Being An Extra Miler

"If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles." Matt 5:41  New Living Translation (©2007)

The reason I quoted this verse from the New Living translation is because it more accurately reveals the meaning behind the words of Jesus taken from His Sermon on the Mount.Going the extra mile is one of those principles of living from out of our new creation being while on this Human Journey, that I felt I wanted to take a post to expound. It is really a great principle to know, that reaps a great benefit to the "Extra Miler".

An explanation of the Roman law from which this principle is based on is found here  An excerpt of which is: "In first century Judea, the poor were oppressed under a practice called angareia – the involuntary drafting of peasants to carry the gear of Roman soldiers. Angareia is seen in the Bible when Simon of Cyrene was forced by Roman soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus. He was only forced to carry the cross part of the way, however, since the Roman government had ruled that the maximum distance a man could be forced to carry gear under angareia was one mile.

One mile might not sound very far, but Roman soldiers often carried at least seventy pounds of gear with them. If a man was asked to carry this gear for a mile and he resisted, he would be beaten, arrested, and imprisoned. If he surrendered to the Roman soldier’s demand, he would have to carry the gear for an entire mile. After one mile, the Roman soldier would tell him to stop, since carrying it further than one mile was a crime under Roman law."

The writer goes on to suggest that Jesus taught this principle of going the extra mile as a way of peaceful resistance since the Jewish peasant could turn the tables on the soldier because the soldier could be beaten himself if he forced someone to carry it further than a mile. This is the same explanation I have researched from several sources, however I am in complete disagreement with this reasoning.

I am fully convinced Jesus was NOT teaching peaceful resistance. He was more concerned with teaching how to live from the Law of the Spirit of Life (Rom.8: 2) His concern was never about resisting the Romans, nor teaching others to resist them. Jesus taught to LOVE your enemies! To do good to those who persecute you! How is that consistent with the idea that a Jew forced by a Roman soldier to carry a pack, would turn the tables on that soldier and seek to get him in trouble with his superiors?

Okay, so what is really happening here then? I believe that what is really taught here is something that will change the heart of the person who is obligated and resentful, to one who is free and at peace! Think about it. As long as the Jewish boy, or man is obligated to carry this pack for that mile, he is being subjugated under control of the soldier by law, but the very step that is taken past that obligitory mile is one in which the Jewish person now takes control of his own life. During that first mile he could be filled with hate and anger, but the second he takes that next step, he is freed from such negative emotions!

How could he still hate the soldier when his obligation is complete, and yet he still continues to carry this heavy pack further down the road? He is not doing it as some sort of peaceful resistance, but rather it is to free himself of any hatred and un-forgiveness, and bitterness within his own heart.

Imagine the surprise of the soldier when the mile is finished, and yet this person does not throw the pack on to the ground and kick dust on it, and curse the soldier all the while running away! Instead he continues carrying it further. "What's the big idea?" The soldier might ask. "Are you trying to get me in trouble?" At this point the Jewish man might say, "Not at all, but I was listening to a man named Jesus, and He said that it is something that we must do as a way of living a New and better way, full of life and peace."

Now, instead of fulfilling the obligation of an enemy, he has opened up the opportunity for God to work a miracle within the hearts of himself and the soldier. If the soldier resists, since he suspects foul play, then the man might just offer to be some company along the way. If the soldier further resists, that is okay too since it was really meant to first release the heart of the Jewish man from his own hatred.

You see, it is not limited to just the first century Jerusalem, but this same principle applies to right here and now with any obligation you may find yourself having to fulfill which is causing you bitterness and making you resentful. A prime example is something I heard when I first learned this principle. It involved a man who went through a messy divorce. He lost much of his own assets, and was obligated to pay alimony on top of everything else. Every time he wrote out that monthly check, he could not help but feel a rage within, as all of the memories of how he had been unfairly treated came back to him. It was making him bitter and angry, and he sought help to get rid of these negative emotions that were eating him up inside.

