#"Gospel Meditations"

[garden-of-thoughts-fruit-of-lips]

For instance, while passing along and carefully observing your objects of veneration, I found even an altar on which had been inscribed ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you are unknowingly worshipping, this I am declaring to you. The God who made the world and all the things in it, being, as he is, Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in handmade temples

Acts 17: 23,24

[imaginalstudio]

but you don't hear me. Ignorance is bliss and so on. Sometimes it's better to be thought dumb. Shall I go on?

- Dmx "Let me Fly"

[santmat]

The Human Body is the True Temple of the Spirit -- Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast @ Youtube. This Life is a Golden Opportunity for the Liberation of the Soul; also, the Seven Stages of Mystic Ascension to Heaven; Ingredients of a Living Spiritual Path: Seven Gnostic-Sant Mat Parallels; Quotes from the Sikh Scriptures; The "Womb of Meditation" that gives birth to the realized soul according to the Gospel of Thomas & Syriac Mystics; and Satsang Spiritual Discourses by Baba Ram Singh on this rare Path of Simran and Meditation Practice;

[ray-moo]

Except that you're not quoting a buddhist text, you're quoting some academic. Academics have been known for misinterpreting buddhism since forever. The whole 'Buddhism is not a religion, it's a philosophy' shtick is the result of Western academics in the past grossly misinterpreting Buddhism because they desperately wanted Buddhism to be this rational alternative to the irrational spirituality of Christianity.

Can you find an actual Buddhist text representative of all Buddhists that says what you're claiming? (It's kinda hard since Buddhists don't have texts all buddhists subscribe to)

The founder of Tibetan Buddhism is recorded to have said "The basis for realizing enlightenment is a human body. Male or female – there is no great difference. But if she develops the mind bent on enlightenment, to be a woman is better."

The statement that Buddhists believe that women can't be buddhas or achieve enlightenment is just plain wrong. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mand%C4%81rav%C4%81 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Tath%C4%81gatas

Yes, sex is polluting to women because sex is polluting to everyone. Sever your attachments.

And criticizing a Buddhist Monk talking about doing the dishes as a great spiritual insight when women already know to do that, then criticizing monks for having no spiritual insight would assume that the only thing the monk has to offer is the insight he provides. More than a lot of other religions, the 'gospel' or 'message' of Buddhism so to speak is hard to present. If the Buddhist Monk launched into a lecture about sunyata or the difference between the yogacara or madhyamaka school , no one would benefit even if the realization of sunyata is the goal of Buddhism to some extent. Buddhists have a whole concept of Upaya-kaushalya which essentially means that you don't give people your deepest spiritual truths, you meet them where they are in the way they most understand and that most benefits them. For example, when the Buddha met a gluttonous king and was asked to give the king advice, he basically said 'Have a guy who sits next to you at meals to remind you not to eat too much' Some Buddhist traditions even teach that the Buddha's whole life is to some extent an application of Upaya-Kaushalya since he achieved enlightenment countless lifetimes ago and only pretended to achieve enlightenment in his lifetime as the Buddha to show others how to do it.

To complicate things, you do have a school of Buddhism that teaches you can achieve enlightenment by doing the dishes. Zen Buddhism has an emphasis on absolute dedication or devotion to a task whether meditation or raking the leaves or doing the dishes in order to spontaneously achieve enlightenment. But Zen Buddhists also teach that you can't teach someone to achieve enlightenment so that's a moot point for a Zen Monk to share his spiritual insight with the class.

Here’s to 2023, a year of as many little courageous kindnesses as possible. ♥️

[ifmypeopleza01]

Bread of Life

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. (John 6:48-49)

John is probably the favourite Gospel for many. The main reason, I think is because it is the Gospel of love. “God so loved the world…”, “The disciple whom Jesus loved…” This is valid.

For me, it may be because I am truly a nerd. These quoted verses make me want to study certain phrases and words all the more.

In the wilderness as satan was tempting Jesus, one of Jesus responses was “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4).

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word was made flesh” (verse 14).

John 1 continues to say that the world was made by this Word.

Just as bread needs to be chewed before digesting, so too should the word be chewed before digesting. We do this by meditating on that word until that word has nourished us and spoken to us and given the strength we need to carry on.

These are not isolated verses, there are others that speak of Jesus being creator and sustainer. In this John 6, Jesus hints at being the manna that fed the Israelites as they traveled to the Promised Land.

Colossians 1:16 tells us that Jesus created everything, Hebrews 1:8, Jesus is God, who laid the foundation (verse 10) for creation.

There can be no denying Jesus deity. I read another scripture today John 10:33 “The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” Jesus knew who he was. He knew his identity. He did not hide it. He just never used exact terminology that some insist that he use.

“Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:53). With this play on words in John’s gospel, it is clear that it is not the literal flesh or the literal blood that we are to eat and drink. It is clearly there to symbolize something. This something is expanded on more fully elsewhere when Jesus instituted the Remembrance meal we call communion.

The bread can be symbolic of Jesus broken body (breaking of the bread), it could be symbolic of His word too. The wine is clearly what we are to remember as it is the shedding of blood that delivers us from sin.

Two Ways to Live? I think the primary encouragement in this passage is to feed on God’s word. Just as you need to eat a few times a day, read a few times a day (or once a day as you see fit), just do it.

Father, forgive us for spending so little time in your word. Sorry that we take having a Bible in our hands, translated into a language we understand so for granted, especially as so many gave their lives just so that we have a right to own a Bible in our language. Help us to redeem the time appropriately.

[rosaliachristian]

Sunday, December 8, 2024

Bishop Robert Barron

Cycle C

Advent

2nd wk of Advent

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Read on USCCBListen on Hallow

Bible References

Luke 3:1-6

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Luke quotes from the prophet Isaiah: “Prepare the way of the Lord,     make straight his paths.” (Isa. 40:3)

Advent is a great liturgical season of waiting—but not a passive waiting. We yearn, we search, and we reach out for the God who will come to us in human flesh. In short, we prepare the way of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This preparation has a penitential dimension, because it is the season in which we prepare for the coming of a Savior, and we don’t need a Savior unless we’re deeply convinced there is something to be saved from. When we have become deeply aware of our sin, we know that we can cling to nothing in ourselves, that everything we offer is, to some degree, tainted and impure. We can’t show our cultural, professional, and personal accomplishments to God as though they are enough to save us. But the moment we realize that fact, we move into the Advent spirit, desperately craving a Savior. 

In the book of Isaiah (Isa. 64:7), we read: “Yet, O Lord, you are our father;     we are the clay and you the potter:     we are all the work of your hands.” 

Today, let us prepare ourselves for the potter to come.

Gospel Reflections

Meditate on Daily Gospel Reflections from Bishop

[tpanan]

My Saturday Daily Blessings

October 12, 2024

Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time (Roman Rite Calendar)

Lectionary: 466

First Reading:                          GAL 3:22-29 

Responsorial Psalm:              PS 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7 

Verse Before the Gospel:  LK 11:28

**Gospel:                  LK 11:27-28 

**Meditation

Sources:Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

**Meditations may be freely reprinted for non-commercial use - please cite:  copyright © 2023 Servants of the Word, source: dailyscripture.net, author Don Schwager. 

Scripture quotations from Common Bible: Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1973, and Ignatius Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 2006, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible: Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1973, and Ignatius Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 2006, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.  Citation references for quotes from the writings of the early church fathers can be found here.

[apilgrimpassingby]

Gorgeous. And I feel the need to quote a review of Every Man's Battle on Goodreads (by a user named Erik):

"God will meet you right where you are. In the midst of your sin. And we feel distant from Him because we feel this Christian culture pressure to be something that we could never be on our own; holy in the eyes of God. So, pray like that tax collector. Meditate on the magnitude of the cross, and what Christ did for us. Repent out of love for Him, and instead of dwelling on your sin and how you can eradicate it, dwell on Him. Fill your thoughts and heart of the joys of the Gospel, and praise God for replacing our image with the image of His son … and know that there is nothing we can do to cheapen or bolster His sacrifice.

This is where true repentance comes from. A heart full of joy that God has shown us complete mercy with His sacrifice, and that we could never make a dent in paying it off. We live with sexual purity out of love and devotion, and not out of pride or shame."

