*Light*

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)

Here's one for you all: What's the meaning behind the 153 fish?

Jesus saith unto them, [Bring of the fish which ye have now caught]. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to [land full of great fishes], an [hundred and fifty and three]: and for all there were so many, [yet was not the net broken]. (John 21:10-11)

This is Pappardelle with Bolognese sauce. My camera isn't quite functioning correctly so it looks like vomit, but it tastes amazing! 

And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and [beginning to sink], he cried, saying, [Lord, save me]. And [immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand], and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:28-31)

It doesn't matter how far deep someone is in their sins; Jesus is always willing and able to SAVE those who call out to Him in faith and repentance -- even at that VERY moment without hesitation.

God Bless!

I can't get enough of garlic! Spaghetti with garlic bolognese sauce is where it's at.

Someone had asked Joel Osteen as to how long he had been a Christian, and he replied, "I don't know . . . I guess I was always a Christian." His answer should have been, "I guess I was never saved to begin with."

Ban Rosie because I hope they repent.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:62)

Ban Rosie because there are MANY in "Hellywood" that have literally made a blood contract with the devil himself for fame and fortune; and when that contract expires -- so do they.

Yes Rosie, the transforming power of God is beyond measure.

9 hours ago, Jordan Kurecki said:

Do you not take it anywhere? I could see a bible like that lasting if it’s only used at home. I will use one bible for everything from preaching, teaching, door to door, church, at home studying, etc. so my bible accumulates wear. 

I have several KJV bibles and do not always take that particular bible to church. There are two bibles that I would often use for in-depth study, and the bible displayed in my post is normally used in group bible studies. As I said before . . . I am just an extremely gentle person when it comes to handling things . . . maybe it's an obsession that I have in keeping things perserved as best as possible. You can come into my home now, and return a month later, and it will seem almost indentical as it were last month. That's just me! In addition to that: this bible is by far the most durable bible I have seen and handled yet. 

God Bless!

I ate too much food today and now I'm paying for it. :(

I had did a testimony about this a while back. I was a very evil man back in the days and made some poor life choices as a young man.

Ban Rosie because I worked with a man who won $100,000 and spent it all in one year; he said he never felt more miserable in his life.

Ban Rosie because I thought exactly the same when I awoke to the "BREAKING NEWS" which was about the "super-lotto" and the myriad of people waiting in line to take their "chances".

That is not my home. My place is a modest cottage that's similar in style to that -- only not as big as that house (about 1/4 a block from that house). That house has three floors and is occupied by at least 12 people who are all tenants renting the place out. It looks nice on the outside but I've seen the inside and it's a mess, and some exterior parts of the house on the backside are dilapidated because the Landlord does not keep up with its much needed renovating. I may live in a modest cottage . . . but from being once homeless, it is a step up. I feel like I'm living in paradise! :D

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation I have succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time, behold; now is the day of salvation.) (2 Corinthians 6:2)

Lol, Jordan! I am astounded myself to tell you the truth. I have read that Bible countless times and for some reason it remains in the same condition. I guess I'm just extremely gentle when handling the word of God (literally and figuratively).

Someone had dropped off some Burmese food for me. Look's incredibly spicy!!!

I've heard a very popular and well respected bible teacher and Pastor make the claim that there is NO water, animals, blood or flowers in the Eternal State. I could not follow the logic of his response to someone who had asked him a question about eternity. What does the bible say?

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the WATER OF LIFE freely.  (Revelation 21:6)

The Greek word for "water" here is the same as the word for "water" in Greek everywhere else.  Is this the best water ever? Indeed!  It is the "water of life".  But saying it's not water is not something justified by any orthodox canon of interpretation. No animals in eternity?  Scripture doesn't say that -- anywhere. We know they have spirits.  We know that in the case of human beings and angels, no spirit ever goes out of existence.  Even the rebellious ones are preserved (albeit in the lake of fire).  I would argue that all animals are going to be somewhere in the new heavens and the new earth -- they did not have free will and so are not liable to the penalty of the lake of fire for rejecting the Gift of Jesus Christ.

No flowers?  The tree of life bears twelve types of fruit continually.  Fruit, in the experience God has given us by the way He has created things, is always preceded by flowering. That argues for flowers on the tree of life (which does have leaves), and if so, why would God not have flowers in eternity? We can't say for certain; but saying "NO" is definitely not authorized by scripture and runs against the evidence directly. No blood?  Perhaps. Our Lord told the disciples that He was not a "spirit" because a "spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Lk. 24:39).  So in other respects the resurrection body is like the old one -- only much better by far.

I would also contend that we can fly and move through walls. Our Lord did the latter and was able to move to the third heaven and from place to place instantly; our body will be like His. There is a GREAT deal about what is coming that we do not know and cannot say for sure. We are given enough to know that it will be wonderful beyond imagination; For now we see through a glass, darkly" (1 Cor. 13:12), that our motivation in this life to do what God wants us to do is not unfairly overwhelmed by thoughts of eternity. But we do know that there is much to learn and that it will be amazing. But as it is written:

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9) 

God Bless!

I still use my KJV Bible that I've received over 20 years ago and it's still in almost mint condition. The amazing pliability and durability of it is beyond any other bible that I've seen and felt.

