As near to God as you want Him to be

In the Three basic commands, you could read about three basic commands a Christian has to keep. For a Christian the fundamentals of his faith are to

1. 1. Obey God’s and Christ’s commands
   2. Not to test God
   3. Only to worship One God and to have no other gods before Him

A real Christian follows Christ Jesus and would love to become like him and do like him. In such way a Christian would devote his life to the same God Jesus devoted his life. Jesus always wanted to do the Will of God. His intention was also to let others know God. Jesus, who also could not do anything by his own, also wanted people not to look for what he wanted to do, but for what his heavenly Father, the Only One True God, Who had sent him wanted.

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30, NRKJV)

34 Yahushua saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34, NRKJV)

36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (John 5:36, NRKJV)

The apostle John in one of his letters asks his readers to think about which way they want to go and what they want to believe.

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of יהוה is greater: for this is the witness of יהוה which he hath testified of his Son. 10 He that believeth on the Son of יהוה hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not יהוה hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that יהוה gave of his Son. 11 And this is the record, that יהוה hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of יהוה hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of יהוה; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of יהוה. (1John 5:9-13, NRKJV)

Real Christians, who believe they can get life in the son of God, should go by the Words of the Book of books, the Bible and not follow human dogma’s.

14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him. (1John 5:14-15, NRKJV)

The insurance that Jesus is not God but the mediator between God and man, gives us no reason to be afraid to pray in his name and to go up to Jesus his heavenly Father, Whom we, thanks to Jesus Christ, also can call our heavenly Father.

3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of יהוה our Saviour; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one Elohim, and one mediator between Elohim and men, the man Yahushua the Messiah; 6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in the Messiah, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. (1Tim 2:3-8, NRKJV)

It is our faith in Jesus which brings us to come close to his heavenly Father, willing to have Him also as our heavenly Father. It is in such way that Jesus also taught people to pray to his God not as hypocrites.

5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye:

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. (Matt 6:5-10, NRKJV)

Jesus not being God, believed in the God of Israel and trusted Him. He believed that Jehovah God was with him and would take him up in His reign.

17 Yahushua saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my Elohim, and your Elohim. (John 20:17, NRKJV)

For Jesus, it was clear that his Father was also the Father of all others, and His God was and is also The God of others (but not of all, because many do not accept Jehovah as their Most High Elohim or God).

Before Jesus was taken into heaven he showed his wounds proving that he was not a ghost or spirit like his heavenly Father, Who is an unseen Singular Spirit Being. As such the disciple could be a witness that there stood the real son of man Jesus, who was their master.

36 And as they thus spake, Yahushua himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved the Messiah to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
gives them a charge
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
promises the Holy Ghost
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
and so ascends into heaven
50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. 51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Now Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God and not on God’s throne, but on his throne as chosen one from God and as a high priest for God.

63 But Yahushua held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living Elohim, that thou tell us whether thou be the Messiah, the Son of the Almighty. 64 Yahushua saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Matt 26:63-64, NRKJV)

62 And Yahushua said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14:62, NRKJV)

19 So then after Yahushua had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of יהוה. (Mark 16:19, NRKJV)

55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of יהוה, and Yahushua standing on the right hand of the Most High, (Acts 7:55, NRKJV)

Heb 1
1 Elohim, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Heb 1:1-3, NRKJV)

God want us in a relationship with Him through Christ. And God wants us to trust him completely. Christians should be people who trust God in the same way Jesus trusted his God. Jesus dared to give his life, trusting in his heavenly Father. God can not die, but Jesus died and went into the grave. For three days Jesus was in hell (sheol – hades  = the grave).

30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that יהוה had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Messiah to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of the Messiah, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Yahushua hath יהוה raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of יהוה exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, יהוה said unto my master, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool. 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that יהוה hath made that same Yahushua, whom ye have crucified, both King and Messiah. (Acts 2:30-36, NRKJV)

That is today our assurance and hope. Jesus by God exalted to be our Saviour or Christ, being the Messiah. We should understand the words of Jesus and recognise the God of Jesus also as our God and our Father.

42 Yahushua said unto them, If Elohim were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from Elohim; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of יהוה heareth יהוה’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of יהוה. (John 8:42-47, NRKJV)

Christians should hear Jesus and believe him and in the same way as Jesus believed his heavenly Father, the Only One True God, Christians also should believe that God of Israel. The same as Jesus did not wait until it was too late, we should not wait before trying to have such a good relationship with God as Jesus had.

Today lots of people calling themselves Christian want to be befriended with the world and keep to their feasts. Such love for the world gives fog to their thoughts, not able to see the Biblical Truth because preferring to keep to human teachings. But God requires faithful love and worship.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with יהוה? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of יהוה. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more favour. Wherefore he saith, יהוה resisteth the proud, but giveth favour unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to יהוה. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to יהוה, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of יהוה, and he shall lift you up. (Jas 4:4-10, NRKJV)

We should not be double-minded and not twist words of the Scriptures so that they’ll suit a lot of people who would love to belong to the majority instead of choosing for the path of God and narrow gate to the kingdom of God. Following Christ means going for him and doing as he and God want it.

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt 7:14, NRKJV)

24 Then said Yahushua unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. 28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. (Matt 16:24-28, NRKJV)

Those who accept Christ as their saviour can pray in his Name, but:

Prayer should be nothing less than stepping into the throne room of heaven and drawing near to a holy and majestic God.

When your life is a prayer, the Lord will always be near you. “Make your life a prayer” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 TPT).

We are meant to be near to the Lord, and prayer is how we get there. “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18 NKJV). {In the Presence of God}

writes Paul Balius.

The ransom offer of Jesus cleansed us from our sins, in the way that we do not have to hide any more, because God knows our weaknesses. Knowing Jesus died for us we still have to really get clean. Our faith in Jesus requires several works. One of those works is to repent.

19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of יהוה; 20 And he shall send Yahushua the Messiah, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which יהוה hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:19-21, NRKJV)

At the same time, we may not forget Who accepted the sacrificial offering of that son of man, and wants us to become His children.

You learn about the things of God through your adult intellect, but you must come to Christ as a child. You can go far in your knowledge of the truth but still be distant from the Lord Jesus, who is truth. You don’t get nearer to God through your intellect but through your heart.

Drawing near to the Lord is an act of the heart and not of the mind, because intimacy is founded on love. “Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7 NKJV). {In the Presence of God}

Like Jesus very well knew his heavenly Father, his God, we too as followers of Christ, or Christians should draw near to the same God of Christ, having written His Laws in our heart, so that He can be our God and heavenly Father, and we can be His child.

33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith יהוה, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people. (Jer 31:33, NRKJV)

As followers of Christ we should clean ourselves and put on a new heart so that God can place a new spirit in us.

19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: (Ezek 11:19, NRKJV)

At the moment there are still many who call themselves Christian, but have a heart of stone and not showing the love of Christ to others. But when time progresses to the Last Days, it shall change. Many more shall find that Jesus is the way to god and shall be willing to follow him so that their stony heart shall be taken away to be renewed.

26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (Ezek 36:26, NRKJV)

At the moment many are still in the darkness which “avoids the light lest it be ruined”. In the same way, their sin separates them from God so long as they choose to hold onto it and as long as they want to hold on false teachings, instead of accepting the Words of God.

It is not that God cannot forgive you, but you must be willing to let Him. Don’t squander the treasures of heaven by holding onto the filth of this world. {In the Presence of God}

People should know they have come to do the same as Christ, stepping in the light of God, willing to live according to the Will of God, following His ordinances. The apostles had seen and heard the son of God and announced him to others, so that they, too, may have fellowship with them, and so that the apostles their fellowship with the fellowship of all followers of the real Christ may be with the Father and with His Son Jesus who is the Anointed of God.

3 that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Yahushua the Messiah. 4 And these things we write to you that your joy may be full. 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that יהוה is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahushua the Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1John 1:3-7, NRKJV)

Therefore, let us be fully aware that those who recognise not the son or denies his sonship, shall not be able to draw close to God, because one has to confess the son of God to have the Father. As real followers of Christ, we have to accept Jesus as our lord and be cleansed to walk in the light, turning to God, drawing close to Him, so that He can draw us close to His Throne of Glory. Real Christians do not deny that Jesus is the son of man, son of God and the Kristos or Christ.

23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (1John 2:23, NRKJV)

If we claim that we have fellowship with Christ and his God, and yet we do not accept the words Jesus said or the words his Father said, we walk in darkness, and as such we hear a lot of people who call themselves Christian, but who are not telling the truth.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. (1John 1:6, NRKJV)

Real Christians can not deny the Son. This is fundamental to have the Father. Without confessing the son, there is no way to have the Father.

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Yahushua is the Messiah? He is antiMessiah who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. (1John 2:22-24, NRKJV)

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yahushua the Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1John 1:7, NRKJV)

Those who do not accept the Words of God and the words of Christ are often compared to “adulterers” , certainly those who prefer to keep to the false human teachings or human dogmas. They should know that the friendship of this world is hostile to God. Therefore, whoever has chosen to go above the Words of Scripture and to be a friend of this world, have chosen to stay in the dark, but worse have made themselves into a satan (an adversary of God) or an enemy of God. Those not willing to accept the words in Scripture like they are written are considered “the arrogant”. Real Christians should be humble and accept the words like they are written in the Bible and be subject to God, drawing near to God, so that He will draw near to them.

4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with יהוה? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of יהוה. 5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? 6 But he giveth more favour. Wherefore he saith, יהוה resisteth the proud, but giveth favour unto the humble. 7 Submit yourselves therefore to יהוה. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to יהוה, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of יהוה, and he shall lift you up. (Jas 4:4-10, NRKJV)

Let us be humble and accept what God says about the one He sent to the world:

17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying,

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matt 3:17, NRKJV)

+

Preceding

Do you really know what you say you believe in?

Not About The Name Of The Godhead Of Jesus

Rhetoric and Biblical Truth

Religion and the essence of devotion

Three basic commands

The false prophets in the present world

O God, How Long? ~ Psalm 74

++

Additional reading

1. A Book to trust #2 Book of Truth
2. Human & Biblical teachings
3. God spoke to our forefathers and speaks to us
4. False opposite true worship which exalts the God of Israel
5. Today’s thought “On the eternity of God” (December 17)
6. El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live
7. A 1st reply to the 4th Question Who is God 2 A Singular Supreme Spirit Being
8. Standing within proximity of the glory of God
9. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son.
10. Authority from the One God to one mediator between God and men
11. Recognising Jehovah’s sovereignty
12. The New Covenant Victim and Mediator
13. The New Covenant Intercessor
14. Demanding signs or denying yourself
15. Faith and works
16. Worship

+++

Related articles

1. What Does It Mean to be a True Christian?
2. the high cost of not trusting God
3. Seeing Clearly – Br. James Koester
4. Running and pausing with Jesus – Br. Todd Blackham
5. God Does Not Love You Just as You Are
6. It’s a privilege
7. What Does It Mean to be a True Christian?
8. Being A Cultural Christian Is Not Enough
9. Being Christian
10. Effective Christianity
11. Progressive Christianity
12. They Will Know We Are Christians By…What?
13. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
14. Lamps Bright with a Wise Anticipation – Br. Sean Glenn
15. Essential Truths of the Christian Faith

Three basic commands

At the (internet) service this morning brother Eric Lowe spoke about people at first following up the CoViD-19 measures strictly. At the first lockdown, the governments of the West-European countries had been giving very clear instructions. That way lots of people kept to the measures and seemed to have fewer difficulties following those instructions than by the second lockdown.

When the governments started to relax the measures and then started giving different signals people started to get confused and we could see that many people were not any more prepared to follow the social restrictions. So many months after the beginning of the corona crisis, people start getting tired and less interested to listen to the advice of the epidemiologists.

In Christendom we can see a similar attitude as in the citizen world. Today we see a lot of people who are not so much interested in listening to wise, and even less to old and new sensible advice. Mr. Lowe said the less people are listening they go by, and remarked:

If you are not listening you can not hear.

And that is just the problem by a lot of people who call themselves Christian. We better would look to the examples in Scriptures, which would all make it so much easier to pass those difficult times of isolation.

