"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 Law. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Law. 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?
Sunday, January 12, 2014
The Creation: Six Days or Seven Days?
There is a very subtle thing going on in Christian circles today, that everyone seems to be missing. I first noticed this a couple years ago when I attended a conference on Creation here in Springfield, MO. It was put on by the Creation Museum in our area. All day long I listened to speakers from the museum talk about the SIX DAYS of creation, but no one mentioned the SEVENTH DAY of the creation story. Since my blog is about "God's People Doing Away with God's Law in the Last Days", the Holy Spirit began to warn me that there is something wrong somewhere in all of this.
Since then, I have listened to Christian pastors speak about the Creation story, and again it is most often about the SIX days God created, and not the SEVEN. I have even heard them say that after the SIXTH day, God was finished with His creating! What? What ever happened to God creating the SEVENTH day?
Christians really need to learn to think with their heads today, instead of their ears. We know that God "rested on the SEVENTH day". (Gen. 2:2) Well, if He had not CREATED the SEVENTH day, how could He have rested on a day that He never created? Hmm. So, that gets me back to wondering if something bigger is going on here?
In fact, the first part of the same verse listed above says, "And on the SEVENTH day, God ENDED His work which He had done..." Wait a minute! I just heard an evangelical minister on the radio last week say "God ended His work after the SIXTH day!" This evangelical minister just lied, not only to his home congregation, but also to hundreds of his radio listeners! Genesis 2:1 says, "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished." NOTE: It does not say that God was finished creating the DAYS!! God had one more day to create, and that was HIS HOLY day, the SEVENTH day, the Sabbath.
Let's take a minute to think about God creating this special SEVENTH day, a day God Himself named the "Sabbath Day". God had just finished creating the SIXTH day, which included creating mankind - Adam and Eve. (Just as a side point, let me point out here, that Adam and Eve were not "Jewish".) So, logically, that means Adam and Eve were present with God when He created His SEVENTH day, Sabbath. God loved His special creation, whom He created in His own image, so much that He wanted a very special day to be set aside FOREVER so they could come out from among the world, stop working 24/7 (rest from all work), and spend time alone with Him. What a wonderful gift He gave to Himself and to mankind when He created the SEVENTH day!
The real question, though, lies underneath all of this. The real question is, "WHY?" WHY are preachers and ministers not wanting to include the SEVENTH day in the story of Creation? Well, if I was a detective, I would be drawn to the conclusion that they don't want to think about the SEVENTH day Sabbath - and, they really don't want their listeners to start thinking about it, either. So they've made the decision to deceive their listeners by just leaving out "a little bit" of the story!
If ministers got convicted of the truth about the SEVENTH day Sabbath, they would have to give up their churches which meet on Sunday. Remember, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." (I Tim. 6:10) Because they don't want to lose their jobs, most Sunday ministers will "do away with" the SEVENTH day Sabbath by not acknowledging it or by nullifying it as invalid for today's "New Testament" Christian.
The TRUTH is that God created SEVEN days - not SIX. Also, there is something extra special about this day compared to the other six days. This SEVENTH day of Creation is the ONLY day that God "blessed" and "sanctified" (made holy and set apart). (See Genesis 2:3) You will never read any where in the Bible where God called the FIRST day "blessed" or "holy". If you do any research on this subject, you will find that it was a Roman emperor who decided to call the FIRST day of the week, "Sunday", after their sun god. So, it definitely is not a "holy" day by God's Word, the Bible.
Again, I want to encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open to what is being said in these last days, in an attempt to take away from God's TRUTH revealed in His Word. Very silently, subtly, and slowly, God's Law is being eliminated - not so much by unbelievers, but by those who claim to be "followers of Christ"! Just be careful that you don't become like those "without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not..." (Isa. 5:21)
Since then, I have listened to Christian pastors speak about the Creation story, and again it is most often about the SIX days God created, and not the SEVEN. I have even heard them say that after the SIXTH day, God was finished with His creating! What? What ever happened to God creating the SEVENTH day?
Christians really need to learn to think with their heads today, instead of their ears. We know that God "rested on the SEVENTH day". (Gen. 2:2) Well, if He had not CREATED the SEVENTH day, how could He have rested on a day that He never created? Hmm. So, that gets me back to wondering if something bigger is going on here?
