KNOWN & UNKNOWN

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,   John 3:15

KNOWN & UNKNOWN,  “WORTH CONSIDERING”   2/12/20    by Ken<>< www.Trinity-Aloha.org

Today’s Scripture (Across my desk yesterday.)
“…Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”  (John 9:2, NLT)

Stop Looking to Blame
In today’s Scripture, some people asked Jesus whose fault it was that this man was born blind. They were looking for somebody to blame. Some reason, some excuse. Jesus said, “It’s nobody’s fault. The reason he was born this way was so that the goodness of God could be displayed.”

When something unfair happens, don’t get stuck looking for a reason, trying to find someone or something to blame. All that blaming is going to do is give you a reason to feel sorry for yourself. You’re not going to understand why everything happens. Nothing that’s happened to you is a surprise to God. He sees every wrong that’s been done to you and every disadvantage, and He is a God of justice. If you stay in faith, it won’t work against you, it will work for you. God will use it to show out in your life. He’ll take what was meant for your harm and use it to your advantage.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for the abundance of Your goodness in my life. Thank You that nothing that’s happened to me is a surprise to You. Whatever I go through that might harm me, I know You will use to my advantage. I declare that You are a God of justice. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts,
Even GOD knew how lucifer would turn out when given free will, but it also made Michael and Gabriel solid with 2/3rd of the angels of heaven to help us who were all still only in the mind mind of God.  The creation of good and evil always goes back to GOD as the only source of all creation.  But our Creator God knew that in order to make us in HIS IMAGE & LIKENESS that there would need to be a time set aside for us to learn how to use our free will.  So like a Gym He had to also provide the weights and resistance for our spiritual growth.  And that lucifer in his choice of lies, pride and rebellion could provide for the resistance needed.  So in fact the negative also works for the ultimate Glory of God.  As you know, a gym can either kill you or make you stronger.  And life can send you to hell or with the right choices make you part of the family of God.  Free will is absolutely essential in the mix as without free will love can not exist, as love is a decision.  It is not like trust, trust is a learned relationship.  It took the Church a long, long time to learn to trust Apostle Paul and to confirm his ministry as an apostle to the Jews and Gentiles as Christ Jesus, The Word of God,  had already shared with Paul in his conversion, empowering & sanctification. 

So with the blind man, lucifer was/is still responsible for him being blind.  In some way lucifer had messed up his ability to see so that he was born not able see the light.  But Jesus, because of His obedience was anointed with power to reverse that curse and the Glory of God was seen by all who knew the man.  And that God’s Glory and Grace is still with us today by faith as we read our Bible.  That it happened, YES.  That we can, as the Body of Christ, learn to do the same, YES!!!   In fact we are strongly urged to lean together in unity to do all the things that Jesus did and more.  The problem is that we have such little heart faith and so many divisions that it seems that most would rather have divisions than to use the time  in finding the unity as per John 17:20-26.  In Eph.4:11-16 Apostle Paul lays out the plan of how it all works and very clearly.   As Paul wrote to us,  we must learn to be living stones and be fitly joined with others until the world can see Jesus alive and well and healing and setting folks free just as He did when here with us.  Our Creator God, became man so that He could personally and quickly show us very clearly how God wanted us to live and how real faith works.

Of course all of this was already in the planning before the world was created and known that Jesus would come and be born as the 2nd Son of God to restore what Adam #1, GOD’S Son,  had lost through rebellion, disobedience and pride.  So now the door has been opened for us to change our citizenship from Adam to Jesus if we would rather walk in the LIGHT than with Adam’s darkness.  If we do, then we will go through repentance and faith in Christ Jesus as LORD. (Rom.10:9-10) and begin our journey towards living with God, Rev.20.  The road is straight and narrow and for must of us it will be a bit bumpy like Christian in : “Pilgrims Progress.”  Written by John Bunyan long ago.

In obedience to our LORD we should be careful to not enter the room called  “Agree to Disagree.”   God’s word instructs us, all of us, to know HIS WORD and to help others to be saved from the WRATH to come because of the world’s rejection of GOD’S provided salvation in Christ Jesus as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  That in Love we should consume HIS Truth and then share that Truth in Love & Unity.  The primary source of Truth in this world in the Bible.  You may find Truth scattered all over but the problem is, how much arsenic does it contain? Arsenic is a strange poison, You can survive with a small amount of it but eventually the build up, if not found, will surly kill you.   The lies of sin are like that…  You might get along fine with ingesting only a few but in the end they take you so far from God and sometimes to make it impossible to return  . Heb.6 shares this truth with us.  “ [These are all important matters in which you should have been proficient long ago.] 3 And we will do this [that is, proceed to maturity], if God permits. 4 For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have [a] tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted and consciously experienced the good word of God and the powers of the age (world) to come, 6 [b] and then have fallen away—it is impossible to bring them back again to repentance, since they again nail the Son of God on the cross [for as far as they are concerned, they are treating the death of Christ as if they were not saved by it ], and are holding Him up again to public disgrace. 7 For soil that drinks the rain which often falls on it and produces crops useful to those for whose benefit it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it persistently produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.  Heb.6:2b-8.. AMP

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful Grace and Mercy, Ken<><    www.Trinity-aloha.org

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and all
who truly Love and Obey Him are members.

FORGIVENESS

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,   John 17:20-26

FORGIVENESS      2/12/20     by Ken Smith<><   

Today’s Scripture    (Across my desk this morning.)
“…Jacob said, “Please. If you can find it in your heart to welcome me, accept these gifts. When I saw your face, it was as the face of God smiling on me.”  (Genesis 33:10, MSG)

Be the Smile of God
Genesis 25 and 27 record two deceptions by Jacob that resulted in such great losses for his brother, Esau, that he vowed to kill Jacob. For many years, the brothers lived estranged. Finally, the day came when Jacob returned to his home, only to hear that Esau was coming to meet him with four hundred men. Vengeance seemed certain. But when Esau saw Jacob, he ran to him and hugged him, weeping and welcoming Jacob back. Jacob was so moved by Esau’s kindness that he said, “Seeing your face was as the face of God smiling on me!”

