This is my spirit. I witness from the Spirit within me what I am told. I am told this for my own benefit. I am not an instructor. I do not persuade or convince. That is between another person's spirit and whatever spirit is within them. The Holy Spirit convicts whom He will. Spencer Corkum

The Evil Day Comes

Eccl 12:1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no delight in them." Someday I will realize that this is where I came in. Not everything that starts well ends well. Some pleasures also lead us on, but the end of them consume us all. Even our taste buds will fade and shrink from of all early enjoyments while others inexplicably do the very opposite before consumption overtakes.  It is well said do not lean on the arm of flesh.

All good things

  All good things come down from the Father of Lights it says in James 1:17. I would have thought it was in Philippians where we are told to think upon every good thing in Phil 4:8. There it says to think upon those things which are true. honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, and excellence, we are to think on those things. So, if we are wronged, we are not supposed to think about it.  

Well Known & Popular Psalm 91

 He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver you from the snare and the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings shall you trust: His truth shall be your shield and buckler. All 16 verses, with the last verse, With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Psalms are arranged in groups and 91 is in a section of very readable Psalms that can soothe one's soul.

Time after time

Psalm 107:19-21 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and His wonderful works to the children of men! The passage of time is by itself alone sad on reflection. It does not matter how wonderful or how happy the passage of time may be remembered. I wonder why it is so sad to remember former days. Conversely in the unseen spirit world of our destinations, by reason of there being no time, may I anticipate a passage of eternity full of rejoicing? 

Life and Death

Choose Life

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are thy thoughts unto me Oh God! how great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. 

In my younger days, I used to think, still do, that God had laws. And that ignorance of those laws was no excuse if I violated them. These laws were not hid from me, being assumed from within, likely placed there by God if I wanted to know them. Oh yes, it is an advantage to know God and His laws. God said I place before you both life and death, chose life.     

 

The Wonderment Question

Psalm 139:14-15 I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knows right well. This is when the monkeys all get out their little typewriters and continuously compose one Shakespearian sonnet after another, all by chance. 

Darkness Shines With God

Psalm 139:11-12 If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light about me. The darkness hides not from You; but the night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to You. This verse gives one pause. Notice the language is spirit inspired. This is more powerful in the spirit, going beyond the science in the matter. We are moving into the uncharted imagination.

David Praises God

Psalm 139:1-6

 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it. If we lift the Lord up, we have to lift ourselves up as well. 

Jesus Spoke

Evidence Jesus Existed 

After Writing Nothing 

Far Exceeds Everyone Else

It is said that Apollo was a great speaker and Paul was a great writer. But Apollo is not remembered as Paul is, being that Paul wrote more letters appearing in the Bible itself than anyone else. It is quite true that Paul wrote some of the greatest lines and quoted the most dynamic imagery in the Bible. 

Jesus, however, wrote down not a single line, but He is quoted often and remembered as the greatest of all. This means something, this going against the form, so to speak. What is it? Well, some scholars wonder if Jesus ever existed. 

This with all the witnesses writing so many books mentioning Jesus, even secular historians as well. How is it then that only one book written by Homer survives the burning library of Alexandria. He, the scholars do not debate whether Homer existed or not. 

All Good Things come down from

The Father of Lights has spoken into creation all good things. What an array the sky is, beyond all our thoughts, expectations, or knowledge. It came from the mind of God with no end or big bang but many big bangs all existing forever, before any big bangs ever banged. 

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

See Sunstroller

A Most Wonderful Book

A uniquely different book from all the others in the Old Testament, I often overlook is Ecclesiastes. But I eventually rediscover it from time to time. It makes for great reading. It is full of startling quote material almost everywhere I look. Eccl 1:5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets: And hastening to its place, it rises there once again.

Parables are Commandments

 Persistence is very important, otherwise the Holy Spirit would not have recorded Jesus' parable to it. I regard a parable as a commandment for those who understand it. Luke 11:5 is about persistence, If we love Jesus, we will obey His commandments, as He has said. And we will get answers. 

Do Not Give Tongue to the Devil

 Never criticize or condemn - or it will all come back to you. Luke 6:37 I do not want to be a reactionary. I try to stay on my own point.

Faith is the foremost

 Anything is possible if you have faith. Mark 9:23 Is this another one of those figurative verses many church going believers believe? I believe it all the way. God cannot, I repeat, cannot, is unable, to negate Himself. Everything with God is harmoniously in tune with the existence He is responsible for, but we all do not believe, that is, if it is too unbelievable.  

