Commandments

Blog for Podcast #228 (Even Those That Sin Do Good)

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 to do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Luke 6:30-34 NKJV – Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.

I was reminded the other day that many who live in sin and even denial of God Himself do good. They love, they care for their loved ones. They go about living as decent earthly law abiding citizens. However, they deny the Godly laws and so live in sin.

This is why these things are not considered works. Yet we are all judged by our works. This is verified to those that profess to being “Christian” In Romans 2:1-11. To all others in Revelation 20:11-15.

Then what constitutes the works we are judged upon? That is actually easy to answer. However, most refuse to obey.

Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV – And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in my name, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Make disciples of all the nations.

Baptize them in the name of Jesus Christ.

Teach them to observe all things that Jesus commanded.

So let us look at what Jesus commanded.

Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Remove anger from your heart (Matthew 5:21-26)

Do not even think of lusting after anyone (Matthew 5:27-30)

Only divorce in cases of sexual immorality or not at all (Matthew 5:31-32)

Do not swear an oath on anything especially God (Matthew 5:33-37)

Do not retaliate or seek vengeance (Matthew 5:38-42)

Love your enemies and be kind to those that hate you and persecute you (Matthew 5:43-48)

When you give to those in need do it where you will receive no recognition by anyone safe God Himself (Matthew 6:1-4)

Never pray in public where others can see you and only pray in the way shown in these verses (Matthew 6:5-15)

When you fast do so in secret, so no human is aware that you do so. (Matthew 6:16-18)

Do not seek after earthly wealth, property or possessions. For if you do seek after it you will care more for these things than for God and His Son Jesus Christ. You will think that you are the light of God but in reality, you are blind and live in evil darkness. (Matthew 6:19-24)

Do not worry about your daily troubles for they are a test to see if you will depend upon God through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 6:25-34)

Do not judge others when you are committing the very same sins. First remove the sins from your life then you can teach others not to commit these sins. (Matthew 7:1-5)

Do not try to help those that will turn and attack you. (Matthew 7:6)

Matthew 7:12 NKJV – Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

These are Christ’s commandments in addition to following those laws and commands from the prophets that were not removed by the cross. For clarification. Only those laws governing sacrifice were removed by the cross. All other laws on how to live. How to dress, and to govern how we live are still in effect and governed by the greatest commandments.

Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV – Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

These two are the most important. To live with God at the center of our daily lives. To treat all others as we would treat ourselves.

Would you do evil to yourself? Really, would you? Then stop throwing out the cruelty of humans in the past. Did you live then? Did you commit these cruelties? Then stop using them as an excuse not to place God at the center of your life and to treat all others as you treat yourself.

Then actually start to follow the commandments.

Now we all need to get this into our heads. How we live now. Especially if you profess to being a follower of Christ. Is not. I repeat is not how Christ taught us to live. Only an extremely few live or strive to live their lives as taught by Jesus Christ.

Extremely view.

Get that into your heads.

We have to abandon all that we have thought and been taught by humanity. We must embrace a new mentality. One that begins with living a needs-only lifestyle as taught within the Bible.

1 Timothy 6:6-19 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. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

This is how we are to live. This is how we are to act. How most live and act now is not what the Bible has taught. In fact, Jesus mentioned this behavior.

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 mammon.” 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.

Mammon – G3126 – mamónas – riches, money, possessions, property.

Riches, money, possessions, property. All this is what men esteem and so is an abomination in the sight of God.

As I have taught in the past. The word “abomination” is only used six times in the NT. Four of those times it is in reference to the antichrist and those that follow him. Therefore, seeking after riches. Seeking after money. Seeking after possessions. Seeking after property. All this is seen as being as equal to the antichrist.

This explains all the cruelty. All the hatred. All the destruction humans have done to other humans since before Christ. In fact, even before the flood. It is a cycle of abomination that will only end when God creates the new heaven and new earth.

However, we must strive to follow Jesus Christ if we accept Him as our Savior. Which means to reject all things that are an abomination in the sight of His Father.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #192 (Some Hard Truth)

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

Several years ago, I made a blog post entitled “The Hard Truth.” This ended up in three posts, because as usual those that embrace the false doctrines of OSAS and all you need is faith challenged what was posted. So. Let us begin this retrospect.

Day 1

Most that attempt to read or listen to this won’t like it. However, it is not my mission to make you comfortable, but it is to challenge all willing to listen to improve their standing with God.

Right here someone will scoff, saying that we are not required to increase this standing. That God loves us as we are. Then you have just made the Bible moot, and the crucifixion a waste of time.

Matthew 16:24-27 NKJV – Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

So, what does it mean to “let him deny himself….”

Let him deny – G533– aparneomai – to deny, looking back to what was originally refused; “strongly reject” (especially the source). That is, utterly refusing to recognize the original source involved. Can imply “ignore, disown, or repudiate”

Now as we live our lives all of us make plans and have desires. Many of these desires are focused upon one thing. Us.

