A disrespected Father

In this world the majority of people is not interested in God and another part has made Jesus into their god and as such do not show respect to what Jesus has done and not to what God has done.

Jesus was very well aware that he could not do anything without his heavenly Father. But he also knew that the world would hate his real followers because of the Word of the Father that Jesus had given them.

“14 I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17  Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world.” (Joh 17:14-18 ASV)

Jesus had always put his own will aside, to do the Will of God and wanted his followers also to do the Will of his heavenly Father, the same as he wanted God’s Will to be done on earth.

“ Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” (Mt 6:10 ASV)

“ saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Lu 22:42 ASV)

“ I can of myself do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is righteous; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (Joh 5:30 ASV)

It is that Father Who sent Jesus that we should give all honour and praise, like Jesus gave honour and praise to Him. By that Father accepting Jesus his ransom offering we are able to receive the grace of salvation. Only through the word of the Father is it that we can be born again and shall be able to enter into the kingdom of God.

The world hates us because Jesus has given us the Word of his Father, a word that he personally delivered and through the power of that word we are transferred to the eternal Kingdom of God. As a loving Father Jehovah is willing to welcome all the lost ones. Every human being that is willing to repent and turn to God is welcome in His heavenly pastures.

God and Jesus are aware that evil surrounds us, but they want us to overcome it and to prove to the rest of the world that there is a much better way than the one the world loves everybody to believe.

It is to those who are left on the earth to show the world that Jesus is the way, not to himself, but to his heavenly Father, Who wants to be the Father of all.

“ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (Joh 14:6 ASV)

By Christ, the sent one from God, we are able to come to the father. Jesus is the one who we can trust to show us the way to the most perfect Father of all. The One Who is the Father of King David and prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah and Jesus, is the One Who is looking at the earth in the hope more people shall come to Him. Those close to Him He wants to mould like clay so that they should be workers of faith, bringing more people to Him, Who is greater than Jesus.

“ He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation.” (Ps 89:26 ASV)

“ But now, O Jehovah, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Isa 64:8 ASV)

“ After this manner therefore pray ye. Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Mt 6:9 ASV)

“ And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lu 2:49 ASV)

“ Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 ASV)

Those who worship Jesus as their god, should come to learn and to see, that the God of Jesus is a much greater God than their god Jesus, and that He is the heavenly Father of Jesus but also of those who want to accept Jesus for whom he really is and for what he really has done, having given his life for the sins of all.

Jesus came to this world from heaven, him being placed in the womb of a young woman. Over here on earth, he talked about the One Who had sent Him to this world to convey people of his heavenly Father. For his words and actions he was hated and nailed on a stake to die. After his death he was taken out of the dead by his heavenly Father and then, forty days after he rose from the dead, he triumphantly ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

We who follow Jesus have chosen not to be of this world either. We are not of this world simply because there is nothing that this world can offer us that is better than what Jesus gives us. Jesus gives us life eternal.

Because of our faith in the work of Christ Jesus and believing that Jesus is the truth and the son of God, the world can’t handle that. But it is the truth that will set us free and shall not make us afraid anymore.

“11 And the witness is this, that God gave unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life.” (1Jo 5:11-12 ASV)

When Jesus met with his disciples on the evening of the day of his resurrection he said to them,

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21)

All those who love Jesus and wants to be known as disciples or followers of Christ should follow the Wishes of God and His only begotten beloved son, Jesus. The same way as God had sent Jesus, so Jesus sends us. We often think of our limitations as we go out into the world. The thing to focus on is the one who sent us. Jesus, our risen and ascended Lord is the one who sends us.

As Jesus tells his disciples in Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

As brothers and sisters in Christ we are not ashamed to tell others we follow that Nazarene man. We are convinced we may believe what is written in the Holy Scriptures. This is what keeps us from being afraid of going out into the world. As God sent Jesus, Jesus sends us.

Like Jesus trusted his heavenly Father we too put our trust in him Who is the Almighty.

When several shall celebrate Father’s Day this month, we shall honour our worldly father but give even more honour and focus on our heavenly Father.

Please read: Prayer Theme for June 2021: Our Father

And let us give all honour to the One Who accepted the ransom price paid by His only begotten beloved son.

The True Significance of Jesus’ Birth

For four thousand years and more the promises of God, clothed in more or less of obscurity, had been given to mankind, intimating that ultimately the great curse of sin and death, which had come upon the world through father Adam’s disobedience, would be rolled away, and instead of a curse would come a blessing with life-giving refreshment. And then, by a miracle, came the voice of the angels when they broke forth in a heavenly strain, singing,

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Luke 2:14

Today many celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Several Christians say they remember the birth of God, but they should come to know that God was never born. God has always existed. He had no birth and no death, Him being an eternal Spirit Being.

It could be called “strange” that so many people say they celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, but do this on an other day than he was born. Him being born on October the 17th has no reason to celebrate his birth on the name day or birthday of the goddess of light.

For ages the Hebrew people had spoken about what happened in the Garden of Eden and how prophets repeated that messages of God that there would come someone to solve that problem of the curse of death. With the birth in Bethlehem, the city of King David, of that child of Mary, a king for always came unto the earth. It was God’s promise, or His Word having come in the flesh.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Joh 1:1 KJ21)

The Speaking of God brought the second Adam in this world. Jesus was a 2° Adam because he was created by God and placed in the womb of the virgin Mary. Now the world could see a special son of man, who was called Immanuel and son of God. When this man who could be seen by many, the God Who no man can see, declared Jesus to be His beloved son.

“16 And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up straightway out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him. 17 And lo, a voice came from Heaven, saying, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”” (Mt 3:16-17 KJ21)

It would not stay with that one time at the river Jordan; Some months later Jesus repeated His saying, so that people would not forget who was standing there in their midst. It was also said that there would come a time that the earth will be full of the knowledge of this man, the root of Jesse, as the waters cover the sea.

“6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

10  “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, who shall stand for an ensign of the people; to It shall the Gentiles seek, and His rest shall be glorious.” 11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.” (Isa 11:6-11 KJ21)

“1  And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up onto a high mountain apart. 2 And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light. 3 And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah, talking with Him. 4 Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles: one for Thee and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 5 While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the cloud, said, “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED. HEAR YE HIM!” 6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were sore afraid. 7 And Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and be not afraid.” 8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. 9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, “Tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead.”” (Mt 17:1-9 KJ21)

At first, there should not have been spoken so much of that son of man, but years later that became very important and when coming closer to the end-times that would even be more important, because of God’s Word than be preached all over the world. coming closer to the end-times more people shall have to know that there is salvation in no one else than in this sent one from God. Namely, God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.

“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.”” (Ac 4:12 KJ21)

It was made clear that salvation would come out of the Jews, from the root of Jesse, a king in the lineage of King David. Lots of Christians still want others to believe Jesus would have been an incarnation of God. They consider the person Jesus “The mystery” and some would say that

the profundity of the incarnation caused another layer of reflection … … this Christmas season. It is an almost unbelievable fantastical story if you really think about it: first of all, just the idea that a divine being would become a human being is crazy enough. {The Christmas Story}

At the same time they forget their fantasy story gets even more ridiculous when they would say God died at the cross for our salvation. They forget than this god would have fooled all mankind and had all people waiting for ages before really bringing salvation to them, because we all still have to suffer and many do not see an end to that suffering.

Jesus was not God who

choose to be a person who was part of a small, struggling, nomadic nation during a time of foreign occupation and oppression {The Christmas Story}

At no time ever did the Jews think their invisible God coming to perform a play, doing as if He died, and then to chatter their

pipe dreams of freedom and prosperity when a great leader would release them from oppression. {The Christmas Story}

Christmas is certainly not the day that

God modeled humility by taking on mortal flesh for our sake. The greatest one became a little one. The strongest one became one of the weakest and most vulnerable ones. He did it for love. {Humility: The Heart of Christmas}

The man born in a stable in Bethlehem was the son of a simple manual labourer and a young woman from the tribe of King David. As a devout family they educated their children in the Torah and learned them to honour only That One True God of Abraham, Who is One (and not two or three). They also learned their children always to tell the truth. From Scriptures we also learn that Jesus was without fault and did not sin. That means he did not tell lies, so when he said he could not do anything without his heavenly Father who is greater than him, he meant that and did not fool people so-called by hiding that he would be God. Jesus proclaimed God’s Truth without compromise.

“But now ye seek to kill Me, a Man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard from God: this did not Abraham.” (Joh 8:40 KJ21)

“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.” (Joh 8:44-45 KJ21)

“Pilate therefore said unto Him, “Art thou a king then?” Jesus answered, “Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice.”” (Joh 18:37 KJ21)

“Ye have heard how I said unto you, ‘I go away and come again unto you.’ If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice because I said, ‘I go unto the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.” (Joh 14:28 KJ21)

“Then answered Jesus 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.” (Joh 5:19 KJ21)

God is also not Someone Who would tell lies.

“God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent. Hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Nu 23:19 KJ21)

“that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we, who have fled for refuge, might have strong consolation to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” (Heb 6:18 KJ21)

Either all those saying that Jesus is God, do not believe God is an All-knowing God. Because when Jesus was asked when the end of this era would come and who would be seated next to him in his kingdom he said he could not tell because it is only to God to know such things. But when he would have been or would be God, then he would have known and would not have said the truth, and as such would have told lies. People making Jesus into God, makes not only of Jesus and God liars as well as characters who fooled mankind with their tricks.

