HOUSE OF PEACE

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ALOHA FAMILY AND FRIENDS,  Beloved of God,   Rom. 10:9-10

HOUSE OF PEACE,   “WORTH CONSIDERING”   12/6/19   (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the Lord Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace,” declares the Lord Almighty…”
(Haggai 2:9, NIV)
Greater Than The Past

God wants to amaze you with His goodness! We are living in a day when God is increasing His favor. Maybe you have seen God’s goodness to a certain degree in the past; but in reality, you haven’t seen anything yet! God has favor in your future that will supersede anything that you’ve seen! The Scripture talks about how the glory of the latter day will be greater than the glory of the former day. That means what God did for your parents or grandparents, He’s going to surpass in your generation. The blessing and favor of past generations were good, but we serve a God of increase! He has greater things in store for your future! Today, get your hopes up! Enlarge your vision. Be expecting God to bring opportunities across your path. Be expecting to meet the right people and get the right breaks. Prepare your heart and mind to receive the increase and expect to see greater things in your future!

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for blessing and increasing me. I believe that You have great things in store for my future. I surrender every area of my mind, will and emotions to you in Jesus’ name. Amen.”


My Thoughts,
As I was reading this, this morning in the lovely rain that make things so green and so many tomatoes.  My thoughts went to the greater glory of the HOUSE OF PEACE in RIGHTEOUSNESS that our Heavenly Father is building.  And the Holy Spirit noted that it would look somewhat like the U.S. Debt curve only  in peace, glory and righteousness.  That gave me a real boost in faith so I pass it along.  We have all been alarmed at the debt. curve but just to reverse that as to the building of the LORD’s Church that is in the process of also happening is a real winner.  The Church of Christ Jesus will go home when she is a perfect match for her LORD to be united.  Much like the cells in our body when we are in perfect health with no rogue cells running around loose.

Our Creator is looking for hundred per-centers that HE can totally bless.  Those souls who really really seek to make Christ Jesus Lord who are willing to become “Living Stones” (Eph.4:11-16) that can be fitly joined and compacted into representing Christ Jesus in all HIS GLORY to our dying world.  I am amazed each day at the care and love of the Holy Spirit in the numerous small things and big that come into my life of Blessings each day as I give MY LORD, my day, to do with as HE wills.  HE is in the process of filling the heavens with souls who will so submit in humility, love and faith.  “Whosoever will, may come to the waters of life and drink freely.”  Rev. 22:17….   In Rev.18:4,   We are commanded to “Come out of her (Jezebel, the world’s system of traditional religion) My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.  For her sins have reached unto the heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities….”  The 17th & 18th Chapters of The Revelation are devoted to the judgment of the then unified world’s traditional system of religion that leaves Christ Jesus outside the door knocking to get in,  Rev. 3:14-20.    But God, our Creator, will never violate our freewill as freewill is absolutely necessary for us to learn to LOVE GOD, ourselves and each other.  But the religious traditional system will violate.  And gladly absorb a soul in doing worthless things for power & $.

So if we choose the darkness, to the darkness we will go and if we choose light then to the light we will go in Christ Jesus.  Life and Death are in the power of the tongue,  Proverbs 18:21,  Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words. 

But in Rom.10:9-10 we find, also of the tongue:  “9 Because ( if ) you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation.  (AMP)

Yours in His great love and wonderful grace and mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org
Bible Fellowship/Pot Blessing tonight, 6 PM   85-4554 Mamalahoa Hwy,  Capt. Cook
Beginning a study of the Book of The Revelation of Jesus Christ

There is but one Church of Christ Jesus
And all who truly Love and Obey HIM
Are Members.

Christian News
US Christians build field hospital in Gaza, deepening rift between PA and Hamas
A field hospital being built by a US Evangelical Christian aid group in the northern Gaza Strip has become a source of controversy for the already feuding Ramallah-based Palestinian leadership and the Hamas terrorist group that controls the coastal enclave.
Pro-Life Churches, Ministries Fight NY Law Forcing Them to Hire Pro-Choice Employees
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a supporter of abortion in the Empire State, signed Senate Bill 660 on Nov. 8, requiring all employers—including churches, religious schools, faith-based pregnancy care centers, and religious nonprofits—to disavow their beliefs about abortion, contraception, and sexual morality by forcing them to hire and employ those who refuse to abide by the organizations’ statements of faith.
No Christians Allowed: Muslim UN Officials Block Syrian Christian Refugees from Getting Help
Christian Syrian refugees have told CBN News that they have been blocked from getting help from the United Nations Refugee Agency, the UNHCR, by Muslim UN officials in Jordan.    worthybrief@worthynetwork.com

