#apostleship of prayer

[helloparkerrose]

[versebyverse]

Yearly Bible Read Through

Epistles

Week 1 Day 3

Acts 1:1-26 BSB

[1] In my first book, O Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, [2] until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen. [3] After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. [4] And while they were gathered together, He commanded them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift the Father promised, which you have heard Me discuss. [5] For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” [6] So when they came together, they asked Him, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” [7] Jesus replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority. [8] But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” [9] After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. [10] They were looking intently into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. [11] “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.” [12] Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away. [13] When they arrived, they went to the upper room where they were staying: Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. [14] With one accord they all continued in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. [15] In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (a gathering of about a hundred and twenty) and said, [16] “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit foretold through the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus. [17] He was one of our number and shared in this ministry.” [18] (Now with the reward for his wickedness Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong and burst open in the middle, and all his intestines spilled out. [19] This became known to all who lived in Jerusalem, so they called that field in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) [20] “For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, ‘May another take his position.’ [21] Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, [22] beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.” [23] So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. [24] And they prayed, “Lord, You know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two You have chosen [25] to take up this ministry and apostleship, which Judas abandoned to go to his rightful place.” [26] Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF OUR LADY, STAR OF THE SEA (Stella Maris) The Patroness of the Catholic Missions to the Seafarers Feast Day: September 27

"Caring for seafarers is profoundly a Christian thing to do." -H.E. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, 2016

In the Roman Catholic Church, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Divine Savior, Jesus Christ, is Stella Maris – The Star of the Sea. Mary is the daughter of St. Anne and St. Joachim. Both her parents descended from the Royal House of David from the land of Judah. Her father was a shepherd. Her name is Miryam in Hebrew; Mariam in Greek; and Maryam in Judeo-Aramaic – Mar for 'drop' and yam for 'sea.'

In the old Aramaic language, Stella Maris meant pilot, leader or guide, someone who could navigate through the sea or the desert through the position of the stars, and lead people to safety. The stars were and are used as a guide to safety and to new life. The sea covers all the earth and symbolizes all the people of the earth. Mother Mary was therefore identified from the very earliest days of the Church as the 'guiding star' to Her Son for all the people of the earth.

Mary is believed to calm raging storms in the seas, as well as the storms in our lives. She leads us to the right path to Jesus Christ, Her Son, and is a ray of hope. Thus, Mary is regarded as the Stella Maris of fishermen as well as fishers of men, and many coastal churches are named Stella Maris.

The sea has always been the most feared because of its enormous power to sustain or destroy life. People are powerless and insignificant in the midst of the sea’s rage. Yet the sea is a constant source of food and nourishment. The waters of the sea are therefore a metaphor for blessings and perils; beauty and destruction; stillness and turbulence.

In the 12th Century, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, France, a former Benedictine Monk who formed the Cistercian Order, wrote this prayer: "If the winds of temptation arise; if you are driven upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the Star, call on Mary. If you are tossed on the waves of pride, ambition, of envy, of rivalry, look to the Star, call on Mary. Should anger or avarice, or fleshly desire violently assail the frail vessel of your soul, look to the Star, call upon Mary."

In 1221, St. Anthony of Padua, a Portuguese Franciscan Friar wrote a similar prayer: "Our Lady, Star of the Sea, we pray that You shine upon us when we are buffeted by the raging sea. Guide us to harbor, defend our going out with your watchful presence so we may be found fit to go out safely from this prison, and come joyfully to unending joy."

In the 8th Century, St. Paschasius Radbertus of Corbie, Neustria wrote this prayer: "Mary is the Star of the Sea to be followed on the way to Christ, lest we capsize amid the storm-tossed waves of the sea."

St. Paschasius Radbertus was a Carolingian theologian, poet, writer and in 844 AD became the Benedictine Abbot of Corbie, a monastery in Picardy, France founded in 657 by the Queen Regent Bathilde. His letter on the Assumption of Mary was formerly attributed to St. Jerome of Stridon, a Desert Father who identified in his writings that 'Mary, Mother of God, is the Star of the Sea.' St. Jerome was often cited in Christological treatises of the middle ages.

Regarding the 'Real Presence' of Christ in the Eucharist, St. Paschasius Radbertus described it as Mary’s own flesh which had suffered on the cross, was buried, and rose again. He had many critics but managed to have great influence because in the 11th Century, a number of passages copied from his work were circulated under the name of St. Augustine of Hippo.

The Roman Catholic Church commemorates worldwide the Feast of Stella Maris every September 27th of the year.

Mary, the Stella Maris, is the venerated guide and protector of seafarers. She is the Patron Saint of the Apostleship of the Sea (AoS), an official Apostolate of the Catholic order founded in Glasgow, Scotland. She is the patroness of the Netherlands.

The AoS has for many years commemorated the Feast of Stella Maris – Star of the Sea, with Mass each year on September 27 for seafarers. It is a day to pray for all seafarers and give thanks for their several; months at sea and contribution to global trade. In 2014, AoS port chaplains in Great Britain visited 9,951 ships and assisted 199,020 seafarers. A total of 173 masses were celebrated on ships.

