Under the Juniper Tree (video sermon)

Healthy Minute- Juice Fast For Health

 Going on a two day juice fast can really help your body focus energy on repair. However, you need to make certain that you are getting the proper nutrients required to keep you from getting sick with toxic overload.

As you fast, your body will break down fat cells. These fat cells, however, can have toxins bound up in them which will be released into the body as the fat is utilized. Environmental toxins always go through the liver. The liver will wrap them up in fat if it can't eliminate it. We can help the body to eliminate these toxins by giving it what it needs to eliminate them while we fast.

The fast that I'm using is a juice/ bone broth fast. These items will provide all the necessary nutrients without taking forever for the stomach to breakdown and digest the ingredients.

Fasting generally takes your body through 3 phases, if you fast long enough.

During phase 1, your body will take the fat and convert it to a metabolite. This metabolite will contain the fat soluble toxin in a rather toxic form. This is why we only want to fast for 2 days at a time, to give our body the chance to remove all the released toxins without getting sick from toxic overload.

So, this metabolite is full of free radicals, which can be damaging to the tissues. However, you can help your body by getting plenty of antioxidants during this period. Antioxidants are like scavengers that round up free radicals; the most potent of which is beta carotene.

Another antioxidant to include is Vitamin C (if you take a supplement you want the Vitamin C with bioflavonoids). And, Vitamin E is another one you'll want to include during this phase, along with a good Vitamin B supplement.

A good juice to use during this phase is 80% carrot, 10% celery, and 10% apple. You could add in some ginger if you like. However, you need to make certain all your vegetables are organic so you aren't introducing more toxins to the body.

You're trying to nutritionally support the liver the entire time you fast, so you'll drink your juices at 8AM, 10AM, 12PM, 2PM, and 4PM and then you'll let the body rest and drink filtered water with a grain of Celtic salt the rest of the time.

In phase 2, which kicks in at about 36 hours into your fast, the liver takes the volatile, toxic metabolite and joins it together with amino acids.  This converts the substance into a water soluble state so that it can be released out of the body through sweat and urination. 

Minerals are needed by the body during this phase. A great place to get a variety of natural minerals is Celtic Salt or Baja Gold Salt. 

You also need amino acids, which you get from protein, for the metabolite to bind with, which is why I suggest some bone broth with Celtic salt in it. You can make your own mineral rich broth by placing bones and different vegetables and spices in a crock pot and cooking on low for at least 24 hours and then strain everything out so that what you're left with is just liquid.

You could use a pea protein shake that's been pre-digested mixed with water to drink during this time, but whichever you use you want to keep taking your Vitamin C and E supplements, and keep drinking the carrot/apple juice just add a little coconut cream to it to give yourself some good fat it. You definitely want something that will only take your body about 10 minutes to digest.

Ideally, you would drink your bone broth along with your juice (not mixed together) at 8AM, 10Am, 12PM, 2PM, and 4PM.

Finally, in phase 3, which happens almost simultaneously with phase 2, the body kicks the water soluble toxin out through sweat, urine, or feces. 

Should you need help with elimination during this, you can brew some Colon Tea. The Barbara O'Neill  colon tea recipe is a blend of three parts buckthorn bark, two parts licorice root, and one part cascara. To prepare it, mix one teaspoon of the herb mixture per cup of water and simmer gently for about 10 minutes. It is recommended to start with one cup at night and adjust the amount based on your body's response.

This fast is a good way to give the stomach and digestive system a rest while also freeing the system from built up fat-soluble toxins. It's better to do about 2 days of this type of fasting once every week, or every two weeks, than to fast for multiple days in a row on nothing but water, which will create a lot of metabolites, which will make you very sick since your body won't be able to remove them.

If you find that you are feeling sick when you do this fast, then take some extra bone broth with Celtic salt in it. It means your body is pretty toxic and is releasing a lot of metabolites. Drinking extra protein will help the body to convert and expel them faster.

Comfort and Hope (poem)

When sorrow lingers and hearts feel torn,
Remember God’s promise: new mercies each morn.
Though loved ones are gone from the sight of your eyes,
Their souls find their rest where no shadow lies.

“Blessed are those who mourn,” Jesus said,
For His comfort will cradle each tear that you shed.
He holds every prayer, He knows every pain,
And in His great love, your hope will remain.

The grave has no victory, death has no sting,
For Christ is our life, our eternal King.
Your dear ones now walk in His radiant light,
Where joy has no end and day knows no night.

So lean on His promise, steadfast and true,
“I will never forsake or abandon you.”
Until heaven’s reunion makes all things complete,
Rest in His peace, and His love ever sweet.

-Candace T Hoover

Trading a Cross for a Crown (song)

The Lying Prophet

 The Old Testament has many stories of prophets. There are some well known ones, like Elijah who called down fire from heaven, and some little known ones like Obadiah who has just one chapter with 21 verses detailing his prophesies.

