THE RESURRECTED LIFE: PART 1: RESTORATION, RELATIONSHIP

 TEXT:  HEBREWS 13:20-21

TO BECOME A "LITTLE CHRIST"? (FROM ACTS 11:26)

When the people of Antioch (now in modern-day Turkey) thought they were mocking the followers of the new Faith System headed up by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by calling them "Christians", they did not know how right they were!

In Acts 11:26, we are told the following: "when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch". When the unsaved locals called them "Christians" as Dr. Luke records in this book of Acts, it was not an endearing term meant to honor these new disciples of Jesus. They called them, in a snarky and sarcastic way "Christianos"....or "Little Christs". In other words, just like today, these people looked down on these saints and basically said "bless their hearts, look at them....they believe in a Man nailed to a Cross Who lived in an outpost across the Mediterrean Sea, years ago. They can't even see Him."

Christianos - Little Christian. 
It is now 2000 years later. Many of us are not just little Christians, in the form of being mini-Jesus's but too many are little in mind, thought, word, deed and Bible knowledge. We can fix that now. The Bible exhorts us to the following: "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).

Do you want to be a "Little Christ"? Then the Bible tells us to do the following:

1  - Have the same mindset of Christ, Who KNEW the Father and what the Father's Will was.

2 - The Father's Will can be found in all Scripture, from Cover to Cover. Therefore, KNOW the Word of God through reading the entire Bible, no matter how long it takes, then asking the Holy Spirit to reveal everything through our reading and study of the Word.

3 - Be Humble (Jesus existed in the Form of God...because He was God, yet He did not hold on to His Throne in Heaven while yelling "this is Mine...and I am the King". He never did that. Jesus humbled Himself and died on a dirty Cross, killed by filthy and evil men - to do the Will of God the Father.

4 - Be Obedient. verse 8 above tells us that Jesus became "obedient to the point of death even death on a cross".  We must become obedient to the Will of God to the point of dying to ourselves in the sense of giving up our fleshly desires, lusts, ways and more.

So you want to be called a "Little Christ", let us be resolved to do ALL four of these items above in order, as laid out in Philippians 2:5-8 so that when we are accused by an unsaved world of being like Jesus, the verdict will be - YES I AM!

ACTS 3:16 - THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL NAME IN HISTORY

"And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all" (Acts 3:16)

There is something about the Name of Jesus which has caused, (and will continue to do so) people to lose their minds, for the last two thousand years of Christianity. It started with the corrupt religious leadership in Jerusalem even with Jesus standing right in front of them and really ramped up after His death, burial and resurrection. They, who called themselves followers of God the Father, blasphemed His Son every which way but Sunday, first by calling Him every evil name in the book, and then lay their filthy hands on the Savior during His trial.

However, it took on perpetual momentum in Acts Chapter 3, when Peter said to the man, who had been lame since birth and was encamped by the Gate called Beautiful, to rise and walk “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth”! This is the beginning of what would become a war against the five letters of the English Language – JESUS!

When the priests in the Hebrew temple, who had claimed sonship of God through Abraham alone, heard that they this lame man could walk around, and who healed him, they freaked out. Many had already heard that Jesus had appeared to not just His disciples, but 500 people in Jerusalem, including some of the same Pharisees. Many of them converted later and became followers of “The Way”. Followers of Christ were not called Christians until Acts 11:26.  So even though they though 26. had successfully put away this “prophet from Nazareth”, now, a new twist was added.

After the Temple authorities heard that Peter and John had healed the lame man, in the “Name of Jesus of Nazareth”, they plotted among themselves as religious leaders that people being healed apparently was not a good thing. This is the first time, since the Resurrection of Jesus Christ that the Name of Jesus was forbidden by men. They said in verse 17b of Acts chapter 4: “Let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this Name”!

They then warned Peter and John to cease and desist from this practice. The response of the two fired up disciples is a priceless example for those of us, today, who are commanded by the lost of this world to not pray in Jesus’ Name. They responded in Acts 4:19-20 "But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Since the modern-day equivalent of the corrupt Pharisees have succeeded in banning the bibles and prayer In schools, the last thing left for them to remove is the Name and Likeness of Christ not just at Christmas time, but at school graduations, football games and other public events.  Military Chaplains are being ordered to stop praying in Jesus” Name and some have been dismissed from service for obeying God rather than men. Pastors, who are invited to pray for the opening of political offices meetings like those at City Halls and State Capitols, are required to sign documents to pray “non-sectarian” prayers. In plain English, these under-shepherds of Christ are being asked to NOT pray “in Jesus’ Name”.

