NFC – Here It Comes

My regular readers may think I have gone off my rocker but let me clearly say, I have not! Maybe because, like most people, I think of modern technology as a way to simply life. After all, we never had running water until 1970. Yes, that meant we used an “outhouse” until 1970. So when we had running water, I was thrilled. We had a  TV before we had running water.

So dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, running clean water are all modern marvels I am truly thankful to God for these conveniences. The first computer I got was about 1983 a TSR 80 from Radio Shack. You had to write code to get it to do what you wanted. Then I won a free Apple Mac around 1987 and I used it for data processing Bible studies. Then the Internet and the World Wide Web aka www. was born and I got my first Internet capable computer about 1998. I had to call my brother to teach me how to do email. That was a short 18 years ago. One could clearly see the post offices were going to have to change because fewer letters would by mailed.

Now people have all kinds of computerized gadgets. People are even putting computers into their body. I just learned when mankind installs computers into their body they are then called, Trans human. Kind of like a Cyborg. Anyone remember The Borg from Star Trek?

Wouldn’t you know it, Sweden accepts chip implants to board planes now.  Not only can you buy the chip kit, you can program it to hack smart phones, scan personal data as you are near someone and a lot more. If you want to see the video of a man checking in at an airport in Stockholm Sweden using a chip in his hand, here is the link, Chip implant to board planes

If you Google NFC readers – Near Field Communication readers, you will get a plethora of information.

There is a difference between RFID and NFC.  Basically, RFID is the process by which items are identified using radio waves. NFC is a subset or family member of the RFID family/technology.

Here is a chart:

When you watch the video from the link above, you can understand how people could receive a mark in their forehead or in their right hand. This chip implant is the beginning of preparing the people. Read  Revelation 13:16-18 KJV
“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
[17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
[18] Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

Until next time my friends.

A Testimony Of Stubble?

As we said before, Romans is the book for understanding true salvation and 1 and 2nd Corinthians opens our understanding to the Holy Spirit, our spirit man and the spirit realm.

And, mankind is made up of three persons. Three make one. Mankind has a spirit, soul and body  and these three make one person. We say man as mankind, not gender. Even so, God is made up of 3, soul – God the Father (the mind of God), Spirit – God the Holy Spirit and body – God the Son, Jesus Christ.

The world, for the most part, listens to and works through the soul, what people think. Remember the soul is the mind, will and emotions.  If the world, leaders and people, live and react to what they think, they are living and reacting to their thoughts, their will, their emotions.

But then there is a spirit world. You have God the Holy Spirit and God’s angels and then you have Satan and his evil spirits.  If people only know and understand what they see, hear, feel, taste, smell or touch, they are living a worldly life; A life of the flesh and of the world. We know the world lives a worldly way because 1 Corinthians 2 explains this.

But when people understand there is more to what we see, hear, taste, touch and smell, there is a world we don’t see, the spirit world. The spirit world affects the natural world. The Holy Spirit convicts people (not condemns ) but convicts and people get saved. Satan and his evil spirits are at work too, in the most deceptive, deceiving way to make people believe lies or half truths.

That is why name calling, belittling, bullying, unkind words, yelling – none of that is Holy Spirit based. And when “Christians” engage in that same behaviour,  you know, that Christian,  does not understand they are acting or reacting in the flesh, carnal living. That behaviour is fodder or dry food to the world. It also ruins their testimony.

We must, as Christians, be able to recognize a carnal attack verses a spiritual attack. We are not suppose to do things the world’s way, but God the Holy Spirit’s way. If a Christian is so engaged in the world’s ways and system they are building on a foundation of wood, hay and stubble.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 KJV. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
[12] Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
[13] Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
[14] If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
[15] If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

Friends, don’t get caught up with the cares of this world. Do what’s right and be a good ambassador for our Lord Jesus Christ.  Until next time.

Sifting

Let me paint a picture. You know this person who professes to be saved, a believer. And by all accounts, the evidence is conclusive, they are a true believer. Then one day you hear this person has walked away from God. They quit on Christianity. They even start doing things they know God hates. How do you process something like that?

There are many reasons why people turn away from God. Mostly, people blame God for things he did or didn’t do. Others, their denomination has made God into a task master. They realize after working for their “task master” they can not keep it up year after year so they fall away.

People turn away from God for many reasons:
~ God didn’t answer their prayer the way they wanted.
~ Deception from Satan
~ Anger
~ Pride
~ Wealth and fame
~ Sin

I know this man who said he use to be a Pastor of a Christian church. He had left the police force and the church / God. Why? Because one day he came home and found his wife in their bathtub – she had shot herself in the head. He blamed God. He quit preaching, quit serving the Lord and now you would never know he use to preach God’s word. One day I said to him, God loves you. He was hardened so much he turned to me and said, ” Don’t hand me that crap”.

