The Lessons Are All Around Us - but then so are the tests!

For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. Matthew 7:2

What we have to be really open to, and expect, is that when we learn lessons or learn something about the LORD, or judge someone - the test comes.

And the test is the same as we measured out.
If we fail the test, just like school, we get re-tested somewhere.
Sadly there are some who never pass the tests of life - and pay the price
of failure.

And don't kid yourself the SPIRITUAL includes the physical and mental. If
it effects one part of you - it effects all of you, that is what a body is.

Ok, so what is my point?

I was tested...

It started on a Monday, I was in a McDonalds with my dad, and I over heard a lady
about my age (she was in her 40's) talking to her very senior mother.
The talking wasn't strange, but it was 'how' she was talking to her elderly mother.

As this was November, she was telling her mother, in no uncertain terms, what
she demanded her aged mother to give her for Christmas.

She insisted that her mother order online a 'kindle' from Amazon. Which allows book worms to download and read on a electronic computerized tablet and usually the e-books are less money than traditional paper books.

Anyway, the point was that she demanded her mother get her one, and no other gift would do!

The mother was very congenial, and agreed that if her daughter 'needed' one she would make sure she would order one for her. Although she reminded her daughter that she doesn't really know how to order online.

The daughter told her mother, that her brother would help her and that using a credit card, was all that it took to get this gift, and then told her mother how much it would all cost.

I laughed to myself, thinking what a crazy conversation. I thought, they were both acting like the mother was 30 and her daughter was 9.

Now if you are Christian, then its one of the HOLY SPIRITS jobs to make you grow into CHRIST. Become more like how HE is, not how you are!

So, I made judgements in my heart about this two-some, not having a clue who they where or where they were coming from.

Enter the TEST!

About 3 days later, I am going to meet my dad in a local coffee shop. Knowing he was going to get there before me, he asked what I wanted. So that when I would arrive there minutes later, everything would be ready - and paid for! Thanks dad!

Anyway we were also ordering bagels with our coffee's and tea's.

I ordered a cheese bagel, I don't eat them very often but from time to time
have a craving for them. My dad knows this.

When I arrive, everything is ready, but to my surprise the bagel was
sesame seed and not the cheese type that I wanted.

I mentioned it to my Dad, and he said, he thought they told him
they were out of them. I said 'ok', thanks.

But when I got up to get a napkin, I saw they had many cheese bagels!

I was about to ask my dad about what happened?

When the LORD reminded me, that I was falling in the same pattern as
the woman and her mother a few days earlier!

As the prophet Nathan said to David, when David was caught in a sin,
Nathan said "David, you are that man!" 1 Samuel 12:7

Re - learning several lessons:

1) Receive everything with thanks!
2) As you judge others, you will be judged.
3) As you judge or learn something (or like most often,
think we've learned something) the test comes!

Get ready for your test!

Re-tests available.

-eric

All that glitters is not gold

We had a unique Bible Study/Fellowship the other day as it landed the day
before Halloween.

Now Halloween is a very interesting time of year. When we were a younger family as Christians, we never participated in Halloween knowing that it was a pagan celebration. But know when we understood GRACE and knowing that Halloween actually means "Holy Eve". Its the Holy evening before 'All Saints Day' the day the believers remember the saints of old.

But there is something way more important about 'dressing up' that we don't realize as its more sinister and deeper than meets the eye.

You see, we all where masks, life it seems is a full masquerade. We all where false images of our selves portraying to others exactly what we are NOT! We show (either in a Church gathering, or in the world) how 'strong' we are, how 'together' we have it, how powerful, how successful, how smart, how rich, how influencial, how educated, now connected, how athletic, how beautiful - when its all fake, false.

We are not saying that nobody is smart or beautiful or athletic, but we hide what we really are behind this. We are really fearful, nervous, sinful, week, confused, and worried.

We worry if we measure up, worry if we'll have enough, worry if our children will 'make it', worry if we will make it, worry about the future, the goverment, with fears of life and fears of death. In one word - pathetic.

All of our achievements, don't really satisfy and the burden we carry trying to continually fill it with everything from money to sex to power to 'things' only to find we were left un-fulfilled, un-satisfied. But the mask, the 'dress up' shows everyone what we want to portray! Only knowing in our heart - its a lie. Never really good enough but not allowing anyone to come close, to really see the real us, for fear that 'if you new about me, you wouldn't like me'.

But that 'mess' is exactly the way GOD wants us to come.
Because HE is LOVE (the bible says that GOD is LOVE), HE wants what is best for you.
Also we read that LOVE rejoices and only seeks the TRUTH.

Again LOVE is a person
But so is TRUTH.

They are the same person and rejoice with and in each other because they complete
each other!

So coming to GOD, 'just the way I am', and seeing ourselves as real sinners, a real mess and unable to fix it or make it right. Coming to HIM who knows us better than we know ourselves, because HE made you - and only HE knows how to 'fix you'.
That is how we come to GOD, and enter the light, throwing away our masks and allowing the truth and light to penetrate all of the dark, and fearful issues we have and get healed or as JESUS promises 'Saved'.

Saved from the curse, Saved from wrath, Saved from ourselves.

Come to JESUS
Enter the LIGHT

All you have to do is come!

-eric

Usual Morning With A Lesson From The LORD

It was a typical morning.
I drank my tea.
Read some of the Bible (I was reading Isaiah 53, in the Message Translation).
Had some breakfast and sat where I usually sit, on the far end of the table.

When I was finished, reading, drinking, eating I got up and was about to leave
until I saw the newspaper left at the other end of the table.

I sat down read some of the paper and got up to leave with blackberry in hand, getting ready to start work.

The LORD spoke to me: "Do you see both ends of the table where you sat?"
"Yes," I answered in my SPIRIT.

The LORD continued: "Is that a story of your life? A little bit of the WORD, and a little bit of the world?"

The Bible on one end representing the WORD and the newspaper on the other representing the world and the things of the world.

"I guess, never thought about that", I answered again.

"Do you see 2 parts of your life - or 1 in ME?" asked JESUS again.

I was thinking - I'm never good at getting the 'right answers' when the LORD
asks me.

JESUS continues, "Don't see your self as spiritual because you read the bible and now worldly because you read the newspaper. You can be in the flesh doing both or in the SPIRIT doing both. Its not what you do or what you don't do, but who you are in ME! Or are you trying to live in the flesh which is trying to live without ME".

Living for youself, or living for others (ME and everyone else).

That was my lesson, and the picture is the exact picture as I saw it when I was
walking out of my kitchen and then heard HIS voice and now you know the rest of the story.

-eric

A haunting question/life and some help.

A Haunting

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I need a little help.

First off I promise I'm not crazy. I have not been alone in some of these 'experiences'.

While I have had strange experiences in my life I have always been able to 'explain' them away but lately that's getting harder to do.

In the last three years a lot of really crazy stuff has been going on around me and I'm just not sure how to stop it.

I've experienced seeing red figures who stand and stare at me (daylight hours and 'disappear' once I notice them, once a man and once a woman. Both were dressed fully in bright red clothing and although I 'saw' them I couldn't tell you what they looked like beyond their genders). Things throwing themselves at me (apples, candles, paper even!). Voices calling my name (not voices I recognize). Sounds that can't be traced to their source (I investigate rather then quietly cower in fear). Even glowing yellow cat eyes in the dark of my hallway when there are no animals in the home (with no explicable light source or reflective surface to explain it away). Many of these experiences have been shared by my roommate (the noises, the figures that disappear, etc).

I'm the world's biggest skeptic but after a year of this I have come to the conclusion that either I'm being followed by 'something' or I'm losing my mind. Clearly the former is the less frightening possibility.

These things aren't occurring only at night or when I'm asleep and startled awake which rules out sleep paralysis, sleep hallucinations, etc. They happen whether I am alone or with others. They are far more violent when I am alone (while in church a candle threw itself across the room and slammed into the wall behind me - things being thrown at me is an experience that I have no witnesses for and quite frankly those experiences were more frightening then the red figures even because they defied all logic). This started three years ago when I moved in with my roommate and has continued through three moves so I don't think this is related to the homes I'm living in.

Ignoring this doesn't seem to help.

I have no idea how to handle this.

I hope this is the right place to ask for some help.

I am going to attempt blessing the home tonight and dedicating it to God. My roommate is Christian also so she's going to assist. We have never blessed our home before so we're not sure how to even go about that but neither of us have attended church since moving in so we have no minister we can call in for assistance

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Here is the answer we gave:

Take real heart!

It sounds like your friend has something to do with all this.

We've seen demons manifest, and beds shaking and demons appearing (in spirit form) and I tell you they are all defeated at the CROSS.

Note: we are not seeking them, but they manifest when you are helping and praying for people from time to time.
We seek JESUS and HIS GRACE only!

Luke 10: 18-20
18He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

Read again those precious promises and victory in Colossians 1 and 2 showing you that satan is defeated. Read them, believe them and ask the HOLY SPIRIT to open your eyes to see more of how lovely, how available and how big JESUS is!

The devils only weapon is deception and it boils down to what you believe.
(or who you are going to believe).

Don't let people tell you its not real. or you need someone -you've got the greatest SOMEONE in the universe inside you!

My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:23

How do you use HIS authority in you?
The authority is over demons never people (thats witchcraft/manipulation)
Speak your rebuke and insist on your victory (even if it doesn't leave right away) you never back down (no matter what it says).

If it speaks tell it to 'shut up in JESUS name' it will stop talking.
Tell it what to do like get out of here and it will go. Sometimes you have to insist because the demon will try to call your bluff - but we aren't bluffing!

I've never seen HIM fail.
Believe and you will receive.
I believe therefore I speak.

-Eric

PS if you want me to call you, or if you think it would help to call me (either way) PM me - if that would help as we are both in Canada. I am open to that, but you've already got what I've got - JESUS!

JESUS is the VICTOR!

Question on our Sinful Nature

Psalm 51:5 and our sinful nature

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I'm after expert opinion from people who understand Biblical Hebrew.

Psalm 51:5 used to trouble me when I used the NIV as it stated "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." And that troubled me - thinking that babies who had not yet been born were in fact guilty of sin.

However, the ESV states it differently: "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." And that seems more acceptable as it seems to be talking about the mother's sin, not the baby's.

But which is closer to the original text? Do people know other verses talking about the same topic or our sinful nature? They way I think about it is we are born innocent but because of our nature it is absolutely inevitable that we will sin. But is this biblically accurate?

Signed ___________________

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Dear _______________


The scripture intentionally uses the words 'Sin' and of course 'sins'.

Sin is personified where as sins are action words.

The first time 'Sin' is used in scripture is Cain bringing a religious (man made) offering before the LORD and of course GOD only accepts the blood and fat. Cain doesn't agree and it ends in murder.

The LORD says to Cain

But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:6-7

this sin is crouching it has desires
it wants to master you, but you must master it!

This is the very first time we see 'Sin'.

Later we have scriptures like "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me." Psalm 51:5

Now, when JESUS enters the scene in the Gospels the first things said about HIM
are:

John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! john 1:29

Paul in Romans keeps up with the theme especially in Romans 7.

Once we realize that 'Sin' is a person and its not you - its sin living in you. If we don't realize this, then we are constantly fighting ourselves.

We are guilty, because we agree with 'sin' inside us tempting us, talking to us and we agree and do it - sins!

Sins are just manifistations of another person working through us - satan.

This sin nature or sin is the devil, we do what he wants producing 'sins'.
Paul said at different times things like this:

For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me.
(we know who the deceiver is).

As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.

Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it,
but it is sin living in me that does it.

Romans 6:12 Therefore don't let sin reign

This person (the devil) always wanted to be worshiped, wanted to be GOD.
He wants to reign in our lives to.

Paul also writes in Romans and Galatians this:
- so you don't do what you want.

