Mortal Point of Views

Meeting Together

2012-01-10T03:47:00.000-08:00

Our text is from the bible in the book of Matthew:

"For wheretwo or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst ofthem." Matthew 18:20

There is something wonderful about unity.

I heard about a fellow who courted a girl by writing hera beautiful love letter every day for two years. He thought that would be awonderful way to court her. Do you know what happened? She married the mailcarrier!

There is nothing like being there. There is nothing likepersonal contact. There is a sense in which Jesus Christ is present when Hispeople gather that's not in any other sense. You cannot get it the same way athome.

Do you have a church home? If not, I encourage you tofind one today. If church attendance isn't important, I wonder why Satan worksso hard to keep folks away. If you do have a church home, make a special effortthis week to meet a new friend and find a need they have which you can meet.

We are all accounted for above situation and our action should be important in our spiritual life.. Do you aware of it?

Enter in the World of Opportunity part 2

2010-10-25T02:09:00.000-07:00

Here is 2010 I decided to enter into a new world of social networking which is mylot. There are lots of opportunity to meet freinds, have new friends, discussions, opinion and most important you earn from your participation and discussion.

myLot User Profile

Join me at http://www.mylot.com/?ref=visavis then start talking.

Any topic will accept at mylot and you learn something deffirence...

Enter in the World of Opportunity

2010-10-25T01:57:00.000-07:00

1 JOHN 3:9 FALLACIES ARE TRUE?

2010-09-14T10:51:00.000-07:00

1 John 3:9 - Whosever is born of God do not commit sin; for his seed remain in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Fallacies

That a born again man cannot sin
That his sins are not real ones
That God automatically forgives his sins without confession
That God does not see his sins instead He sees the blood of Christ which is trusting in
That sins are not imputed to him
That he does not practise sin, but commits occasional sin
That all his isns, past, present and future are already forgiven

At the best these fallacies are vain attempts to explain this verse and all of them are un-scriptural. the secret of a proper understanding of this verse in the word "IN" in which, means in harmony with or in union with and not bodily entrance into, as a prove in note of Luke 22:3. The seed is the word of God by which a man is born again (1 Peter 1:23, James 1:18). The simple idea is that as long as one remains in union with or in harmony with the seed, or the word of God, he cannot sin.

One who is consecrated to obey the bible and refuses to do so, cannot break the commandments of God. Therefore, he cannot sin, for sin is transgression of the law (v4). the reason given here for not being able to sin is that "HIS" (God) seed (the word of God) remains (abides) in him. That is, the one born again refuses to transgress the commandments of God and commit sin.

As long as this consecration remains he will be unable to sin. If he grows cold in his love for God, ceases to pray and keep his spiritual life up to normal he then may be overcome again and sin by transgressing the word of God (1 John 2:1, 2 Peter 1:5-10)

LEARNING CONTENTMENT

2010-08-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5, NIV).Wouldn't we all love to be rich? Including me! Well, one thing is certain, we can't buy happiness, love, or peace of mind.According to an article by A. Naismith, John B. Rockefeller, a Christian millionaire, said, "I have made many millions, but they have brought me no happiness. I would barter them all for the days I sat on an office stool in Cleveland and counted myself rich on three dollars a week." Broken in health, he employed an armed guard.

W. H. Vanderbilt said, "The care of 200 million dollars is too great a load for any brain or back to bear. It is enough to kill anyone. There is no pleasure in it."John Jacob Astor left five million, but had been martyr to dyspepsia and melancholy. He said "I am the most miserable man on earth."Henry Ford, the automobile king, said, "Work is the only pleasure. It is only work that keeps me alive and makes life worth living. I was happier when doing a mechanic's job."And as Jesus taught, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15, NIV).What God wants for each of us is that we find contentment with what we have and in circumstances we cannot change. But it's interesting to note that the Apostle Paul said that contentment was something he needed to learn ... it wasn't a gift! He said, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (Philippians 4:11, NIV).

The reason we can be content is because no matter what, we always have God's presence with us for he promised never to leave us or forsake us. Translated properly, this word would read, "I will never, never, never, never, never (5 times over) leave you or forsake you." Or, "I will never, not ever, not ever, leave you or forsake you." Strong words. Powerful promise. Let's remember to take it with us everywhere we go."Dear God, please help me to learn to be content regardless of my circumstances and always be aware of, and thankful for, the fact that you are with me at all times and that you will never leave me or forsake me. Gratefully in Jesus' name. Amen."

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What I says about Eternal Life?

2010-02-08T00:49:00.000-08:00

1 John 3:15 – Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

In some scriptures we find that the term eternal life is synonymous with Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-2, 1 John 2:24-25, 1 John 5:11-13, John 14:6). This life, like Christ, is eternal whether anyone ever receives it or not. Even if one receives it and then loses it, the life is still eternal.

Individual possession of it either temporarily or otherwise does not make it eternal or not eternal. So the argument that if one should lose it, it would cease to be eternal is the wrong concept of it.

A diamond or any other eternal thing would not cease to be eternal just because the owner lose it. So it is with eternal life. Conditions must be met to get it and to keep it. Christ cannot and will not remain dwell (John 5:4-8, Galatians 1:6-8, 2 Corinthians 13:5)

Now I need your comments about the above information and appreciate to leave your comments to this post.

Is Redemption Important to us? Part 2

2010-02-04T00:49:00.000-08:00

Here is our continuation of previous post about the question to us "is redemption important to us?" You can see that from the bible redemption is giving us a hint and information to mankind how important is but in modern society - is it giving importance?

4.) God decided that through the atonement and the substitution of an innocent victim to take the place of the guilty kidnapped race He would free it from Satan, thus legally and forcefully evicting him, restoring man’s dominion so as to carry on the eternal purpose.

5.) The penalty had to be paid for man to go free. If sinful man had paid the penalty he would remain forever dead. If man was to become reconciled to God again and be restored to his original position, an innocent and a willing substitute had to be found to take his place who could fully meet the demands of the law and represent both God and man. He had to be more than man to be able to live again after the penalty was paid.

6.) One of the three Divine Person in the Trinity became a man, took the place of man in paying the penalty thus meeting all the demands of God and His holy law and defeating Satan and his host (Colossians 2:14-17).

7.) When Satan put to death the innocent sinless Christ, the court heaven cancelled all his claims, rights over his victims. Now he holds a false authority over them. His chief method now is intimidation. All who assert their legal, redemptive, blood bought, and divine rights and resist him can be free from sin, sickness, and satanic powers. Mark 16:17-18

No human court can forgive and justify any man who continues to commit crimes. So it is with the court of heaven. The supreme judge is sworn to uphold the demands of the law in every case.

All sin must be confessed and the life consecrated to obedience to the moral law before one is justified and Satan loses his case in the court of heaven. If one commits sin and refuses to confess and rectify his life, Satan wins his case and God is under obligation to pass the sentence of the broken law. James 2:10

Is Redemption Important to us? Part 1

2010-01-29T00:44:00.000-08:00

Matthew 20:28 - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

This scripture and others state and illustrate the doctrine of redemption. In short, redemption means that one who is capable of redeeming and taking the place of another or others actually meets the demands of the law and becomes the legal substitute by paying the redemptive price for those who are condemned to death because of breaking the law.

In the case of man, Satan caused him to rebel against God and break His law, incurring the death penalty. Man being under the sentence of death, could not pay his own death penalty and also live again to enjoy freedom from sin and carry out the eternal purpose for which he was created. To carry out the eternal plan he had to be redeemed and brought back into full reconciliation with God in order to fulfill the holly and righteous demands of the law and holiness of God. God undertook redemption work for man by sending Jesus Christ to die for him and resurrect him from the dead so that the original plan could be realized. This is plainly set forth in the following points about redemption.

1.) All life both vegetable and animal is sustained and perpetuated by substitutional suffering and death of innocent victims.

2.) God’s benevolence, holiness and relationship to the human race made atonement necessary. He had made the race to live forever and carry out His eternal program, so when it sinned it was necessary for Him to uphold and vindicate the moral law and yet redeem eternal man from His enemy. If He had permitted His enemy to escape with this attack on the eternal program He would be defeated in the eyes of all free moral agents who could join the rebellion trying to put God to complete defeat and eternal ruin.

3.) Satan had kidnapped man and made him a slave to sin and a subject of eternal death. He held a pseudo sovereignty over humanity and that for ransom on the principle of possession and consent of a responsible agent, or government by consent of the governed. He is the god and prince of the world who had the power of death and hell before his defeat by atonement (Genesis 3:15)

You people there, are you aware the truth about redemption and importance in our life? Read this and try to ask ourself the deeply importance this in our salvation. See you next part...

What I Said About This?

2010-01-25T00:36:00.000-08:00

2 Timothy 3:16-17- All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is not an amulet, a charm, a fetish or a book that will work wonders by its presence. It is a book that will work wonders in every life, here and hereafter. If acted upon and obeyed in faith and sincerity. It is God’s inspired revelation of the origin and destiny of all things, written in the most simple human language possible so that the most unlearned can understand and obey its teachings. It is self-interpreting and covers every subject of human knowledge and need now and forever.

As a literary composition, the Bible is the most remarkable book ever made. It is a divine library of 66 books, some of considerable size, and others no larger than a tract. These books include various forms of literature – history, biography, poetry, proverbial sayings, hymns, letters, direction’s for elaborate ritualistic worship, laws, parables, riddles, allegories, prophecy, drama and others. They embrace all manner of literary styles in human expression.

It is the book that reveals the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts binding, its histories true and its decisions immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. The Bible contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christians charter. Here heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject our good is its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill your feet in righteousness and true holiness. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully, meditatively, searchingly, devotionally, and study it constantly, perseveringly and industriously. Read it through and through until it becomes part of your being and generates faith that will move mountains. The Bible is a mine of wealth, the source of health and a world of pleasure. It is given to you in this life, will be opened at the judgment, and will stand forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the least to the greatest of labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Exposing the Hidden Truth

2010-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Death and hell are probably two of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible today – full with mystery and corrupted with medieval myths, they often evoke feelings of fear and hopelessness. Yet the bible’s real message about life after death and the existence of hell are surprisingly full of good news and knowing the real truth about them will help you avoid the confusing distortions leading many astray.

Don’t be fooled, because what you believe about hell and the state of the dead greatly impacts what you think about God’s real character – it’s true, God’s reputation is affected by the answers to these fascinating questions. You owe it to yourself to know what the bible really says about death and hell.

1. How did people get here in the first place? Genesis 2:7
To rightly understand what happens when a person dies, we need to start with how God gave life to man in the beginning. The bible says plainly that God made man from dust, from the elements of the earth at the beginning of earth history. Notice it does not say God gave man a soul but that man became a soul after God combined the body and the breath of life.

2. What happens when a person dies? Ecclesiastes 12:7
At death the reverse of creation occurs; the body returns to dust and the spirit goes back to God, the one who gave it. The spirit of every person who dies – whether righteous or wicked – returns to God at death.

There is nothing mysterious about this spirit – nowhere in the bible does it say this spirit has life, wisdom, or feeling when a person dies. The spirit of God (the breath that God gave him) is in my nostril (Job 27:3), w2hich means it is the breath of life and nothing more.

3. Then what is a soul and doesn’t it live on after we die? Ezekiel 18:20, Revelation 16:3
A soul is a living being – a combination of two things: body and breath. A soul cannot exist unless body and breath are combined. God’s word teaches that we are souls, as well as the animals.

And according to God’s word, souls do die – they are not immortal! Man is mortal (Job 4:17). Only God is immortal (1 Timothy 1:17). Immortality is a gift God gives to the saved (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). The concept that everyone has an undying, immortal soul goes against the bible. When we die, the soul ceases to exist – there is no such thing as a disembodied soul .. ie ghost, poltergeists, etc. This also means that the growing belief in reincarnation is in direct opposition to the bible.

4. You mean people are not conscious after they die? Ecclesiastes 9:5-6,10, Job 14:12, 21, Psalm 146:4
Yes, God’s word says that the dead know absolutely nothing! Nor can the dead communicate with the living! The dead person’s thoughts have perished (Psalm 146:4). Though millions think it is possible, the dead cannot communicate with the living. The bible not only shows that it is impossible, it says we should not even attempt it.

5. How did the devil first lie about death? Genesis 3:4
Satan, speaking through the serpent, told Eve that sin would not bring death. “You shall not surely die. He said even though God told Adam and Eve that they would surely die. The devil is the first one who said man is immortal despite God’s clear teaching.

Throughout history Satan has worked powerful miracles through people who claim to receive their power from spirits of the dead. (Example – Magicians of Egypt – Exodus 7:11; Woman of Endor – 1 Samuel 28:3-25, Sorcerers – Daniel 2:2). And in the end-times, Satan will again use sorcery to deceive the world (Revelation 18:23). Sorcery is a supernatural agency that claims to receive its power and wisdom from the spirits of the dead. So posing as godly loved ones who have died, bible prophets or even the apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13). Satan and his angles will deceive billions. Those who believe the dead are alive, in any form, will most assuredly be deceived.

6. Don’t all good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell as soon as they die? John 5:28-29, No good people do not go immediately to heaven at death, and there is not one single soul burning in hellfire today. The bible is very specific about this issue. All go to their graves to wait for the resurrection and judgment day (Job 21:30,32). The bible says that God reserves, or holds back, the wicked until the judgment day to be punished. They will enter hellfire at the end of the world, and not one day sooner (John 12:48). Until then, they sleep in their graves (John 11:11-14)

Think about it. Would God punish a person before their judgment – their day in court? Or would He burn a petty thief who died 5,000 years ago 5,000 years longer than a cruel murderer who died today?

7. What about the thief on the cross in Luke 23:43? John 20:17
Jesus said these words to Mary on Sunday morning, the day of His resurrection. Many say that Jesus promised the thief on the cross that they would be together in paradise on the evening of their deaths – but John 20:17 shows Jesus had yet to ascend to heaven.

In the original inspired language, there is no punctuation, so it appears that when all the other bible evidence about the state of the dead is considered, the only plausible explanation is that the comma in Luke 23:43 simply seems to have been put in the wrong place. Instead, it should be read, “Verily I say unto you today, shall you be with me in paradise”. Or I’m telling you today – when it seem that I can save no one, I give you the assurance that you will be with me in paradise.

8. After the resurrection, will the wicked enter hell in bodily form? Matthew 5:30, Matthew 10:28
Real, live people – and not just spirits – will enter hell in bodily form and are destroyed, both spirit and body. The fire from God out of heaven will fall upon and consume real people and blot them out of existence.

9. What happens to those in hellfire? Revelation 21:8
The bible is clear the wicked are obliterated in hellfire. If they lived forever, they would be immortal. But this is impossible because the bible says God only hath immortality (1 Timothy 6:16). Immortality is a gift given only to righteous humans at the judgment.

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 7

2009-12-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Seventh Word – And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, Into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus, He gave up the ghost. Luke 23:46

Remember that Christ’s Spirit is God’s Spirit because we read it in John 3:16 that God gave to us His only-begotten Son out of love to save us. He became flesh to save us from the fire of hell. This how God defined love.

He loves us so much. In His last breath, He commended His Spirit into the hands of His Father because He knows He is coming back to the divine throne. Jesus knew that the preaching of the cross would be the power of faith, that millions would worship Him, accept Him as the true and living God, as the Lord and Savior.

Finally, blessed is the one whose Spirit commends itself into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one come to my father in heaven except through me. John 14:6 – Amen

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 6

2009-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Sixth Word – When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost – John 19:30

It is finished ended Jesus emptiness, His humiliation. It was the end of His mission on earth. Jesus Christ had sowed the divine seed in the hearths of His disciples and followers. It is this divine seed in us that He would like to incubate so that we would be able to mix with the worldly environment. From us whom God the Father entrusted to Him would constitute a new society. A society composed of born-again Christians governed by the Biblical teachings of Jesus.

And we are called the body of Christ, and He is our Head. The church would be always carry of the pillar of the truth. We should always carry His name and message. His sanctification and justification. We were taught on how to have the good fight of faith and have it established in our hearth. His divine work and mission on earth were finished.

We must bear in mind that moment when Jesus said, “it is finished” marks the very beginning of His glorification and would never be separated from His church. He did not leave us nor forsake us. He loves us so much that was why He asked the Father to give us a Comforter, our Holy Spirit who will teach us, guide us, and comfort us.

Jesus armed us with shields and weapons – His 9 fruit of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Holy Spirit are our treasure and power. Notice how our Savior fought the good fight of faith, not with muscles, and cleverness, but He fought with spirit and kindness which we must emulate. He won the battle on the cross. It is the parchment of mankind’s distinction of pure communion and clear faith.

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 5

2009-12-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

The Fifth Word – Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." John 19:28

Why did Jesus say that He was thirsty during His dying moments on the Cross? I believe that Jesus was not asking for water or vinegar; or asking for something to satisfy His thirst. He was actually thirsty for the fruits of His teaching of the good news. Jesus thirsted for our individual righteousness to establish a new society, a new creation, and to present a new society.

We are the ones being mentioned to satisfy His thirst because of our obedience and humility to do His will. When you are thirsty, you feel dryness in your throat. But the scripture says that what they gave to Jesus was not water but a vinegar. John 19:28-29 – After this Jesus knowing that all things were not accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, “I thirst”. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar; and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop and put it to His mouth.

You may not fill dryness in your life today, but look around, first your partner in life, children and parents, and members of the family, neighborhood, your pastor, elders and brethren, all are thirsty. Not thirsty for water, but of love. The Bible says: Love conquers all things. Jesus is the living water. He is the source of everything we need. There is a song that always reminds our dryness. It goes this way, as the deer pants for the water so my soul long after thee…

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 4

2009-10-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Fourth Word – And when the sixth was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying Eloi, Eloi. Lama Sabachthani… Which is being interpreted. My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken Me? Mark 15:33-34

How would you reflect on this climatic moment of Jesus? A totally different scene when He went to a water baptism by John. After the baptism the Bible speaks about the voice of the Father proclaiming Him like this, This is My Son, in whom I am well pleased. But in His last moments, Jesus did not hear any single word from His heavenly Father.

We see on the cross was crucified the God-man Jesus. His flesh was still suffering the pains of the nails. Jesus flesh was not in any way immune to the affliction. His plea to His Father ends with a question mark? Did God really forsake His only son? No, no, no, no no!!! Our God never forsakes His children. And God never forsakes us because He said once, and He will say it again and again with that assurance of His word … I will not leave you nor forsake you.. A man forsaken because of his actions and sins which lead to separation from God. Most of the time, we hold on to our own selfish and useless reasoning. We negate the power of God’s word to work in our life individually.

Whenever we limit the power of God’s word, we limit the power of the word to work and manifest in our life. In reality, Jesus keeps on telling us that for apart from them, we can do nothing. Remember that His name is Emmanuel, meaning God is with us. Let me suggest this point, whenever you do not hear God’s voice, keep yourself silent. Wait on the Lord surely, you will hear again and again and again this word of encouragement, I will not leave you nor forsake you…

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 3

2009-10-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

We are now sharing to you the 3rd part of this series which Christians today, yesterday and next generation always remember the famous words of Jesus Christ taken from the bible. It is good to remember specially for all Christians because everyone knows what happened in the cross.

The Third Word – Verily, I say unto thee, today thou shalt be with Me in paradise – Luke 23:43

Repentance brings restoration and life. A life that is distinct from the old one. It is a life filled with hope and un-experience joy. True repentance performs miracles and opens the doors to paradise. This is written in Matthew 11:28 – Come to Me, those are weary and heavily laden and I will give them rest.

For all we know paradise is the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom Jesus speaks about is the earthly life because He came down from heaven to earth to reign us our King in our lives on earth. So, the life itself with Jesus Christ is the Kingdom of God for there is no Kingdom without a King and there is kingdom wherever there is a king. But we are blessed because we have the kindest, truest and one and only King. His name is Jesus Christ.

Do you agree on it?

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 2

2009-08-09T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Second Word – When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciples standing by, whom He loved, He said unto His mother, “Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He to the disciples, Behold they mother! – John 19:26

The scene reflects the tenderness of Jesus to His earthly mother which serves as an excellent example for us believers to renders our respective mother the best love and care that we could give them. It shows to us the natural movement of the undisturbed heart.

Friendship and fellowship are the fruits of the cultivated garden of Christian love, a distinct quality of man really depends on. For without the nourishment of Christian love is an artificial gathering of men for conflict and deceit. Man cannot live alone because he is created to express himself to others, to create thoughts and things with others and for others. His need for the companionship of others is in his nature. Sad to say, many have used to exploit others and for personal and vested interest only: not for lasting friendship.

For us, the question is…. Do we love our mother? Do you remember her birthday? If so, how many times did you send her a card? Do you give or send her financial support? How many times did you tell her that you love her very much? The bible says: “Respect your father and mother. Obey them. So that you will have long and prosperous life.”

