” The church has witnessed the lawless application of brutal force, the spiritual and physical suffering of countless people, oppression, hatred and murder, and has not found ways to hasten to their aid? The church is the church only when it exists for others!” Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Executed by Adolf Hitler. Commentary: Do you exist for others or just for yourself? What you do with your time, talent and money will either testify for you or against you! We are witnessing today in America the rise of unrestrained political power! Hitler existed for himself and sacrificed others! History repeats itself! This German pastor existed for others and sacrificed himself for them! The growth in violence across America reflects a people living for themselves sacrificing anyone who might benefit themselves! When a political party exists for itself bad things happen! Everyone becomes expendable! Jesus came to earth from heaven to sacrifice himself for the whole world! If we are living for Christ and others then sacrificing for others should not be a difficult choice! James & Hamsa Sasse. IndiaJesusLovesYou.com
Tag: power
Baptized in Power! Mark 1:8
What was John the Baptist doing here? John was saying I dip you in water but there is one following me who will baptize you in the Holy Spirit! With power and authority in Jesus name! Jesus one part of the Trinity is going to send another part of the Trinity after my ascension to empower you to do miracles! To accomplish the will of my Father while you are living on earth! To do things you could never do on your own! Power to cast our Demons! Heal the sick and raise the dead! A supernatural power and love to defeat Satan the enemy of all men! To command the works of the flesh to bow down to the Spirit of God! To push back the darkness with his light! To free men from the slavery of Satan! Did you notice in the next verses Jesus is baptized by John! Jesus even though God in the flesh needed the Holy Spirit to complete his work on earth! To prepare himself for the Cross! The spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness! Would he have gone there on his own? The natural man of the flesh would never do the will of the Father on his own! In fact man will oppose the will of God on his own! We could never do what God wants us to do! With the power of the third part of the Trinity living in you all things are possible! The Trinity will never operate outside of itself! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one because they are in perfect agreement with each other! No sin in them! Sin always causes division! That is why we have Heaven and Hell! Sin causes war! War with God and men! Our cultural war here in America today is about disagreement with God! Never mind what the Bible says we will make our own laws that oppose God’s law! Satan drives them into rebellion against God! Marriage is not between a man and a woman we will make our own laws where two men can marry! Never mind the fact that transgenders have a 60 percent higher suicide rate than the rest of the population! We want our own way and I despise God for making my gender! If there was ever a case for The ordinance of water baptism it would be found in the first chapter of the Book of Mark! If anyone ever tells you water baptism is not important it would be the equivalent of you getting psychiatric advice from a mental patient! Easter is all about God redeeming men! Could there ever be a more important topic? James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Power in the Name! (Continued)
Revelation 3:1-6 Comment: Sardis was the richest city in the area of Asia Minor! A major trade route, gold found in it’s river and the Sardis precious stones mined in the region! A beautiful climate with no threats to the residents and protected by the Roman Empire! The Sardis gem is a blood red colored stone. Remember the High Priest breastplate contained 12 stones each representing the 12 tribes of Israel. The Sardis stone represented the tribe of Benjamin the youngest son of Jacob. It is one of the stones in one of the twelve gates in the walls around the temple in Heaven. The city had an interesting history! Conquered by the Greeks, Persians and the Romans and was leveled by a great earthquake! The affluence of the city brought an attitude among the Christian’s there that they did not really need God! We can make it own our own! Jesus told them they had defiled their garments! Jesus told them they must overcome or their names would be blotted out of the Book of Life! Jesus said if they overcome their condition he would confess their names to the Father! The red Sardis stone should have reminded them of Christ’s blood! The blood moon we saw in the sky last night should have reminded us of his blood! The red color in the rainbow in the sky reminds us of his blood! The Apostle John in Chapter 4 had a vision of Heaven and he saw a rainbow around the Throne of God! Christ’s blood should remind us of two things! Salvation and judgment! It is two sides of the same coin! Salvation or redemption means nothing without judgment! You will have judgment only with out Salvation but you cannot have salvation without judgment! Christ took our judgment upon himself at the Cross! The rejection of Salvation is serious because if you reject the Savior then you take your own judgment and separation from God forever! That is why the only unpardonable sin is to reject Jesus Christ! If you reject Christ as many did at the Church at Sardis then he Christ becomes your judge! Christ’s blood is the blood of God himself made as the only sacrifice for sin! It is costly! I as a mortal might give my life for a friend or my nation but for the whole world? They do not deserve it! Neither do I! By Grace you are saved not of yourselves! Most of the members in the Sardis church fell in love with the world! They were like the fly in the spider’s net! They looked like a Christian but they were dead and hollow inside! The life of Christ had been sucked out of them by the cares of this life! None of us want the form of Godliness but to deny his power! The church was deceived into believing the world could offer them more than Christ! I could lay down my life for Christ yet it would redeem no one! His blood is more precious than silver and more costly than gold! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Power in the Name (Continued)
