The Body
The Body
On The Street
Your friends, neighbors, the DMV, and the postman know you by your full name. Your Driver’s License says your official name is ‘John Doe.”
In The Hospital
As A Patient In Room 123:
Every attending nurse and doctor always verifies your name and even date of birth when the come into the room to check on you..
Sometimes your name is displayed on the room door.
When You Die:
You are no longer referred to by your name. You are now no longer ‘John Doe’ you are now just a body. Your identity changed.
The doctor pulls the sheet up over the face of ‘the body.’
They then call the morgue and have them pick up ‘the body’ in Room 123.
At A Crime Scene
The first thing the Homicide Detective wants to know when he arrives at a crime scene is, “Where’s the body?”
The Coroner does not examine Mr. John Doe, thinking this is Mr. John Doe! All he sees is a dead body.
Mr. Doe is then placed in a body bag and hidden from view.
In The Morgue
‘The body’ is placed on the slab.
Sometimes ‘the body’ is put into a refrigerated drawer.
At The Funeral Home
The Funeral Home sends a Driver to pick up ‘the body’.
It’s ‘the body’ that is embalmed. As far as we know, no one says, “Mr. Doe is embalmed,” he is now referred to as a body.
‘The body’ is dressed and placed in a casket.
At The Grave
The hearse drives ‘the body’ to the Cemetery.
After the graveside service, ‘the body’ is lowered into the ground.
‘The body’ is later covered with dirt.
Sometimes ‘the body’ is exhumed.
This Is Understood In The Natural Life,
It Happens Similarly In The Spiritual Life.
As Sinners
We are proud of our identity.
We proudly proclaim our heritage and those famous in our family tree.
We promote ourselves.
We do what we enjoy.
(Philippians 2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.)
We fight to keep our identity.
We protect ourselves from identity theft.
We make cards to give to strangers with our name in bold letters.
We do our best to live as long as we can and enjoy life.
At The Altar Of Repentance
On the very first trip to the Altar of Repentance, we die.
We die out to sin.
We die out to self.
We die out the things of the world.
We die out to fleshly lusts.
We decrease so that He might increase.
In Water Baptism
We are buried with Him.
The old man dies and is buried.
When We Are Filled With The Holy Ghost
We take on a new identity.
We are no longer our own, we are bought with a price.
Now, it’s not about us, that no flesh should glory in His Presence.
Now we are part of The Body Of Christ.
We relinquished our old identity and receive a new one.
We are members of ‘The Body’.
We become Kingdom Minded.
We no longer are motivated to promote our flesh, but rather do all for the good of ‘His Body… The Body.’
The Day My World Wanted To Crash, But Couldn’t.
The Day My World Wanted To Crash, But Couldn’t.
I sat on the side of my bed with our house phone against my left ear as I listened to my Dad’s voice. Tears were standing at ready in my eyes, just waiting for any reason to start flowing. It had been one of the worst days of my life.
I was already dressed for my Wednesday night Bible Study. The clock told me that I had only five minutes remaining before I needed to leave for church.
The sound of my Dad’s voice was the best medicine for my mind and soul at this moment. I didn’t tell him what the problem was, but he was very sharp and intuitive. He was a pastor in Sulphur, LA.
For the last eight hours or so I had sat in my pastor’s study at South Bend’s Christ Temple Apostolic Church trying to prepare for the service. Nothing seemed to make sense for me. Even with over 7,000 books in my library, I couldn’t seem to find anything that would prompt me. I read many chapters in the Bible and nothing stood out.
Well, to be honest, I focused primarily on me. I had felt like crying all day and I didn’t know why. I had the most wonderful wife and children a man could ever hope to have. I pastored a church full of people I loved and they were all so good to me.
Was I depressed? I didn’t want to think so. Was I dealing with condemnation? No. What was making me a basket case? Why was I on the verge of tears all day?
