GOD Vs. Religion

 

GOD vs. Religion!

 

Most religions seek to make GOD like humans, but some seek to make humans into gods.

GOD already made humanity in His Own Image and He expects us to live set apart with Himself (Holy) rather than set apart to Himself (holy). Genesis 1:26-28; John 15:1-17

 

It’s not just semantics or grammatical use of words. Being Holy with GOD is different than being holy to GOD. It is being in partnership with GOD to do His Will, or being a slave with no will or choice.

 

Being holy to GOD is our effort to achieve what we believe GOD is or wants us to be, based on our ability, motivation and desire to fulfill whatever the tenets of our religion are, all or none.

 

Being Holy with GOD requires us to believe by Faith and receive by Grace what GOD has done and by obedience to that we abide in Him and He abides in us. John 14:19-24

 

Being holy to GOD is a process of our works in achieving a status of success in our chosen religion. We strive to make changes in our life according to the tenets of our religion.

 

Being Holy with GOD is being obedient to His call for our life. We are then compelled by His Love to obey Him even in our shortcomings and failures allowing Him to change us into the image of CHRIST. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

 

There was a song in the 60’s called “The Long And Winding Road”, about rejected love; with such lines as, “Lead me to your door” “Why leave me standing here” JESUS talked about a hard narrow way, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it,” He also said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in GOD, believe also in Me. In My Father’s House are many dwellings; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, you may be also…I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to The Father, except through Me.” Then He said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My Throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what The SPIRIT says to the Churches.”

Matthew 7:13-14; John 14:1-3, 6; Revelation 3:20-22

 

Religion is not easy and it is dead works, works without Faith is dead and sacrifice without obedience is useless. 1 Samuel 15:22; Matthew 16:24-27; James 2:14-26

 

The road of religion leads to nothing but hell, literally! Psalm 2:1, “Why do the nations rage, and the people plot a vain thing?” Proverbs 21:30, “There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against The LORD.” Matthew 25:41, “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’” Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘LORD, LORD,’ shall enter The Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the Will of My Father in Heaven [this is the qualifier]. Many will say to Me in That Day, ‘LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done may wonders in Your Name [religious works]?’ And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Revelation 20:11-15, “Then I saw a Great White Throne and Him Who sat on it,…and I saw the dead, small and great, standing before GOD and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is The Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books….And anyone not found written in The Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

 

If you want to be CHRIS like then live according to this passage of Scripture, Philippians 2:1-18; and this passage of Scripture, Colossians 2:1-4:6.

JESUS qualifications: Hebrews 5:1-11.

 

False religion, Colossians 2:20-23, “Therefore, if you died with CHRIST from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations–‘Do not touch, Do not taste, Do not handle,’ which all concern things which perish with the using–according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”

 

True religion, James 1:25-27, “But he who looks into the perfect Law of Liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Work, this one is Blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and Undefiled Religion before GOD and The Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

GOD's Plan And Our Life

 

GOD's Plan And Our Life

Revelation 21:4

 

A couple of years ago during worship we sang a song that said, “You rewrote my history!” this had a profound effect on my understanding of Psalm 139:16 NKJV, “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” I understood that when I was born again that GOD forgave my sins and did not see them when He looked at me or thought about me. He did not see my past life of sin, He only saw my life as He had written it out before I was born. When I became a Born again Christian at the age of 23 much of my first 22 years were erased in the sea of forgetfulness and He sees them complete without sin! This is another amazingly awesome concept of who GOD is and how He sees and interacts with us.

So why do I believe this?

“O LORD, You have searched me and know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend (winnow) my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged (enclosed) me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; I cannot attain it…For You formed my inward parts; You covered (wove) me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was (Lit. bones were) not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O GOD! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number that the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:1-6 & 13-18 NKJV.

