Well, it is Jesus birthday so what does he want? Since I was a little child I always was asked what I want for Christmas? The gifts were for me! I though it was all about me! Jesus gave us the greatest gift but what do with it? Do I treat the gifts as precious? Could I give Jesus more of my time? The time is not mine because he created time! Could I give him gold like the wise men? The streets of Heaven are paved with gold and besides the scriptures declare he is more precious than silver or gold! Could I pray more? He is interceding for me right now at the right hand of the Father! Could I love him more? He first loved me! Could I live for him? He gave his life for me! Could I put sinners under his Christmas tree? Could I put the lost souls of this generation under his tree? Could I present worms turned to butterfly’s under his tree? Could I help to populate Heaven and earth with Saints! Forgiven sinners? Only by his power and grace! Can I do anything without Jesus? I can sin and live a selfish life away from him! I can work death instead of life! Because of him I do not have to do that! I think the best thing I can do for Christmas is receive his gift of Salvation and eternal life and share his gift with others! Happy Birthday Jesus! Pastor Oscar Cope, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia.
Tag: gold
Gold, Frankincense & Myrrh!
What was done with these gifts? What did Jesus do with these gifts given to him by these Kings of the East? Since Jesus was only about two years old his parents Joseph and Mary had to decide! Did they give them to the poor? They were poor themselves! Did they give them to Herod paying taxes on them? Did they distribute them to a local charitable organization in Bethlehem? Did they give them to the local synagogue? They used these funds to finance their trip down to Egypt to escape the clutches of King Herod! They used these funds to live in Egypt for two years and returning to Israel after Herod died! Joseph used the funds to set up his business as a carpenter in Nazareth! God will always make a way for his people when there seems like no way! You say no way my friend? He is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the Father but by him! Wise men still follow him! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Church Growth & Decline! II Chronicles Chapters 6-7
Mary pondered these things in her heart! Do we ponder the things of God? His House? A church that was once strong and powerful fades away into history? Solomon built the most beautiful Temple for God in history! Solomon had so much wealth given to him! The Queen of Sheba gave him 4 tons of gold for a gift! Solomon did not spend on himself but invested it into the building of the Temple! The Jews made sacrifices to construct the Temple! Solomon asked God for wisdom but God gave him both wisdom and riches! Riches outside the will and purpose of God will come to nothing! After Solomon and many years passed the Temple declined and was destroyed and the Jews went into captivity! Why do some churches fail while others prosper? What series of events cause these opposite outcomes? We must see life God’s way and not our own way! Solomon took the wealth God had given him and invested it into the Temple for worship! God gave the provisions! The church began and the people gave their best! We see from the recorded scriptures here the people prayed and God heard their requests and acted upon them! He bless their cause and work! At the end of Solomon’s prayer God was pleased and fire came down from Heaven and the sacrifice was consumed! What was going right in the Temple! People were obedient to leadership! It was more than just the ornaments of gold silver and jewels! Something was going on inside the Temple! Fire came down and the Lord’s House was filled with His Glory! His mercy endures forever! Solomon built a place where people could bring the sacrifices! God confirmed the blessings with his presence! God has chosen this place for himself! The power of faithfulness and obedience! God heard their prayers! If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves………! We will hear from Heaven! Revival! Times of refreshing! Heart’s right with God! Eyes opened! New revelation! Examine ourselves! Meet God! Who is your God? God is not the reason for a declining church! People have forgotten who they are in Christ! Lost favor of God! Lost sense of purpose! Focus on themselves! No witness of God to the community! Forsaken the God of our Father’s! Calamity follows! God moves out and the world moves in! Secularism! Return to the Lord! He will hear from heaven! He will heal with church growth! Now I must ask you a personal question? Have you given any sacrifice to God that he can consume? When God consumes your sacrifice his presence is manifested in his House! No sacrifice no consumption and no presence! No God in the House! Empty! Christ’s sacrifice caused God to consume Jesus completely with His manifested Glory! Miracles left and right! Are tithes and offerings too much sacrifice for you? Are ministries into your community too much for you? Prison ministry? Hospital and nursing home visits too much for you? Without your sacrifice he has nothing to work with! Do not waste your sacrifice on the world! Your effort will be lost forever! Have faith in God and trust him! You will never be disappointed! When the leadership and people stop sacrificing the ministry declines! When they begin to sacrifice the ministry grows! Pastor Ron Wilder, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia.