I know some who have refused and walked away rather than deny Christ before Caesar. But there are also many who have signed this paper, prepared by ungodly people, just to be able to stand before the rich and powerful. We should be grateful that we are not these people, who will stand before Jesus one day to answer for this transgression.

There is power in the Name of Jesus. The Lord Himself alluded when He talked about “praying” or “asking” or “making requests known”….”IN MY NAME”, in the Gospels. Here are several examples from Jesus and those whom He discipled and trained to expand the Kingdom. 

See below:
* Matthew 21:22 "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
* Mark 11:24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you."
* John 14:13-14 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
* John 15:16 "You did not choose Me but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you".
* John 16:23-24 "In that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you. Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full".
* 1 Corinthians 1:2 "To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours".
* Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father".
* 1 John 5:14 "This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us".

Calling on the Name of Jesus is precisely what the great disciples – Peter and John – did in Acts 3:16.  Peter was the one commissioned by Jesus to do the preaching and the bold proclamations right off the bat, from the foundations of the Christian church.  He said the following, about the Name of Jesus, twice in less than one sentence:

• On the basis of Faith in His Name. This is the key to bold and effective praying. The English translation for “Name” does not do justice to what this really means. This is not a name like Susie, Frank or Joe. The actual biblical meaning carries the 100% power of the Person behind this Name (Jesus, Yeshua, Yahweh, Messiah and others). In addition, it is the manifest power of God found in this One Person of the Trinity. The original word “onoma” also explicitly implies, that when we call on this Powerful Name, we are asking to be in His Presence ourselves, so that we can deliver this prayer and petition to Him! Faith in His Name only comes to those who are born-again, saved and pulled out of the fire by Jesus Himself. It is all Faith. People go to heaven or the other place, not based on what they do, but on what they believe.

• Secondly, Peter says in the very next phrase of this same verse that “it is the Name which has strengthened this man, whom you see and know”! This is the same meaning.  Being in the Presence of the One Who is called by the Name of Jesus strengthens our body, mind, soul and spirit. There is no doubt when a person is transformed from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Christ’s Marvelous Light. It shows! It glows!! The glory explodes!  Every Christian who is committed to Christ and walking in His Ways knows the meaning of the Shekinah Glory of God, radiating off the faces of those who love Him.

• Finally, Peter says “the Faith which comes through Him (Jesus) has given him (the man who was healed), perfect health in the presence of you all”. What the Lord, in His Word through Peter is talking about here, literally, is not a temporary restoration of health so this formerly disabled man could walk or dance and shout, until he gets older and then leaves this earth. No, the Bible is much more all-encompassing. This perfect health is one of integrity and COMPLETE wholeness of body, mind and soul! The Bible uses the word “holokleria”.

Words mean things and have consequences. Every word of every phrase in Scripture was put there for a reason. Its divine purpose is transformation. Transformation into the power and glory of His Glorious Kingdom is only given through the Mighty Name of Jesus. His Name is the Greatest Name of ALL Human History. It is also the most feared, hated and controversial name of all time. Neither of these facts changes the Truth that Jesus is Lord and Master of all, to the Praise and Glory of His Name. 

"RISEN" ABOVE EXPECTATIONS

PERSONAL REVIEW OF SEQUEL TO "PASSION OF THE CHRIST"

After taking a week between seeing the movie RISEN and writing this, what may be considered, a kind of review on it, I think it is even more relevant to mention the importance of even the most diehard skeptic, of seeing this movie. One of the final scenes of RISEN really drove that point home to me, with a solid punch, to where even a Christian with questions can get it.

Despite what those who killed Jesus Christ on 14 Nisan 33 AD say, Jesus did rise from the dead. Graves were open and He was seen by 500 people – and James. There is even secular evidence, via the great historian Josephus, who was commissioned by Rome to write the history of the Jewish people. 

Josephus wrote in Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63: “About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man.  For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people as accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had  first come to love him did not cease.  He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him.  And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared”.

RISEN is the natural progression of the narrative of the Resurrection and the harsh reality of life in post- Crucifixion Jerusalem. For the many followers of the Way (Jesus followers), there was fear and hiding but for the religious and corrupt there was genuine panic. When the entire city knew that the Body had disappeared, both persecuting parties – the Romans and the Religious rabble – had “skin in the game” to cover up their crimes. After all, the Pharisees and Sanhedrin had conducted six illegal trials in less than 24 hours against the Judge of the Universe!

To this day, non-believers, academics and assorted ones like that, spread the same fallacies about the Death and Resurrection of the Risen Christ that the same religious authorities of Jerusalem and their Roman partners-in-crime did in 33 AD! As Solomon said in Ecclesiastes – there is nothing new under the sun. The Resurrection was fact. Roman records were as diligent as those that the Nazis used to their own detriment at the Nuremberg trials. Roman records were used by historian Dugard and Bill O’Reilly in his book “Killing Jesus”, which was the biggest of his oddly titled bestsellers.

