Just as with Mary at one time in my life Jesus was just a gardener to me! As long as you do not look for Jesus you will never see Him! Mary Magdalene was the first disciple to recognize Jesus after His resurrection from the dead! Death seems to close the door on our personalities but really it does not! Remember the rich man and Lazarus? One life carried on in Heaven and the other life in Hell. Jesus carried on after his death the same way He was before death! Jesus disciples wrote Jesus off after the Crucifixion! Peter and John had preconceived idea’s about Jesus before they entered the tomb! They looked around the empty tomb and saw the grave clothes then fled and went into hiding from the Romans and the Jews! What they saw confirmed what they believed! This whole thing is a hoax! Mary hung around the tomb weeping because there was no body there to anoint for burying? Mary had experienced Jesus power for He cast 7 demons out of her! Yet she let death close the door on her faith and thought the man speaking to her in the tomb was a gardener! Then the voice and light of Jesus opened her eyes! Rabboni! Rabbi! Master! Jesus is always present even if you do not see Him! Just as a blind man can feel the rays of the sun so you can feel Jesus love! The stars shine brightest in the darkness of the night! After Jesus delivered me from death I could only see Him and experience His love! My allegiance and devotion turned to Him! Rabbi! Master! Power over death! Jesus was no longer a gardener to me! The Resurrection took on a whole new meaning! It was no longer just a religious story I heard once a year at church! Do you want the reality of Jesus or just a once a year story? You do not want to wake up on the wrong side of death as the rich man did! Either a Heaven or a Hell? The reality of Christ will one day come to all the living and the dead! Just so it is not too late for you! Chance and choice only come once to every individual. Wise men and women still seek Him! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: mary
Transubstantiation! Matthew 26:29
Perhaps you will say, I see something else, how is it that you assert that I receive the Body of Christ?…Let us prove that this is not what nature made, but what the blessing consecrated, and the power of blessing is greater than that of nature, because by blessing nature itself is changed… For that sacrament which you receive is made what it is by the Word of Christ. But if the Word of Elijah had such power as to bring down fire from Heaven, shall not the Word of Christ have power to change the nature of the elements?… Why do you seek the order of nature is the Body of Christ, seeing that the Lord Jesus Himself was born of a virgin, not according to nature? It is the true Flesh of Christ which was crucified and buried, this is seen truly the Sacrament of His Body. Before the blessing of the heavenly words another nature is spoken of, after the consecration the Body is signified. He Himself speaks of His Blood. Before the consecration it has another name, after it is called Blood. And you say Amen, that is, it is true. Let the heart within confess what the mouth utters, let the soul feel what the voice speaks. Saint Abrose of Milan (340-397 A.D.) Comment: This doctrine has been a Catholic doctrine for hundreds of years! We have to look at two words used in verse 29. The word kingdom in the Greek can include both Heaven and earth! That is it can mean God’s rule over the earth and His rule over the Spiritual eternal Kingdom in Heaven! Remember part of the Lord’s prayer is on earth as it is in Heaven! The other word used in this verse is the word new! The word means qualitatively new! That is the old man has become a new man! The Old Testament has a new quality! It has become the New Testament! The old Heaven has a new quality! It has become the new Heaven! The old earth has a new quality! It has become a new earth! Everything changed at the Cross! A change took place in me when I came to the Cross! The changes are still taking place in me some 45 years later! It is a continual work! A daily reformation! Are we going to take Communion in Heaven? How about at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Some say well we will not because we will be with Jesus! Is Jesus not with you right now? Jesus said this do in remembrance of me! Do we need to remember what He has done for us in Heaven? When I take Communion here on earth what do I remember? I remember how bad I am and how good God is! I remember the price He paid for my sin! I remember I deserved death and He gave me life! I remember how hopeless and lost I was and He rescued me! Will I forget these things in Heaven? No way my friend! You see His love for me changed everything! His love for me caused me to love others! If I am that valuable then others must to valuable too! My same motivation to worship Him on earth will be the same motivation in Heaven! Ever Communion Service renews my relationship to Him! It is like being born again again! Paul warned us