WE ARE CHRIST'S FRAGRANCE...

The Bible says we are the aroma (fragrance) of Christ. Let's spread that fragrance around!

2 Corinthians 2:15, : For we are to God the aroma of Christ, among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.




Sunday, March 28, 2010

KNOW HOW THE APOSTLES DIED?

DO YOU KNOW HOW THE APOSTLES DIED?
1.Matthew  Suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound
2.Mark : Died in Alexandria, Egypt, after being dragged by horses through the streets until he was dead.
3.Luke : Was hanged in Greece as a result of his tremendous preaching to the lost. 
4.John: Faced martyrdom when he was boiled in huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic Book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to serve as Bishop of Edessa in modern Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.
5.Peter: He was crucified upside down on an x-shaped cross. According to church tradition it was because he told his tormentors that he felt unworthy to die in the same way that Jesus Christ had died.

6.James: The leader of the church in Jerusalem, was thrown over a hundred feet down from the southeast pinnacle of the Temple when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a fuller's club. 
* This was the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the Temptation.
7.James the Great: Son of Zebedee, was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to a lifetime of ministry. As a strong leader of the church, James was ultimately beheaded at Jerusalem. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith to the judge and knelt beside James to accept beheading as a Christian.

8.Bartholomew:  Also known as Nathaniel Was a missionary to Asia.  He witnessed for our Lord in present day Turkey .
Bartholomew was martyred for his preaching in Armenia where he was flayed to death by a whip.
9.Andrew: Was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers they tied his body to  the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that, when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: 'I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.' He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he expired.
10.Thomas: Was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church in the sub-continent. 
11.Jude: Was killed with arrows when he refused to deny his faith in Christ.
12.Matthias: The apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded.
13.Paul: Was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero at Rome in A.D. 67.
Paul endured a lengthy imprisonment, which allowed him to write his many epistles to the churches he had formed throughout the Roman Empire. These letters,whic taught many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity, form a large portion of the
New Testament.

Perhaps this is a reminder to us that our sufferings here are indeed minor compared to the intense persecution and cold cruelty faced by the Apostles during their times for the sake of the Faith.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Lord give us a discerning heart



Hi...

All of us love to learn about all latest happenings from the net.
But are these news always reliable?
There are teachings for and against Biblical facts.

Some read these conflicting views of men and go astray and lost. 

But this can be avoided if one spends time reading the Word of God to learn what the Bible said about any matter.
GOD'S WORD IS THE ABSOLUTE TRUTH!

So we need to test all things we hear, see and read and align it with God's Word.

No wonder God's word says, 
"...PROVE ALL THINGS; HOLD FAST TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD..." 1THESSALONIANS 5:21

David committed adultery, ordered the murder of the woman's husband he lusted for, but did God refuse to forgive him when he turned to Him in true repentance?
We serve a God who gracefully restores those who willingly repent of their sinful past and seek forgiveness.
We sure can pray for someone who truly repents and is willing to be restored to God.
 ~Let's pray for restoration, healing of broken marriages in the Body of Christ.
~Let's pray for return of prodigals.

Internet carries more negative than positive news about men of God and Christian ministries.

Even Bible teachers may have their own interpretation of the truth of God's Word. BUT GOD'S WORD ALWAYS REMAINS THE SAME. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR BEST TEACHER.

Let's test all things we hear and align it to the Word of God.

Let's not believe all we hear, see and read.
Our prayer should be..
"O Lord...Give us a discerning heart, to know what is right and wrong."
*1 Kings 3:9 "So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"
And God will give us what we ask.
*1 Kings 3:12 "I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be."
Only the truth of God's Word can help us discern. Let's read more of God's word so that we are wise to see what is right in God's eyes.
*Job 34:4 "Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good."
*Proverbs 17:24 "A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth."
*Daniel 2:21 "He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning."
Let's pray for all those who need our prayers. We also need prayer covering of others in the Body of Christ.
Stay blessed..
YSIC
Julie

Thursday, March 11, 2010

I believe in Miracles by Linda Sue Etling



~Jesus Christ is Lord
&
He loves you~

"I Believe in Miracles"
I believe in miracles
I believe in you
I believe in the miracles
of all you do
I believe you hold my hand
and I believe in your plan
I believe in miracles
the miracle of you

I believe in Miracles
I believe in love
I believe in Miracles
Sent from above
I believe in you Dear Lord
your all to me
I believe in your loving Grace
my hearts set free

I believe you see our need
And will show you care
I believe in miracles
of the faith we share!

I believe in Hope and dreams
When none seem near
I believe in miracles
Tis what calms all fear

Won't you see the miracles
He gives today
Oh turn your heart to Him
He' ll guide your way.
For He has a miracle
In life brand new
Please take your miracle
Oh He waits for you

Linda Sue Etling