Life is not about getting revenge and hurting people who hurt you. It’s easy to try to pay someone back, ignore them, and make them suffer. All that’s doing is holding you down. Why don’t you be the smile of God and show them the kindness they don’t deserve? When you’re the smile of God, He’ll make sure people smile back on you.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for all of the times that You have loved me and smiled on me when I deserved neither. Help me to be forgiving, merciful, and kind to those who have done wrong to me. I want to be Your smile to those who don’t deserve it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts,
Probably one of the most difficult things to do is to decide to see an enemy in faith and be kind and good to them.  We so love that feeling of pride and judgmental attitude of superiority when we have some one dead to rights between a rock and a hard place.  Our flesh loves to gloat over a defeated enemy.   And even sometimes over a husband or wife or sister or brother caught is some offence whether real or imagined.  We are so very quick at time to snap at someone close to us as we always justify,  that they should know better.  I have a hearing loss now from firing M1 rifles in the Army and it is very common for us that were given the M1 Garand Rifles as the blow back is louder than standing next to a 105 mm cannon.  When I told the VA of the hearing loss it was automatic for expensive hearing aids and disability.  But it is interesting as to how much negative reaction that I now receive do to the inconvenience of my lack of hearing. If I can see the face I can usually piece the thoughts together but if someone is beside me, sometimes, I really get in deep trouble.  But with a lot of unknown folks I am respected even so as still being alive at 87, especially with the Japanese folks and Hawaiian folks.  As they were taught to honor their elders and they do.  I have been loved and blessed to live beyond the insurance actuary tables for 10 years now.

Christ Jesus has some interesting things to teach us about this, HE said:  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor (fellow man) and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him]. … Matt.5:43-48   Also Luke records HIS thought in this manner:  “But I say to you who hear [Me and pay attention to My words]: Love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, [make it a practice to] do good to those who hate you, Luke 6:27 and further: But love [that is, unselfishly seek the best or higher good for] your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; for your reward will be great (rich, abundant), and you will be sons of the Most High; because He Himself is kind and gracious and good to the ungrateful and the wicked. Luke 6:35.

You see the real point is that God sent Jesus, the second Adam to teach us how to make friends out of our enemies so that they can see the love of God and be saved.  Paul writes it this way:  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, it is much more certain, having been reconciled, that we will be saved [from the consequences of sin] by His life [that is, we will be saved because Christ lives today]. Rom. 5:10…  

Jesus came to teach us how to use our free will to love GOD, ourselves and each other.  Love does not exist outside of free will.   Love is a decision.  I have seen folks love a stinking, old, ugly, sick dog like a dying member of the family.  And totally overlook the damage and stench done to their home.  And all because of a loving decision to make that dog a member of the family.  In fact in some ways the dog was treated better than were the children.  So God sent Jesus to give us a living example of how very much HE loves you and me and how that we should treat each other.  So that we could also help others to become a member of GOD’S eternal family as well.  Christ Jesus even prayed for us here today: “ Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” John 17:20.

Please note that Christ Jesus was even more concerned about the souls of the men who were driving big nails into HIS hand and feet than he was concerned about the pain in HIS body:  “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” Luke 23:33-34.  So Jesus set the example for us in ULTIMATE FORGIVENESS even though none at HIS crucifixion were even asking for it.  So as true Christians with Jesus really LORD,  to have HIS interest at heart we are to spiritually grow up to be like HIM.  If we are not yet like HIM,  then we need to eat more loving spiritual food from God’s Word and GROW UP to be (Perfected) in and like HIM as John taught us: “Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.”  1 Jn.4:17.  It is possible, if we want it….

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and all
who truly learn to LOVE & OBEY HIM are members.

Brazil’s President Declares Faith in Jesus at Huge Christian Missions Event: ‘Brazil Belongs to God’    Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has confirmed his faith in Jesus while attending The Send, a huge Christian worship event held in Brazil last weekend.

TEMPTATION

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,   John 12:24-26

TEMPTATION:    2/11/20   Trinity Fellowship Int.    Ken Smith
   
Today’s Scripture   (In my mailbox this moninig)

“…Do not give the devil a foothold…”   (Ephesians 4:27, NIV)

Take Control
Scripture says to give no place to the enemy. That’s not just talking about forces of darkness; that means to give a foothold to things that weigh us down—guilt, resentment, worry, doubt, and bitterness. These things come naturally. The problem is that when we allow them in, they take up space that should be reserved for the good things God created us to be filled with—joy, peace, confidence, and creativity. But the negative can’t come in automatically and take over. You control what comes into your life. You have control over negative thoughts and emotions. You have to make the choice and say, “I’m not going to give space to negativity and let it poison my life. I won’t let an offense make me sour and bitter.” Take inventory of what you’re giving place to. Life is too short for you to go through it with negative things holding you back.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I have control over what comes into my life. I come to You in faith declaring that I am finished with giving any room to negative thoughts and emotions. Fill me with Your joy and peace as I move forward in victory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts
The scripture that quickly come to mind was written by James, another son of Mary and Joseph who grew up with Jesus.  James wrote:  14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.  

To start with, Temptation is not sin: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb.4:15. Paul taught us that there was always a door out for escape:  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  1 Cor. 10:13.  In fact James teaches to bring in on:  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12.  And Peter tells us to rejoice: Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:  1 Pet.1:6 &  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Pet. 2:9. 

