Man's Operating manual

"It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (Luke 4:4)

Before we go any further in this study of scripture, I thought it important that I identify the Bible, what it is and y we should study it over the words of man (aka 'the sermon').

I was once told that the Bible was hard to be understood. The person I was conversing with said all her life no matter how much she tried & no matter how much she craved understanding she could not understand what she read. As I considered her words I was reminded of the church I grew up in. During Sunday services the pastor, ass. Pastor, guest speaker- evangelist whoever- would usually choose between a minimum of 1/2 a verse to a maximum of 4 verses as a context to 'preach their sermon' from. I thought about my own academic troubles in mathematics. If I attempted to work out 4 algebra problems per week I probably would've never gotten the hang of it either (although I did have to take freshman algebra twice lol). Some argue in math you go home every day and do homework. Even then, that is only after going over several problems back & forth with your instructor. Imagine 4 versus a week... Some of the chapters in St. Luke alone have 60+ verses in them. At that rate it would take 15 weeks to cover the issues contained in one book in the bible (multiply that by 66 books). So what is the Bible? The bible is like an operating manual. It provides the basic (as well as more in-depth) instructions to live.

Yes! God's words are contained in a book.

Words are how the species of Man communicates. That is why Jesus is called the Word of God as He is the one who communicates with man. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. (St. John 1:1-4)

"And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called the Word of God."
(Revelation 19:11-13)

The words contained in scripture is inspired by God, and is good for doctrine, correction and instructions as far as righteousness is concerned (2Timothy 3:16-17). God created man and gave him dominion over the works of his hand. Therefore man has dominance over the fish of the sea; over the fowl of the air; over the cattle; over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth; and over all the earth. (Genesis 1:26) He gave the man instructions and told him the consequences for disobedience.

And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed... And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:8-16).

The most important instructions are the Royal Law also known as the law of liberty, which are the Ten Commandments. These instructions were/are so important that God didn't give them to an angel to deliver to man. He came down from heaven to Mt. Sinai and spoke these commandments to man face to face.

And be ready against the third day: for the third day the Lord will come down in the sight of all the people upon Mount Sinai. And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightning’s, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount. And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace and the whole mount quaked greatly. And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake and God answered him by a voice. And the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mount... (Exodus 19:1-20).


All the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they said to Moses Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. And Moses said to the people fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not. And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. And the Lord said to Moses, say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven (Exodus 20:1-22).


Since Israel was the only nation present, what were the instructions to the rest of the world? 1st of all there was a mixed multitude present at Mt. Sinai, not just Israelites. (Exodus 12:37-38) Secondly the Lord called Israel a kingdom of priests... that is IF they are obedient. (Exodus 19:5-6)

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you...Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath god so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day... teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons... and their children (Deuteronomy 4:1-10).

God's Word is soo powerful that it is written that when the word goes out of His mouth... "It shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).


I could use a year worth of posts pointing out all of the different instructions in the Bible. Study-the-Bible-not-the-sermon is dedicated to revealing these instructions. But for the sake of time and space I will briefly point out a few that I will go in depth on at a later date.



What God's people should eat.

"... these are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts that shall ye eat...And the swine (pig) though he divide the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you...These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you... ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing... This is the law of the beasts... To make a difference between the unclean and the clean and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten" (Leviticus 11:1-47). "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" (1Corinthians 3:16-20).

Note: you only have to touch the carcass of these animals to be defiled. So don’t misunderstand the comment that Jesus made about defilement in the New Testament.





Sabbath Day: 6 days shall work be done: but the 7th day is the Sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the Sabbath of the Lord in all your dwellings. (Leviticus 23:1-37)



The rest of the Biblical holidays (holy days) can also be found in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus as well as Deuteronomy 16:1-17.



LET IT BE KNOWN: The Word of God is contained in the Bible. This is the only Word /truth whereby man can obtain salvation. THIS IS OUR INSTRUCTION MANUAL.

Let us hear the conclusion of the WHOLE matter: Fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the WHOLE DUTY of man" (ECCLESIASTES 12:13).



Lastly I leave you with the same advice that the apostle Paul gave us all, "...Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12).

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His word.

Locksmif LLAVES (keys)



Furthur scripture refrences:

Jeremiah 30:1-2


Joshua 1:8


Leviticus 19:1-4, 9-18,26-32


Exodus 31:12-17

MODERN DAY FALSE PROPHETS

HER LEADERS JUDGE FOR A BRIBE, HER PRIESTS TEACH FOR A PRICE AND HER PROPHETS TELL FORTUNES FOR MONEY… Micah 3:11(NIV) Now usually I am a strict KJV man. But the NIV better illustrates my point for this post.

