Hope.......the expectation of future good.

1 Peter 1:3:5  (3) Blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  (4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.  (5) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Titus 2:11-13  (11) For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.  (12) Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world; (13) Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2:16,17  (16) Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting *consolation and good hope through grace, (17) Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

*Consolation - comfort fortified with encouragement.

Hebrews 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

Hebrews 6:17-20  (17) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of the promise the *immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:  (18) That by two *immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:  (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth that within the veil; (20) Whither the fore runner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

*Immutable/immutibility - never changing or varying:  unchangeable.

1 John 3:2, 3  (2) Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be:  but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him:  for we shall see him as he is.  (3) and every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure

.THE GROUNDS OF OUR HOPE:  OUR SOURCE:  The Lord, His word, His promises....He is truth, we trust in Him.

     The scriptures show us where our hope is to be placed.

Psalm 38:15  For in thee, O LORD, do I hope:  thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

Psalm 39:7  And now, Lord, what wait I for?  my hope is in thee.

Psalm 31:24  Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord.

Lamentations 3:24  The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth:  thy word is truth.

*We place our hope in Jesus Christ who IS the word and the truth.  Where else can we find truth?  It is ONLY Jesus Christ!  He IS truth, and He IS the word.

Psalm 119:160  Thy word is true from the beginning:  and every one of thy righteous *judgments endureth for ever.

*Judgments - God's judgments are divine and right always..His decisions on right and wrong or anything else.

Psalm 119:81  My soul fainteth for thy salvation:  but I hope in thy word.

*We put our hope and trust in the word which has been for ever settled in heaven.  It will not change.

Psalm 119:89  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settle in heaven.

*Truly we can say with the Psalmist...Psalm 119:103  How sweet are thy words unto my taste!  Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:114  Thou art my hiding place and my shield:  I hope in thy word.

Psalm 119:162  I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

     *How wonderful that we have such hope!  We trust in Him alone who IS truth.  He is our ONLY hope~  We put our trust in Him alone who so loves us and died for us while we were yet sinners that he might reconcile us to God so that we could be redeemed and our sins forgiven and we could receive the gift of eternal life.

Romans 5:8  But God commended his love for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

     *What MAN can give us such hope?  What MAN can make such promises?  What MAN can GUARANTEE our future state after death?  What MAN can FORGIVE OUR SINS?  NO!  NOT THE POPE or any other human being!  What MAN can give us the gift of ETERNAL LIFE?  What MAN can you fully TRUST in?

Jeremiah 17:5,7  (5) Thus saith the Lord; cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth fromthe Lord.  (7) Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.

     *Faith, trust, hope in any other is vain...useless and worthless.  Hope, truth, trust, faith can ONLY be found in Jesus Christ...there is NONE OTHER.

Hebrews 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Romans 8:24,25  (24) For we are saved by hope:  but hope that is seen is not hope:  for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  (25) But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.\

     OUR WONDERFUL PROMISE FROM GOD....

Isaiah 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

I Corinthians 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

*These things are as yet in the unseen and we with patience are waiting with precious hope!

     **NOTE:  It was prophesied in the Old Testament that the Gentles would be saved:

Isaiah 11:10  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek:  and his rest shall be glorious.

Isaiah 42:1,6  (1) Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him:  he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.  (6) I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles.

NEW TESTAMENT

     *But, when Jesus came, he sent the disciples to the lost sheep of Israel.

Matthew 10:5-7  (5) These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not.  (6) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  (7) And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

*Later we see the reaction of the Gentiles and of the Jews.  Acts 13:32-49  (32) And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, (33) God hath fulfilled the same unto us their chldren, in that he hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second Psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.  (34) And as concerning hat he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.  (35) Wherefore he saith also in another Psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption,  (36) For David after he had served his own generation by the will of God fell asleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:  (37) But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.  (38) Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins:  (39) And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.  (40) Beware therefore lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets: (41) Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish:  for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.  (42) And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.  (43) Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas:  who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.  (44) And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.  (45) But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with enjy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.  (46) Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you:  but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.  (47) For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.  (48) And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.  (49) And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

Acts 11:1,18  (1) And the apostles and brethren that were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God.  (18) When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

Acts 14:27  And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

     *THE ATTITUDE WE SHOULD HAVE

Romans 15:9-12  (9) And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, for this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name.  (10) And again he saith, rejoice ye Gentiles, with his people.  (11) And again, praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him all ye people.  (12) And, again, Esaias saith, there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust.

Titus 3:4-7  (4) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, (5) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of *regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (6) Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.  (7) That being *justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. *Regeneration - born again\*Justified - the guilty being counted as just (innocent) before God.

*God help us never to take our salvation lightly.  WE are Gentiles and it is only by the love and grace of God that we have been given the opportunity for salvation.

*Let's end with Romans 15:13  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

     *The scriptures are for our consolation - may we be comforted and encouraged by what we have read and heard.

As I was doing this study I felt the Holy Spirit impress something upon my heart that I want to share:  The only hopeless man is the man who does NOT have Jesus Christ.

