BROTHERS--SISTERS---CAN Y O U SEE?

     SADLY, many of us are too busy coping with daily life, that our views become myopic, even short-sighted, as we lose the view that our Creator has instilled into each and  everyone of His children!

     We are so busy, so concerned with life's problems, that we have forgotten our Father which art in Heaven! For this is THE reason of the title as God Our Father, of us all, that made us,  thus, in point of fact, brothers and sisters.  Yet, most of us live this life, as if we are all enemies of each other!  Look at was was forecast...

     In "Tomorrow's Newspaper. . . Today" !......


     2 Timothy 3:1-7  "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth"

Note:   Please read the above, again, and think of how common all these "short-comings" are today! Think, you. . . .that there is a purpose behind all the mannerisms?  Please,...think. . .of this fact more than 80% of all Bible prophecy has come to pass, as written, and on time. So why think that the rest of it will not happen? Revelation and Daniel must be studied together, or Revelation will not reveal itself to you. But in a nut-shell this is what it means......

     Ecclesiastes 1:9-10  "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. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us."

     This is where we have "History repeats itself ", saying just look at the Church history during the Dark Ages, it was called dark because the the Bibles were kept from the people, "You can't know it's meaning, let your Parish Priest interpret it for you", was their reason, but God truth or Light was kept from the people, hence Dark Ages, that produced all the Inquisitions, where ever Catholics ruled, in fact the last Court of Inquisition closed its doors in Quito, Peru only in 1890's! Plus the present Pope, Francis, a Jesuit Priest, told his family that his older brother, a Seventh day Adventist, for 53 years, and who taught his younger brother all the Bible,  who, when he joined the Jesuits, he told his family to think of his older brother as being dead!
    How about him preaching what he  himself practices, unity in Christ, indeed.....

   Matthew 5:22  "But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire."
    So.... Pope Francis, reconcile with your brother, while you still can!

    John 9:1-2  "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?"

Note:  When one studies the Holy Bible,  study it not just speed read it, which avails nothing, we must keep in mind the social norms for that time. The Hebrews all thought that if a man was poor, or sick, or crippled, it was because of some sin against God. The worse the loss, the greater the sin had to have been,  we, see  this in the question: "Who did sin...."  it was also for this reason Christ spoke....

    Matthew 19:24  "And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." [Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25]

Note: Most villages, had a surrounding wall, with a heavy gate facing the road. Most larger towns and cities would have had a small gate, which a unladen camel could get through, but one had to unload it, pass through, and carry all the goods through, load it back up to go home! That's a lot of work and effort, and so it is for a rich man, not to place his wealth on par or above God! That little gate was called the Needle gate or eye gate. {Because they had a small hole, for the guards to look through hence the eye gate!}

     John 9:3-4  "Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work."

      Remember Ecc.1:9  "no new thing under the sun" above?  Well the" Believe as I say, or die" bunch of the Vatican,, during the Dark ages shall come again, and for God's Light/Truth it will become as dark , once again!.....

    Revelation 13:11-18  "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. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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. 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.  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:  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. 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."

     Daniel 7:23  "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces."

Note: Reading Daniel, learn that earthly powers guided by Satan, yet under the overall control of God, were Babylon, the head, Medo-Persia, the silver arms and chest, the Greeks of the bronze belly, and the terrible beast being Pagan Rome. God did not have Daniel name Rome for it had the power and the organization skills to wipe out the Bible. which its successor the Church of Rome inherited!...Pagan Rome became the Holy Roman Empire!
      Daniel 7:24-25  "And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.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.

Note: shall arise after them...Rome under the emperors lasted until the late 3rd century, when the Church and the Popes began to exercise their powers. In A.D.493 the Heruli were uprooted , Vandals in 534 and Ostrogoths in 538 A.D, Rome ruled as Church and state as one!

      Daniel 7:8  I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

Note: Speaking great things.......
      The Popes are called ," Our Lord God, the Pope".  Pope Julius 2nd. in the Lateran Council, was told, " Take care that we lose not that salvation, that life and breath, which thou hast given us, for Thou art our shepherd, Thou art our Physician, Thou art our Governor, Thou art our Husbandman, Thou, finally art another God on earth".The Bible refers her to the Little Horn Power" in Daniel but as the Beast as well meaning church and State-- ruling as one!

