Easter/ Resurrection Break

 Took a break from blogging during the season of Passover and Resurrection.

 Spent my posting time on my Facebook page posting various aspects of the Crucifixion along with my distaste for the bunny..  If you think you might be interested, look me up on Facebook,  Linda Rous.  My page is public.

 These particular posts run between April 13 and April 19 of this year (2025) on my Facebook page.

 You will find information regarding Jesus in his last hours, The Supper, the crucifixion, the resurrection, bread of life, the sign on the cross, the Centurian, the tomb and more.

 

 

I'll be back soon with more from the editing of my book. 

* My book begins with the post on Dec. 30, 2024

See "Entertaining Angels Unaware"

Grace Over Law

The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.  Gen 21:8

 In the verse above we see Isaac weaned off of milk so he could consume solid food.  Hebrew children were weaned at three to five years of age and their religious training began at that time.   In a spiritual way, babes in Christ grow to taking solid food; the word of God.  We grow from taking God's word in literal form to reading with understanding as we grow.  We learned the 10 Commandments as children.  As we mature and grow in the understanding of Jesus, His sacrifice and the grace we have through Him, we are said to be eating the "bread of life" - Jesus.  We realize we no longer need the milk (God's perfect law) because we cannot grow healthy on just milk.  We now have bread (the grace of Jesus).  Through understanding grace over law, we can mature in Jesus.  We, as Christians, can grow in understanding and reflect the light of Jesus in this world.

Just a few years ago, I did not understand the bread of Communion for healing.  I saw speaking in tongues done in the wrong way and did not accept it.  There was a time that I did not believe in anointing for healing.  I thought the 10 Commandments were our absolute law for living; that we could loose our salvation if we did not keep them.  I was self righteous; I was judgemental..  I did not have joy.  I thought the rapture was folklore.  I recently realized that I did not grasp the concept of the trinity.  Over the past couple, or three, years I have been shown the grace of God and my understanding of all these things has come to light through scripture.  I can now read with greater understanding.  I was the babe on milk until I was taught the grace of God and found the bread of life; Jesus.

And you shall love the Lord your God out of with your whole heart, and with all your soul and out of with your mind - with your faculty of thought and your moral understanding - and out, of with, all your strength.  Mk 12:30 & 31
My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.  II Cor 12:9

Manna

>  In the Hebrew language, the word "manna" translates "What is it?"  /  
The Pharises saw Jesus and said, "Who is He?"
>  Well, it came from heaven.  /  Jesus came from heaven. 
>  It was needed to survive in the dessert  /  We need Jesus to survive in the dessert of life.
>  It was described as "the bread of heaven"  /  Jesus is our bread of life. 
Jn 6:32
>  Eat of manna and die  /  eat of the bread of life (Jesus) and live forever
Jn 6:58
>  The Hebrew people complained about (rejected) the manna that God had provided.   /  The Jewish people rejected Jesus.

It is described in the Bible as being wafer thin, in flakes like snow and tasting like coriander with honey.

The Hebrews were told not to save it over night, it would rot.

Psalm 78:24-25: “[24] And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. [25] Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.” “Manna,” “the corn of heaven,” “angels’ food,”

What manna must have look like.

First mention of manna is in Ex 16:4 (4th verse).  The number 4 represents the earth.  What came from the earth?  Man was made from the earth.   This bread (what is it/who is he) was made for man.  Heaven's bread was made for man to survive the wilderness (stress/Egypt).


Ex 16: 25 shows manna being used to establish the Sabbath BEFORE the Ten Commandments were given.

It was one of three items, representing the rebellion of man, that was put into the Ark of the Covenant and - it did not rot, in the ark. 

The manna was used to test the Hebrews in the dessert.  Jesus was used to test the Jewish people to see if they would follow Him.   Deut. 8:16


Amen

 

"I Am"

The great "I Am Who I Am" statement in Ex.3:6 shortened to "I Am" throughout the Old Testament, is continued in the New Testament with all the "I Am" quotes of Jesus.  (via the Hebrew language, this statement can also be rendered "I Shall Be As I Shall Be" referring to the coming of Jesus and again in the second coming.)

In essence, Jesus was continuing to state that He was/is God (in flesh).  This explains why the priests and Jewish leaders were so consumed with jealousy and venomous hatred.  He kept saying, "I Am".  This was the name of God in their books of Moses.  Jesus kept stating that He was God.  Absolute blasphemy for a man who was a mere carpenter from little ol' no nothing Nazareth.  They were waiting for the glowing son of God, in great majesty to descend from the clouds with a righteous flaming sword to slay all the enemies of Israel.  Am I clear here?

