Christian

Ok time to listen

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Do not assume.
Read the Bible yourself
I don’t mean read a verse here or there. I mean READ the Bible.
Learn the meaning of the words as they were originally written in the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. (Bet you didn’t know parts of the Old Testament were not all in Hebrew.)
Take them in context to the events and teachings be taught by Christ or the writers of the books within the Bible. The only exception to this is Proverbs.
An example of context: This woman I encountered kept throwing out to me “Go sell all your good and give to the poor!”
She had no concept of that within what it was referring to within the Bible.
Another example: “You shall not judge!”
Again out of context.
The first was the story of the rich man and Jesus. The rich man said he followed all the commandments. Christ believed him. Jesus said that he needed to do one more thing, go sell all his property and possessions, give them to the poor and follow Him. By the way the guy didn’t.
As to the “judgment card” as I love to call it.
In 2 Timothy 4:1-5 we are instructed to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. This, people take as “judging.”
The verse that discusses “judging” is about hypocrisy. The person accusing his fellow of sin was living in the same exact sin. Christ instructed the person to remove their own sin before confronting others.
I must add that when you reprove, rebuke, and exhort, you are doing so using the Bible as a foundation thus the word “doctrine.” So when someone actually accuses you of “judging” they are in actuality accusing God of judging them, not you, when you are grounded in your stance with the Bible. These are just two examples, yet there are many more. Too many more.
To know you are on the right path. You must be willing to accept that even though saved you will still sin. However this is not a license to remain in this sin. You must strive to remove this sin from your life. Some sins will be easy to get rid of. Other sins, especially sin that actually not only affect you but those that you have ever been in contact with or ever will be in contact with. Sins I have called “overwhelming sin,” are sins that can be extremely difficult to leave behind.
When we are instructed to repent. We must understand that repentance is an action that God requires those committing the sin to do to show that they truly seek to place God at the core of their life.
In the New Testament there are two versions of the word repent used.
Most of the time it is the word “metanoeo” defined as:
“I repent, change my mind, change the inner man (particularly with reference to acceptance of the will of God), repent.” From Biblehub
The other version is “metamellomai” again from Biblehub it is translated as:
“I change my mind (generally for the better), repent, regret”
Note both times it is the person making the change, not God, but the person turning to God through Jesus Christ.
Once someone with all their heart commits to following God and ask Christ to be their Savior, just accepting the salvation is not enough. It requires works.
The Bible states faith alone is not enough it is faith and works.
James 2:14 – What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? 21 Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say: “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.” He was even called the friend of God. 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. 25 Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works.
Any who tell you all you need is to believe and nothing else is sentencing you to damnation, not salvation.
If you live in sin and have no desire to remove the sin from your life, then the question must be asked: Are you even really saved?
When you are manifestly changed by your broken and heartfelt choice to follow Christ. You will choose on your own to turn from sin.
The Bible shows prove of this:
1 Corinthians 6:9 – Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
If two thousand years ago these people could turn from their sins, some very extreme sins, why can’t you?
The answer is you can and will desire to do so if you truly accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.

So we are all going to heaven???

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Interesting.
Well that is what a recent poll states that says 69% of the Evangelicals surveyed stated.
There is just one big problem with this.
God made it clear that not all would enter into His service in the eternal life to come.
If fact the Bible makes it clear that more will reject God than accept God.
The road is wide and smooth to damnation and the narrow road is rough and hard for those that will find salvation.
Also, yes I agree there is a Heaven, but this concept that this is where those that do go there will stay there forever. This again is not stated in the Bible.
We are told that Paradise a.k.a. Heaven is there and in use in this time, but once Jesus Christ returns those that were seen as worthy servants will find themselves back upon this very planet helping to rule the nations for one thousand years in direct interaction with Jesus Christ Himself who will rule the entire planet in this time.
At the end of this thousand years will come the great White Throne Judgment. It is in this time that those that did not make it all the way will face the Judge, the Trinity.
Those that never knew God, those that denied God and those that rejected God will face their verdict.
They will either be accepted, or for the most part, might I add, rejected and sent into the pit of fire.
This is definitely not heaven.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: the letter

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What is to follow is a letter I just sent to someone I consider a friend. The names have been removed from the person and the church to protect those involved:

It has been a year and a half since I severed my ties to the {omitted}. Many, not just you, were listed on my friends list in Facebook. I have also removed them form my friends list just this last week.
{Omitted} cut me off from receiving my post soon after (unfriended), because in his eyes I became too “radical” in my thoughts soon after I left the church.
As I delved ever deeper into the word of God I found I could not live in a grey or as Christ put it a “lukewarm” existence. As the Bible states it can only lead to one point, removal from God’s blessing and salvation. This was made clear by John the Baptist in Luke 3, reinforced by Christ Himself in John 15 and made perfectly clear in Revelation 3:15-16 by the Glorified Jesus Christ.
A lukewarm existence will lead away from God and His eternal love and blessing and those that live it are seen as even worse than those that deny God outright.
When I received posts on Facebook, what few there were. The trend was never toward God, but further and further away from God.
Watching people I care for deeply falling further and further away from Christ just got me to a point of complete sorrow and I even started entering into depression.
I know I cannot save everyone, but it was my personal attachment to those from the {omitted} that just made it unbearable to continue to watch those I considered friends to be heading not toward God, but away and into certain loss.
It is made very clear within the Bible. It is love God or love the world. You cannot be both.
I have reach out to those that would hear, you being one of them, but still I could not watch the descent any longer, it was too heartbreaking.
There are those like {omitted} that thought it was due to politics, this was never the point. Even though it was the behavior of many during this election that showed where their true state of understanding the Bible and God stood.
These times we are in are truly the end of times for human rule of this planet, and any support of sin, no matter how minor it may seem is actually an acceptance of the world and a rejection of God.
Those of the {omitted} like yourself are in my prayers and it is never too late to awaken from the downward spiral. A spiral I myself was in at one point but awakened only when God placed me through the harsh trial I had gone through in 2013.
Since that awakening I have been coming closer and closer to God through Christ, I wish those I call my friends not to have to go through such a harsh pruning has I had to experience.
If you wish to be friends still I will friend you again in Facebook, but understand I may get harsher in my rhetoric.

We are to compare all we hear to the Bible for it is the words of the Groom

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When you accept Christianity and ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior you are entering into a covenant. Christians are described as the bride of Christ. It is a marriage. When you look at the relationship of marriage between humanity within the Bible it states that those marrying will depart from the parents and join together to be one. To be of one mind and one flesh.
To be of one mind we must know how the other person thinks and feels. How do we do this with Jesus Christ? The answer to that is simple we read the Bible.
Now many use the excuse that they do not have time to read the Bible. Other say that they go to church and listen their pastor, priest, minister. Neither of these methods is acceptable. For it is up to those that asked Jesus into their hearts to learn and have a personal relationship with Him. This can only be accomplished by knowing the Word of God ourselves. That way we cannot be led astray when someone says something that is not Biblical.
Yet millions call themselves “Christian” and have no idea of the true teachings of the Bible.
In James they are called what they truly are: adulterers, for they have betrayed their vow unto the Lord and have embraced the here and the now. The objects and places within this temporal world. They lust after that which will be eaten by moths and rust into nothingness. For that is truly what it is nothing.
They crave the momentary satisfaction over the eternal and everlasting.
Yet if you confront them with the truth you are the villain, you are the enemy, and you are the evil one for you cannot be right. Yet your foundation is the Bible. Your firmament is the Son of God. So if we are the villain and we are evil, yet we are of Christ, who are they calling the villain and evil? It is not us, but Christ Himself. Any that calls Christ the enemy has a different master and lover. That master only desires to tear you down and destroy you yet all the time sweetly talking to you and lulling you into weakness so you can be overwhelmed and destroyed.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: other voices in the wilderness

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For those that have been reading my blog time to time will note that there are times I get preachy, harsh and some even say I am an odd ball.
Well to be honest on the last description. I really don’t care if people choose to think that way about me.
Here is the thing that caused me to write this article.
Today I once again heard Rabbi Jonathan Cahn speak. He echoed everything I have been saying about this time in world history. He confirmed that too many are lukewarm. That many have slipped into apostasy. He spoke of signs and events, some of which I myself was unaware of yet solidly confirms we are in the last days.
He is another voice in the wilderness crying out for all to awaken and repent. However, he knows in his heart, as I know in mine, that most will not listen until it is too late.
He reaffirmed that it is through peoples visual actions that shows where they stand within their faith, or the lack of, for God.
To have my concerns and my own reasons for reaching out to the lukewarm corroborated tells me that I am truly gaining insight into the Word of God.
Yet at the same time due to my own sin nature I still fear I will miss the Rapture or even enter into the eternal service of God. However, I will continue to strive to be a true reflection of Christ, as best I can, even though I know the mirror is tarnished and dirty. I will continue to seek to overcome my sin with pray and supplication unto my Lord and Savior, and yearn it will suffice.
If you have never read my articles before I suggest you do so. Read, think and come to your own conclusions, but do not hesitate. For Christ will return like a thief in the night.
I know the time is not yet here, for there are still things that need to occur, but we are definitely in the beginning of the soon to come end of this civilization as we now know it.

