Today people try to hide from lifes storms in many and varied ways.
Some of the more obvious places include, drug and alcohol abuse, promiscuous sexual addictions, gaming, gambling and pornography lusts.
It is easy to understand why many folks turn to these powerful experiences, the short lived "high" of these various pursuits does give a temporary sense of relief from lifes problems and sufferings.
The big problem though is that when the "high' is over, there is the corresponding let down or crash. During this crash phase of any addictive cycle people can become suicidally depressed about their lives and their futures. On the other hand, during the mountaintop or "rush" phase of the experience, many people suffer from delusions of grandeur. They have the sense of being "bulletproof idols" and believe they can easily achieve the fulfillment of delusional dreams or goals that have been unrealistically set.
Of course this only causes the crash phase to be even worse and even more disillusioning the next time around. In the cold light of reality the dream evaporates and with it the euphoria of grandiose delusions.
There are many other so called "Hiding Places" besides the more decadent variety that we have just mentioned.
Today there is a proliferation of extreme risk taking athletes, who get the ultimate adrenaline rush from life threatening exploits, in fields of sport and outdoor activities.
One branch that comes to mind are the "Wingsuit Basejumpers" who outrageously risk life and limb and even live homeless vagabond lifestyles, eating junk and discarded food in order to have finances sufficient to mount expeditions to exotic clifftop locations where they don their wingsuits and parachutes. Then they jump into the unknown, missing rocky outcrops at speeds of up to 150MPH, by inches, in order to briefly explode with adrenaline for the buzz.
One group of these amazing people were interviewed by a TV crew, there were 5 of them. One man had a photo of the group from a few years earlier, in this shot their were 10 basejumpers. One of them explained that the other 5 had died in basejump crashes since the last photo.
One girl had survived hitting the ground at 100kmh and her body from the hips down was shattered to pieces. It took a lot of metal fixation work/physical therapy and 5 years before she could walk properly but she said it was all worth the thrill and would gladly do it all again for the experience.
On a more subtle level we all succumb to turning to experiences, sports, work or other exploits to distract us from the turmoil or weariness of our daily lives. Of course, there is nothing wrong with enjoying what life has to offer in a balanced and temperate way. In fact the Bible says that "God has given us all things to richly enjoy" (1 Tim 6:17)
One man said, "God likes us having money, things, and experiences as long as all these things dont have us" Think about that statement!
In the final analysis, the only true "Hiding Place" that really produces peace and rest in the long term is the "Secret Place of the Most High God".
Another term the Scripture uses is "Under the Shelter of His Wings". Also, "In the Shadow of the Almighty" One old Hymn says " Rock of Ages , Cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee"
These are all phrases to describe the place of unspeakable Peace, Love, Joy, Kindness, Light and Strength that is available to those who yield their lives to Jesus Christ. These develop a relationship with Him that allows them to cling to, cleave to and rely upon Him for their Spiritual sustenance and inspiration.
Jesus is the Bread of Life and Living Water, He feeds and and satisfies us us in the innermost recesses of our whole being. He will bring the Ultimate and Eternal Fulfillment thats makes an Eternal Hiding Place for us to dwell in, secure from all that is not Love.
As one songwriter in the 60s sang "Why dont you look into Jesus, He is the the answer"
Jesus Prays (In John 17)
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—
23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
No satisfaction in sensuality
The Rolling Stones once sang, " I cant get no satisfaction" This is a condition discovered by all those who seek to satiate the carnal nature of man with endless and relentless sensual experiences.
Jesus once said. "I am the Bread of Life, if you eat this bread you will never hunger again, I am the Living Water, drink of Me and you shall never thirst again" (paraphrase)
Some turn to hard drugs and alcohol, others to promiscuity, some to gambling but they soon discover it is a bottomless pit of gnawing cravings that cannot be satisfied by natural, sensual pleasures.
Jesus Christ offered an answer to the sad truth of "No Satisfaction". Jesus came as the Supreme Being of the Universe and he was also born of Mary as a human being. This meant He was all Man and all God.
He has the Power to fill the heart of man with Satisfaction, Peace, Joy beyond our comprehension.
Jesus Christ when He is yielded to will break the most powerful chains of addiction, depression, lust and even that modern condition of boredom.
A great Christian named Arthur Blessitt once said, "There is more Joy in serving Jesus for 5 minutes than all the carnal pleasures of a lifetime". I agree, that is an extravagant claim, but I have discovered its absolutely true, I once saturated myself in sensual pleasures in the 1970s, but it left me emptier than ever. I thought that Christianity would be the most boring experience in the world but it turned out to be the most exciting, joyful and motivating thing ever.
Jesus IS the Ultimate Incentive for being alive.
Find out for yourself---Paul
Jesus once said. "I am the Bread of Life, if you eat this bread you will never hunger again, I am the Living Water, drink of Me and you shall never thirst again" (paraphrase)
Some turn to hard drugs and alcohol, others to promiscuity, some to gambling but they soon discover it is a bottomless pit of gnawing cravings that cannot be satisfied by natural, sensual pleasures.
Jesus Christ offered an answer to the sad truth of "No Satisfaction". Jesus came as the Supreme Being of the Universe and he was also born of Mary as a human being. This meant He was all Man and all God.
He has the Power to fill the heart of man with Satisfaction, Peace, Joy beyond our comprehension.
Jesus Christ when He is yielded to will break the most powerful chains of addiction, depression, lust and even that modern condition of boredom.
A great Christian named Arthur Blessitt once said, "There is more Joy in serving Jesus for 5 minutes than all the carnal pleasures of a lifetime". I agree, that is an extravagant claim, but I have discovered its absolutely true, I once saturated myself in sensual pleasures in the 1970s, but it left me emptier than ever. I thought that Christianity would be the most boring experience in the world but it turned out to be the most exciting, joyful and motivating thing ever.
Jesus IS the Ultimate Incentive for being alive.
Find out for yourself---Paul
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Today it all begins anew
Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. Today is a New day where Gods mercies are always available to whoever wants them.
Lamentations 3: 19-27
It's a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God
19-21I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22-24God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.
25-27God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
As a Christian believer, I totally accept that God is a totally good God and the devil is an absolutely bad devil.
One of the bad dudes favorite ploys, is to tell us that we are too far gone, that God couldnt forgive us, maybe he can forgive Bill or Jane down the street but you, your a special case that cant be helped. He will put a thought in our minds, that goes something like this.
"My case is so contorted, convoluted and complex that even God couldnt understand or help me. I am a cosmic write off", we even imagine God sweeping us into His "TOO HARD BASKET" if we listen to this lie too long.
These kind of thoughts are absolute lies that have been the downfall of many wonderful men and womens lives. The Good News is that we can be forgiven of any sins, even the biggest and nastiest ones, if we come to the Lord in sincere contrition and repentance. (the only sin that is a problem to God, is unbelief, this is because faith and belief are a prerequisite to forgiveness).
If you say that you have a debt of half a million you cant pay and I put a million in your account, now you are in a great position to pay your debt. On the other hand, if you say to yourself, that guy is a liar, he didnt really give me a million, its just a scam, I also think the bank statement is wrong, so I will not write a check to pay my debt.
You would now be in a situation that causes the money in your account to be useless, as you are refusing to believe that you have the ability to send a check to the debtor.
Many people like to think also that God can only forgive baby sins, or little stuff. The reality is that Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave when he died and rose again. The Bible teaches that the Blood of Christ remits all of sins guilty stains when it is applied to the human condition in faith and trust.
Isaiah 1:18
New Living Translation (NLT)
18 “Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.
We must all remember that Jesus is the Friend of Sinners, not just the mate or buddy of saints. Jesus got into all kinds of hot water with the "pious in their own eyes" pharisees. (Jesus loves all men and women regardless of what they do or have done) The Pharisees reasoned that if He was the Messiah he wouldnt associate with dirtbags like the prostitutes and riff raff he loved to be with. When a known "woman of the night" wept tears on and kissed Jesus feet and wiped them with her hair the pharisees were disgusted, they thought he must be some kind of pervert to allow her to do such a thing. They didnt realize that her true love for Jesus was very pure and passionate in acts of worship to honour Him..
Its good to remember that the pharisaical attitude is in every world religion and sadly also in Christian circles. Jesus was tougher on the pharisees than any other kind of sinner. Its good also to remember that Jesus was a Jew and so were all the early disciples, so the twisted teaching that says Christians hate the jews, is pure trash. (sadly many churchy types in history have been antisemitic but this is totally AntiChrist in behaviour)
If Jesus hated the jews then that means he hated Himself, the Apostles and the whole church at Jerusalem who were believing jews. Yes there was a small group of legalistic jews who were opposed to Him but these were just a handful compared to the multitudes that followed Him. Many dont realize that up until the time of the mention of Cornelius in the Book of Acts, the entire Body of Christ was comprised of Jewish Messianic believers in Jesus or in Hebrew Yeshua. Peter was shocked that God was calling non jews as believers and God had to give Peter a vision from Heaven to convince him that gentiles could be included in the Church.
Jesus was only tough on the jews who had the pharasaical spirit. (He still hates the pharisaical spirit in whatever religion it rears its head)
In fact, Jesus said His top priority in His ministry was the house of Israel. Without the Jews we wouldnt even have a Bible or Christianity. Jesus loves them equally along with all people including Arabic people but in an extra way also because they make up His natural earthly family and heritage. God still has special prophetic promises for Israel that are being fulfilled today.
Some modern Christians and Jews think Jesus is a blonde haired blue eyed christian and they are shocked to hear that He is a Jew (derived from the word Judea or Judah) and has an amazing Heritage and Culture of Judaism He still celebrates and honours. Jesus Biblical Hebrew title is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The Ultimate King and Potentate of Israel, the worlds nations and also the whole Universe.
One old Jesus Revolution Rock singer sang:-
" If there is life on other planets, then He has been there once already and has died to save their souls"
That may sound trite to some but there is a lot of accuracy in it I think.
LUKE 7:36-47 (Message)
36-39One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him."
40Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Oh? Tell me."
41-42"Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"
43-47Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."
"That's right," said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."
ACCEPT AND REJOICE IN YOUR FORGIVENESS, THE BILL HAS BEEN PAID--THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO IS BELIEVE IT AND RECEIVE IT.
Lamentations 3: 19-27
It's a Good Thing to Hope for Help from God
19-21I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22-24God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.
25-27God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits,
to the woman who diligently seeks.