If we care not to listen then our listening shuts down.

That is what we see what happened with lots of Christians, not to say with the majority. For many so-called Christians, there is not any more such a good connection with God. They have forgotten that the experience with God depends on our nearness to God and all that would happen in His presence. Many wait for God’s presence to happen, and in the meantime try out their own gods and saints to bow down for and pray for.

Billy Graham warned:

“God doesn’t want us to waste our latter years or spend them in superficial, meaningless pursuits. Instead, He wants us to use them in whatever ways we can to influence those who will come after us. God wants us to finish well. . . .”

When being a Christian people should be as a disciple of Christ, following his teachings and worshipping the same God a Christ. Though many, who call themselves Christian, do not worship the same God as Jesus Christ worshipped. They even do not want to accept the Words of God, Who Himself said that Jesus was His beloved son. God, Who is no liar, never said He is Jesus or never held back to say that He would be Jesus. In case God would be Jesus, then he would naturally have told the people around Jesus a lot of lies, but also to His prophets He would have told lies more than ones.  Already in Jesus time, when there was a genuine and powerful work of God, men did not like to be apart from it, especially if they were religious leaders. Consequently we find both Pharisees and Sadducees coming to John’s baptism. He met them however with prophetic insight. He unmasked them as having the characteristics of the serpent, and warned them that wrath lay before them. He knew that they would boast of being in the proper Abrahamic succession, so he knocked that prop from beneath them, showing that it would not count with God. Nothing would do but repentance, and his baptism was with a view to that; but it must be genuine and manifest itself in fruits that were suitable. James, in his Epistle, insists that faith, if it is real and vital, must express itself in suitable works.

When Jesus got baptised the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the God of Israel made clear who that Nazarene man standing in the river Jordan was:

3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of יהוה, make his paths straight. (Matt 3:3, NRKJV)

13 Then cometh Yahushua from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15 And Yahushua answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 16 And Yahushua, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of Elohim descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matt 3:13-17, NRKJV)

Some months later Jehovah would repeat it and say:

18 Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. (Matt 12:18-21, NRKJV)

Also today we are in times that many do not want to hear God’s Word and do give preference to words of theologians and people who say they are from God. But they are often wolves in sheep clothes and people fall for their words instead of believing the simple words of the Bible.

Though our brother Eric Lowe, had it this morning about man’s attitude in corona times, we can interpolate it also to the behaviour of many people who call themselves Christian today. The majority of those belonging to Christendom care not to listen to God’s Word. That makes their listening shuts down.

One example of a young girl (teniiiola) who writes:

I know that they’re two different people because the Bible makes it clear that Jesus is seated at the right side of God. Nevertheless, they are the same. As per, they are one. Praising God is equal to praising Jesus (one can’t even access God without Jesus anyway) and praising Jesus is the same as praising God.  {comment on 4 misconceptions that need to be cleared about being a Christian.}

On one side she seems to understand that Jesus and God are two different persons. Though then she, like some other people, sees a proof of Jesus to be God, when is written:

that Jesus is seated at the right side of God

clearly not seeing and not understanding Jesus is not sitting on the throne of God, but is sitting next to God, which indicate he, as another person than God takes the place on the seat next to God.

For following up the Covid-rules simple messages worked, but as soon as complex messages were given confusion started to take master of many people. The same when in Christianity several teachers started using Roman-Greek philosophy and twisted several words of Christ, to please the people who were so used to heathen rites and festivals.

The young girl on her website also says:

Calling Jesus God does not equal to calling God’s name in vain…Jesus wasn’t even on Earth as at the time this instruction was given.   {comment on 4 misconceptions that need to be cleared about being a Christian.}

giving the idea when people were not on earth when a Bible text was written the calling of their name as a god would not be wrong or would be acceptable. That is closing the eyes for reality and for the meaning of God’s Words. Those who have Madonna as their goddess today and honour her name are doing the same fault as those in ancient times, who honoured Apollo as their god.

Today with the pandemic lots of people are like in the wilderness. After Jesus his baptism, after God had declared him to be His son, this son of man also went into a wilderness. There he told the adversary of God “not to tempt God”, something we see many do. Lots of ministers and priests calling their flock to come to gather in their churches, not having to worry, because God would protect them. Some even dare to say:

 Those people who are catching CoViD-19 are those who do not believe enough in Jesus, who saves all who believe in him.

The Bible tells us God can not be tempted and that man can do nothing to Him. But Jesus, all should know, was tempted more than once. When in the wilderness Jesus told a tempter:

7 Yahushua said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt יהוה thy Elohim. (Matt 4:7, NRKJV)

Those who say they are a Christian should pick up such words of Christ. They also should remember Jesus words when the tempter offered an opportunity for Jesus to be worshipped and praised:

10 Then saith Yahushua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship יהוה thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matt 4:10, NRKJV)

Not Jesus should be worshipped, but all glory, worship and praise should be given to the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, the God Who is above all gods. From his time in the wilderness, we should remember three words as memory joggers. From the story of Jesus in the desert, we should remember three basic commands, which should be the fundamentals of Christian faith.

1. obey the commands
2. don’t test God
3. fear Jehovah God and worship only Him

A true lover of God can’t be double-minded and always shall take the following words of God at heart.

16 Ye shall not tempt יהוה your Elohim, as ye tempted him in Massah. (Deut 6:16, NRKJV)

Being in difficult days we should remember how God was with His people and how He is willing to be with us, in case we want to be with HIm.

8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: 9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. 10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: 11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest. (Ps 95:8-11, NRKJV)

7 Wherefore (as the Holy Spirit saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, (Heb 3:7, NRKJV)

13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! (Ps 81:13, NRKJV)

29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! (Deut 5:29, NRKJV)

Jehovah God told very clearly to what we have to keep:

6 I am יהוה thy Elohim, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 7 Thou shalt have none other elohim before me. 8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I יהוה thy Elohim am a jealous El, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. 11 Thou shalt not take the name of יהוה thy Elohim in vain: for יהוה will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Deut 5:6-11, NRKJV)

Several who call themselves Christians have difficulty with

3 Thou shalt have no other elohim before me. (Exod 20:3, NRKJV)

and have taken Jesus as their god and as if that was not enough also have taken his mother as a goddess and several other human beings as saints to whom they pray and hope they shall fulfil some of their wishes. Praying to someone else than Jehovah God is also taking God’s Name in vain and desecrating it.  Nobody should forget:

11 Who is like unto thee, O יהוה, among the mighty ones? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? (Exod 15:11, NRKJV)

24 O Sovereign יהוה, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what el is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? (Deut 3:24, NRKJV)

Even Jesus who did such wonderworks could not do anything without God.

19 Then answered Yahushua and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19, NRKJV)

Jesus very well knew Who had saved his People and by Whom he could do all things he did. Jesus as the previous prophets feared and wanted to serve God.

11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 12 Then beware lest thou forget יהוה, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 Thou shalt fear יהוה thy Elohim, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 14 Ye shall not go after other elohim, of the elohim of the people which are round about you; 15 (For יהוה thy Elohim is a jealous El among you) lest the anger of יהוה thy Elohim be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth. 16 Ye shall not tempt יהוה your Elohim, as ye tempted him in Massah. 17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of יהוה your Elohim, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. 18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of יהוה: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which יהוה sware unto thy fathers. 19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as יהוה hath spoken. (Deut 6:11-19, NRKJV)

From his followers, Jesus also demanded that they would follow God’s commandments and that they would do God His Will, like Jesus also did God His Will. For following the commandments of God is for the good of man.

26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of יהוה your Elohim, which I command you this day: 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of יהוה your Elohim, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other elohim, which ye have not known. (Deut 11:26-28, NRKJV)

15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of יהוה thy Elohim, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: (Deut 28:15, NRKJV)

The chosen ones by Christ also asked their followers to fulfil the Wish of God and warned what could happen to them who do not keep to God’s commandments.

8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, (Rom 2:8, NRKJV)

29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! (Deut 5:29, NRKJV)

As with Israel we should also know what Jesus and his God require from us.

12 And now, Israel, what doth יהוה thy Elohim require of thee, but to fear יהוה thy Elohim, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve יהוה thy Elohim with all thy heart and with all thy soul, (Deut 10:12, NRKJV)

Like Petrus once was a satan, resisting what God wanted, we too should be very careful not to resist God and not to go against His Laws.

10 Then saith Yahushua unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship יהוה thy Elohim, and him only shalt thou serve. (Matt 4:10, NRKJV)

14 Now therefore fear יהוה, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the elohim which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye יהוה. (Josh 24:14, NRKJV)

It is a simple message and we should not complicate it. We only have to have One God Who is One, and not two or three.

35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that יהוה he is Elohim; there is none else beside him. (Deut 4:35, NRKJV)

6 Thus saith יהוה the King of Israel, and his redeemer יהוה of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no Elohim. (Isa 44:6, NRKJV)

Humanity wants to reverse the complexity and reject the simple because it is too simple and confronting. All people should know that Jesus is getting to the essence of the Old Tetament. Jesus is the way to God and we should be thankfull he managed to do the will of God, putting his own will aside. (In case he would be God he would not have to put his will aside because than he would always have done his own will.) Jesus also was not a schizophrenic god who would say he was someone else and pray to someone else when he would be praying to himself. Jesus did not pray to himself and learned others also not to pray to him, but to his heavenly Father.

Matt 6
1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. 2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. (Matt 6:1-9, NRKJV)

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. 40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. 41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. (Luke 22:39-46, NRKJV)

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. (Luke 11:2, NRKJV)

Jesus prefered to do the Will of God, and that is what a Christian, or follower of Christ also should do. We should look forward to God’s Kingdom to come. As followers of Christ we should remember and do likewise Jesus Christ.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38, NRKJV)

34 Yahushua saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34, NRKJV)

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30, NRKJV)

Real Christians shall or should follow the teachings of Christ and shall take up the task given by him, namely to go out into the world spreading God’s Word and spreading the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. Those who want to call themselves “Christian” should do as Jesus Christ asks them to do.

Jesus asks his disciples to make up their mind and to be clear sighted, not about others, but about themselves.

To be clearsighted about ourselves, is to be aware of our own shortcomings, limitations, and challenges. But it also means to be aware of our own gifts and talents. {Seeing Clearly – Br. James Koester}

But Jesus demands a full breath true insight, a proper choice of oneself! He does not want you to follow him because others say so or because others are following him. You have to do it out of own choice and by believing in him and even more important, believing in Him Who sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. (John 5:24, NRKJV)

16 For יהוה so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For יהוה sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17, NRKJV)

It is by believing it was God Who sent His own son, and not that God Himself would have come down to earth to fake His birth, torture, death and resurrection (all parts which do not belong to God).

18 And all things are of יהוה, who hath reconciled us to himself by Yahushua the Messiah, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that יהוה was in the Messiah, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for the Messiah, as though Elohim did beseech you by us: we pray you in the Messiah’s stead, be ye reconciled to יהוה. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of יהוה in him. (2Cor 5:18-21, NRKJV)

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to יהוה by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Rom 5:10, NRKJV)

The gospel may be very simple, do not make it complicated. The Bible speaks a clear language, but we should be willing to hear ait and to see the underlying essence and message.

Faith is simple {Check Yourself, Christian}

so keep it simple and do not unnecessarily complicate things by twisting the words of the Bible; Just take those words like they are written down.

Are there ways in which we may be externally religious—doctrinally sound, outwardly well-behaved, “godly” in character and lifestyle—yet insincere behind the curtain, and before the Lord? {Check Yourself, Christian}

When we are not careful, we can get carried away by all those theologians and people who prefer to keep to human doctrines instead of keeping to Biblical doctrines. Many of them are able to carry a lot of Christians away from the Biblical Truth.

Seeing Biblical truth is only possible when one is willing to listen to God His Word as it is written in the Book of books, the Bible.