The Judas dilemma

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When we look to the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ we see humanity coming face to face with God.
We see their willingness. We see their desire to shine above the rest. We see their bickering and arguing at times as well. Simply we see a true reflection of man, while on the other hand in Jesus we see the God who has become man and see he is different.
However, that is not the main point of this article.
The main point is we can also say even though they were flawed and did not at first act correctly. For the most part their hearts were in the right place, for they had been called by name, by Christ Himself.
Now in this light we can in essence say they were “saved.” Even though Christ had not yet died for their sins. How they acted after in another story for another day.
What we are going to deal with is the fact they were called by Christ to be taught by the Son of God Himself. Before it was over they came to know and understand that yes He was the Messiah. Yet, one still clung to the world, still desired the riches and notoriety of this temporal existence.
This one even though knowing Christ was the Son of God chose the world instead. That was Judas.
He saw the miracles, and may have even performed some himself, yet he could not understand or grasp the reality he himself was experiencing.
Was he overwhelmed? I do not know.
Was he beyond caring for the truth before him? Again the answer of that is beyond my knowing or understanding.
Even though he was seeing, even though he was doing. Still he could not comprehend the reality of God. The power of God. The understanding that we were created by God. That all he saw, that all he did was only due to being part of the overall plan of God’s tapestry, woven throughout the known universe, which itself is just now being seen as that very thing, a woven tapestry.
Many today are like Judas and in many cases aren’t even aware of their own rejection of the Christ. Thus the dilemma. They do not see God nor His Son as who they truly are. They worship the world yet say they are His children. Showing nothing but contempt towards He they said they would surrender their life to. They seek out their own thirty silver in the form of fancy houses, cars, and then turn and spend their blood money on unnecessaries, instead of giving to those in need. They bury their wealth hording it and refusing to release it.
They are the new Judas’s and in most cases even if they realized the truth as the original Judas did wouldn’t even do has he did, kill himself. For even though they had seen Christ’s grace and glory the world is more what they now lust after and desire for it satisfies them and their own selfish desires and lust. Unaware that the Day of Judgment will come and they will be standing before Christ as they say:
“Lord, Lord.”
And He will say,
“I never knew you.”

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: “Dear younger me.”

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As I listened this morning to this Mercy Me song I started thinking, for at time in my past I have contemplated desiring to do that very thing.
Then I really thought, and I really reflected upon my fifty plus years of live within this temporal plain of existence, and I came to a startling conclusion.
For the most part, I wouldn’t want to talk to my younger self.
“Why?” you question.
Would I have given myself some finical advice? If I had, would I have ended up where I am now? No, most likely not. Then I would not be happy where I now am for no telling what riches would have done to me.
Would I have given myself romantic advice? For the most part I again would say no. Even though I am now into my third marriage, and might I add, my final one. For without going through the two previous marriages I would not have the children that are now within my life, nor would I even be living where I now live, and had the opportunity to have met my current spouse.
The real question comes down to my spirituality then. That is the toughest of all to answer. Would I have been equipped to serve God and His Son if I did not go through all I have gone through? There was a very long pause here just for your information.
Again I have to say no, I would not say a thing. Have I been though some rough patches? Yes, most definitely yes. However, I honestly feel I had to experience these minefields to be able to make people understand that what is within the Bible is real. That every word when taken in context and applied to ones live as well as the very acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior is something that is real and required to achieve spiritual growth and understanding of what God has mapped out for us in our lives.
So, I can say this without doubt or question.
I would never wish to talk to my younger self, for the road he took brought me here, to now, to this place, to God.

