Happy New Year! 12/31/20

31 December 2020 Happy New Year! Word of Hope by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: Count Your Blessing!

 Romans 15:13 “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound (overflow) in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

 NCV: “I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him.  Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  

 What is hope? Hope is a promise God had planned for us already. We know we have them because of His Covenant, His Word of promise. The world hope for things they hope to have, but no guarantee if they get it. But God’s hope is not like that of the world’s hope.  We have a guarantee hope in God because He made a Covenant with Abraham.  God said, “In you shall all the families of the earth be blessed. I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you” (Genesis 12:3).   

 Today, we see God’s Covenant with Abraham that he saw stars and sand of the sea of his descendants, the families of the earth who believed in Jesus Christ. By TV watching Joel Osteen’s church, huge crowd that heads are closed together is like the sand of the sea. The stars all over the universe are like the families all over the earth.

 Abraham believed God when he didn’t have a son to begin with yet. So Abraham’s hope was in God’s Covenant. Abraham waited 25 years for that hope to have a son. For Abraham, Hebrew 11:1, “Faith means being sure of things (he) hope for and knowing that some things is real even if (he) do not see it.” Now Abraham in heaven counted his blessings with God by watching more people turning to His Son, Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 Hebrews 11:1 applied to us today so I quote, “Faith means being sure of things we hope for and knowing that some things is real even if we do not see it.” So I am thanking God for the blessings He had already given and more blessings that is coming. That is faith!

 May God comfort your heart as you quote or sing this song.

Dorothy

 

Song: Count Your Blessings

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged, God is over all,

Count your many blessings, angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Chorus:

Count your blessings, Name them one by one;

Count your blessings, See what God has done;

Count your blessings, Name them one by one;

Count your many blessings, See what God has done.

(Johnson Oatman, Jr., Sing His Praise)

 

The Strong & Weak 12;26-30/20

26-30 Dec 2020 – Fresh Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: The Strong Help the Weak.

KJV: Romans 15:1-3 “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” 

NCV: “We who are strong in faith should help the weak with their weaknesses, and not please only ourselves. Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to help them be stronger in faith. Even Christ did not live to please Himself. It was as the Scriptures said: ‘When people insult you, it hurts Me.’”

These verses encourage us to help others who are in need. We have seen many examples of how volunteers helped others especially when there were several hazardous and destructive weathers that left many people homeless. The strong ones help the helpless who need things to survive. It really touched the hearts to see how they were being helped. It becomes a blessing to those who have nothing received something that blessed them so much.

There are many ways and many little things that the Holy Spirit might impressed us to do. One example: Taking care of the new born babe! As if God is in a baby, you are taking care of Him! Exactly what Mary the mother of Jesus had done.  She held the very Son of God in her arms, just taking care of Him on the day-to-day basis of need. Mary, the strong mom, help the helpless babe, Jesus and God trusted her to handle His baby Son, Jesus.

This is an awesome thought!

Dorothy

The Stars 12/24-25/20 M.C.

24-25 Dec. 2020 – Merry Christmas to you from Dorothy and Tony Callies!

The Stars Comes Out!

Isaiah 58:9a “Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shall cry and He shall say, Here I am.”

It was said that the month of December was the darkest month of the year and the sun was the farthest and the winter was the coldest. When you are out in the wide field where there is no electricity, it is very dark. So what happen when it gets dark? You look up, “THE STARS COMES OUT.”

Are you going through some dark time? God, our Creator is like that stars that come out and saying to you that He is here. Oh, He is here. Believe it!

May you have a blessed Christmas season!

Merry Christmas to you from Dorothy and Tony Callies! 

32 Hope & Patience 12/19-23/20

19-23 Dec 2020 – Hope Series 32 – Fresh Manna by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: We Have Hope & Patience

Romans 15:4-5 KJV:  For whatsoever things were written fore time were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5. Now the God of patience and consolation (to comfort) grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus.