The advice that was given to him was the next time he would sit down to write the obligitory alimony check, that he was to take the amount he was supposed to write, and add more money to that total!

"What?" He cried out! "I am already paying more than I should have to, and now you think I should pay more?"

What was explained to him, and what he finally began to understand was that it would be impossible to be bitter about paying an amount greater than what was owed! If you do more than you are obligated to do, you can decide how much more. You now become in control of the situation, instead of having the obligation control you. Every dollar more than required is a dollar free from the prison of bitterness and resentment. It becomes a release. It becomes and escape from the anger of hateful emotions.

Jesus says to love your enemies. How is that possible? Perhaps one way is to take them off of the enemies list by Being An Extra Miler.

Changing The Way You Pray!

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

John 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

 I want to clarify something that confuses a lot of Christians. God is Not schizophrenic. There are not three Gods sitting around discussing things. There is not God, AND Jesus, AND the Holy Spirit. It is all about relationship. Simply put, I am a son. I am a step-dad. I am a husband. I am still only one person, but it is all about relationship. Jesus is the expression of God in human form. Look at what it says here in John 14:8-9 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?

In several previous posts I have been writing about the Names of God, and discussed that a Name represents the nature and character. It is not just reciting the name Jesus as an incantation on the end of a prayer some how twists God's arm into giving to you your list of demands.

As I have said before, one of the ways in which God will reveal Himself to His creation is through His Names. "They who know God’s name will put their trust in Him." (Psalm 9:10). A name is that by which a person or thing is made known. In Scripture, a name reveals more than just a title; it reveals the very nature and character of the one that is named.

As for God, he makes Himself known by many names. Not that His nature changes, for He changes not; but one name could not possibly contain, and reveal all of Who God is. He reveals more of His nature; more of Who He is; by each name He is made known. The more fully we come to know all of Who God is through His names; the more fully we will know Him.

What I believe where most people have a problem, is in reading the Old Testament, and seeing how God reveals Himself in part is what they think He is in totality! Nothing could be further from the truth! In the New Testament we can fully know God in the person of Jesus! All of the various names (natures) by which God introduced Himself in the Old Testament, are fully realized and revealed in totality in Jesus! I like how the Weymouth New Testament words Col.2:9 "For it is in Christ that the fulness of God's nature dwells embodied, and in Him you are made complete,"

Now, when the Scripture refers to Jesus as the Word of God, it might be better understood what is meant if we realize that WORDS are an expression of the one speaking. If I was to remain silent, and did not communicate in any way, there would be no way that anyone could know anything about me. They could not know my likes or dislikes, my thoughts, my emotions, my nature, characteristics, anything! It is through my words that I speak, or even what is written on these cyber pages, that reveal what is inside of me! The more  I speak, and write, then the more I will reveal of myself. If someone was only to hear parts of what I say, then I could be easily misunderstood as to what I meant.

Jesus is the WORD OF GOD! He is the expression of ALL of who God is REVEALED in human visible form! What I also find interesting is that in order to speak, you have to use your breath for the words to come out of your mouth and be heard. Now, get this...... the same Hebrew word for Spirit (Ruach), is the same word used for "Breath"! It is also the same word used for "Cool", as in God walked with Adam in the Cool of the day. It is not talking about temperature, but rather in the Spirit of the day! For further information you can click here.

Okay, so now you see this, you can more clearly understand what is meant when Jesus said in John 15:7: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."

And also in verse 16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Over the last several posts I have tried to share some things that I learned some 16 years ago, which have absolutely changed my understanding about God, and even Prayer itself. Since then I have not ever been able to pray the same way again! Though there have been times I have even tried, but I have realized quickly that I have given up childish beliefs. Not a belief that God answers prayers, but the childish belief that He is some celestial Santa Claus, giving out answers to prayers to good little boys and girls.  Perhaps after reading these posts, the Spirit of God within you will also draw you to a more mature understanding and you too will begin Changing The Way You Pray!

In The Name Of Jesus Amen!