Hurting flesh draws closer to spirit

 These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. 1 Peter 1:7 If I secretly desire the spirit unseen, then what hold on me does the flesh of the seen have? I will trust in the Lord to bring me through to a greater place than I could ever ask or think. The only avenue I have is to believe.

Persistence in Prayer

Don't be weary in prayer. Keep at it. Watch for God's answers and remember to be thankful when they come. Colossians 4:2 My body gets weary and drags my spirit down into reverie,

This short simple verse....

 John 1:17-18 I come back to this verse, as I have before, whenever I somehow find I need it. It seems to tie everything together for me. I find it arrests me because the power comes out of it without the aid of wonderfully written writing. The simple speaks so deeply. I can dwell on it for a long time.

Faith is Persistent

Matt: 12:39-40 In this verse Jesus mentions Jonah by name which indicates Jesus is not concerned, as critics are, that this finally debunks the entire Christian message.  There are many Christians who can believe anything so long as it is believable with little faith.  One must always declare what is to be believed beforehand before it is real. That is how it gets there, believing it. We, I believe, are going to get what we believe when the mind dies, and the spirit rises. Wait upon the Lord.

The tree is known by its fruit

I have to read every day. I do not. The body directs my efforts. I should not give in to pain and exhaustion. I have to read thru it. 

I have to talk to the Holy Spirit. I have to wait upon answers for directions. The Holy Spirit will place answers in my ear heart if I persist and insist waiting on the Lord. 

Speak and talk. Listen and wait. Read and reflect. Concentrate and I will program myself by what I hear and read. I will becoming what I believe. The desires of my heart will manifest according to the power I seek before the Lord.  Matthew 12:33-37... from out of the treasure pf the heart the mouth speaks...

Paul to the Galatians, Ch 5

  16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh sets its' desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want.…

This is to me is an example of the seen vs the unseen. I would say that since I am not under the law, but under the spirit, I then therefore should not be afraid of death....because, as Jesus said elsewhere, the flesh will not help us. 

Key verse for those that believe Jesus

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Mark 11:23

This is a key verse for those who want more belief, as I search and desire myself. Many in churches believe this verse is a figure of speech. But there ae no figures of speech in it. This is a direct statement. We know the disciples did not have enough belief to heal the man's son who told Jesus he believed but asked Jesus to help his unbelief. So there are various degrees of faith, great belief to little belief, as Jesus made reference.  

Psalms are healing

In healing prayers I never try to convince God to heal me or anyone else because He already gave His Son for our healing and for our sins on the  Cross. I emphasize persistence in my prayers. I will be healed when acceptance comes on the strength of my belief in Jesus. God has already healed, now I must believe it. Whenever Jesus talks about healing I listen and endeavor to follow in every way. I try to carry healing verses in my pocket because with the flesh one never knows when the blow may fall.

Why I believe in God

James 1:17 Every good thing bestowed, and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. God does not change. Moses did not change God's mind, but he did convince God to delay His decision. To  relent is not a change. Notice here that every good gift is from above, from the Father of lights. This why I thank God for His Existence, and thank Him for the existence He has given me.

Sons and Daughters of God

 Children of God  John 3:1-2 Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.…

We, being the children of God, are sons and daughters of God. There are many affirmations of this. In one instance Jesus was given the power from God to make us sons and daughters of God. I'd like to gather them all together in one list. I was asked by someone where I wanted to be when I died. My instant answer was, I want to be where Jesus is. Speaking from the flesh to the spirit, the very thought was extremely comforting.  

All things seen came from the unseen

2 Cor 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not for the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. This is why I prefer certain translations over others. The KJV says "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The KJV use of substance and evidence reflects that faith is eternal and not temporal as dramatized in another translation found in 2ndCor. Using assurance and conviction hower is not as substantive nor as suggestive of anything concrete as in the KJV Hebrews. I am sensitive to the use of stronger words. 

Persistence never gives up

 I like to pay particular attention to the parables because I believe in them, we receive Jesus' commandments. I put myself into the parable and sometimes wonder if others do as well. I like the widow and the unrighteous judge. Luke 18:1-8. Persistence in prayer to accept healing does not announce God did not heal someone. Who is he who stops the clock? Who is he who decides what God has not done? My pastor in Sunday School made the decision, not God. He, with others, decided that God changed His mind. I too blamed God as a child because I thought the adults were in with God. But I decided as I grew older, they did not have enough faith. If we love Jesus, we obey His commandments. 

the arrow is flying by day

The times are turning against me, worries tangle my feet and anxieties assail me. A perfect morning for Psalm 91.  

many who are first shall be last

But many who are first will be last, and the last first. Mark 11:31 Jesus is quoted on this one several times it seems to me. It must be important as well as memorable. I always remember this from an early age. It must have importance as well for all the rest of us.

my mind fades, my spirit is forever

 I can see now I should have read more when I was younger.  By this time, I'd have a good supply of favorite and vital verses at hand in my heart. How did Franklin put it? The great tragedy of life is that we grow old too soon and get wisdom too late? 

