These three words describes the actions of all the participants of the first Christmas night! Jesus light pushes back the darkness of your life! The Angel’s, the wise men and the shepherds all watched that night in great wonder! God did not accomplish the birth of his Son all by himself! He engaged the help of his creation to get the job done! From the lowest to the highest in cultural rankings he used people who were watching for him! The shepherds were raising a special breed of sheep! They were broad tailed sheep that were only used for sacrifice! Remember Cain and Abel? Cain’s vegetarian sacrifice was not accepted by God however his brother Abel made an animal or blood sacrifice that was acceptable to God! Abel was a shepherd! The Shepherd’s were culturally familiar with every manger in Bethlehem! By contrast the wise men of the East were men of science studying the scriptures and astronomy! They could have been Persians, Iraqis or even Jews! The Arab’s would have been familiar with the Jewish scriptures since the Jews were captives in Babylon for 70 years! We assume there were three wise men from the three gifts however traveling across the Arabian desert would require a caravan of people for supplies and safety! These men were wise because they were watching for God! They were looking for him! Are you looking for God? They had read the scriptures and were looking for that special star! They were educated in the sciences of astronomy and scripture! They were so familiar with the stars they would recognize a new star! Are you so familiar with the scriptures you would recognize Christ’s second coming? So they watched the scriptures and the signs in the heavens! The Angel’s watched that night from Heaven and earth! They were watching those who were watching for God! If you want God’s attention look for him! You may have temporary success in this life and people will watch you for awhile but then they will move on to the next celebrity! They will forget you! When we get God’s attention he will remember you forever! King Herod was not looking for Jesus! However when he discovered he had missed Jesus he took revenge on the small babies of Bethlehem! When the world misses Jesus second coming they will cry and wail and take revenge out on one another! This season is a great opportunity for us to watch, witness and worship Jesus! If you do eternal life with Christ is the gift under his tree that will never perish! Source: Pastor Oscar Cope Message. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: herod
Negative Exposure! Luke 2:34-35
Greek Translation: “And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, behold, this child is laid for a foundation for the fall and the resurrection of the body from the grave of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also): that the thoughts and reasoning of many hearts shall be revealed what was hidden.” Comment: Simeon prepared Mary for many things to come! Even the miracles Jesus would do would be spoken against? Even today many speak against our Christ? The sword would pierce Mary’s own soul as she watched the Crucifixion! Jesus would expose the thoughts of many hearts! Jesus came to expose our sin! Then to save us from our sin! Christmas is all about the Salvation of humanity! Something we could never do on our own! Christmas is a solid case against our guilt and then an unearned acquittal of our guilt! However some like King Herod, Judas and many today thought that by their own efforts they can hide their sin from God! So foolish as to get rid of the only one who could save them! Sin is a strong addiction! It brings out the worst in us! It compliments evil! Confession is difficult because people are in love with themselves but not God! It is all about making yourself God! You decide who lives or dies rather than dying to self and let God live in you! All false religion is about making yourself God! God became a human to make us fit for Heaven! Without Christ no amount of human effort will ever make us fit for Heaven! It will only prepares us for Hell. No one can forgive you except God himself! Just like a negative film it takes light to expose the true image! We were made in the Image of God but only His light can expose and correct the imperfections in our image! Let God see you through the blood of His Son! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Christmas & Taxes! Luke 2:1-7
The Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus got up on the wrong side of the bed one morning and decided the whole world should be taxed! This taxing was first made by Cyrenius governor of Syria! They must have been Democrats! So poor Joseph had to get on his donkey (hybred vehicle), along with his pregnant wife Mary and ride down to Bethlehem! Mary was also taxed along with Jesus still in her womb! The politicians played an important role in getting Jesus down to Bethlehem to be born fulfilling many Old Testament prophecies! Then another politician named King Herod who wanted to kill the baby Jesus caused them to flee down to Egypt for a couple years to fulfill more prophecy! Then after Herod died they moved to Nazareth where Jesus became known as the Nazarene! So the good bad and ugly of politicians helped to complete God’s promise of a Savior to the world! Many politicians today here in America try to stop Jesus second coming! Their strategy will help promote his second coming as they play the fool! The best way to celebrate Christmas is to understand no one can or will stop Christ from completing his mission to earth! No one can stop his love for the world even by changing his name to Happy Holidays! Rest in his peace and joy this season knowing all is well because of Christmas and Easter! Because his second coming is as sure as his first coming! Only his life and death can assure you of eternal life now and forever! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
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
Thoughts about the Star!
