Monday, November 23, 2015

Being Humble

What Does It Mean To Be Humble

What does it mean to be humble.  Well, being humble is the exact opposite of being prideful.  Pride is when we think too highly of ourselves and seek to glorify our own self instead of seeking to give God all the glory for whatever he does with our life.  Everything we have comes from God.  All our gifts, talents, or intellectual abilities such as wisdom and knowledge, have all been given to us by God, so we have nothing to boast about.  
Romans 12:3: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.  That means we should not think we are anything great and wonderful in ourselves because we are absolutely nothing without God. All our ability we have, all the material blessings we have, our families, our home, everything, has been given to us by God, and we should be humble and thank him for his good gifts he gave us.  
James 1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 
1 Peter 4:11: If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Also, the bible teaches that we should not praise ourselves, but instead let other people praise us.  Proverbs 27:2: Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.  If you are praising yourself that is called bragging, but we should not brag about ourselves, but when other people praise us that is okay.  Other people can encourage us and help us to do more for God’s glory.

Being humble is also like being a little child.  In the same way that a child trusts his mother and father to take care of him, a humble persons trusts in God to take care of him.  Matthew 18:4: Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  A proud person would say “I can do this on my own, I don’t need God,” but a humble person would trust in the Lord to help him and guide him and show him what to do, for Jesus even says that without him we can do nothing.  
John 15:5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bright forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.  
On the other hand, God calls the proud and boastful people wicked.  Psalm 10:3-4: For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.  4: The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.  (Abhorreth means to hate.) 

The bible also teaches us that if we get too prideful and think too much of ourselves, that God will abase us (abase means to bring down), but if we are humble, then God will exalt us (lift us up).
Luke 14:7: And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.
8: When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honorable man than thou be bidden of him;
9: And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
10: But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher; then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
11: For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

So if we humble ourselves before God by going to him in prayer and seeking his will, seeking him to be glorified in our life and admitting that we need him and can’t do anything without him, then the bible says he will lift us up. 
James 4:10: Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.  
God also says that he will give us good success.  Psalms 1:3: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doth shall prosper.  Then when God gives us good success, we can thank him and glorify him through it, knowing that he is the one who did it through us.  If we are humble and depend on God instead of ourself, then he will give us grace to help us.  James 4:6: But he giveth more grace.  Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.  I Peter 5:5: Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder.  Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Another thing proud people like to do is sound a trumpet before them so they can be seen of men.  Sounding a trumpet is like saying to everyone, look at me, look how great I am.  
Matthew 6:1: Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.  2: Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.  Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
We should do everything we do for God’s glory and not to be seen of men.  Of course, we will be seen of men in some things, but that doesn’t mean we should do it to be seen of men.  Whatever we do we should do it as if God is the only one watching and he is the only one we are trying to please.  But when we are doing everything we do as if God is the only one watching, people will actually see our good works and glorify God. It is what the bible says is letting our light shine to men.  
Matthew 5:15-16: Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

God hates pride.  Psalm 8:13: The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.  Arrogancy means bragging and thinking you are better than other people.  
Proverbs 16:18: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.  Haughty spirit means the same thing as arrogancy.

And lastly, I would like to say that all my grandchildren have been given special gifts and talents from the Lord, and I pray everything you do you will do for God’s glory so that the name of Christ will be magnified through your lives.  By being humble with your special gifts, people will know that you love God and you will be letting your light shine.  I Corinthians 10:31: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:23: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.

Being A Christian Warrior

Being A Christian Warrior

Normally, when you think of the word soldier, you think of someone who is fighting for their country, but being a Christian soldier is a much higher calling because in fighting for the cause of Christ you are fighting to add souls to the heavenly country which will last forever.  The life here on earth is only temporary.  We have to keep eternity in view and that is much more important than fighting for your country.  
Hebrews 11:6: But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
II Timothy 2:10: Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus.

The elect means a saved person, so a soldier of Christ will endure all the hardships of the battle in order to get more people saved so they can go to the heavenly country to spend eternity there.  

A good soldier fights in battles, but thankfully we are on the winning side and we will be victorious, just like when David defeated Goliath with just five small stones and a sling.  He won because God was on his side.  
I Samuel 17:45-47: Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the  God of the armies of Israel, whom thou has defied.
46: This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47: And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S, and he will give you into our hands.

A good soldier needs to put on his armor.  Armor is special clothing that a soldier wears to protect his body in the fight.  So the bible tells us to put on the whole armour of God to protect us from all the wickedness in the world, for we are actually fighting against the devil who wants to damn as many souls to hell as he can. 
Ephesians 6:10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 
11:  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13: Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14: Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15: And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16: Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

A good soldier marches forward and onward to the battle; he is not a coward, especially knowing that there is going to be a great reward in the end and that he will win the battle for the Lord and gain the prize. Philippians 3:14: I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In being a warrior for Christ, you must not be tied to the things of this life on earth, such as temporary riches or fame, but you must dedicate your life to laying up treasures in heaven instead.  II Timothy 24: No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who has chosen him to be a soldier.
Being dedicated to Christ also means going through hardships and trials, but it will be worth it all when we see Christ face to face someday, and hear him say “well done thou good and faithful servant.”  
Matthew 25:21: His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

