Genesis, chapters 1 and 2, describe what Earth's original boundaries are. Understanding the original boundaries as God created them in the beginning will help us understand what the Bible is all about, which reveals Jesus Christ and the only plan of salvation. What is God's boundary anyway? READ and you will catch on.
On the first day, God established the boundary between light and darkness. The light was called Day and the darkness was called Night. Light and darkness could not mingle together because God's WORD set the boundary between them.
On the second day, God SPOKE and the boundary of the firmament or the atmosphere containing the air we breathe, was established which divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters above it. And He called this firmament heaven, what we call the first heaven. [The second heaven is space outside our atmosphere, and third Heaven is where God dwells.]
On the third day, God SPOKE, establishing the boundary of the seas, separating the dry land from the waters. Then he SPOKE and plants of all kinds came into existence, fully grown and already yielding fruits and seeds and grains. He established a boundary for each plant by SAYING that each seed from each certain plant would produce only another plant just like it.
On the fourth day, God SPOKE the sun, moon and stars into existence, and SPOKE the boundaries of time: seasons, days and years. The greater light of the sun was to rule the day, while the lesser light would rule the night.
On the fifth day, God SPOKE the fishes of all kinds which were bound to the seas, and the birds of all kinds which were bound to the region of the atmosphere. Then He SPOKE the boundary for their reproduction and said that they were to bring forth abundantly and produce each after their kind.
On the sixth day, God SPOKE into existence the land animals of all kinds, including insects which were to produce after their kind, setting a boundary there. But God also made man and woman on that day, and SPOKE to them their boundaries: they were to have dominion of the earth--over the animals, fishes, and fowls. He SPOKE the boundary of marriage into existence, to include only two, a man and his wife, and that they were to have children. God also SPOKE the boundary of what man should eat for perfect health: every seed bearing herb of the field and of the fruit trees except the one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. If they ate of this restricted tree, they would die, or cease to live.
On the seventh day, God was done creating, and did no more work on that day. He rested from all His work, then set the boundary for that day by speaking a blessing for the seventh day and sanctifying the day, setting it apart for a holy use (after He had rested on the day). It was to be holy from then on. So God created the seventh day free from all unnecessary work. The day was to mark the end of Creation Week, and He made it His rest day, and sanctified it and blessed it for man (Mark 2:27, 28), set it apart for a holy purpose, so that man might also rest from his own work every seventh day and keep that day holy. Because of God's SPOKEN WORD, His blessing and sanctifying the day, the Sabbath is the set boundary for the week. Without the Sabbath day, we would have no rest from our labors, and no reminder that God is the Creator of heaven and earth, and that we are to rest because He rested. The boundary for the weekly cycle is the Seventh-day Sabbath which God blessed.
So the question is, if the world was created with all these boundaries, wouldn't they still be important for life on planet earth today? YES.
Notice that God has established the boundaries that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10) But Satan has been at work to try to get mankind to destroy the boundaries so that mankind might perish off the face of the earth. Christ came to redeem what Satan has been trying to do to destroy the earth and us with it. (John 3:16)
The question is, are we willing to obey the boundaries God has SPOKEN into existence? When the world became so wicked in Noah's time, God broke the boundaries of the seas He had made and the world was flooded to destroy the wicked. 2 Peter says that once again God will destroy the face of the earth, not with a flood of water, but with fire, that He might reestablish the boundaries of the earth and so that the meek will inherit the earth as He has promised. (Matthew 5:5) Christ will not set up His kingdom on this earth until after the 1,000 years, when He will destroy sinners and the old earth by fire, and recreate the earth more beautiful than ever, where the Redeemed of all the ages will dwell forever.
Though we all have fallen into sin, we can choose to be free from those sins and be forgiven, if we will come to Jesus and just ask Him, and ask Him into our hearts and fill our minds with His word, to give us victory over the Devil. Christ came to destroy the Devil and his works. We do not want to be destroyed with him.
God bless and I hope this subject of God's boundaries of His word, helps someone today.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
What should the Christian expect for the future?
We know that "the weatherman" can predict what the weather will be tonight or tomorrow with "fair" results. However, we have a saying in the state where I grew up, "If you don't like the weather, just wait 15 minutes." Some weather is totally unpredictable.
Satan should have a better chance of predicting "weather" than the weatherman because the Bible says that he is "the prince of the power of the air." But regarding his predictions, he can never do anything against God's children until he first gets permission from God. Reading the first chapter of Job, we see how Satan predicted to wipe out everything Job had, and it all happened through war, fire and a fierce wind. War and fire wiped out his servants and herds. A fierce wind came suddenly from the wilderness and hit all corners of the house where Job's children were and, when it fell, it killed them all. What Satan predicted, he was able to make happen with 100% accuracy, but only as God permitted him to do it.
Though Satan has great power, he has no more power than the great God of heaven gives him permission and ability to do. The wrath of God was NOT against Job and his family, that is not why God gave permission to bring affliction upon Job. Satan wished to test Job so that Job would sin and curse God, and bring dishonor to God. God said okay to Satan. But everything that Satan tried to do, Job resisted the temptations to blame God because he knew God intimately and fully trusted in Him who cares for His children, in the bad times as well as the good.
