|
Author
|
Topic: Where is God's true Church to day?
|
botham
Advanced Member
Member # 7935
|
posted
Thank you Leo--you should send this post to the Jesus Seminar, John Crossan and friends. And to the nominal church. I have never seen evidence of anyone who believes any of the mistaken doctines you allude to.
There are many Christians who speak in tongues. In my church assembly last Sunday a Godly woman spoke in tongue and our pastor translated it. It was most edifying. What specific denominations do you propose are false and what ones true to the Word of God. Just the first ten of each would do.
We celebrate Christmas as the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. There are many things that God has done to make Holy Lemonade from lemons. I believe that God often takes things from satan and throws them in his face to demonstrate His power. God regularly takes wreckage and sin, adds His power and behold, a new creation.
I quite agree that there are denomintions that deny the supernatural. I don't see how one could bother with such drivel but there you have it. Usually these denominations embrace homosexuality, feminism and leftist theology.
But your post seems to slam just about ever denomination.
I am a Pentecostal and proud of it. So please, tell me what the correct denomination is because I don't know of anyone, no not anyone, who could live up to your standards. God bless, Botham
Posts: 103 | From: canada | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged | 
|
|
Leo
Community Member
Member # 7969
|
posted
IDENTIFYING THE PEOPLE OF GOD AND THE CHURCH
As we seem to be heading down a path of destruction it is sad that Christians are really not concerned about events that are taking place in our Nation and the world. So many have different ideas about what is to occur and are blindly being lead in the wrong direction. Many different interpretations are rendered in many ways from scripture and all are believed to be right in their interpretation. There are 100’s of Denominations in our Nation and the World and most all of them have split off from some other group and have started their own group in the process. Most individuals don’t stop and think about if what they believe is really the truth and they don’t do an in-depth study on what they believe. Individuals have their own Comfort Zone, a Zone that they are completely drawn into. Most individuals take what they hear from their Ministers as complete truth. They sit in services and nod their head in agreement to what is said, never checking to see if it is true.
The Question is, is the Bible the complete truth and is it a guide for Man Kind from God our creator? To some, the answer to that is no. To others the answer is, we believe that some of the Bible has been done away. And to other individuals they seem to know all and no one else is right and they ridicule those individuals when they feel they are being invaded by someone who they believe does not know what they are talking about.
The starting point of all doctrinal studies must be the Bible the word of God, that is, the holy scripture of 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. If we deny that the Bible is, without qualification, the very word of God, we are left without any truth and without any supreme and final authority. It is presumptuous and hypothetical to discuss any doctrine taught by the Bible until we acknowledged, unreservedly, the doctrine of the divine plenary verbal inspiration of the Bible and its divine preservation by God. Believe that the Bible is the divine revelation and communication of God's own mind and will to men, in pure words, and we have a fixed starting point from which advance can be made into the domain of truth. We are sure that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God". (2 Timothy 3:16).
All scripture is given by inspiration of God and He has also preserved every word of the Bible.
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. You Shall keep them. 0 LORD, you shall PRESERVE them from this generation for ever." (Psalm 12:6,7) "Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33).
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)
"For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and Goethe his way, and straightaway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the PERFECT law of liberty, and continuity therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." (James 1:23-25)
Some who consider themselves to be Christian are set in their own mind about what they believe is said in specific scriptures and will not check to see if it is really what is being described. I have presented many scriptures that have been miss-translated and misunderstood and have been ridiculed and made fun of. That is ok for it shows me that they have not really studied to find the truth.
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own sight, But the LORD weighs the motives.
Proverbs 21:2 Every man's way is right in his own eyes; But the LORD weighs the hearts.
The Truth of the Bible can be known for in Amos Ch. 3: verse 7; we can read where God said He would reveal His Secrets to His Servants, or that is to those who have His Spirit dwelling in them, helping and guiding them in understanding and knowledge. After one has received God’s Spirit, then and only then can one began to understand Scripture and Bible Prophecy in ways they never have understood before. When that occurs the Bible becomes a whole new Book to them. Believe me, some do not have Gods spirit guiding them.
At times people thought they understood when and how our age would end. But failed expectations about the end of the age have brought profound disappointment to scores of sincere religious individuals and groups. They thought they were correctly discerning the time and manner of the fulfillment of prophecy. But all have been wrong, or at least premature.
In spite of centuries of such disappointments, they haven't put an end to attempts to associate world events and conditions with biblical prophecies concerning the end time. This is especially true in America, where books, television and radio programs focusing on biblical prophecy abound.
If we look into the inspired writings of the Old Testament prophets and Jesus Christ's apostles, we find many prophecies that refer to the time of the end. Should we take them seriously? Should they mean anything to us? Are world conditions such that the predictions could be fulfilled in our day? Are we near the climax of the prophesied period in which the world is faced with insurmountable problems and global distress of holocaust proportions? Are we approaching Armageddon?
