make of it? If the things are reenacted violence, then what would be God's purpose in allowing people to see these visions of past events? Are demons involved, or is it just history? What do you think?

A Physcian Analyzes the Crucifixion

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 15:00:00 +0000

(I posted this 5 years ago, it's time to study it again. I cannot read this without sobbing my heart out.)

A Physician Analyzes the Crucifixion

(Originally published in Arizona Medicine, March 1965, Arizona Medical Association. A medical explanation of what Jesus endured on the day He died.)

By Dr. C. Truman Davis

Dr. C. Truman Davis is a graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. He is a practicing ophthalmologist, a pastor, and author of a book about medicine and the Bible.

Several years ago I became interested in the physical aspects of the passion, or suffering, of Jesus Christ when I read an account of the crucifixion in Jim Bishop’s book, The Day Christ Died. I suddenly realized that I had taken the crucifixion more or less for granted all these years - that I had grown callous to its horror by a too-easy familiarity with the grim details. It finally occurred to me that, as a physician, I did not even know the actual immediate cause of Christ’s death. The Gospel writers do not help much on this point. Since crucifixion and scourging were so common during their lifetimes, they undoubtedly considered a detailed description superfluous. For that reason we have only the concise words of the evangelists: “Pilate, having scourged Jesus, delivered Him to them to be crucified ... and they crucified Him.”

Despite the Gospel accounts silence on the details of Christ’s crucifixion, many have looked into this subject in the past. In my personal study of the event from a medical viewpoint, I am indebted especially to Dr. Pierre Barbet, a French surgeon who did exhaustive historical and experimental research and wrote extensively on the topic.

An attempt to examine the infinite psychic and spiritual suffering of the Incarnate God in atonement for the sins of fallen man is beyond the scope of this article. However, the physiological and anatomical aspects of our Lord’s passion we can examine in some detail. What did the body of Jesus of Nazareth actually endure during those hours of torture?

Gethsemane
The physical passion of Christ began in Gethsemane. Of the many aspects of His initial suffering, the one, which is of particular physiological interest, is the bloody sweat. Interestingly enough, the physician, St. Luke, is the only evangelist to mention this occurrence. He says, “And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44 KJV).

Every attempt imaginable has been used by modern scholars to explain away the phenomenon of bloody sweat, apparently under the mistaken impression that it simply does not occur. A great deal of effort could be saved by consulting the medical literature. Though very rare, the phenomenon of hematidrosis, or bloody sweat, is well documented. Under great emotional stress, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. This process alone could have produced marked weakness and possible shock.

Although Jesus’ betrayal and arrest are important portions of the passion story, the next event in the account which is significant from a medical perspective is His trial before the Sanhedrin and Caiaphas, the High Priest. Here the first physical trauma was inflicted. A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiaphas. The palace guards then blindfolded Him, mockingly taunted Him to identify them as each passed by, spat on Him, and struck Him in the face.

Before Pilate
In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and worn out from a sleepless night, Jesus was taken across Jerusalem to the Praetorium of the Fortress Antonia, the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. We are familiar with Pilate’s action in attempting to shift responsibility to Herod Antipas, the Tetrarch of Judea. Jesus apparently suffered no physical mistreatment at the hands of Herod and was returned to Pilate. It was then, in response to the outcry of the mob, that Pilate ordered Barabbas released and condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion.

Preparations for Jesus’ scourging were carried out at Caesar’s orders. The prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. The Roman legionnaire stepped forward with the flagrum, or flagellum, in his hand. This was a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip was brought down with full force again and again across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs. At first the weighted thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continued, they cut deeper into the subcutaneous tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles.

The small balls of lead first produced large deep bruises that were broken open by subsequent blows. Finally, the skin of the back was hanging in long ribbons, and the entire area was an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it was determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner was near death, the beating was finally stopped.

Mockery
The half-fainting Jesus was then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with his own blood. The Roman soldiers saw a great joke in this provincial Jew claiming to be a king. They threw a robe across His shoulders and placed a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still needed a crown to make their travesty complete. Small flexible branches covered with long thorns, commonly used for kindling fires in the charcoal braziers in the courtyard, were plaited into the shape of a crude crown. The crown was pressed into his scalp and again there was copious bleeding as the thorns pierced the very vascular tissue. After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the soldiers took the stick from His hand and struck Him across the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp. Finally, they tired of their sadistic sport and tore the robe from His back. The robe had already become adherent to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, and its removal, just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, caused excruciating pain. The wounds again began to bleed.

Golgotha
In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans apparently returned His garments. The heavy patibulum of the cross was tied across His shoulders. The procession of the condemned Christ, two thieves, and the execution detail of Roman soldiers headed by a centurion began its slow journey along the route, which we know today as the Via Dolorosa. In spite of Jesus’ efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious loss of blood, was too much. He stumbled and fell. The rough wood of the beam gouged into the lacerated skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tried to rise, but human muscles had been pushed beyond their endurance. The centurion, anxious to proceed with the crucifixion, selected a stalwart North African onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Jesus followed, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock. The 650-yard journey from the Fortress Antonia to Golgotha was finally completed. The prisoner was again stripped of His clothing except for a loincloth, which was allowed the Jews. The crucifixion began. Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh, a mild analgesic, pain-reliving mixture. He refused the drink. Simon was ordered to place the patibulum on the ground, and Jesus was quickly thrown backward, with His shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire felt for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drove a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moved to the other side and repeated the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The patibulum was then lifted into place at the top of the stipes, and the titulus reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” was nailed into place. The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot. With both feet extended toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The victim was now crucified.

On the Cross
As Jesus slowly sagged down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shot along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain. The nails in the wrists were putting pressure on the median nerve, large nerve trunks, which traverse the mid-wrist and hand. As He pushed himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He placed His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again there was searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of this feet. At this point, another phenomenon occurred. As the arms fatigued, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles, knotting them in deep relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps came the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by the arm, the pectoral muscles, the large muscles of the chest, were paralyzed and the intercostal muscles, the small muscles between the ribs, were unable to act. Air could be drawn into the lungs, but could not be exhaled. Jesus fought to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, the carbon dioxide level increased in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subsided.

The Last Words
Spasmodically, He was able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences that are recorded. The first - looking down at the Roman soldiers throwing dice for His seamless garment: “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.” The second - to the penitent thief: “Today, thou shalt be with me in Paradise.” The third - looking down at Mary His mother, He said: “Woman, behold your son.” Then turning to the terrified, grief-stricken adolescent John, the beloved apostle, He said: “Behold your mother.” The fourth cry is from the beginning of Psalm 22: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He suffered hours of limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, and searing pain as tissue was torn from His lacerated back from His movement up and down against the rough timbers of the cross. Then another agony began: a deep crushing pain in the chest as the pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, slowly filled with serum and began to compress the heart. The prophecy in Psalm 22:14 was being fulfilled: “I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint, my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” The end was rapidly approaching. The loss of tissue fluids had reached a critical level; the compressed heart was struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood to the tissues, and the tortured lungs were making a frantic effort to inhale small gulps of air. The markedly dehydrated tissues sent their flood of stimuli to the brain. Jesus gasped His fifth cry: “I thirst.” Again we read in the prophetic Psalm: “My strength is dried up like a potsherd; my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou has brought me into the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15 KJV). A sponge soaked in posca, the cheap, sour wine that was the staple drink of the Roman legionnaires, was lifted to Jesus’ lips. His body was now in extremis, and He could feel the chill of death creeping through His tissues. This realization brought forth His sixth word, possibly little more than a tortured whisper: “It is finished.” His mission of atonement had been completed. Finally, He could allow His body to die. With one last surge of strength, He once again pressed His torn feet against the nail, straightened His legs, took a deeper breath, and uttered His seventh and last cry: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”