The desires for wealth, for luxuries, for leisure. These are all things that become something to not continue to seek after, but to, if not totally reject, lower its import in our lives.

Why?

Because you are hanging on to your life, and Jesus Christ made it clear, doing so will lead to you losing your soul, not saving it. This is fortified by 2 Peter 2:

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.”

Humanity will always seek after the here, the now. Yet Christ made it clear that we are not to do 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.

To store up treasures is seeking to have more money than you need to live. This is not what Christ tells us how to live. We are not to seek after a comfortable life, but a life that will sustain our existence till we are called unto the next life. To seek after fancy clothing, and fancy vehicles are things that are able to be eaten by moths and rust away. Fancy possessions that others would seek to steal are of the world and not needed by those that truly seek to follow Jesus Christ.

1 John 3:16-24 NKJV – By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.

“But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” 

The answer is: It does not. Therefore, if God’s love is not in this person are they still of the vine of Jesus Christ?

John 15:1-8 NKJV – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Many think they are a part of the Vine. Yet due to not following the commandments of the Bible are not bearing fruit upon the Vine. God Himself cuts them from the Vine and they are burnt within the fire. They are no longer apart of Jesus Christ, they are no longer saved, but are of the world. They are cast into the fire of damnation by their own actions and desires for worldly wealth and possessions. The very things they are required to give unto their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, then unto those of the rest of humanity that are in need. They, however, keep and horde it for themselves.

This is how most that call themselves “Christian” are today, and they are blind unto the Truth, and it is truly something to weep about. For they are the lukewarm and spit out of the Body of Christ.

Revelation 3:15-22 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. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Follow the commandments of the Bible as commanded by Jesus Christ Himself. Live modestly, do not break the laws of man that do not go against the Bible and change those that do. Stop seeking after the here, the now, the contemporary. Seek after the eternal life that we are promised by Jesus Christ and not after the riches of the world. For as long as you do, you seek to lose your salvation, by your own hand.

Day 2

In yesterday’s post I spelled out the need to follow the commandments in the Bible and showed with the Bible the foundation for this belief. I received a response by someone challenging the Word of God.

Part of my response to one challenge was as follows:

“Due to how my post was received yesterday someone used a quote from John MacArthur:

‘I cannot be saved by keeping the law, and I will not be sanctified by ignoring the law.’

“Just following the commandments alone cannot save you. I completely agree.”

He goes on to say this important statement: “I will not be sanctified by ignoring the law.”

What does this mean?

It is very simple. Everything I discussed in yesterday’s post fits perfectly with this.

Only through accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior can we be saved. However once saved and to grow in our sanctification we must follow the commandments, as Jesus Christ Himself said we must do.

As was witnessed by the response I received, most do not wish to grow in their sanctification. They would rather live their lives as they deem to be enough. This again is counter to the teachings of the Bible, as I have been trying to point out for years.

There is only one destination with this type of mentality, and it is a place that most think they will never encounter, yet as I have made clear this is the furthest thing from the truth. Thus, why these articles have been entitled “The Hard Truth.”

Ponder and think readers, ponder and think.

Day 3

Today’s society is a culture that in reality no longer qualifies as the word “society.”

Society as defined in the Cambridge dictionary as: people considered as a group, or a group of people who live together in a particular social system.

Today in the United States as well as in Europe, in addition to other countries throughout the world, people may live in the same geographical regions, but they no longer follow the same social system.

A social system or social structure is described as: the internal institutionalized relationships built up by persons living within a group (such as a family or community) especially with regard to the hierarchical organization of status and to the rules and principles regulating behavior per the Marion- Webster dictionary.

What is lacking in today’s society is the “principles regulating behavior.”

What were these principles?

They are what is referred to as ethics.

The defining ethical code that originally controlled and governed these nations was Christianity. Christianity works from the Bible. Within the Bible are a list of rules and regulations that are called commandments. Yet most have decided these commandments are antiquated and useless so as a result nations around the world are falling into chaos and disorder, which results in the beginning sentence of this days post.

Jesus Christ said this about the commandments and laws:

Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

“For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

So, the commandments for the most part are still in effect. This does not mean we are to stone people for their sins. That was taken out of our hands by Jesus Himself hanging upon the cross. However, we are to follow those commandments or laws as they were defined by Jesus and His apostles within the New Testament, and if they were not listed in the New Testament we were to refer to how they were originally addressed for the most part in the Old Testament. Especially those that deal with personal interaction with others within a society.

Most in today’s world diminish the commandments and their meanings especially within the “societies” we live within. This is witnessed daily as people speed down the roads and highways going faster than the posted speed limit. This is just one minor example of how the commandments of the Bible have become irrelevant. But what did Jesus say was the result of doing this?

“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven.”

You are making of yourself to be the “least in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Yet millions if not billions do this very thing and think nothing of it. In fact, they go about saying that those that say you should follow the commandments are teaching “legalism.”