People should know that Jesus is not God, but is really the one he claims to be and the one who his heavenly Father tells us him to be.

“ 22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him (Jeshua/Jesus), and a voice came from Heaven, which said, “THOU ART MY BELOVED SON; IN THEE I AM WELL PLEASED.”” (Lu 3:22 KJ21)

That son of God, born in October 4 BCE fulfilled an incredible task. He always managed to put his own will aside, to do the Will of God. In the short period of his public life, he tried to make clear Who God is and what God wants from mankind. As the chosen one from God, sent by God to show the way to God, Jesus gave his body as a Lamb of God. His sacrificial offering was not God faking His death, but was a real man of flesh and blood, dying, giving himself as a ransom for the sins of all.

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Please come to read:

1. A promise given in the Garden of Eden
2. Foretold Messiah 2 a Voice giving The Word to His servants
3. With child and righteousness greater than the law
4. The Beginning of the life of Jesus Christ
5. Matthew 1:18-25 – Genesis of Jesus Christ
6. Matthew 2:1-6 – Astrologers and Priests in a Satanic Plot
7. Matthew 2:7-12 – Pawns of Herod, the Magi Find the ‘Child’
8. Hosea Say What?
9. Jesus son of God
10. Called Immanuel does not mean to be Jesus being God
11. Salvation (Christadelphians)
12. Salvation (Bible Students)
13. God’s salvation
14. Salvation is of the Jews
15. Why think that (2) … Jesus claimed to be something special
16. People believing they need to celebrate the birth of God
17. Which hero to celebrate in December 2020
18. The wrong hero
19. When you believe Jesus is God: who do you think is the mediator? #1 Son of man
20. Ignorance of Today’s Youth (and Adults)
21. Roman, Aztec and other rites still influencing us today
22. Thought for the Christmas time: A sense of history
23. A way to look for Christ, the Bible, Word of God

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Related articles

1. The Coming of Christ our Savior, 2020
2. Hear Ye Hear Ye!
3. The Signs of Christ
4. Matthew 1
5. Longing for Bethlehem
6. Bethlehem of Judaea
7. Making Room for Jesus
8. O, Glorious Night
9. Unto Us
10. The Nativity You Never Knew? An in-depth, historical look at Jesus’ birth in Luke 2:1-20
11. For Unto Us Jesus Is Born? Understanding Isaiah 9:6
12. I am Joseph
13. Mary’s Treasure
14. Why the Stories of the Virgin Birth Fit Together
15. The Promised Messiah
16. even closer
17. What Child Is This? #1
18. What Child Is This? #2
19. The Birth of Christ and the Cancel Culture
20. Advent Story Revealed part 9
21. Advent Story Revealed part 10
22. Christmas 2020 – Immanuel: God with Us
23. Far, Far Away on Judea’s Plains
24. Three Incarnation Truths
25. A Shepherd Among Shepherds, Part 1 (Luke 2:8–20)
26. Verse Of The Day – Matthew 17:5
27. Emmanuel’s Tabernacle
28. In the Humble Son, We see Father God
29. The Baptism of the Lord, Cycle A
30. Beloved son
31. “beloved son” … mentioned in The Holy Bible (KJV)
32. Transfigured on God’s Holy Mountain
33. Once more- a voice from heaven
34. No one else!
35. The Unravelling: a nativity
36. Silent lights
37. The Christmas Cheer
38. A Stream of Consciousness on Christmas Night
39. Lovingly
40. The Christmas Story
41. Humility: The Heart of Christmas
42. Merry Christmas! (2020 Edition)
43. Week 4: Friday, Christmas Day, The Nativity of the Lord
44. December 25
45. Why Christmas is Important to me
46. If but for the birth of Christ…
47. The Gift of Sympathy
48. God in a Cave
49. Merry Christmas

Death and rest

Lots of people may fear death and be very unrestful when they think about the dead.

Many long for moments without pain and moment where they can be at ease not having to worry about so many things. They are longing for peace and tranquillity. Many also want some time to recuperate and to get some new enforced energy.

Rest is something that most people desire, but are unable to find. Running from morning until night, seven days a week, people struggle to find rest. {Psalm 62:1 Finding Rest}

There are those who are unable to sleep the following night after they dared to take a nap in the middle of the day. Others do not mind falling asleep in their church whilst the priest gives his sermon. Others find it great to have the Sunday free so that they can have a nap on Sunday afternoons.

Every day we are confronted by the world which demands so many things from us; Having the pressure of society on us we often do not dare to have a rest somewhere in-between.

Rest becomes elusive because of the race that people are in to try and satisfy their soul. They fear rejection, poverty, looking bad, and missing out so they run harder to prevent those things from occurring. When they lie down at night, their minds race in fear for the next day trying to determine how to make something happen or to keep moving forward, thus not getting any rest. {Psalm 62:1 Finding Rest}

Lots of people do think when they do not follow the tred of this fast running world, they shall not be respected or recognized for what they do. They would love to please everybody around them, and by doing so sometimes forget what is really right or appropriate in the eyes of God.

The goals of people are for temporary happiness and enjoyment, but often these are missing in the race. People miss out on life striving to run hard after false things, false hopes and false dreams. {Psalm 62:1 Finding Rest}

Most people do think it are the living beings that can provide them with what they need. They do forget that it is the Most High Divine Creator Who is the Sustainer and Provider of all. They forget that salvation they seek can only be found by God.

Every believer needs to realize that it is God who is the true provider for every need he has. Provision for physical, spiritual and emotional needs. There is nothing that God cannot supply. {Psalm 62:1 Finding Rest}

We should not so much honour the dead when we have the Living God to Whom all honour belongs. In Him, we should trust and not in those who are already death. It is God Who deserves our confidence.

Instead of looking to the temporary things that this world can provide, one must look to God for the eternal things. The things that last are forgiveness, love, peace, joy, kindness, mercy, patience, and God’s presence. When a believer has God at the center of his life, he will know the rest that God provides. This will allow him to lie down at night in peace and sleep knowing God is in control and will save him in the end. {Psalm 62:1 Finding Rest}

Instead of partaking all those festivities for the dead, we should choose for God given feasts and choose for more life than  the life most people see in front of them. Our hopes should not come from those in the graves but from That One Who man can not see. We may be sure of it that He provides the most stable ground under our feet. He is The Rock that shall not be broken in pieces or being destroyed. We can wait calmly for God alone, because our hope and expectations comes from Him. He alone is should be our rock our defence and stronghold.

Trusting in God we shall not be shaken. Him being our high tower we who believe in Him and trust Him shall not be moved.

Are you hoping that those people, called saints, who died a long time ago shall bring peace and salvation for you?

Please do know that our salvation and glory depends on God and not on the dead.

⁸ Trust him at all times, you people. Pour out your hearts in his presence.
God is our refuge {Psalm 62:5-8}

 

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My soul waits calmly for God alone.
    My salvation comes from him.
{Psalm 62:1 GW)

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Preceding

In October-November People often too busy with death and the dead

Looking forward to a year full of Kindness

Tending to develop a genuine confidence in our Higher Power

Confidence…

Pray to thank God

 

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Find also to read

1. Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people
2. The Right One to follow and to worship
3. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
4. God Feeds The Birds
5. When things run differently than expected
6. Today’s thought “That my name might be proclaimed” (January 31)
7. Today’s thought “As wax melts before the fire” (February 5)

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Related

1. Psalm 62:1 Finding Rest
2. Rest Time
3. Message of the Day: Trust and Confidence in God Face of Trouble.
4. June 25, 2019
5. Psalm 62:1: Watching and waiting
6. Waiting Patiently
7. Blessed night
8. Lunch with the Psalms
9. God is my Rock
10. Choosing Far More Life

Making sure we express kedusha for 14-16 Nisan

Over a a few weeks for lovers of God, the most important days of the year shall have us to bring to remember how God provided salvation from slavery of man but also of slavery of death. Though both where installed by a covenant of bloodshed, one of the firstborns of the old world, the other by the firstborn of the new world, the second Adam.

This image was selected as a picture of the week on the Czech Wikipedia for th week, 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Being the most set apart or holy days of the year, we should take care that our house does not get defiled by the wrong objects. In our living quarters non Jews and not real Christians should notice the typically absent are specifically “other” objects such as wicker baskets of chocolate Easter eggs and/or painted eggs and chocolate bunnies, or bacon and its smell.

Prohibited, and hence placed out of sight or otherwise rendered out-of-commission in particular times and places, are in some Jewish homes: bread and flour on Pasch/Pasach or Passover. (According to the Kitnot)

Coming closer to those special days and holy week, we can prepare ourselves for that grand memorial time. The coming days we can try to cleanse our body and soul (i.e. our full being).

We should make sure that every thing around us shall be able to embody, create, and express kedushah [holiness] by their actual presence, by a hidden presence of which one is consciously or subliminally aware, and also by the whole range of interactions to which such objects are subject or suggest and provoke. We should know that we do have to participate in the fulfilment of mitzvot, the commandments,  which should be engraved deep in our hearts.