In fact, the first part of the same verse listed above says, "And on the SEVENTH day, God ENDED His work which He had done..." Wait a minute! I just heard an evangelical minister on the radio last week say "God ended His work after the SIXTH day!" This evangelical minister just lied, not only to his home congregation, but also to hundreds of his radio listeners! Genesis 2:1 says, "Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished." NOTE: It does not say that God was finished creating the DAYS!! God had one more day to create, and that was HIS HOLY day, the SEVENTH day, the Sabbath.
Let's take a minute to think about God creating this special SEVENTH day, a day God Himself named the "Sabbath Day". God had just finished creating the SIXTH day, which included creating mankind - Adam and Eve. (Just as a side point, let me point out here, that Adam and Eve were not "Jewish".) So, logically, that means Adam and Eve were present with God when He created His SEVENTH day, Sabbath. God loved His special creation, whom He created in His own image, so much that He wanted a very special day to be set aside FOREVER so they could come out from among the world, stop working 24/7 (rest from all work), and spend time alone with Him. What a wonderful gift He gave to Himself and to mankind when He created the SEVENTH day!
The real question, though, lies underneath all of this. The real question is, "WHY?" WHY are preachers and ministers not wanting to include the SEVENTH day in the story of Creation? Well, if I was a detective, I would be drawn to the conclusion that they don't want to think about the SEVENTH day Sabbath - and, they really don't want their listeners to start thinking about it, either. So they've made the decision to deceive their listeners by just leaving out "a little bit" of the story!
If ministers got convicted of the truth about the SEVENTH day Sabbath, they would have to give up their churches which meet on Sunday. Remember, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." (I Tim. 6:10) Because they don't want to lose their jobs, most Sunday ministers will "do away with" the SEVENTH day Sabbath by not acknowledging it or by nullifying it as invalid for today's "New Testament" Christian.
The TRUTH is that God created SEVEN days - not SIX. Also, there is something extra special about this day compared to the other six days. This SEVENTH day of Creation is the ONLY day that God "blessed" and "sanctified" (made holy and set apart). (See Genesis 2:3) You will never read any where in the Bible where God called the FIRST day "blessed" or "holy". If you do any research on this subject, you will find that it was a Roman emperor who decided to call the FIRST day of the week, "Sunday", after their sun god. So, it definitely is not a "holy" day by God's Word, the Bible.
Again, I want to encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open to what is being said in these last days, in an attempt to take away from God's TRUTH revealed in His Word. Very silently, subtly, and slowly, God's Law is being eliminated - not so much by unbelievers, but by those who claim to be "followers of Christ"! Just be careful that you don't become like those "without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not..." (Isa. 5:21)
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Did Jesus Come to Fulfill the Law of God?
I received a comment this week from a reader making the following statement: "The law of God exists, but has been fulfilled." This person was referring to Matthew 5:17 which says, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law (destroy it) or the Prophets. I did not come to abolish but to fulfill." Most Christians have been taught that this means Christ has fulfilled the Law of God. (Past tense.) However, the very next verse will set this false teaching straight and show that Christ was referring to a future time.
Matthew 5:18 says, "For assuredly I (Jesus) say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Is heaven and earth still here? Yes, they are. So what? Well, Jesus just said that if heaven and earth are still here - then He has not fulfilled the Law of God, yet. Jesus has not yet fulfilled the Law of God and the proof of that statement is in the fact that heaven and earth are still here!
The answer to the question in the title of this post is this: Yes - Jesus came to fulfill the Law of God! He just hasn't done it yet - contrary to what most of us have been taught through our preachers, Bible colleges, or even our own families. So, when is Jesus going to "fulfill" the Law of God? When He comes back again to set up the Kingdom of God here on earth. The Kingdom of God will also have His "Kingdom Law". How do I know that? Because the above verses in Matthew are part of the Beatitudes, which Jesus gave describing His "Kingdom Law".
Throughout the book of Matthew, Jesus gives parables (stories) about "a king" and "a kingdom". In these stories, He is talking about Himself, His Kingship and His Kingdom. When we put our trust in Jesus Christ - that He is Almighty God in the flesh, Who came to earth to become the sacrifice for our sins, and that He rose again and will be coming back for us - we become His children and citizens of His Kingdom. As a citizen of the U.S., I have laws I must obey. Likewise, the above verses are part of His discourse to the crowds about His "Kingdom Law". It has not been abolished, destroyed, or even fulfilled!