Do not waith too long to tell her that you really love your mother. Remember that she carried you nine months and cared you a decade and more. The time is now for you to act and tell your mother, Ma, I love you very much! Noticed your mother’s eyes, tears slowly failing while you are embracing her. For once in her lifetime, make your mother feels she is a very important person in your life. She is only waiting you to say it! Do it now!

Christians called it “7 Last Words” – 1

2009-07-22T00:22:00.000-07:00

We as Christians called them the 7 last words. Words that are holy and will not pass away as they constitute the declaration of the Christian faith and our understanding of the sacrifices of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior.

We must bear in mind that every letter of the 7 last words represents every drop of the blood of the savior. These 7 last words are the sacred carries of ardent thoughts which have brought life to millions. Words that guided their faith to God and love for fellow man. They are 7 last words that have inspired men of distinction in the area of repentance, for those who are, whore were and who will be in the world of sin. They constitute in the last golden page of Jesus Christ’s history par excellence. We as believers with reverence, make it a point to memorize and always read them, and study their meaning.

The First Word – Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. – Luke 23:34. Jesus uttered these words by asking His Father to forgive those who killed Him even while He was still alive on the Cross. It is the same request tasked to us by our Lord Jesus to readily forgive those who sinned against us. More often than not, we allow ourselves to become a victim of our moral ignorance, our lack of faith and love of Jesus as a person and His message which left us to malice and envy uncured that was why they brought our Savior to the Cross.

Ignorance of the truth sometimes appears as a sincerity of the conscience and a commandment for duty. This means by sincerity one may abuse and judge another person, but in reality he may not hold the truth. The truth requires a life-long study and experience as it also needs a merciful heart for compassion and sympathy, also revelation. To replace the truth with an unmerciful sincerity of conscience is a fundamental mistake like what Pilate’s question “what is truth? Still remains unanswered for those who have not yet received “Jesus Christ” (the truth), an absolute faith in the savior and his message.

God has forgave us through His son, so do we must forgive those who hurt us, sinned against us, persecuted us. How good it is to live an earth without any single enemy. What an excellent planet earth to live on. Praised the Lord Jesus!

TRUTH OF HIS WORD - 8

2009-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

[8.1] "Knowing this first, that no prophecy [inspired writing or speaking] of the Scripture is of any private [Gk: ‘its OWN’] interpretation" (II Pet. 1:20).
[8.2] "To understand a proverb, AND THE INTERPRETATION [or ‘puzzle’—the proverb itself is not also the interpretation]…" (Prov. 1:6).
[8.3] "Are you able to make known unto me THE DREAM which I have seen, AND THE INTERPRETATION thereof [the dream does not interpret itself]?" (Dan. 2:26).

"Own" is a little closer to the Greek in this verse than is the word "private." A few examples of how the Greek word, idios, is used in other Scriptures will show this more clearly. In a few cases it should be translated "private," as in, "…the disciples came unto Him privately" (Matt. 24:3). But more than 70 times it is translated "own" as in: Matt. 9:1 "…and came into his own city [Gk: idios—not ‘private’ city]." John 4:44 "…has honor in his own country ."I Pet. 3:5 "…unto their own husbands ."

Why is no Scripture its OWN interpretation, we might ask? To protect the integrity of the Scriptures, for one thing. ALL twelve of these spiritual principles are to be used together in explaining the Scriptures. If every Scripture or even any Scripture can be its "own interpretation," then we wouldn’t need the other eleven principles. How can a Scripture be its own interpretation when we are told to "compare or MATCH spiritual with spiritual?" One standing along cannot at the same time be a match to something else. Why then the need for "TWO witnesses" if each Scripture fully interprets itself? No, everyone one of the principles that I am presenting is of paramount importance.

In our last example on the judgments by fire (I Cor. 3 and Rev. 20), it was absolutely necessary to have not only two witnesses, but to match one spiritual teaching with another spiritual teaching in order to arrive at the truth. You see, neither Scripture by itself, fully explains God’s "judgments by fire." From I Cor. 3 orthodoxy will concede that the fire is figurative, spiritual, symbolic, and that the believers that go through this fire WILL BE SAVED BY IT. But this same orthodoxy (because they refuse to obey this commandment of God’s Scripture) conclude that the lake of fire of Rev. 20, is not symbolic, even though the whole book is "signified" (Rev. 1:1), which is "symbolized." They say that this fire is literal, and that those that go through it will never be saved.

Theologians and preachers despise this simple and unassailable Scriptural logic and truth.
Here is a simple example as to why no Scripture is its OWN interpretation. I am asked about once a week the following question: If dead people are really dead as you say {actually, I quote SCRIPTURE when I say that, so it is really GOD saying it, not I], then how was it that Moses and Elijah appeared alive with Christ on the mount? Let’s read it:

"And after six days Jesus takes Peter, James, and John his brother, and brings them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with Him" (Matt. 17:1-3).

Now then, since most theologians refuse to follow the commandments of God, they do conclude that this verse is its OWN interpretation, and therefore what you see is what you get—Elijah and Moses are still alive in heaven, or some place. To them this Scripture is its OWN interpretation; they don’t need a SECOND witness; they don’t need to compare SPIRITUAL WITH SPIRITUAL; they don’t need to be sure this Scripture MATCHES other Scriptures. Hence, break the commandments of God and they teach heresy.

The preachers and theologians of Christendom ARE the Scribes and Pharisees, Elders, the Chief priests of today’s Church. And what was their attitude back then with regards to following the commandments of God with regard to having more than one witness, etc.? "And as soon as it was day, the ELDERS, of the people and the CHIEF PRIESTS and the SCRIBES came together and led Him into their council… Then said they all, ‘Are You then the Son of God?’ And He said unto them, ‘You say that I am.’ And they said, WHAT NEED WE ANY FURTHER WITNESS?…" (Luke 22:66, 70-71).

Yes, indeed, "What NEED have we of any further witness?" Here’s why we need to follow the commandments of God. Just one additional Scripture witness will solve this Christian heresy that dead people are still alive. Here it is: "And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the VISION [the vision they just had in verses 1-3 if Elijah and Moses appearing as if they were alive] to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead " (Matt. 17:9).

It was all a VISION! It never "literally" happened anymore than your dreams are literal. The Scripture says "two or THREE witnesses," so lets throw in a third just to put this whole issue out of the reach of the heretics. Are Elijah and Moses still alive? Did they receive their promises and go to heaven. Are they now in heaven?

Turn to Hebrews 11. Although Elijah is not mentioned by name in this chapter, he is, nonetheless, included, as he certainly was "…OF the PROPHETS" (Verse 32). What do the Scriptures say regarding the present condition of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham & Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and the prophets, of whom Elijah was one? Are they alive today? Did they receive the promises. Are they in heaven? Hold on, cause I’m about to knock your socks off:
"These ALL DIED IN FAITH, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE PROMISES… For they that say such things declare plainly that they SEEK a country… they DESIRE a better country, that is a HEAVENLY… And ALL THESE, having obtained a good report through faith, [here comes the second witness that they are dead and not in heaven]… RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE: God having provided something better thing FOR US, that THEY without US should NOT BE MADE perfect".

TRUTH OF HIS WORD - 7

2009-01-24T00:30:00.000-08:00

[7.1] "Now ALL these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for OUR ADMONITION upon whom the ends of the world are come" (I Corinthians. 10:11).
[7.2] "Now these things were OUR EXAMPLES, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted" (I Corinthians. 10:6).
[7.3] "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for OUR LEARNING…" (Romans. 15:4).

It is essential that we study the Old Testament Scriptures, for they are often the only key to the New Testament Scriptures. Paul used the Hebrew Scriptures to teach the foolish Galatians the New Covenant promises. Here’s but one great example:

"Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, do you not HEAR the law? For it is written that Abraham had to sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the FLESH; but he of the freewoman was by PROMISE. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which genders [gives birth] to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar IS mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
"But the Jerusalem which is above is free, which IS the mother of us all.
For it is written, ‘Rejoice, you barren that bear not; break forth and cry, you that travail not: for the desolate has many more children than she which has an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
"Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman SHALL NOT be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not the children of the bondwoman, but of the free." (Galatians. 4:21-31).

This is not only an allegory, but it is an allegory containing many metaphors as well. An allegory is when characters or events (such as Sarah and Agar and their children) represent abstract or spiritual ideas or principles. A metaphor is when one thing is said to be something else. (such as Agar actually being mount Sinai, which then represents or corresponds to Jerusalem in bondage). It may seem a little complicated at first, but once one sees all of the aspects of the allegory explained, this principle is quite easy to understand. Nevertheless, it does require the Spirit of God to believe it. It is this very fact (that the Church does not understand or believe this allegory) that the Church continues to believe that God’s true chosen people are STILL, "the children of the bondwoman"—"Jerusalem which NOW IS" over there in the State of Israel. Unbelievable.

This dear reader, is how the Old Covenant was written for "OUR admonition…"
Does anyone believe that this is the ONLY "allegory" in the Old Testament which is written for OUR admonition. Hardly—the Old Testament is FILLED with such allegories, but who has "ears to hear and eyes to see?" And "who will believe our report?" The whole book of Revelation is explained in the Old Testament Scriptures, but the theologians of this world do not and cannot discern it. They all teach that Revelation is a book of end-time, end-of-the-world eschatology. They have not a clue.

Paul constantly referred to the Old Testament Scriptures in his epistles, and he taught the whole plan of salvation from the Old Testament Scriptures, as they were the only Scriptures available during his ministry.

"And that from a child you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (II Timothy. 3:15).

These same Scriptures were now able to make Timothy wise unto salvation, but not until he first learned about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures. These were the Scriptures that Jesus caused His apostles to understand after His resurrection:

What Jesus taught from the Old Testament Scriptures during His ministry was not even the tip of the iceberg.
The Truth of God, "thou shall sure die," and the lie of the Devil, "you shall NOT surely die," is for "our admonition." The story of Cain and Able is for "our admonition." The story of the flood is for "our admonition." The story of Babel is for "our admonition." The promises to Abraham and the meaning of faith are for "our admonition." The entire story in every single detail of Joseph and his brothers is for "our admonition." Do you wear your "coat of many colors," or do you hide it in the closet? You say: "What coat of many colors?"

TRUTH OF HIS WORD – 6

2009-01-06T00:44:00.000-08:00

[6.1] "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; COMPARING SPIRITUAL THINGS WITH SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 2:13).
[6.2] "And to this AGREE the words of the prophets; as it is written…" (Acts 15:15).
[6.3] "These … searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were SO (Acts 17:11).
[6.4] "AS You have sent Me into the world, EVEN SO have I sent them into the world" (John 17:18).

The purpose for comparing spiritual with spiritual is to find a spiritual match. There is a spiritual match for every symbol in the book of Revelation. This is a powerful truth that will open the whole Bible to us. In the previous truth we learned the need for two witnesses. In this truth we will learn the need for those two witnesses to be a "spiritual match." Let’s now "spiritually match" two witnesses and see the marvelous eye-opening result. After being introduced to the Great White Throne in Rev. 20:11, we read of the judgment of every man’s work in fire:

And I saw the dead small and great stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Notice the specifics of these verses: "Every man’s work is to be judged by fire."
1. EVERY MAN
2. Every man’s WORK
3. Every man’s work is to be JUDGED
4. Every man’s work is to be judged IN FIRE

But we learned that no witness can stand alone. We must have at least TWO WITNESSES to establish the truth of any doctrine. For the simple fact that orthodoxy absolutely refuses to give you a "spiritual match" to these Scriptures, it has enabled them to attach all kinds of unscriptural, extra-scriptural, anti-scriptural heresies to the above Scripture. Why won’t they give you a "second witness," and a "spiritual match" to the above Scripture? Because the only second witness which is a spiritual match to the above Scripture, destroys their whole pagan teaching regarding it, that’s why.

Now then, is there a second witness to: Every man’s work is to be judged by fire? Yes, there is a SECOND witness to this Scripture. But we are looking for more than just a second witness. We have just learned that we are also to "compare [or match] spiritual with spiritual." We are looking for a second witness which is a SPIRITUAL MATCH to these statements that Every man’s work is to be judged in fire."

Would you believe that there is ONE and ONLY ONE such spiritual match to this Scripture in the entirety of the Bible? After I give it to you, you will clearly see why orthodoxy will not even concede that this Scripture IS a second witness and a spiritual match. Here it is:
"Every man’s work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try [test, examine, judge] every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide that he has built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss, BUT HE HIMSELF SHALL BE SAVED; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:13-15).

There it is: a perfect spiritual match and a second witness to Rev. 20:13-15):
1. EVERY MAN
2. Every man’s WORK
3. Every man’s work TRIED, TESTED OR JUDGED
4. Every man’s work tried, tested or judged IN FIRE

Why do Christians and theologians hate what I have just shown you? Because when we put these two spiritually matched Scriptures together, we also are given the added knowledge that there is SALVATION in and through this fire which judges us, and the Church doesn’t want all mankind to be saved. Yes, the most evil people who have ever lived, will also be saved one day, but contrary to what all of my detractors constantly lie about my writings, is that they will not be saved before they are purged in "God’s CONSUMING FIRE" of every last vestige of evil and carnality.

But many Christians have written me insisting that these two Scriptures are not spiritual matches, and in fact insist that they are never even a second witness to one another. Be it known to all, that God’s CONSUMING SPIRITUAL FIRE will purge every vestige of these carnal and evil deceptions of THE GREAT WHORE CHURCH OF BABYLON.

They (like we) will first be "ground to POWDER" (Luke 20:18), and then (like we) subjected to "refiners FIRE and fuller’s SOAP" (Malachi 3:2) of Almighty God. The process for them will be the same process as with us, albeit at a later date, and in many cases with greater intensity, and remember that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the LIVING GOD" (Heb. 10:31). But it is not a never-ending fear in eternal torture. Question: As the world of Christendom predominantly believes that the Bible is to be taken literally, how pray tell is it even within the realm of possibility for them to compare ANYTHING "spiritual with spiritual" from the Scriptures?

TRUTH OF HIS WORD – 5

2008-12-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

[5.1] "…that in the mouth of TWO OR THREE WITNESSES every word may be established" (Matt. 18:16).
[5.2] "…In the mouth of TWO OR THREE WITNESSES shall every word be established" (II Cor. 13:1).
[5.3] "And I will give power unto my TWO WITNESSES…" (Rev. 11:3).

This particular law of Scripture is constantly violated. We are to have at least a second witness to establish a Scriptural truth or doctrine.
Unfortunately, the Church does not follow this truth of God in establishing doctrine. Truth be known, others has not even one witness to support any of their doctrines! Example: The Scriptures tell us that man is "mortal," not "immortal." They teach that man’s soul is immortal. Where do they have a Scripture to support this claim? No Scripture—no witness. Where is their second witness to this claim? No second witness. They will not be encumbered with Scriptures to support their damnable heresies and lies.

God told Adam if he ate of the forbidden fruit he would die: "And the Lord God commanded…you shall surely die." (Gen. 2:17). Theologians teach that, "once we are born, we shall NEVER surely die." Say, doesn’t that sound like the very same thing the lying serpent told Eve? Check it out:

"And the serpent said unto the woman, ‘Ye shall NOT surely die"
Can we all agree that the phrase: "shall NOT SURELY die" is a contradiction of the phrase "SHALL SURELY die"?
Does the Church teach what God said or what the serpent said? Why would you prefer to believe what the serpent said rather than what God said? Am I going to fast for anyone?
So do souls actually die, or are they immortal? Does the Church have "two witnesses" that souls do not die? They don’t have even one. Well then, do we have two witnesses that tell us plainly souls do die?

Yes we do:
"…the soul that sins, it shall die. (Say, isn’t that exactly what God taught us back in Gen. 2:17? Of course). (Ezek. 18:4). Doesn’t this then contradict both the lie of Satan and the Church?
"The soul that sins, IT SHALL DIE" (Ezek. 18:20).
Jesus tells us in parable of two great witnesses:
"Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which brings forth out of his treasure, NEW AND OLD" (Matt. 13:52).

What "new and old" treasures do "scribes" preserve for us regarding the "kingdom of heaven?" Why the NEW Covenant Scriptures and the OLD Covenant Scriptures, of course. And both the Old (Deut. 17:6 & 19:15), and the New (II Cor. 13:1 & Matt. 18:16) command that we must have two witnesses to establish every Word of God.

I will keep this truth short, as it overlaps with the next spiritual truth # 6 which requires that we compare and match spiritual with spiritual.

The next time your pastor mentions "immortal souls," "Christians going to heaven," "Jesus being in hell for three days," "not all men will be saved," "Christian tithing," "consciousness in death," "resurrection of the body," "parables make the teaching clear," "man’s will being free and independent of God," and dozens of other such nonsense, ask him to give you two Scriptures to support each of his unscriptural heresies.

TRUTH OF HIS WORD – 4

2008-11-30T00:06:00.000-08:00

[4.1] "It is the spirit that quickens [gives life]; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are SPIRIT, and they are life" (John 6:63).
[4.2] "But this spoke He of the SPIRIT…" (John 7:39).
[4.3] "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the SPIRIT which IS the word of God" ( Eph. 6:17).

Everything from Genesis to Revelation pertains to a higher SPIRITUAL meaning than the physical examples, parables, metaphors, allegories, stories and symbols in which they are written. "Let us make man in Our Image" (Gen. 1:26) are words of SPIRIT: "…Surely I come quickly…" (Rev. 22:20) are words of SPIRIT.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… and the Word was MADE FLESH… grace and truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:1, 14 & 17).

God is not "flesh." Jesus had to be "made flesh." And then AS flesh, Jesus had to "grow and wax strong" (Luke 2:40). God does not "grow or wax strong," but Jesus "made flesh" had to grow and wax strong. Jesus also had to "overcome" (John 16:33). God does not need to overcome anything. Jesus had to "suffer" and "learn obedience" (Heb. 5:8). God does not suffer: God does not learn anything, seeing that God is all knowing (Isa. 46:10).

Jesus was "troubled in His soul" (John 12:27). God is never troubled in HIS soul. Jesus got "weary" (John 4 6). God never gets weary (Isa. 40:28). Jesus became "exceeding sorrowful" (Matt. 26:38). God never sorrows. Jesus was famished after fasting for 40 days and nights. He was so "hungry" that he was ready to die (Matt. 4:2). God never gets hungry. God can never die of hunger. Jesus got very "thirsty" (John 19:28). God never gets thirsty. Jesus "wept" (John 11:35). God never weeps. Jesus was acquainted with "sickness" (Isa. 53:3). God never gets sick.

How sad that many Christians believe that nothing bad ever happened to Jesus before His crucifixion. If it were not for God IN Jesus, Jesus would have been as helpless as a newborn baby. In fact, Jesus said with all humility and truth: "I can of Mine Own Self do nothing…" (John 5:30). Jesus Christ is our Example of just how man (mankind) is to "be made into the Image of God." Jesus is our example, our way, and our destiny:

"For whom He did foreknow, [that’s US, and eventually all humanity, I Cor. 15:28], He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29).

Jesus was made a physical man so that He could show us the way to the spirit God. And so it was that this Jesus, in the flesh, who became human, became a man of flesh, was conformed into the spiritual "Image of God," and spoke to us through His "words of spirit." It is Jesus Who "was the word of God" back in Genesis, Who did the speaking when "…God [the Word] said, Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3). It was "the word" in Genesis 1:26 Who said: "Make will We humanity in Our Image…"

What kind of words were those words, which The Word spoke back there in the garden? Why they were the words of Jesus, and Jesus plainly tells us that His words "ARE SPIRIT" (John 6:63). "And creating is God humanity in His [spiritual] Image. In the Image of God He creates it. Male and female He [spiritually] creates them" Gen. 1:27). Why of course, that is why Paul teaches us that we are, "…to be conformed to the Image of His Son." Jesus now is in the very spiritual image of God, just as He was prior to being emptied into human flesh, in the form of a servant:

"God is not a MAN…" (Num. 23:19), God is not in our image: neither are we yet in His Image. Obviously the words that Jesus spoke were "spirit," seeing that His very words came from GOD, Who IS SPIRIT: "For He [Jesus] Whom God has sent speaks the WORDS OF God, for God gives not the SPIRIT by measure unto Him" (John 3:34). Did Jesus give His Apostles the power to speak words of SPIRIT? Yes, He did:

"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the SPIRIT and of power" (I Cor. 2:4).
"The spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and His word was in my tongue" (II Sam. 23:2).
"According to the word that I did covenant with you when ye came out of Egypt, so My spirit remains among you; fear ye not" (Haggai 2:5).
"For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom: to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit" (I Cor. 12:8).
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).
And we too are to speak with these same "words of SPIRIT"
"For it is not you that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaks [words of spirit] in you" (Matt. 10:20).
And of course the same thing was true for Christ:
"…the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s [God is spirit] which sent me" (John 14:24).
Now then, how did Jesus teach the multitudes, ALWAYS? In parables:
"All these things spoke Jesus unto the multitudes in parable; and without a parable spoke He not unto them" (Matt. 13:34; Mark 4:33-34; John 10:6; 16:25).

