"The entrance of thy words giveth
light; it giveth understanding
unto the simple." -Psalms 119:130
On this page is a collection of Questions and Answers that were shared during our online church service on "Q&A Sabbath." (Due to the fact that I don't do spell check on questions sent to me, please don't email me alerting me of spelling errors on this page.)
FAQ's (85 more questions answered with Scripture only)
Ask God about the Sabbath (Scores of questions answered with Scripture only)
Easy Facts (Answers to 24 more questions)
God's Promises (Hundreds of promises from the Bible)
Have a question not listed here? Contact us
v- Is every creature of God good enough to eat as 1 Timothy 4:4 suggests? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 01-06)
In Zec 14:16 what are these feast of tabernacles that we will keep on the new earth?
What does Proverbs 10:10 mean? (winketh?) ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 07-13)
In what old testament verse was the resurrection of Jesus Christ mentioned?
What are the words that will bring someone on their deathbed to Christ?
What are the doctrines of Balaam, who taught Balac (Revelation 2:14)?
My question is how to teach children about the creation / evolution debate
Will children of the wicked die at the second coming? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 14-19)
Does "absent from the body, to be present with the Lord" mean Christians go to Heaven at death?
Who was inspired by God to select the books that were to be part of the bible ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 21-25)
Did the 1260 year prophecy end years earlier than predicted?
When someone says that keeping the sabbath is stupid how are we to respond?
Does God say in Romans 13:1 we are to obey an evil government? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 26-31)
What does it mean to fear the Lord? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 32-48)
Are we supposed to sell all we have and give to the poor like the rich young ruler in Luke 18?
Some say Jesus was not Jewish or the Son of Mary. Is this true?
I am in a very intense trial right now. The worst I’ve ever seen!!! What can I do?
Is Romans 14 evidence that we can eat anything we like to eat?
Is antichrist born and possessed, or is satan going to mask the return and jump into antichrist?
Could you expand on Eph 6:12, and how it applies to us Christians today?
What happens to people that are cremated? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 49-77)
Why isn't there more guidance available in the bible on how to prepare for what’s coming?
I'll forgive but I won't forget ". Is that ok in God's sight?
Please help me with a question on foods sacrificed to idols ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 57-78)
Does the Lord forgive us even though we keep falling back in sin?
Is there anything that can prevent blessings from God when we tithe?
What does "them that had not sinned after the similtude of adams transgression" mean?
Regarding the state of the dead, how do you interpret Phillipians 1:21-25?
Why do you use the word "Remnant" in your URL and do you interpret the Word with a biased opinion?
Did Jesus instruct the Apostles to buy swords for fighting in Luke 22?
What if I keep committing the same sin over and over again after I confessed it? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 79-95)
Why do you say on your remnant fruits page that Sports are wrong?
Vain repetition in prayer has no value. (Matthew 6:7) What does this mean?
Catholics claim statues are ok because of the statues in the Temple. Is this true?
Won't God protect us if we use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc?
Some are saying Christ has returned during the 1970's. Is this true?
I thought in the shaking the weak members in the SDA church would leave. Am I wrong?
Why do you attack other churches instead of just bringing sheep to the fold? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 96-114)
Is it ok to give thanks for food in public? Am I violating Matthew 6:1?
Is it ok to lie to protect others? After all Rahab lied and was blessed
Do we flee to the mountians now, or is there something else that we need to watch for?
What did Paul mean when he said he will be all things to all men?
Is the Apostle Paul a false Apostle as some claim? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 115-125)
Is it ok to share some "safe" info shared by brethren who have sinned?
Does prophecy say a third Temple is to be built in Jerusalem?
Did Jesus break the Sabbath when picking corn on Sabbath day in Mark 2:23-28?
Eating the fatted calf, and what does "absent from the body and present with the Lord" mean in 2 Corinthians 5:8? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 126-142)
If the rapture isn't true and the 7 year trib isn't true... Then what's gna happen.
Why did they stone people for adultery in the Old Testament but they don’t do that today?
Why did the Egyptians so gladly give the Jews their jewelry and riches?
Does 2 Corinthians 3:7 say the Commandments have been done away with?
Is it ok to drink Caffeine? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 143-152)
Where in the Bible does it say we no longer need prophets and apostles?
Why can't Sunday keepers that study the Word see what we see?
Does 2Peter 2:4 say Satan was cast into Hell before being cast to Earth? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 153-161)
Does the Holy Spirit leave the hearts of the remnant during the plagues?
Please explain Hosea 6:2 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 162-172)
What does it mean when someone says "you can't take the bible literally"
Why did Jesus only mention 6 of the 10 commandments to the rich man?
How can we be sure the 7th Day Sabbath of today is the same one from the Old Testament?
Are Jehovah Witnesses safe? And are the people of the Old Testament saved?
Please explain 2 Corinthians 3:14,15 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 173-179)
Please explain Hebrews 13:4. How do we defile the marriage bed?
Does the Bible contradict itself? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 180-189)
Are we supposed to handle snakes like they do in Tennessee churches?
Why did Jesus say for them to pray their flight be not in Winter in Matthew 24:20?
Please explain the "Good Samaritan" in Luke 10 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 190-198)
Are we working the “10/40 region” of earth for Christ? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 199-204)
Adam and Eve had a robe of light? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 205-211)
Are Christians Nationalists? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 212-218)
When do we received the Holy Spirit? (part 2)
What's the difference between the Old and New Covenant? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 219-226)
Who are the 10 kings which receive power with the beast for 1 hour
Is there anything in the bible saying you can't buy or sell on Sabbath? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 227-233)
Is baptism about the death and resurrection of Christ or not?
Is Revelation 2:10 happening now? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 234-241)
Why did God get angry at David for numbering the people? (1 Chronicles 21:1-30)
Why did the devil allow the Pope to fail with the demon possessed girl? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 242-247)
Please explain Deuteronomy 22:5. Is it ok for women to wear pants?
Are we SDA? What was the 1844 cleansing? Does the great disappointment factor in? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 248-253)
Why did Jesus purposely heal the man at Bethesda on Sabbath day?
What is your opinion on the Vatican telescope named Lucifer?
Is there any way to reach Roman Catholics? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 254-260)
What happens when we (the SDR church) are removed from the Internet?
What is the difference between God's Law and Moses' law? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 261-263)
Is braiding the hair a sin? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 264-269)
I think you're wrong, The Great Tribulation is not in the past. I think it is coming soon
Are we seeing Babylon besiege America as Israel did in Jeremiah's day?
Why does it appear the four Gospels have different accounts?
Please explain Colossians 2:14 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 270-273)
Doesn't Romans 8:23 teach immediate life in Heaven at death?
Why does Jesus call us "the salt of the Earth?" ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 274-276
Why do we have Pagan names for the week and what about the Lunar Sabbath?
Why were men (in OT times) permitted to have multiple wives, but not in these NT times? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 277-281)
Do you think the Obamacare health cards are the mark of the beast?
Why are you only focused on the Sabbath? Do you know Jesus at all?
What about those that never knew Jesus? Will they gain Heaven? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 282-284)
Please explain the souls under the altar after death? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 285-288)
You are wrong about the end time fulfillments regarding the sun,moon, stars and quake
Why does God say to pray that "He" doesn't lead us into temptation?
Is there a difference between the 2 Laws Jesus gave and the Ten Commandments? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 289-292) ***
Why did David's playing of music release Saul from the evil spirit?
What does Revelation 13:10 and 1 Thessalonians 5:20,21 mean? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 293-296)
What do you say about this SDA Pastor's excuse for having the 501c3
Please explain Psalm 44:17 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 297-302)
Why are the same things found in the books of Kings and Chronicles?
Why was Samson's hair such a big deal? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 303-307)
Is Project Blue Beam something we need to be concerned about?
Can the Pope be saved? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 308-311)
Why didn't Matthew, Luke & John mention the naked boy in Mark 14:51,52?
Since Sunday is the Mark, are all Sunday keepers already damned? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 315-317)
Is Matthew 16:28; Luke 9:27; Mark 9:1 speaking about the 144,000 in Revelation?
Is every SDA church fallen? Or are the conservative ones still safe? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 318-321)
We are not to judge based on Sabbath days or Holy Days ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 322-324)
Did Jesus arise from the dead on the seventh day Sabbath? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 325-328)
* Will Christians will be raptured up before the Antichrist comes?
How does every eye see Jesus when He returns? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 328-331)
Will the Lord be upset with me if I tithe to a 501c3 church?
Christians fail to realize that Atheists will believe if given the evidence
I don't want to sin, why am I tempted to sin anyway? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 332 ONLY) (NOTE: Audio a bit choppy at times)
* Manythink parts of the Bible is made up ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 333-335)
I believe Christians will be raptured before the plagues come
Please explain Matthew 15:4- and what does "bound on earth is bound in heaven" mean?
Aren't we are all just spirits floating in Heaven at death? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 336-340)
Were man and women created in the image of God? Or only men?
Why do they use relics in the church of Rome? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 341-343)
I don't believe Jesus said we need to keep the Sabbath ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 344-346)
What do those crosses and crucifixes that people wear represent?
Please explain Revelation 14:11 regarding the "forever" hellfire? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 347-351)
Is it wrong to gather with the church body to eat on Sabbath? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 352-355)
* You're Wrong! China won't bow to Sunday Laws because they're Atheists!
Can David Gate's Prophecy of Spring 2019 come true? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 356-357)
Can you please share how you see the one hour with the beast?
Are John 18:32 & John 21:19 talking sbout the same thing? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 359-362)
Is Elijah and Enoch in Heaven? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 363-366)
What is the Investigative Judgment? (also see # 396)
I was told original Sin is truth - Sin is not a choice and we were BORN in sin. Is that true?
What's this I hear about Planet X, Black Star, Nibiru or the Brown Dwarf Star? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 367-370)
Why can’t I hang with my old friends when I become a Christian?
Why did God say not to cut the corners of your beard? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 371- 375)
I believe in once saved always saved! ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 376-378)
* Please explain the parable in Luke 13 about the fig tree? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 379-383)
Doesn't Ecclesiastes 12:7 confirm life after death immediate? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 384)
Does Genesis 9:3 say we can eat anything that moves? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 385 - 388)
Can you explain Deuteronomy 6:4 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 389 - 392)
I am scared to leave the SDA church - But I must obey the Lord
Please explain your video titled "The Pope, Sunday Laws & Climate Change"
How long will the tribulation and Sunday Laws last? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 393 - 396)
Why does the USA have two horns like a lamb ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 393 - 396)
Shall I stone my mom for not Keeping Sabbath? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 401 - 405)
Am I in sin if those I share truth with don't understand? Is it my fault?
* Should we buy gold, silver or bitcoin to survive the coming economic crash?
You're Wrong! Ezek 46:1 teaches Lunar Sabbath! ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 406 - 409 )
Catholic declares I don't understand the Church's true method of Exorcism ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 410 - 411 )
I disagree with your claim we are in the "little time of Jacob's trouble."
How long is a little season? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 412 - 413 )
You are wrong about the One World Government ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 414 - 414 )
Why are people believing the easy to prove lies regarding Covid-19? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 415 - 417 )
Why do my Christian parents get so angry when I meet with you on Sabbath? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 418 - 421 )
* What does it mean when some say "The Atheist has no brain?"
You're wrong Nicholas! The beast that was, is not, yet is happened in the first century
Why is it wrong to bow before a Pope or kiss his hand? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 422 - 423 )
Isn't Sabbath an abolished Ceremonial law? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 424 - 425 )
Nicholas -You cannot Declare a Prophecy Fulfilled that quick!
Please explain John 11:8-10 ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 426 - 428 )
I am concerned about what they plan with the mask and the vaccine
The Urim and the Thummim? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 429 - 431 )
Nicholas,
why do you not see
Mary forever blessed
and worthy to be
prayed to?
("a " - bookmark break)
I would
assume that you have not
died to your sins, and
continue to sin (
click
here for
mp3 of Q&A 431A -
433 )
Did Paul just admit to being crafty in 2 Corinthians? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 434- 438 )
I am not sure about what the Lord is saying through Amos 3:3-8
What is the "Mystery of Christ?" ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 439-441 )
Your God is dead ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 442-443 )
The Sabbath or the Lord's Day ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 444 )
I am lonely - there are no brethren here ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 445-447 )
Why is the arm of God holy in Isaiah 52:10 but not in Ezekiel 4:7? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 448-450 )
Who are the Nicolations? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 451-453 )
Isn't the Sabbath only for the Jews? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 454-456 )
What does the term “the letter killeth” in 2Corinthians 3:6 mean? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 457 )
* Is there a verse other than 1 John 5:7 to use? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 458 (AUDIO FIXED)
You're wrong Nicholas - the pope is not AntiChrist - he's the false prophet ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 459-461 )
The SDA people are being purposely confused about "the church militant" (to hide Elijah msg) ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 462 )
Who are the daughters of Zion? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 462-465)
Why did Pail say "Let us keep the feast" in 1 Corinthians 5:8?
Is it ok for Christians to wear jewelry? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 466-469)
What does the angel represent in Revelation 3:14? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 470-474)
The false prophet “works great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth?
Some view the vegan diet as discouraging ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 475-479)
Please explain Ezekiel 43:1-4 (Comments on Red Heifer added) ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 480-483)
Why not preach on the good things God does and not just end time prophecy? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 484-485)
* Why do you say the Mark of the Beast is a Sunday Law? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 486-488)
* Why do you say the “one man” in Isaiah 4:1 is Jesus? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 489-492)
Is the 501c3 a mystery? Or do the church leader really know what they're doing?
Was the "10 Commandments of Climate Change" signed into Law?
I don't need a church or a Sabbath day to worship God ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 489-492)
Strangest claim I've ever heard regarding "the Lord's Day" in Revelation 1:10
The Bible says everyone will have the mark ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 497-500)
Please explain sheet descending 3 times, the seal of God and the 144,000? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 501-502)
Is there a prophetic revelation in the parable of Matthew 7:25-27? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 503-505)
How do we apply the faith we have? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 506-506)
Why did Sister White say "it is done" before the plagues ended? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 507-509)
Why did you say those called "least in Heaven" aren't there?
What is the “revelation of mystery” Paul speaks of in Romans 16:25?
The "Latter Days" mentioned in Hosea? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 510-512)
Is there a prophecy regarding 2520 years? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 513)
Will we know each other in Heaven? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 514-515)
ONLINE CLAIM -100% Proof Christians Don't Have To Keep The Sabbath
Do these verses mean we are immedately in Heaven after we die? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 516-518)
What does 1Jn. 5:16-17 mean? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 519-522)
Please explain Isaiah 28:13 about "falling backward, snared and taken"
Can you clarify who you see as the "false prophet" of Revelation?
How does someone commit the unforgivable sin which is to “blaspheme the Holy Ghost?” ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 523)
You're holding Ellen White's writings above the Bible ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 524-527)
Is receiving the mark of the beast a guaranteed death sentence or can someone repent of it?
Do you see what I see regarding the "two horns" of the second beast? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 528-531)
You're wrong! God took 6 million years to create everything, not 6 days!
Will they use 2 Thessalonians 2:4 to claim a need for a 3rd Temple? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 531-535)
You’re wrong! It’s not the Popes! Jerusalem is the whore and Antichrist is a Jew!
Should I continue to share God’s truth with my parents? ( click here for mp3 of Q&A 536-540)
Why do you say God didn’t harden Pharaoh’s heart when He said He did?
There are HUNDREDS more Q&A's left to post on this page. But I only post them online after I shared them on Q&A Sabbath. We usually do a Q&A Sabbath every month now in the poGm audio conference room where we hold LIVE church services every Sabbath. You are more than welcome to join us on Sabbath. Click here for details. E-See you then! :)
1 Timothy 4:3-5, "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."
ANSWER:
If you read verse 3 you will see that verse 4 is speaking of meats "which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving" by His people. And Biblical fact here is His people NEVER would give thanks for a pig or any other unclean meat as Leviticus 11, or Deuteronomy 14 speaks of. If you also look at verse 5 you will also see that these meats are those that are "sanctified" by the Lord. And the Lord never sanctified pigs or other unclean animals.
By the way, some believe if you give thank for unclean foods God will allow for sanctification upon you or that food. However it is written in Isaiah 66:17, "They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the LORD."
I#2. have a question for next week that my son asked me not to long ago. He just started reading the bible (KJV), and he finished reading Genesis. He asked me, "how did God multiple the people with just Adam & Eve?" Did their sons & daughters marry and have children? I was not sure how to answer the question and I explained that Adam & Eve were the 1st humans God created and I'm sure He created more people the same way He created Adam & Eve. Is that the correct answer?
ANSWER:
Things were more perfect back then, and things like mutation wouldn’t be an issue as we see it to be today with inbreeding. Adam ad Eve lived hundreds of years as did their children because the environment as well as their diet was perfect. There is no definite statement in Scripture that says their kids married each other, but as we look at the lineage of the children in Genesis we see that yes, its obvious they married their brothers and sisters. Yes, it seems strange today, but the Lord obviously allowed it and hid the strangeness from them so as to populate the earth. In fact, in our day even cousins marrying seems strange, but after the flood this too was allowed so as to repopulate. Truth is, the Israelites always commanded their children to seek spouses within their tribes, or families.
#3. We know our father talked directly to people in the beginning (some).then Jesus came upon the earth (birth) he also talked ,, healed , ministered to people here .so here is my question -when we talk or pray to our heavenly father we end in Jesus Christ name amen. but when i wish to talk with Jesus about his life here and how sad it makes me of how he was treated or giving thanks for his redeeming love gift or etc then how do we end the prayer or talk with him i end it in Jesus Christ name but it just don't sound right . so is this right or how should we end a prayer or when we just talk to our Lord and Saviour amen.
ANSWER:
When we say “in Jesus name” we are actually ending the prayer with a statement declaring our character is like unto Christ’s and because of His righteousness we have confidence of faith that our prayers are heard. So, praying to Jesus or the Father, or even the Spirit can be ended in the same way as far as I can see.
#4. Hey, I have a question for next week. In todays sermon, we were talking about the loud cry, and how it would go out to all the world, so I was wondering, will all the people of the world hear the message before Christ comes back?
ANSWER:
Yes, the prophecy clearly states in Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."
Never before in the History of mankind was this possible until now. For example, Satellites transmit the Gospel to veritably billions of televisions every day from one side of the planet to the other. Radio waves carry the message of Jesus worldwide instantly with more density then ever before in the history of radio thanks to the way short wave radio can encircle the globe from just about any location. The Bible itself has been the number one best seller for as long as they have kept track of the sale of books. Preachers from all walks of life are preaching the gospel from the darkest regions of Africa to the lofty Alps of Switzerland. Christians worldwide have all along been sharing the good news to family, friends, co-workers, and strangers at work or at play. These same Christians have been handing out Tracts, Booklets, Pocket Bibles, Commentaries, Printed Sermons, Newsletters, Bible Studies, Cassette Tapes, Video Tapes, Etc. And now, thanks to the Internet, the Gospel message is being broadcast by websites, FLASH animations, inside chat rooms, private messaging, as well as e-mail! The List is truly endless of all the methods the Lord is using to fulfill this prophecy today.
#5. “Was Eli the priest lost? Due to his NOT restraining his sons Hopni and Phinehas?”
ANSWER:
I'll let SOP answer this one...
“And the ark of God is taken,” Eli wavered in anguish upon his seat and fell backward and died. He shared the wrath of God which came upon his sons. He was guilty in a great measure of their transgressions, because he had criminally neglected to restrain them. The capture of the ark of God by the Philistines was considered the greatest calamity which could befall Israel. The wife of Phinehas, as she was about to die, named her child Ichabod, saying, “The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken.” SR p 187
I am not 100% sure what you’re asking here sister. I think you’re asking is Eli doomed for neglecting his sons and as far as I see, yes, it appears as such. But I will let EGW answer that one…We have seen the result of Eli's mistaken kindness,--death to the indulgent father, ruin and death to his wicked sons, and destruction to thousands in Israel. The Lord Himself decreed that for the sins of Eli's sons no atonement should be made by sacrifice or offering forever. How great, how lamentable, was their fall,--men upon whom rested sacred responsibilities, proscribed, outlawed from mercy, by a just and holy God! {2BC 1010.1}
Such is the fearful reaping of the harvest sown when parents neglect their God-given responsibilities,--when they allow Satan to preoccupy the field which they themselves should carefully have sown with precious seed of virtue, truth, and righteousness. If but one parent is neglectful of duty, the result will be seen in the character of the children; if both fail, how great will be their accountability before God! How can they escape the doom of those who destroy their children's souls? (RH Aug. 30, 1881). {2BC 1010.2}
The transgressions of Eli's sons were so daring, so insulting to a holy God, that no sacrifice could atone for such willful transgression. These sinful priests profaned the sacrifices which typified the Son of God. And by their blasphemous conduct they were trampling upon the blood of the atonement, from which was derived the virtue of all sacrifices. {1SOP 402.1}
#6 In Zec 14:16 what are these feast of tab... that we will keep on the new earth.?
Zec 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
ANSWER:
As we know, Colossians chapter 2 does declare the feast days pointed to the Gospel message and were done away with at the cross because we actually preach the Gospel message now. In fact, the Gospel worship can be seen today as being represented in the keeping of the feast of tabernacles in the Old Testament times.
The gospel of Christ reflects glory upon the Jewish age. It sheds light upon the whole Jewish economy, and gives significance to the ceremonial law. The tabernacle, or temple, of God on earth was a pattern of the original in heaven. All the ceremonies of the Jewish law were prophetic, typical of mysteries in the plan of redemption. {6BC 1095.5}
Therefore, each day a Christian lives their life one can witness a keeping of the feast of tabernacles in how they obey and proclaim the Gospel message.
When speaking of the Jewish ordinances SOP says…
“This ordinance does not speak so largely to man's intellectual capacity as to his heart. His moral and spiritual nature needs it. If His disciples had not needed this, it would not have been left for them as Christ's last established ordinance in connection with, and including, the last supper. It was Christ's desire to leave to His disciples an ordinance that would do for them the very thing they needed--that would serve to disentangle them from the rites and ceremonies which they had hitherto engaged in as essential, and which the reception of the gospel made no longer of any force. To continue these rites would be an insult to Jehovah. Eating of the body, and drinking of the blood, of Christ, not merely at the sacramental service, but daily partaking of the bread of life to satisfy the soul's hunger, would be in receiving His Word and doing His will (RH June 14, 1898). {5BC 1139.6}
#7. What does Proverbs 10:10 mean? (winketh?)
Proverbs 10:10 “He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall.”
ANSWER:
As far as I can see, winking in the O.T. is always associated with doing evil to someone.
Job 15:12, "Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,"
Psalms 35:19, "Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause."
Proverbs 6:13, "He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;"
We know God winks at our times of ignorance, in the same way some that wink or ignore what the people do. Instead of warning them of danger, they gossip about them.
#8. My question is this: Will there be some who are killed for their faith during the little time of trouble that comes before the plagues? I have heard some pastors say that not one Christian will die at that time..
ANSWER:
Yes, many will die for their faith during the time of trouble before the time of Jacob’s trouble. These are those spoken of in Revelation 20
Revelation 20:4, "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
This passage is obviously speaking of the last days because the mark of the beast is mentioned. The Gideon band (144000) however, will never see death. They are those that go through the plagues and glorify Christ before the Universe. Once the plagues begin the “real” martydom’s will stop because it will no longer serve a purpose. Many that die for their faith affect others that witness their faith and they too become Christians. Once the plagues start, this means the censor has been dropped by Christ and the proclamation will have been made that is recorded in Revelation 22:11 that says, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." In other words, no one can be saved anymore, so for a Christian to die for their faith now will serve no purpose in Heaven in the way of winning souls.
#9. I received question that i could use some help with. In what old testament verse was the resurrection of Jesus Christ mentioned?
ANSWER:
Psalms 16:10, "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
#10. If someone is dying, what are the words that our Lord would want us to say to them or ask them so that they will be in the kingdom with our Lord? I hope that I am asking this question right but that is what my student wanted to know, what should she do in a case like that.
ANSWER:
There are no special words that will bring anyone to salvation. All we can do is share our faith in and out of season with as many as possible. Then it’s up to the Holy Spirit to convict the heart.
#11. What are the deeds of the Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6)?
As far as my research has shown, the Nicolaitans main fruit were they were the first to mix paganism with Christianity. This is why the term Nicolaitans is defined in strongs as “destruction of the people.” “Salvation in sin” is also a fruit of the Nicolaitans. This is a fruit of Catholicism as well as all churches that have now followed after this beast. They preach you can be saved IN your sins rather than FROM your sins.
#12. What are the doctrines of Balaam, who taught Balac (Revelation 2:14)?
ANSWER:
The doctrine of Balaam = ecumenicalism / fellowship with unbelievers for gain
NOTE: The prophet Ballam was offered wealth and honor if he would do what he knew God did not desire. Of course Ballam was unable to curse Israel, but he was able to convince them to yolk unequally.
Numbers 22:16-17, "And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people."
Numbers 25:1-3, "And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel."
Numbers 31:16, "Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD."
"The fate of Balaam was similar to that of Judas, and their characters bear a marked resemblance to each other. Both these men tried to unite the service of God and mammon, and met with signal failure. Balaam acknowledged the true God, and professed to serve Him; Judas believed in Jesus as the Messiah, and united with His followers. But Balaam hoped to make the service of Jehovah the steppingstone to the acquirement of riches and worldly honor; and failing in this he stumbled and fell and was broken. Judas expected by his connection with Christ to secure wealth and promotion in that worldly kingdom which, as he believed, the Messiah was about to set up. The failure of his hopes drove him to apostasy and ruin. Both Balaam and Judas had received great light and enjoyed special privileges, but a single cherished sin poisoned the entire character and caused their destruction. {PP 452.1}
In other words… Balaam and Judas were alike in the same way the preachers of prosperity of today are. They wre ein it for the money.
#13. My question is how to teach children about the creation / evolution debate.....just general suggestions.
ANSWER:
There’s actually no debate now that Modern Science has proven the evolutionary position to be 100% wrong. See my creation page for more info on this..
#14. When God arrives at the 2nd coming, are small children and babies going to be killed also or will the people be infertile and there are no children? Like Saul was to kill all the amalikites even the ox. So the children were corrupt like there parents?
ANSWER:
King David was also told to kill men woman and children. Yes, the children were to die because the Lord knows the end from the beginning. He knows the methods the parents used in raising the children have already destroyed them spiritually.
#15. How many angels are there in heaven?
ANSWER:
No man alive has any clue. All we know is what the Word says on this...
Revelation 5:11, "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;"
#16. Many people tell me that “being absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" means Christians go to Heaven at death. Is this truth?
ANSWER:
The verse they speak of is...
2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
MANY use this passage as a basis of "proof" that because it says "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," it must mean Paul is advocating life after death immediate. One point many miss in regards to this passage is the fact that Paul is commenting on the carnal nature of the people that should be "absent" so as to walk "in the Lord" as true and obedient Christians. With that said, do these next two passages declare Paul dead and speaking from the grave?
1 Corinthians 5:3, "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,"
Colossians 2:5, "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ."
The meaning is obvious when taken in context to that which is written. To be absent from the body is to deny the flesh and therefore present with the Lord as we walk in the Spirit. Romans 6:6-8 put it ever so plainly when it said, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:" And John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Let's not forget Romans 8:1 wherein it says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
But to further illustrate this fact. We need to look into what happened in John chapter 11. If believers in Christ go immediately to Heaven the second they die, then I must ask three questions.
#1, why would Jesus be so cruel to Lazarus who was supposedly already in Heavenly splender 4 whole days? I saw cruel because Jesus rose Him from the dead and Lazarus, according to those that preach immediate life after death, forced to leave the splender and eternal peace and beauty of Heaven to come back to this dark and dismal planet filled with sin and temptation?
#2 If Lazarus was already in Heaven according to some, if he went into a life of sin would he then go to Hell when he died again?
#3 If Lazarus really went to Heaven, and spent 4 days there, why doesn’t the Word of God describe what he saw while there? Do not patriarchs and prophets describe it when they are there in vision?
#17. What does 2 Tim 3:6 mean?
2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
ANSWER:
When Read in context, this is what 2 Tim 3:6 says.
2 Timothy 3:1-6, "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,"
In verses 1-5 it speaks about the wicked people of today that claim to be Christians that proclaim to be godly, but are actually denying God’s power to do just about everything from release them from addictions to help them find work that won’t force them to break Sabbath, as well as a multitude of other sins. Many so called Christians worship Christ in lip service only. As the 5 verses depict, they do everything we see the churches doing today. There are even some homosexuals that claim to be Christians as this passage predicted. Something that insane would never be believed as little as 30 years ago. But today, there are some churches that pander to homosexuality.
When we look at the first 5 verses and how they depict today’s society, and then read verse 6, it’s easy to see that if we do not “withdraw ourselves from such as these” they will creep into our homes as we consider them to be trustworthy and convince such foolish souls that are easily lead astray into all sorts of different sins.
For example.. A Roman Catholic priest who is mostly likely familiar with all the sins listed in the first 5 verses as being part of his life, this man would be looked upon by some people as godly. As Timothy is stating he can then creep in unawares. The reason the woman, or “church” appears silly is because, it’s just plain silly that they would fall for someone so obviously sinful. Had they read their Bibles they would not be considered foolish, but wise. So, the man creeps or sneaks into the home and because he is trusted, he leads to people into the captivity of sin.
#18. I was wondering if you knew why John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" when John said Jesus was the "Lamb of God" earlier.
ANSWER:
As for John the Baptist. He was just a normal brother in Christ like many today. When imprisoned he became somewhat discouraged as some will in the future trials and tribulatuons. Truth is, as far as I can see, this was allowed by the Lord for our benefit in latter years when we see how Jesus responded to John’s question. This brings encouragement to those of us that will suffer greatly for the Lord as did John. Just because we are in a grave trial like John was, we are not to forget all that Christ has already done for us in life. Faith teaches us that we can use our past experiences with the Lord to build that firm foundation we will need when in peril as was John. When John’s men came to Jesus He reminded them of what He has already done. He said, "...Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." (Matthew 11:4-6)
This is why I have a personal praise list. There are times that I need to be reminded of what my Lord has done for me in the past. As trial comes, especially the big ones, we all have a tendency to focus on the trial at hand instead of the Lord’s evident hand in our lives. It blesses my heart to see that John the Baptist was a regular guy like me who is subject to the flesh. All too often we have a tendency to look at patriarchs as well as prophets in the Word as if they were super humans with special powers. But they, like us are nothing without Christ. So, when I see John discouraged, and I see how Jesus reminded him of what He has done in the past, it blesses my heart greatly when I am reminded of what my Lord has done for me in my past as I travel through my trial.
#19. I was reading the book of Proverbs the other day: please could you explain the meaning of this verse to me:
Prov. 11:15 "He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure."
ANSWER:
Surety in the context of this passage is similar to what we call co-signing today. It’s not saying it’s a bad thing to do, but we must be careful when doing so because it can “smart” or cry unto God later in life if the one that took the loan is unable to pay leaving us with the debt. The verse ends with the fact that those that avoid such practices won’t have a problem in this area of life.
The “STRANGER” in this passage is of course stating co-signing with a non-believer is more than likely to cause a problem later. Whereas, when helping a fellow believer out, you usually don’t have issues like this. A true child of God is honest and forthright in all his or her doings.
Sister
White says:
"I saw that God was displeased
with His people for becoming
surety for unbelievers. I was
directed to these texts:
Proverbs 22:26: "Be not thou
one of them that strike hands,
or of them that are sureties
for debts." Proverbs 11:15:
"He that is surety for a
stranger shall smart for it:
and he that hateth suretyship
is sure." Unfaithful stewards!
They pledge that which belongs
to another,--their heavenly
Father,--and Satan stands
ready to aid his children to
wrench it out of their hands.
Sabbathkeepers should not be
in partnership with
unbelievers. God's people
trust too much to the words of
strangers, and ask their
advice and counsel when they
should not. The enemy makes
them his agents, and works
through them to perplex and
take from God's people."
{1T
200.1}
#20. Are homosexual people born that way or demon possessed? Is there a Bible scripture that talks about a homosexual being healed with a demon cast out?
ANSWER:
No, homosexuals are not born that way. Their own bodies speak against them in fact. If they were born homosexual, then why do they have sex organs that require the opposite sex to procreate? If the people of the world would study up on the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah I am sure they too would realize it is nothing more than sinful lust.
The way I see it, Satan knows God created man in His image. As we all know, Satan cannot pass up any opportunity to soil that image. He has men, who are created in God’s image do all sorts of evil acts all throughout history. Murder, torture, theft, and rape are just a few crimes that men do that soil the image they are created in. But none so slanders the image of God then does homosexuality. It brings man down to the same level as animals when men do such things with their bodies.
I don’t know many homosexual people. I can count them on one hand and have many fingers left over. But I do recall two such instances where a homosexual was cast free of a demon that made them crave sex in a perverted way. In fact, both these people, one was a man, the other a women, placed full page adds in Chicago Newspapers many years apart from each other wherein they described how they came to realize that they were possessed when Jesus cast them free. Not only were they free of the demon, the vulgar and perverted acts became very disgusting to them. When I read those articles, and how they described what Jesus did for them, it became quite clear it was in fact a demon in them.
And no, I do not know of a verse that says a homosexual was cast free of a demon in the Bible. This is not to say it is impossible of course. There are many different types of demons and Jesus wasn't about to point out each and every one because casting one out sufficiently proved all demons, no matter what their sinful preference was were easy game for Christ the Lord to cast free of His people. Just like there are many different diseases, there are many demons.
#21.
I
just read the book of Enoch
and I will like to know who
desided what book was inspired
by God. Or who was inspired by
God to select the books that
were to be part of the bible.
Thanks... ALSO A friend of
mine called me up and told me
that her brother saw on the
history channel that in Egypt
they dug up this 6 foot pot in
1945( I thought it was
recently) and in it were some
books and one of the books was
the book of thomas, in 2
different languages Is this a
disciple? And why are we
finding it now? Why wouldn't
he add it to the bible? Why
would he hide it for all these
years? Is it good to read?
ANSWER:
God decided which books were inspired. Which books were inspired? Do you recall when the Two Witnesses were killed and left dead in the streets? As Christians we know the Two Witnesses = the Old and New Testament. (See this... http://www.remnantofgod.org/2witness.htm ) At that time the only books that were protected by God were the 66 books we use today. Any other book that man claims to be inspired today, that were present back then would not be trustworthy, because had they been God would have protected them along with the other 66 books.
#22. Greetings, I would just like to ask a question. It was told to me from a pastor of mine and a student studying to become a pastor, that salvation itself does not come from doing the 10 commandments. But in one point i disagree because in 1 John 2:1-6 says different. Am I wrong? Its not to see if I am correct but just to know if im in the right path.
ANSWER:
You
are correct. However, not as
you may think. We are not
saved by keeping the Law, we
keep the Law because we ARE
saved. The Law, or obedience
of it, is a FRUIT of the
Christian that proves their
loyalty to God. That is why
1John 2:1-6 cut your heart as
it did. So, no. We are not
saved by keeping the Law. That
would mean we are saved by
works, and that is not true.
But we do keep the Law as a
way to show we love the Lord.
By the way. Look in Revelation
14:6-11. It speaks of people
that get the mark of the beast
and why. Then look at verse
14. It speaks of people that
don't get it and why. Being
obedient to His Law will
prevent us from
receiving
the
mark of the beast. PLUS,
Revelation 22:14 says,
"Blessed are they that do his
commandments, that they may
have right to the tree of
life, and may enter in through
the gates into the city."
That's right! Only those that
have Jesus as Lord and keep
His commandments will be IN
HEAVEN. For more info see
this.. http://www.remnantofgod.org/The-Law.htm
#23. I have a question concerning your "people get ready" section. Under prophecy #3 you wrote, "Over Sixteen and a half centuries earlier, the Lord Jesus said that after the tribulation period (1260 year dark ages) ended, these signs would begin to appear!" If I understand correctly, the 1,260 years ended in 1798. This means that the signs would not start appearing until after the 1,260 year period. However, the fulfillment of this prophecy you said occurred on May 19th, 1780. I am doing my best to prayerfully consider what you write and check it with the Word of God because it is a "big deal" to get something like this wrong.
ANSWER:
The pope stopped killing Christians en-masse years earlier, yes, because Napoleon was breathing down his neck politically. The Vatican was doing all it could to deal with that problem, and they obviously slowed the killings down to both dedicate more time to that issue, as well as generate a false “positive image” had they been successful in squashing Napoleon’s revolt. They would of no doubt restarted their bloody inquisitions had they been successful in stopping Napoleon. However when Berthier was sent in 1798, they were then OFFICIALLY shut down politically and therefore 100% unable to kill Christians under the protection of Vatican law. Reason being was, they were no longer a State thanks to Napoleon. They reduced to only a church at that time and being just a church they were subject to the laws of the land.
#24. When someone says that keeping the sabbath is stupid how are we to respond?
ANSWER:
What they are saying in their own little way is, when we keep Sabbath we are committing heresy. But Paul said in Acts 24:14, "But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:" So let them call you stupid all they want. What I would tell them is I would rather be called stupid by mankind than to called a liar by God Himself, because it is written in 1 John 2:4, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him."
#25. Please explain how lent is pagan
ANSWER:
Today is another one of those “no news” worthy of reporting days wherein all I’m seeing is redundancy and so I would like to share an answer to a common question that comes up this time of year. Seeing how all the churches now embrace the Lenton season, they wonder if this is any way biblical.
Much of what I am about to share can be found in Hyslop’s book, “The Two Babylon’s” The word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon Lencten, meaning “spring.” Lent originated in the ancient Babylonian Pagan or as they called it, mystery religion. “The forty days’ abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess…Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz.” -The Two Babylons
As we know from simple historic research, Tammuz was the false Messiah of the Babylonian people. He was a satanic counterfeit of Jesus Christ in fact. His mother created the lie to hide the fact she got pregnant in an adulterous relationship. King Nimrod, her husband had died and when she discovered she was pregnant she told everyone her dead husband appeared unto her and impregnated her. Satan moved her to use this lie for obvious reasons. He knew Jesus would be born of a virgin later in the history of the human race.
