JCPenny's Musings

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Saturday, July 1, 2023

We Sorrow Not As Others

It is with deepest sorrow that I write that my sister has lost her battle with cancer. It's probably one of the hardest battles she ever faced and she gave her all trying!

Mindi was my first friend and my longest friend. It seemed that for most of my childhood we were known as "Penny and Mindi" or "Mindi and Penny". It was rare that people spoke about us as a singular person since we were almost always together. We even went through high school in the same grades, and graduated together!

Though it is difficult for me to comprehend just how much life will change without her, I take comfort in the Scriptures that promise it is just a short goodbye and not an eternal one.

For those of you who don't know, we are Bible believing Christians. Both Mindi and I have put our faith in what the Scriptures teach about salvation and the afterlife.

I Corinthians 15:1-4- Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Romans 10:9-10- 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.

Christ came to this earth and lived a perfect, sinless life. He sacrificed His life as a perfect High Priest on the cross for a perfect sacrifice to take away sin. He then took His blood (that is the required price for the salvation of a soul) and in God's required protocols (the official procedure that only He could have performed) offered it before God. The Bible says that if we accept His payment for our sin, then our accounts with God will be considered paid in full.

I am confident that Mindi had done this.

The Bible also says in II Corinthians 5:8- We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

This means that the second Mindi breathed out her last breath here on earth, that she inhaled her first breath in heaven. Her body may still be here waiting for the rapture, but her soul is with her Savior.

The Scriptures give many wonderful promises regarding this. Sometimes in the Bible it refers to a person as being dead, and other times it refers to them as being asleep. The difference is in the relationship of the soul to the body. If the soul will never again inhabit the body, the person is dead. However, if the body is temporarily vacant waiting for God to change it into a new body to be joined again with the soul for eternity, then it is considered asleep.

I Corinthians 15:51-55 - Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

The promise is that God will change our earthly bodies into a new one that resembles Jesus' resurrected, glorified body.

I thessalonians 5:9-11- For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

It will be the beginning of what we call the rapture of the church. This is where every believer from the period of Acts through to the trumpet sounding will be called to heaven to live with God (whether asleep or alive). This will end the church period and begin the tribulation period. That's what is meant by we are not "appointed to wrath". When God pours out His vengeance on earth during the tribulation, Christians who have accepted God's payment for their sins will not be present.

Death is not the end for a christian, but a sort of graduation. Where the old test of mortal life ends and the new life begins.

I Thessalonians 4:13-18- But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

We are to comfort each other with the knowledge that we will be reunited. There will be no more sickness, no more death, and no more pain in our new bodies.

Revelation 22:1-6- And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.

I am very thankful for these precious promises. And while we sorrow at losing a sister, mother, and friend, we are comforted in knowing that it is only for a moment. I thank God for the time He gave us with Mindi on this earth, and I praise Him for the promise of time and eternity with a healthy, vibrant Mindi!

The Ten Commandments

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments after he had led the children of Israel out of Egypt. These were not all of the rules and regulations that were given to the Jews during that time, but it is the best known list.

The Ten commandments are listed in Exodus 20:1-17:

Commandment 1-

Exodus 20:1-3- And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Commandment 2-

Exodus 20:4-6- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Commandment 3-

Exodus 20:7- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Commandment 4-

Exodus 20:8-11- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Commandment 5-

Exodus 20:12- Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Commandment 6-

Exodus 20:13- Thou shalt not kill.

Commandment 7-

Exodus 20:14- Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Commandment 8-

Exodus 20:15- Thou shalt not steal.

Commandment 9-

Exodus 20:16- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Commandment 10-

Exodus 20:17- Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

The Catholic church likes to disregard the second commandment. With all their icons and statues, they couldn't have one that said not to bow down to graven images. They still have ten commandments, they just split commandment ten into two.

When asked in the New Testament which of he commandments was the greatest, Jesus was able to sum all ten up quite nicely.

The first four commandments deal with our interactions with God:

Mark 12:28-30- And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

The last six commandments deal with our interactions with humanity:

Mark 12:31- And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

If you love the Lord with all of your being, then you won't take His name in vain, or worship something or someone other than Him. You'll have no problem keeping any days He regards as Holy.

And, if you love your neighbor as yourself, you aren't going to cheat and steal from them. You wouldn't lie about them, or become covetous or envious about what they possess. Because love is more than sacrifice. Sacrifice means that you are giving up something precious. But to love something truly isn't really a sacrifice because you deem the object of your affection worth the cost.

Mark 12:32-33- And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

I don't think that this scribe truly understood what he was saying, even though it was absolute truth!

It's interesting to note that the phrase "keep the commandments" occurs ten times in the Bible-

Deuteronomy 4:2
Deuteronomy 6:17
Deuteronomy 7:11
Deuteronomy 8:6
Deuteronomy 10:13
Deuteronomy 28:9
Psalms 119:115
Matthew 19:17
Revelation 12:17
Revelation 14:12

Now, currently, we are under the age of grace. We don't observe holy days as a part of our salvation. The only stipulations that were put on the Church were listed in Acts 15:28-29- For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

The time of the Gentiles is a very generous, forgiving, merciful time. We are saved by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and all we must do to have our sins completely and totally forgiven for all eternity is to simply believe that Christ died as a prefect substitute sacrifice for our sin, was buried, and rose again the third day, just like the Scriptures foretold. And we just ask that He apply His payment to our sin debt!

However, the time of the Gentiles is almost over.

Romans 11:25- For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

The church age, or the time of the Gentiles, will end with the rapture of the church. This is where the physical bodies of all the saved over the last two millennia along with the living who have accepted Christ as their Savior will be taken out of the world.

This event will trigger the next dispensation of time referred to as Jacob's Trouble, but most commonly called the Tribulation Period. It's important to know that the rules change during this time period.

First, you cannot partake of the "cup of devils". This is referring to the Satanic mass that will become a religious requirement, especially in the last part of the tribulation.

I Corinthians 10:18-21- Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

Blood is always forbidden to be consumed in the Bible. It was forbidden long before the law in Genesis 9:4. It was forbidden under the law in Deuteronomy 12:16. And it is forbidden during the church age in Acts 15:20.

Next, you cannot take the "mark of the beast". This is an implant that all people will be required to accept during the last part of the tribulation.

Revelation 13:15-18- And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

This is why God pounded into the Jews that they should put no marks on their body and that they shouldn't worship idols. Every Catholic thinks it's okay to bow down before an image of what they believe to be Christ or Mary, but the Bible clearly states in Exodus 20 that they aren't to worship any images!

Revelation 14:9-11- And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Anyone who doesn't take this mark and is caught will be killed; anyone who does take this mark will be eternally damned.

Revelation 12:11- And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Matthew 10:39- He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

But just refusing to take the mark doesn't save your soul.

Revelation 14:12- Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Revelation 15:3- And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Revelation 12:17- And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

This is a faith and works situation, and you can lose your salvation. You must continue to keep the commandments and ask Christ to forgive you and save your soul each time you sin.

You need to beware of false prophets. There will be people who run around stating they are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, and they aren't.

II Peter 2:17-21- These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

Peter says it would be better for them to have never known. This means that someone who never accepted Christ as their Savior, but also never took the mark and made it alive to the end of the tribulation will get more mercy than someone who was once a believer but then recanted and took the mark of the beast.

Hebrews 6:4-6- For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

You must also treat other believers properly. You cannot use them for your own benefits and then discard them when they are of no more use to you. You'll be judged harshly for that!

I Peter 4:7-10- If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

I Peter 3:8-12- Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

I know this is a lot of information, but it is very important! I have a pdf on my blog that you can download, and I suggest you keep a copy with you because I don't know how long this blog will be available after the rapture!

The Catholics recite a passage of Scripture that is commonly referenced as "The Lord's Prayer". This is actually the Tribulation Saint's prayer.

Matthew 6:9-13- After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

"Hallowed be thy name" because people are praying to the Antichrist and refusing to acknowledge Him as the Creator.

"Thy kingdom come" because they are ready for the Tribulation time period to be over!

"Give us this day our daily bread" because no one can buy or sell without the mark of the beast and they are starving.

"Forgive us our debts" because your forgiveness is based on how you treat the brethren.

"Lead us not into temptation" because everyone will be tempted to accept the mark of the beast.

I pray that you come to the soul saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior during the Church Age of grace. But, if you should be reading this and realize that you are in the Tribulation, I pray that this gives you some answers and some hope.

Monday, June 5, 2023

With Each Borrowed Breath (song)

Sunday, June 4, 2023

The Hormone Cure (book review)

I have just finished reading two books by Sara Gottfried. The first was The Hormone Cure and the second was The Hormone Reset Diet.

The first thing I noticed was that we aren't really told much about hormones or how they affect our daily lives. Most people think that Testosterone is the boy hormone and Estrogen and Progesterone are the girl hormones. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I have been having some hormone problems because I'm entering that lovely season of life known as perimenopause. This is where your once strategically functioning hormones start to malfunction. It's been happening for thousands of years as women near the next season of life known as menopause where the hormones basically drop to almost nothing.

After reading the first book, I was very interested in learning more about her diet that she recommends to help regulate your hormones. I'll admit the first book left me confused about which of my hormones were misfiring. Why? Because they kinda overlap and it's hard to nail down which one(s) are causing your symptoms.

I decided to read and try the reset diet (blog post to come) to see how I could help my hormones. I understand that a reset diet won't bring my body back to my 20's where my energy was amazing and my metabolism was the bomb! But, perhaps I could calm the tumult that was churning.

Whether you try the diet or not, I highly recommend both books. They give you a ton of good information for whatever stage of life you are in. And suggestions on natural ways to help if you are having any hormonal problems, are taking any form of birth control, or are just looking to calm the side effects of your fluctuating hormones.

Saturday, June 3, 2023

Be Patient (poem)

Be patient, be patient, no longer despairing,

Look upward, be hopeful, encourage your heart;

Tho’ bitter the cup that your soul has been sharing,

Let thoughts of self pity now quickly depart.

He will not tarry, and leave us here grieving,

Soon He will come, all His children receiving.

O wait now! the promise of glory, believing:

Soon the King in His beauty for us shall appear.

Be patient, be patient, the light shining o’er you,

Will guide thro’ the darkness that covers the way;

The Saviour has trod the rough pathway before you,

Let not earth’s enchantments allure you astray.

Upward to God be the heart’s adoration,

See from Him flowing pure streams of salvation.

Redemption is nearing! O, seek preparation!

Soon the King in His beauty for us will appear.

Be patient, be patient, a pilgrim and stranger,

Tho’ foes may assail, and the scoffers deride.

Thro’ toil and affliction, temptation and danger,

The saints must be purified, made white and tried.

Take now the spirit of meekness adorning,

Faithfully carry the last notes of warning.

Be watchful, and look for the dawn of that morning,

When the King in His beauty for us shall appear.

Be patient, be patient, a little while longer,

And Jesus the kingdom to us will restore.

Be cheerful, enduring, your faith growing stronger,

Till trials are passed, and your conflicts are o’er.

Wait till the Lord all His saints will deliver,

Love, peace and joy, will surround them forever;

They’re safe in that country, where tears will come never,

With the King in His beauty they’ll reign evermore.

-Annie Smith