Because there is so much wickedness in the earth, and because there are so very few who really love God and trust in Jesus to save them from sin, which is transgression of His Law of Ten Commandments, we know God's people will be tested fully for their faith. Evil does not like the good. So this war between Satan and God will increase to the end, in hopes that Satan will destroy all God's people. However, Jesus is coming the second time, and He will deliver His faithful people who have not fallen under the fiercest temptations, and take them to heaven to be forever with Him, while the wicked ones will be destroyed. Read 2 Thessalonians chapters 1 and 2.
Because Satan has a short time, he is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, especially of God's people or any who would want to serve God. Such a time of trouble is ahead of us which will allow Satan to test us to the very utmost just like Job was tested, but God has seen to it that His people are prepared for the trial, and He has promised to let them go through it without seeing death. Before this time, God has given them every opportunity to learn to love and trust in Him fully. Have you been taking advantage of this opportunity, friends?
Before this time of trouble, some of God's faithful people, young and old, will be laid to rest because God knows that they are His, but they are not able to endure the great trials. But those who will be alive, will be those living witnesses of the power of God to be obedient to Him no matter what happens. Do you get easily offended at the slightest irritation? How can you be Christ's witness now, let alone then? Christ will give you victory, but you need to cling to Jesus by His Spirit because no one can trust in themselves alone under temptation. We need to overcome the idea of being irritated at things, and instead, be looking constantly to Jesus who never showed irritation, even in His time of trouble that led to the cross.
Many will be insulted, mocked at, and mistreated for their faith, both now and in the future. We will be looking at the face of death constantly, we will be living martyrs for Jesus. Can we be living martyrs now under easy trials? Very few are living martyrs. Like Peter, do we deny Jesus by the way we live because we don't want to be ridiculed? If someone looks at us the wrong way, making fun of our faithfulness to God, do we want to run and hide?
God will help us be faithful to Him if we are in continual surrender with our whole heart to Him and His revealed will for us. Whatever is keeping you from following the humble Saviour, do not let it hinder you any longer. Do not be afraid to stand for the right though the heavens fall. Pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in you who will teach you all things which Christ taught which is according to the Bible and bring them to your remembrance during your times of trial. May you be ready for Jesus who is coming, to save His people, and destroy the wicked.
Satan should have a better chance of predicting "weather" than the weatherman because the Bible says that he is "the prince of the power of the air." But regarding his predictions, he can never do anything against God's children until he first gets permission from God. Reading the first chapter of Job, we see how Satan predicted to wipe out everything Job had, and it all happened through war, fire and a fierce wind. War and fire wiped out his servants and herds. A fierce wind came suddenly from the wilderness and hit all corners of the house where Job's children were and, when it fell, it killed them all. What Satan predicted, he was able to make happen with 100% accuracy, but only as God permitted him to do it.
Though Satan has great power, he has no more power than the great God of heaven gives him permission and ability to do. The wrath of God was NOT against Job and his family, that is not why God gave permission to bring affliction upon Job. Satan wished to test Job so that Job would sin and curse God, and bring dishonor to God. God said okay to Satan. But everything that Satan tried to do, Job resisted the temptations to blame God because he knew God intimately and fully trusted in Him who cares for His children, in the bad times as well as the good.
Because there is so much wickedness in the earth, and because there are so very few who really love God and trust in Jesus to save them from sin, which is transgression of His Law of Ten Commandments, we know God's people will be tested fully for their faith. Evil does not like the good. So this war between Satan and God will increase to the end, in hopes that Satan will destroy all God's people. However, Jesus is coming the second time, and He will deliver His faithful people who have not fallen under the fiercest temptations, and take them to heaven to be forever with Him, while the wicked ones will be destroyed. Read 2 Thessalonians chapters 1 and 2.
Because Satan has a short time, he is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, especially of God's people or any who would want to serve God. Such a time of trouble is ahead of us which will allow Satan to test us to the very utmost just like Job was tested, but God has seen to it that His people are prepared for the trial, and He has promised to let them go through it without seeing death. Before this time, God has given them every opportunity to learn to love and trust in Him fully. Have you been taking advantage of this opportunity, friends?
Before this time of trouble, some of God's faithful people, young and old, will be laid to rest because God knows that they are His, but they are not able to endure the great trials. But those who will be alive, will be those living witnesses of the power of God to be obedient to Him no matter what happens. Do you get easily offended at the slightest irritation? How can you be Christ's witness now, let alone then? Christ will give you victory, but you need to cling to Jesus by His Spirit because no one can trust in themselves alone under temptation. We need to overcome the idea of being irritated at things, and instead, be looking constantly to Jesus who never showed irritation, even in His time of trouble that led to the cross.
Many will be insulted, mocked at, and mistreated for their faith, both now and in the future. We will be looking at the face of death constantly, we will be living martyrs for Jesus. Can we be living martyrs now under easy trials? Very few are living martyrs. Like Peter, do we deny Jesus by the way we live because we don't want to be ridiculed? If someone looks at us the wrong way, making fun of our faithfulness to God, do we want to run and hide?
