BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT

BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7.

Is it a man just body and soul or is he body, soul and spirit? This I believe is one of the most fundamental questions that somebody needs to have correctly answered. I consider the subject of body, soul and spirit as one of the most important subjects dealt within this magazine. Therefore I would like to ask you to please pay close attention as we go through the Word to find the answer not only to the matter of body soul and spirit but also to some other equally important questions related to it.
1. Body, soul, spirit: what died in the day Adam and Eve sinned?
To start approaching the topic of body soul and spirit we need to go to the first book of the Bible, the Genesis. There, after God made man, He imposed a restriction on him, making also clear the penalty, for the case that this restriction was violated:
Genesis 2:16-17 "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die".
The restriction that God imposed on Adam was that he should not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The penalty for the case that this restriction was violated was that: "in the day [pay attention: that very day] that you eat of it you shall surely die". Two very significant things have to be noted in that penalty. The first is that if Adam ate from the tree death would happen immediately, in that very day. The second is that this would happen surely. The phrase "you shall SURELY die" has exactly the purpose to put emphasis on the fact that death would happen 100%, surely, in that day.
Now from Genesis 3:1-6 we all know how Satan deceived Adam and Eve to violate the only restriction God had imposed on them, and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After eating from that tree and according to what God had told them in Genesis 2:17, they should have died at that moment. The problem here is that Genesis 5:5-6 says about Adam: "After he [Adam] begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died."
Therefore, according to the Bible, Adam continued to have life in his body for many years after he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. On the other hand, God had said that if he would eat from that tree he would surely, 100%, die, in that same day. So what really happen in the day that Adam and Eve ate from that tree. Did they die as God said, or they did not die? Who will solve us this "problem"? Man's ideas, theories, religion and tradition? No! Only one can give us answers, and this is no other than the Word of God. And if you want this Word to give you answers, you have to leave it to speak for itself (self interpretation).
In our case, since God cannot lie (Numbers 23:19) in the day that Adam and Eve ate from that tree they really died. Actually, it was the Devil that said, when he deceived Eve, "you shall not surely die". Thus, if they did not die that day, as God said, then Satan was right and God was wrong, which is simply impossible. However, that's exactly what many teach today when they say "actually when God said that they would surely die He meant that just the sperm of death would be planted". The Word of God does not need such kind of defense. Actually it does not need any defense at all for it is truth and truth can stand by itself. Returning to our topic: SINCE GOD SAID THAT THEY WOULD SURELY DIE THAT VERY DAY, THEY INDEED DIED THAT DAY. However, since they continued to have life in their bodies even after they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, it is self-evident that they must have had another form of life, in addition to the life of their bodies, that was lost in the day that they ate and for this reason it was death (absence of a form of life). So, we have to search the Scriptures to see how man was created and what were the parts of his being. Knowledge of what composed the life of the first man will also enable us to see what was lost in that day.

2. BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT: THE BODY AND SOUL PARTS.
Starting our research on how the first man was created, let's go to Genesis 2:7. There it says:
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground…"
Which part of man did God form of the dust of the ground? His body. That's why the elements of the human body can be found in the ground. So one part of the first human being was the body. But let's continue:
Genesis 2:7  "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul [soul = nephesh in Hebrew]"
We saw that God formed man's body of the dust of the ground. However, this body did not have life. It was just formed, without life. Then, the Word of God tells us that God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul". Therefore, what is soul? Soul is what gives life to the body. The fact that people do not understand the simple truths of the Word of God described at that point has caused no end of confusion. Here the Word of God tells us that soul is what gives life to the body. Without soul the body is dead. Where is the soul, the life of the body, the life of the flesh? The Word of God again is very precise:
Leviticus 17:11, 13-14 "For the life [nephesh in Hebrew] of the flesh is in the blood.....Whatever man of the children of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who hunts and catches any animal or bird that may be eaten, he shall pour out its blood, and cover it with dust; For it [i.e. the blood] is the life [nephesh] of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life [nephesh] of it: therefore I said to the children of Israel "You shall not eat the blood of any flesh: for the life [nephesh] of all flesh is its blood"
We saw in Genesis 2:7 that soul (nephesh in Hebrew) is what gives life to the body. Here in Leviticus we see that "the life of the flesh is in the blood". In the above passage the word “life” is a translation of the Hebrew word "nephesh" that is translated as “soul” in Genesis 2:7 as well as in 471 out of the 753 of the places where it occurs. Therefore, what is “nephesh” or soul? According to Genesis 2:7 soul is what gives life to the body. Where is the “nephesh”, the life of the body, the soul? According to Leviticus 17:11-14 it is in the blood: "For the life (nephesh, soul) of the flesh is in the blood". How this soul life passes from generation to generation? Through the blood. That's why Acts 17:26 says: "And He has made from ONE BLOOD every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth".
The "one blood" of this passage is the blood of Adam which passes from generation to generation and actually is the blood that all of us have.
Actually, soul is not something that only man has. Animals have also soul which again is in the blood. Although this is immediately understood from the above passage of Leviticus, where we are told that the life of all flesh is in the blood let's go to Genesis 1:20-21, 29-30 to see it there as well:
Genesis 1:20-21 "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature [nephesh, soul] that has life [nephesh, soul] and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created great whales, and every living creature [nephesh, soul] that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good"
Genesis 1:29-30 "And God said "Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yield seed; to you it shall be for food. And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps upon the earth, wherein there is a living soul [nephesh in Hebrew] I have given every green herb for meat:" and it was so."
Therefore, not only man but also the animals have "nephesh" i.e. "soul". This is not strange at all, if we understand that soul is what gives life to the body. When you die there is no more life, no more soul. The same happens with the animals. Soul is for them the same that is for man i.e. what gives life to the body. Although, there is no problem about what is defined as soul in the Bible, the problem is created when we go to the Bible with the preconceived idea that soul is immortal. If soul was immortal, then really the souls of the various animals would also be immortal, since they have "nephesh" as man has "nephesh". Soul is not something immortal. It just gives life to the body. When you stop having life in your body, you have no more soul.
By now, we have seen that the Bible teaches that God formed the body of man of the dust of the ground, and that He gave to that body life i.e. soul. The same is also true for the animals. They also have body and soul. Every man in the world, believer or unbeliever, has body and soul. It can therefore be concluded that since Adam died 930 years old, when he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he obviously lost neither his body nor his soul. Thus, since something had to die for Adam that day, he must originally have had at least one more part, which was lost, died, when he ate. So, let's continue searching the Scriptures to see what they say about that.