As a Christian believer, I totally accept that God is a totally good God and the devil is an absolutely bad devil.
One of the bad dudes favorite ploys, is to tell us that we are too far gone, that God couldnt forgive us, maybe he can forgive Bill or Jane down the street but you, your a special case that cant be helped. He will put a thought in our minds, that goes something like this.
"My case is so contorted, convoluted and complex that even God couldnt understand or help me. I am a cosmic write off", we even imagine God sweeping us into His "TOO HARD BASKET" if we listen to this lie too long.
These kind of thoughts are absolute lies that have been the downfall of many wonderful men and womens lives. The Good News is that we can be forgiven of any sins, even the biggest and nastiest ones, if we come to the Lord in sincere contrition and repentance. (the only sin that is a problem to God, is unbelief, this is because faith and belief are a prerequisite to forgiveness).
If you say that you have a debt of half a million you cant pay and I put a million in your account, now you are in a great position to pay your debt. On the other hand, if you say to yourself, that guy is a liar, he didnt really give me a million, its just a scam, I also think the bank statement is wrong, so I will not write a check to pay my debt.
You would now be in a situation that causes the money in your account to be useless, as you are refusing to believe that you have the ability to send a check to the debtor.
Many people like to think also that God can only forgive baby sins, or little stuff. The reality is that Jesus defeated death, hell and the grave when he died and rose again. The Bible teaches that the Blood of Christ remits all of sins guilty stains when it is applied to the human condition in faith and trust.
Isaiah 1:18
New Living Translation (NLT)
18 “Come now, let’s settle this,”
says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
I will make them as white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson,
I will make them as white as wool.
We must all remember that Jesus is the Friend of Sinners, not just the mate or buddy of saints. Jesus got into all kinds of hot water with the "pious in their own eyes" pharisees. (Jesus loves all men and women regardless of what they do or have done) The Pharisees reasoned that if He was the Messiah he wouldnt associate with dirtbags like the prostitutes and riff raff he loved to be with. When a known "woman of the night" wept tears on and kissed Jesus feet and wiped them with her hair the pharisees were disgusted, they thought he must be some kind of pervert to allow her to do such a thing. They didnt realize that her true love for Jesus was very pure and passionate in acts of worship to honour Him..
Its good to remember that the pharisaical attitude is in every world religion and sadly also in Christian circles. Jesus was tougher on the pharisees than any other kind of sinner. Its good also to remember that Jesus was a Jew and so were all the early disciples, so the twisted teaching that says Christians hate the jews, is pure trash. (sadly many churchy types in history have been antisemitic but this is totally AntiChrist in behaviour)
If Jesus hated the jews then that means he hated Himself, the Apostles and the whole church at Jerusalem who were believing jews. Yes there was a small group of legalistic jews who were opposed to Him but these were just a handful compared to the multitudes that followed Him. Many dont realize that up until the time of the mention of Cornelius in the Book of Acts, the entire Body of Christ was comprised of Jewish Messianic believers in Jesus or in Hebrew Yeshua. Peter was shocked that God was calling non jews as believers and God had to give Peter a vision from Heaven to convince him that gentiles could be included in the Church.
Jesus was only tough on the jews who had the pharasaical spirit. (He still hates the pharisaical spirit in whatever religion it rears its head)
In fact, Jesus said His top priority in His ministry was the house of Israel. Without the Jews we wouldnt even have a Bible or Christianity. Jesus loves them equally along with all people including Arabic people but in an extra way also because they make up His natural earthly family and heritage. God still has special prophetic promises for Israel that are being fulfilled today.
Some modern Christians and Jews think Jesus is a blonde haired blue eyed christian and they are shocked to hear that He is a Jew (derived from the word Judea or Judah) and has an amazing Heritage and Culture of Judaism He still celebrates and honours. Jesus Biblical Hebrew title is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. The Ultimate King and Potentate of Israel, the worlds nations and also the whole Universe.
One old Jesus Revolution Rock singer sang:-
" If there is life on other planets, then He has been there once already and has died to save their souls"
That may sound trite to some but there is a lot of accuracy in it I think.
LUKE 7:36-47 (Message)
36-39One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee's house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him."
40Jesus said to him, "Simon, I have something to tell you."
"Oh? Tell me."
41-42"Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?"
43-47Simon answered, "I suppose the one who was forgiven the most."
"That's right," said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, "Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn't quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn't it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal."
ACCEPT AND REJOICE IN YOUR FORGIVENESS, THE BILL HAS BEEN PAID--THE ONLY THING LEFT TO DO IS BELIEVE IT AND RECEIVE IT.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
RELIGIOUS SALAD BAR
We live in a world where all sorts of religious theories and propositions, are continually being expounded in media of all sorts but especially in the electronic media of our day.
Today in many religious circles "image management" seems to be trumping "character development". Many modern religious/spiritual orators seem more intent on being seen as some kind of famous religious thespians than in truly living and speaking from the heart of God and presenting the genuine message of Gods Love, Grace and Mercy.
Of course , I am not intimating that preaching should not be interesting and powerfully or even eloquently presented. True Gospel proclamation is Gods method to impart the Power of God to the hearers. St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians elaborates on this below.
The Message (MSG)
1 Corinthians 2
1-2You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.
3-5I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.
6-10We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so.
We can see from the Scriptures above that the Gospel message is unlike any other kind or oratory or rhetoric, it cannot be compared to Shakespeare or great poetry or philoshophical writings. Of course, I love Shakepeare and great poetry but it is in a different realm entirely to Scripture and Gospel preaching.
Today, there are a multitude of experts and talk show hosts who claim to have the answer to the problems of 21st century living. There are countless motivational speakers who claim to have the keys to success. Not to mention the gurus and teachers of all stripes. Many who identify themselves as Christian preachers also subscribe to the motivational and new age concepts that are so prevalent and popular. Todays spirituality is like a salad bar that one can pick and choose from at will.
The reality though is that the Word of God has not changed to suit our belief systems. God desires that we conform to His Word, not that we try to make His word conform to our beliefs and lifestyles.
Even in Biblical times St Paul wrote of a class of self exalting so called ministers that preyed on the early church, he warned the people of those he termed wolves.
1 corinthians 11 (The Messsage) St Paul translated in modern english.
4-6It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot "apostles," why can't you put up with simple me? I'm as good as they are. It's true that I don't have their voice, haven't mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I'm talking about.
The Message (MSG) St Paul again.
Acts 20:29-31"I know that as soon as I'm gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus. So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another.
Again, there is nothing wrong with the arts, music and even philosophy in its correct priority and understanding. In fact all these things are gifts of God to enjoy and be helped by.
The problem is when any man made concept, music or artform is exalted to the level of ultimate truth, God Himself reserves this job for Himself. Of course He gives us the privilege of being used as His instruments and mouthpieces but he always gets the credit as the source. The hose is the conduit through which the water flows but the hose can never claim the significance of the water itself.
Let us become true disciples of the Greatest Master in the Universe, His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
John 8:31
The Message (MSG)Words of Jesus.
31-32Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."
Today in many religious circles "image management" seems to be trumping "character development". Many modern religious/spiritual orators seem more intent on being seen as some kind of famous religious thespians than in truly living and speaking from the heart of God and presenting the genuine message of Gods Love, Grace and Mercy.
Of course , I am not intimating that preaching should not be interesting and powerfully or even eloquently presented. True Gospel proclamation is Gods method to impart the Power of God to the hearers. St Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians elaborates on this below.
The Message (MSG)
1 Corinthians 2
1-2You'll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God's master stroke, I didn't try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified.
3-5I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it—and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God's Spirit and God's power did it, which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God's power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else.
6-10We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it's not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so.
We can see from the Scriptures above that the Gospel message is unlike any other kind or oratory or rhetoric, it cannot be compared to Shakespeare or great poetry or philoshophical writings. Of course, I love Shakepeare and great poetry but it is in a different realm entirely to Scripture and Gospel preaching.
Today, there are a multitude of experts and talk show hosts who claim to have the answer to the problems of 21st century living. There are countless motivational speakers who claim to have the keys to success. Not to mention the gurus and teachers of all stripes. Many who identify themselves as Christian preachers also subscribe to the motivational and new age concepts that are so prevalent and popular. Todays spirituality is like a salad bar that one can pick and choose from at will.
The reality though is that the Word of God has not changed to suit our belief systems. God desires that we conform to His Word, not that we try to make His word conform to our beliefs and lifestyles.
Even in Biblical times St Paul wrote of a class of self exalting so called ministers that preyed on the early church, he warned the people of those he termed wolves.
1 corinthians 11 (The Messsage) St Paul translated in modern english.
4-6It seems that if someone shows up preaching quite another Jesus than we preached—different spirit, different message—you put up with him quite nicely. But if you put up with these big-shot "apostles," why can't you put up with simple me? I'm as good as they are. It's true that I don't have their voice, haven't mastered that smooth eloquence that impresses you so much. But when I do open my mouth, I at least know what I'm talking about.
The Message (MSG) St Paul again.
Acts 20:29-31"I know that as soon as I'm gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus. So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another.
Again, there is nothing wrong with the arts, music and even philosophy in its correct priority and understanding. In fact all these things are gifts of God to enjoy and be helped by.
The problem is when any man made concept, music or artform is exalted to the level of ultimate truth, God Himself reserves this job for Himself. Of course He gives us the privilege of being used as His instruments and mouthpieces but he always gets the credit as the source. The hose is the conduit through which the water flows but the hose can never claim the significance of the water itself.
Let us become true disciples of the Greatest Master in the Universe, His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
John 8:31
The Message (MSG)Words of Jesus.
31-32Then Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him. "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you."
Monday, September 19, 2011
Gods New Deal
Many people today associate Christianity with the concept of being religious, or as a religion. This is understandable, as Christianity is largely identified as a major world religion. In reality though, Jesus Christ did not found Christianity as a religious system. When Jesus founded the ecclesia or called out ones (Church) His vision was not of an organisation or religious group with a new and interesting cosmology.
Rather, Christianity was established as a Covenant Relationship with the Eternal Omnipotent Father of Love and Light. When we use the term covenant we must realize what this means in the Biblical sense.
When we talk about the Christian Covenant ratified by Jesus Christ with His Church, we are talking about the most powerful, contractual, relational interaction in the Universe. The New covenant that Jesus ratified at the Cross was a Blood Covenant. Most Native Tribes of the world, if not all, have something similar to this when they cut a covenant and become blood brothers with another individual or tribe.
