Jesus tone and language changed between chapter 5 and chapter 6 of Matthew. Jesus moves from your public life to your private life. There should be no difference. No conflict between them. Jesus had an audience of the working poor which included most of his disciples. There were Jews, Greeks, Romans in the crowd and a few rich folks. The working poor would be those who earn just enough to buy their daily food. The whole family had to work to survive. Jesus message was about spending, saving and giving. How do American’s spend their money? Let us look at some big money people. NFL football players by a majority (68%) are broke after 2 years of retirement. Almost all Lotto winners are broke within one year of their winnings! Where is our heart? Money follows the heart. We are to save to give when there is a need. We are to be good stewards. If we spend all we have then nothing is left to help those in need. Proverbs6:6- Watch the ant! We are to spend less than we make just as the ant eats less than he gathers. We are to save to be generous at every opportunity. Matthew 6:22. Watch your eyes! What you focus on will be what you worship! Your eyes will focus your heart on treasures and your soul will bond to those things. Luke 16:10 How we handle money tells a lot about ourselves. He that is faithful with little will be faithful with much. This passage discounts Christians who say I will give when I make more money. Most people worry about money. Americans only give about 2% to charities. God does not have enough generosity among His people. Matthew 6:24 You cannot serve God and money and have two masters. The Lord says to tithe, save and give. God wants to be respected as, “Lord of All!” Begin to act like God owns it all! The love of money is the root of all evil. Who do you love? Money is not evil unless you love it! Think about it all the time. Love God and money will follow you enough to supply your needs and the needs of others. Love God and money will leave no sorrows. Love money and it will be a cruel task master. Money is not evil unless we use it to replace worship of the living God. Source; Sermon notes from message given by Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Month: July 2013
Swear! What Does It Mean? Genesis 21:23, Matthew 23:16-23
This word is interesting but not understood by most. As a child I was taught not to swear. What my parents meant was using bad words that would defame God. The old saying is do not let people swear by you or at you! So many advertisements in America use this word to try to sell their products. In the Bible the word has two different meanings depending on whether Old or New Testament. In the Old Testament the word first appears in Genesis 21:23. The Hebrew word is “Shaba.” It means to make an oath or declaration 7 times. Seven is the number of completeness. Seven days in a week, 7 years, 70, ect. I remember as a child my parents would say I am only going to tell you one time! If not all hell broke loose for me! The word is a short cut to say something 7 times. God swore to multiply and Bless Abraham’s descendants. God swore by His Holiness to lead Israel into captivity. (Amos 4:2) The Lord swears by Himself since there is none greater. Abimelech and Phicol asked Abraham to swear his kindness and integrity to them and their descendants. David’s men adjured him not to go into battle again. The Land of Canaan became the Promised Land gave to His people based on an oath. Thousands of years later the nation of Israel today stands as a testimony! Now let us look at the word “swear” as used in the New Testament. The Greek word is “Omnuo.” It means to stand up or establish. Jesus repeats this word to the Pharisees and scribes as follows in Matthew 23:16-23; Woe unto you who swear by the temple, by gold, altar, by the gift,ect. Jesus was telling them you cannot lift up or establish yourselves by these things! Actually, the one who they could be lifted up and established by Christ they rejected! I love my Pastor, family and friends but none of them can establish me before God! Jesus is interceding for us right now! We are to pray for one another bur remember no one can save you or others including your Pastor except Christ and Christ alone! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Christians! Stand Your Ground! Daniel 12:3
Latest IRS revelation is agency is targeting those who give 10 percent or more to charities? That means Christians who follow the Bible and tithe 10 percent or more of their income are targets! The average American gives 2 percent of their income to charities. We as Christians know 10 percent giving is the least we can give. I am 64 years old and have never living here in America all my life seen such an abuse of power by President Obama of any standing president! It reminds me of a mafia figure using federal agencies who are paid by our tax dollars to go after Christians because he does not agree with our Biblical positions on many issues. This life is a battle between good and evil. We are now in America where good is called evil and evil is called good. We need to stand on the side of righteousness regardless of the cost to us. Stand on Holy Ground and continue the fight! Time is short and the good we stand for is locked in by our Christ both now and forever! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tempted Or Tested? Genesis 22:1, Matthew 6:13, James 1:13
These are two different words in the Hebrew and Greek. God will test us! Satan will tempt us! The sources are different and the outcome is different. Abraham was tested with his son Isaac. Judas was tempted. Jesus was tempted but resisted by quoting scripture to Satan. Jesus was tested by His Father on the Cross. God giving you a test will lead to righteousness. Satan tempting you will lead to enticing you to do evil and sin against God. Learn to recognize the difference so you can recognize the source! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Being Awesome In Obscurity! Matthew Chapter 6.
