"Hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, who dwell securely, who say in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me; I will not sit as a widow, nor shall I know the loss of children.'" (Isaiah 47:8)
One of the first signs of "self-sufficiency" in a person is when they make this statement about themselves: "I have to take care of myself because I have no one else to take care of me." If you are one to make this kind of statement, let me tell you that you are living with a spirit of self-sufficiency as well as a spirit of fear. How do I know that? I have had a Christian single woman tell me that because I have chosen to be a "homemaker" - staying home to care for my husband and my home instead of being a "career woman", that I really should not be staying at home but I need to be working to save all I can now for the future and for my old age. Do you know what happened when I heard that? It opened the door wide for our enemy (Satan) to flood me with the "spirit of FEAR" that was in her! For the next 2-3 months after hearing that statement, I ended up in the fiercest battle with Satan over the spirit of fear that I have ever had! As Christian women, we should not be speaking "fear" and "self-sufficiency" into someone's life like this woman did to me. Instead, we need to be encouraging women (especially single women) that God will take care of them.
The second sign of "self-sufficiency" is in the above verse where it says, "I am, and there is no one else besides me." Do you realize that by making that statement to yourself and about yourself that you are making yourself equal to God? God's holy Name for Jehovah is "I AM"! If that isn't bad enough, all through the book of Isaiah God is continuously reminding us that "there is no god besides Him"! Yet, in our self-sufficiency and pride, we are doing just that - making ourselves a god! In fact, wasn't that one of the lies of the enemy, Satan, himself in the garden of Eden? In Genesis 3:5 the serpent (Satan) said to Eve, "...you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
An interesting thing about desiring to be a god is that you also need to be "in control" - especially of your life (and maybe even the lives of those around you). So, when we begin to feel that we are not in control any longer - that's when the spirits of fear and anxiety come in and flood our minds. When you get right down to the bottom of this thing of "making ourselves gods" - it becomes the sin of idolatry. Idolatry is the breaking of the 2nd Commandment of God's Ten Commandment moral law.
So, how do you overcome this spirit of self-sufficiency and the spirit of fear? You MUST go to the Word of God, the Bible! A few verses before the above verse, in Isaiah 46:3-4, God spoke this to me: "Listen to Me, Chris! You have been upheld by Me from birth, and have been carried (by Me) in the womb..." "Even to your old age, I am He, and even to your gray hairs I will carry you! I have made you, and I will bear you; Even I will carry you, and deliver you." And then, in Isaiah 46:11 He said to me, "Indeed, I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it!"
What comfort and peace that brought to my heart and soul!
In conclusion, therefore, let me share what God's opinion is of someone who is "self-sufficient": "Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; and you have said in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one else besides me.'" In other words, a self-sufficient person, in God's eyes, has a warped mind and a warped heart! If we don't keep ourselves humble and dependent on God, this is what He says will happen:
"Look, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with sparks: (Go ahead) walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled - this you shall have from My hand: you shall lie down in torment." (Isaiah 50:11)
Make a decision today to not be "self-sufficient", but to be totally dependent on God. "For in Him we live and move and have our being..." (Acts 17:28)
Showing posts with label Commandments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commandments. Show all posts
Monday, April 20, 2015
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Are God's Ten Commandments Good or Not Good?
Today, in many of our evangelical churches, God's Law (including the Ten Commandments) in the Old Testament is being proclaimed as "bad, burdensome, only being a type or shadow, having been done away with (fulfilled), no longer applicable to New Testament Christians, etc. etc." However, one of the greatest apostles of all time, the Apostle Paul, declared in Romans 7:12 - "Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." Obviously, Paul was never taught what many of the ministers of our churches have been taught in their seminaries - that "The Age of Grace" or "The Dispensation of Grace" has made God's Law obsolete! So, who are we to believe...these ministers, who I believe are false prophets, or God's Word?
Since Romans 7:12 begins with the word, "Therefore", we need to look at the previous verses to see what made Paul come to the conclusion that God's "Law is holy and God's Commandment holy, just and good." In Verse 7, Paul states that God's Law helped him to know sin: "...For I would not have known sin except through the Law." To me, that doesn't sound like such a bad thing, is it? In Verse 10, Paul states that "And the Commandment, which was to bring LIFE, I found to bring death." What? The purpose of the Commandment was to bring LIFE? Again, what is so bad about that?
Let's continue on with some verses that follow Romans 7:12. In Verse 14, Paul declares God's Law to be "spiritual". In Verse 22, Paul states that he "delights in the Law of God"! Lastly, in Verse 25, Paul states that he "serves the Law of God". Please remember that the New Testament had not been written yet, so Paul WAS NOT referring to any "New Testament Law" - but had to be referring to God's Law, (including the Ten Commandments) in the Old Testament.
Contrary to what many of us have been taught in our churches and in our Bible colleges and seminaries, this is what God says about His Law in the Old Testament, according to Paul:
1. God's Law is Holy.
2. God's Commandment is Holy.
3. God's Commandment is Just.
4. God's Commandment is Good.
5. God's Law Reveals Sin.
6. God's Law Gives LIFE.
Oh, I know that Romans 7:10 says, "And the commandment which was to bring life, I found to bring death." However, we must look at the next verse - Verse 11: "For SIN, taking occasion by the commandment, DECEIVED me, and by IT killed me." God's Commandments are to give LIFE, not death! It is SIN that is deceiving everyone to BELIEVE that God's holy, just and good Commandments are in fact, bad!! This takes us directly back to the Garden of Eden, where Satan cast doubt on the "goodness" of God's Commandment and deceived Eve when he declared to her, "You will not surely die" (Gen. 3:3) IF she disobeyed and broke God's Commandment. However, God had told her that she would surely die. Was it God's Commandment that was going to kill her? Or, was it her disobedience to the Commandment of God (sin) that would kill her? Of course, it was her sin.
Just like our courts of law today in the U.S. - God's Law either declares us "Guilty" or God's Law can declare us "Not Guilty". It all depends IF sin has deceived us into breaking God's Law - the Ten Commandments. I John 3:4 says - "Sin is lawlessness." (NKJV) The King James Version says, "Sin is the transgression of the Law." Living without the Law of God (lawlessness) by breaking it or being disobedient to it (transgressing it) is what will sentence us to eternal death at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Speaking of the "Judgment Seat of Christ", let us not forget WHO "the Lawgiver" is. The logical response to that is "the Lawgiver is the One Who will be sitting on the Judgment Seat" - and that is Jesus Christ! James 4:12 says, "There is one Lawgiver and Judge, Who is able to save and to destroy." God's Law does not save or destroy us - it only declares us "Guilty" or "Not Guilty", and even that is good!
When you stand before Jesus Christ, the Lawgiver, on the day of Judgment - will He declare you to be "Guilty" or "Not Guilty" according to His Law - The Ten Commandments?
Since Romans 7:12 begins with the word, "Therefore", we need to look at the previous verses to see what made Paul come to the conclusion that God's "Law is holy and God's Commandment holy, just and good." In Verse 7, Paul states that God's Law helped him to know sin: "...For I would not have known sin except through the Law." To me, that doesn't sound like such a bad thing, is it? In Verse 10, Paul states that "And the Commandment, which was to bring LIFE, I found to bring death." What? The purpose of the Commandment was to bring LIFE? Again, what is so bad about that?
Let's continue on with some verses that follow Romans 7:12. In Verse 14, Paul declares God's Law to be "spiritual". In Verse 22, Paul states that he "delights in the Law of God"! Lastly, in Verse 25, Paul states that he "serves the Law of God". Please remember that the New Testament had not been written yet, so Paul WAS NOT referring to any "New Testament Law" - but had to be referring to God's Law, (including the Ten Commandments) in the Old Testament.
Contrary to what many of us have been taught in our churches and in our Bible colleges and seminaries, this is what God says about His Law in the Old Testament, according to Paul:
1. God's Law is Holy.
2. God's Commandment is Holy.
3. God's Commandment is Just.
4. God's Commandment is Good.
5. God's Law Reveals Sin.
6. God's Law Gives LIFE.
Oh, I know that Romans 7:10 says, "And the commandment which was to bring life, I found to bring death." However, we must look at the next verse - Verse 11: "For SIN, taking occasion by the commandment, DECEIVED me, and by IT killed me." God's Commandments are to give LIFE, not death! It is SIN that is deceiving everyone to BELIEVE that God's holy, just and good Commandments are in fact, bad!! This takes us directly back to the Garden of Eden, where Satan cast doubt on the "goodness" of God's Commandment and deceived Eve when he declared to her, "You will not surely die" (Gen. 3:3) IF she disobeyed and broke God's Commandment. However, God had told her that she would surely die. Was it God's Commandment that was going to kill her? Or, was it her disobedience to the Commandment of God (sin) that would kill her? Of course, it was her sin.
Just like our courts of law today in the U.S. - God's Law either declares us "Guilty" or God's Law can declare us "Not Guilty". It all depends IF sin has deceived us into breaking God's Law - the Ten Commandments. I John 3:4 says - "Sin is lawlessness." (NKJV) The King James Version says, "Sin is the transgression of the Law." Living without the Law of God (lawlessness) by breaking it or being disobedient to it (transgressing it) is what will sentence us to eternal death at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Speaking of the "Judgment Seat of Christ", let us not forget WHO "the Lawgiver" is. The logical response to that is "the Lawgiver is the One Who will be sitting on the Judgment Seat" - and that is Jesus Christ! James 4:12 says, "There is one Lawgiver and Judge, Who is able to save and to destroy." God's Law does not save or destroy us - it only declares us "Guilty" or "Not Guilty", and even that is good!
When you stand before Jesus Christ, the Lawgiver, on the day of Judgment - will He declare you to be "Guilty" or "Not Guilty" according to His Law - The Ten Commandments?
Friday, July 18, 2014
What's Different in the Ten Commandments of the Catholic Church?
