Tag Archives: the Way to God

Influencer in and for life

It is always nice to find people on the net who are influenced by Jesus Christ, the sent of God.

Throughout our lives, we are often first guided by things we think are important, but are not so important in our own right.
It is only later in life that many learn to see the true facts of things and begin to understand that they are better to follow the master storyteller from Nazareth.

In addition to the teachings of that Jewish Nazarene teacher Jeshua ben Josef, better known as Jesus Christ, the teachings of his heavenly father are even more essential. But with that teaching and with that Heavenly Father, many people still struggle in this world.
Fortunately, for us there is that son of God who shows us the way to his Father. If we listen to him carefully and think further about what he said at the beginning of our era, we will be able to grow further and really change in the right sense.

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Many looking for the church of the world instead of the Church of God

Looking for the church

Someone has said,

“I looked for the Church, and found it in the world. I look for the world, and found it in the Church.”

The word ICHABOD has been stamped on many a local church door, but only spiritual eyes can see that the glory of the Lord has departed. {It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

That is the problem of our world or the problem of our nation … human beings always looking for other human beings and believing in human beings more than in the Word of the Highest all-knowing eternal God above all gods.

Coming face to face with God

Mankind is afraid to come face to face with God. It is impossible for man to see God, though man wants to have something they can refer to, see and feel or touch. They also want to have a god who has similarities with them, and therefore they took themselves a godhead they can grab. Of that god they created for themselves, a male figure, they can take pictures and statues. Even when the Bible tells mankind that he may not make any graven image of God, man prefers to ignore such demands and has made himself many images of their god.

The Holy Scriptures or Infallible Word of God – Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Too many people do forget or do not want to see that God promises to work through His Word and that This Word of God gives all the knowledge that we need to come to find God and to come to know what God wants from us. God wants to have a relationship with His creatures. He did not create them to be against Him, in the same way, He did not give them commandments of which He knew man would be able not to keep them.

Sinful people

By the first sinful act of Adam and Eve, sin came into the world. All those coming after them were sinful people. Still today it is like that. It would be very difficult to find someone who is without something doing wrong or without having sinned. We are all taken up by sin.

“As by means of one man, sin entered into the world, and, by means of sin, death; and so death passed upon all the sons of men, inasmuch as they all have sinned: — ” (Ro 5:12 Murdock)

“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”” (Ge 4:7 KJ21)

“”If they sin against Thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and Thou be angry with them and deliver them to the enemy so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;” (1Ki 8:46 KJ21)

It is that sinning that is standing in the way to have a good relationship with our heavenly Father. To come to a better relationship God provided means. One of those was by creating a possibility for man to show his submission to God and his desire to please God by offering sacrifices to God. Later in the history of mankind, there came special places to bring such offerings to God and as such temples came into existence, where also special people took care of the services for God. Those priests were at first anointed by God Himself, though later man took care of themselves to appoint priests and to decide for themselves how those services to God and sacrifices were to be carried out. In a way such services would later become churchservices.

Houses of worship for the Only One God Jehovah

At first Jesus and his apostles went to those houses of worship. In those temples, they praised not Jesus but the God of the Hebrews, the God of Adam and Eve, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Who is the Only True God. Jesus and his apostle were very well aware of that Name of That God. They worshipped Jehovah as the Only One True God.

“that men may know that Thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth.” (Ps 83:18 KJ21)

“2 And God spoke unto Moses and said unto him, “I am the LORD. 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by My name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” (Ex 6:2-3 KJ21)

When Jesus was gone the apostle did not change their mind about Whom they had to worship and about Whom they had to pray to and call His Name.

“For “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”” (Ro 10:13 KJ21)

“and in that day shall ye say: “Praise the LORD! Call upon His name! Declare His doings among the people; make mention that His name is exalted.” (Isa 12:4 KJ21)

The way of worshipping did not change in the first century. It was customary for them to continue to go to the temple and to praise and glorify God there, as well as to continue to study the Hebrew Scriptures. They were convinced that such worship of God should come from deep within the heart and not be a mere passing fancy.

“God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”” (Joh 4:24 KJ21)

“yet to us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things, and we by Him.” (1Co 8:6 KJ21)

Yes, not Jesus was their god, but the Divine Creator of heaven and earth was their God. To them, it was as pure as a lump of sugar or clear as water, that this God is only one.

“”Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD.” (De 6:4 KJ21)

One God and His beloved son opposite a god the son

They felt that they had become one in God by the sent one from God in whom they came to believe as that promised one from old times, who they now recognised as their saviour or that promised Messiah, by whom they now got the opportunity to get a new life.

“yet to us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we in Him, and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things, and we by Him.” (1Co 8:6 KJ21)

It was several years after Jesus had died that certain people started taking Jesus as their god, forgetting the words Jesus himself had spoken.

“Jesus said unto her, “Touch Me not, for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say unto them, ‘I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”” (Joh 20:17 KJ21)

Today there are still many people who do not hear or want to understand those words of that son of man, who gave his life for many, so that we can have hope for receiving a new life in the Kingdom of God.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1Pe 1:3 KJ21)

Those who claim that Jesus is God, should better think about the fact that Jesus more than once prayed to Whom he called God. He did not pray to himself, neither cried to himself, or did not ask himself why He had abandoned him. (How would a person abandon or forsake himself?)

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”” (Mr 15:34 KJ21)

“1  These words spoke Jesus and lifted up His eyes to Heaven and said, “Father, the hour is come. Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee, 2 as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him. 3 And this is life eternal: that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” (Joh 17:1-3 KJ21)

The apostle Peter might be one of the first apostles who publicly professed who Jesus Christ was.

“16 And Simon Peter answered and said,

“Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 And Jesus answered and said unto him,

“Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father who is in Heaven.” (Mt 16:16-17 KJ21)

A son of man as a way to God

It was such confession that the apostles required also from those who wanted to go in the footsteps of their master teacher. This way started of a group of followers of Christ. People who were convinced that Jesus was the way, like he more than once told others.

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

“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” (1Jo 4:15 KJ21)

The apostles also wrote down how they came to understand who Jesus Christ was and how the world had come to see that he is the son of man and son of God. By writing it all down, those writings should give a clear picture of Whom God is and about whom Jesus is.

“And the angel answered and said unto her,

“The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that Holy Being who shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Lu 1:35 KJ21)

“And I saw and bore record that this is the Son of God.”” (Joh 1:34 KJ21)

“29 Jesus said unto him,

“Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through His name.” (Joh 20:29-31 KJ21)

Accepting Jesus as son of God

That life which may come over us is by accepting who Jesus is, the son of God, and not by going all the fancies of the world. It are not the human doctrines we should take for the rules to follow, but the Biblical doctrines we should take for granted and to go by. It are those sacred writings that tell us that Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God, being a mediator between God and us.

“5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,” (1Ti 2:5-6 KJ21)

For those who continued to follow the apostles of Jesus it is clear that there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and that newt to This God there is the one Who God Himself declared to be His only beloved son, Jesus Christ the Messiah. (1Co 8:6)

Followers of false teachings and false teachers

Up to today there are people who want to follow the teachings of those false teachers who claimed that Jesus would be an incarnated God. Some of the present teachers or pastors even want to twist the historical truth and come to say that it were the non-trinitarian preachers who would have followed Greco-Roman philosophy, though it are the Trinitarians who took all sorts of believes of those philosophers in their teaching, like incarnation, separate souls who would leave the body after death, hell as a burning place of eternal torture, etc. . Instead of bringing people on the right path to God, they mislead their churchgoers and having them worship a false god.

Already in the first century, the apostles warned against such false teachers who violated the Word of God and often came to deceive people with things they liked to hear. Such a God made flesh appealed to many, and still does. Hereby lots of people forget how often in the Bible is told that Jesus is the son of God (something totally different as “god the son”) and how Jesus himself spoke about his heavenly Father, from Whom he came and to Whom he went again.

“Jesus said to her:

Touch me not; for not yet have I ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say to them: I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.” (Joh 20:17 Murdock)

Those teachers claiming that Jesus would be God destroy the value of Jesus’ act of sacrifice and make God a great comedian who repeatedly told lies to deceive people, let alone called Himself a “God of no lies” when He did see mankind as lying creatures. Those Trinitarian preachers seem to neglect that The God of no lies said Himself that Jesus is His beloved son.

“And lo, a voice came from Heaven, saying,

“THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”” (Mt 3:17 KJ21)

“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.”” (Ro 3:4 KJ21)

Not only minimalise those preachers the self-sacrifice of Jesus the also make the resurrection of Jesus as a joke, because God can not die (Him being an eternal Spirit) and when Jesus is God we are still left with no proof at all that man would be able to step out of the dead. As such those trinitarian churches take away our hope for a resurrection, because we can not become God and do like Him, but are then still bounded to the grave (sheol or hell). The real followers of Christ continued teaching the Gospel or Good News of the coming Kingdom of God, by which there is the hope in the resurrection of the man Jesus Christ, as an example of what can happen to us.

“Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, who in his great mercy hath begotten us anew, by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, to the hope of life,” (1Pe 1:3 Murdock)

Not a schizophrenic God

Jesus was or is not a schizophrenic God Who came to pray and cry to himself. Jesus prayed sincerely to his heavenly Father, Whom he considered to be the Only One True God.

“And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said: [Il, Il, lemono shebakthone;]that is: My God, my God; why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mr 15:34 Murdock)

“1  These things spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said: My Father, the hour is come: glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee. 2 As thou hast given him authority over all flesh, that he might give life eternal to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they may know thee, that thou art the only true God, and whom thou hast sent, Jesus Messiah.” (Joh 17:1-3 Murdock)

It might have taken some time before the apostles really came to see who their master-teacher really was and how they should behave and go into the world as his disciples and workers for God. It can well be that the apostle Peter was the first one to recognise for the first time in public Jesus real position.

“16 Simon Cephas {Greek: Simon Peter} answered and said:

Thou art the Messiah, the Son of the living God.

17 Jesus answered, and said to him:

Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonas; for flesh and blood have not revealed [it] to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 16:16-17 Murdock)

The religion of Old Testament not passing away

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

After that Jesus was taken into heaven by his heavenly Father and after Jesus promised helper came over the apostles they dared to come out in public again and started off their great preaching work.

Those who heard and/or saw Jesus preach and/or heard the apostles,  could not believe that the religion of the Old Testament, revealed by God Himself, should pass away. They indeed regarded Jesus as the Saviour of Gentiles as well as Jews. We could say that Judaism was for them considered the necessary introduction to their group (which we call today Christianity). Several people from all sorts of rang came to join the apostles. Their Jewish movement was called “The Way“.

But by joining more non-Jews the matter of circumcision and the observance of the whole Mosaic law came under discussion. The question was the sole condition of an interest in the Messianic salvation. And, offensive as Judaism was, rather than attractive, to the heathen, this principle would have utterly precluded the conversion of the mass of the Gentile world.  The apostles themselves were at first trammelled by this Judaistic prejudice, till taught better by the special revelation to Peter before the conversion of Cornelius.
But even after the baptism of the uncircumcised centurion, and Peter’s defence of it before the church of Jerusalem, the old leaven still wrought in some Jewish Christians who had formerly belonged to the rigid and exclusive sect of the Pharisees, to which the apostle Paul also belonged to.

Difficulties around gentile converts

The churches of Jerusalem and Antioch resolved to hold a private and a public conference at Jerusalem. Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas as commissioners to represent the Gentile converts. Paul, fully aware of the gravity of the crisis, obeyed at the same time an inner and higher impulse. He also took with him Titus, a native Greek, as a living specimen of what the Spirit of God could accomplish without circumcision. The conference was held C.E. 50 or 51 (fourteen years after Paul’s conversion). It was the first and in some respects the most important council or synod held in the history of Christendom, though differing widely from the councils of later times. It is placed in the middle of the book of Acts as the connecting link between the two sections of the apostolic church and the two epochs of its missionary history.

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

In the beginning, the people from The Way, like all the Jews, went on the Sabbath to the gathering in the temple. But after more goyim or non-Jews had joined that movement which confessed that Jesus is the son of God (Lu 1:35 ), and as such also came to abide in God (1Jo 4:15), they were not so welcome anymore in the temples and synagogues. Those non-Jews by their baptism in Christ being taken up in the group, which grew fairly quickly, and made others look jealous at them but also did not want those non-Jews in their prayer houses. Therefore The Way started also to come together in private houses and as such creating the first house churches.

Seeing and not seeing the man of flesh and blood

The apostles had after some years got a very clear picture of Jesus and with them many others had seen this man of flesh and blood (remember that God can not be seen by man). They testified that their master is the Son of God (Joh 1:34) and never said that Jesus would have claimed such a position, to be God. The amount of false teachers grew and began to argue with the true followers of Jesus who held to the sonship of Christ Jesus and did not wish to enter into the false teaching of Jesus’ Godhead.