God bless you, I love you.

Study done for

Treasure Keepers Kenya

by Mama Jo

April 2014

Scriptural proof using the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.  Let the BIBLE prove itself!

     It is very important that we are worshipping the REAL Jesus Christ.  Jesus himself told us in Matthew 24:5  For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many.

     1Timothy 4:10,11,13,16  (10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.  (11) These things command and teach.  (13) Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.  (16) Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine, continue in them:  for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

     There must be a way to PROVE that we are, indeed, worshipping the Jesus Christ who is the Saviour of the world, not a false Christ who will lead us away from eternal life unto another gospel, and this must be PROVEN in the Scriptures themselves, which are the full counsel of God.

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH ONCE DELIVERED UNTO THE SAINTS

     We are told also in Jude 3,4 (3) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints.  (4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

     We are warned in Galatians 1:6-9  (6)     I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another gospel; (7) Which is not another; but there would be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  (9) As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, so let him be accursed.

     There are many warnings given to us about false teachers and false prophets in these last days, but they have been there all along since the days of Jesus.  Let's look at some of those many warnings:

FALSE PROPHETS

Isaiah 8:20  To the law and to the testimony:  if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

Matthew 7:15,16  (15) Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are raveing wolves.  (16) Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Jeremiah 23:16,17,21,22,25-32  (16) Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you:  they make you vain:  they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.  (17) They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.  (21) I have not sent these prophets, yet then ran:  I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.  (22) But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.  (25) I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.  (26) How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies?  Yea, they are  prophets of their own heart:  (27) Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.  (28) The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully.  What is the chaff to the wheat?  saith the LORD.  (29) Is not my word like as a fire?  saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?  (30) Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.  (32) Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, ad do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them:  therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

Matthew 7:22,23  (22) Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  And in thy name have cast out devils?  And in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23) And then will I  profess unto them, I never knew you:  depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

2 PETER 2:1-3  (1) BUT there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  
2 Peter 4:3,4 (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

1 Timothy 6:3-5  (3) If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the  words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness:  (4) He is proud, knowing nothing, but, doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, (5) Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:  from such withdraw thyself.

Matthew 15:9 But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

1 Timothy 1:6,7  (6) From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; (7) Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth    be no more children, tossed to and from, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

2 Peter 2:12-19 (12) But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not, and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; (13) And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they count it pleasure to riot in the day time.  Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; (14) Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls; an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children; (15) Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; (16) But was rebuked for his iniquity:  the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.  (17) These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the midst of darkness is reserved for ever.  (18) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption:  for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

2 Corinthians 11:3,4,13-15 (3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.  (4) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if  ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.  (13) For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  (14) And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  (15) Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

IT IS IMPORTANT as we begin this study that we put away everything we have been told by anyone and seek out answers in the scriptures alone.  We can see from the scriptures quoted that there are many false prophets and teachers who are bringing in false doctrines ad promoting false movements such as the New Age and Purpose Driven movements along with many other false and corrupt practices such as contempletive prayer and Yoga.  Sadly many solid mainstream denominations have also fallen prey to these false teachings and doctrines of devils.  It is easy to be influenced if we are not reading and studying the scriptures for ourselves and staying close to God in prayer.  We need to stay away from the modern Bible translations which are moving us into a One Wordl Religion by watering down the truth and removing the diety of Christ in many scriptures.  We must decide that we want the TRUTH and NOT any teaching that does not line up exactly with the word of God as preserved in the Authorized King James Bible.  The many versions of the Bible have many changes and omissions.  We will go into this deeply in another study.

     2 Timothy 3:16,17  (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  (17) That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

     So today, we want to KNOW that we ARE following and worshipping the REAL Jesus.  If we are not following the real Jesus Christ then all we do is in vain and will find ourselves cast out in the end.  This is VITAL to our eternity. 

     First, Who IS Jesus?

 GOD THE CREATOR, GOD THE WORD, GOD THE SAVIOUR, GOD THE FATHER

      Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

     John 1:1-3,10,11   (1) In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  (2) The same was in the bginning with God.  (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  (10) He was in the world, ad the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

     Colossians 1:16,17 (16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether  they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers:  all things were created by him, and for him:  (17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 

     Now look at John 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

     1Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of glodliness:  God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

     His birth was prophesied:  Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign, Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

     Isaiah 9:6, 7 (6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:  and the government shall be upon is shoulder:  and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  (7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. 

Matthew 1:18-23  (18) Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:  When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.  (19) Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.  (20) But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary, thy wife:  For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.  (21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS:  for he shall save his people from their sins.  (22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of by the prophet, saying, (23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.  (24) Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:  (25) And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son:  and he called his name JESUS. 

     1John 4:14 And we have seen and do testify tht the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

     John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and said, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

     Isaiah 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD, and beside me there is no saviour.

     Isaiah 45:21,22 (21) Tell ye, and bring them near, yea, let them take counsel together:  who hath declared this from ancient time?  Who hath told it from that time?  Have not I the LORD?  and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.  (22) Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth:  for I am God, and there is none else.

     Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree:  the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my son; this day have I begotten thee.

     Hebrews 1:5,6 (5) For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee?  (6) And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

     John 9:35-38 (35) Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him,  Dost thou believe on the Son of God?  (36) He  answered and said, Who is he,  Lord,  that I might believe on him?  (37) And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.  (38) And he said, Lord, I believe.  And he worshipped him.

     John 20:31 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God:  and

believing, ye might have life through his name.

     Titus 1:3,4 (3) But hath in due time manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.  (4) To Titus, mine own son after the common faith:  Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

     *I believe we can clearly see WHO Jesus Christ IS from the scriptures.  Need we have any doubt?  Can we prove otherwise from th scriptures?  This is very necessary to this study because of the controversy surrounding what we will be discussing.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING ABOUT GOD WE MUST ESTABLISH:  GOD IS NOT A LIAR AND HE CANNOT LIE.

     Hebrews 6:17,18  (17) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath:  (18) That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

     1John 2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

     1John 2:26,27  (26) These things I have written unto you concerning them that seduce you:  (27) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you.  But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and in truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

*NOW WE HAVE SEEN as proven in the scriptures (Authorized KJV) that God is the Creator and the creator of everything.  We see that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, manifested in the flesh.  We see that Jesus Christ is God the only Saviour, and Jesus Christ Son of the living God, and He cannot lie.

THE ONLY SIGN...DID JESUS SPEND A FULL 72 HOURS IN THE GRAVE?

     This controversy has been raging as long as I can remember; so let's get into it.

     WHAT DID JESUS SAY?

     Matthew 12:38-40 (38) Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.  (39) But he answered and said unto them, An evil, and adulterous genertion seeketh after  sign and there shall be no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.  (40) For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

     In the following scriptures we can see that Jesus was quite explicit when referring to rising on the third day.  In fact, there is little doubt that He WAS referring to the actual amount of time that he would be in the heart of the earth.

     Jesus Christ, the one who created the day and the night and who is not a liar, gave THIS sign and ONLY this sign, that would PROVE He WAS the Messiah.  So, for those who try to brush this aside as just a casual remark or that he didn't really 'mean' an actual 72 hours in order to hold to their belief of a Friday crucifixion, will find that this is not the case at all as we shall see.

     We must be teachable.  When the Scriptures themselves PROVE to be correct and not in line with our beliefs or traditions, we MUST be willing to change.

     We will find the THIRD DAY is spoken of as a very particular day and this is a vital point.  Let's let the Scriptures prove themselves.

     John 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day?  If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of the world.  (Jesus knew full well how many hours were in a day and in a night)

     Genesis 1:1.3-5 (1) In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.  (3) And God said, Let there be light:  and there was light.  (4) And God saw the light, that it was good:  and God divided the light from the darkness.  (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.  And the evening and the morning were the first day.

     Matthew 17:22,23 (22) And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into hands of men:  (23) and they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.  And they were exceeding sorry.

     Matthew 20:18,19 (18) Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests aand unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, (19) And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scouge, and to crucify him and the third day he shall rise again.

     Mark 8:31 For he taught the disciples and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.  *NOTE:  This exact scripture is repeated again in Mark 9:31.

     Mark 10:33,34 (33) Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles:  (34) And they shall mock him and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again.

     Luke 18:33 And they shall scourge him, and put him to death:  and the third day he shall rise again.

     Luke 24:20,21 (20) And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.  (21) But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel:  and beside all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done.

     Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day;

     Acts 10:40,41 (40) Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; (41) Not to all people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

     *NOTE:  IF Jesus was speaking 'casually' meaning in a couple of days, etc., and not meaning exactly three days and three nights as He SAID, then one could continue believing in a Friday crucifixion.  However, the scriptures prove that what Jesus SAID is exactly what He meant and what those at that time believed.  THEY did not take it lightly...why do WE take it so lightly and continue to believe TRADITION over the TRUTH as set forth in the word of God?

     Read Matthew 12:38-40 once again.  From the scriptures we have read we can see that Jesus said and meant three days and three nights.  He is the creator, He cannot lie.

NOW SOME ABSOLUTE BIBLICAL PROOF from the Authorized KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible and some other translations.

     John 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that Sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

Let's now just take a quick look at what some other Bible versions say in John 19:31;

     The American Standard Bible calls this sabbath a high day.

     The English Standard Version calls this sabbath a high day.

      The New American Standard Bible  calls this sabbath a high day.

     The New King James Bible calls this sabbath a high day.