3. BODY, SOUL AND SPIRIT: THE SPIRIT PART.
To continue our enquiry let's go to Genesis 1:26-27. There it says: "Then God said "let us make man in our image, according to our likeness.... So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them"
According to this passage, God created man "in His own image". Here is a very critical point, a key point, if we want to understand not only what happened in the day that Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but also other passages of the Bible that are affected by what is said here. Reading the above passage, the question that has to be asked is what is the image of God? What does He look like? John 4:24 tells us: "God is Spirit"
God is not flesh but Spirit. That is His image. Therefore, when the Word of God tells us that God created man according to His image, it means that in addition to body and soul man also had that which is the image of God i.e. spirit. In order to understand better the usage of the phrase "in his image" in the above critical passage, let's see another place where this phrase occurs.
Genesis 5:1-3 "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, In the likeness of God made He him; Male and female created He them ; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth"
This passage says that Adam begat a son "in his own likeness, after his image". What does it mean? It means that as Adam was, so his son was i.e. as Adam had hands so Seth had hands. As Adam had feet so Seth had feet etc. As Adam was body and soul so Seth was body and soul. Similarly, when the Word says that God created man "in his image", "in the likeness of God", what it means is that as God is, so Adam was. God is not flesh. He does not have feet, hands, head. He is spirit. So as God is spirit so Adam had spirit. One could ask, why did God make Adam apart from body and soul, spirit as well? The simple reason is that without spirit Adam could not communicate with God Who is spirit. God being Spirit, cannot communicate with the body and soul. They are different things. You see, you cannot receive the messages of a radio station unless you have a radio receiver. You may have a washing machine. But the fact that you have a washing machine does not make it possible for you to receive the messages of the radio station. You need a radio receiver. Similarly, God is spirit and to communicate with Him you must have spirit. Body and soul are enough for things of the five senses. But when it comes to the things of God, what you need is spirit. This truth is also explained in I Corinthians 2:14: "But the natural [psuchikos in the Greek] man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him: nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
In this passage, the word translated "natural" is the Greek adjective "psuchikos", which comes from the noun "psuchi" which means soul. So, psuchikos means "a soul man" i.e. a man with body and soul only1. According to that passage a man who is only body and soul "does not receive the things of the Spirit of God". As it was said above to receive "the things of the spirit of God", to communicate with God you need the appropriate receiver i.e. spirit. That's why the passage says: "nor can he (the man of body and soul) know them because they are spiritually discerned". The man of body and soul is impossible to know the things of God for the simple reason that such things have to do with the spirit, "they are spiritually discerned", and since he lacks spirit he cannot know them.
Summarizing all the above, Adam had body, formed from the dust of the ground, soul that gives life to the body and spirit to communicate with God. He was body, soul and spirit. Having established that, there is no question about what happened in the day that Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God had told them that in the day that they would eat from it, they would surely die. Bearing in mind that death means the absence of a form of life, we can now see what died that day. Adam was body, soul and spirit and his body died many years after the day that he ate. Now since without soul a body has no life, Adam had body and soul even after he ate from that tree. On the other hand, since God is always right in what He says, something had to die that day. Since Adam was body, soul and spirit before he ate and since, as we saw, he continued to have body and soul after he ate what was lost for him that day, was the spirit that God gave him. He continued to have body and soul but he did not have spirit. The spirit departed from him and this was death for him since spirit, a form of life that he had before he ate, was no more there.
You see, how clearly the Bible settles the things when you leave it to interpret itself. It was actually this loss of the spirit that was restored in the day of Pentecost where holy spirit was made available, so that today after believing in Jesus Christ you are again body, soul and spirit. That’s why then Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
We now, after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and His resurrection and receiving the gift of the holy spirit, we are no longer just body and soul but body, soul and spirit.

