It was Christmas Eve in Brooklyn New York in 1942. The war was on and a difficult time. It was snowing in New York. A cold night as Wilber was walking down the street thinking about his past. Wilber was 98 years old and his past troubled him? He had committed crimes and betrayed his family and many friends. He was most troubled about where he would go if he died? As he went by a church he heard Christmas Carols. Then he thought I know what I can do! I will join a church and this will throw me in with all the good folks. Then I can escape hell! Wilber went into this Lutheran Church and asked the Pastor if he could join the church? The Pastor told him if he could answer one question correctly. The question is where was Jesus Christ born? Wilber thought a minute and said Pittsburg. Sorry said the Pastor you need to find another place. Wilber went back out into the snow and cold and found a Catholic Church. He went in and asked the Priest if he could join? The Priest said he could only if you can answer one question correctly. Where was Jesus Christ born? Wilber strained his brain and said Philadelphia. The Priest told Wilber he was too far gone to make a good Catholic! Down but not out Wilber hit the streets once again. The he walked by a Synagogue but it looked closed. Then he saw a light in one of the back offices so he knocked on the door. A Rabbi opened the door and invited him in. Wilber asked if he could join the Synagogue? The Rabbi said sure you can! Wilbur was perplexed? Are you going to ask me any questions? No replied the Rabbi. Wilber asked the Rabbi if he would mind if he asked him a question? Please go right ahead said the Rabbi. Where was Jesus Christ born? The Rabbi responded Bethlehem of course! Wilber replied and said, ” I knew it was in Pennsylvania some place! ” Source; Unknown. Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
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Why is 1492 A.D. Important? Esdras 6:42 (Apocrypha)
This same year the last of the Muslims were forced out of Spain by the Crusaders! Christopher Columbus set sail for America! This same year the Spanish Inquisition began! Why is all this significant? First Christopher Columbus was a Jew! Throughout his life Columbus showed a keen interest in the Bible and Bible Prophecy! He would often quote Biblical texts in his letters and in his ship logs. Part of the argument that a Book he submitted to the Spanish Monarchs when he sought for his support for his proposed expedition to reach the Indies by sailing west was based on his reading of the Second Book of Esdras 6:42. Columbus interpreted this scripture from the Bible to mean that the earth is made up of six parts of land and one of water. The then world maps showed only 5 continents so Christopher reasoned from the scriptures there was another continent missing on the world maps! So he thought traveling west he would discover this missing continent! If you read the quotes of Columbus he said he did not use science, navigation or mathematics but the scriptures as his guide! The Catholics got a hundred years start on evangelism of South and Central America because they did not reject the Apocrypha from the scriptures as the Protestants did! Towards the end of his life Columbus produced a Book of Prophecies in which his career as an explorer is interpreted in the light of Christian Eschatology and Apocalypticism. On August 3, 1492 the Edict of Expulsion was executed requiring all Jews to leave Spain! On August 2nd Columbus and his crew boarded their ships before midnight and left harbor 1/2 hour before sunrise. His historic journey was also financed with the help of some wealthy Jewish merchants! Spain had been a 2nd home for Jews since 200 A.D. Remember Paul wanted to travel there! There were 800000 Jews living in Spain when the Inquisition began! The Catholic Church in Spain wanted all Jews to convert to Catholicism! Also King Fernando and Isabella wanted to seize the Jewish wealth of Spain! History has shown us that if the Muslims are not around to persecute the Jews the Church is! Christopher was also searching for a land where the Jews could escape persecution! That happened to be America and a land which has always supported Israel! The Apocryphya was a collection of Books published in the original King James Bible of 1611. They were part of the King James Bible for 274 years until they were removed in 1885 A.D. They were inserted between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Here is what Esdras 6:42 says, “Upon the third day thou did command that the waters should be gathered in the seventh part of the earth; six parts thou dried up, and kept them, to the intent that of these some being planted of God and tilled that might serve thee.” KJV 1611 A.D.–1885 A.D. The parts of the Bible that were later thrown out were the GPS navigator’s for Columbus voyage to the New World in 1492! Maybe we should revisit the Apocrypha? Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Evangelism for Dummies!