And he said, hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.” (Numbers chap.12)

Now-a-days people hear the word prophet and think ancient. In order to better market themselves many would be prophets call themselves psychics, fortune-tellers, crystal ball gazers etc. Amongst some ‘Christian’ denomination they call themselves ‘Readers’. I have personally witnessed a gathering of people brought together for Reader parties, where participants pay a $10 cover charge (probably more now, since the last party I attended was in 1995) and wait in line for the reader to tell them their future. Meanwhile using various superstitions to “keep you safe,” like leaving a half dollar coin on the inside window ledge to keep out intruders, or keeping a dime in your shoes, coupled with various other faithless practices that have no biblical basis.

LET IT BE KNOWN: just because a person knows the future, does not make them righteous, holy or closer to God. There are many ways of accurately interpreting the future. Knowing what happened in the past is always a good indication of future events. Accurate analysis of the present conditions & knowledge of the natural order of things one can guess with some degree of accuracy the future. Accuracy is therefore the main problem of most who claim to be prophet, or psychic or Readers.

The Bible Says: "…And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously…” (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) In biblical times being a false prophet was a crime punishable by death!

Prophets are the foundation of the church along with the apostle’s and Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone (Eph.2:20).

Will The Lord give someone a message to give to someone else? Sure! Can The Lord reveal truth to someone and somehow enable that person to deliver that message to others? Yes! But is this the biblical gift of prophecy? No. If God were to speak through a person today, it would be in 100% complete agreement with what has already been written in Scripture. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2Pet. 1:20-21)

According to christiananswers.net a prophet is defined as: nabi, from the Hebrew root meaning "to bubble forth, as from a fountain," hence “to utter”. Nabi is the first and the most generally used term for a prophet. In the time of Samuel another word, ro'eh, "seer", began to be used (1 Sam. 9:9). Afterwards another word, hozeh, “seer” (2 Sam. 24:11), was employed. In 1 Ch. 29:29 all these three words are used: "Samuel the seer (ro'eh), Nathan the prophet (nabi'), Gad the seer" (hozeh). In Josh. 13:22 Balaam is called (Hebrew) a kosem “diviner,” a word used only of a false prophet. A prophet is the mouthpiece of God to man. God puts His words into their mouth so that they may prophesy to the children of men.

It has recently come to my attention that several T.V preachers call themselves prophets and/or proclaim to receive a word from the Lord and because of their inconsistency have by default labeled themselves as soothsayers; also known as Soothsayers.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary defines a soothsayer as: a person who predicts the future by magical, intuitive, or more rational means. And defines PROGNOSTICATOR as: one who foretells from signs or symptoms.

Benny Hinn the tele-evangelist has made numerous predictions about the future of America, its citizens and the world. As I recall the only predictions that were accurate were those that were logical for anyone who studies economics. He claims that homosexuals in America will be destroyed and here we are 20 years later and Hate crime laws have just been passed concerning the homosexual population. Gay marriage/Civil Union’s are even being discussed in the media weekly. Hear the words & judge for yourself @
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTtw_PeHZw8&feature=related
His most popular failed prophecies are about Fidel Castro, the Leader of Cuba. On New Year’s Eve 1989 Benny Hinn said that the ‘spirit’ told him that Fidel Castro would die in the 90’s. This definitely was not the spirit of the True and Living God because you are reading this blog 20 years later almost 2010 and Fidel Castro is still very much alive. Even when Castro fell ill and gave power to his brother it was well into the 21st century (2000 something). It just so happens that Castro is a fan of Barack Obama. Maybe the spirit meant a spiritual death?(not likely). See part 2, I think it’s even more hilarious than part 1. In part 2 he is called a prophet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZf7XiSmz-0




Kim Clement is another so-called prophet. While cruising YouTube I came across Kim explaining the difference between O.T. and N.T. prophets. He said that New Testament prophets are more ‘fun’; because they are under grace L (to me that even sounds stupid). He doesn’t talk about sin; he leaves that to pastors and preachers. Kim thinks his calling is to ‘draw the treasure out of the person so they can become what they were destined to become.’ Sounds like prophecy according to these tele-evangelist prophets is a ‘hustle’. A way to make money off the habits of other people. Judge for yourself…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMlT51x29N8&feature=related
Lastly, some of these false prophets claim to heal people. I used to believe that some were ‘probably’ healed since there is power in the name of Jesus. While researching false prophets I came across some interesting videos about pressure points & the power of suggestion that changed my outlook on these people whom we have already seen are false prophets.

