Faith

Hello!

The word faith is used 336 times in the King James Version of the bible, according to Biblegateway.com. It is used 56 times in the Old Testament, and 280 times in the New Testament... 

Faith seems to mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. I was the most curious about  Jesus' words Oh ye of little faith [Matthew 6:30, Matthew 8:26, Matthew 16:8 and Luke 12:28 KJV]...

According to A Commentary on the New Testament From the Talmud and Hebraica by John Lightfoot as found at BibleStudyTools.com, Matthew 6:30 is referring to faith for daily needs, such as food and clothing...

Matthew 8:26 is not directly addressed in the above commentary; however, in verse 23 Jesus is getting into the ship when the storm at sea arose. He rebukes the storm. In verses 28 - 32, He comes across two men possessed with devils in Gergesenes. He casts the demons out of them and into the swine, before sending them on their way...   

Matthew 16:8 is not directly addressed in the above commentary, either ; however, in verse 7 Jesus admonishes the disciples to beware of the leaven in the bread (or the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees). In verses 9 - 12, He reminds them of how the loaves of bread were multiplied. He also admonishes them once again to beware of the teachings of the religious leaders...

Luke 12:28 is not directly addressed in the above commentary, either. In verses 24 - 27; however, Jesus talks about how the ravens are fed and the lilies and the grass are arrayed and clothed... 

Jesus did not make a real distinction between types of, or levels of faith! People either believed, or they did not believe! If they believed, they believed wholeheartedly! If they did not believe wholeheartedly, they had not tapped into the faith of Jesus! Our measure of faith is for the sole purpose of tapping into the faith of God! Now go ye therefore and encourage your brethren to take the Lord at His word!

"Happy Today!"

"Happy Weekend!"

Shalom!

Angela

#EvnGreaterThings2018

#EvenGreaterThings2018

#Faith

#BibleGateway

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"I am a king and a priest unto thee [Revelation 1:6]!"

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies   |   O My Dove      

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Whatever happened to Sunday evening services?

Hello!

I have to tell you:  I love church! I could go all day, every day! Mostly, I go Sundays. Sunday mornings...    

"Back in the day," the 7th day or Day of Rest began with Sunday School. Morning worship came next. Like clockwork, there was a singing engagement for the young adult choir at other churches after lunch. YPHA, in addition to an evening service, occurred once a month... 

Somewhere along the line, churches began to get out of Sunday morning services promptly at 12:00 P.M., or shortly thereafter. And, they began to drop evening services altogether...

I can't help but wonder. Did we become too busy to go to church twice a day on Sundays, or what? I didn't. As a matter of fact, I worked part-time in retail on Sundays in the Shenandoah Valley partly for that very reason. What I had become accustomed to no longer existed. At least not to the extent that it had before...

Does dwindling church attendance reflect a lack of a biblical worldview on our parts? I prefer to refer to it as a biblical worldview rather than a Christian worldview because Christian worldview can mean so many different things to different people. A biblical worldview is more conclusive...

George Barna found that only 10% of professing Christians have a biblical worldview! Would lack of church attendance have any bearing on the dismal results? Possibly. Probably. Let me put it another way. It does not help! So, what are we going to do about it?  

We must become aggressive, with a capital 'a,' in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth! We must be discipled, and disciple!   

Alright; now, let's go!  

God bless 'ya!

Happy Father's Day! 

Angela

#EvenGreaterThings

#TheKingIsComing

NOTE:  I Adorned You [digital magazine] is coming your way, whenever!

ALV & Co., "The Gold Standard!"

"I am a king and a priest unto thee..." Revelation 1:6

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies   |   O My Dove   

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Live on purpose

Hello!

Since December 2017, my high school class has lost 4 members. One of which died 5 days ago. We celebrated our 40th reunion September 2017. One able to attend is among the other three no longer living. This and the death of fashion designer Kate Spade has me pondering the meaning of it all, life and death, purpose...

As I take in the things swirling on around me, I can't help but note, "Some  of us live as if we have nine lives!"  Oh to be able to worship as Jacob did, even as he was dying [Hebrews 11:21 NIV]!

Although Ecclesiastes 3:2a tells us that there is "A time to be born, and a time to die, living without a cause is worrisome. I am convinced that some do know 'the hour' of departing. Others not so much. None of us know 'the hour' that the Lord cometh [Matthew 24:36, 42 and 25:13 KJV]. How do we prepare for the inevitable, saved or unsaved?

*Above all, by living on purpose!!!