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Preceding article

Christianity like Judaism God’s call to human responsibility

The Evolution Of Passover–Past To Present

Easter: Origins in a pagan Christ

It takes guts to leave the ruts

Reciting the Aleinu as a warning against temptation of idolatry

Commemorating the escape from slavery

The Last Supper was a Passover meal

A Single Seder, and Around the World

Thoughts on Passover

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Additional reading

1. First month of the year and predictions
2. Seven Bible Feasts of JHWH
3. Holidays, holy days and traditions
4. Remember the day
5. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
6. Shabbat Pesach service reading 2/2
7. Easter holiday, fun and rejoicing
8. Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #2 Testimony
9. Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #3 Days to be kept holy or set apart
10. Yom Hey, Eve of Passover and liberation of many people
11. A Passover for unity in God’s community
12. Pesach and a lot of brokenness in the world
13. On the first day for matzah
14. 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
15. 14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain
16. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
17. A Great Gift commemorated
18. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
19. A Messiah to die
20. An unblemished and spotless lamb foreknown
21. The Song of The Lamb #5 Revelation 5
22. The Song of The Lamb #7 Revelation 15
23. This day shall be unto you for a memorial and you shall keep it a feast to the Most High God
24. Exodus 9: Liar Liar
25. Geert Wilders wants mandatory blackface at Dutch festival
26. Like grasshoppers
27. White Privilege Conference (WPC) wanting to keep the press out for obvious reasons

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Further reading

1. Equinox, Easter and the arrival of Spring in Austria
2. Easter Eve
3. Easter: Holiday of the devil
4. Wordless Wednesday – Egg-straordinary Eggs
5. Painted easter eggs
6. Celebrating Easter in Romania
7. Stampin Friends Easter Hop
8. 7 Mind Blowing Facts About Easter You Probably Didn’t Know!
9. The “Bunny Song”
10. A holiday
11. I got nuttin!
12. Annual Passover Gathering
13. 19 March 2017 Bible Reading
14. Lenten Meditation: Never as Planned
15. Why The Seder?
16. Passover Stuffed Cabbage
17. Mar 19 God’s Plan
18. Passover is coming and the strangers in our midst need help (Part 1 of 2)
19. Am I Ready To Hear What God Says?
20. The Way Ahead
21. Shabbat Ki Tisa 5777 Parashat Parah–This Is Not Bull
22. Matzo Project 5777 Will Fulfill Your Passover Unleavened Fantasies
23. To bean or not to bean, that is the question!
24. For Real, How Rare Is a Red Heifer?
25. Matzah, Matzo, Matzoh
26. It’s time to start thinking about Pesach!
27. Autonomy, Individualism & Sincerity, #inspired for the whole year!
28. Jennifer Abadi’s Turkish Style Harósi 

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• Easter 2017: Dates and the meaning behind Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
• Sean Spicer Had Job in the White House before He Was Press Secretary, But It’s Not What You’d Expect
• Eostre, Easter, White god, chocolate eggs, Easter bunnies and metaphorical resurrection
• More looking for similarities
• Christian values, traditions, real or false stories, pure and upright belief

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Romans 4 and the Sacraments

In our series looking at “Faith and works” yesterday (January 28) we looked at the letter from Paul to the Romans, chapters 3 and  4. the 4th chapter often being referred to to support the doctrine of justification by faith alone.

Luther’s work

In our previous posting we saw how the German theologian and religious reformer who was the catalyst of the 16th-century Protestant Reformation Martin Luther gave enough food for the Antitrinitarians. He is one of the most to go against their idea we still have to do works to be able to enter the Kingdom of God.

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It is thanks to his marvellous work of translating of the Bible into the vernacular (instead of Latin) that so many more people could read and find out what was really written in the Holy Scriptures, which had a tremendous impact on the church and West European culture.

From 1510 to 1520, Luther lectured on the Psalms, the books of Hebrews, Romans, and Galatians. As he studied these portions of the Bible, he came to view the use of terms such as penance and righteousness by the Catholic Church in new ways. He became convinced that the church was corrupt in its ways and had lost sight of what he saw as several of the central truths of Christianity.

The most important for Luther was the doctrine of justification – God’s act of declaring a sinner righteous – by faith alone through God’s grace. He taught that salvation or redemption is a gift of God’s grace, attainable only through faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

Looking at Paul’s teachings

The blog “Washed, sanctified and justified” also looks at Paul’s teachings in the knowledge that lots of protestants refer to Romans 3:26-28 as their conclusion that a man is justified by faith. Some will say

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from works. {Analysis of St. Paul’s Teachings on Justification and Faith}

Many Christians forget to notice “of the law” which indicates something more and something different than just the “Blood of Christ” or “the Blood of the Lamb“.  The Jewish scholar knew very much the importance of “The Law” or the “Torah” in God’s Plan. And these words are very important to the idea that the apostle Paul is expressing. In the previous articles we have seen that the apostle is speaking of works of the law because that is what he was speaking of in the last chapter.

He didn’t suddenly change subjects. However, he has omitted the words of the law at this point. {Analysis of St. Paul’s Teachings on Justification and Faith}

Some Catholics may say the Jews did not have ‘Sacraments’, but they had a Covenant and arrangements (or sarcaments in the wider interpretation), also having their own religious signs or symbols and practices as forms of worship.

Paul was very well aware how men of God were justified in the past. Abram (Abraham), born way before God made the covenant with the Israelites, had come in the faith. When he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. (Genesis 12:1-4; Hebrews 11:8; Romans 4:3) He also had not forgotten, like today many Christians do, that Abraham became the father of many, justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar. (James 2:20-22)

Covenants given to man

The Abrahamic Covnenant may have been interchanged with the Messianic or New Covenant this did not make done with The Law. Too many people forget the terms of the New Covenant.

De Maria in “Romans 4 and the Sacraments” looks further at the misunderstanding of Faith without works.

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We remember from it:

Romans 4 = a dissertation on justification by the Sacraments.

1. Abraham = our father, according to the flesh
2. if Abraham > justified by works = he hath whereof to glory > not before God.
3. if Abraham justified himself = more power to him => it is not of God.
4. Abraham believed God => counted unto him for righteousness.

=>  that means.

1. him that works = reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt > obey God’s voice + keep His covenant => a peculiar treasure unto God above all people
2. to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly > faith is counted for righteousness.
3. Abraham was => did not work for debt
4. Abraham did work for faith

He also looks at David, one of the circumcised =>  covenant of reconciliation

• No one can deny David did many works <= all he did was believe in God’s mercy

reconciliation not only offered to Israelites (Abraham not an Israelite + not even circumcised yet) ===> God saw his faith at work => reckoned in uncircumcision to receive sign of circumcision=  seal of the righteousness of the faith

=> = prophecy which showed that even gentiles would be justified by faith.

=> We, like Abraham, believe and are imputed righteousness, in the Sacraments of Jesus Christ.

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St. Paul contrasting Old Testament with New Testament.

• Old Testament = the Law.
• New Testament = the Faith.

no ministry of reconciliation in Old Testament. ~~~ David’s reconciliation exception = foreshadowing of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

=> Just as it is imputed to the Catholic, who believing the promises of God, approaches the font of grace and submits to the Sacraments, calling on His name.

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Preceding articles

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

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Related articles

• Christian NFL Player Don Carey Says Muslims Need a Reformation
• By Vatican decree, Jews get special vouchers to Heaven
• “O” Antiphons
• The Jewish Roots of Christianity
• The Christian Case For Libertarianism
• 2-2-10-Kingdom Enemies
• Instead of Sanctification: The crossless gospel spirit
• The Spirit Speaks – of Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder (SADD)
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CatholicBibleTalk

 Romans 4 is frequently used to support the doctrine of justification by faith alone. But it is actually a dissertation on justification by the Sacraments.  Let’s go through it.

King James Version (KJV)

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?Abraham is our father, according to the flesh. The Apostle asks, “what has he found”?

2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

Now, he asks, “did Abraham justify himself?” If he did, then more power to him, but it is not of God.

3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

Now, he quotes Gen 15:6, Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

and he begins to explain what that means.

4 Now to him that…

View original post 1,559 more words

Our life depending on faith

Looking at the Bible reading for January 28

When we look at our bible readings of the day, we do find Genesis 46-47, Psalm 50 and Paul’s letter to the Romans chapter 3-4.

Apostle Paul in the apse (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Apostle Paul when he was called Saul had been full of zeal for keeping the law and saw the followers of Christ as appearing to have no respect for keeping the law so he persecuted them – until he was dramatically converted. After his conversion and the maturity gained by the experiences that followed, he wrote his remarkable letter to the Romans, a letter primarily to the Gentiles.

The apostle asks a valid question, which should bring us to wonder what the good might be us of difference between a non believer and a believer doing good works.

People trained in God’s ways

Throughout history we have seen that there have been many people who were so called trained in God’s ways and even got titles of universities, declaring them to be theologians. Lots of people look up at them and think they are the person who best know how everything is about God, gods, religion, man, life and death. Lots of people got frustrated with what they got to know from those scholars  who often said we just had to belief this or that, because it is incomprehensible for a human being to understand. As such lots of human doctrines were introduced in Christendom.

