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Perfect Peace… Rodna Epley

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Rodna Epley with tags glory, God, Jesus Christ, John 14, Peace, speech on February 2, 2021 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

John 14:27 Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.

Perfect peace is probably the strongest indicator given to us by the Father that we are operating in His glory at any given moment, but another sure indicator are the words that we consistently speak. There can be many evidences of His glory manifesting in our lives, but our words are a huge one! They are either a dead give-away of walking in the old nature, or a living give-away of walking in the new nature. On a very simple level is optimism verses pessimism, positivity verses negativity. A person speaking positively doesn’t mean that he is in Christ, but it is an indicator on a very low level. What words are said are even more important and more of indicator.

A Christian who speaks negatively at length is still operating out of the old nature. What he says may be true, but they aren’t words to restore. Reconciling someone to the Father (and I’m not just talking about salvation) must bring that person all the way up to where Christ is at the Father’s right hand.

It can’t stop and cry forever at the cross, and it can’t condemn others with words that continually remind them they messed up or got it wrong. While the cross is one of the steps or way-points, and a very important one, even a daily one, it must be coupled with the rising from the dead to new life, and then ascending to the right hand of the Father where we overcome. That happens now as we live. Not knowing this causes people to live defeated lives and in condemnation when we don’t have to. We must go full circle to the Father to overcome anything. Jesus said,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” (John 14:12)

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

“I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father.” (John 16:28)

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Straight Talk, Glory Kitchen Menu Specials… Rodna Epley

Posted in Rodna Epley with tags God the Father, Heaven, Jesus Christ, John 14, miracles, Nehemiah 8, works on October 26, 2018 by paulthepoke

Now imagine for a minute if any of us in the church could only do the first part of what Jesus said in John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

Just think of anything Jesus ever did. And that’s what He said we would do. After grasping that, we could move onto better understanding the greater works which should sufficiently blow your imagination wide open if you consider the menu list of the former. While I could have made a separate menu for the greater works, for this example I simply added it as the last item on the menu. I wanted to focus on the easier stuff first, like raising the dead and walking on water.

Remember, items on this Menu are all things that you will be able to do. Doing is eating in the Father’s House at the Father’s table. Pick out your favorite choices so the servers in heaven can have them on the table for you when you sit. Doggie bags are available so you can take food home for others who have nothing prepared.

Nehemiah 8:10 Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Glory Kitchen Menu Specials:

Turn water to wine (John 2:1-11)
Heal the sick / oppressed (Matthew 8:14-15, Mark 1:32-34)
Cast out evil spirits (Mark 1:21-27, Luke 4:31-36)
Catch fish miraculously when no fish are around (Matthew 5:1-11)
Make the paralyzed walk (Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-2)
Stretch out withered hands (Luke 6:6-11)
Calm raging storms on the sea (Mark 4:35-41)
Heal blood issues (Matthew 9:20-22)
Raise the dead (Matthew 9:18,23-26)
Make the blind see (Matthew 9:27-31)
Make the deaf hear, the mute speak (Matthew 9:32-34, Mark 7:31-37)
Feed way over 9,000 people with only a few fish and several loaves of bread (Matthew 15:29-39; John 6:1-15)
Walk on water (John 6:16-21)
Pull money out of a fish’s mouth to pay taxes (Matthew 17:24-27)
Heal dropsy, leprosy, being crippled (Luke 13:10-17; 14:1-6; 17:11-19)
Anything else you want! A blank check! The greater works! (Matthew 18:19; 21:22; Mark 11:24, John 14:13, 15:7, 15:16, 16:23-24; James 1:5, 1:17; 1 John 3:22, 5:14-15)

Disclaimer: All ingredients and spices used in all recipes are totally organic, non-allergenic, non-racist and all that stuff. They include: peace, joy, love, hope, faith, favor, willingness to yield, treating others above ourselves, humility, wisdom, revelation, knowledge of God (aka, knowledge of the glory), et al.

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Straight Talk… Rain Maker, Rodna Epley

Posted in Rodna Epley with tags 1 Kings 18, clouds, faith, God's glory, Jesus Christ, John 14, Mark 4, Rain, weather on June 18, 2018 by paulthepoke

Mark 4:39-41, NKJV “Then He (Jesus) arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, ‘Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

2 days ago I was driving along in my car with my mom at the hottest time of the day. It was 95 degrees. I have no AC in my car because it’s broken. So inside the car it was sweltering hot and I was getting sick and dizzy. I could have commanded my AC to work in Jesus name but I have had more success before commanding weather patterns (no joke! lol).

