Shepherd's Cross Christian Helps Ministry
(1 Corinthians 12:28)

Following in the footsteps of the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. Luke, Shepherd's Cross Christian Helps Ministry exists by the grace of God to further the first century Apostolic tradition serving in the Great Commission.

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the light hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. Hebrews 1:1-4 (EVS)

"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel." Luke 2:29-32 (ESV)

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
1Peter 1:8-9 (ESV)

There is just something about the name, in the Hebrew language, Yeshua, and in the Greek language, Jesus. … And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 (ESV) For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all… 1 Timothy 2:5-(ESV).

Within the Epistle of 1 John 4:19 it is written, “We love him because he first loved us.

Absolutely!

Can you imagine this? That before something at all had being there was God, the Blessed Trinity unaccompanied.

Within the writings and teachings of the African monastic Bishop, St. Augustine, of Hippo, Regius, modern Annaba, in Algeria, born in 354 A.D. in Tagaste, modern Souk Ahras, Algeria, and a provincial Roman city in North Africa, is found within the pages of St. Augustine’s book “The Enchiridion, On Faith, Hope, and Love” there exists spiritual nutrients that nourish my mind’s intellectual hunger on this precise area under discussion, God’s solitariness.

As a preteen, my mom and I conversed about views that were the inspiration for long, quiet thinking that were penned in this book, The Enchiridion. For example, where did God come from? What was it like when God was alone before any creation? Did God need to create? These and other topics were of interest to your conversations.

God Is One

Sh'ma Yisrael Adonai Elohaynu Adonai Echad. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One! Think about it, God is Echad, One. The Blessed Trinity is Three Persons, and mysteriously yet, One. God is a God of relationship, being the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

The word solitary is from the Latin word solus, meaning alone. In Greek, the word is monos. This is where we get the word monk. For duration of an eternity past, there was God, the Blessed Trinity, solus, monos, and no-one else. Every believer is in need of Christian community. In the case of the Blessed Trinity, Elohim God was eternally in need of nothing to have self-existence. He is “being.”

The Good Pleasure of His Will

In the Beginning God! Think about it, God was alone without a heaven, angels, a universe, human beings or any other thing that had a real and independent existence. Nothing was essential, fundamental, vital or cardinal to be added to the eternally, existing God, the Blessed Trinity that would be able to improve the Divine Essence.

“Essential,” implies belonging to the very nature of a thing and therefore being incapable of removal without destroying the thing itself or its character.

Fundamental applies to something that is a foundation without which an entire system or complex whole would collapse.

Vital suggests something that is necessary to a thing's continued existence or operation.

Cardinal suggests something on which an outcome turns or depends.”

Information Source cited is from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

God, the Blessed Trinity, was under no obligation to create. The decision to create was motivated through a sovereign, loving act caused by nothing outside of Himself. His action to create was because it was within the good pleasure of His will to do so. Ephesians 1:11(ESV)

This very Eternal Being loves with an everlasting love; therefore his faithfulness continues. Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV).

“Taste and see that the Lord is good! How blessed is the one who takes shelter in Him!” Psalm 34:8(ESV)


Adam walked and communed with God, his Creator. The goodness of God was pleasurable and tasteful to Adam’s spiritual palate. This was in Adam’s ante-fallen state.

Adam took and he did eat … “when the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.” Genesis 3:6(ESV)

Adam did hide from God … “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God moving about in the orchard at the breezy time of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the orchard.” Genesis 3:8(ESV)

God came looking for Adam … “But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” The man replied, “I heard you moving about in the orchard, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” Genesis 3:9(ESV)

Adam, in his fallen state, abandoned the taste for God. He hid from his maker. Likewise, we, through Adam’s action, have inherited a palate that resists the taste for the goodness of God. In order for us to recover from this fallen state, God the Holy Spirit has to create within our human spirit a new palate that may be able to absorb the vitamins and minerals of God’s grace along with the desire for the flavor and aroma of the Divine. In order to do this we must accept a Divine blood transfusion via of the cross of the Son of David, King Messiah, the Lord Jesus – the Holy One of Israel.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
1Peter 1: 8-12(ESV)

Remember, again within the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah it is written, “the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3 (ESV)

This is demonstrated through God’s love in the words of our Lord Jesus found in the Gospel of John, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. John 3:16-17(ESV)

Spiritual Brokenness

One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Luke 7:36-50 (ESV)

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
"I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite. Isaiah 57:15 (EVS)

Spiritual Abandonment Trust

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."

And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."
Mathew 14:22-32(ESV)

Keith Green’s - Song To My Parents

Verse One:
I need to say these things 'cause
I love you so
And I'm sorry you get angry when I say that
You just don't know

That there's a heaven waiting
For you and me
I know it seems every time we talk
I'm only tryin' to just make you see

Chorus:
And it's only that I care
I really only want
Just to see you there.

Verse Two:
Please try and overlook my,
My human side
I know I'm such a bad example
And you know I'm so full of pride

But Jesus isn't like that-
No He's perfect all the way,
I guess that's why we need Him
'Cause by ourselves (ha)
There's just no way

(Chorus)

Bridge:
Close the doors
They're just not comin'
We sent the invitations out long, long, long, long time ago!

We're still gonna have a wedding feast
Big enough to beat them all
The greatest people in the world just wouldn't come
So now we'll just have to invite the small

(Chorus)

Verse Three:
Isn't that Jesus?
Isn't that Joseph and Mary's son?
Well, did He grow up right here?
He played with our children.

What! He must be kidding,
Thinks He's a prophet,
Well, prophets don't grow up from little boys,
Do they? From little boys?
Do they?

Psalm 2 (EVS)

Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying,
"Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us."
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
"As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill."
I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have begotten you.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
and the ends of the earth your possession.
You shall break them with a rod of iron
and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel."
Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
be warned, O rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Depart from your ways and move to the direction of the Lord, Believer, and allow the Lord to bring you into communion with Him within to a place of brokenness.

Depart from your ways and move to the direction of the Lord, Believer, and allow the Lord to bring you into communion with Him within a place of spiritual abandonment and trust.

You are a hiding place for me;
you preserve me from trouble;
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
Selah

In Jesus name,

Brother Richard, MS Ed
Brother Richard, MS Ed

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