#miracle prayer that works instantly

[tired-but-willing]

Thanatophobia

Pairing: Neteyam / Fem!Reader

Word Count: 1,849

Warnings: Violence, major spoilers for Avatar 2

Summary: In the ask <3. I added a little more to it anon, I hope you don't mind. I just got carried away.

I've been shot, you idiot.

Neteyam's words to Lo'ak as he struggled to tread water sent a cold, icy fear through you. He bobbed helplessly in the water, his failing body struggling to keep his head above the water. Instantly, you were reaching for him, your own hands grasping with desperation to keep him up.

"Help!" You shouted to Lo'ak. He didn't need to be told twice. Your urgency snapped him from his stupor. He rushed to be at your side, helping to carry Neteyam between the two of you. A small rock formation nearby was all the two of you could find to lay him on. From there, everything in your mind was a blur of panic. The full Sully family gathered, watching as Neteyam lay dying. Dying. Jake turned him over, checking his back. The bullet had gone through his skin- an entrance and exit wound. He was going to bleed out in front of you. You held his hand tightly in yours as Jake shouted something to Lo'ak. Something about pressure.

You were crying. You registered that Neteyam was, too. His breaths were coming in quick and sharp gasps. His eyes, foggy with pain, locked on Jake's.

"I want to go home."

You sobbed, your head bowing.

"We'll go home." You had never heard Jake so emotional. To you, he had always been stoic. A warrior. Toruk Makto. Now he was a grieving father. "We'll go home, Neteyam."

His breath hitched. Neteyams chest rose up sharply. "Dad-" his eyes; those gold eyes that you loved so much- flitted to you. He breathed your name.

And then he didn't breathe at all.

"Neteyam?" You asked softly. Your hand cupped his face. "Neteyam. Neteyam!"

A scream joined your desperate cries. At your side, Neytiri grasped onto Neteyam's arm, shaking his body to rouse him. His eyes had shut. You kept your hand on his face, though you could hardly see him through your tears. Maybe that was a miracle. It felt like you were going to die with him. Your heart was going to shatter and take you with it. Cries wracked through your body, shaking you. At your other side, Lo'ak had yet to let up on Neteyams chest. He was still trying to stop the bleeding.

The bleeding. Neteyam was bleeding. You blinked rapidly, clearing your gaze. Barely there was movement- a shallow rise and fall of his chest that you had somehow missed in your grief. In an instant, you gripped Lo'aks arm.

"Do not let up!" You demanded sharply. "He is breathing!"

Neytiri and Jake were there the second you spoke, back from whatever reassurance they were providing for each other. You were knocked aside by the latter as he knelt beside his son, bracing his hands on his chest.

"Breathe, Neteyam," he pleaded, shoving his hands down hard once. "Breathe."

Neytiri covered her mouth with her hands, muffling a wail that threatened to escape her. You could do nothing but watch as Jake desperately tried to return life to his child. He turned back to you, eyes wide and frantic.

"I need something to cover the wound!"

You tore at the cloth on your waist, ripping some of it away. You and Lo'ak used it to clog the chest wound while Jake continued to work. It seemed like nothing was happening. Neteyam lay still.

"Eywa," you heard Neytiri whisper. "Great Mother. Please. Please."

You echoed her prayer, shutting your eyes. You couldn't handle watching Neteyam jolt with every thrust upon his chest. You couldn't take watching his near lifeless body- the body of the boy you loved. You weren't strong enough.

Eywa answered your prayers in the form of a gasp. Neteyam's eyes shot open.

Alive.

He was alive.

•••

There was no time to talk following the miracle. You and Tsireya stayed with Neteyam, watching over him. He couldn't speak, drifting in and out of consciousness whilst you sat with him. Each time his eyes slipped shut you would check for his pulse. And each time they opened, you would flash him a reassuring smile, letting him know he was safe.

Following Kiri and Tuk's rescue, you all returned to your village. It was difficult transporting Neteyam, but the difficulty was worth it. It was better than transporting his body.

In the Sully hut, Ronal healed his body using a variety of herbs and prayers. Your Tsahìk sent you away after the first hour of healing.

"You cling too much," she said bluntly. "I cannot concentrate. You may see him when he recovers."

Only, you couldn't. A week later when Neteyam woke up, his family occupied the hut. You wanted desperately to see him. More than that, however, you wanted to give him time with his family. You could remember Neytiri's horrified screams and the hollow look inside Jake's eyes when it seemed like he had died. You knew that they needed time with him far more than you did.

That was what led you here. Sitting on the edge of one of your villages woven walkways, staring dejectedly into the water. The weight of your seat dipped as another joined you. From the edges of your vision, you could spot Tsireya's face. Her expression was one of pity.

"You know he is awake now," she said. "You can go to him."

You kicked your legs back and forth halfheartedly.

"He needs to be with his family."

"He needs to be with you." She nudged your shoulder with her own. "He asked for you, ____. When he could speak."

You couldn't help but be surprised. No one had told you he called for you. His family hadn't left the hut since he'd woken. You could hardly blame them. If you could, you would be there at his side. Tsireya gave you a knowing look.

"It is difficult, is it not?"

"Is what difficult?"

"Loving a Sully."

"What?" You sputtered. "I do not. I am not! I just- he is only-"

"Oh, enough." She tossed her head back and laugh. "I know that look. I know that feeling. You cannot hide these things from me."

Realization dawned on you. You felt like an idiot. "Lo'ak."

"Yes." Her ear flicked with amusement. "Lo'ak. Believe me, ____. I understand what you feel. And I understand what he feels. You should go to him."

"He needs time with his family."

"He has time. You will find they agree. Go."

It was hard to argue with that. Besides; you didn't want to argue. This was an excuse to talk to Neteyam. You were going to take it. You got to your feet and hurried to the Sully's hut. Once you reached it, you noted only Neytiri was inside. She knelt next to his son where he lay on the ground. When you entered the home she glanced up at you and rose to her feet. She paused at your side.

"Treat him well," she murmured to you. "And be wise." She then brushed past you, exiting the home, leaving you alone with Neteyam. He stayed laying flat on his back. He didn't turn to you, but he spoke.

"You saved my life."

You approached him cautiously. "I almost cost you it."

"No."

"Yes." You knelt beside him. A horrid sense of deja-vu washed over you. The last time you were with him, he was on the verge of death, Ronal working over his pale body, struggling to keep him alive. "If I had been faster- if I had pushed Lo'ak to safety instead-"

"You could have been shot then." He looked up at you from his spot on the ground. "That could not happen. I could not-"

"You almost died." Your voice was thick with emotion. "I would have gotten shot instead to prevent it."

"That is stupid."

"No."

"Yes." This time it was his turn to refute you. He sat up slowly, hissing in discomfort but grabbing your hand when you tried to make him lie back down. He held it fast in his own. "Why are you so willing to throw away your life?"

"Why are you so willing to throw away yours?" You shot back. You made no move to free yourself from his grip. He wasn't holding your hand tight enough to hurt you. Even whilst both your emotions were strong, he was still cautious. Considerate.

"I was protecting. That is my job."

"Is it your job to die?"

"____." Exasperated, he said your name. "It is my job to defend what I care for."

"And mine is the same," you snarled. "So there."

Your conclusion was childish. Maybe that was why he stared at you, his golden eyes wide. Eywa, how you loved those eyes. Seeing them full of life could have made you cry from relief.

"You care for me?"

You could recall Tsireya's words. Why not, you decided. "I love you. Moron."

Neteyam continued to stare at you. His hold on your hand tightened for the barest of seconds. "What?"

"I love you," you repeated. "And you almost died. Right in front of me. What would I have done then?"

"You love me."

"That is what I just said."

"I love you."

It was your turn to be stunned. "Oh."

"What?" He gave you a wry smile. "You can say it, but I cannot?"

"No! That is not why-" you groaned, leaning closer to him. His gaze traveled down to your lips before quickly returning to make eye contact with you.

"Then why not?" He challenged.

"Stop talking." You ordered, moving in closer still. "I want to kiss you."

"That is fine with me." His attempt at keeping his composure was adorable to you. While his tone was cool, you could still read excitement and wonder clearly in his expression. You couldn't help but smile, leaning in and pressing your lips to his.

Kissing Neteyam was magic.

His lips were warm on yours. His hands moved to hold you; one on your back, one on your thigh. All warm. A reminder that he was real, and he was alive. You kissed him harder just because you could. He was quick to reciprocate.

Kissing Neteyam was air.

Years of diving had trained you to hold your breath for long periods of time, and you'd never been more grateful for that fact. Neteyam it seemed, had plenty of stamina of his own from the lessons in swimming he'd been given during his brief time with your people. It felt like you had all the time in the world entangled with him, your hand sliding into his braided hair to hold him close.

It also wasn't nearly enough time. Eventually, Neteyam broke away first, taking in deep breaths of air. He didn't look away from you once. His flustered state made you proud. It also made you worry for his injuries.

"Do you need a moment?" You asked.

"No." His response was quick and breathless. "Again."

You were happy to oblige.

