THE TRUE STORY OF EASTER

“Christian or Pagan”?

 

The word "Easter" is actually derived from the name of the ancient Assyrian goddess "Ishtar" pronounced by the Assyrians the same as "Easter". The traditions of Easter such as colored eggs, the Easter bunny and sunrise services originated BEFORE Christianity and are in fact pagan! Many of the customs and traditions surrounding Easter originated long before the time of Christ some over 2000 years BEFORE the beginning of the Christian era.

 

EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE 

 

The Old Testament refers to a similar service more than 500 years before the birth of Christ....

 

(Ezekiel: 8:16) And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, [were] about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.

 

(This is the only place in the Bible where men are described as observing a sunrise worship service. As millions do every Easter Sunday morning as the sun rises in their worship service.  The pagans turned their backs on God's temple, faced the sun at its rising and worshiped the mythical sun god and the goddess of spring, "Easter".)

 

God certainly did not approve of this practice....

(Ezekiel: 8:15) “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? turn thee yet again, [and] thou shalt see greater abominations than these.”

(Ezekiel: 8:17) “Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen [this], O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.  Therefore will I also deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.”

 

It was an ancient heathen practice to gather before dawn and worship the rising sun. These services were being observed by the nation of Judah in Ezekiel's day. They had borrowed some of the heathen customs in spite of God's commandments not to follow pagan practices in worshipping Him.

 

Jesus will not share the worship of Himself with anyone or anything else. To incorporate pagan teachings into the worship of God would be the same as asking God to share His throne with the works of the devil. That is impossible for God to entertain.

 

(Ezekiel 8: 1418) "Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz." (Tammuz=Nimrod, the sun god)

 

In ancient times, there was a man named Nimrod, who was the grandson of one of Noah's son named Ham. 
Ham had a son named Cush who married a woman named Semiramis. Cush and Semiramis then had a son and named him "Nimrod." 
After the death of his father, Nimrod married his own mother and became a powerful King. 
The Bible tells of this man, Nimrod, in Genesis 10:8-10. Nimrod became a god-man to the people and Semiramis, his wife and mother, became the powerful Queen of ancient Babylon. 
Nimrod was eventually killed by an enemy. Semiramis claimed that Nimrod had ascended to the sun and was now to be called "Baal", the sun god.
 Semiramis was creating a mystery religion, and with the help of Satan, she set herself up as a goddess. Ishtar soon became pregnant and claimed that it was the rays of the sun-god Baal that caused her to conceive. The son she brought forth she named Tammuz.  Tammuz was a hunter like his father and one day while hunting he was killed by a wild pig.  Queen Ishtar told the people that Tammuz was now ascended to his father, Baal, and the two of them would be with the worshippers in the sacred candle flame as father, son, and spirit. Ishtar who was now worshipped as the “Mother of God and Queen of Heaven” continued to build her mystery religion. She proclaimed a forty-day period of sorrow each year prior to the anniversary of the death of Tammuz. Every year on the first Sunday after the first full moon, a celebration was made. It was Ishtar’s Sunday and was celebrated with rabbits and eggs.

 

Worshippers were made to meditate upon Baal and Tammuz and to make a sign of the “T” in front of their hearts as they worshipped. They also ate sacred cakes with a marking of a “T” or cross on top.

 

(Jeremiah 7:18-19) "The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.  Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?"

 

These cakes are still baked today at Easter and called hot cross buns. The cross is an ancient symbol for the solar wheel and is the symbol of the sun and the 'queen of heaven' or Semiramus, the motherwife of Nimrod. 

 

Does any of this sound familiar?  The truth is Easter has nothing whatsoever to do with the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Many Christians acknowledge that Christmas and Easter did originate in paganism but they claim that they now observe these days to "honor Christ" or "glorify God".

 

USING PAGANISM TO WORSHIP GOD

 

God had something to say about using pagan practices to worship Him....

(Deuteronomy 12:29) When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land;

(Deuteronomy 12:30) Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

 

(Deuteronomy 12:31) Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

(Jeremiah 10:2) Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them

 

God clearly commands us not to adopt the practices of pagan nations. God does not accept such forms of worship even though they are intended to honor Him. God is not honored through disobedience.