Death
The common method of ending a crucifixion was by crurifracture, the breaking of the bones of the leg. This prevented the victim from pushing himself upward; the tension could not be relieved from the muscles of the chest, and rapid suffocation occurred. The legs of the two thieves were broken, but when the soldiers approached Jesus, they saw that this was unnecessary. Apparently, to make doubly sure of death, the legionnaire drove his lance between the ribs, upward through the pericardium and into the heart. John 19:34 states, “And immediately there came out blood and water.” Thus there was an escape of watery fluid from the sac surrounding the heart and the blood of the interior of the heart. This is rather conclusive post-mortem evidence that Jesus died not the usual crucifixion death by suffocation, but of heart failure due to shock and constriction of the heart by fluid in the pericardium.

Resurrection
In these events, we have seen a glimpse of the epitome of evil that man can exhibit toward his fellowman and toward God. This is an ugly sight and is likely to leave us despondent and depressed. But the crucifixion was not the end of the story. How grateful we can be that we have a sequel: a glimpse of the infinite mercy of God toward man—the gift of atonement, the miracle of the resurrection, and the expectation of Easter morning.

If you've read this far, I want you to know that Jesus endured the shame and all the while upon that cross you were on His mind. Jesus was thinking of the Joy beyond the cross and the eternity of joyous togetherness with us His Bride. Make positively sure that you know exactly where you will spend eternity if you were to die today. Physical life is fleeting. Eternity is infinity in one direction. Make sure you live with the One who loves you and not with the one who's main goal is to kill and destroy.

Leaning or standing?

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sat, 24 Feb 2024 18:04:00 +0000

Leaning or standing?

Remember the words from the old song “Leaning on the everlasting arms, safe and secure from all alarms…”and think about what that actually means.

Exodus 3:5 Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground."

When the people looked into the Ark of the Covenant, 1 Samuel 6:20 And the men of Beth Shemesh said, "Who is able to stand before this holy LORD God? And to whom shall it go up from us?"

Psalm 35:1ff A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with those who strive with me; Fight against those who fight against me. 2Take hold of shield and buckler, And stand up for my help. 3Also draw out the spear, And stop those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation."

Psalm 89:28 My mercy I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall stand firm with him.

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 10:15 Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood!

Isaiah 11:10 "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious."

Zechariah 14:4 And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, Which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, From east to west, Making a very large valley; Half of the mountain shall move toward the north And half of it toward the south.

Malachi 3:2 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap.

John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Peter tells us in his first letter in chapter one that our trials are more valuable than gold. The tribulations we suffer as Christians, Jesus warned us about for He said that as the world reviles Him so shall it revile us. We are merely strangers in a strange land on this earth. Our true home is in Heaven. However, sanctifying is a process that we must travail. God sanctifies us through mental and physical works that He prepared for us to do which entails a lot of trails and troubles. How we suffer through this sanctification process is by leaning on the everlasting arms. We cannot withstand the wiles of the devil except through the power of Christ. We cannot stand by ourselves. This, then, is the most powerful lesson any Christian can learn. By leaning, we conquer. By leaning and in our weakness is His mighty strength. Life is much more livable when we allow Jesus to take our burdens and lift our loads.

Weary and heavy laden, come to Him. He will straighten the backs of those bent beneath their loads. Matthew 11:28 and Psalm 146:8.

Ambush at Hawijah

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

I was watching the series Combat Zone the Ambush in Hawijah. Thirty soldiers outnumbered more than 3 to 1 on a mission to investigate a protest in a town that had at one time harbored Sudam Husein. I don't care much for the photography. They try to give you the "effect" of boots on the ground with the soldiers rather than just being a spectator. That is okay for a minute or two, but the constantly erratic camera angles, zooming in and out, are searing to the nerves. Setting that aside, though, this is a MUST see episode if you want to see how your prayers for our soldiers are working.

I had asked God not too long ago if it were possible for me to be able to see how my prayers were working for our soldiers. It is astounding how God answers prayers. He never ceases to amaze me. For some reason, we are now getting the Military Channel again. It just appeared one day earlier this year, then disappeared... sigh. Then last week, it reappeared. I did a search and programmed to record some favorites. Combat Zone was one that I stumbled across. Or I should say, God handed to me on a silver platter.

These soldiers walked into an ambush one day in 2004. The protest they were sent to investigate dispersed within a minute or two of their arrival giving rise to the suspicion that it was a ruse to get them there. After moving into position, all hell broke loose and bullets, IEDs, and rocket launched grenades began flying and bursting all around the men. With little cover, they inched forward, trying to push the insurgents up against the canal that divided the town.

Snipers on roof tops, AK47s aplenty, alleys filled with insurgents met them at every corner. A team of just 8 men reached an intersection with no cover but a concrete flower planter. Then when they pushed past this point, one of them was shot in the shoulder and in the leg which effectively stopped forward movement until medics could remove the wounded man. After a team moved into position to help them and the Humvee with medics made it to their position, they moved forward to complete their mission.

The mission was supposed to be an in-and-out with little more than an hour or two in the town. It turned into an 18-hour ordeal with not enough water and little or no food. Our finest, best of the best, dug in their heels and accomplished their mission with no casualties and just a few injuries. That was thirty men against 100 insurgents with basically unlimited firepower and ammunition. That is astounding in itself.

The miracles abounded that day. Just to name a few:
1. Flower box cover -- no injuries. Eight men left the area and flower box in crumbles.
2. At one point, the only cover four men had was a CARDBOARD box. "Somehow" the bullets made swiss-cheese holes in the cardboard, but never touched any of the four men.
3. A bullet ricocheted off a man's Kevlar up through his helmet knocking him to his back and his helmet five feet away. No scratches on him. He said there was no way he should be alive right now, except Someone up there was watching over him. (I make bold enough to say, and lots of Christians are praying for our soldiers.)
4. A grenade landed within two feet of eight men and did not explode.
5. Bullets splayed the concrete walls lining the streets and alleys, splayed the dirt at their feet but ricocheted away from all of them.
6. When it was over and our men, the finest soldiers on earth, had subdued the insurgents, AK47 ammunition casings littered the streets and alleys like sand on a beach. Our side had Zero casualties and just a few injuries.

That was God at work being mindful of our prayers for our soldiers. Miraculous!

Prayer works.

Warnings to Christians about unbelievers

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 12:58:00 +0000

We should definitely be wary of the wolf in sheep's clothing. The great pretender is Satan who tries to disguise himself as an angel of light, but is actually the darkness and depths of the pit.

There are many who do profess Jesus, but who do not possess Him and the Holy Spirit does not indwell them. They are those who pretend to be in the body of Christ, but who are people that Christ does not recognize. (This is not to say that these people will never know Christ, just that the wickedness they commit and stir up only produces rotten fruit.)