Jesus Christ Himself talked of a future time so horrendous that "if that time of troubles were not cut short, no living thing could survive"— everyone alive would die if that time was not cut short (Matthew 24:22, Revised English Bible, emphasis added throughout). Was He speaking of our time?
Many Bible prophecies leave us in no doubt those increasingly cataclysmic events will occur before God's direct intervention in human affairs. These terrifying prophetic occurrences will see their fulfillment at some future time. The crucial question is when.
Much confusion surrounds the timing of these prophecies. But this need not be so. The Bible itself reveals certain vital keys that will help us place these forewarnings in an understandable prophetic framework. We must let the Bible itself interpret its prophecies.
The Bible gives many examples of signs that should warn us of the coming end of the age. Six such signs are given by Jesus, two characteristics are given by Paul, and eleven other occurrences are given by the prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age. While we are also told we will not know the time of the End, God obviously wanted us to know when that time was getting closer. As the Christian church is increasingly drawn into the interfaith movement, and as more and more churches go into isolation, preparing to sleep through the growing attacks on their faith, perhaps God knew it would take a few signs to wake us up and remind us that we have work to do.
Unfortunately, many Christians take the verses that tell us we won't know the time of His coming to mean they should ignore any and all scripture that might warn us of this time of tribulation. Others have fallen into the trap of fearing being labeled a "conspiracy theorist" should they display an interest in the Biblical prophecies about our future on Earth.
In Matthew24:3 Jesus was asked, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus told his apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second coming and the end of the age.
How To Identify A True Prophet Of God
The scriptures contain many warnings about false prophets and their miracle-working powers. Miracles are inexplicable wonders attributed to the supernatural. Because men and women are fascinated with miracles, the agents of darkness use them to bolster error and to lead people away from obeying the Almighty's commandments. The fact is, falsehood cannot stand up on its own: it needs spectacular demonstrations and gimmicks to impress the fickle human mind. Truth, on the other hand, is found in the scriptures, particularly in the commandments of God which specify how we humans should live. The prophets of the Almighty always teach Yahweh's law and warn of punishment to those who disobey it. Here are some Bible verses which mention false prophets.
False Prophets
Old Testament
The aim of all false prophets is to turn people away from obeying the commandments of Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel. False prophets will do numerous and stunning signs and wonders to achieve this aim.
Deut.13:
1: If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
2: And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
3: Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4: Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
5: And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
New Testament
It is unlikely that a false prophet will openly admit to being false. Instead he will pose as a true minister of the Almighty. He will come as a 'wolf in sheep's clothing:' and will do many miracles in order to deceive the human race - even 'the very elect - if possible'
Matthew 7:15
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Matthew 24:24
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Who is the False Prophet?
In the book of the Revelation we read about an end-time 'False Prophet' who is in a class of his own. This False Prophet will arise in the last days when the Beast comes on the stage of time. He will do amazing miracles in the presence of the Beast and, like Elijah of old, will even bring fire down from heaven in the sight of men. He will deceive virtually the whole human race into receiving the Mark of the Beast . All the world's scientists, who pride themselves on not being taken-in by the supernatural, will stand aghast at the miracles performed by this demon wonder-worker. Only the 'very elect' will not be deceived by his breath-taking powers. For they will know - from the Scriptures - that the teachings of this Prophet are against the commandments of God: and that he is no last-day Elijah, but an demon who uses miracles to further his falsehood and cause mankind to worship the Beast and receive his Mark - the Mark of Disobedience!
Rev.13:13
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14: And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15: And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
16: And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
Rev.16:13:
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the False Prophet.
14: For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
Rev. 19:20
And the beast was taken, and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Who are these unclean frog-like spirits? The answer is: the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet. These evil beings are not men. The dragon we are told is Satan the Devil. (Rev.12.12) The Beast, the Antichrist, we have discovered, is Abaddon the Destroyer from the Bottomless Pit. But who is the False Prophet that has power enough to deceive virtually the whole world into worshipping the Beast? Who is this master of deception?
The answer is: the False Prophet is the same Lying Spirit who in ancient days sent King Ahab of Israel to his death. In 1 Kings Chapter 22 we read of how the Almighty was angry with the wickedness of King Ahab and determined to kill him. Yahweh allowed evil angels to carry out His plan. One by one they put forward proposals as to how they would trick Ahab to his death. But each plan in turn was turned down. The Almighty knew that Ahab was too cunning to fall for them. At last the Lying Spirit came before the Almighty with a masterful plan to speak through the mouth of Ahab's prophets: the prophets who never condemned the king's sinful ways. Surely Ahab would believe them! Yahweh agreed; the plan was a veritable masterpiece of deception. It would succeed where all others would fail. Here is the story in full.