The Lawgiver and His Law cannot be separated. If you throw out one, you are throwing out the other as well. Law and Grace do go together, contrary to the false teaching in many of our churches. Isaiah 42:21 says, "He (Jesus, the Messiah) will exalt the law and make it honorable." Throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), you see Jesus exalting His law and making it honorable. That is what the Pharisees were constantly fighting against - and it is what the false teachers of today are fighting against as well. (Just a hint: I think I know Who wins out in the end!)
Go out today and enjoy the heaven and the earth that God has so graciously bestowed on you, and remember His promise in Matthew 5:18.
Matthew 5:18 says, "For assuredly I (Jesus) say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." Is heaven and earth still here? Yes, they are. So what? Well, Jesus just said that if heaven and earth are still here - then He has not fulfilled the Law of God, yet. Jesus has not yet fulfilled the Law of God and the proof of that statement is in the fact that heaven and earth are still here!
The answer to the question in the title of this post is this: Yes - Jesus came to fulfill the Law of God! He just hasn't done it yet - contrary to what most of us have been taught through our preachers, Bible colleges, or even our own families. So, when is Jesus going to "fulfill" the Law of God? When He comes back again to set up the Kingdom of God here on earth. The Kingdom of God will also have His "Kingdom Law". How do I know that? Because the above verses in Matthew are part of the Beatitudes, which Jesus gave describing His "Kingdom Law".
Throughout the book of Matthew, Jesus gives parables (stories) about "a king" and "a kingdom". In these stories, He is talking about Himself, His Kingship and His Kingdom. When we put our trust in Jesus Christ - that He is Almighty God in the flesh, Who came to earth to become the sacrifice for our sins, and that He rose again and will be coming back for us - we become His children and citizens of His Kingdom. As a citizen of the U.S., I have laws I must obey. Likewise, the above verses are part of His discourse to the crowds about His "Kingdom Law". It has not been abolished, destroyed, or even fulfilled!
The Lawgiver and His Law cannot be separated. If you throw out one, you are throwing out the other as well. Law and Grace do go together, contrary to the false teaching in many of our churches. Isaiah 42:21 says, "He (Jesus, the Messiah) will exalt the law and make it honorable." Throughout the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), you see Jesus exalting His law and making it honorable. That is what the Pharisees were constantly fighting against - and it is what the false teachers of today are fighting against as well. (Just a hint: I think I know Who wins out in the end!)
Go out today and enjoy the heaven and the earth that God has so graciously bestowed on you, and remember His promise in Matthew 5:18.
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."
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!
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?
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Once Saved - Always Saved? True or False?
Here is what God says in Ezekiel 18:21 about the "righteous man":
"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity (sin), and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? ALL the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die."
In Ezekiel 18:25, God says the following about the "wicked man":
"If a wicked man turns from all his sins (lawlessness) which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live."
If our preachers say that the righteous man can "commit iniquity" and still live, (which goes against God's Word in Ez. 18) - then preachers MUST also BE CONSISTENT when it comes to the verses on the wicked man. They would then have to say if the wicked man "turns from all his sins" - he would still die (which goes against God's Word in Ez. 18). Our preachers cannot change the verses about the righteous man without also changing the verses regarding the wicked man! This goes completely against the practice of good Bible teaching.
So, what is righteousness? Verse 25 above tells us that when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness, "keeps all My statutes (laws)" and does "what is lawful and right", he is considered righteous and will live. If you do what is "lawful", you must have a set of "laws" to live by. The set of laws God has given us are His statutes, the Ten Commandments. However, if we are being taught in our churches that God's law has "been done away with", that means our preachers are actually teaching us to be unrighteous people!
It's interesting that I John 3:4 states that "Sin is lawlessness". Lawlessness means "we are not under law" because there is no law. Hmmm - where have I heard that one before?
Before I close, I want to clarify that we cannot earn our salvation by good works or by keeping God's laws. Jesus Christ purchased our salvation through His blood which was shed on the cross for us. If we choose to accept this gift of salvation, it also means we choosing to turn our lives over to Christ and His laws which He expects us to obey. We are taught that salvation is a "free gift", but even that is a false teaching! It cost Jesus Christ His very life, and He tells us that if we accept His gift of salvation - it will cost us our lives as well!