 

WORSHIPPING JESUS IN VAIN

 

Jesus Christ said it was possible to worship Him in vain....

(Matthew 15:9) But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees about using human traditions on how to worship God....

(Mark 7:7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.

(Mark 7:8) For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, [as] the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

(Mark 7:9) And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

 

God said man will reject his commandments to keep their traditions. God clearly commanded, “Do not worship me as they worship their gods.” God does not want people to honor Christ by following the traditions and customs of men, especially those of pagan roots! 

 

The following is a quote from the Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 11; page 390:

"During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a 'solar monotheism.' Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of Solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar deities. The feast of Sol Invictus (unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ."

 

Many professing Christians fill their children with falsehoods about Santa Claus, flying reindeer, and an Easter bunny that lays eggs. Nowhere does the Bible instruct us to observe these days, nor to lie to our children. However, it does teach us to repent of such practices, and to remove ourselves from anything that has its roots in the worship of the devil. God will forgive those who turn to Him. Most professing Christians find it difficult to accept these truths because these pagan holidays were passed down through traditions.  It is something they have always done, many since birth.  But, it is important to remember that we are to worship God in "spirit and truth" (John 4:24) not lies and paganism. We must also remember that Satan's ministers are also transformed into ministers of light, as shown in 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15.....

 

Jesus Christ came to "destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). He did not come to incorporate them into the worship of His Holy Father. The lies of the devil brought division within the Kingdom of God and caused one third of the angels to rebel. It was his lies that deceived Adam and Eve and caused the death of all mankind and Jesus Christ, our Savior. Our Heavenly Father hates the works of Satan, and so should we. God Almighty is a jealous God:

"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:14).

 

The egg, as a symbol of New Life is much older than Christianity  and the coloring of it at the spring festival is also of very ancient origin. The Egyptians, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans used it this way. Eggs were eaten during the spring festival from very early times. Children are told that the rabbit lays the Easter eggs in a garden for the children to find. This is an adoption of the pagan custom of regarding the rabbit as an emblem of fertility, that is, of new life."

 

Funk and Wagnall's Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend p 341 "Early in history the egg became a symbol for sex, reproduction and life. The egg represented a resurrection and after life and was used to cast magical spells' (Long before Jesus was born eggs were used in religious worship)

 

A Treasury of American Superstition page 361"The hare represented abundant life and the fertility of the earth... Because hares were born with eyes open, they were sacred to the 'open eyed moon' in Egypt, and thus connected with Easter, as the date is set by the moon's orbit to this day. The Germans made the hare sacred to the goddess Eastre, and said that on Easter Eve it would lay eggs for good children."

 

(As you can see the early Christians saw in these pagan rituals symbols of Christ's resurrection to new life. So obviously they 'borrowed' some of the heathen customs. Even tho' God commands his people NOT to follow the ways of the heathen, and NOT to use pagan customs to worship Him!)

 

Why Were These Pagan Holidays and Festivals "Christianized"?

 

The Christianization of Pagan holidays began about the fourth century A.D. when the Roman Emperor Constantine, became (or feigned becoming) a Christian. In order to consolidate his rule, he incorporated the Pagan holidays and festivals into the church ritual - attracting the Pagans, but he gave the holidays and festivals new "Christian" names and identities - thus appeasing the Christians. Over the centuries, this practice has continued until the present time where we find the two systems, Paganism and Christianity, almost indistinguishable.

 

This is the Adversary's clever deception - Paganism dressed up in Christian clothes! It's still nothing more than Paganism, but the Christian churches have wholeheartedly embraced this deception.  Easter and other holidays are just another trick of the devil to try and “whitewash” perverted customs to observe pagan gods and idols by “Christianizing” them. Do not take this article’s word.  Go to history books and encyclopedias.  Go to the Bible.  Then you will know the truth and what God expects you to do about it.

 

John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”

 

Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”

 

Jeremiah 10:2 “Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen…”

 

 

Kim Howard

(318) 450-2148

email: kimlovesjesus@icloud.com

www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com

TRUE FASTING

 Isaiah 58

 

Cry aloud and spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins.