1 Kings 22:
1: And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2: And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3: And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4: And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5: And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
6: Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7: And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
8: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9: Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10: And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11: And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12: And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
13: And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
14: And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.
15: So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16: And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?
17: And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19: And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20: And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21: And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.
22: And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a LYING SPIRIT in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23: Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a LYING SPIRIT in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.
24: But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
25: And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26: And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27: And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28: And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you. 29: So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30: And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31: But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32: And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33: And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34: And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35: And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36: And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
37: So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38: And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
39: Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40: So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
4. The End-Time
No student of Bible prophecy will doubt but that we are living in the last days, the end-time just prior to the Saviour's return. Soon the events portrayed under the 6th Seal of Revelation will burst upon mankind. The sealing of the 144,000 will then take place and after that event the Beast will ascend from the Abyss. At that time, and it is near, the False Prophet will make his appearance. Hitherto he has worked from behind the scenes speaking his monstrous lies through the mouths of human beings, the many false prophets (tongue-speakers) who do miracles but strongly oppose the commandments of the Almighty God. But in the future the False Prophet, the supreme master of deception, will actually appear before mankind and perform breath-taking miracles to support his lies. Only those who have the true Spirit of the Almighty will not be taken in by him. Remember that the False Prophet has perfected the art of lying over and above every other spirit in the heavens. Indeed that is why he is called the Lying Spirit: that is his title. Others excel in different kinds of evil: but the Lying Spirit, is the Master of Falsehood: and he is most successful when he speaks through the mouths of the self-styled prophets of God - false prophets in the Christian Church!
5. Beware
Now to answer the twin question: How can we recognize the false prophet: and how does one avoid being deceived by him? The answer is as follows:
False prophets always turn people away from the commandments of God. This is: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Rom:8:7)
The False Prophet is not a human being: though he uses human agents to pass on his lies. The False Prophet is a spirit being, an evil angel in the same category as Satan and the Antichrist. In my opinion the False Prophet is the same Lying Spirit of old: the masterful demon who sent king Ahab to his death so long ago.
To avoid being deceived by this wonder-working liar a believer must stand firm on the writings of the true prophets of God as recorded in the Holy Bible. King Jehoshaphat's advice still applies: Follow Gods true Laws and Statutes for they have not been done away with.. Anyone saying that they have is a FALES PROPHET.
2 Chron.20:20
"Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."
In matters of behavior we must obey the commandments of God. The church which escapes the deception of the False Prophet is described as follows:
Rev.12:17
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev.14:12
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
In other words "Fear God and keep His commandments." This is your whole duty and this is your best safeguard against the miracle-backed deceptions of the False Prophet, the Lying Spirit of old.
Churches today are becoming more and more ecumenical, denying Christ as the only way to salvation. Giving in to the politically correct media and a corrupt society, they have embrace homosexuality as an acceptable alternate lifestyle and preach tolerance and compromise in place of God's truth for the salvation of the world.
As people go to work and children go to School each and every day, there is one thing that everyone looks forward to and that is a day off from their daily activities. This is good because everyone needs time off from school or work because their mind and the body needs time to be refreshed and to re-adjust it’s self. People take vacations so they can get away from the daily routine and enjoy other things even if it is but just for a short period of time. Certain days have been set aside for specific observances and recognition and this gives us a few more days to relax and enjoy some time with our families. We look forward to those days because we can take time to relax and do things that we may not be able to do when we have to work or go to school. We all look forward to Saturday, Sunday, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day and many more so we can have a day off with the family. It is also true that some of those days have more meaning to individuals than others. But what is the truth behind some of the days that are being observed? We want to examine those days and what the meanings of them really are.
Christmas, From Where Did It Come?
Where did Christmas originate? What is the real origin of Santa Claus—mistletoe—Christmas trees—holly wreaths—and the custom of exchanging gifts? Many are concerned about putting “Christ back into Christmas.” Was He ever there? Here are the stunning answers!
Every year after Thanksgiving, most people's thoughts turn to Christmas. It is the time when professing Christians are supposed to focus on Jesus Christ. After all, it is the “Christ-mass” season, isn’t it?
Christmas is thought by most to be a wonderful time, focusing the participants on giving, family togetherness, beautiful music and decorations, feasting on special foods and singing Christmas carols throughout the neighborhood . All of this is supposedly centered on the worship of Christ. Surely the Bible instructs us to do all this—right?
The answers will shock you!
Why do people think that Christmas is wonderful? Most never reflect on why they believe what they believe or do what they do. We live in a world filled with customs, but few ever seek to understand their origin. We generally accept them without question. Most people basically do what everyone else does—because it is easy and natural!
Let's carefully examine the roots of Christmas. Let's look at why people follow the customs associated with it. Why is it kept on December 25th? Did the early New Testament Church keep it? This article is filled with facts from history that, when placed together, paint a complete picture. Let's avoid all assumptions and only accept what can be proven!
