This word is interesting but not understood by most. As a child I was taught not to swear. What my parents meant was using bad words that would defame God. The old saying is do not let people swear by you or at you! So many advertisements in America use this word to try to sell their products. In the Bible the word has two different meanings depending on whether Old or New Testament. In the Old Testament the word first appears in Genesis 21:23. The Hebrew word is “Shaba.” It means to make an oath or declaration 7 times. Seven is the number of completeness. Seven days in a week, 7 years, 70, ect. I remember as a child my parents would say I am only going to tell you one time! If not all hell broke loose for me! The word is a short cut to say something 7 times. God swore to multiply and Bless Abraham’s descendants. God swore by His Holiness to lead Israel into captivity. (Amos 4:2) The Lord swears by Himself since there is none greater. Abimelech and Phicol asked Abraham to swear his kindness and integrity to them and their descendants. David’s men adjured him not to go into battle again. The Land of Canaan became the Promised Land gave to His people based on an oath. Thousands of years later the nation of Israel today stands as a testimony! Now let us look at the word “swear” as used in the New Testament. The Greek word is “Omnuo.” It means to stand up or establish. Jesus repeats this word to the Pharisees and scribes as follows in Matthew 23:16-23; Woe unto you who swear by the temple, by gold, altar, by the gift,ect. Jesus was telling them you cannot lift up or establish yourselves by these things! Actually, the one who they could be lifted up and established by Christ they rejected! I love my Pastor, family and friends but none of them can establish me before God! Jesus is interceding for us right now! We are to pray for one another bur remember no one can save you or others including your Pastor except Christ and Christ alone! Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: old
Belief In God Equals Righteousness! Genesis 15:6
This verse is believed by some to be the key verse of the entire Old Testament. It is an important witness to the doctrine of justification by faith and to the doctrine of the unity in believers in both dispensations. Abraham’s faith was accounted to him for righteousness before he was circumcised and more than 400 years before the law was given to his descendants. Therefore neither circumcision nor the law had any part in Abraham’s righteousness. Paul proves that Abraham’s faith was not merely confidence in God nor simple obedience to God’s command, but that it was indeed faith in the promise of redemption through Christ. (Romans 3:21-22, 4:18-25; Galatians 3:14). The word, “belief” is from the Hebrew root word “Aman.” My favorite translation of this word is as follows; A secure nail that finds a solid place to grip. Like a nail in a cross! Now go to Isaiah 22:23. It reads as follow; And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be for a glorious throne in his father’s house. The word “sure” is the same Hebrew word “Aman” that is used for the word “belief” in Genesis 15:6. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Pentecost Sunday May 19, 2013
We have a birthday today! Yes the birth of His Church! Fifty days after Christ was raised from the dead His Church was born! Remember the Torah or Law was given to the people after 50 days. In the Old Testament God gave us the standard to live by but in the New Testament at Pentecost through His Holy Spirit He gave us power to live up to the standard! Source; Introduction to message given at New Life Church by Pastor Brady Boyd, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Is Everything On The Table?