I tried praying and was grateful for a legitimate format for me to open up and cry in. What was the deal? What was wrong with me? Was I going through some mid-life crisis at 40 years old? I didn’t know.
Was I being overly hard and harsh on myself? Was I crying tears of disappointment because of un-achieved goals and dreams? I was afraid to think too long about that.
Who could I call and vent to? Who’s shoulder would be broad enough? I could think of no one that I wanted to burden down with my heavy load of negative feelings.
Was I out of the will of God? Was God dealing with me about something? Who knew? My self-pity was working overtime.
Even then as I sat on the side of the bed looking at the blank wall, things still weren’t making any sense. I have no memory of that ten-minute conversation of unimportant and mundane things until I said I had to go.
I had spent most of the time listening to my Father talk while I held the mouth piece of the old beige phone up high over my head in case I accidentally sniffled. I couldn’t let Dad hear me cry.
“ I gotta run Dad.” I finally said as I looked at the bedroom clock.
“I need to leave here in five minutes but I want you to know I love you and miss you.”
Then came the words that would turn my world around that night.
“I love you too son,” Dad said. “Remember this. Psa. 46:1 says that God is our refuge and strength. Don’t you ever forget that.”
I thanked him for that word, told him again that I loved him, said goodbye and picked up my Bible. As I walked out the backdoor, I looked up the Scripture passage and marked it with a ribbon.
Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
I visited the prayer room. No Biblical illustration came to mind that could even remotely connect that verse for me. My mind was blank. I really didn’t want to preach that night, and besides, I had nothing to preach. I was a mess.
I sat in my chair on the platform later listening to the prayers and praise of the good saints. I’m sure the worship was wonderful as usual, but I was just going through the motions. My mind was still searching for a character to illustrate the verse. What was I going to do? I didn’t know.
Finally, it was time for me to step to the pulpit. I made a few announcements and read Psa. 46:1 to the congregation while they still remained standing. When I finished, I invited them to be seated.
I announced my sermon title for the evening message. “God Is Our Refuge.” Then, I closed the Bible because there was nothing else there in the verse that could help me.
As soon as I said that God was our refuge, I was reminded of the fact that Job had a hedge around him that was placed there by God and Job didn’t even know it existed.
I pulled a folding chair up for me to sit in while I demonstrated the point. Then the word Hedge stood out to me. So I gathered several chairs around mine into a circle hoping to make a visible hedge.
I looked at the crowd and in a spirit of transparency said. “I don’t know if I am preaching tonight to you or to me. If I am just preaching tonight to me, you might as well go on home now, and I will do the same when I finish preaching this sermon.
My mind has no remembrance of what I said next or how it happened. In about three minutes, the saints began to worship and weep. I wept along with them. Then they began to shout and dance in the Holy Ghost. I shouted too. It became one of the most precious moves of the Holy Ghost we had enjoyed in many years. The service ended with victory in the camp and in our hearts.
There were no sermon notes for later reference, no recordings of the message. It was just a God moment. It was a gift from the Glory World.
I was privileged to understand more clearly what Paul meant when he said to Timothy that by preaching, he would save himself and them that heard him. It happened to me that night.
We all went home with Holy Ghost smiles on our faces. My heavy emotional load had been lifted. That verse came alive just for me, if for no one else. I willing claim it, quote it and stand upon it to this day.
That Was The Day The Day My World Wanted To Crash, But Couldn’t. Because God Truly Was My Refuge.
He’s Your Refuge Too! And In The Words Of My Late Father… “Don’t You Ever Forget It!”
Got Any Rivers?
Got any Rivers you think are Uncrossable?
Got any Mountains you can’t Tunnel through?
God Specializes in things called Impossible.
And He will do what no other Power can do!
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The First Lesson Grace Teaches.
The First Lesson Grace Teaches.
Some choose to put words in the mouth of Grace. They connect her with some things she has never been connected. It is as though they bring up her name every time an accusatory finger of God’s word is pointed towards them. They think Grace is their ‘Get Out Of Jail Free’ card in life.
