The history of humanity is not a hotel where someone can rent a room whenever it suits him; nor is it a vehicle which we board or get out of at random. Our past will be for as a burden beneath which we can only collapse for long as we refuse to understand the present and fight for a better future. Only then—but from that moment on—will the burden become a blessing, that is, a weapon in the battle of freedom! Hannah Arendt Commentary: Our history is a starting point for a better tomorrow! We have made gains then we have lost some battles yet forever learning from our mistakes! If our history is lost then we have no starting point! The cancel culture movement on the political left is about destroying our history in hopes it will destroy America! Did you know among other things your Bible is a history book! How God dealt with man in his fallen condition and then the plan executed by God for his redemption! If you could avoid every mistake made by men recorded in your Bible then you would be God! Our Bible is a living document just as our Constitution that transcends the passing of time and the exit of every generation! God is faithful from generation to generation! The promise he has made to your past generations are the same promises for you today! He is the same yesterday, today and forever! His love is everlasting! God has created our history! He is executing the promises to you everyday but you must claim them! If you proclaim his name to the world you will at the same time claiming his promises to you as found in the scriptures! History reflects good and evil depending on which side of the divide you are standing on! United in Christ we stand! Freedom began in my life when I surrendered to Christ and then he began to fight my battles for me! He never lost a battle as he fought for you on the Cross! Raised from the dead for you! Ascended to the Father for you! Seated at the right hand of the Father praying for you! Preparing for his second coming back to earth for you! We are not saved by works but for works! What are you doing for him? Take the sword of the spirit his Word a double edged sword to conquer every ideology opposing the Kingdom of God! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Tag: treasures
Treasure in Heaven? Upon the Earth?
Matthew 6:19-21 Comment: So what is the difference between earth and heaven? What did Jesus mean here? You might think you know the difference but let us look at the Greek root words used for these two English words! The word earth means the dust part of the earth! It does not include the above ground earth! However we are made from the dust of the earth! We will return to the dust of the earth! All the elements in the human body are found in the dust of the earth! Science confirms the scriptures of your Bible! The word heaven used here is also interesting because this word used here by Jesus means in a physical sense! It means the all embracing heaven beneath which is the earth. What does the word heart mean? It means every thought, reasoning, understanding, will, judgment, designs, affections, love, hatred, fear, joy, sorrow and anger of a human being! We cannot hide our heart from God! This is reason alone to repent of our sin! Misplaced values of the heart will lead to wrong choices! So what did Jesus mean when we put all these three words together? Jesus was saying do not invest your life in dust! Your earthly treasures will perish with your body! Jesus is saying the eternal part of us will never perish! It is your soul, mind and eternal body! Jesus will one day raise us from the dead! To invest treasures in heaven means to invest in souls here in the earth! Use your resources to reach people for Christ! This is why our Pastor Cope Sunday had an emphasis on Vacation Bible School for our children! This is why he had a Gideon’s International speaker at the pulpit to fund Bible distribution world wide! If you go after money and not soul’s you will become spiritually bankrupt! Separated from God! Will your treasure perish with you or grow the Kingdom of God here on earth? Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Pride! Isaiah 39:1-2
The Babylonian Ambassadors came to King Hezekiah in Israel to give him gifts for they had heard he had been sick. Hezekiah showed them all the treasures in the Temple and government treasuries! He gave them a tour of all his stuff! Isaiah inquired after they left and asked the king who were these people and what did they want? After Isaiah learned who they were he warned the King he had made a grave error! He told the King the following generations would be taken captive to Babylon as slaves and all their wealth carried away! Pride before the fall? It is good to give a testimony to people for how God has blessed you! However some will become jealous and try to steal your goods! Sometimes treasures can draw the wrong people into your life! If you have a loyal faithful friend when you were poor they will be faithful when you are rich! Someone like Jesus! Remember Job after he lost it all? Miserable friends! God recovered Job! The real treasures God has given us can never be taken away! We have this treasure in earthen vessels! James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com
Empires and Rusty Treasures Ecclesiastes 2:1, 4-9
