Did you know that God (the Father of Jesus Christ) used semantics when He allowed Eugene H. Peterson to interpret all of the New Testament into a contemporary language and redefined it as THE MESSAGE BIBLE! You will notice that I give credit to Mr. Petersen’s creative interpretation but not to his revised explanation of the verses. And that is because, God is still (and always will be) the author and finisher of His Holy Word!

The initial genius of the Message Bible in the New Testament translation begins with Matthew 5:3 which reads…”You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his [kingdom*] rule.”

The New International Version (NIV) reads: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:3

Were you capable of denoting the semantic phrase? “…you’re at the end of your rope”. That sentence replaced ‘poor in spirit’ with a description mankind would instantly relate to. The Holy Spirit has assured me that God knew His Holy Bible would be translated into many specific contexts. He knew it would serve as a way of God’s revelation. And that was alright with Him.

Hopefully, now you know the value of reading and studying God’s word in various translations. You are invited to come back next week. You will learn how to remember the definitions for two very similar words. You read about these in the New Testament: ‘Agnostic’ and ‘Gnostic’.

Composing this blog has been exciting for me. I love words…their meaning…origin…and to incorporate them into writing material that informs. So please humor me and if you are a fan of what I produce, ‘follow’ this blog post.

Your evolving traveling journalist:

(*) NOTE: [kingdom] My insertion word

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Have you ever thought of God as your permanent care taker or care giver? Well, I have. In preparation for this week’s blog, I decided to rumble through an old file folder. It was filled with copies of some of my original writings from 1983. One particular teaching lesson I had presented to the Deaconess Board Organization I was a member of caught my attention. I had given my talk a very catchy title. “What Every Deaconess Wanted To Know About Her Task, But was Afraid To Ask.”

Please allow me to share some of the information I gave this group some 41 years ago.

Lesson Number 1: “Holy Communication and Holy Communion.”

Thesis: God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow! Just as He visually communicated with the Hebrew children in the wilderness, He is visually speaking to us today.

How God Communicated Yesterday:

In the olden days, God communicated with the Children of Israel by a cloud.  They all saw it, they all followed it, and they knew it was God!            Exodus 13:21

Another way God communicated with them was to supply their groceries.  He quenched their thirst with cool water from the rock.  He feed them quail meat that dropped from the sky.  He gave them a freshly baked loaf of bread every morning.               Deut. 8:15, 16 and Exodus 16:8

How God Communicates Today:

Now today, God still openly communicates with us.  How?  He has written us a Love Letter (the Bible) telling us all about His Son, Jesus.  (He wrote the letters for posterity...for all those who were not there.)

He instructed us that after we have read the letters;  digested the letters; and believe in the letters; and obey the letters;  that we perform a spiritual ritual on a periodic basis.

He ask us to take the cup and when we drink from it remember the blood His Son shed and allow this demonstration to reflect death and the resurrection.  In our thought process (by thinking on these things) we are in communication with God.

He further ask us to take the Bread, break it and eat it.  The Bread, as we know, represents Jesus' body.  We ask ourselves (or we think about) what does Jesus' body represent:

FREEDOM!!!

Freedom from sickness; freedom from sin; freedom from strife,
Freedom from financial problems; freedom from hatred; freedom 
from lustfulness; freedom from fear; freedom from want; etc.

So, we eat the bread with great expectation of becoming free just like Jesus.  And we drink the cup in anticipation of dying (resting, sleeping).  And also just like Jesus, being raised up again unto our Father.

How God Communicates With Tomorrow:

Now the controversial part is this.....Should I not partake of the Supper when I'm not feeling right with my brother, lest damnation comes upon me?

One interpretation revealed unto me by the Holy Spirit was to "take".   For in so doing, if one is truly meditating and communicating with God during the Supper, then she (he) is surely discerning the Lord's body.                                     1 Cor. 11:29

So ask your Pastor or trusted Christian friend the question:  "If I take during these times and think on those things which the Super represents (1 Cor. 11:24...as Oft as you do this, do this in Remembrance of me), expecting great things, will God set every thing else in order when He comes.      1 Cor. 11:34

My sincere Prayer for you is to allow God to be the Author and Finisher Of Your Faith. Amen

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Writing is my game, story telling is my fame, but prose and poetry are my aim. I love to enlighten and expose my readers to adventure and inspirational dialogues. So, for this week’s blog you are invited to eavesdrop on a couple’s conversation. It centers around their spiritual commitment to conduct their relationship God’s way. All scripture references were taken from the Holy Bible and set to pen by me in early February 1998.

Couple having a serious discussion on whether to become engaged or not to be engaged.

Devotional Theme:                 "But The Greatest Of These Is Love"

Scriptures:                                 Excerpts Selected From The Book of St. Matthew
                                                    Female Voice (FV)

                                                    Excerpts Selected From I Corinthians 13:1-13
                                                    Male Voice (MV)

FV:	The good man brings good things out of good stored up in him.  Matt. 12:35

MV:	(Never the less)…If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  I Cor. 13:1

FV:	I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move.  Matt. 17:20

MV:	(But, woman, have you not heard) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing.      I Cor. 13:2

FV:	(Well) If you want to be perfect go, sell your possessions, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven.             Matt. 19:21

MV:	(Beloved) If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.               I Cor. 13:3

FV:	(Then take this advice) Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.       Matt. 5:44 & 45

MV:	(Good advice, because) Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy; it does not boast it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered it keeps no record of wrongs.                         I Cor. 13:4 & 5