 

They seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteous, and forsook not the ordinance of their God. They ask of me ordinances of justice, they take delight in approaching to God.

 

They say, have we fasted and you do not see?  Have we afflicted our soul, and you take no knowledge of it?  

 

Behold, in the day of your fast you find pleasure and work all your laborers.

 

Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist.

 

Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.

 

Is this such a fast that I have chosen, a day for a person to afflict his soul?  Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?  Will you call this a fast, an acceptable day to the Lord?

 

Is not this the fast I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?

 

It is to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless and poor into your home, and when you see them naked, clothe them, and see that you don’t neglect your own flesh.

 

Then you will shine as the morning sun, and your health will spring forth with speed.  And before you will be righteousness, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

 

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer, you will cry, and he will say, Here I am.

 

If you do these things, take away the yoke that is in the midst of you, and not put forth your finger and speak vainly, pour out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will be as the noonday.

 

The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make your bones strong.  You will be like a watered garden, like a never ending spring of water.

 

And those that come after you will build up places that were laid waste and will raise up the foundations of many generations. You will be called, the repairer of the breach, the restorer of paths to dwell in.

 

If you will turn back your foot from the Sabbath, and keep from doing what ever you please on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable, if you honor it, not going your own ways, and seeking your own pleasures, or speaking idle words, then you will take delight in the Lord.  I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth.  

 

The mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

 

Covid 19 Poem

Some things I learned from Covid-19.

Covid-19 has taught me some lessons that make me sad,

Things I would not have known had it not been for Covid-19.

They say hind sight is 20/20, and oh that it so true! Now I see, I took for granted some things between me and you.

I took for granted the kisses you bestowed upon my face,

Kisses that made me feel so safe.

I took for granted the hugs we shared, I would hug you now if I dared.

I took for granted being able to hold your hand, It showed that together we stand.

I took for granted being able to hold you close, Now if we do, we whisper “no one has to know.”

Covid-19 will one day go away, it will take with it the loneliness and isolation, but I pray it never takes the valuable lessons we learned today.

May I never again take for granted the love in kisses, hugs, and holding your hand. For to go without closeness again, 

would be more than I could stand.

~ Kim Howard

A FAMINE IN THE LAND

Amos 8:11, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.

Considering the rapid reproduction of Bibles in hundreds of languages today the warning in Amos 8:11 is surprising. I always considered this warning meaning that God’s word would be rare. There would be no Bibles to read, preachers persecuted for spreading the Word. Until a few hundred years ago, the Roman Catholic Church kept the Bible out of the hands of the vast majority of people. But today, when it is widely available, its enemies have found new ways to discredit it in people’s eyes or to just make it seem irrelevant. The famine will be “hearing the words of the Lord”.

Today many homes have a Bible somewhere, mostly gathering dust. Few read it, and fewer still understand its meaning and apply its principles in everyday life. Many use the Bible as a lucky charm or for good luck. People have Bibles placed on a coffee table, on an end table by their bed, in their cars. When they are afraid they may place one upon their chest, or carry one around to feel safe. Yet, Christ told his followers to live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4). Scriptures are able to make us wise to salvation, and are given by inspiration of God to teach us, correct us, instruct us and thoroughly equip us of every good work (2 Timothy 3:15-17). That means we must read, study, and hear God’s Word.

Why would this famine come? Because stealing, injustice, oppression and other sins Amos records. And because the people hadn’t listened to all the previous warnings, had not repented, had “put far off the day of doom” (Amos 6:3). The warning was to people who had not listened (did not hear) God’s Word.

In the time leading up to Amos’ prophecy, God’s words had been proclaimed through the preaching of Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Joel, and Hosea. Today we have all these as well as the rest of the Bible in printed form. God’s ministers today also warn of the consequences of sins and the need for repentance. But today, as in Amos’ day, so few listen (hear).

God’s long patience finally came to an end with ancient Israel, and will again with our modern world. When people ignore His message one too many times, He promises to remove that message, for a time. Amos warned people will wander from sea to sea, and from north to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it (Amos 8:12). We are told in Isaiah to seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6).

