He That Hath An Ear, Let Him Hear.

As Christians, standing upon the promise that God has already provided the means for salvation, it is imperative to stand firm in our ways going in and going out. The Bible says, "God is not mocked, whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. If we sow to the flesh, we shall of the flesh - reap corruption. If we sow to the Spirit, we shall of the spirit  - reap eternal life." So how do we know we are sowing to the flesh? (1 John 2:15-16) provides a clue. It says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." Even though the Christian is in the world, he or she is not of the world, but is sowing to the Spirit. You can sow to the Spirit by being filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourself in songs and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.

Let's look at how the deception of Satan caused sin to occur on the earth. In (Genesis 3:1-6), we find Adam and Eve in the Garden and the serpent saying to Eve, "Has God said that you shall not eat of every tree in the garden?" Then Eve replied," We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said to the woman, ye shall not surely die: for the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (the lust of the flesh), and that it was pleasant to the eyes (the lust of the eyes), and a tree to be desire to make one wise (the pride of life), she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her and he did eat." Thus the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life actually originated with Satan in deceiving Eve.

The above passages paint a picture of how one Scripture (1 John 2:15-16), authenticates the other Scripture (Genesis 3:1-6). This provides another reason not to sow to the flesh because the Bible declares, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing." Thus, the best way to manage your flesh is to sow to your spirit-man and keep your eyes upon Jesus whereby resides the hope of your redemption. In so doing, we have this hope that one day, when we reach our destination, we may see Jesus who shall say to us, "Well done My good and faithful servant."

How To Turn Garbage Into Rubble.

Back in the depression era, my family was barely making ends meet. With three small boys in "1 day bed," housed in the same room with mom and dad, made for some difficult nights. When I was, dunno, three or perhaps four, I experienced night mares quite a bit. My dad worked in a dairy and had to get up very early, and my night mares didn't help his nerves much. However, at that young age I do remember blaming the night mares on the devil. One particular night mare I recall even today, although my memory has faded quite a bit since then was of a nation in rubble. The reason I vividly recall it might be linked to the fact that it occurred more than once. Even at that time, with whatever ability of understanding I had, I felt the nation in question was America.

Today, we see America in a time of mockery and complacency, ignoring the warnings of many years gone by. No one would argue that the depression of the 30's & 40's was merely a foreshadow of what we are seeing now or about to see. Many in those days thought the German dictator was the anti-Christ and Bible scholars were in hot pursuit of connecting the dots. Howbeit, one major piece of the puzzle was missing at that time. The prophecy of the Jew returning to his/her homeland had yet to occur.

At our time in history, it is agreed to by many scholars that most of the pieces are in place and the stage is set. Much like Israel, America also had a role to play in both history and Bible prophecy. As the homeland for the Jews (God's chosen people) by whom God said He would bless the nations; God set it aside and blessed America to become a homeland for Gentiles from every nation (founded on Judeo-Christian principles) for the purpose of blessing other nations.

However, much like Israel, America became so prosperous through God's blessings that it said: "God, we don't need you anymore." "We are rich, in need of nothing." Get out of our courtrooms and sporting events. Get out of our graduating ceremonies and classrooms. Sure we believe in free speech, but don't mention God or Jesus to us or we will single you as a hate monger.

We Americans are a civilized people. We would never do anything barbaric to babies. We would never reward the guilty and tax the innocent. We would never say, "Thou shalt not kill" is offensive to anyone."We would never turn a confessed killer loose to society on a technicality. We would never allow any marriage to occur other than what has been the norm since the beginning of time. We would never give our government's taxpayer money to any group that commits voter fraud. That's just who we are, and because we are a righteous nation in our own eyes, we do not need a God to tell us what to do.

I never have zeroed in on what the rubble in those night mares were. I do know that America has a lot of excess garbage that needs to be cleaned up. But, we can always just pass that along to the next generation and let them deal with it. And if that don't work, perhaps some day the garbage will become so large it will simply turn into rubble. Dunno, just wondering.

Why be Faithful?

You are "Jewels" in God's crown. He loves you because you are good, and you trust in His Son to be Lord of your life -- but there is another reason. He loves you for your faithfulness. By faithful, I mean committed to do what He has entrusted you with. You might think -- what can I be entrusted with? However, God sees you right where you are. You don't have to be a Billy Graham but whoever you are, be faithful in what you do. God sees you in your infirmities and He knows you and what you are capable of doing. If you are even faithful in little things, He will make you rulers over much. When you sing, do you do it to the Lord, or do you hope no one can hear you because you can't sing too good? God only cares where your heart is. Is that praise to Him with joy, or is it blowing in the wind not knowing where it will go?