     So if we will do our study, we will find that each of these are all referring to a Sabbath other than the weekly sabbath of Passover week. This will lead to the knowledge that a high day or high Sabbath is a yearly sabbath, which is always preceeded by a PREPARATION day.  In this case it was the yearly sabbath that began the Days of Unleavened Bread which began at sunset when the Passover ended.  Since the Jewish calendar shows that the Passover fell on Wednesday the 14th of Nisan, we know that the 14th was also the PREPARATION day for that high sabbath which fell on Thursday but began at sunset the previous evening....God's days begin and end at sunset.  So, Jesus Christ, our Passover was crucified ON PREPARATION day, but it was the preparation day for the yearly sabbath, not for the weekly sabbath.  If you will do your calculations you will see that from sunset Wednesday until sunset Saturday that there are exactly 72 hours or 3 days and 3 nights.  It is just a matter of there being TWO sabbaths that week and TWO preparation days.  Do we stick with tradition...Good Friday....and worship THAT Jesus or do we worship the Jesus who was our passover and was in the grave for 3 days and 3 nights just as He SAID He would be?  The facts are right in the scriptures...what you want to believe and which Jesus you will follow is up to you, but you have been shown the truth right from the word of God.

     The women went to buy and prepare spices for the body on Friday (preparation day for the weekly sabbath), then had to wait until after the weekly sabbath on Saturday to go to the tomb to anoint the body of Christ...they found He had already risen!

     The sabbath that is being talked about here is the regular seventh day sabbath which followed the 'high sabbath' which John 19:31 refers to.  We must conclude then that Jesus Christ was crucified on Wednesday, the 14th of Nisan, the Passover day...that he was buried just before 6:00 p.m.  and that He arose from the grave at the end of the weekly sabbath at the same approximate time in order to be in the grave a full three days and three nights.  Jesus Christ was our Passover Lamb, crucified on the Passover.  1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.  For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.  *NOTE:  Being our passover, then WHY would he be sacrificed 2 days AFTER the passover!  Tradition, and teaching from the Catholic Church say Jesus was crucified on the preparation day of the weekly sabbath but that gives us a 'different' Jesus!  The Jesus sacrrified ON the passover/preparation day for the high/yearly sabbath gives us a Saviour who WAS in the grave for a full 72 hours just as He SAID He would be.  So, do we follow the 'tradition' of man, or do we believe the word of God?

     This certainly refutes a 'Good Friday' resurrection on Sunday morning as the sun was coming up.  The seventh day actually began at sunset on Saturday...The gospel message is that "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried; and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."  1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (1) Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherewith ye stand.  (2) By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  (3) For I delievered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; (4) And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures;

*NOTE:  He rose again the THIRD DAY.......ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES.  How much clearer can it be?

     More corrupt Bible versions seem to be trying to either agree with the 'tradition' that has been carried forth or to be deliberately misleading....

     John 19:31 in the following versions cannot be lined up with a high/yearly sabbath.

The NIV..New International Version says "and the next day was to be a special Sabbath"

The GOOD NEWS Bible says "they requested this because it was Friday......since the coming sabbath was especially holy.  *We have seen this scripture is NOT refering to Friday.

The NEW CENTURY Version says "and the next day was a special sabbath day."

The new NIRV New International Reader's Version says "the next day would be a special sabbath."

The NEW LIVING TRANSLATION says (and a very special sabbath day at that, because it was the passover).  The passover is NOT a sabbath day and it never falls on a sabbath, weekly or yearly.

The GOD'S WORD TRANSLATION we see it says "since it was Friday and the next day was an especially important day of worship..."

     *When we see that FRIDAY is mentioned as the day of Christ's crucifixion that it is in error...according to the Scriptures!  Yet, in our schools here in Kenya, it is the Good News Bible that the students are required to use.  This is indeed unfortunate.

     Truly people have been deceived into keeping the tradition of men and making the word of God of none effect!

     Man says Jesus was crucified on Friday, preparation day for the weekly sabbath.  The word of God according to His preserved word in the Authorized KJV Bible clearly shows that He, being our passover, was crucified on the preparation day for the yearly sabbath and that passover fell on that day.  YES!  It was preparation day, just as the scriptures say, BUT man has misdirected us to another preparation day, another sabbath, and thus, another Jesus!

     So, what about Good Friday?  Well, it is a 'tradition' of the Catholic Church that has just been accepted.  We can ask ourselves....WHERE is the Jesus the Catholics worship?  Still hanging on the cross!  He did NOT finish His work, Catholics are still taught they must do penance, and possibly face burning in pergatory.  These are NOT according to scripture.  Catholics, sadly, aren't even sure if they are saved or not.  No church saves anyone...it is the precious blood of Jesus and believing on Him that saves.  Jesus is our high priest, and we enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.  Hebrews 10:18-23.

     Hold fast without wavering.  He is faithful and we CAN know and be sure of our salvation because the scriptures prove to us without a doubt that Jesus Christ is our Passover lamb, who was in the grave, just as he said he would be, for three days and three nights.  Truly our hope lies in the one who said in John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father but by me.  John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and your joy might be full.

     We CAN know that we ARE saved, we don't have to wonder.  1John 5:11-13 (11) And this is the record that God has given to us life eternal, and this life is in his Son.  (12) He that hath the Son hath life:  and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  (13) These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

     THE TRUE, REAL JESUS CHRIST

     Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

     This is the true Jesus Christ who finished the work on the cross.  John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

      Any church or religion who cannot prove they are worshipping the REAL Jesus ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES should be shied away from.

