Can You Handle The Truth About Christmas?

Shabbat Night Live Special

The Observer

The Forgotten People

Many on the political left are once again proclaiming the holocaust never happened.  If we forget our history we are bound to repeat it.  The sad thing is - some want this !!!

***WARNING! - GRAPHIC!***

The Observer

The 10 Biggest Lies About Jesus - Part 1

It is with great disappointment and dismay I say to you, my brothers and sisters, that the Church has been one of the most egregious purveyors of lies and misstatements concerning our Lord Jesus (Yeshua).  This blog entry is an attempt to speak to some of these lies and give notice that we wish to have the true gospel, not man's tradition, and I lay the responsibility for these errors at the feet of the Gentile Church, at least, that portion of the Church that believes it has replaced the original.

My sincerest respect goes out for Rabbi Jonathan Bernis, who's article in Jewish Voice Today inspired me to write this blog.  Don't be fooled by his title.  This man is a follower of Yeshua (Jesus) through and through.  If you ever want to get an Old Testament (Tanakh) view of Jesus talk to a Jew.  There's a very famous Jew I try to talk with every day to appreciate this Jewish perspective.  His name is Jesus.

Lie Number 1 - Jesus Only Appears in the New Testament

It's interesting to note that about 32% of the New Testament, more correctly called, the New Covenant, is a repeat of what has been said in the Tanakh (Old Testament).  The correct Jewish name for the New Testament, btw, is the B'rit Hadashah.  Some studies rate the percentage of "old in the new" much higher!

An Orthodox Jewish man will tell you that Jesus is a creation of the Gentile mind, another pagan god.  He will say that even the name, "Jesus" is simply an anglicized version of the Greek "Iesous".  I would love to use the Greek and Hebrew fonts here but blogger is limited to some degree, font-wise.  The man would be correct, in that the name "Jesus" is anglicized, but I would gently remind the man to stop listening to his Rabbi and and actually read the Tanakh for himself!

According to Matthew (Mattityahu)1:21, the Hebrew name Yeshua is really Jesus' given name.  He was born in Israel, among Hebrew-speaking people who understood very well that His name Yeshua (Joshua, Jehoshua) means, God saves, or the LORD saves, in other words - Salvation!  I can't recommend enough that the serious Bible student must have resources available so he or she can look up the root words in Hebrew and Greek.  I use e-Sword.  It's free, except when adding some Bible translations, and easy to use.  Please check it out!  And please, consider giving the man a donation if you download it.  He's done a superb job!

Look at Exodus (Sh' Mot) 15:2; The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; Yes, that root word for "salvation" is Yeshua.

How about Psalms (Tehillim) 98:2; The LORD has made known His salvation, He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations.  Again, Yeshua!  And which nations are these?  Why, the pagan Gentile nations, of course!

Here's a great one! Isaiah (Yesha'Yahu) 49:6; I will also make You a light to the Gentiles so My salvation shall reach to the end of the earth.  Yes, Yeshua again!

Did you know that more than 150 times in the Tanakh the Hebrew word salvation is used and it always translates as Yeshua!

Jesus (Yeshua) not in the Old Testament!?!  Are you crazy?!?   : )  Of course Yeshua is in the Tanakh, He's all over it!  He was the source of it!

Did you folks know that there are Christian Church groups that only use the B'rit Hadashah (New Testament)?  Maybe you guys know someone who does this?  I have Christian friends who tell me that Christ in the New Testament is different than the God of the Old Testament!  Folks, this is nonsense and NOT biblical!  Is it any wonder that a Jewish man will say we Christians worship a different and polytheistic god?  It is extremely important at this time to make sure we know who Jesus really is and how important the Old Testament is to us!

Hebrews (Messianic Jews) 13:8;  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  What do you think this means?  It means that YHWH IS YESHUA (Jesus)!!!  Do we humans fully understand how God can be 3 in 1?  No, we don't, but the Word says it's true.  More on this later!

Mark 12:26; But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, and the God of Jacob'?

And you have to go and read all of John Ch. 8.  Here's an excerpt: John (Yochanan) 8:58; Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am."  Jesus and the God of the Old Testament - One!

It is foolishness to dismiss the Tanakh and rely on the B'rit Hadashah alone.  The two go together hand and glove.  Yeshua (Jesus) is very much in the Tanakh.

One of my favorite discussions is when a friend tells me the 10 Commandments are all "done", "completed" and that Jesus gave the only two Commandments that really matter in Mark 12:28-31; One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

My friend believes this supersedes the 10 Commandments of the Tanakh.  What he doesn't realize or prefers not to see is that these statements are directly from the Tanakh.  In fact, the first part is very famous and will be covered later.  It is called the Shema, or Sh'ma.  Check out Deuteronomy (D'Varim) 6:4.  Then see Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:18.  Yeshua was simply repeating the truths He stated already in the Old Testament.  God's Law CAN NEVER be abrogated.

Still not convinced?  Go and read Isaiah (Yesha'Yahu) 53 and as you recognize Jesus in those verses, have a good cry, wipe the tears from your eyes, and keep reading.

[Note: Hopefully you've noticed I'm introducing many of the original Hebrew words to you, if you don't know them already.  Yes, these words have been anglicized over the centuries.]

Lie Number 2 - All Jewish People Rejected Their Messiah

Be honest, we've all heard that the Jewish people rejected their Messiah and paid the price for it, and have been paying the price for it ever since.  Right?  And because "they" rejected Him we Gentiles inherited Him.  Right?

Wrong.  It's a lie.  As stated above, Jesus is "front and center" in the Tanakh.  He was expected to arrive, on time, as scripture states.  He did arrive at the correct time, in Israel, as a Jew, born and raised in a Jewish home with the prophesied lineage.  He declared Himself Yeshua Ha'Mashiach, Jesus the Messiah.  This title, Jesus the Messiah, is much more "biblical" than Jesus Christ.  The term "Christ", or the Anointed One, is applicable to Jesus of course but this title, "Christ" was also used also for pagan gods.  This illustrates one of the problems when we turn away from Yeshua's Jewish roots - we begin to accept and even use the pagan words. 

