2014

May 01, 2014

The Bible teaches us, that after understanding the fundamental doctrines of the scriptures, we should move on to the deep things that are written so that we may have a broader and more comprehensive knowledge of the God whom we serve. In the presentation for today, we will seek to understand how collateral damage and blessings work, so that we may be fully aware of our responsibilities, our purchased freedoms, and our privileges as sons and daughters of God.

Let’s begin by certifying from the Bible, the sacred truth that what a person does, whether good or bad has a collateral effect on other people. This truth is brought to light over and over again in the scriptures, and as we near the close of earth’s history, it will become more and more necessary for us to understand it, for it will have a direct implication for events that will begin to transpire across the globe.

When a righteous, God-fearing person comes in contact with other people on a regular basis, they will receive blessings. This is true regardless of whether or not the people who the righteous interact with are ungodly, or are saints. This truth was certified in the interaction of Joseph and Potiphar. Let’s read:

Genesis 39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

39:3 And his master saw that the LORD [was] with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

39:5 And it came to pass from the time [that] he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

The same truth was again certified between Jacob and Laban, for wherever a righteous person goes, the blessings of God prevail on those who interact with them. Let’s read:

Genesis 30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.

30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, [tarry: for] I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.

30:29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.

30:30 For [it was] little which thou hadst before I [came], and it is [now] increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?

The same truth of collateral blessings is made manifest in the experience of Paul who was jailed by the Roman authorities. Those who were in charge of Paul and many other prisoners had taken a ship headed for Italy where he was to be tried by the Roman emporer. These soldiers who had custody of Paul were obviously not Christians, yet when serious danger befell them, God spared their lives as a collateral blessing, because of Paul’s presence. Let’s read:

Acts 27:1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto [one] named Julius, a centurion of Augustus' band.

27:9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished [them],

27:10 And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives.

27:11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.

27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no small tempest lay on [us], all hope that we should be saved was then taken away.

27:21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them, and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

27:22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of [any man's] life among you, but of the ship.

27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

The very same truth was reiterated again by The Lord Himself, when Abraham was interceding for the men of Sodom, whose sins had reached unto heaven. When the Bible speaks of Sodom and Gommorah, it is also referring to and including the three other cities of Zoar, Zeboiim and Admah whose close proximity to Sodom caused them to be labeled “The cities of the plain” Let’s read:

Genesis 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;

14:2 [That these] made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

14:3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.

These five cities were the locations where sin and sexual immorality had deteriorated to an alarming, all-time low, in so much that God had no choice but to close their probation. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;

18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

And so Abraham began to plead with God for mercy, because in his finite reasoning, he saw that something was not adding up. Is God going to destroy the righteous with those whose probation was closed? Wouldn’t the God of heaven at least put a difference between those who serve Him and those who couldn’t care less about God? These perplexing questions were haunting the mind of Abraham and consequently moved him to ask answers from God directly. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?

18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that [are] therein?

18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

It is critically important for us to understand the nature and implications of Abraham’s questions. Note well that he did not ask whether God will destroy the wicked and save the righteous. This was not his question. Abraham’s question was whether God will spare everyone in the city if fifty saints could be found. So let’s hit pause for a moment and consider the bigger picture for a moment. Could it be that God has deliberately placed His people in strategic places in the earth, not only to stem the tide of evil and preach the gospel, but also that blessings and mercies may also fall upon those who do not know God? Let’s read:

Ezekiel 28:25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.

Acts 8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

And so it is, that as Abraham continued to plead with God, he received the answer to his questions. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

Abraham then began to lower the threshold by five people, then by ten until he came right down to the last ten righteous persons, if any could have been found. What is worthy of note is the fact that based on archeological discoveries, it is estimated that the population of Sodom and Gomorrah was anywhere from five hundred thousand to one and a half million people.

Now let’s consider for a moment the mercy, kindness, and collateral blessings of God, who was willing to spare the doomed cities only if ten saints could be found in them. Sacred history shows that in fact there was only one saint living in those twin cities, and it was because of God’s collateral blessings on that one person, that perhaps hundreds of thousands of sinners were permitted to live and do evil, and also to prosper for many years. Let’s read:

Genesis 18:32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy [it] for ten's sake.

Even when it was determined in the counsels of heaven that the iniquity of Sodom and Gomorrah must be brought to an abrupt halt, God still waited for the one saint to leave, before total destruction ensued. The mercy of God is very great as is evidenced by His own words to Lot who was procrastinating to depart. Let’s read:

Genesis 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:

19:20 Behold now, this city [is] near to flee unto, and it [is] a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, ([is] it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.

The city that Lot was referring to was zoar, one of the five cities that were scheduled for destruction. Now it is very important for earth’s inhabitants to trace the footsteps of the Great God in His dealings with His erring creatures. We should never ever allow any person to persuade us into believing that God is not a God of love. His kindness and mercies are beyond our comprehension, as is evidenced by His response to Lot’s request. Let’s read:

Genesis 19:21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.

19:22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

But the opposite is also true, for there is also collateral damage when a person commits sin. Innocent people do suffer as a result of one man’s wrong-doing, and this sacred truth therefore lays upon all Christians to live righteously in the sight of God so that our presence would bring blessings and not curses.

The Lord had just given a stunning victory to Israel over the city of Jericho, and the instruction was given that no one should covet or take to themselves any of the valuables found in the city. But there was one man who decided to disobey, by stealing some costly items found in the spoils of war, and as a result of his sin, thirty six men were killed. Let’s read:

Joshua7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them [from] before the gate [even] unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

7:11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put [it] even among their own stuff.

7:12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, [but] turned [their] backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

But the most striking example of collateral damage occurred after Adam and Eve sinned. All of humanity suffered and continues to suffer as a result of collateral damage, arising from one man’s sin. We were nowhere around when our first parents sinned, but nevertheless we are subject to disease, decay, and death. Let’s read:

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

The sin of Adam caused drastic changes in nature too, changes that we now consider to be normal, but which were not the original plan of our Creator. Take for instance rain. Rain came about as a result of sin, although we now view it as being essential to our existence. Rain was not a part of God’s original plan, for although we now need it to live, it does come at a cost, for it sometimes causes severe flooding, and mudslides. Let’s read:

Genesis2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and [there was] not a man to till the ground. 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

Adam’s sin also caused collateral damage in the animals that God created. All beasts, including what we now call carnivores, originally ate only grass or herbs, and so there were no “bad feelings” or animosities at lunch-time between wolves and sheep, leopards and rein deer. Let’s read:

Genesis 1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which [is] upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which [is] the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein [there is] life, [I have given] every green herb for meat: and it was so.

It was therefore necessary for us to observe the collateral damage that sin does as a result of man’s sin, so that we may be better prepared to understand and appreciate the collateral blessings that have fallen upon the human family as a direct result of one man’s righteousness. We can reason however we like about God’s love and grace, the fact of the matter remains that something very major took place at Calvary, and as a result every member of the human family has benefitted, including those who deliberately choose not to know or serve God. For instance, in the former dispensation, judgments were at times meted out to nations and individuals in no uncertain manner, after their probation was closed. Let’s take a few notable examples.

Genesis 6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth

6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life, from under heaven; [and] every thing that [is] in the earth shall die.

Genesis 15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land [that is] not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.

Exodus 3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.

5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

Exodus 6:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I [am] the LORD:

6:3 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.

6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

Daniel 5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.

5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which [was] in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which [was] at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

5:6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

5:8 Then came in all the king's wise [men]: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

5:9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:

5:19 And for the majesty that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him:

5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this;

5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath [is], and whose [are] all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written.

5:25 And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.

5:26 This [is] the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it.

5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.

And we can go on and on and on. But some way, somehow these direct manifestations of God’s judgments against nations and individuals seem to have come to a sudden stop since Christ died. Obviously, there has been a decided change for some reason that we need to investigate, because since these manifestations have all but ceased, many people are now making a mockery of God, endeavoring to change His sacred institutions and carrying sin to a dangerously low level by legalizing iniquity. And so the question begs an answer, What exactly took place on Calvary that has brought these judgments to a seemingly abrupt halt? And what took place when Christ died that has resulted in manifold collateral blessings to every person? As usual, we turn to the scriptures for the correct answers, for the Bible explains itself. Let’s read:

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

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

5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

5:15 But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.