God will help us be faithful to Him if we are in continual surrender with our whole heart to Him and His revealed will for us. Whatever is keeping you from following the humble Saviour, do not let it hinder you any longer. Do not be afraid to stand for the right though the heavens fall. Pray for the Holy Spirit to dwell in you who will teach you all things which Christ taught which is according to the Bible and bring them to your remembrance during your times of trial. May you be ready for Jesus who is coming, to save His people, and destroy the wicked.
Friday, April 13, 2007
When Jesus died, where did He go?
Many Christians do not know where Jesus went when He died. Can we know the answer? Yes. It is very simple. The Bible says that: 1.) He expired on the cross, ("gave up the ghost" means He expired, He gave up His breath, and it went back to God: "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit [breath]," (Luke 23:46, Ecclesiastes 12:7). 2.) His body was laid in the grave or tomb of a very wealthy man, Joseph of Arimathaea (Luke 23:50-53).
There are many who think He went to Paradise when He died (misusing Luke 23: 42, 43), but Christ did not, for His body was laid in the tomb and rested there until early on the first day of the week before sunrise (Luke 24:1-8). That very morning, the angel declared that Christ was living, risen, no longer dead, to the surprised ladies. The last time they knew, they had seen Christ laid in the tomb, and they were coming back to finish burying Him. We have the story of how the resurrection took place in Matthew 28:1-4. An angel came and rolled the stone from the tomb, and Christ, taking the graveclothes off, folded them up where He had been (John 20:5-7), and walked out as the Conqueror over all the forces of evil. He was clothed with a bright light even as the angel who announced His resurrection to the women. He did not come from Paradise, only from the tomb, when He raised from the dead. That is why it was said, He is RISEN. Scripture does not say, He DESCENDED.
Christ made known to Mary that He had not yet ascended to His Father in heaven (John 20:11-17). If He had been in heaven in His death, He would not have said that. Though He was going to go to His Father for a while on that very day, to know that His sacrifice had been accepted, He did not stay, He came back. His promise in John 14:1-3 was not yet fulfilled. When He ascended 40 days later, then did He go to prepare a place for us in His Father's house.
Many people believe that Christ's soul went to Hell when He died. The Bible does say that if you read the King James Version (Acts 2:22-36). However, the term "hell" as used here means the "grave." We know that Christ truly went to the grave, but did not stay more than three days. If His body had been dead for four days, it would have stunk or rotted (John 11). But it did not. Christ's body saw no corruption. He was raised on the third day.
Christ as our Saviour from all sin, experienced our death that He might give us His life. He was raised victorious over all evil, including the Devil, and that victory was won for us. All we need to do in the face of temptation, is claim that victory and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for His grace to overcome. Each time we do this when tempted to sin, Christ will come to our aid, for He will send all the angels of heaven if need be, just as He said He could have done for Himself but chose not to (Matthew 26:52-54).
The same Spirit that raised Christ, will also raise us from the dead at His second coming if we have lived victorious in Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! It is not too late to surrender your life wholeheartedly to Christ, and be willing, even to be made willing, to be led by the Spirit of God into all the truth. Christ promises to give His people who believe the Holy Spirit to teach them the truth. People will come into our lives who will show us the truth regarding God's word, the Bible (John 16, 17).
God bless you!
There are many who think He went to Paradise when He died (misusing Luke 23: 42, 43), but Christ did not, for His body was laid in the tomb and rested there until early on the first day of the week before sunrise (Luke 24:1-8). That very morning, the angel declared that Christ was living, risen, no longer dead, to the surprised ladies. The last time they knew, they had seen Christ laid in the tomb, and they were coming back to finish burying Him. We have the story of how the resurrection took place in Matthew 28:1-4. An angel came and rolled the stone from the tomb, and Christ, taking the graveclothes off, folded them up where He had been (John 20:5-7), and walked out as the Conqueror over all the forces of evil. He was clothed with a bright light even as the angel who announced His resurrection to the women. He did not come from Paradise, only from the tomb, when He raised from the dead. That is why it was said, He is RISEN. Scripture does not say, He DESCENDED.
Christ made known to Mary that He had not yet ascended to His Father in heaven (John 20:11-17). If He had been in heaven in His death, He would not have said that. Though He was going to go to His Father for a while on that very day, to know that His sacrifice had been accepted, He did not stay, He came back. His promise in John 14:1-3 was not yet fulfilled. When He ascended 40 days later, then did He go to prepare a place for us in His Father's house.
Many people believe that Christ's soul went to Hell when He died. The Bible does say that if you read the King James Version (Acts 2:22-36). However, the term "hell" as used here means the "grave." We know that Christ truly went to the grave, but did not stay more than three days. If His body had been dead for four days, it would have stunk or rotted (John 11). But it did not. Christ's body saw no corruption. He was raised on the third day.
Christ as our Saviour from all sin, experienced our death that He might give us His life. He was raised victorious over all evil, including the Devil, and that victory was won for us. All we need to do in the face of temptation, is claim that victory and call upon the Lord Jesus Christ for His grace to overcome. Each time we do this when tempted to sin, Christ will come to our aid, for He will send all the angels of heaven if need be, just as He said He could have done for Himself but chose not to (Matthew 26:52-54).