THE REVELATION:

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THE REVELATION OF CHRIST JESUS,   12/6 /19    Ken Smith    www.Trinity-Aloha.org

Written by Apostle John as was given by Jesus Christ.     Bible Fellowship,  Kealia, HI.   85-4554 Mamalahoa Hwy.
THIS WEEK WE BEGIN AN IN DEPTH STUDY OF THE BOOK OF THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
 
John is writing as a vision while on earth in about 95 AD on the Island of Patmos, an ugly rock in the middle of the Adriatic Sea.  The fist 3 chapter covers the approximate church age of 2,000 years (2 days, God’s time.)  It was written to the 7 churches that now would be in Turkey.  They also seem to represent 7 church ages over the 2 day period of God’s demension of time and also includes the 7 types of churches that have been and are now in existence. The Book of the Revelation is not chronological,  it is more like a long prophesy with rabbit trails.  So there is the need to find the hidden time line prior to trying to digest this end time prophesy.  There is also a serious number of other scriptures that help with the context of these happenings.  We should all bring these to the table as we get together on Friday Evening.
 
Chapter One:  The Introduction,  from God’s point of view, this will happen very quickly.  And even those who read this prophecy will be blessed.  But especially if we lean by it and put that Truth into action in our lives,  (verse 3)  So the first Chapter is introduction where John sees Christ Jesus in HIS power and glory.  It is important to note that in verse 7 as Christ returns with clouds as both in the Rapture and the 2nd Advent at Armageddon.  Much of The Revelation is metaphorical and so could be clouds like the film: “Close Encounters….”  When the Bible was written John’s vocabulary was totally different than ours of today.   Ezek. chapters 1,2,3 & 10…..
 
Chapter two:   Here we find the good and bad of the Churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos and Thyatira.   So Friday,   let’s take a look at what God liked and did not like with these Churches and remember there are replicas of these churches even today.   And tomorrow night we will complete the churches with chapter 3 of the remaining 3 churches.   Two of the key words in this study will be Nicolaitans & Gnostic

( Nico- means “victory” in Greek, and laos means “people” or, more specifically, “the laity”. Hence they take the word to mean “lay conquerors” or “conquerors of the lay people”. However, “Nicolaitan” (Greek: Νικολαϊτῶν; Νικολαΐτης) is the name ostensibly given to followers of the heretic Nicolas (Greek: Νικόλαος)

Col. 2:8   “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”

Reference to them is frequent in post-apostolic literature. According to Irenaeus (Adv. Haer., i.26,3; iii.10,7), followed by Hippolytus (Philos., vii.36), they were founded by Nicolaus, the proselyte of Antioch, who was one of the seven chosen to serve at the tables (Ac 6:5). Irenaeus, as also Clement of Alexandria (Strom., ii.20), Tertullian and others, unite in condemning their practices in terms similar to those of John; and reference is also made to their Gnostic tendencies. In explanation of the apparent incongruity of such an immoral sect being founded by one of “good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (compare Ac 6:3), Simcox argues that their
lapse may have been due to reaction from original principles of a too rigid asceticism. A theory, started in comparatively modern times, and based in part on the similarity of meaning of the Greek “Nikolaus,” and the Hebrew “Balaam,” puts forward the view that the two sects referred to under these names were in reality identical.

 Gnostic:   Gnosticism is a collection of ancient religious ideas and systems which originated in the first century AD among early Christian and Jewish sects. These various groups, labeled “gnostics” by their opponents. as a personal spiritual knowledge (gnosis) over orthodox teachings, …we now identify as “Gnostic,” these texts have been put forward in recent years as reasonable alternative forms of Christianity, as branches which were unjustly suppressed, as teachings which should be allowed to modify the dogma that came down to us or as books that should have been incorporated into the Bible. Naturally this is of concern to those orthodox Christians who understand what the texts actually contain. There is a danger that those who do not know Holy Scripture, may be confused or misled by those popular claims. In this article, Christian History Institute seeks to show who the Gnostics were, how we know about them, what were their main writings, what they taught and what, if anything, we can learn from them.
Just search Google….for more on this subject as rather broad is the gate and way that leads to destruction.

