The beginnings of the Church

After Emperor Constantine became a follower of Christ in 300 A.D. he transformed the legal position of the church from an ‘outlaw organization’ to the officially sanctioned state church.

Once the church was officially sanctioned by the state, thousands of unrepentant pagans joined in their desire for potential social, financial and political advantage. The Roman armies were defeated in 476 A.D. resulting in hundreds of years of chaos ushering in the ‘dark ages’.

Over the centuries the Roman State Church adopted many Babylonian mystical religious features to appeal to these new pagan ‘converts’. False pagan practices were introduced over the centuries including veneration (respecting, honoring praying to) images, false miracles, elevation of the clergy above the worshipers and rampant corruption. Many believers who held to the true faith were forced to go underground.

Corruption and pagan practices entered the official church at all levels during the Mediaval period. Church officals amassed political and financial powers in an unholy alliance with secular leaders, including kings and officials. Laws were passed forbidding any Christian layman to possess the Scriptures or to worship as the New Testament commanded.

Millions of Christians in Europe and Africa resisted the inquisition and religious corruption. The Waldenses, the Albigenses, the Cathari and many other groups of pre-reformation Protestants held to the apostolic faith. Even the act of reading the Bible was illegal according to the official church law. In fact, it remained illegal for a layman to possess a Bible in Italy until 1870!

In Provence, France toward the end of the thirteenth century, the mediaeval Catholic Church launced a crusade against the Albigensian Christians. Over a million Christians were killed in southern France alone. Throughout Europe millions of underground believers held on to the Christian faith during centuries of persecution.

Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1520 A.D. He proclaimed the recovery of the first century truths creating the Protestant Reformation.

The Didache

Manual of Church Regulations written during the first decade of the second century (100-110 A.D.)

Shema

Here, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.

                                                        -Deuteronomy 6:4-9

The “discovery” of the earth being round :)

Centuries before Galileo’s (1564-1642) “discovery” of the earth being round…

Isaiah 40:22 (8th century B.C.) states…

“He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth”

                                 – The Holy Bible

“Be still and know that I am God”

The ladies from our church went on a woman’s retreat to a beautiful place on the lake. It was so nice just to get away. We were studing the famous quote from the Bible “Be still, and know that I am God.”  Here are the notes I took on this Bible study.

When we confront, it means to assign limits to. What is my greatest fear? Have I assigned limits to it?

Daniel 3:16 & 17 – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

Be still ! And know that I am Elohim (God, the Triune God)

Intimate knowledge of God leads to stillness in the Lord. We have the personal relationship, unlike the world. Read Song of Soloman, it speaks of Jesus love for his bride (the church). He bought me with his blood and He is jealous for me.

Who He is…what He said….what He’s done, is all wrapped up in Psalm 46

Romans 1:19,20 – For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

and

Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Memory that glorifies God always takes the faithful works of God that he has done for us in the past and connects them with the present situation in which we find ourselves.

Nostalgia – never does….it just temps us to stay in the past and long for that from which God has moved us on – living in the past. BUT – that is not why God gave us our memories. They are to remember what God has done for us.

What is God’s purpose for me here? Learn to be content where God has put you (read Mark 9) and remember where God has been faithful in my life in the past.

Read from the Book of Virtues ‘The Magic Thread’

Fear is the greatest disruptor to our stillness. How do we maintain stillness in our world today? Read Psalm 131.

Humble Heart – understanding who God is and accepting who we are. What the heart desires the eyes will look for. Be content. Read ‘The Rare Jewel of Christain Contentmant’ by Jeramiah Burrows. Quieting ourselves is not easy (the whole inside of us) Use God’s word, speaking it to ourselves and remembering it. (read Psalm 42:5,6 and Psalm 62:1,5-8) Contentment is a learned attribute. It is not natural. So, if contentment is learned then stillness must also be learned and they both require that we know God first. Dig into the word!  The further away we get from God and His word the harder our circumstances become (read Psalm 46:10) Gods purpose for us when circumstances get like that is for Him to show himself to us. God is our refuge and strength abundantly available in tight places.

What stillness is NOT…a mindless attitude of letting go and letting God, and…doing nothing! We are supposed to be busy and active in the word and our lives. Use God’s word to shut the door to anxiety and worry. No matter how great the turmoil around me, God will make Himself known to me, therefore, do not fear. Confess our fears to God and ask Him to reveal Himself. Being “still” is active in the word. To do things with a purpose. (read Hebrews 4:11)

Whatever you call your time alone with the Lord…it should not be a Bible study to analize, to find scripture for your husband to follow, it is a time to adore God, looking to “know God”, to worship, a time devoted to God. God’s word and prayer are inseparatable. They are the offensive weapons against the enemy. Being in Gods word keeps us from being tasteless in our prayers. (read Psalm 19) Take your eyes off of your circumstances and put them back on God.

