The Sovereignty of God Maintains the Holy Bible

While there may be some discrepancies between copies and versions of the Holy Bible today, we have no business claiming it has errors, or that any parts are not inspired by God. We do have very old copies in original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, but God is the only One who has true knowledge of the contents of the originals. That does not make our copies erroneous, or not part of inspired Scripture, for God's sovereignty maintains the accuracy of the Holy Bible.

Almighty GOD is not living within our time. Time was created for us.

He sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). God is talking to Adam in the Garden of Eden, even as He is accepting our worship on the new earth. He is Eternal. Time does not exist in God's realm of eternal being. GOD is the I AM.

God is instructing Moses to write the 1st five books of the Bible. He is overseeing Jeremiah write his books. Matthew, Mark, Luke & John are writing the gospels per God's guiding inspiration even as you sit and read the Holy Bible at your table in this instant. Pick a writer of one of the 66 books of the Bible and God by His infinite wisdom is having it penned even as you think on it.

Hold your fingers together as tight as possible, until they hurt. The space between your fingers is still longer than your lifespan.

God indwells His people yesterday, today and forever. (John 14, Ephesians 1:13,14, Galatians 3). He indwells believers before us and He will indwell believers after us. (even if we are raptured today)
In every Bible study, or Biblical teaching/preaching, the eternal existing God is actually watching over the person writing the book we are reading at the same instance.

I am not talking multiple dimensions, I am talking about God's BEING. God IS the I AM.

WOW! WE SERVE AN AWSOME GOD!!!

The Bible that the world has today, no matter what version, or language is being preserved by God Himself, outside of time. This is the Holy Bible of the Christian, not the religious books of other world beliefs.

If any parts of the Bible could be in error, in any language or translation, then don't you think Almighty God is able to correct His word, which He is overseeing the writings of even now?

We don't have the originals, but God does.

If today's Bible study guides are exalted over the Holy Bible, that's saying to God the writers of the study guides know more about the Bible than He does.

Consider the danger of your own error attempting to correct God.

Considering that the Author of the Bible is Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God, if you decide that you can identify parts of the Holy Bible that are in error, consider these two scenarios:

#1

For some spectacular reason, you can move through the dimensions of Time and Space.

Today, a Christian brother has just watched a group of ISIS militants rape and murder his wife. In the next hour he will be beheaded for his faith in Christ. But he is steadfastly remembering the verses he has memorized from his Bible as he faces this horrible death. (it doesn't matter what language or translation the Bible is written in, it's a Holy Bible, maintained by Sovereign God)

Suddenly, you pop into his presence and announce, "My Bible study guide says that certain parts of certain translations and versions of the Bible are wrong and are not inspired by God because we have discovered they are not in the 'Best Manuscripts". We have decided that they are in error and we no longer teach them as being the inspired words of God."

And you disappear as suddenly as you arrive, leaving this brother alone wondering if the verses he has memorized are the parts that are not Inspired by God.

#2

Still jumping through Time and Space, you travel back to a cold, dark cell in the German Concentration Camp Ravensbruek, where two young women are huddled together with a Bible open between them. One is reading scripture to her dying sister. (it doesn't matter what language or translation the Bible is written in, it's a Holy Bible, maintained by Sovereign God)

Suddenly, you pop into their cell, point to their Bible and say, "In the future, we learn that certain parts of certain translations and versions of the Bible are wrong and are not inspired by God because we have discovered they are not in the 'Best Manuscripts". So we have decided that they are in error and we no longer teach them as being the inspired words of God."

And just as suddenly, you disappear from their sight, leaving Corrie Ten Boom and her sister, Betsie, holding worthless scraps of paper.

What has your knowledge just done to these people who have no access to whatever Bible study guide you may have read. Where is your proof that your Bible study guide is true and their Bible's are wrong? Your so-called knowledge gained form your study guides is of no advantage.

Only God has the knowledge to maintain His word as without error and all Scripture is inspired by God. (2 Timothy 3:16)

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of
Scripture is of any private interpretation,

for prophecy never came by the will of man,
but holy men of God spoke as they

were moved by the Holy Spirit"
2 Peter 1:20,21.