FV:	(Then remember, my dear) If our brother sins against you go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.                    Matt. 18:15

MV:	(Right, again) Love does not delight in evil but in truth.            I Cor. 13:6

FV:	(You exude love) You are the light of the world.  A city on a hill cannot be hidden.                                                 Matt. 5:14

MV:	(Love)…always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
                          I Cor.13:7
FV:	(Also,) You are the salt of the earth.  But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?                           Matt. 5:13

MV:	(With love, of course!) Love never fails.  But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled.           I Cor. 13:8

FV:	(You must) Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.                                          Matt. 24:42

MV: 	(Know?)…Where there is knowledge it will pass away.  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.              
                                I Cor. 13:8b, 9 & 10

FV:	 I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.                               Matt. 18:3

MV:	When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
                                                          I Cor. 13:11
FV:	 (You have a good eye) The eye is the lamp of the body.  If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.                       Matt. 6:22

MV:	Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
                                                       I Cor. 13:12a

FV:	Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
                                                      Matt. 14:43

MV:	Now I know in part, then I shall know full, even as I am fully known.
                                                    I Cor. 13:12b

FV:	(Then know this, always) Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.
                                                Matt. 22:37 & 38

MV:	And now these three remain; faith, hope and love.                  I Cor. 13:12b

FV & MV:	BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE.                                        I Cor. 13:13b


-------------------THE END-----------------------

Conversations every couple should have before saying “I Do!”

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Earlier, in my adolescent years, I began to seriously study and embrace Christianity norms. Strangely, while doing so, a soft sweet reverberating voice infiltrated my spirit. At first, I dismissed its message. Why? Because my own personal thoughts agreed with the Messenger.

You see, I recognized the inner voice as being that of the Holy Spirit’s. And no doubt, I did not fully understand much of what I was reading in the Old Testament. However, now later in life, I have a deeper love, respect and understanding of whom my Savior is. For over the ensuing decades of service, my spirit has been fortified, revived and glorified. All praises be unto God for allowing me to grow in biblical grace. This feat was made possible with the international missionary trips I had been privileged to embarked upon.

Below are highlights of how the Holy Spirit has brought me closer to Matthew 5:1-14 “The Sermon On The Mount”. And why He provided me with my epithet.

Most biblical saints when teaching the Beatitudes, translate the ensuing eleven (‘Blessed‘ phrases) messages as an indictment against the awaiting crowd. But those in attendance are mostly Orthodox Jews! They do not know Jesus Christ nor His characteristics and Who He is.

At this moment, Jesus is teaching the Sermon on the Mount to nonbelievers. The instructions within the Beatitudes however, are for the apostles and others who will be spreading the message of the Good News. For if their hearts and attitudes are not right, their message concerning the blessings which are in store for them are not available.(*) And will not be understood.

The crowd’s attitude is that this Man’s (Jesus’) message is not for them. They already have Moses’ message (the Ten Commandments). And they are familiar with which sacrifices to bring to God’s alter during certain times of the year to expel their sins. Thus, at that time with a new slate for another year.

So remember this message…

If your desire is to be a follower and a disciple of Jesus Christ, pray that in all thy getting, you receive a complete understand of the Beatitudes and govern yourselves forthwith. Your reward is recorded in Matthew 5:13-14:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men(*).

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

My pray unto the Holy Father is this:

Thank you Holy Spirit for nurturing me through life’s struggles. How wonderful it is that You speak to me personally through Your Word, and that I can respond to You through the Word. Continue to teach me to spend time with You in this way and to hear Your voice speaking to me personally.

Thank you Lord Jesus, sincerely, for my epithet which is already engraved on my tombstone: “In All Thy Getting, Get An Understanding!” Amen and Amen

(*) NOTE 1: Non believers who to this day, reject the Holy One who is the Son of God.

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Jesus began calling his first disciples out of the saltshaker and into the world.  And guess where the saltshakers had found refuge?  In the synagogues!  Yes, hiding in plain sight. What you may not realize is that John the Baptist was actually the first preacher of the gospel. John’s message was one of repentance. The Holy Spirit had already informed him that the kingdom of heaven has come near. John preached that the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ had already been warned by the prophet Isaiah.

This situation came about after Jesus had been reluctantly baptized in the Jordan River by His cousin, John the Baptist.  After this took place, two additional events happened.  First, God opened heaven and Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  Then, a voice from heaven was heard: “This is my Son, Whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Those two events were confirmation and proof positive that Jesus Christ was the Messiah…just as John the Baptist had proclaimed.

Nevertheless, Peter’s denial of ever knowing Jesus and his braggadocio expressions of false endearment toward Christ was a let down. Also, Peter did not stay awake while Jesus prayed to his Father. Seemingly, towards the end of Jesus’s life on earth, Peter tried to avoid being publicly identified as a Christian. (That situation can be associated with many followers today.)

Perhaps the Lord knew from the get-go, that his life’s road would be hard to climb. Thus, he allowed the Holy Spirit to lead him into the wilderness, and there he went on a forty day and night fast.  Jesus was also tempted by the Devil during this time.

Jesus overcame the wilds of the Devil and was successful in causing Ole Slew-foot to flee.  Next, angels came and attended to Jesus. However, the Pharisees’ disdain for Jesus was never appeased. Jesus’ teaching on: “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you,” never took hold in the Pharisees’ heart.

Click http://www.tgifmasterminds.com every Friday for a new post from the Master’s servant manager…ME!