My many thanks to both the author and publisher, in putting this before the public. (John B 's adaptation to this story)
This world is not a safe place. That says Loren Siebold, is why Jesus promised to return, someday, and take us, the believers, to a very safe place.
The worst Earthquake in recent history, occurred in 1976, in China. The lives of 650,000 human beings, was snuffed out in moments. Yes, it difficult to comprehend so many people dying in the same area, at about the same time. Please, remember, these were all human beings, with as much consciousness and the the love of life that You and I have! That's 650,000 people who loved and were loved, gone in a flash of horror!
Such disasters happen more often that one might suppose. The worst disaster, i n terms of human lives, also in China's Yellow River's flood in 1931. So many lives were lost, that the authorities, just put the number between 1 and 2 millions, and LEFT it at that!
Note(JB): Can you now understand the why China has spent millions, building the Three River Gorge dam, earth's largest, by far?
This earth, is not naturally a tranquil place. For years we may go along happily, bumping from one day to the next, then suddenly there's a Katrina, or an Indian Ocean tsunami, or the one that hit Japan, where in she lost a Nuclear Power Plant, spewing deadly Plutonium in the ocean.
NOTE(JB) One golf ball sized ball of plutonium is more than enough to kill all humans on this earth and then some!
Yet what about the earthquakes all over this earth? Or, what about the Billions who have died because of some disease, and many scientist say we are ONE MUTATION away, from a Super Bug, or supergerm, we have no defense against, and either could take millions of lives!
However, all these are from only an Impersonal Nature, what about the intentional destruction, caused by humans? The totality of deaths by human actions, from 1914 to 1958, including both World Wars, and Korea, is known only to God Himself, Hitler comes in as a picker, with about 45 million, Stalin saw to the murder of that many Jews alone in the old U.S.S.R. not to mention the 15 million Ukrainians, he starved to death, in his push for Collective Farming, But that still short of China's Mao, during his "War of Liberation?" and His RED Book revolution, that removed 50+ millions of human beings! That's just the "Bad Guys", what about the Good Guys", how died because of our p[arts in these wars?
NoteJB): If the "WEST" has not intervened during these wars, what , pray tell, which language would we be speaking in today? German? Japanese? Russian? Chinese?
DESPAIR.
After sin, the world has never been and never will be , a safe place, It is any wonder that people are afraid? Atheist Bertrand Russel wrote, " All all of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction is the vast death of the solar system.... Only on the4 firm foundation of unyielding despair, can the soul's habitation henceforth be safely built."
What a dismal philosophy of life! Despair is hardly a "Firm Foundation,". A world built upon despair is a world of total selfishness, where each one survives by his or her will and strength, even at the expense of of all others. There's no happiness, and no peace of of mind!
Note(JB) But that's the place, all who believe in evolution and atheists have chosen to live, their lives! Here today, gone tomorrow! How hopeless is that?
With each election, we all hope that they newly elected one will solve our problems. But they won't. Yet many carry on thinking that their prosperity will solve and heal their wounded souls, IT WILL NOT! Some put their hopes in fame and prosperity, yet with every news story about a Beyonce' or a Tiger Woods, it become self-evident that success seldom brings a long-term happiness!
Isaiah 60:2 "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:"
But then, when things are most dark; when we are most overwhelmed by everything this world shows us--- the hypocrisy of politics, the confusion of psychology, the petrification of organized religion, the dissolution of the family unit, th4e failure of work and money to satisfy... when all seems lost, Isaiah promises:
Isaiah 60:2 ".but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee."
God's promise to enlighten the world in darkness, comes to pass in three stages, or events.
The first one happened just a little more than 2,000 years ago, with the arrival of The Son of God, Jesus Christ. He opened a new door, the door of Salvation, and the the beginning of a new hope. None that ever heard Him was left unchanged!
Then, His ordained death on the Cross, that fateful Friday at 3 PM. as the Jews counted even any part of a day, as a whole day, He Sabbath ed in the earth, until Sunday sunup,the first day of the week, He arose from the dead, He arose to heaven to receive His Father- God's approval, He3 returned to earth again, to teach the final wisdom to His 12, but before leaving again, He gave his promise to return again, John 14:1-3 , but He promised to send the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, to teach all who are willing, to surrender to His love!
John 1:11-12 " He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"
Those who believed in Him, were not spiritual believers, that actually saw Him, heard Him and talked to Him, the Resurrected Jesus, to whom they would pray in His name.
Colossians 1:27 "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:"
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."
NOTE(JB) If every eye shall shall see Him, just how "SECRET" shall His coming, and our "RAPTURE," be?
Matthew 24:27 " For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
NOTE(JB) secret lightnings?
1 Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:"
NOTE(JB): Is there any doubts that a trumpet is by far the most loud of all instruments? SECRET rapture HOW?
WHY, why should we each believe that Jesus will return to gather His own? For the very same reason He was willing to die of us, LOVE, He loves each one of us, even if He hates what we do!
Revelation 21:4-5 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful."
Note(JB) i n Human terms.....John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:15 " Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."
NOTE(JB): Because there no way for us to repent nor ask for forgiveness from the grave, we must do this while the Breath of Life is still within us! None know the day nor date of their last breath, thus today... IS THE DAY, to get right with God, in prayer!
Thanking you for your time. Comments? Questions? John at servant@frontier.com
Need/Want more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist Church any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM. Know that only YOU can fill YOUR spot in heaven, that has been set-aside for you only!
Other sites: aftv.org blbn.org amazingdiscoveries.org itiswritten.com redeem.international
servantsite@wordpress.com
Friday, October 27, 2017
Friday, October 20, 2017
SPIRITUALISM-the Devil's door into your life. Steve Wohlberg: Signs of the Times Nov.'17
My grateful thanks to both Steve and Signs Magazine. (JOHN B)
NOTE(JB): This is a very timely subject, as far too many humans think and believe in Satan's lie in Genesis 3:4 where he told Eve she will surely NOT die, even the while God's words still echoed "..ye shall surely die.." in Chapter 2! This only points out Satan M.O. of deceptions, lies and half-truths. God uses only LOVE and TRUTH, but Satan never shall! Steve points out the dangers of this idea poses to those who believe it!
Mr. Wohlberg: [S.W.] Our dearly beloved Brenda went home to be with the Lord, the minister informs his tearful congregation at her funeral." Her suffering is over. She's She's with God now, praising Jesus". On the surface this doctrine seems as "Christian" as the pope being Catholic and a Rabbi being Jewish.Who would dare to doubt such a conclusion? Brenda was firm believer in Jesus Christ. OF COURSE she went to heaven.
It's been a month since Brenda's body was lowered 6 feet under the ground. But for the flickering of a few eerie candles, the room is pitch dark. Madam Sophia-- a psychic medium claiming an ability to contact the deceased--- sits comfortably on a black sofa surrounded by handful of bereaved relatives who are not church goers. The thick smell of incense fill the air. High above the creepy-looking house, the moon shines full. A lone dog howls in the distance, "Whom shall I bring up for you"? Madam Sophia inquires quietly.
"Brenda", her husband Ralph responds nervously. "She died recently and we have some questions to ask her."
Suddenly, a ghost appears in their midst. "Hello Ralph," says the spirit, "What do you want to know?"
A lengthy conversation ensues between the small group of amazed relatives and the glowing entity from "The Other Side", who looks like Brenda, talks like Brenda and and acts exactly like Brenda.
Sound far fetched? Actually it isn't, for similar occurrences are increasingly common, these days.
Please note carefully. In spite their many differences of belief, there One Fundamental Idea, this Pastor and these people hold, is that the dead, are NOT REALLY DEAD! The "SOUL" soars on to another place somewhere, in the universe- heaven-hell- or purgatory, or whatever. It's "Outa this world", and into the next. Alive, Conscious, and aware, still able to communicate!