In ancient time people could see and hear Jesus. We do not have such an opportunity anymore, though we should go by the material which is handed over to us in the Books of the New Testament. They provide enough information to learn about the man Jesus from Nazareth and his disciples. In connection with the Books of the Old Testament one should clearly come to see what Jesus role is in the history of mankind. Not having seen Jesus Christ, there were loads of people who came to believe in the son of God, that man of flesh and blood. Not having been able to see Christ we have to believe in him and accept him as the mediator for us by his heavenly Father the Only One True God.

“29 Jesus said to him: Now, when thou hast seen me, thou believest: blessed are they, who have not seen me, yet believe. —  30 And many other signs did Jesus before his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; and that when ye believe, ye may have life eternal by his name.” (Joh 20:29-31 Murdock)

“5 For God is one; and the mediator between God and men is one, [namely] the man Jesus the Messiah; 6 who gave himself a ransom for every man;  — testimony that arrived in due time,” (1Ti 2:5-6 Murdock)

Jerusalem consultation

The object of the Jerusalem consultation was twofold: first, to settle the personal relation between the Jewish and Gentile apostles, disciples and preachers, and to divide their field of labour; secondly, to decide the question of circumcision, and to define the relation between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. On the first point (as we learn from Paul) it effected a complete and final, on the second point (as we learn from Luke) a partial and temporary settlement. In the nature of the case the public conference in which the whole church took part, was preceded and accompanied by private consultations of the apostles.

Constantine period

In the fourth century the division between the real followers of Christ and the followers of those false teachers who mixed those teachings of Christ with other human teachings, had become so big that they called for a council to decide how the church would continue.

Constantine I (the Great) the founder of Constantinople and the Byzantine empire, and for someone of the most gifted, energetic, and successful of the Roman emperors, was the first representative of the imposing idea of a Christian theocracy, or of that system of policy which assumes all subjects to be Christians, connects civil and religious rights, and regards church and state as the two arms of one and the same divine government on earth. This idea was more fully developed by his successors, it animated the whole middle age, and is yet working under various forms in these latest times; though it has never been fully realised, whether in the Byzantine, the German, or the Russian empire, the Roman church-state, the Calvinistic republic of Geneva, or the early Puritanic colonies of New England. At the same time, however, Constantine stands also as the type of undiscriminating and harmful conjunction of Christianity with politics, of the holy symbol of peace with the horrors of war, of the spiritual interests of the kingdom of heaven with the earthly interests of the state.

He was the man who gave those preachers the choice to come with the world or to stay by their ideas of not being part of the world. The majority choose to be befriended and to walk in fellowship with the world.

Unquestionably every age produces and shapes its own organs, as its own purposes require and as such the Jewish movement of The Way had seen many people going astray and going their own way.  Constantine I did put himself at the head of the age, and was annoyed by the differences and discussions there were by those who claimed to be the followers of the Nazarene rebbe Jeshua ben Josef, Jesus Christ. He also clearly saw that idolatry had outlived itself in the Roman empire, and that Christianity alone could breathe new vigour into it and furnish its moral support.

Donatists and Arians

From the year 313 he placed himself in close connection with the ‘bishops’, made peace and harmony his first object in the Donatist and Arian controversies and applied the predicate “catholic” to the church in all official documents. The Donatists argueing that Christian clergy must be faultless for their ministry to be effective and their prayers and sacraments to be valid. Constantine, hoping to defuse the unrest, gave money to the non-Donatist bishop Caecilian as payment for churches damaged or confiscated during the persecution. Nothing was given to the Donatists; Constantine was apparently not fully aware of the seriousness of the dispute, which his gift exacerbated. The Donatists appealed to Rome for equal treatment; Constantine tasked Miltiades with resolving the issue, which led to the 313 commission.

Many non-trinitarians are often called Arians by Trinitarians, though often those Christians do not follow Arius his teachings but simply the Biblical teachings. The Christian priest Arius, whose teachings gave rise to a theological doctrine known as Arianism, also followed the apostolic teaching that God is One and that Jesus is His son and not God Himself. What makes Arainism so different with what many non-trinitarians are still following today, is that those real followers of Christ (including us) do not integrate Neoplatonism, nor are we inspired by Plato’s ideas or by pre-Socratics (who interpreted the world monistically in terms of nature as such), from the relativism of the Sophists, and from the correction of Platonism in a this-worldly direction carried out by Plato’s greatest pupil, Aristotle.

It is a very big misconception of Trinitarians that nonTrinitarians, or those who do not wish to accept Jesus as God, would be Arians, whereas they do not follow the teachings of Arius at all. The teaching those present non-Trinitarians follow is simply the teachings of Jesus and his apostles.

The only similarity in Arius and the present non-trinitarian denominations is Arius’s basic premise of the uniqueness of God, who is alone self-existent (not dependent for its existence on anything else) and immutable; the Son, who is not self-existent, cannot therefore be the self-existent and immutable God.

“”There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun [a poetic name for the people of Israel, meaning ‘upright people’], who rideth upon the heaven to thy help and in His excellency on the sky.” (De 33:26 KJ21)

“33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?” 35 Or, “who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?” 36 For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” (Ro 11:33-36 KJ21)

Because the Godhead is unique, it cannot be shared or communicated according to Arius. Because the Godhead is immutable, the Son, who is mutable, must, therefore, be deemed a creature who has been called into existence out of nothing and has had a beginning. Moreover, according to Arius the Son can have no direct knowledge of the Father, since the Son is finite and of a different order of existence. For the real followers of Christ there is the knowledge that Jesus was placed in the womb of that young girl and as such coming directly from God must have some DNA from God. Jesus was born in that very devout Essene family of the tribe of King David and had got a very thorough religious upbringing with the Word of God as an inspirational source.

Name change

Badly enough, most of the clergy wanted to come to an agreement with Constantine the Great in order to keep the peace and not to be persecuted anymore. This was done by the clergy to bring their religion more in line with the Greek Roman religion and their triple deity Zeus who was then the main deity worshipped by Constantine and his followers. In order to equate Jeshua (Yeshua) with that deity Zeus, his name was transformed from Jeshua to Issou or Yai_Zeus > Je-Zeus which means Hail Zeus. Since then, the false name (Jezus – Jesus – Chesu) has become fully accepted and in time it was also used by the non-trinitarians to make clear that they were talking about one and the same person as the Trinitarians.

Constantine was praised and censured in turn by the Christians and Pagans, the Orthodox and the Arians, as they successively experienced his favour or dislike, but the real followers of Christ saw in him a very dangerous despot who could easily subdue the false teachers and in unity oppose the true followers of Christ.

The ones coming under agreement with each other about the deity of Jesus and the wishes of Constantine, became the Roman Catholics, who claimed to be the only true church and continued to grow by making sure people from all sorts of tribes could find themselves at home, because many of their traditions were taken in or integrated into that religion.

The real followers of Christ Jesus did not like the name change but had to do with it. for many centuries they tried those who worshipped Jesus as their god to come to know the real Jesus from the Bible.

The groups which accented the absolute oneness of the Divinity as the highest perfection, with a literal, rationalist approach to the New Testament texts sought their way in the world. That point of view was publicized about 323 through the poetic verse of his major work, Thalia (“Banquet”), and was widely spread by popular songs written for labourers and travellers.

The non-Trinitarian aspect and the other Arian teachings (of Arius) and papal positions (Ursinus) brought forth further disputes and conferences, synods or councils. The Ursinians became established in Milan and rekindled their opposition to Damasus.

Damasus I presided over the Council of Rome of 382 that determined the canon or official list of sacred scripture. He encouraged the production of the Latin Vulgate Bible with his support for Jerome.
He spoke out against other groups of Christians that had grown in popularity and denounced several major heresies in the church (including Apollinarianism and Macedonianism). In two synods (368 and 369) the unorthodox teachings of Bishop Macedonius of Constantinople and of Bishop Apollinaris (the Younger) of Laodicea were condemned. Among Damasus’s literary remains are 24 anathemas against various 4th-century heresies.  Apollinaris The Younger and his father (Apollinaris the Elder) had reproduced the Old Testament in the form of Homeric and Pindaric poetry and the New Testament in the style of Platonic dialogues after the Roman emperor Julian had forbidden Christians to teach the classics.
Apollinaris the younger denied the existence in Christ of a rational human soul, a position he took to combat Arianism. Skilled in logic and Hebrew and a teacher of rhetoric, Apollinaris also lectured at Antioch c. 374. Their different ideas also brought forth several schisms.

Current Churches in a Torn Church World

It would not remain at all with these few schisms in the church community; in each century several schisms occurred. Today, many even regard certain breakaway groups as churches of the commons, such as the Lutheran, Calvinist and Anglican Churches. They now belong to the generally accepted Protestant churches.

Lots of churches sought ways to get as many followers as they could, claiming that they are the only church by which people can be saved. They forget that it are no other human beings, than Christ Jesus who saves people of all races and people of all persuasions or from all walks of life. They claimed and still claim that their sacraments, religious signs or symbols, are the way to be saved. Many of those churches are convinced that their liturgy is the best one to prepare people to receive those sacraments, as visible symbols of the reality of God, as well as a channel for God’s grace and helps to understand what they are doing. Their liturgy is used to give the sacraments context and is there to allow folks to see them in action. Outside of the liturgy, the sacraments lose direction and application. For some that is the reason why a private baptism or communion is a sacrament without purpose or meaning.

It is a sacrament that is cut off from its intended goal. {The Role of the Church}

For non-Trinitarians, like the Christadelphians, there does not have to be a set of liturgical rules and order. Each church service can be done in a different order or different way. but what is most important is that the service is built upon the Word of God, and as such most time of the service should be spent on that Word, or readings from the Holy Scriptures and not on readings from human beings. Next to that Word of God people should be able to find, feel and see, that love of God and love of Christ present and shown by those people of that church.

The church is tasked with loving the Lord and loving its neighbor. The church takes what it receives from God and shares it with the world. Taken together, this means God acts through even-broadening layers to bring His grace into the world. {The Role of the Church}

Receiving God and being united with His son

But to receive God and to be united with God and His holy son, people have to do away with pagan or heathen teachings and traditions. In the Church of God, there can be no place for pagan rituals and false worship, like praying in front of pictures or sculptures. So, there has to be no place for crosses, paintings or portraits and statues of gods and saints, no idolisation taking place in the liturgy. Done away with a “Hail Zeus” or calling unto “YaiZeus” or JeZeus – Jezus or Jesus as a figure that would be three in one, a God the Father, a god the son and a God the Holy Spirit.

In case we want to hold on to that changed name of Jeshua, namely Jesus, that hopefully would be not too bad and shall be accepted by the Elohim Hashem Jehovah (That we can only hope and pray for – that he forgives us to use that name so that we shall be able to get others to get to know the Name of Jesus his God.) Better would naturally be that by the years coming closer to the end-times, people shall come to use more the real names of the Biblical characters and especially of Jehovah God, Whose Name is holy, and of the son of God, Jeshua ben Josef.

Sin is the opposite of God’s will, so to be a sinner means to be one who is opposed to God, who is an offense to everything God is. Sin is intolerable to God and so God destroys it, even if that means destroying the one who commits it. {Face to Face with God}

Having idols and false gods is “sin” because it goes in against the Will and Commandments of God. Real lovers of God have to keep tp those Commandments of God and not to the commandments, human doctrines or will of human beings.

Active in the world

The Role of the Church

In this picture, from a Lutheran pastor his site, you might see how far the church is gone away from God’s Word that forbids such pictures or reflections of people they call their god.

It is true that the Church or the community of believers has to be active in both worship and in the world so that God’s grace can reach those who need it.

This becomes the central work of the church and everything God does for His people is designed to facilitate that work. {The Role of the Church}

Though that does not mean the church has to think and act like the world! It is totally wrong to think you should be part of the Church of the world, because people have to be part of the Church of God of which Jesus is the foundation. Jesus should be the man whom we follow and whom we take as the cornerstone of our community.

“Jesus saith unto them,

Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes?” (Mt 21:42 ASV)

“being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone;” (Eph 2:20 ASV)

Loving Christ is not only loving his word, it is living by his word that one fully accepts as a truthful word. And as such that one does not think when Jesus says God is greater than him that he (Jesus) is the greatest and that he can do everything because he would be God. all the thing Jesus did, we should appreciate and understand why he did it and how he wanted to be a faithful servant for God the same as he requires from his followers to be servants for man and for God.

Servants not doing bad things

Those who call themselves servants of God have to do their best to live according to the Will of God. In the last few decades, people should have had enough opportunities to see how many in those so-called churches of God have gone astray. In several Trinitarian denominations, being them Catholic or Protestant, we have seen that there were priests who used little children (boys and girls) to have sex with. Some churches thought that they could cover those paedophile acts by transferring those paedophiles to another church in another village. For centuries the Catholic Church has been a male bastion where male domination and tyranny were giving opportunities to defile the Name of God.

They thought to clean up the cesspool of sin in that religious structure, but the roots have gone very deep.

Furthermore many churches do not dare to speak out about certain Rules of God.

