The Sabbath Commandment Needs To Be Kept.

A person needs to keep the Sabbath commandment just as he keeps all the other commandments.  You really need to reread the New Testament, again, if you think differently.  

The Sabbath Commandment was never abolished and it remains the same day of the week as the Old Testament identifies it.

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.

2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.  (Genesis 2:1-3).

It clearly identifies the seventh day of the week, not the first day.  If you think otherwise, you are only fooling yourself, and ultimately God will hold you accountable.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 says:

"And that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works." 

This scripture makes it very clear that "...All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine...".  It does not say that only some scripture is profitable for doctrine, or that only the New Testament Scripture is profitable for doctrine and the rest can be ignored or done away with.  It clearly says "...all scripture...".

If that is what this says and you believe the simple truth that the Bible does not contradict itself, then why do people religiously follow only nine of the Ten Commandments.  

Why do the majority of the Christians in today's world have no trouble with the sixth commandment, "You shall not murder.".  Or let someone in your church find out that you are breaking the seventh commandment, "You shall not commit adultery".  Violating that one would surely get you thrown out of your church!

If all the rest of these commandments are clear to most every Christian, why is there so much confusion when it comes to the fourth commandment.

The Holy Bible, tells us what we need to know about life's purpose, why we are here and where we are going from hear.  But the Bible even tells us more than that.  It tells us how we are supposed to live our lives.  

Deuteronomy 5:33 says, " You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess."  

The scripture is clear that we are to follow God's commands, all of His commands.  Scripture , no where in the Bible, allow anyone to pick and choose what commands they want or need to follow.  Again 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness...".

When the argument of the fourth commandment arises, most Christians will then change the argument from whether it should be kept to on what day it should be kept.  The Bible is clear on this one too.

"The Fourth Commandment states: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work . . .” (Exodus 20:8-10)

"God commanded that the seventh day be observed as the Sabbath. A glance at almost any dictionary, encyclopedia or calendar will show you that Saturday is the seventh day of the week, while Sunday is the first day of the week. According to God’s calendar, the seventh day is—and always has been—the Sabbath day. Although man has modified calendars through the centuries, the seven-day weekly cycle has remained intact throughout history. 

"The days of the week have always remained in their proper order, with Sunday as the first day of the week and Saturday as the seventh. Time has not been lost in this regard, as some assert. “The oracles of God”—His divine words and instructions—were entrusted to the Jewish people (Romans 3:1-2), and they have preserved the knowledge of the seventh-day Sabbath faithfully since well before Christ’s time to this day. 

"Jesus repeatedly confirmed that the day the Jews observed as the Sabbath in His day was indeed the Sabbath. And since then the Jewish people, even scattered in many nations and in different sects, have all preserved the same day.

Moreover, the mainstream Christian churches, though rejecting the Sabbath, indirectly confirm when it is by maintaining their early tradition of worshiping on Sunday, which they acknowledge to be the first day of the week. Obviously that makes the previous day the seventh—the biblical Sabbath. 

"...James Cardinal Gibbons, Catholic educator and archbishop of Baltimore at the turn of the 20th century, was blunt about the change: “You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify....

"...He admitted that Sunday observance is nowhere authorized in the Bible and that the seventh day is the only day sanctified by the Scriptures. His justification for changing the day of rest and worship assumes that authority exists apart from the Bible..."  (Sunset to Sunset: God’s Sabbath Rest, Which Day Is the Sabbath?, pg. 10, United Church of God, copyright 2003).

The fact is, as confirmed by James Cardinal Gibbons, the change to Sunday, the first day of the week can be found nowhere in the Bible, so it is obvious that it was made after the New testament was written.

There is simply no Biblical authority for the change of the Sabbath from Saturday, the seventh day of the week, to Sunday, the first day of the week.

If you are not observing Saturday as the Sabbath then you are breaking one of Gods commandments.

The Bible clearly states in James 2:10, "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."  

Think about it!

 

Proof Of The Paranormal.

 

The next time any human being sees Jesus Christ is when He comes back for His church.  Dead Christians will be resurrected into immortality and the Christians who are still alive at that time Jesus returns will be changed from mortal human beings into immortal human beings.  It is then that people will rise up into the air with Jesus and go into “heaven” and prepare to return with Him and set up an earthly Kingdom.   

"Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns.

"He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.  And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations.

"And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:  KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."  (Revelation 19:11-16)

As Christians, we are supposed to be preparing ourselves for Jesus to come back for us and take us to heaven where He will prepare us to help Him set up the kingdom that He will rule, on earth.  We are supposed to be developing our God given talents so that we can use these talents during the millennial reign of Jesus.  We are not developing these talents for the world today, although that does not mean if you are developing them now you will not enjoy a better life now.

There is a time in the future when Jesus will come for human beings who have prepared for Him.  These human beings will be used during a time period that expands a thousand years.  Jesus will need these people to help run the world Government.  These people will be the spiritual beings who now fully know and understand what happens when you turn your back on God the creator of the universe. 

These, immortal spiritual human beings, beings similar to what a lot of people today call “ghosts.   These people will be similar to how Jesus interacted with the people after He was resurrected, before He ascended into heaven.   

How you learn the ways of the Lord and live our life now will determine your reward when Jesus returns.  Your reward will be your status and position in the Kingdom of God.  It will determine where you will fit in the Government of God. 

When will this happen?

"But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?”  Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies.  And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain.  But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

 

"All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men....  The body is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.  And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.”  The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

 

"However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.  The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.   And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

 

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.  Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.

"For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”  (1 Corinthians 15: 35-54).

"It should be comforting to all people, especially people interested in spirits and ghost, that what they are searching for is actually documented in the Bible.  Jesus Christ is coming back and he will turn all who are prepared for His return into spiritual human beings with all the power associated to these beings.

 

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."  (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17).

 

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour[a] your Lord is coming.  But 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.  Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  (Matthew 24:42-44)

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught that He might come back at any time, suddenly, imminently, without any notice or signs. The most important characteristic of Christ's return is that it could happen without warning, suddenly, catching us off guard if we're not faithfully doing what we need to do to prepare.

“But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”  (Mark 13:32-37).

"The Lord told us TO WATCH, because He might come back at any time, suddenly.

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:42-44).

We need to be prepared.

 

 

 

 

 

GOD’S FINALE JUDGEMENT OF THE WICKED.

 

1Thessalonians 1:9 says that “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might”.  What is Paul’s message here?

The Bible records, see Acts 16 and 17, that Paul did not have a good experience when he visited Thessalonica.  Paul was beaten illegally and then put into prison.  They then forced him to leave the city by night because unbelieving Jews brought false charges against Paul. 

Paul did not give up, he made several attempt to return but he was hindered by Satan.

“But when we were separated from you, brothers and sisters, for a short time (in presence, not in affection) we became all the more fervent in our great desire to see you in person. For we wanted to come to you (I, Paul, in fact tried again and again) but Satan thwarted us” (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18).

In this first letter to the Thessalonian Church Paul was concerned about the progress of the church and wanted to be with them to strengthen them in their faith and beliefs.

“All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering” (1 Thessalonians 1:5).

He wanted to reassure the Church that they were chosen by God.  He did not want the Thessalonians to give up.  He wanted them to look to their faith so that they could endure the persecution that was sure to come.  Paul knew that the people who persecuted them were wicked and would get their just due, but this was not the message he had for them here. 

Paul was using God’s authentication and empowering of the gospel message when he wrote this letter.  He said that because of their “…perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials…” that they were enduring, it was proof that God chose them. (1 Thessalonians 1:4).  Because of this fact he was encouraging them to continue to endure these persecutions.

For this message to have power it is important to understand that the gospel that Paul preached were not his words, but the words came from God through the Holy Spirit and he constantly used this fact to authenticate and empower his words.  The church in Corinth he wrote:

“God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.  For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him?  So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God.  And we speak about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom, but with those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.  The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.  The one who is spiritual discerns all things, yet he himself is understood by no one.  For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).

Paul’s message was always that Jesus Christ made the promises to all those who follow Him that when the Holy Spirit came, He would empower the messengers so that others would believe and be saved to eternal life.  This is what this passage is based on.  It is an encouragement to all saints down through the last almost two thousand years that in difficult days of adversity and persecution, God’s word can serve to encourage us as the dark clouds of persecution gather for Christians around the world. This power of God will sustain believers when persecuted in the end times.