No supervisor or manager wants to see their help slack in their work or not show up when expected. God is no different. You may not think you can give much to God and maybe you can't, but are you faithful? That is the important thing. Then when we meet the Lord on that day, He will say -- "Well done good and faithful servant." What you are doing for the Lord might seem trivial now. You might not even think of it as doing something for the Lord. As the Scripture says, "Whatsoever you do, do it as unto the Lord." Sometimes circumstances get in our way and takes our mind off our priority. Yet, within our situation we can find a way to keep on track. To keep our heart and mind stayed on the Lord who can lead us out of our circumstances. He said He will never leave you, nor forsake you. Proverbs 28:20 says, a faithful man shall abound with blessings. Luke 16:10 says, He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. A faithful son or servant is one that sends joy to the heart. You are a son or daughter of the Most High God and you can send joy into your Father's heart by being faithful.

The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold

Jesus made a profound statement concerning the last days. The statement is from (Matthew 24:12): "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." First, we must take this passage as a sign and warning of what it will be like in the last days. Next, simply add this sign to other passages relating to the last days, and if you do your homework, you will find the list is phenomenal. (I hope to do a blog on the last days subject matter sometime soon).

The first part of Jesus' statement "Iniquity shall abound" is easy to realize as we see the abortion rate not only skyrocketing, but also becoming more favored by society. Why is this important? The Book of Proverbs mentions seven things God hates. Number three is the shedding of innocent blood. What is more innocent than an infant in its mother's womb. The book "The Mystery of the Trinity Revealed" proves that life begins at conception. 

You might find it interesting that the number one thing God hates is a proud look. You can readily see how pride is being manifested in almost every area of life today. If you are a fan of any type sport, it is easy to spot, and even some parades boast of this type expression. In some cases, a proud look might be justified as an accomplishment achieved, but not when it involves a "look at me" and "how good I am" type attitude. The Bible says to humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

We might also mention that the second thing God hates is a lying tongue--another sign easy to spot and rampant in politics, the news media, agreements between nations and other places.

So where do we see the love of many waxing cold? Well, today, just about everywhere. Road rage, gang violence, terrorism, schools, politics, neighbors, religions, news media, racial issues, late night TV, and the list goes on.

Whereby iniquity causes sickness, diseases, hatred, and a host of other bad things, love covers a multitude of sin and frees us from sickness, diseases, hatred and the like. Consider this: "If you do not love your neighbor whom you can see, how can you love God whom you cannot see?" The devil wants everyone to hate, because he is the father of hate and lies. But you my friend, do not fall into his traps. Study the Word to find yourself approved unto God and spend time in prayer even if for a few minutes. God will bless you and in these last days, you will be prepared and not deceived for whatsoever should occur. 

 "The Mystery of the Trinity Revealed" is a Dove & Word Publication.

Do They Really Worship the Same God?

Many have bought into the deception that the three major monotheistic religions (Islam, Judaism and Christianity), all worship the same God. While it is true that each religion worships one God, the real issue is, "Do they worship the same God?"

    In reality, the beliefs of these three religions are as far apart as east is from the west. Therefore, let's take a reality check assessments regarding these three religions  and their origin and credibility.

    The first thing we notice is that all three religions claim kinship to a man named Abraham. A look at Islam first will uncover some details that do not add up to their claim. Abraham was originally named Abram. His wife's name was Sarai and without child. God promised Abram they would have a son in their old age, but Sarai gave Abram her handmaid Hagar to obtain a child. Abram's son by Hagar was named Ishmael. Ishmael is the one whom Islam claims God made the Abrahamic covenant with as the father of their religion. Notice Abram, not Abraham, was the father of Ishmael.

    After Ishmael was born, God changed Abram's name to Abraham and his wife Sarai's name to Sarah. This was done right before Sarah bore the son God promised, and his name was Isaac. The simple question to ask is, "Why was Abraham named Abram when Ishmael was born? And, why did God change Abram's name to Abraham right before his wife had Isaac?" The simple answer is; so there would be no question about the one with whom God wanted to make a covenant with. That covenant is now known as the Abrahamic covenant.

    Now let's look at this from another angle. Around 1900 BC, a man named Abram had a child  named (Ishmael) by his wife's handmaid (Hagar). God also made a promise to Hagar that Ishmael will be fruitful and multiply exceedingly, and will beget twelve princes. From God's promise to Ishmael, the Arab nations (twelve princes) developed. Notice, it was not Islamic nations, but Arabic nations that Ishmael became the father of. God did not establish the Abrahamic covenant through Abram, but waited until his name was changed to Abraham, and that brings us to our next major monotheistic religion -- Judaism.