The same Spirit that raised Christ, will also raise us from the dead at His second coming if we have lived victorious in Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord! It is not too late to surrender your life wholeheartedly to Christ, and be willing, even to be made willing, to be led by the Spirit of God into all the truth. Christ promises to give His people who believe the Holy Spirit to teach them the truth. People will come into our lives who will show us the truth regarding God's word, the Bible (John 16, 17).
God bless you!
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Do you believe that Jesus Christ rose from the grave?
Many years ago, I confronted a friend of mine as to whether or not she believed in the resurrection of Jesus. She had to admit that she didn't really care about whether or not Christ rose from the dead, even though she went to church on Sunday, which was a day her church kept in honor of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Some people do not know what they believe, and apparently are not concerned about it. Not everyone is that way, thankfully, or there would be no Christians today. Many people think that Jesus died, but did He really raise up from the grave?
John 3:16 is said to express the whole gospel message: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." But notice that this verse does not specifically say that Christ died for sinners. You must read also verses 14 and 15, which also says "so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 12:32, 33 implies that to lift up Jesus, means that He should die by being lifted up on the cross. But is Jesus perished forever in the tomb where He was laid? NO! He was also raised from the dead, and it is important that we believe that. Why?
Even though Christ died for all, yet if there were no resurrection from the dead, then we above all people in the world would be most miserable and without any hope for the future, and we would certainly perish. Christ would still be in the grave. We would perish contrary to John 3:16 because there would be no one to raise us from the dead. But we see that Christ must be raised from the dead!
1 Corinthians 15:16-18 "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." But John 3:16 says that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, in other words, they will be raised from the dead, also. We have a true hope in Jesus Christ. It is important that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. But unless He be raised from the dead also, Christ's death would be meaningless. So both the death of Jesus for sin [dying for our guilt so we can be set free from the condemnation of our sins through faith in Him] is just as important as His resurrection so that He might bring us to life eternal through faith in Him. If we be not raised from the dead, then all is meaningless!
John 12:24 says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." Christ's death was not all. It was not wasted. He bodily raised from the tomb so that He could bring about a rich harvest of souls who believe unto salvation. When you plant a kernel of wheat into the ground, you expect that it will sprout and produce more wheat. The tiny wet grave you planted the seed in can not keep the seed from sprouting. Equally, Christ's grave had no power to keep Him, He raised the third day to give us life! He is verily the bread of life! If we die, believing in Him unto salvation from our sins, we will live with Him at the second coming! The grave will not be able to hold us, either.
Romans 8:32, 34 says, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?....Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." From this text, we can see the importance of Christ's death but only in connection with His resurrection and High Priestly ministry for us in the courts of heaven.
Romans 14:8, 9 "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living." Here again, the importance of connecting the resurrection of Christ with His death, makes His death meaningful to us. It gives us the hope of the resurrection to eternal life, that this life is not all there is.
It is true, that the world which does not accept Christ's death cannot have a part in the resurrection to life eternal. So His death for our sin is of utmost importance in the plan of salvation. We must believe that He died for us, but we must also believe that He rose again, that the grave could not hold Him. The hope of eternal life is held out to those only who believe unto salvation in His death and resurrection and High Priestly ministry.
While Jesus died on the cross for us and rose to new life, we cannot sit idly by thinking that there is nothing we should do in this life because we think that Christ did it all for us on the cross. That is foolishness. Unless we choose Him above all else, we cannot have life. We must believe. We must act on that belief, and follow Him, letting His righteousness which He gives us, be our banner and manner of life.
Romans 12:1, 2: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Christ cannot live in us unless He were the living Christ. Praise the Lord, we serve a living Saviour and we have the sure promise of eternal life through Him!
John 3:16 is said to express the whole gospel message: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." But notice that this verse does not specifically say that Christ died for sinners. You must read also verses 14 and 15, which also says "so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 12:32, 33 implies that to lift up Jesus, means that He should die by being lifted up on the cross. But is Jesus perished forever in the tomb where He was laid? NO! He was also raised from the dead, and it is important that we believe that. Why?
Even though Christ died for all, yet if there were no resurrection from the dead, then we above all people in the world would be most miserable and without any hope for the future, and we would certainly perish. Christ would still be in the grave. We would perish contrary to John 3:16 because there would be no one to raise us from the dead. But we see that Christ must be raised from the dead!
1 Corinthians 15:16-18 "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." But John 3:16 says that those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall not perish, in other words, they will be raised from the dead, also. We have a true hope in Jesus Christ. It is important that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. But unless He be raised from the dead also, Christ's death would be meaningless. So both the death of Jesus for sin [dying for our guilt so we can be set free from the condemnation of our sins through faith in Him] is just as important as His resurrection so that He might bring us to life eternal through faith in Him. If we be not raised from the dead, then all is meaningless!
John 12:24 says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." Christ's death was not all. It was not wasted. He bodily raised from the tomb so that He could bring about a rich harvest of souls who believe unto salvation. When you plant a kernel of wheat into the ground, you expect that it will sprout and produce more wheat. The tiny wet grave you planted the seed in can not keep the seed from sprouting. Equally, Christ's grave had no power to keep Him, He raised the third day to give us life! He is verily the bread of life! If we die, believing in Him unto salvation from our sins, we will live with Him at the second coming! The grave will not be able to hold us, either.
