Month: August 2023

Blog for Podcast #168 ( An Outreach to those that are 30 and Younger) Part 2

General, government, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Last week I brought forth a series of past blog posts that were aimed at those that have not been given all the facts about different elements in how the social structures that govern this world influence and act upon the human populus. As well has trying to inform them of about the possible reality of God and His Son Jesus Christ that they never heard or was presented to them in ways that caused them to not pursue looking further into coming to see if God were real or not.

Today, I wish to continue these messages.

Let’s talk about Jesus.

Now this is not going to be a sermon. This is just a look at who Jesus is.

Here are known factors that come from outside the Bible. Historical governmental officials mentioned in the Bible have been documented in addition there is physical evidence of their existence.

Two Examples: Pontius Pilate and Caiaphas. The latter of which the remains of his body were officially unearthed and identified.

Furthermore, we know also of Jesus’ brother: James, a son of Mary as well, who was stoned for professing his brother to be the Messiah.

There is also archaeological evidence which corresponds to areas said to have been visited by Jesus.

Hence, we have several points of evidence that support history and it can be said due to these facts that Jesus lived and was crucified. In fact, there is none that truly study history that question the existence of Jesus of Nazareth. Consequently, Jesus as a human being is not doubted in any form.

What does come into question is the resurrection that confirms Jesus as the Son of God.

Now what I am about to state is an actuality you must come to accept. A keystone of the Jewish community in the time period of Jesus was the use of the oral tradition to pass on religious information accurately. It is so solid that a Torah written in 600 B.C. matches a Torah from 10 A.D. that in turn corresponds to a Torah of today.

In the first twenty to twenty-five years after the resurrection this was the main component of early Christianity as well. This is due mainly to the fact that most in this time frame were originally Jewish.

One such oral tradition can be traced to within eight years after the resurrection, 38 – 41 A.D. Which in turn is included in 1 Corinthians which is dated to have been written in the mid-50s A.D., so within 20 to 25 years after the resurrection.

One of the myths out there is that it was a hallucination that those who say they saw Jesus after his death. Now why I say myth is the last key element of the tradition I am referring to. Five hundred (500) seeing Jesus post-resurrection at one time. There is no way this is a hallucination. It is physically impossible. On top of which those hearing the tradition or seeing it written to the Corinthians are literally challenged to find those that still live and saw Jesus and ask them. No one could refute it. None. On top of which those calling it a “hallucination” said this after the one hundred fifty-year mark, which shows that those pushing this hypothesis are the ones chasing after myths, per their own understanding when something becomes classified as a myth.

So here is the Jesus that is supported by facts.

He existed 2000 years ago. He died either in 30 A.D. or 33 A.D. On the third day he came to life again with his wounds received upon the cross still visible. He walked several miles the day he came back to live. He then vanishes. He then appears in a locked room with all the living apostles. Thomas touches his wounds, and Jesus eats food. He then disappears again. So, this is Jesus. If you wish to know more. Just ask.

New Testament history

There are elements out there that call the Bible a lie, a myth. Most of those in your age group have heard these inaccuracies. What you are about to listen to and/or read is to help you see facts very few know or even care to know, which I find very unfortunate, but I have come to expect it in the way people are raised and taught in this time.

From the moment the four gospels and the letters of the apostles were written they have been studied, debated, analyzed, and questioned. Commentaries have been written and studied and again debated from early in the second century to today. Men like Chrysostom, Clement of Alexandria, Epiphanius, Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeous, Jerome and Justin Martyr to name the most notable of these early scholars.

All twenty-seven books of the New Testament have been copied into different languages not only by professional scribes but by average and devoted followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Many have been lost, many others have not. In fact, out of all historical documents the Bible has the most surviving copies that date back all the way to the first century when they were originally written, even though an original version has not been found that I am aware of. The number of Greek copies alone are over 5800 copies. While there are only four ancient copies of the Iliad.

The gospels and the letters can be dated to a range of twenty to twenty-five years after the resurrection of Jesus. Now as I have stated before those that say that an item can be called a “myth” is when it is written 150 years after the original event. This, as I have just shown, does not apply to the New Testament. The first I have just shown, which is the date the gospels and letters were written. Well within the range for survivors of the actual events to have never questioned any inaccuracy within them. The second is something the Jewish people have prided themselves for centuries. That being the oral tradition as mentioned earlier. The earliest oral tradition that is known within the letters of the apostles is within 1 Corinthians. (1 Corinthians 15:3-9), which is dated to have been taught within eight years after the resurrection (38-41 A.D.).