5 FOODS TO BOOST YOUR EYE HEALTH

5 FOODS TO BOOST YOUR EYE HEALTH

You’ve likely been told at one time or another that if you want healthy eyes, you need to eat carrots. And while the old adage has some truth to it because the beta carotene in carrots is converted to vitamin A – a vitamin that is needed for optimum eye health — there are other, and perhaps even better foods to eat. Here are some of those foods:

1. SPINACH
Spinach as well as other dark, leafy greens like kale contain two antioxidants stored in the macula which is that part of the retina that shields the eyes from damaging light. These antioxidants are lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein is a deep yellow pigment found in the leaves of plants, and zeaxanthin a carotenoid found in the retina of the eye and in many plants like spinach. And since the eye has a particularly high metabolic rate – as in, they ust a lot of energy – there is an added need for antioxidant protection.

2. RED PEPPERS
Red peppers are not just a vegetable to make your throat burn, nose run and eyes water (although the eye watering thing might actually be good). Red peppers contain vitamin C, which is a water-soluble vitamin and a powerful antioxidant.
And aside from helping ward off the common cold, vitamin C helps the body form and keep connective tissue, including collagen that is found in the cornea of the eye. Vitamin C also helps keep your blood vessels healthy, including the delicate capillaries in the retina.

3. ALMONDS
If you look at any healthy food list, you will likely find almonds and other nuts. This is because they are full of Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, potassium, carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium and your B vitamins. All of these things contribute to the overall health of your body. But, let’s just talk about almonds. They contain vitamin E, Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect our eyes from free radicals, that can break down healthy tissues. Vitamin E has also been found to prevent age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.

4. FISH
Well, we’ve talked a lot about plants with vitamins, particularly, A, C and E that are needed for healthy eyesight. However, the thing about those vitamins, is they are essentially useless without fat to carry them where they need to go. They are called fat-soluble vitamins.

One great way to get that all-important fat is through fish, particularly fresh salmon and tuna. These fish are meaty and full of Omega 3 fatty acid that helps your blood vessels healthy and strong. These fatty acids help intraocular fluid flows through the pupil, essentially playing a key role in preventing dry eye syndrome and glaucoma.

5. EGGS
Eggs are another super food that contain just about everything you need. One hard boiled egg will give you potassium, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, calcium, and magnesium — all thing great for healthy and strong eyes.
But, there are two things that makes eggs a healthful food for your eyes: lutein and zeaxanthin. Yes, just like spinach, eggs contain this powerful antioxidant (lutein) that is responsible for the yellow color in the yolk which helps fight macular degeneration. And as we learned earlier, Zeaxanthin may protect eyes against damage due to ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Keep in mind, however, that these powerful protectors are only found in the yolk. So keep the yellow stuff in if you want to see all the pretty colors this world has to offer.

REFLECTION

REFLECTION

When we return home tired from a long day of activities or work, we can make serious mistakes. Paying, in our haste, for something that came out different than what we expected, the subject we failed, an agreement with a client that could not be sealed, a misunderstanding with a friend. All these situations can make us feel helpless and in turn can translate into anger. The targets that are available at home are usually our own relatives, who until the time we arrive were surely oblivious to what happened to us throughout the course of the day.

Nobody likes to be mistreated or be blamed by someone else in order for them to release their frustration.
That is why it is important that we take a few minutes to reflect on what happened and to speak with God, so that He will help us alleviate our burden. We should speak in a way that others will like to listen to us and hear us and feel comfortable talking to us. If our closest relationships constantly receive our discomfort, or only witness our frustrations, the moments for sharing our joys and good times will become more infrequent. God bless you.

THE EASTER STORY

THE EASTER STORY

Taken from The Gospel of Mark Chapters14-16 ( New Living Translation of the Bible)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.  God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it”  (John 3:16-17).

THE LAST SUPPER (Mark chapter 14)

So the two disciples went on ahead into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover supper there.

In the evening Jesus arrived with the twelve disciples.  As they were sitting around the table eating, Jesus said,

“The truth is, one of you will betray Me, one of you who is here eating with Me.”

Greatly distressed, one by one they began to ask Him, “I’m not the one, am I?”

He replied,

“It is one of you twelve, one who is eating with Me now.  For I, the Son of Man, must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago.  But how terrible it will be for My betrayer.  Far better for him if he had never been born!”

As they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked God’s blessing on it.  Then He broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying,

“Take it, for this is My body.”

And He took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it.  He gave it to them, and they all drank from it.  And He said to them,

“This is My blood, poured out for many, sealing the covenant between God and His people.  I solemnly declare that I will not drink wine again until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

And they came to an olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said,

“Sit here while I go and pray.”

He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be filled with horror and deep distress.  He told them,

“My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.  Stay here and watch with Me.”

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting Him might pass him by.

“Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for You.  Please take this cup of suffering away from Me.  Yet I want Your will, not Mine.”

Then He returned and found the disciples asleep.

“Simon!” He said to Peter.  “Are you asleep?  Couldn’t you stay awake and watch with Me even one hour?  Keep alert and pray.  Otherwise temptation will overpower you.  For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak.”

Then Jesus left them again and prayed, repeating His pleadings.

