Thursday, April 29 - Music and Mocha Cake

We had our Thursday session at my house this week - Alice made the best French dip sandwiches and I made a salad.  The best part.... Alice made a delicious Mocha cake - I'm talking DIVINE! It was so, so good!

Then we went off into our "study" zone and Alice shared the outline for a praise song she had written.  It combines an old hymn with a new inspired song that came to Alice in the middle of the night.  She envisions multiple instruments and lots of harmony involved! She taught Shelley and I the basic melody and we recorded a rough draft of it.  Now we can all practice some harmony and sing it up next time we meet!!!

Several times in Psalms the phrase "new song" is mentioned.  "Sing to him a new song!" (Psalm 33:3) "Sing to the Lord a new song!" (Psalm 96:1)  "He gave me reason to sing a new song, praising our God." (Psalm 40:3)  Each of these scriptures has notes on NETBible as follows: A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the lives of his people in fresh and exciting ways. A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. A new song was appropriate because the Lord had intervened in the psalmist’s experience in a fresh and exciting way.
It seems the "new song" is new and fresh way to praise the Lord!

In Revelation 14: 2-3 it says: "²And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. ³And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth." 
Commentary from Bible Gateway says:

They are identified first as those redeemed from the earth, and their reward is the privilege of learning a new song (v. 3). Because they are redeemed, there is reason to believe that redemption will be the theme of their song. The only "new song" mentioned before in Revelation was that of the living creatures and elders in heaven (5:9), and it was a song of redemption: "because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation." It was accompanied by the music of harps (5:8), and the word for "purchased" in its lyrics was the same word used here of the 144,000 in the phrase redeemed from the earth (v. 4). This time the song comes not from the living creatures and elders themselves, but from an anonymous voice from heaven in their presence, like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder, and like that of harpists playing their harps (v. 2). Both the words and the music are left to our imaginations.

Exciting that such a song can only be learned by those who are redeemed - hope I'm one of 'em - that would be really cool!

Anyway, Alice wrote this "new song" in very inspired way and I'm really excited to learn it better and sing praises to God!

Thursday, April 22 - Prophetic Patterns and Parallels

Oooooooh! This study was so good! Well, really they are all good, but this one was pretty cool!

Alice shared an online sermon that she had seen by Perry Stone on a series about ancient Jewish history and customs.  The topic of this particular sermon was about how God reveals things in the Old Testament that repeat themselves in the New Testament - Old Testament ceremonies and customs were a prefiguration of Jesus Christ and his ministry.

Perry Stone talked about three different feasts from the Old Testament - The Passover, the First Fruits, and the Pentecost. Each of the elements of these were repeated in the New Testament...

The Passover Feast, as laid out in Exodus 12, discusses the lamb.  I will also list the scriptures in the New Testament that corresponds, as shown from this sermon.

Exodus Lamb / Jesus the Lamb
From the Flock - Exodus 12:3 / The Lamb of God - John 1:29
Without Blemish - Exodus 12:5 / Without Sin - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Blood on 3 Places - Exodus 12:7 / 3 Crosses on a Hill - Matthew 27:36
Roasted on a Pole - Exodus 12:8-9 / Hung on a Cross - John 19:17-18
Eaten for Health & Life - Exodus 12:11 / Communion Eaten - John 6:57
Unleavened Bread (Leaven = Sin) - Exodus 12:18 / Had no Sin in Him - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Ate Bitter Herbs - Exodus 12:8 / Given Hyssop & Vinegar - John 19:29
Defeated Death Angel - Exodus 12:12-13 / Defeated Death - Hebrews 9:15
Eaten Lamb = Redemption to all - Exodus 12:12-13 / Purchased Redemption - Galatians 3:13

He further explained the other two feasts - both with Old Testament descriptions, followed by the New Testament verses that showed the repeat of it through Jesus.  All feasts were to be a picture of something that related to Jesus and his life.

Additionally, in Exodus 19, there is a giving of the law to us and there are parallels in the New Testament that represent to return of Christ.


Giving of the Law  /  Return of Christ
Peculiar Treasure - Exodus 19:5 / Peculiar People - 1 Peter 2:9
Kingdom of Priests - Exodus 19:6 /  Kings & Priests - Revelations 5:10
Elders Before the Lord - Exodus 19:7 / Elders in Heaven - Revelations 4:10
God Came in a Cloud - Exodus 19:9 / He'll Return in the Clouds - Revelations 1:7
Sanctified Garments - Exodus 19:10 / Clean Garments of Righteousness- Revelations 1:7
God Came on 3rd Day - Exodus 19:11 / We're Raised on the 3rd Day - Hosea 6:1-2
He Came with Lightening - Exodus 19:16 / Return of Lightening - Matthew 24:27
God Came Down - Exodus 19:18 / God Will Descend - 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Sound of a Trumpet - Exodus 19:19 / Trump of God - 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Voice of God Heard - Exodus 19:19 / Voice of Arch Angel - 1 Thessalonians 4:16
Moses Went Up - Exodus 19:20 / We Will Be Caught Up - 1 Thessalonians 4:17
Sinai - Moses Communes with God - Exodus 19 / Sinai - Paul Communes with God - Gal. 1:17, 4:25

Also a noteworthy point - some people don't believe in the Rapture - the word rapture never actually appears in the Bible (neither does the word trinity, 2nd Coming or millennial reign).   However, clearly Paul taught that we would be "caught up" with the Lord when he comes! Hooray!