So GOD knows everything about me and He wrote out all the days of my life before I was born. Then I was born and lived my life how I was brought up and influenced by family, friends, and society. I did and said things not based on the Father’s plan for my life but based on my own wants and desires. Then on my 23^rd birthday I began the experience of salvation through JESUS CHRIST, when I repented I was washed in the blood of the Lamb my sins were forgiven and I was made a new man by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT. My sins were thrown into the sea of forgetfulness and GOD sees me as I was meant to be when He formed me in my mother’s womb. So what happens when He looks at my life as a whole, if my sins are removed and He does not see them what does He see? He sees my life as He wrote it to be, there are no gaps! That does not include things that I should have done but did not, this is part of the Mystery and Majesty of GOD!

How do I know? Here is an example: The birth of Moses and his first encounter with the Hebrews, “And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank…And the child grew, and she brought him in to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. So she called his name Moses, saying, ‘Because I drew him out of the water.’ Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So he looked this way and that way, and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. And when he went out the second day, behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the one who did the wrong, ‘Why are you striking your companion?’ Then he said, ‘Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you intend to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ So Moses feared and said, ‘Surely this thing is known!’ When Pharaoh heard of this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian; and he sat down by a well.” Exodus 2:1-3, 10-15 NKJV

Here is the abbreviated version from Hebrews 11:23-27, “By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of GOD than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ as greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.” NKJV

Exodus is what happened before the Cross and Hebrews is how GOD wrote it out after CHRIST’s Sacrifice of Salvation was applied to Moses’ life (which was before the foundation of the earth was laid). How it was written while Moses was in his mother’s womb we do not know. But the eternal record shows Moses’ name written in The Book of Life and Hebrews 11:23-27 is the proof.

Does that mean that we have no control over our own life – NO! It means that we can effect GOD’s Plan for our life and that will affect GOD’s plan for other people’s lives. My example is: in 2008 when Barak Obama was elected President of The United States, a prophet named John Paul Jackson asked GOD why. GOD’s answer was, “The person I appointed to be president was aborted by their mother.” While this had a profound effect on our nation and the world it did not change GOD’s purpose or timing; His Will is still being done in the earth as it is in Heaven according to His plan and timing.

Our future is based on what GOD wrote for us, but if we do not seek GOD and find out His Gift and Calling for us then we will negatively affect other’s lives as well as our own.

Again, with Moses and the Hebrews, it was prophesied that the Children of Israel would be in bondage for 400 years. Genesis 15:13-14, “The He said to Abram, ‘Know certainly that your descendents will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.’” (Exodus 1:1, 12:26; Acts 7:6-7) But they stayed 430 years, Exodus 12:40 “Now the sojourn of the Children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years.” (Exodus 12:36-41)

When Moses was 40 years old he decided to visit his people and seeing one of them being mistreated he killed the Egyptian and hid the body. The next day he tried to break up a fight between two Hebrews and they rejected him. When it was found out by the Pharaoh that Moses had killed an Egyptian Moses had to flee. This happened in the three hundred and ninetieth year of the Children of Israel’s bondage in Egypt. Instead of Moses’ learning process taking ten years it took him forty years because he had no control over his anger. So he spent forty years in the wilderness learning to be a shepherd and raising a family, then he was ready to answer GOD’s Call, even if he was not sure that he wanted to. This cost the Children of Israel another thirty years of bondage.

As a Believer, how we live our life is up to us, but GOD has a Call for everyone of us and if we do not seek Him and yield ourself to fulfill His Will for our life, it will negatively affect us and others; yet GOD will still accomplish His Will and timing for His Eternal Kingdom.

1 Chronicles 29:11, “Yours, “ O LORD, is the Greatness and the Power and the Glory and the Victory and the Majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the Earth is Yours; Yours is The Kingdom, O LORD, and You are exalted as Head above all.” Oswald Chambers said, “GOD’s Blessings are nothing in comparison to Himself!” When JESUS taught us to pray in Matthew 6:9-10, “Our Father, Who is in Heaven, Holy is Your Name, Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done in the earth as it is in Heaven…” He was teach us to pray for GOD’s Eternal Purpose to be done, so then we have to yield to that purpose for our life.

