The Deity of Jesus Christ - Exodus

Jesus is God, says the second book of the Bible.

3:14, the I AM. God was patiently answering Moses' barrage of excuses, you recall. One of them involved the identification of this God who was sending him to Israel. God's reply is classic Jewish -and now Christian - theology:(3:14) "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

1,500 years passed before a Personage in Scripture ever applied that Name to Himself. In John 8:24, Jesus of Nazareth is dealing with some Jews who similarly want to know Who He is. "...if ye believe not that I AM, ye shall die in your sins." The King James conveniently adds a "he" at the end of the verse, but this blocks the intended significance. The Jews understood that he had said I AM, but didn't catch what He meant, and asked, "Who art Thou?" In the course of the ensuing explanation, v. 28, Jesus says again, "When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then ye shall know that I AM..." Still no response. More dialogue. Finally, at the end of chapter 8, they get it: "Before Abraham was, I AM.Then they took up stones to cast at Him." He had blasphemed. He had used the Holy Name for God, and even applied it to HIMSELF! HE IS. No more can be said about Him. Jesus is God.

15:18, the One Who reigns forever. It states simply, "The Lord shall reign for ever and ever." The sons of Korah echo this sentiment in Psalm 45:6, where they say, "Thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever..." The Spirit-inspired writer of Hebrews uses that quote from Psalms as a message from God to His Son! (1:8)And speaking of Jesus alone, Gabriel announces (Luke 1:33) that "He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end." The mystery is consistently confounding in the Revelation of John, 11:15. The seventh angel prompts this response in heaven: "The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ;" (both?) "and HE shall reign for ever and ever." There it is again! Just when you think the writer has a 2 in mind, the great 1 appears. The Lord shall reign forever and ever. The Lord God, that is. And Jesus IS that God!

32:33, Author. The Lord tells Moses, "Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My Book." So there is a Divine Record Book, containing the names of those in favor with God. Unforgiven sinners are blotted out of that Book. Is this not the same Book that is opened in Revelation 20:12 and 15? "and another book was opened, which is the book of life...and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Sounds the same to me. But in the next chapter, verse 27, John says that that book, the book of life , belongs to the Lamb. And the Lamb is Jesus. God has a Book. Jesus has a Book. Jesus is God.

40:34-35 , the Unapproachable One. "Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent....because [of]...the glory of the Lord." Reminiscent of scenes on Mount Sinai and before, at the burning bush. A God so radiant and powerful that to be truly "in His presence" is to be annihilated. Awesome God! But who is this Jesus spoken of by the apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy, who is "dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto" ? Who can He be but this same God! Ah, but what of His condescension to become one of us, and lay aside His glory? An even more awesome thought, that He can lay it down, along with His life, at will. This He did for 33 years or so. But approach Him in His glory uninvited now and you will realize as does Paul here that no one has really seen this Mighty God.In His flesh, our Mediator and Saviour. But forget it not, in the unapproachable nature of the Light radiating from His Person, Jesus is GOD!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosen together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Issues Concerning Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ

Here are some things to ponder as one decides upon the value of the box-office great "Passion of the Christ."

First is the fact that this movie is ecumenical in its scope, and has persons of all religious persuasions working on a common project. While it always seems good to have people put aside their differences to serve Christ together, there is always the danger that many of the converts, as in Graham crusades, will be ushered into Romanist or liberal Protestant churches.

Second is the issue of reliability. The difference of this movie from the ones which have preceded it is that all of the others were billed as imperfect, where this one seems to carry a weight of authenticity that is misleading. How many years will it take even the best of saints to unlearn all the false additions to the life of Christ here portrayed. As is typical of Roman concoctions there is a deadly mix here, portrayed by a powerful medium. One thinks immediately of the Left Behind movies that have people absolutely convinced that Jesus is going to make them bypass the Tribulation, though not one Scripture clearly indicates such.

The following internet article is insightful: "The scholars have had a field day. They say the soldiers of imperial Rome would not have spoken Latin, as they do in Gibson's film, but Greek. Then there is the question of sourcing. Gibson has admitted that his screenplay was based not so much on the Gospels as on the reinterpretation of a 19th century nun... whose hypnotic visions of the Passion included frankly anti-Semitic details missing from the Gospels. According to his critics, Gibson has the Jews clamouring for the death of Jesus in ways that neither the Bible nor the historical record suggest." No one can take blame away from Jews or any Gentile groups either for the death of Jesus. But the Scriptures are sufficient to prove this point.

