A LETTER to the CAPTIVES.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Galatians 5:17-23  "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     Jeremiah 2:22  "For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD".
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Note: Nitre is a mineral potash, that with water, becomes a mild acid, cleansing agent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     Ecclesiastes 9:5  "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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