Romans 8:32, 34 says, "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?....Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." From this text, we can see the importance of Christ's death but only in connection with His resurrection and High Priestly ministry for us in the courts of heaven.
Romans 14:8, 9 "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living." Here again, the importance of connecting the resurrection of Christ with His death, makes His death meaningful to us. It gives us the hope of the resurrection to eternal life, that this life is not all there is.
It is true, that the world which does not accept Christ's death cannot have a part in the resurrection to life eternal. So His death for our sin is of utmost importance in the plan of salvation. We must believe that He died for us, but we must also believe that He rose again, that the grave could not hold Him. The hope of eternal life is held out to those only who believe unto salvation in His death and resurrection and High Priestly ministry.
While Jesus died on the cross for us and rose to new life, we cannot sit idly by thinking that there is nothing we should do in this life because we think that Christ did it all for us on the cross. That is foolishness. Unless we choose Him above all else, we cannot have life. We must believe. We must act on that belief, and follow Him, letting His righteousness which He gives us, be our banner and manner of life.
Romans 12:1, 2: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
Galatians 2:20: "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." Christ cannot live in us unless He were the living Christ. Praise the Lord, we serve a living Saviour and we have the sure promise of eternal life through Him!
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Igniting the Fire of the Sabbath Truth of Jesus Christ
I believe that Christ kept all the Commandments of God, because the Bible says that He did no sin (Heb. 4:15), even though He came in the likeness of our sinful flesh, the God/man, our human-Divine Mediator (Romans 8:3). He set the example for us in our humanity as to how we are to live--to reflect His character, even as He reflected the character of the Father. We can only reflect, we cannot be the source as He and the Father are.
Therefore, I believe that Jesus Christ did keep the Sabbath fully as humanity must keep it, as well as the other nine commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). He had the Spirit of the Law, and if you have the Spirit of the Law, you will also have the works of the Law. Many people have the works and no spirit, and we cannot be saved by the works of the Law. And what good is the Spirit of the Law unless we practice what we believe to be true? We must be born again (John 3:3), following the Spirit and not the carnal flesh (Romans 8). Christ did the works of the Law, but that was because He was full of the Holy Spirit, and He loved the Law of God, and it was seen to be written in His heart. (Psalm 40:8.)
Therefore, Christ fulfilled His own and the Father's Ten Commandment Law, as well as the biblical statutes and judgments which explain the Law, living it fully and joyfully, showing that sinful humanity when connected to divinity by FAITH in Christ their Saviour, can keep the Law of God. Although He was perfect in how He lived, we can only strive towards perfection as we trust Him. He also fulfilled the ceremonial system, not that we are to keep it, no! but that He might show us its purpose and meaning which foreshadowed His work of saving us from sin. He is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He was slain from the foundation of the world via the symbolism of the sacrificial system, and now memorialized in the Communion Service (Revelation 13:8). He was sacrificed once for us, bringing an end to the sacrificial system, for that was only a shadow of the reality of who He was, Jesus Christ, the offering for our sins (Colossians 2:14-17). The yearly feast days, the yearly feast sabbaths (not seventh-day Sabbaths) and sacrifices and offerings for sin were no longer necessary, for they all pointed forward to Christ, the true Sacrifice.
The weekly Sabbath is the memorial of our Creator, and identifies Him and His position: the Lord God who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that in them is, in six days and rested the seventh day (Exodus 20:8-11). The weekly Sabbath is also a memorial of His creative power to make us new Creatures in Him. He was the Redeemer who brought us out of Egypt, out of slavery to sin (Exodus 20:1-3) So it memorializes that He is the one who is sanctifying us, making us holy and victorious over sin. 'We cannot overcome sin without Him. The Sabbath is His sign to His true people who have the Law written in their hearts, that He is the Lord who is sanctifying them. See Exodus 31:12-17 and Ezekiel 20:12, 20, etc. The Sabbath therefore is the sign of the New Covenant. (Hebrews 8:8-12). It surpasses Sunday which is entirely a man-made holiday established by the papacy, not being commanded by God in the Bible at all. The Lord's Day of the Bible is only found to be the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Unfortunately one has to go to the traditions of the so-called early Church Fathers (who are not inspired of God) to find reason to make Sunday the Lord's Day. I praise the Lord for His truth and creative power to work in us through the Holy Spirit, and that the Bible teaches us the truth!
I hope these biblical truths will catch like wildfire, to God's glory.
Therefore, I believe that Jesus Christ did keep the Sabbath fully as humanity must keep it, as well as the other nine commandments (Exodus 20:1-17). He had the Spirit of the Law, and if you have the Spirit of the Law, you will also have the works of the Law. Many people have the works and no spirit, and we cannot be saved by the works of the Law. And what good is the Spirit of the Law unless we practice what we believe to be true? We must be born again (John 3:3), following the Spirit and not the carnal flesh (Romans 8). Christ did the works of the Law, but that was because He was full of the Holy Spirit, and He loved the Law of God, and it was seen to be written in His heart. (Psalm 40:8.)
