Tag: peter

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

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

End of Church Age! Psalm 137:6

O’ Jerusalem if I should not remember thee; let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy! Comment: Where was the first church on earth? Jerusalem! The Apostle Peter was the Pastor of the Jerusalem Church! Where will be the last church? Jerusalem with the return of Christ at his second coming and the end of the church age! The church age was established by Jesus to maintain his body of believer’s in the earth until his return. To ignore Jerusalem is to deny your faith! Your faith began there and will consummate there with Christ’s return! Jesus is not returning to America or Utah or China, Russia, UK, or any other nation except Israel! Do you now understand why much of the world wants to destroy her! If you really have the courage to fight for your faith you fight for Jerusalem! The Crusader’s acted on their faith! They did not live in a theology based theory! This is why President Donald Trump moved our U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem! As Gentile Christian’s let us never forget Jerusalem for if we do we are living contrary to our Holy Scriptures! The time clock of prophecy is set in Jerusalem to go off one day soon! We do not look for the next new ministry on the horizon! We do not look for the next denomination that claims they have more revelation than the last one! We look to Christ and his return to Jerusalem Israel! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Sunday Worship! Revelation 1:10

Greek Translation: “I,  John was in the spirit when the breath of God blew on me! It was on the Lord’s day! It was Sunday the day and time of life that belongs to Christ! It is his day therefore I submit to my King and Ruler this day! This day is owned by my God!” Comment: Man’s day is in opposition to the Sabbath! Fifty years ago when I was a teenager about 90 percent of all businesses were closed on Sunday! What about today in America? I hear about more and more Christians telling me they have to work on Sunday? If the businesses stay open on Sunday then the employee’s will have to work on Sunday! Where was John in the 1st century when he received this revelation? He was in the Lord’s House on Sunday! Do not expect to hear from God if you forsake the Sabbath! It is like trying to catch a fish by casting your line on a sand dune in the desert! If you want to meet God you need to be where he hangs out! Now John’s church building could have been his prison! Peter and the Apostles spent time in prison but still honored the Sabbath! Turn your prison into a House of worship! If you do not want to be where God is then you may need to repent! If you resist Christ’s church here on earth you are also resisting him in Heaven! The separation from Christ begins here on earth and continues resisting Heaven! In American culture work has become the agent of resistance to Christ and Sunday worship! Most people move away from Christ gradually taking many little steps! If you want to take a big step forward back to Christ be in church on Sunday! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Who Do You Trust? Psalm 86:11

Hebrew Translation: “Teach me by laying a foundation established and erect controlling me which leads me down the road of life. O Lord; I will walk faithfully and stable in thy truth; unite my heart in the totality of my inner nature to reverence and respect your name.” Comment: We like Jesus disciples have struggled with this scripture! Like Jesus disciples we sometimes do not walk stable following him! We waver in faith getting off the road that leads to life! The disciples would sometimes get off the foundation! Their heart was not always united with Christ! Reverence and respect for his name was not always there! Peter denied Jesus even though he told him he would die for him! He eventually did in Rome years later! Jesus told us to go out into all the world and preach the Gospel! We say let the church do it! Let an organization do it! Pay them so I do not have to do it! Our gift’s God has given us cannot be used unless we do what Jesus told us to do! At the feeding of the 5000 Jesus asked the disciples what do they have? The disciples wanted to send the crowd away! We do not have money to feed this large crowd? Cancel the meeting! Send them home! The disciples were perplexed? They can buy their own food! A little boy in the crowd came prepared! He had more than enough for himself! He had a little faith! Enough faith to give Jesus everything he had! The little boy gave his all! He had the gift of 5 loaves and 2 fish! Bring what you have to Jesus! God will multiply it! Let God bless what you have! Really what he has given you! Doesn’t seem like much but enough! He will multiply it to feed everyone! God is greater than what you have! Have you figured this out yet? Do something with what God has given you! With your life! Don’t waste it on drugs and go to work! With the left overs from a miracle you can feed even more people! Twelve baskets full! Israel had twelve tribes and Jesus had twelve disciples! God can build a nation out of left overs! God can build a church with left overs! God has more than enough for your family! He has more than enough for your church! God can bless you if you bring all you have to him! Peter build my church! Do you want to distribute God to the world? Or keep him for yourself? Sow the seed you have! Do not eat your seed! Share and multiply what you have! The rich young ruler was not able to do that? He valued his possessions more than God! I don’t need to tithe and make offerings? The possessions God had given to him he could not give back! If you give to God what you have he will do more with it than you ever could by yourself! The graveyard is full of excuses! Even David who wrote this Psalm waivered at times! Jesus never did! Wait on God but not on anything else! Do what God has called you to do! Help the needy and the lost! Go after those the world has rejected! Pray and agree with God! Jesus had every excuse to quit! The crown of thorns was very painful! The betrayal of his disciples was painful! His back cut open and bleeding was painful! His Cross was heavy! Your will be done! God’s will is not easy! Jesus had no excuses to die for you! Do you have any excuses not to live for him? He gave his all! Can you? Be faithful! Stand up for our flag and take a knee for Jesus in prayer! Pastor Don Wildes, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Fairburn, Georgia