Now as I mentioned earlier what we call the books of the New Testament were copied into different languages. Two languages become the dominant ones, Latin and Greek. There are many factors for this, which is an entire history lesson in itself, but the basics is due to the split in the Rome Empire itself when it broke into two. The western empire based in Rome where Latin was the primary language. The eastern empire based in Constantinople where Greek became dominant, which is now known as Istanbul, Turkey.

As Islam spread violently throughout Northern Africa and the Middle East it finally threatened to overrun Constantinople, which in fact fell into their hands in 1453, ending the Byzantine Empire. As a result, the Biblical scholars, priest and monks fled this area as the threat become more and more obvious. They carried with them their copies of the New Testament books to the west. Here they fell into the hands of the western scholars, like Martin Luther (1483-1546).

It is due in fact to this Islamic conquest that caused what we now call the Reformation to take place, in addition to the creation of the printing press (1440). For men like Luther saw the difference between the Latin versions from the Greek of the gospels and apostolic letters that led him to question and challenge the Catholic Church. For those within the Catholic Church has changed and perverted these documents for their own glory and riches. Subsequently, Martin Luther called them out for that which was shown to be in the right. This is the main reason that when you seek to learn the original meaning of the words within the New Testament you must look to the Greek not the Latin.

The first fully “approved” English version of the Bible come into being in 1611. There are those that point to this date as the creation of the Bible and say that since it was made at this point that the resurrection of Jesus is a myth. But as I have just shown earlier this is the furthest thing from the truth. As I also have shown that since this idea was made even after 1611 it is those stating this theory who are the ones creating their own myth. A myth that God is not real and that His Son did not exist nor raise from the dead.

So, this is a brief overview of the history of the New Testament. It is now up to you to think and decide for yourself what you wish to think and believe. For that is something that can only come from each person on their own to decide. You cannot depend on what others or even I say. You must look, think, challenge, and learn what is real and what is true on your own. I challenge you as those early scholars did all the way to the point when these books were written in the first place.

“The world owes me!” mentality.

When this post was originally written was the beginning of this selfish, self-serving mentality, thus the wording that will follow.

In the last few months this mentality has become a focal point within many of collage aged people within the United States. This, however, is not a reality.

Look at it this way for a moment. Carla, a woman who is 43 years of age is now head of her department at work. How did she get here? She was a stripper from the age of 19 to 21. She allowed men to look at her naked body and to paw and pet her. She hated it. In the daytime she went to college and just did what was required to guarantee she got her degree. A few of her professors said weird things, but she did her best to ignore them for it was not her goal. At 21 she graduated with no collage bills left to pay. She moved to a different city so she would not encounter any that may have seen her in her life that sickened her. She got a good job and slowly rose through the ranks, becoming married to her work. For even though she likes men she could not get over how sick they made her in those years she was a striper. When she turned 40, she met a man, fell in love, and married. Both were married to their work, but they for the most part was happy.

Now we come to those demanding that all be given to them just become they deserve to have it handed to them because they were told the world must give them whatever they want. Most of them are between the ages of 19 and 21. Professors filled their heads not with knowledge but words of rebellion and demands. Stating that the world handed over to them all it had for they were the select, the special. They had been pampered and spoiled all their lives and so they believed what these people told them.

So these selfish self-serving young people demanded that Carla. Who has suffered degradation at the hands of self-centered self-serving men for three years of her life; a time she can never ever forget. Is being told to surrender her hard-earned salary and turn it over to these youths. Who has done nothing except party and celebrate and wonder why none wishes to reward them. They care or know nothing of the moral and physical sacrifices people like Carla have made.

Is this story real? There is a very strong possibility there really is a “Carla” out there that did live this life. But it is of no doubt there are young people out there that have made no effort to contribute to how the world works. They do not understand that nothing is given, it must be earned. Let’s define the word “earn.”

Per the Oxford Dictionary:

Earn: 1) Obtain (money) in return for labor or services.

2) Gain deservedly in return for one’s behavior or achievements.

Clear and straight forward I would say.

Now let’s look at how the Bible sees how people should behave.