When you examine all the empires over history they have all vanished! Whether the Assyrian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman or any other they have all disintegrated! Most of their best dreams are in museums! Solomon was a great leader and powerful in managing his Kingdom! Next to his father King David he was a brilliant leader! He was a civil engineer building dams, roads, bridges, palaces, temples and anything he imagined! Solomon was rich and ambitious but very broken inside! Solomon longed for something he could not build himself! Why do we do what we do? Why do you get up in the morning? Why do you go to school, work and plan for retirement? What motivates us? What is in our heart? Solomon longed to go back to the Garden of Eden! He built groves and gardens but something was missing? If we build our own garden God will be absent! We do our own thing and then ask God to Bless it! If I build my own empire it will be empty in the end! Solomon created a lot of gardens but was empty inside! Let God come into the garden He created for you! God spent time in the Garden of Gethsemane to prepare a place for you! Ecclesiastes 2:10- Heathenism is the religion of choice in the world today! Heathenism is defined as getting more pleasure and avoiding the pain! It is like trying to sin and getting away with it! Even though Solomon lived about 3 thousand years ago people are chasing the same dream today in 2015! The problem is the more pleasure we seek the less we find! Emptiness will creep up on you! All the past empires are a pile of rock today! Living in Colorado we do not need anymore rocks! Each empire tried to rearrange the rocks! Why do empires fail? Simply empires use people to get money! Solomon said he bought slaves and women! Empires are built for pleasure! The empires trying to be built in 2015 are enslaving people and killing people for money! Jesus had a very different idea about money and power! In the first century Christian’s sold their lands to help those who were suffering! They did not claim property as their own! The Apostles sold their possessions to help others! People in the world build an empire so they can be King! Solomon was brought to a place of emptiness! At the point of our limitations we need to respond to the invitation of Jesus! What would Jesus have said to Solomon? Matthew 6:19 Do you store up treasures for yourself on earth? There is a lot of discussion in our culture about capitalism right now! Is it good or evil? Remember the talents? God does not hate capitalism! What God does despise is selfishness! When people of God catch the heart of God great things happen! Again why do we do what we do? We can even do the right things for the wrong reasons! God wants our worship! So does Satan! Like Solomon when we worship ourselves we are at the wrong God and the wrong Altar! Jim Carrey got 20 million dollars for every movie he produced but yet said wealth is not the answer! John 10:9-10 Jesus invitation to you the world cannot give you! If we are motivated by God lasting things happen! Invest your treasures in Heaven in eternal things that will outlast any worldly pursuit! Source; Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Is It Really About Money? Matthew 6:19-21
Jesus tone and language changed between chapter 5 and chapter 6 of Matthew. Jesus moves from your public life to your private life. There should be no difference. No conflict between them. Jesus had an audience of the working poor which included most of his disciples. There were Jews, Greeks, Romans in the crowd and a few rich folks. The working poor would be those who earn just enough to buy their daily food. The whole family had to work to survive. Jesus message was about spending, saving and giving. How do American’s spend their money? Let us look at some big money people. NFL football players by a majority (68%) are broke after 2 years of retirement. Almost all Lotto winners are broke within one year of their winnings! Where is our heart? Money follows the heart. We are to save to give when there is a need. We are to be good stewards. If we spend all we have then nothing is left to help those in need. Proverbs6:6- Watch the ant! We are to spend less than we make just as the ant eats less than he gathers. We are to save to be generous at every opportunity. Matthew 6:22. Watch your eyes! What you focus on will be what you worship! Your eyes will focus your heart on treasures and your soul will bond to those things. Luke 16:10 How we handle money tells a lot about ourselves. He that is faithful with little will be faithful with much. This passage discounts Christians who say I will give when I make more money. Most people worry about money. Americans only give about 2% to charities. God does not have enough generosity among His people. Matthew 6:24 You cannot serve God and money and have two masters. The Lord says to tithe, save and give. God wants to be respected as, “Lord of All!” Begin to act like God owns it all! The love of money is the root of all evil. Who do you love? Money is not evil unless you love it! Think about it all the time. Love God and money will follow you enough to supply your needs and the needs of others. Love God and money will leave no sorrows. Love money and it will be a cruel task master. Money is not evil unless we use it to replace worship of the living God. Source; Sermon notes from message given by Pastor Brady Boyd, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado Thankyou. James and Hamsa Sasse. GodWhoisGod.com