A soldier for Jesus must be tough because it is not a bed of roses, but oh so worth it and the reward is great, with great joy in this life and even more joy when we get to heaven.  Jesus did so much for us and now all he asks is that we get on his side and live for him and bear his burden for a lost and dying world.
II Timothy 2:3: Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Being a soldier is also being a workman by studying God’s word.  Just like an earthly soldier trains and works out, a soldier for Christ trains by studying God’s Word, since God’s word is the sword of the spirit. Ephesians 6:17: And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
II Timothy 2:15: Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Apostle Paul was a dedicated servant to Christ ever since he got saved until the end of his life, and when he knew his life on earth was almost done and that he was going to heaven soon, he said the following:
II Timothy 4:6: For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  The departure means he was leaving this world and going to heaven.
7: I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
What a great joy and blessing it will be to come to the end of our earthly life and be able to say, like apostle Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course.”

I Timothy 6:12: Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto, thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

Let’s keep pressing on and serving Jesus with all our hearts until we finish our course and see him face to face.



Wednesday, September 23, 2015

The Second Coming Of Christ


Jesus is coming back in the clouds after the tribulation.

Matthew 24:21: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Matthew 24:29: Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall not fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
30: And then shall appear the sign of the son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31: And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Acts 1:9: And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10: And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11: Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Revelation 1:7: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.  Even so, Amen

So it is clear from these passages that every person in the world will know what happened.  Every eye shall see the sun and moon darkened and see Jesus coming in the clouds, and will hear the trumpet sound.  So it is not a secret rapture like that portrayed in the movie "Left Behind" where the Christians just disappear and people wonder what happened.  Everyone will see Jesus coming in the clouds, but only the saved people are taken out of the world and go to heaven with Jesus.  After that is when God pours out his wrath upon the earth.

Romans 5:9: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.  So thankfully, since we are saved by Jesus' shed blood, we are delivered from having to go through God pouring out his wrath.  Some of the things God will do when he pours out his wrath are in Revelation chapter 8, turning a third part of the sea into blood, hail and fire mingled with blood, a third part of trees burned up, being tormented by scorpions.

Matthew 24:36: But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but my father only.  The reason that verse says "but" is because we know it is after the tribulation, we just don't know the day or the hour.

Luke 21:25: And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26: Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth; for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27: And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

I Thessalonians 5:1-5: But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2: For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3: For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4: But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5: Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6: Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 

So when the bible says "they", it is talking about unsaved people that he will come as a thief in the night to, not to saved people.  (I Thessalonians 5:2-3).  Also the "sudden destruction" is for unsaved people.  Christians are going to heaven, not to have sudden destruction come upon them.  In verse 4, where it says "But ye brethren", means saved people.  He is not coming as a thief in the night to saved people because we are watching and being sober to see the signs of the times.  Christians are children of the light, not of darkness.

Other chapters in the bible that talk about the second coming are Luke 21, Mark 13, and Luke 17 for further reference.


The World Hates Christians


The world hates true born again Christians who are abiding in Christ and living by his word.  Many people think the better of a Christian you are, the more people will love you because you are so nice and kind and so helpful to people.  But in reality that is not true at all.  Jesus loves sinners so much that he suffered greatly for them, and he always had compassion for people.  He healed the sick and fed the hungry, and yet he was hated and nailed to the cross.  People spit on him, mocked him, whipped him and beat him even beyond recognition as a man,   Was there ever anyone who loved so much as  Jesus did.  He went through all of that because he loves us and wants to save us from our sin so we can have eternal life.  But in spite of his great love, the world hated him, and the bible says if we abide in him, the world will hate us too.

John 15:18: If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19: If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
20: Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21: But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

The closer we walk with Jesus and stay in his word, the more people of the world will hate us, just like they hated Jesus.  People hate Jesus because they love darkness rather than light and don't want to accept him as their savior.  John 3:9: And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and man loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 
Christians who are walking with Jesus are walking in the light with him, but unsaved people of the world are in darkness.  John 8:12: Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The world also hates Christians because we are not like them, because we are different than the world, and that offends them.
John 17:14: I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

John 3:1: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  I John 3:13: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

The world persecutes Christians.  Persecution means being treated very badly and hated by the world, and unsaved people trying to cause us a lot of trouble and tribulation for Christians.  Unsaved people scorn and ridicule Christians, and in many parts of the world today Christians are tortured and put to death.  But the bible says we should be happy and rejoice when we suffer for Christ for our reward in heaven will be great.

Matthew 5:10: Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12: Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Luke 6:22: Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23: Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

So we should be happy when we are persecuted because that is the way they treated Jesus, and sharing in the sufferings of Jesus makes us closer to him than ever before.

I Peter 3:14: But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.

Philippians 3:10: That I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Another reason we should not be surprised if the world hates us is that they even accused Jesus of being the devil.
Mark 3:22: And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of devils casteth he out devils.