[feralbutfluffy]

40: Aziraphale

Chapter 40 (!) of Too Wise to Woo Peaceably

*********************************************

“Before, in the bookshop, when you said you had a plan… Was there actually a plan?"

Aziraphale really wished Crowley would let this go. "Of course there was!"

"You didn't just pop up here on a wing and a prayer then..?"

"That was a dreadful pun. If you must know, we were going to meet with The Metatron, discuss our concerns, and come to a compromise. Make a deal, if you will.”

“A deal,” Crowley repeated slowly.

“Yes.”

“With The Metatron.”

“Yes. Are you going to repeat everything I say or just most of it?”

“And how did that go?” asked Crowley, brushing past Aziraphale’s last remark.

“Poorly.” Aziraphale gave him a withering look. “Obviously. He was… Well, he wasn’t particularly happy about us having removed you without his permission.”

“Blasted hypocrite. No qualms about removing me without my permission.”

They stood over The Metatron. Crowley was draped over Aziraphale for support, warm and angular and so close the angel could bury his face in his neck if he only turned and tilted his head.

Which he wouldn’t, obviously.

But he could.

Crowley leaned more heavily on Aziraphale so he could shift his weight onto one foot, and used the other to nudge The Metatron with his toe.

Nothing happened.

“Not sure what I was expecting,” he said, and then after a pause, “What a bastard.”

Aziraphale nodded in agreement and sighed. “We should do something about this.”

“About what? The dead behemoth?”

“Yes. A little combined miracle perhaps? Just to conceal the crime, as it were. That would work, surely?”

Crowley moved his head from side to side, considering Aziraphale’s suggestion. 

“Ngn. Sure. Why not? Might as well try it. But only so long as once it’s done we head right back down to Earth-” He narrowed his eyes when Aziraphale nodded. “... I mean instantly, Aziraphale. If a siren goes off I don’t want to be around to hear it.”

“Oh, I doubt you can set sirens off in Heaven from the inside...”

“If it’s all the same to you I’d rather not test that hypothesis,” said Crowley dryly. “Alright. What’s the miracle? Make it so nobody knows this occurred? Hide it? A sort of… Grim Jim 2.0?”

Aziraphale thought for a moment. “That should do it.”

“Right. Okay. Hand-”

Aziraphale didn’t move. One of his hands was still wrapped round Crowley’s ribs, holding him up. The other was clutching at the arm he’d slung over Aziraphale’s shoulders, keeping him steady. He wasn't sure which was more essential to Crowley’s stability.

Crowley noticed his indecision and made the choice for him. “Here, look, instead of my forearm, just grab my hand. Use your other hand for the wavy bit.”

Aziraphale loosened his grip and his fingertips traced down along the inside of Crowley’s wrist until he reached his hand. Crowley interlocked his fingers with his own, pressing their knuckles together far more tightly than Aziraphale thought was strictly necessary.

“Ready? Count of three?”

Aziraphale nodded. “One… two…” 

There was a sound of powers being brought to bear and then the room shifted, Aziraphale blinked, and everything was different.

They both stared.

The room looked completely undisturbed. The Metatron and the sword had vanished, as had the broken silver quill. There was no sign of struggle, not a single smear of ichor. There was nothing at all to indicate anything had happened there recently other than perhaps the filing of paperwork.

Aziraphale opened his mouth to say something, but Crowley cut across him. “Use your fancy archangel powers and get us out of here?”

The angel gestured with his fingers and then they were back in the bookshop.

They stood motionless for a moment, both quietly trying to process things, fingers still intertwined against Aziraphale’s chest. Crowley broke the silence. 

“What the fuck?”

Aziraphale turned his head slightly to look at Crowley. “Quite.”

“Was that your-?”

“No, and I’m assuming it wasn’t your intention either. We were trying to hide him, not make him disappear completely.”

“Where the blazes did he go?”

Aziraphale shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Crowley groaned and drummed his fingertips against his forehead. The swelling on the left side of his face had gone down, leaving dark mottled bruising in its wake. He called out for Muriel and Saraqael, but the bookshop was quiet.

“Probably just taking the long way home,” Aziraphale said, patting Crowley’s side reassuringly. “Saraqael will have needed a new chair.”

“They’d better be somewhere safe.”

“I’m sure they are.”

Crowley swore and flicked his wrist to look at his entirely-too-complicated watch. “I’m giving them one hour and if they’re not back here by then…”

He sounded very much like a parent grousing about their child breaking curfew. Aziraphale considered the gravity of the situation and wisely decided not to point out the similarity. 

Crowley sighed and threw his head back. "Alright, The Metatron disappearing... That’s not good.”

Aziraphale furrowed his brow. “...Isn’t it?”

“You don’t think anyone is going to wonder about the disappearance of The Metatron?”

“If you really think about it, nobody really marked his presence the last time we…” He trailed off, not wanting to bring up that painful day in the bookshop. “In fact, you were the only one to recognise him. I really think that actually, with a little bit of luck on our side, it could be quite some time before anybody notices anything amiss!”

“Except…” Crowley sounded worried and Aziraphale dipped his head to look into his face. He was worrying his bottom lip with his teeth, eyes dazed, and Aziraphale quickly looked away, his face flushing with unexpected heat.

Ridiculous.

Ridiculous to think he looked appealing in such a stressful situation. He felt depraved for even noticing.

He struggled to keep his voice level. “Except?”

“Well, except God, right?” Crowley tilted his head and Aziraphale was convinced he could actually feel him staring. “God’s bound to notice.”

“Ah,” was all Aziraphale could manage. A minute of silence passed. He was still staring. Aziraphale couldn’t bring himself to meet his gaze.

“...Ah?” Crowley was incredulous. “Is that the full and finished thought?”

No, Aziraphale wanted to say. There are no full or finished thoughts in my head, only buzzing, only bees.

He cleared his throat. “Let’s move you over to the Chesterfield.” Maybe he’d be able to think more clearly if he could establish some space between them.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Crowley shake his head, but he made no complaint. Together they shuffled towards the nook by the desk. Aziraphale gently lowered Crowley onto the sofa, half sitting down himself in the process. He dropped his arm from around Crowley's waist and pulled away slightly with the intention of extricating himself, but the arm over his shoulders stiffened and Crowley’s fingers tightened round his own, keeping him anchored fast. 

He let himself sink down into the sofa.

So much for space.

“I don’t think we can worry too much about the Almighty,” he said eventually, if only to distract from the fact that he was now sitting on the sofa with Crowley’s arm draped across his back, casually holding his hand. 

His chest felt tight, as if it was suddenly two sizes too small for his lungs. “After all, her plans are-”

Crowley’s fingers clenched round his, pressing a warning into his hand. “ Don’t you bloody say it. ”

“...Ineffable!” The word came out at rather a higher pitch than Aziraphale had intended.

Crowley muttered something inaudible. 

“I'm going to choose to believe that whatever you just said was complimentary,” he said primly.

“Believe what you like,” Crowley grumbled, but Aziraphale thought he heard amusement in his voice, and he relaxed a bit, allowing himself to sink deeper into the sofa. His side pressed against Crowley’s as the cushions dipped beneath their combined weight and lightly tipped them towards each other.

He felt Crowley flinch, and his body arched carefully away from Aziraphale. It was subtle, but not subtle enough; Aziraphale could imagine why, and the thought made him sick to his stomach. 

“I should have asked if this-” He swallowed. “Is this alright?”

Crowley gave him a sidelong glance. “Is what alright?”

“This.” He gestured between them. “The fact that we’re so close together, that we’re, well, that we're touching …”

Crowley went incredibly, excruciatingly still and Aziraphale felt his muscles harden beneath his clothes. Tension filled his face. “Is it alright with you?”

“Me?”

Crowley looked profoundly uncomfortable. “I can-” He started to pull away.

“No!” Aziraphale tugged at him. “I just mean after everything they did to you-, after how they pretended to-”

“Oh.” Crowley seemed to sag against him. There was strange and quiet relief in his voice. “Yeah. Well. Like I said, knew it wasn’t you.”

“Looked like me, though,” Aziraphale said miserably.

“Looked like you,” agreed Crowley, then bumped his shoulder with his own and gave him a lopsided smile. “Gave me something nice to look at while they were tearing strips off me.”

“That's not funny.”

Crowley said nothing.

They sat in silence, lounging back against the leather, Aziraphale trying not to stare at the way Crowley’s fingers were still entwined with his. The sun was starting to come up, and it bathed the bookshop in an orange haze. Some of the dust particles Muriel was so fond of were glowing by the window. It was quiet and warm and Aziraphale was sure this was his favourite place in the world.

“The sun’s coming up,” he said, in case Crowley had possibly missed the obvious.

Crowley rolled his head against the back of the sofa and looked up into Aziraphale’s eyes, and he was so close the angel’s heart stuttered in his chest. 

Embarrassing. 

“This is the best I’ve felt in…” Crowley hummed low in his throat. “It’s the best I’ve felt since Gabriel arrived on your doorstep stark naked with his memories crammed into a fly.”