Being a good and real Christian requires to see who Christ Jesus is and to believe he is the sent one from God, who really died for the sins of others. God can not die, so in case Jesus would be God he would not only always have done his will, but also would not ever had to be afraid of what the Romans would do with him, because he could not die, so any impalement would not harm him. Al those who say Jesus is God, make of his impalement (or crucifixion) a big farce and make of his appearance on earth a whole farce.

Real Christians recognise what Jesus realy has done, and know what a horrible fear he must have had. Real Christians are also aware how much pain Jesus must have had and as such appreciate it so much more, that he was undergoing all that torture for people he did not know and at a time he could have been unsure if God would be going to help him or taking him out of the dead. At one moment the fear became so high he even cried to his heavenly Father (and not to himself);

46 And about the ninth hour Yahushua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My Elohim, my Elohim, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt 27:46, NRKJV)

A person can not leave himself, so Jesus did not ask to himself why he had left himself, but asked his heavenly Father Why He (God) left him (Jesus):

34 And at the ninth hour Yahushua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My Elohim, my Elohim, why hast thou forsaken me? (Mark 15:34, NRKJV)

Yes, after Jesus in fear called to his Father in heaven, as if He would have forsaken Jesus (which He did not), Jesus gave up the spirit, which means that Jesus really died. (Remember that God as an eternal Spirit can not die.) It was not in his own hands that Jesus gave his life, but in the Hands of his heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

46 And when Yahushua had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the Spirit. (Luke 23:46, NRKJV)

When Jesus died, his life finished, but not his story. He had always kept to the three basic commands and lived according to those fundamentals he tried to explain and which each true follower of him should follow.

As society may go further away from God’s command and from Christ’s teachings, real followers should give the example and prepare the way, so that more people may come to see that Jesus is the way to God.

6 Yahushua saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6, NRKJV)

Let us take a piece of advice from a Trinitarian at heart, though even he might not see how he himself is caught up in the chains of this world.

We cannot accept the lies that are popularly accepted, even when progressive “Christians” around us conform to them. The only source of truth is the Word of God and we know that His Word will never change! {Progressive Christianity}

Working full-time as a witness “for his Savior” we only can hope he with his wife Brittany, shall come to recognise the work Jesus did and shall come to follow him wholeheartedly. And that is always possible because people have to grow in the Word of God. We all live in a world where many things are said and where many satans or adversaries of God are at work. Because of the main churches being so strong and so eager to get their false teaching of the trinity across, it is very difficult for people to see the trees in the wood. Though if they would be willing to open their eyes for the simple things and the simple words, clarity will be near.

That is the hope the lovers of God can have. It is never too late to spread the gospel and to show people the real Christ who bore witness of his heavenly Father. the Bible tells us also that this shall happen when we come closer to the end times, and as such we can live by the hope in Christ. He, who even did not know when he would be coming back, because such thing is only known by God (and Jesus not being God as such did not know it) gave us the hope that one day when the kingdom of God would be preached all over the world the Day will arrive that he shall be allowed to judge in the name of God.

19 Then answered Yahushua and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of יהוה: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. 32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. 33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. 34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. 35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. 40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 41 I receive not honour from men. 42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of Elohim in you. 43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from Elohim only? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. 47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John 5:19-47, NRKJV)

When we call ourselves “Christian”, let us believe in that sent one from God, who is authorised to speak and act in the Name of God and follow up his given task to instruct all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe and to give heed to all as much as Jesus has given and commanded his disciples.

18 And Yahushua came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the age. (Matt 28:18-20, NRKJV)

+

Preceding

Do you really know what you say you believe in?

Not About The Name Of The Godhead Of Jesus

Rhetoric and Biblical Truth

Religion and the essence of devotion

The false prophets in the present world

O God, How Long? ~ Psalm 74

++

Additional reading

1. Words in the world
2. Let us make sure we are not stiff-necked
3. The Almighty Lord God of gods King above all gods
4. El-Shaddai God Almighty Who no-one may see and live
5. Relating to God is it possible
6. No man see the Almighty God and live
7. When there is a God is it possible to relate to Him
8. Only One God
9. God is One
10. The Trinity – the Truth about God
11. How did the Trinity Doctrine Develop
12. Altered to fit a Trinity
13. First Century of Christianity
14. Hellenistic influences
15. History of the acceptance of a three-in-one God
16. Preexistence in the Divine purpose and Trinity
17. The habitual misreading of John 1 and the ‘Word being God’ #2
18. Yeshua a man with a special personality
19. Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil
20. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
21. Why did Christ not reveal the exact time of his second coming?
22. Followers with deepening
23. What Does it Really Mean to Be a Radical Follower of Jesus?
24. A small company of Jesus’ footstep follower
25. If you have integrity
26. Attitude to others important for reaching them
27. Love and cultivate that which is pure
28. Who are the Christadelphians

+++

Related articles

1. Seeing Clearly – Br. James Koester
2. Running and pausing with Jesus – Br. Todd Blackham
3. It’s a privilege
4. What Does It Mean to be a True Christian?
5. Being A Cultural Christian Is Not Enough
6. Being Christian
7. Effective Christianity
8. Progressive Christianity
9. They Will Know We Are Christians By…What?
10. The History of the Development of the Trinity Doctrine
11. Is Jesus God? Debate between Pastor Stanley Sjoberg and Sheikh Ahmed Deedat
12. The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven
13. Do As I Say
14. Christians
15. Peace at any price?

So many being afraid – reason enough to step in the boat with Christ

For weeks already in Italy, Spain, France and Belgium the inhabitants are feeling limited with their country in lockdown. All over the world people are confronted with an unseen enemy, and that frightens many of them.

Normally the lovers of God who are worshipping Him alone and not other gods, are accustomed to living in a certain way somewhat isolated. The majority of Christendom worshipping a Trinity does not like those Unitarians and avoid contact with them as if they are affected with a terrible disease. Worship services for those isolated Christians are often followed by the internet, because of the distance between many too far. Those able to share the Breaking of Bread in real life, under normal circumstances only find themselves with a few. The 14th of Nisan is for many the big exception for the year. That day is often the ‘high-mass’ bringing many lovers of God together to commemorate the liberation of mankind. That special commemoration day in several prayer halls or kingdom halls often brings more than a hundred people together, showing how even when they are not with many, they also are not with such a few that they should feel alone. This year it was a totally different experience for many, not having the Memorial Gathering in public. It was nice to have several groups providing for internet sharing, but it is not the same and can not be a surrogate or placebo for the real thing.

Remarkable to notice is how so many expressed their calmness and accepted totally those restrictions the governments gave them. Opposite to many unbelievers most members were convinced the time of quarantine should take as long as necessary to keep everybody safe, no matter of the economic impact. We also can notice the members of those Unitarian denominations respect the social distancing and trust God that everything shall turn out back to normal in a certain time.

On the other hand all over the world, we find certain Christian groups calling to gather for Easter and to ignore such social distancing. They forget they perhaps do not only bring their own life in danger, but worse bring other people, they could encounter also on other days, in great danger. We can only say they have a very selfish attitude.

Around us, we can find unbelievers and believers who express their fear. Normal when one does not know the unseen enemy thoroughly and does not know how it all shall evolve in the near future. People also love to have everything under control and when they feel they loose control they start panicking.

For those with fear, we would like to remind them of a little event which took place some two thousand years ago.

Like on many great lakes and seas the wind can come up forcibly and bring dangerously high waves.

The disciples and Jesus were on passage on a boat and when the master teacher went to sleep, and a violent storm came.  The wind was howling, the boat was taking on water, these men felt that their lives were in danger from forces they could not control.  Take note, these were not inexperienced Saturday afternoon boaters.  Most of these men were professional fishermen.  These men were of strong hand and backs, they had been in a storm or two in their years of fishing.

If you have ever met a sailor, they often pride themselves on the storms they have endured on the seas.  However; this was not the same kind of storm that these men had endured before.  This storm frightened them to the point of fearing death.  It was pretty easy for them to see that the boat would likely be crushed in the waves, the wind and water was overtaking the boat.  They had no control over their circumstances.  All of their lives were passing before their eyes.  Wives lips that would never be kissed again, children that would never be played with again.  The sunrises they would miss.  Songs that they would never sing again.  As they looked over their possessions, their homes, their clothes, money, land, and more they began to realize how little value those things actually had.  They could see that they had focused their whole lives on things that really didn’t matter.  Their children, their spouses, their families, and their God are the things that mattered. As devout Jews they knew they could trust their God, the God of Abraham. Though it looked like as if they feared That God would not be with them.

On land they would know who to turn to when they had doubts of certain matters or fear for certain things. But far from any temple, no synagogue at hand, to whom had they to turn? Where could they find a rabbi or rebbe who could help them?

In want of having a Rabbi there now they turned their eyes toward their friend Jeshua (Jesus) who was lying quietly sleeping.  In all of this storming wind, spraying of water, beating of the waves, screaming of the men, he seemed steadfast asleep.  It looked like he was in a place of safety and comfort.  Peacefully like a baby he was there sleeping, probably laying in a puddle of water, soaked from head to toe, but asleep none the less.

A few decades ago Lenny LeBlanc released a song with the name “Asleep in the Boat”.  It talks about a promise God made, and that He is always there, just as Jesus was here with his disciples.  Just like when we are in the storm, He is here for us.

In these times of trouble we better look at how Jesus cope with difficulties and uncertainties. We do know many Christians take him as their god. God does know everything, but Jesus, not being God, did not know everything and like us just had to trust his heavenly Father.
Jesus has encountered several very difficult moments, and we should know that also he, even doubted God and asked Him why He had abandoned him. From the stake, Jesus cried out loud to His heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

46 And about the ninth hour Yahushua cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My Elohim, my Elohim, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt 27:46, NRKJV)

But God never had abandoned or had forsaken His only beloved son. Nobody can do anything to God and God is the only Being that can not die. But Jesus could be hurt by men and he knew very well that those people could kill him. His death was a certainty, but what would happen after his death was not so sure. For that he had to trust his heavenly Father to Whom he cried that he would not be forsaken. Only by having enough faith in his heavenly Father Jesus could face those difficult moments. The Nazarene Jew had enough faith in his heavenly Father, the God of Israel, Who had already for centuries guided His People.

Jesus so much trusted his God, that he was willing to put his own will aside to do the Will of his heavenly Father, Whom Jesus considered to be the Only One True God, the God above all gods and above all kings. Like his ancestor King David, Jesus trusted his God.

We too, should have the same trust in God like the son of God had in his heavenly Father, Who is also our heavenly Father. In the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, we should find security and peace at heart, not having to have fear for what might come.

When we are children of God let us behave like it, and show others what a good Father we have. Let us take this period of more free time, to let Jehovah’s Name resound in many more places. That we who believe in Him show others how the Elohim has given the world the opportunity to be free of all worldly matters and that this time on this earth is only a temporary period. Let us take the opportunity to witness over the beauties of the Highest and how He has given the world a solution to be free of all worries.

We should step in the boat of Christ and be aware that even when he would be asleep, we still shall be safe, because he is with us and his God is with us.
When we feel abandoned by the world, them not liking we do not adhere to their god or gods, do not worry. One is better to worship the True God of the Bible instead of the many gods human beings love to worship. The God of Jesus, Hosea, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Solomon, David, Nehemiah, Abraham, Moses and Adam is the Best God we can have and Who can make sure we shall be able to receive the best life, “is it not today than tomorrow” ….

When we feel the pains of this world, and lost dear friends or family members, let us always remember that once they died their pain would be gone, and all worries would be over for them. Let us also put everything in the right perspective, comparing our luxury life with the millions of people in worse circumstances. And let us not forget how there was once a man who had not done any fault in his life, but was tortured and nailed at a wooden stake, giving his life for so many people he did not even know, so that they could live unto righteousness.

30 The Elohim of our fathers raised up Yahushua, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. (Acts 5:30, NRKJV)

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. (1Pet 2:24, NRKJV)

Let us remember that event when the apostles were afraid and think about the storm in which we landed today.

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. 24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, My master, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. 27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! (Matt 8:23-27, NRKJV)

It would be wrong to think Jesus had no fear. He, like his brothers and sisters, also had many fears. Though Jesus feared more God than people and therefore was not afraid to speak out. Jesus very well knew his humble position and that he could do nothing without his heavenly Father, His God. Only by listening to his God, and doing what God wanted from him, Jesus could do exceptional things.