The bible definitely teaches that if we are abiding in Christ that we will be persecuted for it.  It may not be being put to death like in some countries, but there will be some kind of persecution from the world. II Timothy 3:12: Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.  


Sometimes people will say about someone that he hasn't an enemy in the world.  But if everyone in the world loves you then you are not abiding in Christ.
Luke 6:26: Woe unto you, when all men speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Another thing the bible teaches us about persecution is that we should love someone who is persecuting us and pray for them to get saved.
Matthew 5:22: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.

The apostle Paul's name before he got saved was Saul, and when he was Saul he used to persecute Christians.
Acts 22:4: And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
Acts 26:11: And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
But then when he got saved he was totally changed and became a great man of God, and God used him to write many of the books of the new testament, and he preached the gospel mightily and got many people saved.
Galatians 1:23-24: But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.  24: And they glorified God in me.

So, in conclusion, let's remember that if we abide in Christ we can expect persecution, but persecution will draw us closer to the Lord.  And remember that we should love our persecutors and be like Jesus, even as Jesus loved the people who nailed him to the cross.  Luke 23:34: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.  And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

The KJV Bible

The KJV Bible

The Word of God is under attack today.  There is a dramatic difference between the King James Version and all the other versions.  There is an agenda today and it is a satanic agenda to change the bible, just like Satan tried to change God's Word in the Garden of Eden. (See Genesis chapter 3).

New versions are Satan's attempt to change the Word of God.  They are not accidental or minor changes.  These changes are planned out changes done on purpose by Satan.  They are calculated to attack specific doctrines that the bible teaches.

Ephesians 6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

People with millions and billions of dollars are making these new translations in order to corrupt God's Word.  There are hundreds of translations.  Some of the more popular ones are NIV, ESV, NET, RSV, NLT, and NASB.  The NIV is the most popular.

The NIV is missing 16 entire verses, just completely gone.
1. Matthew 17:21: “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting”
2, Matthew 18:11: “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”
3. Matthew 23:14: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer; therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.”
4. Mark 7:16: “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.”
5. Mark 9:44: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
6. Mark 9:46: “Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”
7. Mark 11:26: “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
8. Mark 15:28: “And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.”
9. Luke 17:36: “Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”
10. John 5:4: “For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.”
11. Acts 8:37: “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
12. Acts 15:34: “Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.”
13. Acts 24:7: “But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands.”
14. Acts 28:29: “And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.”
15. Romans 16:24: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
16. I John 5:7: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

The bible says in Matthew 4:4: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.  So every word in the bible is important and no verses should ever be deleted from the bible.

Also, it is a very serious thing to add or take away from God's Word, or to tamper with it in any way whatsoever.  Revelation 22:18: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.  22:19: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.  So according to these verses, anyone who adds or takes away from the Word of God cannot even get saved because they have messed with God's Word, a very serious offence, as God said he would take his part out of the book of life.

The NIV corrupts God's Word and perverts the Gospel of Jesus Christ as in the following:
I Corinthians 1:18: (KJV): For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 
The NIV changes it to read: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 
Notice the difference: KJV says "which are saved," and the NIV says " are being saved," as though there is a process to being saved.  You are either saved or unsaved; it is not a process.  A person is immediately saved when they put their trust in Jesus to save them.  Thus, the NIV perverts the gospel, which is a very serious offense since God says in Galatians chapter one that whoever perverts the gospel is to be accursed. 

Galatians 1:6-9: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. 1:7: Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  1:8: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.  1:9: As we said before, so say I now again if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed (meaning let him be damned).  It is so serious that God said it once and then said it again to make sure we understand.

In the KJV in Acts 8:35-37 is a story of a person who got saved when Philip witnessed to him.  Acts 8:35-37: Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.  8:36: And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the eunuch said, See here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?  8:37: And Philip said, If thou believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest.  And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

But, in the NIV, Acts 8:37 is omitted entirely so the gospel is missing.  Believing on Jesus to be saved is missing.  That is a pretty grave error, taking the gospel of Jesus out of the bible.  According to the NIV version, if you see water you can be baptized, without even mentioning you have to believe on Christ.  This is another example of the gospel being perverted.

The modern translations attack the deity of Christ (that Jesus is God in the flesh, that Jesus came out from God, and came into the world and then went back to God.)  KJV John 16:28: I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world: and go to the Father.

The NIV, ESV, NET, NLT, and several other corrupt versions attack the deity of Christ by leaving out the word "begotten" from John 3:16.
KJV John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
NIV John 3:16: 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, and many other versions take begotten out as well.  But actually, the word begotten is very important because many people are God's sons, but they are not the only begotten son of God.  John 1:12, for example in the KJV says: But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Romans 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.  Philippians 2:15: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.  I John 3:1: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.  I John 3:2: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
So, therefore, you can see how important the words "only begotten son" is because Jesus is the only one who came out of God. The word begat means to produce offspring, like in the bible Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob.  These are all people that were produced by human parents, but Jesus was born of a virgin and was begat by God.  He did not have a human father.  That is why Jesus is the only begotten son of God.  He is the only one ever born without a human father.  He was God in a human body, so that he could suffer for us in his body of flesh to be able to save us.  He is called the Son of God and the Son of Man.  I John 1:20: And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.  Matthew 9:6: But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

So these are very serious errors and there are many others as well in all the modern versions, the NIV is just the most popular.