5:16 And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification.

5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.

5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:

5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

The problem with many of us who are living in the twenty-first century, is that because there has been quite a dramatic cessation of former direct judgments, that we are now taking God’s grace for granted. Instead of humbling ourselves in gratitude for what Christ has accomplished on Calvary, many are now making a mockery of His great salvation and mercies, and gradually diminishing the importance and relevance of His Law. Many now hold that they are a law unto themselves, and are accountable to no one about how they live or what they do. Many have now mistaken mercy for license and misinterpreted God’s grace as authorization to do evil. These attitudes and dispositions are alluded to in several passages of scripture. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

2nd Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

God’s reluctance to once again bring judgments should not be interpreted as weakness on His part, but rather as a gracious overture to save as many as would be saved. Furthermore, the days of our probation are swiftly drawing to a close, after which the severe judgments that had been put on hold for many centuries, will finally be released abruptly without any mercy. This is the warning that The Great God Of Heaven is now giving to mortal man, so that all who are willing and obedient may escape the coming deluge of fire and recompenses. This is what is clearly stated in God’s so that everyone may take heed. Let’s read:

2nd Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

3:11 [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness,

3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

1st Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.

God is still holding back the winds of strife so that all who are willing may find shelter in Christ. He is still standing at our heart’s door waiting for an invitation to come in, and if we respond today in the affirmative, the collateral blessings that resulted from Christ’s death will be ours for time and for eternity. We therefore end with a text that should serve to encourage each and everyone to make the right choice. Let’s read:

Revelation 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.

22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ [be] with you all. Amen.

God bless!

Biblical Teaching On Speaking In Tongues. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/26/2014

May 01, 2014

The Bible teaches us that the use of tongues, as manifested on the day of Pentecost, was given as a gift by the Holy Ghost to fill a need that could not otherwise be met, since many of the apostles were unlearned men, not having a formal education by the standards then used. This gift has been promised to the Christian church, and indeed it has come down to our day, in so much that it is almost always viewed as a certification that a person is filled with the Spirit of God.

However it’s necessary for us to understand from the scriptures why the gift was given, how it is manifested, and the various counterfeits that have come upon the stage of action, since for every good gift that God has bestowed on us, satan has a spurious replica. And so, in order for us to get a proper understanding of the gift of tongues, it’s important for us to study a number of facts pertaining to the issue, for they are precursors in being able to differentiate between the true and the false.

Point (1) Tongues are always known languages. If it’s not a known language, it is not the gift of tongues.

Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

The devout men from all parts of the then known world were surprised to hear the Galileans speak in the different languages of their native lands, and the reason why they were surprised is because they were able to correctly identify that which was being spoken. This was their own testimony. Let’s read:

Acts 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

Point (2) Tongues / languages must of necessity be understood by the one who is speaking or else proper coherent conversation cannot be held with a person who speaks the same language. For instance, if a believer is speaking in the French language to a gathering of French citizens, but doesn’t understand what their reply to his words are, then he will not be able to answer correctly if questioned or otherwise addressed. Let’s read:

Acts 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

Let’s just say that the group Peter was addressing were Spanish speaking, when they voiced their concerns by asking “Cuál es el significado de esto?”, if Peter did not understand what they said, then how could he give the following reply?

Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day.

2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

The reason why Peter was able to respond intelligently is because he heard and understood their doubts and their questions, which were vocalized in their own native language. Without being able to know what they were saying, Peter would obviously be at a loss for words.

Point (3) When tongues / languages proceed from the Holy Ghost in a public or congregational setting, there must be an interpreter present if the people cannot understand what is being said. This is what the Bible clearly states. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 14:13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue pray that he may interpret. And the logical reason is thus given:

1st Corinthians 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

For instance, if in reply to Peter’s speech the Spanish speaking listeners said, “esta persona es realmente estúpida”, Peter might very well say Amen, since he would have no clue as to what was just said!

Furthermore, in cases where there is no interpreter to explain to the congregation what is being said, no tongues / languages should be spoken, according to the Bible. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. ----- And the logical reason is given:

1st Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

Point (4) When the genuine gift of tongues / languages is manifested in a church setting, it is never ever displayed by everyone in the congregation speaking at the same time. This is actually forbidden in the scriptures. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 14:27 If any man speak in an [unknown] tongue, [let it be] by two, or at the most [by] three, and [that] by course; and let one interpret. ------ And again the logical reason is given. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

The real question that many Christians need to answer is, what then is the source of what they have really been experiencing all these years, and if it is not from the Holy Ghost, then the next question is, who is really behind it and where exactly is it coming from? Even though many sincere Christians do not know it, the fact is that satan has a counterfeit for every good thing God has given to us, and therefore the time has fully come for his deceptions to be fully disclosed. For example:

(1) There are false prophets and there are false Christs. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

(2) There are counterfeit miracles and there are counterfeit signs and wonders. Let’s read:

Revelation 13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

For example:

Exodus 7:9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Show a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast [it] before Pharaoh, [and] it shall become a serpent.

7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

(3) There is a counterfeit Jesus, a counterfeit gospel, and also a counterfeit to the Holy Spirit. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].

It is of tremendous importance for Christians everywhere to be able to tell the difference between the true gospel and the counterfeit, for very many sincere believers have inadvertently mistaken the one for the other. Any “gospel” that teaches its adherents that God’s law is abolished or abrogated is a counterfeit and should be avoided like the plague. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

Question: Which gospel is “This gospel of the kingdom”? As usual we let the Bible explain itself. Let’s read:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

(4) There are counterfeit ministers and pastors who

parade under the disguise of true ministers of God,

yet they are employed by satan. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

11:15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where [is] the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.

Jeremiah 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

(5) There are counterfeit angels, meaning that there are angels of darkness that operate under the disguise of angels of light. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Acts 16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: 16:17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.

16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

(6) There is also counterfeit worship, and this point is particularly pertinent to our day and age, for many people are engaging in counterfeit worship and know it not. In the days of ancient Israel, the people were called to a major worship service, to which most of them attended. They later found out that God was no where in that worship, and furthermore was signally dishonored by what took place, even though it was advertised as being in God’s name. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] unto me.

32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which [were] in their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron.

32:4 And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

It is very important for us to observe what it was labeled as, for many of the Jews erroneously thought that God was pleased with their worship. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:5 And when Aaron saw [it], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow [is] a feast to the LORD.

What transpired next shows the utter displeasure of God in what was supposed to be true worship. Let’s read:

Exodus 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted [themselves]:

32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

Furthermore, if there is any doubt in our minds as to who was the recipient of such worship, the Bible reveals the details. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new [gods that] came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

Psalms 106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

106:38 And shed innocent blood, [even] the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

(7) There is also a counterfeit to the trinity, and we need to pay very close attention to this last point. We will first examine the true. Let’s read:

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

But the there is also the false, the counterfeit to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Let’s read:

Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Let’s start with the “dragon”. Question: who is the dragon? As usual, we let the Bible explain itself. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [even] God.

8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

So in the counterfeit trinity the devil is the father; that’s one down and two to go. In the true trinity there is a Son, even Jesus Christ, the Son of man, and thus we should expect to find a “son” in the counterfeit. Let’s read:

2nd Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Let’s pause here for this is of critical importance to every person living on this earth in 2014.This week, pope francis called a woman in Argentina and absolved her from all her sins. Let’s read the actual story as reported by Cnn:

(CNN) – Pope Francis called an Argentine woman married to a divorced man and reportedly told her that she could receive the sacrament of Communion, according to the woman's husband, in an apparent contradiction of Catholic law. Jacqueline Sabetta Lisbona wrote to the pontiff in September to ask for clarification on the Communion issue, according to her husband, who said his divorced status had prevented her from receiving the sacrament. "She spoke with the Pope, and he said she was absolved of all sins and she could go and get the Holy Communion because she was not doing anything wrong," Sabetta told Channel 3 Rosario, a CNN affiliate.

The Bible clearly states that the “son of perdition” ursurps the position of God, and he does this by claiming to forgive sins, something that only God can do. Let’s read:

Mark 2:7 Why doth this [man] thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?