So in the world in which we find ourselves today that is using lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride of life to sell everything.  We are taught that if we go into easy debt and buy today what we will have to earn tomorrow that it will bring much joy and happiness.  Fact is we end up owing our soul to the company store as sung By Tennessee Ernie Ford, many years ago:   “16 Tons……”   
 https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=16+tons+tennessee+ernie+ford

Of course we are warned in Proverbs 22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.  Is that not what we have today?  The rich getting richer and the poor…. getting poorer.  Seems no one reads Proverbs today?????

So back to the Subject, Temptation:   The enemy will give us a 3D picture with Stereophonic Sound of the lie that we could do to be in sin and if we think about it only with the lie it looks really great.  Jesus went through this process to the ultimate.  He was promised everything and not the Cross.    And so we also decide “to be or not to be” a sinner.   So far, we are OK at the temptation but if we don’t realize what is happening and go the wrong direction,  take the wrong step,  we end up dancing with the demons which ends in sin that ends eventually in death and eternal separation for GOD and Christ Jesus, as HIS power and mercy has been rejected by us.  But if we have the Word of God fresh in our minds we will know instantly that it is only a lying temptation and find God’s door (Grace/Power) out of the temptation with rejoicing in the victory of Christ Jesus and having our Heavenly Father’s  blessings.

At my age, the list, THANK GOD, is getting shorter as the temptations that I can get into but they are still there.   And as I look back over my life I am so grateful to my LORD for Saving me from myself.  I still am so very sorry over some of the pains that I caused others in my past, even though forgiven. Yet it does help me love my LORD even the more.  But there is more to do and much to learn yet for me to become like Jesus.  He is the epitome of GOD design for us.  Jesus is now in the total Image and Likeness of God as the 1st born of many to follow HIM.  He has paved the way for us and broke open the doors of God’s right to forgive us.  GOD our Creator is still in the vision process of helping us by HIS grace to become like HIM so we can lovingly and comfortably live with HIM in eternity, Rev.21.    So please find and hold onto an eternal view of things or get broken off, Rom. 11.20-21.

Yours, In HIS great love and wonderful Grace and Mercy, Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one CHURCH of CHRIST JESUS and all
who truly LOVE & OBEY HIM are members

“No one can have the peace of God until they are at peace with God.”  – Jack Wellman

“An unpeaceful mind cannot operate normally. Hence the Apostle
teaches us to “have no anxiety about anything” (Phil. 4:6). Deliver
all anxious thoughts to God as soon as they arise. Let the peace
of God maintain your heart and mind (v. 7).”  – Watchman Nee

“Peace comes when there is no cloud between us and God. Peace
is the consequence of forgiveness, God’s removal of that which
obscures His face and so breaks union with Him.”  – Charles H. Brent

“Peace is not something! Peace is a person!! The world will never
know peace without Jesus Christ!!!”   Nicholas Duncan Williams

Worthy Brief World News:   worthybrief@worthynetwork.com

SANCTIFICATION

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,   Beloved of God,   John 3:16-18

SANCTIFICATION,    “WORTH CONSIDERING”      2/6/20
    
Today’s Scripture   (From my mail this morning.)
“…But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory…”  (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV)

Being Transformed
Too many people are so focused on their flaws, weaknesses, and mistakes they’ve made in the past that they are unhappy with who they are now. If you feel guilty and condemned that you’re not further along, that’s going to hold you back from growing. Quit taking inventory of all your faults. You may have a lot wrong with you, but you have a lot right with you.

The key is to learn to accept yourself while you’re in the process of “being transformed from glory to glory.” You may not realize it, but you’re in a phase of glory right now. Learn to enjoy the glory that you’re in while God is changing you and taking you to the next level of glory. You have to start accepting yourself right where you are, faults and all. You are not a finished product. God is the Potter, and you are the clay. He is still working on you.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that my life is in Your hands—not just my dreams and goals, but my weaknesses and shortcomings. Thank You for the promise that You are transforming me from glory to glory. I believe that You are working right now to lift me to another level of glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts:
This is one of the best of all the teachings that I have received from Joel’s ministry.  I ministered one time with John, his father, in Honolulu,  LONG TIME AGO.   He was/is a real man of God.  And I can see his efforts now working through Joel.  

Actually the word Sanctification is the word in the Bible that is used for this TRANSFORMING process.  Some past Bible teachers teach that sanctification was instant at conversion.  But as I study the Holy Scriptures I have learned that it is also a process in which the Holy Spirit with our agreement moves to help us become like Jesus.  Of course the Holy Spirit must have our OK or HE just has to wait until we again want to go ahead with the process.  So the process takes our permission and God’s Grace.  Of course God deals with our lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and pride of life inhearited from Adam just one issue at a time so we can handle the process.  So as we are up for it, with loving patience, the Holy Spirit takes us through the process of dying to our carnal nature.  In our baptism we made the pledge to go through this process but now we must walk that pledge out in real time.    Then the Holy Spirit, then with our permission,  can go through all of the rooms of the house we live in and evicts the squatters and their trash.  For some it may easier than for others but it takes what it takes and the Holy Spirit is very patient with each soul that now belongs by faith to Christ Jesus as LORD.  So if you are really a Christian and Christ Jesus is Truly your LORD, how are you doing with being sanctified,  being made Holy or Transformed?   This is the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to change us into being like Christ Jesus.

Definition of sanctify,  transitive verb  1: to set apart to a sacred purpose or to religious use : CONSECRATE  2: to free from sin : PURIFY   3a: to impart or impute sacredness, inviolability, or respect to.   History and Etymology for sanctify,   Middle English seintefien, sanctifien, from Anglo-French seintefier, sanctifier, from Late Latin sanctificare, from Latin sanctus sacred
Definition of sanctification,   1: an act of sanctifying,   2a: the state of being sanctified,   b: the state of growing in divine grace as a result of Christian commitment after baptism or conversion

By the Lord Jesus allowing himself to die in our place for the junk we inherited from Adam, HE is now able to extend to us forgiveness and to be restored to our Creator God as per HIS original vision.  So as we decide that we love the light of God more than the darkness of Adam’s rebellion,  and make Christ Jesus our LORD we are forgiven for joining Adam’s rebellion.  For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.   In Adam all died, so in Christ shall all be made alive.   So after we change citizenship,  the process begins to bring us into obedience through loving humility, faith and freewill.  It is a time in which we, ideally,  learn and understand and willingly apply the Commandments of Christ Jesus to our lives. 

