Show Me Your God

 

Theophilus of Antioch to Autolycus (an Idolater and Scorner of Christians) 2nd century answer to: "Show me your God."

God indeed exhibits to you many proofs that you may believe Him. For consider, if you please, the dying of seasons, and days, and nights, how these also die and rise again. And what? Is there not a resurrection going on of seeds and fruits, and this, too, for the use of men? A seed of wheat, for example, or of the other grains, when it is cast into the earth, first dies and rots away, then is raised, and becomes a stalk of grain. And the nature of trees and fruit-trees — is it not that according to the appointment of God they produce their fruits in their seasons out of what has been unseen and invisible?

For God gave the mouth for speech, and formed the ear to hear, and made the eye to see. The appearance of God is ineffable and indescribable, and cannot be seen by eyes of flesh. For in glory He is incomprehensible, in greatness unfathomable, in height inconceivable, in power incomparable, in wisdom unrivaled, in goodness inimitable, in kindness unutterable.

Since you said, Show me your God, this is my God, and I counsel you to fear Him and to trust Him.

Good advice then and still good advice today.

 

You are cordially invited to join Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.

 

 

 

The Blink Generation

 

 

Many Christians read the Bible regularly, believing it is God’s revealed Word for their lives. Over and over in the pages of scripture, they read about generations who heard the voice of God. They read of God speaking to his people with this phrase repeated time after time: “And God said…” However, many of these same Christians live as though God doesn’t speak to his people today.

An entire generation of believers has come to make decisions completely on their own without praying or consulting God’s Word. Many simply decide what they want to do, then they ask God to validate it. They move ahead forcefully, their only prayer being, “Lord, if this is not your will, then stop me.”

We are now living in a time referred to as the “blink generation.” People are making major decisions in the blink of an eye. A best-selling book has been written on this concept, titled Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. The theory is “Trust your instincts. Blink-of-the-eye decisions prove to be the best.”

Think about all the hurried-up “blink language” we hear every day. “This is an offer of the century. You can make a bundle overnight, but you have only a short window of opportunity. Get on it now!” The driving spirit behind it all is “Don’t make a slow and thoughtful decision. Don’t get counsel from others who may tell you ‘no.’ Just do it!”

Such thinking has begun to infect the church, affecting the decisions made not just by “blink Christians” but by “blink ministers.” Pastors are more into "marketing" their church, than preaching the Truth. Pastors came back from a church-growth conference and immediately announce, ‘As of today, everything changes.’ They decide in the blink of an eye their church will become one of the popular trend churches overnight. They don't even ask the congregation to pray about it… no wonder people are confused.

As it is written: "Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old." ~ Lamentations 5:21

If you would like a closer walk with Jesus, learn the difference between Churchanity and Christianity. You are cordially invited to join Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.

 

 

False Prophets

 

Beware of False Prophets: Matthew 7:15 and 1 John 4:1

 

“His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs, which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, from his own territory.”  ~Isaiah 56:10-11

 

Isaiah said they got that way — self-centered and preoccupied with the works of their own hands, spiritually dead — because they “forsook the Lord and forgot his holy mountain.” ~ Isaiah 65:11  

A recent delivery of five red heifers from Texas to Israel is causing quite a stir. Read the Article

 

If you are looking to the Jews and the country of Israel for a sign, you will be very disappointed. Jesus said: “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign... ~ Matthew 12:39 

Daniel and Jesus both warned about "abominations." What could be more abhorrent, loathsome, odious, or vile than re-instituting animal sacrifice in the place of Christ's redeeming blood shed once and for all. ~ Luke 22:20

 

The blood of the Lamb over the doorposts of our hearts is the ONLY protection we have from the second death. ~ Revelation 20:6

As it is written: "Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" ~Hebrews 9:13

 

Remember what happened with the gold calf in Exodus 32 

 

The construction of the Final and Third Temple began with the laying of the Chief Cornerstone 2000 years ago and will be completed during the Millennial Kingdom with the resurrection of the sons of Yahweh.

The Temple of Yahweh is made up of "living stones" as proven by their inclusion in the first resurrection.

 

You are cordially invited to join Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.

 

 

Tabernacles

 

 

It's Not a "Jewish" Thing, it's a Bible Thing

The Feasts of the LORD (YHWH) is the pattern for the redemption and salvation of all mankind. God gave us His Holy Days to remember, rehearse, honor, and teach to our children so we would know the process that leads to eternal life.

The 15th Day through the 22nd Day of the Seventh month (October 7 -14 on the civil calendar) is The Feast of Tabernacles and the Last Great Day on the 15th.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying: The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the Lord.  

On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it. For seven days you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. On the eighth day you shall have a holy convocation, and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a sacred assembly, and you shall do no customary work on it.

Also on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the fruit of the land, you shall keep the feast of the Lord for seven days; on the first day there shall be a sabbath-rest, and on the eighth day a sabbath-rest. And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of beautiful trees, branches of palm trees, the boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God for seven days.  

You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It shall be a statute forever in your generations. You shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths (a temporary dwelling) for seven days. All who are native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. (has God changed His mind about forever?) 