There is one story that always makes me wonder. You can find it in I Kings 13:1-32:

In this story, we aren't even told the name of the prophet. We are just told that the Lord commanded him to take a message to King Jeroboam (the king to whom God gave most of the nation of Israel when he took the 10 Tribes from King Solomon's son).

I Kings 13:1-3- And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense. And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said, O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's bones shall be burnt upon thee. And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes that are upon it shall be poured out. 

The story starts out pretty good. The prophet obeys the Lord, goes and delivers his message, and even receives divine protection from the Lord when Jeroboam gets angry and vindictive.

I Kings 13:4-9- And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand, which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it in again to him. The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before. And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward. And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place: For so was it charged me by the word of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest. 

The nameless prophet wouldn't go with Jeroboam because God had told him to go in one way and go out on a different path. He wasn't to eat or drink while he was there, he was only there to fulfill the directive.

I Kings 13:10- So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came to Bethel. 

If only the story had stopped there! The prophet obeyed the command. He was told exactly what was expected of him by the Lord and he followed it to the letter.

Until....

I Kings 13:11-18- Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told also to their father. And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah. And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled him the ass: and he rode thereon, And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 

I always wondered why this older prophet would do that. He lied and destroyed the promising potential that we see in this nameless young man.

It's sad that this isn't the only time this happened. Many young Christians today get destroyed spiritually, and sometimes emotionally and psychologically, by older Christians. Instead of teaching the younger to read the Bible, pray, and listen and obey the Lord, they tell them what THEY expect of them. It is not their job to direct you in all matters of your spiritual life. They can counsel you, or advise you, but not control you. You are to learn to be obedient to God!

The older prophet lied, and the younger prophet should have realized this. The nameless prophet received instruction from the Lord, which should have been followed. The older prophet claims to have received his directions from an angel- that should ring warning bells!

Galatians 1:8- But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Paul is warning his converts that they can be deceived, even by an angel. The devil is a fallen cherub. He was actually on a higher level than normal messenger angels. And, he can appear to be as godly as you need to get you to disobey God.

II Corinthians 11:13-15- For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

This young man was deceived because he didn't recognize a false prophet.

I Kings 13:19- So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 

The Lord allows us to make our own decisions. We have the capacity of choice, but that doesn't negate the consequences of those choices. The young prophet chose to listen to the older prophet instead of obeying his commission.

And now, he gets the notice of the consequences.

I Kings 13:20-25- And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the LORD did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers. And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom he had brought back. And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase. And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way, and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt. 

Why the Lord didn't stop the old prophet, or punish the old prophet, has always bothered me. This man's decision and deceit were the reason the nameless prophet was killed. His entire life gone because he listened to someone who he decided was to be revered.

I also find it interesting that the Lord uses the old prophet to deliver the sentence for his actions. The prophet said, "You done messed up, and now you gonna die."

God took no time to mete out the judgment. He was killed by a lion not far from where he disobeyed. And, we know this is God's work because a lion doesn't hunt for sport, it hunts for food, but it doesn't eat the prophet's body nor his donkey; and the donkey doesn't run away from the lion!

I Kings 13:26-32- And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him. And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they saddled him. And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the carcase, nor torn the ass. And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the city, to mourn and to bury him. And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother! And it came to pass, after he had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead, then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones: For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.

You can tell that the old man was sorry for his actions. But "sorry" can't erase consequences. He mourns for the young man that lost his life because of his deception, and gives him a right proper burial, but the nameless prophet is only mentioned one other time in Scriptures.

II Kings 23:16-18- And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who proclaimed these words. Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the altar of Bethel. And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria. 

The Lord's commissioned prophesy still came to pass. What God says will happen regardless of how his ministers act. But isn't it tragic that someone's entire ministry was cut short because of an old dishonest man of God?

We are not an island, and our actions and words have an impact on those around us.

Romans 14:7- For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

This story should give us two warnings-

1. Don't just follow what an older Christian tells you to do; search out for yourself what God says on the matter.
2. Be careful with how you interact with those around you; you never know who might be watching and listening. You might just destroy the walk of another if you aren't careful.

Where Do Babies Go When They Die?

 Everyone wonders where babies go when they die. Those who believe the Bible regarding the Adamic nature question, “If we are born sinners, what happens to babies who die before they can believe the gospel? Are they condemned?” 

That is a good question, and it's especially important to parents who’ve lost young children.

First, I must note that a place called "limbo" does not exist. There is no reference to 'limbo' in the Bible. It is a made up Catholic tradition.

However, the Bible does have something to say regarding this matter. The Bible is clear that we are born in sin. 

King David said, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalms 51:5). Being conceived in sin, we are “by nature the children of wrath”, meaning that we are destined to face God and give an account of our lives.

Ephesians 2:2-3- Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

So, what happens when a baby dies? Does the baby go to hell, since he was too young to believe the gospel? No.