The Feast of Tammuz was celebrated in June back then. Most Pagans still celebrate it in June today as well. June was actually called the “month of Tammuz” by most Pagans. Lent was then held 40 days before this feast. This is why the word Lent means “spring.” It always took place from spring to early summer for the Pagans. The feast was always “celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing.”
This has actually been going on for thousands of years. The Bible records ancient Judah worshiping Tammuz. It says in Ezekiel 8:14, “Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.” If you read on in Ezekiel you will find that this was a great abomination in God’s eyes! But why did the church at Rome institute such a pagan holiday as Lent?
Getting back to Hyslops book he says they did it, “To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands.” -The Two Babylons
As history then shows us, the Roman church eventually replaced Passover with what they now call Easter. They then moved the pagan Feast of Tammuz to early spring in an attempt to “Christianize” it. So of course, Lent moved with it. Hyslops goes on to say that “This change of the calendar in regard to Easter was attended with momentous consequences. It brought into the Church the grossest corruption and the rankest superstition in connection with the abstinence of Lent.” -The Two Babylons
Before giving up their cherished sins during Lent, the pagans always held a wild, “anything goes” type of celebration to make sure that they got in their share of debaucheries and perversity before they had to give them up for Lent. They still do this to this day. Only now we call it Mardi Gras and Spring break. Fat Tuesday = sin in depth the day before Ash Wednesday.
As for Easter itself? Click here and you will see quite clearly that it too has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity and everything to do with Paganism and the worship of Satan using many different names. One of which is in fact “Easter.”
#26. i was reading on a web site called "the berean" and they were talking about Roman 13, and how and why we should obey the law of the land. now i dont know much but obeying an evil government is not my idea of doing what GOD says. so would you mind clarifying this for me. to me, i know the usa government is totally evil and passing evil unjust laws, and if they say we must bow to them in worship or die, i guess many people will. but pray, we wont. so please again clarify this Roman 13 for me. thanks
Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God."
ANSWER:
Not many people are aware of this, but I did a Newsletter on this some years ago about how the local police were going house to house in New Orleans and other areas near there just before and directly after Katrina with pastors from that area who were insisting the people needed to surrender their guns because they say said so and they used Romans 13:1 as a reason. I am not an advocate of guns of course, but it just seemed odd to me where crime was about to sky rocket and the police went about removing the only means of protection the non-believers had. Still.. according to this passage, we are to obey our leaders but ONLY when the laws of the land don’t force us to break God’s law. This is why the apostles stated “we must obey God rather than man” in Acts 5:29 when the Jews tried to prevent the name of Jesus being preached to the people.
At present, there are laws on the books that Christians simply do not embrace. For example, it’s ok to murder your baby in what the law calls legalized abortion, and it’s legal to defile your body in what the law allows in regards to alcohol, tobacco or other harmful items. Even pornography is legal. Christians don’t do these things of course and as is obvious, these laws are not binding on us in that we can choose not to do them by free will. However, soon there will be a law that demands we keep Sunday holy as a way to acknowledge it as the true Sabbath in the coming days. This is a law true Christians will never keep because it goes directly against commandment #4. So as prophecy predicts, when they enforce Sunday Laws many of us will be jailed and even killed, but then it’s not like we will be caught off guard because we understand prophecy and expect this to happen. That gives us an our families ample time to prepare.
#27. When it comes to young lovers and marriage, is it true that there is a special mate that God creates for each person, like Adam n Eve, or does it not really matter who the person you marry is (just as long as they're truly converted and they fit the parameters that EGW gave: [Will this person lead me to heaven, will they increase my sphere of influence, will etc...])? If there is a special love for each person, what steps can I take, with prayer , to find him? Or if there is no such thing, how can I find one that is truly converted?
ANSWER:
In the Word of God Paul says…
1 Corinthians 7:8-9, "I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn."
What he is saying is, he is not married and he states by permission and not by commandment that he believes it is the better lifestyle choice not to be married. After all, it says a few verses later in 1 Corinthians 7:33-34, "But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."
The reason I bring this us is because of today’s society and how it’s geared towards everyone having a mate. As far as I see in the Word, it’s best we just live our lives as best as we can and do for the Lord as He moves us to do. If the time comes when we need help, or we are unable to continue without sinning in the flesh, as Paul said earlier, it’s better to marry than to burn with lust. But here still, I would not go looking under every crack and crevice for a spouse. Let the Lord lead one to you. And understand, Satan may also send someone to you that will not be good for you if in fact the flesh is more important to you than the Lord. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if the Lord wants you to do work for Him without a mate, He will give you the ability to do just that. But if you are unable to resist, He will send you a mate because 1 Corinthians 10:13 has also been written where He won’t allow us to be tempted above our ability to overcome. So wait on the Lord and everything will work out perfectly.
#28. I do have a question on an observation that I have made in the last 20 years of prophecy seeking. At first when looking at every 666 entity that was presented by different people over the internet, I thought maybe this was a trick of the deceiver to get people to look at the wrong person, however I am still finding to many 666 ID's out there. Is it possible that when God conveyed this to John that he was actually letting us kow that we would be able to ID any Antichrist entity with that label? In other words, they just didnt know they have been tagged by God so we could ID them easier today.
ANSWER:
Yes, 666 can be found absolutely everywhere. Rome uses it in many forms and languages in the same way come corporations use logos. But in prophecy is clearly states the number 666 will be found in the NAME of the one that fulfills 100% of every prophecy pertaining to Antichrist. So no, people with names that = 666 cannot be “the” Antichrist in Rome anymore than those that are homosexuals. Reason being is, prophecy also identifies Antichrist as having many under him that are Homosexuals. As I stated earlier, you will find Antichrist does have the 666 hidden everywhere on earth, and not just in his name. Kind of like a graffiti artist that “tags” walls, Antichrist has his puppets display the 666 in their logos, artwork, hand gestures on camera, etc, as a show of loyalty. In my first FLASH animation many years ago I shows pictures of a Vatican Monstrance that had the letter SFS on it. Here they are crafty in hiding the 666 by using 2 different languages where in one the S = 6 and in another the F = 6. So no, just because the name Ronald Reagan = 666 if you had the letters up in his name, or even Microsoft Windows does as well, all the prophecies have to match whoever has the name that = 666.
#29. I know the truth as it is supposed to be understood. But I see no churches in my area? Why is it none of us can find a church that preaches as we all believe?
ANSWER:
As prophesied the Lord will need 144,000 of His people to go forth in these last days to preach present truth. All the churches, including the SDA church, have gone back to Rome. Like myself, and everyone gathering here today, you have no church in your area. Does this mean we go back to the SDA church or others like it because we are all alone? Did Elijah compromise his faith in the wilderness when he was all alone? Did any of the Apostles when they went forth? Did the Christians that fled for their lives when Rome persecuted them run back to Rome when they couldn’t find a church? More often than not, all throughout history, most Christians were all alone on Sabbath. Over the years they did however share their faith with those around them and this is how the church eventually grew. In the last days however, it’s a much different story. There are around 7 billion people on the planet right now. What good would it do if all of the 144,000 were in one area gathering for worship each week? How effective would the loud cry be then if it only sounded in your town, or my town? Would it not be better for the Lord to have His people strategically scattered the world over so as to bring more souls in all around the world as prophecy said the 144,000 will be used of God to do? If we are faithful and are blessed with the Latter Rain we will see tens of thousands coming to Christ after one sermon the Lord calls us to preach. How will it happen? I have no idea. But as I see the calamities increasing, I also see the boldness of God’s people growing. Soon we will be called ot go forth where we know large gatherings will be present. We will proclaim the truth with the courage of Christ and many will come to Jesus on that day. This is why we see them arresting street preachers today. They are trying to frighten those that are about to go forth with the idea it’s better to stay at home that do the work.
In short… This is a test you’re going through brother. This is a test each and everyone of us are going through right now. If we can stand firm in our faith as did Moses when he waited on God for those 40 days on the mountain in complete silence, our Lord will know He can use us in the coming days to glorify Him like no other believers in the History of the church can do. The 144,000 are slated to do an amazing work. But in order to do such a work as prophecy says they will do, they must first be readied of God to do such a work. In Desire of Ages page 122 we see that in the last great conflict of the controversy with Satan those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off.
#30. I sent my last question to fast regarding swearing. They (the court) asked if you swear or affirm. They say affirm for people who wont swear but it legally means the same thing. So if it means the same thing you shouldnt affirm either right?
ANSWER:
Matthew 5:34-37, "But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."
Some may see Matthew 5:34-37 as proof we must not swear. I agree, this is not wise to do when trying to convince others regarding the truth we share. Constantly saying, "I swear to God" cheapens the Gospel message. So, in context, Jesus is proclaiming a simple "yes should = yes and a no = no."
As for a courtroom, if you feel uneasy about it, affirmation is acceptable in courtrooms. This is what I would do in my early years as a Christian because I thought I wasn’t supposed to swear. However, over the years I learned that a judicial oath is ok to take. Truth is, even Jesus took one when He was on trial.
Matthew 26:63-64, "But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."
Here the Pharisee asked Jesus to take an oath when he said “I adjure thee.” Jesus then acknowledged that as it was as the Pharisee said, proving judicial oaths are ok to take. Mankind cannot read the hearts of men, therefore we need a method that usually works on hearts that fear to offend God by lying. Yes, in today's world this isn't as valid as it was in days of old because most people don’t fear God. But the hearts of the remnant people are still striving to be pure enough to please the Lord. So an oath by them would indeed be valid. After all... If it was wrong for Jesus to speak under oath, He would have corrected the Pharisee when he asked him to speak under oath. We know Jesus never missed an occasion to correct the errors of the religious leaders of that day so as to better educate them and those listening.
By the way, SOP also speaks on this...
"...Our Saviour did not, however, forbid the use of the judicial oath, in which God is solemnly called to witness that what is said is truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus Himself, at His trial before the Sanhedrin, did not refuse to testify under oath. {Reflecting Christ 71.3}"
#31. I have a question regarding how pastors are appointed in a church. Obvioulsly we know the requirements of being a preacher according to 1 timothy chapter 3, but how is a preacher chosen. My wife ask me the question "How does pastors, apostles, deacons, prophets etc get their titles, are there any requrements other than owning a bible are they appointed by man or by God ". If you can shed some light on this for me I will greatly apprecitate it.
ANSWER:
By the laying on of hands. The Holy Spirit must move upon the men in the congregation to pray over a man that is to lead. He must have the requirements of 1 Timothy of course before installing him as either pastor, deacon, or evangelist. As for prophets. Only the Lord appoints such an office.
#32. What does it mean to fear the Lord?
ANSWER:
Psalms 111:10, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever."
In this passage the word fear is better translated today as "revered." This is what could be better defined as a healthy fear of God. For example, our God is so awesome that we can't even imagine just how powerful He is. We look at His creation, the power of the wind, the heat of the sun, or the depths of the sea and still know he is to be revered beyond comprehension. By the way, this reverent fear is were the false preachers and pastors got the title, "reverend." To use such a term is to blaspheme because it says in Psalms 111:9, "He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name." How can a man claim to be anything near in power and wisdom of our God? Whenever I see a preacher using such a title I know one of two things is apparent here. #1 he has no idea of power of God so as to claim to be as reverend as He who made him. Or, he never read his Bible where it states the title "reverend" is only applied to God. In either case, it's not a good fruit for a preacher.
#33.
I
read the your article on
tithing. A brother elsewhere
said I must sell all I own and
give to the poor or I wont be
right with God. He says this
based on the rich young ruler
in Luke 18. He also said that
tithing was abolished when
Jesus came and said to give it
all. Now I read your article
and have a better
understanding that tithing is
still very much in affect to
this day. But are we called to
sell all our things as Jesus
said to in Matthew,Mark and
Luke. In Luke He says that
there is still one thing we
lack. Acts 2:44,45, "All the
believers were together and
had everything in common.
Selling their possessions and
goods they gave to anyone as
he had need (2:44-45). However
in Luke, I also see the
Zacchaeus gave only half his
goods and the Judge Himself
said he has now salvation.
Kinda Confusing! Also, if we
can give half of our things
and still have salvation like
Zacc. In Acts 5 you read about
Ananias and his wife who only
gave some and not all. Then
died for it. Now I know they
died moreover because they
were greedy or simply lacked
faith that God would provide
for them. But added with the
other scriptures I have shown
here. It seems very important
to give all to GOD. So if you
can, please help me with
understanding all this. I cant
seem to rap my head around all
this.
Thanks
ANSWER:
Your friend is mistaken. The reason the Lord told the rich man to sell all he had and give to the poor is because that man had a problem with riches. Truth is, to gain such riches back then, like today, usually meant they got them while breaking God's law. Also like many today, he was idolizing his wealth. So like plucking out the eye, or cutting off the hand for those that sin with the eye or hand, Jesus was merely telling the man to put away his riches if he is ever to gain Heaven. In today's world there are some that idolize video games, porn, music, etc. If you had many video games that pulled you away from Christ as did the riches of the rich man, then you would have to get rid of your video games.
The Word says…
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10. {UL 29.1}
SOP says…
Both large sums and small sums are to be looked upon by you as God's entrusted treasure. When you are thinking of expending means, pray over the matter, in order that you may use the Lord's goods in a way that shall please Him. The Lord would have all who claim to be His followers imitate His example. We are a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. Unbelievers are watching those who profess to be the children of God to see if they are in reality that which they profess to be. Is it consistent for us to talk of Christ's self-denial, of His self-sacrifice, and yet walk and work contrary to His example? The treasures of the world are the Lord's. They are all His both by creation and by redemption. {UL 29.2}
Why is it that riches are called "unrighteous mammon"? It is because through riches men are made subject to temptation, to deal unjustly, to use them as they shall please in gratifying their desires, and in fulfilling that which their imagination calls for. Those who are in possession of money are in danger of putting the Lord's goods to a wrong use, and by this means they are led to forget God. . . . The rich young ruler thought that he loved God until Jesus revealed his idol to him, and showed him that he was making a god of his possessions. He had come to Christ asking, "What lack I yet?" The answer was, "Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me" (Luke 18:22). . . . {UL 29.3}
Those who have the Lord's talents of means are placed under a heavy responsibility. They are not to invest money merely for the gratification of selfish desires, for whatever is spent in this way is just that much kept from the Lord's treasury. Through the sovereign goodness of God, the Holy Spirit works through the human agent, and causes him to make smaller or larger investments in the cause of God, to make them redound to the glory of God. {UL 29.4}
Whenever you think of using the Lord's money for your own selfish gratification, remember that there are many who are in deep poverty who cannot purchase either food or clothing, and [that] they are God's heritage. We are to do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. If those who have abundant means are God's agents in dealing in truth, they will use their treasures wisely, so that none of the household of faith need to go hungry or naked.--Letter 90, Jan. 15, 1895, to a Seventh-day Adventist woman of considerable means. {UL 29.5}
#34. I have a friend, who we both used to go to the same church before I learned the truth. She was right beside me as I learned much of that truth. But since I moved from Oklahoma, and her, she has fallen into a ....dare I say it...cult. This denomination teaches that Christ was NOT actually the son of Mary, so He was NOT jewish in any way shape or form, so those who believe in the new testament, don't have to follow the "jewish" ways. I argued that he kept jewish law, emphasised that we were branches from the same root.... tons of stuff. Much of which she agrees with., BUT.... she argues that to say that Jesus was the literal son of Mary, makes him less than God. I tried to explain that he had to be of the line of David, he had to be man, in order to do the sacrifice....amongst all the other things. But she still holds to this theory. I have read and read and can't seem to find the right scripture to combat this line of thinking. Please help me. She has a deep faith, but I can't seem to find the right words. I prayed and asked the spirit for help, and your name popped into my head. Have you heard of this movement?
ANSWER:
Yes
this movement is known. The
Lord allows it because He is
shaking out those that do not
trust His Word. If she truly
has a deep desire to please
God, opening her Bible to
learn of Him would prevent her
from being easily pulled away
from Him. Still... she is a
soul in need so try this. If
Jesus is really not the
prophesied son of God, then
how is it over 300 prophecies
where fulfilled by Him? I have
100 of them listed on my Jesus
in prophecy page...
http://www.remnantofgod.org/Jesus.htm
As for the "Jewish Law." There
is no such thing. It’s
either
ceremonial
or
eternal Law. The eternal Law
of God is for ALL of mankind.
Truth is, the Law was kept by
the angels as well as Adam and
Eve long before a Jew was ever
born. The only reason people
assume it's a Jewish thing is
because the Jews are known to
be the longest known race of
people to keep it. But,
according to the Word of God,
they were NOT the first. See
this page for a lot more
info... http://www.remnantofgod.org/The-Law.htm
#35. I am in a very intense trial right now. The worst I’ve ever seen!!! What can I do?
ANSWER:
As you pray always remember this...
"As they met together after the ascension they were eager to present their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus. In solemn awe they bowed in prayer, repeating the assurance, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23, 24. They extended the hand of faith higher and higher with the mighty argument, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Romans 8:34. And Pentecost brought them the presence of the Comforter, of whom Christ had said, He "shall be in you." And He had further said, "It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you." John 14:17; 16:7. Henceforth through the Spirit, Christ was to abide continually in the hearts of His children. Their union with Him was closer than when He was personally with them. The light, and love, and power of the indwelling Christ shone out through them, so that men, beholding, "marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13. {SC 74.1}
He is there for you. Trust Him and see His hand move in a mighty way! Rough trials like this are needed to make His hand visible.
#36. Should the remnant be seen in 'carnivals' which we know are modeled after Roman Catholic pagan festivals? Even for the purpose of handing out leaflets? What of these two quotes from the SOP? How do we reconcile the differences? SOP say not to go to such places in Youth Instructor 5/4/1893 and then large gatherings like the St Louis Fair would be a good place to share the truth in EV 35.2)
ANSWER:
Yes carnivals, sports events, and rock concerts are not a good place for Christians. So I would steer clear 100%. However, the areas around them where the people must walk through to get to the events are perfect for passing out tracks. That way the child of God doesn't have to go in to the event at all, yet still able to evangelize those that do.
#37. Is Romans chapter 14 evidence that we can eat anything we like to eat? A friend of mine is using this chapter to try and say we don't need to teach that veganism is important etc.
ANSWER:
The verses in question are...
Romans 14:3, "Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him."
Romans 14:14, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean."
Romans 14:20, "For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence."
Verses 3-6 in
Romans 14 discuss those who
eat certain things as opposed
to those who do not. The Word
doesn't say who is right and
who is wrong here, instead it
speaks on not passing judgment
on others. In other words, let
God be the judge. (verses 4,
10-12) Verse 14 and 20 are NOT
referring to "UNCLEAN FOODS as
is described in Leviticus 11
or Deuteronomy 14. It is
openly speaking of food that
is 'OFFERED TO IDOLS' instead.
Some Christians would have you
believe otherwise so as to
"ok" sin, and in turn destroy
not only your temple, but your
testimony as well. These foods
were "CEREMONIALLY UNCLEAN"
period!. It was not speaking
of clean and unclean by nature
in any way shape or
form.
The actual point of the
discussion here in Romans 14
is that no food is unclean or
impure simply because some
non-believer offered it up to
an idol. An idol is "nothing
in the world" -1Cor 8:4.
Fact here is, if a person is
bothered in his conscience
because he is eating such
foods, then he or she should
simply not eat that
food. PLUS, if that which is
"truly" clean, but is seen as
"unclean" by your brother
because of how the food has
been "offered to idols," then
we as Christians should
abstain from eating those
foods so as to not cause our
brother to be offended. Simple
fact is, the Creator chooses
that which is clean and
unclean, NOT mankind and his
useless idols. It appears that
some Christians are allowing
their idol to preach unto to
church at large. ONLY their
idol is saying it's ok to eat
unclean foods. Or their idol
is saying it's not ok to eat
clean meat. They totally miss
the fact that it's really
"CLEAN" foods that are being
offered to the idols. They
only "appear" unclean by those
who BELIEVE in the power
of idols.
#38. Brother, I need some help with a topic that has left me at a fork in the road. How do we share the gospel? Do we share it with people who dont know about salvation yet. Or do we call sinners to repentance by telling those who already know,but are not living right? Today everyone I speak to says "yeah Im saved already." Yet, by there very fruits. It is crystal clear to anyone with open eyes that he/she is living in sin. When I tell them that they shouldn't be doing certain things in there lifestyle. They justify themselves by telling me they are Good To Go,they have the spirit and that they trust there pastor...By this I am truly sorrowful. Like salvation is once,we must daily put to death the ways of the flesh. Satan wont stop till the end of the age. Am I only to focus on those who dont know the word and want to know more? Or am I to still share to anyone who has ears that can hear? Another problem is most people view me as if I am judging them. Saying our Lord said not to judge others!! Although He says we must 1st remove our own sin/wrongs/errors ,then we can see clearly to help our brother with his sins/wrongs/errors. And that we will be measured with the same measure we use on others. Besides if we couldn't judge others , how could saints see wolves in sheep's clothe. Discern by there fruits people call judging them today. Anyway I enjoy talking about Jesus but I dont seem to be getting anywhere with people because they all claim to be stamped/branded one time in there life as sav-ED. I need to figure out the next best move because I feel halted and hurt-ed by how many are lost and stubborn. They even refuse bible study with me.
ANSWER:
We are to preach the truth to absolutely everyone the Lord sends our way. No exceptions. He has His reasons for sending them, and so He does.
As for those that declare "You're judging me." They are without a doubt the only people that say this, and they say this because they are guilty. There is a problem with their theology though. First of all, you don't judge anyone when they TELL YOU they're in sin. For example. When a man walks up to me drunk, do I judge him drunk? Or does his wobbly walk, foul odor and slurred speech tell me he's drunk? There's a big difference between judging someone and seeing someone sin. Still, is it not also written in 1 Corinthians 6:3, "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?"
Always keep this in mind brother and all will go well as you seek souls to save. #1, you cannot save ANYONE. All we are called to do is plant seeds. The Holy Spirit will water the seeds when the time is right. #2, do not waste your time on those that hate the truth. Yes, we must try, but don't push the issue because Jesus said swine will just turn and attack while they trample the truth underfoot anyway. When the truth is shared with someone it will bless them even if we don't see it at first. Still, we aren't to constantly shove Jesus at them or even share Jesus gently if we see it's only angering them anyway. Walk away and pray for them and let the Lord finish the work. After all, it says in Titus 3:9-10, "But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;"
#39. From your website I learned about the name Ellen White. I bought some of her books and us remnant sheep are in trouble. After watching many youtubes I have to go back and look at some of her books to keep me grounded. lol We sure a blessed to have her writings. The question that I have is in the book Last Day Events chapter satans Last Day Deceptions. The great deception is masking the return of Christ. So how is this going to work. Is the antichrist born and possessed or is satan going to mask the return and jump into the antichrist. How is this going to go down?
ANSWER:
Satan wants the worship all for himself. He will appear physically before the eyes of many as well as TV cameras. It will be Satan himself that will claim to be Christ. This is why Jesus prophesied and said...
Matthew 24:24-27, "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
When Jesus comes absolutely every person on earth no matter where they are, whether on land, in a ship, in a plane, or in a house, ALL OF THEM will see Jesus appearing at the same time. Satan on the other hand will only appear to a select few here and there and on TV. This is a very important key. The reason Jesus said "don't go there" is because of the fact Satan is an angel. A fallen one yes. But an angel nonetheless. As John the apostle fell in worship of the Angel in Revelation 19:10, so will all of mankind fall in worship before Satan thinking he is Christ because mankind cannot handle the presence of an angel. The good angel in Revelation 19 told John not to bow to him and corrected him. However, Satan wants that worship and will not ask anyone to stop bowing. This is why Jesus said don't go there. No Christian, no matter how strong, can handle the presence of an angel. John the apostle proved that hands down.
#40. I've been struggling with this since I've found Christ. I can't help but think at times that evil imaginations are of my own. I know what Ephesians 6:12 says but at times it seems I'm just wrestling against the flesh. I can't help but think at times that it's me, my own heart and mind that's evil and the influence doesn't come from the outside. I have prayed and the Lord is helping me in this area but it still troubles me at times. I was wondering if you could expand on Ephesians 6:12. What the verse means and how it applies to us Christians today.
ANSWER:
One of Satan's favored attacks is to make us believe it is our own fault, our carnal desires, our own heart that forces us to sin and love sin in our lives when the truth is, none of these evil tendencies would have been there in the first place had it not been for him and his evil attacks upon us. THAT is why Paul wrote Ephesians 6:12 to let us know "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
Let me ask you this... If you knew of a Christian who walked with Christ perfectly, who is it the Father sees when He looks upon that Christian. Christ right? Because it is the righteousness of Christ the Father sees. Isaiah 64:6 says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." And Romans 3:22 says, "Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:" and Philippians 1:11, "Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."
So, since it is Christ's righteousness that the Father sees when He looks at His obedient child, who's evil is it when He looks at his disobedient child? Just as much as the righteousness is attributed to Christ, the evil we do is attributed to Satan. So again, this is why Paul wrote what he did in Ephesians 6:12
#41. Have you read sister White book "the Adventist home" chapter 77 Christmas. If you haven't can you please read it, it's short. It's kinda confusing. My brother is totally against this chapter saying it was tampered with an not of God. I just want another voice on it.
ANSWER:
I've read that chapter and debated it often with SDA pastors some years ago. Contrary to popular belief, it is not saying we should embrace Christmas like the rest of the world at all. It's saying we should use the day to spread the truth as people are more open to listen in that day just like Paul went to keep a Feast in Jerusalem because he knew he would find many souls open to preach to there. As we all know, Christmas is loaded with Pagan symbols. My Christmas page on my website proves this easily. This is the problem most SDA's have with this chapter in Adventist Home. They see Sister White saying they should do this and that during the Christmas season. They assume she has given them the ok to do whatever they wish, so they bring in the trees, adorn them with ornaments, lights and garland, they buy gifts and sing certain christmas carols and even cover their homes with lights and say "Merry Christmas" to everyone they meet. While they do this they boldly ignore what Sister White said on page 482 of that same book. She said, "Shall we have a Christmas tree? Will it not be like the world? We answer, You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible." How I ask is it "unlike the world" when they use Christmas the exact same way the Catholics or the Pagans of old do? One would think the people of God would use Christmas in the same way Paul used that feast day. No gift giving, no ornaments, no lights, no saying "Merry Christmas." Just preaching Jesus Christ on the only day of the year most people won't be offended by it. What an awesome opportunity I say! And just think, it's all shot down by saying merry christmas to one person, or lighting one light, or giving one gift.
Ellen White is a prophet of God. Being a prophet she would never go against that which is written in the Word of God. And that is, "When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." -Deuteronomy 12:29-32
#42. I am in the midst of more than one trial. Why does our Lord send trials to His people?
ANSWER:
Ever notice how when you prune a plant it grows more abundantly? It literally glorifies the work of your hand letting all those that look upon it that it was you who helped it grow into such a beautiful creature. You are also a creature who has from time to time been pruned or brought to trial by the Creator Himself. When the trials He sends causes you to blossom into a beautiful creature, your exitsence alone makes everyone know the Creator has been active in your life. When once you were a sinner sick in sin you are now a child of God healed for eternity.
"Ye are God's husbandry." As one takes pleasure in the cultivation of a garden, so the Lord takes pleasure in His believing sons and daughters. A garden demands constant labor. The weeds must be removed; new plants must be set out; branches that are making too rapid a development must be pruned back. So the Lord works for His garden, the plants of the Lord. He cannot take pleasure in any development that does not reveal the graces of the character of Christ. The blood of Christ has made men and women God's precious charge. Then how careful each one should be not to manifest too much freedom in pulling up the plants the Lord has placed in His garden. Some plants are so feeble that they have hardly any life in them, and for these the Lord has a special care (MS 39, 1896). {6BC 1086.8}
#43. In my daily bible study I am currently reading the book of Matthew. In Matthew 13:31 Jesus talks of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. My question is: what specifically is meant by the term blasphemy in this context? Using the word Holy as a swear word or ?
ANSWER:
The passage you speak of is actually found in Matthew 12:31.
Matthew 12:31, "Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men."
The easiest way I know how to explain it is to say, those that purposely deny the Holy Spirit, and the Truth He proclaims, even though they have evidence it is from God, these are they that blaspheme His Spirit. Their sin is so enticing that they purposely ignore His Spirit's call to their hearts to repent. A good example would be someone that finds Christ, starts to walk with Him, but then decides later to stop following Him because they want to go back to their old lives. Paul speaks of such a person in Hebrews 10:26 where he says, "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,"
Sister White says the following on this...
" Whatever the sin, if the soul repents and believes, the guilt is washed away in the blood of Christ; but he who rejects the work of the Holy Spirit is placing himself where repentance and faith cannot come to him. It is by the Spirit that God works upon the heart; when men willfully reject the Spirit, and declare it to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them. When the Spirit is finally rejected, there is no more that God can do for the soul. . . . {AG 215.2}
It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul. . . . {AG 215.3}
It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. . . . The most common manifestation of the sin against the Holy Spirit is in persistently slighting Heaven's invitation to repent. Every step in the rejection of Christ is a step toward the rejection of salvation, and toward the sin against the Holy Spirit. {AG 215.4}
When the soul surrenders itself to Christ, a new power takes possession of the new heart. A change is wrought which man can never accomplish for himself. It is a supernatural work, bringing a supernatural element into human nature. The soul that is yielded to Christ becomes His own fortress, which He holds in a revolted world, and He intends that no authority shall be known in it but His own. A soul thus kept in possession by the heavenly agencies is impregnable to the assaults of Satan." {AG 215.5}
#44. I found an article describing how women are not part of the church. It explained how Christ is head of Man and Man head of the women. It also said that women are not to speak in church and if they had questions to ask their husband at home. Even though I am married and if this article is correct then I should not be asking you, but I wanted to see what your take of the woman in the church is.
ANSWER:
Women have a blessed role in the church. Esther, Ruth, Mary and others proved this boldly. No, they cannot be pastors, nor can they usurp authority over men because it is declared as such in the Word.
1 Timothy 3:2, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"
1 Timothy 2:12, "But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence."
Of cousre women can help their husbands who are pastors. They are to be the helpmeet of man. All too often some men like to assume God took the bone to create Eve from under Adam's foot when in fact He took it from his side. Women and men are to stand side by side in the church to do the work. Those men that place women under their feet are going directly against God's will.
As for women speaking in the church. People take that passage from 1 Timothy out of context every day to put women under their thumb and this isn't right. Back when the church started, the Christians met in buildings similar to Synagogues where the women sat on one side and men on the other. Seeing how the the man is the head of the house according to the Scripture, men back then,. as they should do today as well, were the ones that taught the Bible in their homes to their families. This new Christian movement was obviously a new thing to the Jewish converts. Most of the men were already well educated on the facts and doctrines as they were used to studying the Word anyway. They studied it up before joining the church so they would of course understand more than the women. Therefore, when the preacher would say something that appeared new to the women doctrinally speaking they would ask their husbands if this was true. Problem is, they would do this during the sermon, and since they sat across the isle from their husbands they would have to speak loud enough for their husband to hear. This would interrupt the preacher in mid-sermon and often quench the Spirit that was moving Him to speak. So, Paul instructed them to be silent in the churches.
Bottom line is this. Yes, men are the head of the women. But they are not to abuse their wives with that authority. Men were created in the image of God, and women were created in the image of man. As Bible students we know what happened in Eden. Eve chose to step away from her husband to wander on her own and allow the serpent to speak to her. When she listened to the serpent and believed his lies she caused a curse upon all women from that day forward. For it is plainly written...
Genesis 3:16, "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee."
#45. Do you think we are nit-picking as someone just told me. He is a Florida Conference "Simple Church Organizer". When I talked to him about WCC, he said he did not have time for the nit-picking. He goal is to reach the secular, the atheist and the lost in establishing home churches. He said if I was still using a Bank for transaction with credit card, I can not choose because the bank invest my money in things that I would not. I said so was the GC. He got upset and hang up. Did he have a small point? You don't have to answer me if you worry about spams. You can comment on it during study hour.
ANSWER:
It is nor nit-picking to do God's will brother. The man you're talking to is deceived. Period. We are called to warn the people about Babylon and coming out of the WCC churches. How can it be nit-picking when Revelation 18:1-5 clearly says this is present truth for our day. The fact he says it's nit-picking proves the SDA church has totally forgotten about angel #4.
#46. Hey, I've looked all over the net for an article that talks about how it is wrong to try and keep both Sunday and the Sabbath, or that it is at least an offense to God to keep Sunday. However, my search has been in vain as I cannot find even a simple Q&A regarding this subject. My reason for this search, is because I often hear the following questions after someone learns the Sabbath truth............ "OK so Saturday is the Sabbath, so does that means that the keeping of Sunday is a sin?" or "Is it ok if I keep both Sunday and Saturday?" or "Is it ok if I just rest on Sabbath, and regard my church-going custom to Sunday?" These are very illogical and irrational, and even down right arbitrary questions, but they are still questions that often get asked and deserve an answer. Not only that, but my Dad has asked these questions also, So I would really appreciate it if you could show me an article or perhaps can give me something from your own writing to help answer the above questions thoroughly enough to be convincing, and of course added scripture would be great!
ANSWER:
We can worship God 7 days a week if we want. But on Saturday (Friday Sundown to Saturday Sundown) WE MUST keep that day holy. Yes, you can keep Sunday, Monday or any other day holy, but it won't make it holy. In fact, God made Saturday holy, not man. Man cannot make anything holy. For it is written in Numbers 23:20, "Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it."
As for resting on Sabbath and then going to church on Sunday. Let me ask you this. Since you know Sabbath is Saturday, why would you want to attend church with Sunday keepers who you now know for a fact do not worship God according to what your Bible says is proper? That being said, what do these passages tell you brother...
2 Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
2 Chronicles 19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
For more information from the Word, see what the Lord has allowed me to share here...
ALSO SEE... http://www.remnantofgod.org/keepingSabbath.htm AND http://www.remnantofgod.org/SabbathJustified.htm
#47. I want to get married to a wonderful Christian woman who desires only to put Christ first according to Bible teaching...and to throw out everything in life that is not in line with the wishes of our Lord. Lucky me to be so blessed! Would you please advise me on rings. I love the idea that it shows the world that I am taken, but I don't want part in anything pagan. I know rings are mentioned, like when the prodigal son returned, they put a robe on him, slippers and a ring. Please do advise us. We both respect your work and calling in life very much.
ANSWER:
Rings are of Pagan origin and quite vulgar when used in marital ceremony. The ring represents the women's sex organ and the finger represents the man's. Inserting the finger in the ring represents consummation.
Take a look at the wedding Jesus attended where He performed His first miracle. The reason they had what we call today "receptions" after the wedding was to let absolutely everyone know in that city as well as that family who was being married. From that day on no one was to approach the bride or the groom in a way that suggested courtship because it was well known by all they were married. My wife and I haven't worn our rings in decades. In fact, we destroyed them long ago. As a Christian couple we do see people "flirting" at times, but when we respond as did Christ, the flirting ends immediately. There is no need for a ring at all. After all, it takes two to tango does it not?
#48. I blame the Jews for killing Jesus. There are many verses in the Bible where Peter, Paul and others declared the Jews did this act.
ANSWER:
Yes, the Jews killed Jesus. But have you read the prophecies regarding Jesus and His mission here on earth? Why blame the Jews when it was already decided Jesus would die for both them and us? Jesus agreed long before the Jews ever existed that He would die for all of mankind. He then prophesied by many prophets that He would allow the very people He loved to kill Him. So why blame them? Yes, what they did was evil, but it served a higher purpose that simply had to be done. Sadly it was done in an manner that depicted hatred instead of love. But I am convinced that even if the Jews accepted Him with open arms, He would still have died for all of mankind because of what Satan has done to our ability to make it home safely.
Mark 11:25-26 says, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
#49. I came across a question. You stated earlier that us believers will have a complete body when we are in heaven. My question is: what happens to those who may have cremated their bodies (due to ignorance)? Do they get another new complete body? Please advise.
ANSWER:
Yes, it doesn't matter if you're cremated, eaten by fish, burned to ash by Popes, or even atomized by an atomic bomb as many were in Japan decades ago. God will re-create the body. Keep in mind, Adam and Eve will resurrect as well. Thing is, they've been dead so long, (6000 years) that every trace of their bodies have literally become dust and have disappeared into the soil. Yet God will raise them too. So, don’t worry about cremation. As I see it, whether you’re buried or cremated, in either case you will end up dust of the earth. In Genesis 3:19 when our Lord was talking to Adam after eating the forbidden fruit, He told him that he will "…return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
#50. Can i ask you a question ....please dont get offended....i was told that we were made to glorify God only....is this true?.....wouldnt that make God a little vain then?.....if all he wants is to be praised all day long and thats what we will do in heaven the whole time?
ANSWER:
Yes we are made to glorify God throughout the Universe. And no, it wouldn't be vanity with God because sin is never an issue with Him. As far as I can define vanity, I see it as man looking to himself in some manner, whether it be his appearance, abilities, or wisdom, to be vain is when he looks to himself as being better than others, when in fact he is merely a man like his neighbor. However, God is above all, there are none that can be His equal. For God to be vain would mean there would have to another many Gods that He aspires to be more powerful to. And no, this does not count the false gods of man, for they are nothing but wood, stone, or metal images that can’t even speak let alone stand without man’s assistance. The Lord God is holy, and worthy of praise and it is an honor to be trusted by Him to glorify Him to those He sends our way. In fact this is our duty as followers of Him. It is written in 1 Corinthians 10:31, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." If we are to be ambassadors for Him in His Kingdom, He has to know we can be trusted to glorify Him before the trillions of souls we will be visiting all throughout eternity. This is why He tests us down here the way He does.
