xjwsforChrist

Lol... I have a poncho that I wear pretty much all winter long. Comes down to my knees, and just helps keep the warmth in. All is well and safe though, thank you!


Peace,
tammy

(Really) hot tea/water sometimes work for me, dear 'Mom - Peace to you... and hope you get warm!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shel

Oh... or throw your blanket in the dryer for ten minutes or so, then wrap it around you. My kids LOVE it when I put their blankets in the dryer just before bed and they can be all wrapped up in that warmth.


Peace,
tammy

Fabulous idea!!!

The old back is aching so I put icy hot on it. Now I'm hot-and cold, LOL!!!
( well I guess its better than lukewarm LOL)

Thanks for that
Love Justmom

Peace to you all... I was responding elsewhere regarding the vision that Peter had been given... and read that Christ repeated himself in the vision to Peter THREE times here as well.

About noon the following day as they were approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to the earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

"Surely no, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."

The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

This happened THREE TIMES... and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.



I am not putting this up to speak badly of Peter, at all. The account makes me grin... the same as we might laugh at ourselves or a loved one, but in love, and not with any malice or spite. Certainly, he is loved by Christ.

Peter just does seem to have needed to be told a few times ; ), and I saw the three time reminder thing... and remembered this thread.

Peace to you,
tammy

Yes, this is very interesting.

The three time reminder for Peter.

Gotta love him, LOL!

I know for me, sometimes it takes more than three times so what can I say!

I'm glad we have this as reminders that the body of CHRIST all have different weaknesses,
and how we can relate sometimes to the apostles as well.

Thanks for sharing this Tammy

Love you ALL Justmom

LOL... I hear you!


Peace,
tammy

Okay, dear ones (peace to you all!)... hold onto your hats and your sensitivities because I will share with you what I heard while reading this (and THANK you, dear tec, for posting it - peace to you, luv!) and so how MY thinking has been trained our dear Lord. I ask your kind patience IN ADVANCE since y'all know I'm forthright, even blunt sometimes - I don't want to OFFEND but perhaps help anyone who might WISH to see/think just a LITTLE... differently, do so. If anyone wishes to, of course; if not, no worries at ALL - all are free to think as they will. This is just to perhaps show how the Master has been teaching ME to think.

After I read the posts, I started to log off but heard, "The accounts as to Kefas present two opportunities do they not, child? One could see them as an opportunity to validate how they themselves think and act in accordance with such thinking... or one could see them as an opportunity to learn how the Father thinks. Which will YOU choose?"

And then he helped me understand both opportunities:

Option One - I could use this as an opportunity to go "Whew! I'm not so bad! If Peter, who was one the 12 APOSTLES, had to be told THREE times, then there's still hope for ME, when I don't listen!" In essence, validation of my own thinking.

Option Two - I could use the accounts to "listen to the Teacher" and "take [the] lesson" - Ecc. 12:9, 10, 12a NWT).

I responded that I would "take the lesson." And so, he helped me "reason" out the following:

Who of US want to have to have someone (a child, spouse, etc.) blow off what we're telling them/trying to tell them... THREE times? If, though, WE want our loved ones to listen to US... if we want JAH and Christ to listen when WE speak to THEM... and do so the FIRST time... shouldn't WE listen when they (our children, spouses... JAH/Christ)... speak to US... TRY to tell US something... the FIRST time? And if WE want such ones to DO what we ask... or acknowledge what we're TRYING to tell them for their OWN good... the FIRST time... shouldn't WE do what is asked of us, especially by JAH or Christ... the FIRST time?

Wouldn't such fall under the "golden rule"? ("All things you want men to do to YOU...")

I said to him,. "Yes, of course, Lord, we would and should!"

Then I wondered, though, as to those times when we fail. He said that of course, there will be times when we fail to listen SIMPLY (no pun intended from me) due to our imperfections (distractions, confusion, fatigue, etc.).... but in EACH scenario, Peter didn't fail to listen because he was "imperfect", per se - he failed to listen because he thought HE knew BETTER... than our dear Lord. Even where Peter said "Be kind to yourself, Lord!"

A focused read of each account will show that this is what they reveal, that more often than not, Peter's PRIDE (and fear of MAN)... OVERSHADOWED his faith. In each case, Peter leaned on his own understanding, which resulted in a situation where he had to all but eat his words. Certainly, he felt bad about it on at least one occasion (on a couple, he didn't know enough TO feel bad, yet). But it didn't have to be that way. Peter could have not only stopped (listening to his OWN thoughts) so as to listen to our dear Lord's words... and then, not only put FAITH in what he was hearing... but, most importantly... consider WHO it was that was TELLING/ASKING him: the One who is the TRUTH and so whose mouth NEVER lies, NEVER speaks what is NOT true! Because it's not like he hadn't TOLD Peter that he was the Truth... OR that Peter didn't KNOW. If Peter had just suspended his own thinking during these times... quieted his own "voice"... and remembered... even CONSIDERED... WHO was telling him these things, he would have respond only ONE way - he COULD have only responded one way:

"YES, Lord!" (when told to do something, or that he WOULD do something), or "YOU tell ME, Lord, because YOU know me better than I even know myself!" (when asked "Do you love me?")

