Author: Inspirations By Katheryn

I am kind of a world traveler. I have lived in Korea, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Tokyo, Canada, Afghanistan, India and USA. I remember when President Kennedy was assassinated, watched the first human walk on the moon, Alaska became a state, President Kennedy & Martin Luther King were shot, and the first human walked on the moon. I remember when the first Star Wars movie came out, 900 religiously misguided humans committed suicide in Guyana, when Microsoft was "invented" and the Ayatollah Khoumeini took over Iran, kicked out western companies (employers) and returned his country to the dark ages. I WAS THERE WHEN MOUNT SAINT HELENS BLEW. I remember when the Berlin Wall fell, the Internet was created, the first warm-blooded animal was cloned (a sheep) and the Hubble Telescope was launched - all in the 1980s. And you?

Friday 12/27 ~ True separation of church and state

On December 27, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, church, ego, Enemies, Fear, governments, persecution, power, Scripture, sin, teachingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 27 (12/27), is 1st Kings 12:27 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem [not some other capital city], they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah.”

For centuries and millenniums, kings selected a patron god for their nation, a god they most revered to protect them. Nations were always ruled by either a high priest or king. Some nations even had priest-kings.

So, when Constantine conquered much of Europe and set up his empire, he needed a patron god. One day during a battle, he looked up and saw a cloud formation that reminded him of things he’d heard about Jesus. So he made Jesus his patron God, and Christianity his empire’s required religion. He even rode his army through rivers, then declared them baptized. He ordered conquered peoples to be baptized or killed. Headquarters was Rome.

Luther was friends of the Duke [king] of Germany, so when he broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Lutheranism. John Calvin was in the government of Switzerland, so when it broke off from Rome, the official state religion became Calvinism. When the king of England broke off from Rome, he became head of the Church of England (and Prince Charles is head of the Church there today). John Knox was influential with the parliament of Scotland, so his Presbyterianism became the official religion of Scotland.

In each instance, the king or parliament could force its citizens to follow the chosen religion of that nation. If people didn’t, they could legally put them in prison, torture them, and execute them at will. Up to a hundred years ago, it was illegal to not be a Shinto. Today, Islam is the required religion of most Middle-Eastern and some African countries. Anyone leaving Islam suffers.

Eventually, the idea of separating religion from the state government became popular in the Western World. And that is where many nations are today. But it does not mean people in government cannot express religion. It just means they cannot force citizens to be a particular government-selected religion or be in danger of punishment. That is true “separation of church and state”.

WORSHIP CHANGES SINCE THE FIRST CENTURY is a year-by-year account of governments and religious hierarchy who changed “church law” and what they did to those who protested ~ things you always took for granted were always that way. Intermingled are the hymns of some of the martyrs during this time, hymns you have sung a hundred times and never knew. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2SwgtyY

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Thursday 12/26 ~ True and eternal honor

On December 26, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn attitude, ego, eternity, humility, judging, Life of Christ, praise, things, weakness, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 26 (12/26), is John 12:26 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.”

Ah, Lord Jesus. We claim we understand how humble you were, then build great cathedrals which we claim are to your glory but which are really to our glory. We organize great musical performances which we claim are to your glory, but which are really to our glory.

Just where was Jesus when he was on earth saying this? In a posh hotel in Jerusalem? Did he have great musicians performing in the background? Did he stand on a podium and declare this to multitudes? Who are you fooling when you declare you are his servant?

Who or what are you really a servant to? Power in a workplace, club, congregation, neighborhood? Prestige in a community, an occupation, an organization? Self-indulgence of money, music, entertainment?

While you are pursuing things in life, is Jesus there with you? Are you doing what he would be busy doing? Are you where he was when he said this?

Dare to be a servant to the power of Jesus’ love, prestige in the eyes of God, self-indulgence in the joy of worshiping Him. In this only is there true and enduring honor.

THEY MET JESUS: FOLK HERO. Jesus was a hero but never had a cathedral to preach in. He never had a great choir or grand orchestra as a mood creator before his sermons. He never wore clothes that were different from other people or insisted on people bowing and kissing his ring. When he performed miracles of feeding thousands, he never had fine crystal or silver urns to distribute the food or gather up the leftovers. How we, in our misdirected zeal, shame him. We bow at his wounded feet and ask his forgiveness. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2EXU85s

LINK to all BOOKS by CATEGORY: http://bit.ly/MyBookInfo
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It’s a boy

On December 26, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn InspirationalLeave a comment

Wednesday 12/25 ~ Give them some star glow

On December 25, 2019December 25, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, discouragement, good works, Inspirational, joy, loveLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 25 (12/25), is Proverbs 12:25 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

Yesterday, did you see anyone sitting alone looking downcast? Go back there today. S/he may not be there, but someone else may be. It may be a gathering place for the lonely, the discouraged. Smile at them and whisper, “Jesus loves you.” Have a lengthy conversation with them and show them they are worthy of your time. Spend time with them. Listen to them. Share with them.