All of Yeshua's followers were Jewish, even Luke. The 120 persons in the upper room were Jewish. The 3,000 that came to faith at Pentecost (Shavuot) were Jewish and they grew to about 5,000 - all Jewish (Acts Ch. 4)!

These Jews helped spread the gospel of the Messiah to the world.  Over history, one can safely say that millions upon millions of Jews have come to know Yeshua!  So, this idea that all Jewish people rejected their Messiah, out of hand, is a lie and can be easily dismissed.

But what about the role of the nation, Israel?  Yes, now that's an interesting topic and as we'll find out it connects Christianity directly to it's Jewish roots!

Starting at Acts 9:15, speaking of Paul;  But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. When scripture lists a sequence like this, it's a list of most important to least important.  So Paul (Sha'ul) was the chosen vessel to spread the gospel to the Gentile.  Why?

Let's continue with Paul (Sha'ul) starting at Romans 11:7;  What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.  Just as it is written: "GOD HAS GIVEN THEM A SPIRIT OF STUPOR, EYES THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SEE AND EARS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HEAR, TO THIS VERY DAY."  And David says: "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RECOMPENSE TO THEM.  LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED, SO THAT THEY DO NOT SEE, AND BOW DOWN THEIR BACK ALWAYS." I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.  Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!  For I speak to you Gentiles; inasmuch as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,  if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh and save some of them.

And, we must go back to the Tanakh.  Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) 16:19; O LORD, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction, The Gentiles shall come to You From the ends of the earth and say, "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things."

To summarize, "salvation" (Yeshua) came to the Gentiles to make Israel and all the "flesh" of Israel "jealous" so they may one day obtain their "fullness".  God never gives up on Israel, whether it's the physical nation in the middle east or the spiritual Israel of all believers - which is the same!  Jesus would not have called Paul as a special apostle to carry the gospel to the Gentiles, if the original twelve had been commissioned to preach to the Gentiles. Then to WHOM were the twelve apostles sent?

Matthew (Mattityahu) 10:5-6; “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and COMMANDED them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the LOST sheep of the house of Israel.”

Strange isn't it?  The Roman Church claims Peter was the first Pope and the head of the Gentile Church but the Apostles, lead by Peter, were to go after Jews!  BTW, the title of "Pope" did not exist at this time!  Do you begin to understand how the lies started?

"Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things."

Lie Number 3 - The Jews Killed Jesus

"Church" history is full of references to those "detestable Jews".  You know, those "killers of Christ".  Even the mouth of the famous Reformation "father", Martin Luther, was full of invectives against the Jews.  Hitler was to later use Luther's words to justify his murder of millions.  Imagine, using Yeshua and His teachings to rail against Yeshua's own chosen people!  It's madness, but it is exactly what's happened over the last 2,000 years.

Perhaps the most modern incarnation of deception and ridicule to come from the Church is the teaching of Replacement Theology.  It teaches that Jews (as a group) have been placed under eternal punishment because of their failure to recognize the Messiah and that the Church has replaced them as the "chosen" people.  This teaching is officially called, Super - Successionism and is taught in most Seminaries!

A complete history of replacement theology can be found at Aglow's website, here.  Here's a partial history from Aglow's study:

THE ROOTS OF REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY

In the first century AD, the church was well connected to its Jewish roots. Before the first Jewish revolt in AD 66, Christianity was basically a sect of Judaism, as were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes.

After the second Jewish revolt AD 133-135 was put down by the Roman emperor Hadrian, theological and political power moved from Jewish believers to centers of Gentile Christian leadership such as Alexandria, Rome, and Antioch. It is important to understand this change because it influenced the early church fathers as Christianity began to disconnect itself from its Jewish roots.

In AD 321, as Constantine declared Christianity the official religion of the empire, persecution of Christians ended, but it marked the beginnings of discrimination and persecution of the Jewish people.

By the middle of the third century, it was an accepted belief among most Christians that the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews were God’s method of showing the world that He was finished with them.

Replacement Theology became the position of the church during the time of Augustine (AD 354-430) who popularized it in his book, The City of God. (Note: Church is defined as the institutionalized or political “church,” as opposed to the Church universal comprised of followers of Jesus.)

THE TRUTH ABOUT REPLACEMENT THEOLOGY:

God’s unrelenting commitment and unshakable promises to the Jewish people has not changed! They are still His chosen people, distinct and unique from other peoples (1 Chron.17:21-22; Ex. 4:22-23; Psalm 147:19-20; Deut. 7:6-7; Rom. 11).

Although they may have broken covenant with Him, He will keep His covenant with them because it is an everlasting covenant (Gen. 17:7-8; Psalm 105:8; Jer. 31:35-37 NIV; Jer.33:19-26 NLT; Is. 54:4-10; Mal. 3:6; Num. 23:19).

While God’s promises, purposes, and blessings are available to the Church as “spiritual Israel,” that truth in no way precludes the truth that His promises, purposes, and blessings are for national Israel. He still has a pledge to national Israel and His chosen people, and He will fulfill it.

Now, is it true that some Jews in the crowd shouted, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"? Yes! It's true, and recorded in biblical text. However, this does not impune all of the Jewish people. As we've already seen, thousands upon thousands had already received Him.

If you've read your bible you know that Yeshua gave up His own life. Mark 10:45; For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

And, John (Yochanan) 10:17,18; "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."

So, who killed Jesus (Yeshua)?  Why, it was YOU and I who killed Him!  He had to die to take away OUR sins!

The Observer

Part 2 of "Lies" will be forthcoming:
- Jesus Christ is the God of Christianity?
- Jesus Began a New Religion Called Christianity?
- Jesus Never Claimed to be the Messiah?

Blessed Is the Lord!

If you don't understand that the physical nation of Israel and the spiritual nation of Israel are related, intertwined, and directly connected then you haven't been reading your Bible!

You anti-Israel people out there have been warned!  ... Not by me because I'm nothing, but from God Himself!

The Observer

"Come Out of Her!" ... And Go Where?

          Rev 18:1 - Rev 18:4 
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

- - -

These verses in Revelation forebear ominous consequences for members of this great "Babylon".  It's admonition is plain and forthright.  "Something" will become evil and fall, and whoever is part of this "something" is doomed!