Did you know that the Roman Catholic Church has a different set of the Ten Commandments than the Holy Bible has? It is true. The normal person will never find this out unless they open their Bible and place it beside the Catholic book, "A Catechism for Adults". As you read through the following list of the Ten Commandments of the Roman Catholic Church, see if you can find where the difference is:
1. I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me. (Exodus 20:2,3)
2. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)
3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath Day. (Exodus 20:8)
4. Honor thy father and thy mother. (Exodus 20:12)
5. Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13)
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
7. Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. (Exodus 20:17)
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. (Exodus 20:17)
If you look closely at the first two commandments above, you will see a rather large gap between Exodus 20:2 & 3 and Exodus 20:7. When you look in the Holy Bible, you will see that the Roman Catholic Church has "conveniently" left out, Exodus 20:4 & 5 which says, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..."
Why would the Catholic Church make these changes? The Catholic Church has through the centuries practiced idolatry by making "carved images" of Mary and Jesus Christ, and instructing their followers to "bow down" to them. Unfortunately, unless the person who is a practicing Catholic really studies their Bible - they will never find this "false teaching" being taught by their church.
So, when I found this out, I still had a problem because even though they removed the 2nd Commandment, they were still able to have ten Commandments. How was this possible? Again, you must look at Exodus in your Bible and then look at their list of the Ten Commandments in order to find this error. Look closely at the 9th Commandment and the 10th Commandment above. You will find that the Roman Catholic Church has taken the 10th Commandment and divided it into two parts - thus creating their own "Ten Commandments".
For those of you who don't know what the correct list of the Ten Commandments is, here they are taken directly from the Holy Bible:
1. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:2,3)
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, is a jealous God. (Exodus 20:4,5)
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)
4. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God, in it you shall do no work. (Exodus 20:8-11)
5. Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
6. You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)
7. You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
8. You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
(Exodus 20:17)
One other thing to note is the 4th Commandment regarding the 7th day Sabbath Day. If you take some time to look back in history, you will find that again it was the Romans who moved the Lord's holy Sabbath Day from Saturday to Sunday.
The Roman Catholics will even take credit for this change today! In their book, "A Catechism for Adults" on page 115 under "Note #1" it states, "The Church (meaning the Roman Catholic Church) changed the Lord's Day from Saturday to Sunday because our Lord rose from the dead on Sunday and the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday." Unfortunately, they fail to see that Jesus Christ RESTED in the grave on HIS Sabbath Day! And, as soon as the Sabbath was over, HE AROSE!! As His followers, we are to also rest on HIS HOLY DAY - Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Jesus called Himself, "the Lord of the Sabbath". It belongs to Him (not the Roman Catholic Church or any other denomination), and therefore, we have no authority to move it to another day.
In closing, ALWAYS be diligent to study the accuracy of what your spiritual leaders are teaching you. As I have just shown above, it is easy for a person to be deceived and to believe false teachings unless that person stays in God's Word, the Bible, on a daily basis.
1. I am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me. (Exodus 20:2,3)
2. Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)
3. Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath Day. (Exodus 20:8)
4. Honor thy father and thy mother. (Exodus 20:12)
5. Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13)
6. Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
7. Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
8. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
9. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. (Exodus 20:17)
10. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. (Exodus 20:17)
If you look closely at the first two commandments above, you will see a rather large gap between Exodus 20:2 & 3 and Exodus 20:7. When you look in the Holy Bible, you will see that the Roman Catholic Church has "conveniently" left out, Exodus 20:4 & 5 which says, "You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God..."
Why would the Catholic Church make these changes? The Catholic Church has through the centuries practiced idolatry by making "carved images" of Mary and Jesus Christ, and instructing their followers to "bow down" to them. Unfortunately, unless the person who is a practicing Catholic really studies their Bible - they will never find this "false teaching" being taught by their church.
So, when I found this out, I still had a problem because even though they removed the 2nd Commandment, they were still able to have ten Commandments. How was this possible? Again, you must look at Exodus in your Bible and then look at their list of the Ten Commandments in order to find this error. Look closely at the 9th Commandment and the 10th Commandment above. You will find that the Roman Catholic Church has taken the 10th Commandment and divided it into two parts - thus creating their own "Ten Commandments".
For those of you who don't know what the correct list of the Ten Commandments is, here they are taken directly from the Holy Bible:
1. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:2,3)
2. You shall not make for yourself a carved image - any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, is a jealous God. (Exodus 20:4,5)
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)
4. Remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God, in it you shall do no work. (Exodus 20:8-11)
5. Honor your father and mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
6. You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)
7. You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
8. You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
(Exodus 20:17)
One other thing to note is the 4th Commandment regarding the 7th day Sabbath Day. If you take some time to look back in history, you will find that again it was the Romans who moved the Lord's holy Sabbath Day from Saturday to Sunday.
The Roman Catholics will even take credit for this change today! In their book, "A Catechism for Adults" on page 115 under "Note #1" it states, "The Church (meaning the Roman Catholic Church) changed the Lord's Day from Saturday to Sunday because our Lord rose from the dead on Sunday and the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles on Pentecost Sunday." Unfortunately, they fail to see that Jesus Christ RESTED in the grave on HIS Sabbath Day! And, as soon as the Sabbath was over, HE AROSE!! As His followers, we are to also rest on HIS HOLY DAY - Saturday, the seventh day of the week. Jesus called Himself, "the Lord of the Sabbath". It belongs to Him (not the Roman Catholic Church or any other denomination), and therefore, we have no authority to move it to another day.
In closing, ALWAYS be diligent to study the accuracy of what your spiritual leaders are teaching you. As I have just shown above, it is easy for a person to be deceived and to believe false teachings unless that person stays in God's Word, the Bible, on a daily basis.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Which Day is the Sabbath?
According to the Bible, God's Word, the Sabbath Day is the 7th day of the week, which is from sundown on Friday night to sundown on Saturday night. Jesus, (God the Creator, Colossians 1:15, 16), made the Sabbath Day at Creation for all mankind. (The Jewish people were not in existence yet. Genesis 2:2-3). This explains why the 4th Commandment begins with the word, "Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy." This is also why Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27-28). In that statement, Jesus is clearly referring back to Creation and re-stating that the 7th day is His day, the true Lord's Day.
Genesis 2:3 says that "God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." It was God Who "sanctified" the Sabbath Day, making it "holy and set apart". Because He rested from His work on that day, He commands that no work is to be done on it - either by us or by our causing other people to work on that day for us. (Exodus 20:8-11). Since God is our Father and we are His children, we are to follow in His footsteps.
The Sabbath is a day to be different from the other 6 days in our week. Many Christians think it doesn't matter which day of the week we worship God on. It's important that we remember that God never called the first day of the week (Sunday) "holy" or any of the other 5 days. The Sabbath Day, which is the 7th day of the week, is the only day which God called "holy" and by doing so, He consecrated it to Himself as a day for us to shut the world out so we can spend time in worship, fellowship, and relationship with Him.
Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15). Since the Sabbath Day is one of God's Ten Commandments, the first reason we are to honor the Sabbath Day is because of our love for Jesus Christ and the grace He has so richly poured out upon us for our salvation. Secondly, because of all that He's done for us, it should be our heart's desire to be obedient to His Word and to all of His commandments. As David the Psalmist said in Psalm 119:174, "Your law is my delight."
Genesis 2:3 says that "God blessed the 7th day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." It was God Who "sanctified" the Sabbath Day, making it "holy and set apart". Because He rested from His work on that day, He commands that no work is to be done on it - either by us or by our causing other people to work on that day for us. (Exodus 20:8-11). Since God is our Father and we are His children, we are to follow in His footsteps.
The Sabbath is a day to be different from the other 6 days in our week. Many Christians think it doesn't matter which day of the week we worship God on. It's important that we remember that God never called the first day of the week (Sunday) "holy" or any of the other 5 days. The Sabbath Day, which is the 7th day of the week, is the only day which God called "holy" and by doing so, He consecrated it to Himself as a day for us to shut the world out so we can spend time in worship, fellowship, and relationship with Him.
Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." (John 14:15). Since the Sabbath Day is one of God's Ten Commandments, the first reason we are to honor the Sabbath Day is because of our love for Jesus Christ and the grace He has so richly poured out upon us for our salvation. Secondly, because of all that He's done for us, it should be our heart's desire to be obedient to His Word and to all of His commandments. As David the Psalmist said in Psalm 119:174, "Your law is my delight."
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
When is The Sabbath Day: The Illogical Thinking of Sunday Christians
I was just thinking the other day about the illogical thinking of so many "Sunday" Christians when they don't like being told by God in Exodus 20:10 that they are not to work on the 7th day of the week (Saturday) because it is a holy day to the Lord. Basically they are saying, "WE want to be able to work 7 days a week" (or have others work to serve them), and they call that "freedom from the law".
The Sunday Christian says: "I want the freedom (from God's law) to work 7 days a week or whatever day I choose to work."
But GOD SAYS working 7 days a week is bondage (slavery). That's why He pulled the Israelites out of Egypt. (By the way, this also shows God's GRACE and LOVE to mankind within His moral law.)
GOD SAYS: We are to only work 6 days a week, then we are to rest on the 7th day (Saturday) from our work. Why? Because God rested from His work of creation on the 7th day. (See Genesis 2:2-3). According to Colossians 1:16, Jesus Christ is God the Creator, and it was He Who rested from His work. So as His children, we are to follow in His footsteps.
The Sunday Christian says: "Honoring the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday), is bondage to God's law." They don't think about the fact that this is a wonderful gift God gave us out of His love and grace. God knows that mankind cannot work 24/7!! Yet, because God tells us we can work the first 6 days of the week but then we need to take off work on the 7th day (Saturday), the Sunday Christian accuses God of putting him/her under bondage! What kind of thinking is that?
On the other hand, if they are allowed to work 7 days a week, then the Sunday Christian thinks he/she is "free" and not under "bondage"!! Again, what kind of thinking is that?