The large majority of human beings across the planet Earth, including Roman Catholics, most Protestants, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, and Spiritualists, all accept the idea that the soul is immortal..
NOTE(JB): This idea goes all the way back to Babylon's religion, paganism!
While each of the above. differ as to where the souls go, at death, they ALL believe that each person's soul is immortal, and can be "Contacted" via a medium, this is known as "Spiritualism."
(JB): How many actually STUDY, no not just reading the Holy Bible, but its study?
Genesis 2:15-18 " And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."
To this Satan had an ready answer: 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 will surely.....NOT......die, being Satan's answer! He been a liar, from the time he cast out from heaven, to this earth! He has been using this as his door to within YOU!
S.W.-- God added the word SURELY for extra emphasis, and His warning was clear, if they disobeyed, and ate from this ONE TREE, they would die, and be dead, and not alive somewhere else.
WHAT THE SERPENT SAID:
Genesis 3:4-5 "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 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."
Did Y O U catch that? It was Satan, who used the serpent as a ventriloquist's dummy, which she heard say, "You'll not surely die," in direct contradiction to God, so I ask, "WHO spoke the truth"? Are Adam and Eve, still living among us, or are they in the ground?
Genesis 3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
NOTE(JB): Satan is sure to touch all the bases, right? Our self-pride, lust of life, desire to be more than we are. or can be. Plus Adam's lack of trust, i n God, to deal with Eve,mercifully!
S.W. : The resulting sin, is still the pain we feel today, as all shall die, for our hearts are carnal, until ultimately this tiny act, lead to Jesus being born as a God-Man to show us how to live, life, and then to die for our sins, on the cross about 4,000 years later, to fix this sin, and all sins. Look.....
Genesis 3:17-19 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
NOTE(JB): How is it even possible, that for nearly two thousand years, of study in the Holy Bible, not one theologian in the Christian faith, has discerned this verse and its meaning? Men are not that stupid nor blind, or are they? In the last sentence of Genesis 3:19, above, who did God speak to but Adam and Eve? Surely not to Satan, agree?
HOW ADAM WAS"MADE" :
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(jb): What is there about the word "BECAME", that is so difficult to understand? WE must remember, and know that the words, Spirit, Breath of Life, and soul, are used often as interchangeable in the Word of God!....
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 " Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
QUESTION: What happens to any "BODY" that stops breathing? That last breath return to He Who created it! Why is this so difficult to grasp? Is it that which you were taught? Have you not ever learned anything new since your youth? We progress in wisdom, do we not? If you think we don't, are we still living as the cave men? All living life, that moves on it's own power has a soul, even a slug! For all such have the breath of life within, until death!
The results of the world-wide flood:... Genesis 7:21-22 "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died."
Psalms 104:29-31 " Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works."
Psalms 146:4 " His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."
As of this day, who has immortality, as per the Bible?
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 honour and power everlasting. Amen."
Yet look again at His Words: Romans 2:6-8 "Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,"
Note(JB) This life in these flesh bodies, is our time to learn, to surrender to to God's love. B-I- B-L-E.. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth! Only on the day of Christ's return to this earth, shall God's own take on immortality, by God's grace and love.
1 Corinthians 15:50-55 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
Who now has immortality? Enoch, Moses and Elijah, and all three members of the Godhead, and the holy angels.
SO WHAT, YOU MIGHT ASK?
Now, here's the scary part. If Christians believe that their deceased loved ones are not really dead, but are alive somewhere, then this makes them vulnerable to being deceived by demons impersonating their dead relatives. After all if Brenda really DID go to heaven, then why could not her ghost return at Madam's Sophia's beckoning to communicate, instead, directly with her relatives, and at any time? The Bible answers not that she could, but that she could not!....
Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 " For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
So what do the dead know?
The dead know not anything! That's the why no communications are possible with those deceased, because they know not anything!
Psalms 115:17 "The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence."
They await for the last day.....John 5:28-29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
John 11:23-24 " Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
BUT...BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT?
Wait a minute! You may be thinking, "What about the New Testament?" It has passages such as:
2 Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." {or Luke 16:19-31 or the Savior's promise, to the thief in Luke 23:43?}
"Do not these texts, teach that at our death we go to heaven"? NO, they do NOT!
Regarding 2 Cor. 5:8, considering what Paul has already endured, if this was Y O U, would you not invite death, and have the peace and the rest the grave offers? What about this, today's gross and sin filled live all around us today? Turn on the news and become nauseous? Is this life worth living in these times, without Jesus? Is it not abundantly clear, taking in the whole Bible, that Paul, as I, are waiting for the Day of Resurrection? And NOT before..... 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 " For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit."
NOTE(JB) Who is willing to be so bold, to proclaim themselves as being holy? Only the Biblically Illiterate.
Please read: 2 Corinthians 5:8 with verse 4 and then with 1 Cor. 15:51-55, it will become clear, that Paul's "away from the body", meant that the believers will be "present with the Lord," on Resurrection day, AND NOT BEFORE 1Thess. 4:7-8.
The story [JB a parable] of the rich man and Lazarus, please compare these two passages:
Luke 16:19 " There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:"
Luke 16:11-12 " If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"
As a parable, and NOT an actual account, for how else can it be explained Lazarus ascending into "Abraham's Bosom?"
Finally, if you know, that the Bible's punctuations were added in the 1500's or over 1400 years AFTER the last book of the New Testament was even written! Look at these two versions of the same passage:
Luke 23:43 "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise"
Now read it again, with noting the comma in its correct place..
Luke 23:43 " And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee to day, shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Do not many know that Jesus did not go directly to heaven at death, but was placed into the rich man's tomb? On that Friday afternoon? Resting in the ground on the Sabbath, [Luke 23:52-53] and [ John 20:17} and rising up on the Sunday morn? Then He went to heaven to show Himself to the Father-God, and came back to earth for the next 40 odd days? All this, misinformation, and lies, are the workings of Satan led "Scripture Lawyers!"
There's a saying among men: "While truth is still putting on its boots, a lie is already half-way across the world." Yes the idea of the human "immortal soul" is popular, but it is still a lie!, first uttered by Satan using the serpent as his dummy! Eve believed him, and rebelled against God Word. As do so many today!
The Holy Bible gives us a warning: about the Great Dragon... that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan...
Revelation 12:7-9 "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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."
NOTE(JB) Can you see, ans understand the why I say, this passage belongs in between Genesis chapters two and three? But then again, the Bible is really made to make us think and study it! Why else did HE created such a magnificent organ as our brain?
THE DEVIL'S DOOR;
Many of the medieval churches, still standing in England, have one Special Door built into the North side, and is called "The Devil's Door". Reasons vary, but one thing is sure: "If you believe in the "immortal soul" doctrine, such a belief can easily become, "the devil's door" and bring you into Spiritualism duping you through Lucifer's legions, impersonating dead people.....
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 "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, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 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."
Job 7:9-10 "As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more."
Revelation 16:13-14 " 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. 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."
Please accept the advice of both Steve and myself: "Believe in God and Hie Word, regarding what He told Adam about sin and death, and decline any mediums invitation to step through the "Devil's Door".
Thanking Y O U for your time. Questions? Comments? John at Servant@frontier.com
Want/Need more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM, Learn just how much Jesus loves YOU! Wanting Y O U with Him forever.
Other sites: BLBN.org AFTV.org Amazingdiscoveries.org itiswritten.com servantsite@wordpress.com
jb
NOTE(JB): This is a very timely subject, as far too many humans think and believe in Satan's lie in Genesis 3:4 where he told Eve she will surely NOT die, even the while God's words still echoed "..ye shall surely die.." in Chapter 2! This only points out Satan M.O. of deceptions, lies and half-truths. God uses only LOVE and TRUTH, but Satan never shall! Steve points out the dangers of this idea poses to those who believe it!
