“And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day these things shall be performed because thou does not have faith, trust and confidence in my spoken words expressing intelligence which shall be fulfilled in this season and time of opportunity.” Comment: Zechariah was a Priest in the Jewish Temple. His wife Elizabeth was also a Godly woman! If anyone had opportunity to be close to God it would be this couple! This was evidenced by Gabriel speaking to them directly! Zechariah being a Priest had a great knowledge of the scriptures just like you may today. They were getting up in age and probably though God could not use them anymore! When the Angel Gabriel presented Zachariah with the spoken word of God he flinched! He did not believe the words! As a young man I attended Church but did not really believe the word of God! How do you know? Because I would not speak the word of God! I read it and heard it but would not speak it! Like a mute! When the written word was spoken back to Zechariah he did not believe it! The day I believed the written word of God was the day I responded to the spoken word of God! After I got saved I began to speak the Word of God to others who did not believe! Sin is all about not believing the Word of God! You remember Satan’s words to Eve in the Garden of Eden? Surely God has not said you will die if you eat of the fruit of this tree! The Pharisees had a great knowledge of the scriptures but did not believe them when Jesus spoke them to them? When I was a young man on my death bed Jesus came into my room that night and spoke three words to me! “God loves you!” When I believed those three words everything changed! From death to life! From darkness to light! I was raised from the dead! So was Zacharias and Elizabeth for they were long past having a son! John the Baptist became an important part of Jesus ministry! Your season of Salvation will come once in your life! After I got saved I could not stop telling people about Jesus! The Angel Gabriel was telling Zacharias since you do not believe God at his word then you are not going to be able to speak for a season! Hearing is the prerequisite for speaking! If you do not share your faith with others then you really have no faith! Faith that is not spoken is faith that is not believed! There are no Happy Holidays without Christ! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: jesus
RideShare Pass!
It was 1973 and Hamsa and I were just married! It was also the start of America’s greatest recession which lasted until 1975! It was the year of the Arab Oil Embargo and President Nixon being impeached! In a matter of a few months living in Denver Colorado we were both laid off from our jobs! So together each day we would go out to the Aurora Colorado unemployment office and look for work! We were still excited about our daily trips to the office because we were living life together! We shared our problems and our joys! We no longer had to be alone! We were having fun in spite of the economic downturn! Our world was bigger now because it included two instead of one! Two could pull easier than one! We solved problems together! I was newly saved and had found Christ! Together we shared our Savior! A three stranded cord is not easily broken! I remember coming out of that office and meeting a blind man on the street! He had an escort and I asked him if I could pray for him? The escort seemed irritated but allowed so I prayed for this man for Salvation and a healing! I long for some of those days where our possessions were few but our Faith was great! When we accumulate too many earthly possessions we can begin to trust those rather than God! So what is the cure? Give them away! That is what Jesus told the rich man to do! To be rich in Christ is better than silver and gold! As Christmas is approaching remember our joy is not based on what we can do but based on what God has done for us! We have not deserved or earned his gifts we just need to receive them! Jesus purchased our RideShare tickets! He has punched those tickets for us and are now along for the ride! Never get off this Gospel train because it is taking you home! There is a joy in the journey because you are not alone and Jesus promised to never leave you or forsake you! He is true to his word! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
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
What Jesus Wants for Christmas?
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.
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
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
Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!
President Trump got it right! Chief Justice Roberts got it wrong! We do have liberal and conservative judges in all courts across America! This includes federal, state and municipal courts! We do have Democratic and Republican judges across America! From the Supreme court on down to the lowest court in America! Every man and woman on the court interprets the law according to their belief about where the law came from? Did the law come from God down to man or did man evolve just making up laws as we went along? Was the law given to us by God sovereign over man indisputable never to be changed? Or did man just create his own laws through the chain of evolutionary development? Bottom line is conservative judges are creationists! They take serious the Biblical model of creation and God’s laws given to man! Liberal judges are evolutionists or atheists believing God has no role in the creation and development of man! God is not sovereign over his creation so we make up our own rules! The best evidence of liberal and conservative judges is the split decisions on the Supreme court and the lower courts! If all are equal under the law then all court decisions would have the same outcome! They do not! Very rare! Man interprets the law based on the presumption of where the law came from! If the law did not come from God then I must make the law! I must legislate the law since there is no God! Liberals do not recognize the sovereignty of God! This is why they end up working against God! Gay marriage is one example! Since there is no God we can make laws contrary to God’s laws! What happens when we go down this road is we end up with a lawless culture! No respect for authority! Kill cops! Smoke drugs! Open borders and sanctuary cities! Divorce! Open borders and sanctuary cities are a rebellion against God’s sovereignty and National sovereignty! It is the new way of ceding from the union as in the civil war! What are some of the characteristics coming soon in the Tribulation period of seven years headed by the Anti-Christ? No borders! One world government! No laws! Total anarchy! No judges! Every man will do what is right in his own eyes! When Jesus returns at the end of the 7 year tribulation period what will he do? He will judge the nations in righteousness! Judge Kavanaugh was assassinated by the political left because they know if he gets in God may still be recognized as the giver of our laws and sovereign over the universe! So how can I escape God’s judgment? By letting him take your penalty for sin through his Son Jesus Christ on the Cross for your sin! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
He That Overcometh! Revelation 2:11
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
Who Are They? Revelation 2:6
Who are the Nicolaitians? The word in the Greek means the conqueror of the people! Specifically in the Church of God! They are only referred to twice in the Book of Revelation. Both the church at Ephesus and the Church at Pergamos had the same problem! (Verse 2:15). The Nicolaitians were Bishops and prelates of the church gaining a triumphal victory over the laity! This is the very sin that brought forth the Reformation! It is mostly responsible for all our denominational and non-denominational churches around the world! The Nicolaitians compelled and forced church members to submit to the arbitrary dominion of men who have become the ones which the eternal hates! The Apostle Peter warned us that those who are leaders among God’s people must not dominate the faith of others but rather exhort them to do right! (1 Peter 5:1-3). The Nicolaitians are people in the church who have established a hierarchy of power and dominion under a government of ecclesiastical rulers! Comment: Yes! God hates these folks! Correction is very different from condemnation! We take the word disciple from the word discipline. Jesus used the techniques of correction and commendation very effectively! We as parents either tend to over correct and under commend or over commend and under correct! Everything I do cannot be right and everything I do cannot be wrong! That is why I need a Savior! My experience in ministry over the past 45 years has shown me people do not like to submit to authority! This is the nature of Satan! Most people will submit to authority if commended and corrected in love! However some will never! Hell is reserved for these folks! Why will some never submit? Because they want to replace God! This explains why the world is a war! War on God! Jesus asked the churches at Ephesus and Pergamos to repent! Sunday our Pastor Oscar Cope made an important point to us in his sermon! He said that the beginning of repentance is the end of judgment! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com