My question is: Who in their right mind actually WANTS to work 7 days a week?? Answer: No one! But like a little two-year old who is told not to do something and turns around and disobeys his parent's command because he doesn't want to be told what to do - so the Sunday Christian will choose to work on the 7th day (Saturday) JUST BECAUSE HE/SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO (by Almighty God Himself)!
True freedom comes when we choose to obey what God tells us to do in His Word. Bondage and slavery come when we choose to disobey what God tells us to do in His Word.
God says in Deuteronomy 30:15-16: "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments...." The Sunday Christian will say this is Old Testament teaching; that we are not under the Old Testament but the New Testament. Well, let's see what Jesus said in John 14:15: "If you love Me, you will keep (obey) My commandments." The commandments Jesus was referring to were the 10 Commandments, and the 4th Commandment of those 10 says, "but the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work". (Ex. 20:10)
When is the Sabbath Day? It is the seventh day of the week, Saturday. It just can't get any clearer, understandable, or more logical than that.
The Sunday Christian says: "I want the freedom (from God's law) to work 7 days a week or whatever day I choose to work."
But GOD SAYS working 7 days a week is bondage (slavery). That's why He pulled the Israelites out of Egypt. (By the way, this also shows God's GRACE and LOVE to mankind within His moral law.)
GOD SAYS: We are to only work 6 days a week, then we are to rest on the 7th day (Saturday) from our work. Why? Because God rested from His work of creation on the 7th day. (See Genesis 2:2-3). According to Colossians 1:16, Jesus Christ is God the Creator, and it was He Who rested from His work. So as His children, we are to follow in His footsteps.
The Sunday Christian says: "Honoring the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday), is bondage to God's law." They don't think about the fact that this is a wonderful gift God gave us out of His love and grace. God knows that mankind cannot work 24/7!! Yet, because God tells us we can work the first 6 days of the week but then we need to take off work on the 7th day (Saturday), the Sunday Christian accuses God of putting him/her under bondage! What kind of thinking is that?
On the other hand, if they are allowed to work 7 days a week, then the Sunday Christian thinks he/she is "free" and not under "bondage"!! Again, what kind of thinking is that?
My question is: Who in their right mind actually WANTS to work 7 days a week?? Answer: No one! But like a little two-year old who is told not to do something and turns around and disobeys his parent's command because he doesn't want to be told what to do - so the Sunday Christian will choose to work on the 7th day (Saturday) JUST BECAUSE HE/SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE TOLD WHAT TO DO (by Almighty God Himself)!
True freedom comes when we choose to obey what God tells us to do in His Word. Bondage and slavery come when we choose to disobey what God tells us to do in His Word.
God says in Deuteronomy 30:15-16: "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments...." The Sunday Christian will say this is Old Testament teaching; that we are not under the Old Testament but the New Testament. Well, let's see what Jesus said in John 14:15: "If you love Me, you will keep (obey) My commandments." The commandments Jesus was referring to were the 10 Commandments, and the 4th Commandment of those 10 says, "but the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work". (Ex. 20:10)
When is the Sabbath Day? It is the seventh day of the week, Saturday. It just can't get any clearer, understandable, or more logical than that.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Is Jesus Christ God or the Son of God?
So many are confused about Who Jesus Christ really is. Part of this confusion lies in the way He is said to be "God", and yet, referred to as "the Son of God". If He is the Son of God, then how can He still be "God"?
Almighty God, our Creator, became the Son of God when He chose to become a tiny cell Himself and implanted Himself in the womb of a virgin girl named Mary. Mary, at that time, became a surrogate mother - carrying the embryo of the Creator and King of the universe in her womb!
The Roman Catholics believe that because Mary carried the sinless "Son of God" in her womb - then that means she had to be sinless as well. That is not true as there is only one entity in this world Who is without sin, and that is God Himself - Jesus Christ. The way that Mary was able to still be a sinner but give birth to the sinless Son of God is because of the way God has designed the placenta in a pregnant woman. The placenta blocks the mother's blood from getting to the baby, and only lets the nutrients filter through to feed him/her. Many believe that God somehow had a sexual relationship with Mary to produce "God the Son". That is not true! Just as God was able to form the first Adam from the dust of the earth in Genesis 1-3, He was also able to form the "Second Adam" by wrapping flesh around Himself and implanting Himself as an embryo into Mary's womb.
Because God at this time took on flesh and blood, was born of a human, and was given a human Name, Jesus, He is therefore referred to as "The Son of God". It does not mean that God had a baby boy. It means that God Himself WAS the baby boy, named Jesus!
So, what does this mean to us today? Well, Almighty God, our Creator, made us for the express purpose of having a relationship with Him. Because He is the Creator, He laid down some rules (Commandments) for us to live by. His moral law is summed up in what we call "The Ten Commandments". God says that "we have all sinned" (Romans 3:23). Sin is lawlessness or being without law. (I John 3:4) In other words, every person ever born has broken God's law by disobeying it, rebelling against it, and thereby turning their backs on God Himself. Ask yourself, "Have I ever lied? Have I ever stolen anything - big or little? Have I ever lusted after a man or a woman? (God says you have committed adultery in your heart, if you have.)
Because we have disobeyed and rebelled against Him and His law, turning our backs against Him - He says we have brought His wrath down on ourselves. The penalty for our sin and disobedience is DEATH in the lake of fire. But, because God Almighty loves us so much - He decided to take the suffering and death meant for us, upon Himself so that we could live. If you have ever seen Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of Christ", that really shows how angry God is at our choice to rebel against Him and His goodness to us! We are all in BIG trouble with the God of the universe, because He came back to life after He was crucified - and now stands ready to be our Judge in the Day of Judgment after we die.
At that time, the Book of Life will be opened. Those who have chosen to repent of their sin (turn away from sinning and turning their backs on this world), and have given their lives back to Jesus Christ and chosen to follow Him - their names will be in the Book of Life. John 3:36 says, "He who believes in the Son (that Jesus is God in the flesh) has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son (that Jesus is God in the flesh) shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
If we don't repent of our sins and choose to give our lives to Jesus Christ, there will be a Judgment Day after we die when we will stand before God Almighty - Jesus Christ Himself. At that time, we can try to explain to Him just why we chose to continue to sin against Him - after all He did for us. If we think He is angry at us now, just wait until we see His anger on that Day of Judgment for not caring that He suffered and died for us so that we could have life, along with every good thing that we are enjoying on earth today.
If you should die in your sleep tonight, the next Person you will see when you wake up will be Jesus Christ as your Judge. Are you prepared to meet your God in person? If not, get on your knees before Him right now and ask His forgiveness for your sin and rebellion against Him. Then tell Him that you give your life to Him to follow Him as your Lord and Master from this day forward. If you do that, you can know that your name is now recorded down in the Book of Life! Then go and get yourself a copy of the Bible. Start reading the book of John, and obey what you read. I look forward to meeting you in Heaven one of these days!
There's a chorus that says:
"After all He's done for me, After all He's done for me;
"How can I do less than give Him my best, and live for Him completely;
"After all He's done for me."
Almighty God, our Creator, became the Son of God when He chose to become a tiny cell Himself and implanted Himself in the womb of a virgin girl named Mary. Mary, at that time, became a surrogate mother - carrying the embryo of the Creator and King of the universe in her womb!
The Roman Catholics believe that because Mary carried the sinless "Son of God" in her womb - then that means she had to be sinless as well. That is not true as there is only one entity in this world Who is without sin, and that is God Himself - Jesus Christ. The way that Mary was able to still be a sinner but give birth to the sinless Son of God is because of the way God has designed the placenta in a pregnant woman. The placenta blocks the mother's blood from getting to the baby, and only lets the nutrients filter through to feed him/her. Many believe that God somehow had a sexual relationship with Mary to produce "God the Son". That is not true! Just as God was able to form the first Adam from the dust of the earth in Genesis 1-3, He was also able to form the "Second Adam" by wrapping flesh around Himself and implanting Himself as an embryo into Mary's womb.
Because God at this time took on flesh and blood, was born of a human, and was given a human Name, Jesus, He is therefore referred to as "The Son of God". It does not mean that God had a baby boy. It means that God Himself WAS the baby boy, named Jesus!
So, what does this mean to us today? Well, Almighty God, our Creator, made us for the express purpose of having a relationship with Him. Because He is the Creator, He laid down some rules (Commandments) for us to live by. His moral law is summed up in what we call "The Ten Commandments". God says that "we have all sinned" (Romans 3:23). Sin is lawlessness or being without law. (I John 3:4) In other words, every person ever born has broken God's law by disobeying it, rebelling against it, and thereby turning their backs on God Himself. Ask yourself, "Have I ever lied? Have I ever stolen anything - big or little? Have I ever lusted after a man or a woman? (God says you have committed adultery in your heart, if you have.)
Because we have disobeyed and rebelled against Him and His law, turning our backs against Him - He says we have brought His wrath down on ourselves. The penalty for our sin and disobedience is DEATH in the lake of fire. But, because God Almighty loves us so much - He decided to take the suffering and death meant for us, upon Himself so that we could live. If you have ever seen Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of Christ", that really shows how angry God is at our choice to rebel against Him and His goodness to us! We are all in BIG trouble with the God of the universe, because He came back to life after He was crucified - and now stands ready to be our Judge in the Day of Judgment after we die.
At that time, the Book of Life will be opened. Those who have chosen to repent of their sin (turn away from sinning and turning their backs on this world), and have given their lives back to Jesus Christ and chosen to follow Him - their names will be in the Book of Life. John 3:36 says, "He who believes in the Son (that Jesus is God in the flesh) has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son (that Jesus is God in the flesh) shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
If we don't repent of our sins and choose to give our lives to Jesus Christ, there will be a Judgment Day after we die when we will stand before God Almighty - Jesus Christ Himself. At that time, we can try to explain to Him just why we chose to continue to sin against Him - after all He did for us. If we think He is angry at us now, just wait until we see His anger on that Day of Judgment for not caring that He suffered and died for us so that we could have life, along with every good thing that we are enjoying on earth today.