Mr. Wohlberg: [S.W.] Our dearly beloved Brenda went home to be with the Lord, the minister informs his tearful congregation at her funeral." Her suffering is over. She's She's with God now, praising Jesus". On the surface this doctrine seems as "Christian" as the pope being Catholic and a Rabbi being Jewish.Who would dare to doubt such a conclusion? Brenda was firm believer in Jesus Christ. OF COURSE she went to heaven.
It's been a month since Brenda's body was lowered 6 feet under the ground. But for the flickering of a few eerie candles, the room is pitch dark. Madam Sophia-- a psychic medium claiming an ability to contact the deceased--- sits comfortably on a black sofa surrounded by handful of bereaved relatives who are not church goers. The thick smell of incense fill the air. High above the creepy-looking house, the moon shines full. A lone dog howls in the distance, "Whom shall I bring up for you"? Madam Sophia inquires quietly.
"Brenda", her husband Ralph responds nervously. "She died recently and we have some questions to ask her."
Suddenly, a ghost appears in their midst. "Hello Ralph," says the spirit, "What do you want to know?"
A lengthy conversation ensues between the small group of amazed relatives and the glowing entity from "The Other Side", who looks like Brenda, talks like Brenda and and acts exactly like Brenda.
Sound far fetched? Actually it isn't, for similar occurrences are increasingly common, these days.
Please note carefully. In spite their many differences of belief, there One Fundamental Idea, this Pastor and these people hold, is that the dead, are NOT REALLY DEAD! The "SOUL" soars on to another place somewhere, in the universe- heaven-hell- or purgatory, or whatever. It's "Outa this world", and into the next. Alive, Conscious, and aware, still able to communicate!
The large majority of human beings across the planet Earth, including Roman Catholics, most Protestants, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, and Spiritualists, all accept the idea that the soul is immortal..
NOTE(JB): This idea goes all the way back to Babylon's religion, paganism!
While each of the above. differ as to where the souls go, at death, they ALL believe that each person's soul is immortal, and can be "Contacted" via a medium, this is known as "Spiritualism."
(JB): How many actually STUDY, no not just reading the Holy Bible, but its study?
Genesis 2:15-18 " And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."
To this Satan had an ready answer: 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 will surely.....NOT......die, being Satan's answer! He been a liar, from the time he cast out from heaven, to this earth! He has been using this as his door to within YOU!
S.W.-- God added the word SURELY for extra emphasis, and His warning was clear, if they disobeyed, and ate from this ONE TREE, they would die, and be dead, and not alive somewhere else.
WHAT THE SERPENT SAID:
Genesis 3:4-5 "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 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."
Did Y O U catch that? It was Satan, who used the serpent as a ventriloquist's dummy, which she heard say, "You'll not surely die," in direct contradiction to God, so I ask, "WHO spoke the truth"? Are Adam and Eve, still living among us, or are they in the ground?
Genesis 3:6 "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
NOTE(JB): Satan is sure to touch all the bases, right? Our self-pride, lust of life, desire to be more than we are. or can be. Plus Adam's lack of trust, i n God, to deal with Eve,mercifully!
S.W. : The resulting sin, is still the pain we feel today, as all shall die, for our hearts are carnal, until ultimately this tiny act, lead to Jesus being born as a God-Man to show us how to live, life, and then to die for our sins, on the cross about 4,000 years later, to fix this sin, and all sins. Look.....
Genesis 3:17-19 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
NOTE(JB): How is it even possible, that for nearly two thousand years, of study in the Holy Bible, not one theologian in the Christian faith, has discerned this verse and its meaning? Men are not that stupid nor blind, or are they? In the last sentence of Genesis 3:19, above, who did God speak to but Adam and Eve? Surely not to Satan, agree?
HOW ADAM WAS"MADE" :
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(jb): What is there about the word "BECAME", that is so difficult to understand? WE must remember, and know that the words, Spirit, Breath of Life, and soul, are used often as interchangeable in the Word of God!....
Ecclesiastes 12:6-7 " Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."
QUESTION: What happens to any "BODY" that stops breathing? That last breath return to He Who created it! Why is this so difficult to grasp? Is it that which you were taught? Have you not ever learned anything new since your youth? We progress in wisdom, do we not? If you think we don't, are we still living as the cave men? All living life, that moves on it's own power has a soul, even a slug! For all such have the breath of life within, until death!
The results of the world-wide flood:... Genesis 7:21-22 "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died."
Psalms 104:29-31 " Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth. The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works."
Psalms 146:4 " His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."
As of this day, who has immortality, as per the Bible?
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 honour and power everlasting. Amen."
Yet look again at His Words: Romans 2:6-8 "Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,"
Note(JB) This life in these flesh bodies, is our time to learn, to surrender to to God's love. B-I- B-L-E.. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth! Only on the day of Christ's return to this earth, shall God's own take on immortality, by God's grace and love.
1 Corinthians 15:50-55 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"
Who now has immortality? Enoch, Moses and Elijah, and all three members of the Godhead, and the holy angels.
SO WHAT, YOU MIGHT ASK?
Now, here's the scary part. If Christians believe that their deceased loved ones are not really dead, but are alive somewhere, then this makes them vulnerable to being deceived by demons impersonating their dead relatives. After all if Brenda really DID go to heaven, then why could not her ghost return at Madam's Sophia's beckoning to communicate, instead, directly with her relatives, and at any time? The Bible answers not that she could, but that she could not!....
Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 " For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun."
So what do the dead know?
The dead know not anything! That's the why no communications are possible with those deceased, because they know not anything!
Psalms 115:17 "The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence."
They await for the last day.....John 5:28-29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."
John 11:23-24 " Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
BUT...BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT?
Wait a minute! You may be thinking, "What about the New Testament?" It has passages such as:
2 Corinthians 5:8 "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." {or Luke 16:19-31 or the Savior's promise, to the thief in Luke 23:43?}
"Do not these texts, teach that at our death we go to heaven"? NO, they do NOT!
Regarding 2 Cor. 5:8, considering what Paul has already endured, if this was Y O U, would you not invite death, and have the peace and the rest the grave offers? What about this, today's gross and sin filled live all around us today? Turn on the news and become nauseous? Is this life worth living in these times, without Jesus? Is it not abundantly clear, taking in the whole Bible, that Paul, as I, are waiting for the Day of Resurrection? And NOT before..... 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 " For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit."
NOTE(JB) Who is willing to be so bold, to proclaim themselves as being holy? Only the Biblically Illiterate.
Please read: 2 Corinthians 5:8 with verse 4 and then with 1 Cor. 15:51-55, it will become clear, that Paul's "away from the body", meant that the believers will be "present with the Lord," on Resurrection day, AND NOT BEFORE 1Thess. 4:7-8.
The story [JB a parable] of the rich man and Lazarus, please compare these two passages:
Luke 16:19 " There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:"
Luke 16:11-12 " If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?"
As a parable, and NOT an actual account, for how else can it be explained Lazarus ascending into "Abraham's Bosom?"
Finally, if you know, that the Bible's punctuations were added in the 1500's or over 1400 years AFTER the last book of the New Testament was even written! Look at these two versions of the same passage:
Luke 23:43 "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise"
Now read it again, with noting the comma in its correct place..
Luke 23:43 " And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee to day, shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Do not many know that Jesus did not go directly to heaven at death, but was placed into the rich man's tomb? On that Friday afternoon? Resting in the ground on the Sabbath, [Luke 23:52-53] and [ John 20:17} and rising up on the Sunday morn? Then He went to heaven to show Himself to the Father-God, and came back to earth for the next 40 odd days? All this, misinformation, and lies, are the workings of Satan led "Scripture Lawyers!"
There's a saying among men: "While truth is still putting on its boots, a lie is already half-way across the world." Yes the idea of the human "immortal soul" is popular, but it is still a lie!, first uttered by Satan using the serpent as his dummy! Eve believed him, and rebelled against God Word. As do so many today!