When we think about some of the trials and tribulations we have been through did you ever feel like throwing in the towel? We all have. But friends, trials and tribulations are times of sifting. It is not always God who sifts us. Look at

Luke 22:31-32 KJV
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Notice what the answer is in times of sifting? Verse 32 is the answer.

[32] But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

When we see or hear of a believer being sifted, pray God strengthen their faith. Friends, we all go through times of sifting. God says he will sift the house of Israel in Amos 9:9. God does not tempt anyone, he tests or tries us, our faith in him. That is what made King David the apple of God’s eye. David stood with the Lord through good decisions and bad, through victory and sin, through prosperity and poverty. Will you?

 

Exploring Angels Working When We Die

When my mom died I started thinking about areas of scripture that I hadn’t spent much thought on before. Yes, my mom had gotten saved when she was 56 and lived 26 years as a saved person. But I wondered if she could see what was going on here on earth. I heard a man speak one time that said he died in an auto accident.

There are several accounts of people, lost and saved, who have died and come back to life (many startling their care givers) and give an account of what happened. I have not been afraid to die. I know I am saved and going to heaven. But it has been “the sting of death” that has bothered me.

When Paul wrote 1 Corinthians 15 he explained in full,  the gospel of salvation,  and he spoke of a group of people who would be caught up in the air (we call it the rapture of believers ) and Paul said then shall be brought to pass the saying, Death is swallowed up in victory.  But notice the next verse (55) ” O death, where is thy sting?” Paul explains in verse 56 the sting of death is sin. But I often thought when people die, isn’t there pain? A sting of death?

I know doctrinally, when Jesus was speaking of the rich man and Lazarus the begger, in Luke 16, this was before Jesus went to the cross.
Note: Matthew 27:50 – 54 and Luke 23:43.

But notice the role of the angels with God’s people.  Luke 16:22 KJV ” And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;”

Angels carried Lazarus. This made me think about angels carried my mom?
Notice the rich man was not carried, only Lazarus was carried by God’s angels. And Paul tells us when we (believers only) are absent from our body, we are present with the Lord in 2 Corinthians 5:8.

We will explore this topic more. My prayer is you believe God and his record on how to be 100% sure you and your family will go to heaven when you die. Click How To Be Saved from our menu.

Truth Hurts So Lie?

If you touch that hot stove, you will get burned. Everyone that is born will die. There is a heaven and a hell and only those born again ( God’s way, not a church way) are going to heaven.

We tell our children, and we were told, do not lie. Yet we lie. Remember when you found out there really is no Santa Claus, no Easter bunny, no Prince Charming, no Perfect Woman, you can have it all? These were all lies. But why? These lies were told to perpetuate good feelings? Happiness? Desire? So what do you do with these lies once you find out the truth? And friends, that is what we are accountable for before God.

As the world looks at “Easter” one has to ask if celebrating Easter really matters. Some would say, but it represents the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Does it? Are stores selling little Jesus dolls? How many bloody crosses have you bought lately?

People say Easter is in the Bible. Yes it is, one time. Out of thousands of words in the scriptures,  Easter is mentioned once in Acts 12:4 but look at the context. When was Jesus crucified? During the feast of Unleavened Bread. You have a 7 day period that includes unleavened bread, Passover and the feast of Firstfruits.

These feasts are clearly laid out in Exodus 13:1-7 and then look at Matthew 26:17-29. Passover was first instituted in Exodus 12:1-20. It is the Lord’s Passover Exodus 12:11. So if Christ was crucified on Passover,  and he was, and he rose from the dead on Firstfruits,  which he did, why isn’t Easter on Passover?

Look at the context of Acts 12:1-4.
Herod – a pagan king
Vex the church – kills James and John
Verse 3 – then were the days of “unleavened bread”. The Jews, Passover.
Verse 4 – context is Herod, a heathen, four soldiers, heathen, and Easter.

Verse 3 says, Jews, Peter, unleavened bread.
Verse 4 says, Herod, soldiers, Easter

I could go into the bunny and the eggs but if you want to learn that let me recommend a good book, The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop. Only one quote I will use from his book, page 107. Alexander points out the early Christian church celebrated Pasch  (Passover). But “and pagan Easter enforced by Rome”.. ” And it was only by violence and bloodshed…that the Festival of the Anglo-Saxon or Chaldean goddess came to supersede that which had been held in honour of Christ”.