1 Corinthians 13 is the Christian plumb line. It is a description of agape kind of love which only comes from the Father and is gifted to us to pour out on others as we become more and more full of the Holy Spirit. Agape is active and is quite literally, love in action. Which is why Peter had such a hard time understanding what Jesus was asking in His question, "Peter, do you love Me?" Jesus was talking about full-blown love displayed by the action of feeding His sheep. Peter was insisting that He loved Jesus Himself, and Jesus wanted Peter's proof of love with actions.

Hebrew 3:12 Watch out, brothers, so that there won't be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that departs from the living God.

This is a warning to Christians to keep their congregations pure from the world. Because of several other verses... Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled [clean] from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.

Where does the true heart come from? Only from God. Man cannot achieve it alone.

Psalm 17:3 You have tested my heart; You have visited by night; You have tried me and found nothing [evil]; I have determined that my mouth will not sin. [Or [evil]; my mouth will not sin] David claims God found nothing evil in his heart after searching it... yet, David did commit adultery. The lust in his heart for Bathsheba was not always there. David should have been with his army fighting that battle instead of reclining by the fire and eating bonbons. But there is one thing to cling to 1 Samuel 15:13 So Samuel took the horn of oil, anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD took control of David from that day forward. The black sins of murder and adultery were events in David's choices, but they do not define him. David was the apple of God's eye.

But David still sinned with Bathsheba. David still prayed for God to keep him safe from evil. Psalm 141:4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or wickedly perform reckless acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies. It is only the foolish that live godlessly and the wicked that God hates. Prov 3:32 for the devious are detestable to the LORD, but He is a friend to the upright. Isaiah 32:6 6 For a fool speaks foolishness and his mind plots iniquity. He lives in a godless way and speaks falsely about the LORD. He leaves the hungry empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.

Another example of a warning to believers against unbelievers in their midst is the letter to Pergamum 14 But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the sons of Israel: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. 15 In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent! Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword of My mouth. Them, not you. Interesting.

An example of warning to unbelievers is the letter to Laodicea. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth. I believe this is to unbelievers because according to Jesus and the writers of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit lives within us and He becomes one with us (John 17) and in doing so, God creates a completely new creature. 2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things [Other mss read look, all new things] have come. Galatians 6:15 For [ Other mss add in Christ Jesus] both circumcision and uncircumcision mean nothing; [what matters] instead is a new creation. To spew out of the mouth means that it never went to the stomach. It was intimate, but the relationship never developed into full agape love.

This letter also says that these people are naked, blind and poor even though they do not know it. Believers are not naked. Matt 22:11 And the king having come in to view those reclining, saw there a man not clothed with clothing of the marriage-feast, 2 Cor 5:3 if so be that, having clothed ourselves, we shall not be found naked. There are lots of verses that describe Believers as rich and as having Spiritual 20/20 vision and discernment.

Jesus says He will spew them out of His mouth. What we have here is a warning to the pretend Christians. Those who go to church and go through the motions of being Christian, who live a public life beyond reproach but their hearts are black with sin, never being circumcised and therefore insensitive to the Holy Spirit, even perhaps insensitive to their own conscience. They are absolutely miserable, and don't know why they are miserable. They think because they are wealthy according to the world's standards and go to church, they are saved.

Not so.

It is these black hearts that we must be wary against because they live a make-believe righteousness that is sickening to God. These are the misguided ones and can cause quite a bit of strife amongst God's children.

Hebrew Name study...

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 16:19:00 +0000

The Hebrew propensity for character analysis through a person's name is indicated by God when He changed Abram's name to Abraham, and Sarai to Sarah.

I haven't studied this enough to discern a difference between The Name HaShem, and His Covenant Name. I think God revealed Himself as much as He trusted mankind to know... a little at a time, especially since Adam rejected Him for Eve.

Years ago, I ran across a study about what the names of the ancestors of Jesus meant. I lost it, but have sort of recreated it here from the lineage of Joseph, husband of Mary. If you read down the list, the meanings create a sentence about God's promises finally ending with our Savior.

Adam - Red Earth

Seth - appointed, substitute

Enos - mortal man

Cainan - possession

Mahaleel - praise of God

Jared - descent

Enoch - initiated

Methuselah - man of the dart (he dies and the flood is sent)

Lamech - strikerdown, wild man

Noah - rest

Shem - Name; Ham - warm and hot, Japheth – wide-spreading

Arphaxad - son of Shem

Salah - sprout

Eber - beyond

Peleg - division

Reu - behold a son!

Serug - branch

Nahor - snorting, snore, nostril

Terah - wanderer, loiterer

Abram - exalted father, Sarai - my princess

Isaac - laughter

Jacob - deceiver, Esau - red

Israel

- The prince that prevails with God

Judah

- I will praise, Er - watchful, Onan - strong, Shelah - petition

Perez - breach

Hezron - surrounded by a wall

Aram

- high

Aminadab - one of the Prince's people

Nahshon - enchanter

Salmon - garment

Boaz - fleetness

Obed - serving

Jesse - wealthy

David - well beloved

Solomon - peaceful

Rehoboam - enlarger of the people

Abijah - my father is Jehovah

Asa - physician or cure

Uzziah - strength of Jehovah

Jotham - Jehovah is upright

Ahaz - possessor

Hezekiah - the might of Jehovah

Manasseh - forgetting

Amon - the mysterious

Josiah - whom Jehovah heals

Jehoiahchem - whom Jehovah has appointed

Shealtiel - asked of God

Zerubbabel – seed of Babylon, Prince of Judah

Abiud - father of praise

Eliakim-raised up by God

Azor - a helper

Sadoc - Just

Achim - the Lord will establish

Eliud - God his praise

Eleazar - help of God

Matthan - gift

Jacob - supplanter

Joseph - increase

Jesus - Savior, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Emmanuel, Lamb of God, Son of Man, I AM...

Please note that Mary's lineage is given in Luke. Where it branches is between the two sons of David: Solomon and Nathan. Down from Solomon is Joseph, and down from Nathan is Mary. (I do not know why Joseph is listed as the son of Heli.)

Nathan - giver

Mattatha - gift of Jehovah

Menan - numbered; rewarded; prepared

Melea - supplying; supplied

Eliakim - raised up by God

Jonan - grace of God

Joseph - increase

Judah

- praised, celebrated

Simeon - heard

Levi - joined

Matthat - gift of God

Jorim - whom Jehovah has exalted

Eliezar - God is his help

Joses- exalted

Er - watchful

Elmodam - measure

Cosam - diviner

Addi - ornament

Melchi - my king my counselor

Neriah - Jehovah is my lamp

Shealtiel - asked of God

Zerubbabel – seed of Babylon, prince of Judah

Rhesa – head

Joannas – perhaps a derivative of Johanan – gift of God

Judah

– praised, celebrated

Joseph – increase

Shimei – renowned

Mattathias – gift of Jehovah

Maath – small

Naggai – illuminating

Esli – near me; he who separates

Nahum – consolation

Amos – burden

Mattathias – gift of Jehovah

Joseph – increase

Janna – flourishing

Melchi – my king, my counselor

Levi – joined

Matthat – gift of God

Heli - ascending

Special Boat Team 22

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sat, 18 Feb 2023 14:30:00 +0000