Yet the true meaning of legalism is to go about performing rituals without knowing or even caring why these rituals are done. A very visual example of this is found within the Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.

However, why do these two churches now have these rituals? Both of these churches date back to the beginnings of Christianity. So, in some way they recognize the need to follow the commandments, even though they have lost their way.

Following the commandments does not require nor is legalism. It required love of God and His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:15-21 NKJV – “If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

Jesus knows that we cannot do this fully on our own, which is why being filled with the Holy Spirit is something we should seek after. For it will help us to fulfil and follow the commandments. For Jesus makes it clear that we must accept the commandments and obey them.

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me.” (KJV)

He that hath – echo – I have, hold, possess

Possess – to have or own something, or to have a particular quality.

We are to not just accept but to take as our own the commandments that are within the Bible. To live them and reflect them. Yet most reject this. Most per Jesus Himself are saying that they do not love Him, but in fact love themselves more. They refuse ownership of the commandments and choose to live their lives as they see fit to live it.

They embrace chaos over order and as a result we have the world we now live within. For all evil comes from humanity, while all love and peace comes from God.

So, this is the end of the look into the past. Those with an ear will hear. While those that still embrace the World will not take ownership and openly reject God.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #190 (The Misconception of Grace)

bible, 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 to do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

Misunderstanding the use of verses that contain the word “grace” within them. That is today’s topic.

One of the biggest of these verses is Romans 11:6. Why this particular one is one of the biggest is because it is taken totally out of context. Listen to it in context:

Romans 11:1-10 NKJV – I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, “LORD, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS AND TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY SEEK MY LIFE”? But what does the divine response say to him? “I HAVE RESERVED FOR MYSELF SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL.” Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work. What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. Just as it is written: “GOD HAS GIVEN THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE AND EARS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HEAR, TO THIS VERY DAY.” And David says: “LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RECOMPENSE TO THEM. LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED, SO THAT THEY DO NOT SEE, AND BOW DOWN THEIR BACK ALWAYS.”

As you just heard or read this is specifically aimed at what has been done to the tribes of Israel for rejecting Jesus as their Messiah.

Let’s look at another example:

1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NKJV – Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Now let’s look once again where the topic is those that are the tribes of Israel.

Galatians 2:11-21 NKJV – Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. “But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not! For if I build again those things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”

Here again we have a discussion about the tribes of Israel. In verse twenty-one the people again misuse this verse to give themselves permission to live in sin. The Bible does not contradict itself ever. Those that twist the Bible to suit their want to sin are the ones that cause the opposition. This verse is just stating that we must accept Jesus Christ as our Savior not just follow the law by itself. This is explained in James:

James 2:14-26 NKJV – What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

“But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

“I will show you my faith by my works.”

Christ said this in John fourteen:

John 14:15 NKJV – “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

His commandments are the laws which were not removed by Christ going to the cross. This is not all the laws, for Jesus also said this:

Matthew 5:17-19 NKJV – “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

The laws will not be fulfilled until the Great White Throne Judgment. Does not a judgement require laws to be able to accomplish a verdict? The answer is yes.

Any who says there is no laws, no commandments show they desire to receive a negative verdict from the judgement. It is as simple as that. What is this ruling?

 Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Now here many will be in an uproar. Why? Because of their dependence upon grace without works has been shown to be heading them towards the lake of fire. Let us now fortify this:

Galatians 1:6-10 NKJV – I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another.”

This clearly states that people received grace and then rejected it to seek after listening to a people pleasing gospel formed from the True Gospel. Simply, they turn their backs upon their salvation so they can continue to live in the sins they do not wish to abandon. They do this because it pleases them. So that they can continue to live in their sins and still think they are one with Christ.

This is why the Glorified Christ said this:

Revelation 3:15-17 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—

They are vomited from the Body of Christ, which is why those that teach the people pleasing gospel of faith alone are cursed. For they have led millions to being vomited from the Body and unless they repent NOW they will be cast into the lake of fire. Which will occur when the commandments finally come to an end at the Great White Throne Judgement.

As stated in James we show our grace we have received by our works. How we live and strive to follow Our Savior Jesus Christ by doing as he said we are to do… follow His commandments. The greatest of these is:

Matthew 22:37-40 NKJV – Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #73 (The laws within the Bible)

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

Matthew 5:17-20 – “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

These are the words of Jesus Christ about the laws of Moses. He also said this:

Matthew 22:36-40 – “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

By living these two greatest commandments we fulfill the laws of Moses. Does this mean we should ignore them? Millions believe this due to what is said in Galatians:

Galatians 2:15-21 – “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” 17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

How does this section begin though:

“You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles.”

Here is the key dividing line that must be kept in mind when reading these verses. Being born Jewish, they were subject to the law of Moses. Yet, their acceptance that Christ is their Savior these laws are no longer a factor.

However, to fulfill Christ’s mission we must remember these words:

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved.”

So, we must at least adhere to following those laws of Moses to fulfill treating others as we would treat ourselves. When you fully reject the laws of Moses you are in turn fully rejecting Christ who made it clear He came to fulfill these laws, and that they still need to be followed per His own teachings.