     REMEMBER THIS:

     Galatians 6-9 (6)  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you unto the grace of Christ unto another gospel:  (7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.  (8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  (9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

 Let me end by saying....we should know WHAT we believe, WHY we believe it, and WHERE that belief came from....is it ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES?

Let's take our salvation and our faith seriously.  This is not a game, we are talking about WHERE we are going to spend eternity...there will be no second chance.

God bless you.    I love you.

Study done for Treasure Keepers Kenya

discipleship ministry by

Mama Jo

 SECRET SINS WILL COME TO LIGHT

     Psalm 51  (1) Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness, according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  (2) Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  (3) For I acknowledge my transgressions:  and my sin is ever before me.  (4) Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight:  that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.  (5) Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.  (6) Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:  and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.  (7) Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:  wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  (8) Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  (9) Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  (10) Create in me a clean heart, O God:  and renew a right spirit within me.  (11) Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  (12) Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit.  (13) Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  (14) Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation:  and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.  (15) O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.  (16) For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it:  thou delightest not in burn offering.  (17) The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:  a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  (18) Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion:  build thou the walls of Jerusalem.  (19) Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering:  then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

     Not only did David realize his own sin, but in verse 18 he prays for God's people as well as for himself.  He prayed for the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt for he believed his own sin had hindered the progress of God's work and that he had brought reproach upon God's name.  Now that Devid has repented of his sin, he asks for God's cause to move forward without hinderance.  In verse 19 he is saying when they all walk in fellowship with God, confessing and forsaking their sins, THEN God will be pleased with their sacrifices of righteousness.  Then the offerings that speak of complete dedication to God Himself will gladden God's heart.  Then they would offer bulls on God's altar - in praise to the God who forgives sin and pardons iniquity.

     *The subject of this study is about SECRET SINS and as we get from Psalm 51, David could see his own unconfessed sin not only was against God alone but it had brought reproach to God's name and had hindered God's work.  So that is what I pray we will see in this message.  God bless you.

OUR SECRET SINS SEPARATE US FROM GOD

 Isaiah 59:2,12  (2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  (12) For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and   our sins testify against us:  for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them.

     *Our secret sins separate us from God!  We KNOW those secret sins that no one else knows about, BUT, God KNOWS!!  Nothing is hidden from God...we must realize this and it should chill us to the bone!  What we do in the dark is not hidden...the darkness is as light to God!  Who are we trying to fool?  We WILL be found out!

     Psalm 90:8  Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

     Numbeers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold ye have sinned against the LORD:  and be sure your sin will find you out.

     Daniel 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things; he knoweth what is in the darkness and the light dwelleth with him.

     Mark 4:22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was anything kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

     Psalm 19:12 Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse thou me from secret faults.

    Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

     Jeremiah 23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?  Saith the LORD.  Do not I fill heaven and earth?  Saith the LORD.

     *Whom we serve is our master.

     Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters:  for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

     *If we will humble ourselves, God will lift us up.

     James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

     *We must die to the self.

     Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:  and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

     Acts 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, for we are also his offspring.

    *We love Him because He first loved us.

     1John 4:19 We love him because he first loved us.

     *How do we show our love?

     John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandents.

     John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love;  even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

     *If you have secret sin in your life YOU KNOW IT.  You can't really follow God because you are holding on to the flesh.  You must decide..God never forces anyone...He gives us the FREEDOM to CHOOSE.  He says in John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

     *God will not cast out any one who comes to him through the son.

     John 16:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I wll no wise cast out.  *God has given us a free choice to choose to come to Him or not to come to Him.  Those who choose to come to Him will be accepted.

     *What if we choose to keep sinning?

     Ezekiel 18:4,20 (4) Behold, all souls are mine; and the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine:  the soul that sinneth, it shall die.  (20) The soul that sinneth, it shall die.  The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son:  the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

     Romans 8:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

     Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

      *Why continue holding on to a secret sin?  There is no sin that you can have that is not common to man.  God understands and will forgive you and make a way out if you repent.

     1Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escpe, that ye may be able to bear it.

     *If you know that you have secret sin in your life, repent of it now.  get rid of it.  we are told in Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD:  though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

     *God is not a cruel and unforgiving God.  He understands everything about us and He offers us every way to get rid of sin  You can't hide anything from God.

     In Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembing.  *We must do our part...but God has given us every chance to repent and turn away from our secret sins.

     We are told to go and sin no more.  John 5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole:  sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.

     John 8:11 She said, No man, Lord.  And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee:  go, and sin no more.

    *Before we go forward with the pastors who are coming to the Treasure Keepers Kenya meetings we want to encourage them to examine themselves to see if there is ny secret sin in their lives and repent now!  We need to realize that we have no strength of our own.  We must fall before Jesus Christ, broken, helpless, naked, unworthy.  He is our only hope, He is our strength.  We must realize we are unable  of ourselves to fight against sin alone.  Let the self go...surrender all to Jesus Christ...let Him be the ruler of your life and stop trying to do things your own way...it won't work.  You can fool the people, you can appear to be righteous, but God sees what you THINK you are hiding.  He is the one that matters.