Yours, in HIS great Love and Mercy,   Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org

POWER & FREEDOM

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

POWER & FREEDOM,   “WORTH CONSIDERING”   12/5/19  (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…”
(John 8:32, NIV)
Don’t Let Them Hold You Back

People are constantly putting labels on us, telling us what we can and cannot become, what we do or don’t have. Many times, these labels are not in agreement with what God says about us; but if we don’t know any better, we’ll wear them like they’re the truth. The sad thing is that wrong labels can keep you from your destiny. You are not who people say you are. You are who God says you are. People will label you not good enough, too slow, too old, too many mistakes. God labels you strong, talented, valuable, more than a conqueror. Make sure that you’re wearing the right labels. Don’t go the next twenty years allowing negative comments to hold you back. They can become so ingrained in your thinking that you end up becoming what people say you are instead of what God says you are.

Are there labels that are holding you back today? What a coach said? What a counselor said? Even negative comments spoken by your parents? This is the time to remove every negative label. People don’t determine your destiny, God does. The only power that label has over you is the power that you give it. If you will remove it, if you will forgive that person and quit dwelling on it, that label will have no effect on you!
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for Your truth which sets me free. I choose to let go of every negative word spoken over me. I choose to forgive those who have hurt me. I embrace Your Word which is my identity in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

My Thoughts:
Today’s message from Joel’s ministry is powerful and well said and backed by scripture.  The fist scripture that the Holy Spirit brought to mind:  “And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it, Luke 8:21, and “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life [in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God]—he cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:26. and that the Gospel and Discipleship would cause even families to become divided.  “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law, Luke 12:53.”  Personally I have found very few Christians who have the Love, Humility and Patience to set down and discuss the finer points of GOD’s TRUTH from Holy Scripture in context seeking a John 17:20-26 Unity that releases the Power of the Holy Spirit to heal, set free and deliver.

In the 1970’s I experienced, in a small way, this power, with a bunch of young hippies as we got into the Word of God together and we became of one mind and one spirit…. We enjoyed a really powerful revival of GOD.  But then as they matured they got into some false doctrines and it destroyed the unity and the ministry.  First was Werewell, then the Love Family,  Shepherding Movement,  Calvinism, Masons and then as spiritual pride grew, all kinds of disunity and division from the enemy came in and destroyed it.  Some of the kids grew spiritually anyway to have powerful ministries in the LORD.  Seeds for YWAM and Living Stones Church were sown.  But so far, the unity factor has not been resolved and restored and that level of power has not yet returned. 

So the starting point of enjoying the Power of the Holy Spirit is Unity in the Principles and Commandments that were set forth by Christ Jesus as GOD’S eternal truth.  The Holy Spirit can not and will not validate error or division with GOD’s POWER.  Only God’s Truth can be validated with God’s Power.  God’s Truth in loving Unity with power brings Revival.

Yours in HIS great LOVE,  Ken<><  (www.Trinity-Aloha.org for back issues of “WORTH CONSIDERING.”)

F.B. Meyer once said, “The education of our faith is incomplete [till] we learn that God’s providence works through loss…that there’s a ministry to us through the failure and fading of things. The dwindling brook where Elijah sat is a picture of our lives. ‘Some time later the brook dried up’ (1 Kings 17:7) is the history of our yesterdays and a prophecy of our tomorrows…learn the difference between trusting in the gift and trusting in the Giver. The gift may last for a season but the Giver is eternal. If the Lord had led Elijah directly to the widow at Zarephath, he’d have missed something that helped make him a better man – living by faith. Whenever our earthly resources dry up it’s so we may learn that our hope and help are in God.”

Church News:    McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley, a devout Christian, has received a public warning by Texas’ State Commission on Judicial Conduct for refusing to perform same-sex marriages.

GRATITUDE

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

GRATITUDE,   “WORTH CONSIDERING”   12/4/19   (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days…”
(Psalm 90:14, NIV)
Have An Attitude of Gratitude

If certain things in your life were just a little bit “better,” would you be happy? A better job, a better house, better health, better relationships? The truth is, it only takes one thing for you to be happy. It takes a made-up mind. That’s right, you have to decide that you are going to be happy regardless of your situation. You may have some obstacles to overcome, but don’t let that steal your joy. Begin each day thinking of all the things you have to be thankful for. Decide each morning to declare as David did, “This is the day the Lord has made. I’m going to rejoice, and be glad in it.” If you don’t get happy where you are, you will never get to where God wants you to be. It all begins with a grateful attitude. Let us encourage you to be content no matter what your circumstances. When you have an attitude of gratitude, God will take you from victory to victory, and you’ll live the abundant, joy-filled life He has in store for you.