Do you know why people say "Amen" at the end of a prayer. It is so that everyone knows they are finished praying! Isn't it? Most people understand the meaning of the word Amen, is "So be it". But did you know another meaning for the word is "That's my voice!" It would be like saying, "You took the words right out of my mouth". The idea is that you are so united with what that person was praying, that it was as if your voice was coming out of their mouth. You could not have said it better yourself! Doesn't that sound better than just so be it? Can I get an Amen? Haha!

Okay, so what about praying "In the Name of Jesus? If you are thinking that it is like an incantation that must be recited at the end of every prayer so that God must answer since you are twisting His arm, by citing the Name of His Son..... you could not be further from the truth! And yet, how many prayers have you heard spoken, or how many prayer have you said, where  you end by saying "In the Name of Jesus, Amen." and don't really realize why, other than that is the way you have always said it... that is the way everybody does it... so it must be right. Right? I mean, there is even Scripture to back it up right?

Well, there are a few things I would like to say about praying in the Name of Jesus, that I am sure will help the reader to understand more by reading over the last couple posts, since my understanding these things changed my whole Christian walk, and forever changed the way I pray, I think it will be worth it to at least read these, and see if it doesn't also give you some food for thought.

Take this verse for example, (John 14:13,14) And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. Every commentary I read about this verse says that it means asking according to the authority Jesus. One compared it to a police officer saying to stop in the name of the law. But if you have read the previous posts, then you will see that the name of Jesus is more than just what you call Him or the authority His name possesses. The Name of Jesus, is talking about His Nature and Character, and more than that!

Previously, I talked about the Names of God. I explained that each Name of God revealed a certain aspect of God's Nature. I mentioned how that every time God would reveal another aspect of Himself to the children of Israel, that He would declare another Name He could be known by. He would provide for their needs, and then tell them that He is Jehovah-Jihra (the Lord Provides), but that is not the totality of all of who God is. Then, two thousand years ago, for the first time ever God was about to reveal to man Himself in totality in human form.

Check these verses out in Colossians.(1:19) For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fullness dwell; (2:9) For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Jesus told Phillip, "if you have seen me, you have seen the Father."  It wasn't just one or two aspects of God's nature revealed to mankind as in the Old Testament, but rather in Jesus, all of the Fullness of who God is in all of His totality was revealed in human visible form.

Jesus said in John 15:7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." I used to believe that this verse meant that if I quoted a lot of Scripture in my praying, then it would mean His words were abiding in me, and I could then pray for what I want, and He would have to answer "according to His word"! I could recite a Santa Claus list of items I wanted, and He would have to answer as long as I finished with saying "In the Name of Jesus, Amen."

There is nothing magical about praying using the name Jesus at the end of your prayer. It is not like saying the name Jesus twists God's arm into doing something He doesn't want to do. But there is a powerful expectation of a prayer being answered when your prayer is spoken according to the Nature and Character, and Will and Purpose of Jesus! Don't pray according to your own carnal, self serving desires, but rather pray as if it is Jesus praying through you!

Guaranteed it will change the way you pray! Now when you say  In The Name Of Jesus, Amen it will be impossible to ask amiss as James warns us about in 4:13 "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts."

Reflecting His Likeness!

Several years ago I wrote a series of essays on the Names of God for a Seminary course I was taking. During that time I discovered a number of things about the meanings behind the different names of God, and also discovered the importance of those differences. The simple fact is that a name is what we use to identify something. We identify something by giving it a name, and often times the name we give something identifies the nature or characteristic of the thing we name. In other words, if we get a dog, that has spots, we might call it..... Ralph..... no kidding, we might call it Spot. I once got a dog that was part Husky, and part Shepard, and it looked like a little baby bear cub, and I called it "Cubby".

Well, God does the same thing when He identifies Himself, and also when He identifies people or places in Scripture. Whenever the nature or character of the person is changed, then the name that identifies them changes with it. Jacob's name changed to Israel is the best example I can think of right away. "[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob - supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men, and have prevailed" (Gen. 32 AMP.)