If there ever is a doctrine that takes away the full assurance of hope and being with Christ, our Savior upon physical death . . . then it has got to be the false doctrine of soul sleep. One of my pet peeves are those who teach and promote false doctrines and heresies -- even on the web. I often email them and challenge them to a debate. I came across a website that promotes the false doctrine of "soul sleep" http://wordonly.net/CI06.html and was stunned at just how the author twisted scripture out of context with eisegesis and poor understanding of simple vocabulary that even a child can grasp.

There is no "soul sleep".  Immediately upon death, the spirit goes either to heaven or torments and the believer (or unbeliever) finds him/herself in an interim state (cf. Lk. 16:19-31; Phil. 1:21; Heb. 9:27). This is another case of individuals with no regard for the entire teaching of the scriptures taking individual passages which they think support their case for false doctrine and ignoring everything else (Ps. 119:160; Matt. 4:4; Acts 20:27; 2 Tim. 3:16).  Have they not read about Abraham and Lazarus and the rich man? They are not "asleep".  Did not Jesus say to the thief who repented on the cross that TODAY, he would be with Him "in paradise"? That's not sleep being referred to.  Haven't they read about the tribulational martyrs in heaven in Revelation chapters six and seven? They are not asleep. In general, the arguments made in favor of "soul sleep" in the passages this person included are vocabulary based arguments.  I've talked about this before.  Assuming that an English word means X and that because we find X in an English version of the Bible, therefore the passage must mean Y is faulty logic and horrible theology. The Bible means what it means and words it uses cannot be compelled to have only the particular meaning the twister of scripture wants.  A little common sense will reveal the correct answer even in English only Bible study most of the time.  

"Sleep" is something only the physical body does. The spirit never sleeps (dreams are a good indication of that).  Also importantly for this issue, the body asleep and the body in physical death resemble each other.  For that reason, sleep is often spoken of as death and death is often spoken of as sleep -- for the physical body. This is merely a manner of speaking, however.  Whenever a departed person is spoken of in scripture as "asleep", the reference is to the body, not the person (Dan. 12:2; Matt. 27:52; Lk. 8:52; Jn. 11:11-14; 1 Cor. 15:6,18; 2 Thess. 4:13-14; 2 Pet. 3:4). This is a natural thing too, because we can see the person's body (which resembles a body asleep) but we cannot see the person's spirit . . . because it is no longer present. When Jesus "gave up His spirit" on the cross, His body went into the tomb on earth, but we know that He Himself -- that is, His spirit -- descended into Hades, specifically, into paradise (as He told the converted thief: Lk. 23:43). That pattern -- of body going into the grave but spirit going elsewhere -- is the one that has always obtained and always will until kingdom come.

One other side note:  the "soul" is not something which is self-dependent or a "ghost" or "organ"; in the Bible, the  word "soul" is a synonym for the inner person or the heart. Misunderstanding this point leads to other incorrect assumptions about what scripture says on the nature of human beings. Here is a brief summary of my objections to some of the author's "proof texts" which he believes supports his false doctrine of soul sleep:

The author's supposed proof for promoting his doctrine of soul sleep:

• 1. The stoning of Stephen: Sleep in the bible refers to our essence of being asleep and the correct word to describe sleep a state on unconsciousness. When Stephen cried out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit", and fell asleep. If Stephen were indeed conscious in Heaven, then the bible would have said that, "His body fell asleep".
• 2. Jesus said that Lazarus is asleep and to not awake him because his soul is sleeping.
• 3. The bible mentions "sleep" a total of 72 times in the OT and the NT, so we cannot conclude that sleep always refers to death. Doing so, is illogical.
• 4. Sleep doesn't always mean "to be in Christ", and that unbelievers also sleep as in OT as in the kings slept with his fathers.
• 5. Psalm 146:4 says that upon death, a mans thoughts "perish" and cannot refer to a body without a soul since physical bodies alone cannot have thoughts; and that only the soul has thoughts, and they perish.
• 6. The "dead" no nothing and have no reward or remembrance (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10)

My refutations to his false assertions mentioned above:

• 1. You can't tell the Bible how it can and cannot say things. This is a euphemism.  Jesus said at John 11:11 "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep".  Jesus was not lying. He was putting things in a euphemistic way.  Later He says, plainly, "Lazarus is dead" (Jn.11:14).  The only way these two things can be true is if "sleeping" is a euphemism.
• 2. Jesus said nothing about Lazarus' "soul"; see above #1.
• 3. This is ridiculous. No one ever said "sleep ALWAYS refers to death".  But it certainly can.
• 4. I don't even understand this point.  No one makes this claim either.  
• 5. Human beings are never "unclothed" (2 Cor. 5:3); they have a physical body now, an interim one after death, and eventually all will be resurrected (some to life and some to the second death). Psalm 146:4 is just stating the obvious: planning is something a person can only do in this world and in this first body. After death, there is no more reason to choose (or plan). The decisions we make here and now will endure forever (especially the one to follow God through faith in Christ . . . or not).
• 6. See #5.  Ecclesiastes presents the human point of view.  E.g., "All is vanity!" is only true for those who reject the spiritual dimension in life. Jesus said the same thing: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul" (Mk. 8:36).  From the viewpoint of human beings who know nothing of God, the dead are "done".  It is true that here is no choice in death -- but we who have the Christian HOPE know full well that things are wonderful on the other side . . . and that we will be with Christ, NOT asleep:

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:20-23)

God Bless!

It's still early in the morning and the sun is already out beaming. 

Ban Rosie because me too.