Sung Mass with the ordinations of two deacons and seven priests by the Bishop of Stockholm, in St Nicholas’s Cathedral (Storkyrkan)

In Europe’s largest Lutheran denomination, hundreds of clergies, staff, and congregates of the Church of Sweden, have declared, in an open letter that it is now a trans-inclusive institution.
While the hearts of the faithful Christians are broken, while heaven weeps, while the demons of hell dance in delight, the modern-day church is changed. Why? Because it is easier to change the local assembly than the eternal Word of God, which lives and abides forever. {It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

After all those centuries the Catholic church did not change one hair.

In Rome, the Vatican is now home to a woke Pope, who allowed South American animistic religious rituals in the opening of the recent pan-Amazon Synod. Kathy Clubb writes in the conservative Catholic publication, The Remnant:

Idol worship was on full display in preparation for the Pan-Amazon synod, with the tacit approval of Pope Francis. Although the Synod hadn’t yet started, the celebration of pagan ceremonies added weight to the concerns being voiced by prominent prelates and laymen that the Synod will be a vehicle for apostasy.”

{It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

Strangely enough, when the Pope says something which comes closer to the Biblical truth, all the hairs of Catholic and Protestant (Trinitarian) priests raise up to heaven.

To embracing idol worship, Pope Francis is said not to believe in the eternal divinity of Jesus as the Son of God. Instead,

“Pope Francis conceives the Christ as Jesus of Nazareth, a man, not God incarnate. Once he took flesh, Jesus ceased to be a God and became a man until his death on the cross… {It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

Pope Francis has said to Eugenio Scalfari: ‘There is proof that Jesus of Nazareth, once he became a man, even a man of exceptional virtue, was in no way a God’.” (Mark Powell, CALDR@N POOL on the web; see also, Fatima Perspectives #1343) {It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

Several priest think wrongly that it would be changing Catholic dogma because the non-Trinitarians are gaining field in this world.

Why is the woke Pope Francis (b. Dec. 17, 1936), head of the Catholic Church, and sovereign of Vatican City, changing Catholic dogma?

Because it is easier to influence and change a vast religious institution than to change the Word of God, which says: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Ex. 20:3). {It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

Yes, the Bible is very clear about That! One may not have other gods before the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

Lots of those learned people do not want to see how a person can be divine but not God. (Perhaps you might have a divine wife, though we hope you would not worship her as a god.)

There is no such verse in the letter of Paul to Timothy that would say

Concerning the eternal divinity of Christ, the Bible says, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Tim. 3:18). {It is Easier to Change the Local Church than the Bible}

The Bible words are as follows in the last verses of that letter:

“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness; He who was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the spirit, Seen of angels, Preached among the nations, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.” (1Ti 3:16 ASV)

giving an indication that Jesus is one way to come to “see and understand God“. Him being manifested in the flesh is the son of God who “gave himself for us.” Truly they are in harmony. The love of the infinite God could neither be created nor purchased but it could be and is been shown through the work of His son. The Spirit of the Father was manifest in Jesus and by the inspiration and power given by God, Jesus was able to speak wise words and to do many miracles.

All those things which are clearly notated in Scriptures are not to confuse us, but to bring us light. Jesus should be such a light for us, a beacon or a lighthouse in the surf.

When looking at churches we should check how those who call themselves leaders of that church, behave. We should check in which way a church has its teachings in accordance with the Bible and how the leaders of that church live according to those Bible Words.

For sure we should not choose for the church that wants to be fully in line with the world and its traditions. From the Bible, we can learn that most of those traditions are not in line with God’s commandments and as lovers of God we should want to go fully doing the will of God in the same way Jesus put his own will aside to do the will of God. (Naturally, in case Jesus would have been God he would never have put his own will aside. … Is it not?)

“And he went forward a little, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying,

My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Mt 26:39 ASV)

“And again he went away, and prayed, saying the same words.” (Mr 14:39 ASV)

It is not Christ his will that shall be done on earth as in heaven. Also, Jesus prayed and learned others to pray that this Will of his heavenly Father would be fulfilled.

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

Even in difficult times, Jesus asked his God that not his will was going to be fulfilled, but God His Will

“And he said,

Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; remove this cup from me: howbeit not what I will, but what thou wilt.” (Mr 14:36 ASV)

We should know that like Jesus could not do anything without God, we too cannot do the important thing without our heavenly Father. (Though in fact even the little things we are only able to do because God allows them to happen.) Let us therefore not do our will, but have the courage to do like Jesus, going for the One Who had sent him, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, God His Word, God His Will and for God His Chuch, doing God His Will.

“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)

“For I am come down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.” (Joh 6:38 ASV)

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Preceding

A vital question for believers

The rock on which we stand

As near to God as you want Him to be

Religion and the essence of devotion – Necessary parts in the daily walk with God + Christians, Lutherans, Wesleyans, and other followers

Seeds and weeds for being the greatest nation

After darkness a moment of life renewal

Should church members question preachers about the doctrine that is not in the Holy Bible?

Christians saying Jesus is God giving food for atheists to prove there exist no God

Responsibility bigger than those who talk about worldly matters

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Additional reading

  1. Christian in Christendom or in Christianity
  2. Looking for answers on the question Is there a God #1 Many gods
  3. Only One God
  4. God is one
  5. God spoke to our forefathers and speaks to us
  6. Bible Inspired Word of God
  7. Word of God
  8. A Book to trust #12 Archaeology confirming or denying claims of the Bible #3 Material evidence to survive
  9. Written and translated by different men over thousands of years
  10. The One Who divinely inspired the writers of the Bible can also preserve it
  11. Reading to grow and to become wise concerning the most important thing in life 4 Words giving us wisdom and encouragement
  12. The Bible’s View of Itself
  13. Words of God to stand and to be followed and to believe
  14. Vital importance of reading and following the Kitvei Hakodesh
  15. Main verses in the Bible telling us Who God is #1 Exclusive Divine Eternal Unseen Creator and Sovereign Spirit God with set apart Name Jehovah
  16. Main verses in the Bible telling us Who God is #8 Some more attributes of God
  17. Today’s Thought “That they may know that there is none besides Jehovah ” (June 21)
  18. Today’s thought “Do not add anything to what God commands you, and do not take anything away.” (April 21)
  19. Bible exceptional Book of books where nothing can be taken away or added
  20. Today’s Thought “Idols are nothing against the first and the last God” (June 20)
  21. Importance to read the Bible regularly and gain understanding
  22. Everything from the Bible is useful for humans
  23. Reading to grow and to become wise concerning the most important thing in life 4 Words giving us wisdom and encouragement
  24. With the Bible, honour should be given to God and not to people
  25. Deciphering Truth in Word and Concept – That we might see
  26. Objects around the birth and death of Jesus
  27. Spelling Yahshuah (יהשע) vs Hebrew using Yehoshuah (יהושע) (Our world) = Spelling Yahshuah (יהשע) vs Hebrew using Yehoshuah (יהושע) (Some view on the World)
  28. Altered to fit a Trinity (Our world) = Altered to fit a Trinity (Some View on the world)
  29. Jesus the “God-Man”: Really?
  30. Jesus son of God or God the son
  31. Jesus son of God
  32. The sent one from God
  33. Jesus Christ the Messiah
  34. One Mediator
  35. Americans really thinking the Messiah Christ had an English name (Our world) = Americans really thinking the Messiah Christ had an English name (some View on the World)
  36. False opposite true worship which exalts the God of Israel
  37. Behind a False doctrine – the Trinity
  38. The Trinity matter
  39. Trinity – history
  40. Living stones 4 Idols of wood and stone
  41. Iconoclast in the picture
  42. Today’s thought “Do not add anything to what God commands you, and do not take anything away.” (April 21)
  43. Displeasures and Actions of the Almighty God
  44. Paul’s warning about false stories and his call to quit touching the unclean thing
  45. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
  46. Different wineskins
  47. The Development of Differences
  48. False teachers and false prophets still around
  49. Devotees and spotters
  50. Disobedient man and God’s promises
  51. An unbridgeable gap
  52. God’s forgotten Word 6 Lost Lawbook 5 Heretics
  53. Not studying an abstract and arcane text of the ancient world
  54. Demanding signs or denying yourself
  55. Troubles testing your faith and giving you patience and good prospects
  56. Hardships for choosing to follow the real Christ
  57. Roads leading to God
  58. Words to bring into a good relationship
  59. Why not quoting more from well-known theologians
  60. Luther on Being a Theologian: Oratio, Meditatio and Tentatio
  61. Denominationalism exists because?
  62. Religious people and painful absence of spring of living water
  63. Living as a believer in Christ
  64. Jewish and Gentile Disciples
  65. Religion and believers #5 Transition to Monotheism
  66. Jeshuaists, Messianic Jews, Messianics and Christians
  67. Changes in the Remnant of Jewish Believers
  68. The belief of one going to heaven
  69. Framework and vehicle for Christian Scholasticism and loss of confidence
  70. Roman, Aztec and other rites still influencing us today
  71. Counterfeit Gospels
  72. Concluding thought by the article series “Key to the Bible”
  73. Certain Catholics claiming that the power of the priest is equal to that of Jesus Christ
  74. When found the necessary books to read and how to read them
  75. Looking for a biblically sound church
  76. Today’s thought “Using God’s words to justify actions” (April 1-2)
  77. Those Belonging to the called ones coming together
  78. Memorizing wonderfully 55 Exchanging the truth of God for a lie
  79. Extra verses to memorize Deuteronomy 4:15-16 Watching yourselves very carefully
  80. Deep sense of consciousness of the brokenness of our system
  81. Noahide Laws or Seven commandments incumbent upon all of humankind
  82. A Gentile and the Mosaic Law
  83. Face to Face
  84. Does God need you?
  85. Does God need your mitzvahs?
  86. Does God really care?
  87. Constantine a brutal sociopath getting the believers in a God man on his side and creating a Christian church
  88. Jewish and Christian traditions of elders
  89. a City full of the Pride of life
  90. Cyrus the Persian
  91. Today’s thought “A house of prayer” (March 27)
  92. Good or bad preacher
  93. 3 Reasons the Resurrection Matters
  94. One in God’s Hand
  95. Sacrifices in the Millennium
  96. Matthew 24 about temples or Houses of God and the end of the age
  97. Pope Benedict will hide (Our World) = Pope Benedict will hide (Some View on the World)
  98. ast day of Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI (Our World) = Last day of Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI (Some View on the World)
  99. Catholic church asking for forgiveness and promising to take action against child-abusers (Our World) = Catholic church asking for forgiveness and promising to take action against child-abusers
  100. French Catholic church covered up abuse of 330,000 children
  101. The decline of religion in the US continues unabated
  102. Matthew 12:1-8 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Something Greater than the Temple
  103. Inculturation today calling for a different attitude (Our world) = Inculturation today calling for a different attitude (Some View on the World)
  104. Male domination and tyranny giving opportunities to defile the Name of God
  105. Kler the Polish Spotlight on Poland’s Clergy Sexual Abuse
  106. Americans their stars, pretension, God, Allah and end of times signs #3 Cyberwars and prophesy
  107. Move ahead with the commitment against child sex abuse says Pope Francis I (Our wold) = Move ahead with the commitment against child sex abuse says Pope Francis I (Some View on the World)
  108. The abuses of priest make Catholics give up their religion 
  109. Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them
  110. Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews

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Related

  1. Why does the Bible need 66 books? Part 2
  2. Exquisite Uniqueness of God
  3. “The Eve of Christmas,” Matthew 1:18-25
  4. In the Incarnation, Humanity Received a New Dignity
  5. The Incarnation
  6. Incarnation and all that…
  7. The Mystery of Godliness: The Transformative Power of the Incarnation
  8. Incarnate Love
  9. Truth-less “grace,” or grace-less “truth”?
  10. Mystery and Clarity
  11. John 1:1-14 Sermon: Love Incarnate, Love Divine
  12. Adoption, incarnation, and growing in grace and truth (Growing Deeper with John 1:6-18)
  13. John’s Gospel and the Word made flesh (Growing Deeper with John 1:1-5)
  14. The Word Became Flesh. II: The Word Was God
  15. God the son, Part 1
  16. Epistle Reading for Sunday, January 30, 2022
  17. Hebrews: Superiority of the Son
  18. Creed // Jesus God’s son (Hebrews 1:1-3)
  19. Today’s Scripture – November 15, 2021
  20. All that he is triune
  21. Trinity – Trilogy – Triplet
  22. Definition of the day: Trinity
  23. Trinity
  24. Why a Triune God?
  25. God Who Is—is Triune
  26. Beyond Belief – What the Heck is the Trinity? Is God Three or Is He One?
  27. There are certain Christian preachers who want people to believe that all Christians would believe in the Trinity. Why do Christians beleive in the Trinity? Such a question let us see that the writer of that article either is not aware of other Christians who only believe in a binary god and neglects the most important group which worship only the God of Jesus and not a god the son, namely the unitarians and non-Trinitarians.
  28. Your Divine D.N.A. [Sermon]
  29. Am I headed in the right direction? [Sermon]
  30. The Incarnation in the Life of the Church
  31. He Was, He Is, and Forever Shall Be
  32. “The Word became Flesh,” John 1:14
  33. “Simeon’s Song,” Luke 2:22-40
  34. Statue Of Zeus At Olympia
  35. False Gospels: On Blindness > Antics > Compromise
  36. False Gods by Graham McNeill
  37. Reenacting the Way of Jesus
  38. Loving Christ Really IS Loving His Word
  39. Poetic faith
  40. How can Jesus be considered sinless when the Bible describes his anger
  41. “Jesus in the Temple,” Luke 2:40-52
  42. “Jesus, the Son of God,” Luke 4:31-44
  43. Know Jesus, Know God
  44. Hebrews: The Fulcrum
  45. Direct Access to the Father
  46. Do Denominations Divide Us?
  47. Does Denominationalism Blind You to the Truth?
  48. Nuanced beliefs
  49. Deceived
  50. Throwback Thursday ~ Finding a New Church- Starting from Scratch
  51. Law; Is It For The Rich Or The Poor?
  52. Division Among Christians
  53. From One Religion To Another

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Filed under Being and Feeling, Lifestyle, Quotations from Holy Scriptures, Religious affairs, World affairs

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.