If we don’t understand that the ultimate desire of our Creator is to make you and me like Jesus in this life time then we usually get stuck in some flesh comfort mud hole and just exists for our creature comforts.  Still a child of God but only building mostly wood, hay and stubble on the foundation of Christ Jesus that will one day be lost by fire.   But then also is the opportunity of placing gold, silver and precious stones on HIS foundation as a gift for our LORD. ! Cor.3:10-15,   Would not hurt a bit to read the whole chapter.  Paul puts it this way:  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Rom.8:29.  John teaches: “In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world..” 1 John 4:17.  AMP

You can not learn to hit what you don’t aim for.  The 1611 definition of the word sin is to miss the center of a bulls eye target in an archery match.   So our aim to be under the LORDSHIP of Christ Jesus is to become as HE was and is.  I have a 50 point character sketch of what Christ Jesus was like in HIS personality.  Let me know if you would like a copy.  Makes a real serious self report card.   In Adam (his rebellion and pride) all die but in Christ Jesus (HIS faith, love and obedience) all will be made alive.  1 Cor. 15:22.   I am not writing this as though I have finished my course, I am only sharing with you what I feel the Holy Spirit is sharing with me to understand and to do as well.  When we can all come together in John 17:19-26, Notice that it is through knowing GOD’S TRUTH that we are Sanctified.  And through Unity (verse 22) that HIS Glory or Power is made available to us to win the world to HIM as LORD.

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and
all who truly love and obey HIM are members.

On our home page in our web files you can find a link to all past “Worth Considering” files.  Also if you send us email addresses we will add them to our mailing.

HEART OBEDIENCE

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,  John 3:16-18

HEART OBEDIENCE    “Worth Considering”   2/5/20   (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“…And have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth…” Rev.5:10

See Yourself as Royalty
Today’s Scripture talks about how God has made us to be kings and priests to Him. You need to start seeing yourself as royalty. Start carrying yourself as royalty. Not in arrogance, thinking that you’re better than others, but in humility, be proud of who God made you to be. You are not better than anyone else, but you are not less than anyone else. Understand that when your heavenly Father breathed His life into you and sent you to earth, you didn’t come as ordinary. He put a crown of honor on your head. Now start thinking as royalty, talking as royalty, dressing as royalty, walking as royalty, and acting as royalty.

When you start seeing yourself as royalty, you will never be intimidated again. You don’t have to be the most talented, the most educated, or the most successful to feel good about yourself. You are crowned not by people but by Almighty God.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You have made me the way I am and crowned me with favor to be royalty. Thank You that You see me as royalty even when I’ve failed. I declare that I am becoming more and more like who You say I am. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts”
As the above has been taken from Rev.5:10, to my understanding the timing of this event would be after the Church of Christ Jesus has been taken into the clouds of the air at the call of God’s trumpet as was John in Rev.4.1 and is with Christ Jesus in Heaven.   Here John is taken into the Heavens to view the future.  Christ Jesus prophesied about this event:   “Now as they were listening to these things, He proceeded to tell a parable, because He was approaching Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to be brought to light and shown forth immediately. “He therefore said, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then to return. 13 Calling ten of his [own] bond servants, he gave them ten minas [each equal to about one hundred days’ wages or nearly twenty dollars] and said to them, [c]Buy and sell with these [d]while I go and then return.  14 But his citizens detested him and sent an embassy after him to say, We do not want this man to become ruler over us.  15 When he returned after having received the kingdom, he ordered these bond servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much each one had made by [e]buying and selling.  16 The first one came before him, and he said, Lord, your mina has made ten [additional] minas.  17 And he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little [thing], you shall have authority over ten cities.  Luke 19:11-17.”  This kind of authority was not given while we are still in a time of testing or it would be disastrous due to our weaknesses in the area of pride.  Spiritual Pride seems to be running rampant today with some Church Clergy.   Even to the point of being prideful of their humility in giving their own interpretation of the Truth of the Word of God in order to create a dependent membership in their denomination.  I was put on notice by the leadership of the church across the street that they had a progressive interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.  Of course it means that some forms of sin more acceptable to God then others and the Word of God is edited to be meaningless with some forms of sins that they felt were reasonable.  In Isa. 28 we are clearly told that this kind of effort will not hold up in the final judgment.  And basically I am beginning to see a great deal of this kind of personal interpretation in the church today.  It is like personal interpretations of the Holy Scriptures is now in vogue.  One man even teaches that there is no structure of authority required in the church today at all.  That it is up to each individual soul to only be accountable to the Holy Spirit.  But what if they have no maturity to hear the Holy Spirit above all of the other voices of life.  What if they don’t really know the Word of God in order to have a righteous filter?  What if they confuse their own emotions as being the Truth of God?  Where do they go for help?

