tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10032335128565226232024-03-26T11:06:44.827-07:00Controversy eXtraordinaryExposing religious controversies and anomalies around the world.Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.comBlogger330125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-650331248925724452021-02-06T02:12:00.006-08:002021-02-06T04:25:47.512-08:00The Plain and Simple Truth About the 73 Books of the Catholic Bible <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BCfcKTqOGc/YB5qg4rwouI/AAAAAAAAIwQ/Uw8BIdBuTd8a8o_dX2BMEN6JfhJBDgsfwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/The%2Bapocryphal%2Bbooks%2Bof%2Bthe%2BCatholic%2BChurch.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The 7 apocryphal books of the Catholic Church" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BCfcKTqOGc/YB5qg4rwouI/AAAAAAAAIwQ/Uw8BIdBuTd8a8o_dX2BMEN6JfhJBDgsfwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/The%2Bapocryphal%2Bbooks%2Bof%2Bthe%2BCatholic%2BChurch.png" title="The 7 apocryphal books of the Catholic Church" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>While the Bible has strong words and a stern warning for those who would dare add or deduct from what had been written (Revelation 22:18-19), the Catholic Church still had the nerve to add not only words, paragraphs, and chapters to the Bible, but books. Not one, not two, but seven books. </div><div><br /></div><div>As most people know, the more reputable versions of the Bible, such as the King James Version, Revised Standard Version, and the American Standard Version; are comprised of sixty-six (66) books – 39 of which are contained in the Old Testament (from Genesis to Malachi) – while the other 27 books are in the New Testament (from Matthew to Revelation). </div><div><br /></div><div>Surprisingly, the Good News Bible of the Catholic Church is made up of seventy-three (73) books. Added to the original 66 books were seven other books namely: Tobit, Judith, 1 Maccabees, 2 Maccabees, Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach, and Baruch. </div><div><br /></div><div>How did this happen? First, we have to understand that the penmen used by God in writing the Holy Scriptures were Hebrews. So, it is but wise and logical to believe that the original language in which the Bible was written was in Hebrew and it was dedicated to the Hebrew people. </div><div><br /></div><div>Historical accounts tell us that in the fourth century, Jerome was commissioned to make a Vulgate translation of the Old Testament. Meaning, from Hebrew, the original language in which the Holy Scriptures was written he translated it to Latin. And while Jerome was working on the Vulgate translation, he separated seven books from the actual compilation of the books of the Old Testament. </div><div><br /></div><div>This is what the preface of the Good News Bible of the Catholic Church says: </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rshRMXSeQGY/YB4zXjFtofI/AAAAAAAAIwE/Fx5cDeObgkkIH5mrli1g1rOmQOG_1ka7ACLcBGAsYHQ/s717/Good%2BNews%2BBible.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="717" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rshRMXSeQGY/YB4zXjFtofI/AAAAAAAAIwE/Fx5cDeObgkkIH5mrli1g1rOmQOG_1ka7ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h223/Good%2BNews%2BBible.jpg" width="400" /></a><br /></div><p><br />
According to the Good News Bible preface, in 1546, more than one thousand five hundred (1,500) years after the Bible had been completed or after the books that were written by the apostles and evangelists had been included in the Bible, the Catholic Church came up with a declaration that the seven books that had been separated by Jerome were sacred and canonical, and they deserved to be accepted with equal devotion and reverence. <br /><br />
This gives us the impression that prior to the declaration at the Council of Trent, those books were not accepted and revered by the Catholic Church, and its leaders were not sure if those seven books were authentic and divinely inspired. Otherwise, they should have accepted and revered them even before 1546. <br /><br />
On our end, we are confident that those seven books are not original parts of the Old Testament, are not divinely inspired, and are not canonical. And we have valid and concrete reasons to believe so. <br /><br />
First of all, the books in the Old Testament were frequently cited by apostles and evangelists such as Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul, in their writings. When they wrote their respective books in the New Testament, they cited books in the Old Testament.
<br /><br />
Actually, even the Lord Jesus Christ Himself cited the books in the Old Testament several times when He preached. In one instance He said, “Have you not read, In the Beginning God created them, male and female?” He was referring to the Book of Genesis. And whenever He was expressing His nonconformity with what the scribes and Pharisees were saying and doing, He would always say, “Have you not read...?” or “It is written...” He was, of course, referring to the writings in the Old Testament. <br /><br />
For example, in Matthew 21:15-16 (KJV), it says, <br /></p><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
15 <i>And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, </i><br />
16 <i>And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?</i><br /></div><br />
When the children in the temple were shouting “Hosanna to the son of David!” the scribes and the Pharisees were annoyed because they were noisy. They wanted to prevent them from shouting, but the Lord Jesus Christ told them, “Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.” He was referring to the scriptures of the Old Testament.<br /><br />
The Lord Jesus Christ made it a point to always cite writings in the Old Testament each time He wanted to teach something to the scribes and Pharisees. Why? During the time of Christ, the scribes and Pharisees had the reputation of being learned men as they had mastery of the law; they were well-taught when it came to the Law of Moses. <br /><br />
The scribes wrote the Law of Moses while the Pharisees were the defenders of the Law of Moses. That was why whenever Christ was answering them, or whenever He would contest or rectify their statements, He would always cite the books of the Old Testament to them. It was like giving them a dose of their own medicine.<br /><br />
But what is very noticeable is that during the whole time that the Lord Jesus Christ was preaching, He never cited — not even once — the Book of Judith or the Book of Maccabees or any of the seven books that the Catholic Church added to the Bible in 1546.
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The apostles never made any mention of those books when they preached and when they wrote their respective books and epistles as well. None of them cited the book of Tobit, Sirach, Baruch, or any of the seven books because they were not really part of the Old Testament and they were not canonical. Because if they were, surely Christ, the apostles, and the evangelists must have cited them. On the other hand, they made numerous citations of the legitimate books of the Old Testament like the Book of Psalms, Job, Genesis, and the prophets, among others, because those books were, indeed, integral parts of the Bible and the apostles and evangelists acknowledged them.<br /><br />
Another proof that those books are not canonical is the fact that the Catholic Church does not have any doctrine that used those books as their reference or basis. <br /><br />
Do the priests and the leaders of the Catholic Church cite the Book of Maccabees or the Book of Judith to prove that baptism must be paid? Do they cite those books to defend and justify their practice of praying repetitiously or praying the rosary? Do they cite them to defend their belief in their so-called seven sacraments? Never! They do not use them in defending their faith.
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The truth is, they do not even read those books in their masses and other church ceremonies. If those books were authentic and divinely inspired, why don’t they use them? That only proves that they themselves doubt the integrity of those books. Plain and simple.<br /><br />
May God bless us all!
Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-2485718521240837132021-01-30T02:41:00.010-08:002021-01-31T08:43:31.972-08:00The Bible Warns Against Pastors Who Mislead People<div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ObgNb4-yGPM/YBU3jgP5wTI/AAAAAAAAIsY/lHd6Cl6NcJM8IhzPa8n58kPD0npFOI4LgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/gift%2Bof%2Bprophesy%2Band%2Bpreachers%2Bnot%2Bgifted.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="The gift of prophesy" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ObgNb4-yGPM/YBU3jgP5wTI/AAAAAAAAIsY/lHd6Cl6NcJM8IhzPa8n58kPD0npFOI4LgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/gift%2Bof%2Bprophesy%2Band%2Bpreachers%2Bnot%2Bgifted.png" title="The gift of prophesy" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It is a fact that not all preachers are gifted with biblical understanding; many of them just pretend to be of God. Actually, you can easily recognize them because not only is their ignorance of the Bible very obvious, but they also preach things that they themselves do not understand. <br /><br />As it is written in 1 Timothy 1:7 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.</i> <br /></div><br />They desire to be preachers or teachers of the law despite the fact that they have no understanding of the Bible, just like the ministers of the Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo (INCM). Allow me to cite a portion of an article published in the Pasugo, the official publication of the INCM, for me to show you that their ministers, including Manalo himself, do not understand the Bible and do not know what they are talking about. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lev03-OjyvE/YBVHWxQItFI/AAAAAAAAIsk/4ayFr8KUum0_E9B3e2xIfUta5srzg-CjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Pasugo%2BSeptember%2B1976%2BReferencia.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lev03-OjyvE/YBVHWxQItFI/AAAAAAAAIsk/4ayFr8KUum0_E9B3e2xIfUta5srzg-CjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Pasugo%2BSeptember%2B1976%2BReferencia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div></div><div><br /></div><div style=" margin: 0 0 0 40px; text-align: left;">[In Romans 16:16, it says, “Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.” The name “Iglesia ni Cristo” is the official name because it is the salutation that all are commanded to use in greeting (one another). It is not a name of a race, or a place, nor does it pertain to an individual characteristic, but it refers to all. It also refers to a condition, or a state.] </div><div><br />This article proves how the INCM had grossly misunderstood and misinterpreted Romans 16:16. <br /><br />Very clearly, the verse commands the brethren to salute one another with a holy kiss; it is with the holy kiss that the brethren in the church should greet each other. But in the INCM’s interpretation, it is with the name of their church, Iglesia ni Cristo, that they should salute or greet each other. What stupidity! It doesn’t make any sense. <br /><br />If we are going to consider the epistles written by the apostles, brethren in the church, like the brethren in Corinth, were given the admonition to salute one another with a holy kiss. <br /><br />1 Corinthians 16:20 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.</i> <br /></div><br />Actually, not only the brethren in Rome and in Corinth were commanded to greet one another with a holy kiss. The brethren in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were also given the same instruction by the Apostle Peter. <br /><br />1 Peter 1:1 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,</i> <br /></div><br />The brethren in those places were scattered because they experienced severe persecution. So the Apostle Peter sent them a letter wherein he told them to greet one another with a kiss of charity, or a holy kiss. <br /><br />1 Peter 5:14 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.</i> <br /></div><br />The Thessalonians also received a similar instruction from the Apostle Paul. <br /><br />1 Thessalonians 5:26 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.</i> <br /></div><br />It’s just weird that only the INCM salute their brethren with the name “Iglesia ni Cristo,” instead of a holy kiss — clear proof that they do not understand the Bible. <br /><br />How about the “holy kiss”? What is the INCM’s interpretation of the holy kiss, according to their ministers? <br /><br /><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cgLxNax_1o8" width="560"></iframe></center><br />Instead of coming up with their own interpretation of the “holy kiss” mentioned in Romans 16:16, the ministers of INCM referred to the explanation provided in the Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Obviously, they have no explanation of their own, which is why they used someone else’s explanation. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--wI8WmmyIhE/YBVIBjgtsII/AAAAAAAAIsw/U0AaQDceS7o4lveabqe0kR1cpbIjb2VUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1194/Wycliffe%2BBible%2BCommentary%2B-%2BHoly%2BKiss%2B-%2B2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1194" height="470" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--wI8WmmyIhE/YBVIBjgtsII/AAAAAAAAIsw/U0AaQDceS7o4lveabqe0kR1cpbIjb2VUQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h470/Wycliffe%2BBible%2BCommentary%2B-%2BHoly%2BKiss%2B-%2B2.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsSlBd5Uhbs/YBVIBt1HFCI/AAAAAAAAIss/Bjw1h1Lpx98bwlbIAf-nVUCqavASmIH6QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1195/Wycliffe%2BBible%2BCommentary%2B-%2BHoly%2BKiss.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1195" height="467" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BsSlBd5Uhbs/YBVIBt1HFCI/AAAAAAAAIss/Bjw1h1Lpx98bwlbIAf-nVUCqavASmIH6QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h467/Wycliffe%2BBible%2BCommentary%2B-%2BHoly%2BKiss.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div> <div style="margin: 0 0 0 40px; text-align: left;">[Whatever in modern culture is symbolic of the deep affection which Christians ought to feel toward each other — a kiss on the cheek, a warm handshake, a grasping of both hands, and others — this is the equivalent of the apostolic command.] </div> <div><br />According to them, their stand about the “holy kiss” — which they based on the book of the Protestants — is that it is a manner of greeting a person. And its present-day equivalent is a “beso-beso” or a kiss on the cheek or a handshake. They also admitted that this is what their brothers and sisters in their church practice. <br /><br />But following the line of argument that the name “Iglesia ni Cristo” is the salutation by which their brethren ought to greet each other, my question is: When they shake hands, or when they do a beso-beso or kiss each other on the cheek, do they salute one another with the name “Iglesia ni Cristo”? Of course, they don’t! Because they know in their hearts that doing so would make them look ridiculous. <br /><br />This only shows that the preachers of the INCM do not understand even their favorite verse, Romans 16:16, and they talk of things which they themselves do not understand. <br /><br />I repeat, God gives understanding to a preacher or pastor whose teachings come from God. He is sent by God to preach. <br /><br />According to Romans 10:15 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>And how shall they preach, except they be sent? . . . </i><br /></div><br />Preachers who do not understand the Bible are not sent by God. <br /><br />Actually, there is another boastful preacher in Mindanao who claims that he is the son of God and that he owns the souls of all men. Like the ministers of the INCM, this man also doesn’t know what he is talking about and the words that come out of his mouth are not in consonance with what the Holy Scriptures say. <br /><br />What gave him the guts to say that he owns all the souls of men? Biblically speaking, all the souls of men are owned by God, and not by an ordinary human being like him. <br /><br />As it is written in Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.</i> <br /></div><br />My appeal to all is please, do not let yourselves be deceived by this kind of preachers. They are not sent by God; they will only lead you to perdition. <br /><br />May God guide and bless us all! <br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-23207538586901127402021-01-22T23:33:00.001-08:002021-01-22T23:33:13.880-08:00Be Guided When You Read the Bible<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jcTN0zsuAMY/YAvREndvtoI/AAAAAAAAIrc/kX3OnNRJYaQp64o6c5V3vq1R4aWLJH55gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/how%2Bto%2Bunderstand%2Bthe%2BBible.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="How to understand the Bible" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jcTN0zsuAMY/YAvREndvtoI/AAAAAAAAIrc/kX3OnNRJYaQp64o6c5V3vq1R4aWLJH55gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/how%2Bto%2Bunderstand%2Bthe%2BBible.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
An ordinary reader of the Bible who experiences difficulty in understanding the Holy Book should not feel discouraged because this normally happens, especially if there is no one with a gift of understanding to guide him. It has to be understood that, in reading the Bible, one needs the guidance of somebody who has received the gift of understanding from God. <br /><br />
The Book of Acts gives an account of a certain eunuch from Ethiopia who was able to understand the Scriptures when Philip came to his aid. It can be recounted that the eunuch — who happened to be a man of great authority as he was in charge of all the treasures of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, and also a man of faith — had come to Jerusalem to worship God.<br /><br />
As he was journeying back home, he was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah. And while reading, he encountered parts which he did not understand. It was then that the Holy Spirit instructed Philip to join the eunuch in his chariot.<br /><br />
Acts 8:30-31 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
30 <i>And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?</i><br />
31 <i>And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
</i><br /></div><br />
When Philip came and heard him reading the Book of Isaiah, he asked the Ethiopian if he understood what he was reading. To Philip he replied, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” Eventually, he requested Philip to come up and sit with him in his chariot.<br /><br />
Acts 8:32-35 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
32 <i>The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:</i><br />
33 <i>In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.</i><br />
34 <i>And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?</i><br />
35 <i>Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.</i><br /></div><br />
The eunuch asked Philip who the “He” was that the prophet was referring to, whom the latter likened to a lamb which remained meek and uncomplaining as its hair was being sheared before it was slaughtered. <br /><br />
Philip told him that the lamb was symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ. And as they travelled, he continued to preach unto the eunuch the Lord Jesus Christ. As we know, this incident culminated with the eunuch’s baptism because he understood and wholeheartedly accepted everything Philip preached unto him.<br /><br />
The point that I am trying to drive at is, the eunuch’s understanding of the Scriptures became possible because someone who had wisdom that came from God, and that was Philip, explained to him everything.<br /><br />
In other words, not all men are capable of understanding the Bible because not all received a gift of understanding from God.
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Matthew 19:11 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.</i><br /></div><br />
Understanding the word of God comes from God; it is given by God. It follows that unless a person is gifted by God with understanding, he will not be able to understand His words written in the Bible. <br /><br />
As mentioned, not all are given this gift – only the preachers of God. So, if you are not a preacher, it is likely that there would be parts of the Bible which you will find difficult to comprehend.<br /><br />
But it is a different story if you are a preacher. A preacher is expected to have full understanding of the words of God in the Bible. Shame on him if he did not receive any gift from God. If that is the case, then, he does not have the right to preach.
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Ecclesiastes 12:10-11 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
10 <i>The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.</i><br />
11 <i>The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.</i><br /></div><br />
The understanding of God’s words is first given to a pastor or preacher of God. And then, this preacher or pastor would, in turn, teach the congregation that he leads for them to also understand the words of God.<br /><br />
This way, those who find difficulty in understanding the Bible will now be able to develop appreciation and understanding of the words of God through the help of the preacher whom God gifted with understanding.<br /><br />
Be sure to listen only to a God-sent preacher, one whom He gifted with understanding, for your salvation not to be compromised.
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May God bless you all!