It saddens me to see Christians, born again believers celebrate and reference Easter as the day of Christ’s resurrection.  All of these Bible scholars and teachers ignore Matthew 26:17-29.  Christians know Jesus Christ was crucified on Passover and rose from the dead on Firstfruits and celebrate that weekly or monthly through Communion.

If Easter were a Bible doctrine, then Easter would always be on Passover.

1 Corinthians 10:20-22 KJV. “But I say , that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
[21] Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
[22] Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?

Seeing What Most Miss

How did Paul know, was my question? Here you have this “goverment” worker who is a high mucky muck. He is the deputy of the country. He was a prudent man and he wanted to hear the word of God. (How’s that grabbing you?) So he calls for Paul and Barnabas.

Paul and Barnabas are on their way to speak God’s word to this government guy and they hit an obstacle. An unbeliever who is a sorcerer named Elymas, withstood Paul and Barnabas. Notice Paul knew right away who this was who was coming against them. Notice, this false prophet, this sorcerer, whose name was Barjesus, was with the government guy. And the sorcerer Elymas withstood them.

Okay, here is the account from scripture.

Acts 13:4-13 KJV
So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
[5] And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.
[6] And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:
[7] Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.
[8] But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
[9] Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
[10] And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
[11] And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.
[12] Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
[13] Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to Jerusalem.

Scripture puts this Elymas fellow in the same category as the sorcerers of Egypt in Moses time, see Exodus 7:11. But unlike Moses, Paul recognized who came against them. Look at Acts 13:9,10. Paul called him a child of the devil. So how did Paul know? How did Paul see something most people miss?

What were Paul and Barnabas doing when they hit the obstacle? 
They were on their way to share God’s word with someone.
Paul noticed this sorcerer was subtitle, perverted the right ways of the Lord and Paul noticed he was full of mischief.

But notice, the goverment man watched and heard Paul’s rebuke of Elymas and it caused the government man to believe, to get saved.

Friends,  when we are on our way to share the truth of God’s word and obstacles get in our way, pray and press on. When you reach your destination know this, children of the devil may be around you and the person you are sharing God’s word with. It is not just asking them to leave but praying out loud for God to shut them up so you can speak freely.

One way may be telling that person the hand of the Lord is upon them and they will have a huge stomach pain for so many days, or diarrhea for 48 hours or whatever. But know this, God is alive and well and the Holy Ghost helps us win. Stand firm for the Lord, he is our strength. Until next time.

The Foolish Things

1 Corinthians 1:27 KJV. “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

Did you ever ask God, what are the foolish things you chose? Is it me or do you read and study scripture like a reporter? I ask God questions all the time. He answers. So when I read 1 Corinthians 1:27 I read it like this –

God has chosen the foolish things of the world –
To do what?  Confound the wise.
Why? Verse 29 – That no flesh should glory in his presence.
As I started digging through my cross references for verse 27, I started to notice a pattern. See if you notice the pattern.

Psalm 8:2 KJV “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.”

Isaiah 29:10-14 KJV  “For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
[11] And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
[12] And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
[13] Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
[14] Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.”

There are plenty of verses but Paul makes it clear, foolish things of the world are words. Words of a book just like Isaiah was saying in Isaiah 29.

The foolish things God chose to confound the wise – words in a book. His book. Scripture. Look at 1 Corinthians 1:31 “That, according as it is written, …”

Until next time.

The Lamb or a Bunny

Did you ever look the word Easter up in the 1828 Webster Dictionary?  The word and celebration come from the word Eostre, a pagan goddess. I always wondered why Hollywood would show the movie the 10 Commandments at what we thought was “Easter”.   I wondered why didn’t they show a movie about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

After I got saved I realized why Hollywood showed the 10 Commandments in spring was because of Passover. Passover was instituted when God delivered Israel from bondage in Egypt. Passover, when a lamb was killed and his blood put over the door posts and sides on the doorway.  The Scriptures teach Passover is a feast of the Lord’s. So why did Easter come into play?

Jesus Christ is our Passover Lamb who shed his blood to pay for our sin. So why Easter? If Easter comes from a pagan Goddess, why would anybody, especially Christians have anything to do with Easter and instead celebrate Passover as Jesus is our Passover Lamb.

3 of God’s  feasts (and there are more than 3) or as we might say, holidays, are:
Passover – represents Jesus as our Passover Lamb
Unleavened Bread – represents Jesus was sinless
Firstfruits – is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He is the frirstfruits.

These were and are celebrations. Real holidays.

