Death of Christ and Silent or Black Saturday #2 A son of God and king who died

The triumphal entry of Jesus honoured as a king

All the time when the by Jesus chosen disciples followed him, they had several times doubts concerning his position and were convinced he was going to save them from the Roman oppressors. They were willing to see in Jesus that promised Massiah/Moshiach or Messiah (the anointed or christou  / kristos / Christ), but thought him to become their worldly king. Several people, over that short time he preached publicly, reckoned he would become their king after he got rid of the Romans. For that reason, many were willing to greet and call him the “King of the Jews“.

The Jews knew very well that out of the seed of Eve their king would arise, him being a descendant of King David. Jews were aware of the message the prophets and Jesus had spoken about.

“10 In this manner the children of The God and the children of the Devil are evident–every person not practicing righteousness is not from The God, nor is the person not showing compassionate affection to a fellow member. 11  Because this is the message which you heard from a beginning: we should be showing compassionate affection to one another; 12 not like Cain, who was from the Wicked One, who slaughtered his own brother. And why did he slaughter Abel? Because his own works were wicked but those of his brother righteous.” (1Jo 3:10-12 mhm)

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Ge 3:15 Webster)

For centuries, they were looking for the one who would bring an end to the curse of death, given in the Garden of Eden. Many Jews saw in Jesus the son of David and the Christ and the one coming in the name of God.

“Traveling from there two blind men followed Jesus, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”” (Mt 9:27 mhm)

“When the crowd rebuked the blind men to keep quiet they cried out even more, yelling, “Sir, have mercy on us, Son of David!”” (Mt 20:31 mhm)

“9 Some of the crowds rushed ahead of Jesus while others followed behind, all yelling, “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘Blessed is the one coming in the Name of YHWH!’ Hosanna in the highest!” 10 As Jesus entered into Jerusalem the whole city was thrown into commotion, with people asking, “Who is this?” 11 But crowds were yelling, “That is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee!”” (Mt 21:9-11 mhm)

In his lifetime Jesus warned people having to come to see and accept him for whom he is. People have to know he is the one sent from God, coming in the Name of God. they should not make him into their god, but worship the same God as the One Who sent Jesus.

“However, when that appointed season arrived, The God sent forth His Son–born of a woman and born under the Law of Moses –” (Ga 4:4 mhm)

“This is how the compassionate affection of The God was manifested in us, because The God sent forth His only-begotten Son into the world-order of humanity so that we might live through him.” (1Jo 4:9 mhm)

“For I tell you: You will not see me again until indeed you say, ‘Blessed is the one coming in the Name of YHWH.’”” (Mt 23:39 mhm)

“After the master of the house has risen he closes the door, and all of you will begin to stand outside and continue to knock on the door, saying: ‘Master, open to us!’ And he will tell you: ‘I have no idea who you are!’” (Lu 13:25 mhm)

“I have come in the Name of my Father and all of you do not accept me. If someone else should come in his own name, that person you will accept.” (Joh 5:43 mhm)

“The crowd took palm tree branches and went out to meet Jesus. They were crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is the One coming in YHWH’s Name,even the King of Israel!”” (Joh 12:13 mhm)

Pontius Pilate also knew how Jeshua or Jesus was called by many. In this time when Jerusalem was overflowing with pilgrims, the governor had tried to avoid making the city a potential tinderbox for civil unrest. The Jewish religious leaders had refused to release Jesus, as part of an annual custom during Passover. Pilate harboured no suspicions that Jesus was royalty. He had Jesus flogged and his soldiers had twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe calling him “King of the Jews.”

“Leading Barabbas and Jesus together before the crowd Pilate asked them: “Who do you want me to release? Barabbas or the one called ‘Messiah’ –Jesus?”” (Mt 27:17 mhm)

“Realizing none of this accomplished anything but only aroused the mob more, Pilate took water and washed off his hands opposite the mob, telling them, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. You do as you please.”” (Mt 27:24 mhm)

“1  So then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. 2 Also, the soldiers braided a crown out of thorns and put it upon his head. They threw about him a purple robe, 3 and they kept approaching him and saying, “Greetings, king of the Jews!” And they kept slapping him. 4 Then Pilate went outside again and said to the Jews: “Look, I am bringing him outside, so that you people will realize that I can find not a single cause against him.” 5 So, Jesus came outside wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Then Pilate said to the Jews: “Behold, the man!” 6 Now when the chief priests and the Jewish officials saw Jesus, they cried out, saying: “Impale! Impale!” Pilate told them: “You Jews take him and you impale him! Because I cannot find any cause against him.” 7 The Jews answered Pilate: “We have a law and according to that law, he deserves to die, because he made himself a son of God!” 8 Now when Pilate heard this statement, it caused him to become fearful. 9 He entered the Praetorium again and said to Jesus: “Where are you from?” But, Jesus did not give him an answer. 10 So Pilate said to Jesus: “Do you not realize that I have authority to either release you or impale you?” 11 Jesus answered him: “You would have no authority against me if it had not been given to you from above. For this reason the person who handed me over to you has a greater sin.”12 For this reason Pilate continued to seek to release Jesus. But the Jews cried out, saying: “If you ever release this person you are not a friend of Caesar! Everyone making himself a king is speaking against Caesar!” 13 So, Pilate, having heard these statements, led Jesus outside, and he sat down on the judgment-seat in a place called Stone Pavement–which is ‘Gabbatha’ in Hebrew. 14 Now it was preparation of the Passover–it was the sixth hour. And so Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” 15 As a result the Jews cried out: “Away! Away! Impale him!” Pilate asked them: “Shall I impale your king?” The chief priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar!” 16  So then, Pilate handed Jesus over to them so that he might be impaled. 17 Then they took Jesus into their custody, and carrying his stake himself, he went out to the spot called Skull Place, which is ‘Golgotha’ in Hebrew. 18 There they impaled Jesus and with him two others beside him and Jesus in the middle. 19  Also, Pilate wrote a title and put it upon the stake. On it he had written: “Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews.” 20 Now this title was read by many Jews because the place where they impaled Jesus was near the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21 As a result the chief priests of the Jews told Pilate: “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews’ but rather, ‘This person said, “I am King of the Jews”’!” 22 Pilate answered them: “What I have written, I have written.”” (Joh 19:1-22 mhm)

“And then they posted above his head the written charge against him: “This is Jesus–King of the Jews.”” (Mt 27:37 mhm)

“Over his head there was an inscription accusing Jesus of the charges against him: THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (Mr 15:26 mhm)

“Over his head there was also an inscription, THIS ONE IS KING OF THE JEWS.” (Lu 23:38 mhm)

When the Nazarene master-teacher died at the stake, it became dark and the earth started to tremble.

“51 Now the curtain of the Sanctuary was torn in two from the top down. The earth was shaken and rocks were cracked open. 52 The tombs were opened and many dead bodies of ancient saints were raised and became visible. 53 And persons left the tombs and entered the holy city. 54 But the centurion and those observing Jesus, having experienced the earthquake and the other things happening, became very frightened. They said, “Surely this person was a Son of God!”” (Mt 27:51-54 mhm)

We can imagine others now could be convinced that that miracle worker was a son of God and him having a special relationship with God. But several who had publicly followed this Nazarene or man from Galilee got frightened that people would turn against them. This was also the reason why some of the female followers watched the event from some distance.