Well, what it boils down to is this. Those that truly seek to honor the Bible place all others before themselves. Does this mean that Carla must surrender her hard-earned money that she had to suffer to get to the point of achieving? No, it does not. How she should handle her money is not something we have time to discuss in this topic, but back on topic. She should not be forced to surrender her earnings to those that have not made any attempt to earn their own way in life. Marching, chanting, and demanding, does not constitute earning, please see the second definition of the word “earn.”

The Bible teaches us to respect our employers. To earn our livings and thus earn a life. If we are fortunate enough to become wealthy, we are not to hoard it and keep it to ourselves, but to share without taxation to our community. Helping those that are in true need and true suffering. Those that are starving, those that have been beaten by their husbands, or as the case may be their wives (it does happen).

If you do contribute to society, society owes you nothing in return. This is seen within the Bible as well and it is something that the founders of the United States saw as well. Two revolutions occurred nearly at the same time. The American Revolution, and the French Revolution. Both had extremely different outcomes. Because both revolutions were at their core based upon two different ideals.

The French Revolution was based upon the concept that the world owed them. As a result, there was widespread violence and murder. The final result of this revolution ended in the dictatorship of Napoleon Bonaparte, which resulted in war and death and left France weak.

The American Revolution was based upon freedom to live one’s life as they saw fit and to allow people to earn their own way in life. After their victory against the English, it led to a time of prosperity and growth to the point of becoming one of the great nations in the world.

Both revolutions had more elements to them, but this is the basic formation of these revolts and their outcome, which none can truly dispute, even though many will.

The Bible teaches to work, to earn and to do what is right and honorable. Any that teach otherwise goes against the Bible and thus goes against nature, which is in turn against God. Anything that goes against nature is always against God.

“The world owes me!!” continued.

These are the words many, especially those that attend colleges, shout out constantly. Most became followers of Bernie Sanders. A man until the age of 40 never had a job, and that job was mayor.

When saying the Lord’s Prayer. One part of the prayer requests we be given our daily bread. Two thousand years ago food did not miraculously appear on the dinner table. The events of Harry Potter and the feasts in the great hall are not real. Also, if you actually read the books. House Elves slaved for hours in the kitchen cooking all the food and placed them on matching tables directly below the tables in the hall. Then through a spell the items on the tables would switch to the tables above.

The lesson from this? Nothing is free and if it is promised who is to slave, toil and suffer just so you can have it for free, because it is owed to you.

All must struggle in some form to achieve that which they seek. If any have what they seek just handed to them, it will be at the cost of another’s struggles. Plus, it will not be appreciated once it is given to you.

A prime example – slavery. The slave master lived in luxury and was never satisfied. While their slaves were beaten, starved, raped, and left to live in squalor. This has been a core element of the Democratic Party in the United States. 95% of which were slave-owners in the slave states before the Civil War.

How important voting was made to end slavery and allow blacks to vote:

Vote for the 13th Amendment: For 100% Republican. Against 77% Democrat

Vote for the 14th Amendment: For 94% Republican. Against 100% Democrat

Vote for the 15th Amendment: For 100% Republican. Against 100% Democrat

Any who says the parties flipped forget theses votes.

When you truly seek knowledge, you learn that it only comes through wisdom. That is only achieved through struggles, conflicts, adversity, and humility. These are all things taught within the Bible.

When the Nazarene was rejected by those who knew Him his entire life, He knew adversity.

When Jesus was confronted by those in religious power, He knew conflict.

When Christ was arrested, beaten, whipped, and then hung bloody upon a cross. He experienced true struggle. The struggle to let His Father’s will be fulfilled.

Today’s world is soft compared to events not only two thousand years ago, but seventy to seventy-five years ago. Many today would not survive the simplest of issues or difficulties that those that lived in those times overcame. Sometimes with easy, other times through adversity, conflict, and struggle.

Those that are older and alive today have earned their rewards for the most part. They are not owed them. They purchased them with their sweat, blood, and tears.

How much have you truly sacrificed?

Blog for Podcast # 167 ( An Outreach to those that are 30 and Younger) Part 1

Christian, Conservative, General, government, Guide, Life, politics, Relationship, , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Seven years ago, I wrote several blog posts entitled “Millennial Outreach.” The purpose of which was to reach out to those that have not been given all the facts. I expect many to laugh, scoff and even attack me for presenting this information. Fine do so. As you can see this podcast is already here and somewhere someone may accept or at least consider what is presented. The purpose of this podcast is to talk about several topics. History, Socialism, Capitalism and Christianity. In fact, as to the latter topic it is admittedly influencing how these topics are presented here. This as I said may cause many that listen or read this to ridicule and attack me. That is their choice, but it is now all the same here for all the world to reject or accept.