Pressure points - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bffI10DDj-c&feature=related
The Power of Suggestion – (this one is deep) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DzuIymBU9U&NR=1&feature=fvwp

“Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His word.

Locksmif – llaves (keys)

What is God’s name?

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his NAME, and what is his son's NAME, if thou canst tell? (Proverbs 30:4 KJV)

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is None other NAME under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

What is the importance of a name?? Usually the first thing that you learn about a person is their name. It's also something that you usually remember. Although I myself am a lot better at remembering faces, I try to remember names after the 2nd or 3rd conversation. A friend of mine from Atlanta once said that choosing a name for his son was important because before a person has a chance to get to know you, your name is your identity.

An on-line dictionary defines a name as: a word or a combination of words by which a person… is designated, called, or known. If you are known by your name then it should reflect your personality, this is why most of us choose nick-names for ourselves at very young ages.

In biblical times names were given on 8th day of a child’s life (also the day of circumcision). Names in Scripture almost always had a special meaning, either about the person or concerning what the Lord was going to do thru them. For instance:

• SAMUEL – GOD WILL HEAR
• EZEKIEL (יְחֶזְקֵאל,) God will strengthen (the things Ezekiel subjected himself to for God’s sake, he needed strength from the Almighty. Chap 24)
• PETER/CEPHAS (Ke-Fas) – A stone. (…Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church… Matt.16:18)
• JEHOSAPHAT – JEHOVA WILL JUDGE
• DANIEL – Judgment of God.
• EVE – was the mother of all living (Gen.3:20). Just as the evening is the beginning of every day (And the evening and the morning were the first day. Gen.1:5)


Without getting to deep into languages, the word ‘God’ in scripture is translated from the Hebrew word ELohim. The ‘el’ suffix on Ezekiel, Daniel, and Samuel bear the abbreviated form of Elohim.

So, when the Bible tells us not to take the Lord’s name in vain, does it really mean that if you say OMG your in violation of the 3rd Commandment?? How about if you step on broken glass and say ‘God-D@%!t? Keep up with the posts & we’ll get into the “curse” words at a later date. But is God really God’s name? No. The word ‘God’ is a title. What did Jesus mean we he instructed the disciples to, baptize them “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matthew28:19)? Every man who has a child is a Father, every man born is a son, and every spirit/angel/ghost that did not follow Satan is holy. All of these are titles. We will return to this point.

I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not… (John 5:43) If Jesus came in the name of the Father, then what is the Father’s name? What name did He come in? The name of JESUS. Therefore we can correctly infer that Jesus is the Father’s name! Now, if Jesus is the Father’s name who is Jehovah or Yahweh? In St. John 5 Jesus said that you have NEVER HEARD THE FATHER’S VOICE AT ANY TIME OR SEEN HIS SHAPE. If this is the case then who spoke to Adam? Whose backside did Moses see? In the wilderness who did Moses, Aaron and 72 elders eat and drink with when scripture says that they saw God? In 1Corinthians Paul tells us that Jesus was the Rock that led Moses and Israel thru the Red Sea. So it was Jesus who the elders saw. It was Jesus that spoke with Adam, Noah, and Abraham.

Here is wisdom: Jesus is our Savior; many times in the books of the prophets God is called our Saviour. In Hosea it says: “I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me. I did know thee in the wilderness…”

CONCLUSION: Jesus is the ONLY God that man has ever known. Called by the name of Jehovah (Yahweh), I AM, and a host of other titles like God Almighty. A body was prepared for him (Hebrews 10), he was born of a woman and as the Son of man was given the name of God ‘the Father’ which is Jesus (from the Hebrew Joshua meaning God is Salvation). That is why when Jesus prayed he never called the Father by a name, only Father. Because the Father’s name is Jesus, and the Son’s name is Jehovah. Jehovah; who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, (Heb.2:8-10) came to us in the name of Jesus to preach the Gospel of the coming of the kingdom of God!
If there is none other name whereby we must be saved, what happens if you are baptized like so many of my peers at the neighborhood church on Chicago’s South Side (E. 79th), “in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, the three-in-one”?

