Purgatory?

In an attempt to understand why the Catholics believe in a place called purgatory and due to the recent claim of the pope that tweeting him will allow you to spend less time there, I looked online to see their explanation. I found this site and would like to take the time to give my feedback on what was said. It is long but worth reading if you would like insight into this subject.  The green and black texts are directly from the article. All of the red texts below are KJV scriptures. The purple texts are my personal opinion. If you are having trouble understanding the KJV versions of the Scriptures, the ASV and NASB are great resources to better understand in today’s language. In the search field at the top of this page, you can put the name of the book and the main chapter number of the book and either NASB or ASV behind it and it will pull that version up for you http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%206&version=KJV  

This is the link for the page where I found this information that I have pasted below to make the comments on: www.aboutcatholics.com/beliefs/where-is-purgatory-in-the-bible/

 

THIS IS THE PAGE AND COMMENTS:

Where is Purgatory in the Bible?

By Jon Jakoblich //

 

The Bible does not mention the exact word “purgatory,” but instead it makes reference to a place which can be understood as what is referred to as purgatory. To claim that purgatory does not exist because the exact word does not appear in Scripture is a failure to understand Scripture.

I feel it is more a refusal to understand Scripture the way that a fallible man (THE POPE) interprets and better the will to search the Scriptures yourself with a heart bent on knowing your Savior, guided by the Holy Spirit that lives inside anyone that believes that Christ is their savior. 

What exactly is Purgatory?

The Bible contains references to many Christian doctrines, but fails to call them out by name. One might as well even deny that there is something called the Bible because no such name is found in the Bible. Furthermore, one might as well deny the Trinity, Incarnation, and so forth because these exact words are not found in the Bible.

The name does not make the place; the place must exist first, then we give it a name. We call this place “purgatory” because it means “a cleansing place.” Therein souls are purged from the small stains of sin, which prevent their immediate entrance into Heaven.

What this author states is true regarding the fact that a place exists before it is named however, there is no such place described in Scripture that neither, I nor many others are able to find. The examples below that are given to support this belief are not valid examples of the place defined by the Catholic Church as, “purgatory “existing.

In the Old Testament

 

The first mention of Purgatory in the Bible is in  : “Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from sin.”

Some people do not accept Maccabees as book of the Bible. This is unfortunate since it is that their Bibles have been edited and are missing books. (Find out Why Catholic Bibles Are Different) Even if a person does not accept the book of Maccabees, it at least has historical value for we can learn what the pre-Christian community believed.

In Chapter 12 of Second Maccabees we read Scriptural proof for Purgatory and evidence that the Jews had sacrifices offered for those of their brothers who had lost their lives in battle. That the Jews prayed for the dead shows that they believed in a place where they could be helped (which we now call purgatory) and that the prayers of their living brothers and sisters could help them in that place. This is closely related to the Catholic doctrine of the communion of saints.

During the Reformation in the 15th century, when Martin Luther was deciding to remove books from the Bible, these words in the book of Maccabees had so clearly favored Catholic teaching, that the whole book was removed from the Protestant Bible. Unfortunately for Protestants, even if they feel that the book was not inspired, it still tells us of the practice of God’s chosen people.

INCORRECT: Martin Luther did not remove books out of his 1532 or 1534 or any of his German translations of the Bible (Luther Bible). He translated from original Hebrew and Greek texts rather than the Latin Vulgate). There were books that he would have liked to have removed, due to his Protestant beliefs and he placed those books last in his translation for this reason. The books of the apocrypha (hidden books), were  also placed in a separate section by Luther in his translation, as there was question of their canonicity based off revelations from St. Jerome, who is best known for his first translation of the Bible into Latin (the Vulgate) version that the Catholics of that day used. After publishing this translation, Jerome later lived in Bethlehem and studied under a certain Jew, to write a new translation from Hebrew Text instead of the Greek Septuagint (used to make the Vulgate). He called this translation the Veritas Hebraica. It is interesting that St. Jerome felt the need to change the Latin translation after having spent time a Jew.  It was his insight that helped Martin Luther along with his translation.  The King James Version (based off the Bishops Bible) was printed in 1611 and still had the apocrypha and all other books in it.  It was not until 1885 that this section of books was removed from the King James Version of the Bible and that was long after Luther had passed in 1546. The King James English version of the Bible is not solely based off Luther’s translation but it was inspired by it. What upsets the Catholic Church is that he did not base his translation off the Latin Vulgate. Question:  If you based your translations from the original text rather than translation of those texts, what reason would someone have to be upset? Control?