Rick Warren tackled it well in his book Purpose Driven Life. I still have my copy of the original which I received as a gift. We are not our own no matter which way we look at it. If we live for God, we are His. We also have family, employees or employers, neighbors and other community members, etc., to do life with. If we do not live for God, we are still living for someone or something else larger than ourselves whether it is acknowledged or not. How does one ascertain purpose? By going back to the bible, of course...

The Lord always has a purpose, beginning with His! "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose [Romans 8:28 KJV]!" As I made my way into town this morning on foot, I acknowledged that I should have consulted the Lord more on various issues over the years. Just imagine some of the heartache and frustration that I may have saved myself had I ... about everything! He has purpose, clearly. If He has purpose, we have purpose too...

It is my heart's desire to do everything that He intends for me to do. As He has and keeps on revealing things to me, I marvel. I would not have thought of some of the things that He has thought of! I am glad that He made me, and that I have a relationship with Him that needs to deepen even more daily through prayer and reading the scripture. As I've often heard some say, we keep on doing what He last told us to do until He tells us to do something else! We are bound to be happier if we are falling in line with what he has created us to be and do...

Decide today that you too will live on purpose, that you too will live with a cause, that you too will worship even unto 'the hour!'

God bless 'ya!

"Happy Today!"

Shalom!

Angela
#EvenGreaterThings
#TheKingIsComing
#LiveOnPurpose

NOTE:  I Adorned You [digital magazine] is coming your way, whenever!

ALV & Co., "The Gold Standard!"
"I am a king and a priest unto thee..." Revelation 1:6

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies   |   O My Dove   

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Persevere, persevere, persevere

Hello!

The times call for it!

October 10, 2017. My journal. "You have to have an ironclad will to follow me!"  If I didn't know it then, I know it now!

I was told by a pastor about a year ago that it is easy to serve God! I don't know what planet she came from, but some times it is and some times it isn't! That said, we have hope through Jesus! We have His authority, and His power! We must use them, con-sis-ent-ly!

We are admonished to!

"Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers [1 Timothy 4:16 NIV]..."

I want my relationship with Christ to grow, and I want others to come into relationship with Christ! I want to press in to Him, when it is easy and when it is not easy! I desire all that He has for me!

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him [James 1:12 NIV]!"

"As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy [James 5:11 NIV]..."

Be encouraged, and be an encourager! When all is said and done, He is worth it!

God bless 'ya!

"Happy Today!"

Shalom!

Angela
#EvenGreaterThings
#TheKingIsComing
#Persevere

NOTE:  I Adorned You [digital magazine] is coming your way, whenever!

ALV & Co., "The Gold Standard!"
"I am a king and a priest unto thee..." Revelation 1:6

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies 

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What is grace, actually?

Hello!

Grace means so many different things to so many different people. It is sometimes hard to wrap one's head around it all...

Bible Gateway mentions grace 159 times in the King James Version of the bible: thirty seven times in the Old Testament, and 122 times in the New Testament...

Spiritually speaking, the English Oxford Living Dictionaries describe grace as...

*The free and unmerited favour of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings

*A divinely given talent or blessing

*The condition or fact of being favoured by someone

The Bible Researcher goes on and examines grace as that and more. In other words, grace is seen as an attitude and an action. It originates from the Greek word charis. It is the power behind what we believe. It is the justification for what we believe. We could not come into salvation but by His grace, and we can not go forth but by His grace. He is grace!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life [John 3:16 KJV]" is grace!

"Now concerning spiritual gifts et al [1 Corinthians 12 KJV]" is grace!

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law [Galatians 5:22-23]" is grace!  

"Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you [Luke 10:19 KJV]" is grace!

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth [Acts 1:8 KJV]" is grace!

To wrap it up, grace is His love from the very beginning and what He has done for us!

Grace is what He so graciously gives to, and unto us!

Grace is His empowerment to be, to go, and to do!

Grace is the personification of whom, and what He is to us!   

But for grace!!!

God bless 'ya!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Shalom!

Angela
#Grace
#EvenGreaterThings
#TheKingIsComing

NOTE:  I Adorned You [digital magazine] is coming your way, whenever! 

ALV & Co., "The Gold Standard!"
"I am a king and a priest unto thee..." Revelation 1:6

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies 

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John Gray goes forth in the grace and peace of God

Hello!

It has been more than a minute; but hey, I'm back! Praise God! 

I am reminded of the goodness of God, today! Least we forget, He is in the moments of our lives, day by day by day by day!

I watched with awe as Joel & Victoria Osteen sent John & Aventer Gray forth in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost! My interpretation, mind you!

Look what God has done! He has brought two men after God's own heart together to bring an awareness of whom and what He is, like nobody's business! And the miles between South Carolina and Texas is of no account! Irrelevant, actually! "The beacon of light" leading to heaven just got brighter!