not to crucify Him again! We are to examine ourselves before Communion! Paul meant we are not to continue sinning after Communion! Whether the elements of the Communion are the actual Blood and Body of Jesus is not the issue with me! We can reject Christ even while taking Communion! Our heart can be somewhere else! Away from Him! So how can we test any Theology? Does the Theology move us closer to Christ or farther away from Him? If Communion causes me to feel free to sin because my slate will be clean at the next Communion Service then we have a license to sin! Does your love for Christ want you to please God and forsake your sin? Why did Lucifer rebel against God? Lucifer a created being like us that was the Praise Leader of Heaven and forsook his position and was cast out of Heaven with 1/3 of the Angels who became Satan? Lucifer looked at his job as a position only not in relationship to God! It was just a job and love was absent from his relationship to God! So self moved on the throne of his heart and rebellion followed! We attended a large church in Colorado Springs for 3 years. Pastor Brady Boyd had the congregation take Communion every week! This was a lot of work for there were about 5 thousand members! So what did this do for me? It brought to my remembrance more often what Christ had done for me and what He is doing for me today! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Sharing Your Faith in Military!
As a young man I found this a very challenging endeavor! For conformity sake the military has a method of challenging anyone who stands out different from the group! This is taught from basic training on throughout your career! Anyone who does not socially conform is singled out and made an example! The purpose is to bring uniformity in a combat unit! So if you are the only guy carrying a Bible around in your hand you could be a target! So your faith is tested by the group! I always tried to do my job well not to disgrace my Lord! There are also rewards for staying true to your faith! Forty years later many have come and gone, retired or died but I still have my faith in Christ! I want to prepare you for the words coming here for they do not use King James English in the military! In fact you will learn some new words in the military! Your vocabulary will grow but not in a nice way! Harold was your typical G.I. who was rough in character and got into a few fights down at the base club! A heavy drinker he used some words that were unkind! So the military unit sent Harold on me as their attack dog! Harold said, “Sasse I don’t believe that virgin birth crap in your Bible! Why would God pull down his pants and rape Mary so he could have a son named Jesus? I would never serve a God who sexually molested women!” Harold you were born not because God had sex with your mother but because your father or another man had sex with your mother! Whoever had sex with your mother I wish they would have not done so! Harold which came first the chicken or the egg? Who gives a F——-! Harold as hard as it is to believe God created you! God created everyone! Our first parents Adam and Eve were created beings! That is God was the first cause for everything we see here on earth! Harold I hear you use Jesus name a lot around here! Jesus Christ was not a created being! He pre-existed creation! Jesus has always and forever will exist! Jesus is part of the Trinity! The Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity and is the active agent on the earth until Jesus returns to earth at His second coming to earth! In order for God to redeem His children from sin His Son had to be incarnated into human flesh in the earth! The Holy Spirit conceived Jesus who already existed in Heaven into Mary to give us the Savior on earth! God had to become flesh! God did not have physical sex with Mary! That is a myth Harold! Jesus birth was as miraculous as His resurrection from the dead! God will never violate our will! Mary invited God to perform this miracle! Jesus will only come to those who invite Him into their lives! He will never force Himself on anyone! Does that make sense to you Harold? Maybe? Harold you and I are both sinners and need a Savior! Harold would you like to make Jesus your Savior? What you have been taught about God is a lie! Read your Bible if you want to know the truth about God! He loves you Harold and proved it on the Cross! He died for your sin! He arose from the dead to give you a new life! Born again! If you accept Him He will change your life today and forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Virgin Birth! John 1:1
This is the key to understanding the virgin birth! God’s Word is full of Faith and Spiritual Power! God spoke it! God transmitted His image to Mary. She received the image created inside of her…the embryo that was in Mary’s womb was nothing more than the Word of God! Pastor Charles Capps (1934-2014) Comment: The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among men! In the beginning was the Word of God…………..