Pagan Origin
Nearly all aspects of Christmas observance have their roots in Roman custom and religion. Consider these quotes from the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, under “Christmas”: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church…the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” Further, “Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas.” Under “Natal Day,” Origen, an early Catholic writer, admitted, “…In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. Even Jesus Christ has no evidence of Him celebrating His Birthday anywhere in Scripture. The Encyclopedia Americana, 1956 edition, adds, “Christmas…was not observed in the first centuries of the Christian church, since the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth…a feast was established in memory of this event Christ's birth in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated forever on the day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of the Saturnalia, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed.”
The most common justification that one will hear regarding Christmas is that people have replaced old pagan customs and intents by asserting that they are now “focusing on Christ.” They say that they are “honoring Christ” in their Christmas-keeping. The problem is that God does not say this is acceptable to Him! Actually, He plainly commands against it! Keeping Christmas dishonors Christ! He considers everything about it to be an abomination! We will soon see why.
Christ said, “But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Christmas is not a command of God—it is a tradition of men. Christ continued, “Full well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:9). Every year, throughout the world, on December 25th, hundreds of millions do just that!
We will see that God plainly commands, “Follow not the way of the heathen.” But most people do not fear God, and He allows them to make their own decisions. Human beings are free moral agents—free to obey or disobey God! But woe to those who ignore the plain Word of God!
Was Christ Born on December 25th?
Christ was born in the fall of the year. Many have mistakenly believed He was born around the beginning of winter—December 25th! They are wrong! Notice the Adam Clarke Commentary, volume 5, page 370, New York edition: “It was custom among Jews to send out their sheep to the deserts about the Passover early spring, and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain.” The first rains began in early-to-mid fall. “During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As…the first rain began early in the month of March-esvan, which answers to part of our October and November, we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole summer. And as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground, the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact.
Luke 2:8 explains that when Christ was born, “there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.” Note that they were “abiding” in the field. This never happened in December. Both Ezra 10:9-13 and the Song of Solomon 2:11 show that winter was the rainy season and shepherds could not stay on cold, open fields at night.
Numerous encyclopedias plainly state that Christ was not born on December 25th! The Catholic Encyclopedia directly confirms this. In all likelihood, Christ was born in the fall! A lengthy technical explanation would prove this point.
Since we now know that December 25th was nowhere near Christ's actual birth date, where did the festival associated with this date come from?
Now read this quote under “Christmas”: “In the Roman world, the Saturnalia, December 17, was a time of merrymaking and exchanging of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birth date of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year, January 1, houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these observances were added the German and Celtic Yule rites when the Teutonic tribes penetrated into Gaul, Britain and central Europe. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life, have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed., vol. II, p. 903).
December 25th was not selected because it was the birth of Christ or because it was even near it. It was selected because it coincided with the idolatrous pagan festival Saturnalia—and this celebration must be carefully examined. In any event, we do not know the exact date of Christ's birth. While God certainly could have made it known, He chose to hide it from the world's eyes!
What about Santa Claus?
Parents reason that they owe the whole Christmas myth to their children! Christmas traditions are focused primarily on kids, and they are certainly the center of most of what happens.
Some years ago, a priest in New Jersey told his Sunday school class that Santa was a myth. The outrage from parents and his supervisors was swift. He had “killed Santa!” He had “destroyed family tradition!” He had “usurped family authority,” the article continued. He was officially censored by his superiors for being “overzealous and insensitive.”
His crime? He told the truth!
According to Langer's Encyclopedia of World History, “Santa” was a common name for Nimrod throughout Asia Minor. This was also the same fire god who came down the chimneys of the ancient pagans and the same fire god to whom infants were burned and eaten in human sacrifice among those who were once God's people.
Today Santa Claus comes from “Saint Nicholas.” Washington Irving, in 1809, is responsible for remaking the original old, stern bishop of this same name into the new “jolly St. Nick” in his Knickerbockers History of New York. Most of the rest of America's Christmas traditions are even more recent than this. “Old Nick” has long been recognized as a term for the devil.
In Revelation 2:6 and 15, we read about a “doctrine of the Nicolaitanes,” which Christ twice tells His Church He hates.” Let's analyze the word Nicolaitane. It means “follower of Nicholas.” Nikos means “conqueror, destroyer.” Laos means “people.” Nicolaitanes, then, are people who follow the conqueror or destroyer—Nimrod. If you have believed that following Christmas is an innocent Christian custom, let this truth sink in!
Is It Scriptural to Exchange Gifts?