Are You Stoned? Ezekiel 28:13
Lucifer had it made! The praise leader of Heaven! He had every precious stone in his covering! Sardius, topaz, diamond, beryl, onyx, jasper, sapphire, emerald, carbuncle and gold! Lucifer was equipped with praise instruments! He had the tabrets and pipes like a pipe organ to make music to the Lord in worship! Lucifer was a created being like us! That is why we are not to worship angels! Pride entered Lucifer and rebelled against God and was cast down to earth with 1/3 of his followers! When he impacted the earth his precious stolen stones from Heaven were scattered throughout the earth! So when you find a precious stone in the earth think where it came from! According to verse 13 Lucifer had been in the Garden of God, Eden! That is where he met Adam and Eve the first humans on earth! You might say Lucifer had a touch of heaven for in heaven the streets are paved with gold! It is not rare stuff up there! So why do we labor for the stolen goods Satan left here on earth when the jems and gold are as common as dirt in the earth up there? Some humans have worked for them but others have stolen them committing evil sins against God and man! Worship of God by humans involves the precious elements of the earth! Let us look at the Ephod Breast Plate in Exodus 28:18-29. The 12 tribes of Israel each had a precious stone of a significant color representing each of them before God! These stones represented earthly people. Most of these colors are in the rainbow across our sky! The rainbow has 7 colors! This sign in the heavens reminded us of God’s covenant to never completely flood the earth as in the days of Noah. It is interesting it takes water to activate the rainbow! It takes sin to activate the blood! When we look at the breastplate the tribe of Judah was represented by an emerald. The green emerald stone is used in engagement rings representing fidelity, harmony and loyalty! In Revelation 21:19-20, we see these precious stones appearing in the New Jerusalem! In the 4 entry gates of the city! Our Messiah came through the Tribe of Judah! God’s engagement to man began here and was consecrated in marriage which produced a Son named Jesus Christ! Remember Jesus always existed before creation and was incarnated into the earth as a human! The church today is the bride of Christ! My Bible says he is more precious than silver and more costly than gold! Why? Because he created this stuff! Remember the Ephod Breast Plate was for judgment! Judgment begins at the House of God! If you let Christ take your judgment then you are saved from it! Christ the eternal judge will not condemn his own! Another notable here is the eastern gate of the mobile tabernacle was guarded by the Tribe of Judah! When the Muslims controlled Jerusalem centuries ago they heard that Christ would re-enter the city through the eastern gate! So they sealed the eastern gate closed with brick and mortar to try to stop Christ at his second coming! The eastern gate is still sealed today and it looks like the Muslims believe some of the scriptures! In the New Jerusalem the eastern gate will have a green emerald stone on the gate representing the Tribe of Judah! If you have accepted the offspring of Judah Jesus Christ you will be able to enter this gate! Only God who created us is able to deliver us from sin! You cannot save yourself! It takes the God who never sinned to deliver you from our sin! He sacrificed himself for us! In the New Jerusalem there will be 12 gates, 12 angels, 12 tribes, 12 foundation stones, 12 names, 12 apostles, 12 thousand furlongs (dimension of city), 12 stones, 12 pearls and 12 fruits! This is going to be a fascinating place to live! Can I wait to see the mansion he has for me? Not really! It will certainly beat this stone age earth! There are a lot more scriptures available describing the New Jerusalem! Isaiah 54:11-12 is a good one! The windows are dressed with agates which are of every color representing the induction of every race into heaven! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
God’s Gold Standard!
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it! William Penn (1644-1718), He was the son of Sir William Penn Founder of the North American Colony of Pennsylvania.
Only Jesus! Isaiah 51:18
“There is none to guide her among all the sons and descendants whom she hath brought forth: neither is there any that taketh and hold fast by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.” Comment: The old saying is sin begets sin! Created beings produce more defective created beings! The warranty expired in the Garden of Eden! No created being can deliver us from our sin because we are all sinners! What separates Jesus Christ from created beings? He is not created! He existed before creation with the Father with no beginning and no end! Eternal. He was incarnated into the flesh that is God in the flesh to deliver us from our sin! The angels are created beings! Including Lucifer who became Satan! Satan can never be redeemed! Why? Because he is the father of sin! He is the first cause! Our sin is the result of his sin and his deception in our lives! There is a lot of truth in the old saying, “The devil made me do it!” However we are still responsible for our own sin! No mortal man can deliver us from our sin! The most difficult people to reach with the Gospel are those who are full of pride! Remember Lucifer said he would exalt himself above God! Pride was the foundation of the first sin against God! Satan and his followers say I want to do it my way! It is hard to reach Muslim’s because they believe they are not sinners? No need for a Savior if you are sinless like God! They make themselves God! Atheist’s make themselves God! There is no God so I make myself God! Evolutionist’s are in the same lot! No God no need for a Savior! The Godless sacrifice others for their own benefit! The Godly sacrifice themselves for others! The difference between night and day! God has given us a flaw list to review each day! It is called the Ten Commandments! How are we doing? God through Isaiah was simply telling the Jews you cannot save yourselves! God was saying do not get tribal on me! Your Jewish heritage will not save you! As good as some were they cannot save you! There is a Jewish Savior coming but he is the offspring of God Himself! Your race, your silver and gold will all betray you! Satan tries to get us to believe a lie and then trap us in our sin to destroy us! The lie started in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day! The truth can set you free! The truth is embodied in the God/Man Jesus Christ the only Son of the living God sacrificed for your sin! For my sin! Before God took you by the hand He placed His hands on a Cross and was pierced for you and me! Only these hands can deliver you! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Jews Return to Israel 1948