Maybe we need to look at the things Grace teaches and what she doesn’t teach. Most of us could use a clearer understanding of what Grace says and what she doesn’t say. We also need to know what she does and what she doesn’t do.
What Some Think Grace Says, But What She Would Never Say:
1. Do Whatever You Want, It’s OK.
2. Every Thing Is Acceptable Now Days. This Is A new Day.
3. Live Like You Want Because God Overlooks Everything. We Are Under Grace.
4. There Are No Restrictions.
5. You Aren’t Bound By Standards; You Are Not Under The Law.
6. Only A Legalist And Ultra-Con Would Give You A List Of What Not To Do.
7. God Doesn’t Look On The Outside; He Only Looks Upon The Heart.
What Grace Actually Does Say:
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Titus 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
This Is The Very First Lesson IN Our Christian Experience That Grace Teaches Us:
I. What To Deny
1. Deny Ungodliness
2. Deny Worldly lusts
II. How To Live
1. Righteously
2. Soberly
3. Godly
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Those Unlearned In The Scriptures, Think They Are Justified By Grace In Their Carnality, And Turn The Grace Of God Into Lasciviousness.
las⋅civ⋅i⋅ous
adjective
Driven by lust; preoccupied with or exhibiting lustful desires
syn: lewd, libidinous, lustful
Jude 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
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“turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness”
They twisted the meaning of Grace to justify their flesh and their lusts.
Whoever claims Grace as their Teacher learns first to deny everything that is ungodly and lustful, and then to refuse to let those things have access into their hearts.
IF, they say that Grace is their Teacher, and do what she teaches, they WILL live Righteous, Soberly, and Godly in this present world.
“Mom, Can I Use This Pan To Put Dirt In?”
“Mom, Can I Use This Pan To Put Dirt In?”
Columbus, IN 1954…
“Mom, can I use this pan to put some dirt in? Me and Bobby Hungate are playing with our trucks in the back yard and we need something to put dirt in so we can move it.” I asked, holding a big shiny pan in front of me so Mom could see.
I was in the fourth grade at Clifty Elementary School in Columbus, Indiana. The Hungate family lived across the street and their son Bobby was my good friend. We had already dug more holes in my back yard that day than two dogs looking for buried bones.
My Mother turned from her ironing board and looked at me as though she was surprised I would even ask.
“You certainly cannot, young man! That is my good pan. I fix stews, mashed potatoes, corn on 
the cob and gumbo in the big pan. We sure don’t put dirt in our cooking pans. Now, you go look under the kitchen sink and find the old pan that has the blackened bottom. The handle is cracked on it too. Use that pan and when you are done with it, we will scrub it clean together.”
I replied meekly with a yes ma’am. I did as I was told. Later, Mom made me wash and scour the pan under her eagle eye supervision. This was my first introduction into the proper use of pans from a Mother’s point of view.
Columbus, IN 1956…
“Mama, Pandy’s dish got cracked and broken and I need to feed her tonight. This pan is all I can find. Is it OK to feed the dog out of this pan tonight?”
I held the big shiny pan out in front of me so Mom could see which pan I meant. She put down the evening newspaper and folded it on her lap. She then spoke to me without smiling.
“Son! That’s my good pan! You cannot use that one and you should know better than to ask. My family eats out of that pan, I’ve already told you. I cook with that pan every day.
“We don’t put dirt in that pan, and we sure don’t feed the dog out of that pan. I am shocked that you would even think that was acceptable in this house.
“Go back under the sink and find that same pan you used to put dirt in. Feed the dog tonight out of that pan. You will have to scrub it with Ajax Scouring Powder and bleach it when you’re done. We’ll get Pandy a new dog dish tomorrow.”
I scrubbed that old pan and rinsed it many times that night before it met with Mother’s approval.