As one immersed in Biblical worldviews and apologetics as well as evangelism, the most stunning part of the entire movie RISEN for me was the brief conversation which the former Centurion Clavius (Ralph Fiennes) has with Jesus just before the Ascension. While this actual event is not recorded in Scripture, it is the gist of the matter for those who are seeking more than just a head knowledge of God through Christ.

“Jesus” in RISEN is asking Clavius, basically, what is that he is really really afraid of, and searching for…..and the final question is what spoke volumes of all the others “…is it peace”? This is the eternal quest of mankind – how to find that peace we claim. In the final analysis, that peace that passes ALL understanding can only be found in Christ, and through Christ. Clavius (the Fiennes’s Character) goes through the same doubts which many have in attempting to reason Faith in Jesus. To me, this is the most poignant moment of the Film as far as directing this film as a tool for Evangelism. Because Clavius also mentioned he was afraid of being wrong. This is an extremely serious thing. To make the wrong decision about Christ has absolute deadly consequences! The powerful acting, authentic locations and actual Jewish looking disciples brings the viewer into the entire experience, thereby helping to deliver this eternal question to spiritual seekers everywhere. The screenplay and production here were extremely well executed.

Finally, the Ascension scene itself was a really dynamic metaphor for me. Dynamic because it is like the aorist tense of the Biblical New Testament Greek language. The cinematic portrayal of the post-Ascension “nuclear-bomb-type” fallout spoke out loud, the following statement in my spirit “Jesus Christ is still blowing up the World today as He did almost 2000 years ago!

Many will find all sorts of Scripture errors or textual differences. They will be technically correct. For me, I do not get my theology from a movie. I look for inspiration which will spur thinking that the Holy Spirit can use in me, and through me, to help further the Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth – for such a time as this. This is what found in the Christian hit movie of 2016 so far: RISEN!

DEEP SEA PRAYING: SESSION 3

JONAH DELIVERED FROM THE DEAD

Jonah's Tomb in Mosul, Iraq 2014, before its destruction.

“The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head at the roots of the mountains. I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought my life from the pit, O LORD my God. When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into Your Holy Temple” (Jonah 2:5-7)

In almost graphic detail, Jonah proceeds to explain how he died! Note that he said here that “the waters closed in over me to take my life”! This makes Jonah the second mortal man, along with Lazarus, whom God raised from the dead! Of course, Jesus Christ rose from the dead as well and the Resurrection is the hope of every believer in Almighty God- from Adam to Abraham until the trumpet sounds for the Call to rise and meet the Lord in the air. There will be tribulation saints, after what is commonly called “The Rapture” occurs, because it is only at that time will the Gospel be literally be preached to the ends of the earth. This will not occur in the current church age for many reasons, which is a matter for another discussion.

Jonah said two very interesting things in this statement. He said “the bars closed upon me forever….yet you brought my life from the pit”  Jonah was not just dead, he was in the abode of the lost. Only those who rebel against God end up in the pit! How many times we have read the psalmist David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit say – “let me not be like them that goeth down into the pit”. Hell is described as a bottom less pit. Peter records that even though Jesus Christ the Lord was dead and buried in physical form, in a tomb, He nevertheless went down to the place of the dead and knocked down those same gates of hell (where the bars close around the lost) and preached the Victory He had just won on the Cross.

So what does this all mean? It would appear that just before Jonah was allowed to be conscious enough of his surroundings, that by ONLY the Grace of God, he was able to repent.  In all his dying and going to the depths of Sheol, the place of the dead,  he admits he only thought of the Lord when the very gates of hell were shut behind him! Isn’t this like the majority of mankind – from the time of Noah and before to now? Rebellious humans would rather face the uncertainty of eternal separation from God than cry out, even on their death beds, to the Only One Who has the power over life, liberty and love – God Himself. 

What happened with Jonah is the only recorded example of such a thing in history and definitely, the Bible. We know from the Word of God that it is appointed once for a man (or woman) to die and then the Judgment. The only reason Jonah was rescued from where he landed in the next life was that God was not through with him!  Jonah never said what his prayer was which reached to the very Throne of God, Who did what He had planned to do – let Jonah live to work for Him. All we can tell is – Jonah repented even in death and became the biggest evangelist ever recorded in the Bible – even bigger than Peter was at Pentecost where 5000 souls them 3000 were brought into the Kingdom by Peter’s preaching. Jonah preached and an entire city repented, believed and were saved. There is nowhere else in history, even with the great Billy Graham, where this was accomplished. 

