YES WE CAN

The perpetual unworthiness  of Christians is a message that resounds from pulpits around the world. In essence, it teaches that God’s people are not worthy of Jesus’ gift of salvation.  And, that we are saved only due to God’s pity for us rather than an eternal love that boggles the imagination. Worse, according to these teachings, we will never be able to live life and be holy and complete without sinning.  

First, let’s look at the word sin. Consider the fact that neither the Old Testament bible patriots, nor the New Testament writers, went around telling people they were sinning.

Rather, the OT word they used is chattacth, meaning an offence against God.   In the New Testament, when the Apostles spoke to people to tell them how to live their changed lives as followers of Jesus, they most often used the word hamartano, which means properly, to miss the mark (and so not share in the prize), (figuratively) to err, especially (morally).

Thus, in both the Old and New Testament, the people were taught that when they morally committed acts contrary to God’s statutes, they were offending God and missing the mark.

Christian’s do not have to guess the origin of this ungodly concept?  God gives us the answer:

John 10:10 - The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: …

Satan is unchanged from his goal. And, he does not always have to physically kill God’s people. He simply has to distract us with false teachings which lead us to confess and do things that offend God. For instance, when a person feels unworthy, the thought is why bother to try to do better?

In direct contradiction to this ungodly concept, the rest of verse 10 gives us God’s opinion about our possibilities. Jesus said I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV) 

Thus, when we disbelieve God’s word, are we not dishonoring God? When we see ourselves through Satan’s eyes, are we not abandoning the cross? Given the biblical meaning of the word sin, who do we honor when we stand up in Christian congregations around the world and speak into God’s ears, Thank you for your blood, but Lord, I am and remain a worthless sinner ..... blah blah blah.

In plain English, we are telling God that the blood of His Son Jesus, and His word, was and is insufficient to wash us clean, John 15:3.

Jesus told people to go and be holy and sin no more, such as in John 8:11 with the adulterous woman. Also, in John 5: 14, Jesus told the crippled man [whom He had told to get up and pick up his bed] to “Go and sin no more.”

Nevertheless, through this erroneous message of unworthiness, Satan would have us believe that Jesus thus God is not truthful with us.  Isn’t that what Satan convinced Eve of? 

Question: Would Jesus tell us to do what He knows is impossible? And in that Jesus said He said nothing that the Father did not say, then would God tell us to do the impossible?

In 1 Peter 1, Apostle Peter repeats God’s word of our promised life without sin, 1 Peter 1:13-16:

NOTE: see the clarity of these verses in the New Revised Standard Version [NRSV].

1Peter 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; (KJV)

13 Therefore prepare your minds for action; discipline yourselves; set all your hope on the grace that Jesus Christ will bring you when he is revealed. (NRSV)

 

14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: (KJV)

14 Like obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires that you formerly had in ignorance. (NRSV)

 

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; (KJV)

15 Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all of your conduct; (NRSV)

 

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (KJV)

16 for it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (NRSV)

 

Where did St. Peter get this wisdom? It came from God’s Holy Word in Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; 20:7.  In ALL of these verses, and many others, Yahovah, our God and heavenly Father, tells the people—THUS US—to be Holy as He is Holy. In other words, GOD SAID we CAN stop committing moral offenses against Him through our faith in Jesus Christ.

Another question must be asked. Who will benefit from convincing God’s people that we, God’s creation, will always be unworthy, destined to live a life of sin, i.e. morally committing acts that offend God? Again, a well-known fact holds the answer.

Numerous polls reveal that the majority of Christian congregations in the United States are composed of women to the tune of 65-75%. I believe this fact speaks for itself.

Remember the childhood fairy tale about the little train engine that thought it couldn’t climb a hill. After much encouragement by its cargo of toys, it tried. It succeeded.

Given the pervasive and consistent teaching that God’s people are and will always be unworthy of God’s love, Christian believers need to be like that little engine.

God said it…that should settle it.

YES WE CAN live Holy without offending our Heavenly God and Father.

 

 

 

Prayer - Once Upon A Time

One newspaper article on the San Bernardino, Ca. mass shootings is titled GOD ISNT FIXING THIS. Others state that prayer isn’t working in reference to various comments by government officials about praying for the families. 

Given the dedication—AND THE GOVERNMENT’S AGREEMENT—over the past decade or so to remove the worship and praise of the one and only true God Yahovah out of practically every aspect of life in the United States, my question is WHAT GOD ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? 

