Doctrines of Devils! 1 Timothy 4:1-3

“Fifty percent of women aged 15-44 cohabited outside of marriage between 2006-2010. The number was 43 percent in 2002 and 34 percent in 1995. Source: Casey Cooper, PhD., Demographics, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, MD. April 4, 2013. Comment: Paul wrote this letter to Timothy about 2000 years ago! Paul warned us that a time would come when some would depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils! So what would one of these signs be? Verse three says forbidding to marry! That is living together outside the sanctity of marriage. Paul said this would be one of the signs of the latter times! The statistics show that the Bible does forecast history! The other statistics this life style produces is out of wedlock births, abortion and mother’s on welfare! When a culture abandons the faith something else takes it’s place! Satan’s war on women is alive and well. Everyone will follow someone! Either God or Satan! By choice and default! The good news is that Christ’s return is soon when we add all the signs together in our Bible! Faith in Christ can save anyone to the point of death! After death your choice is locked in forever! Math and science will always confirm the scriptures! History will endorse and prove the scriptures! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Blowing Smoke! Malachi 3:8

The first time the tithe is mentioned in our Bible is in Genesis 14:20. Abram gave a tithe to the Priest Melchizedek! This was before the Law of God was given to us by Moses. I find it difficult sometimes when Christian’s profess that they trust God with their Salvation and eternal life yet they will not trust God with ten percent of their income? This is a contradiction! Jesus commended the widow when she put all she had into the offering plate while others just gave a little off the top! We had some interesting experiences while doing mission work in India! When we would go into the remote villages and preach the Gospel the people would bring us tithes and offerings after the services! This widow brought us a small little chicken on a string about the size of a pigeon! I could not refuse it because it was all she had! I understood this tithe and offering was going to cost her a few meals! Another villager brought us a goat! We named him Charles but he was a real headache for me! I have found that the more money people have the harder it is to give! Why? Simply because they begin to trust in their wealth rather than God! You say you trust God here on earth? Show me! Your tithe belongs to the local church and your offering as God leads you! As a small boy growing up on a farm in Nebraska the annual county fair was the highlight of our life! All the carnival rides, freak shows and other entertainment would be there! Today all the freak shows have moved to Washington D.C.! We would save our quarters all year long getting ready for the fair! They had this one little side show where you put a quarter in the machine and then you turned this little crank wheel and moved your drag line out above the toys beneath it and dropped your bucket to try to catch a prize! I would explain to my little brother Tommy how the last guy that lost his quarter made his mistake and I would have not done it that way! We watched others for two days lose their money to learn from their mistakes! Finally the guy running the concession stand lost his patience with us and shouted at me and said, “Hey boy! Put your money where your mouth is!” That is what God is asking us to do! Not unreasonable! Also other ministries should tithe their income to other ministries! Otherwise they rob God of His tithes! You can read the rest of Chapter three to see the outcome if you disobey God! Simple obey Him and be blessed! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Joshua 24:15

“If it seem evil to reject my authority then make the best choice remembering those who sin hurt other people! Serve either the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites where you dwell now but as for your leader Joshua I declare as for me and those living inside my house we will serve the Lord!” Comment: It is interesting that the Hebrew word for evil is associated with the rejection of God’s authority! It is a choice that leads to the destruction of the sinner and the people around them! The plural word gods used by Joshua refers to idolatry. For those that reject God’s authority they make their own gods! It is exalting self above God! The false gods or idols are substitutes for God that can be controlled by the worshippers! They are puppets on a string! If you have not lived in a culture where idol worship is predominate I can assure you it is a living Hell. An idol can be anything you make it to be! It can be money, sex, fame, evolution, junk science, pleasure, graven images, religion and it is worshipped in place of God! It is self-worship! If you remove God from His throne you will replace Him with something else! The word “House”, used in this passage means those living under your roof! When your children become adult’s and leave home they have to decide if they are going to worship God under their roof! We pray for them! Never give up! My brother-in-law passed on this month! His mother prayed for him to come to Christ all her life and she passed on in 1995. He came to Christ about two years ago! We know from history that not all the Jews chose to serve God and obey Joshua for the next Book in our Bible after the Book of Joshua is the Book of Judges! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

The Penless Author John 1:14

Christ Himself wrote nothing, but furnished endless material for books and songs of gratitude in praise! Philip Schaff (1819-1893) Comment: Yes the Word became flesh! Christ was written about thousands of years before He ever showed up here on earth! No human could accomplish this! People have and are sacrificing their lives for Him on the mission fields of this world yet have never seen Him! I witnessed this first hand in India during the three years we were there! Families in Yercaud on that remote mountain who had been Christians for generations would show me the graves of missionaries who had taken the Gospel to their ancestors! I was not treated like royalty in India because I was anybody but had followed those who had gone before me! Philip Schaff has gone before us! He was a Swiss Theologian who while living here in America was President of the committee that translated the American Standard Bible which was published a few years after his death in 1901. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Best Seller Ever!