Isaiah 51:11 Hebrew Translation: “Therefore the redeemed, the ransomed, the rescued, these set free from slavery, these severed from sin, those that only God can liberate, the transferred of ownership from the first born that were slaughtered, the redeemed of the Lord shall return to Jehovah from their idol’s. They shall return to their point of departure as God reversed the sun dial for the Jews to win the battle. They shall come singing to Zion and everlasting joy that is perpetual without end, that continues without change, that is past, present and future, that is eternity without end and what is hidden and concealed from the unbeliever’s. This joy shall remain upon their Head. They Israel shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Comment: If God cannot be faithful to Israel He will never be faithful to you! If He breaks His covenant with Israel no covenant will stand for you! What stood out to me in this passage is the reference to the slaughter of the first born of Egypt that was the ransomed paid to deliver the Jews from their enemies! Also Egypt turned all their gold over to the Jews! The sacrifice of life and treasure for redemption! Likewise God slaughtered His only Son Jesus Christ for the redemption of the Jews and the Gentiles! Jesus also sacrificed all treasure and became poor for your prosperity! One day the Jews eye’s will be opened to their Messiah! Then the earthly treasure will look worthless to them! God did not make us to pursue things but to pursue God! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
The Ascension! Luke 24:51
The word “carried up”, comes from an interesting Greek root word and that Greek word comes from even another Greek root word! These two Greek words translate as a reversal. Jesus descended into the earth as a man child born to Mary in the little village of Bethlehem! After his mission of the Cross and resurrection he reversed his order and ascended back to Heaven! Sometimes we use the word rapture to describe the ascension however the word rapture is not in your Bible! So when Jesus completed his first mission on earth the Father punched his ticket to return home! However Jesus mission on earth is not complete for he will return at his second coming with his church! The word Heaven used in verse 51 is also an interesting word! Heaven is God’s residence! In the Old Testament it is called the Holiness of Separation! The Holy Heaven! It includes the sky above the earth, the sun moon and stars! It is everything above the earth! From where Christ descended from and to where he ascended to! Heaven includes the throne room where Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father! It includes the host of angels with the Saints worshipping God around His throne! It includes the 24 elders! A rainbow is wrapped around the thrown signifying the Covenant! They walk on a floor of crystal glass! nothing hidden! No sin there! Streets are paved with Gold! Gold is not a rare metal there! Jesus is in prayer there for the Saints down here on earth! He does not pray for the world but for the believers on earth! Nationalism is alive and well in Heaven! Believers in the earth have access to Heaven! Believers on earth are purchasing a two way ticket to Heaven and the unbelievers a one way ticket to Hell. For those that trust Christ He has purchased our tickets to Heaven with His own blood! People that choose Hell buy their own ticket purchased with their unforgiven sin! Jesus can check our reservations by looking in the Lamb’s Book of Life! Does your passport have a visa stamped Heaven? We choose our own hell or Heaven! Your eternity is your choice! Choose this day who you will serve! Let your Hell be reversed by choosing Jesus! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
McKinley Made America Great Again!
William McKinley was the 25th President of the United States. He was also a Congressman and Governor of Ohio. As President he led America into the Spanish-American war and victory! We acquired the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam and the Philippines as a result of the war. He imposed tariffs to protect American middle class workers! He was the last serving civil war President! He fought against slavery in the Union army! He entered military service as a private and completed service as a Major in rank! He maintained America on the gold standard! If this would have not been changed later we would not have a 21 Trillion dollar debt over our heads! He respected God and his Faith! Here is a quote from him: “The more profoundly we study this wonderful book (The Bible), and the more closely we observe its divine precepts, the better citizens we will become and the higher will be our destiny as a nation.” President McKinley was assassinated in 1901. Victim of gun violence! Comment: So why do they want his statue torn down? Because he is white, Republican, patriot, American hero, veteran, Christian or he reminds the left leaning citizens too much about President Trump? There is a narrative throughout American culture now to remove our great history and those who led it? Why? If you hate America leave it! Go to Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba or any place where American values are not celebrated but hated! Join our enemies of the Cross and our Christ! Again if you remove Christian values and tear America down you replace it with something very ugly and destructive! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tithes and Offerings! Proverbs 11:24
Gold is a treasure, and he who possesses it does all he wishes to in this world, and succeeds in helping souls into paradise. Christopher Columbus, 1492 A.D.