I’m a mess of a Christian but Jesus still died for me

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Monday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of Monday, September 2, 2024

Reading 1

1 COR 2:1-5

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102

R./ Lord, I love your commands.

How I love your law, O LORD! It is my meditation all the day. R./ Lord, I love your commands.

Your command has made me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. R./ Lord, I love your commands.

I have more understanding than all my teachers when your decrees are my meditation. R./ Lord, I love your commands.

I have more discernment than the elders, because I observe your precepts. R./ Lord, I love your commands.

From every evil way I withhold my feet, that I may keep your words. R./ Lord, I love your commands.

From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me. R./ Lord, I love your commands.

Gospel

LK 4:16-30

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Is this not the son of Joseph?" He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb, 'Physician, cure yourself,' and say, 'Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.'" And he said, "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Mon Sept 02nd, 2024 ... Monday of the Twenty-Second Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

---------

1 COR 2:1-5

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,

proclaiming the mystery of God,

I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you

except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,

and my message and my proclamation

were not with persuasive words of wisdom,

but with a demonstration of spirit and power,

so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom

but on the power of God.

Responsorial Psalm

---------------

PS 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102 

R. (97) Lord, I love your commands.

How I love your law, O LORD!

It is my meditation all the day.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

Your command has made me wiser than my enemies,

 for it is ever with me.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

I have more understanding than all my teachers

when your decrees are my meditation.

R.  Lord, I love your commands.

I have more discernment than the elders,

because I observe your precepts.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

From every evil way I withhold my feet,

that I may keep your words.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

From your ordinances I turn not away,

for you have instructed me.

R. Lord, I love your commands.

Alleluia

---------

LK 4:18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;

he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

---------

LK 4:16-30

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,

and went according to his custom

into the synagogue on the sabbath day.

He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.

He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll,

he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,

and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.

He said to them,

“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

And all spoke highly of him

and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.

They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?”

He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb,

‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place

the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’”

And he said,

“Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.

Indeed, I tell you,

there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah

when the sky was closed for three and a half years

and a severe famine spread over the entire land.

It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,

but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.

Again, there were many lepers in Israel

during the time of Elisha the prophet;

yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

When the people in the synagogue heard this,

they were all filled with fury.

They rose up, drove him out of the town,

and led him to the brow of the hill

on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.

But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

When my daughter was very young a nighttime ritual included the reading of a book of bible stories for children. One of our favorites was the story of Naaman the Syrian. (In our liturgy the full story of Naaman is in the morning readings, 2 Kings 5:9-14) It helps us to understand more fully today’s Gospel, so I will summarize it here. Naaman is not an Israelite but a foreigner, a Syrian. He is a wealthy, powerful man, not given to nonsense. You can picture him in all his regalia, pulling up to the door of the prophet Elisha, reining in his horses, his chariot stopping in a great cloud of dust. Already he has humbled himself to go to this foreign prophet’s simple abode, seeking a cure for the leprosy that disfigures and threatens his power, his very survival. Elisha seemingly insults him by not appearing in person to lay hands on him, cure him. Instead, he sends a messenger to tell him to do something totally ridiculous. Unimaginable. Beneath him. "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean” are the instructions from the messenger.

Fuming, Naaman mutters that his native rivers are just as good as the Israelite river Jordan. I'm out of here .  But hear this! His servants come and reason with him that since the prophet could have told him something extraordinary and Naaman would have followed those instructions but instead the prophet told him something simple, he should do it. The servants were correct. Words from the humble are wise. So Naaman plunges seven times in the Jordan and his flesh is clean - he can now safely be welcomed into his community and exercise what we hope is a humbled power.

The Gospel takes us a step further in trust and faith. While Naaman rested his faith on the humble servants and the messenger of the prophet, Jesus tells us through the writings of Paul our faith may rest on the power of God. He recalls for us the healings that God worked through the faith of foreigners although there were many in Israel in need of healing. The drama in  this Gospel has Jesus reading from the Torah in front of the usual crowd in the synagogue on the sabbath. He reads from Isaiah the famous passage of healings, healings by the Messiah and not a prophet. He claims the scripture passage is fulfilled this day in the hearing of those assembled, and returns to his seat. Again, fury! The congregation rises up and drives Jesus out of town to a high precipice where they intend to push him to his death for what they thought was blasphemy, claiming to be the Son of God. Jesus slips away. His time had not yet come.