South Bend, IN 1962…
“Mom, I am changing the oil in my car. I can’t find a pan big enough in the garage. Would it be OK to use this pan to change my oil in?” I asked hesitantly, while holding the big shiny pan towards her so she could see.
She put her hands on her hips and looked at me like I was from Mars. I knew I was in big trouble.
“What’s wrong with you? You just don’t get it do you? That is my GOOD pan!” she said with great emphasis on the word ‘good.’
“We eat food from that pan everyday. That is my favorite pan. We don’t put dirt into that pan! We don’t feed the dog from that pan – even if he is a rare White or Albino German Shepherd mix that cost us quite a bit as a puppy! We sure don’t change the oil in that pan. Do you understand me?”
I immediately regretted asking. Nodding meekly I said, “Yes Ma’am. I’m sorry.”
“Now go back under the sink and find that old pan with the broken handle and blackened bottom. Use that one and when you’re done with it this time, just throw it away.”
Mama’s Life Lesson
She taught me that some things are set-aside for just one purpose. Oh sure, they can be used for another purpose if we choose. However, using a container for something other than what it was intended to be used for just ruins the purity of its purpose.
Our body is a vessel. It is meant to be set apart for His use, and His use only. God created our vessel to be a container filled with His Spirit and His Love. Sure, we can put drugs, alcohol and nicotine and worldliness in it if we choose. But, doing so just defiles the vessel.
*Something That Is Set Aside For One Purpose Has A Name.
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Merriam Webster
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sanctify
sanc·ti·fy
1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : consecrate
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Being Set Apart For A Sacred Purpose Is Called Being Sanctified.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1 Thessalonians 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
Note: If there is no Sanctification in your life, there will an absence of Honor as well.
2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Like I did as a child and teenager, many are asking their Mother (The Church) if it is OK if they use their life’s vessel to put the dirt of the world in. Once you have gotten comfortable with its dirt, there will be no stopping.
Some in this permissive church age never give up asking and trying to see how much they can get away with. Their mindset is all about pleasing themselves and not focusing on pleasing God.
If you have the Holy Ghost, then your life’s vessel has been set apart unto God for His use, His glory and His service. By defiling your life, your body and your mind with worldly things, you have just dirtied the very vessel God wanted to serve a hungry world from. He will get no glory from what is in your dirtied vessel.
Remember, you are not your own. You have been bought with a price. You are His vessel. You have been set apart. You are to be sanctified unto Him.
Do You Smell Like Jesus, Or Do You Just Stink At Being A Christian?
Do You Smell Like Jesus, Or Do You Just Stink At Being A Christian?
Can you pass the smell test? The sense of smell is one of our five natural senses. Sometimes we use the smell test in order to determine if things around us are okay or if the food is spoiled. This is nothing new. God has been using the smell test for a long time. He knows the difference between a stench and a sweet smell.
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KJV
2 Cor. 2:14-17
14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
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NKJV
2 Cor. 2:14-17
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
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ESV
2 Cor. 2:14-17
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,
16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ.
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NIV
2 Cor. 2:14-17
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
15 For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16 To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?
17 Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.
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The Message Bible
2 Cor. 2:14-17
14-16 In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
16-17 This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No— but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.
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What Do You Smell Like?
This Thanksgiving, Do You Have Enough?
The two men stood facing each other. One man was armed the other was not. The armed man had vowed to kill the other. Behind the armed man were about four hundred warriors. The two enemies were close enough to see each other, and the gap could close fast.
Today was the showdown. A life-long grudge was about to be settled. The fight was certainly going to be one-sided and it wouldn’t take long.
The unarmed man was known for his underhanded dealings. He had a shady past. Today was the day for his comeuppance.
The armed man stood still as the unarmed man walked toward him. They hadn’t seen each other in many years. Then the unarmed man did something very unexpected. He dropped to his knees and bowed his head to the ground. Then he got up and walked a bit closer and dropped to his knees again and bowed his head to the ground. He did the same thing over and over for seven times.