Parables are "words of spirit."
The day that we fail to believe Jesus when He tells us that His words "are SPIRIT," is the day that we will fail to understand anything spiritual. The words of Jesus are not to be taken literally, physically, materially, carnally. All of Jesus’ teachings are SPIRITUAL. I will keep this section short, as this principle overlaps with all of the rest of the principles.

TRUTH OF HIS WORD – 3b

2008-11-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Surely the question will arise: If at the end of Christ’s ministry, "they understood none of these things…," of what value were those three and one half years that Jesus taught them? This true that they did not understand Christ’s gospel and message during His ministry, and during this mentoring, but it was not for naught. Three things were to happen:

[3b.1] "But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, you will REMEMBER that I told you of them" (John 16:4). This is how the gospel accounts could be written 30-40 years later, because God caused them to "remember" all these things. "These things understood NOT His disciples at that time: but when Jesus was glorified, then REMEMBERED they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him" (John 12:16).
"Then REMEMBERED I the word of the Lord, how that He said…" (Acts 11:16).

[3b.2] "And He said unto them, These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you… Then opened he their understanding, that they might UNDERSTAND the Scriptures" (John 24:44-45).

[3b.3] "I have yet MANY THINGS to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them NOW" (John 16:13).

And so the disciples understood many things [1] after they came to pass, [2] again when Jesus opened their understanding, and [3] many more things as they progressed and grew in their faith and ministry.

Peter learned to not call the Gentiles common or unclean. He preached to them the gospel, and they received God’s Holy Spirit. Paul learned the truth about being baptized by God’s Spirit rather than by water. The whole Church learned that Circumcision and the Law of Moses was not required for salvation at the Acts 15 Jerusalem Conference. And many more such things.
But primarily in this Truth, we are dealing with Christ’s opening of their understanding of the Scriptures after His resurrection.

Before Jesus opened their understanding of the Scriptures on the evening of His resurrection, no New Testament writer could have quoted Scriptures from the Old Testament and applied them to Christ as we find in our Bibles today. And why is that? Because many times the Scriptures that they quote in reference to Jesus Christ are taken completely out of their context, where they did not have reference to Jesus at all. Notice Matt. 1:23, "Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel." Now go back to Isa. 7:14 and you will see that this verse has nothing to do with Jesus Christ, if we insist that it be IN CONTEXT.

In Acts 1:20 we see Peter putting into practice the "Scriptural understanding" that Jesus gave him the evening of His resurrection. Let’s notice what Peter says: "For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let His habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take."

Peter took half his statement from Psalm 69:25, but changed the word "their" to "his," and the other half of his statement is from Psalm 109:8, and neither Psalm appears to have anything to do with selecting a new Apostle to replace Judas. What is going on? "Then opened He [Jesus] their [the eleven Apostles] understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45).

But what was it about the Scriptures that caused them to understand the Scriptures? Just what did Jesus teach them that they didn’t already know? Back up a few verses for the answer.
Earlier that same day Jesus met with two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. For the next seven miles Jesus explained to them the Scriptures. What did He teach them that in a few hours they were able to understand the Scriptures? "Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, , and to enter into His glory. And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning HIMSELF" (Luke 24:25-27).

Are we to believe that in a few hours Jesus read to them the entire 39 books, 929 chapters, 23,145 verses of the Old Testament, with commentary and explanations? No, of course not. He taught them a principle, a spiritual truth, whereby they could understand all the Scriptures that pertained to Him.

The spiritual resurrected Jesus Christ does not represent the physical house of David, or the physical Tribe of Judah, or the physical nation of Israel. Jesus Christ is Spirit and His words are spirit. "As Jesus is, so are we" means that those who are spiritually (composed of almost exclusively Gentiles in this Church era) are the true Jews—not national Israel and Judah. National Israel and Judah are going into the Great White Throne of Judgment in the second resurrection during the period of the Lake of Fire. They will NOT be grafted into Jesus, the Tree of Life, before then. Jesus fulfilled all that is written in the Law of Moses and all the prophets—it ALL pertains to Jesus, and thus it all pertains to us (‘upon whom the ends of the ages are come,’ I Cor. 10:11).

TRUTH OF HIS WORD – 3a

2008-11-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

[3a.1] "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My BRETHREN, ye have done it unto ME… Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to ME" (Matt. 26:40b & 45b).

[3a.2] "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning HIMSELF" (Luke 24:27).

[3a.3] "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to FULFILL" (Matt. 5:17).

[3a.4] "I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took Me not: but the Scriptures MUST BE FULFILLED" (mark 14:49).

[3a.5] "After this, Jesus knowing that ALL THINGS were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be FULFILLED, said, I thirst" (John 19:28).

[3a.6] "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into DEATH: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so WE also should walk in newness of life… I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ LIVES IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Rom. 6:4 & Gal. 2:20).

[3a.7] "Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also… Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He IS, SO ARE WE IN THE WORLD…" (John 15:20 & I John 4:17).

Contained in these few Scriptures is the reason why the Church has not a clue as to what the plan and purpose of God is, or how the Scriptures are applied to the working out of that purpose. How did Jesus "fulfill" the Scriptures? What Christ did could not be put into books—the whole world could not contain it.

Jesus did not fulfill the sacrificed sin offering only. Jesus was not merely one offering, but the many offerings, burnt offerings, the meat offering, the peace offerings, the trespass offering, and the sin offering. Jesus also prefigured the priest doing the offering, the meaning of each offering, the compartments and furniture of the tabernacle, the bread, the candles, the curtain, the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle itself, and the whole nation of Israel—Jesus prefigures all and FULFILLED ALL.

No one could comprehend every verse in the Old Testament Scriptures that represented Jesus, but they could learn the PRINCIPLE by which Jesus fulfilled all the law and all the prophets. And that is how the apostles and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus had their understanding of the Scriptures opened in just a very short time. When the Scriptures speak of Israel they speak of Jesus, and when they speak of Jesus they speak of us, for "…as Jesus is, so are we in the world" (I John 4:17).

And that is the simple explanation of this marvelous truth. The Scriptures speak of far more than just the prophesies of Jesus coming as the Messiah. We are all in Adam. We do all that Adam did. We believe in the Spirit what Israel lived in the flesh. All Israel was baptized in the Red Sea. We are all baptized into Christ’s death. And now the last Adam lives His life in us (Gal. 2:20), but not until we repent of the first Adam of the flesh living his life in us.
"Then opened He their UNDERSTANDING, that they might UNDERSTAND the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45);

"Consider what I say: and the Lord give you UNDERSTANDING in all things" (II Tim. 2:7).
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and has given us an UNDERSTANDING, that we may know Him that is True…" (I John 5:20).

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make [future] you free" (John 8:32)
For three and one-half years Jesus promised that some day His apostles would know the truth. But clear to the end of three and one-half years of learning at the feet of Jesus, the Apostles did not yet understand His teaching, purpose or plan. One day they were blind to these truths, and the next they understood. How is that possible?

We have clearly seen that Jesus kept the real meaning and truths of His teaching from the masses, the church leaders, His disciples and even His apostles. Late in Christ’s ministry, we are told that:

"And they understood NONE OF THESE THINGS: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the THINGS WHICH WERE SPOKEN" (Luke 18:34).
"THEN opened He their understanding, that they might understand THE SCRIPTURES: (Luke 24:45).

Maybe, TODAY, will be the day that God begins to "open your understanding of the Scriptures." Jesus said to His disciples:
"…ALL THINGS must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, CONCERNING ME. Then opened He their understanding…" (Luke 24:44-45).

In the first section, the Law of Moses, gives four entries of things Jesus fulfilled from these five books:
"…her Seed" (Gen. 3:15);
"In you [Abraham] all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:3);
"…with him [Isaac] for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him" (Gen. 17:19);

"…a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise out of Israel…" (Num. 24:17). And that’s it.
Why they don’t even mention the fact that there was to come a Prophet like unto Moses:
"The Lord thy God will raise up unto you a Prophet from the midst of you, of your brethren, like unto me unto Him ye shall hearken" (Deut. 18:15 & Acts 7:22).

If they missed that one, just imagine how many of hundreds of smaller prophecies regarding Christ they missed. Understand that what is recorded for us in the gospels is but a very tiny portion of what actually was taught and happened in Christ’s life and ministry:
"And with MANY such parables spoke He the word unto them…" (Mark 4:33; Matt. 13:3; Mark 4:2).

"And MANY other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciple, which are not written in this book" (John 20:30).
"And there were also MANY other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written everyone, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen" (John 21:25).

It wasn’t that Jesus was "holding back" on His disciples, so that they didn’t quite "get it," but rather they just didn’t have the spiritual mind to "get it," until Jesus gave them His very Own mind in the form of His Holy Spirit. Notice Jesus’ words:

"But take heed, behold, I have foretold you ALL things" (Mark 13:23). Yes, Jesus told them "ALL things," but, "they understood NONE OF THESE THINGS" (Luke 18:34)!

TRUTH OF HIS WORD - 2

2008-11-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

[2.1] "Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing SEE NOT: and hearing they HEAR NOT, NEITHER DO THEY UNDERSTAND" (Matt. 13:13).
[2.2] "How is it that you DO NOT UNDERSTAND…" (Matt. 16:11).
[2.3] "But they UNDERSTOOD NOT this saying, and it was HID from them…" (Luke 9:45).

What was it that Christ’s disciples and apostles understood not? Surely they understood His spiritual teachings, did they not? What is it that they "…understood NOT" about Jesus’ sayings? Truth number 3 will reveal this shocking truth to us. That Jesus hid the meaning of his teachings from the masses, we have clearly been told already in Truth # 2. But now I am going to show you something even more profound. Most in fact, will not believe the Scriptures before their own eyes.

This is really childish that I should even have to explain to Christians that a "parables" really is a "FICTITIOUS narrative, and therefore is not a literal story at all. Oh what religion has done to otherwise perfectly sane minds. How many of you will now believe and concede that parables are not literally true stories? Virtually none. As I have said for a long time now: " Some Christian is a religion of contradictions and square circles." And they love to have it so.

That Jesus taught the multitudes including the Scribes and Pharisees in "parables" which means: "FICTITIOUS narratives," is stated numerous times in the Scriptures. And clearly the multitudes along with the Scribes and Pharisees did not understand any of it. Actually the Bible as a whole is one giant parable. This true, but I don’t have time to go into that right now.

And now for the shocker of shockers: Ask any Christian and he will tell you: "Jesus taught His disciples in "plain, literal, simple language." Maybe the multitudes, the masses, the Scribes and the Pharisees, didn’t understand Christ’s teachings, but surely the Apostles understood His teachings. Oh really? And do we have chapter and verse on that? Do we have two witnesses on that? No we don’t because it isn’t true.

Here’s how Jesus taught His own disciples, even in private:
"These things have I spoken unto you in PROVERBS: but the time comes when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you PLAINLY of the Father" (John 16:25).
By Jesus’ own admission, He didn’t teach or speak to even His Own apostles "plainly."

Now for a little humor: After Jesus spoke these words to His apostles He explains how He came out from the Father into the world and that He would again leave this world and that He would then plainly make known to them the Father. Not wanting to admit to their total ignorance of what Jesus was saying:

"His disciples said unto Him, Lo NOW SPEAK YOU PLAINLY, AND SPEAK NO PROVERB. Now ARE WE SURE THAT You know all things, and need not that any man should ask You: by this we believe that You came forth from God" (John 16:29-30).

Jesus responded: "DO you NOW believe?" (Verse 31). Of course they didn’t. They had not a clue as to what Jesus was spiritually saying.

So Jesus promised that at some time in the future He would speak to them no longer in proverbs, but "plainly"—frankness, bluntness, assurance, confidently, freely, openly. Hence His "proverbs" were NOT, frank, blunt, assured, confident, free, open, and plain! No wonder the disciples and even the Apostles "understood not" the teachings of Jesus Christ. Do we have any "witnesses" or "spiritual matches" to that effect? Many:

"And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable… And he said unto them, Know you NOT this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?" (Mark 4:10 & 13).

To know "all parables," they needed to know "this parable." But since they clearly and admittedly did not know "this parable," neither did they know any of the parables. The Apostles of Jesus Christ followed Jesus for three and one half years, and never understood the parables, even though they understood certain principles contained in a few parables.

The multitudes did not understand Jesus’ parables; the Scribes and Pharisees did not understand Jesus’ parables; the hundreds of disciples did not understand Jesus’ parables, and as unbelievable as it may sound, not even the APOSTLES understood Jesus’ parables. Now get ready for another shock:

Not only did none of the above including the Apostles themselves, understand any of Jesus’ parables, but they did not understand the parables after Jesus EXPLAINED the parables! And how is such a thing even possible? Well, get ready for an even greater shock:

The reason they didn’t understand the parables even after Jesus explained them, is because Jesus explained His parables WITH ANOTHER PARABLE! That’s right, Jesus explained the parables that the Apostles themselves didn’t understand, by another parable, which they also did not understand. – Next…. issue

TRUTH OF HIS WORD - 1

2008-10-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

[1.1] "All these things spoke Jesus unto the multitude in PARABLES; and without a parable spoke He not unto them" (Matt. 13:34).
[1.2] "But without a PARABLE spoke He not unto them…" (Mark 4:34).
[1.3] "This PARABLE spoke Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which He spoke unto them" (John 10:6).

Jesus taught in parables only, and no one understood His parables, hence Jesus taught in a way that He knew no one would understand His message. This truth of Scripture is so revolutionary to the minds of most Christians that many will think it blasphemy, and yet the Scriptures abound with statements that fully support it.

I heard some said that Jesus spoke in parables to make the meaning of His teachings simple and clear and understandable to the simple farmers and uneducated people of Judea.

"And the disciples came, and said unto Him, Why do you speak unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but unto them it is not given" (Matt. 13:10-11).

Now then, does anyone see any similarity between "to make spiritual truth clear and compelling," and "…but unto them it is not given?" No? Neither do I. What I see is a diametric opposite. What I see is a flat out contradiction between Christian teachers and the Word of God.

"Jesus spoke in parables to make His quaint little stories clear and understandable to the uneducated farmers of Judea: "and when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they perceived that He spoke of them" (Matt. 21:45). The Chief Priests and Pharisees were generally highly educated people. But even they didn’t know what Jesus’ parables really meant, but they on one occasion at least, "perceived" that Jesus was speaking about them. So surely, if Jesus’ parables were "clear and compelling" to the uneducated farmers of Judea, then they would be even more so to His own disciples, not?

"Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and His disciples came unto Him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field" (Matt. 13:36).

Even Jesus’ Own disciples had to have these parables explained to them. And just how did Jesus "declare" these parables to His Own disciples? You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. You wouldn’t believe me if I showed you. Okay, here’s how Jesus explained His parable. He explained His parable to His disciples by telling them ANOTHER PARABLE! I told you that you wouldn’t believe me. More on this later.

This is another one of those marvelous spiritual truths of Scripture, which you will never hear explained in the Church. Just what do they teach all these future in seminary? The fact is, Jesus did not want the people to understand Him and Jesus did not want them to repent and Jesus did not want to spiritually heal or save them. He clearly said so. But why? Because God has a plan that involves calling MANY, but chosen out only a FEW.

"For whosoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever has not, from him shall be taken away even that he has" (Matt. 13:12).

Does anyone understand what Jesus just said here? Probably not too many, for this too, is a parable explaining a parable—and no one understood either. I wish they would let me teach a few bible study.

"Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah… for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should BE CONVERTED, AND I SHOULD HEAL [SAVE] THEM" (Verses 13-15).

Wow! Jesus didn’t want them to understand and He didn’t want to convert them and He didn’t want to save them. How could Isaiah’s prophecy be true if Jesus were to contradict it by teaching them plainly so that they could understand and repent? Now, that’s what Jesus said, and that’s what Isaiah said, but there’s a problem:

"But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah said, Lord, who has believed our report?" (Roman 10:16).

Yes, who? Have you believed this report I have just given you? It is almost frightening how few truly believe God’s Scriptural reports. Hence, precious few believe and understand the Scriptures, and fewer yet, obey them.
There is good news, however, concerning the Parables, which virtually no one understands, and it is this:

"And when He was alone, they that were about Him with the twelve asked of Him the parable. And He said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables." (Mark 4:10-11).

I have never met a Christian in my life that believes this verse. Not one. They all have told me that Jesus spoke many times, in fact most of the time, in plain language to the multitudes and the people, and not in parables only.

Hey, I’m glad that it is they who are contradicting Jesus and not I. Add to this denial the heresy that anyone can at any time, accept Jesus and believe, and then be saved. Jesus says they can’t; the Church says regardless of what Jesus says, they can.

"That seeing they may see, and not perceive: and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them. And He said unto them. Know ye not this parable? And how then will you know all parables?" (Verse 12-13).
Say, did you get that? If you would know but one parable, you would know all parables! This is because all parables are speaking of the same subject, just presented from different perspectives. Wouldn’t you just love to know just one parable so that you could know all parables?

What is so utterly amazing is that not only does the Church not understand all of the parables of Jesus, but, they do not even understand the parables which Jesus explained. I assure you that I am as serious as I could ever be when I say that. In a future paper I will explain what all the parables mean. But for now, just understand, that Jesus’ entire ministry was preached in such a way that no one would understand Him, except to those very few to whom it was later (much later—see Truth Number 3) given to understand. Pray that God will grant you spiritual understanding of His parables, or you too, will "…understand not."

TRUTH OF HIS WORD

2008-10-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

"None of the wicked shall understand; but the Wise shall understand" (Daniel 12:10)

In this paper I'm going to briefly outline just the truths of Scripture from many that God has shown me over the years. More than just truths, I look upon them as spiritual commandments from God, absolutely necessary in rightly dividing the Word of Truth. My hope and my prayer is that God will grace you with a spirit of wisdom to comprehend these marvelous revelations of Scripture.

Billions of Christians "read" the Scriptures, but have not a clue as to what they mean. And one of the biggest problems in not understanding what they have read is that they do not believe the Scriptures instead rely on other said. And why don’t they believe? Because their shepherds have deceived them into believing that Christian doctrines take precedent over the Scriptures.

These truths that I am presenting here are from scripture only. They destroy the doctrines of men. God’s truths are like treasures hidden in a field. We must buy the field and then diligently search out the treasure. The following truths of Scripture could make you every spiritually wealthy.

[1.1] "And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the Last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is NATURAL; and afterward that which is SPIRITUAL" (I Cor. 15:45-46).
[1.2] "It is sown [first] a NATURAL BODY; it is raised a SPIRITUAL BODY …" (I Cor. 15:44).
[1.3] "Who shall change our VILE BODY, that it may be fashioned like unto His GLORIOUS BODY…" (Phil. 3:21).
[1.4] "If I have told you EARTHLY things [first], and you believe not, how shall you believe, if I tell you of HEAVENLY things?" (John 3:12).

The sequence of God’s plan of salvation for mankind is most important—First is the physical and then comes the spiritual.

Without the knowledge of this principle of Scripture, it is impossible to understand what man is and what is his destiny. Have you not been taught that the first Adam was indeed a "quickening, living, immortal spirit," and that afterward, at the resurrection; his immortal soul will be given an ETERNAL PHYSICAL BODY? It was the natural body of Adam that became a living soul after God breathed into him. And that living soul was subject to death (Gen. 2:17 and Ezek. 18:4 & 20). Even this simple, straight-forward truth of Scripture is universally denied. God said that Adam would "SURELY die" (Gen. 2:17). But most have been taught that Adam was an immortal, spiritual soul that can NEVER, EVER DIE.

It is universally taught (and believed) that Adam and Eve were already formed and created in the very spiritual image of God way back in the garden. This is not, as a perfect creature formed in the very spiritual image of God, that not only does not sin, but cannot sin. The reason that Jesus did not sin, was not that He could not sin, but rather His Father WOULD NOT LET HIM SIN. Jesus was born with a physical body of sin, and therefore that body had to die. But I assure you that Jesus did not possess a "sinful mind" in that body of flesh and sin. He sinned NOT.

Making mankind into God’s own Image is a process that involves a lifetime of trials and tribulations that includes the crucifying and mortifying of the sinful human mind and body.

Man is not a "spirit being" having a "physical" experience, but rather man is a "physical and mortal" being having a "spiritual" experience. We are first born mortal [physical], but in the resurrection God gives us immortality (the spiritual). Throw away this marvelous truth of Scripture, and you will be as deceived as other said that when Adam was created, he was so shining, so glorious, so spiritual, so GOD-like, that one could not even see his body for the glorious radiance of his spirituality. Oh really? And is that why he was "naked," although he "…knew not that he was wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and NAKED" (Gen. 2: 7)?

It is not just the eating of the fruit that was a sin, but the "lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life" that went before the eating. And just why where they so filled with sin at their very creation? Because they were in the "perfect spiritual image of GOD?" They were natural, physical, sinful, and "…the sinful mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God [‘But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it…’ Gen. 2:17], neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:7).