But of Bible Studies and study guides, the bookshelves are breaking from the strain. Be very careful of what you read outside of the Bible itself, for God has not breathed the words of Bible Study Guides, only the words of the Holy Bible. (John 17:17, 2 Timothy 3:16. 2 Peter 1:20, 21, Rev. 22:18,19, Is. 55:10,11, Eccl. 12:11.12,13,14.)

If something you read has an argument pointing to an error, stop and hold up any version of the Bible and say to the One who sits on the throne in Heaven, "Holy Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient GOD, because of this or that I've read about Your word, I know for certain that this text of this Bible is in error and is not inspired by You. You, Almighty God must have made a mistake putting this into this version of Your Bible, because this man, or this woman said so. So, now You, God are corrected by my knowledge."

Aren't you putting a lot of confidence in the idea the authors of study guides know more than God knows about His word?

Then you are telling God He is not Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God.

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The Destructiveness of Pride in a Christian

It's awfully hard to watch someone you know is saved that keeps trying to live the Christian life in their own power. They set themselves up for failure repeatedly and can't grasp the reason why they continually fail. It's personally sad, for no matter what you do to help, they don't see the problem is themselves.

No matter how many sermons they hear, or Bible studies they attend, they just won't let God be God. They won't get off the throne and trust Jesus to rule over them.... They won't let God have their lives beyond their salvation.

They haven't grown beyond the warm-fuzzy of their initial salvation.

It all comes down to the original sin of pride.

Pride destroys everyone and everything.

"For you (Lucifer) have said in your heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high" Isaiah 14:12-14.

No one can sit on the throne of God except GOD. If a Christian keeps attempting to crawl up there, seeking to rule themselves, their sins will create more troubles for them and for all those around them.

"You have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD. nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives" Hebrews 12:5,6.

There is something wrong when a Christian can keep sinning without some kind of remorse for theuir actions.

For to know Jesus went to the cross to take the punishment for your sins, and then as a Christian stand at the foot of the cross, looking up at Him, how can you shake your fist and say,

"You are the Almighty Savior, and I thank you for saving me."...but...
"No, you shall not rule over me."
"I know better than you how to run my life"
"I don't care about Your suffering so I can have abundant life."
"I am not going to submit beyond faith that Your forgave my sins."
"I am not going to obey."
"I will not trust You to command me."
"I will not pray."
"I will not read my Bible." 

"Thus also faith by itself, it if does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' 'Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:17,18.

"Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves"

James 1:22.

The term 'backsliding' is the picture of a cow with her feet firmly planted, pulling back on the lead rope, refusing to be led into a stall.

Only Christians can be backsliders, since they are the only ones who are led by God into His 'stalls' to be fed and nurtured. They can 'backslide' by willfully refusing to obey the commands of God.
A non-Christian has no personal interactions with God, so they, as wild cattle, have no room in God's 'stalls'.

Prayer for fellow Christians is vitally important. Sometimes your personally steadfast walk of faith is the only thing that can help both you in your sorrow for your friend, and your friend as they watch your interaction with our Holy God.

Pray and Pray and Pray

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Jesus--Nazarene?, (Nazirite?) Originally posted May 2014

There is no evidence Jesus was ever under the law of the Nazirite though I have often heard Christians make the statement that He was a Nazirite. The Bible actually contradicts the idea of Jesus being a Nazirite because of the restrictions listed in the written Law.


So what does the Bible say about Jesus, the Nazarene?

Matthew 2: 23, Joseph moved his family to Nazareth, a village in the Galilean region thus fulfilling prophetic scripture, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’ Though Jesus lived in Nazareth, none of the prophecies concerning Jesus states He was to keep the Law of the Nazirite.

In His lifetime on earth, Jesus separated Himself unto the work of God in all aspects, thus more consecrated to God then those under the Law of the Nazirite.

• Law of the Nazirite

Numbers 6: 2, Anyone placing themselves under the Law of the Nazirite, separates themselves to God.

Numbers 6: 3, 4, 5, Anyone under a Nazirite vow separates themselves from wine or similar drink: vinegar wine, or fermented vinegar of any kind; no grape juice, fresh grapes or raisins. A Nazirite separates himself from all produce of the grapevine, seed to skin.