A real smile then. The tip of Crowley’s tongue was resting against a pointed cuspid tooth, and Aziraphale was fairly certain his heart stopped altogether before starting again at twice the usual speed. He knew he should turn his head, but he couldn’t look away, and Crowley’s laughing mouth was right there, and his pupils were blown so wide they almost looked human, and Aziraphale swayed closer without meaning to, and Crowley must have seen something in his face because his eyelids lowered, and the smile faltered, and he dropped his gaze to Aziraphale’s lips, and-

The door of the bookshop swung open and the sound separated them instantly. Aziraphale jumped up to face the door, and Crowley rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling, flexing his fingers against his thigh.

Muriel and Saraqael were in before curfew.

[allsoulspriory]

Love’s Confidence!

So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, “Lord, look, the one you love is sick.” — John 11:3

The lapse of years made it possible for the Apostle to draw aside the veil that curtained the happy friendship and fellowship of Christ in the home at Bethany. It was the one green oasis in the rugged wilderness through which He passed to the Cross!

There were diversities in that home: Martha, practical, energetic, and thoughtful for all that could affect the comfort of those she loved and served; Mary, gifted with spiritual insight and tender sympathy; Lazarus, probably a man of few words, quiet and unobtrusive, but Jesus loved each one (Joh 11:5).

The sisters never doubted that Christ would speed at all hazards to save Lazarus after the breathless messenger had brought the tidings of his sickness. Anything less than infinite Love would have rushed instantly to the relief of those troubled hearts; Divine Love alone could hold back the carelessness of the Savior’s tender heart until the Angel of Pain had finished her work. He wanted to teach His disciples never-to-be-forgotten lessons, and He was also eager for the spiritual growth of the sisters' faith.

This chapter might be more genuinely known as “The Raising of Martha,” for our Lord enabled her, matter-of-fact and practical as she was, to realize that He was the Resurrection and the Life. He insisted that her faith was an essential condition in the raising of her brother to life. The emphasis is on the word “thou” (Joh 11:40). Our Lord always needs the cooperating faith of some genuine heart to be with Him when He works a miracle, and He chose the least likely of the two sisters to supply the pivot on which He could rest the lever of His Divine help. As she withdrew her objection to removing the stone, her faith suddenly became capable of claiming the greatest of Christ’s miracles.

He calls to us also to help our brethren. In many cases, those who have received life from Christ are still bound with grave clothes, old habits, and evil associations that cling to them and impede their progress, and He bids us, “Lose him and let him go.” He asks for our cooperation in emancipating those who have been held fast in the power of the Evil One.

Prayer

O God, we rejoice that we can turn to Thee amid great anxiety and commit all our troubles to Thy sure help. As Thou art with us in the sunlight, be Thou with us in the cloud. Sustain us by Thy near presence, and let the comforts of Jesus Christ fill our hearts with peace. Amen.

#DailyWalk #FrJohnPax

[wisdomrays]

KARAMA (Wonder): Part 4

As discussed before briefly, a Prophet displays extraordinary things by God's creation, and is doubtlessly certain that they are miracles—but saints feel doubt about the extraordinary things that originate from them whether purposely or unaware, because unless these are intended for guidance knowingly, they may be a test for them involving the risk of loss.

It is a fact that sometimes, because of some necessity or need, and sometimes with the intention of serving a religious purpose or under the unavoidable influence of the spiritual state they are in, some saintly people of God may display some extraordinary things within the limits of Divine permission. However, they should view this Divine gift as a reward for their adherence to the Prophet they are believing in and following, and never attempt to use it as a means of personal credit. Whether a saintly friend of God works it knowingly, or it appears purely as an unexpected Divine gift, a wonder resembles a miracle with respect to its occurrence. For example, miracle- like wonders, such as being unexpectedly offered some food or water in time of dire hunger or thirst, exhibiting extraordinary behavior in time of war, covering a great distance or extraordinarily performing many things in a very short time (shortening of distances or expansion of time, respectively), breathing temporary life by God's leave to someone who has just died, walking on water without sinking, and traveling in the air as if flying, like the Prophet Solomon, upon him be peace, have been frequently witnessed.

Both the Qur'an and the books of the reliably narrated sayings of our Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, mention similar and other kinds of miracles worked by different Prophets. We read about many extraordinary states, action, and words of respectful saints in the books that narrate their lives. Here we will be content with a few examples:

We read in the Qur'an (2:49) that the Prophet Jesus, upon him be peace, revived the dead by God's leave. Similarly, it is narrated in reliable books that just like some saintly people of God, such as Abu Ubayd al-Busri, Shaykh Ahdal, and Abdu'l-Qadir al-Jilani, revived dead animals. When, during a war, Abu Ubayd beseeched God to revive his dead horse, God Almighty restored the horse to life. Shaykh Ahdal called to his cat that had just died, and the cat was revived by God's leave and approached him. Abdu'l-Qadir al-Jilani ordered the bones of a consumed chicken, "Rise up, by God's leave!" and the chicken came to life and stood up. These are only a few examples; many others can be found in relevant books.

It is narrated in the same books that some saints, such as Abu Sa'id al-Harraz and Abdu'l-Qadir al-Jilani, spoke with corpses.

There are many other miracle-like wonders worked by saints, such as flowing water parting and opening a passage for the saints, some saints not dying even though they were poisoned many times, the shortening of distances, wild animals serving them, their prayers being instantly accepted, their being prevented from eating and drinking any forbidden thing, their observing events that occurred in distant places, and their being protected against their enemies. All these events demonstrate that wonder-working is undeniably real, and some saintly friends of God have been honored with it.

The extraordinary states and actions which proceeded from our Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, from his birth until his Prophethood, are of the same nature as wonder-working. However, the wonders and gifts which are, in one respect, a means of honor for saints, are only of a primordial degree in proportion to the gifts and honors of the office of Prophethood, and they are regarded as drops that emerge from the atmosphere of the Prophet whom the saints follow. For this reason, the friends of God never think of using such Divine favors in promoting themselves, nor do they pursue them. Neither do they damage their relationship with God based on their servanthood by making use of them for personal credit. They try their best to keep the favors that come without demand concealed, and they even check their relationship with their Lord, fearing that these acts may be a test for them. They renew their devotion to Him and only pursue His approval and good pleasure. This is what is most suited to the faithful servants of God, the Ultimate Truth.

Those faithful servants of God turn to Him a few times a day with the petition of their awareness and admission of their innate impotence and poverty; they are enraptured with the joy of being the servants at His door and always move with thankfulness for being on His way. They are in turmoil with the hope of attaining His constant company. Consequently, they are shut off from anything— whether it is a spiritual discovery or wonder-working, or spiritual pleasures, or any other kind of favor—other than intense longing to meet with God. They consider themselves to be nothing within nothing, recognizing others as much more virtuous than themselves, always living as examples of utmost humility and the deepest sincerity toward God, and they are so compassionate and magnanimous toward people that they are willing to sacrifice themselves for their happiness; they abandon all desires and expectations for any Divine gifts that will come to them in the world, they pursue only God's approval and good pleasure at every instant of their lives.

These heroes are primarily distinguished with such qualities as equipping as many hearts as possible with belief, endeavoring that the Religion becomes the life of all humankind, illuminating all dark souls, trying to remove all the hardship and troubles that their community suffers, showing the same degree of sensitivity to preserving the honor of others that they show to preserving their own honor, asking for the good of all Muslims as much as or even more than they ask for their own good whenever they stretch out their hands to pray to God, praying every morning and evening for mercy toward and forgiveness of the Community of Muhammad, saying, "O my God! Have mercy on the Community of Muhammad! O my God! Forgive the Community of Muhammad!"; they act so magnanimously and tolerantly that they forgive those who have done them harm, embracing everyone with love, mercy, and generosity, showing the utmost care in adhering to the Religion down to its smallest detail, and following the Prophet, upon him be peace and blessings, step-by-step in their life. They try to fully represent the elevated morals and virtues that the Qur'an portrays and are resolved to remain distant from all evils and vices, such as resentment, vengeance, hatred, jealousy, suspicion, and enmity. Each of these qualities is a wonder to be sought and much more valuable than the other wonders that are manifested as some extraordinary actions or events, some examples of which we have mentioned above.

Indeed, the greatest wonder is living a life completely according to the precepts of the Qur'an, and those who are the nearest to God must be the representatives of this spirit.

O my God! Make us among Your servants who are sincere and who have been endowed with sincerity in faith and in the practice of the Religion, and who have achieved piety and righteousness, and abstinence from all forbidden things, big or small, and whom You have made near to You, and who are well-pleasing to You, and with whom You are well-pleased, and who love You and are loved by You, and who stand in awe of You, and whose character has been molded by the Qur'an! Amen! And bestow blessings and peace upon the Master of those who love You and are loved by You, and on his Family and Companions, whom You made near to You.

[hiswordsarekisses]

I’m posting this testimony from a friend and it’s so amazing! God is so faithful to carry us along and reveal His truth to us in His Word!!!