     God changed Abram's wife's name from Sarai to Sarah and Abram's name to Abraham right  before Sarah bore a son named Isaac. Only after Isaac was born did God established the Abrahamic covenant. God selected Abraham to become the father of the Jewish people around the year 1890 BC. Later, God chose Moses to lead the Jewish people from slavery into the Promised Land (Israel). Abraham was not the founder the religion of Judaism but the recipient of the covenant. Through the covenant made with Abraham, God promised the nation of Israel to be established through Abraham's son Isaac and Isaac's son Jacob, and for the Promised Land (Israel) to be populated by a people called Jews. The holy book of the Jewish people is the Tenach and is also called the Old Testament.

     Some 2000 years after Abraham, a Jewish man named Jesus founded Christianity. The followers of Jesus believe He is God in the flesh. He declared He is the Son of God (John 10:36), and that He is the Messiah (John 4:25,26). Through His miraculous birth, Jesus came from heaven to earth to save man from death that sin produced, and provide everlasting life. Christians also believe in three manifestations of God through a concept called the Trinity. The Trinity expresses God as the Father, God's Son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The Jewish Tenach (Old Testament)and the New Testament comprise Christianity's holy book called the Bible. Christians believe in and worship the same God as Judaism although Judaism does not recognize the three manifestations of God.

    Years after Christianity was founded, a man named Mohammad founded the Islamic religion in the year AD 622. Reportedly, Mohammad received a series of messages by the angel Gabriel. His messages stated that Abraham, Moses, Jesus and other prophets and messengers were only forerunners of the prophet Mohammad. Muslim is the name given to a follower of Islam. Muslims believe Mohammad is the final prophet of God. Many Arabs have adopted the Islamic religion mainly through the urging of their culture. However, an Arab can become a Christian, Jew or whatever religion he chooses and not only a Muslim. Islam's holy book is called the Koran, and oddly; even though Islam considers the Bible corrupted, it considers Bible prophets as its own and frequently quote it to justify a point.

    All three religions claim that their roots go back to Abraham, to Israel and Jerusalem. Howbeit, the God of the Bible is the God worshipped by both Jews and Christians; yet Allah, the god of the Koran is not the same God as the God of the Bible. In addition, the prophets of the Koran cannot be the prophets of the Bible since in Islam's eyes the Bible is corrupted. Although they claim only part of the Bible is corrupt; what and who decides which parts? The only way one can decide if the Bible is right or wrong is that either 100% is right or 100% is wrong. There cannot be an in between, because no one, not even a religious group can dictate which parts are right and which parts are wrong.

    So what is the real problem here? What single issue is the root cause of division? What is the greatest hindrance to unity among these three religions? By far, the greatest deterrent to unification centers on disagreements and lack of understanding by both Islam, Judaism pertaining to Jesus, the founder of the Christian religion. As mentioned, Jesus is the central part of the Christian doctrine called Trinity. The Trinity professes that Jesus is actually God in the flesh.

    This Trinity is a sticking point for both Islam and Judaism. Each denies the existence of the Trinity and this is true even though Judaism and Christianity share the same God and the same holy book. Most Jews believe Jesus was a good man, but not God in the flesh. Muslims believe according to the Koran that Jesus was a prophet or a messenger of God. If we consider both of these viewpoints, they each contain inconsistencies. First of all Jesus could not be a good man if He is not God in the flesh because He would be the biggest liar who ever lived. Billions of His followers today believe He is God in the flesh and many in previous generations believed the same. Was Jesus a good man if He deceived all of His followers when He said: "I and My Father are one?"

    The Islamic view that Jesus was simply a messenger or a prophet of God also contains inconsistencies. The Jesus of the Koran cannot be the same Jesus of the Bible, because if Jesus was a messenger of God, He was reporting what God wanted us to know. Jesus told us "He is the Way, the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father, but by Him." If this and the hundreds other related statements by Jesus is what God wants us to know, why would a Christian want to join another religion? However, if as Islam declares, Jesus was merely a prophet and these statements of Jesus were not true, then God would be a liar and Christians should throw their Bibles away. Should Islam rethink this position and face the facts or should Christians throw away their Bibles and begin reading the Koran? In any case, the Jesus of the Koran cannot be the same as Jesus of the Bible.

     There are many more differences among the three monotheistic religions. The positions of these religions are inflexible an unyielding within the borders of their hierarchy and subordinate ranks. Each religion holds firm to what they believe as truth. Nevertheless, we shall never find real peace in the world today until these three religions come to a full agreement on one issue--is Jesus God in the flesh or was he a mere man? Is the Trinity true, or is it a false teaching? Since the Trinity has been revealed to us now at the beginning of the 21st Century, both Judaism and Islam leaders need to revisit and reevaluate the Trinity once more.

     With prospects of any dialog remaining slim, it yet appears as the only way to resolve this issue. In the past, the Trinity had been a mystery, which other religions preyed upon and slammed as a false teaching. However, now that has all changed, and the Trinity has ceased to be a mystery. The full comprehension is now available with simplicity, divulging how God manifests Himself in three Persons. These biblical facts have been documented into a book form ("The Mystery of the Trinity Revealed") and the overall current evidence is clear, credible and overwhelming enough to warrant the Trinity a fresh new examination.