Numbers 6: 5, All the days of his vows, no razor shall touch his head.

Numbers 6: 6-8, All the days of his vows, he shall not go near a dead body.

Numbers 6: 9-12, If anyone under a Nazirite Vow is touched by; has touched, or unintentionally touches, a dead person, they must go through a special cleansing ritual preformed at the temple in sight of the priest.

• Jesus was a citizen of the town of Nazareth, hence a Nazarene.
• But NOT a Nazirite

John 2: 1-11, Jesus first miracle was to turn water to wine.

The Gospels record Jesus ate meals with many people, including enemies, but not once is it recorded anyone ever tempted Him to break a Nazirite Vow with wine, or other drink.

Luke 22: 17, 18, The bible records Jesus is the giver of the cup of wine that is the predecessor of our Communion Service. If Jesus had been under the Law of the Nazirite, He would never have touched any ‘fruit of the vine’.

Matthew 11: 19, If Jesus had been under the Law of the Nazirite, His enemies accusation of him being a drunkard and a glutton would have been accurate. By observing Him drinking anything fermented, they would prove Him a false teacher and a Hypocrite.

1 Corinthians 11:3-16, Only a man avowed under the Law of the Nazirite would let their hair grow for the length of their vow. All other Jewish men are to have their hair worn short. Jesus would have had short hair as a common man.

(Acts 18:18, The Apostle Paul took a Nazirite vow for a season.)

John 11, Jesus brings Lazarus back to life. (Mark 5:41, Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter. (Luke 7: 14, Jesus raises the widow’s son. (Mark 5: 1-17, Jesus goes to the region of Gadarene and drives out a legion of demons from a man living in a graveyard. 

The Law of the Nazirite forbade touching dead people, or being near the dead. Any such contact required a cleansing ritual. (Numbers 6: 9-12) Jesus never broke any of the OT Laws. There is no record of Him needing the required cleansing ritual after exposure to the dead.

Isaiah 53:2, The bible records Jesus wasn't someone who stood out in a crowd. Had He been under a Nazarite Vow, long hair would have made Him noticeable. The bible records Jesus was able to disappear in a crowd.

Judas identified Him with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane. A Nazirite would have been identifiable among the others. 

If God could say "This is My Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased," Jesus couldn't have been a Nazirite and break all these regulations of the Nazirite Vow clearly spelled out in the law given to Moses.

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The One & Only Jesus Christ

It is so sad to find as you're talking to someone about Jesus and they begin to speak about the Jesus they worship and you soon learn he isn't the same as the Jesus, the Son of God, written of throughout the Bible.

How awful that they are being lied to by someone who is teaching them another Jesus and is taking them in the wrong direction from the Biblical truth of an afterlife in heaven & hell and eternal salvation & damnation.

And these people are so deceived because the n...ame of Jesus is spoken from the pulpit and so they believe it is the right name.

There are soooo many Scriptures that speak against these false teachers, it is astonishing how these people can be so blind and lost!

here is a list of verses warning to watch out for and how to identify false teachers. Also in this this list are verses that explain what is going to happen to false teachers when they meet the God they refuse to accept, and that they continue to slander.

Matt 7:21-23, Acts 20:28-30, Romans 1:18- 25, 2 Cor 11:3-4, Gal 1:8,9, 3:1-5, 5:7-12, Col 2:4-10, & 16-19, 1 Tim 1:5-7, & 4:1-3, & 6:20,21, 2 Tim 2:14-17, & 3:5, & 4: 1-4, Titus 3: 9-11, Heb 10:23-31, James 1:21-24, & 3:1, 2 Peter 1:16-2:3, & 2:12-22, 1 John 4: 1-3, 2 John 7-11, 3 John 9-10, Jude 4 & 12, Rev 22:18,19.

The Bible teaches a Holy Triune God, One in Three Persons, Co-Equal, Yet One. (Only a Born Again believer can understand this fact without total confusion. It is supernaturally known.

"Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" John 3:3.

"For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. These things we also speak, not in words which men's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" 1 Corinthians 2:11-14.