Again He returned to them and found them sleeping, for they just couldn’t keep their eyes open.  And they didn’t know what to say.  When He returned to them the third time, He said,

“Still sleeping?  Still resting?  Enough!  The time has come.   I, the Son of Man, am betrayed into the hands of sinners.  Up, let’s be going.  See, My betrayer is here!”

JESUS IS BETRAYED AND ARRESTED

And immediately, as He said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed with swords and clubs.  They had been sent out by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law and the other leaders.  Judas had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I go over and give Him the kiss of greeting.  Then you can take Him away under guard.”

As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus.  “Teacher!” he exclaimed, and gave Him the kiss.  Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.  But someone pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest’s servant.  Jesus asked them,

“Am I some dangerous criminal, that you come armed with swords and clubs to arrest Me?  Why didn’t you arrest Me in the Temple?  I was there teaching every day.  But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about Me.”

Meanwhile, all His disciples deserted Him and ran away.  There was a young man following along behind, clothed only in a linen nightshirt.  When the mob tried to grab him, they tore off his clothes, but he escaped and ran away naked.

JESUS IS CRUCIFIED (Mark chapter 15 )

So Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them.  He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip then turned Him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify Him.  They dressed Him in a purple robe and made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on His head.  Then they saluted, yelling, “Hail! King of the Jews!”  And they beat Him on the head with a stick, spit on Him and dropped to their knees in mock worship.  When they were finally tired of mocking Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him again.  Then they led Him away to be crucified.

Easter StoryA man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the country just then, and they forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.  And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means Skull Hill).  They offered Him wine drugged with myrrh, but He refused it.  Then they nailed Him to the cross.  They gambled for His clothes, throwing dice to decide who would get them.

It was nine o’clock in the morning when the crucifixion took place.  A signboard was fastened to the cross above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against Him.  It read: “The King of the Jews.”  Two criminals were crucified with Him, their crosses on either side of His.  And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery.  “Ha! Look at you now!” they yelled at Him. “You can destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, can you?  Well then, save yourself and come down from the cross!”

The leading priests and teachers of religious law also mocked Jesus.  “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but He can’t save himself!  Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe Him!”  Even the two criminals who were being crucified with Jesus ridiculed Him.

THE DEATH OF JESUS

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock.  Then, at that time Jesus called out with a loud voice,

“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”

Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to Him on a stick so he could drink.  “Leave Him alone.  Let’s see whether Elijah will come and take Him down!” he said.

Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed His last.  And the curtain in the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  When the Roman officer who stood facing Him saw how He had died, he exclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

Some women were there, watching from a distance, including Mary Magdalene, Mary (the mother of James the younger and of Joseph) and Salome.  They had been followers of Jesus and had cared for Him while He was in Galilee.  Then they and many other women had come with Him to Jerusalem.

THE BURIAL OF JESUS

This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath.  As evening approached, an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body.  Pilate couldn’t believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him.  The officer confirmed the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body.  Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock.  Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance.  Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.

THE RESURRECTION – JESUS IS RISEN! (Mark chapter 16 )

The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body.  Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb.  On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb.  But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone – a very large one – had already been rolled aside.  So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe.  The women were startled, but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised.  You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here!  He has been raised from the dead!  Look, this is where they laid His body.  Now go and give this message to His disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee.  You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died!”  The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.

Easter storyIt was early on Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead, and the first person who saw Him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom He had cast out seven demons. She went and found the disciples, who were grieving and weeping.  But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen Him, they didn’t believe her.

Afterward He appeared to two who were walking from Jerusalem into the country, but they didn’t recognize Him at first because He had changed His appearance.  When they realized who He was, they rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them. Still later He appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together.  He rebuked them for their unbelief – their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.

And then He told them,

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere.  Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved.  But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.  These signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in My name, and they will speak new languages.  They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them.  They will be able to place their hands on the sick and heal them.”

When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

God loves you so much that He sent His son Jesus Christ to die for your sins. After His resurrection and ascension into heaven, He sent His Spirit to live in our lives and empower us to live the abundant life.  But we must personally ask Him into our lives to be our Lord and Savior.  If you are sincere about asking Him into your life, why don’t you pray the suggested prayer below:

(Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not as concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart.)

Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to You and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.