19 Then answered Yahushua and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. (John 5:19, NRKJV)

From those around him, Jesus asked them to come to him and to his God, so that what God had given to His son also could come unto us. Jesus knew that his God was the Only One to trust and knew that those who have complete trust in God will be kept in perfect peace by keeping their minds focused on Gods promises.

3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. (Isa 26:3, NRKJV)

Like so many before Christ let us also the same as Jesus did, trust the Divine Creator and give ourselves in His Hands. Even if we fear others or such disease as CoViD-19, we should have more fear for the God of Christ, the God of Abraham and should pray to Him and trust HIm, in the same way as Jesus and Isaiah trusted their heavenly Father.

9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. 10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of יהוה. 11 יהוה, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them. 12 יהוה, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our works in us. 13 O יהוה our Elohim, masters instead of thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. (Isa 26:9-13, NRKJV)

While we may not know what tomorrow holds for us, we have chosen to follow Jesus and to have the same trust in his heavenly Father and as such should not have to worry about the future. In Christ Jesus lies our hope for the future, because he gave his life for us and God accepted his sacrificial offering as a ransom for once and for all.
When we believe who Jesus is and what he really has done and how God has now taken him out of the dead as an example for what might happen to us, we should not be afraid because in such resurrection is our hope and future.
It is in our belief in the promises of God and in the certainty of salvation that we have a present peace.

We just have to be patient and trust the Most High God. By following This God His only begotten beloved son, we have the assurance that one day there shall come a Kingdom which surpasses all other kingdoms and where there shall be peace for all without any pain or sorrow. Let us look forward to such days in the coming Kingdom of God.

 

**

Let us thank God for everything that we got for good things in our life
and let us trust Him as our Guide and Helper in difficult days
as well for Him being a Stormstiller

From Sticky Note to God ~03.31.20~

+

Preceding

Why are you afraid?

Fear in your own heart or outside of it

Our life depending on faith

The Struggle Ends When Gratitude Begins

Many opportunities given by God

If you keep your faith and trust in God

++

Additional reading

1. Matthew 8:23-27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Jesus Calms a Stormy Sea
2. Matthew 9:32-34 – How others look at the blind, speechless and demoniac being healed
3. The unseen enemy
4. Fear of failure, and fear of the unknown
5. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man
6. Fearmongering succeeded and got the bugaboo a victory
7. A Living Faith #9 Our Manner of Life
8. Thanksgiving wisdom: Why gratitude is good for your health
9. Problems on a dark road and A look at our ego-centric world
10. Not fear or dread or blind compulsion
11. The chosen ones to fear or not to fear
12. What is life?
13. Greatest single cause of atheism
14. Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) by Chris Tomlin
15. Control and change
16. We find by losing. We hold fast by letting go.
17. A treasure which can give me everything I need
18. I Am Not Alone – By: Kari Jobe
19. Necessity of a revelation of creation 3 Getting understanding by Word of God 1
20. Entrance of a king to question our position #2 Who do we want to see and to be
21. Today’s thought “Faith in Troubled Times” (January 14)
22. Today’s thought “Crying to God” (August 04)
23. The Wrath of God
24. Today’s thought “Plea for Vindication or for Protection against Oppressors” (January 07)
25. Today’s thought “My times are in your hand” (January 14)
26. Today’s Thought “You will keep … in perfect peace” (May 03)
27. Kingdom of God what will it be like

+++

Related

1. Housebound
2. Right Attitude in Trouble… Joshua of Ghana
3. Isaiah 26: Content in God alone.
4. The Sea of Galilee
5. Sonnets For My Savior 24
6. “In The Midst Of The Storm”
7. Jesus Feared God, Not Circumstances
8. Pandemic: Be Calm During the Storm
9. Why Not to Be Afraid – Br. Curtis Almquist
10. Covid-19 and Isaiah 26
11. Pandemic, Quarantine, and Isaiah 26
12. Praying the Bible with Gratitude
13. The Wind and Sea Obey Him
14. Today’s Theme Song: Above All
15. Hide Yourself
16. Isaiah Chapter 26
17. Daily Devotion: Isaiah 26:3-4
18. 100 Blessings for Pandemic
19. Podcast #299: “Thank You, Lord” by Dennis Jernigan
20. The rock on which we stand

A New Schoolyear, new plans

We are coming closer to the end of August. Though we may enjoy the third heatwave this Summer, for many it comes in the preparation period for the new academic year.

Summer coming to an end, most people having to go back at work on Monday, or perhaps already tackling a new season of daily work?!

Everyone makes plans and most often make new plans and promises when there is a new cycle starting. Maybe you too have mapped out your plan with steps toward the coming season.  Many put a goal in front of their eyes. You, like many others, have had a lifelong dream to achieve something that you think could be the right direction for you, then as you go along you don’t see progress towards that dream. You wait, you try, you pray, but to no avail that dream, that vision- just isn’t going the way you thought it would and now you are left with-  “ what do I do and where do I go from here?

Would it be not the right time, this year, to count on some help and guidance from above?

Would it be not nice if you could feel a Higher Power close to you?

Give your ear to hear God calling you to it and get working on it. Now it is time to get back the Bible in your hand, for studying, praying, hoping a door shall be able to open. Comt to rely on the Most High God and look forward with a positive attitude.

Make your plans and see what God is going to do with them, pray for them, don’t give up, something is coming and it could take a while but you will see how much He loves you just by preventing you from things that are wrong for your life and others around you.

Proverbs 16:9
In their hearts humans plan their course but the lord establishes their steps

Bid om God te danken

Ga niet alleen naar de Vader,
In tranen en pijn in het hart,
In angst en twijfel,
Om te machteloos te zijn en te beven,
Te Klagen en te smeken!

Denk ook aan de Vader,
Met glanzende ogen en een vrolijk hart,
Zeker van Zijn beloften,
Om maar een kort gebed te zeggen,
Dank U, Heer, Amen!

+

Originele Engelse versie: Gratitude Quotes # 9 > Pray to thank God

Pray to thank God

Dutch version / Nederlandse versie: Bid om God te danken

Purplerays

Do not only go to The Father,
In tears and aching heart,
In fear and doubt,
To prostrate and tremble,
To lament and beg!

Remember also The Father,
With shining eyes and joyful heart,
Confident of His Promises,
To say but a short prayer,
Thank You Lord, Amen!

View original post

Knowledge of God by reading and willingness to open your mind to transform you

The true knowledge of God can be received when you read Scripture regularly. It is not such a difficult book as many think. If you are willing to open your mind, you shall be able to understand it and what is even better, is that you shall feel it shall transform you. You shall come to practice it and become it.

To read the Bible we just have to be willing to put some time separate to have it just for ourselves and the Word of God. There does not have to be a set time; You can do it when ever you feel like it. Whenever you have time, wherever you are not occupied by this world.

Some may think

Planning to read the Bible in a year will not work unless you are determined to read it anytime and anywhere. {When was the right time to read the Bible?}

but it can a great help to use a Bible Reading Plan and to take some time before going to sleep, to have some quite time, without computer, smartphone or television, to read a chapter a day at least.

The most important thing about reading the bible is that you come to do it more than once in a week. Nice would be if you could find every day some time to read in that Holy Book.

When willingness is there to read and learn from the book of books God is willing to cause all His goodness to pass in front of the reader of His Word. So why should you wait or hesitate? Remember

Faith comes by hearing and receiving God’s Word (Rom. 10:17)

No man can see God and live, but every man is able to take up the Words of God and come to life.

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul,” (Deuteronomy 4:29).

+

Find a 2-page PDF document Bible Reading Plan

Preceding

A masterly copied and reproduced Word to feed the minds

An uncovering book to explore

Let us being filled each day by the Word of God

Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share

++

Additional reading

1. Not able to make contact with God because to busy
2. A question to be posed
3. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation
4. Unread bestseller
5. Bible a guide – Bijbel als gids
6. Bible, best Book of books to get to know the truth 
7. Bible, best Book of books to get to know the truth
8. Bible, helmet of health, salvation and sword of the spirit
9. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
10. Building up the spirit of the soul
11. Plain necessary food of the gospel
12. Today’s thought “A New Year” (January 01)
13. Today’s thought “My name might be proclaimed” (February 1) – Belgian Ecclesia Brussel – Leuven
14. A way to look for Christ, the Bible, Word of God
15. 500 years of a provision of the Word in the language of the peoples
16. We should use the Bible every day
17. Feed Your Faith Daily
18. Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God
19. How to Read the Bible (sequel 3)
20. How to Read the Bible (sequel 4)
21. Lenten Season and our minds and hearts the spiritual temple in which God seeks to live
22. Memorizing wonderfully 1 Introduction

+++

Related

1. There is knowledge of God and there is a TRUE knowledge of God.
2. When was the right time to read the Bible?
3. 3 Must-Dos Before Beginning A Bible Reading Plan
4. It is a New Year. Maybe you don’t need a Bible reading plan?
5. Discernment review: The mystical practice of Lectio Divina
6. Desperate to Hear God’s Voice
7. Bible reading
8. A Redemptive-Historical Bible Reading Plan
9. Bible Reading Plan for 2018
10. Bible Reading Plans for the New Year- 2018 — Michelle Lesley
11. 2018 Bible Reading Plans
12. 2018 Recommended Bible Reading Plan
13. 7 Ways to Stay on Track with Your Bible Reading Plan
14. 2018 Reading the Bible as Literature Event
15. 2018 Bible Reading & Memory
16. What Is Biblical Meditation?
17. How to Stick to Daily Bible Reading
18. The Way Bible Reading Becomes A Joy Instead of A Drudgery
19. How to Overcome Bible Reading Guilt
20. 25 Bible Reading Tips
21. Bible Reading Plan thoughts: Our tender God?
22. A Brief Survey of Bible Reading, Bible Study, and Personal Devotions [their similarities, differences, and such]

Jesus, A way given to find the right way to God

More than once the Nazarene preacher Jeshua asked people around him what they thought he was.

Still today there are people who have never heard about Jesus. These people don’t know anything about Jesus. In our regions most people have somehow already heard about Jesus. They have very different ideas about that person. Lots of people think christians take him as their god. About that idea that all christians would worship Jesus as their god, they are totally wrong. There are loads of Christians who do not consider Jesus to be God, but believe in what the Bible says, that he is the son of God (and not a son god or a god the son).

Around us we may find people who have heard about Jesus. These people have heard about Jesus through Bible stories, their parents, a friend, media, etc., but they did not come to a point to believe  in him and/or to accept him as the son of God or the Way to God. They are also not interested in having a personal relationship with him.

Luckily we also do find people who say they want a personal relationship with Christ and people they say they want a personal relationship with God. Pity that lots of people think it is all right to take Jesus as their god and to have pictures of him in their house and at other places. Many think having Jesus as their god means that they can have a good relationship with God. They are caught in the human doctrines of their church which preaches about a three-headed god. In fact they do not hear enough bible words to convince them who Jesus really is and why it is so important to know him.

Some Christians may think that they know enough about Christ from what is told in their church at service. They think it is sufficient just to hear a few phrases or one or two paragraphs once a week to have some proper idea.

Those from the Roman Catholic Church do not worry so much about the Bible. With reason some say

If you are a life-long Catholic, you think you would be somewhat “fluent” in the Word of God.  {the musings of a Franciscan friar… Knowing Jesus}

Some friars and certain priests of that denomination may have a comfort level with Sacred Scripture, but that can not be said of many Catholics. Also when you ask them about Scripture and their relationship with Jesus, they

get a bit tongue-tied, flummoxed, bewildered, and feel this inner desire to change the subject. Why is that? {the musings of a Franciscan friar… Knowing Jesus}

We should not expect people to be able to quote all particular parts of the Bible. From those who call themself Christian we should think they can at least tell some Biblical stories with their own words.

Fr. George Corrigan, OFM

A Franciscan Friar writes

When you know the stories of Jesus and can tell them in your own words, hitting the high points, now you are truly meeting Jesus in a whole new way.