<br />Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-62233045175363963752021-01-16T01:49:00.000-08:002021-01-16T01:49:00.121-08:00What Does the Bible Say About Dreams?<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EdpmcLhu3Kk/YAK2SPzwudI/AAAAAAAAIqI/VPPI9WLwG08HqhAZyaWGANcoxT6uyc-dQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Are%2Ball%2Bdreams%2Bfrom%2BGod.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What the Bible says about dreams" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EdpmcLhu3Kk/YAK2SPzwudI/AAAAAAAAIqI/VPPI9WLwG08HqhAZyaWGANcoxT6uyc-dQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Are%2Ball%2Bdreams%2Bfrom%2BGod.png" title="What the Bible says about dreams" width="640" /></a></div></div><br />
Regardless of age, gender, and social standing, all people experience dreams when they sleep. <br /><br />
The dreams that come to a person may vary. They can be humorous, sad, bizarre, horrifying, or mystical; or they can even be about someone else or perhaps about something incredible. <br /><br />
Inevitably, there are times when a dreamer gets affected, or is bewildered, by the dream that he had. Thus, it is important to find out if the dreams that a person experiences bear any meaning and significance, or not. <br /><br />
Ecclesiastes 5:3,7 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
3<i> For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.</i><br />
7 <i>For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
</i><br /></div><br />
Apparently, not all dreams have significance. Sometimes, a dream comes to a person because his mind has been busy thinking about so many problems and worries — not to mention, his aspirations, desires, and other concerns in life — to the point that even until the time he goes to sleep, his mind is still preoccupied with those things. The dreams that come to this person are usually without sense and relevance, and should, therefore, be readily dismissed from his thoughts. <br /><br />
Dreams may come to a sleeping individual very frequently. What science has discovered in relation to this conforms to what the Bible mentioned as “multitude of dreams”. They found out that a person in a deep sleep dreams every 30 minutes; unfortunately, not all of these dreams are remembered when he wakes up.<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
<i><b>How many times does a human dream while sleeping?</b><br />
Source: answers.com<br /> </i></div><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><i>Everyone dreams while they are sleeping but not everybody remembers it, so if people tell you they don’t have dreams, they are lying, or mistaken. Yes, but not everyone remembers them when they wake up.<br /><br />
Humans dream every ½ hour and seldom remember most of them and that’s because they are in total REM sleep (meaning a deep sleep with eyes moving back and forth under closed eyelids.)<br /><br />
When a person is stressed out they are not in total REM sleep (tossing/turning) and it’s the last few seconds just before waking up that an individual can remember a dream or nightmare. Nightmares are caused from stress. If a human didn’t dream they actually would go crazy. Dreaming releases tension in the body and mind.</i><br /></div><br />
While it is true that many of the dreams that people experience are without significance, as they are mostly born out of stress and tension and other preoccupations in life, it is also a biblical truth that there are dreams which are significant and deserve to be paid attention to because they are sent by God. <br /><br />
God sends dreams to His people to give them prophetic declarations. Just like the dream that Jacob’s son, Joseph, had when he was younger. His dream meant that he would have dominion over his brothers someday, and that even his father and mother would also bow down themselves to him (Genesis 37:7-10, KJV). <br /><br />
Indeed, this came to pass because time really came when he reigned and had power over the members of his family.
<br /><br />
Another is the dream that visited another Joseph, the husband of Mary, when his mind was troubled upon learning that Mary was already carrying a child in her womb despite the fact that he had not slept with her yet.<br /><br />
Matthew 1:18-20 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
18 <i>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.</i><br />
19 <i>Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.</i><br />
20 <i>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.
</i><br /></div><br />
Joseph thought that Mary became unfaithful to him, which was why he was contemplating on parting ways with her. And because he didn’t want to put her to public shame, he was planning to do it secretly. <br /><br />
However, that night, an angel of the Lord visited him in his dreams, and told him not to pursue what he was planning to do. He explained to him that Mary’s conception was of the Holy Spirit, and not by another man. Joseph’s dream served as guidance to him so that he wouldn’t misjudge Mary, and so that he wouldn’t make a wrong decision.<br /><br />
Based on the given situations taken from the Bible, it can be discerned that there are dreams sent by God to His people to warn them about the things that are going to happen in the future, to guide them in their course of action, and also to spare them from an impending tragedy.<br /><br />
We had a brother in the Church, Bro. Nazario S. Regalado, who during the Japanese occupation, was incarcerated in a garrison. But while inside the Japanese concentration camp, he lost his sanity. <br /><br />
And when he started doing crazy things in his prison cell, like writing on the wall using his feces as his writing tool, the Japanese soldiers decided to send him to a mental health institution in Mandaluyong.<br /><br />
Several days after he was brought to a mental health facility, the Americans made an air raid in the area where that particular Japanese garrison was situated. As a result, the whole camp was annihilated and no living creature was left alive. <br /><br />
Although it was a tragic incident for all of those who were there, yet, it meant salvation for our brother in faith.<br /><br />
But before Brother Ariong (his nickname) became a prisoner of war, his mother dreamt that he became a cow. Biblically speaking, a cow is symbolic of a preacher; therefore, her dream meant that her son would one day become a preacher. However, she couldn’t figure out how it would be made possible when her son had been detained in a Japanese garrison and had lost his sanity while in detention.<br /><br />
Eventually, they came to understand that everything that happened to Brother Ariong all led to the realization of the dream that his mother had about him. His temporary madness had to happen and he had to be sent to a mental institution for him not to be included among those who would die during the air raid. His life was spared and the mental health facility where he was brought served as his refuge.<br /><br />
After sometime, he got well and was able to go back to his normal life; in fact, he even became a faculty member in one of the universities in Bulacan. Most of all, he became a Church worker, or a preacher – a realization of the dream that his mother had. And not only that. <br /><br />
When I became the Overall Church Servant, Brother Nazario Regalado became the general secretary and treasurer. Undoubtedly, the dream that Brother Ariong’s mother had was sent to her by God.<br /><br />
Although there are dreams that are sent by God to His people, let me reiterate that not all dreams come from God. Some of them come from the enemy of God and some are but a result of man’s preoccupations and overthinking of problems and other cares of this world. <br /><br />
But to be spared from being visited by disturbing dreams, it is always best to say a short prayer to God before going to sleep.
Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-61101460308162667112021-01-09T01:54:00.007-08:002021-01-10T20:06:06.037-08:00Qualities of the Bride of Christ<div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XKTbBVEEaM/X_l9HBbhp4I/AAAAAAAAIpM/VEosHB6Pug4QsgY3JSydQA1MzCykg4WvwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/qualities%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbride%2Bof%2BChrist.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Qualities of Christ’s bride" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XKTbBVEEaM/X_l9HBbhp4I/AAAAAAAAIpM/VEosHB6Pug4QsgY3JSydQA1MzCykg4WvwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/qualities%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbride%2Bof%2BChrist.png" title="Qualities of Christ’s bride" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div>
One thing that many preachers today fail to teach their members, especially those in the Born Again groups, is the fact that there are different kinds and different levels of relationships that a Christian may have with the Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />
First, between Christians and the Lord Jesus Christ, there exists a lord-servant relationship. Christ is our lord or master, and we, Christians, are His servants. <br /><br />
John 13:16 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.</i>
<br /></div><br />
A servant is not greater than his lord, or master. That being the case, he is expected to follow his lord’s every command, without any question. As servants of Christ, we must submit ourselves to the authority of our Lord and we should render Him our utmost obedience. <br /><br />
As it is written in Luke 9:23 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.</i>
<br /></div><br />
We also have to be ready to deny ourselves and endure all hardships that go with fulfilling our tasks and obligations. Our primary obligation is not doing what we want but doing what the Lord wants us to do. And once we are found and proven to
be faithful and obedient servants, our relationship with Christ could progress to a higher level. <br /><br />
John 15:15 (KJV) says,
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.</i> <br /></div><br />
He may regard us as His friends, and not servants anymore, like what the apostles and the early Christians experienced. Time came when Christ no longer treated them as servants but as friends. And this could happen to us, too. The lord-servant relationship could eventually turn into friendship, which is a higher and better kind of a relationship. <br /><br />
Aside from being a friend, the Lord Jesus Christ can also be an older brother to Christians. <br /><br />
As it is written in Romans 8:29 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. </i><br /></div><br />
As the firstborn among many brethren, He can be regarded as the older brother of Christians. <br /><br />
Yet, still, there is another kind of relationship which is much greater and much deeper than the ones we have mentioned — we can be His fiancée. <br /><br />
All of us Christians can consider ourselves as engaged to be married to Christ. We are His fiancée; He is our fiancé. This is a relationship that we need to protect and cherish. <br /><br />
2 Corinthians 11:2 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.</i> <br /></div><br />
At present, the Church is in the process of preparing for the wedding which will take place in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 19:7, KJV). This is going to be a meticulous preparation because as the would-be bride of Christ, Christians must be presented to the groom, the Lord Jesus Christ, like a chaste virgin. <br /><br />
How is that possible? <br /><br />
Ephesians 5:26-27 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
26 <i>That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, </i><br />
27 <i>That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. </i><br /></div><br />
While the wedding day is yet to come, the Church is being cleansed and sanctified. That is, the brethren in the Church are continuously being taught the doctrines of Christ, as well as the rightful way of living and conducting themselves as Christians. And this cleansing and sanctification process begins in baptism. After accepting the holy baptism, we are expected to start leading a new life — a kind of life that is lived in accordance with the laws and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />
Romans 6:4 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.</i> <br /></div><br />
We will cease to be what we used to be: If we were former evildoers, we will now stop doing evil things; if we used to be indulged in vices, we ought to get them out of our system abruptly; and if we used to be inconsiderate, selfish, and disrespectful even to the members of our own family, now we need to nurture the virtues of selflessness, compassion, magnanimity, and love. <br /><br />
This cleansing and sanctification process prepares Christians for a closer relationship with Christ. And that is to be in union with Him. We will be of one body with Him. <br /><br />
Ephesians 5:30-32 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
30 <i>For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. </i><br />
31 <i>For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.</i><br />
32 <i>This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.<br /></i></div><br />
It will reach a point that we will be one with Christ, the same way that Adam and Eve were one when they became husband and wife. But unlike Adam and Eve who had a union of the flesh, the Church and Christ will have a union of the spirit.<br /><br />
As it is written in 1 Corinthians 6:17 (KJV),<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.</i><br /></div><br />
Those who have fellowship with Christ are one with Him in spirit, in the flesh, and in everything.<br /><br />
But while awaiting for that union in heaven, we Christians must continue working on our cleansing and sanctification until we become spotless, wrinkle-free, holy, and without blemish. — These are the qualities of the bride with whom Christ is to be wedded — the Church. <div><br /></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-49947508055949360682021-01-01T20:30:00.004-08:002021-01-01T20:30:47.738-08:00'Personal Relationship' With Christ? Sorry, That's a Sham!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jjXAbZ8q3U/X-_21ll4GXI/AAAAAAAAIm0/W1mUOKgvMnkENrXDrJpxOMpEVZx2FrlAACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/personal%2Brelationship%2Bwith%2BChrist%2Bis%2Bsham.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="personal relationship with Christ is sham" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8jjXAbZ8q3U/X-_21ll4GXI/AAAAAAAAIm0/W1mUOKgvMnkENrXDrJpxOMpEVZx2FrlAACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/personal%2Brelationship%2Bwith%2BChrist%2Bis%2Bsham.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">What the Apostle Paul had written in Galatians 1:10-11 (KJV) has been the guiding principle that I have followed since I started preaching until now. It says, <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
10<i> For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. </i><br />11 <i>But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.</i><br /></p><p>
As the Gospel that the Apostle Paul preached was not <i>after man</i>, we are to expect that it was not meant to please men. Pleasing people and winning their approval never became Paul’s primary concern whenever he preached. As a servant of Christ, he was more concerned in fulfilling his task of preaching the Gospel as faithfully as he could. <br /><br />
And that is exactly what I am trying to also do, with God’s help. My speech may not be pleasing nor is it sweet-sounding to the ears of others, but you can be sure that what I am saying is all based on the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ written in the Bible.<br /><br />
Indeed, the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ are not aimed at pleasing men. In fact, they are somehow in contrast with the thinking, way of life, and the principles of men. <br /><br />
However, like the Apostle Paul, my commitment is not in pleasing people but in doing things that would please my Lord, like heralding the Gospel and exposing beliefs and practices of other religions that are against or are not part of the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />
An example of which is the teaching of the different Born Again groups about having the so-called personal relationship with Christ. Let me say it straight: This teaching is not a part of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ taught by the apostles. And there is no such thing as a “personal relationship with Christ” in the Bible.<br /><br />
If you understand the meaning of “personal relationship,” you would realize that in our era, it is highly improbable for anyone to establish a personal relationship with Christ as He is not here on Earth anymore; He is in heaven. Gone are the days when people could talk to Him and interact with Him personally. <br /><br />
But though Christ is not physically present anymore, it does not mean that we can no longer have a connection or a relationship with Him. We still can, but only in an indirect manner, and not a personal one.<br /><br />
The Bible cited a particular scenario which proves that even if a person did not get a chance to deal with or associate with Christ personally — thereby making it impossible for that person to have a personal relationship with Him — that person may still be able to develop a connection or a relationship with Christ and may still be saved under certain provisions. This is what Matthew 25:32-49 (KJV) says:<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
32<i> And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:</i><br />
33 <i>And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.</i><br />
34 <i>Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:</i><br />
35 <i>For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:</i><br />
36 <i>Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.</i><br />
37 <i>Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?</i><br />
38 <i>When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?</i><br />
39<i> Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?</i><br />
40 <i>And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.</i><br />
41 <i>Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:</i><br />
42 <i>For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:</i><br />
43 <i>I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.</i><br />44 <i>Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?</i><br />
45 <i>Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.</i><br />
46<i> And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
</i><br /></p><p>
These verses show us that having a personal relationship with Christ is not a requisite to man’s salvation. There are people who will be privileged to inherit the kingdom of God despite the absence of that personal relationship with Christ that the Born Again groups are talking about. <br /><br />
As seen in the verses above, those people were not even aware that they had done Christ any good deed because they had not met nor seen Him personally. But at certain points in their lives, they had given something to eat and something to drink to a hungry and thirsty person who, without their knowledge, is one of Christ’s brethren. And that simple act of kindness is already enough to establish their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br />
Was there a personal encounter that happened between them and Christ? Was there a personal relationship? There was none. The kindness and compassion that they had shown to His disciples and to the least of His brethren were enough to weld a bond between them and the Lord Jesus Christ. And as a token of gratefulness and appreciation for what they had done, the Lord Jesus Christ will make them heirs of the kingdom of God in heaven come judgment day.<br /><br />
Let me reiterate that in the absence of Christ’s physical presence you cannot have a personal relationship with Him. But it is still possible to develop a relationship with Him, albeit not in a personal way. <br /><br />
Instead, it is via loving, caring for, and being compassionate to a fellow believer in Christ. As it is mentioned in Matthew 25:40, every act of kindness that a person renders unto the brethren of Christ is automatically counted as something done unto Him; He becomes its indirect recipient. And your good deed will not go uncompensated because in the end, you will be rewarded with life everlasting in paradise.<br /><br />
A personal relationship with Christ? Sorry, there is no such thing in the Bible! It is the good works that we do to the brethren of the Lord Jesus Christ that count!