So, do the Scriptures really teach what the world has been taught—that Adam and Eve were made into the perfect spiritual "image of God?" Get real. Here is how GOD says He created Adam and Eve:

"For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him Who has subjected the same in hope" (Rom. 8:20).

God willfully, wantingly, knowingly, purposely, and wisely, created mankind "subject to vanity," subject to failure, but beyond the failure, God also subjects the same in "hope." Once again, there is hope for all of God’s carnal-minded, God-hating people on planet Earth. God Himself says so, in the same breath: "because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21). Do you believe the Scriptures? Really—what about this one?

And so God, "made the creature subject to vanity"—failure, but later in mankind’s development, the creature "shall be"— … shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption." Ah yes, God created them in a condition of "bondage" and "corruption," and therefore not "immortal" as is taught, but rather in "bondage of corruption." But thanks to God, in the resurrection of the dead, ‘…this corruption must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality’ (I Cor. 15:54).

Yes, of course, first comes the PHYSICAL (death), and then the SPIRITUAL (life). There it is—the hope of all humanity. Corruption and mortality (the physical first) must put on incorruption and immortality [the afterward spiritual). See you next issues..

Those Who Refuse.. final

2008-10-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

GOD'S REMEDY FOR SEXUAL GRATIFICATION
How are we to be sexually gratified? Here's the Scriptural teaching. "For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that. I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn" (I Cor. 7:7-9).

So what would the homosexual say to this? Well at least some of them would totally agree. Why do you think that they are trying to get same-sex marriage legalized? Yes, they would agree with Paul let's get MARRIED. Back up a few verses for God's answer as to who should be married to whom: "Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband" (I Cor. 7:2).

Paul gives only one answer to the problem of fornication, and it is for each man to have his wife and each woman to have her own husband. Does anyone see Paul suggesting an "alternative life style" in which fornication can be avoided? Does Paul suggest that fornication can be avoided by every man having his own husband, and every woman her own wife?

Paul knew about "women with women and men with men" when he wrote his epistle to the Romans (Rom. 1:26-27). Such unions against nature are clearly not acceptable solutions to burning with inflamed sexual emotions, and a way to "avoid fornication." Peter warns against being willingly ignorant, and Paul sternly warns against "Believers" who "willfully sin?"
"For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" (Heb. 10:26-27).

Paul could not have been more clear. To avoid the sin of fornication, we are to [1] MARRY, [2] MEN marry a WIFE, and [3] WOMEN marry a HUSBAND. Men marrying men and women marrying women are not legal options. Men and women who have vile affections, and BURN in their lust, women with women and men with men... are worthy of DEATH (Rom. 1:26-27 & 32).
How many homosexuals would dare suggest that their passion for one another of the same gender is not "coveting/lust?" Are Believers to think that they can continue living in such sin and somehow be covered by the "the grace of God?"

Long after Christ's resurrection and the introduction of faith, grace, and justification, Paul is still teaching that such burning affections for the same sex are VILE, and worthy of DEATH. And if you can't contain, then get married-MEN TO WIVES AND WOMEN TO HUSBANDS. Does anyone in their right mind believe that Paul would tell us: "To avoid sexual perversion, you should enter into a union of sexual perversion?"

The ONLY way to avoid the sins of fornication if one cannot contain one's inflamed desires, is to marry a mate of the opposite sex. When our Creator God Almighty inaugurated holy matrimony, He joined together Adam and Eve, not Kevin & Steve or Alice & Marie!

I know that some homosexuals are try to justify their sin. Others hate their sin and wish to stop but can't. We all make choices, and a choice is what we prefer. One may hate the fact that he is a smoker, yet, he "prefers" the feeling he gets from smoking over the feeling he doesn't get when he runs out of cigarettes or tries to quit. To quit you must have a stronger reason for not doing something than you have for doing something. It's all about motivation.

Sometimes just knowing that something is a sin is reason to quit. That is why you try to quit smoking. You knew it was not good for your health, it was dirty, it was annoying to others, and it was costly, etc. But you did not quit until you became convinced that is was sinning against God.
Heterosexual men are just as weak when it comes to lusting after women, as homosexuals are when it comes to lusting after members of the same gender. The ONLY way that I know of to break these sins and have victory over them is for God to empower you with a greater motivation to live righteously than to live un-righteously. If what you desire to be is "good," then there is only One Source: "And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, It is the gift of God" (Ecc. 3:13).

"EVERY good gift and EVERY perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (James 1:17).
We will continue to pray for all those who desire to come out of the bondage and slavery of "...the sin which does so easily beset us...." (Heb. 12:1).
God bless you…….

Those Who Refuse.. III

2008-10-06T03:48:00.000-07:00

PAUL'S PROCLAMATION AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS

Let's look these verses on homosexuality by the Apostle Paul, in the context of this section of Scripture: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness... Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves... For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which is meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are WORTHY OF DEATH, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them" (Rom. 1:18, 24, 26-32).

This is the largest single list of ungodliness, unrighteousness, sins, crimes, and corruption found anywhere in the whole contents of the Scriptures, and notice that heading the list are:

1. "to dishonor their own bodies between themselves"

2. "women did change the natural use into that which is against nature"

3. "men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men"

Paul concludes this list of carnal sins by stating: "they which commit such things are WORTHY OF DEATH". Now the very fact that the perpetrators of such sexual perversions deny they are sins, and large segments of society and government condone these sins, shows how morally decayed our nation is becoming.

AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T HURT ANYONE (Normally herd)
It has been foolishly stated that virtually anything is permissible including abnormal sex, "As long as it doesn't hurt anyone." But what some can't seem to realize is that it hurts them. Having sex with animals doesn't hurt anyone else, but it sure hurts the one doing it. It is both a perversion of the body and a perversion of the mind.

I WAS BORN THIS WAY (Another reason)

Numerous homosexuals I have stating that God made them homosexuals, seeing that they were "born this way." Much of this research has been done by gays that have a vested interest in the outcome. Hence much of their research is in fact biased, as is admitted by those who favor homosexuality. Is there a homosexual gene which causes homosexuality, and has any such thing ever been scientifically proven? Some claimed but not from scriptures.

I read that although there are some agencies that still adhere to the "born gay" theory, some of their own advocates are not admitting error--there is no known gay gene. Even the Catholic Church who has had to deal with an un-surmountable plethora of sexual sins within their priesthood of recent years, cannot and do not attempt to blame such sexual perversion on genes or heredity which would lighten their burden in this matter enormously.

Interestingly I could find no web-page which discussed whether or not there is a reported gene for child molesters. Not one. And yet some of them also contend that they were "born pedophiles," and at a very young age fantasized over having sex with little children. Homosexuality is not even in the same ball park with the gross perversion of pedophilia, yet both claim to be "born that way." Should we lighten the burden; lighten the sentence; lighten the moral perspective of pedophiles because they CLAIM to be "born that way?" None sense. It is not a defense for the pedophile, and neither is a defense for the homosexual.

Those Who Refuse.. II

2008-09-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

MEN WITH MEN AND WOMEN WITH WOMEN
"For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet [due]" (Rom. 1:26-27).

WHAT WAS "AGAINST NATURE?"
First Paul mentions: "...their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature..."
Some suggest that nothing immoral is actually mentioned here. Does it sound to you that leaving the natural use of something and using it in a way that is against nature burning in their lust, is a good thing? No, I think not. Okay, but can we determine exactly what it is that was being misused and against nature? Yes, I certainly can.

We just saw that it has to do with affections that women have that are against nature. That is, against the nature of the proper use of something ('did change the natural USE'). But what? Just what is that certain something that women change from the natural use of into something that is vile, disgraceful, and shameful? What is it that they are using disgracefully because of unnatural vile affections? I'll now show you maybe more precisely than you really want to know, what it was that "...their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature..."

Do we think Paul is referring to the improper use of their ears? Did they change the natural use of their eyes? Maybe it was their hands? Did these men and women in question here start using their feet in an unnatural way? Whatever it was that the women were doing against nature, the men were likewise also doing the very same thing:

"And likewise also the men leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men..." (Verse 27).

What does Paul mean by "likewise also?" Simple, means "similar," "likewise." The "also" it means "and, also, even, too, both indeed, likewise." Interestingly, we have another verse of Scripture which also uses these same two words and translates them the same: "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise " (Luke 6:31).

We are to treat others in a similar way, as we would want others to treat us. That is how these two words are used in Luke 6:31, and that is how they are used in Rom. 1:27. What the women were doing against nature, the men "likewise also" were doing "against nature." Now then, what was it that they were doing?

The men who were doing likewise also as the women "burned in their lust one toward another, MEN WITH MEN..." Okay, let someone suggest that this is merely human companionship and doesn't involve SEX, let's continue and see just what parts of the human anatomy is being referenced here.

WHAT DID PAUL MEAN BY "UNSEEMLY?"
"...likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly..."

Check these five words "working that which is unseemly" is used only one other time in Scripture, which I will now show you so as to remove all doubt as to its meaning:
"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they SEE his shame" (Rev. 16:15). Here Jesus is saying figuratively. In the same way someone is shamed by taking off all their clothing in public. So what is it that people see when someone is naked? Why, for example, are there many topless beaches around the world where total nudity is not allowed? What shame is made visible in Rev. 15:16 by walking naked? And what is it that is "working that which is unseemly" in Rom. 1:27? Some of you are already way ahead of me.

The King James translators have often chosen words of modesty, so as to not offend the sensitive reader. Strong's Greek Dictionary: "unseemly/shame" #808, aschemosune, "an indecency; by implication the pudenda: shame, which is unseemly." And just what is the "pudenda?" The American Heritage College Dictionary: pudendum/ pl. pudenda n. "The human external genital organs, especially of a woman". There it is.

It was the genital organs of the female that: "...women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly" (Rom. 1:26-27).
Romans 1:26-27 is a very strong condemnation of the list of vile affections starting with sex between women with women, and men with men. And professing faith in the love and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ does not turn this perversion into a virtue.

When Isaiah tells us to: "Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins" (Isa. 58:1). Should I just keep my mouth shut on this subject?

Few Christians believe that those who practice adultery, stealing, and lying will enter God's Kingdom without repenting. But this is not the case with practicing homosexuals. Speaking against homosexuality may soon become a hate crime law in which offenders will be prosecuted as criminals. Let's take a closer Scriptural look at this subject while the law still allows it.

To be continued – in God’s will - see you next time…
God bless you…..

Those Who Refuse.. I

2008-09-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

WHAT IS HOMOSEXUALITY?
The actual words "homosexual" and "lesbian" are not found in the Scriptures. The word "homosexual" is reported to be a German invention to euphemize and take the place of the distasteful word "sodomite." Although the word "sodomy" as used today may not even have a direct connection with the sexual sins of historical Sodom.
While the Scriptures do not speak to us in the actual mechanics of homosexual acts, nonetheless, the practice of same sex lust assuredly is mentioned and condemned in Scripture as a sin that needs to be repented of just as idolatry, adultery, stealing, murder, and all sins.

The word homosexual is applied to both men and women whose sexual preference is with one of the same gender. Male homosexuals are generally called "gay" or "gay men (bakla)," while female homosexuals are generally called "gay women" or "lesbians (tomboy)."

Most gay men will acknowledge that male homosexuality is mentioned in Scripture. What may be alarming to many is that while they concede that it is mentioned and talked about, they deny that it is categorically a sin. On the other hand, many argue that gay women or lesbianism are not mentioned in Scripture at all.

Just a couple of comments: Clearly it is admitted that same gender sex was condemned under Moses, and that it was a practice of "Baal worship." And so it suggested that homosexuality was not inherently wrong, but rather it was wrong because it was practiced in the worship of Baal. Apparently, had not the pagans used homosexuality in their worship of Baal, God would have allowed it. I think not.

It is then suggested that since homosexuality was a part of the things forbidden under the law of Moses (which they call "the Code"), but Christian Believers are not under the Code, but under Christ, therefore, "the Code became obsolete." So what is the argument for not following the admonition of Paul regarding same gender sex in Rom. 1:26-27? Well you just read it:
We will now see whether the Scriptures substantiate the above assertion that: "There is nothing in the Bible to support any finding about homosexuals." We will first look at three sexual perversions closely related with homosexuality.

I Cor. 6:9-10 - "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God".

What are paramours, catamites, and sodomites? (I used American Heritage College Dictionary)
1. Paramours (Gk) (King James, 'fornicators')-Strong's #4205 pornos "to sell, a male prostitute, fornicator, whoremonger."

2. catamites (Gk) (King James, 'effeminate')-Strong's #3120 malakos "soft, fine clothing, a catamite, effeminate." catamite (Gk): "a boy who has a sexual relationship with a man", effeminate: "having characteristics more often associated with women than a man"

3. sodomites (Gk) (King James, 'abusers of themselves with mankind'-Strong's #733 arsenokoites "a sodomite, defile self with mankind."

THESE PERVERSIONS ARE CONDEMNED IN SCRIPTURE
1. "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to keep company with fornicators with such an one not to eat" (I Cor. 5:9-11). Other scriptures are: Eph. 5:5, I Tim. 1:9-10, Heb. 13:4, Rev. 21:8, Rev. 22:14-15)
2. "Be not deceived, neither ...effeminate shall inherit the kingdom of God" (I Cor. 6:9-10).
3. "Be not deceived, neither ...abusers of themselves with mankind shall inherit the kingdom of God" (I Cor. 6:9-10).

Paul states that none who continue to commit the sins listed above "shall inherit the kingdom of God." These sins need to be repented of and put in the past. And that is what the chosen Few in these Gentiles churches were doing. Notice Paul's consolation to those who repented of these sinful deeds of the flesh: "And such WERE some of you but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Cor. 6:11).

See you next of the series..... God bless you

Those Who Refuse.. Introduction

2008-09-15T04:19:00.000-07:00

It may seem strange and even foolish that I should even ask such questions. Aren't the Scriptures clear on this subject? Apparently not, if you listen to the many voices now embracing this life style. There are many believers who adamantly try to defend their homosexual life style based on the Scriptures.

While some do not believe that homosexual sex is even mentioned or described in Scripture, others freely admit that it is mentioned and was a capital crime under Moses, and strongly condemned by the Apostle Paul as being worthy of death. But among the other it is argued that neither of these condemnations in the Old or the New Testaments applies to homosexual Believers in Christ. That is a twist, come with me, we will examine carefully, as most have probably never heard of such a defense.

The purpose of this topic is not to single out or come down upon homosexuals. I can’t make a topic entitled: "Is Stealing a Sin?" or, "Is Bearing False Witness a Sin?" or, "Is Murder a Sin?" But why "homosexuality? Because more and more, the media, entertainment, the government, the Church, the general population of the world, no longer believes it is a sin to be discriminated against, whereas even the bases of nations have laws against stealing, false witness, and murder. So, my purpose here is not to judge, but to specifically establish whether homosexuality is a sin or not a sin.

If it is not a sin, and these practices are normal, then we should not be speaking or discriminating against them. But if it is a sin, then we should certainly speak out against it just as we should against adultery, idolatry, lying, stealing, etc. Let's try to look at the Scriptural facts with unbiased, open minds. If we are interested in obedience to Jesus Christ then we should be eager to know the truth one way or the other.

Most homosexuals do not argue with Leviticus. 20:13: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."

They accepted that this verse is speaking of homosexuality-sex between members of the same gender. Their argument is that it no longer applies to them as Believers in Christ under the New Covenant, stating that they are no longer under the law of Moses. But I will give just a few comments concerning whether Lev. 20:13 is still binding on Christian Believers.

Some People Defense:
I have read some interesting reasons from their side regarding why they don't think homosexuality is a sin. Here is their defense - don't you find it interesting that when Jesus walked in the earth, he never once brought up the subject? If it was such a sin, it would be one of the Ten Commandments, don't you think?"

No, I don't think so at all. Lev. 20:13 does not need to be one of the Ten Commandments before it has any jurisdiction over Christian Believers. Jesus did not address child-molestation either; neither is it one of the Ten Commandments. Neither did Jesus address drug abuse, nor pornography, smoking, spousal abuse, or torture. Does this fact therefore condone such sins? Are we to assume therefore that none of these are wrong or sinful? I hope we are not foolish enough to believe that if something is not mentioned in the Bible, then it shouldn't be considered a sin.

Next time I will discuss to you the real meaning of our topic based on various sources and the bible.

Bible Great Women … Rahab

2008-09-07T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. "Go, look over the land," he said, "especially Jericho." So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there. Joshua 2:1

Explanation:
Rahab and the two spies are the main characters in Joshua 2. Rahab was a prostitute. She lived, geographically and morally, on the edge of society.
Her house was located on the wall of the city and was strategically placed to lodge travelers. This was a prime location for her trade. Rahab had heard of the God of Israel and acted in faith. By hiding the spies she faced the risk of being killed if caught by the authorities. However Rahab knew it would take a step of faith to get her out of her present predicament.

She did not intend to perish with the rest of Jericho. She knew that if she did nothing - this would lead to her destruction. No one can serve two masters. She made a conscious decision to act in faith on what she heard about God.

Rahab was an ancestor of Jesus (Matthew1:1-6). Her faith brought her into an immense inheritance. From a prostitute to the linage of Jesus Christ. This is what faith can do.
No matter your stand in life, irrespective of where you are or who you are, a simply step of faith in Jesus Christ can turn your destiny around.

"By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace" - Hebrews 11:31 The life of Rahab can be found in Joshua 2, Joshua 6, Hebrews 11:31, Matthew1:5, James 2: 25

Bible Great Women … Tamar

2008-09-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation: Mathew 1:1-6
1 A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham:
2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,
4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse,
6 and Jesse the father of King David.

Explanation:
As a young woman, Tamar married Er, eldest son of Judah and an unnamed daughter of Shua. Er practised some form of birth control, probably by withdrawing before ejaculation, and he was punished by God for this action - people at the time saw withdrawal as a crime against Nature and God. Tamar suffered a double tragedy: her husband Er died, and she lost the chance of having a child. ‘But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan ‘Go into your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her; raise up offspring for your brother.’ Genesis 38:1-11.

Like all Hebrew women, Tamar yearned for children of her own. As well, she believed she had an obligation to produce a son who would inherit her dead husband's name. So she resorted to the Levirate law. This law was expressed in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. If a man died, and his wife had not yet had a child by him, she could go to his brother and demand that he marry her and give her a child who would inherit the property of the dead husband. This practical law was about two things: the woman's right to have children, and keeping property within the family.

Under Levirate law, Er’s younger brother Onan was obliged to give Tamar a child. But he refused to do so, probably because any child born to Tamar would carry Er’s name, not Onan’s, and when their father died the child would inherit the dead brother’s portion of the estate. He practiced the same form of birth control, and Tamar did not conceive.

Onan thus failed to carry out the Levirate obligation to Tamar, and disregarded his father's command. He died, and his death at such an early age was seen as punishment from God. Deuteronomy 25:9-10 describes the punishment for a man who refused to obey the Levirate law: the woman went up to him in a public assembly, pulled his sandal from his foot, spat in his face, and said 'This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother's house'. To us the punishment does not sound very much, but in the context of the time it meant public disgrace. The action in v9 had symbolic meaning: the foot symbolized the male genitals, the sandal the female sexual organs, and the spittle, the semen. The woman’s action publicly humiliated the man, and his family's disgrace was remembered long after he himself was dead. Public shame was often used to enforce the law in ancient times.

When Onan died without giving Tamar a child, she looked to the third son of Judah to be her husband. But he was only a boy, too young to be a father. So Judah sent Tamar back to her family, promising to send for her when Shelah, the third son, was old enough. Judah began to look on Tamar as a jinx, in some way responsible for the deaths of his two eldest sons.
Tamar waited patiently, but after a while it became clear that Judah did not mean to give her his third son Shelah as a husband. She should not have been surprised. Many years ago Judah had been guilty of selling his own brother Joseph to the Egyptians (Genesis 37:26). Now he refused to keep the Levirate law.

When she saw that she was to be left a childless widow, she decided to act. She did not blame ‘the system’, but took the initiative to obtain what was rightfully hers. She dressed in the special clothing of a prostitute which included a veil across her face that disguised her identity, waited for Judah, and persuaded him to have sexual intercourse with her.

‘She put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage. When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face.’ Genesis 38:12-19.

She would disguise herself at least once during her life, covering her face with a veil. In this way she discarded her own personal identity. She would then go to the temple and receive a man who was a stranger to her. This man, in this particular act, represented the incarnate god. Their sexual act was meant, by what is called ‘sympathetic magic’, to reflect and encourage fertility in the Great Mother, Nature emphasized that, once a woman had fulfilled this obligation, she was virtuous and loyal to her husband for the rest of her life.

Tamar may have followed a version of this practice, but she also asked for payment from Judah. He promised to send her a kid from his flock, and in the meantime, as a guarantee, he left his seal, cord and staff, all of which were personal items that could be identified. Then she took off the special clothing of a prostitute, dressed herself again in her widow’s clothing, and returned home.