When you fully take Christ’s teachings into consideration. This is evident that Christ still taught these laws in everything He instilled through His instructions.

Then why do people insist that they are right and that the Christ is wrong?

Yes, you got what I said correct. They insist that the laws must be fully and completely abandoned. So, I will go back once again to the words of Jesus Christ Himself:

Matthew 5:17-20 – Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until the sky and earth pass away and perish, not one smallest letter nor one little hook [identifying certain Hebrew letters] will pass from the Law until all things [it foreshadows] are accomplished. 19 Whoever then breaks or does away with or relaxes one of the least [important] of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven, but he who practices them and teaches others to do so shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness (your uprightness and your right standing with God) is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Amplified Classic)

Let us look at the KJV now of verse 17:

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.

Destroy – G2647 – kataluó – (a) trans: I break up, overthrow, destroy, both lit. and met., (b) I unyoke, unharness a carriage horse or pack animal; hence: I put up, lodge, find a lodging.

Fulfil – G4137 – pléroó – I fill, fulfill, complete; to make replete, to furnish, satisfy, execute, verify, end.

  1. Replete – fully or abundantly provided or filled

Now look at verse 19:

Matthew 5:19 –  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Christ makes it clear that we are to continue to follow the laws of Moses, but as is shown in Matthew 22 we complete this task by treating others as we would treat ourselves. When not diminishing other and treating them as our equals we treat them as we wish to be treated.

When doing this there is no cheating others. There is no enslaving others. There is no killing others. There is no evil. Why? Because we are treating others as we seek to treat ourselves.

Now there will be those that say I am preaching legalism.

Then they have not been paying attention. This is not me saying these things. This is the words of Jesus Christ Himself.

If the Son of God says that we are to follow the laws. Then we are to follow the laws. If we are to follow the laws of man but not God that makes the entire Bible void and useless. This is how atheist see the Bible. This is how those that totally deny God see these teachings.

So, you are saying you side with the atheist and those that deny God?

Ponder upon that for a moment.

Does this not fulfill these verses that describes the last church described in the book of Revelation?

Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

Yes, it does.

Why because most have abandoned that which will cause them to do good works for God. (James 2:14-26) Which will cause them to bear fruit for God.

John 15:1-10 – “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. 7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! 8 When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father. 9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

“When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

Obey the commandments. That is not legalism. That is listening and following Jesus Christ in faith and works.

And what is the result if we do not keep Christ within us?

John 15:6 – If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (KJV)

I turn back to one of my early podcasts and I give you the breakdown of this verse:

He is cast – G906 – ballo – to throw [Strong’s]

“To throw” or “to cast,” “to cast off fruit. ‘Often in the NT “ballo” is used in different ways in connection with the thought of judgement, partly as a committal to the element which exercises it. Partly of expulsion from the community of salvation, when used with “exo.” [TDNT]

Forth – G1854 – exo – out [Strong’s]

Is withered – G3583 – xeraino – to desiccate, to shrivel [Strong’s]

Men gather – G4863 – synago – sunago – to lead together, collect or convene, to entertain [Strong’s]

Them into – G1519 -eis – to or into [Strong’s]

The fire – G4442 – pyr – pur – fire [Strong’s]

A judgement [TDNT]

They are burned – G2545 – kaio – to set on fire, consume [Strong’s]

With the TDNT the emphasis of this word is keyed to self-burning. Voluntarily giving oneself over to be burned.

The main takeaways from the translation of this verse is if you accept Christ as your Savior and you choose not to follow his teaching and live a truly Christian life. You instead choose to live in the world of man which entertains you. You are broken off from the Divine Vine that is Christ and you are cast willingly into the fires of judgement. Which agrees with Revelation 3:15-16.

As you think and ponder these words. I will leave you to think where you stand with God.

God Bless

SPECIAL ADDENDIM

In a comment made on the Facebook page for my podcasts someone made a haughty reply to this Bible study. (To understand why I use the word “haughty” please read “Blog for Podcast #65 (The Haughty)

In this comment the author implied that this law should still be followed:

Exodus 21:20-21 – “If a man beats his male or female slave with a club and the slave dies as a result, the owner must be punished. 21 But if the slave recovers within a day or two, then the owner shall not be punished, since the slave is his property.

My reply to this person was this:

Just for those that assume they know better than God through Jesus Christ.

Any of the old laws that don’t stand up to:

Matthew 22:37-40 – Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

In other words: Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Were voided upon the cross.

2 examples:

People do not enslave themselves.

People usually do not beat themselves.

Those that use this as an excuse not to follow the laws within the Bible. Need to rethink how they live their lives.

These two greatest commandments, which the moment Christ spoke them, I feel, should have changed the 10 Commandments into 12 Commandments. Becaming the litmus test for all the laws within the Bible.