And that is what is missing today by a lot of people who call themselves Christian. They do not know much about that Jesus. somehow it is a vague figure. They mostly cannot tell much about him. They also feel not or have no relation to him.

Lots of people do not know he is the Way to God. He is the bringer of light in life, the one who took care that we shall have the right to enter the small gate to the Kingdom of God. Though we all are sinners, we shall have the possibility to come before God and say

Abba. (Father)

But to become accepted a children of God we do have to behave as children of Him. And by our willingness to come to God we also should come to recognise the other children of God, our brothers and sisters in Christ. Those who come to recognise Jesus as the sent one from God, should unite under him and follow his path, by worshipping the only One True God, the heavenly Father.

All people should know they may say a lot against people or at the son of man, Jesus Christ, but when they keep saying awful things of his heavenly Father they will be in problems.

Luke 12:8-12 RNT But I tell you every one who confesses me before men, him will the Son of Man confess before the angels of God. (9) And he who disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God. (10) Every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who says profane words against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (11) When they bring you in before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not be anxious about how to defend yourselves or what to say. (12) For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you must say.”

Therefore it is important that people come to know more about that Spirit God, the heavenly Father of Christ. To do that the easiest way is to come to know Christ.

Before Paul came to believe in the Nazarene master-teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ), he spoke evil of Jesus and went against all who were willing to follow that man. Saul, like he was then called, oppressed the followers of Jesus, and exalted himself.

“I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man.”

he came to admit. Yet, God called Paul from this ungodly religious life and made him a faithful, fruitful servant of the Lord.

Such transitions are possible. No man is lost. God keeps calling people. God gave the world his son to show people the Way to God. It is now up to man to find Jesus and to find that way to the Most High Divine Creator.

Once more we will see this can only happen by exceedingly abundant grace for transformation.
This magnificent transformation process began with mercy, the necessary companion of grace, which came unto man by Jesus putting his own will aside for doing the Will of God.

For Saul there was also the ministry of grace that God eventually gave to him even to become one of the major scribes of the group the Way, whose epistles or letters are still of great importance for the church today. God chose Paul to be a distinctive example of His rich mercy.

1 Timothy 1:16 RNT But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might show all of his long-suffering for an example for those who are to believe in him and gain life eternal.

Nobody is excluded to receive mercy. Like for Saul first Jesus Christ came to show all long-suffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on him for everlasting life, all followers should be grateful they can be under Christ, partakers of a grand project of transformation for people around us.

Paul told the people around him that they should ask for insight, wisdom and revelation, so that they could come to know Jesus and his God better. He tried to convince others to do like him and to put the world aside and to come to follow Jesus. He also tried to convince them that in knowing Jesus better every day people could come to wisdom. Jesus had his focus on his heavenly Father and only did what he saw his Father doing. He set the clear example for all people, who from his public life onwards have the free choice to become his followers.

Being called Christian one should be a follower of Christ, keeping to his teachings and to his commands; One command being to go out into the world and spreading the Good News. When having found Christ Jesus, one shall feel him in the ‘soul’ and be conscious of the bountiful grace having brought two spiritual blessings (faith and love).

Being reborn when one got baptised does not mean it ends there. Several Christians do think they have not to study any more. They forget that the Christian’s experience is a continual schooling. Every day we should be ready to be ready for Christ and be ready for those around us, willing to show them Jesus in us. Being under Christ we should be willing to listen to his words regularly and be prepared to learn each day.

The Book of books God has given mankind is the ideal tool for man to learn about God and about his only begotten beloved son. In Jesus we should find our example. Looking at him each day we should give ourself the opportunity to reprobate and correct in ourselves. In thus discovering our own imperfections, we should learn, as a matter of course, not to expect perfection in others; and we should give them credit for doing their best to exemplify the highest ideals which they have in respect to the unity and perfection required for membership in the body of Christ.

+

Preceding article

Are we sometimes like Peter and say we do not know Jesus

Witnesses of Christ and of his gospel

May we have doubts

++

Additional reading

1. The saviour Jesus his human side
2. To know Christ is filling life with meaning
3. The Son can do nothing of his own accord
4. Redemption #7 Christ alive in the faithful
5. Through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe
6. Luck
7. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love
8. Omniscient God opposite a not knowing Jesus
9. Relating to God is it possible
10. Several Christians fail to recognise the Chosen ones of God and are not taking on a Christian attitude
11. Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

+++

Related

1. Barely knowing Jesus …
2. Knowing Jesus
3. Know Jesus Know Peace
4. The Biggest Lie I Ever Told
5. Knowing Jesus Christ gives you a completely new attitude
6. The Kingdom Of God: Luke’s Gospel
7. “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus the Messiah may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” ~Apostle Paul
8. Knowing the bible isn’t knowing Jesus
9.  Ephesians 5:1-2
10. An Ordinary Person
11. Following Jesus…

Gebed ter bescherming en versterking van de verkondigers van het Goede Nieuws

 

 

Hemelse Vader, wij kunnen slechts vaststellen dat regelmatig bepaalde christelijke groeperingen en predikers van het Goede Nieuws belaagd worden. Deze afgelopen dagen werden weer eens leugens over de Christadelphans verspreid en werd de Belgische gemeenschap weer eens onder vuur genomen.

Graag richten wij ons tot U God om te vragen dat die mensen die zich hier inzetten om het Goede Nieuws te verspreiden en Uw Naam kenbaar te maken, dat zij beschermd mogen worden en dat zij sterk in de branding mogen staan en zich niet laten verleiden om in de val van de boosdoeners te trappen.

Ook denken wij vandaag aan de vele zendelingen die U God overal ter wereld zo onvermoeibaar dienen: in oerwouden, in steden, soms onder vijandige omstandigheden en in onbekende culturen. Geef ieder van hen vandaag een speciale aanraking van U. Sla uw beschermende armen om hen heen. Bemoedig hen. Hou hen gezond en sterk, met een niet aflatend enthousiasme over het verspreiden van het Goede Nieuws!

Amen.

Hier is mijn dienaar, hem zal ik steunen, hij is mijn uitverkorene, in hem vind Ik vreugde, Ik heb hem met mijn geest vervuld. Hij zal alle volken het recht doen kennen… Ongebroken en vol vuur zal hij het recht op aarde vestigen… (Jesaja 42 vers 1 en 4a).

+

Spijtig genoeg moeten wij vaststellen dat bepaalde mensen die ons om financiële hulp vroegen (via onze sites en Messenger), ons op hun eigen websites zwart maakten, en wanneer wij een kennisgeving gaven op de Facebook Pagina dit verdere valse beschuldigen opwekte en negatieve reacties opwekte van mensen die helemaal niet de moeite deden om de zaken ernstig te onderzoeken en na te gaan hoe de vork werkelijk in de steel zit.

Deze gebeurtenissen tonen ook aan dat eender elke gemeenschap geplaagd wordt door interne en andere moeilijkheden.

This is in reaction on what went on at the Christadelphian Facebook Page and in relationship with the requests (a.o. on the Ecclesia her about page) of several Africans for help, but having on their sites attacks at the Christadelphians.
If interested to know more about it please read also comment 11 370 and comment 11 402.

But it show how every community has it particular difficulties.

+++

To will being present in us but to do it not always evident

Looking at today’s reading we do find the apostle Paul who laments not understanding his own actions, even acknowledging that he even comes to do things he more than not likes.

Romans 7:15 (RNKJV)
15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

Apostle Paul in the apse (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How often do we notice we have done something to some one else what we hate ourselves.  When we loo at our actions we can even see that we sometimes do the very thing we hate, but that we also sometimes have the desire to do what is right but not the ability to carry it out.

Romans 7:18 (RNKJV)
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

It can well be that the will to do good may be present with you and me, but how often we do not have to admit that in us there where more stronger elements that hindered us to do the right thing. We must admit that our flesh is weak.

Matthew 26:41 (RNKJV)
41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

We know we do have to do good. We do know that we have been given an example and that we should follow him, who gave his life for us. We do know that Nazarene asked his followers to go out into the world and to preach the coming Kingdom of God. But much too often we are too afraid to open our mouth and tell others that we are following Jesus and trust his judgement and look forward to his and his heavenly Father’s Kingdom.

That fear for what people might think lets many not dare to talk about God and His son.

We are confronted with our “will” and our “performance” and must confess they are not in line with each other and often not in balance to.

We must be aware that first of all we must recognise that we can  either live according to the flesh setting our minds on the things of the flesh, or go for the things we might perhaps not see so clear and live according to the Spirit setting our minds on the things of the Spirit, believing what the Word of God brings to mankind black on white and not according human doctrines.

We should know that a lot of people prefer to hold on to human traditions, having the different feasts, not in accordance to God’s feasts. There are lots of people who prefer to hold on the ‘stories’ or ‘tales’ about parts of our body that might go to other places when we die. Lots of people love to have someone else to blame for the faults they do themselves. They like it to shift the guilt from themselves to a demon, they call Satan. They think by doing so they will be found less guilty. Others love to use that figure and places of torture to frighten others, so that they can keep power over them or can have them join their community, where fear preaching is the core business next to the entertainment they try to offer to please people, instead of spending more time to the Bible writings.

Lots of people want to find a church which can bring them worldly pleasures, nice songs and something exiting, like thriller stories, tales about places where people shall be tortured for ever, though they are the lucky ones that can escape because they are saved and should not worry. They love to hear that they do not have to do any work any more and that they can sleep on their two ears.

The majority of people prefer to set the mind on the flesh, not willing to know that it is death, whilst setting the mind on the Spirit shall be life and peace.

When we do know that even a called one of Christ knew the difficulty of what was going on in his body, we should have hope.

Romans 7:18 (RNKJV)
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

We should know that we are better to leave the world for what it is and be not afraid to tell it how we go for the sent one from God and putting our trust in God. There is no “life and peace” until we develop a spiritual relationship with our Lord. Those who do this are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you.

In case we do trust God and feel it more important to live according to His Will instead of living according to the will of the people around us that we shall find it easier to live without fear, with at a spirit of power and love and self-control.

2 Timothy 1:7 (RNKJV)
7 For יהוה hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

With that spirit Jehovah has given us we can move mountains. Setting our minds on the by Christ renewed relationship we are “set free” and experience the reality of the Proverb,

Proverbs 4:18 (RNKJV)
18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

When you find that we are living in dark days please do see the light provided by the Most High and try to take others with you too on the right path of the righteous, being prepared for the day when Jesus is going to return.

+

Preceding articles

How to Find the Meaning of Life and Reach a State of Peace

Facing our existence every day

Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works

++

Additional literature

1. Coming to understanding from sayings written long ago
2. Not or well Ashamed of the gospel and admitting to be a God loving person
3. Today’s thought “Ability to see that God is not dead” (May 12)
4. Today’s thought “Blessed people …” (July 27)
5. Today’s thought “nonsense surrounding the many gods” (July 28)

+++

Related articles

• The Character of God from the Book of Romans
• Why is it so difficult to trust God?
• California pastor claims Satan is behind gays getting married
• He Set The Course For Victory
• Sermon: When the World Is Against You, Acts 24
• Ex Catholic Provides Materials for Catholics from EvangelicalOutreach.org

That what dwells in man

Converting to Christianity to have all problems solved is not the solution, like some might hope or think.

Though a conversion may help to bring lots of solutions to many problems. In the knowledge that we have to live with our lusts of flesh we can imagine how sin dwells in us. we should know that in us (that is in our flesh) dwells no good thing; for to will is present with us; but how to perform that which is good, we might find not.

We may know what we should do but therefore we do not yet manage to do what we should do.

We may know the Law of God and the Law of man, but like with many governmental laws there are laws we do not take so serious or just put aside because they do not sooth us at that moment. Law of sin is in many people’s their members.

Then you should ask yourself who shall deliver you from this body of death.

“I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but, with the flesh, the law of sin.”

Let us not forget that we can help each other to walk in the Spirit, so that we shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that we cannot do the things that we would.

 

Sex and Drugs and Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Let us now look at the works of the flesh — this good flesh — for we are asked now to believe that the flesh is a good thing. This is one of the most abhorrent features of this heresy. Here are the works of this good flesh:

“Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” (vs. 19-21).

