Greek Translation: ‘Then Jesus opened up their understanding or mental and intellectual perception. He stirred up and agitated their minds and comprehension. He caused them to hear and perceive God’s thoughts with their thoughts so that they could measure the scriptures against their own thoughts and actions.” Comment: It is interesting that the Greek word for “scriptures”, is the word graphe from which we get our English word graph! So what is a graph for? What purpose? It is used to measure and compare things! We need to measure and compare our life to the Word of God! To be honest when we do this we come up short! Lacking! At a loss! Missing link! So how can we measure up? If we look at a graph of ten motor vehicles comparing gas mileage you might want to buy the one that gets the most gas mileage! However if you look at another graph that shows this vehicle has the highest maintenance repairs and another graph that shows this vehicle also has the highest fatality rate then you might change your mind? I can measure my life against other men and I may look good but by other men I look like a failure! The Apostle Paul said it is unwise to compare among men! If I have a compass I can find north and find my way by the standard for direction! How does my life rank against the standard of God? If honest I can only fall at His feet asking for forgiveness and mercy! Then Jesus said we must forgive others as He has forgiven us! If you do not do this you block your own forgiveness! So how do we meet the standard set by God? We cannot in and of ourselves! Our standard was provided to us by God Himself! Through His Son Jesus Christ! God paid the penalty for our sin at the Cross! When we accept His standard in His Son’s sacrifice for our sin then we are forgiven! If we reject the standard of the sinless Savior then we stand naked before God with no covering! We will one day stand before a Holy God Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead! If we look at a graph and compare the life of Jesus to ourselves all we can do is bow our knee and confess with our tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord! If you have not do so right now before it is too late! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: sacrifice
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
Old versus New!
The Old and New Testament are on the same page! They compliment each other! You see the old in the new and new in the old! Here is an interesting quote from and Pastor out of India: “In the Old Testament the shepherd prepared the lambs for a sacrifice of worship but in the New Testament the shepherd prepared Himself as the sacrifice for the sheep! The only sacrifice that would be enough to atone for our sin! The only sacrifice that would please the Father! Now our worship is acceptable to God through His only Son Jesus Christ! Jesus rejected by men is accepted by the Father in Heaven! The son’s of men now have the opportunity to live for Him serving God and man! A sacrifice by love to worship our King! Words of Praise from mortal men to the Word of God fulfilled in flesh!” Pastor Jestin, Madurai India
The Joy Set Before Him! Hebrews 12:2
What is the difference between love and law? Jesus came to fulfill the law though love! If the only God you know is law then your attitude is I HAVE to obey and keep the Commandments! Even though you are miserable you have to do your duty! We must be in church on Sunday and keep the Sabbath! When we discover the love of God through Christ our attitude changes about worship! Now I WANT to keep the Commandments! I want to please God! He loves me and I do not want to disappoint Him! I love Him because He first loved me! I obey out of love! My attitude now is to love other’s as He has loved me! I take joy in suffering for other’s as He suffered for me! My present and future is in Him so I no longer have to store up stuff for myself! I can joyfully share what I have with other’s! I no longer have to store up anger, hate and worry to be released on other’s for He has taken it away and given me love to replace it! I am free now to do the Father’s will. Jesus endured the Cross with joy! Why? Because He loves you! He knew the return on His sacrifice would redeem billions of souls! However had the return only been you He would have done it! The same joy is available to you but you must forsake the things that are taking your joy away and take up your Cross and follow Jesus! Why not begin this journey by attending a Easter Service this Sunday! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Easter Commentaries Luke 23:43
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee. Today thou shalt be with me in paradise.” Comment: So where is paradise? The Greek word means Eden, the future place of happiness! The Hebrew equivalent means a forest or fruit orchard. So the word paradise describes the Garden of Eden! Remember when Adam and Eve sinned against God they were cast out of the Garden of Eden! Then an Angel with a flaming sword was placed at the east entrance not allowing any human to eat of the Tree of Life! We know that sin and Eternal Life cannot co-exist together! Everyone will chose one but without the other! Only Jesus could make this promise to the thief on the Cross because Jesus was the Tree of Life! He was hung on a Cross to provide you an entrance back into the Garden of Eden for an eternity! A garden with no sin because of His sacrifice for our sin on the Cross! The entrance fee has been paid with His own blood! Adam and Eve sacrificed animals in the Garden to try to cover their sin! But the blood of animals was not enough! The blood of God’s only Son was the only blood that would atone for our sin! The thief on the Cross might have been the first human to re-enter the Garden of Eden! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Lent Season 2 Corinthians 5:17