“55 There were many women present who had followed Jesus from Galilee. They had served him and they witnessed the execution from afar. 56 These included Mary the Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of John and James the sons of Zebedee.” (Mt 27:55-56 mhm)

Many afraid, not knowing what was really going on or overcoming the city fled to their homes, where they thought to be safer than on the streets where those people from the grave walked around. Also, the apostles dared not to come on the streets, afraid of being recognised as Jesus his disciples, and as such to be imprisoned and perhaps killed like their master. They became very quiet, not understanding how the man whom they thought was going to liberate them from the Romans was now death and could not come up for them any more.

It was like they could hide in the darkness of the moment. After the death of Christ and the earthquake it was as if a silence came over the town. How many times had the apostles with so many people prayed to God with their master? Now they were on their own to pray to God, wondering what had to happen now. Withdrawn to the closed space, they tried to neatly list all the past events.

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Previous articles

Matthew 21:6-9 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Blessed the One Coming in God’s Name!

God’s Face shining on His servant

10 Nisan An entrance for a king

Matthew 21:10-11 Who Is This? – a Question still posed today #1

Matthew 27 – The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – Bible Students Intro

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #1 Matthew 27:1-2 – Priests Hand Jesus Over to Pilate

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #2 Matthew 27:3-10 – Judas Hangs Himself

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #3 Matthew 27:11-14 – “Are You King of the Jews?”

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #4 Matthew 27:15-23 – Barabbas or Jesus?

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #5 Matthew 27:24-26 – “His Blood Come Upon Us!”

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #6 Matthew 27:27-31 – Jesus Afflicted by Troops

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #7 Matthew 27:32-37 – Executed at Golgotha

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #8 Matthew 27:38-44 – The Mob’s Abuse

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #9 Matthew 27:45-50 – Jesus Expires During a Darkness

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #10 Matthew 27:51-54 – Temple Curtain Torn in Earthquake

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #11 Matthew 27:55-56 – The Women Who Witness the Execution

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #12 Matthew 27:57-61 – Jesus’ Body Given to Joseph of Arimathea

Matthew 27 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Final Hours: Trial, Execution and Burial – #13 Matthew 27:62-66 – Guards Seal the Tomb Against an Imposter

Death of Christ and Silent or Black Saturday #1 Abandonment and burial

Next

Death of Christ and Silent or Black Saturday #3 A sincere man or an imposter

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Additional reading

1. Speaking to the Heart
2. When you believe Jesus is God, do you think he died?
3. The day Jesus died
4. A Messiah to die
5. A Living Faith #7 Prayer
6. Be still and listen
7. Not everyone in the churches of Christ are “ungodly”

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Related articles

1. Why is Jesus called the “Son of God” in the Bible?
2. Spirit of Herod Still Alive Today
3. What Christians Live For: The Redemption from Jesus Christ (Journeys 58-60)
4. Mark 15:12
5. Mark 15:26
6. Jesus, King of the Jews
7. Worship The King
8. The King of the Jews
9. Behold Your King!
10. Jesus, King of the Jews
11. Mark 15: 42-47
12. Matthew 27: The Death of Jesus. The Triptych Enigma.
13. Mt 27.57-61 The Burial of Jesus
14. The Deafening Silence of Black Saturday
15. Black Saturday – Christ’s work continues
16. Holy Saturday (Artful Devotion)
17. Sepulchre of Life

Dave Norris and his writings on the Belgian Bible Students

With articles like “The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents“, “Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 1″, “Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 2″, “Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 3” the blogger Dave Norris who likes us to call “kindergartner” “toddler” or sometimes “spiritual kindergarteners”, he presents a lot of nonsense about our community, clearly showing he does not know much about us nor similar groups, but even worse, does not seem to have a clue about the Bible Student movement and the history of such religious groups as the Bible Students, Christadelphians, Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW) and many other non-Trinitarian groups.

On the blog “The Bible & Exposing Cult Error Darkness Into Light” he wants his readers to believe he exposes errors of others but in fact does nothing more than presenting his own errors, ignorance or lack of knowledge.

We do notice we are not the only target or are not spitting the only purpose of his gal. He seems so frustrated in his faith and religion he loves to write a lot about other religious groups instead spending more time to proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God or to give more information about his own faith group or church.

He calls us a “Spirit of deception” but clearly he throws so much untruth on the net we can not resist in the end to react to it and to let others know some of the incredible untruths that he proclaims as our doctrine. It is therefore very important that we expose these gross lies and clarify our positions. It is because of several of his writings and attacks on us and other their attacks we started in the end to present a new website for unmasking people like him: Please find and look at the new site Unmasking anti Jehovah sites and people.

The man, who presents himself as a bully in his mails to us, writes on the internet:

The Watchtower Belgian Bible student movement did precede the actual formation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Charles T Russell was their leader. {The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents}

Charles Taze Russell may have been a pupil of John Thomas, the founder of the Brothers in Christ or Christadelphians, but for sure has never been our founder nor our leader.

Ch. T. Russell may be called the founder of the American Bible Students and of the International Bible Students, but is neither the founder of the Free Bible Students (who discarded many of the teachings of the American Bible Student founder Charles Taze Russell) nor from Belgian Bible Students nor the founder of the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Russell never was a Jehovah’s Witness, like Mr. or the adolescent Norris wants his readers to believe. In case Mr. Russell would present himself to become a Jehovah’s Witness he would even not be accepted by that organisation.

An other fault which Mr. Norris does is to say we are associated with the Jehovah’s Witnesses Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society which is at all not so. We do have no association with that publication institute nor with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society Organisation be it of Brooklyn, New York, Pennsylvania or of Canada or even of any other states like Australia, nor with the JW Organisation. For clarity the Belgian Bible Students have nothing to do with the Jehovah’s Witness nor with any of their other organisations or missions.

It is not because we do believe in the same One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah, that we would belong to one and the same Church.

We too may come from hundreds of ethnic and language backgrounds, and may, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, have the same goal to praise and honour Jehovah God being united by common goals. The same as those lovers of God, we too want to do our best to imitate Jesus Christ and are proud to be called Christians. As followers of Christ Jesus we take his command to go out in the world as a serious matter and like the JW we too witness for Jehovah, each of us regularly spending time helping people learn about the Bible and God’s Kingdom. Because we witness, or talk, about Jehovah God and his Kingdom, some may confuse us with those other people who have the same goal as us and are known as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Opposite claims by Mr. Norris, we have very clearly presented our history to him, which can be found more extensively on the net. As such we find again a gross misrepresentation of the facts, him writing on the net:

I wish the Belgian Biblestudents would be honest with me about their history as they have not been.

I do admit that they were right about Charles Russell not beginning Jehovah’s Witnesses. He was a false prophet nevertheless and they can’t get around that. Woe to the foolish Prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing.{The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents}

Though after this writing he continues

Biblestudents are a deceptive group under their leader Charles T Russell who is the founder of the Watchtower and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The group Christadelphians have a lot to do with this movement. Imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived. They are presently deceivers because they were being deceived by Charles Russell whom they hold up as their leader. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 1}

and repeats

They claim to follow the Bible but they deny the Triune Godhead. As I said in another report before Russell founded Bible students he began the Watchtower with the basic Jehovah’s Witnesses Doctrine in force. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 1}

Who is the deceiving person or spirit in this case?