A Prayer for Today
“God, I have decided to be happy. I choose joy! No matter what happens today, I will sing Your praises and focus on the good things in my life-and share my attitude of gratitude with others! In Jesus’ name. Amen”


My Thoughts,
Seems like Adam left us with a feeling of somehow we are owners and not just guests.  We have this prideful attitude of “MINE” is mine…. when actually all that we ever do is borrow.   Even our body,  the house that our eternal soul lives in is borrowed for only a small amount of time and returns to the dust of which it was made.  Even some of the saints say with pride, “This is my church.”  as to a building as though we were providing a home for GOD.  We deeply need to adjust our thinking that we are actually living in a borrowed body on borrowed time as a pilgrim headed through eternity as did Abraham,  Heb.11:13,  “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.”  and did Peter 2:11,  “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

A good friend one time long ago allowed me borrow his lovely big old mansion on Oahu complete with grand piano and swimming pool,  really upscale.  I remember the feeling it give my wife and me.  We were so very thankful for the trust and loving care.  I noticed at breakfast that the plaster was cracked in the kitchen’s high ceiling and felt to fix it in gratitude.  It was such a good feeling to leave the place better than we found it.  I still have that feeling for GOD’S whole creation including the people and the animals and especially those who have helped me along the way to the Kingdom of God where we can eventually become owners.  Of course our time on earth is a time of testing and growing to help make us into thankful and respectful owners.  Think about it,   you can only do what you do because you have a borrowed but temporary body.  God Kingdom is one of RIGHTEOUSNESS.  We now, in life, have the Joyful challenge of learning how to live there with GOD or not.  It is of our soul to decide.  I do pray that you choose wisely….
Be Blessed in your day,   Ken<><  www.Trinity-Aloha.org   (link there for past notes.)

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

Christian News
Religion and charitable giving plummet in US
Both charitable giving and religious beliefs have declined in the past two decades.

FAITH IN UNITY

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

FAITH IN UNITY,    “WORTH CONSIDERING”    12/3/19,  (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God…”   (Romans 4:20, ESV)
Growing Strong In Faith

In the Scripture, Abraham’s circumstances were beyond his control. God promised him that he would have a son, but both he and Sarah were way too old to have a child. What did he do while he was waiting? “He grew strong in faith by giving praise to God.” He got up every morning and said, “Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You that my baby is on its way. Thank You that You are faithful to Your Word.” He kept thanking God for what he heard in his spirit, and eventually, the promise came to pass.”

As with Abraham, God has put dreams in your heart. He has spoken promises over you. Deep down you believe it will happen, but in the natural, it looks impossible. The odds are against you. It’s been so long. No, God is saying, “What I started in your life I will finish.” The key is to follow Abraham’s example and praise God while you wait. That’s one way to grow in faith. Keep praying. Keep believing. Keep expecting. Grow strong in faith and see His promises fulfilled in every area of your life!”
A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for refining me and growing my faith. I choose to stand strong in the midst of difficulty. I choose to bless You no matter what my circumstances are. I trust that You are leading and guiding me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake in Jesus’ name. Amen”

My Thoughts:
Abraham, is considered the father or the beginning of “Real Faith” from God.    Real Faith is of the heart and not just of the head.  I can say with my mouth that the rain is coming but unless I pick up the umbrella, it is just words.  Real Faith always has Action,  James writes a lot about the difference.  And even with Abraham there was the detours to even try to help God out.  This resulted in Ishmael who in turn had 12 sons and became the Arabian people now trying to destroy Israel.  the story is worth considering deeply.  But by and By  Isaac came to pass and had Jacob who the 12 sons who became Israel.  And to this day still under persecution.  But the lesson is that Real Faith is actually the substance and evidence of the things hoped for and not yet seen.  Hebrews 11… Read It, NOW! if you want to grow in Real Faith.   Real Faith and Action always go together.  Some times our faith is built by keeping something in our prayers until we reach the point of real faith.  Even Jesus prayed for a healing twice.  But due to HIS faith level, most of what HE prayed for had instant results.   However, HIS prayer for our UNITY,  John 17 has yet to happen.   I know that the Church of the Rapture will be in that Holy Unity at that time and walking in the Glory (Power) given her in John 17:22 as a result of the Unity yet to come.  