Rom. 15:4-5 NCV: Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us.  The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. V.5 Patience and encouragement come from God. And I pray that God will help you all agree with each other the way Christ Jesus wants.

Dorothy: What amazed me … those two verses God gave me the answer to my questions: “Why are we going through so much Lord? What is the purpose of all this?” Answer? The Scriptures were written for our learning … and through the Scriptures we learn patient and we receive comforts from God who is of tender mercy.

James, the brother of Jesus encouraged us with chapter 5 and verse 11 that Job was a man of patience and God spoke comforts to him. God blessed Job abundantly for being so patience through all of his trials. The story of Job in the Bible is for our learning and how Job dealt with it. And Romans 15:4-5 and James 5:11 gave me hope to continue to put our trust in God working in our lives. God’s goal? To be like His Son, Jesus!

Definition of the words meaning increase and improve our value in our spirits: Patient= putting up with pains or hardships calmly or without complaints. 2: showing calm self-control; 3: not hasty or reckless: STEADFAST= firmly fixed in place; not subject to change 2: firm in belief, determination, allegiance.  Synonyms: faithful [Dictionary: Merriam-Webster, Tech. Franklin Bible]

Prayer: Thank You, Lord for showing us the Scriptures that You are the God of our hope and encouragements and comforts. I pray for my friends and families that You will uplift them with healing power that we are given the authority through the blood of Jesus to heal us from all kind of ailments.  We put our hope and patience in Your handiwork's of our lives to glorify You, Father. Like Job, we will see Your blessings and rejoice in the hope of salvation. Again, thank You … in Jesus’ name. Amen! 

Song: Through It All

Through it all, Through it all,

I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,

I’ve learned to trust in God;

Through it all, through it all,

I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.

[By Andrae Crouch]

 May the Lord touch your heart!

 Dorothy

Hope 31 Gentiles' Hope 12/16-18/20

16-18 Dec 2020 - Hope Series 31 – by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: Gentiles’ Hope [Fresh Manna]

 Romans 15:11-12 KJV: “… Praise the Lord, all ye (you) Gentiles; and laud (praise) Him, all ye (you) people.  … Esaias (Isaiah) said, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he (Jesus Christ, the Messiah) that rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him (Jesus) shall the Gentiles trust.  NKJV: “… Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

 You might question, ‘what’s the big deal about the Gentiles issue?’ I thought, ‘oh boy, after reading one verse, I realized one would have to see a big picture about why God talked about the Gentiles.’ Gentiles is a group of people who are not Jews. I plan to use Amplified Bible which gives clear interpretation from the KJV Bible.    

Before I use Amplified Bible, I would like to give a “bird’s-eye view” of Jews and the Gentiles. I meant “seeing things in general” so it gives reason to this verse, “in Him the Gentiles shall hope.” So why would the ‘Gentiles shall have hope in Him (Jesus)?’ Let me began with Abraham and go on from there.

God choose Abraham which began with the descendants of the “Hebrews” because they were shepherd and they were God’s people, later on the name appeared “The Jews.” It was through Abraham’s descendants that prophesied the coming of Christ, the Messiah. Jesus said, “Salvation comes from the Jews” (John 4:22).  It means Jesus was born of Mary who was a Jew. [Ref: Gen. 14:13; 41:12; Tech ref. count: Hebrews 46; Jews 274]

God made a Covenant with Abraham, a promise of blessings. The Gentiles were not part of “The Covenant” although some Gentiles were integrated (united) with the Jews like Ruth, the Gentile married to Boaz, the Jew. And Rehab, the Gentile from Jericho married to Salmon, the Jew (Matt. 1:5). Also Joseph, the Jew in Egypt was married to a Gentile wife (Gen. 41:45). [If any Gentiles want to become a Jew, they have to go through the ritual, the custom of their laws to be part of God’s people.]

