Category: eternity

Friday 10/25 ~ Inconvenience

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #friendships, #ransom, attitude, church, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, Heaven, Life of Christ, Saved from hell, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 25 (10/25), is Hebrews 10:25 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another ~ and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Do you declare, “I can walk through nature ~ the temple of God ~ and feel God is closer there than in a church building”? Well, do you really do it? How often? The purpose of the church meeting is not so much to encourage yourself as to encourage your fellow Christians and visitors along with worshiping God.  

Look at the context. Verse 23 says “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess” and verse 24 says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” How do you do these things? A lot of it is done during your congregation’s worship and encouragement service. Each one you assemble with has an unspoken burden. They need you ~ your smile, your song, your prayer. Where are you when the others meet together?

And what comes after our verse for today? Verse 26 says, “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” Meeting together with other congregational members is one of the major experiences that keep you and your friends from falling and missing heaven. Or does worshipping all the time in heaven sound boring too?

Should you meet once a week? This scripture says to meet “all the more as you see the Day [of Judgment] approaching.’ Do you say, “But that’s too inconvenient”?

It was inconvenient for Jesus to leave a perfect heaven for an imperfect earth. It was inconvenient for him to leave the company of angels for the company of sinners. It was inconvenient for him to do this for 33 long years. Inconvenient to take the blame for your sins, and then take your punishment. Inconvenient to experience agonizing spiritual death when God left him alone on the cross in your place, and then that agonizing physical death in your place.

Do you really know inconvenience? Do you take heaven for granted?

 

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN.  Securing our ransom from Satan was no easy feat. How dare we take it for granted! We blithely say, “I’m saved” as though we’re talking about eating our next meal, going for a walk, or chatting with friends.  Each time we sin, Satan gets us.  God went through heaven, earth, and hell so to speak to free us. Once he did, oh the glories of heaven. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2p1M8fn

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Wednesday 10/23 ~ Reading the map

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, discouragement, ego, eternity, faith, Holy Spirit, knowledge, ScriptureLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 23 (10/23), is Jeremiah 10:23 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“I know, O Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.”

Just how are you supposed to know what steps God has directed you to take? Do you have to guess, rely on a feeling, depend on the movement of your heart, see a vision? Actually, you have a guide, a road map.

Jesus said in John 14:16-17 that after he left, the Father would send another Counselor ~ the Spirit of Truth. In John 16:13 Jesus said The Spirit of Truth will guide into all truth. In John 17:17, Jesus said, “Your Word is Truth.”

Yes, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, guides you through the Word of God, the Bible.

You don’t have to guess! You don’t have to wonder! You don’t have to get discouraged! God has given you his Word to direct your steps. All you have to do is open his Word and read the map.

 

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-ThumbnailTHE HOLY SPIRIT: 592 VERSES EXAMINED lets the Spirit of Truth guide you in what to believe. Gone are all the numerous speculations, declarations, and conjectures. Read God’s opinions, the only opinions that matter, for they are Truth. It is liberating and gives us sweet rest. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/32EUTdD

 

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Saturday 10/19 ~ Fascinating and renewing

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, church, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, judging, knowledge, Life of Christ, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, truth, victory, worshipLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 19 (10/19), is Hebrews 10:19 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Titus-Cover-Lg Thumb“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus….”

The entire book of Hebrews explains in detail how the Jewish Old Testament Law of Moses with its 600 laws was replaced by the New Testament law of Jesus’ Grace, not just for Jews, but for every nation on earth.

Only Levites (male descendants of the Jewish tribe of Levi) were allowed to enter the Holy Place ~ first room in the temple. Only the high priest, (a Levite descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother) was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and even then only once a year on the Day of Atonement. Leviticus 16 explains that on that Day, the high priest was to kill a goat and sprinkle its blood inside the Most Holy Place for the atonement (forgiveness) of the people, then had to come right out.

Blood sacrifices were only to appease Satan. God commanded people to make those sacrifices, not to inconvenience people, but to keep Satan at bay until he got what he really wanted ~ the blood of God in flesh (Acts 20:28). Once Jesus gave Satan what he wanted, there was no more reason to offer the blood of animals ~ the theme throughout the Old Law of Moses.