In 2015, the Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle wrote a letter of thanks to AoS for its continuous spiritual support for Filipino seafarers arriving at British ports.

Source: The Maritime Review

[awideplace]

Romans 1 | NASB 1995

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;

      to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

      First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

      For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

      For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

      Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

      For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

      And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

[wisdomfish]

Romans 1

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (special messenger, personally chosen representative), set apart for [preaching] the gospel of God [the good news of salvation], which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the sacred Scriptures— [the good news] regarding His Son, who, as to the flesh [His human nature], was born a descendant of David [to fulfill the covenant promises], and [as to His divine nature] according to the Spirit of holiness was openly designated to be the Son of God with power [in a triumphant and miraculous way] by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. It is through Him that we have received grace and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name’s sake among all the Gentiles, and you also are among those who are called of Jesus Christ to belong to Him;

[I am writing] to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called to be saints (God’s people) and set apart for a sanctified life, [that is, set apart for God and His purpose]: Grace to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being] from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith [your trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] is being proclaimed in all the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by preaching the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how continuously I mention you in my prayers; always pleading that somehow, by God’s will, I may now at last come to you. For I long to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift, to strengthen and establish you; that is, that we may be mutually encouraged and comforted by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that many times I have planned to come to you, (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit [of my labors] among you, even as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I have a duty to perform and a debt to pay both to Greeks and to barbarians [the cultured and the uncultured], both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am ready and eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [from His wrath and punishment] to everyone who believes [in Christ as Savior], to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith.”

For [God does not overlook sin and] the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth, because that which is known about God is evident within them [in their inner consciousness], for God made it evident to them. For ever since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through His workmanship [all His creation, the wonderful things that He has made], so that they [who fail to believe and trust in Him] are without excuse and without defense. For even though they knew God [as the Creator], they did not honor Him as God or give thanks [for His wondrous creation]. On the contrary, they became worthless in their thinking [godless, with pointless reasonings, and silly speculations], and their foolish heart was darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory and majesty and excellence of the immortal God for an image [worthless idols] in the shape of mortal man and birds and four-footed animals and reptiles.

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their own hearts to [sexual] impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them [abandoning them to the degrading power of sin], because [by choice] they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading and vile passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural [a function contrary to nature], and in the same way also the men turned away from the natural function of the woman and were consumed with their desire toward one another, men with men committing shameful acts and in return receiving in their own bodies the inevitable and appropriate penalty for their wrongdoing.

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God or consider Him worth knowing [as their Creator], God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do things which are improper and repulsive, until they were filled (permeated, saturated) with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice and mean-spiritedness. They are gossips [spreading rumors], slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors [of new forms] of evil, disobedient and disrespectful to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful [without pity]. Although they know God’s righteous decree and His judgment, that those who do such things deserve death, yet they not only do them, but they even [enthusiastically] approve and tolerate others who practice them.

[psalmonesermons]

The letter to the Romans now with Hebraic notes added

A short commentary on Chapter 1:1-17

Paul as a called apostle brings God’s message to the called people in Rome. A message which still applies to you and I today as we are part of God’s called people here in Edinburgh (or wherever you are).

1:1 Paul, a servant [1] of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle [2] and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures (links to the OT)3regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life [a] was a descendant of David, 4 and who through (or by virtue of) the Spirit of holiness (Holy Spirit) was appointed (or decreed, determined or even declared) the Son of God (invested) in power [3] [b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to faith and obedience for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong (they have already been set apart) to (our Lord)Jesus Christ.

7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy (consecrated) people:

Grace (unmerited favour) and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul uses the Greek word chaire for grace and the Hebrew shalom for peace. A nice touch written to a mixed congregation!

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world (famous faith in the Capital city , could it be in Edinburgh too?). 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit (with sincere devotion of the heart-Calvin) in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly (without ceasing) I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

Paul loves these Roman Christians tenderly and just as much as though he had founded the church in Rome which he had not.

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift (as far as we know none of the apostles had visited Rome so Paul longed to lay hands on them and release the gifts of the Holy Spirit[4] in their ministries) to make you strong— 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith (works both ways). 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest (fruit probably including new converts and building up the body of Christ in character (Fruit of the Spirit), gifting and maturity) among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.(Paul modestly understates his huge success in ministering to the Gentiles).

14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.(Paul was called to preach the Gospel both to the learned and the unlearned, he was obligated to them because of the call on his life and also perhaps in view of how he once persecuted the church of Jesus Christ even to death).

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel,(Paul was proud of the Gospel message even when he came up against the learned philosophers or anyone because in it he saw the power to change a human life) because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.(usual order) 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[c] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith [5]” [d]

Paul is quoting the prophet Habakkuk here who also had to learn to trust God by exercising trust and faith in His person, His character and His actions.