Give God a chance.

Now I open with this topic because I realize that many within the younger people out there do not think there is a God, or if they do their view of the Creator is not fully informed.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. This is a time this old adage that can easily be applied here. But what is the cover of the book of God? I don’t mean the Bible, but that will come into play later. I mean what is the face of God that you see presented in the world today?

Many will say the buildings called “churches,” which is the correct answer. As you can see throughout the world there are many religions. Christianity is the largest of these and there is a good reason why, but that is not important at the moment. What we are centering on is those buildings called “churches.”
The word “church” appears within the Bible only in the New Testament and is the word “ekklesia” in the Greek, which is defined as: “An assembly, congregation, church; the Church, the whole body of Christian believers”

As you can tell from the wording it is the people that are the “church” not the building itself. However, in the world we now live in that is what today’s definition of the word is: the building. This was one of the first big mistakes that have occurred over the centuries and there have been many. All due to humanity.

People have been replacing God with themselves ever since the beginning of the human race, and it has never stopped. This is why the cover of the book of God is something not pleasing to look at by most. For the cover you are looking at is not God, but humans placing their own personal views of what God is to themselves that you are seeing.

That is one reason there are so many divisions within Christianity itself. You have the Catholics which is the longest surviving image of a type of Christianity, but it is stuffed full of humans imposing their own agendas within it. Then we have the Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, etc. You get the point.
Again, these are not God, these are just humans trying to give themselves some type of order in which they feel comfortable in their attempts to worship the Creator of the Universe.

Now here I will get a lot of snickers and scoffs because I used the statement: “Creator of the Universe.” Many will be saying that the universe is too large for a divine being to have created, but that is just the point, God is that great.

One of problems that those that say there is no God have is they cannot handle the concept of creation itself. Most within the churches hold to Creationism, that everything came into existence in six days.

Now as can be seen with things like fossils and layers of the earth that show a progression back in time, this does not fully hold together. On the other hand, we have those that believe the earth is billions of years old, this view does not hold together as well. So, if neither viewpoint is correct how does that prove there is a God?

One of the main points of true science when it comes to the creation of the universe is the Big Bang, or as it should be stated the “Big Bang Theory.” For no humans were present at the creation of the universe. So, it can never become an absolute, so the word “theory” must remain attached. Anyway, so the theory goes that from nothing or nearly nothing and in less than the blink of an eye an explosion of matter erupts outward causing the creation of the entire universe. Now let that description sink in for a moment.

Could this not be the action of a divine being? The answer is yes, it is. Then this shows that God is a real possibility.

Now it is time to mention the Bible, but I will stick to the Old Testament for the moment. Within these books there are over forty prophecies about the Savior. Where He will come from, when He will arrive and even the fact that He will be rejected and killed, just to point out some of the forty plus. The statistical odds for all the prophecies to come true is 1 in 10 to the 32nd power. In other words:
1:1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

Yet, every single one of these prophecies was fulfilled in the being that is known as Jesus of Nazareth.
Only odds like that can be fulfilled by a divine being.

Therefore, if the action of creation shows there is most likely a divine being and the odds that Jesus fulfilled every single prophecy about Him and He is the Son of the divine being we call God. Then there is a God and Jesus Christ died for your sins that you are committing.

Wishing to help all.

This is one of the key elements that those that preach Socialism throw out to those willing to hear and listen. It has been this way since the beginning of the 20th century. This was one of the selling points by Lenin and Marx during the revolution that overthrew the Russian Empire.

Another key element in Socialism is the rejection of religion or more accurately God.

Now here is something that has been done throughout the centuries. Not just the open rejection of God, but the belief that humans can govern and control other humans. This is what Socialism boils down to. A government formed of and by select people dictating through rules and regulations who can have what and how much. This is a key element of most democracies as well as monarchies as well as dictatorships throughout all time. This, however, is not a key element of a republic which was the original governmental makeup of the United States when it was first founded.

Those that believe that Socialism has never been done in the “right state of mind,” is a fallacy from the very beginning. It always starts with honorable ideals and actions, but always ends very badly.

