Christianity

Why is the Bible so big?

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First, it must be said that it is not as big as it could be. When King James made his commission to make the Bible we now use today, several books were not included. What is left per the commission was deemed to be the core elements required to teach Christianity.
Two verses need to be stated.
Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
The commission found that not only the New Testament, but as well the Old Testament was and is required to teach someone in the faith of Christianity. There are those that feel that calling themselves Christian makes them exempt to follow the teaching found within the older books of the Bible. Now one must understand one important fact about the second book of Timothy. The letter of what is now called the book of Timothy were letters written in the first century of Christianity, many scholars say by a follower or followers of Paul. So what scriptures are being referred to within this letter? None other than what is now called the Old Testament.
Then the commission of King James came to the same conclusion. Therefore, those that are ignoring these books of the Bible are in violation of these two verses in second Timothy. Especially since Jesus stated very clearly that, He is in fact fulfillment of the Old Testament.
It is also important to realize something else. To be a disciple of Christ he must be chosen by Jesus’ Himself. All recognize that those twelve that walked with Jesus before His crucifixion are in fact disciples. Well there was one other that was called by Jesus. His name was Saul, which became Paul, and he was tasked by Christ to preach and welcome all gentiles into the fold. This is the full creation of Christianity and also the making of the thirteenth disciple of Jesus.
Since each disciple represent each of the twelve tribes of Israel that then makes Christians, as I call it, the thirteenth tribe of Israel. This comparison, to me, magnifies statements directed at Israel to also include Christians. This is simplistic I admit, but at the same time logical. Anyway, no matter my suggestion here, being Christian and accepting that we must use the Old Testament as a guide then we should read it. Understand and where fitting in a Christian aspect follow what it teaches for that is its purpose. To deny its teaching is to deny what we have been told to do and in so doing deny God.
Now back on the main topic. There are those that call themselves Christian that seem to display an attitude that they are better than those that do not accept Christianity. They feel they must direct all their attention only to those in their little click of purity. That is against the teaching of Jesus and the entire Bible.
Matthew 28:19 – Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Matthew 24:14 – And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
We are also to be humble.
Philippians Chapter 2: 3-5 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
This means to all not just fellow Christians. For you cannot convince someone you are sincere if you have an attitude of superiority, which we should never have, because there is only one being worthy of such a placement and adoration, and He is God. And not to desire to share God with any willing to follow and worship Him is the ultimate act of selfishness there would ever be.

The hard truth part 2

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Again, what is to follow may be shocking so take fair warning.
As we draw closer to the times predicted in Revelation things I once thought impossible become more and more possible. I often wondered why were those that served God and refused to take the mark upon themselves beheaded.

Revelation 20:4
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Now it is a reality. Christian children and men have been beheaded. Their heads placed upon stakes in celebration and filmed for the entire world to see. It is something I thought beyond humanity. Something purged from us due to the Holocaust, but I have been proven wrong. I now understand that it is possible. Especially when you are in a society that does not worship God.
As God is removed from the people, they return to hedonism. They return to a time when those with the power and the money care only for themselves and not for and I quote the “hoi pilloi”
The hoi polloi are us, the common folk. Those that struggle with the everyday. Those that are not made wealthy off of the commoner, which the person that used this term is one of those.
But who said this? A republican? No. A billionaire? No. A democrat? Yes. A democrat that also is a racist? Why yes again.

“—–
Original Message
—–
From: Lerner Lois G [mailto:Lois.G.Lerner@irs.gov]
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2012 11:42 AM
To
Subject: Re: Suspension of Retention
Has work this morning. Got to talk to their internal “spooks.” I was going to take the train to windsor Castle, but stuff
closes early in winter so it wasn’t going to work. Instead, went Hempstead — an Edwardian English village, full of
beautiful, huge houses — which have been ruined by letting the hoi paloi live there! These people have ruined everything
with their equality push!
…………………………………..
Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless”

The hard truth

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What I am going to now type is hard. Fair warning some statements may be truly shocking.

The world is now experiencing what the liberals, atheists and politically correct have created. A world that is selfish, self-serving, self-absorbed and as a result have no conscience. When a person has no conscience murder, theft, car wrecks and a numerous other bad things happen.

At one time the world had a conscience. That conscience had a name. It was called the United States of America. Now it has been removed as it has been removed from its citizens. They have removed God the author of this conscience.

In the Middle-East a terrorist group called ISIS is committing genocide and America ignores it. This militant group has released videos that at first reminded me of Germany during World War II, but they are worse. They film themselves shooting rows of men upon the ground in the head. They show one by one people being taken to the edge of a river. Then again shot in the head just before pushing them into the river leaving a pool of blood at the shooters feet. They are beheading, men and children then placing their heads upon spikes.

Yes, this is the actions of a terrorist, but who caused this to happen? The man in the White House when he pulled out our troops too soon from Iraq, but who put that man in office? Those in America that voted for him twice.