From the Catholic National, July, 1895. :The Pope is not only the Representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ Himself, hidden under veil of flesh."

Note: Would Y O U and God call these great words, against the Most High? HE did and  I do!

    John 9:5-7  "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,  And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing."

    John 9:8-12  "The neighbors therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not."

Note: How do Y O U think you'd react witnessing a true miracle?  I have, my  friend whose wife was in a hospice for two years, constantly loosing weight, when she got to 43 pounds, the MD's and the State of Oregon, all told him, let's stop food and water, and let her die! Well he took her home, after much prayer, and he began a strict vegan diet, blending everything into a pudding like state. Well today she is walking with a walker and her weight is back up to near normal! By the way both are now into the mid 80's!  But look at the Temple leaders....

     John 9:13-17  "They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the Sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the Sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet."

Note: "..and there was division among them..."  Is this not a fact among people today? Some believe, most say they do, but live as non-believers, yet call self Christian, right?

   
      John 9:18-21  "But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind: But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself."

     NOTE: Who can not see, that this man, born blind, now able to see, bringing God the glory?  Some may say, "That's awful of God, to have done this, right?' But we are in the flesh bodies but a few years, compared to time eternal, available to all,  so that lessens the pain, but God knows the future for each, and we do not know what pain this man avoided by being blind! God did and does all the weighing, good vs. the bad.

      John 9:30-34  "The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out."

Note: Yes, it is difficult to unlearn what one has been taught, and accepted as truth, but these people rejected living proof of  the truth, in Christ.

     John 9:35-41  "Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth."

Note: Seven miracles, all 7 on the 7th day Sabbath! What is this pointing towards?

    Genesis 2:1-3  "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made"
    .Exodus 20:8-11 " Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 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: 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."

Note: Do not the bulk of Christians follow the dictates and laws of men in Rome and worship on the SUN-god-day? YES they do! They follow the Laws of men and not law of God!
    Many will reach for the excuse, "Well the Sabbath is for the Jews, only!" Right?  But.......

     Mark 2:27  "And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath:"

Note: When the Bible speaks of man it usually speaks to all of mankind! So DO Y O U see the word, Jew or Hebrew, in Mark's passage? God's LAWS applies equally to all humanity! Beside just how arrogant must men be, to think they can change God's Laws? Teaching men falsely?

   2 Peter 2:1-2 " But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of."

Note: The Vatican II of 1999 has seen the singing of most of the world's religions, in their head long rush back to the "Mother" church in Rome. This, sadly included not only all of the "Eastern Religions" but also nearly all of the Protestant faiths, who now joined the Pope and kissed his ring, holding that it is HE, who has world-wide authority over all things religious and it is HE that decides what is heresy and and who are heretics, and this power system still holds the right to exterminate all heresy and heretics! Hence this verse...

     Revelation 13:15-18  "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.  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:  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. 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."

Note: Sorry but 666 is NOT Satan's number! It is a number of a man, which Satan certainly is not!
        Many have seen the pictures of the Popes wearing the Triple Crown, signifying heaven, earth, and hell!
Plus it has the wording , "VICARIUS FILII DEI  ... Latin for "The Vicar of Christ", but when taken this to the Latin, or the Greek-Lateinos or the Hebron- Romijth into numerical values in all three they add up to 666!

     Revelation 14:6-11  "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

Note: The above is not a threat, but points of fact! God wants your love, all of it, and He's not willing to share you with any other being, but Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that God died for Y O U and your sins, and why HE'l;l reach out to Y O U even if all you can lift in your little finger!

 
        2 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."

Note: But what about, all those "ENTERTAINMENT 'Preachers' " in the Mega churches today?

    2 Peter 2:9-12  "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.  Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; "

     Matthew 6:5  "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward."

Note: Indeed they have their reward, in what they wanted, the adulation of men, rather than the love of God, and His love ,returned to Him!