The Holy Bible gives us a warning: about the Great Dragon... that serpent of old called the Devil and Satan...
Revelation 12:7-9 "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 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."
NOTE(JB) Can you see, ans understand the why I say, this passage belongs in between Genesis chapters two and three? But then again, the Bible is really made to make us think and study it! Why else did HE created such a magnificent organ as our brain?
THE DEVIL'S DOOR;
Many of the medieval churches, still standing in England, have one Special Door built into the North side, and is called "The Devil's Door". Reasons vary, but one thing is sure: "If you believe in the "immortal soul" doctrine, such a belief can easily become, "the devil's door" and bring you into Spiritualism duping you through Lucifer's legions, impersonating dead people.....
Deuteronomy 18:10-12 "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, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 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."
Job 7:9-10 "As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more."
Revelation 16:13-14 " 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. 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."
Please accept the advice of both Steve and myself: "Believe in God and Hie Word, regarding what He told Adam about sin and death, and decline any mediums invitation to step through the "Devil's Door".
Thanking Y O U for your time. Questions? Comments? John at Servant@frontier.com
Want/Need more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM, Learn just how much Jesus loves YOU! Wanting Y O U with Him forever.
Other sites: BLBN.org AFTV.org Amazingdiscoveries.org itiswritten.com servantsite@wordpress.com
jb
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
"NO "GOATS", IN HEAVEN: Dick Duerksen and Gleaner Mag. October 2017.
My many thanks to Mr. Duerksen and the Gleaner Magazine's People. (John B)
NOTE (JB) : There are three huge factors, that will determine where each one of us spend the eternity, either in life or in death.Yet, all boils down too, have you loved those difficult to love?
1. How did I, we, care for the poor and the suffering ones?
2. Did I, we surrender our will to the will of God"
3. Did I, we, have a close and personal relationship with Jesus, in loving obedience?
All of the above, ideals, will allow the Holy Spirit to rebuild your character, to be more and more Christ-like over time. He'll guide you and me, into being fit, for The Father's eyes, for His Kingdom, while yet on this earth! Now to Mr. Duerksen.
I'm not sure what God has against goats, but it looks like they'll be missing in the earth made new, yes the Sheep shall be there, but no goats.
In Jesus' own words:
Matthew 25:31-32 " When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:"
NOTE (JB): What's the criteria for this separation?
Matthew 25:30 "And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth"
In short, all those who refused, even after they learned the truth of God,s Word, they refused to obey the Ten Commandments, they are NOT suggestions!
.James 2:10 "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."
Sorry, do not most "Christians" break the fourth Commandment (this is the 3rd in Catholic catechism)
Exodus 20:8-11 "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, 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."
Look at your calendar, and count out to the Seventh day, no man , nor men can change God's Law right?
I John B. have not the space restrictions that Dick is held to, one single page, thus I can dig deeper in the Word for Y O U!
D.D.... Jesus told the "Sheep and Goats" parable to people who really wanted to get into heaven. They listened eagerly, taking notes, on how to make through the Gates. As Jesus described the Great Judge placing the sheep right hand, and the goats on the left, some of the people poked each other and made "baaaaaing" sounds, assuming, of course, that they would be sheep.
No such luck. Yes, there were sheep, but there were {JB then and now} a whole lot more goats! But the funny part of this was/and is, that both groups were surprised.
The sheep were surprised because they did not think they had spent enough time caring for the sick, making sure the widows had food, sending care packages to famine lands, and visiting the outcasts in prisons.
Note (JB): The closer one lives to Christ's ideals, the more one sees their own shortcomings, and the need to "PUT-ON" Christ Association ADRA and His righteousness
"Sure, Lord, we did that, but it wasn't anything special," they said. "It's just what we learned to do as You led us to love by us being loved by You!"
The goaty flocks were also surprised.
{"Wait a minute, Lord. We did all that stuff as well, We kept track of each minute of this, on our magnetic chart that hung of the refrigerator door. We visited prisoners 734 times, and helped 23 widows and bought 19 heifers for Adventist Disaster Relief Association {ADRA} Wasn't that what YOU asked for?
I like the way Ellen White wrote about the Judge's decision in chapter 70 of the "The Desire of Ages":
"Thus Christ on the Mount of Olives pictured to His disciples the scene of the Great Judgment Day. And He represented its decision as turning upon one point. When the nations are gathered before Him, there will be but two classes, and their eternal destiny will be determined by what they have done or have neglected to do for Him in the person of the poor and the suffering."
I'm amazed THE ONE THING that determines my eternal destiny is how I cared for the poor and the suffering. Nothing is said about my understanding prophecy, or being a martyr, memorizing all of any chapter, or even keeping the Sabbath! Only ONE THING, "Have I loved the unlovely?"
GOATS OR SHEEP?
What makes the difference?
If we're "Doing", BECAUSE we've asked Jesus to get inside of us and change us in the ways we look at our world, and others, we cannot help but serve. We are sheep. Those who serve, thinking their efforts will pay the price, to heaven, are the goats!
This brings me back to a prayer Ellen White, challenges us to pray: "Lord, take my heart; for I can't give it. It is Thine property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it so, for Thee. Save me, in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can flow through my soul."
Sounds like a sheep's prayer to me, Amen?
Mr. Duerksen, Oregon Conference assistant to the president for creative communications.
Want/Need more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM. and Learn that Heaven love you greatly, and has a spot no other can fill, but Y O U!
Other sites: itiswritten.com aftv.org blbn.org redeem.international amazingdiscoveries.org
servantSite@wordpress.com
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
GOOD NEWS, ABOUT HELL. Martin Weber, Gleaner Magazine. Oct.27/2017.
My many thanks to all whose efforts, and research, put this work together. { John B)
NOTE( JB ) : This is a magazine, which is sent each week, to all Baptized members, yet the message is most profound to all human beings, hence this post!
The Author Martin Weber, is the maker of Logos Bible Software, and a Product manager for Faithlife. Therefore we can all, in truth, that his writings are biblically sound, and not personal ideas, as so many are taught from the many Pulpits, today and .... for eons, past!
What's happening with the Seventh-day Adventist church? Members world-wide are worried about this month's Annual Council, where global representatives will debate what should happen to elected leaders and their constituencies who are "out of compliance" with church policy on woman's ordination. {To be recognized officially as Pastors}
Most of us have strong convictions one way or the other. Whatever yours may be, I respect your conscience. Seeking common ground upon which we can stand together. { JB in love for Jesus) I am hoping here to encourage you with all Seventh-day Adventists have in common-- no matter what gets voted at the Annual Council. I'm thinking specifically about our Fundamental Beliefs Based upon Scripture, they{ JB, MUST) transcend all committee actions and church policies.
Note (JB): Any decision on this emotional fact, must be based upon Scripture, and not any kind of modern P.C. Political Correctness!, Which is seldom correct. Please know, I do not have the space restrictions that Mr. Weber had.
Christians {J B of all Christian faiths) around us believe in Jesus, yet suffer confusion regarding "The Truth that is in Jesus"....
Ephesians 4:19-23 " Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;"
But God has entrusted those who follow His word, with a coherent and compelling system of truths that no other denomination teaches or defends. These doctrines are intrinsically grace-based and Christ centered, ( despite being catastrophically misrepresented by well intentioned legalists throughout history)
When unencumbered by unbiblical baggage Adventist beliefs exude a spiritual and psychological life and health messages. Moreover, our doctrines uniquely support God's grand narrative of Eden lost to Eden restored.
NOTE (JB): I personally look at the Holy Scriptures, as a circle, a loop, wherein the end comes back to the end of Genesis 2nd chapter, and Eden upon the entire earth, which the meek will have for their inheritance with Jesus! Your careful reading of Revelation 21-22 and Genesis 1-2 chapters will show this. All Scriptures in between these two base points,which are Jesus showing us how to live this portions of our probation, to be ready for the Kingdom!