    Continuing to hold our heads in the sand will never accomplish anything. The I'm right, you're wrong attitude must be met with proof. Perhaps the only way to achieve any measure of peace in a world torn by strife is to remove this single obstacle first by setting down together and examine these new facts. However, someone must take the lead and swallow pride by suggesting, "maybe we should take a look at this Trinity issue one more time." As the Scripture in Isaiah suggest; "Come let us reason together saith the Lord..." The updated book "The Mystery of the Trinity Revealed" was release October 2017.

"Phenomenal New Books Interview"

     Interview from "The Phenomenal New Books Show"
         with host J. Sneebold and author T.R. Bosse.

                                             Click on link below:

                            https://vimeo.com/250558252

Has the Immoral Minority Overtaken the Moral Majority?

With the Presidential Election coming up, I have republished this blog in light of the times. Even after the people have voted for their candidate of choice, this article will be relevant as the people have made the decision of whose moral values they wish to follow.

Sin is a word most people hate to hear, let alone be accused of committing. The Bible declares tears do not exist in heaven, but the late Reverend Jerry Falwell must be fighting them back. The morals in today's society have plummeted to an all-time low. Has Reverend Falwell's Moral Majority army of the 1980's and 90's now become the Moral Minority? With the past several elections over, Americans selected whom they desired as their leaders. Did they vote for someone with strong moral principles, someone who would guide us with wisdom of God's Word and His will for our nation, or did they risk placing our nation in jeopardy. The voter must realize that when someone votes for a candidate, he is agreeing with that candidate's platform? In other words, the voter embraces any immoral viewpoints, which his candidate may have.

Perhaps the biggest tragedy in America is the attempt to rid God from every venue of life. Each Christmas season that evidence becomes more evident. However, a close second, is one that must bring even God to tears -- abortion. For any clear thinking individual to dare compare the tragedy of abortion to any war we fight is a tragedy in itself. What the poll show at the time of this writing is that between 65 to 70 percent of Americans agree that the issue of abortion either does not matter anymore, or a woman should have the right to abortion anytime she desires and at any age she happens to be. Moreover, the polls also show something else. What do you suppose is more important than the issue of abortion? That's right, the good old root of all evil -- the pocketbook. The candidate who can promise the most entitlements gets the cherished endorsement.

I hate to be the bearer of doom-and-gloom, but as a thinker and a realist, I no longer see a silver lining in the clouds anymore. The fringes surrounding America's future are showing right now. Today foreclosures are out of control, oil prices are gushing skyward, food prices are hard to swallow, medical cost make you sick, all the while the dollar keeps declining. Notice, the one thing we want to protect is the very item being affected -- the pocketbook.

Today's abortion issue is merely one among many moral issues that needs fixing. Throughout history, we have had watchmen like Noah, Jonah and others who warned of impending danger and the need to repent. Yet, many times the warnings were ignored, while at other times, including 9/11 and Katrina, everyone was caught off guard and by surprise. Are we living in a period of time, which is repeating the warnings of the past? Could another impending disaster be looming round the corner? Have we paddled beyond the river of no return? Is there still gold at the end of the rainbow?

These are questions we seek answers to, but another question each of us must ask ourselves -- "What matters most, my pocketbook or my morals?" Your vote will tell exactly where you stand. As I see it, if America's morals are not right, the American dream will become the American nightmare. Maybe, just maybe, Jerry Falwell and the Moral Right were right after all.

"Born-again" Through Wisdom

Proverbs 1:7 declares, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and thereby from wisdom we also get understanding and knowledge. In a broader sense, Wisdom is the application of how the "Born-again" experience is realized.

1.) When we realize who God is and the power of His might, the fear of the Lord is ignited and initiated within our heart.

2.) By seeking out the attributes of God through His Word or the witness of His people, the beginning of Wisdom (the fear of the Lord) turns into a desire for more Wisdom. In the search for more of who God is provides us with the confrontation that God is not only just, but also a loving God who desires our love and fellowship in return.

3.) When we yield our love and fellowship over to God by making Jesus the Lord of our lives, it opens up a new and greater understanding of who God is. That understanding of God in return, stimulates us to continue to seek for an even greater understanding of who God is and His love for us. As Proverb 9:10 points out, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of  wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding." Thus, understanding is gained through wisdom.

4.) Understanding of God then provides knowledge. When we have understanding of how something operates, we store that information into our database called the heart, and when a situation comes up concerning a specific situation, we recall our knowledge from the database that applies to that particular circumstance. So it is with understanding of God's Word. The more you study it, the more the Holy Spirit reveals to you and the more He reveals to you, the more you understand and therein knowledge is attained and retained.