He then presents a whole of prophesies we supposedly would have believed or followed, which is totally untrue and we even do not get any idea where he gets it form we would have hold fast on such prophesies when we ourselves always clearly say it is no man given, even not Christ Jesus, to know when the end times are coming, though we agree we can see the signs, we can never say an exact date. We, like nobody, according to us, can ever give a correct date on it.

We want our readers to know we do have nothing to do with prophesies of the Jehovah’s Witnesses nor ever would have believed in such a date setting.

Prophecies which may have been made by the JW but never by the Belgian Biblestudents (like Dave Norris and some other bloggers on the net want their readers to believe).

Mr. Norris also wants his readers to believe in high and low that we

are almost like the New Apostolic Reformation with a prophecy accuracy rate of 20%. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 2}

and asks his readers to examine for themselves, but giving a photograph of a Watchtower which is even not the Zion’s Watchtower of the American Bible Students nor our old magazine Zion’s Wachttoren (19th and 20th century publications) and not at all a magazine of our community, but a publication by the WTBTS.

Though Mr. Norris in his previous writing said he understood Russell was not the founder of the JW he again presents him as a prophet for the JW and worse of all also for us, which is against our teachings, we only are recognising such prophets as those declared by the Word of God, namely Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadia, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaiah, Haggai, Zecharia, Malachi and Jesus, considering many others as false prophets.

Mr. Norris also wirtes

Biblestudents don’t believe in the hell that Jesus talked about and yet they say they follow Jesus. {Belgian Biblestudent Deception- 2}

which is again a lie, we believing in sheol or hell, like Jesus was for three days in hell and also talked about hell.

Continuously that blog writer from the so called exposing Christian error site wants to associate us with the JW and again giving wrong dates concerning our history.

In 1879 he began the perversion of Jehovah’s Witnesses but under a different name. The Biblestudents didn’t start until 1876 and they themselves told me that when they said Russell was their founder. His organization wasn’t yet called Jehovah’s Witnesses but the obvious poisonous theology was in place. {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 3}

A painting depicting the conflict which led to the secession of the southern provinces (mainly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the establishment of an independent Kingdom of Belgium. – Episode of the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Gustaf Wappers (1834), (Museum of Fine Art, Brussels)

After the Battle of Waterloo (1815) several Students of the Bible living in the region of France its Low Countries got a more nationalistic feeling and when the Dutch-speaking Flemings and French-speaking Walloons had meetings in Rheims or Paris they wanted to make it clear they came from the Gallic (Gaul) or Belgica or Côtes Lorraines region or the plain of Flanders, and the Kempenland (French: Campine) and did not consider themselves any more to be part of the Nord–Pas-de-Calais or le Nord (North of France) region with Cambrai where also several Bible Students had found their home in a very hostile area for non-Trinitarians and/or Protestants. After the States-General in Brussels voted in favour of secession and declared independence the small state Belgium was formed and with it also the “Belgian Bible Students”, which at that time, may have had most of it members in the Famenne, Sambre, La Louvière, Borinage and Hainaut region, long before Charles Taze Russell (February 16, 1852 – October 31, 1916), or Pastor Russell, the American Christian restorationist minister from Pittsburgh, was born. It were such sincere students of the Bible who made it possible to get one of the first major Bibles in the French language circulating in the region and had one which was printed in Mons. There in Mons can still be found a copy of the first Gutenberg Bible (1455) which was used as a base (unfortunately incomplete). It was Canon Edmon Puissant (1860-1934) who came into possession of this copy in 1926.

 

D Norris telling a lot of nonsense in several articles on what he calls on Belgian Biblestudies, though our community is called Belgian Bible-students and has nothing to do with Ch.T. Russell as so called founder and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Though we do agree Ch.T. Russell’s writings circulated and still circulate amongst us and got several of his and other brethren their English writings translated in French, Swiss German and Dutch by our community. In the early 20th century Russell even came to visit our community.

Next he presents an article on Armstrong false prophecy as a ‘Next’ article containing false prophecies of Herbert W Armstrong marking him as a false prophet, as if we would also follow this man.  This article is followed by “Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 4” were he keeps dragging on with prophecies of some one we do not have as our leader, what he keeps others to believe. And than he asks

Here are two more of Charles Russell’s false prophecies. What amazes me is how Belgian Bible students can justify this? {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 4} {find our reaction if he publishes it}

And he keeps disbelieving that Russell was not our founder, as if we, as community would not know our own history and he knowing it much better than serious history writers or serious encyclopaedia.

But the Belgian Biblestudents still speak very highly of their founder Charles Russell despite all his false prophecies. Examine also the references for the false prophecies. They’re in the very same Bible studies that the Belgian group supports. Are they as blind as their founder was? I will have more in part 5. {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 4}

Nowhere shall you find prophecies made by Russell or any other person which we would say you have to believe. We also do not know where he gets it from that we would hold Charles Russel‘s “Studies in the Scriptures” in such high regard. (Perhaps he assues that because we also took care for a translation and distribution of this work in our regions.) {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 5} {we asked him also} Again he wants to do that Russell is the founder of our community and writes

the founder of this group as this book is full of lies and false prophecies. Worse still the Belgian Biblestudies group backs thiss book to the hilt. They know what’s in here and they believe it. {Belgian Biblestudies Deception- 5}

Dave Norris his continual misleading of the internet-public with attacking plus false sayings and making false connections in several of his articles, a.o. in his series Belgian Biblestudies Deception – {picture fragment from Belgian Biblestudies Deception – 6}

After a reaction we made on 2018 August 10 19.35 pm about having our name right we noticed he suddenly changed the title of his series.

In Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 7 Mr. Norris keeps telling untruths, now saying JF Rutherford otherwise known as Judge Rutherford

took over when Russell died as head of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. {Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 7}

Judge Rutherford being jailed for sedition against the Armed Forces is considered by Mr. Dave Norris a sign of him and Non-Trinitarian pacifists to be losers

Mr. Dave Norris in his series Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 8 all the time bringing in matters of prophesies in which we do not believe but which he wants to have his readers come to believe they are part of our teachings (which they are not at all)

Also when looking at the lies he writes about other denominations one an wonder what Mr. Norris his agenda really is?!? Problem would be in case many of his readers would consider his writings as bringing the truth about us and those other denominations.

Clearly he twists the truth and does as if we changed our teachings, but again uses material from an other  denomination to have it look as if it is ours.

Mr Norris looking at the New World Edition of the Bible which Jehovah’s Witnesses cherish, presenting it in his article Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 8 as if it is ours + asking to look at the changes

Mr. Norris also wants to give the impression when people read certain books, they are taken by those books and agree with everything what is in those books. He might perhaps follow everybody whose books he reads and may be limited in his amount of reading books and papers, only concentrating on what he agrees with. His knowledge about us and other groups he tries to pull down, shows clearly enough he did not do enough research and did not read enough about those groups, their leaders and teachers, often having no clue at all about their teachings, the same as with us. Or, in case he knows what our and their teachings are and what the background is of those groups he writes about, then it is clear he wants to spread fake news (therewith wanting to be popular in these times of someone speaking all the time of fake news) or does not mind to bring all sorts of inaccuracies to bring damage to those societies or communities.

Belgian Biblestudents Deception- 8 by D Norris on Exposing Christian error -about JW + Cd + false prophecies ~~~ Russell never made his own Bible or Scripture or never made our Holy Scriptures, like Norris wants his readers to believe.

Mr. Norris has also clearly a different view of what a cult is than what the state or a court would consider a cult or a sect. We can assure all his and our readers they do not have to worry that we would try to lure them in a sect and like certain churches do, then demand money and oblige them to stay with us. Every body is free to come and free to go in our churches (ecclesiae).