The message of Eternal destruction, is an important message based on the fact that it is mentioned throughout the Old and the New Testaments.  The problem is that the phrase “eternal destruction” is misunderstood by many.  More importantly, it is not the message we need to be taking away from this Biblical passage.  If this is done, the true message is hidden, which is what Satan wants to happen. 

Because it is mentioned here, it is important to have a basic scriptural knowledge of what the phrase means.  There is a very simple answer when trying to describe what eternal destruction means, if you take each word individually.  Eternal means, “Continuing without interruption; perpetual”, (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/eternal ), forever, it will never change.

Destruction means “to cause (something) to end or no longer exist, to cause the destruction of (something), to damage (something) so badly that it cannot be repaired. (www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destroy ).  When a human being meets “eternal destruction” as described in 1 Thessalonians 1:9, it means that that person will be damaged so badly, that he or she will no longer exist.  That that person cannot be repaired.  The existence of that person will come to an end.

The prophet Malachi explains it clearly:

““Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them.”” (Malachi 4:1).

The non-believers and the wicked will be burned to ashes to such an extent that there will be nothing left.  There will be no “root” or “branch left”.  When this happens there is no way that that person can exist, period.

CHRISTIAN LIVING FOR GOD - TODAY AND BEYOND.

DEATH AND TAXES - BOTH ARE INEVITABLE!

YOU WILL DIE!

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW JESUS WHEN YOU DIE, YOUR DEATH WILL BE ETERNAL!

It is a fact.  10 out of 10 people will die.  You just never know when it is going to happen.  There is no alternative to this fact.

So, what can you do?  Do you just need to accept this fact? 

The simple answer to these questions is, “You need to know and believe in Jesus.

The Word of God tells us, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him,” (John 3 : 36 ).

We are all sinners and as sinners we can never have everlasting life unless our sins are forgiven.  The only way to do that is through the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

“…sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”  (Galatians 5:19-21).

We break God’s laws on a daily basis and because of this we need Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ, took the punishment for our sins when He died on the cross.  But, He rose from the grave and He now sits at the right hand of God His Father.  He will pass judgement on all who do not accept Him as their Savior.

The good news is that it is easy to secure your eternal future by simply turning from your evil ways.  The Word of God tells us:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

Turn away from sin, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and live your life following Jesus’s example.  You can start today by praying this prayer:

God, I know I have sinned and deserve Your punishment.  But I thank you for sending Your Son to take my place in death, then raising Him to life.  I turn from my sin and invite Jesus into my life so I can live with you forever.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DEATH

LIFE AFTER DEATH!

AND

HOW YOU CAN RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.

THE POWERFUL AND GOD'S KINGDOM.

Keep in mind that it is natural in this world where so many are striving for distinction, to make special those who have distinguished themselves.  In the twenty first century Celebrity worship is a staple of the world.  Because of their wealth and their media exposure, there are extremely powerful and influential people in all walks of life. This type of power is not a part of God’s kingdom.

Powerful people know that they’re powerful.  The church should be the one place where this earthly power has no influence at all because we are all brothers and sisters alike in Christ, regardless of societal or political rank, wealth or race.

"It is by no casual, accidental touch that wealthy, world-loving, world-worshiping souls can be drawn to Christ. These persons are often the most difficult of access. Personal effort must be put forth for them by men and women imbued with the missionary spirit, those who will not fail or be discouraged."  (Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p.213.)

John 4:53 - "So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household."

SCRIPTURES: Rom. 13:1-7, Mark 2:23-28, Matt. 8:5-13, 26:57-68, 27:11-14, Acts 4:1-12.

At the beginning of the Church, the word of God continued to spread; the number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7, NRSV)

In studying this lesson, a question we need to consider is, What were some of the characteristics of the early disciples?

It should be understood that these men became the pioneering leaders of the New Testament church, but they were not without faults and shortcomings.  They:

⦁    Had no extraordinary skills.
⦁    Were not overtly religious,
⦁    Were not refined,
⦁    Were just ordinary people,

Some examples of the characteristics of the twelve apostles are:

 Peter - Impulsive and emotional

Andrew - Timid, he lived in the shadow of his sibling, Simon Peter

James and John -  fiery temperament

Nathanael or Bartholomew - skeptical

Matthew - was a dishonest tax collector

Thomas - Doubting

Thaddeus or Jude - tender-hearted, gentle man who displayed childlike humility.