Don't let Satan fool you when he says the modern versions are easier to understand; it is not true. The KJV is easy to understand because the Holy Spirit that dwells within us teaches us what it means.  John 14:26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. The bible is powerful and has so much to teach us.  Hebrews 4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. No matter how much you read it, you can always keep learning new things from it.  You have to be saved, though, to understand it because you need the Holy Spirit which God gives us when we get saved.  That is why an unsaved person cannot understand the bible.   I Corinthians 2:14: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (the natural man is an unsaved person.)

It is not hard at all for a saved person to understand the KJV.  Loveth means love, giveth means give, believeth means believe, thou means you, thy means your, etc.  The modern versions are not to make it easier to understand, it is to corrupt God's word, in which Satan has always tried to corrupt God's word even in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.
Genesis 3:1: Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2: And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden;
3: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

In conclusion, let's remember that the bible is a wonderful and miraculous book because its author is God, the maker of us and the whole universe.  You wouldn't want it to sound like any ordinary book written by man like the reader's digest or other books.  And, the Holy Spirit teaches the word to us so we can understand it.  We don't need it dumbed down, watered down, and perverted and corrupted. We can understand the KJV.  Psalm 119:130: The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.  Psalm 119:103: How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

New World Order Bible Versions

Friday, September 11, 2015

The Love Of Money

The Love Of Money

The bible says in I Timothy 6:10: "For the love of money is the root of all evil." It doesn't say that money is evil, but the "love" of money is evil.  We obviously need money to pay for a house to live in and food and clothes.  That is why people have jobs and earn money to be able to provide for their family, but it is the love of money that is evil.  Most unsaved people in the world want more and more money all the time so they can buy bigger and better houses and all other fancier things in the world, but we as saved Christians should not be like that.  The bible says we should be content with our basic needs in life, to be satisfied with having food and clothing.  It says in Hebrews 13:5: Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Conversation means way of life.  Covetousness means always wanting more of the things of the world, and content means being satisfied with what you have.  Covetousness also means wanting what other people have.

I Timothy 6:6: But godliness with contentment is great gain.
6:7: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
6:8: And having food and raiment let us therewith be content.  (Raiment means clothing).

In Proverbs 30:8 it says: Remove from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches: feed me with food convenient for me.  That means we should not want to be so poor that we don't have enough money for food, or to be so rich that we don't trust God to meet our needs, but trust ourselves. God says in his word that he will supply all our needs.  Philippians 4:19: But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Here is a portion of the bible that talks about putting God before money.
Luke 12:13: And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.
14: And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?
15: And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.
16: And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought for plentifully:
17: And he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18: And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19: And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20: But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall this things be, which thou has provided?
21: So is he that layeth up treasures for himself, and is not rich toward God.
22: And he said unto his disciples, Therefore, say I unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23: The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24: Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap: which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them; how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25: And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26: If ye then be not able to do that things which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27: Consider the lilies how they grow; they toil not, they spin not: and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28: If God so clothes the grass, which is to day in field, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he cloth you, O ye of little faith?
29: And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30: For all these things do the nations of the world seek after; and your father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31: But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

In Ecclesiates 5:10 the bible says: He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase; this is also vanity.  So people who love money and things and always want more and more, they will never be satisfied with what they have, they will just keep still wanting more no matter how much they have.  It is an empty life for people who love money, that's why the bible says it is vanity.

Instead of laying up treasures on earth, we should be laying up treasures in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21: Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

When we lay up treasures in heaven, we can be sure they will last forever, for eternity, and that nothing can take them away from us like thieves, or rust, or corrosion.  They will be pure and bright and shiny and new. That is so much better and much more worth it than just having lots of things in this life on this earth.  When we get to heaven we will be so glad that we lived for the Lord and not for the wealth of the world.

When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness in Matthew chapter 4, the devil told Jesus he would give him all the kingdoms of the world if he would worship him, but Jesus refused because he put God first.
Matthew 4:8: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The bible makes it clear that we cannot serve God and material wealth at the same time.  It must be one or the other.
Matthew 6:24: No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Mammon means material wealth.

The bible says the first and greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God.
Matthew 22:37: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38: This is the first and great commandment.

So, in conclusion let's love the Lord with all our hearts and not love money.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Living A Holy Life


Being holy is living a clean, godly, and pure life that is pleasing to God.  It is also having a pure heart, as well as reading the bible and trying to obey it.  Of course, no one is perfect and we all sin and have to ask God to forgive us.  I John 1:8: If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  I John 1:9: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Another name for holiness is righteousness.  Proverbs 21:21: He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.

The bible actually commands us to be holy.  I Peter 1:15: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16: Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Living a holy life is the exact opposite of what most people in the world are doing since most people in the world are unsaved and don't know God, our heavenly Father, or Jesus, our saviour.  So by living a holy life, you will be extremely different than the world.  That is why God calls his children a peculiar people.  Peculiar means strange and unusual, different than the norm.