Now, it's not that we go around shoving Jesus down people's throats. It's that we do His will and keep His law so that in so doing He blesses us openly causing others to see what He is doing for His obedient children and THAT is how He is glorified. Yes, we can also share our faith, but more often than not, actions speak louder than words. A good way to look at it is, like having a loving Father who makes sure his child has all they need. When others look upon the child they see that their Father loves them in how they are cared for. As for what we will be doing in Heaven, see my Heaven page on this site. The Bible goes into a lot of detail about Heaven. But nowhere near as much as we can imagine. For it is also written in 1 Corinthians 2:9, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
#51. Many times at church gatherings, like the SDA, they would pray to God, but it seems to me at first they are praying to The Father, and then they would say thanks to Him that He died on the cross and resurrect (referring to Jesus Christ), but I thought they were praying to God The Father, and then end the prayer by saying "in Jesus name"? So would you help me clear my confusing please. I mean when i pray, my prayers are going to Jesus Christ since He created us, so in essence i am really praying to God Our Father and Creator Jesus Christ not to God The Father. I know we probably can pray to God The Father directly but i keep thinking of what Jesus have said "no one can go to the Father except through me" (paraphrase)
ANSWER:
You actually answered your own question. You stated, "no one can go to the Father except through me." Which is correct. But many fail to understand what that really means. When you pray, Jesus always instructed us to pray to His Father in many areas of the Gospel. But we are to do so "in His name." What that means is, the Father will hear your prayers, but only if you do so trusting Jesus as Lord of your life, and you are honestly trying your best to allow Jesus to guide you in life. The blunt reality to all this is, the term, "In Jesus name" means the same as "In His Character." This is why most people don't get their prayers answered in life. They pray with alcohol, tobacco, or even pork on their breath while praying, or they do so with anger, lust or hatred in their heart and wonder why nothing happens. These people do not emulate the character of Christ. Some actually pray while they are living in sin, or committing a crime they fear they will be caught in, or some pray while embracing all sorts of sin without the slightest desire to stop any of it. They just shoot off prayers hoping God will hear and help them get toys, houses, out of jail, or even find a lover. Worse yet, some that claim to be Christians pray simply so others around them “see” their “Christianity for self gratification. They seek the proverbial pat on the back, but what does Jesus say about such people? Do you remember the Pharisee that stood tall before the people boasting of all his holiness? It’s in…
Luke 18:10-14, "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."
Truth is, when people that embrace sin in their lives close their prayers by saying "in Jesus name," they are actually taking His name in vain. And so their very prayers become sin to them.
There is an outline for prayer found in the Word. It’s shared by Christ directly after His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. Most call it the Lord’s prayer, but it’s not a prayer at all. It’s found in Matthew chapter 6. I also did a 3 part sermon series back in 2006. You can listen to it here… http://www.remnantofgod.org/sdrhome.htm Scroll to 07-01-06.. 07-08... & 07-15
#52. I am disappointed that there is not more guidance available in the bible regarding how to prepare for what’s coming.
ANSWER:
The Bible is literally filled with information on how to be prepared for what's coming. Problem is, most of the people in the world doesn't want to do it. Basic reality is, to be prepared for what's coming will take faith. And how does faith come? By reading the Word daily. Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
I have to ask you… what about all the times He answered your prayers in the past? All of God's people have many blessings to look back on proving He was there for them when they needed Him most. Just because the leaders are trying to make people fear today, doesn't make Him any less your Father. Truth is, the political leaders are moved by Satan to make the fear boil up because Satan knows if he can keep the Christians fearful their faith will be less effective. When their faith fails, the people will then will look into what THEY can do to get out of the mess rather than looking to God to do as He promised. That's exactly what Satan wants them to do. Since he already has them ignoring God thanks to their inept religious leaders, all he needs now is to get them to listen to his suggestions, and his suggestions are always 100% flesh based!
Yes, it's getting rough out there, and it's about to get a LOT rougher! But this is where prophecy says our God shines the most. When it looks its worst, our Father will step in like He did for Elijah by the brook Cherith, Mordecai when the gallows were built, or Daniel when he was falling into the lions den. However, the Lord only moves His hand with those children that TRUST Him to do as He promised in His Word. This is why it's so important to stay in the Word each and every day. It teaches us all about the Father's love and how He has always been there for His children for thousands of years. In fact, read Hebrews chapter 11 for a condensed version of how the Lord helps His people.
Our Lord has promised to help us, of this we have no doubt. But in so doing He also asks us not to ignore His promises to do for ourselves what He promised to do in the first place. If He said in Isaiah 33:16 that, "He shall dwell on high: his place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure." Then why do we want to look for hiding places and food now? He already has what we need set up for us in advance. But without discernment and the faith that comes from learning of Him in His Word, we cannot hope to know where to go when that time comes.
Do you remember how Peter sunk in the water as He walked towards Christ that night? Jesus said to Him in Matthew 14:31, "...O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?" Satan won that night with Peter, and he's been winning against countless souls during their weakest moments ever since! He knows if he can keep the fear active in our hearts, we won't be able to exercise the faith when it's time. Truth is brother. The Bible is packed with "guidance" on what to do today. You just need to know where to look.
See this page when you get time... http://www.remnantofgod.org/power.htm
#53. I need your advice on a matter. Me and my wife are with child and she is due in 4 weeks. A old SDA member (pastors wife) recently came over to drop off some gifts for the coming new born. I told her we are with a new church and dont want to go there anymore. But of coarse she insists that we should allow the church to have a baby shower. I told her we dont believe in showering people with gifts and exalting them like that. So then she said we should at least have a gathering like a pot luck at there home with church members to praise together and member who decide to bring something for us can if they like. Now, I must say we are not doing great right now financially. But we rather struggle, then to displease the Father. Although that SDA church has not embraced the crossed doctrine as most have. It is still SDA members that may very well asked detailed questions that may lead to big problems. Many of them have not seen us in forever. So I know many questions will be thrown our way. Especially why we left. In my heart I know that I was just like them the other day and simply didnt have a clue what SDA are doing in the background. Nor do I want to be prideful and not go. But what if God wants to bless us through the saints. They want to get together and praise God. But I dont know if we should even be associating with them. Although we all praise God and believe. She asked almost 2 weeks ago and I dont have a clue. As always I highly rate your opinion and biblical facts on such matters.
ANSWER:
If it was one on one like the pastor's wife coming over to visit, that's one thing. Although I wouldn't make a habit of it because she may try to lure you back into the church. Still, gathering with the entire church family is going to place pressures on you that may not be easy to step away from. This is why the Word said in 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you," To join with them as a group is no different than doing so in a church setting. After all, they "are" the church as far as they are concerned. The Word also says in 2 Thessalonians 3:14, "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed." The fact you "have no company with them" will in fact lead some to feel shame and THAT is exactly what the Lord is trying to do here. He wouldn't have penned that verse otherwise. Your actions of stepping back from them may lead some to draw closer to Christ when they realize you, a brother and sister in Christ chose to step away from their sinful ways.
Brother, the bottom line is this. The pastors wife admitted they wanted to "praise the Lord" in a gathering with you and your family. THAT is not only a church service, it is a fellowship gathering. And 2 Corinthians 6:14 clearly says, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"
#54. Hi brother. I was reading your "bible faqs" page. And was wondering if anyones ever told you: " I'll forgive but I won't forget ". Is that ok in God's sight? Can a christian say, i'll forgive but I won't forget? Thank you. God bless.
ANSWER:
Depends on what they mean when they say they won't forget. Forgiving means forgiving, period. However, we are human, and so we don't forget what some people have done to us. It’s just part of our life experience now. We simply cannot turn off our memories like that. Our brains are simply not capable of forgetting unless by some injury or disease. However, if the forgiveness is genuine, that which we forgave will be forgotten in a way wherein we never bring it up again.
Now… God on the other hand truly forgets when He forgives, Because He is God and He can do all things. It is written in Micah 7:18-19, "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." He also says in Hebrews 8:12, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."
#55.
What
does the bible teach about the
time just before the the
implimentation of the Sunday
laws and their enforcement?
Are we supposed to buy gold
and store up on camping gear,
food and ammo? I know the
mormons and many other
christian groups are doing
these things. What does the
Bible say about this topic?
Did Ellen White write about
this topic?
God Bless you!
ANSWER:
If you store goods and food then you will be as the “certain rich man” in Luke 12:16-21 who thought to build large cyloes to store his plentiful harvest so he can kick back and eat, drink and be merry. He of course died without enjoying his harvest and I’m certain others feasted on the food he had stored for himself.
The time wherein we cannot buy and sell is a test the people of God will pass. They know and understand the Lord will provide for them as He promised long ago. Isaiah 33:16 says of us, "He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure."
Now… Keep in mind. The wicked all over the world will run out of food when that day comes because they don’t have the faith we do. Problem with the mormons is everyone knows they stockpile food. So when that day comes, the mormons themselves will be no different than that man in Luke 12. Some of them may even die while others feast on what they stockpiled. They will be a target for the wicked who see no wrong in killing them for their food.
By the way, Jesus also said in, Matthew 16:25, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:.."
As for the events that lead up the Sunday Laws and what Ellen White said, see this... http://www.remnantofgod.org/sabatak.htm#nsl
#56. Is it ok to celebrate Thanksgiving?
ANSWER:
Some believe SOP states Thanksgiving should never be celebrated and all the meat, clean included. By the way, this is one of the reasons I believe the Lord has moved me to stop using SOP on the pulpit on Sabbath day. All too often honest and truth seeking souls decide to use SOP in a way that goes against the Word of God. As far as I know Sister White’s writings consist of 475 books. This is also why it is not wise to use her writings as the sole basis of faith. Unless you have been studying her writings for 30 years or more, and you have a photographic memory, how can you expect to know everything she said on every topic at any given moment. This causes honest souls to take her out of context when they don’t know she said other things about their topic at hand. So, in order to once and for all clear this confusion up, I will use one quote from sister white today regarding Thanksgiving. In regards to some proclaiming it to be Pagan, and never to be celebrated at all. And by the way, I am only using SOP because SOP was considered the source of definitive proof on this particular topic. Just so you know, I found quite a bit in SOP on this topic, but there’s no need to go into all that. Suffice it to say, if you want to look into it, go to AH page 474 and read the entire discourse..
"Our Thanksgiving is approaching. Will it be, as it has been in many instances, a thanksgiving to ourselves? Or will it be a thanksgiving to God? Our Thanksgivings may be made seasons of great profit to our own souls as well as to others if we improve this opportunity to remember the poor among us. . . . {AH 474.2}
…Brethren and sisters, eat a plain dinner on Thanksgiving Day, and with the money you would spend in extras with which to indulge the appetite, make a thank offering to God. {AH 475.1}
Let not any more Thanksgiving days be observed to please and gratify the appetite and glorify self. We have reason for coming into the courts of the Lord with offerings of gratitude that He has preserved our lives another year. . . . If a feast is to be made, let it be for those who are in need. {AH 475.2}
A Day to Give Thanks. [NOTE: PART OF A THANKSGIVING SERMON DELIVERED AT THE BATTLE CREEK TABERNACLE, NOV. 27, 1884.]--I think we have something to be thankful for. We ought to be glad and rejoice in God, for He has given us many mercies. . . . We want this Thanksgiving to be all that it implies. Do not let it be perverted, mingled with dross; but let it be what its name implies--giving thanks. Let our voices ascend in praise. {AH 475.3} (she goes on from there…)
Yes, Thanksgiving may have been started by the Puritans hundreds of years ago when they gathered with Pagan Indians, but Puritans, as limited in their understanding as they were regarding Biblical jurisprudence, were in fact still considered Christians. Prophecy confirms this in that it speaks of Christians being the ones that caused America to start out as a lamb. Still, even if they were Pagan’s, which of course they weren’t, I myself am not one. And unlike Christmas, which SOP says is ok to celebrate if like Thanksgiving it is done as unlike the world as possible, Thanksgiving doesn’t lock you in to celebrating Pagan rituals while partaking as Christmas does. Even the date of Christmas is Pagan in origin as it coincides with the Winter solstice. This is why I do celebrate thanksgiving but not Christmas. Christmas is 100% based on Paganism, Thanksgiving is not. Christmas has numerous Pagan rituals whereas Thanksgiving is based on thanking God for the year’s blessings. So, as can we see, Sister White did say Thanksgiving was acceptable to celebrate if done in a Christlike manner.
Now… It has also been suggested that SOP says meat eating of any kind was dangerous and sinful to the soul from day one. I see no need to share those SOP quotes because knowing she is a prophet, we also know she would never contradict the Word of God. Knowing this, we simply need to look in the Word to see is the Lord has declared meat eating to be the source of sin. In the Word we find that Jesus instructed the Levite priests to eat the flesh of the lamb after offering it on the altar in literally dozens of verses throughout the Old Testament. Jesus also fed 5000 with the flesh of a fish in Matthew 14. Jesus was also offered broiled fish and honeycomb in Luke 24 after He resurrected. But nowhere in that passage do we see Jesus rebuking the apostles for giving Him flesh of a fish to eat that day.
Yes, I understand as does any student of prophecy that meat will become inedible soon. This is why I don’t eat meat, and haven’t eaten meat for going on 20 years now. Still, Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy do outline some animals clean to eat and as far as I know there are still health food stores and kosher markets where these meats can be obtained by those Christians that still eat meat. I am not going to judge my brother or sister unworthy of eating meat because I know the Lord allows it. However, I have been instructing loved ones and church members for decades to consider getting off the meat diet.
#57. I was wondering if you could help me with a question on foods sacrificed to idols.
ANSWER:
Acts 15:20 and Revelation 2:20 speak forcibly against it while Paul in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10:25 seems to say it depends on how others may be affected by one’s consumption but that there is nothing inherently evil in partaking of such food items. Paul is not saying in 1Corinthians that it's ok to eat meat offered to idols. He even explains the meat in and of itself is just meat. It cannot save nor can it cause someone to lose their salvation. The last verse in that passage clarifies his point when he says...
1 Corinthians 8:13, "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."
In other words, Paul is explaining why he refuses to eat the meat offered to idols. It will cause his brother to stumble. Being a man seeking to help souls, he prefers to do without, for the sake of others.
As for Revelation 2:20. This is a prophetic book filled with many symbols that must be defined using only Scripture. It would take a deep study for me to explain what's truly being said in this passage. I do believe you will benefit by such a study, so why not dig into it? In fact, I can help you with that study right off. To prevent you from having to deal with years of defining all the prophetic symbols, I have something you can use to expedite your conclusions. I just recently finished a three year study defining each symbol in the book of Revelation. You can see it here...
http://www.remnantofgod.org/books/docs/REV/Revelation.htm
Just to give you an idea on how Revelation is written, and how it's not always saying what you think it's saying. The word "eat" in that Bible verse you mentioned actually has many meanings in prophecy... "eat = knowledge, study, acceptance, agreement / communion, justice, nourishment, consume." One good example is what Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts."
#58. Hi Nicholas. I'm just wondering if you know if Ellen White was for or against voting in politics, and where about she has spoken about it. The reason I'm asking is because I'm deciding whether to stop taking part in voting in politics or not, and I'm wondering what the SOP has to say about this. Thanks Nicholas. God Bless.
ANSWER:
I myself have never registered to vote because I know both parties are known to lie and do immoral acts as well as pass evil laws that will harm everyone in their district. If I vote for them, I will become partly responsible for them doing these evil acts against my neighbor. Truth is, I don’t need SOP to know voting for politicians is not a wise act. But since you asked, I did find the following in SOP...
"The Lord would have His people bury political questions. On these themes silence is eloquence. Christ calls upon His followers to come into unity on the pure gospel principles which are plainly revealed in the word of God. We cannot with safety vote for political parties; for we do not know whom we are voting for. We cannot with safety take part in any political schemes. We cannot labor to please men who will use their influence to repress religious liberty, and to set in operation oppressive measures to lead or compel their fellow men to keep Sunday as the Sabbath. The first day of the week is not a day to be reverenced. It is a spurious sabbath, and the members of the Lord's family cannot participate with the men who exalt this day, and violate the law of God by trampling upon His Sabbath. The people of God are not to vote to place such men in office; for when they do this, they are partakers with them of the sins which they commit while in office." {FE 475.2}
#59. Hello Nicholas, you have answered some of my questions in the past. Thanks. I have some questions about Babel. In reading your website, I think that what you have indicated was that when God confused the languages at Babel, He scattered the people in all directions. I am not sure where this is in the Bible, but I have read the part about Babel, so I am guessing it was in Genesis. Somehow, those people made it over here to North and South America. My question is, do you know if, when the white Europeans first found the native americans, were the native americans following a 7 day week? I have done some searching on this on the internet, and all I am able to figure out is that the 7 day week does not exist in nature. If you divide the moon into four parts, you still don't get 7 days, you get 7 and change. The 7 day week simply doesn't exist in nature, yet the entire world is using it today. I really wonder if the native americans were following a 7 day week before the white man's arrival. Thanks.
ANSWER:
It really doesn't matter if native Indians were keeping a 7 day week, just like it doesn't matter if they even knew the God of the Bible. He set up the 7 day week in Genesis and seeing how He is the Creator, mankind can do, think and act like they don't believe Him all they want/ It won't change the fact that He set that week up. This is why faith and trust in His Word comes in. It's also part of how He tests us in how we read His Word. Will you take Him at it? Or will you base your faith on how mankind responded to His Word.
#60. I was refreshing myself on your Trinity page and I came across Acts 5:9. My question is is the Spirit tempted like we are? What is meant by Peter "How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord"? Or is it more along the lines of don't tempt the Lord when Jesus rebuked Satan during the temptation in the desert? Or could it be a mystery to not be revealed to man until the appropriate time? I appreciate any insight you have on this topic. Thank you brother.
ANSWER:
You're correct, it's the same as what Jesus said to Satan in the desert regarding tempting the Lord. In fact, the word "tempt" in that passage can also be translated "test" or "try" just as easily. Of course this is speaking of Annaias and his wife Saphirria who lied to Peter regarding how much they sold their land for.
Acts 5:9, "Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out."
For them to do as they do was tempting the Spirit to react to their evil act immediately. This doesn't happen often, but it does happen. Like Herod who was eaten of worms immediately directly after he accepted their worship into his heart.
Acts 12:21-23, "And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost."
For him not to "give God the glory" meant he took the glory to himself and was dealt with immediately for his evil act. And by the way, that term "tempt the Lord" is used often in the Word with the same connotation...
Exodus 17:2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
Deuteronomy 6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
Isaiah 7:12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.
Matthew 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Luke 4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
#61. Due to the Pagan festival of Christmas I’ve received more than a few emails about Christmas and Sister White. Some have used her writings to say it’s ok to have a Christmas tree with all the trimmings and some have used her writings to supposedly prove she was a false prophet that enjoyed Pagan festivities. One such quote that has been used by both sides is the following…
“God would be well pleased if on Christmas, each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship.” –RH, Dec. 11, 1879. The Holidays."
“As the twenty-fifth of December is observed to commemorate the birth of Christ, as the children have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, you will find it a difficult matter to pass over this period without giving it some attention. It can be made to serve a very good purpose.” {AH 478.1}
Sister White isn't condoning Christmas celebrations, trees, gift giving or any other Pagan aspect of Christmas. She knew and we know it's Pagan, and the Pagans can do what they like with it. But should this prevent us from using this time of year to evangelize souls to Christ? Yes, we can ignore it, but we can also take advantage of it. What I mean is this. Take the homosexuals that declare the rainbow to be their flag. Does this now mean every time I see a child draw a rainbow with crayons I am to assume they are evil? No. What Sister White is suggesting here is, if people are so compelled to have a tree, they can have a tree in their home. But it should be as "unlike the world as possible." She said...
Shall we have a
Christmas tree? Will it not be
like the world? We answer, You
can make it like the world if
you have a disposition to do
so, or you can make it as unlike the
world as possible. There is no
particular sin in selecting a
fragrant evergreen and placing
it in our churches, but the
sin lies in the motive which
prompts to action and the use
which is made of the gifts
placed upon the tree. {AH
482.1}
The tree may be as tall and
its branches as wide as shall
best suit the occasion; but
let its boughs be laden with
the golden and black fruit of
your beneficence, and present
this to Him as your Christmas
gift. Let your donations be
sanctified by prayer. {AH
482.2}
What amazes me about these websites or forums that use SOP out of context to either condone Christmas or slam EGW as a Pagan they always seem to stop short of letting the entire truth be heard as she penned it long ago. Truth is, I like it when they do this because it makes it so easy for us to expose them as being purposely deceptive, and that allows our message to be vindicated.
Having a tree in the house like a potted plant is perfectly acceptable. Placing donations on it for the poor is also acceptable because no Pagan ritual is being embraced in so doing and the act actually helps the poor. But the minute you string popcorn on it, place toys and numerous gifts for people under it, set garland, ornaments and lights on it, or even sign carols to it, then it literally becomes a Pagan object. I personally don't do Christmas, or have a tree in the house. However, some people still do all around the world. If someone wants to do it in the way SOP outlines, then I agree with Sister White and I see no sin committed. She speaks volumes on using this time of year to spread the Gospel message. Truth is, Christmas is also the only time of year you can bring up the name of Jesus Christ without getting into an argument, so, why not take advantage of people’s desire to spread cheer? Are we not counseled to be as wise as serpents but harmless as doves? How I do it is, when someone says "Merry Christmas" to me I often ask them if they really know that that term means. 100% of the time they don't know. So I share with them how it’s actually a very evil term. If you break down the term into it’s separate elements you find a major problem. The term “merry” = high spirited joy, or delightful entertainment. The word Christ of course stands for Jesus Christ. The term “Mass” comes from the Roman Catholic church service that literally means in English, “destruction of the victim.” Therefore, when you say "Merry Christmas" you are actually declaring with great happiness and joy that Jesus Christ is dead and gone. I go into more detail on my Pagan Rituals of Christmas page on the site. Christmas time is an excellent door opener as far as I can see, and you don't have to have a Christmas tree, pass out gifts, or string lights on your home to use it.
#62. Can you tell me your opinion about the bible code. Do you think it is real.
ANSWER:
No, I do not believe people need a computer to decipher God's written Word. If they did, what is to come of those that went to rest before the computer was invented? Or what of those that don't have computers today?
From what I discovered in my research back when the software first came out was, if you use the software on a dictionary, an encyclopedia, or even a novel for that matter, the same strange "hidden statements" can be found all throughout the text. So no, I don't trust it. If the Lord has hidden truths in His Word wherein we need amazing minds to find them, I can only seeing this being possible in Heaven when we will have glorified bodies with perfect brains. Mankind's sinful ways this side of eternity will most assuredly filter the truth we find to be biased towards the flesh in some way anyway. So, again, if there are hidden truths in His Word, it will be revealed when we get Home and capable of seeing them.
#63. How does one know if the Lord will still forgive a person even though he is sincere about changing and even repents but still falls back into that same old sin. Isn't there a point where the holy spirit will leave because he still in sin? If he prays how would he know if the Lord is listening?
ANSWER:
When someone repeatedly falls back into the same sin, they become their own worst enemy because in so doing their faith gets weaker and weaker causing them to have doubt in whether or not the Lord hears their prayer. However, if the heart is truly sincere in trying their best, even though they fall, they are forgiven if they repent because of what Jesus told Peter long ago...
Matthew 18:21-22, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."
#64. I think without humans, Satan would not exist. Without Adam and Eve, who else would there be to tempt? One thing that has always bothered me is that Ellen White made a statement in one of her writings about the fact that when she visited the other worlds she said that the people had not lost their grand stature and they were practically luminescent because they kept God's law. The only reason God created the law was to keep order on earth. Satan rebelled, was cast to earth and spread the idea of rebellion. What doesn't make sense is that Ellen said that the beings of the other worlds had kept God's law, but why would they have any law to begin with? There was no sin and no knowledge of good and evil like here on earth because Satan was never there. It just doesn't add up.
You said, "The only reason God created the law was to keep order on earth" The Word of God said... Psalms 103:20, "Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word." Angels were created before mankind, yet they keep the law. Truth is, the law HAD to be there before the other world and even Satan because he had to BREAK IT to be a sinner. You cannot have sin without the law being there first.
#65. Brother Nic, how do you get around the scoffers that refuse to believe the facts we share, whether they be historic or Biblical? Some have even gone so far as to say your sources are faulty and can be proven wrong with online facts and figures.
ANSWER:
The sources I have were valid back hundreds and even thousands of years ago when first penned. However, Rome now has the power to change history books as anyone 50 years or older can attest to if they have kids in school right now. What they teach in schools today, and what they taught when I was a teen regarding American history simply doesn't match up. Take the founding of American for example. When I was young, all the History books stated people came here to escape Roman Catholic persecution wherein loved ones were tortured and killed. But history books today say they came to America to escape high taxes in Britain. Yet their tax base back then was 0.5%. Today’s some people are taxed upwards of 60% when you count income taxes along with sales taxes.
When I started my work for the Lord almost 30 years ago I was constantly tempted to buy a trailer to carry as many reference books with me as I could when preached on the street. Still, whenever I did happen to share some facts with some people with a book in hand, almost 100% of the time they chose to ignore it anyway. I then figured that even if Jesus was to stand in front of them and preach directly from His Word with perfect clarity in His voice, many would still ignore it because denial is a happy state for most. So.. I opted to just do my best, plant the seeds I could, and let the Lord do the rest. I learned early on that whenever I tried to convince hellbent scoffers they were in danger, it only made my life miserable trying. I now understand quite clearly why Titus 3:10 was written, which says, "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;". Beating one's head against a wall to try and reach the unreachable doesn't do anything for the wall. However it does cause spiritual bruises and feelings of inadequacy to grow within the heart of the Christian because they feel they are unable to explain the truth as good as they should. Satan is very crafty in how he attacks God’s people and this is most assuredly one way he wins. Most scoffers build an impenetrable wall around themselves simply because they love the darkness Satan gives them rather than the Light of God’s truth. So, I follow the advice the Lord gave Paul to give to Titus, and just move on to the next soul the Lord sends my way.
#66. Hi brother Nick. Is there any thing that could prevent the blessings that God promises when we tithe? I know someome who asked me, i tithe, i keep the sabbath, i obey Gods commandments, but where's the " blessing that there wont be room enough to recieve."
ANSWER:
The verse in question is of course,
Malachi 3:10, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
I can tell you by my experience that when I started to tithe many years ago my finances were blessed in that, when I was unable to support my family with 100% of my money, as soon as I started to give back to God what I owed Him in tithes and offerings, I was then able to pay all my bills with money left over even though I had less of it. How He does that I am not sure, but He does do it! Perhaps the car didn't break down as often, unexpected bills didn't pop up, whatever. All I know is that He promised to bless me and He did exactly that. PLUS, it wasn't only financial blessings that come from obedience. I was blessed with other Heavenly things. Every thing from wisdom to amazing miracles. He also blessed my work in the secular as well as ministerial realm. What I realized back then was because I was being obedient to Him, He knew He could trust me to glorify Him with what He had to give me, so He gave it.
Truth is brother, Men who have any types of responsibilities in life must be very careful that they are not robbing God in any jots or tittles when so much is involved, as is so plainly stated in Malachi. It is here we are told that a promised blessing is to be given to everyone that is obedient with their tithe. It is also sure then the opposite would be true. If we refuse to tithe as commanded by our Lord, then a curse is upon us for the covetous retention of the money which should flow into the treasury of God's church so as to assure the truth is proclaimed far and wide. One thing we don’t want to be caught doing is burying the talents the Lord grants us. Talents can be everything from tithe to abilities to help in the work. Since we know this, ought we not to be absolutely sure we work on the safe side with the Lord in how we handle the property lent us on trust from Him? Will not the Lord bless those who are faithful? Of course He does! We have His promised word on that.
#67. What does 2 Tim 2: 17-18 mean?
ANSWER:
And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some. -2 Tim. 2:17,18
This passage reminds me of what I go through sometimes on a daily basis in email. Paul is warning Timothy of the false doctrines being spread by Hymenaeus and Philetus, just like we have to warn people about the false doctrines being spread by false teachers in every church including the SDA church lately. Take the false doctrine of the Trinity for example. That Roman Catholic contrived doctrine is causing literally millions to lose their faith in the biblical definition of the Godhead so much so that they become unable to discern His Word from Satan’s whispers. Just as it happened 2000 years ago, Satan is using the same easy to prove false doctrines simply because it works so well. He knows people are lazy when it comes to reading the Bible because he makes sure they’re too busy or indifferent to even open the book. It's almost as if he's flaunting this idiocy before God as a way to mock Him by saying, look at this Lord! You wrote the book for them and they don't even read it! Just like back then, many people don't effectively study the Word as they should. They are easily taken in by all the false preachers that have a somewhat convincing twist on Bible doctrines, and because they don't take the time to check them out as Scripture says the Bereans did back then, more and more will become part of Satan's trophy case. Worst of all, it’s all their very own fault. They refused to study the Word and do as the Lord commands. So they are easy prey for the enemy of souls. It says in Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Again.. anyone that is caught unaware by Satan have only themselves to blame.
#68 Ok I am having a little trouble here. If Jesus was to cleanse us from our sins, what does the Bible say about someone who died and never heard of Jesus?
ANSWER:
The only way someone dies without hearing about Jesus is #1, if they died as babies, #2, their parents purposely decided long ago not to have anything to do with Jesus. Many tribes in Africa had that problem for centuries due to evil of their forefathers. In fact, when king David was told to kill men women and children at certain times it was because the Lord knew the end result of the way the parents raised their children. Some I am sure purposely taught their children to steer clear from any true believers of the day by instilling fear in their hearts. Truth is, this still happens today. I recall as a young Catholic boy how our priest would say things from the pulpit that were purposely designed to make us fearful of Protestants. However, today it is literally impossible not to hear about Jesus. In fact, even lost pigmy tribes in Africa have recently been discovered and actually approached by Christian missionaries just a few years ago.
We must always keep in mind that our God is very capable of making sure EVERYONE gets a chance to make the right decision. After all, He is a GOD. If He can count the hairs on our heads, He can most assuredly guide us into His arms with very little effort. Sadly, most today are like Pharaoh of old. The love shared by our God hardens their hearts to the point to anger and hatred. These will of course die without Jesus. But not for lack of effort on God’s part. One of the reasons Atheists hate Christ so much is because Christ loves them so much that they are approached by more Christians than most people today. They are a hard nut to crack, and they can be reached as many ex-Atheists will attest to.
#69. Before I became a member of this church, I was in Germany last year some time in July. I met two filipians that live in Germany on a train station because I heard them speaking tagalog. So, they invited me and my friend to their house to stay for a night and eat. Before we ate, they started to pray the prayer from Matthew chapter 6 I think. And after we ate they prayed to mary and I felt really convicted that night but I did not know what to do. I closed my eyes at that time and said "Lord I'm not praying to Mary." But because I ate and knowing they are catholic upon meeting them, I knew that I made a mistake big tme. Is this idolatry? I'm just emailing you this because it's been bothering me every time I remember it. I have prayed to God multiple times about this because it scared me. Thank you and God bless!
ANSWER:
Yes.. that was idolatry they were doing. If you have not done so already, I suggest you ask the Lord forgiveness for not speaking up when you knew you should have. You say you didn't know what to do. But that was the enemy of souls lying to you. You knew what they were doing was wrong. You should have said something at that moment. The Lord will forgive you if you ask Him to. But He will test you again. And then you must speak as He commands no matter how uncomfortable you find it to be. He is testing you to see if you will be faithful in little things so that He can bless you with the better things. As you witness to others He will grant you more wisdom to do so through the years because you showed you will do as he asked. I know this for a fact because when I was a young Christian I too failed tests like this. The other toss of the coin is what you said you experienced after you failed the test. That guilt was uneasy wasn’t it? It will be very easy to remember that guilt the next time you are tempted not to respond for the Lord. You will weigh the options in the scale and ask yourself what’s better? Sneaking away from duty now to escape a short moment of stress? Or days of grief and guilt from grieving the Holy Spirit. If I were a betting man I would lay dollars to donuts you will speak up for the Lord and be blessed with perfect peace for doing so.
#70. This may seem like a strange question but, How would you define a soul.
ANSWER:
The soul is not a disembodied thought process of a dead human some call a ghost or cloud dwelling harp player. According to what our Lord did in creation week we find that the soul can only be in existence when two factors are involved. #1, the dust of the earth and #2, the breath of life. Without those two ingredients, there is no soul. A good way to make some understand this better is to use the analogy of a light bulb. Let's say the filament in the bulb is the dust of the earth, the electricity is the breath of life, the Lord throws the switch to quicken the light, and the light that emits from the lit bulb is the soul.
#71. James 2:19 speaks of believing in one God and doing well. I don't believe in the Trinity doctrine and have faith in the Godhead. My question is, what is the meaning of this verse in a sense of James speaking of only one God. Which God was he speaking of? Are we to know the full extent of this verse? Thanks as always brother :).
ANSWER:
The word "God" in that passage is translated from the Greek "Theos" which can also be used in the english term "Godhead." What we need to remember here is that yes, this one verse can be used by some to declare a "one God" theology. But as Isaiah teaches regarding understanding doctrine. He said in… Isaiah 28:9-10 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: In other words, if we have numerous verses declaring there are three separate persons in the Godhead, and one that "appears" to say different, the truth is in the "many witnesses" of Scripture. By the way, this passage can also be translated in the same way Jesus says He and His Father are "one" in agreement. So many of the one God theists like to use this term out of context to push their false doctrines that are nothing but pebbles tossed by Sanballat. Take for example what Jesus said in Matthew 19:4-6 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
Using the exact same theology with the word “one” as the one God theist does, I then have to teach that my wife and I are now one human being with two Heads. Or, worse yet, one human being period. So again, as Isaiah clearly outlined, to understand doctrine entails a study of the Word entirely.
If you have been approached by someone in the "One God" movement, see the following links for more info. They were prophesied to do as they do, and no, it's not a good thing. In fact, it's a doctrine Satan needs to assure most will embrace the "one God" that stands before them when Antichrist arrives.
#72. Hi Nicholas. Thank you for your last reply. I do realize how busy you must be in these times. I have been on this journey for two years now after becoming born again in 2010. Fellowship is important and I feel I need some support. Family and friends reject most of my beliefs. I attended a local SDA church last Saturday and found them to be very kind and inviting. There was only about ten of us in attendance. I know you have much to say regarding this church, but do they really disagree that much with the core Biblical beliefs. Should I start my own church or try and work with this church.
ANSWER:
The Lord has His people scattered all over the world. Many of us (like myself) cannot find any churches near our homes except SDA churches or Sabbatrian Baptists, both of which teach false doctrine. I honestly believe, and can prove with Scripture, that the Lord is testing us to see if we will bow to the pressure to join the SDA church simply because no one is in our area. I of course (as many others) chose not to join because His Word says in many places that in so doing declares us to be friends of the World. Since we have decided to follow the Lord alone, and forsake those that refuse to do as it is written, He has blessed us greatly. Think about this as well. The reason He is testing us is because He needs to have people He can trust when the Loud Cry goes forth. We need to be widely scattered to make the cry more effective. This is why we cannot find churches that believe as we do because we ARE the people His prophecy speaks of that will proclaim the cry that brings them in. But to go back into Babylon and join with them because our flesh craves fellowship would be declaring we don't want to do as the Lord's asking us to do, and we forfeit a major blessing. After all, is it not written…
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Brother, it says in 2 Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. In other words, your decision not to stand with them will make them experience the shame they need so as to convict them to follow the Lord closer and come out of Babylon. You, like all of us, are being tested to see if you will do this for the Lord. If you cannot do this one simple task, then you will fail when the bigger ones come upon you.
As for the SDA church disagreeing with the real truth. Yes, they are not in tune with the truth any more, but then prophecy did predict that to happen long ago. When you get time you need to visit my sister site at www.SDAapostasy.org . There is a mountain of evidence now that the SDA church has been completely taken over by Rome. No doubt about it now. As Revelaton 18 says, it is time to come out of her my people.
#73. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. romans 5:14. What does it mean "them that had not sinned after the similtude of adams transgression" ?
ANSWER:
As far as I understand it. Adam sinned in a way no man on earth can. He actually walked and talked with Jesus Christ daily in that Garden. Yet, he still sinned. He had much more evidence to the divinity of Christ than any man alive can ever imagine, yet he still sinned. He had every fruit in the garden that was perfect for food, yet he could not deny his appetite for one more piece of fruit that the Lord specifically said not to touch. Even the Apostles of old didn’t know Jesus the way Adam did. Today men do sin, but nowhere near as grievously to the Holy Spirit are their sins, because most men today don’t walk with the Lord as did Adam in his day. Or as the Scripture says, they “had not sinned after the similtude of adams transgression"
#74. Please help me.. My older brother asked me a question, and I thought I answered it and that would be that, but then he asks me another question and I just don't know how to answer it and I don't know how to find it. The question is "If God knows a person has killed a man/ child and is able to do it again and does nothing to stop it but let's it happen is God sinning"? How or where do I find the answer to answer him back? This has made me sad and cried because I just don't know how to answer this. PLEASE HELP! He answered me with "Blind faith"! but I know there is an answer that I can tell him, I just don't know where to look. I do study the bible and I am still learning, but I just feel stuck with this one.
ANSWER:
Dear sister,
The Lord gives mankind free
will. How can God be a sinner
when man commits the sin?
That’s completely
impossible. Just because God
can stop him, it doesn’t
mean He’s in sin if He
chooses not to stop him. Truth
is dear one, our God has set
up governments on earth to
stop the man from killing all
along. Romans 13:1, 4 says,
"Let every soul be subject
unto the higher powers. For there is no
power but of God: the powers
that be are ordained of God.
For he
is the minister of God to
thee for good. But if thou do
that which is evil, be
afraid; for he beareth not
the sword in vain: for he is the
minister of God, a revenger to
execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil."
In other words, if a man kills
another man, God has set up
the police, judges, jailers,
and executioners to deal with
the murderer.