The Bible teaches the truly is Eternal Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and no other.

"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" 4:12.

The Bible is a complete book of 66 books. Born again Christians are to be taught from the entire book to be like Jesus was in the world. The Holy Spirit living in each believer empowers us to be such people for Jesus.

"But you shall receive power when they Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth" Acts 1:8.

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It Makes More Sense Than Evolved Intelligence

I believe in the Eternal Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Creator God because it makes more sense than man's evolved intelligence having imagined the creation of a Creator God.

Here's why I believe God made me and I did not make myself.

Some people are taught that human' evolved over billions years to the state we are in now. Somehow they have been convinced we are getting smarter, and more civilized as we are evolving higher and higher on the chain of life.

Huh?

Evolution teaches that the human is his or her own god because they have reached the top of the evolution of intelligence. That their deification comes from being able to think, make decisions and grasp for more in their lives to enhance own wellbeing.

Um....then after billions of years, somewhere about 7000 years ago, our beautifully, perfectly, intelligent, evolved minds decided we needed to worship a God who created us. About 7000 years ago we somehow made up a God who created heaven and earth. He created a man and woman and walked and talked with them in a Garden of Eden. (every culture discovered so far has some sort of written history similar to this and also a change in the earth resembling the flood of Noah's day)

Also our beautifully evolved intelligence decided to think up something called sin that separates us from the Creator God. Then humans decided that One God-Man would come to earth to die for all the sin of the world so we all, (perfectly evolved humans) could go be with Him forever and ever in a Paradise. We also decided that there has to be a counterpart to Paradise called Hell and the Lake of Fire for all those who somehow reject this Creator God's salvation.

Think about this--the evolved human mind had to come up with that if evolution is the truth.

If the human race has evolved to the epitome of the chain of existence, there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON for ANY human on the planet to imagine a deity higher than themselves.

That means all the religions of the world including Buddhism, Christian Science, Jehovah Witness, Mormons, Islam, every Native tribe of any land, Illuminati, Zodiac, Naturalism, & Humanism, Witchcraft, Satanism, Superior Aliens, etc.. Not only our Christianity as learned from the Holy Bible, but ALL of these would be foolishness in the imagined creation of the semblance of a god above an evolved human.

But the human mind in all parts of the world have some sort of out-of-this-world gods in their culture, some deity beyond their evolution. What for? How? Why?

So I believe Almighty God created me and has put in me the mind to seek Him and know Him. And, praise the Lord, to be saved by Him out of this sinful, crazy world and be with Him forever and ever in Paradise!! (Psalm 100)

Those who worship evolution have to figure out just which god they want to worship, since each time they add more years to their religion of evolution, they give more proof they cannot be evolved into perfection yet--and who wants an imperfect god?

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5 Life-Applications from Exodus

5 life-applications we can learn from the beginning of the book of Exodus

1.
"But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the male children alive" Exodus 1: 17

     The faith of the Hebrew midwives. By disobeying the orders to 'post-abort' all male babies, they openly rebelled against the supreme ruler (Pharaoh) of the country that held them as slaves. That took courage but the key to their faith is in the opening of the verse, "But the midwives feared God." Their faith in God and taking action on that faith is beautiful.

• Sometimes Christians have to take a stand against something the government commands as laws for individuals that completely contradict God's laws for all mankind. Because of this distinction, all Christians need to know their Bibles and know their God.

2.
"And they said, 'An Egyptian delivered us from the hand of the shepherds, and he also watered the flock'" Exodus 2:17

    Thus begins Moses' 40 year alias. On the lam for murder, in a pagan country, he's mistaken for an Egyptian. It doesn't appear he corrects the mis-identification. And he even marries into the family. Oops, his bad start just got worse.

• If our Christian character is in question in regards to the company we keep, we need to make a change, either by speaking up and identifying ourselves, or get out of there as soon as we can.

