EMMANUEL - GOD WITH US

Biblical Fasting - Is fasting necessary for today’s Christian church? Biblical fasting is a spiritual discipline which was encouraged by Jesus, Himself, while He was on earth. When questioned as to why the Pharisees and the disciples of John the Baptist fasted while Jesus disciples did not, Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15).  Jesus was indicating that fasting would become a necessity when, the bridegroom (Jesus) was taken away. While Jesus, who was God manifested in human form, was still on earth, His followers enjoyed a close fellowship and friendship with Him. Jesus bestowed power and authority on them to the extent that they had limited power to preach, heal the sick, and cast out devils. Similarly, when Jesus sent them out to minister to the populace, He instructed them to take few provisions. “Then Jesus asked them, ‘When I se

oneplace.com We are often asked this question around the Easter season when many churches have Communion. “The Lord’s Supper” is what Jesus gave His Body to memorialize His death, and like the Jewish Passover, we must take it at least once a year. Those who fail to partake of Communion at least once a year have no spiritual life in them, and Jesus said that they will not be raised up in the rapture-resurrection (John 6:35-51). It is a serious matter not to be taken lightly. 1Corinthians 5:7-8: “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” This is written to New Testament Christians, and Paul likened us to unleavened bread. Since Christ is our Passover (Hebrew: PESACH: “lamb”), we do

The miracle of turning water to wine took place at a marriage feast in Galilee which Jesus attended with His mother Mary, and His Disciples. We read of this in John 2:1-10). At the feast, the wine ran out. and Mary, Jesus’ mother, tells Him about the problem: (John 2:3-6). This furnished an opportunity for Jesus to perform His first miracle. He went to the servants and told them to fill six water pots containing two or three firkins apiece with water (V6). (A firkin was about 9 gallons) thus the pots contained a combined amount of about 164 gallons. Jesus then changed water into the best wine, which the servants took it to the governor. (V7-10) This miracle has been the most prominent text that is used to justify the acceptance of social drinking of alcohol. It is argued that if Jesus made wine at a wedding feast at which He attended, then surely He he does not object to Christians drinking wine today. If the wine that Jesus made was alcoholic wine, then surely no one could deny th

The Shepherd of Hermas Translated by J. B. Lightfoot Vision 1 1:1 The master, who reared me, had sold me to one Rhoda in Rome. After many years, I met her again, and began to love her as a sister. 1:2 After a certain time I saw her bathing in the river Tiber; and I gave her my hand, and led her out of the river. So, seeing her beauty, I reasoned in my heart, saying, "Happy were I, if I had such an one to wife both in beauty and in character." I merely reflected on this and nothing more. 1:3 After a certain time, as I was journeying to Cumae, and glorifying God's creatures for their greatness and splendor and power, as I walked I fell asleep. And a Spirit took me, and bore me away through a pathless tract, through which no man could pass: for the place was precipitous, and broken into clefts by reason of the waters. When then I had crossed the river, I came into the level country, and knelt down, and began to pray to the Lord and to confess my sins. 1:4 Now, while I