In the New Testament

 

In Matthew 5:26 and Luke 12:59 Christ is condemning sin and speaks of liberation only after expiation. “Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Now we know that no last penny needs to be paid in Heaven and from Hell there is no liberation at all; hence the reference must apply to a third place.

ex·pi·ate\'ek-spē-"āt\ vb, -at·ed -at·ing [L expiatus,pp. of expiare to atone for, fr. ex- + piare to atone for, appease, fr. pius faithful, pious]
vt(ca. 1500)
1 obs: to put an end to
2 a : to extinguish the guilt incurred by b :to make amends for ‹permission to ~ their offences by their assiduous labours —Francis Bacon›
vi: to make expiation
— ex·pi·a·ble \'ek-spē-ə-bəl\ adj
— ex·pi·a·tor \-spē-"ā-tər\ n

 

MAT 522 -26But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

LUKE 12:57 -59Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?58 When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

Jesus is speaking, (in both of these verses), of paying for this in an Earthly prison, by the hands of another human person; He is clearly not  speaking of a supernatural prison in the afterlife. I feel that one cannot read the entire context of this verse and not realize this.

Matthew 12:32 says, “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” Here Jesus speaks of sin against the Holy Spirit. The implication is that some sins can be forgiven in the world to come. We know that in Hell there is no liberation and in Heaven nothing imperfect can enter it as we see in the next part. Sin is not forgiven when a soul reaches its final destination because in heaven there is no need for forgiveness of sin and in hell the choice to go there is already made.

**The verse is STATING, (not implying), that if you speak a word against the Holy Spirit, that you will not be forgiven in this world or the afterlife. If you are not forgiven, then it means you will not be forgiven period. It did not say however; you can pay or work for a pass, that will allow you to sit in this place of purification long enough to be eventually set free.  Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the only unforgivable sin mentioned in the Bible. Knowing this implicates that all other sins are forgivable, through belief in Jesus Christ.

Revelation 21:27: “…but nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who does abominable things or tells lies.” The place that is to be entered (the place to which this passage refers) is heaven (read the text around it for context).

You should always examine all text of the Bible for the context purpose.  I do not see anything in the verses before or after it that support a place defined by the Catholic Church as purgatory. It is true that nothing unclean can enter into Heaven. That is why Jesus died on the Cross for us. He made the way and died for us on the Cross while we were still sinners because He knew there was NO OTHER WAY. God paved the path for us however we have to make the choice to walk His Path. The path is belief in His Son.

John 3:16-18 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The Bible clearly implies a place for an intermediate state of purification after we die in the many passages which tell that God will reward or punish according to a person’s life.

This statement is a half-truth. There will be a place for rewards in Heaven and it seems there will be judgement of some sort, but we know that we are found innocent and pure because of the Blood of Christ. There is no place mentioned in the Bible as an intermediate state of purification and one is not needed. Christ died to make us pure through our belief his ability to make us pure by His death. God does not play favorites when it comes to His children. If the sinner next to Him on the Cross who had no time to change anything besides believing that Jesus is says He is, then we will follow suit.

Luke 23: 42And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

What if purgatory really doesn’t exist?

 

Ponder the following example. Imagine a Christian man, justified by the Lord, loses his temper and yells at his next door neighbors for letting their dog dig a hole in his yard. We can see that the man treated his neighbors rudely, albeit the neighbor’s behavior was also reprehensible. His actions would be considered a light sin (called venial sins by the Catholic Church). It’s not of the same moral weight as theft or murder, but it’s still a sin.