This star is not an astronomical object! The star appeared at the moment of Jesus birth. It was visible to the wise men of Babylon. If they saw the star over Israel, it would indicate it was not astronomical because stars do not rise in the west! They rise in the east. If it rose in the east it was very special because star gazers like these wise men would not have difficulty recognizing the planet Venus! Traditional images show the wise men traveling over the desert following a star. However Matthew 2 does not say they followed a star to Israel. In fact, it would appear, from their reaction, that the star newly reappeared in Matthew 2:9. How could a star go before the wise men? Bethlehem is to the south of Jerusalem! Stars do not move south. They move west. Stars do not settle over houses. The Greek word for star (Aster), implies something strewn! What could it be? What could it be that moves easily from west to east appearing as strewn light? A pillar of fire would be a good example! Remember the Shechinah Glory of light that moved with the Tabernacle representing the presence of God? This light could have been interpreted as a star! It is believed the wise men reached Bethlehem about 2 years after Jesus birth. That is why Herod ordered the murder of the children 2 years and younger! Source: CreationToday.org Comment: Point here is you cannot explain this star or light naturally! It was supernatural. Very seldom does God oppose his creation! Only to deliver his people! He turned the sun and time back for Joshua to win the battle! He opened the Red Sea for Moses and drowned the pursuing army with the same sea! Mary bore Jesus yet being a virgin! Jesus raised the dead and has promised to raise those who believe and trust him! Jesus himself was raised from the dead! Peter at midnight was delivered from the prison! Do I believe in miracles! Absolutely! Jesus delivered me off my death bed some 45 years ago! Is it a stretch to believe God at his word? It is a stretch not to! God who created all this can change anything or everything at his will! He transformed me from sin to righteousness with his atoning blood! Was it a star? All things are possible with God! He can create anyone he wants to! He can create anything he wants to at anytime at any place! He came to Bethlehem so he could prepare a place for you in Heaven! Why not follow Jesus to Heaven! He will return one day soon to earth with his church! If you wait until then to follow him it will be too late! Wise men still seek him! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Vanity Fair! Revelation 2:13
Jesus said Antipas is my faithful martyr! Antipas was the Bishop of the church at Pergamos during the reign of Roman Emperor Domitian. The Apostle John ordained Antipas as Bishop of the church at Pergamos. Antipas was burned inside an idol which was a bull shaped copper structure. His crime was casting out demons worshipped by the local population! Some of the hero’s of the Faith are listed in Hebrews Chapter eleven! Stephen was a faithful martyr listed in the Book of Acts! Antipas was most likely a Greek who converted to Christianity. Antipas is the shortened name of Antipater. Remember that was the name of one of Alexander the Great successful Generals. (397-319 B.C.). Remember Herod the Great was known by this name! Jesus will avenge the blood of the Saints! Why did Jesus call Pergamum Satan’s Seat? Even Ephesus with all of its advantages with the Great Temple and bustling port, could not match the importance of the once royal seat of the Attalids! Situated on a scenic acropolis Pergamum was embellished with the largest number of Greek and Roman Temples in the whole of Asia Minor! Examples are Zeus, Athena, Apollo, Demetia, Dionysis and Aphrodite. On another site was housed the largest Aesclepium of the Empire. Its library of two hundred thousand volumes rivaled the renowned library in Alexandria! The eminent Doctor Galen was among her favorite sons! Roman Emperors came to seek healing at the famous Aesclelpium! Aesclepium was honored as the god of healing in the classical world. When the cult of “Dominus et Deus”, was initiated at Pergamum, the great Basilica was erected, adding to the rostrum of numerous idol Temples! The visitor today Bergama (Turkish name of the present day city), will see the immense structure at the edge of the bustling center. Basilica became the monument of vice and cruelty! Every citizen was forced to burn a few grains of incense here and worship the Emperor of Deus. Then they would proceed to their preferred practice a common syncetistic act which never lacked its double-faced devotees! For anyone who refused to submit to this profane practice death was imminent! Where as the Temple of Zeus was referred by the early Christians as the “Seat of Satan”, the appellation was later transferred to this center where some Christians felt compelled to pay obeisance! Source: Thomas Cosmades Comment: Remember God’s church was established in the midst of all this evil! The venerable Polycarp followed Antipas in martyrdom! Christ and his Cross was raised up over “Satan’s Seat”, to defeat Satan the eternal enemy of man! This battle rages on today between the One True God and the millions of the gods of men! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
See! Hear! Write! Revelation 1:11
There are only two kinds of books you will read while living here on earth! The first category of books are those that support the Kingdom of God and his Christ! The second category are those books that oppose the Kingdom of God and his Christ! So the question you should ask yourself is does this book support or deny the kingdom of God and his Christ? You know the old saying you can never judge a book by its cover! The cover of every book ever written is either hiding the truth or a lie! The uncovering of the Book of Revelation uncovers the Truth of Jesus Christ! Either sin or righteousness will author every book that has ever been written! Sin cannot be defeated if it is exalted! Sin can be defeated and is defeated by the Christ that was the substitute sacrifice for your sin! For my sin! If we will confess our sin God is faithful to forgive our sin! To confess your sin to Christ is to uncover your sin before God! If we will do this then our names are written down in another Book! Your name is recorded in the Book of Life in Heaven! This Book will be opened at the Judgment Seat of Christ! If your name is not there it would be better if you had not been born! Remember any man or woman that rejects Christ will write a book to oppose Christ so that others would follow them and reject Christ! Hell loves company! Do not let the Kingdom of Darkness abort your Salvation! Herod like many others tried to abort Jesus! Herod got out his knives and swords the master abortionist and cut the womb of every pregnant woman in Bethlehem! Jesus was preserved by God to be the voluntary sacrifice on the Cross for our sin! All of God’s love for us is recorded in a Book called the Bible! The Book of Revelation reveals Jesus Christ as Savior and Judge of the world! For all of his creation! For his church! Truth boils down to one Book one God and one Savior Jesus Christ! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Socialism is Theft! Exodus 20:15