People also got annoyed with certain behaviour of those so called religious men. Some had relationships not only with different wives, but there have also been clerics who had intercourse with children.
On the other hand the world sees lots of unbelievers who are doing very good works and are always ready to help others, plus giving very good examples how we make the best of our life in a good relationship with others.

God not abandoning people

It is true that lots of non-religious people are also good people, but the apostle Paul tells us as it turns out, it makes a lot of difference who is a follower of Christ and a believer in the Only One True God.

In history there have been many people who tried to bring the Word of God to others and make it alive for the future. We had the Jewish scribes who were being put in charge of writing down and caring for God’s revelation, what we call the Holy Scriptures or the Bible. In the course of doing that, when some of those Jews abandoned their post, we can see that God didn’t abandon them.

Throughout the Book of books we can see how God always stayed with His People, even when they did bad things or had moments that they forgot Him. Even the most important of these men of God had one moment of doubt, that he questioned God why He (Jehovah God) had abandoned him (Jesus).

Jesus at one moment also cried to his heavenly Father saying

 Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? (Matthew 27:46)

being a call unto God questioning Him why he had forsaken or had deserted the son of man Jeshua (Jesus Christ), who was willing to do God’s Will instead of his own will. (In case Jesus is God he naturally would always have done his own will and could never have left himself.)

Not cancelling out Jehovah his faithfulness

Do you think Jesus and other men of God their faithlessness cancels out Jehovah the Almighty God His faithfulness?

We are told that God keeps his Word even when the whole world is lying through its teeth. Scripture says the same

“God forbid! Yea, let God be true, though every man a liar. As it is written: “That Thou mightest be justified in Thy sayings, and mightest overcome when Thou art judged.”” (Romans 3:4 KJ21)

We are given God’s Word which stand fast and true and is not given to confuse us or to.  We are given commandments in that book of books and are questioned if we make the law of none effect through faith.

The unbelievers can do good and bad like we too can do a lot of bad. But if our wrongdoing only underlines and confirms God’s right-doing, “shouldn’t we be commended for helping out?” remarks Paul. When having come into the faith we should be willing to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ (a work to be done) and should do our uttermost best to comply not only with his teachings but also with the ordnance of God.

Sayings we are saved and have to do no works

The people who do want us to believe we can do whatever we want because salvation is on us by the blood of Christ, must know that it is not by our bad deeds that God would come out better.  It’s simply perverse to say,

“If my lies serve to show off God’s truth all the more gloriously, why blame me? I’m doing God a favour.”

or to say

“The more evil we do, the more good God does, so let’s just do it!”

That’s pure slander. (Romans 3:7-8)

Same start for every one

It is not because we are Jews, Christians or Muslims that we would be we more excellent than the others and are getting a better break than the others. (Romans 3:9) Basically, all of us, whether insiders or outsiders, start out in identical conditions, which is to say that we all start out as sinners. Scripture leaves no doubt about it that there’s nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They’ve all taken the wrong turn; they’ve all wandered down blind alleys.

It may sound harsh, but there is “No one’s living right”.

“9 What then? Are we better than they? No, in no wise! For we have before proved that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin. 10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 there is none that understandeth; there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They have all gone from the way; they have together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”” (Romans 3:9-12 KJ21)

Therefore every day we do have to be careful not to have our throats to be gaping graves,our tongues slick as mud slides. (Romans 3:13) With no tongues to deceit we should try to get others to know Jeshua, Jesus Christ, the son of man and the son of God. In him we did receive salvation, but in him we do have to grow (a work) so that we can run a good race, not for the honour of sinner-of-the-year, or for the one who made the most money on the back of others.

Afraid for those coming in

In our land littered with heartbreak and ruin, many of us do not want to know living with others. They are so afraid of the refugees coming into our nation. Are they afraid of them being able to get others to believe what they believe and to come to the same religion as theirs. Should they than not wonder how it comes that those immigrants not come to be surprised by the faith we are having and that they would become interested in the faith that lives in Europe? We think the greatest problem is that there is not so much faith in God living around in our regions. Most people never give God the time of day. This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us to whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place! And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else?

For sure it is not our involvement with God’s revelation that will  put us right with God. There are also many unbelievers who write about our God and about religion. There are also people who are against God who try to bring others in doubt by throwing lots of discussions at them.

Should we not more question why there would be a danger of Muslims converting people from here unto the Islamic faith? In case there would be enough people standing strong in their faith we should not worry.

Did Jesus also not give the task to his followers to go out and preach? When Christians would do what Jesus Christ ordered them to do we should have enough preachers witnessing about the works of god and about the real faith we should follow.

Man incapable to govern

Throughout history man has proven to be incapable to come to good governments, or to be able to rule this universe. By the Word of God we are forced to face our complicity in our sins. By all our stupidities we do have to come to see we can only have a good government under the jurisdiction of Christ Jesus.

Because by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified in God His sight (Romans3:20) we should know that for by the Law comes the knowledge of sin and are we given the ways to handle sin. Now we also do not have any excuse because in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about in our Scriptures, has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this.

“20 Therefore by the deeds of the law, no flesh shall be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all those who believe. For there is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:20-23 KJ21)

“30  What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.” (Romans 9:30-31 KJ21)

Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God sent us His only begotten son and accepted this man’s ransom offering to pay for our sins. did it for us. The action of God, out of sheer generosity, was taken for the recognizance of the humbleness of  the Nazarene Jew who was willing to put his own will aside for complying totally to God’s Will.

A Freebox in Berlin, Germany 2005, serving as a distribution centre for free donated materials, and where the gratis is really for free.

With Jeshua (Jesus Christ) the world has received a pure gift. With God it is not, like we can see so many times today, that there are offers to people where they say it is gratis, but then they still have to pay so much money. By God Gratis does really means for free. We do not have to pay anything for the Gift of Grace. Salvation is given to everybody in the world. But it is given at one point and then we have to continue from there onwards. And that is what a lot of people seem to forget.

The mess we are in & Setting the world in the clear

God by the action taken, or by the work done by His son, got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where God always wanted us to be. In His plan fits a righteous people. Jehovah, the God of gods, did it by means of Jesus Christ. It was God who sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin. Having faith in him sets us in the clear.

God decided on this course of action in full view of the public — to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, finally taking care of the sins he had so patiently endured. For many that does not seem to be clear, but it’s now — this is current history! God sets things right. He also makes it possible for us to live in his rightness.

Working at a relationship

When we come to know that Jesus is the Way to God, we do have to respond (an action to be taken or a work to be done). Our response to what God does for us should create our willingness to do the right works to come to a very good relationship with Him. to come to such a good relationship our lives have to get in step with God.

Jehovah God is the God of outsider non-Jews as well as insider Jews and this God of Abraham should be the Allah, Adonai, Elohim or God of Israel and God of all Jews, Christians, Muslims but also of all those who wander in this world without knowing yet what the purpose and the goal of their life is.

The apostle Paul warns the world to know that there is only one God Who has set right all who welcome His action and enter into it, both those who follow the apostle’s religious system and those who have never heard of his and our religion.

“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 KJ21)

“in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.” (Ephesians 3:12 KJ21)

“knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16 KJ21)

“And His name, through faith in His name, hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know. Yea, the faith which is by Him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” (Acts 3:16 KJ21)

“But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.” (Galatians 3:22 KJ21)

“23 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24 KJ21)

“30 seeing it is one God who shall justify the Circumcision by faith, and Uncircumcision through faith.” (Romans 3:30 KJ21)

Having stressed “the faithfulness of God” (verse 3) and having told that God reacts to what he sees – seeing “faith” and also faithlessness – we should be fully aware that it is important how we act. Our behaviour is an important factor to our faith-life.

Several people are cross with God and left faith because they did not see any difference between them and the unbelievers. Many do say it is not right God also “inflicts” trouble, pain and sorrow to those who believe in Him.

We must not say,

“God is unrighteous to inflict wrath” (verse 5) on the disobedience he sees in his creation.

What God looks to see, Paul says as he higlights the example of Abraham in the fourth chapter, is – faith, genuine belief and trust in God for “faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness” (verse 9) and it will be “counted” to us also.

“Cometh this blessedness then upon the Circumcision only, or upon the Uncircumcision also? For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness.” (Romans 4:9 KJ21)

Statue of Saint Paul at Bab Kisan, Damascus, Syria Français : Statue de Saint-Paul à Bab Kissan, Damas, Syrie (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Paul stresses this was “the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe … so that righteousness would be counted to them as well” (verse 11).

We read in Genesis earlier this month all the things Abraham did – through faith. Paul is stressing that

“For the promise that he should be the heir of the world came not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” (Romans 4:13 KJ21)

Acting faithfully toward God in our lives is what matters most of all and Abraham is the key example for us to follow. In the past the Jews had a contract or covenant with God. With Christ there was made a new covenant. In the knowledge that a contract drawn up by a hard-nosed lawyer and with plenty of fine print only makes sure that you will never be able to collect, we have been offered a much better contract. Yes, we as human beings do need some contract or written rules. As  such those who follow Christ, believing in him, can live with the promise that God made to our forefathers. God’s promise, though, can not be broken. This is why the fulfilment of God’s promise depends entirely on trusting God and His way, and then simply embracing Him and what He does. God’s promise arrives as pure gift. That’s the only way everyone can be sure to get in on it, those who keep the religious traditions and those who have never heard of them. For Abraham is father of us all. He is not our racial father — that’s reading the story backwards. He is our faith father. Therefore Paul realized that “the law brings wrath” and

“15 because the law worketh wrath; for where there is no law, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be given by grace to the end that the promise might be made sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all” (Romans 4:15-16 KJ21)

It depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace.