There's something exciting going on in Pearl River County, Mississippi. The Stennis Space Center also houses The Western Maneuver Area--WMA--which is a LIVE fire riverine training range. It's in the northwest corner of the John C. Stennis Space Center. That range, which is bordered by the Pearl River and Mike River is operated by Special Boat Team 22 (SBT-22). It's the only one in all the U.S. military that conducts special ops in a riverine environment. Today, I learned so many accronyms I'm rather hard pressed to unscramble them. These guys specialize in extractions, insertions, personnel recovery, recon, and humanitarian extractions along rivers and streams. And I, ladies and gentlemen, (in case you can't tell from the picture above) got to go ride on one of those special boats today. Talk about a great experience! Commander James Emerett briefed us on all the unclassified things about SBT-22. So let me explain a bit. Right now, the SBT-22 trains in the Pearl River Basin using blank fire. The Navy has acquired more than 3,500 acres so they can now train with Live fire. Did you know that 50 caliber fire can travel about 4 miles when fired at a 45 degree angle? With the Short Range fire, it will only travel about 700 meters and the lasers they will be using are camoflaged by all the heavy vegatation. It's a jungle out there, and the good guys are training in our backyard. I feel safe. After talking to these guys, after seeing what they do, how they train, and knowing that most of them have had several tours in Iraq, I can't help but feel safe. They are good at what they do. You are safe. One young lieutenant told me that they all loved what they did. I told him, "Thank you so much for standing between us and the bad guys. You'll never know how much we appreicate it because there are no words that can express it."

Trembling in My Sandals

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Mon, 06 Feb 2023 14:37:00 +0000

Trembling in my sandals…

...I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. (Revelation 4:1-3)

Then a voice like a trumpet called out, “Come up here!”

I ask you, who wouldn’t tremble in their sandals or boots hearing that voice, seeing the door in Heaven standing wide open, and seeing God sitting on His throne in Heaven?

I tremble just thinking how cavalier people are today with God’s name and with the day He set aside for worshiping Him. Even Christians are having trouble with keeping their garments white.

Today, society is defining sin.

That isn’t new. The Jews added layer upon layer to the Law to keep a deep pad of protection so they would not accidently break the Law. A lot of good that did them. God as good as told them their hearts were as stone when He told them, “In that day I will give you tenderized hearts, and I will write my commands on your hearts.” (Deuteronomy 30:3-6) That was centuries before they were exiled to Babylon, before Christ was born and died and raised, and before the destruction of Jerusalem. God knew what they would do.

One Thousand Years of Peace

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 12:00:00 +0000

I look at the headlines and violence abounds. Not only violence, but bloodshed in accidents, and natural disasters, intrigues, and power struggles. This is our lot until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. When that will be, not even Jesus knew while He was with His disciples. We know several facts about when the second coming of Christ is, when He comes in wrath and cleaves bone from marrow with just His breath. It is precisely 3.5 years from the breaking of the written agreement between the Antichrist and the Jews. It comes on the day of the abomination of desecration. It comes 45 days before the beginning of the Millennium of Peace. I believe Jesus is eagerly anticipating when He can come retrieve His Bride... but, for now, we live in a world of sin because the prince of this world is Satan.

What about after Satan is bound? What happens during that one thousand years? I do believe the Bible is literal in prophecies, and is actually clear when the Holy Spirit is the guide to understanding.

I have run across a few things in Isaiah to chew on...

We know that the outer courtyard of the Temple was the only place Gentiles could go. The inner courtyard all the way into the Holy of Holies was reserved for the Jews. This is one reason it was so horrific to the Jews at what Antiochus Epiphanes did and later in 70 AD what Titus of Rome did...

So, in Isaiah 56:6-7 "6 And foreigners who bind themselves to the LORD to serve him, to love the name of the LORD, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant-- 7 these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Isaiah is speaking about a time in the future when the Gentiles are welcomed into the Temple to worship Jehovah and to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices upon His altar. This, of course, means another Temple will be built. We get a beautiful picture of that Temple in Ezekiel chapters 40-48, as well as some clues to the millennial sacrifices.

In Isaiah 66:18-24 we get another clue. Jehovah will gather all nations and tongues (Not just Israel) these are Gentiles that haven't "seen" the Glory of Jehovah... and it looks like God is going to use the Gentiles as "carriers" to bring the Jews to Jerusalem. Verse 20 this is done as an "offering" to the Lord, just "as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD."

Since Jesus is our Sacrifice, and His blood covers our sins, and all our sins are paid for, then why sacrifices? What purpose do they serve? Can we even make sense of them if, perhaps, the sacrifices God requires are sacrifices of praise and prayer in His house of prayer? What is God talking about in Ezekiel? Isaiah?

Could this be speaking about a time when Jews and Christians will be like-minded and worship and pray together? -- maybe like the Jews who come to accept Christ? Hopefully those Christians will not denounce Christ as the Messiah and adopt Judaism, but is that really what is happening when sacrifices are made?

I would welcome any insight you guys have. Hopefully over the next few days we can make some kind of sense from this muddle.

Obama's first 9 months. Joe Biden right beside him

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 14:19:00 +0000

Remember this? Hiden'Biden was standing beside Obama when these things happened!

If you even half way watch the news, you will recognize every one of these below which came to me via email from a friend in Texas. What is not on the list are these:

Appointed Czars that are advisors who have direct access to him with no point/counterpoint who, for the most part, are militant liberals with diverse socialist and facist agendas in their backgrounds.

Antagonized the Press Pool (because of the White House ban of Fox News) to the point that the entire pool refused to attend a WH press conference. I never thought I'd see that.

I am wondering if your Congressmen know just how you feel about these things? Anyone who believes that just one voice can never make a difference, should remember just a few...

Hitler
Martin Luther
Mother Theresa
Stalin
Lenin
Marx
Freud
Darwin
Buddy Holly
Elvis

Thank goodness, One voice rises above them all. Jesus. It doesn't matter how good or bad a message is, one voice can make a huge difference because there is one thing that lies within every one of these voices (and I'm sure you can think of many more): Passion. When you believe something passionately, then your voice gains a vibrance and resonance all its own and can shake the world. One voice added to many and you've got a movement much like a fully loaded freight train which once it is traveling 60 mph, it is extremely hard to stop.

Obama 's First Nine Months' Accomplishments:

1. Offended the Queen of England

2. Bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia

3. Praised the Marxist Daniel Ortega.

4. Kissed Socialist Hugo Chavez on the cheek.

5. Endorsed the Socialist Evo Morales of Bolivia

6. Sided with Hugo Chavez and Communist Fidel Castro against Honduras' Constitution, Congress and Supreme Court.

7. Announced we would meet with Iranians with no pre-conditions while they're
building their nuclear weapons.

8. Gave away billions to AIG also without pre-conditions.

9. Expanded the bailouts.

10. Insulted everyone who has ever loved a Special Olympian.

11. Doubled our national debt.

12. Announced the termination of our new missile defense system the day after North Korea launched an ICBM.

13. Released information on U.S. Intelligence gathering despite urgings of his own CIA director and the prior four CIA directors.

14. Accepted without comment that five of his cabinet members cheated on their taxes and two other nominees withdrew after they couldn't take the heat.

15. Appointed a Home land Security Chief who identified military veterans and abortion opponents as "dangers to the nation."