“Religion and morality are indispensable supports”

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These are the words of the first President of this United States of America, George Washington.
He was also one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
He and all those that were members of the Constitutional Congress knew of the importance of God in their lives as well as their desire to keep Him in their nation.
This is reflected by the fact that the first amendment to the Constitution dealt with religion, and was even the first topic of the first article.
This is what it says:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Just so we understand this. When Mr. Washington was writing his farewell address he stated the words in the title of this article. What he was referring to what needed support was politics.
Now you must also understand that England, due to Henry the VIII had made it that the head of the Church of England was the ruler of that country, Henry himself, when he made the law. At the time of the Revolutionary War it was King George. This is a religion made by a government. This is want Mr. Washington and the rest did not wish to see happen ever again. There is not separation of state and religion. There is only the rule that the government cannot make a religion, or for that matter the removal of any religion from politics. This is witnessed and supported by the fact that the president felt religion and morality were supports and indispensable.
If they are “indispensable” then they should never be removed. Yet that is exactly what has been done and as a result this nation is in turmoil and distress. All because humans wish to remove and replace God.
Those that use the government to interfere with the free practice of religion not only within the government and schools and universities are in fact in violation of the constitution. For they are in fact infringing upon God and those that wish to follow Him.
So what is it to be?
Return God to His rightful place within this nation, or continue down a road that will lead to nothing but tragedy for the entire nation.

“Scripture alone”

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This was the battle cry so to speak by those within the Reformation.
Two major factor caused this to happen.
The first was the Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
Many in the west had for the most part only known of the Latin version of the Bible that was presented and taught by the Catholic Church.
Now due to the fall of this city many scholars and their Greek versions of the Bible came to be seen and known in the west.
Since Greek was the original language of the letters, for the most part, that form the New Testament questions were raised and monks and priests started to learn Greek and Hebrew and a new world was opened unto them.
The second was the printing press, which enabled the spread of not only the Greek by later common language copies of the Bible to be printed and spread to not only the rich but to the commoner.
Why this battle cry was so important is that they found that the doctrines that had risen from Catholicism were inaccurate or even non-existent within the true translation of the Bible.
They knew and came to understand that every person must learn the Bible. In addition that no human can be trusted to pass on the knowledge of the Bible accurately by themselves.
What many do not understand or know is due to the Roman Empire, a large majority of its citizens were literate. When Rome fell literacy diminished as well as other things that would become known as the Dark Ages.
During this time those with power and riches sought more of the same and so many, even those within the Catholic Church did not correctly teach the Bible. Some of which resulted in the Crusades for example.
Due to the Reformation the need and understanding to learn firsthand the Word of God become something that all must do. And so many even though it resulted in their deaths pursued this very ideal.
So to honor those that died so that you can just go down to a store and pick up a copy of the Bible or even just look online and read it there. You owe it to them to learn what was worth dying for.
The truth within the Word of God.

Confessions of a screwed up middle aged man: It just amazes me.

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I have been expanding my knowledge and insight in the history of the Bible, and I am just amazed how people for the last two or three hundred years have been seeking to dismiss or diminish the Word of God.
What is even more interesting is that sometimes their own systems of denial actually ends up allowing the confirmation of the very thing they are seeking to destroy.
Case in point: that it is mythological.
A key factor in myths per these folks own words is that a myth will arise after a history has been around for one hundred and fifty years. A prime example of this is the Iliad by Homer. It is his telling of the actual siege of Troy, but he writes about it four hundred years after the fact. Within it we end up with for example Achilles who cannot be harmed save for one spot upon his heel. This is a true mythological story, mainly due to that fact that none were alive from the siege to challenge his view or embellishment of the event like the heel issue.
Here is where things start to fall apart for those that insist Jesus and His resurrection is a myth as well.
The most important fact is the twenty seven documents that later were brought together to form the New Testament were written as early, if not even earlier, as fifteen years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and they were just the writing down of the well-established oral traditions of the Jewish people in the first place.
This means not only were those that followed Jesus, but also those that killed and persecuted Jesus were still alive and could affirm or counter the letters, and the oral tradition, respectively.
Those that would affirm did and those that could challenge the letters, or teachings, could not.
So per the methodology of those that insist the Bible is a myth are shown to being living in myths of their own creation, called denial, since the major pursuit to deny the facts within the Bible began nearly nineteen hundred years after the fact.
As to the resurrection itself, the Creed, which was an oral tradition is said to be first written down within eight years of the resurrection. In other words around 38 to 41 A.D. It states that five hundred saw the risen Christ at one time and many were still alive to be directly questioned of this account and people were encouraged to do just that, question them.
So there is no way the Bible is a myth. The events are real, that facts are real, Jesus is real and alive.
Additionally, you would think that after two thousand years the arguments to deny that there is only one God would have changed, but it hasn’t. The excuses and opinions to not accept Him as their Creator have not altered at all yet they think they have discovered something new and different, yet it isn’t.