So I spoke to the weather and declared, “I want cool air to start coming in now, the temperature needs to drop 30 degrees, I want cloud coverage to give us shade, a cool breeze, and even a little rain to help cool things down.”

1 Kings 18:44-45a And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’”

And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain…

There was a cloud the size of a man’s hand and I put my hand up and turned it for measurement. Within 30 minutes, there was thick cloud coverage coming in all around the horizon. The next morning, I woke up and went for a walk. It was very early, dark still. No one in the complex where I live was awake yet but me. I spoke with God and then to a friend who operates in God’s glory. At the end of our conversation, while I was headed back to my apartment, darker rain clouds were rolling in and the temperatures had dropped. It began to sprinkle too. From the time I declared the weather to change, it took 16 hours for the temperature to drop 30 degrees, cloud coverage to cover the skies, rain to come, and cool breeze. Exactly what I declared and asked the Father.

That day was perfect like that all day. Exactly how I wanted it. Twice I received “flash flood” notices on my phone and I said, “no flash flooding”. No flash flood came. The skies just folded up and it stopped!

John 14:12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.” -Jesus

We are to do greater works than these?! Wow! Let’s start doing them!

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Straight Talk…Calm the Storm, Rodna Epley

Posted in Rodna Epley with tags 1 Corinthians 6, calm the storm, Genesis 1, Jesus Christ, John 14, Matthew 8 on April 10, 2018 by paulthepoke

Has anyone else noticed that many times God won’t just take us out of a storm when we cry out to Him? It’s because there’s a process. He is famous for using our bad situations as a personalized tutoring lesson in flipping dark things into light. He first teaches us to be calm in the storm while the storm is still raging. Then He teaches us how to take authority like Jesus did and calm the storm ourselves.

Matthew 8:23-27 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?”

It’s a process to take authority and dominion over the works of God’s hands but we absolutely must learn it.

Genesis 1:26-28 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

1 Corinthians 6:2-3 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

He’s not going to always just save us to keep us from freaking out. We are created to create like Him, and to flip the enemy’s evil works into God’s good works that brings our Father glory, as sons and daughters of glory.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

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Deception…Thoughts from an American Soldier

Posted in American soldier with tags 911 attack, CAIR, Council Americain Islamic Relations, deceive, deception, Islam, Islamic Society of North America, Jesus Christ, John 14, Psalm 2, Quran 3, Sharia Law, truth on March 16, 2018 by paulthepoke

Matthew 24:4 Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you…”

Πλανάω/planaó: lead astray, deceive, cause to wander. This Greek word is the source of the English word for planet, as in Jupiter, Saturn, Earth, etc. Definition provided Strong’s Concordance.

Jesus tells us to be on guard against deception. There is no deception in Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…”

Photo: Getty Images

Quran 3:54 And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers.

The Arabic word used here for scheme or plot is makara, which literally means “deceit”. If Allah is supremely deceitful toward unbelievers, then there is little basis for denying that Muslims are allowed to do the same. See also Quran 8:30 and 10:21. Taken collectively these verses are interpreted to mean there are circumstances when a Muslim may be compelled to deceive others for a greater purpose.

The 9/11 hijackers practiced deception by going into bars and drinking alcohol. These acts of deception were to distract. They did not want to create potential suspicion they were Muslim fundamentalists plotting jihad. These efforts worked well. John Walsh, the host of a popular American television show, claimed after the fact their bar trips were evidence of hypocrisy.

The transmission from Flight 93 records the hijackers telling their doomed passengers that there is “a bomb on board”. but that everyone will “be safe” as long as “their demands are met.” Obviously, none of this was true. These men were intensely devoted to Islam. They were willing to “slay and be slain for the cause of Allah” as the Quran puts it. The hijackers saw nothing wrong with employing taqiyya to facilitate their mission of mass murder.

The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) insists that it “has not now or ever been involved with the Muslim Brotherhood, or supported any covert, illegal, or terrorist activity or organization.” In fact, it was created by the Muslim Brotherhood and has bankrolled Hamas. At least nine founders or board members of ISNA have been accused by prosecutors of supporting terrorism.

The notorious Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) is so well known for shamelessly lying about its ties to terror and extremism that books have been written on the subject. They take seriously the part of Sharia Law that says, “It is permissible to lie if attaining the goal is permissible and obligatory to lie if the goal is obligatory.”

The goal is the ascendancy of Islam, and Sharia itself, on the American landscape.

Psalm 2:1-6 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.”

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.”