16. Ordered that the word "terrorism" no longer be used and instead refers to such acts as "man made disasters."

17. Circled the globe to publicly apologize for America 's world leadership.

18. Told the Mexican president that the violence in their country was because of us.

19. Politicized the census by moving it into the White House from the Department of Commerce.

20. Appointed as Attorney General the man who orchestrated the forced removal and expulsion to Cuba of a 9-year-old whose mother died trying to bring him to freedom in the United States .

21. Salutes as heroes three Navy SEALS who took down three terrorists who threatened one American life and the next day announces members of the Bush administration may stand trial for "torturing" three 9/11 terrorists by pouring water up their noses.

22. Authorized low altitude photo shoot of Air Force One over New York City that frightened thousands of New Yorkers.

23. Sent his National Defense Advisor to Europe to assure them that the US will no longer treat Israel in a special manner and they might be on their own with the Muslims.

24. Praised Jimmy Carter's trip to Gaza where he sided with terrorist Hamas against Israel

25. Nationalized General Motors and Chrysler while turning shareholder control over to the unions and freezing out retired investors who owned their bonds. Committed unlimited taxpayer billions in the process.

26. Backed a huge energy tax in the House that will make American industry even less competitive while costing homeowners thousands per year.

27. Announced nationalized health care "reform" that will strip seniors of some Medicare benefits, cut pay of physicians, increase taxes by billions, and eventually put many if not most on rationed care with government bureaucrats deciding who gets care and who doesn't.

28. Floated the idea of military veterans being responsible for their own health care to save money for the country they sacrificed for and served.

29.Announced that the war in Afghanistan was "the war of necessity," then met with the general Obama appointed to be in charge of that theater only once in the first 70 days and dithered and delayed in following the general's recommendation for increased troops while American soldiers and civilians were dying there (yet had the time to flit around the globe making apologies for the US, going to plays and playing golf, and getting involved in very minor matters..Bloomberg: Daschle says, "Health care reform will not be pain free. Seniors should be more accepting of the conditions that come with age instead of treating them," while former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm says seniors have "a duty to die."

Then there is Clinton and an Obama advisor who said. "We're going to have to, if you're very old, we're not going to give you all that technology and all those drugs for the last couple of years of your life to keep you maybe going for another couple of months. It's too expensive...so we're going to let you die."

If this does not sufficiently raise your ire, just remember that the President, Senators and Congressmen have their own special gold plated health care plan which is guaranteed the remainder of their lives and they will not subject to any new law passed by them. Please use the power of the Internet to get this message out. Talk it up at the grassroots level. We have elections coming up in one year and one month where we can reverse the dangerous direction of the Obama administration and its allies..

Major Steve Long--honoring a 9/11 fallen hero

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Mon, 28 May 2018 15:31:00 +0000

Major Steve Long

A Memorial Day Tribute

Also a tribute to the victims of 9/11. On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers joined together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11. Each person paid tribute to a single victim. I don't know how many blogs that were alive in 2006 which have since ceased to exist or have morphed into something else. As for me and my blog, we are here today to honor this fallen hero, Major Steve V. Long.

We honor the victims by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers.

This post you will see every year to pay tribute and honor to Army Major Steve V. Long. I pray that others will come back and post comments each year so we can learn more about this dedicated Army officer, husband and father.

On September 11th, he was at his post at the Pentagon, doing his job, and he gave his life for his country. He was 39 years old; and he was from Georgia. Maj. Long was serving as Secretary of the General Staff, Office of the Commanding General, U.S. Total Army Command. He was married with two children. I have continued my search over the years about his life and work. As time goes by, I find out a little more as his family, friends, and soldiers he worked with leave comments.

The Pentagon lists his medals and awards and military training:

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  (with Arrowhead and Oak Leaf Cluster)
Armed Forces Service Medal
Army Achievement Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
Army Commendation Medal
  (with "V" Device and Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Non-Commissioned Officers Development Medal
  (w/ Numeral "2")
Army Service Ribbon
Army Superior Unit Award
Combat Infantry Badge
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Award
National Defense Service Medal
Overseas Service Ribbon
Parachutist Badge
  (with Bronze Star)
Purple Heart
  (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
Ranger Tab
Southwest Asia Service Medal
  (with Bronze Star)
Valorous Unit Award

Major Long’s military training includes Infantry One Station Unit Training, the Primary Leadership Development Course, the Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Jungle Warfare School, the United States Army Ranger Course, the United States Air Force Survival Training Course, the Quartermaster Officer Basic Course, Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, Combined Arms and Services Staff School, and the Petroleum Officer Course.

What kind of father he was, what kind of husband has slowly come to life with each post. I found the tears of a nephew... the tears of a sister, Nancy.

His mother, Sue Weaver, said he loved planting and gardening.

I did find this tribute:

I had the honor and pleasure of serving together with Steve back in 1997. Steve was a fellow officer in the 601st Aviation Support Battalion and he served as the headquarters and Headquarters Company Commander during a rotation to Bosnia. He epitomized the word dedication and duty. He was a loved husband and father to his family and he will be forever missed. My heart and prayers go out to him, his family, and to all others affected by this tragedy. I am proud to continue my service to my country. Special thanks go to all the men and women of the armed forces, past and present, for their contribution and daily sacrifices as well to their families who know pain and uncertainty on a daily basis. Sincerely, Ron Pacheco

And I found this tribute...

I first met Steve Long when he was a Captain, and I was a Second Lieutenant in my officer basic course at Fort Lee, Virginia. He gave an introductory brief on how we newly commissioned officers could "manage" our own military careers. I got in touch with him a year later, while I was stationed in Korea, on my next assignment back in the U.S.A. As a young 23-year-old officer, trying to balance the Army with a fiance who was also in the Army, I kept changing my mind. Over the course of a year and half, I asked Steve to amend my assignment THREE TIMES and he did! Branch managers like Steve get no credit for the unglamorous HR work they do, but for me it was a sterling introduction of what "taking care of Soldiers" meant. It was an example by DOING, not just TALKING about it. Years later, when I read his name in the Pentagon losses, I was so saddened to hear that the Army had lost such a great officer. I say a prayer for him on every September 11th.Melissa
*** Posted by Melissa on 2009-09-11 ***

In the comments section of this post are other tributes...

At the link on the title of this post, you can view the Arlington Cemetery resting place of Maj. Long, and see the tribute to him listed there. I have unashamedly copied part of that tribute below...

Floating down to the Caribbean island of Grenada, Specialist Steve Long pleaded with the enemy soldiers far below who were firing alarming numbers of bullets toward him and the other Army Rangers parachuting in during the 1983 U.S.-led invasion.
"I'm really a nice guy," Long kept muttering, according to his wife, Tina. "You wouldn't be shooting at me if you knew what a nice guy I am."
Long landed unharmed, but in a follow-up raid on a Cuban military camp, several Black Hawk helicopters carrying Long and other Rangers came under fire and crashed. "His roommate and best friend was killed," said Tina Long. "It hurt him greatly."
Long was injured in the crash but continued fighting and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor and the Purple Heart.
With the encouragement of his wife and commanders, he went to college and received a commission as an officer, and he later served with the 82nd Airborne Division during the Persian Gulf War. As a personnel officer, a job he took after injuries no longer allowed him to serve in combat, Long agonized over where to assign soldiers, knowing his decisions could harm careers or break up families. "Many a night he was losing sleep on where he was sending people," Tina Long said.
But he never regretted his service. "It was just his love of his country," she said. "I know it sounds simple, but that's the way he was."