There are many more examples Abram to Abraham; Sarai to Sarah; also Daniel and the other three Hebrews taken in the captivity of Israel by Babylon were given different names during their captivity. Many more examples are found in the Old Testament, and some in the New, such as Saul to Paul; Simon to Peter; on and on it goes.

Names also identify a meaningful place. "and he calleth the name of that place Bethel, (meaning) house of God, and yet, Luz is the name of the city at the first." (Gen. 28:19 YLT)

I think you are getting the point. Don't pass up finding out the meaning of names when ever you are studying Scripture, you will find a wealth of hidden truths behind the reasons those names are used. The same goes with discovering the different names that are used for God.

In Psalm 91 four different names of God are used in the first two verses. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust." (KJV)

The following names for God, and their meanings were copied from this link here: http://www.smilegodlovesyou.org/names.html There is also a very nice music video at their site.

ELOHIM......Genesis 1:1, Psalm 19:1
meaning "God", a reference to God's power and might.
ADONAI......Malachi 1:6
meaning "Lord", a reference to the Lordship of God.
JEHOVAH--YAHWEH.....Genesis 2:4
a reference to God's divine salvation.
JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM.......Exodus 31:13
meaning "The Lord thy sanctifier"
JEHOVAH-ROHI......Psalm 23:1
meaning "The Lord my shepherd"
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH.......Ezekiel 48:35
meaning "The Lord who is present"
JEHOVAH-RAPHA.........Exodus 15:26
meaning "The Lord our healer"
JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU......Jeremiah 23:6
meaning "The Lord our righteousness"
JEHOVAH-JIREH.........Genesis 22:13-14
meaning "The Lord will provide"
JEHOVAH-NISSI.........Exodus 17:15
meaning "The Lord our banner"
JEHOVAH-SHALOM........Judges 6:24
meaning "The Lord is peace"
JEHOVAH-SABBAOTH......Isaiah 6:1-3
meaning "The Lord of Hosts"
JEHOVAH-GMOLAH........Jeremiah 51:6
meaning "The God of Recompense"
EL-ELYON..............Genesis 14:17-20,Isaiah 14:13-14
meaning "The most high God
EL-ROI................Genesis 16:13
meaning "The strong one who sees"
EL-SHADDAI............Genesis 17:1,Psalm 91:1
meaning "The God of the mountains or God Almighty"
EL-OLAM...............Isaiah 40:28-31
meaning "The everlasting God"

Many people confuse the many Names of God, with there being many gods, or as if each Name is the totality of who God is, but each Name of God is used at a particular place and time in Scripture.  Each  Name identifies a Characteristic of a part of God's nature. No one Name could identify the totality of all of God's Nature. Understanding this fact can help to explain some confusing aspects of Scripture, and also God's interaction with you and others.

Have you ever heard someone say something like "That's not the kind of God I serve!" Or to have someone just emphasise one aspect of the nature of God as if that sums up the whole of God's nature? What about some who talks about the "mother-God". That is partly because the name EL-SHADDAI means "the breasted one"! It is a name that denotes providing nourishment. Well someone who does not understand that EL-SHADDAI is only one of the names of God, can be confused by any other aspect of His nature, that do not involve "mothering".

As I indicated in my last post, that God is Spirit! God created man, (BARA Heb.) meaning cut down or carve out from Himself. His intention was to "reproduce Himself" so to speak. Consider the example used of the ocean to maybe relate some to this. You can go to the ocean and take out from it a cup of water. All that is in the water in the ocean is the same as what is in that cup, but the cup of water is NOT the ocean. So, when God created man from Himself, all the Nature that is within God was contained within man but man is NOT God.