The following are verses that tell us that Christians are a peculiar people.
I Peter 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 10: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Titus 2:14: Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Christians are born of God and have the Holy Spirit living inside them, unlike the unsaved people of the world who do not have the Holy Spirit inside of them, which is why it says in I John 5:19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Furthermore, God is a god of extremes and there is a huge difference between good and bad.  For instance, heaven is extremely good and hell is extremely bad.  There's a big difference between light and darkness, foolishness and wisdom.  So there is also a big difference between holy and profane.  Profane means extremely filthy and unclean.
Leviticus 10:10: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
Ezekiel 44:23: And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.
Discern means to know and understand and have wisdom to know the difference between what is good and what is bad.

The following are verses that talk about holiness.

Isaiah 35:8: And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
I Thessalonians 4:7: For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
Hebrews 12:14: Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
Luke 1:74-75; That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75: In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
Romans 1:4: And declared to be the Son of God with power; according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
II Corinthians 1:7: Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Ephesians 4:24: And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

The following are verses that tell us we should be separate from unclean and profane people.  In other words, don't be good friends with unsaved people.  We should definitely witness to them and try to get them saved, and tell them the gospel, but we should not be like them in their sinful life that they live.

II Corinthians 6:14-18: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath he that believeth with an infidel?
15: And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16: And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17: Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18: And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

It is a wonderful thing to be a child of God and one of his peculiar people, to be different than the world.  Children of God are by far in the minority. There are many more wicked and profane people in the world than holy people.  That is why God calls us a "peculiar treasure" in Exodus 19:5: Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Love Is The Most Important Thing

Love Is The Most Important Thing

Another word for love in the bible is charity.

I Corinthians 13:13: And now abideth faith, hope, charity; but the greatest of these is charity.
Colossians 3:14: And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
I Peter 4:8: And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

So charity (love) is the most important thing since it says above all and the greatest of all things.

It was because of God's great love for us that he sent Jesus to the world so we could have eternal life, and it was Jesus' love for us that made him go to the cross.
John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

So in the same manner that Jesus loves us is the way he wants us to love one another.  He commands us to love one another.
John 13:34: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
John 15:12: This is my commandment that ye love one another, as I have loved you.
John 15:17: These things I command you, that ye love one another.
I John 3:23: And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Love is not a feeling, like loving ice cream or candy, but as shown above, love is a commandment.  Love is not selfish, it is wanting what is best for another person, not our own self. We witness to people because we love them and don't want them to go to hell.  If it wasn't for God's mercy in saving us, we would be going to hell too.  But God loved us enough to save us and that is how he wants us to love others.

Other verses in the bible that tell us to love one another, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are the following.

I Thessalonians 4:9: But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
John 13:35: By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
According to John 13:35, even unsaved people who watch us will know that we are Jesus' disciples if we love one another since it says all men will know.  When we love one another it is a good testimony to the world.

I John 3:14: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.  He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 
So according to I John 3:14, by having love in our heart for our brothers and sisters in the Lord, it gives us a great assurance that we are saved because God put this brotherly love in a believers heart.  It says we are passed from death unto life (saved).  Unsaved people do not have this kind of love; that is why the verse says that he that loveth not his brother abideth in death (unsaved).
I John 4:7: Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  Notice how again it gives us assurance of our salvation because every one that loves is born of God.

I John 3:15: Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
A saved person would never have murderous hate in his heart for his brother.  It is impossible, according to I John 3:15.

I Corinthians chapter 13 is called the love chapter in the bible, and this chapter tells us that everything we do for the Lord should be done in love or it profiteth us nothing.

I Corinthians 13:
1: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge: and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4. Charity suffereth long, and is kind: charity envieth not: charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed us.
5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease: whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

God wants us to serve him and labor for him with all our heart and he will reward our labor, but he wants us to do it all with love.  Even if we bestow our goods to feed the poor, or give our body to be burned, without love it profits us nothing.

God will reward your labor for him so abound in the work of the Lord.
I Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Works In The Bible


This is a bible lesson about the word “works” in the bible and the difference between doing no work to get saved and about doing works after you are saved.

The following are verses that show us that salvation is completely by faith alone without any works whatsoever on our part to be saved.  It is a free gift to us because it was purchased by Jesus's blood.  Jesus did all the work for us to be saved.  So for us it is free.  We pay absolutely nothing for it.  All we have to do is accept it and receive it.  It is just like when someone offers you a gift; it doesn't become yours until you receive it.  Once we receive it, it is ours forever, God will never take it back because it is everlasting life, and everlasting means never ending.  (John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.)  God is not an Indian giver.

Romans 4:5  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Romans 4:6  Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works. 

You see how the bible says to him that worketh not, but believeth. When we have faith in Christ, God imputes his righteousness to us, meaning God takes Christ's righteousness to be ours.  Being justified means being declared not guilty because we are covered by Christ's righteousness.  When God looks at our heart he sees the blood of Jesus and not our sin.  That is why we get to go to heaven when we die, because Jesus made it possible by paying our way for us.  (Righteousness means goodness, godliness, holy, without sin, etc).  Christ is the only one perfectly righteous, and we receive his righteousness when we believe on him.