As shown in my two examples when comparing to the law listed in Exodus. Anyone who loves their fellow humans as they love themselves would not enslave themselves or beat themselves. because we are placing the others before ourselves.

Philippians 2:1-4 – Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. 3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

God Bless

Blog for Podcast #45 (The Christian walk Part 1)

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

Intro

Welcome again to another podcast. Today we begin a two part series on how to see if we are allowing the Holy Spirit to work within our lives. This is Dreamwalker1960. As a reminder you can read the transcripts of all my podcasts at dreamwalker1960.com. Also, you do not need to download podbean if you wish to listen. You can use Listen Notes, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music or Audible, Google Podcasts or Apple Podcasts. As well as Pandora, Spotify and PlayerFM. All you need do is do a search for Dreamwalker1960.

Discussion

As I have made mention before. I have been called to teach those that fall into the group known within the Bible as the “lukewarm.” The thing is, many that fall into this category are unaware that they qualify. This is my greatest sorrow.

I saw a meme the other day that summed it up beautifully. It said that the Jewish people understood the laws of God but rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Then it said. Christians accept Jesus Christ as the Messiah but reject the laws of God. They choose to live in sin. Now I may be wasting my time, for the book of Hebrews says this:

6:4-6 – For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come— 6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame. 

However, God also said that He was here to give everyone a chance.

1 Timothy 2:1-6 – I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. 5 For, There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 

But I fear that many will reject God and His Son Jesus Christ when the tribulation begins. Having found themselves lacking in His sight to be left behind.

These people feel and believe that they need do nothing but accept Jesus as their Savior and they will be granted admission into heaven. This is only part of what is required. So, I have decided to dig out another of my earlier teachings to address this.

If you love me, keep my commandments.

These are the words of Jesus Christ in the fourteenth chapter of John the fifteenth verse. They are direct and to the point. However, when you really look into how those that call themselves “Christian.” How many of them truly do not love Jesus? For the majority do not follow this direct and simple directive from Jesus Christ the Son of God.

One of the main reasons for this is due to not even understanding their own faith and beliefs that forms this faith. This is something that need to be addressed. Many perceive this as legalism.

The main reason for this is due to how the true Word of God has been diluted or not even taught fully or completely. They live under a belief that if all they do is believe then they will make it into heaven.

James 2:14-17 – What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Faith alone without following the commandments is dead. It is a simple statement. It comes straight to the point. If you do not follow and live the teachings of Jesus Christ, you are dead unto Him. If you are dead unto Him, you are not of Him, and so hate Him. They are living what is called a lukewarm live.

How does Jesus Himself few the lukewarm?

Revelation 3:15-16 – “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! 16 But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!

They are so distasteful to Him that He spits them from His Body.

So how can we change this? How can we make it where we are not spit out by Jesus?

We come full circle back to where we began. We follow the commandments.

It is here that someone will start to argue that Jesus dying upon the cross and then rising upon the third day removed the need to follow the commandments. However, that is not the correct interpretation of what the Bible teaches.

Matthew 5:17-20 – “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. 20 “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!

Again, we are told by Jesus Christ Himself that we are to follow the commandments. So how can you even attempt to question? It is not me that you are challenging but Jesus Christ Himself and His own words. So, following the commandments, especially those taught by Jesus Christ Himself are not legalism, it is the required works of a living faith in Jesus and His Father, God. It is the act of love He asks of us to do.

The first steps (part one)


The first steps are the hardest, aren’t they? It takes months for a baby to finally get to the point of walking. It is a series of trials and errors. Sometimes they are a shock, a surprise. Other times it hurts, and the child ends up crying at the least, bleeding at the most. This too is the Christian faith as we strive ever daily to be more Christ-like.
However, we need a starting point. To follow the commandments, we must come to understand that the true “commandments” is not just the ten commandments. In fact, the commandments are found in Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. This is verified in an exchange Jesus has with one of the religious leaders that confronted Him. It is found in Mark twelve, Luke ten and Matthew twenty-two. However, it is also first shown in Deuteronomy six:


4-6 – “Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. 5 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today.


This confirms that all the laws within these three books to a degree are still in force. Does this mean we are to go and stone someone? For heaven’s sake no. It does mean we need to put those things into practice that can be maintained by our own actions and behavior. Nor are we to perform sacrifices for Jesus was the pure Lamb sacrificed for our salvation unto to His Father God.
However, what is our first steps other than coming to know the Bible and the commandments there in? How do we put into practice that which we know we must do to avoid death of our spirit? For we have determined not to live by faith alone, but by both faith and works.
Well we must find something that is common for most of humanity, be they Christian or not.


Romans 13:1-7 – Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. 6 Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.


Titus 3:1 – Remind the believers to submit to the government and its officers. They should be obedient, always ready to do what is good.