I have never voted for him because I knew he did not have the right knowledge or experience to lead this country. Nor do those that think this nation is not the conscience of the world will ever be truly prepared to lead this nation in any level of government. To wait for the word “genocide” to come to life as a wake-up call is the last thing that should have happened, but that is how it has come about.

That is why I feel I can say the conscience of the world no longer exist. Who is the core of the conscience? God!

Return to God America. Let those in power know that Christianity is still alive within the United States of America. Make yourself heard. Become active in the affairs of this nation as it was originally meant to be. I nation for the people, BUT BY THE PEOPLE. That statement means you have to speak out and make yourself heard. Not only by the vote, but by action.

The Commitment

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It is in times like those we live in is when those that profess to be Christian need to stand their ground and allow themselves to be known and heard.
In Iraq, militants assaulted Christians. They were told they must convert to Islam or they must leave or die. Some could not. Those that could not showed that they in reality might not have been Christian because they chose to convert. This is not what should have happened. They should have chosen to let themselves be killed and become martyrs and yet they live.
I know this is something that is difficult to do. To be willing to say: “Go ahead kill me.” That is very hard to do, but I know I would do it. I would rather die for God and Christianity. It is not the first time this has happened and it has happened to all religions. It is sad that those that are religious do not learn to truly follow their faith.
Will my death cause the world to change? I seriously doubt it. Most likely no one will ever know it even happened. Most likely hidden by the corrupt news media, or not divulged by a government that only seeks to keep itself in power.

A study of Titus Chapter 1

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Yesterday I started thinking how can I serve the Lord when I retire. Admittedly that is still a few years away, but I prayed upon it amongst other things. Today I felt urged to look deeper into the book of Titus.

Paul tasked Titus with finding elders for the churches within Crete. What caught my attention the most though, first was verse 1:7 and then later verses 9 -11.
Why? Because of all the feel good give “my ministry” money and God will reward you people out there that have TV shows and other things.

The main phrase that sticks out in verse seven is “filthy lucre”.. In that actual break down of the Greek it is actually the entire phrase “given to filthy lucre” which is the word aischrokerdes. Which is from aischros (shameful) and kerdos (gain). Basically greed. Titus is to look for someone who is not seeking money or riches especially when gotten through lies and deceit.

Paul also clearly states that they even profess to being of the faith in verse ten: For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision.

Titus was set with the commission of finding elders for the church in Crete so they could talk against those that do these selfish self-seeking endeavors at the expense of those of the church. For we are called to serve others in need. Not only of material need but spiritual need.

It is these con-artist that prey upon our desire to serve and take advantage of it for their own ends. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing and it is something we must do our best to fight against.

13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Above you see Paul telling those of the faith to be rebuked sharply so that they may return to the faith and not to heed to stories and commandments made for and by men, because they are turning away from the truth. This is seen throughout Christianity since it foundation. Time and again humans pervert the Gospel to suite their own needs and desires. Adding ceremonies and rituals that only glorify the people not God or His Son Jesus.

Nowhere in the Bible does it state that if you give money to expect more money to be returned to you. Nor does it say we are to receive our rewards here and now, but we are to receive our rewards after the return of Jesus. To be a Christian is to live in hardships not go around in fancy cloths, cars or houses.

In closing, I leave you with the last verse of Titus Chapter 1:

16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

A dying breed

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In today’s society, being what is called a “gentleman” is a dying breed. It is sad really. To me being courteous is how all should be, be you male or female. The main reason once upon a time men were considered “gentlemen” was because they respected women. Now they tell us to respect them but to treat them as equals. Me? I have always though women to be my equals but still to open doors and pull out chairs for them. This to me shows you care and place others before yourself.
It is a foundation that should be laid in all. It teaches them that other people are more important than they are. Once again, the adage “do unto others as you would have done unto you” comes into play. Something some would attribute to Confucius, but was actually first documented in the book of Exodus in the Bible hundreds of years before his time.
Do unto others as you would have done unto you is the basis of being a gentle-person. To not stand in the middle of a doorway talking, but moving aside to allow others to go in and out is a sign you respect others over yourself. As long as you do not show others respect; how can you be expected to be respected yourself? You cannot.
This is something that is within the foundation of true Christianity as well. If you claim to be a Christian and do not respect others and place others before yourself then you need to start praying and start reading the Bible and then thinking about where you stand in your faith. For as I have said in an other post, that to me selfishness is the ultimate sin, from selfishness all other sins come from. Why? Because you are only thinking of satisfying your own wants and desires, which is opposite of being a gentle-person.
What is it a dying breed should not be when people profess to being Christian since being Christian and a gentle-person walk hand in hand together. It is something that has been pulled out from under us by those that seek to “improve” things for all, but in actuality, we are not moving forward but backward. We are more like the middle ages then we are a modern society all because being kind to others is frowned upon and no longer taught in schools or our churches. It is not PC(politically correct) to do so and at the drop of a hat we risk being sued but those that wish to impose their “progressive” thinking upon all. It should actually be called “Anti-progressive.”
So what can you do to stop the extinction of this dying breed called a gentleman?