So when it was given to Adam to "name" the animals, or to "nature" them, he was able to draw from within himself from the aspects of his own nature to give to them, and while Adam natured the animals, he also knew that he was not like them. They did not reflect his own likeness. Adam, desired someone who reflected his likeness that same way that God did. This is why God separated the female part from Adam, the womb so to speak (not a rib), and created the womb-man. So that when Adam looked on the woman, he could see his own image in her, in the same way that when God created man, they too would be Reflecting His Likeness. 

A Great Big Love Story!

 Genesis 2:19-20 "And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field;" ... (KJV)

Every web site I looked at that mentioned Adam naming the animals were all focused on the fact that he would have called a lion a lion or a cow a cow, or when he saw a horse he gave it the name horse etc. There were some sites questioning whether Adam had enough time in one day that he was given to be able to name all of the animals, or if he had to name species etc. How many names did Adam have to come up with anyway? Well, if you are satisfied that the point of that verse in Genesis was just to inform us that the reason we call a muskrat a muskrat is because Adam first called a muskrat a muskrat, then it is okay to believe that, but I think there is a much higher spiritual truth to be learned here, and if you are interested in looking a little deeper, then read on.

I am fully convinced that Adam did not just call a dog a dog or a cow a cow, I believe that Adam actually gave each animal their very nature! It is not that a lion was brought before Adam, and that Adam said "I will call that animal 'Lion'". I believe the very nature and character that is possessed by that lion, is one in which Adam determined for that lion to have.

Have you ever heard someone say "He is as sly as a fox," or  refer to someone having the "courage of a lion" or people are slothful, eat like pigs, as stubborn as mules, and as busy as beavers scared as rabbits? I believe it is Adam who gave each of those animals their very nature and character. And where did he come up with those characteristics for each of the animals? I believe it was from within himself. Each one of the characteristics and natures that we find animals possess, came from the very nature Adam found within  himself!

Why is this important to know? Well, I hope to explore more deeply in future posts the meaning of names, and to show that each name represents a characteristic, and reveals a part of the nature of the thing that is named... most especially God! And most especially Jesus! And knowing this may actually change the way you pray from then on!

But for now consider the fact that Adam "natured" all of the animals, and he got those natures from within himself. Tell me if knowing that changes the way you look at the meaning of the following verse: "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made..." (Gen 3:1) The question you have to ask yourself is who named (natured) the serpent? Where did the serpent get it's subtilness? I believe it came from Adam.

Now, before this actually comes into play, we find a very significant situation arose when Adam named the animals, and he saw that each had a mate. There was a male and a female companion that compared to itself. But for Adam the bible says:  "there was not found an help meet for him."  (Gen 2:20)

Why is this significant? Well, I believe very strongly that God was showing Adam about His own plan and purpose for creation through his experience, thus showing us if we will take notice. What does the scripture say? "Let us make man in our image, and after our likeness." The reason Adam could not find a mate in the animal kingdom is because he is made in the image of God Himself!

God wanted to reproduce Himself in the earth. He creates Adam (male and female) from Himself. Adam cannot find another like him and it is as if God is expressing His own desire for One like Himself! Adam, can't you see, that just as you desire a mate that compares to yourself, so do I? The bible goes on to say that God put Adam into a deep sleep and took a rib from his side and made the woman.

Well there is plenty of evidence that it was not a rib taken from Adam's chest as you may suppose. Adam was created male and female, and God removed the female part from the male part. This explains Adam's expression "And Adam said, This [is] now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Gen 2:23) After this, the first thing God does is unite them back together again as "one flesh".

Do you see the comparison? The bible is one big Love story! God is male and female so to speak, and He creates out from Himself man (male and female); bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh; in a spiritual sense, and thus forms the church which is called "The bride of Christ"! Scripture talks about the "marriage supper of the Lamb". Thus by separating the woman from the man, and then uniting them again to become one flesh
God demonstrates his purpose of uniting creation back unto Himself.

I have spent a lot of time rewording this to try to make it more clear. I am not sure I have accomplished that task. I do feel the need to continue with some of these thoughts later, but for now it is my hearts desire that the Holy Spirit within you will in fact take this feeble attempt of mine and clarify it to your understanding and unfold the mysteries of deep spiritual truths to you, whereby you may see more clearly that indeed God's plan and purpose for creation is One Great Big Love Story... the greatest ever told!