Revelation 2:12-17. Comment: When a King of a Nation marries a wife she becomes the Queen! The Greek name “Pergamos”, means “Married to Power.” The new queen only has power because she is married to the King! Most of the world wants to have power! Political power! Financial power! Military power! Religious power! Why? Mostly to dominate and control other people! My Bible says his church his bride is married to Christ!That gives us power! Power not to bring people into bondage and slavery but to free people from the bondages of sin! Has the church had abuses with it’s power? Yes! Jesus is very careful who he gives power to! Knowing man has the potential for using his power for his own gain at the sacrifice of people he is very selective with his power! No mortal is perfect and God understands this as their creator! The Church at Pergamos was married to Christ! Jesus commends them for holding fast to their faith even though Satan’s seat was very close to them! Much about the mission field is walking into Hell and delivering captives from the fire! Our three years in India enabled us to experience this! The fire is all around you yet not burned! Mission work is a fiery furnace experience! Antipas a member of this church was martyred yet they kept their faith in Christ! However Jesus was disappointed in some church members who held unto the Doctrine of Balaam? This caused some members to commit fornication! Some church members clung to the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans! You cannot be married to Christ and Satan at the same time! You must divorce one and marry the other! Jesus asked them to repent or he would fight against them with the sword of his mouth! That is judgment would come to them according to his Word! So 21 centuries later what Doctrines in the American church oppose the Word of God? The Doctrine of Darwinism! That is atheism! Evolution! The Doctrine of Socialism! Founded by Marx, Engel, Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and others who were all followers of Darwin! Homosexual’s, lesbian’s and transgenders are Doctrines that oppose the Word of God! The list goes on but the more obvious examples! Do not forget drug use with 73000 casualties last year here in America! How about abortion! The casualties are millions yet if we stay married to Christ and not to the prostitutes of our culture Christ will carry the day for us! Jesus holds all power for good and he will and does have the last say because he is God! All judgment is rendered unto him yesterday, today and forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Power in the Name! (Continued)
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
Power in the Name! (Continued)
On the previous post we talked about the meanings of the names of the seven churches that the Apostle John mentioned in the Book of Revelation. That is the names of the cities these churches resided in. We spoke of the meaning of the Greek word Ephesus. Now let us look at the city of Thyatira. What does the Greek word Thyatira mean? The word means; “To be controlled by a woman.” Jesus had many good things to say about this church however he corrected them on the woman named Jezebel! (Revelation 2:20) She was using the power of sex to seduce church members! Nothing new here! The name Jezebel means a worshipper of Idol’s! One truth I found out while living in India is that Idol worshippers make themselves God! Sex is a gift from God! Like any gift it can be used to either honor God or dishonor him! We face the perversion of sex here in America today in that the popular culture promotes gays, lesbians and transgenders as something honorable! The evil today is no different than it was in the 1st Century! The church today faces the same challenges! The good news is we have the same Christ! Jesus name is higher than the name of a controlling woman! Just like the city of Ephesus we cannot lose our first love to Christ! Will you exalt any name above the name of Christ? If we demote God then we promote Satan! The choice is ours to make but our choice determines our outcome both today and eternally! Chose Christ today and forever! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
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
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
Holy Smoke! 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power,” Comment: I do not know about you but I would not want to be wood for the fire! Jesus was placed on a wooden Cross and took the fire of hell to save you from the flames! Think about this! God took your hell and gave you heaven! He took your judgment upon himself! He took your sin and gave you forgiveness! What a deal! What fool would turn this down? Sadly most of the world will recognize their error at Christ’s second coming! They will wail and beat their bodies when they witness his second coming! Christ’s body was beaten for you! To reject this is serious! No one will miss Jesus second coming but many have missed his first coming! No one will be able to hide behind their sin anymore! Jesus second coming is not only to rule and reign over the earth for a thousand years but to judge those who have rejected him while living on earth! Christ’s judgment will be socialism on steroids! All those that rejected him will get equal treatment with the same outcome! Hell! Why? Because they rejected the only God who took their judgment upon himself for their sin! The church is not on the earth at this time they are in heaven! Those following Christ at his second coming are the believers following him back to earth! No army can stand against him! Jesus came as a lamb for the sacrifice but his second coming he comes as a lion! You will not be able to vote him out of office! You will not be able to vote another sinner into office to cover your sin! He is King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s! You will stand at the judgment seat of Christ naked with no covering to hide behind! No ideology that opposes him will stand the test of fire! Fire forever! If you have rejected Christ now is the time for you to stop playing the fool! Eternity is forever and this life is very short! If I were playing the lottery game I would buy the forever ticket that keeps me out of hell! If I were wrong about this it would not hurt me one bit! In fact it would help me live a clean life! But if you are wrong and Christ is true and all that he has written you will not be able to purchase enough fire extinguishers to put out the flames of hell! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com