Only if one wants to join our community (as a member) we ask the candidate to believe in God as the Only True God and to believe that through God His only begotten beloved son salvation has come upon mankind and that this man of flesh and blood is the way to God and now the mediator between God and the people and is our high priest for God.

Psalms 83:18 (AKJV)
18 That men may know that you, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, are the most high over all the earth.

Romans 10:13 (AKJV)
13 For whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Matthew 3:16-17 (AKJV)
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, see, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting on him: 17 And see a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

John 14:6 (AKJV)
6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me.

1 Timothy 2:5 (AKJV)
5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Hebrews 12:24 (AKJV)
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things that that of Abel.

Hebrews 3:1 (AKJV) Hebrews 3
1 Why, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Hebrews 6:20 (AKJV)
20 Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Clearly the intentions of Mr. Dave Norris can be seen in his many articles against Catholics and all sorts of Protestants, Emergent Church, Extreme Prophetic Movement, Hebrew Roots Movement, but also Judaism. Main churches also do not escape his acid pen. But Non-Trinitarians seem to work on him as a red cloth on a bull. He not only writes about them a lot of lies but also has no decency when they write to him in a polite manner. Some of his replies may be lot worse than the once shown here (and therefore we would not make public.).

An example of the way Mr. Dave Norris answers people who wrote to him

An example of the way how Mr. Dave Norris react to people when they ask him to show the link for the article he talks about in a previous reply, him writing: “I linked to an article from Wikipedia it clearly states your history. Russell did many false prophecies as in his successor Rutherford Hayes. You need to Bone up on your history.” And we having stated that there is no such page in Wikipedia telling about the history of the Belgian Biblestudents.

Though we can only find

Proof of “Belgian Bible Students” Wikipedia page not existing on 2018 August 11

 

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Preceding

Charles Taze Russell and what he started

Was Russell and Rutherford “Illuminati”?

Jesse Hemery and the The Goshen Fellowship

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS) main groups that broke away

Different approach in organisation of services #1

Different approach in organisation of services #2

Different approach in organisation of services #3

Belonging to or being judged by

Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

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Please find also to read

1. International Biblestudents Association
2. International Bible Students Association
3. International Bible Students Association
4. Jehovah’s Witness
5. Charles Taze Russell
6.  Dawn Bible Students Association
7. Italian Bible Students Association in Hartford, CT Christian Millennial Fellowship
8. What are Brothers in Christ
9. Who are Christadelphians
10. Against the anti Jehovah people
11. Unmasking anti Jehovah sites and people
12. Aim of Unmasking anti Jehovah people
13. Joseph Rutherford with the iron glove
14. To remove the whitewash of the Jehovah Witnesses as being the only true Bible Students and Bible Researchers
15. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
16. Faith coming by hearing and sent preacher gift from God
17. Jehovah steep rock and fortress, source of insight
18. Confrontation by people telling lies to force others to avoid the targetted groups
19. For those who do everything to stop the work of Christadelphians
20. Who cries out against a hearty and uncompromising castigation of error
21. re-frame obligation into conscious choices
22. Christianity primarily a matter of imitation

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When Jesus speaks of obedience, he is speaking of a lifestyle of devotion to that which garners his devotion. Jesus’ disciples obey him by keeping what he keeps, and holding on to that which he holds… with a steadfast dedication. Once again we see our definition of a disciple emerge:

Necessity to imitate the Jewish master teacher Jeshua or Jesus Christ, following his commandments trying to become like him, is what the Belgian Bible Students do.

Related

1. 4 attacks on Jehovah’s Witnesses churches linked -25k reward offered
2. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?
3. Romans 8:12-17 – Heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ
4. Brothers in Christ – bond in Christ
5. Loving One Another
6. 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 10-16 – Facing the challenges of ministry
7. 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13
8. Get to Know Your Sources
9. Illogical thinking is extraordinarily widespread
10. Untruth…
11. Stubborn Things
12. The Truth And The Untruth Lay On The Same Level.
13. The Death of Truth: Indications of Untruth in Trump’s Age
14. First Principles: Falseness of Tongue Leads To Falseness of Heart
15. How accurate is your knowledge? What you read, see, hear, and say…
16. To the Compulsive Liar
17. The Value of Truth
18. Myths About Net Neutrality
19. Lovers of God are Better Lovers
20. Part 1 – Your Relationship with God
21. 6 Priorities You Need
22. Four – Understanding Our Purpose, p. 126 Jesus came to be what the original Adam was supposed to be: the very “image” of God.
23. Four – Understanding Our Purpose, p. 128
24. Six – Understanding the Holy Spirit, p. 176
25. Six – Understanding the Holy Spirit, p. 178
26. Imitating Jesus — From the new book Love Like Jesus: How Jesus Loved People (and how you can love like Jesus)
27. Following Jesus requires you to grow up
28. Proclamation
29. Ep. 4 – Jehovah’s Witnesses
30. Notes on the Proclaimers Book
31. Some Prophetic Speculations
32. Jehovah’s Witness Myopic View Of Jesus (I)
33. Jehovah’s Witnesses and False Prophecies
34. Dance me to the end

Matthew 11– Intro to The Nazarene’s Commentary: Encouragement for John and Reproach for cities

We come to the time that Jeshua, the Nazarene man, of flesh and blood, born in Bethlehem and living in Nazareth left his parents house to go preaching and it came to be, when יהושע (Jeshua} ended instructing his twelve taught ones, that he set out from there to teach and to proclaim in their cities.

We shall find as a key word in this chapter: Offended in Christ: Matthew 11 verses 6, 19 and 25.

John the Baptist had heard in the prison of the works of Messiah, he sent two of his taught ones to ask his cousin if he was the “Coming One”.  Those who knew the scrolls did know that Jehovah God had promised to sent some one to bring a liberation over the curse of death, spoken about in the Garden of Eden.

Now hearing about the ‘Master Teacher‘ departing on a solitary preaching mission and not seeing him forming an army to fight against the Romans, John the Baptist like others may have wondered if Jeshua was that promised one or if they had to  look for another.

Jeshua (or Jesus) his great forerunner, John the Baptist sought for confirmation of his ministry. Held in prison for condemning the marriage actions of Herod, who had taken his brother’s wife, John expected the advent of the kingdom, as did the apostles (Acts of the apostles 1:9), and did not perceive the greater work of redemption, even though his words announced the coming of the ‘Lamb of God‘ to take away the sin of the world.

Because of those doubting the function of the sent one from God, Jeshua warns them to open their ears so that they would hear about the reality of the Plan of God and the Gospel or Good News of Salvation and of the Kingdom of God. Encountering many who were more interested in the things of the world or those in the temple, clever and learned ones, more interested in teachings of men, rules and rites, instead of the pure Word of God, Jesus did not mind telling those, whom he ran into, about the works of God and helped them in need, even by doing miracles. Those miracles, like the healing, were meant to confirm and validate the gospel, not to become the focus of Jesus his ministry. Healing was a way to (1) show God’s love; (2) show Jesus’ power; and (3) fulfill OT prophecy about the Messiah (cf. Matthew 11:5).

5 Blind people are seeing, lame people are walking around, lame people have been cleansed, deaf people are hearing, dead people are being raised up, and poor people are hearing the good news! 6 And blessed is anyone who is not offended by me!”