Do you periodically see “beggars” at a certain location? They may squander donations or use them to buy food. Either way, being a beggar isn’t people’s life’s goal. You do not know their story. Everyone has a story. Their hearts are anxious about something.

Give them a little change, maybe wrap it in a verse from the Bible. Ask them if they have family and if their family would accept them back. If so, encourage them to “go home.” Perhaps pay for a bus ticket back home. If they say they can’t go home, try anyway. Tell them you will pray for them. Smile at them, and whisper, “Jesus loves you.”

Today, do you know of a place where travelers usually stay or gather? Sometimes at truck stops there are drivers who could not get home. Go to one of these places prepared to give each of them something special, or even invite them to your home for a Christmas feast.

Jesus encouraged and helped the downhearted. Is it uncomfortable being in their world? Yes. Dare to disturb your happiness to enter their world and show Jesus to the downhearted. Dare to be a star shining on them in their darkness. Give them a few minutes of star glow.

ALL FOUR CHRISTMAS BOOKS ARE 99c each for ebooks and half price for paperbooks. This special price will end tomorrow. To buy now. click the book covers or paste this ……….. http://bit.ly/AmazonBooksByKatheryn ………. The link will take you to my book catalog at Amazon.

LINK to all BOOKS by CATEGORY: http://bit.ly/MyBookInfo
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Corrected 12/24 ~ Remember the ravens

On December 24, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn InspirationalLeave a comment

The scripture for today, December 24 (12/24), is Luke 12:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!”

In many nations right now, things are financially strained. Luxuries? No. To be able to live until tomorrow? Yes.

Which is more valuable? To impress men or impress God? A life dedicated to things impresses men. A life dedicated to doing good things impresses God.

I know of a group of believers in Jesus recently in an African country who had to flee soldiers who were after Christians. They had to run immediately upon sight of the soldiers. No time to pack anything. Just run. Escape. Run. Escape.

To get to true safety, they had to walk a hundred miles. What did they eat? Grass. Leaves from bushes. Tree roots. But they made it. They made it to safety and the loving, protective arms of other Christians.

Today, instead of a luxury, can you send the money to people in parts of the world who are struggling to stay alive? Struggling to stay safe because they are Christians?

Consider the ravens.
PS ~ Those of you with children, and you cannot get them much for Christmas: Write IOU’s to them and put each one in a box. Wrap each with typing paper if you don’t have Christmas paper. And with a red or green crayon, draw a ribbon on top. What’s on the IOU’s? “One hour of coloring with you.” “One hour of playing ball with you.” “Three hours of hiking with you.” “Two hours of baking cookies with you.” Give yourself for Christmas!

99c today and tomorrow. MICHEL: THE FOURTH WISEMAN is based on a possible descendant of Daniel whose family stayed in Parthia and was in the court of King Phraattes. He lost everything to make his dream come true: Restore the Garden of Eden so God will walk the earth again. He was interrupted by a strange star and went on a journey with nine other wise men to find the meaning of the star. After traveling two years, they find the meaning and go to Bethlehem. There Joseph tells them little Jesus is God walking on earth. Michel goes into a meltdown. 99c today and tomorrow. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/377DRH6

LINK to all BOOKS by CATEGORY: http://bit.ly/MyBookInfo

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Tuesday 12/24 ~ Exciting new discoveries

On December 24, 2019December 24, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, Inspirational, judging, knowledge, Life of Christ, Scripture, teaching, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 24 (7/24), is Matthew 7:24 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

The problem we have with putting into practice the Words of God is that we sometimes read blindly. We don’t see the significance of something. We may read it over and over for years and never see its significance.

Take, for example, the story of Jesus’ birth. We sometimes see pictures of baby Jesus in a stable with the shepherds and three wise men all gathered around him. But Matthew 2:11 says by the time the wise men arrived, Jesus and his parents were living in a house. Further, the Bible does not say how many wise men there were; it just says they gave three kinds of gifts ~ gold, incense and myrrh. There may have been ten or twenty wise men. And, Jesus’ age was close to two by then.

How about 1st Timothy 3:2? “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach.” This word “overseer” is sometimes translated bishop, sometimes elder, and sometimes pastor. It’s all the same office. We might think at first glance that we believe all this. But do we glaze over the fact that he must have a wife? Hmmm….

Here’s another one. At funerals, we often quote Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me.” But for the Christian, there are no shadows in the valley of death. Jesus was born “to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:79).