Other verses that say we are saved by grace through faith and that it is not of ourselves includes the following:

II Timothy 1:9: Who hath saved us and and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.  

Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

Galatians 2:16: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law shall no man be justified.

The purpose of this study is to show you that there is a big difference between doing works to get saved and doing works after you are saved.  There are many people and false teachers out there that preach a false gospel by saying you have to do something besides trust in Christ to be saved, like being baptized, repenting of all your sins, being really sorry for your sins, being willing to do this or that.  In Acts 16:30-31 it says “And brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  31: And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house.”

So did you notice how it said what must I do to be saved.  There is only one thing you must do to be saved and that is believe on Christ.  Salvation is a free gift purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.  If you had to pay one penny for it, it wouldn't be free.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Galatians 2:21 says “I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain”.  That tells us that if we could do something to earn our way to heaven, then Christ died for nothing.  

So now that we have established that salvation is free and not by works, lets examine another kind of works that the bible talks about.  It talks about works we do after we are saved because we love him and want to serve him for all he has done for us.  II Corinthians 5:14-15 says “For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. 15: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them.  The bible also speaks of laying up treasures in heaven.  Matthew 6:20: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and were thieves do not break through nor steal.

The bible teaches that all the good works that we do for Jesus while living here on the earth, we will receive rewards in heaven for them.  Matthew 16:27 says “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.  

Revelation 22:12: And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Psalms 62:12: Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy, for thou renderest unto every man according to his work.

The things we do with our life that are not for the Kingdom of God will be burned up and no reward given, but for the things that we do for God and the furtherance of the Gospel we will receive a reward.  That is why it is so important to serve God with your life.

I Corinthians 3:13: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
I Corinthians 3:14: If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward.

God wants us to walk with him and talk with him and to increase in knowledge of his Word so that our life will be useful to him (fruitful) and produce more Christians.  That is why it is so important to read your bible.  

Colossians 1:10: That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

I Timothy 6:18: That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.

I Corinthians 3:8: Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. (Labour means work.)

I Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.  (In vain means useless).  But our labour for the Lord is not useless, it will bring great rewards because God said it would.  

In conclusion, we receive salvation as a free gift (which is absolutely free, without doing any work at all whatsoever.) But after we are saved, we can live for the Lord and serve him because that is the way to have a useful life that God will bless and use to bring other souls to Christ.  It also brings great peace and joy.  Just to know that God is using you is the greatest joy ever possible in this life on earth.  

Another wonderful bible verse that talks about doing works for the Lord is in John 14;12, where it says “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my father.”  That means we can do even greater works than Jesus did because he went back to God, from where he came, and God now gives us his Holy Spirit to live in our hearts and do works like Jesus did.  For this reason it is so important to be close to God and Jesus and pray for the Holy Spirit power in your life, so you can witness for God and win souls to Him.  

Who Are God's Chosen People

Who Are God's Chosen People

This is a bible study on “who are God's chosen people.” There is a huge false teaching in the world today by a massive amount of churches, including baptist churches, that the nation of Israel is God's chosen people because they are the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the old testament.  Their religion is called Zionism and Judaism. The people are also called Jews.  But the truth is that they rejected Jesus, killed him, and greatly hate Jesus and blaspheme his holy name.  Blasphemy means to say terrible evil wicked things about God or Jesus.  In their book of teachings which is called the Talmud, some of the hateful things they say about Jesus are the following:
“He was a blasphemer and idolater, and although the Romans probably could not care less, we insisted that he get what he deserved.  We even convinced the Roman governor (or more precisely forced him to accept) that this heretic and imposter needed to be executed and we are proud of it.
“the mother of Jesus played the harlot with carpenters.”  Mary the mother of Jesus was a virgin, not a harlot.  "It calls Jesus a fool”.

Another quote in the Talmud says this “There is no reason to feel ashamed because we rightfully executed a blasphemer and idolater.  Jesus deserved death, and he got what he deserved. "  

They hate Jesus because they are children of the devil.  

Here is what Jesus said to the Jews in John chapter 8:
John 8:37: I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.  
8:38: I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. 
8:39: They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father.  Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
8:40: But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God; this did not Abraham.
8:41: Ye do the works of your father.  Then said they to him, we be not born of fornication; we have one father, even God.
8:42: Jesus said unto them, if God were your father, ye would love me: for I proceedeth forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

The Talmud is a book of the doctrines of men and not the word of God as the bible is.  They say that the Jews killed Jesus is a myth.  But it is not a myth as it says in Acts 3:13: The God of Abraham, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.  

In I Thessalonians 2:15 where it is speaking of the Jews it says “Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:”

Can Jews be saved then? They can be saved just like anyone else can be saved and that is through believing on Jesus as their saviour.  In John 11:45 it says “Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him”.  Also, there are many other places in the book of John where Jews believed on Jesus and were saved.  God loves everyone in the world, Jews or non Jews; red and yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight.  II Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  Romans 2:11 says For there is no respect of persons with God. Galatians 3:22: But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise of faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.  So Christians are God's chosen people.  Whoever puts their faith in Jesus is one of God's chosen people.  The bible says those who believe on Christ are the spiritual children of Abraham as shown below.

