God chose Israel to be His people to manifest Himself to the World. The purpose for their religion was not so that they would have something to do and not be bored in the Wilderness. The purpose for each and everything that they did in Judaism tells of some aspect of God and man. And it was to be performed in FAITH! They practiced their religion to show God's glory and their FAITH in Him. The problem came when they practiced their religion for the sake of the religion and not in FAITH. When it became their duty. Some people think "churching" or going to church is their duty to God. That attending church is their religious duty, and serving their denomination becomes their goal and destiny of life. They have reversed the order. Serving God is first. Serving God in FAITH is the only reason for “churching”. Manifesting Him in our lives to a dark and dying world is giving God glory! Letting Him shine thru our lives and showing the world the Living God in us is the purpose of our FAITH in God. Presenting our bodies a living sacrifice is only our reasonable service, by proving what is that good and acceptable will of God. Do we "church" to serve God? No! Have we become like Israel, losing the true meaning of being God's people? Is just going to "church" our reasonable service? No! Are we forgetting that we have been saved "from" sin and we are to walk in FAITH? Are we like the man that looks in the mirror and then immediately forgets what he really looks like? Jesus wants a people to manifest Him in their lives by FAITH. Churches and denominations are full of people just going to be going, without any true Faith. Like us, Israel was saved by FAITH. They in faith looked forward to Calvary, and we by faith look back to Calvary. Everything is equal. Be blessed.
Please consider helping the Orphans and Street kids of Haiti
http://haitianstreetkids.com/
In Jesus,
Billy and Jan Wells
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Seed for Christmas Day
The Year of the Census
The old grey beards were sitting at the gate of Jerusalem talking back and forth about what had just happened. Pilate had just yesterday executed several men in Jerusalem. One of the old grey beards spoke up saying,
Surely that Jesus really was Messiah, for I, personally witnessed Him open the eyes of a man born blind! No man has ever opened a man’s eyes born blind!
Another of the grey beards sitting at the gate agreed by saying,
I was there when Jesus feed over 5,000 men and women and children with just a small boy’s lunch, can you imagine that? Just a few pieces of bread and over 5,000 ate!
And another agreed that he too had witnessed one of the miracles of Jesus,
I saw Him raise a dead boy back to life at a funeral.
One by one each of the elders took turns in describing what miracles they had seen or heard this man had done. They all agreed only Messiah could have done such great and mighty miracles and yet the rulers had put Him to death.
Why? For what crime has this Jesus done worthy of death?
One of the elders an old grey beard, who once was an innkeeper in his younger days, said,
Oh, I would have given anything to have seen this great one or just one of his miracles. I just can’t believe He is really dead. Now I will never get to see Him.
Someone in the group responded to the old innkeeper, saying,
You did see Jesus….don’t you remember during the year of the census?
The old innkeeper smiled while thinking back to the year of the census and what a shrewd business man he had been.
The census…Oh, I remember that census many years ago, how could I forget? Everyone had to go to land of their fathers to be counted and taxed. Don’t you remember my Inn was the finest inn in all of Bethlehem? Just think, in those days rich travelers had to pay 2 prices to stay at my inn!
He said that with a boastful gleam in his eyes.
I can still remember those great camel caravans that came in late on those cold clear nights…they were so rich they had gold and silver chains weaved in the reigns of their camels. There must have been 10 or 11 camel caravans each night and I knew that some rich merchant would be coming from very far away and being tired and would pay a premium price to stay in my inn. So of course, I kept back my best rooms, just in case, for some rich traveler that I knew would be arriving late in the night. Being such a good business man I could get two prices for my rooms in those days. The census…
He boasted.
There were so many folks wanting a room, in the City of David, I just told everyone I had no rooms left. Sorry no room left in my inn. All the rooms are taken.
He winked,
But, secretly, I had saved back my best rooms for some rich travelers or some king or prince who would arrive late and pay my price! Being wise as I am, I wasn’t about to give away my best rooms to the poor.
He smiled as he thought about what a crafty business man he was!
But I’ll assure you, if Messiah would have ever come to my inn, well, I would have given Him my very best room and for free! He would have to pay nothing! But alas, no one famous ever comes to Bethlehem.
He said sadly.
I only wish I could have seen this Jesus the one they call Messiah. If only He would have come to my town and stayed at my Inn, I would have treated like a king!
Then one of the old grey beards replied,
But He did come to Bethlehem.
And the Inn keeper asked puzzled,
When? When did Messiah ever come to Bethlehem? I would have been the first to know! I was the innkeeper.
He did come, Messiah did come to Bethlehem.
And the Inn keeper said,
No, why, no, because if He had ever come He would have surely stayed at my Inn, the best inn in Bethlehem. No! Messiah never came to Bethlehem. I am sure of that!