Thanking Y O U for your time.

Want more info?  Visit your Seventh day Adventist Church any Saturday/Sabbath at 9:15 AM. You just may be glad you did.

Questions?................Comments?
John at www.servant@frontier.com

other sites:  www.blbn.org.  amazingfacts.org.  www.servantsite@wordpress.com
   
                 www.benabraham.com

WHAT IS A "S O U L "?

    MANY THANKS TO ED DICKERSON AND SIGN OF THE TIMES MAGAZINE AUG.2014 ISSUE.


    SOME PHILOSOPHERS AND SCIENTISTS BELIEVE THAT OUR VALUE AS HUMANS IS NO GREATER THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER ANIMAL. Ed Dickerson responds to this claim.

NOTE: (j.b.) That's the same kind of thinking the Hindus employ in their religion. They will not conscientiously, step on a insect, as it may be an ancestor!

      "There is no rational basis for saying that a human being has special rights. A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy. They are all mammals."  So said Ingrid Newkirk, President of P.E.T.A. [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]
      Think that's extreme? Actually, some object that Newkirk's statement gives special status to animals. Michael W. Fox, former vice president of the Humane Society, made it stunningly personal: "The life of an ant and the life of my child should be accorded equal respect."

Note (j.b.) I wonder how his child felt about that remark? Image your Father placing you on par with one ant!

     IF, you are tempted to dismiss such sentiments as mere ravings of activists or shock statements for an organized agenda to gain publicity, meet Peter Singer, considered by some, to be the most influential bioethicist,  [ (j.b.) a "specialty", less than 100 years old!] alive. Singer declared, "The notion that human life is sacred is just because it is human life is medieval."

      WHAT does the Holt Bible teach us?....
      Psalms 8:4-5  "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor."

Note:  (j.b.) ONE Angel at Christ's tomb, was enough to make 100 roman soldiers act as dead men! So obviously none of the above mentioned people have held a Bible in their hands for very long!
    Only a few centuries ago, William Shakespeare could still declare, "What a piece of work is a man!.... The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals."

      SO, how did human value plummet from being "The beauty of the world! The paragon of animals!" to what R. Buckminster Fuller described as "a self-balancing 28 jointed adapter-base biped, and a electro-chemical plant"?

                                  HUMANS AS COMPLEX MACHINES.

      THE great moral issues of the past 150 years-- genocide, slavery, abortion the role of woman, euthanasia--- all focus on the nature of human beings, (would Y O U agree?)
      In every case, some human beings claim the right to destroy, enslave, or deny dignity to other humans, whom they (j.b. must) regard as inferior!                  (Would Y O U agree?)

      If human are more than complex machines or animals, we protest in vain, when misogynists carry out their natural instincts, in fulfillment of their predatory natures! (would you, again, agree?)

      IF,  these views reflect our reality--- if humans are just another animal species among many---why should we care, if some, or even one human gets mistreated? Within or without the womb?

      Strangely, environmentalists and animal rights activists and ethicist such as Peter Singer, while contending that humans deserve no special consideration above animals, insist that humans take an active role in protecting the rest of nature !{ (j.b.) as Evolutionists, insist we are descended from Apes, thus humans are part and parcel of nature right?] That demand resonates with our sense of responsibility. They would be amazed and astonished to learn the concept of humans as nature's caretakers comes from the Holy Bible!!!!

                               HUMANS AS BREATHING CREATURES.

     PERHAPS, surprising to some, the Bible agrees with science on our human similarity to all living creatures. [(j.b.) How does this simple fact not point to a single, Creator?]
     The word for SOUL in the Old Testament, comes from the Hebrew NEPHESH, which means literally a breathing creature......
   