As always in situations like this, the question is asked, WHERE IS GOD.  This answer to this question is simple. Remember where He is not.   

We know that God is no longer in the American schools because the government allowed a representative of Satan to remove prayer out of the schoos.  Obviously, it never occurred to anyone to ask what spirit moved in once the worship of Yahovah was removed?  Since then, schools have become like candy stores for sexual pedophiles, physical abusers, etc etc etc.  

That same ungodly spirit has worked unceasingly to remove God’s name and prayer out of our government. They succeeded, again.  For instance, United States citizens can no longer openly pray to our heavenly Father in the name of His Son, Jesus, in many state or federally funded facilities because it might hurt the feelings of non-Christians.  

The numerous mass murders within this past year are recording the satanic reason in blood as to why so much time has been dedicated to stopping Christians from praying. And, the body count is growing. 

Prayer is the most important part of a Christian’s life.  Uncountable scriptures remind the true Christian to pray about literally everything.  It is how we communicate with the creator of this earth, who is also our creator and God and heavenly Father. Through prayer, we acknowledge Yahovah as God supreme and thank Him. Jesus gave His life that we might be reconnected, reconciled, back to Him.  And, He enjoys our prayers, Proverbs 15: 8, 29.  He already knows what we need, Matthew 6: 8, but we are to acknowledge Him as our heavenly Father because He alone can deliver us from evil and the evil one.   

Given this latest shooting by yet again a non-Christian, 2 Chronicles  25: 13-15, [which I had been studying recently] took on a clearer meaning.  In these verses, King Amaziah had started out worshipping Yahovah. But, events took place where he decided, OR FORGOT, who had given him the enormous success and wealth. He began to worship the gods of his victims.   

Yahovah did not leave this king guessing as to what would befall him. He sent a prophet to King Amaziah to ask him a question.  In essence, He asked—have you lost your mind?   Scripturally, God told him: If their gods—their false dead gods, as described in numerous scriptures—could not deliver them out of your hands because “I” gave you the victory, what are you doing worshipping their [dead] gods.           

If this kings actions were not so sad, it would almost be ludicrous.  But, are we any better? 

Today, the news media states that the United States has endured more mass murders than the number of days in a full year.  Nevertheless, like King Amaziah, King Ahab, King etc etc etc who continually ignored God’s warnings, our government and many American Christians insist upon making agreements with the ungodly instead of relying upon Yahovah and His truth.  Nevertheless, people say they don’t understand the end-times forecast of our destruction. 

Although many man-made errors were included, it does not change the fact that the United States began its journey based on the Bible.

        [As well as the Mayflower Compact, Declaration, Constitution, currency, oaths, and Pledge of      Allegiance, mention of God is made in all 50 state constitutions].  

 

Nevertheless, the United States must be the only country now where a person who believes in a different god other than the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ can come to the United States and demand that Christians no longer pray to the one and only true and living God Yahovah.   

Could Christians go to any other country and tell them that they can no longer pray to their god because it hurts our feelings?  Could we go to Japan or China and tell them they can no longer pray to Buddha?  Yet, the United States allows anyone and everyone to dictate, change, and/or eliminate the foundational religion that formed this country.  

Today, the Daily News titles their article on the San Bernardino shootings God isn’t fixing this? My question is WHY WOULD HE? 

Food for thought! 

Benefits of changing Stinkin' Thinkin'

Murphy’s Law consists of a comment made by Edward Murphy, who was born in 1917. He said that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. In other words, in his opinion, always expect a negative result in whatever you do in life.  

On the other hand, Christians have something that is a thousand percent better than Murphy’s Law. It is called the Word of God. 

In the Bible, Christians are made aware of the Gospel, the Good News, which is inclusive of calling sinners to repentance. Repentance means to feel remorse and regret the life choices that were contrary to God principles. In a nutshell, true repentance means both to change how one thinks and to turn around and walk in a different direction from the past. This happens because a person has changed their focus from the world to Jesus.

God knew His creation was lost. Thus, because of His Love for the world, He gave His only begotten Son... [John 3: 16]. Love kept Jesus on the path that was set for Him — to give His life for the lost. Heartfelt [inward/spiritual] awareness of this extra-ordinary love causes the offender against God, i.e. sinner, to think different, thus act different, and sin no more.  