Therefore, Christ fulfilled His own and the Father's Ten Commandment Law, as well as the biblical statutes and judgments which explain the Law, living it fully and joyfully, showing that sinful humanity when connected to divinity by FAITH in Christ their Saviour, can keep the Law of God. Although He was perfect in how He lived, we can only strive towards perfection as we trust Him. He also fulfilled the ceremonial system, not that we are to keep it, no! but that He might show us its purpose and meaning which foreshadowed His work of saving us from sin. He is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). He was slain from the foundation of the world via the symbolism of the sacrificial system, and now memorialized in the Communion Service (Revelation 13:8). He was sacrificed once for us, bringing an end to the sacrificial system, for that was only a shadow of the reality of who He was, Jesus Christ, the offering for our sins (Colossians 2:14-17). The yearly feast days, the yearly feast sabbaths (not seventh-day Sabbaths) and sacrifices and offerings for sin were no longer necessary, for they all pointed forward to Christ, the true Sacrifice.
The weekly Sabbath is the memorial of our Creator, and identifies Him and His position: the Lord God who made the heaven and the earth, the sea and all that in them is, in six days and rested the seventh day (Exodus 20:8-11). The weekly Sabbath is also a memorial of His creative power to make us new Creatures in Him. He was the Redeemer who brought us out of Egypt, out of slavery to sin (Exodus 20:1-3) So it memorializes that He is the one who is sanctifying us, making us holy and victorious over sin. 'We cannot overcome sin without Him. The Sabbath is His sign to His true people who have the Law written in their hearts, that He is the Lord who is sanctifying them. See Exodus 31:12-17 and Ezekiel 20:12, 20, etc. The Sabbath therefore is the sign of the New Covenant. (Hebrews 8:8-12). It surpasses Sunday which is entirely a man-made holiday established by the papacy, not being commanded by God in the Bible at all. The Lord's Day of the Bible is only found to be the Sabbath, the seventh day of the week. Unfortunately one has to go to the traditions of the so-called early Church Fathers (who are not inspired of God) to find reason to make Sunday the Lord's Day. I praise the Lord for His truth and creative power to work in us through the Holy Spirit, and that the Bible teaches us the truth!
I hope these biblical truths will catch like wildfire, to God's glory.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Honey, I want it cooked this way!
Of all the eight Laws of health, there is one that is the least liked by most Americans and that is the Law of Nutrition. You don't talk about eating habits to FAT people, or to your mother, or to anyone who is doing the wrong kind of cooking in your family. And no one who enjoys eating out at the greasy spoon every day wants to hear that their food choices are bad, even though they are suffering from fatal or crippling diseases. WHO wants to hear that the diet must CHANGE NOW, stop cooking this way, you are killing yourself, learn how to do better. Why?
Maybe the sugestion to start cooking and eating healthfully was not done tactfully, and the person resisted. Everyone hopefully wants to be healthier! However, wives may have a hard time when their husbands ask them to stop cooking it that way, do it this way! Men, do you realize what saying this means to the wife, that whatever she has learned in the past has to be thrown out and now she must start over! The wife may instead of rejuvenating the pantry, go on a pity trip thinking that her husband is abusing her. So TACT IS IMPORTANT. Don't give your wife a reason to run to the women's shelter! Learn to work together to have better health. Involve the children, too, to win their cooperation.
In America, most families can't imagine not eating meat, hot spices, refined foods, and sweets. What is there left to eat, they ask? They forget that God made nutritious food in the very beginning: plenty of fruit, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetables of all varieties which are readily available today in most markets. Trying these "new" foods which have been around since God made the world is not a custom in most families!
But this blog today is not only about Nutrition. This is about another Law which is the most controversial one in the whole world today: the Sabbath commandment of God's Ten Commandment Law which reads how the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week.
If the Sabbath wasn't in the Ten Commandments, there would be no hassle. But God put it right in the middle of the Ten. Why is this? It has to be the most important of all the Ten for it identifies the name of God, His office, and His territory-- "the Lord thy God.... made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." (Exodus 20:8-11) A knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ our Saviour is eternal life (John 17:3). Do we personally know who our Creator is? Do we spend time enjoying God's nature, and reflecting on the character of God which the Sabbath reminds us to do?
There are several reasons for this worldy opposition to the Sabbath--Satan has deceived the whole world on biblical truth! Most people go to church on Sunday and have been for generations, not knowing the truth. They have been taught by their church that Sunday is a sacred day called the Lord's Day! Upon examination of the Scripture, they will find it is not so. Instead a discovery is made that the Sabbath is called the Lord's holy Day. Other people think Sunday is the seventh day of the week, and are amazed to find out from a look at the calendar that Saturday is the seventh day instead. Still others are taught that the Sabbath commandment was made for the Jews exclusively and therefore the Sabbath is not necessary for Christians to keep, even though you show them Mark 2:27, 28 and other verses.