In most Judeo-Christian eschatological viewpoints this "something" is in fact, the Christian Church; at least the portion which has embraced the teachings of the Roman Church and pagan Rome.  "Babylon" represents apostate churches and apostate teachings.

For purposes of this blog entry, we can safely say that a church organization that ordains homosexuals is definitely apostate.  This practice is completely incongruent with scripture.  The Presbyterian Church in America has just done this, and so joins the ranks of the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Episcopal churches (yes, there are others).

As always folks, please remember I'm talking about institutions that promote the practice here, not individuals.  None of us are holy and ALL of us are sinners.

Without any doubt in my mind, I can say that these organizations have embraced false teaching, and have willingly accepted membership in Babylon.

However, now a certain question becomes greatly important. A friend recently asked, "Now that my church has gone apostate, where do I go?"
.
He has a good point!  As more and more churches join the Babylonian ranks where is a conscientious believer to go?  Certainly, he is to get away from the apostate church!

The good book gives the following advice and declaration:

Rom 9:2

Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "THOUGH THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA, THE REMNANT WILL BE SAVED.

Rom 11:5 

Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

And, oh my goodness, just do a search on "remnant" in Isaiah!  Our Holy Father promises that those who stay true to Him - this remnant - will be saved.  It is my belief, BTW, that the remnant of Israel contains a remnant of physical Israel (in the middle east) and spiritual Israel, all believers in Jesus (Yeshua) -  Christian and Jewish.  I would suggest that most would agree with that assessment.

As the individual believer continues to move to different churches and as more and more churches go apostate (and I think they will) we may eventually be reduced to meeting in homes and small impromptu groups.  If you've been paying attention to the news, it's apparent that some local governments are already passing ordinances prohibiting church groups from meeting in homes.  Don't laugh!  This is happening!

Interesting isn't it?  The socially acceptable "Christian churches" (Babylon) will ultimately assist in the persecution of the remnant of true believers in Jesus (Yeshua).

But don't be alarmed.  The good book says this happen; we will be persecuted for His sake.  Be glad you're on His side!

The Observer

Padina's Story

The following story is true.  It has been provided by Voice of the Martyrs.  Her real identity has been altered for obvious reasons.

From the time Padina was four years old, she followed every rule of Islam in an attempt to grow close to Allah.  But Padina could never reach Allah.  "I never felt peace," she said.  "I would cry for hours to Allah, saying, 'I'm so far from you.  I can never go into your presence."

She felt depressed and hopeless.

So she made a plan to end her suffering.  She and her terminally ill mother would take pills, turn on the gas in the kitchen and enter into the presence of Allah as honored Muslims.

As Padina started to turn on the gas, she heard her mother's TV in the living room.  The words of a Pastor on an illegal Christian satellite program grabbed her attention:

"Why do you want to kill yourself tonight"  Our God is so powerful that He can change your life.  Give Jesus one week!"

Repulsed, Padina came up with a plan.  "I will pretend to invite Jesus for one week in my life", Padina thought.  "I can embarrass Jesus and embarrass Christianity for the false religion that it is.  In one week, I will call this television program and kill myself live on the program.  That will disgrace the God of the infidels."

The next morning, Padina awoke to something she hadn't seen in months.  Her formerly disabled mother was up and walking.  Padina rushed her to the hospital for testing.  The doctor was astonished.  "This is a miracle!" he said.  "She is cured!  Which imam did you pray to?"

Padina paused.  Could she say it was Jesus?  Could she admit to following the same man she had hated?  Was she willing to make a choice that could get her killed?

- - - - - - - - - -

Today, Padina faces the possibility of imprisonment and death.  "In Iran, if you accept Christ privately but never witness, you don't have a problem," she said.  "But the person who accepts Christ and begins to minister in Iran, their life is being constantly threatened.  Many times we have been about to get caught by the government.  Many times they have captured our leaders and churches.  Our lives have been threatened many times."

But Padina's hardships no longer matter because she knows she will spend eternity with the Jesus to whom she gave just one week.

The Observer

Why the "Feasts of the Lord" should be of interest to the Christian

Most Christians will tell you that the 10 Commandments are now covered by "grace", that the Old Testament (the Torah and Tanakh) is essentially "done" (except for maybe the book of Daniel), and that any "Jewish practices" have long been abrogated for Christians some 2,000 years or so.

All of us have probably met Christians who don't even own a Tanakh (Old Testament) but rely exclusively on the New Testament (the B'rit Hadashah).

Others will tell us that December 25th is the day we should celebrate Jesus' birth and that He arose from the dead on a Sunday morning and this "Feast day" is now known as Easter.  The Bible says neither, BTW.  Christmas and December 25th is part of pagan sun worship and the time of the resurrection is not precisely given in scripture (It could have been Saturday night, for example).

For those folks who frequent this site you will understand that I have great patience for these kinds of Christians because I was just like them at one time - believing in the lies and deceits my Pastors were telling me!

So, now it's time to venture into another area that Christians ignore - to their own peril.

The Feast Days of the Lord

Why the Feast days? Doesn't the N.T. tell us to ignore Feast days?  Actually, no!  Do a word search using "feast" in the N.T.  It's very obvious that Jesus, His Apostles, and the early church kept the Feast days.  With that in mind, perhaps this brief introduction to the Lord's Feasts will spike your interest to delve deeper.  It is my opinion that the Feast days clarify and enrich your belief in Yeshua (Jesus) and help clarify your knowledge of past and future events.  Because, as it turns out; the Feast Days are prophetic!

For those who would argue that most of the prophetic elements contained within the Feast Days have already been "fulfilled", they would be partially correct.  There are 7 Feasts days - 4 have been fulfilled by Yeshua (these are called the "Spring" feasts) - 3 are left for future fulfillment (the "Fall" feasts)!  This fact alone should make one's eyebrows arch!  To be able to say that history helps verify that 4 out of 7 prophecies concerning Jesus have absolutely occurred should be enough to blow one's mind and solidify his or her belief.