Third is the unprecedented union of Church and culture, Church and Hollywood. Is Mel Gibson a born again Christian? One doesn't know for sure, so "judging" is not allowed. He seems to be a man of some measure of faith, but is he associated with the spreading of the Gospel in other aspects of his career? And is it not true that the same man who wrote the musical score for Bruce Almighty is writing for The Passion of Christ? This is a world that hates Jesus Christ, by and large. Why is it suddenly in love with Him? Why do we need worldly methods to bring people to Jesus? Recently in my Church, the pastor preached a simple but powerful message exposing the truth of God and the hearts of men. Five people responded to the invitation. Is this not any longer acceptable ?

Fourth is the violence. How bloody is the Bible story? The blood has been saving men for these many centuries, without Gibson's, that is, Emmerich's, blood and guts portrayal. God has gripped the hearts of men with a still small voice about His undying love. As Bill Jackson of Christians Evangelizing Catholics says, "even graphic photography cannot capture the reality of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Fifth, consider the mysteries associated with this film. What of lightning striking the main character, and his full recovery? What of the healings purportedly associated with the making of this film? I can only answer with another question: What of the healings and other attested mighty miracles associated with the alleged appearances of Mary throughout the world and throughout history?

This is a Romanist event. The Roman religion is no stranger to the miraculous. Is this confirmation of the truth of Romanism? Rather, have we not been warned that the enemy will be working miracles alongside believers? False Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders so as to deceive if possible the very elect (Matthew 24:24). Does not the Lamb-like beast of Revelation 13 perform great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men (Revelation 13:13) ? "And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do..."

We must cling to God's Word and let no man deceive us. Saying No when everyone else is saying Yes is not easy, but it is often necessary. One day it may be a matter of life and death. This movie is just another testing ground to see whether God's people are going to start using discernment or are going to be swept along with the flow.

Sixth is an issue that I am not yet qualified to describe. It has to do with whether a human being should ever portray Christ in anything but words. It is a question of the Ten Commandments, and the idea of making anything, even an actor on a stage, in the image of God. I leave this one with my readers to contemplate.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosen together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Helpful Tips For Writing Thank You Notes

For gifts given on birthdays, anniversaries, religious celebrations, showers and weddings:

Keep it real. Be sure your thank you note fits the person you are thanking by the tone and style of your writing. In your thank you note, mention the gift and how you plan to use it. Even if the gift is a monetary one - you can tell the giver how you plan to use their generous gift. Be sure to acknowledge how wonderful and/or useful the gift is in your thank you note. Always send your thank you notes within two weeks time or as soon as possible so that the gift and what it means to you is fresh in your mind.

Guidelines for a monogram: Example: Susan Ann Doe

When a monogram has a large middle initial, the center initial represents the last name, the initial on the left represents the first name and the initial on the right represents the maiden or middle name = SDA

Today many couples are using both of their names in the monogram.

Example: Susan and John Doe

The same guide applies, however, one person's name is to the left and The other person's name is on the right = SDJ

When you complete a job interview, thank the interviewer for giving you the:

* Time of the interviewer
* Information you received in the interview
* Hospitality of the receptionist, interview and others
* Consideration of the organization to be hired as an employee
* Opportunity to advance in your career

Business reasons to send a thank you note:

Send a personal note of congratulations when someone you know is cited for a personal or business achievement. Promote good will by acknowledging an order or referral with a thank-you note.

And this advise from C.J. Hayden, business coach and author of Get Clients Now: "To most people, an anonymous brochure received in the mail is merely junk. A personal, handwritten note on attractive stationery will get someone's attention. Why? Because you took the time to write it. It makes the recipient feel special. And that's how he or she wants to feel as your customer."

Stay in touch!

Quality and convenience at prices you can afford.
Correspondence cards and folded notes.
Also unique invitations, Holiday and Christmas cards. =>
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In Jesus Christ We Rise

Give glory and praise to Jesus Christ. Whom raised that temple up out of the grave. From death to life on the third day, just like he said.

The temple of God from which he stayed. While on this earth for many many days. Performing miracles and raising the dead. Forgiving and healing was his passionate way. Though the Roman soldiers and those who didn't know him. Saw him as a threat. When he was truly more, than we could ever hope for or expect to get. While hanging on the cross; he forgave them of that. And still he lives holding no regrets.