We should recall God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 17:4,5 and his life of faith beginning from when he left Ur. We must each reflect on our own acts of faith, for it is not just something we talk about! What things have we done, and are doing – that show our faith?

Our eternal future “depends on faith”.

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Preceding article: January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

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Please do find also to read:

1. Epicurus’ Problem of Evil
2. Condemnation of the World and Illustration of Justification
3. Elul Observances
4. God’s wrath and sanctification
5. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
6. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
7. Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus
8. Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions
9. Being Religious and Spiritual 5 Gnostic influences
10. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
11. Being of good courage running the race
12. A race not to swift, nor a battle to the strong
13. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong
14. To Soar In The Spirit You Have To Be Hard Core
15. Being religious has benefits even in this life
16. Cognizance at the doorstep or at the internet socket
17. Good and bad things in this world
18. Salvation and Righteousness
19. Establish your hearts blameless in holiness
20. Myth 12: The Hyper-Grace Gospel Makes People Lazy
21. Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
22. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
23. A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
24. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
25. Faith and works
26. Not making yourselves abominable
27. The attraction of doing something
28. Re–forming ourselves
29. Humbleness
30. Wired to Connect?
31. Bearing fruit
32. Our stance against certain religions and immigrating people
33. Religion, fundamentalism and murder
34. Whoopi Goldberg commandments and abortion
35. Daring to speak in multicultural environment
36. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
37. 2014 Religion
38. Disobedient man and God’s promises
39. Crisis man needed in this world
40. From pain to purpose
41. Unconditional love
42. Relying on the Love of God
43. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #17 Sorts of prayers
44. God’s forgotten Word 5 Lost Lawbook 4 The ‘Catholic’ church
45. Daily Spiritual Food To prepare ourselves for the Kingdom of God
46. Evangelisation, local preaching opposite overseas evangelism
47. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church

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Further reading

1. Faith (Heartfixxer)
2. Embracing the Path
3. To Soar In The Spirit You Have To Be Hard Core (the Inscribed heart)
4. See Other with God’s Eyes
5. Faith is the Key
6. Wear Your Faith on Your Sleeve
7. We Need to Water Our Faith
8. A Date With God
9. Where is the Church that Christ built?
10. Actions are the Megaphone of Words
11. We are justified by faith and works, in a manner of speaking.
12. Luther’s misunderstanding
13. Faith-Rooted Practice – Rev. Dr. King and Prophetic Evangelicalism
14. Declaring what is not as though it is
15. What is Right?
16. Thankful Thursday: God’s Faithfulness
17. Great Faithfulness
18. Grace Makes All The Difference

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Related articles

• Can Faithful Living Exempt Me From Suffering?
• How Apostle Paul distorted biblical view of Torah observance and righteousness
• Rabbi Schochet echoes Paul: dead are free from Law & resurrected born-again Jews live in new reality
• Vatican: Jews don’t need Christ to be saved
• Jews for Jesus Denounces Vatican Statement on Jewish Evangelism
• Daily Devotion – Friday, December 18, 2015
• Serving the Saints
• Love & Leadership
• Beyond the Manger
• 12-16-2015 Whose Denominations Are They?

The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong

 

 

“11  I returned, and I saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor also riches to men of understanding, neither yet favor to men of knowledge: but time and chance cometh to them all. 12 For neither doth man know his time, but as the fishes which are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare: so are the children of men snared in the evil time when it falleth upon them suddenly.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 GenevaBible)

“24  Know ye not, that they which run in a race, run all, yet one receiveth the price? so run that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that proveth masteries, abstaineth from all things: and they do it to obtain a corruptible crown: but we for an incorruptible.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-25 GenevaBible)

“For as the body without ye spirit is dead, even so the faith without works is dead.” (James 2:26 GenevaBible)

“For God so loved the world, that he hath given his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 GenevaBible)

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perisheth (though it be tried with fire) might be found unto your praise, and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:7 GenevaBible)

“6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. 7 Cast all your care on him: for he careth for you. 8  Be sober, and watch: for your adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren which are in the world. 10  And the God of all grace, which hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a little, make you perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:6-10 GenevaBible)

“When thou shalt go forth to war against thine enemies, and shalt see horses and chariots, and people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 20:1 GenevaBible)

“And that all this assembly may know, that the Lord saveth not with sword nor with spear (for the battle is the Lords) and he will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:47 GenevaBible)

“Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: stand still, move not, and behold the salvation of the Lord towards you: O Judah, and Jerusalem, fear ye not, neither be afraid: tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20:17 GenevaBible)

“If not, go thou on, do it, make thyself strong to the battle, but God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.” (2 Chronicles 25:8 GenevaBible)

“He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle, that was against me: for many were with me.” (Psalms 55:18 GenevaBible)

“O Lord God the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered mine head in the day of battle.” (Psalms 140:7 GenevaBible)

“The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but salvation is of the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:31 GenevaBible)

“And in that day will I make a covenant for them, with the wild beasts, and with the fowls of the heaven, and with that which creepeth upon the earth: and I will break the bow, and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to sleep safely.” (Hosea 2:18 GenevaBible)

“(Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and men see his filthiness)” (Revelation 16:15 GenevaBible)

“And shall go out to deceive the people, which are in the four quarters of the earth: even Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is, as the sand of the sea.” (Revelation 20:8 GenevaBible)

“I do not abrogate the grace of God: for if righteousness be by the Law, then Christ died without a cause.” (Galatians 2:21 GenevaBible)

“For the Scripture foreseeing, that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed.” (Galatians 3:8 GenevaBible)

“And that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11 GenevaBible)

“For brethren, ye have been called unto liberty: only use not your liberty as an occasion unto the flesh, but by love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13 GenevaBible)

“21 But now is the righteousness, of God made manifest without the Law, having witness of the Law and of the Prophets, 22 To wit, the righteousness of God by the faith of Jesus Christ, unto all, and upon all that believe.” (Romans 3:21-22 GenevaBible)

“For the promise that he should be the heir of the world, was not given to Abraham, or to his seed, through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.” (Romans 4:13 GenevaBible)

“1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue still in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. 2 How shall we, that are dead to sin, live yet therein? 3 Know ye not, that all we which have been baptized into Jesus Christ, have been baptized into his death?” (Romans 6:1-3 GenevaBible)

“For if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved:” (Romans 10:9 GenevaBible)

“For he that doubteth, is condemned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: and whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.” (Romans 14:23 GenevaBible)

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God, must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6 GenevaBible)

“For it is God which worketh in you, both the will and the deed, even of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13 GenevaBible)

“I am that vine: ye are the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me can ye do nothing.” (John 15:5 GenevaBible)

*

 

 Preceding article: Salvation and Righteousness

Running – Photo by Nevit Dilmen

 

++

Additional reading:

1. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
2. “Unnoticed”
3. We are redeemed; we are “bought with a price”
4. Atonement and the race been bought
5. Running the battle
6. Life is like a ten-speed bike.
7. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
8. Wishing to do the will of God
9. Every athlete exercises self control

+++

Related articles

• Scripture of the Day, 2/18 (sowegalive.com)
• Resolving Conflicts Biblically (dailybibleplan.com)
  The early Christian church was facing a conflict.  Some of the early Christians believed that the Gentiles needed to adhere to Jewish law (including circumcision) before they could become Christians.  Other early believers did not think it was necessary to become Jewish before becoming a Christian, and therefore thought circumcision was not necessary.  If the conflict was not resolved, the early Christian church could have become split into two sects and therefore would have lost a lot of its momentum along the way.
• New Minds (genesisone.wordpress.com)
  The first step towards freedom is to realise that this is a spiritual battle. As such it cannot be fought and won in our own strength of mind – which is what we so often try to do. What we need is the power of the Lord which He makes available to us.
• To an inheritance (activeinspiration.wordpress.com)
  who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
• A prayer for peace (birdflu666.wordpress.com)
  The destroyers of this world want war, want to devour the vulnerable, the young, want to ruin countries, cultures. The destroyers of this world try to lie to us, try to sell war for peace,  dicatorship for freedom.
• For Those In Christ Jesus (frbekomson.com) > Originally posted on ChristianBlessings:
  For those in Christ Jesus we have forgiveness of sin
  He is the hope that we live our life in
  He provides us grace to walk in His ways
  Studying His Word is where I want…
• It Is Yours, Lord – Everything (fbcpolson.wordpress.com)
  Now, we might hold title as far as men were concerned, but everything we owned would belong to the Lord. If He wanted it, He could have it. If He wanted to use it, if He wanted to destroy it, if He wanted to give it away, if He wanted to give more, that was His business.
• Rule and Reign (activeinspiration.wordpress.com)
  As reported in the news these days we hear Christians are persecuted at all time highs. Maybe its because perfect love from God our Father that we share with the world is seen as weakness to the world of nonbelievers.
• “I Die Daily” (birdchirp.wordpress.com)
  “I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” I Corinthians 15:31 (NASB)
• some random thoughts on birds, blogs, foodie-initiatives, labradoodles, and faith… (derekmaul.wordpress.com)
  There is no other time that matters quite so much as now. Consider the birds at our feeder; consider the community where we live; consider the fun of sharing a creative meal together; consider the philosopher, Scout Labradoodle…

  And… Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ. – Ephesians 6:23-24

Walking in the Light of Life

Much more people should come to see the value a belief in God may bring them. The seed implanted in all man, every person has the ability to come to see the light the Divine Creator has given humankind.

