Comment: Jesus repeated this over and over again to the church! He that overcometh I will give the crown of life! He that overcometh will escape the second death! What does the word really mean? Let us go to the Greek root word. The word is “Nikao”. The word means to subdue and conquer! To have success in victory! The Greek root word also has a root word! It is the word “Niki”. You got it! It is the athletic foot wear company named Nike! It means conquest! If you are in the body of Christ and believe you will never have a fight with the devil in this life you are in denial! You are in “La La” Land! This life in your generation just as in all preceding generations is a battle between good and evil! You can try to ignore it but it will not go away! You can wish it away? You can try to isolate it away? You can try to spend it away? However you have to join a team and play! Your team can win but you must fight the good fight of faith and face your enemy! Jesus has given you the tools to overcome! To win the victory! His Word! His Spirit! His power! His love! We conquer in Christ’s name! Satan was conquered on the Cross! However in his stupidity he thinks he can still win! He will try to take as many down as he can in defeat! This week a young man went on a mission trip to a remote island where a remote tribe lived! He was martyred! Others will follow to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth! This missionary gave his all to take the Gospel into all the world! If I live my life sheltered, protected, financially secure, and die of old age in this condition I have wasted my life for nothing! The church of Jesus Christ is a conquering army! It is an offensive army! We have real sacrifices and we take some casualties in this war against evil! But we win and will eat of the Tree of Life forever! Remember you are using the blood of a martyr to conquer! The blood of God shed on a Cross for you! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: ends
Signs in the Heavens! Matthew 24:29-31
Contrary to what is commonly believed, the magi did not arrive at the manger on the night of Christ’s birth; rather, they found the young Jesus and His parents living in a house (Matthew 2:11). This could have been nearly two years after Christ’s birth, since Herod–afraid of his own position as King was threatened–tried to have Jesus eliminated by killing all male children under the age of two (Matthew 2:16). It may be that the star first appeared over Bethlehem when the magi were in the East (Persia). From that distance, they would have not been able to distinguish the exact location but would have certainly have known to head west. They went to Israel’s capital city Jerusalem, a likely place to begin their search for the King of the Jews. It seems that the star may have disappeared by the time the magi reached Jerusalem but then reappeared when they began their (much shorter) journey from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, approximately 6 miles away. This view is supported by the fact that first, the magi had asked King Herod where the King of the Jews was born, which means the star wasn’t guiding them at that time (Matthew 2:2). And second, they rejoiced exceedingly when they saw the star (again) as they began their journey to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:10). After the magi had met Herod, the star went on before them to Bethlehem and stood over the location of Jesus. It seems to have led them to the very house that Jesus was in–not just the city. The magi already knew that Christ was in Bethlehem. This they had learned from Herod, who had learned it from the priests and scribes (Matthew 2:4-5,8). For a normal star, it would be impossible to determine which house is directly beneath it. The star over Christ may have been relatively near the surface of the earth so that the magi could discern the precise location of Christ. Whatever the exact mechanism, the fact that the star led the magi to Christ is evidence that the star was uniquely designed, made by God for a very special purpose. God can use extraordinary means for extraordinary purposes. Certainly the birth of our Lord was deserving of honor in the Heavens. It is fitting that God used a celestial object to announce the birth of Christ since “the heavens declare glory of God”___(Psalms 19:1). Source: Answers in Genesis. Comment: In verse 29 of Matthew was Jesus talking about the 7 year tribulation? Here are some signs listed in the Heavens at His second coming! The rapture has probably already happened before this event and these are the redeemed people that came to Christ during the tribulation period! The sun is darkened and the moon shall lose it’s light and the stars shall fall from Heaven! When the unbelievers shall see Him they shall mourn! The believers shall rejoice! Two different responses with two different outcomes! Then Christ shall gather the elect from the ends of the Heavens! Help us to shine His light into the earth before the opportunity for Salvation closes for men! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Law Enforcement!
