Is Your Faith Out of Shape?

Faith means something when it is exercised in the darkness! Joseph Bayly (1920-1986) Joseph lost three children to blood cancer! He was an American author, publishing executive and the President of the David C. Cook publishing company located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

What is a Familiar Spirit? 1 Samuel 28:7

Common sense would say a familiar spirit is a spirit you are familiar with! It is connected with Satan and sin! Before you were born again in Christ this is the spirit that ruled you! Saul sought a woman with a familiar spirit. Why? We will answer this soon! The word familiar spirit translated from the Hebrew means a necromancer. This is the occult practice of consulting the dead! It is one who proclaims to give revelation in uncertain times. Today a fortune teller or a palm reader would be an example. The Jews were strictly forbidden from engaging in this practice of consulting mediums! There is also another meaning for this Hebrew word. It can signify a leather bottle that may burst under pressure! Remember the Jeannie in the bottle! Remember Jesus said not to put new wine in old wine skins! A necromancer will beat skin stretched drums with chants and burn incense to draw spirits. The connection between the two meanings could be that a medium was seen as a container for a conjured spirit. Samuel the Priest had died and Saul had no one to consult about God’s plans and purposes for him. The Lord was angry at Saul for his disobedience! King Saul was facing the Philistine armies in war against Israel. God had already prepared David for the next King of Israel. Saul continued to try to contact God through the Prophet’s and the Urim. The Urim is a noun meaning fire. It refers to the fire of God’s judgment and God’s destruction of the wicked. It is used to speak of a form of idol worship! That is people burning other people in fire! Saul got no answers so his servant’s advised him to contact a woman that had a familiar spirit. So he went to the medium of Endor and Saul asked her to bring up Samuel’s spirit! Samuel was really upset for Saul disturbing him from the Bliss of Heaven! Samuel gave Saul the bad news that the Philistines were going to defeat him soundly! Saul was later killed in battle. The New Testament of our Bible also talks about spirits! There are unclean, dumb, foul, infirmity, divining, evil, bondage and world spirits. John warned us not to believe every spirit! In the case of Saul and the woman with the familiar spirit an evil spirit revealed a good spirit Samuel! It is usually God’s spirit that reveals an evil spirit! We must remember that at one time we were evil in sin apart from God! So our sin revealed the goodness of God sending His son Jesus Christ to atone for our sin! It was our wickedness that revealed the goodness of God! Remember this when you think you are so Holy above everyone else! John told us to try the spirits! He went on to say that every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is from God! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Goliath Attends Rock Concert! 1 Samuel 17:

The name Goliath is a verb meaning to uncover, remove or go into exile! It means to expose. The name does not mean giant so don’t name your kid Goliath! Whether to expose Israel’s weakness or Goliath’s false gods? Goliath cursed David in the name of his gods. Notice gods is plural. He was an idol worshiper! How can I please all the gods? If I please one will I offend the others? Will I anger some of my gods? Superstition follows this belief system! Idol’s are usually made of stone or wood. They are man made carved images. They represent the gods men make! They are made in the image of men! Man making God! David replied to Goliath by saying, “The battle belongs to the Lord!” The name is singular! The name Lord means the self-existent one! It is the name Jehovah the God of Israel. Notice David took five smooth stones out of the brook. Why five? Goliath had four brothers who were also giants! They were later slain in battles but not by David. No images were carved on these stones by men! You might say Goliath’s name was on one of these five stones! These stones in the brook were formed by water and the creator God! The stones Goliath carved his image on were defeated by the stone God created! Sin is an image breaker! Islam is founded on Idol worship! Mecca is known as the place of the black stone. There were 360 idol’s in Mecca so they chose their best idol and named him Allah! The Jews were not Idol worshipers however when they did fall into this practice they were exiled by God! They were not exiled by a physical Goliath but were exiled by the spiritual Goliath! God made man in His own Image! Christ expressed God’s Image perfectly because He was God! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Coronation at Bethlehem! 1 Samuel 16:13

Samuel the Priest anointed David at Bethlehem to replace King Saul. The estimated date is around 1030 B.C. About 1000 years later another King was born in Bethlehem! The Jews recognized that the Messiah, the Christ would come through David’s lineage. One of the key titles given to Jesus during His earthly ministry was “Son of David.” David was more than a King he was a warrior! Jesus was more than an earthly King! He is King over heaven and earth! He pre-existed Creation! He is Prince of peace but He is also a warrior! He will lead the armies of Heaven when He returns for His Millennium Rule here on earth! Those that do not submit to His rule will be ruled with a rod of iron! The war here on earth is a war between good and evil! Between light and darkness! Between Christianity and Islam! The coronation of Jesus at Calvary made a way for us to repent of our sin! Man has declared war on God! Peace will come when man accepts the King! Left to our own capacity sin will rule us! Submit to the King and let His peace reign in you! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