</p>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-41862856975774246712020-12-25T02:30:00.003-08:002020-12-26T09:16:55.639-08:00The Biblical Truth About Christ's Date of Birth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gvpj8mB05oE/X-W-ssofViI/AAAAAAAAIko/5USOWIJwcqg99YP0DKhXGhbTtbwJvyEwwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Jesus%2Btrue%2Bbirth%2Bdate.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The unheard truth about the birth date of Christ" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Gvpj8mB05oE/X-W-ssofViI/AAAAAAAAIko/5USOWIJwcqg99YP0DKhXGhbTtbwJvyEwwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Jesus%2Btrue%2Bbirth%2Bdate.png" title="The unheard truth about the birth date of Christ" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Practically all religions that claim to be Christians make a grand celebration of Christmas. They believe that the 25th of December is the day that the Lord Jesus Christ was born when He manifested Himself in the flesh. </div><br />
The question is, does that belief have any biblical basis? And did Christ command Christians to celebrate this date? <br /><br />
To begin with, celebrating December 25 or Christmas, is not mentioned in the Gospel; it is not a commandment of Christ. So, if it is not a commandment of Christ and if it is not written in the Gospel, Christians should not observe it. <br /><br />
According to 1 Corinthians 4:6 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.</i> <br /></div><p><br />
The Bible admonishes us not to go beyond what is written. Meaning, our faith should be anchored on the things that were written in the Holy Scriptures. If they are not written, if they are merely man-made traditions, they should not be imbibed or be assimilated by Christians, no matter how spectacular and lavish they may be. And since the Bible did not even make the slightest reference to December 25 as the birthday of Christ, do not make it a part of your faith. Be not among the billions of people all over the world who make a big fuss out of this date. <br /><br />
We are certain that Christ was not born in December because during this month, Bethlehem, His birthplace, is covered with snow. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2OInAdAsv1k/X-WRcahsGEI/AAAAAAAAIj0/gK_keGhiYnEQbpMHibCYiUZ4nfE4LG__ACLcBGAsYHQ/s569/Bethlehem.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="331" data-original-width="569" height="233" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2OInAdAsv1k/X-WRcahsGEI/AAAAAAAAIj0/gK_keGhiYnEQbpMHibCYiUZ4nfE4LG__ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h233/Bethlehem.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>
Based on the account of Luke the Evangelist, on the eve that Christ was born, there were shepherds in the field watching over their sheep as they grazed. <br /><br />
Luke 2:7-8 (KJV) says, <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
7 <i>And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">8 <i>And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.</i>
<br /></p><p>
The sheep were grazing in the field; meaning, there were grasses which they could be fed on — grasses, not snow. Therefore, it would not have been December then. <br /><br />
In the first place, no shepherd in his right mind would bring out his flock on a snowy evening. Otherwise, they would freeze to death — both the shepherd and his flock. <br /><br />
It is just very frustrating that a lot of people continue to believe and accept this invented teaching of the Catholic Church despite their admission that the actual birth of Christ is really unknown. This was written in the Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 2, page 607, which says: </p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITY4njBCy3s/X-WRltvcJiI/AAAAAAAAIj4/2VntHJcBrgUT18GE6r2K4nYrVU14-FO5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s565/Christmas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="385" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ITY4njBCy3s/X-WRltvcJiI/AAAAAAAAIj4/2VntHJcBrgUT18GE6r2K4nYrVU14-FO5ACLcBGAsYHQ/w273-h400/Christmas.jpg" width="273" /></a><br /></p><p>
Apparently, the original date of their celebration was January 6, until the pope in Rome changed it to December 25 — the same date when pagan Romans celebrated their feast in honor of their sun god, a false god. <br /><br />
Isn’t that a great insult to Christ, calendaring a feast in His honor on a date that coincides with the feast for a false god? What’s worse is that even different Protestant groups as well as so-called Evangelical and Christian organizations, have also joined the Catholics in celebrating Christmas, or Christ’s birth, on December 25. <br /><br />
Actually, even the Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo (INCM) also believes in the invented story of the Catholic Church about Christmas. This is despite the repudiation their leader had made of the Catholic priests and Protestant pastors, saying that they were not of God, but of Satan or the devil. This harsh statement was published in their official publication, Pasugo, in August 1961. On page 39, it says, <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cRznL3a75cY/X-WRydIFasI/AAAAAAAAIkA/7W5eKhZftUcEn2_XEu2H6KXxoUMY8UW1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s453/Pasugo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="453" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cRznL3a75cY/X-WRydIFasI/AAAAAAAAIkA/7W5eKhZftUcEn2_XEu2H6KXxoUMY8UW1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Pasugo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
<i>Translation: <br />
In conclusion, we ought to repudiate the Catholic priests and Protestant pastors because they are ministers of Satan. We should also repudiate the Catholic Church and the different Protestant churches because they are not of God, but of Satan or the devil.</i>
<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">
Ironically, despite Manalo’s renunciation of the Catholic and Protestant churches because they are of the devil, they still imitate and adopt the practices and beliefs of Catholics and Protestants relative to the celebration of Christmas. <br /><br />
The photo below depicts the 25th wedding anniversary of one of the INCM ministers. But, please, take note that on their background were Christmas decors and a picture of Santa Claus. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Iyin_RRLZI/X-WR9UpzMII/AAAAAAAAIkI/iHWYTMaBaloK4cG5po8I6tOn6gLwuCToQCLcBGAsYHQ/s713/Pasugo%2B-%2BJanuary%2B1968.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="713" height="358" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Iyin_RRLZI/X-WR9UpzMII/AAAAAAAAIkI/iHWYTMaBaloK4cG5po8I6tOn6gLwuCToQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h358/Pasugo%2B-%2BJanuary%2B1968.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;">
In another issue of Pasugo in 1969, an advertisement promoting the new dresses that their sisters-in-faith were selling was published on page 16. The ad was also enjoining their brethren to shop early as Christmas was fast approaching. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQuK0OKqcBU/X-WSF_gWvfI/AAAAAAAAIkQ/uLMc_10ydRof1982WlhCx_nHkoswN4XHgCLcBGAsYHQ/s591/Nalalapit%2Bna%2Bang%2BPasko.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="341" data-original-width="591" height="231" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LQuK0OKqcBU/X-WSF_gWvfI/AAAAAAAAIkQ/uLMc_10ydRof1982WlhCx_nHkoswN4XHgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h231/Nalalapit%2Bna%2Bang%2BPasko.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
<i>Translation: <br />
Christmas is near! Shop early now! Sisters Pilar Fernandez, Rosalinda Yadan, and Ester Yadan have new clothes on sale! </i><br /></p><p></p><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
No. D-E-F—Market of Obrero — Blumentritt, Manila <br />
Home Address: —2722 Ave. Rizal <br />
Tel. 2-68-33 <br /></p><p><br />
Not only that, they also believe in the three kings. Below is a photo of their three brothers-in-faith whom they compared with the three kings. <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_QAFlLpSJo/X-WSMTqpO5I/AAAAAAAAIkU/KUJWxkKer58J-LIqXE4xwo11-eaktwidgCLcBGAsYHQ/s625/Pasugo%2BMarso%2B1939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r_QAFlLpSJo/X-WSMTqpO5I/AAAAAAAAIkU/KUJWxkKer58J-LIqXE4xwo11-eaktwidgCLcBGAsYHQ/w274-h400/Pasugo%2BMarso%2B1939.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><p style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
<i>Translation: <br />
They were not the three Magi who came from different places and followed the light of the star that signified the birth of the Savior on earth, but like the three kings, the three men above also followed the light of the teachings of Christ through His Church.</i><br /></p><p><br />
That is foolishness. There is no truth to the popular belief that the men who brought gifts to the young Jesus were three kings. Very remote is the possibility that they were kings because kings do not travel all by themselves — without any aide and without security escorts. <br /><br />
More importantly, the Bible said that they were wise men, but it did not mention how many they were. The Catholics just speculated that they were three based on the kinds of gifts that were given to the young Jesus: incense, gold, and myrrh.<br /><br />
But why don’t the members of the Church of God International celebrate December 25 or Christmas? Because it is not true that Christ was born on that day. Besides, the December 25 date was just assigned by the pope in Rome to counter, or perhaps to compete, with the feast being held by pagan Romans in honor of their sun god. As Christians, we do not take part in anything tainted and associated with paganism and idolatry.<br /><br />
However, do not get the impression that we do not celebrate any feast for Christ. On the contrary, we have many celebrations honoring not only the Lord Jesus Christ, but also the Father.
</p><br />Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-19447876272221664262020-12-18T21:10:00.021-08:002020-12-25T02:52:12.952-08:00The Old Path Is for the Wicked? Look Who’s Talking.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDxtI8YRPE4/X92LDUrv2FI/AAAAAAAAIiA/BgIH5AC5uo4HLxHZVxts62w1s8A6oYQvACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Is%2Bthe%2Bancient%2Bpaths%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bwicked.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Is the old path for the wicked" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FDxtI8YRPE4/X92LDUrv2FI/AAAAAAAAIiA/BgIH5AC5uo4HLxHZVxts62w1s8A6oYQvACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Is%2Bthe%2Bancient%2Bpaths%2Bfor%2Bthe%2Bwicked.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Because of people’s familiarity with our radio and television program <i>Ang Dating Daan</i> or The Old Path — the broadcast arm of the Members Church of God International (MCGI) in heralding the teachings of God and the Lord Jesus Christ written in the Bible — some people in the Philippines also call our congregation by the title of our program. For them, MCGI is Ang Dating Daan, and vice versa. <br /><br />
For being in the airwaves for four decades now, the program Ang Dating Daan has gained much popularity and distinction that many of our brethren were converted through their patronage of the said program. Those who tune in and listen to my preaching inevitably develop biblical understanding and a desire to be part of our congregation. So, without any hesitation, they leave their respective religions and join the Church of God International. <br /><br />
And since other religious organizations consistently experience an exodus of members in favor of our group, their leaders and frontline men have joined efforts in maligning my person and our organization — all in their desire to discourage people from joining MCGI, or Ang Dating Daan, as they call our group. <br /><br />
One of the things that they use against us is the statement of Eliphaz the Temanite, in the Book of Job. It must be remembered that at the height of Job’s sufferings from so much afflictions, Eliphaz came and reproached him instead of giving him some consoling and uplifting words.
<br /><br />
In Job 22:15 (KJV), Eliphaz asked Job, <div><i><br /></i></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? </i></p></blockquote><div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Please note that those were the words of Eliphaz and not of God. Eliphaz was asking Job if he would still continue to walk upon the old way, (translated in Filipino as “ang dating daan”) which, according to him, was trodden by wicked men. </div><p style="text-align: left;">It can be inferred from Eliphaz’s words that Job was treading the old way, or ang dating daan; otherwise, he would not have asked him that question. But bear in mind that Job was not wicked. In fact, God Himself described him as perfect, upright, God-fearing, and not an evil-doer (Job 1:8). </p><p style="text-align: left;">After a lengthy discussion and exchange of reasoning between Job and Eliphaz, God spoke in anger. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Job 42:7 (KJV) says, </p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"><i>
And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. </i></p></blockquote><div><br /></div>God was displeased, and His anger was kindled by the things that Eliphaz and his two friends had spoken. Eliphaz, therefore, can be considered as an enemy of God because he spoke of things which were against the will of God. <br /><br />
Actually, Eliphaz’s accusation that the old way is trodden by wicked men — which was why he was urging Job to stop walking in it — is against God’s own pronouncement written in the Book of Jeremiah. <br /><br />
Jeremiah 6:16 (KJV) says, </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Thus saith the LORD, Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls...</i></p></div></blockquote><div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Very clearly, for God, treading the old path, (or ang dating daan), is not bad. In fact, He was even instructing His people to walk therein because it is where the good way is, and it is where they shall find respite for their souls. </p><p style="text-align: left;">It also follows that those who walk in the old path are not wicked because they are the ones who abide by God’s instruction. Unfortunately, our detractors who hardly understand the context of Job 22:15 use it against us. They capitalize on the words of Eliphaz, an enemy of God, to make it appear that those who are part of Ang Dating Daan (referring to our group), are wicked. That is a big lie! </p><p style="text-align: left;">The members of the Church of God International, or Ang Dating Daan as called by many, are not wicked; in truth, our brethren are known for being meek, compassionate, kind-hearted, and God-fearing, and the people with whom they have dealt can attest to this. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Even court records can attest that we do not have any member who is a murderer, unlike in other religions whose members brutally kill even for petty reasons, like an altercation during a basketball game. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This was what some members of a church founded in the Philippines did to their opponents in a basketball game. They inflicted them with beastly forms of torture until they were lifeless, and then threw their dead bodies in the Pasig River. Actually, their church leaders utilized their resources and connections in defending them. Nevertheless, the Supreme Court found them guilty beyond reasonable doubt. </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI3k-XLfcV8/X9zzphUlaEI/AAAAAAAAIhw/gWWaoHLKY60Awpa0NNvsAgrPikl7Z4DngCLcBGAsYHQ/s527/Supreme%2BCourt%2BReports%2BAnnotated.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="527" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FI3k-XLfcV8/X9zzphUlaEI/AAAAAAAAIhw/gWWaoHLKY60Awpa0NNvsAgrPikl7Z4DngCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/Supreme%2BCourt%2BReports%2BAnnotated.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We do not do such things in the Church of God. Our brethren are well-taught of Christian virtues and they are one with the Church administration in promoting faith, hope, and love to all men through the preaching of the Gospel and through the public services and charity works that we do.
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Admittedly, we have a lot of detractors, I, most especially. All of them want to put me down; they all want to silence me because my preaching of the undefiled Gospel wreaks havoc to their respective organizations. The moment that their members begin to listen to my broadcasts, they are unstoppable in finding their way out of their religion. <br /><br />
Presently, their crusade is to discredit me and our group, using different social media platforms. One of them even accused me of simply making up stories in my preaching. That is a blatant lie! <br /><br />
To preach of falsehood is one thing that I never have done and will never do. But instead of defending myself, I would rather let other people (whom I do not personally know) and other prestigious organizations speak on my behalf if my preaching is really without credence.
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<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gVjx8zDLFHA" width="560"></iframe></center>
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Whenever I preach, be it on radio, television, or social media, I see to it that everything that I say is always factual, supported by pieces of evidence, and is Bible-based; I never concoct stories. I make sure that the things that I say are sensible, relevant, and enlightening. Otherwise, reputable award-giving groups would not have acknowledged and recognized my undertakings. <br /><br />
Allow me to cite a few of these recognitions. During the <b><i>3rd Annual Open Mashable Awards</i></b> in 2009, my blog site <i>esoriano.wordpress.com</i> was awarded the <b><i>Most Educational to Follow</i></b>; during the <b><i>4th Annual Gawad Amerika</i></b> in 2006, our program Ang Dating Daan was awarded as the <b><i>Most Informative Religious Program</i></b>; and during the <b><i>10th Annual Gawad Amerika in 2011</i></b>, Ang Dating Daan was awarded as the <b><i>Best Religious Program</i></b>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qL7yM8eVUZM/X9zzaOLC5tI/AAAAAAAAIhs/2-k7zCtg1YIBdmUmmAz9Nv-QxiN9hCkKACLcBGAsYHQ/s555/Awards.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qL7yM8eVUZM/X9zzaOLC5tI/AAAAAAAAIhs/2-k7zCtg1YIBdmUmmAz9Nv-QxiN9hCkKACLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h400/Awards.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><br />
Indeed, these recognitions give us immense pride and honor, however, we know that we could not have achieved any of them if not for the help and guidance of God. So, unto Him we offer all the honor and glory. <br /><br />
As we in the Church of God International are guided by biblical truths, we are aware that until the end, there would still be people whose major preoccupations are to spread lies, deceive and mislead people, and bring them to perdition. <br /><br />
But with God’s help, we will not allow such people to hinder us in propagating the Gospel and in encouraging our fellowmen to walk in the old path, or the good way, as commanded by God, for this is the path that will lead them to salvation. <br /><br />
To God be the glory.</div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-57962237551966824132020-12-12T03:25:00.002-08:002020-12-12T03:25:36.343-08:00The One Sure Way That God Will Listen When We Call <div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ek15vm-RoyA/X9SoU2EeH_I/AAAAAAAAIgw/ESL_c-FvRWk7BhZ_0VesJkCfip37108PwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/How%2Bto%2Bmake%2Bsure%2BGod%2Blistens%2Bto%2Byou.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ek15vm-RoyA/X9SoU2EeH_I/AAAAAAAAIgw/ESL_c-FvRWk7BhZ_0VesJkCfip37108PwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/How%2Bto%2Bmake%2Bsure%2BGod%2Blistens%2Bto%2Byou.png" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /><div>There are people who have developed the notion that so long as they pray and invoke the name of the Lord, they will already be saved. That is not true; they are just giving themselves false hope. <br /><br />The truth is — even if you keep on praying, even if you keep on calling on the name of the Lord, you will not be saved if you are not fulfilling His will. <br /><br />As it is written in Matthew 7:21 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.</i> <br /></div><br />To enter into the kingdom of heaven, you have to do the will of the Father; that is, you have to keep His commandments and you have to do what the Father wants you to do. <br /><br />Ecclesiastes 12:13 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. </i><br /></div><br />The foremost duty of man is to obey God’s commandments and not the commandments and teachings of different religious groups such as the Catholic Church. If what you will follow are their invented teachings, like praying the rosary for nine consecutive days or the novena, walking on your knees at the aisles of cathedrals from the doorway to the altar, and kneeling before graven images and statues and worshiping them, you will not be saved. All these practices, which the Catholics observe, fall under idolatry and are in direct contrast with the teachings of God in the Bible. And definitely, such practices will not bring you to heaven. <br /><br />Remember, for you to be saved and become an heir of heaven, you have to obey God’s commandments — not defy them. Idolatry is an outright defiance of God’s commandment; statues and graven images should not be made objects of worship, even if they happen to be made of gold and silver. <br /><br />Acts 17:29 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. </i><br /></div><br />Just to think or presume that the Godhead can be represented in graven images and statues made of gold, silver, and stone is very wrong. It becomes much worse if you are going to kneel before them, offer flowers and light candles for them, and pray to them. Unfortunately, those are exactly what Catholic priests are teaching their followers to do — they are advocating the practice of idolatry. <br /><br />Idolatry is prohibited by God. However, His prohibition is not limited to worshiping graven images; it includes the carving of statues and graven images. Such is also an act of defiance to God’s commandments. <br /><br />As it is written in Deuteronomy 5:8-9 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">8 <i>Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">9 <i>Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, </i><br /></div><br />It is God whom you should worship and not false gods. Apparently, worshiping and revering false gods are manifestations of hatred to God. So if you profess that you love God, it is unto Him that you should render your worship, reverence, and devotion — not to graven images. <br /><br />Yet, what God prohibits people from doing are what the Catholic priests are zealously promoting. In effect, they are making themselves instruments in changing the truth of God into a lie as they teach people to worship the creature instead of the Creator. <br /><br />Romans 1:25 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.</i> <br /></div><br />Thus, instead of redirecting your faith and devotion to your fellow creation of God, like Mary, the apostles, and the angels, it is unto the Creator that you should render them. And instead of addressing your prayers to these individuals, you should address them unto the Creator. <br /><br />Bear in mind, however, that not all those who call upon the name of the Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who abide by God’s commandments. In other words, it is your obedience to God’s teachings and commandments that will qualify you to enter the kingdom of heaven.</div></div><div><br /></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-23087214745702239552020-12-05T03:32:00.003-08:002020-12-05T03:32:28.133-08:00Is Religion Necessary to Be Saved? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3YApsWuXR0/X8tvfmY5lLI/AAAAAAAAIfU/hw47PmifwTsToG1diWMomgExB9XHaqJgACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Can%2Bfaith%2Balone%2Bsave%2Byou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Can faith or grace alone save you" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w3YApsWuXR0/X8tvfmY5lLI/AAAAAAAAIfU/hw47PmifwTsToG1diWMomgExB9XHaqJgACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Can%2Bfaith%2Balone%2Bsave%2Byou.jpg" title="Can faith or grace alone save you" width="640" /></a></div><p>Many preachers today have become so reckless and irresponsible that they hardly care if the teachings that they make people believe and accept are no longer in conformity with the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ written in the Bible. <br /><br />
An example of which is their teaching that religion is no longer needed for man to be saved. What is needed, they say, is for man to have faith in Christ, accept Him, and presto, he will be saved.<br /><br />
That is a big lie! It is not true that religion is no longer needed. In fact, the Bible mentions a pure and undefiled religion which the Lord Jesus Christ taught to the apostles. This only means that religion is necessary and important; otherwise, the Lord Jesus Christ would not have taught it.<br /><br />
However, not all religions are pure and undefiled; many of them are filled with impurities, filth, and pretenses. Hence, their followers are not made holy but instead, they are turned into a bunch of hypocrites. Such are the religions that can be considered futile or useless, for they fail in making their members become worthy of salvation. The Bible describes these religions as vain.<br /><br />
James 1:26 (KJV) says,<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
</i><br /></p><p>
If anyone seems to be religious yet does not restrain his or her tongue and even deceives his or her own heart — the religion of that person is considered vain or useless.<br /><br />
But the pure and undefiled religion that the Lord Jesus Christ taught the apostles is definitely not vain and no-nonsense. Therefore, it should not be rejected nor should it be regarded as unimportant or unnecessary.<br /><br />
James 1:27 (KJV) says,<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.</i><br /></p><p>
One of the hallmarks of a pure religion is that it cares for the widows and orphans — and those who practice this religion keep themselves unspotted from the world. That is, they do not involve themselves in vices like gambling, drinking, drugs, and other earthly matters. They accept the Lord Jesus Christ and they follow His teachings.<br /><br />
Accepting the Lord Jesus Christ should not only be lip service. In accepting Christ, you have to accept His words and teachings, too, because rejecting His teachings is tantamount to also rejecting Him.<br /><br />
As it is written in John 12:48 (KJV),<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days.</i><br /></p><p>
It follows that if you reject the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ about religion, about the Church, and about worshiping, you are, in effect, rejecting Christ. And if you reject Christ, you will not be saved because He is the Savior.