Your brother is doing what many before him have done for ages. They assume God is a lesser God by claiming He allows evil and other strange events to happen, when in fact, God has given men free will. If men don’t want God in their life, He simply backs off and lets them get into all sorts of trouble on their own. After all, what kind of a world would it be if the minute a bullet headed towards you, it vanished, or as a tornado began to bear down on you, it roped out and dissipated, or as you began to trip down the stairs they suddenly became pillows? Eventually mankind would insist on being left alone to experience life with all it’s trials. God would then appear by many to be overprotective and a movement would come about that declares Him a lesser God for not allowing mankind to live on his own. What I’m getting at is, no matter if God does or doesn’t step in wouldn’t matter for some people. They will always find a way to blame God simply because Satan is tempting them to.
Bottom line is this. The main reason people speak of God in such ways sister is only because they don’t know Him. They don’t read His Bible and therefore don’t know their questions are already answered. The fact Romans 13:1,4 was penned in the way it was, regarding criminals and the civil powers that are designed to keep order proves this hands down. Had your brother ever read that passage, he never would have accused God of being a sinner.
#75. Regarding the state of the dead, how do you interpret Phillipians 1:21-25?
ANSWER:
Philippians 1:21-25, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;"
Like any Christian, Paul is stating it would be better to be dead because we all know the saved will gain Heaven, once Heaven starts for mankind. But because the work he is doing is needed to help souls discover truth that leads to Heaven, he is still alive to help those the Lord sends his way. Truth is, Paul was so weighed down with responsibilities at this time that he no doubt wondered if the work would lead to his death. Would he press on for the good of others and abide in the flesh, or would he collapse under the pressure and give up the conflict. He knew what was best, and so he moved on and did the work.
As for “being with Christ” in this statement. When we use the “line upon line and precept on precept” as Isaiah instructs, we know that Paul wasn’t saying he would go to heaven immediately after his death. He knew the state of the dead meant sleep, and when awakened the time passed between those two events would not be known to him, and so at death, he would only know immediate life with Christ. After all, since the Word says at death “our thoughts perish” (Psalm 146:4) Paul would have no recollection of the time that passed between his death and his resurrection. Back then, everyone knew about the state of the dead thanks to Peter’s clarifying sermon in Acts chapter 2. So Paul didn’t need to explain his statement about being “with Christ.” But today, with 2000 years worth of twisted theology from Rome that is bouncing between the ears of most Christians and has spread into all churches because prophecy said all the world would wonder after that beast, we need to touch a little further on such subjects so as to shed a bit more light on the truth.
#76. I'm just wondering why you've named your website RemnantofGod and using the word 'Remnant'. 'Cause, according to the online dictionary, it means small, leftover, or a fragmant of scrap. I'm asking you this because my mum wants to know why. Also, she tells me that you're just another fundamentalist and just interpreting the bible in your words.
ANSWER:
Romans 9:27, "Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:"
Revelation 12:17, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
Jesus said it will be as it was in the days of Noah, when He returns in Matthew 24:37. He also said when He returns there will be very little faith on earth in Luke 18:8. In Noah’s day, only 8 people survived the world wide flood. Everyone else on the planet drowned except Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives. At present, there are 7 billion people on earth. But only a very small portion of them are ready to meet the Lord. That group is called the remnant of her seed in Revelation 12:17.
When you buy a bolt of fabric from a fabric store, usually a very small “remnant” of the fabric is left. Right? It’s an exact duplicate of the original bolt of fabric, but only a much smaller portion. Well, the remnant people of today will be an exact copy of the early church. Only we will be much smaller in number because most people on earth today will be as they were in Noah’s day. They will be very evil.
As for being a fundamentalist that interprets via my own opinion. Back in 1985 when I left the Catholic church and started to expose antichrist, one of the very first things the Lord revealed to me was to NEVER give my private opinion on anything from His written Word when speaking from a pulpit. I never understood that until I started to preach to people on the street. Then it hit me. Because I always used Bible Scripture to back up every answer I ever gave, those rebuking me were forced to admit they were wrong about me because I never gave them my own interpretation. They heard the Scripture I gave and they knew I didn’t write the Bible. Jesus taught using the Bible to explain the Bible, and so I use that very same method when I share His truth. Experience has shown me that when they say that about me, I know it’s only because they don’t read or trust their own Bibles for what they say. My easiest comeback is, how can you say the blunt Bible verse I just gave you is my opinion when I never wrote the Bible?
#77. I have read your Rapture article, and it makes a lot of sense, especially AT THE LAST TRUPMPET. Can you clarify Luke 21:36. Thank you!!!
ANSWER:
Luke 21:36, "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."
Perhaps the following verse should suffice…
Revelation 3:10, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
SECOND QUESTION... In what sense "...stand before the son of man”?
We are to stand in LIFE as well as on that LAST DAY in truth as it is written in the Word. If you do not fight in the faith and study His Word daily, you will not be kept safe in that hour of temptation and thereby unable to stand before the Son of man.
#78. Hi Pastor Nick, I have been asked when I shared that Christians are to do NO violence to man, why did Jesus instruct his Apostles to sell their garments to buy swords if they were not to do any violence, and then they shared this passage.....
ANSWER:
Luke 22:36-38 ~ Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.
I have been asked, "what would I do if I saw a young child being attacked and if I was able to grab a weapon to save that child's life, would I use it on the attacker? That is a hard question to answer and the more I thought about I realized that I would have to trust in the Lord and instead of attacking the attacker, I would pull him away from the child and rebuke him, but if it was God's will that I lose my life for that child then so be it.
The word “sword” in that passage is defined as a large knife for killing and cutting up animals for food. (See Strongs #3162) To confirm this fact we can use the same passage we find the word in. Jesus told 12 men to buy only two swords in verse 38…
Luke 22:38, "And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough."
The
word "SWORD" here is
defined... 3162 machaira
{makh'-ahee-rah} from a
presumed derivative of 3163;
TDNT - 4:524,572; n f
AV - sword 29; 29
1) a large knife, used for killing animals and cutting up flesh
If the swords were meant to be weapons, then Jesus would have instructed them to buy 12 swords. One for each man. But if they were to be used for preparing food, as we see is the case here, then as Jesus said, two swords would be enough for all 12 men. Also keep in mind that when Jesus was arrested and then eventually murdered, he said in Matthew 26:53, "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?" And what of the 500,000,000 Christians tortured and killed by the Vatican. None of them fought back with weapons. Why is that? Two reasons actually. #1, they know to trust the Lord to protect them, and even if they are called to die they will do so for the Lord. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego also proved that by allowing Nebuchadnezzar to through them in the furnace in Daniel chapter three. #2, a faithful and obedient Christian knows death is nothing more than a short nap till Jesus comes to awaken them. And fear is not an issue with them either because the Word clearly said in 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." If you have doubt or fear, my advice to you would be to increase your faith. And how do you do that? Romans 10:17 says, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Study God's Word and He will not only remove your fear and increase yoru faith, He will bless you in all aspects of life.
#79. I've come upon your site after I was researching about the Black Pope on google and liked what I saw. I continued to maneuver around the site and came upon your articles on Sabbath (I even read it in school). However, now that I have come across your article regarding the 144,000, a statement hit me. The statement is: This still begs the question, "what if I keep committing the same sin over and over again after I confessed it?" Seriously, I know I want to be a certified child of God but I struggle with a particular sin of lusting after flesh. Many times I will commit this sin and really feel sorry about commiting it, but a week or so after, I'm back at it. It's like a cycle: sin then repent, sin then repent. I really do not want to fall back into this trap. Any suggestions because I really do not want to grieve my Jesus and my Father any longer?
ANSWER:
The fact you’re grieving in your heart as you commit such sins proves the Holy Spirit is still actively seeking your complete obedience in life. Yes, it can be difficult to give up such sins, but the truth is, it’s here where we can actually do something we rarely have a chance to do. You obviously love Jesus. And loving Him you know for a fact, all that He has done for you is what makes your heart cry out to Him. He has done so much that we as Christians seek to find ways to do something for Him. Sacrifice and obedience is part of this walk with Him. So, if you want to take advantage of this opportunity to actually make Him smile, just try your best not to sin that sin again. Do it FOR HIM instead of trying to do it for yourself. You will find it’s much easier to resist temptation if you choose to do so for Him.
Life in this crazy and very sinful world, where evil triumphs over truth in just about every soul you meet is open evidence we are in the midst of a war. As Christians we must expect a continual conflict each and every day. This is why we must the armor of the Lord well polished and always upon us. And there’s no better way to do this then by studying His Word every day and falling to our knees three times a day as did many patriarchs and prophets. We have to realize we fight a foe that never sleeps. We need to be on guard 24/7. Until Jesus takes us Home we will find ourselves plagued with countless temptations and without the strength of Christ to overcome them, we will be overcome by them and eventually lose our souls. Bottom line is, we all need to wrap our brain around this reality. We are at war and we need to get very serious about our walk.
#80. In one of the articles on your site now you mentioned the 7th plague of hail. Do you believe the plagues have already been opened, such as massive death in the ocean of fish and other creatures. It is a grand gift to know Jesus right now as Savior and Lord. Thank you for bringing the real news.
ANSWER:
No, what we see happening now is the harbinger Hosea spoke of in Hosea 4:1-3
It says…
"Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away." -Hosea 4:1-3
When the plagues begin, it will be very apparent. If your part of the Gideon band on that day as many of us strive to be, you will have no doubt regarding this. You will know for a fact the plagues have begun and therefore such a question would never come to mind. It may be ignored by the wicked for the most part because Jesus said in Luke 17:26-27 As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” So, again, for the wicked, none of them will know the plagues are falling. But those of us walking perfectly in God that day will know what’s happening.
#81. Why do you say on your remnant fruits page that Sports are wrong?
ANSWER:
Dear sister,Sports today are a spin off from the ancient Pagan games of the Romans that were held in the Coliseum wherein Christians were actually killed for sport. Sports also breed competition, which fosters sin in everything from gambling to debasing the losers and exalting the winners. The gambling of today as well as the riots after big games proves Sports are not sanctioned by the Lord. We are counseled in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” Sports have always been associated with evil activities from day one. The fact every alcohol sponsor makes millions of every game and scantily clad cheerleaders are a permanent fixture for every game proves this hands down. As Christians we cannot have any part in such things.
#82. Will Sunday Laws start in 2012? (2013..14..15..)
ANSWER:
Jesus said in Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” Since we cannot know the day and hour of His arrival, all prophetic events after the end times began have no dates for mankind to decipher. Can the Sunday Laws come in 2012? It’s possible, but only after the Loud Cry begins, and that entails something, that in my personal opinion mind you, will take a bit more than just a few months to perform. Seeing how there is no prophecy explaining how long the loud cry goes on, we again have no clue. Still, that loud cry must happen first, then as the churches start to empty out to join with us out of love for God and His truth, the wicked 501C3 govt funded pastors that now have political powers thanks to Bush granting this to them on March 7, 2006, will eventually demand Sunday Laws to get their people back into the churches. But they will not openly state the reason for the laws for fear of reprisal, just as the Pharisees refused to acknowledged John the Baptist’s ministry as being from God when Jesus asked them that question in Mark 11:30. They know the Bible proves them wrong when it comes to Sabbath and many will come forward to challenge them to expose the error and the Vatican’s agenda will be knocked back a few paces. So, they will use fear instead. After all, this is Satan’s favored method. They will lie and say they want the Sunday laws to appease God to stop all the calamities in nature. In so doing, those that are too weak to resist will clamor back into the churches knowing that if they stand with us, they won’t be able to buy and sell and they will be tagged troublers as was Elijah because we refuse to acknowledge Sunday Laws no matter what their excuses are for them. Many weak Christians won’t be able to handle the guaranteed persecution and fall back into Rome’s arms when the law is enforced. The love of all their worldly things are worth more to them than their eternal blessings promised by the Lord. That being the case, all this will take some time to transpire. How long? Again, no one knows. It could take a year, or it could take 5 years. We really have no idea, nor does it matter. All we can do is continue on doing the Lord’s work day by day the best we can as we wait on our eternal King to return. He will lead us hour by hour and day by day to do the work as He gets closer and closer. That’s all we can do, and that’s all he expects us to do.
By the way, Sunday Laws will start in the USA first. If you want the evidence that confirms this, go to my Sabbath attack page on the site. The easiest way to get there is to click the peal down on the top right side of the main page of the website.
#83. While I was doing a last day study, the eighth to be specific, on the 16th question, it said that 'Vain repetition in prayer has no value (Matthew 6:7)' what does this mean? Does it mean that saying repetetive prayers wont be answered (praying for others to eventually see the truth when it comes, healing of others (like that boy who can oly eat through a tube in his stomach), granting you speed to go over emails more quicker, and protection) are they vain, or prayers that involve only the care for oneself?
ANSWER:
There is no sin in asking the Lord repeatedly for the same thing. This is why He shared with us the parable of the widow and the unjust judge in Luke 18. She kept coming with the same request. She wore him down to where he finally granted her request. What Jesus is talking about in Matthew 6 is where people pray saying many words thinking this will grant their request. Hindus do it, Muslims do it and Catholics do it. For example, when I was a Catholic I did repetitive prayer each and every day. It’s called the rosary. What you do here is repeat a pre-written prayer dozens of times in the hopes God will hear you. He doesn’t hear such prayer. It’s what comes from the heart, not the mouth that He hears.
#84. What does it mean to be born again?
ANSWER:
To be born again is to be born “a new” in Christ. For example… when you find Christ, all your old ways appear sinful to you and a new way of life becomes the norm. This is why it says in Romans 6:6-8 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. 7 For he that is dead is freed from sin. 8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:”
The easiest way for me to illustrate this is to share a dream I had many years ago. In the dream I saw myself lying dead on the ground knowing that dead body was all about my past life. The body I was in at the time was a new body that was blessed as I walked forward in life “with Christ.” In other words, when I found Christ, it was as if I was literally born again. The things I used to do in the womb of the world were no longer important to me now that I was born in Christ. I actually saw life in a whole new light from that day forward. That my friend is what being born again means to me.
#85. I have heard catholics say that there were golden cherubims in the holy of holies in solomon's temple so they can have statues too. What can I say in response to it? Does the bible say that there were statues in the temple?
ANSWER:
Yes, there are statues in the temple and cherubim in the ark of the covenant. What the Catholics are doing is twisting the Scripture to ok their sin. No, I don’t blame them entirely, but they are to blame in that they trust their leaders without checking up on them as to what the Bible says. I’ve even had Catholics claim that what I am saying is I am in sin if I have a mere picture of my mother on the wall, because it is in fact an image as well. Truth is, yes it is. But what they’re doing here is sinful in that they take our Lord’s commandment way out of context to make it appear it’s ok to have statues and bow before them. Commandment #2 says…
Exodus 20:4-6 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
The Catholic thinks it’s ok to have the statue, and it is. But what they always fail to mention is this very commandment. In fact, this commandment was actually REMOVED from their catechism by the Pope long ago. I know, I used to teach Roman Catholic Catechism before I left the church. They removed commandment #2 and then split commandment #10 in two to make up for the gap they created. Else they would only have 9 commandments. Notice what it said in verse 5 of Exodus 20. The statues, paintings, and images are not where the sin is committed. The sin is committed when you BOW BEFORE THEM!. If I have a picture of my mother on the wall, or even a statue of her in my yard, that is no sin. But if I put a kneeler in front of that image, like 100% of every Roman Catholic church does, THEN I am in sin. But, because Catholics don’t read Bibles, they don’t know their leaders removed this Bible verse from their lesson books.
#86. Hi got another question … as your saying Facebook would be used to find out who the real Christians, didn't jesus tell us don't be afraid of those who can kill the body and not the soul, and is the problem just with Facebook or also with twitter MySpace .....
ANSWER:
In context, Jesus was talking about those that would be killed for their faith. Jesus also said not to put the Lord thy God to a foolish test either. If you know you are placing yourself and your family in danger, and you do so anyway because it’s what everyone else is doing, or you enjoy facebook, or whatever reason the flesh can entice with, then you will be allowed to do so. But then, don’t blame the Lord when bad things come upon you when you do such things. No, we aren’t to have fear, but then we aren’t to purposely place ourselves in danger either. If it were ok to do so, then Jesus would have lept from that temple when Satan told him it was ok to do so because He was the Son of God.
As for twitter and MySpace, yes, they too are dangerous places to frequent. Truth is, in so doing we put off an appearance of evil. How so you ask? One thing that is common on Facebook is for people to get as many friends as they possibly can so as to appear popular. That right off is vanity and secondly, some people have literally hundreds and sometimes thousands of friends. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” There is no way anyone is going to be able to convince me or anyone else for that matter that every single one of those Facebook friends are believers in Christ that adhere to the exact same doctrines you do. In fact, I’m sure some Christians have Catholics, Pagans and even homosexuals on their facebook pages as friends because they are relatives, coworkers, friends of the family or fellow students. What does that say about our walk when we ignore 2 Corinthians 6:14 that says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” If we claim Christ Lord and embrace His Law as prophecy says His remnant people will do, what does it say to those young seekers that learn of our faith when they start to contact some of our friends on facebook thinking they are like minded brethren? If those seekers are serious seekers they will drop you as a friend like a hot potato. Or, worse yet, if they are seekers that are weak, your facebook page may be all that Satan needs to make them believe it’s ok to be friends with the world while claiming Christ Lord. This will tarnish their faith, soil the image of Christ, and cause many more to embrace the world as well. So no, I don’t think it is wise to be on facebook or any other social sites.
#87. Dear brother Nicholas: I am in need of some guidance regarding prayer. As I currently understand the bible, it frowns on rote prayer. My evening prayer is rather long as I have many things for which I request guidance and give thanks. As the list grows I sometimes forget to mention items that are important to me. My Question: Is preparing a list of items for prayer and reading from that list acceptable or (is it considered rote prayer) should the prayer be spontaneous and completely from memory?
ANSWER:
Dear
brother,
No, I do not believe the Bible
frowns on the same prayer
request being made as some may
describe it. Mentioning loved
ones from a list (as I do at
times) is your love simply
showing for them and the Lord
understands. The
“repetitive” or
“rote” prayer as
you call it that the Lord
frowns on would be what
Catholics, Muslims and
Buddhists do. Take the
Catholic rosary for example.
No special mentioning of loved
ones names or certain problems
in life are ever mentioned in
such prayers. Just a constant
repeating of a prewritten
script each and every time to
go into prayer. It actually
becomes a sort of mantra or a
chant. I know all about this
as I used to recite it for 45
minutes a day when I was a
Catholic. The priests say to
meditate on the stations of
the cross while doing so, but
that’s next to
impossible as other thoughts
always stumble in.
When we pray for loved ones on a list we express a concern for them and the problems they have whether it be spiritual or physical. This is good prayer. In fact, notice this…
Luke 18:2-8 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
Yes, the list grows and becomes hard to remember at times. In fact, my list has literally 1900 people I pray for now including family. It’s impossible for me to mention them all by name each time I pray. What I do is I pray for the ones that come to mind, because I figure they are in my mind as per the Holy Spirit’s direction, and the rest I pray for by mentioning my prayer list to the Lord while in prayer. He knows each and every soul on that list. So I don’t need to rattle off 1900 names.
Prayer doesn’t have to be a burden or a chore brother. It can be a joy. I pray all day long. Every hour I mention numerous loved ones as they come to mind, or I simply thank the Lord for whatever’s going on at that moment. Or I simply send up a gently “I love you” to the Lord.
If you need more on prayer, I have a sermon series as well a few sermons on their own about different aspects of prayer on the sermon page on the site. Just go to http://www.remnantofgod.org/sdrhome.htm and “F3” the word “prayer” and you will see a few different sermons come up.
#88. I was wondering if you could give a brief explanation of what is being spoken of in Ezekiel 16:49 and some insight as to how we as Christians may avoid the sins described in Ezekiel 16:49. Thank you as always brother.
ANSWER:
Ezekiel 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.
We all know Sodom’s “main” sin of course, but this verse goes into other sins. Pride is self explanatory of course. As for ‘fullness of bread.” This is of course talking about how people would overeat, or what some would call, living to eat instead of eating to live. Being into the flesh as Sodom was, they no doubt indulged in eating and binging as did the Romans in their day. The Romans would eat till almost bursting. They would go to a place to regurgitate the food and then go back to the feast. The “abundance of idleness” is also something we see today wherein most people on welfare are perfectly happy to just sit around all day long doing nothing. Not all do this, some truly want to work, but some prefer not to. When I was a youth I could literally sit on a couch and watch TV 10 straight hours during Winter. This idleness also applies to the rich in Sodom’s day who just sat around and partied 24/7 like many rich people do today. And like back then, they blow all their money on wine women and song and never consider helping the poor.
#89. Why can’t we eat the blood in clean meats?
ANSWER:
I just found out recently about certain properties of the blood that may shock you. Still, for years I just didn’t eat it because God said not to. That was good enough for me He doesn’t have to have a reason actually. If you recall, the tree of knowledge in the garden of Eden was perfectly ok for food. But God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat it as a way for them to show love and obedience to Him. When it comes to blood, I just applied the same obedience to the blood as Adam should have for that tree.
As for the shocking aspects of all this. I just discovered recently that scientists found something in the blood that cannot be killed. They burned it, subjected it to massive doses of radiation, they even tried blunt force and nothing stopped these little blobs from moving about the blood at and even below the cellular level. Could this be the life that is in the blood that Lev. 17:11 speaks of? I don’t know, I’ll find out when I get Home to New Jerusalem. In any event, if God said it, I believe it and that settles it. He said don’t eat the blood in the same way He told Adam about a certain tree. Whether it has to do with obedience, the life in the blood, or both makes no difference to me. I just do as He commands because He is my King.
#90. Hi Nic, I have a question for Q&A Sabbath. Isaiah 66:23; "and it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." I would like to know what and when is the new moon? If we are going to worship on the new moon when we go to Heaven why don't we do it now or even talk about it much? My brain can't seem to grasp this one, thanks
ANSWER:
This passage in Isaiah has been used by some feast day keepers for some time now to try and sanction feast day requirements after the cross of Christ. But we already know what is declared in Colossians chapter two about the feast days ending at the cross. (I go into more detail here… http://www.remnantofgod.org/Yah-feast.htm)
Bottom line is this brother. Each feast day occurred at a specific set time by our Lord as is outlined in Leviticus 23:23-38. As we can clearly see, there can be no feast day which is celebrated at the same time another is kept. At present, our High Priest Jesus Christ has entered into the most holy place which means we are right now in the antitypical day of Atonement. Since we cannot keep a feast day and a new moon gathering simultaneously, it is apparent we must wait till the “day of atonement” is finished to resume certain feasts. As far as I can see in the Word as well as in SOP, today there are to be no feast days celebrated while Jesus is interceding in the most holy place during this antitypical day of Atonement we find ourselves in. However, when Christ's ministerial work ends there, and this antitypical day of Atonement is fulfilled to the Father’s satisfaction, it appears that Isaiah 66:23 does suggest we will resume keeping “certain” feast days. I can’t see doing the regular feast days again that pointed to the cross of course as there is no need for another cross. Jesus declared “it is finished” that day for a reason. In fact, the prophet Nahum was instructed in 1:9 to declare the Lord, “…will make an utter end: affliction shall not rise up the second time.” Affliction being sin of course. However, the New Moon feasts appear to be started up again as Isaiah intimates in the passage in question.
#91. Greetings Nick..Christ be with you in these troubled times…..my new barber is Christian..he is part of the church of zion...he tells me Christ has returned during the 1970's..is there scriptural evidence to back this up??
ANSWER:
Dear brotherYour new barber is a false prophet. If Jesus returned, why are we still here? PLUS, Jesus clearly stated in the Word that when He returns he will NOT touch the planet because of all the sin. We leave to meet Him in the air.
It says in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "16" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: "17" Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
For an in depth look at what those false teachers and prophets purposely leave out of their “sermons” see this… http://www.remnantofgod.org/rapt2.htm There are MANY bible verses they won’t share because it proves they are lying.
#92. Hi, I would like know more about the "Shaking" please because i was thought that when the shaking is taking place weak members of the SDA church would leave and those strong in the faith would remain in the church. I really need more information on this please.
ANSWER:
Dear sisterThroughout the Word of God and in SOP we see the real church are those that follow Jesus. My favorite verse on this has to be Revelation 14:4 that says, “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”
If you look on www.SDAapostasy.org you will find documentation, sermons, articles, videos and pictures proving the SDA church was changed internally by Satan to embrace the theology of Rome. This means that EVERYONE that stays in the SDA church will actually be those shaken out of the true church that follows the Lamb withersoever He goeth.
In other words, Satan has been able to do the exact same thing today as he did 2000 years ago with the believers. Back then, the leaders of the church that declared anyone that left the synagogues to follow Jesus Christ were to be considered forever lost, or shaken out, as we see today. But the truth was, those that stayed in the synagogues were considered forever lost. Only those that trust their leaders more than the Word of God will fall for such spiritual insanity. If you’re an SDA and you read your Bible and actually believe what it says about the fruits of the true church of Jesus Christ, you would know full well you cannot stand in the SDA church and be obedient to Christ at the same time. The SDA church kicked Jesus and His truth out of the SDA church decades ago. Those that follow the Lamb withersoever He goes had no choice but to leave with Him.
#93. A quick question about wedding rings. While I was reading more expanded information about false doctrines, I founded that wedding rings are on the list. Why is this so? If it's because of financial reasons, I understand, but doesn't it represent the faithful bond between the husband and wife.
ANSWER:
Thousands of years ago when someone was to marry they would gather all the friends and relatives to the wedding, as we saw in the Wedding in Cana where our Lord performed His first miracle. No, it’s not necessary for all the friends and relatives to be there to acknowledge the wedding for it to be valid. It’s just that they did this back then so as to announce to everyone they knew that this woman and this man were to be wed and everyone they know now knows that they are not to be approached by others for the sake of marriage. As time went on, and the Roman church started to influence all the world as prophecy predicted, the Pagan ritual of the ring was brought into play. Some stated the need for a ring because cities have grown so large it’s impossible to know who married who anymore. But the truth is, this Pagan ritual was done to honor Baal as well as the flesh. The ring of course symbolized Baal, while at the same time the female. The finger represented the male. Placing the finger through the ring represents what husbands and wives are allowed to do in private after they are married. I won’t go into more detail than that, but the vulgarity of this Pagan ritual is apparent.
#94. I have been praying hard about what to do and I am still uncertain. I have a great deal of fear in my heart and I know I should trust in the Lord but sometimes it's hard. I spoke to my work and told them I would work everyday of the year and even forfeit my vacation time and holiday pay and they still declined. I even told them I would work for no pay on Sundays if they gave me Saturdays off. I guess I have another question for you, is there a certain amount of time before I must quit? For example, do I just walk in Monday morning and say, "that's it, I quit." and not try to at least find another job before quitting? I just don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to be jobless for my family, but at the same time I don't want to break the Lords commandments. I have applied and applied to numerous places but to no avail. I am so scared, I see the signs of the times and know Jesus is coming soon but I feel I am not ready yet. Thank you again for your time. Your website has helped me and my wife more then you can possibly imagine.
ANSWER:
Tests like this are difficult yes. But they are the way they are for a reason. The Lord has a work for His people to do and He needs to know how serious each and everyone of us are when it comes to His command while in this Holy War we find ourselves in. Truth is, what you are experiencing is religious persecution. You may want to mention that to your boss. Just those words alone can sometimes cause the Boss to change his mind out the fear of God because they don’t want to have to deal with a lawsuit that usually goes viral in the media.
We will keep you in prayer here brother. But as for when to act when the Lord’s will is concerned? It is always best to respond immediately in the Word. For example, Joshua 24:15 says the following. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua wasn’t giving them any time to make up their minds here. He sought their decision that day. Still, I would approach your boss about the religious persecution thing and tell them you cannot work on Sabbath. Then, simply don’t show up on Sabbath. If they fire you, you not only receive unemployment compensation so as to have the funds needed to look for work, as well as all the free time each day to look during business hours you would ordinarily be working. You would have an amazing blessing from the Lord as well.
One last thing… if you wanted to go this route, you could take them to court and they know it. All too often companies opt to avoid such things knowing it’s expensive. They may even offer you severance pay “if you quit.” Be careful here as it may be less that unemployment gives in the long run. You can’t collect unemployment benefits if you quit. I would make them fire me if I was in your position.
Yes, it is a bold move, not showing up on Sabbath. But I must say, others have tried it and found their bosses were bluffing. Still.. every case is different.
#95. I was wondering if you could help me better understand what "generation" means in Matthew 24:34. I'm having difficulty understand what Jesus is speaking of in this verse. Thank you.
ANSWER:
In order to get the full understanding of what our Lord is saying here, let’s let Him say it all in context…
Matthew 24:32-34 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
What He’s saying here is that the “generation” that is in existence when all these things come to pass will actually be alive to see His second coming. No “day” or “hour” is given of course, because Jesus also said in verse 36 that of “that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” In other words, we will know the season of His return, but not the day or hour this side of the plagues.
#96.
Why
are you all attacking other
churches instead of just
bringing sheep to the fold? I
am not attacking you. I am
really trying to find out why
some churches attack each
other, while some just preach
the word and not point fingers
at others. he that is without
sin, cast the first stone. i
believe if any church wants to
serve God they preach the word
and pray and let God do the
rest by bringing that soul to
him. People talk badly against
the catholic church but they
seem to not point fingers at
others and that is how people
follow them.
God bless.
ANSWER:
So
what you’re saying is
Jesus was
“attacking” and in
sin when he pointed out the
errors of the Jews in their
churches, and Jesus was in sin
when He prophesied about the
errors that would lead to the
Catholic church becoming the
home of Antichrist? How is
that possible?
Bottom line is this. Most
agree the best way for Satan
to attack the church is to
infiltrate it so as to act
like a believer and destroy it
from the inside. That is what
governments do right? Russia
sends spies to act like
Americans and vise versa. Why
wouldn’t Satan do that
since he’s the angel of
death anyway?
The church of Christ became a THREAT to Satan early on. So… he entered it and turned it into a very evil church while at the same time acting as if it’s a Christian church. That being said, why do you claim God’s remnant people attack you? We are watchmen on the wall sister. I was Catholic 29 years I saw what this church has become, and I left because of what I saw in the Bible. Since leaving I have been warning people to get out just as prophecy stated God’s people would do in the last days. Truth is, I love you enough to tell you the truth! “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” - Galatians 4:16
#97. Did the Bible touch on evil symbols on money?
When the cash we use has satanic symbols or evil events on them i can't stop thinking how bad this really is what scripture in the bible can relate to this topic ?
ANSWER:
I know of no Scripture that speaks directly on the use of evil symbols on money. Truth is, the Laurel Leaf Crown on Caesar’s head and imprinted on all coins of that day. Apollo had such leaves surrounding his temple in which they signified everything from purification, psychic powers, conjuring past life memories, and divination just to name a few. Yet Jesus never spoke out against the coins because it was commonly known the Romans were Pagans Yes, they are evil, but so were many kings of old and priests in Jerusalem as well. Yet the Lord declares often in the Word to obey them as long as they don’t go against His Ten Commandments. In fact, it says in Romans 13:1 “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” (Also see 1 Peter 2:13-16)
Truth is, even Jesus our Lord used one of those Roman coins with Pagan symbols on it in Luke chapter 20 to illustrate that our duty to God and man should always be kept separate. If it was sin to use the coin He would have made mention of it then.
#98. When its 6pm friday where i live and 5pm where you live how do we truly go by the the time of the sabbath when we don't observe the sabbath at the sametime each day for everybody im curious about this thanks looking forward to here from you.
ANSWER:
As for Sabbath keeping. We live on a round planet. Time changes all over it as it spins on axis. When Jesus or the apostles traveled throughout their region to spread the Gospel, sometimes they traveled quite far where Sabbath would end a few minutes sooner or later than it would in their original area. Yet they kept Sabbath as it came upon them wherever they were at that time. So don’t worry. Just keep it holy wherever you stand. The Lord is fully aware of how this planet spins. After all, He created it.
#99. Hello Pastor. I first would like to say that I like how well you teach the bible. I haven't learned of your name though. What is a remnant church and is it any different from a non denominational church? Is it a type of SDA church because you preach against SDA being an apostasy and I am confused.
ANSWER:
A remnant believer is one who does as the Word of God says to do in the last days no matter how unpopular it is to do. Revelation 12:17 confirms this in that because of our walk the dragon (Satan) is making war against us.
As for the SDA church. Yes, it is no longer a Christian church as the Bible defines it. I prove that on www.SDAapostasy.org. I am a pastor in the Seventh Day Remnant church. We adhere to the exact same theology and doctrines the ORIGINAL SDA church did. But as prophecy stated in both Matthew 20:1-7 and Revelation 12:17, the SDA church would stop doing what they were called to do and a “remnant of her seed” would be called of God to finish the work. We are that remnant. Now please don’t misunderstand that statement and assume I am saying we in the SDR church stand alone on the sinful orb as the only church on earth that is blessed of God. Just as Elijah thought he was all alone to worship the Lord after Ahab and Jezebel did as they did in truth in 1Kings 19:14, we see the Lord told him in verse 18 that there were still 7000 in Israel that refused to bow to Baal. We here in the SDR church appear to be small as well. And it looks like we are all alone to worship the Lord as He dictates in His Word. But I know there are people all around this world that believe exactly as we do. We just haven’t met them as of yet.
#100. Why do Christians praise God for all of the good things that happen in their lives, and yet they don't complain about all the bad stuff that happens in the world like most people do?
ANSWER:
The Christians praise Him during the good times, and yes, most don’t complain during the bad times. But even here they should praise Him for training them for tomorrow’s trials. Still, the question is why don’t Christians complain about the bad things is because we know it’s the end result of our own sins. The Lord is allowing the bad things (not causing them) to happen so as to awaken the hearts of His people which will cause them to bow to His sovereignty. True Christians simply can’t complain when so much good comes from what some call the bad times. Some of our greatest blessings come from our greatest trials.
#101. Are we allowed to drink decafinated coffee, and if so is it actually a good idea or are there other hidden problems?
ANSWER:
In order for them to decaffeinate coffee they need to add a solvent to extract the caffeine. I found this online…
“The process is usually performed on unroasted (green) beans, and starts with steaming of the beans. They are then rinsed with a solvent that extracts the caffeine while leaving the other essential chemicals in the coffee beans. The process is repeated anywhere from 8 to 12 times until it meets either the international standard of having removed 97% of the caffeine in the beans or the EU standard of having the beans 99.9% caffeine-free by mass.” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeination
As far as I know, that solvent is not good for human consumption. By the way, there are many types of products in health food stores that taste like coffee. Especially if you haven’t had coffee in a while. I prefer a product called “Roma.”
#102. Because vinegar is forbidden, I assume that vinegar pickled foods are forbidden too. Am I correct?
ANSWER:
Yes. Even certain breads and most salad dressings have vinegar in them as well. We make salad dressing using lemon juice to get around that problem.
#103. What do you use as a daily protein source to replace the protein of meat?
ANSWER:
Many vegetarian dishes have protein. Nuts, grains and beans have the most. Truth is, most people think they need to eat meat for the protein so as to grow big and strong. But look at all the large animals on the planet. The biggest ones are not meat eaters at all. The elephant, horse, giraffe, hippo, cow, etc all eat vegetation. Even all the dinosaurs ate leaves and grasses. This includes T-Rex. See this link on my Creation page for the facts on this… http://www.remnantofgod.org/creation.htm#T-Rex
#104. What does the “fear” in 1John 4:18 mean
ANSWER:
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
We need to trust and love His decisions for us so much that even if we are looking at certain death, if it is His will, it is well with our soul because we trust Him that much. Need I mention the 500 million martyrs that never lifted a weapon against the Roman priests. The Lord will either prevent the death, or He will awaken us later in His arms at the better resurrection. In either scenario, it's a win win situation.
Take Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for example. Absolutely everyone under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule were fearful of being burned alive in that furnace of fire heated seven times hotter in Daniel chapter three. But these three worthies didn’t fear it because they knew who created all that is seen and unseen, including that fire. So, they told the king that even if the Lord didn’t save them from the fire they would still walk into it rather than bow before his idol and sin against the Lord. They had no fear at all. Death is no big thing to a child of God that has absolute trust in the Lord of all creation. It’s only His will that matters to the heart that trusts like this.
#105. I spend a lot of time reading the Bible and have a relationship with my Heavenly Father. I enjoy praying for others and find pleasure in feeding the Word to others when opportunity knocks, but there is something that has been troubling me lately. A couple months ago as I was outside singing to the Lord and praising His name, I asked him to open my eyes and the eyes of my heart. Well, one afternoon as I stood outside and prayed, I noticed that the trees are dying. I thought it was just that one tree, but it was all of them! If you see the tops and middle of the trees, they are becoming more bare. I love the trees, so I asked God not to let them die.
And then, when we had that heat wave, I remembered how mild our last winter was. I also remembered the drought that Texas suffered last year, and the drought that Iowa and Oklahoma are suffering this year, not to mention the wild fires and the ones in Colorado due to the heat. I've always prayed for those who are affected by it all, but then realized that one day we might be affected by it too. Then I got scared. I went to God in prayer and asked him to take this fear out of me and to instill peace in my heart. I know he answered my prayer as he always does, but I can't help facing the reality that other people continue on with their lives as if nothing is happening to our world. I want to shout out to everyone and say, "OPEN YOUR EYES! STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND LISTEN TO WHAT GOD IS TELLING US!" but of course, they might think I'm crazy. Now that our weather is getting weird, I am almost afraid to see what's in store for this winter. Doesn't anyone else see these things? This is what inspired me to write a book. But is it normal or okay to feel afraid that one day there might not be enough food or water, or trees?
ANSWER:
That fear of the unknown will disappear as soon as your trust in Him grows into perfection. Judging by the zeal you have for the Lord in this email alone, I am sure your trust in Him will blossom to the point nothing will faze you. And here is a Bible verse that should move you a little closer to that trust dear one…
Isaiah 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.
Only God’s people can trust that promise. All the other people of the world will have to deal with famine, but just as God was able to feed millions in a literal desert for 40 straight years each and every day, He will easily be able to feed you sister. So don’t worry. Even if all the trees die all around you, God’s obedient people will have what we need in the coming days. We have His Word on that!