Faith comes also by seeing faith in action.  Gatherings (churches) that come together without the real supernatural evidence of the Holy Spirit will just as easily split.  For me now, it is only when the Holy Spirit comes into the church service that I wake up.  Otherwise I am mostly asleep with my eyes open.  But when the Holy Spirit moves,  I really love being there and enjoy the LORD’S presence very much. and get to change accordingly.  The Holy Spirit shares Jesus with us in power.  Paul wrote, “No power, go somewhere else.”  1 Tim. 3….

This Friday 12/6 our housechurch will be starting a study through THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST,  Also known as The Revelation.  I have textbooks available if interested.   Yours in HIS great love and mercy,   Ken<><

Christian News    (We will come into unity by choice or persecution.)
Member of persecuted Chinese church receives prison sentence
An elder from the church of persecuted Chinese pastor Wang Yi was sentenced to four years in prison this week for possessing the church library, as the Chinese government continues to bear down on members of Early Rain Covenant Church.
Christians in Sri Lanka fear election of new Buddhist leader could mean more persecution
Christians in Sri Lanka are expecting persecution to intensify under a new Buddhist leader whose brother once gave the green light for monks to harass churches.
Why Holy Land Christians are leaving Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus
‘At Christmas, there’s no more significant spot than this place,’ said Fox News host Pete Hegseth, standing at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. ‘Today, this site… is controlled by the Palestinian Authority. The number of Christians here is dwindling.’     worthybrief@worthynetwork.com

AFFLICTIONS

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

AFFLICTIONS   “WORTH CONSIDERING”   12/2/19,   (In my mailbox this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold…”  1 Peter 1:7, 
Growing Through Difficulty

One thing we have to realize is that God is not going to deliver us from every difficulty. He is not going to keep us from every challenge. If He did, we would never grow. The Scripture says, “Our faith is tried in the fire of affliction.” When you’re in a tough time, that’s an opportunity for your faith to shine. Anybody can get negative and bitter, blame God, or lose their passion. That’s easy. But if you want to pass the test, if you want God to take you to a new level, you cannot be a weakling. You have to be a warrior. Dig your heels in and say as the apostle Paul, “I can handle it. I’m ready for it. I’m equal to it. I know God is still on the throne. He is fighting my battles, and on the other side of this difficulty is a new level of my destiny!”

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for refining me and growing my faith. I choose to stand strong in the midst of difficulty. I choose to bless You no matter what my circumstances are. I trust that You are leading and guiding me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

My Thoughts:
My understanding is that The Creator want’s this uttermost Island to be totally filled with the Holy Spirit as a gift to Yeshua,  Psa. 2:7-8,  Isa. 42:8-12.    So that is what I am up to and looking for HIS guidance and HIS help.   Want to help?  Let’s work together…..  It will be a hard won battle but worth it in the Kingdom.   Yours, in HIS great LOVE and MERCY,  Ken<><   www.Trinity-Aloha.org for web site,   e-mail:   ken@trinity-aloha.org

Christian News  (Coming to America if Socialism is elected into power.)
Christians in India released on bail.  languished in prison for over a decade on false charges
A group of Indian Christians who suffered in prison for 11 years under false charges were finally released on bail, as advocates claimed they had been scapegoated by Hindu nationalists.
Christians slaughtered in Burkina Faso as Islamism encroaches
Over a dozen Christians in Burkina Faso were shot dead as an Islamist insurgency with links to ISIS and Al Qaida sweeps through the country.
Terrorists kill Christian boy in Cameroon after trying to abduct him as child soldier
A Christian boy in northern Cameroon was killed by Boko Haram.
Chinese police track down sales of Christian bookstore owner
The owner of a Christian bookstore in China has been arrested.

GRADUATION FROM EARTH

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Aloha Family and Friends,   12/1/19,   GRADUATION FROM EARTH,    This NOTE came across my desk this morning and I felt it  well “WORTH CONSIDERING”  as the Bible teaches:  “It is appointed unto man once to die but after this the Judgment.”  Heb. 9:27.   At this point in time there are not many left on earth in my generation.  So being old is rather a new experience for me and life has really been very short.  I remember clearly of being a little boy on a HillBilly farm in Kentucky.   Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14.