Now I know many both Christian and non-Christian that daily disobey this one teaching. So, it is here that I feel we should begin. For from here once it becomes a habit can lead unto other teachings and commandments within the Bible. What is this one thing that is daily disobeyed? Following the speed limits and other traffic laws.
This is something that is shared by all of humanity and can in reality show your commitment to following God with all your heart, mind and soul. But how is that accomplished? How do you put it into practice? Why put it into practice? I will answer all three of these questions in reverse order as we continue this series.

The first steps (part two)


Why put obeying the road laws into practice?
The main reason for this is made perfectly clear in Romans 13, but we shall do a deep dive into these verses to get a better understanding and thus answer the question that was just asked.


Romans 13:1-5 – Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2- Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3- For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4- For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5- Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.


For all authority comes from God.


To address this we must turn to the fourth book of Daniel:


4:17 – “For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.”


Simply obeying the laws given by a state or nation that do not go against the Bible and its teachings is something that we must follow as an open expression of our faith and love in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
So following the speed limit says you love Jesus.
When an ending lane merges to the lane that does not. If you are in the lane ending you allow those in the other lane to go before you, yielding them the right of way. This in turn goes into the next verse in Titus three:
2 – They must not slander anyone and must avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to everyone.
The laws created for the road are practices taught within the Bible, just applied to how you get about in your everyday life. Yet, most that profess to be “Christian” find the need to follow these laws a burden, an inconvenience, something to be tolerated. Why? Because they the “Christian” are more important.
They are more important than God or their very salvation.
To be humble is one of the true vestments of Christianity. So what is the word “humility” in Titus?
Humility (NLT) – meekness (KJV) –  G4236 – praiotes – properly, temperate, displaying the right blend of force and reserve (gentleness). praótēs (“strength in gentleness”) avoids unnecessary harshness, yet without compromising or being too slow to use necessary force.
I will let you ponder upon this definition, and allow you to make your own conclusion as how to behave upon the road.
I have heard all the excuses by those that profess “Christianity.”
“Well during the time I am driving, if I go the speed limit I am a safety hazard to those upon the road.”
“If I go the speed limit I have to go to bed earlier and miss my favorite TV show.”
“I have so far to travel I will be on the road longer.”
These are things I hope, if I have not already shown to be addressed, as they should be by now, they will be addressed as we answer the next two questions as this series continues.