From Passover when Christ was crucified on the cross, he was 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb. After those 3 days and 3 nights in the tomb, up from the grave He Arose. The resurrection!  Then he appeared to many, including the disciples and even 500 people so there was no denying that Jesus Christ conquered the grave, death and Satan.

The thing with the bunny and egg hunts all tie into worshipping a pagan goddess and have nothing to do with Jesus Christ, Passover or anything scriptural. If you want to celebrate holidays, why not celebrate God’s?

Are You Changing?

When I ask God what he wants me to write about he impresses things in my heart and mind. Sometimes I think, really? You want me to write about that?   Sometimes I say to the Lord, I don’t have a good understanding of that yet to write about that. But I do listen and try to obey him. I’ve noticed when I write about what I think I should write about, readership falls short. When I write about what God tells me to write about, readership goes up.

I didn’t start this blog with a focus of acquiring lots of readers, although that would make me happy. I started this blog to share what God has taught and teaches me about himself, everyday. The quest is not so much about acquiring knowledge itself. Another words, I do not seek head knowledge alone. I seek knowledge about God, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit so that knowledge will change me and my life.

Why go to church if church doesn’t change you? Why read and study the scriptures if the scriptures do not change you? Messages are preached to get people to think differently. To change the way people act. To teach and show people about God Almighty and who Jesus Christ really is and why the Holy Spirit was sent.  What is the purpose of preaching or life if things never change?

When I went through Psalm 27, I said, That’s It! A perfect overall look at our relationship with God and walk through this world. Those 14 verses explain everything. So I want to share Psalm 27 with you. I pray you can see God speaking to you through that Psalm.

Psalm 27:1-14 KJV. “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
[2] When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
[3] Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
[4] One thing have I desired of the Lord , that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord , and to enquire in his temple.
[5] For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
[6] And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord .
[7] Hear, O Lord , when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
[8] When thou saidst , Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord , will I seek.
[9] Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
[10] When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
[11] Teach me thy way, O Lord , and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
[12] Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
[13] I had fainted , unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
[14] Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord .

Zealous Rudiments

When I read in Colossians 2:8 KJV
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
I thought the rudiments of the world had to do with worldly pleasures.

What triggered a, ( hey, wait a minute ) moment was Revelation 3.  Everyone talks about the Laodicean church being worldly, secular. Verse 14 says,

Revelation 3:14 KJV. “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;”

I started asking God why he said, ” the beginning of the creation of God “. Not that God was created but, God as Creator. And God finishes his speaking to this Laodicean church saying be zealous.  I knew zealous was excited, engaged, on fire for, but rudiments I had all wrong.

When I started looking at applications of the word rudiments, the Holy Spirit opened my understanding. Rudiments means the first principles of something. The origin or original. To furnish with first principles.

Then I saw in Galatians 4: 1-6 When we were a child we were in bondage under the elements of the world. We did service to these elements. You see, children are under teachers and these teachers bring children into bondage of the elements of the world. That is what the law did with Israel. The law was a teacher bringing students ( Israel ) under bondage until Jesus came. Other teachers, the world’s teachers, bring people into bondage.

In Colossians 2:8 KJV  “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

We see rudiments of the world. Philosophy,  vain deceit, traditions of men and the rudiments of the world are not after Christ. Rudiments  means the principles of something, the origin. Example: Water – the rudiments or principle parts that make up water are H2O. So the rudiments of the world means the principles or origins of the world. And that answered my question to God. How you ask?

Revelation 3:14 KJV. “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;”

The words the beginning of the creation of God. God is saying to the Laodicean church that he is the Creator, not evolution, it is creation with a Creator. This church in the last days needed to be reminded about creation and their Creator.

This clearly shows the church of Laodiceans had indeed been spoiled like Colossians 2: 8 said. But how? From the beginning through Christ and even the birth of America, creation was taught. That’s almost 5,776 years creation was taught. But in 1809 this guy is born in England. His name? Charles Darwin, born February 12, 1809 to parents who were unitarians. Unitarians teach to worship Jesus Christ is idolatry and they come from a Jehovah Witnesses background.

So a Brit, who does not believe Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh, publishes a book in 1859 on his theory of evolution ( rejecting God and God’s word ) and in the 1870s the ” scientific ” community decided his book was fact. The ” scientific ” community decided to believe a mortal man who rejected God. Then England shipped this rejection of God all around the world. It landed on the doorsteps of America. And now, America has been spoiled as Colossians 2: 8 speaks.

Clearly, Revelation 3:14 points to the church of Laodicea would be dealing with the issue of Creation, but be zealous. Until next time.