God told Hagar one of the wives of Abraham that her son Ishmael would be a wild man with his hand against every man and every man’s hand against him! The Book of Genesis was written about 1450 BC by Moses during the wilderness wandering after leaving Egypt. Abraham lived about 420 years before Moses. Islam did not come along until about 650 AD. So this prophecy about Ishmael and the Arabs was given about 2100 years before Islam came along. This family feud between the Jews and the Arabs has gone on for thousands of years. All Islam did for the Arabs was legitimize their hatred towards Christians and Jews. There is no political solution for this problem and no military solution. This is a spiritual battle that wages on through the flesh! There can only be a spiritual solution for a spiritual problem! God reconciled Himself to man through His Son Jesus Christ. When we reject the Blood of Christ as the atonement then man’s blood will flow! Christ came to make us spiritual brothers and this peace is the only lasting peace man will ever know and experience! In Christ’s Love. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: genesis
The Doctrine of Estrangement! 1 Peter 2:9
We are a peculiar people! Peculiar meaning we have reached a point or place in time where we have found purpose in God together! Notice not a peculiar person but people. People meaning a mass of humanity of all nations joined together in one purpose. We belong to a nation of people. We are a chosen people by God through Christ to minister and serve others. His church is a proclaiming community! We are organized to take care of others. As citizens of Heaven we seek the peace of the city we live in. Start a good work where you are. Bloom where you are planted. Seek to help the most vulnerable of our culture. Paul sought to free a slave. We are not to Lord over others in our family and community but demonstrate love in our marriage and family! Wives are to submit to their husband and the husband is to protect his wife. There is strength in kindness! If you have to be told you are a leader you are not! The way you are is the way you tell your story to the world. You proclaim what you are. Sin has and is causing estrangement in our world. The cultural wars of divorce, untraditional marriage, drugs, crime and corruption at all levels lead the way to estrangement in our nation! In the Book of Genesis we see creation of the world and man. Everything started out right but sin caused Adam and Eve to blame God and each other. Sin has caused us to run and hide from God and each other. It became finger pointing! She made me do it! The Devil made me do it! In Genesis chapter 11 we see the Tower of Babel where men wanted to make a name for themselves! Sound familiar? The unity here resulted in man wanting to build his own kingdom! Man has unified against God throughout history! God divided the languages and confused the people. This lead to tribalism, separation, violence and a fragmented society. So what was God’s solution? To send His Son Christ into the world! In Ephesians chapter 2 we see God putting to death separation and estrangement. He instituted the resurrected life! In Acts chapter 2 at Pentecost 120 people speaking different languages but understanding each other. One language became many and then many languages became one! Many people became a peculiar people. The Holy Spirit is joining together many people for one purpose! God reverses estrangement! Why are we a peculiar people? The church is a community within where the Holy Spirit reverses all previous estrangements! We are a eschatological community! God’s first intent consummates in the church! In Revelation chapter 5 and chapter 7 every nation and people group comes back together again! At the end of the day we win together! In Revelation chapter 21 we see no more death and a new Heaven and earth living in peace and joy. Heaven and earth become one just as we say in our Lord’s prayer! Two become one. If we know the end then we can make the right choices and do the right thing now! Start today. We are called to live and die for one another! If we as His church do the right thing today then Jesus will have little to do when He returns! The word, “Apocalypse” is used 18 times in the New Testament. To most of the world it means the end of the world. The word in the Greek translates; disclosure, revelation, enlightenment and manifestation. Romans 8:19— creation itself is groaning for redemption of the earth through storms, earthquakes and other events. The world is waiting for the Apocalyptical church and our Christ to return! We are a chosen people and a royal priesthood! As we take communion this morning do you feel estranged from God and others? Jesus paid the price on the Cross to bring us together. Jesus poured out His blood for you! In estrangement Cain slew Abel and his blood cried out from the ground for redemption! Murder is the last act of estrangement but Jesus laid down His life as a sacrifice on the Cross for you! The marriage supper of the Lamb is waiting for you and me as described in Revelation. The differences we have is removed by God in unity with Him! It is joyful in Heaven and not sorrowful! God is inviting you back to Heaven this morning! We cannot hold bitterness. We cannot drink the poison and expect others to die! We have through Christ the power to forgive! Come to His altar now and experience the ending of separation between you and God and man! Source: Pastor Daniel Grothe, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Message given on Sunday June 8, 2014.