The lessons I drew from the readings and Gospel called me to hear advice from the humble, but also to listen always for that quiet whispering voice of God giving me what I might mistake for ridiculous guidance (washing in the Jordan?) but to discern God’s wisdom and caring for me in unsuspected ways. I don’t mean hearing voices, just being attentive to the Spirit whose word is peace. To embrace humility and place my faith and trust in God alone.To bring the healing of peace and comfort to those I meet every day. To offer each person I meet a gift of joy or consolation, to ask their name and use it.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Blessed John Francis Burte and Companions

(d. September 2, 1792 and January 21, 1794)

Blessed John Francis Burté’s and Companions’ Stories

These priests were victims of the French Revolution. Though their martyrdom spans a period of several years, they stand together in the Church’s memory because they all gave their lives for the same principle. In 1791, the Civil Constitution of the Clergy required all priests to take an oath which amounted to a denial of the faith. Each of these men refused and was executed.

John Francis Burté became a Franciscan at 16 and after ordination taught theology to the young friars. Later he was guardian of the large Conventual friary in Paris until he was arrested and held in the convent of the Carmelites.

Appolinaris of Posat was born in 1739 in Switzerland. He joined the Capuchins and acquired a reputation as an excellent preacher, confessor, and instructor of clerics. Preparing for his assignment to the East as a missionary, he was in Paris studying Oriental languages when the French Revolution began. Refusing the oath, he was swiftly arrested and detained in the Carmelite convent.

Severin Girault, a member of the Third Order Regular, was a chaplain for a group of sisters in Paris. Imprisoned with the others, he was the first to die in the slaughter at the convent.

These three plus 182 others—including several bishops and many religious and diocesan priests—were massacred at the Carmelite house in Paris on September 2, 1792. They were beatified in 1926.

Born in 1737, John Baptist Triquerie became a Conventual Franciscan. He was the chaplain and confessor of Poor Clare monasteries in three cities before he was arrested for refusing to take the oath. He and 13 diocesan priests were martyred in Laval on January 21, 1794. He was beatified in 1955.

Reflection

-----------

“Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” was the motto of the French Revolution. If individuals have “inalienable rights,” as the Declaration of Independence states, these must come not from the agreement of society—which can be very fragile—but directly from God. Do we believe that? Do we act on it?

***

【Build your Faith in Christ Jesus on #dailyscripturereadingsgroup 📚: +256 751 540 524 .. Whatsapp】

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

2nd September >> Mass Readings (USA)

Monday, Twenty Second Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II))

First Reading 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 I came to you proclaiming Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

How I love your law, O LORD! It is my meditation all the day.

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

Your command has made me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

I have more understanding than all my teachers when your decrees are my meditation.

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

I have more discernment than the elders, because I observe your precepts.

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

From every evil way I withhold my feet, that I may keep your words.

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me.

R/ Lord, I love your commands.

Gospel Acclamation cf. Luke 4:18

Alleluia, alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 4:16-30 He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor. No prophet is accepted in his own native place.

Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[biblenewsprophecy]

Christian Meditation

@bible-news-prophecy-radio

Should Christian's meditate? If so, on what? If so, why? Can meditation help a Christian be more successful? Is there a right and a wrong way to meditate? Should Christian meditation be focused or mainly based on repeating a sound from the Vedas? What about Eastern meditation or Transcendental Meditation? What about mantras such as used by Hindus and Buddhists? What does 'om' (AUM) mean? Could Psalm 37 or 73 help some who are facing difficulties? What does the Old Testament teach about meditation? What does the New Testament teach about meditation? Are there differences between men and women when it comes to the brain and meditating? Are Christians to live a contemplating life as opposed to being involved with others? What about love, the Ten Commandments, and the reality of the Kingdom of God? What did Jesus say about what goes on in the heart and then actions? What about meditating on the Sabbath or while fasting? What did the old Worldwide Church of God teach about meditation? When should you meditate? What did the Apostle Paul teach Christians were to think about? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more by quoting numerous scriptures.

