Friday, June 12, 2009

Adam, Where Are You?


Where Are You? Where Are You?
The age old question: "Adam, where are you?

Every human being will have to answer this question before God. There will be no props, no people, & no politics to support the answer. Either Jesus will say, " I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Mat 7:23.) or He will say,
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. (Matt 25:23)

Every law is meant to be taken literally. Hence, Sharia is so fearful, & even the 10 Commandments came to us in a fearful fashion, handed down from a fiery mountain top, amidst dark clouds & thundering lightening peels. This signifies that God is holy & to be feared.

Mount Sinai represents the heart of Judaism, & Islam. It is the seat of all righteous Law, through conformity to God's holiness & righteousness. Religion based on conformity does not require love, but it demands obedience. Jesus' earthly ministry satisfied this requirement.

Hbr 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered;

*Even today, this mountain of The Law symbolizes the division & separation of mankind; it divides by two brothers, two cultures, two factions, two religions...

*The Law exposes our divisions, our sin.
*The Law can not save us, or reconcile us.
*The Law only punishes lawbreakers, & we are all lawbreakers.
*The Law does not reward obedience.
*The Law only punishes disobedience.
*The Law executes only judgement & death.
*The Law declares all men unworthy, guilty.

Therefore these facts remain:
*The Law can not remove sin; therefore, we are still sinful, even after we obey the Law.
*The Law can only reveal sin; therefore, we are still guilty, even after we fulfill the Law.
*The Law distinguishes us from God, He is holy, we are not; therefore, we are still separated from God , even after we follow His ordinances.
*The Law can not change our nature; therefore, we are still hiding from God, even after we learn His ways.

...so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hbr 9:13,15)

*Yet there is hope for mankind: Jesus Christ, The Savior of the world...

Rom 5:8,12 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only [so], but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
...much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. (Rom 5:17)
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*So the question of the ages is, "Adam,' man,' where are you...?"

*Where are you in relation to God?
*He knows where you are, but sin has hid you from Him.
*Jesus is your "GPS" back to God.
*Only Jesus can remove the sin that separates you from God.
*Jesus destroyed the dividing partition, sin, that divides mankind from each other & God.
*Sin has divided nations, & separated relations, but God had a plan to restore that broken fellowship from the beginning.
*War, jihad, can not restore the unity that was lost by the first Adam.
*It took a greater Adam, Jesus, to lead us back to God without fear of judgement.
*Of course, Jesus feared God, but He was not afraid of God, & He is our example.

Hbr 10:22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

*Jesus made the way for us to be reconciled to God, through the Cross.

1Cr 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Col 1:20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Hbr 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

*Therefore we boldly declare, "Jesus is the way, the truth & the life," "...no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." (Jhn 14:6)

*...And the question remains for you, "Where are you?" Are you still trusting in the Law? The Law can not save you, it can only condemn you, because it reveals the hidden nature of every man. It must be taken literally.

Rom 7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

*However, the punishment we deserve fell upon Jesus.
*These are Biblical idioms: He is our Sin Substitute, our Scapegoat, our Sacrifice Lamb.
*Jesus alone is worthy to forgive us our sin...

Mar 2:1, 10 And again he entered into Capernaum after [some] days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken [it] up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this [man] thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, [Thy] sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

*Of course, Jesus had anger, but anger did not have Jesus. He used this emotion, to communicate God's disdain for sin & hypocrisy. "Be ye angry, and sin not." (Eph 4:26)

Jhn 2:14, 15 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables;

*Jesus' passion for His Father seemed like indifference toward man, even for His mother. This is not the case.

Jhn 19:25,28 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the [wife] of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own [home].

Jhn 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.

Even the Jinn recognized Jesus' authority:
Mar 1:24 Saying, Let [us] alone; what have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art Thou come to destroy us? I know thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God.