The righteousness of (more accurately from) God means the absolute moral purity of God. What must I do to be accepted by God? The Jews had the law and could not keep it and the Catholic church did not know the way of salvation. So how could the reformers like Luther and Calvin become acceptable to God? They had the revelation which launched the reformation that the way to become righteous before God requires that those in relationship with Him are ‘righteous’ that is that they have an ‘imputed’ righteousness which ‘avails’ them before God. This means that we are put in right standing with God or perhaps we can stand in His presence without being consumed. There is nothing we can do to earn this either by our actions such as keeping the law, doing good deeds or obtain in other way other than simply believing the Gospel message. The righteousness that is imputed to us is actually the righteousness of Jesus Christ and we receive this by faith by simply believing the Gospel truth about Jesus Christ. The new birth begins by faith, develops by faith, receives all the blessings of Christ by faith and is sustained on a life-long basis by faith. The just or righteous person truly will live from beginning to end by faith. There is simply no other way to live before God. This is the only answer to the question, what must I do be acceptable to God.

[a} Romans 1:3 Or who according to the flesh

{b} Romans 1:4 Or was declared with power to be the Son of God

{c} Romans 1:17 Or is from faith to faith

[d] Romans 1:17 Hab. 2:4 but the righteous will live by their faithfulness (or faith)

[1] Gr. Doulos ; A bond servant or slave. A paid and usually highly skilled employee but with no right to resign.

[2] Gr. Apostolos; A sent one or messenger.

[3] Gr. Dunamis; English derivatives, dynamic and dynamite.

[4] 1 Cor 12:8-10

[5] God spoke to Martin Luther through this verse when he was seeking an indulgence from the Pope ascending the stairs on his knees.

Added Hebraic Notes

A classic example of the culture clash between the Jewish and Gentile mindsets is found in Romans 1:1 where Paul describes himself as a slave (doulos) of Jesus Christ. In the Gentile Roman world to be a slave was a shameful thing. However in the Hebrew mindset a 'slave of God' (eved as were Moses, Elijah, David) was an honourable and special status. So Paul here is not humbling himself but was rather claiming a position of high authority, as he was hoping to establish himself as an apostle to the Romans.

The Greek word for apostle carries the implication of the 'sending out' in a military sense including ships. The nearest Hebrew equivalent to this is the word Shaliach which has the connotation of an agent who carries his master's power and authority. So if Paul considered himself as a Shaliach then this implies that Paul was not merely a messenger but a highly empowered agent of Yeshua.

v.11 Paul's desire to impart a 'spiritual gift' to the Roman Christians had in mind that these gifts would help establish the Roman church. The concept of 'spiritual gits' would have been know to Paul and Jesus from the Essenes (Dead Sea Scrolls - DSS 1QS) but would probably have been new to the Gentile churches.

v.12 Paul redefines the 'spiritual gifts' as the more meaningful 'mutual encouragement' since the spiritual gifts may have had no clear meaning to the church.

v14 Barbarians simply means 'non-Greek speakers' with the implication of being less civilized.

v.16-17 give the main thrust of the letter i.e. the power of the Gospel, which is able to save souls because it reveals God's righteousness. The best explanation of righteousness is alluded to in Exodus 21 (in Hebrew Tzedek, in Greek Dikaioo) which we know from the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament c.250 BC). The Septuagint can be viewed as a 'Rosetta stone' allowing the best translations between the Greek and Hebrew words.

[m-archived]

@redruins [ RILEY FLYNN ] ✝ "this really happened, didn't it?"

the air between them hangs heavily, desperation lingering behind john's clenched teeth. ( 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐄𝐄? ) the blood stains the floor, the skin of riley's neck, the back of his throat. a holy offering, a small price to pay to join the ranks of apostleship. ❛❛ it did. it did, riley, & in time — you'll see why god has granted this gift to you. everything has its reason. even if, right now, you might not understand that reason. ❜❜

SHH, HEY, IT'S OKAY, [ . . . ] GOD HAS A PLAN, & DEATH ISN'T APART OF IT ANYMORE.

❛❛ because it is a gift. ❜❜ ( 𝐂𝐀𝐍'𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐒𝐄𝐄? ) he leans closer, elbows coming to rest on knees. rosary always clutched tightly in palm; he's hardly seen without it, these days. knuckles clench, tighter still. the chair squeaks beneath him, old wood protesting the movement: aged bones graced with new life, new warmth. needing riley to understand, needing him to believe . . . LORD, HEAR MY PRAYER — ❛❛ it's a gift. ❜❜

[fordecree7]

THE BIBLE BOOK OF GOD

New Testament

Romans 1

Greeting

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Longing to Go to Rome

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Romans 1

Diane Beauford

[piouscatholic]

Twitter Com(X)

Father V

@father_rmv

The Apostolate of Prayer

1. Everybody cannot be an apostle in the strict sense of the term.

Not everyone can dedicate his whole life to the expansion of God’s kingdom upon earth and to the conversion of pagans, heretics and sinners.