!

The Harmonized Gospel of JESUS CHRIST Part 13

 The Harmonized Gospel of JESUS CHRIST Part 13

Chapter 13

 

JESUS left the temple and His disciples came to Him and pointed out the buildings of the temple. JESUS said to them, “Do you see all these things? Truly I say to you that not one stone will be left here upon another, they all will be thrown down.”

 

As He sat on the Mount of Olives the disciples came to Him privately saying, “Tell us when will these things be and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” JESUS answered, “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name saying, ‘I am the CHRIST,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars ee that you are not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. Then many will be offended will betray one another and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many because lawlessness will abound and the love of many will grow cold. He who endures to the end will be saved. This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the world as a witness to all the nations and then the end will come.

 

When you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house and let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. Then there will be great tribulation such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time or ever will be again. Unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you ‘Look, here is the CHRIST!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it for false CHRISTs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive if possible even the elect, see I have told you beforehand.

 

So if they say to you, ‘Look He is in the desert!’ do not go out or ‘Look He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. As the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered together.

 

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. The stars will fall from heaven and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory. He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other.

 

Learn this parable from the fig tree, ‘When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves you know that summer is near.’ So you also when you see all these things know that it is near – at the doors! Truly I say to you this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away but My Words will by no means pass away. No one knows of that day and hour not even the angels of heaven but only My Father. As in the days of Noah so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man, for as in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entered the ark and did not know until the flood came and took them all away. So will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field, one will be taken and the other left two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and the other left. Watch for you do not know what hour your LORD is coming know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. So then you be ready for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

 

Who then is a faithful and wise servant whom his master made ruler over his household to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. If that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunkards the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

 Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom was delayed they all slumbered and slept. At midnight a cry was heard, ‘Attention

the bridegroom is coming go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps and the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil for our lamps are going out.’ The wise answered, ‘No lest there should not be enough for us and you rather go to those who sell and buy for yourselves.’ While they went to buy the bridegroom came and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came saying, ‘LORD, LORD, open to us!’ He answered, ‘Truly I do not know you.’ Watch for you do not know the day or the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

 

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man traveling to a far country who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two and to another one, to each according to his own ability and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them and made another five talents. Likewise he who had received two gained two more. He who had received one went and dug in the ground and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five more talents saying, ‘Lord you delivered to me five talents look I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done good and faithful servant you were faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things, enter into the joy of your lord.’ He who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord you delivered to me two talents look I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, “Well done good and faithful servant you have been faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many things, enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord I knew you to be a hard man reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look there you have what is yours.’ His lord answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Take the talent from him and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has more will be given and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have even what he has will be taken away and cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the holy angels with Him then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. He will set the sheep on His right hand but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come you blessed of My Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘LORD when did we see You hungry and feed You or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick or in prison and come to You?’ The King will answer them, ‘Truthfully I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren you did it to Me.’

 

Then He will say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ Then they will answer Him, ‘LORD when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these you did not do it to Me.’ These will go away into ever-lasting punishment but the righteous into eternal life.

 

But take heed so that your hearts are not weighted down with carousing, drunkenness and the cares of this life or that day will come on you unexpectedly. It will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. So watch and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.”

 

When JESUS had finished all these sayings He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days is the Passover and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

 

In the daytime JESUS was teaching in the temple but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. Early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 

The chief priests, the scribes and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas, and plotted to take JESUS by trickery and kill Him but they said, “Not during the feast lest there be an uproar among the people.”

 

JESUS was in Bethany at the house of a Pharisee, Simon the leper who threw a feast for Him, Lazarus was also a guest and Martha served. Many of the Jews were at the dinner not just because of JESUS but to see Lazarus who He had raised from the dead. The chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus also, because of him many of the Jews believed in JESUS.