The seal, cord and staff were symbols of a person’s identity, items of great personal worth, and it is surprising that Judah gave them up. Judah's seal may have been a cylinder seal similar to clay seals found in a number of archaeological excavations, particularly in the Mesopotamian area. The description of the staff made specifically for each person, with a personal emblem carved on the top of it. But to Tamar theses items meant much more: they symbolized the son she would have, the son who would succeed Judah.

When Judah’s friend came to make payment to the unknown prostitute and reclaim Judah’s seal, cord and staff, the woman was nowhere to be found. Tamar had gone home, without telling anyone who she was. But through this one act of sexual intercourse with Judah she had become pregnant, a fact that was soon evident to the people around her. Judah, who already blamed her for the deaths of his sons, thought the worst when he heard that she was pregnant. She was accused of ‘playing the whore’.

And Judah said “Bring her out and let her be burned”. Genesis 38:20-26.
Now Judah, as head of the tribe, had the right to pass judgment on her, and to condemn her to death. ‘If the wife of a man has been caught while lying with another man, they shall bind them and throw them into the water. If the husband of the woman wishes to spare his wife, then the king in turn may spare his subject’. Deuteronomy 22:22, the Hebrew law code, recommends death for both the man and the woman.

Judah pronounced that Tamar should be burnt to death, a particularly cruel way to die. But Tamar was not beaten yet. She sent the seal, cord and staff back to Judah, with the message that they belonged to the father of her child, and Judah, confronted by the evidence, had little choice but to acknowledge that she was in the right, and that she had been acting according to the law.
Tamar’s insistence on her rights was rewarded by the birth of not one but two children!
‘While she was in labor, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a crimson threat, saying “This one came out first”. But just then he drew back his hand, and out came his brother; and she said “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore he was named Perez.’ Genesis 38:27-30.

Tamar’s sons were called Perez and Zerah. Perez would be an ancestor of King David.
Tamar’s actions were unorthodox by modern standards. But in a way she ‘redeemed’ Judah. She saved him from doing what was wrong, and was thus a pre-figure of Jesus, who was one of her descendents.

In an odd sort of way, Tamar was more loyal to the tribe of Judah than he was himself. She knew she had a duty to produce an heir to her husband, and she was determined to do so, come what might. Despite her somewhat unorthodox methods, she was a woman of integrity who risked her life to fulfill her duty to herself and her family. She knew she had the right to a child, and she knew that her first husband Er had the right to an heir. So she acted to make this happen. Once again, God's plan continued to unfold through the unorthodox actions of a woman.

Bible Great Woman … Mary Magdalene

2008-08-31T01:30:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. (John 20:15–16)

Explanation:
Mary Magdalene lived in the city of Magdala, which had a reputation for being a city of prostitution. That doen't mean she was a prostitute, but she was raised in an environment that had a negative impact on her heart.

Mary had a face-to-face encounter with Jesus that changed her life. The Bible tells us that Jesus cast seven evil, demonic spirits from her life (Luke 8:2). Can you imagine the depravity and despair that must have filled Mary? She was labeled as a "sinner"—not the kind of woman a respectable man would want to bring home to Mama.

Yet after being set free from these spirits that had ruled and ruined her life, Mary proved that where you start in life doesn't determine where you finish. She changed her environment and the relationships that first attached those labels to her.

God's Word tells us that this woman with a tainted past was so transformed that she formed a friendship with Salome, the mother of James and John (Mark 15:40), as well as Mary, the mother of Jesus (John 19:25). She became close to Joanna, the wife of Chuza, who was King Herod's steward (Luke 24:10). Mary Magdalene became a woman of influence and was counted among a small group of women who, at their own expense, served Jesus and His disciples as they ministered (Luke 8:2–3).

Mary went from bondage, oppression, and depression to a life of freedom, joy, and fulfillment. She went from being filled with evil to being filled with peace, prosperity, and love. And if you read John 20, you'll note that she was the first person to witness the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a part of God's design for her life!

Labels are put on people's lives all the time. If you believe the labels and lies that are put on you by people rather than what the Word of God says about you, you will not have the power necessary to live a successful life. Activate what He says—and only what He says—and you'll replace life's lies with God's Word.

God wants to use you. Man may give up on you, and you may have been raised in an environment that was less than desirable, but God is just beginning with you. When the Word of God becomes alive in your mind and heart, your former life—with its guilt, sin, shame, failures, and labels—begins to pale in comparison to the wonderful glory of the new life God produces in you.

Bible Great Woman … Esther

2008-08-28T01:24:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. (Esther 4:16)

Explanation:
Think life's been unfair to you? Esther's parents had died. They had been among the Jewish captives led away from Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar and settled in Persia. She knew slavery and oppression. As an orphan, she was raised by her older cousin, Mordecai. But she refused to become bitter even though she had been broken and depleted by life.

Esther demonstrates that a person with a past can touch God in the present and believe Him to give her a future. Esther didn't allow the misfortunes in her life to strip away her God-given identity. Not everyone does that. Some people who love God remain bitter and broken. But everyone has the opportunity to touch God and believe for restoration in their areas of depletion.

One of the qualities that made Esther extraordinary is that she had a great inner confidence that gave her the ability to handle pressure. When Esther went into the king's presence, where she was up against 127 beautiful virgins who were vying to become queen, she "requested nothing."

The other girls appealed to the king with ornaments and outward beauty only. Esther went with what was inside her—an inner strength that radiated beauty and gave her favor (Esther 2:15).
Although Esther was the least outwardly adorned, what made her stunningly beautiful was "the hidden man of the heart,...even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (1 Peter 3:4). Esther was as strong on the inside as she was beautiful on the outside. And because of that, she could handle a hostile environment because she knew who God had made her to be. When the moment came for her to take a heroic stand to save the Jewish people, years of preparation led to a determined date with her destiny.

Don't miss your moment. Invest in what God has put inside you. Invest in what lasts all through life and on into eternity! God is preparing you! He is transforming you into a person who will rise above bitterness and be overflowing with God's love. He is establishing in you the ability to withstand pressure and to have an inner radiance that comes from a relationship with Him.
Ask God to reveal to you what it is that He has as your destiny in life. Ask Him to give you a glimpse of the future He has already prepared for you. It's a future bathed in the glory of God, and it's a destiny worth pursuing with your whole heart.

Bible Great Woman … Ruth

2008-08-25T01:17:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. (Ruth 1:16)

Explanation:
Do you have a past you wish you had never lived? Are you ready to go where you've never gone and do what you've never done in order to start a new life? If so, you will like the story of Ruth.

Ruth was a Moabites, born and raised in a highly dysfunctional culture filled with perversion, idol worship, disappointment, and death. Her first break came when she married into a Hebrew family that came to Moab from Bethlehem to escape a famine. After her father-in-law died, and then her husband, Ruth refused to be left behind when her mother-in-law, Naomi, decided to return to Bethlehem.

When presented with the opportunity to accompany Naomi to Bethlehem and begin a new life, Ruth said, basically, "I want no more of my past. I want something better. I'm going to leave my past and cleave to God's promises and what He has for me. I'm willing to go where I've never been to become the person I want to be."

Millions of people are where Ruth was in that moment. They each have a past they wish they could forget. What they experienced brought them nothing but pain and heartache and scars. They see nothing of value in the pasts they've lived.

Are you there? Are you prepared to deal with your past—to let go of old grudges, to release old anger and disappointments, and to ask God to heal you of old hurts? You cannot embrace the future if you cling to the past. You must let it go.

Ruth broke with her past and did exactly what Naomi told her, without necessarily understanding why. She made the right decisions, and her servant heart caused blessing to overtake her and Naomi in Bethlehem. God caused Boaz to come to Ruth, and she became his wife and the mother of a baby named Obed, who was the great-grandfather of David, an ancestor of Jesus. Ruth's destiny was to be in the bloodline of our Savior and Lord! Ruth—who was marred, scarred, and stained by her early environment—lived out her life in greatness!

What God did in the life of Ruth, He can do in your life. I don't know what your Moab is, but every person has something he or she must leave to follow Jesus completely. I don't know where your Bethlehem is or who you Boaz is, but God has a place and a purpose for you if you are willing to leave your past and walk into your future with Him.

Bible Great Woman … Hannah

2008-08-21T02:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. (1 Samuel 1:10)

Explanation:
Have you ever known what it means to have things going right in many areas of your life, yet in one or more areas, things couldn't be more wrong? Have you ever been in that place where you appear on the outside to be succeeding, but on the inside you're fighting a horrific battle? That's what was happening in Hannah's life.

Hannah was one of the two wives of Elkanah, a devout man who regularly worshipped at the tabernacle in Shiloh. While she was blessed with a husband who loved and provided for her, the fact that she was barren was a deep sorrow to her, which was aggravated by Elkanah's other wife, Peninnah, who "provoked her daily" with this reminder. Producing children in that time were considered a sign of God's favor and reward. To be "provoked" means to have an inner rage that threatens to erupt at any point. Hannah was pushed to the point of "losing it."
The female rivalry in this family was rooted in jealousy, which is rooted in fear, and specifically, a fear that one can be replaced. Hannah was jealous of Peninnah because Peninnah had children. Peninnah was jealous of Hannah because Hannah had Elkanah's love.

Hannah's problem drove her to God. Only God could cause Hannah to conceive and bear a child. At the entrance to the tabernacle of the Lord, Hannah poured out her heart to God. She was so deeply wounded that she wept there and prayed with her lips moving but without any sound coming from her mouth. It was so intense that the high priest, Eli, thought she must be drunk. But Hannah refused to be denied, and God answered her desperate prayer of faith (1 Samuel 1:17).

Are you desperate enough today to press toward God? Is your pain producing perseverance in you? Are you facing a need that is deep enough to drive you to push through any resistance that comes your way to get to God? When you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, you'll do whatever it takes to get your answer from God.

There are some situations you must take to God and nobody else. God's Word says to cast "all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7). It doesn't say to cast all your cares on your pastor, your best friend, or your spouse. There are cares and situation that only God can handle. Only God can fix your heart and bring you through to your destiny

Be Still and Focus

2008-08-19T00:41:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
"Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Explanation:

In this day and age, our culture has become so accustomed to having constant activity going on; computers, cell phones, television, email, video games. And there’s nothing wrong with that stuff but sometimes, we have to stop and be still so we can focus on knowing God. This is especially true during the difficult times in life. When you are facing a challenge, it’s easy to want to run to a friend or talk about it with a neighbor, but at some point, you have to stop and say, “God, I rest in You. I know You have me in the palm of Your hand.” Remember, our battles are spiritual battles. The people in your life aren’t your enemy, the forces of darkness are. When you choose to be still and know that the Greater One lives on the inside of you, you are saying to the whole world, “I trust God. He is my Defender.” When you choose to believe in Him you will enter into His rest. Remember, the battle belongs to the Lord. As you are still before Him, You will see His hand of victory and blessing in every area of your life!

Recommendation:
"...dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves..."( 2 Corinthians 7:1)

You were created to know three worlds -- the spiritual, psychological, and material worlds. These can be considered the world above us, the world within us, and the world around us. These worlds are related to the three parts of our human nature -- spirit, soul, and body. When you are rightly related to the material world with your body, you are healthy. When you are rightly related to the psychological world with your soul, you are happy. And when you are rightly related to the spiritual world in your spirit, you are holy. God's aim is that ultimately you are to experience all three realities: health, happiness, and holiness.

Take a snapshot inventory of your life. Where do you need to start making changes to live a healthier lifestyle? What is your emotional barometer telling you about how you see others and yourself? Do you know of any area in your life where you are not living in obedience to the call of holy living?

His Love For Us..

2008-08-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, He give His only begotten son whoever believe on Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

Explanation:
When I was newly arrived here is Saudi Arabia my life has no direction, like a water flowing only in different direction. For almost first five years is look like sea saw games, no direction, no meaning. But God has a way and purpose how the way showing to me through His son Jesus Christ. My hard hitting heart received a tender touch from His son grace. One day, He talk to me through other person to convey the above God's provision.

Initially my whole body and mind against what I heard from God's people but his word is so powerful and loving touching in whole area of my mind and body. Since then, Jesus starting mold me, revoke me to a better life. He always with me in time of trouble and depression. His requirements only to believe on Him.

Thank God that you save me for the sure condemnation because of my sin and un-belief on you and Your son Jesus Christ. Also thanks to your love and kindness to me..... Now I assure to the grace of God that in coming future God will save me as He promised above. I pray He always guide me and protect me....

God Provision.. in our Life

2008-08-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

Explanation:

A philosopher once said, "To whom little is not enough, nothing is enough." I know what I want, and I know what you want. I want to have some money in the bank, and I want to have something there so that when tomorrow comes, then I don't have to worry about it. Isn't that what you want? We call that security. Question: Is that really security? Who is more secure the man who has a warehouse full of stale bread that the rats or thieves can get or the man who has a father who is a very, very rich baker?

God wants to surprise and bless you. Just like a surprise in our every day lives from a loved ones causes much delight and joy, making us feel special, God wants to surprise us with His goodness. When we take the time to realize the small surprises that show up in our lives, this will create an attitude of faith and joy. He even wants to take what seems to be a setback or distraction in our lives, and turn it around to bless us; surprising us! The Scripture says in Deuteronomy 28, “If we will keep God first place, if we will walk in His ways, all these blessings will overtake us.”

That means you won’t be able to outrun the good things of God. One translation of the word “overtake” means “to catch by surprise.” Our Heavenly Father wants to be good to us. He wants to amaze us with His goodness. We should get up every morning with the attitude, “I can’t wait to see what God is going to do!” And you may have had some victories in the past, but you haven’t seen anything yet; God is about to super size your dreams and surprise you by accomplishing more than you can ask or think.

Deliver You

2008-08-12T01:36:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“Call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15)

Explanation:

Are you facing trouble in any area of your life today? God is standing ready to deliver you. He promises in His Word that He is near to all those who call upon His name. No matter what you may be going through, have confidence knowing that God is working behind the scenes on your behalf. He promises to deliver you! Notice that this verse tells us that our part is to honor and glorify Him. You don’t have to wait until everything is perfect to give Him praise. You can give Him honor and glory right now. You can thank Him for all He’s done in your life so far, and what

He will do in your future. Call on Him today and focus on having an attitude of faith and expectancy. Speak His Word and declare His promises over your life, knowing that He promises to deliver you. Trust in Him because He will take you places you’ve never dreamed. As you praise Him, He’ll take you higher and higher into the life of victory He has in store for you!

Minsan ito ang kinakaligtaan nating lahat ang maniwala at alalahanin ang mga pangako ng Diyos sa atin, wala tayong ibang gagawin kundi ang basahin ito at isa puso ang mga binasa tungkol sa Diyos. Yung mga suliranin at pagsubok ay laging nariyan lang sa paligid natin, wala tayong ibang gagawin kundi ang harapin ito na kasama ang Diyos. Paano ito? Kapag ibinigay mo na ito sa Diyos paniwalaan na ito'y gagawin Niya. Tayo'y Kanyang tutulungan upang mapagtagumpayan ang lahat ng problema at pag-subok sa atin (1 Corinto 10:13)

More Than You Imagine!!

2008-08-09T03:49:00.000-07:00

Miditation:

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him" (I Corinthians 2:9).

Explanation:
Because God loves you, He has supernatural blessings in store for you; increase, favor, good breaks, supernatural opportunities. His dream for your life is so much greater than you ever imagined. You haven’t seen anything yet! You may have a dream to get well again, or to be able to walk without pain, but God’s dream for you is not only that you will walk, but that you be able to run and play like you did when you were a child. Your dream may be just to keep your marriage together, but God’s dream is that your marriage would be happier, healthier, and more fulfilling than you ever thought possible!

Your dream may be to just pay your bills and make it through each month, but God’s dream is that you have an abundance, that you be totally out of debt, pay your house off, pay your credit cards off, and have so much overflow that you can be a blessing to everyone around you! Get ready because God has greater blessings in store for you that you ever imagined. Open you heart today and keep an attitude of faith and expectancy and you will live the abundant life the Lord has prepared for you!

Father in heaven, thank You for Your hand of blessing on my life. I open my heart and receive by faith all You have me. Fill me with your peace and joy as I continue to trust in You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Lesson of Prayer…

2008-08-04T01:12:00.000-07:00

MEDITATION:

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:10

Explanation:

Some time ago I was invited to preach in another sector, and my schedule was such that I could not come. When they offered to send a car to pick me up, I agreed. As we going over their place, the driver asked me if I wanted to try my hands at driving the car. I said, "Yes." Of course, he was sitting right next to me. He could drive it without me, but I couldn't drive it without him. He had his hands on the wheels with me. He allowed me to participate with him. That's the way prayer is. God can do it without you, but God enables you to have fellowship with Him and teaches you a dependency upon Him.

Tama yan ang simpleng analisa upang maipakita ang kahalagahan ng panalangin. Ito’y malaking tulong sa bawat isa. Pero sabi ng iba bakit pa ako mananalangin kong alam naman ng Diyos ang aking lahat na kailangan. Dapat ibinibigay na lang niya yun ng wala ng anupamang gagawin, kasi kailangan nga eh at nilikha Niya tayo at Siya ang may sabi na mahal Niya tayo. Subalit ayon sa kaniyang salita ang Diyos ay lagging naghahanap sa Kanyang nilikha ng paghahanap at pagtawag. Ang Diyos ay seloso kaya ang ibig Niya ay Siya lang lagi ang ating tatawagan.

Kailangan nating manalangin lagi sa Diyos sapagkat doon tayo nakikipag-usap sa Kanya at doon Siya sumasagot at nagtuturo…

Recommendation:

Kneel before Him. Meditate on 1 Chronicles 16:23-36. Glory in His presence.

Revelation Chapter 5

2008-06-30T00:47:00.000-07:00

The Book Sealed with Seven Seals

Verse 1: Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.

As the vision continued to unfold before him, John saw a book in the right hand of the Almighty God who was sitting on the throne. This book not only contained writings on the inside but also on the back of it showing that the contents were full and complete. This book was the “title deed” to the earth.

The book contains the story. The story is found in the book we call the bible. It is the story of redemption. Hence, the Holy Book can be called the “Book of Redemption” or figuratively, the “Book of Life”. The story of redemption tells of how the creator-God had originally given this good earth to the mankind, Adam. But Adam failed to obey God’s commandment by listening to his wife, who was deceived by the serpent.

Verse 2: And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?"
Verse 3: But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
Verse 4: I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

Since the time of the fall of man, there has not been one worthy enough to take the book and open it. None can break the seals or even take a peep at the contents. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Now, the fall of man did not catch God unaware. In fact, God foreknow it and permitted it to happen. Why? So that out of corruption shall come forth perfection and beauty (Psalm 50:2, Lamentation 2:15). The Apostle Paul wrote: For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God (Romans 8:20-21). Amen. But how? Through the seed of God – Jesus Christ Who was virgin born! Why? To bypass the original sin. It was absolutely essential for the Redeemer to have pure, undefiled blood running in His veins.

Verse 5: Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."
Verse 6: Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Praise the Lord! Amen! But who is this Lion of the tribe of Judah? He is none other than Jesus Christ Who is not only the King of Israel, but Who is also the King of all born again saints of His spiritual kingdom. Even as a King, He did not have the right to redeem because God demanded a lamb. So He became a Lamb. And He prevailed. Christ if the King and Savior of who believe in Him.

Notice, the lamb had “seven horns and seven eyes. Which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. Remember, what John saw was a vision, a pictorial scene, illustrative of God’s truth.
Now, the seven spirits which stood before the throne of God (Revelation 1) identified themselves so closely with Christ in His work throughout the church ages that they became a part of the Lamb. Here they are described as horns and eyes on the head of the lamb because they worked with the Head of the Church. Horns and eyes signify power and knowledge respectively. Hence the seven horns and seven eyes denote the omnipotence and omniscience of Christ Jesus in His dealing with His saints in His church.

Verse 7: He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
Verse 8: And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Remember that John saw all these in a vision. The one sitting on the throne is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who had overcome and now sits on the Father’s Throne. He is all of God, the Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). He is the fullness of God (Colossians 2:9). God and Christ are one (John 10:30, 38). But the lamb personifies Jesus Christ in His work as a sacrificial lamb.

The four living creatures and the twenty four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb and worshipped Him. Each had a harp and a golden vial that was filled with the prayers of the saints. Yes, God loves the adoration of His saints, their praises and prayers.

Verse 9: And they sang a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
Verse 10: You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

In Revelation 4:9-11 they sung the song of creation. Here it is the new song of redemption with specific reference to the Lamb’s worthiness to open the scroll because of His work of redemption. Truly Jesus Christ, as a bloody lamb, was worthy to take the Book and to open and loose the seven seals because He willingly gave His life to be slain on the cross. With His blood He has redeemed people, in the great millennial reign of Christ.

Verse 11: Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
Verse 12: In a loud voice they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!"