After shouting at the neighbors, with all the anger and stress in his body the man walks into his house, has a heart attack, and dies having just committed a small sin in the final moments of his life. Remember, this man is Christian and justified by the Lord, yet has committed a sin. Does he go to heaven or does he go to hell? Are all sins created equal? No, all sins are not equal and even justified men of the Lord can make mistakes and sin.

If purgatory didn’t exist, the man would go to hell for his small sin. God’s mercy is so great and our God is a just God that it seems unfathomable that he would condemn a justified man to hell for a small, yet unrepented sin. The man’s soul is dirty. His actions have defiled his soul, but not the point where he has cut himself off from God. Only mortal sins cut off a person from God’s grace. So, the man, having been justified by the Lord, is destined for heaven, yet his soul is defiled by his sin (Matthew 12:36, 15:18). His soul is in need of cleansing because nothing defiled can enter heaven. This is the purpose of purgatory. Out of mercy and love God sends the man through purgatory on his way to heaven so that his soul can be purified to be able to join God in heaven.

Please note that the author of this article states, we are justified by the Lord. If by the Lord then it is no longer of us. Out of Mercy and Love, GOD SENT JESUS (JOHN 3:16)! There are not different levels of sins mentioned in the Bible. This is another tradition of the Catholic Church.  They state that the situation above with the man angry with his neighbor:It’s not of the same moral weight as theft or murder, but it’s still a sin.

1 JOHN 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

MAT 5:22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 1 JOHN 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

 After reading these verses and many other verses in the Bible, how can one come to the conclusion that the situation defined above is a small sin? SIN IS SIN except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit!!

Remember, purgatory is not a second chance for conversion; the man is already justified. If there is no place of intermediate state of purification, the man would be damned to hell! Who would be saved? Those who teach against purgatory teach an unreasonable doctrine. Will Catholics go to heaven?  

Jesus came to purify us! There is no need for an intermediate state of purification. This is why one does not exist. If you do not believe this, you do not believe Him and that is what your salvation depends on. Once you are justified, you are not later considered guilty. It is no different in our court system today. You are justified by your belief in Jesus. It’s truly that simple.

Romans 5:6-11

King James Version (KJV)6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

 

ISA 1:18 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

I encourage you to read all of Hebrews however here is a part of it.

HEB 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament (10 COMMANDMENTS), they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

So, why do non-Catholics reject a teaching so full of consolation? My guess is that they want to believe that the merits of Christ applied to the sinner who trusts in Him, will remove all sin past, present, and future abdicating all responsibility for sin after justification. Yet this is also unreasonable. Only Jesus’ death on the cross makes us worthy before God the Father. We cannot stand before him on our own merits. We need Jesus Christ. Yet we also have personal responsibility in our justification before the Lord.

This teaching is anything but of consolation or Truth. How could we ever rest knowing that our sinful nature cannot stand in His presence and that we have to continually work for our salvation? The message of purgatory is contradictory to the message of resting in Him for your salvation.  Grace is unmerited favor. It is something that a person does not deserve. This gift is given not of obligation, but of love.  It is the love that God has for each one of us that enables us to live within the bounds of that love with others. It is His love that transforms us and compels us to change. It is His love that saves us John 3:16.

ROMANS 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Luke 12:48:

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.

If we accept Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, confess him as Lord, yet commit bad actions, God judges accordingly.

Once you accept/receive/believe in salvation through Jesus Cross on the Cross, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Just as a King of this world would not revoke a promise once he sealed it with his signet ring, so too our heavenly Father will not revoke His promise of salvation for those who truly BELIEVE HIS PROMISE.

 EPH1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

However because of our carnal nature, there will be times that we will sin and we must stand firm in His promise that we are forgiven and are still saved.  See Romans 8 and 9 for Paul’s take on his ongoing sinful deeds.. Receiving the Love that God has for us and Loving God with all of our hearts will surely lead us to love others freely and not out of obligation which will fulfill the law of the Ten Commandments.

Matthew 12:37:

By your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.