GOD, our Creator is putting together a loving righteous kingdom where we are told that then we will be HIS rod of iron (Rev.2:26-27,  12:5), and then we will be kings, priests and ambassadors to bring peace.  Adam going his own way was why we are being caught up in this condemned Adamic world.  Love, Faith, Humility and Obedience are among the traits that we are to learn to bail us out.  But to learn I must have much practice?  And how can I be tested if there are no teachers and no testing?  Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the word of God.  How can I know what I hear is from God unless I have learned to hear HIS voice and am obedient to what I hear.  Elders are given of God to watch for our souls and for our perfection exactly as Paul teaches in the Holy Scriptures Eph.5:11, and Paul also prophesies in these last days there will be many lies and much rebellion and a lack of power.  2 Tim.3:1-17 and Jude 4-13.  You should stop now, get your Bible and read these Holy Scriptures for the security of your own soul.  These are clear warnings to stay very close to the Word of God, the Holy Bible and to those who watch for our souls that God has sent to help us grow into being like Jesus, 1 John 4:17.  We are in a time of testing to learn GOD’S VERY Truth which will surely set us and others free in HIS KINGDOM, but only in HIS KINGDOM.  If we walk in the light as HE is in the light we will have fellowship with other of light and HIS blood will cleanse us and will keep us clean, John 17:20-26.

So if we are to learn to be Kings and Priests in the resurrection then that means there is a great deal we need to learn as Jesus did on earth and as is recorded in Hebrews: “In the days of His flesh [Jesus] offered up definite, special petitions [for that which He not only wanted [a]but needed] and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was [always] able to save Him [out] from death, and He was heard because of His reverence toward God [His godly fear, His piety, [b] in that He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father].  8 Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered.  9 And, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him,” 5:7-9 Jesus taught: “Whoever then breaks or does away with or relaxes one of the least [important] of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven, but he who practices them and teaches others to do so shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  Matt.5:19″  
    

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org 

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and all
who truly from the heart love and obey HIM are members.

TRUTH & HEART

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS, Beloved of God,  John 3:15-18

TRUTH & HEART,   “WORTH CONSIDERING”  2/4/20.   (In my mail box today.)   

“…The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart…”  (1 Samuel 16:7, NIV)

God Sees Your Heart
In the Scripture, David was discounted by his family, and his job as a shepherd was considered insignificant. His family looked on the outside, but David had a heart after God. He didn’t complain or get bitter; he didn’t slack off because nobody was watching or cared. He just kept being his best where he was. And on the day the prophet Samuel showed up to anoint one of his father’s sons as the next king, it was David who was anointed over his brothers.

Just because people leave you out doesn’t mean God leaves you out. People may overlook you or judge you by your looks, your talent, or your skin color. God looks on the inside. He sees your faithfulness, your integrity. The good news is that if you keep honoring God, He’ll take you from the background to the foreground. People may try to push you down, but God will lift you up. People don’t determine your destiny; God does.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that You are not limited to seeing me as other people see me. Thank You that You see my heart, and You know my faithfulness to You. I believe that promotion comes from You, and You are lifting me toward my destiny. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts
What a great thought for today.  But the real key for the happy ending for us is in our interest in the things of the Holy Spirit.  Seems from the very beginning of my life that I knew there was a spiritual world existing with the physical.  While very little and in a crib I use to throw my milk bottles at what seemed to me to be black demons in my room.  I broke so many bottles that my mother began to use coke bottles for my milk that I could not break to go to bed with.  And the dark closet door had to be shut or no sleep.  I instinctively knew there was evil out there.  And later I learned about angels who could help me if I wanted them to.  So little by little with the ups and downs of life I figured out that there was a road of light and life and a road of darkness and death.  But the dark road was so attractive with all that false advertising.  Like the promises of the politicians of today.  There is no way for them to keep their promises but they sound so good.  When 22 I finally got on the road to life with Jesus as LORD but it was not until 1968 that I really experienced the power of God and had a really good taste of the Kingdom but then lost it through pride.  But after a long time in the desert I am feeling to get more serious than ever about seeking my Father’s help in the Holy Spirit to fulfill HIS destiny for my life in faith and trust.  I know we are getting close to the time that HIS Church goes home but I also know that will not happen until the Church of Christ Jesus is Beautiful in the Glory & Power of her LORD and ready to go home.

So gaining ground in the Kingdom of Light is like a partnership in which we decide to join and give it all that we have.  And the Director takes us on to teach me the way things are done and supplies whatwe don’t have.  And would never have without him.  So it was a partnership with David having faith above all else and God more than able to supply what else as was needed.  David still had spots of darkness that needed to be fixed and did some really sinful stuff but he never resigned the partnership and God never booted him out.  God knew all about David even before he was created in his conception.  But God also saw his heart and where he wanted to go and could become.  So God provided for David’s and our forgiveness even before the world was created.  And God took David into places that were unknown.  And there are places that God wants to take us as well if we will let HIM.

So the question that I wonder about is, as you are reading this, where is your heart focused? 
That is easy to know as where do you spend your time.  What are the visions and the quests in your life.  With your friends do you have interest in seeking first the Kingdom of God and HIS righteousness or is this for someone else to do.   Are you concerned about finding and keeping the commandments of Christ Jesus?  Are you seeking to help other find the path to God’s light?  Or are you rather tangled up with the stuff of this world with creature comforts and prestige ????  Is God really moving with you and empowering you or are you feeling alone and board and unproductive?   Really, how much of you are you really allowing the Holy Spirit to have of you to work with.  Much of what I use to think that I knew was only regurgitated stuff that I had picked up from many talking about the Bible.  It was not until I got into the Bible for myself that I realized how the Word of God has been so reshuffled so as to not even have the original intent in some truths.  You have to get into the Bible for yourself, line upon line and precept upon precept as in Isa. 28.  Don’t have time?  Better make time as eternity is a long space without time at all.  And remember that Content without Context is Pretext (or lie.)  Out of the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses is a thing confirmed.   A witness can only be someone who was there at the time to actually see what happened.   So the Bible contains the witness of the Bible as nothing else can.  That is the reason that Jesus could say in John 8 that HE had two witnesses.   His witness was one and HIS Fathers witness in the Old Testament of HIS coming.