#106. I have a question about asking a personal blessing on food when eating in public. The book of Matthew instructs us to pray in private. I always bow my head, close my eyes, and ask a blessing upon the food I wish to eat, before I eat the food. If I do this action in public am I violating Matthew 6:1?
ANSWER:
Verse in question is…
Matthew 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
No violation there brother. It’s when you pray out loud before non-believers that violating Matthew 6:1 comes in to play. Yes, sometimes preachers do pray out loud in public, but that’s only when there is a gathering of believers, and prayer is offered up for baptism or some other situation at hand. What Jesus is talking about in Matthew 6:1 is where people do religious acts before many for the sake of being recognized as “holier than thou.” Verses 2-6 goes more into this when it says…
Matthew 6:2-6 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
As we can see, and especially in verses 2 & 5 those that do such things do so for a “reward” from mankind. The reward they receive is recognition from men that look upon them as “holy” because of their religious act. As Christians, we prefer the Lord to look upon our hearts first, and we have no desire to seek the approval of men. Bowing at a meal in a restaurant is actually a private act as you do so with closed eyes and closed mouth. Yes, some may see you do this, but it’s not because you did so in a way wherein they had no choice but to look at you as speaking out loud would have done. Truth is, doing so in as humble as a manner as you can muster can actually bless a seeker that looks on. Just as our Lord has you pray in silence to seek a blessing, He may very well have a seeker nearby that needed to see you do that. As I’ve always said, we may be the only Bible some people read.
#107. Is it ok to lie to protect others? Reason I ask is, Rahab lied and was rewarded for same. After Rahab lied to the king’s men about the whereabouts of the two strangers, she went to talk to Joshua’s men…
ANSWER:
The passage in question is, Joshua 2:9-14. Rahab is talking here, “And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death. 14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.”
Rahab believed that God could take the city because of what she heard about regarding the red sea. God’s plan has always been to draw all souls to Him, and Rahab was one soul that did respond. Still, she did lie. However, she was a babe in Christ. As a babe she has to learn right from wrong like anyone else. Still, being a believer, the promises apply to her as they do to us. So, since she didn’t know lying was a sin, the Lord won’t judge her for it. After all, it is written in Acts 17:30 “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:” And in 1 Timothy 1:13 “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
Rahab was a Cannonite Pagan Harlot. In short, a very active sinner. But at the same time she heard about and was moved by the truth surrounding the God of Israel. Yes, her lying was wrong to do, but her intentions were to seek favor of the God of Israel in the only way she knew how. No, this doesn’t nullify her lie, but she is blessed by her faithful actions as both the book of Hebrews and James confirm.
Hebrews 11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.
James 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Yes, she lied in the process of hiding Joshua’s men, and that was wrong as Scripture so eloquently declares throughout. However, her faith and obedience allowed her to gain forgiveness just as any of us gain forgiveness. As she embraced the God of Israel, she no doubt would have sought forgiveness for all her sinful ways. Had she not, I doubt Paul in his letter to the Hebrews, or in James epistle we would never have seen them mentioning her. I say that because I know our God is not a respecter of persons, nor does He compromise His truth in any way. If Paul and James declare her blessed, then it’s only because she did what Scripture denotes is necessary to gain the blessing. Hence, she had to have grown in her walk after her act to help Joshua’s men
#108. Hello again. A friend of mine and I were talking about the scriptures and he mentioned to me that he had purchased a firearm to protect his family. I had told him what you said to me about firearms and he brought up an interesting question. Soon people will actively seek our lives. He said to me to not try to defend yourself and just accept your fate and go with them (to be most certainly killed) is in and of itself a form of suicide. I was stumped, and so I turn to you for a Biblical answer. He also said that our country was founded on bloodshed, and not for the sacrifice of our forefathers we would not be here today. Is this not true? If there is an uprising in America, is it against God's law to participate and take up arms and try to change it for the better? This is very confusing. Thank you for your time and patience with me.
ANSWER:
Your friend has no faith in the God that promised to protect those that trust Him. Jesus said…
Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
And John the Baptist said in Luke 3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.
Truth is, Jesus had 12 men, and all the Angels in Heaven ready to fight for Him to stop them from killing Him. Yet, He refused to call them to battle.
In Matthew 26:52-54 we read, "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?"
I am saddened to inform you that your friend has no faith in God whatsoever, and he bases his ability to protect his family on the bloody history of an evil nation. Did not Pharaoh want the baby Moses dead, and did not God protect him? Did not Pharaoh and his army race forward to kill all of Israel in the desert after they left? Did not the Lord protect them and even split the red sea? Even Rahab the harlot had more faith than most today, and because of her trust in God, she survived along with her entire family without so much as a single weapon. Even Daniel, who was a head of State, could have mustered forces to come against his foes, yet he trusted the Lord and the lions mouths were shut before he even hit the den floor. Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego were cast into a furnace and only the ropes and the men that tossed them in that fire burned. Jesus our Lord, when He was an infant was targeted by Herod and his many forces, yet not a single hair on his head was harmed. This very same Jesus calmed the sea and all the apostles were saved from the storm. Jesus even reattached the ear that was cut off by Peter in a fit of rage when the Pharisees brought Roman soldiers to take Jesus away. Or take the venomous snake that bit Paul after the shipwreck he also survived. That bite caused no ill effects on him whatsoever. Better yet, when Paul was stoned by a mob that thought he was dead he stood up and walked away shortly thereafter.
Ask your friend this. How well did those guns protect David Koresh? The prophecy states all of mankind will come against us including all armies. The minute Koresh bought those guns he declared to the Lord that he doesn’t need the Lord to help him. He can do it on his own. Problem with that theory is, someone always has a bigger gun. But no one has a bigger God!
This is where so many Christians fail. They simply cannot believe that God will do as He promised in the Word when it comes to what prophecy says is our future state of being. Yes it looks scary for some. In fact I have had my fair share of death threats simply because of my message. But Isaiah 54:17 clearly says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Even the plagues won’t harm us as it is also written in Psalms 91:10 that “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”
Let me ask you this. If you were one that hated Christians, and at the same time were privy to the historical archives that showed how God protects His people over the eons, would you go after a Christian you know has only faith in God and no weapons when you know for a fact those archives are filled with historic facts on how God not only protected His people, but graphically destroyed those that came against them? No, of course not; you would do all you can to manipulate the faith of those Christians to try and get them fearful enough to lose their faith in God. The second David Koresh, or any Christian buys a gun, as far as I can see, they declare to those that hate Christians that they are now an easier target than before they bought that gun. Their faith has been so weakened that they no longer believe God can protect them as He promised. This is why the powers that be pump all sorts of fearful sights into the media today. Satan knows how fear made Peter doubt when he was walking on water that day, and so he uses fear against the Christians today. Truth is brother, some of us have actually seen people that have wanted us dead over the years, and all those that wanted us dead are now dead themselves via the strangest ways. Either you trust God, or you trust the flesh. That my brother in Christ, is up to you.
If you want to follow the path of your friend as did all those that have died before him, so be it. “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” - Joshua 24:15
#109. I have come across the word (resurrection morning) many times as i read different adult lessons for the sabbath and wonder if it really means so, that first resurrection will take place in the morning.
ANSWER:
There is no verse that states it's morning or daytime when Christ comes. However there is one that says He comes when it is night time and daytime. Yes, that may sound confusing but, the verse says…
Zechariah 14:7 “But it shall be one day which shall be known to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light.”
Keep in mind we live on a round world. When He comes, it will be daytime on one side and night time on the other. And He is coming for EVERYONE that is His bride. Seeing how they are going to be scattered all around the world, it will be day and night when He comes for His Bride.
We also need to keep in mind that Revelation 21:23 says, "And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." In other words, even if we are on the nighttime side of the planet when our King arrives, the glory of our King will light up the world with a brightness that supersedes the Sun. For it is also written in Psalms 148:3, "Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light." Think about that for a moment. The Lord is worthy of praise because He is greater than all that is seen or unseen right? And seeing how He created the Sun, it would be easily understood that His light was greater even of the Sun, and therefore, the Sun gives Him praise by simply existing in a way we believe to be bright and shining until He who made it arrives to shine brighter.
#110. Is it 62 weeks or 69 weeks before the Messiah? In the 70 week study it looks to me the information contradicts itself. Daniel 9:25 says it will be 69 weeks from the commandment to restore Jerusalem, but Daniel 9:26 says after 62 weeks the Messiah is cut off. If the Messiah is cut off after 62 weeks, he is crucified how does the other 8 years come into play? Thanks for your time!
ANSWER:
Yes, this can be confusing at times. Perhaps I need to clarify how I explained this on the site a little better... Here’s how I see it.
As we see in Daniel 9:24, two events are predicted here for the 70 weeks. It says that “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Yes, three things are listed here, but when Christ arrives and is “anointed” that coincides with Him becoming Messiah to “make an end of sins.” So, we are to focus on two things. That being the “holy city,” and “Messiah who makes an end of sin.” Daniel then goes into detail outlining these two factors.
Daniel 9:25-26 “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.”
The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was put forth in 457BC by Artaxerxes. This can be found in Ezra chapter 7. Daniel 9:25 says it took 7 weeks to rebuild. We know Ezekiel 4,6 stated "I have appointed thee each day for a year." Therefore 7 weeks, which is actually 49 days would then be understood in reality to mean 49 years. This brings us to 408BC.
Then Daniel says 62 weeks later (434 years) Messiah will arrive. This brings us to 27AD which is the end of week 69 and start of week 70. (408 – 434 = -26. Add 1 year for year “0” and you come to 27AD) 27AD is when Jesus started His ministry and was baptized in the Jordan.
Then Daniel 9:26 says Messiah is cut off in the midst of week 70. The middle of 7 is 3.5 right? So adding 3.5 years to 27AD we come to 31AD when Jesus was placed on a cross and killed, but not for sins He committed. Or as Daniel put it, “Messiah will be cut off but not for Himself.”
In short.. at the end of 69 weeks, Messiah arrives. During the 70th week Messiah is “cut off.” It’s not that Daniel 9:25 and 26 contradict. It’s that in verse 25 it emphasizes the rebuilding, and then it continues from there. Verse 26 just reiterates the 62 weeks as far as I can see.
#111. My friends and I were having Bible study today and were talking about the impending financial collapse of America. We discussed Marc 13:1 and how later in the chapter Christ talks of fleeing to the mountains to await his return. Is this the event he was speaking of? Or is there another event where we are supposed to flee? I know if it does happen there will be rioting, looting and martial law. Money will be worthless, and food will be scarce. I know I've asked before but I am trying to get a definite plan down to what I'm going to do for my family. Are we supposed to wait it out in our homes (and likely starve), or flee and try to rendezvous with other Christians? How will we know where other Christians are? These are frightening times and I know I'm supposed to trust in Christ, but I can't help but fear for my family and friends. I keep thinking of my wife, 6 year old, and 1 year old crying cause they are slowly starving and I am stricken with fear and worry.
ANSWER:
Dear brother,
Please keep in mind the Lord “hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) Satan will use fearful sites to try and weaken our faith as he did with Peter when he was walking on water. Keep your eyes on Christ and all will be well. If you stay in the Word of God daily, when the scary times arrive you will have enough Scripture in the heart that will allow you to hear His voice instructing you want to do, where to go, who to seek out, and how to hide. It is very important that you get into the Word daily. VERY important. Once you do this your faith will grow and you will learn to trust Him, and then all His promises will be most assuredly yours for the embracing.
For example, even if they enforce martial law, the Word says in Isaiah 54:17 that “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” Even if you are part of that number that is to be alive during the plagues, Psalms 91:10 says that “There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” And even if all the store shelves are empty, or worse yet it’s the time when we cannot buy food anymore unless we have the mark, we are not to worry about where our next meal comes from for it is also written in Isaiah 33:16 that our “bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure.” After all, if our God can feed millions of people as well as give them water to drink in a desert for 40 long years, I’m sure He can do as He promises here when the time comes for us to seek help from above. That verse in Isaiah also says at the start of the passage that we “shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks.” So your family will be safe while all the rest are in turmoil. That doesn’t necessarily mean in the mountains, even though some will flee there. We can “dwell on high” right now as we walk with Him who dwells on High. High of course meaning New Jerusalem.
Now yes, the day may come if you and your family are not to be part of the 144,000 in which you may be martyred to gain Heaven. But even here is a blessing, as death is only for a moment. If you are killed, you will resurrect as soon as the Lord puts an end to the wicked at His second coming. However, if you stay in the Word and strive unto that perfection that is seen in the 144,000, you will never see death. Yes they will still come against you to kill you and all those around you. But at the very moment they raise their weapon against you, the Eastern Sky will split, their weapons will fall useless at their side, and we will rise up to be forever with the Lord. So stay in the Word and seek a perfected faith in Christ so as to see Him glorified on that day. This is what we in the Seventh day Remnant church strives unto each and every day of our lives.
As for martial law, by the time it gets that bad I would hope that you and your family would have already moved out of the city to live in the rural area as many of God’s people have already done. Living in the city now is not healthy for you or your family. And soon it will be very dangerous to live there. In fact, it’s already gotten bad as I’m sure you’re aware. Crime is through the roof in the cities as Ezekiel 7:23 predicted long ago. As bad as it is now, it’s about to get very much worse very soon. For a little more info on how things will happen step by step, see this… http://www.remnantofgod.org/sabatak.htm#nsl
#112. What did Paul mean when he said he will be all things to all men?
ANSWER:
To become all things to all men is to be on each man's level of understanding to better help that man see the Light Paul is called to preach. This is confirmed when we see what he says in 1 Corinthians 9:22 "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Paul also said in Romans 12:16, "Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits."
No, Paul is not a shape shifter or even a chameleon. This is actually no different than the teacher who learns the dialect or even the culture of a student in order to be more effective in teaching them. Truth is, most ambassadors do this when visiting foreign nations. They learn the local customs and behaviors of the people for the sake of creating a workable communication. This is all that Paul is doing here.
#113. John 6: 65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
I've struggled with this ever since becoming a Christian. My question is did we choose to follow after God, or did God choose us to follow Him? I know we can do nothing good on our own, we require the Holy Spirit to even recognize the Saviour, Jesus Christ. But, we also have free-will. So, do we choose to be Christians or were we chosen to be Christians? It's just something that I've always been uncertain of but never really investigated. Thank you brother as always.
ANSWER:
This is one of those verses that are difficult to explain. Many like to use this passage to affirm predestination, but then that cannot be 100% true in that we are all allowed to make our own decisions in life. Still, the Father knows the end from the beginning, and He knows what path we will follow. Some will break the curse most families find themselves under and walk in the light of truth. For example, both my wife and I were raised in a Catholic household. We also have a long line of Catholic ancestors. But we broke the mold and followed a better path when we became aware of Jesus Christ and His truth outside Babylon.
What I find is the Lord will give His entire message of truth only to those who have walked in accordance with the light they understand. It doesn’t have to be much light, but they do have to see it as right and act accordingly. Once they respond well to the test, the Father will recognize them as true and faithful in accordance with the standard He put forth in His Word. Those that find favor with God will then be placed in a position in life that others gave up, who, having the light and knowledge as they did, but choose not to walk in the way of the Lord, and so forfeit the blessing. In other words, the ranks will not be weakened. There is always someone that will walk with the Lord no matter how evil the world gets.
Over the years I’ve learned that each one of us has a testing time before and after we meet Christ. Some of these tests may last for years or repeat over the years due to our stubbornness as well as the longsuffering of our Lord. He wants us to make the right decision in these tests. When we do decide to walk in the Light given, the test is passed and we move on. If we continue to fail, and then reach the grave before passing the test of faith, we are then eternally lost. I honestly believe this is why some very powerful and evil men seem to live so long. I believe some of these evil men live in to their 90’s, not because they’re healthy, as many of them indulge in all sorts of decadence which poisons the flesh. I believe the Father’s patience and longsuffering is that He gives extra years and many opportunities to repent so they won’t die in sin. He loves them that much. We see the Lord crying out to Israel in Ezekiel 18:31 where he says through the prophet, “Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
In other words.. as we walk through life we come to many roads of decision. Once we decide to follow the proper path laid out by the Spirit, it is then we are worthy of the Lord, and His Spirit further prods the heart to make that final decision to accept Christ as Lord and Saviour. No, I am not saying we are glowing in the dark sinless beings who can finally walk up to Jesus in perfect faith. No not at all. We come to Him as wretched sinners. In fact, even when man looks at himself or others, he sees nothing but sinful flesh worthy of the fires of hell. However, the Father looks at the heart and makes His decision on whether or not we are sincere in loving Him and wanting to be truly saved from damnation, not because we fear the flames, but because it is the right thing to do. Hence, the thief on the cross; he was a very sinful man indeed. So much so everyone knew just by looking at the guy that he was one disgusting criminal worthy of death by the civic standards of the day. But the Father knew the thief’s heart was ready to meet His precious Son as Saviour. So, He made sure he met Him that very day. Yes, the meeting was brief and very intense to say the least. But, that’s exactly what that thief needed to further prod his heart towards our Saviour. Some may say, that’s cruel, why did the Lord have to allow the man to die? Isaiah 55:8 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD."
In my life I’ve come across many situations in my life that blessed me in major ways. More often than not it always seems to be the hardest lessons that bring about the greatest blessings. The Lord knew if He approached the thief as he was at a meal, walking down a road, or even in the midst of a crime that it would not work with him. The Lord knew the only way to get this man’s attention was to place him on that cross. Yes, some may say that’s cruel. But look at the end result. That man will be in Heaven for all eternity! Was dying to get there worth it? That is indeed an understatement as far as I can see.
#114. The Lord does not want worship out of fear, that is why He did not instantly destroy Satan. But the Bible says to fear Him. What do you say? Should we not fear Him?
ANSWER:
There is a difference between reverent fear of the Lord, and fear of Satan and the world he masters. God is absolute; Satan and his minions are not. In other words, why fear the devil when the Lord can supersede his plans when we pray for help? Why fear Satan when one day even he will burn in Hellfire? Why fear Satan when the weakest Christian who cries out to Jesus to cast Satan from them causes Satan to literally flee in abject fear? Bottom line is this, the only one to really fear is God. And the wicked do in fact fear our God in a big way because even though most refuse to admit it, many of them know they are damned and they know they will answer for their sin when God’s wrath is placed upon them. However, since God’s people have not been given a spirit of fear as 2 Timothy 1:17 shows. Our fear is not defined in the way mankind fears. Our fear is more of a respectful or reverent fear of His glory. We have an absolute understanding of His power and our duty to honor Him as the Creator God. After all, He created us too did He not? The only ones with abject knee knocking fear of God would be those that don’t love or respect our God. And rightly so, Hebrews 10:31 says “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Jesus said in Matthew 21:44, "And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
In other words, if you fall upon Christ seeking help, your evil spirit will be broken. But if you wait for Him to fall upon you for your evil ways, you will be crushed to powder! For it is also written in Malachi 4:3, "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts."
#115 I heard that the apostle Paul was actually a false apostle. There are many websites out there claiming this and they even use his epistles to prove it.
ANSWER:
Yes, I’ve heard this claim before, and I’ve even seen some of the twisted claims on his epistles online. In fact, some are so bold to even email me their findings. But there’s a childishly easy way to prove they are lying. Better yet, you can actually get them to help you prove they’re lying.
All you need to do is ask them two simple questions. #1. Since you feel Paul is a false prophet, teacher or apostle, are you saying the entire New Testament should then be trashed? They of course will say, no. They will admit the other books of the New Testament are safe and inspired by God. So now you ask questions #2. So what you’re saying is, James, John, Luke, or even Peter’s epistles are then completely trustworthy and should then be considered part of the inspired Word of God? They of course will then say yes.
Then simply read them the following passage…
2 Peter 3:15-16, "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
There you have it! They just admitted to you that Peter was an inspired author and his epistles are the inspired Word of God. But we see here that Peter says “all of Paul’s epistles” were the end result of wisdom given him. And who is it that gives us wisdom? Proverbs 2:6 says, "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."
Truth here is, verse 16 is why some claim Paul is a false apostle. It’s only because his epistles are hard to be understood by those that are unlearned and unstable in the Word. The simple truth here is, they have the same spirit as do the Atheists that can’t understand the Bible. They wrestle with Paul’s words in the exact same way an Atheist wrestles with all 66 books of the Bible.
#116 Nicholas who compiled the Bible? If it’s not the Catholic Church as most claim? Then who was it, and what happened?
ANSWER:
Rome claims to have compiled the Bible. But those of us that know of Rome’s murderous past, eons of documented deceptions, and hatred of the Bible, we cannot help but to contemplate they are lying. What I believe makes more sense is this. A real Christian was called of God to compile the books of the Bible many centuries ago. This Christian soul did exactly that. However, a Roman Catholic priest discovered his work and then killed the man so he could claim his work as his own and brought it to the Pope as a gift for political gain and power. The fact we have numerous statements from the Vatican declaring their hatred of the Bible in writing suggests they could not have possibly been called of God to do such a work. For example, the Vatican has stated the following…
"The belief in the Bible as the sole source of faith is unhistorical, illogical, fatal to the virtue of faith, and destructive of unity." -The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIII, "Protestantism", Section III A - Sola Scriptura ("Bible Alone"), Nihil Obstat, February 1, 1912 by Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor, Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. The
decree set forth in
the year 1229 A.D.
by the Council of
Valencia...
places
Bible on The Index
of Forbidden
Books. The
doctrine withholds
"it is forbidden
for laymen (common
man) to read the
Old and New
Testaments. - We
forbid them most
severely to have
the above books in
the popular
vernacular." "The
lords of the
districts shall
carefully seek out
the heretics in
dwellings, hovels,
and forests, and
even their
underground
retreats shall be
entirely wiped
out."
Council
Tolosanum, Pope
Gregory IX, Anno.
Chr. 1229 For more quotes, see this… http://www.remnantofgod.org/beastword.htm#bible |
How can one that hates the Word of God be called of God to compile it? Jesus said it is by their fruits ye shall know them right? Are these the fruits of someone that loves the Lord and His Word? Look at the Bible itself for all the evidence you need. Every one of the 66 books was written by someone that not only loved the Lord and His Truth, they were known of God to be trustworthy enough to put pen to paper exactly as He instructs. Why is it after 66 books were penned would the Lord seek out someone that hates Him to compile those books? No, common sense boldly declares Rome did not compile the Bible.
#117 I am putting a lot of trust in Christ and you, please do not lead me astray
Little brother. I am just a man. I can make mistakes just as much as the next guy. I base all my answers on Scripture and will allow the Holy Spirit to guide me at every turn. STILL, I teach all my students to do as the Berean’s of old did when this new truth (Christianity) came to them 2000 years ago. It says in Acts 17:11 that, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
Never trust me or ANY man brother. Only trust Jesus Christ. Whenever I share with you, it is your duty to make sure that which I preach is found in the Word. This is why I post all the Scriptures as I preach online or in my webpages because I know some people won’t do the work to double check. So, I do as I do to make it easy for some because I know how truth can change a heart. But I also know how lazy some people can be. And by the way, I never just give Bible verse locations. I always share the entire verse in context. If you learn to do this as well YOU TOO will become one with the truth and able to share it with those the Lord sends your way. AND HE WILL SEND THEM. So, "sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" -1 Peter 3:15
If you’re willing to learn truth as it is written, I am willing to share it with you as it was given to me. It is up to you to move ahead on your own path to do that which He called you to do.
#118 When speaking of a brother that has many videos online that preaches similar to our message, but uses some edited worke that is actually deception and even preaches error when it comes to Sunday Laws. This brother also made a video recently with a Hollywood star who in one video stated he was leaving the business, but in a mainstream Newscast recanted his remarks and even announced his new season, should we send people to this brother’s other videos that seem on the same page as our church’s statement of faith?
ANSWER:
In this day and age our Lord is gathering His obedient flock under His wing to do the final prophesied work of the Loud Cry. Anyone that will not obey Him as He outlines in His Word “TO THE LETTER” will have to be “shaken out.” And it doesn’t matter if they’re a respected Christian, an elder or even a pastor in the church. If they step off the path God set before them in any way shape or form, they cannot be trusted by our Lord to do what He needs for them to do before and during the time of Jacob’s trouble. Our Lord will simply remove them so as to keep His obedient ones safe from their negative influence.
Yes, we will still have some that will be in our number that won’t walk right, but as Jesus had His Judas, we too will have the opportunity to help them see the truth as best we can all the way to the close of probation. After all, God’s remnant people have been praying for the Latter Rain to fall upon them and we know it cannot fall unless two biblical requirements are found in this church just as it was when the Former Rain fell 2000 years ago.
The people of God must all be in one accord when it comes to His written Word cover to cover.
They must all be actively doing the work of spreading the present truth.
Many have left our number over the years that lacked one or even both of these requirements. Sometimes the revolving door of members and the loss of loved ones can be very distressing to those that love the Lord more than anyone else in their lives. Still, Jesus must come first because those people, no matter how loved or respected they may be, they are simply not our Saviour! Jesus is!
Matthew 10:37, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."
For us to love someone more than Christ is simply impossible for God’s people to do. So yes, even though it’s hard to hear bad news about those that have obvious gifts to do a mighty work for the Lord have fallen off the path, we should never let them affect the work we do while still on this path. Truth is, this type of problem has been going on for 6000 years. Take Nehemiah for example. When he was called to rebuild the wall of the city for God, Sanballat came along acting as if he was someone to try and slow the work. How did Nehemiah handle it?
Nehemiah 6:1-4, "Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner."
They will come, and yes some will come repeatedly. Some will even come acting as if they are important and part of our number. Some will even claim the title of elder or pastor to try and keep us off guard. But God’s obedient people know that when they are doing as God directs in the Word, they must ignore those that are working outside His Word. And yes, they will keep trying to slow you down. In fact, they will even declare lies about you and the work you do as did Sanballat of old. It says in Nehemiah 6:8 that Nehemiah, "sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart."
Some of us have seen this type of attack quite recently, and it was brought forth almost exactly as Sanballat did thousands of years ago. But that’s only because the demons that plagued Sanballat are still active today. Do we need any more proof that God is with us and not with them when the fruit is before our eyes? No, we do not. We simply need to do as the Lord commands.
2 Corinthians 6:14,17 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”
#119 Is gambling ok? I understand going into a Casino is sinful, but what about buying lottery tickets or going to a horse race?
ANSWER:
Any type of gambling is frowned upon as one who puts his wealth gotten of God “in a purse with holes.” And as we see how gambling can become an addiction that destroys families and lives, it is not something Christians would ever sanction.
2 Thessalonians 3:10, "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat."
Gambling is not “work” at all.
One easy method of discovery on such things that are not easily found in Scripture, we must use the wisdom and discernment the Holy Spirit grants His obedient children. For example; there are literally tens of thousands of case studies wherein it has been proven time and time again that gambling destroys lives. Many become addicted and lose all their savings and even their homes because of it. Some go so far as to commit violent crimes to get the money they need to keep gambling. And some even end up dead after borrowing large sums of money from mobsters who kill them when they can’t pay. Jesus said it is by their fruits you will know them right? Does such activity appear to be something the Lord would consider respectable?
NOTICE THIS:Haggai 1:6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.
#120 Shalom, please we were made to understand and believe the Ten Commandments shall save us on the judgment day if we strictly go by what it says. Please i want to find from you, are we saved or going to be saved by the Ten Commandments that we observe or the grace of Jesus Christ. Where does the ten commandments and the grace of Jesus stand in our salvation? Thanks, God bless you.
ANSWER:
No man is saved by keeping the Ten Commandments. They are fruits of a Christian. We can only be saved by Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross 2000 years ago.
Acts 2:21, "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
Acts 4:12, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
Romans 10:13, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."
If you were to do a study on the two covenants you would find that the old covenant was nothing more than man trying to keep the agreement he made with God thousands of years ago at Sinai. Man of course broke that agreement with many sins over the eons. So a New Covenant was necessary. But not because God failed in anything He did. No, His part of the agreement still stands firm as it did long ago when He spoke it. We are the ones that sinned and broke the contract. But because our God is a loving God, He blessed us with a way to reconcile our relationship with Him in the form of a new covenant.
Hebrews 8:8-10, "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:"
As we know, the Old Covenant was ratified by the sprinkling of the blood of an ox. (Exodus 24:4-8) How was the New Covenant ratified? By the spilling of blood of a spotless sacrifice. His name is Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Hebrews 13:20-21, "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
In short, man overwhelmingly proved he could not keep the law of God before Christ came to place it within our hearts. Now, with the help of the Holy Spirit guiding us each day, we can keep the Ten Commandments.
Romans 8:3-4 says, "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
In other words.. I don’t keep the Ten Commandments to GET saved. I keep the Ten Commandments because I AM saved. Without Christ I could not keep His Law. With Christ, His Spirit now helps me keep it.
#121 Why do so many Christians talk about a third temple being built? Is this Biblical prophecy?
ANSWER:
No, this is not biblical at all. I know of no prophecies stating a third temple is needed, or even prophesied to be built in the last days. It is a lie of the devil. Now, it may very well be built so as to lure more people into Hell by making them think it was a prophesied occurrence. The devil has been known to create false prophetic events, manipulate mankind so as to cause them to appear fulfilled so as to make people ignore the real ones our Lord already penned in His Word.
For example, Satan has most people watching Israel right now with the thought they are the chosen people of God when in fact they are not. I have a long list of Old Testament prophecies and New Testament verses declaring them fulfilled on my “Who is Israel” page proving the people of Israel are no longer considered the chosen People. I won’t go in to detail here as that would take some time. Just visit that page when you get time.
One easy way to demonstrate a third temple is useless is by allowing Jesus’ words on the cross to be heard clear enough by those questioning this reality. Jesus said “It is finished” on the cross did He not? All the ceremonies in the Temple were designed to ready the people for the Messiah who would perform those ceremonies in reality. The temple was merely a type wherein the sacrifice for sin was brought forth so as to gain atonement. But Jesus said in Matthew 12:6, "But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple." Jesus was what those ceremonies in the Temple services prophesied about. When He came, the work of salvation was to come to a close. Even Daniel the prophet stated in Daniel 9:27 that Messiah "shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.” When Jesus died on that cross the sacrifice for sin was finished. This is why it is recorded in John 19:30 that after Jesus said, "It is finished: …he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." Therefore, building a third temple is not only a complete waste of time since the Lamb of God was already sacrificed as a remission for sin, it is also mockery of what happened on Calvary so as to make the people think what Jesus did was insufficient. This is why I have issue with those Christians that keep the feast days. Do they not mock the Lord proclaiming that which He did on Calvary was not enough? Truth is, the Lord’s Supper that we partook of last week was what our Lord put in the place of those feast days.
1 Corinthians 11:26, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come."
John 13:15, "For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."
#122 The passage in John 3:13 "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."I am reading this to mean that no man has ascended up to heaven except Christ. Is this a wrong interpretation of this verse? I am assuming it is, because then where are Elijah and Enoch if no man has ascended to heaven except Christ. How can this scripture be explained in context.
ANSWER:
I guess the way the wording is situated in the Word is where confusion comes in. The KJV translators have been known to be a bit Shakespearean in their methods. Hopefully I can clarify it a bit.
Jesus says in the verse something neither Enoch nor Elijah can emulate. When speaking of Himself, Jesus says He was one that came down from heaven. Jesus is the only one in the history of mankind that came from Heaven, and then went back to Heaven. Enoch and Elijah started life on Earth, and later went to heaven. When they got there, Jesus was already there.
#123 Could you please tell me what the significance is concerning the splitting of the great veil in the temple when Jesus died on the cross? Thank you
ANSWER:
The temple services, the sacrifice of the “lamb” and the sprinkling of the blood upon the veil as an offering for sin were no longer viable. Those Mosaic ordinances pointed to a future event wherein the true Lamb of God would come to have His blood spilled for all the sins on mankind. In fact, Colossians 2:13,14 says God “having forgiven you all trespasses, 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;" That is why the exact moment the Lord Jesus cried out in a loud voice “it is finished” and died, the temple veil ripped. The long prophesied “Lamb of God who taketh away the sin” (John 1:29) died for us exactly as He promised He would in many prophetic statements.
Matthew 27:50-51, "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;"
All those prophesied acts that were performed in the temple services as offerings for sin were finalized on that cross. After He died, the temple sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood was no longer necessary to point to a time in the future when Messiah would come to fulfill those acts of obedience in reality. It was truly finished that day. Hence, the veil that prevented the common man an audience with the Lord was no longer needed. Mankind could now come to the Lord in faith and have his sins forgiven by merely accepting the Lamb sacrifice on Calvary as payment for His sins and in so doing the Spirit of God would now be in the hearts of men and no longer hidden behind a veil wherein only the High Priest could attain to.
Hebrews 2:17 & 4:14 says, "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." [So,] "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
The veil was also a visible reminder to all sinners that mankind could never hope to come near to the Father due to sin. We know the sin offerings were offered daily, and the atonement was done annually for thousands of years overwhelmingly illustrating mankind’s inaccessible position to God in reality. We simply had no way to reach the Father because our sins completely “veiled” our approach. When Jesus died, that barrier was forever removed, but only for those that put faith in His death as the true atonement for their sins. For thousands of years the faithful waited for Messiah’s promised remedy for sin; and on that day it was fulfilled to the letter.
In short.. Jesus said “it is finished,” and then gave up the ghost. At the very moment that temple veil ripped and in so doing confirmed throughout all the Universe, it is finished!
#124 I read your page about unclean foods (http://www.remnantofgod.org/health.htm#faq) and I agree with it completely. But my question is, if this is true and the Lord has still deemed these foods unclean, why would he say in verse 13, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat"? If he is only talking about spreading the gospel to the gentiles, why would he show him all the beasts of the earth and tell him to kill and eat?
ANSWER:
In visions, just like in prophecy, we must understand how the Lord speaks. He often uses a pictorial language, and just as in prophecy, symbols in vision must be defined. He actually speaks this way to protect His Word and His people who have eyes that see. The prophetic symbols allow for the wise to understand but the wicked cannot decipher it because they don’t study the Bible like we do. As you probably already discovered, the Gentiles were considered “unclean” by the Jews in Peter’s day just as certain animals in the wild are unclean. In fact, the Jews often called the Gentiles “dogs.” So.. why did the Lord say “kill and eat” three times.
Acts 10:19, "While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee."
The sheet came down THREE times because THREE UNCLEAN MEN were at the door. And the term “kill” is symbolic as well. For example, notice this…
Romans 6:5-8, "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:"
Peter was being instructed by the Lord to help those three men come to a saving knowledge of the Lord that would allow them to be “dead with Christ.” In accepting Christ as Saviour, they would kill off their old ways and become anew in Christ. As for eating, notice this…
Jeremiah 15:16, "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts."
When we “eat” the Word, we digest the truth all the way to the heart.
#125 Someone on an online blog use Mark 2:23-28 to say the Sabbath is no longer valid because Jesus broke it, or disregarded it when He was walking among us. How do we respond to this?
ANSWER:
Mark 2:23-28 "And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."
First of all, nowhere in this passage does it say Jesus abolished or broke the Sabbath. What it does say here is the Pharisees assumed Jesus and the apostles were breaking the commandment by picking corn to eat. Yet Jesus proves with Scriptural facts regarding King David, whom the Jews respected, that He and His apostles were not breaking Sabbath at all. Jesus clearly corrected the false teachings of the Pharisees here.
If
it
was ok for David to relieve
his hunger, and the hunger of
those with him by eating bread
that had been consecrated and
set apart for holy use, then
it was perfectly ok for the
disciples of Christ to satisfy
their hunger by plucking the
corn on Sabbath day. Both
David and the Apostles were in
God’s employment.
Basic reality dictates here
that the temple priests, and
even pastors today, perform
greater labors on each Sabbath
as they do God’s work,
do they not? The same type of
labor in secular business
would in fact be considered
sinful. However, the work of
the priests was in the service
of God. The labors they
performed each Sabbath pointed
to the redeeming power of
Christ. Their labor was in
perfect harmony with the
object of the Sabbath day so
as to get the work done that
brought souls into the truth.
After all, is it not wise to
do good on Sabbath? But now,
Christ the Messiah Himself had
come, and was walking among
them.
As all Christians will agree, the disciples, were employed by God to do a holy and sanctified work. They were merely doing that which was necessary for the achievement of their Heavenly appointed work on Sabbath day. Jesus confirmed this truth by stating He is “Lord of the Sabbath.” Seeing how His apostles followed and emulated Him, this proves they are employed to do His work and therefore free from guilt as well. Just because the Pharisees didn’t see them as men employed by God doesn’t make it true. After all, they denied our Lord as Saviour, did they not?
Bottom line is, Jesus or His apostles didn’t break the Sabbath here at all. Biblical truth is, “sin is the transgression of the law” according to 1John 3:4. In other words, breaking the Law of God is how sin is committed. Commandment #4 concerns the Sabbath day. To say Jesus broke Sabbath, is to say Jesus sinned by breaking God’s Law. This is exactly what the Pharisees are trying to declare here because they hated Him and His message. Yet as Christians we know Christ never sinned. Truth is, if He did commit sin, He would never have been that spotless Lamb of God and Saviour to you and me. Jesus proved in Mark chapter two that the Pharisees were in error regarding a sin they invented about plucking corn on Sabbath day for Gospel workers. Yes, it would be sin for those that harvested corn for a living if done so on the Sabbath. But Jesus and His apostles were not employed as farmers. They were simply hungry men employed of God.
By the way, for those who assume it is ok to break Sabbath by using this passage, they are in reality trusting the word of a non-believing Pharisee, who was just corrected and exposed as in error by Jesus Christ Himself. In other words, those that believe the Jews were correct in their assumptions, and ignore how Jesus defended the Sabbath truth, and corrected the lying Pharisees, are in fact taking the word of the Pharisees as truth over Christ. As we all know, the Pharisees deny Christ as Lord to this day. Who then is telling the Truth? The ones who know not the Word? Of the one who wrote the Word Himself?
#126 Eating the fatted calf, and what does "absent from the body and present with the Lord" mean in 2 Corinthians 5:8?