When will this famine of hearing the words of the Lord come? Will it mean all Bibles will be rounded up and burned? This does not seem to be necessary, since just having Bibles around doesn’t mean they are read, believed, or understood. Romans 10:2-3 states, people will have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they are ignorant of God’s righteousness, and go about to establish their own righteousness, and have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. It appears this famine may have already begun?

SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO PREPARE FOR THE FAMINE OF THE WORD?

Like Joseph back in ancient Egypt, we need to be preparing for the years of famine during the years of plenty. It starts with hearing God’s words now, studying them, treasuring them and obeying them. God calls on all to repent of sin and to live by every word of God.

God is calling many now to help spread His Word. That’s part of the mission He gave His Church, to preach His good news to the entire world (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20). With the coming famine of God’s Word in mind, His servants today should have the same urgent mine-set that Jesus Christ had in His ministry. He told His disciples, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

God has given His Church a job to do – to spread understanding of His Word, to preach the gospel, to warn this world. And the foundation of that is to study the Bible and understand it ourselves – to prepare ourselves to serve and help those God is calling now and into the future. We must strive to listen to God’s Word and hear them.

Let’s do it while there is still time!

I offer many Bible studies on my site www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com and/or from your home or mine. If interested please contact me anytime :). Text or call (318)450-2148.

What is Repentance?

Many understand the term repentance (from the Greek word metanoia) to mean “turning from sin.” This is not the biblical definition of repentance. In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” The Bible also tells us that true repentance will result in a change of actions (Luke 3:8-14; Acts 3:19).  Acts 26:20 declares, “I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.” The full biblical definition of repentance is a change of mind that result in a change of action.

What, then, is the connection between repentance and salvation? The Book of Acts seems to especially focus on repentance in regards to salvation (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 11:18; 17:30; 20:21; 26:20). To repent, in relation to salvation, is to change your mind in regard to Jesus Christ. In Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost (Acts chapter 2), he concludes with a call for the people to repent (Acts 2:38). Repent from what? Peter is calling the people who rejected Jesus (Acts 2:36) to change their minds about Him, to recognize that He is indeed “Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36). Peter is calling the people to change their minds from rejection of Christ as the Messiah to faith in Him as both Messiah and Savior.

While repentance is not a work that earns salvation, repentance unto salvation does result in works. It is impossible to truly and fully change your mind without that causing a change in action. In the Bible, repentance results in a change in behavior. That is why John the Baptist called people to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). A person who has truly repented from rejection of Christ to faith in Christ will give evidence of a changed life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:19-23; James 2:14-26). Repentance, properly defined, is necessary for salvation. Biblical repentance is changing your mind about Jesus Christ and turning to God in faith for salvation (Acts 3:19).

How is genuine repentance brought about?                

Repentance is brought about by godly sorrow. Before a person can repent he must feel sorry for his sins. Paul explained in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation.” For someone to be sorry merely because his sins have been found out, or because they have brought trouble upon him, is not enough. A person must be sorry because they have broken the commandments of God, have spurned His gospel, and thereby grieved Him days without number. Such godly sorrow is the only motivating force for real repentance.

Repentance is an action-filled step known to God, to us, and to others—a private and often public step that brings about positive results in our lives.  Because we have a sinful nature and have committed sinful acts, it is essential that we repent and turn to God.

Repentance is the act of turning away from a life of sin – not living in your sins.  If a person repents of their sins and is truly sorry they will refrain from repeating those sins. The scriptures stress in the strongest terms, that repentance is absolutely essential to salvation. Jesus said, “Except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

Here are a few examples in the Bible of repentance:

          1.  Sodom and Gomorrah

(Genesis 19) You can read the story of Sodom and Gomorrah they failed to repent.  Because of this, these cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone. New Testament scriptures say that they are set forth as an example to others who live ungodly (2 Peter 2:6; Jude 1:7).

(2 Peter 2:6 KJV)  And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

     2.  Jonah

The men of Nineveh repented at the preaching of Jonah.  Jesus said this fact would condemn those who refused to repent in our generation.

(Matthew 12:41 KJV)  The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

         3.  John the Baptist

John the Baptist commanded in his ministry to all of Judea that they must repent, and prepare their hearts for the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 3:2).