Judas Iscariot  - a betrayer or traitor, treacherous

This is showing us that the early disciples were not naturally equipped with the the courage or the strength of the mind that would be needed to go up against people with great power. 
That was given to them through the power of the Holy Spirit when it was needed, but normally the early disciples were just common ordinary men.

This is what makes what Peter and John did, as described in Acts chapter 3 and 4 so incredible.  They were just ordinary commoners going up against the most rich and powerful in the land in that day.

The story in the scripture tells us that there were a number of priests who, in serving their allotted week's Temple service, were not far from Salomon's Colonnade.  They were able to hear Peter's declarations about Jesus as the Messiah.

This alarmed them at what they considered dangerous teaching against Jewish authority.  Think about it.  There are a lot of countries in the world today that do not have freedom of speech as found in the United States of America.  The news is full of horror stories of what happens to people today who say the wrong things in the wrong places.  To visualize what happened to John and Peter in this story, is not so hard.
The priests who heard them probably alerted the captain of the Temple guard. The captain would be the commander of the Temple police force and more than likely a member of one of the important priestly families.

The priests also alerted the Sadducee s, who were from the priestly line. The Sadducee s had held the high priesthood from the time of the Maccabees revolt in 168-165 B.C and also held other prominent positions in the Sanhedrin.

These were all these powerful men who probably outwardly supported having Jesus crucified for what He preached, yet Acts 6:15 tells us that they "all that ... looking steadfastly on him ... as if (he) had been the face of an angel".
 
Even though they were rich and powerful, Acts 6:10 says that they "were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake".

The apostles tell us why they could do this in 2 Timothy 4:16 and 17,  it says "...the Lord stood by (us), and strengthened (us); that through (us) the message might be fully proclaimed, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and (we were) delivered out of the mouth of the lion".

It was not through their own courage and fortitude that they could do this. Paul says "...the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me...".

RESPECTING AUTHORITY:

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will 1bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.  For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." (Romans 13:1-7).

Some questions that need to be considered after reading the above passage in light of this discussion:

⦁    What important message is in there for us? We are to Obey those in authority as long as it does not conflict with God's word.
⦁    How, though, can these texts and the message they teach be abused? The people who are in power can take this message and use it to force people to do things that they do not want to or would not normally do because of their moral and religious beliefs.  The power can be used to cruelly subjugate people.
⦁    What examples do we have in history of that happening? Babylonia, Medo - Persia, Greece, Rome, Hitler, Stahlin, Sadam Hussein, Radical Islam, The Catholic Church.
⦁    How can we as a church learn from these mistakes, even in our own history, as well as from the mistakes of the Christian church in general? We need to recognize that these powers are divine appointments, but God's word is still above all.  God's word  is not to be set aside by man.  A prime example is the Catholic Church changing the commandments, such as the commandment on the Sabbath.

"The people of God will recognize human government as an ordinance of divine appointment and will teach obedience to it as a sacred duty within its legitimate sphere. But when its claims conflict with the claims of God, the word of God must be recognized as above all human legislation. "Thus saith the Lord" is not to be set aside for Thus saith the church or the state. The crown of Christ is to be uplifted above the diadems of earthly potentates."  (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 402.)


"HAVE YOU NOT READ...?"

Mark: 2:23-28; Matthew 12:1-16

Most of the people that Jesus dealt with were rich and powerful.  They were people of influence, a lot were religious leaders who were openly hostile to Him.  Jesus did not attempt to argue with them, He was looking for redemption because His mission is to save all people.

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

Mark 2:23-28

Now it happened that He went through the grainfields on the Sabbath; and as they went His disciples began to pluck the heads of grain.  And the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”  But He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him: how he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the showbread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and also gave some to those who were with him?”  And He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.”

⦁    How can we see, in these encounters, that Jesus-despite the overt hostility against Him-was trying to reach these men? Jesus was referring to scripture that they studied and should have understood.  This should have been something that they could both agree on.  Jesus was trying to show a deeper meaning to the law that they claimed to so fervently and devoutly cherish and uphold.
⦁    What did He say, and do, that should have touched their hearts, were they not so closed?  Jesus was trying to teach mercy over law and ritual.  A deeper meaning to the law.  His miracles should have proven to them His divinity and who He really was but because of their bitterness and hatred toward Jesus, they missed the message of God's grace, decency and kindness. 

It’s easy, from our position today, to look back in wonder at the blindness and hardness of these men.

⦁    How, though, can we make sure that we ourselves, seeking to protect something that we don’t want to give up, don’t close ourselves to more light from God? We should never be more cautious than when we hold the reins of power and are tempted to require of others that which we would hardly require of ourselves.
⦁    Why is that easier to do than we might think?  The reason the church leaders rejected Christ was because of greed and selfishness. They didn’t hate Jesus per se, they just were afraid that they were going to lose their power and position.  It is easyier than we think if we remain constantly on guard to understand that no human being can take the power away from us that was given to us by God, through the Holy Spirit.

The Centurion:

The Centurion’s Servant is Healed

Luke 7:1–10

"Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”  The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that kmany will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But lthe sons of the kingdom mwill be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour."

⦁    What can we learn from these accounts about witnessing to people in power?  Just because a person is rich and or powerful does not mean his faith is not as strong if not stronger than our faith.  They may not openly profess Christianity, but may still have a deep belief or even a respect for the belief.  It leads us to examine whether we are just going throught the motions and just expousing doctrines instead of living the faith.

There is a power to a selflessness and self-denying ministry that can touch anyone of any rank or class. What of these traits do we manifest in our own lives and witness?  We need to have and show faith in Jesus that something can be done, but, that it is through the power of the Holy Spirit, not through our own power. We must never forget that Jesus did not only come as a Redeemer but as a Wonderful Counselor, and we must seek His councel in every situation that we are dealing with in order to know how to act and what to say. Jesus clearly told us that if we do lack the wisdom, He will give us what we need.

JUDGMENT DAY 

WE ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE OUR JUDGEMENT DAY.  WHAT WILL OUR DAY BE LIKE?
 
SCRIPTURE SHOWS US WHAT JESUS' JUDGEMENT DAY WAS LIKE.

Matthew 26:57-68; (His arrest) "And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled...".

Luke 23:1-12; (Some of the accusations that were made.)  "Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.  And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”..."

John 18:19-23 (His cross examination.) "The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus answered him,  “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.  Why do you ask Me? Ask vthose who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.”  And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, “Do You answer the high priest like that?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?”"

John 18:37-38 (Questions from the Judge)  "Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”  Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all".

John 19:8-12  "Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.  Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”  Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”  From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. jWhoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.”

It is these final scenes of Jesus’ temporary earthly residence that we glimpse the painful price of unflinching faithfulness. From arrest until crucifixion, Christ bears witness before the most powerful in the land at that time: monarchs, governors, priests.  Can you imagine standing before the most powerful in the world in the 21 century and doing the same?

⦁    What can we learn from Jesus’ witness to these powerful men?  No matter what the response is from those we are administering to, we need to remain Christ like in our faith and in the spirit of the word of God.  We should not be discouraged if we get a negative response because we may not realize who we are actually reaching.  In the end, Jesus will seperate the saved from the unsaved, that is not our Job.

AS A CHRISTIAN THERE ARE IMPORTANT POINTS TO THINK ABOUT.

⦁    What ever judgement someone pronounces against Christ is ultimately the judgement that they pronounce against themselves.  Denying the Holy spirit is the only sin God will not forgive.
⦁    The immediate outcome of our discipleship may be discouraging, but we should not be discouraged.  We need to be like Christ and remain faithful until death, calling people who will listen to make a decision.
⦁    According to Acts 6:7, not only did the number of disciples exploded in the first century, it is why "a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith".

THE EARLY EXPLOSION: 

Acts 4:1-12; 13:5-12, 50; 23:1-6; 25:23-26:28

John 4:53 - So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household."

Following Jesus' assurance that his son would live, the nobleman never doubted again. He accepted Jesus' word and this knowledge comforted him. The bud of faith that led him to Christ came to full blossom. 
This powerful nobleman apparently heard about Jesus from one of Jesus' disciples.  There is no indication in scripture that he had ever met Jesus before, yet a seed of faith had been planted in his mind by someone, who probably never knew that it was.

In the book of Acts you can find situations where those that were saturated with the earthly powers were the slowest to receive Christ.  Acts does reveal that many people were not instantly converted out of nowhere.  Seeds were planted but it took time til the actual harvest came in.