Everybody can do a little in this cause, however.

Perhaps you cannot leave your family, as the missionaries do, and travel to distant lands to extend the kingdom of God.

Perhaps you cannot enter a convent or dedicate yourself to God as a priest or as a religious, because you have not received this high vocation from God. We know, however, that each of us has some responsibility for his neighbour and must help him whenever possible.

“Go surety for your neighbour according to your means.” (Ecclus. 29:20)

Now, the Association of the Apostleship of Prayer offers everybody a simple way of doing exactly this.

Its object is to promote the glory of God and the salvation of souls, especially by means of prayer in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Besides prayer, we must offer the actions and sufferings of each day.

Let us decide to join with all the faithful in offering the prayers, and actions and sufferings of each day to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

We shall certainly receive a shower of graces, both for ourselves and our neighbour.

2. The Popes have blessed and endowed with favours and indulgences this Association which St. Pius X has gone so far as to call the most useful of all the pious Associations. (Letter to the Director General of the Apostleship of Prayer, 9th April, 1911)

If you are not already enrolled, therefore, become a member as soon as possible.

By enrolling you undertake the obligations of living a good Christian life and of saying the following short prayer every day:

“Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You through the Immaculate Heart of Mary the prayers, actions, and sufferings of this day.”

In this way we unite ourselves to the vast outpouring of prayer and to the precious offering of actions and sufferings presented by the whole Church in union with the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

3. When we enrol in the Apostleship of Prayer, we are sure that when we work, suffer, and pray, we are not alone in our efforts, but are united with the Church praying, working, and suffering.

Our offerings, united with the prayers, labours and sufferings of many holy souls, find their way through the mediation of the Heart of Mary, our beloved Mother, to the Divine Heart of Jesus.

He hears them without fail; He blesses them, and received them on our behalf in propitiation for our sins and in supplication for graces for ourselves and for our neighbour.

<Antonio Cardinal Bacci, Meditations for Each Day, 1959.>

#SacredHeartFirstFriday

#ImmaculateHeartOfMaryFirstSaturday

[livingwellnessblog]

The Bookm of Romans 1

1Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

7To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

26For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

[portraitsofsaints]

Saint Francis Xavier

1506-1552

Feast day: December 3

Patronage: African missions, India, Apostleship of Prayer

Saint Francis Xavier was born into a noble, Spanish family. He met St. Ignatius Loyola at the university where they became lifetime friends, were ordained priests together, and co-founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). St. Francis is considered one of the Greatest Christian missionaries, traveling and evangelizing from Portugal to Japan. He baptized over 30,000 people. He died on Shangchuan Island of an acute illness while waiting to evangelize China.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase here: (website)

[timdcook4]

Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how without ceasing I make mention of you, always in my prayers earnestly asking, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be strengthened; that is, to be mutually encouraged, while among you, by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. In this way, for my part, I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.”

Romans 1:1‭-‬17 LSB

[lesfeldickbiblestudy]

  Through the Bible with Les Feldick LESSON 3 * PART 2 * BOOK 77 CONNECTING THE DOTS OF SCRIPTURE – PART 46 Genesis – Revelation (Eternity) Okay, it’s good to see everybody back after a break. We’ll go into program number two for this afternoon. We’re going to continue connecting the dots of Scripture.  Those of you joining us again, we want to thank you for your prayers, your letters, your financial help, and everything.  And for those of you here in the studio, my, how we appreciate you coming in every month. Now again, we’re just going to pick right up where we left off in the last taping.  I think Jerry has titled this one “Eternity.”  When I review the programs, I think sometimes I waste too much time, so we’re going to get right back into it.  We’re going to start in Revelation chapter 19 at the Second Coming of Christ. Now, if you remember, for the last several programs we were talking about the Tribulation and the horrors of it.  And how by the end of the Tribulation, all the wrath and vexation of God will have utterly destroyed planet Earth as we know it.  Out of that will come, then, a renewed Garden of Eden-like planet that will be made ready for the millennium, or the thousand-year reign of Christ.    We’re going to look at that a little bit this afternoon.  But the millennium begins, of course, with the Second Coming of Christ. Oh, by the way, Iris wants me to let our television audience know we still have some of these Q & A books.  I don’t mind advertising them, because they are a blessing.  Everybody that gets one just loves our Question & Answer Book. It’s still available. It will be the best $11.00 you will ever spend.  They make wonderful gifts. All right, Revelation 19 and we’re going to begin at verse 11.  Now, before the guys flip the board, remember that this is what we’ve been talking about for the last, oh, I don’t know how many programs. That this parenthetical period of time that we had in our last half hour program is made up of these various doctrines of the Apostle Paul – what he calls the Revelation of the Mysteries.  That’s why we’ve left it on the board.  So that if you haven’t caught them all, you can at least be reminded that these mysteries are only found in Paul’s Epistles and nowhere else. That’s why I’m always emphasizing Paul’s Apostleship, and 90% of Christendom never reads Paul.  They never look at his letters, and that’s where we find the message for salvation and the Rapture of the Church and all the other mysteries concerning the Body of Christ! I can tell from our audiences that they never get to hear Paul’s letters in Sunday school and Church.   They say, “Why don’t we get anything from Paul?”  Well, get on your Pastor.  Tell him to get to where the things are really meant for us, but they won’t do it.  I’m aware of that. All right, Revelation 19—the Second Coming is going to be the final event of those seven years of wrath and vexation and will usher in the thousand years of Christ’s reign.  Verse 11: Revelation 19:11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.”  In other words, God never does anything out of anger or getting even.  No vengeance, as such, it’s simply the result of man’s rejection of His offer of love and mercy and grace.  Verse 12: Revelation 19:12-13 “His eyes (speaking of Jesus the Christ at His Second Coming, now) were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written that no man knew, but he himself. 13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped (or sprinkled or splattered) in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.”  Which, of course, is a perfect fit with John’s Gospel chapter 1. Revelation 19:14-15a “And the armies who were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.  15. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations:…”  Now as I’m reading, I’m thinking.