Do not buy what you are not willing to give away! Otherwise things will have you. Do not live for things. Live for Christ. Sometimes examples always help us. Since moving back to Cololrado we have learned of a story of an old gold miner who lived in Colorado Springs. His name was Winfield Scott Stratton. He knew danger and tough times for 17 years wandering the Colorado mountains in search of gold. He finally found it in 1891 on the west slopes of Pikes Peak. His Independence mine made him a millionaire. One hundred years later the house his gold built stands as a memorial to his work and name. The Myron Stratton home off Nevada avenue, named after his father, is one of the more venerable institutions created by one of the most enduring acts of philanthropy! It opened in 1913, in accordance with Stratton’s will, as a free home for the poor who were without means of support and who are physically unable by reason of old age, youth, sickness, or other infirmity to earn a living. Today in Colorado Springs we have another man with the same God given vision! His name is Pastor Brady Boyd at New Life Church. He is buying properties in our city to provide living places for the homeless, widows, orphanes and single moms. We are thankful for being a part of this work! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Does Justification Make One Inwardly Holy? Romans Chapter 3 Verses 19-20
These verses form a key conclusion in Paul’s argument regarding sin and righteousness. In the previous verses, Paul has quoted the Old Testament to demonstrate man’s sinfulness (vv. 10-18). The “law” (v.19), referring to the Old Testament, was designed to silence all mankind under the conviction that they have nothing to say against the charge of sin. Likewise, the law was intended to convince all men of their guilt, or liability to punishment before God. Paul concludes that since all men are guilty, they cannot be “justified” by their own personal character or conduct (v. 20). Justification is a legal term meaning to remove guilt (liability to punishment) of the sinner. IT DOES NOT INVOLVE MAKING ONE INWARDLY HOLY but merely declares the demands of justice have been satisfied. Hence, there are no grounds for condemnation (Romans 8:1). Not even obediance to the law can justify one before God. Paul reasons, because the very nature of the law is to prove to each person that he or she is sinful and deserves God’s punishment. Thus the purpose of the law is to lead people to renounce THEIR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUST in the IMPUTATION OF CHRIST’S RIGHTEOUSNESS as the only grounds for acceptance with God. In Conclusion; The above subject of justification applies to all whether saved or not! Many of us after getting saved through ministries and good works can fall into the trap that it is all the good stuff we do that makes us Holy! If we can remember it is Christ’s Righteousness that has, is and will continue to save us! Thankyou. James Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com Source: Key Word Study Bible Hebrew-Greek, Page 1406, AMG International 2008 Edition.
There is a God but His Name is not Allah ! (Lesson 2)
Although “Allah” has become known as the proper name for the Muslim god, Allah is not a name, but a desciptor that means literally, “the god”. All pagan cultures have these generic terms that refer to their ‘top god’ as ‘the god’. In comparison to the perfect monotheism of Judaism and Christianity. “Allah” was originally no more a proper name for the Muslim God, than for the Hebrew ‘elohim'(god) or Greek “theos” (god) are proper names of the one true God of the Bible. “Jehovah” is the only revealed proper name for “Elohim” of the old testament(Exodus3:13;6:3) and “Jesus” is the only revealed proper name of “Theos” in the New Testament. (Acts4:12) Islam has no proper name for their god, but merely transformed, by universal use and confusion, the generic Allah into a proper name. So although today, Muslims use “Allah” as a proper name, it was never used this way originally. Allah, therefore is equivalent to “elohim” and “ho theos” but not “Jehovah” or “Jesus”. Allah is not the name of the nameless Muslim God. However Muslims will claim that Allah is the name of God that corresponds to Jehovah. Both the Father and the Son are called “ho theos”(The God). Jesus is called “The God” many times in the New Testament: John 20:28; Hebrews 1:8. An important conclusion from this, is that the mere fact that “Allah” is equivalent to “elohim” and “ho theos” does not mean they are directly corresponded. It certainly does not prove that Muslim’s worship the same God as Christians. If this correspondence proved the Muslim god was the same as the Christian God, then because pagan religions also have generics that correspond to “the god” (Allah), this correspondence would also prove that Allah is the same god as the Buddhist god, for Buddhists also refer to their god as “the god”. Conclusion; I do not describe my automobile to you as, “The Car”. My car has a personal name such as Ford, Chevy, Honda, Toyota and the desription by a model such as Focus,Civic,Camry, ect. My daughter has a Hyundai and has named him Henry! Why? We are all created in the Image of God and we want a personal relationship with Him! God has a personal name and His name is Jesus Christ meaning the , “Annointed Saviour”. The God/Man Christ came to earth and put boots on the ground for you and me! Why is it those who have no personal God hate those who do? The Islamic war against Christians and Jews has everything to do with this! Thankyou. James Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com Sources; Bible.ca/islam/islam-allah-pre-islamic-orgin.htm
Word Study
I like word studies of the Bible! We can trust our English or other Language Bible translations but a key word study by going back to the Greek(NT) or Hebrew(OT), will give a unique perspective on the word of God! These words are layered much like the earth’s crust is layered wth different kinds of rocks. We have to dig deep to find the Gold and Diamonds! God has spoken to us through His Word! We speak to God through prayer but God primarily speaks to us through His Word! God’s creative power and redemptive power is through His Word! The Holy Bible is the Word of God. God’s Image is expressed and manifested through His Word! There are approximately 700 scriptures alone just on the word-“word”! In our next Blog we will take one word out of one scripture and study it. Thankyou. James Sasse GodWhoisGod.com
Christmas Story will not save you!