Some verses to consider:

16 Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),17 So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work.  2 Tim.3:15-17

15 Because you have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol (the place of the dead) we have an agreement—when the overflowing scourge passes through, it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter.  16 Therefore thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am laying in Zion for a foundation a Stone, a tested Stone, a precious Cornerstone of sure foundation; he who believes (trusts in, relies on, and adheres to that Stone) will not [b]be ashamed or give way or hasten away [in sudden panic].17 I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plummet; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the hiding place (the shelter).18 And your covenant with death shall be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol (the place of the dead) shall not stand; when the overwhelming scourge passes through, then you will be trodden down by it.  Isa. 28 AMP

Yours, In HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one Church of the LORD Christ Jesus and
all who truly love HIM & OBEY HIM are members.


Trump’s really great speech,  Hard to find:      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Kb_mT8obfk
Worthy News Brief, each day:   https://www.worthynetwork.com/

GOSPEL, MESSAGE OF HOPE.

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,   John 3:16

GOSPEL, MESSAGE OF HOPE:     “WORTH CONSIDERING” 2/3/20  (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“…Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy…”  (Psalm 107:2, NKJV)

Say So
Words have creative power. When you speak something out, you give life to what you’re saying. For instance, it’s important to believe that you’re blessed. But when you say, “I am blessed,” that’s when blessings come looking for you. Today’s Scripture doesn’t say, “Let the redeemed think so, or believe so, or hope so.” That’s all good, but you have to take it one step further and say so. If you’re going to go to the next level, overcome an obstacle, or break an addiction, you have to start declaring it.

When God created the worlds, nothing happened until He spoke. He said, “Let there be light,” and light came. His thoughts didn’t set it into motion; His words set it into motion. It’s the same principle today. You can have big dreams, stand on God’s promises, but not see anything change until you speak. When you speak, good breaks, promotion, and ideas will track you down.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that when You created the worlds, You didn’t just think or believe them into being. You spoke them into being. I believe that I am to speak out words that are true to the faith in my heart, and that when I say so, You will act. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts:
Not long after I was baptized in the Holy Spirit I was in Costa Mesa at the “House of Miracles” 1968,  and I had my first experience in demonic deliverance, One in which I absolute knew nothing of what to do.  One demon came to the surface and in a snide very condemning voice said to me, “Who do you think you are, anyway.”  It rather set me back, inside I cried “LORD” and without even thinking out of my mouth came the words, “I AM a blood washed son of the living GOD, Now get out of there.”  And he left.  But there were many more and the stronger one were only evicting the weaker demons.  And by that time the whole house full of people were trying to help.  Many more demons left but  I was bunt out by 3 AM as I did not know the difference between my soul energy and faith.  So a lot of the effort had no power as it was just me pushing instead of the Holy Spirit.  And so left and went back to Lonny’s apt.  to go to sleep.  Chuck Smith took over the next shift in the morning and I am not sure where it went from there.  But like Joel is teaching here what we truly believe in our heart and confess with our month God will give grace to help come into being.  It is our faith and HIS grace or Power  that gets Kingdom stuff done.  And faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  Rom. 10:17,  Heb. 11:1

But even today I tend to waffle a bit and have good days and bad day.  It is difficult on the bad day when things and emotions are under the attack of the enemy to “Keep the Faith, once delivered” But getting a bit stronger as I age.    Actually I was taught that the verse quoted above (Ps. 107:2) has more to do with sharing the Gospel.  That each of us who are in Christ are to become a link between the Holy Spirit and the lost world concerning the Good News that God loves us and that Christ Jesus has made it possible for us to be restored to HIM and to become HIS forever family for eternity.  Most Christians that I have met have not yet learned how to do that.  Or don’t want to accept the responsibility.   So they have made a doctrine that GOD will SAVE some and NOT OTHERS so that it is a done deal with HIM.  Like we are a bunch of robots with no freewill or choice in the matter.  But there are hundreds of conditional scriptures in the Bible that say otherwise and that the Gospel has been given to God’s Faithful for sharing HIS love.  The proof of the Gospel is in the world seeing the Children of God being transformed into HIS image and likeness.  And when they see us walking in the Light as HE is in the light then we draw those who like the light into making Christ Jesus their LORD as well. 

Eph.4:11-16, (Please study carefully this portion of scripture.) 11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.  12 His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church),  13 [That it might develop] until (we all attain oneness in the faith) and in the comprehension of the [[a]full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.  14 So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of [b]unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead  15 Rather, let our lives lovingly [c]express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).  16 For because of Him the whole body (the church, in all its various parts), closely joined and firmly knit together by the joints and ligaments with which it is supplied, when each part [with power adapted to its need] is working properly [in all its functions], grows to full maturity, building itself up in love. 

The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need [d]of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.  Rev. 22:17 AMP
                                               
Notice here that Christ Jesus tells us clearly that the Gospel is shared to the world by the Holy Spirit through the Bride and all who listen, John 17:20.  So some could be lost because we, The Bride, the Children of Light were just too busy or fearful to share the light that we have?  Remember the LORD said that we should bare much fruit if we abide in HIM.  And also that every tree that did not bare fruit would be cut down and tossed into the fire.   And already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, Matt 3:10.

God’s preferred way to speak to the lost is through HIS people and HIS prophets in both the old and new Testaments.  In fact,  read what GOD told Ezekiel 3:18: “If I say to the wicked, You shall surely die, and you do not give him warning or speak to warn the wicked to turn from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.”

So it is possible that our LORD may say that to us as well and have those of us who refused to share the Gospel take part of the final JUDGMENT?   Could we also become responsible for some soul being lost?  And be shown that fact upon their judgment.  Could they be calling out to us in the end, their final judgment,   “You were my good friend??  Why did you not share your life, the Gospel, with me?”

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and
all who LOVE & OBEY HIM are members.