     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. "

     Rather than separating humans from the animal kingdom, this word links us to it, for more than 20 times, the word nephesh, in the bible refers to creatures other than humans. [Genesis 1:21,24, 2:19; 9:10,12 Leviticus 11:46,47,; Deuteronomy 12:23]
       Sometimes nephesh refers to both humans and animals at the same time.. [Gen. 9:15,16; Numbers 31:28] Of course, a "breathing creature," can stop breathing and die, which the old Books affirms more than 30 times. For example, when Joshua conquered the city of Makkedah, he killed "everyone", {nephesh}within it. [ Joshua 10:28; also 10:30,32,,35,37, 39; 11:11; Ezekiel 13:19;22:25,27.  So taken together, the many repetitions of this word nephesh in the Old Testament confirms humanity's similarity with animals, not our differences from  them.

    BY the time of the New Testament, the language and culture of the Greeks dominated the world. Thus, the New Testament writers substituted the Greek word Psuche [SUE-Kay']  for the Hebrew word nephesh  And, again psuche can refer to both animals and humans, and it can die or be killed... {Revelation 8:9 and..

    Revelation 16:3  "And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea." 
    Romans 11:3  "Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. "

                           
                             HUMANS AS MORTAL, BEINGS.

      THE Bible clearly teaches that immortality belongs only to God, look at how Paul contrast this with God and humans...
       Here we see the human imaginations at work.....Romans 1:20-22  "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, "

Note (j.b.) Now you also learn just what God thinks of these human ideas, right? But read on....

     Romans 1:23-25  "And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."
NOTE: did Y O U catch that? "Who worshiped and served the creature more that The Creator..."  THINK!

    We human, for the most part, do seek immortality, but the gift of eternal life belongs to god to bestow upon those who have a relationship with Him founded upon loving obedience! Until Christ's return, all shall "rest" in the graves, until He calls us forth, either to righteousness or to condemnation, 1000 years latter!

     1 Corinthians 15:52-54  "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. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."

    1 Timothy 6:15-16  "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen."

   Even in the earliest accounts of O.T. shows any honest reader, that we are NO LONGER immortal, because of sin. It is only due to many humans accept and teach that Satan's lie, that we even need to address this question! ...
     Genesis 3:3-4  "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. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

Note: "Ye shall surely NOT die"  Well God meant for them to live forever, yes, but they rebelled, as He knew they would! Yes He could have removed Adam and Eve, and begin over, but that's not how God's love works!

     Genesis 3:22  "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:"

      So He removed them from the garden of Eden.

     SO, if we humans do not possess an immortal soul that distinguishes us from other creatures, does this validate the viewpoint that gives us the same moral status as ants and slugs? Obviously NOT!  As virtually every detail of the Creation account testifies to the unique status of humanity.
     I n Genesis, God brought the entire plant kingdom into existence by speaking. On the fifth day, He populated the waters and the skies by saying the words.But when it came to creatures with breath...

     Genesis 1:24-25  "And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good."
Note: God made.... 'ASAH [aw-saw'] to do, or make.

                                     HUMANS AS "SCULPTED BY GOD. 

     Genesis 1:26-27  "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."

     As, previously shown in Gen.2:7 above, God formed man from the earth's dust, then "BREATHED"  into his nostrils, His "breath of life." Thus man became a living soul. If this was any easier, He's have to use pictures, right? Sadly few are they that study, not just read, but study His word. Must be better to let other tell us what in it, right? Of course no man ever lies right:?   Is this the why of this...

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

    Note Please read all this 24th chapter, but please do not, NOT compare this to the world-wide news, you just may wake up if you do!

      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.

Note: read the above over several times and close your eyes,. Now, who is so jaded, that they can NOT see God cradling Adam's head in his arms, while giving him the "The Kiss of Life"?   Plus who can fail too see, that God invested our own, creation with the same personal attention He gave Adam, because HE created us all into His own image?
     In God's own image, as His stewards, Adam and Eve received the responsibilities, and dominion over, the rest of  this earthly, creation...
   
     Genesis 1:26-28  "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth."

     WE, still feel that sense of responsibility, and why the environmentalists, animal rights activists and philosophy professors can all still philosophize on this matter, and it still touches us!

                                               SO. . . .WHAT IS MAN?


     THE  Bible clearly portrays human beings as the special object of God's love and care, as His crowning achievement of Creation, the caretakers of the planet!
    Yet, our rebellion against Him only reveals a greater depth and scope of the Creator's  unimaginable love,  when He sent His, Son, Jesus to be our payment for our sins, His pure life for our fallen natures.