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The pure and undefiled religion taught by Christ to the apostles is being practiced in the Church built by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. So, if you hear pastors and preachers say that the Church is also no longer needed, you can be sure that such preachers speak ignorantly because the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ built a Church (Matthew 16:18).
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Are they implying that the Lord Jesus Christ built something which has no use or relevance to salvation? And what gave them the right to nullify, or declare void, what the Lord Jesus Christ had established? The fact that Christ built a Church only means that it has a vital role in the salvation of man.<br /><br />
Now, to justify their stupid claim that religion and the Church are no longer needed to attain salvation — because according to them faith in Christ is enough — these preachers are citing the story of the thief that was crucified with Christ. They would say that the thief just believed in Christ, he did not practice any religion, and he did not join the Church, yet, he was promised paradise. <br /><br />
However, these pastors did not realize that believing in Christ, specifically in His words, was the only thing that the thief could do because he was already hanging on the cross and was about to die.<br /><br />
Apparently, before his final hour came, the thief got the chance to hear the words uttered by the Lord Jesus Christ while they were on the cross. And because of what he had heard, he believed. <br /><br />
Meaning, the thief’s faith in Christ was prompted by the words that he had heard from Him and not by His physical appearance. Because during that time, there was nothing majestic about the physical appearance of Christ as He was bruised, bleeding, and was naked. <br /><br />
Remember, the Jews played lots on His raiment, and according to Hebrews 6:6 (KJV), they <i>“put him to an open shame,”</i> implying that He was put in a very disgraceful and embarrassing situation. And what else could be more embarrassing and disgraceful than having your naked body exposed to the public? But because of the words that he heard from Christ while they were on the cross, the thief believed in Him, and so he said, <i>“Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”</i> (Luke 23:42, KJV) And unto him, the Lord Jesus Christ replied, <i>“Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.”</i> (Luke 23:43, KJV)
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Considering the thief’s condition — he was helplessly hanging on the cross and was dying — and the very short time left for him to live, the thief could no longer afford to join the Church or to practice religion. But had he been freed and given the chance to live longer, without a doubt, the thief would surely have joined the Church built and headed by the Lord Jesus Christ and become His servant.<br /><br />
But it has to be understood that the enviable fortune that came the way of the thief can never be enjoyed or be availed by those who deliberately reject and disregard the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ — even if they claim that they have accepted Him.
<br /><br />
May God bless us all!
</p>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-24034174748673358422020-11-28T00:34:00.006-08:002020-11-28T00:40:17.675-08:00Give Your Soul a Rest — Forgive and Forget<p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QPtXSjvWdZc/X8ILes06yOI/AAAAAAAAIdo/Odv1lvReU0AaKEgebM6yqDNR1zGSuwJbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/The%2BBible%2Bon%2BForgiving%2BOthers.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What does the Bible say about forgiving others" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QPtXSjvWdZc/X8ILes06yOI/AAAAAAAAIdo/Odv1lvReU0AaKEgebM6yqDNR1zGSuwJbgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/The%2BBible%2Bon%2BForgiving%2BOthers.png" title="What does the Bible say about forgiving others" width="640" /></a><span face=""Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><p></p><p>One of the things that many people find difficult to do is to forgive, especially, if the person who offended them does not manifest any sign of remorse or does not even bother to go out of his or her way to say “sorry” for the wrongdoing committed. </p><p><br />
For many, forgiveness may only be given to someone who acknowledges one’s sin and apologizes for it. But if that person does not apologize, then, there is no way that that person will be forgiven. <br /><br />
However, this should not be the attitude of a real Christian. A real Christian always grants forgiveness to a person who erred against him or her, even if that person did not say the magic word — “sorry”.<br /><br />
Usually, people get hurt if the offense is committed by their loved ones, or by those whom they highly esteem, like their spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings, relatives, and friends. <br /><br />
Hence, it is all the more very un-Christian if you continue to harbor ill feelings towards them simply because they do not approach you to ask for your forgiveness. If you truly love them, you do not have to wait for the time that they will fall on their knees and say “sorry” to you before you forgive them. <br /><br />
With or without the “sorry,” you should have a ready forgiveness for them because you love them. As a song says, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.”<br /><br />
Actually, even if the ones who did you wrong are just your ordinary acquaintances, like a neighbor, a classmate, or an officemate, you should always be ready to forgive. And having this attitude will surely work in your favor.<br /><br />
God commanded us to forgive those who sin against us. So, in forgiving our offenders, we are actually showing God our obedience to Him. All of us commit sins; we all err, wittingly or unwittingly — and we also want to be forgiven by those whom we have offended, or sinned against, including God.<br /><br />
The truth is, each time we ask God to forgive our trespasses, we are also obliged to forgive the trespasses that others committed unto us.<br /><br />
Matthew 6:12 (KJV) says,<br /><br /></p><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.</i><br /></div><br />
In forgiving those who erred against you, you will also be forgiven by God from all your shortcomings and transgressions. Apparently, it is a must that you forgive for you to be forgiven.<br /><br />
As it is written in Matthew 6:14 (KJV),<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:</i><br /></div><br />
If you readily forgive those who offended you, even without an apology coming from them, you will merit God’s forgiveness. This is aside from the emotional relief that you will experience. Because in forgiving others and in forgetting the offense that they have done unto you, you will be freeing your heart of a heavy load and you will have peace deep within you. Let’s face it, you do not feel good when you are at odds with another.<br /><br />
But if you will let your personal pride prevail, if you will refuse to forgive simply because the person who erred against you has not said “sorry” to you yet, you are, in effect, disobeying God’s commandment. And your disobedience to God has its inevitable consequences.<br /><br />
As it is written in Matthew 6:15 (KJV),<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.</i><br /></div><br />
Plain and simple. The Father will forgive your trespasses if you forgive those who have hurt you or those who have done you wrong. But if you do not want to forgive them, then, the Father will not forgive you either.<br /><br />
I just hope that you realize the significance of meriting and not meriting the Father’s forgiveness. To merit the Father’s forgiveness means to merit eternal bliss in paradise; but to not be forgiven by the Father because you refused to forgive others means to be doomed in eternal punishment in hell. The choice is yours to make. But surely, real Christians will always choose to be forgiving.<br /><br />
May God bless us all!
Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-86283010198632595452020-11-21T01:31:00.011-08:002020-11-21T01:53:11.768-08:00Why Others Lose Their Trust in God<p><span face=""Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f1f0f0; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face=""Helvetica Neue", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #f1f0f0; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kjM4q6pYfQU/X7jeMJZbLEI/AAAAAAAAIcs/b-fb4blN2GM1EC3Pru588DfYtqv3fuUPgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Why%2Bpeople%2Blose%2Btrust%2Bin%2BGod.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Why People Lose Their Trust in God" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kjM4q6pYfQU/X7jeMJZbLEI/AAAAAAAAIcs/b-fb4blN2GM1EC3Pru588DfYtqv3fuUPgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Why%2Bpeople%2Blose%2Btrust%2Bin%2BGod.png" title="Why People Lose Their Trust in God" width="640" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">If there is one Being in whom all of us should trust, it is no other than God — not our fellow man.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>Jeremiah 17:5,7 (KJV) says,</div><div><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
5 <i>Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.</i> </div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">7 <i>Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.
</i><br /></div><br />
The Bible says, blessed is the man whose trust and hope are in the Lord, and cursed be the man whose trust is given to another man. Very clearly, it is more prudent to give our full trust in the Almighty God than in man. For one, you cannot always count on a fellow human being — even if that person happens to be very close to you or if that person happens to be your best friend — because just like you, your fellow man also has certain frailties and vulnerabilities. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes, the very people whom you value and consider as trusted friends are also the ones who will betray you. Actually, the Lord Jesus Christ experienced treachery or betrayal from someone whom He considered a friend — Judas Iscariot. </div><div><br /></div><div>As it is written in Psalm 41:9 (KJV),<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.</i>
<br /></div><br />
The Lord Jesus Christ was a loving and selfless friend, such that He even gave the piece of bread that was already meant for Him to Judas Iscariot. Despite that, Judas still betrayed the Lord.<br /><br />
This thing really happens as there is always the possibility that the person to whom you have given your trust will turn against you. But this will not happen with God — He will never betray those who put their trust in Him. That is why the Bible calls those who have trust in God “blessed” because He is trustworthy.<br /><br />
We can say that the people who do not trust God do not really know Him — they do not know His ways; they do not know His will; they do not know what Hewants them to do. If they do, they will surely trust Him and His words, and they will continue to hold onto His pronouncements and promises — for God is true to His words and He fulfills His every promise.<br /><br />
One of the admonitions that carries with it a very reassuring promise from God is written in Hebrews 13:5 (KJV) which says,
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Instead of complaining and coveting what others have, God wants us to be content with what we have. And when we obey what God wants us to do, we will experience the fulfillment of His promise: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">When God told us not to be covetous and to be content with what we have, He was, in effect, teaching us not to steal and not to cheat but to instead labor in order to earn honest money. This is exactly what I practice in my life. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Even before I started in the ministry, I was already working to earn for my personal needs and for the needs of my loved ones. Until now that I am already leading an international religious organization, I am still working hard to earn in an honest and decent manner. Unlike other preachers, I never make the word of God a commodity, and I never make religion a kind of business. I do not covet the riches of other people, and I do not employ deceit in everything that I do. In other words, I live my life in accordance with the will of God. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Now I am already 74 years old, yet, I do not remember any instance in my life wherein I lacked or hungered — proof that God really does not leave nor forsake those who abide by His teachings. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The point that I am trying to drive at is this: It is our obedience to God that gives us the chance to experience Him in our lives — that He will not leave us nor forsake us. And as you experience this, the more that you will have trust in God. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">1 John 5:14 (KJV) says, </div><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: </i></p><div style="text-align: left;">We are confident that God will listen to us if we ask Him of things which are in accordance with His will. And He will listen to us if we are fulfilling His commandments, His counsels, and His teachings. So, if you hear people say that they have lost their trust in God because He does not listen to their prayers, it only means one thing: They are disobedient to God. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Always remember, God does not forsake those who are obedient to Him, and He will not allow them to lose their trust in Him.</div></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-68426994895840987982020-11-14T01:09:00.003-08:002023-08-21T09:30:30.155-07:00What Not to Love in the World to Gain the Love of God<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BU2j9D-Hyj0/X6-ehmqEQUI/AAAAAAAAIaQ/MnJXxxk5yA4GHTfPEuJX19IQKAYUZsT8QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/What%2Bwe%2Bshould%2Bnot%2Blove.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What should we not love in this world" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BU2j9D-Hyj0/X6-ehmqEQUI/AAAAAAAAIaQ/MnJXxxk5yA4GHTfPEuJX19IQKAYUZsT8QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/What%2Bwe%2Bshould%2Bnot%2Blove.jpg" title="What should we not love in this world" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>1 John 2:15 (KJV) gives a specific admonition to Christians, one that is often misconstrued by those who take the verse literally. It says, </p><p></p><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.</i>
<br /></div><br />
They ask, “How could they possibly not love the world when they are in the world and all the people dear to them are also in the world?”<br /><br />
Apparently, that is not what the verse is referring to. Indeed, we have to love our parents and the other members of our families, our friends, our fellowmen, and even our enemies. But there are specific things in the world that we are prohibited from loving, and loving them would mean that the love of the Father is not in us. What are those?<br /><br />
1 John 2:16 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.</i><br /></div><br />
John pointed out three things in the world that we should not love because they are not from the Father. They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.<br /><br />
In other words, we should not succumb to the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, like watching pornographic videos, reading pornographic materials, peeping in holes and crevices of someone else’s bedroom and bathroom, indulging in sensuality and lasciviousness, and making sexual advances on someone who isn’t our spouse. These are among the things in the world that we should not love as they are not of the Father.<br /><br />
Like the lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes, the pride of life also did not come from the Father, and therefore, we should not love it either. However, today, we see lots of people who take pride of their lives, of their status in society, of their riches and power, and of their connections with influential people. <br /><br />
They talk of nothing but self-conceit and vainglory. They regard themselves as the best and the most superior of all, that is why, they do not accept suggestions and instructions from others anymore — no matter how good the suggestions are, especially so if they come from their rivals. <br /><br />
This is very common among politicians and government officials. Instead of being supportive of and cooperative with one another, we often see them bickering, if not objecting and questioning certain projects and decisions, not for their demerits, but simply because they come from somebody who belongs to a rival political party. No wonder why there is unrest and divisiveness in many nations nowadays.<br /><br />
If they did not come from the Father, from whom did these things in the world come?<br /><br />
James 3:16, 15 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
16<i> For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.</i> </div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">15 <i>This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.
</i><br /></div><br />
They came from the devil. Actually, we can make a sweeping generalization that all the foolish things on earth — like the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, drugs, pornography, prostitution, greed of power — all of them come from the devil. That is why Christians are prohibited from loving them.<br /><br />
But never are we prohibited from loving our parents, siblings, children, friends, and fellowmen, even our enemies. In fact, Christians are commanded to love them. But of course, above all else, we should love God.
Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-15315885504213307732020-11-06T22:02:00.006-08:002020-11-06T22:03:01.504-08:00The Sad and Sorry Reason Why Some Believe Christ Isn't God<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-srGRzuSp2bE/X6Y4atC34jI/AAAAAAAAIYs/nbd56wnMIjkZ-glPjPC5w26OvdbreAcWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Christ%2Bis%2BGod%2Bnot%2Ba%2Bman.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christ is God not human" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-srGRzuSp2bE/X6Y4atC34jI/AAAAAAAAIYs/nbd56wnMIjkZ-glPjPC5w26OvdbreAcWwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Christ%2Bis%2BGod%2Bnot%2Ba%2Bman.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Is there any truth to the claim of the Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo (INCM) that the Lord Jesus Christ is no more than just a human being? First, let us consider what the Apostle John said about Him. <br /><br />
1 John 5:20-21 (KJV) says, <br /><p></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
20<i> And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">21 <i>Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. </i><br /></p><p>
This particular verse is one of the many verses being muddled by the ministers of the INCM to make their claim appear to be valid: that the Lord Jesus Christ is not a God, but only a man. They are trying to make it appear that the true God being mentioned in verse 20 is the Father.
<br /><br />
However, if we are going to analyze it more deeply, the true God and eternal life being referred to is someone who came here on earth, someone who gave them — the apostles — understanding. These would not apply to the Father because He had not come here physically. Undoubtedly, it refers to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is “the true God, and eternal life.” <br /><br />
Why give the admonition “keep yourselves from idols” in verse 21? It is because here on earth, there are many idols or false gods. But the One who came here, the One who had given them understanding, according to the apostles, is the true God and eternal life. And that was the Lord Jesus Christ. Take note that “true God” had been introduced by the definite article “the” — “the true God, and eternal life” — denoting specificity.
</p><p><br />
To further prove that the “eternal life” was the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 John 1:1-2 (KJV) says,
<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
1 <i>That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">2 <i>(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
</i><br /></p><p>
The “eternal life” was with the Father, and it was manifested unto the apostles because it came here. Very clearly, it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is one biblical truth that the ministers of the INCM cannot erase nor remove from the Bible.
<br /><br />
Now, when Christ came here on earth, this is what the Father told Him:
<br /><br />
Hebrews 1:8 (KJV) says,
<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
</i> <br /></p><p>
Again, this verse is also being twisted by the ministers of INCM. In their intention to reduce the Lord Jesus Christ to the status of an ordinary human, they changed “Thy throne, O God,” to “Thy throne, is God,” resulting in an idea that is very demeaning to God. They have brought God to a much, much lower status; they have made Him a throne that can be sat on. Isn’t that preposterous?
<br /><br />
In the earlier cited verse, the Father was the one speaking, and He called His Son as God. Are you going to question the Father’s declaration? That is the truth. The Lord Jesus Christ is God because He is the Son of God. He came from the bosom of the Father; the Father begat Him. This truth is something that INCM ministers find hard to accept — that the Father brought forth the only begotten God. But their refusal would not change the truth: that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only begotten God. As inscribed in Greek manuscripts, He is monogenes theos.
<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iPrarASy8zE/X6TwUBvGTPI/AAAAAAAAIYg/0tXcu7-8N5wJXdQr9_hd1iNEyhXNPqAGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s645/John%2B1%2B18.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="645" height="318" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iPrarASy8zE/X6TwUBvGTPI/AAAAAAAAIYg/0tXcu7-8N5wJXdQr9_hd1iNEyhXNPqAGgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h318/John%2B1%2B18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>
Actually, even if there are many evidences that prove the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ, even if the apostles themselves had testified that, “This is the true God, and eternal life,” and even if the Father, “...unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever,” I doubt if those INCM ministers would let go of their over-a-century-old belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is only a human being. <br /><br />
We cannot do anything about it. It is indeed inevitable that there are really people who would not acknowledge Christ’s divinity, not for any valid and biblical reason, but simply out of sheer stubbornness and obstinacy. But where will their stubbornness and obstinacy bring them? Where else but to perdition!
</p>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-20356601822678153692020-10-31T02:12:00.001-07:002020-10-31T02:12:28.297-07:00Dispelling Claims Regarding the Return of Christ With Common Sense and Simple Logic<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_j86oQI7rnU/X50qGWMC1dI/AAAAAAAAIWs/3Hvyf5pvJM0i4x_a4N3eJDI2sdSfiVazACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Michael%2BSandoval%2BReturn%2Bof%2BChrist.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The return of Christ" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_j86oQI7rnU/X50qGWMC1dI/AAAAAAAAIWs/3Hvyf5pvJM0i4x_a4N3eJDI2sdSfiVazACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Michael%2BSandoval%2BReturn%2Bof%2BChrist.png" title="The return of Christ" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Iglesia ni Cristo of Manalo is one of the religions that believe that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, the earth will already be burned. In fact, in one of their television broadcasts, Michael Sandoval, a minister of the INC of Manalo, blabbered that the one thousand-year reign of Christ on earth — which became the topic of many of our congregational gatherings — is highly impossible to happen because according to him, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, this earth will already be burned and destroyed. And since it will already be destroyed, there will be nowhere for Christ to reign over anymore.