Christmas Message from the Martyred! 150 A.D.
Since we find it recorded in the memoirs of the Apostles that he is the Son of God, and since we call him the Son, we have understood that he proceeded before all creatures from the Father by the power of his will…. and that he became man by the virgin, in order that the disobedient which proceeded from the serpent might receive its destruction in the same way it devised its origin. For Eve, who was a virgin and undefiled, have conceived by the word of the serpent, brought forth disobedience and death. But the virgin received faith and joy when the Angel Gabriel announced the good news to her that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon her and the power of the highest would overshadow her. Therefore, also, that which was begotten by her is the Son of God. Justin Martyr (100-165 A.D.), Early Church Father and Apologist, Martyred in Rome 165 A.D. Comment: This is why Jesus said we must be born again! We as descendants of Eve can never live right before men and God! It is impossible because we were conceived by our ancestors who believed the word of Satan rather than the Word of God! Sin produces sin! We cannot just be born once! The virgin birth makes it possible to be born again! The choice is up to you! You can believe your ancestors or you can believe the Word of God! Why not choose the best Christmas gift this Christmas and receive the Savior born in a manger and sacrificed to redeem your life from Hell and separation from God forever! Justin Martyr paid the ultimate sacrifice to get this good news to you! The truth is costly! Never forget it! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
The Christmas Scrooge? Matthew 6:13
Do not let the Pope ruin your Christmas! The Greek word for temptation means to test with experience. I wish the translators would have used the word testing instead of temptation! We do not fall into temptation or testing as though it were an accident? We are led into temptation determined by who you follow! The Spirit lead Jesus to be tempted of Satan! (Matthew 4:1-11). If God leads us into testing it is not to abandon us or destroy us but to give us victory through experience over Satan! God will test us to prove to us He can be trusted! When Satan tests us it is for the purpose to destroy us! The key is to know which tester is testing us? Remember God will not test us with evil. (James 1:13-14) If something that is evil comes to your mind you know the author of it! Do not listen to Satan but rebuke him in Jesus name! Cast him out of your mind! Has God surely said you cannot eat of this tree? You will not die! Jesus turn these stones into bread! Jump from the Temple Mount the angels will catch you! I will give you all the Kingdoms of this world if you will bow down and worship me! Mary you are going to have a baby boy and yet know no man? Elizabeth you are going to have a son in your old age! Abraham you are going to have a son in your old age? Ha Ha Ha! His name will be Isaac meaning laughter! All these saints passed the test! No one likes tests! When you are tested and close your eyes in death who will you trust to take you to Heaven? The Pope forgot the most important part of verse 13. But deliver us from evil. Evil exists because we do not trust God! The testing to do evil is from Satan! The testing from God is to deliver us from evil. Christmas is all about a way is provided by God to deliver us from evil into righteousness! There will never be a greater gift than this! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Worship & Service! Luke 10:38-42
Jesus commended Mary for choosing the good part! Let us look at the Greek word good as used in this passage of scripture! It is Strongs #18. It means constitutionally good but not to benefit others! It means profitable! It means to derive an advantage from it. There is an opposite word used in the Greek for good! It is “Harmartano”, Strongs #264. It means to miss the mark or sin! Mary’s sister Martha was serving and wanted Mary to help! There is nothing wrong with serving because it benefits others! Remember Jesus said he who is greatest in the Kingdom of God is servant of all. However in this case we are talking about God being in your presence! Jesus was not putting Martha down but explained to her that Mary her sister recognized Jesus true value! Remember over in the Book of Luke Mary spent nearly a year’s wages on the perfume to anoint Jesus body for burial. Judas put her down for it! How we value people and things is very important! If we are not careful we can overvalue things and undervalue people! If we undervalue God then nothing else we ever value will help us! Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and He will add to us what is needed! Did you value your father and mother today? Did you value your Pastor today? Did you pray for him? I recently stayed in a wealthy man’s house. He is a good man but when I asked him the name of his Pastor he did not know? If we do not value what is most valuable then it becomes sin! Like Martha serve Him but more important like Mary worship Him! Get in His presence! One second in Jesus presence will start a fire in your soul that will glow forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Do You Need Intervention? Romans 8:27