If you should die in your sleep tonight, the next Person you will see when you wake up will be Jesus Christ as your Judge. Are you prepared to meet your God in person? If not, get on your knees before Him right now and ask His forgiveness for your sin and rebellion against Him. Then tell Him that you give your life to Him to follow Him as your Lord and Master from this day forward. If you do that, you can know that your name is now recorded down in the Book of Life! Then go and get yourself a copy of the Bible. Start reading the book of John, and obey what you read. I look forward to meeting you in Heaven one of these days!
There's a chorus that says:
"After all He's done for me, After all He's done for me;
"How can I do less than give Him my best, and live for Him completely;
"After all He's done for me."
Friday, March 29, 2013
What About Good Friday? True or False Theology?
Another year has gone by, and now it is Good Friday again - the day most Christians will honor as the day that Jesus Christ was crucified. However, are you believing something that is true or something that is false? Let's take a look at what the Bible - God's Word - has to say about it.
In Matthew 12:40, Jesus said that He would be 3 days and 3 nights in the ground (grave). Simple math shows that He was cruicified on a Wednesday. The next day, Thursday, was a special Sabbath day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:5-7). It was when THAT "Sabbath was past" (Mark 16:1), that the ladies went shopping for spices - which would have been Friday. The following day would have been the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday) when they rested again, and then early the next day, Sunday morning, they went to the tomb and found Christ had already risen from the dead!
So, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights make 3 NIGHTS in the grave. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday make 3 DAYS in the grave. So to say today, Good Friday, is the day of Christ's crucifixion is not true! Many have asked me, "Why does that even matter?" Well, it should matter to us as Christians because if ANY part of this prophecy didn't come true - then Christ was not the Messiah (God in the flesh)! He staked His right to claim Messiahship on this prophecy! If we teach otherwise, then that means we are denying the Truth of God's Word and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the True and Living God come to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins!
How does taking part in false teaching such as this, bring honor and glory to our Lord? Basically, we are saying that He lied! We are also going against the 9th Commandment of God which says, "Thou shall not lie!" So let me ask you, "Are you going to choose to believe God's Truth or are you going to choose to believe a man-made lie?" Whose Truth will you choose to believe?
In Matthew 12:40, Jesus said that He would be 3 days and 3 nights in the ground (grave). Simple math shows that He was cruicified on a Wednesday. The next day, Thursday, was a special Sabbath day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:5-7). It was when THAT "Sabbath was past" (Mark 16:1), that the ladies went shopping for spices - which would have been Friday. The following day would have been the 7th day Sabbath (Saturday) when they rested again, and then early the next day, Sunday morning, they went to the tomb and found Christ had already risen from the dead!
So, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights make 3 NIGHTS in the grave. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday make 3 DAYS in the grave. So to say today, Good Friday, is the day of Christ's crucifixion is not true! Many have asked me, "Why does that even matter?" Well, it should matter to us as Christians because if ANY part of this prophecy didn't come true - then Christ was not the Messiah (God in the flesh)! He staked His right to claim Messiahship on this prophecy! If we teach otherwise, then that means we are denying the Truth of God's Word and that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the True and Living God come to earth to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins!
How does taking part in false teaching such as this, bring honor and glory to our Lord? Basically, we are saying that He lied! We are also going against the 9th Commandment of God which says, "Thou shall not lie!" So let me ask you, "Are you going to choose to believe God's Truth or are you going to choose to believe a man-made lie?" Whose Truth will you choose to believe?
Sunday, March 17, 2013
What is the Grace of God?
I've been studying the definition of grace this past week. What does it mean to be "saved by grace"? Since my blog is on the topic of "Lawless Grace", I thought maybe it was time to look at the possibility that "the grace of God" being taught in our churches is not "the grace of God" in the Bible.
The word "Grace" in Strong's Concordance means "to favor, to bend or stoop down in kindness to an inferior." The word "inferior" implies "a nobody" - someone who isn't special in any way. Isn't that a wonderful picture of God? Almighty God showed "favor or grace" to us by "stooping down in kindness" through the person of Jesus Christ to someone like me, an inferior or a nobody! I didn't have to be a hollywood movie star to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be a famous president of a large country or company to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be anybody special for God "to favor me" and show me His grace! These kind of "credentials" is what "works" means in Eph. 2:8 & 9. The Pharisees in the New Testament had this mindset that they were "somebody special" because they were so strict in following God's Law - therefore, deserving of God's grace and favor.
When I find a new insight, I always like to go to the Bible and check out how it "fits", because if it doesn't make sense or doesn't "fit" with what the other verses say - then I've got it wrong. So let's take a look. In Genesis 12:1 & 2, we find Abram was just an ordinary human being, a "nobody", but all of a sudden God "stoops down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That's God's grace! God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Abram's obedience came second (he left his country as God commanded him.).
In Exodus 3:3 & 4, we find Moses out taking care of his father-in-law's sheep. At this point in time, Moses was just a "nobody" - going about his normal business of the day. Suddenly, God calls to him from a burning bush. Almighty God is again "stooping down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That is God's grace! Again, we see that God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Moses' obedience came second (he became the one to deliver God's people from slavery to Egypt.).
The last one I want to look at is in Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." A couple verses later it says, God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming to destroy the earth of it's lawlessness (disobeying God's laws). Again, we see God calling just an average man to be obedient to Him. That is God's grace! The calling of God came first, and then man's obedience followed.
The grace of God was shown to me when Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, came down to earth and took on a human body and a human name, Jesus Christ. This awesome God "stooped down in kindness to an inferior" like me! He then suffered and died a horrible death as a sacrifice for my sin (my disobedience to His commandments) and rose again. He then called me by name to repent of my disobedience against Him and to come and follow Him through obedience for the rest of my life. This obedience includes His 10 Commandments (including keeping His Sabbath Day holy), following Him in water baptism, and then in whatever other way His Spirit may lead me. Just remember this, though: God's amazing grace and calling comes first. My obedience to His calling always comes second.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound - that saved a wretch (inferior) like me;
I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see."
"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14)
The word "Grace" in Strong's Concordance means "to favor, to bend or stoop down in kindness to an inferior." The word "inferior" implies "a nobody" - someone who isn't special in any way. Isn't that a wonderful picture of God? Almighty God showed "favor or grace" to us by "stooping down in kindness" through the person of Jesus Christ to someone like me, an inferior or a nobody! I didn't have to be a hollywood movie star to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be a famous president of a large country or company to receive the grace of God. I didn't have to be anybody special for God "to favor me" and show me His grace! These kind of "credentials" is what "works" means in Eph. 2:8 & 9. The Pharisees in the New Testament had this mindset that they were "somebody special" because they were so strict in following God's Law - therefore, deserving of God's grace and favor.
When I find a new insight, I always like to go to the Bible and check out how it "fits", because if it doesn't make sense or doesn't "fit" with what the other verses say - then I've got it wrong. So let's take a look. In Genesis 12:1 & 2, we find Abram was just an ordinary human being, a "nobody", but all of a sudden God "stoops down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That's God's grace! God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Abram's obedience came second (he left his country as God commanded him.).
In Exodus 3:3 & 4, we find Moses out taking care of his father-in-law's sheep. At this point in time, Moses was just a "nobody" - going about his normal business of the day. Suddenly, God calls to him from a burning bush. Almighty God is again "stooping down in kindness to an inferior" and calls him to be a "somebody" for Him. That is God's grace! Again, we see that God's calling came first (grace/salvation), then Moses' obedience came second (he became the one to deliver God's people from slavery to Egypt.).
The last one I want to look at is in Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord." A couple verses later it says, God told Noah to build an ark because a flood was coming to destroy the earth of it's lawlessness (disobeying God's laws). Again, we see God calling just an average man to be obedient to Him. That is God's grace! The calling of God came first, and then man's obedience followed.
The grace of God was shown to me when Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, came down to earth and took on a human body and a human name, Jesus Christ. This awesome God "stooped down in kindness to an inferior" like me! He then suffered and died a horrible death as a sacrifice for my sin (my disobedience to His commandments) and rose again. He then called me by name to repent of my disobedience against Him and to come and follow Him through obedience for the rest of my life. This obedience includes His 10 Commandments (including keeping His Sabbath Day holy), following Him in water baptism, and then in whatever other way His Spirit may lead me. Just remember this, though: God's amazing grace and calling comes first. My obedience to His calling always comes second.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound - that saved a wretch (inferior) like me;
I once was lost but now I'm found; was blind but now I see."
"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14)
Thursday, January 24, 2013
"As For Me and My House, Which God Will We Serve?
Almost all of us have viewed on wall plaques, on signs, and heard preachers preach on the Bible verse, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15) Most don't realize that this verse has MUCH more to it than just that phrase.
In fact, this verse really begins with, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell."
My question is this: "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord?" Everytime we make a choice that goes against God's Word or one of His commandments, we are actually saying to God, "It really seems evil to me, Lord, what You are commanding me to do!" By saying that, we have just put ourselves above God Almighty! Also, at that point, we have just fallen into "Moral Relativism".
Moral Relativism is the belief system in the world today that says there are no absolutes of right or wrong - it is all relative to the situation. As Judges 21:25 says: "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
The problem is that "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) Where there is a judgment, there is a "court of law". The Law we all will be judged by are the Ten Commandments of God. Many Christians are being taught by false teachers that God's Moral Law, the Ten Commandments, has been done away with. However, most of these same Christians believe in a judgment. It is illogical thinking that you can have one without the other!
Every decision we make this day, we will be faced with 2 choices: 1) Will we serve and glorify the One True God Almighty - Jesus Christ, or 2) Will we choose to serve the gods "in whose land we dwell?" Well, what ways do we serve "the gods in this land we dwell in?"
I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." The foods we eat (and the amount of food we eat), does that reflect us as servants of God or servants of this world system? What about the way we dress - does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by not compromising with the styles that this world is offering to you? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by choosing to not go to movies that this world is pressuring you to go see? What about video games, the internet, etc. etc.? "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord" when God says it is wrong?