Christian News   worthybrief@worthynetwork.com  For more World News overview.
China persecutes believers ‘even after death’    China is cracking down on Christian weddings and funerals, meaning that believers are ‘persecuted even after death,’ according to one villager in Henan province whose family was forced by the government to hold a secular funeral for his believing father.  Franklin Graham says he’s still ‘looking forward’ to preaching the Gospel in the UK despite multiple cancellations, Franklin Graham is determined to press ahead with his UK preaching tour this summer despite multiple venues pulling out.   

VICTORY & OVER COMERS

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,       Beloved of God,   John 3:16

VICTORY / OVER COMER,   “WORTH CONSIDERING”   1/31/20,   (Note from Joel.)
     
Today’s Scripture
“…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us…”  (Hebrews 12:1, NLT)

Called Higher
If we are going to live a victorious life in Christ, we have to be willing to deal with anything that is keeping us from being our best. It may be an addiction, a bad habit, or a hot temper. Maybe it’s not getting to work on time, not treating someone right, or having a critical spirit. God is always dealing with us about something, calling us higher. But anytime we go higher, our flesh has to go lower.

If you have an area you struggle in—and we all do—don’t ignore it. Don’t pretend it’s not there or hope it just goes away. You will never conquer what you don’t confront. If you have a problem, get it out in the open. When you have a humble attitude, in faith asking God for help, He will never let you down. If you do your part and deal with it, God will do His part and help you overcome.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for always calling me higher and to lay aside everything that keeps me from being my best. Help me to confront the areas where I struggle. I believe that with Your help, I can overcome and be victorious. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Notes:
A Big Amen to this note  today….  Just a few days ago I was being attacked unmerciful by the enemy in an area of healing weakness where I have had many and deadly and very painful results in the past.  So in humility and out loud in private I started enumerating what that weakness was and what had been the results and the painful results of the past.   I was coming strongly into the 4th experience and God’s grace came down on me and the temptation left and so far has not returned.  So today it was a backup for me that I am now sending along to you.   If you are under attack in a weak spot in your shield of faith,  it seems to me that the best way to fix the weakness is by humbly confessing your past experiences of failures in that area, remembering the negative results and in humility asking for God’s Grace for the victory.   As you know, HIS shield of faith is able to stop all of the darts or temptations of the enemy.  And the whole suit of armor is given to advance and to overcome, none of the armor is on the back for defeat or surrender.  So I will here give you some back up scriptures to consider, there are much more. This are areas where all of us need our shields of faith mended.    

Ephesians 6:10-20 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].11 Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.  12 For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere.13 Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].  14 Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,  15 And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the [a]firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness [b]produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace.  16 Lift up over all the [covering] shield of [c]saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one].  17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit [d]wields, which is the Word of God.  18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).

Yours, in HIS great LOVE and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<><        www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and
all who truly Love HIM and Obey Him are members.

GREAT QUOTES
“Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear.”  – Corrie Ten Boom
“If you fear God, you really need fear nothing else.”  – Zac Poonen
“Imagination frames events unknown, in wild, fantastic shapes of hideous ruin, And what it fears, creates.”  – Hannah More
“Only he who can say, “The Lord is the strength of my life” can say, “Of whom shall I be afraid?””  – Alexander MacLaren
“How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.”- Florence Nightingale
“Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable.”
– Harry Emerson Fosdick
“With the power of God within us, we need never fear the powers around us.”  – Woodrow Kroll

Christian News
Thirteen young Christian men defending their cattle in Nigeria where murdered by Muslim Fulani herders, who have vowed to execute any Christian ‘infidel’ caught possessing livestock.
One Rohingya Christian is missing and 12–several of whom are children–are seriously injured after Muslims of the famously persecuted ethnic group from Myanmar assaulted the small Christian enclave within the refugee community in Bangladesh.
Protestant churches in Algeria shut down for lacking approval from a government committee that hasn’t met.  Protestant churches are facing ‘systemic closure’ in Algeria, according to Open Doors USA, under a 2006 law that bans non-Muslim worship without prior approval from a government-appointed committee–a committee that hasn’t even convened as yet.
Mike Pence tells evangelicals he is a Christian first and a conservative second.  ‘I’m a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican — in that order,’ Vice President Mike Pence told a crowd of 250 assembled Iowa evangelicals, pleasing words to a voting bloc President Trump must hold if he is to be reelected in November.  ( This is all happening on the other side of the world but headed in our direction.)

OBEDIENCE

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,   Beloved of God,   John 3:16

OBEDIENCE,   WORTH CONSIDERING,   1/30/20    (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“…if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God…all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you…”  (Deuteronomy 28:1–2, NKJV)

The Commanded Blessing
When you honor God with your life, keeping Him in first place, He puts something on you called a “commanded blessing.” The commanded blessing is like a magnet. It attracts the right people, good breaks, contracts, ideas, resources, and influence. You don’t have to go after these things, trying to make something happen in your own strength, your own talent, hoping that life works out. All you have to do is keep honoring God, and the right people will find you. The right opportunities will come across your path. The favor, the wisdom, and the vindication will track you down.