Earn Free Membership

The title sure seems contradictory doesn't it? How can you earn something that is free? Well that was a sign at a gas station brand in Canada a few years back. The promotion was that if you bought gas at that branded station, then a percentage of your cost would go towards paying down your membership at the AAA or technically the CAA (Canadian Auto Assoc.) The idea being that if you bought enough gas there during the year, then you could get a big enough discount that it would cover the cost of your CAA membership, thus they considered that you would have "earned free membership".

One day when I drove into the station to get some gas, I looked at the sign, and the Lord reminded me that many Christians teach Grace the same way! It would be no different than if they put a sign up in front of church buildings that said "Earn Free Grace!" On a side note, I have seen church signs that have the quip "Sign Broken - Message Inside." And I have thought to myself, that I wonder if the message is broken, and the sign is okay instead!

If it is like most churches, that might just be the case. Oh, they may sing "Just as I am", but it is not long after that initial "come to Jesus moment" that the work begins on making you guilty about all of the sin in your life! And it doesn't have to be sin. All it has to be is a list of things that church does not approve of. "Don't smoke, drink or chew, or run with women who do!" Oh, it could be any number of things depending on what brand of church you go to. It is not much different than the gas station, where you can earn enough points to get offered free grace!

If you think I am kidding, then consider any church you want, and find out what it involves to be able to go there, or better yet, be a member there. The first evangelical church I went to after I got saved was a Pentecostal church, and I got an early introduction to "standards" for Christian behavior. I was a magician since I was about ten. I used to perform all kinds of shows, and in my naive youth, I intended to do magic professionally! I eventually had to make a living before I could make a living doing magic. But after becoming a Christian, I found out that certain people objected to certain types of magic. Most especially anything with a deck of cards. You never know when a card trick might just make someone run out and gamble at the poker table!

That is not all. Of course, like most churches, smoking is a big no no, along with drinking of any kind. And they objected to going to the movies, because while you may be going to see a "G" rated movie, someone may see you in line, and think that you are there to see an "R" rated movie, and it would have the appearance of doing wrong that may cause someone else to stumble! ha.

But hey, if they can get you to behave the right way, then you can boast about all the Lord has done for you, since you used to be a dirty rotten sinner, and now you are a clean sinner? Or would you boast about how much you have done to earn your free grace?

The funny thing is that I went to that church for about seven years. The Lord used that time to teach me many things. Like I said before; sometimes God will lead you into places, in order to teach you things you could not learn anyway else; and sometimes so when He brings you out, you can lead others out.

I was thinking today about how some churches are like a spiritual funeral parlor. As a matter of fact, that Pentecostal church I went to was a converted funeral parlor! Come to think of it, I wonder if it still wasn't a kind of funeral parlor. You know how when someone dies, they dress them up in fancy clothes, they try to preserve the body, and will put makeup, and whatever is needed to make them still look life like. The weird part is that I have not been to a lot of funerals, but none of the dead bodies I have seen look very lifelike to me! They look like creepy dead bodies.

Well, how different is that then some churches? Don't you know that your old man is dead? Adam was put to death on the cross! Jesus was the LAST Adam, and the SECOND Man. (oh there is a lot just in that statement) But most Christians are so busy with trying to patch up Adam. They are trying to fix up the old man, and dress it up, and put make up on it, and appear to give it life. Make Adam behave himself! Subject this dead man to obeying the Law! Did you know what the word Blessing in the Greek means? Here it is in part from the Strong's concordance "2129. eulogia yoo-log-ee'-ah from the same as 2127; fine speaking, i.e. elegance of language; commendation ("eulogy")"

Well it is about time the Church pronounces a eulogy over the Adamic man and begins to realize that we are saved by Grace! Grace! And ONLY HIS GRACE! Not one single thing can you add to it! Nothing you can do to take away from it. Every effort you make to add to your salvation by your own self discipline, so that you can make yourself more pleasing to God, is as the bible calls it "filthy rags", which translates as menstrual cloth! (which is a whole other symbolic spiritual meaning In short; it is lifeless blood, unable to reproduce life, which is the same as religion. Only the blood of Jesus has life enough to reproduce life.)