The Jewish temple was destroyed about the time the book of Hebrews was written. This book explains that worshippers no longer need an earthly high priest and an earthly Most Holy Place. Jesus is your high priest (Hebrews 7:24-26) The Most Holy Place is heaven and open to all Christians throughout the world, not just for a few moments, but for eternity. (Hebrews 9:24-26).

Hebrews 9:12-14 explains, “He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

“The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ ~ who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God ~ cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

God created the pattern in the Old Testament, and the spiritual reality in the New Testament.

Some people are collecting money and breeding red heifers to rebuild the temple and begin blood sacrifices again. Why in the world would they do that? Do they really want to annul Jesus’ New Last Will and Testament and return to stoning adulterers, paying 1/3 of their income (not just 1/10) to the temple, requiring all males go to the temple three times a year, etc.?  And where are they going to find a direct descendant of Aaron, Moses’ brother, to be the high priest? James said that, if you keep part of the Law, you must keep all of it (James 2:10).

Read the book of Hebrews for yourself. It is fascinating and renewing. It is full of freedom and redemption and eternity.

 

0-Titus-Cover-Lg ThumbTITUS: THE ARISTOCRAT is an arbitrator. He’s already lived a hard life before meeting Paul ~ blame for his mother’s death, loss of a child, loss of his beautiful wife. In his law practice, he defends the downtrodden. After his conversion to Christianity, Paul sends him everywhere to calm down people wanting to bring the old Law of Moses or their idol-worshipping practices into the church. The church was meant to be simple.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2OYISvL

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Friday 10/18 ~ How many stars are in your crown?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn church, ego, eternity, good works, Heaven, humility, judging, praise, teachingLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 18 (10/18), is 2nd Corinthians 10:18 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Joseph-Cover-Thumbnail“For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

Do you look at your life and decide some of your bad habits are not so bad, considering what some other people you know are doing? Do you look at your life and decide your lukewarmness in good works and spreading the gospel is not so bad, considering what most others around you are doing?

Jesus said you will receive only one reward, and you must choose: (1) Being rewarded by each other, or (2) being rewarded by God. You can’t have both (Matthew 6:5; 18).  Is standing in front of an audience of 500 who won’t remember what you said two hours later more important than sitting with two people who will put your words in their lives?

And that brings up how you judge other people. You may decide certain Christians you know are not pulling their share of the load in your congregation, not doing their part. But that may be a wrong judgment.

A lot of Christians you know may be doing good works you will never learn about. “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward [them]” (Matthew 6:18a). Who knows? That time someone mowed your lawn while you were in the hospital may have been one of those “do-nothings”.  Ah. I wonder how many stars they have in their crown.

 

0-Joseph-Cover-ThumbnailJOSEPH: THE OTHER FATHER is an unsung hero.  What must life have been like for Joseph to raise the Son of God in a violent world and keep him safe until grown.? How many times do you think he cried out, “God! Help me protect our Son!” To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2qsC4fP

 

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Thursday 11/17 ~ Knowing for sure

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Bible, eternity, forgiveness, Heaven, judging, knowledge, Saved from hell, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 17 (10/17), is Romans 10:17 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-Thumbnail“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

The King James version reads “Therefore, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Faith is not just a feeling or responding to what a friend tells us. It is not responding to a religious book or a website or to a spiritual movement. Faith is the result of hearing/reading the Word of Christ, the gospel ~ for yourself ~ all of it!

Faith is based on knowledge; zeal is not enough (Romans 10:1). Faith is based on considering the evidence; a feeling in one’s heart is not enough (Hebrews 11:1).

You who study the Bible for yourself are doing the right thing. Do not rely on anything but what you have read for yourself. All other religious people are going to be judged by God just like you are. When compared to God’s Word, their word is not important.

You are trying to please God, not people. You are worshiping God, not people. Rely only on what He says, and know for sure.

 

0-HS-592 VersesExamined-COVER-ThumbnailTHE HOLY SPIRIT: 592 VERSES EXAMINED does just that. Every verse in the Bible with the word “Spirit” is examined. No coming into the study with what we’ve been told. No guessing. Learn the facts and be astounded by what you have never known before. To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2MoQi9L

 

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Tuesday 10/15 ~ Oh, how affectionate

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, ego, eternity, forgiveness, Heaven, Life of Christ, sin, victoryLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 15 (10/15), is Deuteronomy 10:15 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“Yet the Lord set his affection on your forefathers [Abraham, Isaac, Jacob] and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants [Jews], above all the nations, as it is today.”

