Because He Came

Nobody, no man, has ever, so deeply, so profoundly, affected the world, and changed the world like Jesus Christ! He changed the history of the world. He did none of the things that the world usually associates with greatness. Yet, today, over 1900 years later, he is the central figure of the human race. His yoke is easy and his burden is light! Because he came, I can escape the certain madness of this world! Right is considered wrong, and wrong is considered right. Because he came we can have peace in the midst of this world! Because he came we can have joy! Whom having not seen, but believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable! We are filled with an inexplicable and inexpressible joy, just because he came.  Because he came we have mercy! We are delivered from all malice and hate. Because he came we have righteousness,  not our own, but its the righteousness of God by faith! Because he came there is righteousness imputed to his children! In the world in general... how many people can say their god came to the world? I am so, so glad, Jesus came! Because he came we have his spirit! He dwells in us and we dwell in him. We have a comforter! I am so glad he lives in me! The love of Christ passes all knowledge! He is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all we can ask or even imagine! Because he came my sins are washed away! Because he came we have truth! Because he came we can be healed! Because he came there is hope! He is my anchor!

12/12/12...Twelve Twelve Twelve...

I find today's date fascinating.
I've been thinking about things that have to do with the number 12.
Here is a list that a friend and I have been compiling today about the number 12:

Heaven has:
12 foundations made with
12 different kinds of precious stones
12 gates of pearl, and
12 seasons

and the list goes on:

12 patriarchs
12 precious stones on the breast plate of the High Priest
12 Tribes of Israel
12 Apostles
12 candlesticks in the Tabernacle

12 letters in Ecclesiastes and Lamentations
12 midnight was the hour Paul and Silas were freed from jail


12 basic hues in the color wheel
12 tones in an octave

12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of dark at the winter solstice and the spring equinox
Maximum wind speed of a hurricane is force 12
12 is the last year of childhood
12 hours on a clock


12 months in a year

12 inches in a foot

12 letters in twelve twelve twelve

12 string guitar

12 eggs in a dozen
12 years to finish high school
12 midnight was the hour Cinderella went back to being plain ole Cinderella
12 cups in an average pot of coffee
12 year molars
12 ounces in a can of soda
12 F keys on my keyboard
12 numbers on the phone including 0#*
212 degrees is boiling point
Time units are perfectly divisible by 12; 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day.
12 letters in laugh out loud, roflolroflol and hahahahahaha!
12 days of Christmas
12 days LEFT till Christmas!

Can you think of more things to do with the number 12?

You know what???  IT'S A GOOD LIFE LIVING FOR THE LORD!!! LOL

Update: 12 legions of angels... I have heard that that is 66,000... and there are 66 books in the Bible.

Matthew 26:53 King James Version 

 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

Isaiah 37:36 King James Version 

Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

In this setting one angel killed 185,000 people! 

66,000 (angels) x 185,000 (the amount of folks each angel is able to kill) = 12,210,000,000... that is: twelve billion, two hundred and ten million! That is much more than our current population. 

According to the world population clock at 6 AM (EST) December 14,2012  there is 7,058,446,145 people alive on planet Earth.

Jesus chose to die on the cross to save me, (and YOU), because he loves us SO MUCH!

Because He Believed In His God

(KJV)Daniel 6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

Home Made Skin Care

Here is a link to my other blog which features more of my homemade goodies... Thanks for visiting!
http://wynetteshomemadeetc.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-few-of-my-products.html

Skin Cancer Balm...

Melt beeswax in a double boiler, add essential oil to castor oil and pour into clean sterilized containers, working quickly so that it doesnt harden before poured.

     Ingredients: 1/2 oz beeswax 

                           4 oz castor oil

                           30 Drops Frankincense     

                                 essential oil

Starting to melt beeswax in makeshift double boiler.

                        Skin  Cancer Balm

Vaseline Alternative...

 The stretch mark creme and the Vaseline Alternative have the exact same ingredients, except for the Aloe Vera gel. I melted all the oils together, poured 1/2 of the mixture into a jar for the Vaseline Alternative, then added the Aloe Vera gel 1/3 of a cup at a time, while blending, for the stretch mark creme. Both turned out beautifully! 

     Ingredients: 

                       1/6 cup olive oil 

                       1/6 cup avocado oil 

                       1/6 cup extra virgin coconut oil 

                       1.1 oz beeswax 

                       1 oz sweet almond oil 

                       3 drops tea tree oil 

                       3 drops lavender essential oil

                       3 drops sweet orange oil

Adapted from this recipe by Jill at  http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2012/04/make-your-own-petroleum-free-jelly.html

                                                                         Vaseline Alternative

             Moisturizer/Stretch Mark Creme

I have heard Aloe Vera gel shrinks pores. This smells kind of like Lemon Cream Pie. Since I have been using this, the bumps on the side of my face seem to be going away!