     Matthew 10:29-31  "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

Note: Please allow me to add this... for this sums up the Bible...

 

      1 John 4:6-9  "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him."


THANK Y O U FOR YOUR TIME.

Want to learn more? Visit your Seventh day Adventist church, ANY Saturday/Sabbath @ 9:15 AM. You'll be very glad that you did!

Questions?    Comments?

John      www.servant@frontier.com

other sites: www.blbn.org  www.amazingfacts.org   www.amazingdiscoveries.org   www.itiswritten.com

servantsite@wordpress.com

A LETTER to the CAPTIVES.

      1 John 1:10  "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."

      Romans 3:12  "They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

     Like it or not, accept this fact or not, will change the fact that we are ALL sinners, THEREFORE we each are , as it were, a captive to our habits and sins. Of which I am the chiefest. Because with all my years of Bible study, I DO KNOW BETTER, yet I still do sin, like getting angry at my computer, when it will not do, {rather I can NOT} make it do what I want it to do!

     Thus, I am a slave to my fits of temper, and as ALL sins are from the original source of all sin, SATAN, we are held as his captives, when we sin, either willingly or not!

       Yet, because of our Father God's gift of our freedom to choose,  we each are a Free-Moral Agent, free to chose either right or wrong, would you agree? You see, God can "ZAP" each one to have our minds accept, and obey Him to the fullest, but He wants YOUR LOVE, and love can not be forced, right? See....

     Isaiah 1:18  "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

     NOTE:  This is from the Old Testament, the SUPPOSED angry God, but does this verse not destroy that saying from Satan?

     Can, or rather will you agree, that violence, of all types, human against human, nature against humans, has been on the increase, wars not withstanding? Did or do , Y O U know that Satan is the source?.......

     2 Timothy 2:26  "And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."

NOTE: Flip Wilson's 1970's routine "The Devil made me do it!"  Sorry this does not hold water, as Satan can NOT make anyone do something they refuse to do! Yet he's found far too many willing partners in crimes and violence, right? Not only in individuals, but also in governments, and in religions!  One look at history and the dark Ages of Europe, or today's Islam will only prove this point, as both "powers," operated on the "BELIEVE AS I DO, OR DIE"!

     This which separates the good from evil is within each one of us......

     Galatians 5:13-16  "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh."

Note: Humans have two natures......

    Galatians 5:17-23  "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."


NOTE: A story heard of old: "Grandpa, I heard today that we have two wolves inside of us, One is tame and nice, the other is wild and mean and angry, is that true?
     Yes, son, in a sense, it is!
      So, Grandpa, which one will control me?
     The one Y O U feed and care for!
   
     Y O U see my friends, there's times when I sit here, and think, I do not want to study my Bible, I know it, why not watch T.V? Well that's the bad wolf speaking, so I grab my Bible and feed to Good wolf. or the good nature within me!  However if I were to hang on to this, and succumb to the lure of the T.V. then the evil wolf has won, and it I allow it to win often enough it takes over and and I shall become a captive of Satan as surely as if I was in chains!

     One of the most evil and godless kings was Manasseh, yet his son, Josiah, who ruled beginning at the age of eight, was 180 degrees different.

     2 Kings 23:25  "And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him."

Note: What did Manasseh do or allow?
     
      2 Kings 23:24  "Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD."

Note: familiar spirits.. are Satan's fallen angels who are the "Contacts" mediums and channelers seek. Wizards are witches and workers of magic.

   During Josiah's rule, he had the temple repaired and spruced up, and during the repair they found.....

    2 Kings 22:10-11  "And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king. And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes."

Note:"The Book of the LAW" are the first five books of the bible, written by Moses, as the Jews got further and further away from God, they also lost His word! Having found one book, this king was led to destroy the evils in his lands. His efforts led the nation into a powerful REFORMATION, and humanity needs this again!   Yes we have seen many evangelists dong their best at REVIVALS, but without a REFORMATION back to the BIBLE's Truths, it is without fruit nor meaning!

