Stairway to heaven

It is difficult to be a Christian today. We are overloaded with all forms of information related to our faith. Explanations that profess the get rich if you tide message, if your think positive and step out in faith God provides for all your needs or the “support our ministry and God will multiply that donation”, buy that prayer cloth or miracle water and you will be blessed. You think this is true? You really think that God is in the “You do something for me and I (God) do something bigger for you” Business. God does not work like that, and any one who preaches like this has to read the bible better. All but one Jesus disciples died a natural dead. Read……..

1)   SIMON, GIVEN THE NAME PETER or CEPHAS, ‘THE ROCK’ – A FISHERMAN

Peter - He was crucified, head-down, at his own request. Later traditions claim that St. Peter’s in Rome was built over his grave.

2)   ANDREW, BROTHER OF SIMON PETER – A FISHERMAN

Andrew – was crucified at Patras in Achaia. A later tradition describes him as being crucified in a spread-eagle position – hence the St. Andrew’s cross of Scotland.

3   JAMES, SON OF ZEBEDEE – A FISHERMAN

During the persecutions of Herod Agrippa I, King of the Jews, in c AD44, the apostle James was beheaded – ‘put to the sword’ (Acts 12:1-2 following). Before his death, James the Greater as he is known to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, preached in Jerusalem and Judea, modern Israel.

4   JOHN, BROTHER OF JAMES and SON OF ZEBEDEE – A FISHERMAN

According to John’s Gospel (19:26-27), it was probably John who took Mary, the mother of Jesus as his adopted mother. He was banished to the nearby island of Patmos, now one of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. He was subsequently freed and died a natural death at Ephesus c AD100.

5   PHILIP

Philip preached the Gospel in Phrygia (west central Turkey) before dying or being martyred there at Hieropolis.

6   BARTHOLOMEW, also NATHANAEL

The missionary work of Bartholomew He met his death by being flayed or skinned alive, and then beheaded. He may have suffered this cruel fate in what is now India.

7   THOMAS DIDYMUS – ‘DOUBTING THOMAS’

Thomas was speared to death near Madras on the east coast. Mount St. Thomas, close to Madras is associated with his name.

8   MATTHEW, also LEVI – TAX-COLLECTOR/PUBLICAN

Nothing definite is known of Matthew’s career. After preaching in Judea, different traditions place his missionary work and possible martyrdom in Ethiopia or Persia.

9   JAMES, SON OF ALPHAEUS

Known as James the Less, He, and Jude following, should not be confused with James and Jude (or Judas), the brothers of Jesus. He first worked in Palestine (Israel) before preaching and martyrdom in Egypt.

10   JUDE, also THADDAEUS

Jude may have preached in Assyria (eastern Iraq) and Persia (Iran), before joining with Simon the Zealot and being killed with him in Persia.

11   SIMON THE ZEALOT or PATRIOT

Simon is referred to both as the “Cananaean” and the “Zealot”. One tradition is that he first preached in Egypt, before joining Jude and travelling to Persia, where both were martyred. Simon may have been crucified or hacked to death.

12    JUDAS ISCARIOT

And Judas flung down the silver in the Temple and went outside and hanged himself.

1.a   MATTHIAS

As a disciple from the time of Jesus’ baptism through to his death and resurrection, and possibly one of the 72 sent out to preach and heal, Matthias was chosen by prayer and the drawing of lots to replace Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle. Preached and been martyred in Ethiopia

1.b   PAUL OR SAUL OF TARSUS

Paul was executed around the year AD67.

All I learn from this is that we have a purpose, and the purpose is to talk about God and Jesus. How much we love Him and are not ashamed to talk about our faith. The disciples knew this and were not afraid of suffering. They did not end up in a castle with servants. They got the ultimate reward. Being in heaven with our Father God. We can not choose our departure of this planet. God gave us life and He will reclaim it in His time. We all have a purpose in this life and we need to fulfill this purpose, our destiny planned by God. God will provide all you need to accomplish your work on this planet. It is not for your personal use and if you do….. whooowww on you. To use Gods gift for you is stealing from God. All you gather financially or materially can only be used for His kingdom. You love God…. give away everything… let the chuch buy you food and clothes, bring you were you need to preach, but you have nothing. If you need a multi million dollar home, a mercedez, the shopping spree you brag about in your sermon, you have been paid already. You took your pay from God, Like Nero, Nepoleon crowned themselves. Welcome to your group of entiteled people, who have desided you earned it now.  May God give you wisdom.

The Rich man

Pastor, Minister, Prophet, Christian writer or Preacher  Challenge

Are you rich today? Has your congregation or Christian supporters grown and provided you with lots of money? Your talents are rewarded, so you can live in that big house, and drive that expensive car. Every day you’re out there doing Gods work. God has giving you a GIFT, and lucky you, NOW YOU TAKE THE PROFITS. You’ve been well paid for the Gift you got for free from God. I know that YOU are not like the Rich young Ruler as described in Mark 10. I know YOU know the scripture.  Therefore as a measure of your heart, lets follow the scripture, and do what God tells you to do. GIVE IT ALL AWAY and you know where your heart is. Write to me if you have done this and we share some bread together.