3.
"And they said to them, 'Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight if his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us'" Exodus 4:21

     Moses' request of Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go from Egypt to worship God didn't go over very well. God had already told Moses Pharaoh wouldn't let them even before Moses left the sheep in Midian. Also, he told God's plan to the people, to which they agreed he talk to Pharaoh. Unfortunately, neither they nor Moses considered such an adverse reaction. Instead of things improving, or even staying the same, it all went sour. And with Pharaoh making daily work harder on the children of Israel, they blamed Moses for upsetting the man.
     Unfortunately this is a familiar reaction with many groups. You tell them a new plan of action and they accept it. But the minute the new plan interrupts or changes their comfort zone then resentment and anger comes against you.

• If you have a clear vision and have the means and/or compulsion to complete it, you may have to go through a lot of trouble on your own. But with God's help, keep on until you get to the conclusion. Hindsight is 20/20 and you opposition will accept it in the end.

Take care what you pray for if 

you're not prepared to be the 

very answer to your own prayer.

4.
"...These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families" Exodus 6: 25

     Right in the middle of of Moses' telling God He's picked the wrong guy for the job, God gives the Family Tree of the Priests He has chosen. Proof of God's humor.Picture Moses as a small child, his lip thrust out, arms folded, scowling as he says, "Why do I have to?" and picture God as His Dad tolerantly smiling and saying "Because I say so."

• Like Moses, God may pick us for the job, even if we feel disqualified and are absolutely reluctant. In that case we are to go one step at a time, walking carefully in the light, power, and might of God. Never make a move, or decision without prayer and seeking God. It is the only way to accomplish the work. It is then we can say "It was all God's work. Praise Him!"

5.
"And the Egyptians shall know I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them" Exodus 7:5

     Take a lesson from the miracles of the plagues. They not only were for Pharaoh and the Egyptians to witness what Almighty God can do but also for the children of Israel to see their God's power.

• Look to God to move the mountains. Grumbling and complaining about oppression and the degradation of social situations isn't going to do anything. Seeking God will.

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Oxymoron

Oxymoron: Origin: Greek: "Pointedly foolish', oxus: sharp; moros: foolish
Rhetorical figure, epigrammatic in form, in which what appear to be incongruous, contradictory, contrasted, ideas are associated.

No: Negative particle: Refusal, denial in word

Lord: Master, Lord, Superior, Ruler

Saying "No, Lord, is an oxymoron.

Definitions from "The Little & Ives Webster Dictionary and Home Reference Library International Edition"

God does not change

God does not change

"For this reason, we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" Colossians 1: 7.

     One of my favorite J. Vernon Magee quotes is, ‘Don’t let what you don’t know interfere with what you do know’. I think this very good advice for bible believing Christians. Many times, I have heard people say things about God that contradict what I know. While they may believe what they say, their ignorance or denial does not change anything about God. Paul stresses this in Galatians 2: 6 when he says, ‘But from those who seem to be something—whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God shows personal favoritism to no man—for those who seemed to be something added nothing to me.’ Paul knew that man’s ideas do not change one iota of God.

     People may preach false doctrine, or misinterpret scriptures, mistakenly or purposefully twisting them for their own agenda; it does not negate the truth about God. He has never, and will never, change. Man cannot debate God off the platform. A person may humiliate another’s intelligence. They may outtalk their opponents. They can gather others around them with similar ideals and beliefs and change human perspectives but it will never change God or make Him disappear. 

     The second Psalm states that man will try to get rid of God. Man will refuse to believe His existence. Man will attempt to claim God is an oppressor and His ways are evil, but it also states that He who sits in the heavens will laugh. God looks down on the world from His mighty throne and knows exactly what man is doing, and whatever he is doing, will not change God.

     If I listen to someone talking about God, I try to listen with the discernment of the Holy Spirit. He will always help me know the truth about what they are saying. If I get an idea that something is wrong, I listen to understand their ideas of God and their belief of salvation. Some people can talk about God with an appearance of knowing Him, but if they do not know Him as the holy, gracious, saving God I know, it will come out somewhere in their conversation. They may have the most eloquent speech, the most intelligent concepts, the most perfect arguments, and run circles around my education but one thing I know: God is my God. Jesus is my Savior.

     A Christian or a non-Christian can have knowledge beyond books learned on this earth but only a Christian will know their Savior beyond explanation by earthly means.

     1 John 5: 13, ‘These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.’

     I know that I know that I know.