Not only the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb to worship Him but all the angels in heaven also lifted their voices and worshipped the Lam. Notice that the worship was directed at the Lamb. Why? Because He was slain and had overcome and was therefore worthy to receive all the praises and adoration. Because He had overcome He was worthy to take the sealed scroll and open it. Because He could take the sealed scroll and loose the seals He was worthy to receive the power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing.

Verse 13: Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!"
Verse 14: The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Every creature in the whole universe had to worship and glorify the Lamb because He was truly worthy. If He had not accomplished what He was ordained to do then there would be no redemption and creation would continue and end in death. He wants you to get intimate with Him so that He may give you the revelation which He has received Him from the Heavenly Father. He is doing all this through His Five Ascension ready for His coming.

Saints of God, do you see the Lord Jesus Christ in our midst? Do you recognize the true ministry? Therefore let us put on the hearth on the Holy Spirit and get that gold which has been tried in the fire that we may be rich and that we may put on the white raiment at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Revelation Chapter 4

2008-06-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

The Throne in Heaven

Having shown John the conditions of the seven churches, God now goes on to show him that will come to pass in the due time. This chapter not only presents John as a type of the bride of Jesus Christ being brought up into heaven as the church closes out but also shows the bride being brought up in the Spirit of revelation.

Verse 1: After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."

The “first voice” was the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:10-11). Like a trumpet that is blown to call one’s attention, the voice had shown John’s attention to an open door in the heaven right after Christ had shown the conditions of the seven churches. Because the bride of Jesus Christ is called out of the apostate system of the church, she is no longer living in the realm of the Laodicean church. So God set an open door for her to enter the heavenly realm.

“After this” or “after these things” denotes the transition from one part of the vision to another – it marks the succession of the visions and not of time. “Things which shall be hereafter” means after “the things which are”, that is, the conditions of the seven churches in Asia Minor shown to John who was asked to write a letter to each of them. See Revelation 1:19. Simply, it means the things which would come to pass from John’s time forward into the future.

Verse 2: At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.

Straightaway John was caught up in the Spirit of Revelation. He was caught up into heaven in a vision and saw the Almighty sitting on a throne. Let me emphasize once again that the spirit of John was not transported into the future, to every century, to witness the events literally as they happened. Unfortunately, this is what some preachers are teaching.

“And one sat on the throne”. This is a self-evident statement: John saw One sat on the Throne because there is only One God. If there is a trinity (of Gods) John would have seen three Gods sitting on three thrones in heaven. If you are a believer of a Holy Trinity, you should now realize that you are being deceived by traditional theology of man.

Verse 3: And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.

Christ Jesus, Who is sitting on the Throne, is full of the glory of God. He is the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Jesus Christ is the visible form of God that man could see. For the Almighty God is an invisible Spirit Whom no one can see (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16)

Verse 4: Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

These twenty-four elders represent the Old Testament and the New Testament Church of God. They characterize the twelve patriarchs or Israel of the Old Testament and the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ of the New Testament. These two groups of twelve speaks of the following: “2” testifies of witness and “12” signifies the perfect government of God.

Verse 5: From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.

In the Old Testament era, when God met with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai and when He gave the Ten Commandments to Moses, there were lightning, thunders, a thick cloud, the voice of trumpet and earthquake, smoke and fire (Exodus 19:16-18). Such phenomena show the awesome omnipotence of the Almighty God particularly when God is about to pass judgment or show His wrath from His throne.

Notice that John also heard voices coming from the throne. These voices denotes revelations proceeding from the throne. Every true revelation must originate from the Throne of God.

Verse 6: Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
Verse 7: The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.

This “sea of glass like unto crystal” denotes a sea of people who are pure and holy. These are the chosen few who are the redeemed and the over comers of every age. They stand before their Lord and Master and await their rewards (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10). Later, they will sit on thrones set up for them (Revelation 20:4)

There is another “sea glass” in Revelation 15:2 but it is mingled with fire. The “four beasts” should be called the “four living creatures”. They are guardian angels with great intelligence. In the New Testament, we have the Four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Respectively, these four books reflect the nature and characteristics of Jesus Christ as the lion, which represents His royalty and kingship; the ox represents His patience and sacrifice; the man, which represents His sympathy and humanity and the flying eagle, which represents His glorious majesty and divinity.

Verse 8: Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

These living creatures were not created and program by God to worship Him day and night, saying “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was and is and is to come” Some preachers, in an effort to ensure that their teachings stick, have literally made a nonsense of certain scriptural doctrines. They teach that the angelic beings were programmed to worship God robotically.

Verse 9: Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
Verse 10: The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

Verse 11: "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."

What humility! Even with such high positions bestowed upon them, the 24 Elders placed their crowns before the throne, prostrated themselves before the Lord and worshiped Him whenever the four beasts offer glory, honor and thanksgiving to the One sitting on the throne. They offer us an excellent example of humility in respect of our position in the church of God because people tend to get high-minded when they are in certain positions. Some make themselves lords over God’s heritage while others make themselves the chiefest of God’s servants.

Let us really humble and worship the Lord, giving Him all glory, honor and power. Amen.

Revelation Chapter 3 (continuation)

2008-06-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Verse 11: I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Verse 12: Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God, and I will also write on him my new name.
Verse 13: He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

If you are born again child of God, you have a place in the Body of Christ and you also have a crown. So, hold fast to whatever you have received of God, and be an over comer and you will be made a pillar in the church of God. These pillars are strong and could not be moved. These are the ones who shoulder certain responsibilities in the assembly that God uses to strengthen the temple. There are some Christians who move about so much, going in and out, among different assemblies that they could never be pillars. They could not even be a stone in the temple of God because they are busy with their own self-righteous programs that they are doing God a service without God’s directive. God wants us to be living stones that are fitly joined and held together for the temple of God (1 Peter 2:5 and Ephesians 4:16) and not rolling stones that can never stay still long enough to be cemented into proper place in the temple.

A Letter to the Church in Laodicea

Verse 14: To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

We are living in the Laodicean age which began around the year 1906 and which will end at the coming of Christ for His Bride. Though the name Laodicea means “people rights” it was often used in honor of certain royal ladies. The name so chosen by the Lord is apt for this last age. There are indeed many “royal ladies” with people within them demanding their rights. But the only rights a Christian have are those which God has stated in His word. But the Laodicean Christians do not want that. They may not openly say so, but they will water down the word and will of God to such an extent that they practically dress, talk, and behave just like the world. They curse, swear, cheat and lie. Their womenfolk cut their hair, paint their faces and put on shorts and trousers like men or dress indecently. Some of their men, with long hair, behave like women, almost. These Christians are being seduced by lying spirits (1 Timothy 4:1). This last generation of the Laodicean church is but a sick generation.

Verse 15: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot, I wish you were either one or the other!
Verse 16: So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

When Christians demand their rights, their priority to the Lord and His word will be relegated to the second place as their individual rights preoccupy their minds. They are lukewarm and do not have the right spiritual judgement. They are neither cold not hot. If they are either cold or hot, God will deal with them accordingly. But God is sick of lukewarm Christians and He is going to vomit them out of His mouth. They may have certain achievements in their works for the Lord. But God has no regard for their works.

Verse 17: You say, I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

How true it is! As this church gets closer to the return of Christ, the church becomes vainer in their appearance. But the bride, the true elect, is not so. Each of the “royal ladies” would complete for greater attention of the world with their church programs to increase their membership. They have different sorts of social activities to make the people feel good. They would raise large amount of money to buy properties and build large church buildings.

Verse 18: I counsel you to buy from me gold refine in the fire, so you can becomes rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness, and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is a God of love, grace and mercy. Before He passes judgment He would give a warning and provide a way of escape for those who have an ear to hear what His Spirit is saying to the church. He is counseling the church to buy Him gold tried in the fire. He wants them to have the genuine faith that has withstood the test of fiery trials through the churches of time. However, many Christians just cannot stay still for a while to really hear and receive the message God has prepared for them. So they end up with counterfeit gifts and fool’s gold that are worthless. But Jesus said:

Verse 19: Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Yes, there will be a group of people whom Jesus loves. They will repent. They won’t rebel as Jesus corrects them. They will respond to the love of God is Christ. They will hear the voice of God’s seven churches messenger. They will receive and contend for the genuine golden faith that was once delivered to the believers in the days of the apostles (Jude 3).

Verse 20: Here I am I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with Me.

As this church comes to its end we see that Jesus is no longer inside the church. This church started with an outpouring of God’s gifts. The outpouring was supposed to get the church to pay close attention of the word of God. Instead, we see the church wanting more of the gifts of God than the giver Himself. Paul says that God give and distributes Hid gifts as He wills (1 Corinthians 12), but the church is saying that all believers must speak in tongues of have at least one of the gifts. The church today has no true message for the world because Christ is no longer inside the church.

Verse 21: To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me in my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
Verse 22: He who has ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

God will grant to every individual believer, who overcomes the state of lukewarmness, who gets spiritually hot for the Lord Jesus, who lives a holy life and who does the will of God, the right to share in the authority of Christ.

Have you heard? The admonition to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches is the same for all churches ages. There is not only the necessity to hear but also the need to have a spiritual ear to hear correctly the revelation of the Holy Spirit for the churches.

Next is Revelation Chapter 4 and try also visits my other URL: http://jmhe-blogko.blogspot.com for more God explanations.

Revelation Chapter 3

2008-06-16T00:00:00.000-07:00

A Letter to the Church in Sardis

Verse 1: To the angel of the church is Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
Verse 2: Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

It is clear that the seven spirits of God worked with, and through, the seven stars in the Seven Churches. The fifth of the seven spirits conveyed the message of Christ to Martin Luther (you remember him), the messenger to the Sardisean church. If we can remember Luther was taught by the prophetess Jezebel for quite some time until he received a revelation when he heard the voice of God saying “the just shall live by faith”. So from there reformation started.

Verse 3: Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Verse 4: Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.

Would that all Christians remember what they have received and heard concerning the word of God, or they fall into a mere form of worship. It is important to know what we hear and how we hear it so that we will receive the right things according to the will of God that we may continue to live and walk in the light of God’s word. You know failure to do so can cause the lamp in our life to be removed. God warned the Sardis church, the “escape ones”, about their short comings. Having escaped, they should have followed the path where God had wanted them to go.

Verse 5: He who overcomes will like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
Verse 6: He who has ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches

Every over comer of each church will “be clothed in white raiment” which is the glorified body, given only at the first resurrection. It speaks of the righteousness of Christ in all these saints. When Christ saved a person He saved him to the uttermost. “Once saved, always saved” is true for Christ does not redeem a believer and lose him later on. But some say it is impossible because if the person after he save by Jesus he commit sin and return to his old nature, his salvation gone also. That’s why Christ is sure that if He save a person, that person is for Him forever and nobody can snatch from Him. The bible says that Romans 8:29-30 – For those God foreknow he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

A Letter to the Church in Philadelphia

Verse 7: To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

Philadelphia means “brotherly kindness” which are church in Philadelphia possessed. The saints were full of brotherly kindness. It was the greatest missionary church in the history of Christianity during which the word of God was greatly published, promulgated and preached to various nations of the world. David was a king and a warrior. So was Christ Jesus.

Verse 8: I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

In that city of Philadelphia the church at that time bore the name of Christ. Like all the churches in the days of the Apostle John, the saints were all water baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But since the doctrine of trinity was formulated in the ONE NAME of God Almighty. The true faith was already not fully understood in the way that it should be. Nevertheless, they held to the name and did not deny it. As long as the predestinated seeds of God have a little strength, keep God’s word and do not deny His name, the door of Christ will remain open for them to refresh themselves in the word of God for the hour.

Verse 9: I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars – I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have love you.
Verse 10: Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

Throughout the seven churches, many Christians had suffered in their own ways during their hour of temptation. But that which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the world points to a future period of eventful days of the great tribulation, after the true church is saved. It would be a dreadful hour of temptation for the people of the world but the enduring saints who keep the word of God will be spared. So, let us be patient for patience products experience and experience produces hope that will not disappoint us.

For more sources and explanation about word of God visit my http://jmhe-blogko.blogspot.com/. God bless you… all

To be continued….

Revelation Chapter 2 (continuation)

2008-06-12T01:12:00.000-07:00

A Letter to the Church in Pergamum

Verse 12: To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
Verse 13: I know where you live – where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness who was put to death in your city – where Satan lives.

This is the church that Satan finally established his seat of power in Christianity. Apostate Christianity – when Constantine the Great became emperor. His previous religion was the worship of the “Unconquered Sun”. He became a Christian after he saw a vision of a cross in the sky. He described himself as the “defender of the church” but was actually a meddler in church affairs. The interfering emperor convened an ecumenical council in 325 AD, at Nicea where some 1500 delegates gathered to define the doctrine of the Godhead. And the unholy doctrine of a “3-in-1 (see more details in http://jmhe-blogko.blogspot.com (under label "doktrina ka ba" ) God was then formulated. From then on the Roman subjects were challenged by the bishops to receive the “Christian trinity belief” as it was formulated at Nicea. The belief in the Trinity, which consists of the tri-unity of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit was thereby the only valid creed for all Christians. It became the state-furthered religion. To this day the majority of Christians accept the teaching of the Trinity as a basic Scriptural doctrine without reservation. Hence, actually Christianity was mixed Paganism and made the official religion. This was the beginning of the first and largest denomination – the Roman Catholic Church.

Pergamos – meaning “citadel” pointed to the stronghold of the Roman Catholic system – which was very similar to the religious system of Nimrod of Babel (Babylon) – the seat of Satan.

Verse 14: Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
Verse 15: Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

We read in Numbers Chapters 22 and 24 how that Balaam, who did not belong to the children of Israel, succeeded in getting the children of Israel to fornicate with the Moabites. Balak, the Moabite king, had bribed Balaam, a soothsayer, to prophesy evil against Israel.

The spirit of Balaam was in Constantine when he used the same “doctrine of Balaam” to unite Paganism and Christianity. God hates idolatry and spiritual fornication. The “doctrine of Balaam” is still widely embraced by organized religious churches around the world.

Verse 16: Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
Verse 17: He who an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

God came upon the unrepentant ones with the Sword of His mouth and took away the candlestick while lighting another. But to those who had the ears to hear and to the over-comers, God allowed them to partake of the hidden manna which was the rich spiritual truths of God’s Word. They were also each given a white stone signifying that they had the revelation and fellowship of God (Matthew 16:17-19). They were the few precious saints of Christ in that hour. Likewise, there are a few of such precious saints of Christ in this present hour. They will all receive their new name when they go up in the grace with their new body.

A Letter to the Church in Thyatira

Verse 18: To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Verse 19: I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Verse 20: Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.

Christ stood with fine brazen feet ready to judge the church if she did not repent. Because He had gone through the fiery judgment of God for us.

Thyatira means “dominating female”. In the days when the Apostle John received this vision, there was a woman named Jezebel, who called herself a prophetess and taught in the church in the city of Thyatira. She also seduced the ministers of God to coming fornication with her and made them eat food offered to idols.

Mother church dominated the world through her politico-religious system. One such ritual was the continual sacrifice, another meaning of the word Thyatira of the Body of Christ which they called “Mass”.

Verse 21: I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
Verse 22: So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
Verse 23: I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who search hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.

Did the Roman Catholic Church repent? No, she did not and she will never ever repent. She made herself to be a great prophetess and claimed divine authority in all her words.

Verse 24: Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets.
Verse 25: Only hold on to what you have until I come

To the messenger and those who did not embrace the doctrine of Jezebel or learn what was called the deep things of Satan, Christ admonished them to hold on to what they possessed and He would not put upon them any additional burden. And His promise to them was:

Verse 26: To him who overcome and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations
Verse 27: He will rule them with an iron scepter, he will dash them to pieces like pottery – just as I have received authority from my Father.
Verse 28: I will also give him the morning star,

For those saints who will persevere to the end and overcome, what a day it will be when they shall live and reign with Christ in the Age of Regeneration (Matthew 19:28). They will cease to live in a dark chaotic age because they will receive the bright morning star - Jesus Christ, together with Him, they shall rule the nations righteously with true justice.

Verse 29: He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…

Next topic is Revelation Chapter 3 – God bless you.

Revelation Chapter 2

2008-06-08T00:36:00.000-07:00

At the end of the first chapter of Revelation, we are introduced to the Seven Churches as represented by the seven candlesticks. These Seven Churches make up what is called “the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13). It is also called “the mystery of God” (Revelation 10:7) identified by the apostle Paul as a period in which the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob blinded the Jews and turned to the Gentiles to call a people – For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness is part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in (Romans 11:25).

We shall not delve into the historical details of the Seven Churches as they are fully dealt with in “The Exposition of the Seven Churches”.

A Letter to the Church in the Ephesians

Verse 1: Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things say he that hold the seven stars in his right hand, who walk the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Verse 2: I know thy works and they labor and thy patience and how thou can not bear them which are evil: and thou has tried them which say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars:

Apostle Paul was the angel or messenger to the first church. He was an apostle born out of due season (1 Corinthians 15:8) and was the founder of the church in Ephesus. A revival fore was started in the city and from there is spread to other cities throughout the Asia Minor.

When the church began on the Day of Pentecost it was very stringent in its faith. Tares, if any, were quickly weeded out by the roots so that only the wheat remained (Acts 5). As more converts were added to the church and as the Gentiles accepted the gospel the spirit of antichrist began to work harder. The works and virtues of the believers of every age were known of God. The saints of the first church could not tolerate those who were evil, especially those who claimed that they were the apostles of God but were proven to be liars. The Church of Christ began with the Ministry in the New Testament age and unveiled to them the revelation of the prophetic word. The apostles were highly respected man of God. They were called and sent of God to get God’s people to line up with the Word of God and God’s plan of salvation. Satan knew what God was doing and began to impersonate Him.

Organized Christianity is in a chaos today. Many denominational churches are supporting called it ecumenism, even though they are divided along doctrinal lines. And the individual groups tend to go about doing things according to their own ideas. But the Word of God shows that there would be a message that would wake up the sleeping virgins to call them back to the Word (Matthew 25:1-13).

Verse 3: And hast borne, and hast patience and for my name’s sake hast labored and has not fainted.
Verse 4: Nevertheless I have somewhat against you, because you has left my first love.
Verse 5: Remember therefore from whence you are fallen and repent and do the first works or else I will come unto you quickly and will remove your candlestick and out of his place, except you repent.

Ephesus means “desirable aimed at”. It shows the spiritual attitude of the saints of that church towards God. They showed a lot of patience and they labored much for the Lord. Ephesus also means “relaxed and drifting”. And that was what happened to many saints who began to relax from the fire that they possessed in the beginning and drift from the Truth and the Love of God.

God is warning His people to repent. Repentance is the only way to get back to God. It has never changed. We are living in an age where “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12 and 1 Timothy 4:1). We need to heed the warning lest we become like the First Church which, when their fire went out and the lamp stand was removed, never had another renewal – only a dead form remained.

Verse 6: But this thou hast, that thou hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

The Nicolaitanes were a group of people who sought to make a distinction between those who ministered the word other called them “clergy or elders” and those who accepted and listened to the Word. They wanted to claim superiority of the ministers over the word. In other words they wanted to conquer the words. When the church elders conquered the words the prevented the Spirit of the Lord from moving about freely in the church to manifest His gifts such as tongues and prophecies.

Verse 7: He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit say unto the churches; To him that overcome will I give to eat of the tree of life; which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

The promise to Ephesus church; to all who received the revelation of the message, was the right to go into the paradise of God and partake of the tree of life (Luke 23:43)

A Letter to the Church in the Smyrnaean

Verse 8: And unto the angel of the church is Smyrna write: These things say the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Verse 9: I know your works, and tribulation and poverty (but your are rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Smyrna means “bitter”. It comes from the word “myrrh”. It was an age of bitter persecution. The saints in the city of Smyrna were stricken with poverty and lived in great hardship. Because of their faith, they were made the laughing stocks in the city, especially by those pseudo-Jews who belonged to the synagogue of Satan. There were also many pseudo-believers who derived and persecuted the saints. They were of the devils assembly. Though they were poor materially, the true worshippers were rich in the Lord because of the revelation they had received through Irenaeus, the messenger of God for the church.

Verse 10: Fear none of those things which thou shall suffer, behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days: he thou faithful unto death and I will give the a crown of life.
Verse 11: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit say unto the churches, He that overcome shall not be hurt of the second death.

The elect of God do not persecute; rather they are persecuted. Persecution comes upon the elect as a trial of their faith. In the church of Smyrna, the saints endured tribulation brought upon them by the adversary of God. Some were cast into prison.

The “second death” takes place when the spirit of life leaves the soul and body, which happens after the Great Throne Judgment. The “first death” takes places when the soul departs from the body (Revelation 20:14, Genesis 35:18). Jesus said, Fear not them which kill the body, but not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). All sinners will have a share in the Lake of Fire as they are being burn and destroy completely. Yes, the wicked ones will be annihilated.