In conclusion, God's Word tells us that the theology that teaches us "Once Saved - Always Saved" is a false teaching. It not only does away with our need to obey God's laws, but it also takes away "the fear of the Lord" from before our eyes. Solomon gave his conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13,14: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
"When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity (sin), and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? ALL the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die."
In Ezekiel 18:25, God says the following about the "wicked man":
"If a wicked man turns from all his sins (lawlessness) which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live."
If our preachers say that the righteous man can "commit iniquity" and still live, (which goes against God's Word in Ez. 18) - then preachers MUST also BE CONSISTENT when it comes to the verses on the wicked man. They would then have to say if the wicked man "turns from all his sins" - he would still die (which goes against God's Word in Ez. 18). Our preachers cannot change the verses about the righteous man without also changing the verses regarding the wicked man! This goes completely against the practice of good Bible teaching.
So, what is righteousness? Verse 25 above tells us that when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness, "keeps all My statutes (laws)" and does "what is lawful and right", he is considered righteous and will live. If you do what is "lawful", you must have a set of "laws" to live by. The set of laws God has given us are His statutes, the Ten Commandments. However, if we are being taught in our churches that God's law has "been done away with", that means our preachers are actually teaching us to be unrighteous people!
It's interesting that I John 3:4 states that "Sin is lawlessness". Lawlessness means "we are not under law" because there is no law. Hmmm - where have I heard that one before?
Before I close, I want to clarify that we cannot earn our salvation by good works or by keeping God's laws. Jesus Christ purchased our salvation through His blood which was shed on the cross for us. If we choose to accept this gift of salvation, it also means we choosing to turn our lives over to Christ and His laws which He expects us to obey. We are taught that salvation is a "free gift", but even that is a false teaching! It cost Jesus Christ His very life, and He tells us that if we accept His gift of salvation - it will cost us our lives as well!
In conclusion, God's Word tells us that the theology that teaches us "Once Saved - Always Saved" is a false teaching. It not only does away with our need to obey God's laws, but it also takes away "the fear of the Lord" from before our eyes. Solomon gave his conclusion in Ecclesiastes 12:13,14: "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil."
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Apostasy: The Idolatry of Evangelical Believers
Since I began this blog about the Apostasy and believers being falsely taught that God's Law has been "done away with", I've had the feeling that idolatry is being practiced by many believers - but I just couldn't figure out how to explain it. For one thing, we don't have carved idols that we actually bow down to here in the U.S. as many foreign countries have with their various religions, etc.
Well, yesterday God showed me in Ezekiel 14:3-6, the idolatry that many evangelical believers are practicing today. It's called "Idolatry of the Heart". Here is how this passage reads in the NKJV:
"Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I (the Lord God) let Myself be inquired of at all by them? Therefore, speak to them, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols."' Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations."
Ezekiel 14:7 & 8 then says: "For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself. I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."
How do we identify "idolatry of the heart"? First of all, this idolatry is not referring to carved images that are set up in order for one to practice their religion by bowing down before them and/or offering sacrifices to them, etc. This idolatry is something that "estranges and separates" us from our relationship with our God. (14:5) This idolatry is something that "causes us to stumble into iniquity". (14:3,4,7) It is an "idolatry of the heart" that makes our hearts lukewarm towards God. I wrote about this in my blog in June 2010 regarding apostasy-and-uncircumcised hearts.
Many evangelical Christians are spending their spare time playing video games on their i-phones, playing fantasy games with others on their computers, and many are even spending time viewing pornagraphic websites. Spending your spare time watching T.V., being on the internet, going shopping, being with friends, can all be "idolatry of the heart" IF it all leaves you with NO TIME to spend with your God by reading His Word (not someone else's devotionals) or being on your knees in prayer and worship before Him. Of course, the more time we stay away from God and His Word - the more likely we are going to "stumble into iniquity" as Ezekiel 14 put it. As someone else has put it, "If the devil can't get you to sin, he will keep you BUSY!"
If you as a believer in Christ Jesus, find you have "no heart" for spending time with Him - then you need to examine your heart and your lifestyle. If you find that your "want to" is broken regarding spending time in prayer and Bible-reading, then do what Ezekiel 14:6 says to do: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations." If you find you don't even have "the heart" to do this - then you, my dear friend, have been deceived into thinking that you are truly a born-again Christian.