Here's a short list giving the English name, Hebrew name with corresponding Hebrew dates and the pagan month when the Feast occurs:

1.  Passover (Pesach) - Nisan 14-15 (March)

2.  Unleavened Bread (Chag Hamotzi) - Nisan 15-22 (March)

3.  First Fruits (Yom habikkurim) - Nisan 16-17 (March)

4.  Pentecost (Shavu'ot) - Sivan 6-7 (May)

5.  Trumpets (Yom Teru'ah) - Tishri 1 (September)

6.  Atonement (Yom Kippur) - Tishri 10 (October)

7.  Tabernacles (Sukkot) - Tishri 15-22 (October)

For those folks who have never heard, God's year is 360 days long with 12 months of 30 days each.  The Jewish calendar follows the cycles of the moon, not some pagan whimsy as our gentile calendar does and biblical days are from sundown to sundown.  BTW, the Jewish new year starts with the month of Tishrei (on the evening of September 28th), so; Happy New Year!

For most of the holidays it's easy to realize their prophetic significance.  Obviously, Jesus (Yeshua) became our Passover Lamb.  His body is our unleavened bread - the bread of life.  His "first fruits" arose with him and witnessed concerning Him.  And who can forget the Day of Pentecost?  As I'm no expert on these matters I will give you a terrific link explaining further at the end of this blog, for I'm barely scratching the surface here!

The last 3 Feast Days have not happened yet, prophetically speaking.

Trumpets, also called Rosh Hashanah, is the Jewish New Year and is a time for renewal, a time for a re-dedication to the Lord.  A time for repentance and self-examination.  But, it goes much deeper.  In the future sense it is time for "getting right with God" because the Great Day of the Lord is at hand!

Atonement, also called Yom Kippur, is a set day for confession of sins and repentance.  It is a realization that a church or synagogue, or a man, or the blood of a goat, or any organization of any type CANNOT forgive sins and that only the blood of Yeshua is the Atonement for sins!

Tabernacles, also called Sukkot, implying "shelter".  In the last days, the Lord will be our only shelter and refuge against the growing anti-Christian, secular, pagan world.  Chanukah (Hanukkah), BTW, was not given by God on Mt. Sinai, but was prophesied in Daniel 8:9-14.  Who will these persecutors be?  Many of them will be people claiming to be Christian, or Jew, or any other group that opposes the light of truth. (obviously, there will be good Christians and Jews as well)

If you think these Feasts of the Lord are unimportant for Christians I would suggest you study them more.  For they line up precisely with prophecy, past and future, and add significantly to the depth of understanding and faith concerning Jesus (Yeshua).

Here is a link with much valuable information and teaching.  I sincerely believe it is time for Jew and Gentile believers to come together in worship of Yeshua.

The Observer

The Commandments of Jesus

In the generic Christian worldview the "Law" (the 10 Commandments) and the Torah (first 5 books of the Word of God) are said to be "fulfilled"; that is, "ended", filled to "completion"; when in reality, the Torah and Commandments are still in effect.  Man's rules are the only things that have been abrogated.  It is my sincere belief that this Christian worldview is a trap to well-meaning believers.  One of those rules of man based in arrogance, ignorance, and tradition.  Therefore I offer a couple of videos explaining what I mean.  These two men have stated the case very well - if only you have ears to hear! (Note: you may need to "refresh" your screen to make both videos appear) (Also, please pardon the advertisement, if one appears - these are from the host servers, not necessarily from the speakers!)

The Observer

Are The Nicolaitans Alive & Well Today ?

Who are the Nicolaitans and why is it important for us to know?  Just 3 verses in the biblical text refer to them, but much more is written about them by the early "Church Fathers". (See Acts 6:5; Rev. 2:6; Rev. 2:15)

[Note: it's best to always read at least a chapter at a time to get the full context]

The Nicolaitans were an early church group known for their heresy.  Over history, their heresies have been adopted into mainline Christianity and other practices have been added.  Here are some of the things they practiced and things that have been added later - see if they have a familiar ring:

- Sunday as the “commanded” day of worship. (... do you ... "Remember the Sabbath"!?!)

- Veneration of Church leaders. (... whoever would be first must be last!)

- Hierarchical church Government. (the individual church, Jesus, and the 12 - that's all there's supposed to be folks! We individuals have direct access to the Holy of Holys.  Massive Church organizations are contrary to Jesus' teaching))

- Use of idols such as the Cross and Making the sign of the cross.

- Prayers to the dead.

- Use of statues to bow and pray to such as what is named the Virgin Mary. (During the first centuries of the church, no emphasis was placed on Mary whatsoever." - Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 14, p. 309.)  (... "no other gods before thee"?)

- The pagans baked cakes to offer to their female deity who they called "the queen of heaven" 1000 years before the birth of Christ. Today they're called "cross buns" and are offered in the name of, "The Queen of the Universe"; Mary. (... "abstain from food sacrificed to idols"?)

- Use of old pagan Feasts such as Christ-mass, and Easter. (December 25 was the "celebration of the victory of the unconquered Sun". - Gieseler's Ecclesiastical History; Edinburgh, 1846.)

- Yule log burning on Christmas Eve and a Christmas tree appears the next morning. The tree represents Zero-Ashta (a pagan god). The Yule log also represents the dead stock of Nimrod, cut down by his enemies, but is reborn the next morning to shine again. Represented by a tree carrying lighted candles.

- Use of Halos around the heads of statues and pictures of those considered Holy.

- Sun Rays coming from behind what is considered holy such as statues and pictures of people, crosses, doves, and even the bible.

- Infant baptism.

- Worship of angels.

- Mass instituted. (vain rituals)

- Extreme unction (Last Rights).

- Doctrine of purgatory which the Catholic Church ~ instituted in 593 A.D.

- Use of Holy Water.

- Rosary (prayer beads instituted).

- Good Friday being taught as the day Jesus was slain.

- Teaching that the dead go to heaven at death.

- Teaching that without baptism even an infant cannot enter into heaven.

- Tradition granted equal authority with the Bible ~ instituted in 1545 A.D.

- Engaged in sexual immorality (pedophile priests? "gay priests?)

Jay Atkinson has written a terrific primer on the subject of the Nicolaitans.

I offer it here as a reference read! It's well worth the time.  Folks, we need to wake up and smell the heresy!