Why do we do what we do? Motives! Great people of God always have seasons of obscurity! Jesus in the desert, John the Baptist, Apostle John and many more examples in the Old Testament. American culture counters the idea of obscurity with social networks, web sites, instant media flashes, ect. God has to prepare out hearts and will not let us go public until we are right with Him and our fellow man. Motive is the spiritual mirror of the heart. The truth of scripture divides the motives of the heart. No one can hide wrong motives from God. The religious leaders of Jesus day gave money to be honored by men. Jesus said to give in secret. Then God will reward you openly! You will notice Jesus mentions reward three times. You will notice in Matthew Chapter 5, verse 16 that Jesus says to let your light so shine. Is Jesus contradicting Himself or is He talking about two different things? Shine or do in secret? It is all about motive. Neither do we boast or hide. We are a peculiar people. When people ask about your Godly behavior share your story about how God has changed you! Jesus mentioned a reward five times when you do the following three things in secret! They are; Give, pray and fast. Jesus says when we do these things which means we do them regularly! All three of these things are costly! Giving costs us money. To pray costs us time. To some time is money. To fast costs us energy. Most people say they trust in God and few Christians will do these three things regularly. To do these things means we embrace weakness. Most Christian’s will want to tell others they are doing these three things. Why? Motive! The Pharisee’s were the religious super stars of Jesus day. They fasted, prayed and gave money openly for men to see with no effect or approval from God! There will be seasons of obscurity sent from God to you so that you get right with who you are and do not give up your identity to please men! In Luke Chapter 4, verse 14 we read He returned with Power of the Spirit! God will not give you a public platform until you are ready! When Jesus came up out of the water during Baptism His Father in Heaven said; ” This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased!” What is the reward Jesus is talking about if we do these three things? Some Christians especially in America think it is money, big houses, fancy cars, gold, land, stocks, bonds, ect. Some will even borrow great amounts of money to show the world they are Blessed of God? The reward Jesus is talking about is this; ” His Presence. ” His love for you! An eternity spent with Him both now and forever! Source; Sermon notes from Pastor Brady Boyd at New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. July 14, 2013. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Belief In God Equals Righteousness! Genesis 15:6
This verse is believed by some to be the key verse of the entire Old Testament. It is an important witness to the doctrine of justification by faith and to the doctrine of the unity in believers in both dispensations. Abraham’s faith was accounted to him for righteousness before he was circumcised and more than 400 years before the law was given to his descendants. Therefore neither circumcision nor the law had any part in Abraham’s righteousness. Paul proves that Abraham’s faith was not merely confidence in God nor simple obedience to God’s command, but that it was indeed faith in the promise of redemption through Christ. (Romans 3:21-22, 4:18-25; Galatians 3:14). The word, “belief” is from the Hebrew root word “Aman.” My favorite translation of this word is as follows; A secure nail that finds a solid place to grip. Like a nail in a cross! Now go to Isaiah 22:23. It reads as follow; And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne in his father’s house. The word “sure” is the same Hebrew word “Aman” that is used for the word “belief” in Genesis 15:6. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Jesus – An Illegal Immigrant? Genesis 14:13
The word Hebrew means, “Immigration.” Immigration is a hot topic in America right now mostly for political reasons with upcoming mid-term elections. Jesus was from Heaven yet born on the earth. He immigrated to earth. We are all earthly immigrants passing through this planet. The word Hebrew also means to cross-over. Did you notice the word, “Cross?” It also means the opposite side as of a river (east of the Jordan). True Christians will always be on the opposite side of culture whether it be gays, abortion, ect. The word can also mean to pass away or deliver over. It can also mean to cover in copulation. Our sin is covered in His Blood! Christ came from Heaven to earth to bring Heaven to us. He got on a Cross to build a bridge to Heaven for us. We all need a cross-over from death to life. Only one bridge leads to Heaven. What bridge are you on? The materialism bridge? The bridge of atheism, secularism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Darwaiism, Marxism, or you may be on the republican, democratic, liberal, conservative bridge? Are you on the race bridge? Abraham was a foreigner in a strange land but he was not a foreigner to God! God put him “in trust” to secure a land and a people through Christ that number more than the sands of the sea! You can only pass-over with a Pass Port with a Visa stamped Heaven in Christ’s Blood! Get on that one way highway to Heaven through Jesus Christ. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Military Humor!
Rick Jason starred as Lieutenant Hamlin and Vick Morrow as Sargeant Saunders in a military world war II television series back in the 1960’s called ‘Combat.” As a lot of shows back then they contained high moral content. The U.S. Combat units were engaged with 1000 German infantry who were located on a mountain with heavy weapons. Lt. Hamlin’s squad was located at the base of this mountain dug in watching allied aircraft and artillery pound the German positions. A new recruit found Lt. Hamlin in the trenches and said, ” Sir if we get lucky the Germans will vacate this mountain tonight!” Lt. Hamlin repied,” private tonight we are going to make some of our own luck for we are going to crawl up this mountain beginning at 2000 hours and take this mountain for America.” Some of these old movies can be seen on Youtube. They portray something very important for in the midst of death and destruction great moral character is demonstrated! Just like we see at the “Cross!” As we approach the 4th of July celebration remember our military members of past, present and future who have and will pay the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom! Remember that great people are always targets! The Cross-Hairs of the Cross are our best example. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com