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Filed under Being and Feeling, Lifestyle, Reflection Texts, Religious affairs, Spiritual affairs

Our God is not a Laissez-faire Ruler

Too many people have forgotten what went wrong in the early days of our universe, how the first man rebelled against God and how God gave them the right to take care of the things themselves.

Now the same people often blame God for the difficult times they get, not seeing that they themselves are at the cause of most of the problems in this world.

Coming closer to the times of the Greater Agony, we should make sure that more people come to recognise how Jesus is the way to God and to salvation, him having it made possible to enter the small gate, to a better world where there shall be no hate or war, but only place for peace and happiness.

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To remember

Habakkuk 1:3 Why make me look at injustice? Why tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction &  violence strife, & conflict

  • Who isn’t totally frustrated & deeply concerned by what we see & read in the news every single day?
  • How often do we begin to lose hope when we do not see immediate relief from our circumstances?
  • God commanding us to look around us to see where He is working.
  • God  controlling all things for the ultimate perfect good of His children.

Through Jesus' Love

Habakkuk 1:3
Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.

In this passage, Habakkuk is crying out to God in frustration because of the things he is seeing in the society of his day. Doesn’t this passage sound as if it could have been written today? Who isn’t totally frustrated and deeply concerned by what we see and read in the news every single day?

Perhaps this frustration is carrying over into our own personal lives. Who among us hasn’t cried out to God for relief from the struggles of work, relationships, addictions, afflictions or even sin itself? How often do we begin to lose hope when we do not see immediate relief from our circumstances?

God has a response for us just as he had for Habakkuk when He said, “Look among…

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Filed under Crimes & Atrocities, Lifestyle, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Religious affairs, Welfare matters, World affairs

Not always easy to have a conversion

In life it is up to us to make the right choice. It is up to decide either to follow human doctrines or Biblical doctrines and to come following the real Jesus Christ (Jeshua ben Joseph), the son of God and our saviour

 

 

There exists no conversion without a crisis…
no resurrection without death.
‘You who find your life will lose it,
and you who lose your life for My sake will find it.’
~Matthew 10:39

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When people have no faith in higher beings nor in gods, but come to hear about that special creature, about so many continue to speak and to debate, and want to know more about him, they shall start feeling counteraction. How closer they shall come to a point to consider about a conversion the thwarting shall become stronger.

Those who want to follow Christ shall come to feel that such a decision may bring opposition. Certainly when they decide they want to go for Jehovah as the Only One True God. Then hell breaks loose. Then the adversaries of Jehovah (the satans) shall jump high and do their utmost best to bring that person to other ideas.

Please do not worry when you start feeling such opposition when you talk about your will to follow Christ and to go for his heavenly Father Jehovah. It shall be a sign that you are on the right direction. Jesus is the way to God, but it does not mean it shall be an easy road. Jesus warns several times (in the parables) about the difficulty to go on the right track and to find the right and narrow gate to enter the Kingdom of God.

Do know at the end of the road it shall be worthwhile to have chosen for the right Jesus and for the right God.

Do know at the end the reward of God shall be great.

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Find also to read

  1. We may not be ignorant to get wisdom
  2. This was my reward
  3. Matthew 10:40-42 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Reception and Reward
  4. Matthew 19:13-15 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Kingdom Belongs to Child-lik
  5. Matthew 19:16-24 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Difficulty of Rich Entering the Kingdom
  6. Matthew 19:25-26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Who Can be Saved
  7. Matthew 19:27-29 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: We Have Left Everything for You!

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Filed under Lifestyle, Quotations from Holy Scriptures, Religious affairs

For Jews wanting to learn more about Jeshua and of other Jews following Jeshua

Many Jews prefer to stay in the background or in the shadow. Some Jews become curious in the Nazarene rebbe Jeshua and would love to come to know more about him and his followers.

In Israel, Great-Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands are Jewish brethren and sisters who would not mind to tell about this incredible master teacher. As followers of Jeshua or Jeshuaists, in the Netherlands also some calling themselves Jesjoeaansen or Jesjoeaist (from another Dutch way of writing Jeshua’s name: Jesjoea), are hoping to bring more people to see that Jeshua or Jesus Christ is the way to God and the long awaited promised sent one from God, the anointed or Messiah (the Moshiach = Kristos or Christ).

On the web you may find

From the Flemish part of Belgium and the Brussels region there is published the general website: Jeshuaisten / Jeshuaists Volgers van de Nazarener Joodse rebbe Jeshua – Followers of the Nazarene Jewish rebbe Jeshua

and additional two more personal sites of a Jeshuaist and of Immanuel Verbondskind

From the Walloon site of Belgium you may find: Jeshuaists (from Genvalin mainly in english and some French) and the site discussing Jeshuaism (from Genval in Dutch)

with its blog

with its blog

and both also with a Forum

Naturally both Jews and non-Jews are very welcome to those sites which want to shed a light on the set apart or Holy Scriptures and our way of life, in the prospect of our hope in the Messiah and the coming Kingdom of God.

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Filed under Announcement, Religious affairs

No religion mentioned in the Torah for non-Jews

It is not because there is no religion mentioned in the Torah for goyim or non-Jews that they should not have a religion or should not have to come to the Elohim. It is also not so that when people call themselves Christian and would go regularly to mass or to a church service that they are serving God or being recognised as His children.

In Christendom we can find lots of people who have an other god than the one of Abraham, though the divine Creator is very clear Who He is and what He wants from His people. Also Abraham did very well know Who the Most High God was.

Looking at the many churches in Christendom we can see that several churches altered the Torah and that the main church is breaking one of the laws in the Torah itself. Several people who come to study the Bible become angry when they see how their churches fooled them. It is a pity that they than abandon the faith in God. Some of them are then trying to find their way in Judaism. A few do not lose their faith in Christ and find their way in Christianity, becoming a member of one of the several non-trinitarian groups or churches.

It is wrong to think that those in the main churches

only have what the church has given them, altered scriptures and mistranslations. {I Hope They Get It}

Every human being is able to hear the Word of God. Wherever he lives there is some way to hear God’s Word. Those living in the industrialised countries have no excuse at all. For them there are enough means to get in touch with the Word of God. They have the printed material, like Bible books, other books and brochures, but also electronic devices where they can find several applications presenting the Word of God.

Questioning what we really believe is the only way to ever know what we really believe and why. {I Hope They Get It}

and that is what each individual has to do: searching himself what is the truth of God.

It is totally wrong to think that there would not be churches telling the biblical Truth. Luckily we can find many churches all over the world which proclaim God’s Word. It is not because the main

church says a lot of things that don’t line up with His word. {I Hope They Get It}

that we should say

No, the New Testament is not His word. There is no place in it where it says that He is speaking. {I Hope They Get It}

In the Greek writings or Brit Chadashah we are told about the one who is sent by God and authorised to speak in His name. As such the Messianic writings are a continuation of the Hebrew writings, bringing hope for those who are not of the Judaic faith. Because also for the non-Jews the way to the restored relationship with God is opened. This thanks to the ransom offering of Jeshua, the sent one from God.

The writer may have become very frustrated by his old church, which makes it a pity he now concluded that the work delivered by Jesus and his apostles would not be from God. Pity also that he thinks

All through the Torah and the Prophets, it tells us that G-d is speaking and to whom He is speaking. No Christian writing can make this claim. {I Hope They Get It}

He seems to forget that the Torah and Prophets are part of the Christian writings too.

There is no need for a middleman. That is one of the lies of the church. {I Hope They Get It}

writes Mr. Bouker who with ‘Convert Corner’ is

attempting to provide more than just proof that the Christian religion is nothing more than smoke and mirrors. {About Convert Corner}

He is a former Christian

who is currently going through an Orthodox conversion to Judaism.  {About Convert Corner}

and spent years believing what he was told to believe by preachers and teachers instead of going to research the Bible for himself. Clinging to church doctrines no wonder he feels that he

had very little knowledge of the G-d of Israel. {About Convert Corner}

He seems to forget that the God of Israel wants a good relationship with all His creatures and by means of sending His only begotten beloved son made it possible that all can be saved from the curse of sin. But naturally each person has to decide himself or herself what way to go. The sent one from God, Jeshua, (Jesus Christ) shows the way to God. By him non-Jews also can come into the restored relationship with God. For goyim or gentiles there is also a way to have a religion which can be accepted by the God of Abraham.

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Time to be strengthened, thankful and to be prepared

One of the remembrance days about gifts and giving is Thanksgiving which, in the United States, is always celebrated as a national holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. In many countries all over the world in several churches the believers in God look at the Summer and what it brought to them. They want to remember all the good things the earth gave them and want to give thanks for the bountiful blessings they received from God in the past season and previous years.

Having the days shortening we can not ignore the darkness around us. We not only have the sun which goes under earlier, but are also confronted with the darkness of this world, people having gone far away from their Divine Creator and having lost the sense to love each other. We do know that in the end more darkness shall come over the world, lots of people setting each other up against each other. But we do know that we must strengthen each other as brethren and sisters, giving each other hope for a better world to come.

These darker days of the year we want to show others that there is some great person to look for who is the way to God and the way to freedom and peace. People may feel the black matter coming closer to them seeing turbulent global events begin to make their mark on Jews and their allies around the world and seeing how certain so called religious group wants to press others into their beliefs and/or want to govern the world.

Several people became frightened by the things which happened that just did not make sense.

Overnight, our cherished institutions, our icons, have collapsed. We don’t understand it. People blame this one and that one. It’s not just in the United States, it’s all over the world, and we have so many natural disasters, and so much illness. What is happening?” {Esther Jungreis – Messiah Coming}

Rabbi Rebbetzin Jungreis says God is bringing the world closer to redemption in a process called “chevlei Mashiach” – the labour pains of the arrival of the Messiah.

From the Scriptures we know that there shall come a time of Great Trouble. We also know that when such time shall come, when religion shall fight against other religions, and when we shall have more natural disasters, the time shall be ready for the Messiah to come to bring order in all things and opening or closing the doors of the Kingdom for the people who have to come in front of his seat.

Based on the writings of ancient Jewish sages, Jungreis concludes that this generation is replete with the signs that are prophesied to hail the coming of the Messiah, including endemic impudence, follower-ship, idol worship, disasters, and war.

It’s going to be a generation that will abound in chutzpah

“All our [sages] agree…they do not want to be present for the chevlei Mashiach, the birth pangs, because the birth pangs are going to be very painful… It’s going to be a generation that will abound in chutzpah [audacity]. Chutzpah will be colossal. Families will be fragmented. Children will turn against parents, parents against children. The elderly will not be respected. Youth will be worshipped.

“… The generation will be like the generation of the dog.  What does that mean? The dog runs ahead but always looks back to see if the master is behind him. Similarly, people don’t have their own opinions today. What is the media saying? The media is controlling the world…” {Esther Jungreis – Messiah Coming}

Lots of people are glued to the screen of their smartphone and may have a lot of virtual friends or Facebook or other social media friends but not so many real friends. Most of all the majority of people around us do love the material goods of this world. According to Rebbetzin Jungreis, the greatest avodah zarah or idol worship of this generation is money, an obsession which causes the Western world to ignore the lurking danger posed by Islamist terror against Israel and the United States.

“We have been very blessed, perhaps there was never in history such a wealthy Jewish generation as ours was. But there was no Hakaras HaTov, no credit to Hashem. “My strength did all this”. We became arrogant, we became chutzpahdik, we forgot Hashem… Imach shemam [their names be obliterated], the sons of Ishmael, every minute it’s “Allah”. The sons of Esav, “the Lord,” every minute. Their leadership is always speaking the name of G-d. Am Yisrael … they heard the word of Hashem panim el panim, face to face – has forgotten its G-d.” {Esther Jungreis – Messiah Coming}

We not only find a very low spiritual state of the Jewish People that has caused God to hide His face from them. By Christians we also find a majority clinging onto human doctrines and worshipping several gods and saints. Lots of them even do not know the Name of the Most High God or are against people who use God’s set-apart or Holy Name. Many even go over to celebrate a so called “birth of God” (though God never was born nor shall he ever die, but they talk about the birth of God His only begotten son), on the festival of the goddess of light (December 25) instead of celebrating Jeshua’s birth on his real date of birth.