<br /><br />
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<br />
Apparently, he was trying to contest what I was teaching to our brethren in the Church of God International, something which I based on the book of Revelation, which says that when Christ returns, He will resurrect those who died in Him and they, together with His faithful servants, shall reign with Him on earth for one thousand years (Revelation 20:5-6). I wonder why he is opposing something that is clearly written in the Bible.
<br /><br />
It is evident that his opposition to what I said was prompted by his ignorance of biblical mysteries and prophetic pronouncements which we in the Church of God International, happen to know and understand despite our lowly status — not through our own efforts but through the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit.<br /><br />
It is not true that the earth will already be destroyed or burned, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns. Although we do not deny the fact that this thing is bound to happen, but it will not take place upon Christ’s return. According to the Bible, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He, together with His saints who will be made priests, shall reign over the earth for a millennium. So, the earth remains to be in existence. And given the span of one thousand years, we can expect that the Gospel of salvation can be preached all over the world unhampered because, throughout that period, Satan will be incarcerated. However, after the one thousand-year period, he will be loosed out of his prison.<br /><br />
REVELATION 20:7-8 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
7<i> And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">8 <i>And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.</i><br /></div><br />
At the completion of the one thousand years, when Satan has been freed from his prison, knowing that he has very limited time, he would work doubly hard in deceiving nations in the four corners of the world. Just think about it — how can Satan traverse the four corners of the earth if this earth is no more? Aside from that, there will still be an Armageddon that is going to take place. Again, how can this final battle happen if, upon the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, this earth will already be destroyed? Do you see the folly of Michael Sandoval and the absurdity of his statements?
<br /><br />
Actually, it only requires simple logic and a little common sense to understand that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, this earth will not be burned yet because He will still reign over it for one thousand years.<br /><br />
Apparently, the ministers of the INC of Manalo, especially Michael Sandoval, lack both logic and common sense. If they have them, their statements should not have contradicted what the Bible says, and they should not have displayed their ignorance and senselessness on national television. Their line of reasoning only proves that they do not have any idea about the forthcoming millennial reign of the Lord Jesus Christ and His saints here on earth.
<br /><br />
But I couldn’t fully blame them because, surely, their mentors did not teach them anything about the book of Revelation — probably because they, too, did not understand this particular book of the Bible. That is very pathetic! The very least that the INCM ministers can do is to be humble enough to admit their ignorance, instead of bragging and pretending to be knowledgeable about biblical truths such as prophetic pronouncements. Actually, the more they brag and pretend, the more obvious it becomes that they are void of understanding. The very words that come out of their mouths are the ones that betray them. And we are truly sorry for them, most especially for their brethren in faith, whom they are leading to perdition. May God have mercy on these people.
</div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-85794220997210224442020-10-24T01:33:00.005-07:002020-10-24T01:40:12.233-07:00What to Expect During the Millennial Reign of Christ<div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XyU3VuQsAY/X5PmBkYGWAI/AAAAAAAAIUg/HorwbSE0-08SM2G3rCKo6Ts63wWWXP0qACLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Return%2Bof%2BChrist%2Band%2BHis%2BMillenial%2BReign.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Christ’s Return and His Millennial Reign" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XyU3VuQsAY/X5PmBkYGWAI/AAAAAAAAIUg/HorwbSE0-08SM2G3rCKo6Ts63wWWXP0qACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Return%2Bof%2BChrist%2Band%2BHis%2BMillenial%2BReign.png" title="Christ’s Return and His Millennial Reign" width="640" /></a></div> <div>Do not believe any preacher or any religion that would say that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ already marks the day of judgment and the destruction of the earth. There is no truth to that. Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ will return, but not to judge mankind and destroy the earth right away, as there is another appointed time to carry out those things. <br /><br />When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, He will resurrect, not all the dead but only those who died in Him. This is called the first resurrection. And then, those whom He resurrected and His faithful servants who are still alive during that time will be caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air. As it is written in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">16 <i>For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">17 <i>Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. </i><br /></div><br />Those who will be included in the first resurrection are considered blessed because the second death has no power over them anymore. They shall be made priests, and together with Christ, they shall reign on earth for one thousand years. <br /><br />REVELATION 20:5-6 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">5 <i>But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">6 <i>Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. </i><br /></div><br />In other words, there are two resurrections of the dead that are going to happen. The first resurrection is exclusive for those who have died in Christ, and this will happen upon the return of the Lord Jesus Christ; while the second resurrection is inclusive of all the dead that are not included in the first resurrection, and it is going to happen after the one thousand-year period. So, there is a gap of one thousand years between the first and the second resurrection of the dead. <br /><br />When all the dead have risen, that will be the time when the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge both the living and the dead. The Bible referred to Christ as the judge of both the living and the dead. <br /><br />1 PETER 4:5 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.</i> <br /></div><br />Another verse that proves that the Lord Jesus Christ shall judge both the living and the dead is 2 Timothy 4:1 (KJV), which says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;</i> <br /></div><br />There will come a time when the Lord Jesus Christ shall appear and the glory of His kingdom shall be revealed. But it will not be until after the one thousand years, when He shall be passing judgment on both the living and the dead who have risen during the second resurrection. <br /><br />Actually, John, to whom these revelations were given, had a glimpse of judgment day; he even saw how the devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. <br /><br />REVELATION 20:10 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. </i><br /></div><br />After which, John also saw a great white throne, and before the throne of God stood all the dead who have been resurrected to face judgment. <br /><br />REVELATION 20:11-12 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">11 <i>And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">12 <i>And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. </i><br /></div><br />So, it is clear now that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ does not mark the day of judgment nor the destruction of the earth — as these things are going to happen after His reign on earth for a thousand years. It has to be understood that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ only marks the commencement of His millennial reign on earth. <br /><br />With the Lord Jesus Christ reigning over all those who are on earth, we can just imagine the kind of justice, righteousness, and holiness that will prevail everywhere. We can also expect that with Christ reigning, more and more people will be converted, which means that more and more people will be given the chance to salvation. </div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></div></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-21017047497273019702020-10-17T05:06:00.006-07:002020-10-17T08:18:48.391-07:00Healing: Fake or Real?<div><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcBwAxicGTY/X4rd6cyLBVI/AAAAAAAAISw/EYQbPrEdwVEVACdCYMLijoxgJKHePSedgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Fake%2Bhealing%2Bagainst%2Breal%2Bhealing%2Bfrom%2BGod.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="How to attain real healing from God" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcBwAxicGTY/X4rd6cyLBVI/AAAAAAAAISw/EYQbPrEdwVEVACdCYMLijoxgJKHePSedgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Fake%2Bhealing%2Bagainst%2Breal%2Bhealing%2Bfrom%2BGod.png" title="How to attain real healing from God" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible mentions diverse spiritual gifts to the Church, and one of them is the gift of healing (1 Corinthians 12:4,9). In fact, the first century Christian Church became a recipient of this gift, which is why there were apostles and members of the Church back then who became instruments in healing people with physical infirmities. And until the present time, God’s gift of healing continues to be enjoyed by His people. </div><div><br />Sometimes, healing happens not because of any human intervention but because of fervent prayers. For one, God offers healing to those who fervently pray for it. I personally know of some brethren in the Church who had been diagnosed with illnesses which were already in their terminal stages, while others were with contagious diseases. But through our fervent prayers to the Almighty God, these people were able to live beyond the limit that the doctors had set upon them. There were also those who, because of financial constraints, had refused to undergo surgery and they just opted to be discharged from the hospital, but also through sincere prayers and supplications, God added several more years to their lives.<br /><br />In the Church of God International, whenever we suffer from any ailment or illness, the first measure that we take is to kneel down, pray, and ask for God’s mercy and intervention. We do not perform any ceremony or ritual. We do not recite any incantation. We simply pray fervently. It is our faith that God can do more than what the best medical specialists can do — and that He can do what the best of doctors cannot.<br /><br />Many preachers today brag that they have the gift of healing — that by simply laying their hands on the sick, those who are ill will surely get well. Of course, that is a preposterous claim. It is so easy to claim that they have the gift of healing, but proving it is something that they have failed to do. <br /><br />Actually, I have seen a video of one shameless preacher who was supposedly performing a healing ritual. But instead of laying his hand on the sick woman, he laid his foot on her. It became apparent that delivering an “honest to goodness” healing was not really his paramount concern; he was more interested in taking advantage of the sick woman who was desperate to get healed. He was capitalizing on his position as a preacher and his self-proclaimed gift of healing in doing acts of lasciviousness and lewdness, as shown in the video.<br /><br /><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/O3n2akEs51E" width="560"></iframe></center><br />The woman in the video was actually suffering from an ovarian disease. But what did the pastor do? Using his foot, he was touching the woman’s genital; he was practically sexually assaulting her. The Bible did not speak of any healing method similar to what this stupid pastor employed. It was a gross display of lust and sensuality, and without any doubt, that man is not of God, but of Satan.<br /><br />We, in the Church of God International, neither perform such foolishness nor do we claim that we can heal people of all their illnesses by just laying our hands on them. We pray to God for His healing because we sincerely believe that it is God who heals, and our belief is anchored on what He said in Exodus 15:26 (KJV), <i>“... for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”</i> We are always counting on His pronouncements and on His abundant mercy.<br /><br />Indeed, there is a gift of healing given to the Church. There are really some members of the Church who have been bestowed with this gift, like, for example, our brothers and sisters who work as doctors, nurses, and medical massage therapists. As massage therapists, they could heal swellings, rehabilitate sports injuries, relieve muscle tension and stiffness, and provide ease and comfort to those in pain — not by laying hands on them — but by applying varying degrees of pressure on the affected part of the body or by rubbing and stroking such areas using their hands. So, in their own small way, they are able to provide healing, too. <br /><br />But as to whether a person was healed because of prayers or because of the intervention of a healthcare professional, our belief is that God and the Lord Jesus Christ are the ones who truly heal. Those who have the gift of healing are just being used by the Father and Christ to be their instruments in healing people. In reality, it is the healing power of God and the Lord Jesus Christ that works wonders. The bottom line is, God and the Lord Jesus Christ are our healers.</div><div><br /></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com51tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-35182952957084721122020-10-10T04:32:00.002-07:002020-10-10T04:32:39.128-07:00To Marry, or Not to Marry: Be Guided by God’s Prescriptions <div class="separator"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dnVFq8IHIuU/X4GbQzE_nMI/AAAAAAAAIR8/0M9EN0eqotwKTOnVfnj3iWJAOAylMLaFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Purposeful%2Bsinglehood%2Band%2Bguided%2Bmarriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="God wants man to always choose what is good, abide by His teachings, and observe the dos and don’ts that He had outlined so that man may live a peaceful, safe, and blissful life. However, He is neither coercing man to do what He wants nor is He curtailing man’s freedom of choice. And yet, God reveals the advantages and benefits that man will gain if he chooses to follow His will. And like a father who wants nothing but the best for his children, God never fails to give man His prescriptions and recommendations which he could use as a guide in making choices and decisions in life, especially when it comes to serious matters such as finding a spouse and getting married, for instance. Marriage is an option given to every man and woman. Those who want to build a family of their own can always choose to get married — but those who want to pursue a tranquil, unperturbed, and godly life can always opt to stay unmarried. But if they choose to get married, it is important that they first consult the prescriptions of God written in the Bible concerning this matter so that they wouldn’t commit a mistake that they will regret later on. As far as the woman is concerned, the Bible says that if she wants a life with lesser worries and responsibilities, and if she wants a kind of life that is without distraction in her service to God, it is better for her not to marry. Why? Because being married is a 24/7 career; it will require so much of her time. And once she is married, she can no longer devote as much time as she wants to serving God. She will be torn between her duties to God and her duties to her husband and children. Unlike an unmarried woman who thinks mostly of things concerning godliness and holiness, a married woman is beleaguered by the cares of this world. So, for her not to be distracted by such things, the Bible recommends that she remains a maiden. 1 CORINTHIANS 7:32-35 (KJV) says, 32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: 33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. 34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. In a typical household, the husband assumes the role of a breadwinner, but it is the wife who gets the heavier share of the burden. She is the one who conceives and carries the baby in her tummy for nine months; after nine months, she gives birth; and in giving birth, her life is put in great danger. And after giving birth, she breastfeeds and watches over her child throughout the day, et cetera, et cetera. Practically, the tasks that a mother has to fulfill never ends. This is yet without mentioning her duties as a wife to her husband and as a keeper of their house. With her heavy workload every day, she’ll definitely find difficulty in allotting time to spend in serving God. But if she will choose to abide by God’s prescription — if she will choose to remain a maiden — she will be spared from a very taxing life and she will be able to serve God freely. This particular prescription of God is also recommended to the man. If he also wants to spare himself from the troubles of being the head of the family — such as earning money to pay for his children’s tuition fees, buying milk and diapers for the baby, and paying rent, loans, and other household bills. And if he wants to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, it is best that he remains a bachelor, like the Apostle Paul. Sometimes, there are special people like the Apostle Paul, who have been appointed by God to perform a special function. In the case of Paul, he allowed the will of God and not his personal choice to prevail in his life. Although apostles were not prohibited from getting married, the Apostle Paul chose to remain unmarried because he wanted to fulfill his function and responsibilities more faithfully and without hindrance. He also wanted to devote his whole life in serving the Lord — which he wouldn’t have been able to do if he had a wife and children to attend to. GALATIANS 1:13-15 (KJV) 13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, Actually, even while Paul was still in the womb of his mother, God had already preordained him to be an apostle. And when the appointed time for his apostleship came, he gladly submitted himself to the will of God. Like the Apostle Paul, God had also intended Jeremiah for another special function as early as the time when he was still in the womb of his mother. God had preordained Jeremiah to be a prophet unto the nations. But other than these few exceptional cases, people are free to choose the kind of life that they want. They are free to get married, if they want; they are also free to remain unmarried if that is their choice. And should they decide to get married, it is best that they consider God’s prescriptions and recommendations first. First of all, it is important that the man, or the woman, is able to choose the right person who would become his or her lifetime partner. They have to make sure that they fall in love with the right person. Why? Because the devil is also urging people to fall in love, but he is urging them to love the wrong person — even someone who is already married. Do not believe what others say that once Cupid hits you with his arrow that goes straight to your heart, you become blinded by love and that you’ll fall in love even with a married man or woman. That is nonsense. In the first place, Cupid is not real; he only exists in mythology. Making a person fall in love with somebody who is already married is not Cupid’s work but the devil’s. And if you yield to the devil’s provocation, you’ll end up becoming a homewrecker and an immoral. God also does not want you to marry an ill-tempered person; in fact, God does not even want you to associate with or to befriend somebody who has a bad temper or someone who is always angry or furious. He wants you to stay away from those kinds of people because they could influence you badly. PROVERBS 22:24-25 (KJV) says, 24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: 25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul. Actually, this quality is not only seen among men as there are also women who are hot-tempered and are always contending and arguing with others. PROVERBS 21:19 (KJV) It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman. So, if you see that your girlfriend is quarrelsome and is always disputing with you, better back off. Otherwise, you’ll find no peace in life if she becomes your wife. And you cannot just abandon her or drive her away when she becomes very annoying and hard to deal with. It is against the will of God that husband and wife separate. Marriage should be lasting — it should withstand the test of time and it should endure all difficulties. For these to happen, the husband-wife relationship should be founded on genuine love and on God’s teachings. And the contracting parties in marriage should be made aware that their relationship is lifetime and only death can draw them apart. If in other churches a marriage can be annulled or can be declared null and void, in the true Church of God, marriage is a lifelong commitment and a marriage contract never loses its efficacy. It only expires when one of them dies. And since we in the Church of God international do not permit couples to separate, we see to it first that the man and the woman who want to get married truly love each other — that they are ready to adjust to one another considering the fact that they have different family backgrounds and they were brought up differently; that they are ready to face challenges and problems that may come their way; and that they will stand by each other at all times and will remain faithful to one another all the days of their lives. And if ever problems and conflicts arise in the course of their married life, we also help them in preserving their marriage. We help them patch things up and resolve their issues using the word of God because it is God’s will that husbands and wives stay together until the end. We can say that in everything that we do and in every choice and decision that we make, it is always to our advantage if we will be guided and if we will follow the will of God. We can also say that the wiser way of using our free will or our freedom of choice is by choosing to follow God’s prescription, be it in marriage or in other aspects of life. Always remember, God knows what is best for us — and He wants no less than the best for us. To God be the glory!" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dnVFq8IHIuU/X4GbQzE_nMI/AAAAAAAAIR8/0M9EN0eqotwKTOnVfnj3iWJAOAylMLaFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Purposeful%2Bsinglehood%2Band%2Bguided%2Bmarriage.jpg" title="Purposeful Singlehood and Guided Marriage" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>God wants man to always choose what is good, abide by His teachings, and observe the dos and don’ts that He had outlined so that man may live a peaceful, safe, and blissful life. However, He is neither coercing man to do what He wants nor is He curtailing man’s freedom of choice. And yet, God reveals the advantages and benefits that man will gain if he chooses to follow His will. <br /><br />And like a father who wants nothing but the best for his children, God never fails to give man His prescriptions and recommendations which he could use as a guide in making choices and decisions in life, especially when it comes to serious matters such as finding a spouse and getting married, for instance. <br /><br />Marriage is an option given to every man and woman. Those who want to build a family of their own can always choose to get married — but those who want to pursue a tranquil, unperturbed, and godly life can always opt to stay unmarried. But if they choose to get married, it is important that they first consult the prescriptions of God written in the Bible concerning this matter so that they wouldn’t commit a mistake that they will regret later on. <br /><br />As far as the woman is concerned, the Bible says that if she wants a life with lesser worries and responsibilities, and if she wants a kind of life that is without distraction in her service to God, it is better for her not to marry. Why? Because being married is a 24/7 career; it will require so much of her time. And once she is married, she can no longer devote as much time as she wants to serving God. She will be torn between her duties to God and her duties to her husband and children.<br /><br />Unlike an unmarried woman who thinks mostly of things concerning godliness and holiness, a married woman is beleaguered by the cares of this world. So, for her not to be distracted by such things, the Bible recommends that she remains a maiden.<br /><br />1 CORINTHIANS 7:32-35 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">32 <i>But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">33 <i>But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife.</i> </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">34 <i>There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">35 A<i>nd this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon the Lord without distraction. </i><br /></div><br />In a typical household, the husband assumes the role of a breadwinner, but it is the wife who gets the heavier share of the burden. She is the one who conceives and carries the baby in her tummy for nine months; after nine months, she gives birth; and in giving birth, her life is put in great danger. And after giving birth, she breastfeeds and watches over her child throughout the day, et cetera, et cetera. Practically, the tasks that a mother has to fulfill never ends. This is yet without mentioning her duties as a wife to her husband and as a keeper of their house.<br /><br />With her heavy workload every day, she’ll definitely find difficulty in allotting time to spend in serving God. But if she will choose to abide by God’s prescription — if she will choose to remain a maiden — she will be spared from a very taxing life and she will be able to serve God freely.