Another activity of the “son of perdition” is that he claims to have authority to change times of worship in opposition to what the God of heaven has ordained. Let’s read:

Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

We are reading directly from the Roman Catholic Catechism. Let’s read:

Catechism of the Catholic Church

2174 Jesus rose from the dead "on the first day of the week."104 Because it is the "first day," the day of Christ's Resurrection recalls the first creation. Because it is the "eighth day" following the sabbath,105 it symbolizes the new creation ushered in by Christ's Resurrection. For Christians it has become the first of all days, the first of all feasts, the Lord's Day (he kuriake hemera, dies dominica) Sunday:

We all gather on the day of the sun, for it is the first day [after the Jewish sabbath, but also the first day] when God, separating matter from darkness, made the world; and on this same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead.106

2175 Sunday is expressly distinguished from the sabbath which it follows chronologically every week; for Christians its ceremonial observance replaces that of the sabbath. In Christ's Passover, Sunday fulfills the spiritual truth of the Jewish sabbath and announces man's eternal rest in God. For worship under the Law prepared for the mystery of Christ, and what was done there prefigured some aspects of Christ:

And so the “son” in the counterfeit trinity represents all the popes that have reigned over the centuries, including the current pope Francis. That’s two down and one more to go. In the true trinity there is the Holy Spirit, and thus we can expect to find a counterfeit to Him also. Let’s read again:

2nd Corinthians11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].

Revelation 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Brethren, in lieu of these things that are transpiring before our eyes, the Lord is making and urgent appeal to all the inhabitants of earth, to return to the worship of the true God by honoring Him on the day He has set aside for worship and rest. Many honest- hearted Christians have unknowingly offered up a form of worship that God cannot accept, although He honors the sincerity of those who were thus misled, and therefore He is now calling all of His sons and daughters in every denomination and of every creed, to relinquish all false gospels, false Christs and counterfeit spirits in favor of the true. Let’s read:

Revelation 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

It is now left with us to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, the true or the counterfeit, and ultimately between life or death. We sincerely hope and pray that our every decision will be in favor of Christ and His righteousness, as taught by precept and example in His word. May this day be a day of new beginnings for all who have now understood these things. God bless!

Our Freedom Of Choice. Sabbath Afternoon. 04/12/2014

April 12, 2014

The freedom to choose is one of the greatest gifts that God has bestowed on created, intelligent beings. The very act of creating us with the option to choose or to reject Him tells us that He must be a God of love. Whenever man invents some new gadget or computer it is always pre-programmed to do exactly what its inventors stipulate and nothing else. But not so with God, for He can only accept the service of love that is based on an intelligent knowledge of His character.

However, there are certain responsibilities that come with our freedom of choice, and these must be clearly understood by all, for we are ultimately the arbiters of our own destiny. For instance, if a person so chooses, he or she can drink as much alcohol as they choose, as long as their drinking does not put the lives of others in danger.

The state and federal laws against driving with elevated levels of alcohol were instituted to protect the lives of others against the excesses of one or more persons.

However, that’s where the legal jurisdiction ends, for the government cannot tell a person how much alcohol to consume within the confines of their own home. A person can choose to drink until they die from an overdose of liquor, however that’s their own business, to be settled between themselves and the Creator, if they refuse treatment and counseling.

Similarly with gambling. An individual can choose to spend all of their hard-earned money at the hard-rock café, or at one of the Seminole Indian gambling parlours, or they may opt to squander their entire life savings in Las Vegas. This is all their choice and not to be interfered with or questioned by anyone if they prefer not to be bothered or counseled. It’s called freedom of choice.

The same principle goes for eating. A person can choose to eat healthily, or they can choose Mc donald’s burgers and fries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The sure results of their choices will be made manifest in various ways, but under no circumstances can they be legally compelled to eat veggies. It’s called freedom of choice.

However, there is a disturbing pattern of intrusion into our God- given freedoms, of which we should all be cognizant, for they are but faint omens of what will transpire on the earth in the very near future. And so to get a better understanding of the issues involved we turn our attention to an incident which took place thousands of years ago in the ancient city of Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar was given a dream by God informing him of the rise and fall of kingdoms, including his own, with the intent that he would then order his steps in harmony with what was thus revealed. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible.

2:32 This image's head [was] of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,

2:33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.

2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.

2:37 Thou, O king, [art] a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou [art] this head of gold.

2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.

2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.

2:42 And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream [is] certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

However, after his initial response of thanksgiving, for the revelation of the dream and its meaning, Nebuchadnezzar begun to mull the whole thing over in his mind, together with the obvious implications, and what he deduced was not in harmony with his desires or expectations.

He correctly reasoned that if he were the head of gold, and a body is comprised of several different parts, then it means that his kingdom would one day be threatened by an inferior kingdom, and this very thought wounded his kingly pride. Furthermore, according to the dream and its interpretation, the God of Heaven is one day going to bring all earthly kingdoms to an abrupt halt and will subsequently order and establish His own kingdom of righteousness.

This thought did not bode well with the king and he therefore set about to immediately reverse and annul the dream and its interpretation, by making an enormous statue of pure gold, thereby symbolizing that the kingdom of Babylon should stand forever. Let’s read:

3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

We cannot help but observe the numerical dimensions of the statue as pertains to its height and width, and also the location in which it was set up. The number “6” seems to somehow, and for some unknown reason, have played a pivotal role in the construction of this image. If it sounds familiar, it’s because the Bible clearly states that history repeats itself. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 1:9 The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.

1:10 Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

However, after the dedication rites and ceremonies had begun, it was observed that in that vast assembly, three Hebrews were standing tall whilst everyone else was doing obeisance to the image. This utter disregard of the kings orders obviously caught the attention of the hierarchy of Babylon, and the three Hebrews were consequently called in for questioning by king Nebuchadnezzar himself. At the hearing it was made known to the king that they had no intentions of ever bowing to any graven image, and their decision so angered the king that he commanded them to be thrown into a fiery furnace that was heated seven times hotter than usual so that the three Jews could be roasted alive.

What happened next constitutes the first of several major issues that we must of necessity address today, for as stated before, history is going to repeat itself, and if we do not understand the nature of the beast we’re dealing with, we would be ill-prepared for the climactic events soon to be unfurled across the entire globe.

Issue # (1) The freedom of religion and freedom of worship. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, [Is it] true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?

3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; [well]: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who [is] that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

Here in these two verses we see king Nebuchadnezzar trying to force his form of worship and his form of religion upon others, a practice that is absolutely unscriptural by any stretch of the imagination. God has given no such authority to any mortal man, to force their ideas of worship and religion on any person.

It is the will of God that all people everywhere should believe on Jesus Christ and thus become Christians, but he does not force anyone to accept Christ as Lord and Savior. He gives to all the freedom to accept or to reject Jesus, to obey or to disobey, to do good or to do evil, and this fundamental freedom must not be trampled upon by anyone for any reason.

This sacred truth about man’s freedom of choice is highlighted in the following passages of scripture. Let’s read:

1st Samuel 8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

Here again is the same principle on display. Let’s read:

Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,

9:52 And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.

9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw [this], they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save [them]. And they went to another village.

In other words, to put the principle in a modern context, Christians are not to coerce Muslims into becoming Christians, and Muslims like-wise should not endeavor to force Christians to accept Islam. Christians should not force their views on atheists and secularists, and atheists in turn should not force their beliefs or lack thereof on Christians. God has granted to each group the freedom to choose who, what, and how they worship and thus, the many religions of the world are to respect each other’s creeds, and should be contented to live and let live. In other words, everyone is completely free to worship and believe according to the dictates of their own conscience. The results of our choices, whether good or bad are written in the Bible for our information and consideration, but the choice is ours.

Issue # (2) The use of force for religious purposes.

Any attempt to use force for the implementation of religious dogmas, will incur the displeasure of God, and history has often shown that it’s at this point that God makes a decided intrusion into the affairs of men. Let’s read:

Daniel 3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

God has often intervened when force is used for religious purposes in the persecution of His people. He sometimes permits individuals and nations to rack up sins and iniquities to an alarming level that cries out for justice, but when the enemies of righteousness try to force His people to violate their conscience and His laws, He sometimes says thus far and no further. Let’s read again:

6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit [was] in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he [was] faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.

6:5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find [it] against him concerning the law of his God.