     We are the temple of God.  We cannot have sin dwelling in us

     1Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

     2Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  for ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

     *We cannot be obedient to God when we have brought sin into the temple!  He will not tolerate it.

     1Corinthian 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy, for the temple of god is holy, which temple ye are.

     *If there is any secret sin in your life and it goes unconfessed then Satan will use it to destroy you and the work of God that God has started in you.  Don't let pride or anything else stand in your way.  Get right with God now, today!!

     May our temples be made of glass and that we willingly stand before God so He can shine His light into us and we can KNOW He sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ covering us.  No spot, no blemish...with a pure heart, unashamed before our God.  

     *Let us pray now for God to expose and cleanse any secret sin in our lives, or any unconfessed sin, that our temple may be clean and our joy may be full.

     Satan is out to kill, steal, and destroy, and YOU as pastors, are his PRIME target.  This world has nothing to offer you...don't cling to it...let it go, let God break any strongholds that it may have in your life.

     God loves you, we love you.  Be a Treasure Keeper...like King David in Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart:  that I might not sin against thee.

     God bless you!

Study by Mama Jo

For Treasure Keepers Kenya

September 2013

G:  

9

     In the modern day church sin is not a big issue any longer.   You seldom hear it preached about and you don't hear that Jesus Christ is the only  begotten Son of God who came to die for the sins of the world.  It just isn't relevant any longer, so it seems. 

     People are being 'transformed' and finding the 'Christ within' by various methods such as contemplative prayer, soaking prayer, yoga, meditation (not the meditation mentioned in the Bible), and many other methods; using drums, candles, and some churches even have their own labryinth.

     Finding their own 'Christ consciousness' within, sin seems irrelevent to this practice.  Instead, people are finding their own personal spirit guide to lead them into 'truth', and of course it is recognized and accepted that everyone has their own 'truth'.  Using these various 'methods' to reach god - small g - they don't NEED a Saviour.

     Those who continue to believe in the Authorized King James Bible and the literal word of God as preserved therein, are now being seen as the 'enemy' of Christianity!  Now it is the Eccumenical Movement that you must be a part of.  It is fast becoming  a 'One World Regligon' that everyone wants to be a part of  or else they are being absorbed into it and aren't even aware of what is happening.  Satan is very subtle.

     So, what ABOUT sin?  Well, THAT was the REASON Jesus Christ died on the cross.  But, now, that cross is no longer important either, since it is now being preached that there are many paths that lead to God and that Jesus Christ isn't the only way.  The problem is that it is a god spelled with a small 'g' they will find, and not the living God, the Creator, God the Father.  Doesn't it seem a bit strange, too, that a big fuss is made over how He CAME into this world, celebrating a tradition' called Christmas that actually had nothing to do with the birth of our Saviour, and they want to keep him a helpless baby in a manger.  There is a big fuss made over Easter, which is another 'tradition' which again, had nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  YES, of course, we believe that Jesus was born of a virgin....it was prophesied.  YES, of course we believe in his death and resurrection, also prophesied.  NOTE:  You might want to read the blog about Jesus being in the grave three days and three nights which also proves the fallacy of Good Friday, another popular 'tradition' of man.

     But, WHY did Jesus Christ come into the world?  Not to give us a 'reason for the season', but to call sinners to repentance!  To save that which was lost!!  Luke 5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance (NIV - Mark 2:17  leaves out 'to repentance').  THAT was why He was born...not so we could have a REASON for the SEASON!!  His death was to pay the penalty that had to be paid for sin and He took it upon Himself to suffer and die in our place.  His resurrection was NOT so people could color Easter eggs and buy their children baskets full of candy eggs and goodies and have Easter egg hunts and have FUN!!  Chicks and bunnies....symbols for fertility that honored the Queen of Heaven, the goddess Ishtar, another name for Easter.  The resurrection was to show the VICTORY that He had won over death!  The devil had been defeated!  Jesus had taken the sting of death upon Himself.  These so-called Christian traditions are meaningless to God and make His word of none effect just as He said.

      Satan is SO subtle!  People LOVE to give their children a good time and share the fun with them.  So, these so called 'traditions' are just such FUN that people don't see any harm in them and they don't want to deprive their children of such activities when all the others kids and families are doing it.  Even the CHURCH does it!!  So, people don't bother to find out where these 'traditions' came from and they don't even consider that both of these 'traditions' with their Santa Clause, and Easter Bunny take the eyes completely OFF of Jesus Christ and are actually nothing but carry overs of the old Pagan traditions dressed up with Christianity!  Speak of Christmas and Easter and most children immediatly think of Santa Clause, presents, and the Easter bunny and more goodies and fun!  Actually, so do most adults!!  Even I grew up celebrating these things and had no idea about Jesus Christ for it was a godless home.  If people weren't so blind they would SEE what has happened, and they would protect their children from such activities if they are trying to raise their children as followers of Jesus Christ. 