God bless

Blog for podcast #7

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

Intro

Welcome to another broadcast, and I am Dreamwalker1960.
Today we will begin to explore the mindset of the lukewarm. So they can begin to understand why it is that the Glorified Jesus Christ spit them from His body.
Again this will be a painful message. However it must be said. The world has had enough of pampering and as it says in Proverbs 13:24:
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.
Discussion
In Revelation 3:17 we are given a description of the lukewarm:
“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Now it continues to say which rewards you are to seek after in verse 18:
So I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.
Christ says to seek after purified gold which ties into verse 17’s “I am rich.”
Then he states to buy a white garment from Him. This goes partly to “I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing.”
In this world we live within today. The lukewarm can boast to all about them that they are rich. They live in a huge house, they drive a fancy car. Their house has many room. Many of which are not even used unless they have guests. Yet every room is filled with items they have collected unto themselves for their own satisfaction and grandeur. Sacrificial offerings all unto themselves.
They dress in their finest when they go to the buildings called “church.” Showing off their foofaraws.
I remember one day in the early years of my faith as I sat in the balcony at church I was attending with my family. A lady stood up from her seat in the pews down below me. She caught my eye because she was waving her hand to someone a few pews away and was trying to get her attention. When she caught the other woman’s eye. I could see this lady mouthing the words:
“I love you hat!” to the other lady.
All I could do was shake my head. This was my enlightening that this church I was in was not a God focused church. It was focused upon the people within it, not God.
This is one of the main issues that those that are lukewarm suffer. They are self-absorbed. Their god is not THE God. But themselves.
The very first commandment given to us in Exodus.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
For decades I away thought of this as if God were referring to the ancient gods of Egypt, Greece or Rome. These gods are another topic altogether. Then for decades I thought He was referring to Hollywood actors or sports personalities. Well He was, but that wasn’t all He was referring to. He was also referring to the greatest god all humans worship. It is themselves. Each and every human worships themselves over God and His Son our Savior. It is something that we can never truly purge from our souls as long as we live within these corrupt earthly bodies. It is why we must have a daily, if not hourly, relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Jesus actually added two new commandments in a fashion.
Mark 12:29 – Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
They also appear in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18.
A quick Note here. This statement by Christ tells us two things. First there are 12 commandments and second there are actually more than just twelve. We are to follow all the teachings within Deuteronomy and Leviticus and apply where required in a post resurrection world. But that is a topic for another day perhaps.
But enough of the side note, let’s get back on topic.
Each person is their own greatest god.
Due to this they seek after what is pleasing to them. Be it possessions; to complements; to entering into sexual encounters, which at times result in a child they don’t want. So they go down to the nearest temple to the ultimate god of selfishness. Offering up this child as gift upon the altar of self-indulgence. Many times professing they are “Christian” and doing what is best for all concerned. All save the child whose life just ended.
Was this child loved as those that chose to abort it love themselves, as we are told to do by Jesus Himself? The answer is no.
What is truly sad is that due to people thinking themselves “Christian” or not. They have truly no concept of this basic knowledge due to the removal of God from where God once could be easily found. That is one way we know we are in the last part of the church age, and why I am teaching upon these difficult and even heartbreaking topic. For I want all to stand before God in joy and happiness, and not sorrow and horror.
The mere fact that there is so much unrest going on in our streets is a testament to the truth I am speaking right now. Other signs we are in the end times is:
Matthew 24:7 – Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world.
Additionally in Mark 13:12 Jesus says this:
“Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.”
Nations translates to races, while kingdoms translates to countries. Have we not experienced a race against race upheaval? Are we not in a war as I speak? Isn’t there reports of earthquakes nearly monthly? I just saw a video the other day of a young black man who on his birthday told his family that he was conservative. They disowned him on the spot. Plus you add on top of this we are in the church age of the lukewarm.
Jesus is coming and soon.
Stop worshipping yourself. Stop hording your riches unto yourself. You don’t need to live in a huge home if there is only two people or even one person living in it. The money you spent upon yourself could be uses to help those in true need.
“But that is why I pay taxes!” someone just said.
It is not the government’s job it is your job as a Christian. If you have the money to live in a huge house. You have the money to live in a two bedroom condo and use the rest to love your fellow humans as you would love yourself. We are to give our money to needed charities that help those in need. We are to do it not the government. This comes from 1 John 3:17.
The greatest leader is someone who desire to serve his fellow humans not lead them. Any who seek to lead and control are to be shunned and turned away from. Any who wish to dominate are worshipping themselves and see themselves as gods that deserve to be worshipped. They wish for you to look upon them as a god. Does this not sound like the Pharaohs and the Roman emperors of old? All humanity is equal be they ruler or pulpier; sinner or saint. Look to Mark 10:42-44.
Conclusion
Humanity are not the gods. Only the Creator of the Universe is. Stop seeking after self-glorification. Turn toward the true God. Who sent His Son to walk amongst us, to be the ultimate sacrifice so that we can speak to God freely and without shame. Cast off the worldly gold and seek after the gold that is purchased from Jesus Christ upon the pyres of trials and tribulations. That we as Christians are told we must endure. Seek out the white robes of salvation that can only be purchased by being bathed in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
Bow your knee to God and beg for His forgiveness in the name of His Glorified Son, the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior. Seek out those that do not seek to rule or control. Seek out those willing to stand their ground for God. Seek out those willing to teach the true Word of God. Accept the trials and embrace the pain that comes with being a true disciple of Jesus. For our path is not easy, and we are told it will become even worse the closer we come to the return of our Savior Jesus Christ. As we are seeing by being denied the rights to even gather to worship our true God.
God Bless.

The Greatest Commandments (Re-re-visited)

Christian, Christian Life, General, Guide, Life, Relationship, Thoughts, , , , , View all 2 comments

Why is it that I keep coming back to this teaching of Christ?
Mainly because Jesus Himself placed so much emphasis upon it. To love God first and always.
This is a very simple statement, but it is one of the hardest of all things to do. To place God before yourself ESPECIALLY in today’s society is one daunting effort. How do I know this? Because I struggle with it every single day. So since I know how hard it is, is it any different for anyone else? I am just an average guy, if you saw me on the street you would walk right passed me. I am in no way special. That means I know how others respond to this. I see how they act and compare it to how I act. We all do this. Some might call it judging, but that is not what I am doing. I am just comparing how we act to how we are told to act in the Bible.
How can you place God first if you are more interested in what is on the television?
How can you place God first if you are more concerned about how you look when you go out?
These are just two examples. There are thousands more and would take too long to list them out.
When you place life before God you are worshiping it. This is something that has been done for thousands of year and has caused thousands of wars, murders and other types of bloodshed and mayhem. All of which leads to a selfishness and desire to be the center or ruler of it all, in one form or another.
An excellent example is how people perceived the universe just before the Renaissance period of our history.
At this time, most not only thought of the world as flat, but that the sun, the moon and stars all revolved about this planet we live upon. This is mass selfishness. A selfishness that made people to build castles and fight one another for dominion over one another.
Well we again live in an era of mass selfishness. Are we due for a new renaissance? Maybe. Ever since we found out that the earth revolved about the sun it cause a change in how we thought for a time being. It enabled Martin Luther to post his thesis on the door, which in turn caused the church which was then solely the Catholic Church, which selfishly desire to control the teachings of the Bible to splinter and so protestants came into being in the formation of the Lutheran Church.
Now we are in an era where we find not only is our sun, even though the center of our solar system, is just one of a million stars that make up the Milky Way Galaxy and that there are millions of other galaxies out there. Within them their own solar systems and within them their own planets that circle that a sun.
This has caused a rift in faith. It has caused many to run from God thinking that He is not real since we are just a speck within a huge universe, some place off to the side and we have no meaning.
I beg to differ with this thinking. One of the greatest qualities we can have is humility. If you are the center of it all are you truly able to become humble? The answer to that is no.
So to me, God placing this tiny speck of a planet on the edge of a galaxy is to teach us that it is not us that is important, but God. It is meant to make us look at the universe, even though we are in a small part of it and see that it is His creation. To see that WE are His creation. This universe is so vast and it expanse so big that it is immeasurable, yet here we are living, thinking beings. How can people even consider we are here as a random accident caused “maybe” by a comet that “maybe” carried the right combination of cells to “maybe” cause life? That entire thought process is laughable when you really consider it, yet millions are buying into it. Why? Because Christians do not understand their true existence themselves. They themselves question how and where they come from. Why? Because they are human.
Humanity is not perfect. All of us have doubts. All of us question, which results in a misunderstand of the teaching of the Bible. Which resulted in for example a Lutheran priest to tell his congregation the book of Revelation is nothing but a story made up to scare people. Yet at this very moment elements of the last book of the Bible are coming true at this very moment. A book in the Bible that is also witnessed by the book of Daniel reaffirming that in reality it is not a fairy tale but like the entire Bible the words of God given to us to know that we are His creation and that even though we are but a speck within this huge and wondrous universe. A universe so filled with beauty, that God sees us as something beautiful and wonderful. For we are His creation, something that He said is worthy of existing.
Think upon this, and become humble, and realize that if you seek to be the center of it all you are in reality denying God, since time and again He tells humans that they are not the center of the universe, but that HE is.
So as the second of the greatest commandments tells us to do. We are to love our fellow human beings as we love ourselves, but to do that we my first humble ourselves. For when you humble yourself you realize that you could never be at the center of anything and we are to treat ALL humanity as not only our equals, but as our brothers and sisters in this wondrous creation of the Creator our Lord God, the Father of our Savior the Christ, Jesus.