 

Mary came to JESUS having an alabaster flask of very costly spikenard oil and she anointed JESUS as He sat at the table. When His disciples saw it they were indignant saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.” When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this he spoke to himself saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him for she is a sinner.” JESUS said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. When they had nothing with which to repay he freely forgave them both. Tell Me which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one to whom he forgave more.” JESUS said to him, “You have rightly judged.”

 

Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house and you gave Me no water for My feet but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil, I say to you her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much to whom little is forgiven the same loves little.”

 

Then looking at the disciples JESUS said, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has done a good work for Me.  You have the poor with you always but Me you do not always have. In pouring this fragrant oil on My body she did it for My burial, truly I say to you wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”

 

Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you go in peace.”

 

Later one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver JESUS to you?” and they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time Judas sought opportunity to betray JESUS.

Grace - Works - Faith

 

Grace – Works – Faith

 

Philippians 2:12-16, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is GOD Who works in you both to will and to do for His Good Pleasure. Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless children of GOD without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast The Word of Life, so that I my rejoice in The Day of CHRIST that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

 

Ephesians 2:4-10, “But GOD, Who is Rich in Mercy, because of His Great Love with which He Loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with CHRIST (by Grace you have been Saved), and raised up together, and made us sit together in the Heavenly Places with CHRIST JESUS, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding Riches of His Grace by His Kindness toward us in CHRIST JESUS. For by Grace you have been Saved through Faith, and that not of yourselves; it is The Gift of GOD, not of works, lest anyone should boost. For we are His Workmanship, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

 

There has and probably always will be some confusion over Grace, Works and Faith:

Grace is GOD’s undeserved favor toward us! “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, Grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so Grace might reign through Righteousness to Eternal Life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.” Romans 5: 20-21

Works are the process of our Salvation as we allow The SPIRIT of GOD to conform us to the image of CHRIST! “…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12b

Faith is the proof of our complete trust in GOD, no matter our circumstance or situation! “Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

 

The easiest way to explain this is water baptism: water baptism is a work that we do in faith because of GOD’s Grace. We come to salvation through GOD’s Grace and by the Faith that He gives us at the time; we are told about water baptism as a sign of our faith to complete our salvation. (That of itself is wrong – our salvation is not complete until we die or are raptured. And you can be born again and not be water baptized.) So we get water baptized as a demonstration of our faith (trust in GOD) that we are dead to the flesh, buried and raised to a new life (this is what being born again is – we die to ourself, are cleansed from our sin and raised to a new life in CHRIST.) Colossians 2:11-14, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by the putting off the body of sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of CHRIST, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through Faith in the Working of GOD, Who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the Uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us. And He has taken it away, having nailed it to the cross.”

 

[As a side note, there have and always will be those who make Grace, Works and Faith into a legalistic bondage to make you like they are, rather than as a process to make you like CHRIST created you to be.]

 

The Balance: You Cannot Have Faith Without Works or Works Without Faith!

 

Philippians 3:7-11, “But what things were gain for me, these I have counted loss for CHRIST. Yet indeed I have also counted all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of CHRIST JESUS my LORD, for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain CHRIST,  and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in CHRIST, The Righteousness which is from GOD by Faith; that I may know Him and the Power of His Resurrection, and the Fellowship of His Sufferings, being conformed to His Death, if by any means, I may attain to The Resurrection from the dead.”

 

James 2:14-26, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has Faith but does not have Works? Can Faith Save him? If a brother or sister is naked or destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things that are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have Faith, and I have Works.’ Show me your Faith without your Works, and I will show you my Faith by my Works. You believe that there is One GOD. You do well. Even the demons believe–and tremble! But do you want to know O foolish man, that Faith without Works is dead?...For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

 

Paul said in Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of The Gospel of CHRIST, for it is the Power of GOD to Salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in It the Righteousness of GOD is revealed from Faith to Faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by Faith.’” And in 2 Corinthians 5:13-15, “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for GOD; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For The Love of CHRIST compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him Who died for them and rose again.”

 

The Call!