          4.  Jesus Christ

Jesus spoke often in these terms, “I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3).

Even after we are born again there will be times of failure, mistakes, and sin.  We must deal with sin and wrongdoing in our lives just as we did before salvation—by repentance.  We are to be overcomers, to live free from sin, and to live above sin.  In reality, we often come short of our goal.  Nevertheless, we are not to continue in sin or commit sins over and over. God still rules in the heavens and will forgive those who repent, whether they are saints or sinners. Whatever may happen to us in life, we must always keep a repentant and forgiving spirit alive in our hearts.

                  5.  The Great Commission

Jesus’ last words before His ascension commanded repentance.  “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47). 

          6.  The Day of Pentecost

Repentance is the initial part of the plan of salvation as spoken by the Apostle Peter.  “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

I offer many Bible studies on my site www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com and/or from your home or mine. If interested please contact me anytime :). Text or call (318)450-2148.

THE BLESSED

The Blessed

Jesus had a central message that formed the basis for His entire ministry and teachings.

He pinpointed this central message in the heart of His most famous sermon—the Sermon on the Mount. He made a statement about what should be the highest priority for His followers: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, emphasis added).

Jesus Christ’s words are clear—the Kingdom of God is to be the No. 1 focus and emphasis in the lives of His followers. In fact, it was the core of His gospel message. Gospel literally means a message of good news.

A study of the Gospel accounts of Christ’s life pinpoints exactly what His message—His gospel—was all about!

Notice Mark 1:14: “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God.” That statement is pretty plain—Jesus preached the gospel about the Kingdom of God!

There are many scriptures that reinforce this fact. For example, Matthew 9:35 says, “Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom.”

At one point in His ministry, Jesus was about to leave an area where He had been preaching for some time. The people of that area tried to persuade Him not to go (Luke 4:42). Jesus’ response was, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for this reason am I sent.” (verse 43).

Let that sink in.

Jesus Christ said that one of His primary purposes for coming to earth was to preach about the Kingdom of God! That was His gospel. That was His message. That was His purpose. That is what drove Him.

When we understand that the thrust of Christ’s message centered on the Kingdom of God, we understand better why He made the statement in Matthew 6:33: “Seek first the kingdom of God.” He tells us to seek first the Kingdom because the Kingdom of God was His primary message.

Throughout the entire Bible this was the central message! John the Baptist preached it, Jesus preached it, and the apostles preached it.

The Sermon on the Mount was the beginning of Jesus’ teachings about that kingdom. Jesus had been announcing that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and He had been calling for people to repent. Now, in what has been described as the manifesto of His kingdom, Jesus unveils the foundations and character of life in His kingdom. Therefore, the Beatitudes are just the characteristics of a child of God.

Matthew 5

1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

² And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

³ Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

⁴ Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

⁵ Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

⁷ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

¹⁰ Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

¹² Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Other blessed scriptures: 

John 20

²⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

James 1

¹² Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Psalms 1

1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. ² But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ³ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalms 65

⁴ Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Psalms 34

⁷ The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. ⁸ O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Psalms 128:1

1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.

Revelation 14

¹² Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. ¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Blessed are those who have died in Christ! (When we are baptized we are buried in Christ)… and their works follow them. What works? The character of life that will show in a child of God! They are blessed!

After Christ was resurrected and ascended to heaven, He founded a Church. The purpose of that Church—that called-out group of people—was to carry on the work He did while on earth. Christ commissioned His Church to go into the entire world and preach the same message that He preached while He was on earth (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:3-8).

The Bible shows that the early Church faithfully followed Christ’s directive and preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God (Acts 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31).

See next blog "Kingdom of Heaven"

I offer many Bible studies on my site www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com and/or from your home or mine. If interested please contact me anytime :). Text or call (318)450-2148.

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Many people have heard the term “kingdom of heaven,” but few really understand what it is. While some believe that the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of heaven” are referring to different things, it is clear that both phrases are referring to the same thing. Jesus when teaching about the kingdom made no distinction between the two terms but seemed to consider them synonymous. Throughout the entire Bible, this was the central message! John the Baptist preached it, Jesus preached it, and the apostles preached it. The coming kingdom of heaven is the message that God wants to make known to every person on earth. The crucial question is: Will you be a part of it?