He paid a price. We could not pay. He chose to be the living sacrifice. So that we could have life. Leaving lessons, blessings and direction to heaven. Though we be blind. If we only believe and have faith the size of a mustard seed. We can say to the mountain. Be ye cast into the midst of the sea. We should be able to do just what he did.

And that much more. Because he lead the way. All we have to do is open the door. Following his lead to everlasting life. Cause we can do all things in Jesus Christ. Just as we live in this world, we shall surely die. Being born in sin is the reason why. We must confess and be born again. To be among the living. We can thank God for giving us Jesus Christ.

He made a way and provision for life. So lets keep that in mind. And when were laid in that grave. If we believe what he said. And have faith that he is. We also can have another chance to live. When he says rise my child. We can open our eyes. Because we know hes alive. But without faith. You'll lie in the darkness of death in a grave. With out ears to hear. In hell is where you will stay.

These short stories and poetry, express times in my life that were happy, joyful, funny, regretful and sometimes chaotic. I've been writing all my life and I can't imagine not doing it. I've always kept journals; wrote poems, lyrics etc. I'm a firm believer in the power of words. Therefore. I'm involved in several writing ventures. My husband and I have a Christian site, "Risen Word Ministry", where I write poetry. There's many topics with five children and eight grandchildren. Has encouraged me to write a series of stories from childhood all through the parental experience. Some here and, in "Tales from a multi-colored room". My main purpose in writing is to glorify God. Also to share some of my life experience with others in hopes of making a positive influence. Writing is something I plan on doing for the rest of my life, to go throughout generations as a family legacy.

For the Testimony of Jesus

In the very heart of the new covenant is the testimony of Jesus. (Rev. 19:10 NLT):

"Then I fell down at his feet (i.e. the angel) to worship him, but he said, 'No, don't worship me. For I am a servant of God, just like you and other brothers and sisters who testify of their faith in Jesus. Worship God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus.'"

The great binding connection between Jesus and his new covenant is the key to learning the truth, and the essence of all of prophecy. The new covenant is God's golden key that unlocks God's rich treasure house of blessings for believers. When we move forward to enter his house all confusion and conundrums disappear. If He is all that matters to you (Col. 3:11), and not these other earthly kingdoms that lead away from him, then you have already gained much wisdom (I Co. 2:7; Eph.1:17; Col. 1:9, 2:3, 3:16).

The holy Scriptures specifically give "the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus" (II Ti. 3:15). We live by this faith in Christ, "not by sight" (II Co. 5:7. See also Heb. 11:8-18; Ro. 3:24-31; II Pet. 1:1).

"In him lie all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Col. 2:3). He opened up the new, life-giving way "through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us" (Heb. 10:20). This wondrous sacrifice stands for all time (v. 10). There is no need whatsoever to be distracted from full attention to him in the rumored resumption of the earthly temple and animal sacrifices. If such obscenities are resumed in Jerusalem and He does return at this time, it will be to take vengeance upon those unbelievers and their supporters who have defiled the truth with blasphemies. Those who are giving a clear witness for Jesus today will shine forth as the sun in the new Jerusalem, the beloved holy city (Rev. 20:9, 21:2) of our God, where they will live with him forevermore.

Such blessed ones are not unbelievers who cling still to the earthly city where He was crucified by those who would not accept his rule, but they are the ones who have followed him all along the higher pathway of his new covenant that leads them directly into the most blessed place where they can draw very close to him, even today. Their faith in him alone has rewarded them with his richest blessings.

Follow this higher pathway today. It will take you into his beautiful city where there is no disappointment!

Anita Whalley has recently authored the Christian book entitled There Is A Kingdom, available in the Christian and inspirational books section in Amazon. com. There Is A Kingdom is the happy outcome of years of intense searching for real answers to the eschatological dilemma of the day. This is a compelling book that sticks to one, giving him a higher form of confidence, peace and joy than is readily available in a mere eschatological study alone.
Anita also authors a page entitled Significant Values on http://www.Blogger.com
Anita has pursued a career in healthcare, but is now retired from that. She continues with her personal Bible studies, though perhaps not as intensely as she did before the great breakthrough discoveries unearthed in Christ's new covenant, which went beyond the finding of just a mere answer to plaguey eschatological questions. She discovered just how truly transcendently enriching and fulfilling God has made his new covenant to be. A very spiritually uplifting experience this is for any child of God to run into and to enjoy, and his answer to our every prayer.