Lastly, what about the last commandment given to us by our God, Jesus Christ, to GO and make disciples of all nations...? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" because He has commanded that you leave your comfort zone to pass out gospel tracts or to speak with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ?
"If it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
(Joshua 24:15)
In fact, this verse really begins with, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell."
My question is this: "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord?" Everytime we make a choice that goes against God's Word or one of His commandments, we are actually saying to God, "It really seems evil to me, Lord, what You are commanding me to do!" By saying that, we have just put ourselves above God Almighty! Also, at that point, we have just fallen into "Moral Relativism".
Moral Relativism is the belief system in the world today that says there are no absolutes of right or wrong - it is all relative to the situation. As Judges 21:25 says: "Everyone did what was right in his own eyes."
The problem is that "...it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." (Hebrews 9:27) Where there is a judgment, there is a "court of law". The Law we all will be judged by are the Ten Commandments of God. Many Christians are being taught by false teachers that God's Moral Law, the Ten Commandments, has been done away with. However, most of these same Christians believe in a judgment. It is illogical thinking that you can have one without the other!
Every decision we make this day, we will be faced with 2 choices: 1) Will we serve and glorify the One True God Almighty - Jesus Christ, or 2) Will we choose to serve the gods "in whose land we dwell?" Well, what ways do we serve "the gods in this land we dwell in?"
I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." The foods we eat (and the amount of food we eat), does that reflect us as servants of God or servants of this world system? What about the way we dress - does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by not compromising with the styles that this world is offering to you? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" by choosing to not go to movies that this world is pressuring you to go see? What about video games, the internet, etc. etc.? "Does it seem evil to you to serve the Lord" when God says it is wrong?
Lastly, what about the last commandment given to us by our God, Jesus Christ, to GO and make disciples of all nations...? Does it "seem evil to you to serve the Lord" because He has commanded that you leave your comfort zone to pass out gospel tracts or to speak with someone about the Lord Jesus Christ?
"If it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
(Joshua 24:15)
Friday, November 23, 2012
Is Black Friday for Christians?
Last year I posted an article about Black Friday and how it is tied to coveting and being covetous. This year, I think it's important to make clear what exactly God has to say about our actions on this day of the year:
Thus says the Lord, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." (Hebrews 13:5) To me, it doesn't get much plainer than that. Coveting and practicing covetousness is a sin. In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments of God. Again, if you don't know what sin is, God says in His Word in I John 3:4 - "Sin is lawlessness." Sin is breaking and being disobedient to one or more of His commandments.
Thus says the Lord, "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (Covetousness!) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:5,6) These are very strong verses as God actually says that you cannot be a Christian and take part in covetous practices. In fact, God says those that do, have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (because he/she is an idolater)!
Thus says the Lord, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15) As a Christian, I'm not sure how you can be out shopping on this Black Friday and not see that it is all about "the things in the world"! If that is true, are you not WILLINGLY practicing disobedience to God and His Word? Please think about that.
Thus says the Lord, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2) I read that to mean we are to be different than the world, not joining them in their pagan practices, or even WANTING to take part with them.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a "new creation". We are called to be "law-keepers", not "law-breakers" when it comes to God's commands in His Word. This world needs us to be willing to STAND UP and BE DIFFERENT. We are to be LIGHT in this world of darkness. Light and Dark are not the same, but different! If you are choosing to be like the "darkness" around you, then you are only contributing to the darkness that is in this world.
Do you want to be different? Try obeying the one positive command in Hebrews 13:5 above:
"....be content with what you have." If every Christian would practice just that one commandment, just think of the changes that would come on this world.
Thus says the Lord, "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have." (Hebrews 13:5) To me, it doesn't get much plainer than that. Coveting and practicing covetousness is a sin. In fact, it is one of the 10 Commandments of God. Again, if you don't know what sin is, God says in His Word in I John 3:4 - "Sin is lawlessness." Sin is breaking and being disobedient to one or more of His commandments.
Thus says the Lord, "For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things (Covetousness!) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 5:5,6) These are very strong verses as God actually says that you cannot be a Christian and take part in covetous practices. In fact, God says those that do, have no inheritance in the kingdom of God (because he/she is an idolater)!
Thus says the Lord, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15) As a Christian, I'm not sure how you can be out shopping on this Black Friday and not see that it is all about "the things in the world"! If that is true, are you not WILLINGLY practicing disobedience to God and His Word? Please think about that.
Thus says the Lord, "Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...." (Romans 12:2) I read that to mean we are to be different than the world, not joining them in their pagan practices, or even WANTING to take part with them.
As Christians, we are supposed to be a "new creation". We are called to be "law-keepers", not "law-breakers" when it comes to God's commands in His Word. This world needs us to be willing to STAND UP and BE DIFFERENT. We are to be LIGHT in this world of darkness. Light and Dark are not the same, but different! If you are choosing to be like the "darkness" around you, then you are only contributing to the darkness that is in this world.
Do you want to be different? Try obeying the one positive command in Hebrews 13:5 above:
"....be content with what you have." If every Christian would practice just that one commandment, just think of the changes that would come on this world.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Man-made Laws versus God-made Laws
I found an interesting story in I Kings 12:26-33. Jeroboam had been made king over all Israel, even though Rehoboam was the son of Solomon and was the true heir to David's throne.
King Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam. In verse 28, King Jeroboam had two golden calves made. Here we read that King Jeroboam told the people WHAT to worship. In verse 29 it says, "Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan." This verse says that Jeroboam told the people WHERE they were to worship. What I want to share with you today, though, is in verses 32 and 33 where King Jeroboam tells the people WHEN to worship.
Not only did Jeroboam dictate to the people WHAT they were to worship, and WHERE they were to worship, but he also dictated WHEN they were to worship! This was really fascinating to me. In verse 32 it says, "Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah..." Verse 33 says, "So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart."
The feast that Jeroboam was trying to copy was the Feast of Tabernacles, mentioned in Leviticus 23:34. The problem, though, is that God's Feast was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th month - not the 15th day of the 8th month!! For some reason this made me think of the many ministers today that tell their congregations that the 7th-day Sabbath is now on the 1st day of the week! They are "devising in their own hearts" (like Jeroboam above) the day and time of our worship of God. Not only that, I also know of some who tell their people that "it doesn't really matter what day of the week you worship the Lord on - just so you worship Him!" Wow! Nowhere in the Bible are we told that it is ok "to do what is right in our own eyes"! (Judges 21:25)
I'm beginning to realize just how much Satan hates the number 7!! Many have said that the number 7 is God's holy number. If that's the case, then it doesn't surprise me that Satan has connived to move God's Sabbath Day to the first day of the week instead of the 7th day. The same seems true for the above passage when King Jeroboam moved the 7th month Feast of Tabernacles to the 8th month!
There's a saying that goes like this:
"God's Word says it - I believe it - That settles it!"
Is this true for you or are you "devising in your own heart - doing what seems right in your own eyes?" As I've written in earlier blogs, when God's kingdom is set up here on earth - there will not be two worship days. One will be done away with, and I'm very sure it won't be God's 7th day Sabbath!
King Jeroboam was afraid that if the people went to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, they would leave him and go back to Rehoboam. In verse 28, King Jeroboam had two golden calves made. Here we read that King Jeroboam told the people WHAT to worship. In verse 29 it says, "Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan." This verse says that Jeroboam told the people WHERE they were to worship. What I want to share with you today, though, is in verses 32 and 33 where King Jeroboam tells the people WHEN to worship.
Not only did Jeroboam dictate to the people WHAT they were to worship, and WHERE they were to worship, but he also dictated WHEN they were to worship! This was really fascinating to me. In verse 32 it says, "Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah..." Verse 33 says, "So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart."
The feast that Jeroboam was trying to copy was the Feast of Tabernacles, mentioned in Leviticus 23:34. The problem, though, is that God's Feast was to be celebrated on the 14th day of the 7th month - not the 15th day of the 8th month!! For some reason this made me think of the many ministers today that tell their congregations that the 7th-day Sabbath is now on the 1st day of the week! They are "devising in their own hearts" (like Jeroboam above) the day and time of our worship of God. Not only that, I also know of some who tell their people that "it doesn't really matter what day of the week you worship the Lord on - just so you worship Him!" Wow! Nowhere in the Bible are we told that it is ok "to do what is right in our own eyes"! (Judges 21:25)
I'm beginning to realize just how much Satan hates the number 7!! Many have said that the number 7 is God's holy number. If that's the case, then it doesn't surprise me that Satan has connived to move God's Sabbath Day to the first day of the week instead of the 7th day. The same seems true for the above passage when King Jeroboam moved the 7th month Feast of Tabernacles to the 8th month!
There's a saying that goes like this:
"God's Word says it - I believe it - That settles it!"
Is this true for you or are you "devising in your own heart - doing what seems right in your own eyes?" As I've written in earlier blogs, when God's kingdom is set up here on earth - there will not be two worship days. One will be done away with, and I'm very sure it won't be God's 7th day Sabbath!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
The Sabbath Day - A Gift from God
It's interesting how many Christians believe that the Sabbath Day was only given at Mt. Sinai, and only to the Israelites. Most are familiar with Genesis 2:2, 3 that says "On the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." However, this was BEFORE Mt. Sinai, BEFORE Moses, and BEFORE there were "Israelites".
Do you realize that when God created the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday), Adam and Eve were there with Him! (If you remember, they were created on the 6th day of creation.) This 4th commandment of God was given to ALL mankind when it was given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It was a gift given to them so they would not have to work "24/7" and could rest and have a relationship with Him.
Exodus 16:4, 22-24, 27-28 is a passage where God reminded His people of this wonderful gift He had given them. God had just delivered the Israelites from being in slavery to the Egyptians. The Egyptians were hard task masters, expecting God's people to work 24 hours a day - 7 days a week. However, once God miraculously delivered them out of Egypt - He had to remind them about His gift of the Sabbath Day.