Merchants regularly report that over 60% of their annual retail sales occur during the Christmas shopping season. This represents a tremendous amount of gift buying. Most today believe that gift-giving comes from the Bible example of the “The Three Wise Men” presenting gifts to Christ. Is this true? Where did exchanging gifts come from, and what does God's Word say about it? It does not say that there was “Three Wise Men”, it only states that there were three Gifts presented to Christ and people miss interpret it as being three men when the truth is many individuals came to see the Christ Child, not just three.
The Bibliotheca Sacra states, “The interchange of presents between friends is a like characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and must have been adopted by Christians from the pagans, as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows” (Vol. 12, pp. 153-155).
Like every other aspect of Christmas, the shocking truth is that even this supposed Christian custom does not come from the Bible. It is an irony that people love to believe they are following the custom of the wise men giving to Christ, when actually they are giving almost exclusively to each other! What hypocrisy! Christ is completely forgotten.
The Bible actually teaches that Christians should not keep birthdays. Numerous scriptures make this principle clear. However, what if you went to a birthday party that had been prepared for you and everybody gave gifts to each other and you were left out? The idea is ridiculous! If this happened, you would say that people were being selfish and forgetting you. In fact, most people give to others on Christmas merely because they expect to receive gifts themselves!
Let's briefly return to the “wise men” who gave gifts to Christ. The scripture describing this is Matthew 2:1-11: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews?…And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
It is commonly supposed that these were birthday presents for “baby Jesus.” But is this what the Bible actually says? Absolutely not! First, it is important to note that they did give the gifts to Jesus. They did not stand in his presence and exchange gifts among themselves or give them to others. The gifts were “presented unto Him.” Also, they arrived well after his “birthday.” This is another reason these could not have been “birthday presents.”
A long-standing, ancient custom of the East was to present gifts when coming before a king. These men understood they were in the presence of the “King of the Jews.” The Bible carries many examples of people sending gifts to kings or presenting them upon arrival into their presence. This custom is common today when ambassadors or others come into the presence of a world leader.
Finally, notice what the Adam Clarke Commentary, volume 5, page 46, states about what really happened on this occasion: “Verse 11. They presented unto him gifts. The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. This custom is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the east, and in some of the newly discovered South Seas Islands.” Gifts were customarily presented to kings.
Origin of the Christmas Tree
No article about Christmas is complete without some explanation of the “Christmas tree.” We have touched on it without directly focusing on it. The modern Christmas tree originated in Germany. But the Germans got it from the Romans, who got it from the Babylonians and the Egyptians.
The following demonstrates what the Babylonians believe about the origin of the Christmas tree: “An old Babylonish fable told of an evergreen tree which sprang out of a dead tree stump. The old stump symbolized the dead Nimrod, the new evergreen tree symbolized that Nimrod had come to life again in Tammuz! Among the Druids the oak was sacred, among the Egyptians it was the palm, and in Rome it was the fir, which was decorated with red berries during the Saturnalia!”
Frederick J. Haskin's Answers to Questions states, “The Christmas tree is from Egypt, and its origin dates from a period long anterior to the Christmas Era.” Did you know this—that the Christmas tree long preceded Christianity?
Most aspects of Christmas are not referred to in the Bible. Of course, the reason is that they are not from God—they are not part of the way He wants people to worship Him. The Christmas tree, however, is directly mentioned in the Bible! Turn to Jeremiah 10:2-5, “Thus says the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen…For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.”
This plain description of the modern Christmas tree is clear. God directly refers to it as “the way of the heathen.” Just as directly, He commands His people to “learn not the way of the heathen,” calling these customs “vain.” Verse 23 adds a remarkable and powerful statement: “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his [own] steps.” God must teach people how to live. Man simply cannot figure out God's ways for himself.
There is no room in Jeremiah 10 to believe, as some have tried to suggest, that because these trees are powerless of themselves, it is not really forbidden to have a Christmas tree. God condemns the putting up of pagan “Christmas” trees with this plain Bible command!
The Source of Holly Wreaths, Yule Logs and Mistletoe
The Encyclopedia Americana states, “The holly, the mistletoe, the Yule log…are relics of pre-Christian time.” In other words, paganism! The Yule log was commonly used in a rite of Teutonic nature worship.
Frederick Haskin further states, “The use of Christmas wreaths is believed by authorities to be traceable to the pagan customs of decorating buildings and places of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as Christmas.”
The Encyclopedia Britannica, under “Celastrales,” exposes the origin of the holly wreath: “European pagans brought holly sprays into their homes, offering them to the fairy people of the forests as refuge from the harsh winter weather. During the Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival, branches of holly were exchanged as tokens of friendship. The earliest Roman Christians apparently used holly as a decoration at the Christmas season.”
There are dozens of different types of holly. Virtually all of them come in male and female varieties—such as “Blue Prince and Blue Princess” or “Blue Boy and Blue Girl” or “China Boy and China Girl.” Female holly plants cannot have berries unless a nearby male plant pollinates them. It is easy to see why the holly wreath found its way into pagan rituals as a token of friendship and fertility!