Out of nowhere, a good break comes. Suddenly, your health improves. Out of the blue, you’re able to pay your house off. Unexpectedly, a dream comes to pass. That’s not a coincidence. That’s the commanded blessing on your life. Why? You’ve become a magnet for God’s goodness.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for the power of Your commanded blessing. Thank You for Your promise that as I honor You, blessings are headed my way, tracking me down and overtaking me. I believe that I have become a magnet for Your goodness. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Thoughts,
Finally, after a year of writing these notes, we get to the core of all the issues, Obedience.   In Adam’s disobedience all hell was let loose upon this earth with all it’s lies.   But in our true & loving obedience to Christ Jesus we have the potential of a new beginning in righteousness.  So when we make Christ Jesus LORD, as a True Christian (and yes there are fakes.)  we start on the road to learning HIS TRUTH so we can also learn Obedience.   Each of us that has named the name of Christ Jesus has voluntarily entered into a loving school of obedience.  If you are not in a school to learn HIS WORD and are leaning to be Obedient to HIS word you should better check out if you are in the right class room or not.  The carnal nature want’s total freedom from any and all authority.  The New Testament is a textbook of learning in humility how to come under GOD’S authority in love.   If you are a loose cannon on the deck you can only expect to put a hole in the bottom of your boat and go for a swim.  There is a Divine order of authority in the Kingdom of God, Children are to obey their parents, wives their husbands, husbands the word of God and the Elders, Elders the Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit to obey Jesus and Jesus to obey the Heavenly Father.  And you will find this order all the way through the New Testament without exception.  So if you have no real place of learning obedience it may be that you are not in the right class room.  And of course out of obedience to the Will of God, comes HIS BLESSINGS.   So let’s spend a little time  with the scriptures that support this concept.  Of course it would be difficult to obey the Commandments of our LORD, Christ Jesus if you did not know what HE wants you to be obedient as to what to do.  So knowing HIS vision for you is imperative. So to start with, Obedience is not top down through fear, it is from the bottom up through love & choice.  GOD never uses fear or manipulation or bribes to change us into obedience.  We can only become obedient because we lean to love and trust God and really want to have HIS blessings in our life.

So let’s start with Children.   And  HE said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Matt. 18:3.  And he will [himself] go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn back the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient and incredulous and unpersuadable to the wisdom of the upright [which is the knowledge and holy love of the will of God]—in order to make ready for the Lord a people [perfectly] prepared [in spirit, adjusted and disposed and placed in the right moral state]. Luke 1:17.    So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.  Eph.4:14.   Children, obey your parents in the Lord [as His representatives], for this is just and right. Eph.6:1.   Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord. Eph.6:4.   Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord. Col.3:20.
 
Wives:  In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives, When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]. Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes; 1 Peter 3.  Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord.  Eph.5:22.   As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.  Eph 5:24   Wives, be subject to your husbands [subordinate and adapt yourselves to them], as is right and fitting and your proper duty in the Lord. Col 3:18.   You [are like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God]! Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God..  James 4:4

Husbands:  In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God’s unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]
1 Pet.3:7.   Therefore be imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]. And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance. But immorality (sexual vice) and all impurity [of lustful, rich, wasteful living] or greediness must not even be named among you, as is fitting and proper among saints (God’s consecrated people) Eph 5   Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, Eph.5:25.   Husbands, love your wives [be affectionate and sympathetic with them] and do not be harsh or bitter or resentful toward them.  Col 3:19.   More on obedience later…  Elders, Holy Spirit, Jesus,  Father but you know that this is supposed to be true already.  Only some Elders are really not Elders at all but are counterfeits.  So we will share more later on how to know these counterfeits.

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

TEMPTATION

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,   Beloved of God,   John 3:16

TEMPTATION,    “WORTH CONSIDERING” 1/30/20   (Across my desk today.)
    
Today’s Scripture
“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown…”  (Isaiah 43:2, NLT)

Faith in the Middle
In Genesis 37, God gave Joseph a dream that one day his family would bow down before him. God showed him the end, and the promise was planted in his heart. But what God didn’t show him was the middle. Years later, when the dream came to pass and Joseph was ruling over the nation of Egypt, I can hear him saying, “God, You gave me this incredible promise, but You didn’t tell me I’d be thrown into a pit, sold into slavery, falsely accused of a crime, and put in prison for years.” If Joseph were here today, he would tell you, “Don’t get discouraged in the middle when life doesn’t make sense.” You know the promise is in your heart, but every circumstance says just the opposite. Keep believing, keep being your best. If you’ll have faith for the middle, the God of the middle is going to protect you, provide for you, and favor you.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for Your promise to be with me through the deepest of waters. Even when life doesn’t make sense, I choose to trust in You and believe that You are working behind the scenes for my good. I will have faith for the middle. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Comments,
As a Christian it is wonderful to know that God’s Grace is ALWAYS there for us if we ask for it.  However, it is not automatic.  We need to come to the end of ourselves and our abilities in the difficulty and ask for the help.  Our Creator has told us that there is no temptation that comes on us that can defeat us unless we agree with it and refuse to accept HIS grace in the situation.

In Luke 4:13, Jesus gained the victory over the temptations by quoting the words of Moses.  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.  1 Cor. 10:13.   James even tells us to rejoice when we are tempted as after we are tried and have the victory the Lord will bless us with a Crown of Life. James 1: 2-12.  And Peter says the same in 1 Pet. 1:6:  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

In Rev. 3:10, Christ Jesus reminds us to keep HIS word with Patience and HE will keep us. 
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

So the Holy Scriptures teach us:  But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. Rom. 13:14

The interesting thing about lust is that it is not sin in it’s self.   It is when we agree with it and start making plans to fulfill it that it becomes sin.  We find this in James 1:15,  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  In Heb. 4:15 we find this scripture:  ”For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”  This is important because if you don’t know this the enemy of your soul will tempt you, you say no, get the victory, and he then goes on to condemn you for the temptation.  And if you buy into the lie you can be had for lunch.  All sin begins with BELIEVING a lie but temptation is not sin.

So take the time to see what God, your Creator has in mind for you through Christ Jesus.  Of course GOD’s fore ordination is viewed through GOD’S absolute foreknowledge of knowing all about us before we were conceived.  So don’t get caught up in Calvinism.  If you want the light, HE gives it to you.  Or if you had rather have the darkness that too is available.  The choice is yours as long as you are among the living.  After you die, your choice of light or darkness is set for eternity.  As with God there is no darkness.

Rom. 8:30,   And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].  31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]  32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?]  34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?  35 Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and affliction and tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?  36 Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.  37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors [m]and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.  38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things [n]impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,  39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Yours, In His great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus and
all who truly LOVE & Obey Him are members.

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