If you read all of Matthew 12, you will see that he is talking to the Pharisees that did not believe in Him and continually tried to steer people away from Him with their traditions.

Our acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross does not abdicate our responsibility live the Gospel. Salvation is not assured. Salvation is not by faith alone for the Bible says that we will be held accountable by our words and that much will be entrusted to us! Nowhere in the Bible does it say salvation is by faith alone. This teaching is un-Scriptural. Rather the Scriptures say that faith without works is dead (James 2:26).

Gospel means good news. It is definately our responsiblity to live the GOOD NEWS. What is the Good News? That Jesus died on the Cross to give ETERNAL SALVATION for those that believe in HIM.

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that salvation is through works! It says that salvation is ASSURED through your belief in what JESUS DID for you and the promise that he has made to you for eternal life, if you believe in His promise!! It does in fact say that salvation is by Faith. Only the book of James speaks of works however you must read the verse in context. James is not saying that you will not sin when you believe or that your salvation hinges upon your works. I assure you that you will still sin when you are a believer and you will never get into Heaven based on your works. He is saying that if Abraham did not truly believe the promise that God had made to him, (his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky) and this would be through Issac, he would not have taken him to the altar as a sacrifice as God had instructed. Fear that God is not telling us the truth will compel us to be disobedient when we hear the instructions He has given us and choose not to do it. Pride will also cause us to stumble. I know you said this God, but I think I know better.  He trusted in God’s plan and he informed Sarah that he and Isaac would be returning to her at the end of the day. He believed God so much that he raised a knife to his sons chest knowing that God would make good on his promise regarding Isaac. At the moment that he was going to strike, an angel stopped him and a ram appeared in place of Isaac. This was symbolic also of the new covenant to come, Jesus the perfect lamb, slain so that we did not have to be and could live. 

James2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 Eph2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

JOHN 6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

While Jesus can be the only acceptable sacrifice to God for our sins, it doesn’t give us a license to sin. Nor does justification by the Lord preserve us from sin. Even a justified man can commit a sin. Therefore, even though Christ’s blood on the cross makes us right before God, God still requires much from us in return. He requires us to die to ourselves each day and to choose him in everything we do. It simply doesn’t fit with God’s justice for a person to be off the hook simply because at some point in the past they became justified. We have a duty to God to obey him for if we do not obey God we will be punished according to his justice. Purgatory is part of God’s justice.

What the author states above is true however; your heart will naturally transform once you truly believe and you will no longer feel you are off the hook to commit any type of sin. You will be strongly convicted when you sin by the Holy Spirit. Though you will still sin, you will be truly sorry and try to do better. God knows our hearts.  

MAT 7:21 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Read The Truth about Faith Alone, Works, and Salvation.

Read Explaining Purgatory.

Ponder: If there was a place called purgatory that we could do anything or pay something to enter in for cleansing, why did God send His Son to die a horrible death on the Cross? If there were any other way for us to get to Heaven, why did He choose to do this?  

The message of purgatory contradicts salvation. It moves your Faith in Christ to the faith in the Catholic Church like many of their teachings. If you believe in a place called purgatory, then you do not believe that Christ died in your place so that you would not have to, as well as many more things that He has promised you in the Bible. If you do not believe in Him, you are not saved.

May God have mercy on the souls of those that keep His Children from the TRUE Kingdom of Heaven. May your eyes be open today to the Love of God, rather than the rules of men.

 

 

 

Beautiful Broken Wing

Beautiful Broken Wing … Dedicated to Carrie Haley, Nikki Lane, Casey Lane and Kali Marcum.