A related, free online booklet, is available titled 'Meditation for Faithful Christians'

Youtube sermon video link: Christian Meditation

Related Items:

Meditation for Faithful Christians Meditation is a tool that can support Christian growth. This free online book goes into meditation from a biblical perspective. It, also, however, discusses Eastern meditation and why faithful Christians would not practice that. A related sermon video is available: Christian Meditation.

Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? People talk a lot about prayer. Many pray in public. Does God listen? What does the Bible teach about prayer? How can your prayers be more effective? Does the Bible give particular positions to pray in? What does God want you to pray for? What if what you want is difficult? What if what you want is humanly impossible? Why doesn’t God seem to answer all prayers? This free booklet answers all those questions and more. This contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)? There is also a single sermon available: 28 Tips on Prayer.

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Who Gave the World the Bible? The Canon: Why do we have the books we now do in the Bible? Is the Bible complete? Are there lost gospels? What about the Apocrypha? Is the Septuagint better than the Masoretic text? What about the Textus Receptus vs. Nestle Alland? Was the New Testament written in Greek, Aramaic, or Hebrew? Which translations are based upon the best ancient text? Did the true Church of God have the canon from the beginning? Here are links to related sermons: Let’s Talk About the Bible, The Books of the Old Testament, The Septuagint and its Apocrypha, Masoretic Text of the Old Testament, and Lost Books of the Bible, and Let’s Talk About the New Testament, The New Testament Canon From the Beginning, English Versions of the Bible and How Did We Get Them?, What was the Original Language of the New Testament?, Original Order of the Books of the Bible, and Who Gave the World the Bible? Who Had the Chain of Custody?

Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but …

Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.

The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.

Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.

Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?

Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.

The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how they develop love, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?

Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.

CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 160 different languages there.

LATEST SERMONS

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"If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you." (Yeshua, Gospel of Thomas, Saying 70, as quoted in, The Gnostic Gospels, by Elaine Pagels)

My Commentary: An absence or ignorance of the Divine in this material existence is “poverty” in the Gospel of Thomas, a poverty of flesh without spirit, or thinking that this poverty is all-there-is. Bringing forth That which is within is knowledge/gnosis/experience of the soul and the spiritual realm it is connected to, the Kingdom of God, the Light, to become a person of the Light (GoThomas Saying 24), to be astonished by the manifestation of the inner Light, rule over the All (the cosmos: the various subtle bodies and realms they are associated with in the ascension through the heavens), and enter into Heavenly Rest in the stillness (based on Greek Thomas saying 2), to use this opportunity of life to “Come into Being.” “Come into being as you pass away.” (Saying 42, The Gospel of Thomas, Wisdom of the Twin, Lynn Bowman translation). In other words, by meditation practice get established in the heavenly realms during this life, finding a home in permanence there instead of remaining attached to samsara, this world of changes, impermanence. And there’s another version of this saying found in India: “The world is a bridge. Pass over it, but do not build your dwelling there.” (Arabic inscription at the site of a mosque at Fatehpur Sikri, India attributed to Isa or YesHUa) “Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.” (Saying 1, Gospel of Thomas) https://medium.com/sant-mat-meditation-and-spirituality/gospel-of-thomas-saying-70-and-commentary-if-you-bring-forth-what-is-within-you-what-you-have-c82aab391bf7

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Seeds Of Destiny Devotional 28th December 2023 By Dr. Paul Enenche: God’s Word, A Channel To The Blessing.

The Topic of Seeds of Destiny Devotional for Today 28th December 2023 Is “God’s Word, A Channel To The Blessing” Scripture:  James 1:25. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. Thought for The Day: The Blessing of God is at home wherever the Word of God is in place.

PASTOR PAUL ENENCHE’S SEEDS OF DESTINY DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE FOR 28TH DECEMBER 2023.