Take a look at the New Testament and circle every time Jesus said "I Am" in the gospel of John, who saw Jesus as the Son of God.  Amazing how many times He told people who He was and very few actually "got it".  The pharisees  understood what He was saying but were enraged with vile jealousy over such a statement. After all, they, as religious leaders, would certainly know the son of God if he were standing in front of them.

I Am:  The bread of life - Jn 6:35  I am reminded of communion and the broken  bread (His body) that heals us.
           The light of the world - Jn 8:12   I am reminded of the healing of the blind to bring them into the light of His truth and out of the darkness of lies and confusion.  I was blind, bur now I see.
           The Good Shepard - Jn 10:11  Jesus left the 100 to find the one lost.  Something unheard of among shepherds.
           The gate for the sheep - Jn 10:7   He said, "My sheep know me."  He brings us through that narrow gate that is a difficult journey to follow Him along the path to everlasting life.
           The resurrection and the life - Jn 11:25  Through His death and resurrection, we are now inheritors of eternal life.
           The way and the truth and the life - Jn 14:6  Belief in Him and what He did on that tree is the truth that leads us to life after death.
           The true vine - Jn 15:1  Jesus is the vine, believers are the branches that are to produce fruit/good in our lives.  Apart from the vine, we cannot function; we would die.
In Jn 7 people wanted to seize Jesus because He said, "I am".
* Each of these statements also refers to a side of God Himself.

I have heard it stated that Jn 7, at the Feast, is counted as the first time Jesus said, "I Am". Actually, In Jn 4:26 (three chapters prior to chapt. 7) Jesus says, "I Am He" to the Samaritan woman at the well.

You will find it very interesting to take the time to circle every time Jesus says "I am" in the gospel of John.

Let's go back to Ex 3:6 and 3:14  
Here the "I am" translates from the Hebrew "Yahweh" which translates into English as "I Shall Be As I Shall Be".  "Shall Be" as future tense here is a reference to Jesus coming.  ("Yahweh" actually translates more correctly, in other places of the bible, as "I Was, I Am, I Shall Be", which tells us a lot more about the plurality of God.  I will go into this another time.)

Note:  In Jn 1:21, John the Baptist stated, "I Am NOT" stating he was not the "I Am".  The Baptist had great anointed knowledge from the Holy Spirit.

In Revelation (NIV), I have counted ten "I am" statements with two places where I believe are mistranslated to leave out "I am" statements.  Considering this book is prophesy, the number 10 represents the law and the number 12 represents government, this is a very interesting issue.

Rev 4:8 concludes with the phrase, "who was, and is, and is to come."  This representing the Hebrew word "Yahweh".

Anyway, this study could be continued much deeper, if the reader is so disposed at this  time.  I am moving on.

May you be blessed anew today with a fresh anointing that will bless you with God's grace, health, patience and wisdom.
 Amen

Anointing - A Study Of

Asking for a fresh anointing from God every day can be a blessing to you.  Anointing for healing, wisdom, provision, free from debt, safety, increased faith and blessings.  Anointing to just get through the day.  Hallelujah !

What is anointing?  I'm so glad you asked.  Actually, whether you had asked or not, I was going to tell you anyway.

Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body.  The term is also used to relate to acts of sprinkling or smearing a person or object with a perfumed oil, milk, butter or other fat.  (I favor olive oil and a "cross" mark made with my thumb on the forehead of any person I am anointing.)  Sharing these oils is commonly an act of hospitality.  They are used to introduce a divine influence to rid persons and things of dangerous spirits and demons believed to cause disease.  This has been recorded from early times.

As a verb, synonyms are:  consecrate, sanctify, bless, ordain, hallow.

As a noun, this is a sacrament using oil and the recitation of prayer administered [by a priest] to a person who is very ill or dying.

I object with this act being performed only by religious "authority" (such as a priest); that was a necessity before Jesus became our High Priest.  It's a matter of the anointing of the spirit.  Those believers in Christ Jesus are anointed by God through the spirit and we do not need anyone to act for us; we have the anointing on us.  I Jn 2:27  To perform anointing has nothing to do with education or knowledge.  As long as we walk according to the inner anointing of the Spirit, we will know God's will and be acquainted with God's work.  Thus, we are capable of doing these works just as Jesus disciples were instructed.  Mary performed the anointing of Jesus feet.  Jn 12:3

The origin of anointing comes from ancient shepherds who would pour oil over the head of sheep to make it too slippery for insects (ie: lice) to get near the ears of their sheep which, untreated, could cause the pests to burrow into the head causing death.  Anointing became used for protection, blessing and empowerment.