6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

Thus far the plot against Daniel was permitted to go through, but this was only to achieve a certain end. Let’s read:

6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

6:13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which [is] of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast [him] into the den of lions. [Now] the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: [and] the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

6:23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast [them] into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

Issue # (3) Freedom of speech.

Daniel 3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

This decree was made in response to the special interference from heaven, where Christ came down in person to defend His faithful followers, and so it was obviously done with the best of intentions. However, good intentions do not form a correct basis for the inhibition of free speech, especially as it pertains to religions and creeds. Christ is not presented in the scriptures as a bully, who compels the conscience of men against their own will. In Revelation chapter 3 He is shown to be standing at the door of each human heart, asking for admittance to do His good work of restoration. Let’s read:

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Again, the methods God employs in the salvation of His earth-born children is displayed in His gracious overtures to reach us through his loving-kindness. Let’s read:

Exodus 19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel;

19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and [how] I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.

19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine

These and many like overtures are quite unlike the methods used by satan and satanic agencies who through the use of deception, fraud, and brute force, push down the door of our hearts and take up residence as squatters in the domain of our minds. Freedom of speech as it pertains to religion must therefore not be prohibited merely on the grounds of preference. Nebuchadnezzar’s motives in this instance were right, but his methods were completely wrong, and totally unacceptable to God.

So let’s recap the three major issues we have investigated today as pertaining to our freedom of choice: [1] Freedom of religion and freedom to worship. [2] The use of force for implementing religious decrees. [3] The freedom of speech.

The freedom of religion, the freedom to worship God according to the dictates of one’s own conscience, and the freedom of speech are all guaranteed in the constitution of the united states of America, and highlights the genius of its composition. These freedoms are what sets the great land of America apart from dictatorships and countries where a person’s freedom of choice is stifled by governments that force their own concepts of religion on the populace. However, when the constitution of the United States begins to be manipulated for the purposes of enforcing one form of religion, the greatness of which we are so proud will rapidly disintegrate into nothingness, and as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar and the three Hebrews, God will intervene in a marked manner for the deliverance of His people.

To this time we are now hastening, and thus it is incumbent upon religious leaders and politicians to safeguard our freedoms so that everyone can choose to worship or refuse any religion according to our individual choices.

The Bible gives a very stern warning, that any efforts to enforce a false day of rest will meet with very severe retribution that will annihilate the entire planet. This will occur whether we believe it or not, so let’s read the following four prophecies while we can, in a friendly, and peaceful environment. Let’s read:

Prophecy # 1: Revelation 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.

Prophecy #2: Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.

12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Prophecy #3: Isaiah24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word.

24:4 The earth mourneth [and] fadeth away, the world languisheth [and] fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Prophecy #4: Revelation 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.

16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

For those who might not be aware of what the Bible is speaking about, the following current facts should give us a clue. The following countries have active Sunday laws on their books, banning shopping in favor of Sunday sacredness as the official day of rest, better known as the “Christian Sabbath”.

Belgium, Croatia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, South Africa, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Tasmania, New Zealand, Victoria, and New South Wales amongst others. And right here in the united states we have several states which currently ban the sale of liquor on Sunday, because it is thought to be the Christian Sabbath. Here they are:

Alabama, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklhoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.

However, the Bible explicitly states that the first day of the week is a regular working day, and thus, any efforts to enforce its observance as a holy day will constitute an infringement on religious freedom, freedom to worship, and freedom of speech, just like Nebuchadnezzar assayed to do. That’s why God gave Him the dream with its correct interpretation so that all may know what will shortly come to pass on the earth. Let’s read:

Daniel 2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness [was] excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof [was] terrible.

2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet [that were] of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.

We are now living in the very toe nails of this image, and the various disturbances, uprisings, and violence in many countries, together with the wanton murders of school children that are becoming more and more frequent, are but symptoms of a much larger problem that will soon make itself manifest across the entire globe.

It is therefore very important that every intelligent man and woman, boy and girl, examine carefully the prophecies written in God’s word pertaining to these momentous issues, and hopefully make their decision for Christ and His righteousness. We therefore end with a passage of scripture that should encourage us to do just that. Let’s read:

1st Thessalonians 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.

Let us not put off for another day, that which we need to do today, for the time is at hand. God bless!

Can The Dead Speak To Us? Sabbath Afternoon. 04/05/2014

April 05, 2014

Many people believe that the spirits of loved ones continue to live on after death. Others believe in the natural immortality of the human soul, while others believe that we either go to heaven or hell at death, and there are others who believe in the doctrine of purgatory where a person at death goes through a transitory cleansing phase before being admitted into heaven.

There are also those who believe in re-incarnation, in which a dead person undergoes a metamorphosis of sorts, and comes back to life in a completely different form. All of these various beliefs are based on the same fundamental theory that a person continues to live on after death.

Even amongst many Christians and evangelicals, this belief has taken deep root in so much that it is now considered anathema to even suggest anything to the contrary in many religious circles.

Many Christians often cite various scriptures in support of their belief, and prominent among those references is the parable of Abraham and Lazarus.

In this particular parable, a rich man who fared well in this life did not share his bounties with a beggar named Lazarus, who sat at the gates of the wealthy man asking for alms.

However, in the process of time, both of them died, and as the parable goes, the rich man went to hell while, while Lazarus was transported by angels to heaven. And so the rich man lifted up his eyes in hell and saw Lazarus in heaven, in the bosom of Abraham, and then after recognizing him, a conversation apparently ensued, in which questions and answers were exchanged between the wealthy man and Abraham. Let’s read:

Luke 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.

16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

This passage of scripture has often been used to certify the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul. However, before we proceed there are certain truths we should seek to understand before we try to interpret this parable, lest an incorrect exegesis of the passage in question inevitably be the result.

First of all, we should understand what a parable really is. A parable is an allegorical story, used to illustrate an important spiritual truth or truths, and therefore, by its very nature, cannot be interpreted literally. Let’s take for example, the parable of the sower. In this parable a farmer goes forth to sow his seed, and some of the seed apparently fell on different types of soil, with widely differing results.

Let’s read:

Matthew 13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

13:4 And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

13:5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

13:6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

No farmer in his right mind will ever cast precious grain on stony soil, or among thorns, for all intelligent agriculturalists will first diligently prepare their soil before sowing their grain, and therefore, the parable cannot be taken literally. Furthermore, Jesus gave the correct interpretation to the story so that none need be misled as to its true meaning. Let’s read:

Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth [it] not, then cometh the wicked [one], and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Christ tells us plainly in this verse that the “seed” represents the Gospel, which is “the word of the kingdom”, and the birds of prey represent the devil and his evil angels. The soil represents a certain type of person to which the gospel is preached, and therefore the parable had absolutely nothing to do with literal seeds, literal soils, literal farmers, nor literal birds. It was all an allegorical story, used to portray an important truth, and therefore must not be pressed to a literal meaning, lest violence be done to what Christ originally intended.

The same principle of interpretation must of necessity be applied to the parable of the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham. The Bible never contradicts itself, and so the methods of interpretation used for any parables should not create conflict or any inconsistencies with that which God has already made very plain in several other passages of scripture.

For instance, the Bible tells us explicitly that when a person dies they remain in their grave until God resurrects them at Christ’s coming. With the exception of those who the Bible specifically states were resurrected by Christ on a few occasions, all human beings remain in the tomb awaiting the last trump. This is what the Bible says and this is what it means. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.

Furthermore, the Bible makes several specific statements on the state of the dead so that no honest seeker for truth need be misled. Let’s examine a few of them.

[1] The dead cannot speak. Absolutely no dead person has ever spoken and never ever will, this according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Psalms 88:10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise [and] praise thee?

Psalms 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

[2] There is no such thing as purgatory. When a person dies that event closes their probation permanently with absolutely no second chances, this according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Psalms 88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? [or] thy faithfulness in destruction?

88:12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

[3] The dead never ever “return” to converse with, give advice, or sympathize with any of their living relatives, friends, or co-workers. This has never ever occurred and will never ever be. Any apparitions or semblances of departed relatives seen at séances or at other places, are none other than evil angels who without doubt have the ability to produce such representations. Let’s read:

Job 7:9 [As] the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no [more].

7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

[4] The dead do not possess any intelligence, knowledge, or emotions, neither do they have the ability to make decisions or predictions. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 9:5 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.