It is only for each individual to make the right choices. God has given His only beloved son to the world to bring salvation from struggles, pain and death. People should come to see that beacon of light, and go to it in trust, finding peace and comfort.

*

In this message:

• claiming to have fellowship with him and yet walking in the darkness = lie + do not live out the truth.
• having fellowship with one another => blood of Jesus, God his Son, purifies us from all sin.
• claiming to be without sin = liar = we deceive ourselves +> God his word not in us + truth not in us.
• confessing sins => the Faithful and Just will forgive and purify from all unrighteousness.
• do you see light in the dark?
• need to see where we are going = crucial to our safety and comfort.
• Let God light your way today and always.

+

Additional reading:

1. Your struggles develop your strengths
2. Trust God to shelter, safety and security

+++

 

Related articles

• God Makes a Promise (kenwinton.wordpress.com)
  In the Old Testament, God was primarily revealing sin and the requirements of the Law needing to be fulfilled. In the New Testament, God is primarily revealing His love that covers our sins and the fulfilled Law, through Jesus. In the Old Testament, if you touched a leper you became unclean. In the New Testament, if you touch a leper, the leper becomes clean.
• “If we claim…” (inchristus.wordpress.com)
  Denying how we act and who we are affects our relationship with God. Therefore, having fellowship with God depends an honest view of God and of ourselves.
• Walking in the Light (smallstudentbiggod.wordpress.com)
  When I rededicated my life to Jesus, people seemed to think I had become perfect. No drugs, no partying, back to school… awesome stuff. What they didn’t know was that I struggled with pornography. I had since grade 5, and had done a seamless job of keeping it secret. Don’t get me wrong, I tried to stop immediately; I just failed, and the sin went even more underground than it had been.

  It tore me up inside. When I should have been growing with Jesus, I was sacrificing that intimacy for cheap pleasure. The real problem was this: I didn’t tell anybody. How selfish I was! I would pray to God for deliverance, and always I would be faced with this Scripture: Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. (James 5:16a) All of me would scream, “NO!” when I read it. I wanted to break out of my addiction, but not bad enough that I was willing to humble myself to that point. People thought I was so clean and godly for my age! They would think me disgusting then!

• Confession and Forgiveness (james1948.wordpress.com)
  Denial of sin poses a great hindrance to a close walk with the Lord, and it does not change the truth that we do, indeed, sin.
  To God, sin looks much like the little boy who was covered in mud after he played in the mud puddle.
• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (hiswordforwisdom.wordpress.com)
  The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us
• The King Is Coming Soon (kyrian777.wordpress.com)
  You put on Jesus Christ when you are sanctified through the Truth. – John 17:17.
  +
  You do not have to mourn as one without a hope. Don’t mourn about your portion in this dispensation.
• Daily verse (donnyprevette.wordpress.com)
  God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

Jennifer K Cook

I have a history of depression and anxiety.  Really…I get anxious…then when it gets unbearable I get depressed.  This is more common in people than you think!  I have found many that struggle with this sort of thing among some of my closest friends and family.

Now…what does God’s Word have to say about this?  Plenty!  Today I found this…

1 John 1:5-10

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.⁶ If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out 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 Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[a] sin.

⁸ If…

View original post 142 more words

Days of Nisan, Pesach, Pasach, Pascha and Easter

End of Winter, new beginning

When Winter let us see its last breath 1st Nisan brings a New Year.
At the appearance of the first “new moon” of Spring, that is, when the waxing crescent of the moon is first sighted we come to celebrate the Biblical New Years Day.

After the dark months we look forward to a time of more light. We are also confronted with what happened many thousand years ago. There was an event in history which was going to influence the coarse of history up to today. In Egypt a people felt restricted and threatened by how they where treated. Nisan brings the start of their big journey. It is the start of the month of the Exodus from Egypt and the beginning of Jewish national history. It is also the first month used for counting the festivals (mo’edim) of the Hebrew Calendar and for reckoning the years of reign of the Kings of Israel.

Head of the months

Israel’s Escape from Egypt, illustration from a Bible card published 1907 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Rosh Chodashim (ראשׁ חֳדָשִׁים), “the head of the months,” and its observance is considered the very first commandment given to Israel before the great Exodus from Egypt took place. For the world now got days they should remember for ever.

“This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” (Exodus 12:2 ASV)

“3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Jehovah brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten. 4 This day ye go forth in the month Abib.” (Exodus 13:3-4 ASV)

“The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep: seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it thou camest out from Egypt); and none shall appear before me empty:” (Exodus 23:15 ASV)

“The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.” (Exodus 34:18 ASV)

“Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto Jehovah thy God; for in the month of Abib Jehovah thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.” (Deuteronomy 16:1 ASV)

Commemorating miracles the Creator performed

Creation in itself is already something special about many people may have many theories. Still people are not sure how everything came into existence. They still continue to have many debates about how the world came into existence. By wondering and concentrating on the theories of man they do not see the first miracle nor the other miracles God did in this universe which still hides a lot for our small eyes.

The Ramban (Nachmanides) wrote:

“By counting every month from Nisan, we constantly commemorate the miracle that God performed when He took us out of slavery.”

Month for the Redeemed

Since the redemption from Egypt took place during the month of Nisan you also could call it

“the month of the redemption.” [Chodesh HaGeulah (חדֶשׁ הַגְּאֻלָּה)]

The Babylonian Talmud (Tractate Rosh Hashanah 11a) states:

“In Nisan our forefathers were redeemed from Egypt and in Nisan we will be redeemed.”

Not only for Jews it is an important month; Also for Christians it should be the most important month of the year. It should be a period where we remember how the Divine Creator has chosen Him a people, Israel, the Jews. But also because it is the month of the New Creation. The God of gods not only in that month took care that His own people got liberated from the slavery in Egypt. Many years later God also took care that all people got liberated from a bigger and worse slavery, namely the slavery of sin. Therefore not only for the Jews, also for Christians and Muslims, but also for those who do not (yet) believe in the True God, Nisan is also Chodesh ha-Yeshuah (חדֶשׁ הַיְשׁוּעָה), the “month of the salvation,” both in terms of the physical deliverance from Egypt, but more profoundly in terms of the spiritual salvation given at Zion/Moriah through the Messiah.  The Month of Jeshua has brought a change for the whole world, Jews and gentiles or to believers and non-believers or non-religious.

When you take Nisan to come from nissim (נִסִּים, “miracles”) or from the word nitzan (נִצָּן, “bud”) we got presented the greatest miracles in humankind.

Coming into new life

When the flowers are come on the earth; the time of cutting the vines is come, and the voice of the dove is sounding in our land, when the fruit-trees put out their green fruit and the vines with their young fruit give a good smell, we should get up and go into the world bringing the Good News of Salvation. (Song of Solomon 2:12-13) We should be thankful that the Creator not only redeemed His own people but also gave a solution for the sin of us all.

The 1st of Nisan is counted as the new year for the purpose of counting the reign of kings of Israel (in Exodus 12:2, the word lakhem (לָכֶם), “to you,” can be rearranged to form the word melekh (מֶלֶךְ), “a king.”). For instance, if a king ascended the throne just a week before the new moon of Nisan, that week would be reckoned as a year in the chronicles of Israel’s kings.

Last king and High-priest assigned to the throne

On the 14th of Nisan, about 1985 years ago a new and the last king for God was put next to the throne of God. A Jewish man from the lineage of king David was chosen to become the major High Priest in the Temple of God and to be the mediator between God and man, sitting at the right hand of God.

“55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56 ASV)

Jesus from Nazareth was the man God called “his only begotten beloved son“. He was the chosen one, the one God had already spoken of in the Garden of Eden. As such God His Word, His promise made in the Garden of Eden, had become flesh in 4BCE. When this son of man who was also called son of David and son of God, became 12 years of age he went already in the temple to talk about his heavenly Father. When he was thirty he got baptised by John the Baptist, after which God declared in front of many at the river Jordan, that the man standing there in the water was ‘his beloved son“.

“16 And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; 17 and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17 ASV)

For those who would have doubted God repeated His saying:

“33 And it came to pass, as they were parting from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah: not knowing what he said. 34 And while he said these things, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my Son, my chosen: hear ye him. 36 And when the voice came, Jesus was found alone. And they held their peace, and told no man in those days any of the things which they had seen.” (Luke 9:33-36 ASV)

After the man had died God provided a Comforter, Who gave Jesus his disciples the courage to go out in the world and to tell about the miracles that man had done and of what importance that man was and did works in the name of his Father, the Holy Righteous One God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

Day of breaking the bread

Bread to be broken as a symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On the 14th of Nisan they had seen that man taking bread and wine, presenting them as if it was his own body, saying it was given to them and the world for their sins, and the action of that coming together and “Breaking of the Bread” they had to repeat until he would come back.