Week before last, I sat in the audience of a local congregation, enjoying the presence of the Lord! About half way through the service, I began to feel this smile rising up from within me. "This is the place where you will thrive" resonated deep within my spirit! Can you imagine? I wanted to laugh! I wanted to break out in song! I wanted to dance! I just grinned...

I searched for a home church for three years, and some! Who are you telling? I visited with a total of 20 churches, and contacted four others before walking into 'my destination!' I was beginning to wonder about 'the remnant of God!' But, "Then God!"

Why did it take a while? That is a story in, and of itself! But; suffice it to say, I've got my theories!  One day, I promise, one day!

The world has influenced the church more than the church has influenced the world! You know I am telling the truth! Geez! Who created heaven, earth and all thereof? God did, that's who! Who created us? God did, that's who! Who made us in His image? God did, that's who! Who gave us skills, strengths, talents and abilities? God did, that's who! Where is our vision, our purpose, our passion, our drive? I don't know about you, but mine is getting in gear and about to take off!

Heavenly Father, You are the most interesting person (in other words, being) I know! Raise us all up to be more like you, the Lion of Judah!!! And we will be ever so careful to press, press, press and press some more; into You, even until You come! Amen!

1)  But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works [Psalm 73:28 KJV]...

2)  For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly [Psalm 84:11 KJV]...

3)  It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all [Ecclesiastes 7:18 KJV]...

4)  The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound [Isaiah 61:1 KJV]...

5)  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? [Micah 6:8 KJV]...

God is good!

"Happy Today!"

Shalom!

Angela
#EvenGreaterThings
#TheKingIsComing
#GodIsGood

NOTE:  I Adorned You [digital magazine] is coming your way, whenever!

ALV & Co., "The Gold Standard!"
"I am a king and a priest unto thee..." Revelation 1:6

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies 

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The official launch of 'Even Greater Things' ; plus, attend church to live longer!

Hello!

Welcome to the official launching of Even Greater Things! Even Greater Things is a subsidiary of ALV & Co.! At Even Greater Things, we set our face(s) like a flint [Isaiah 50:7 NIV] "to teach and sing the word of God!" We won't do any singing, right away! We are a little rusty, you see! But; please, bear with us! We will get there!

As a 57-year-old African-American woman who rarely has a sick day, I am getting over a case of poison ivy. Yes, you heard that right! "How did that happen," you might ask? The poison ivy was; was being the operative word, in the middle of a gardenia bush! You can bet your bottom dollar, it was not set out with that bush!

I was clipping gardenias to place in vases for the house. I saw what I thought were weeds. I clipped away, since I had the scissors in hand, and it was Memorial Day. Twenty-four hours later, a red rash began to appear on my inner left arm. I happened to be with a doctor at the time. She did ask me about it. I thought they were heat bumps, and shrugged. Wrong; and twice, no less!

As the rash spread, it began to itch --- like the dickens! Mom informed me that it was poison ivy. I thought, "I will be switched! This would be the day that I would decide to wear short sleeves and shorts, while working out in the yard!"

It's better now; but, I would not wish such a thing upon my greatest adversary! Summer will all but be gone before my skin looks like usual...

This being a teachable moment and all, I was reminded...

1)  For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. He never withdraws them once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call [Romans 11:20 AMPC]...

2)  Tares are among the wheat [Matthew 13:24-30 NIV]...

3)  Some have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof [2 Timothy 3:4-7 KJV]...

4)  Get skillful and godly wisdom! Acquire understanding, actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth [Proverbs 4:5 KJV]...

5)  Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established [Proverbs 16:3 ESV]...

I know that's right! I will not be persuaded otherwise! By the yeahs, or by the nays! By the supporters, or by the distractors! They will come, and they will go! From near, and from far! Ask me how I know!!! Nevertheless; my friend, it is His faithfulness that I depend upon! Not mine, and not yours! His!

It's often been said that women are the backbone of the church. I couldn't agree more. Now it can be said that women who attend church live longer! Well; now, I wonder why that is? There could be a myriad of reasons; but to keep it simple, we need God! And look at the benefits! My, my, my!

Enough for now!

Bless 'ya!

Happy Thursday ; Happy July 4th ; Happy Summer!

Shalom!

Angela
#EvenGreaterThings

NOTE:  I Adorned You [digital] magazine is coming your way, whenever!

ALV & Co., 'The Gold Standard!'
"I am a king and a priest unto thee..." Revelation 1:6

Angela L Vann, Ms   |   Far Above Rubies   |   O My Dove      

*Like this? Gifts are accepted at Google Wallet! Thaaaaank you!

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