Here we see how Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding from the Book of Proverbs is activated in the "Born-again" experience as mentioned by Jesus in John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Notice, you do not see the Kingdom of God by growing up into a church or by becoming a member of a church or merely stating that you are a Christian--you first must become "Born-again." We have other articles about becoming "Born-again" in this blog site.

In the above illustration, it must be mentioned that the secular mind cannot teach you the things of God, because they are foolishness to him as 1 Corinthians 2:14 clearly points out. When you seek out knowledge from a secular viewpoint, you are seeking knowledge from someone who has never received the wisdom, understanding and knowledge of who God is. In other words, the love of God has never permeated his heart because the world and the flesh remains embedded therein and not the Word and the Spirit. Without the fear of the Lord activating a desire to know who God is and knowledge of His Word, understanding cannot motivate the individual to become a "Born-again" believer in God's Kingdom. John 3:3, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." You cannot see the wind, but you can fell it. Likewise, you cannot see the Spirit, but you can feel Him -- and it all begins by making Jesus Lord and believing in your heart that God raise that same Jesus from the dead. Yes, God has made it that simple for us

Are You Going To Heaven?

Heaven? Is there any way to know for sure that Heaven will be your new home when you die? Jesus gave us the answer to that question in John's Gospel in chapter #3. Simply stated, you must first be Born-again to enter into the Kingdom of God. But what does that term mean and how is becoming "Born-again" accomplished?

First of all you must be aware that the Bible tells us that sin cannot enter into heaven. Therefore, most people believe you can get into heaven by keeping the ten commandments or other laws. As you are probably aware -- no one can keep the commandments and laws. Simply stated, since no one can keep the commandments or laws, no one will ever get into heaven. Romans 3:20 states that by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for the law is the knowledge of sin. Can you then go to a priest and confess your sins to him? By no means. You are still attempting to be justified by the law.

Can a man under the law forgive another individual who is also under the law his or her sins? The Bible says that only God can forgive sin. In any case we cannot be saved by the works of the law even if we confess our sins to a thousand priests. If we could, then Jesus died in vain. We are saved by grace and not by the works of the law or by any deeds of the flesh. We are save by grace through faith in what Jesus did for us on the cross and in that fact alone takes away our sins by His shed blood and opens the door to heaven for us. It is not by works of righteousness that we have done, but by His mercy He has saved us.

Let's carry this a little further and consider a passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes 9:3:

• "There is an evil among all things that are done under the sun...the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead."

The hearts of men are evil of evil because we were all born into sin. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - (Romans 3:23) Sin cannot enter into heaven. If it did, it would be just as bad there as it is here on earth. So we must get rid of our sin first if we want to enter into heaven. That is where "we must become born-again" comes into play.

Ecclesiastes goes on to say that: "The living know that they shall die, but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more reward; for the memory of them is perished. Also their love, their hatred and their envy is now perished; neither have they any portion of any thing that is done under the sun."

All of our hurrying and backbiting is over in the grave. So, did God just haphazardly put us on this earth without any reason or purpose? The Bible says "God made of one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." Why did He do that? The next two verses tells us -- "So they should seek the Lord, if haply they seek after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us. For in Him we live, and move, and have our being...for we are also His offspring." - (Acts 17:26-28) We are His offspring, but sin has kept us apart. What is the answer? "Born-again"!

So back to the question, "Are You Going To Heaven?" The primary answer to that question is "Have you been Born-again?" Jesus said: "Unless a man is Born-again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." The next question is: "How do I know I have been Born-again?" Two things are necessary to be Born-again. First - repentance. The Bible states in Isaiah 55:7, "Let the wicked forsake their ways." Second - Romans 3:23 states: "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." and Romans 6:23, "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus." Therefore, by repentance, (which is the forsaking of our sinful ways) and calling upon the name of Jesus Christ and invite Him to become Lord and Savior and believing in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead. This is how we become born-again. After that happens the following verse kicks into play.

• "But scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." - (Galatians 3:22)

When we make these two decisions on our part, God takes over on His part. Our part is to initiate the decisions and desire for salvation. God will not violate our free-will, but He awaits for an invitation from us. When we have repented and invited Jesus to become our Lord, we are Born-again according to the Scriptures. Do this now and the next time someone asks you if you are going to Heaven, you will know for sure and answer with a definite - ("YES I am, but -- how about you my friend?.")

A Religious Fanatic

Identity labels help us determine some one's particular interest. Individuals involved in various interests and causes are generally branded with labels such as: devotees, supporters, fans, followers, visionaries, etc. For those dedicated to promoting God and His Word, the term religious fanatic is generally used. Of course, there are many variations of religious fanatics today, but Jesus said we could recognize them by their fruits. A good tree will not produce evil fruit, nor shall a corrupt tree produce good fruit.