So you just might want to tuck these thoughts away in your personal papers for later consideration.     Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,  Ken<><  www.Trinity-Aloha.org

1. Do you and your family (parents, siblings, etc.) have a living will? This document spells out what your wishes are regarding ventilators, heart shocks, and other interventions if you’re sick. It’s hard to know. But imagine you had dementia, didn’t know your husband’s name, and couldn’t feed yourself. Would you want extraordinary measures done to keep you alive? Would you want to be treated for pneumonia (a leading cause of death in the U.S., especially in the elderly)? Or just left to die?

2. Do you have a health care proxy? This is a document that says who you want making decisions for you if you’re incapacitated. Talk about it. I’ve known of families where two kids thought dad wanted everything done to keep him alive and two thought the exact opposite. You can’t have both. Someone will make the decision, and relationships can fracture over it.

Be sure and sit down with your designees and make your wishes clear. I recommend doing it with at least two family members and have them write out your wishes so you’re sure they understand.

3. Have you thought about where you want to die? At home? The nursing home? Don’t forget about “hospice care,” which provides pain medication but nothing else. No treatments, no tests, no interventions in your last months of life… This is how I’d like to go: At home with little pain. But everyone’s decision is personal. If you expect to care for a loved one through this last stage of life, please ask him or her now.

4. Have you considered nursing homes and assisted living centers? If so, be sure and look at the fine print.

And be sure to look online at the federal government’s website on nursing homes.  https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html?   The site allows you to compare ratings and locations among thousands of nursing homes. For a U.S. government site, it’s surprisingly useful and chock-full of information to help you decide what’s best for your situation.

5. What’s covered by insurance when someone is dying? Once you or your family member is in a nursing home, who pays for a hospitalization? What will be your out-of-pocket expenses for each major decision? If you had $250,000 to leave to your daughter but you were in your final year of life, would you want to be treated out of pocket or forgo it and let your child get the money?  It doesn’t seem like a big deal now, but you and your daughter should talk about it. Imagine if you discovered she felt the exact opposite… You should know these things before you’re in the midst of it and don’t have any control to take your time and consider what is best for you.

6. Have you addressed your spirituality? Whatever your beliefs, make them known to your family and loved ones. Do you want your priest coming by? Do you want music? Do you want to give or get forgiveness from anyone? These issues should be discussed if not explicitly planned for. Is there anyone you want to talk to about love? Again, all things to talk about.

Actually, if you are not sure about where you will spend eternity as an eternal soul…  This life time will be all the time that you have to change the outcome.  Need some help?  Get back to me….  Ken<><

I hope these six topics open up a dialogue with at least yourself… and that this essay has added a little something to your life. I truly hope that as you contemplate your or another’s mortality, you can talk about it safely with friends and loved ones.

Begin the dialogue this week and continue it throughout the upcoming holiday season.  Here’s to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,    Dr. David Eifrig

SOWING & REAPING

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS, Beloved of God, John 3:16,  John 12:24-26,  John 17:20-26 

SOWING & REAPING,  "WORTH CONSIDERING"  11/29/19,  (Across my desk this morning.)
Today’s Scripture
“Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name…”  (Malachi 3:16, NIV)
God’s Book of Remembrance