In this chapter we are also invited to come to Jesus, so that we can find rest and peace. That rest we shall be able to find when we give ourselves to him, who is the mediator now between God and man, is in the relationship of intimacy that Jesus has called us, so that we can find the way to the small gate to his heavenly Father His Kingdom.  Jesus is leading the way and we should follow him. The apostle Matthew wrote down what we should know to come closer to him and his heavenly Father, the Only One True God.

The judgement that Jesus brought over his generation is one we should seriously look at, so that we do not fall in the same traps as the people around the time of Jesus. Today we also find a response to lovers of God of ridicule and mockery. It is so easy to come on the same terms as those who do not want to know about God, but we should know how important it is to come to a good relationship with the Divine Creator.

Matthew in his writings shows us how Jesus is a son of man and son of God, who is the way to God, and the anointed. The term ‘Anointed‘ or ‘Christ‘ equals the Old Testament term ‘Messiah’ which meant “an Anointed One.” It was used in the sense of God’s special call and equipping. In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. Jesus fulfils all three of these anointed functions (cf. Hebrews 1:1-3). King Cyrus of the Persian Empire, who was an unbeliever, was even called God’s anointed (cf. Isaiah 44:28; 45:1).

In this dark world we should come to see the light and all who are weary and burdened should find in this and following chapters how in front of them is the man they should share his yoke and should follow and not institutions or people like the Pharisees.

Several people in Jesus time were waiting for a super hero. They were blinded and did not come to see that the master teacher from Nazareth was the sent one from God. Today also are putting their hope in super hero’s or make Jesus their god, instead of accepting that man of flesh and blood as the promised anointed one of God, the Kristos or Christ, the Messiah who gave his life for the sins of many.

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Preceding

The Advent of the saviour to Roman oppression

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:7-12 – Opposition and Two Baptisms

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 3:13-17 – Jesus Declared God’s Son at His Baptism

Nazarene Commentary Mark 1:1-8 – The Beginning of the Good News

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:3-6 – John Preaches Baptism of Repentance

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:7-9 – Vipers, Repent!

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:18-20 – John’s Teaching and Imprisonment

Nazarene Commentary Luke 3:21-23 – The Baptism of Christ

Matthew 10:40-42 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Reception and Reward

 

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Additional reading

1. A rich history of ancient and Biblical Jordan to explore
2. The place where Jesus was brought up
3. Increased in wisdom in favour with God
4. Memorizing wonderfully 51 Acts 2:22-38 Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God
5. The Right One to follow and to worship

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Related

1. John, The Baptist
2. Matthew 11丨John Calvin
3. Matthew 11丨C. H. Spurgeon
4. Matthew 11 – Praise and trust
5. Not of my choosing..
6. Meekness — Examples in the life of Jesus
7. The Light In The Darkness
8. Advent 3 Sermon, 2017
9. To Show God’s Faithfulness and Love
10. Come to me
11. Advent 12.13.17
12. Because We Matter – Matthew 11:4-5
13. It Was Marked Confidential
14. The Hero and the Fatal Flaw
15. The mixed messages of Jesus?
16. I Will Give You Rest Prophecy
17. The One Who Does Impossible
18. Save us from our selfish selves, a prayer of confession (Matthew 11)
19. Day 15 – Take my yoke upon you
20. Burdens heavy and light
21. Prayer for troubles, sorrow, pain (Matthew 11)
22. Learning the Unforced Rhythms of Grace [Mt 11:28-30]
23. Why are people important?
24. Easy Yoke on the Narrow Way
25. Prayer- Jesus, I Come (Matthew 11.28-30)

The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave

Soon after the Nazarene Jeshua (Jesus Christ) had started his public life and had chosen some disciples, he found them following him and receiving more followers who wanted to hear him talking about many things which concerned them or which where about the general customs and religious life of the people.

Jesus went all over Galilee and used open as well as covered spaces, like synagogues but also planes and mountain slopes. Jesus knew his divine task, having placed in a special way on this earth to show people the Way to God. Jesus knew very well Who that One True God is all people should come to know.  He very well knew his own place, being lower than angels and being a son of God, the Most High without Jesus could do nothing.

He must have been special. Though the religious leaders despised him but the people wondered who this man could be and where curious for what they could hear from others about miracles he could perform.

Capernaum synagogue

Jesus went from one place to an other telling about his heavenly Father, the Only One True God of Israel. He taught people the truth of God and God’s kingdom was his theme. He also healed people of their diseases and of the bad effects of their bad lives. Those actions he did, got many curious about this personage and word got around the entire Roman province of Syria. People brought anybody with an ailment, whether mental, emotional, or physical. Jesus healed them, one and all. More and more people came, the momentum gathering. Besides those from Galilee, crowds came from the “Ten Towns” across the lake, others up from Jerusalem and Judea, still others from across the Jordan. (Matthew 4:23-25)

Mount of Beatitudes, seen from Capernaum

When he was in the region of Capernaum again there were a lot of people who had come to see him and who where eager to hear what he had to tell.  Jesus saw all those crowds, coming from different places, following him and went up the mountain or hill (the Greek word can mean either) the Mount of Beatitudes.

Some commentators see here an intended contrast to Sinai, where the Law was given. However, there are no grounds, implicit or explicit, for identifying the mountain as a “New Sinai.” {Newman, B. M., & Stine, P. C. (1992). A handbook on the Gospel of Matthew (p. 103). New York: United Bible Societies.}

From Matthew’s choice of verbs we can imagine that the situation was all about a moment of teaching, Jesus tutoring. It does not matter so much if Matthew and Luke wrote about the same or of a different occasion where Jesus taught about the kingdom of heaven, its subjects and their life.

There have been and are today scholars who regard the sermons recorded in Mt and Lk as collections of sayings spoken on different occasions, and maintain that they do not represent any connected discourse ever delivered by Jesus. In their view the Sermon is either a free compilation by the evangelists or a product of apostolic teaching and oral tradition.
The prevailing opinion among NT scholars is, however, that the gospel accounts represent a genuine historical discourse. The Sermon as recorded in Mt bears such marks of inner unity of theme and exposition as to give the appearance of genuineness. That Jesus should deliver a discourse of this kind accords with all the circumstances and with the purpose of His ministry. Besides, we know that in His teaching He was accustomed to speak to the multitudes at length, and we should expect Him to give early in His ministry some formal exposition of the kingdom, the burden of His first preaching. That such a summary of one of His most important discourses should have been preserved is altogether probable. {Miller, R. B. (1915). Sermon, on the Mount, The. In J. Orr, J. L. Nuelsen, E. Y. Mullins, & M. O. Evans (Eds.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Vol. 1–5, p. 2733). Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company.}

In any case even when it is a summary it is a teaching every Christian should seriously take at heart. Jesus was not afraid to talk at length, but this discourse could easily be delivered in a few minutes.