But for now, we will leave this alone and bring in another aspect. That being Christianity. Most of you will not believe this, but the Bible actually does describe how a community of Christians are to interact with each other. Christians are instructed to care for the widows and orphans of their fellows. It clearly states that if God has blessed them with worldly wealth not to horde it but to share it with their fellows that have not been given wealth.

Since I have never seen this done in the correct manner in my entire lifetime then I can understand why so many of the young people seek after Socialism.

Here is the problem. It is not, nor has ever been, the responsibility of the government to provide for the wellbeing of those within their respective communities. It is the responsibility without taxation of those within the communities to address the issues themselves. Whenever a third party known as a government gets involved in the situation it opens the door to corruption, greed, and mismanagement. This is one reason why this nation was founded as a republic and why the federal government had limited powers. This is why the majority of the power was left in the hands of the states. For those closest to the problems could handle them better. The further you get away from the problems the odds of solving them become impossible to achieve.

Now to return to allowing the government to be your caregiver, which is the basic tenants of Socialism. Two countries in the world went to full socialism, which then took the next logical step of becoming communist which is that the government controls every aspect of your life. I lived in the time when these two nations were coming to an end. One the U.S.S.R. which refused to let go of the socialist ideals, even though corruption had been prevalent within ten years of its forming. I watched the news as they showed lines of people waiting to get into their local markets just to pick up what they could to eat. Usually bread and butter. On the other end of the spectrum, you had those in the upper levels of their government living wealthy lives and eating caviar as well as any other food they wished to have. They surrounded themselves with beautiful women who were there mainly just to survive and to steal what little food they could get their hands on to give to their families.

The same was happening in China, but as they saw the soon downfall of the U.S.S.R. They realized they must adapt and change. Therefore, in 1978 they allowed the return of capitalism into their nation once again. However, still the majority of its citizens must struggle to survive while those in power live in luxury. Because they kept the communist governance in place.

I also suggest you listen to how things are for North Korea as well as Venezuela two small communist countries and you will hear the same horror stories and of political purging time and again. This is where Socialism always leads.

A prime example in history of the first true Socialist endeavor was the French Revolution, even though they were not strictly following a known socialist doctrine. The ideals and reasons behind it were nearly the same as those used in the removal of the Russian Emperor at the beginning of the twentieth century. The result was the guillotine and then a power-hungry dictator named Napoleon.

Socialism always ends up worse for the common human being and only a select few live in wealth and luxury while the rest live in poverty and starvation. It is simply a modified dictatorship or monarchy.

You can never get something for nothing. That is why capitalism is the best way to succeed and allows everyone the opportunity to do so. That is until we return to the way things were originally taught and organized in the books of Deuteronomy and Leviticus.

It is here that many of you reading or listening will scoff and curse at what I just said. Examples of those living in poverty now within many of the inner cities within the United States will spring to your mind when saying that Capitalism is the better way. Yet what you are actually seeing is Socialism already in practice within the inner cities. Most within these areas already rely upon the government to survive and they are governed by strict regulations not allowing them to gain money without destroying their families in the process.

What is needed is the removal of government. Not the increase in more dependence upon those few in power that feel they are better than anyone else. These are things that are taught within the Bible to look for, and I challenge you to pick one up and read it, just make sure it is not a NIV version for that one has been modified by those that wish to control and govern you.

Religion

As we all know there are by category multiple religions, per Wikipedia twenty of them to be exact. The truly oldest of these that is still active is Judaism, which is a factor that we will get back too. But you need to remember this fact. At this time though we will center on the word “religion” itself.

Per Merriam-Webster one of the definitions is:

“An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.”

Now note that it is an “organized system,” with “rules.”

Here is the thing, there is ideals and principles that are taught within the New Testament of the Bible. Now there were rules and requisites established in the Old Testament or by its other name the Tanakh, some of which the ideals and principles point to in the newer parts of the Bible. However, some of these rules were made of a different time and the need for them to be looked at in a different way changed once Jesus of Nazareth entered the picture. But this point is a distraction at the moment even though it was necessary to mention.

What I wish to key in on though: where do these rules and need to organize come from?

They come from a need by humanity to have structure and control over any given aspect of their lives. For without some sense of stability humanity as a whole loses control. As can be seen if you look at the world today.

Does this desire of humans seeking control of their own existence exclude that there is a God? No, it does not even though there are religions that do dictate this very ideal. In fact, nearly one billion people think this very way, but they themselves constitute being labeled and counted as religious even though they themselves for the most part will deny this. They have their own organized system of beliefs and their own rules, they just choose to exclude the fact that there may actually be a God.