When one Tribal Chief becomes a blood brother with another tribal chief, they make an incision in their arm or hands and clasp a certain handshake and mingle their blood in sworn agreement to share with, protect and defend each other and their tribes.
This signifies that what one tribe has, is jointly shared with the other tribe and vice versa. One tribe might be strong in warfare and defense, the other in agriculture and economic skills. They agree in blood brotherhood that each one is sworn to help each other in unconditional committment.
The marriage covenant is the most powerful example and depiction of this when entered into Biblically. When a man and woman entered into marriage (Spiritual, mental and physical union) in ancient cultures, there was great emphasis placed on the blood permeated evidence of the covenant on the wedding night bedsheet. Of course, in our modern culture, it is rare that both, or even one partner is a virgin at marriage but this was Gods original design and intention. (Even if there is no blood evidence at marriage union, it is still a blood covenant in Gods eyes)
Today, we dont realize the powerful significance of the blood covenant in marriage. In Gods eyes, the physical union of man and woman, is the final consummation and ratification of the marriage ceremony, it is the cutting and celebration of the covenant. This is why God places such a huge premium on and so carefully regulates sexual union. Sex is the ultimate declaration of committment in Gods eyes, not only to the partners involved but also to the resulting children born of the covenant relationship.
When Jesus Christ went to the Cross and shed His Blood to remit the sins of the world, it was the Ultimate Blood Brotherhood Relationship committment on Gods part to the human race. God was saying, I am willing to allow my only Son to empty His Precious Blood and die and take the rap or penalty for all of mans sins and failures.
Think of it, God offers us Blood Brotherhood with Himself.
This means we get everything He has and He gets everything we have. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure that we got the best end of the deal. He offers us an Eternal Home of Peace, Love and Security, Health, Forgiveness, Provisions beyond description. All we can offer Him is not much, He gets our sin, our failure, pain, our problems, our weakness. Of course, He says, because I love you unconditionally I will gladly exchange all of my Grace and Strength for your sorrow and weakness.
Read the old Jewish prophet Isaiahs prophecy about the Messiah Jesus below. This prophecy was given ages before Jesus was born.
Isaiah 53
The Message (MSG)
1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him.
7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn't true.
10Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.
Rather, Christianity was established as a Covenant Relationship with the Eternal Omnipotent Father of Love and Light. When we use the term covenant we must realize what this means in the Biblical sense.
When we talk about the Christian Covenant ratified by Jesus Christ with His Church, we are talking about the most powerful, contractual, relational interaction in the Universe. The New covenant that Jesus ratified at the Cross was a Blood Covenant. Most Native Tribes of the world, if not all, have something similar to this when they cut a covenant and become blood brothers with another individual or tribe.
When one Tribal Chief becomes a blood brother with another tribal chief, they make an incision in their arm or hands and clasp a certain handshake and mingle their blood in sworn agreement to share with, protect and defend each other and their tribes.
This signifies that what one tribe has, is jointly shared with the other tribe and vice versa. One tribe might be strong in warfare and defense, the other in agriculture and economic skills. They agree in blood brotherhood that each one is sworn to help each other in unconditional committment.
The marriage covenant is the most powerful example and depiction of this when entered into Biblically. When a man and woman entered into marriage (Spiritual, mental and physical union) in ancient cultures, there was great emphasis placed on the blood permeated evidence of the covenant on the wedding night bedsheet. Of course, in our modern culture, it is rare that both, or even one partner is a virgin at marriage but this was Gods original design and intention. (Even if there is no blood evidence at marriage union, it is still a blood covenant in Gods eyes)
Today, we dont realize the powerful significance of the blood covenant in marriage. In Gods eyes, the physical union of man and woman, is the final consummation and ratification of the marriage ceremony, it is the cutting and celebration of the covenant. This is why God places such a huge premium on and so carefully regulates sexual union. Sex is the ultimate declaration of committment in Gods eyes, not only to the partners involved but also to the resulting children born of the covenant relationship.
When Jesus Christ went to the Cross and shed His Blood to remit the sins of the world, it was the Ultimate Blood Brotherhood Relationship committment on Gods part to the human race. God was saying, I am willing to allow my only Son to empty His Precious Blood and die and take the rap or penalty for all of mans sins and failures.
Think of it, God offers us Blood Brotherhood with Himself.
This means we get everything He has and He gets everything we have. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure that we got the best end of the deal. He offers us an Eternal Home of Peace, Love and Security, Health, Forgiveness, Provisions beyond description. All we can offer Him is not much, He gets our sin, our failure, pain, our problems, our weakness. Of course, He says, because I love you unconditionally I will gladly exchange all of my Grace and Strength for your sorrow and weakness.
Read the old Jewish prophet Isaiahs prophecy about the Messiah Jesus below. This prophecy was given ages before Jesus was born.
Isaiah 53
The Message (MSG)
1 Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
2-6The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling,
a scrubby plant in a parched field.
There was nothing attractive about him,
nothing to cause us to take a second look.
He was looked down on and passed over,
a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.
One look at him and people turned away.
We looked down on him, thought he was scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.
We thought he brought it on himself,
that God was punishing him for his own failures.
But it was our sins that did that to him,
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!
He took the punishment, and that made us whole.
Through his bruises we get healed.
We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost.
We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.
And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong,
on him, on him.
7-9He was beaten, he was tortured,
but he didn't say a word.
Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered
and like a sheep being sheared,
he took it all in silence.
Justice miscarried, and he was led off—
and did anyone really know what was happening?
He died without a thought for his own welfare,
beaten bloody for the sins of my people.
They buried him with the wicked,
threw him in a grave with a rich man,
Even though he'd never hurt a soul
or said one word that wasn't true.
10Still, it's what God had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life.
And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
11-12Out of that terrible travail of soul,
he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly—
the best of everything, the highest honors—
Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch,
because he embraced the company of the lowest.
He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many,
he took up the cause of all the black sheep.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The River of His Pleasures
We live in a world of seemingly maniacal hedonistic pursuits. The deification of sensual pleasure is truly in great augmentation in todays world. Sadly, pleasure has taken priority over heart relationship with the Creator in many cases today. Let me give some background.
Man has always been a lover of sensual pleasure because God has created us to be able to enjoy the 5 senses.
Sensual pleasure in and of itself is a good gift from God, the body and the five physical senses, are not evil in the Christian world view. Its only when incorrect priorities cause pleasure to be exalted above obedience to Gods Word that pleasure becomes a problem to us.
The Bible clearly teaches that man and woman were made to complement or complete each other. God created marriage and sexual union as the deepest and most enriching form of human relationship. In fact, the New Testament teaches that the marriage relationship between a man and woman, is a symbol of Christ and His relationship to His Church.
The Scripture even calls the Church the Bride of Christ and Christ is depicted as the Heavenly Bridegroom. The deep spiritual, mental, emotional and physical intimacy experienced between a husband and wife is of a tremendously poignant and climactic nature. It is deeply fulfilling and enriching for both man and woman when entered into according the manufacturers (Gods) instructions.
Ephesians 5:31 Amplified
31For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
32This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church
The deeply engaging worship of a true believer in a heart covenant with the God of the Universe, also, spiritually speaking, experiences a close spiritual parallel of the earthly marriage covenant.
A stupendous, scintillating, vibrant and relentlessly enriching Spiritual intercourse
takes place when a believer enters into true worship. God and man (His Bride) co mingle in an amazing Close Encounter of the Ultimate kind between Divinity and humanity. God gets close and personal in the Spiritual sense and allows us to have the paramount interactive intimacy in His Power, Love and Presence in a Glorious climactic anointing that brings release to our heart and soul.
The Christian covenant is a blood covenant between the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (The Church.) Christ shed His Blood at the Cross guaranteeing the open door to Eternal Intimacy with Him (Heaven)
The Marriage covenant of sexual union is also a Blood Covenant that binds a man and woman in intimacy for life when done according to Gods instructions. The miracle of Christ is that even a husband and wife who have had a history of past sexual promiscuity with other partners can be restored to Spiritual virginity and experience the benefits of a blood covenant even if the womans hymen is no longer intact. God loves sinners , which includes all of us and He has found a way through The Cross to make us all brand new people when we come to Him through Jesus.
Many people today think that the Judeo Christian Most High God is anti sexual pleasure and is out to spoil peoples fun in this department. Nothing could be further from the truth. God created sexual intimacy for our joy fulfillment and pleasure as well as to propagate mankind. Sex is meant to be the celebration of the marriage covenant.
God is a Father and He is always desiring to bless His Children and give them a magnificent future. I heard someone say recently that except for the existence of sin in mans genetic code that God would never have had to be serious about anything.
God would have loved to just play and bless His kids ad infinitum but sin required serious and grave measures in order to create a great future for mankind if they will act on His Word.
Sex is the most powerful driving force in mans life next to emergency self preservation. It can be compared to fire or electricity or nuclear energy to power generators. Fire or electricity is very good and positive to warm and cook and produce light with when handled correctly according to safety codes.
We wouldnt dream of allowing bare live electric wires to dangle dangerously out of our walls. No, we insulate and handle power or fire with great care and obey government safety regulations as we know this is positive and good for all of us.
God has put regulations around sexual energy also for our own safety, not to rain on our parade as it were. We light fires in our house only in the designated fireplace, that is designed to safely handle fire. Marriage is like a fireplace, it is the place God has designed to handle the huge firelike power of human sexuality. We wouldnt dream of lighting a fire on the carpet in our living room, it would be madness. In God eyes, promiscuous sex is also damaging foolishness, as casual relationships are not up to His code requirements to handle the tremendous power of sexual relationships and often resulting children born from them.
So if we do it Gods way, not only will we have fun and pleasure, we will have safe homes to handle the power and children released from sexual union. (Not to menton the health benefits)
The safest, sexiest and most enjoyable place in the world is marriage and family.
The whole playboy rock and roll philosophy is a counterfeit that falls apart.
Man has always been a lover of sensual pleasure because God has created us to be able to enjoy the 5 senses.
Sensual pleasure in and of itself is a good gift from God, the body and the five physical senses, are not evil in the Christian world view. Its only when incorrect priorities cause pleasure to be exalted above obedience to Gods Word that pleasure becomes a problem to us.