The tree is known by its fruit

Mark 11:23 leads directly into the forgiveness verses where Jesus clearly states that if I do not forgive then God will be unable to forgive me. I see this as God telling me that to forgive others is to forgive ourselves. Not as easy as it sounds. But if I do not, I will be burdened by my own act of unforgiving. When I think and talk about others, I attack myself. Any kind of hostility is heavy, eating me inside. Mark 11:25,26 This is Jesus talking.

Is this true?

 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." Mark 11:23This is Jesus talking.

Reading or Listening?

Lately my schedule has burdened my reading and I unexpectedly found myself on rising switched to listening to Alexander Scourby  on disc. 

Blame Ourselves Instead of God

 Persistence Bedrock of Faith

One can step out in faith too far for their faith to have the faith required. Mark concluding verses in red, quoting Jesus. One can have faith, but one can also not have enough faith for the task at hand.

Remember the father with the sone tortured by seizures? The disciples asked why could we not heal him? Now there are perhaps many stages and strengths of faith. The disciples did not have enough faith. They had faith but not enough faith.

Keep On Reading

We know there are many gradations of faith from great faith to those of little faith because they are referenced right there in this incident at the end of Mark.

I concluded that if I did not get the answer or response from God that I required, like others often concluded, that it was God who did not exercise the required amount of faith. We couldn't talk Him into it or that, worse, God changed His mind.

Keep On Believing

I conclude however, that I did not have enough faith, not God did not have enough faith. Right here in the final verses of Mark we can see that scenario played out. This, Jesus, said requires much prayer and fasting. Some. I always much earlier suspected, concluded that if they did not have enough faith they were excluded from heaven and it whole ball of wax. 

It is written. God does not change His mind. Blaming evil and suffering on God indicates that view does not take on any responsibility. It does nothing so it I guess it gets nothing.

Praise Psalms

 Psalms, starting at the 90th, are, I believe, by different Psalmists than those written previously. Since I earmark my more favorite Psalms, this is a good dividing point for me. 

God Puts His Ideas in our hearts

Psalm 91: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress. My God in whom I trust. The beginning is good but it gets better right on thru.  You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or the arrow that flies by day. The ending is also strong. This Psalm builds power for me, just hearing the words singing again in my thoughts. One of the big favorites. 

No time limit

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.  Isaiah 53:5 Too bad some believe they have to talk God into healing them since He has healed them already. They have to accept it, and as one might say know it. I will persist building my belief until I do get results, never giving up my faith. 

Not for today?

 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb 13:8 If something was for yesterday, but not for today, then it was never for yesterday in my view. God is not a man that he should lie or change his mind. If it was true then but not today, how far do you carry that idea? Is the crucifixion also no longer for today? When doors are opened no telling how wide they will swing.

Choose life

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments"... God talking to the Hebrews in Deuteronomy 30.  I believe that as I think, as I believe, as I talk continually, that is the way I form my spirit. We are, like the Israelites, are being told by God Himself to choose life. I believe life is existence of which God is the fountainhead. Everything God tells us to do is for our benefit. I praise Him and lift Him up and in doing so I, by lifting Him, up go up myself with my praise.

Memorizing the Word for More

Chapter and verse I am not. But posting in Manna is leaning me in that direction. I am thinking of that verse, I think it is probably in John, where Moses gave us the law, and Jesus gave us grace and what else did He give us? Truth! And this is in John 17th verse, the very first chapter! I like reading this verse even though it is no way in the same class as Psalm 23. When one is under the weather, as we get as the flesh ages, a little memory is useful to fight the fog gathering around the future of this world. Unfortunately this is an indication time is entering a smaller hallway toward our best salvation target. Time is always short.

Rejoicing when the Bible rejoices

When I talk to God the singular theme I come up with seems to be just simply, gratitude. I find it time consuming getting beyond that. So I guess reading my favorite Bible passages substitute for my prayers. I live by these passages, especially healing ones. I read the High Priestly Prayer in John 17 from an old paperback in large print. The Psalms fight discouragement and make wonderful praise prayers. Rejoicing raises me up into my personal expectations of hope. Sometimes one single verse, like a single chapter, can do it when my faith is caught up in the power within the passion of reading the Word.    

Without questions... there are no answers

Psalm 27: 4 One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.