There really were no other right/TRUE responses!

And so, imagine my joy when our dear Lord explained to me that THAT is why JOHN was chosen to receive the Revelation: because, UNLIKE Peter, John was humble BEFORE GOD (not men!)... so as to ADMIT, when something was asked of HIM... that he DIDN'T know and so HAD to be TOLD... and rely on what he was TOLD. It is why, rather than trying to "figure it out" for himself, or ignore or dismiss what he was asked, John would reply, "YOU are the one who knows!" and then LET himself be told or shown.

Peter, although having faith the size of a mustard seed, often let his own "desires" overshadow that faith, such that he did not receive the Revelation, but became the example of what we must NOT do: lean on our own understanding, beg off, or think we know more than even Christ.

I hope this helps. Again, it is only for those who want it and those who do not should feel absolutely free to reject/overlook it. I am not sharing it to judge but only to share so that anyone who WISHES to know, can do so.

Again, peace to you ALL!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shellamar

Option One - I could use this as an opportunity to go "Whew! I'm not so bad! If Peter, who was one the 12 APOSTLES, had to be told THREE times, then there's still hope for ME, when I don't listen!" In essence, validation of my own thinking.

Option Two - I could use the accounts to "listen to the Teacher" and "take [the] lesson" - Ecc. 12:9, 10, 12a NWT).



YES, and thank you for sharing this.

Excellent thoughts. When we ask something from Jah and CHRIST, we of course want an answer.
So, how much more so should we hear and obey when they ask something of us the first time?

Thank you again for this reminder as to Peter,
Love ya Justmom

Yes... and since we are to follow Christ, striving to follow HIS example... we should not be holding ourselves up to the standard of those who belong to Him... but rather to HIM, alone, and what He asks of us. Regardless of what others do or do not do.

He said to follow HIM.


Thanks for sharing that about John, too!


Peace to you,
tammy

You are both most welcome, dear 'Mom and Tec (mornin' and peace to you, both!). Just a bit more, following a discussion of these matters with dear hubby, who shared what HE was told during our conversation. Many (particularly the WTBTS) believe and so teach that the reason Peter was told three times to eat from the things in the sheet was for emphasis. This is not accurate. As I shared above, Peter SHOULD have obeyed when first told to eat. Some will argue that Peter COULDN'T have just ate, because he would have been transgressing the Law: those things had been declared unclean under Moses when Israel was in the wilderness. What such ones overlook is:

1. By THIS time, the Law had been fulfilled... and replaced... by the NEW Law; under which
2. Christ had pretty much declared ALL foods clean, which declaration Peter should have remembered.

Here is that account (recorded at Mark 7:1-23):

"The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around [Jesus] and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.)

"So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked [Jesus], “Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?”

"He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’

"You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

"And he continued, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and, ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’ But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God)— then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

"Again [Jesus] called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

"After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable. “Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, [Jesus] declared all foods clean.)

"He went on: “What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

So, when he said to Peter, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat”... what SHOULD Peter have DONE... IF Peter TRULY loved Christ AND had the faith in him he kept SAYING he had? He should have OBEYED... because to obey is BETTER than sacrifice. Yet, per the account (Acts 10:9-20) Peter responded:

“Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

Wait. Did Peter know WHO was telling him (NOT asking him; TELLING him) to kill and eat? His response, "Surely not, LORD!" lets us know he DID know: his Lord... and ours - the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah).

He was then told:

“Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

Was that ENOUGH for our dear Peter, enough for him to leave off his OWN thinking... and just OBEY? Apparently not. Because the account states:

"This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven."


But it didn't stop there. Apparently, Peter STILL didn't remember what our dear Lord had told him, because the account states, in verse 17:

"While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision..."

And, again, at verse 19:

"While Peter was still thinking about the vision..."

Given this, one can only conclude that, rather than being OBEDIENT... PETER... was "DULL" IN HIS HEARING! And each of these accounts regarding him SHOW this! He NEVER listened, NEVER got it right off the bat, but always put himself OUT as if he did!

John, on the other hand... knew that he DIDN'T know (anything)... and so not only relied on the One TELLING him, but OBEYED... AND... rather than giving HIMSELF the glory ("I thought", "I said to myself", "I know", "I can figure it out", etc.)... gave the glory... always... to the One Who told him or allowed him to BE told (by other spirit beings).