<br /><br />This particular prescription of God is also recommended to the man. If he also wants to spare himself from the troubles of being the head of the family — such as earning money to pay for his children’s tuition fees, buying milk and diapers for the baby, and paying rent, loans, and other household bills. And if he wants to serve the Lord wholeheartedly, it is best that he remains a bachelor, like the Apostle Paul.<br /><br />Sometimes, there are special people like the Apostle Paul, who have been appointed by God to perform a special function. In the case of Paul, he allowed the will of God and not his personal choice to prevail in his life. Although apostles were not prohibited from getting married, the Apostle Paul chose to remain unmarried because he wanted to fulfill his function and responsibilities more faithfully and without hindrance. He also wanted to devote his whole life in serving the Lord — which he wouldn’t have been able to do if he had a wife and children to attend to.<br /><br />GALATIANS 1:13-15 (KJV)<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">13 <i>For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">14 <i>And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">15 <i>But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, </i><br /></div><br />Actually, even while Paul was still in the womb of his mother, God had already preordained him to be an apostle. And when the appointed time for his apostleship came, he gladly submitted himself to the will of God.<br /><br />Like the Apostle Paul, God had also intended Jeremiah for another special function as early as the time when he was still in the womb of his mother. God had preordained Jeremiah to be a prophet unto the nations.<br /><br />But other than these few exceptional cases, people are free to choose the kind of life that they want. They are free to get married, if they want; they are also free to remain unmarried if that is their choice. And should they decide to get married, it is best that they consider God’s prescriptions and recommendations first.<br /><br />First of all, it is important that the man, or the woman, is able to choose the right person who would become his or her lifetime partner. They have to make sure that they fall in love with the right person. Why? Because the devil is also urging people to fall in love, but he is urging them to love the wrong person — even someone who is already married. Do not believe what others say that once Cupid hits you with his arrow that goes straight to your heart, you become blinded by love and that you’ll fall in love even with a married man or woman. That is nonsense. In the first place, Cupid is not real; he only exists in mythology. Making a person fall in love with somebody who is already married is not Cupid’s work but the devil’s. And if you yield to the devil’s provocation, you’ll end up becoming a homewrecker and an immoral.<br /><br />God also does not want you to marry an ill-tempered person; in fact, God does not even want you to associate with or to befriend somebody who has a bad temper or someone who is always angry or furious. He wants you to stay away from those kinds of people because they could influence you badly. <br /><br />PROVERBS 22:24-25 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">24 <i>Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">25 <i>Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul.</i><br /></div><br />Actually, this quality is not only seen among men as there are also women who are hot-tempered and are always contending and arguing with others. <br /><br />PROVERBS 21:19 (KJV)<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.</i><br /></div><br />So, if you see that your girlfriend is quarrelsome and is always disputing with you, better back off. Otherwise, you’ll find no peace in life if she becomes your wife. And you cannot just abandon her or drive her away when she becomes very annoying and hard to deal with.<br /><br />It is against the will of God that husband and wife separate. Marriage should be lasting — it should withstand the test of time and it should endure all difficulties. For these to happen, the husband-wife relationship should be founded on genuine love and on God’s teachings. And the contracting parties in marriage should be made aware that their relationship is lifetime and only death can draw them apart.<br /><br />If in other churches a marriage can be annulled or can be declared null and void, in the true Church of God, marriage is a lifelong commitment and a marriage contract never loses its efficacy. It only expires when one of them dies.<br /><br />And since we in the Church of God international do not permit couples to separate, we see to it first that the man and the woman who want to get married truly love each other — that they are ready to adjust to one another considering the fact that they have different family backgrounds and they were brought up differently; that they are ready to face challenges and problems that may come their way; and that they will stand by each other at all times and will remain faithful to one another all the days of their lives. And if ever problems and conflicts arise in the course of their married life, we also help them in preserving their marriage. We help them patch things up and resolve their issues using the word of God because it is God’s will that husbands and wives stay together until the end. <br /><br />We can say that in everything that we do and in every choice and decision that we make, it is always to our advantage if we will be guided and if we will follow the will of God. We can also say that the wiser way of using our free will or our freedom of choice is by choosing to follow God’s prescription, be it in marriage or in other aspects of life. Always remember, God knows what is best for us — and He wants no less than the best for us.<br /><br />To God be the glory!<br /><br /></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com73tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-4642449033406860052020-10-03T02:14:00.002-07:002020-10-03T02:22:04.160-07:00Free Will Shows God's Unfailing Love to Man<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3aK521pnS_A/X3hAtxws57I/AAAAAAAAIQo/nt16T6J31y80vL5d8aYlcFyFEt_dKdV2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/are%2Ball%2Bdeaths%2Bwilled%2Bby%2BGod.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Are All Deaths Willed by God" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3aK521pnS_A/X3hAtxws57I/AAAAAAAAIQo/nt16T6J31y80vL5d8aYlcFyFEt_dKdV2wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/are%2Ball%2Bdeaths%2Bwilled%2Bby%2BGod.png" title="Are All Deaths Willed by God" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Our life comes from God, and we exist because He willed it. Being the giver of life, God also has the power to take it away. The question is: Are all deaths willed by God? Is it God’s will, for instance, that infants die while they are still inside the wombs of their mothers? </div><br />
We really cannot give a categorical yes or no answer to that question. First, we have to identify the cause of the baby’s death. Why and how did the baby die? If the baby died the natural way, meaning, if there were no human interventions, we can say that his death has been willed by God and his mother would not be held accountable for the child’s death. But if the mother willfully aborted her child, definitely, the baby’s death has not been willed by God because aborting a child is an act that is detestable in the sight of God. And anyone who commits it will be made answerable for the death of the innocent. <br /><br />
PROVERBS 6:16-17 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">
16 <i>These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:</i> </div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">17<i> A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, </i><br /></div><br />
Shedding innocent blood is one of the acts that is hateful to God. And one way by which innocent blood is shed is through abortion. Abortion is against the will of God. <br /><br />
However, shedding innocent blood is not only limited to aborting a child inside a woman’s womb. Taking the lives of unsuspecting children, for whatever reason, is also considered shedding of innocent blood. <br /><br />
That is why God was deeply sore when the Israelites made their sons and daughters as sacrificial offerings to the idols in Canaan.
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PSALM 106:38 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.</i> <br /></div><br />
Imagine, they murdered their own children, burned them, and made them an offering to false gods! <br /><br />
JEREMIAH 7:31 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. </i><br /></div><br />
Making one’s son or daughter pass through the fire is against God’s commandments; it is an abomination to Him. <br /><br />
DEUTERONOMY 18:10-12 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
10 <i>There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">11 <i>Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">12 <i>For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee. </i></div><br />
Scientifically speaking, during a woman’s third or fourth month of pregnancy, the infant inside her already has an identity. And as early as the second up to the third week of conception, a child already has a cardiovascular system. Actually, the first organ that is formed is the heart; for God, the heart is very important. Before a human being is born, God already knows the heart that is in him. <br /><br />
JEREMIAH 1:5 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. </i><br /></div><br />
In the case of the prophet Jeremiah, God had already known him even before he was formed in the womb of his mother — God had sanctified him before he was given birth. And while still in his mother’s womb, God had already ordained Jeremiah to be a prophet unto the nations. Given all these, we can just imagine how grave a sin the mother of Jeremiah could have committed had she decided to abort her child when he was just a few weeks old inside her womb. She could have been a hindrance to the fulfillment of God’s decree to her son. <br /><br />
Women who abort babies and doctors who perform abortion are both guilty of shedding innocent blood. Not unless they do it to preserve the life of the mother. It is a different story if the baby was aborted because the life of the mother has been endangered. In a situation like this, abortion becomes permissible. <br /><br />
But it is a great sin to God if abortion is performed simply because the woman wants to avoid responsibility or she fears being ridiculed because she got pregnant out of wedlock; or that pregnancy will ruin her figure; or the baby will be an obstacle in attaining her ambition. In such cases, not only will the woman who submitted herself to abortion be held accountable for shedding innocent blood, but so will the doctor who performed the abortion. Bear this in mind — aborting a baby is not part of God’s will. <div><br /></div><div>At present, there is an ideology that promotes abortion because according to its proponents, it is a way of limiting the world’s population. As expected, the advocates of this stupidity are shameless atheists. People who do not believe in God are behind every program and concept aimed at shortening the lifespan of people and in reducing the population of the earth. These people are the ones behind the invention of weapons of mass destruction, and perhaps even of the virus that continues to infect millions of people all over the globe today. As this virus is quite strange and extraordinarily strong, I have an inclination to believe that it did not come from nature but that it is man-made. </div><div><br /></div><div>From what I learned in my study of alternative medicine, a virus is self-limiting. This means that it dies naturally after a short period of time. Unlike this new coronavirus which is fatal and enduring for it remains alive for more than one and a half months. Surprisingly, it thrives up to forty-nine days — not inside a host but outside of it. This is probably one of what they call genetically modified organisms (GMO). This could be a result of a process wherein the genetic material of living organisms — like plants, animals, and microorganisms including viruses — are altered or tampered with by man. </div><div><br /></div><div>Today, GMOs are apparently being promoted by the rich, specifically, the business tycoons, who have interfered with the natural composition of crops and even animals. This they do in order to amass more wealth and eventually, achieve world supremacy. </div><div><br /></div><div>These rich people are toying with the idea of having a world government of their own in their minds, which they would lead and allow them the opportunity to monopolize the economy of the world and dictate upon all people. The idea of this kind of world government is actually a concept of the anti-Christ. </div><div><br />
REVELATION 13:16-17 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
16<i> And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">17<i> And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
</i><br /></div><br />
It is inevitable that there would be really rich and powerful people who would aspire for world domination; without a doubt, people who have this desire are minions and cohorts of the devil; they are not of God. That is why they have no fear in altering the genetic makeup of God’s creations. <br /><br />
What I want to emphasize is that it is not the outright will of God for people to die; not all deaths are directly willed by God. When we speak about the will of God, we have to understand that there are such things as the permissive will and directive will of God. The directive will of God occurs when the thing that happens is what God really wants to happen. On the other hand, the permissive will occurs when God allows or permits a certain thing to happen because that is what man wants to happen; it happens because man exercised his free will. <br /><br />
It therefore follows that if death came naturally — let’s say that a person died because of an illness or because of old age and it came at a time when the person was diligently and faithfully fulfilling the teachings of God and the Lord Jesus Christ — we can say that his death has been willed by God. But if a person died in his reckless pursuit of personal gratification, and if he deliberately opted to take for granted the commandments of God despite knowing them well, then we can say that his death was just permitted by God, and it came as a consequence of his failure to make wise choices in his life. <br /><br />
One of the things that I remember until now from my grade school teacher was her citation of the adage, “You are the master of your fate; you are the captain of your soul.” It means that we have a share in shaping the life that we want to live as we are the ones who make our choices and decisions. And it is because of the choices and decisions that we make that we become answerable for the things that we have done wrongfully and for our utter disregard of God’s admonitions. <br /><br />
DEUTERONOMY 30:19 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:</i> <br /></div><br />
In life, man is given two choices: he either chooses what is good or what is evil. Good and evil are realities that exist in the world, and what God wants is for man to choose what is good. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sadly though, since the early times, God had seen man’s tendency to choose what is evil despite having been taught everything that is good. It is because of God’s archenemy, Satan, who keeps on urging man to do things that are against the teachings of God. </div><div><br /></div><div>But because of the Creator’s great love for man and His deep concern for man’s salvation, He is giving man His prescription to choose life so that man and his seeds may live. Nonetheless, the decision is still for man to make since he has been given free will. We can only hope that man will exercise prudence in his exercise of his free will. And we can only hope that he chooses life, not death!
</div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-50447823212411078982020-09-26T05:20:00.003-07:002020-09-26T05:21:25.091-07:00God Redeems, God Rewards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1-XAjSya8o/X28xnwK5BdI/AAAAAAAAIQE/s28I-6cjQtse3oXti1fxoh4TbavXObbMgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Reward%2Bfor%2Bobeying%2BGod.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Reward for obeying God" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C1-XAjSya8o/X28xnwK5BdI/AAAAAAAAIQE/s28I-6cjQtse3oXti1fxoh4TbavXObbMgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Reward%2Bfor%2Bobeying%2BGod.jpg" title="Reward for obeying God" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The real God introduced in the Bible is a God who sees even the things that are yet to come. Because of that capability, He is able to prepare measures that can remedy or thwart the evil that is to come unto man.<br /><br />Let me give you an illustration to prove my point. An engineer who has invented a machine or an engine has full knowledge of the potential, capacity, and limitations of his invention as he was the one who designed and put all of its parts together. As its maker, he also knows the proper way of using and taking care of it, hence, he prepares a manual of instructions that aims to educate its would-be users for them to get the best that the machine can offer. That is, by following the dos and don’ts enumerated therein.<br /><br />It is apparent that even before the engineer came up with his finished product, being a person with foresight, he has figured out the problems that might arise as the machine grows old — and if its user becomes reckless and disobedient to his given instructions. And should the engine fail or malfunction, the manual of instructions also provides simple troubleshooting tips and a list of reputable and trusted service centers that could fix the problem.<br /><br />God is also an engineer but He is no ordinary engineer because He is the One who makes engineers. Being man’s Creator, His wisdom, ingenuity, craftsmanship, and foresight are beyond compare — they are unparalleled. And His love for man, His masterpiece, is beyond question. One proof of that is before God created man, He first made sure that man would have a conducive dwelling place wherein all of his needs are already available and accessible. And that is the earth. <br /><br />God intended the earth to be man’s habitation. As it is written in ACTS 17:26, (KJV),<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;</i><br /></div><br />God knows His creation inside out, from the most prominent details to the microscopic ones. He knows man’s every aspect — his strengths and weaknesses, his tendencies and limitations, and even the possible course of action that he might take given a certain circumstance or situation.<br /><br />But unlike a man-made engine whose function depends largely on human intervention, the man that God created enjoys a certain degree of freedom. He can do things out of his own volition because aside from equipping him with faculties, God also gave him free will.<br /><br />However, his freedom is not really absolute because there are also certain dos and don’ts that God laid before him; God also gave him a set of laws that he needs to follow and a list of warnings and precautions that he needs to take heed of. And all these are written in His “manual of instructions” — the Bible. Concurrent with his freedom is the awareness that if he disobeys, there are corresponding consequences, the same way that there are rewards if he opts to obey. But just the same, the decision to obey or disobey is his prerogative because he has free will.<br /><br />God had foreseen the possibility that man might misuse and abuse his free will. We have to remember that one of the attributes of God is that He has the power to see things before they happen. Actually, as for the story of humanity, He knows it from its beginning up to the end, although the end is yet to come.<br /><br />As it is written in ISAIAH 46:9-10 (KJV),<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;">9 <i>Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px;">10 <i>Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:</i><br /></div><br />In these verses, God introduced Himself, His power, and His capability, as incomparable. Like what He said, there is none like Him. Nobody can be equally like Him in power, not even His Son. For one, only God can declare the end from the beginning.<br /><br />God knows what is going to happen in the future. God had foreseen the possibility that man might not use his free will prudently, that he would disregard His precautions and warnings, disobey His dos and don’ts, and consequently, fall into sin. But unlike the ordinary engineer whose care and concern for his creation is limited only to preparing a manual of instructions and recommending service centers, God’s love and compassion for man is beyond measure. In fact, even before man was created, it was not only his place of habitation that God prepared but also the <i>sacrifice </i>that is more than sufficient to redeem him when he falls to sinfulness. And that is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.<br /><br />This biblical truth inevitably leads one to ask this question: “Does it mean that the Lord Jesus Christ had been preordained to manifest Himself in the flesh from the beginning in order to redeem man from sins?”<br /><br />The answer to this question is given in REVELATION 5:9 (KJV), which says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;</i><br /></div><br />The pronouns “thou” and “thy” in the verse refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. He was slain, and by His blood, He redeemed every kindred and tongue, every people and nation.<br /><br />When was He slain?<br /><br />REVELATION 13:8 (KJV)<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. </i><br /></div><br />The Lamb, which symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ, <i>“was slain from the foundation of the earth.” The statement “from the foundation of the earth” </i>refers to the time when God was still creating the earth, meaning, man still doesn’t exist yet during that time. But as early as then, God had already foreseen the need for a Redeemer because He had seen the possibility that man would later on fall into transgression. That Redeemer is the Lamb, representing the Lord Jesus Christ, who had been destined to be slain from the foundation of the earth.<br /><br />Aside from having the capacity to declare the end from the beginning, God also said in Isaiah 46:10, <i>“My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” </i>This is a very significant pronouncement of God because that “pleasure” is the theme of our existence. It is the reason why we exist — to give pleasure unto our Creator.<br /><br />REVELATION 4:11 (KJV)<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. </i><br /></div><br />All things that exist were created for the pleasure of our Creator. And we know that His pleasure has no evil in it.<br /><br />Whenever cabinet secretaries are being challenged to resign from their posts by the citizens who are dissatisfied with their performance, but they do not want to resign, we often hear them say that they serve at the pleasure of the President. Meaning, only the President can remove them from office as he was the one who put them there. But unlike the pleasure of a President which can be wrong, the pleasure of the Almighty God can never be wrong. We will always be safe if we exist for the pleasure of our Creator.<br /><br />As God’s creations, the best that we can do is to show Him our gratefulness for our existence and for the Lamb that He prepared, which was slain from the foundation of the earth. Because through His blood, we were saved from sins. Again, the Lamb symbolizes the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />But God’s graciousness does not end there. He has also prepared a reward for those who will continue to live their lives for His pleasure and for those who will faithfully abide by His dos and don’ts written in His “manual of instructions,” the Bible. And His reward is also without measure — a life everlasting. May we all be found deserving of His promised reward. Amen. </div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-40672297871351183582020-09-19T02:24:00.003-07:002020-09-19T03:55:42.539-07:00From Reviler to Believer: The Enlightenment of the Thief on the Cross<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Msz02B4fQGE/X2XjC5Lt1rI/AAAAAAAAIOA/VI2kNlFOha8KQh12ywQCWOy87M2lMxt3wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/penitent%2Bthief%2Bcrucified%2Bwith%2BJesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Penitent Thief Crucified with Jesus" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Msz02B4fQGE/X2XjC5Lt1rI/AAAAAAAAIOA/VI2kNlFOha8KQh12ywQCWOy87M2lMxt3wCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/penitent%2Bthief%2Bcrucified%2Bwith%2BJesus.jpg" title="Penitent Thief Crucified with Jesus" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: left;">Whenever ordinary readers of the Bible come across </span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 27:44</i><span style="text-align: left;">, </span><i style="text-align: left;">Mark 15:32</i><span style="text-align: left;">, and </span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 23:39-40</i><span style="text-align: left;">, they sometimes get confused as to how the thieves that were crucified together with the Lord Jesus Christ actually treated Him while they were hanging on the cross. Their confusion stems from what seemed to be a contradiction between the accounts of Matthew and Mark, and the account of Luke. </span></div><br />
MATTHEW 27:44 (KJV)<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.</i>
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MARK 15:32 (KJV)<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.</i><br /></div><br />
In the verses above, Matthew and Mark both said that the two thieves both mocked and reviled Christ while they were on the cross.