Galatians 3:6: Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
3:7: Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
3:8: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (Notice how it says all nations, not just one nation as in the nation of Israel).  That is because Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.  
I John 2:2: And he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
So salvation is available to people of all nations through faith in Christ, not just one nation.  I John 3:9: So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

The bible says he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, but inwardly.  Romans 2:28: For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; 2:29: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. So that shows us that the real chosen people of God are the ones who have accepted Christ and have the holy spirit inside of them (inwardly).

The physical descendants of Abraham say they are Jews, but they are not Jews in the spiritual meaning of the word. The following verses in Revelation show us the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not.
Revelation 2:9: I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.  
Revelation 3:9: Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.  

Those that say they are Jews and are not are the physical descendants of Abraham that have not believed on Jesus. So a true Jew in God's eyes is a person who has put their faith in Jesus.

Also, the bible says that whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ is an antichrist and a liar.  Anti means against, so an antichrist is against Christ. I John 2:22: Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is an antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.  2:23: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. The physical Jews are liars because they don't believe Jesus is the Son of God.  If the physical Jews who do not believe on Jesus are God's chosen people, then what are they chosen for – to go to hell?  For no one can have eternal life except through believing on Christ.  John 14:6: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

People will say you have to bless and help Israel so God will bless us and our country.  The verses they use for this are in Genesis chapter 12.  
Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
12:2: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
12:3: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  (Notice that it says all families of the earth, those who believe on Christ.)  When it says he will bless them that bless thee and curse them that curse thee, it is talking about Christians, not the physical nation of Israel as some people proclaim.
Where it speaks of a great nation in verse 12:2 it is referring to believers in Christ.  In I Peter 2:9 it says “ But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.  
I Peter 2:10: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. So according to this, all believers in Christ all over the world are chosen and are a holy nation.  

The bible says if we bless the ungodly and help them that wrath is upon us from the Lord, not blessing.
II Chronicles 19:2: And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD?  Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.  So Christians should not be helping Israel because Israel hates Jesus.

In the book of II John verse 9-11 it says we should not bless people (bid them God speed) who do not abide in the doctrine of Christ and do not believe he is God's son.  
II John 9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  
10: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.
11: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 

According to verse 11 if we bless the nation that is a Christ hating, blasphemous people, false Judaism religion, then we are partakers of their evil deeds.  So why would any Christian want to bless Israel.  

In the final analysis, anyone can be saved for it says in Romans 10:12-13: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The reason I wrote this lesson out is so that you will not be confused about who are God's chosen people.  Just remember that Christians, believers in Christ, are God's chosen people, not the physical nation of Israel.

Marching To Zion Movie

The Fruit Of A Christian


The Difference Between the Fruit of a Christian and the Fruit of The Spirit:

A lot of people are confused between the fruit of the Spirit (Holy Spirit), and the fruit of a Christian.  Fruit always means reproducing after its own kind.  For example, an apple tree produces apples, an orange tree oranges, etc.  So the fruit of a Christian is another Christian, just like when people get married and bear children, they are bearing fruit by reproducing more people.  Genesis 1:27-28 says for example, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  28: And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiple and replenish the earth. That is why children are called the fruit of the womb, where children are formed by God.  (That is one of the reasons why homosexuality is so wicked and vile, they cannot bear fruit as God commanded.) So, therefore, it only makes sense that the fruit of a Christian is another Christian.  As a matter of fact, that is the only way anyone in the world can ever get saved.  People hear about Jesus and the gospel because they heard it from another Christian, so you would be that Christian's fruit.  People who bear fruit for Christ are winning other people to Christ in many different ways. For example, a person witnessing with his mouth to tell other people about Jesus, preachers who preach about Jesus, people passing out tracts, missionaries going to foreign lands to tell people about Jesus, or maybe even just getting one person saved and then that person wins many to the Lord.  Since Jesus came into the world to save sinners, the most nearest and dearest thing to the heart of our precious saviour is getting people saved.  But to be able to do that, we have to abide in Christ, for without him we can do nothing the bible says.  The bible says we should be bold in witnessing.  Ephesians 6:19: And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.  

The main chapter about bearing fruit is John 15.

John 15:1: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.  15:2: Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.  (purgeth means the Lord will draw us even closer to him and cleanse away sin in our life, and we will bear more fruit for him)

John 15:4: Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,  except ye abide in me.  15:5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. 

John 15:8: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  (The only way to be a disciple is to be concerned about the one main thing Jesus came to earth for, and that was to save souls from a burning hell.)

John 15:16: Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
The fruit of souls being saved will remain because they will be saved for eternity.  Just think of the joy of abiding in Christ and being used to win someone to Him, the joy of saving a soul from going to the Lake of Fire and instead now having eternal life.  John 15:11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.  