The Bible clearly teaches that man and woman were made to complement or complete each other. God created marriage and sexual union as the deepest and most enriching form of human relationship. In fact, the New Testament teaches that the marriage relationship between a man and woman, is a symbol of Christ and His relationship to His Church.
The Scripture even calls the Church the Bride of Christ and Christ is depicted as the Heavenly Bridegroom. The deep spiritual, mental, emotional and physical intimacy experienced between a husband and wife is of a tremendously poignant and climactic nature. It is deeply fulfilling and enriching for both man and woman when entered into according the manufacturers (Gods) instructions.
Ephesians 5:31 Amplified
31For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
32This mystery is very great, but I speak concerning [the relation of] Christ and the church
The deeply engaging worship of a true believer in a heart covenant with the God of the Universe, also, spiritually speaking, experiences a close spiritual parallel of the earthly marriage covenant.
A stupendous, scintillating, vibrant and relentlessly enriching Spiritual intercourse
takes place when a believer enters into true worship. God and man (His Bride) co mingle in an amazing Close Encounter of the Ultimate kind between Divinity and humanity. God gets close and personal in the Spiritual sense and allows us to have the paramount interactive intimacy in His Power, Love and Presence in a Glorious climactic anointing that brings release to our heart and soul.
The Christian covenant is a blood covenant between the Bridegroom (Christ) and His Bride (The Church.) Christ shed His Blood at the Cross guaranteeing the open door to Eternal Intimacy with Him (Heaven)
The Marriage covenant of sexual union is also a Blood Covenant that binds a man and woman in intimacy for life when done according to Gods instructions. The miracle of Christ is that even a husband and wife who have had a history of past sexual promiscuity with other partners can be restored to Spiritual virginity and experience the benefits of a blood covenant even if the womans hymen is no longer intact. God loves sinners , which includes all of us and He has found a way through The Cross to make us all brand new people when we come to Him through Jesus.
Many people today think that the Judeo Christian Most High God is anti sexual pleasure and is out to spoil peoples fun in this department. Nothing could be further from the truth. God created sexual intimacy for our joy fulfillment and pleasure as well as to propagate mankind. Sex is meant to be the celebration of the marriage covenant.
God is a Father and He is always desiring to bless His Children and give them a magnificent future. I heard someone say recently that except for the existence of sin in mans genetic code that God would never have had to be serious about anything.
God would have loved to just play and bless His kids ad infinitum but sin required serious and grave measures in order to create a great future for mankind if they will act on His Word.
Sex is the most powerful driving force in mans life next to emergency self preservation. It can be compared to fire or electricity or nuclear energy to power generators. Fire or electricity is very good and positive to warm and cook and produce light with when handled correctly according to safety codes.
We wouldnt dream of allowing bare live electric wires to dangle dangerously out of our walls. No, we insulate and handle power or fire with great care and obey government safety regulations as we know this is positive and good for all of us.
God has put regulations around sexual energy also for our own safety, not to rain on our parade as it were. We light fires in our house only in the designated fireplace, that is designed to safely handle fire. Marriage is like a fireplace, it is the place God has designed to handle the huge firelike power of human sexuality. We wouldnt dream of lighting a fire on the carpet in our living room, it would be madness. In God eyes, promiscuous sex is also damaging foolishness, as casual relationships are not up to His code requirements to handle the tremendous power of sexual relationships and often resulting children born from them.
So if we do it Gods way, not only will we have fun and pleasure, we will have safe homes to handle the power and children released from sexual union. (Not to menton the health benefits)
The safest, sexiest and most enjoyable place in the world is marriage and family.
The whole playboy rock and roll philosophy is a counterfeit that falls apart.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
King of Hearts not diamonds.
The Eagles once wrote a song with the lyrics "The Queen of Hearts is always your best bet." This was to extol the virtues of a good woman with a good heart of true love, and warn of a gold digging opportunist woman, who was characterized as the "The Queen of Diamonds".
It is even more important to trust in the King of Hearts (Jesus) who truly loves all men, women and children with His Evelasting Love. He proved His love by being willing to die a cruel death at the Calvary Cross in order to pay the penalty for mankinds sins or errors.
It is vital to come into a true heart relationship with Jesus as the Bible teaches that all have sinned and missed the mark. When we have faith in Christ by relying and cleaving to Him and His Sacrifice for our sins, we are granted the Gift of His Righteousness.
There was an old Christian song that said "We owed a debt we could not pay and Jesus paid the debt He did not owe" What a deal, He paid the price for our sin and granted us His Righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
The Message (MSG)
Dont waste time trying to be self righteous or pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, thats impossible! No amount of New Years resolutions or self improvement programs can ever make you Righteous enough for Heaven. Its not sinning or being imperfect that will keep you out of Heaven, the only thing that will prevent Heaven is unbelief in Gods Provision to forgive and cleanse us. (lack of Faith in Gods Completed Work.)
Hebrews 11:6
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him
If you were in the lobby of the Empire State building and someone said, I will give you a million dollars if you get to the roof in 2 mins flat! If then, they also told you, the only way to do that is catch the elevator, would you try to run up the stairs to earn the million? The stairs would take maybe 45 mins for a good athlete to even ascend. Why try and work and sweat to accomplish something that wont remotely succeed in 2 mins anyway. Why not just get a brain and catch the elevator, all we have to do is stand in it and let it do the hard work of ascending to the top. The only thing that would stop us is not believing there is an elevator to catch, or having pride and trying to prove we can outrun the elevator---Not!
I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. (Words of Jesus) John 15:5I
The same is true in order to qualify for Heaven, just get into Christ and let His Resurrection Power take you all the way to the top as a free gift of God. The work has already been done, just get into position and receive it.
Trying to get to Heaven without Christs Righteousness and Power is way harder than trying to run up the stairwell of a skyscraper. It would be more like trying to go to the Andromeda galaxy in a Cessna. A Cessna wont even go to London from New York, its not able to. We cant get to Heaven by our own good works, we dont have even a smidgeon of the capacity to do it, the Good News is Jesus Christ paid the Price and bought the first Class ticket for all mankind, all we have to do is get into His elevator by faith (as it were)-- its not rocket science!
Remember, its not about how good or bad we are, its about realizing we need His Free Gift of Righteousness. God loves even the worst villains and can make them new creations in Him. Godspeed in the elevator!---Paul Sames
It is even more important to trust in the King of Hearts (Jesus) who truly loves all men, women and children with His Evelasting Love. He proved His love by being willing to die a cruel death at the Calvary Cross in order to pay the penalty for mankinds sins or errors.
It is vital to come into a true heart relationship with Jesus as the Bible teaches that all have sinned and missed the mark. When we have faith in Christ by relying and cleaving to Him and His Sacrifice for our sins, we are granted the Gift of His Righteousness.
There was an old Christian song that said "We owed a debt we could not pay and Jesus paid the debt He did not owe" What a deal, He paid the price for our sin and granted us His Righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21
21How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.
The Message (MSG)
Dont waste time trying to be self righteous or pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps, thats impossible! No amount of New Years resolutions or self improvement programs can ever make you Righteous enough for Heaven. Its not sinning or being imperfect that will keep you out of Heaven, the only thing that will prevent Heaven is unbelief in Gods Provision to forgive and cleanse us. (lack of Faith in Gods Completed Work.)
Hebrews 11:6
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him
If you were in the lobby of the Empire State building and someone said, I will give you a million dollars if you get to the roof in 2 mins flat! If then, they also told you, the only way to do that is catch the elevator, would you try to run up the stairs to earn the million? The stairs would take maybe 45 mins for a good athlete to even ascend. Why try and work and sweat to accomplish something that wont remotely succeed in 2 mins anyway. Why not just get a brain and catch the elevator, all we have to do is stand in it and let it do the hard work of ascending to the top. The only thing that would stop us is not believing there is an elevator to catch, or having pride and trying to prove we can outrun the elevator---Not!
I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. (Words of Jesus) John 15:5I
The same is true in order to qualify for Heaven, just get into Christ and let His Resurrection Power take you all the way to the top as a free gift of God. The work has already been done, just get into position and receive it.
Trying to get to Heaven without Christs Righteousness and Power is way harder than trying to run up the stairwell of a skyscraper. It would be more like trying to go to the Andromeda galaxy in a Cessna. A Cessna wont even go to London from New York, its not able to. We cant get to Heaven by our own good works, we dont have even a smidgeon of the capacity to do it, the Good News is Jesus Christ paid the Price and bought the first Class ticket for all mankind, all we have to do is get into His elevator by faith (as it were)-- its not rocket science!
Remember, its not about how good or bad we are, its about realizing we need His Free Gift of Righteousness. God loves even the worst villains and can make them new creations in Him. Godspeed in the elevator!---Paul Sames
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Vanishing Vapour--Eternity!
Paul Sames---14 July in the year of Our Lord 2011!
Our lives are just like a vapour that appears for a while and then vanishes.
This is how Scripture speaks of our time on earth, our lives are just so short when measured against eternity.
I said recently in a Facebook post that even if we live a 100 year span it is just a brief dash, compared to the big picture. I am now 56 years old, it seems like just the other day I was 18 years of age. I turned 18 in 1973, this was also the age that I had a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ that forever made me aware of eternity and the brevity of human life.
When I was teenager I thought 30 was ancient, I couldnt imagine even being 30 when I was 18. Now it seems like I somehow hit a high speed fast forward button and hit 56 in some kind of time warp event.
Of course I did not suffer amnesia in the intervening years between 18 to 56. I remember a kind of blur like when you fast forward a Video. I had a friend in Byron Bay who used to say "We will all be dead before we know it" ( I think he stole it off me but he said it with great expression")
This friend, Steve, would proclaim this saying with a great beaming joy, this is because he was a strong believer in the work of Jesus Christ and could act like this because he knew death for a believer is really a new beginning, in a place without tears, suffering, pain or any more death.
Many who heard him though, thought, "Is this guy crazy? Why is he talking like this? I dont want to hear about being dead before I know it! How depressing!"
This exemplifies the difference between faith and unbelief, for a true believer in Jesus, death holds no fear, in fact it will be the greatest day of all--Graduation Day! (even though we want stay here as long as we can, to face,and even enjoy earths challenges and help prepare others for eternity)
On the other hand, death is called the last enemy in Scripture. Fear of death is the greatest fear known to mankind, because we dont know what we will face. Jesus Christ came to destroy this fear and give us absolute assurance of a marvellous eternity!
Many people without faith and many religious folks are terribly afraid of death.