I am so very proud to be able to honor one of our country's protectors. This man stood in the gap and took a hit from the bad guys. As for me, there are not enough words to honor him and the job he was doing. My grandchildren (when I have them) will be able to grow strong and sturdy without fear because of Maj. Long and others like him. My children will be able to sleep at night. And perhaps, one day I might get to shake his hand in heaven. Thank you, Steve, and I thank all the men and women who serve our great country so we can have the gift of freedom. Freedom is costly, but it is worthy.

Links for the whole Motivational Gifts Bible Study

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sun, 28 May 2017 03:30:00 +0000

One of the most popular post series on my blog is the Motivational Gifts. Here are the links to them.

7 Highly Effective Motivational Spiritual Gifts - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/01/7-highly-effective-motivational.html

Ministry Gifts - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/01/ministry-gifts.html

Manifestation Gifts - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/01/manifestation-gifts.html

Each of the Gifts is of Equal Value - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/01/each-gift-is-of-equal-value.html

Attributes of the Perceiver - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/01/attributes-of-perceiver.html

Perceiver Day 2 - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/01/attributes-of-perceiver-day-2.html

Perceiver Day 3 - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-server-day-3.html

Perceiver Day 4 & 5 - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-perceiver-day-4-5.html

Perceiver Day 6 - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-perceiver-day-6.html

Attributes of the Server - http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-server.html

Server Day 2 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attriutes-of-server-day-2.html

Server Day 3 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-server-day-3.html

Server Day 4 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-server-day-4.html

Server Day 5 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/problems-with-gift-of-server.html

Attributes of the Gift of Teacher – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-teacher.html

Teacher Day 2 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-teacher-day-2.html

Teacher Day 3 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-teacher-day-3.html

Teacher Day 4 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-teacher-day-4.html

Teacher Day 5 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-teacher-day-5-problems.html

Attributes of the Exhorter – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-exhorter-day-2.html

Exhorter Day 2 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-exhorter-day-3.html

Exhorter Day 3 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-exhorter-day-3.html

Exhorter Day 4 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-exhorter-day-4.html

Exhorter Day 5 – Problems – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/02/attributes-of-exhorter-day-5-problems.html

Attributes of the Giver – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-giver.html

Giver Day 2 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-giver-day-2.html

Giver Day 3 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-giver-day-3.html

Giver Day 4 – Problems – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/problems-with-gift-of-giver.html

Attributes of the Administrator – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-administrator.html

Admin Day 2 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-administrator-day-2.html

Admin Day 3 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-administrator-day-3.html

Admin Day 4 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-administrator-day-4.html

Admin Day 5 – Problems – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-administrator-day-5.html

Attributes of Mercy – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-gift-of-mercy.html

Mercy Day 2 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-gift-of-mercy-day-2.html

Mercy Day 3 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-gift-of-mercy-day-3.html

Mercy Day 4 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-gift-of-mercy-day-4.html

Mercy Day 5 – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/attributes-of-gift-of-mercy-day-5.html

Total up your scores – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/motivational-gifts-biblical.html

Practical application – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/motivational-spiritual-gifts-practical.html

Biblical Application – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/motivational-gifts-biblical.html

How Jesus illustrates them – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/motivational-spiritual-gifts-and-how.html

Every Christian a Minister – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/every-christian-minister-why-we-have.html

The practical application of the Gifts in Church – http://refreshmentrefuge.blogspot.com/2006/03/practical-applications-of-motivational.html

Ah Ha! moment -- Atonement

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sat, 22 Apr 2017 15:25:00 +0000

Since both Mom and I were down with incredible cases of sinusitis on Sunday, we did not get to worship with our church family, we curled up with our Kleenex and PJs and watched David Jeremiah, James Merritt, and Charles Stanley.

James Merritt pointed out something that I have always known, but had never put in exactly these words.

The story of Barabbas was put in the Bible to explain in a physical way the Spiritual truth of propitiation.

Barabbas was a robber, a murderer, a liar, a cheat, and profaner of God Himself. He broke every commandment and was sentenced to pay for his crimes. It was a just sentence from the Hebrew perspective of the Ten Commands. The sentence of death was just reward for breaking them as we all know. Here's a look at the commands and the consequences for breaking it.

1 Polytheism - Ex 20:3 - Death Ex 22:20 & Deut 6:13-15 & Acts 14:15
2 Graven images - Ex 20:4 - Death Deut. 27:15 & 1 John 5:21
3 Swearing (God's name in vain) - Ex 20:7 - Death Lev 24:15-16 & James 5:12
4 Not keeping Sabbath - Ex 20:8 - Death Num 15:32-36 & Col 2:16-20 nullifies death penalty for Sabbath
5 Honoring parents - Ex 20:12 - Death Ex 21:15-17 & Eph 6:1
6 Murder - Ex 20:13 - Death Ex 21:12 & 1 John 3:15
7 Adultery - Ex 20:14 - Death Lev 20:10 & 1 Cor 6:9-10
8 Theft - Ex 20:15 - Death Ex 21:16 & Eph 4:28
9 False Witness - Ex 20:16 - Death Deut 18:16-21 & Col 3:9-10
10 Coveting Ex 20:17 - Eph 5:3 (acting upon the thing coveted leads to all the other sins)

God did not take lightly the breaking of His commands, although He gave mercy in the lack of knowledge as Paul indicates in Romans 7:7. Jesus gave mercy by forgiving sins (such as the woman caught in adultery). However, Barabbas was Jewish and had knowledge of the Law, but he had rejected it and had wallowed in his own pleasure and pursuit of pleasure. He was justly sentenced to death.

The crowd was incited to scream for the release of Barabbas and the crucifixion of Jesus. This is a testimony of what man meant for evil, God turns to great good. Releasing of Barabbas was the physical illustration of the Spiritual Truth that only Jesus could make the atonement required by the Law.

Jesus was perfect in every way. The Passover lamb had to be perfect in every way to satisfy God for the Passover sacrifice. Only Jesus satisfied God's requirement through the Law. Isaiah 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.

Barabbas' death would not have served the greater purpose. It would have been according to the Law--justifiable consequence of sin--yet, God's greater purpose was to show beyond any reasonable doubt that our own physical death is not enough to atone for our own sin, much less any other person's sin. The reason is that we are not perfect as the Passover Lamb. Because we are filthy with our own sin we fall horribly short of the glory of God, and therefore we cannot atone for it with a victory over death and sin. Only Jesus could do that.

An astounding ah HA! moment.

Question: What other ah HA! revelations have you discovered this Easter?

Trees sing for joy!

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 16:39:00 +0000

Psa 96:9 Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness! Tremble before Him, all the earth.
Psa 96:10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns; The world also is firmly established, It shall not be moved; He shall judge the peoples righteously."
Psa 96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Psa 96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
Psa 96:13 For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples with His truth.