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.  Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your traadition, which ye have delivered:  and many such like things do ye.

     There are some famous Christian leaders who have even commented that you can get to heaven without Jesus Christ!  Of course, THAT would mean you get to heaven without GOD!!  Now, HOW can you explain THAT?  We KNOW that Jesus Christ is very God manifested in the flesh....HOW can you get to heaven without HIM!!

     Sin is the transgression of God's law which is spelled out very clearly in His preserved word.  The pulpits host homosexual pastors of whom are living in open sin with their 'partners', homosexual members accepted without any lifestyle change...fornication...members living together as a couple with no legal marriage performed, some even having children, BUT they ARE in church which seems to be ALL that is necessary.  Adultry, pornography, and on and on the list goes...not to forget about abortion among Chrstians which is more and more common, and the divorce rate is as high, maybe higher than among the unsaved!  Of course, when you are finding famous evangelists having affairs with other well known women evangelists, etc., people just kind of shrug it off today!!  Can't be so bad if THEY are doing it!

     So, WHAT is the church there for?  At this point, your guess is as good as mine!  No sin, no heaven, no hell...WHY do people even bother to go?  Somehow it seems to smooth over their sinful lives and make them feel better about themselves, after all, they can't 'help' what they are doing...maybe they were even 'born' that way EXCEPT there is no MEDICAL EVIDENCE to PROVE this fallacy!!  And of course, the doctrine of ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED is prevalent...well IF you ARE TRULY SAVED AND BORN AGAIN you WON'T BE SINNING!!   SO, OF COURSE YOU ARE ALWAYS SAVED! A TRUE CHRISTIAN WILL SIN LESS AND LESS BECAUSE THEY HATE SIN!!   But, this doctrine is being to used to JUSTIFY  SIN!!    Christians CAN fall into sin, BUT they won't be LIVING IN SIN.  It won't be a common thing among them....they will REPENT and continue striving to obey God....look at the sin in the church today and even among pastors and other religious leaders!!  One well-known TV preacher said he has so much of the Holy Spirit that he could 'be with a woman' and it wouldn't even be wrong!!!  Well, is THAT what the sheep are supposed to be FED? 

     I read one article that says that those writings in the Bible are for another time and they are outdated.  OUTDATED?  Excuse ME!! 

     Is God OUTDATED?  Seems to me He says that He knows the end from the beginning.  All his prophecies we have seen come to pass and what haven't already come to pass are happening now before our very eyes!!  God says He is the SAME yesterday, today, and for ever...He changes NOT!!  So, how outdated is THAT!!

     Hebrews 3:8   Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.

     Malachi 3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

*LET'S LOOK AT SOME MORE SCRIPTURES:

     Modern Christianity doesn't seem to want to obey the gospel, and they certainly show no desire to KNOW Jesus Christ...at least on HIS terms, but that is the ONLY way they will ever know Him.

    2Thessalonians 1:6-9   (6) Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; (7) And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (8) In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:  (9) Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

     People don't have any fear of the Lord nowadays...well, God has that one covered, too!!  Isaiah 29:13,14 (13) Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is taught by the precept of men:  (14) Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marverlous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder:  fo the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prodent men shall be hid.

     Old-fashioned, out dated?  That remains to be seen.

     People and their ways have changed and that Bible 'stuff' isn't for today's modern society...or is it?

     Ecclesiastes 1:9-11  (9) The thing that hath been, is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall be done:  And there is no new thing under the sun.  (10) Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new?  It hath been already of old time, which was before us.  (11) There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

      *NOTE:  Maybe the problem ISN'T  with GOD!!  Maybe it is with those who DON'T READ HIS WORD, bcause they have rejected it as being OUTDATED!!

     Proverbs 1:7  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge:  but fools despise wisdom and knowledge.

     Proverbs 9:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:  and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

     Proverbs 14:29 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

     Last but not least:  Proverbs 2:1-5 (1) My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; (2) So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; (3) Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; (4) If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; (5) Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

     As we saw, in Isaiah 29:13, people are not taught the fear of the LORD any longer.  Preachers do not teach their flocks to fear the LORD any longer and the flocks have followed Baal...they have been deceived.

     2Timothy 4:3,4 (3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine:  but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

     People are just told God is LOVE and He will forgive them because of that...NO!  They can ONLY be forgiven by the BLOOD of His only begotten son, Jesus Chist, shed for them on the cross.  Sin HAD to be paid for.  God is a righteous and a holy and a just God and He MUST exact a penalty for SIN.  Jesus took OUR place and suffered OUR punishment.  We MUST REPENT AND BELIEVE ON JESUS CHRIST...He is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.  No man comes to the Father except by Him.  Many corrupted versions of the Bible just say you must believe but don't say WHAT it is you must believe!!  They have REMOVED the rest of this scripture!!  See the NIV...John 6:47,,,see for yourself!  The Authorized KJV says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.  The words 'on me' have been REMOVED in the NIV!!  This opens the door for 'whatever' or whoever' as long as you just 'believe'.  TAKE HEED!!!  PAY ATTENTION!!