9:6 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.

[5] Both the wicked and the righteous dead remain in their tombs until the Son of God resurrects them. Let’s read:

Acts 2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,

2:35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool.

Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,

27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

This special resurrection was predicted hundreds of years before so that the diligent student of the scripture could expect this special event. Let’s read:

Isaiah 26:19 Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

[6] There is absolutely no such thing as an immortal soul. Eternal life is a gift from God to be distributed to the obedient and faithful when Jesus comes. A “soul”, whatever that is, can die, and they often do according to the scriptures. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

[6] A “soul” is not a distinct, separate, and intelligent entity that can exist apart from the body.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

And when man dies the breath of life goes back to God who gave it. It is the same breath that an animal has for there is no difference. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

That word “spirit” that is used in this and several other passages of scripture, is the Hebrew word “RUACH” which never ever pertains to an intelligent entity that can exist separately from the physical body. This word that is often used in the Hebrew to represent wind or breath, is the same word used to describe the breath of all living animals, according to the Bible. Let’s read:

Ecclesiastes 3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all [is] vanity.

3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

A cat does not have nine lives; that’s a doctrine of devils. Your cat has only one life to live and after that, Petsmart.

It is therefore obvious, that in the parable of the rich man, Lazarus, and Abraham, the Lord is definitely not teaching that life goes on after death for He made plain, the teachings of the Bible on this very point when He raised “Lazarus back to life. Let’s read:

John 11:38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been [dead] four days.

11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

11:41 Then they took away the stone [from the place] where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up [his] eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said [it], that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

If Lazarus’ soul was somewhere up in heaven, Jesus would have said “Lazarus come down”, but because his entire person was there buried, He said “Lazarus come forth”.

The conclusion that so may have erroneously drawn about life after death, cannot be substantiated by the scriptures. This doctrine has not only been obviously repudiated by the preceding scriptures, but it is also debunked by proven scientific laws.

In the parable of Lazarus and Abraham we observed that an extensive conversation was being carried on between the rich man and Abraham, the wealthy man being in hell and Abraham and Lazarus being in heaven. The very science of this parable tells us with certainty that it cannot be interpreted literally.

For instance if the conversation between the rich man and Abraham were to be taken literally, it would undoubtedly bring into question the proven science we know about the speed of sound.

Sound travels at approximately 1268 ft per second, with variables of temperature and air density etc. At 212 degrees Fahrenheit, this will work out to be 14.613 miles per minute or 876.78 miles per hour. Man has travelled to the moon on several different occasions and not a single astronaut has ever reported seeing either God or Abraham. The reason for this is because heaven where God dwells is obviously not within the reach of mortal man with the current modes of transportation that now exist.

So let’s just say for reasoning sake that heaven is located on the moon. If Abraham were just to say “Good morning” to the rich man, then using current scientific laws about sound, it would take approximately 11.353 days for the rich man to hear those two words, by which time his two ears would most likely be completely burnt off, given the fervent heat that is associated with a burning hell.

But let’s assume that he were, by some miraculous means, able to hear those two words, it would then take another 11 days for Abraham to receive a response, making it virtually impossible to carry on any meaningful conversation. Furthermore, using our current knowledge and science of combustion, it will be impossible for Lazarus to think in the blazing heat of hell, since according to the current processes of cremation, human bones, which include the skull are incinerated at approximately 1500 to 1900 degrees fahrenheit, a temperature that would be the equivalent of air conditioning when compared with the fire and brimstone that totally obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah, a faint shadow of the real hell that will be in the future. This according to the Bible. Let’s read:

3:11 [Seeing] then [that] all these things shall be dissolved, what manner [of persons] ought ye to be in [all] holy conversation and godliness,

3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus was therefore given to highlight certain truths:

[1] That there are results and consequences to our choices and actions while living on this earth. Those who have done well, by accepting Christ and the principles of His kingdom, will be taken to heaven when Jesus comes again. On the contrary, those who persist in doing evil will be destroyed in the fires of hell. Let’s read:

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

[2] That there is no such thing as purgatory or a second probationary period. When a person dies, that event brings to a permanent halt, the period in which a person has to decide for life or death. That’s why when the rich man in the allegory pleaded with Abraham for mercy, none was given him because his probation was already closed. Let’s read:

Luke 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

[3] That in this life alone we have the opportunity to make our choices either for good or for evil. The rich man recognized this truth, that’s why he asked in the parable, that a warning be sent to his relatives so that they would not make the same fatal mistake he had made. Let’s read:

Luke 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

And now friends, the time has fully come for the Bible to disclose the real source of the false doctrine of life after death. It proceeds directly from satan, the father of lies, and has sadly been adopted by billions of earth’s inhabitants although there is a preponderance of scriptural and scientific evidence to the contrary. Let’s read:

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which [is] in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

This is one of the cherished idols in our day that must be ratted out, for it consequently causes millions of sincere people to place their hopes and trust in a teaching that has no scriptural authority or endorsements whatsoever, and thus it sets up the multitudes for the greatest disappointment, when many will find out too late, that there was never ever any such thing as natural immortality.

With the scriptural evidences before our faces, the Lord is asking us to dial a certain number, namely 1800- ADMIT IT. It is high time that we admit that we were in the wrong all these years whilst we believed this soul-destroying doctrine.

He is asking us to admit that indeed we are to be held accountable for the deeds done in the body, and that based on this sacred and sobering truth, that we admit Jesus into our lives today so that immortality may be bestowed upon us when Christ comes again.

We will therefore end with a promise to all who by faith, accept the teachings of God’s word and appropriate them into our belief systems, interfacing truth with our daily experiences. Let’s read:

Job 19:25 For I know [that] my redeemer liveth, and [that] he shall stand at the latter [day] upon the earth:

19:26 And [though] after my skin [worms] destroy this [body], yet in my flesh shall I see God:

19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; [though] my reins be consumed within me.

May God add his blessing to the study and acceptance of His every word. God bless! End.

Miracles, The True And The False. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/22/2014

March 22, 2014

Miracles are described as being supernatural events that cannot be explained using known scientific laws, and thus they have been generally attributed to the omnipotent power of God. These extra-ordinary events have indeed been around since the beginning of time, and as a matter of fact, the earth and all of its productions including man, came into existence through the mighty miracles performed by God. Let’s read:

Psalms 33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 33:9 For he spake, and it was [done]; he commanded, and it stood fast.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

It was because of these mega supernatural events brought about by the power of God, in full view of all intelligent created beings, that caused the sons of God to shout for joy. They bursted forth with rapturous praise as they beheld with animated wonder the earth with its productions being called into existence out of thin air. These major events are what the Lord was calling Job’s attention to, when He was addressing his plight in the context of the bigger picture. Let’s read:

Job 38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 38:3 Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me. 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 38:6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

And so it is that miracles have always formed an integral part of our relationship with God. That’s why when Jesus Christ walked this earth, He continued to do what He had been doing all along before His incarnation. In other words He simply took up from where He had previously left off. Let’s read:

John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea] of Tiberias.

6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased. 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

However, a common mistake that is made regarding miracles is the erroneous assumption that because they are supernatural events, then they must of necessity proceed from God. Nothing can be further from the truth, for the Bible explicitly states that evil angels can and do work miracles on a regular basis within the sphere of the human experience.

And it was because of our foregone conclusion about all miracles being from God that the Lord draws aside the curtain to reveal what really takes place behind the scenes. Let’s read:

Exodus 7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

At the sight of this first miracle Pharaoh began to laugh, for as far as he knew, his own magicians were turning rods into serpents for quite a while. He therefore called them in to belittle Moses and Aaron, but he was in for a surprise, for there are inferior and superior miracles, depending on who is behind them. Let’s read:

Exodus 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Pharaoh’s magicians were not operating under the power of God, and we know this for sure because of his own testimony. Let’s read:

Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

The magicians were therefore operating under the power of satan and his evil angels, the only other source of supernatural miracles in the universe. Hence the reason why God commanded His people not to have anything to do with magic, witchcraft, fortune tellers, psychics, astrology, transcendental meditation, voodoo, Santeria, obeah, and all of the other dark arts that emanate directly from satan, for they are all abominations in the sight of God. That’s what the Bible teaches. Let’s read:

Exodus 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

Deuteronomy 18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 18:10 There shall not be found among you [any one] that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, [or] that useth divination, [or] an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 18:12 For all that do these things [are] an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. 18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so [to do].