It is only those who sow to the Spirit that shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Those who sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. The flesh is weak, unclean, and sinful.

Now, what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God has done, in sending His own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh. Let us consider this. What about this likeness? Moses informs us (Gen. 5:3) that Adam begat a son in his own image and likeness. You would not say the word “likeness” means that Seth was, in any wise, different from Adam.

There is the word, “image.” Suppose the word “image” had been used in this remark of Paul’s: “sent His Son in the image of the earthy nature,” we should then have had this argument — “Ah, you see it is only the image; it is not the nature itself.” Whereas, what does Paul say concerning ourselves in 1 Corinthians 15:49: “We have borne the image of the earthy, and shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” Shall we say we have not borne the earthy? Do not we bear the earthy? Yes. Therefore in apostolic language “earthy” and “the image of the earthy” mean the same thing. Upon the same principle, sinful flesh and the likeness of sinful fiesh mean the same thing. And we shall find that the same they are.

+

Preceding articles

Different kinds of “things not seen”

Glued to the flesh

+++

Related articles

• The Only Requirement…
• Daily Mass: Christ teaches us loving service. Catholic Inspiration
• ‘Jesus Christ’ Returns For a TED Talk to One-Up Pope Francis on Colbert
• Breakdown Of Family Values Responsible For Societal Ills – Clergy
• Church should lead crusade against corruption – Pastor Unoarumhi
• What Are We Waiting For?
• Born Perfect: the LGBT Movement vs. Reality
• God loves you like a mom
• People prefer serving to managing, human relationships to financial security, peace to power
• Akeredolu Urges Peace, Love At Easter

Glued to the flesh

When converted to Christianity so many think they do not have to worry any-more about their acts, with the idea they are saved for ever. They know they are weak and in a certain way they should come to recognise that they are glued at the fleshy body.

Chaos in Flesh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In The New Life, page 39, John Marshall wrote

There are only two states of existence before God:

the flesh and the spirit, darkness and light, death and life. The unbeliever walks

“according to the course of this world . . . according to the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience . . . fulfilling the desires of the flesh . . . and are by nature the children of wrath”.

This is a truth which must be courageously faced. However good, in the worldly sense, however gentle or loving, the unbeliever isdisobedient to God — and it is He who judges, not we ourselves. That is why Paul wrote:

“Do not unite yourself with unbelievers; they are no fit mates for you. What has righteousness to do with wickedness? Can light consort with darkness? Can Christ agree with Belial or a believer join hands with an unbeliever? Can there be a compact between the temple of God and the idols of the heathen? And the temple of the living God is what we are” ( 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, N.E.B.).

+++

Related articles

• We are the Ones Who are Logical
• Over 400 Fulani Christian Converts Tasked On Peace
• Q&A on Exodus for You
• World Renown Bible Answer Man Hank Hanegraff Realizes That Protestantism Is A False Religion, And Accepts Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Countless Evangelicals Are Now Leaving Protestantism And Accepting Roman Catholicism And Eastern Orthodox Christianity
• Made Perfect in Weakness
• Conservatives push to rebrand conversion therapy as ‘Christian counseling’
• Owen Jones v Christian People’s Alliance
• Jakarta’s Christian governor gets two-year sentence for blasphemy
• Church bans yoga because it is ‘non-Christian’ – and villagers threaten a boycott
• Fox Correspondent Tears Into Hillary’s ‘Absurd’ Blaming of ‘Everybody Else’ for Election Loss

Different kinds of “things not seen”

Do you feel that life in the Truth is a battle?

Lots of people before they come in the faith go through a big battle; They do hope all their worries would be over when they convert to Christianity. Some get surprised that all the problems are not over when having become a Christian. There are even people who get some newer worries, people trying to convince them that they have made a stupid choice.

Flying Rowan. Near Glede Howe. Attributed with magical properties by the ancient Britons and a common sight to hillgoers. This one is famous for being used as a guide to the head of Truss Gap in a popular book on the lakeland fells by Bill Birkett. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In a exhortation on the March Bible readings Robert Roberts looks at how we all are ignorant at the start “ignorant of everything”.  In the knowledge that human memory is weak, and soon forgets, “especially with regard to the class of things that constitute the Truth” he reminds us of all the things “not seen”, whether past, present or future; and some of those things for which we have not much natural liking and therefore forgetfulness and consequent unbelief become very easy, unless we are on our guard.He writes

There are different kinds of “things not seen” ‹ different kinds of truth ‹ some unimportant ‹ some important. It is with the latter we have to do. It is the latter we desire to bring to mind. It is the latter which will enable us to overcome the mere bias of native ignorance, and walk as children of light.

“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” This faith lays hold of things ‹ is persuaded of things that we cannot see, but which are true. It does so by the means God has given us for the purpose. We need to avail ourselves of these means in the amplest measure, or faith is liable to wither and die. We need strengthening in the fight or we may be overcome instead of overcoming.

In any case, for sure, god is One thing we can not see …. directly … but when we look around we should be able to see the glory of Gdo in all things of nature. Therefore we better take more time to look at the flowers, the trees, the insects and other animals in this world.

We best wonder more about “God and His works” and come to see His Hand behind everything.

 

Please read: Seasons of Comfort (Volume 2 ): Regarding God, and His works

Related articles

• Over 400 Fulani Christian Converts Tasked On Peace
• The Islamic Jesus
• People prefer serving to managing, human relationships to financial security, peace to power
• Christian refugees fleeing ISIS ‘are being DISCRIMINATED against by British Government’
• UP: Yogi Adityanath’s Hindu Yuva Vahini disrupts church meet alleging forced religious conversions
• There’s a Cognitive Task a 4-Year-Old Can Probably Beat You At

Facing our existence every day

Every day we are confronted with ourselves again. Every day again we are again confronted not only with ourselves but also with those around us. Everyday we do meet again new challenges, have to affirm again our values.

Attitude / Golden Gun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This world which challenges us brings us day in day out some new adventures. We can try to tackle them or try to escape those things which we do not want to see. But covering our eyes is not helping us nor getting such things we do not want to see away. Living in this world we should be aware of what is going on in it. We can not stand at the side, not wanting to be involved or just letting everything happen. Those things which we consider wrong demand an action. And we should take action. Though there are several Christians who think we do not need to do any works, because we are saved, we should not let everything pass along like nothing wrong happens. That what is not according to the Law of God, that what cannot be justified demands reaction. We should open our eyes to what happens in the world and should react appropriate.

Having us to react will demand strength and courage. It shall also demand an attitude to be taken. And that attitude should always be in accordance to the attitude our master teacher Jeshua wants his followers to have.

Attitude (EP) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Every day we do have to face our inner self and find the core of our own business, our own being, our own strive, our own goal. Every day again we do have to face how we are wanting to build up our own life and our own future. It is naturally so that in case we do nothing we cannot do something wrong (we think). Not doing anything, letting it all pass, is witnessing of taking an attitude, which is not the right attitude. Rabbi Jeshua and his disciples taught about the essence of taking action and doing things. The master teacher gave several examples how people lost their opportunity to take part of the celebrations, the wedding or the entrance to the Kingdom.

The grace of salvation has been given to the whole mankind, but each individual has to do something with it. When we are willing to receive that marvellous free Gift, we do have to be thankful for it and do something with it. When we just leave in the cupboard, untouched it shall be of no service for us.

It is an Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity but lots of people do not see or appreciate the value of it, or take it for granted that now they have received it they do not have to do anything any more. Oh, how are they mistaken.

Each day we are confronted again with many ideas … our mind wandering about. Even a baptised person can have thoughts which are not in accordance with God His Will. Though they may be convinced that they have done away with the old life, that old life simmers slowly and little tinkly lights may be very attractive. More than once in our life bitterness, wrath, and even anger, does want to come along our path. We also can have moments where clamour and evil speaking may be lurking around our own corner. All those things we are asked to put away from us, with all malice. And that requires an action, which is a work to be done.

There are also days that we wake up and feel as if we have a broken heart. Though we may know that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul. Each time we left our mind wandering in the wrong way we do know we can repent, i.e. take an action, making the effort to see that we were wrong and that we do have to ask for pardon. It demands an action to see what we did wrong (i.e. doing a work) and when we know what we have done wrong we have to repent about it (again doing a work).

Painting “Kampen for tilværelsen” (Struggle for existence”) by Christian Krohg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Often because we ourself do have to endure so much pain we want others also to have pain. Often we also want to have many good things others may have and desires others to have some of our bad things. Such desires are often around us to cause pain. We can have feelings which hurt others or can bring them into distress. Yes, we must be aware that we can get up in the morning with allowing to grow in our mind the

“intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse.”

This makes our own self the sick self. The self what needs healing. the healer is always around, but we have to come to him (which demands an action or work).  Without coming to the Saviour Jesus Christ we shall be nothing and will have it so much more difficult in our life. he is the Way to God and he is the one who can guide us through difficult times, putting our hands in the hands of his heavenly Father.

Every day we wake up we should know that God is willing to be close to us and that He is really concerned with what is going on in our heart and mind. Be aware, He knows much more than we allow others to see, hear or feel, what we think or want to do. Even when we do not carry out malicious acts against someone, but carry such thoughts in our mind, God knows it.

You ought not to secretly wish that something bad would happen to any person. Rejoicing in some misfortune that befalls someone else is also evidence of malice. And that is something God detests.

The dispensationalist Plymouth Brother Harry A. Ironside

The Canadian-American Bible teacher, preacher, theologian, pastor, and author Harry A. Ironside said every Christian has an obligation to put away all malice.

“If you do not live up to that, you are not living a real Christian life. This is Christianity lived in the power of the Holy Ghost.”

Gospel Light Society writes

You might feel like the malice in your heart is justified because of what someone did or said to you. But, you must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and bring your feelings under the authority of Christ. You must choose to put on the new man who will not walk in maliciousness, but in a spirit of love and forgiveness toward all. {How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)}

Every day we have to face the new life lying in front of us. Having done away with the old life, we should try to do our utmost best to live in accordance to God His Wishes, not following man’s doctrines but following Biblical doctrines.

George Cuff wrote:

There are sins from the former life that simply must be denied,
Things the godless revel in, that a believer must sweep aside.
Immorality of every kind, impurity, lust and greed;
You will be bound to idolatry if scripture you fail to heed.

You must also rid yourselves of anger, malice and rage.
Watch your speech carefully. Do not in profanity engage.
You threw off the sinful man who reveled in foul deeds;
The new man is renewed in mind, empowered by Christ indeed. {How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)}

Empowered by Christ Jesus we should find every day the fresh living water, empowering to continue in the right way, trying to finish the race, lying in front of us.

+

Preceding articles

Our existence..

You Matter

Running challenge and the City build by the Most High Maker

For mams and dads it is also back to ‘normal’

Benefits of Positive Thinking

What IF you’re only driven by stress?