  A lot of these things come up, and I really don’t intend to do.  But, you see, there is a difference of opinion, and I don’t mind that.  I don’t mind that people disagree with me.  And on some things, I just sit on the fence.  In fact, my answer with people is getting more and more, “Hey, let’s wait until we get there!  And then we won’t have to argue.  We’ll know.” Now, the question that is coming up more and more is—Is the Body of Christ going to return with Christ at His Second Coming, or will we be eternally set in the heavenlies?  Now, of course, there is a large group of people that think we will be strictly heavenly bound and heavenly abode; and yet, you see, when I come to a verse like this—this is why I had to stop.  When I come to a verse like this, I have to think that maybe we will be with Him at His Second Coming, even though we may later on go back up.  Because don’t forget, when we get into the eternal state, time will mean nothing. In other words, when Jesus went from Earth to Heaven, and He came back, He ascended again to Heaven. Well, was that millions and millions and millions of miles that He had to traverse?  Well, if it was, He did it instantly.  So, never confine yourself once we get into the eternal that, oh, it can’t happen.  Oh, yes, it can.  All right, now here’s what made me stop.  I sure didn’t plan to do this.  Verse 14: Revelation 19:14 “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”  Now think.  Who can be the armies in Heaven?  I think (this is why I’m on the fence), I think this is a reference to the Body of Christ.   Not angels. It can’t be the Old Testament Saints, because they’re not going to be resurrected until 75 days later, remember.  Here’s what puts me in a dilemma.  On the one hand, yes, I think we’re going to be with Christ at His Second Coming, and I think that we may have something to do with the Kingdom.  Now, I know that’s going to rile a lot of people.  But I just tell them, hey, disagree with me lovingly, as I’m not setting it concrete.  I’m not being obstinate.  I’m just saying, now wait a minute, we’ve got to think these things through. Come back with me to Romans. This is another portion that nobody that I read has ever addressed to my satisfaction. And again, I’m not going to claim that I’ve got the answer, because a lot of these things are debatable.  No doubt about it.  We have that freedom.  And when we get there, we’re going to find out who was right and who was wrong.  All right, but in Romans chapter 8, here’s another portion of Scripture that I just can’t throw aside and say, no, that doesn’t mean us, it means somebody else.  No, it means us. Romans 8 verse 18, now Paul is writing, so he’s writing to us members of the Body of Christ. Romans 8:18-19 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in (or to) us. 19. For the earnest expectation of the creation (That is all the animal kingdom, the birds, and everything on creation.) is waiting for the manifestation of the children of God.”   Well, now go back up to verses 14, 15, and 16.  And let’s establish—who are the Children of God that Paul is talking about?  Well, it’s us, see?  It’s us!  Verse 14: Romans 8:14-17 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the children of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Because we’re His child.) 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”  All right, now back down to where we were in  verse 19. Romans 8:19 “For the earnest  expectation (of all) of the creation (At the end of the Tribulation and the horrors of it, what are they waiting for?) waiteth for the manifestation of the children of God.