     Ingredients:

             1/6 cup olive oil 

             1/6 cup avocado oil 

             1/6 cup extra virgin coconut oil 

             1.1 oz beeswax 

             1 oz sweet almond oil

             1 2/3 cups food grade aloe vera gel

             3 drops tea tree essential oil

             3 drops lavender essential oil

             3 drops sweet orange oil

    *This needs to be kept in refrigerator to stay fresh or it will only last a few weeks. BUT This is probably THE BEST moisturizer I have ever used. It has to be made in small batches and used quickly, but is SO worth it!

Adapted from this recipe by Andrea at  http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/12/non-greasy-homemade-moisturizing-lotion/

          

                           Honey Lip Balm

This turned out wonderful! 

     Ingredients:

     .5 oz beeswax

     Heaping tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil

     Heaping tablespoon Shea butter 

     1/4 teaspoon of food grade vitamin e oil

     Generous tablespoon of raw local honey 

     3 Drops Essential Oils of your choice

Adapted from this recipe by Renee at http://www.hardlotion.com/diy-hard-lotion-kit/

Hard Lotion Cups

Hard Lotion Cups... 

...these can be used for lip balm or to rub on dry cracked heals or for any dry skin areas! These smell lovely!                                                      
     3.2 oz Raw Shea Butter

     3.2 oz Beeswax

     3.2 oz Organic extra virgin coconut oil
     6 Drops Lemongrass Essential Oil

     2 Drops Tea Tree Essential Oil

Adapted from this recipe by Renee at http://www.hardlotion.com/diy-hard-lotion-kit/

     Caramel Coffee Shampoo/Body Wash Bar

 Fresh Basil/Mint Shampoo/Body Wash Bar

Both soaps were Adapted from the recipe at http://frugallysustainable.com/2011/12/shampoo-bar-soap-recipe/ 

 * For the coffee one I used really strong coffee for the liquid and for the Basil/Mint soap, I used the fresh herbs blended in a Vita Mix with the liquid the soap called for... The Basil/Mint  soap turned brown over time but was a really great soap until it was all gone!

Many thanks to Jill, Andrea and Renee for their great blogs and recipes!

God's word is the final say.

I Am Head Over Heels In Love With God's Truth

We struggle against two things: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Free moral agency is a big deal with God. We make our choices and we are made by our choices. God will not take away anybody's free moral agency.
By our words we shall be justified. By our words we shall be condemned. We shall be judged by our works/deeds.
To be saved, we have to believe and obey the gospel (good news), of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the death, burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died, he was buried, he rose again. We obey that by dying out to repentance, being buried with him in baptism (Romans 6:4), and the spirit raises us up to the infilling of the Holy Ghost. We experience the gospel. (Acts 2:38)

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9

 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

⁹ Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

¹⁰ And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

¹¹ And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

¹² That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

We need to fall head over heels in love with God's truth! Otherwise we will chose the wrong way and be lost!

Revelations 21:8
 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Some notes from a message by Brother Booker, 10/14/1012 A.M. www.inlandlighthouse.com sermons

The heavens declare the glory of God...

  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

² Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

³ There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

⁴ Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. 

In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

⁵ Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

⁶ His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸ The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

¹² Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

¹³ Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

                                                                Psalm 19

Pictures courtesy of William E. Robertson

     

Quotes From Sermons That Have Fed My Soul and Changed My Life

"Your Pentecost can only be as high as your Calvary is deep."
"How do you spell stupid? D R U N K!"
     Pastor Larry Booker, 12/9/2012

"When we arrive at the judgement seat of Jesus Christ, I fear, literally, that we are going to be appalled and were going to be amazed, and were going to be mortified, when we see how many times, and to what deep, great extent, the work of God has been, literally, crippled by misguided motives, hidden agendas, selfish ambitions of what can I get out of this, and what's it gonna mean to me, and what will my pay day be, if I do thus and so."
     Pastor Larry Booker, 12/09/2007
   
"Is anything to hard for God?"

      Bishop Deeds

   

"To get power, go to the source. To receive             (fill in the blank), go to the source."

     Bishop Deeds

"When the devil speaks, there is torment.  When God speaks, there is comfort and peace."

     Bishop Deeds, 10/30/2003

"You can talk to Jesus like he is your best friend."