Please, consider, for one example, about our teaching about hell. Most Christians deny that God will put and end to evil {and JB. to death itself). Many teach and hold, that their notion of eternal hell ceasely mingles with the screams of damned souls with the cursings of demons. And that nightmare is supposedly happening now as loved ones who died away from Jesus are already writhing in the flames.
NOTE ( JB ):
for this to be factually correct, it MUST mean that God, is much more cruel that humanity, PLUS, the mere fact, that He must also give eternal life to all sinners, thus perpetuating sin itself! That's three (3) huge facts that can't find a fit in Scripture, anywhere! Thus is ONLY the "Traditions of men"....
Mark 7:13 " Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."
Examples? Sunday the first day of the week worship, in-place of the Seventh-day Sabbath {Daniel 7:25. Exodus 20:8-11}
Eternal Life for the souls:Genesis 3:19 " In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. and Ecclesiastes 9:4-7 "For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works."
Who can not fail to see the validity of Mark 7:13 within the two above passages? The "TRADITIONS OF MEN"! Purgatory, indeed..... Just another "REVENUE STREAM".
REFORMING THE REFORMATION.
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, this month, October, Martin Luther thundered in his 95 Theses against purgatory, which purports that even saved people suffer in flames upon death--- being purged from their sins to become perfect enough for heaven.
NOTE (JB ): Excuse me, but do not this very same organization, claims that it's priests do HAVE the POWER to forgive all sins? Then why, WHY, the need of purgatory's flames to purify all souls? Can you say OXYMORON? This is the result of straying away from Bible principles, and creating human traditions!
Yet some Protestants envision a worse hell than Catholics do--- that God has PREDESTINED billions to be lost before they are even born!
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."
Psalms 98:9 "Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."
Thus as per these folks, even the non-believer that plows the snow out of your drive-way each snow -fall, is already condemned, perhaps even before birth,....... without any chance of being saved, even if its his or hers greatest wish,??? Oh- so, non-Biblical, right? What kind of monstrous God do they believe in? A God more cruel than any man? Is God less just than men or man? {JB these must equate God with their levels morality]
Is it any wonder, why so many reject such monstrosity and despise religion, today? Some Christians, in desperation, to salvage God's reputation amid the endless tyranny, have invented a kinder and gentler hell, involving eternal darkness rather than painful flames. Well, just sit inside your own closet at night, with the door shut, and no lights on in the house, and sit there for an hour, IF YOU CAN, now think how this would be for eternity, and not go stark raving mad!
Granted, there are 'figures of speech' in Scripture, we use then today,right Terribly awesome, or bad, are both as such.yet the actual meaning is clear to most.
Popular views of eternal punishments utterly violate the Gospel, the Gift of Jesus Christ Himself. People who reject Christ shall perish....
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."
NOTE ( JB) : Thus whomsoever, does not BELIEVE shall perish, at His return! How do we know this?
Matthew 24:28 " For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. "
Luke 17:37 " And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."
Let's look at 1 John 5:12. shall we?
1 John 5:12 " He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
NOTE (JB): So it is for all those who obey the laws of men, Such as abortion, drug addictions, Sunday Worship, on the First day of the week, in place of the Seventh-day Sabbath. Gen.2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11,.
Isaiah 66:22-23;
Luke 4:14-16 "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 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"
Was Jesus not sent to earth, to set the example, for us? Can man save YOU, or self? They why obey men, and disobey God? Remember traditions of men? read Matthew 15:3,6: Mark 7:3,8,9: Colossians 2:8: 1 Peter 1:18, all have remarks about human traditions, over God's Truth!
God alone, hath immortality, within Himself, thus can give it to whomever He pleases....
1 Timothy 6:16 "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 honour and power everlasting. Amen."
So the question remains, "Who are those without Christ, yet thinking they can gain eternal life, without Him?" No wonder more and more Christians embrace annihilationism, ( to be totally destroyed) [visit the fascinating site rethinkinghell.com]
Another concern about eternal hell is the denial of Christ's FINISHED sacrifice, Evangelicals say Christ took all punishment for sin on the cross, BUT HE HUNG THERE FOR JUST PART OF THE DAY, NOT FOR ALL ETERNITY! SO if....if eternal punishment, ( either by flames or darkness) they must believe in the erroneous fact, that Jesus did NOT suffer enough! THIS DENIES THE GOSPEL!
GRACE BASED TRUTH: THE ADVENTIST ADVANTAGE.
Amid popular confusion, Adventists stand united in proclaiming our loving God Who will not eternalize punishments for a few decades of unbelief. There will be a merciful closure, with peace on the remade earth forever. What's more, we will all go together in community , when Jesus comes, again. Not to float away at death as isolated spirits!
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 " Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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."
NOTE (JB) : All of God's saints, shall have the same Glorious Body that Jesus has now, and shall have ever more.
I n the light of God's Grace and truth, Adventists ought to be the happiest Christians in town, Yet we are not, be looking for the why in another column. But let us be aware of arrogance, since Jesus warns us...
Luke 12:48 "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."
So let's expect the best from our leaders at the Annual Council, this month., yet if they vote against your will, our message remains the same, cherish His truth, as He has given it, and share , with love, to your fellow man!
NOTE (JB): This tired old body of mine, can no longer get around, as it used to, but it can still work a keyboard, and to date there's been 60,000 plus views to these three blogs,. How effective have they been, in planting seed, for Jesus? He shall tell me on the day of His return! Yet it is my prayer dear reader, that a seed has been planted within YOU, that shall grow, and be able to stand in THAT DAY! Because YOU name is written, by God's judgment, in the Book of Life!
Thanking Y O U for your time. Questions? Comments? John at servant@frontier.com
Want/Need more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath, 9-10 AM, and learn there's a place for Y O U in heaven, no other can fill.
Other sites: AFTV.org. BLBN.org. Amazingdiscoveries.org . redeem.international , itiswritten.com
servantsite@wordpress.com
.
NOTE( JB ) : This is a magazine, which is sent each week, to all Baptized members, yet the message is most profound to all human beings, hence this post!
The Author Martin Weber, is the maker of Logos Bible Software, and a Product manager for Faithlife. Therefore we can all, in truth, that his writings are biblically sound, and not personal ideas, as so many are taught from the many Pulpits, today and .... for eons, past!
What's happening with the Seventh-day Adventist church? Members world-wide are worried about this month's Annual Council, where global representatives will debate what should happen to elected leaders and their constituencies who are "out of compliance" with church policy on woman's ordination. {To be recognized officially as Pastors}
Most of us have strong convictions one way or the other. Whatever yours may be, I respect your conscience. Seeking common ground upon which we can stand together. { JB in love for Jesus) I am hoping here to encourage you with all Seventh-day Adventists have in common-- no matter what gets voted at the Annual Council. I'm thinking specifically about our Fundamental Beliefs Based upon Scripture, they{ JB, MUST) transcend all committee actions and church policies.
Note (JB): Any decision on this emotional fact, must be based upon Scripture, and not any kind of modern P.C. Political Correctness!, Which is seldom correct. Please know, I do not have the space restrictions that Mr. Weber had.
Christians {J B of all Christian faiths) around us believe in Jesus, yet suffer confusion regarding "The Truth that is in Jesus"....
Ephesians 4:19-23 " Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;"
But God has entrusted those who follow His word, with a coherent and compelling system of truths that no other denomination teaches or defends. These doctrines are intrinsically grace-based and Christ centered, ( despite being catastrophically misrepresented by well intentioned legalists throughout history)
When unencumbered by unbiblical baggage Adventist beliefs exude a spiritual and psychological life and health messages. Moreover, our doctrines uniquely support God's grand narrative of Eden lost to Eden restored.