”  That’s us.  Well, how else could we be manifested except to be with Him at His coming.  Now, that’s the way I have to look at it.  All right, read on: Romans 8:20-21 “For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.  21. Because the creation itself shall also be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of (Whom?) the children of God.”  Who were the children of God?   The Body of Christ.  Now, I can’t separate that.  But kind of leave it.  If you read an article tomorrow that refutes what I’m saying, don’t get angry.  Just say, “Well, that’s one way of looking at it.” Now, I have to give you another one, if I can find it quickly.  I’m thinking of all this while I’m talking, you want to remember.  Back here in Revelation 19—it’s not only here that I have a question, where the armies which are in Heaven are clothed in fine linen.  Well, that can’t be anybody, I don’t think, except the Body of Christ.  Now, I’m not going to take time to look for the other one.  Like I said, this is all off-the-cuff anyway.  But come back to Revelation 19, at least I want to get people to think.  You don’t have to agree with me, but think. Revelation 19:14a “And the armies which were in heaven…” And I just can’t see that as angels, then it would have said angels.  It can’t be the Old Testament saints, because like I said, they’re not resurrected until 75 days later, remember.  That’s Daniel chapter 12, in case you have to look it up.  All right, verse 15: Revelation 19:15a “And out of his (that is out of Christ’s) mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: (And remember that Hebrews tells us the Word of the Lord is a what?  A two-edged sword.  So we’re not talking about a metal sword here.  We’re talking about the spoken Word that will come from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.) and he shall rule them (future—in the coming 1,000 years) with a rod of iron:…”  And then coming back to the final days of the Tribulation which we looked at in a previous program.  When I feel He will use the 100 pound hailstones, you remember, to crush those millions and millions of people gathered in the valleys of Israel.  All right, then verse 16: Revelation 19:16 “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Now you see, there’s His full title.  And He’s going to set up His Kingdom.  All right, as a result of the horrors of those closing months of the seven years of Tribulation, come on up to verse 17. Revelation 19:17 “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come (Now these are birds of prey—the vultures and the eagles and what have you.) and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;”  Now, do I have to compare Scripture?  Yes. Come back with me again to Jeremiah chapter 25 and drop in at verse 31.  Because I sometimes think when I read these verses that people just—well….maybe….but maybe not.  This is what is coming.  And I read an article again the other day of all the thousands of nuclear weapons that are just waiting to be exploded.  And we’re getting closer and closer to it every day. All right, by the end of the Tribulation I think they’re all going to be used, just like a string of firecrackers.  And this will be the end result.  Verse 31: Jeremiah 25:31-32 “A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, (All of them.  Not just Israel now, we’re dealing with the whole.) he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.  32.  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, (The same Lord that we’re reading about at His Second Coming.) Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the borders of the earth.” Jeremiah 25:33 “And the slain

of the LORD (By the millions, beloved, millions, billions are going to be losing their lives.) shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung (or road kill) upon the ground.”   Everywhere you look, dead bodies.  It’s going to be awful. All right, back to Revelation.  And you know one of the amazing things of the last few years, and I’ve had more than one person call some of the wildlife people to see if this is true.  All around the planet, there is a great increase in the birth rate of these birds of prey.  The first one I read about, probably about 10 years ago, was one of the vulture types, I think, that was in the Middle East.  They normally had two eggs in their nest, but were now having four.  And same way here in America, a lot of the species that we call vultures and birds of prey are increasing by leaps and bounds.  And, of course, they are under protection.  Nobody can kill them.  And it’s all for a reason. And now here we have it in Revelation 19.  He calls all the birds of prey together that they can come for the supper of the great God.  All of this death and destruction, verse 18: Revelation 19:18-19 “That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19. And I saw the beast, (that is the anti-Christ) and the kings of the earth, (who have been subjected to his demonic rule) and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.”  Of course, we covered that several programs back, but now this is a new part that I hadn’t covered before—verse 20. When the Tribulation has run its course, and it’s over, then those two men who were primary in the leadership of planet Earth—the anti-Christ in the political and economical and the False Prophet, who will be the religious leader of that time—two men, and here they come. Revelation 19:20 “And the beast (the anti-Christ) was taken, and with him the false prophet (Or the religious leader, whoever it is.  I’m not going to put a name on either one of them.  These men--) that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them who worshipped his image. (All during these seven years.  Now both of these men--)These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Now, I know we all shrink at the thought of an eternal hell-fire.  And nobody wants to even preach it or teach it anymore.  In fact, I had a letter just the other day where the guy was angry.  What kind of a God is it that would cast people into such a place?  I’ll tell you what kind of a God He is.  He’s a God who paid the price for every one of them if they would have believed it. They don’t have to go there.  And that’s going to be one of the awful things of eternal loss.  They’re going to regret for eternity why they rejected their free pardon out.  They don’t have to be there.  So, don’t ever blame God for preparing such a place, because He suffered far more alone than the billions of mankind will in unison.  So, don’t ever take anything away from God in that department. All right, so these two men, the anti-Christ and the false prophet, who had been the leaders of the last seven years, will be the first human beings to go into what we now realize was the eternal Lake of Fire.   All right, I’m going to take you on over into chapter 20.  The Tribulation has ended.  The Kingdom is now ready to be brought in.  Verse 1 of chapter 20: Revelation 20:1-2 “And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.  (Not an iron chain.  Iron won’t hold a spirit being like Satan.  But it will be something that God can use to confine Satan.) 2. And he laid his hand on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,”