If you have ever entered into these buildings which are called “churches,” you will encounter a community of people which reflect many of the dynamics you most likely encountered during High School. There is a good reason for this. For those dynamics have been transplanted from the non-religious aspects of the halls of academia into this building people attend once or twice a week if that. This is a factor in the need for organization that humans seek to have a feeling there is some type of control in their lives.

This, however, has nothing to do with God, even though there is the pretense of worshiping Him. It is this charade that fills all religions that has turned so many away from God, and it is all due for humanity to have rules and regulations about how they are to act and behave, within the buildings that are called “churches.”

Those that turn away from churches see this hypocrisy and so in turn see the being known as “God” to be lie, a fallacy, a fabrication, a fiction. Not realizing that what they are rejecting is in reality the rules, structure and organizations made by human beings. They are rejecting humanity and the human image of God. They are also rejecting the social system that was transplanted from High School by those attending these social clubs called a “church.”

I cannot attest for most of the other religions in this world, but this I do know. The God of the Bible and the Torah. The God that is the focal point of the longest lasting religion is not nor ever has been what He is shown to be within these social clubs that have stolen the name “church” from.

Many within the religion of Atheism have strived hard to remove any portrayal or images of God from the public environment having already come to the conclusion that the hypocrites within the social clubs mentioned above would drive out people that are truly seeking to know what is real. They in turn give their own religious message on the fact that there is no God. They will spout out their own theories and ideals that have their own organization and rules that must be adhered to, like spreading hate and belittling those that do not agree with their point of view.

One of the methods they do this is to throw out this idea that the Bible and the Torah are myths. Their pretense for this is that anything that is written about any particular person or event in history that is made one hundred and fifty years after the fact is a false narrative since there are none alive to counter this myth that has come into being by the writer.

A prime example, the story of the siege of Troy. The Iliad was written four hundred years after the siege took place and within it are several events that can be said to be mythical. None contest this.

Here is the point though. Those that state there is no God, and that Jesus was not a real person or that he did not rise from the dead made these assertions over one and fifty years after the actual event when it is documented that the New Testament was written within twenty to twenty-five years, with oral traditions traced back to within eight years after the crucifixion and resurrection. This allows people alive at that time to challenge these statements by those that were the enemies of Jesus like the Pharisees, and those that did see Him after His resurrection including five hundred at one time, and since none did. That shows that those creating the myth are those that state Jesus did not rise from the dead and state there is no God.

It is also after the one hundred and fifty years that many of the rules and rituals created by humanity started to take place and overshadow the truth and the facts found within the Bible in the places called “churches.”

So those within all religions associated with Christianity have in many ways created an organized and rule-oriented mythos and applied them within their “churches” thus leading to many either not going to church, denying the very existence of God or denying the resurrection of Jesus.

Accordingly, religions for the most part are at odds with the Bible and with God at this time. It is up to each person to fully study the Bible and come to understand that God is real and that His Son did in fact walk this planet two thousand years ago. It is fact that he never sinned and died upon the cross for our sin. If that is the case, which it is. We must then truly learn the Bible and come to understand that through its teaching we can move on from this life into a higher and eternal existence that is no longer, in most cases, truly found in most religions.

A point that does need to be made. Yes, you can say there are still “rules” within the Bible. There is a difference between man-made rules and those things which come from God through His Son Jesus. The teaching that come from the Bible are something that when you accept salvation are things you seek to keep and to follow. The rules made by humanity are designed to fulfill the wishes and the desires of that religion that has been made not by God.

Example: The Catholic Church and the requirement to go to confession, using a human to tell your sins to when all that is required is to pray to God through Jesus and ask forgiveness. There is a bit more involved but that is a topic for another time.

Blog for Podcast # 166 (The Arrogance of the Proud)

bible, Bible study, Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, , , , , , , Leave a comment

Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Isaiah 13:9-13 NKJV – Behold, the day of the LORD comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it. For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not give their light; The sun will be darkened in its going forth, And the moon will not cause its light to shine. “I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. I will make a mortal more rare than fine gold, A man more than the golden wedge of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth will move out of her place, In the wrath of the LORD of hosts And in the day of His fierce anger.

“I will punish the world for its evil, And the wicked for their iniquity; I will halt the arrogance of the proud, And will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”

“I will halt the arrogance of the proud.”

Why are there those that are so proud they are arrogant?

