There are two ways to slide through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Tag: believe
Do You Need Intervention? Romans 8:27
Greek Translation: ‘He that searches the thoughts and intentions of the heart knows what is the purpose of the Spirit because He intervenes for the morally blameless (Saints), according to the will of God.” Comment: Mt biggest surprise when translating this passage from the Greek are from the two English words “Maketh intercession.” The two English words used here have nothing to do with prayer! In fact I looked up every Greek word used for prayer in the New Testament and the Strongs#1793 is never used for prayer! I assumed all my life that this scripture was talking about prayer? The Holy Spirit is the active agent of the Trinity! The Holy Spirit is the servant of the Father and the Son! The Holy Spirit will and does intervene for the Saints when required! The word intervene is a more accurate English word for making intercession! The virgin birth is probably the best example of the Holy Spirit intervention into our natural world! The Holy Spirit intervened into the natural biological processes of Mary and Jesus Christ the Son of God was born into the earth to redeem the earth! This is important because Muslims believe according to the Koran that God had sex with Mary! Another example of intervention would be the speaking in Tongues at Pentecost! God knows the thoughts and intensions of our heart! The Holy Spirit knows His purpose and the will of God for you and me! The will of God is expressed in the Word of God! You might want to read your Bible regularly? Based upon the will and Word of God He intervenes as required for us! Are the thoughts and purposes of our heart right with God? We may need intervention! Start by confessing your sin to Jesus and ask Him to clean and sanctify our hearts! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Made Whole! Luke 8:48-50
Jairus the Temple ruler had one daughter 12 years old who was very sick! Jairus had sent for Jesus but He got delayed when a crowd of sick people thronged Him! A woman in the crowd touched the hem of His garment and got healed! Jesus commended her for her faith! Jairus sent another message to Jesus telling Him not to come for his daughter is dead! You might call this a cold case! Jesus presented two conditions for restoration! Fear not and believe and you will be made whole! So what does the words made whole mean? Elementary Watson! The Greek root word used here is “Sozo.” It is the same word used for our English word “Salvation.” This word means a spiritual and eternal rescue granted immediately by God for those who believe in Christ! It is the current experience of God’s power to those who believe in Christ! It is God’s power to deliver us from sin and death! What death are we talking about here? It is the second death or eternal judgment made by Christ Himself! Remember Jairus daughter and Lazarus were raised from the dead but they died a physical death again! Lightening can strike twice! I was delivered from my death bed in 1973 and have served Christ for the past 44 years but I will experience another physical death! Remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 5:5? Remember the congregation member living with his father’s wife? Verse 5: “To deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ.” Remember Physical death is Satan’s work not God’s work! Death is the result of sin! If Salvation was a rescue of our physical bodies here on earth then we would never die again while here on earth! At the resurrection we will receive glorified bodies that will never get sick or die! Remember at the Judgment seat of Christ some Christians will lose their rewards but not their Salvation! When some Christians get to Heaven will they be on probation? Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us! Jesus went back to Heaven to pray for us, send the Holy Spirit and prepare a place for us! He will come again! You cannot go there unless you have Salvation with a new body and a redeemed soul! He can provide that to you because of Calvary! The Easter message is about this hope we have in Him and His promises to those who accept Him as Savior! Our hope is in Him! Our past is in Him! Our present is in Him! Our future is in Him! He is the same yesterday, today and forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Evil Spirit from the Lord? 1 Samuel 19:9
This verse in the Old Testament of your Bible may at first seem contradictory! God is good, righteous and Holy! When I was young my dad told me the way he would keep me out of hell was to beat the hell out of me! You may not want to use this scripture in Samuel to teach your 5th grade Sunday school class! However I believe even children could understand this verse if properly taught! Here is what we want to remember abut God! God uses evil to punish evil! That is why He has reserved a place called Hell for the wicked! Pastor’s don’t preach much on Hell anymore? Does not market well. God fights fire with fire just as a firefighter starts backfires to stop a forest fire! Just as a politician will never waste a crisis so God will never waste evil. Whether it be Saul or Judas the results are the same! This leads us to an important question? If the Spirit of God does not dwell in us then what Spirit? Once you are “Born Again” and accept Christ as Savior then Jesus promised to send His Holy Spirit into you! Choices matter and Heaven and Hell rest in the balance! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
So Why Believe?