Christmas is incomplete to many unless it involves “kissing under the mistletoe.” This pagan custom was natural on a night that involved much revelry done in the spirit of drunken orgies. Just like today, this “kissing” usually occurred at the beginning of any modern Saturnalia/Christmas celebration! Mistletoe was considered to have special powers of healing for those who “reveled” under it.
Like mistletoe, holly berries were also thought to be sacred to the sun god. The original “sun log” came to be called the yule log. “Yule” simply means “wheel,” which has long been a pagan representation of the sun. No wonder people today commonly speak of the “sacred yule-tide season.”
What Should You Do?
Finally, let's examine what God told His people they should do and the way they ought to teach their children.
Human beings do not want to obey God (Rom. 8:7). They would rather follow their own “imagination.” They do not understand that God wants their lives to go “well.” He wants happiness, joy and blessings to flow into people's lives. All these are the results of obeying Him.
God inspired Moses to warn parents of the grave responsibility that they have in what and how they teach their children. Notice His instruction in Deuteronomy 6:1, 6-7, 20-21, 25: “Now these are the commandments…which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you go to possess it…And these words, which I command you this day, shall be in your heart: And you shall teach them diligently unto your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up…And when your son asks you in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord our God has commanded you? Then you shall say unto your son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand…And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.”
God took Israel out of Egypt—out of the customs of the world around them and revealed His Law to them. He does not want His people going back to the traditions, customs and ways from which He has called them.
When all of the interconnected traditions, filled with the symbolism of worshipping an ancient pagan, humanly devised god, are taught, this is not worshipping the true Creator.
The prophet Isaiah was inspired to write, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show My people their transgression”
The Truth of Easter
I think it's appropriate that we speak for a little on the truth of Easter. If we are 'fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; we're built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets' (Ephesians 2:19-20).
To begin, Easter is a Chaldee word wrongly applied to the Passover or pascha {pas'-khah}. Pascha, which means to skip, or pass over, applies to the Pascal sacrifice the Israelites were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan, (the first month of their year), in memory of the day on which their forefathers, preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing the blood, may pass over their dwellings.
'For God said, "I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt" (Exodus 12:12-13).
That Passover lamb was a type of Christ crucified. Christians are born-again, or under the blood of Christ, as those Israelites were under the blood of the natural lamb. As the lamb died in place of Israel's firstborn, who were under its blood in Egypt, Christ died on Calvary for those spiritually firstborn into the Kingdom - the elected of Adam's fallen race. That is, the true Church.
Believers know that the name 'Easter,' used in Acts 12:4, refers not to any Christian festival, and not to the Jewish Passover. The best explanation is that this refers to the pagan festival of Astarte, also known as 'Ishtar' and pronounced 'Easter' by us. This festival was held in late April around the time of the Passover. In its original form, it was a celebration of the earth's regenerating itself after the winter season. The festival involved the celebration of fertility and reproduction. The common symbols of Easter were the rabbit and (for obvious reasons) the egg. Pagan symbols which have crept into denominational usage.
Astarte or Ishtar was the main female deity, and is known in the Bible as the 'Queen of Heaven'. In Jeremiah 7:16-18, God told His prophet, 'Pray no more for these people... My anger is great! Watch the children gather wood and the fathers build fires, and the women knead dough and make cakes to offer to the "Queen of Heaven" and to their other gods'. She is the mother of Tammuz, who was also her husband, and false messiah of the pagan trinity, who was slain and supposedly resurrects at Easter. Jeremiah (44:17-25) records the Jew's worship of these gods, brought the fierce wrath of God, in the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. These perverted rituals take place at sunrise on Easter morning (Ezekiel 8:13-16).
The word 'Easter' appears only once in the Bible. Acts 12:1-4: 'About that time Herod the king moved against some of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And when he saw how greatly this pleased the Jewish leaders, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (It was during the days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to sixteen soldiers; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people for execution'.
The key to understanding Acts 12:4 is in the previous verse. This was in 'the days of Unleavened Bread'. The Passover was the feast before the days of Unleavened Bread, so this word does not refer to the Passover, but to some event after the Passover. Herod was not a Jew, and could care less about the Passover. However, he probably kept Easter, in honor of his false goddess, 'the Queen of Heaven', and wanted to slay James, to add a little interest to his PAGAN feast day.
Much has been written that goes far to prove the identity of the Babylonian system of worship within Christendom; but at every step the evidence becomes still more overwhelming. Particularly when we compare the different festivals.
One of its important festivals that can be proved to be Babylonian is Easter. Now don't just take my word for this - receive it with all readiness of mind, then search the Scripture whether it is so. Eternal Life is not in my words. I'm a man! I can make mistakes. So take my words back to your Bible, and to history. Because what I'm saying can be proved from any encyclopedia, and the Bible.