A Christian religious fanatic is someone who has come out of the world by recognizing his or her inability to live a righteous life through self determination. Therefore this passionate devotee attempts to warn those still under bondage to the evil forces of the world, about the freedom available for them. Many times these warnings are met with hostility. Those under bondage cannot understand the freedom of the fanatic, and thinks he or she is sending him into a trap. Contrarily, the fanatic is merely attempting to set that individual free from the trap he is already entangled in.

Saint Peter refers to these fanatics in his epistle as peculiar people. That is, they have been set free and no longer look or act like the rest of society. Certainly, not everyone will become a fanatic, but that is not to say they cannot if they so choose. Many times it takes the deathbed to open the blinded eyes, then again sometimes even then is too late. The Bible tells us, "Now is the acceptable day; today is the day of salvation. Today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart."

It all boils down to this: Everyone can become a religious fanatic, but not everyone will. Many look for some type of life from within themselves. However, because of sin, the only life available to them within their own body, comes from the flesh. Because they do not realize there is another life available to them, they rely upon their flesh as the source of happiness, enjoyment and supply. In essence, the flesh becomes their god, which makes themselves their god, instead of the Creator God.

When a religious fanatic is able to infiltrate their flesh and reveal to them another life source available to them, the news is sometimes met with hostility and sometimes joy. The one requirement to attain this new life is that  they must give up being the lord over their life and allow Jesus to become their Lord and Savior. The contrasting consequences is this -- unless they undergo a pledge to strike a covenant relationship with God, they shall forever remain under bondage to the evil forces of this world. But, when they make the pledge with a covenant relationship, they will find another life -- a new life brought about by the Spirit of God touching their spirit and radiating life into their soul. Whereas before, the soul sought after temporary life from the flesh, now it seeks after everlasting life from the spirit.

Remember the Proverb, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Also remember the words of Jesus, "Whom the Son sets free, he is free indeed." The fields are ripe for harvest, but we need more laborers in the field --consider becoming a Christian religious fanatic today.

Is America Going To Pot?

In the late '50's, '60's & early '70's, a dictator by the name of Nikita Khrushchev ruled over the Soviet Union. Watching television one day, several years before I became a Christian, I remember vividly watching that man make a startling statement and wondering what he meant by it or how such a thing could happen in America. As he pounded his shoe on the podium, he said in so many words, "We will bury you." "We will not fire a shot." "America will die from within."

That was 5 decades ago, and within the past few years we see his prophecy coming to pass. Communists have encroached the executive branch and without doubt, the other two branches of government. Laws are being made today to promote lifestyles and other issues that in the '50's and '60's would be unthinkable and shocking.

It was one of Khrushchev's predecessors, Vladimir Lenin, who realized the possibility of changing the values of a culture and set it on a course to the desired direction, by teaching its values early on to the children. He said, "Give me four years to teach the children and that seed will never be uprooted." The first step in that endeavor for America occurred soon after Khrushchev's remarks, when in 1962 the Supreme Court sided with one atheistic woman against the will of millions of Americans by removing prayer from the schools. To see the results of that ruling, view one of my earlier blogs by clicking here.

That event happened over 50 years ago, much longer than the four years to change the minds of our children. Many children from that era have grandchildren and great-grandchildren in this generation. A great percentage of them reared without any teaching of God as noted by the explosion of atheism in today's society.

Is America really going to pot or have its citizens merely lost direction? It seems Khrushchev and Lenin were both right. Oh by the way, Lenin also made another statement that seems to fall right into line with what America is facing in society and government today. He is quoted as saying, "A lie told often enough becomes the truth."

Not to take sides, the Church must also shoulder as much of the blame. When we, as a called out people, will humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and turn from our wicked ways, then He will hear from heaven and forgive our sins and heal our land. Although I believe we are beyond the point of no return, this passage from 2 Chronicles 7:14 is still valid, if not more so.

One final Scripture for the Church living in a decaying culture of today, is this one from Titus filled with hope for tomorrow:

• "Looking for that blessed hope,and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." - (Titus 2:14) To God be the glory.

Yes, We Can Prove There Is A God.

You have probably encountered someone who states that "there is no God," or "If there is a God then prove it." What they fail to understand is that there are several things about God concerning the way He has chosen to prove Himself to us. If God could not be proved then chances are many who have made Jesus their Lord also would no longer believe.

The atheist and non-believer CANNOT prove or disprove God by stating "God is not real," or "I shall never believe the lie that God exists." You might want to look at my earlier blog about "An interview with Satan" to find out where that kind of thinking originates. So, exactly how does God prove Himself to us?