More so, repentance means a person comes to a new understanding of God’s truth. This new but old wisdom changes not only how a person sees God, but how they see themselves through God’s eyes—fearfully and wonderfully made — as David states in Psalms 139. In Genesis 1:31, God said He saw everything that He had made — including mankind — as very good.  

Mankind is uniquely created by the Heavenly Father. However, Satan, through trickery, became mankind’s teacher, which in turn led to perverted, ungodly, mindsets in God’s people.  Reconnection with God allows a person to know the difference and enables a person to stand up on the solid foundation of what God said.  

Best of all, there is an astonishing side benefit to the changing of a mindset, or way of thinking.  

In Psalms 23, David states that “surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me.... However, before David makes this claim, he “first” acknowledges that God is his shepherd. In other words, David states that in following God, the shepherd of his soul, he is confident that surely goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life.  

As Christ-followers, can Christians expect any less? God supplied [and continues to supply] all of our needs through Jesus, Php 4:19. Jesus is the good shepherd, John 10:11. He alone paid the price. When the Christian follows Jesus, there is no need to keep looking back to see if the wrong’s from Murphy’s Law are sneaking up from behind.   

Change who you follow and what follows you will also change! 

The First Book Author, part 2

Jesus gives us the answer as to why God’s word works.  

In His prayer to the Father in John 17:20, Jesus prays for those in the future [that’s us] who will come to believe in Him through the [recorded] word of the first disciples.  

During my spiritual rebirth, to my utmost surprise, my deliverance [which is recorded in my book Mine, an everlasting promise of love…] was accompanied by God quoting His own scriptural word to me. This is not a strange occurrence. In fact, it is biblical. The words that He spoke to me that first night have remained as an immovable anchor these past twenty years as He taught me to whom I truly belonged versus what the world—Satan—had taught me. 

Satan and Jesus quoted Holy Scroll scriptures to each other, Luke 4. Jesus said He spoke and did only what the Father spoke and did, John 5; 8. Thus, if Satan knows God’s word, and Jesus quoted God’s word back to him, our knowledge of God’s recorded word must be essential. 

Our heavenly Father left many scriptures in His Book as to Christian’s supporting each other including the chastisement of our actions. Nevertheless, in today’s society, whenever scripture is used to offer consolation, and/or correction, Christians are accused of being judgmental or a bully.  

Our God and heavenly Father knows what lies ahead in our lives. Thus He warns us of the pitfalls of leaning to our own understanding. More specifically, He warns us to not call evil good, Isaiah 5:20. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Apostle Paul writes, “that we be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”  

The bottom line is that people of the dark cannot offer light to believers, regardless of what gifts they give, thus said the Lord our God. 

In that God used His ancient recorded word to deliver and encourage me at the beginning, and up to now, it is only my desire to tell in turn the good news that God and thus our need of His word remains unchanged.

 

The First Book Author - part 1

Every Christian is aware that each book of the Bible is acknowledged as the divinely inspired writings of scribes and prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, the psalms of David, and so on.  

Personally, in addition to this truth, I thought of the Bible as an operation manual for mankind, much as we get an operations manual with a microwave etc. [I am sure that many have experienced the disasters involved when the full manual is not read]; or a recipe book that lists all of the necessary ingredients for a successful life of peace, joy, and hope.  

Nevertheless, until a few months back, I had not put the numerous scriptures together that the author of this magnificent book that we call the Bible is actually Yahovah. Exodus 32:32-33. My first thought was, “What? How could I miss that fact? I could only think, duhhh Muriel. 

The prophets and writers were God’s appointed scribes ordained to record “His” word. Thus, it makes sense that He, God, is the only one that can explain what He wrote, and the intention of what He wrote. After all, isn’t that how we think of our books? 

In Joshua chapter one, Joshua was about to embark on a journey appointed to him by God. And what did God tell him for encouragement—READ MY BOOK. In order for Joshua to succeed and prosper in his journey, what did God say…READ MY BOOK. Disobedience in failing to heed and obey the words of God’s book has consequences. Solomon lost his kingdom, 1 Kings 11, because he failed to do what God said in his book. Just as it was for Joshua, it is yet the same for us. 

Christians are always asking God for direction. As with the Old Testament people, He tells us again, 2 Timothy 2: 15, READ MY BOOK. It took a while but I finally understood. I have to READ HIS BOOK—daily.  