The Observer

3 Great Movements Most Christians Are Ignoring

It isn’t often that Spiritual Movements occur in history. But when they do the mainstream either ignores them, refutes them, or attempts to destroy them.  BTW, the "World" in general doesn't matter in this discussion, because they don't care anyway.  It is my opinion that, by far, the vast majority of the "World" is lost.  The "mainstream" I'm referring to in this context are modern mainline Christians and their churches - you know, the "church" of Laodicea.

The Spiritual Movements spoken of here are the game-changing ones, the ones that matter - not necessarily these.

At this point in history, and over the last 100 years or so, at least three great movements have risen to inordinate prominence.  Among these are; a sincere and genuine movement back to the First Century church, the Rise and Support of the Nation of Israel, and the growth and Support of the Underground Church.

What? What are you talking about, Tiger?  Maybe I've heard of one of these but not all!  If this is the case with you then you have not been paying attention!  Or, you have been comfortable listening to that automaton of a minister masterly manipulating his audience into sleepy stupor on Sunday!

We'll take on these movements one by one.

The First Century Church Movement

The Apostolic Church; the one that existed for the first 100 years, the one that still celebrated on the Sabbath; the one that celebrated the Feasts of the Lord, the one that celebrated Passover, the one that mixed Jew and Gentile, the one that did not consider the 10 Commandments unimportant, the one that read from the Torah (the Pentateuch) and the Tanach (Old Testament), the ones who believed in a Jewish Messiah (Yeshua/Jesus), the ones who worshipped at a Synagogue and Church, the ones who took care of their own first (Joseph's Storehouse); - one could go on and on.  Yes, that Church; the original, is, in fact, alive and well today; in as much as it can be in modern times!

The most God-fearing group that exemplifies the First Century church today is Messianic Judaism.  All of the above and more apply to them.  They are, in fact, a movement; not having any "parent" organization to pay for or grow.  The group does have "associations", such as the MJAA and the IAMCS, but not a parent hierarchy such as exists in the 7th Day Adventist, Baptist, Methodist, or Roman Catholic churches; to name a few.  It is important to note; these folks are Jews - NOT "Jews for Jesus" who have effectively blended in with the Christian mainstream, but ethnic Jews who have come to realize and believe (like their first century brethren) that Yeshua (Jesus) is the promised Messiah!

If you have ever been to a Messianic Jewish service you will understand what I'm saying.  This mixture of Jew and Gentile (mostly Gentile, actually) truly represents what we modern people would say is the First Century church!  It is a realization of Israel, the physical nation and all believers in the Messiah - becoming one.  Folks, if you didn't realize it, the Bible prophesies this would happen - and it has!.

Jer 16:19
O LORD, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction, The Gentiles shall come to You From the ends of the earth and say, "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things."

IMO, this movement makes the mainstream Christian church look so much like Babylon, it makes one cringe!  The mainstream has indeed inherited lies and they are still espoused from the pulpit every Sunday; on the pagan day the lies were intended for.

Messianic Judaism

Messianic Judaism has a symbol it uses, shown on the far right.  This symbol is perfect in it's intent.  Notice the Menorah, the Star of David, and the Fish Symbol identified with early Christians.  It turns out that this very symbol was used by the First Century Church in Jerusalem.

Additionally, this group also has a special mission.  It seeks to restore the physical nation of Israel to the Messiah, just as biblical prophecy proclaims.  We can disagree on whether or not a rebuilt Temple is necessary for the "end times" but scripture is very clear that Israel will be united and brought under Yeshua.

The Rise and Support of the Nation of Israel

On May 14, 1948 the modern nation of Israel was (re)born following the outlines of the British Mandate for Palestine.  The Mandate's implementation left lots to be desired.  If you follow the link and view the map you'll notice that much, much more territory was set aside for Israel than they have nowadays.  This setting aside of land has biblical significance and is land designated by God.

Since that time, Jews from the diaspora have converged on Israel and made it strong and prosperous.  It is, however under constant attack by the forces of evil.  Whatever you may think of the situation in the middle east, you cannot deny Israel's biblical significance!  It's reemergence is simply miraculous!

And every time my country, the U.S., does something to harm her - we suffer!  It does seem that all the nations are aligning against her (Israel).  To my utter dismay, the Obama administration is particularly anti-Israel.

Zec 12:3
And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Zec 12:9
It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

The Growth and Support of the Underground Church

The Holy Bible states it very clearly.  The "Word" will be taken to the ends of the earth and then the "end" will come.

Mat 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Imagine being tortured for giving a friend a small writing of scripture.  Imagine having your wife and daughter raped in front of your eyes because you dared preach and witness the loving Word of God in public.

No, you won't hear about this on FOXNEWS or CNN and it won't be a subject of discussion for the U.N. Security Council.  Why?  Because the main perpetrators are most likely member nations on the Security Council!

And, you probably won't hear about organizations like the Voice of the Martyrs in your Sunday sermon.  (FYI: Messianic Judaism Synagogues support V.O.M.)  Your preachers may find it politically incorrect to distribute bibles in Saudi Arabia!

These modern-day Martyrs for Christ are real!  They are written about in a very famous book.  A book that should be required reading in public schools, IMO.  It's Richard Wurmbrand's; Tortured For Christ.  You can also read about them here.

Folks, the "Word" is being spread throughout the planet - whether you accept it or not!

These 3 Movements are real and engaging.  They are producing good works and appear to be locked and linked with end time prophecy.  I beg of you folks - start paying attention before it's too late!

The Observer

Understanding U.N. Bias - Support Israel Now

The Observer

The Beast Presents It's Followers

Pay close attention to the churches being represented via their introduction.  If you attend one of these churches or any of their affiliate organizations you just may want to rethink that decision, for they are Images of the Beast!

The Observer

Does Man Need God?

A commenter has recently raised a good question.  Is man “good enough” on his own?  Do we have enough “goodness” in us to always make proper decisions.  Are we morally good enough as to not need help of any kind?  In short, do we need God at all?  Do we need any sort of Holy Law to show us the way?

Rabbi Berel Wein, a writer for JewishWorldReview has written an article concerning this very subject.  His article is presented below.  Any emphasis is mine.