AN EFFECTIVE PRAYER ALTAR

AN EFFECTIVE PRAYER ALTAR
“And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:20-22.
When God smell the sweet aroma from the altar, He spoke.
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.” Hebrews 13:8-10.
Ezra 3:1-6 - The returnees from exile came to rebuild the temple but they first started with building the altar to back and sustain them throughout building the temple. They built the altar and keep sacrificing it. They maintained and sustained it as they prioritized it regularly. If you are connected to an altar, you will also partake of benefits of it – 1 Cor. 9:11.
An altar is a meeting place between the worshiped and the worshippers. It is where the Omnipotent meets the potent. It is a place of sacrifice for the deity to accept it. It is a place where the fats are burnt and incense rise to God. It is where we bring the sacrifice to the worshipped.
An altar is also the place of exchange – where you give your sacrifice, the deities release their blessing. Isaiah 40:31 says, they that wait on the Lord, they shall exchange their strength for the Lord’s.
The altar is a place of transformation and empowerment – Holiness is a divine attribute. If we shall attain it, it shall be in His presence – changing from one stage to another unto perfection. You may not be whom you wish to be now, but if you keep sitting at His presence, a transformation to His image will take place gradually till you reach the perfection.
The altar is a place of witness.
The altar speaks – “Then the sixth angel sounded: I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,” Rev. 9:13. If you a regular commuter at the altar, it will speak for you and offer you its benefits. Altar speaks life, it speaks backward to cancel your past sins and takes away your condemnation.
The altar is a place of refuge and protection.
Life has to do with the strength of altar backing him. The strength of alters are not the same.
What are the determinants of an altar?
The strength (power) of the deity
The sacrifice that is presented on the altar. The greatest of all altars is the one that has Jesus Christ the Son of the Most High on it. Having the blood of Jesus Christ speaking of a better covenant.
In 2 Kings 3:26-27, king of Moab killed his crown prince for sacrifice – the highest and most precious to his idol. Giving God poor sacrifice cannot move Him into action. Anyone offering God his best shall experience God in action in a greater measure. The poor sacrifice we bring to the altar of God is the reason why our altar could not produce its maximum.
What Altar Are We Talking About Now?
Our Altar as Christians is mobile – It is situated in our hearts and is connected to the throne of grace. It is moveable – It is within, not external. Every benefits of redemption that Jesus brought for us, we access it at the altar. If we are disconnected from the altar for whatever reason, we are in doom. Before starting a project, you must first build relationship. Elijah first rebuilt the broken altar and prayed at the right time – the hour of prayer (of evening sacrifice). Many unbelievers knew how to maintain their backups, but the Christians are weak.
Active Volcano – Power and Fire at the Altar
When the altar of Micah was taken away from him in Judges 18:14-26, he cried out in struggle to have it back. When your altar is taken away from you, you become empty and irrelevant. Your prayer altar must not be taken away from you; for it will speak for you in the day of trouble.
In conclusion, spend days and nights in God’s presence. Serve your altar with better offerings to win the divine approval and become partaker of His benefits. If/when your altar is sound and healthy, your building/projects will prosper.

ARISE AND SHINE

ARISE & SHINE!

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee." Isaiah 60:1.

Who can shine?

He who has light life. The beauty of plant is its flower. Fresh leaf & stones cannot catch fire. Jesus is the light of the world. Only the man in Christ can shine as light in this world full of darkness.

When to Shine?

Light has no value when there s no darkness. When darkness is dominating is the right time light can shine - Isaiah 60:2.

When in darkness of oppression, we need light of liberation.

When in darkness of sickness, we need light of healing.

When in darkness of poverty, we need light of financial breakthrough.

When in darkness of barrenness, we need light of fruitfulness.

When in darkness of shame & disgrace, we need light of glory & power.

When in darkness of captivity, we need light of freedom... etc

Why "Arise"?

- The word "arise" is a command. It indicates that the person concern is sleeping or lying down hopeless - Isaiah 52:1-6.

- It is an order to encourage the man to resume his duty of destiny & be fulfilled.

- It comes from the higher authority to the lesser person - God to man.

- It is the set time to be fulfilled. If any man manifests before his time, he may be wasted (aborted) like a premature baby. But at the appointed time of God, fulfillment is inevitable. Gal. 4:4-5.

CHALLENGE...

Do you see reason for you to shine?

Do you believe it is your set time & turn?

Are you ready to shine?

Can you see God in your situation ready to turn the tide in your favour?

Can God ride on you to shine in you to the world?

If yes! Then the condition is...

1. You must be born again - John 3:3,5; 1 Cor. 5:17.

2. You must be washed clean daily through the blood of Jesus for cleansing and empowerment - 1 John 1:7.

3. Be filled with the Holy Spirit - He is the oil in the lamp - John 20:22; Eph. 5:18.

4. Live holy & be righteous everyday in spite of whatever challenge you are facing.

5. Walk in love with all men.

6. Be a forgiver as God has forgiven you - Luke 6:37; Matt. 6:12-15.

7. Let Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom - Col. 3:16; Eph. 3:17. Christ is our sufficiency - 2 Cor. 3:5.

BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Baptism with the Holy Spirit (alternatively Baptism of the Holy Spirit or Baptism in the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost ) in Christian theology is a term describing baptism (washing or immersion) in or with the Spirit of God and is frequently associated with the bestowal of spiritual gifts and empowerment for Christian ministry. While the phrase "baptism with the Holy Spirit" is found in the New Testament, and while all Christian traditions accept it as a theological concept, each has interpreted it in a way consistent with their own beliefs on ecclesiology and Christian initiation. One view holds that the term refers only to Pentecost, the "once-for-all" event for the whole Church described in the second chapter of the Book of Acts. Another view holds that the term also refers to an experience of the individual believer distinct from salvation and initiation into the Church.

Before the emergence of the holiness movement in the mid-19th century and Pentecostalism in the early 20th century, most denominations believed that Christians received the baptism with the Holy Spirit either upon conversion and regeneration or through rites of Christian initiation. Since the growth and spread of Pentecostal and charismatic churches, however, the belief that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is an experience distinct from regeneration has come into increasing prominence. Biblical description Greco's depiction of Pentecost, with tongues of fire and a dove representing the Holy Spirit's descent.