The LORD JESUS, not only washed away our sins and cleansed us by HIS blood.
HE also put an axe to the root - the sin nature (Sin itself) so that we (us represented in HIM) were crucified - severing the control and union between us and sin.

So that it opens the way for us to start to live in the reality of
the command: 'don't let sin reign or rule over you'.

If I try to stop myself from sinning (thinking its just me alone) then
we know the results - there are a million religious acts done in Christianity
and other religions, of man trying to stop himself from acts of sin.

Its impossible!

Without HIM and knowing who the enemy is.

-Eric

Am I a Hypocrite?

Question that we answered...

Am I a hypocrite?

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Hi, I'm a new member and I'm having difficulty. I am a recent born-again Christian and am having difficulties in loving my enemies. I have one person in mind who is trying to do everything to destroy everything that I have worked for (deliberately). I'm dealing with a classic bully in the workplace. I have prayed for him and asked God to change his heart. But deep down inside I have nothing nice to say about him and don't like him. Am I a hypocrite?


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Dear ___________________

Yes, JESUS did say love your enemies and Love your neighbour as your self.
but you need HIM to do it, because your love isn't good enough, can't go far enough.

Note: HE is LOVE, and did and still loves HIS enemies. (see the cross, and how HE prayed for HIS enemies).

Pray honestly to the LORD, "I am willing but unable to forgive or love this co-worker, but can YOU -LORD make me able". And leave it at that, and watch the change come!

Christianity is CHRIST in you, and its all about JESUS living through you and you living with HIM (every day for every thing, every task).

But forgiving him doesn't mean that you have to be friends or hang around. You are free in JESUS.

How can 2 walk lest they walk in agreement. Amos 3:3

JESUS didn't call everyone HIS friends either. John 15:15

-eric

A Hitler Dream

This question came our way and our response to it (as the LORD gives it to us).

A Dream about Hitler

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Last night had a dream about hitler. It went like this:
Firstly I was in a house and I looked at ths painting of Hitler. He had his typical grey nazi uniform with the belt across his chest with al the nazi paraphanalia, badges etc. It was a strange painting becuse it showed him with bigger than usual eyes that made him look young, about 19. It has a glow around him and he had what looked lime a sword made from a purple tenticle, which also glowed slightly. I looked and he suddenly moved and was standing like he was standing behind a counter. the tenticle sword started flopping and he was straightening it out.

Next thing I saw myself walking out side the back of the house, which looked a lot bigger and seemed to morph into a hotel. I walked up to this old wall and to my right I saw hitler again chanting and making noises like he was amassing troops to fight. He was shouting a speech and gearing up the hordes. I looked aheads and saw thousands of black suited soldiers with red bits on their uniforms, shouting in agreement. They were a long way off, about the distance of a football field or longer and were in rows as far back as I could see. behind them was darkness and some other forms I could not make out. Suddenly i was spotted and I saw Hitler motion to the hordes to get me. They all started running towards me shouting. i turned to run and climb over the wall, but for some reason my legs wouldnt move so i tried to haul myself up over the wall but I still couldnt get my legs over.

Then I woke up.

I was then a bit peeved with myself for not calling on the name of Jesus to scatter and destroy these hordes.
Anyway thats how it went.
Comments Please signed __________

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This is what we wrote:


Dear ________________

The dream is a warning (GOD always gives the way out)

Here is the scripture the LORD gave me with your dream.

Revelation 2:6
But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate

Nico = means to 'rule over' or 'dominate'
Laitans = we get the term 'laity' or people, the people.

Meaning to 'rule over the people'.
That is exactly what Hitler did!

Have you been thinking, or wondering about church (as you know it) and the rule of pastor or board or 'religious control'?

The house is the church building as you knew it, the vastness is (morphing into a hotel etc..) is the true size of it, with all of the devils hoards in line (all listening to this 'Hitler', which is a religious demon controlling people).

Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Revelation 2: 15-16

The LORD is against this, and will fight with HIS Sword against it (against the devils sword) - we should too! We are told to repent over it (take GOD'S way not our own).

-eric