Mankind has spent millenniums trying to figure out how to be perfect so we can deserve heaven and escape hell.

God gave us that opportunity the first several thousand years of mankind. Some people of the world he left alone to figure out on their own how to be perfect. They created many kinds of religions and philosophies. But to the Jews he sent the Law of Moses containing over 600 intricate laws which, if kept perfectly, would make them perfect. In all cases, no one could be perfect.

Then, when mankind was willing to admit we cannot be perfect, the Word of God materialized and came to us to live that perfect life that is impossible for us to live. Now, all you have to do is follow Jesus and be IN Jesus (Galatians 3:27) for the forgiveness of your sins, and God will consider you perfect too.

God sets his affections on you. Do you run from him? Do you harbor resentments toward him? Are you too busy or having too much fun or too tired to give him a second thought?   He will not force you, but he runs after you begging you to come to him for safety. Oh, how affectionate he feels toward you.

 

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN begins in the Garden of Eden where Satan snatched mankind away from God and what God went through to pay the ransom Satan demanded to release us. Then it moves on to our “glorious bodies” and heaven.  Recommended for family and friends who don’t have time for God.  To BUY NOW, click a cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2OTq015

 

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Monday 10/14 ~ Into the thistles

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, forgiveness, Loss, problems, sacrifice, Saved from hell, sin, temptation, weakness1 Comment

The scripture for today, October 14 (10/14), is John 10:14 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.thumbnail-new“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me ~ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father ~ and I lay down my life for the sheep.”

How amazing that Jesus is willing to follow you when you do not follow him, and bring you back to his protective fold. He died while doing just that.

Yet we continue to leave him and his instructions that would keep us safe, and we wander into thistles, near cliffs, down into pits. This requires more work for Jesus. Yet we do it anyway. Catch me if you can! We may laugh, but he weeps because he knows the danger we are headed for.

How much grief do you give your spiritual Father, your spiritual Big Brother, your spiritual family? If they are not laughing over what you’re doing, perhaps you should not be either.

Do you say, “It’s no one else’s business what I do in private”? But when those private sins lead you into problems, it breaks the hearts of your loved ones here on earth. It breaks the heart of Jesus, who went through a torturous death to bring you out of those problems. 

God, forgive me when I wander from You.

 

0-Bk3-HeartsAfire-COVER-Kindle.thumbnail-newHEARTS AFIRE is Novel 3 of the THEY MET JESUS series.  It about the people who discovered Jesus and how he could help them with their physical and spiritual problems. Each chapter is the drama of a different person.  One of them may be you.  Citations and discussion questions at the end of each chapter make it conducive to classes or reading clubs.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/31es1Yb

(One reviewer said book 3 was the same as book 2 and was correct. The wrong MS was turned in. It has been corrected.)

 

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Friday 10/11 ~ Has God forgotten?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn Daily, ego, eternity, forgiveness, Inspirational, judging, sin, truthLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 11 (10/11), is Psalm 10:11 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAIL“He says to himself, ‘God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees.’ “

You believe in God in some form. And you believe that God knows what you do. But do you sometimes bury your beliefs in your subconscious mind so you can go around doing things you know are wrong? Do you believe you won’t get caught, and you can slide into heaven doing whatever you want?

In other words, do you justify your favorite sins? Do you justify your sins of attitude such as jealousy, impatience, pride, short temper under the guise of an unhappy childhood or getting what you deserve?  Do you justify your sins of omission ~ good things you should be doing, but are not ~ under the excuse that you don’t have time? Do you justify questionable things you do by saying they’re “not so bad” or God is so good, he will forgive anything you do as long as you say you’re sorry every time you do it?

Do you do as children do who cover their eyes so they cannot see anyone and think that, therefore, no one can see them?

God loves you more than you can ever imagine. He never forgets you. He sees and hears everything you do. The only things he does not approve of are things that will ultimately hurt you and which he calls sin.

Here’s a jewel for you.  Polish it, shine it up and put it on display: Pleasing your Creator is the ultimate form of pleasing yourself.