Further information: Holy Spirit (Judaism) In Christian theology, the work of the Holy Spirit under the Old Covenant is viewed as less extensive than that under the New Covenant inaugurated on the day of Pentecost. The Spirit was restricted to certain chosen individuals, such as high priests and prophets. Often termed the “spirit of prophecy” in rabbinic writings, the Holy Spirit was closely associated with prophecy and divine inspiration. It was anticipated that in the future messianic age God would pour out his spirit upon all of Israel, which would become a nation of prophets. While the exact phrase "baptism with the Holy Spirit" is not found in the New Testament, two forms of the phrase are found in the canonical gospels using the verb "baptize". The baptism was spoken about by John the Baptist, who contrasted his water baptism for the forgiveness of sins with the baptism of Jesus. In Mark and John, the Baptist proclaimed that Jesus "will baptize in (the) Holy Spirit"; while in Matthew and Luke, he "will baptize with Holy Spirit and fire". Jesus is considered the first person to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus during his baptism and anointed him with power. Afterward, Jesus began his ministry and displayed his power by casting out demons, healing the sick, and teaching with authority. The phrase "baptized in the Holy Spirit" occurs two times in Acts, first in Acts 1:4-5 and second in Acts 11:16. Other terminology is used in Acts to indicate Spirit baptism, such as "filled". "Baptized in the Spirit" indicates an outward immersion into the reality of the Holy Spirit, while "filled with the Spirit" suggests an internal diffusion. Both terms speak to the totality of receiving the Spirit. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is described in various places as the Spirit "poured out upon", "falling upon", "coming upon" people. To "pour out" suggests abundance and reflects John 3:34, "God gives the Spirit without limit". Another expression, "come upon" is related to a statement by Jesus in Luke 24:49, "I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high". The language of "come on" and "clothed with" suggest possession by and endowment with the Holy Spirit. The narrative of Acts begins after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. The resurrected Jesus directed his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the baptism in the Holy Spirit and promised, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth". After his ascension, he was given authority to pour out the Holy Spirit. In the New Testament, the messianic expectations found in early Judaism were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2:1-41. The Christian community was gathered together in Jerusalem when a sound from heaven like rushing wind was heard and tongues like tongues of flame rested on everyone. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues, miraculously praising God in foreign languages. A crowd gathered and was addressed by the Apostle Peter who stated that the occurrence was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, "And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy". He then explained how the Spirit came to be poured out, recounting Jesus’ ministry and passion and then proclaiming his resurrection and enthronement at the right hand of God. In response, the crowd asked Peter what they should do. He responded that they should repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins in order to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter finished his speech stating that the promise "is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself". Baptism in the Holy Spirit occurs elsewhere in Acts. The gospel had been proclaimed in Samaria and the apostles Peter and John were sent from Jerusalem. The new believers had been water baptized, but the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen on them. The Samaritans received the Holy Spirit when Peter and John laid their hands on them. The Apostle Paul was also filled with the Holy Spirit when Ananias of Damascus laid hands on him, and afterwards Paul was baptized with water. Later in Acts, Peter preached the gospel to the household of Cornelius the Centurion, a Gentile. While he preached, the Holy Spirit fell on the gentiles, and they began to speak in tongues. The Jewish believers with Peter were amazed, and the household was water baptized. While the apostle Paul was in Ephesus, he found disciples there and discovered that they did not know of the existence of the Holy Spirit and had only received John the Baptist’s baptism. After baptizing them in Jesus’ name, Paul laid his hands on them, and they began to speak in tongues and prophesy. History In the early Church, the imposition of hands on the newly baptized to impart the gift of the Holy Spirit was the origin of the sacrament of confirmation. In the Eastern Church, confirmation continued to be celebrated immediately after water baptism. The two rites were separated in the Western church. According to Pentecostal historian H. Vinson Synan, "the basic premise of Pentecostalism, that one may receive later effusions of the Spirit after initiation/conversion, can be clearly traced in Christian history to the beginnings of the rite of confirmation in the Western churches". Many Puritans believed that the experience of becoming a Christian was followed by a later and distinct experience of the Holy Spirit. This experience was characterized by receiving assurance of one's salvation. English Puritan Thomas Goodwin equated this experience with the baptism in the Holy Spirit and the "seal of the Spirit" referenced in the Epistle to the Ephesians. Synan traces the influence of Catholic and Anglican mystical traditions on John Wesley's doctrine of Christian perfection or entire sanctification, from which Pentecostal beliefs on Spirit baptism developed. Furthermore, James Dunn notes early Methodist beliefs can be directly linked to Puritan teaching on the Holy Spirit. Wesley taught that while the new birth was the start of the Christian life, "inbred sin" remained and must be removed through a lifelong process of moral cleansing. John Fletcher , Wesley's designated successor, called Christian perfection a "baptism in the Holy Spirit". His Checks to Antinomianism later became a standard for Pentecostally- inclined holiness teachers. On the subject, Fletcher wrote: In mid-19th century America, the Wesleyan holiness movement began to teach that entire sanctification was less a process and more of a state that one entered into by faith at a definite moment in time. This second blessing, as it was commonly called, allowed Christians to be freed from the power of sin. Among adherence of the holiness movement, baptism in the Holy Spirit was synonymous with second blessing sanctification. After his conversion in 1821, Presbyterian minister and revivalist Charles Grandison Finney experienced what he called "baptism in the Holy Spirit" accompanied by "unutterable gushings" of praise. Finney and other Reformed writers, known as Oberlin perfectionists, agreed that there was a life altering experience after conversion, but unlike their Wesleyan holiness counterparts, they conceived of it as an ongoing process enabling believers to devote themselves wholly to Christ's service. Similarly, the English Higher Life movement taught that the second blessing was an "enduement of power". According to this view, Spirit baptism gave Christians the ability to be witnesses for the gospel and to perform Christian service. Wesleyan teachers emphasized purity while Oberlin and higher life advocates stressed power as the defining outcome of Spirit baptism.