-- BEGIN ARTICLE --

An Ugly Reality That Only The Most Enlightened Refuse To Concede

This past century, the bloodiest in all of human history, should have lain to rest two of the most cherished theories about mankind postulated by the Enlightenment and Secular Humanism.

One was the idea that all moral questions, all issues of right and wrong, good and evil, were subject to being correctly decided on the basis of man's reason alone, without the necessity (better put, without the interference) of divine revelation or organized religion. Man, and man alone, would be the final and autonomous arbiter of morality.

This idea brought with it, as a necessary corollary, the firm belief that man left to his own reasoning devices would invariably choose to do what is right, what promotes life and fairness and the common good.

This second idea of man's innate choice of goodness was aided and abetted by an arrogant belief that an educated person was more likely to do good than an illiterate one — that a Ph.D. graduate would be less likely to kill, harm, maim and destroy than a poor, hardscrabble, backwards farmer.

But none of these theories have proven true. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Milosevic and the entire slew of other murderers of the 20th century have all given the lie to these fantasies about human morality and rectitude. One-third of all of the commandants of the Nazi death camps held either a Ph.D. or M.D. degree. Man, left to his own reason, will not choose right. Reason, by itself, is death and destruction, oppressive theories and murderous social engineering. “No faith” and “no belief” have led us to the brink of the social abyss of self-destruction.

Our society hungers for a return to self, to a system of eternal values, to a disciplined life-style and to the true liberty of faith, which will free us from the ills of mindless conformity.

Balak and Bilaam, the two main characters in this week's Torah reading, are powerful, respected, intelligent people. Bilaam even possesses the gift of divine intuition and prophecy. But they are base, evil and immoral people. They are so convinced of their own powers, of their own ability to reason correctly, that they are convinced that they can hoodwink the Divine and destroy the Jewish people, all without consequence to themselves.

They exhibit all of the immoral traits of the dark side of human behavior — greed, corruption, jealousy, foul speech and causeless hatred. But their worst trait is arrogance — they know better, they are better, they deserve better. And the People of Israel, and through it, the G0d of Israel and His divine Torah, apparently stands in their way. So, denying G0d and destroying the People of Israel will somehow improve the world.

We have seen the genocidal plan of Balak and Bilaam take on the flesh of reality in this past century as well. We now know how dangerous such people are.

But many, and especially, inexplicably many Jews, are loath to relinquish the good old theories of the Enlightenment. And that is a truly sad and dangerous error. We need a healthy dose of realism and should forsake many of the utopian, naive and dangerous beliefs and theories that have characterized our journey in the modern world over the past two centuries.

We should never forget that Balak and Bilaam are unfortunately real. But so is our faith and tradition.

-- END ARTICLE --

BTW folks, the biblical story of Balak and Balaam are in Numbers, Ch. 22, if interested.

So, here is a Jewish Rabbi; fully aware that intellect, reason, and education aren’t nearly enough to correctly decide moral questions for society.  It would seem to be readily apparent that man without God cannot do it!  Here are a few statistics to back up what the Rabbi says.  BTW, so-called “religious” people can forget about God too! :

Hitler – Adolf Hitler was a Roman Catholic but placed his own intellect above God’s.  Over 11 million people including Jews, Gypsies, gays, political prisoners, people with disabilities and Eastern Europeans were killed in the Holocaust.

Sources:  University of South Florida · The History Place
See Also: Encyclopedia · Holocaust Chronicle

Stalin – Joseph Stalin’s bloody record can be read here. Stalin was an atheist.

Mao – Here’s Mao Zedong’s story. Also an atheist.

Pol Pot – Read here if you have the stomach for it.

Milosevic - Slobodan Milošević; forgetting God’s love and using religion for “ethnic cleansing”.

The Killing of Christians – Yes, sometimes Christians kill each other.  They forget God and trust to themselves.

And if you really want to read about one of the ultimate deniers of God, read this.  Copies should be in your local library.

… Know Jesus, Know Peace; No Jesus, No Peace …

The Observer

Please Listen!

For your benefit, listen to this wonderful radio interview concerning the issues of HELL and DEATH.

Yes, I believe scripture tells us that the wicked WILL burn up one day – A PLACE OF BURNING IS REAL!  However, people DO NOT burn forever!

The Observer

The “Other” Jesus

2 Cor. 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

It never ceases to amaze me how complete and all encompassing the biblical text is! Here in 2nd Corinthians, Paul is telling the congregation at Corinth that he is preaching the "real Jesus", the same One taught by the other Apostles, and that by knowing the truth of the real Jesus, a person will be able to bear with (be shielded from) an imposter.

As in yesteryear, this teaching is applicable in modern times. The great end-time controversy brewing within the Christian body today is; which Jesus should we worship – the one presented and portrayed within the framework of man’s tradition; or, the One presented solely in scripture; stripped of man’s tradition?

Here’s an illustration of what I’m saying. Just who do the following statements apply to? :

- He is venerated using a cross.

- His birth is celebrated on December 25th.

- His special worship day is Sunday.

- He is celebrated at Easter.

- His male priests are called “Father”.

- His female “priests” are called “Mother”.

Did you automatically say Jesus Christ? That would have been my answer also, until I learned better! No, these statements actually refer to the pagan god Mithra. Mithraism was a pagan belief long practiced before Christ’s advent. It’s traditions and practices have been blended with modern-day Christianity throughout history. What most Christian churches practice today is actually of pagan origin!

Ask yourself the following question: Did first century, apostolic Christians follow and practice the items listed above?

The answer is - absolutely NOT!

Do you begin to understand why Christians are getting back to their first century roots – back to the true Jesus – the biblical Jesus – the Jesus that celebrated on the Sabbath – the Jesus that celebrated Passover – the Jesus that proclaimed the validity of the 10 Commandments?

Do YOU worship another Jesus?

The Observer

Making Sense of Natural Disasters

Steve Wohlberg has written a series of tracts explaining, biblically, some of the “reasoning” behind all these natural disasters that have been occurring recently.

You can view the material for free here – it may be helpful to you.  You will need a PDF reader.

The Observer

How One Simple Truth Disqualifies The Largest Christian Church In The World

Did you know – their is a major difference between a believer in Christ, and a “true” believer in Christ?  Did you also know the Bible tells us this difference; explains it, and warns us about it?  Did you know that one type of believer worships Christ and the “other” worships antichrist?