Lots of people try to act like it doesnt exist and so they try to sweep it under the proverbial carpet. It is not appreciated if the subject is brought up, in many circles.
Death in our modern society is treated in a similar way to how the subject of sex used to be treated in the old days, particularly in the Victorian era.
Sex was so hush hush back then that they even used to put skirts around the legs of chairs in case seeing chair legs would remind people of human sexuality. In some places they even used to put pants on horses etc. Today sex is talked about 24/7 and has become used to sell cars and most products in advertising campaigns etc. Even worse many homes have access to pornography through the internet and lots of children are exposed to what adults a generation earlier didnt even see. What would have been considered totally outrageous even 30 years ago has gone mainstream now.
It has gone from one extreme to another.
1 Corinthians 15 Amplified
25For [Christ] must be King and reign until He has put all [His] enemies under His feet.
26The last enemy to be subdued and abolished is death.
2 Tim 1 :10b Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel
What better thing than to enjoy life here as long as possible and then know that God has prepared a great home for us in eternity, if we will only have Faith in Him and His Plan. God has deposited amazing blessings in all of our spiritual accounts. All we have to do is learn to make withdrawal--its not complex either--its so simple a child can do it."
Like someone said, "The Gospel of Jesus is so simple, it takes a religious theologian to help us misunderstand it."
Our lives are just like a vapour that appears for a while and then vanishes.
This is how Scripture speaks of our time on earth, our lives are just so short when measured against eternity.
I said recently in a Facebook post that even if we live a 100 year span it is just a brief dash, compared to the big picture. I am now 56 years old, it seems like just the other day I was 18 years of age. I turned 18 in 1973, this was also the age that I had a life changing encounter with Jesus Christ that forever made me aware of eternity and the brevity of human life.
When I was teenager I thought 30 was ancient, I couldnt imagine even being 30 when I was 18. Now it seems like I somehow hit a high speed fast forward button and hit 56 in some kind of time warp event.
Of course I did not suffer amnesia in the intervening years between 18 to 56. I remember a kind of blur like when you fast forward a Video. I had a friend in Byron Bay who used to say "We will all be dead before we know it" ( I think he stole it off me but he said it with great expression")
This friend, Steve, would proclaim this saying with a great beaming joy, this is because he was a strong believer in the work of Jesus Christ and could act like this because he knew death for a believer is really a new beginning, in a place without tears, suffering, pain or any more death.
Many who heard him though, thought, "Is this guy crazy? Why is he talking like this? I dont want to hear about being dead before I know it! How depressing!"
This exemplifies the difference between faith and unbelief, for a true believer in Jesus, death holds no fear, in fact it will be the greatest day of all--Graduation Day! (even though we want stay here as long as we can, to face,and even enjoy earths challenges and help prepare others for eternity)
On the other hand, death is called the last enemy in Scripture. Fear of death is the greatest fear known to mankind, because we dont know what we will face. Jesus Christ came to destroy this fear and give us absolute assurance of a marvellous eternity!
Many people without faith and many religious folks are terribly afraid of death.
Lots of people try to act like it doesnt exist and so they try to sweep it under the proverbial carpet. It is not appreciated if the subject is brought up, in many circles.
Death in our modern society is treated in a similar way to how the subject of sex used to be treated in the old days, particularly in the Victorian era.
Sex was so hush hush back then that they even used to put skirts around the legs of chairs in case seeing chair legs would remind people of human sexuality. In some places they even used to put pants on horses etc. Today sex is talked about 24/7 and has become used to sell cars and most products in advertising campaigns etc. Even worse many homes have access to pornography through the internet and lots of children are exposed to what adults a generation earlier didnt even see. What would have been considered totally outrageous even 30 years ago has gone mainstream now.
It has gone from one extreme to another.
1 Corinthians 15 Amplified
25For [Christ] must be King and reign until He has put all [His] enemies under His feet.
26The last enemy to be subdued and abolished is death.
2 Tim 1 :10b Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel
What better thing than to enjoy life here as long as possible and then know that God has prepared a great home for us in eternity, if we will only have Faith in Him and His Plan. God has deposited amazing blessings in all of our spiritual accounts. All we have to do is learn to make withdrawal--its not complex either--its so simple a child can do it."
Like someone said, "The Gospel of Jesus is so simple, it takes a religious theologian to help us misunderstand it."
Monday, July 11, 2011
GOD SEES THE HEART INTENT
Hello there, Paul Sames here, on the 11th day of July in the year of our Lord 2011!
God is creating a people who will be naturally Supernatural and Supernaturally natural.
Men and women are created in the image of God (Elohim in the original). God is One but he expresses Himself in 3 persons, God the Father, God the Son and Holy Spirit. This is something we accept by faith as it is beyond comprehension to the natural understanding how One Supreme Being can be expressed through 3 distinct persons.
We are like God also in that while we also are one person we have 3 separate areas of expressions, i.e. spirit, soul and body.
Many of us have heard that we are a spirit, we have a soul (mind, will, emotions) and we live in a body.
In todays world there is such emphasis on the mental and emotional (soul) or the appearance and health of our physical beings that the true spirit man is neglected.
In reality, the spirit is truly the number one priority in Gods order of importance. This is because the spirit of man lives forever, this is why our spirit health is so vital. Jesus said "Ye must be born again". Of course he didnt mean to be born again physically, it is a spiritual rebirth.
The Bible teaches that we are spiritually dead (without Gods life) until we come into faith of the Resurrection of Jesus and call Him Lord. When we truly believe in the Biblical Jesus and eneter into relationship with him we are spiritually regenerated and become a brand new person on the inside.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 cor 5:17 KJV
Becoming a new creature or being in Jesus is the greatest miracle known in all of history. We put a lot of emphasis on healing, miracles of provision etc but none of these can hold a candle to the new birth.
The reason for this is the new birth guarantees us an eternity in Heaven with Jesus, what could be more important than that.
These days cosmetic surgery is no longer just for Hollywood and the mega rich. More and more everyday people are getting nipped and tucked or lifted and augmented. In fact it sometimes seems that facelifts etc are the norm for TV preachers. We should thank God for great doctors who help people enjoy their appearance and feel better about life. I am not against this as long as the surgeon does a good job, I have seen some occasional horror jobs (not necessarily on preachers) and some poor people have ended up looking like Lieutenant Worff from Star Trek or Yoda from Star Wars. I would rather look like one of those weird old wrinkly dogs than a space puppet. Choosing a great and gifted surgeon is important from what Ive seen.
The only other problem is when the cosmetic becomes more important than the spiritual. The truly foundational inner recreation and transformation from God should never be put on the backburner in favor of outward appearances offered by gymnasiums and medical science.
Remember, Man looks on the external but God looks on the heart.
God is creating a people who will be naturally Supernatural and Supernaturally natural.
Men and women are created in the image of God (Elohim in the original). God is One but he expresses Himself in 3 persons, God the Father, God the Son and Holy Spirit. This is something we accept by faith as it is beyond comprehension to the natural understanding how One Supreme Being can be expressed through 3 distinct persons.
We are like God also in that while we also are one person we have 3 separate areas of expressions, i.e. spirit, soul and body.
Many of us have heard that we are a spirit, we have a soul (mind, will, emotions) and we live in a body.
In todays world there is such emphasis on the mental and emotional (soul) or the appearance and health of our physical beings that the true spirit man is neglected.
In reality, the spirit is truly the number one priority in Gods order of importance. This is because the spirit of man lives forever, this is why our spirit health is so vital. Jesus said "Ye must be born again". Of course he didnt mean to be born again physically, it is a spiritual rebirth.
The Bible teaches that we are spiritually dead (without Gods life) until we come into faith of the Resurrection of Jesus and call Him Lord. When we truly believe in the Biblical Jesus and eneter into relationship with him we are spiritually regenerated and become a brand new person on the inside.
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 cor 5:17 KJV
Becoming a new creature or being in Jesus is the greatest miracle known in all of history. We put a lot of emphasis on healing, miracles of provision etc but none of these can hold a candle to the new birth.
The reason for this is the new birth guarantees us an eternity in Heaven with Jesus, what could be more important than that.
These days cosmetic surgery is no longer just for Hollywood and the mega rich. More and more everyday people are getting nipped and tucked or lifted and augmented. In fact it sometimes seems that facelifts etc are the norm for TV preachers. We should thank God for great doctors who help people enjoy their appearance and feel better about life. I am not against this as long as the surgeon does a good job, I have seen some occasional horror jobs (not necessarily on preachers) and some poor people have ended up looking like Lieutenant Worff from Star Trek or Yoda from Star Wars. I would rather look like one of those weird old wrinkly dogs than a space puppet. Choosing a great and gifted surgeon is important from what Ive seen.
The only other problem is when the cosmetic becomes more important than the spiritual. The truly foundational inner recreation and transformation from God should never be put on the backburner in favor of outward appearances offered by gymnasiums and medical science.
Remember, Man looks on the external but God looks on the heart.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Suffering and the Cross
Hello its Paul Sames and its July 7 in the year of Our Lord 2011.
Today I watched a youtube clip of the wonderful world missionary Arthur Blessitt. I cant think of a better example of a missionary/evangelist anywhere or anytime.
This man is in the same league as St Paul or any of the ancient faith greats, in my humble opinion.
Arthur was telling the story of how he had carried his 12ft Cross on this particular trip from Sierra Leone West Africa 2000 miles through very inhospitable, superhot and humid dangerous conditions. He told how every day for a couple of months he was dreaming of arriving at a missionary hostel at a certain place. He told of how deeply exhausted he was and how he dreamt of resting for 2 or 3 days in the airconditioning the hostel had, before pressing on into the marathon slog with the Cross.
He told of how everyday he would think of the place as an oasis and how much he needed to rest. Finally, the day arrived when he was at the missions hostel and he walked in and asked could he pay for a room for a couple of days. The man at the hostel unbelievably said " Im sorry this place is only for missionaries, you will have to leave". Arthur explained that he was a missionary and an ordained minister.
The man said that this place is only for regular missionaries (whatever that is) and he couldnt start letting intinerants and backpackers in.
Arthur said alright and walked off weeping, as he struggled on in exhaustion and pain, a car pulled up with 2 young married people who identified themselves as local school teachers and they said Arthur could come at stay at their airconditioned house as long as he wanted. They also said they were atheists but that they had been impressed by the news reports they had read about him.