Personally, God’s word has been a light to my feet as I learned to walk this new path that He set my feet upon. Answers that I had searched for all of my life were answered. In addition, my faith and spiritual strength have steadily grown.  

The question is why? [see part 2]

Oneness, the extinction of, OR NOT, part 3

In Matthew 13:24-30, 36-44, Jesus uses a story about the tares to explain the working of His future Kingdom and His church.  

Tares are the seed—people—planted in the world by the enemy to act as his representative. Jesus explains that in order to not harm the wheat— the people that He planted—He lets both grow together until He returns and does the separating.  

Much of the religious community today proves the danger of the tares that Jesus warned His disciples about thousands of years ago. It seems that His warning was not taken to heart. 

Today, literally everything that God said is an abomination to Him is promoted and allowed in business, government, movies, and televisions shows. Sadly, acts of adultery, to fornication, to the ungodly unions that specifically deny God’s continuous authority in our creation, make the headlines as they flourish in many of the man-made churches. Worse, they give the world the impression that THEY represent Jesus. 

Take for instance, the pervasive lie that we are JUST human. Since this is in direct contrast to God’s word that we are a spirit [breathed into us by the Father], that lives in a body [created by the Father], and we have a living soul [feelings, that came into being when He breathed into the nostrils of Adam] …the question must be asked, “Where did this lie come from and what purpose does it serve?” 

Scripture gives a clear answer. This lie convinces people that they cannot change. Also, they can keep committing sins on a daily basis against God and yet be saved at the end. In plain English, they don’t have to change regardless of numerous scriptures to the opposite.  

Point: Satan wants company at the end when He is destroyed in the lake of fire, Revelation 19:20; 20:10; 20:14.  

Sadly, true Christian believers are forced on the defensive when we object to this ungodly movement. Some even give in because family members are caught up in this snowball of hell that is like an avalanche blanketing the earth with its lies. 

This false version of Christianity exhibits itself through the person who shouts in man’s churches on Sunday morning, and curses out everyone between Sunday afternoon and the next Sunday morning;  the person that acts a fool in restaurants and movie theatres while professing that they are Christians;  the person who uses the national media platform to promote ungodly lifestyles while professing to believe in god.  

The question should be asked, “What god.” 

The tares are fulfilling their purpose. What about Jesus’ people? To keep us silent, the tares play the guilt card about judging others. Has the power of Jesus’ blood become so weak over the years? 

God first chose us and delivered us out of the darkness of Satan’s kingdom, Colossians 1: 12-14. Jesus paid the ultimate price to give us the opportunity and help to change.  

Personally, as a former enthusiast of movies and television shows with good actors and actresses, I began to record those of today that I could fast-forward past the stupid stuff. But, the shows got worse and more flagrant with the violations of simple morality.  Finally, I got the guts to stop watching any that flaunt Satan’s agenda. I am back to old shows and cartoons. 

Jesus said He has overcome the world. Shouldn’t we as His soldiers act as though it is so?

Oneness - the necessity of, part 2

Through His prayer in John 17, Jesus placed all true believers under the divine protection of our Holy Father. But why? What purpose does oneness serve? Scripture provides the answer. 

Throughout numerous scriptures, Jesus explains that He did nothing and said nothing that the Father did not say, such as in John 5: 19, 30; 8:28; 9:4; 12:49; and 14:10. Also, In John 17, He informs the Father that the first disciples had received and believed the word that He spoke to them, verses 6-8.  

Included in this prayer of oneness are the future believers. That’s you and I.

John 17:20  [Jesus prayed] Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. (KJV) 

Ephesians 4: 11 explains how this is to be achieved. The gifts of apostles, prophets; evangelists; pastors and teachers are given to man for the single purpose of the completion of the saints, the called out ones, verse 12, till we all, verse 13, come to the unity—the oneness—of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God—Jesus. And, if there is any question in what we hear, Jesus said that the Holy Spirit, John 14:26, will bring to our remembrance the words that He spake. 

Thus, our conversation, our testimonies—as His followers—should be exactly the same as Jesus spoke and thus our heavenly Father spoke.  

The question is, how did Jesus’ divine prayer of oneness evolve into 999,000 different Christian doctrines? [I just picked a number given that there is practically a manmade church on every corner in every city in every state that seems to teach Jesus differently].  

Have the tares taken over?

 

Part 3 explains.