Religion's Crime Against God

This post will display beyond a shadow of a New Testament (NT) doubt that the Christian religion as it has been preached and taught for centuries—via its leaders—is not the complete gospel. There are multitudes of intricate verses and sections which are not popular to those who go to church (the laity); therefore, they are almost never, if ever, included in the sermons or in church teachings.

How far off-track many who claim to be disciples of Christ have gotten from living as the New Testament dictates. It really isn’t totally their fault. The religious leaders from the first century until now have been making it as easy as possible for all who claim Christianity.

Never forget this: The only genuine source of how Christianity must be lived is found nowhere else but in the NT of the Christian Bible. All who stray from the holy criteria either by the written/spoken word or deed are heretics.

That action automatically and without anyone’s knowledge makes the many promises of God’s love and eternal life, etc., invalid. This is a harsh judgment, but nevertheless true, as you will clearly see and understand. For anyone to change so that their lives and belief will conform to these so-called hidden verses will be extremely difficult, because that Godly teaching has turned the human value system upside-down.

This post will go through the 27 books of the NT in a comprehensive way never before attempted. It will only quote the many verses that are seemingly nonexistent. The personal comments will be placed into brackets so as not to confuse anyone.

The majority of the NT is a documentary of the Christian life in the first century and personal letters to certain churches, along with some addressed to specific individuals. The historical part will not be mentioned; only the verses that are pertinent and have been ignored by church leaders will be quoted. By negating these important verses, it made having genuine faith and love for God and Christ nonexistent, regardless of how many words of faith and love are spoken.

I can understand why people were ignorant of what Scripture taught before the 14th century; they had to rely on the spoken words from pulpits, since copies of the NT were not printed until the 14th/15th century, and only the extremely rich people could afford them. But now there are no excuses since bibles are to be had in every bookstore, etc.

The Apostle Paul gave all of us several warnings referring to people claiming to be Christians, having only a form of godliness but denying its power. These upcoming verses accurately describe our 21st century. 2nd Timothy 3:1-5. “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves [this is displayed in women more than men], lovers of money [why do we need a “cost of living index” that must keep rising yearly to keep our country stable? Because we love money], boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy [very few know what the word “holy” means anymore. It means to be separate from unnecessary things that are ungodly], without love, unforgiving, slanderous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God [this has increased in the 20th century to a great degree, and has continued unabated in the 21st century], having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

Acts 20:29. “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on our guard!” [Are we on our guard for preachers who only want to entertain us?]

By the way, the majority of these upcoming verses have been mentioned throughout this blog, some multiple times. All verses will be taken from the New International Version of the New Testament.

Before I get to the verses, let’s tap into a likely conversation between Satan and Almighty God before the beginning of time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Satan: Even though you are an Almighty God, you can’t stop me from tricking many, hopefully all those who will claim to worship you.

God: You don’t have to tell me that; I knew your schemes before I even created you. You know, I couldn’t stop you since I gave all living entities a free will. But know this: There will be a few whom you cannot fool; they are the ones who will believe and act upon all my detailed instruction in a book that I will give them.

Satan: I don’t believe that. I want and will have everyone to be with me forever. This is how I will do it: I will form many churches that bear your name. I will get that book and stealthily encourage my silver-tongued henchmen to teach and preach comfort/sugar-coated messages that don’t require much, if any, effort, while downplaying the challenging sections that require diligence and endurance. As if you don’t already know it, most people are unknowledgeable and gullible when it comes to religious matters.

Here is an interesting fact: All modern up-to-date Bibles address the Holy Spirit as the Counselor, Helper, Advocate, or Divine Helper. The only one that addresses Him as the Comforter is the King James, which was first written in the 16th century. That was because much older manuscripts were not yet discovered that reveal the true mission of the Holy Spirit, which is to counsel and instruct.

One of the most natural desires of all humans is to desire comfort. And the spiritual comfort we receive from becoming a Christian is to be loved by God and Jesus Christ along with the certainty of eternal life. But the comfort of making the Christian religion easy by remaining silent on hundreds of challenging verses is the diversion that made our holy religion a mockery.

The first book of Matthew 3:8. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” 3:10. “. . . and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” 5:3. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 5:11. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” [My question is this: Why or who would want to persecute Christians in America? The general public accepts Christians as good and honorable people. Atheists are the only ones who verbally attack us, which really doesn’t hurt.] 5:39. ‘“But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person.” 5:42. “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” 5:44. “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.” 5:48. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” 6:19-21. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” 6:24. “You cannot serve God and Money.” 7:6. “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls before pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” [To be able to understand who are pigs and dogs and who are not, this verse requires verse 10:16. “be as shrewd a snakes and innocent as doves”]. 7:13. “Enter through the narrow gate.” [This verse implies that where the multitudes are going is not the straight and narrow. Only a few will make it]. 7:21-23. “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will say to them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” [This verse dogmatically teaches that just because a person is doing great things in the name of Christ doesn’t mean he/she is automatically a genuine Christian. One must look at one’s life and teaching to see if it conforms with the scriptures that this post is bringing to the surface]. 10:8. “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” [Why don’t we see any of these happening nowadays? When someone is doing great things for Christ, they must accept only minimal donations (just enough to get by) so that the person will remain humble. Money has the ability to puff up the holiest of people]. 10:22-23. “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.” [Our government says, “No, we will not flee; we will be the greatest and strongest nation in the world.” Does that make America a Christian country as many claim?] 10:34. “I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—a man’s enemies will be members of his own household.” 10:37-39. “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” [Nothing must interfere with doing the Lord’s work, not even our dear love for family. The cross Jesus is talking about is not a wooden or ornamental cross; the cross was and still is a symbol of suffering, pain and death. They are the consequences of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, even in our country]. 11:25. “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” [Several places in Scripture, Jesus addresses his disciples as children, meaning uneducated and common people]. 12:8. “For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” [Is He still Lord of the Sabbath? The Sabbath, the 4th commandment in the Old Testament, is Saturday, the 7th day of the week. Who changed it to Sunday, the 8th day of the week? Not the NT; it was most likely the religious leaders of the early centuries, as a way of separating their new religion from Jewish teachings. Check out post # 137: “Something To Remember.” 13:23. “What was sown among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.” [Other than leading a pure and holy life, all Christians must bear Christian fruit/works. No fruit implies no Salvation]. 19:21. “If you want to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”[Of course, except all the essentials necessary to keep our own families from going to the poor-house]. 19:23. “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” [This complete blog does an excellent job of explaining why it will be difficult for the wealthy to enter heaven]. 21:43. “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you [religious leaders] and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” [Chapter 23 clearly tells how Jesus labeled, in no uncertain terms, the religious leader as the scum of the earth, as they really were. It is no wonder they had Him killed]. 24:4. “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ’ [I represent Christ] and will deceive many.” 24:10. “At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many.” [How can a Christian tell when someone is a false prophet? Only one way: by comparing what is preached and practiced by the teachings and commands in the NT. And not so much by what they teach but by what they don’t teach, as this post will continue to openly display]. 24:13. “but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” [Standing firm to all that is taught in the NT will sometimes not be easy and doesn’t happen automatically as some “Once-saved-always-saved” churches believe]. 28:19-20. “Therefore go make disciples of all nations . . .and teaching them [us] to obey everything I have commanded you.”

[The book of Mark is very similar to Matthew’s gospel. Therefore, I will not quote the identical verses again]. 3:35. “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” [Are you and I doing ALL of God’s will?] 9:23. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” [Is that verse still valid today?] 9:42. “And if anyone causes one of these little ones [His followers] who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.” [About whom might Jesus be talking if it wasn’t the religious leaders?] 10:15: “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” [The one thing that children lack is doubt; that is what makes their faith so special. How can we remove doubt from our lives?] [Even though the next two verses are well known, I will still quote them]. 10:24-25. “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” [Jesus is saying it is impossible for a camel to go through an eye of a needle. And it is impossible for a rich man to enter heaven.] 11:24. “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer [If it is according to God’s will], believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 12:30-31. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is like this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” [I have heard it said by several pastors that to obey them with all one’s ability is utterly impossible. What a lie. By believing that lie, the complete foundation of God’s plan of Salvation is corrupted]. 13:11. “Just say what is given you at that time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” [Since the two most reliable early manuscripts do not have Mark 16:9-16:20, I will not quote from this section].

The book of Luke is the most detailed of all the four gospels. It reveals a treasure trove of pertinent information. 1:50. “His mercy extends to those who fear him.” 1:51. “he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.” 1:53. “He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” 3:8-9. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. . . . and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. [Jesus is not concerned with edible fruit but people who claim to be Christians but do not produce good fruit/works]. [The devil speaking to Jesus] 4:6: “I will give all their authority and splendor, for it has been give to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” [The devil is still speaking] 4:10. “For it is written: He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” [That verse comes from Psalms 91:11-12. That verse implies that the devil knows the complete Bible. This evil creature knows every trick in the book. Satan the devil most likely is the smartest entity in our world apart from our Almighty God. That is the reason he has the multitudes following him and many of them in the name of God and Christ. If anyone is not obeying and practicing what the NT commands, chances are it will be impossible to separate from his ironclad grip. Please don’t forget this: You are not fooling around with a pussycat but with the ingeniously persuasive god of all evil]. 4:13. “When the devil had finished all his tempting, he left him until an opportune time.” [The devil never gives up. Here is another bit of information: Satan has a harder time keeping his unbelievers (atheists) in his ranks than the religious, especially those belonging to organized religion who belong to him.] [The 6th chapter of Luke is similar in several ways to Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. I will quote just a few verses. 6:20-21. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.” 6:24. “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.” 6:25. “Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.” [I am guilty of that one]. 6:26. “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.” [I wonder how Billy Graham thinks about this one, since just about everyone think he is a great man of God]. 6:27. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” 6:46. “Who do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” 8:3. “These women were helping to support them [the disciples] by their own means.” 9:62. “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back [dwells of all the worldly pleasures one has/will miss, or thinks they are permanently justified as they look back at all the good works they has done] is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” 11:27-28. “‘Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.’ He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”’ [To emphasize and demand obedience with punishment of excommunication has been nonexistent, to my knowledge, in all denominations except Jehovah’s Witnesses]. 2nd Corinthians 10:6. “And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” 12:1. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees [modern religious leaders], which is hypocrisy.” 12:12. “for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” [This verse is important enough to repeat. We don’t have to rely on the clergy to teach us since God’s Holy Spirit will teach us. A vast amount of material in this blog did not originate from this author. I write it down without any pre-knowledge of what to write. Since the majority is not in conflict with God’s Word, I assume it is the Holy Spirit speaking through me]. 12:15. “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” [How often have you heard a preacher warn against greed? Of course they now call it prosperity]. 12:19. “And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” [Isn’t that the desired motto in America?] 12:32-34. “Do not be afraid, little flock, for the father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [How many religious leaders advocate/agree with these three verses?] 13:24. “Make EVERY EFFORT to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you will try to enter and will not be able to.” [Are you and I making every effort to enter through the narrow door? If not, what will happen to us?] 14:33. “In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” [When was the last time you heard this verse being preached?] 14:15. “What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.” [To the unregenerate, this is the most stupid verse that Christ ever preached. My question to you is why are highly valued things detestable in God’s sight? Answer: because their enticing attraction keeps people away from Jesus Christ]. 18:8. “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” [Why would Jesus ask such a provoking question?] 21:15. “For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”

[The gospel of John is unique in several ways. We will tap into a few of them]. 3:36. “Whoever believes in the Son of God has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” 4:25. “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.” [How does one worship in spirit and truth?] 6:28-29. “What must we do to do the works God requires? Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.’” 6:45. “They will all be taught by God.” 6:40. “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” [How come the majority of churches believe that as soon as believers die, they go straight to heaven?] 6:66. “From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” [Are these disciples that left Jesus still going to heaven, as the “once-saved-always-saved” believe?] 7:7. “The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that what it does is evil.” [As disciples of Christ, He is our only role model; that means we should be doing the same as He did: testifying that what the people of the world do is evil; then they will have reason to hate us also]. 8:31. “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” 10:28-29. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” [This is one of the verses used to substantiate “eternal security.” Only thing; disobedience to NT commands by any Christian would make this verse non-effective.] 12:48. “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.” 14:15. “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” [To obey not only the commands that make one feel comfortable, but also the commands that this post is bringing to light that seem impossible to implement in this me-first world.] 14:21. “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” 14:23-24. “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching . . . He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.” [It could not be any clearer than that]. 15:2-4. “I am the vine and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. . . . Remain in me and I will remain in you.” [Are you and I bearing fruit, and what is the quality and quantity of that fruit?] 15:8. “This is to my father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” [The only way God, others and we will know for certain if we really belong to Christ is if we are bearing MUCH fruit. Let’s stop fooling ourselves in hoping that God’s grace and mercy will take up the slack; it can’t happen. Nothing can take the place of bearing fruit, because the fruit is what keeps the Christian ball moving.] 15:16. “You did not choose me, but I chose you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” 15:20. “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” [Why don’t we see persecution in America at this time?] 16:13. “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.” [We, who can read, don’t need church leaders to teach us how to live and believe any more than we need a hole in our heads]. 16:33. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.” [The reason we don’t have trouble is because the majority of Christians blend in very well with how the world lives.] 17:20. “My payer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me [us] through their message. . .”

The book of Acts is basically the history of the early Christian church. 5:32. “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” [If anyone claims to be indwelled with the Holy Spirit but doesn’t start to obey these partially hidden verses that are being presented in this post, forget it; you must have the wrong spirit]. 5:42. “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” [How come we are not doing the same thing?] 14:22. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” [Are we excluded from hardships or is something radically wrong?] 16:13. “On the Sabbath [Saturday, not Sunday] we went outside the city gate to the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer.” 19:11. “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.” [Why don’t we see this type of healing nowadays?] 20:35. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” [This verse is referring to helping the weak and the needy, not rich churches]. 26:20. “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” [Again, it is our deeds that are conclusive proof that our repentance and conversion are real].

Some sections of the book of Romans are the most difficult to fully understand, especially the 7th chapter. I will do my best to help in its understanding. 1:5. “to the obedience that comes from faith.” [To those who profess Christianity but don’t obey the verses that are not easily implemented without some sort of sacrifice, their faith is weak or nonexistent]. 1:17. “a righteousness that is by [active] faith from start to last. . .” 2:6-7. “God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” 6:11. “In the same way, count yourselves as dead to sin but alive to Christ Jesus.” [Believe that your desire to sin has been destroyed]. [The 7th chapter of Romans, as it is understood by many who claim to be Christians, has done more damage to the gospel message than any other section of the NT. I have gone to great lengths to explain what the Apostle Paul was saying. Click on post # 248: “The Knack of Making Sin Acceptable.” It is lengthy and may have to be read several times to be fully understood.] 8:9. “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” 8:17. “Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his suffering in order that we may also share in his glory.” 12:2. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” [This is a tough call that is repeated through the NT]. 12:14,17, 20. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” “Do not repay evil for evil.” “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” 13:8. “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another. . .” [Debt is the most deceptive type of poverty; making yourself and others believe that you have plenty]. 16:26. “so that the nations might believe and obey him—to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

1st Corinthians is an instruction manual to a newly formed church in Corinth. 1:27. “But God chose the foolish things of world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of world to shame the strong.” [That sounds like me: foolish and weak]. 2:16. “But we have the mind of Christ.” [Do you and I have the mind of Christ?] 4:16. “Therefore I urge you to imitate me.” [The apostle Paul, the most saintly man in the NT except for Jesus Christ]. 4:20. “For the kingdom of God of not a matter of talk but of [Christ-like] power.” 7:19. “Keeping God’s commands is what counts.” [That is exactly what church people are not taught to do, because of the silence of the clergy.] 7:35. “but that you might live in undivided devotion to the Lord.” 10:12. “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” [If you are a Baptist, you don’t have to be concerned; you have “eternal security”: “Once saved, always saved.” Sure! 10:24. “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” 11:1. “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 14:34: “Women must remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak.” 15:2. “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” Again, the Baptists, etc., don’t have to believe this verse. I am being facetious]. 15:58. “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” [Has anyone ever heard that verse preached from the pulpit and enforced?] 16:22. “If anyone does not love the Lord—a curse be on Him.”

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2nd Corinthians 2:11. “. . . in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” 2:17. “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.” [For modern church leaders, “profit” is the name of the game]. 4:2. “we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, we set forth the truth plainly.” [That is exactly what this blog has been attempting to do for almost five years]. 4:4. “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” [Make sure your belief is coated with Christ-like action; otherwise it might be unbelief]. 5:15. “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” 5:20. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” [Are we living as ambassadors of God?] 6:10. “poor, yet making many rich [spiritually]; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” [of real value]. 8:9. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” [Spiritually]. 9:7. “for God loves a cheerful giver.” [This verse is quoted by the clergy more than any other verse in the complete NT. And any fool can see why]. 10:6. “And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” [The reason I repeat this verse is because if punishment were administered in modern Christianity for infringements to Scripture, our religion would be a whole new ballgame]. 11:13-15. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is no surprise, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” [Expert con men/women find it easy to play the confidence game with gullible religious people and make it their lifetime career. Don’t let this shock you. The ones that seem the most lovable and considerate, especially those who are handsome/beautiful like Joel Osteen and his wife, are the best in their field. All they want is your money so that they can continue with their easy and respected life. They are not fools; they will continue to tell you exactly what you desire to hear. The only way you can find out what their true colors are is to ask why they don’t teach the verse that this post is bringing to the surface]. 13:2. “On my return I will not spare those who have sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me.” 13:8. “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” [The criteria for that test must be all the instructions in the complete NT]. 13:11. “Aim for perfection.” [Sure; who is perfect?]

Galatians is a troubling church for the Apostle Paul. 1:8 “But if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned.” 1:10. “Am I now trying to win the approval of men or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” [Pastors who are trying to please people are not servants of God.] 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” [Can you and I say the same thing?] 4:19-20. “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.” [Is Christ formed in you yet? If not, why not?] 5:6. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” [If there is no obedience, there is no love. If there is no love, there is no faith]. 5:16. “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” 6:9. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Ephesians is Paul’s most optimistic letter. “. . . and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” 2:1-2. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” 2:10. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.” [Are church-going Christians doing what is commanded in this verse?] 2:22. “And in him [Christ Jesus] you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” [Are we a dwelling in which God can live?] 4:23: “to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” 5:1. “Be imitators of God.” [I can hear some saying, “You must be kidding”]. 5:6-7. “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.,”

Philippians 1:6 is a very popular verse with slackers, who thinking this verse can override their lack of obedience to these unpopular verses. 1:6. “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 2:3-5. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” 2:12. “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” [How many are trembling with fear while they continue to work out their salvation?] 3:15. “And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.”

Colossians 1:10. “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work.” 1:23. “if you continue in your faith. . .” 3:5. “. . . and greed, which is idolatry.” 3:24. “. . . since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” [Our reward is the promised inheritance].

1st Thessalonians 2: 4. “We are not trying to please men but God who tests our heart.” [We can’t hide anything from God]. 4:9. “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourself have been taught by God.” [God is the Teacher]. 5:16. “Be joyful always; pray continually [How can anyone pray continually?]; give thanks in all circumstances [especially when bad things happen to you], for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

2nd Thessalonians 1:8. “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord. They will be punished with everlasting destruction.” 2:9. “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved.” [Do you love the truth or try to ignore it?] 3:6. “In the name of the Lord Jesus, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.” 3:14. “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of him. Do not associate with him, in order that he may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.” [Is this the way it goes in your church?]

1st Timothy 2:12. “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent.” [Is this true in your church?] 4:1. “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” [And still call themselves Christians]. 5:15. “Some [widows] have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.” [Do they know they are following Satan or are they following their own sensual desires?] 5:20. “Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that others may take warning.” [This will never happen as our modern churches are set up. They don’t want to scare other sinners away from their churches.] 6:8. “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” [My, how far have we strayed from how the Christian life should be]. 6:10. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” [It is not that they love money, but what money can buy and what it can do for them]. 6:20. “Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith.”

2nd Timothy 2:3-4. “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.” [This verse says that real Christians must not get involved in civil or even government affairs because they are contrary and infringe into Godly affairs]. 3:7. “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” 3:12. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” 4:3. “Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”

Titus 1:16. “They claim to know God but by their actions they deny him.” [Boy, if that isn’t true nowadays]. 3:10. “Warn a divisive person once, and warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.”

Philemon 1:6. “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you may have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.” [No sharing, no understanding].

Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience, and still we can get some vital instruction from it. 2:1. “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we heard, so that we will not drift away.” 3:6. “But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.” 3:14. “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first.” 3:18-19. “And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” [This verse clearly teaches that disobedience and unbelief are one and the same thing]. 5:9. “He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” [Disobedience is the most grievous action that separates us from God’s promises]. 5:14. “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” [Are you a mature Christian? If not, chances are great that you cannot distinguish good from evil]. 6:12. “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.” [This next verse could be one of the most used and abused verses in the NT; anyone can see why]. 10:25. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit if doing.” 10:26. “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” [If anyone thinks they can deliberately sin and then somehow believe they will be forgiven, you better think again]. 11:6. “And without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who EARNESTLY seek him.” [emphasis added]. 12:14. “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” [Are you and I making every effort to be holy?].

[James is one of the toughest books on genuine faith when it is not combined with Christian works/deeds]. James 1:12. “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” 2:5. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eye of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” [It sounds like this verse excludes all other classes of people from being rich in faith. The poor have good reason to love him, and from that love springs a rich amount of faith]. 2:18. “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” 4:4. “Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” [The word “world” refers to the activities, etc. that unbelievers engage in].

1st Peter 1:16. “Be holy, because I am holy.” 1:22. “Now that you have purified yourself by obedience to the truth.” [Continued obedience to the gospel allows us live up to the purity we by grace received from God]. 2:16. “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil.” [Evil in God’s sight is doing things that the people of the world engage in]. 2:21. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” 3:9. “Do not repay evil for evil or insult for insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” 4:18. “And, ‘if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and sinner?’”

2nd Peter 1:5. [Paraphrased] “For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. They will keep you from being effective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1:10. “Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you will never fall.” [Some say, “Why do we have to be concerned about verses like this if we have eternal security?” This is an ongoing disaster; some people who think they are “christians” really believe they can never lose their salvation, even if they deliberately disobey NT commands]. 2:14. “they are experts in greed.” [Read the paragraph that precedes this short verse in 2nd Peter]. 3:14. “Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.” [With at least half a dozen “make every effort” verses in the NT, living the Christian life is not going to be a “walk in the park” as some church leaders who preach a sugar-coated gospel insist]. 3:17-18. “Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.” [Even though genuine Christians have a secure position, we still can fall into the arms of Satan].

[The book of 1st John repeats over and over again the deadly harm from being a friend of the world and disobedient to Christ’s commands]. 2:3. “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.” 2:6. “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.” 2:15. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 2:27. “You don’t need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing [The Holy Spirit] teaches you about all things. . .” 3:6. “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning.” 3:8-9. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin.” 3:24. “Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them.” 4:16. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” 5:3. “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” [The apostle John makes his point, even though he is very repetitive].

2nd John 1:6. “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands.”

3rd John: Nothing of interest.

Jude 1:16. “They follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”

Revelation: [Regarding the seven churches, those who overcome all the evil in the world will be rewarded with eternal life.] 14:12. “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commands and remain faithful to Jesus.” 20:12. “The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” [To verify that their faith and love were genuine]. 22:12. “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.”

Now that you know the whole truth, it will set you free, but only if you put into practice this new found truth. If not, you will continue to be a slave to your sins of omission. John 8:32. Paraphrased.

# posted by JC @ 1:50 PM 0 comments

Who really needs heaven? I was surprised and you may be also. Many Christians don’t think very often of heaven as their potentially new home. They most likely have their minds and attention on their earthly homes.

Most Christians who have their minds on heaven are the ones who are going through some sort of hard times. They probably can’t wait to get there. There are dozens of verses in the New Testament where the Bible writers speak kindly of the poor. They are the ones, if they are Christians, who are truly looking forward to being in heaven and thus leave their poverty to this earth.

In America and throughout the world, the poor are looked down on as being the scum of the earth. These are the ones that God blesses and loves dearly, and He commands us (Christians) to care for them. They have a better chance, and more reason than all other classes of people, to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Matthew 11:28-30. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 5:3-5. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

Luke 6:20-21. “Looking at his disciples, he said: ‘Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.’”

The point I am making is that Scripture ALWAYS speaks kindly toward all who are at a disadvantage in life. In fact, there is never a harsh word spoken in any of the 27 books of the NT toward those in some sort of need. These are the people who need heaven more than all other people, and may have it constantly on their mind. The tougher their situation, the more wonderful heaven looks.

These next few paragraphs are going into groundbreaking territory. There is a class of people in America that was never mentioned in the entire NT; that is the middle class. They are neither poor nor wealthy. This large group of people started to increase in size after 1913; that was when the Federal Reserve was established. At that time, money became available to most who had dependable employment and needed a loan to buy a home, etc. Before that time, only the rich could live wealthy lives. Once more money became available from lenders, even the middle class could now live like the rich, even though they were still no richer than before. In reality, because of the interest they will owe monthly on their new homes, without their thinking about it, they are poorer financially because of their new debt and interest (which is like betting one’s money on a dead horse).

Because of the available money from many lenders, they can now buy just about anything their hearts desire: new motor vehicles, fancy furniture, yearly vacations, credit cards in order to buy without money, and many more things that make them feel rich, and all this without a cent in a savings account. In another words, they are the poor who can now live like the rich.

Many of the middle class with large mortgages on their homes, etc., claim to be church-going Christians. How does God look at these poor who live like the rich? Do you think they have their minds and hope on eternal things? I don’t think so. They have just made up their own heaven on earth. They have no need for God’s heaven at this time, although they may deny it.

The main reason Scripture never speaks kindly about the rich, or in this case the poor that live like the rich, is because the majority very seldom have their minds on spiritual matters, and with all their debts, they could/would never consider helping those in need. Their desire to live in luxury tells God and me that they are lacking wonderful spiritual possessions; they especially lack the desire of going to heaven. Again, like the real rich, they have made their cozy little heaven right here on earth.

What are the reasons the NT always speaks harshly toward those who are wealthy? Why is that? I am certain there are many reasons. I believe the money is not the issue, but the attitudes wealth gives to these privileged people. For instance: Their wealth makes them feel better than others who don’t have as much as they do. They have or can have every available comfort. Some may claim to be Christians because they go to church, but their minds are on earthly pleasures. Although they may acknowledge heaven, it is not real to them since they have made their own heaven right here on earth. Many who are rich got that way by being greedy; they don’t call it greed but use a favorite euphemism (prosperity).

The most descriptive negative parable the NT gives concerning the attitudes of the wealthy is in Luke 16:19-25. “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment . . .” 16:25. “But Abraham replied, ‘Son remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.’”

What was implied buy the Word (“rich” and “dressed in purple and fine linen”) is that this rich man was respected in his community, and most certainly went to the local synagogue to worship every Sabbath and gave his 10% tithe.

Isn’t that indicative of today’s church services? The wealthy are respected and always greeted kindly as they attend their church services. They also never forget to give their 10%. This above parable clearly displays that church worship and giving money to one’s church are no guarantee of heaven. In fact, those who attend a church and give generously think they are buying/paying their way into heaven.

Let me tell you a shocking NT truth: Nowhere in the NT, not even one verse, does it speak kindly about or approve of the wealthy. Again, the main reason is because they don’t really need heaven; they are enjoying their heaven on earth with their wealth.

Two verses do mention that the rich must be generous and willing to share. They are 2nd Corinthians 9:11 and 1st Timothy 6:18. That generosity does not include tithe. “Generous” means to give all that one is able to give without being left in a destitute condition. That type of generosity is not seen in today’s greedy Christian world. What it is also implying is that the rich must not be excluded from becoming Christians. But they must be ready and able to continually help those without, in a generous way. My dictionary gives this meaning for generous: “Giving or sharing liberally and willingly.”

There are many sections in the NT where it teaches that the wealthy are in no position to enter into God’s heaven unless they comply with NT commands. There are many NT verses that teach that principle. I have quoted those verses in this blog so many times that I just about wore them out. There are at least 20 verses—as if that is not enough—in Post # 116 (“What Money Can and Cannot Buy/Do”). There are many more in other posts but I don’t want to wear you out.

In summation, the NT teaches without a doubt that the rich are at a disadvantage when it comes to needing heaven. And the poor are the class of people who have, in a realistic way, the best chance for the desire/need of going to heaven. I ask this question: How did what the NT adamantly teaches become turned completely around? The only thing we can surmise—and I truly believe and dogmatically say—is that something is dramatically wrong with much of the Christian religion, per se, in these days when wealth is king.

Anyone can understand why the Jewish community worldwide will never accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah; they love money and what it can buy, and to my recollection they never mention of going to heaven. In the Old Testament, The Lord promised them the land.

# posted by JC @ 8:20 AM 8 comments

John 8:44: “When he [the devil] lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” It is absolutely imperative that every serious disciple of Jesus Christ learns of all, if not most, of the shenanigans (trickery) that Satan the devil has up his sleeve. He knows what type of lies certain people will fall for. In fact, with the help of his demons and angels, he knows us as well as (if not better than) we know ourselves. That is scary to say the least. We all have weak spots in our lives; these are the areas where he is instrumental in having us do his will, often without us even having a clue about what he is up to.

Don’t ever forget this: He is an angel, though fallen, and angels have superhuman abilities and intellect. Just when we think we are doing so well in spiritual matters, this is when he can get the best of us. The only—ONLY—way we can avoid being caught up in his clutches is to take the New Testament (NT) literally, and obey everything it teaches, regardless of how unnatural it may sound on the surface. Every command is there for that very reason: to spoil the devil’s schemes.

Other than having faith in Jesus Christ and keeping God’s love in our hearts and lives, there is no better advice anyone can give you and me. Repeating, strict obedience to all of God’s Word is the only way to know we are making it almost impossible for Satan to get us under his power.

The fighting thing is that many of us are not aware of it when we are doing his dirty work because many of us are living in the status quo of organized Christianity as it is/has been presenting itself for years on end. One of the weakest areas in many (if not all) humans, among other things, is that we go for what feels good and is easy and comfortable.

Satan’s shrewdness is almost comparable to God’s knowledge of all things. That tells me that we are not fooling around with a benign pussycat when we desire to have things our way, regardless of what any 2,000-year-old book teaches. That is the reason the majority of the world’s population is unknowingly under the power of his seductive charm.

These are only a few of the attitudes the devil loves to instill in all people. He silently says: “You are very important; you must love and take care of yourself because no one else will. It doesn’t hurt to be selfish; you are only human. It is okay to step on others as long you are not too conspicuous. Your motto should be, ‘I love me; who do you love?’ The top of the mountain should be your ultimate goal; that is where life is at its best. Cheating is acceptable in this ‘dog-eat-dog world.’ Don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t let God scare you about hell; there is no such place. If you want to be respected in your community, go to church and outwardly be an outstanding person, but don’t believe for a minute all the foolish garbage they preach. Porn is just as natural as Adam and Eve: It relieves much of the pressures this world puts on you. Being unfaithful to your mate is okay as long as you do it discreetly. Your ultimate goal in life must be to become wealthier than the next person. You can’t beat wealth; it is supreme. It will do you much good to profess Christianity, but by all means, don’t get serious about Jesus Christ. He is a fairytale.”

This list could be unending. But in short, Satan wants your lifestyle to be emulated by as many people as possible so that you will become their idol. “Avoid outwardly evil attitudes/actions; you will only be labeled a bad person, and we don’t want that.”

“One of the most helpful things you can believe/do to help others believe the same is to tell yourself that hell and I (Satan) don’t really exist; it is only a tactic that was made up to scare people into doing good, and believing in God and Jesus Christ.”

Another of the devil’s attitudes is: “Just because men/women are pretending to belong to Christ and performing miracles, healings and the like, don’t be in a hurry to follow their teachings.” This is where it is important to know what the NT teaches so that you can’t be tricked. The reason I say that is because the devil has power with certain individuals to do things that defy logic. One such individual/organization is Benny Hinn Ministries. He has a following in the millions worldwide. I spotted him about 16 years ago on a so-called Christian network. The way he lives, and what he preached—and is still preaching—is not in accordance with the NT; he is a good fake.

The apostle Paul gives us such a warning in 2nd Thessalonians 2:9-11. I will quote it for those who don’t have a Bible. “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. . .”

Here is another section of Scripture that will give teeth to the previous scriptures. 2nd Corinthians 11:13-15. “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. [If nothing can frighten every serious Christian into knowing what the NT teaches, verses like this should] It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

It has been emphasized dozens of times in this blog that it is utterly imperative to be familiar with every aspect of the NT, and to know that verses such as those above do exist. The NT was written not for gullible people, but for those who don’t want to be tricked by the evil one. I could almost guarantee that everyone who says he/she is saved and does not intimately know the contents of the NT may be on a path to destruction, regardless of how religious and devoted they are.

In fact, it can be dogmatically said that behind anything done in an ungodly fashion, for selfish or hateful reasons, etc., the devil is instrumental in making it happen.

Some might ask, “Is it possible for someone to obey/practice the NT to the letter and still be a fake?” I would say no. But God reads the heart, and if the motives do not spring from love for God and our fellow man, then the answer is yes.

In conclusion: one thing is for sure—the devil knows his stuff. And for us to outwit him, we must know God’s stuff and not what many preachers teach. Believe it or not, the majority of the clergy are the devil’s most prized comrades. If we listen to them only while thinking we know what the NT teaches, we are doomed, all the while thanking God for His salvation, love and goodness.

I have been associated with several well-known preachers. Although not one of them would ever admit it, their main interest is your name on their roster and your 10%. The more you earn, the more you will tithe, and they can continue to live high on the hog with little effort. It is no wonder that many of Satan’s workers who wear the cloth, secretly and some even openly, promote wealth and prosperity, which is a no-no according to God’s word. As a matter of fact, this deception has been one of the evil one’s most gleeful lies/deceptions. To put it another way: He gets more joy in having supposedly holy people in his ranks than openly evil people.

# posted by JC @ 2:15 PM 2 comments

Human words cannot even begin to describe the wonders of our Almighty God. The description of Him in the Christian Bible is as explicit as possible, but there is much more we would like to know about Him. Hopefully this post will reveal Him and His Son Jesus Christ in a clearer manner.

Let us examine His attributes. His love for humanity is His greatest attribute; from that love springs all his other qualities. His grace has been a subject of inquiries by many writers. The question I ask is this: How can such a complex and Almighty God lower Himself and communicate with imperfect humans?

I will be delving into an area that surpasses human knowledge. In Ephesians 3:18-19, the apostle Paul attempts to describe God’s/Christ’s love for humanity.

Even though the majority of humans will be/are destined to perish, God never desires/desired for any of them to be separated from Him. Yes, God even loved/loves all those fowl, ungodly people. But as His love dictates, without love as their main focus in life, His hands are tied, so to speak: It would be utterly impossible to allow them to enter a realm where Divine love is supreme. It is fair to say that His heart has been broken over the loss of billions of people who were created in His image.

Let us examine some of the attributes that make our God the type of wonderful God we truly need. The love He has for all humanity can never be fully expressed in human terms. Nevertheless, let us do the best we can with what He has thus far been able to reveal.

All His many holy qualities are the result of His love for humanity. Let us start with God being a just God. At the judgment, as we are being judged to determine whether we are qualified to enter heaven, every thought and action we have ever had/done will be brought out into the open. He will examine our environment/country, which was a big factor in how we lived: our mentality, to see if we understood the seriousness of living or not living, as He requires. He will also examine whether we had the opportunity to know what His laws were concerning people in countries where the name “Jesus” is not known; and He will look into things that helped us form our decisions and the people who influenced the decisions we made.

The most important thing He will examine is all our motives that made us tick. In fact, our motives are as important as our actions, if not more important. But in all things, He will always give us the benefit of the doubt, if a doubt does occur. As a skilled lawyer for the defense, God our Father will accentuate our good points and downplay the negative ones. As God, Jesus or his holy ones are judging us, the fairness that will be shown to us is beyond human comprehension. The reason for that fairness is that His mercy and compassion will always be applied in every decision even though they cannot purposely violate His holy standards.

Grace will be a big factor in the judgment. Grace, also called undeserved kindness, will cancel many wrongs we have done, though it cannot override a set pattern of arrogance. Throughout this judgment period, God truly wants us to make the grade and thus get to be with Him—a father always desires the very best for His children. None of the decisions made by the Judge will be biased.

The reason God is so wonderful is because He willis going to go to all lengths to get us to be with Him. Hell is an awful place, to say the least, and He will do everything in His power to keep us out of there. And still, the faith and love a person had in how he/she lived will be the factor that will determine the outcome. And in every case, that love stems from having faith in Jesus Christ. If that faith is real and lasting, love that springs from obedience to all Jesus commands will be the final result.

Of course, the genuineness of repentance will also be a big factor. We all have stumbled and done wrong. Therefore, all who make the grade must have had true repentance on their side—with hope and determination so that transgression will never occur again. And still, there is no rigid standard as to how many times a person can repent. But one good thing is that God knows the heart, and if leniency is required, it will be waiting for all who deserve it. That is the reason God is so wonderful. Since we know that, we must never take advantage of the wonder of God. God will do everything in His power to get us into heaven without breaking any of His holy rules. While we are here on this earth, we must also do everything in our power to do the same. During this time, Satan the devil will be there at the judgment making all forms of unfair accusations. Revelation 12:10. “. . . For the accuser of our brothers [Satan], who accuse them before our God day and night, had been hurled down.”

God, more than anyone else, knows how difficult it has been to live and do what is right in His eyes. And don’t think God won’t take that into consideration. It is not easy to go against the flow that this godless world is taking. And still, those who are devoted to what is right (genuine love for all) will somehow (with God’s help) walk the straight and narrow. Actually, our human love will be converted by the Holy Spirit into Divine love. 2nd Peter 2:4."Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires."

I don’t often write on issues not mentioned in the NT, but I will bring up a subject that could be a result of God’s Divine love. There have been people who have never had the opportunity to know the name of Jesus in cultures/religions that were/are not Christian. Some of these people may have had a love that equals Christian love. By His mercy, God could retroactively, as it were, give these people a chance to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior; it is not great love alone that gives salvation, but belief in the saving power of God through Jesus Christ from which that divine love springs.

One action God will not tolerate is purposely committing sins with this thought in mind: “I will sin and then just repent; I know that God will forgive me.” Of course, if it is only one occasion or two, no problem. But if it is a pattern that continues, this action will be held against anyone.

Two of the Lord’s pet peeves are laziness and mediocrity in spiritual matters. How He will respond to these is unsure, but if done over a lifetime, the judgment is almost certain. In fact, it may cancel all the good one has done. The reason I bring this up is because there are seven verses in the New Testament (NT) commanding us to make every effort in how we live our holy lives—if anyone desires the location of those verses, leave me a comment or e-mail me. These are serious verses that one may never hear from the pulpit. That is only one reason the Christian walk is not a cakewalk. If His mercy and compassion will negate this serious “neglect of duty,” it depends on the seriousness of one’s Christian history.

Laziness is a detrimental habit to have in worldly affairs, but especially in spiritual matters. Laziness is a human trait that, if not overcome, will overcome anyone addicted to it. God may be stern in these last two matters, but how His love, compassion and mercy will intercede will depend on many other circumstances. Again, it all depends on whether one’s good works were many, and where one’s heart was in this situation. Remember: Where the heart is, most often, the life will follow. There will be no mistakes made in any Divine judgments.

No two lives will be even close to each other. Therefore, the judgment process will be as lengthy and complex as anything can be. But rest assured that everyone can speak up and defend themselves. But the best part of the judgment, and I am repeating myself, is that everyone will be treated with the utmost fairness, regardless of Satan’s accusations. In fact, the ones being judged will agree with his own judgment, although she/he will not like the outcome if the frying pan is the verdict.

The best advice I can give to everyone who claims to be a Christian is to make sure you are doing your best in all spiritual matters, which will confirm your faith in Christ Jesus, as will obedience to all His commands. To help any serious Christian on the road to obedience, I recommend reading John chapters 14 and 15, then reading them again and again, and even memorizing them.

One of the most wonderful parts of the Christian life, which many never give a second thought to, is that all genuine Christians have God Almighty as a Father. Think of it this way: God the Father, through His Holy Spirit, means you personally belong to Him and He personally belongs to you. Can you imagine that God Almighty who built the universe belongs to you and me? All of God’s attention is now directed to you (plural) only, through His Holy Spirit, who now, with your permission, is in control. This last statement pertains to every person who is possessed by the Spirit and thus is a Christian. Romans 8:9. “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” That is why everyone would call our heavenly Father a wonderful, wonderful God. To get more information on your personal God, click on Post # 82: “Your Own Personal God.”

In conclusion, as much as a human father loves his children, God loves His children immeasurably more, even if on occasion the children may inadvertently disappoint the Father. That is only one reason why we have such a wonderful, wonderful God, who desires only the best for His children. God is on your side and mine. Let us make certain that we are on His side!

# posted by JC @ 6:51 PM 0 comments

In this post, I will bring out the truth concerning New Testament (NT) verses that are not very popular, and thus are not often—if ever—preached on. The reason is because not many understand or desire to hear about this intricate and seemingly troublesome part of Christianity. Many may be infuriated and hate this blog (and me) even more. That is okay—I am not out to win a popularity contest—but I want to tell the whole truth to as many people as possible.

The word “world” is mentioned in a derogative manner over 40 times in the NT. The word “world” does not mean the physical earth itself, but the ordinary and ungodly people who live in this world. The physical world without people inhabiting it is, in reality, a nice place (with the exception of a few natural disasters like earthquakes, etc.).

Following are some activities that are associated with the word “world” when it is mentioned in the NT. This list does not include many of our necessary obligations and daily chores such as jobs, must-do things around the home, morning care of self, and many other menial duties. It does include all sorts of entertainment/amusements that have nothing to do with the gospel message: watching/playing sports; attempting to keep up with the Joneses; after accepting Christ as Lord (Boss), still hanging out with the same old friends who say they are Christians but don’t adhere to Biblical principles; watching programs on television/DVDs that entice viewers to be participants in trash; watching educational and documentaries that have nothing to do with Christ (an exception could be watching the national news to know what is going on in the world, to avoid being called ignoramuses).

Another type of entertainment/amusement that has nothing to do with the gospel message is celebrating all the worldly, manmade holidays that ordinary people celebrate, such as the commercialized glorification of Santa Claus with hardly a mention of Jesus Christ, where most eat until it is coming out of their ears and go in debt over their heads buying presents (actually, no one knows what day or month Christ was crucified, or even the exact year); the commercialized glorification of “Easter Bunny Day”—it is a disgrace to eat so much when half of the world is starving and a large amount of money is spent on new clothing; “Turkey Day,” again when overeating is the norm, and we give thanks for many things we don’t really deserve, especially when many worldwide are without the bare necessities; New Year’s Day, when more liquor is consumed than at any other time of the year, drinking until they are pie-eyed. Their mantra is “Let’s live it up while we have a chance” and they drive home half-drunk. There are a dozen other manmade holidays that are celebrated, and these holidays have nothing to do with Jesus Christ; thus, they are a part of the world society.

Someone might ask, "Why can't Christians engage in these so-called forbidden activities, etc., which we have enjoyed all our lives?" The answer is short and not so sweet: When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord (boss) and Savior, we became his property (e.g. we now belong to Him). 1st Corinthians 6:20. "You are not your own; you were bought at a price." Our time is now His time; His desires are our desires. How dare any Christian spend Christ's time on aforementioned ungodly activities, when we should be using it for constructive activities that further His cause?

Getting back to holidays. At this time, I personally don’t celebrate holidays; I don’t need them. Of course, when I was young and had small kids (and didn’t know better), I did celebrate many holidays, and that was the norm. I believe that most people are not aware that the main reason for holidays is the general public’s lack of satisfaction in their lives (they need a break from their work and the monotony/boredom of their lives). And I can understand; I was there once, until Christ took over my life.

When Jesus Christ is living in one’s life, things change. The overwhelming, unpretentious joy that is ever-present makes every day a holiday. This joy has to be experienced to be known.

When the word “world” is mentioned in the NT, it doesn’t mean only criminals or the overtly sinful; it means those who live by the social standards of the present time, and not by the standards of the NT. These social, friendly people might have high standards of ethics, prominent positions in the community or state, be well respected, and even belong to a church. But with these people, when Christ is not in their foreground, they are living by the standards set by man.

Once people become Christians, they are (supposedly) to be no part of this world.

The main activity that people of the world do is totally normal: taking care of “number one.” When they become Christians, that “survival of the fittest” mentality must change. At that time, the new motive for life must be to love others in need and to love God through obedience and faith in Jesus Christ.

The only problem is that many people who become Christians are not taught, in a practical manner, that all-important virtue of love by their church leaders. And to complicate things, they may not be familiar with the NT, which teaches love for God and neighbors, and de-emphasizes one’s care for self until it is at least equal with the love one has for their neighbors. That love for neighbor, by all means, is the most difficult part of living the Christian life.

Of all the many commands in the NT, loving your neighbor as yourself is the second most important commandment. If one disagrees with that commandment, it is better to forget Christianity and live like an unbelieving pagan (“Hurray for me, and boo for you”). That principle of self-love is what makes the people of world ungodly. That self-love is the main reason the people of the world were labeled “sinful” by Jesus Christ.

But remember one thing: The most unnatural virtue in existence (when it comes to actually putting it into practice) is to love one’s neighbor in need as if she/he were the one in need. It is an easy thing to just say, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But to put it into practice is seemingly the almost impossible part.

Here is a verse that needs some holy explaining: John 12:25. “The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” The only way this verse can be implemented is to devalue one’s life until its value is the same as or lower than one’s needy neighbor. That may seem like an impossible task, but it really is not. Here is how it is done: When a person is actually experiencing God’s love for him/herself, that love makes a person feel VERY SPECIAL. Since she/he is so special in God’s sight, actually lowering one’s self-esteem is not a big deal. Paul teaches in Philippians 2:3 to “. . . consider others better than yourself.” We cannot ignore these extremely important commands (and others like it) and still call ourselves Christians.

There is one commandment which is even more difficult to obey, and even more unnatural. Luke 6:27. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Easily said, but when the occasion actually comes to love our enemies, that is a different story. This command must be obeyed. If we start to pick and choose which commands to obey, we join the crowd of worldly people who laugh at such absurd commands.

The only—ONLY—way we can be obedient to these hard-edged verses is to actually be empowered by the Holy Spirit. And then we might still grit our teeth.

Disobedience to many hard-edged commands has had the biggest impact on the downslide of Christianity in general. Actually, many church-going “Christians” don’t want to be reminded of those types of verses. That is one of the main reasons this blog is so unpopular to mainstream “Christians.” They just don’t want to live or hear about that type of nonsensical Christianity.

Disobedience to many of these types of verses is what makes the difference between God’s people and the people of the world. But of course, those who disobey these love commandments may still go to church on Sunday and really believe they are Christians headed for heaven. That is one of the main reasons Christianity has gone/is going in a downhill slide. And who is to blame? Mostly the clergy for not emphasizing the importance of obedience to ALL of the NT verses, regardless of how unnatural they may seem. Genuine Christianity is not natural; it is supernatural religion, empowered by the Holy Spirit of God.

Even though a genuine Christian and a fake one may look and talk alike, all one has to do is to examine their lives and activities; they are as different as a worldly demon and a heavenly angel. And yet many religions teach tolerance of all religions. Sure! These people of the world are in essence saying, “Let the demons and angels live and let live.”

The big shame is that worldly people are not aware of the satanic situation they are in. The most troubling part of it is this: Come hell or high water, you or I may not be able convince them of their pending, though deadly, situation. The world and its people pass away, but those who do the will of God will live forever. 1st John 2:17 (paraphrased). It is my personal duty to make sure everyone knows the complete will of God before boasting of his or her Christianity.

It is hard to believe that churchgoers may never learn through their church the WHOLE will of God as dictated in the NT. I have said this a dozen times in other posts, and will say it again: The main, if not the only, reason is because the whole will of God (including the tough verses that are not natural to our human nature) is not very pleasant. If churches did preach disagreeable verses and enforced them, their church buildings would be nearly empty in no time. What preacher wants to work elsewhere when he/she has it made where he/she is?

In closing, the world as described in this post is one of the biggest detriments to the whole of Christianity. And the clergy are the main culprits. Look at it this way: When any intricate part of a document (NT) is left out, or when an important part of any machine is left out, it just won’t work as designed. I pray that God will bless all who read this post and give it wholehearted credence.

Let me leave you with this reminder: 1st John 2:15. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”

# posted by JC @ 3:31 PM 3 comments

Being loved is the most precious ingredient in the universe. We were created to love and be loved. Love is an invisible ingredient that will, at all times, display an action and possibly (hopefully) a response. Of course, the quality of love is important. Much of the physical love we see around us is tainted with self-centeredness: needing to be loved in return. And that is natural. But to love without desiring anything in return is precious (greatly desired) and scarce. This type of love has nothing to do with romance; it is selfless.

What gives this selfless love value is for someone to actually experience the love one is receiving. A person may know she/he is loved—that part is all well and good—but if it does not produce a delightful emotion and a reciprocating action, that love has lost most of its intended purpose.

Even though all peoples desire this type of selfless love, it may be the scarcest of all spiritual ingredients. Why is this? The reason, most likely, is because it cannot be made up. It has to be a genuine, intricate part of the one who is doing the loving.

The above paragraphs are describing love between humans. There is a divine love that is also available: a love for God, an active love for the needy, and of course God’s superior love for human individuals.

God loves all peoples, but has a special kin-type love for those who are His children through faith in His Son Jesus Christ. As His children, we know that God loves us. However, if we are not reciprocating God’s love (by not obeying His commands), there will be little to no beneficial effect in how we experience His love for us. In short, experiencing God’s love is a result of obedience. That is the way love works (e.g. “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.”).

In the case where a Christian knows that God loves him/her, it’s all well and good; most likely, though, if that love does not produce some emotion-like reciprocating love, there will be no need or incentive for obedience. And remember, obedience ties the knot in God’s plan of Salvation that cannot be broken. No obedience, no Salvation. End of the subject.

We can learn more of how God’s love works by examining human love. When a male and female’s love first starts before marriage, they can actually feel their love. They are experiencing the love they have for each other, and everything is peaches and cream.

As time goes by, that first love they had for each other isn’t as noticeable as it was when their love first started. They may still love each other, but they are not experiencing love like before. And this can lead to marital problems. For love to be what it was meant to be, it must at all times be experienced. To put it another way, real love is more than just being/living together.

Now the question is asked, “Do we just believe that God loves us and leave it at that, or are we actually experiencing (through feelings and emotions) God’s love for us?” It is sad to say that not many are experiencing God’s miraculous love for them. And the lack of that experience has a devastating effect on how our Christian lives are lived. After all, experiencing God’s love is what makes the difference between those who only call themselves Christians and the active, obedient, genuine Christians.

How can we know for certainty, without a shadow of a doubt, that we are really being loved by God and not just making up this experience? There is a sure way: when we are living a holy life that stems from obedience and not just faith, coupled with active love for God and our needy neighbors. If we are not practicing the above-mentioned four virtues, we are only fooling ourselves.

One of the wondrous attributes about God is His love for every one of His children as if he/she were the only one He loves. He does this through His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is another one of God’s marvelous miracles. Though the Holy Spirit is one, He is a separate entity residing in each Christian, and He caters to each holy desire of the individual He was assigned to. Along with that, He teaches, guides and counsels all of God’s children in the way of holiness and love, according to the NT. John 16:13. “But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into ALL truth.” John 14:26. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things . . .”

One of the most stunning verses in the whole Bible is a New Testament (NT) verse that is often overlooked: Acts 1:8. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses . . . to the ends of the earth.” That Godly power turns us into a spiritual, superhuman race. Then and only then can we live in a manner that is fitting of children of God.

Here is the only thing: everyone who claims to possess the Spirit of God/Christ may not be a recipient. The only reason they may believe as they do is because of a verse in the book of Romans written by the apostle Paul. Romans 8:9. “And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” Some marginal Christians must believe that receiving the Spirit is an automatic occurrence at conversion. I don’t think so. The NT is not explicit as to when or to whom it is given, but one thing is for sure: It is given to those who are obedient.

The Holy Spirit will not/cannot be inactive. If people receive the Spirit and then do little or nothing to further the cause of Christ, the Spirit—not willingly, but out of necessity—will leave those people. Is there such a thing as an inactive Christian? I would say no, but the NT does not have a definitive answer.

I will say this: In my life, if I am not praying, meditating, or thinking on spiritual matters, the Spirit that resides in me is mute. He cannot teach, guide or counsel us when our minds are on earthly things, even though many of those worldly chores cannot be neglected. In reality, the Spirit is given to us as the main thrust in our lives. One of the biggest enemies the Spirit has is our doubt in whether He can do what good and holy things we request.

The way we experience God’s love, power, and nature is through the Holy Spirit’s constant communication with our Heavenly Father. The Spirit does what He hears and makes it known to us. Therefore, we will be in constant touch with God Almighty through His Spirit. But that communication cannot continue while our minds are not on Godly matters. 1st Thessalonians 5:17. “Pray continually.” That is the main reason we must avoid as many worldly activities as possible. That is one of the main reasons God commands us to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. When we love God to that degree, there won’t be much more time for other things. If that is our goal, we will, out of necessity and in obedience to the most demanding commandment, make every effort to keep our minds on things that glorify Jesus Christ.

That may seem like a high price to pay. But remember that if you and I have the Spirit of Christ, we are superhuman gods on earth. Don’t forget that this all has to do with continuing the work that Christ started 2,000 years ago, and continually experiencing the life of God and Christ.

We all were born as products of a physical world. That means that since birth, our minds have been on matters related to physical things. (And that is only natural.) But when we receive the Holy Spirit of God, things must change. In order for the Spirit to communicate with us, we must purposely put our minds on Godly/spiritual matters. He cannot and will not force His messages on us while our minds are engaged in physical thoughts, since He communicates with us through our thought process. At the same time, we must be certain that the messages we receive are in accordance with the NT. The reason I say that is because there is also a counterfeit spirit (the evil spirit) that pretends he is giving us godly information. Therefore, at all times, we must discern where the message is coming from. If not, we may be experiencing a false love, only to thwart the work of God.

Never forget this: Satan can enter our thought process when our minds are not on Godly matters. Of course, those thoughts will seem normal because they are concerning every day things. But he still wins, because he is keeping our minds off of heavenly things.

That means that if one is not intimately familiar with the NT and yet believes in getting messages from the Spirit, it is easy for that person to be tricked. There are several denominations that believe their members are in communication with God’s Spirit, but the teachings they receive are in conflict with the Word of God. The best way the devil can mimic the Holy Spirit is when people have their minds on worldly goodies. Therefore, we must be absolutely certain that there are no holes in our belief system, and we do that by intimately knowing our Bible and being obedient to it.

A few individual thoughts:

My goal/Holy grail is to know and experience all that God, through His Spirit, is able to reveal to imperfect humans, so that I can live it and relay it to other needy people.

The more we are loved and respected in this world, the less we need/desire the love God has waiting for us. Likewise, the more pain, sadness and hatred we experience on earth, the more we will be inclined to desire and seek a better place: heaven. Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Our natural desire for worldly comfort is one of the most formidable enemies of God, and one of the best allies of the god of this world (Satan). The less comfort, contentment and security we have in this ungodly world, the better chance we have of experiencing spiritual rest. Matthew 11:29. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.”

Wealthy people who think of themselves as prosperous became that way through some sort of greed. They cannot experience the power, motives and nature of Jesus Christ. This theme on the evil power of greed is made clear throughout the NT.

In conclusion, the most obvious reason we don’t see much of God’s power to perform mighty supernatural healings and miracles in today’s world is because we are not experiencing His nature and love.

# posted by JC @ 7:10 PM 0 comments

This topic is mystifying, to say the least. And yet, we may learn something about ourselves that may help explain why certain things happen to others and us.

Our intrinsic nature is being silently but continually emitted outside of our bodies. The vast majority of humans cannot tap into those vibes unless they are psychics. (A psychical person is sensitive to forces beyond the physical world.) The Lord God through the Bible is adamantly opposed to all types of psychics. They have different titles: mediums, soothsayers, sorcerers/sorceresses, witches, spiritists, and a few more. All of these people have the spirits of demons, and therefore they are condemned by God.

Let me give just a few Bible verses to prove that they are driven by evil forces: Exodus 22:18. “Do not allow a sorceress to live.”

Leviticus 20:27. “A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them: their blood will be on their own heads.”

Deuteronomy 18:10-11. “Let no one be found among you . . . who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead.”

Acts 13:6, 10. “There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus . . .” The apostle Paul said to him, “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right!”

Acts 16:16. “‘. . . we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.’ Paul said: ‘In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!’ At that moment the spirit left her.” Some animals are good at sensing what types of vibes some people are giving off since they do not have verbal communication. They are this way for their own protection to stay clear of those who intend to do them harm.

To prove my point, let me tell you a story of what happened to me a few days ago: I “dog-sit” for my five-year-old granddaughter’s puppy, Cooper, several days a week while she is in school. He is only about nine months old. Every time he is with me, we go on a run, jog, sniff, walk and squirrel-chase around a public park and continue around several blocks. On Wednesday, the 21st of October, while on our trek, I saw an older lady walking around the park. I said to myself, “She looks like a witch.” No sooner did I think that thought than Cooper started to bark and lunge toward this lady. We meet dozens of people each day and Cooper never, ever barks at people or dogs. At this time, we must have been about 30 feet away from this lady. Although Cooper is a Yorkshire terrier and weighs about 9 pounds, he was pulling so hard that I could hardly constrain him with the leash. He barked until she was out of sight.

In the matter of a minute, another person came walking his dog. I said to him, “Did you see that lady that looked like a real live witch?” He said, “Yes, she is here walking quite frequently, and when my dog sees her, he goes berserk.” What was it about this lady that made these two dogs act out of the normal? Let me finish first. As we were on the other end of the park, as we were leaving the park area, Cooper saw only the back of this same lady and started barking again. This time we were a good 100 feet away from her.

We as adults know that there is no such thing as a witch like we see depicted at Halloween. So I ask myself, “What type of vibes was the witch-lady emitting?” I am guessing that she had an intense hatred for all dogs, and the dogs knew it; or, perhaps, she might have been a medium. End of story.

Now we will go again to the Old Testament of the Christian Bible: 1Samuel 28:6-15. Samuel was one of the greatest prophets of God in the Bible. This chapter is named “Saul and the Witch of Endor.” King Saul had been the king of Israel for a number of years but he lost favor with the Lord, and because of disobedience, the Lord did not respond to King Saul’s request of an answer to an immediate problem.

Starting with verse 6: “He inquired of the Lord, but the Lord did not answer him by dreams or Urim or prophets. Saul then said to his attendants, ‘Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may and go and inquire of her.’”

“‘There is one in Endor,’ they said.”

“So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. ‘Consult a spirit for me,’ he said, ‘and bring up for me the one I name.’”

“But the woman said to him, ‘Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?’”

“Saul swore to her by the Lord, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, you will not be punished for this.’”

“Then the woman asked, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’”

“‘Bring up Samuel,’ he said.”

“When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out at the top of her voice and said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’”

“The king said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. What do you see?’”

“The woman said, ‘ I see a spirit coming up out of the ground.’”

“‘What does he look like?’ he asked.”

“‘An old man wearing a robe is coming up,’ she said.”

“Then Saul knew it was Samuel, and he bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground.”

“Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’”

This section of Scripture tells me two things: there may be present-day mediums (witches) who still can do such things. And the second is this: even when the holiest of holy die, they don’t go straight to heaven but to the ground.

My curiosity got the best of me as to how these modern-day psychics work. Therefore, I went to the office of a well-advertised one in my hometown of Fort Collins, CO. As she answered the door, I gave her my name and told her that I have a spiritual blog and am in the process of writing an article (post) and would like to interview her. She said she was with a client, and that I must make an appointment. She gave me her card and I was on my way.

Let me tell you, she must have been about between 35 and 40 years old. I am an old man and have seen many faces, but this lady had such a demonic face that I was momentarily frightened, though I had no cause to be.

When I got home, I checked out her website. One of the first things I read was that her family goes back eight generations with natural psychic abilities. I wonder if it runs in the family of all psychics. She had a superbly excellent website, which was obviously done by professionals. She charges by the minute, and for an hour it would cost $120.00.

When I went to the testimonial section, I noticed something: all of the clients providing testimonials were from out of state and evidently contacted her by phone. This was new to me: that she could predict the future from hundreds of miles away, and over the phone. I finally put two and two together and figured anyone who came to her in person might be frightened by her demonic appearance. And most likely, most of her income is made over the phone. On her flier, she stated that her predictions were 98% accurate. We know that Satan knows some of the future and that he knows that his demise is pending. So it is no wonder that psychics in contact with Satan’s demons can almost accurately tell the limited future.

Halloween must have been created for children who love to go door-to-door collecting baskets full of goodies. I now realize that Halloween in reality is witches and goblins doing the work of the devil and his demons. It is, so to speak, Satan’s Christmas.

When I was visiting with my 5-year-old granddaughter and my daughter, I told them about the old witch in the park that Cooper barked at. My granddaughter quickly said, “There is not such a thing as witches.” I didn’t want to say anything that contradicted what my daughter had taught her, so I said nothing. After all, little kids would be frightened if they knew that witches do really exist. However, they don’t go flying around on a broom wearing a black dress, and they don’t have a big humped nose.

In conclusion: it is good advice to stay away from witches (psychics), especially if you are a Christian, because it is the work of demons and their boss.

# posted by JC @ 1:08 PM 0 comments