Daniel 6

Daneil has served 4 kings. Prayer should be our refudge, perspective and strategy. Daniel was always straightforward and honest. He faced Jerusalem because it reminded him of Gods promises. How much of the Bible did Daniel have? Possibly nothing, only what he had memorized in his mind. Where is my refuge place? God’s word. We should begin our prayers with thanksgiving.

Prayer – when we pray we are preparing strategically in advance for battle with the enemy.

Everyone know how important prayer was to Daniel. It was only a 30 day ban on prayer, yet Daniel still prayed.

May 9, 2008

The kids had to clean their rooms today. I went up to put them to bed last night and was not happy by what I saw. It looked like a tornado had touched down in their rooms.  ( My 9 yr. old has her own room while my 7 & 4 yr. old share) It was unacceptable! First is the issue of respecting my authority, I have asked them to keep their rooms picked up. Second was respecting the blessings God has given them in their toys and clothes.  Why is it that all children seem to have trouble with this????? I wish I understood why it is that they don’t respect and obey me when I ask them to keep their rooms tidy. Perhaps I don’t follow through with consequences often enough, or they get away with things to often. Perhpas they just simply have to much. Mabey I should take some things away (that always goes over well with kids dosen’t it) Anyway, they were not happy with me today because I made them go upstairs right after school and clean their rooms and stay there until it was done! Exclamation point!!!! We’ll my 9 yr old cleaned hers right up in about 45 min and was downstairs doing something more enjoyable when I went up to check on the other two. They hadn’t done one single thing! They had been laying on thier beds doing nothing! So, I calmly informed them that if they didn’t finish today they would just have to get up the next morning (Sat.)and continue…that they would not be allowed downstairs for fun activities until it was done. Plain and simple. I also reminded them that their sister had already finished. Well, that did the trick. They started cleaning really fast. I went back downstais and not half and hour later they both came bounding down with big smiles announcing that they were done! Well…….I asked them if they were sure…..that I was going to check under the beds, in the back of their closet, in their drawers and toyboxes…just to make sure that all was in it’s place. That is when their smiles left their faces and they informed me that they just wanted to go back up and check once more before I came up. Hmmmm, ok I said. They raced back up and I could hear banging, clanking and scuffling. Another half hour later they came down again. “It’s all done.” they said. I went up. It was nice! (for a 7 and 4 year old) A couple of little “Mom” adjustments and we all went down and I made a nice dinner for all of us.

Lord hear my prayers…..

my husband… to find his true calling

my children… that they will someday accept the gospel of our Lord Jesus in their hearts

my family… that they remain steadfast in the lord (those that are)

my family…that they find the Lord Jesus and accept Him as their saviour.

my church…may it be a light that shines bright in the darkness

my friends…may the Lord comfort them

our country…Lord, please do not remove your hand of protection from this country, I ask this the same way as when Abraham asked you to spare Sodom and Gomorah for the sake of a mere 10 people. I know there must be more than 10 people who love you in this country.  Please thwart the evil ones plans and keep the majority of the people in this country turned toward You Lord as they where when this country was founded.

First We Have Coffee…and then we talk by Margaret Jensen

I read this book a few weeks ago and I cried all the way through. It was an autobiography of the life of Norwegian immigrant in the early 1900’s. Her faith in the Lord Jesus and how she coped with all the hardships of life. Very uplifting to my own walk with the Lord. I enjoyed this book very much. It is out of print however so you’ll have to pick up a copy at your local library. If they don’t have it in, try asking if they can find it for you.

The Bitter Sea by Charles N. Li

I just finished this book, it was really interesting and made me think how lucky we are to have been born in this free country.  The poverty, governmental control,lack of choices and freedoms in other countries are jaw dropping and are something we take for granted here in America.  I appreciated this book very much, it opened my eyes to a country I knew little about. World history is something I find very interesting. This book kept my attention. I’m glad I read it.

May 2, 2008

Well, we had to give our puppy, Willow,  back to the breeder because she had not been getting any better. Everything the vet suggested didn’t seem to be working. It was very sad    We tried having a puppy once before and because this time it didn’t work out again….I think we will just get a kitten if we decide to get a pet in the future.  Oh, well….

I’ve been thinking of designing a new doll for my other website or possibly ebay. I keep thinking about it and not doing it! That is so frustrating! I think it will be cute so why don’t I just do it? I don’t know. Even now I’m just on the computer and not sewing. haha.

Things have been really good lately. I don’t know if that is good or bad. I’ve been feeling especially refreshed ever since I attended a women’t retreat on the lake with the ladies from my church. It was so great. Sat morning I got up 2 hrs before anyone else and had a cup of coffee down by the water …alone….it was so nice!  Just the time to think…ahhhh….. I don’t get that very often with three little girls to take care of (age’s 9, 7, and 4)

Basically what I’ve been trying to do is to simplify my life. We got rid of TV and that has been one of the best blessings. It is amazing how much the tv invades your life. We didn’t even have very much, just the barest basic channels …we thought we were no watching it very often, but now that we don’t have it at all , we’ve managed to find even more time to do the things we really want to do. I highly recommend doing that yourselves.

Anyway…goodbye for now.