 

JESUS told the parable of the workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20:1-15, He said in verse 16, “So the last shall be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.” In Matthew 22:1-13 He told the parable of the wedding feast, in verse 14 He said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” In Matthew 7:13-14 He said, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to Life, and there are few who fine it.”

In John 3:16 JESUS said, “For GOD so Loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting Life.”

 

The Psalmist said in Psalm 139:13-18, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am Fearfully and Wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your Works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your Book, they were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your Thoughts to me, O GOD! How Great is the sum of them. If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake I am still with You.”

 

Paul said in Romans 8:27-30, “Now He Who searches the hearts knows what the mind of The SPIRIT is, because He makes intercession for the Saints according to The Will of GOD. And we know that all things work together for good to those who Love GOD, to those who are the called according to His Purpose. For whom He foreknew, He predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also Called; whom He Called, these He also Justified, these He also Glorified.”

 

JESUS also taught us to pray, “Our Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name, You Kingdom come Your Will be done in the earth as it is in Heaven…” Matthew 6:9-10

 

So we live by, in and under GOD’s Grace, by our Trust (Faith) in GOD’s Faithfulness so that we can do GOD’s Will for our life, in the earth as it is in heaven!

Or, By GOD’s Grace through the Faith He gives us we do the Works of His Kingdom in the earth!

Discipleship

 

Discipleship

 

What does discipleship mean? According to The American Heritage College Dictionary it is, “dis•ci•ple n. 1a. One who assists in spreading the teachings of another. b. An active adherent, as of a movement. 2. often Disciple One of the original followers of JESUS. 3. Disciple A member of the Disciples of CHRIST. [ME < OE discipul and < OFr. disciple, both < Lat. discipulus, pupil < discere, to learn.] - dis•ci’ple•ship’ n.”

 

So what did JESUS mean when He said, “…If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.” John 8:31b-32 NKJV? In the CJB it says, “If you obey what I say, then you are really My talmidim (disciples), you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.” It’s important to note that verse 31 and 32 are one thought and statement.

 

This is a key teaching throughout the Bible: to the Israelites in the wilderness, to Joshua, to David, to Solomon, to the Prophets; JESUS Himself and the Apostles all taught the necessity of knowing GOD’s Word and living according to it. Such famously quoted verses as, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth…” “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet.” “All Scripture is given by inspiration of GOD…” Joshua 1:8-9; Psalm 119:105-106; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

 

JESUS said He came only to do the Will of His Father and taught us to pray for the Father’s will to be done in the earth as it is in Heaven and that it is us who are to do the Father’s Will! Matthew 6:9-13; John 6:38-40

 

So what is my struggle, why do so many Christians struggle with simply obeying the Bible, GOD’s Word? GOD has made it clear that from the giving of the Law (Torah) until today He has given us His Word on how to live and serve Him. JESUS made it clear in His teaching, “Seek first the Kingdom of GOD and His Righteousness…” “Lay down your life and take up your cross and follow Me.” Obedience is key and the only clear structure for obedience is the Bible. We are taught to love everybody but recognize sin and not to participate in it. To proclaim the good news of Salvation, without beating people up with it. To offer the hope that we have, to those who have no hope. To bring light into dark places. To overcome by the Blood of The Lamb, the word of our testimony and by not loving our life, even if we face death. Matthew 6:33-34; Mark 8:34-38; Revelation 12:11

 

In exchange we get eternal life in GOD’s Kingdom! John 17:3, “And this is Eternal Life, that they may know You, The Only True GOD, and JESUS CHRIST Whom You have sent.” John 14:1-3, ”Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in GOD, believe also in Me. In My Father’s House are many dwellings; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I Am, there you may be also.”

 

So why is it so hard to give up this life that we are born into that only leads to eternal damnation for being born again into a life that leads to eternal salvation?

 

Romans 5:20

 

Romans 5:20

 

The Question was asked, “On Sunday during the morning Sunday school service and I was teaching about salvation, one believer asked me this question;

 ‘Is salvation once, in a Christian life, for reference in the book of Romans 5:20 which says: moreover the law entered that the offense might bound. But where sin abounded grace abounded much more.’