Do you ever keep special cards or emails from loved ones? People do this because those words of love and encouragement are important. In the same way, your words and thoughts of love are important to God, too. Did you know He has a Book of Remembrance? In this book, every time we talk about Him or thank Him for His goodness, He has the angels write it down. When you just think about God, the angels record it. In fact, this moment right now, the angels are writing it down in the Book of Remembrance. This book is not up on a dusty storeroom shelf in heaven somewhere. The Scripture says, “It stays constantly before God, wide open, as a reminder of those who are thinking of Him.” God loves you so much and values your love, too. All throughout the day, be determined to keep God in your thoughts. Meditate on His promises and thank Him for His goodness. When we keep our minds focused on Him, we won’t be distracted by the cares of this world. When you let your love for Him show, it pleases His heart and draws you closer to Him each and every day.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, today I turn my heart and mind toward You, thanking You for Your goodness and faithfulness in my life. I bless You today because You are worthy. I hold Your truth close to my heart so that I can always be pleasing to You in Jesus’ name. Amen.” 
My Thoughts:  Not too sure about all that Angel writing thing but I do know that our every thought, word and deed is recorded in eternity except for the sins that we repent for and confess and ask forgiveness for in the name of Christ Jesus.  Those will be REMOVED, Ps.103:12.  Otherwise every word that we say will follow us for eternity.  Even the judgment will be through our own words, Matt.7:1-2, Matt.12:37.  We will be held totally accountable for our understanding of HIS Truth by our words at either judgment.  The first judgement for the saved or the second judgement for the lost. Actually, Jesus taught that only a few souls would make it into the Kingdom of God by the straight and narrow way, Matt:7:13-14.    Each day is a new and wonderful opportunity to tune into our Heavenly Father and HIS creation and to thank HIM for just being alive to learn more about HIM and HIS greatness.  And for finding repentance and forgiveness for the many times we have been so full of ourselves.  And the focus of saving our lives rather then giving them back to HIM,  John 12:24-26.  We were and are created for HIM to share HIS Salvation and Truth and to be formed into HIS likeness.  We are each unique and have a special design factor to be fitly joined and compacted together so that the world might see Christ Jesus in all of HIS Righteousness, Love, Glory and Power and be drawn to HIM. He came to save us from ourselves and to be drawn into the Kingdom of God. The only problem is that our free will has been negatively  conditioned in Adam to live in sin, pride and rebellion and must be recycled in Christ Jesus to learn to live in humility, love, obedience and unity.  His vision for us is seen clearly in HIS prayer as recorded by John, the whole chapter 17.  especially verses (20-24).    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.      Great RAVENHILL QUOTES, -Leonard Ravenhill.  "We can´t serve God by proxy." (And God has no Grand Children.)    "We must do what we can do for God, before He will give us the power to do what we can´t "     "There´s a difference between changing your opinion, and changing your lifestyle."     "Everyone recognizes that Stephen was Spirit-filled when he was performing wonders. Yet, he was just as Spirit-filled when he was being stoned to death."     "If a Christian is not having tribulation in the world, there´s something wrong!"     "Some women will spend thirty minutes to an hour preparing for church externally (putting on special clothes and makeup, etc.). What would happen if we all spent the same amount of time   preparing internally for church-with prayer and meditation?"     "Why do we expect to be better treated in this world than Jesus was?"    "Today´s church wants to be raptured from responsibility."    "Testimonies are wonderful. But, so often our lives don´t fit our testimonies."   [Concerning one of the new "movements" in the church that was causing a stir among Christians:] "There´s also a stir when the circus comes to town."    "You can´t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict."    "When there´s something in the Bible that churches don´t like, they call it `legalism.´"   [Concerning the fixation that today´s church has with numbers, with growth at any price:] "The church has paid a terrible price for statistics!"    "You can have all of your doctrines right-yet still not have the presence of God."    "Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me, saying, `Leonard, you took Me too seriously´?"    "If the whole church goes off into deception, that will in no way excuse us for not following Christ.

BEING THANKFUL

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THANKSGIVING 2019  HAWAII

Aloha family and friends,   Beautiful day here in Kealia, HI,   A little after 8 AM,  Sun shinning brightly and almost 70 degrees,  very comfortable.  Really a privilege to be alive and to enjoy each day’s possibilities. 

It is interesting in the Bible how that humility and being thankful walk hand in hand.  In Luke’s gospel Jesus teaches us to love our enemies that GOD’S nature is to be kind to the unthankful as well as to the evil.

But with Paul he instructs Timothy for the last days:    This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,3 Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  2 Tim.3:1-5

So in seeking a context between these teachings it would seem that God wants us to be Thankful but has given us a time of Grace to learn how to become Thankful.   Pride tends to make us feel that we deserve what we have or get and in fact that we deserve more so that nothing that comes our way are we truly thankful.  Pride tends to make us feel very deserving and un-appreciatied.   I know of a young man who felt that he got left out of an inheritance.  His grandparents and parents died and left him nothing as they really had nothing.  But his whole life has been lived in feeling that he deserved more from them.  So nothing that has came his way ever measured up to what he felt he had deserved and lost.  So all of the potentials for good in his life have been lost.  Rom.1:21

Actually, when we go to the Holy Bible to find GOD’S TRUTH it becomes obvious that we all,  due to sin, deserve to be cast into hell.  That “The wages of sin is death” and “The soul that sins shall die.”  But that the GIFT of GOD is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.  So basically, if we believe this, our first feelings should be to be Thankful that the Heavenly Father loves us and has made a way for us to join with HIM for eternity.  That we are to learn how to allow God to rule in our hearts, to be at peace and to be thankful in humility,  Col.3:15.    Being Thankful indicates a loving humility in acknowledging that we needed something that someone else has provided. 