“Some of you don't know this but I had a spiritual mentor from Sri Lanka who actually blew light out his mouth. I initially went to see him for healing because I became really depressed my first year in university. In his first "session" with me he imparted this light into me. He simply blew on my face and tapped his fingers on my forehead. It lasted about 30-45 seconds. It completely "awakened" me and my depression left instantly and I was so joyous! I lost 20 lbs without trying over the next month and was just on fire for life again. I thought I was healed.

Well this guru singled me out of a crowd the second time I went to hear him speak and he offered me a free scholarship to come study with him at his center in Las Vegas. So I went on a week long retreat there. While there, he took special interest in me and would say I was spiritually special and all kinds of things. He would have me sit at the head of the table, even though there were so many rich and famous people sitting at the table and I was just in my early 20s he put me as important.

He was able to perform magical feats. In hinduism it is called performing siddhis. He never said that word to us, but I figured it out after I was saved figured out what was actually going on. I would ask him how he has these powers and "gifts" and he would never answer me.

I was coming out a teenage stint of atheism and so now that this whole new metaphysical world was opening up to me, I was becoming completely fascinated with all things magic, energy, quantum physics, and manifestation. Working with this guru, I started to have more and more supernatural experiences. I witnessed many "miracles" from him. Mystical events that cannot be explained other than through magic or that he was enlightened. I have dozens of stories. So I was convinced he was an enlightened man for quite some time because of all these signs and wonders I was witnessing with my very own eyes and experiencing myself! Little did I realize he was imparting demons into me and opening me up to the spirit realm. I started to be able to see energy, feel spirits touch me and knew when they were in the room, see sparkles of light. I didn't really understand what was going on with me and I wasn't getting any answers either except from the new age movement that these were "gifts" that were being activated.

I had a scary alien encounter during this time when I was awake. But I never got the answer to why would an alien come and scan me until I was saved by Jesus. No one ever mentions on paranormal websites that aliens are demons- (it's something I think more people need to discuss because there are people who are summoning these beings!)

This guru who supposedly cared about me, was actually a hindu/buddhist/narcissistic false prophet warlock who activated the kundalini spirit inside of me.

-----------

17 years later, I prayed a prayer to Jesus and cried in my bathtub while Allison Kraus's song "I Went Down to the River to Pray" was playing in the background. I was brought to Jesus in the water on my knees.

Then a week after that prayer, through unconventional means, it was revealed to me the dark ugly nature of my spiritual mentor. It was as if a spell was broken. Literally, Jesus broke some kind of black magic spell on my life. My whole perception of the guru changed in a flash! He had always told me that he was keeping me in "sacred silence", but once the spell was broken I was free to tell my friend what he actually did to me. I thought I would hold his secrets to my grave. He abused me in a lot of ways-Spiritually, physically, sexually, and emotionally. He was considered more enlightened than the rest of us, and his ways weren't our ways so those of us close to him toughed it out and let him act in crazy unhealthy ways. The belief was that it must be something within us that would make him respond like that type of thinking....it was so backwards.

The woman who wrote the famous Law of Attraction "The Secret" Rhonda Burn was one of his students. He had a lot of famous and rich students. I was so young I had no idea what I was really getting myself into.

But Jesus revealed to me it was total witchcraft. My guru is possessed and connects with demons for super powers. He manipulates energy and the elementals to make matter bend to his will. He is an evil warlock- pretending to be like buddha and Jesus.

Then after I was saved for the next 2 years he would come into my dreams and watch me. He would try to grab me. These were very real dreams. It was almost like he was astral projecting into my dreams. It happened a lot and I would wake up gasping and calling out to Jesus. Thankfully these night terrors are happening less and less.

I just want to give so much thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who continually is saving my soul from Satan's grips and pulling me out of so many deceptions! I have tried so many other spiritual paths and I can say with full assurance that Jesus is the ONLY way! He is the only path to heaven- if we simply believe he came to earth to die for us and atone for our sins we will be saved! He will deliver us out of every deception.

I don't know why I have been so susceptible to magic, signs and wonders, seeing to believe, Christian false prophets, and guru/shamanic warlocks. I've had one HELL of a ride. It's not because I'm particularly dumb, it's that I guess I was excited and hoping that there was more to this life. But there isn't. A normal spiritual life is not marked by signs and wonders. It is marked by the fruit I show as I walk closer to Jesus. It isn't about anointing, fire, miracles, deliverance, gifts, etc. It's about knowing and reading and living out the Word and sharing the good news.

God is doing a miracle in my life lately. My theology is finally becoming more and more solid. I am starting to figure out biblical truth because I researched many different denominations and through trial and error had to figure out which one's knew the biblical truth and lived it out, and which ones are in error. I'm not saying I know it all, (far from that) but I'm starting to really know what I believe and why and understand and spot false doctrine within the church. It's a lot to learn and figure out on your own, but praise be to God I'm getting there.”

[bitch-its-sleeping-beauty]

I posted my apartment on Craigslist to see if I would get any hits. And instantly already did. It kind of made me sad when I read the girls message who was so excited to move in and create her new exciting life. Living in my old place, taking a bath in my old bath cooking in that kitchen. All the hopes and dreams I had when I first moved here. The world at feet.

My life never got off the ground. I guess you could say if my boyfriend and I never got back together it could have. At the end of the day living in the city single or having the life I dreamed for us as a soon to be reality, that’s all I ever wanted. I had once thought we would never have that but sometimes dreams can come true. A toss up between the girl I used to be, the girl I am, and the girl I could have possibly been. The girl who left Stockton didn’t leave because she was unhappy, quite the opposite. She was so full of life dreaming of her next adventure. The girl I am today is miserable, surviving the day, unhappy as can be, homesick. If I was single would I have been any different? I’d probably be worse off.

Lately again I see God’s miracles working. In the dismal last six months, I wondered why I was really here. Why the feeling of moving here was so great it was like a sign from God. Maybe it was all to learn a lesson. I think in the distance between my boyfriend and I it definitely made us stronger, and tested us everyday. It made us ask ourselves is this the person I want to be with are they and this worth it? And we both answered yes in our heads.

God’s been working in mysterious ways lately, I asked him for signs, and to be with me during my hardest of time. To give me the strength. Which he has. I could be falling apart even more but he has given me this sort of strength that has kept me from falling apart at the seams. Even in the darkest of time there’s been so many positive things happening for both me and my boyfriend it makes it hard to focus on the bad. God thank you, I know you’ve been showing us we can have it all. Hard work, determination and prayer have gotten us through this. I know it’s only the start but I’m dedicated to this future we’re dreaming up.

Yours Truly,

B

[carolap53]

Miraculous Signs

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman

08/15/2024

The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade (Acts 5:12). When is the last time you saw a miracle in your workplace? Perhaps you prayed for a co-worker and they were instantly healed. Perhaps you prayed for a co-worker’s financial problem and it was resolved. Perhaps you led a co-worker to Christ. Or maybe God gave you an answer to a major problem at work that benefited your organization. The disciples were working people. They turned the world upside down not because of their knowledge of Jesus, but because of their outflow of the power of Jesus through them to others. And this was done in the public square, where all could see. Workplace Bible and prayer groups are great, but you must transition to action if you want to change the spiritual climate in an organization. There is a risk - God might actually show up in a powerful way. I taught a lunch-time Bible study in an insurance company for two years. God began to move powerfully in the meetings. People were coming to Christ. Some experienced healing. Word was getting out and non-believers came to check us out. When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. Pray that God makes you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.

[dfroza]

“So now you need to rethink everything and turn to God so your sins will be forgiven and a new day can dawn, days of refreshing times flowing from the Lord.”

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 3rd chapter of the book of Acts:

One day at three o’clock in the afternoon, a customary time for daily prayer, Peter and John walked to the temple. Some people were carrying in a man who had been paralyzed since birth. Every day they brought him to a place near the beautiful gate (one of the temple entrances) so he could beg for money from people entering to worship. He saw Peter and John coming and asked them for a contribution. Peter gazed intensely at him—so did John.

Peter: Look at us.

The man looked up at them, assuming they were about to give him some money.

Peter: I want to give you something, but I don’t have any silver or gold. Here’s what I can offer you: stand up and walk in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, the Anointed One.

Then Peter took the man’s right hand and lifted him to his feet. Instantly the man’s feet and ankles grew strong. He jumped and walked, accompanying Peter and John into the temple where he walked, jumped for joy, and shouted praises to God. A crowd ran to the commotion, and they gathered around this man in an open area called Solomon’s Porch. There he was, standing on his own two feet, holding on to Peter and John. They knew exactly who he was—the beggar they passed at the beautiful gate every day. Everyone was absolutely amazed at this wonderful miracle; they were speechless, stunned.

Peter (to the crowd): Why are you so amazed, my fellow Israelites? Why are you staring at my friend and me as though we did this miracle through our own power or made this fellow walk by our own holiness? We didn’t do this—God did! The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob—the God of our ancestors has glorified Jesus, God’s servant—the same Jesus whom you betrayed and rejected in front of Pilate, even though Pilate was going to release Him. He is the Holy and Righteous One, but you rejected Him and asked for a murderer to be released to you instead. You not only rejected Him, but you killed Him—the very Author of life! But God raised Jesus from the dead, whom my friend John and I have seen with our own eyes. So that’s how this miracle happened: we have faith in the name of Jesus, and He is the power that made this man strong—this man who is known to all of you. It is faith in Jesus that has given this man his complete health here today, in front of all of you.