As you can imagine, Arthur was dumbfounded that the church missionary hostel had rejected him but the atheists had shown him deep love and acceptance. They even moved out of their bedroom to accomodate him with their best hospitality.
This shows that religion can really blow it badly and even atheists can be more like Jesus than the church in some cases.
Jesus talked about this in the Gospels. (do a search)
All of us who call ourselves missionaries or ministers or even Christians need to be on guard against the pharisaical spirit. Many fall prey to this, in the name of being professional or correct.
Today I watched a youtube clip of the wonderful world missionary Arthur Blessitt. I cant think of a better example of a missionary/evangelist anywhere or anytime.
This man is in the same league as St Paul or any of the ancient faith greats, in my humble opinion.
Arthur was telling the story of how he had carried his 12ft Cross on this particular trip from Sierra Leone West Africa 2000 miles through very inhospitable, superhot and humid dangerous conditions. He told how every day for a couple of months he was dreaming of arriving at a missionary hostel at a certain place. He told of how deeply exhausted he was and how he dreamt of resting for 2 or 3 days in the airconditioning the hostel had, before pressing on into the marathon slog with the Cross.
He told of how everyday he would think of the place as an oasis and how much he needed to rest. Finally, the day arrived when he was at the missions hostel and he walked in and asked could he pay for a room for a couple of days. The man at the hostel unbelievably said " Im sorry this place is only for missionaries, you will have to leave". Arthur explained that he was a missionary and an ordained minister.
The man said that this place is only for regular missionaries (whatever that is) and he couldnt start letting intinerants and backpackers in.
Arthur said alright and walked off weeping, as he struggled on in exhaustion and pain, a car pulled up with 2 young married people who identified themselves as local school teachers and they said Arthur could come at stay at their airconditioned house as long as he wanted. They also said they were atheists but that they had been impressed by the news reports they had read about him.
As you can imagine, Arthur was dumbfounded that the church missionary hostel had rejected him but the atheists had shown him deep love and acceptance. They even moved out of their bedroom to accomodate him with their best hospitality.
This shows that religion can really blow it badly and even atheists can be more like Jesus than the church in some cases.
Jesus talked about this in the Gospels. (do a search)
All of us who call ourselves missionaries or ministers or even Christians need to be on guard against the pharisaical spirit. Many fall prey to this, in the name of being professional or correct.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Tragedy to Triumph
Good Morning ladies and gentlemen of the Planet.
Today is July 5 in the year of Our Lord 2011.
People today are desperately seeking for meaning, direction, significance and fulfillment.
There is an old saying heard in God Circles. "God doesnt make any junk!" How true this is.
Every man woman or child born into this earth, is created in the very image of God. This does not just mean physical image, we are made in Gods image mentally, emotionally, our decision making abilities are like Gods too.
Spiritually we are like God also, one way to express this is,
"We are finite expressions of the Infinite." Of course sin has deeply marred our expressions, but even man in his fallen state can produce great beauty and healing in his art and music and work. We still bear the trademark of Divinity no matter who we are.
Today there are millions who hate and deride themselves and are not just committing suicide in acute ways like shooting or hanging themselves. Millions are slowly killing themselves with drug abuse, alcoholism etc. This is because there is a deep subconscious self rejection in many people.
I remember TL Osborn saying in 1989 in a meeting in Benin City, Nigeria that the worst sin in humankind is not abortion, drugs, sexual promiscuity etc. He then went on to say that the most destructive problem he had seen was when a God Created man or woman had a deep inner rejection of their own value and significance.
This created such a disintegration in the human personality that the person was rendered powerless and weak and defeated. He said this was a super tragedy, because this person has been called into being by the Most High for a very powerful positive future and they have been deceived into believing that they are junk and that there is no hope.
We must study the Word of God to find out what God says about us. Even though the Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of Gods glory and Perfection, the Bible also says that,
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17.
The Good News is God is for us, even a murderer can be restored to fellowship and be used by God as part of the answer instead of part of the problem.
King David in the old testament was guilty of adultery with Bathsheba and then he had her husband put in extreme danger in a battle to get rid of him so he could marry Bathsheba.
David later had a deep and genuine repentance about this and even though he still reaped earthly consequences he received forgiveness and restored right standing with God. ( See Psalm 51).
David is called a man after Gods own heart in the Bible and even was part of the earthly lineage of Christ. Jesus was unashamed to be called The Son Of David.
No matter how deep and grievious a persons sins, failures and even crimes, there is always hope for a new future in Gods Love. Of course just because God forgives doesnt mean that earthly law would overlook murder. Many murderers have been able to face life prison sentences and even execution with the blessing of knowing that they have made Peace with God.
In light of the Power of Christs Love, Forgiveness and Acceptance, we can also forgive ourselves for our sins and go on to be fruitful ones in Gods service.
If we hate ourselves and despise ourselves we self sabotage our fruitfulness for the most positive things in life.
Jesus died and shed His blood to give us not just "Pie in the sky when we die" but
"Steak on the plate while we wait."
Why waste what Jesus did for us by always hating and destroying ourslves because we acted like dirtbags at some time.
Please read the Scripture below, its Romans 8: 31- 39 from the Message Translation.
Dont take my word for it. Read Gods Word and believe His Word, it will never pass away.
31-39So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
Today is July 5 in the year of Our Lord 2011.
People today are desperately seeking for meaning, direction, significance and fulfillment.
There is an old saying heard in God Circles. "God doesnt make any junk!" How true this is.
Every man woman or child born into this earth, is created in the very image of God. This does not just mean physical image, we are made in Gods image mentally, emotionally, our decision making abilities are like Gods too.
Spiritually we are like God also, one way to express this is,
"We are finite expressions of the Infinite." Of course sin has deeply marred our expressions, but even man in his fallen state can produce great beauty and healing in his art and music and work. We still bear the trademark of Divinity no matter who we are.
Today there are millions who hate and deride themselves and are not just committing suicide in acute ways like shooting or hanging themselves. Millions are slowly killing themselves with drug abuse, alcoholism etc. This is because there is a deep subconscious self rejection in many people.
I remember TL Osborn saying in 1989 in a meeting in Benin City, Nigeria that the worst sin in humankind is not abortion, drugs, sexual promiscuity etc. He then went on to say that the most destructive problem he had seen was when a God Created man or woman had a deep inner rejection of their own value and significance.
This created such a disintegration in the human personality that the person was rendered powerless and weak and defeated. He said this was a super tragedy, because this person has been called into being by the Most High for a very powerful positive future and they have been deceived into believing that they are junk and that there is no hope.
We must study the Word of God to find out what God says about us. Even though the Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of Gods glory and Perfection, the Bible also says that,
Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17.
The Good News is God is for us, even a murderer can be restored to fellowship and be used by God as part of the answer instead of part of the problem.
King David in the old testament was guilty of adultery with Bathsheba and then he had her husband put in extreme danger in a battle to get rid of him so he could marry Bathsheba.
David later had a deep and genuine repentance about this and even though he still reaped earthly consequences he received forgiveness and restored right standing with God. ( See Psalm 51).
David is called a man after Gods own heart in the Bible and even was part of the earthly lineage of Christ. Jesus was unashamed to be called The Son Of David.
No matter how deep and grievious a persons sins, failures and even crimes, there is always hope for a new future in Gods Love. Of course just because God forgives doesnt mean that earthly law would overlook murder. Many murderers have been able to face life prison sentences and even execution with the blessing of knowing that they have made Peace with God.
In light of the Power of Christs Love, Forgiveness and Acceptance, we can also forgive ourselves for our sins and go on to be fruitful ones in Gods service.
If we hate ourselves and despise ourselves we self sabotage our fruitfulness for the most positive things in life.
Jesus died and shed His blood to give us not just "Pie in the sky when we die" but
"Steak on the plate while we wait."
Why waste what Jesus did for us by always hating and destroying ourslves because we acted like dirtbags at some time.
Please read the Scripture below, its Romans 8: 31- 39 from the Message Translation.
Dont take my word for it. Read Gods Word and believe His Word, it will never pass away.
31-39So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:
Saturday, July 2, 2011
endless rules or Endless Life--You Choose
Greetings this 2nd day of July in the year of Our Lord Jesus Christ 2011.
Today I would like to discuss the importance of true and genuine heart relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.
Ever since having a profound personal encounter with Jesus in 1974 on Tamarama beach in Sydney Australia and again in the hills of Northern NSW in 1977, my life, cosmology and world outlook was not only redefined but totally and utterly recreated.
Genuine Bible Christianity is not a set of rules and religious regulations but it is a deep, intimate personal relationship with The Head of the Church, even Jesus.
"For the Law was given through Moses but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 KJV
Law is always based on rules, ritual, rigmarole and regulation. Grace is always based on Endless Life. We are under a totally New High Priest and New Kind of High Priest in the New Testament.
"Who has come not according to the Law of a fleshly commandment but according to the Power of an Endless Life." Heb 7:16 KJV
The spirit of religion is always based on an external or fleshly commandment. The Spirit of Christ is according to an Endless Life. Ask yourself a question and mean it.
"Do I want a set of rules or an Endless Life?"
What turns you on the most, a pile of stone tablets with Laws inscribed, or the Endless Eternal Life of Jesus.
The 10 commandments are awesome, good and Holy rules but Christianity was not given as an extension of the Law of God. Jesus Christ gave Himself to us as the Life of God so that we may Live in the same Endless Life of Love.
The Law is true and Right but it does not give us Power to Fulfill it. The Law only amplifies our fallen carnal natures and shows us our sinfulness. It shows us our need of a Saviour. It shows us our total necessity of a deliverer who will forgive, heal and pour into us His Empowering Grace.
"Now we have been delivered from the Law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter" ROM 7:6 KJV
Law applied to rebellion only stimulates more rebellion. Grace and Love gives us power to fulfill the only Law necessary--Love-We fulfill the law by faith, which is cleaving relying on and trusting in Jesus as our Righteousness.
We live under a New Covenant that has been ratified by the Eternal High Priest hood of Jesus. Jesus is not a priest in the levitical model, He was not even a Levite, which all priests had to be under the Old Testament. All of the old Levitical High priests died and new ones came along. Jesus defeated death, hell and the Grave at the Cross and now He lives forever at the right Hand of the Majesty on High.
Jesus was from Judah. He is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah ( Judah means Praise)
4 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God." Rom7:4 American Standard Bible
We have come from Religion to Reality if we have come to Jesus. People often say, "So you got religion now?'