According to Jewish tradition the month of Nisan is also assigned to the royal tribe of Judah (יְהוּדָה), in whose merit both the Holy Temple was built and from whom the Messiah Jeshua (Jesus Christ) would descend. When we look at the name Judah (יְהוּדָה) we can see that it includes the Name YHVH or YHWH (יהוה) {Jehovha} with the insertion of the letter Dalet (ד), suggesting that Judah would be the “door” or “gate” into the presence of God. This Only One God had kept His promise made in the Garden of Eden. His Word had become flesh. (John 1:1) The man of flesh, blood and bones had only done the Will of his Father (and not his own will) and was killed for it and for being an nuisance for the leaders at that time.  They could not bear it that this man dared to say he was doing all this miracles in the name of his heavenly Father. If he would told the people he was doing it himself they would perhaps not have bothered so much, but now he called to God for what he did. That was considered blasphemy and therefore he had to be killed.

A preparation for salvation by the full ransom

After Jesus had let his disciples prepare for 15 Nisan, the Passover he on the 14th of Nisan enjoyed his last supper on the 14th of Nisan and asked his disciples to remember that day. All followers of Christ therefore should remember that special day when Jesus installed the New Covenant. The same day he was taken prisoner and impaled to find his death. He was put in a grave and according to the Holy Scriptures was three day under the dead, being in sheol or gehenna (the hell) or what we commonly call the grave. {Those who call the hell a place of torture should wonder why Jesus had to be in it for three days.}

The Door to find and to open

Jeshua or Jesus Christ was from the tribe of Judah and had spoken many times of his Father and about his role in this world-system.  He also knew we all have to live in this world, but warned us not to be of this world and to look at him to get to know his Father and to see the light leading up to the gate of the Kingdom of God. Many times Jesus described himself as ha-sha’ar (הַשַּׁעַר) “the gate”(John 10:9). The arrangement of the tribes placed Judah directly in front of the door into the Mishkan (Numery 2:3).

Celebrations and the Day after

“Christ risen from His tomb”, fresco ; cathedral of Spoleto, Italy; (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

These days when so many have celebrations being it for Passover or being it called Easter, they should see the first New Year which marks the month of the redemption of the Jewish people see the redemption Jeshua brought when he was sacrificed upon the wooden stake at Moriah to redeem us from our sins. The second marks the month of Israels’ corporate salvation that will be fulfilled in the End of Days.  Oddly enough for most Christians, “New Years Day” should be really celebrated in the spring, certainly not in “January.

After three days in the grave, something incredible happened. It goes beyond any human conception. Though we should grasp a clear understanding of the event. Because of the Passover celebration the loved ones of Christ had no time to properly prepare the body for burial with spices and ointments according to Jewish customs. No work could be done on the Holy Sabbath of Sabbaths, so that task had to wait until the day after.

When in the morning, Mary Magdalene and several other women went to the tomb with the spices they had prepared and arrived at the sealed tomb, guarded by Roman soldiers, so that nobody could do something with the body of that rebel Jesus, they found the tomb had been opened and nobody around the tomb. When they went in, they did not find Jesus’ body, and they wondered what had happened.

Suddenly, two angels in dazzling white clothes were there. The women were terrified, but the angels said to them,

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you that He would be turned over to sinful men, be crucified, and rise again on the third day!”

The women ran back to tell Jesus’ apostles what they had seen. Peter and one other apostle went to the tomb to see for themselves. They looked in and saw the linen cloths that Jesus’ body had been wrapped in but nothing else. Then they went home, amazed and confused.

Not stolen, not mislaid

The Risen Christ, the one who showed his wounds to proof he was not a ghost or spirit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You can imagine how terrified they must have been. Who had stolen the body of their most beloved rabbi (master teacher)?

When Peter and the other apostle went home, Mary Magdalene stayed outside the tomb crying. Suddenly she saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him at first. Jesus said to her:

“Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?”

Mary thought He must be the gardener and said:

“Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where, and I will take him!”

Can you imagine what would have gone through this lady when Jesus said, “Mary!” and she then recognized him and exclaimed, “Master!”?

All the disciples like Mary Magdalene knew Jesus was the son of God, who had done everything for his Father and who had spoken of the possibility of people going to the reign of his Father, him being there. But Jesus affirmed her that he was not yet by his Father in heaven. It is not by dying that something would go up into heaven or hell. Like every human being, plant or animal, Jesus died and we will die. Normally once death, all thinking and handling will be finished. We shall not be able to do anything any more. Mary Magdalene was aware of the dead not being able to do anything, but now she got to see Jesus. Also others, later, got to see Jesus. To them he also proofed he was not a ghost or a spirit, like his Father is a Spirit. He was a man of flesh and blood who showed his wounds to proof that it was him they were seeing know, after he had died. Incomprehensible!

Not yet in heaven, Still to ascend

Jesus said:

“Don’t hold on to me, because I have not yet returned to the Father. But go to my disciples and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

Then Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples

“I have seen the lord!”

and she told them everything that had happened.

Many could not believe what had happened. Several got to see Christ Jesus, and saw that he was really risen. They could see and believe.
We can not see that Jesus is rise. For us it is more difficult to believe, because there are no witnesses alive any more. We have to go on the books, the stories told. Most of all we have to go on our faith were we believe what has been told in the Old Books of the Old Testament, where the promises of God are told to all who want to know. In those books are also the signs given to recognise the promised Messiah. Putting everything together, we should have no doubt who the Messiah is and what God has done with him and for us.

Tool to get out of the slavery of sin and its curse, the death

Having the month where God helped His chosen people to get out of slavery by man, we also have the month where God gave mankind a tool to get out of the slavery of sin and its curse, the death. As such this is the Month of Hope and the Month of Salvation.

Instead of being wondering which presents or gifts we should buy for Easter, we should use Easter time to remember the Exodus form Egypt , the Last Supper, Jesus installing the New Covenant, Jesus being impaled for the sins of the world, and Jesus taken out of the dead by his heavenly Father. A resurrection bringing us hope, because in it, we can see what shall be able to happen to us in the future, after Jesus has returned.

All more the reason to look out for the return of Christ and to put our hopes in that man who was the beloved son of God. We should trust in him and his Father and follow his teachings, being thankful for the restored relationship between God and man.

Dominion of sin and Death has been conquered

In Christ Jesus, Jeshua, death has been conquered. He paid the ransom by giving his body to his Father. If Jesus is God, because God can not die and is an eternal Spirit. Than Jesus could not be taken out of the dead and his body raised to be the body showing wounds. Without dying there could be no he resurrection. And if there is no resurrection, then we have no hope.

Christ Resurrected (Photo credit: Waiting For The Word)

If Jesus wasn’t raised, if the tomb was not empty or when Jesus his body would have been stolen out of the grave, than there would be nothing to hold on to accept Jesus was risen. Several people saw Jesus after he had died. They were convinced they had really seen him.  Many were willing to die for what had happened, because they were convinced “death now could be reversed”. Now they could believe sin shall not have dominion over them nor us who believe, because from that day onwards we have come under grace. (Romans 6:14)
In case Jesus’ death didn’t pay our penalty for sin, then we “are still in our sins.” And when Jesus was not taken out of death by his Father, meaning that there did not took place a resurrection, then all those who have died before us … no matter what they did …shall have had nothing in their hope.

Isaiah promised that the dead would live (Isaiah 26:19) and Job knew that there would come a moment that he should not hide any more in Sheol. Abraham Isaac and Jesus believed in a God of the dead but also in the God of the living.

“31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not [the God] of the dead, but of the living.” (Matthew 22:31-32 ASV)

The one man who did all the time the will of his Father told the people about the hope they could have when he would be gone. If he would not be taken out of the dead, what reason would there be to believe what he said?

“39 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39-40 ASV)

“22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ’s, at his coming.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-23 ASV)

We should know that a great quality is been given to the life of man that cannot be matched by any other soul.

“And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ASV)

“3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve; 6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep; 7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to the [child] untimely born, he appeared to me also.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ASV)

“20  But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-21 ASV)

By Jesus Christ assurance given

Through Jesus Christ we now have the assurance that we may fall asleep (die), but there shall come a moment, after he returned, that we shall be taken out of the graves and shall come to see what it means to receive the gift of God which is eternal life.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ASV)

“It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.” (Hebrews 9:23 ASV)

“And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.” (Hebrews 11:6 ASV)

In the resurrection of Christ Jesus our faith in him is of incredible value. Let us therefore recognise who that man was and is and follow his teachings and worship his Father, the Only One True God, Who gives life.