A Prophet Like Moses! Deuteronomy 18:15-19

Only Abraham was called a prophet before Moses. A prophet is one who is called by God and can only proclaim what the Lord has given him to say. A prophet could not contradict the Law or speak out of his own mind or heart. What a prophet spoke had to come true! A prophet is visionary and perceptive. Prophets are also connected to music as in the case of King David. A prophetess like Miriam or Debra had the gift of songs. The identity of the unnamed prophet was revealed through other scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments of your Bible. By Jesus day, the Jews had developed a clear cut expectation of a yet future figure who would fulfill Moses words. Priests and Levites from Jerusalem asked John the Baptist if he were, “the prophet?” John denied it but pointed to Jesus Christ! Everything that Jesus has prophesized about himself and future events has or is coming to pass! Jesus also warned us about false prophets! If you reject the true prophet then you will be deceived by the false prophet! I believe the false prophet who aligns himself with the anti-Christ is Islam! Islam is deceiving many of youth today and alluring them into his death trap! The power and authority of Christ will overcome this evil one and has also promised us victory over all our enemies! Our sin is the first foe He has defeated! Every new day is an appointment with Christ as He reveals His plans for our lives! Your eternity began the day you received Christ as your savior! You will complete your mission here on earth and then go back to Heaven to the place He has prepared for you! Your purpose in Christ is never over and is as eternal as God Himself! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Christians Arm Yourselves!

I warned Christians over a year ago on our blog about arming yourself! I will not detail all that but you can go back and read it. I never thought America would ever come to this but it has! Will the Crusaders be back? We will find out within the next few months and years? Some Christians will say I do not trust God? I trust God but do not trust man! David had to take up arms to defend his faith and so did the Crusaders! If you study history it is clear there were times and seasons of war! Right now in America the weapons are purely defensive but that could also change in our present environment! I just want to defend my family! Nothing more! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

The Spiritual Mystery of Sex! 1 Corinthians 6—–

The Greeks invented athletic contests and held them in honor of their gods! The Isthmus games were held every two years at the Isthmus of Corinth. The ancient Olympics were begun in 700 B.C. in honor of Zeus. No women were allowed to watch the games and only Greek nationals were allowed to participate. Corinth was a beautiful place in southern Greece with ocean on both sides. It was a major trade route with lots of wealthy people living there. The population had a lot of retired Roman military leaders living there so it was a secure place. It was a thriving place! It was also a sexually broken place with 1000 prostitutes in their temples. The poor got wealthy there! Quick money was to be made in Corinth. God created sex and it is one of his best idea’s! Next to Salvation He has never come up with a better idea! The problem is the world has perverted a great idea. There are over 430 million pornography sites on the internet! It is the most viewed topic on the internet. It has devastating effects on relationships. The world’s question about sex is, “How can I have better sex with more people?” This was Corinth and the world we live in today. What should be the question about sex in the Church? How can I Glorify God with my sexuality? 1 Corinthians 6:18. Flee sexual immorality! God designed sex to be used in the marriage covenant. The purpose of children is to raise righteous seed to counter the unrighteous seed in the earth. God’s design for marriage is beautiful! People do not like to hear wait until marriage. The city slogan in Corinth and even in America today is I will do what I want with whom I want where I want and when I want! People in Corinth would ask an immoral person the following question? Have you been Corinthinized? Have you been Americanized? Porn devastates the Church! The body is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord! Our bodies are members of Christ’s Body! The world says it does not matter what you do with your body? Is it your body or His? The cultural teachers in America say you can do what you want? No boundaries! Choices do not matter? Christ took on a human body. His human body was Crucified on a Cross. He was resurrected in a human body. Christ gave dignity to the human body! What we do with our body does have consequences! Good or bad! If Christ lives in your body can you unite Him with a prostitute? The two become one flesh! Sex has a spiritual and a physical dimension. You cannot have one without the other! You save yourself for marriage not as a consequence but as a Gift from God. Matthew 19:5-6. Leave your father and mother and become one flesh. Parents this is the only way you get grandchildren! No longer two but one. God joins two together as one in spirit and flesh. You are welded together. Do not be unequally yoked. Let no man separate what God has joined together! The powers of hell cannot separate us. Many do not wait? If so start over. Today start over. Anyone who comes to Christ is given a second chance! Sexual sin is commited against your own body. A little like suicide. Stand firm and flee sexual immorality! Turn and run! Run away from sin and run towards God! Psalm 101:2. Set your eyes on no vile thing! There are thousands of ads everyday promoting products with sex! David’s sin with Bathsheba began with wandering eyes! Stay focused on God! Do you notice the word, “Bath”, in her name? An idol replaces the true worship of God. Since in creation the woman was taken from the man it is easy for men to worship the woman which is self worship! It can become idol worship and replace the true Worship of God! There is a fine line here and we have to discern. I love my wife best when I love God! Take inventory! Do you need a warehouse to store all your idol’s? Your body is the Temple of The Holy Spirit! Honor God with your body! We are not our own but have been bought with a price! We serve one true God in one Temple who lives in us! The Greeks temple was aphroditis and their 1000 prostitutes! Corinth also had a slave culture. It included more than just sex slaves. Paul did not endorse slavery! In the Greek culture slaves were indentured servants! When a slave escaped and got captured he was turned over to a worse master. If you try to escape God your are turned over to the King of slave masters who is Satan! Christ has freed you from slavery! Jesus is not a cruel slave master but became a slave for you and laid down His life for you! Honor God with your body! It is personal to God what we do with our bodies. Why? We belong to Him! If you come into my house with mud and manure on your shoes I will get upset! I belong to Christ! My children belong to Christ! My family belongs to Christ! Our bodies belong to Christ and what we do with our bodies is very important! Source; Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given on Sunday, February 9, 2014.