There is evidence that the account in Mt 5–7 contains some sayings not included in the original discourse. This view is confirmed by the fact that a number of the sayings are given in Luke’s Gospel in settings that appear more original. It is easy to believe that related sayings spoken on other occasions may have become associated with the Sermon in apostolic teaching and thus handed down with it, but if the discourse were well known in a specific form, such as that recorded in Mt, it is hardly conceivable that Luke or anyone else would break it up and distribute the fragments or associate them with other incidents, as some of the sayings recorded in both Gospels are found associated in Lk. {Miller, R. B. (1915). Sermon, on the Mount, The. In J. Orr, J. L. Nuelsen, E. Y. Mullins, & M. O. Evans (Eds.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Vol. 1–5, p. 2733). Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company.}

Because there is written that the disciples came to sit by Jesus many think Jesus was mainly addressing them. Even when this is the apparent meaning of the account of both evangelists, the separation from the multitudes and the direction of Jesus his words to the disciples seem clear, and the distinction appears intentional on the part of the writer. However, it must be observed that in the closing comments on the Sermon the presence of the multitudes is implied. In Luke’s account the distinction is less marked; being the night of prayer in the mountain, the choice of the twelve apostles, the descent with them into the presence of the multitude of his disciples and a great number of people from Judaea, Jerus and the coast country, the healing of great numbers, and, finally, the address. While the continued presence of the multitudes is implied, the plain meaning of the words,

“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said,”

is that his address was intended especially for the latter.

This view is borne out by the address itself as recorded in both accounts. Observe the use of the second person in the reference to suffering, poverty and persecution for the sake of the Son of Man. Further the sayings concerning the “salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” could hardly have been addressed to any but His disciples. The term disciple, however, was doubtless employed in the broader sense by both evangelists. This is clearly the case in Matthew’s account, according to which the Twelve had not yet been appointed. {Miller, R. B. (1915). Sermon, on the Mount, The. In J. Orr, J. L. Nuelsen, E. Y. Mullins, & M. O. Evans (Eds.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia (Vol. 1–5, p. 2733). Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company.}

Today we should look at those texts also as a lesson to all those who want to call themselves “Christian” which means “to be a follower of Christ“. Christians too should be disciples of Christ Jesus and should follow the words of the Nazarene master teacher. Not especially being a digest of Christ his teaching the account in Matthew 5 delivers a short of the attitudes a Christian should take.

Today because so many people calling themselves Christian, but more following human doctrines instead of keeping to the Biblical doctrines, may find Jesus’ words very hard to understand and even harder to follow in our modern culture which preaches that happiness or luck comes from material wealth, absence of sorrow, and which teaches revenge or retaliation and exorbitant punishments far in excess of the wrong suffered. Lots of people do find it right to punish wrongdoers and even would not mind if their life was taken away, though on other occasions they are totally against women taking contraceptives considering this murder or killing an unborn life.

The writer who records the most challenging command Jesus ever gave his followers:

“Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

looks at the teaching of Jesus on our behaviour and living and presents an ethic code for his disciples and a measure for the behaviour of all believers.

Each time Jesus opens with the word, which is recorded in Greek as “makarioi”, “blessed” or “happy”, which occurs nine times in verses 3–12. Many also call it “beatitudes”. Each beatitude having three parts: an ascription of blessing (happiness), a specific virtue to be cultivated (the practice of each produces a positive result), and a promise relating to the kingdom (reward or special comfort as a reason for the promised happiness).

In the sermon we find that the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, those who receive insults, are falsely accused and are persecuted on account of the Messiah may count on it that they are all blessed.

Certainly in Christendom we can find many true believers in Christ, those who accept Jesus for whom he really is, a man of flesh and blood who put his will aside to do the Will of the One God Who sent him to this world. Very often those real Christians are spit at and very often it are the trinitarian Christians who take on a very un-christian attitude to those believers. Those name Christians who prefer to keep to human doctrines and want to keep to the pagan rites and festivals, are often the worst in their attitude to the real or non-trinitarian Christians. Look around you and hear how your surroundings react to such Christians as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians or others who spread the Good News by giving pamphlets and by talking to people on the streets or by going from door to door. Often those who laugh at such Christians are not the gentle, and often they have more interest in the looks of people and the material wealth of themselves and others, instead of looking for the spiritual wealth.

In the world we can see many who sincerely love God and want to prefer to worship Him alone, who are therefore being harassed or molested. Be them Jews, Christians or Muslims, those who not like to take part in the pagan rituals, like Halloween, Christmas, Easter, are often looked at with a bad eye, or even spit on. They are laughed at, being considered compliant meek, soft ones and not by the time. To be meek does not mean to be weak. Jesus with his words concerning the meek ones looks at “meekness” meaning gentle restraint. it  Holds in a person can be showing gentleness, mildness, forbearance, submissiveness, humility or humbleness, modesty, submission and trying to bring peacefulness, sometimes even with acquiescence. We should remember that there it is about those who dare to take on an attitude which does not insist on one’s own rights but is giving itself for others, always ready to waive its privileges in the interests of others. “The meek” person is willing to wait for God’s timing being sure that God’s promises will become a reality and that God shall provide better times for all those who live according to God His commandments. That is our sacred hope we may find in Christ his offering, opening the gates to the Kingdom of God.

As Christian we should be taking every effort to follow Christ, to become in unity with him and his teaching, doing our utmost best to obey our heavenly Father. Living according to God’s commandments we can live with the promise to be able to live in the kingdom here on earth (“inherit the earth”). Though we should be well aware that this is not promised to the pushy, proud, ambitious, and domineering and to scourge those who do not believe in God or those who prefer to live differently than us.

Those who are humble and willing to undergo all the suffering in name of Christ or those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, may look forward for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. They or we may rejoice, and be glad, for our reward in heaven shall be great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before us. (Matthew 5:3-12)

Jesus Christ in Capernaum (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Jesus knew or knows we are not perfect, but that does not mean we should be happy with who we are at a certain moment. Every day we should work at ourselves and strive to become better. It is quite ready to love those who love us, but what about loving those who hate us? Concerning doing good, many unbelievers are doing good, so what would be the difference between a non-believer and a Christian? How many name Christian today we do hear speaking low about other coloured people or about people of an other religion? How many so called Christians do not despise other Christians and other believers or atheists and want them away from their community or surroundings. Lots of name Christians do not welcome others.

So many people consider them higher than others or more special. Often they consider themselves perfect or faultless and are not interested in changing their own world view, their mindset, their inclination or habit, their ethos and their assumptions. Lots of them even do not want to challenge themselves in any way and do not want to see that nobody is foolproof. Today we do find lots of so called Christians who are against the refugees and who wrong or oppress strangers, though they should know that is against the Will of God (Exodus 22:20-21). They are not interested in the war victims, the orphans and widow, though a lover of God should stand up for them and defend them (Isaiah 1:16-17). Several people who call themselves Christian should better ask themselves what this really should mean and should check if they can come under that denominator.

Christianity is all a matter of “love“.

Jesus asks his followers to consider the aspects of real love and of the will to work at the inner self, the way how to react to others and daring to put your own will aside to be there for others. Looking at the habits that have entered our life, Jesus requires to examine ourself and to become aware of our attitude we should take on in life.

God requires of us to worship Him as the Only One True God of gods and to keep His commandments, doing justice and to offer loving kindness or mercy to others, walk humbly with God. Jesus requires of us also to honour his heavenly Father and to worship Him alone. He also requires us to become like him and to hunger and thirst for righteousness, work for peace, and stand in solidarity with those who are persecuted; to be merciful and comfort mourners; to be humble in spirit, meek, and pure in heart.

So let us listen very carefully to the Bible text in “Commentary Matthew 5:1-12 Nazarene Mountain teachings: Blessed and legal commentaries” and work at ourselves to become more like Christ fulfilling the Wish of God.