Greek Translation; “Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new quality never before accomplished and a fully restored man that God has created. Old things are passed away and all things have become new.” Comment: What things are passed away? Our sin has passed away! It passed away on a Cross over two thousand years ago! Sin died on the Cross with Jesus! It was nailed on a Cross never to rise again! Sin is defeated forever! Man was raised from the dead without sin! A new creature uninfected by sin! Born again! A restoration that has nothing to do with men but everything to do with God! The only sacrifice that is perfect and everlasting! Man’s efforts have failed but God’s work won the day! A victory that is not seasonal with every new game but eternal! No rivals! It is not a victory that is waiting for the next war but has defeated all foes past and future! A trophy that will not rust with time but the timeless redemption of all ages! Heaven and earth will pass away but not our Christ! He will create a new Heaven and a new earth to go along with your new life! Awaken to your new reality that had been hidden in time! Do you want to trade in your old model for the new model or do you want to hang unto death? Do you want to exchange your sin for righteousness before God? Righteousness that He purchased for you! Do you want to be wrong with men and right with God? Free at last! You cannot have it both ways! Heaven or Hell not Heaven and Hell. As we enter into the Lent season think on these thoughts! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Giving to Ministries
I cannot tell you where to give or how much to give! That is between you and God! Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive! I am not soliciting to give to this ministry or any other ministry! I got a call from Joel Osteen Ministries today Sunday. They wanted a $35 dollar donation. I suggested to the caller that he should make a disclaimer to all donors that our tithe first belongs to the local church! He agreed yet I asked him why he did not tell me this? Then I asked him if he worked for Joel Osteen Ministries? He told me he was a private contractor collecting money for the ministry. I told him I thought Joel was a good preacher but does not enter into the cultural warfare breaking down America! I mentioned that Joel lives in a 10.5 million dollar mansion! He owns another house worth 2.9 million and another lot worth 1.9 million! The caller told me we cannot judge him! I told the caller I am not judging anyone but these are just facts about Joel’s lifestyle! His lifestyle does not fit the Jesus I know in my Bible? I told the caller I appreciate him giving up his 200 thousand annual dollar salary back in 2007 from the church. However his net worth is 40 million dollars! He sells his books but most of the money is gained by Christian’s buying his books! This is money from believer’s in the Church! Could this money have been more productive by church member’s investing in their local church? Also the 501c tax exemption allows the escape of tax money to the treasury department and that short fall has to be made up by the American tax payer! The caller told me I need to move on! Here is the point I am trying to make! Jesus said to render unto God what is His and to Caesar what is his! The tithe is automatic going to your local church! The offering is optional! To give to any ministry I need to see sacrifice from the leadership! If God speaks to you to give to Joel Osteen Ministries do it! Joel’s father is the one who really sacrificed to build the foundation for Joel! The same can be said of Franklin Graham. He gets 880 thousand dollars per year annual salary! Billy Graham’s net worth is 25 million dollars! I have to see examples of sacrifice for me to invest in any ministry! We need to put our money where our mouth is! These ministries do great things but the love of money is still the root of all evil! I would suggest that all ministries tithe their incomes to other ministries and support for the poor, widow’s and orphans! My prayer is those who read this will get a conviction in their heart’s including myself to be wise with our resources and invest into those who mirror Jesus Christ the most! Will 35 dollars break me? No! I wanted to make a point to our caller! God Bless your ministry! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Worship! Job 1:10-12
Job is one of the most fascinating Books in the Bible! In these passages of scripture God and Satan are having a conversation about Job! Satan is reminding God that He has blessed Job and the work of his hands with wealth! Satan told God that if you take the wealth away Job will curse you and he will be just like me! So God granted Satan power over Job’s wealth and Job lost money and family! My Bible also says God gives us power to get wealth! Satan can only take it away if God gives Satan authority over your wealth! Remember in the Temptation Satan offered Jesus all the Kingdoms of this world if He would just bow down and worship him! We see in verse 20 that after Job lost everything he rent his clothes bowed down to the earth and worshipped God! Worship can never depend on how much we have or do not have! Wealth can drive us away from God just as easily as poverty! A true heart of worship has nothing to do with our circumstances! Jesus on the Cross was the greatest test of this truth! True worship is understanding the sacrifice God has made for us and to sacrifice for other’s as He has done for us! Our final destination is being in Heaven with our Christ forever! All our decisions need to be based on this fact! Jesus said the love of money is the root of all evil. Trust God and not money because money will perish and you with it if it is your God! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Valetine of Sacrifice! Acts 20:35
Not all are born equal. Some guy’s are smarter! Some guy’s are stronger and faster! Some guy’s are better looking! Where we can be equal is in courage and sacrifice! That is a choice! It is important our children understand this! Sacrifice is a good thing! Sacrifice for a soldier is a very good thing! There is no bottom line to it! People will sacrifice in society but only so far! They will want something out of it! Not a soldier! A sacrifice for a soldier will only deepen his capacity for more sacrifice! Sacrifice and responsibility go together! I am only able to stand here with this Medal of Honor around my neck because of the supreme sacrifice my comrades made for me in the midst of the battle! I wear this award for them and stand in for them! That is the only reason I am here! Patrick Brady, Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam War
Sacrifice! John 15:12-14
It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died! Rather, we should thank God that such men lived! General George S. Patton