The majority of mankind choose to reject God and will not honour His majesty and shall not respect His rule over the earth. But real lovers of God take these darker days to praise Him and to be thankful that He is our light in the darkness.

The two holiday-weekends to remember the death (November 1 and 11) brought the darker side of life in the picture, remembering that it was 100 years ago that there really did not yet come an end to useless killing. We may cling to life despite the painful burden of dark memories. That is the message we should carry. It should also be days that we where thankful for those who survived and/or made it possible that others could come to live in peace for some time.

Many forget also to think about the smaller matters, like having a good night rest, waking up in the morning to the sound of birds chirping, being able to walk or drive along beautiful sites, feeling the sun caressing the skin and the wind pushing us forwards.

These coming weeks we shall have some time to think about our attitude to all those small things which make our life more beautiful. We are going to face days that we can sit in a nice warm living room, whilst many others shall stay out in the cold with not much food and not many clothes. For lovers of God it should be a time to think about all those matters and to be thankful for what we can enjoy and have around us. It is also a time we can find more time to read the Bible. It is a way of gratitude for the things we get, that we can make a home for the Elohim His Word in our hearts.

Thanksgiving DayFor those who shall be free on Thanksgiving day and shall come together to have a nice meal, do not forget what is behind the idea of the holiday. thank God for all the things you may have and for the blessings which may come over your family.

Let the day after Thanksgiving day not be a mad Black Friday where shopping is the greatest priority. Be not taken by the greed of this world, but stay sensible about what you really need.

More Americans seem to travel between the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after the holiday than at any other time of year. AAA estimates nearly 51 million Americans travelled 50 miles or more from home for the holiday in 2017. When going places remember how it is possible you can travel to all such places and do not forget to see around you how the nature is a witness of its Designer.

When looking at the coming festive days let us always be careful not to be carried away by heathen activities or pagan rites. Let us always be careful when we want some more lights in the house, not to bring in heathen elements.

Take all those moments of togetherness as a time to share the love of God and to show your thankfulness to Him and to those around you.

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Preceding

The Proper Place of Excess

Many opportunities given by God

The Gift of Giving

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Additional reading

  1. Testify of the things heard
  2. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
  3. God wants to be gracious to you
  4. To Live Gratitude
  5. 2016 Thanksgiving and politics
  6. Hanukkahgiving or Thanksgivvukah
  7. A Meaningful Thanksgivukkah
  8. Thanksgivukkah and Advent
  9. Thanksgiving wisdom: Why gratitude is good for your health
  10. Of Grandchildren, Chanukah, and Christmas
  11. By counting our blessings we not only feel good, but we multiply our good
  12. 8 Reasons Christian Holidays Should Not Be Observed
  13. Germanic mythological influences up to today’s Christmas celebrations
  14. Your New Job Description — Bless!
  15. A season of gifts
  16. Be a ready giver
  17. Blessed are those who freely give
  18. God’s never-ending stream of much-needed mercies
  19. By counting our blessings we not only feel good, but we multiply our good
  20. A gift of 86,400 seconds
  21. Life in gratitude opens glory of God
  22. Thanking God by thinking of people
  23. A Living Faith #6 Sacrifice
  24. Being thankful
  25. Give thanks to the One Who gave much
  26. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name
  27. My God
  28. Give Thanks To God
  29. Bring praise to the Creator
  30. Praise Jehovah, ​You people

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Holiday dinner

Further reading

  1. Illuminating the Darkness
  2. Preparing for the Holiday Season
  3. Happy Thanksgivukkah
  4. “How Excellent is Your Name” #1544
  5. The History of Thanksgiving
  6. A History Of The Holidays From Thanksgiving To New Years’
  7. Thanksgiving: a Tale of Two Tables
  8. five helpings of gratitude…#don’t forgetThanksgiving
  9. 5 Reasons to Get Your Sh*t Done Before Thanksgiving Break
  10. Staying Healthy During The Holidays
  11. Deck the Halls and Carve the Turkey…
  12. 17 Best Hanukkah Gifts: Your Ultimate List
  13. 13 Cute Menorahs You Can Actually Prime
  14. Have Yourself a Homespun Holiday
  15. The Seven Feasts and Their Prophetic Fulfillments
  16. Hanukkah at Epcot Is Getting a Whole “Latke” Tastier with a Pop-Up Jewish Deli
  17. Let the Word of God Dwell in You, Richly
  18. Things I’m Thankful For
  19. Giving Thanks – Day of Thanksgiving # 14
  20. Thankful Bible Verses {Free Printable}
  21. Top 10 Bible Verses on Giving Thanks
  22. Revelation 11:17

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Being and Feeling, Food, Lifestyle, Religious affairs, Social affairs, Welfare matters

Words of Jesus preached with authority and conviction and fishes to fry

In the 1970ies our Baptist church went with a motor-coach to a huge stadium to hear the American preacher Billy Graham. It was incredible how he could move the auditory. The audience was incredibly enthusiastic and weeks after we were still talking about what we got to hear and how that man could burn fire in the hearts of the listeners.

The ALS-patient of the blog “Unshakable Hope”, also has the picture in his mind of thousands of people at a Billy Graham crusade walking down to the front after hearing the words of Jesus preached with authority and conviction. Bill Sweeney writes

Even two thousand years after Peter and Andrew dropped their fishing nets to follow Christ, His words still have the power to change the hearts and minds of millions of people. {I’ve Got Bigger Fish To Fry}

At the beginning of our contemporary era, it must have been very special around Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and Palestine. That young man who could speak so well and who did such miraculous things, that many wondered how he could do that. Though he never claimed honour for himself. He knew very well that he could not do such things without his heavenly Father Who is much greater than him. He was happy that he received the power from God and that way could help people so that they too might come to know the Most High God.

“17  And it came to pass on one of those days, that he was teaching; and there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, who were come out of every village of Galilee and Judaea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was with him {1 } to heal. {1) Gr that he should heal; Many ancient authorities read that he should heal them }18 And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before him. 19 And not finding by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his couch into the midst before Jesus. 20 And seeing their faith, he said, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? 22 But Jesus perceiving their {1 } reasonings, answered and said unto them, {2 } Why reason ye in your hearts? {1) Or questionings 2) Or What }23 Which is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee; or to say, Arise and walk? 24 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority on earth to forgive sins (he said unto him that was palsied), I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go unto thy house. 25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his house, glorifying God.” (Lu 5:17-25 ASV)

“ Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father doing: for what things soever he doeth, these the Son also doeth in like manner.” (Joh 5:19 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)

Though Jesus came to bring the Truth, lots of people did not want to know it. Also today lots of people refuse to accept the biblical truth and do not see that Jesus is the way to God. Lots of people have made Jesus into their god instead of accepting him as the mediator between them and the Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah.

“5 For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times;” (1Ti 2:5-6 ASV)

Living on this globe with all its difficulties and our daily pains and problems we can see the light in the darkness by the hope that man has offered the world. With the knowledge that no single man can do what Jesus did, none bringing salvation to us, we can share that hope with those around us, showing that all other sent ones from God, the prophets, witnessed about him who is the Lamb of God and as such suffered also a lot and even gave his life as a ransom for many (including us).

“ To him bear all the prophets witness, that through his name every one that believeth on him shall receive remission of sins.” (Ac 10:43 ASV)

“ 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.” (Ac 4:12 ASV)

“ On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that {1 } taketh away the sin of the world! {1) Or beareth the sin } (Joh 1:29 ASV)

Bill Sweeney writes

Maybe we’re at our best, our most compassionate, our most empathetic and our kindest when we’re in the midst of these difficult times. Maybe this is when we are most like Christ. Yes, I am convinced that this is when we’re most like Christ.

Instead of trying to avoid thinking about these difficult times, I think we should purposely reflect on them and remember all of the things that seemed so trivial. Those things are still trivial in the good times. And, the things that still mattered to us in the hard times, are, I’m convinced, the very things that Christ wants us to build our lives around; these are the bigger fish.

Can you have joy and happiness building your life around these bigger fish?

Yes!

Through all of my really difficult times, especially battling ALS for the last 21+ years, I’ve discovered that building my life around these things that matter, these “bigger fish,” is the secret to true and lasting joy.


But, I still leave room for sports, mindless movies and other little fish.

{I’ve Got Bigger Fish To Fry}

 

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Filed under Being and Feeling, Positive thoughts, Reflection Texts, Religious affairs, Welfare matters

All Scripture Has Its Point of Origin In God’s Mind

No matter to which denomination a person belongs, the bible should be their first and most important Guide, trusting it is the infallible Word of God and the Source for life given by the Most Almighty, showing us the Way to God, letting us know what went wrong with mankind and showing God’s Plan and His solution for this world.

The Bible should be are Daily Food, giving us the opportunity to restore the relationship between us and God.

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Additional reading

  1. Self-development, self-control, meditation, beliefs and spirituality
  2. We may not be ignorant to get wisdom
  3. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #2 Instructions and Laws
  4. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #3 A voice to be taken Seriously
  5. May reading the Bible provoke us into action to set our feet on the narrow way
  6. Bible, God’s Word to edify (ERV)
  7. True God giving His Word for getting wisdom
  8. Bric-a-brac of the Bible
  9. We should use the Bible every day
  10. Feed Your Faith Daily
  11. Daily portion of heavenly food
  12. Memorizing wonderfully 4 Starter verses
  13. Memorizing wonderfully 19 Seasons and purpose Fearing God
  14. Summer time to spend some more time at the growing process of your faith

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Further related
  1. God’s how to manual
  2. All Scripture
  3. The Bible
  4. Use Your Bible
  5. Choosing to Set our Focus on Things Above
  6. Chewing on the Word
  7. The Sufficiency of Scripture
  8. Bread of Life Discourse
  9. Faithfulness.

Christianity 201

Today we’re looking at 2 Timothy 3:16
Today’s New International Version (TNIV)

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for

  • teaching
  • rebuking
  • correcting…
  • training in righteousness

The Message

Every part of scripture is God-breathed and is useful one way or another —

  • showing us truth
  • exposing our rebellion
  • correcting our mistakes
  • training us to live God’s way

New Living Translation (NLT)

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to

  • teach us what is true…
  • make us realize what is wrong in our lives…
  • correct us when we are wrong…
  • teach us to do what is right

My very loose paraphrase

All scripture has its point of origin in God’s mind, and

  • shows us the path God would have us walk
  • highlights when and where we’ve gotten off the path
  • points the way back to the path
  • gives us the advice we need to keep from wandering off the…

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Filed under Knowledge & Wisdom, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Religious affairs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fr. George Corrigan, OFM

A Franciscan Friar writes

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

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

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

Abba. (Father)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Preceding article

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

Witnesses of Christ and of his gospel

May we have doubts

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Additional reading

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

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Related

  1. Barely knowing Jesus …
  2. Knowing Jesus
  3. Know Jesus Know Peace
  4. The Biggest Lie I Ever Told
  5. Knowing Jesus Christ gives you a completely new attitude
  6. The Kingdom Of God: Luke’s Gospel

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Filed under Religious affairs, Welfare matters

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

In the daily Bible readings our chapter in Matthew today unfolds to reveal powerful personal lessons – principles we must live by, though in the chapters of the first book of Samuel we also see that it was not always easy for the preferred one of God, David! He also was victim of human jealousy [v.8-12].

In these summer-months we do have time to examine ourselves and the situation we are living in at the moment. We can check if we kept to Jesus his sayings or if when we had certain needs or wanted to receive knowledge if we did ask like Jesus advices us. Often when we are at work we do not have time enough for God’s Word. It might not always be easy to have us every day to pick up the Bible and to read in it and to take time enough to let our thoughts wonder over the Biblical text. Now when the Summer holiday comes to us we have no excuse. Now we should have enough opportunity to read in the Bible but also to talk to others bout different things, including the Word of God.

Summer time often gives us opportunities to come at other places, where nobody might know us, where we do not have to fear talking about our faith and to show others how we love God.

We can ask God to help us to get insight ourself but also to give us strength and opportunities to give others insight in His infallible Word. We might be assured when we dare to ask Jehovah God will provide, when our heart is in the right place with Him.

“·Ask [Keep asking], and ·God will give [L it will be given; C the passive verb implies God as subject] to you. ·Search [Seek; Keep seeking], and you will find. ·Knock [Keep knocking], and the door will open for you. ·Yes, [L For; Because] everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who ·searches [seeks] will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

“If your children ask for bread, which of you would give them a stone? 10 Or [L which of you] if your ·children ask [or son asks] for a fish, would you give them a snake? {Matthew 7:7-10 Expanded Bible (EXB)}

When we long to have knowledge in the Holy Scriptures God is not going to withhold it. He is not going to detain us and leave us without Biblical knowledge if we really want to have such knowledge. Though in such circumstance God wants us to open our mind and when we encounter matters which we have learned at school or in the past in our religious environment, but which are based on human doctrines, God wants us to choose for the Biblical doctrines and to put those human and false teachings aside. We have to show to God that we are willing to learn what He wants to say to us and what the Bible puts openly in front of us, words black on white and no misty myths of the world.