With the Pilgrim Fathers of this Country it was in being thankful for finding land and the opportunity for the freedom of religion.  The freedom of having family and thought without oppression.  So today, we all have much to be Thankful for beginning with the possibility of salvation and freedom in Christ Jesus.   So as the turkey heads your way, take a moment and count your many many blessings.

But please don’t blame God for any of the bad choices you may have made in life with that freedom that we so deeply enjoy from God and should be thankful for.  We have been endowed with a wonderful free will that needs a massive amount of Godly training.

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

UNITY IN TRUTH

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ALOHA FAMILY & FRIENDS,   Beloved of God,   John 3:16,   John 12:24-26,   John 12:20-26

UNITY IN TRUTH,    “WORTH CONSIDERING”  11/27/19,   (Across my desk this morning.)

Today’s Scripture
“In Him [and in fellowship with one another] you also are being built together.    (Ephesians 2:22, AMP)
God Didn’t Intend For Us To Go It Alone

The Scripture says in Psalm 133:1 that it brings pleasure to the Lord to see “brethren dwell together in unity.” Imagine that when you come to church and fellowship with other believers, it brings joy to the heart of our heavenly Father and strengthens you as well! It’s important to find a church home where you can participate in worship, fellowship, events, small groups, and outreach opportunities. The person who benefits most from this involvement…is you! Wherever you choose to “dwell,” you will discover your new beginning and God’s purpose for your life.

A Prayer for Today
“God, I pray for the church today. Without a place for believers to belong, we would grow weak in our faith. Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to unite in communion and fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ.”

My Thoughts,
Unity in speaking the Truth in Love is the only way to really fly in the Kingdom of GOD…  And yet true unity takes so much loving patience in our instant world that rarely is it accomplished.  We have now defined,  “Agree To Disagree” to be a Biblical tradition and it is NOT!!!   The only prayer that we have recorded that our Lord Jesus Prayed is found in John 17.  And guess what,  Unity is clearly defined as having the same Unity  with each other that Jesus had with our Heavenly Father…  Christ Jesus even prayed for us today in John 17 :20-26 that we also come into that kind of unity (verse 22).  In fact it is clear that the church will never become empowered without loving unity in God’s Truth, 2 Tim.1-9.  So we will never see,  Eph. 4:11-16,  come to pass for the world to see Jesus until we are willing in humility and obedience to be joined together and certify the Unity of GOD’s Loving Truth in Great Power.  Look around us,  the world is seriously looking for GOD’s POWER to stop the pain in their lives.  In the last prophetic church mentioned in Rev.3:14-22,  Christ Jesus is even locked out of HIS own church and is knocking on the door to be let in.  This is not a negative, it is only to make us aware that the price of love, patience, humility and pride will need to be paid by all who wish to find GOD’S Loving Truth and come into UNITY to see Christ Jesus among the Church.   There is but one church of Christ Jesus and all who truly Love and Obey HIM are members.  Otherwise we are just a comfortable gathering of saints in a holding pattern forming a Christian Social Club.  In fact, most of the folks in the U.S. have tried it and found it to be boring and have become gospel hardened.  Where are the Peter, Paul, James and John’s of today?  Where is the concern for the lost?  Most Christians have never won another soul to Christ Jesus in their Christian walk, ever.  Some even are convinced that it is not up to them.  An Episcopal Priest once confided in me that his membership was a collection of GOD’S frozen chosen dedicated to the preservation of their church.  So when the Word of GOD teaches us to share the word in the Spirit of Truth and Love, it is very important.  And God’s Word means exactly what it says,  Eph.4:15,  1 John 3:18  I really like this verse in the Amplified:   Little children (believers, dear ones), let us not love [merely in theory] with word or with tongue [giving lip service to compassion], but in action and in truth [in practice and in sincerity, because practical acts of love are more than words]. 

There will be no gathering this Friday due to Thanksgiving weekend,  A time to enjoy family.  Next Friday a week It has been requested that we begin a study through, “The Revelation of Christ Jesus.”  As we are heading into the “End of the Age of the Gentiles” it should be a timely study.
Yours in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy,  Ken<><    www.Trinity-Aloha.org