"why does the Lord use parables of the fatted calf for eating when the son returns, and the wedding feast with the oxen and fatted calf on the table in Mathew 22? What do these foods really signify? I just don't know why the Lord used meat to eat in those parables. Also people say to me that are Christians," to be absent from the body means to be present with the Lord. "This one is the main theology for the soul being eternal and going to heaven upon death. As many scriptures that say we are sleeping in death, they are all ignored due to this one.
ANSWER:
The verse in question regarding being absent and then present with the Lord is…
2 Corinthians 5:8, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
Many use this passage as a basis of "proof" because it says "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." They teach this means Paul is advocating life after death immediate. One point many miss in regards to this passage is the fact that Paul is commenting on the carnal nature of the people that should be "absent" so as to walk "in the Lord" as true and obedient Christians. With that said, do these next two passages declare Paul dead and speaking from the grave as their assumptions illustrate?
1 Corinthians 5:3, "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,"
Colossians 2:5, "For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ."
The meaning is obvious when taken in context to that which is written. To be absent from the body is to deny the flesh and therefore be present with the Lord as we walk in the Spirit. Romans 6:6-8 put it ever so plainly when it said, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:" And John 3:6 says, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." Let's not forget Romans 8:1 wherein it says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
As for the fatted calf in Matthew 22; they are taking Jesus out of context. He was talking to Jews at that time, and tradition was to kill the fatted calf for weddings. This is what happens when Sunday keepers are taught that the Old Testament is obsolete. Jesus was speaking to people that only used what we call the Old Testament today. He was literally writing the New one at that time, and in so doing borrowed heavily on the Old Testament further confirming its eternal position. We all know Jesus taught truth using terms the people listening could understand. When he spoke to fishermen about gathering souls to Heaven, He called them “fishers of men.” Does this mean we must now go into the oceans looking for souls to preach to?
Due to inept preachers, teachers and pastors, most Sunday keepers have a tendency to take these parables out of context to make them say things they never say. Like the story of Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. They claim this proves we go to Heaven instantly and that people can speak to God from Hellfire. So, does this mean Heaven is inside the chest cavity of Abraham? No, of course not. But they don’t address that obvious issue any more than they do any other twisted theology.
Bottom line is this. It is a parable. Parables are not to be taken literally until after all the symbols are defined, and the true analogy is revealed. Plus, Jesus is obviously using Old Testament traditions when explaining to people that used only the Old Testament Scripture at that time. They had a celebration at weddings; and we too will have a celebration at the Wedding feast in heaven. For them to say we will be killing animals in Heaven is also a bold faced lie of Satan. Everyone knows the diet in Heaven will be Edenic wherein no flesh will be eaten at all. So, for them to use this parable to claim meat eating is now acceptable because we will eat meat in Heaven is nothing more than a lie. Genesis 1:29 confirms this when it says, "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
We were created to be Vegans. If they doubt that, ask them to look at the teeth of a cow, a horse, a giraffe, a goat or even the dinosaurs. They have the same teeth we do. Now look at meat eaters like cats, dogs, and crocodiles. Big difference isn’t there? Our teeth our designed for grinding vegetation. Their teeth are designed for tearing into flesh.
The prophetic definition of ..
Calf = tender and good, sin offering, Christ (See http://www.remnantofgod.org/books/docs/REV/Revelation.htm#calf )
As for the oxen. That animal never appears in Revelation, so I don’t have an online definition study on it to share. But I do know it symbolizes the avid worker as is apparent in Proverbs 14:4 that says, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.".
#127 The Vatican didn't compile the 66 books of the Bible?
Nicholas
You stated in an email: "The
Vatican didn’t
“correctly”
preserve the Canon.Then who do
you say preserved the 73 book
canon from 382 AD when it was
first promulgated by the
Catholic Bishops at the
Council of Rome under the
authority of Pope Damasus I
until the 16th century when
Luther removed 7 books?
Especially since Christian
doctrine from 33 AD - 1517 AD
was unanimously Catholic with
worship including the Mass,
the eucharist, the priesthood,
etc.
ANSWER:
First of all, the Apocrypha has been proven by many scholars and Christians with the Holy Spirit that it is not inspired. In Fact, those books uplift Pagan theology. This is why all Protestant faiths to this day refuse it.
Secondly, in regards to who compiled the 66 books that were inspired; judging by the admitted murderous past of the Vatican as per John Paul II’s lips on March 12, 2000 in his globally broadcast mea culpa, and the thousands of documented facts regarding the evil fruits of the Vatican prelates, this is how those with eyes that see understand it. A true man of God was moved by the Lord to compile the 66 books of the Bible. A Roman Catholic priest discovered the man’s work. Killed the man and then claimed the work his own for the Church of Rome. Because the 66 books were so blessed and easily seen as inspired and quite able to expose the Vatican and their agenda, they decided to do as prophecy said they would do, they set out to “defile” and confuse the work by adding the Apocrypha.
As for the claim worship was predominantly Catholic from 33 AD on. That is historically impossible. The Sabbath itself proves that to be a lie of the Roman prelates. Jesus predicted the Christians would be keeping Sabbath when He prophesied 40 years in advance about the 70AD destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew 24. When describing the horrific event wherein 1.1 million Jews died, Jesus said in Matthew 24:20, "But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:" Catholic prelates claim Christians started to keep Sunday holy in 33AD directly after Jesus arose. But here we see Jesus was predicting they would be keeping it 40 years later. That historic fact alone confirms the Roman prelates lied.
One more thing to keep in mind is the first Sunday Law in 321AD also confirms Christians were still keeping Sabbath and Satan was merely trying to “change times and laws” as the prophet Daniel said he would. Plus, we have loads of historic facts to confirm Christians have been keeping Sabbath all along. I have a page on the website wherein I show evidence of them keeping Sabbath in every century since then. Our King and Saviour Jesus said the gates of Hell would not prevail against His church, and they have not. Truth is, John Paul II even admitted, in writing no less, that the Gates of hell DID prevail against the Catholic Church in his mea culpa as well. But then, that’s a whole nother topic.
#128 I need advice on how to do this work more effectiv+ely
I need to ask advice of how to do this work more effectively, I think I scare people sometimes with the intensity I have for this truth to get out.
ANSWER:
Dear brother, no matter how much you try to soften or sugarcoat the truth, some people will be offended no matter what you do. So, do as the Spirit leads you to do and watch the Lord’s hand move. What I’ve discovered over the years is that in some cases, the Lord moves me to be extra gentle, and in some cases extra bold on an individual basis. Later I find (if they tell me) that the method I used was exactly what they needed at the time. So.. again.. do as the Spirit leads.
#129 Will Sunday keepers be in Heaven?
Why do you think alot of of people still go t church on sunday ? If they do go to church on sunday but confess that God is their Lord and savior, will they still go to heaven? I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. (broken English)
ANSWER:
We do have believers in your country brother, but no church building as of yet. In fact, we never plan to make any church buildings outside of that of a simple home church structure from time to time because the end is near enough where we should only meet in homes to keep infiltration down.
As for Sunday keepers; if they ignore the prophetic facts regarding the truth about God’s Law once it’s shared with them in clarity. And prophecy boldly says IT WILL be shared with them where they will understand it perfectly, then yes, keeping Sunday holy will guarantee Hellfire. No, we are not saved by keeping the Law. But when someone is truly saved by the Lord, He directs their path, and they keep the law as His Spirit moves them to. In other words, we don’t keep the law to get saved, we keep it because we are saved. Therefore, if someone keeps Sunday holy while claiming Jesus Lord, and they understand there is no Bible verse to back up Sunday keeping, then they are not in obedience to the Lord. Jesus would never move them to keep Sunday holy at all. They are merely doing as Isaiah 4:1 said most will do right before the end.
As for those that have go to their graves before hearing the Loud Cry that educates the masses regarding God’s Law. We know it says in Acts 17:30, "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" Which means, we are only judged by the light we are given. If those Sunday keepers were as obedient as they knew to be and honestly thought Sunday was the Sabbath, they will gain Heaven.
#130 How do we prepare for what's coming?
Are there any specific preparations that we, as Christians, should do beforehand other than assure to the best of our ability that our walk with Christ is correct?
ANSWER:
No man can effectively answer that question because the powers that be have some strange methods of control set up already. If you stockpile food, they will target your stockpile. If you stockpile cash, they will destroy the economy. If you build an underground shelter to hide in when they come, they will take you when you’re at work or away from home unable to escape. So again, no one ever knows what the future holds and what method of attack will be used against us as individuals. That being the case, a close relationship with Jesus, who was the one that directed David from cave to cave by the way, has to be our best method of defense as far as I can see. Without that discernment our Lord gave His obedient young king David, we won’t know how to react, where to turn, when to walk and when to run. How do we get that discernment? By studying the Word each and every day, and by praying without ceasing. And while we do all we can to learn His will and hear His voice, we allow Him to mold our characters to His divine simulate every step of the way. It can take years in some cases and only minutes in others for a change to come. But one this is sure, it will come if we are found obedient.
#131 Am I wrong to desire joy?
How do you keep your sanity and maintain Godly joy? I find myself feeling guilty for having a need to have joy in my life. I am serious about my faith and what's going on all around us. I never want to be in denial concerning any matter. I understand that God is our refuge, our hope and true peace! Am I wrong to desire joy and happiness while maintaining a sober mind?
ANSWER:
Nothing wrong with joy and happiness sister. The real blessing is when you find it in the midst of trial as Paul and Silas did in prison. After all, our Lord did inspire James to say in James 1:2-4, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
When I first came out of Babylon 30 years ago it was a trial for me indeed. All 10 of my siblings, both parents, all my relatives and all my friends rejected me almost immediately. But as the years went by, and my walk with Christ grew stronger, I learned how to keep a smile during the trial. He allowed for all those intense situations to come upon me so that I could handle the trials of today and tomorrow. So of course, I will count it all joy when I am tried because I know He is allowing it to help me grow in faith so as to endure what’s coming next. Truth is, quite often, that is my prayer, and the trial is my answer.
#132 If the rapture isn't true and the 7 year trib isn't true... Then what's gna happen..
ANSWER:
The rapture is true, but not in the way they say it is. The Bible does say the dead in Christ will one day soon rise out of the graves, and we that are alive are caught up to meet them in the air. But it says nothing about this happening in secret. In fact, it says it’s a VERY LOUD event realized globally and every human on earth will see it happen. Or as the Bible says, “every eye shall see Him” coming at end the world.
And no, there won’t be a 7 year trib. What they do is twist a prophecy Daniel spoke (called the “week of Daniel”) that talks about the first seven years of the Christian Church. The first 3.5 years was when Jesus walked among us, and the last 3.5 years was when the disciples evangelized the Jews right after Jesus left to go back to Heaven. They stopped preaching directly to the Jews after they stoned Stephen, which also happened to be the end of the “week of Daniel.”
Rome needed to hide that fact because it proves the 2300 years prophecy is true. (from which the “week of Daniel” was located) In that 2300 years is also the time the Vatican kills Christians for 1260 years. When you add up the prophetic dates that are found in that prophecy, it shows when the Vatican would begin, who it would kill, and when it would be mortally wounded by Napoleon in the exact year of 1798AD. But if you remove the “week of Daniel” and place it at the end of time like the Vatican does, you can confuse the people into believing Antichrist comes later at the end of the world. In so doing, the prophecies of Daniel get all messed up by subtracting the 7 years. The dates get scrambled and therefore never point to the Vatican as the problem.
Case in point. Most everyone today thinks the “next pope” after Benedict 16 was to be the Antichrist. Truth is, every prophecy that has been uttered by the Lord regarding Antichrist have been fulfilled by all the Popes of Rome, not just one at some future event. But since the majority believe in a 7 year trib, they can’t effectively put the puzzle pieces found in Daniel regarding prophetic events back together so as to see what’s actually happening today.
As for what’s going to happen next.. just about all of it’s done now. We’re just waiting for the New World Order that’s already on paper to become official, and the calamities to increase. Then the mark of the beast will be enforced, and the plagues will start. The time span during the plagues is of course the time of Jacob’s trouble wherein only the 144,000 can survive with their faith intact. All the rest of the Christians will have been martyred by now. In fact, over 200,000 of them die every year for their faith now thanks to Muslims alone. That happens to be the “little time of trouble” prophecy speaks of that happens right before the plagues begin. We are that close right now. And yes, the end of the plagues is of course is when Jesus comes to take us home. And the rest if HIStory.
#133 What does "double minded" mean in James 1:8, 4:8?
While reading the book of James, I found the term "double minded" (James 1:8 and 4:8). I do not fully understand the meaning of this term. Can you provide some insight or scriptural reference with a definition?
ANSWER:
James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”
James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”
Perhaps these verses will help explain the term “double minded.”
Matthew 6:24, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
1 Corinthians 10:21, "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."
Many people today claim to be Christians. Yet as we look upon them with eyes that see, we can see they serve Satan in how they knowingly commit sin thinking God will somehow understand or look the other way. The basic reality behind this is, we are at war with the devil. If a soldier was to go into battle fighting both for his side and the side of the enemy, or if he was being an ally for both his side and the enemy, would this not appear foolish and a complete waste of time to all those with common sense? Yet Christians do that daily all over the world. This is actually what Isaiah 4:1 describes about the majority of Christians in our day. They claim to be Christians to take away their shame, but at the same time they do as Satan tempts them to because their flesh enjoys it.
#134 Why did they stone people for adultery in the Old Testament but they don’t do that today?
Why did they stone people for adultery in the Old Testament but they don’t do that today? They also pierced slaves ears with awls, and demanded a tooth for a tooth. Why is it so different today?
ANSWER:
Most Old Testament occurrences that were done in a blunt manner, are today done in a spiritual manner. For example, when a man or woman committed adultery they were stoned to death in the Old Testament so as to better illustrate the absolute insanity and danger of sin. But when Jesus arrived he taught us how to forgive and forget. Still, if the person refuses to stop their sin, then they will have to pay the “blunt” price for their sin later on. However, today this is usually not executed by the hand of man, unless of course you consider the death penalty in some crimes in the world. In other words; if a man or woman commit adultery now, they are not stoned to death immediately. However, if they chose not to repent of their sin and eventually die a natural death with that sin un-confessed and un-forgiven, later at the resurrection of the wicked, which is at the end of the 1000 years, they will be put to death by God in a very blunt manner. Just as everyone looked upon the women in the Old Testament being stoned to death for adultery, all the Saints within the City will look upon those that are graphically put to death in hellfire at the end of the 1000 years for their sin of spiritual adultery.
The stoning in the Old Testament can be seen today as a proleptic event that will happen in the future. In other words, as it happened back then, it will happen in the end. The stoning is the symbolic example of what the Bible calls the “second death” that occurs at the end of the 1000 years.
And by the way, the pierced ear of the slave back then was a sign of loyalty to the homeowner. In other words, every slave was granted his or her freedom after 7 years. However, if they loved their master and his family and decided to stay on as their slave, they would permanently mark the ear as a sign that they were a bond slave by choice for live. It was a sign that the master was a good man and the slave loved him.
#135 Why are some Vatican quotes missing from their archives?
I'm not dis-agreeing or trying to be difficult; I love your web site but, the quote you, and others have posted by Cardinal James Gibbons regarding the penetration of Babylon into the RCC is not there on p. 106. ..at least not in the only edition I was able to find, and that was an 1877 ed. which is online. It is not on any page prior or past 106, and I really hate reading the whole pack of lies in order to try to find it. I realize that the RCC is the biggest fraud, forger, and counterfeiter in the world and could easily "SANITIZE" any publication they wanted to, but I'm in a debate right now and would really like a way to explain this seeming discrepancy. Please help a brother out if you have any info on the circumstance, and I will thank you in advance.
ANSWER:
I have literally 10,000 pages of data on the site now proving that even if that one quote was bogus, of which I doubt because I also know they have the ability to sanitize just about any book, how does one explain the tens of thousands of facts that back up the truth regarding this church? This is something many Catholics will base their reasoning on and Rome knows it. Rome also know there are literally tens of thousands of damning quotes floating around out there because during their heyday they figured they would never lose their power and never have to explain their crazed suppositions. But as prophecy predicted, they received their mortal wound and were put down just as our Lord stated they would be. After rising from the muck and the mire they knew they had a big job ahead of them and they knew they could never erase all the quotes. However, they also knew by erasing just a few hundred, and then using those they purposely erased as a basis in fact that they are innocent by accusing those of us with the real facts as fabricators, they know most of their brethren will believe them. This is where the Catholic individual has to get off the couch and do the work. Ignorance of the truth is no excuse when there is so much evidence piling all around them that their priests are corrupt.
I’ve been dealing with Catholics going on 30 years now and every one that is not interested in the facts that are so boldly presented have shown that if they can find just ONE WORD out of place, they will discredit literally thousands of facts piled all around them as being fabrications. Satan has such a hold on them that the truth means absolutely nothing to them if they can find a simple mistake they can tag as a lie. I’ve seen people walk away convinced I was lying on every page because of a simple and quite innocent typo made in one quote. And after I fixed the typo, they still claim it as if it’s present. A very strange sight to see indeed.
Bottom line is this. If they are truly interested in the truth, they will see it for what it is. If not, they will do everything they can to discredit it no matter how many facts are placed before them. So share with them as best you can, and then allow the Lord to water the seeds you plant when the time is right. If you try to convince each and every one of them you come across, you will eventually grow sick and weary. This is why the Word states in Titus 3:10, "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;"
When I first started out decades ago trying to convince every catholic I met, I found myself literally bogged down with doing research, essays, studies and even booklets filled with valid information to help just one soul, only to find them laugh it off and toss it to the ground when my work was done. Due to the fact I didn’t have a computer or the Internet back then to do the research, what takes me a few minutes or an hour today took me literally days and sometimes weeks to compile. Watching them blow all that work off as if it was bogus was a real eye opener to me. Still, at the same time I praise the Lord that happened because I learned how to do research and how to dig into Scripture more effectively. So much so, the Lord allowed me to do it as a full time minister today.
#136 How will we communicate after they remove the poGm website?
I know we are all thinking of ways to get the loud cry out without the use of the internet and I was wondering once they make it impossible for us to share the present truth on the internet, and they take your website down, how will the church family communicate with each other........do we call you?
ANSWER:
Yes.. we can us the teleconference to stay in contact, and if the Lord allows, we can even gather in places we won’t be detected to worship and grow in the Lord as they do in China and other anti-Christian nations. Our Lord is right now working out the details wherein we will be able to do the work He needs us to do after the enemy of souls removes all our tools we use now on earth. And unless we grow in faith and discernment so as to hear His voice and see His hand, we won’t be able to do as He needs us to do. So again, study the Word, and pray without ceasing. For as many years as I have been a Christian, I know without a doubt that this is the key to getting closer to Christ.
#137 Nick what does Proverbs 26:23-28 mean?
"Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with black dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. -Proverbs 26:23-28
ANSWER:
It speaks of the end result of a lost soul. Worse yet, a lost soul claiming to be a Christian who spreads lies about his brethren in what we call gossip today. Sadly, there are some that have taken this path today and have spoken evil against the brethren. In fact, this has been the case for decades as many within our number can confirm. These poor souls were once trusted and loved by the brethren and still are loved, but no longer trusted. We must withdraw from them so as to keep the body of Christ pure and undefiled.
What we always experience in this repetitive movement of the enemy is a betrayal of sacred trust. The things once spoken of in brotherly confidence are now repeated by these lost souls and misrepresented before as many as possible. Every word, every action, no matter how innocent and well-meaning they are will be dissected by the jealous heart so as to spread lies that bring the innocent down to a low level while uplifting the prideful one up. We are in the last days, so we must expect this and be very careful as to who we trust. In today’s world, it is only Christ we can trust. After all, they did this to Him 2000 years ago, and Atheists repeat those lies to this day. So.. again… trust only Christ.
#138 Does Leviticus 19:19 mean we can't mix clothing?
What does Lev 19:19 mean? People are saying that it means u can't wear two different kinds of garments. Which I know is not true. Lev 19:19 "Ye shall keep my statutes. thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woolen come upon thee"
ANSWER:
You’re correct; they’re twisting it a bit out of whack when they say we can’t mix clothing. However, the Lord was instructing them not to mix certain types of clothing. In this case linen with wool. Reason being is, it would make the body feverish. Those two particular fabrics have been discovered by scientists decades ago to actually cause the person to pass off natural electricity from the body in an unhealthy manner. For example; in a hot climate it could bring on fevers that can exhaust and weaken the person as well as cause excessive sweating and dehydration that can lead to worse things.
Interestingly enough we see this to be the case when we look further into Ezekiel 44:17-18, "And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within. They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with any thing that causeth sweat."
A similar effect can be seen with certain blends of materials in today’s world. I recall years ago wherein a reporter covered a story on how the uniforms of a specific baseball team had to be trashed because it made them sweat. Plus, I recall as a teen that my dad bought me my first suit. It was during the Summer and it was a polyester blend. It was like wearing a portable sauna!
#139 Why did the Egyptians so gladly give the Jews their jewelry and riches?
ANSWER:
The answer is found in...
Exodus 12:33, “And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.”
Many fail to realize here that the Egyptians were in the midst of losing all their first born children in this final plague. As they watched the deaths going from house to house they feared everyone else was going to die as well because they had no idea how far the plague would spread because they did not know our God or understand His command. Verse 33 confirms this when it says they thought “we be all dead men.” They obviously knew however that the deaths in each household were due to Pharaoh's refusal to let the Jews sacrifice to their God. So when the Jews approached them for jewels, gold and black to perform a fitting sacrifice, being all about worldly things as the Egyptians were, they gladly gave to them in the hopes the deaths would not spread, because they too would sacrifice to their gods, but of course their gods were nothing more than wood, hay and stubble compared to our God. One could say they thought this act of generosity would appease the God of the Jews just as they thought laying offerings before their gods would appease his anger when a drought was near, a sickness was spreading, or the economy was suffering.
#140 Does 2 Corinthians 3:7 say the Commandments have been done away with?
hi brother, i've been asked a question that i cannot answer. i was hoping you could help. what is 2 corinthians 3:7 saying ? does it say that the ten commandments have been done away with ? the part about " written and engraven in stones " has confused a brother in Christ. hope to hear from you real soon. thank you for your time. God bless you and keep you and your family.
ANSWER:
Verse in question: 2 Corinthians 3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
How I see it is when Moses kept the law as he did, he literally glowed of God's glory. But mankind fell and needed the New Covenant that is in Christ. His Holy Spirit is glorified in how He helps us keep the Law. The “glow” of Moses was to eventually go out when he died. In other words, If I was to put 2 Cor 3:7 in today’s language I might say something like… Since the breaking of this law etched in stone brings death, and is glorified in the truth it contains by doing so, just as Moses’ face glowed with the truth he embraced; so much so the people couldn’t even look upon him. This glowing was only for a time seeing how Moses did eventually die.
Looking at verse 9 later in the passage we see a bit more in this when it says, “For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.” (2 Corinthians 3:9 ) In other words, if the fact the administration of the law, which brings condemnation, glorifies God, it glorifies Him even more by the administration of righteousness. Moses kept the law perfectly, and thereby glowed as we will in New Jerusalem as we walk in perfection. Still, some will use this passage to proclaim the law was to be done away with. When in fact, this is not what the passage says at all. The Law is not only perfect, as per Psalm 19:7, it is also eternal as Luke 16:17 intimates.
#141 Must I be baptized to be saved??
ANSWER:
Baptism won’t save anyone. BUT, if you have the chance to be baptized, then you must take it as it is an open profession of your faith in the death and resurrection of our Lord. The only ones I know of that are excused from baptism are those on death beds and those that find Christ and then die by some accident before being baptized. If you have the chance to be baptized and still refuse to do so even though you have ample time and opportunity, then perhaps it is because you are ashamed of showing your faith in Christ in some way. Many young people suffer hear as their peers make fun of them when the Lord moves upon their heart. They don’t want to lose their popularity, be teased, or they don’t want to appear overly religious. All three reasons prove they love the world above the Lord. His love and His perfect way, which most young people think is strange and freakish today, is why some would rather not be baptized. It is these that are ashamed of Jesus Christ. And what does the Lord say about that?
Mark 8:38, "Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
#142 Should I buy survival items?
Hey
Nic,
I just wanted to get your
thoughts on an issue. I don't
live in the city. I'm about 40
minutes away or so. With my
recent tithing I'm already
seeing the results in trusting
in the Lord. I've been
debating on getting a tent and
some basic supplies for when
we'll have to be on the move.
Nothing extreme of course; but
is that not trusting in God
and His providing for us? I
was just wondering your
thoughts on the matter. I
respect your opinion.
ANSWER:
Dear brother,
There are so many different ways to prepare. And there are many factors none of us can contemplate when that day comes. Will we need a tent, a motorhome, a bike, a car, water purification, hiking boots, matches, etc. Whatever we need, will it be on hand when that day comes?
For example, you could have a tent, fire starting equipment, food, blankets, water and all sorts of items stockpiled in some closet somewhere just waiting for you to use it. But what if the time to flee happens when your miles from home and can't get to them? This is why I believe it's best to prepare spiritually instead of physically. Trusting in the Lord is the only and best way to be ready for when that day finally does arrive. We can't possibly know what we will need or when it will happen or where we will be when it happens. But He does. In fact, He will direct our every step to whatever it is we will need just as He did for the Israelites in the desert for 40 years, or David as he fled from Saul.
Notice this.. When the Lord instructed the Christians how to flee 40 years prior to 70AD in that prophetic statement; hear what He said to them about that day...
Matthew 24:15-18, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes."
If you go back for your clothes, then you do not trust him to keep you warm. If you go back for some food you had stashed, you don’t trust Him to spread a table for you in the wilderness as He promised. It’s at this time the faith of God’s people is prophesied to glorify Him before the entire Universe, just as it was time for David to run towards Goliath or Shadrach, Meshach and Abedego to step into that furnace. If you’re not studying His Word and praying without ceasing to be ready for that day now, you may fall short and be left behind. In short, a complete TRUST in the Lord to do as He promised is the only thing that will benefit His people at this time.
#143 Is it ok to drink Caffeine?
Hi. I just was wondering why I am not supposed to drink coffee/caffeine. If you could provide a related Bible passage with your answer, it would be appreciated. Also, the Bible I have been using is a New King James Version. It seems similar enough to the King James Version, but I wanted your opinion. Is the NKJV a trustworthy translation, or should I try and find an Authorized KJV? By the way, I think this is a very helpful website.
ANSWER:
Caffeine has already been proven decades ago to be a drug that can cause all sorts of problems for the body. Specifically the heart and the brain, not to mention the nervous system. If we consume such things knowing they are slowly destroying our temple, how will the Lord Judge us in this case? 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 says, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
In other words, if you know it is wrong to do, and then choose to do it anyway, it is sin. James 4:17 also says, "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."
As for the NKJV. This is a VERY dangerous Bible. It even has the 666 logo etched on the cover of the original version. See this site for more info on that… http://www.av1611.org/nkjv.html
The only safe Bible is the KJV. It’s the only one that matches perfectly with the Dead Sea scrolls that were found in 1947.
#144 Is it ok to attend a Sunday keeping church?
I see no wrong in going to a Sunday keeping church. After all, there are no other churches in my area. Don't you think that many ministries are just plain ignorant regarding Saturday Sabbath? …you have to take the meat off the bone with some pastors. Some have plenty of good truth to share and the rest is maybe just ignorance or the Lord hasn't shown them yet.
ANSWER:
This is how Satan works in such situations. He allows his preachers to use as much truth as is needed to lure the people into apostasy with them. As for “taking the meat and throwing away the bones,” why go through all that when we already know where the source of all truth is? If people attend churches they know to be in sin so as to try and glean “some” truth, then their disobedience of Christ’s command will allow some of the lies to appear as truth to them. Since none of us know it all, when a preacher comes up with a new twist on how to present a false doctrine we haven’t studied yet, it may appear as truth to us, and then we will accept it and be doomed for it. Yes, Jesus protects us, but ONLY in obedience. After all is it not written in the word many times not to join with those we know to be in sin no matter how gentle, loving, or truthful they may appear? There are many verses that confirm this, but my 2 favorites are,
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
2 Corinthians 6:14,17 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
Bottom line is this. The truth in His Word is plain about joining with those that don’t keep His Law or even believe in Him as we do. If we join with them in any way shape or form, we are placing the truth on the back burner to satisfy the flesh that seeks either fellowship, business connections, or even the allurement of a pretty girl or handsome man that happens to be in the congregation we want to frequent. In that case, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11 speaks volumes unto us, where it says, "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:"
#145 Is it ok to drink protein drinks when fasting?
"Brother, can we only drink water when fasting? Like 10 hours of fasting? ..I bought a hemp protein powder..it says organic..Nutiva hemp protein powder. Are we allowed to take this? God bless!"
ANSWER:
When fasting, for your health nothing but pure water should be used. The liver sees the protein powder water as a food. Therefore it will be working to cleanse the body during a fast. You don’t want to trouble the organs during a fast. They need to rest. Furthermore, Protein drinks shouldn’t be taken anytime. You are only putting an extra burden on your organs when you drink protein drinks. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables will give you all the protein your body needs. If fasting makes you dizzy, try a diet with many natural vitamins and minerals about a week before you fast to carry you over.
If this is a fast for a spiritual blessings or answer to prayer, there are many ways to fast that will please the Lord and gain the blessing you desire. You can find a list of these methods on David and Amanda’s website at http://www.rg2nh.org/fasts.html
#146 Where in the Bible does it say we no longer need prophets and apostles?
I
wanted to know where in the
bible it says that we no
longer need or have prophets
and apostles? I have been out
of the Mormon church for 7
years now and suffered
terrible trials. I am seeking
to go back and need some real
answers. I am not a 'hater'
just an honest seeker. Please
don't try to sway me, I need
to research this out for
myself. I read the 16 points
of a true prophet and agree
with it. What I want to know
it why the Christian church
does not need or believe we
have prophets now and where in
the bible you find this.
thanks.
ANSWER:
The only reason I state we have no need of additional prophets is because all that’s needed to be prophesied regarding the events that will occur before Christ’s return have been spoken. I do however believe prophets can be used of God today to further explain His will, certain hard to understand truths, and prophetic events laid out in Scripture that are future but hard to understand by the common man. After all, the Word does say in Joel 2:28, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:" and then confirmed in Acts 2:17 as being a prophecy for our day which says, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"
#147 What does Proverbs 20:14 mean?
What does Proverbs 20:14 mean? It says, "It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth."
ANSWER:
Have you ever sought to buy a car or something else of substantial value from someone on Craig’s list or on the street from a stranger? When you’re discussing price, do you not haggle the guy down and say it’s not worth that price, it’s not all that special? You point out the car has a dent here, some rust there and the motor is old because it has 90,000 miles on it etc. But later, after you buy it, you bring it to a friend and brag about how cheap you were able to buy it. You then show your friend that it has hardly any rust at all, it only has one small insignificant dent, and the engine only has 90,000 on it. So again, Proverbs 20:14 says, "It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth."
#148 Why can't Sunday keepers that study the Word see what we see?
I wanted to say thank you for showing me the errors in worldslastchance.com and also I wanted your input on why is the reason my grandma which she is a sunday keeper, studies quite a bit, more than most sunday keepers i know, but can't seem to grasp the understanding and truth of the Sabbath day even though I've shown her many scriptures, your videos and etc. It LOOKS like she's seeing the truth by nodding her head and what not, but her actions are the opposite. It can be tough seeing loved ones denying obvious truth once shared that exposes their false doctrines and denying the Holy Scriptures. Any input on this would be great.
ANSWER:
There are many reasons people can clearly see the truth, agree with it, yet still refuse to follow it. One reason is of course un-confessed sin. This is the main reason I have seen illustrated in many different ways over the years by countless souls. But there were also others that may be the problem here. Does she watch a lot of TV, movies or read novels? If so, her ability to understand has been compromised by the enemy’s entertaining allurements. When the brain is not allowed to think daily as it needs to, and the person watches TV or reads novels, they are led to a lazy form of thinking wherein the TV or the novel thinks for them. No deductive reasoning is allowed and therefor no exercise to the brain. This leads to a weak mind.
One more thing, does she have an unhealthy diet? If so, her brain simply cannot do as it was designed to do. Without proper nourishment, the brain simply cannot function well enough to understand certain truths no matter how well received.
#149 Does the name of the church really matter?
In your testimony Sabbath service, you talk about other churches wanting to join from Europe ETC. just a small question but does the name of the church matter like does it have to be seventh day remnant or can it just be remnant... this probably seems like a waste of time, but i just wondered why do names matter that much like for churches, but good to hear more churches joining the truth.
ANSWER:
The main reason we use the SDR name is because it is associated with our statement of faith. Plus, I found over the years when someone asks me what church I am a part of, what’s easier to say? I can say, “I am kinda like an SDA only we don’t believe in trinity, we don’t embrace the Pope, we don’t have 501C3, we don’t gamble the tithe monies in stock markets, we don’t do movies, we don’t have a growing number of Sunday keeping churches, we don’t do rock music, our preachers kneel in prayer before sermons, we don’t endorse and preach Allah is God, we don’t do easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc .. or is it easier to just say I am SDR? :)
Hello
could you please help me
understand something. I do
understand that Sunday first
day of week is indeed the
devils counterfeit Sabbath but
something that I am need you
to shed some light on is this.
I do understand the seal of
God is the fourth commandment
but now i read in Ephesians
that the Holy Spirit is the
seal of God, then confusion
comes from these Scriptures.
In 2 timothy 2:19 ...having
this seal? What seal? Then
ephesians 1:13 is saying
SEALED WITH that holy spirit
of promise ? This to me is
saying we are sealed with the
holy spirit? Help don’t
understand
ANSWER:
If someone has the Holy Spirit, then as Christ declared, the Law is written upon the fleshly tables of the heart.
2 Corinthians 3:3, "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart."
When we receive the Holy Spirit we then keep the law, which illustrates we are in fact sealed. For example: When Jesus said we will know them by their fruits, those fruits are how we walk as Christians. If we claim to be Christians yet ignore His law, our hearts are not sealed by the Holy Spirit. If they were sealed by His Spirit, the seal would be evident by the fruits of keeping His Law. This is also why the elect cannot be deceived. Better yet, this is also why certain Christians cannot receive the mark of the beast. When speaking of the mark of the beast, Revelation 14:12 speaks of those that won’t get it and why. It says, "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus."
Another way to look at it is, as baptism is an open profession of faith in the death and resurrection of Christ, keeping God’s law is an open profession of the Holy Spirit’s seal upon us.
Click here for in depth info "The Seal of God -vs- the Mark of the Beast
#151 Is Paul saying it's a sin to be married?
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul speaks of marriage. Is it better to not be married in order to please the Lord better? Have married couples inherently sinned just by being married?
ANSWER:
No, being married is not a sin. If it was, why did God pair up Adam and Eve as husband and wife?
Yes it’s true, Paul was never married. He simply said he “personally” thought it was best for others not to be married because it’s best to concentrate on doing work for the Lord. This is why he said in 1 Corinthians 7:8, "I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I."
But we must keep in mind that he also stated it was his own opinion and not the command of God regarding marriage. This is confirmed when he said 2verses prior in 1 Corinthians 7:6, "But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment."
Once married, the spouse usually leans towards helping or being with the other spouse as often as possible. Paul was also aware of how weak some people can be when it comes to the lusts of the flesh. In 1 Corinthians 7:9 he says, "But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn." What he meant here was; if you can’t contain the allurements of the flesh, it would be best to be married, than to burn with lust.
#152 Did Jesus die on Friday or Wednesday?
Did Jesus die on Friday or was it really a Wednesday as many ex-SDA’s are now saying?
ANSWER:
I have a page on the website that cover this, but for those of you that want a "quick" and to the point response to this doctrine of demons. Try using this method...
In John 19:31 we have all the evidence we need. It says, "The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away."
They claim, that Christ died on Wednesday, and therefore, John 19:31 would mean the following "Thursday" was this high Sabbath day. Problem is, that is NOT the Biblical definition of a high Sabbath day. A high Sabbath occurred when a feast day (In this case it was the Feast of Unleavened Bread) fell on the 7th day weekly Sabbath. Since the Seventh Day is already considered a Sabbath, and the feast days are considered "annual" Sabbaths, (See Lev. 23:23-38) when they fell on the same day, that day would then be considered a HIGH Sabbath day. A "Thursday" or "5th day" of the week would NEVER be considered a High Sabbath. That is an absolute impossibility.
PLUS.. notice this, in Luke 23:56 it states the woman did not prepare the body of Jesus on Friday because they, "...rested the sabbath day according to the commandment." Biblical FACT is, the Commandments speak of the Seventh Day Sabbath. Nowhere in Exodus 20, where the Law is penned do we see the feast days mentioned that would bring about a high Sabbath. The feast days were in the ordinances of Moses that Colossians chapter 2 said were abolished at the cross. The commandments were etched in stone and will never be abolished, for in so doing would threaten the sovereignty of the Kingdom of God wherein that Law is in fact the law of the land. PLUS, Scripture also stated Christ was put to death on the "preparation day," of the week, and the preparation day was never on a Wednesday unless a feast day Sabbath was to occur on Thursday. But the fact they declared it a high Sabbath confirms it could only be the Friday preparation day.
In all the pages of biblical history, as well as biblical jurisprudence, the preparation day has always been and will always continue to be Friday. This is graphically confirmed in Mark 15:42-43 where is states, "And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus."
OR... you can use this...
"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene." Mark 16:9
Another well documented historic fact many miss is that of a quote made by Justn Martyr. A man many denominations claim was a godly man. The Catholics, Anglicans and Orthodox churches have all declared the man a saint. No, that doesn’t mean he was, but they all admit his comments are historical in nature. Whether he was a saint or not, I do not know; but I do know his words were documented in historic record and he said, "For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples, He taught them these things, which we have submitted to you also for your consideration." -First Apology of Justin Martyr, Chapter 67
Now notice this, my favorite passage to expose the heresy of a Wednesday crucifixion.
Matthew 27:62-63, "Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again."
The "day of preparation" was always Friday. It was called the preparation day so as to prepare for Sabbath. These Pharisees came to Pilate on Sabbath directly after the Sun set to assure Pilate would help them guard the tomb of Jesus so as to prevent the Apostles from supposedly stealing the body to proclaim Jesus arisen. How I ask is this ignored by all those that preach a Wednesday crucifixion?