In verse 4, God says that He will rain down bread from heaven, "that I may test them whether they will walk in My law or not." What "law" was God referring to since we've been taught there was no law until Moses at Mt. Sinai? As you read further, you will see that God was referring to His law of the seventh day Sabbath.
Verses 22-24 state: "On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread...Then Moses said to them, 'This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.' So they laid it up till morning as Moses commanded. Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you won't find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none. Verses 27-30 state: Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep (obey) My commandments and My laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day."
Every Saturday, which is the "seventh day Sabbath of the Lord your God", we have a choice either to obey our God by being thankful for this day of rest and opportunity to show our love to Him - or to go out and do our "own thing" such as shopping, eating at restaurants, etc. - stubbornly refusing to honor and glorify God by being disobedient to Him and His commandment.
As someone once said, "God gave me the gift of the Sabbath, and that's why I'm keeping it!"
Do you realize that when God created the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday), Adam and Eve were there with Him! (If you remember, they were created on the 6th day of creation.) This 4th commandment of God was given to ALL mankind when it was given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It was a gift given to them so they would not have to work "24/7" and could rest and have a relationship with Him.
Exodus 16:4, 22-24, 27-28 is a passage where God reminded His people of this wonderful gift He had given them. God had just delivered the Israelites from being in slavery to the Egyptians. The Egyptians were hard task masters, expecting God's people to work 24 hours a day - 7 days a week. However, once God miraculously delivered them out of Egypt - He had to remind them about His gift of the Sabbath Day.
In verse 4, God says that He will rain down bread from heaven, "that I may test them whether they will walk in My law or not." What "law" was God referring to since we've been taught there was no law until Moses at Mt. Sinai? As you read further, you will see that God was referring to His law of the seventh day Sabbath.
Verses 22-24 state: "On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much bread...Then Moses said to them, 'This is what the Lord has said: 'Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord.' So they laid it up till morning as Moses commanded. Then Moses said, 'Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you won't find it in the field. Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will be none. Verses 27-30 state: Now it happened that some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather, but they found none. And the Lord said to Moses, 'How long do you refuse to keep (obey) My commandments and My laws? See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath; therefore He gives you on the sixth day bread for two days. Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day. So the people rested on the seventh day."
Every Saturday, which is the "seventh day Sabbath of the Lord your God", we have a choice either to obey our God by being thankful for this day of rest and opportunity to show our love to Him - or to go out and do our "own thing" such as shopping, eating at restaurants, etc. - stubbornly refusing to honor and glorify God by being disobedient to Him and His commandment.
As someone once said, "God gave me the gift of the Sabbath, and that's why I'm keeping it!"
Monday, September 17, 2012
The Link Between Secular Humanism and Christianity's Teaching of "Lawless Grace"
Before I begin this post, I want to make it clear that a person's salvation is not based on their good works or on obeying the Ten Commandments, etc. God's law (the Ten Commandments) was given to show us that we all are sinners - deserving of God's wrath and judgment because of our sin and rebellion against Him.
As Christians who have repented of our sin and given our lives over to the lordship and control of Jesus Christ, we now obey the Ten Commandments as well as other commandments given in the Bible because of our love for Him and for the suffering, punishment, and death He took in our place on the cross. It is now our life's purpose to live our lives to bring glory to God.
However, if as New Testament Christians we say we no longer have to obey God's commands (which is lawless grace, by the way!) - then what is left? Christian Humanism! We are now people who say we are Christians, BUT we live for ourselves and what makes us happy! If it doesn't make ME happy or it interferes with MY life and the plans I have made for MY life - then I just don't have to obey what God is telling ME to do. Christian Humanism!
Let's take God's fourth commandment for example in Exodus 20:8-10: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work...." Here God says, "Don't forget the Sabbath day. Don't forget to keep it holy (set apart from the rest of the world)."
Every Sabbath day (Saturday) we drive to church, we pass churches that are closed. Why? They have chosen to forget God's holy day, the Sabbath! Christians have chosen instead to work on that day or to make others work on that day by going to malls, restaurants, ball games, etc. etc. If you read the rest of Exodus 20:10 it says we are not to make anyone else work on that day as well.
So how does Humanism fit into all of this? Christians today are choosing to make themselves happy instead of making God happy. It's when "my happiness is more important than God's happiness". When we make God the means to our happiness instead of making Him the end, we are practicing Humanism. Somehow our happiness becomes more important to us than our holiness and obedience before God.
As one of the old ministers on the Revival Hymn said, "It's not what you are going to get out of God - it's what He is going to get out of you"! As Christians, our only reason for being is the glory of God!
As Christians who have repented of our sin and given our lives over to the lordship and control of Jesus Christ, we now obey the Ten Commandments as well as other commandments given in the Bible because of our love for Him and for the suffering, punishment, and death He took in our place on the cross. It is now our life's purpose to live our lives to bring glory to God.
However, if as New Testament Christians we say we no longer have to obey God's commands (which is lawless grace, by the way!) - then what is left? Christian Humanism! We are now people who say we are Christians, BUT we live for ourselves and what makes us happy! If it doesn't make ME happy or it interferes with MY life and the plans I have made for MY life - then I just don't have to obey what God is telling ME to do. Christian Humanism!
Let's take God's fourth commandment for example in Exodus 20:8-10: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work...." Here God says, "Don't forget the Sabbath day. Don't forget to keep it holy (set apart from the rest of the world)."
Every Sabbath day (Saturday) we drive to church, we pass churches that are closed. Why? They have chosen to forget God's holy day, the Sabbath! Christians have chosen instead to work on that day or to make others work on that day by going to malls, restaurants, ball games, etc. etc. If you read the rest of Exodus 20:10 it says we are not to make anyone else work on that day as well.
So how does Humanism fit into all of this? Christians today are choosing to make themselves happy instead of making God happy. It's when "my happiness is more important than God's happiness". When we make God the means to our happiness instead of making Him the end, we are practicing Humanism. Somehow our happiness becomes more important to us than our holiness and obedience before God.
As one of the old ministers on the Revival Hymn said, "It's not what you are going to get out of God - it's what He is going to get out of you"! As Christians, our only reason for being is the glory of God!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
The Offense of the Gospel
Last night at church, we were sharing about talking to people about Christ. Someone mentioned they thought the reason we as Christians don't share very often is because of our fear of "offending" the other person. This is not the first time I've heard this brought up in Christian gatherings - so it made me wonder just what God had to say about this in His Word, the Bible.
I Peter 2:8 says referring to Jesus, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense."
I Corinthians 1:23 says, "but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews an offense and to the Gentiles foolishness."
Galatians 5:11 says, "And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased."
Romans 9:33 says, "Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
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The following two scriptures were really interesting to me, as Jesus is confirming that He truly is the
"rock of offense":
Matthew 13:57: "So they were offended at Him."
John 6:61: "When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples grumbled about this, He said to them, 'Does this offend you?'
We can be offensive to others because of our lack of kindness, thoughtfulness, and even through our personal hygiene, but this is not what is being discussed here. It is very clear from the above scriptures that instead of being afraid of sharing the Gospel with someone because we will offend them - we need to share the Gospel KNOWING it will offend! Notice, though, what is doing the offending. It's the Gospel that is offending - not you!
Oh, but wait a minute. Maybe that is where the real problem lies? Maybe as Christians we do know that it is the Gospel that offends and that is the real reason we don't want to share it with others. What that amounts to in reality is: We are ashamed of the Gospel because it (the Gospel) offends people. So instead of saying, "I'm afraid I will offend others if I share the Gospel with them", we are really saying, "I'm afraid the Gospel will offend others if I share it with them."
Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."
Luke 6:22,23: "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."
Jesus was called "the rock of offense". As Christians, are we not called to follow in His steps?
I Peter 2:8 says referring to Jesus, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense."
I Corinthians 1:23 says, "but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews an offense and to the Gentiles foolishness."
Galatians 5:11 says, "And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased."
Romans 9:33 says, "Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following two scriptures were really interesting to me, as Jesus is confirming that He truly is the
"rock of offense":
Matthew 13:57: "So they were offended at Him."
John 6:61: "When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples grumbled about this, He said to them, 'Does this offend you?'
We can be offensive to others because of our lack of kindness, thoughtfulness, and even through our personal hygiene, but this is not what is being discussed here. It is very clear from the above scriptures that instead of being afraid of sharing the Gospel with someone because we will offend them - we need to share the Gospel KNOWING it will offend! Notice, though, what is doing the offending. It's the Gospel that is offending - not you!
Oh, but wait a minute. Maybe that is where the real problem lies? Maybe as Christians we do know that it is the Gospel that offends and that is the real reason we don't want to share it with others. What that amounts to in reality is: We are ashamed of the Gospel because it (the Gospel) offends people. So instead of saying, "I'm afraid I will offend others if I share the Gospel with them", we are really saying, "I'm afraid the Gospel will offend others if I share it with them."
Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek."
Luke 6:22,23: "Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets."
Jesus was called "the rock of offense". As Christians, are we not called to follow in His steps?
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The Apostasy: The Great Bible Cover-Up Revealed
The "Great Bible Cover-Up" originally began about 20 years ago or so when the first Bible carrier was produced. You know, the little cloth bag with cloth handles that people put their Bibles in to make it supposedly easier to carry back and forth to church. They are also convenient for keeping notebooks in as well so it's there whenever you want to take sermon notes, etc. But the biggest secret about these carriers is this: no one knows you have a Bible!!
Shortly after this, the desktop computers came into our homes. It wasn't long before you could purchase software of the Bible to put on your computer. This was really convenient because it allowed you to be able to read the Bible at work without having to carry the Bible with you to work. But the biggest secret about having Bible software is this: no one knows you have a Bible!!
After the desktop computer, came the Palm Pilot, and now more recently we have the iPods, the iPhones, and the iPads. All of these items really make it convenient for carrying the Bible with you wherever you go. But the biggest secret about these is this: no one knows you have a Bible!!