As I John 3:10 says, "Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God..." If you have a desire to have a personal relationship with God, please let me know and I will be glad to introduce you to Him.
Well, yesterday God showed me in Ezekiel 14:3-6, the idolatry that many evangelical believers are practicing today. It's called "Idolatry of the Heart". Here is how this passage reads in the NKJV:
"Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts, and put before them that which causes them to stumble into iniquity. Should I (the Lord God) let Myself be inquired of at all by them? Therefore, speak to them, and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Everyone of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart, and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, and then comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him who comes, according to the multitude of his idols, that I may seize the house of Israel by their heart, because they are all estranged from Me by their idols."' Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations."
Ezekiel 14:7 & 8 then says: "For anyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell in Israel, who separates himself from Me and sets up idols in his heart and puts before him what causes him to stumble into iniquity, then comes to a prophet to inquire of him concerning Me, I the Lord will answer him by Myself. I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people. Then you shall know that I am the Lord."
How do we identify "idolatry of the heart"? First of all, this idolatry is not referring to carved images that are set up in order for one to practice their religion by bowing down before them and/or offering sacrifices to them, etc. This idolatry is something that "estranges and separates" us from our relationship with our God. (14:5) This idolatry is something that "causes us to stumble into iniquity". (14:3,4,7) It is an "idolatry of the heart" that makes our hearts lukewarm towards God. I wrote about this in my blog in June 2010 regarding apostasy-and-uncircumcised hearts.
Many evangelical Christians are spending their spare time playing video games on their i-phones, playing fantasy games with others on their computers, and many are even spending time viewing pornagraphic websites. Spending your spare time watching T.V., being on the internet, going shopping, being with friends, can all be "idolatry of the heart" IF it all leaves you with NO TIME to spend with your God by reading His Word (not someone else's devotionals) or being on your knees in prayer and worship before Him. Of course, the more time we stay away from God and His Word - the more likely we are going to "stumble into iniquity" as Ezekiel 14 put it. As someone else has put it, "If the devil can't get you to sin, he will keep you BUSY!"
If you as a believer in Christ Jesus, find you have "no heart" for spending time with Him - then you need to examine your heart and your lifestyle. If you find that your "want to" is broken regarding spending time in prayer and Bible-reading, then do what Ezekiel 14:6 says to do: "Repent, turn away from your idols, and turn your faces away from all your abominations." If you find you don't even have "the heart" to do this - then you, my dear friend, have been deceived into thinking that you are truly a born-again Christian.
As I John 3:10 says, "Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God..." If you have a desire to have a personal relationship with God, please let me know and I will be glad to introduce you to Him.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Guarding The Gates of the Sabbath - Part Two
My husband and I get so excited when the sun sets on Friday evenings and we can "shut the gates" when it comes to our home and our relationship with each other and our God. It's so freeing to know that for the next 24 hours, we are going to shut the world out of our home and our lives. Then, we get to welcome our Lord Jesus to spend time with us on His holy day. By so doing, we are "guarding the gates and sanctifying the Sabbath day".
God led Nehemiah to use this phrase in Nehemiah 13:19-22. "So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, 'Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!' From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day."
So as a Christian, how are you doing at "guarding the gates" of God's seventh-day Sabbath? How are you doing at "sanctifying the Sabbath day" - keeping it holy, different and set apart from the other 6 days of the week? This definitely goes counter-culture in today's society as well as in today's evangelical churches. As in Nehemiah's day, the merchants are outside "the gates" (meaning our homes) on the Sabbath day -
constantly calling us to "open the gates" in order to come out and buy their goods. However, by "opening those gates", the world is able to sneak inside our homes through our phones, televisions, radios, newspapers, etc. It is a constant conscious decision on our part to turn it all off in order to "guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day".
So, what is the benefit to you? 1) You will be walking in obedience to the Word of God, 2) You will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, 3) You will get REST and RELAXATION for 24 hours EVERY WEEK, and 4) You will have peace - Sabbath Peace. What a gift from God!
"SHABBAT SHALOM!"
God led Nehemiah to use this phrase in Nehemiah 13:19-22. "So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Now the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice. Then I warned them, and said to them, 'Why do you spend the night around the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you!' From that time on they came no more on the Sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should go and guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day."