Goals Christians should seek to fulfill

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

It is important that those that have asked Jesus Christ into their heart to learn to do several things.
First and foremost we need to go to the two top commandments that very few even know are both commandments and the top ones.
To love God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Luke 10:27; Mark 12:30)
Simply make every action you do, every word you say and every thought that you have place God at its core. This is also the hardest to accomplish but it is THE most important of all.
To love your neighbor as you would love yourself. (Leviticus 19:9-18; Mark 31, Matthew 22:39; Luke 22:37)
The Golden rule “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” Would you lie to yourself? Would you steal form yourself? Would you belittle and curse yourself? Then do not do it to others.
Then, of course, follow the other Ten Commandments.
Then we should do what is to follow.
Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17)
This means every chance you get where ever you are … pray. It doesn’t mean knell down and pray. It means as you are working, pray. As you are walking, pray. As you are driving, pray. As you cook, pray.
Teach your children of God and the Bible every single chance you get. (Deuteronomy 6:7)
Read the word of God. (Matthew 4:4; Joshua 1:8; Romans 15:4)
Strive to remove sin from your life. (1 John 1:9; 1 John 2:1-2; Romans 6:1-23)
If the Bible says it is a sin then it is one and if you are committing this sin you should do your best through pray and guidance from God to end this sin from your life.
As best you can, remove yourself from those that would tempt you to sin. (1 Corinthians 15:33; Proverbs 13:20; Psalms 1:1)
Follow the laws of the land you live in if they do not promote sin. (Roman 13:1; Titus 3:1)
Like go the speed limit, vote, do nothing that can be called illegal unless it denies you the ability to worship God.

Zombies

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

Due to the Bible no longer being taught correctly nor being read by most as it should be or read at all. There are people going about being nothing but zombies.
They live in their little world of selfishness. Everything must revolved about them, or it is hated, despised and ridiculed. Not worthy of their time and effort because it does not give them satisfaction.
All others in humanity are their personal slaves to answer to their whims and desires. This has been how humanity has acted for thousands of years. It is due this mentality that truly caused slavery, which truly caused events like the Crusades, the Holocaust, and Jihads.
The belief that any human form is below you is the true dystopia. It already exists and will continue to exist as long has people promote a zombie like culture. This is why zombie shows and movies have become so popular. People just don’t realize that they are cheering for the dead, because they are dead. Christians avoid these shows because they see how evil they are.
True and eternal life comes from only one source. God and the belief that His Son is our Savior. In the teachings of the Bible we are told time and again to place God first in all that we do. To treat all others like we would like to be treated ourselves. To become humble and actually place all others before ourselves. This is true life, but can only be achieved by first asking Jesus into our hearts and lives and accepting Him as our Savior. Then actually reading the Bible and then actually following the teaching that are within it. Then living by the Twelve Commandants. Yes Twelve, for Jesus Himself added two more.
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 13 Thou shalt not kill. 14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 15 Thou shalt not steal. 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.
If all would follow this then there would be no zombies and they will make it to the true Utopia, which you can read about within the pages of the Bible.