Rhonda Ballance

Reflections   The cross is…the power of God. (I Cor. 1:18)   The Cross is the power of God. But in what sense? The Cross is the power of God over the old creation, and thus, Satan. That is because the Cross brought an end to the old through death, thus breaking it’s power over those who are raised anew in Christ. The Cross is not new life. But it ended the old life. The Cross broke the power — not the presence or possibility — of the old man of sin. But not to leave us in death. It …

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  With creation completed the Hebrew text emphasizes finishing, blessing, and sanctifying (setting apart, making holy). That is, God completed and blessed His creation. With creation and making from His creation over all future development on earth would be pro-creation since creation had ceased. The text says that God rested. In Hebrew this is Shabbat and it is used as a verb as in ceasing activity. Later in Exodus it will be used as a noun when the Law was given at Sinai to include the Sabbath. Vaiyeeshbot This word means to cease, desist or rest. It also means to …

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“Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse saith, and the man who was raised on high saith, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: the Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was upon my tongue. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me: One that ruleth over men righteously, that ruleth in the fear of God, he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springeth out of …

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Reflections       To preach the gospel, not with words of wisdom, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of no effect. (I Cor. 1:17) There is only one way to be delivered from sin: The source of sin must die. We cannot be delivered from sin by merely being forgiven FOR sin – forgiveness removes the penalty for sin. That is wonderful and essential. But forgiveness alone does not remove the sin itself. There must come a deliverance through death from what Paul calls, “the body of sin,” and, “the old man in Adam.” This was accomplished …

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  Exodus 19:16-25 16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as …

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The Tribulation (The Jewish Wars & Victories) The Last Judgment by Michelangelo 1536-41 From the Jewish Writings Collectively the Targum Onkelos, Philo, Pirqe Mashiah and the Sibylline Books all attest to a great war before Messiah arrives. Some state that there shall come forth a man leading his hosts to war and will subdue great and populous nations. Others say that in the year in which King Messiah will be revealed all the kings of the nations of the world would provoke each other. Still others state that a great king will march forth against Alexandria in a camp and …

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  1. BEWARE OF TRUSTING TEACHERS OF RELIGION “Beware of supposing that a teacher of religion is to be trusted, because although he holds some unsound views, he yet ‘teaches a great deal of truth.’ Such a teacher is precisely the man to do you harm: poison is always most dangerous when it is given in small doses and mixed with wholesome food. Beware of being taken in by the apparent earnestness of many of the teachers and upholders of false doctrine. Remember that zeal and sincerity and fervor are no proof whatever that a man is working for Christ, …

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Published on May 10, 2016 This week, Ron Matsen speaks with Chuck Missler about how trustworthy our Bible really is. Why do we have the Bible in 2 parts? Is there a collection of examples of proofs that the scriptures are accurate and can be trusted.

Reflections For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us that are saved, it is the power of God. (I Cor. 1:18) You will note that Paul does NOT say that if a person thinks the Cross to be foolish (unnecessary or of no value — Greek) that God is going to punish them — by causing them to perish. No. Rather, he is saying that if a person thinks the Cross is foolish that it is evidence that they are ALREADY in the process of perishing. There is a reason for his conclusion: …

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From “This Ministry” – Messages given at Honor Oak – Volume 3 “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord” (1 Kings 18:22). “I, even I only, am left” (1 Kings 19:10,14). “Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal” (1 Kings 19:18). “Then he mustered… seven thousand” (1 Kings 20:15). “Elijah… a man of like passions (nature) with us” (James 5:17). It is a gracious thing that, in recording the lives of His most used and representative servants, the Lord has never hidden their weaknesses. Most …

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By Denise Kohlmeyer   Pits happen. Every day. To everyone. Even to God’s cherished children. Our lives’ landscapes are pock-marked with pits, of varying shapes, sizes and depths. I know! I’m a survivor of multiple pits myself. Mine came in the form of emotional abuse from a drug-addicted sibling, from flunking out of college, from being down-sized from a job I loved, from suffering a miscarriage, from being disinherited by my own father, from marital and parenting struggles, and from experiencing bouts of crippling fear and anxiety. Boy can I relate to the beloved Biblical character Joseph, who found himself …

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  Revelation Msg 26: Continuing the Seventy Weeks Prophecy. Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are decreed upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. The purpose of the seventy sevens or 490 years is to accomplish six things. To Finish the Transgression To Make an End of Sins To Make Reconciliation for Iniquity To Bring in an Age of Righteousness To Cause a Cessation of Prophecy …

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