Review: Angel and the Badman (1947) – a portrait in salvation and faith

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This John Wayne movie which he produced is something not seen in today’s cinema. It shows true Christianity and its influence on those that do not practice it. It is also the story of how a man finds the Lord.
The faith is shown through that of a family of Quakers and their community, which was built for the common use of all within it. A prime example within the movie is when John’s character Quirt Evans goes to a rancher that took over another Quaker’s homestead that had the community dam placed upon it. The rancher soon comes to see the way of kindness and sharing and becomes friendly to his neighbors that he had treated wrongly before.
We see Quirt change from a hardened man bent on revenge to a man that follows the way of God with the help of the woman he falls in love with.
We also see how those that knew him before have a hard time seeing that the man had changed.
I highly recommend this movie for those that wish to learn more on how those that call themselves Christian should really act.

Base storyline: 5 swords out of 5 swords
Acting: 4 swords out of 5 swords
Special Effects: 4 swords out of 5 swords
Overall: 4.33 swords out of 5 swords

Growing faith

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A recurring theme throughout my life has been the desire to respect others. Sure, some parts of my personality can be a thorn to some, but who amongst us can say that is not true for any person. In my early teens, I allowed my peers to turn my heart to hardness. This lasted until I was in my mid-twenties. One thing that I know marked these years was the mere fact that I had become selfish and self-serving.
When I became born again at twenty-six the man, what I should have been came back into existence. A man that God knew and recognized. (See my post “Overwhelming sin” to understand what I meant by this statement). The man returned to what the boy I had been before I allowed my peers to turn me into what I had become in the dark years.
I learned to give into my desires and wants in those years. I allowed myself to listen to only myself. Not caring if I hurt people. Many of these people were girls and women, especially when I turned eighteen.
Regret is one thing that has crossed my mind more than once over the last quarter of a century plus. Sometimes this regret causes me to do things that help others. Then there are times this regret has made me avoid situations out of fear they may be a repeat of something from my past that I do not wish to go through again. I feel these regrets are due to me trying to think of others before myself.
Too many times in the Bible we are told be humble, placing others before ourselves. The emphasis is too poignant that true faith requires humility, thus selflessness. When you are selfish, you are not acting for God. When thinking of your own desires no matter how little or big you have placed yourself before others.
I really think it is in all of us to be humble. I know I was humble when I was a child and had forgotten it due to pain and humiliation. How I returned to it is where free-will comes into play. I felt wrong from my behavior. I felt more guilt as I became more selfish. I do not know if others experience this and hide it, but it allowed me to face myself and realize this is not what God wanted for me or us for that matter. So I chose through the act of free-will to return to what I was taught in my youth.
I know I am not perfect. No human can ever be perfect. I know I have overcome sins that would have turned me into someone other then what I am. I know not only that it was God, but an inner strength that has allowed me to grow into the man I am today. Where did I get this inner strength? From my trials I have face throughout my life. Without these trials, I feel I would in no way be the man I am today.
All I do know is that the man that types these words today is in fact someone who deserves to be call a man, since there is a difference between being male and being a man. It is by God and for God that I am here, and I praise Him for that.

Your mission if you should choose to accept it………… this message will never destruct especially not in 5 seconds

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One thing that gets to me is this mentality within religions is that if you are not of this certain religion or come dressed into their place of worship a certain way you are something to be looked down upon. Jesus faced this same problem when he walked upon this earth in ancient Israel. It is something that I see everywhere and in every religion.

It is also wrong.

Jesus challenged the Pharisees over this behavior. Their reaction was to have Him hung upon a cross. They did not know that was his plan all along. Nor did they know He would rise from the dead three days later.

One of the main things Jesus taught and showed was that those of the faith should not sit in their little groups and hide from the world. They should not be looking down upon the world, thinking themselves better than others. That is not how it is meant to go.

Yes, there is a time when you need to stay within the church. This time is when you first come into your faith. Most have no idea what the Bible says. Therefore, they need to read it and be taught by those that have more knowledge then they do at that moment of the teaching of God and His Son.

We are not meant to stay there forever though. We are meant to become strong in the Word and our faith and then we are meant to go into the world and show the love of Jesus to others.

Too many times, I see titles to other blogs that are exclusionary. There are Bible verse; they say things like how to separate yourself from the world and other things that turn those not fully aware of God away. They see these posts and run away from God instead of toward Him.

Jesus walked amongst the sinners. He dined with them. Talked to them and taught them of the love of His Father. He was ridiculed for doing so. His reply was that they needed Him more than those that had already found God did.

If your feet are shod in the Word and you show your faith through kindness and caring. If you desire to walk among those of the world; then do it. We are the body of Jesus here on earth. If we do not share our faith by example; then many of these will have never seen what true believe and faith in something that is intangible to them, in most cases.

There is evidence that many have never even read the Bible. Especially in today’s world with the removal of God from the schools and from other places that were once available for all to see.

Don’t be a member of the religious clicks, be the Christian you were meant to be the day you knelt down and asked God into your heart and mind.