I especially, today, liked that last part, inquiring. How many times in my youth have I done that and was greeted with frowns and unhappiness? I kept causing this problem until I stopped and, stepping aside, backed away from curiosity in the cause of any similar reactions. Much later that became my regret, but I finally realized that error as well. As for teaching one either teaches, and once learned, continues to teach, lessening one's time to learn. 

Standing with Jeremiah

 Jeremiah 17:14-18 

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;

Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise.
Indeed they say to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come now!”
As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd who follows You,
Nor have I desired the woeful day;
You know what came out of my lips;
It was right there before You.
Do not be a terror to me;
You are my hope in the day of doom.
Let them be ashamed who persecute me,

Great belief and little belief...

 If anyone is not concerned with their own strength of their belief, then I find it difficult to suspect they have anywhere near enough for me. I want more, so that I could move mountains and do more than even Jesus ever did, exactly as Jesus Himself said. I find it hard to realize I will ever have enough. So far I only know of one way to increase my belief. That is to read and reread favorite verses until they are deeper into my reflexes. But my body is tired and easily distracted while my yearnings still stand at the gate. I must believe in Jesus' belief.

Favorite verses are strong hedges

Suffering is a bright time to reject the body's fading future, and embrace the spirit where there is no time. Faith is a final curtain chance to reject the breaking away body and trust the spirit. 

This was a morning for a Psalm

Psalm 104:32 He looks on the earth and they tremble. He touches the hills, and they smoke. Verse 19: He appointed the moon for the seasons. The sun knows it's going down. In this world all things are always evolving, and pain deserves a good Psalm to remind me my flesh will not last forever. 

John 10:34

Interpreting the law in love or in the harsh, it is very important to be ...of God, no matter what. 

Notice also significance here of the singular vs the plural. Christian detractors, that is some Christians who call those who understand John 10:34 differently, rather mockingly call sons of God "little gods".

The context: "We are not stoning You for any good work,” said the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because You, who are a man, declare Yourself to be God.”

Jesus replied,  

Is it not written in your Law: ‘I have said you are gods’?

 God gave us power to become sons and daughters of God, as I recently quoted, chapter and verse, elsewhere.

Berean Study Bible. If he called them gods to whom. . . the word of God came—and the Scripture cannot be broken.

My frame like dust

If I read the Bible often enough, especially my favorite verses, it seems to duplicate itself within my spirit and envelop me. This morning, when I most needed it, Psalm 103 strengthened my spirit and renewed my youth, as it were, like an eagle to tackle yet another day. 

God is Existence

And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And He said, "This you shall say to the children of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you.....This is my name forever and this is My memorial to all generations." Exodus 3:13-14 New King James Version

Knowing More Clearly

Just to know something as a fact can be exciting when I repeat it over and over, deliberately in my mind, as if in a prayer or praise position. As an example, in St. John 1:17, John says the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. And obvious truth, but it shines within me as if a revealing truth. Like I point out in the portal, I am more and more coming to look upon favorite verses to be spoken, out loud as well to see a truth altho well known, more clearly than before. It can be an exciting experience as I feel expanding faith in my heart exclaim, of course!

Faith Without Works

James is one of the short Bible books that reads well entire. Somewhat melancholy, we, "are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." Then a great discourse on the power of the tongue. Later, instructions on how, within the church, we are to pray for the sick. There is a traditional out for those afraid of the works thing. I mean, there surely is some lucking about who suggests any of this is all "not for today?"  

Second favorite book

While the Gospel of John is my favorite book, Hebrews has to be my second favorite. This book is a mystery in that the author, or authors, are debatably not certain, as in John. Second is, I believe, the only book that makes any reference to Melchizedek.  And therein lies the mystery, placing in our minds the suggestion of lost history. 

The individual definition of faith has to be the most prized verse, as well as the most demonstrating succession of verses listing how the ancients of great faith gained a good report. 

Preceding all those verses however is a most wonderful verse. Hebrews 11:3 says what is seen came from the unseen. This is the clear definition, in my view, of the spiritual domination of the world we live in now and will live in, in the not too far distant future of us all.

Most favored of all favorite verses

 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 

Key words here are substance and evidence in defining the most important words in and to my entire existence. The KJV is the best since future translations water down "substance and evidence" to the weaker "assurance and conviction". I say weaker since the first two are born in the concrete world, whereas assurance ad conviction are from the unseen words. This is perfectly ok because the future is where we are going. But I am not there yet, and I strive for concrete words from the seen world first in order to break thru into the second. I wish my spirit had dwelled on this verse long ago. It is not mentioned a great deal in churches in my experience.