So as a Christian, how are you doing at "guarding the gates" of God's seventh-day Sabbath? How are you doing at "sanctifying the Sabbath day" - keeping it holy, different and set apart from the other 6 days of the week? This definitely goes counter-culture in today's society as well as in today's evangelical churches. As in Nehemiah's day, the merchants are outside "the gates" (meaning our homes) on the Sabbath day -
constantly calling us to "open the gates" in order to come out and buy their goods. However, by "opening those gates", the world is able to sneak inside our homes through our phones, televisions, radios, newspapers, etc. It is a constant conscious decision on our part to turn it all off in order to "guard the gates to sanctify the Sabbath day".
So, what is the benefit to you? 1) You will be walking in obedience to the Word of God, 2) You will grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, 3) You will get REST and RELAXATION for 24 hours EVERY WEEK, and 4) You will have peace - Sabbath Peace. What a gift from God!
"SHABBAT SHALOM!"
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Guarding The Gates of the Sabbath - Part One
Here's a little bit of history that I'm sure most of us are unaware of. In 586 BC, Jerusalem and its gates
were burned and destroyed by fire. Jeremiah 17:27 gives the reason for why it happened:
Thus says the Lord, "But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched."
A little later on around 432 BC, Nehemiah has gone back to Jerusalem to help rebuild it. After rebuilding the walls, the people made a covenant in Neh. 10:31 "... if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day;" Sometime after this, Nehemiah returned to Babylon for a short time. However, when he came back to Jerusalem (in Neh. 13:15-19) this is what he had to say:
"In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, 'What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.' So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day."
In verse 18 when Nehemiah referred to "didn't our fathers do thus, and didn't our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city?" - he was referring to the burning of Jerusalem and its gates by fire, back in Jeremiah 17:27! To put it in our language today, Nehemiah was "freaking out" that the people were buying and selling on the Sabbath day, not keeping it a holy and set-apart day to the Lord, and not keeping the gates of Jerusalem shut on that holy day. He was fearful that God would again burn it with fire because of them not honoring the Sabbath Day!
What does this have to do with us today? Take a look at what Christians are doing on the 7th day of the week - the Sabbath day to the Lord our God. It's one of the first 4 commandments that have to do with "Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength". Are we "buying and selling" on God's holy day? Are we working and/or making others work that day by serving us? Maybe some of us should be getting a little bit more "freaked out" about the natural disasters God is allowing to come on the U.S. when it's obvious we continue to "cast His law behind our backs" (Neh. 9:26) by being a disobedient and rebellious people when it comes to God and His Word. If God can burn Jerusalem with fire because the people called by His Name would not keep His Sabbath day holy - what makes us think it won't happen to us as well?
were burned and destroyed by fire. Jeremiah 17:27 gives the reason for why it happened:
Thus says the Lord, "But if you will not heed Me to hallow the Sabbath day, such as not carrying a burden when entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched."
A little later on around 432 BC, Nehemiah has gone back to Jerusalem to help rebuild it. After rebuilding the walls, the people made a covenant in Neh. 10:31 "... if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day;" Sometime after this, Nehemiah returned to Babylon for a short time. However, when he came back to Jerusalem (in Neh. 13:15-19) this is what he had to say:
"In those days I saw people in Judah treading wine presses on the Sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and loading donkeys with wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them about the day on which they were selling provisions. Men of Tyre dwelt there also, who brought in fish and all kinds of goods, and sold them on the Sabbath to the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said to them, 'What evil thing is this that you do, by which you profane the Sabbath day? Did not your fathers do thus, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring added wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath.' So it was, at the gates of Jerusalem, as it began to be dark before the Sabbath, that I commanded the gates to be shut, and charged that they must not be opened till after the Sabbath. Then I posted some of my servants at the gates, so that no burdens would be brought in on the Sabbath day."
In verse 18 when Nehemiah referred to "didn't our fathers do thus, and didn't our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city?" - he was referring to the burning of Jerusalem and its gates by fire, back in Jeremiah 17:27! To put it in our language today, Nehemiah was "freaking out" that the people were buying and selling on the Sabbath day, not keeping it a holy and set-apart day to the Lord, and not keeping the gates of Jerusalem shut on that holy day. He was fearful that God would again burn it with fire because of them not honoring the Sabbath Day!