The story of Jonah appears incomplete, because we see the disagreeable prophet complaining to God that He saved the Ninevites as Chapter 4 ends abruptly. History and tradition tells us that Jonah actually stayed in the same region of Assyria, where he literally once had hated the people, and taught them about the Lord! Later on, this region of Assyria/Nineveh and now Mosul, Iraq, became one of the largest Christian communities for almost 2000 years until the Islamic state terrorists persecuted them by the thousand and ended up driving them out. The Christians who lived there for two millennia were the product of Jonah’s evangelism and discipleship. After the churches and homes of these Christians were destroyed, the modern day Philistines then proceeded to destroy Jonah’s tomb, which even their own religion held up as a prophet! That sacrilege was too late as Jonah already completed the work which God had sent him to do.

A REAL BUCKET LIST

LIST OF BIBLE PRAYER METHODS

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:3-6)

A significant number of people in the west (and presumably anywhere) have something called a “bucket list”. The term even made the Webster’s dictionary and literally means “a list of things one wishes to do before dying (or “kick the bucket”). There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that unless it consumes your thinking, planning, family and walk with Jesus. To tell you the truth, the ultimate bucket list top item is – Eternity with Jesus Christ. That is one thrill that never expires, unlike the passing pleasures of parachuting or parasailing or purple Porches.  Most of our brethren in other lands are unable to seek (and find) that kind of excitement as almost every waking moment is consumed with attempting to breathe and get one step ahead of their persecutors, or even a morsel to eat.While there is nothing wrong with wishing you could drive a fast red Corvette or a scale half the front-range of the Rockies, most people may never get around to that sort of thing. 

What Christ is actually calling His followers/disciples and those who are on life’s journey with Him,  is something more rewarding, permanent, helpful and fruitful that these things. This mission of excellence, peace, joy and contentment can only be found through communication – with our Heavenly Father. The Apostle Paul knew how to live as Christ taught us in the greatest sermon ever given – the Sermon On The Mount.  While we must certainly plan, save and prepare for the future, may we never lose sight of today. Today – now – is where we currently live. As the old saying goes “wherever you go – there you are”.

Philippi was a Roman city founded by Philip – father of Alexander the Great and like most of the ancient world, was full of idolatry and worldly conduct – not unlike the wealthy nations today’s world.  Like everywhere else, the brand new Christian church was under some form of persecution and for the most part, met in private homes. In most of the current persecuted church, meetings to glorify King Jesus and fellowship in His Mighty Name, are still done in homes and basements. The Apostle loved these Philippians and one can feel this love and heart for his (and our) brethren in the opening verses of Philippians 1. The opening greetings are always ignored by most preachers and/or bible readers. However, they tell us a lot about the kind of relationship the God-inspired author has with those, to whom, he writes.

Look at what Paul says here in essence, in love and with a kind heart – even as he writes this Scripture to the brethren in Philippi:
-    I think of you and give thanks to God (verse 3). When we think of others in our families, fellowships and far away countries, our immediate task is to pray for them as the Lord brings them to mind. We pray for them by thanking the Father for their faithfulness to the Gospel and the Truth. We pray for them by thanking the Lord as well for their perseverance and standing strong in the face of fire. We pray for the Father for a special dispensation of Grace, Mercy and Compassion to get through their next few hours, days and weeks ahead.

-     You are always in my prayers (verse 4a). As we pray for all the things mentioned above, we never cease praying …or as Paul says in Thessalonians 5 “pray without ceasing”.

-     I intercede enthusiastically and with great joy (verse 4b). It takes a special man to pray with passion and joy for others while in a Roman prison. Therefore, it should be a special privilege for us, with the freedom to worship and practice Christianity, to press in and lift up someone else with a smile in our eyes and a praise in our hearts.

-   For your fellowship in the Gospel from Day One (verse 5). There is a reason the Lord said in His Word that His people should not neglect the “fellowship of the saints”. In a world, where podcasts, live streaming and just plain laziness have removed the urgency AND necessity of getting dressed to walk into a church building to praise God with fellow believers. Hebrews 10:25 tells us to not forsake “our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near”.

Hebrews 10:25 mentioned “the Day drawing near”. Philippians 1:6 brings the encouragement in anticipation of that “Day”!  Verse 6 gives us the best evidence of fruits of a real “bucket list” – He says “Being confident of this very thing that He Who has begun a good work in you, will complete it until the Day of Jesus Christ”. That Day is coming closer with each breath, Within 50 years, each of us will be standing with or before Jesus, either through the natural process of passing from this life to the next, or via the Rapture and Return of Jesus Christ.  