When Christ conquered death, like He said he would,  and the message was spread throughout the land, thousands suddenly jumped into the Kingdom.  They were originally slow to convert because of cultural factors, job security, and family pressure.  Paul's message originally was not accepted by everyone because of political motivations and he was severely persecuted throughout his ministry. 

Today Christians need to follow the perseverance of the first century disciples.





OTHER ARTICLES: 




JESUS CHRIST BECAME A MAN TO MEET THE REAL PEOPLE OF THE DAY.

CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS TODAY DWELL ON TRADITION LIKE THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES DID 2000 YEARS AGO.

JESUS CHRIST WOULD NOT APPROVE OF TODAY'S CLASS WARFARE.

JESUS CHRIST WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT GOD WANTS ALL OF US TO BE.

Jesus Christ Admonishes Those Who Blindly Follow Teachings Of Their Religious Leaders.

Millions of Christians today are deeply religious people and strictly believe and follow the doctrines of the Churches that they belong to.  Is this a good thing?  Can they be assured that they are truly saved?  What does the scriptures have to say about churches who preach a doctrine that cannot be backed up by scripture?

 

The Scriptures tell us:

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you... And many will follow their destructive ways...They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you... they speak great swelling words of emptiness.... (2 Peter 2:1-2, 13,18)

 

Many Christians faithfully attend Church every week.  Ministers, pastors and priests preach from the pulpits from the smallest to the largest churches in the world.  Believers come to the conclusion that Peter must not have been referring to the church in our day regarding false teachers. Tolerance is the word of the day. We hear admonitions on a regular basis to "just get along" with those of opposing faiths. "Love" reigns supreme. Is this what Jesus Christ or the apostles taught?

 

When someone comes along and points out that there are errors in the doctrine being preached and that there is apostasy in the Christian Church today, they are told that they are bringing discord into the church, that they are being divisive and judgmental, that their criticism could actually harm the Christian movement and the church itself.  These people are perceived as arrogant and "negative".  People believe, because someone may not have a theology degree from a certified Christian institution of higher learning or is not ordained as a minister or preacher of a recognized Christian church, that what they are professing just can't be true.  How can these people be speaking the truth and everyone else who are "qualified" be wrong.  In todays world, this does not make any sense so those trying to point out the discrepancies between doctrine and scripture are accused of being heretics and extreme Christian fanatics that need to be either shunned or silenced.

 

It is a clear trend in the Christian world today to embrace the "politically correct" position ignoring the fact that it is not supported by scripture.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves" (Acts 20:30). 

 

Today there are preachers and religious leaders who support things that are corrupt, contrary and opposed to biblical doctrine.  Their objective is to gather followers into their own personal Church effectively separating them from the "True Church Of Jesus Christ". 

 

Paul even predicted that the main stream Christian Churches of the day would openly accept false teachings and beliefs when he wrote, ""For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted--you may well put up with it!" (2 Cor 11:4).  Most Christians not only tolerate those who speak "perverse things," but they ostracize believers who won't accept them.

 

Scriptures tells Christians that they are not to allow the evils of error alone and allow the church to be polluted by the lies.  "For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers... Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake."  (Titus 1:10,11)  In the early Church the general populace did not have access to the written word of God as we do today.  It was up to the elders of the Church to admonish those who brought in false teachings. 

 

Today, most individuals have access to the Word of God, the Bible, which gives every believer the opportunity to study scripture and God for understanding and guidance.  The Bible and the scriptures there in are "...given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tm 3:16-17).  Each and every Christian can be readily equipped with the very instrument knowledge that gives them the authority admonish people, which would include Priests, Pastors, Ministers, and all other religious leaders who preach against the Word of God. 

 

In Titus 1:7-16 it calls on the leaders of the Church to identify errors in doctrine.  Unfortunately in the last 2000 years after the Apostolic period, a lot of the religious leaders have been, and still are, the ones who promote false doctrine.

 

God says, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15). "Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the Church of God which He purchased with His own blood" (Acts 20:28).  "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers..." (1 Peter 5:2).  God commands Christians to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3).  The faith of Christianity is the truth as found in the scriptures.  If you are not professing this truth, you are disobeying God and you have no Biblical faith.