It was around Christmas time in New York City. It was a cold night with light snow showers. Christmas carol’s were being sung around the city. An old man was walking down the street in Brooklyn. His mind was on his past and the mess he had made of his life! So many bad decisions and wrong choices. His thoughts were where will I go when I die? How do I get rid of my past? As he walked by a church he stopped turned around and knocked on the front door of the church. The Pastor opened the door and invited him in. The old man asked the Pastor if he could join the church? The Pastor said he could if he can answer one question correctly. The question is, “Where was Jesus Christ born?” The old man thought a minute and said, “I think it was Philadelphia?” The Pastor told him he was sorry and he should find another church. So the old man went down the street until he came to a Catholic Church. He knocked on the door and a Priest opened the door and invited him in. Old man asked Priest if he could join his Parish? Priest said he could if he could ask one question correctly. The Priest asked the old man where Jesus Christ was born? The old man said.” I think it was Pittsburg!” The Priest kindly asked him to join another Parish. Discouraged but not defeated he continued down the steets of Brooklyn. After a few blocks he came across a Synagogue. He knocked on the door and the Rabbi invited him in. He asked the Rabbi if he could join his congregation? The Rabbi said yes you can! The old man asked the Rabbi if he was going to ask him any questions? No said the Rabbi. We will take you just as you are! The old man was puzzled? Do you mind Rabbi if I ask you a question? The Rabbi said yes you can ask me any question you would like. The old man said,”I was just curious where was Jesus Christ born?” The Rabbi replied Bethehem! The old man just shook his head and said, “I knew it was in Pennsylvania some place?” The Christmas story cannot save us but Jesus Christ can! Merry Christmas!
Good Intentions at Windsor Castle
A young man had a deep desire to find God! A friend suggested to him to join a monastery. So he went to Windsor Castle and spoke to the Head Monk. This monk encouraged him to sign up for the 30 year program. The monk explained to him the hard work and discipline involved with this program! Long hours working around the castle in the crop fields! Strict rules about talking to others! In fact the Head Monk told this young recruit that he can only say 2 words every 10 years! This young man felt he was up to the challenge! First 10 years came up so Head Monk send a written message to this young man asking him to take the Light House stairway up to his office in Ivory Tower number three. While in his office Head monk asked young man to say his two words. Young man said, “Bad Food !” Another 10 years pass by and 20 years concluded. Monk asks middle age man to say two words. He tells the Monk, ” Hard Beds !” This now old man at Windsor Castle completes his 30 years. Head Monk presents him his 30 year pin and gives him permission to say his two words. His two words are I quit! Head Monk says that this does not surprise us because you have been complaining ever since you have been here!
Discontented Wife Number 2
A new science is now proclaimed by organizations that claim by their programs you can live to be 125 years old? Rich people are laying down their money to sign up! I have a friend who is a medical doctor who wants to sign up. He asked his wife to join him and sign up for $20000. dollars for the first visit. She told her husband that she only wants to live to be about 70 years only and then go home to the Lord. Besides she said, “I do not want to see your face for 125 years!.”