Wednesday, August 10, 2016

 I FOUND A VERSE- IT TELLS US WHO WILL GO TO HEAVEN- OR HELL- AND IT’S VERY CLEAR!

[ The verse about ‘hell’ is below in NEW STUFF]
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Hebrews 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Hebrews 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

ON VIDEO-
.Whose Allen?
.Church Unlimited
.Sunday Mass
.See the water
.I find more stuff
.Why did Jesus say ‘don’t tell anyone’?

 NEW STUFF-
Today I want to challenge our mind sets.
 I talk about the verses from the Sunday Mass and Church Unlimited.
But I also share an insight- you know- stuff that makes us think [hopefully].
The other day as I was reading the gospel of John- I came across one of the many words of Jesus Christ- you know- the head of the church.
‘Why say it like that John’?
Because I wonder if we really live like it’s true-
Many Christians debate- ferociously- over doctrines-
Baptism- or Justification by faith- lots of stuff.
It usually centers around the question ‘who will be saved’.
I think we- God’s people- show a degree of immaturity when we do this.
Why?
Because we fixate on a verse- even from Jesus ‘you must be born again’- which of course is true.
But we often define it in such a way that says ‘and your church does not believe it- therefore you go to hell’.
Ok- but what about the many other ‘verses’ [definition= what Jesus actually said] that also speak in such exclusive ways.
Like the one where Jesus says .
John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

I mean do we- do you- really believe that?
Would you go around- telling people ‘unless you hate your life- you will not be saved’?
I know what most of us would say ‘But John- it really means..’
And yes- it surely might.
But the point I’m making is do we really give priority to what Jesus- the head of the church- actually taught?
He told us - Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Do you see that?
To teach people all that HE taught us-
Now- we like doing in depth theological discussion on Paul [ I do it myself] and we parse the letter of James ‘saved by works’- huh? https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/james-2015/
And it baffles us to make these verses fit [I do think they ‘fit’- by the way].
But if James- or Paul- or Peter said ‘and you will not be saved- unless you hate your life’- then woe man- we would be readjusting our teaching.
There would be entire denominations that would rise- out of a single verse.
But yet- when we read Jesus saying it- we sort of say ‘oh yeah- that’s  just one of those hard sayings- you know- we have to read them too’.
But that’s the problem- we read them- and I wonder if we really believe them.

Ok- the verses from the services were from Mark- and Hebrews.
In Mark we read the story of Jesus raising the 12 year old girl from the dead.
Jesus tells his men ‘don’t tell anyone about it’.
Hmm?
Jesus does this often- why?
I think he was training his men- to not ‘show off’.
After he leaves them- he sends the Spirit and they too will do actual miracles.
And maybe he’s showing them [us] how to handle it.
Don’t seek self-promotion.
 Sure- people will still talk about it [they did with Jesus].
But make sure you’re not the one promoting it- because then the miracles will stop.
And In Hebrews I covered the story of Abraham- I taught it before- here’s the link https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/hebrews-updated-2015/
In short- Abraham was given a promise by God ‘thru Isaac you will have many kids’.
God tells Abraham to offer Isaac- the promised child.
Hebrews 11 says Abraham just figured God would raise him from the dead.
Abraham got to the point in his life- were he learned to believe God- even when his orders seemed to go against the actual promise.
Jesus said he had to die- go to the Cross.
His men did not understand it- it didn’t seem to make sense.
And yes- to them- at that stage- it didn’t make sense.
They thought he was going to be the Messiah- who would fight off the Romans- and be their king- in a ‘king now’ way.
But after it was all said and done- yes- he was [is] the king- but not in the way they first thought the plan would work.
In Abraham’s mind- he just figured God would have to raise Isaac from the dead- because God told him ‘offer your son’.
And it was the same son that God said would have many kids.
So- at this stage in the life of Abraham- he learned that faith was not trying to figure it out- not questioning God.
Just do what he says- and if he has to- sure- he will raise the dead.
No big deal.

Here’s the famous painting I mentioned on the video-

 

Allegory of the long spoons

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A fresco showing heaven above, and hell below, Vank Cathedral, Iran
The allegory of the long spoons is a parable that shows the difference between heaven and hell by means of people forced to eat with long spoons. It is attributed to Rabbi Haim of Romshishok, as well as other sources.[1]
In hell the people are unable to lift food to their mouths using such unwieldy cutlery, and are starving. In heaven, the diners feed one another across the table and are sated. The story can encourage people to be kind to each other. There are various interpretations of the fable including its use in sermons and in advice to lonely people.
Contents
  [hide
·         1Interpretation
·         2Variations
·         3Art and popular culture
·         4See also
·         5References
Interpretation[edit]
The story suggests that people have the opportunity to use what they are given (the long spoons in this allegory) to help nourish each other, but the problem, as Haim points out, lies in how the people treat each other.
Given the same level playing field one group of people who treat each other well will create a pleasant environment. Whereas another group of people, given exactly the same tools to work with, can create unpleasant conditions simply by how they treat each other. Writer Dawn Eden suggests that this is a simple truth which can be easily forgotten by lonely people unable to see their situation clearly. She argues that such situations can be improved by reaching out to others.[2]
Variations[edit]
The long spoons allegory has become part of the folklore of several cultures, for example: Jewish,[3] Hindu,[4] Buddhist,[5] Oriental[6] and Christian.[2][7] In medieval Europe, the food in the story is a bowl of stew; in China, it is a bowl of rice being eaten with long chopsticks.[1]
In some versions of the story the diners are using regular cutlery but are unable to bend their arms,[1] with a story attributed to Rabbi Haim of Romshishok describing how "both arms were splinted with wooden slats so he could not bend either elbow to bring the food to his mouth".
During conflict resolution in non-Western cultures[which?] communicating difficult truths is better through a third party who can make suggestions through such stories.[8]
Art and popular culture[edit]
While the parable itself is seldom depicted in art, it is well known and used in sermons when referring to hell, where the fashion for depicting hell in terrible, painful, gruesome terms is fading in recent times.[2]
The parable is told by Norman McCay in the novelization of Kingdom Come. In the 2011 Boardwalk Empire episode, "Under God's Power She Flourishes", Father Brennan tells Margaret the Allegory of the Long Spoons while Emily is fitted for leg braces.[9] A scene in the 2013 thriller The East draws strong comparisons to the allegory when protagonist Sarah is depicted as selfish for neglecting to feed her adjacent diner, whilst in a straitjacket. It is also retold in Barbara Kingsolver's novel, The Bean Trees.
In Scotland, it is often said "It taks a lang spoon tae sup wi a Fifer".
Caritas made an animation video based on this allegory for their campaign "One human family, food for all".[10]



Verses-
Mark 5:35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?
Mark 5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.
Mark 5:37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.
Mark 5:38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.
Mark 5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.
Mark 5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.
Mark 5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.
Mark 5:42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.
Mark 5:43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Hebrews 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Hebrews 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
Hebrews 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Hebrews 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
Hebrews 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.
Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Hebrews 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Hebrews 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

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Note- Please do me a favor, those who read/like the posts- re-post them on other sites as well as the site you read them on. I deal with issues at times that it would be beneficial for some of you to download and save the file from the Word Press link. This creates a permanent record. The on-line videos are only good if sites are not hacked- which has happened in the past. Thanks- John.#





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