Therefore, draw near to these facts in this REAL "Bucket List":
1. Be full of Faith and fellowship with, because of and having Faith (con- with, fide – faith: confident).
2. This very thing – the certainty of your salvation and maturity into a joyful saint is underwritten by the Precious Blood of Jesus. This is your ironclad guarantee.
3. He (Jesus) started, authored, perfected and executed this amazing divine plan and He never goes back on His Word and His promises. What He says, He does.  We can never lose our salvation unless we never had it to begin with. So rest in this Truth regardless of circumstances and rely on this with supreme confidence.
4. The Author of Life will complete His Master Plan….until He comes. This includes our sanctification built on obedience and submission, buttressed by the discipline of prayer and supplication.
5. Be prepared, because even though certain events have to occur before the Return of Jesus Christ (as noted in Revelation 19:11-16), our Day of Jesus Christ could occur at any time, since no one knows the day or hour when He shall call us home. So then, let us be fully assured of the solid payment forward we have made by investing Biblical truth in the life (or lives) of another and may we always be fully confident of our future home with our Lord and Savior, Who once told us, that He will never leave or forsake us.

(Free Downloadable Image Courtesy Pinterest)

A PLEA FROM THE HEART - A TEACHING FROM PSALM 119

Psalm 119:169-176New King James Version (NKJV)

ת Tau

169 Let my cry come before You, O Lord;
Give me understanding according to Your word.
170 Let my supplication come before You;
Deliver me according to Your word.
171 My lips shall utter praise,
For You teach me Your statutes.
172 My tongue shall speak of Your word,
For all Your commandments are righteousness.
173 Let Your hand become my help,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
174 I long for Your salvation, O Lord,
And Your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise You;
And let Your judgments help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep;
Seek Your servant,
For I do not forget Your commandments.

THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS, PART 1

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12, ESV)

When the terrorists in Syria recently charged the ancient Christian village of Maaloula in the Syrian mountainside where the minority Christians lived for almost 2000 years, do you think they felt blessed? According to eyewitnesses, the moslem terrorists told villagers "‘Either you convert to Islam or you will be beheaded,". The village of Maaloula is one of the last on this earth which still spoke the ancient language of Aramaic. Aramaic was the language spoken by Jesus Himself and can only be found in Syria, in these last days.

What has been happening during the violent Syrian civil war has already been repeated in Iraq, with one million Chaldean Christians being persecuted, killed and displaced and in Iran and other middle eastern countries. Pakistan and India are catching up with their cousins in the middle east and doing the same to God's people. These are just some of the latest examples of what has been happening to followers of Jesus Christ since before He was even crucified in 33 AD in Jerusalem. Jesus warned of this and this warning has been fulfilled time after time after time for almost 2000 years now. 

Persecution is occurring in not just these Arab countries, but in almost every corner of this earth. In Part 2 of this, some pointers on how to survive persecution anywhere in this world where this blog is read, will be provided, from the Word of God itself.  What Christians should find comfort in, is that this is as bad as it is going to get for true believers. Eternity in Glory is nothing compared to those what happens in this old earth. In countries like China, or the Philippines or India etc, where there are not the comforts of life, their hope and faith are truly remarkable things to behold. We can bless them by praying for them daily because believe it or not, some in the Chinese persecuted church are actually praying for us as well! One day, we will all rejoice before the Throne with the One Who will welcome all His children with "well done, good and faithful servants".

CAN YOU LOSE YOUR SALVATION?

LET ME ANSWER THAT QUESTION - NO! YOU CANNOT LOSE YOUR SALVATION, IF YOU WERE TRULY SAVED! Q.E.D.

Over the past year, the question of a person falling from grace...and actually losing one's position as a child of God has been popping up in some of the unlikeliest places.  Just this week, I was also asked this very question. Therefore, in short, let's try to examine most of the following issues to clear up this matter, once and for all!

There is the issue of the 'backsliding' christian. 

There are those who simply walk away from Jesus, like Nascar driver Jeff Gordon, who was once the poster boy of the Nascar Christian.   

There is also the Role of God's Holy Spirit in all of this.

For those who say a Christian can lose his/her salvation, their argument revolved around the following short passage: "For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been partakers of the Holy Spirit, and having tasted of the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame." Hebrews 6:4-6.

Before extrapolating that to Christians today, let us realize this book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, who were left leaderless when the Jewish priests killed James, the half brother of Jesus. James, author of the great book of James, was the leader of the Jerusalem church. Because there was now no church leader in the Capitol city of Christianity, Messianic Followers of the Way, were under heavy assault by the Judaizers to get back under the Law of Moses, in order to just live and get food! 