Love & Betrayal! Isaiah 53:3

Greek Translation: “He was despised and rejected of maimed and crippled men; a man maimed by sorrows and grief; and we hid it were our faces from him; he was despised like Emperor Claudius who was poisoned by his wife Agrippina so her son Nero could assume power.” Comment: There are four English words translated from the Greek that shed light on this scripture. The words men and man comes from the Strongs #376 which means crippled or maimed! The Strongs root word for Strongs #376 is Strongs #303 which means reversed! That is the condition of man in the Garden of Eden was reversed! From life to death! From health to sickness! The next word aquainted is Strongs #3045. This word means fat! Jesus was surrounded by sorrows like a fat man surrounded by his fat! Dead men needed life but instead rejected him! Man maimed by sorrows and grief hid their faces from him? The word esteemed is the Roman name Claudius. This is Strong’s number 2803. The name Claudius means crippled! Just like Claudius Jesus was betrayed by those he loved! Judas went for the money! Peter denied him three times! All his disciples abandoned him and even His Father! Nothing has changed in the Centuries following including the 21st Century! Men maimed by sin reject him and are perishing without him! Marxism is responsible for 100 million deaths! Darwinism with the followers like Hitler for hundreds of millions of casualties! How about Islam over 1400 years! Hundreds of millions of deaths! However Christ has wrought a change in civilization with 1/3 of the world following him! Jesus will restore your soul, mind and body! If you embrace an ideology that opposes Christ your doom is sure! Christ was maimed for us to deliver us from sin! Why should you reject the redemption effort of God’s only Son Jesus Christ? Jesus can reverse your condition if you let him do so! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Why get Baptized? Acts 2:38

Greek Translation: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent! Have a true change of heart towards God understanding that your future is not dependent on your past! Be baptized! That is make a public identification with Jesus Christ through water immersion. Be baptized in the name and character of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your willful and intentional acts against God! Be baptized with the purpose of serving God by the free gifts of God’s character through the Holy Spirit!” Comment: Believe it or not this church doctrine has been controversial for the past two thousand years! You would think it would be a slam dunk but not the case! Some believe infant baptism is enough! However there is no conscious decision on the part of the infant to do this! Some believe there is no need of baptism because the thief on the Cross was not baptized yet he was saved! Baptism is connected to forgiveness but not dependent on it! Baptism is about power for ministry! It is about an effective work here on the earth! Jesus was baptized yet he did not need to be saved! Some say I am saved and therefore do not need to be baptized! If it is good enough for Jesus it is good enough for me! Remember the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus after baptism! The Holy Spirit will empower you for effective ministry here on the earth! Without His love you will be abusive in the ministry! Your human capacity will never be enough! We need the character of God to do the work of God! The thief on the Cross was headed for heaven! No earthly ministry time left for him except to say he was saved without baptism! The Holy Spirit saves us until the rapture or Christ’s return to earth! The Spirit is the down payment or escrow to hold us until his return! Remember Jesus said greater things will you do after I send the Holy Spirit! We have examples of baptism in the Old Testament! The evidence is strong for baptism unless you want to go it alone! Do not try to figure it out just do it! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Fishing Without Jesus! John 21

The disciples jumped into the boat with Peter! Peter was going to show them how to do it! It was his old occupation! Can you imagine taking Thomas the doubter along with you on a fishing trip? I told you guys you would not catch anything! Just wasting my time! The only thing we caught was a cold out on this water all night long! I really had my doubts about this trip! Shut up Thomas! Since the ministry had failed Peter went back to his old job! However it looked like Peter was failing in his old occupation? Was he rusty or bad luck? Failure can be a good thing if it points us to God! That has been my experience in life! When our own efforts fail God can do mighty things through us! If we can trust God rather than ourselves good things will come out of that! The disciples were so into themselves they did not recognize Jesus standing on the shoreline patiently waiting for them after their night of failure! Hey boy’s you caught anything last night? Hell no! I got a little heaven waiting for you guy’s! You boy’s are fishing on the wrong side of the boat! Throw your net on the other side! If in life you fish in the wrong place without Christ you could even catch things that could harm you! John was the first to recognize Jesus from the boat and when Peter found out he jumped into the water and headed to shore dragging the net with 153 fish in it! When Peter got to shore Jesus had a fire going on frying fish with bread! Jesus had already prepared what the disciples were seeking! They did not even need their big catch! Jesus has promised us that He would prepare a place for us! The Marriage Supper of the Lamb is waiting for us! The disciples finally figured out they could not make it without Jesus! Don’t be a slow learner but profit from their mistakes! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com

Do You Love Me? John 21:15-17

Greek translation: “Peter do you love me unselfishly to the point of sacrificing yourself for me more than these fish? Peter do you understand God’s love towards men even though they are His enemy? Yes Lord, I know I am your friend. Then shepherd, guard and protect my sheep. Then Jesus says a second time to Peter, “Do you love me to the point of sacrificing yourself to me and my work here on earth? Peter replied you know I am your friend. Jesus replied a third time, Peter are you my friend? Peter was grieved for Jesus asked him a third time and Peter replied, “Lord you know all things and you know I am your friend.” Jesus said to him then shepherd, protect and guard my sheep.” Comment: Two very different Greek words are used for the English word love in these passages of scripture! They are agape and phileo! Initially Peter did not understand God’s love Like most of us when we first come to Christ initially He becomes our friend! Peter probably thought since he betrayed Jesus just before the Cross three times Jesus needed to ask him about his commitment three times? Actually in Jewish Hebrew culture when something is said three times it is complete and not necessary to repeat anymore! Peter though because of his past he could be no more than just a friend! Could God forgive me? Peter answered this question later in his life as he was the leader of the Jerusalem church! Then later he was crucified upside down on a cross in Rome! Jesus was more than a friend to those 21 Coptic Christian men who were beheaded by ISIS last year! Peter finally understood God’s love for him! I have been a Christian for 45 years yet still with each new revelation I understand more of his love for me! Will we totally understand His love for us? After our resurrection from the dead we will learn more! During the millennium we will understand more of His love! We understand enough to feed His sheep here on the earth! As he shepherd’s you shepherd others! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com