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Preceding article

Nazarene Commentary Matthew 4:23-25 – Kingdom Preaching and Healing Draws Crowds

There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving

Next:

Commentary Matthew 5:1-12 Nazarene Mountain teachings: Blessed and legal commentaries

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Additional reading

1. Being Religious and Spiritual 8 Spiritual, Mystic and not or well religious
2. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #2 What you must do
3. Words to inspire and to give wisdom
4. A season of gifts
5. Wishing lanterns and Christmas
6. Are you being swept along by the world
7. Let us become nothing, and Christ everything
8. Outflow of foundational relationship based on acceptance of Jesus
9. the Bible – God’s guide for life #8 Looking to Jesus #1 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus
10. The meek one riding on an ass
11. When having found faith through the study of the Bible we do need to do works of faith

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Further reading

1. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount
2. Sermon from Matthew 5
3. What Love Says and Does
4. Loved Are We
5. Beatitudes
6. Beatitudes / Blessed are: (Matthew 5:3-12)
7. Blessed Are… – Sermon on Matthew 5:1-12
8. What Does God Require? A Christian Manifesto (Matt 5:1-12, Micah 6:1-8)
9. What does the Lord require…?
10. Blessed are the merciful: 4 Epiphany A
11. Children’s Sermon: Matthew 5:4 (Beatitudes)
12. Sermon for January 29, 2017
13. Sermon for 29 January 2017 on Matthew 5:1-12
14. NBFMC Sermon Review (1/15/2017) – ‘Sermon on the Mount’ Series: “Being Salt and Light”
15. NBFMC Sermon Review (1/22/2017) – ‘Sermon on the Mount’ Series: “Jesus and The Law”
16. NBFMC Sermon Review (2/05/2017) – ‘Sermon on the Mount’ Series: “Lust and Relationships”
17. 4th Sunday, Year A | Being peacemakers in a divided society
18. Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (January 29th, 2017)
19. 4th Sunday After Epiphany, January 29, 2017
20. 5th Sunday Ordinary Time Year A 2017
21. Sermon on the Mount: Part 1
22. Sermon on the Mount Part 1: Beatitudes
23. Sermon on the Mount: Part 2
24. 2017.01.15 Sermon On The Mount Part 1
25. Bible Study: Insights on the Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes Part 1
26. Bible Study: Insights on the Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes Part 2
27. Bible Study: Insights on the Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes Part 3
28. Bible Study: Insights on the Sermon on the Mount: The Light
29. True Worship: Justice, Kindness, Walk Humbly
30. Sunday Devotional: Who are our ‘neighbors’ and our ‘enemies’? How are we to ‘love’ them?
31. Blocking your own witness
32. How to deal with others
33. What Jesus Says When You’ve Been Burned
34. “I’m telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder.” ~~Jesus
35. Reconciling Jesus
36. Be Perfect
37. Radical Love in the Face of Injustice
38. “Make something happen!”: The restless spirit
39. Giving and Getting It All
40. Day 33 -This Little Light of Mine
41. Be Nice to Me
42. A Godly Response To Ungodliness
43. Our Relationship to the World
44. The Love Question
45. Love?
46. A Life Well-Lived
47. “No & Yes”
48. Truth, love, and justice
49. Salt and Light: Matthew 5
50. We’re Salt & Light: But are we?
51. Anger and murder
52. “An ‘Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ Is that going to get us anywhere?” ~~Jesus
53. Blessed are the Refugees
54. What Does the Lord Require? :: Prayers of the People
55. The Joy of Mercy
56. “You are God’s field, God’s building”
57. Evangelize: Downtown Boise With Love
58. …I’m gonna let it shine
59. A toddler’s tale
60. The Beatitudes are Like Yogurt
61. Why does Jesus say “the poor in spirit” are blessed?
62. An Accurate Measurement for Your Life
63. Authentic Christianity

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Related articles

• 6th Sunday of the Year: Choosing the Lord with all our heart
• Feet Finders, [Intimacy]
• I Wanna Know What Love Is
• Love every person, serve anyone we can
• ‘Light of the World, Thy Beams I Bless’
• The Light of the World
• Pastors are Jesus killers

Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions

People with a different mindset than Christ Jesus

The spirit of a sound mind does not mean just going by what we or others think or feel is reasonable or expedient. In our world were there is still some freedom of speech we can hear lots of different opinions and we can see that certain groups would love to have the majority of people thinking and  handling as they. They are often those who prefer to listen only to their own heart and to take care of their selfish “I” first. they are not so much concerned about others, but see them more as people standing in the way. Certainly now with those refugees, people with an other culture not known to them, which makes them afraid of such people.

They prefer to lean upon their own understanding and are not so much interested in what Jehovah wants. Many of them even do not really believe in Him. Even when there may be many who proclaim to be a Christian, we should see that first of all their faith is not so much in Christ nor in God, and secondly they often do not live according to the teachings of Christ Jesus nor to the Laws of God.

Our own mind and a sound mind

Jesus did not his own will. Likewise we also should try to do the will of the Same One as Jesus did. As the son of man and the son of God, Jesus very well knew the Scriptures, taught from them, and followed the guidance given in them. He told the people around him that he could not do anything without his heavenly Father, Who is greater than him. (John 14:27-31; John 5:17-27) For Jesus it was clear Who was the One with a truly sound mind. when he was in difficulties he (Jeshua/Jesus Christ)turned to his heavenly Father (Jehovah God) and trusted in Him (Jehovah). Jesus also told those around him not to worship him but to worship his heavenly Father and to pray to this God of Abraham, Who is also the God of the Jews and the God of the Muslims.  Normally we all should have the same God of gods to trust and to worship and when facing difficulties or having to make some decision, we should need to turn to Him (Jehovah God). Allah, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah God as the Most High Adonai gave the world His Word. All who love God should go and look into that Word, the Bible, to see what God’s view is. Then we should base our decision on it. That is using the spirit of a sound mind.

God knowing the heart

Let us always remember that

 9 The heart is more treacherous* than anything else and is desperate.*+ Who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9.)

and that it is God Who knows the inside out of man.

10 I, Jehovah, am searching the heart,+ Examining the innermost thoughts,* To give to each one according to his ways, According to the fruitage of his works.+(Jeremiah 17:10 .)

3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,+  But Jehovah is the examiner of hearts.+ (Proverbs 17:3

2 All of a man’s ways seem right to him,+ But Jehovah examines the hearts.*+ (Proverbs 21:2 )

The God of Abraham, Who is also the God of Jesus knows the Heart of Jesus and our heart – Heart of Jesus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We can not hide anything from God. Therefore we should be very careful how we want to be seen by others and that we show them how we are really feeling and thinking. Too many people are afraid of what others would say. Not many are daring to say what they really think and how they really feel.

The way how we think about those coming to live in our regions is for God important. How we are willing to treat them is for God important. Our attitude towards this whole situation is important for God. In these circumstances it shall be that we show our true nature. Nothing shall stay hidden before God.

12 If you say, “But we did not know about this,” Does not the One who examines hearts* discern it?+ Yes, the One who watches you* will know And will repay each man according to his activity.+ (Proverbs 24:12)

Living and doing works according to your faith

Learning to make wise decisions and to carry them out does not come easily. When there is put pressure on you by others with a political agenda it can even become more difficult to stay on the right track.

Recall that the apostle Paul described mature people as

“those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.”

The words “through use” and “trained” both imply making continuous and repeated effort, and that is what new ones need to do. (Read Hebrews 5:13, 14.)