No, He did come, Jesus really did come. Don’t you remember? One cold night during the census…?
And the old Inn keeper lifted his eyes up, thinking back long ago….
Nope, I just don’t remember.
Yes, yes you do, just think back.
The old grey beard said.
Don’t you remember a man with a woman riding a donkey? They came in late from Galilee during the censes, and you remember the woman was heavy with child.
Oh, let me think…perhaps I do remember, a woman riding on a donkey who as near her time of delivery.
The old Inn keeper said,
I think I remember a young couple with a donkey. It was cold and late, and she was ready to give birth at any time, or so they told me. That was so long ago. But, you know, I had reserved my best room for the rich, so I told all the poor there was no rooms left in my inn, and for them to look for a room elsewhere. But I remember this poor couple begged me, so I let them sleep in the barn. And I also remember someone said that she gave birth that night…but, I really don’t know. But what has that to do with Messiah?
That’s it! That was Him!
Who?
That was Messiah!
Who was Messiah?
The baby born that night in your stable was Jesus. Messiah came to Bethlehem and to your inn but you turned Him away. You had no place for Him. He was too poor.
Just then a deep sadness gripped the Inn keeper’s heart, as he thought back to that night. Tears began to fill his eyes….could it be? That the King of Kings had come to visit the old grey beard Inn keeper once and he had simply turned Him away.
The inn keeper slowly lifted up his eyes to heaven and quietly sighed possibly the saddest words ever spoken by a man,
If I had only known.
The old grey beards were sitting at the gate of Jerusalem talking back and forth about what had just happened. Pilate had just yesterday executed several men in Jerusalem. One of the old grey beards spoke up saying,
Surely that Jesus really was Messiah, for I, personally witnessed Him open the eyes of a man born blind! No man has ever opened a man’s eyes born blind!
Another of the grey beards sitting at the gate agreed by saying,
I was there when Jesus feed over 5,000 men and women and children with just a small boy’s lunch, can you imagine that? Just a few pieces of bread and over 5,000 ate!
And another agreed that he too had witnessed one of the miracles of Jesus,
I saw Him raise a dead boy back to life at a funeral.
One by one each of the elders took turns in describing what miracles they had seen or heard this man had done. They all agreed only Messiah could have done such great and mighty miracles and yet the rulers had put Him to death.
Why? For what crime has this Jesus done worthy of death?
One of the elders an old grey beard, who once was an innkeeper in his younger days, said,
Oh, I would have given anything to have seen this great one or just one of his miracles. I just can’t believe He is really dead. Now I will never get to see Him.
Someone in the group responded to the old innkeeper, saying,
You did see Jesus….don’t you remember during the year of the census?
The old innkeeper smiled while thinking back to the year of the census and what a shrewd business man he had been.
The census…Oh, I remember that census many years ago, how could I forget? Everyone had to go to land of their fathers to be counted and taxed. Don’t you remember my Inn was the finest inn in all of Bethlehem? Just think, in those days rich travelers had to pay 2 prices to stay at my inn!
He said that with a boastful gleam in his eyes.
I can still remember those great camel caravans that came in late on those cold clear nights…they were so rich they had gold and silver chains weaved in the reigns of their camels. There must have been 10 or 11 camel caravans each night and I knew that some rich merchant would be coming from very far away and being tired and would pay a premium price to stay in my inn. So of course, I kept back my best rooms, just in case, for some rich traveler that I knew would be arriving late in the night. Being such a good business man I could get two prices for my rooms in those days. The census…
He boasted.
There were so many folks wanting a room, in the City of David, I just told everyone I had no rooms left. Sorry no room left in my inn. All the rooms are taken.
He winked,
But, secretly, I had saved back my best rooms for some rich travelers or some king or prince who would arrive late and pay my price! Being wise as I am, I wasn’t about to give away my best rooms to the poor.
He smiled as he thought about what a crafty business man he was!
But I’ll assure you, if Messiah would have ever come to my inn, well, I would have given Him my very best room and for free! He would have to pay nothing! But alas, no one famous ever comes to Bethlehem.
He said sadly.
I only wish I could have seen this Jesus the one they call Messiah. If only He would have come to my town and stayed at my Inn, I would have treated like a king!
Then one of the old grey beards replied,
But He did come to Bethlehem.
And the Inn keeper asked puzzled,
When? When did Messiah ever come to Bethlehem? I would have been the first to know! I was the innkeeper.
He did come, Messiah did come to Bethlehem.
And the Inn keeper said,
No, why, no, because if He had ever come He would have surely stayed at my Inn, the best inn in Bethlehem. No! Messiah never came to Bethlehem. I am sure of that!