Listen, friends, I know you didn’t fully realize what you were doing when you rejected and betrayed Jesus. I know that you, and your rulers as well, were acting in ignorance. God was at work in all this, fulfilling what He had predicted through all the prophets—that the Anointed One would suffer. So now you need to rethink everything and turn to God so your sins will be forgiven and a new day can dawn, days of refreshing times flowing from the Lord. Then God may send Jesus the Anointed, whom God has chosen for you. He is in heaven now and must remain there until the day of universal restoration comes—the restoration which in ancient times God announced through the holy prophets. Moses, for example, said, “The Eternal One your God will raise up from among your people a prophet who will be like me. You must listen to Him. And whoever does not listen to His words will be completely uprooted from among the people.”

Every prophet, from Samuel through all of his successors, agreed. You are the descendants of these prophets, and you are the people of God’s covenant to your ancestors. God’s word to Abraham includes you: “Because of your descendants, all the families of the earth will be blessed.” So when God raised up His Servant, God sent Him first to you, to begin blessing you by calling you to change your path from evil ways to God’s ways.

The Book of Acts, Chapter 3 (The Voice)

A note from The Voice translation:

Just as Jesus promised, the Spirit comes on believers in power, enabling them to do miracles like this. Now they can participate in the truth of the good news.

Today’s paired reading from the First Testament is the 36th chapter of the book of Genesis:

Here is an account of Esau’s descendants (his nation is known as Edom).

Esau had taken his wives from the Canaanites: Adah (daughter of Elon the Hittite), Oholibamah (daughter of Anah, granddaughter of Zibeon the Hivite), and Basemath (Ishmael’s daughter and Nebaioth’s sister). Adah gave birth to Eliphaz. Basemath gave birth to Reuel. Oholibamah gave birth to Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. All of these were Esau’s sons, born in the land of Canaan.

Esau took his wives, sons, daughters, all of the members of his household, his cattle, his livestock, and all of the property he had acquired while living in Canaan; and he moved to a land some distance from his brother, Jacob. Since they were too wealthy to live in close proximity—that is, the land couldn’t support both of their vast numbers of livestock— Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. (Esau is also known as Edom.)

Here is an account of Esau’s descendants. He was the founding father of the Edomites, a people who lived in the hill country of Seir. Esau’s sons were Eliphaz (son of his wife Adah) and Reuel (son of his wife Basemath). Eliphaz’s sons were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. (Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she gave birth to Amalek.) These were the grandsons of Adah, Esau’s first wife. Reuel’s sons were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the grandsons of Basemath (Esau’s wife). These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah (daughter of Anah, Zibeon’s granddaughter): Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

These are the chiefs among Esau’s descendants: From the sons of Eliphaz (Esau’s firstborn) were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, Korah, Gatam, and Amalek. These grandsons of Adah became tribal leaders in the land of Edom. From the sons of Reuel (Esau’s son) were Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These grandsons of Basemath (Esau’s wife) became tribal leaders in the land of Edom. From the sons of Oholibamah (Esau’s wife and Anah’s daughter) were Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. They became tribal leaders. These were the tribes and tribal chiefs descended from Esau (who is also known as Edom).

The sons of Seir the Horite, who also inhabited the land, were Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. They became the tribal chiefs of the Horites (who were the sons of Seir) in the land of Edom. The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and Lotan’s sister was Timna. The sons of Shobal were Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon were Aiah and Anah. (This is the same Anah who found the hot springs in the wilderness, as he was pasturing his father Zibeon’s donkeys.) The children of Anah were Dishon and Oholibamah (Anah’s daughter). The sons of Dishon were Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. The sons of Ezer were Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. The sons of Dishan were Uz and Aran. These descendants of the Horites were the tribal chiefs of their respective tribes in the land of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan.

There were kings who reigned in the land of Edom long before any king ruled over the Israelites: Bela (Beor’s son) ruled in Edom from his city Dinhabah. Bela died, then Jobab (son of Zerah’s son from Bozrah) succeeded him as king. Jobab died, then Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king. Husham died, then Hadad (Bedad’s son, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab) succeeded him and ruled from his city Avith. Hadad died, then Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him as king. Samlah died, then Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates River succeeded him as king. Shaul died, and then Baal-hanan (Achbor’s son) succeeded him as king. Baal-hanan (Achbor’s son) died, then Hadar succeeded him and ruled from his city Pau. His wife’s name was Mehetabel (daughter of Matred, daughter of Mezahab).

These are the names of the tribal chiefs among Esau’s descendants, according to their families and where they lived: Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, Magdiel, and Iram. These were the tribal chiefs of Edom (who is also known as Esau, the father of Edomites) according to the land they owned and where they settled.

The Book of Genesis, Chapter 36 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, April 7 of 2024 with a paired chapter from each Testament (the First & the New) of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about not being afraid:

Turning to God in teshuvah, or "conversion," is not something you accomplish in your own strength or will. No, it is an act of grace wherein God touches you to make you alive (John 1:11-12). After all, how could it really be otherwise? From our perspective, teshuvah is a matter of trust - first trusting that God loves you and redeems you from the curse of your life, and second, that he will guide you by means of his spirit to know him. Sanctification, then, is the practice of attending to God's presence, seeking him in your heartache and in your hope, walking with him in your sorrows and in your joys....

Doubts may sometimes arise, however. You may hear questions within your soul asking where you are really going, or questions about the choices you have made. You may feel anxious or uncertain about your relationship to “God, the universe, and everything.” When this occurs, you must again remember who you truly are. You must recall and reaffirm God's personal and covenantal love for you, even when you feel afraid or lost inside. God's everlasting love in Yeshua is the foundation, the solid rock, and the place where you will find shelter. It is the very "ground of your being." God's heart is the place where you are never left nor forsaken, even if you have wandered into painful byways of regret, sinfulness, and loneliness. Like the prodigal, when we "come to ourselves," when we remember where we really belong, we will rediscover our Father's outstretched arms welcoming us back home (Luke 15:17-24).

[ Hebrew for Christians ]

========

Isaiah 41:13 reading:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/isa41-13-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/isa41-13-lesson.pdf

4.5.24 • Facebook

from yesterday’s email by Israel365:

Is Wine Good or Bad?

By: Rabbi Pesach Wolicki

APRIL 6, 2024

As the portion of the Bible, Shemini opens, we read of the end of the opening ceremonies of the Tabernacle. Much of our portion tells of the events of the eighth day of the consecration. Toward the end of this section the following law is related:

וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־אַהֲרֹן לֵאמֹר׃

And Hashem spoke to Aharon, saying:

Leviticus 10:8

יַיִן וְשֵׁכָר אַל־תֵּשְׁתְּ אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ אִתָּךְ בְּבֹאֲכֶם אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְלֹא תָמֻתוּ חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם׃

Drink no wine or other intoxicant, you or your sons, when you enter the Tent of Meeting, that you may not die. This is a law for all time throughout the ages,

Leviticus 10:9

וּלֲהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַקֹּדֶשׁ וּבֵין הַחֹל וּבֵין הַטָּמֵא וּבֵין הַטָּהוֹר׃

for you must distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean;

Leviticus 10:10

וּלְהוֹרֹת אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵת כָּל־הַחֻקִּים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָה אֲלֵיהֶם בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה׃

and you must teach the Israelites all the laws which Hashem has imparted to them through Moshe.

Leviticus 10:11

The law here is simple. No drinking wine or any other intoxicant by any of the priests is allowed either while serving in or immediately prior to entering the Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem in the future. This is certainly an understandable law. We wouldn’t want any drunk priests performing the services!

Based on this law we might assume that wine has no place in Temple services. This would make wine similar to honey and leaven.

כָּל־הַמִּנְחָה אֲשֶׁר תַּקְרִיבוּ לַיהֹוָה לֹא תֵעָשֶׂה חָמֵץ כִּי כָל־שְׂאֹר וְכָל־דְּבַשׁ לֹא־תַקְטִירוּ מִמֶּנּוּ אִשֶּׁה לַיהֹוָה׃

No meal offering that you offer to Hashem shall be made with leaven, for no leaven or honey may be turned into smoke as an offering by fire to Hashem.

Leviticus 2:11

Of course, this is not the case. Wine is, in fact, a central component of many Temple offerings. Most notably, the daily offering brought in the morning and afternoon included a wine libation.

While wine is to be offered as a libation in many offerings – public as well as private – no wine is ever drunk as part of any temple service. It is important to note that many of the offerings are meant to be eaten. Many of the animal offerings are eaten. Meal offerings are eaten as well. Wine, while offered, is never consumed.

This leads to a simple question. Is wine good or bad? If it is offered in the Temple, it must be good. If we are forbidden to drink it in the Temple, perhaps it is bad.