Can God Forgive Every Sin? Mark 3:28-29
God can do about everything except sin! God can forgive every sin except one! God can forgive murder, adultery, genocide, stealing and some blasphemies. But God cannot forgive blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy means the evil speaking of God Himself! It is slandering and reviling God. It is insulting and reproaching God. When I hear people use the G.D. word I flee from them as quick as possible! I use the God Bless word! Most people do not understand the meaning of blasphemy and the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is not dwelling in them they have no witness! An important Person of the Trinity he goes back all the way to the First Chapter of Genesis and was active in creation. The Holy Spirit pre-existed creation along with Christ and the Father. Remember Jesus told his disciples just before his ascension to wait for the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit came upon Mary and birthed Jesus the Son of God into the earth as man and God! The Jewish scribes teachers of the Law accused Jesus success in casting out demons was due to Jesus being Beelzebub the chief of the devils! So the scribes were attributing the work of God to the work of Satan! I may not agree with every ministry and of every interpretation of scripture but I will never attribute any ministries work to the work of Satan! As my Pastor Brady Boyd says,”I am not here to win an argument but to show people the love of God!” Just be aware of the one sin that God will not forgive! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
God Sent Me To Preserve Life! Genesis 45:5
This is really what God is all about! In a world full of death, disease, wars and storms man needs someone to preserve life! These words were said by Joseph to his brothers when he revealed himself to them as second in command in Egypt. The name Joseph means, “God Will Increase.” When you let God do the increasing instead of by your own efforts peace will come along with prosperity for you and others around you. The world’s way is to get it for myself. God’s way is just the opposite. We receive from Him to benefit others! If Egypt ever needed a Savior it is right now. The Joseph God sends to them today may be you? You could spend a few years in prison there on false charges as Joseph did but God will raise you up through Christ as a mighty deliverer! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Want To Build A Altar To God? Requires Blood! Genesis 35:1
The word for Altar in the Hebrew is the word, “Mizbeach.” It means the place of sacrifice by slaughtering an animal. The sacrificial system was at the focal point of the Israelite system of worship since the sacrifice and subsequent meal were used to solemnize a covenant or treaty to symbolize a position relationship between two parties. Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices on exiting the ark. The patriarchs built altars and sacrificed at various points along their journeys such as Abram, Isaac, Jacob and Moses. At Mount Sinai, God commanded that the Israelites build a tabernacle that included two altars; a bronze altar in the courtyard for sacrificing animals and a golden altar inside the tabernacle for burning incense. Solomon and Ezekiel followed a similar pattern. God also required that the altar for burnt offerings be made of earth or uncut stones so that human hands would not defile it. God also required that the altar would have no steps so that human nakedness would not be exposed on it. Notice that the blood required was not human blood but animal blood. In some religions including Islam human sacrifice is required. God never required us to commit another sin to try to cover our first sin. The blood of animals never did pay the penalty of death for our sin but pointed us to the God-Man Jesus Christ as the one and only sacrifice for our sin. Only the blood of God Himself which was sinless blood would suffice for our guilt. Choose Christ and the gift of salvation that He alone has provided for us! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Swear! What Does It Mean? Genesis 21:23, Matthew 23:16-23
This word is interesting but not understood by most. As a child I was taught not to swear. What my parents meant was using bad words that would defame God. The old saying is do not let people swear by you or at you! So many advertisements in America use this word to try to sell their products. In the Bible the word has two different meanings depending on whether Old or New Testament. In the Old Testament the word first appears in Genesis 21:23. The Hebrew word is “Shaba.” It means to make an oath or declaration 7 times. Seven is the number of completeness. Seven days in a week, 7 years, 70, ect. I remember as a child my parents would say I am only going to tell you one time! If not all hell broke loose for me! The word is a short cut to say something 7 times. God swore to multiply and Bless Abraham’s descendants. God swore by His Holiness