The sheer diversity of literature in the Bible is one of its secrets of its continuing popularity through the centuries! There is something for all moods and many different cultures! Its message is not buried in religious jargon only accessible to believers or scholars but reflects the issues that people struggle with in daily life! John Drane, Scottish Theologian and author. Comment: First of all the Bible is the number one best seller because it is written with the finger of God! It speaks to all cultures because it is written by the God that created all cultures! God speaks to His people through His Word! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Worship & Service! Luke 10:38-42

Jesus commended Mary for choosing the good part! Let us look at the Greek word good as used in this passage of scripture! It is Strongs #18. It means constitutionally good but not to benefit others! It means profitable! It means to derive an advantage from it. There is an opposite word used in the Greek for good! It is “Harmartano”, Strongs #264. It means to miss the mark or sin! Mary’s sister Martha was serving and wanted Mary to help! There is nothing wrong with serving because it benefits others! Remember Jesus said he who is greatest in the Kingdom of God is servant of all. However in this case we are talking about God being in your presence! Jesus was not putting Martha down but explained to her that Mary her sister recognized Jesus true value! Remember over in the Book of Luke Mary spent nearly a year’s wages on the perfume to anoint Jesus body for burial. Judas put her down for it! How we value people and things is very important! If we are not careful we can overvalue things and undervalue people! If we undervalue God then nothing else we ever value will help us! Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and He will add to us what is needed! Did you value your father and mother today? Did you value your Pastor today? Did you pray for him? I recently stayed in a wealthy man’s house. He is a good man but when I asked him the name of his Pastor he did not know? If we do not value what is most valuable then it becomes sin! Like Martha serve Him but more important like Mary  worship Him! Get in His presence! One second in Jesus presence will start a fire in your soul that will glow forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

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

Crowns! Revelation 4:10

In the Kingdom of Heaven it is His work that will be crowned, not yours! Anything in you that He has not wrought Himself will count for nothing! Johannes Tauler (1300-1361). Comment: This statement might let the hot air out of your balloon? Just a piece of humble pie will help us! Let us look at Revelation 4:10 The events described in Chapter four is the Rapture of the Church! The earthly residence of the Church is moved to Heaven! There are other scriptures that support this like the dead in Christ being raised first! The events found in this chapter are astounding to say the least! People are not falling to sleep in church here! Part of the scene here is the 24 elders clothed in white rainment and having gold crowns on their heads! Old is gold especially in Heaven! Remember the Sanhedrin was made up of 70 elders who many believe the Apostle Paul had been a member. We get our word Presbyterian from this Greek word! The elders were worshiping Christ around the Throne of God! Then they cast down their crowns before the Throne of God! There are different root words used in our Bible for our English word crowns! The word used here is not a King’s crown! Tell me more? It is a crown given to those as would have won a military battle! You might call it the Medal of Honor! The crown was woven of oak or ivory! Wood was used like in the Cross or the crown of thorns. Then it was dipped in gold! You have probably heard of the oak leaf cluster! Given to brave soldiers in battle! The 24 elders had enough sense to know that they conquered in Jesus Name! So this old theologian who lived in the 1300’s got it right! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Lazarus Sleepeth! John 11:11 Greek Translation

The Greek word “Koimao” used here for sleep means deceased or dead! Jesus goes on in a later verse to emphasize that Lazarus is dead! There is another Greek word used for sleep in the New Testament which is “Katheudo.” This word means to lie down and rest but was not used in this passage of scripture. What may be of interest to you is this same Greek word used for sleep which means deceased or dead is the same word used in Acts 12:6. Peter was sleeping between two soldiers in chains! Verse 7; The Angel of the Lord came upon him and light shone in the prison and smote Peter on the side and raised him up, saying arise up! His chains fell off! Herod had Peter beaten badly! By definition of the word used Peter could have been deceased lying between the two soldiers! Peter may have been raised from the dead! The angel was probably Jesus Himself! The events recorded in our Bible are important to our Faith so I make an effort to go back to the original languages to see greater detail! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Life & Death!

He that fears death losses the joys of life! John Huss (1369-1415) John was a Czech Priest, philosopher and Professor at Prague University. He was considered the first church reformer and key predecessor to Protestantism! He was burned at the stake for heresy against the Doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church! At his trial he told his accusers he would recant anything he ever wrote or said if it contradicted the Holy Bible! Otherwise I stand on solid ground! His ashes were thrown into the Rhine River.