 

Road to Heaven-COVER-KINDLE-THUMBNAILTHE ROAD TO HEAVEN is for people who claim they’re “not so bad,” so God will let them into his home. It begins in the Garden of Eden and God’s warning, “The day you sin you will die.  Even today, each time we sin, we sell ourselves to Satan.  In the beginning, Satan said mankind could be freed buy only one ransom ~ the death of God. So began the long saga between the Garden of Eden and the cross.  But, why evil in the first place?  Read the book and be inspired.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this: https://amzn.to/2B5oAZu

 

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Thursday 10/10 ~ Just an innocent wink?

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn ego, eternity, judging, knowledge, power, Scripture, thingsLeave a comment

The scripture for today, October 10 (10/10), is Proverbs 10:10 as found in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail“He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.”

How can eye winking be malicious? Let’s look further at Proverbs 6:12-14 ~ “A scoundrel and villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plans evil with deceit in his heart ~ he always stirs up dissension.”

Have you ever said something to someone, but turned to someone else in the room and winked as though to let the second person know you didn’t really mean what you just said? That made your words a lie.

You might have pre-arranged signals before a meeting, such as crossing your feet as a signal you do or don’t like what is being said. Or you may run your fingers over your hair, or tap three times on a table as a pre-arranged signal to someone else in the room. If you are saying one thing but signaling something else to your partner, then your words are lies.

Perhaps you think it is purely innocent and claim that everyone does it. But Revelation 21 says “…all liars ~ their place will be in the fiery lake.”

So, from now on, decide to be truthful in everything you say in word and deed. Remember, Jesus never told a lie. He called himself Truth. It can be done. And it is liberating.

 

Pearls Cover-Palms-300dpi-Thumbnail365 PEARLS OF WISDOM: GOD’S SOUL TO YOURS provides a daily proverb and one passage from either Job, Psalms or Ecclesiastes.  A great way to begin each day.  This is #2 of the TOUCHING GOD gift-book trilogy with original art on the cover.  Perfect for teens, newlyweds, new parents, busy professionals.  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2B1SoWM

 

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Monday 9/30 ~ We fall at his bloody pierced feet and worship him

On By Inspirations By KatherynIn #ransom, Death of Jesus Christ, eternity, Fear, Life of Christ, love, sacrifice, Satan, Saved from hell, worship1 Comment

The scripture for today, September 30 (9/30), is Luke 9:30f as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-Thumbnail“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.”

Hebrews 5:7 says something very startling to most people. “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death.”

Jesus did not look forward to going to the cross, even though many thousands of others had died that way. Why was it different for him? Because he had to take on all our sins as though he had committed them himself ~ every lie we ever told, every gain from cheating, every insult, every slander campaign against another, every adultery, every murder ~ everything. He had to take the blame for ALL our sins! How could he bear it?

Not only that, but he had to experience both physical and spiritual death. Spiritual death means being separated from, being forsaken by God. What a terror to experience!

And so, a few weeks before his crucifixion, as he prayed on the mountain, Moses and Elijah appeared to him and they spoke about his death. They surely gave him the courage to do what had to be done to save you and me who deserve hell.

The crowning glory of this conversation with Moses and Elijah is that the Father himself reassured him by announcing, “THIS IS MY SON! WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN! LISTEN TO HIM!”

Jesus was to nail the Old Law of Moses to the cross (Colossians 2:14). He had promised people, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law and the Prophets: I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

On the cross, he said, “It is fulfilled.”  Indeed, by the time Jesus returned to heaven, he had lived the Old Law introduced by Moses perfectly ~ something no man had ever been able to do. And by the time he returned to heaven, he had fulfilled every prophecy about his birth, life, and death, the first such full-time prophet being Elijah.

Oh, the things Jesus went through for us. We fall at his bloody, pierced feet and worship him.

 

0-BK 7-ShadowOfDeath-Cover-new-ThumbnailTHEY MET JESUS: SHADOW OF DEATH includes two chapters on the crucifixion itself ~ one the first three hours, one the last three hours.  I studied a lot of medical manuals and consulted physicians and they are the result. It also includes the hours before his crucifixion, the mourning of his followers and that great Sunday morning when he gave Satan the final blow: He came back to life!  To BUY NOW, click a book cover or paste this:  https://amzn.to/2MPmDcj

 

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