Darby, Scofield, And Pre-Tribulation Theology

As one looks through church history, he is astounded at the nearly total silence about a "pre-tribulation" rapture. But in 1830, a single "prophecy" was picked up by one movement leader and began to spread. At about this same time, the one called the "father of modern Dispensationalism" got wind of Margaret Macdonald's dream, and paid her a visit. He listened well, then went home and made some changes, incorporating it into his own theories about the end times.

John Darby was also the father of the Plymouth Brethren movement, a church which was openly proud of what they called this "new doctrine," once they got hold of it. Brian M. Schwertley, in Is the Pretribulation Rapture Biblical? says "The Plymouth Brethren openly admitted and were even proud of the fact that among their teachings were totally new ones which had never been taught by the church fathers, medieval scholars, Protestant Reformers, or the many commentaries."

It is not clear to me about whom "prince of preachers" Charles Spurgeon was speaking in the following quote, but one wonders if it was not the "Brethren" themselves. Spurgeon lived in the day when the pre-tribulation rapture was freshly hatched. It is obvious what he thought of the idea. Hear him well:

"...there is a certain troublesome sect abroad nowadays," said he, "to whom the one thing needful is a perpetual speculation upon prophecy...They plume themselves upon an expected secret rapture , and I know not what vain imaginings beside..."

The creator of the "Scofield Reference Bible" (1917) included Darby's teachings in his notes. Seeing such things "in the Bible" emboldened many other saints to trust this doctrine as though God had said it Himself. There followed the inclusion of pre-tribulationism in the curriculums of well-known and greatly loved institutions such as Moody Bible Institute and Dallas Theological Seminary, and in the 1970's, a book and movie by young people's theologian Hal Lindsay.

There seemed to be no stopping it after that. Today it has permeated much of the western evangelical world. It is far from universal in the church today, and far from historical, as I have shown, but there is as we say a very "vocal minority" of believers, mostly Western/American, who swear by this doctrine.

Thankfully, history is not our final, or even our major appeal when deciding upon the truth of a teaching. History has spoken its clear word, but God Himself has spoken on this and every issue that matters to a believer. Let us hear what His Word says about it, and let all of men's theories be gone.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Christian Documentaries and Their Impact On Society

I was watching a television show a few weeks ago and I would rather not mention the name of the program or the presenter of it. I can make my point without making anyone angry. The television show was all about proving that Christianity was real and they had evidence to prove it. The program was full of scholars and teachers. Some of these teachers were from unknown universities, as a matter of fact, I hadn't heard of any of them before this program.

Some of these teachers had very interesting ideas and philosophies on Christianity and I could see quite clearly how someone who was looking for facts could very easily get caught up in the hype in the program. When you start off asking a question, you should be able to answer it without beating around the bush and the answers should the comprehendible and easy to understand. Especially if the question was easy to understand.

If I asked you the question, is Jesus God, and your reply is frank and to the point with a simple "Yes He Is". I can accept this as your beliefs and could probably make sense out of your beliefs through your education, what you were taught and who taught it to you. This makes perfect sense to me and is easy to understand.

If I asked the same question, is Jesus God, and you reply with "let me set the record straight here and give you some truthful information about something that you might not know about. Searching for over 40 years and found the answer and now know for a fact and without a doubt that Jesus is God. Reading the Bible and talking to other Christian scholars has presented me with information that points to the truth and can prove the existence of Jesus and therefore, without a doubt in my mind, I can honestly say that Jesus is God and will be god forever and for anyone who doesn't understand that or agree with it, I feel sorry for them, because they will have to burn in purgatory forever. This death will be the most agonizing and painful death you could ever possibly imagine.

The second answer doesn't give me any more information than the first one, and this is what some religious documentary programs do. This program did it so much, that I had to watch it a second time, just to see if I missed what they were saying. I did gain a little more insight, the second time but the point of the program was completely misleading and relatively speaking, very little factual information was obtained from it.

Don't get caught up in the hype, while watching or listening to some of these programs. Try to watch them with an open mind and see for yourself, just how much factual information or scientific proof there actually is in the program. When I say, to watch these programs with an open mind, that doesn't mean to accept their information without proof. Do some research for yourself, to verify their opinions.

Hope in Religion

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Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

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