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Please find also to read:

1. God’s promises
2. Belief of the things that God has promised
3. Israel God’s people
4. Tu B’Shvat, the holiday of the trees
5. Passover and Liberation Theology
6. Commemorating the escape from slavery
7. Being sure of their deliverance
8. Deliverance and establishement of a theocracy
9. Do not be afraid. Good news because a Saviour has been born
10. Bringing Good News into the world
11. God’s salvation
12. Waiting for God’s Salvation
13. Ember and light the ransomed of Jehovah
14. Jesus Messiah
15. Jesus Christ, Jeshua, Messiah, Jahushua
16. Seeing Jesus
17. Jesus begotten Son of God #4 Promised Prophet and Saviour
18. Jesus begotten Son of God #10 Coming down spirit or flesh seed of Eve
19. Jesus begotten Son of God #5 Apsotle, High Priest and King
20. Jesus begotten Son of God #14 Beloved Preminent Son and Mediator originating in Mary
21. Jesus begotten Son of God #18 Believing in inhuman or human person
22. Anointing of Christ as Prophetic Rehearsal of the Burial rites
23. Day of remembrance coming near
24. 14 Nisan a day to remember #1 Inception
25. 14 Nisan a day to remember #2 Time of Jesus
26. 14 Nisan a day to remember #3 Before the Passover-feast
27. 14 Nisan a day to remember #4 A Lamb slain
28. 14 Nisan a day to remember #5 The Day to celebrate
29. 14-15 Nisan and Easter
30. Around the feast of Unleavened Bread
31. Shabbat Pesach service reading 1/2
32. The son of David and the first day of the feast of unleavened bread
33. A Jewish Theocracy
34. Observance of a day to Remember
35. Around the feast of Unleavened Bread
36. Observance of a day to Remember
37. Pesach and solidarity 
38. A Holy week in remembrance of the Blood of life
39. Seven days of Passover
40. On the first day for matzah
41. Servant for the truth of God
42. The Anointed One and the first day of No Fermentation
43. How is it that Christ pleased God so perfectly?
44. Wishing to do the will of God
45. For the Will of Him who is greater than Jesus
46. Self inflicted misery #3 A man given to suffer for us
47. The Seed Of The Woman Bruised
48. The redemption of man by Christ Jesus
49. Imprisonment and execution of Jesus Christ
50. Death of Christ on the day of preparation
51. A Messiah to die
52. Swedish theologian finds historical proof Jesus did not die on a cross
53. Impaled until death overtook him
54. Why 20 Nations Are Defending the Crucifix in Europe
55. Jesus three days in hell
56. Christ having glory
57. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
58. Your Sins Are Forgiven
59. A Great Gift commemorated
60. High Holidays not only for Israel
61. Festival of Freedom and persecutions
62. After the Sabbath after Passover, the resurrection of Jesus Christ
63. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
64. Jesus is risen
65. Risen With Him
66. Easter: Origins in a pagan Christ
67. Eostre, Easter, White god, chocolate eggs, Easter bunnies and metaphorical resurrection
68. Peter Cottontail and a Bunny laying Eastereggs
69. Altered to fit a Trinity or Ishtar the fertility goddess
70. Who Celebrates Easter as Religious Holiday

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Other interesting articles:

1. Welcome to Easter 2014
2. Walk with Jesus: Matthew 27 He who overcame
3. Gethsemane
4. Yeshua thanks his father through prayer
5. Pesach
6. Good Friday or Passover?
7. What’s Good about Good Friday?
8. When Was Jesus Crucified?
9. Jesus Died
10. “Christ Is Our Passover Lamb” / The Message of the High Sabbath beginning the eve of March 25, 2013
11. Ransom for allom
12. Holy Trifecta: Good Friday, Passover, Resurrection Sunday
13. Thoughts About Easter
14. It Did Not End In the Grave
15. Tree of Jesus Life, the Risen Christ, (a)
16. On Easter and The Resurrection of Jesus
17. Easter Questions and Answers
18. What Happened on Easter?
19. The Truth About Easter
20. The Easter Story of the Resurrection
21. Jesus is alive, the tomb is empty.
22. The Empty Tomb
23. He is Risen! What Christians Believe About Easter, and Why
24. The Significance of the Resurrection – Jesus Arose Where He Died
25. The Glory of Easter Part 1 + The Glory of Easter Part 2
26. “The Resurrection”
27. The Resurrection of Jesus X 4
28. Even Resurrection Pauses For Sabbath Rest
29. The Power of His Resurrection
30. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ
31. The Resurrection is Believable
32. He is not here, He is risen, just as He said
33. When Nothing Meant All
34. Pass Over Now
35. Does Christianity Have Pagan Roots? (Part 1) How Did “Easter” Originate? | god from the machine
36. Does Christianity Have Pagan Roots? (Part 2) The Pagan Myth Myth… No, I’m Not Stuttering

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Related articles

• Today is the beginning of the biblical new year (biblethingsinbibleways.wordpress.com)
  Happy New Year!!!! Biblically speaking of course.
  Even though January 1st is celebrated as the beginning of the year over the world, as Christians, we need to consider that the Biblical New Year is far more important to us, than a day that was picked by the Romans.
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  The month of Abib/Aviv does not coincide with a month in the standard western calendar in any way. This means that the 1st day of the Biblical Year could fall on any day in the season of March/April. The biblical calendar is not one which is set in paper, but which is set in the heavens. When our Creator made the Sun, Moon & Stars, He proclaimed “let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years”.
• Understanding Passover (wqad.com)
  Passover, also called Pesach, is the Jewish festival celebrating the exodus of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery in 1200s B.C.The word Passover comes from the idea that God passed over the houses of the Israelites, who had marked their doorposts to signify that they were children of God.
• Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread (Deut 16:1-16:8) (efinne1540.wordpress.com)
  Abib is often called Nisan and usually refers to our April. Here the Passover is to be celebrated at ‘the place that Yahweh will choose as a dwelling for his name.’ It will not be in the towns that Yahweh is giving to them. The 7 day unleavened bread feast is called the ‘bread of affliction.’ No leftover meat may be eaten the next day. Sunset was the time of the meal because you left Egypt at sunset. There was to be a solemn assembly on the 7^th day with no work done.
• Chag Pesach Kasher v’Sameach : חַג כָשֵׁר וְשָׂמֵחַ (jewsdownunder.wordpress.com)
  The journey initiated during Pesach, that of a nation of slaves racing towards freedom, reaches its climax with the festival of Shavuot, without a rendezvous with God at Mt. Sinai. Here the Jews’ new-found freedom finds its purpose.The agricultural significance of Pesach is that it marks the start of the early harvest period in the land of Israel. The harvesting of the barley grain was marked by a special offering of the Omer commencing on the second day of Pesachand continuing for forty-nine days, concluding at Shavuot.
• Rosh Chodesh Nisan (glehrer.wordpress.com)
  We learned that Dayenu in hebrew means “enough” and when we sing the song Dayenu at the end of our seder it is because we are thanking God for our freedom, shabbat, the torah, and the miracles he performed to get us out of Egypt when we were slaves. The story taught us about getting ready for the seder, and just when you think you’ve done enough to prepare for Pesach, there is usually at least one more thing you can do to make your seder even more special.
• Nisan: The Month of Redemption; Adar: a leap year, i.e., to add an extra month, Such a year that has 13 (lunar) months is called a “pregnant year” (שנה מעוברת), indicating a state of being from which a new reality, specifically, the next month – the mont (guapotg.wordpress.com)
  In the Torah, the month of Nisan is referred to as “the month of spring.” From the verse, “Guard the month of spring and make Pesach for HaShem your G-d,” the sages learn of the mitzvah to make a leap year, i.e., to add an extra month (a second month of Adar) when necessary, to ensure that the holiday of Pesach always falls in the season of spring.
• Passover Guide for the Perplexed, 2014 (algemeiner.com)
  The Passover legacy constitutes the foundation of Judaism, and is therefore included in most Jewish blessings (“in memory of the Exodus”). Passover symbolizes the rejuvenation of nature and mankind, spiritually and physically, individually and collectively/nationally.  Passover stipulates that human rejuvenation – just like the rejuvenation of nature – must be driven by memory/history/roots.
• The Evolution Of Passover – Past To Present (jewishengagement.wordpress.com)
  The first Passover’s preparation and celebration is described in Exodus 12:1-28. In a nutshell, the Israelites were commanded to take an unblemished lamb, watch over it and then slaughter it on the 14^th day of Nisan marking the doorposts and lintels of their homes with its blood. They were instructed to roast it over a fire in its entirety and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They were to eat hurriedly with their clothes on, sandals on their feet and staff in their hands within the confines of their homes.
• Being Filled (mymorningmeditations.com)
  We celebrated Easter this year with our community of Christian and Jewish interfaith families. Our minister started off by pointing out that Easter is not in the Bible, and that our holiday traditions make reference to ancient goddesses, and the fertility rites of spring. She then gathered the children together and talked to them about the Buddhist metaphor of a cup of tea representing the comforting memories of life after the tea bag (or body) is gone. She’s not your typical minister.Next, our rabbi gave an adult sermon about the themes of intimacy, transcendence and unity in the story of the resurrection of Jesus. Somehow, the idea of life beyond death, of renewal and regeneration, seemed completely universal to me as he spoke. As a Jew, I do not feel I need to believe in a messiah or a personal savior in order to celebrate these Easter messages. Our rabbi spent his career at Georgetown, knows his gospels, and has been called a “closet Catholic” by Catholic friends. And yet, he’s an erudite, dedicated and deeply spiritual Jew. He’s not your typical rabbi.
• The April 15th Blood Moon Eclipse Coincides with The Exact Date & Hours of The Crucifixion (banoosh.com)
  When it mentions here that darkness covers the land, is that a reference to a Solar Eclipse that occurred at the exact hour of the Crucifixion?