In his comments on the daily offering, Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch, the leading rabbi in the German Jewish community in the 19th century, explained the symbolism of the three of the ingredients in the daily offering: flour, oil, and wine. Flour represents basic sustenance. Oil represents wealth. Wine represents joy. The purpose of the daily offering is to attribute all of these to God. By bringing this offering daily, we are thanking God for our daily bread (flour), our wealth (oil), and all our joy (wine).

Rabbi Hirsch’s comment reminds us of the verse in Psalm 104.

מַצְמִיחַ חָצִיר לַבְּהֵמָה וְעֵשֶׂב לַעֲבֹדַת הָאָדָם לְהוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן־הָאָרֶץ׃

You make the grass grow for the cattle, and herbage for man’s labor that he may get food out of the earth—

Psalms 104:14

וְיַיִן יְשַׂמַּח לְבַב־אֱנוֹשׁ לְהַצְהִיל פָּנִים מִשָּׁמֶן וְלֶחֶם לְבַב־אֱנוֹשׁ יִסְעָד׃

wine that cheers the hearts of men oil that makes the face shine, and bread that sustains man’s life.

Psalms 104:15

By offering wine we are stating that we attribute all joy to God.

While wine certainly brings joy to people, it does so by altering our senses. If reality as I perceive it is enough to bring me to a joyous state, then I do not require wine. Wine will certainly enhance my joy, but I don’t need it. It is only when reality on its own does not bring me joy that wine is needed to produce feelings of joy. The Jewish sages in the Talmud expressed this idea in the following passage:

“Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira states: ‘When the Temple was standing there was no joy without meat. Now that the Temple is no longer standing, there is no joy without wine.’”(Pesachim 109a)

When the Temple is standing and our relationship to God can be expressed in its ideal form, reality as it is allows for joy. However, in the absence of a Temple, the only hope for joy comes by altering our senses. Reality as it is without a Temple does not allow for joy. It must be enhanced by wine.

Altering our senses with wine in order to feel joyous is not necessarily a bad thing. When we drink wine, we feel happier about whatever we are celebrating. If my favorite sports team just won a championship and I drink, I will feel even happier that they won. If I am drinking four cups of wine on Passover as we retell the story of God’s redemption of Israel from Egypt, I will become even more joyous in my praise of God due to the wine.

It makes sense then that while wine enhances feelings of joy, drinking it is forbidden during Temple service. To drink wine while drawing close to God in the Temple would imply that the experience of closeness to God is not sufficient on its own to bring us joy. The lesson here is that there is no greater joy than the experience of drawing close to God in His service. No artificial joy-enhancer is necessary.

The great 12th-century scholar Maimonides, in the Guide of the Perplexed, maintains that many of the laws regarding sacrifices were commanded to contradict and counteract the beliefs and practices of ancient pagans.

Maimonides offers many examples of this phenomenon in his book. Although he does not mention the prohibition of drinking wine in this context, this law fits nicely into his understanding.

Wine libations were common in virtually all ancient mid-eastern religious sects. However, just as common was the consumption of wine and other intoxicants by the priests performing the services in their temples. Various intoxicating beverages and herbs were a staple of pagan service. Specifically, the sexually oriented pagan festivals invariably included conspicuous consumption of wine by the participants.

Among the many mentions of wine offerings in the Torah, there is one reference to the drinking of a wine libation.

וְאָמַר אֵי אֱלֹהֵימוֹ צוּר חָסָיוּ בוֹ׃

He will say: Where are their gods, The rock in whom they sought refuge,

Deuteronomy 32:37

אֲשֶׁר חֵלֶב זְבָחֵימוֹ יֹאכֵלוּ יִשְׁתּוּ יֵין נְסִיכָם יָקוּמוּ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶם יְהִי עֲלֵיכֶם סִתְרָה׃

Who ate the fat of their offerings And drank their libation wine? Let them rise up to your help, And let them be a shield unto you!

Deuteronomy 32:38

At the end of Deuteronomy, Moses poetically refers to God meting out justice on the pagan enemies of Israel. This reference to the futility of their false gods mentions two behaviors that are forbidden in the Temple – the eating of fats and the drinking of wine.

The pagans drank wine in the context of religious service and offerings to their gods. The Torah forbids it. Perhaps the lesson is this. Paganism sees the way to transcendence through the altering of the senses in revelry and physical pleasure. Torah sees the way to transcendence through a clear mind drawing close to God.

Rabbi Pesach Wolicki is Executive Director of the Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation. He is cohost of the weekly Shoulder to Shoulder podcast.

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

April 7, 2024

As I Have Loved

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34)

No Christian could ever question the preeminent importance of love. “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16), and the greatest of the Christian virtues is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). The first and second commandments of the law are love for God and love for one’s neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). Christ’s new commandment, however, gives us a definition of love! To love as He loved, we must observe how Christ loved.

In the first place, His love was not ephemeral. “When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).

The Lord Jesus Himself defined love this way: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). However, Christ died not only for His friends but for all sinners, including His bitter enemies. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him....Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:9-11).

The measure of love is the undeserved, yet gladly offered, substitutionary death of Christ for our sins. Whenever we think the love commandment is demanding too much of us, we should compare our love to His. “For the love of Christ constraineth us [not our love for Him, but His love for us]...that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19), and we must live for Him. HMM

[mstexalicious1961]

Messages from God's Heart

Receive a touch from the Lord.

“Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.” Matthew 8:3, NLT

God will touch your mind so that it is no longer confused.

God will touch your heart and mend what is broken.

God will touch your ears so you can hear Him more clearly.

God will touch your eyes so you can see His truth.

God will touch your physical body and bring healing and wholeness.

God will touch your life and cause everything the enemy meant for your bad, to turn around for your good.

Where does a touch from the Lord take place? It could be while you are in prayer, while you are singing to God in worship or while you are washing the dishes. It can take place whenever and wherever God sees fit. He is still in the miracle-working business and He wants to touch you and minister to your need.

Prayer: Father God, thank you for speaking to me. I need a touch from you. Touch my life. Touch my mind. Touch my heart. I am totally surrendered to you. Remove all doubt and touch me with your warm loving hand. In Jesus name, Amen.

Author Unknown

[the-best-on-brazil]

The Divine Prayer Review | Miracle Prayer That Works Instantly | ⛔Prayer...

[srasurvivors36]

Keys to Effective Deliverance Ministry

Deliverance Ministry is a powerful practice that helps people find freedom from spiritual struggles and oppression. To make this ministry effective, there are several key principles and methods that can be followed. In this easy-to-read guide, we'll explore the essential keys to successful Deliverance Ministry.

1. Prayer and Faith:

Prayer is the cornerstone of effective Deliverance Ministry. Believers place their trust in the power of God to bring healing and freedom. Both the person seeking deliverance and the minister praying on their behalf must have unwavering faith in God's ability to work miracles.

2. Discernment:

One of the critical skills in Deliverance Ministry is discernment. Ministers must discern the root causes of spiritual oppression and the specific areas that need deliverance. Discernment helps guide the prayers and actions during the process.

3. Renunciation and Repentance:

Before deliverance can occur, it's essential for the individual seeking freedom to acknowledge and renounce any sinful activities or associations that may have allowed spiritual bondage to take hold. True repentance and a desire for change are vital.

4. Anointing and Authority:

Ministers involved in Deliverance Ministry are often believed to have a special anointing and authority from God. This anointing empowers them to confront and cast out negative spiritual influences effectively. More about the author SRA Survivors

5. Deliverance Counseling:

Effective Deliverance Ministry often includes counseling before and after the process. Counseling helps individuals address any emotional or psychological issues that may be connected to their spiritual struggles and provides guidance for maintaining spiritual well-being.

6. Persistence:

Some cases may require persistence. Not all spiritual oppression can be instantly resolved, and it may take multiple sessions of prayer and deliverance to achieve complete freedom. Perseverance is key.

7. Teamwork:

In many cases, Deliverance Ministry is most effective when performed by a team of experienced ministers. Working together allows for a more comprehensive and thorough approach to spiritual deliverance.

8. Fasting and Spiritual Preparation:

Fasting and spiritual preparation can help ministers and those seeking deliverance to be spiritually focused and sensitive during the process. Fasting is a way to draw closer to God and gain greater spiritual insight.

9. Follow-Up and Support:

After the deliverance, it's crucial to provide ongoing support and guidance. This helps individuals maintain their spiritual well-being and avoid falling back into old patterns.

10. Aligning with Biblical Principles:

Effective Deliverance Ministry should be in alignment with biblical principles. It should not involve unorthodox or harmful practices but be rooted in the teachings of the Bible.

In conclusion, effective Deliverance Ministry is a holistic approach that combines faith, prayer, discernment, and emotional support. By following these keys, both ministers and individuals seeking deliverance can work together to experience the freedom and healing that this powerful ministry offers.

[pegasus-ghost]

Allah. Is. AMAZING.

I wanna document this moment before I forget.

Three things happened to me recently, that instantly made me feel like… Dropping my knees and head onto the ground to thank Allah. And I did, thanked Allah for all these in my prayers. Made me go, oh my god, Allah is REALLY ALL LISTENING AND LOOKING OUT FOR ME.

So first event. The vacation.