Deuteronomy 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold [that is] on them, nor take [it] unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it [is] an abomination to the LORD thy God. 7:26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: [but] thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it [is] a cursed thing.

These “abominations” also include talismans, mounted bracelets, genie’s, “holy water”, horoscopes, duppies, Ouija boards, puffer fish powder, Liam Mawl, and basilique products, and the numerous and varied “good luck charms”

that are worn or kept in strategic places. Christians do not deal with “good luck”, we deal with blessings.

In our day we should be very careful of what we accept as miracles coming from God, for the enemy of souls is not manifesting himself as an angel of darkness, but rather as an angel of light. That particular line of reasoning that attributes all supernatural miracles to God will ultimately play a role in preparing the inhabitants of earth for the great deception soon to be unfurled by the prince of darkness. Let’s take a moment to observe:

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Now while it is true that the miracles of Christ testified to His divinity, we should be very careful not to use miracles of healing and other mysterious phenomenon as an endorsement from God that the miracle or the agent was from God. This is what Christ particularly warns us of, over and over again in the scriptures. Miracles do not prove anything as it pertains to the truth. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 24:25 Behold, I have told you before. 24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, [he is] in the secret chambers; believe [it] not.

Revelation 13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Of particular interest however is the case of Simon Magus, who gained fame and renown in the city of Samaria for the miracles he performed for the people. The power that was behind his wonders was the power of satan, yet every person in that city attributed his miracles to God.

A person such as Simon Magus could not have risen to fame and fortune if his miracles were mere impostures. He gained the respect of all the people, from those in the higher echelons of society down to the humble worker at Mc-donalds, because he delivered the “goods” when called upon to do so.

And as a result he was respected by magistrates, by scholars, by theologians, scientists, by school teachers, by atheists, by doctors, by politicians, by fathers, mothers and children alike. All roads led to Simon’s house whenever miracles were needed. What is worthy of note here is that satan’s name was never even mentioned as being the source, when it was he himself working behind the scenes. As a matter of fact, if anyone dared to call Simon’s work satanic they could have very well been executed, for as far as everyone in that city was concerned, Simon was a God-faring man. Let’s read:

Acts 8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 8:10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 8:11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. 8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. 8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity.

Right here on this point we must of necessity hit the pause button to reflect for a while. Let’s observe carefully that Simon offered money in exchange for the Holy Ghost. This is a critically important point for us living in the 21st century, for very many miracle healings are closely connected with money. Here then is a red flag for all who desire to know the true from the false. Whenever miracles and money converge you have false prophets. Let’s repeat: whenever miracles and money converge, there you have false prophets. Here’s why, for the Bible always explains itself. Let’s read:

Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into [any] city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10:10 Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

This description of the humble ministry of the disciples of Christ stands in marked contrast to the wealth and extravagance so often associated with today’s famous faith healers. This undeniable contradiction then begs the question, could it be that Simon Magus is still alive in the person of false prophets and faith healers, parading as the ministers of righteousness? Many people profess not to know the difference between true and false miracles, but God is now disclosing to us the counterfeit works of darkness so that no one need be deceived. Let’s read:

2nd kings 5:8 And it was [so], when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. 5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. 5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. 5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that [there is] no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

5:16 But he said, [As] the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take [it]; but he refused. 5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, [as] the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. 5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw [him] running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, [Is] all well? 5:22 And he said, All [is] well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. 5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid [them] upon two of his servants; and they bare [them] before him.

5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence [comest thou], Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.

5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart [with thee], when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? [Is it] a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? 5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow.

It is worthy of note that satan tried in vain to link the extravagance and luxuries of this world with the miraculous ministry of Christ, in one of the temptations in the wilderness. Had the devil been successful then, a precedent would have been set for the opulence and glitter we currently see in the various mega-ministries and faith healers of today.

But Jesus steadfastly refused to link the kingdoms of this world and the glory of them with His ministry for the people, lest the multitudes draw the wrong conclusion, that the kingdom of God is built on show and self-aggrandizement.

The prosperity “gospel” that is so ardently sought after by millions of Christians, and peddled by many professed televangelists will one day subject it’s adherents to the direct miracle-working power of demons, from whose power many will find no way of escape. That’s why the Lord is appealing to His people who are now sitting in darkness under the withering influence of these wanna-be prophets and healers, to run for their lives before the plagues are poured out without mercy. Let’s read:

This stern warning against the modern-day false prophets and so-called miracle healers was echoed in words of solemn pathos by the true prophets of God in ages past. We all would do well to also take heed for the counsels of God pertain to all generations.

Wherever money, miracles and materialism are the all-absorbing themes, to the neglect of truth, humility, and genuine conversion, there we may be certain that God’s power is not being displayed, but is rather the power of satan masquerading as an angel of light.

That’s why the sacred words of instruction are coming down to us in the last generation, that our eyes may be anointed with eye-salve for us to see clearly. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Micah 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Jeremiah 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

God is now calling all of earth’s inhabitants to urgent repentance. Those Christians who may have been genuinely misled into trusting solely in miracles, instead of living by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, can now find refuge in Christ if they are willing confess and forsake sin.

Even those ministers who may have deliberately or inadvertently taught the multitudes to lightly regard God’s law and to trust in miracles, can now find pardon, for God is merciful and takes no pleasure in the demise or failure of anyone. We therefore end with a text and a promise sent to us by God, that we all may be encouraged to make the necessary changes where applicable. Let’s read:

Jeremiah 3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.

3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 3:15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

May God add His blessing to the reading and doing of His every word. God Bless!

Agencies Of Evil Spirits. Sabbath Afternoon. 03/15/2014

March 15, 2014

Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, [and] consider thee, [saying, Is] this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; 14:17 [That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; [that] opened not the house of his prisoners?

There is a tendency in our modern world to refer to the devil and evil spirits as just imaginary, fictitious

Characters, existing only in the realms of evil propensities and thoughts of man’s mind. Modern science largely rejects the teachings of the Bible which state implicitly that the devil and his angels are intelligent fallen beings who once inhabited heaven, but were evicted because of cherished sin.

The devil is pleased to have himself portrayed as a detestable looking creature with a pitchfork who can be dismissed on the grounds of inferior intellect or just relegated to evil manifestations of sinful human nature. By these common and popular representations, he is then able to intrude himself directly into the thoughts and actions of those who otherwise consider themselves intelligent and in full control of their lives.

This past week a brief presentation was made pertaining to the activities and purposes of the evil one, but today we will not only recap some of the focal points from that presentation, but we will also greatly expand on the ramifications of what the Bible teaches about the past, present, and future activities of satan.

To begin with, the Bible states that satan is an extremely good-looking and glorious being, unlike anything modern man has ever seen. This fact stands in very stark contrast to the various hideous imageries depicting the enemy of God and man. Let’s read:

Ezekiel 28:11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 28:12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty. 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 28:14 Thou [art] the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee [so]: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 28:15 Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Here in this passage of scripture, the Bible is describing not a hideous monster with bat’s ears and a pitchfork, but an intelligent angel robed in glory, who once stood in the very presence of God. The king of Tyrus was just doing the bidding of this fallen angel, that’s why the scriptures refer in this instance to satan as the king of Tyrus, for under close examination it is found that the literal king of Tyrus could never have been in Eden, neither was he a Cherub, but rather a mere mortal man. And so the scripture must of necessity be referring to satan, who was in the garden of Eden to tempt Adam and Eve, and who also is a Cherubim, one of the highest orders of angels.

Another point we need to understand fully is the fact that the devil can, and often makes direct intrusions into human experiences even though these instances are largely explained away using logical scientific reasoning. Take for instance the experience of Job and his family with all of their earthly possessions. We read in the scriptures that there was a day when the sons of God assembled for a meeting with the Most High, and satan also came as a representative of planet earth after having stolen the supervisory role from Adam. Let’s read:

Job1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. 1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

This accusation made in the presence of the intelligent representatives of the many worlds God has created, suggested that God was somehow bribing Job to serve Him, which to any intelligent mind would raise some very serious questions about God’s character. If God has to bribe someone to serve Him, then it suggests that there is something intrinsically wrong, or unlovable about God, thus necessitating the use of monetary and other temporal incentives in order to extract service from His creatures.