Yesterday I went to a funeral with a friend of mine, Nikki Lane. It was her sister’s, Carrie Haley age 24. She had felt that the darkness that is in our world was too much for her to bear and had taken her own life.  As I sat there staring at the open casket, I noticed how her body seemed like a shell that a Spirit had worn for a time and then had gone onto higher things. Then the thought came to mind, or did it? Yes, every once in awhile despite what I have witnessed time and time again and what I know that I believe in my heart, the carnal side of my mind will pose this question to me.  So, I asked God in that moment, please let me feel something, let me see something to know that is really true. Please, one more confirmation. I stared all around the room and waited to see something, anything that would just send this idea of resurrection home for me one more time. I am not ashamed to admit that while I am Christian, I have a human side to contend with as well.  As the service continued on, I had pretty much forgotten all about what I had asked God to do. Isn’t that how it always is? We ask God for something, He takes longer than a couple of minutes so we figure the answer is no and go on about our business.  Right before the service was over; something shiny had caught my eye on the floor. I realized that it was a broken wing, of one of the butterflies that my friend had shown me earlier in the visitation. Everyone was taking one of them and putting them in the casket. The song “Broken Wing” by Martina McBride started playing in my head, especially the part about, MAN YOU OUTTA SEE HER FLYYYYYYYYY right at the end of that song. I noticed how everyone was walking over it but not noticing it. I was nudged in the Spirit to pick it up. Just then, Nikki said she needed to use the restroom and the wing was directly in the path that we needed to walk in. I picked it up and continued on with her. Once she was finished, I handed it to her and I told her that I really didn’t know all of what it meant right now but that she needed to hold onto it as a reminder, that Carrie was broken but is now whole and that she would be made whole too.  She said to me that it reminded her of the song Broken Wing by Martina. I asked her if Carrie liked that song and she said she was not sure.

I woke up today with that song in my mind again and could not stop singing it.  I felt pressed in Spirit to ask the other sisters if they knew if Carrie liked that song. So, I sent them a message on Facebook to which Kali responded right away, OMG yes I didn’t know they played it, this is weird because I have been singing it in my head since they told me the news. I informed her that they did not play it, and let her know what happened to me which I have shared with you above. I watched the video and had goose bumps everywhere when I saw the choir of people as her backup singers dressed in white robes.

REV 6:11 KJV And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

It dawned on me that although she had told me that Carrie liked the song, she had not told me why. So, I asked her if Carrie ever said anything about that specific song. She said yes, that she liked it and that it reminded her of their Mom who had passed away 6-22-11. In scrolling through Haley’s Facebook page, something really stood out to me in her posts. She missed her Mom and was still mourning over her loss very deeply. How fitting it seemed to me that God would choose this song to play in at least the hearts of 3 people. It was the same song that He chose to comfort Carrie with. Later in the day today after this happened, I remembered what I had asked God for in the service. Thanks God for always coming through.

Aside from one encounter with Carrie in a gift shop when we were visiting Nikki a few years back. I did not know her very well but I really enjoyed that time with her and I knew then that she was a very sweet, kind and caring person. I wondered today why God had chosen me to reveal this message to and pass it on to these beautiful women when I barely knew her. I know now it is simply because He knew that I would take the time to notice the subtle signs and number two, that I would pass the information along and that I would also receive the blessing of confirmation that He had for me in it. God speaks all of the time to us and mostly in a still small voice. I promise if you slow down and choose to be more aware of what is going on around you, He will come through loud and clear.

Please take the time to send up a prayer of peace for this family.

An interesting blog post I came across while looking up the meaning of broken wing

http://janetlynn711.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/broken-wings/

For the Glory of God

John 11

King James Version (KJV)

11 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

² (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
³ Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
⁴ When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
⁶ When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was

It is interesting to me that the author makes a point of stressing in this verse, that Jesus loved them therefore He waited longer to come to them. What reason does He have for not wanting to be there at this moment in time? What was He waiting for? The answer is revealed to us a little further down the page when Jesus is later talking to the His disciples about returning to Bethany where Lazarus is:

¹⁴ Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.¹⁵ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Lazarus has now died a physical death which seemingly contradicts what Jesus had initially stated.  The only message that had been returned to Martha and Mary was, that the sickness would not end in death, but to glorify God and that He was not coming back right away to comfort or help them.  Can you imagine how this made Martha and Mary feel? Finally, when Jesus arrives back in town, Martha is able to confront her Messiah and try to understand why He waited so long to come:

²¹ Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
²² But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
²³ Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
²⁴ Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
²⁵ Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
²⁶ And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Jesus has made a point of asking Martha if she believes what He has just said to her. He wants her to voice with her own mouth. Where is your Faith Martha? Do you believe what I said?