In the early 1890s, R.C. Horner, a Canadian holiness evangelist, introduced a theological distinction that would be important for the development of Pentecostalism. He argued in his books Pentecost (1891) and Bible Doctrines (1909) that the baptism in the Holy Spirit was not synonymous with the second blessing but was actually a third work of grace subsequent to salvation and sanctification that empowered the believer for service. Charles Fox Parham would build on this doctrinal foundation when he identified speaking in tongues as the Bible evidence of Spirit baptism. Views Russian Orthodox depiction of Pentecost, c. 1497. The diverse views on Spirit-baptism held among Christian traditions can be categorized into three main groups. These are baptism with the Spirit as sacramental initiation (Orthodox and Catholic churches), regeneration (Reformed tradition), and empowerment for witness and vocation (Pentecostals and charismatics). Main article: Chrismation Orthodox Churches believe that baptism in the Holy Spirit is conferred with water baptism. The individual is anointed with oil (chrism) immediately after baptism.

According to Cyril of Jerusalem:

Main article: Confirmation (Catholic Church). The Catholic Church teaches that baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist —the sacraments of Christian initiation—lay the foundations of the Christian life. [42] The Christian life is based on baptism. It is "the gateway to life in the Spirit" and "signifies and actually brings about the birth of water and the Spirit". The post-baptismal anointing (Chrismation in the Eastern churches) signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit and announces a second anointing to be conferred later in confirmation that completes the baptismal anointing. Confirmation, then, is necessary for the completion of baptismal grace. When confirmed, Catholics receive the "special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost".[46] For the confirmand it increases the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord), unites more fully to Christ and the Church, and gives strength to confess Christ and defend the faith. The rite of confirmation orients toward mission, and many liturgical texts remind the initiate that the gift of the Holy Spirit should be used for service to the church and the world.

Main article: Reformed theology: The main Reformed position on Spirit baptism is that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given at the moment of regeneration, which, in Protestant terms, is not predicated on water baptism or membership in the visible church. Rather, all who have faith in Jesus Christ are members of the invisible church and as such are given the Holy Spirit. Many Puritans, such as Thomas Goodwin, viewed Spirit baptism as synonymous with being sealed by the Spirit, a reference, in their view, to a post-conversion event associated with receiving assurance of one's salvation. Many Baptists hold that Spirit baptism was an event that took place once and for all in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. Confined to the first century and associated with signs and wonders, Spirit baptism authenticated the church as God's new institution after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. After the Spirit came on Pentecost, and the associated events identifying Samaritans and non-Jews with the church in Acts 8, 10, and 19, the baptism of the Spirit was completed, not to take place again in the church age. Historic Baptists argue that Spirit filling is a ministry for this present day (Eph 5:18), but Spirit baptism took place in the book of Acts and is now over. Texts such as 1 Cor. 12:13 are interpreted as references to immersion in water. This view of Spirit baptism was dominant among early American Baptists, was taught by Southern Baptist theologians such as B. H. Carroll, and is almost universal among modern Baptists who deny the existence of an invisible church, but hold that the church is only local and visible, including, but not limited to, self- identified Landmark Baptists. On the other hand, modern Baptists who believe in a universal church are more likely to adopt a dispensational or Reformed view of Spirit baptism than the historic Baptist position. Within the Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, baptism with the Holy Spirit has often been linked to a sanctified life. The United Methodist Church has a sacramental view of baptism, believing that it is by both water and Spirit and "involves dying to sin, newness of life, union with Christ, receiving the Holy Spirit, and incorporation into Christ's church". It also believes that baptism is the "doorway to the sanctified life" defined as "a gift of the gracious presence of the Holy Spirit, a yielding to the Spirit's power, a deepening of our love for God and neighbor". By Water and Spirit , an official United  Methodist publication, states that "Confirmation is a divine action, the work of the Holy Spirit empowering a person 'born through water and the Spirit' to 'live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ'." The United Methodist Confession of Faith also affirms the doctrine of Christian Perfection: Similarly, the churches in the holiness movement emphasize "entire sanctification" (or Christian Perfection) as a definite experience linked to Spirit baptism. According to the Articles of Faith of the Church of the Nazarene , sanctification is a work of God after regeneration "which transforms believers into the likeness of Christ" and is made possible by "initial sanctification" (which is regeneration and simultaneous with justification), entire sanctification, and "the continued perfecting work of the Holy Spirit culminating in glorification ".