In the general, the Gentiles were not part of “The Covenant” all through Abraham’s descendants until Jesus’ time. When Christ was crucified, and the religious leaders had rejected Christ (Matt. 21:42-43), the kingdom of God was taken from them and given to a nation, the Gentile who would open their hearts to Jesus. Jesus said to Peter, “Upon this Rock, I will build a church.” Jesus meant that He opened the “door to the Gentiles for salvation.” Now for Amplified Bible Romans 15:9-12. Roman 15:13 at the end.

Paul wrote: V.9 “And [also in order] that the Gentiles might glorify God for [His uncovenanted] mercy to them. As it is written, ‘Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name.’ V.10 Again it is said, ‘Rejoice (exult), O Gentiles, along with His [own] people (the Jews).’ V.11 And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles (nations), and let all the peoples praise Him!’ V.12 And further Isaiah says, ‘There shall be a Sprout from the Root of Jesse, He Who rises to rule over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles hope.’ [Verse 12 tells about the future plan that the Messiah will rule a thousand year and the Gentiles’ hope is in Jesus Christ.]

To explain verse 9, “the Gentiles might glorify God for [His uncovenanted] mercy to them.” The “uncovenanted” Gentiles were not given “a Covenant.” Yet Jesus spoke to the religious leaders who had rejected Christ that the kingdom of God was taken from them and given to a nation, the Gentile who would open their hearts to Jesus. This is truly a beautiful plan of God who had in mind that Salvation would be given to Gentiles.

Paul preached to the Gentiles because he knew from Old Testament Scriptures that prophesied about God who would opened the door to the nations of the Gentiles who would invite Jesus Christ into their hearts and give praise to God.

Peter received a vision that God revealed to him that the “unclean animals” which was the “unclean Gentiles” shall be “cleansed.” What God has “cleansed,” do not called the Gentiles “unclean.”  From Acts 10, story went on about Cornelius and Peter. Peter explained that it was their custom that the Jews were not permitted to keep company with Gentiles, but with God there is “no respecter of persons (no favors of persons means the Jews and the Gentiles received God’s grace for all). The Gentiles received the gifts of the Holy Spirit the same way as the Jews. So the Gentiles were “cleaned” because they invited Christ into their hearts.

Now comes to Amplified Romans 15:13, Paul blessed the Gentiles: “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing—through the experience of your faith—that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound (more than enough) and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.”

How wonderful it is to discover that the Gentiles have hope in God. His mercy and His grace are so great for us all. May God richly bless you!

Dorothy

Hope 30 Paul's Hope 12/13-15/20

13-15 Dec 2020 - Hope Series 30 – by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: Paul have hope in being raised from the dead.

 The last two Manna 28 & 29 talked about some of the people who believed that “being dead stays dead.” That means there is no hope for them. But there is someone else who talked about the subject of “dead.”  It was Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, who wrote about “death.” I found New Century Version was very clear in our language that helps to understand the King James Version better.

 Philippians 3:10-11- KJV: Paul said, “That I may know (learn about) Him (Jesus), and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship (share) of His sufferings, being made conformable (character like) unto His death; v11. By any means I might attain (reach the goal) unto the resurrection of the dead.”

 Phil. 3:10-11 NCV: v10. I want to know Christ and the power that raised Him from the dead. I want to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death. V11. Then I have hope that I myself will be raised from the dead.”  That was the hope Paul was waiting for that he would be resurrected just like Jesus had been resurrected.

 Now for us today, we have hope that we, too will be resurrected just like Him. If you asked, “Where’s a proof that would really happen to the “saints of God?”  Alright … question for you … Did you know that there’s a Scripture that’s found in KJV in Matthew 27:52-53 and it says, “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the SAINTS (CHRISTIANS) which SLEPT (dead) AROSE, And CAME OUT OF THE GRAVES after his (Christ’s) resurrection, and went into the holy city (Jerusalem), and appeared unto many?”

 Can you imagine the shocked that many friends and families met with their loved ones who came out of the graves to greet and hug them before Jesus led them into heaven and He sprinkled the blood on the way to heaven for their atonement?  This gives us a proof that those who died went to heaven in spirits and souls, will come back to unite their bodies and the graves will be opened and their bodies will rise up. Hallelujah!