For many it may not be easy to put away all such false human teachings, but that is what God requires, not to be of the world but to belong to the world of God.

Knowledge will be given to you when you are prepared to seek honestly and with the will to learn Godly Truth. When you open your mind, ask God to help you, He will provide and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.

Keep Pursuing What You Need From God. He Will Give You Good Things

“Be asking, and it will be given to you; be seeking, and you will find; be knocking, and it will be opened to you. For everyone asking receives; and the one seeking finds; and to the one knocking, it will be opened. Or what person is there from-among you whom his son will ask-for bread— he will not give him a stone[a], will he? 10 Or indeed he will ask-for a fish— he will not give him a snake[b], will he?

  1. Matthew 7:9That is, something useless.
  2. Matthew 7:10That is, something harmful. {Matthew 7:7-10Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)}

For everyone, also you, who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds. So you only have to be prepared to be willing to find and to ask God to help you find it. But you too should help others to find it. So what you have uncovered may not only be your secret. Even when we will realize our failure to see the Biblical truth because we wanted to hold fast so much to denominational teachings, noticing it so late in our life, we better accept it that it is better late in life than never, to come to the Biblical truth.

Out of compassion and love for the other, we should try to let others know the Word of God and show them what is really written in it. One of the tasks given by Jesus was to go out and preach. When we do understand what the Nazarene man Jesus has really done, we should tell others of this incredible act of self-renunciation. We should tell others about his self-sacrifice and how he is not the God we should worship but the Way to God, the Only One True God of gods Whom is the Only One to be worshipped and praised above all.

Jesus expects everyone who hears these words of him to do them!

24 Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and is doing them will be-like a wise[a] man who built his house upon the bed-rock.

  1. Matthew 7:24Or, prudent, sensible. {Matthew 7:24Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)}

Let us be wise in the Lord and show the world how we want to be partakers of the Body of Christ and follow the same God as Jesus had. In the knowledge that the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, we should be aware that though salvation is given to all the world also shall have to see that those who find that entrance to the Kingdom of God shall be just a few. We should know and let others know that wide is the gate and broad and easy to travel is the path that leads the way to destruction and eternal loss.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. [L Because] The gate is wide and the road is ·wide [broad; spacious; or easy] that leads to ·hell [L destruction; ruin], and many people enter through that gate. 14 But the gate is small and the road is ·narrow [or difficult; hard] that leads to true life. ·Only a few people [And there are few who] find that road. {Matthew 7:13-14Expanded Bible (EXB)}

For those few we have to invest our free time and do what Jesus expects from us, making sure that we are not a foolish person in his eyes, because he shall watch us and in the end days shall judge over us. Let us listen to Jesus his words:

Matthew 7:25-29Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)

25 And the rain came down, and the rivers[a] came, and the winds blew— and they fell against that house. And it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the bed-rock. 26 And everyone hearing these words of Mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. 27 And the rain came down, and the rivers came, and the winds blew— and they struck-against that house. And it fell, and the falling[b] of it was great”.

The Works of The King: Divine Power In Action28 And it came about that when Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astounded[c] at His teaching. 29 For He was teaching them as One having authority, and not as their scribes.

  1. Matthew 7:25 That is, rivers of flood waters.
  2. Matthew 7:27 Or, collapse, downfall.
  3. Matthew 7:28 Or, overwhelmed, amazed, astonished.

{Matthew 7:25-29Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT)}

When having found Jesus his words and having gone deeper into them, finding the Words of his heavenly Father, we should build our own life on them and create the foundation for ways for others also to come closer to God.

There are many ways – travel in our world has never been more readily possible, but whether nearby or further afield, we must, as we read two days ago in Matthew 5,

16 In the same way let your light shine ·before others [for people to see], so that they will see ·the good things you do [L your good deeds/works] and will ·praise [glorify; give honor to] your Father in heaven. {Matthew 5:16 Expanded Bible (EXB)}

Take some time this holiday to have some work done for Jesus and his God that they and the world may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens.

Let us also make sure that we tell others what is in the Word of God and have us honestly trying to have our faith in God shine as a strong light before others, so that on that day when Jesus returns we do not have to be ashamed and do not have to say like many who will say to him

… Lord, did we not prophesy (preach) in your name…?”

Having Jesus to look at them and responding that they have to depart from him because he does not want to know of them.

22 On ·the last day [judgment day; L that day] many people will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, ·we spoke for you [L Did we not prophesy in your name…?], and ·through you we forced out demons [L cast out demons in your name…?] and did many ·miracles [L mighty works in your name…?].’ {Matthew 7:22 Expanded Bible (EXB)}

We do not have to show extra-ordinary things to others, not doing miracles. We only have to honestly tell them what we believe and show them what the Bible says.

These days when we might have more free time, let us make sure that we take some free time for God and to show our love for God to others.In the knowledge that “many are called, but few are chosen” let us belong to those “few” that will hear the words we read today in Isaiah 62,

Isaiah 62:11-12 Expanded Bible (EXB)

11 The Lord ·is speaking [announces]
    to ·all the faraway lands [L the end of the earth]:
“·Tell the people of Jerusalem [L Say to the daughter of Zion; Zech. 9:9],
    ‘Look, your Savior is coming.
He is bringing ·your reward to you [L his reward with him];
    ·he is bringing his payment [his recompense/reward is] with him.’”
12 ·His people [L They] will be called the Holy People,
    the ·Saved People [Redeemed] of the Lord,
and Jerusalem will be called ·the City God Wants [L Sought After],
    the City ·God Has Not Rejected [or Not Abandoned; Deserted]. {Isaiah 62:11-12 Expanded Bible (EXB)}

If you knew how much God loves you, you would be happy to receive and share His love with others and would be pleased to have others also coming to know Him and His great Love.

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Preceding articles

Summer holiday

May we have doubts

Facing our existence every day

What Are You Seeking?

High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

7 Ways To Become A Better Christian

What Should I Preach ?

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Crisis man needed in this world

Refusing to Be Silent

Go Ye!

To proclaim the day of vengeance

Proclaiming: a task given to Christians

Go! Proclaim! Testify!

Scriptures and Thoughts about: Proclaim

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Additional reading

  1. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
  2. God let my compassionate affection be tolerant and kind
  3. Do You Expect God’s Answer
  4. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #17 Sorts of prayers
  5. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #18 Fulfilment
  6. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
  7. We should use the Bible every day
  8. Bible in the first place #2/3
  9. Loving the Word
  10. Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people
  11. Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
  12. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
  13. Not about personal salvation but about a bigger Plan
  14. Fragments from the Book of Job #3: chapters 21-26
  15. Be not afraid of going slowly; be afraid only of standing still
  16. Obtain favour from Yahweh
  17. The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places
  18. Blogging in the world for Jesus and his Father
  19. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
  20. Going deep into cultures to reach lost people
  21. Engaging the culture without losing the gospel
  22. How do I know if I’m called to ministry?
  23. Priest, scribes and others with authority
  24. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
  25. Oratory Style
  26. What Should I Preach ?
  27. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church

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Further reading

  1. Here for a cause, anointed with a message the world needs to hear
  2. Motives behind Criticism are often more Important to deal With then the Criticism itself.
  3. Special Sundays!~Matthew 7:7~
  4. Which Story Do You Want To Live?
  5. Share Jesus
  6. Are you judging people by what they look like?
  7. Do to others…
  8. There is a wolf nipping at your soul
  9. “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need.” ~Jesus
  10. Matthew 9 – Stepping forth in courage
  11. Matthew 11 – Praise and trust
  12. Matthew 14 – Prayer, Faith & Action
  13. By His Grace
  14. The Journey of Love and Commitment 
  15. Strengthen Yourself In Your God
  16. “Following Jesus” (Matthew 4:18-22 sermon)
  17. “What We Have Seen … We Proclaim”
  18. “Reaching, Teaching, Caring: Following the Footsteps of Jesus” (Matthew 4:23 sermon)
  19. A Day in the Park
  20. The Goodness of God
  21. Count Your Blessings
  22. The call to serve
  23. See you next time
  24. Christianity is a Learned Experience
  25. Biblical Application
  26. Biblical Revelation Knowledge On Spiritual Warfare
  27. The Gospel of The Kingdom
  28. Do We Really Know God?
  29. Bible Study: Insights on the Sermon on the Mount: The Contrasts
  30. Awaken
  31. 8. Doors and Destinations
  32. Meditation – Choices
  33. The Path of Love
  34. Life’s Narrow and Wide Gates
  35. Love, Entering the Narrow Gate.
  36. The Narrow Way
  37. Religious Theology – The wide gate!
  38. Shifting Sand
  39. Exodus 10, Job 28, Luke 13, 1 Corinthians 14
  40. How to choose between the wide and the narrow
  41. The Narrow Gate
  42. against the stream
  43. Taking responsibility – the narrow gate that leads to life
  44. How to choose between the wide and the narrow:part 3
  45. Difficult is the Way that Leads to Life
  46. Those Who Find It Are Few.
  47. Guard My Feet Lord ~
  48. Two Gates
  49. The Narrow Gate
  50. The Protestant – Catholic divide – The Narrow and the Wide Gates
  51. The Crumb That Turns Stale With Time
  52. Only dead fish swim with the stream
  53. The narrow gate and the postmillennial hope
  54. The Grand Reception
  55. Lord, will only few people be saved?

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Being and Feeling, Knowledge & Wisdom, Lifestyle, Religious affairs, Spiritual affairs, Welfare matters

Knowing The Truth and Loving The Truth

A big problem with lots of people who call themselves Christian is that they do not believe the words of Christ Jesus nor of his heavenly Father and keep taking Jesus as their god instead of keeping to the God of Jesus and his disciples. They do seem to forget that Jesus is the sent one from God in whom mankind has to believe to receive the keys to the entrance of the pathway to God for entering the Kingdom of God.

Those who have found the Way to God and accept Jesus as their saviour, should show the others around them why they should come to have faith in Jesus and have to become part of his Body. United the lovers of God should as partakers in the Body of Christ do their utmost best to have a good relationship with the God of Jesus, his disciples and the God of Abraham, Who is One Singular God, above all gods, kings, queens, presidents, ministers, bosses and ordinary people, providing them with life and a prospect of eternal peace.

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To remember

  • Truth from God = powerful thing + something God wants to share with everyone <= He desires all people to be saved and to come to full knowledge of the truth
  • Knowing God’s truth = connected with salvation offered in Jesus Christ = key component of Christian faith.
  • meant to go beyond knowing about God’s truth to doing something with that knowledge.
  • important for churches to stick to God’s truth in the scriptures when teaching
  • need to see our fellow Christians in love with the truth.
  • if we don’t believe in and love God’s truth we’re not saved.
  • God’s truth = we need a Savior + to receive salvation we must believe in Him + repent of our sins > to receive salvation we must repent and be baptized, which is a type of being buried and raised to new life with Christ (Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12). That’s all part of how God shows “the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:4-10). {Grace To Build An Ark}
  • Salvation = free gift = given when we follow God’s instructions for claiming it = instructions involve continuing in His truth after our conversion.
  • Grace = change how we live.
    Grace bring us to salvation and gives us the power to do what God means for us to do. But we could refuse to build. What do you suppose would have happened if Noah had said, “But I thought grace meant salvation is free, God?! Why would you make me build something. Can’t you just give me an ark?” {Grace To Build An Ark}
  • We think because the gift is free it can’t be revoked, rejected, and/or lost. We project cultural and traditional assumptions onto scripture that can cloud the meaning. {Grace To Build An Ark}
  • God sets before us life or death, blessings or cursing. We can either live in His grace or refuse to walk with Him. There’s no third option to walk according to your own heart and ignore God’s Word while still squeaking by into salvation. {Grace To Build An Ark}
  • God wants us to love His truth, not just know about it.
  • Loving the truth in His word = part of loving Him > not just the parts we’re comfortable with > have to love all of God
  • His scripture = revelation of who He is, what He wants, + how He’s working.
  • If we’re serious about having a relationship with God + becoming part of His family => need to pursue knowledge of His truth + learn to love every aspect of God, incl. His revealed truth.

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Preceding article: Responsibility bigger than those who talk about worldly matters

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Additional articles

  1. Man’s own fault and the choice to flee from fear
  2. Infinite payment of sin by the son of God
  3. Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?

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Like An Anchor

In John 8:32, Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free” (WEB). Truth from God is a powerful thing. And it’s something God wants to share with everyone, because He “desires all people to be saved and come to full knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4, WEB). Knowing God’s truth is connected with the salvation offered in Jesus Christ and is a key component of the Christian faith.

according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began (Tit. 1:1-2, KJV)

But head knowledge isn’t enough. It’s absolutely essential that you study and know about the One you believe in, but knowledge doesn’t get you into the kingdom. Paul says you could even “understand all mysteries, and all knowledge” but without…

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Filed under Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Religious affairs

Responsibility bigger than those who talk about worldly matters

At Stepping Toes we got a reaction from kriztle34, a girl who has always seen herself as an oddball, though how older she gets, the more she came to find that she is just ordinary. She reacted to one of our postings about the position of Jesus and his God.

She is worried about our position before God concerning our writing “Application of old pagan concept of trinity“.

She reacts:

Be careful what you put up on the internet! God is taking record of everything we do including the things we say on the internet. If you put something on the internet you should ask yourself: am I prepared for the eternal consequences that will result from my actions; because your actions don’t just effect your eternity but it can effect the eternity of every person who reads your heretical doctrine and that’s something that God does not take lightly.

She has good reason to be worried about the souls of those who write on the internet. Those writing things the whole world can read, have a big responsibility, (to themselves, to others, to protect others, to God, and for their resurrection and ability to enter the Kingdom of God), and when they write about God their responsibility is even bigger than those who talk about worldly matters.

When talking about God we should first of all be aware that we are talking about the Most High Divine Creator, Who is the Highest Lord of Lord of lords and Host of hosts. His Name may not be defiled, so those talking about Him should be very careful how they use that Holy Name.

We are fully aware of the seriousness when preaching and know that often we may be put in very difficult positions, not coming to twist the Words of God. That Word of God is set apart or holy and should be kept precious.

Those who call themselves Christian should be followers of Christ Jesus and should keep to the doctrines of that Jewish rabbi. As a Jew and descendant form the tribe of King David Jesus only worshipped a singular God, the God of Israel Who is One. Jesus also asked his followers to worship and to pray to that God like he prayed to that God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Every person writing on the net about Jesus and God should be fully aware of the danger of telling the wrong things about those Biblical characters. They also should know the importance of the task the master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ) has given his followers.

We as followers of Christ Jesus have the task to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God but also to show the people the Way to God. Jesus, the sent one from God is the one people should come to believe.

When writing about God, our heart should be close to Him and not close to the world. Jesus asks us to take distance from the world, though it might not always easy. So many people are caught up in the many false teachings and human doctrines so many churches present them.

It is so easy to be caught by those human doctrines and to step into the world with those many human or pagan rites and festivals. But we have to be stronger than many in the world and go for the Biblical Truth and  not human doctrines. We should not believe all those false human doctrines, but should keep to the Biblical doctrines and accept Jesus, the son of man and son of God, being the authorised one from God, who is our Messiah or the Kristos (Christ) and the only one by whom we received the grace of salvation and can find the way to the small gate to the Kingdom of God. In him people should come to believe. About him sincere lovers of God should preach and show the world that Jesus is the Way to God and that Jesus is not God himself, who faked his temptation and death and told lies when He as omniscient God would not have known who would be seated next to Christ or when Jesus would return to earth. That are all matters Jesus did not know but the Only One True God really did know and knows also today and tomorrow, Him always being the Eternal Omniscient Omnipresent Being.

Those writing about The Eternal God should not have any other gods besides Him. When writing on the internet about religious matters the writer should do his or her utmost best always to be determined to stick with the Biblical Truth.

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The article she reacted to: Application of old pagan concept of trinity

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Preceding articles

To find ways of Godly understanding

First man’s task still counting today

About a human being or not and life

Responsibilities of Parenthood for sharing the Word of God

Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

Helping each other with prayer to start the new academic year

Witnessing because we love

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Additional reading

  1. A multifold of elements in creation and a bad choice made
  2. Mean voices on the Internet and free speech
  3. We are ourselves responsible
  4. If we, in our prosperity, neglect religious instruction and authority
  5. Determined To Stick With Truth.
  6. Atonement And Fellowship 7/8
  7. A Living Faith #10: Our manner of Life #2
  8. Being Religious and Spiritual 4 Philosophical, religious and spiritual people
  9. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
  10. No time like the present
  11. Teach children the Bible
  12. Being in isolation #7 Mission work
  13. Training for the kingdom
  14. Resurrectional Responsibility
  15. Rapture articles
  16. Denominationalism exists because?
  17. God’s wrath and sanctification
  18. God is One
  19. With the gift of Jesus comes an awesome responsibility
  20. Oratory Style
  21. Not holding back and getting out of darkness
  22. 138) Cheap Grace
  23. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #18 Fulfilment
  24. Life is too precious

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Further reading

  1. Responsibility
  2. Courageous people…
  3. Our Choices are Lessons
  4. Taking Responsibility by Anne Beaulieu
  5. Awake! Part 1
  6. The God We Choose
  7. Faith that does not result in good deeds is useless
  8. Spiritual Weight Watchers
  9. Pococurante
  10. Carrying that Heavy Luggage Called Responsibility
  11. Assuming the responsibility
  12. Slogan 34: Don’t Pass the Buck
  13. Protect your players
  14. Responsibility Clause
  15. Authority laughs the last
  16. The Most Valuable Lesson I Ever Learned
  17. Freedom and responsibility
  18. You Are Who You Weren’t
  19. Why We Fail
  20. The scapegoat reply
  21. Blessings
  22. Domestic Factors which Impact a Lived Calling
  23. How to be ethical when Blogging

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Filed under Announcement, Knowledge & Wisdom, Lifestyle, Religious affairs, Spiritual affairs

Many opportunities given by God

I often did not have it easy in my life. Certain choices also made it that I got myself in more trouble than if I would have followed the mainstream.

Career Opportunities (film)

Career Opportunities (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First there was the choice of my profession. Having being brought up in the Old Roman Catholic church, having been an acolyte, wanting to be working for God, becoming a priest was a first option, but then I was not allowed to marry, and I loved to much women. I also loved very much musicals and wanted to be an artist, able to sing and dance. when I asked to study that I got a slap in my face and was told I could better become a garbage man than an artist. In secret I started lessons and worked in my spare time to pay for the study. It was a good thing about that time time Europe had to build itself up again and had to find its way to restore from the horror of wars and the political systems which brought Europe unto the swamp.

Being so much interested in God, having had to learn the Catechism, comparing to what was written in the Scriptures I soon found out that the Catholic Faith (be it the Roman, Charismatic or Orthodox) was not according to Biblical teachings. This made it again difficult for my parents and me, creating a conflict on theological matters now. After some church shopping, having looked at different protestant denominations, I chose for a non-trinitarian church (the Baptist Church at that time and when the Baptists moved more to Trinitarianism I, like thousands of my brethren and sisters chose for an other non-trinitarian group: the Christadelphians)

Concerned about the world I also stood on the barricades in 1968, hoping for a better world. Becoming a dancer I also more than once had to face the difficulties of my body which also more than once was pushed in the corner by accidents or by my autoimmune illness. Continually I had to prove myself and found that I had to restart my life again. Later the children sometimes asked “Why did you do not that?”  or asked “Why did you not get that role?” or “Why did he got that position instead of you?”. It looked strange for them that I made certain ethical choices and did not want to do certain things to get a certain position. At the end of the trail, now being retired I do not have to shame myself for everything I did. And looking back on my career I must confess that I have really being blessed, being able my whole life to do what I loved to do and having been able to refuse several jobs because I did not like them or did not find them appropriate for a Christian to do (or did not want to do what they hoped for, for giving me that role or position).

In the end I can see how I was blessed and how there was an Incredible Strong Hand that pushed me in certain directions or got me up again when I was in the trenches. I was very lucky to have done fantastic work and having worked with fantastic people, international stars as well as with incredible people who, like me would only be known by their stage name or be forgotten soon.

Under this (official civil name) name I am writing I often was bullied because I did not hesitate to say my opinion or to speak about my faith which was not according to the main Christian majority. Once more I felt the Strong Hand of God, Who guided me and gave me further insight.

We may encounter lots of moments of darkness in our life, but by the sun-rays which brake the darkness we should come to see the better end of it. I had some horrible experiences in my life, which I would not wish any body would have such ones. But they helped me to help others and they also helped me to become strengthened or to know I was on the right way to show others how they have to behave or not have to behave. (For one incident: Though I never know what happened to a gang of seven that once attacked me with a knife in Chiswick Park, I do know I came out alive of it by keeping calm and trusting God.)

Over the years I also came to see how God uses the different elements/groups or denominations in Christendom to bring people from those different parts of the Body of Christ together in unity with Christ. Though for some it might take many years. But God is patient and we as Christians should also be patient with those we want to bring to Christ, getting them to believe that Jesus is the Way to God and not God himself.

In the meantime God is also helping others of different faith to build up a life, so that they too shall come to see how God helps them in their life.

Today I also want to bring an other case than myself to attention.

On the net you may find a blog which

“is a testimony of God’s goodness, protection and guidance over me and my family.” {Surpises: Bad news turned to Good!}

it’s from a person who is been working with for almost all of her tenure in the financial industry. She writes

Surprisingly, we lost the bid! Another bigger company took over the account, leaving our company with a devastating, disappointing news. {Surpises: Bad news turned to Good!}

She confidently,  was not affected by the bad news and is convinced that

God has gone ahead of this scene, He knew it would come. And He knew, that I would be the very first one to feel fearful among all my colleagues. Why? I have all the reasons why, I am not as competitive as they are – being in the sales industry, my achievements were not at par as what my colleagues had produced. I would be in the bottom list, definitely! {Surpises: Bad news turned to Good!}

Like I had certain feelings in my life the author of that blog also has the feeling God assured me of the things that may come to pass. She writes

Last year, the Lord has been very busy preparing me and my husband with so many things, including the planning and executions.

We have gone to the most “thriftiest” way we can save money, He gave us a house , He brought the desire of going back home, instead. He gave a new sustainable job for my husband, He increased our commission in ways that we can finish all our goals for 2016. And finally we come up to an answer, that hey, I will finish my job this March 2017. {Surpises: Bad news turned to Good!}

Please do read more about her experiences and her telling about their family’s life circumstances

We all had a fair share of life circumstances. 2014, we lost our dad due to cancer, my husband lost his lolo due to old age, we had 2 series of unemployments and some financial problems. 2015, it’s like the continuation of 2014, consoling our mom during our mourning season, separation and long-distance childcare, 1 unemployment and financial struggle. 2016, was a good year, God restored all that we wanted to pursue, those that we missed, savings goals, dreams, home acquisition, clearer goals and more. 2017, is still uncertain, we have expectations and even before we embark to this year, God already had confirmations of what to expect and we are excited with that.
Through it all, there is one important thing that God wants us to inhabit in our hearts, it is about “gratefulness”. {New Perspective: Gratefulness and Thankfulness}

And find that

we would learn how to cultivate a life of gratefulness and thankfulness. Learning to appreaciate every season in our lives, that we will not give up on ourselves because God never did, and even if there are some struggles and life- circumstances – God is always there so inclined and willing to help and guide us.

In all things, give God praise, not only for the gifts that He gives, but because we understand that He is the source of all things. Our giver and our Father. Learn to be grateful even in the little, so when the big one comes, we will be more grateful. 🙂
Be thankful, always! {New Perspective: Gratefulness and Thankfulness}

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Find the articles

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Preceding

What would you do if…?

Just be yourself…

Winter and Spring wonders of nature showing the Master’s Hand

Echo

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Additional reading

  1. The Question is this…
  2. Struggles of life

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Further reading

  1. Under His Wings Part One
  2. Day 36: Living above reproach
  3. Dying to Live
  4. Bad Habits
  5. Life is Hard only half of the Truth
  6. Of Gifts and Grace and Immeasurably More
  7. – Laying Hold of the Hope –
  8. How to Live When this World Seems in Chaos (Part 3)
  9. Suffering, part 5; Mixed Bags
  10. Treasures of the Heart
  11. Seen Another Way
  12. Do People Still Do Thanksgiving???
  13. Happy Thanksgiving 2016
  14. Just Thankful: My #24
  15. a Thanksgiving meditation
  16. A Thankful Heart at Year’s End 2016
  17. When 2017 doesn’t look like you thought
  18. Give & Take Away
  19. Testimony Tuesday
  20. goodness precedes knowledge in Christianity/ in the faith
  21. Thank You
  22. I See, God Is Good
  23. God is good, in all the timing
  24. God’s Goodness vs Seeking Safety
  25. Only Goodness
  26. Greatness in You
  27. The Naked Truth
  28. The Faultfinder
  29. God’s goodness and Promises – By Laurence Torr
  30. Praise The Lord For His Goodness
  31. Just What I Needed
  32. good
  33. Today’s walk
  34. God’s recycling program
  35. The Battle Is Real
  36. Creation reveals God’s goodness
  37. If God guides, He will provide
  38. When God Moved a Mountain
  39. R.A. Torrey: Soul Winner
  40. Fruit of the Spirit!

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Let us being filled each day by the Word of God

Coming closer to the end of the year we can see how this year brought us closer to the return of Christ. We can see many signs which should alert the world. In that world we do have to make the right choice and take the Scriptures at heart.

We have to realise the need to

“approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:10,11).

Each day we shall be confronted with the world and shall have to show to others where we want to stand in this world. Every day again we can look up to God and be pleased that we do have His Word to fill us each day.