Most individuals understand that God is by faith; however, we must also realize that we have a free-will to choose anything in life. Faith and free-will are primary considerations in proving God. Both faith and free-will go hand-in-hand. Nevertheless, either one is worthless unless acted upon. Before Jesus paid the price for our sins, there was only one choice (Satan). Today we have another choice (Jesus). Jesus was the beginning (Founder) of what is known as the Church (Christianity). We all remain under bondage to Satan and sin until we choose Jesus who will set us free from bondage by making Him Lord.

 

God will not infringe upon your free-will. If you want to prove that God is real, it is not hard to do. However, you must take the first step. If God took the first step, He would infringe upon your free-will. However, when you exercise your free-will by taking the first step to ask God to make Himself real to you, this is where and how faith becomes involved. Without a desire to know if God is real, you will never find out. If you keep refusing to take the first step, you will stay at square one. But, by acting in faith, God will prove Himself to anyone who is truly sincere with a yearning heart to prove God for themselves. Try it for yourself and see.

 

 

 

Have You Been Born-Again?

Jesus told us in John 3:3 that except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jesus went on to explain the difference between being born of the flesh, and becoming born of the Spirit. Except a man is born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Jesus makes the distinction between the fleshly birth of water to the spiritual birth of the Spirit. That concept is supported in John 6:63, whereby Jesus tells us that it is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.

Being a Christian is not simply because your parents were one, or you walk into a church building, or do as other religions (Bud-hind-lums), where if you want to join them they tell you to see their priest or leader and he will write your name on a piece of paper. Christianity is a covenant with God (as Abraham made in the OT), this is a New Covenant with God through Jesus. Thus, when you invite Jesus into your life to be your Lord and Savior, you are in essence, making a covenant with Him.

Many say they have tried Christianity, but found it was not as they supposed. For that reason, they wind up making a covenant to bash Christianity as much as they can. All this came about because they did not keep their end of the covenant and now they place the blame upon God. What was the real reason that Christianity did not turn out as they supposed? It was simply because they made a one-sided covenant. A one-sided covenant never works. Isn't that like what some couples do when they get married - where they secretly say, "if I don't like her (or him) later, I will just divorce."

So how do we know the "Born-again" experience is real? There are no rituals or signing-up involved. Everything is done by faith and a free-will. When an individual makes a covenant relationship with God to make Jesus their Lord and Savior, that individual becomes born-again and the Spirit of God takes up residence in that person's heart. You have heard that the proof is in the puddin; in this case, the proof is in the heart. What better proof could one ask for? Do it now and prove it for yourself and ask Jesus into YOUR heart.

What Did Jesus Say About Marriage?

Never in the history of mankind has marriage been outside the realm of one man and one woman. The issue of marriage was already settled in the Old Testament account of Creation. This issue never ensued as a topic in the Gospels and therefore Jesus never address the marriage issue as being challenged today. However, Jesus did verified in the New Testament what God stated in the Old Testament. The following passage contains all the information necessary to clarify and verify how God stands on this issue.

Genesis 1:27-28 reveals how God created man in His own image, male and female He created them and told them to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.

Genesis 2:24 expounds how God made the woman from Adam's rib and records how God joined them in the marriage ceremony,  "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Jesus reinforces the Genesis 2:24 account with clarification in Matthew 19:4 and Mark 10:6 by stating that "from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female, and for this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh: so then they are no more two, but one flesh." Without this structure for marriage they could not obey God's command to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth.

There can be no misinterpretation of the design God proposed for marriage from the beginning seeing that particular stance was never changed in any other place in the Bible. However, as with many laws of God, man chooses to change them to fit his own agenda even if it means denying God Word.

Within all this we can find that the Christian is manifested in contrast to the world. Jesus made the remark that if they hated Me, they will hate you also and He further declared  that the elect shall not be deceived by those things of which man attempts by twisting the Word of God around to fit his own purpose and lusts. 1 John 3:9-10 expounds: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin (transgression of the law - verse 4); and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

One side note to all this is that the Bible (1 Timothy 4:3) also predicts in the latter times they will forbid to marry. As things stand today, we see hints of doing away with marriage altogether. Along with that possiblity also comes the probability of those views spilling over into polygamy, child marriage and other deviant practices. Jesus told us of a time that would exceed the wickedness of Noah's day. Could those days be rapidly approaching?

In conclusion, Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that: "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Once we realize who is behind the wickedness of this world, we can understand that God knows we are but flesh. We all have sinned and fell short of the glory of God. And while you have heard it said that God hates the sin, but loves the sinner, the Bible verifies that statement with a Scripture in Romans, "that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" and through Him is eternal life obtained. Jesus does not condemn us, but as He said when on the cross, "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do." God loves us and forgives us, but we must be willing to accept that forgiveness and the salvation provided through His Son Jesus. Invite Him into you life to become your Lord and Savior today. Only when we do our part, will God do His part. He will not override your free-will.