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Our Daily Bread…Featuring Paul Beverly

Posted in Paul Beverly with tags God, John 14, Mother's Day, Peace, stress, trouble, worry on May 14, 2017 by paulthepoke

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

My sister asked me yesterday if I was sure we were from the same mother, because I’m so laid back & she’s OCD. She was being funny because of course we have the same mother, we both got our good looks from her 😉. I haven’t always been this laid back though. There’s peace in knowing that stressing & worrying won’t change anything, so why do it. Give your worries & troubles to God & let Him give you peace. Everything always works out.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Have a peaceful Mother’s Day my friends!!!

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Trend Update: Palmyra Arch, London, Trafalgar Square, April 2016

Posted in Gospel, Trend Update, Uncategorized with tags 1 John, 10 Commandments, Baal, Bel, Exodus 20, idolatry, Jesus Christ, John 14, london, Mosaic Law, New York City, Palmyra Arch, Times Square, Trafalgar Square on April 27, 2016 by paulthepoke

Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.

Exodus 20:4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Exodus 20:5-6 You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

These are the first three commandments. They are relational to God. Notice, how one relates to God comes before how people relate to each other. God is the priority. Then, He defines how we are to relate to each other.

God states the consequence of the “iniquity”. The Hebrew word is `avon. The word can also be translated as perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt, or punishment (Strong’s Concordance). Idol worship and/or worship of other gods will impact your family tree to your grandchildren and great grandchildren. God takes this quite seriously.

Worshiping or bowing down to idols and/or false gods is equated with hating God.

The critic often says, “Well, the 10 Commandments are in the Old Testament and we live during the Church age in the New Testament. Jesus took care of the Law.”

The Law (10 Commandments) has not gone away. Jesus Himself made this very clear. Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

Granted if one is a believer in Christ, He has you covered literally and figuratively. To the unbeliever, the Law is in full effect whether they believe it or not with consequences defined by God.

Following and obeying the commandments are equated with loving God. This is the case in both the Old and New Testaments. The message is consistent throughout the course of the Bible.

John 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

See also John 14, 1 John 2, 1 John 5, and 2 John 1.

The reconstruction of the arch of Palmyra is a direct violation. The arch is a gateway to the temple of Bel. There are idols of Bel. People worship Bel and the arch. Granted, this is not Bel specific. It is any other god(s) other than the Creator God of the Bible.

The Palmyra Arch was redesigned on a smaller scale and placed in Trafalgar Square, London on April 19, 2016. The rebuilding of the arch was done in defiance of ISIS. The arts and antiquities crowd is upset with the terrorists for destroying the original in Palmyra, Syria.

A replica was also to be erected in Times Square of New York City. Due to backlash from the Christian community, the arch was not unveiled in Times Square in April 2016. Segments of Christian society are running around with a hollow victory. The arch is still planned to make its way to New York City in September of 2016.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/arts/international/replica-of-palmyra-arch-is-unveiled-in-trafalgar-square.html?_r=0

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/palmyra-arch-destroyed-isis-rises-again-central-london-180958848/?no-ist

If someone sacrificed themselves to keep you out of Hell…what is your response?

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Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, Booths, The Feast, 2015

Posted in Fall Feasts, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags Blood Moon, Booths, Deuteronomy 8, Elijah, Enoch, Feast of Trumpets, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, John 14, Leviticus 23, Psalm 27, Sukkot, tabernacle, tent, Tishri on September 27, 2015 by paulthepoke

Leviticus 23:33-36 Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Booths for seven days to the LORD. On the first day is a holy convocation; you shall do no laborious work of any kind. For seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation and present an offering by fire to the LORD; it is an assembly. You shall do no laborious work.’”

This is the last of God’s appointed feasts or festivals. This holiday is known by many names. It is called the Feast of Tabernacles, Sukkot, the Feast of Booths, the Festival of Tents, or the Feast of the Harvest because it is after the harvest in the fall. Simply put, it is also called “the feast” or “the festival”.

This festival is a week-long festival from Tishri 15 to 21. When working in the fields during harvest, people lived in tents. The tents served as a reminder of the forty years of wandering in the desert after the Exodus from Egypt. The holiday is a reminder of the provision and safety God showed Israel during their travels in the desert as noted in Deuteronomy 8. The feast is a thanksgiving for the harvest of grapes (Exodus 23:16). It is to be a joyous festival (Deuteronomy 16:14). Sabbatical rest without work is part of the holiday. (New Manners and Customs of Bible Times).