We have already seen that all of these are titles and therefore you have not been baptized in anyone’s name.
The solution: Learn God’s name, Jesus, Jehovah, Jah etc.

And take Peter’s advice and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).

So when a man says that he is god, I say that may be so, but you’re not the true and living God. As I remember the 10 Commandments he probably is a god, which is why the 1st Commandment says to have no OTHER god’s before Him.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God... That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-12)
For furthur detail concerning this lesson check out


May the Lord add a blessing to the study of His Word


Locksmif – llaves(keys)

Refrenced Scriptures:
John 1:18
John 17:25
Exodus 24:1-18
1Corinthian 10:1-4
Acts 2:22-40
John 8:56-59

WHAT IS TRUTH?

WHAT IS TRUTH?
HOW CAN WE KNOW TRUTH WHEN WE HEAR IT?
This age old question is of deep importance to college students in general and as Christian college students in particular. All Christians have need to know the answer to this question. Currently there are brothers & sisters whom are senior citizens that have attended church 30,40, 50 years and also do not know what the truth is, let alone recognize it when they hear it. As Christians we should have an advantage. The answer to the first question is obvious, "The Bible." The answer to the second question is as simple and yet more complex. We regard the Bible as truth yet hundreds are led to their death behind cult leaders, and excuses are made on everything from sodomy to murder based on scripture. How then can we as Christians know the ministers of Satan whom are transformed into angels of light (2Cor.11:14-15)? Moses, Jesus, and the apostle Paul all agree on this issue that in order to find out the truth build your facts on the testimony of two or more witnesses.
Moses- Deut.19:15
Moses is now proclaiming the laws of the true & living God (aka Jesus). In this case the statutes were to take affect after the Promised Land was inherited. In court cases including landmark tampering and accidental deaths etc., the sole testimony of 1 witness cannot convict another person.
Jesus- St. John 8:17
It was because of this principle that Jesus could be his on witness because the Father also bears record of the son. Being that the Bible is written about Jesus every priest, prophet or apostle that wrote anything contained in scripture is also a witness to the claims Jesus made and the things he did and will accomplish. (Psalms 40:7-10; Hebrews 10:7)
Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles- 2Corinthians 13:1
The Apostle Paul is here writing to the believers at the church in Corinth. This was a newly formed church under the New Covenant. They fared well under Paul’s direct guidance but in his absence they were full of debates, envying, wraths, strife’s, backbiting, whisperings, swellings, and tumults. Paul expresses to them the SAME message we should receive, when something (especially in the New Testament) is unclear, seems contradictory or is hard to be understood we should ask other witness the same questions. If and when we receive two or more of the same testimony it is usually believable.
As far as scripture goes, one could take Ezekiel chapter 16, which speaks about Jesus and His bride (the church/Israel), how He chose her when she was polluted in her own blood naked and bare (v.6). God cleansed her covered her nakedness with his covenant (v.8). He then dressed her in silk and gave her jewels for her neck, wrist and ears (v.10-13). She then started to trust in her beauty and not God (v.15). She took the gold & silver from the True God and created pagan god’s to worship (v.17). Lastly she lowered herself to prostitution. This metaphorical woman is was no ordinary prostitute in that she gets paid for sexual favors, this people in whom the prophecy represents is/was the kind of prostitute that gives her lovers gifts instead of receiving them(v.31-34). This chapter has been misconceived by looking exclusively at v.33-34 separately from the first 32 verses, that it is not prostitution that is wrong, but those that have promiscuous sex and don’t get paid for it! Imagine the damage a false prophet could do to one who doesn’t research for him/herself, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Rom.12:2).
Take this opportunity to examine not only yourself but the things in which you believe. Is the bible verse you quote so eloquently the only one in the scripture that makes that point? Will one scripture get you into God’s kingdom? If all these holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2Peter 1:20-21) then all of the advice and stories contained therein should complement each other.
To know the truth concerning scripture choose a subject, upon which you will study, and then go- O.T., N.T., Prophet, Priest, Messiah, Apostle, and consider what is written by each one concerning the subject you chose. When 2 or more agree on a subject, it is a solid foundation in which you can stand on. When you arrange the jigsaw puzzle and line it up you will have a good understanding of who God is and what he is trying to do. To find the truth in the secular world concerning…a rumor, one should question all who were present and by the mouth of two or three witness shall a fact be established.
May the Lord add a blessing to the reading of His Word.
LockSmif… LLAVES (keys)