  Then the believers asked me now what are we supposed to do shall we continue in sin because grace will abound much more??”

 

The Apostle’s Paul and Peter answer the first question, “Is salvation once, in a Christian life?” “Yes!”

 Roman’s 6:10-11, “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the Life that He Lives, He Lives to GOD. Likewise you yourself, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.”

1 Peter 3:18-22, “For CHRIST also suffered once for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to GOD, being put to death in the flesh but made Alive by The SPIRIT…Who has gone into Heaven and is at the right hand of GOD, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.”

 

The Apostle Paul gave the answer to the second question; “…shall we continue in sin because grace will abound much more?” “GOD Forbid!” or as in some translations, “Certainly Not!” Romans 6:1-2

 

In the context of Romans chapters 5 and 6 Paul is teaching that sin entered into humanity because of one man – Adam, therefore all men are condemned to eternal judgment; but that through One Man – JESUS Grace abounded to humanity to be free from sin and to receive Eternal Life in His Heavenly Kingdom.

 

Take the time to read Romans chapters 5 and 6 and think about what Paul is saying. Here are the highlights:

5:1 “Therefore, (always read what was said before) having been justified by Faith, we have Peace with our GOD through The LORD JESUS CHRIST,”

5:6 “For when we were still without strength, in due time, CHRIST died for the ungodly.” Because we were sinners we could not reach to GOD, so CHRIST died for us.

5:8 “But GOD demonstrates His Own Love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, CHRIST died for us.”

5:12 “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned–“

5:19-6:2 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by One Man’s obedience many will be made Righteous. Moreover the law entered so that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, Grace abounded more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so Grace might abound through Righteousness to Eternal Life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound? Certainly Not! How shall we who died to sin, live any longer in it?” Where Paul is talking about sin abounding because of the law he is not just talking about the individual but he is talking about the whole earth. As sin in the world abounds more and more and The Day of The LORD approaches – so GOD’s Grace for Salvation will abound more and more to save the lost from eternal damnation. If we sin more so that Grace may abound more then we are not Believers we are sinners, we are not saved but we are condemned.

6:12 “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lust.”

6:14-15 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under Grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under Grace? Certainly nor!”

6:22-23 “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves to GOD, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, Everlasting Life. For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of GOD is Eternal Life in CHRIST JESUS our LORD.”

 

The Apostle John also answer the second question, “…shall we continue in sin because grace will abound much more?” In his first epistle, “Believers do not sin!”

 1 John 2:1-2 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with The Father, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous. And He Himself is the Propitiation (Appeasement) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

 

 

When Will CHRIST Return?

 

When Will CHRIST Return?

And Establish His 1000 Year Reign Over The Earth?

 

This is a question that plagues the modern world, especially the various Christian religions. Many have thought they figured it out in the past, present and many will try to figure it out in the future. Some guess the exact date and some just guess the month and year.

 

JESUS said:

Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angles of Heaven, but only My Father.”

Acts 1:7 “And He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons which The Father has put in His Own hands.’”

 

So no one knows except The Father!

 

One reason that GOD keeps that council to Himself is that JESUS taught us to watch and be ready because of the very fact that we do not know when He will return. He does tell us to know the signs of the times in which we live. Matthew 24 and 25 are full of examples of both of these commands.

 

Another reason is that we do not even know for sure what month or year it is now! Our modern Roman-Greco calendar is not accurate, scientists have corrected it (they hope); they count time as more than 4000 years BC (Before CHRIST) and 2022 years AD (Anno Domini [in the year of The LORD]), now called BCE and CE (Common Era); that is recorded history only. This is the month and year of August, 2022.

The Hebrew (Jewish) calendar counts history from the creation to the current month and year of Av, 5782; they have changed their calendar a couple of times and they have changed their new year date from Abib (April) to Elul (September).