The other day I went to a Christian bookstore to buy a Bible to put on my car's dashboard. Boy, was I ever in for a surprise!! I found that most of the Bibles are now "embossed" but not "imprinted" with ink. This means the words "Holy Bible" on the front or spine of the Bible barely stand out. Well, I guess just in case someone, like me, should want an "old-fashioned" Bible - the "Great Bible Cover-Up" is going to make it look like an ordinary book by removing the actual title - The Holy Bible!
Is this what we as Christians should be supporting or "buying into"?? Where are the Christians today who are not ashamed to be called Christians and to show they are Christians by carrying their Bibles out in the open where everyone around them can see them??
Also, how do you know the preachers on T.V. who wave their arm around with an iPad attached really have God's Word open in it? Our children are watching them preach from an iPad - not from the open book called, The Holy Bible! Shame on us for letting this world conform us into its mold! (Rom. 12:2)
Jesus gave this warning in Mark 8:38: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Jesus also said in Matthew 5:14-16: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Search your hearts carefully and see if the REAL reason you are taking part in this "Great Bible Cover-Up" is because you are ashamed to be seen carrying God's holy Word? Are you letting this world conform you into its image - instead of obeying God's Word to come out from among them and be separate and holy?
Shortly after this, the desktop computers came into our homes. It wasn't long before you could purchase software of the Bible to put on your computer. This was really convenient because it allowed you to be able to read the Bible at work without having to carry the Bible with you to work. But the biggest secret about having Bible software is this: no one knows you have a Bible!!
After the desktop computer, came the Palm Pilot, and now more recently we have the iPods, the iPhones, and the iPads. All of these items really make it convenient for carrying the Bible with you wherever you go. But the biggest secret about these is this: no one knows you have a Bible!!
The other day I went to a Christian bookstore to buy a Bible to put on my car's dashboard. Boy, was I ever in for a surprise!! I found that most of the Bibles are now "embossed" but not "imprinted" with ink. This means the words "Holy Bible" on the front or spine of the Bible barely stand out. Well, I guess just in case someone, like me, should want an "old-fashioned" Bible - the "Great Bible Cover-Up" is going to make it look like an ordinary book by removing the actual title - The Holy Bible!
Is this what we as Christians should be supporting or "buying into"?? Where are the Christians today who are not ashamed to be called Christians and to show they are Christians by carrying their Bibles out in the open where everyone around them can see them??
Also, how do you know the preachers on T.V. who wave their arm around with an iPad attached really have God's Word open in it? Our children are watching them preach from an iPad - not from the open book called, The Holy Bible! Shame on us for letting this world conform us into its mold! (Rom. 12:2)
Jesus gave this warning in Mark 8:38: "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."
Jesus also said in Matthew 5:14-16: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Search your hearts carefully and see if the REAL reason you are taking part in this "Great Bible Cover-Up" is because you are ashamed to be seen carrying God's holy Word? Are you letting this world conform you into its image - instead of obeying God's Word to come out from among them and be separate and holy?
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The Daniel Diet: Obesity in Today's Church
Have you taken a look at the Christians sitting around you in restaurants after church on Sunday mornings? We have often wondered how they can claim the Name of Jesus Christ - and still eat the same kind of food and the same amount of food that the world eats. Daniel was living in a pagan society, not much different than the pagan world around us today. He viewed the food offered to him from the king's table as defiled "pagan delicacies". The pagans in his day over-ate and were practicing gluttony as our world does today.
Why do Christians today think it is all right to practice gluttony and treat God's Temple (our bodies) with contempt as though it's OK that they are making God's Temple into a "pagan temple" by eating the pagan food around them? In I Corinthians 3:16, and 17 it says: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God...If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy - which temple you are!"
First things first: The greatest Commandment says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." "Self Control" is a Fruit of the Spirit. (See Galatians 5:23) Obviously, the world around us is unable to practice this virture. So if you don't have this "fruit" in your life, then you need be examining yourself if you are a true Christian, and asking yourself why you are no different than the world around you. God expects you to "Say No" to the pagan food that surrounds you in today's society, and eat the foods that please Him and your body.
As a Christian, we are part of God's body, called the Church. The word "Church" in Greek means "Called Out Ones". As Christians, we are also "Sanctified", which means "Set Apart". 2 Corinthians 6:17; 7:1 says, "Therefore, come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you." Romans 12:2 says we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world around us, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means as Christians, we are to be thinking differently than the pagans. Philippians 3:19 says "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose god is their belly, ... who set their mind on earthly things."
Jesus is asking you as He asked Peter in John 21:15: "Do you love Me more than these?" If you don't, you are breaking another one of God's commandments: "You shall have no other gods before Me." "You shall not bow down to them or serve them." (Ex. 20: 3-5). I John 5:21 says, "My little children, keep yourselves from idols." Jesus said, "If you love Me, you WILL keep (obey) My commandments." (John 14:15) How about it? Will you now make a commitment to deny yourself for Your Lord and begin to live a life separated from the world, holy and pleasing to Him?
Why do Christians today think it is all right to practice gluttony and treat God's Temple (our bodies) with contempt as though it's OK that they are making God's Temple into a "pagan temple" by eating the pagan food around them? In I Corinthians 3:16, and 17 it says: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God...If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy - which temple you are!"
First things first: The greatest Commandment says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength." "Self Control" is a Fruit of the Spirit. (See Galatians 5:23) Obviously, the world around us is unable to practice this virture. So if you don't have this "fruit" in your life, then you need be examining yourself if you are a true Christian, and asking yourself why you are no different than the world around you. God expects you to "Say No" to the pagan food that surrounds you in today's society, and eat the foods that please Him and your body.
As a Christian, we are part of God's body, called the Church. The word "Church" in Greek means "Called Out Ones". As Christians, we are also "Sanctified", which means "Set Apart". 2 Corinthians 6:17; 7:1 says, "Therefore, come out from among them and be separated, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you." Romans 12:2 says we are not to be conformed to the pattern of this world around us, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That means as Christians, we are to be thinking differently than the pagans. Philippians 3:19 says "For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose god is their belly, ... who set their mind on earthly things."
Jesus is asking you as He asked Peter in John 21:15: "Do you love Me more than these?" If you don't, you are breaking another one of God's commandments: "You shall have no other gods before Me." "You shall not bow down to them or serve them." (Ex. 20: 3-5). I John 5:21 says, "My little children, keep yourselves from idols." Jesus said, "If you love Me, you WILL keep (obey) My commandments." (John 14:15) How about it? Will you now make a commitment to deny yourself for Your Lord and begin to live a life separated from the world, holy and pleasing to Him?
Friday, November 25, 2011
Black Friday: The Ultimate Coveting!
My husband and I were discussing why today is called "Black Friday". When we thought about the word, "black", it made us think of darkness. As Christians when we think of darkness, we think of sin or the Prince of Darkness - Satan.
So, let's take a minute today and think about Satan's description. He comes to "lie, steal and destroy." Satan's first assault on us is to get us to doubt God's Word. In Genesis 3:1, he approached Eve with the thought, "Did God indeed say?" So today, Black Friday, he comes to us and asks us "Did God indeed say - 'Thou shall not covet'?" Then he proceeds to put in front of our eyes all the things that the world goes after for their source of happiness in life. We fall for this lie by thinking that God does love us and He certainly wants "good things" for us, etc. Just like Eve, before you know it - we have rationalized away God's Word on our lives!
Satan's next characteristic is to steal. How many millions of Americans are out in the stores today spending money that they don't have by putting it on credit cards? I was taught when I was young that if I didn't have money to pay for something and I took it anyways - I was stealing it!! If you've got the money tucked away to pay off that credit card immediately, then I wouldn't call that stealing. But if you are getting something, KNOWING you don't have the money for it and probably don't have the money to pay off your credit card - that is called "stealing" and it is breaking another one of God's Ten Commandments!
Satan's ultimate purpose in life is to destroy YOU! So, he is lying to people today, he is stealing from people today, and when this is all over with - he will have destroyed many lives today because of the debt they have just added to the already heavy economic load they are trying to carry.
As Christians, God has called us "OUT of the darkness, into His marvelous light"! (I Peter 2:9)Hear what God has to say about "Black Friday" in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17: "What fellowship has light with darkness? .....What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For YOU are the temple of the living God. .....Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
We are called by God to be the "light of the world" (Matt. 5:14) Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." (Matt. 5:16) Letting our lights shine in today's darkness, means being bold enough to take a stand and to be different from the world around us. Don't "turn off" your light by joining the darkness around you and living in disobedience to your God and His Word!
So, let's take a minute today and think about Satan's description. He comes to "lie, steal and destroy." Satan's first assault on us is to get us to doubt God's Word. In Genesis 3:1, he approached Eve with the thought, "Did God indeed say?" So today, Black Friday, he comes to us and asks us "Did God indeed say - 'Thou shall not covet'?" Then he proceeds to put in front of our eyes all the things that the world goes after for their source of happiness in life. We fall for this lie by thinking that God does love us and He certainly wants "good things" for us, etc. Just like Eve, before you know it - we have rationalized away God's Word on our lives!
Satan's next characteristic is to steal. How many millions of Americans are out in the stores today spending money that they don't have by putting it on credit cards? I was taught when I was young that if I didn't have money to pay for something and I took it anyways - I was stealing it!! If you've got the money tucked away to pay off that credit card immediately, then I wouldn't call that stealing. But if you are getting something, KNOWING you don't have the money for it and probably don't have the money to pay off your credit card - that is called "stealing" and it is breaking another one of God's Ten Commandments!
Satan's ultimate purpose in life is to destroy YOU! So, he is lying to people today, he is stealing from people today, and when this is all over with - he will have destroyed many lives today because of the debt they have just added to the already heavy economic load they are trying to carry.