No, He did come, Jesus really did come. Don’t you remember? One cold night during the census…?
And the old Inn keeper lifted his eyes up, thinking back long ago….
Nope, I just don’t remember.
Yes, yes you do, just think back.
The old grey beard said.
Don’t you remember a man with a woman riding a donkey? They came in late from Galilee during the censes, and you remember the woman was heavy with child.
Oh, let me think…perhaps I do remember, a woman riding on a donkey who as near her time of delivery.
The old Inn keeper said,
I think I remember a young couple with a donkey. It was cold and late, and she was ready to give birth at any time, or so they told me. That was so long ago. But, you know, I had reserved my best room for the rich, so I told all the poor there was no rooms left in my inn, and for them to look for a room elsewhere. But I remember this poor couple begged me, so I let them sleep in the barn. And I also remember someone said that she gave birth that night…but, I really don’t know. But what has that to do with Messiah?
That’s it! That was Him!
Who?
That was Messiah!
Who was Messiah?
The baby born that night in your stable was Jesus. Messiah came to Bethlehem and to your inn but you turned Him away. You had no place for Him. He was too poor.
Just then a deep sadness gripped the Inn keeper’s heart, as he thought back to that night. Tears began to fill his eyes….could it be? That the King of Kings had come to visit the old grey beard Inn keeper once and he had simply turned Him away.
The inn keeper slowly lifted up his eyes to heaven and quietly sighed possibly the saddest words ever spoken by a man,
If I had only known.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Seed for Dec 18
Day by day we learn to be more dependent upon the Lord. That is opposite to life, which teaches us to be more and more independent. The Lord Jesus wants to be our life and life’s source. He wants to be the Tree of Life to us, which we eat of and live of. He wants us to lean upon Him and not our own understanding. He wants us to acknowledge Him in all things and He will direct our steps. Jesus said it is not within a man to direct his own steps. We are also encouraged to not worry about anything, but to cast all our cares upon Him. He is the way maker. He opens the door and no man can shut it and when He closes the door no man can open it. Our lives should be wrapped around looking for opened door. I want to go where He leads and I always ask Him to open the doors that need to be opened and shut the ones that need to be shut. Be blessed.
Please consider helping the Orphans and Street kids of Haiti
http://haitianstreetkids.com/
In Jesus,
Billy and Jan Wells
Please consider helping the Orphans and Street kids of Haiti
http://haitianstreetkids.com/
In Jesus,
Billy and Jan Wells
Monday, December 15, 2008
Seed for Dec 15
The Lord is Spirit and seeks true worshippers. How can we truly worship the Lord? By desiring truth in our inward parts. By loving truth more than anything. By asking the Lord for truth, and nothing but the truth. And you will be amazed that when you discover truth, it will be Him. Some think they have discovered truth in this or that teaching, or in this or that faith, or this or that denomination. Let me say, that if you have discovered truth anywhere but in Jesus the Messiah you have not discovered truth. For He said I am the Way the Truth and the Life. He did not claim to just be a good man, or just a prophet, but His claim was that He is the Way and the only Way. That is Truth! God is seeking true worshippers that worship in Spirit and Truth. Discover the Truth and discover Jesus. Where is your trust today? If you hear Him and build your life upon Him your house will stand. If you fail to build your life upon the Truth of Jesus, your house will fall and great will be the fall. Be blessed.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Seed for Dec 8
After the traditions of men, some people try to worship God. But the Lord has said in His Word, that He seeks true worshipers. A true worshiper is one that will worship God in Spirit and Truth. He is not looking for us to suffer, (for some worship the sufferings of Christ), nor is He looking for us to be religious in our traditions, but to be free. We are to lift holy hands, and our voices in praise. We are to make melody and praise in our hearts, and the fruit of our lips to be praise to His name continually. We are to enjoy the peace, joy and love of the Holy Ghost. We are not to recite vain prayers with no life, nor substance, but we are to pray to Him from our hearts making our prayers and request known. We are to confess our sins to Him and trust Him for forgive and cleanse us completely. We cannot pay for our own sins, by our own suffering or penitence. It is the blood of Jesus that pays completely for our guilt. Religion is a hard taskmaster, having a form of godliness but never able to come to or acknowledge the Truth. But where the Truth is, there is Liberty! Be blessed.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Seed for Dec 5
As many as led by the Spirit, they are the sons of God. Spiritual leadership is essential to the proof of our sonship. Many claim this experience, or this mode or method of salvation, or just a happy confession, but the Word of God is quite plain on our proof of sonship. It is by what are we being led? If we are led by the flesh or will of man, and not by the Spirit, then we are not sons. How can we be led by the Spirit? It is by following that still small voice within, often called conscience. Paul said he was always void of the offense of his conscience. We have to be tender to the Lord. We have to be easily led and not driven (like wild goats). We have to be willing to hear His voice and follow. He will never drag us across the finish line. But will gently and tenderly lead us by the conscience within. The Bible puts it this way: if you heart condemns you (if you have a bad conscience) then know that God is greater than your heart (it is He that is causing that bad feeling). And then it goes on to say: if you heart does not condemn you, then have confidence toward God. There you have it. As many as are led by the Spirit they are the sons of God and they have good a conscience. That is what walking in the Spirit is all about, a clear conscience. Be blessed
Billy and Jan Wells
Why not help orphans and plant your seeds into the real Kingdom?