SIN DOESN'T SEEM TO BE SUCH AN ISSUE WHEN YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT HEAVEN AND ETERNAL LIFE OR HELL....OR EVEN THE NEED FOR A SAVIOUR...

     Again, we must let the scriptures teach us.

     What ABOUT sin?  Is it STILL an issue in the New Age Church?  Well, THEY don't seem to think it is, but let's see what God, who does NOT change, says about this issue.

     Maybe one reason for the change in attitude is also that they don't talk about having ETERNAL LIFE any longer.  They talk alot about 'finding your purpose'.  They don't talk about HELL.  The forgiveness of sin by the shed blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ IS necessary IF one wants eternal life.  His word makes it CLEAR that there IS something after death...Hebrews 9:27  And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

John 6:47  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. 

     We must go to God the FATHER, not the god 'within', not the Christ consciousness 'within', not a priest, not a church, not some religion.  We must go to God the Father through the Son Jesus Christ.  John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  BUT, people are looking for an 'experience', a 'feeling', not eternal life, not a relationship with God the Father that can only be gotten through the Son.  So, look at the deception!!  People seek God, but don't relize they are going to find a god with a small 'g' and Satan is more than happy about that!!  People don't see the need for Jesus the Son of God as the mediator between them and the god they are seeking...the word of God says in 1Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ. 

     Sadly, peop[le are no longer seeking God the FATHER but just a 'god' with any name since they believe that all paths lead to 'god' and of course, they do...but NOT to the God of our Salvation and Eternal Life...Jesus Christ the only BEGOTTEN Son of God.  They have another Jesus.  They don't worry about offending him and they have grown comfortable in their sin.'

     But, they haven't KNOWN God because their sins have separated him from them!!  Isaiah 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

     BUT, what about those 'born again' believers who DO believe in the true and living GOD and take His preserved word -Authorized KJV-seriously?  They have a diffeent view of sin:  THEY READ AND BELIEVE WHAT GOD SAYS!!

     Romans 6:1,2,6,11,12,16-18  (!) What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  (2) God forbid.  How shall we who are dead to sin, live any longer therein?  (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.  (11) Likewise recokon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  (12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.  (16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death; or of obedience unto righteousness.  (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.  (18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

     Yes, we know we are always capable of sin as long as we are in this flesh, but praise God, we also know of His promise to help us and that He is always making intercession for us as long as we will repent of any sin.  We will not knowingly or deliberately sin!  We will hate sin more and more as we walk in the light!

     1Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:  but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above tht ye are able; but with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

     Romans 8:27,34  (27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.  (34) Who is he that condemneth?  It is Christ who died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

     We have to learn to walk in the light as he is in the light and to resist the devil.  1John 1:7  But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  James 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

A CHRISTIAN MAY FALL INTO SIN BUT HE DOESN'T LIVE IN SIN

     True bon again Christians HATE sin and will struggle against it with all that is within them...Hebrews 12:1-4  (1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that  was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.  (3) For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.  (4) Ye have not resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

     Truly, there have been many saints who have given their lives rther than to deny Jesus Christ..they saw beyond this present world and saw that heavenly kingdom and believed that promise.  That promise is still for us, today, who will hold fast to the faith once delivered unto the saints.

     The saints, the true children of God KNOW this world is not their home!

     Hebrews 13:12-14  (12) Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate, (13) Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.  (14) For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

     John 14:2,3  (2) In my Father's house are many mansions:  if it were not so, I would have told you.  I go to prepare a place for you.  (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that, where I am, there you may be also.

     Jude 3,4 -all of chapter  (3) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the comon salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  (4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

     This is NOT a game...you are gambling with your eternal life if you continue in sin.  REPENT and BELIEVE on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and obey Him.  Proverbs 14:12  There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  Proverbs 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged:  and by fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

    YES! there IS a hell...

Matthew 5:29,30 (29) And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee:  for it is profitable

for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.  (30) And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee:  for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 

Luke 16:19-31 (19) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. (20) And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, (21) And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table:  moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  (22) And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom:  the rich man also died, and was buried; (23) And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  (24) And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  (25) But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things:  but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  (26) And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed:  so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  (27) Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house.   (28) For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  (29) Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  (30) And he said, Nay, father Abraham:  but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  (31) And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.  *NOTE:  Well, one DID rise from the dead!  Sadly, there are those who still will NOT believe.

     Revelation 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

     Jesus IS the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!!  Don't let the devil deceive you!  SIN will NOT be overlooked...REPENT and BELIEVE on JESUS CHRIST today!!

     You have heard the TRUTH, you have been shown the WAY...now it is YOUR CHOICE...will you BELIEVE on JESUS? 

     Is YOUR name written in the BOOK OF LIFE?

Study done for Treasure Keepers Kenya

Discipleship Ministry

by Mama Jo

January 2014

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