BlogTalk interview with Lynn Pinder

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 18:32:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 22:15:00 +0000

Probably one of the hardest things to do is to forgive yourself. Someone once pointed out to me that it was not a Biblical principle. I hunted and searched for hours trying to find something in the Bible about forgiving oneself. The closest I came was David’s Psalm 51 when he asked God to create in him a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within him. When you compare his Psalm 32 in verse 3 When I kept silence, then my bones became old, through my howling all day. We see the consequences of unconfessed sin. But that is different from forgiving one’s self for past transgressions which we have confessed and repented. Why do we groan in shame for them long after the deed? It is because somehow our standard of forgiveness is steeper and higher than God Almighty's forgiveness.

Satan capitalizes on that tendency and constantly bombards us with taunts of past wrongs hoping that our guilty feelings will draw us away from God, out from under His protective wings. That is something that Satan knows we as Christians are prone to do. We think our sin is too huge to be forgiven because we think from our own level of forgiveness. How could we forgive someone doing that to us? If we can’t forgive, then how can God forgive? That is another of Satan’s lies that we buy into.

That still didn’t quite fit the requirement for a Biblical basis of forgiving yourself. So I kept looking and found Isaiah 54:4 Do not fear, for you shall not be shamed, nor shall you be abashed, for you shall not be wounded, for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.

Very interesting word, widowhood. The Hebrew word is the feminine form of H488 which is אלמן

'almân al-mawn' Prolonged from H481 in the sense of bereavement; discarded (as a divorced person): - forsaken. (emphasis is mine) Isaiah is prophesying a time when Israel will be gathered to the LORD’s breast as a much beloved wife. In verses four through five, he is talking about the shame and guilt we feel when we are confronted with our sin and are convicted of it within our heart. Here are most beautiful words to any Christian who has had those moments of knee-bending, face-in-the-carpet shame: You will no longer remember your disgrace.

Why did God say that? Because we have a conscience and we are prone to dwell on the negative. That saying one bad apple spoils the whole barrel is true. Negativism breeds and multiplies faster and further than anything imaginable. Just look at the murmuring and rumbling of the Israelites in the wilderness. When you get that old Dragon, the Accuser firing guilt tipped darts at the chinks in our armor, you have a problem of unforgiveness of the self kind.

To forgive our self, we must reverse that process and remember that God is greater than our sin. Christ’s sacrifice was once and for all… that means every possible, conceivable sin was accounted for and covered by Jesus’ blood. That, my beloved siblings, is the greatest story of grace man ever attempted to understand.

Since our Kinsman Redeemer has already bought the sin, why do we insist on hanging on to it?

Unbelief and an overblown ego.

It isn’t hard to do, either. Even Moses, who was the conveyor of such miracles of God as the parting of the Red Sea, the providing of water for more than two million thirsty people, plus all the livestock (which is an astronomical amount of water every day), and forty year old shoes and garments never wearing out plus many other things, had a moment of unbelief which cost him the promised land. Numbers 20:10-12. He struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it. God said it was his unbelief that caused it.

We Christians do not believe that God can, in fact already has forgiven that horrendous sin that we keep hidden in our hearts. Holding on to the sin is tantamount to making Jesus go to the cross all over again. That is what unbelief does. Since we know He only went once, and that was enough, then we should know that those guilty feelings which Satan aims at us as fiery darts, are literally harmless breaths of hot wind. They have no teeth so to speak, it is merely baying at the moon.

What happens to our past moral and spiritual failures when we repent of our sins and claim God’s forgiveness? Have you ever had an itch right in the middle of your back? Ever try to scratch it with your hand? That is where God casts our sins when we confess and repent, never to be reached, touched or thought of again. Glory!

The LORD forgives the past. His great compassion is far beyond understanding. If we were to be asked to give our first and only beloved son to pay for the lives of the most wicked of people who had nothing worthy to give back, our hearts would be granite and our faces be flint. Yet, God has mercy for us because while we were yet sinners, Christ willingly died for us. Here’s the Biblical proof of it:

Hebrews 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more."

Hebrews 10:17 also He adds, "their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more."

Jeremiah 31:34 And they shall no more teach each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Jehovah. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.

Isaiah 38:17 Behold, for peace was bitter to me, most bitter; but You loved my soul from the pit of destruction; You have cast all my sins behind Your back.

For the mountains shall depart, and the hills tremble; My loving kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall the covenant of My peace be shaken, says Jehovah who loves you. Isaiah 54:10

Another thing...

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 18:25:00 +0000

What a lot of folks forget about is God's unfolding will.

Each second in time, God has provided for all eventualities. He knows who will refuse to obey Him and He provides for His will for us regardless of obedience or disobedience of others .

Just because I didn't get married doesn't mean that my engagement was not God's perfect will for that time. I believe beyond any doubt that it was His will. In fact, I believe that God provided the perfect plan for our marriage. Everything fell into place for a great future for us. My intended didn't see it. He "looked down the road" and just didn't see himself "happy." But, God had provided a wonderful future. That does not mean that God cannot provide a better future for me down this path where He is leading. (For those of you who do not know, I'm moving to Picayune, MS. I'm taking my Mom and I'm going to be the Lifestyles Editor for the Picayune Item. I'm so excited I can hardly wait!)

Back to the point. I trusted God to protect my heart. It was broken, but not shattered, and I felt pressed, but I was not crushed. He did protect my heart, but He allowed hurt. Some Christians think that belonging to God means no hurt and everything rosy. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is an extremely costly (worldly costs) way to live and pain is a major part of it.

I had the gumption in the middle of the breakup to ask God for His best for me. If that meant suffering through more of the same so that His best would shine in the end--I was ready to walk through the valley of the shadow of death for that best.

God's best for us does not depend upon fickle man.

Since God knows what will happen, how it will happen and who will do what, He plans accordingly. All I must do is be ready, willing and able to bend my will to God's. That means I must want the best He offers no matter the cost.

No matter the cost. That is a huge and scary thing. Do you cringe at the pin pricks? Do you run from the sword stabs? No matter how tormenting a situation may seem... it is always for our best interest. Whether God allows us to endure consequences of our bad choices, or whether God pours out blessings on our choices based on His guidance... the outcome is the same. It is for our best.

I want God's best... no matter the cost.

Stand up or get blown over

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 17:38:00 +0000

It seems that the media has become overly concerned about
making the rules rather than reporting.

In an article on Media Research Center's Newsbusters the rant has now turned to Springsteen's bullying North Carolina because he doesn't like the "new" law about men using the men's room and women using the women's room.

How is it that .001 % of the population can stir up such a storm? You do know that out of the more than 323 million US citizens, only about 523,000 (https://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/acsbr10-03.pdf) actually own up to living the lifestyle, don't you? That is very far from 10%-20% of the population.

Society does NOT decide what is sin and what is not sin, nor does society have the right to determine what is wrong and what is right. There is a Plumbline that is our standard, and it is not what ever celebrity that can gather the most support for a particular idea or movement says is moral.

I am appalled at what Steven Van Zandt declared: “You gotta hurt people economically to have them do the right thing morally. We’re going to try and stop this right now, hopefully other people will rise up and join us.”

What does this guy know of morals? He was married by Little Richard!

My question is this: How can requiring males and females use associated gender restrooms be discriminatory?

I do NOT want to bring my grandbaby into a bathroom where a man dressed like a woman is using the pot. A person cannot, will never, no not ever be able to change his or her DNA to reflect a different gender than the one God gave him or her. I don't care how much a person whines or cries, God decided his gender and that settles it. God declared homosexualism is an abomination, and that settles it.