.to be continued

Revelation Chapter 1 (continuation)

2008-06-05T02:31:00.000-07:00

Truly, we certainly need to know what we believe lest we receive a harsh rebuke from the Lord just as He had rebuked the Samaritan woman at the well. “Yee worship ye know not what”. The majority of the Christian people have been deceived into accepting the doctrine of the “trinity” for their salvation. Some tenets of faith of denominational churches specifically state that a person is not a Christian unless he/she believes in the trinity. But the bible shows otherwise,

Verse 9: I John, also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Patmos was a small island off the coast of Asia Minor. It was about 60 to 120 kilometers from those seven churches to which John addressed his letters. There was no escape from the island which was infested with poisonous snakes and scorpions. John was probably about 90 years old when he was exiled to the isle of Patmos. Well, whether you are 90’s or 9 years old. God can always use you provided you are willing to serve Him. Here we see that John was persecuted for his faith. He knew that the true worshippers of God must invariably go through trials and tribulations one way or another for their faith.

In solitude John had plenty of time. His physical body was in bondage but his spirit was not. Having nothing physical to do, he spent his time in the presence of the Almighty God, worshipping Him. And he was in such an attitude one day, on the first day of the week, the Lord’s day, that he became the instrument of blessings to the saints of God. He was so immersed in the Spirit of the Lord that the natural realm began to move away and he began to enter into another realm – the spiritual realm of God. He began to hear and see things that no man had heard or seen before, and he “bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw”

Verse 10: I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
Verse 11: Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou see, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

The term “Lord’s Day” is not the same as the “Day of the Lord” which is found in many passages throughout the Old and New Testaments. The term is used only once in the Holy Scriptures and is understood to signify the “first day of the week” when the saints would gather together to worship God. Another occurrence is in 1 Corinthians 11:20 – Lord’s Supper, and ordinance set down by the Lord in which the saints would come together to commemorate His death till He returns.” Lord’s Supper” is never called the “Supper of the Lord”.

When John was in the Spirit of the Lord, he heard a great voice, which sounded like a trumpet, right behind him. He was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Time began with Him and time will end with Him – the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. The seven churches to which John was commanded to address his writings consisted of mostly Gentiles converts. These seven churches were located in Asia Minor (the area which is today’s Western Turkey). The book of Revelation was written for the benefit of the bride that she might understand what the Lord was going to do in His church and what events would transpire throughout the grace age.

Verse 12: And I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Verse 13: And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

When John turned to see who was speaking to him he saw Seven Golden Candlesticks (or Lampstands).These Seven Golden Candlesticks are the Seven Churches as interpreted in verse 20. That was the Lord Jesus Christ, the God Man. And He was wearing a High Priest robe. This means that He was in the position of a High Priest showing that He was as Intercessor or a Mediator. Our Lord Jesus Christ has to fulfill what was written of Him in the prophetic writings contained in the books of the Old Testaments. He has many roles to fulfill, so to speak. When He came to this earth nearly 2000 years ago, He came as a Prophet-Servant to preach the Word of God and to serve mankind (Mark 10:45). He was no longer the Prophet and Servant after His death and ascension but “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.. (Hebrew 3:1)

Verse 14: His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his easy were as a flame of fire.

This speaks of Jesus Christ as being a Judge. In his days, the prophet Daniel also saw this same Judge in his vision (Daniel 7:9). No evil can escape the scrutiny of His eyes of blazing fire.

Verse 15: And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace, and his voice as the sound of many waters

“And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace” Jesus Christ, the One with God’s own life, stood steadfastly in judgment for you and me so that we might not be condemned. It was a fiery trial all along the way till He ended up as a breeding Lamb, spilling His blood at Calvary, thus completing God’s atonement for us. But, very soon, He is coming to judge those who reject His offer of salvation.

“And his voice as the sound of many waters” Like mighty running streams of water, babbling brooks, or great showers of rain, the words of Christ have always been soothing joy, comfort, peace and faith to the hearers. Throughout of the ages the sound of His voice, speaking through His ministers, would revive His people in the Spirit and Word of God.

Verse 16: And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shine in his strength.

“The seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches”. Apparently the Apostle John was acquainted with these seven churches and their presiding bishops or pastors. Hence, the letters were addressed to these seven outstanding servants of God as “messengers” so that they would be aware of Christ’s assessment of their respective church and its condition. And knowing the conditions of these God set a type that would reflect Churches in seven epochs of time.

Verse 17: And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last.
Verse 18: I am he that live, and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

If the countenance of Christ in all His glory proved too much for John, what about us? So let us be holy as God is holy. Jesus Christ once again identified himself as “the first and last”. In fact He is “the first and the last” person ever to be born into this world to die for mankind and yet live again. He is the only one. Nobody else has ever done what He did. There is no other person through whom mankind can have salvation. God turned His back upon Christ, figuratively speaking, as He hung on that cross at Mount Calvary, spilling His blood for you and me. And because He lives again, we will also live with Him, Amen.

Verse 19: Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter:

John was commanded to write down “what he had seen”, “the things which thou has seen” – what is, “the things which are” – that is the conditions of the seven local churches in Asia Minor. What is to happen after these things, “the things which shall be hereafter” – pointing to events which shall happen in the future ahead of John’s time. Consequently, we have this Book of Revelation.

Verse 20: The mystery of the seven stars which saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches; and the seven candlesticks which thou saw are the seven churches.

This last verse is self-explanatory. In fact this is one of several “key” verse to the interpretation of the Book of Revelation. Right away we are told that the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks are the seven churches. Hence, the mystery is unfolded to show us that there would be seven “earthly” angels, or messengers, of the seven churches and not just seven local ministers of seven churches in Asia Minor.

Next is Revelation Chapter 2….. see you

Revelation Chapter 1

2008-06-04T00:06:00.000-07:00

The Visions of John on the Lord’s Day

Verse 1: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Verse 2: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

The Book of Revelation begins with a clear declaration – “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him”. It was the revelation of Jesus Christ and not the revelation of John. It was the revelation which the Almighty God gave to His Son. Why? (Undoubtedly, there is a special relationship between the Almighty God and the Lord Jesus Christ.) The Revelation was given to Jesus Christ to show to His servants concerning things and events which must soon take place – from the time of John.

Our Lord Jesus sent and communicated His Revelation through and angel to John who recorded all that he saw in his visions. John was the beloved of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 13:23; 20:2). He is a type of the Beloved (bride) of Christ. Whatever things that were shown to John would have to be revealed to His bride. Because we are living at the final stretch of the closing period of the whole dispensation of the Seven Churches., we are privileged to see a clearer picture than those members of the bride in each of the past six Churches could see. Yes, this is the hour, not only for the Word but also for “the oil and the wine” – the anointing and the stimulation of revelation – of the Holy Spirit upon the Word. And this is the life that cannot be hurt (Revelation 6:6)

Verse:3 Blessed is he that read, and they hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written for the time is at hand.

The unfolding of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is for us to understand and to obey the words of prophecy that we may be a light in this world of spiritual darkness and always be ready and prepared for the return of the Lord. Many Christians are actually spiritually blinded by Satan who has entered the realm of religious Christianity since long time ago, and who has actually been worshipped in the organized churches today! Satan is the god of this evil age.

Verse 4: John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;
Verse 5: And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loves us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.
Verse 6: And hath made us kings and priest unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Notice that there are three greeting from the throne area of Heaven. The first is from “him which is, and which was and which is to come”. The second is from “the seven spirits which are before his throne”. The third is from “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth”.

The One “which is and which was and which is to come” is the Eternal Invisible Spirit – Elohim, the Almighty One. He does not have, and never had a beginning: He will never have an end. He is always is because He always was and He always will be – the I AM. He is the Creator and the Father of all creations. But Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth” is Elohim’s only begotten son who is vested with all His authority (Matthew 28:18).

Now, Jesus is the first begotten from the dead, which obviously means there will be others, after Him, who will be begotten from the dead. There will be a people who upon their translation, will also have the same glorified body that Jesus has. They are the true members of the Bride (body) of Christ. They are priests and subjects in His Kingdom for they all have direct access to Him.

Verse 7: Behold, he come with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindness of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen

This is not the coming of Christ for His Bride in the rapture. The rapture is a secret event of the world. Is this a true event or doctrine only? This is the Lord Jesus Christ coming back physically with His saints after they have supped at the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven (Matthew 24:29-30)

Verse 8: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, said the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Do pay close attention to this verse that you may understand two terms in the verse which clearly show us the Oneness of the Godhead – all that God is, is in Christ Jesus. It will show you Who God is and Who Jesus is: they are One God. Notice the first statement – I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending – the Lord is speaking of His being in Time. Eternity has no time; it has no beginning and no ending.

Remember Jesus Christ had a beginning. He was born of a virgin, raised as a child and grew up as a man (Luke 2:40-52). But God is Spirit and will always be Spirit. He is invisible (1 Timothy 1:17). The only way we can see God is to see His works. At the appointed time, Jesus was empowered by the Word of God.

The Word of God which came forth in the beginning (John 1:1-4) was actually His creative self-revelation, “the side of God turned towards the world”. It was not another Spirit being Who was also God. There is but ONE SPIRIT, ONE TRUE GOD. The Trinity of God is a PAGAN CONCEPT. It has its root in the mystery religion spawned at Babel by Nimrod and his mother, Semiramis. The concept of multiple gods, by different names and titles, was greatly accepted throughout the time of the Greek and Roman world. The mystery of the doctrine of Trinity is a mystery created by the theologians.

Continued…

New Birth

2008-06-02T01:58:00.000-07:00

Meditation:

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3

Explanation:

Nicodemus was so impressed with the miracles Jesus had done that he wanted to find out more. He asked Jesus about miracles, and Jesus began to talk to him about births. It's as if Jesus was saying, "Nicodemus, if you want to understand miracles, you're going to have to become a miracle." Now Nicodemus was an intelligent man. He was a ruler of the Jews and a Sanhedrin, and yet, with all of his learning, Jesus said to him, "Except you are born again, you cannot see the kingdom of God." People simply can't understand spiritual things until the Holy Spirit of God turns the light on in their souls.

Ipanganak na muli ito ang isang bagay na mahirap maunawaan agad ng isang tao, kung paano ipanganganak na muli ang isang matanda na. Tulad ni Nicodemus na nakatingin sa natural na katawan at sa kaanyuan ng ipanganganak na muli. Paano nga ba natin ito ipauunawa sa isang tao na nagtatanong ng ganito. Meron ba tayong bahagi dito, meron sabi ni Apostol Pablo ipahayag mo lang ang pag-ibig at salita ng Diyos sa tao, ang salita o ang Diyos ang Siyang kikilos para sa sunod na pangyayari. Bakit kamo? Sapagkat sabi sa Juan 6:44 - na maliban na dalhin ng ama sa aking paanan ang isang kaluluwa wala akong o tayong magagawa. Ibig sabihin ang Diyos pa rin ang may kontrol ng lahat ng bagay, tayoy mga instrumento lamang.

Do you know someone who has a lot of education, but no salvation? I challenge you to share this same Good News with him or her today.

No Other

2008-06-01T01:53:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." Exodus 20:3

Explanation:

What is an idol and how does it come to be? An idol is created when a man takes his own ideas and puts them into the work of his hands and begins to worship that. What he is really worshiping is himself. You may say, "Well, I'm not guilty of idolatry." Let's just see. Is there anything you love more than God? Is there anything you fear more than God? Is there anything you serve more than God? Is there anything you trust more than God? Am I getting hot? You say, "Well, I give God a place in my life." God doesn't want a place in your life. Then, you say, "Well, I give God prominence in my life." God despises prominence in your life. God demands preeminence in your life. He will take nothing less.

Sa ating sarili sinasabi natin lagi na ang Diyos lamang ang Siyang nangunguna sa buhay natin, subalit yun ay sa salita lamang, wala sa gawa sapagkat taliwas ito sa nakikita sa atin. Sabi nga anumang bagay, o sitwasyon na mas higit sa Diyos matatawag nating pagsamba sa diyos-diyusan yun. Sapagkat sinasabi sa kasulatan na hindi ka makakapag-silbi sa dalawang master, iibigin ang isa at itatakwil ang isa. Yan ang ibig na wag mangyari ng Diyos sa atin sapagkat alam Niya ang kahinaan ng tao. Pero ano ang dapat gawin patungkol dito, ang tanging masasabi ko, pagsikapan natin na laging una ang Diyos sa ating buhay bilang panginoon, master, at kalakasan.

Is there anyone or anything in your life that takes precedence over God? Confess it and repent of it. Now, put on the throne the rightful Master -- the Lord Jesus!

Right Wisdom

2008-05-31T04:56:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7).

Explanation:
God wants us to know Him better. He wants us to know what to do in every situation. He wants us to have His wisdom so we can live the abundant life He has prepared for us. Wisdom is simply knowing the mind of God about a particular thing. It’s found in the Word of God. Proverbs says that when we reverence and honor the Lord, it opens the door to wisdom in our life. God’s wisdom is not like earthly wisdom. In other words, God’s wisdom won’t always make sense to your natural mind. For instance, the world’s wisdom says in order to increase, keep what you have. God’s wisdom says to give what you have and it shall be given back to you in greater measure. God’s wisdom is supreme. How do you “get” wisdom? First of all, James tells us simply to ask for it. And then open your heart to the Word of God; obey His commands and honor Him. As you are diligent to seek wisdom, you will find it. As you honor the Lord, He will honor you. He’ll pour out His favor on you, and you’ll live in wisdom and blessing all the days of your life.

Meron ba tayong kaalaman na pansarili lang natin, di ba ang kaalaman ay nagbubuhat sa Diyos, kaya humiling tayo sa Kanya upang tayo ay pagkalooban. Sapagkat likas na sa atin na sinusubukan lahat ng bagay bago pa lang tayo lalapit sa Diyos, kung wala na talagang magagawa sa sariling kakayahan. Tama ba ang ganito, di ba mali at kapag ka minsan pa nga kapahamakan tayo nasasadlak. Kaya bakit hindi natin ugaliin na sa Diyos humingi ng kaalaman sa lahat ng ating pangangailangan upang maging tiyak ang ating katagumpayan at tama ang ating mga gagawin sa ating buhay.

Father in heaven, thank You for the privilege to boldly come before Your throne of grace. I humbly ask You for wisdom, for understanding, for Your direction. I receive it all now, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Builder

2008-05-29T01:37:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…” (I Thessalonians 5:11).

Explanation:
God designed us to live in relationship with others. He wants us to help each other grow. None of us will reach our highest potential by ourselves. We need people in our lives to encourage us, and we need to encourage the people in our lives and help them reach their potential. The word “encourage” means to “urge forward.” Many times you can see things in other people that they don’t see themselves. You can see their strengths and talents. You can see that God has a special plan for them even though they may be going through a difficult time. Don’t assume that people see what you see in them. Take a moment and encourage them either with a kind word or a simple note. There might be a special gift you can give that will remind them of their goal or dream. In whatever way you can, urge the people in your life to keep moving forward. If you’ll be a people builder and help others fulfill their dreams, God will help you fulfill your dreams also, and you’ll live in blessing all the days of your life.

Minsan na talakay ko na ito sa aking blog http://jmhe-blogko.blogspot.com sa kategoryang Meeting Together (short cut link) "sin or life". Malaki kasi ang kinalaman nito sa ating ginagawang pagsasama-sama sa sambahan, itoy nagdudulot sa atin ng kalakasan at paalalahanan sa isat-isa at sinusunod natin kung ano ang sinasabi sa kasulatan na wag kaligtaan ang padalo sa mga pagtitipon. Kailangan natin itong lahat sa ating buhay espiritual.

Father in heaven, thank You for the people You have placed in my life. Help me build them up and find creative ways to urge them forward to Your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Set Apart

2008-05-28T03:33:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“But now since you have been set free from sin…you have your present reward in holiness and its end is eternal life” (Romans 6:22).

Explanation:
Holiness is a powerful force in our lives. It leads us to eternal life. Holiness simply means being “set apart.” You are set apart when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. He makes His home in you, and His holiness lives on the inside of you, too. The Bible tells us that without holiness, no one can see God. God sets us apart and calls us His own, but it’s up to us to continue living a life that is set apart from sin and destructive influences. We have to set ourselves apart from our old ways, old behaviors, and old mindsets. Remember, God chose to set you apart for Himself because He loves you. He doesn’t want anything to keep you from His promises and blessings. Make the decision to let go of anything that would hold you back today. Remember, you are set apart for God’s purposes. Let that sink down into your heart today and fill you with hope. As you embrace holiness and live a life that is set apart, you will see God, and you will live the abundant life He has in store for you!

Dapat ganito ang mangyari sa bawat isa sa atin pagkatapos na tanggapin natin ang ating Panginoong Hesus bilang tagapaglitas. Subalit iilan sa atin ang nakaka-sumpong ng tamang daan ayon sa hinihingi ng kasulatan na tayo'y magpaka-banal sapagkat ang Diyos ay banal. Sa ating pagsusumikap na masunod ang layunin ng Diyos sa atin, tatanggap tayo ng buhay na walang hanggan. Dapat ito ang ating laging isa-isip sapagkat tayo'y inihiwalay na ni Hesus mula sa kadiliman patungo sa kaliwanagan, kaya dapat tayo'y magsikap na masunod ito. Marami ang hindi naniniwala sa ganitong pamamaraan, ang alam nila ay gumawa sa sariling kapamaraanan, sa kanilang kakayanan, nakalimutan na tanging Diyos lamang ang makagagawa noon sa ating mga buhay.

Father in heaven, thank You for setting me apart and making me holy in Your sight. I choose to live a life that is set apart and pleasing to You. Fill me with Your peace and power today so I can honor You always. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Righteousness

2008-05-26T00:04:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness” (Galatians 3:6).

Explanation:
So many people today are looking for ways to be righteous or to be in “right standing” with God. The Bible simply says that when we believe God, that’s righteousness. The proof, or evidence, of our faith in Him is found in our actions. The Bible says that faith without works is dead. That means, when we really believe something, our actions will support what we believe. Because Abraham believed God, he obeyed His word and left his father’s land even when he didn’t even know where he was going. In the same way, when we believe God, we have to leave some things behind in order to embrace the new life He has in store. As you let go of the old and, by faith, embrace God’s promises, know that He is leading you down paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake! Keep believing, keep stepping out, knowing that your best days are ahead of you. As you follow His leading, you’ll walk in righteousness and live the abundant life He has in store for you.

Katuwiran ng isang tao yan ang ibig ipakahulugan ng sitas sa itaas, at ito'y makakamit sa ating pananampalataya sa Diyos. Tama simple lang ang hinihingi pananampalataya. tiwala, pagkilala sa Diyos sa pangalan ng ating Panginoong Hesus. Subalit, diyan tayo lahat bumabagsak kapag pananampalataya na ang pinag-uusapan, sapagkat tayo'y nagsasabi lamang ng pananalig sa ating bibig subalit wala itong kalakip na gawa, na isang sangkap yun upang matawag na pananalig ang iyong sinabi. Ibig sabihin meron tayong gagawin upang mabuhay ang pananalig na ating sinasabi hindi lamang ito lumalabas sa bibig, kundi nakikita sa gawa. Yan ang ginawa ni Abraham kahit hindi niya alam kung saan siya pupunta ng inutusan ng Diyos, sumunod lang siya. Kaya sangkap ng pananalig ang pagsunod.

Father in heaven, today I choose to accept and believe Your Word by faith. Thank You for making me righteous and help me to follow You all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Honoring Always

2008-05-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:

"Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." Exodus 20:12

Explanation:

Whether you are young or old, you can honor your parents. How? By showing respect. Leviticus 19:3 says, "Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my Sabbaths: I am the LORD your God." Now that word "fear" doesn't mean to quake in the presence of your parents. That is, you are to have a holy respect for your father and your mother. You may say, "But, my parents are not worthy of respect." With all due respect, you aren't either. None of us are worthy. Only perfect children can demand perfect parents, and no children are perfect. Our parents are imperfect. We are imperfect. But God is holy, and He says that we are to respect our parents.

Yung takot, respeto at paggalang sa magulang ang unti unti ng nawawala ngayon sa lahat ng mga kabataan, bakit ito nawawala na. Sino ang dapat sisihin dito? Ang magulang ba, kapaligiran o ang mga bagay na nakikita sa paligid. O hindi nabasa ng mga bata ang sinabi ng Diyos patungkol dito na mahalin, respetohin at igalang ang mga magulang natin. Kahit pa mga Kristiyano na, may mga bata na minsan wala rin paggalang, respeto sa magulang. Sa mga ganitong pangyayari dapat na magawan o pansinin ng mga magulang ang mga bagay na ganito upang hindi lumala pa. Yan ang pagkukulang ng mga magulang habang bata pa ang mga anak nila. Hinahayaan lang at hindi itinuturo ang dapat na mangyari.

What's your relationship like with your parents? If you've been showing less than the type of biblical respect that God requires, then begin today to turn that around for His glory!

Good Gifts

2008-05-24T04:32:00.000-07:00

Meditation
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father…” (James 1:17).