Man’s liberty ends, and it ought to end, when that liberty becomes a curse to his neighbors! Frederic William Farrar (1831-1903)
Church In The City (Lesson 3) 1 Corinthians 3: 6-11
Paul wrote this letter to Corinth from Ephesus. By comparison today’s culture in America looks like Disney World compared to Corinth and Ephesus! God raises up a group of people to follow Jesus in a wicked culture. Let His light shine through you in the midst of a dark world. World history boils down to God looking for a group of people to follow Jesus! Do not get missed! The only one to change the world for good is Jesus Christ. The power of God and His Holy Spirit works through people. We need to improve in our relationships with our marriage, parenting, jobs and all other social relationships. Paul reminds us we need to improve! There are two principles involved in the process of improvement. Paul sends a troubleshooter named Apollos to Corinth. Apollos was from Alexandria Egypt. He was a scholar just like Paul. Apollos had bright shiny new ideas! Whether Paul or Apollos God causes things to grow. Man plants and waters but God gives the increase! We are God’s building. Be careful how you build. We are all building. We are either growing or diminishing. Our foundation has to be Jesus Christ. Planting is difficult! God comes to us and puts his spotlight on us. He zeroes in on our issues! Sometimes we feel like we are being picked on! Seems like God is disrupting our plans. Our ground is unfallowed and hard so God plows up our soil of our heart and removes the hardness so something can grow. Planting is done one or two times a year. As we as a church work through our 21 day fast and prayer period God shines His light on us and shows us where the changes are needed. God wants to uproot our unfruitful work. He wants to make the soil of our heart fertile and productive. There is a season to plant then God waters and a harvest comes. Watering is a determined work. God showers us with His Grace. He encourages us and strengthens us with His Mercy! His Mercies are new everyday! God will finish the work He has started in you. His work redeems us. Man’s work is never done but God’s work as Jesus said on the Cross, ” It is Finished!” His light pushes back the darkness. We have seasons of difficulty but God is determined to water us. God gives us a good crop with increase! We need to know which season of life we are in. Ecclesiates Chapter 3 says there is a time for everything! Look for times to speak encouragement to your spouse and you children. Window’s of opportunity come and go. If you think you are going to fix your spouse you are a train wreck waiting to happen! Parenting seasons change as children grow up. There are many voices out there in the world. Love is lacking when you are always laying down the law! Cheer on your family and encourage them. The Bible over 5000 years ago in Deuteronomy Chapter 6 tells us the best time to speak to our children. The two times they are most apt to listen to you are when they wake up and when they prepare for bed. They used to say the Brady’s are good when they sleep. Let your children make all their mistakes at home! Water the work God is doing in their lives. Plant-water, Plant-water, instruct-encourage, instruct-encourage. Know your strengths! Speak the truth in love. Learn to balance. Life is lived between the extremes. Learn from one another. Know the soil of your heart. Be quick to forgive. You cannot give away what you do not have! You will reap what you sow. Forgive and receive forgiveness. Recognize the soil of your heart. People treat other people the way they think God treats them. How does God treat you? Is God mean? Unforgiving? Do you believe God has forgiven you? Forgive others as God has forgiven you. We are not naturally kind. We are self-protective and defensive. But God has changed this for us. Now He has given us forgiveness and love. Know the season, your soil, your strengths and how you are wired. You can impact the world if you allow God to change you. Paul left about 35-50 people in Corinth out of a city of over a million people. It is a long story how I got to New Life Church! Back in 2007 I was ministering in Dallas Texas. God spoke to me that He was moving me! I thought about some churches i would like to go too. Where Lord? When Lord? I had some desires but God had a different idea. God told me I am going to send you to a church that is already planted and you are going to water it. We got to New Life Church in 2007 and 100 days later we had a shooting at our church. Darkness will never overshadow those in Christ! The scripture that most strengthened me is 1 Corinthians Chapter 3. God brought our marriage together and our children and He will bring our Church family together. Since 2007 God has done a miraculous work here at New Life Church reaching to the ends of the earth! God gets the Glory! What God has started He will finish! Get your soil right and God will water you and make you grow! Source; Message given by Pastor Brady Boyd at New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given Sunday January 19, 2014.