When a baby dies, that baby goes straight to heaven, and it’s all because of a beautiful word called IMPUTATION. You see, Jesus lived a righteous life for everyone, but His righteousness is not IMPUTED (credited) to us until we believe the gospel. The Bible says Jesus' righteousness “shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead”.

Romans 4:24-25- But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Although Jesus lived a righteous life for us, His righteousness is not imputed to us until we understand that our sin is in violation of God's law and it is because of this violation that we need to face judgement. If a baby is too young to understand sin and judgment, then the baby is too young to understand the law. This is important, for as righteousness is not imputed without the gospel, so “sin is not imputed when there is no law” 

Romans 5:13-For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Jesus’s righteousness is not imputed to us until we know the price of sin and the gift of the gospel.  Adam’s unrighteousness is not imputed to us until we know the law (right and wrong).  

Romans 4:15-Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

The purpose of the law is to show us that we are sinners who have a waiting judgment. This judgment doesn't have to end in a guilty verdict.

Gal 3:22,24- But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

A child that cannot understand the law is not held accountable to the condemnation brought about by breaking that law.

Because of the doctrine of imputation, King David (who said he was conceived in sin) also said of his baby boy, “he is dead…I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23). If David’s baby went to hell, then David (a believer) could not “go to him.” When David died, David went to paradise. And there, David was with his baby boy.

The fact of the matter is that we will all one day die. Your blood will cool. Your lungs will quit. But you won't just disappear. You are not just biology. You’re not a collection of carbon, nerves, and brainwaves. You are soul with a body; death tears the two apart, but it doesn’t end you. Your true self, the soul, will go somewhere.

When your body dies, your soul will be awake. Aware. Unmistakably conscious. Not in some floating mist, but in a state of full, terrifying clarity. You will stand…spiritually, then one day bodily… in the place where your life’s choices carried you.

You will either enter the presence of Christ or the horror of separation from Him.

Your body may be buried, burned, or lost at sea. It does not matter. The God who fashioned Adam from dust can call your atoms back with a word.

Scripture says our resurrection will be like the planting of a seed. The body you place in the ground is not the one that comes out. Just as a sunflower is not a carbon copy of the seed that birthed it, your resurrection body will be a glorified version, fit for an eternity somewhere.

The believer will rise with a body like Christ’s. Immortal. Incorruptible. Built for worship.

The unbeliever will rise too with a body not to behold glory, but to endure judgment. Every word you’ve spoken, every secret you’ve carried, every mask you’ve worn will be laid bare. Not before your therapist. Before your Creator.

The books will open.

And nothing will be missing.

You won’t get to defend yourself. You won’t be compared to someone worse. You won’t be able to lie or hide or charm your way out.

If you lived without Christ, you will die without Christ. And if you die without Christ, you will face the wrath of a holy God who offered you mercy and was ignored.

Let's talk about this gift of God. 

Romans 5:18-19- Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

John 3:16-17- 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

For those of us who understand the law, there is a judgment coming.

Hebrews 9:27- And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The good news is that you don't have to appear guilty before the judge!

Hebrews 10:1- For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 

Romans 3:20- Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Hebrews 9:11-12- But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

If you are in Christ, if His blood has covered your guilt, if His name is written over your story…then the judgment will not break you. It will crown you.

Not because you lived well.

But because He died well.

The price has already been paid by Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. You just have to acknowledge and accept.

Romans 10:9,10,13- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Your sin debt can be forgiven, and when you stand before God in judgment you will be declared innocent because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 17:11- For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

Romans 5:21- That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ephesians 1:17- In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

If you've lost a young child you can rest assured that they are with the Lord in heaven. The Lord is very merciful and gracious, and He is offering you the chance to be with that child for eternity if you'll just accept His sacrifice for the payment of your sins.

Heaven is not a feeling. It is a place. A place where God is not just worshipped, but enjoyed.

Hell is not a metaphor. It is a prison. A place where mercy has ceased to be offered and every moment burns with regret.

Some will read this and roll their eyes. Others will scroll past and go back to their lives. But someone—maybe you—feels the weight. You know this is true.

You have pushed God off long enough. You have numbed yourself with distractions and convinced yourself that judgment is for other people. Not for you.

But you’re wrong.

The road ends. Every life ends. And only one name saves.

So ask yourself: if the curtain fell tonight, would you be ready?

Do not play games with your soul. Do not wait to become a better version of yourself. Do not pretend that God is still deciding what to do with you.

He already has. He sent His Son. He paid the price. And He is calling for you to turn to Him and accept the payment that has already been made.

And He promised…if you will repent and believe…you will be saved.

I John 5:13- These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Not improved.

Not reformed.

Saved.

You will still die. But death will lose its power. It will become a doorway, not a sentence. And when the trumpet sounds, and your body rises, you will see Him—Christ—and He will not be your Judge. He will be your Joy.

There are no encore performances in the afterlife.

When the heart stops, the truth becomes clear. Not your truth. The truth.

And the only death worth dying is the one where you rise again.

I John 5:12- He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Every Time I Speak His Name (song)