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"When David reached the throne of Israel and came to choose his generals, he named for the chief commands the men who made themselves conspicuous by feats of prowess or of valor. Among the foremost three was one of whom the record states that he defended a tract of lentils, and drove away a troop of the Philistines.1 Others it may have seemed little better than a patch of weeds, and not worth fighting for, but it was precious to the Israelite as a portion of the divinely given inheritance, and moreover the enemy might have used it as a rallying ground from which to capture strongholds. So it is with the Bible. It is all of intrinsic value if needed it be from God; and moreover, the statement which is assailed, and which may seem of no importance, may prove to be a link in the chain of truth on which we are depending for eternal life."12 Sam 23:11-12
Sir. Robert Anderson: "The Coming Prince"2 Page18
Kregel Publications: ISBN 0-8254-2115-2
2
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May I add to the reader a thought here, in the words of the Bible, lies the truth of life and Heaven - for those who receive it. I have explained in brief throughout this web site the phenomena of Prophecy. True Prophecy, as we can see from the sciences in their study of the ancient world in archaeology and historical manuscripts, is proof how the Bible remains true to its teaching by our efforts to understand it. But more importantly, God reveals Himself in our heart when we truly accept Him ... His sacrifice on the Cross.
God does show us the future before it happens as we can see in Prophecy and there can be no denial. Men have sought to disprove the Bible with fair and honest motives and found themselves writing text upholding it as being true.
Others sought to condemn it outright and in doing so, proved its text true as hostile witnesses themselves to its contents, and in doing so, have brought out the characteristics of Jesus as a miracle worker and had proved an earlier dating of the Gospels by their testimonies. You can practically recreate the Gospel accounts in the Holy Bible with text written from outside sources. There are tens of thousands of manuscripts in several languages documenting the New Testament alone. No other work of antiquity comes close to having this level of authentication.
Now consider this, if the Bible is true and you do not accept what it teaches, then you are condemned by what is written as you will be denying God's work and love for you.
If the Bible is false in its accusations and statements, then Christians are no better off than any other sect or belief or non belief, and being or not being in "Christ" (Messiah) is of no significance.
I urge the reader; consider carefully the explanations here! I truly believe that it is the key to the door of Heaven and without this key, one is doomed for all eternity. This is dependent on a choice and only one choice... to receive Christ as the sacrifice for your life and sins. It is not dependent on how nice you are nor could you ever be nice enough just the same. This is the beauty of Christianity; man fails, God restores, man accepts and is saved, but if men reject so too are they rejected by their very own choice.
"When I see God, I'm going to tell Him everything."
Here is a story of a 3 year old boy who died due to the violence and horror of war in the Syrian conflicts. The image of this boy is heart breaking. He is on a hospital cart weeping staring right into the camera as doctors hand's moving about in front of him. There is blood stains all around his neck dripping down over his chest. The text under this image states that just before he took is last breaths the boy spoke these words..,
"When I see God, I'm going to tell Him everything."
How heart wrenching.
- He knew He was going to die.
- He knew there is a God.
- He knew he will see God.
- He knew God is Just and Righteous.
- He was only 3 years old.
There is not much theology you can teach a 3 year old boy; however, this young boy knew God is a just being. The boy understood God is concerned with his welfare to the point where the boy would have an audience with Him. The boy seems to understand God is compassionate and that He will vindicate the oppressors of his parents and the destruction of his family and all the safety that there might have been in his precious short life.
How does a 3 year old understand this? How does he know he will see God and know of God's attributes?
Jesus told us we must become as little children, harmless and with absolute faith, looking for what God has designed mankind to be - a passionate being whom must commune with the God Who created him and Who created him in His Own image. God is Love and gave us a need for Him a need for Love. He created us for communion. Sin has brought death to all life including this innocent child who knows at 3 some theology most adults forget.
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
Jesus of Nazareth:
Luke 18:15-17
15 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.
16 But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
17 "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."
Mat 5:1-12
1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
This Child is in his Father's hands now. He has no more tears, He has no more pain, He has no more fear. He listens to his Father's voice first hand. All things are new and the old is forgotten. God has stored all his tears in bottle.
The vanity of man's view of himself holds no value before a God who demands justice.
God is faithful in His words, and gracious in His deeds.
11QPs-a {Dead Sea Scrolls}
Looking to the Cross we cannot come to any other conclusion.
John 19:1-3
1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,
3 And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
KJV
Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again."John3:5-8 Jesus was saying that we must be born again spiritually. This is what is meant when Christians refer to being born again. Accepting Jesus Christ as what He claimed to be is the first step... the only begotten Son of God. What Jesus had done by placing Himself in human form, and leaving His throne in Heaven to live a poor person's life on the earth, was to show us God's love and mercy toward us. He knew that He would be crucified as the scriptures explained in Isaiah, written at least 750 years before His birth on earth. (God is the one who put the words in the Prophet's mouth and it was God in the form of Jesus on the Cross at Calvary who paid the penalty for mankind.) Isaiah even states the fact that the Roman soldiers would gamble for the garment Jesus wore. This could not have been planned as some have suggested that Jesus had staged the event.
Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophesies in the Old Testament. Fulfilling only eight of them using conservative figures would create such astronomical odds that statisticians say this would never happen by chance.
Others recently have suggested that Jesus did not really die on the cross, confirming that He was seen after the Crucifixion. This would be ridiculous to claim in light of the Romans being trained to kill their victims. They were experts at torture and death and were expected to carry out executions or they themselves could face the same punishment.
We read the Roman soldiers were ordered to break the legs of the crucified men in order to hasten their death - the intention of the crucifixion was to kill the crucified - but Jesus was found dead already. A soldier pierces Christ side with a lance drawing water and blood signifying that Jesus had died before the lance ever entered His body.
Not a bone in His body being broken and the piercing of His side are types and prophecies portrayed and fulfilled from within the Old Testament.
But alas, medical doctors, forensic pathologists and such, have stated that such cannot be so, for in order for blood and water to come out of a person whose side was pierced by a spear, the person has to already be dead! Of course, this medical knowledge was unavailable at the time that the gospels were written, so the inclusion of what would appear to be merely expository descriptive material in the natural sense actually served nearly 2000 years later to prove that Jesus Christ died on the cross just as the gospels, epistles, and prophecies bear witness.
http://healtheland.wordpress.com/2007/06/07/when-they-pierced-his-side-the-blood-and-water-of-jesus-christ/
The Jesus that is drawn for us by modern media productions that deviate from the four Gospels we have in our Bible create a false religion - a god for those who cannot - will not accept Jesus. They create a god in their liking. One with no moral implications. This is man creating gods out of fear. The God of the Bible is the one and true God. The other version we read and watch in our modern day are the creation of fearful men who must pacify themselves simply because they do not understand what Christianity holds for them.
Just the same, all that was needed was a dead Jesus or live one to destroy the resurrection story and Christianity at its starting point. Neither could be found. Instead, what we find are countless numbers of those who were willing to give testimony to a risen Christ even under the pains of extreme torture and death. Psychologist tell us that no one would die in this fashion to uphold a lie - a person would give in and testify eventually that they did not see a risen Christ or believe in Him. Peter, one of the apostles denied Jesus Christ three times during Jesus' last desperate hours. Later, after seeing the risen Lord "Christ - Messiah" and receiving the Holy Spirit, he would not deny Him at his own crusifiction and asked that he would be crucified upside down because he was not worthy to die as Christ did.
Millions of Christians died for their belief at the start of the Faith. Why? Because the testimony of the Living Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus testified He would send once He left, confirmed the love of God within their very being. They would rather die then to deny this love.
As Adam, the first man, sinned and all died since then till the time of the restoration of mankind, in Christ, the second Adam, all live for eternity in Heaven and eventually in the new earth. Man in his condemned state could not help himself. Christ, a king from eternity past, became man. He knew no sin but became sin on the cross for us... for our sins. Those who died before the time of Christ are judged according to their actions.
Our sins are nailed to the cross and the nails pierced the Lord's hands and feet. What holds those nails in place is His love for mankind. This is why He bore the cross and the stripes of the whips. He could have summoned a legion of angels at His request as He stated to Peter at His betrayal and arrest in the garden. Instead, He fulfilled what was written of Him so He could be lifted up on a cross for all nations to see... He is God.
Jesus said "Love is the greatest commandment." And He proved His love by the cross. Christ, who is God, died the most horrific death for us all. Christ own words say "no one enters Heaven except by me." So did Jesus lie to us? We must accept this sacrificial Lamb - Christ sacrifice on the cross. It was replicated in the Old Testament by God's orders to Moses creating a 'type' so we can see what the Lord had done at Calvary. This is not my opinion or any body else's. It is what God's word, the Bible says. Either I accept it for being what it says and is, or I deny Him over my own desires.
There are those who believe you just need to be Christ - like or Christ - minded. Have the Christ mindset. But you cannot enter Heaven by being nice or having this concept. We are changed by the fall into a state that deprives us from entering into heaven. This is why God did what He did!
Jesus said, unless you eat my body and drink my blood (a depiction of the Passover Lamb which was eaten on the day the Hebrews were given their freedom and signifying an acceptance of God's provision, life as opposed to the angel of death, and a covenant to the Hebrew slaves - you must become part of what He has done in accepting His sacrifice by faith) you cannot enter into the Heaven. It would be saying no to Moses when he told his people to put blood on the doorpost of their homes in order to advert the angel of death. If you do not accept the work of the cross you cannot be regenerated into a new creation that can enter into Heaven.
The Scribes and Pharisees knew Jesus was saying He was the Passover Lamb - a new covenant to be accepted.