As Christians, God has called us "OUT of the darkness, into His marvelous light"! (I Peter 2:9)Hear what God has to say about "Black Friday" in 2 Corinthians 6:14-17: "What fellowship has light with darkness? .....What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For YOU are the temple of the living God. .....Therefore, Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
We are called by God to be the "light of the world" (Matt. 5:14) Jesus said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." (Matt. 5:16) Letting our lights shine in today's darkness, means being bold enough to take a stand and to be different from the world around us. Don't "turn off" your light by joining the darkness around you and living in disobedience to your God and His Word!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
"Not Under Law But Under Grace"
This title is taken from Romans 6:14 which says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Many of our preachers are falsely teaching that this means we no longer have to "Keep the Sabbath Day Holy". However, as far as the other 9 commandments - somehow they still want us to keep them. You know, the ones that say "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, etc."
I John 3:4 states that "...sin is lawlessness." We can re-state the above verse to say, "For lawlessness will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." As Christians, we are now expected to be law-keepers instead of being law-breakers!
About a month ago, my husband and I took a trip back to Ohio to visit our relatives. On the way, we stopped at a rest area. In a glass box on a wall were posted the "Rules of this Rest Area". There were about 20 rules that were listed. Do you think that my husband and I took the time to stand there and read all 20 rules to make sure we weren't breaking any of them? Of course not! Why? Because we are "law-keepers" and not "law-breakers". We believe in obeying the law and that means we are no longer "under it". In a way, we are actually ABOVE the law when we become law-keepers! We don't have to worry about stopping at stop signs, red lights, vandelizing rest areas, etc. etc. We automatically do it because we want to obey the law.
However, the ones who are "law-breakers" and who don't want to obey the law - they are the ones who are "under the law". They are the lawless ones who need to worry about those 20 rules listed at that rest area, and they are the ones who need to worry about running the red lights, not stopping at stop signs, breaking the 10 Commandments, etc.
Obeying God's laws - the 10 commandments, will never give us eternal life. That only comes by turning our lives over to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. At that time, His grace saves us. However, something is very wrong if as a Christian - we don't love the Lord enough to desire to walk in obedience to ALL of HIS laws, which also includes keeping HIS Sabbath Day (Saturday - the 7th day) holy and set apart from the world. Something is also wrong, if Christians continue to debate and try to find reasons to NOT be obedient to His Laws! Let us never forget that Christ gave His all for us. How can we not give our all for Him?
I John 3:4 states that "...sin is lawlessness." We can re-state the above verse to say, "For lawlessness will not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." As Christians, we are now expected to be law-keepers instead of being law-breakers!
About a month ago, my husband and I took a trip back to Ohio to visit our relatives. On the way, we stopped at a rest area. In a glass box on a wall were posted the "Rules of this Rest Area". There were about 20 rules that were listed. Do you think that my husband and I took the time to stand there and read all 20 rules to make sure we weren't breaking any of them? Of course not! Why? Because we are "law-keepers" and not "law-breakers". We believe in obeying the law and that means we are no longer "under it". In a way, we are actually ABOVE the law when we become law-keepers! We don't have to worry about stopping at stop signs, red lights, vandelizing rest areas, etc. etc. We automatically do it because we want to obey the law.
However, the ones who are "law-breakers" and who don't want to obey the law - they are the ones who are "under the law". They are the lawless ones who need to worry about those 20 rules listed at that rest area, and they are the ones who need to worry about running the red lights, not stopping at stop signs, breaking the 10 Commandments, etc.
Obeying God's laws - the 10 commandments, will never give us eternal life. That only comes by turning our lives over to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. At that time, His grace saves us. However, something is very wrong if as a Christian - we don't love the Lord enough to desire to walk in obedience to ALL of HIS laws, which also includes keeping HIS Sabbath Day (Saturday - the 7th day) holy and set apart from the world. Something is also wrong, if Christians continue to debate and try to find reasons to NOT be obedient to His Laws! Let us never forget that Christ gave His all for us. How can we not give our all for Him?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The Sabbath Day: Holy or Profane?
The other day I was watching a Christian program on TV which really clarified for me what the difference is between something that is "Holy" and something that is "Common". The analogy that the speaker gave was this: God created our sun to have a "Common" purpose in our galaxy. However, if we should decide to worship the sun and make the sun holy - we would be committing idolatry because God did not create the sun for worship.
Let's apply this analogy to the 4th Commandment - to remember the 7th Day Sabbath and keep it holy. (See Exodus 20:10) God the Creater made the first day of the week for us to work. He created it as a "common" day. He did not create the first day of the week for worship! However, if we decide to make it a day of worship, (a holy day) - then we also are committing idolatry. We have just taken something God created as "Common" and we have made it "Holy" (set apart for worship)!
In Numbers 26:61 it says, "And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the Lord."
Leviticus 10:1-3 says, "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord spoke, saying: "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified."
Worshipping on the first day of the week makes that a "profane worship day". Why? Because as the above verse states: God has not commanded us to worship on that day. But the opposite is also true when we take the 7th Day Sabbath (Saturday), which God has commanded us to keep holy - and we make it a "common/profane day"! We are now guilty of idolatry as well as disobedience to a holy God - and we think we can still ask God to "bless us"?
Let's apply this analogy to the 4th Commandment - to remember the 7th Day Sabbath and keep it holy. (See Exodus 20:10) God the Creater made the first day of the week for us to work. He created it as a "common" day. He did not create the first day of the week for worship! However, if we decide to make it a day of worship, (a holy day) - then we also are committing idolatry. We have just taken something God created as "Common" and we have made it "Holy" (set apart for worship)!
In Numbers 26:61 it says, "And Nadab and Abihu died when they offered profane fire before the Lord."
Leviticus 10:1-3 says, "Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, 'This is what the Lord spoke, saying: "By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; and before all the people I must be glorified."
Worshipping on the first day of the week makes that a "profane worship day". Why? Because as the above verse states: God has not commanded us to worship on that day. But the opposite is also true when we take the 7th Day Sabbath (Saturday), which God has commanded us to keep holy - and we make it a "common/profane day"! We are now guilty of idolatry as well as disobedience to a holy God - and we think we can still ask God to "bless us"?
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Apostasy and Moral Relativism
There's been alot of preaching lately about the dangers of "moral relativism". The dictionary defines "moral" as: "pertinent to right and wrong conduct". It also defines "relativism" as: "dependent on relation to something else, not absolute." In other words, moral relativism means there is no absolute truth, no absolute right and wrong. Everything is relative to each other.
What's surprising to me is the fact that these very same ministers of the Gospel who preach against moral relativism are guilty of teaching and practicing it themselves! Here's an example when they are approached with the truth from God's Word that the 4th Commandment has never been done away with. The 4th Commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy". Exodus 20:10 further states, "But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work...." That sure sounds like an "absolute truth" statement! Here is where the moral relativism comes in when Christians say to me, "Well, it doesn't really matter which day of the week we worship God. We can worship Him any day of the week." The truth is that they say this to excuse themselves from not being obedient to God and His Word!
Let's take a look at some other examples from the Bible where God's people tried the "relativism approach" with our holy God. The first one to come to mind is in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam there was ONE tree he was not to eat from. The serpent basically told Eve, "Does it really matter if you eat from that tree or from any other tree in this garden?" He used the "relativism approach" on Eve, and we know the punishment that came from approaching God with that attitude, don't we?
A few months ago, I wrote a post regarding Naaman, the leper in 2 Kings 5:1-12. He was told by a man of God to go to the Jordan River and dip seven times and he would be cleansed of his leprousy. However, in verse 12 Naaman asks, "Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" This is a really good example of "Moral Relativism". Naaman was saying as Christians do today, that it really doesn't matter to God what river I dip in - as long as I dip myself in a river. It's the same as saying, "It doesn't really matter to God what day I keep as the Sabbath Day - just as long as I take a sabbath day."
Sadly, our churches have let moral relativism take over so much that not only are the Ten Commandments no longer honored and respected, but God Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ is no longer Supreme in our church services and our lives. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus is the Absolute Truth, the Absolute Way, and the Absolute Life! There is NO OTHER WAY to God the Father. One last warning given by Jesus in Matt. 7:13 & 14 says, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Let me challenge you with with this last question: Just how difficult and narrow is your way of life as a Christian? If you are not living a difficult and narrow life, then there is only one other way of life you can be living.....think about it!!
What's surprising to me is the fact that these very same ministers of the Gospel who preach against moral relativism are guilty of teaching and practicing it themselves! Here's an example when they are approached with the truth from God's Word that the 4th Commandment has never been done away with. The 4th Commandment says, "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy". Exodus 20:10 further states, "But the 7th day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work...." That sure sounds like an "absolute truth" statement! Here is where the moral relativism comes in when Christians say to me, "Well, it doesn't really matter which day of the week we worship God. We can worship Him any day of the week." The truth is that they say this to excuse themselves from not being obedient to God and His Word!
Let's take a look at some other examples from the Bible where God's people tried the "relativism approach" with our holy God. The first one to come to mind is in the Garden of Eden. God told Adam there was ONE tree he was not to eat from. The serpent basically told Eve, "Does it really matter if you eat from that tree or from any other tree in this garden?" He used the "relativism approach" on Eve, and we know the punishment that came from approaching God with that attitude, don't we?
A few months ago, I wrote a post regarding Naaman, the leper in 2 Kings 5:1-12. He was told by a man of God to go to the Jordan River and dip seven times and he would be cleansed of his leprousy. However, in verse 12 Naaman asks, "Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?" This is a really good example of "Moral Relativism". Naaman was saying as Christians do today, that it really doesn't matter to God what river I dip in - as long as I dip myself in a river. It's the same as saying, "It doesn't really matter to God what day I keep as the Sabbath Day - just as long as I take a sabbath day."
Sadly, our churches have let moral relativism take over so much that not only are the Ten Commandments no longer honored and respected, but God Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ is no longer Supreme in our church services and our lives. Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jesus is the Absolute Truth, the Absolute Way, and the Absolute Life! There is NO OTHER WAY to God the Father. One last warning given by Jesus in Matt. 7:13 & 14 says, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Let me challenge you with with this last question: Just how difficult and narrow is your way of life as a Christian? If you are not living a difficult and narrow life, then there is only one other way of life you can be living.....think about it!!
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