²⁷ She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
²⁸ And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

So, Martha agrees that Jesus is the Son of God but then runs to tell Mary that Jesus was calling for her. At no point however does it say that Jesus was calling for Mary. Did you notice that Martha only agreed to half of what Jesus had said to her before she left quickly to pass the buck to Mary? She had stated that she believed that Jesus was the Messiah but what about the part where He said that she would never die? If I put myself in her shoes, I may react the same way if I had just watched them roll a stone in front of my brother's,( a known believer and follower of Christ), grave four days earlier to this conversation. Let's see what Mary has to say:

³² Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.³⁴ And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.³⁵ Jesus wept.³⁶ Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

Did you notice that Mary stops at my brother would not have died. Martha at least was able to know that Christ could change the situation regardless.

It says that once He saw Mary weeping along with His other Jewish followers weeping, He was troubled in His Spirit and wept. The Jews apparently thought it was because He too was sad that Lazarus had died because they had noted how He loved him once He wept. Jesus however had stated when this all began that Lazarus was not going to die and He later told Martha that her brother would rise again. This tells me that He was not weeping over the death of Lazarus. If not that, then what was He weeping over? I am sure that compassion for the feelings of the other's played a great role in the reason for his sadness. I feel there is more to it. Perhaps He was also weeping, realizing that He had spent His time preaching the Resurrection to all of them, ( Martha knew so the others had to know), however all of them seemed to only focus on the death of Lazarus without hope of the promise that Jesus had left with them concerning the Resurrection. Perhaps this is what troubled Him more.

³⁷ And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

³⁸ Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

³⁹ Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

⁴⁰ Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

⁴² And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

⁴³ And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

⁴⁴ And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

⁴⁵ Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 

Jesus knew all along that all of them in order to believe had to see all of this take place. If He had cured Lazarus before he had died, I am sure there would have been plenty a people that could have reasoned that he may have gotten better with or without Jesus. There is little room for argument once a person is dead that someone has brought them back to life. Especially when you have heard them speak out loud to God and see the miracle before your eyes.  

We don't always know why God allows death and sickness but we can rest assured, if we Trust Him and His promises, there is a reason for all that He allows and we will see our loved ones again.

 






 

Interlinear Bible link

http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Hebrew_Index.htm

Judgement

John 7:24 KJV
Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judgement..

There seems to be confusion with this word among believers.  We are not meant to judge one another however, we are to judge actions. The Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us and to direct us towards Godly behavior. To say that we should not exercise judgement at all, would be to say that we should turn off His voice inside of us that shows us the difference between right and wrong. Further, we are meant to rebuke each other in love when needed in order to protect our community from straying off the path of our Father. Our culture today has become so focused on comfort and safety that we are made to feel as if we should do nothing to rock the boat. This has spilled into spirituality and beliefs as well. Everyone is afraid to stand firm in their beliefs for fear of offending another. While I feel we need to be respectful of other individuals, Christian and non-Christian, I feel it is very important for us to stand up for what we believe and to warn one another as Christians if we are stepping outside of the boundaries that God has set for our benefit.
We would not be able to do this if we don't use the Wisdom that God has given us, of which judgement is a key factor. The best way that I know to discern righteous judgement from a condemning judgement is to measure the action to the plumb line of the Word of God. The next step is critical and that is to not try to discern for yourself the intentions of the heart of the individual or to in your mind compare yourself in order to lift yourself up above where they are. Only God can discern the heart of another person. Voice to the person where you feel they may be straying from His Word, and do so in compassion and love and pray for the person that God will help them to overcome their struggle. Keep in mind that you could also have misunderstood the situation and they may have a very good reason for what they have done. Always give the benefit of the doubt to everyone before jumping to a conclusion.

We were never meant to utter the words it is not my place to judge. It is 100% the job of all of us as a community to Judge with Righteous Judgement.