The term "Easter" is not a Christian name. Easter is nothing else than Astarte, one of the titles of Beltis, 'the Queen of Heaven', whose name, as pronounced by the people of Nineveh, was evidently identical with that now in common use in Australia. That name, as found by Layard on the Assyrian monuments, is Ishtar.
The worship of Bel and Astarte was introduced into Britain by the Druids, 'the priests of the groves'. Baal was worshipped, and his consort, Astarte, was also adored by our ancestors in Britain. And from Astarte, whose name in Nineveh was Ishtar, the religious solemnities of April, as now practiced, are called by the name of Easter - that month, among our Pagan ancestors, was called Easter-month.
The festival, of which we read in church history, under the name of Easter, in the third or fourth centuries, was quite a different festival from that now observed in the church, and at that time was not known as Easter. It was called Pasch, or the Passover, and though not of Apostolic institution, was very early observed by many professing Christians, in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Christ. That festival agreed originally with the time of the Jewish Passover, when Christ was crucified.
Like the original apostles of Christ, we know from the Bible there is no requirement for Christians to observe the Passover. That was fulfilled by His death, burial and resurrection when He played the part of our Kinsman Redeemer 2,000 years ago. It is over, or as He said on the Cross, 'It is FINISHED!'
I believe that all who are Jesus' disciples in this day, should take Him at His Word, remembering It was Christ the Word Who bled and died on Calvary, not the man-made creed and tradition of some Christ-denying religious system.
Jesus said, 'My Word is Spirit, It is Life'. 'And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him". And the people answered him not a word'.
That same choice is placed before you today. If Baal be god, then follow him. But if Jesus Christ be God, follow the Word.
Peter said, 'We have seen the Words of the prophets vindicated; whereunto you do well if you heed all they wrote as you'd follow a light shining in darkness, until the subject becomes visible, and Christ illumines your hearts through the new birth: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the private thoughts of man: but holy men of God, spoke as they were inspired, by the Holy Ghost.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who secretly introduce heresies and, for greed exploit you' (II Peter 1:19-2:4).
Jesus said, 'If we add our private interpretations to God's Word, He will add to us the tribulation plagues'. We should show respect to God's Word and work out our salvation with fear and trembling - not following the teachings of any man.
Because a man is trained as a priest or minister does not mean he is a Christian. Remember, it was priests and ministers who crucified our Lord Jesus. And just because certain teachings are upheld by denominational groups does not mean that they're Scriptural. The authority and absolute word on Doctrine is the Bible, which can never change.
That festival was not idolatrous, and was preceded by no Lent. In the age of Constantine, fifteen days was enforced by law (Bingham, ix. p. 95). "It ought to be known," said Cassianus the monk of Marseilles (writing in the fifth century, and contrasting the primitive Church with the Church in his day), "that the observance of the forty days had no existence, so long as the perfection of the primitive Church remained inviolate."
The forty days' abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshipers of the Babylonian goddess. Such a Lent of forty days, 'in the spring of the year,' is still observed by the pagan devil-worshipers of Koordistan.
Such is the history of Easter. The popular observances that still attend the period of its celebration amply confirm the testimony of history as to its Babylonian character. The hot cross buns of Good Friday, and the dyed eggs of Pasch or Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean rites just as they do now. The buns, were used in the worship of the 'Queen of Heaven', the goddess Easter, as early as the founding of Athens, 1500 years before Christ. They offered sacred cakes made of fine flour and honey. The prophet Jeremiah speaks of this kind of offering when he says, "The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven' (Jeremiah 7:18). Hot cross buns are not offered nowadays, but eaten, on the festival of Astarte. This leaves no doubt as to whence they've been derived.
The origin of the Pasch eggs is just as clear. The ancient Druids bore an egg, as the sacred emblem of their order. In the mysteries of Bacchus, as celebrated in Athens, one part of the ceremony consisted in consecrating an egg. The Hindu fables celebrate their mundane egg as of a golden color. The people of Japan say their sacred egg was brazen. In China, today, dyed or painted eggs are used on sacred festivals. In ancient times eggs were used in the religious rites of the Egyptians and the Greeks, and were hung up for mystic purposes in their temples. From Egypt these sacred eggs can be distinctly traced to the banks of the Euphrates. Classic poets are full of fables of the mystic egg of the Babylonians; "An egg of wondrous size is said to have fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank, where the doves having settled upon it, hatched it, and out came Venus, who afterwards was called the Syrian Goddess, Astarte. Hence the egg became one of the symbols of Astarte or Easter. The false Church adopted this mystic egg of Astarte, and consecrated it as a symbol of Christ's resurrection.
Again, if we are Christ’s we will follow Him and if we are not then we will follow Baal. It is no ones choice but our own.
