The Church at Smyrna is the second of seven churches mentioned in the Book of Revelation. (Revelation 2:8-11). If you look at an old world map it is second closest church to the island of Patmos. The Greek name for this city Smyrna means; “Anointing oil.” Jesus commended this church and found nothing wrong with it! I wonder why? Smyrna was the suffering church! When you suffer for Christ and his Kingdom there is an anointing from him that comes over your life! We do not look for suffering but if you follow Christ it will come to you! Jesus told them he saw their tribulation, poverty and the blasphemy of their oppressors! He commended them for being put in prison for his name! He encouraged them to be faithful unto death! He told them a crown of life awaits them and that they will escape the second death! Jesus said we must be born again! This is how you escape your first death! Then Jesus has taken your judgment for sin for you and then you escape the second death! Remember God’s whole Kingdom is based on suffering and sacrifice! So what evidence would there be that I am saved and in Christ? If I would sacrifice my own life for others! If you are not saved you will sacrifice others for yourself! Just the opposite behavior! Look at your own life! Which is it? We are not saved by our works but the works of Christ however my works will reflect who I am following! Jesus or Satan? Satan has sacrificed you with his sin! Jesus has sacrificed himself for your sin over 2000 years ago on a Cross at Calvary! You cannot save yourself but by his power and his name all things are possible! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: jesus
Power in The Name!
The seven churches in the Book of Revelation listed in Chapter two are Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. Now each of these Greek names of these cities has a meaning! Even though Alexander the Great conquered these area’s centuries ago these cities were then under Roman rule! Remember the feet of clay of the image in the Book of Daniel Rome was the last of four Kingdoms to usher in the Christ! Let us look at the first city Ephesus! Why was this city listed first in Chapter two? Logistics! If you look at a map of the old world you will see this city is closest to the Island of Patmos where the Apostle John wrote these letters from. Smyrna is number two listed as the second closest to the island! So what does the name Ephesus mean? The Greek word means ; ‘To Let Go.” Jesus commended the Church at Ephesus for many things but when it came to discipline of the Church Jesus said you have let go of your first love! If you study the name and the meaning of these seven cities you will find a connection to the character of the people living there even believers! Whether the character is good or bad! This is not new to me for the three years we spent in India I found the same was true there! Hindu’s, Muslim’s and Sikh’s when they came to Christ would often change their names! They would take on a Christian name such as John, Peter or Paul or Mary. They would even publish their photo in the local newspaper announcing to the world of their name change! I have found the character of a person is related to the character of their name! Sadly most people do not know the meaning of their own name yet their character will reflect that name because their name is called to them everyday of their lives! My brother Thomas was a doubter! He doubted me because my name James means a suplanter! There is one name that is above every name! His name is Jesus Christ! There is power in his name because he is God! When we cast Demons out of people in India we could only use one name that would work! Jesus Christ! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Hot Feet! Revelation 1:15
“And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.” Comment: This title hot feet is not a description of the local prostitute and the men who follow her! This is a partial description of Jesus given to us by the Apostle John while exiled on the Greek island of Patmos writing the Book of Revelation! Many more descriptions are given here in Chapter one and in the rest of the Book. Is this description just symbolic or literal? Jesus is the real thing not Coke! It is literal because he is literal! Real! Remember in the Old Testament Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? The King got mad and threw them into the fiery furnace! Who was the fourth man in the furnace that saved them? Jesus Christ! Some people use his name as a curse word but only by his name can you be saved! Saved from the fires of hell! A fireman cannot go into a burning building wearing shower clogs! If you had rescued as many people as Jesus has from hell your feet would be ashes! Remember at the Crucifixion Jesus descended into the heart of the earth to preach to the captives! Heat turns humans into ashes like in cremation! Jesus is more than human! He is God! What about his voice as the sound of many waters? Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? The sound of the crashing waves on the rocks below is deafening! You really need ear plugs or you will get hearing losses! The power of the waters and the sound is astonishing! Jesus walked on the stormy waters when everyone else was drowning! Jesus voice drowns out every other voice! The reason one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord is because his voice stands out above the mortals of this earth! His authority and power cannot be denied by any human! The Book of Revelation presents powerful images of Christ and when we see him as he is we understand why he is our only hope in this fallen world! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Freedom without Law?
Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred! Martin Luther King Jr. Comment: Laws can be on the Books but never enforced! That is what sanctuary cities and open borders are all about! Not enforcing our laws! The civil rights laws after the abolition of slavery were on the Books for over one hundred years but never enforced! The Ten Commandments have been in the Books for at least 4000 years yet broken everyday by man! We can legislate until the cows come home yet how to enforce laws in a rebellious world? God had to find someone who never broke any of his laws yet was human to pay the penalties of men! Then that perfect God/Man would have to be sacrificed for the penalty of sin! This perfect lamb would be sacrificed to reconcile man to God! God had one which qualified for the job! His only Son Jesus Christ! His whole purpose was to die for our sin! When we personally recognize our sin against God and man and the great cost that came to him for our redemption for breaking the law then our attitude towards the law changes! The attitude is I want to follow the laws because it cost so much for him to fix my breaking of the law! Jesus said if you love me keep my Commandments! God’s love brings victory over hate! Martin Luther King knew he was going to pay a price to free his people! Even after the civil rights laws that were put on the Books in the 1960’s no significant change came until after his murder! Then American’s woke up to the fact they had gone to far! Because of the price paid their thirst for hate dried up and a new day of reconciliation came to America! But a sacrifice was required! Freedom requires a sacrifice! To overcome hate and revenge! If all of the world would accept the God given sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ for their sin another human sacrifice would never be done on earth! Jesus said we must be born again! Something much greater than our first birth! It is a Godly birth with the character of thinking and acting like God making sacrifices for others rather than sacrificing others for yourself! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Praise or Wail? Revelation 1:7
Just as Jesus ascended into the clouds from earth to heaven so Jesus at his second coming will descend back to earth through the clouds from heaven! There are many instances of clouds in the Old Testament! The cloud over the Tabernacle! The cloud over Mount Sinai! These clouds represent the presence of God! These clouds at his second coming will not hide Jesus from the world but will show Jesus to the world where no one will have any doubts it is him! Remember the dark cloud over Calvary? The Father could not look on the terrible fate of his only Son on the Cross! Jesus cried why have you forsaken me? Many had forsaken Christ that day including his disciples! Have I ever forsaken Christ? Yes! The disciples repented and Jesus enlisted them again to continue his work here on earth! The most difficult day for those who have not repented of their sin is to witness Jesus second coming! It says in this scripture that they will wail! They will cry and mourn! Why could they not rejoice at his coming? Because they rejected Christ and he comes to the earth a second time not as Savior but as Judge! Those that pierced him will wail! We have all pierced him but then some have repented and let Jesus take our sin upon himself! So when he comes back will you be able to rejoice or will you wail? Which group will you be in? Remember wailing always begins with a mockery of Christ! A mockery on those that follow Christ! In pride you know more than God? You are bigger than God? Mockery of Christ and his followers is a sign of no repentance towards God! Of all the kindreds of the earth which group will you be in? While you still have the breath God has given you consider turning your mockery of Christ into Praise of Christ! There is only one King of Kings and only one Lord of Lords! Who is your King? Yourself? Mortal men? If you have chosen God his Christ your King then you mourning will be turned into dancing joy! Our choice is between one of two places in eternity! Heaven or Hell! It is all up to you! It is your choice! We can make a bad choice while on earth and still recover but to make this choice about eternity an error there is no room for repentance when you witness Jesus at his second coming! This time for repentance is right now! The opportunity will pass by you only once! Do not trash God and throw this opportunity away! Eternity is forever and this life is very short! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Communion & Holy Days!