To further confirm the chronological order of days here, the Bible continues on to report the chain of events. We know it was Sabbath, because it says the Pharisees met with Pilate on Sabbath. We also know it was Friday Jesus died on because that same passage referenced the "day of preparation" and then mentioned Sabbath. Now the Bible continues the story in Matthew 28:1 and says, "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre."
So many claim this "Sabbath" was one of the annual ones that Leviticus 23 speaks of that fell on a Thursday, and hence the "day or preparation" on which Jesus died was a Wednesday. If that it so, how is it the Bible says after this Sabbath the very next day was "the first day of the week?" If He died on Wednesday, and the next day was an annual Sabbath, as well as "day 5" of the week, wouldn't the Bible say that it began to dawn toward the 6th day instead of the 1st day?
Sometimes it’s just that simple to expose the lie.
#153 Does 2Peter 2:4 say Satan and his angels were cast into hell before they were cast to earth?
2 Peter 2:4, "For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;"
ANSWER:
We need to keep in mind that the Lord often speaks in tones that depict the judgment is already done. For example; the "wages of sin is death" right? Yet when the sinner sins, he doesn't die instantly does he? It’s only at the end of the 1000 years that he will actually "die" in the second death. The reason I see 2Peter 2:4 using that type of terminology here is because of what it says in the end of the passage. It says the fallen angels are in chains of darkness reserved for judgment. But the start of the passage speaks of the final act "hell" at the second death. How can they be destroyed in hellfire AND THEN reserved to the judgment that will destroy them in hellfire?
Still, there is another, and I think better way to look at this passage with more truth from Scripture to confirm it. When the 1000 years begin, the planet will be covered in dead bodies due to the seventh plague’s destructive power and of course the long awaited blessed event we students of prophecy refer to as the second coming.
Isaiah 24:1,3 "Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word."
Jeremiah 25:33, "And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground."
Another definition of the word "hell" is grave. When those 1000 years begin, Satan and his angels will be walking about the earth, which at this time is nothing more than a massive worldwide grave. They are of course waiting for what happens at the end of the 1000 years. That means they have a "reservation" with God to be judged worthy of death when that day comes. And they will most assuredly die.
As for the chains upon Satan; we all know about the man possessed by a Legion of demons often broke the chains that bound him in the graveyard in Luke chapter 8. So how can Satan, who is more powerful than a man, be held by chains? Truth is, these are chains of circumstance. Satan’s desire is to tempt and destroy. But now that all the people he controlled are dead all over the planet, he has no one to tempt and destroy. He is effectively chained from doing that which he wants to do.
#154 Why were people stoned in the Old Testament and not stoned in the New?
ANSWER:
Stoning in the Old Testament is the blunt reality of the future death or hell as it is called in the New Testament. What I mean is, in the Old Testament, if they refused to follow the Lord they were killed almost immediately. In the New Testament we see that Jesus taught mercy in a more graphic manner. Truth is, this mercy was there in the Old Testament, and it was often illustrated in many ways. But when Jesus walked among us, He illustrated in a more personal manner our Father’s gift of repentance and salvation. If the people refuse His free gift of salvation offered to them, just as those that rebelled against Him in the Old Testament and were stoned, they will later be killed in hellfire at the end of the 1000 years. So in essence, their death is still absolute no matter what period in time they reside in. It just comes after a lifetime of ignoring the Holy Spirit’s efforts to get them to repent.
Still, this is not to say our Lord doesn’t judge some worthy of death quicker than others even in our day. Just as graphically rebellious crimes in the Old Testament were dealt with quickly by stoning, today many are sentenced to death for crimes of murder. Kind of makes one wonder if some from the Old Testament would look upon our death penalties today as being a bit swift. After all, in Old Testament times, some that caused their fellowman to die were allowed to find exile in neighboring cities. Today of course we place such people in jails until we decide their fate in a court of law.
#155 For the seven last plagues to rain upon the wicked, the Holy Spirit will withdraw from the world, but does that include the people of God?
ANSWER:
This has been a misunderstood doctrine for quite some time. But I have to ask, if this was true, why would Jesus say in Matthew 28:20, "..lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
#156 In Revelation 13:8, where it states whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Someone asked me, if God has already written the names of some people in the book of life, why did He want everybody to repent and does not want anybody to perish knowing that only those whose names are written before the foundation of the world will be saved?
ANSWER:
I never discuss such topics as "predestination" because they cannot be verified in Scripture. But I will say this. There is an obvious theme in truth when it comes to all this. What I mean is, some of us are the people of God, and some of us are not. Due to the bad decisions of men and women, the Lord allows us to have people close to us that will not gain Heaven in the end. These people are used of God to help us to grow in Christ in how they tempt us to be angry, and we refuse; they tempt us to walk away, but we persist in sharing Christ; or they tempt us to join with them when walking away is best for them. The people of God are being molded, fashioned and trained to become ambassadors for Christ in eternity. We need the good and bad people to be in our lives right now so as to have the tools and wisdom these experiences will grant us so as to be able to do the work we are slated to do either in the near future, or in eternity, or both.
#157 How would u explain to someone that the bible is real and not corrupted like the rest? And where does it say in the bible about the sabbath is the 7th day and to keep it holy?
ANSWER:
Most won't believe the Bible is real no matter what you do. However, you can show them how the historic facts in the Bible are 100% accurate. You can show them how scientific discoveries of today are spoken of thousands of years ago in the Bible. You can show them pics of Noah's ark and evidence of the global flood to confirm the Bible stories. Or show them pictures of the land that used to be called Sodom and how it's loaded with sulfur balls that fell from the sky and everything is destroyed and parched as Scripture said it was. Or Mount Sinai with the blackened peak from when God rested on it, or the chariot wheels from under the red sea where Moses and all of Israel saw them destroyed after Pharaoh’s men sought to kill them, or you can show them a large list of dated prophecies that have been confirmed true in every history book. Still, with some people, all this evidence will be ignored as if it’s all coincidence or merely your opinion. So again, even if you have the ability to outline all the evidence before them that confirms the Bible is true, some people simply won’t believe you. I repeat that so that when that day comes, you won’t feel as if you did something wrong or you were too uneducated to convince them. Only the Holy Spirit can open their eyes to truth. If they have denied the Lord all their lives, truth, no matter how powerful it may be, will still be ignored by those that hate the Lord.
As for the seventh day Sabbath. That’s Commandment #4 in Exodus 20:8-11 or in the New Testament it’s found in Hebrews 4:4,8,9
#158 I just wanted to know, do you think the saints will eat food in the Kingdom. I know that it's a trivial question but I was explaining to a couple of co-workers about clean & unclean meats & I was telling them that there will be no meat eating in the Kingdom. They were saying that there will be no eating at all & 1 of the Jehovah Witness guys was asking me where did I get that the saints would be eating & where do I be getting all of this crazy stuff from. I told him that the saints will have to eat from the tree of life to sustain immortality. He said I'm crazy.
ANSWER:
Yes we will be able to eat in Heaven and you are correct, there will be no meat eating in Heaven. We will be back on the diet of Eden. In fact, the Bible says plainly that at our very first gathering as the Bride of Jesus, we will be served a great feast in Heaven.
Revelation 19:9, "And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
So yes, we will be eating in Heaven. In Isaiah 65:21,22 it also says, "And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands."
Even the animals will be eating. Isaiah 11:6-9 also says, "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea."
So again, yes we will be eating in this “holy mountain” or “Heaven” as we call it today. In fact, we will also be drinking grape juice because Jesus Himself said in Matthew 26:29, "But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
As for the tree of life. Yes, you are correct again, it will be in the city for all of us to eat from. It says in Revelation 22:2, "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations."
The fact the Bible touches on this more than a few times proves, like many other false religions, the Jehovah Witnesses are taught to place their creed, or “statement of faith” above that which is written in the Bible. Something as simple as eating in Heaven proves they do not trust the Word of God as the obedient remnant of her seed does today. After all, why is there fruit in the city of Heaven in the tree of life if no one’s going to eat it?
#159 So the reason for the trials is cuz we are still sinning as christians and need to be taught a lesson? What if we don't sin? Are we still gunna have to deal with trials?
Yes and no.. Some trials come to teach us a better walk or to grant us wisdom, while others come to help us stop sinning. As for not sinning.. no Christian is sinless this side of Heaven. The reality here is this; when we have overcome one sin, the Holy Spirit reveals another one we never knew about. As we respond to His prodding of the heart, we are blessed with the ability to stop that sin as well as the next.. and the next.. and the next. For example.. when I first became a Christian 30 years ago I stopped all the sins I knew about. But then the Lord revealed to me that smoking was also bad.. so I quit.. then He revealed drinking alcohol, even moderately was bad.. so I quit that too. Then He showed me about my diet, and I quit eating unclean meat and then I eventually became Vegan as well. All these things were not sin to me when I was first saved. But later on, as my walk progressed and my wisdom grew in the Lord, I found some were sins and others would lead me into sin, so I quit whatever the Spirit lead me to quit. Tomorrow I am sure the Lord will reveal even more to me, and the next day and the next day and so on. This is why I say "I am striving unto perfection." Whenever I cross one hurdle, another appears for me to leap over. What amazes me the most is that none of these hurdles anger or even sadden my heart. When I see them I am actually glad to overcome them because I know when I do so I am that much closer to Christ and that much more blessed in the heart. And yes, at times they can be a bit difficult to overcome. But that’s ok too because the reward for doing so is literally out of this world.
#160 How do I flee from the cities as the Bible states I should do because of the end times? Where do I go? How do I survive, live?
ANSWER:
You just leave. You find a place to live outside the city, if you can afford to commute; you keep your job in the city and live outside of it. If you cannot commute, then find work outside the city and live as you have always lived. Later, when it comes time to flee to the mountains, caves or forests, the Lord will make it clear it’s time to leave. The death sentence will of course be a major clue. And don’t worry about where your food will come from. The Lord has promised to spread a table for us in the wilderness and our bread and waters will be sure. BUT NONE of this will be possible unless you study the Word and pray daily. Without that relationship with the Lord you cannot possibly be able to discern His will, or know when to leave when that time comes.
Isaiah 33:16, "He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure."
Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
One more thing we need to realize about all this is that the Lord will open and close doors in our lives wherein we have no choice but to be in a place He has set before us. What I mean is this. Many years ago, before I was aware I needed to get my family out of the city into the rural area, the Lord set before me a number of circumstances that left my wife and I with no choice but to leave the Chicago area and move to farm country. Everything from landlords refusing to rent to us, to employers refusing to hire me forced us to look for a place to live hours away from the city. Then shortly after moving away from the hustle and bustle of the city and being blessed with more peace than we ever knew possible, we not only discovered the truth about God’s Law and additional information about the beast and its mark, we also discovered in our studies that God’s people were supposed to move out of the cities. When we discovered that we were able to look back and see why the landlord’s kept changing their minds to refund our rent checks, and the companies refused to hire me even though I was more than qualified. It became quite obvious on that day that our Lord moved us out of the city.
Now the reason I shared that was not to make you sit back and hope the Lord does the same for you. He may or may not. What I mean is. We were Sunday keepers at the time and not very knowledgeable of God’s will. Plus I was rather stubborn and insistent on staying in the Chicago area. The Lord had to more or less force me to do what He needed me to do to get me to a place where I would learn to better understand His will for me and mine. But the majority of you within the sound of my voice have already gotten to that place of understanding His will spiritually today. You already know about the Law of God and you already know you need to leave the city. What I would look for in your case are the open doors He is placing before you right know to get out while it’s still safe to do so. And please, don’t echo the same old excuse I hear from so many people today. They think they need to stay in the city because all the jobs are there. I have to ask, have you ever seen the rural area? That’s right, there are actually people living out here that not only have jobs, they have rather blessed lives to boot. If there are no jobs out here, why is it there are so many people out here with homes and such? Plus, one thing I also noticed about living out here is, the gasoline is on average 25 cents a gallon cheaper, food prices are cheaper and the rent as well as mortgages is very much cheaper. For example, when we were living in the Chicago area, a small 4 bedroom house on a very small lot went for $1200.00 to $1500.00 a month! Out here you can find a large 4 or 5 bedroom farmhouse on 5 acres of land for $400.00 a month! I kid you not! In fact, when we first moved away from the city we rented a 5 bedroom massive farm house on 5 acres for $100.00 a month. We lived there for 8 years until we moved to Indiana to rent the 4 bedroom house on the same amount of land for $400.00 a month. Yes, you may not be able to find the same high paying jobs out here, but then you won’t need as much income to live out here either. The exact same jobs and careers are just as available out here as they are in the cities. The only difference is, out here you don’t have to deal with the traffic, billboards, crime stats, or angry police. Everything is so much more peaceful out here that it amazes me more and more people haven’t made the move.
#161
Hello
Nicholas, I hope your doing
well, I just wanted to get
what you had to say about
the Cross in brief, I thought
that you had once said and I
have researched it as well
that the cross is a pagan
symbol? I did a search online
to see how many times the
cross is referenced and quite
amazingly, it's mentioned
quite a bit. I have been in
discussion in explaining that
the cross is a
deception etc etc,
…and you know the
rest and I need not elaborate.
Please help shed some clarity
on this matter and hope to
hear from you soon
Take Care and God Bless
ANSWER:
Yes, the cross is a symbol of the Sun god Baal. Ancient Pagans worshipped the Sun. It was discovered one day by a Pagan back then that when he squinted with his eyes and peered through his own eyelashes while looking directly at the Sun, his tears gathered normally in the lower eyelid and refracted the light while at the same time the filtering of his own eyelashes made what appeared to be a cross of light appear before him. When I heard about that I literally went outside and tried it for myself to make sure it was true. It actually does happen like that. Just be careful to squint very tightly and move the lower lid around until you see what I mean. Camera lenses do the same think, but usually only in a vertical spire of bright yellow light. It’s just a natural effect is all.
So.. why was Jesus hung on a cross? Well, the truth is, Romans are Pagans. Whenever they would kill someone it would be considered an offering to one or more of their many Pagan gods. They would create a cross to place those they thought were criminals and worthy of death as an offering to their gods so as to appease them while at the same time please them in the hopes of reward. In short, obedient Christians don’t worship the cross. We worship He who hung upon it and arose from the dead 3 days later. This is why you don’t see crosses on our websites or if we had a church building you would see no cross on a steeple. Truth is, the steeple itself is a Pagan symbol as well, so that too would be missing from our churches.
Now some may assume that we disrespect Christ by removing the cross from our homes and websites. But if you lived 2000 years ago and saw how that cross was used, you would not be one to place it in your home or on your person. In fact, the only ones that started to do that were Roman Catholic prelates. Being Roman and being Pagan as well, they worshipped the cross and sought for ways to convince others to join them in their idol worship. So, they uplifted the cross as an idol and turned it into an object of veneration and worship and before you knew it, the churches that already agreed with them on everything from Christmas celebrations to Sunday worship, they too started to display the cross as an item worthy of worship.
The Pagan cross was and still is in some cultures today a very violent tool for torture and death. But to better illustrate my point, let me ask you this. If you’ve ever witnessed someone executed on an electric chair you would realize it’s a very painful and very violent way to die. If Jesus were to come in our day as Messiah and we killed Him on an electric chair, would Christians be wearing electric chairs around their necks 2000 years from now? Pretty morbid eh? Now think of a Christian from 2000 years ago who is suddenly plopped into our day to see the cross displayed like it is. I can imagine that Christian saying something like, don’t you know what Jesus did for you on that cross? Don’t you realize how violent and painful that cross was? What’s more important? The Love He displayed by allowing them to kill Him like that? Or the chink of wood they used to kill Him with? As a follower of Jesus Christ, I prefer to remember Him for His message of unconditional love and salvation than to think about the unloving power of Rome. After all, is He not off that cross and alive today? I would think displaying no cross at all is a much bolder statement of faith and declaration that our King Jesus truly defeated Satan that day for all eternity!
#162
Hi
brother Nick
my question has to do with
Hosea 6:2...a day to the lord
is like 1000 years..this
appears to be a prophetic
statement ...but as to the
time frame i don't
understand..do you have some
discernment on this verse?
when would be the time he will
revive us according to this
verse? because i maybe wrong
but it seems to me perhaps
this means 2000 years after
Christ, the latter rain would
fall...and sometime in the
next 1000 years would be
Christ’s return..but
that is just my thoughts on
this verse.
ANSWER:
Verse in question:Hosea 6:2, "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight."
Yes, a day = 1000 years to the Lord according to 2Peter 3:8. Still, there are far too many prophetic statements that refer to Christ returning at the end of 2000 years brother. The Good Samaritan in Luke 10 being the favorite explanation for most of course. In short, Jesus comes in 2000 years after dying for us, not 3000 years. At the end of the 1000 years wherein we do the work of the judgment, He does return to the earth one last time. But at this time, not only will He touch the earth, so will the city of Heaven, as well as all of us that were faithful to ascend with Him at the start of the 1000 years, which was of course at His second coming.
Many prophecies like this one in Hosea are usually penned with the theology of John 14:29 within them so as to keep both the wicked from understanding, as well as to glorify the Lord once the event fulfills unfettered by Satanic confusion around it like we see so many today. In other words, we will understand prophesied events like this much better after the event occurs.
Still, there are some prophetic statements in this passage that if defined using Scripture one can see some inkling as to what’s being prophesied here. Still, this is not to say the event is as I personally see it. But if we apply only scriptural definitions to the symbols, we can see the 2 days are in fact the 2000 years spoken of so often in the prophetic Word.
The word “revive” comes from the Hebrew word “chayah” which means to quicken. Romans 8:11 says, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." In other words, the faith of many will be blessed and increased in the last days. The Holy Spirit will “revive” them all around the world as the Loud Cry goes forth. Truth is, we can actually see this happening right now.
As for the 3rd day. Using the prophetic calculation of 1 day = 1000 years to the Lord, and the fact that Scripture has much detail on the fact that 1000 years after we go to Heaven we return to earth where the wicked are forever destroyed. After the city of Heaven descends from above to rest on planet earth, we will then live “in His sight” for the rest of eternity.
The term “raise us up” is very interesting to say the least. The word “raise” is actually translated from the Hebrew word “quwm” which means “to establish” or make to “stand.” That being the case, this raising up is perfectly accomplished when the wicked are burned to ash before our eyes and we are “established” or still “standing” afterwards on that day and every day for eternity. In fact, Malachi 4:3 says we will literally walk on the ashes of the wicked that very day.
The reference regarding the Latter Rain is apparent. It is this that those of us that strive to be in the Gideon band hope to experience soon. In fact, it has already begun to drizzle.
#163
Nicholas,
What can you tell me about the
following very alarming
catholic practices that are
increasingly taking place in
the evangelical churches,
nowadays? Taizé, Lectio
Divina, The Labyrinth (prayer
walk), Renovaré, guided
imagery, Walk to Emmaus,
Cursillo, Centering Prayer,
Ignatian Awareness Examen, The
Jesus Prayer, and The
Spiritual Exercises of St.
Ignatius, Alpha course.
ANSWER:
The reason we see all this Catholicism finding its way into the churches is merely the end result of the following prophecy being fulfilled right before your eyes…
Revelation 13:3-4, "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?"
As for the Pagan aspects of all these practices, see this…
#164 Could you explain Acts 10:34 where it says God is no respecter of persons? What does Peter mean by this?
ANSWER:
On earth men have a tendency to acknowledge the rich and celebrities, but at the same time shun the poor and unknown. However, the Lord does not do that. He does not show favoritism because of a man’s stature in life. He doesn’t “respect” the person because he is rich and famous. He respects the person because he is His creation. In short, the Lord treats us all the exact same way no matter what position we hold in life. The Lord looks upon the heart of mankind and not on the position or outward signs of stature or dignity. As is apparent with the widow that offered two mites in Mark 12 or Like 21, she showed more love of the Lord than all the rich men dumping coin after coin into the treasury. You can be the poorest person on earth according to man’s standards, but the richest according to God’s standards. This perfect method of judgment by the Father allows the rich on earth stand next to the poor on earth when both the rich and the poor have the same desire in the heart to obey and love the Lord. Whether they are rich or poor makes no difference when their hearts are in agreement with Christ.
#165 Hi Pastor, in Isaiah 65:20 says-There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days, for the child shall DIE an hundred years old, but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed. If you read from verse 17,gives the picture that he is talking about the NEW EARTH. If it is talking of the NEW EARTH, why mentioning death or life span of a child, because i know there will no more death in the NEW EARTH?
ANSWER:
The verse in question: Isaiah 65:20, "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed."
You're correct, Isaiah is speaking of Heaven. But he is doing so in a way to compare it to life on earth so as to show the differences between the two. For example, if I were to word this passage in today's language I might say something like; children will live as children much longer in Heaven. No longer will there be an "infant of days" because even as the child reaches 100 years old in New Jerusalem he will still be but a young man due to the nature of eternal life. Even the older people in Heaven, which by the way are only older in days, not appearances, will have such an experience in life that each day will be filled with wonderful experiences that fill each day. As for the child dying at 100 years old; just as we eventually step from infancy to adolescents in today's world at about 10 years old, Isaiah compares a child in heaven that will seem to "grow up" at around 100. To further illustrate the differences between life on earth with that of Heaven, Isaiah then compares the sinner, who even if he were to be allowed in Heaven, which he is not of course, would still be subject to death and forever accursed even at the grand old age of 100 years of age because the obedient experience eternal life which is never ending. On earth we may see 100 years of life as being amazing. But in Heaven, even a sinner aged 100 years old would be considered accursed.
As for the child that dies at 100 years old. What we see here is similar to that of Romans 6:6-7 which says, "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin."
Let me ask you this, when you first found Christ, did you actually die that day? Or did you die to the ways of life that day? In other words, just as the sinner who finds Christ dies of the life they used to live, so would the child that reaches age 100 die of the ways they used to live. In both eternity and on earth sooner or later we step out of childhood and into adulthood. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:11, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
#166 Is it biblically proper (or at least acceptable) to say to myself "I have received these blessings because I have 'been a good boy' and followed God's laws and teachings, and God has blessed me."? Or is such a statement a sign of pride and arrogance and a lack of humility? Are there any scriptural references I should consult?
I ask because I suspect eventually someone will notice that, even under trying conditions, we are doing okay. And that someone will eventually ask the question "why"? I would like to be able to give an honest answer without offending God. Additionally, from time-to-time I like to review all of the blessings He has bestowed on me and my family, and I do not want my emotional response to hamper my prayer life or be offensive to Him.
ANSWER:
Brother,
We have the blessings because we are obedient. However, we can become prideful as the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-14 did when we let these blessings go to our head. Yes, the blessings are the direct result of obedience, and yes we deserve the blessings as promised. But you’re correct that to gloat in these blessings can lead to prideful thoughts. So just be careful to realize that #1, we too were once as lost as others we may meet in life, and #2, no matter how many blessings are received, we are still being educated daily by the Holy Spirit to recognize unknown sins we are still committing and then repent of same.
When someone sees the blessings upon me I see no sin in telling them they are there because I am obedient to the Lord. I tell them that He promised to bless me if and when I obey and they too can be blessed by doing as He commands. Nothing wrong in that. In fact, it glorifies the Lord in the eyes of the lost when they see His promises are real. But the minute I begin to think I am better than the next guy, that is when sin creeps in. Because the truth of the matter is, I am also a sinner saved by grace.
#167
I
Just found your website via
YouTube. I'm very impressed
with all the info that is on
your website, and it will take
me some time to catch up with
it all. Since we're running
out of time, I hope you don't
mind me asking you some
questions. ;) (I searched
already, but I couldn't really
find what I was looking for)
I read the article on who the
beast/anti-christ/666 is. I
did not know there were 11
titles for the pope that all
ended in 666. I did know about
the mark, but had absolutely
no idea that most of
Revelation had already come to
pass. My understanding now is
that the current pope will
lead to Armageddon is that
right? Do you guys perhaps
have like a page with "the
next event" for me to study?
To be honest I had pegged "Prince Charles of Whales" (=666). I guess the statue of him being an angel and the little horn (William) stuff had me fooled. Do you think there's any truth in that at all? In other words, do you think Prince Charles, as the future king, will play a roll in the end times?
The reason I'm asking is because I was tracking Freemasons, to Illuminati, to the Order of Garter to Prince Charles, so in a way it made perfect sense. Maybe I was wrong, and the Illuminati goes directly to the Vatican.
ANSWER:
First of all, there is a Catholic prophecy suggesting the time frame for the last pope, but Catholic prophecy is not prophecy. It’s their agenda. I go into some detail about that false prophecy here… http://www.remnantofgod.org/jp2.htm#Malachy
As for Prince Charles, yes
I’ve seen that statue of
him with the wings as well.
And I have no doubt he will
play a role in the last days
as his mother is not going to
live much longer, and seeing
how he is connected with Rome
already in this manner, he may
have an important role to
boot. BUT, the 666 only
implies he agrees with Rome,
just like all the Rock stars
that flash the 666 hand sign,
or the large corporations that
incorporate it into their
logos, or all the banks that
have it hidden in their
buildings or the post offices
that usually have it displayed
in ancient hieroglyphics.
Prince Charles, the musicians
or the CEO’s cannot be
THE antichrist because all the
other prophecies about the
antichrist cannot possibly be
fulfilled by or in them.
Especially since most
fulfillment occurred long
before any of them were born.
As for the Illuminati, the masons and the Jesuits just to name a few, they are ALL inventions of the Popes. They were all highly secretive in nature for centuries; and only recently were discovered by the general population. I have been asked many times why I don’t point out more info on each of these evil societies and I always tell them, why bother with the middleman when we have so many rock hard prophecies exposing their leader in Rome?
As for your comments about the US, the Vatican and the UK, as far as I see it, that is a valid description of how they plan to control the world. Many call it the unholy trinity of Hell. Truth is, the USA was only recently added to their conglomeration, but yes; they all work for the same agenda now.
#168 What does it mean when someone says "you can't take the bible literally" not sure how they worded it but it confused me.. what other way is there to take it? Symbolically? Don't you take it both ways?
ANSWER:
The people that say you can't take the Bible literally usually say that because the truth it contains either angers them or it confuses them because of preconceived ideas as to what they've been taught. For example, when the Bible literally says "the wages of sin are death" they say that's wrong. They were taught people that go to hell never die, they scream for all eternity in the flames. But they're wrong, the Bible literally does say they will die when the Lord uses the hellfire on them; and we will walk on their ashes at the end of the 1000 years. But because they were taught people are alive in hellfire for eternity, their only comeback is, "you can't take the Bible literally."
And yes.. you can take it both literally AND symbolically. But unless they have the Holy Spirit directing their understanding, they can't tell which is which. This is what caused the Christian church to lose the Spirit of prophecy over the last 1700 years. When the church agreed to disobey God’s law when it came to the true Sabbath and then started to keep Rome’s law to keep the Sunday Sabbath, their ability to understand prophecy ended just as it did for the Jews of old whenever they rebelled against God. Yes, they still had prophets, but now they could only warn them to repent. It wasn’t until the church started to become obedient to God’s law that we started to see Christians not only understanding the ancient prophetic Word, but they also understand what’s coming as well. But sadly, being as close to the end as we are now, only a small remnant church has this understanding. But that too was prophesied, and just as the people saw a puny little youth do the work of God to destroy Goliath of old, so shall this very small group of obedient Christians do the most mighty work ever prophesied by God. That day is upon us right now.
#169 Someone in the Bible asked Jesus what they should do to have eternal life and Jesus named only 6 commandments after saying keep the commandments.. Why is that?
ANSWER:
Passage in question: Matthew 19:16-24, "And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
Verse 16 actually holds the answer as to why Jesus didn’t share the first 4 commandments. But before sharing, it needs to be understood that the first 4 commandments deal with how we relate to God. Commandments 1-4, if kept, will reflect a true and loving relationship with the Lord. Keeping the last 6 shows a good relationship with our fellowman. The reason Jesus didn’t mention the first 4 commandments to him is because He knew the man’s heart and He knew he desired Heaven, and He knew the man was trying to have that good relationship with the Lord. The fact the man displayed love for Christ and had a desire to do whatever He asked confirms this in verse 16 where it says the man walked up to Jesus and actually called him, “Good Master,” and then asked what he needed to do to gain eternal life. Jesus confirmed the fact He was “Good Master” by saying, in verse 17, “...Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:”
Jesus knew this man understood the basic truths behind keeping the first 4 commandments by his loving comments and zealous question; and so he only shared 5 of the last 6 with him. His desire to do His will, as is apparent in the fact he asked Jesus what to do to gain Heaven, confirmed he wanted to follow Him. But it was also obvious by how he responded to Christ’s answer that he wanted to follow Him by his own standards and he had an obvious problem with the last 6 commandments. Worse yet, this man also illustrates he was self-deceived. What I mean is, because he failed to keep the last 6, it mean he was also failing to keep the first 4; even though he assumed he was ok there. Reason being is, if he was truly keeping the first 4, he would have had an obedient heart and then easily moved by the Lord He sought to follow to keep the last 6 as well.
Like many of the rich today, his wealth became his idol and it distracted his ability to see clearly. Since the man was obviously only trying to keep the first 4 commandments so as to gain Heaven, Jesus knew He needed to relate to him his need in keep the remaining 6 as well. The fact he had issues with selling all he had to help the poor proved he was wrestling with how he was to properly relate with his fellowman. Calling Jesus “Good Master” illustrated he understood the first 4 to the point of offering lip service to Christ, but his riches and his apparent white knuckle grip upon them proved he lacked understanding and the desire to keep the last 6.
And by the way, did you notice when Jesus was reciting the last 6 commandments that He didn’t recite commandment number 10 to the rich man? Now, this is only my opinion, but I feel it’s because the man was very rich. Being as rich as he was, he had everything he needed and coveting his neighbor’s goods was not an issue with him. Jesus REALLY knew this man’s heart, just as He knows ours today.
#170 Many claim we can never know which day of the week is truly Sabbath. So I'm wondering about something.. since there is the Julian and Messianic calendar.. There are tropical years and solar years.. how are all these accurately recorded? Do we even know if our current calendar is accurate? Is today really Tuesday? Is it possible that it is in fact a different day?
ANSWER:
This is usually what some people use as an excuse to ignore the Word of God and our Father’s will. Since we know the Lord “winks” at our times of ignorance when it comes to all sorts of sinful acts we perform daily. (Acts 17:30) Why would He not wink at our ignorance of the calendar and days of the week? Still, the basic reality in all this is that WE DO KNOW what day is Sabbath because of the Jews. Even though the Jews are no longer the “chosen people.” (See proof here) And even though the Jews were not the first ones to keep the Sabbath holy, they are the only people on earth that have used the same calendar for thousands of years. In fact, most Orthodox Jews to this day have a chart in their own homes outlining every Sabbath and holy day for at least 50 years into the future just in case. That being said, I too had this question when I was a young Christian. So I sought out an Orthodox Jew and asked him what day is Sabbath? He told me, and I quote, “It’s what you American’s call Friday Sundown till Saturday Sundown.”
#171 Hello I have a little sister who is very confused and I have a hard time finding answers to her questions. I use your website to help find answers but she has been talking to some Jehovah's witnesses that are just making it worse. They are convincing her that hell is torturous punishment forever. I gave her the verses from your page on the subject but there is one verse (rev 20:10) she gave me that you did not address and I wasn't sure how to respond to her. If you could help explain it to me I would appreciate it. Thanks and God bless!
ANSWER:
The verse in
question is…
Revelation 20:10, "And the
devil that deceived them was
cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and
the false prophet are, and
shall be tormented day and
night for ever and ever."
It also says of those that follow the devil…
Revelation 14:11, "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."
This is the ONLY verse they can use to create their doctrine. The fact I shared so many other verses that say otherwise proves I did as Scripture said to do when finding doctrine. Isaiah 28:9-10 said, "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"
In other words, ONE VERSE does not a doctrine make. If there are so many verses that proves Hell is not eternal life in fire, that means they must be taking this passage out of context. Still, there is an easy way to combat this twisted theology on Revelation 20:10. The term “for ever” here is twisted today to mean “eternity.” Notice this…
Exodus 21:2,5-6, "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing. And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever."
Here we see the means by which a slave becomes a bondservant “forever” in a particular family. Back then, if a slave loved the family he served he requested to stay on as a slave to the family “for ever” rather than be released as a free man in the seventh year. According to the Jehovah witnesses that term “for ever” now means eternity. But I have to ask, how can that be? After the slave dies will he be asked to resurrect every time his master seeks a meal, a cold drink, or help in the field? No, of course not. They merely took the passage out of context to make the Bible agree with their creed.
Or what of the time Hannah took her son Samuel to abide in the house of God forever?
1 Samuel 1:22, "But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever." But if you read down to 1 Samuel 1:28 she says, "Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped the LORD there." She obviously meant forever to mean for a lifetime. Or, look at Isaiah 34:10 as another example. When speaking of the destruction of Edom. Does it not say “the smoke thereof shall go up for ever:”? As I look to the east I see that fire has gone out, and I see no more smoke arising in the place Edom stood.
Truth is, Satan has been twisting words in Scripture all along to make the Bible appear to say things it never said. A good way to see this as a valid statement is, in today’s world the word “gay” means homosexual, but as little as 40 years ago it actually meant happy and giddy. The word “bad” meant bad, and today it means something is “cool,” and the word “cool” used to mean something that was cold to the touch, but when it came out as slang it meant someone was “hip” and as far back as I can recall the word “hip” referred to a bone that guided the leg bone that allowed humans or animals to walk. My point is… I can go on for ever and ever on this one.. pun intended of course.
#172
1.Are
Jehovah's Witnesses on the
"good" side?
2.Are people before Jesus'
time considered saved? Eg.
Moses, Jeremiah etc.
ANSWER:
#1, No, JW’s are very much off the path of truth. They not only keep Sunday holy, they have many other strange doctrines not found in the Word. Plus their so called “prophets” have falsely predicted the end of the world literally dozens of times. That fact alone puzzles me as to why people are still in that church. If you believe the Word, it says false prophets will predict the date of the end of the world. If they were to do this once or twice, one can see that it would be a good reason to leave that church. But they did it dozens of times and still the people remain within? Why? Do a study on the strong delusion that is sent those that hate the truth when you get time. A good starting point would be 2 Thessalonians chapter two.
#2, Yes, all those that were obedient to the Lord and did what was needed to be done in the Sanctuary when they sinned, are just as saved as those that were obedient to the Lord and repented in the New Testament. The Old Testament Sanctuary service was an open profession of faith in the coming Messiah just as much as baptism is an open profession of faith in the Messiah who already came.
#173 Please explain 2 Corinthians 3:14-15
My grandma came up to me and showed me 2 Corinthians 3:14-15 and said that is the reason why they don't need to keep the Sabbath. How do I explain this?
ANSWER:
The verse in question is…2 Corinthians 3:14-15, "But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart."
The vail represents the blindness upon the eyes of those that refuse Christ as Lord. This passage has nothing to do with the Sabbath at all. It simply means that when people accepted Jesus Christ as Lord the “vail was lifted” off their hearts and WISDOM blessed them with the ability to understand Scripture. But as verse 15 intimates, the Jews, who refuse to accept Christ as Lord and only read the books of Moses, for them the vail remains and they cannot see the truth clearly.
If I was to declare this passage in today’s language I would have to say, the minds of the Jews were so hardened by hatred of Christ that even as He stood before them explaining the truth better than anyone else, their blindness remained upon them. But that blindness is lifted for all those that accept Jesus because His Spirit opens their eyes.
This is also why Jesus said in Matthew 13:15-16, "For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear."
Dear Nic, I have been into your web site many times over the last several years and have read many of your teachings. My wife and I just recently started listening to your sermons and there is no problem, but my question is, after listening to your sermon on 8/24/13 concerning the 10 commandments. Your comment concerning the 3rd commandment, that saying "in the name of Jesus" at the end of my prayers is wrong. I try giving thanks to the Lord before each and every meal. I am concerned that in doing so, if it makes me break the 3rd commandment then I will stop. I thought that we or I should give God thanks in the name of Jesus for everything. Please forgive me, I'm just a little confused at this point. If the Apostle Paul in Acts 16:18 rebuked the woman in the name of Jesus. Then was wrong to say "in the name of Jesus” after prayer. Again, please forgive my ignorance. Thanks and God bless.
ANSWER:
I’m sorry if what I said confused you. Truth is, there is no wrong in saying “In Jesus name” at the end of a prayer. It’s only wrong when we say that while KNOWING we are in sin in some way in our lives. If you have repented of all the sins you know about, then you have every right to say “In Jesus name” at the end of every prayer. I apologize for not making that clear.
#175 Should I rebuke every sinner I meet on campus?
Hello there, I need to ask something. If I go to the university and almost half the students smoke and more than half the girls wear revealing clothing, am I responsible for the sins of all these people, and I will die for their sins if I don't reprove them all?
ANSWER:
You cannot reprove them all. Just walking among them as a Christian is enough.
I recall when I was a teenager that there were some teenagers in my school that were Christians. I never asked them if they were, but I could tell they had been with Christ in Spirit by the way they carried themselves. The guys didn’t smoke and drink or use foul language and the girls were dressed very modestly.
Bottom line is this. They can SEE their own wickedness when they SEE your Christianity. The good thing is that “some” that are engrossed in sin but seeking deep down inside will be moved to interact with you as the Spirit moves upon them. It is these you can share your faith with and even reprove if need be. But remember, if and when you are moved by the Lord to reprove them, do so in a way that does not lead them to anger. Share the love of Jesus and let the Spirit reprove their hearts peacefully.
#176 Please explain Hebrews 13:4. How do we defile the marriage bed?
Nicholas, could you please explain to me in more detail this verse from Hebrews 13:4; "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Regarding what it says about the bed to be undefiled, which means "free from stain or blemish" and "not having its purity or excellence debased"; I've heard many explanations; what does it refer to? what could defile a bed?
ANSWER:
Verse in
question is...