The N.T. Greek word (chrio) implicates consecration for office or religious service.  Another Greek word for anoint (aleipho) signifies God's blessing or call on that person's life.  Ex 29:7, 40:9, II Kings 9:6, Eccl 9:8, Jms 5:14 

(The oil itself does not have any power; only God.  The oil is just a symbol of what God is doing.)

Another meaning of the word is "chosen one".  Jesus was anointed by God, with the Holy Spirit for His life mission.  Lk 4:18&19, Acts 10:38   All the kings of Israel were anointed to their position.

After Jesus left the earth, He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Now all Christians are anointed.  Jn 14:16, I Jn 2:20, II Cor 1:21&22
Jesus anointing has come upon His followers, believers today.  I Jn 2:27  When you call upon Jesus' name, the anointing is released on you.  When spoken, His name is like ointment.  Call on Jesus and watch His anointing release deliverance, provision, healing, protection and make you whole.  Ro 10:13  Our anointing is increased by spending time with Him.

Note:  Grain offerings were to have olive oil poured onto the fine flour and frankincense added.  Oil commonly refers to the Holy Spirit.  (I am reminded that, shortly after His birth, Jesus was presented with gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Frankincense is an oil used to relieve stress, anxiety and pain.  Myrrh is an aromatic resin or gum used as an incense.  We all know what gold is; Jesus is more precious than gold./Wisdom is more precious than gold.)  The grain offering speaks of Jesus sacrifice and oil speaks of anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The grain offering of fine flour (Jesus is the Bread of Life) which had oil poured on it, is Jesus' as man being anointed by the Holy Spirit - which is a sweet fragrance to God, His Father.

For Healing:  Acts 10:38, Jms 15:14, Mk 6:13, Lk 10:33&34  Spiritual, physical and emotional healing through anointing.

For revelation:  Ex 25:6  Take away the dark and replace it with the light of knowledge through Christ's life.

For provision:  I Kgs 17:14  This widow had oil overflowing to sell, share and use.

For financial freedom:  II Kgs 4:1-7  Another widow freed of debt with the blessing of oil that paid off all her bills.  God's anointing oil.

For deliverance:  Ps 23:1-5  David was saved time and again from his enemies.

For faith:  Isa 21:5  Our shield of faith must be activated by anointing.  We accept anointing through our faith which is increased by the anointing.  This cycle starts with just a mustard seed of faith and is enriched by anointing.

For blessings:  Ps 133  Verse 3 reveals a blessing of life forever.  Today, this blessing is ours. 

His promises are true.  II Cor 1:20

Have an anointed day through the blessing Jesus bestowed on us through the Holy Spirit.
Amen

Jesus Loves YOU

Sometimes we just need to hear it.
We definitely need to know it.

Are you depressed?  Sad?  Confused?  Lost?  Lonely?  Lost control?
Talk to God. 
I know, it sounds too simple.  It is a cliche'.  Maybe it's a cliché because it works.  He loves you as an individual.  He knew you in your mother's womb.  He knows every thought you have and loves you anyway.  He cannot not love you.  He is the total capsulation of love. 

You don't have to go to a great cathedral and use fancy words.  Talk to Him while you work.  Sit down with a cup of tea and talk to Him.  Worried coworkers will think you crazy?  Just project your thoughts His way.  He can read your mind.  He knows the secrets in your heart and mind that you have buried.  He understands what you feel.  Of course He will hear you.  We so often underestimate Him.

Read His word.  Don't know where to start?  John is a great book.  Try the Palms or Proverbs.  You can find reassurance and answers there.  What day of the month is it?  Pick that number and read that Psalm or that chapter of Proverbs.  He will speak to you.

Think of how much He loves you.  A mighty spiritual being that lives outside of time and space made Himself a minute speck of flesh and blood to become acquainted with what it feels like to be human.  He left His place of serene paradise to come to this earth of pain and suffering to know you; to spend time with people; and, He enjoyed life.
 

Then, He made the ultimate sacrifice to be tortured beyond recognition and die in agony so we might have a chance to know that serenity in paradise with Him forever.

Think on the calm, quiet, still, order and health He offers you.  Just sit and think about it.

What do you need?  Ask Him for it.  Nothing fancy here, either.  All you need to do is think what you need and direct those thoughts toward Him.  He already knows but just wants enough faith from you for you to ask.  Your Father wants to give you your hearts desires; to see you happy and well.

Then, thank Him.  Thank Him and go on with your day believing that this Man/God loves you so much that your slightest want or need is His absolute joy to give you. 
Jesus loves YOU

What a beautiful God we have.
Amen