My brother Adam complained last month I think, that he felt like our days were nothing more than just ‘staying alive and surviving’. He felt unstimulated and wanted us brothers to go somewhere for a vacation.

I had to be honest with you, when he said that, I so badly wanted to tell him, “Thats because everyone has, like Liam and I, have JOBS to do and money to earn. It’s easy for you to say because you’re jobless and can do whatever you want. You’re just saying this because you’re bored.”

But I know I shouldn’t. It just… Irks me, that he’s so blind and clueless that other people has responsibilities and trying to earn a living, that we just get burnt out and wanted to do nothing on weekends to recover, and he’s like, behaving like a rich kid who doesn’t work and say, hey life is so boring let go to Italy!

Sigh, Astaghfirullah.

But both Liam and I caved in and said ok, we can go on a short vacation trip to this one state and do food hunting. I also recently had this sign on bonus from my new company, and I still had some money left on that so I offered to cover food expenses. In my heart, I seriously just wanted train myself to expel the greediness on hoarding money and worldly possessions. I prayed everyday for Allah to help me remove this feeling, and I see this opportunity as a way for me to exercise that mindset I want to have for Allah’s sake by sadaqah to my family through the vacation and giving my brothers a good time.

But before I go, i just had this thought, I didn’t even like, actively put my hands up and prayed to Allah for this. I just had this thought and told myself, Ya Rabb, if only this and this happened to me during the vacation, it would make things sooo convenient for me that it would feel like a gift from the heavens.

But deep down I didn’t like, bank in on it. I was just secretly hoping but I didn’t actively ask Allah directly for it. I knew it was out of my control and if it happens anyways, it would really be a miracle.

And you know what? It happened. The first day of the vacation itself, IT HAPPENED. The EXACT thing that I thought in my head, actually HAPPENED.

I was so freaking stunned. It was impossible for it to happen actually, under the circumstances that I have observed. It was a MIRACLE if it even happened, and ALLAH MADE IT HAPPEN ANYWAYS.

Nothing could have made it happen, no external forces could have made that happen except Allah. I was so freaking stunned when I realized that was a hard, cold, evidence that Allah was actively listening to my small, teeny, tiny thought and hopes, when I didn’t even PRAYED for it to happen. I just hoped in my heart that it happened like hoping for a miracle and a miracle happened indeed!

That just… I don’t know how to describe it. I was so, so, so, extremely touched, realizing the undeniable evidence that Allah was seriously listening to me and watching over me, and truly LOVED and CARED for a nobody like me, that He gave this gift to me without me even actively asking him for it.

I caved in that night, spent some time in the bathroom and cried like hell, thanking Allah so much for making that thing happened.

Second event. Family dinner.

Yesterday, I posted in the chat group with my brothers and my mom that there’s this delicious restaurant I followed on Instagram that I wanted to try. And my mom was like, ok we’ll go tomorrow night.

And the next day, she suddenly texted me saying, she invited my sister and her new husband to join us too, and she asked, “Hey, you’re the one paying, right?”

My heart at the time INSTANTLY was triggered with the feelings of resentment, selfishness, greediness, and frustration. Because at the time, I was only planning for it to either be just me and my mom, or me and my mom and brothers, and I expected that my mom would be the one paying for it since she usually would do that when we go out and eat. For her to suddenly just invite the entire family and straight away assumed that I was the one who was paying for it, just triggered me so bad, because it means it’s gonna be an expensive dinner for no reason and it will break my bank again.

But I realized this feeling instantly, that I DONT want this feeling to conquer me, that this feeling is something that I ACTIVELY prayed to Allah every single day to expel from my heart. I hate to see myself clinging onto worldly shit like money, and see myself turning into my dad and his entire family who are greedy of money that they count every single cent even if the ones they’re spending on is family. I hate that feeling, and I want to train my mind self for Allah to NOT be greedy of worldly things, and see it as temporary, and what I should aim for is the rewards in the afterlife and akhirat after the sadaqah that I do in this world.

When I realized I was getting triggered and this feeling was starting to simmer in my heart, I immediately raised my hands up and prayed to Allah, please please please please please help remove this feeling away from my heart. Please get rid of this greediness feelings away. I don’t want it. and I say it out loud, reminding myself that the rewards of sadaqah to my family matters more, because I’m playing the long game and I should care of how those few hundred bucks worth of dinner despite it breaking my bank, could be the very thing that earns me heaven and saves me from hell. Because in the end, no matter how much money I lost in this world, as long as it’s in a form of genuine sadaqah, I strongly believe and am confident, and trying to train my mindset and heart to strongly believe, that Allah will pay back in forms of rewards for me in akhirat which will save me from hellfire. And the rewards in the afterlife can only be earned by the active good deeds we do in this world. It doesn’t just come free. So this is an opportunity by Allah who presents me a way to help earn an extremely high interest on my good deeds for the hereafter, especially that it happened on the first 10 days of Zulhijjah.

I prayed and prayed, asking Allah so badly to remove this greediness, this frustration which was triggered from my trauma and greediness over money. I tell myself out loud, convincing myself that this sudden feelings of greediness doesn’t come from my heart because that might be who I am or stuff like that. That feeling just automatically appears because it’s just humans instinct and nafsu by Allah to be greedy. I remembered in the Quran somewhere that Allah said several times that humans are just naturally greedy. So I tell myself, this is just a reaction because of my human instinct, it’s not who I am. What matters is that I act against it. But I know even if I act against it, I was still STRUGGLING so badly with that selfish frustration. It was DIFFICULT to erase that sudden greediness feelings in me. So yeah I prayed and prayed and prayed to Allah out loud to help me remove this feeling because I know I can’t do it, only Allah can, and I need to rely on Allah to help me out.

And you know what?

I LITERALLY could feel just seconds later, that the greediness and frustration feelings in my heart, which felt like an ugly and stubborn stain, suddenly washed away….

I mean it. I LITERALLY felt that.

All of a sudden. Just… Suddenly… I was feeling at peace and calm, and I was suddenly feeling all accepting with the whole thing.

Subhanallah…. I just instantly realized Allah was indeed LISTENING to me and IMMEDIATELY helped me with removing that feelings from my heart.

It was the EXACT same feeling I get when I prayed to Allah for a sign back then whether I should stay at my job, accept the first or second job offer, and Allah instantly cleared my heart and made the choice obvious and known.

And He works FAST, y’all.

I asked, and seconds later He delivered.

SUBHANALLAH. ALHAMDULILLAH. ALLAHUAKBAR.

I am so, not, worthy of this…. And yet He proved to me again and again that He was actively listening and looking out for me. I had no words, other than thanking Allah many many times and praising him when I realized that selfish feelings in my heart was instantly gone.

Third event. The Cockroaches.

So a little background story. In my parents house, Adam and his new wife has their own room. Liam and I had to share our room. But whenever Adam doesn’t come back and stay at his room at our parents (because he already stayed elsewhere), I would sleep over at his room instead so Liam could have our room all to himself. Also, because Adam’s AC is much better and colder than ours. And his room is much nicer.

So last week, I was sleeping at night at Adam’s room. Then I wanted to poop. So I got up and poop at Adam’s bathroom. Suddenly I could feel like something light crawling on my lower back and i IMMEDIATELY KNEW what it was.

I got up and saw it. A damn cockroach!!

I panicked and was traumatized. Went to look for the bug spray at Liam’s room and went back to Adam’s toilet to kill it and IT WAS GONE.

I was so freaking scared, I wanted to make sure I freaking killed it. I don’t wanna be sleeping knowing that damn cockroach was alive. Then I saw it, climbing on the toilet. I covered myself, taking refuge behind the toilet door and sprayed the bug spray to kill it like crazy. And all those times when I was trying to kill it, I laughed nervously (because of how ridiculous the situation was) while actively praying out loud to Allah to PLEASE help me out here with this cockroach, please help me kill it!

Then I decided to just spray the entire toilet to be safe. Then I realized there’s a lot more big cockroaches in hiding that got out, dying from the spray. ALHAMDULILLAH. I thanked Allah happily that I managed to hit the jackpot on that.

But I was traumatized regardless. Although in hindsight it was kinda funny.

And this week, I went back to my parents place again on Friday night. But I decided to stay in my own room I shared with Liam instead because of the cockroach trauma.

I wanted to go and pee, and went to our toilet.

To my surprise, I saw there were 4 big cockroaches already dead, lying on their backs on the floor.

Strange? I thought to myself, I literally just got here. Was mom the one who came in the toilet before I reached there and help spray the toilet to kill the cockroaches? But when I went to check the bug spray, it was literally still in Adam’s room from my cockroach battle last week. Means that she didn’t do anything, otherwise the bottle would have moved places.

But I was like meh and brushed the incident off, thinking probably my mom did something anyways.

Last night, I used the bathroom and it was clean from cockroaches, no more dead bodies and stuff. And I didn’t spray anything in the toilet.

And this morning when I wanted to take my subuh ablution, amazingly, I saw another dead cockroach on the floor. And this time, it’s new because I can see the legs still moving slightly, but it was somehow already dying and on its back.