This is exactly how the Pharisees behaved. Why they did this was because they would rather follow traditions and commandments made by men:

Matthew 15:1-9 NKJV – Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER’; and, ‘HE WHO CURSES FATHER OR MOTHER, LET HIM BE PUT TO DEATH.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘THESE PEOPLE DRAW NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’ “

“Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”

When people teach that salvation cannot be lost, they cause those that believe this to become proud leading to arrogant behavior. This was witnessed in the letter to the Romans. Those Christian Romans started to show their arrogance in how they judged those that lived in sin. Even though they themselves lived in sin because they said to themselves that God would never leave them. Their place in heaven was guaranteed. This is what they were told about this type of mentality:

 Romans 2:1-11 NLT – You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.

As I discussed in podcast #162 (Who are Justified in the Sight of God) I show through a study of the word “favoritism” that it establishes that if God showed an unfair advantage to one group over another, He could not be God.

However, this is exactly what most that embrace false teachings like “grace alone” and OSAS push and believe. Thus, turning them into proud and arrogant people.

It was due to this arrogance that allowed the Pharisees to deride, attack and persecute our Savior Jesus Christ. All out of pride and belief that they were the children of God and could never be kicked out of heaven.

What got them the angriest was hearing that God would not welcome them into heaven. That Jesus called them hypocrites. They knew with this title upon them that they could never enter into heaven, which is why they sought after the Messiah’s death.

They attacked Christ out of fear. Because all they taught. All they had commanded and dictated. All these man-made rules, laws and teachings. All of which went against the Word of God became transparently clear to their minds. They saw their own eternal deaths and separation from God reflected in the look they receive from the Christ, the true Messiah, Jesus the Son of God.

I see it clearly now. For I have seen and experienced this same attack coming from those that have embraced the man-made teachings and doctrines of OSAS and “grace alone” aka “faith-alone” believes. They get angry, they attack out of fear that they have been wrong all this time. That their loved ones that believed and embraced these man-made commandments went to the grave. Not to heaven, but maybe, possibly to damnation.

They do not wish to accept that these verses most likely will apply to their future when they finally stand before Jesus Christ:

Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV – “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Why they fear this is because of what I discussed in the previous podcast I mentioned earlier.

Romans 2:12-16 NKJV – For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

“For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”

Most that embrace “grace alone” and OSAS ignore the laws found within the Bible. Thus, making them hearers of the law. This makes them not justified in the sight of God. This is why these verses exist within the Bible:

2 Peter 2:20-22 NKJV – For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

When people deny these words written within the Bible. When they say that they cannot lose their salvation. They are calling Jesus Christ Himself a liar. Is this not the epitome of arrogance? To see oneself greater than the Word of God and thus greater than their Creator. The same mentality of the Pharisees. A mentality that drove those men to crucify Jesus Christ.

This brings the truth to these words found in Hebrews:

Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV – For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

They are so blinded by their arrogance and self-importance that they refuse to accept that they have turned their backs upon God. They have rejected their Savior, and for what?

A refusal to accept these verses:

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 14:26-27 NKJV – “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:33 NKJV – So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Mark 10:21 NKJV – Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

1 John 2:15-16 NLT – Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

James 4:4-7 NKJV – Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

They refuse to seek their treasures in heaven for they seek after large houses or multiple houses. They still seek after luxury cars which rust away. Their treasures are here in this temporal plain of existence, not with God nor His Son.

They have not placed God at the center of their lives. They place all about them before God, they even place themselves before God. They refuse to spread the Word of God for it is not their place or their duty to do so. They refuse to downsize.

They are told three times in three different Gospels to sell off all their unneeded possessions. To give their wealth away to those in need, especially the poor. For they are all that concerns them. They are all that is important to the world. No others matter.

They only look at the things they see about them. Only care for the things they see. They only seek to please themselves and their desires.

They don’t see they have become adulterers. They don’t realize they are now enemies of God, which means only one thing. They are not welcome in the kingdom of heaven, and this scares them beyond all belief. Hiding this fear behind a facade of arrogance that they are special, elect, select. Not realizing they are not. For they are destined not for heaven, but for damnation.