Now, this is the first time in Scripture that we have a time frame on the Kingdom.  All through the Old Testament, the Kingdom is merely promised as being forever and ever.  But never is it signified as 1,000 years.  But here in the Book of Revelation, we now have it simply defined as that period of time.  All right, reading on in verse 3. Revelation 20:3 “And cast him into the bottomless pit, (Not hell, not the Lake of Fire, this is a separate place that God has prepared to hold Satan for these 1,000 years.) and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, (But what’s the next word?) until (See, there’s another time word. He’s not going to stay there forever, yet.  He’s only being confined for that 1,000 years of the Kingdom rule and reign of Christ and then--) the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.”  Now there again, we don’t know how long a period of time that will be after the 1,000 years of the perfect rule and reign of Christ over planet Earth.  It’s going to be Heaven-on-Earth for all the inhabitants.  I maintain the 1,000 years are a dispensation.   Now, I’m going to exercise your thinking.  Remember what a dispensation is?  I hope you remember.  A period of time during which God deals with the human race in a particular way or under a set of instructions.  That’s a dispensation!  (Note the seven dispensations listed below) Adam and Eve were in a dispensation in the Garden of Eden. It was the dispensation of “Innocence,” and their instructions were simple—don’t eat of that tree.  The next 1,400-1,500 years they were under the dispensation of “Conscience.” Their instructions were to bring a blood  sacrifice. Well, conscience didn’t cut it, so they reaped the punishment of the flood. Then after the flood, they under the dispensation of “Human Government,” and they went through the Tower of Babel and the scattering of the population. And then God did something totally different.  He called out Abraham, and for a period of time he was under the dispensation of “Promise,” where God promised Abraham several things in Genesis chapter 12.   All right, then after Abraham had established the Nation of Israel, they became a Nation down in Egypt.  Then in 1500 B.C., God brought them out, and He put them under a new dispensation that we call what?  Law.  He gave the dispensation of Law, and that carried on from Moses until Paul.  And that dispensation has its set of instructions—how to respond to sin and how to keep the Law and so on and so forth.  It was a dispensation.  A period of time during which there were specific instructions. All right, today we’re in the  dispensation of “Grace,” in which it covers the mysteries of Paul.  But what are our instructions?  To believe Paul’s Gospel—which is believing in your heart for salvation that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again—plus nothing else.   Believe the Gospel.  And once we become a believer of the Gospel, how to walk the Christian life.  Those are our instructions.  It’s our dispensation. But when the Church goes in the Rapture, this dispensation ends, and the world goes back under an extension of Israel’s Law in the Tribulation.  But now we come to the final dispensation of the  Kingdom.  It’s a period of time during which those people will be re-populating at an amazing rate, remember. And what are their instructions?  Be obedient to the King.  That’s all.  Recognize that He’s the King.  He’s the God of Glory.  And as long as they’re obedient, they’re in God’s Grace. All right, now in order to exercise the instructions of a dispensation, you have to have two choices.  Think about it.  You’re either going to follow the instructions, or you’re going to disobey them.  Now, I stop once in a while to make people think.  In this Dispensation of Grace, the world is faced with two alternatives – believe the Gospel or reject it.  It’s that simple.  Believe it and have eternal life.  Reject it and go to an eternal doom.  Now, you can’t get it any simpler than that.

All right, now in the Kingdom, it, too, is a dispensation. It is where God has given them the circumstances so that all they have to do is be obedient to the King.  But, there has been nobody to trigger the opposition.  Satan is locked up.  So, in order for people to have the unction to make a choice, God has to bring Satan back for a period of time. Now, I hope that answers a ton of questions, because it comes all the time.  Why bring Satan back if He once had him off the scene?  He’s got to give those new generations of people who have been born during this 1,000 years the opportunity to be obedient or disobedient.  To make a choice like we had to make.   So when Satan comes back in that period of time, we don’t know how long it is.  Like I said in the first program, time means nothing to God.  It could be awhile.  But it’ll be long enough for those millions upon millions of new inhabitants of planet Earth to be confronted with the options—remain loyal to the King or follow the adversary.  And what will most of them do?  Like they’ve been doing for 6,000 years.  They’ll go after the adversary.  Unbelievable.  All right, let’s pick it up in verse 7. Revelation 20:7-8a “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8. And shall go out to deceive (Just like he’s been doing through this 6,000 years.) the nations…” That’s why several programs back I pointed out, who comes in at the front end of that 1,000 years? Well, a remnant of the Nation of Israel, who’ll be the largest of any nation.  But there will be a sampling of all the other nations on the planet who have survived the Tribulation as believers (Matthew 25:31-32).  They’ll come in on the front end and start having families and reproduce.  It’s going to be just like Israel in Egypt.  My land, how fast do you think the Jews reproduced in those early years in Egypt?  Why, like flies.  You know, they probably had multiple births.  They never lost a child.  You remember what the mid-wives said, Why, those Hebrew women are so lively, there’s no way of putting their babies to death.   It was a population explosion.  Well, you’re going to have the same thing in the Kingdom.  This 1,000 years is going to be a population explosion like the world has never seen, because there’s nothing to refrain life.  There’s no death.  No sickness.  No weakness.   All right, so now Satan comes back on the scene. Revelation 20:8-9a “And shall go out to deceive (all these repopulated nations) the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  9. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city:…” In total—just like it was 1,007 years earlier. They come back in total rebellion against the King, with the idea of overthrowing Him.  But this time God doesn’t fool around.  He speaks the Word, and the whole mass of them will be wiped off, except those who remain true to the King. Revelation 20:9b “…and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.” All right, now in a quick half-a-minute.  What in the world will Satan use to deceive people who have had Heaven-on-Earth for a thousand years?  Well, the Bible doesn’t specifically say it, but I think it’s implied, and I’m comfortable with my opinion.  He’s going to offer them, just like he did Eve in the Garden of Eden – why be content to be under God?  Why don’t you just be God?  And that’s Satan’s lie.  And it’s going to just take all those billions of new people, and they’re going to follow after him, and they’re going to go to their doom.