These believers did not backslide, but were under assault by teachers of the Law to add good works as well as all the ceremonial laws, which Christ did away with on the Cross!

If a modern teacher or pastor uses Hebrews 6:4-6 to say that a person can lose his/her salvation, they will clash with the clear actual translation from the original Greek! The phrase from Verse 4 "those who have once been enlightened" actually does the opposite of the "Lose Your Salvation" proponents!

Witness - "once (hapax) been enlightened (photizo)"....HAPAX means - once and for all. PHOTIZO means brought into the light....that is - rescued from the domain of darkness or hell!! 

Right off, the Word says - you are saved ONCE AND FOR ALL!

In Verse 6, we need to look at two phrases and here is the first "and then have fallen away" . The original word for this is "parapipto" or fallen from a close position as a follower of Christ! 

Then the phrase from Verse 6 " it is impossible to renew them again to repentance" rounds off the core of what we are discussing.

Basically, from the original text, the Word says in plain English - "if you, Mr or Ms Christian, falls from grace,  it becomes more and more impossible to change your mind and align it with the Mind of Christ...(the broadest meaning of Repentance)".

Therefore, Hebrew Verse number 4 says that we are saved once and for all. Then verse number 6 says you can sure fall from grace and get to the point where your love grows cold.

Jesus Himself confirms this passage in Revelation 2:1-5, when He lays into the Church of Ephesus. Jesus fleshes out the concept of what I just laid out from Hebrews 6:4 and 6, when He says in Revelation 2:2-5 "I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. ³ You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name, and have not grown weary.

⁴ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. ⁵ Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place."

The Lord says in Rev. 2:5 that they had fallen flat on their face..and fallen or backslidden really bad. He gave the church a chance to repent. He did not take away their salvation. 

HOLY SPIRIT'S ROLE IN ETERNAL SECURITY:

Which leads us to this. John 10: 27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me". Jesus sheep is us.

Now here is the KEY VERSE IN ALL OF THIS...the very next one -  John 10 Verse 28 "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand.

We hear Him because His Spirit - the Holy Spirit of God - lives in us! This is the same Holy Spirit Who hovered over the unformed space called Earth, and spoke Creation into being!

If we say that people can lose their salvation, we are basically, well, to put it mildly, saying that JESUS MISSPOKE!  Do we really want to "go there"?!

If we say "God says it, and I believe it", we have to believe Him and His declarations here as well. The New Testament believer, who has been actually converted...AND THIS IS IMPORTANT, cannot lose the Holy Spirit, Whom the Bible says HAS SEALED US UNTIL THE DAY OF REDEMPTION!

There is NO doubt the Holy Spirit has the lead role here. 

For this logical and literal argument, which I have laid out to PROVE a Person cannot lose their salvation, there has to be a TRUE CONVERSION and not the typical majority of American "Christians", who raise their hands, walked an aisle or just call themselves 'christians' or 'evangelicals'!

True Conversion is the person who is a new Creation in Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17) because he was literally born again or rejuvenated in the spirit-man by Conviction of the Holy Spirit; then there was Repentance of all that sin which He reveals; then seeking, obeying, believing, trusting and accepting the Free Gift of God.

Once this person is converted or "saved", he or she now has a commitment to make - and that is to submit to the Will of God through Christ and determine to live like Him. If this is done, He is now LORD of your life NOW, here on earth! Most Christians or church go-ers have big problems here in America with that one. For most Americans or western christian THEY are the lords of their lives, not Jesus. Those are the ones who easily fall away, when hard times or persecution hits.

So, can a person really lost their salvation? For the professing "Christian" who has never been born again, the answer is YES. For the rest of us, who have the Holy Spirit living in us and are saved - the answer is NO! We cannot lose our salvation.

(Image by Bing Images)

THINK ON THESE THINGS - SUNDAY

Jane Fonda - Born Again? Not really.....!

CELEBRITY "WORSHIP" IS NOT CHRIST WORSHIP

I remember back in 2000, most of us were stunned when "Hanoi" Jane Fonda, one of the most radical anti-Vietnam War protestors, and  a feminist whom almost all United States military veterans and citizens despise,  announced boldly that she had become a "Born-Again Christian"!


I was among those who believed it...after all, it was Jane Fonda, who grew up the daughter of atheist Henry Fonda and like most liberals, turned their noses up against the Bible Belt and all we believe. Even more incredible was the fact that Jane was married to one of the worse Christ-haters in America - TV mogul Ted Turner (CNN, TBS etc). This revelation led to Turner divorcing her.