NOTE (JB): I personally look at the Holy Scriptures, as a circle, a loop, wherein the end comes back to the end of Genesis 2nd chapter, and Eden upon the entire earth, which the meek will have for their inheritance with Jesus! Your careful reading of Revelation 21-22 and Genesis 1-2 chapters will show this. All Scriptures in between these two base points,which are Jesus showing us how to live this portions of our probation, to be ready for the Kingdom!
Please, consider, for one example, about our teaching about hell. Most Christians deny that God will put and end to evil {and JB. to death itself). Many teach and hold, that their notion of eternal hell ceasely mingles with the screams of damned souls with the cursings of demons. And that nightmare is supposedly happening now as loved ones who died away from Jesus are already writhing in the flames.
NOTE ( JB ):
for this to be factually correct, it MUST mean that God, is much more cruel that humanity, PLUS, the mere fact, that He must also give eternal life to all sinners, thus perpetuating sin itself! That's three (3) huge facts that can't find a fit in Scripture, anywhere! Thus is ONLY the "Traditions of men"....
Mark 7:13 " Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye."
Examples? Sunday the first day of the week worship, in-place of the Seventh-day Sabbath {Daniel 7:25. Exodus 20:8-11}
Eternal Life for the souls:Genesis 3:19 " In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. and Ecclesiastes 9:4-7 "For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works."
Who can not fail to see the validity of Mark 7:13 within the two above passages? The "TRADITIONS OF MEN"! Purgatory, indeed..... Just another "REVENUE STREAM".
REFORMING THE REFORMATION.
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, this month, October, Martin Luther thundered in his 95 Theses against purgatory, which purports that even saved people suffer in flames upon death--- being purged from their sins to become perfect enough for heaven.
NOTE (JB ): Excuse me, but do not this very same organization, claims that it's priests do HAVE the POWER to forgive all sins? Then why, WHY, the need of purgatory's flames to purify all souls? Can you say OXYMORON? This is the result of straying away from Bible principles, and creating human traditions!
Yet some Protestants envision a worse hell than Catholics do--- that God has PREDESTINED billions to be lost before they are even born!
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."
Psalms 98:9 "Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity."
Thus as per these folks, even the non-believer that plows the snow out of your drive-way each snow -fall, is already condemned, perhaps even before birth,....... without any chance of being saved, even if its his or hers greatest wish,??? Oh- so, non-Biblical, right? What kind of monstrous God do they believe in? A God more cruel than any man? Is God less just than men or man? {JB these must equate God with their levels morality]
Is it any wonder, why so many reject such monstrosity and despise religion, today? Some Christians, in desperation, to salvage God's reputation amid the endless tyranny, have invented a kinder and gentler hell, involving eternal darkness rather than painful flames. Well, just sit inside your own closet at night, with the door shut, and no lights on in the house, and sit there for an hour, IF YOU CAN, now think how this would be for eternity, and not go stark raving mad!
Granted, there are 'figures of speech' in Scripture, we use then today,right Terribly awesome, or bad, are both as such.yet the actual meaning is clear to most.
Popular views of eternal punishments utterly violate the Gospel, the Gift of Jesus Christ Himself. People who reject Christ shall perish....
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."
NOTE ( JB) : Thus whomsoever, does not BELIEVE shall perish, at His return! How do we know this?
Matthew 24:28 " For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. "
Luke 17:37 " And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together."
Let's look at 1 John 5:12. shall we?
1 John 5:12 " He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
NOTE (JB): So it is for all those who obey the laws of men, Such as abortion, drug addictions, Sunday Worship, on the First day of the week, in place of the Seventh-day Sabbath. Gen.2:1-3; Exodus 20:8-11,.
Isaiah 66:22-23;
Luke 4:14-16 "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 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"
Was Jesus not sent to earth, to set the example, for us? Can man save YOU, or self? They why obey men, and disobey God? Remember traditions of men? read Matthew 15:3,6: Mark 7:3,8,9: Colossians 2:8: 1 Peter 1:18, all have remarks about human traditions, over God's Truth!
God alone, hath immortality, within Himself, thus can give it to whomever He pleases....
1 Timothy 6:16 "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 honour and power everlasting. Amen."
So the question remains, "Who are those without Christ, yet thinking they can gain eternal life, without Him?" No wonder more and more Christians embrace annihilationism, ( to be totally destroyed) [visit the fascinating site rethinkinghell.com]
Another concern about eternal hell is the denial of Christ's FINISHED sacrifice, Evangelicals say Christ took all punishment for sin on the cross, BUT HE HUNG THERE FOR JUST PART OF THE DAY, NOT FOR ALL ETERNITY! SO if....if eternal punishment, ( either by flames or darkness) they must believe in the erroneous fact, that Jesus did NOT suffer enough! THIS DENIES THE GOSPEL!
GRACE BASED TRUTH: THE ADVENTIST ADVANTAGE.
Amid popular confusion, Adventists stand united in proclaiming our loving God Who will not eternalize punishments for a few decades of unbelief. There will be a merciful closure, with peace on the remade earth forever. What's more, we will all go together in community , when Jesus comes, again. Not to float away at death as isolated spirits!
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 " Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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."
NOTE (JB) : All of God's saints, shall have the same Glorious Body that Jesus has now, and shall have ever more.
I n the light of God's Grace and truth, Adventists ought to be the happiest Christians in town, Yet we are not, be looking for the why in another column. But let us be aware of arrogance, since Jesus warns us...
Luke 12:48 "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."
So let's expect the best from our leaders at the Annual Council, this month., yet if they vote against your will, our message remains the same, cherish His truth, as He has given it, and share , with love, to your fellow man!
NOTE (JB): This tired old body of mine, can no longer get around, as it used to, but it can still work a keyboard, and to date there's been 60,000 plus views to these three blogs,. How effective have they been, in planting seed, for Jesus? He shall tell me on the day of His return! Yet it is my prayer dear reader, that a seed has been planted within YOU, that shall grow, and be able to stand in THAT DAY! Because YOU name is written, by God's judgment, in the Book of Life!
Thanking Y O U for your time. Questions? Comments? John at servant@frontier.com
Want/Need more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath, 9-10 AM, and learn there's a place for Y O U in heaven, no other can fill.
Other sites: AFTV.org. BLBN.org. Amazingdiscoveries.org . redeem.international , itiswritten.com
servantsite@wordpress.com
.
Friday, October 6, 2017
WHEN LIFE HURTS, WHERE IS GOD? Loren Seibold- Oct.'17 Signs of the Times Issue.
My utmost thanks to both author Loren Seibold and Signs Magazine. (John B)
If you enjoyed this short story email ...order.signs@pacificpress.com for monthly issues. jb,
Loren reflects on one of the most perplexing questions we humans ask: "Where was God when something bad happened to me?"
What followed are the pictures that I saw on Television--- pictures that are burned into my mind and that I'll not ever forget.
IS THIS NO A RECURRING QUESTION?
I surely am not the first to ask this question, nor the last! Do we not often suppose that the Bible writers were spiritual athletes who could not ever have felt bereft of God. But they also, questioned God during life's tragedies.
Psalms 42:9-10 " I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?"
The psalmist isn't just nursing his own doubts, but he's also taunted by others: "People say to me all day long, 'Where is your God' "? (verse 3). We can know from the way he interweaves his hopes with his doubts shows us that hasn't yet overcome his dark emotions, still trying to convince himself.
Yet this writer was not alone. David suffered deep spiritual depression, both for his own sins (Psalms 51), and when under assault by his enemies:
Psalms 55:2-3 "Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me."
Psalms 55:5 "Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me."