He was saying accept Me. Not be like minded only. It is the Holy Spirit dwelling in a believer... a form of having a spirit in you... that one can enter into heaven. It cannot be bought, earned, or conjured up in some other way but only by accepting what Christ has done as a gift. No one is worthy of Heaven by being nice. You cannot just be a nice boy or girl and get into heaven. It is a lie out of hell itself. Being like minded will leave you in a state of unregeneration.
Man is the victim of spiritual warfare and he cannot do anything about it but to accept God's mercy. Without this man is hopeless.
Christ, who never sinned, lives in you if you have accepted Him. Thus, you have become a child of God. You cannot lose this Salvation. Some say Christ will bear the marks of the nails for all eternity as a reminder of His love for us.
John 3:5-8
5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.
6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
John 1: 12-17
12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'"
16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
17 For the
law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
The heart must be and is established by grace and not by harsh rules or regulations. Our mind must be set on God's goodness and not on man's regulations.
The issues of life start in the heart. The inner man, where God wants to dwell and nurture us in His ways, is a very tender place. Satan wants to destroy this inner man and God wants to protect us and build us up. We must allow Him to enter into us by accepting his saving grace ... Jesus Christ.
When we accept Christ, it's as if we never sinned. Sin separates us from God and His Love for us. Regardless of how good it looks on the outside, sin will destroy you on the inside and like an addict; you will never know the difference. Ultimately, you will have to pay for the state of sin that is in your life and not have the substitution of Christ' sacrifice on the cross. All have eternal life. It is a matter of where it is spent. We may think of our state as being a prisoner of a spiritual war. It doesn't matter to the enemy what nice things you have or have not done. You are still a prisoner and his tactics keep your eyes closed to the fact. When you are done reading this page, read through the prophecies on the links highlighted such as "His love" or "Isaiah". Both are the same link and are labeled as "The Cross" on the left navigational panel.
What is it that builds up a solid foundation within us and a stability in Christ? It is the Sanctifying Grace of God. Those who are in Christ are continually cleansed from their failures and faults.
Though, one must never neglect confessing their fault to God in their hearts and not consider Christ' sacrifice as an excuse to live a sinful life style. The idea of Christ living within us is one that involves a
conscience of sin.
The more we strive to avoid this conscience, the less we will feel the nudge toward obedience and the less likely
to follow Christ' words "...sin no more." Jesus
said, "You shall know them by their fruit.", which means our actions will prove whether we are in the vine
(Christ) or whether our actions are for selfish reasons.
The love of God is what we have in return and eternity in Heaven.
This turning around from the things of this world is a gradual process for most people and no one has ever lived a sinless life from the greatest Apostles to the newest Christian, but the idea is that we agree with God on what He calls sin and we focus our hearts and intents on what is right and not on the things of this world in its current condition.
The heart of the kingdom is belief. Through belief in Him, we produce fruit by abiding in Him through His grace. How do we receive this grace? Through humility and obedience to God. The analogy of bearing fruit can be depicted as Christ being the vine and believers being branches dependant on the vine. In this fashion we have fruit in our lives. If we are not in the vine's energy source, we wither in respects to being in Christ and in His grace.
Sin diminishes this flow of life. Instead of feeding on God's grace and love, man centers his thoughts and actions on the causes of death and separation... sin. This is man's natural tendency. This is why coming to the Cross is a miracle in itself. But it is this Love flowing in us that keeps us from the things of this world. All things become fleeting shadows in the light of God's love when this love is shining in your heart!
Currently the world is under a condition known as 'common grace.' this allows us to be able to survive and accomplish ourselves (all humanity) on this earth. The scriptures speak of the 'comforter' who holds back the lawless one ... Satan. Jesus has redeemed men's souls but He will redeem the earth, the life forms on this earth and the heavens as well from under the destruction and decay that has been set since the fall of man.
Trust in God no matter what is happening in the world around you. Have faith and hope in what God has done, what God promises, and what God will do. As Christ said on the cross, "it is finished ..." amen (surely).
All verses below are written by the Apostle Paul.
Ephesians
Eph 2:8-10
8
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9
not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Philippians 3:8-14
8
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
9
and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
10
that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
11
in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
13
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
If you feel you have sinned too much in your life to have God forgive you, Look no further then one of the greatest Apostles of the church... Paul who God changed for His glory.
1 Corinthians 15: 9-11
9
For I am the least of the Apostles, who am not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11
Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
This man, Paul formerly known as Saul, literally killed people for believing in Christ before God showed His mercy toward him.
Jesus sees us as helpless sheep wondering without a shepherd. The analogy is foreign to the modern age we live in, but sheep herders know that sheep are completely helpless.
A sheep will walk in a circle all day long while other sheep follow in suit thinking that the one in front knows where its going. If one sheep walks off a cliff while others are following it, the rest of the sheep will continue to walk off the edge without realizing the danger ahead.
All one has to do is look at the headlines of any major newspaper and we can come to an agreement with this analogy without too much difficulty.
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