[amicidomenicani]

Question Good morning Father, I would like to ask you something that has been bothering me for a while. In the Bible, it is written that we shouldn't socialize with immoral people, adulterers, fornicators and so on... does it mean that I shall not foster  friendships with those who don't uphold to Christian moral standards? May I be friend with fornicators and joke with them while keeping a pure heart, avoiding being influenced, maybe even influencing them? In the past years, before becoming Christian, I socialized with people who used drugs, but I never got influenced by them; I would rather say that this experience taught me to be stronger against temptations. Then in the first letter to the Corinthians (7, 12-16), Paul advises converted people whose spouse remained pagan to stay with them, if they both agree upon it: in fact the pagan spouse and descendants become holy thanks to the christian member of the couple. How am I supposed to act with non-believers?  I hope I don't have to leave my friends, but if this is the Will of God I must accept it... He is our only true God, after all, and my friends aren't gods: He has the first place... Even in the Lord's Prayer we clearly say 'thy will be done". Thanks for your answer, may God bless you. Best regards Answer My dear friend, I am going to give you a twofold advice. 1. First, I advise you to consolidate your Christian life more and more. This means that you should strengthen the most important and precious of all friendships: the one with Jesus Christ. Given the fact that friends enjoy being together and sharing, you should gladly rest in prayer with Our Lord, and talk with Him through Sacred Scripture. Dedicate some time to this every day. 2. If you increasingly strengthen yourself, the friendships that could be detrimental for your soul won't damage you. That's because you'll be like the house of which Our Lord spoke when he said: "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock" (Matthew 7, 24-25). 3. I also advise you to pray the Holy Rosary daily to involve Our Lady in the relationships with your friends.  It was Saint Thomas Aquinas who pointed out that Our Lord decided to start from Our Lady to begin His work of redemption.  When He started His public ministry, with the miracle at Canaan He manifested His divine glory through the intervention of Our Lady. If you entrust your friends to the Lord with the recitation of a daily Holy Rosary it will be like lighting a sun in their lives. It will illuminate and warm them, even if at first they're quite remote from it. 4. Well established in friendship with Our Lord, you'll be with your friends like a messenger, an announcer of the Lord beside them. Saint Thomas said that the most beautiful sign of our love for the Lord is a burning and constructive desire to bring men to His friendship. This is not only about bringing your nice presence among them as much as it is about generating God in their hearts through the mysterious and invisible ways of God's Grace. 5. Saint John Chrysostom, one of the four great Eastern Doctors of the Church, also held in great regard by Saint Thomas, said that "there is nothing that is more appreciated by God than the salvation of souls, because He wants everybody to be saved and to reach the knowledge of the Truth. And also: I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, but rather in the wicked man's conversion, that he may live" (In 5 Homily). 6. Even Saint Gregory the Great takes the same view: he said that "no work makes us more God-like and divine as the apostleship, bringing souls to Jesus Christ. Actually, this is the work that had the greatest cost for Our Lord: he created the world with a single word, but he bled, suffered and died tormentingly for the

salvation of souls. No sacrifice is dearer to God Almighty than the zeal for souls" (22, Homilies on Ezekiel). 7. Saint Thomas refers to it as a kind of spiritual charity or almsgiving, and he also says that in an absolute sense ("simpliciter loquendo") spiritual almsgiving is more precious than corporal charity, because of the kind of good which is offered, even though there are cases when corporal charity is more urgent: for instance, when nourishing someone who's starving (cf. Summa Theologiae, II-II, 32, 3). 8. That's my opinion on the subject. For some of your friends, your presence among them might even be the last attempt made by God to draw them to Himself and pull them out from what might happen in their future life. However, there is one condition for you to take them to the Lord: you mustn't let yourself be contaminated by evil, neither in speech nor in feelings and least of all in your behavior. I will gladly accompany you with my prayer; I also bless you and wish you all good. Father Angelo

[fordecree7]

THE BIBLE BOOK OF GOD

New Testament

Acts 1

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

The Ascension

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and��Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. 13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

15 In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, 16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For it is written in the Book of Psalms,

“‘May his camp become desolate,     and let there be no one to dwell in it’;

and

“‘Let another take his office.’

21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.” 23 And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1

Diane Beauford