The ultimate ground of Faith and knowledge is confidence in God! Charles Hodge (1787-1878)
Christmas Day 800 A.D.
Make us eternal truths receive and practice all that we believe: Give us thyself, that we may see The Father and the Son by Thee! Charles the Great (742-814) Charlemagne reached the height of his power in 800 when he was crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III on Christmas day at Old Saint Peter’s Basilica.
We Believe In!
This has and is a series of messages we will continue today. Church history is important because He is the same yesterday, today and forever! We need to understand the foundation of our Faith! When we begin a journey to a specific destination we must stay on a tested proven path! The Nicene Creed does not replace the Bible but it condenses the most important elements of our Faith! The Creed is a guardrail that keeps us on the right road and helps prevent detours that could get us lost! It is hard to get upset with this Creed! If you lose a football game you cannot blame the playbook! You have to execute the play! Sometimes the church has petty differences but all can agree on this Creed! The part of the Creed we are studying this morning is, “We believe in one Holy, Universal and Apostolic Church.” Just as the Creed professes one God, one Christ and one Holy Spirit so the Creed professes one Church! Sometimes the church can be a disappointment! Our expectations are very high! The hardest people to council and encourage are those who have been abused by the church! Jesus understands this! My father when I was a young lad did not attend church! My mother took us to church and he went fishing! He always took me fishing after we got back from church. My father believed the church was full of hypocrites! He recognized later in life all were sinners and we all need a Savior! My wife Pam went through surgery last week! There is no greater comfort than the people of God! His church surrounds you in love and prayer! Nothing is sweeter! Nothing is greater than taking God’s love to people and then it is returned to you in your time of need! That my friend is Heaven! Why belong to a local church? First it is God’s plan! Do not forsake your assembling together! The local church is a non-negotiable. We need the community of the local church! A medical doctor cannot mature unless he has patients! We need someone to practice love on! Yes, you can find Jesus outside the church but you can only mature inside the church! Yes, we need our private devotions but congregational worship cannot be replaced! We will not be in Heaven by ourselves! You will have to cooperate with other Saints! God’s presence is magnified when we worship together! There is only one church on planet earth! There is only one church in Heaven! In church you worship with people who do not look like you! Hey, it is your lucky day! You have to worship with republicans, democrats, immigrants both legal and illegal! America is more divided today than anytime in my lifetime! Yes, we had our Revolutionary and Civil War but today has a cultural war like none I have seen before! The Bible says that God created all of us in His Image! If you believe that the racism, sexism, rich and poor has to go! The church breaks down the stereotypes! The world tries to separate us and the church unites us! What does Apostolic mean? When my son Abram was small he could not pronounce that word and when he tried it sounded like alcoholic! We get our word apostles from apostolic. The Apostles lived with Jesus and recorded what He did and said! The twelve disciples had first hand knowledge of Jesus life! The teachings of Jesus were handed down to us! In the 1st century there were a few thousand followers. Today 1/3 of the earth’s population is Christian! Jesus revealed to us how to live! Matthew 16:15-18 Peter denied Christ then repented and Jesus told him upon this rock I will build my church! Peter became the leader of the Jerusalem church and the first Pope of Rome! We have community in one Holy, Universal Apostolic Church! Acts 2:42 What this verse says is that they continued to have church! Again we come into the church with certain expectations! Remember marriage is not always romantic! We sometimes have exaggerated idea’s about things! Remember the church is a community of imperfect people! Why give up on the church? The church is full of saved sinners! The church is full of frail people! In church we take off our masks and are transparent before God! We openly testify of God’s redemptive work in our lives! Philippians 2:12 The church is where we work out our salvation! We cannot do it in private! We have to love people we do not agree with! The world looks into the church and tries to figure it out? It’s growth and influence exceeds any corporation in history! The world needs the church example with it’s unity in Christ! The church is a colony of life in a country of death! Our Mary’s Home and other facilities in Colorado Springs are a beacon of light in a dark world! We take people in who are on the margins of our culture and give them hope! We show the world what can happen when Christ’s followers come together in unity! We cannot do these things by ourselves! We just do what Jesus does and the world wonders in awe! Miracles! In church we meet people we would not choose! The church chose you and me! You can choose your friends but not your family! We love people who are not like us! The Holy Spirit confirms us! We are under the same tent with new and different people! John Chrysostom a famous theologian who lived from 347-407 A.D. said, “The church is an angelic commonwealth where the poor man knows no shame and the rich man knows no haughtiness!” Jesus is the head of the church! Remember Paul persecuted the church and then became an Apostle of the church! Ephesians 1: 22-23 Jesus is the head of His Body the Church! The Holy Spirit shapes the church into His Image! His Holy family looks like Jesus! Thankyou. Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Why Believe?