NOTE (JB): Today, as I put this to the web, on October 6 2017, we have seen more than enough horror, the storms that hit Texas and its neighbors, then Florida, and its neighbour states., and the Caribbean Island nations and States, got hit hared, by two storms, then that evil in Los Vegas, did not, and could not stay in "Vegas". Yet Our President, was an "EYE-WITNESS, as well as our First Lady , was more pain than any couple should be asked to carry, no matter one's political leanings, give then both credit! Still many shall dig and dig, to find even the tiniest bit of dirt!
Matthew 7:5 "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote [speck] out of thy brother's eye."
But who bothers to read, let alone study the Holy Bible? Exodus 20:8-11, as most preacher do not!
THE IMMANENT SAVIOR.
Nothing troubled Jesus' disciples more that His disciples more that His announcement that He was leaving them. As Peter, asked:
Matthew 19:27 "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"
To this Jesus told them:
John 14:17-18 "Even the Spirit of truth; [ The Holy Spirit] whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
A service man, friend of mine, was deployed to the Middle East, remaining there for months on end, While his wife and 4 year old daughter remained at home. > nearly each night,, through the magic of Skype, he talked to and saw his family and they him, so that they could keep the bonds of love and family bright and strong. He was not there in person, or physically but was certainly there with them , in spirit. As Jesus said: to those who know Him..
John 14:16-18 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you"
THE SUFFERING SAVIOR.
Concentration-camp survivor Elie Wiesel, in his book NIGHT, tells about a day when the Nazi camp guards were going to hang three offenders, one was a child. "As we returned form our work, we saw three gallows..... All eyes were on the child. He was pale, almost calm, but but he was biting his lips as he stood in the shadows of the gallows...Where is a merciful God?, where is He?' someone behind me asked. At the signal the three chairs were tipped over...Then came the march past the victims, The two men were no longer alive...The child, too light, was still breathing...And so he remained for more than half an hour, hanging there between life and death...Behind me, I heard the same man asking, 'For God's sake, where is God?'...And from within me I heard a voice answer "Where is He? This is where--- hanging hanging here form this gallows.'"
Here is a profound truth: "God is in our pain."!
Isaiah, the prophet, wrote this a thousand years said that Christ suffered for us:
Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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. 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."
NOTE(JB): as before, who today knows their Bible? most live, life according to this passage.....
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, high-minded, 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."
If you do not believe this, that this is a factual description of humanity, as a whole, you have been in a coma for years, or lived as hermit, in mountain top cave, no have hear nor seen any newscast nor read a paper!
In Jesus' suffering, for each and all of humanity, displayed a love from both the Father and the Son, that we can't fully grasp nor understand, as both did this willingly! How many of us would DONATE, a child's live, for anothers? How can one look at the image of Jesus nailed to a cross, and not feel something?
In each and every moment of suffering, GOD IS THERE, wherever there is grief, wherever there is pain, God is there, and that's Holy Ground!
Psalms 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
This was asked by Israel's enemies, the powers that conquered the Jews, and marched them into exile in distant lands while assuming the the Jewish God was powerless.
Yet the psalmist gave answer:
Psalms 115:1-8 "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."
NOTE (JB): unto them? who them? The man-made gods, the idols, He will make them the people who make and believe in their gods, as their gods, that see not, move not,breathe not, think not, live not! What is YOUR god, today? Your car, your house, your job, your stuff??
Sunday morn, long ago..... Matthew 28:5-6 "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
NOTE (JB): Do Y O U, dear reader, read here the commandment, to change the 4th commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11? Nor is it written or found in any other Bible's verse, as it was men who changed it in 321 A.D. due to a decree by Constantine, to feast on the Venerable day o the Sun-god!That ALL shops shall be open on Saturday, the Bible's Sabbath! Rome followed, and accepted millions of Pagans into their church, with all their customs, robes and processions, and feast days, Ishtar, the Babylonian "Queen of Heaven" Today that's Mary, for Easter along with her fertility symbols of eggs, and bunnies, and hot cross buns, and the Rebirth of sun, December 25th! Rome must think us as stupid, unable to connect the dots/thoughts!
Most know not this fact: Romans 8:34 "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
NOTE ( JB): Intercession for us? For all those who in prayers, have repented and asked for forgiveness of their sins, Jesus reconciles us and becomes our interceder, and actively and intentionally becomes our advocate to the the Father-God! This is why in prayer we are told to ask in His name!
John 14:13-15 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Asking within the Commandments! He is not going to give a 250 mph car to a teenager! Nor a machine gun to a bank robber!
If Y O U dear reader fear of being alone....or "left behind have a Personal relationship founded upon love and trust, and knowing Jesus, He told us this...
THE RESCUING SAVIOR.
John 14:1-3 " Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
NOTE (JB): If you are honest, ask Him in prayers,daily to surrender your will unto Him, and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, daily, for Him to rework your character to be as Christ's! All who truly want to be in heaven shall be there!Because they will make up their minds to please Him, because of LOVE, and because they love the truth, The Word of God! Satan will never use either love nor the full truth!
Now the passage in John is all about His love for His own, but not so for these------
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."
NOTE (JB): Why are so many wailing? Because there shall be a Judgment:
Revelation 22:12 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be".
NOTE (JB) : What should be the reward, for all who reject Him, with their disbelief, and covered by sins?
Romans 6:23 " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(JB) : Rejecting Jesus, is also rejecting His gift of His lif3e for your sins, so it is the Sinner that must pay the price of sin!
Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
( JB): Therefore, all those who reject Christ, knowingly, also reject the gift of salvation He purchased with His own Blood, they'll need to shed all of theirs for their own sins! Simple as that!
Happily, all with Christ within them, will see and hear nothing but joy, at the Judgment, for this can be said is our, "Payday, and Birthday" all rolled into one!
Revelation 20:11-15 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
( JB ): What's the opposite of "Life eternal"? Eternal death right? All those who do not want God The Father, or Jesus our Savior, they both love us enough to give us what we want, but as both are the source of life itself, well without either there can be no life!
Daniel 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."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
John 3:15-18 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Sadly, there's no guarantee that there won't be suffering on this earth.
( JB ) : In fact, there shall be suffering, at the hands of man, as well as Satan, who is Prince of this earth, and it is within his power to create disasters, and lead humans to sin, in murders, thefts, rapes, wars, and to drive drunk or high on dope, because each has been given the free-will, that in a requirement for us to be able to choose to do good or to do evil! As what has, and is happening to the Syrian people still to this day, their leader chose their methods, to stay in power, mor in place where there is famine, disease, or natural disasters has occurred. We assure self by Jesus' promises that He is with us through His Spirit; He has suffered with us, and continues to suffer with us. His power is undiminished; He will rescue us at the last.
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me".
Need/Want more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM, learn that Heaven loves you, and has a place for you that no other can fill or occupy, but Y O U!
Other sites: blbn.org redeen.international aftv.org. itiswritten.com amazingdiscoveries.org
servantsite @wordpress.com
If you enjoyed this short story email ...order.signs@pacificpress.com for monthly issues. jb,
Loren reflects on one of the most perplexing questions we humans ask: "Where was God when something bad happened to me?"
What followed are the pictures that I saw on Television--- pictures that are burned into my mind and that I'll not ever forget.
- Dozens of small Syrian children being washed down with high-pressure water, tossed around, and rolled around like so many bundles of rags, in the rush to wash off the poisonous nerve gas, form their small bodies!
- A father clutching his infant twins to his chest, both dead from the poisonous gas, his tears dropping onto their dead faces.
- Bodies of innocent people lying on the street, some with cloths tossed over them, many not even given that decorum of respect.
- A wealthy, powerful and morally indifferent leader, sitting a comfortable chair, in some secluded and secure building, who ordered his military to do this. His own children rest comfortably in their own beds, while he cares nothing about this evil that he has caused, so long as he stays in power!
IS THIS NO A RECURRING QUESTION?