     Jeremiah 2:22  "For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD".
.

Note: Nitre is a mineral potash, that with water, becomes a mild acid, cleansing agent.

    Jeremiah 4:14  "O Jerusalem,   [humanity] wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?"

Note: God will not accept anyone, nay He can not, until we agree to surrender to His love, and via that love, the Holy Spirit will change us, into the Christ-like character, and be acceptable to Heaven!

   
Proverbs 3:11-12  "My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

Note: Take a look at th3e big picture, found within these blogs-- All who refuse to give up sinning, will NEVER EVER, LEAVE THIS EARTH, BUT THE just SHALL LEAVE EARTH WITH JESUS, at His return, and then come back to.....
     Matthew 5:5  "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."  [Rev 21.]

     Jeremiah 29:4  "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;"

    Note: God, using Jeremiah, spoke to the children, do not fight and resist, and you'll life, fight and you'll die but also.....
   
     Jeremiah 29:5-7  "Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace."

Note: the very next verse, is great advice today, with Christendom now having 33,000 denominations, ALL from ONE WORD!

    Jeremiah 29:8-9  "For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD."

    Jeremiah 29:11-15  "11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;"

Note: Prophets, one of God's greatest prophets was Daniel, for without his book Revelation can not be understood!But also, take notice of the three places [ VS 11,12,13] God gives hope to those who accept Him, even in time or corrections!

    Jeremiah 29:9  "For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD."

Note: False teachings:  1. Sun-god-worship- on the first day of the week, when the Bible clearly shows Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:7-11, that the SEVENTH DAY is the Sabbath

     Luke 4:16  "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read."

     John 1:3  "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

    NOTE: Both passages speak to the same personage, Jesus Christ! Now Y O U know who Created all things, and Wrote the Bible, "THE WORD", [John 1:1-3,14] How many still think that the Creator Jesus knew not which day was the Sabbath?????

2. DEATH;  "surely not die.." [Gen. 3:4] Satan's first recorded lie, that humanity has swallowed up hook, line and sinker!....

     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"

Note: IF, and only if, all the just to to their Heavenly rewards, why must Christ return to to this earth?

3. The Resurrection:  All those who teach and or believe, that at death we each go to our reward,
                                    then they MUST REMOVE all Bible's passages that deal with the Resurrection agree?

4. Forgiveness of sins: Most are taught that we MUST confess our sins to men, who are Priests, right?

     Mark 2:9-10  "Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)"
    Mark 2:7  "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?"

Pope Pius IX: "I alone am the successor of the Apostles. The Vicar of Jesus Christ. I am the way, the truth and the life."  "History of the Christian Church" by Henry Charles Shelton. p.59.

     John 14:6  "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

4. Infant Baptisms: This began in the 13th Century, when many died died in childbirth or shortly after, and yes I can see and understand the pressures for it, especially when one is taught that without baptism one must perish in the fires. Buy did not not learn from the story of the thief on the cross with Christ?

   Luke 23:43  "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee. Today,  shalt thou be with me in paradise. "

      Note: This repenting thief, was not baptized, nor would he have been allowed to before his death, yet what did Christ say to him? "Today, thous shalt be with me in paradise" [Many think this meant at their deaths, but Christ went into the tomb for three day, right?] So, "Today, I say to you,  you shalt be with me in Paradise" is a corrected meaning as Christ when to His father on resurrection day and then returned for another what 40 days on earth?
     Besides of what sin could an newborn think of?

Above are but 4 of many false teachings that mankind has brought to be over the years, and what they call "Traditions"!

Never ever take the word of man nor men , for the word of God learn that for self!   Never forget......

   Isaiah 41:10-13  "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish.  Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.  For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

This si a promise ALL can fully depend and count on!

More Info?  Visit your Seventh day Adventist church any Sabbath/Saturday at 9:15 AM. You just may be very glad you did.

Questions?......................Comments?
John at www.servant@frontier.com

Other sites:   www.servantsite@frontier.com    www.blbn.org....www.amazingfacts.org
Thanking Y O U for your time
jb.