The Essene calendar also counts the years from the creation, but to the present month and year of Av, 5947 and still has the New Year starting in Abib (April); Exodus 12:1; Deuteronomy 16:1.

 

So why all the fuss about when JESUS will return? It was not a subject that He emphasized; He emphasized preaching The Gospel to all the world; to every tribe, language and nation. In fact He commanded us to do so, we call it the Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-20; Mark 16:1418; Luke 24:44-49; John 20:19-23; Acts 1:4-8. Go into all the world and preach The Gospel, proclaim liberty to the captives, make disciples of the nations, baptize them in My Name, cast out demons, heal the sick.

 

I have enjoyed my study of The End Times and the return of CHRIST, I have written about my studies and posted them on my blog. I will teach on The End Times and the return of CHRIST with anyone who wants too. But that is not my call nor is it anyone’s call, every Christian is called to preach the Gospel, to be a witness of CHRIST’s Salvation to everyone we can. It is not important to know when CHRIST will return, it is important to be ready for His return. Being ready for JESUS return and proclaiming JESUS as Savior and LORD to those who don’t know Him is what we are called to do.

Tony's Top Ten 8/20/2022

 

TONY’S TOP TEN

 

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. KJV Amplified.

1. The word of God is full of God’s power and authority and it is within its power to influence or to command thoughts opinions and behavior.

2. The word of God has a convincing force within itself far more powerful than the lifecycle and reason of man.

3. Authority establishes a standard and without a standard there is chaos.

4. Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

5. The idea here with the words “jot and tittle” is that, even the smallest dot above or beside a letter of the scripture will be fulfilled before heaven and earth can pass.

6. Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

7. The law here is not the law of Moses but the law of the kingdom, which is the scriptures themselves.

8. We know this because of Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

9. This can only be done by surpassing the letter of the law for the spirit of the law; moving from legality to spirituality.

10. 2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

By Pastor Tony Kim

Sin Stops Our Service To GOD!

 

Sin Stops Our Service To GOD!

“…Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,…” 1 Samuel 15:22

 

Moses did not enter the Promised Land because of his anger – even though he served GOD in leading the Children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt! Numbers 20:11-12 says, “Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregations and their animals drank. Then The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe Me and hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” (Numbers 20:1-13; Deuteronomy 32:48-52; Hebrews 11:23-29)

 

Saul lost his kingship because he disobeyed GOD – even though he was the first king of Israel chosen by GOD! 1 Samuel 15:10-11 says, “Now The Word of The LORD came to Samuel, saying, ‘I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not preformed My commandments.’ And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to The LORD all night.”(1 Samuel 9, 10, 15; Acts 13:20-21)

 

David did not build the Temple in Jerusalem because of his blood sin – even though he was a man after GOD’s heart and served his own generation by the Will of GOD! 1 Chronicles 22:7-8 says, “And David said to his son, Solomon: ‘My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to The Name of The LORD my GOD; but The Word of The LORD came to me, saying, “You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight.”’” (1 Samuel 13:14, 16:1-13; 1 Chronicles 22; Acts 13:22-23, 36)

 

GOD forgave their sins from eternal judgment because of JESUS’ sacrifice, but their sins stopped them from going on in their service to GOD! 1 John 1:1-2 says, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with The Father, JESUS CHRIST The Righteous. And He Himself is The Propitiation for our sins, and not ours only but also for the whole world.” I recently heard a TV preacher say, “As Believers, when we sin GOD treats us as His Children; not as sinners!”

 

Every Christian knows that our sins are forgiven and forgotten by GOD, but some forget or do not understand that the consequences of our sins have to be lived out by us and that they will affect others.

 

Make sure you are not living your Christian Life with sin as it will affect your obedience and service to GOD, 1 Corinthians 10:11-12 says, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (Acts 4:32-5:11; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; 11:17-34)

 

By our sins as Believers we deny ourself greater service to GOD and His Kingdom!

Seek GOD First! Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek The LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.” (Matthew 6:33)