Tribute To Captain David Lyons USAF 1985-2013

One of our very own Captain David Lyons was celebrated at the memorial service today in Colorado Springs at New Life Church. The military protocol was moving as hundreds of Air Force Academy Cadets and other military members attended the services along with New Life church members. Captain David Lyons was killed in action last month in Afghanistan by a suicide bomber. Other military members were killed and injured in the attack along with some NATO troops. David was a star athlete at the Air Force Academy and still holds the Idaho High School State record for the shot put throw. He was adopted and took on his adopted parents name. His wife Dana is also an Air Force Academy graduate and serves in the Air Force. It is so encouraging to see military members and church members support their fallen hero’s and their families. I want to give you a famous quote by Charles Province which was given at the memorial service. It reads as follows;” It is the Soldier, not the minister who gives us freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, not the reporter who gives us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet who gives us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer who gives us freedom to protest. it is the Soldier, not the lawyer who gives us the right to a fair trial. It is the Soldier, not the politician who has given us the right to vote. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, and Who’s coffin is draped by the flag!” Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, That a man lay down his life for his friends!” The word friends translates from the Greek as neighbor. Remember in Mark Chapter 12 the scribes asked Jesus which is the greatest Commandment? Jesus answered, “”Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, soul, mind and strength. Then the second is to love thy neighbor as thyself. There is no greater Commandment than these!” David did lay down his life for his neighbor’s which represents millions of American’s and millions of people in Afghanistan! We must also recognize a distinction here. David laid down his life to save others! The suicide bomber laid down his life to destroy others! There are two separate eternities for each. There are two sides of the fence here. In one eternity David is joined with Christ the one he lived and died for! The suicide bomber who died to bring death to others is separated from God forever in the fires of hell! Two different outcomes created by two different choices! Choose this day who you will serve! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Sermon On The Mount Series New Life Church

Matthew Chapter 5; The sermon on the mount is the most taught and least followed of all Jesus teachings! Jesus brings a new imagination ( image ) and a new people out of this sermon. Israel has a history of getting things wrong! They moved from holiness, sin, rebellion, repentance and back to holiness. The difficulty today is the church is just like Israel. Often we cannot tell the difference between the church and the world. Leviticus 18:1-4; God found us in Egypt! God did not want the Jews to be like Egypt or like Canaan. There are traps both in prosperity and bondage. Do not follow the practices of the world. The world is sinking sand. Build on the rock (Christ). The Jews wanted Samuel to give them a king. Why? Other nations had kings. We want to be like the world. God and samuel were greived. So they got Saul, David and a bunch of really bad kings out of forty. Ezekiel 20:6-8; It is possible not to lust, control your temper and live peaceably. Here is a summation of the sermon on the mount, “An invitation from Jesus to be like him and be set apart.” We are a covenant people serving a covenant God. As a mother feeds her baby through the umbilical cord so we are the branches attached to the vine. Moses could not follow the law! The sermon on the mount is not another set of rules. Jesus in you teaches you and enpowers you. John 15:5-6; Apart from me you can do nothing. Bare much fruit! Philippians 2:12; Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. God works in you! No individualism here but community. The disciples left the crowd but after Jesus changed their lives they went back to minister to the crowds! We are in covenant with God and the community. If we try by ourselves we will fail. Live with Jesus and others. No isolation from community in the covenant. The table of covenant is community. Together we servs the community. We serve each other and we serve Christ as He serves us! The Trinity of the covenant is serving community, each other and Christ! Source; Sermon notes, Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Sermon On The Mount Series, 28 April 2013. Thankyou. James Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com