     Brother Maki, Evangelist, 11/4/2003

"God can take care of your problem, you just need to ask Him."

     Bishop Deeds, 11/9/2003

"There was a whole lot of stink in the Ark, but they were saved!"

     Bishop Deeds, 11/30/2003

"I could tell you how bad it is, but I'd rather tell you how good it is!"

     Bishop Deeds, 11/30/2003

"You don't tell your heart!"

     Bishop Deeds, 9/26/2005

"Life can't put nothin on my plate that God can't help me eat!"

     Bro. Huggins, 4/29/2004

"If you want to be trusted, do something that merits trust!"

     Bishop Deeds, 5/2/2004

"I would hate to think the only thing my children remember about me was the pot I cooked the fudge in."

     Sister Bishop Deeds, Mother/Daughter Banquet, 2004

"Sometimes, the thing that seems to be the biggest thorn in your side, turns out to be the biggest blessing in your life."

     Brother Randy Draper, 6/3/2004

"What is holiness? The first sign of holiness is concern for others."

     Pastor Paul Deeds, May 2004

"I don't have pity parties. I just keep going on."

     Brother Dan Rutledge, 6/3/2004

"Folks is folkses!"

     Brother Huggins

"God is in Control!"

"Whatever has crossed your path, God has a reason for it!"

"He created in us a mind that is superior to every animal, (in most cases)!"

     Bishop Deeds, 6/3/2004

"If anyone ever exemplified that 'it's a good life living for the Lord', this man did."

     Senior Pastor Robert Geans at the funeral of Elder Robinson, 6/5/2004

"Their not kids, their adults in apprenticeship."

     Brother Chuck Grey, 6/6/2004

"This is any man's church."

"God is not impressed with who you are."

"He (God) has no favorites."

"Don't be a spiritual snob!"

"A pharisee is a theologian with no experience."

     Brother Maki, Evangelist, 6/6/2004

"Don't let your habitation go back to a visitation with the Lord Jesus Christ."

"You can't 'date' God!"

     Bishop Deeds, 6/13/2004

"I believe our valleys are really mountains and our mountains are really valleys."

     Brother David Kimbrell Senior, 7/15/2004

"Does God have to make sense to be my God?"

"We don't have to understand it. We just have to obey it"

"Take down all the high places, otherwise, you might stumble over them."

     Brother Chuck Grey, July 2002

"Nix the quick fix!"

     Pastor Paul Deeds, 7/21/2002

"If you don't make up your mind, your unmade mind will unmake you."

      Bishop Deeds

"You got what you wanted, but, you lost what you had."

      Bishop Deeds

"God has no part time people."

      Bislop Deeds

"When God declares divine judgement, He always gives a space of repentance."

     Bishop Deeds

"YOU CAN MAKE IT!"

     Bishop Deeds

Notes From A Sermon By Bishop Harris On 11/4/12 A.M.

He (Jesus) is an awesome healer!
We should encourage ourselves in the Lord and not dwell on our sicknesses and/or problems!
Praise is what we do!
Worshiping God brings Peace and Joy!
A pattern of prayer that we should use in our daily devotions: Matthew 6:9-13 (The Lord's Prayer)
If you do your part, He will Surely do His!
God will not put more on us than we can bare!
We should start and end our daily devotions with praise to Jesus!
(This was probably one of the best messages I've ever heard Bishop Harris teach.)

Hope

Psalm 130:5

New International Version

⁵ I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
    and in his word I put my hope.

No promises

(KJV)James 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

Sapphire Foundation

(KJV)Isaiah 54:10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.
(KJV)Isaiah 54:11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours,

 and lay thy foundations with sapphires.

12 And I will make thy windows of agates,

and thy gates of carbuncles

and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

Philippines 4:8

What Philippines 4:8 means to me:
If you want to be virtuous and praise worthy, you need to think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of a good report.

Audacious Faith

audacious - a : intrepidly daring : adventurous

When I think of audacious faith, I think of Bishop Alfred D. Deeds Jr.  Bishop Deeds was my pastor for twelve years.  He was, and still is, a man of God with more and stronger faith than anyone I know!  This is a man that trusted God and believed in His provision so much that he built a beautiful church that seats well over 400 without ever taking up a special offering, making any peanut brittle, hosting any spaghetti dinners, or doing any fund raising of any kind!  He believed God wanted it built, and believed that God would provide the financing for it to be built!  And God did it!  Just like Bishop Deeds believed that God would do!  And it didn't take very long either!