Such a serious allegation must therefore be signally addressed, in order that the inherent goodness and perfection of God’s Character may be established on unbiased grounds. That’s why the Lord said “ok”,

Let’s put it to the test. Let’s see what Job would do if all of the temporal blessings of God were removed.

What followed next represents a deadly assault by satan in which he directly intrudes himself into the literal human experience to cause massive destruction on an unprecedented scale. Let’s read:

Job 1:13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 1:14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

1:15 And the Sabeans fell [upon them], and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 1:16 While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 1:17 While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. 1:18 While he [was] yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters [were] eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

1:19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

That “whirlwind” that came from the wilderness was a tornado that came as a direct result of the power of satan being exercised in the atmosphere, as the Bible plainly teaches. Let’s read:

Ephesians 2:1 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins: 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

But let’s rewind a bit before we proceed, for it is important for us to place this particular experience of Job in modern shoes.

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, I am Wolf Blitzer of CNN with a breaking story that has just been reported by the associated press. A family of nine were having a birthday party at their house when suddenly, without warning a deadly tornado ripped through their backyard, killing all nine persons instantly.

The local weather service did not report any clouds or precipitation in the area, nor did the weather channel detect any convection on their radar. The only known cause according to our research must be “global warming”, however we will report any additional information as the investigation into the cause continues.

Now folks, according to the Bible, it was not global warming, nor was it a polar vortex, nor was it a ridge of high pressure, but rather a direct foray into the human experience by a powerful, intelligent entity better known as satan. This sacred, historical fact then raises the question of whether or not intrusions like these are still being made without us being cognizant of what’s really taking place.

This past week a Malaysian jet with two hundred and thirty-nine people on board, seemed to vanish into thin air without a trace. Now while it’s important for us to note here that we do not believe in any conspiracy theories and, that the jetliner may very well be found, we must at the same time consider, based on what we have just read in the scriptures, whether or not a known person or object can vanish without a trace, without any logical, scientific explanation as we know it.

Could it be that there are invisible, intelligent forces of good and evil, operating within the sphere of human existence, of which the scientific world as we know it is totally oblivious? For instance, every year, right here in America, approximately 40,000 children go missing. Some have been kidnapped for child prostitution and some have been found by various law enforcement agencies, but very many vanish without a trace, and are never ever found.

Could it be that satanic agencies are in operation behind the scenes, and that because of a lack of belief in the Bible, we are not taking into consideration his nefarious work in modern society. Let’s consider for a while the following text and its implications in our modern world. Let’s read:

Isaiah 49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? 49:25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

Who is the “mighty” that the Lord is here referring to and what does the word “contend” mean?

As always, we turn to the Bible for answers, for the word of God does contain the answers to very many of life’s perplexing questions. To begin with, the Bible does teach that there is something such as “vanishing without a trace”, as far as the mortal eye is concerned. Let’s read:

Acts 8:36 And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

Luke 4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,

4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 4:31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.

Luke 24:15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed [together] and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications [are] these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. 24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed [it], and brake, and gave to them.

24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

That’s why we keep saying that soon there will be supernatural manifestations across the globe, for which there will be no known scientific explanations. The tendency to try and explain every occurrence on strictly scientific grounds will one day place us in a very gullible position when the miracle working power of satanic agencies are displayed.

The next point that is worthy of our consideration as it pertains to the issue of satanic agencies, is that the devil is an expert in quoting scripture, and is a much more diligent student of the scriptures than many who attend the various theological institutions across the land. This fact was displayed when he attempted to overthrow Christ in the wilderness of temptation. Let’s read:

Matthew 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

This quotation was taken from the book of psalms, but he cunningly left out the important words “to keep thee in all thy ways”. Therefore it becomes very obvious that while the devil tempts us to spend our time with games and T.V shows, and fashions, and making money, he himself is studying the Bible intently that he may know what is to take place in the very near future. As a matter of fact, it is through a study of the scriptures that he knows for sure that his time is short. Let’s read:

Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Matthew 8:28 And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?

Not only is the devil and ardent student of the Bible, but the scriptures make a startling revelation that he also has ministers, who are human beings. Now this fact, if nothing else, should put everyone on high alert to be able to distinguish the true from the false, for many of them are already deeply embedded in modern Christianity. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 11:13 For such [are] false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The question is asked, why is this information so necessary to our temporal and eternal security? The answer to this question lies in the final important point to be made this afternoon before we move on with the Bible study. The devil, together with millions of evil angels are scheduled to make public appearances across the globe in the not too distant future, beginning with Heads of states, and then with the ordinary people.

A series of very graphic warnings have been issued in the scriptures against this deceptive phenomena, so that all who will might find shelter in Jesus Christ before it is too late. Let’s study carefully, for the prophecies will certainly come to pass. Let’s read:

Matthew 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not. 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

The following is a rule that must never be forgotten. If anyone has to hear of Christ’s second coming on Fox news or CNN, then it is definitely not Jesus. The Bible is particularly clear on this point. Let’s read:

Revelation 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they [also] which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Isaiah 40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].

Although this particular prophecy had a partial fulfillment during the incarnation of Christ, yet the fact of the matter is that “All flesh” did not see it “Together” at the same time, and therefore this prophecy will have a greater worldwide fulfillment when Jesus comes the second time.

But going back to the prophecies pointing to the scheduled appearances of the devil we read:

2nd Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 2:9 [Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

It is therefore of critical importance for us to recognize the agenda that will be presented under the auspices of satan and his agents. We are not going to see any hideous monster, but rather a glorious, beautiful being, who will seem, for all intents and purposes, to be promoting the good and welfare of the citizens of earth. This information comes directly from the Bible. Let’s read:

2nd Corinthians 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 11:15 Therefore [it is] no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

The agenda will first be taken to all the leaders of the world to cause them to unite behind what will be touted as the good of society under the banners of love and mercy. Let’s read:

Efforts are even now being made to unite all Christians and non-Christians under the banner of “love” and good deeds, without a serious reformation and change of heart on the part of those who are living contrary to God’s commandments.

That’s why we need to be very careful of the interpretation of that word “love”, for true love, according to the Bible, always manifests itself in loving and willing obedience to all of God’s commandments, including the fourth. That’s why the Bible makes clear that any person desiring the gift of immortality from God will first need to be cleansed from all unrighteousness. Let’s read:

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1st Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

We need to be very careful of the pseudo Christianity that has begun to surface recently, which offers eternal life to those who cling to sin. All of us have sinned and are in need of pardon, and God is still willing and able to restore and retrieve any person from the shackles of any sin, but we cannot presume to change the parameters by which His grace and forgiveness is displayed. That’s why the prophet John writes in the affirmative:

1st John 1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The next item on the devil’s agenda will be to enforce a mandatory, universal day of rest, as being “good” for the working classes, as a means of getting away from the secular and transient pursuits of life, and focusing more on the spiritual and on family. This final departure from the law of God will drive the last nail in the coffin, opening up our vulnerabilities to destruction on an unprecedented scale.

In order for satanic agencies to spread desolation everywhere, they will first have to get the human race into a position of open rebellion against Heaven, then when men have forced God out of the picture, the world is left to the mercy of the evil one, who has no clue what the word mercy means. Let’s read:

Isaiah 24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

It was because some of the Jews of old were farming swine for food consumption, contrary to the laws of the Bible, that the devil was then able to exercise his destructive over their livestock. The same protocol is also applied when individuals and nations knowingly violate the law of God by setting up a system of worship contrary to the Bible.

In doing so we eliminate God’s protection from the equation and the result will be widespread destruction in various places. Let’s read:

8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. 8:32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. 8:33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

It therefore behooves every sincere, intelligent individual to reason from cause to effect, and to make the wise decision to at least investigate the scriptures pertaining to these things, and hopefully surrender ourselves totally to God so that the good work of sanctification may begin and be completed in our hearts, before these things come to pass.

We therefore end with a direct appeal from the Eternal God to every member of the human Family, inviting us to find shelter and grace in Christ while we have opportunity to do so. Let’s read:

Revelation 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

May God add His blessing to the study and doing of His word. God bless!