1 John 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 John 4:2  By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
1 John 4:3  and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

2 John 1:7  For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

It’s very clear from these verses (and others) that the believers who believe Christ came “in the flesh” are “true” and the ones who don’t are false.  Please notice also that Antichrist is already in the world at the time John wrote this.  Today’s Christians, looking to the future for the Antichrist, are simply deceived.

Now, just what does; “has come in the flesh” mean?  Yes, the Bible tells us that also;

John 1:14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 2:14  Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
Hebrews 2:15  and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Hebrews 2:16  For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
Hebrews 2:17  Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 2:18  For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Folks, it’s very clear that Jesus Christ was born into our smelly, evil, sinful, fallen nature; yet lived a sinless life -  so He would qualify as our sacrifice for sins and serve as our personal High Priest.  (see also; Romans 7:18, Romans 8:3, Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 7:26)

Because He is our High Priest we may approach Him ourselves, individually; without a need for a priest or pastor.  We have direct access to the Most High!  This is basic Christianity here, folks – no question about it!

Now we know what “has come in the flesh means”.  Although He shared our sinful nature and polluted flesh, He prevailed!

H A L L E L U J A H ! ! !

Who, in their right mind would disagree with all this but still claim to be a Christian?

- The Immaculate Conception of Mary -

The official dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, concerning Mary, the mother of Jesus is as follows (proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854:

“The most blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin”

The famous Catholic Cardinal Gibbons explains:

“In other words we affirm that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity … by being born of the Virgin, [took] to Himself, from her maternal womb, a human nature of the same substance as hers … a true human nature of the same substance with her own.”

Folks, the RCC teaches that Jesus was born sinless and “preserved from stain of original sin” by inheriting it from the sinless nature of His mother.  In other words, the RCC teaches that Jesus was not born “of the flesh”!

From this single doctrine, many beliefs have sprang forth from the Roman system.  The belief that the adoration and worship of Mary as a “saving office” for sinners has arisen.  The belief that man must go through man (a priest, saint, popes, etc.) in order to reach Jesus, has been promoted and taught.  From the churches own words come; “Through Mary’s “manifold intercession”, she is now our “Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix” who can “bring us the gifts of eternal salvation” and “deliver our souls from death.”

My dear friends, we all know their are many true believers within the Catholic ranks who are ignorant of their church’s folly.  The Bible is very clear on this subject.  We Christians have only one Advocate:

1 John 2:1  My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
1 John 2:2  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
1 John 2:3  Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
1 John 2:4  He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

As an institution, the Roman Catholic Church denies that Jesus came in the flesh and as such, is a self-described Antichrist.

The Observer

What Comes After The Churches Fall ? (the 144,000)

Does that sound like a provocative question?

Is there any truth to the idea that man’s churches will one day fail to be effective anymore? (and will fall?)

The first 3 chapters of Revelation show Christ giving a message to the 7 churches (congregations) of the period. Most scholars say this progression of statements also illustrate church history, and that we are now in the age of the church of Laodicea. The churches are lukewarm. They are not “on fire” for God, nor have they grown cold. But are they failing?

Just after the 911 attack on the World Trade Center by the so-called religion of peace, church attendance soared, for obvious reasons. Then the numbers subsided, and now, we’ve seen church closings, mainly due to the bad economy – fewer people are tithing. But some would say the churches are still going strong.

I’m involved in a small way with Voice of the Martyrs. According to them Christian churches are dramatically on the rise around the world - just not in America and Europe.

As you know from the last entry I differentiate the true church from the organized churches of man. In other words, the Body of Christ, as a whole, may not be representative of “organized” religion. I’ve heard at least one Minister remark that perhaps people like me want “disorganized” religion? No, organized religion is fine with me; I just want the organizing to be done by the Holy Spirit, not man! And as always, IMO, many, many saints attend these man-organized churches. Heck! I sometimes attend those churches! Spiritually, I simply see Christ’s church differently than most men.

The Bible does, in fact, support the idea that churches fail to do their job;

Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Mat 7:16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Yes, the verses can apply to churches as well as individuals. Here’s a couple more;

Luke 13:6 He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
Luke 13:7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'
Luke 13:8 But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
Luke 13:9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.' "

… and,

Rev 3:14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, 'These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
Rev 3:15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—
Rev 3:18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

I think you would agree with me. Man’s churches do have false prophets and ravenous wolves; they do not bear fruit other than producing their own wealth, and most are lukewarm - to be vomited out of your mouth!

You want some real-world examples? That’s easy!

- How many churches can you think of that ordain women?

- How many churches ordain homosexuals or lesbians?

- How many churches teach what is expressly forbidden by Holy Writ? (celibacy, for example …)

- How many churches teach the heresies of the Antichrist?

Guess what, with these four simple statements just about ALL Christian churches have been covered ! Here’s a famous quote from H. Grattan Guinness, a famous 19th century theologian, concerning that last point;

“Futurism is literalism, and literalism in the interpretation of symbols is a denial of their symbolic character. It is an abuse and degradation of the prophetic word, and a destruction of it’s influence. It substitutes the imaginary for the real, the grotesque and monstrous for the sober and reasonable”.

BTW, most all modern churches teach Futurism. Futurism is a creation of Francisco Ribera, a Jesuit, to combat the Protestant Reformation. Futurism has no biblical integrity. Yet, most churches (and governments) follow after the Beast and their futurist doctrine! (Note: the Jesuits were created for the sole purpose of turning the churches eyes away from the truth that the Roman papacy is the biblical Antichrist)

… more examples?

- Half of Americans believe U.S. Christians persecuted, But poll shows 1 in 3 Democrats believes such treatment 'necessary'

- State Department Ignores Christian Slaughter

- Navy Chaplains to Officiate Gay Marriages

- Navy Halts Move to Allow Gay Unions by Chaplains

So… back to the discussion; have churches failed? I would say – MOST DEFINITELY! Are governments following the Beast? OH YES THEY ARE!

(remember folks, I’m speaking of institutions here, not individuals)

So what now? If the churches and our governments follow the Antichrist already who do we have left?