Under the Old/First Covenant God's people were to live in temporary dwellings to remind them that earthly life is "as a vapor", but God always provides our needs. The last Day, that Great Day, is resurrection day. ~ 1 Corinthians 15

Under the New/Second Covenant, which is a better covenant, God's people receive the Holy Spirit.

The Promise of the Holy Spirit (The Lord "tabernalces" with us)

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” ~ John 7:37-38  (Jesus kept the Feasts. He is our pattern to do likewise)

That Great Day Our Last Enemy is Destroyed

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. ~ Revelation 21:4

 

My Church does not keep the Feasts of the LORD, so what do I do now? Find a group to fellowship with at Feast time... http://www.feastgoer.org/index.html 

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.

 

 

 

Atonement

 

It's Not a "Jewish" Thing, it's a Bible Thing

The Feasts of the LORD (YHWH) is the pattern for the redemption and salvation of all mankind. God gave us His Holy Days to remember, rehearse, honor, and teach to our children so we would know the process that leads to eternal life.

The Day of Atonement is the 10th day of the seventh month which is always October 2 on the civil calendar. See God's Appointed Times

Day of Atonement (to cover, purge, reconcile, getting two things to be compatible with one another - in this case: flesh and spirit)

And the Lord spoke* to Moses, saying:  “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God

For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. (has forever past?)

It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.” (a High Day of rest, not the weekly Sabbath) ~Leviticus 23:26-32 

*That is the pattern under the Old/First Covenant. Under the New/Second Covenant we are to offer our body as a living sacrifice made by the fire of not conforming to the world system.

The Hebrew word for affict (yāḡâ means to grieve) has a spiritual meaning and does not mean to fast (ṣûm means to abstain from food - a Jewish tradition on the Day of Atonement). Here is the root meaning: to answer, respond, speak, shout, to testify as a witness. Rather than fast, God is telling us to be witnesses and to remember the grief suffered by Yahshua/Jesus on the cross in our stead. The Day of Atonement also connotes our grieving to be reconciled to God by the atoning sacrifice of Messiah. ~ Romans 5:10

Indeed, God has given us the ministry of reconciliation. ~  2 Corinthians 5:18. First, reconcile ourself, then reconcile our family, reconcile our community, and reconcile our nation to The Way.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ~ Romans 12:1-2

If your Church does not keep the Feasts of the LORD, find a group to fellowship with at Feast time... http://www.feastgoer.org/index.html 

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.

 

 

 

 

Feast of Trumpets

 

It's Not a "Jewish" Thing, it's a Bible Thing

 

The Feasts of the LORD (YHWH) is the pattern for the redemption and salvation of all mankind. God gave us His Holy Days to remember, rehearse, honor, and teach to our children so we would know the process that leads to eternal life.

 

The autumn equinox, September 22, always marks the first day of the seventh month which is... The Feast of Trumpets. See God's Appointed Times.

 

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord.

The blowing of a trumpet is to sound an alarm, to warn of coming danger. God's "trumpets" are found in Deuteronomy 28:15-68 and Revelation 8 & 9

 

If your Church does not keep the Feasts of the LORD, find a group to fellowship with at Feast time... http://www.feastgoer.org/index.html   

 

You are cordially invited to join Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group

 

The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong. To learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.

 

 

Facts About The Bible

 

The King James Bible contains:

• 2 Testaments
• 66 books
• 783,137 words
• 3,116,480 letters
• 39 books in the Old Testament
• 27 books in the New Testament

Unique

• Unique Hebrew words: 8,674
• Unique Greek words: 5,624
• Unique English words: 12,143

Chapters and Verses

• The Bible has 1,189 Chapters
• The Bible has 31,102 verses
• The Old Testament has 929 chapters
• The Old Testament has 23,145 verses
• The New Testament has 260 chapters
• The New Testament has 7,957 verses
• Chapters were introduced to the Bible in 1238 A.D. by Cardinal Hugo de S. Caro.
• Verse divisions came in the year 1551 A.D. by Robertus Stephanus.

Longest and Shortest

• Longest book: Psalms (150 chapters)
• Longest chapter: Psalm 119 (176 verses)
• Longest verse: Esther 8:9 (78 words)
• Shortest book (by number of words): 3 John
• Shortest chapter (by number of words): Psalms 117
• Shortest verse: John 11:35 (2 words: “Jesus wept”)

The Bible was written:

• over a 1500 year span (from circa 1400 B.C to A.D. 50)
• over 40 generations
• over 40 authors from many walks of life
• in different places
• at different times
• on three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe)
• in three languages (Hebrew, Aramaic [Chaldee], and Greek)

The Old Testament contains:.

• 17 Historical Books:
• Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther
• 5 Poetical Books:
• Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon
• 17 Prophetic Books:
• Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

The New Testament contains:

• 4 Gospels:
• Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
• 1 Historical:
• Acts
• 21 Epistles:
• Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude
• The Revelation:
• Revelation

If you read three chapters a day (average 85 verses), you can read the entire Bible in one year. Start today. Make daily Bible reading a life-long habit. 

You are cordially invited to join Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group