A lot of people think of the “kingdom of heaven” as heaven. And in a sense it is, but in reality it is much, much more than that. The “kingdom of heaven” begins here on earth. It began the day the “King of kings” was born, Jesus Christ. We will not reach that kingdom in heaven until we “see” the kingdom of God here on earth. Jesus stated, “Unless a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Jesus came preaching, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Jesus taught while he was here about the kingdom of God – and He spoke about it a lot. He talked about the way His followers could bring heaven to earth. He even taught the disciples to pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Heaven is not spatially determined, it is not “up there” while we are “down here,” nor is it to be thought of in terms of time. We think of earth as now, that is, this life. Heaven then, is later – heaven is what comes after death. The more we study Jesus’ ministry the more we realize that he proclaimed the reign of God as something that was “already and not yet” present. Throughout the gospels Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God, sometimes as coming in the future, and sometimes as a present reality. So which is it? How can we understand the apparently divergent themes in Jesus’ preaching of the reign of God? Could it be that Jesus simply contradicted Himself? Did he speak of the kingdom as present and future without realizing it? I doubt it. It’s likely that Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God as somehow both future and present, and that He knew what He was doing.

Jesus taught while he was physically here that the kingdom of heaven is a silent, invisible, spiritual kingdom which lies all about us, encompassing us, enclosing us, embracing us, waiting for us to recognize it. When we enter the kingdom of heaven we recognize that kingdom, we believe it, we act upon its reality. Jesus, in the Beatitudes, gave us the clue to entering. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,“ (Matthew 5:3). Heaven is not merely future, heaven is also present. Heaven is equally real as earth.

Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, “Except a man be born of water and Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). When we repent of our sins, are baptized in Jesus Name, and experience new birth through the Holy Ghost, we enter into the kingdom of heaven. We voluntarily place ourselves under the laws and authority of the coming kingdom of God. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). So there is this sense of us being “translated” into the kingdom when we commit our lives to God and begin living as He instructs. Our primary allegiance is transferred from the kingdoms of this world to God’s Kingdom. We are then subject to different laws (God’s laws) and belong to a different community (the Church of God).

“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant…” Hebrews 12:22-24

Jesus taught many parables that he likened to the kingdom of heaven. We need to make sure that our description of the kingdom is compatible with the description Jesus gave. Jesus often preached about the kingdom of God—but what did He say?

Through the parables He taught about the grace of God, and also namely the severity of God. This then led us on to see the importance of obedience to God. Some people do not understand the importance of obedience, because they do not understand the severity of God. There is something else many fail to appreciate, and that’s the enormous value of the kingdom of God. People in every nation may possess these true riches if they enter into God’s kingdom. The parables that Jesus told reflect the great value of belonging to the world-wide kingdom of God. Nothing is worth having, that would rob us of that place.

Jesus told two short parables about the value of the kingdom, one about hidden treasure (Mat. 13:44), and the pearl of great price (Mat. 13:45-46). The similarities of these parables make it clear they teach the same lesson—the kingdom of heaven is of inestimable value. Both parables involve a man who sold all he had to possess the kingdom. The treasure and the pearl represent Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. And while we cannot pay for salvation by selling all our worldly goods, once we have found that prize, we are willing to give up everything to possess it.

The most important thing we need to know about the kingdom of heaven is how we get there in the first place—and when Jesus described the kingdom, that is what he talked about. (Consider the parables in Matthew 25) Through the teachings of Jesus we can know how to enter this kingdom, how to live in this kingdom, and how to work in this kingdom, here now on earth! When we die and enter into heaven eternally it will not be unfamiliar. We will already be familiar with the kingdom of God because we entered it here on earth. You won’t be afraid of God because you came to know him, here on earth.

The “kingdom of heaven” is not just the kingdom that exists in heaven, but also the reign of God over both heaven and earth.

I offer many Bible studies on my site www.womanofgodinlouisiana.blogspot.com and/or from your home or mine. If interested please contact me anytime :). Text or call (318)450-2148.