When presenting the truth about any principle of God or commandment of God, it needs to be presented as it is in Jesus, as the Bible teaches, as Jesus gave it and as He lived it. The heart which is won to Christ will not rebel at the truth, but will see the truth in its true beauty and want to follow it. Satan tries to cast the truth to the ground that it might be trampled upon, but Christ came to restore it to its exalted position. Truth will win out in the end, and we want to win out with it. Search the Scriptures and find the lovely Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Cast out the false doctrines that destroy faith in Christ.
May we search our hearts with Christ's help, examining our motives and actions, and seeing what keeps us from the truth! Feed on the pure word of truth, the Holy Bible, given to us from God Himself, just as you should feed on all the good food which He created and made to be eaten!
Maybe the sugestion to start cooking and eating healthfully was not done tactfully, and the person resisted. Everyone hopefully wants to be healthier! However, wives may have a hard time when their husbands ask them to stop cooking it that way, do it this way! Men, do you realize what saying this means to the wife, that whatever she has learned in the past has to be thrown out and now she must start over! The wife may instead of rejuvenating the pantry, go on a pity trip thinking that her husband is abusing her. So TACT IS IMPORTANT. Don't give your wife a reason to run to the women's shelter! Learn to work together to have better health. Involve the children, too, to win their cooperation.
In America, most families can't imagine not eating meat, hot spices, refined foods, and sweets. What is there left to eat, they ask? They forget that God made nutritious food in the very beginning: plenty of fruit, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and vegetables of all varieties which are readily available today in most markets. Trying these "new" foods which have been around since God made the world is not a custom in most families!
But this blog today is not only about Nutrition. This is about another Law which is the most controversial one in the whole world today: the Sabbath commandment of God's Ten Commandment Law which reads how the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week.
If the Sabbath wasn't in the Ten Commandments, there would be no hassle. But God put it right in the middle of the Ten. Why is this? It has to be the most important of all the Ten for it identifies the name of God, His office, and His territory-- "the Lord thy God.... made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is." (Exodus 20:8-11) A knowledge of the true God and Jesus Christ our Saviour is eternal life (John 17:3). Do we personally know who our Creator is? Do we spend time enjoying God's nature, and reflecting on the character of God which the Sabbath reminds us to do?
There are several reasons for this worldy opposition to the Sabbath--Satan has deceived the whole world on biblical truth! Most people go to church on Sunday and have been for generations, not knowing the truth. They have been taught by their church that Sunday is a sacred day called the Lord's Day! Upon examination of the Scripture, they will find it is not so. Instead a discovery is made that the Sabbath is called the Lord's holy Day. Other people think Sunday is the seventh day of the week, and are amazed to find out from a look at the calendar that Saturday is the seventh day instead. Still others are taught that the Sabbath commandment was made for the Jews exclusively and therefore the Sabbath is not necessary for Christians to keep, even though you show them Mark 2:27, 28 and other verses.
When presenting the truth about any principle of God or commandment of God, it needs to be presented as it is in Jesus, as the Bible teaches, as Jesus gave it and as He lived it. The heart which is won to Christ will not rebel at the truth, but will see the truth in its true beauty and want to follow it. Satan tries to cast the truth to the ground that it might be trampled upon, but Christ came to restore it to its exalted position. Truth will win out in the end, and we want to win out with it. Search the Scriptures and find the lovely Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Cast out the false doctrines that destroy faith in Christ.
May we search our hearts with Christ's help, examining our motives and actions, and seeing what keeps us from the truth! Feed on the pure word of truth, the Holy Bible, given to us from God Himself, just as you should feed on all the good food which He created and made to be eaten!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Where does a person go when he dies?
Surely everyone goes to heaven at death? Once I saw a bright light at the end of a tunnel, but it wasn't a near death experience! I was very much alive, and the light proved to be a train, and it was a good thing I was not in the tunnel. Some people claim to have seen a light at the end of the tunnel, and to them it was very real and they called it death, but it was actually a near-death experience. So where do you go when you die?
That is probably a good question, and who do you suppose would know the answer to this question? Has anybody ever died and then come back to life again to tell us where he went when he died? We have heard of countless stories of people who say they had died but an angel at the end of the bright tunnel told them they had to come back to earth again for a while. So what about these stories?
Contrary to popular religious opinion, scientists tell us that a person is fully dead when the heart stops beating and there is no more brain activity. If these persons "in their death" heard an angel or saw a light at the end of a tunnel, brain activity was still there! So they were not actually dead. Maybe they were at the point of dying, but didn't, and in such a state, the mind can imagine things that really aren't so. That is not to say that God is not speaking to the person. Many people when facing death are going over in their mind the hundred things they could have done right which they didn't. Now they have to meet up with their conscience, and for some it is a little too late to make things right for they ran out of time to confess their sins to Jesus and ask forgiveness. We can be thankful if He gives them a little more "time" to do so.
So where does the person go when he dies? The Bible tells us of one Person who died and came back to tell us all about it. He is Jesus Christ. This is what He says after His experience in death: "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." John 20:17.
From this statement, we have to admit, Christ did not go to the Father in His death, but only after He raised Himself to life, and His body was functioning again. At death, Christ could go no where except to the grave (often termed "hell") where people put Him after He died. Only when He raised Himself to life, could He go anywhere at all! So are we better than Christ in our death, do we go to heaven and not just the grave?