God’s law and man’s law -The Similarities And Differences. Sabbath Afternoon. 02/08/2014

March 08, 2014

Psalms 119:142 Thy righteousness [is] an everlasting righteousness, and thy law [is] the truth.

No government can exist without law because the laws of the land are what guarantee and protect our freedoms. Laws are generally meant for the benefit of the citizens who live within the domain of any particular country, and therefore the people who fall under the jurisdiction of that country are expected to abide by the statutes that pertain to the land in which they dwell.

For instance, right here in America we have many laws that protect personal property, with penalties attached for the violations thereof. Without these and other laws our personal freedoms and rights can be violated with impunity by any and everyone, with no recourse of action available to those whose rights were infringed upon.

The same concept applies to the law of God, but on a much grander scale, because His law governs not only our little world but also the entire universe. The law of Ten commandments are not given from a prohibitory perspective, but were rather drafted for the eternal good of all the inhabitants of the entire universe.

We humans are not the only inhabitants of the vast universe, and therefore if we intend to exist alongside the other “citizens”, we will inevitably have to learn to abide by the laws which govern all of the various inhabited planets. Let’s read:

1st Corinthians 15:40 [There are] also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial [is] one, and the [glory] of the terrestrial [is] another.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Psalms 104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: etc.

That’s why we stated previously that the law of ten commandments which govern our planet, also governs the entire universe. For instance, the eighth commandment that states “Thou shalt not steal” is not only for planet earth, but for the other planets that are supervised by the other “Sons”of God. And so let’s observe for ourselves the purpose of the law of God. Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong [thy] days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

In our day, the questioning and the discussion of repudiating God’s law in various ways has become more and more widespread. However, the same attitude is not evenly applied when dealing with instructions which come from the manufacturers of certain inventions.

Take for instance the legendary Ford F 150. The stipulated coolant to be used for replacement is Zerex G 05. The millions of people who own Ford F 150s never show up at the Ceo’s office to query why this specific coolant was recommended. They just humbly go to Advance Auto Parts, purchase the recommended coolant and put it in.

The reason for them not asking any questions, is because they believe that Ford motor company knows what is best for the engines they manufactured.

How is it that when the Heavenly Manufacturer gives us instructions in the owner’s manual, The Bible, that we query, and quibble and doubt that the instructions were given for our best good? Take for instance a couple stipulations pertaining to food.

Let’s read:

Deuteronomy 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood [is] the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh. 12:24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water. 12:25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do [that which is] right in the sight of the LORD.

Leviticus 11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he [is] unclean to you. 11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they [are] unclean to you.

It is evident that there is an absolute disconnect between our attitudes towards man’s laws and instructions, and God’s laws and instructions.

After the fall of man, the law of God which was originally ordained for life, now became the official

diagnostic tool used in the detection and diagnosis of sin, very much like how the magnetic resonance imaging machine is used.

Now it is of critical importance for us to understand that proper diagnosis is an integral part and critical first step in the administration of any medicines. No doctor in his right mind will administer medicine without first making a proper diagnosis.

That’s why the apostle Paul made the following statement as it pertains to Diagnosis. Let’s read:

Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? [is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. [Explain with young people]

That’s why any attempt to change the parameters of the “diagnostic tool” will ultimately result in the administration of the wrong type of medicine, with fatal consequences. As our lives are passed under the M.R.I scanner of God’s law, it is revealed that we all have sinned and are in desperate need of medicine and healing.

The law of ten commandments is the official statute book that detects and diagnoses sin and thus any effort to repudiate it will result in harming the administration of the necessary medicine, for where no correct diagnosis is, no correct treatment can be administered.

Let’s take up another analogy, for we are presenting an overview of God’s law and man’s laws before we go into the Bible study. When a person is stopped by a trooper, the officer cannot just write a ticket for “Wrong-doing”. It must be established from the statute books what specific offence was committed or else the presiding judge will throw out the case as being non-meritorious.

The prosecutor in the George Zimmerman trial had to state specifically what the defendant was being charged with. He could not simply be charged with “doing something wrong” or else the judge would of necessity have to throw out the case, and possibly throw the “book” at the prosecutor. The statute books must be consulted first to stipulate what exactly George Zimmerman had done wrong.

We would not dare cast aside the Florida statute books, would we? If we do then there would be no legitimate compass or legal standard for defining right from wrong on a person to person basis, and consequently, anyone and everyone will be at liberty to shoot and kill anyone, at anytime, turning the entire state into the wild, wild, west.

So how is it that so many people, including many Christians are now saying and teaching that God’s law is abolished or is no longer relevant?

Another issue that’s pertinent to our study is the issue of guilt. Guilt is not a feeling it is a state. It is stated that Ted Bundy never felt any guilt in the brutal murder of his victims. His lack of guilty feelings do not then render him guiltless.

Similarly with the Law of God. A persons guilt is not dependent on feelings, or on their own personal evaluation of what should be right or wrong, but it is rather decided by the law of Ten commandments: Let’s read:

Leviticus 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: 5:17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist [it] not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

But let’s go visit the trooper once more.

When an earthly trooper stops a person on the highway and writes them a ticket, the purpose is so that justice can be administered. But here is where there’s a huge difference with the heavenly officer.

When the heavenly trooper stops a person on the highway of life and writes them a ticket for let’s say adultery, the only purpose is so that mercy can be administered, but He must write a ticket. God is not in the business of administering due justice to individuals for personal wrong-doing, because justice was already administered at the cross in the person of Jesus Christ.

The love of God is an all-encompassing theme in many protestant and evangelical circles, while at the same time, it is being taught that His law has been abolished. Let’s be abundantly clear: God’s love cannot begin to be understood outside of the context of law. It was because of the law why Jesus’ death became necessary, and consequently, if God’s law is taken out, Jesus’ sacrifice for us then becomes obsolete and irrelevant for then no one has sinned. Let’s read:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Now it is very important that we understand what forgiveness is, so that we may better comprehend the love of God in sending Jesus to die for our sins on Calvary. The legal definition of debt forgiveness is the reduction or termination of a given loan, and in this process, someone has to take a loss, because true forgiveness never ever takes place without someone taking a hit.

During the financial meltdown the Obama administration asked the big banks to “forgive” part of the debt that many homeowners had incurred. Some banks complied, but they did not just call up the homeowners and say “you’re forgiven”. The banks had to send the homeowners a legally binding document stating clearly what was owed, and that they, the lenders were going to absorb the loss, thereby granting “forgiveness” to the homeowners.

Similarly, after the God-Head decided that they were going to “forgive man”, there was only one legal question remaining to be answered, who’s paying. True forgiveness does not take place without someone taking a loss.

God could not just say run along now My children, I have forgiven you, for then justice would not have been served, and the “ticket” or debt would now have to be paid by each and everyone of us individually, and by the way, that “ticket” is a one-way ticket to the grave.

That’s why we can now begin to understand, the love of Christ in writing off our debt in His own person, by His death for us on Calvary. Let’s read:

Isaiah 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 53:5 But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

That’s what Jesus did for you and me, by paying the legal, punitive damages so that we may go free. Now, after such a severe sacrifice has been made on our behalf, how can anyone say that His law has been abolished? Was His brutal killing on Calvary endured that we may continue to sin? And if that sacred law that says “Thou shalt not kill” has been nailed to the cross and abolished, why were we then hunting Bin Laden for so many years? There must be an absolute disconnect in the theology that teaches God’s law has been abrogated. Let’s read:

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Ladies and gentlemen, we now present to you the exalted, sacred and magnificent law of God. Let’s go through them one by one to see for ourselves if there is anything wrong, derogatory, non-sensical, or unwise in any of them. Let’s read:

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth:

20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; 20:6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 20:10 But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates: 20:11 For [in] six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them [is], and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

20:13 Thou shalt not kill. 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. 20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that [is] thy neighbour's.

Romans 7:12 Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

In closing, we would like to remind the entire world, that the diagnosis for all is sin is still the law of ten commandments, and the remedy for all sin is still Jesus Christ, who then empowers us to be law abiding citizens of His kingdom and universe. Mercy is never administered to facilitate law-breaking. We therefore end this presentation with a passage of scripture that should be a constant reminder of the magnificent love of God displayed on Calvary in our behalf. Let’s read:

John 3:16 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.

3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.