Failures, mistakes and Initiatives for Excellence and success, Working towards turning a Dream of yours into reality

There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”

The Goal

Our life depending on faith

++

Additional reading

1. Life is like a ten-speed bike.
2. Suffering produces perseverance
3. Your purpose explains what you are doing with your life
4. If we view the whole world through a lens that is bright
5. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
6. Thought for September 8 Weak but standing strong in the ground swell
7. 30 things to start doing for yourself – #6 is vital.
8. Choices
9. Live …
10. Luck
11. Who are the honest ones?
12. Being prudent – zorgvuldig zijn
13. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
14. Not liking your Christians
15. If there is bitterness in the heart
16. Sow and harvests in the garden of your heart
17. Don’t Envy the World
18. Blindness in the Christian world
19. Blinkered minds
20. Never making mistakes because never doing anything
21. The Immeasurable Grace bestowed on humanity
22. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
23. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
24. Only I can change my life
25. The inspiring divine spark
26. If you think you’re too small to be effective
27. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority
28. Holiness and expression of worship coming from inside
29. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
30. Grow strong in weakness
31. Being aligned with above
32. Points to remember of philosophy versus spirituality and religion
33. It is a free will choice
34. We have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace
35. Your life the sum total of all your choices
36. Believe and speak and act in ways which show we have life in Christ’s name
37. Behold, My mother and My brothers!
38. Saved through grace not through keeping rituals
39. Without God no purpose, no goal, no hope
40. God’s will is that all sorts of men should be saved
41. A goal is a dream with a plan
42. Looking for a primary cause and a goal that can not offer philosophers existing beliefs
43. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude
44. Coming to the end of the year
45. Dynamic goals must always rise out of authentic needs
46. Being Religious and Spiritual 7 Transcendence to become one
47. Faith antithesis of rationality
48. Faith, storms and actions to be taken
49. A Living Faith #2 State of your faith
50. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
51. A Living Faith #12 The Love for Jesus
52. Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal
53. Try driving forward instead of backwards
54. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
55. Discipleship to look at
56. Don’t be the weakest link
57. The Big conversation – Antagonists
58. Reasons why you may not miss the opportunity to go to a Small Church
59. Williamsburg Conference 2015 December 27-31 Joy and Gladness
60. We should use the Bible every day
61. Religious people and painful absence of spring of living water

+++

Further related

1. Grace
2. Salvation – He [Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it
3. Instantly Healed, Saved and Baptized
4. “Looking For Jesus” – “Dead Works”
5. (Part 2) Can A Christian Lose Their Salvation?
6. A New Life of Righteousness
7. saved to serve
8. Breathe in, out!
9. How Vulnerability Can Bring Us Beyond Ourselves
10. The Power of a Grateful Heart – Weakness Gratitude
11. Afraid Of The Unknown
12. No Retreat, No Surrender!
13. Excerpt from a novel
14. FFfAW: Promises
15. 100 Days of Happiness and 90 Days of Kicking Fear in the Face ….
16. No Complain November
17. The Sandbox Writing Challenge #50 — No fair peeking!
18. Week 6: Opinions-Opinions-…oh No!
19. He Tries
20. If At First You Don’t Succeed
21. What Fills Your Personal Lamp? Personal Gratitude Challenge-day 2
22. “Start the daily practice of not letting the little things bother you! If the little things ruin you, what’s going to happen when the big things come along? Start practicing now for your big challenges in life.”
23. Skirting the hard stuff
24. Message from the Universe: Becoming the person you’ve dreamed about!
25. A Night To Dismember
26. Remembering to Pause
27. First Things First…
28. Easy
29. Quote Notes
30. Are you okay?
31. True Power
32. Bad Reaction
33. Good Grief!
34. Are You Ready?: Part 3
35. When God gives up
36. Daily Verse
37. Sin Makes You Sick
38. A Change In Perspective
39. We Are Dust
40. Daily Bread – Draw Nigh
41. Daily bible passage – 11/3/16
42. A Warning of God Concerning the Ungodly
43. Ezekiel 28-30; John 10
44. My hope is in the Lord
45. Christ’s Blood Shed for All Men
46. I cry for you 
47. For God So Loved The world…
48. Come to Me
49. How Not to Walk, Part 26 (Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation, O Lord #272)

+++

Related articles

• Things Christians Just Don’t Get To Do
• Christians will suffer from this half-baked ‘gay cake’ law
• Anti-Christian LGBT Blitzkrieg Closes Down Sweet Cakes by Melissa
• Iraqi Christians pray once more in charred church near Mosul
• AZ School Sends Girls to Mandatory Christian Abstinence Assembly, Boys to Voluntary Dating Seminar
• Christian Slater and James Franco got ‘competitive’ over gay sex scenes
• Christians having the right heart to call others to go to God
• Jewish and Christian traditions of elders
• The longer you wait

Save

Save

Save

High time to show the way to peace

Vagabonds of the Western World (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The world has always known people who had problems with their relationship and even went to fight with each other because they wanted things of the other person. Wars have been a common thing for humanity. In the West we may be pleased after World War II the fighting was less than in previous centuries, but still lots of internal battles make many lives sour.

In the West, though, there are many who call themselves Christian and even say the Western World belongs to the Christians and Is or should be Christian. When they are afraid Muslims would take over they should more question themselves how it is possible that so many people do want to leave Christendom for that other religion.

This year we do remember that it is 2020 years ago that rabbi Jeshua, Jesus Christ, was born. At that special occasion we should better question what mankind made of that man and what they did with his teachings.

Rabbi Jeshua was a man of peace, who did not favour one for the other but thought and treated everybody likewise. For a good or even a bad person this rabbi had always an ear and was always ready to help. All his teachings were about an unmistakably Great Love. The great master teacher, who came to be known in the West as Jesus Christ, was a man of action and not of words only. His words were like balsam. In his words there was no place for hatred or jealousy. He was an example of humbleness, tenderness, full of love and kindness. He was not a bringer of war but a bringer of peace.

When people also would follow his teachings they would have less problems and there would be less friction or peevishness.

This image was selected as a picture of the week on the Malay Wikipedia for the 44th week, 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, we have reached an era of which the Bible warns mankind. We too should take heed and see what is going on, as signs prophesied in the Book of books, the Bible. Noticing all those signs of coming troublesome times we should be fully aware that we best make work of those tidings Christ Jesus has brought to mankind.

When all those who say they are Christian, which should mean they are willing and doing what Jesus asks from them, following his teachings and his example, they should know that as all different body parts together they should make one strong healthy body, the Body of Christ.

When all Christians would start in their own surroundings already trying to create that peace of Christ, also trying to accept other Christians and willing to work together with them, the world would become a much better place.

Christians should show others that Jesus is not only the Way to God but also the Way to life and to  world peace. With Jesus we shall be able to find a (restored) kingdom, where there shall be no grudges, no jealousy, no fighting. One might be surprised how it could still be in reach.

Please do not wait any longer. Do not postpone. Tell others about that man born 2020 years ago and show them why we should put our eyes on him. Let others see why that Nazarene man was so important for mankind and let them understand he is the only working solution for mankind. Jesus is the way, and all should know it!

How more people shall come to Jesus how more people shall be sharing that similar love of Jesus with each other, and as brothers and sisters of each other in the Body of Christ they shall be able to bring soft gently swaying waves of peace. and that peace shall be much stronger than what others try to get with their fighting.

All will have to know that Jesus will conquer, and that he will become the new King of kings. In him we do have our mediator between God and man and our high-priest. He has ear and eyes for us and in him we should trust.

Let us proclaim who he is, what he has done and why the whole world need him. In him is our peace, which we should radiate so that others also become affected with it.

It is really “High time to devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship”, plus “High time to go out telling the world about Jesus” and hight time to join hands for showing the world that those who love Jesus can come together in peace and co-operate with the best intentions to come to a better world, were peace shall reign.

+

Preceding articles:

High time to devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship

High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

++

Additional articles

1. In a few days time it will be 2020 years ago that the Messiah was born
2. 2020 years since
3. 2020 years ago, the road was opened
4. When Bad Things Happen
5. Redemption #1 Biblical doctrine of salvation
6. Redemption #2 Biblical solution
7. Redemption #7 Christ alive in the faithful
8. Redemption #8 Righteousness by Faith
9. Redemption #9 Only way
10. The Right One to follow and to worship
11. Knowledge of Christ and fear for God
12. Through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe
13. The stone of essential truth
14. the Way to life
15. Relating to God is it possible + Relation with God
16. Man’s plans prevailed by God’s purpose
17. Religious people and painful absence of spring of living water
18. Be humble like Christ
19. Humbleness
20. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
21. If you want to go far in life
22. Kindness
23. Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair
24. God let my compassionate affection be tolerant and kind
25. Kingdom of God what will it be like
26. True riches

+++

Further reading

1. God, Alone, Sovereignly Chooses His Eternal Family
2. God’s Marriage: The Father And Son
3. Unraveling Guilt With God’s Holiness
4. Lent Day 23: I Declare My Ways Are Smooth, My Path Is Straight. I Will Not Stumble
5. Only one way out
6. The Way
7. R.C. Sproul quote
8. This is the way
9. The Way home Psalm 56:3-4 Luke 13:22-30
10. Discouraged? Run to Jesus!
11. Jesus sees me as …
12. Grace and Restoration
13. “Flow through Me”
14. “That They May Be One”
15. Jew or Gentile: You Are All One in Christ Jesus
16. Disciplinary Treatises—(4) The Communion of the Body, by Scott Cairns
17. The Body of Christ
18. The Body of Christ : God’s ultimate intention for our life
19. Body of Christ: Nothing Will Be Wasted, by Francis de Sales Wagner
20. The Living, Growing Body of Christ
21. Becoming Community
22. Who Runs the Church?
23. Beware of a Spiritual Cancer in the Body of Christ
24. Has the Church become a pathetic loser?
25. The Apostasy
26. Are We A Healthy Body?
27. Measuring the Fullness
28. Oneness of the Church
29. Unify
30. On marriage for priests.
31. Sometimes, Instead of Bread, I Ask God for Stones
32. What love is this?
33. Until Christ Is Formed
34. Standing in the Gap
35. Prayer For Oct. 22nd
36. “Do I have to pray, read the Bible, go to church, etc?”
37. Revival, or something that looks like it
38. Running Toward The Goal
39. Ignatius of Antioch: “love incorruptible”
40. The Perfect Wheel
41. Spiritual Formation, Gossip and Presidential Campaigns
42. October 26 – I Never Knew You
43. Summing Up
44. Horrendous Things are Under Authority
45. Peace. Comfort. Love. Joy. Over coming the heartache.
46. A Fresh Look at the Lord’s Prayer “Your Kingdom Come”
47. No Matter
48. Sunday Bun! At SAllome Point in the Future
49. Religion vs Relationship
50. Why Christianity Isn’t a Solo Act
51. We have all the answers, we must go and answer all the questions!
52. For the One whose name is higher than them all
53. Kingdom???
54. Thy Kingdom Come
55. Know your saviour
56. Kings and kingdoms
57. 4 Shots From 4 Films: An Epic Birthday Salute
58. Open Wide the Gates
59. The Justice of God – Isaiah 33:22
60. All Glory To Jesus
61. Recapturing The Holy Awe

+++

Save

Save

Related articles

• If Christians are the “Body of Christ”, then the Protestant “reformation” ran Jesus through a chipper-shredder
• The believer’s authority
• 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Best Sinner Make the Best Saints 20160911 RSUMC
• Realize
• How Will You Finish?
• 9-5/6-2016 Gospel Saints
• When people leaving church doesn’t concern you, there’s something wrong
• British families only attend church at Christmas, new figures suggest
• Not everyone in the churches of Christ are “ungodly”

Save

Fear in your own heart or outside of it

Sea of Fear (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When we grow up, looking at others somehow we are also caught by fear. Many times in our life we come into situations where we do not feel at ease, to say the least. More than once in a lifetime we shall become confronted with moments that fear comes over us. Be it a difficult moment in a travelling situation, an accident whilst working, or hearing something bad about our health.

We should not want to be unaware of our affliction and should know that not only we are facing difficulties or burdens. We also should know that they also can go beyond our strength, so that we can also become despaired of life.

In such circumstances let us think about the apostles who also had the sentence of death within themselves so that they would not trust in themselves, but in God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).

Those apostles when they were with their master teacher also were caught by the fear. Though they should have known that this rabbi was a special sent one from God. But now he was sleeping and they were in such a big storm that their hearts were beating rapidly with fear.

Matthew 8:24-26 (RNKJV)
24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. 25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, My master, save us: we perish. 26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

Mark 4:39  (RNKJV)
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Luke 8:24  (RNKJV)
And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

They did come up to Jesus and asked him for help, in the knowledge that he really could help them, because God was with him. When in those heavy waters, were they not of little faith, like on other occasions?

Matthew 16:8  (RNKJV)
Which when Yahushua perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

Mark 4:40  (RNKJV)
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

We should have faith in Christ Jesus and believe what he has told, that his heavenly Father is always with those who love Him. When we believe in God and believe in the sent one from God, we should have less reasons to fear than those who do not believe in the Most High. Because God is with those who believe in Him.