Everyone, who is honest in his appraisal, knows that the heart of Jesus is love. These are His words:
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

CONCLUSION:

Jhn 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
1Th 2:8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.
1Jo 4:11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

*Whenever you need us, we will do our best to be there, & answer your questions, but if we fail, or if we are unfaithful, let it be known that God can not fail, because He is love, & He is faithful.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
Rom 8:39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Num 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

*Let God be true, and every man a liar...

Romans 3:1, 31
What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?
Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.
What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness?
Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge." [fn]
But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.)
Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?
Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?"
Why not say-as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say-"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.
What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.
As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.
All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit." "The poison of vipers is on their lips."
"Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
"Their feet are swift to shed blood;
ruin and misery mark their ways,
and the way of peace they do not know."
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, [fn] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,
since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.


Thank you,


Johndeweb

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Sharia Law


RE: "in Islam the prayer of the oppressed, be it that they are Muslim or not, goes directly to God."

*As you treat the Jews so you will be treated. Evil is not good, no matter how self righteous it looks or sounds. Bless the Jews & you will be blessed. They don't need your Sharia, nor do I, the 10 Commandments will do just fine, thank you.

Num 22:12 But God said to Balaam, "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed."

Num 23:8 How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?

*Also, you just condemned your spiritual leader, Mohammed, on the grounds of adultery, because "black is black & white is white" according to Sharia

Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
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Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Jesus came to set the captive free, not condemn them.

Jam 2:13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

Jhn 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
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*Sharia is not a substitute for the Law, & definitely not a compliment to the Grace of God either.

*Fear God not man, but Sharia makes you fear man not God. Sharia may give you the results you want but not the results God wants. God could have destroyed mankind if he wanted, & that is exactly what Sharia gives man the license to do. Why...

Rom 4:5 However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.

Luk 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

*Sharia can't touch this because the motivation is born of the heart, not the letter.

*Faith in Jesus changes everything, even the desire for sin. You can change your habits thru fear but only God can change your desire thru love, grace, faith, by the power of the blood of Jesus.

Pro 19:2 It is not good to have zeal without knowledge

CONCLUSION:

*Only One was born of a virgin, Eve's son, Jesus the Messiah, "Eve's seed..."

Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and HER SEED; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

COMMENT: Woman don't have seed, right?! It's God's Seed, it's God's Son, it's YOUR PROBLEM!

Did Moses Preach Jesus?


RE: but maybe you believe that Moses is going to hell because he didn't accept Jesus as his personal savior because he didn't know about the message of Jesus to come in the future... it would be interesting to hear your response to that.
You know He exists, but you have yet to find Him.

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Luke 24:44 And He said unto them, These [are] the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.

John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.


Comment: You know He exists, but you have yet to find Him. The greatest contribution you can give your fellow Filipinos is the gift of the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Mat 13:13 This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
Verse 15: For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'
Verse 17: For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

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When I hear you speak of Mohammed I hear such empathy & understanding, but when I hear you talk about Chritians, especially Israeli-loving, American Christians, I hear such judgement & condemnation. You exercise a double standard in intrepreting the Law, but why am I not surprised by this?

Luke 18: 9,14 And He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men [are], extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [rather] than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
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2Cr 3:1,10 (New Living Translation) Are we beginning again to tell you how good we are? Some people need to bring letters of recommendation with them or ask you to write letters of recommendation for them. But the only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves! Your lives are a letter written in our [fn] hearts, and everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ prepared by us. It is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on stone, but on human hearts. We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. He is the one who has enabled us to represent his new covenant. This is a covenant, not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old way ends in death; in the new way, the Holy Spirit gives life. That old system of law etched in stone led to death, yet it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn't we expect far greater glory when the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old covenant, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new covenant, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new covenant.

2 Cr 3:6b (KJV) ...for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
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Mohammed or Jesus? The choice is simple, it is a matter of death or life, darkness or light, falsehood or truth.
Luk 6:40,42 A student is not greater than the teacher. But the student who works hard will become like the teacher. "And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye [fn] when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, `Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.