Repent NOW! Downsize NOW! Turn to God through Jesus Christ NOW! Follow the commandments and teachings found in both the old and new testaments. Spread the Word of God. Don’t do it tomorrow. Repent now. Sell all your possessions you do not need to live to the next day NOW! If you don’t. Do not be surprised that when that second trumpet is blown you find yourself still here. It is your own fault. For you refused to follow the true teachings found within the Bible.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #165 (The true value of Gold to a true Christian)

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Intro

This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. You can use most podcast platforms if you wish to listen. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

The other day someone tried to justify keeping their wealth, luxuries and especially their Range Rover. One of their excuses was that God created gold amongst other precious minerals. I wish to give two examples from the Word of God.

The first deals with riches:

 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 NKJV – Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us—see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. And in this I give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring to do a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have. For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. As it is written, “HE WHO GATHERED MUCH HAD NOTHING LEFT OVER, AND HE WHO GATHERED LITTLE HAD NO LACK.”

Many take a part of these verses out of context. They take this:

2 Corinthians 8:8-9 NKJV – I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

However, as you can tell from the full context of this part of 2 Corinthians. This tells us that if we are given wealth, we are to share it. To portion what is given unto to us in such a way that it makes those fellow believers in Christ on equal par with all others.

This shows that those who have been given earthly wealth must share their money with others to make them equals financially. That way none will become envious of the others. Thus, leading them into sin.

When looked at in this manner we see that earthly wealth is a two-edged sword. On the one hand we have the wealthy person who enters into sin by buying beyond their needs. Then we have the poor person who struggles to the point of entering into sin of various types.

This lack of equality causes division and strife. Which leads to murder, and in some cases war. Which is what we have encountered throughout the centuries. Which has resulted in the history of humanity to date. This is not what most have been taught. Consequently, to hear this presented in this manner. Those who have kept, sought after, and dreamed of wealth, have dreamed of damnation. That is unless they have given most of it away, which I have never heard of.

Then why does the Bible say this about seeking after money:

1 Timothy 6:6-10 NKJV – Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Now to the second verse I was referring too at the beginning of today’s podcast let us look to it.

Matthew 6:25-34 NKJV – “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

“So why do you worry about clothing?”

“For after all these things the Gentiles seek.”

One of the things associated with clothing is jewelry. What does the Bible have to say about this, since most jewelry consists of gold?

1 Timothy 2:8-10 NKJV – I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.

But why is it proper for women not to seek after gold and pearls? Because of this:

1 John 2:15-16 NLT – Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.

We must also look to these verses:

Romans 12:1-2 NKJV – I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Conforming to the world is to seek after that which the world seeks after. From seeking after wealth, seeking after jewelry, seeking after tattoos. All this the world seeks.

I remember early in my faith, when I still hadn’t come to understand what the modern-day buildings called “churches” were. I was sitting in the upper balcony of one of these buildings. I was looking down into the gathering crowd of people below and I saw a woman stand. Wave at a nearby woman that had just entered into the pew behind her. I watched her mouth the words: “I love your hat.”

As I look back at this place that was called a “church” I see it for what it truly was. Not a place to worship our Savior Jesus Christ, but a social club.

This is one reason why so many turn away from God. For they see these religious people, who follow man-made traditions, which allows people like this woman I just gave an example of to live lives in and of the world. What does Christ say about this type of behavior for those that seek after and keep their earthly wealth?

Revelation 3:15-19 NKJV – “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

“So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

Why does this occur?

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—.”

Those that chase after and seek after earthly wealth and luxuries and golden bobbles seek after earthly treasures. What does Christ say about this?

 Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

He also says this:

Luke 16:13-15 NKJV – “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

As I have shown in the past multiple times. The Greek word used for “abomination” is only used six times in the NT. Four of those times it is referring to the antichrist and those that follow that person. Therefore, those that seek after wealth, luxuries, gold are equal to the antichrist. And they wonder why Jesus would vomit them from the Body of Christ. Because if they are not His worshipers or followers, then what are they then?

James 4:1-4 NKJV – Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

They are enemies of God, which is why they are removed from within that which is Holy: the Boby of Christ.

Time is quickly running out. Those that have been watching see the signs. Jesus Christ is very soon to return. First in the skies above, which will begin the tribulation. Most will find themselves still here in this temporal existence, because they refused to heed these warnings and downsized. Keeping wealth, keeping gold, keep luxuries will cause you to be left behind to suffer through the first three and half years of the tribulation. When this occurs there will only be two choices. Take the mark or follow Jesus Christ. The first will lead to the second death, the latter will lead to eternal life, where, because gold has no value, it will be used to pave the roads.

God Bless.