Isaiah 41:10-14  (RNKJV)
10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy Elohim: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. 13 For I יהוה thy Elohim will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help thee, saith יהוה, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Though it is normal to have fear and to be aware that we should be attentive and fearful.

A doctor delivering news of a life-threatening diagnosis or when we loose a job, we might have lots of worries and wonder what to happen next. More than once, in our life, we shall become confronted with unpleasant situations and feel like we are tested. Trials force us off of the proverbial fence. We do have to take a stand, make decisions, which can alter so much. Every time we shall have to make the right choices or the right decisions. and those decisions shall be heard and seen by others, who will make their conclusions. Our “I” shall be seen clear by others, and we shall have to feel if we are it our self or if we just go with the majority because that seems us the best choice not to be different. but than we betray not only ourselves, but also our Creator. When we do not doubt God’s promise, we should not have to be afraid to carry out.

Romans 4:20  (RNKJV)
He staggered not at the promise of יהוה through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to יהוה;

When we are not afraid to undergo these earthly sufferings by not feeling any shame to be a believer of God, than this fear shall become so small it will not hurt us, but shall make us to react in the right godly way. For we know in whom we have put our faith, and we are convinced that He is able to guard what we have entrusted to Him until ‘that day’ we know shall come.

2 Timothy 1:12  (RNKJV)
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Having enough faith in God and His sent one the fear shall soon be outside us.

+

Preceding articles

In your own heart or outside of it

How to Find the Meaning of Life and Reach a State of Peace

The Greatest Fear

Phantom Of Dreams

Home-stayers and their to do list

On the Edge of Believing

For those Christians who say they are the Victim

After darkness a moment of life renewal

There can only be hope when there is a will to be and say “I am”

You’ve got wings…

Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel

How To Get Started In Sharing Your Faith As a Christian

++

Additional reading

1. What is life?
2. When discouraged facing opposition
3. Fear knocked at the door
4. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man
5. Fear of failure, and fear of the unknown
6. Facing disaster fatigue
7. Does God stands behind all evil on earth
8. Some one or something to fear #5 Not afraid
9. A Living Faith #5 Perseverance
10. Breathing and growing with no heir
11. Not holding back and getting out of darkness
12. Looking at three “I am” s
13. Fear and protection
14. People Seeking for God 7 The Lord and lords
15. Look for your Refuge by God
16. Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people
17. Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions
18. Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification
19. Standing within proximity of the glory of God
20. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #8 Prayer #6 Communication and manifestation
21. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #16 Benefits of praying
22. The chosen ones to fear or not to fear
23. Control and change
24. Wondering
25. Fearing the right person
26. Lovers of God, seekers and lovers of truth
27. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
28. Do not be afraid. Good news because a Saviour has been born
29. Fear not tomorrow. God is already there
30. Dealing with worries in our lives
31. No fear in love
32. Only the contrite self, sick of its pretensions, can find salvation
33. A new year with hopes and challenges
34. Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel
35. To believe in the liberation of slavery and to repent
36. Rejoice even though bound to grieve
37. To know God by wonders
38. No other god besides Jehovah who gives all explanation

+++

Further reading:

1. My Reality
2. Wall of Emotion
3. this may – Step in
4. Fear
5. Fear II
6. The Fears I can’t Shake
7. On Summed Fears
8. despite the anger and fear in my heart
9. a list of things that you should fear
10. Nightmares
11. Flammable
12. Depression
13. Do not run
14. A Woman In Waiting
15. Why Pick A Title When I Won’t Be Able To Commit To It
16. “Fear is Easy, Love is Hard”
17. Fearstorm
18. Come To The Edge
19. Fear of going back to sleep
20. Moments of Uncertainty
21. Fear of the Caw
22. Under oath
23. Why are you afraid?
24. Motivation
25. Facing fears
26. Fearing fear itself and the simple solution
27. This Is How You Can Overcome Your Fear Of Failure
28. The Fear of Making Mistakes: There is not Such a Thing as Failure
29. How I Face My Fear Of Failure
30. Do We Really Want Rest?
31. You have to take action!
32. Your Critics Don’t Count
33. Don’t avoid life
34. Stepping out on Faith
35. Faith Walk
36. What is the one gift God gives to all of us?
37. Proverbs: Seek the LORD
38. We’ll Understand It Better By and By

+++

Related articles

• Struggles of Women| SHAME
• Hearing and Seeing the Words of God
• Going Overboard: How Our Panic Betrays God’s Peace
• Talk and listen to God
• Just have Faith
• Fear doesn’t fit
• Sunday’s a Comin’: Overcoming Fear with Faith in the Story of Moses and the Burning Bush
• Fear and Time Do a Dance Together
• A Moment Away
• Love and Fear as Opposites

I and Thou

In life we do have to relate in first instance to our self, next to the creation, and then last but not least to the Creator Himself.

An “I-Thou” relation with understanding of past, present and future, is essential to build up something positively constructive.

*

To remember

• Martin Buber (I and Thou, 1923)
• Humanist variant of/alternative to existentialism: Relationship precedes essence.
• Identity = by-product of “I-Thou” relation

Martin Buber (1878-1965) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

+

Preceding article: Curious creature or Positivist man

Next: Sacred formula of positivism

+++

Related articles

• A former senator announces his marriage to a man, and his debt to Martin Buber
• Modern liberalism and the death of Western civilization
• The Janus Character of God and Existence: Gershom Scholem on the Implications of Tsimtsum
• being. genderqueer. today. in NC, USA.
• Fact-Checking The Scripture: Brooks Contra Trump
• UC Regents need a history lesson
• The One Thing You Need to Be an Effective Leader
• Cosmina Craciunescu looks on Positivism
• You Matter
• A darker and stranger place

shakemyheadhollow

The way I read the Jewish theologian, Martin Buber (I and Thou, 1923), he offers a humanist variant of/alternative to existentialism. Where Sartre might say, “Existence precedes essence,” Buber might say, “Relationship precedes essence.” In contrast to the stark “thrownness” of the existentialist, who finds himself alone in an indifferent universe, Buber finds identity itself to be a by-product of the “I-Thou” relation (connections both to fellow humankind and to Being itself). Having shuffled off the existentialist’s burden of aloneness, however, Buber is not exactly the Walmart greeter to Happy Valley. Like the existentialist, he is weighed down with responsibility. For now he carries forever — past, present, and future – the built-in burden of all that connection, the “exalted melancholy of our fate” (16).

View original post

Fear for rebel groups and men

In this world, this system of things is coming closer to its end. We can see that by what is coming from the East and is entering our life.

Throughout history there always have been interesting people and human beings who wanted to be more powerful than others, even prepared to kill others to strengthen their power. We have many  great men in this world and can see the governors whose laws and policies determine the welfare of millions; the would-be world-rulers, the dictators and empire-builders, who have it in their power to plunge the globe into war.

Sennacherib during his Babylonian war, relief from his palace in Nineveh

Think of Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar; think of Alexander, Napoleon, Hitler. Think of Nixon and Mao Tse-tung…think now of Putin, Obama, Kim Jong-un, and others…  {J.I. Packer, in his classic book entitled Knowing God}

Today lots of people are fearing the power of ISIS. Many also want to believe that it are Muslims who are the ones they have to fear. They do not come to see that those fighters and Islamic terrorists are not real Muslims and are defiling the Ummah or Muslim community and slop God’s Name through the mud.

Do you suppose that it is really these men who determine which way the world shall go?
Think again; for God is greater than the world’s great men. {J.I. Packer, in his classic book entitled Knowing God}

He

“brings the princes to nothing; He makes the rulers of the earth as vanity” (Isaiah 40:23).

Pictured here is former Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong announcing the founding of the People’s Republic of China on October 1 1949. Italiano: Immagine di Mao Tse-tung che proclama la nascita della Repubblica Popolare Cinese l’1 ottobre 1949 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We should be well aware that at the end-times the religions shall go against each other, but that those who belong to the body of Christ, the believers in one God know that the ruler of this world shall go to fight hard against those who worship the only one True God, in the knowledge that their end will be near.

They may want to blind others and bring others to do lots of things which are against God’s wish. Therefore we should be very careful not to step in the booby trap, becoming overmanned by grief and hatred, taking on an attitude unworthy a follower of Christ.

All our hope should be on the return of Christ and on his heavenly Father Who is

“The only ruler of princes.” Behold your God indeed!

+

Preceding:

Tears for Belgium

A darker and stranger place

The Greatest Fear

Bringers of agony, Trained in Belgium and Syria

You might be an extrimist if …

Against cruelty in this world

+++

Related articles

• Muslim Group CAIR Registering Million of Muslims to Stop Donald Trump
• Study reveals there are no Islamist jihadi groups in Sri Lanka
• Trump says Muslims aren’t helping fight terrorism. Bullshit.
• So Agreeable: Clinton Nods Almost Non-Stop During Roundtable Discussion
• What Fueled the Attacks in Brussels?
• Minn. Law Enforcers Pledge To Protect State’s Muslim Community
• Declaring a Jihad Against ISIS
• Ethiopia jails 18 Muslims for plotting to create an Islamic state in the country
• Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
• Offensive graffiti in Dublin altered to ‘All Muslims are sound’

Follow after whatsoever things are true

In this world where so many attack religions and criticise denominations let us always try to stay pure in the body of Christ, working at our personality trying to get the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus. By working at our character let us not be carried away by sayings of others about other religious people and not get carried away by hatred for people who are misusing the Name of God.

Let us disregard the sins committed by those who act against the Christian world, forgiving them and moving on, progressing in life letting go of our fears and learn to live out of love, showing them we are strong in the Lord, and showing them the way to God.

 

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus
Philippians 2:5

Follow after whatsoever things are true, honest just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseful
Philippians 4:8

*

 

 

 +++

 

Related articles

• Philippians 4:10
• The Annunciation: the Kenotic Mary
• God’s Master Plan…
• When Our Relationships Bring Hurts and Unmet Expectations
• Who Would Copy You?
• Mind experiences
• Rejoice, Rejoice.. You CAN Rejoice!
• No use fishing where they ain’t
• Importance of Prayer
• Our Works are Filthy Rags

When looking for God or wanting to relate to the Most High Divine God

For those who want to look for God, want to find the way to God and want to connect to Him when they found Him, there are two new English and three Dutch websites to help them on their road to a peaceful life full op hope.

On March the 9th of the year 2016 the small community of God loving people in Belgium, united under the Cornerstone Christ Jesus, presented “Relating to God” on a Weebly site and “Relating to God – Blog” on WordPress.

Relating to God (Christadelphian Weebly site) by the opening 2016 March 9

Openings article for the WordPress Blog “Relating to God” on March 9, 2016

Both sites could be considered siblings. together they form one unit, offering people all over the world the possibility to find more about our relationship with our surroundings (nature and people around us) and with the Source of all the things around us (the Divine Creator).

We also want to show people the Way to God, the Nazarene Jeshua who managed to put his own will aside to do the Will of God. Like him we should try to put our own will aside and to make us strong enough to leave the human traditions and human dogma’s for what they are preferring to stick to Biblical dogma’s, set-apart teachings of men of God, listening to the sacred Words of God Himself.

We do hope several people may come along and find some interesting material which can help them on their quest to God or to find assurance to be on the right track. Together we should help each other to find comfort in Biblical teaching and support each other in the preaching of the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.

In Dutch similar content is presented in a triptych. Each individual website concentrating on one subject: 1. Looking for God: Op zoek naar God; 2. the Way to God: De Weg naar God; 3. Finding God: God vinden.

We kindly invite you to come along, visiting those sites and perhaps leaving some note behind or subscribing to some of them.

Yours truly,

Relating to God

+++

The Grange, Omagh In every grown-up man there’s a small boy wanting to get out. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Related articles

• Top Ten Popular Posts at My BlogJob Site
• Where Are They Now? Startup Battlefield Company PageCloud
• 9 Excuses That Keep You From Investing in a Website
• WordPress NPS
• Using Writing 201 as a Guide for any Creative Endeavour (part 3)
• Bloggers to write compelling, viral content about blogging – Blogger Elementary
• Making the Blog Work
• Credo of the Christadelphian
• Folllowing Christ
• The Peace that Knows no Bounds