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Numerology in the Bible!
Moses built 12 pillars on Mount Sinai. Twelve spies were sent out. Twelve stones were set up as a Memorial after crossing the Jordon River. Twelve stones were attached to the breastplate of the Priest representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The Temple involved 12 measurements and furnishings. Jesus spoke his first recorded words when He was 12 years old. Jesus chose 12 disciples. Twelve baskets of fragments were left over by Jesus for the miracle of the feeding of the 5000. In the Book of Revelation there are 12 gates in the city and 12 angels guarding the gates. The gates have 12 pearls. The walls will be on 12 foundations. The 12 Apostles names will be on the 12 foundations. The measurement of the New Jerusalem will involve the number 12. Twelve people on a jury. Twelve months in a year. Twelve hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. Twelve time zones on each side of the hemisphere. What about 12 eggs in a carton? Even the chickens know! The Tree of Life will bear 12 kinds of fruit for 12 months for the healing of the nations. Every number in the Bible has purpose! We even have the Book of Numbers. The number 12 represents perfect government in Heaven and on the earth! You don’t even have to be good at math but still figure it out! God’s word’s and numbers are prophetic! How about the number 666? It is also prophetic! We will talk about this on another blog. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Public Service Notice Blood Pressure Machines
Be careful with purchasing blood pressure machines from retailers such as Walmart! These machines are not accurate! I purchased one years ago and then replaced it with a new one. I took the new machine to our doctor’s office to check it against their machine. They use a mechanical machine that is very accurate! The new Walmart machine measured 15 points higher on both values! This lead us to overmedicating and going to a cardiologist for expensive tests! First check your blood pressure on the machines located in your pharmacy area’s before going to your doctor! Our doctor recommended purchasing a blood pressure machine from a medical supply house. Some insurances may cover this cost. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Keep a Positive Attitude in 2016!
On January 1st this new year a distraught man jumped off his 10th floor apartment building! Down on the 5th floor balcony was an elderly couple in their rocking chairs that witnessed this man flying past their balcony! The police came an investigated the suicide. They interviewed grandpa and grandma on the 5th floor balcony. They asked the elderly couple if they heard this man say anything on the way down? Grandpa said yes I heard him say as he flew past our balcony, “So far so good!” Stay positive regardless of the challenges you meet in 2016! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
To Know or be Known? Genesis 3:5
Which is it? What drives people to want to be known? Social media and technology is reaping billions of dollars off this trait of human nature! Facebook, this book, that book and every kind of platform to become known! What drives people to want to become famous? The foundation of what we do is more important that what we do! I have to examine my motives everyday! Does God want to be known? Does Satan want to be known? My best friends were not people who were driven by fame and fortune but just wanted to be my friend! Do you know how rare these people are? Like finding a needle in the haystack! We face the same challenges in ministry! If you want to know your Pastor in a large congregation you can forget it! If the Pastor wants to be known by the world but not to know you he will not take time with you! Jesus had 12 disciples and He was God! One betrayed Him! Effective ministry requires one on one! Is there a connection between knowing and wanting to be known? Why do people want to become President? To know or to be known? I cannot read motives but if you think they are running to personally know you could you be crazy? Why do I do a web site? Why do I do a Blog? God wants to be known! Believe me He does not need social media to find you! God wants to save us! Satan wants to destroy us! Satan wants to be unknown while destroying us! He wants to hide his motives through deception while destroying us! Hitler hid his motives by proclaiming he was a Christian to the German people. The Islamist claim they know God yet destroy each other and others! We live in a world where there is tension between good and evil! We all understand evil but do we understand the God who loves us and knows us better than ourselves? To understand there is one who loves us and yet completely knows our evil but has sacrificed Himself to deliver us from evil! Redemption is an overwhelming experience! To know His love and experience His love establishes a desire and commitment to live for Him and live for others! If you really want to know Him you will understand yourself better because He created you! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Do Your Feet Sweat?