http://haitianstreetkids.com
Billy and Jan Wells
Why not help orphans and plant your seeds into the real Kingdom?
http://haitianstreetkids.com
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Seed for Dec 4
Let your conversation always be seasoned with salt that it might minister grace to the hearers. That is God's admonition about the words that come from our mouth. The Bible says no spring of water can yield both salt and fresh water. How can we bless God and curse man, who is made in God's image? Let no corrupt communication come from your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying. We are to build up and not tear down. Our words have power to influence one way or the other. It is the words of the tale barer that keep strife going, the Bible says. We are to speak grace, and life, and love. Our lips should minister life and grace and not death and judgment. We are to put guards at the door post of our lips, according to Psalms. And our hearts are revealed by the words that we speak. As ministers of the gospel of grace, our lips should minister life. Our words should speak faith, that is calling things that are not as though they are. The Bible says by our words we shall be justified and by our words we shall be condemned. What a powerful tool we possess and we should guard what we say, and the words we release into the world with all diligence.
Billy and Jan Wells
Why not help orphans and plant your seeds into the real Kingdom?
http://haitianstreetkids.com
Billy and Jan Wells
Why not help orphans and plant your seeds into the real Kingdom?
http://haitianstreetkids.com
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Seed for Dec 3
Q: Where should we give our money?
A: There were only 3 types of giving in the Bible.
1. The Law of the Tithe (which ended with the grace of God)
2. Free will offerings.
3. Alms = money to the poor.
The New Testament Church is commanded to remember the poor. The Orphans and Widows are always on God's heart. And we are commissioned to help those that sow to us spiritually. Since there is no more tithe in the New Testament, we should try to help the poor, orphaned and widows. My suggestion is to find an orphanage where you can send your money that really does get the money to the need and not "swallowed" up in some "money-machine" trying to make more money. Find an orphanage that needs your help. Sow into a soup kitchen or something that really helps the poor. Forget about TBN where the leaders live in golden palaces while robbing the welfare checks of poor people who believe their lies. If the leadership of any "supposedly" Christian organization lives in golden palaces, robbed from the backs of their followers, know it is not of God. He came and had no where to lay His head, though he owned the whole world. Selah. Everything that glitters is not gold.
Billy and Jan Wells
Why not help orphans and plant your seeds into the real Kingdom?
http://haitianstreetkids.com
A: There were only 3 types of giving in the Bible.
1. The Law of the Tithe (which ended with the grace of God)
2. Free will offerings.
3. Alms = money to the poor.
The New Testament Church is commanded to remember the poor. The Orphans and Widows are always on God's heart. And we are commissioned to help those that sow to us spiritually. Since there is no more tithe in the New Testament, we should try to help the poor, orphaned and widows. My suggestion is to find an orphanage where you can send your money that really does get the money to the need and not "swallowed" up in some "money-machine" trying to make more money. Find an orphanage that needs your help. Sow into a soup kitchen or something that really helps the poor. Forget about TBN where the leaders live in golden palaces while robbing the welfare checks of poor people who believe their lies. If the leadership of any "supposedly" Christian organization lives in golden palaces, robbed from the backs of their followers, know it is not of God. He came and had no where to lay His head, though he owned the whole world. Selah. Everything that glitters is not gold.
Billy and Jan Wells
Why not help orphans and plant your seeds into the real Kingdom?
http://haitianstreetkids.com
Monday, December 1, 2008
Seed for Dec 1
Is a Christian immune from problems? No not at all. We get just as many problems as nonbelievers and sometimes more. The question is never do we have problems, but do we have a solution? And the answer is yes! Our solution to every problem is Jesus. He is our ox (burden bearer), He is the eagle (flying far above the storms of life), He is our Lamb (offering for sin) and He is our Son of Man (The King of kings). He is the four faced beast. So when trials come, and they will, cling to Him. Let them make your stronger, and teach you His ways. Thank Him for everything you go thru and be exercised in passing thru them. Know that the water and the fire will not over come you, because He is our Rock and shelter in the storm. Be blessed.
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