On the other hand, Luke mentioned that one of the thieves rebuked his fellow thief for deriding the Lord Jesus Christ.
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LUKE 23:39-40 (KJV) says,<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
39 <i>And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">40<i> But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
</i><br /></div><br />
Actually, there is nothing to be confused about; more so, there is no contradiction at all in their respective accounts. All of their accounts are correct and true.
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Apparently, confusion arises because some readers fail to consider the time element involved in the entire scenario. They have overlooked the fact that the two thieves and the Lord Jesus Christ were hanging on the cross, not just for a couple of minutes, but for about six to eight hours. And given that span of time, many things had happened which have opened the heart of one of the thieves, which made him change his attitude towards the Lord Jesus Christ.
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It is true that both of them reviled the Lord Jesus Christ and hurled insulting words at Him, but that happened during the early hours of their crucifixion.
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As the hours passed, after witnessing a number of things that had happened, one of them had a change of heart; he became compassionate toward Christ and eventually realized that Christ did not deserve to be in that situation — unlike the both of them who justly deserved a capital punishment for their felony.
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One of the instances that could have reversed the thief’s impression of the Lord Jesus Christ was when he saw how caring and loving a son Christ was to Mary. The thief heard how Christ entrusted His mother, Mary, to the care of His beloved apostle, John. Even if Christ was in that very difficult situation, He was still thinking about the welfare of His mother, and He made sure that somebody would look after her when He was gone.
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JOHN 19:26-27 (KJV)
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
26 <i>When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">27 <i>Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
</i><br /></div><br />
The Lord Jesus Christ could see the hearts of men, and He saw how kind-hearted John was. That was why Christ entrusted Mary, His mother, unto him. That very day, John brought Mary into his own home where she was treated like a member of his household.
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The thief also saw how Christ endured all of the insults and mockery of the people around them. Aside from that, he also witnessed how the Lord Jesus Christ remained meek despite the unkind treatment given to Him by the soldiers when He thirsted — instead of water, He was given vinegar.
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JOHN 19:28-30 (KJV)
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
28<i> After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">29<i> Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">30<i> When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
<br /></i></div><br />
The thief also heard Christ pray to the Father to forgive those who did Him wrong because they knew not what they do (Luke 23:34) — a prayer which can only be uttered by somebody whose heart overflows with love, mercy, and magnanimity.
<br /><br />
The other incident that happened that struck the thief’s attention was when the sun darkened during their final hours.
<br /><br />
MARK 15:33 (KJV)
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.</i>
<br /></div><br />
Darkness enveloped the whole land from the sixth hour, or twelve o’clock noon, up to the ninth hour, or three o’clock in the afternoon. <div><br /></div><div>Bear in mind that these things did not happen in a matter of minutes. They happened with intervals, within the span of six to eight hours. This implies that the change in the attitude of one of the thieves toward the Lord Jesus Christ did not happen at a snap of a finger; the change was prompted by the things that he saw and heard. After witnessing those things, the thief who earlier reviled and mocked the Lord Jesus Christ experienced a conversion — from being a reviler, he became a believer that Christ is truly the Son of God.
<br /><br />
LUKE 23:34-43 (KJV) says,
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
34 <i>Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.</i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">35 <i>And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">36 <i>And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">37 <i>And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">38 <i>And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, This Is The King Of The Jews. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">39 <i>And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">40<i> But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">41 <i>And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">42 <i>And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">43 <i>And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
</i><br /></div><br />
Inevitably, the thief developed a feeling of remorse and repentance for what he had said and done earlier that day, as faith already sprung in his heart. That was why when his fellow thief was still talking to Christ with sarcasm and disrespect, he reprimanded him. Until it reached the point when he implored the Lord Jesus Christ: <i><b>“Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.”</b></i>
<br /><br />
We can say that that thief was very fortunate because before he died, he was able to acknowledge Christ. And most especially, he had been assured that he will merit the bliss of paradise when the Lord Jesus Christ replied to him, <i><b>“shalt thou be with me in paradise.” </b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>So, very clearly, there are no contradicting ideas in the accounts given by the writers of the Gospel. The readers just have to realize that there are six or eight hours in the series of events that had transpired. And given those six or eight hours, many wondrous things could have happened. There is no denying that in the beginning, both of them railed the Lord Jesus Christ but, later on, one of them was moved by the things he had witnessed. He was enlightened. And this enlightenment led him to believing in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div>Developing faith in God and in Christ and entreating the Lord Jesus Christ to remember him when Christ goes to His kingdom were definitely the best things that this thief had done in his lifetime. Because of these, he became an heir of heaven. It is just unfortunate that the other thief did not experience the enlightenment and realization that he experienced. </div><div><br /></div><div>To end, let me just emphasize that there are no contradictions in the inspired Scriptures. If there are verses that seem to contradict each other, the reader just has to consider the background story and the surrounding circumstances of the given situation. And to avoid confusion and misinterpretation, it is best to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit first when reading the Bible. </div><div><br /></div><div>May God bless us all!</div><div><br /></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-5489847642987081432020-09-12T02:06:00.003-07:002020-09-13T02:35:09.598-07:00The Purpose and Meaning of Life <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5xt-WskNQ0/X1yPQGkgI_I/AAAAAAAAIMc/xLlcKFuNIc4hVYxZGGqNC-NorETidGHYwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/%2Bmeaning%2Bof%2Blife%2Blearned%2Bfrom%2Bhoneybees.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Purpose and meaning of life taught by honeybees" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l5xt-WskNQ0/X1yPQGkgI_I/AAAAAAAAIMc/xLlcKFuNIc4hVYxZGGqNC-NorETidGHYwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/%2Bmeaning%2Bof%2Blife%2Blearned%2Bfrom%2Bhoneybees.jpg" title="Purpose and meaning of life taught by honeybees" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>All creatures exist for a definite purpose, and it is in the fulfillment of such purpose that their lives become meaningful. </p><p>If you are a keen observer of the different creatures around you, you would come to understand that each of them is aware of the very purpose of their existence, and that they are ready to carry out their purpose, no matter what it takes. </p><p>Take the case of honeybees. A male honeybee, or a drone, knows that his purpose or duty is to mate with and impregnate the queen honeybee. And since he understands what his duty is, he performs it despite his knowledge that, in doing so, he would lose his life because after mating with the queen, he is destined to die. Hence, they call it sexual suicide. </p><p>Below is an excerpt of an article entitled, “Sexual Suicide by Honey Bees: The tragic Plight of the Male Honey Bee.”</p><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;">
<b><i>Sexual Suicide by Honey Bees: The Tragic Plight of the Male Honey Bee:</i></b><br /><br /><i>
“The Male honeybee, called a drone, exists for one reason only—to mate with the queen. He is entirely expendable once he provides this service to the colony..."</i><br /><br /><i>
The drone takes his mission seriously, however, and will give his life for the cause. Honey bee mating is one of the most dramatic examples of sexual suicide in the insect world. Honey bee sex occurs in mid-air when the queen flies out in search of mates. Drones compete for the chance to mate with their queen, swarming around her as she flies.</i><br /><br /><i>
Eventually, a brave drone will make his move. As he grasps the queen, the drone everts his penis using a contraction of his abdominal muscles and hemostatic pressure and inserts it tightly into the queen's reproductive tract. He immediately ejaculates with such explosive force that the tip of his penis ruptures, and is left behind inside the queen. The drone falls to the ground, where he dies soon after…”</i></div><div style="margin-left: 80px; text-align: left;"><i> </i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYPc195Ft0g/X1xZB0fReFI/AAAAAAAAIMQ/Siv9_spOWCAIgq_HV8e8bIj4yvyERCa9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Sexual_Suicide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYPc195Ft0g/X1xZB0fReFI/AAAAAAAAIMQ/Siv9_spOWCAIgq_HV8e8bIj4yvyERCa9QCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Sexual_Suicide.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p>From this, we see how the male honeybee is taking his mission very seriously, even if it would cost him his own life.<br /><br />
</p><center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zbzhzVb73kU?start=37" width="560"></iframe></center><br />
It can be said that the life of the drone becomes meaningful because he is able to fulfill the purpose of his existence and becomes an instrument in the proliferation, or birth, of more honeybees. If the male honeybee, or the drone, takes his duty for granted, the bees of their kind would probably have already become endangered, or they could have undergone extinction. But because of their sexual encounters, the queen lays lots of honeybee eggs, which later on will be hatched and become young honeybees. <div><br /></div><div>It is not only the male honeybee, or the drone, that has a specific duty to perform. Actually, each member of the honeybee colony has a duty to fulfill. The queen, for example, is in charge of protecting the entire honeybee colony; it is her responsibility to defend their colony from intruders. And since she assumes a very huge responsibility, she is not required to go out to look for her food. That duty belongs to the worker bees. </div><div><br /></div><div>The worker bees are the ones who go out, hovering from one blossom to another to gather nectar for the queen. The worker bees collect nectar from flowers by sucking, and then, bringing it to the hive so that the queen will be assured of a steady supply of food. As the nectar is passed on through their mouths, it gradually turns into honey, which the worker bees store in honeycomb cells. As the queen honeybee cannot consume all of the honey that has been stored for her, the excess is consumed by humans. </div><div><br /></div><div>Honey, the honeycomb especially, does not only taste sweet, but it is also very beneficial to man’s health. In fact, eating honey is recommended by the Bible. </div><div><br /></div><div>PROVERBS 24:13 (KJV) says,<br /><p></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:</i><br /></p><p>
We can always count on every pronouncement of God written in the Bible. Honey, indeed, is good; actually, it is considered as a complete food for it contains all of the essential minerals and vitamins that the human body needs. Its completeness can be likened to milk which is also considered as complete food for babies. </p><p>It must be remembered that when God delivered the Israelites from the land of Egypt, He promised to bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey. </p><p>EXODUS 3:8 (KJV)</p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey;...</i><br /></p><p>
That means the people of God would not lack nourishment in that land; both the young and the old would have a supply of complete food — milk for babes and honey for grown-ups. However, honey should not be given to infants or to children below one-year of age, as it could be detrimental to their lives. So, instead of honey, they should be given milk. Actually, even grown-ups are also advised to take just the right quantity of honey. </p><p>According to the Bible, man should only eat a sufficient amount of honey, not excessively. </p><p>PROVERBS 25:16 (KJV)<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.</i><br /></p><p>
If you ingest more than the sufficient amount of honey, your glycemic level will rise and this might induce vomiting. </p><p>The point that I want to emphasize is this. If honeybees have not been faithful in fulfilling the purpose of their existence, that is, if the male honeybee refuses to risk his life in mating with the queen honeybee, if the worker bees, likewise, do not gather and store nectar for the queen, and if the queen fails to lay and hatch eggs which become young honeybees, surely, not only will their colony perish but, most especially, humans won’t get the chance to benefit from the health and curative properties of honey. Apparently, although honey is originally meant for their queen’s consumption, humans benefit from it, too. In other words, men have become the end beneficiaries of the bees’ diligent performance of their respective duties. </p><p>Actually, even if we speak of other creations such as trees, cattle, fishes, hogs, and chickens, you will realize that the end beneficiaries of their existence are also men. They exist for the purpose of sustaining men of their need for nourishment; and their existence becomes meaningful because they are able to fulfill that purpose. </p><p>Now, if non-human creatures exist for a definite and noble purpose, the same thing must be true with humans. Man also exists for a specific purpose, or duty, which he also ought to fulfill. And that duty is to serve God. Man must not spend his life aimlessly and uselessly; instead, he must spend it in honoring God and in keeping His commandments because that is his whole duty. </p><p>As it is written in ECCLESIASTES 12:13 (KJV), </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.</i><br /></p><p>
Man’s whole duty is to serve God, the Creator of life. We owe Him our lives and our beings.<br /><br />
ACTS 17:28 (KJV) says,<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>For in him we live, and move, and have our being;...</i><br /></p><p>
So, it is but rightful that our lives be spent in serving our Creator — for without Him, we could not have existed here on earth.
<br /><br />
Sadly, the people then did not realize it, so they killed Him — the Son of God and Author of life.<br /><br />
ACTS 3:15 (RSV)
<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.</i><br /></p><p>
Instead of showing love and gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ and instead of serving Him, they even killed Him.
<br /><br />
Indeed, it will be very unfortunate if we fail to understand the purpose of our existence, and if we won’t be able to discover the meaning of our lives, lest, we might just end up as loafers and idlers, or hedonists perhaps.<br /><br />
To understand the meaning of life is to know first the purpose of our existence as well as the duties that we have to fulfill. And it is in fulfilling our duties and in serving our purpose that our lives become meaningful.<br /><br />
As humans, our purpose and our whole duty is to serve God. That duty is what gives meaning to our lives — without it, our lives become purposeless and meaningless. So, if we want our lives to be purposeful and meaningful, we have to spend it in serving God. And serving God means honoring Him and keeping His commandments.<br /><br />
May God bless you!
</p></div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-2850585035403112712020-09-05T05:29:00.008-07:002020-09-05T07:10:08.986-07:00The Sweetest Voices Ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAjDmIs30uE/X1OcIzzufkI/AAAAAAAAILM/vqB6xEgY8u8sutqPKG7wSx4Wnl6IJ_ujgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Voices%2Bfrom%2Babove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Voices from above" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YAjDmIs30uE/X1OcIzzufkI/AAAAAAAAILM/vqB6xEgY8u8sutqPKG7wSx4Wnl6IJ_ujgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Voices%2Bfrom%2Babove.jpg" title="Voices from above" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div>One of the fundamental doctrines that the Bible teaches God’s servants is to sing hymns of praises to Him. The practice of singing hymns to God dates back to the time of the Israelites, the early servants of God. And according to biblical accounts, they even used certain musical instruments, like psaltery, harp, and ten-stringed instruments to accompany them in singing. <br /><p><br />
PSALM 92:1,3 (KJV) <br /><br /></p><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
1<i> It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:
</i>3<i> Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
<br /></i></div><br />
Christians are likewise admonished to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. These songs are also a means of edifying, uplifting, and inspiring the brethren. <br /><br />
COLOSSIANS 3:16 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.</i> <br /></div><br />
And each time that we sing to God, we have to do it with grace in our hearts. Men, in general, are inherent lovers of music. Proof to this is the huge number of songs that are being written and sung practically for everyone and everything else. <br /><br />
For instance, there are songs meant for one’s country wherein patriotism, love, and loyalty to one’s motherland are expressed. In fact, every nation has its own national anthem which its citizens, young and old, sing before important ceremonies or proceedings begin. There are also songs dedicated to our beloved parents for their unconditional love and sacrifices. Catholics, on the other hand, have lots of songs meant to exalt Mary. There are songs expressive of astonishment and amazement at the beauty of nature and the universe. And there are also millions of songs that people sing for their friends and loved ones. <br /><br />
If we sing songs for all of them, with feelings and enthusiasm, isn’t it all the more fitting that we sing hymns to our Creator to express our faith, gratitude, praises, and appreciation for His lovingkindness? It doesn’t matter if we do not have very pleasing singing voices, or if we sing out of tune; what matters is that we are singing to God with sincerity and grace in our hearts. <br /><br />
We can be sure that even Christ and the apostles also sang hymns to God. The Bible does not give us any confirmation that the apostles had nice singing voices, but I truly believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has a sweet and fascinating voice — sweeter and more fascinating than any other voice man has ever heard. <br /><br />
Aside from being sweet-sounding, the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ carries with it a certain irresistible charm and authority that is recognized and obeyed by His flock of sheep. <br /><br />
JOHN 10:3-5 (KJV)
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
3 <i>To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">4 <i>And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">5 <i>And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
</i><br /></div><br />
The sheep recognize, listen, and heed the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ — a manifestation that they are acknowledging Him as their Shepherd. <br /><br />
There is a video of a scientific test that proves the familiarity and obedience of literal sheep to the voice of their shepherd, and that they would not obey the voice of a stranger but only the voice of their real shepherd.
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<center><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e45dVgWgV64" width="560"></iframe></center>
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Three people attempted to call on the sheep grazing in the meadow. Although the men were at a hearing distance, not one sheep was alarmed by the call; not one of them manifested any sign of recognizing the men’s voices and there was not even the slightest bodily response from any of them. But when their real shepherd called them, they immediately responded to his call; they obeyed him because they knew his voice. <br /><br />
The “voice” of Christ being mentioned in JOHN 10:3-5 does not actually refer to the actual audible voice; the voice symbolizes His teachings and commandments. <br /><br />
The obedience of the literal sheep to the voice of their literal shepherd can be likened to the obedience of the followers of the Lord Jesus Christ to His voice or to His teachings. In other words, the real followers of Christ or the real Christians, do not just listen to His voice or to His teachings and commandments — they also follow them. And they would not follow any other teachings except Christ’s. <br /><br />
I came from a family of devout Catholics. My mother used to walk on her knees from the entrance of the Baclaran church all the way to the altar. My father and my grandparents, who hailed from Naguilian, La Union, were also devout Catholics. <br /><br />
All her life as a Catholic, my mother had been accustomed to priests reading a couple of verses during masses without giving any explanation to the verses that were read, and then proceeding with their storytelling. But when my mother heard the voice of Christ, that is, when she heard His teachings which she has never heard from the priests of the Catholic Church, she immediately responded to the voice of Christ. She departed from the Catholic Church and got herself baptized in the Church of God, where she continued fulfilling what Christ’s voice says. It only proves that if one person is among Christ’s flock of sheep, he or she will surely recognize His voice, and without hesitation, that person will follow Him. <br /><br />
I am certain that the voice of Christ is both sweet-sounding and captivating — this was why my mother’s interest was readily captured; she was not able to resist it. <br /><br />
On the other hand, I have no idea if the apostles possessed sweet-sounding voices, too. But what I am sure of is that they sang hymns and songs of praises to God, too. <br /><br />
MATTHEW 26:29-30 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
29 <i>But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">30 <i>And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
</i><br /></div><br />
This is one instance when Christ and the apostles sang a hymn, after which, they went to the Mount of Olives. This was the night the Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. <br /><br />
Although we did not hear Christ’s audible voice personally, I firmly believe that the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ is the most beautiful voice the world could ever hear. And the beauty of Christ’s voice can only be exceeded by the grandeur and magnificence of the Father’s voice. Peter, James, and John were able to hear the voice of the Father; and it was also heard by John the Baptist when he baptized the Lord Jesus Christ at the Jordan River, where He said, <i>“...This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”</i> (Matthew 3:17, KJV) <br /><br />
One truth that nobody can contest is that the voices of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are the sweetest, the most sublime, the most endearing, and the most captivating voices one could ever hear. And such qualities are clearly reflected in Their teachings. Amen.
</div>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-35918603775889652532020-08-29T05:44:00.003-07:002020-08-29T05:51:42.362-07:00Is the Holy Spirit Merely an Active Force? The Bible Says Otherwise<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iaH7h1893Gk/X0pN-hx_2oI/AAAAAAAAIJ8/lCKxW3mN-y0wIvPv5vLlYM-X2qpINvl9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Divinity%2Bof%2Bthe%2BHoly%2BSpirit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Divinity of the Holy Spirit" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iaH7h1893Gk/X0pN-hx_2oI/AAAAAAAAIJ8/lCKxW3mN-y0wIvPv5vLlYM-X2qpINvl9gCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/Divinity%2Bof%2Bthe%2BHoly%2BSpirit.jpg" title="Divinity of the Holy Spirit" width="640" /></a></div><br />While most people have a clear understanding about the divinity of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, many are still uncertain if the Holy Spirit possesses the same attribute, and whether the Holy Spirit should also be worshipped and revered the way we worship and revere the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />
Actually, even religious leaders vary in their regard of the Holy Spirit. There are groups who say that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, while there are also those who believe that it is just an active force. <br /><br />
But before we make any conclusions as to whether the Holy Spirit is a god or not, I am first inviting you to look at this matter from a broader perspective. <br /><br />
Let us begin with the prophetic pronouncements of the prophet Isaiah. <br /><br />
ISAIAH 53:1-5 (KJV) says, <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
1 <i>Who hath believed our report? and to whom is <b>the arm of the LORD</b> revealed?</i> </div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">2 <i>For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">3 <i>He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">4<i> Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. </i></div><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">5<i> But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
</i><br /></div><br />
In the given verses, the Lord Jesus Christ had been referred to as “the arm of the Lord.” Specifically, He was the arm that delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt. <br /><br />
As it is written in DEUTERONOMY 5:15 (KJV), <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm... </i><br /></div><br />
The Israelites were brought out from the land of Egypt by a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm. All of us know what an arm is and what a hand is; they are parts of the human body. The arm and the hand are connected to each other such that
the hand cannot function without the arm. <br /><br />
In another verse, this is what it says, <br /><br />
LUKE 11:20 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>
But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. </i><br /></div><br />
According to the Lord Jesus Christ, He was casting out devils using the finger of God. The “finger of God,” which Christ used in casting out devils, should not be taken literally because it was used to represent something else. <br /><br />
In MATTHEW 12:28 (KJV) it says,
<br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"><i>
But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come upon you. </i><br /></div><br />
The finger of God symbolizes the Spirit of God or the Holy Spirit. In other words, it is the Holy Spirit that the Lord Jesus Christ used in casting out demons or devils. <br /><br />
The point that I am trying to drive at is this: The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word, which in the beginning was with God, and according to the Bible, the Word was God. <br /><br />
REVELATIONS 19:13 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. </i><br /></div><br />
JOHN 1:1 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. </i><br /></div><br />
Now, if the Lord Jesus Christ, which was called or whose name is the Word and the arm of God, is God, we wouldn’t be wrong if we believe and regard the Holy Spirit as God, too, since it is the finger of God, also a part of God. If the “arm” of God is God, then, the “finger” of God must also be God. (I hope you are able to follow the equation.) In the first place, there could never be a part of God which is not God. <br /><br />
Just like a guava tree, there is no part of a guava tree that is not guava. From its roots, to its branches and leaves, up to its fruits, they are all guava. What I say is not merely a sophist’s point of view because there is biblical wisdom in my argument.
<br /><br />
ROMANS 11:16 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. </i><br /></div><br />
Here, the Apostle Paul used the olive tree figuratively; and he also made reference to the parts of an olive tree. Its roots, branches, leaves, and fruits share a common attribute because all of them are components of one particular tree. <br /><br />
God is a vast, enormous, immeasurable and unfathomable power in which the Holy Spirit is a part of, being the finger of God; Christ is also a part of God because He is the arm of God and also the Word. Again, let me reiterate, if the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the Word and the arm of God, is God, it follows that the Holy Spirit, which is the finger of God, is likewise God. All the parts of the One Person whom the Bible calls God, is God; no part of Him is not God. <br /><br />
I don’t think that is difficult to understand. Only feebleminded pastors would say that the Holy Spirit is merely an active force, and not God, just like pastors of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are not only undermining the Holy Spirit but they are also insulting it. <br /><br />
The Holy Spirit is part of God’s deity and it has a separate person that is why we are also praying to Him.
<br /><br />
JUDE 1:20 (KJV) <br /><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, </i><br /></div><p><br />
Surely, Jude would not admonish Christians to pray to the Holy Spirit if it has no person and if it does not exist. We do not pray to something that does not exist and has no being. We pray to the Father and to the Lord Jesus Christ because they have their respective beings; we also pray to the Holy Spirit because it also has a being that is distinct from that of the Father and Christ. <br /><br />
That is why the Holy Spirit was sent to the apostles — for them to have another Comforter. When the Lord Jesus Christ was still with the apostles and the early Christians, He was the Comforter. As Christ couldn’t be with them much longer, before He ascended to heaven He told the apostles that He would pray to the Father to send them another Comforter. <br /><br />
JOHN 14:16 (KJV) </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><i>And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
</i><br /></p><p>
Indeed, the Comforter now is the Holy Spirit, also called the Holy Ghost. <br /><br />
JOHN 14:26 (KJV)
<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. </i><br /></p><p>
As the Comforter, the Holy Spirit shall teach the apostles and remind them of all the things that the Lord Jesus Christ has told them. <br /><br />
Practically, there is really no reason for us to doubt the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Remember, both the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ are part of the <i>Elohim (in Hebrew)</i>, or <i>Theotes (in Greek)</i>, which means gods. So, if the Lord Jesus Christ is God, so is the Holy Spirit. <br /><br />
May God bless us all!
</p>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com46tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1003233512856522623.post-88588857826954085762020-08-22T05:59:00.002-07:002020-08-23T22:57:01.567-07:00God and the Lord Jesus Christ are Always Busy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OwXr6MwKsN8/X0EWUg0AfbI/AAAAAAAAIH4/7JMaMOTzmYsLC4F0WO-LVkyLorCeUYsIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/What%2Bis%2BGod%2Bdoing%2Bright%2Bnow.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What is God doing right now" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OwXr6MwKsN8/X0EWUg0AfbI/AAAAAAAAIH4/7JMaMOTzmYsLC4F0WO-LVkyLorCeUYsIgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h360/What%2Bis%2BGod%2Bdoing%2Bright%2Bnow.png" title="What is God doing right now" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>As ordinary humans, sometimes we wonder, what must the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be doing in heaven right now? What keeps them busy? </p><p><br />
Do they simply watch what we do down here on Earth? Or, are they too busy attending to so many pressing matters that concern mankind? <br /><br />
By referring to some verses from the Bible, we will have an idea about the things that preoccupy them. Let us start with the Lord Jesus Christ. <br /><br />
HEBREWS 8:1-3 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
1<i> Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">2 <i>A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">3 <i>For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. </i><br /></p><p>
Right now, the Lord Jesus Christ is in heaven, seated at the right hand of God’s throne. When we say that He is set or seated on His throne, we should not have the impression that He is simply seated the whole time, literally, and not doing anything. <br /><br />
To be seated on a throne means to be in power. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ is on the seat of power. And to be in His post entails so many duties and responsibilities that need to be fulfilled. <br /><br />
One of the duties that the Lord Jesus Christ performs is the duty of a high priest. As He is our high priest, He is tasked to offer gifts and sacrifices at the altar in heaven. <br /><br />
During the time of the Israelites, they offered goats, sheep, and cows for the forgiveness of their sins, and the ones who accepted those offerings were the high priests who, in turn, would offer them to God at the altar. <br /><br />
In the Christian dispensation, the one who performs that task is the Lord Jesus Christ because He is our high priest. In heaven, there is a temple and an altar which God built. And it is in that altar where the Lord Jesus Christ presents to God the offerings of His servants, which are not sheep and cows anymore, but their prayers, praises, hymns, vows, and thanksgivings. <br /><br />
The Lord Jesus Christ serves as our mediator to God; He intercedes for us. We need His intercession because, as sinners, we are not worthy to approach God. But through the mediation of Christ, God accepts our offerings; thus, our sins are being forgiven. <br /><br />
HEBREWS 13:15 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. </i><br /></p><p>
The pronoun “him” in that verse refers to the Lord Jesus Christ. By Him and through Him, our praises and thanksgiving are able to reach God, because Christ is the one Mediator between God and men. <br /><br />
As written in 1 TIMOTHY 2:5-6 (KJV), </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
5 <i>For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">6 <i>Who gave himself as a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. <br /></i></p><p>
All our sacrifices and offerings, including the love that we give to our spouses, the help we extend to our fellowmen, the support and care that we give to our family, and all the good works that we do, are presented to God by the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition to these are the vows, fasting, contributions, charity works, and prayers of the servants of God, which the Bible likewise regards as offerings. <br /><br />
Aside from the duties of a high priest, there are other things that the Lord Jesus Christ is busy with.
<br /><br />
HEBREWS 1:13 (KJV)
<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? </i><br /></p><p>
We have to understand that when God told the Lord Jesus Christ to “sit on my right,” it means that the Father was letting Him take the seat of honor and power. He was giving Christ the authority to reign and rule as King over heaven and earth. <br /><br />
MATTHEW 28:17-18 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
17 <i>And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">18 <i>And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
<br /></i></p><p>
All power in heaven and in earth have been given to the Lord Jesus Christ. He has power over all flesh. <br /><br />
As it is written in JOHN 17:2 (KJV), <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. </i><br /></p><p>
Included in the power that the Father gave Him is the power to give men eternal life. Thus, part of Christ’s function is to save men for them to enjoy eternal life. And until now, Christ is working toward the fulfillment of that intention; in other words, it is a work in progress.
<br /><br />
Others might ask, how is He able to carry out the function of saving men when He is in heaven?
<br /><br />
Simple. The Lord Jesus Christ sends angels to deliver His servants from harm; He also sends the Holy Spirit to teach and guide the people here on Earth; and His Spirit goes with the preachers of God as they propagate His Gospel to all men. <br /><br />
Let me clarify — Christ only goes with the preachers of God, and not with all preachers. Definitely, you do not expect Him to go with preachers who make money out of the word of God and make a lucrative business out of religion. He will only be with the preachers who faithfully teach the Gospel with the sincere intention of leading people back to God for them to be saved and merit eternal life. <br /><br />
MATTHEW 28:19-20 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
19 <i>Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: </i></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">20 <i>Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. </i><br /></p><p>
Christ gave the early apostles an assurance that He would be with them until the end as they went forth to preach His teachings. The fulfillment of Christ’s promise was also experienced by later apostles like Paul and Barnabas for they, too, felt the guidance of Christ’s Spirit as they preached the Gospel. <br /><br />
ROMANS 16:25 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ...
</i><br /></p><p>
Modesty aside, I can also testify to the guidance of the Spirit of Christ whenever I preach, whenever I answer questions of faith of different people, and whenever I defend the Christian faith. <br /><br />
As I am not young anymore, there are times when I tend to be forgetful. Sometimes I could not easily recall the specific chapter and verse of a particular book of the Bible that I want to cite. But whenever that happens, the spirit of Christ readily comes to my aid, and very swiftly, the verses that I want to cite flash in my mind. <br /><br />
Always, His spirit never fails to supply me with His words that I need to impart to people at a given situation. And without a doubt, I know in my heart that the Spirit of Christ is with me as I fulfill His commandment of making disciples in all nations. <br /><br />
The Lord Jesus Christ is always true to His promise, “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” And that promise is still in effect until now because the world has not ended yet. We can expect that the preachers who teach the undefiled teachings of God are being accompanied and guided by the Spirit of Christ. <br /><br />
The Lord Jesus Christ wants to draw people closer to Him, so He goes with His preachers as they teach His words to people. It is Christ who finds a way so that people can find the one true faith. <br /><br />
JOHN 12:32 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. </i><br /></p><p>
When Christ was still on Earth in the form of a man, He was able to preach only in Israel. He was not able to reach the other parts of the world that were already existing during that time, such as the Philippines, because there was a limitation to what His human body could do; He couldn’t be in several places at the same time. <br /><br />
I said that the Philippines was already existing at the time that He was preaching in Israel because based on documents, the Philippine rice terraces in Ifugao were constructed 3,000 years ago. Since Christ preached on earth 2,000 years ago, it means that at the time that He was preaching, the rice terraces in Ifugao, Philippines had long been in existence. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RLg5BxRm_Yk/X0C2VqKcexI/AAAAAAAAIHs/lBPYCLrCYLY9e4BZcfaj76hSNO23OqHiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Rice%2Bterraces.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RLg5BxRm_Yk/X0C2VqKcexI/AAAAAAAAIHs/lBPYCLrCYLY9e4BZcfaj76hSNO23OqHiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Rice%2Bterraces.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br />
But before He ascended to heaven, He made a promise that when His physical body has been changed into a glorious spiritual body, He will let all men be drawn to Him. When that happened, He was no longer barred by limitations. He could already approach any man anywhere on Earth, although not really by His own person, but through the instrumentality of the preachers that He sends. And He is the driving force that attracts or draws people to His teachings.
<br /><br />
Very clearly, the Lord Jesus Christ is not idling in heaven. He is very busy in taking charge of so many things. As mentioned earlier, the Lord Jesus Christ is ruling over heaven and earth; this means that He is ruling over His servants and even over the angels, cherubs, and seraphs.
<br /><br />
The angels in heaven are under His command. In fact, He sends them to Earth to safeguard the would-be heirs of salvation. <br /><br />
HEBREWS 1:14 (KJV)
<br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?</i> <br /></p><p>
Angels are ministering spirits, and they are being commissioned to deliver the people of God from mishaps; that is why they are called guardian angels. If you are of God, if you are God-fearing, then you have a guardian angel.
<br /><br />
As it is written in PSALM 34:7 (KJV), <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. </i><br /></p><p>
Although we do not exactly know everything that happens in heaven, we can be sure that the Lord Jesus Christ is always very busy. <br /><br />
How about the Father, is He equally busy? For sure, the Father is busier. <br /><br />
ACTS 17:26 (KJV) </p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;</i> <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">
The Father made all nations on Earth for men to dwell on. Not only that, He is also the reason why we live. <br /><br />
ACTS 17:28 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>For in him we live, and move, and have our being... </i><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">
God is our Creator; we owe Him our lives and our beings. We exist because of Him. He maintains our lives; He provides us with all of our needs in order for us to survive. <br /><br />
ACTS 17:25 (KJV) <br /></p><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;">
<i>Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; </i><br /></p><p>
God is the Provider of all our needs in life. He sees to it that we’ll not run short of our sustenance. Thus, He lets the crops grow and yield bountifully; He multiplies the fishes in the ocean to satisfy our hunger. <br /><br />
He makes the complex structure of nature and maintains ecological balance for us to have fresh and clean air and water, and a healthy environment as a whole, which are all vital to our survival. While the Lord Jesus Christ takes charge of the salvation of our souls, the Father is the great Provider of everything that we need. <br /><br />
The Father is also the one who makes the very tough decision as to who will live and who will die. We know that our lives are in His hands. <br /><br />
He also addresses the prayers and supplications of people, even if their requests happen to be self-centered and are in contradiction with other people’s prayers. Indeed, people often ask for two contrasting things. <br /><br />
For example, a farmer may pray for rain so that his crops will grow for him to have an abundant harvest. On the other hand, a salt maker, who also lives in the same village, prays for the rain not to pour because the rainwater will dissolve his salt. As he is a sea salt maker, instead of rain, he prays for the scorching heat of the sun so that his salt brine would dry, crystalize, and be harvested at the soonest possible time. We can just imagine the difficulty that the Father faces in addressing the prayers of men alone. <br /><br />
I repeat, we do not exactly know what really happens in heaven, but the Bible gives us a glimpse of how busy the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are up there. And we can be very sure that the things that keep them busy are all for the benefit of men. <br /><br />
To God and the Lord Jesus Christ be all the glory!
</p>Mr. Controversyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05118598005110197125noreply@blogger.com22