I read an obituary recently that reveals the confusion people have about where a person goes at death. This dear lady had died, and the obituary read that she went to be with her husband and brothers and sisters where she they are all enjoying the glory land of heaven, etc., but at the end of the article, it said that she was laid to rest in the grave beside her husband. Now that seems rather hard, that Christ couldn't go anywhere but to the grave, yet this lady could enjoy not just the grave, but heaven also while dead!
What does the Bible say about death and where you go at death? We can trust what the Bible says as it is the word of truth...
Ecc 9:5, 6, 10 "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
Ecc 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
Joh 5:28, 29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
1Co 15:22, 23 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."
No one who has died can do anything at all until Jesus comes and raises him back to Life, at the end of the world at His second coming.
So what will it be like for those who die? They will sleep in their graves until the resurrection at the second coming of Jesus. When a person dies, it is like going into a dreamless sleep. The dead know nothing. When they wake up immediately they will see Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life. When they wake up they will not be able to tell you what death was like for there is no memory except the thought before death. There was no pain, fear, love, nothing at all. That is a comforting thought that the dead are no longer suffering, no matter how sinful a life they lived. All the righteous and the wicked go to the same place at death, the grave. Rewards are given at the resurrection. That is what we need to prepare for. Which resurrection will you be in (read John 5:28, 29 again)? (For more information on death, read John 11 in the Bible.)
If you loved God with all your heart, mind, body and spirit, at death, the next thing you will know is seeing Jesus who raised you to eternal life. If you didn't love God and Jesus Christ as your Saviour, but rejected all the opportunities to follow the truth, you will raise in the resurrection of the wicked who will receive their condemnation. That is a little scarey, I am sure, but that is true. Are you ready to meet Jesus your Maker? Is He your Lord and Saviour now? Do you love Him, and love the Bible truths? God help us to be ready to face death at any moment so that we can face Christ with real joy at the next moment after death!
That is probably a good question, and who do you suppose would know the answer to this question? Has anybody ever died and then come back to life again to tell us where he went when he died? We have heard of countless stories of people who say they had died but an angel at the end of the bright tunnel told them they had to come back to earth again for a while. So what about these stories?
Contrary to popular religious opinion, scientists tell us that a person is fully dead when the heart stops beating and there is no more brain activity. If these persons "in their death" heard an angel or saw a light at the end of a tunnel, brain activity was still there! So they were not actually dead. Maybe they were at the point of dying, but didn't, and in such a state, the mind can imagine things that really aren't so. That is not to say that God is not speaking to the person. Many people when facing death are going over in their mind the hundred things they could have done right which they didn't. Now they have to meet up with their conscience, and for some it is a little too late to make things right for they ran out of time to confess their sins to Jesus and ask forgiveness. We can be thankful if He gives them a little more "time" to do so.
So where does the person go when he dies? The Bible tells us of one Person who died and came back to tell us all about it. He is Jesus Christ. This is what He says after His experience in death: "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." John 20:17.
From this statement, we have to admit, Christ did not go to the Father in His death, but only after He raised Himself to life, and His body was functioning again. At death, Christ could go no where except to the grave (often termed "hell") where people put Him after He died. Only when He raised Himself to life, could He go anywhere at all! So are we better than Christ in our death, do we go to heaven and not just the grave?
I read an obituary recently that reveals the confusion people have about where a person goes at death. This dear lady had died, and the obituary read that she went to be with her husband and brothers and sisters where she they are all enjoying the glory land of heaven, etc., but at the end of the article, it said that she was laid to rest in the grave beside her husband. Now that seems rather hard, that Christ couldn't go anywhere but to the grave, yet this lady could enjoy not just the grave, but heaven also while dead!
What does the Bible say about death and where you go at death? We can trust what the Bible says as it is the word of truth...
Ecc 9:5, 6, 10 "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
Ecc 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."
Joh 5:28, 29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
1Co 15:22, 23 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."
No one who has died can do anything at all until Jesus comes and raises him back to Life, at the end of the world at His second coming.
So what will it be like for those who die? They will sleep in their graves until the resurrection at the second coming of Jesus. When a person dies, it is like going into a dreamless sleep. The dead know nothing. When they wake up immediately they will see Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life. When they wake up they will not be able to tell you what death was like for there is no memory except the thought before death. There was no pain, fear, love, nothing at all. That is a comforting thought that the dead are no longer suffering, no matter how sinful a life they lived. All the righteous and the wicked go to the same place at death, the grave. Rewards are given at the resurrection. That is what we need to prepare for. Which resurrection will you be in (read John 5:28, 29 again)? (For more information on death, read John 11 in the Bible.)
If you loved God with all your heart, mind, body and spirit, at death, the next thing you will know is seeing Jesus who raised you to eternal life. If you didn't love God and Jesus Christ as your Saviour, but rejected all the opportunities to follow the truth, you will raise in the resurrection of the wicked who will receive their condemnation. That is a little scarey, I am sure, but that is true. Are you ready to meet Jesus your Maker? Is He your Lord and Saviour now? Do you love Him, and love the Bible truths? God help us to be ready to face death at any moment so that we can face Christ with real joy at the next moment after death!
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