No I have got REALITY now, this is endless unadulterated super Resurrection Life over death, much better than a rule book. The Bible is really a Life book , not a rule book.
Today I would like to discuss the importance of true and genuine heart relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.
Ever since having a profound personal encounter with Jesus in 1974 on Tamarama beach in Sydney Australia and again in the hills of Northern NSW in 1977, my life, cosmology and world outlook was not only redefined but totally and utterly recreated.
Genuine Bible Christianity is not a set of rules and religious regulations but it is a deep, intimate personal relationship with The Head of the Church, even Jesus.
"For the Law was given through Moses but Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 KJV
Law is always based on rules, ritual, rigmarole and regulation. Grace is always based on Endless Life. We are under a totally New High Priest and New Kind of High Priest in the New Testament.
"Who has come not according to the Law of a fleshly commandment but according to the Power of an Endless Life." Heb 7:16 KJV
The spirit of religion is always based on an external or fleshly commandment. The Spirit of Christ is according to an Endless Life. Ask yourself a question and mean it.
"Do I want a set of rules or an Endless Life?"
What turns you on the most, a pile of stone tablets with Laws inscribed, or the Endless Eternal Life of Jesus.
The 10 commandments are awesome, good and Holy rules but Christianity was not given as an extension of the Law of God. Jesus Christ gave Himself to us as the Life of God so that we may Live in the same Endless Life of Love.
The Law is true and Right but it does not give us Power to Fulfill it. The Law only amplifies our fallen carnal natures and shows us our sinfulness. It shows us our need of a Saviour. It shows us our total necessity of a deliverer who will forgive, heal and pour into us His Empowering Grace.
"Now we have been delivered from the Law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter" ROM 7:6 KJV
Law applied to rebellion only stimulates more rebellion. Grace and Love gives us power to fulfill the only Law necessary--Love-We fulfill the law by faith, which is cleaving relying on and trusting in Jesus as our Righteousness.
We live under a New Covenant that has been ratified by the Eternal High Priest hood of Jesus. Jesus is not a priest in the levitical model, He was not even a Levite, which all priests had to be under the Old Testament. All of the old Levitical High priests died and new ones came along. Jesus defeated death, hell and the Grave at the Cross and now He lives forever at the right Hand of the Majesty on High.
Jesus was from Judah. He is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah ( Judah means Praise)
4 "Wherefore, my brethren, ye also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ; that ye should be joined to another, even to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit unto God." Rom7:4 American Standard Bible
We have come from Religion to Reality if we have come to Jesus. People often say, "So you got religion now?'
No I have got REALITY now, this is endless unadulterated super Resurrection Life over death, much better than a rule book. The Bible is really a Life book , not a rule book.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Witches Brew/Pharmakia Red Alert
Hi folks, Paul Sames here again.
As you may or may not know, my family and I live on the West Coast of Central Florida, it is a lovely aquatic playground of beautiful beaches, awesome sunsets and interesting people. When Im at the beach watching a magnificent sunset, its hard to fathom that central and Southern Florida is ground zero for massive legal and illegal drug abuse and distribution.
Pharmakia is the Biblical term for drug addiction and abuse. It is the word from which we derive our moderm term "pharmacy and pharmaceutical". Pharmakia is the Greek word that is translated "sorcery" in many English Bible translations.
We often imagine that a sorcerer is a strange old Merlin like character in a pointy hat covered in sickle moons and stars, someone like the longhaired old wizard in Harry Potter movies.
The Biblical definition of a sorcerer is someone who relies on drugs or mind altering substances to produce a sense of peace, strength, prowess or spiritual experience to give excitement and meaning to life.
Hence, the old concept of witches flying on broomsticks after drinking their witches brews. The reason they thought they flew on brooms was that thy had ingested mind altering substances, often in their brews.
The whole American and Western culture in general has fallen under a huge spell of sorcery or pharmakia in every area of life, whether its steroids for physical power and strength, cocaine or amphetamines to give energy and alertness, narcotics for killing the discomforts of modern living or Hallucinogens/psychedelics to aid in an instant spiritual or religious experience.
Tragically many of the legally prescribed pharmaceuticals are just as dangerous and are even being abused more than the outlawed drugs like cocaine or heroin.
I watched a couple of great documentaries recently about the "painkiller pill mills" that have sprung up in Central and Southern Florida.
These so called pain clinics are prescribing multiple thousand of pills, mainly oxycodone (oxycontin) and other similar opioid pain killers to people who flock from all over the United States to legally obtain massive quantities and take back to other states to sell on the black market at up to $80 per pill.
Law enforcement from many states say nearly all the oxy pills can be traced back to the Florida pill mills. Experts estimate that 85% of illegal pills in the entire USA are being supplied from the mills in Florida. (Whats wrong with Florida lawmakers!) Why is there not a modern "Elliot Ness from the Untouchables" to shut these horror clinics down.
Oxycodone is basically a synthetic form of heroin with a different name. Many Oxy addicts in Massachussets and other states are injecting cheap heroin now as its actually cheaper to obtain a totally outlawed drug like heroin than pay the exorbitant street prices of oxy. These drugs have basically the same effect and addictive natures.
I heard a Massachussets law enforcement man say that around 75 soldiers had died in the wars in middle east in a certain period. In the same period around 3,500 young people had overdosed and died on narcotic painkillers. Do the math! Where are worst casualties being taken?--Right in the homes of the USA and her families! (and Australia Canada England etc)
The pharmaceutical industry and many doctors in the medical community are creating (wittingly or unwittingly) an international wildfire of devastating addiction. This ought not to be. This class of narcotics are the nuclear weapons for easing pain and they are being used in many cases indiscriminately, when simple NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc) would suffice. Nuclear warheads are not used blow up a machine gunner, a grenade would do.
I have personally been visiting people in hospitals when a nurse will walk in and ask the patient "On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being mild and 10 intense what is your pain level?" I have often heard people instantly say 10 with a calm expression and be administered Dilaudid, oxy or morphine for days on end and come out of hospital with the seeds of a narco addiction that will later ruin their lives.
If a person has a 10 pain level, they would most likely be screaming in agony not calmly describing what is often just a level of 3 or 4 discomfort that would respond to something far less potent and addictive.
Its time for Doctors to learn more about addiction, Im very glad to see Drs like Dr Drew Pinsky of "Celebrity Rehab" fame starting to educate other doctors and the public about addiction and the dangers of overprescribing.
I could write for hours about the horrors of cocaine, meth, heroin, and other drugs.
Suffice to say addiction, sorcery, pharmakia, abuse, or whatever term we use, the reality is, this is a massive, worldwide epidemic, destroying the entire fabric of nations.
The Bible in Rev 9:21 lists sorcery or drug abuse as one of the deadly end time habits of mankind, along with murder, theft, and sexual crime/abuse. It is easy to see how addiction aggravates the other 3 areas, addiction increases violence, crime to pay for habit, and sexual abuses and crimes.
There is an old saying in Christian circles.
If you want to take a pill, take the Gospill, then you wont need to take the others to get High. Another one is
"You get the Most High with the Most High."
Another one---If you want some speed take some Godspeed and run with Jesus.
If you want LSD--Go for Gods brand ---Love, Salvation and Deliverance!
If want to get drunk--Get some New Wine from Gods Upper room New Wine Bar.
If you want a rush---mainline Jesus--he is the Eternal Rush of Pure Love and Joy.
I know all of these sound like nice cute wordplays--but it is a fact--He is the Best High known to Mankind--there is not a drug or drink that can saisfy like Jesus.
Maybe one day the Rolling Stones will finally get some satisfaction--they have been singing "I cant get no satisfaction" long enough.
Jesus said if you drink living water and eat Living Bread from Heaven --you will never hunger or thirst again--its true.
Acts 2--The Message translation
Peter Speaks Up
15-21 These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says,
"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
As you may or may not know, my family and I live on the West Coast of Central Florida, it is a lovely aquatic playground of beautiful beaches, awesome sunsets and interesting people. When Im at the beach watching a magnificent sunset, its hard to fathom that central and Southern Florida is ground zero for massive legal and illegal drug abuse and distribution.
Pharmakia is the Biblical term for drug addiction and abuse. It is the word from which we derive our moderm term "pharmacy and pharmaceutical". Pharmakia is the Greek word that is translated "sorcery" in many English Bible translations.
We often imagine that a sorcerer is a strange old Merlin like character in a pointy hat covered in sickle moons and stars, someone like the longhaired old wizard in Harry Potter movies.
The Biblical definition of a sorcerer is someone who relies on drugs or mind altering substances to produce a sense of peace, strength, prowess or spiritual experience to give excitement and meaning to life.
Hence, the old concept of witches flying on broomsticks after drinking their witches brews. The reason they thought they flew on brooms was that thy had ingested mind altering substances, often in their brews.
The whole American and Western culture in general has fallen under a huge spell of sorcery or pharmakia in every area of life, whether its steroids for physical power and strength, cocaine or amphetamines to give energy and alertness, narcotics for killing the discomforts of modern living or Hallucinogens/psychedelics to aid in an instant spiritual or religious experience.
Tragically many of the legally prescribed pharmaceuticals are just as dangerous and are even being abused more than the outlawed drugs like cocaine or heroin.
I watched a couple of great documentaries recently about the "painkiller pill mills" that have sprung up in Central and Southern Florida.
These so called pain clinics are prescribing multiple thousand of pills, mainly oxycodone (oxycontin) and other similar opioid pain killers to people who flock from all over the United States to legally obtain massive quantities and take back to other states to sell on the black market at up to $80 per pill.
Law enforcement from many states say nearly all the oxy pills can be traced back to the Florida pill mills. Experts estimate that 85% of illegal pills in the entire USA are being supplied from the mills in Florida. (Whats wrong with Florida lawmakers!) Why is there not a modern "Elliot Ness from the Untouchables" to shut these horror clinics down.
Oxycodone is basically a synthetic form of heroin with a different name. Many Oxy addicts in Massachussets and other states are injecting cheap heroin now as its actually cheaper to obtain a totally outlawed drug like heroin than pay the exorbitant street prices of oxy. These drugs have basically the same effect and addictive natures.