Even your faith to believe is not your own! It is His gift to you! God gives you faith to believe. So you can't even boast that you believe while others do not, as if your believing was your own doing! You are not saved because you believe, you believe because you are saved! You can no sooner choose to believe in God, than the man in the coffin can choose to scratch their nose!

The idea that some would say that they chose to accept Jesus into their heart. They chose to believe in God. "I have decided to follow Jesus!" the song goes, and yet it is a lie. You did not decide anything. It is all His Grace bestowed upon you, and it is Free, and there is nothing you can do to Earn it! You are a NEW creation in Christ Jesus. He came to give you Life (zoe GK.) more abundantly!

Okay, then if it is all up to God, then what about the people you know who died and did not believe in Jesus? If God is the one who supplies the grace for salvation, and the faith to believe; if you cannot believe other than He gives you that believing faith first, then what about all those people who died and who did not believe?

Good question..... Keep reading future posts for the answer!

News Flash!

Seasoned Skydiver Learns to Stay in Airplane

Lock Haven, PA, 14 November 2010 – Keith McAndrew, an experienced sport parachutist originally from Ontario, Canada, today completed the first half of his training to become a licensed pilot, at AvSport of Lock Haven, the sport aviation training center recently established at Piper Memorial Airport. Under the supervision of Prof. H. Paul Shuch, AvSport’s chief flight instructor, McAndrew, 53, who began flight instruction in August, flew the school’s Light Sport trainer aircraft four times around the Lock Haven traffic pattern as the plane’s sole occupant.

“There was never any question that Keith had acquired all the requisite skills to safely complete his first solo flight,” reports Shuch. “His takeoffs, landings, maneuvers, and radio procedures are flawless. My only concern was that, as Pilot In Command, he might need to be reminded to stay in the plane, rather than practicing his skydiving techniques.”

The Sport Pilot license is the newest portal of entry into the world of aviation, allowing prospective pilots to become licensed in half the time, and at half the cost, of the traditional Private Pilot license. Sport pilots fly for fun, and are restricted to flying simple, low performance aircraft that comply with the Light Sport rule. They are allowed to fly in uncongested airspace, during daylight hours, and only in good weather conditions.

Upon completion of the initial solo flight, Shuch cut a large piece out of McAndrew’s shirt, and autographed it to mark the occasion. This ritual dates back to the Golden Age of aviation, when barnstormers frequently had to patch rips in their fabric-covered aircraft with pieces of their own garments.

Although a permanent US resident, McAndrew is still a Canadian citizen, which delayed his flight training. The US Transportation Security Administration closely scrutinizes all foreign nationals who seek to learn to fly in the US. His TSA approvals took Keith about a month.

While continuing to review basic flight maneuvers with his instructor, McAndrew will next be studying for his FAA written pilot’s examination. Then, he will embark on crosscountry flight training, leading up to his venturing farther afield on his own. His training will culminate in preparations for his Federal Aviation Administration practical test, consisting of both oral exams and a checkride with an FAA designated pilot examiner, prior to receipt of his pilot’s license.

Piper Memorial Airport is the ancestral home to the legendary Piper Cub, arguably the world’s first sport plane. Modern Light Sport aircraft allow pilots to recapture the bygone fly for- fun Cub era, with increased reliability and improved safety.

DOWNLOADABLE PHOTO: http://www.avsport.org/photos/students/Keith_solo.jpg

CAPTION: Student pilot Keith McAndrew relaxes in the local flight school’s trainer aircraft, after successful completion of his first solo flight at AvSport of Lock Haven.