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God Never Called His Trinity A Mystery

The concept of the Trinity has baffled mankind for centuries. One reason it confused people was because its concept differed from the norm. While it seems we can easily envision God creating a man from dust, the same is not true when we attempt to envision Him making a Man from some other element. The truest test for proving Godly things is by comparing them with biblical truths. The Bible never recorded God stating He would never make a man from a different substance than from the dust of the ground. Therefore, since Jesus stated He came down from heaven, He could not have been made from the dust of the ground as is mortal man. His originality had to come from a heavenly substance.

A Bible verse that seems insignificant in its context at first until you reread it is Deuteronomy 29:29: "The secret things belongs unto the Lord our God, but the things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever." The question to ask here is, "Why do secret things exist, which belong solely to God?" The reason is, because they are not found in the Bible. If something is not written in the Bible, only God knows. This reality comes to light when we reason why Jesus (even though He is God) does not know the day or hour of His coming back to earth. The Bible does not record the day or hour of this event. Now that God has revealed to us the substance He used as the seed of the Holy Ghost that was implanted directly into the womb of the Virgin Mary, this verse makes much more sense.
(See: "The Mystery of the Trinity Revealed"  )

That principle also applies to the second half of Deuteronomy 29:29, which states that the revealed things belong to us and our children forever. Many Scriptures declare our inability to know the things of God unless He reveals them to us, and He reveals to us through His Spirit dwelling in the heart of the believer. God never said His Trinity was a mystery--man did. The Trinity is found everywhere in the Bible, even in the Old Testament. However, God chose not to reveal His Trinity to us until these last days. Since the Trinity is recorded throughout the Bible, it had to be revealed as His Word declares.

Why is there so much backlash against the Trinity? The simple answer is Satan. Satan initiated the need for the Trinity in the Garden of Eden. The Bible also declares Satan entered into the heart of Judas when he betrayed Jesus. The Book of Revelation depicts Satan doing his evil work of deceiving people in the end times. Click here to see how Satan does his evil.

Would a Loving God Really Send Anyone To Hell?

The question goes something like this, "Would a loving God really send anyone to hell? This is how the argument is verbalized to dispel the fact that God made hell for those who sin. While this doctrine is ever growing, even some outstanding Christian pastors have jumped on the bandwagon. However, no matter the status of the one spewing the dispute, a Christian must not go by what they say or hear say, but totally by the Word of God. That indeed is the only standard to abide by when confronted with things of the unknown.

In today's society, many believe hell does not exist or is hell here on earth. Another thought injects the suggestion that death is simply the grave without any consequences for this life's actions -- condensed into total annihilation when we die. Yes, and the list gets even longer as time passes. To understand why people believe these things, you need to read "my interview with Satan" on this blog site.

From a biblical perspective, not one of these views line up. Let's answer these one by one. Why would a loving God send anyone to hell? This question might best be worded as: "Why do I want to send myself to hell?" We are all accountable for our own actions. God gave each of us a free-will to make choices. Whatever choices you have made did not come from God. Each of us are responsible for our individual actions in life.

God did everything He could do to set us free from the wages of sin. He died in our place so we would not have to pay the price ourselves. Does that sound like a God who does not love us? We must quit blaming a loving God for what we do. If we reject God's way of salvation, we are saying, I want to pay the price for my sins myself and I want to live an eternity with Satan and not with God.

In the Book of Revelation 20:14, it declares that death and hell shall stand before God to be judged according to their works, after which both death and hell are sent into the lake of fire. Meanwhile, a previous verse 20:10 describes the lake of fire as the place where the beast and the false prophet are sent to be tormented day and night forever and ever.

So, the question is: Why does God (in verse Revelation 20:14) judge those in hell according to their works if they will only be dead or annihilated?  Doesn't it seem counter to reason, if one person did a lot of works during his life and another person did nothing, that they both should get the same reward if death simply means annihilation. Would not a better summation be that each are judge by their works, meaning that there are various stages of punishment, and each receives their punishment as each one deserves according to what works they did while on earth.

Will hell cease to exist if we refrain from talking about it? Should we take our chances simply on the premise that we heard someone say there is no hell? On the other hand, is there a reason for not believing the Bible, which teaches repeatedly of a literal hell? I am sure you have checked out every avenue before you made your decision. The Bible says God is faithful and wishes no one to perish, so how can we blame God for our rejecting Jesus?

The key to being sure you make the right decision, comes from what Jesus told us. He said: "He who comes to Me, I will in no wise cast out." If you have not come to Him, or thought you did at one time, I urge you to do it again to be sure. God only accepts a willing vessel. That is why many do not receive the love He offers. God searches the heart for sincerity. Do not give up on God. He loves you and sent His Son Jesus who died to show you of His love.  https://doveandword.com