In communion the bread representing Jesus body is about God becoming flesh at Bethlehem as we celebrate the Christmas story! His flesh broken for us as we break the bread together! His blood represented by the cup as his blood shed for our sin for an atonement a gift given to us! His blood shed at Calvary which we celebrate at Easter! So both Holy Days are represented in our communion services! His body and his blood! These two great events are the only hope for mankind! Pastor David Jeremiah
No Deposit! No Return! Acts 1:11
“Which also said, ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Comment: Do you remember that old Walt Disney movie ‘No Deposit No Return’ produced back in 1976? Two rich kids found out their mother was not coming home for Christmas so she purchased them airline tickets to go stay with their grandfather. She was in Hong Kong working an executive business job and could not get off work! So the kids went to the airport trying to figure out how to get money to buy tickets to Hong Kong? At the airport they met two thieves who took them home to their hideout! When the kids explained to the crooks their problem they told them to demand a ransom to get the money! So the movie, ‘No Deposit No Return’ got its name! God made a deposit into the earth his creation to redeem us from our sin! He invested his only Son Jesus Christ to accomplish this! The deposit of his birth, death and resurrection purchased our freedom from eternal separation from God! Jesus will return one day soon to redeem his deposits he has put into us! The only way people can lose his deposits is to reject his deposits he has made for you! Then no redemption for those that do this! God has purchased your tickets to heaven! God is merciful but if you reject his mercy what is left for you? Then your own sin will condemn you rather than letting God take your sin upon himself! Christ will return for his own so why not be one of his own today! Only God is trustworthy no one else including yourself is! Do not trust in yourself with your eternity! Satan trusted in himself and created a hell for those that follow his ways! One road leads to heaven and one road leads to hell! Which road are you on? James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Jesus was a Refugee?
It is interesting how politicians who know nothing about the Bible and in no relation with Jesus Christ make these off the wall political points to try to get more votes and support all the while trashing Jesus! Democrat Ocasio-Cortez claims that Jesus was a refugee? This is made to support her open border socialist ideology and try to trash Trump’s border wall designed to protect America! First of all Joseph and Mary were at Nazareth which is about 90 miles from Bethlehem! They had to travel to Bethlehem because of Caesar’s decree for everyone to return to their home town to pay taxes! Yes Caesar was a Democrat! Since Joseph was of the lineage of David Bethlehem was his home town. Refugee’s do not pay taxes! They have no jobs, status or ability to pay anything! They drag on the taxes of any nation for support! They do not pay taxes! This is more fake news from the political left! Sometimes they will drag Jesus out of the closet to try to score political points! Then after the lies throw him back in the closet until next Christmas or the next election! Jesus has to be more than a rag doll for politicians! He is the Son of the Living God so to respect him in this capacity we must be conscious of His Word the Holy Scriptures and not mock him as King Herod did with the death of the little children of Bethlehem! Abortion began before Bethlehem but ignorance is not bliss when it comes to our Bible! It leads to death and eternal separation from God! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Watch! Witness! Worship!
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
Lead us not into Temptation!
Pope Francis wants to change this section of the Lord’s prayer to: “Keep us from falling into temptation.” I do not have any problem with this semantics however the word we need to pay attention to is “Temptation.” In James 1:13 it says God cannot be tempted neither does he tempt any man! Why? Because there is no sin in him and he is Holy! Satan is the father of sin and executer of all sin! What did Jesus mean by “Lead us not into Temptation?” What Jesus meant with this model prayer to the Father is lead us not into denying Christ! The only unpardonable sin is to deny Christ! Every other sin can be forgiven! To deny Christ is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit who is part of the Trinity along with Christ! I touched on this topic in January of 2018. You can type in on our search box of our blog, “Hour of Temptation! Revelation 3:10”, and it will take you to this posting. So in Revelation 3:10 what did Jesus mean by keeping us from the hour of temptation? Keeping us from denying Jesus! The 21 Coptic Christian believers who were beheaded last year were kept from the hour of temptation! Christ will give us strength not to deny him! So what are the forces in American culture that put pressure on you to deny Christ! There are many! Popular culture in Hollywood, Political correctness, political left, liberal media and social media, educational teaching of atheism in evolution, humanism, socialism, abortion, racial supremacy, anti-colonialism, gay marriage, lesbians and transgenderism! These are not all but the more obvious! These are the principalities and powers of darkness that will tempt you to deny Christ! So how do we resist the Devil? The same way Jesus did! With the Word of God! It is written man shall not live by bread alone! It is written! It is written! If you do not know your Bible you are hanging out on a limb! An eternity at stake! Jesus came to deliver us from our sin! The only way you can thwart God’s love for you is to deny him! So who would be so foolish? Many! Do not follow them to be separated from God but follow Christ for an eternity spent with him experiencing his love forever! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com