So, when we look at Peter, seeing him as one to be raised up over the others is... not wise. Nor is it accurate, at least to the extent that he was raised up such by Christ. He was not. He was repeatedly made an EXAMPLE of by our dear Lord... as one who was HARD-HEADED, albeit faithful, one who had to be GOADED... rather than just obediently follow.

Dear ones, you CANNOT rely on the "traditional" teachings of men on these matters. Indeed, I would exhort you to NOT rely on what man has told you about Peter and his "position", at ALL. It is a LIE... based on the erroneous beliefs and teachings of those who DO NOT POSSESS HOLY SPIRIT and so DID NOT RECEIVE WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND TEACH FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT.

Please... if you need to... go back and read ALL of the accounts YOURSELF, if you need to. Pay ATTENTION to what they are saying. FORGET what you have been taught, but let CHRIST lead you... and read the accounts to you... so that you have HIS truth about it.

Or... just ask as to what occurred and what the "lesson" of the accounts are. And then LISTEN to what the TRUE Rock on which the Household of God is built (1 Corinthians 10:4), the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)... HIMSELF... tell you what TRULY occurred, why, and what HE meant when he said:

"On this 'rock' I will build MY City."

Please... look up the Greek word that some transliterate as "church" - you will find it means "city." And in the beloved "City" of God... there are MANY "mansions" (houses). WE... are those "houses," dear ones. Each of us, a "temple." An individual dwelling place of God... which, joined TOGETHER... make up a CITY... the TRUE temple of God:

The NEW (city of) Jerusalem (double peace!)... which is built... on the ROCK... Christ... by means of FAITH... IN HIM!

Matthew 7:24-27; 16:18
John 14:2
Revelation 3:12; 20:9; 21:2

There are TWO (2) "cities", dear ones: the "great city" that is "Babylon the Great, the Mother of the Harlots" (Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18, 19, 21)... and the great and "Beloved City" that is the "NEW Jerusalem" (Revelation 20:9; 21:10)

In which "city" do YOU "dwell"?

As always, peace to you ALL!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shellamar

Yes!

And if that is a lie... based on man's own reasoning and not from Christ... how many other traditional teachings and doctrines and views, etc... that some IMPLY from what is written... are also lies, based once again on man's own reasoning and ignorance, and not from Christ?


We are not to listen to men and tradition... but to Christ... to worship in SPIRIT and TRUTH. Listening to our ONE Leader, our ONE Teacher.... the Holy One of Israel, the Holy Spirit and Son of God, Jaheshua, the Christ. No one and nothing else is the Word, Image, and Truth of God.


Peace and love to you!

tammy

So, when we look at Peter, seeing him as one to be raised up over the others is... not wise. Nor is it accurate, at least to the extent that he was raised up such by Christ. He was not. He was repeatedly made an EXAMPLE of by our dear Lord... as one who was HARD-HEADED, albeit faithful, one who had to be GOADED... rather than just obediently follow.


I appreciated this thought as well.

I do remember the society always mentioning whenever 3 times is used, it is to mean emphasis!

With this topic going on, I had been hearing it as well and of course, not as a good thing but as a reminder not of emphasis but of the fact of just " not getting it" or listening when told the first time.

Really, we shouldn't have to be told more than once from the two most awesome, loving, merciful, forgiving beings in the universe.

Thank you and hubby for sharing.

Something I do need to work on.


Hope the day has warmed up for you all,
Love to you as well, justmom

Same here JM.

Isn't it the ultimate irony that the message religions have spread (mainly) has totally missed the point of the account of Peter? Got things the wrong way round, as usual.

Loz x

_________________
"This is my son. LISTEN to Him!"

I'm sure we all need to work on (something), dear 'Mom and Loz (peace to you, both!). I think the point was to help us see what the accounts were truly ABOUT (versus the traditions), so that we could each know for ourselves... and in respect to ourselves and not others... what we "might" individually need to consider. Peter thought he knew himself... knew the "man in the mirror"... and knew him even better than Christ... but apparently didn't. As perhaps we might (think we know).

The only way we can truly know, though, is to LISTEN to the One Who can tell us... whether we're looking in the mirror OR have turned away from it, yes? Because while the "view" might change for US when we turn away, it doesn't for HIM. If we don't listen to HIM, though, do we TRULY know ourselves... and what (all) we need to "work on"?

But consider that perhaps the "work on" isn't the main issue. Perhaps it's just the KNOWING (what we need to "work on")... [i]so as to be able to ask for HELP [/i]for such a thing. Which it doesn't seem like Peter did, often.

Doesn't matter what we say; matters what we DO, yes?

Again, peace to you!

YSSFS of Christ,

Shellamar