It was very cool to see how God designed everything to be so parallel so that we could strengthen our faith in the reality and validity of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Thursday, April 15 - Boo hoo hoo

That's right, I'm whining... call the whaaaaambulance...

We didn't have our regular Thursday with Alice study... I was not feeling well.  So we just canceled the whole thing... boo hoo...

I said to Alice - "It's like telling a kid that they were going to go to Disneyland, but then they can't go."  She laughed at me and said, "You're so silly - coming to my house is not like going to Disneyland!"  I said, "To my spirit, it is!"  So, my spirit will have to build up anticipation for next Thursday's Disneyland of Jesus.

Anyway, just to stay true to noting what each Thursday was all about, this Thursday was about me being achy and sore and using anointed oil on my body to help assist in my full restoration of health!

More on Anointing Oil

On March 4th, our Thursday study included communion and blessed oil.  However, Alice had referred to this several part sermon by Pastor Joseph Prince on blessed/anointing oil.  I was anxious to hear more and learn all about it, particularly because my little baby son had an ongoing issue that I wanted to do more about with the holy oil.

So, yesterday Alice invited me over to her house, bless her heart, to watch this sermon.  Additionally, she had a vial of oil for me already. (I think she must really love me... she does so many wonderful things for me!)

There were several scriptures that referred to the grain, wine and oil all throughout the Old Testament which were symbolic elements.  However, while the grain and wine are commonly used and known in Christianity with the holy communion, the oil is often not focused on.  It is equally as important to utilize.
Pastor Prince pointed out that this blessed oil is not just for healing the sick, but for every area in your life.  You can anoint your house, your vehicle, your familys' pillows, etc.  Anything that you want to be blessed with protection, holiness, added insight, and so on, can be anointed to God with the oil.
He made an awesome point about the bread, wine and oil: each element is heavily pressed from its original form to become these sacred elements. Jesus was also pressed incredibly - scourged, beaten, abused and crucified.  When we partake of these elements we are proclaiming his death, which is the good news, until his return.  It offers us health, wellness, healing and forgiveness of the body and spirit.
Evil will turn and run from us when we use these elements.  Prince said "Be RADICAL with these elements."  They are not superstitions, they are from God. 
Interestingly enough, the world's richest product at this time is oil - it's black. God's standard of rich is oil that is pure and fresh!

At the end of this message, Pastor Prince tells his congregation to hold up the small containers of oil that they brought with them and he blesses it, making it holy.  Alice had already given me oil that was blessed, but for the sake of my participating, she poured some virgin olive oil in a bottle and let me hold it up to be blessed along with Prince's congregation.

After that, I blessed little Ryan.  It was a beautiful thing!

Thursday, April 8 - The Cross

I've noticed that in the last couple of months everything I learn is repeated by another source - like I had mentioned in my last post, it's like God wants to make sure I got it!  Well this week was no exception.

Before going to Alice's, I watched the most recent online replay of Heart of The Matter with Shawn McCraney - his message was about the Cross and what it represents.  (You can watch it here.)  My notes from his show are as follows:

Symbols evoke deep felt emotions in human beings - for example, when people see the peace sign, they think about peace and what that means.  God made us with the ability to relate to icons and symbols.
The cross is symbolically important to Christians. It is not a man made symbol, but the result of scriptures.
The Material Cross - As an LDS, I was taught that the cross emphasizes Christ's death and the focus was that he is living, so we didn't utilize the cross for a symbol.  McCraney says that he was taught at the MTC to tell people that the cross was an instrument of torture and we wouldn't wear a gun, a knife, or any other item that could cause death.  However, it is the doctrine of the cross that is meaningful, beyond its material meaning.
The Metaphorical Cross - This represents, in scripture, Christian affliction.  Luke 14:27 says "And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple."  In Romans 6:6 is says "For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin..."  The cross, in these scriptures, teaches us to give up our old selves, become new in Christ and follow him.
The Metonymical Cross - Metonymical means "using the name of one thing for that of another with which it is closely associated; 'to say `he spent the evening reading Shakespeare' is metonymic because it substitutes the author himself for the author's works'".  The cross, in this sense, is the icon of the gospel and all that Christ represents with the entire work that he did.  The cross metonymically represents the power of God.  Several scriptures further illustrate:
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 - ¹⁷For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.  ¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Galations 5:11 - ¹¹Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.
Galations 6:12-14 - ¹²Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ. ¹³Not even those who are circumcised obey the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your flesh. ¹⁴May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Ephesians 2:16 - ¹⁶and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Hebrews 12:2 - ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Some LDS people believe that the sacrifice Jesus made for us was in the Garden of Gethsemane, however, the following scripture clarifies:
Colossians 1:20 - ²⁰and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Additionally, the ordinances/rules that were prior to Christ's sacrifice were done away with:
Colossians 2:14 ¹⁴having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.