Explanation:
God has so many good and perfect gifts in store for you. Not only does He offer eternal life through His Son, Jesus, but the Bible is filled with His generous and abundant promises in this life. He wants to bless you with provision and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. He wants to pour out His abundant favor on you and cause everything you do to prosper. He wants to bless you with spiritual gifts to make you strong in your inner man. He wants you to enjoy your job and be proud of your work at the end of the day. These are all gifts from God. Every good gift from God is meant to draw us closer to Him. Often times, people have a picture of God shaped by experiences that have happened in the past, or experiences with their earthly father. I encourage you today to let go of any past ideas and see God according to His Word. He is good and faithful, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him! Seek Him today and experience the life of blessing He has in store for you!

Ano ang ibig sabihin ng sitas na ito na “mabuti ang kaluob at wagas na kaloob ay nagbuhat sa langit”? Ibig bang sabihin yung masamang kaloob ay di galing sa Diyos? Pero may sinasabi sa Isaias 45:7 – na ang Diyos ang nabibigay ng anumang bagay. Ang ibig sabihin nito ay ang lahat ng bagay na mula sa Diyos ay lahat makabubuti sa tao, ito man ay masama o mabuti, sapagkat alam ng Diyos kung ano yung makakabuti sa atin. Kaya nga sabi Niya ipagpasalamat ang lahat ng kaganapan, pangyayari, natatanggap natin sa buhay.

Father in heaven, thank You for Your good and perfect gifts. I open my heart to You today and ask that You help me see Your goodness so that I can know You more. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Trials!!

2008-05-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:

Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people." 1 Chronicles 16:8

Explanation:

If you are a child of God, you ought to be able to thank God every moment of every day no matter what happens to you. Have you ever stopped to thank God for the water that you drink? Did you know that in some third world countries the majority of the population doesn't have reasonably pure drinking water? Millions of people die annually just from water related diseases. If you wear a hearing aide, do you ever thank God for that? Some people wish they had a hearing aide. If you are a student in the midst of final exams, do you thank God that you have an exam to take? There are many who wish they could afford college. Do you thank God for your next breath?

Ang pinakamahirap siguro gawin eh yung sinasabi natin na hindi natin ginagawa, ano yun? Yun bang sasabihin na anuman ang pagsubok sa buhay haharapin at ipagpapasalamat sa Diyos. Pero pagnariyan na ang pagsubok bagkus ipagpasalamat, minsan nasisisi pa ang Diyos. Ganito na ba talaga ang tao? Pero ito ang problema sa tao hindi nakikita yung biyaya ng Diyos na magagawa Niya sa oras ng pagsubok, sapagkat laging kinakaya ng tao ang anumang dumarating sa kanya, ang Diyos sa huli na lang pag sa tingin ng tao wala na siyang masulingan. Ano ang itinuturo sa atin ng salita Niya, pasalamatan natin Siya sa anumang pag-subok sa ating buhay.

Take whatever it is that looks like a trial in your life today and thank God for it! Thank Him every time the thought enters your mind to grumble or complain.

On Your Heart

2008-05-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts…” (Romans 2:15).

Explanation:
In the Old Testament, God’s commands were written on stone tablets and kept in the tabernacle. Now, we are living according to the New Testament, and when we accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, we become His temple. He lives in us, and He engraves His promises and commands in our hearts. How can you be sure of this? This verse goes on to say that your conscience, or inner man, has a stronger knowledge of what is right and what is wrong; what you should and shouldn’t do. You are drawn to follow the Word of God. That’s the Spirit of God on the inside of you, guiding and directing you. As you follow His leading, your ability to hear and know Him is strengthened. But if you choose to bypass that prompting on the inside, your heart can become hard which will affect your ability to hear Him in the future. Make the decision today to demonstrate that God’s law is written on your heart by quickly obeying His leading. As you do, He’ll guide you down the path of blessing, and you’ll experience the abundant life He has in store for you!

Kapag sinabing kautusan ito’y dapat sundin diba. Subalit sa mga kautusan na alam nating galing, ibinigay ng Diyos iilan lamang ang may pagsisikap na sundin ito. Ngayon sinasabi na isulat sa ating mga puso, ano ba ang ibig ipakahulugan nito sa atin. Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng “nakasulat sa ating puso”? Parang ang linaw nito na ibinigay na sa atin o iniukit na sa ating puso ang gagawin na lang natin ay ang sundin, ipamuhay at ipagpasalamat sa Diyos. Ibig sabihin ibinigay na sa atin ang mga gagawin natin ang pag-sunod na lang ang problema, sapagkat mahirap kalaban ang sariling isip at pagpapasya.

Heavenly Father, thank You for making Your home in me and for guiding me down the path of peace and blessing. Help me to clearly follow Your promptings all the days of my life and honor You in all I do. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Help Others Succeed

2008-05-19T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“Send your grain across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you” (Ecclesiastes 11:1 NLT).

Explanation:
God’s system works on the principle of sowing and reaping. What you pour out will come back to you in increased measure. When you give generously, a generous harvest will return to you. When you help others succeed, you will find abundant success on your path, too. What are you investing in the lives of the people around you? Are you helping others get ahead? There are people in your life who hold the keys for you to reach your full potential. These are people that God has placed in your life for you to help along. The higher they rise up, the higher you will rise up. When you give generously of your time, talent, and resources, you are setting yourself up for greater success. People will come across your path that will help you grow and reach your full potential. But you have to do your part to step out and sow the seed. Be on the lookout for ways you can help others. As you give of yourself to help others grow, you’ll rise higher and live the abundant life He has in store for you.

Simple lang naman ang kalakaran sa buhay sabi nga “kung ano ang yung inihasik, yun din ang iyong aanihin”. Kapag masama ang iyong ginawa katagumpayan ay di mapapala at kung ayon ka sa Diyos pagpapala ay lubos. Pero marami ang nagtatanong bakit kung sino pa ang gumagawa ng masama ay siya pang nagtatagumpay at sila yung mayayaman. Pero sabi sa kasulatan mag-impok ka ng kayamanan sa langit huwag dito sa lupa.. Nasagot ba yung tanong….

Father in heaven, I open my heart to Your heart. I invite You to use me to be a blessing in the lives of others. Show me where to invest my time, talent, and resources for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Choose Blessing

2008-05-18T00:03:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live…” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

Explanation:
God desires that you live in blessing in every area of your life. He’s given promises in His Word and has established a plan for you to live in total victory. He promises to give you the answers, but you have to be the one to decide to obey His voice. You have the final choice, so choose life and blessing! Every time you choose to obey the Word of God, you are choosing blessing. When you put God first in your life; when you walk in love towards others even when it’s difficult, you are choosing blessing. When you turn away from ungodly influences and when you give to others, God will pour out His blessing on you in return. Start today and do what you know to do. Obey His word and His blessing will overtake you! You’ll rise higher and higher and live the abundant life He has for you.

Sino ang ayaw ng pagpapala dib a, kahit sino ang tanungin natin kapag pagpapala ang pinag-usapan walang pagkukunwari kang sasagutin. Ganyan ang tao o kahit na mga tagasunod na ni Jesus walang pasubali na ang ngiti ay abot tanaw. Subalit nakakalimutan natin na kailangan nating ilagay sa ating puso ang sinabi na unahin ang kaharian ng Diyos at ang lahat ng bagay ay ibibigay Niya. Akala natin sahud na lang ng sahud, kailangan din natin ipakita, isagawa na karapat dapat kang bigyan ng pagpapala. Di ba?

Father in heaven, today I choose life. I choose blessing by obeying Your Word. Keep me close to You so that I can honor You in all I say and do. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

God Put You In My Way!!

2008-05-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Luke 10:29 – He, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Explanation:
In one movie the man search for his friends in the King’s army in the Sudan. In his quest, the man got lost and was near death in the vast deserts of Africa. Then, as his life was ebbing away, he was rescued by an African, who cared for him.

Stunned by the man’s kindness to a stranger, he asked why his new friend had done so much for him. African man response was direct: “God put you in my way”

In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a priest and a religious scholar, whose calling was to help the downtrodden, ignored the need of a fallen traveler who had been left to die on the Jericho Road. A hated Samaritan, however, gave his time and resources to help the hurting man, displaying Christ’s compassion. He bandaged his wounds, brought him to an inn, and took care of him (Luke 10:34). The ravaged mad had been put in the way of all three travelers, but only the Samaritan responded.

As we move through life, we are challenged to respond to the needs of people. We will either show them Christ’s love or be indifferent. How will we respond to those God chooses to put in our way?

Lord, I need Your help even to see the needs of people around me and then to know how to cure for them. Give me a heart of compassion like Yours and opportunities to express Your love.

“Compassion never goes out of fashion…”

Sa buhay ng tao sa panahon ngayon marahil ilan na lang talaga ang makikita natin ang may ganitong ugali, ugali na ating natunghayan sa itaas. Sapagkat ngayon ang tao ay takot ng tumulong, umalalay sa ibang tao, bakit? Sapagkat ang iba ay nadadala na sa mga nakaraang karanasan na sila’y niluluko, pinagnanakawan ng mga taong kanilang tinulungan. Subalit ano ang sinasabi sa Galacian 6:10 – samantalahin natin ang lahat ng pagkakataon sa paggawa ng mabuti sa ating kapwa, lalo na sa mga kapatid sa pananampalataya. Dito sinasabi na mga kapatid pero sa itaas yung lahat ng nakapaligid sa atin na nangangailangan ng tulong.

At heto ang maganda nito sa Galacia 6:9 – Kaya’t huwag tayong magsawa sa paggawa ng mabuti; pagdating ng takdang panahon tayo ay mag-aani kung hindi tayo magsasawa.

Suffering: How Do We Respond?

2008-05-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Job 14:1 – Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.

Explanation:
Why is there suffering? You might ask that question when you hear of hurricanes, mudslides, earthquakes, and other disasters taking people’s lives. Job asked that question too. Why is there so much pain in God’s world? Consider these reasons:

1. We can’t escape the laws that govern our universe. We need such things as gravity, weather, and fire to survive, but they can lead to tragedy (Matthew 5:45). Fire is good in your stove, but an out-of-control fire can kill.

2. We are a social race. Our lives are intertwined, so we sometimes suffer when the sin or foolishness of others spreads trouble (1 Corinthians 12:26)

3. Sin brought a curse on the earth and its people. This curse includes disease and death (Genesis 3:15-24)

4. Suffering awakens compassion. Jesus told us to care for those who suffer in poverty. We are His partners in helping others (Luke 10:33-35)

As Job discovered, God’s world is a fallen place. When we see suffering, we can use it as an opportunity to serve God by helping others, to trust him in spite of the difficulty, and to grow in our faith in Him. When trouble hits, let our first reaction be to trust the Lord and care for the needs of others.

Our response to suffering can either make us or break us.

Marami sa atin na ang nagiging suliranin ay kung paano lampasan, makayanan, mapagwagian ang mga pagtitiis sa buhay na ito. Kaya nga sabi sa kasulatan na tiyak ang kahirapan sa buhay na ito, upang tayo ay patuloy na hubugin ng Diyos ayon sa Kanyang kalooban. Sa simula ang anumang dinaranas ay masakit, mahirap subalit kapag napagtagumpayan ito, kaligayahan at kapayapaan ang dulot nito sa buhay natin.

God bless to all……

Pride!!!

2008-05-15T00:43:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Those who walk in pride He is able to put down. Daniel 4:37

Explanation:

After being warned by Daniel about his price, the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar was struck with insanity. The Lord restored his mind, but only after he spent 7 years in a field thinking he was a wild animal. Nebuchadnezzar went from boasting, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for … the honor of my majesty” Daniel 4”30 to a humble prayer” “I Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven” (v. 37). He had repented of prideful empire building.

Bible teacher expressed concern about empire building in the church today. He advised Christian leaders, “Don’t try to build a little empire of your church. Started out with that viewpoint, and had never been more unhappy.” He encouraged them to “build into the lives of people” and leave the result to God.

When a church devotes undue energy to statistics, buildings, and programs, pride can enter in and the needs of God’s people can be forgotten. Jesus never forgot the importance of individuals. He invested His time in 12 men (Mark 3:14). Paul discipled kingdom grows when we invest in people.

Churches grow when people pray and pastors preach the Word. When love for Christ seeks out the lost to win them to the Lord…..

Poor is the church that values programs above people.

Mananampalataya ay lumalago kung silay babad lagi sa pananalangin at ang pastors o namamahala ditto ay patuloy na inihahayag ang salita ng Diyos sa kanila. Kaya malaki ang tungkulin ng mga namamahala ng mga tupa sa ikalalago ng kaniyang mga nasasakupan sa salaita ng Diyos.

Cleaning Out The Files

2008-05-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:

Forgetting those things which are behind… I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Explanation:

A certain businessman was notorious for saving almost everything that came across his desk – especially correspondence. Consequently, the files in his office were bulging. One day his secretary asked if she might dispose of all the old, useless material. The man was reluctant, but finally said, “Well all right, but be sure you make a copy o everything before you throw it away.”

That’s the way some Christians handle their sins. They know that Jesus paid the penalty, but somehow they can’t let go of the guilt. It’s as if Christ suffering were not enough, and they must contribute some of their own anguish by continually lamenting their failures. They want to keep copies of everything they’ve done. How foolish!

The apostle Paul wanted nothing of this. He accepted as an accomplished fact the removal of all his guilt before God because Christ’s death had marked PAID IN FULL over his account. The memory of earlier days remained vivid, but it didn’t weigh him down. Everything that happens to us is retained in that remarkable filing system call “memory”. A wise forgetfulness based on Christ’s atoning sacrifice can keep all guilt feelings from cluttering up our life.

The Lord forgiveness our sins because of Calvary, And He himself remember them no more; So let us not be burdened with their memory, but look ahead to all He has in store.

Guilt is a burden God never intended His children to bear…

Alam natin na ang kapatawaran n gating mga kasalanan ay dahil sa krus doon sa Kalbaryo. At kahit si Hesus ay hindi na inaalala ang numang kasalanan natin mula noong tinalikuran natin ang kasalanan. At binibigyan tayo ng laya na tumingin ng malaya sa hinaharap at gamitin ang mga bagay na biyaya ni Hesus sa atin.

Giving Thanks..

2008-05-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

Explanation:
There are four types of individuals. There are those who are constantly complaining and grumbling. Have you met any of these individuals? I mean, they can brighten up a room just by leaving it. That’s the lowest types. Then there are others who live lives of ingratitude. They don’t complain, but they never thank God for His obvious blessings. That’s a little better, but not much better. Then there are individual who thank God for obvious blessings. When something good happens, they’re grateful. That’s a better types. But the highest types are to be grateful for all things at all times. That is secret of a happy and productive life.

Bow before the Lord and begin to think about difficult circumstances you’re facing. Now, thank Him for each one.

Tama ang tao ay ganito lahat na ata ng reklamo maririnig, ito na yung nagging ugali ng tao. Kapag pinagpapala naroon pa rin yung reklamo, naroon pa rin yun hindi pagpapasalamat akala natin walang katapusan yun. Nakakalimutan natin yung nagbigay ng mga pagpapala kapag nasa problema saka lang maaalala ang nagbigay. Ito’y maling kaisipan at ugali. Sinasabi na kailangan nating pasalamatan ang Diyos sa lahat ng bagay na nangyayari sa atin ito man ay pagpapala, pagsubok, suliranin o anuman..

Predestination..

2008-05-12T05:03:00.000-07:00

Meditation:
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Romans 8:29

Explanation:
God’s wisdom is supreme. Now, we know after the fact but God knows before the fact. The word “foreknow” is from the Greek word proginosko. God’s foreknowledge can be illustrated in a limited way like the viewing of a parade. If you watch a parade from the ground level, you will see the floats as they come past one by one at a time. But suppose you could go up in a 30-story building and look down upon the parade? Then, you would not only see the float directly in front, but quite possibly the first and last float. You now have a different vantage point. We live in history. We see events as they come by one at a time. But, God dwells in eternity. He sees everything. He sees the beginning, the end, and everything in between. But, more than that He has foreknowledge of everything that happens.

Knowing can also imply that there is a relationship, as we discover when we examine the word “know” in marital relationships in the Old Testament (you can see Genesis 4:1, 17, 25; 19:8; 24:16). You can read those for further study on what “foreknowledge” means: Acts 2:23, Romans 11:2, 1 Peter 1:20.

Nakita natin ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos, sa Kanya walang imposible, walang natatago, walang nakakalimutan at walang naiiwan. Sa Kanya ang lahat ay hayag at nakaplano na noong pang una. Siya’y di nagbabago ng anumang Kanyang naiplano na.

Getting Even

2008-05-11T02:54:00.000-07:00

Meditation:

Be kin to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgive you. Ephesians 4:32

Explanation:

When we or someone we love has been hurt, thoughts of revenge may dominate our minds. But we won’t ever be able to “get even”. One professor wrote extensively about forgiveness in “Forgive and Forget”, saying: “Revenge never evens the score, for alienated people never keep score of wrongs by the same mathematics. Forgiveness is the only way to stop the cycle of unfair pain turning in your memory”.

These insights help us understand why Paul wrote with urgency. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger ….. be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another… forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you”. Ephesians 4:31-32. Paul knew that a spirit of forgiveness was essential for the Ephesians” spiritual survival. His appeal was based on God’s forgiveness of them.

The author said that forgiveness is not forgetting, excusing, or smoothing things over. Instead, forgiving breaks the cycle of revenge and “creates a new possibility of fairness by releasing us from the unfair past. Forgiving is love’s toughest work, and love’s biggest risk. To forgive is to dance to the beat of God’s forgiving heart. It is to ride the crest of love’s strongest wave. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you”.

Jesus came our debt to pay, Saved our soul in grace one day, So in love we all should live, ready always to forgive.

“Revenge imprisons us; forgiveness sets us free.

Tayo ay nakakaranas ng mga ganitong sitwasyon sa buhay Kristiyano, kaya naman laging ipina-aalala Niya na kapatawaran ay iginawad sa ating mga kasalanan, pero bakit tayo’y hindi makapagpatawad. Wala naman na sa akin yun eh pinatawag ko na siya, sabi nga nagawa ko na yung part ko na patawarin ko na siya, nasa kanya na lang yun kung tatanggapin yun o hindi…. Diyos na ang bahala sa kanya…

Our Ears to Hear

2008-05-10T05:52:00.000-07:00

Meditation:

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22

Explanation:

Several years ago, the investment firm of E. F. Hutton had a slogan, "When E. F. Hutton talks, everyone listens." If only people had this respect and reverence for God and His Word! That is the kind of ear we ought to have for the matchless Word of the living God. If you do not incline your ear, you might miss something! It has been said that God will not only hold us accountable for what we hear but also for what we would have heard if we had listened.

Do you take notes when your pastor teaches? Maybe it's time you started. It's a great tool for those teachable moments during the week with your friends and family.

Paano ba maging taga-ganap ng salita ng Diyos? Ito'y ating magagawa sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabuhay ng salita ng Diyos, hindi lamang tagapakinig lang tayo, kailangang maging buhay sa ating buhay ang Kanyang salita.

Burden!!!

2008-05-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

Meditation: Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Psalm 55:22

Explanation: Have you ever wondered why Jesus constrained His disciples to get into a ship, and to go before Him unto the other side. Matthew 14:22, knowing that a storm was going to brew shortly after they set sail? Why would He send them right into the teeth of a stormy gale? Because He wanted them to know that He was sufficient for them. He wanted them to worship Him. your storm is nothing but a supehighway to bring Jesus to you. It is the vehicle that moves you from a head knowledge to an experiential understanding that God is Who He says He is. Somebody said. For if I never had a problem, I would never know that God could solve them. And I would never know what faith in His word could do.

Tayo mga kapatid kailan tayo huling nagpasalamat sa Diyos sa mga problema, pagsubok sa atin. Nagagawa ba natin ipagpasalamat ito o pinipilit natin na bigyan ng lunas ang bawat problema, alalahanin ninyo na wala tayong magagawa maliban na ang Diyos ay sumasa-atin. Hayaan ninyo na Siya ang maging driyber natin hindi yung ginagawa natin Siyang kondoctor. God bless you..

About Grace!!!

2008-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Meditation: And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strenth is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Explanation: There are three possible ways to pray when you are hurting. First, you can pray that God will give you an escape from the pain. That's normal - in fact, that's how drug stores stay in business! Second, you can pray for God to give you the strength to endure the pain. And that, too, is a natural response. If we can't escape the pain, we can pray to endure the pain. The final way we can pray is to ask God to enlist the pain in our lives for our good and His glory. If we can pray to escape our pain, then we see pain as our enemy. If we pray to endure our pain, then the pain is seen as a master. But, if we pray to enlist our pain, we see it as our servant. We are able to find God's grace to glory in our infirmities, that the power of God may be manifest in our lives.

Tama naman pangkaraniwan na sa mga panalangin natin na matakasan natin ito, mapaglabanan natin ito, nakalimutan natin yung Diyos na mayaman sa habag at awa na may magagawa Siya sa ating mga kinakaharap. God bless you...