Entire sanctification (as opposed to initial sanctification) is an act of God in which a believer is made free from original sin and able to devote him or herself entirely to God: Classic dispensationalism argues, based on 1 Corinthians 12:13, that Spirit baptism is the means through which the Holy Spirit adds believers to the body of Christ, the universal church, and it takes place at the moment of regeneration. Unlike many in the classic Reformed tradition, dispensationalists typically limit regeneration and Spirit baptism to believers from Acts 2 until the coming of Christ at the Rapture. Signs and wonders are not considered to be associated with Spirit baptism. Most Pentecostal and charismatic Christians believe that all Christians have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. However, they believe that the experience commonly called "baptism in the Holy Spirit" is a separate and distinct experience occurring sometime after regeneration. It is an empowering experience, equipping Spirit-filled believers for witness and ministry. Extending from this is the belief that all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the New Testament are to be sought and exercised to build up the Church. It is Spirit baptism that initiates the believer in the use of the spiritual gifts. Pentecostals and charismatics look to the Bible to support their doctrinal position. According to their biblical interpretation, which arose out of the theological trajectory of Methodism and the Higher Life and Keswick movements, [61] the Gospel of John 20:22 shows that the disciples of Jesus were already born again before the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost. They then cite biblical examples in the Book of Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19 to show that it was common in the New Testament for Spirit baptism to occur after conversion. In following the biblical pattern, they argue, Christians today should also ask Jesus for this baptism which results in greater power for ministry and witness. There are differences between Pentecostal and charismatic Christians' understanding of Spirit baptism. The Apostolic Faith Mission on Azusa Street, now considered to be the birthplace of Pentecostalism.

Classical Pentecostalism includes any denomination or group which has origins in the Pentecostal revival that began in 1901 and is most identified with the Azusa Street Mission of Los Angeles. Some Pentecostal denominations teach that speaking in tongues will always follow Spirit baptism, though this is by no means universally believed or practiced among Pentecostals.

On the subject of Spirit baptism, Donald Gee wrote: In Pentecostal experience, Spirit baptism can be quite dramatic, as shown by William Durham 's account of his Spirit baptism: In some accounts of Spirit baptism, Pentecostals report receiving visions, such as the account of Lucy Leatherman, an Azusa Street participant: Charismatics trace their historical origins to the charismatic movement of the 1960s and 1970s. They are distinguished from Pentecostals because they tend to allow for differing viewpoints on whether Spirit baptism is subsequent to conversion and whether tongues is always a sign of receiving the baptism. Some charismatics remain within existing Protestant and Catholic churches while others have started new denominations. The Catholic Charismatic Renewal believes that there is a further experience of empowerment with the Holy Spirit. As stated by Rev. Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, "baptism in the Spirit is not a sacrament, but it is related to a sacrament…to the sacraments of Christian initiation. The baptism in the Spirit makes real and in a way renews Christian initiation". Emphasis of the event is on the release of existing spiritual gifts already given to the individual through baptism in water and confirmation. During the 1980s, another renewal movement emerged called the "Third Wave of the Holy Spirit " (the first wave was Pentecostalism and the second wave was the charismatic movement). Third wave charismatics stress that the preaching of the gospel, following the New Testament pattern, should be accompanied by "signs, wonders, and miracles ". They believe that all Christians are baptized with the Holy Spirit at conversion, and prefer to call subsequent experiences as "filling" with the Holy Spirit. John Wimber and the Vineyard churches are most prominently associated with this label.

Main article: Confirmation (Latter Day Saints). In the Latter Day Saint movement , the "Baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost" refers to the experience of one who undergoes the ordinance of confirmation with the laying on of hands to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It follows baptism in water and is essential to salvation. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the privilege of receiving inspiration, divine manifestations, direction, spiritual gifts, and other blessings from the Holy Spirit. It begins the lifetime process of sanctification.

Bible references

Matthew 3:11 : …He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…"

Mark 1:8 : …He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…"

Luke 3:16 : "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit…"

Luke 24:49 : …stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (see fulfillment in Acts 2 ).

John 1:33 : …the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit."

Acts 1:4-5 : …the Promise of the

Father…"; …you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit…"

Acts 2:1-4 : "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages…"

Acts 2:14-18 : …I will pour out my Spirit…" (quoting Joel 2:28-29 ).

Acts 4:31: …they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…"

Acts 8:14-17: …prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit…"; …as yet the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them…"; …they received the Holy Spirit…"; …the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands…."

Acts 9:17: …Jesus…has sent me…that you may…be filled with the Holy Spirit."

Acts 10:44-48: "The Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word…"; …the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out…"; …people who have received the Holy Spirit…"

Acts 11:15-16: …the Holy Spirit fell upon them…"; …you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit"

Acts 19:1-6: "Did you receive the Holy Spirit…?"; …the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied…"

1 Cor 12:13 "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free..."