Jane said she became a Christian after attending an African-America Baptist church in Atlanta, secretly, for many years. She then reinforced that view on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2005. However, the fruit of one' decision in life are not immediately visible. The question is...where do you stand in the long run?


Are you really and truly BORN AGAIN?
Are you a repentant sinner, saved by the Grace of God?
Are you a really a son or daughter of His?


Like most American professing Christians, Jane developed doubt and even despair over the years and by her own admission, looked outside the Bible for answers. She went to texts not considered in the Canon of Scripture, as well as to other religions. While she admitted to faithful attending Real Bible Studies over the years and knowing exactly the Words of Jesus, her rebellious spirit has led her to become more interfaith like most evangelicals to the point where she rebels against the Attributes of God the Father!


She never left her feminist background and also dislikes certain tenets of the Faith which are prime for real believers. She is still pro-abortion.  Jane Fonda says in her biography "Over time, and, I feel, because I stepped outside of established religion, I was able to rekindle the spiritual experience that I’d been seeking. Some will say that because of all this I am not a true Christian. So be it. I feel like a Christian, I believe in the teachings of Jesus and try to practice them in my life. I have found Christians all over this country who feel as I do. 
They may not have been ‘saved’ yet they hum with divine spirit.


Look at that last line "THEY MAY NOT BE SAVED...!!!!!" Yet Jane calls them Christians! Sadly, SHE IS CORRECT! Most America Christians have never really been saved!

Therein lies the another big problem. Christians and Christian media is HORRIBLE about this. Some celebrity declares he/she is now a christian, and we go ape hooting and hollering and inviting him to speak to our youth. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is bad about this...not our local one in Springfield, which is led by biblically grounded and wise friends of mine. But some flashy football player says that he "loves Jesus", (usually after he is arrested for something or other, or caught with a woman not his wife) and he is on some Christian magazine cover. 


Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is the biggest culprit here. They have these athletes, movie stars or rap singers on on the air, worldwide...in PRIME TIME! Most of them ramble or cannot give an account of the Life-changing power of the LORD JESUS Christ and how He rescued them from the Domain of Darkness! Sure enough, over time, most of their empty lives show no fruit and they end up worshiping other gods, while professing what they call 'the nice teachings of Jesus'!

Albert Pujols

We have to guard against this stuff. A prime example this weekend are some men, whom the Christian world tout as BIG TIME CHRISTIANS - Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman. No one ever accused World Series MVP and St Louis sports hero David Freese of being a Christian. But the entire celebrity christian World - from Focus on the Family to FCA - tout Pujols  and Berkman...and Pujols especially, as some paragon of Christianity, just south of the Apostle Paul.


Yet, with the world watching an amazing sports comeback story, when the wildcard St Louis Cardinals came from just barely making the playoffs to baseball champions of the World, NONE OF THESE TWO MEN, THANKED GOD OR JESUS WHEN IT WAS THEIR TURN TO TALK ON NATIONAL TV!! NONE! ZERO, ZIPPO, NONE!!


All we heard was how good they were, how good their team was and how good it felt to be "world champs"!  YET, these same men will now be invited to speak at major Christian events, where you will hear the name of Jesus in passing and nothing about the Gospel. Then you will hear about how good they feel and how they stuck it out to win...etc etc....then they will raise a lot of money for some group....many in the Crowd will not be really converted christians...just a bunch of celebrity gawkers.


These gawkers will then leave the fundraising dinner, maybe with a photo of this celebrity ball player, satisfied with themselves and the $1000 they donated to some christian cause....and go home. The entire exercise will be worth NOTHING in terms of Eternity, and if this person is not saved, which is most likely the case in modern American christianity, they will stand before Jesus and be condemned.


Is this what we want? Celebrity determining Eternity, for those who worship this, rather than Christ? NO!


A thousand times NO!


The best advice we can give seekers, weak christians and even those who can get caught up in the the Jane Fonda's and Pujols or Deion Sanders...or even Charlie Sheen (who once said he was born again)...is to ignore Celebrity...forget this garbage! They - the regular man and woman in our own sphere- they will stand before Jesus one day and be judged and if He is not their Savior and they were never really converted; born again and saved.....well, what will it profit them on that day? 


THINK ON THESE THINGS...and then act accordingly!!

(Credits: Photo by Google Images.

Quote: from JaneFonda.com)

THINK ON THESE THINGS - THURSDAY

CHRISTIANS AND HALLOWEEN

Next Monday October 31 is the national holiday of Hell! How dare I say that of that 'innocent fun day of Halloween'? Because I could! "But, Bernie, what's wrong with kids dressing up in costumes, going door to door for cheap candy etc etc...?"