One of the consequences of such notions as “entitlements” is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence! Winston Churchill Comment: Socialism is not Biblical! It is theft! If I take something that belongs to me and give to a poor person then I am doing the Biblical model! If I take something that does not belong to me and give it to the poor I am stealing! Jesus instructed the rich man what he had to give to the poor but he did not ask him to steal property that was not his to give to the poor! Robin Hood was a thief! He was a socialist! Jesus took the little boy’s lunch and multiplied it to feed 5000 people! God will multiply what you have gotten honestly and then will multiply it for you to help others! The steward that multiplied his talents was commended by Jesus but the steward that buried his talent was condemned! Our National Debt has everything to do with Socialism! If Jesus were a socialist then he would have raided Herod’s Treasury and used the funds to feed the 5000! Judas was a thief! He robed the Temple treasury to betray Jesus! Do you tithe your income to your local church? Do you give offerings to ministries? If not you are robbing God! Give your lunch to Jesus and he will feed the multitude! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Case Against Abortion Jeremiah 1:5
Hebrew Translation: “Before I formed you in the belly I intimately and personally knew you with your distinction between right and wrong. Before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified and morally consecrated you to me. I ordained you a Prophet possessing you with my Divine Spirit. A Prophet unto the non-Jewish (Gentile) nations.” Comment: Notice the non-Jewish nations (Gentiles)? The Jews rejected the message from God through Jeremiah and went into Babylonian captivity for 70 years! We could make a case here that we have a known existence by God before we were physically born into the earth! We were created in the Image of God! But before our birth? Jesus said we must be born again! We know the Trinity pre-existed creation! They were the cause of creation! However I do not support reincarnation! What the Hindus believe. So why would anyone one want to prevent a child from being born? Why at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem did Herod order the slaying of all children 2 years old and under in the city trying to kill Jesus? Jesus said do not suffer or prevent the children from coming to me for such is the Kingdom of God! Today in America 500 children are murdered by their parents each year! Why over 57 million babies murdered in America since 1973? We have a missing generation of people! What political party would support this genocide? Why would our tax money be used to support the killings? Why would the Democratic Party be attractive to anyone? Because the Democratic Party has always supported immorality! Because it appeals to the sin of man! Whether it be slavery, Jim Crow laws, welfare, gambling, socialism, open borders, sanctuary cities for criminals or anti-law enforcement they have found a following of about 1/2 the U.S. population! Don’t work for a living! Live off the State! Protect illegal immigrants at a cost to their citizens! Government health care! State ownership of everything! The deep State control of every aspect of your life! State worship! Promoting the failed ideologies of Marx, Engels, Lenin and others! If we as Christian’s here in America want to maintain the control of our Constitutional liberties and the implementation of Biblical values then we have to take voting seriously! Support President Trump and those who value Biblical values! Kind of funny but a candidate who is running for office down here in Georgia said she supports both Republican and Democratic voters? Do not elect liars! Lying is not Biblical! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Politics & Christmas!
Using Jesus for political points during Christmas time irritates me a little bit! The Democrats use this same trick every Christmas saying we should be compassionate to the illegal immigrants because Jesus was an illegal immigrant? Jesus according to the biblical record was not an illegal immigrant! Joseph and Mary were citizens of Israel. They were of the tribe of Judah and lived in Nazareth! Israel was under Roman occupation during this time in history as was much of the world! When the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus made a decree that the whole world should be taxed (Luke 2:1), Joseph and Mary had to return to their home town of Bethlehem and register for the taxes! Raise taxes? Caesar obviously was a Democrat! In the Old Testament Micah the prophet predicted the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem some 700 years earlier in history! So Caesar played a part in this prophecy some 700 years later! When Joseph and Mary with the baby Jesus fled down to Egypt to escape the late term abortion program of King Herod who killed all the children two years of age and younger to get Jesus you could call that illegal immigration! Why do Democrats throw Jesus under the bus every Christmas? Why do they promote open borders and sanctuary cities? They are in hopes of politically legalizing the 11 million illegal immigrants here in America so they will become Democrats and vote for them so they can hang on to political power! This is there real moral high ground? I want all Democrats to have a Merry Christmas but do not do it spreading lies and fake news about Jesus! I only ask for honesty! The Biblical record is clear if you will read it! Jesus did not break the law becoming an illegal immigrant but fulfilled the law by taking our sin on Himself as our Savior! We are to be compassionate towards the illegal immigrants simply because God is compassionate towards us by incarnating Himself in flesh and being a baby born in Bethlehem as a Savior for all mankind that has ever or will ever live! I will not become a criminal because you say Jesus was a criminal because the Biblical record makes it clear that He never sinned! That is why He was the only sacrifice that could appease God for our sin! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com