Christians, if we don't take a stand against the immorality permeating our country, then we'll be blown by each passing wind and tossed by each wave.

A living dog is better than a dead lion.

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 13:30:00 +0000

Photo: Barcroft TV/YouTube

Well that is certainly true. Did you know it's in the bible? Solomon writes that as a proof of hope for the living in the ninth chapter of Ecclesiastes. Actually, he says, For one who is chosen to be among all the living, there is hope. For a living dog is better than a dead lion. While there is breath, there is hope. Even in hopeless situations, there is hope that the situation changes for the better.

While there is life, there is hope. No where in scripture is this exhibited better than when David fasted and prostrated himself before the LORD when his son was sick and lay dying. When news of his son’s death reached him, he stood, and bathed, and combed his hair, and ate heartily. His servants were amazed and shocked.

Can’t you just see David sitting at table, “What? You look at me as if I’m crazy!”

Servant, “You do not mourn. You eat heartily. Your son just died. What up with that?”

David, “While my son lived, there was hope that God might relent and bless me with healing him. He has gone to be with God. So. I go to him one day, he cannot come to me again.”

            Hope is an absolute must for healthy living. Without hope, there is despair. Without hope there is depression. Without hope, faith cannot survive. Without hope, love gasps for breath. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13 that these three things remain: faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is Love.
            Notice something with me. Hope. Help. One letter difference, but what a difference that letter instills. In the center of Help is El—God. I believe that is by divine design.
            Hope and Faith are not designed to last forever. We hope and we put faith in the Everlasting Father. But Love is the Everlasting Father. I am quite satisfied with the hope and the faith that God gives me... I could not live without it. While we have breath, there is hope. While we have breath we have faith, but once breath leaves us, we either have Love, and love lasts eternally; or we do not have Love, and a soul without love is tortured where there is darkness and gnashing of teeth.
            Help does not come to the dead. Solomon elaborates on this, 2 All happens alike to all; one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good, and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him who sacrifices, and to him who does not sacrifice. I think it was Mark Twain who said there are two things assured to mankind, death and taxes. Those who are filthy when they die will remain so. Those who are clean will be eternally clean.

5 The living know they shall die. The Hebrew for that word is חיּה נפשׁ, nephesh ḥayyāh, or החיּה נפשׁ, nephesh haḥayyāh (nephesh, “breath” or “living things”; ḥayyāh, “living”) Say that out loud. It is almost like breathing. It is translated living creature, and it has that meaning of a physically living and breathing creature. So, the people who are living know they have a date with death. It has happened since the beginning and will continue until Jesus shouts for us to come up there with Him. The dead don’t know a thing of the things of this physical world: The hatreds, prejudices, loves, the heat, the cold, fancy houses, rich clothes, gold, silver, no more rewards for the sweat and hard work. Matthew Henry says there is a reward for the spiritual actions, but not for the worldly ones. Those who have died no longer partake with us who are physically alive under the sun. We that are among the Spiritually alive know this yet, we still grieve and yearn for those who have gone. It is that part in us that was created for eternity which cries out at the separation from our loved ones. We will be reunited with them in the LORD, but we must sojourn here a little longer.

Hope is for the living, breathing physical beings that we are. It is a blessing that is poured out to us from God. Therefore, 7 Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God now is pleased with your works. So, indeed, a living dog is better than a dead lion. How can it not be so?
Psalm 121:1 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills; from where shall my help come? 2 My help comes from Jehovah, the Maker of the heavens and the earth. 3 He will not give your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4 Behold, He who keeps Israel will not slumber nor sleep. 5 Jehovah is the One keeping you; Jehovah is your shade on your right hand. 6 The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night; 7 Jehovah shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul. 8 Jehovah shall keep your going out, and your coming in, from now on and till forever.

In Him is our greatest hope, for He most assuredly keeps His promises.

(This is an excerpt from my book published by Westbow Press released in 2011. )

Didjaeetyet?

noreply@blogger.com (Refreshment in Refuge) — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 22:00:00 +0000

Do you ever really listen to the way things are said?

Standing in the kitchen the TV suddenly gets unbearably loud. It’s a commercial. Either the station or the network designs it this way so that we can hear the commercial from anywhere in the house. I thank them for this, otherwise I’d be all confused when I go to buy something at the store.

The commercial was about a non-stop flight to Jamaica. But, that isn't how they said it. “Fly Blankety Blank Airways non-stop.”

I wonder how you get to the place you want to be if they don’t stop?

We are supposed to say alleged before some criminal act if the criminal hasn't been convicted yet. However, in an AP story, a crime rampage allegedly included a shooting. I’m wondering did the rampage include the shooting or not?

We Southerners are famous for our lack of perfect use of the English language. So how do we communicate so well? It is perfectly plain when someone asks how my mother and family are doing.

“How's Mamaanthem?” Pronunciation and how it is written aren't even close.
How it is written is “Momma and them.” The term is used like this, “How’s your Momma and them?”

Unfortunately, Southerners are not well known for perfect grammar. Big surprise. Which is probably why we also have no problem understanding what
“Yeetyet” means. It is proceeded by “Didja”.

Northerners cannot possibly understand that this is a friendly invitation to lunch, or dinner, or breakfast... whichever part of the day it happens to be. We are not being nosy. Southerners will almost always have a repast available no matter the time of day. So when asked, “Didjayeetyet?” the polite response would be, “Whachagot?”

There are numerous dialects in the South, however. I haven’t mastered all of them, yet. One’s ear must be tuned to the dialect for a clear understanding of what is being said.

The Cajun accent is quite unique and the dialect is even more so. It is terribly difficult to write the way the words sound because it truly is a foreign language unless you've grown up around it. You can learn it, but the nuances are not as discernible if you haven't heard it for most of your life.

For the Cajun, plain English is not really plain to the average Southerner, say from Georgia. You've got the bleed over into Southern Texas and Southern Mississippi which makes life's conversations so very interesting.

One Cajun plain English example are the terms “Making” groceries and then “Saving” groceries. That had me scratching my head when my friend used the terms twenty years ago. She had to explain that making groceries is when you buy them and saving them is when you put them away. She actually said, “Like saving your clothes.”

Huh?

Tradition plays a huge part in our language it seems, because she had always said it that way.

Oh.

“Please be patient, our operators are working as fast as humanly possible,” an announcer blasted at me. I wonder is that faster than Speedy Gonzales? How is it compared to baboonly possible, or is it compared to snail's pace? We are humans and I’ve seen some humans that snails would beat in any race, and a Speedy Gonzales or two. What is the point of that phrase—humanly possible? How about “before quick can get ready”? Or how about “like a duck on a June bug”? That makes a whole lot more sense, right?

My aunt Vonny and I have a running joke. She, (and my mother, too) is from Oklahoma. They do not have eggs and legs in Oklahoma. They have “aigs” and “laigs” which rhymes with laid. She also says, “Rough” for “Roof”. I keep telling her it is a “U” sound. We don’t say “But” for boot.

I know I’m on the right track here because just this week I got my annual reminder in e-mail that our language is funny. It talks about “how the bandage is wound around the wound,” and “the insurance was invalid for the invalid.” Or, my particular favorite, “There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.” You would really have to work hard to work that into a real conversation.

Who talks that way, anyway?

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it like white on rice.