Each day we also see how much challenge there is in these “last days.” We also notice how there is an increasing “times of difficulty”. That does not make it easy for many to remain faithful. When we help each other to bear the difficulties of this day and help each other to continue to feed our selves with the spiritual food, we shall be able to grow together in strength.
Helping each other to understand the ways of this world versus the Way of God we can try to build ourselves up to receive “the crown of righteousness” by having loved his Jesus his first appearing and him giving his body for us. Also by reading Jesus his words and following his path, we by taking him and following him as the Way to God and the Way to life, can fill our hearts and minds with an awareness of God and the wondrous Saviour He has provided for us.

Let us make sure we are feeling “filled” a little more – each and every day – and there is no “famine” amongst us.

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Preceding articles:

Dedicated daily reading of God’s word to create a vibrant faith within us

A masterly copied and reproduced Word to feed the minds

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Additional reading

  1. Are you being swept along by the world
  2. To mean, to think, outing your opinion, conviction, belief – Menen, mening, overtuiging, opinie, geloof
  3. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
  4. Looking for wisdom not departing from God’s Word
  5. We may not be ignorant to get wisdom

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Facing our existence every day

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

Attitude / Golden Gun

Attitude / Golden Gun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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

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

Attitude (EP)

Attitude (EP) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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

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

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

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

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

Painting "Kampen for tilværelsen" (S...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Harry Ironside.jpg

The dispensationalist Plymouth Brother Harry A. Ironside

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

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

Gospel Light Society writes

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

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

George Cuff wrote:

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

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

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

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Preceding articles

Our existence..

You Matter

Running challenge and the City build by the Most High Maker

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

Benefits of Positive Thinking

What IF you’re only driven by stress?

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

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

The Goal

Our life depending on faith

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Additional reading

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

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Further related

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

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High time to show the way to peace

Vagabonds of the Western World

Vagabonds of the Western World (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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

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

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

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

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

This image was selected as a picture of the we...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Preceding articles:

High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

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Additional articles

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

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Further reading

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

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High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

“6  When they therefore had come together, they asked of Him, saying,

“Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”

7 And He said unto them,

“It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power.
8 But ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you;
and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.””

(Acts 1:6-8 KJ21)

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Here we are hearing the last words of rabbi Jeshua before he left his apostles.
It is not because Jesus was going to send a Helper, that they had nothing to do. The opposite this Helper would make work light for them. They would get an attitude of willingness to follow up that what Jesus asked from them.

English: Trip to Jerusalem Trip to Jerusalem p...

Taking all sorts of occasions to go out and talk to others about the Messiah and the coming Kingdom of God. –  Trip to Jerusalem Trip to Jerusalem pub reputed to be the oldest inn in England – established 1189 A.D. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Acts 1 we see that the disciples were hoping the kingdom would be established right then (verse 6); but no, they were to be witnesses, beginning “in Jerusalem … to the end of the earth” (verse 8).

Shouldn’t this last words before Jesus was taken up to come to sit next to his heavenly Father in heaven, be of our first concern. Clearly that  command given to his disciples was not only for them, but for all those who were going to claim to be a follower of Christ. Those who now  call themselves Christian, should have to go proclaiming that what Jesus also preached, to the places near them, but also to places not so near.
Today we may notice a lot of turmoil and probably can come to see some signs which may give us the understanding some important events started already. We are given signs by the Most HighCreator so that we can prepare ourselves for the difficult times to come. We better make sure we are ready.
Jesus asked his followers to prepare not only themselves but also the world. They had to go out and teach the Gospel, telling others about what Jesus had done and what they should do to receive an entrance through the small gate to the Kingdom of God. How he is the Way to God and how this God wants all people coming close to Him.
Let us not postpone the work for God and show our love for Him and His son to the whole world.
May we be God’s witnesses to those around us, while we wait for the Kingdom to be established.
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Careful not to have God’s wrath poured out upon us taking on the right attitude

Today Saturday August the 20th in our afternoon meeting and worship service we’ll look a the anger in the world and the attitude we do have to take in these times of difficulties.

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We’ll look at the real challenge which comes over all the lovers of God in these times where there are people who try to give a bad idea of that God (Allah, God the Elohim Hashem Jehovah) and try to bring division and war between those who have a religion for worship in name of the Divine Creator. Today’s and tomorrow’s readings brings us the words of the people of Judah in Jeremiah 42:6, which says,

Jeremiah 42:6 The Scriptures 1998+  (6)  “Whether good or evil, let us obey the voice of יהוה  {Jehovah} our Elohim to whom we send you, in order that it might be well with us when we obey the voice of יהוה  {Jehovah} our Elohim.”

Can we say these words with true meaning and purpose of heart, that whether Jehovah’s commandments are what we want to hear, or if they are not what we want to hear, we will obey them regardless? Are we willing to follow the Words of the Holy Scriptures and keep to the tasks given to us, are shall we be too afraid to be doing those tasks Jesus asked us to do? Or shall we hide to others Who we want to worship and consider our Lord Most High? Are we prepared to keep all commandments given by God or do only partly those which comes alright for us?
Judah could not say the above mentioned words with their full heart. And even as they spoke those seemingly pious words, God knew the emptiness of them. God who searches the heart of man, tells them in verse 20 that

Jeremiah 42:20 The Scriptures 1998+  (20)  “For you deceived yourselves when you sent me to יהוה  {Jehovah} your Elohim, saying, ‘Pray for us to יהוה  {Jehovah} our Elohim, and according to all that יהוה  {Jehovah} your Elohim says, so declare to us and we shall do it.’

Jehovah of armies, God of Israel, had His anger poured out, and His wrath was upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem. We today should be careful not to have God‘s wrath poured out upon us in our going in this world which is coming closer to the end times. We should be careful not to err in our souls, not taking on the wrong attitude to others around us. Even when they do not believe we do have to treat them well and show the better way of life, our life in Christ which should bring us and others around us closer to Jehovah our God.

At all times we should not be hold up to give our hand to those who are cross with us and to those who show their anger in this world. At the same time we should not stop pray for them to Jehovah our God.

When we look at the word “dissembled” meaning to err, to go astray, and to wander away, we should wonder if we are not wandering away in these times. Are we keeping our attitude in line with the Wishes of God? do we keep ourselves in control?

We should be careful not to become like people in the ancient times who draw near God with their mouth, and with their lips to honour their god or God, but have removed their heart far from the God of Israel.

Without drawing near to God with our hearts as well as our mouths, we will not be able to complete the challenge of obeying the Voice of God, whether it be good or evil. Throughout the book of Jeremiah we have references that show the people did not obey God’s voice, because their hearts were evil. (Jeremiah 7:23-24, Jeremiah 11:7-8, Jeremiah 18:10-12).

The true test of whether we have drawn near to God with our hearts is if we obey His commandments, even when they are not what we want to hear. As 1 John 5:3 says,

1 John 5:3 The Scriptures 1998+  (3)  For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands,1 and His commands are not heavy, Footnote: 1See 5:2, 2 John v. 6, John 14:15.

When we do really have love for God and the love of God in us we shall do our utmost best to keep ourselves in control and take can to to be taken by anger so that it could happen we would do something against God His commandments which are not grievous. Judah would gladly obey God’s voice when the things they heard pleased them. However, they refused to obey God’s voice when it caused them to give up those things that they loved. Their worship of God actually became idolatry, as it was really the worship of self.

In our life we should be a copy cat of our master teacher rabbi Jeshua.

Jesus told Pilate that he had no power to order the death of Jesus unless it was God’s will.

This leads us to one of the most profound truths, contained in the best-known verse in the Bible. Jesus said:

John 3:16-17 The Scriptures 1998+  (16)  “For Elohim so loved the world that He gave His only brought-forth Son, so that everyone who believes in Him should not perish but possess everlasting life.  (17)  “For Elohim did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

When we do know that Jesus managed to put his will aside, which he would not have done in case he was God, to prepare the way for all to come closer to God and that the world through him might be saved, we should fulfil the task to show others to show the great and unchangeable purpose of God for everyone who believes to have everlasting life in Christ Jesus.

Like Jesus was not of this world we too should not be of this world, not be afraid of man, like Jesus was not afraid of man.

Separated from the world, and denying ourselves all ungodliness and fleshly lusts, we are nevertheless not in prison, nor restricted within narrow bounds and should not be afraid to go to others who have an other belief than us.

When others try to bring others into chains of fear, we should show others the liberator of those chains. When others try to have our mouth shut we should walk at liberty, talking about our hope.

Real believers in Christ have nothing to fear because they have hope because God “gave” His Son. It was planned from the beginning of time and the first mention is in the promise to Eve. Although she had failed, God was showing that there could be hope. Those simple words:

“whosoever believeth in him”

are the condition. Though today there are still not many who really believe what God and Jesus have said about each other. There are still those who want to make Jesus into their god, instead of believing Jesus his own words that God is greater than him.

John 10:29 The Scriptures 1998+  (29)  “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

John 14:28 The Scriptures 1998+  (28)  “You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming to you.’ If you did love Me, you would have rejoiced that I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.

The verse that people have to believe in Christ Jesus has been translated into most, if not all, the languages of the world. It is well-known yet perhaps only partly understood.

More people should come to that believe in Christ and should recognise that he is the Way to God (and not to him as God himself) and that in Him we should unite becoming all brothers and sisters of each other.

In remembrance of him, who was known by his heavenly Father long before, having “given” his body we should try to become like him. That knowledge that God planned it so that you and I might be saved, is precious to us and the way of life is opened up in front of us. It is for us to seize every opportunity to show that we believe.

We have been called unto the fellowship of God his Son, Jesus Christ our master.

1 Corinthians 1:9 The Scriptures 1998+  (9)  Elohim is trustworthy, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, יהושע  {Jeshua} Messiah our Master.

By the name of our lord Jesus Christ we are exhorted, in order that we all may be of the same voice, going for the same truth and saying the same thing. Together showing to the world that there are no divisions among us; but that we are perfected in the same mind and in the same opinion by the teachings of the set-apart Book of books.

Notice how that sentence of the apostle Paul to the Corinthians begins:

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called…”.

We are special because He has seen something in us that pleases Him. We have work to do, as Peter reminds us:

1 Peter 1:15 The Scriptures 1998+  (15)  instead, as the One who called you is set-apart, so you also should become set-apart in all behaviour,

It is God Who calls man. Those who are called should show that in their behaviour. Even when their might be enough reasons to show anger they still should master their anger , have themselves under control and show the peace of God to all around them.

In all manner of conversation” they should show others how they have given themselves in the hands of God and trust Him.

Peter’s tongue gave him away in a bad sense when Jesus was being tried. Our tongues can give us away in a good sense because people notice how we speak and what we speak about. The light which has shined into our hearts shows itself in the things we are interested in and the way we conduct ourselves. We should be set-apart or are holy, we belong to God, and our thoughts and words should show that.

This is hard to do all the time and that is why we have words of exhortation to encourage us and help us to let God’s will be done in us. Peter continues:

1 Peter 2:9 The Scriptures 1998+  (9)  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a set-apart nation, a people for a possession, that you should proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light,

Let us show to others that because of our faith we have something different or that we are different than those who are atheist or an other faith. In our actions and reactions others should be able to see the difference between a Christian and somebody else.

In 1 John 4:11, we are told “we ought also to love one another”. In fact, this is a command to be obeyed. Why should we obey such a command? How do we get such love in order to show it to one another? Well, the verse before tells us.

1 John 4:10-11-12 The Scriptures 1998+  (10)  In this is love, not that we loved Elohim, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning offering for our sins.  (11)  Beloved ones, if Elohim so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  (12)  No one has seen Elohim at any time. If we love one another, Elohim does stay in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

The greatest motivating force in our lives, is that which we remember week by week in the emblems of bread and wine. We remember that great love of God towards us, shown through the sending of His Son. This love should affect our hearts. It should motivate our lives and in thankfulness for what He has done for us, we should obey Him.

If we keep on believing, we are showing that we love God:

Romans 8:28 The Scriptures 1998+  (28)  And we know that all matters work together for good to those who love Elohim, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Being Christian we have to keep his precepts.

Come, reader, this evening walk with God in his statutes. As friend met friend upon the city wall, so meet thou thy God in the way of holy prayer and meditation. The bulwarks of salvation thou hast a right to traverse, for thou art a freeman of the royal burgh, a citizen of the metropolis of the universe.

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Preceding article

Careful not to fuel the anger in this world

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Find also to read

  1. Does God stands behind all evil on earth
  2. Objects of God’s final wrath
  3. He who smiles rather than rages is always the stronger
  4. From Despair to Victory
  5. Exodus 9: Liar Liar
  6. Understanding God’s Wrath
  7. Not everyone in the churches of Christ are “ungodly”
  8. Reflect on how much idolizing happens
  9. 8 fears caused by the fear of Man

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Further reading

  1. Tina on – Anger
  2. Would God
  3. On Not Forgiving
  4. Time: Down and Dead
  5. have been so angry……..
  6. When it’s time to stop fighting and ask for help
  7. Is Sin a Burden
  8. Of Faith and Unbelief
  9. Out of Focus
  10. Are You Walking In Darkness?
  11. Overlooked
  12. Running The Race

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