 Now another thought popped up: If they were not in heaven yet, where have their souls been? Jesus spoke of a Paradise at the cross when one man asked Jesus to remember him. Jesus took the man with him to “Abraham’s bosom” which was called “Paradise, the waiting place.” They were waiting for Jesus to come and sprinkle the blood upon them. They were the ones with spirits and souls, went into their bodies to be united and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after Jesus’ resurrection. And Jesus led them into heavenly place into the very throne of God’s amazing grace. [Ref. Luke 16:22]

 Isn’t this enough proof that we have hope just like Paul have hope in being raised from the dead?  I have to say, “Wow, that’s a powerful message I have ever seen!” Thanks to James 1:5-6 asking God for wisdom. He is truly glorified!  

 God bless you!

Dorothy

Hope 29 Resurrection 12/10-12/20

10-12 Dec 2020 - Hope Series 29 by Dorothy & Tony Callies

Theme: Hope of Salvation in Resurrection – Some revised from July 2010

“We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy’s strong places. We destroy people’s argument and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.” 2 Cor. 10:4-5 ncv

The King James Version says: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2Cor. 10:4). One of Paul’s weapon is “hope of salvation.” There’s a reason why Paul brought this up. In Paul’s times, there were some religious groups who argued that there is no resurrection of Christ. [The dead stayed in their grave] Today, we have some religious groups who argued that they do not believe in heaven and hell. Huh? Then what is hope for them?

The Bible talked a lot about the hope. Biblical hope is an assurance in the heart, a firm confidence about the future things because Biblical hope is based on God’s promises and revelation. Biblical hope is linked with a firm faith and a confident trust in God. So faith, trust and hope come together. I like one meaning that dictionary gave: person or thing that expectation centers in. So Christ is the center of our hope, the Biblical Hope.

Peter tells us, “Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have …” (I Peter 3:15b). I Peter 1:3 gave the answers: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which . . . hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” NCV is good: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Now we have hope for the blessings God has for His children” (I Peter 1:3,4a).

By using this weapon, “the hope of salvation in Christ and the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Tit.2:13) against the enemy, we, the born-again believers will come forth victorious. We the believers will be caught up from the earth to meet Him in the air (I Thes.4:13-18), and we shall see Him as He is and become like Him (Phil.3:20-21). We have hope of eternal life (Tit.1:2).

Song: “Looking for that Blessed Hope”
Looking for that blessed hope (that joyful hope),
Looking for that blessed hope (that glorious hope);
We know the hour is nearing, The hour of His appearing;
We’re looking for that blessed hope.
(Thoro Harris, Sing His Praise.)

God bless you!

Dorothy

Hope 28 Salvation 12/7-9/20

07-09 Dec 2020 - Hope Series 28 – Dorothy & Tony Callies                                                    Theme: “Hope of Salvation” - Bread Box from July 13, 2010

Someone had paged me the other day and said that ‘a person’ doesn’t believe in God and that we all be dead and buried, period. I said, Wow! It seems like a perfect time to look into “Weapons of our Warfare Series.” This is will on the next Manna on Hope Series 29.

Peter tells us, “Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have …” (I Peter 3:15b). If someone asks you a question, what is hope? “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In God’s great mercy he has caused us to be born again into a living hope, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Now we have hope for the blessings God has for his children” (I Peter 1:3,4a) (ncv).

By using this weapon, “the hope of salvation in Christ and the blessed hope of the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Tit.2:13) against the enemy, we, the born-again believers will come forth victorious. We the believers will be caught up from the earth to meet Him in the air (I Thes.4:13-18), and we shall see Him as He is and become like Him. We have hope of eternal life.

Song: “Looking for that Blessed Hope”
Looking for that blessed hope (that joyful hope),
Looking for that blessed hope (that glorious hope);
We know the hour is nearing, The hour of His appearing;
We’re looking for that blessed hope.
(Thoro Harris, Sing His Praise.)

 God Bless you!

Dorothy