Not every Christian in the world bears the same amount of fruit.  Mark 4:20: And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.  It is just like when a husband and wife bear children, some have three children, some have 19; they are both fruitful.  There are some evangelists and preachers who preach the Word boldly and win thousands of souls to Christ, and then there are Christians who bear much less fruit.  But the important thing is to just abide in Christ and bear fruit.  Some of our fruit we don't even know about in this life, but we will find out in heaven, if we have faithfully tried to get the gospel out to people, like giving out tracts, or writing a blog to tell people about Jesus, or maybe one person you won to Christ could become a great preacher and win many souls.  All of these are ways to bear fruit.  But Jesus wants us to bear much fruit, so we should try our best to reach everyone we can with the gospel.  John 15:8: Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.  Jesus wants us to do the same works that he did, for it says in John 14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  Of course, the greatest work Jesus did was saving souls.

One section in the bible about fruit that is very often misinterpreted is Matthew 7:15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16: Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  Matthew 7:20: Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  People will twist this scripture to say you can tell if someone is saved or not by looking at their fruit, like the way they live, act, etc., but that is not true.  It is talking about how we can tell if someone is a false prophet or not by their fruits, like if they are winning souls or not, preaching the pure gospel and not false doctrine.  The bible says that we are to discern between a true man of God and a false prophet so we can avoid false prophets, but if someone says they are trusting Jesus for salvation, we are not to judge whether they are saved or not by the way they live.  

Many people read the above passages about bearing fruit and then they jump over to Galatians 5:22 that says "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."  But that is not the fruit of a Christian, it is the fruit of the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is one part of the trinity of God, so the attributes of God are reproduced in our hearts.  God is love, he gives us peace, is gentle and good and patient, gives us joy because our sins are forgiven and we are heaven bound, etc.  When we get saved God gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to comfort us through our trials and tribulations.  In John 14:16 it says "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, 17: Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you.  John 14:26: But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.  So the Holy Spirit comforts us and teaches us.  That is the fruit of the Spirit. 

So how do we abide in Christ so our life can bear fruit for eternity.  The bible says Jesus is the Word.  John 1:1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  The Word made flesh is talking about Jesus.  Jesus is the Word of God, so to abide in Christ means we abide in the Word of God.  We have to read God's Word and let it sink into our hearts and mold us and make us more like Jesus.  John 15:4: Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  John 15:7: If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  John 14:23: Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.  John 15:3: Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.  So that is how you abide in Christ, by staying in his Word continually, and that is how to bear much fruit for Christ.  John 15:5: I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing.  If we abide in Christ and his word abides in us, the bible says we will bring forth much fruit.  Shouldn't that be the goal of every Christian, to bring forth much fruit, not just a little.  The only reason God doesn't take us to heaven right when we get saved is because he wants to use us here on earth to get other people saved.

Would You Like To Be God's Friend


The word friend is a very heartwarming word.  When someone calls you a friend it gives you a good feeling inside.  But just imagine what it would be like to be called a friend of God, a friend of the one who created the whole universe and everything in it, created us, and knows the number of hairs on our head.  But that is exactly what God called Abraham in the bible.  James 2:23: And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the Friend of God. 

So here we see that Abraham was God's friend because he believed God.  He didn't just believe about God, he actually believed God, believed whatever he said.  That is the reason he left his country to obey what God told him to do and went where God told him to go.  Genesis 12:1: Now the LORD had said unto Abram; Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee.  (Abram was Abraham's name before God changed his name to Abraham.)  Believing God is the same thing as having faith in God.  Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. God wants us to believe him and to not doubt him.  Doubting is the opposite of faith.  Mark 11:22: And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.  23: For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

In John chapter 15 Jesus talks about us being his friend if we keep his commandments, and Jesus is God.  John 15:13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus laid down his life for us, his friends.  He wants to be our friend.  He is our master, saviour, and lord, but he is also our friend. John 15:14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. You have to believe Jesus' commandments before you can do them.  Also, notice that having a friend means you know them, and Jesus said all things he has heard of his father he has made known to us.  15: Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. To know God better we have to stay in his word and apply it to our life.  That is the only way to be close to God.

But not only are we Jesus' friend, but also we are like a close relative to him.  Luke 8:20: And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.  21: And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

One thing we definitely do not want to be called is the enemy of God, but that is exactly what God calls people who love the world.  James 4:4: Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Adulterers and adulteresses are people who are unfaithful to their spouse (husband or wife), and that is the way God feels about us when we love the world instead of him.  I John 2:15: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. The world is everything that a godless unsaved society is doing, like fame, pride, riches, worldly pleasures, etc.  I John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. Lust means a strong desire to have things that are wrong and sinful.  I John 5:19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

Also, when you believe God, he will do great things with your life and use you for his glory.  John 14:12: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.  

So in conclusion, the most wonderful life we can live on this earth is to believe God, do the same works  that Jesus did, and to be God's friend forever.  We only have one short life to live down here before we go off to heaven, so we should make our life count for God.  If we do, we will have eternal rewards that will last forever and we will have great joy in heaven.

God's Simple Plan Of Salvation

Poetry About Jesus And Salvation