I KNEW for a fact that mom didn’t do anything then and there. Because mom didn’t even come to my room while I was there and I already checked last night that there was no bugs, and I didn’t even spray stuff to potentially kill any bugs the night before, for the cockroach to just suddenly appear dead the next morning.

It immediately clicked, on why it happened.

Allah.

Allah heard my prayers last week on how I asked for help on killing the cockroaches in Adam’s room. I bet Allah is amused and laughing at the whole panicky situation last week. And I believe that He truly appreciates that I sought for His help even during the most insignificant but traumatized time for me, that He helped me out, watching over me and helped kill the rest of the cockroaches in my own toilet this week.

But how did it happen? It also just clicked that it probably came from this new powder I bought to help remove odors from the cat litter in the toilet for Liam’s cats. I think the cockroaches enjoyed staying there because of the moist floor, and they probably ate from the cat litter. And probably when I mixed the powder with the cat litter, they ate it and it turned into poison for them. Hence why I saw so many dead cockroaches on Friday night, and I saw another one this morning.

But regardless on how it happened, ALLAH PLANNED THIS AND MADE IT HAPPEN.

Allah helped kill the cockroaches to look out for me after I prayed to Him last week on the whole cockroach trauma.

Subhanallah.

Sigh. I don’t deserve this at all. Ya Rabb has been so freaking kind to a nobody like me. I see them, these signs from Allah that showed and proved literally that Allah is actively listening and never left my side, and is watching over me like a loving guardian.

Makes me appreciate him more and more. All of this just made me loves Him even more, that I wanted, genuinely wanting to be a good servant to Him because of this.

I cried during subuh, thanking Him. I feel so unworthy to be helped by seriously the Almighty who creates GALAXIES and billions of stars. But all of this is a piece of cake for Allah. It really just proved to me in hard cold evidence and facts that Allah will watch over His servants as long as they rely on Him and truly preserve His rights. Proved to me repeatedly how much He loves me and had ALWAYS BEEN LISTENING TO ME. I felt so, so unworthy and small to His presence but at the same time, my tiny heart just SO, so so so appreciative and thankful of everything that He does for me. Especially during these miracle moments which was an undeniable evidence that He is indeed the All Loving and All merciful, and Mighty Kind with love and grace.

Sigh. Ya Rabb…. Thank you. I will never be able to repay ANYTHING you do for me but I will repay by trying my best to be a good servant to you, always remembering you, relying on you, and coming back again and again until the end of my life to you in everything I face in this life. Whether it be some big and significant tests, or something funny and ridiculous like the whole cockroach thing.

Because in the end, YOU are the one, the Almighty who governs everything in this universe and we all belong to you.

[bylagunabay]

Power of Prayer

THE JAVELIN PRAYER OF MRS. TANKERSLY

Javelin prayers are short, simple, heart-felt prayers sent up to God at any time during the day. Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection describes them as “merely a thought of Him from time to time, a little act of adoration, sometimes to ask for His grace, sometimes to offer Him your sufferings, at other times to thank Him for the graces … The least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him.”

In the following true story, the quick aspiration to God of an old lady to protect a soldier from certain death saved not only the young soldier but his entire company as well …

”LORD, WHATEVER DANGER SPENCER IS IN, JUST COVER HIM WITH A CLOUD!”

(3-minute read)

In 1945 Spencer January’s division had just been ordered to take the town of Ossenburg, Germany, where a war factory supplied Hitler’s troops. His group had been fighting for hours to get through the thick forest when suddenly they came to an open space with a large stone house.

1 Sure Death

They did not know that the large stone house in the opening was concealing the bodies of soldiers who had tried earlier to cross the clearing, but soon three nests of German machine guns suddenly began blasting away, but it was impossible to take them out since they were too far out of range.

It was sure death to cross the opening, but it was the 35th Infantry’s only avenue since every other passage into town was secured by the Germans. The team was in a quandary. They knew there was no way to survive if they tried to push on through the clearing.

2 Time Running Out

Time was running out, and at any moment his group would be running right though a barrage of open fire. Before he even knew what he was doing, he found himself on his knees, praying passionately, “God, you’ve got to help me! Please, do something!”

Spencer barely had time to finish his desperate prayer when the group was ordered to advance. Memories of home and family, even of Mrs. Tankersly, crashed down on him as he gripped his rifle and made his way across the clearing to the other edge of the forest covering.

3 White Cloud

Suddenly a huge white cloud materialized in what had been, only moments before, a totally clear sky. The cloud dropped down and shrouded the clearing, almost like an eclipse. There was no way for the Germans to see where to fire.

Instantly Spencer and his fellow soldiers took off like runners in a race. Almost beyond belief, Spencer found himself across the clearing and into the thicket. Many more of his group were making it across. The ones in the very back were having to pull some of the wounded to safety, but even those were making it.

No one had to tell him that what he had just experienced was God. As quickly as the miracle cloud had appeared, it vanished miraculously just as the last soldier made it across the cloud.

4 Divine Visitation

All the way to Ossenburg, Spencer kept thinking about that cloud. He was used to the smoke screens that were used to hide the troops, but this was entirely different. This was not a man-made covering. He and the other men knew it was a supernatural intervention. And to continue His miracle, God helped them overtake the war factory in Ossenburg.

A short time later, Spencer received a letter from his mother that had finally caught up with him. In it she told him that Mrs. Tankersly, the very woman who had also been on his mind the day when they were under attack in that open field, had called to tell her about a spiritual visitation from God. It had come in the night when God told her, “Spencer January is in trouble! Get up right now and pray for him!”

5 One Short Prayer

Mrs. Tankersly said that she had prayed until time to go to work, and the last thing she remembered praying was: “Lord, whatever danger Spencer is in, just cover him with a cloud!” She told Spencer’s mother that she had finished praying at 6 a.m.

6 Perfect Timing

By the time he finished reading, Spencer was shaking so hard that he could barely see to read the letter. He realized there was a seven-hour difference in time, so Mrs. Tankersly had been praying just as his group came upon the German ambush. Her prayer for God to send a cloud covering would have been prayed at one o’clock in the afternoon in Germany —just when they were ready to dash across the danger zone.

7 Supernatural Protection

God’s supernatural protection made such an impression on Spencer that he dedicated the early morning hours every day for the next sixty years to pray for friends and relatives. After the miracle intervention in Germany, no one could have taken away his faith in the difference that prayer can make. He was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the prayer of that one faithful woman back in 1945 had not only saved his life, but also the lives of the other soldiers with him as they ran unseen through the cloud covering.

[maglife17]

Unlock the Power of Intercessory Prayer! Part Three"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." Matthew 21:22 In times of need, prayer can be a powerful source of strength and comfort. We often seek the Lord for help during our own struggles, but He also calls us to lift prayers on behalf of others as well. Interceding is an important part of our relationship with God, and it is through faith that we are able to trust that our prayers will make a difference. I pray that the Lord will give you faith to intercede for those around you who suffer from deep spiritual or physical needs. Interceding in prayer on behalf of others can be intimidating at times because we don't always know how to pray in the right way. We may feel inadequate and scared that our words won't reach God's ears. However, If we trust God enough and truly want to stand in gap of prayer for someone, the Holy Spirit will intervene and help us to pray. According to Romans 8:26, 1Cthe Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. 1D John 4:24 says, "God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth." With this Roman 8:26 in mind, unlocking the power of intercessory prayer can be achieved through studying God's word, dedicating time to prayer, and understanding the power of faith. Studying the Bible gives insight into what God wants from His children when praying on behalf of others. It also provides assurance that He hears our prayers and works miracles through them. Since the Bible is known as an invaluable source of knowledge and understanding - studying it, deepening our spiritual lives and help us uncover a hidden treasure of knowledge and insight to prayer. Remember, intercession is not just about praying for the people we meet in our daily lives, but also those whom we may never meet or hear their stories directly. So, we should always be mindful of how much power lies within prayer, especially when done with faithfulness. No prayer uttered with faithfulness goes unheard; it changes the course of eternity and unlock the miracle of life instantly or later. Psalm 145:18 says, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." Amen. Prayer: (From Psalm 19:14) Oh Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen. https://youtu.be/jYHg2HQZ_Uw https://maglife.org/

[carolap53]

Miraculous Signs

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2 by Os Hillman

08/15/2023

The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade (Acts 5:12). When is the last time you saw a miracle in your workplace? Perhaps you prayed for a co-worker and they were instantly healed. Perhaps you prayed for a co-worker’s financial problem and it was resolved. Perhaps you led a co-worker to Christ. Or maybe God gave you an answer to a major problem at work that benefited your organization. The disciples were working people. They turned the world upside down not because of their knowledge of Jesus, but because of their outflow of the power of Jesus through them to others. And this was done in the public square, where all could see. Workplace Bible and prayer groups are great, but you must transition to action if you want to change the spiritual climate in an organization. There is a risk - God might actually show up in a powerful way. I taught a lunch-time Bible study in an insurance company for two years. God began to move powerfully in the meetings. People were coming to Christ. Some experienced healing. Word was getting out and non-believers came to check us out. When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. Pray that God makes you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.