--------------------
Trust in God and Him only:
Posts: 10 | From: Alto, Texas | Registered: Dec 2009
| IP: Logged |
|
|
sajang
Community Member
Member # 7732
|
posted
![[Bible]](graemlins/bible.gif)
Where is God’s True Church to Day?
Is there a true church in this world today? And if so, how can it be identified?
Thousands of different church denominations claim to be following Jesus Christ.
Yet they teach thousands of different “gospels” and disagree on countless points of doctrine.
Is Jesus Christ the Head of all these denominations? Is Jesus Christ divided?
Or is there a true Church of God that stands apart from this religious Babylon?
How can you recognize God’s true Church? If there is any ?
Of all the religious questions facing the modern truth-seeker, this is certainly the most demanding and also the most frustrating. Conflicting voices and interpretations from every Church declare that they have the answer. Denominations, sects, and cults make strident claims based upon emotional interpretations of isolated Bible texts.
Yet, it is also true that every Christian has access to the same mighty power of God for overcoming those frailties.
But the question remains: Is there some valid way to identify the church which is closest to the biblical standards of truth?
I am reluctant to make any claims for what you are about to read, although I know very well that it could revolutionize your life. Do not scan or read lightly the material which follows. I ask only that you study it prayerfully and with an open mind. Then, judge it on the basis of the Scriptures and your own spiritual convictions. If it is truth, the Holy Spirit will guide you into joyful recognition of it. My personal feeling is that you will find this experience to be the most exciting adventure you have ever had in God’s Word.
Notes:
It must be apparent to all that if God has a special church in the world today, He will reveal it clearly and explicitly in His holy Word.
The average Christian today has been so totally turned off by these exaggerated boasts and interpretations of God’s Word that many have even discounted the possibility that any “true church” could really exist.
YES…….IT EXIST, …..and it is very important to recognize that You
“yes you” are the “true Church and Temple” of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you.
Act 7:48 That means, if you can not find God within your self, you will not find God in any Church, building or Temple made by human hands.
QUOTE:
Act 2:17 in the last days, God says…I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
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:
1 Corinthians 3:16-19 don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s Temple (Church - Sanctuary) and that God’s Spirit lives in you?
If anyone destroys (any which way) God’s Temple, God will destroy him/her;
For God Temple is sacred, and you are that Temple.
Jesus Christ by his Spirit dwells in all true believers.
1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of
Jesus Christ himself?
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Therefore Honor God with your body.
Please notice: that disobedience immediately disqualifies one to be Spirit-filled. This remarkable representative of God is offended when His primary function is denied.
His very nature is to make sin appear exceedingly sinful. Sin cannot comfortably remain where the Holy Spirit abides (dwells). Either the sin is renounced or the Holy Spirit finally will be rejected and depart.
Refusing to walk in the light does not bring an immediate separation from God,
but persistent disobedience continues to harden the conscience to the seriousness of sin. Hebrews 10:26 That state of darkness developed by repeated violation of known truth is what we refer to as the unpardonable sin . The most deadly danger facing anyone today is to insult the Holy Spirit of God by refusing obedience to His conviction.
The most deceptive aspect of the unpardonable sin is the seeming comfort with which people are able to live without God.
The greatest mistake people can make is to believe that they can come to God whenever they choose. The truth is that you can only obey God when the Spirit is speaking to your heart.
I repeat that you can only obey God when the Spirit is convicting you to come. When that Spirit is driven away and rejected, there is no possibility for repentance.
The most presumptuous thing anyone can do is to pray for an understanding of the truth, and then refuse to obey when God answers that prayer.
Satan knows that faith without works is dead, and he also knows that continued transgression grieves away the Holy Spirit. His most concentrated attack is upon the will, and obviously, he is having great success in causing people to postpone obedience. The longer they wait, the greater their chance of waiting longer, and the greater their danger of driving away the Holy Spirit.
If we turn away from that Holy Spirit and refuse to listen and obey, God will have to let us go and you be lost.
I'll tell you why: because the Holy Spirit is the only way God can reach an individual. There is no other way for God to save a person except through the Holy Spirit. That is the way we are led to repentance. If we do not have the Holy Spirit, there is no hope for us.
Note: I was a skeptic before I started my amazing journey of discovery, and finely realized that the Holy Bible is God’s Words and not human words from the beginning to the end .
But once I saw the accuracy of the Bible predictions, I realized God can not lie.
That is peoples interpretation of the Bible, that make God lies.
There is only one safe thing to do with truth - obey it! You cannot get over it, around it, or through it. It won't go away, and it will not change. We don't break God's law; it breaks us if we disobey it.
Thank you God for your blessings, for giving and trusting me to be your Sanctuary Amen.
![[Kiss]](graemlins/Kiss.gif) ![[hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
Posts: 10 | From: Colorado | Registered: May 2009
| IP: Logged |
|
|
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