The Apostle Paul told us five things we must remember if we are to be sincere followers of Jesus Christ. We follow Him out of conviction not out of convenience! First Jesus has always existed! He is the only sure foundation! All else will fail and pass away! Jesus will never leave you or forsake you! He was and is and is to come! Second Jesus is fully God! He took on our humanity but kept His Divinity! Fully God and fully man! Why are our prayers answered? His death was full payment for our sin and we are no longer separated from God! Third through Jesus all things were created! All things were created for Jesus! He exists for you! Invite Jesus into your life! Invite Him into your marriage, your work, your plans and your future! No future without Jesus! Jesus created marriage! He knows how to hold it together! When a couple has Jesus on the thrown of their lives and marriage great things happen! Jesus created all human life! Fourth the Holy Spirit will give you the power you need to continue in His purpose! Everyday is a new day! All things become new! The Holy Spirit has changed the game! You can win now! Jesus said no man comes to the Father but by me! Fifth you need to decide today to believe! Is He your Lord? Is Christ your Lord or someone or something else? Are you on your own throne? Christ left a perfect Heaven to suffer for you! His Kingdom will have no end! Do you want to be a part of forever? C. S. Lewis said that Christ is either a lunatic, liar or He is Lord! How many bad choices before you choose Christ? How much suffering do you want trying to make it own your own? Nobody has ever succeeded trying! Victory or failure depends on who you have on the thrown of your life! Self or Christ? I cannot choose for you but I can say when I chose Christ things began and continue to get better in my life! Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
The Nicene Creed
WE BELIEVE IN one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen. WE BELIEVE IN one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation He came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate: He suffered death and was buried. On the third day He rose again in accordance with the scriptures: He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead, and His Kingdom will have no end. WE BELIEVE IN the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one Holy universal and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen
What is Wrong with a Tattoo? Leviticus 19:28
The Bible says not to cut yourself or make a print on your body! Why? Well, just because God says not to do it is not good enough for me! Really? God is not going to tell me what to do! I am going to be my own God and decide what to do! Sound familiar? Are we talking about you again? We live in a world at war with God! There was a popular song back in the 1960’s titled, “I fought the law and the law won!” My mother back in the 1960’s used to ask me and my brother Tommy why we never brought home any homework from school? We told her we were too smart to study! Tommy and I should be grading the teachers! Mom said if that is true then how come your grades are so sick? Mom those teachers are so dumb they could not recognize talent even if it bit them! Me and Tommy had homeless homework! God said my people perish for a lack of knowledge! When Tommy and I got our grade reports the law won! God simply gave us the law so that we recognize that we need a Savior! God has only one who is worthy to carry marks on His body! Those prints and cuttings were placed on His body by all of us at the Cross! Even Jesus disciple Thomas after the Cross said I will not believe unless I see the nail prints in His hands! Unless I see and feel the scars of his pierced side! We only carry our own scars because we reject the marks taken for us by Jesus on the Cross! You can make your own marks but it will never save you! All of the pain and suffering was reserved for only one Jesus Christ the Son of the living God! You may mark your body but it is impossible for you to carry the sin of the world! If you have already marked your body then think of the Cross when you look on your marks of sin! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse GodWhoisGod.com