Greek Translation: ‘He that searches the thoughts and intentions of the heart knows what is the purpose of the Spirit because He intervenes for the morally blameless (Saints), according to the will of God.” Comment: Mt biggest surprise when translating this passage from the Greek are from the two English words “Maketh intercession.” The two English words used here have nothing to do with prayer! In fact I looked up every Greek word used for prayer in the New Testament and the Strongs#1793 is never used for prayer! I assumed all my life that this scripture was talking about prayer? The Holy Spirit is the active agent of the Trinity! The Holy Spirit is the servant of the Father and the Son! The Holy Spirit will and does intervene for the Saints when required! The word intervene is a more accurate English word for making intercession! The virgin birth is probably the best example of the Holy Spirit intervention into our natural world! The Holy Spirit intervened into the natural biological processes of Mary and Jesus Christ the Son of God was born into the earth to redeem the earth! This is important because Muslims believe according to the Koran that God had sex with Mary! Another example of intervention would be the speaking in Tongues at Pentecost! God knows the thoughts and intensions of our heart! The Holy Spirit knows His purpose and the will of God for you and me! The will of God is expressed in the Word of God! You might want to read your Bible regularly? Based upon the will and Word of God He intervenes as required for us! Are the thoughts and purposes of our heart right with God? We may need intervention! Start by confessing your sin to Jesus and ask Him to clean and sanctify our hearts! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Mary’s Song! Luke 1:49
“For He that is mighty hath done miracles and perfect is His name!” Comment: Our God majors in miracles! God never went to school! He is mighty because of who He is! He is perfect because perfection is in His name! He is creator of all things! No evolution with God! He is creator of all things but He Himself was not created! He always was and is and is to come! He is the pre-existent one! No one proceeded Him! He is the cause for all that is and everything that has been! His Son Jesus Christ also proceeded creation! God is the designer and cause for all life! You are created as all the angels were! That is why we do not worship angels! Miracles and perfection are the character of God! God being born into the earth through flesh causes me to sing songs of Praise along with Mary! Mary was impregnated by God for the birth of His Son Jesus Christ! Human parents by themselves could never achieve this! Man could only be saved from His sin through divine intervention! Signs and wonders will follow those who believe in Him! The Christian story is a miraculous story and those miracles are lived out on those who follow Christ! Be like the wise men and follow Him! The perfect God brings perfection in your life! He has done His best in us and we are to do our best in Him! Let us like Mary break forth in Praise to our God as we experience the miracles and perfection of a little baby born in Bethlehem! Merry Christmas! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Christmas and Family! Matthew 1:18-20
Many fascinating things can be learned from the Christmas story! One thing cannot be denied! God always wanted a family! He started off creating one man and one woman! Not two men or two women but one man and one woman! The challenge got bigger when God wanted a son born of human parents! He looked over His creation to find the right parents. They had to be Jew for salvation comes by the Jew! The new millennium had just begun and the signs in the Heaven and earth were just right! The virgin birth predicted hundreds of years before by the Prophets was ripe for fulfillment! God found a young Jewish couple from Nazareth that were about to be engaged. Their names were Joseph and Mary. Then Joseph found his espoused bride pregnant? Joseph minded to put her away privately! Then an Angel appeared unto Joseph and told him his bride Mary was conceived by the Holy Spirit! So Joseph became the step-father of Jesus! Years later Jesus told us that pure religion was taking care of widows and orphans! God always wanted children to have both parents! My Bible says God hates divorce! He wants to come to the aid of the victims! It seems American culture today does not hold the values God has established for the well being of the family? Jesus God’s son could not increase the size of His family until He went to the Cross! Today Jesus Father is your Father! Christmas means many things but most important you are now in God’s family now and forever! Pastor Oscar Cope, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia.