A New Creature. . . an Apostolic Pentecostal blog

2 Samuel 7:8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: David was faithful in the little things. . . In the lonely wilderness of the rock cobbled hillsides of Judea, David tended the sheep even at the risk of his own life. As a boy, he battled a lion and a bear for the protection of his father’s sheep. Apparently in two separate attacks, he delivered a lamb from the mouth of a lion and again from a bear. God saw the essence of David’s heart, from his integrity in the solitary and humble task of keeping his father’s flocks. It is not recorded that any watchers witnessed David’s acts of courage. Alone in the wilderness, David selflessly placed his own life at risk for service to his sheep. Faithfully tending the sheep is oh so important. . .Jesus told Peter: John 21:15-17 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son o...

I had a chance encounter on an elevator at Elkhart General Hospital last Friday, which has been on my mind ever since. Ruby, our church secretary, had called me and said that Pastor was out of town and that someone needed to be visited at the hospital, so I ran over on my lunch hour to see them. I was alone on the elevator. I was carrying my Bible bag, and wearing a jacket with a gold fish lapel pin, with the word ‘Jesus’ in the middle of the fish. At the last moment before the doors closed, a man maybe 10 years older than myself (mid sixties or so) approached and I stopped the elevator doors from closing and he entered. He also was carrying a Bible. I had an uneasy feeling as I stood facing him across the elevator, as if he were sizing me up in some manner. He spoke finally saying, “I see by your Jesus lapel pin that you are a Christian.”. . For some reason that struck me as an odd thing to say. . . for I surely do not think that wearing a lapel pin is what makes me a Christian....

John 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. They were gathered together for one last intimate evening. . .one last sharing of a meal. The years of teaching and ministry with them had passed so very quickly. . .Jesus knew He must shock his close companions a bit, in order for them to understand, and to accept what was about to happen to Him. . . Jesus disrobed. . .He humbled Himself. . .wrapped himself in a towel and began to clean the filth from the bottoms of the feet and toes of His disciples. . .ministering to them in an uncomfortable and in a most intimately embarrassing way. . . touching them and seeing them in their filth and dirt of the world. . . From a slave, this action would be accepted without second thought. . .maybe even without awareness, but impulsive Peter, realizing what was happening, resisted, not accepting the sacrificial ministrations of his Master. Very sharply Jesus rep...

For years I have enjoyed email messages from a pastor. Last week I received another writing of his, which contained the following statement: New covenant doctrine must be founded on  the teaching sections of the New Testament  (the teachings of Jesus and the epistles)  and not from the historical sections in the gospels and Acts.  Otherwise, you will go into error. On rereading it, I'm not sure exactly sure what he means. Is he writing off the entire book of Acts or only the historical parts??? How do you tell the difference? In any respect, I have heard other denominational preachers specifically say, that there is nothing on which to build doctrine in the book of Acts. . .In a most blasphemous statement, I heard one radio evangelist say (as closely as I can quote it) that the book of Acts was given to confuse Christians. . . The book of Acts records the birth of the church. You can actually say that the New Testament. . the new covenant. . .the new agreement....

John 14:15-16 If ye love me, keep my commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; If you love me, keep my commandments. . . If you love me, keep my commandments. . . If you love me, keep my commandments. . . You cannot just pay lip service to the love of God. Your love for God must be connected with your obedience to Him. This verse is connected with an “AND”. . . I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; The two verses cannot be separated, the ‘AND’ welds them together. Jesus telling His Disciples, that He, their comforter, is going away, but that He is going to ask God to send another Comforter that will never go away, that will live with them for ever. Who is this other Comforter? John 14:17-18 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth ...