The Church, Kingdom and Temple of God

Matthew 13:52 – “Every student of the Scriptures who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like someone who brings out new and old treasures from the storeroom (CEV).”

The Church ~

What is the church of God? Jesus said, “I will build My church (Matthew 16:18).” May I repeat? Jesus said “He” will build “His” church. Not just anyone can buy a building, pay a pastor and convince a few members to attend and call it a church. There’s a little bit more to it than that. Now, the Scriptures never suggest that Jesus ever actually built a church building; therefore, we must conclude that Jesus was not talking about a building or an organization, He was talking about people. Why people? The reason is because the word “church” was derived from the Greek word “ecclesia,” which simply means “an assembly (Acts 19:32, 39, 41).” An assembly of what? Obviously, a church is an assembly of believers. Not just simply believers but those who have a personal relationship with Jesus. And so, people are the church of the living God and Jesus is the one who will build it.

How will Jesus build His church? Jesus said he will build His church “upon this rock (Matthew 16:18).” What rock? What stone? Is it the one they are sitting on? Is it the one He is holding in His hands? No, Peter was the rock in which His church will be built; and I am the rock and you may be a living rock too. We are the living stones, in which His church is built (1 Peter 2:5). Jesus’ church is invisible; we do not necessarily attend the same church services that you attend, we are not all from one city. We are from all over the world and we have existed for about 2000 years. You may have met us, but like the wheat and the tares, no one but God knows who the true church is.

We, the church, are called out to be a light unto the world, a city on a hill, living stones, a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, His very own possession, the pillar and support of the truth and the house of God (Matthew 5:14; 1 Peter 2:5; 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:15: Hebrews 10:21). Let’s get this straight; the church (the people or an assembly of believers) is called the house of God, not the building you meet at once a week to praise and worship God. The building in which early believers worshipped was in a private home (Acts 1:1, 3, 14; 5:42; 12:12; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2). Just because you go to a church service in a public building, does not guarantee that you are a part of the body of Christ or in the house of God. Jesus is the living chief cornerstone and He will build the living house of God that consists of people, as if they are living stones, into his spiritual temple (1 Peter 2:5).

The Kingdom of God ~

What is the kingdom of God? Jesus describes the kingdom of God like, “a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field; and to get the treasure, too (Matthew 13:44)!” Jesus illustrates to us “again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46)!” In both of these parables, the men sold everything they owned and invested themselves greatly in the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is something you would want give up your whole life and everything you possess on earth for in order to gain it. Paul writes, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).”

Where is the kingdom of God? Jesus said, “My Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36).” If Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, then where is it? Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God isn’t ushered in with visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:20-21).” The kingdom of God is invisible and lives within the saved Christian.

Who are in the kingdom of God? “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God (Mark 10:14).” It’s refreshing to ponder the thought that children, and people who are like children in their hearts, will be in the kingdom of God. It is not in God’s character to allow children who are not saved to burn in hell forever because they were aborted or died early in innocence. Isn’t that why Jesus died on the cross? Didn’t Jesus died for “all” the sins of the world?

So, we have the kingdom of God in us, the temple, and people in the kingdom of God. This mental picture is brought to life by what Jesus said about our Father in heaven. Jesus said, “I and my Father are one, “and “the Father is in me, and I in him (John 10:30, 38).”

Jesus said, “Blessed are the rich, for yours is the kingdom of God.” Hey! That’s not a true Scripture! The real verse reads, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3, KJV).” (By the way, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are interchangeably the same thing unless the context requires it.) Jesus is not saying that rich people cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said, “That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (Matthew 19:23, 24).”

Jesus makes the case that it will be very difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven because rich people tend to put their trust in money and riches rather than in God to provide for their daily needs. Furthermore, the “eye of a needle” may be referring to “the Jaffa Gate in the wall of Jerusalem, showing the 'Needle's Eye.' Small doors such as this were common features of the gates of ancient cities; humans could pass through fairly easily, but large animals, such as camels, had to be unloaded and then had to kneel to get through, even then with difficulty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_of_a_needle). In other words, just as camels could only go through the “Needles Eye” on their knees, so it will be for the man who puts his faith and trust in money and earthly riches! If you are wealthy, pray that your spirit is like a poor man; humble and meek. I thank God that I’m not a wealthy man!

Thus, our list includes those who are the poor in spirit, children and the likes of them will be the ones to inherit the kingdom of heaven. If you are rich, give your money to the poor and preach the gospel to them. Why to the poor? Because when you give to the poor that are in need, you are really giving to Jesus (Matthew 25:35-40). And, when you give to the poor, two things happen; the needs of the poor willl be met, "and they will joyfully express their thanksgiving to God. You will be glorifying God through your generous gifts. For your generosity to them will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you (2 Corinthians 9:12-14, NLT)." Jesus not only came to redeem all of mankind but he also came to preach to the poor (Luke 4:18). “Listen to me, dear brothers and sisters. Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the kingdom God promised to those who love him (James 2:5)?”

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come (NLT).” ~ Jesus the Christ

The Temple ~

The “new” Temple of God is where God’s Holy Spirit resides. This new Temple is not a man-made building made with bricks and wood. God does not dwell in a Temple made with hands (Acts 17:24). The new Temple of God is the saved Christian who is in the church of God. The Apostle Paul writes and says, “For we are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16).” Who are we? We are the church of Christ in whom He has built; and the kingdom of God is in us and we are in it. God’s Spirit lives in us and we are in Him; we are one with Christ Jesus, who is the Son of the living God.

We don’t wear a name tag that tells you who we are. We don’t carry around a card that reads, “Official Church Member.” We do not all look alike or have any things in common, except for Christ of course. We are not a government organization or a politically motivated society. We are not a 501c3 church of the State or under any government and worldly conformities. We don’t have a special handshake; nor are we a secret order of mysterious hooded and caped gatherers who meet at night by firelight to praise and worship God below the stars (of course, its okay to do that but it seems a little controversial like the pagans who worshipped false gods).

To summerize, it can explained this way.
1. God lives within the new temple, which is the individual church member.
2. The kingdom of God is in the individual church member.
3. The temple of God is in the church of Christ.

Therefore, just like the wheat and tares in Matthew 13:24-30, we are your friends, your neighbors, brothers, sisters and members of your own church family. Join us, will you?

Why Won't God heal Amputees?

The full question is, why won’t God heal amputees by prayer? The author of this question also makes a few statements such as, we all know that amputated legs do not regenerate in response to prayer. And, you know that God completely ignores amputees when they pray for miracles. And, you have to invent an excuse on God’s behalf to explain this strange fact of life.

This is another attempt by an Atheist to set up a strawman argument against Christianity and destroy it.

First of all, the author of this question assumes that God has not healed any amputees. How does the author know this? Is he God? Second, isn’t is possible that God has healed an amputee and caused an arm or a leg to grow back but in your busy world, you didn’t hear about it? Are you everywhere and know all things? Third, the author assumes God did not already answer the prayer by saying, “No!” Since when did man know what was best for himself? Fourth, the author assumes that there are no Scriptures that address this situation. Fifth, the author assumes that we all know that amputated legs do not regenerate in response to prayer. Sixth, the author assumes Christians have to invent an excuse on God’s behalf to explain this strange fact of life. Seventh, the author assumes that this topic is a “fact of life.”

The Bible says that God will not answer the prayers of those who shut their ears to the cries of the poor (Proverbs 21:13). Those who cruelly oppress Christians and the Saints will not get their prayers heard (Micah 3:2-4). The self-righteous and proud (Atheists, those who reject and hate God) will also not get their prayers heard (Luke 18:11,12,14; Job 35:12,13). In addition, those who selfishly ask for the wrong reasons and intentions will not get their prayers heard as well (James 4:3). Therefore, if you have lost a limb, whether it be due to an amputee accident or by necessity of health, and you have asked God to heal you by prayer (even in Jesus’ name) but if you are guilty of any of the disqualifying factors mentioned so far, don’t expect any re-growth anytime soon. However, by God’s own grace, He may choose to heal you for His glory and will expect you to glorify Him with your testimony. God has a purpose when he answers a prayer. God is just some big supernatural daddy that hands out wishes if your a good boy or girl for a season.

Some reasons that God may choose not to heal or re-grow a limb, are as follows.
The Apostle Paul tells us that the human body is frequently used as an instrument of sin (1 Corinthians 6:18), and that the body must die as a punishment for sin (Romans 7:24); and that sin dishonors a person’s body (Romans 1:24). On the other hand, believers in Christ may “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13) and present their bodies as holy sacrifices that please God (Rom. 12:1). Therefore, the body is sinful and wicked and must die. Only when we give our bodies, even if it is missing a limb, to God as a holy sacrifice, can we please Him.

In Matthew 5:29-30 concerning parts of the body used in the sin of adultery, Jesus says, “So if your eye—even if it is your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your hand—even if it is your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (NLT).

Note: The “whole body” that Jesus is talking about in this verse is not the fleshly physical body but the soul body (your spirit body), which exists outside your physical body.

The flesh, or human body, is the earthly part of a person, it represents lust and desires (Ephesians 2:3). The flesh is contrary and conflicting to the Spirit (Galatians 5:17). Those who are in the flesh (or lives in the flesh; gives flesh more importance than spirit) cannot please God (Romans 8:8). Galatians 5:19-23 contrasts works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. The flesh is not completely condemned, however, for Christ Himself was described as being "in the flesh" (1 John 4:2). Christ alone is our salvation, since by the works of the law "no flesh shall be justified" (Gal. 2:16). In contrast, some good news is that the Bible says that everyone who dies in Christ will receive a new incorruptible body at the end of the age in the first resurrection, that will never die or will never be amputated for any reason (1 Corinthians 15:52).

Case in point, there is one particular instance in the Bible that an amputee was healed. In Luke 22:49-51, the Temple guards were coming with Judas to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and “When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” And one of them slashed at the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “Don’t resist anymore.” And he touched the place where the man’s ear had been and healed him. (NLT).“ The servant of the high priest had his ear amputated by a sword from one of Jesus’ disciples and the Lord Jesus immediately healed him. Therefore, let it be known to all those who doubt, that God does heal amputees and His Word proves it!

Here’s the bottom line, even though amputees may have lost a part or parts of their bodies, it is not as important as their soul. It is what you do with the body and what you do in the body, while you have it, that matters now. It is the eternal soul of a man or woman that holds most importance in the eyes of God. We will all eventually lose our physical fleshly bodies someday and what will really matter in the end, is not whether God re-grew my legs, ears, fingers or my arms back by prayer, but the most important question is, was I saved or not? Will I be with Jesus in heaven for eternity or will my soul be burning in hell alone in the darkness along with all the other non-believers?

Paul knew and met Jesus

Matthew 28:7 – “And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him. Behold I have told you.” (NKJV)

Central to Christian faith is the bodily resurrection of Jesus. By recording the resurrection appearances, the NT leaves no doubt about this event. In Matthew 26:32, this event occurred just as Jesus had predicted. As Jesus spoke to His disciples on the night He was betrayed by Judas, He said, “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” The purpose of this statement is not to prove that Jesus rose from the dead or that he went to Galilee but that Jesus did meet, talk to, convert and know Saul of Tarsus (Paul, the apostle). In Acts 9:1-6 (historically known to be written by Luke), on the road to Damascus, Jesus appears to Saul (Paul) with a light shone around Him and says to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” Saul asks who is this speaking to him and Jesus replies, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (A goad is a pointed stick for urging a team of oxen). This would metaphorically mean that Saul (Paul) was already having his conscience pricked about the terrible things he was doing.

If one reads further on in Acts 9:7-30, one can see that Saul joined the disciples and made it to Jerusalem, Antioch and elsewhere. In Acts 13:9, one can read that this is the verse that distinguishes the other name (alias) for Saul, that is, indeed named Paul. Further on, in Acts18: 9,10; 22:1-8; 23:11; 26:12-18; and 1 Corinthians 15:8, we can see that Luke mentions the other references made to Jesus while He spoke to Paul (Saul). All of these verses mention that Jesus spoke to, and met with Paul. Clearly, at this instant, there is NO DOUBT that Jesus knew Paul.

Jesus also met with many other people after His resurrection. He met with Mary Magdalene in Mark 16:9 and John 20:11-18, to other women in Matthew 28:8-10, to Peter in Luke 24:34, to ten disciples in Luke 24:36-43 and John 20:19-25, to the Eleven, including “doubting” Thomas in Mark 16:14 and John 20:26-29, at His ascension into heaven in Mark 16:19,20; Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:4-12, to the disciples on the Emmaus road in Mark 16:12,13 and Luke 24:13-35, in Galilee in the book of Matthew 28:16-20 and John 21:1-24, to five hundred people in 1 Corinthians 15:6, and finally to James and the apostles in 1 Corinthians 15:7.

It simply blows the mind how much skeptics will believe anything they want hear to try and discredit the Bible and its claims (2 Tim. 4:3,4). Some skeptics, especially atheists, will claim that the NT was written by second or even third-hand accounts to try and invalidate the Scriptures. The writers of the NT are inerrant because of the guidance of the Holy Spirit of truth (John 14:26). However, they were not alive then and they have read or heard only what other skeptics have written as well and have probably never tried to discover first-hand the evidence for themselves.

The Bible backs up its claims with archaeology, manuscripts, the Dead Sea scrolls and other facts. However, most skeptics have never tried to get their hands dirty and have never found any “real” proof whatsoever that the Bibles’ claim are false. Any attempts by “real” skeptics, have been converted to Christianity such as C.S Lewis (ex-atheist, philosopher and writer), Kirk Cameron (self-professed ex-atheist, actor and minister), and many other famous skeptics and atheists.

How Long is Forever?

When I was a little boy, I had heard that when we die, we will either spend eternity in heaven or in hell. Well, I had wondered how long forever was. So, I asked my Dad. Of course, my Dad knew everything and always had an answer for me. I asked him, "Dad, how long is forever?" What my told me astounded me. This is what he told me:

Imagine a solid marble block that is sitting in a field. It's size is 1 mile high, 1 mile wide and 1 mile in length. Every 1000 years, a sparrow would fly by and scrap its beak against the marble block just once. After the block is wittled away down to the size of a grain of sand, that is one second of eternity.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end (NLT)."

A False Prophet ~ William Marrion Branham: 1909-1965

Matthew 24:24 - For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Bio:
Founding Date: Branham's Healing Ministry began May 1946.
Official Publications: The Voice of God Recordings, Inc. (formerly Spoken Word Publications), produces numerous books, tapes, and tracts - mostly the messages of Branham.
Organization Structure: The William Branham Evangelistic Association; Branham Tabernacle; the Voice of God Recordings, Inc. About 100 small groups meet worldwide, but there is no official association of churches.
Unique Terms: Laodicean Church Age, Seventh Angel's message, Mark of the Beast.

Branham’s Garden of Eden ~
"Here is what actually happened in the Garden of Eden. The Word says that the serpent beguiled Eve. She was actually seduced by the serpent. He was as close to being a human that his seed could, and did mingle with that of the woman and cause her to conceive" (William Branham, The Original Sin, pp. 2, 3)
William Branham said that Eve's sin involved sexual relations with the serpent, but the "seed of God" were Branham's followers, otherwise known as "the Bride" or "the New Breed" (The Toronto Blessing, Stephen Sizer, 1990)

Branham also claimed God revealed to him a complex doctrine known as "serpent’s seed”. In a nutshell, Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden was not eating a fruit but having a sexual relationship with the serpent. Before the fall, the serpent "was somewhat in between a chimpanzee and a man, but closer to a man." Satan entered the serpent and seduced Eve. Thus, Cain was begotten by Satan not Adam.
At the same time, there is also a "seed of God”, a lineage of people irrevocably predestined for salvation. This group is the true Bride of Christ. They are predestined to hear and receive the "message" of Brother Branham.

Furthermore, there is a middle category of humans who are neither the seed of God nor the serpent’s seed. They are not predestined at all but are saved or damned by their own choices. Branham taught that the vast majority of the traditional Church is in this category. Those Christians who reject Branham’s message will suffer through the Great Tribulation when it arrives; whereas the Bride will be raptured off the earth before the Tribulation begins

Biblical Response for Garden of Eden~
The Serpent's Seed doctrine is an improper interpretation of Genesis 3 that is allegorical and arbitrary. Eve's sin was not sexual. She partook of literal fruit from a literal tree. Adam also partook of the same fruit as Eve (Genesis 3:6). This is not a reference to sexual sin. The Serpent's Seed doctrine artificially limits the atonement by race or genetics. While it is true that most of humanity will not benefit from the sacrificial death of Christ (Matthew 7:13-14), Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). Christ's atonement is not limited to a certain family or race of people. The Serpent's Seed doctrine did not originate with Branham. Branham's version of the doctrine parallels the racist views of some groups within the Identity movement and the speculative philosophies of Sun Myung Moon.

Branham’s Baptism’s~
William Branham insisted, "Believers baptized by a Trinitarian formula must be re-baptized in the name of Jesus only”. (Burgess and McGee, Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, 95-96)
"Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are offices of one God. He was the Father; He was the Son; He is the Holy Ghost. It's three offices or three dispensations..." (William Branham, Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, p. 392). (This view of the Godhead is called Modalism and has been held to be heretical by both Catholic and Protestant churches.)

Biblical Response for Baptism~
Baptism in the name of Jesus only may have been the early practice in the Jerusalem church. However, all manuscripts of Matthew 28:19 have the Trinitarian formula as being commissioned by Jesus. One document, dating from A.D. 60, the Didache, prescribes the Matthew formula (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) for baptism within the church. Regardless of the formula, baptism is not a requirement for being raptured or avoiding the Tribulation. Full salvation is by grace though faith and not of works such as baptism (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Scripture that verify the Trinitarian Baptism:
Matthew 28:19 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Branham’s Trinitarianism~
Branham explained, "...not one place in the Bible is trinity ever mentioned...It's Catholic error and you Protestants bow to it" (William Branham, Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, p. 182)
William Branham said the doctrine of the Trinity is "a doctrine of demons" (The Toronto Blessing, Stephen Sizer, 1990)

"Now my precious brothers - I know this is a tape also. Now don't get excited. Let me say this with Godly love. The hours approached where I can't hold still on these things no more... Trinitarianism is of the devil. I tell you that - Thus saith the Lord." (William Branham, Footprints on the Sands of Time: The autobiography of William Marrion Branham, Part Two (Jeffersonville, IN: Spoken Word Publications, 1975), 606-7.)

"Why don't you examine your baptism of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and that false 'trinity' it's so-called..." (William Braham, "Revelation Chapter Four #3 (Throne of Mercy and Judgment)" (Voice of God Recordings, Inc., 1961, audio tape #61-0108, side 2).

Biblical Response to the Trinity~
The Trinity doctrine cannot be fully comprehended by finite man. However, any other view of the Godhead will not satisfy God's self-revelation in Scripture. Modalism teaches that there is only one Person in the Godhead functioning through relational "modes”. When He is in the Father mode, the Son and Spirit modes are not functional. In Matthew 3:13-17, however, the Son is baptized, the Spirit descends, and the Father speaks. In addition, "in the name of" (Matthew 28:19) or in the authority of does not limit the nature of God's unity to one Person but connotes equality of essence within the Godhead (2 Corinthians 13:14).

For more proof of the distinct entities of God:
John 5:26 - For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
John 8:18 - I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
1 John 2:23 - Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

Branham’s Prophecies
When Branham was baptizing 130 converts in the Ohio River, (allegedly) a heavenly light, like a blazing star, appeared above him just as he was about to baptize the seventeenth person ... it has also been reported that a voice spoke from within the light, saying, "As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming of the Lord, so you are sent to forerun His second coming..." (The Enigma of William Branham, Andrew Strom)

William Branham falsely prophesied: "that by 1977 all denominations would be consumed by the World Council of Churches under the control of the Roman Catholics, that the rapture would take place, and that the world would be destroyed." (Burgess and McGee, Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, 96)
By the 1960's, Branham had clearly become convinced that he was the end-times "Elijah" and the true "Messenger of the Covenant". (The Enigma of William Branham, Andrew Strom)

It was (later in his ministry) that Branham began to gradually withdraw into his own little circle, where he had an adoring and loyal following. (Essentially this circle was made up of "Oneness" or 'Jesus-Only' Pentecostals). Instead of his previous unwillingness to speak about contentious or divisive 'minor' issues, he now gradually began to emphasize such things increasingly, in his preaching. Slowly, these teachings became ever-more alarming and extreme. (The Enigma of William Branham, Andrew Strom)
Branham taught that the Word of God was given in three forms, the zodiac, the Egyptian pyramids, and the written scripture. (Al Dager, Vengeance is Ours, Sword, Page 59)

Years ago (William Branham) told his interpreter, Pastor Ruff, "If my angel does not give the sign, I cannot heal”. Ruff noticed several features of spiritism in the work of Branham, and therefore stopped working with him. The "angels" of whom Edwards and Branham spoke of, are evil spirits masquerading as angels of light. As in many areas of the occult, we are here reminded again that the devil appears as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). More evidence is the fact that neither Edwards nor Branham were able to perform cures when faced with born-again Christians who had committed themselves to the protection of Christ. In the case of Branham, I have experienced this myself. When he spoke in Karlsruhe and Lausanne, there were several believers among the audience -- including myself -- who prayed along these lines: "Lord, if this man's powers are from You, then bless and use him, but if the healing gifts are not from You, then hinder him." The result? On both occasions, Branham said from the platform, "There are disturbing powers here. I can do nothing." (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, 1978, p. 235)

"The most remarkable "messiah" at (the time of the writing of this book) ... is to be found at camp Manujothi Ashram in the desert in South India. It is the extreme American evangelist, William Branham, whom Christians have to thank for this false messiah. His name is Paluser Lawrie Mathukrishna. When Branham was on (a) tour of India, Brother Lawrie became a disciple of his, and Branham described him as the "Son of God" and "Christ returned". This is a very curious situation. Why would the "Son of God" and "Christ returned" be the disciple of a man like Branham? Shouldn't it have been the other way around? On the other hand, maybe it was. Perhaps this is an important connection between Hinduism and Kundalini and the modern "counterfeit" revival. Perhaps this is where Branham, one of the fathers of the Third Wave movement, picked up the ability to pass along Kundalini-type manifestations. Perhaps this is where he picked up a demonic spirit, because it is "reported that towards the end, some of his teachings almost bordered on the occult." (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, 1978, p. 66; comments by Sandy Simpson, 1997; The Enigma Of William Branham, Andrew Strom)

William Branham reported that in May 1946, God led him to a secret cave in Indiana, "which no man can find," where he met an angel who told him God had commissioned him to carry the message of divine healing to the world. The angel said that if Branham would be sincere and could convince the people to believe in him, nothing would be able to stand before his prayers, "not even cancer”. Branham would be given two supernatural signs: first, the power to diagnose diseases through physical changes in his left hand; and second, the ability to tell the secret thoughts and deeds of people. If the first sign did not convince people God was at work, the second sign would. Branham’s public ministry began that same month and spread like wildfire across the United States. The angel from the cave accompanied Branham onstage during the healing services. This angel also directed Branham in other ways, sometimes telling him to cancel scheduled meetings. It is widely reported that many remarkable physical healings occurred at his services. David Harrell, premier chronicler of the healing and charismatic revivals of the forties and beyond, agrees, "The power of a Branham service … remains a legend unparalleled in the history of the charismatic movement”.

Ever since, there always has been a race of people whose ultimate ancestor is Satan. When Jesus told the Jews in John 8:44, "You are of your father the Devil”, He was speaking literally. These descendants of Satan never can be saved because they are the "seed of the serpent”.

Branham's claims to be able to "call things into existence" included a claim at one point that a number of one-dollar bills in his pocket were miraculously changed into twenty-dollar bills. One would have to wonder why Branham would have then ever needed to accept offerings from followers--He could have just made "spiritual counterfeit" money any time he needed it!

To date, William Branham's body is still in the grave. However, his occult methodology of healing was picked up by hundreds of pastors and teachers upon whom he had laid his hands and who have traded on it to a greater or lesser degree. (Al Dager, Vengeance is Ours, Sword)
When Branham died in 1965 from injuries received in an automobile accident, many of his followers expected him to be resurrected within three days. He was not.

Biblical Response to Prophecy!
In light of claims that Branham was God's end-time prophet, it is significant that he falsely predicted that America would be destroyed in 1977 (The Seven Church Ages, p. 322). Branham was guilty of false prophecy (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). While he tried to call it a prediction rather than a prophecy (without explaining the difference), he firmly stressed that the 1977 date was based on his thirty-year study of the Bible and "Divine inspiration”. Branham's ministry and claims were supported by alleged supernatural verification. Signs and wonders, however, are not infallible proofs. Many conflicting sects and ideologies boast similar subjective "proofs" (2 Thessalonians 2:9, Matthew 12:39, 24:24, Hebrews 1:1, I John 4:1-3).

2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears

Titus 2:1 - But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine:

Reference Sources:
http://www.discernment.org/precedin.htm
http://www.isitso.org/guide/zbran.html
http://www.watchman.org/profile/branpro.htm
http://www.cephasministry.com/william_branham.html

Some Things in the Church Should Not Televised or Filmed

1 Corinthians 14:22-23 "So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting and hear everyone talking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy (NLT)."











1 Corinthians 14:26-28 "When you meet, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in an unknown language, while another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must be useful to all and build them up in the Lord. No more than two or three should speak in an unknown language. They must speak one at a time, and someone must be ready to interpret what they are saying. But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately (NLT)."

Did Jesus rise "on" or "after" the 3rd day?

Jesus ~ "...and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mark 8:31) and (Matt. 28:63) versus Paul--"and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:4). Did Jesus rise on or after the 3rd day?

The author of this question is playing a game of “let’s play Straw Man, so I can knock it down!” The questioning author is really stretching the words and reaching deep to grasp something tangible to try and discredit the Bible. Whether it is stated as "after" three days, "on" three days or "in" three days is purely rhetorical and can all be explained with the proper perspective; context, context and context.

When Jesus says, "after" three days, he is using the Greek word "meta" (Strong's #3326). Meta is translated as "after" in Mark 8:31 and is a primary preposition, often used adverbially. The prepositional use of the word "after" in this verse is used in the context of meaning "subsequent to and in view of" three days. Meta is also translated as the English word "with" in other verses and is used as "after" in others. The word "after" is used as a function word to indicate the object of a stated or implied action. In other words, within or in the time frame of three days, Jesus will rise again!

Mark 8:31 and Matthew 28:63 are not the only times Jesus mentions his time spent in the grave.
• In Matthew 12:40 Jesus says, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man [Jesus] will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
• In Matthew 26:61 Jesus says, "I am able to destroy the Temple of God and rebuild it in three days" (Jesus was referring to His body; John 2:21).

In Mark 8:31 Jesus said that he would rise three days after he was killed, was he mistaken, lying or confused? No, in fact from a Hebrew perspective, he did rise three days after he was crucified upon the cross. According to Mark chapter 15, Jesus died sometime after 3:00 pm but before sundown. The Hebrew day starts at around 6:00 pm (or sunset) and goes until about 6:00 am (sunrise). The Pharisees wanted Jesus to die before the sun was to set on the Sabbath because they didn't want to be guilty of breaking the Sabbath Law which states you must not kill or work on the Sabbath (Mark 15:42). If Jesus had lived until after sunset, then the Pharisees would be guilty.

In Mark 16:1 it states that after the Sabbath ended the following "evening," (Saturday) Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary, mother of James went out to buy embalming spices. Then in Mark 16:2 it says that early the next morning, "just at sunrise," (which is actually just after sunrise; when the sun is rising) the women went to the tomb where Jesus was laid.

So, Jesus died on Friday (the first day) before the Sabbath, which started at sunset. The following day, which was Saturday (the second day), after the Sabbath was over in the evening (after sunset), the women bought embalming spices. Then "just at sunrise," which would be the beginning of the third day, and then women went to the tomb and found that Jesus was not there. The women carried the spices to the tomb "at sunrise" and arrived at the tomb "after sunrise" (the third day). Jesus obviously rose from the grave "just at sunrise" between the time that the women left to go to the tomb and just before they arrived at the tomb, which would indeed be the third day!

From a Gentile point of view, Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday, which is simply three days. He died on Friday and rose on Sunday; that's three days. From a Hebrew perspective, Jesus died on the day before Friday and rose from the grave at the beginning of the third day; that's still three days. Just because a translation says that Jesus rose "after" three days doesn't mean that Jesus was buried for four days does it? No, in this context and the Greek word that was written in it common use, it would have to simply mean "at," "in" or "on" three days.

Therefore, when Paul wrote that Jesus rose again the third day, He was correct. When Jesus said that He would rise after three days, he was correct. This is not rocket science, just a little extra time spent in bible study.

There is no contradiction.

Giving it to Jesus - We Reap What We Sow

What does it really mean when we quote the principle, “we reap what we sow?” Does it mean that if we don’t tithe, that our finances will be cursed? Does it mean that if we do not give money to our church that God will not bless us? Does it mean that if we do not tithe that we should be kicked out of a ministry in the church?

“No,” is the answer to all of these questions. In fact, Jesus and Paul taught just the opposite. “Reaping what you sow” has nothing to do with money; and everything to do with giving. We Christians are blessed by having faith in Jesus Christ, not by tithing (Galatians 3:14).

In Galatians 6:7 Paul says, “You will always reap what you sow!” Paul is NOT referring to money or an expectation of a blessing because of tithing. In fact, he is referring to freely giving with purpose and with a cheerful heart. The giving, in the context of this story was referring to the Christians in Jerusalem. What will we reap? What will we sow? The answers for that came later.

Paul was collecting a financial gift for the poor in Jerusalem. However, I must note, these poor people were not just any poor people of the community but in fact were the poor Christians in the church of Jerusalem. In other words, when you give to the poor who are in Christ, you are giving to Christ Himself. What do I mean when I say “when you give to the poor who are in Christ, you are giving to Christ Himself?” Keep reading and you will find out.

What I mean is; that the same principle of giving to Christ is applied when Saul encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Jesus asked him, “Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting me?” Was Saul physically persecuting Jesus? No, not physically. However, Saul was persecuting and killing Christians. When you persecute a Christian, you persecute Jesus Himself! When you give to the poor who are in Christ, you are giving to Christ Himself. How do I know that when you give to the poor who are in Christ, that you are giving to Christ Himself? Look at Matthew 25:45.

In Matthew 25:45 Jesus said, “I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters; you were refusing to help me (NLT).” Who are the least of Jesus’ brethren? It is the poor! It is those Christians who are hungry, thirsty, in need of shelter, without clothing and sick in prison. Evidently, these brothers and sisters of whom Jesus was referring to are our fellow brothers and sister in Christ. When people neglect the poor, they neglect Jesus. We must help and give the poor Christians in our churches because when we do, we give to Jesus. Furthermore, we show God our love for Him by caring for other Christians and give generously to others in need (Hebrew 13:16; Ephesians 4:28).

The Bible is full of verses concerning the assistance, help and giving of alms to Christians we are poor. In James 2:15 he writes, “Suppose you see a brother or sister who needs food or clothing, and you say, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? (NLT)” The aging apostle John writes in 1 John 3:17 saying, “If anyone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need and refuses to help—how can God’s love be in that person? (NLT)” Are you refusing to help those Christians in need?

So, what happens when we take our gifts to those who need them? What is the result? Paul says that “two good things will happen; the needs of the Christians in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:12, NLT).”

I hate to “beat a dead horse,” but I feel it is important to repeat this important standard for those who cannot see it plainly.
• When you persecute a Christian, you persecute Jesus Himself (Acts 9:4).
• When you give to the poor who are in Christ, you are giving to Christ Himself.
• When you refuse to help the least of Christians, you were refusing to help Jesus (Matthew 25:45).

How much more plain and simple can it get?

The very same principle of giving to the poor by “we reap what we sow” is reiterated in 2 Corinthians 9:6 which says, “A farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” Again, Paul is not referring to a mandated tithe but is in fact suggesting that Christians “must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give.” Paul says, “Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.” If you are being guilt tripped into tithing to your church as if you were under the Law, then you cannot give freely with a cheerful heart! If you think you are giving freely to a church when a church’s core values demand it, then you are deceiving yourselves. You are giving out of repetition, pressure and habit; and it becomes meaningless to God because its no longer a heart issue but a religious issue.

Let’s put in other terms; again Paul is specifically referring to the subject of “reaping what you sow” in 2 Corinthians 9:10 which states, “For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you (NLT).”

This what it means when we say that “we reap what we sow.” If you do nothing with the opportunities that God has given you; then you cannot expect to reap an abundance of generosity [liberality] within you. And, without the liberality within you, how can you be a blessing to others so that you may please God?

Hebrews 13:16 “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God (NLT).”

What is the harvest? What will you reap? It’s so plain in Scripture! The harvest you reap is not riches and wealth; it is a “harvest of generosity in you!” We do not reap benefits of wealth, treasures and earthly riches because we tithe! The reason that many people can testify that tithing works is because they are usually the ones who are very discipline in their spending, budgeting and saving. Thus, as a result, they usually have more money to do with later; but that doesn’t negate the fact that we are blessed by having faith in Christ and not because of tithing faithfully every week.

What is the sowing? How can we sow? The Scriptures plainly teach that sowing is the “opportunities to do good.” What you do or do not do with the “opportunities to do good,” depends upon what you will receive in return.

Speaking of earthly wealth and riches, Jesus said, “everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will have eternal life (Matthew 19:29, NLT).” Are you willing to become poor for the sake of Jesus? Did Jesus promise a hundred times as much in earthly wealth and riches?

No, but he did say that we will receive riches, but our treasures will be in heaven. Jesus affirms this when he said, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me (Matthew 19:21, NLT).” Did Jesus say that if you want to be perfect, give ten percent to your church and you will receive wealth a hundred-fold? No, He said, “sell all you have and give the money to the poor!” In fact, doesn’t the bible say, “It is more blessed to give than to receive? (Acts 20:33, NLT).” So, give to the poor and not be bothered by the rich people in the world. I’m not saying that rich people do not need Jesus; they do.

However, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth; it is very hard for a rich person to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. I say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:23-24, NLT).” Why would anybody teach prosperity from tithing when Jesus said that its practically impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven? We are not to seek riches, but if we have been blessed with them, then we should share it with others (Romans 12:8). Even Paul said, “We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything (2 Corinthians 6:10, NLT).” You see? Riches in God’s kingdom are not material wealth, but a spiritual matter.

Therefore, when we [Christians who have been blessed financially] give a gift of financial support to the poor Christians in the church, “you will be glorifying God through your generous gifts. For your generosity to them will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you (2 Corinthians 9:13-14, NLT).”

If your church is helping the poor in the community and refusing to help the poor Christians in the church, then there’s something just not right about that. If we are not to place precedence upon the poor and un-churched in our community and therefore put the poor Christian’s as our first priority, then what are we supposed to do for the poor in our community? What did Jesus say? What did Paul say?

“Hasn’t God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith? Aren’t they the ones who will inherit the kingdom God promised to those who love him? (James 2:5, NLT)” Jesus said that He came to preach to the poor (Luke 4:18; 7:22) and preach to the poor the church must do. When the poor of the world accept Christ, then we should accept them and share what we have with them so they will not do without, for the sake of Christ.

1 John 3:18-20 “Dear children, let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything (NLT).”

The Truth About the Widow's Gift - Part 1 & 2

Mark 12:41-44 "Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything-all she had to live on (NIV)."

Mark 12:38-40 "As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely (NIV)."

Ex 22:22 - "Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan (NIV)."

Deuteronomy 14:28-29 "At the end of every three years, bring all the tithes of that year's produce and store it in your towns, 29 so that the Levites (who have no allotment or inheritance of their own) and the aliens, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, and so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands (NIV)."

Deuteronomy 16:13-15 “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. 14 And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. 15 Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice.

Deut 24:19 - "When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, ..... (NIV)

Isa 10:1-2 "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, 2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless (NIV)."

Mal 3:5 - "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty (NIV)."

"Yes, Jesus did say that the poor widow '... put more into the treasury than all the others ...' but she is NOT the model for poor people to imitate. As believers we are NOT supposed to have the secret boast 'I put in more than the rich folks'. Am I clear yet? Don't do what the poor widow did unless God talks to you personally and tells you to do it. God wants to speak to you directly about what to do with your money and everything else about your life.

When you understand what God wants you to do, you will notice a couple of things:
1. You won't feel guilty about the amount you give.
2. You won't feel guilty about the amount you are not able to give.
3. You won't feel like you are more special to God because you can 'tithe'.
4. You won't feel less special to God because you can't 'tithe'.
5. You won't try to make up for not 'tithing' your money by 'tithing' your time, making knitted socks, singing in the choir, driving the church bus, shoveling snow or anything else." (http://www.nomoretithing.org/nmt_truth_widow.htm)

The Truth About the Widow's Gift - Part 2



Source: http://www.nomoretithing.org/index.html

The Tithe of Abram

Please open your Bible to Genesis 14:1-24 and Hebrews 7:2-6 and follow along. To fully understand the context below, please read the above verses fully to make it easier to follow.

Here we have the story of how Abram went to retrieve his nephew Lot from King Kedorlaomer of Elam. Here are the hard, cold facts that are mentioned in this story from Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7:2-6.

1. The four kings stole “all” the goods and food from Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 14:11).
2. The four kings took Lot and “all” his goods (Genesis 14:12).
3. Abram did not go alone but he went along with his servants of 318 plus Abram’s allies and their men (Genesis 14:13).
4. The king of Sodom was the first to meet Abram after his victory over the four kings (Genesis 14:17).
5. The king of Salem was with the king of Sodom along with other kings (Genesis 14:17).
6. This is the first mention of the king of Salem’s name, which is called Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18).
7. Melchizedek was the first to bring “forth bread and wine (Genesis 14:18).”
8. Melchizedek was the priest of the most high God (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:2).
9. Melchizedek was a king and a priest (Genesis 14:18).
10. Melchizedek was the first to bless Abram (Genesis 14:19; Hebrews 7:2).
11. As a response, Abram blessed God and gave a tenth of the spoils of war to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20; Hebrews 7:2,4).
12. Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of “all” that he stole from the four kings (Genesis 14:20; Hebrews 7:2).
13. Abram gave everything back to the king of Sodom what was his (Genesis 14:21-23).

A few things we can make notice of:
1. The king of Sodom apparently thought it would be acceptable for Abram to keep all the goods and valuables for himself. It’s reasonable to conclude that it must have been customary in that time and place to keep what you take from your enemies (Genesis 14:21).
2. Abram told the king of Sodom about the vow that he had previously taken (Genesis 14:22-24).
3. Abram had already decided that he personally was not going to accept anything at all from the king of Sodom (Genesis 14:22-24).
4. Abram didn't consider the booty to be his own possessions but gave Melchizedek a tenth of the spoils anyway (Genesis 14:23).
5. Abram insisted that his associates get the portion they deserved (Genesis 14:24).

Why did Melchizedek bless Abram? Because he recognized that Abram's victory was because God had “delivered thine enemies into thy hand (Genesis 14:20).” In other words, Melchizedek’s enemies were the four kings who stole from him. Melchizedek blessed Abram because he took the initiative to go out and retrieve his nephew and while he was there, Abram took back the stolen goods that were taken from Melchizedek and the other kings.

Some things to reflect on:
1. Abram was not under the Law of Moses; it hadn’t been given to Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.
2. This tithe story with Abram was a one-time event. Never does the Bible mention that Abram ever tithed again after this event.
3. There is no evidence that Abraham tithed on his personal possessions to anyone at any time.
4. Abram's contribution to Melchizedek was a free will gift.
5. There’s no evidence in this story to suggest that God wanted Abram to set a standard for the New Testament church to follow.
6. Abram did not tithe his way into prosperity. Abram and Lot both were both already prosperous before Abram gave a tenth to Melchizedek.
7. The tenth or tithe in this story was a part of what Abram had at the time of his meeting with Melchizedek.
8. There is no evidence in this story of the tithe as being a customary part of Abram's regular giving.
9. This tithe of Abram’s was not a part of everything that Abram owned.
10. There’s no evidence from this story to suggest that tithing brings prosperity or that God will bless you a hundred-fold in return for your tithe.
11. Abram's tithe to Melchizedek did not come from money, gold or other reserves that Abram claimed for himself. In other words, he gave a tenth of other people’s possessions. His personal valuables were safely at home.
12. In this occurrence, the priest of the most high God [Melchizedek] did not give a sermon to Abram about how much he should give. Melchizedek merely jogged Abram’s memory in order to remind him that God gave him the victory.
13. There’s no evidence that this event was commanded by God. On the other hand, it seems likely this event was a result of a local custom of tithing on war booty to a local king.
14. There is no evidence in this story that God intended the work of the Church to be funded in the same way the Levite Priests were; if so, we must conclude that it should be done the same way.

Sadly, many of today’s churches still believe that we have to somehow pay our way or earn God's blessings by tithing or by sowing. I’m not saying that “you reap what you sow” isn’t a great principle; it is. However, you can’t use that verse for tithing because the correct context is not in line with the truths of Scripture. I’m merely saying that according to the truth found in Galatians 3:14, Christian’s receive God's blessing in their lives by having faith in Jesus Christ, not because they tithe. We do not receive or should we expect blessings from God by tithing or sowing; we should have faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 3:14 – “Through the work of Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, and we Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith (NLT)."

When an honest person really examines the story objectively and the point of it, one must realize that the tithe of Abram to Melchizedek is not a very good example or pattern for us to follow when tithing. Alternatively, it’s a better illustration on how to give a freewill gift. In contrast to tithing, Abram's tenth is an excellent example of what Paul wrote about in the New Testament concerning the free-will giving to the poor Christians in Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 9:6-7).

Bear in mind, Abram was not under any obligation or any Law to give any particular amount to Melchizedek. Abram was free to do anything he desired and he decided on his own heart to give a tenth of wasn’t even his to give. Abram could have decided to give a fifth or even a third to Melchizedek if he chose to. The amount given is not significant; it’s the motivation behind the gift that is of most important.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure; For God loves the person who gives cheerfully (NLT).”

Commit this to your memory: Abram decided on his own heart how much he wanted to give Melchizedek. He wasn’t forced, pressured, convicted, made guilty or preached to about giving. And just like Abram and according to Paul, Christians should decide for themselves how much they want to give. Instead, we should encourage "abundant, cheerful, as you have been prospered and have purposed in your heart type of giving."

Some other things we should bear in mind about the doctrine of tithing is that the Mosaic tithes that were implemented under the Law were always edible and from the crops and flocks. Malachi 3:10 says, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house (NKJV).” Do you think that Christians should support the work of the Church by bringing in buckets of apples, peanuts, grapes, goats and cattle? Only those occupations that grew crops or owned cattle were tithers under the Mosaic Law!

Please, allow me add, "The tithe originated in pagan lands alongside idol worship, child sacrifices and temple prostitution. Merely being very old and very common does not make something eternal or moral. Nothing Abraham did concerning tithing is practiced today: (1) only pagan spoils of war, (2) only once, (3) not from his own property, (4) he kept nothing and (5) gave the 90% to the king of Sodom. His tithe does not qualify as a holy tithe under the Law (Russell Earl Kelly, Ph. D.)."


As a result, we can conclude that Jesus did not tithe because he was a carpenter. If Jesus did tithe, He would not be following the Law and would be guilty of breaking it. Peter did not tithe because he was a fisherman. Furthermore, Paul did not tithe because he was a tent maker. No where in the New Testament does any apostle, disciple or prophet mention the approval of or chastisement of not tithing.

Biblical Doctrine

Colossians 1:28 - "So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ (NLT)."

What is doctrine? Basically, doctrine is simply a teaching or instruction based upon understanding of the Scriptures. Furthermore, theological doctrine is God's revelation of truth as found in the Holy Scriptures. Most established churches have a certain standard of doctrinal beliefs and teachings that they profess as being based upon their understanding of God's Word.

Why is it important to believe the bible and what is God's purpose for having it available to us? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work (NLT)."

As Christians we should hunger after God's Word and desire to go deep into the mind and heart of God. Are you merely satisfied with your first initial salvation experience? 1 Peter 2:2-3 "Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness (NLT)."

It is important for the individual Christian to be in agreement with the certain doctrines of their church in order to maintain harmony among the believers. If you do not agree with your churches foundational doctrines, you should probably go find a church that agrees with your set of beliefs. Of course, you may not find a church that completely agrees with you in every area of the bible, but you just may have to deal with the next best thing.

Here is a good saying; Fundamental truths form our biblical doctrine. Why is it important to discover God's truths for ourselves?

Ephesians 4:14-15 "Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church (NLT)."

What we believe about God has everything to do with our relationship with Him. So, what shall we do with this information?

Paul encourages Timothy by saying, "focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them." "Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you (1 Timothy 4:13-16, NLT)."

2 Timothy 2:15 "Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth (NLT)."

Today, most Christians are not aware of how easily they can be fooled into believing things that are not Scripturally founded on truth. There are multiple warnings in the bible about false teachers, false prophets, false Christs, false doctrines and false Christians. Don't just fall for any set of beliefs or any "new" ones.

Jesus said we should be "shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves." You should be encouraged and firm in your faith. Peter warns believers in 2 Peter 3:18 saying, "I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people (those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his [Paul] letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture, 2 Peter 3:16) and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (NLT)."

Moreover, Paul confirms Peter's warnings in 2 Timothy 3:13 saying, "evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived (NLT)." In Matthew 7:15 Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves (NLT)." In Romans 16:17 Paul advises, "Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you [Roman Christians] have been taught. Stay away from them (NLT)." The writer of Hebrews 13:9 says, "do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them (NLT)."

This idea of false teachings can be summerizes in the phrase, "If you cannot find it in God's Word, then its not of God."

Here's a few questions I have:

• Who determines false doctrine?
• By what authority do they have to judge doctrines?
• By what standards does one interpret false doctrine?
• Has an established church ever changed its foundational doctrines based upon in depth studies?

2 Corinthians 4:2-6 - An Expository

2 Corinthians 4:2-6 “We do not perform shameful things that must be kept secret. Moreover, we do not try to fool anyone or twist God’s message around. God is our witness that we only speak the truth, so others will be sure that we can be trusted. If there is anything hidden about our message, it is hidden only to someone who is lost. The god who rules this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers. They cannot see the light, which is the good news about our glorious Christ, who shows us what God is like. We are not preaching about ourselves. Our message is that Jesus Christ is Lord. He also sent us to be your servants. The scriptures say, “God commanded the light to shine in the dark.”[Gen 1:3] Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ.” (Contemporary English Version)

The Bible clearly states that Satan, which is the god and ruler of this world, has blinded the minds of those who do not believe in Jesus Christ as the messiah and they CANNOT SEE the reality of the “Good News” of salvation, even though the truth of the message is taught PLAINLY. The enemy, Satan, only has two weapons that are used to blind and deceive unbelievers, the first are lies; mixed with some half-truths and secondly, is fear. Nevertheless, in a metaphorically way of speaking, the light can be shining into their darkness, but when a person is blind to the truth, they CANNOT SEE even though there is light all around. It is not that there is no light; it is that the sightless person just CANNOT SEE it.

The blinded person cannot tell the light from the darkness, and he distinguishes the light as foolishness or fantasy because he is unable to see it PLAINLY as believers of the word of God do. The “eyes of their hearts” are closed to the light of truth. The skeptic may view the message of truth to be illogical and to be used as a “crutch” for those who are weak in spirit. However, this fact of the bible can be applied to anything that Satan does not want the unbeliever to see, such as the inerrancy of the bible or the sowing of the seed of truth spoken to someone from a believer. In spite of everything, the light of the Gospel does not make any sense to the unbeliever.

Here are some questions one might ask about this subject:

• How does the unbeliever come to the light?
• How does one escape from the darkness?
• How does a person help to open the eyes of an unbeliever?
• Do people really want to see the light?

Unfortunately, Atheists, Pagans, Wiccans, Satanists, Occultists, and other skeptics will continue to laugh and make jokes about the Bible, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and other Judeo-Christian beliefs. They have fallen into the bondage of Satan’s snare of disbelief and sin hungry nature of lust and glorification of the dead. They have no desire for righteousness in their hearts. I wouldn’t be surprised if Satan closes “the eyes of their hearts” with this message as well.

My prayer is that whoever would read this and believe, would come to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and be saved. If you desire to have your eyes opened to the truth of the Word of God, then ask and you shall recive it!

The Truth about Tithing for the Modern Christian Church

1. The Tithe is Illegal (http://www.tentmaker.org/books/TheTitheisIllegal.html) - "I am going to make a statement that will probably shock many Christians who have been in church for a long period of time and feel they know the Bible pretty well. I hope this statement encourages the reader to "see for themselves" that this statement is 100 per cent Biblically true. My hope is that when we see how far off Scriptural ground we have come in such basic Christian teachings as giving, we will renew our desire to study to "show ourselves approved." Here is the statement: The tithe as taught by most Christian denominations as being 10 per cent of gross or net income is not contained on the pages of Bible."
2. The Tithe (http://www.acts17-11.com/dialogs_tithe.html - "The tithe is perhaps one of the most artificially twisted doctrines in the modern church. In fact, I detect a minor conspiracy. As evidence of this, please note that you will not find Deut 14:22 and the rest of the chapter--the largest single text in scripture concerning the tithe and its formal definition (it is even so headed in many versions)--in most Bible concordances. I have checked a dozen or so Bibles around the house here, and not one of them has this text listed under "tithe."
3. Are You Tithing? (http://www.letusreason.org/Wf34.htm) - "Nowhere does Paul or any other apostle mention a required amount. On the other hand, Israel was under the law, being a theocratic nation they were obligated to tithe. Jesus had kept the law before He was crucified, for this reason Jesus had Peter pay the temple tax (Matthew 17:24). After Jesus was crucified the New Covenant began and the Old was finished (Heb.8:7,13). New Testament Christians were NEVER under the Old covenant law? One cannot conclude tithing is required under the New Covenant the same as the Lord's Supper and Baptism. Not once does any epistle contain any admonitions or a rebuke for failing to tithe. The necessity of giving is mentioned but only with the right attitude, to help and support others. You do not have to tithe to have God's blessing, in fact, those who are well off are asked to give away their things away when necessary. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:17-19)."
4. Tithing is Unscriptural Under the New Covenant (http://www.bible-truths.com/tithing.html) - "Will a man ROB God?" How many untold tens of thousands of men will give account one day for teaching this verse in Malachi 3:8 totally out of context for their own sordid gain. I couldn’t count the times I have heard self-appointed ministers of the gospel berate their congregations and listeners for "robbing God" in tithes and offerings. This verse in Malachi certainly means what it says. Someone was defrauding God of tithes and offerings, but wait until you find out who it is that God blames for this act."
5. TITHE OF MONEY NOT REQUIRED (http://www.bibleinsight.com/tithing.html) - "This Old Covenant law can carry many benefits for a Christian churchand can be very effective in loosening the pockets of patrons."
6. Tithing: The 10% Rule and the Church (http://www.mtio.com/articles/bissar56.htm) - What can be gathered from the Scriptural witness about tithing for the Church today? To answer this question, it is best to ponder the spirit behind tithing rather than the letter of the law regarding tithing. Tithing should be treated in a manner not unlike the approach we take to the commandment, 'Remember the Sabbath Day.' The church does not follow the letter of the Sabbath law - adhering strictly to Saturday worship, linking one's journeys to less than five-eighths of a mile, or avoiding carrying anything; instead, the Church gets to the spirit of the commandment, urging that all believers devote themselves to the hearing of God's Word. In a similar fashion, the tithing laws cannot be pressed into service to dictate times and percentages, but we can look at the spirit of tithing, remembering that the God behind the tithing laws was the same God that we worship today.

The Order of Creation

• Genesis 1:1-2:3 is the order of creation for "all things."
• Genesis 2:4-2:31 is what happened in the "Garden of Eden" on the sixth day.

The two instances are not the same order of creation. If you were to take the details of the sixth day of creation in Genesis 1:24-31 and open them up, you would see Genesis 2:4-25 fits inside those verses and lets us know what and how things happened inside the garden of Eden when God created man and woman versus the order of all creation.

Didn't you notice that Genesis 2:4-25 tells us nothing of Genesis 1:1-2:3?
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of time, space & matter, Genesis 2 does not. No contradiction here.
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of light, Genesis 2 does not. No contradiction here.
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of the firmament, Genesis 2 does not. No contradiction here.
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of the seas and land, Genesis 2 does not. No contradiction here.
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of "grass," the "herb yielding seed," and the "fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself," no mention of any Garden of Eden. Genesis 2 mentions the "plant of the field" and "herb of the field." No mention of trees in Genesis 2 creation story except the ones God made inside the Garden of Eden and the tree of life in the midst of the Garden. No contradiction here.
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of the sun and moon, Genesis does not. No contradiction here.
· Genesis 1 mentions the creation of "whales," and "every living creature that moveth" and "every winged fowl after his kind," from out of the water. Genesis 2 does not. Genesis 2 mentions that "out of the ground" the LORD God formed "every beast of the field," and "every fowl of the air." Their not even the types of animals here! No contradiction here.
· Must I have to continue?

1. Why is the order different from Genesis 1 and Genesis 2?
2. Why does Genesis 1 not mention the Garden of Eden and Genesis 2 does?
3. Why are some things mentioned in Genesis 1 and not mentioned in Genesis 2?
4. Why do the names of things in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 do not match?
5. Why does the process by which God creates things different between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2?

The reason is NOT because they are the same creation story. It is because there are NOT two creation stories! There is only one creation story, which is Genesis 1:1-2:3. That's it! Done. And on the seventh day, God rested. It is finished! Genesis 2 is a synopsis of what and how things happened inside the garden of Eden on day six of creation.

There is no contradiction.

Free-will Offerings - A Ministry of Giving

What is a free-will offering? A “free-will offering” is “a spontaneous gift (Ex. 35:29), a voluntary sacrifice (Lev. 22:23; Ezra 3:5), as opposed to one in consequence of a vow, or in expiation of some offense.” (http://www.christiananswers.net/dictionary/free-willoffering.html) In the New Testament, I believe most would agree that the free-will offering comes in the form of alms (charity) and beneficence which was done with all liberality.

One of the first and best examples of teaching about giving to the needy and disadvantaged was made by Jesus in Matthew 6:1-4 which states, “Take care! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired, because then you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give a gift to someone in need, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I assure you, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone, don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you (NLT).” Are you calling attention to yourself when you give?

The Apostle Paul mentioned taking up a collection and giving to the needy and the poor in 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 in which he says, “Now about the money being collected for the Christians in Jerusalem: You should follow the same procedures I gave to the churches in Galatia. On every Lord’s Day, each of you should put aside some amount of money in relation to what you have earned and save it for this offering. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. When I come I will write letters of recommendation for the messengers you choose to deliver your gift to Jerusalem. And if it seems appropriate for me also to go along, then we can travel together (NLT).”

Now, if you notice in both of these Scriptures, neither Jesus nor Paul is referring to the tithe or first-fruits. Alternatively, Jesus is referring to “doing good deeds” (beneficence) and alms (charity). Paul is referring to giving to the poor and needy Christians in Jerusalem (alms, charity).

In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul continues on the subject of giving to the poor Christians of Jerusalem in 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 which states, “Now I want to tell you, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done for the churches in Macedonia. Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, their wonderful joy and deep poverty have overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the gracious privilege of sharing in the gift for the Christians in Jerusalem. Best of all, they went beyond our highest hopes, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us for whatever directions God might give them.

So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to complete your share in this ministry of giving. Since you excel in so many ways—you have so much faith, such gifted speakers, such knowledge, such enthusiasm, and such love for us—now I want you to excel also in this gracious ministry of giving. I am not saying you must do it, even though the other churches are eager to do it. This is one way to prove your love is real.

You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though he was very rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
I suggest that you finish what you started a year ago, for you were the first to propose this idea, and you were the first to begin doing something about it. Now you should carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can, according to what you have. If you are really eager to give, it isn’t important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don’t have. Of course, I don’t mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone’s needs will be met. Do you remember what the Scriptures say about this? “Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough (NLT).”

Again, Paul is referring to the liberal giving done by the Christians in Greece to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. In verse 4, Paul says that they gave of their own “free-will.” This is the free-will offering I referred to at the beginning of this message. If you see in verse 6, Titus “encouraged” them in giving to the Christians in Jerusalem. Paul affirms that giving proves that “your love is real (Verse 8).” I wonder how come we don’t see this kind of giving in most of today’s churches.

One of my favorite quotes from Paul is right here, in 2 Corinthians 8:11 Paul writes, “Give whatever you can, according to what you have.” I hate to beat a dead horse, but it’s very obvious that this “offering” is not a tithe or first-fruits but it is a free-will offering given from the Greek Christian's hearts with love for each other. In other words, you can’t give what you don’t have. You should do it because you are willing and able, not because you under the Law or pressured to do so. Regardless of what other people may say, you cannot be a cheerful giver if you are under an obligation to give. Cheerful giving comes from a free heart of love for others and “if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free (John 8:36, NLT)” to give. I know in my own experience, I can only give cheerfully from my heart if I am not pressured or under guilt to give.

Moreover, in 2 Corinthians 9:1-5 Paul says, “I really don’t need to write to you about this gift for the Christians in Jerusalem. For I know how eager you are to help, and I have been boasting to our friends in Macedonia that you Christians in Greece were ready to send an offering a year ago. In fact, it was your enthusiasm that stirred up many of them to begin helping. But I am sending these brothers just to be sure that you really are ready, as I told them you would be, with your money all collected. I don’t want it to turn out that I was wrong in my boasting about you. I would be humiliated—and so would you—if some Macedonian Christians came with me, only to find that you still weren’t ready after all I had told them! So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given under pressure (NLT).”

Speaking of giving under pressure, there’s one verse that gets used when giving a tithe message and it always gets taken out of context. It is 2 Corinthians 9:6, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully (NLT).”

A commentary on these verses from By Jason Hood says, “Paul lays out the principle for giving in verse 6, that we reap what we sow; but he follows this by noting in verse 7 that the gift still must come from our desires. This does not mean that we shouldn’t give if “our heart isn’t in it”. Rather, it means we need to motivate ourselves so that our heart is in it, just as Paul is doing here for the Corinthians (http://www.generousgiving.org/page.asp?sec=9&page=617).” Let me emphasize, this is a principle for giving, not tithing. Tithing is a great principle also, but this is not the time or context to address that issue.

We should be good stewards of our finances in which God has liberally blessed us with. We should be responsible, pay our taxes and pay our bills. Part of being responsible is taking care of your family home life, in which bills (electricity, trash pickup, car note, bus expenses, mortgage or rent) are a part of today’s living in the United States. As a matter of fact, Paul said in 1 Timothy 5:8, “Those who won’t care for their own relatives, especially those living in the same household, have denied what we believe. Such people are worse than unbelievers (NLT).”

As a result of our generous giving, 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 continues with this thought, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “Godly people give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will never be forgotten (NLT).”

Who are we to generously give our money too? When we give to the poor, who are we really giving our money to? Jesus said, “I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” “I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters; you were doing it to me (Matthew 25:35-36, 40).” When we give to poor and needy Christians, we are giving to Jesus. What kind of Christian would deny Christ?

2 Corinthians 9:10-14 says, “For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will break out in thanksgiving to God. So two good things will happen—the needs of the Christians in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanksgiving to God. You will be glorifying God through your generous gifts. For your generosity to them will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ. And they will pray for you with deep affection because of the wonderful grace of God shown through you (NLT).

"It is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life - that is indeed a gift from God (Ecclesiastes 5:19, NLT)."

If we do not pay our bills and otherwise decide to divert our income somewhere else, we are in effect, “robbing Peter to pay Paul.” We are stealing from those whom we owe a debt. I don’t believe God would want Christians to be bad examples to the world by acting irresponsibly. In other words, when I get paid from my job that God has blessed me with, I should be responsible to pay my taxes, pay my debts and take care of my family. “For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you (2 Corinthians 9:10).” If I have been blessed in abundance, then I can be a blessing to others and “a great harvest of generosity” will be produced within us so we are willing and able to give money or needs to the poor. “Yes, you will be enriched so that you can give even more generously. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will break out in thanksgiving to God (2 Corinthians 9:11).” One of the best ways to do this is by giving to your local church that has a network of missionaries and programs that assist the poor and needy in the body of Christ.

I would like to call your attention to the emphasis Paul stresses in all of his letters concerning giving to the poor in Jerusalem. Paul was not taking up an offering for the unbelievers and heathen in the community of Jerusalem. The poor and needy in Jerusalem were Christians bought by the blood of Jesus. I’m not saying that we should neglect the people of the world because they are not Christians. I am saying that by helping other Christians, it brings glory to God our Father and “For your generosity to them will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ (2 Corinthians 9:13, NLT).” A warning by Jesus to those who refuse to help the poor Christians of the church said, “I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me. (Matthew 25:45, NLT).” The poor Christians of the church body should be our priority; in addition, if we are to be like Jesus, we should be a city on a hill, bright and shining and the whole world will see the light of Christ within us.

I love to study the Bible in the proper context because it is true and right; and I believe that we honor our Lord Jesus by being a good readers and examiners of His Word. God’s Spirit should speak truth straight to our hearts as His revelations become clear to us. The reason we should become better readers is because many people do take the bible out of context. They misinterpret, misrepresent ideas and truths based upon their own lust for greed, power, approval, the traditions of men and rudiments of the world. I aim to please God, not man. By not dedicating time to studying God’s Word allows the things of the world to lead us away from a deeper relationship with Christ. It’s not always on purpose that errors are made concerning understanding Scripture; but occasionally, its just simple ignorance. Of course, I occasionally make my own share of mistakes but if I am wrong, I prefer to make efforts to improve and correct them.

It’s obvious; Paul is emphasizing giving free gifts from the heart with great love for our brothers and sisters in Christ without pressure, fear, guilt, the Law or condemnation. This is the new free-will offering of the New Testament. Jesus lived it and Paul preached it. Jesus was a new renegade on the scene of an old Jewish religion that had strict followers of religious traditions. Therefore, regardless of traditions, “don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is (Romans 12:2, NLT).”

The Untouchable in the Ivory Watch Tower

John 21:18 - “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

~ The Untouchable in the Ivory Watch Tower ~

Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there was a good shepherd who had a small flock of twelve sheep that he cared for. The sheep in this flock loved the good shepherd and thought very well of him. The good shepherd loved and taught the sheep a lot of good things. The good shepherd was one who could understand the sheep and their needs. He was like the sheep’s best friend or a family member. He would talk with his sheep to comfort and encouragement them. He would stand on the hill nearby and keep his eye on the sheep to protect them day and night against wolves, lions and bears. He would keep them in folds so they would be familiar with each other. He would sing to them and hold them in his arms to soothe them in times of stress or danger. He counted them daily to see if any had strayed away.

If any sheep were to wander off, the good shepherd would temporarily leave the flock and go search out and find the lost sheep, break their leg and carry them back to the flock on his shoulders. He would carry them until they healed, then set them free back into the flock. Many sheep came to him in times of danger and times to be fed and watered. He would cause the flock to rest and take comfort by the waters. The good shepherd was willing to give his life for his flock and he was a servant to them and the flock loved him. The good shepherd tended to every fold with love and cares for each one. This flock of his had been through many great trials and tribulations for many years.

As time passed, the flock grew and got larger and the good shepherd continued steadfast in his great love and care for all his sheep. He knew them all by his own name that they were given.One day the good shepherd left to go on a journey to another land far away to take care of sheep in another sheepfold. However, before he left for his journey, the good shepherd took one of the wisest of the sheep in the flock and placed him in charge of the other sheep in the flock. This sheep was now the lead sheep and he took over the role of the shepherd and he was to lead the flock as a shepherd.

Many sheep were added to the flock yearly. After some time, the lead sheep took some of the sheep from the flock and appointed them as helpers and they began to take up the slack. The flock grew and was blessed with many, many more sheep. They were willing to give the lead sheep anything he desired from them. As time passed, the lead sheep began to think that he was a real shepherd. The lead sheep began to be filled with pride as the flock grew and he demanded more wool from them to be provided for the shepherd.

It came to pass, the little sheep that was left in charge of the flock, begin to think that he was more important than the sheep he was protecting.There were many other sheep that were rescued from other herds in other lands whose shepherd was abusing and taking advantage of them. Looking for recognition, the helpers thought it would be a good idea to start helping the goats on the land nearby with food and supplies and then eventually, bringing them into the flock, even though the goats had a master of their own. The good shepherd would have never brought goats into the flock but he divides the goats from the sheep and keeps them from the flock.

The helpers that the lead sheep appointed were beginning to resent certain sheep of the fold because of their zealous behavior towards the flock and the lead sheep. The helpers became envious and demanded that they should do all the work and get the glory. Of course, the zealous sheep were not working hard for the glory; they were working hard because they loved the good shepherd. The lead sheep’s helpers demanded more and more from the sheep so they could get the credit and glory. What the lead sheep and helpers didn’t realize is that without the flock, there was no need of a shepherd or helpers. Thus, without the flock, their need or purpose would disappear. Therefore, the flock was more important than the lead sheep or helpers, although the good shepherd would always be the most important of them all. The lead sheep should have come in the role of a servant rather than a king.

The lead sheep’s helpers became resentful of the flock because of the attention that the flock was paying to the lead sheep. The helpers begin to tell lies about the sheep to the lead sheep. As time passed, the lead sheep stopped watching over the flock. The helpers took over the areas of herding and began to "circle the wagons" around the lead sheep. Every time a crucial decision was made about something or about the sheep in the flock, the lead sheep’s helpers would make a decision, leaving the lead sheep out of it and it was final. The helper’s words were conclusive and the lead sheep was ignorant of what was going on. The sheep in the flock had no more opportunities to give freely to the lead sheep or to the good shepherd.One day the helpers conspired to take the lead sheep and place him in a tall ivory watch tower away from the pasture and the sight of the flock. What was meant for good was used for evil.

Thus, under the cover of darkness in the middle of the night, the lead sheep was taken by force and hidden away in the ivory watch tower and was not to be seen by anyone for a long time. They did this because the helpers did not want the lead sheep to know what evil they were up to. They somehow convinced the lead sheep that this was best for his protection even though the lead sheep did not want to go. He was locked away and was ignorant of the tricks and deeds of the helpers. He would hear lies told by the helpers and the lead sheep’s heart was hardened towards the sheep in the flock.

Because of the helper’s protection, no one can see the lead sheep without going through the proper channels. It became a political game of cat and mouse. Now, the only sheep who can see the lead sheep are the ones who are willing to give him a lot of wool or if the sheep is a part of the “good stock.” If the sheep were not a part of the “right” fold or were approved of by the lead sheep’s helpers, then the sheep that were seeking the lead sheep would have a hard time seeing him or getting things done for the sake of the whole flock. Even if the intentions of the sheep were right and just, their efforts will be diverted because of the lies told to him by the helpers. Because of the lies and envy, the lead sheep didn’t like what the sheep are doing and he had something personal against some of them. It came to pass, the word began to be spread around and the lead sheep became infamously known as the “Untouchable.”

Sadly, the lead sheep was never rescued from his ivory watch tower and he died from loneliness after many years of deception from his helpers. One day, the good shepherd returned to find what out what had happened. He was very angry and upset at what the helpers had done to the lead sheep and how they treated the rest of the flock. The helpers were cast out and were left alone out in the world with no shepherd to care for them. The nearby goats took them in and they were forced to live and then eventually die with their own failures.

After many, many years, the good shepherd’s took his flock and traveled with him to a land far, far way. It was a place where no wolves, lions, bears or goats lived. All the sheep had shed their old coats and were given all new coats of pure white. They were no longer sheep but became shepherds themselves. They were taken to a great and beautiful land, and there the good shepherd talked with them daily, sang with them, had great fellowship with him and they lived happily forever, after.

~ The End ~

Jesus spoke with affirmation to those in charge of his flock saying, “take care of my sheep" and "feed my sheep (John 21:16, 17)." And, to the lead sheep that are in the role of a shepherd, you have a great responsibility to the flock. Even though you are a part of the same flock, you are not outside of it. You may need to realize that the flock is of great important to the good shepherd and he loves them dearly. You should understand it's not about the land the flocks are grazing on. It’s not about the amount of wool that is given to the good shepherd to help the fold. It’s not about the honorable role you played as the shepherd. It’s not even about how many helpers you can appoint or how many great and wise shepherds from other lands show up on a particular holiday to bring great teachings and wisdom. It's not even about what you do for the herd of goats that live and graze on the hills nearby.

“Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ (Ephesians 4:12-13)."

This is what it’s all about; it’s about is the body of Christ (the flock) and how much they mean to Jesus.

This is a story that was made up to illustrate a point. Let me stress this though; this story is NOT about my current church or my current pastor. The point is that in some churches out there in the world, a pastor comes into a church humble, willing to be a loving shepherd to the flock, full of zeal and purpose. Somewhere along the path, they occasionally lose their way. Their focus becomes on what they want instead of what's best for the body of Christ. After some time, their focus and vision changed from what it started out to be and ends up something entirely different and irrelevant to the original purpose. Of course, this doesn’t happen to every church or every pastor, but let’s not be fooled or naive; it can happen to any church and any pastor.

If Jesus is our role model, then we should understand that he suffered a lot to be the good shepherd of his flock.

”Look at the daily life of Jesus as described in the gospels; it was tough. He had to get up before dawn to spend time with Father before people started making demands of Him. He often missed meals, traveling or ministering to crowds of people. He missed entire nights of sleep, His own family didn't even believe Him for some time, He rarely got to stay 'at home', He was wrongly judged for doing good, He voluntarily died for people who thought He was either mistaken, nuts, or wrong and evil.” ~ (Quote from a close friend)

I'm not trying to imply that I know how to be a pastor or one to lead a church, and I certainly do not want it or desire that role. The role of pastor is a respectable role and I honor those men in that position. They certainly have it tough and they sometimes don’t get the respect they deserve. However, I have seen this happen in many churches.

Sure, I got saved about 6 years ago and I am still a growing Christian. However, I was raised in a church until I was 11 years old then went on to a few more churches until I was 15. For the next 20 years, I visited several types of churches off and on throughout the years in my time in rebellion away from God. I ask that you give me the benefit of the doubt; I’m not a stranger to Christianity. I posted this note out of love for the church and not out of anger for any particular pastor or church body. Sure, I may be frustrated with the whole idea of these kinds of things occurring in churches today, and if Jesus hated legalism, maybe you should too.

Moreover, this familiar story human frailty of being a pastor has happened in some churches that I have attended in the past, some I have read about and some I’ve heard about. This message is not directed so much towards seasoned or veteran pastors but growing Christians and future pastors or ministers. If you desire to preach the message of the gospel, then you should do it by all means necessary and use all the tools available to you. Some churches will say that they focus on bringing them in, training them up and sending them out but somewhere along this path, the true message becomes watered down, the church’s focus is blurred, internal church politics and problems become more important than serving the body of believers and the Great Commission is lost in the shuffle of outer performance instead of the internal truths of the gospel message.

Matthew 28:19-20 – “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”