Invitation to:     Benny Hinn, Frederick K.C. Price, Creflo Dollar, Jan and Paul Crouch, K.A. Paul, Joyce Meyer, Paula And Randy White, Mike Murdock, Kenny Copeland, Rod Parsley and foremost Joel Osteen. 

The Rich Young Ruler

Mark 10-17:31
      17As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 18And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 19“You know the commandments, ‘DO NOT MURDER, DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, DO NOT STEAL, DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, Do not defraud, HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER.’” 20And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” 21Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 22But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.

      23And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, “How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!” 24The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” 26They were even more astonished and said to Him, “Then who can be saved?” 27Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

      28Peter began to say to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You.” 29Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, 30but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 31“But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

AGAPE….PHILEO…..THELO……EROS…..STORGE…..,
July 28, 2010 Peter Holden will talk about our faith and Love. Starts at 7:30pm. Or follow us on GLY webchannel TV.

Follow ministry night by clicking on the GLY TV LINK.  Starts at 7:30 pm.

Open or Close…, how do you like to live your life. Open to Love or closed to Love. God created us to Love and be Loved.  Are you afraid?

Wendnesday march 31, 2010 ministry night at gly cafe. Peter Holden will talk about how to be and stay strong when things get tough.

GLY wishes all our friends a blessed new year. We hope to see you soon. Don’t forget our ministry night on the last wednessday of the month at the GLY Cafe, 32 School street,  8pm. Admission free. God Bless. Many more events to follow in this new year. Just visit our website GLYBooks.com, click on special events.

see you soon

Ones upon a time there was a good man who builds a house.

On that day he met this man, and the man told him he had no house.

Okay, said the man with the house, “I let you live in my house if you cook me a meal ones in a while”. The man agreed. The owner of the house filled up the refrigerator with food, paid all the bills and waited for his meal. Day’s past, even months past never receiving a meal. When the man asked where his meal was, the answer always was it takes time to prepare a meal. The owner of the house saw that many of his own friends received meals from the man in his house, but he did not. So when the owner asked, “Why don’t you give me one meal you normally give to one of my friends? No, replied the man, I need all of your friends, it gives you a better reputation, but don’t worry, I feel that soon I have a meal for you. One day the man was upset and told the owner of the house that if he does not fill up the refrigerator, he could not cook meals for all the owner friends, and that looks really bad. The owner told the man he had to be careful with his money and was not able to fill up the refrigerator. The man got even more upset and told him that this was his house and his refrigerator, and that he was responsible to fill it. “I only live here, the man replied”.  The owner filled up the refrigerator, paid all the bills and hoped the man would cook him a meal soon. One day one of the owner’s friends told him that the man was having a party. The owner waited for an invitation for the party in his house with his friends but he did not receive an invitation. Maybe it is going to be a surprise party for me, the owner thought. But the party came and went. All were invited, but he man who built the house and paid for all the food was not. After the man who lived in the house presented the man who owned the house and the friends and the refrigerator with the extra cost related to the party, the owner had enough. He never received one meal and probably never will. He placed the man back on the street. The man was so blinded he did not understand why?

GLY Religious store has conducted it’s own limited market study for the small local mom &  pop store including Christian Retail. Many of the small store owners we have interviewed are considering closing, reducing staff, or minimizing product selection. We have noticed that our customers buy only what they need.  It is a target buy, and not so much impulse buying. Impulse buying is mostly gone. Customers come in for communion, confirmation, baptism, wedding or funeral items. But the nice bracelet displayed on the counter, is disregarded at the present time.

Also the increase in local and government taxes has made small business extremely difficult. Sales tax, property tax, city tax, insurance costs, income tax, mortgage payments and even in Nassau county an energy tax and now a MTA Tax. Government is taking to much from small business and we are the businesses who have created most of the local jobs. Increases in product costs and taxes forced us to let 15 people go.  It is time for government to protect local small businesses. Decrease taxes, payroll taxes, property taxes, delete the MTA tax and energy tax in Nassau county. Give small business some breathing room. Why does big business get all the brakes. Elect a government that protect local businesses. Main street could be ghost street soon if no action is taken to protect small business. I estimate that this recession will continue for atleast an other year.

Help was there for AIG and the big financial institutions. What about your own mommy and daddy shop?  Without small business protection, employement numbers will keep going up. People have less money to spend. Have no money to put in the bank, bank cash capital shrinks and have to let people go. Investment monies not available people can not buy houses, cars or property. In other words ”Wall street is out of business”.

A Healthy ecomomy starts with small business, which results in profitable big business. Not the other way around. I think that many polititians forgot this principle of economic success