I heard a Massachussets law enforcement man say that around 75 soldiers had died in the wars in middle east in a certain period. In the same period around 3,500 young people had overdosed and died on narcotic painkillers. Do the math! Where are worst casualties being taken?--Right in the homes of the USA and her families! (and Australia Canada England etc)
The pharmaceutical industry and many doctors in the medical community are creating (wittingly or unwittingly) an international wildfire of devastating addiction. This ought not to be. This class of narcotics are the nuclear weapons for easing pain and they are being used in many cases indiscriminately, when simple NSAIDS (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc) would suffice. Nuclear warheads are not used blow up a machine gunner, a grenade would do.
I have personally been visiting people in hospitals when a nurse will walk in and ask the patient "On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being mild and 10 intense what is your pain level?" I have often heard people instantly say 10 with a calm expression and be administered Dilaudid, oxy or morphine for days on end and come out of hospital with the seeds of a narco addiction that will later ruin their lives.
If a person has a 10 pain level, they would most likely be screaming in agony not calmly describing what is often just a level of 3 or 4 discomfort that would respond to something far less potent and addictive.
Its time for Doctors to learn more about addiction, Im very glad to see Drs like Dr Drew Pinsky of "Celebrity Rehab" fame starting to educate other doctors and the public about addiction and the dangers of overprescribing.
I could write for hours about the horrors of cocaine, meth, heroin, and other drugs.
Suffice to say addiction, sorcery, pharmakia, abuse, or whatever term we use, the reality is, this is a massive, worldwide epidemic, destroying the entire fabric of nations.
The Bible in Rev 9:21 lists sorcery or drug abuse as one of the deadly end time habits of mankind, along with murder, theft, and sexual crime/abuse. It is easy to see how addiction aggravates the other 3 areas, addiction increases violence, crime to pay for habit, and sexual abuses and crimes.
There is an old saying in Christian circles.
If you want to take a pill, take the Gospill, then you wont need to take the others to get High. Another one is
"You get the Most High with the Most High."
Another one---If you want some speed take some Godspeed and run with Jesus.
If you want LSD--Go for Gods brand ---Love, Salvation and Deliverance!
If want to get drunk--Get some New Wine from Gods Upper room New Wine Bar.
If you want a rush---mainline Jesus--he is the Eternal Rush of Pure Love and Joy.
I know all of these sound like nice cute wordplays--but it is a fact--He is the Best High known to Mankind--there is not a drug or drink that can saisfy like Jesus.
Maybe one day the Rolling Stones will finally get some satisfaction--they have been singing "I cant get no satisfaction" long enough.
Jesus said if you drink living water and eat Living Bread from Heaven --you will never hunger or thirst again--its true.
Acts 2--The Message translation
Peter Speaks Up
15-21 These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen:
"In the Last Days," God says,
"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Thursday, June 30, 2011
end of the age
In recent times we have heard reports of Mr Harold Camping of Family Radio predicting that May 21 2011 was to be Judgement Day and Rapture Day for the Church.
HE HAS NOW REVISED HIS DATE TO OCT 21, 2011, (THIS WILL BE WRONG ALSO)
Of course as all true Christians knew, Camping was wrong and there was NO judgement or Rapture that day.
Camping broke the Gold Standard Rule for eschatology. Please see the words Of The Lord Jesus Christ below from
Matthew 24 (amplified version)
3While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?
4Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].
36But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
We see here that Jesus tells us very clearly that no one knows, not even the angels or himself about a certain day and hour.
Camping espoused a very complex and unfounded form of Biblical interpretation to support his position. I tried to work out from his teachings how he arrived at his date but had no idea what he was talking about. It was all based on his own private esoteric and convoluted intrepretations of obscure unrelated scripture passages.
This is very sad because a lot of the content on Family Radio was very sound and orthodox.
It is tragic to see a whole ministry team besmirched by such blatant error. Even sadder to say, is that not one of the ministry staff or radio announcers ever denounced Campings prediction.
In spite of false predictors like Camping, we must be aware that we do live in perilous times and Jesus did teach that we could know the season of His imminent return but never the hour or day.
We live in the most momentous time of human history, it is the climax of the ages. Yes there will be great sufferings and tribulation throughout the planet but for those who safely trust in Jesus, it will be a time of being Gods instruments to touch, heal and help others to know Christ. We also look forward to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom we will soon live in forever.
Just because there are counterfeit $100 bills in circulation does not mean we should throw our bills in the trash, that would be madness. Of course, there is far more genuine currency in circulation than false.
This is true in prophetic things also. Just because there are counterfeit teachings like Campings, that does not mean we regard all teachers on end time events as charlatans and false prophets, there are genuine men and women of God that are sent by God to help us understand the times in which we live.
Above all they seek to lead the lost masses of humanity into safe harbor in Jesus Christ.
READ THE WORDS OF JESUS IN MATTHEW 24 (LIVING BIBLE)
23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man[e] comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.[f]
29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days,
the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.[g]
30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.[h] 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world[i]—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation[j] will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.[k] Only the Father knows.
HE HAS NOW REVISED HIS DATE TO OCT 21, 2011, (THIS WILL BE WRONG ALSO)
Of course as all true Christians knew, Camping was wrong and there was NO judgement or Rapture that day.
Camping broke the Gold Standard Rule for eschatology. Please see the words Of The Lord Jesus Christ below from
Matthew 24 (amplified version)
3While He was seated on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately and said, Tell us, when will this take place, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end (the completion, the consummation) of the age?
4Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].
36But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
We see here that Jesus tells us very clearly that no one knows, not even the angels or himself about a certain day and hour.
Camping espoused a very complex and unfounded form of Biblical interpretation to support his position. I tried to work out from his teachings how he arrived at his date but had no idea what he was talking about. It was all based on his own private esoteric and convoluted intrepretations of obscure unrelated scripture passages.
This is very sad because a lot of the content on Family Radio was very sound and orthodox.
It is tragic to see a whole ministry team besmirched by such blatant error. Even sadder to say, is that not one of the ministry staff or radio announcers ever denounced Campings prediction.
In spite of false predictors like Camping, we must be aware that we do live in perilous times and Jesus did teach that we could know the season of His imminent return but never the hour or day.
We live in the most momentous time of human history, it is the climax of the ages. Yes there will be great sufferings and tribulation throughout the planet but for those who safely trust in Jesus, it will be a time of being Gods instruments to touch, heal and help others to know Christ. We also look forward to the Eternal Heavenly Kingdom we will soon live in forever.
Just because there are counterfeit $100 bills in circulation does not mean we should throw our bills in the trash, that would be madness. Of course, there is far more genuine currency in circulation than false.
This is true in prophetic things also. Just because there are counterfeit teachings like Campings, that does not mean we regard all teachers on end time events as charlatans and false prophets, there are genuine men and women of God that are sent by God to help us understand the times in which we live.
Above all they seek to lead the lost masses of humanity into safe harbor in Jesus Christ.
READ THE WORDS OF JESUS IN MATTHEW 24 (LIVING BIBLE)
23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. 25 See, I have warned you about this ahead of time.
26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man[e] comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.[f]
29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days,
the sun will be darkened,
the moon will give no light,
the stars will fall from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.[g]
30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.[h] 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world[i]—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation[j] will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.
36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.[k] Only the Father knows.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Hi there,
Paul Sames here. I am constantly amazed at how short and risky life on planet Earth is. Many people act as if they will have a long problem free span in this world.
The reality is, that we will all have a short stay here. (even living 100 years is a short blink, by eternal standards)
We would all love to live free of sorrow, worry, lack, illness and difficulty. The only problem with this expectation though, is that it is impossible. Someone once said "Problems are normal". How true.
From the moment we are born (sometimes even before we are born, while still in our mothers womb) we all experience problems. We usually cry at our first breath, somehow knowing we will soon have a problem on the horizon.
Its usually more of a problem if we dont cry at birth because it probably means we are not breathing. Get the idea? "Problems are normal".
The Good News is that the Creator didnt leave us here without a problem solving Helper. In fact, The Helper is one of the names given in Scripture to the Holy Spirit. He comes along side us and within us to offer "Unlimited Means of Invisible Support"
Jesus Himself said " Ask and it shall be given, Seek and you shall find"
The primary solution to our problems, is to ask the Primary Problem Solver into our lives to give us solutions to lifes insoluble problems.
Wow! What a thought. Is God even interested in helping us? Yes indeed! So interested that He sent His Son as a Man to die a cruel death on a tree at Golgotha 2000 years ago. Why?
Because in dying this death he gave His Life, to all who believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from death.
"He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthains 5:21 KJV
What a deal, nothing in the universe comes close to this, this means we dont have to go through endless reincarnations doing Karma Yoga to reach God. All we have to do is believe in the work of His Death and Resurrection and receive Him as Lord and we are guaranteed a great eternity.
In the meantime while here on earth we have the Power of the Holy Spirit to help us solve or overcome lifes sufferings and problems. Awesome Stuff!
Paul Sames here. I am constantly amazed at how short and risky life on planet Earth is. Many people act as if they will have a long problem free span in this world.
The reality is, that we will all have a short stay here. (even living 100 years is a short blink, by eternal standards)
We would all love to live free of sorrow, worry, lack, illness and difficulty. The only problem with this expectation though, is that it is impossible. Someone once said "Problems are normal". How true.
From the moment we are born (sometimes even before we are born, while still in our mothers womb) we all experience problems. We usually cry at our first breath, somehow knowing we will soon have a problem on the horizon.
Its usually more of a problem if we dont cry at birth because it probably means we are not breathing. Get the idea? "Problems are normal".
The Good News is that the Creator didnt leave us here without a problem solving Helper. In fact, The Helper is one of the names given in Scripture to the Holy Spirit. He comes along side us and within us to offer "Unlimited Means of Invisible Support"
Jesus Himself said " Ask and it shall be given, Seek and you shall find"
The primary solution to our problems, is to ask the Primary Problem Solver into our lives to give us solutions to lifes insoluble problems.
Wow! What a thought. Is God even interested in helping us? Yes indeed! So interested that He sent His Son as a Man to die a cruel death on a tree at Golgotha 2000 years ago. Why?
Because in dying this death he gave His Life, to all who believe that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from death.
"He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthains 5:21 KJV
What a deal, nothing in the universe comes close to this, this means we dont have to go through endless reincarnations doing Karma Yoga to reach God. All we have to do is believe in the work of His Death and Resurrection and receive Him as Lord and we are guaranteed a great eternity.
In the meantime while here on earth we have the Power of the Holy Spirit to help us solve or overcome lifes sufferings and problems. Awesome Stuff!
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