What does this have to do with us today? Take a look at what Christians are doing on the 7th day of the week - the Sabbath day to the Lord our God. It's one of the first 4 commandments that have to do with "Loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength". Are we "buying and selling" on God's holy day? Are we working and/or making others work that day by serving us? Maybe some of us should be getting a little bit more "freaked out" about the natural disasters God is allowing to come on the U.S. when it's obvious we continue to "cast His law behind our backs" (Neh. 9:26) by being a disobedient and rebellious people when it comes to God and His Word. If God can burn Jerusalem with fire because the people called by His Name would not keep His Sabbath day holy - what makes us think it won't happen to us as well?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Ten Commandments or Two Commandments?
Yesterday morning, I was watching a T.V. minister speak on I John 5. In I John 5:2 and 3 it says, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." (NKJV) This minister proceeded to state that we only have two commandments that we are expected to obey. He told the audience this without ever giving them a Bible reference! Of course, the two commandments he was referring to are: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Let's look at Matthew 22:36-40 and see exactly what Jesus said about these two commandments. A lawyer had come to Jesus and asked Him about which was the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus' reply was "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the LAW and the Prophets."
I want you to see a couple of things from this passage:
1. Jesus is quoting Old Testament Law with both of these commandments. See Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18.
By doing this, He is confirming that the Old Testament Law is not "done away with" as many of our ministers are teaching today.
2. Jesus never said there were no other commandments than these two. He only said one was "the first greatest commandment. And the second is like it." No where did He say that we did not need to obey the other commandments. In fact, He said in verse 40, "On these two commandments HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS."
A couple of chapters earlier, in Matt. 19:17-19 - Jesus told the rich young ruler, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." If you notice, Jesus didn't quote the two commandments mentioned above!
When the ruler asked Him which ones to keep, Jesus answered with the following: "You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Sounds like part of the 10 Commandments with the "second greatest commandment" added on, doesn't it?
The same minister mentioned above later on in his sermon mentioned the importance of "morality". Well, we cannot have any kind of morality without "moral laws" to follow and obey. Webster's definition of "sin" is "the transgression of divine and moral law committed consciously". As soon as this minister started talking about "morality", he was admitting there were more than two commandments to be obeyed.
What I really want you to get from all of this is the importance for each one of us to do as the people in Berea did in Acts 17:11 - they "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." Please don't just take your minister's word for anything - without studying it for yourself. The same goes for any books or devotionals you may read. We are living in the last days when false teachers are trying to deceive us in any way that they can. The only way we can know what is really true is to go to the Word of God for ourselves, asking the Holy Spirit to show us what is true and what is false.
Let's look at Matthew 22:36-40 and see exactly what Jesus said about these two commandments. A lawyer had come to Jesus and asked Him about which was the greatest commandment in the law. Jesus' reply was "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the LAW and the Prophets."
I want you to see a couple of things from this passage:
1. Jesus is quoting Old Testament Law with both of these commandments. See Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18.
By doing this, He is confirming that the Old Testament Law is not "done away with" as many of our ministers are teaching today.
2. Jesus never said there were no other commandments than these two. He only said one was "the first greatest commandment. And the second is like it." No where did He say that we did not need to obey the other commandments. In fact, He said in verse 40, "On these two commandments HANG ALL THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS."
A couple of chapters earlier, in Matt. 19:17-19 - Jesus told the rich young ruler, "If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." If you notice, Jesus didn't quote the two commandments mentioned above!
When the ruler asked Him which ones to keep, Jesus answered with the following: "You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honor your father and your mother, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Sounds like part of the 10 Commandments with the "second greatest commandment" added on, doesn't it?
The same minister mentioned above later on in his sermon mentioned the importance of "morality". Well, we cannot have any kind of morality without "moral laws" to follow and obey. Webster's definition of "sin" is "the transgression of divine and moral law committed consciously". As soon as this minister started talking about "morality", he was admitting there were more than two commandments to be obeyed.
What I really want you to get from all of this is the importance for each one of us to do as the people in Berea did in Acts 17:11 - they "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." Please don't just take your minister's word for anything - without studying it for yourself. The same goes for any books or devotionals you may read. We are living in the last days when false teachers are trying to deceive us in any way that they can. The only way we can know what is really true is to go to the Word of God for ourselves, asking the Holy Spirit to show us what is true and what is false.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Covetousness and Black Friday (Part 2)
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!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)