… you have the Word of God and the 144,000!

Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
Rev 7:5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were sealed; of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
Rev 7:6 of the tribe of Asher … etc.

The 144,000 have been said to represent the 12 Apostles and are a "last days" corollary to them. They represent the last teachers of the true gospel and also earth's last chance to accept Christ. They have not been "defiled by women" (Rev. 14:3-5) meaning they have not been tainted by the teachings of Babylon (a "woman" in biblical symbolism is a church). Now, whether you believe the 144,000 are symbolic or a literal number is up to you. “Israel”, BTW, has no connection to the country in the middle east. It represents the true believers in Christ. (yes, a related study!)

Being a subject unto itself, here is a reference to the 144,000.

The good book states that the churches and man will not be able to listen to or believe in the true Word of God in the last days;

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

Babylon has fallen, has fallen ... come out of her, lest you share in her plagues ...(Rev. Ch. 18)

I believe we are at that point in time. I believe most churches can be called Babylon. I believe most churches (and governments) are followers of the Beast! What about those Christians being persecuted and forming underground churches around the world? They are part of the Body of Christ, in my thinking - and I say, God Bless them!

The Observer

Can Man Create A Saint ?

Man has been given the freedom, by God, to do anything with his life. Jesus, who was at creation (Heb. Ch. 1) did not make automatons; creatures who would always do what He asked. Contrary to what liberal political ideology teaches, we are not slaves. Some politicians would have us all be slaves to a government or to a political ideology. Jesus had different ideas (2 Cor. 3:17). However, this political argument is best left for another time.

We do have freedom, yet everything that we do does not bring pleasure to God – this much should be obvious to us all. We have the “liberty” to deny the 10 Commandments, to break God’s Law and assign a different day for worship, to eat too much, to drink too much, to fill our minds with garbage of all sorts, etc. In short, we have the freedom to sin!

People will ask the question; “if God knew we were going to sin, why did He make us?”.

He made us because rooted in true freedom and liberty is love. The same argument applies to Lucifer. God, although knowing Lucifer (the Light-Bearer) would rebel and become Satan (the Adversary), created him anyway. He did so out of love! The Roman Catholic Church is in the process of determining whether or not the late Pope John Paul II (Karol Józef Wojtyła) will be designated a Saint. Mankind has the freedom to do such a thing if he wants. My thinking process is much different than theirs. Man cannot do what God Himself can only do. (Photo from FOXNEWS.COM)

For example, only God can alter His 10 divine Laws – man cannot. Man may do such things and claim he has usurped God’s authority, but this is simply the same mistake Lucifer made. In fact, making such a change indicates you have committed yourself to the allegiance of Satan. Man may teach that you go to heaven (or hell) immediately upon death, for another example, but the Bible (God's actual Word) does not teach that. Satan teaches in the "garden" that we are immortal and have an immortal "soul", but God does not teach that. Instead, God teaches that when we die - we die! That we are "living souls" (in life) and when we die, the breath of God returns to God. When God breathed into Adam he "became a living soul". Upon death, we lie dead, awaiting the Resurrection at the Second Coming. (or the Resurrection of the wicked - later)

The biblical definition of a “saint” is very different from man’s. This person has done a wonderful job explaining this. Although it’s a little dated, please read it.

Do you claim to love God? Did you know the biblical definition of love means more than our modern touchy-feely ideas about love? “Love” – in the Bible, has much to do with obedience. If we actually love God, we will think twice before “eating anything from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil”. We will obey Him out of our love for Him!.

No … man nor his organized church can do what only God can do – even if it appears that he has. This is the true faith of the saints – that we love and believe our Lord and Savior, not man, and if we do love Him, we will follow His Commandments! (John 14:15)

I hope all of you are having a wonderful, spirit-filled Sabbath!

The Observer

The Biblical Church

Take a long look at the photo of the nice brick church with a classic steeple. Most of us have seen such churches in our own home town, especially in N. America [Peyton-Knight photo]. Many saints and sinners can be found in these places. After all, sometimes the best place to find a sinner is in church. Saints can be found everywhere there’s a need.

The second image is from the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.

My question today is; “do either of these images represent your biblical vision of what the church is?” It certainly did for me for most of my life. Then, I began to really study my Bible.

My wife, the Tigress, and I attended an FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) awards banquet last night. The event was held on a sprawling, expansive network of buildings. The facility included schools, meeting rooms, gymnasiums, ballrooms, offices, and conference centers. This was a one church organization folks, spread out on at least one square mile of property, or more! The actual church was immense, certainly able to be described as a mega-church. Right next door, on a separate piece of gorgeous property a famous (un-named) professional athlete has built a sports facility so the young folks could be trained to pursue the given sport with all the help one would need. Yes, the famous athlete is a member of the church.

Being a devout capitalist myself, I have absolutely no problem with all the money associated with this organization and their facility – as long as the money is used for good purposes. And I have no doubt whatsoever that many, many saints attend this church.

But I have to ask, “is this what the biblical text means when it speaks of the ‘church’ ?“

I would have to say, no – not at all. We’ve mentioned before that Bible translations contain word errors. These errors have crept in through the influence of Kings, Popes, translators, and well-meaning clergy. If memory serves the last one discussed was the use of the Latin word “crux”, for cross. The original Greek word used was, “stauros”, meaning stake. This one crept in with William Tyndale, a trained catholic. With the veneration of the cross image that is given nowadays and the fact of it's pagan origin, you can appreciate my concern.

The old English word, "cirice" (the house of a god) was one such word used by the King James translators. We get our word, “church” from this word and it strictly implies a place of worship. The original intent was far removed from this idea. The word, “congregation” is very old and only has one meaning. It means, “an assembly of believers”; a collection of people devoted to worship. “Congregation” is the word that should be used in all Bible translations where the word “church” is used.

So, as you may have suspected already, a church is simply where two or more worshippers are gathered.

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.

Whether you have a meeting at home, at work, in your car, or on the street; and you are having a devotional activity to God – then you are in church. Let no man tell you differently!

Now, there’s nothing wrong if you wish to attend one of these mega-churches. Just be sure they’re doing God’s work, not man’s. And ask this question - are they promoting Jesus or man?

The Observer