Hebrews 13:4, "Marriage is
honourable in all, and the bed
undefiled: but whoremongers
and adulterers God will
judge."
I believe 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 may cast a light on this passage. It says we must, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
Since fornication and adultery defiles the body, and that body being the temple of the Holy Ghost, then I can see how the bed itself can be defiled. The fact the passage speaks of whoremongers and adulterers and those that can defile the bed, I have to assume that being married stops this defilement, and rightly so because Scripture teaches us that sex outside of marriage is sinful. Hence, when married or “obedient,” the bed cannot be defiled, wherein it would be had we committed the act in disobedience or before marriage.
Our Lord sanctioned marriage in the garden. I believe this is why Satan is attacking marriage today just as he does with Sabbath. Both these sacraments were created and blessed in creation week. Since the Lord created marriage, and designed it for a man and a woman in that garden, it becomes “honourable" as Paul stated in Hebrews. It’s actually one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, even after sin was committed, Adam brought with him when he stepped out of Eden. When the divine principles designed by the Creator are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is not only a blessing; it acknowledges the Creator who sanctioned and blessed the first marriage. If done as He prescribes, it will guard the heart and Christian morality will be that much easier to attain in the life of the obedient soul.
When we go to the bed without first doing as He commanded, we defile that bed in more ways than we can imagine. We declare Him a lesser God in that we can easily disobey by choice and we of course defile the bed by simply committing the act itself.
Many seem to forget that the very first act Jesus did at the start of His ministry was to partake in a wedding feast in Cana. Looking back I can see Him recognizing it as the institution he Himself established 4000 years prior in Eden.
Marriage is also used as a symbol of the union between Christ and His obedient bride. As students of prophecy we know, He Himself is the Bridegroom; and His bride is the church, of which, He says, "Thou art all fair, My love; there is no spot in thee." Why no spot? Because by being obedient, we are undefiled.
#177 Please explain 1Timothy 1:5-11
I need help brother with the following verses. I'm sure you have experience with people throwing this back at you when trying to preach the law, but I must admit, I don't fully comprehend what Paul is trying to say here. I need some help with these verses. If you could, please help me understand what these verses mean or rather the context behind these verses. Thank you very much as always.
5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 7 Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.
ANSWER:
What this passage is saying is the same thing that is being said in Galatians 5:22-23 which is, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
To the unlearned soul, the passage in question looks to say that they which have these good qualities won’t have to worry about keeping the ten commandments. That’s true.. but not in the way they assume… What I mean is, the law was not written for the righteous simply because they choose not to break it deep within their heart. They have the ability to make such a decision because they are moved by the Spirit to be obedient. The law has nothing on those that keep it. The Law was written to teach the unrighteous how to become righteous. Problem is, as we all know, when we look at the law, we cannot keep it unless we have Christ, who is righteous and within us as He promised. Being within us by His Holy Spirit He is constantly helping us to keep His law. So, again, as this passage in Timothy intimates, the law is not made for a righteous man. The basic reality here is, it was made to point out sin to the unrighteous.
You can also look at it this way. In Mark 2:17 Jesus said, "..They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Seeing how the righteous are already doing their duty in obedience to the Lord, Jesus wasn’t concerned for them being in danger. It was those that were in sin that needed His help.
#178 Did God create everything with a big bang?
ANSWER:
What most people miss in this is that it’s called the big bang “theory” for a reason. No one existed when God created everything, so no one really knows whether it was a big or even a small bang for that matter. That being said, the big bang theory is just that, a theory, a concept, a philosophy, a hypothesis. Nothing more, nothing less. We must also keep in mind that those that invented the big bang theory are also those that claim we came from apes. In cases such as this we must consider the source. If they cannot see the truth regarding creation, how can they possibly know what happened at the start of creation?
God created everything, yes. Did He do so in a "big bang?" I doubt it. The reason I doubt there was a big band is because I can see Him creating at will and having fun with it, for lack of a better word. Being a Creator, he would just create new worlds on a regular basis. Take the Orion Nebula for example. Planets, stars and quasars are being created there each and every day. But when our scientists peer into that region with radio telescopes there is no sound. That means, if there's no sound as He creates the planets and stars now, why would there be a "big bang" back when He started? The fact they claim it’s a big bang confirms the shortsightedness of mankind. Being as finite in thought as man has proven to be, but having the ability to blow things up, I can see how they fall back on what they consider their crowning achievement when it comes to explosions. Seeing how they can make a bomb that can cause such massive devastation they figure the opposite, wherein an explosion can bring forth massive creation. It sounds logical and quite comical at the same time.
By the way, scientists have just discovered a big bang is actually impossible. Reason being is. Using slow motion cameras and physics to boot, they discovered that when something explodes everything in the debris field spins in the exact same direction. That being the case, why is it some planets and moons spin in different directions. That tells me.. they really have no clue.
#179 Why didn't Jesus mention the Sabbath in Matthew 19:16?
Hi
Nicholas
I’m having a debate with
a Christian brother,
I’ve told him about
keeping the 10 commandments
and keeping Saturday holy, he
sent me these scriptures from
Matthew 19;16. Now I know you
have been through this debate
already, what do I say, and
why is Jesus not mentioning
the Sabbath day here?
The verse in
question is...
Matthew 19:16, "And, behold,
one came and said unto him,
Good Master, what good thing
shall I do, that I may have
eternal life?"
ANSWER:
The man he was speaking to was a Jew. Jews kept the Sabbath. It was not a question at all with this man. And yes, he was a Jew. The fact he acknowledged the commandments as being valid confirms this. At that time, only the Jews kept them.
#180 I was sent a list of bible contradictions from a friend of mine. Does this prove the Bible is false?
ANSWER:
These are not contradictions. Atheists love to twist the Word and make it appear to contradict. Truth is, if you have the Holy Spirit, you know what those verses mean because the Holy Spirit enlightens the heart and shows how they don’t contradict at all. But if you are not a believer, the Bible will appear to contradict. That’s the beauty of the Word. Two people can read it. One with faith and the other without; the one with faith is blessed and the one without cannot see anything nor can he be blessed. Why does God do this in His Word? Let me ask you this. If those that hated God knew EXACTLY what His Word said in certain areas, would they not be very effective in twisting it, manipulating current events to make prophecy confusing, and literally lie with a more believable foundation so as to lure many more away from God? Yes, they already twist it now. But even a babe in Christ can see the twist. But if they were able to see the Word as it is meant to be seen, then they would even more effective in twisting it.
Bottom line is this.. The Bible has been attacked for literally thousands of years and Atheists have claimed for just as long that Christianity will die off, yet the Bible is still the number 1 best seller and all those lying Atheists in history that claimed Christianity would die off in their generation are dead and the Bible is still standing tall.
I’ve seen God’s hand move, I’ve seen Him open His Word, I’ve seen His prophecies come true and I’ve seen Him heal people right before my eyes. And all that I see is in agreement with what He penned in His Word. If Atheists want to trust Satan, so be it. As for me and my house, we will love and serve the Lord.
#181 I get this next question a lot in email and on YouTube. So, I decided to post it in here so as to have the answer posted online in permanence.
do you think we'll get to meet the beings from those other unfallen worlds one day?
ANSWER:
Revelation 20:6, "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."
Who do you think we will reign over when we gain Heaven? Each other? Impossible. As we see here in Revelation 20:6, all that gain Heaven will reign with Christ, right? So, if we reign with Him, WHO will we reign over since we can't reign over each other? Common sense also dictates that only obedient Christians from earth that later gain Heaven are the ones that know the difference between good and evil. That means we will have the wisdom necessary to reign. And being as we were obedient to Christ, we will have the proper heart to reign as well. In short.. yes, we will get to know those people on the unfallen worlds.
#182 I recently read where a snake handling preacher in Tennessee died following being bitten by a rattlesnake he was handling during church services..The church there relies on Mark 16 vs 17-18....I wanted to ask you is this a command from God or something that people will just do?
ANSWER:
Verse in question:
Mark 16:17-18, "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
They that handle the snakes as this preacher did take the Scripture out of context and put the Lord to a foolish test. It’s no different than Satan asking Jesus to jump off the pinnacle of the temple. Jesus refused of course because it was not necessary to jump just to make a point or even prove He was the Son of God. After all, Satan knew Jesus was the Son of God. He was just tempting Him to flaunt that reality. Presumption is actually a very common temptation. We see this in living color with these snake handlers. Quite often people claim to be great in the Kingdom of God even here on earth and with that puffed up pride assume God will bow to their demands whenever the needs arises, whether it be of God’s will or not. I’ve met Christians over the years that will walk into bars, frequent mardi gras, go to Vegas and even visit friends they know they will be doing drugs so as to try and reach them on their grounds. But the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:12, "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
Satan is very cunning here. He knew Jesus was the Son of God and tempting Him with out of context Scripture wherein it said in Psalms 91:12, "They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Is no different than the snake handler being tempted by Satan to pick up serpents. Worse yet, as is obvious for those that have seen these men do this with their own eyes, these snake handlers seek to exalt self by spiritually showing off. God can’t bless that at all. In fact, it says in Matthew 23:12, "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
Look at it this way… if I am forced to drink poison or somehow handle a poisonous snake by mistake as Paul did 2000 years ago, then the Lord will protect me from danger if it is His will to do so. But if I purposely take up that snake or drink the poison to declare my faith is perfect, then I am on my own. This is what most people miss about these snake handlers. If that verse is really saying we must take up serpents to prove our faith, why is it they don’t also drink the poison? It’s because they know they can “charm” the snake not to bite most of the time; but they cannot charm their own gut not to digest the poison.
Notice this… that verse also says “they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Why is it we keep hearing of these snake handlers dying? Sure, some may survive after being bitten, but the pain and suffering they always go through proves God never protected them in the first place. Case in point: when Paul was bitten by that snake when tending to the fire, notice this…
Acts 28:5-6, "And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god."
Everyone of those snake handlers that get bit swell up and moan and groan in pain and many of them actually die. Paul not only “felt no harm” when he picked up that snake that was fastened to his hand, those looking on noticed he didn’t even swell up!
#183 God bless you in guiding me to scripture.
My friend wants to get together on April 15, for Passover. He wants to do foot washing along with grape juice to represent the Lords blood and unleavened bread. I cannot find in scripture that says we should do that. I thought that all was done away with when our Lord Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I thank the Lord for coming into my life more and more.
ANSWER:
Yes, the Passover and all feast days was done away at the cross. See this… http://www.remnantofgod.org/Yah-feast.htm
As for foot washing and the grape juice and unleavened bread, that’s what replaced the feast days and SHOULD be done by every baptized Christian until Christ comes. See this… http://www.remnantofgod.org/csp/communion.htm This is the page of verses I read from when we do the Communion service every few months. I explain it in more detail as I do it of course. But I only do that live during the service. I do have recordings on the sermon page on the site of course from past gatherings. The last communion service was done on January 11, 2014. The recording is located here… http://www.remnantofgod.org/hc/mp3/011114sermon.mp3
#184 In Matthew 24:20 it says, “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day:”
When
Christ is warning the Jews of
the impending destruction of
Jerusalem, why the Sabbath
warning?
I can understand the Winter
warning. It’s not smart
to run in the winter when
resources are harder to gather
and things such as that. (or
is even that not what He
meant?) But why the Sabbath
warning?
ANSWER:
The city of Jerusalem was a walled city back then. The only way in and out of the city was through the many gates in the wall. However, on Sabbath, only one type of gate was allowed to remain open. It was called the needle gate. This gate was so small that if you wanted to bring a loaded camel through it, you would have to unload the camel on the outside of the gate, bring each item in one by one, then you would have to either drag the camel through on his knees, or somehow get the camel to crawl on his knees to enter through that gate. In short, that would take all day to get through.
They purposely made the needle gate small so as to deter the Sabbath breaking merchants that frequented the city for trade. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 19:24, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
That being said, to flee the city on Sabbath would be very difficult even if the people didn’t take anything with them. For hundreds of thousands of Christians to go through the small needle gate would be very difficult if not impossible to do in one day or in one night under the cover of darkness. It would be very apparent to the authorities in the city that they were fleeing. The long lines of Christians trying to get out of the city would no doubt stretch for miles, and everyone in the city would know something’s up with the Christians. Arguments and perhaps riots would ensue.
#185 What are your thoughts on the Third Temple?
ANSWER:
The third temple is a false doctrine of Satan. If they rebuild it, the Lord will not see it as worthy of His presence. When Jesus died on the cross 2000 years ago, He said “it is finished,” and the temple veil ripped, the presence of the Father left the temple, and the feast days ended signifying that which Jesus did on the cross and all that the temple services pointed to regarding Messiah were FINISHED when He died for us. To build a temple now will not only blaspheme God, it will declare what Jesus did 2000 years ago was insufficient for our salvation.
The temple was designed as a copy of the real temple in New Jerusalem. Or Heaven as most understand it to be. The earthly copy was given to Moses to receive sin offerings in a proleptic fashion that was to point to a Saviour that would eventually come and perform the actual act of payment for sin that all the lamb sacrifices signified in advance. In short.. the third temple is 100% useless to the people of God because we know who the Lamb of God is and what He did for us on Calvary. But a third temple would be quite useful for Satan to convince billions to blaspheme the Father and question the Son’s gift of salvation. Even if they never build it and merely speak of its importance, that is good enough for the enemy of souls because he would already have them bowing to his lies. And if they actually build it, and there are rumors they have already started, it’s to further confuse those that refuse to do any real Bible study to combat this heresy. They will see it as a holy Temple, and they will be moved to bow to Satan and his lies by agreeing that which Jesus did 2000 years ago was undone.
I see it as yet another smokescreen of Satan. For example, the Jews in the middle-east are looked upon to this day as the chosen people of God simply because all the false teachers, pastors and preachers keep saying so. But nothing can be further from the truth. The people of Israel today not only deny Jesus Christ as Messiah, they hate and persecute His people on a regular basis. How I ask can they be chosen of God when they deny His perfect will and refuse to accept His Son as Messiah and Saviour? I have a page on the site as well as a video I share on this topic that you may be interested in.
When speaking to the Jews, Jesus said in Matthew 3:9-10, "And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
And later, in Acts 13:46 we find the prophecy regarding having the Kingdom of God taken from “physical Israel” straightforwardly fulfilled when Paul and Barnabas are being ridiculed and reproached by the Jews one day with blasphemous statements as they try to share the Gospel message. So on that fateful day, Paul and Barnabas turned to the Jews that were speaking out against them and said, “…It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.”
Again.. see this page on my site for more info on this…http://www.remnantofgod.org/israel.htm
The video is linked out from there as well.
#186 My mom thinks that people don't need to know who antichrist is. She’s been attending the SDA church for fellowship, and she thinks what you do is scare people with your end time preaching about what’s going to happen to Christian. You know, the, plagues etc. I told her people need to know this.
ANSWER:
You are correct. They need to hear it. And yes, today, many believe my teachings scare people. This is why they prefer not to hear it. They want entertaining sermons. Ironically, this prophesied in Isaiah 30:9-10 where it says, "That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD: Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:"
Also keep in mind, if prophecy was not supposed to be spoken to the people, why is it the Bible is 33% prophecy?
#187 Just today, as my mom was picking me up, I discovered that she'd told everyone in our extended family about my beliefs so she could prove me wrong. I was able to prove most of them wrong (Yes, she actually made a list), but there was one that I got stuck on. It was from my aunt (The one that doesn't keep the ten commandments). Could you please explain it?
VERSE IN QUESTION
1 Corinthians 10:25-27, “Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (26) For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. (27) If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
ANSWER
As per our previous emails, I must assume you’re talking about eating unclean foods sold in the shambles? If so, the Jews only bought from Jews. Therefore, whatever was sold was already known to be clean. For example, a Jew would never buy or sell a pig at market because they knew Scripture states plainly that it would defile the body and they would lose many customers. Therefore, no unclean animals would be sold. Using this verse to sanction unclean foods is easily combatted by using simple historic facts regarding Jewish custom and Old Testament Scripture regarding clean and unclean animals.
#188
I
read your article about what
happens when we die. It was
very interesting, and I plan
to pray more and seek more
into it. My brother just
passed away from cancer and
since then I have been
searching what the Bible says
about death and what happens
when we die, because before I
read your article I always
thought
angels come and off they drift
to heaven. One day shortly
after he passed away (which
btw he passed on 10-29-13) I
began to ask God.. what does
the Bible say about death? It
was then I found your website.
However, this isn't the main
reason for me contacting you.
I wanted to email you to ask
another question. There is a
prophet lady at our church,
and she's been communicating
with Roger (my brother that
passed away). She said God
took her to heaven and she
spoke with Roger in heaven,
and Roger had a few messages
for us. Everyone in the church
seem to believe her but
something in me was like,
"whoooaaa.. is that bibilcal?"
talking to the dead? I asked
some spiritual leaders and
they just tell me that "God
uses prophets differently from
regular Christians so
that’s why she was given
that gift".. Now I am
completely confused. Can you
possibly tell me or direct me
to where in the Bible it says
speaking to the dead is
forbidden?
ANSWER:
I am sorry to hear of the loss of your brother. I Pray the Lord blesses you with peace in your time of grieving.
You are absolutely correct, it is dangerous to trust or even listen to psychics or those that claim to be prophets in such churches. In fact, the Bible is very clear about the state of the dead as you know from reading that study I shared on the site. This means it is not your brother that false prophet was speaking to. And we can also be assured that she was never allowed in Heaven as the Word clearly says in Revelation 21:27 that nothing that defiles will enter into the kingdom of Heaven. That woman is actually communicating with a demon, or a “familiar spirit” as the Bible calls it, and the church members agreeing with her are not reading their Bibles, or if they are, they don’t trust the Word of God at all. If they did read or trust their Bibles they would know what it says about trusting people like that false prophet claiming to speak to Roger. Just to name a few of the many verses we see the Lord’s will regarding this…
· Leviticus 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
· Leviticus 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
· Deuteronomy 18:10-12, "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee."
· 2 Kings 23:24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.
· Isaiah 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?
#189 Am I a prophet because I have dreams that come true for me and my family?
ANSWER:
Whether you’re a prophet or not I do not know, as I am aware that the Lord still grants His people this gift to this day as per 1 Corinthians 12:28 theology. I do not know you personally, and I do not know your fruits. So again, whether you’re a prophet or not, I cannot say at this time. However, the dreams you have of which that help to guide you in life as well as confirm certain steps you have already taken, it is written in Job 33:15-17 the following truths. “In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.” -Job 33:15-17
Many believers and non-believers have witnessed such things in life and we see that according to the book of Job, this can be done with believers and non-believers. I say non-believers because Elihu is counseling Job in this passage and at the time he is ridiculing him as a sinner unworthy of God’s blessings. And we all know the Lord instructs the just as well as the unjust in all generations. And no, it’s not false theology because Elihu is sharing it. He knows Job is a godly man and therefore relies upon the Word of truth when trying to counsel Job.
The other toss of the coin is that Satan can also influence our dreams. So the basic condition laid out in Isaiah 8:20 or Acts 17:11 applies, wherein we make sure that which we dream matches that which is written by the Lord.
Isaiah 8:20, "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
Acts 17:11, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
#190 Hi Pastor Nicholas, please explain the parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10. All the persons who mentioned are allegorical? Thanks, God Bless
ANSWER:
Luke 10:30-35, "And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee."
As for those mentioned here being allegorical or figurative, none of us will know until we get Home. But knowing my Lord and how He is able to read every heart and recall every life experience of every man on earth, I have a tendency to lean more towards these mentioned in the parable being actual people who did just as He outlines. Still, when looking at it as a parable, we do see a prophetic fact being put forth. For example, one can see that…
The "certain man from Jericho" is us, the Church
The "priests & Levites" that passed him by are the worldly preachers / Christians of today
The certain Samaritan of course is Jesus
The "Oil & Wine" that Jesus uses to HEAL his wounds = Holy Spirit & Jesus blood of atonement which then leads to better doctrines and truth.
The "inn" is the true Church
The "two pence" was what Jesus "Paid in full" at Calvary
The "two pence" are also actually "two days" payment for lodging
The "Two days" = 2000 years, for it is written...
2 Peter 3:8, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
One more thing. Ever notice this?
2000 years from Creation to Abraham
2000 years from Abraham to Christ
And as this parable declares...
2000 years from Christ to OUR DAY
#191 It says in Matthew 24:5, "For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." My question is, how can people claiming to be Christians also claim to be Jesus Christ Himself?
ANSWER:
This verse is one of many that is misunderstood thanks to Satan’s ability to change meanings of many words in language. The word “Christ” (Strong’s #5547 Christos {khris-tos'}) in this passage is defined as “anointed.”
Now, look around, we see all sorts of Christian leaders like Benny Hinn that claim to be Christians while at the same time claiming to be one that has the anointing. Hinn even declared a curse on all men that speak against his so called anointing. Just look up Benny Hinn’s curse on Youtube. This prophecy has been fulfilled over and over again and especially in our generation alone.
Amazingly enough, I got another email on this passage that I think would be good to share as well. The question starts off sharing from the book of Matthew a little more than just verse 5…
Matthew 24:3-5 (KJV) 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
I Read what Jesus is saying here. Is He saying that many will come claiming to be Christ, or is He saying many will come in My name,….claiming that they believe I am the Christ. They claim to be followers of Christ but are not, and because of this many will be deceived by their teaching.
ANSWER:
When I first came across this statement in my studies decades ago I believed it to mean that many false Christ’s, or people claiming to be Christ Himself would appear to deceive many. Truth is, they were already apparent by then thanks to men like Jim Jones and the man claiming to be “Father Divine.” And as we see today there are even more people claiming to be Jesus incarnate. Just to name a few, we see men like Australian A.J. Miller, Sergey Torop from Siberia, Inri Cristo in Brazil, and Jose Miranda in Miami Florida who even displays the 666 upon his clothing and his daughters and followers have it tattooed on their bodies. And we’ve always witnessed the Popes claiming to be Jesus Christ for eons. But as I grew in the truth and started to see how all the churches I sought Christ in were apostate churches, I began to realize that this prophecy is also fulfilled in the lying pastors who claim to be Christian leaders, or as most see them. “men of God working in Christ Jesus.” In fact, how many of their followers have claimed Jesus is in their church when they advertise for new members? Is this not what Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24:23 when He said, "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not."
As we look at the false churches we see many marketing their churches by offering tattoo nights, rock concerts, movies and even fight nights were pastors fight it out in cage matches all the while claiming to be Christian churches. This is of course without mentioning the millions of churches that don’t do these crazy things but do in fact teach everything from Trinity to eternal life in hellfire. So.. with reality as it is, I see this prophecy fulfilled in more ways than one here.
#1.. actual
false Christ’s, who like
the Popes of Rome claim to be
God on earth
#2.. false pastors claiming to
be men of God who are in fact
wolves
#3.. apostate churches claiming
to embrace Christ and all He
taught in their churches when in
fact they do not.
#192 Daniel 8:13, "Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?"
ANSWER:
"one saint speaking, and another saint" = Christ and Gabriel speaking about the 2300 days.
The symbology listed and definedby James White:
"The two saints in conversation are Christ and Gabriel." - {ND JW, BIAD 118.6}
#193 I'm reading online britannica.com that pope vigilus's papacy began in 537, but you have 538 on your web page. (It's in the link talking about changing the times and laws). I know I can't believe everything online, but I just wanted to know where you read the 538 so I can have it for my notes. 538 obviously makes more sense. Maybe it has something to do with the changing of time which is why it says 537 online..? Online it says this:
“Silverius was forcefully banished by Vigilius and subsequently died, probably late in 537. Vigilius thus succeeded him as pope. pope from 537 to 555.” I know it said late 537, but then I read somewhere else his papacy started March 29,537, but that wouldn't make sense cuz the statement above says late 537.... I'm just confuuuuuused!
ANSWER:
The fact they said he died “probably late 537” in their encyclopedia definition is key. The word “probably” always means they are trying to convince the reader by their obvious lack of information. Probably does not mean “definitely.” Never has, never will. This is also an easy way to expose a false prophet. They love using words like “probably, maybe, perhaps or could be” when making prophetic statements.
I don’t recall exactly where I got the 538 date from because I have numerous sources, but I do know this. There are two ways to see a glimmer of truth on this.
#1, the way they calculate historic dates back then, especially when it came to how one ruled, shows they didn’t do it the way we do today. For example: If I was to become a ruler on December 31 300ad, and then later on December 31 301ad I died, I would be declared a ruler for one year in today’s standards. But thousands of years ago they would have declared me ruler for 2 years because I was actually ruling ONE DAY before the next year started. (This allowed for confusion across the board when rulers lived and died of course. Hence the “reason” to perfect the “dating” system that was first initiated by Rome. Daniel did say they were crafty did he not?) If back in ancient times I ruled even one hour before the new year began, I would still be called a ruler for that entire year because I WAS ruling in that calendar year. So.. back dating isn’t easy by any means when it comes to ancient history. That being said.. some time after the year 537ad, I’m not sure when because I never bothered to research it out, the way we date historic events today was eventually initiated. Therefore, using the old fashioned method of dating would then make the year 538 appear illogical for some. At the same time, using the new standard was appealing as it allowed to better pin point by the day when men lived or died. No longer would the epitaph read a year to start and a year to end, now it would allow for month, day AND year for both the starting and ending of historic events. Still.. as historic fact also intimates, new ideas like this seldom gain universal acceptance right off. So, in some older history books they have 537 while others have 538.
Now herein lies a problem, but at the same time grants us yet another smoking gun exposing Rome. They are the ones that always change calendars as the prophet Daniel predicted. (see Daniel 7:25) Therefore, a calendar change had to be made BEFORE 1798ad so as to keep the deception going even into modern time. This would cause a problem for how dates are then recorded. What I mean is.. they know how they set dates in 537; and they know by 1798 they did it differently. What a quandary! What do they do now? Do they say the start is 537ad using the old dating method and say it ended in 1797 instead of 1798? If they did, those using the new method would be confused. Better yet, they knew they could use the old method for 537 and then the new method for 1798, but if they did that, they are off by one year. So, the confusion remains to this day. In any event, who cares. Our God said it, we believe it, and that settles it. If the prophecy, which by the way is repeated three times, once in Daniel and twice in Revelation, says Rome will kill Christians for 1260 years, then they will kill Christians for 1260 years. Rome can change the calendar a hundred times for all I care, my God has it all written down for us to confirm in His Word for all eternity anyway.
FOR THE SDA THAT TRUSTS SOP…
It appears obvious to me after years of seeing both sides of the argument that some decided to use the modern date setting method for both the start and the ending date so as to keep the truth intact, while others working for Rome used the old for the start and the new for the end to help deceive those looking on. Still.. I did say there was another way to confirm it was in fact 538AD. It is found in many SOP statements. The first of which is…
“The periods here mentioned—“forty and two months,” and “a thousand two hundred and threescore days”—are the same, alike representing the time in which the church of Christ was to suffer oppression from Rome. The 1260 years of papal supremacy began with the establishment of the papacy in A. D. 538, and would therefore terminate in 1798. At that time a French army entered Rome, and made the pope a prisoner, and he died in exile. Though a new pope was soon afterward elected, the papal hierarchy has never since been able to wield the power which it before possessed.” {GC88 266.2}
#194 Hi pastor Nicholas God bless, Did our Lord Jesus Christ have long or short hair? According to world wide pictures they depict our Lord with long hair yet I think Rome is provoking confusion by not defining to the people the words (NAZARITE and NAZARENE)
ANSWER:
You’re correct, Jesus had short hair. He never took the vow of a Nazarene as Samson did. Rome spread the lie using the fact He lived in Nazareth centuries ago to paint a fleshly image of Christ so as to better confuse the people to this day. Christ’s hair did not cascade down His back. In fact, in His day it was clear that most men’s hair (except Pagan Rome) had hair that barely touched the shoulder. Romans would crop the hair much shorter as many statues of Caesar suggest.
As is obvious in 1 Corinthians 11:14 wherein it says, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?”
Jesus would never do anything that would soil His Truth. He did not have long hair.
#195 Hi, I have been reading your articles, and firstly I would like to say that I do agree with you in that the Ten Commandments have not been done away with. Yet in reading about clean and unclean foods, I got confused because it seemed to me that not eating unclean foods was part of the ordinance that where written and not part of the Ten Commandments. So I ask how can you in one article say that what was done away with was the written ordinance yet on another article say that the ordinance of not eating unclean food was not done away with? Please correct me if I am seeing this wrongly.
ANSWER:
The law contained in “ordinances” was abolished at the cross because they pointed to that which Messiah was to do for the salvation of mankind. However, the laws regarding health and well-being were never abolished. They aren’t prophetic in nature as was the Mosaic law. In fact, modern day science has proven long ago that all the foods that are called unclean in the Bible do actually bring on all sorts of disease, including cancer to this day. Reason being is, we are still walking in the same human bodies we had when the health message was originally penned, and like back then, unclean animals are still dangerous to eat today. Eating a pig today not only defiles the body, it still sickens it as well.
You can also look at it this way. If someone invented a gasoline engine 5000 years ago, would we think it would be able to run by using milk as a fuel today? Of course not. That engine was designed to run on a combustible fuel. Changing its fuel would render it inoperable. Well, our Creator made us with bodies that thrive on certain foods. If we eat, or fuel the body with food outside our Creator’s design specifications, then we will eventually break down and die.
#196 What does Job 8:14 mean? The spider web part is what I don't understand.
VERSE IN QUESTION
Job 8:14, "Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web."
ANSWER:
The spider's web is an excellent way to describe the all entangling error of the devil. There are many enticing avenues to step into the error he presents before those he tempts. Once there, like the fly in the web, escape is often hopeless. Sadly, many today, like the Sunday keepers who have been entangled by all sorts of strange doctrines from Sunday Sabbath to eternal life in fire, find themselves hopelessly trapped because they trust their creed above the Bible. There are so many errors and so many lies in their church today that many look upon the truth we preach as some sort of conspiracy theory because it differs in so many ways to what they were taught. They simply can’t believe they have been unable to catch all the lies and so they tag us as fanatics, a cult, or simpleminded and walk away from that which the Lord would have them hear.
The amazing thing here is that all of them could easily escape the web of deceit if they had only opened a Bible to check out their pastor's theology like the Berean's of old did in Acts 17:11. But the majority today chose rather to trust their denominational creed, or their pastors inept theology; or as the passage says, their "trust shall be a spider's web." The pastor is the spider, and the web is the tangled theology they trust over and above the Bible that can actually help them out of that web of deceit. Sadly, for most, they are so entangled in that mess that escape for them is literally impossible. Like the entangled fly in the web, they will die at the pastor’s hand. Now do you see why the Lord compares them to wolves?
#197 Is it ok to hate Obama? He does so many evil things on a daily basis that I am tempted to hate him with all my heart.
ANSWER:
Nothing wrong with hating sin and the devil that causes it.. but.. it’s when we move beyond hating the sin to hating the sinner where a problem arises. If Jesus was to hate Obama, then His offer of salvation would not be truly given for “all men.” It would only be for those that love to do good. We need to realize we aren’t fighting against the flesh or even evil men like Obama. We’re fighting against the demons in the flesh of men like Obama. I’ve said this before and I will say it again. If the government were to surround my home with soldiers obedient to the president, and they point guns at me and my loved ones, I need to be able to stand there with true Christ-like love in my heart for those soldiers regardless of their actions. An easy way to get to that mindset is to realize your own past. We too have been lost and easily swayed to do evil. And so when we look upon those soldiers we can see that if they met Christ as we have, and if they understood His Truth as we do, they would be standing on our side as others points their guns at us. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Those soldiers are not the problem, it’s the demons prodding them.
Yes, Obama is evil and filled with much sinfulness. But he is also some mother’s child who was created in the womb by the Lord for a purpose just as you and I were. Obama, the Popes, and even Hitler all had the same chance and same choices to make as we do. It’s this world that destroyed their lives because they made the wrong choices and eventually bowed to Satan rather than Jesus.
Again.. there is nothing wrong with hating sin. For it is written..
Deuteronomy 12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
Deuteronomy 16:22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
Truth is, there are many passages in the Word wherein we see the Lord hates sin and all it entails. But Jesus plainly said though His prophet John the apostle in 1 John 3:15, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." He also said in 1 John 4:20-21, "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."
One of the definitions in the Greek for the word brother is ‘countryman’ as well as your ‘fellowman.’ Obama is evil yes, but he is also your fellowman. Love him and pray for him so that one day he too may see Christ as we do. After all, according to Romans 13:1-7 he is ordained to be in the position he is in. He will have to deal with God in how he has shirked his duties when the Lord returns. So again.. pray for him.
#198 My loved ones can't understand how a church can be online.. They say that such as in "the Lord's supper" only the pastor are to pick up the bread and pray for blessings then break it. I don't know any verses supporting this. However, can you tell me how a church can be online? They believe that everyone needs to worship in person, not sitting in a chair and listening on the computer. I don't know how to explain it to them.
ANSWER:
The pastor does not have to be the one that breaks the bread. That doctrinal assumption comes directly from Roman Catholicism. I know this better than some because as a devout Catholic 30+ years ago I was also installed as a Eucharistic minister for the church and supposedly ordained as was the priest to be able to touch the so called Eucharistic bread in communion. Years later of course the Vatican opted to allow the people to touch the bread by taking it in their hands so as to avoid infection due to the fact that the priest would often touch the tongues of the people and spread disease from mouth to mouth each week.
As for the church being online; many people have kept Sabbath holy by themselves when far from their home churches all throughout History. Are we to say God denies their worship unless they’re in a physical brick and mortar building? Of course not. Jesus said in Matthew 18:20, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." In other words.. whether we be on or offline, Jesus is with us as he promised whenever we gather in His name. AND.. before the claim is made that you are only one person when in worship by yourself in your home as gathered with us online. Does this mean only one human is in person when two are on a phone? If two can be in agreement on a phone about any given topic, why can’t dozens be in agreement in an online gathering?
Still.. the question remains. Why doesn’t the SDR church have physical church buildings? Especially now that we have grown in number all around the world recently. It says in Acts 2:46-47, "And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
The Christian church started in people’s homes, but not only because at first it was small. As we see in China and other nations right now were Christianity is illegal; the Christians met in their homes because meeting en masse in large buildings would make it hard to hide from those that sought to persecute and even kill them. It wasn’t until later when the church was scattered and the persecution started to die off that large churches were erected.
We are in the last days and I can see many reasons as to why we meet online now. The main reason being of course is that which was prophesied. The remnant of her seed is to be very small in comparison to the world because not many will bear their cross because the temptations of the world are too enticing for them.
My wife and I looked for literally 8 years for a church in our area and even believers that believed as we did and found none. So, we chose to worship alone in our home. Later, the Lord did start to send some souls, but they were few and far apart. Then we went online and the rest is history. But notice this as well. As the church in its infancy, so shall the remnant church in the end be. What I mean is, the Christians were scattered globally 2000 years ago due to persecution and that scattering allowed the truth to spread far and wide. The remnant people are scattered for the same reason. Having small home churches dispersed across the globe is also very strategic and wise of our God to do so as we see how we are hated by all. Even those claiming to be Christians hate us. As small home churches it makes it impossible for Satan to easily infiltrate our gatherings. When a small group gathers, everyone knows everyone else in the group. They also live close enough to each other and can see their daily fruits to know who is and who isn’t to be trusted. Online we do lack that ability to be avid fruit inspectors, and so they do try to infiltrate. But the methods of security we have learned to set up over the years has slowed the assaults from Hell down considerably.
Also notice this. Being scattered, and for some of us that meet online only, let me ask you this. When that latter rain falls more abundantly, how effective would our work be if we were all in one city sitting in one large church building? The wisdom of our God has those of us that gather online scattered all over the world so that when the rain falls, we will be able to glorify the Lord in a way that cannot be stopped. Literally thousands and hopefully millions will come out of apostasy and join with us when that day comes. Yes, many will be martyred in the process because they waited too long to embrace the truth. But that same truth will have already been effectively shared due to our scattering and our Lord will return to give us our reward just as He promised so often in His Word.
#199. Are we working the “10/40 region” of earth for Christ?
Dear Brother
Nicholas;
Have you heard about the 10/40
window? I was reading some
articles about that section
being the largest population in
the world, with people there who
have not heard about Jesus. It
is preached that Jesus is soon
to come and no one has reached
these people according to church
reports and wikipedia. The
inspired Word says no one knows
when this work will closed. What
I want to know is there any
prophecy in reaching this mass
of people and is Jesus really
coming soon since that is so
much to reach? Thank you and God
Bless!
ANSWER:
Yes, I know of that region on earth. For those that never heard of it, this is how it is described online.
“The 10/40 Window is a term coined by Christian missionary strategist Luis Bush in 1990[1][2] to refer to those regions of the eastern hemisphere, plus the European and African part of the western hemisphere, located between 10 and 40 degrees north of the equator, a general area that in 1990 was purported to have the highest level of socioeconomic challenges[3][4] and least access to the Christian message and Christian resources[5][6][7] on the planet.” - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10/40_Window
Just so you know, the SDR church is in fact working that region right now. We have a few churches in the Philippines that have spread the message to many nations in that entire region. They are very busy workers for the Lord to say the least. We also have hundreds of workers all over the world as well as in this region passing out tracts, DVDs, booklets, and bible studies. Not to mention the millions of Internet Café’s that have allowed the truth we preach to flourish as well. Not all Café’s block the ministry and church websites. Sadly, however, some do.
As for the “10/40” assumption that no one in that region has heard the message of Christ; that is not true. Even the hundreds of millions of Muslims in that region know who He is. That is why they’re killing His people. They heard the truth and boldly rejected it. The prophecy doesn’t say they will all accept the message. It only says they will all have the chance to hear it before Jesus gets here. Sadly, as is also prophesied, most reject it.
#200. Please explain Luke 16:1-3.
Greetings
Brother Nicolas,
What is your view on Luke
chapter 16: 1-13. I seem to be
missing the point here. And what
does the Bible say about talking
and meeting with non believes?
Thank you and May The FATHER of
our LORD Jesus Christ be with
you. Amen
VERSE IN QUESTION
Luke 16:1-13, "And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and