The Things of the Spirit, Part 7 (incomplete)

I want to linger here in our study. I don’t want to miss what god has for us. Ah! Must we be carried away in the Spirit? Brother Wayne Henderson said, “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that there isn’t more!” There is more. There was more for Ezekiel. There was more for John. There was more for Paul. Paul said, “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. NOT as though I had already attained, either were already perfect:” Do you know what Paul is saying? He’s saying, “Don’t let anyone tell you that there isn’t more!” Paul, in his admission that he’s not there yet, is declaring loud and clear that there’s more! “But I follow after, if that may apprehend that which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus…” Paul is saying that God has apprehended me so that I may apprehend what God has for me. I’m telling you God has MORE for us!

Nationalism Without Conservatism

What is this new nationalism? What is nationalism? Wiki states that “Nationalism is a shared group feeling in the significance of a geographical and sometimes demographic region seeking independence for its culture or ethnicity that holds that group together.” Michael Savage might define it as a cause and call for the preservation of our nation’s borders, language, and culture. Currently, Donald Trump is running under this flag of nationalism; which Mark Levin calls a nationalist/populist progressive movement. All aboard! The nationalist Trump train is making it’s mad dash to the White House and many are heeding the call. However, not all are getting aboard.

Populism and the Birth of the IRS

While I was listening to his program, old Franko was reading all this stuff about the history of populism and the IRS. Later on that night we shared with each other what we had learned and the information beautifully intersected on a point of enlightenment. So what Levin is warning about has most certainly already happened in the past. I think it’s a shame that history and common sense are not on the side of Trumpmania.

The Things of the Spirit, Part 5

We’re preaching about being carried away in the Spirit. In Ezekiel, in Chapter 37, I want us to concentrate on this passage “…down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones…” Do you see how this answers the question of where Ezekiel was carried away. Where is it that the Spirit of God carries his servant? Where can you expect to go being carried away in the Spirit? I don’t know about you, but I want to go places with God. I mean we have preaching for weeks about walking after the Spirit. Well if we’re going to walk, where are we going? Are we on some spiritual tread mill, or does the Holy Ghost take us places? Did God not say, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3) Did the word of God not say, “…they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31) All I’m asking Ezekiel is, “When you were carried away in the Spirit, when the hand of the LORD was upon you, where did he take you?

A Little Bit of Common Sense

I’ll admit, I’ve learned some things during this election cycle. One thing that has come to my attention that I never really realized is this transfer of power from the legislative branch of our government to the executive branch of our government. We know something is wrong in our country. We see it’s effects. We see our nation crumbling. But why can’t we stop these things from happening? I mean what is the plan to get this country back on track. What track? The constitution track. People just don’t understand HOW we’ve strayed from our constitution. Therefore, we don’t understand HOW to get us back on a constitutional track. What is lacking must somehow be provided. This is just one aspect of all this mess. There must be a transfer of power BACK to the legislative branch of government.

Mark Levin vs Julia Hahn

So the trade wars have begun. Mark Levin says that Reagan was for free-trade. Julia Hahn says that Reagan was actually a protectionist. Who’s right? I have to say that the latest article by Julia is very well written, very sophisticated, very well sourced out with quotes and references to back her up. And when I first read it, I got to admit I was shaken up a bit and thought, “Maybe Levin isn’t quite right about what he’s been saying about trade?” But I went outside and did some work and chewed on all this and read the article again. It took me a while, but I see now that this article, though it’s convincing, is still nothing more than manipulative Trump propaganda. With a little bit of brain power, a common man like me can see this for what it really is. So I quoted the entire article and I added my notes in an italicized red font to explain what really is going on. I know trade talk is boring and doesn’t really make ratings on the cable networks; but it is important. So if you can endure it, please read on. Here’s the entire article:

Dear Rush… Let me take a shot at this…

I’ve been listening to your program for probably 16 years now. I believe I’ve agreed with most everything you say. But this election cycle, I’m just not connecting with you. And I’m not the only one. And you know it. You lament two or three times a day about how often you’ve explained Trumpism and anti-Trumpism. You’re tired of explaining it over and over ’til you’re blue in the face.

The Things of the Spirit, Part 4

So when we read the book of Ezekiel we should mind the fact that this is a recording of a personal powerful experience with God. The heavens were opened, and Ezekiel looked into heaven and God revealed these things to him; gave him these visions, these images. And Ezekiel live to tell us about it! This is what happened to Ezekiel in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month. What we are reading is Ezekiel’s personal experience with God and the Spirit of God on that day.

So we look at the book of Ezekiel today, not necessarily to know the interpretations of all the historical details of the prophecies; or to understand which prophecy has come to pass or will come to pass; or to guess about the future and things to come. Not today, at least. We look at the impact of the Spirit of God on the prophet Ezekiel. What can we learn about the Spirit of God through the experiences of Ezekiel? What kind of things happen to Ezekiel when he’s “carried away” in the Spirit? Why do need to know this? Because, they that walk after the Spirit, mind the things of the Spirit.

The Things of the Spirit, Part 3

They that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. So that’s what we’ve covered thus far. What other things are there? What are the other THINGS of the Spirit. I want to look two today: Speaking and Preaching in the Spirit. This is what comes out of our mouths. This topic has great significance in the life of the Christian: The Tongue. Think about this: the everlasting ramifications of what we let out of mouth. Do we consider the eternal consequences of simply opening up our mouth? No wonder Paul admonished the church in Thessalonica, 1 Thes 4:11 “And that ye study to be quiet…” I remember a preacher used to always say, “You’ll find out what inside, when it get’s shaken up. Whatever’s inside will come out!” And I guarantee you, it’ll come out of the mouth. Oh the tongue!