to lead Israel into captivity. (Amos 4:2) The Lord swears by Himself since there is none greater. Abimelech and Phicol asked Abraham to swear his kindness and integrity to them and their descendants. David’s men adjured him not to go into battle again. The Land of Canaan became the Promised Land gave to His people based on an oath. Thousands of years later the nation of Israel today stands as a testimony! Now let us look at the word “swear” as used in the New Testament. The Greek word is “Omnuo.” It means to stand up or establish. Jesus repeats this word to the Pharisees and scribes as follows in Matthew 23:16-23; Woe unto you who swear by the temple, by gold, altar, by the gift,ect. Jesus was telling them you cannot lift up or establish yourselves by these things! Actually, the one who they could be lifted up and established by Christ they rejected! I love my Pastor, family and friends but none of them can establish me before God! Jesus is interceding for us right now! We are to pray for one another bur remember no one can save you or others including your Pastor except Christ and Christ alone! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tempted Or Tested? Genesis 22:1, Matthew 6:13, James 1:13
These are two different words in the Hebrew and Greek. God will test us! Satan will tempt us! The sources are different and the outcome is different. Abraham was tested with his son Isaac. Judas was tempted. Jesus was tempted but resisted by quoting scripture to Satan. Jesus was tested by His Father on the Cross. God giving you a test will lead to righteousness. Satan tempting you will lead to enticing you to do evil and sin against God. Learn to recognize the difference so you can recognize the source! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Belief In God Equals Righteousness! Genesis 15:6
This verse is believed by some to be the key verse of the entire Old Testament. It is an important witness to the doctrine of justification by faith and to the doctrine of the unity in believers in both dispensations. Abraham’s faith was accounted to him for righteousness before he was circumcised and more than 400 years before the law was given to his descendants. Therefore neither circumcision nor the law had any part in Abraham’s righteousness. Paul proves that Abraham’s faith was not merely confidence in God nor simple obedience to God’s command, but that it was indeed faith in the promise of redemption through Christ. (Romans 3:21-22, 4:18-25; Galatians 3:14). The word, “belief” is from the Hebrew root word “Aman.” My favorite translation of this word is as follows; A secure nail that finds a solid place to grip. Like a nail in a cross! Now go to Isaiah 22:23. It reads as follow; And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne in his father’s house. The word “sure” is the same Hebrew word “Aman” that is used for the word “belief” in Genesis 15:6. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Jesus – An Illegal Immigrant? Genesis 14:13
The word Hebrew means, “Immigration.” Immigration is a hot topic in America right now mostly for political reasons with upcoming mid-term elections. Jesus was from Heaven yet born on the earth. He immigrated to earth. We are all earthly immigrants passing through this planet. The word Hebrew also means to cross-over. Did you notice the word, “Cross?” It also means the opposite side as of a river (east of the Jordan). True Christians will always be on the opposite side of culture whether it be gays, abortion, ect. The word can also mean to pass away or deliver over. It can also mean to cover in copulation. Our sin is covered in His Blood! Christ came from Heaven to earth to bring Heaven to us. He got on a Cross to build a bridge to Heaven for us. We all need a cross-over from death to life. Only one bridge leads to Heaven. What bridge are you on? The materialism bridge? The bridge of atheism, secularism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, Darwaiism, Marxism, or you may be on the republican, democratic, liberal, conservative bridge? Are you on the race bridge? Abraham was a foreigner in a strange land but he was not a foreigner to God! God put him “in trust” to secure a land and a people through Christ that number more than the sands of the sea! You can only pass-over with a Pass Port with a Visa stamped Heaven in Christ’s Blood! Get on that one way highway to Heaven through Jesus Christ. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Is The Earth Eternal? Genesis 8:22
Contained in this promise is the stipulation that is easy to miss! Day, night and the seasons will continue as seen in the phrase, “while the earth remaineth.” The earth was not intended by God to be eternal. It’s final destruction is described in Psalm 102: 25-26 (quoted in Hebrew 1: 10-12). The most graphic account of the end of the world, indeed the physical universe, is found in 2 Peter 3:10. Remember what Jesus told us? I go to prepare a place for you! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com