After retirement in 1994 I needed something to do? So we bought 30 rental properties! I became very busy! We purchased these in low rental area’s and I also made the renter’s a ministry! One of these properties was a shell duplex that was not completed. The walls were up and the roof but nothing else. We bought it for about $5K so I thought I could complete it by myself! Each day I would spend time working at the sight. All the neighbors would come over and visit me and what a neighborhood! Young children, drunks, criminals and even a Pastor ministering in that area. Next door was a young man named Gary. He was a nice man and a distraction because he would hang around and talk while I was working. I tried to focus on my work and would reply yes to everything Gary said not really listening to his talk. Then he caught me by surprise and said, “Jimmy do your feet sweat?” Without thinking I said yes and Gary asked me if he could sniff my feet? No Gary you cannot smell my feet! Gary left and I realized I could not complete this duplex myself because I was so busy with the other 29 units. I hired a plumber to help me. Jake the plumber showed up at the site so I left to attend to the other units. When I came back the next day Jake was very upset and used some very bad words! He told me he did not want to work in this neighborhood anymore! I assured him I would talk to Gary and the others! So I went to Gary and asked him about Jake? Gary told me Jake really used some bad words on me yesterday! He did not want to repeat the words but said Jimmy Jake called me a female dog! Gary did you talk to Jake about sweaty feet? Jimmy do your feet sweat? Jimmy does Jake’s feet sweat? Jake explained to me he was not going to turn his back on this neighborhood while on his knee’s soldering pipes together with a blow torch! Jake told me that if that queer ball comes over here again I will put my blow torch to his feet and then his feet will really sweat! Jake quit the next day and I hired another plumber. I thought how am I going to get people to stay in this unit? I finally figured out what to do with Gary! If you say no to his first question he will not ask the second question. I explained to the new plumber and things went better! Next episode I will talk about the drunk next door and the prostitute I invited to church! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Church Politics!
If all church power vests in the clergy, then the people are practically bound to passive obedience in all matters of faith and practice; for all right of private judgment is then denied! Charles Hodges (1797-1878) Charles was an American Theologian. His father Hugh was a military surgeon during the Revolutionary War! Charles married Sarah Bache the great-granddaughter of Benjamin Franklin. Comment: No organization ever saved anyone! Only Christ saves! Organizations are as imperfect as the people who make them up! Sadly politics is alive and well in the church! Many denomination and church splits are due to politics! On the other side of the issue people who do not want to submit to authority go out and start their own church. Abuse by the clergy and rebellion by the congregation are both destructive! Theology interpretations are also basis for divisions! However the Reformation came out of this! So it can be positive! Suggestion here is whatever your gifting is try to find a leader with the same gifting! Iron sharpens iron! If you are an Evangelist you may be uncomfortable with a leader who is a teacher? However you will still benefit from that gifting! Also find a leader who is open and transparent and not a politician who is manipulating people for his own gain! When I sense a leader is deceptive, manipulative and hides his real intensions I run like Hell! The Holy Spirit will give you discernment to be in the right place where you belong in the Body of Christ! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Israel Saved by a Prostitute! Joshua 2:1-3
This is one of the most fascinating stories in the Old Testament and carries over into the New Testament! This is a lesson for Christian’s to never write off a sinner! If we do that becomes a greater sin! Pride and self-righteousness! Rahab was a Amorite. The first part of her name, “RA”, is the name of an Egyptian God. The rest of her name means insolence, fierceness or broad and spacious! She was spacious and took everyone in! Rahab married Salmon one of the two spies she took in. She became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth from whose son Obed, Jessie the father of David came, through whose lineage Jesus was born! In the New Testament Rahab is in the Hall of Fame when it comes to Faith! As Christian’s we need to remember God can use anyone and He does! The Bible says we are to confess our sin to one another! Mark Twain said if you do you will have no friends! He is right for I tried that once! If they were true friends they would still be my friend! What a friend we have in Jesus! Politics is the dirtiest occupation on earth! It got Jesus put on a Cross! However God is smarter than sin and nailed all our sin to the Cross! As we close out 2015 think about how we can think like God and look at the world through the heart of God! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com