Well, there is nothing wrong with candy or costumes as separate items. There is plenty wrong with being duped into thinking there is something innocent  about this day though! Therefore, from now unto October 31, most of the THINK ON THESE THINGS devotionals/posts will be dedicated to exposing the 'spirit' of Halloween. 


Today's message caused me some grief last year when I first posted it, but I think it is relevant in showing how our culture was slowly brainwashed into making Halloween one of the biggest celebrations in America, after Christmas and Thanksgiving!


“Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls…” 1 Peter 2:11 (NLT) 

Each year around this time, we go through this exercise – what  does a sold-out Believer in Christ to make of Halloween.  Each year men, fathers and radical Christians like me sound like fuddy duddys to the rest of the world….and that includes a number of Christians (professing and real)! 

However, I can take the blowback, as am used to being hammered and ostrasized for taking a bold stance for Christ. So basically, I have never allowed my own kids to trick or treat, celebrate Halloween or watch the horror show garbage on TV, each and every October, period.  

I don’t see how one can allow their kids to dress up like the devil or something sleazy, and then try to teach them to watch out for Satan who comes to steal, kill and destroy!! This is selective insanity. Halloween is an oxymoron – like “Christian Yoga”….which I will address next issue. 

AMERICA'S FIRST WITCHES - THROUGH COMEDY

Sin and darkness have been around since Genesis 3 and the Fall of Man caused by Satan. But some of the modern incarnation of the popularity of Witchcraft, Wicca and the like began with Ouija boards and the TV Show BEWITCHED!! Yes, BEWITCHED!!

For the 8 years it ran (1964-72), BEWITCHED brought a “sweet” All American family face to the an ancient evil by deception! Starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha the witch, who married a mortal named Darren Stephens, “Samantha” was portrayed as a normal suburban wife. Darren married her knowing she was a witch with the admonition/command to “not  practice any witchcraft in this house”!! Of course, a witch is going to obey you! The entire series was full of wizards, warlocks, spells, incantations and the like.  

Sam’s mother – Endora – is taken directly from the Witch at Endor whom King Saul stupidly visited to have a séance with the late prophet Samuel (see 1 Samuel 28:3-25)…and on and on. All the other worldly beings in this TV series were ageless beings who lived in the air! 

DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR??!! “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood enemies,  but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world and against EVIL SPIRITS in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NLT). It is my contention that this TV series “boiled the frog” slowly by showing witchcraft as this harmless little lifestyle that was “oh, so cute…just look at Samantha and Tabitha (her daughter – another witch)”!  

Combine this with “I Dream of Jeannie”, only three TV networks for decades, and you have a cultural absorption into worldwide consciousness from the pit of hell! Think am overreacting?  I don’t believe so. 

The Spirit of God and the Word of God are EXPLICIT in their commands about this evil. Until we were saved and redeemed and knew better, we too thought these shows were funny….even though something did not quite feel right! What BEWITCHED and Jeannie opened up was an explosion in the ancient cult of Wicca…and not to mention a number of new brand of female TV shows with “nice” witches . 

Concerning Wicca – that involves prayer circles and seeking “help” from spirits of another world as well! Most practicioners are women. Most mature believers think that Wicca and other satanic rituals involving pagan “goddesses” appeal to women, because it gives a certain amount of Power to those seeking that kind of thing! Never mind this kind of empowerment leads straight to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire! 

THIS MAKES WITCHES ATTRACTIVE TO TEENS!

Concerning other TV shows with attractive female witches, here is a short list: SABRINA, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, CHARMED AND TABITHA (offshoot of BEWITCHED).  The new book and movie phenomenon called TWILIGHT is also a demonic-induced attack on the mostly young female population of America. That story was given to its creator by what she called an “angel of light”!! 

Read here in the Bible to find out who the “angel of light” really is!! What does this have to do with Halloween? Everything! Halloween is a celebration of all these spirits – clean and unclean, which are not from the Real God.  

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

I am sure many well-meaning and Christians will disagree with me, and say celebrating Halloween or watching Sabrina or TWILIGHT is JUST entertainment..(more on TWILIGHT tomorrow).

Concerning our children – there are many other ways to have alternative activities for them at this time of year. This will take a proactive stand to live DAILY in the Word, and according to His Word (see Psalm 119). 

This can involve all like-minded members of the Body of Christ, in the Local Church. 

Finally, I close with what the Bible says in Philippians 4:8 (ESV) : "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think* about these things.”

*(THE WORD THINK HERE IS “LOGIZOMAI” (in the original Greek) OR consider , counted , credit , dwell on,  reason , reckon or  regard ,take into account ….these things)

All images are courtesy Google Images