I surely am not the first to ask this question, nor the last! Do we not often suppose that the Bible writers were spiritual athletes who could not ever have felt bereft of God. But they also, questioned God during life's tragedies.
Psalms 42:9-10 " I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?"
The psalmist isn't just nursing his own doubts, but he's also taunted by others: "People say to me all day long, 'Where is your God' "? (verse 3). We can know from the way he interweaves his hopes with his doubts shows us that hasn't yet overcome his dark emotions, still trying to convince himself.
Yet this writer was not alone. David suffered deep spiritual depression, both for his own sins (Psalms 51), and when under assault by his enemies:
Psalms 55:2-3 "Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me."
Psalms 55:5 "Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me."
NOTE (JB): Today, as I put this to the web, on October 6 2017, we have seen more than enough horror, the storms that hit Texas and its neighbors, then Florida, and its neighbour states., and the Caribbean Island nations and States, got hit hared, by two storms, then that evil in Los Vegas, did not, and could not stay in "Vegas". Yet Our President, was an "EYE-WITNESS, as well as our First Lady , was more pain than any couple should be asked to carry, no matter one's political leanings, give then both credit! Still many shall dig and dig, to find even the tiniest bit of dirt!
Matthew 7:5 "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote [speck] out of thy brother's eye."
But who bothers to read, let alone study the Holy Bible? Exodus 20:8-11, as most preacher do not!
THE IMMANENT SAVIOR.
Nothing troubled Jesus' disciples more that His disciples more that His announcement that He was leaving them. As Peter, asked:
Matthew 19:27 "Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?"
To this Jesus told them:
John 14:17-18 "Even the Spirit of truth; [ The Holy Spirit] whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."
A service man, friend of mine, was deployed to the Middle East, remaining there for months on end, While his wife and 4 year old daughter remained at home. > nearly each night,, through the magic of Skype, he talked to and saw his family and they him, so that they could keep the bonds of love and family bright and strong. He was not there in person, or physically but was certainly there with them , in spirit. As Jesus said: to those who know Him..
John 14:16-18 "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you"
THE SUFFERING SAVIOR.
Concentration-camp survivor Elie Wiesel, in his book NIGHT, tells about a day when the Nazi camp guards were going to hang three offenders, one was a child. "As we returned form our work, we saw three gallows..... All eyes were on the child. He was pale, almost calm, but but he was biting his lips as he stood in the shadows of the gallows...Where is a merciful God?, where is He?' someone behind me asked. At the signal the three chairs were tipped over...Then came the march past the victims, The two men were no longer alive...The child, too light, was still breathing...And so he remained for more than half an hour, hanging there between life and death...Behind me, I heard the same man asking, 'For God's sake, where is God?'...And from within me I heard a voice answer "Where is He? This is where--- hanging hanging here form this gallows.'"
Here is a profound truth: "God is in our pain."!
Isaiah, the prophet, wrote this a thousand years said that Christ suffered for us:
Isaiah 53:4-6 "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 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. 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."
NOTE(JB): as before, who today knows their Bible? most live, life according to this passage.....
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, high-minded, 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."
If you do not believe this, that this is a factual description of humanity, as a whole, you have been in a coma for years, or lived as hermit, in mountain top cave, no have hear nor seen any newscast nor read a paper!
In Jesus' suffering, for each and all of humanity, displayed a love from both the Father and the Son, that we can't fully grasp nor understand, as both did this willingly! How many of us would DONATE, a child's live, for anothers? How can one look at the image of Jesus nailed to a cross, and not feel something?
In each and every moment of suffering, GOD IS THERE, wherever there is grief, wherever there is pain, God is there, and that's Holy Ground!
Psalms 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
This was asked by Israel's enemies, the powers that conquered the Jews, and marched them into exile in distant lands while assuming the the Jewish God was powerless.
Yet the psalmist gave answer:
Psalms 115:1-8 "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."
NOTE (JB): unto them? who them? The man-made gods, the idols, He will make them the people who make and believe in their gods, as their gods, that see not, move not,breathe not, think not, live not! What is YOUR god, today? Your car, your house, your job, your stuff??
Sunday morn, long ago..... Matthew 28:5-6 "And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
NOTE (JB): Do Y O U, dear reader, read here the commandment, to change the 4th commandment found in Exodus 20:8-11? Nor is it written or found in any other Bible's verse, as it was men who changed it in 321 A.D. due to a decree by Constantine, to feast on the Venerable day o the Sun-god!That ALL shops shall be open on Saturday, the Bible's Sabbath! Rome followed, and accepted millions of Pagans into their church, with all their customs, robes and processions, and feast days, Ishtar, the Babylonian "Queen of Heaven" Today that's Mary, for Easter along with her fertility symbols of eggs, and bunnies, and hot cross buns, and the Rebirth of sun, December 25th! Rome must think us as stupid, unable to connect the dots/thoughts!
Most know not this fact: Romans 8:34 "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."
NOTE ( JB): Intercession for us? For all those who in prayers, have repented and asked for forgiveness of their sins, Jesus reconciles us and becomes our interceder, and actively and intentionally becomes our advocate to the the Father-God! This is why in prayer we are told to ask in His name!
John 14:13-15 "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. If ye love me, keep my commandments."
Asking within the Commandments! He is not going to give a 250 mph car to a teenager! Nor a machine gun to a bank robber!
If Y O U dear reader fear of being alone....or "left behind have a Personal relationship founded upon love and trust, and knowing Jesus, He told us this...
THE RESCUING SAVIOR.
John 14:1-3 " Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."
NOTE (JB): If you are honest, ask Him in prayers,daily to surrender your will unto Him, and ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, daily, for Him to rework your character to be as Christ's! All who truly want to be in heaven shall be there!Because they will make up their minds to please Him, because of LOVE, and because they love the truth, The Word of God! Satan will never use either love nor the full truth!
Now the passage in John is all about His love for His own, but not so for these------
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."
NOTE (JB): Why are so many wailing? Because there shall be a Judgment:
Revelation 22:12 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be".
NOTE (JB) : What should be the reward, for all who reject Him, with their disbelief, and covered by sins?
Romans 6:23 " For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
(JB) : Rejecting Jesus, is also rejecting His gift of His lif3e for your sins, so it is the Sinner that must pay the price of sin!
Hebrews 9:22 "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."
( JB): Therefore, all those who reject Christ, knowingly, also reject the gift of salvation He purchased with His own Blood, they'll need to shed all of theirs for their own sins! Simple as that!
Happily, all with Christ within them, will see and hear nothing but joy, at the Judgment, for this can be said is our, "Payday, and Birthday" all rolled into one!
Revelation 20:11-15 "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
( JB ): What's the opposite of "Life eternal"? Eternal death right? All those who do not want God The Father, or Jesus our Savior, they both love us enough to give us what we want, but as both are the source of life itself, well without either there can be no life!
Daniel 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."
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
John 3:15-18 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Sadly, there's no guarantee that there won't be suffering on this earth.
( JB ) : In fact, there shall be suffering, at the hands of man, as well as Satan, who is Prince of this earth, and it is within his power to create disasters, and lead humans to sin, in murders, thefts, rapes, wars, and to drive drunk or high on dope, because each has been given the free-will, that in a requirement for us to be able to choose to do good or to do evil! As what has, and is happening to the Syrian people still to this day, their leader chose their methods, to stay in power, mor in place where there is famine, disease, or natural disasters has occurred. We assure self by Jesus' promises that He is with us through His Spirit; He has suffered with us, and continues to suffer with us. His power is undiminished; He will rescue us at the last.
John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me".
Need/Want more? Visit your Seventh-day Adventist any Saturday/Sabbath at 9-10 AM, learn that Heaven loves you, and has a place for you that no other can fill or occupy, but Y O U!
Other sites: blbn.org redeen.international aftv.org. itiswritten.com amazingdiscoveries.org
servantsite @wordpress.com
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