In September 2015, The Feast is scheduled to start on September 28 and run through October 4 on our Gregorian calendar. In God’s timing, The Festival is scheduled to start on Tishri 15-21. Tishri 1 is declared when the new moon is sighted. A lunar eclipse or a blood red moon is scheduled for September 28, 2015. Man’s calendar and God’s day planner may not be on the same page.

It is God’s desire to live with humanity.

We mostly think about when God comes to Earth to dwell with us. Jesus lived with humanity 2,000 years ago (Gospel Accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The Holy Spirit has indwelled in believers since the beginning of the church in Acts 2. Christ has promised to return to Earth and reign for 1,000 years (Revelation 20). Eventually, God the Father will tabernacle with His creation on Earth in Revelation 21.

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Trend Update: God’s Fall Appointments, September 2014

Posted in Fall Feasts, Gospel, Prophecy with tags 1 corinthians 15, 1 Peter 1, 2 Corinthians 5, Day of Atonement, Father, Feast of Tabernacles, Feast of Trumpets, First Fruits, God, Gospel, Holy Spirit, Jesus, John 14, John 6, Law, Old Testament, Passover, Pentecost, Resurrection, torah, Unleavened Bread on September 3, 2014 by paulthepoke

There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. The first four were fulfilled to the day by Jesus Himself. If the first four spring holidays were fulfilled on the God appointed holiday, why would the fall holidays be any different?

Jesus is the Passover Lamb. 1 Peter 1:19-21 …but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Jesus was crucified on the Feast of Passover.

Jesus is the unleavened bread. He is the bread of life. John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. Leaven is a symbol of sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus was buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Jesus is the first fruits, the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. Jesus was resurrected on the Feast of First Fruits.

Jesus promised and delivered the Holy Spirit. John 14:16-17 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. That promise was kept on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2).

The God appointed fall holidays are the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. Above is a brief 10 minute video found on YouTube that provides a framework of the fall God appointed holidays.

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Rapture of the Bride of Christ, When, Part 2

Posted in Gospel, Isaiah, Prophecy, Rapture with tags Acts 28, Bride of Christ, church, Ephesians 5, Gospel, Heaven, Isaiah 26, Jesus Christ, Jewish wedding, John 14, Prophecy, Psalm 27, Rapture, Revelation, Romans 6, salvation on July 21, 2014 by paulthepoke

When looking at the course of an Ancient Jewish wedding, Jesus is following cultural custom. A Jewish man has to make an offer to purchase or buy his bride to be. Jesus has met this obligation with Acts 28:20b …to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Gifts are usually offered from the groom to the bride. In the case of the church, we receive the gift of eternal life from the groom. Romans 6:23b …but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The marriage involved the drawing up and the acceptance of a legal contract called a ketubah. During the betrothal or the promise of the coming marriage, it is the groom’s duty to prepare a home for his pending bride. John 14:2-3 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” According to Jewish custom, the Father of the groom decides when the house is ready. The Father sets the wedding date. He tells his son when it is time to go get his bride. A Jewish groom goes and gets his bride, an event of a Jewish wedding ceremony. The rapture of the church is when Jesus comes and takes His bride. Ephesians 5:22-33 Draws parallels between Christ (husband) and the church (bride/wife). Jesus’ relationship to the church is as a husband is to a wife. Specifically, Ephesians 5:32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

There is more to the wedding in regards to bride’s response and the ceremony itself. The context and focus are how the rapture fits into the wedding. Jewish cultural information provided by The New Manners and Customs of Bible Times, God’s Final Jubilee by Dan Goodwin, Our Father Abraham Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith by Marvin R. Wilson, The Truth Behind Left Behind by Mark Hitchcock and Thomas Ice.

Jesus is speaking in Revelation 3:10 and states “Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” It is members of the church who receive crowns. We give them back to Jesus. The crowns are on the heads of the elders. They are wearing white, purified and cleansed robes in Heaven (not on Earth) in Revelation 4 before start of the tribulation. Later in Chapter 4 of Revelation, the crowns are thrown before the throne in Heaven, not on Earth. These events take place in Heaven before the Tribulation. How did the church get into Heaven before the Tribulation? Rapture. All hell breaks loose on Earth with the Tribulation starting in Revelation 6. The church is absent in the Revelation 6-18 text during all of the destruction on Earth.

Jesus is taking His bride out of harm’s way. The church is safe in Heaven’s bridal chamber preparing for a wedding. Isaiah 26:20-21 Come, my people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer cover her slain. The previous context of these verses in Isaiah is the resurrection of the dead…

Psalm 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.