Answer this question, who would you rather be like, Mohammed or Jesus? The choice is simple; it is a matter of death or life, darkness or light, falsehood or truth.

"The Islamic Golden Age,"


With all due respect, it appears your mission is to return civilization to the 7Th to 13Th centuries, no matter how preposterous it sounds to the rest of us. That is like telling a man who drives a car he must now ride a camel instead, or a man who speaks English he must now speak Arabic, or a country with a democratic constitution you must now follow Sharia,(Arabic: '‎شريعة Šarīʿah,) Islamic religious law.
The center of my world can't be reached with feet, hands, & lips

We say it this way, "you can't force a circle into a square.' In a democracy we make allowances for "the circle" & "the square." In Islamic culture either "the circle" becomes "a square," or it is persecuted & rejected for remaining "a circle." We also say, "you can't place God in a box," but Islamic pilgrims circle the Kaaba as part of the Tawaf ritual of the Hajj, pilgrimage, circling the "big box" 7 times while trying to kiss it. Understand, the center of your world is not the center of my world, & it will never be the center. The center of your world is a physical place called Mecca, while the center of my world can not be reached with human feet, hands or lips!
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John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
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CONCLUSION:

1Ti 3:2 A bishop, (overseer, elder,) then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Who Is Holy?


RE: The Debate Continues


According to your statistics am I to deduce....

Only Christians sin, but Muslims keep score. Is that how you see it? So how do you intend to spread this message of condemnation in the West, by the sword?

Repent does not mean, "sweep your sins under the Persian Rug," it means, "turn around, & do the opposite."

Do you ever find it necessary to turn around, or do you always stubbornly head in the wrong direction?

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This quote appears in the post I sent you:

"David repented of polygamy.

God gave Adam ONE wife.

Mohammed could not even keep the law of his own Quran and married 12 wives."


YOU can not make you holy;

Sharia (Arabic: '‎شريعة Šarīʿah) can not make you holy;

The burka,(Arabic: برقع‎ burqu') can not make woman holy;

The Seven Pillars (Ismaili) can not make you holy:

Walāyah - Guardianship
Ṭahārah - Purity & cleanliness
Ṣalāt - Prayers
Zakāh - Purifying religious dues
Ṣawm - Fasting during Ramadan
Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca
Jihad - Struggle

Taharah can not make you holy, either Wudu (Arabic: الوضوء al-wuḍū') or Ghusl, partial or full body washing.


Me: Who was he protecting, 12 woman, or his own lust? Your answer will determine my confidence in you.

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1Cr 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ [is] God's.

2Cr 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.strong>

Love is Surrender


If fear of punishment was the answer then the world has no shortage of it. Instead, what people really need is a heart transplant... God's heart for ours!

When love is your course you will not pursue sin. God is love, & love means no harm to his neighbor. Surrender is a choice, & so marriage is the perfect analogy. A woman leaves her family to start a new one. She leaves behind her identity for the sake of her husband, for the sake of love.

Jesus left Heaven for the sake of love. God so loved the world that He gave His only, unique Son. Giving is the foundation of Heaven, which is a surrender based on love, & a sacrifice comprised of free will.

People can be forced to do anything, but love & loyalty are a gift of the will, the heart. Animals can be trained to do anything, but God takes delight in our willingness, & He sets the example thru His Son, Jesus.


Hope this helps

John

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Positron & friends: Perhaps we should not abandon this group of inquisitive minds? I may have spoken rashly about ending this debate. How else will our brothers in humanity come to saving faith unless they hear the Gospel? Let me know your feelings about this, & thanks to everyone for praying & sharing. I think I speak for all the Christians when I say our hearts yearn for your salvation.

Act 19:9,11 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:



Johndeweb

INVENTION


INVENTION: creation of something in the mind


RE: ISLAM


Sounds like your trying to take someone hostage..."surrender or else!"


"Surrender" in the Christian context is an act of love, freewill.


My challnge to you: Talk to Jesus about Jesus!