Growing in Grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
A Real Christian
Many Christians today believe you are a Christian if you believe that Jesus lived and died for us and rose from the dead. Scriptures cited for this idea are Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 2:2, and John 3:16. Now let me be clear, I agree with these scriptures, but what does it mean to believe in someone or something?
Well, think about it from this perspective: if you genuinely love someone, do you act on your love? Do you do things for the other person to help them in your relationship? I’m sure you do, as I’m about to run to the grocery store to pick up something my wife has asked me to buy. I drove my daughter to school this morning and will pick her up this afternoon for the same reason. Love is not just a feeling or emotion; it is an action for the other.
Continue readingAll Things Branson
We just created a new Link “All Things Branson” that is located below FOT Branson and Feast Updates. This link takes you to Explore Branson and will help you in getting to know Branson before you arrive for the Feast of Tabernacles. The town has plenty to offer whether its Things to Do (some are free), Live Shows, and Restaurants, Best Pies in town or shopping you will find it on this site.
Here’s some shortcut links for you if you don’t have time to explore on your own just click on the link that you are interested in and it will connect you to the Explore Branson site directly for that particular item. We will post more information in the “Feast Updates” about Branson as we get closer to the Feast of Tabernacles so stay tuned.
Continue readingDemonstrating Faith
We hear people talk about Faith all the time, but how many of us know how to demonstrate the faith we talk about?
Lying Spirit From God?
by Mike James
There is an interesting scripture in 1 Kings 22:19-23 that says the following: “And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.”
Some have an issue with this because it seems like God is sending a lying spirit to influence certain prophets to lead King Ahab to his death in battle.
The question would be, could God allow an angel or spirit under His control to force prophets to lie to the king? This does not make sense because lying is a sin, and God cannot sin!
Continue readingCrossroads
Each one of us are faced with decisions every day! Follow Christ and His Teachings or follow along with the ways of the world. One crossroad leads to life and blessings, the other eventually leads to something most don’t see coming.
Life, Death, and Fruit Flies
by Mike James
I read an interesting fruit fly study that got me thinking about how stress may impact humans. The study was conducted by Christi Gendron, a neurobiologist at the University of Michigan.
Gendron conducted a study on how living fruit flies respond to the sight of dead fruit flies. The research was published in the journal PLOS Biology. Apparently, neurons in the flies’ brains make them age faster after seeing dead flies. Scientists believe this relates to perceptions within the brains of animals causing physical reactions in their bodies.
Dr. Gendron and Scott Pletcher, who is a biologist at the University of Michigan, discovered how flies deal with death unintentionally. They were trying to see whether flies would show a behavioral or physiological response, like a heightened immune system, after being around other flies that had been made sick with a disease. “The only types of responses we saw happened after the flies that we infected died,” Dr. Pletcher said.
Continue readingWhosoever Calls on My Name
Jesus says, “Why do you call me Lord and do not the things I say”? Many people call Jesus Lord today, but many refuse to actually follow what He taught!
The Church of God International Springfield, Missouri 