A few hours after viewing this awesome program, I went to Alice's and what did we study? The Cross!!!

We watched a sermon from Louie Giglio about where to go when we are hurting the most.  He said we would all come to a place where life hurts the most. Jesus taught "in ME you will have peace".  His peace is relationship with him.  In this world we will have trouble and the "good news" is that we know where peace is found.  God is bigger and has a plan greater than we can imagine.  He will make everything work and it's important to remember that the cross is the centerpiece of the plan of God.
In Hebrews 6:19-20 it talks about Jesus being an anchor for our souls.  That anchor is the cross.
There are four things the cross tell us:
1- At the cross we see that God loves us, ESPECIALLY when we feel that God doesn't love us or when we wonder if he is really there.
2- God allows us freedom, but maintains control.  The freedom was given to the people of the day to crucify Jesus, but God was still in control - the sacrifice needed to happen and he knew it.
3- God can use the worst things for eternal good.  The crucifixion was a horrible event, but it was also the best, most beautiful event ever.
4- God paints on the canvas bigger than we can see or understand - our vision is just a small part of the painting.  Trust him!

I am so glad this was the synchronized message! I had always thought about the significance of the cross, but had never gone into great depth as to how important it really is as an icon for Christianity.  The cross is EVERYTHING to Christians - the symbol of freedom, love and hope!

Alice made me a beautiful bracelet and on it had several charms of things we have talked about in our Thursday studies - one of these charms was a cross - the first cross I have ever had!  Awesome!!!!!

More on Authority to Act in Jesus' Name!

So back in February, we had discussed the power to act in God's name.  Alice had shown us via Biblical examples that anyone can tap into God's power - including women!!!  This was such an awesome realization, especially coming from the LDS perspective.

Well, today at church, being Easter Sunday, this was the topic of our sermon.  (I find it funny how God has re-affirmed many of the things I've been learning through various different sources lately!)  Everyone received a little scroll which read (with inserts for our own names):

I, Jesus Christ, give complete and utter authority to Ari-Amber for the purpose of carrying out my will.  Ari-Amber shall be recognized as an envoy on assignment by all who encounter her.  All resources of heaven are at Ari-Amber's disposal.  Any decisions made by my ambassador shall be seen and understood as though they were my own.  Any resistance or interference against my attache will be viewed as an obstruction against the throne of heaven.  Let it be known that reciprocity will be swift against any force that attempts to interfere, tamper, and/or obstruct the mission of my personal emissary.  Whatever is permitted by Ari-Amber shall be permitted and whatever is denied shall be denied.  It shall be recognized that NO authority in heaven, on earth, or under the earth is greater than mine.  Mine is the ultimate authority.  I give this authority to my ambassador.  

Supreme Ruler of the Universe, Jesus Christ

The pastor continued on to say that the authority of God, much like a suit, must be put on, tailored to us, worn well, and passed on to others.  In other words, we must handle it well in how we utilize it for the good of God in our own lives and in the lives of those we touch.

This was just so cool to have re-affirmed from the recent studies with Alice.  It also made me really, really want to be baptized BY ALICE... I have asked her, but she was going to think on it.  Perhaps when she heard this sermon, she was able to come up with an answer???? :)

Thursday April 1 - The Last Days - No April Fool's Joke

After a yummy hot dog dinner, Alice, Shelley and I sat down to continue our studies on the last days. We watched a you tube video that had a narration read from Ezekiel with corresponding pictures from our time.  It's amazing how close to "the end" we really are. We also watched a pastor from Texas give a sermon on the end times.  There is so much to it!!! It can be overwhelming, but the important part for me is being taken up before all the "bad stuff" happens - I'll be having a seven year feast in heaven while all the nasty things are taking place on earth.  I do think it is important to know what's going to happen anyway because it gives people motivation to accept Christ!!! He he!

We also watched part of a documentary on the shroud of Torin - a piece of material that scientists are trying to prove is the linen that Christ was wrapped in after his death.  So far, with what we watched, it appears to be of a man who was both scourged and crucified.  We never got to the end to see if they could, in fact, prove that is was dated back to the time of Christ's death.

I was super tired and felt like a zombie because the previous night there was family drama.  However, I am just so thankful that I have the opportunity to meet with these beautiful ladies and grow in Jesus' love!  Even though I was a zombie, it was so nice to be there.  I'm so, so blessed!