We also should remember that we are bounded to living in this system of things were the way man sees it, mostly it shall not be the way God sees it, because mere man sees what appears to the eyes, but Jehovah sees into the heart.(1 Samuel 16:6, 7; 1 Kings 8:39; Proverbs 24:12; Acts 1:24)

We should know the God of our ancestors and serve Him with a complete * heart + and with a delightful * soul,* for Jehovah searches through all hearts and He has foreseen a purpose for us, going to establish the righteous. there may be many Christians who think they have to do no works any more once baptised, but they shall be surprised. When they do not live according to God’s Law they shall miss the opportunity to enter the Kingdom of God. Yes we are able to miss the boat. (1 Chronicles 28:9; Psalm 7:9; Jeremiah 17:10)

If you prefer to live according to the flesh and keep doing works of the flesh you may be sure there can arise more problems when you have to appear in front of Jesus when he comes back than the problems you will have to face know.

More problems coming into this world

The last few decades we have seen an increase of difficulties on different levels. the bible speaks about that increase which we should consider signs for a coming time where more people shall get against each other and religions shall fight against other religions.

We also shall come to see that not so many Christians are as tolerant as they should be. Being a Christian in certain regions could perhaps not always so easy but also not so difficult to get you uncomfortable. But we are told that it will change. It might well be that Jews, Christians but also Muslims shall come to face very difficult times where they shall be demanded to choose for a certain faith or for a certain action. The false teachers shall try to bring people to other thoughts and having them walk in line with those in power. Believers in God might face the most difficulties, because they could be brought to doubting their faith. For non-believers there shall be no god to look at or to blame.

The media are eager to focus on the many problems and people are easily falling in their trap. Focusing on our worries will not extend our life by even a fraction of a second, let alone improve it. Besides, things often do not turn out as we feared. One scholar put it this way:

“Worry about the future is wasted effort, and the future of reality is seldom as bad as the future of our fears.”

The fact that some countries for decades have been fighting terrorism in its many forms with only limited success gives credence to many fears. Today, people are afraid and terrified for those refugees and for fundamentalist ideas which are preached everywhere and for some Muslim youngsters who tell the world with joy that they are willing to fight for the good cause of their faith. At the same time people wonder how we are going to cope with all those people coming to live in our regions, needing a roof above their head and needing to be fed.

What is troubling most people is the uncertainty of life itself! Sudden death by accident or disaster may seem to lurk around every corner, ready to put an end to everything we hold dear. Such fear and anxiety, plus numerous personal conflicts and disappointments, have made our times precisely what the apostle Paul described:

“Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, . . . having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness.” (2 Timothy 3:1-3.)

Critical times to come

Getting into times were there shall not only be more natural disasters, man shall be creating other disasters which make it very difficult for many people. There shall be so many ideas sounding in the world, so many calling the other a false one, that people shall get muddled and shall have many doubts, giving them the impression that they nowhere to go.

The God Who demands a perfect righteousness and wants that His Word shall be respected and that His creatures shall live according to His Law has had lots of patience with mankind, but to everything comes an end. He also warned man to get to know and see the signs of the coming change and the coming end.

The God Who is sovereign over all the universe, exists simultaneously everywhere all of the time, has unlimited power, wisdom, and knowledge, is not One Who wants His people fighting against other creatures. He is a perfectly loving, just, and merciful God. He has given everybody the opportunity to find ways to have a good life and to find a better life in the time to come. But before the sublime marvellous time for man, he shall be tested a last time in a big battle which shall not be so far away when we look at the given signs.

It is getting time that people shall come to see that the fruits of terrorism have not been freedom and happiness but, instead, death, misery, and ruin. This bad fruitage has filled the 20th century and is starting to overwhelm the 21st. Many would say that rather than the solution, terrorism is one of the problems. The injustice and hatred that lead to terrorism are not God His fault. Wise King Solomon once declared:

“The true God made mankind upright, but they themselves have sought out many plans.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29)

Human badness and demonic influence, not incompetence on the part of God, lie at the root of terrorism. (Ephesians 6:11, 12.)

God has the power to halt violent bloodshed. In Noah’s time “the earth became filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11) God’s judgement was sudden and complete:

“[God] did not hold back from punishing an ancient world . . . when he brought a deluge upon a world of ungodly people.” (2 Peter 2:5.)

The Bible states a lesson we should learn from the Flood of Noah’s day:

“Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgement to be cut off.” (2 Peter 2:9)

God can distinguish between those who sincerely want a better life and those who make life miserable for others. He has set the latter apart for the “destruction of the ungodly men.” But for those desiring peace, he is preparing a new earth in which righteousness is to dwell. (2 Peter 3:7, 13.) Therefore let us be attentional and not fall in the trap those around us are putting in front of us and would love to see the world reacting aggressively against the refugees and against the Muslims.

Wordslounge

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Preceding articles

Back from gone #1 Aim of ungodly people

Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people

Back from gone #3 Giving worries to God and believing in His promises

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Additional reading

1. Profitable disasters
2. Good and bad things in this world
3. A risk taking society
4. Securing risks
5. Facing disaster fatigue
6. Dealing with worries in our lives
7. Reacting to Disasters
8. Signs of the Last Days
9. May we have doubts
10. Give your worries to God
11. Is God behind all suffering here on earth
12. God has not destined us for wrath
13. Is God behind all suffering here on earth
14. I Can’t Believe That … (2) God would allow children to suffer
15. Bad things no punishment from God
16. Some one or something to fear #6 Faith in the Most High
17. Seeing or not seeing and willingness to find God
18. Looking at three “I am” s
19. He who knows himself, is kind to others
20. Your struggles develop your strengths
21. National Natural Disaster and Bible Prophecy
22. We are ourselves responsible
23. If your difficulties are longstanding, try kneeling
24. Even in tough times remembering the blessings
25. In Defense of the truth
26. A Living Faith #4 Effort
27. Truth, doubt or blindness
28. Remember there’s a light in the next day
29. Creator and Blogger God 9 A Blog of a Book 3 Blog about Prophecy
30. God’s Plan, Purpose and teachings
31. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #15 Exposition before the Creator
32. Signs of the Last Days
33. Preaching to an unbelieving world
34. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !

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Further reading

1. How the Migrant Crisis is Tearing Europe Apart
2. Atheist Alliance International Struggle With Stats
3. Terrorism is not an ethnic trait – it’s a malady wrought by social, religious extremism
4. Rinos and Cinos
5. IFB Churches and Women
6. Fundamentalists and the “Stupid Sumbitch”
7. A House Divided: How Hatred Aimed At Any Group, Is an Assault On Us All
8. Stop Your Doing is Not the Gospel
9. When you feel like you are in a tough situation
10. I love the smell of rejection in the morning
11. Love without reservation
12. He is Faithful and Just
13. Learn To Enjoy The Journey Of Life
14. Napping my heart
15. Badness
16. Hidden scars
17. More than meets the eye
18. Repentance
19. Growing a more useful mindset than fear.
20. Why Don’t Moderate Muslims Denounce Terrorism?
21. Why do Christians Insist on Fighting?
22. “I” Speaks On To Me (3/4)
23. The Silence (3/5)
24. Bad Like Me
25. broken words for sale
26. What to say?
27. God, Help Me Not to Hate Those Who Hate
28. Trump: “‘Oh freedom of speech, freedom of speech.’ These are foolish people.”
29. The Frozen-Chosen Church?
30. The Price of Forgiveness?
31. Das Spiel mit der Angst
32. La Horca Moderna

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