In one of our previous studies, we saw that the Word of God is a trigger for the Blessing of God. The Blessing of God is at home wherever the Word of God is in place. Now, it is important to know that it is not just having the Word that provokes the Blessing but engaging the Word by reading, studying, meditating, praying and practicing (obeying) it. This is how to engage the Word to activate the Blessing of God. You see, many people have the Word of God, yet, they lack the Blessing. This is because they have not engaged the Word for the release of their Blessing. Now, look at this illustration: As a driver, merely sitting in a car does not make it move. For the car to move, you engage relevant gears, and then the car begins to move. So, you don’t blame the car for failing to move; you blame the driver for not engaging the drive gear. In the same way, when the Blessing of God is not manifested in your life, you blame yourself for not provoking it. That is why you need to consciously provoke the Blessing by reading, studying, meditating, praying and practicing (obeying) the Word. James 1:25 says, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. At the time I met my wife, I was reading up to 30 – 40 chapters of the Bible daily. There were times I would give myself the target, “For these number of days, I will finish the whole Bible.” The man of God, Mike Murdock said he reads forty chapters of the Bible every day. Our father in the Lord, Bishop David Oyedepo, once said, “I wash my mind with twenty chapters of the Bible before every Sunday service.” And today, God has greatly blessed him. You see him with different aircraft for the purpose of propagating the Gospel. The ministry has two universities already, and about to build another one. Beloved, the Word of God is a trigger for the release of the Blessing. Make up your mind to diligently study and obey the Word. Remember this: The Blessing of God is at home wherever the Word of God is in place. ASSIGNMENTS: - Allow the Word of God to dwell richly in you. - Live by obeying the Word. Let every step of your life be guided by the Word. PRAYER: Lord, I repent today from every form of laziness towards studying and practicing the Word. I receive the grace to study and obey Your Word, Lord, in Jesus’ Name. FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: ACTIVATING THE BLESSING. QUOTE: “The overflow is Divinely commanded blessing or harvest”. Culled from the book, “21 UNCOMMON KEYS TO FINANCIAL OVERFLOW” by Dr (Pst) Paul Enenche. AMAZING FACT: Airplanes typically fly at an altitude of around 35,000 feet. If Earth were the size of a desktop globe, a plane at that height would be flying at only 1/10 of an inch off the surface. DAILY READING: Revelations 11-13 PROPHETIC DECLARATION/WORD: May the Word release for you, all needed and relevant blessing this day in Jesus’ Name. Read the full article

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from the evil one. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Father help me to Supplement my faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self control, and self control with steadfastness, and steadfastness, with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. Amen! I speak in Jesus Christ Name. I am saved in my spirit. I shall be saved in my body. I am being saved in my mind. I have been delivered in my spirit. I am being delivered in my mind. I shall be delivered in my body. I am dead to sin. I am alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin reign in my mortal body. To make me obey its passions. Father help me to be completely structured in Your Word, unmovable, and unwavering. Sin have no dominion over me! I was once a slave of sin. I have become obedient from my heart. To the standard of teaching that I have committed. I have been set free from sin. And I have become a slave of righteousness. In Jesus Christ Name! Amen! Now let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart

Be acceptable in Thy sight Oh Lord you are my strength and my Redeemer forever. In Jesus Christ Name Amen Let my love be genuine. Help me to do no evil.

Help me to hold fast to what is good. Help me to not be zeal. Help me to be patient. Help me to be constant in prayer. Help me to bless those who persecute me. Help me to live at peace with all. Help me to never avenge myself. Help me to feed my enemy. Father, Abba give me the patience, and wisdom to understand others point of view. Help me to overcome evil with good. Help me to be strong. Let everything I do be done in love. Help me to be watchful. Help me to stand strong on my faith. Now let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart. Be acceptable in Thy sight. FATHER REMOVE ALL PIECES OF BITTERNESS FROM OUT OF ME FATHER. REMOVE ALL ROOTS OF UNCLEAN SPIRITS, AND BITTERNESS OUT OF ME FATHER. Oh Lord, Yahweh, I AM THAT I AM, ELOHIM, ADONAI, ABBA, JEHOVAH JIREH, JEHOVAH RAPHA, JEHOVAH NISI, EL SHADDAI, JEHOVAH SHALOM, FATHER MAKE ME, AND ALL OF MY CHILDREN A COMPLETE REFLECTION OF YOU. You are my strength and my redeemer Jesus. If something isn’t pleasing to You God then take it out of me completely. In Jesus Christ Name Amen

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