Did you know the word “baptism” is never translated in most Bibles? It is a Greek word meaning immersion. Did you know the word “unknown” never appears next to tongues in the Bible? Did you know the word “tongues” is translated most places as languages?

Oh, so many things we overlook ~ meaningful things. Let us continue to study God’s Word daily with our mind and heart open to new things our religious leaders never told us so that we can build the house of our lives “on the rock.”

LINK to all BOOKS by CATEGORY: http://bit.ly/MyBookInfo
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Born to die so we might live

On December 23, 2019December 23, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn InspirationalLeave a comment

Christmas-born to die

Monday 12/23 ~ He was born to die

On December 23, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, faith, forgiveness, Heaven, Inspirational, joy, praise, Saved from hell, Thanksgiving, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, July 23 (7/23), is 1st Corinthians 7:23 in the New Testament of the Bible.

“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”

Who were you bought from? Satan. God told Adam and Eve the day they sinned their souls would die. Satan is the source of death. When we sin, he holds us hostage. I Timothy 2:6 says Jesus paid the ransom to free us from Satan. “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

God loved you so much, he put his words in a human body (John 1:1,14). Why? Hebrews 2:14 says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

Then God told the world through his Bible that, if you will believe this really happened and follow his will for you, he will consider you perfect through the blood of Jesus and eligible to enter his perfect home ~ heaven.

But it is not automatic. Romans 6 speaks a lot of who we are slaves to and how to break those chains and come under the umbrella of what Jesus did for mankind.

As you celebrate his birth (whenever that was), do not forget why he was born. He had a precious gift for you. The gift lives on today. A simple loving thank you is not enough, but that is all we, in our humanness, have to give.

STAR SONG is novel one in the 8-novel series THEY MET JESUS. Each chapter is about a different person involved in his birth and youth. It is also published under the title, THEY ROCKED THE CRADLE THAT ROCKED THE WORLD. Relive with them how the birth of the Son of God changed their lives forever. Relive the very first Christmas with them. HALF PRICE for paperback and 99c for the ebook. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/2rqfOUA

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Sunday 12/22 ~ A God who wants to make you his own

On December 22, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, blessings, emptiness, healing, Heaven, Inspirational, joy, love, praise, Thanksgiving, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, December 22 (12/22), is 1st Samuel 12:22 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

“For the sake of his great name, the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own.”

Among all the pretend gods that people have worshiped, there has never been one who made people because he wanted someone to love and wanted them to be his children. Islam, for example, teaches Allah made man to have someone to worship him. Allah has 99 names, but none of them is love. It is the same with other purported gods. Buddhism and Hinduism have gods with no personalities at all; they are just the essence of the universe. So sad.

Oh, how much mankind misses by not opening up to the one and only God. He wants you to be his child! He wants to lavish you with his love.

God made you because God is Love. Love must have someone to love. That’s you, dear friend. That’s you!

Amazing love of God. It pleases him to make you his own. It pleases him! You the lowly. You the weak. You the inconsistent. You the sinner.

Let your soul be elevated by the God of Love. Let your heart be warmed. Let your spirit be touched with eternity. Then lift up your voice and shout, “My soul is overwhelmed with joy!”

LOVE LETTERS OF JESUS & HIS BRIDE, ECCLESIA is a transliteration of the Song of Solomon. The Bride and Groom write each other when one is lost and they are trying to find each other. This is, in a sense, an allegory like John Bunyan’s works. They write after they have spent time together at their wedding feast. Footnotes throughout give life application verses from the New Testament for the symbolism of their betrothed life. Font is in beautiful papyri and each page has a bride watermark. A beautiful gift for newlyweds, anniversaries, even teenagers to help them consider the sacredness of marriage and loyalty. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this……….https://amzn.to/34PAKBS

LINK to all BOOKS by CATEGORY: http://bit.ly/MyBookInfo
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Wonder of Wonders

On December 22, 2019 By Inspirations By KatherynIn InspirationalLeave a comment

The writer ~ Don Merritt ~ was raised in the Restoration Movement. His is one of the few blogs I take the time to read. He was a Bible professor many years. Now he is retired and legally blind.

Life Project Blog

There is so much to take in when we consider the story of the birth of our Lord Jesus in Bethlehem so many centuries ago, the story is almost too much to absorb. There is one aspect to it that I’ve never written about before; I suppose this is because it’s almost too much for me to quite grasp, but I’ll take a stab at it this morning.

We know that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We know that Jesus was God Incarnate; the Son of God. We can understand why He made such an impact in His ministry when He was preaching about the Kingdom, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, making the lame walk and driving out demons, after all, He was God! We read the story of His birth and are amazed at the choirs of angels, the star and…

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