The armed man started running towards the other. The two men hugged each other and cried like boys. The flood of tears washed decades of hate away. There would be no blood shed here today.
At length the unarmed man presented the other with a great herd of cattle and sheep.
The armed man modestly declined and said, “Thank you, but I have plenty.”
The unarmed man nodded and still persisted that his gift be received. He said, “I have all!”
Gen. 33:8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
Gen. 33:9 And Esau said, I have enough my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
Esau’s enough – (Strong’s #7227 “rab” = Much, Plenty),
Gen. 33:10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
Gen. 33:11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
Jacob’s Enough – (Strong’s # 3605 “kole” = All).
The difference between the two men’s possessions is explained in their own description. Esau had plenty as far as the carnal mind could evaluate wealth. Jacob on the other hand, realized that since he had a relationship with Jehovah, he in fact had ‘All’.
As far as earthly possessions go, many wealthy people may feel that they have enough.
But while those that have received the Holy Ghost may be poor by this world’s standards, they are actually rich. They have Jesus Christ in their hearts. They have Enough. They have ‘All’.
Esau had enough. Jacob had more. He had Enough!
Do you have enough? Or do you have Enough?
If you have Enough this Thanksgiving… be extra Thankful!
Enjoy Your Family And God’s Blessings This Year!
A New Project From The Gleason Family, Heritage.
A new project from the Gleason family, Heritage. Click here to order!
The Gleasons :: Heritage
1. Your Love is Like a River
2. How Rich I Am
3. God Will Make a Way
4. Until You Find The Lord
5. Remember
6. Beautiful Isle of Somewhere
7. You Raise Me Up
8. The Lord is My Light
9. God Has the Final Say
10. The Lord Bless You and Keep You
Produced by Glen Woodward
The Past Twelve Company
17500 West 87th Street Parkway
Lenexa, Kansas 66219
Phone (209) 405-1966
Gary Gleason, Pamela Blaszyk, Patricia Bollmann, Stan Gleason
Miso-Veritas
This guest blog is written by my brother-in-law, Rev. Eric Marxer. He attends Inland Lighthouse in Rialto, CA. – mjb
Miso-Veritas
2 Thess 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2 Thess 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2 Thess 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2 Thess 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Miso-phonia: literally “hatred of sound“, is a neurological disorder in which negative experiences (anger, flight, hatred, disgust) are triggered by specific sounds. For some people with this condition, mealtime can be torture. The sounds of other people eating – chomping, chewing, slurping, clicking their dentures or sucking their teeth – can send them into an instantaneous, blood-boiling rage.
The last part of verse 10 in our text says, “because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” The word “truth” in Greek means “verity” which came from the Latin word “Veritas”. Therefore, if Miso-phonia means, a hatred of sound.
Then Miso-veritas means, a hatred of truth, and could be defined as a spiritual disorder in which negative experiences (anger, flight, hatred, disgust) are triggered by specific truths. For some people with this spiritual condition, church time can be torture.
When an Apostolic teacher/preacher delivers this precious truth of One God, repentance, be baptized in Jesus’ name, be filled with the Holy Ghost (with the evidence of speaking in other tongues) holiness message – it can send them into an instantaneous, blood-boiling rage.
Sadly, the scripture gives the ultimate effect from this condition, ” And for this cause (of not having a love of the truth) God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:”
Apostolic Expository Series
Christy Ballestero (My Beautiful DIL)
http://marciaballestero.com/
Pastor Anthony & Kim Ballestero, New Destiny Worship Center, Clearwater, FL (My Son)
Pastor Bryan & Christy Ballestero, Temple Of Pentecost, Raleigh, NC (My Son)
James Groce Blog – "Toward The Mark"
Kenneth Bow Blog
Kingdom Speak Podcast
Philip Harrelson – "The Barnabas Blog"
Verbal Bean Ministries
Holy Ghost Radio
The Ballestero Blog 