Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments

Today I want to pause in our Daniel study, the study of the law changer and why it is so important for us to keep God's law and not the law changed by the man of sin.

I'm pausing because I think we need a refresher (or at least I do) on our Savior.

The following is from the Bible Study Guide put out by William Grotheer. Please take your Bibles and study every verse given, don't just read it through and take anything Elder Grotheer is saying as truth. Study for yourselves!  It's a really good study, very informative, very enlightening.

May the Holy Spirit guide all who seek to know Jesus in ALL truth!

(Bible Study Guide)
Lesson #3 -- JESUS CHRIST - WHO IS HE?

p 10 -- Introduction -- In Lesson #2, we discovered that the Council of God is composed of three Beings, namely, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each of these Three carry the full authority and nature of God. In this lesson we shall study the relationship of Jesus Christ to the Council of God, and His identification with humanity.

John 1:1-2, 14 -- In the beginning WAS the word ... the same WAS in the beginning with God ... The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.

Note - No matter at what point in the remote past I accept as the point of beginning, the Word WAS. Not only this, but He was in the beginning with God. In other words, one can conclude there never was a time when the Word, which became flesh, was not. The preexistent Christ has always been!

Hebrews 1:8 -- Unto the Son ... Thy throne, 0 God.

Note - Here is language that cannot be mistaken. The Father asserts the Son's position in the Council of God. The Son too, is God.

John 8:57-58 -- Before Abraham was, I AM.

Note - In this discussion with the Jewish leaders, Jesus declares plainly His preexistence; not merely the fact that He existed before Abraham, but that in that preexistence, He was the I am - the self-existent One; and the I AM, - the ever-existent One. The question then arises - If Jesus Christ existed in the beginning with God as the I AM, how then is He the SON of God?

Psalm 2:7 -- 1 will declare the decree ... Thou art my Son.

Note - To assume that this text applies to Jesus Christ in regard to the question of His Sonship, would be to place a private interpretation on this verse. But by comparing Scripture with Scripture, we find its meaning.

Hebrews 1:5 -- This day have I begotten Thee ... I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to Me a Son.

Note - Here Psalm 2:7 is quoted and applied to Jesus Christ in contrast to the angels.

Further, the promise made by God to David (II Samuel 7:14) concerning His relationship to Solomon is noted to describe the Heavenly Father-Son relationship. Also in Hebrews, Christ's position as a Son is associated with His position as priest after the Order of Melchisedec - a "called" position. (Hebrews 5:5-6, 10)

 All of this was done so that we might understand the privilege of sonship to which we have been called. (Hebrews 2:10-11)

Section 2 -- THE REDEEMER

Philippians 2:5-8 -- Equal with God ... made Himself of no reputation ... became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

p 11 -- Note - The Possessor of Life voluntarily laid it aside and accepted death. As one beholds the price of his redemption, he sees that the purchase was made by no inferior Being, but by One equal with God. It was the sacrifice of Deity that was made on Calvary!

Jesus Christ stooped low in becoming man's Substitute. What a sacrifice this is. How little we give up, when asked to surrender all for this Gift!

Hebrews 2:14-17 -- As the children ... He took part of the same ... behooved Him in all things to be made like unto His brethren.

I Timothy 3:16 -- Great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.

Note - God came all the way to meet man in his need. He who was in the form of God, accepted our likeness and nature after four thousand years of sin. He took our flesh, and our blood. Yea, in ALL THINGS He was made like unto us, except in this experience, He did not sin. How this could be is called a mystery. Another, and perhaps a greater mystery, is why man, in the light of such a redemption, should stubbornly cling to his own way.

Section 3 -- THE CREATOR

John 1:1-3 -- All things were made by Him.

Ephesians 3:9 -- God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:14-16 -- By Him were all things created ... visible and invisible.

Note - From the invisible atom to the mightiest star, all is the handiwork of man's Redeemer. The hand that spaced the heavens, and formed from the dust of the earth, man in His own likeness, is the same hand that was nailed to the cross of Calvary for man's redemption.

Section 4 -- THE LAWGIVER

Nehemiah 9:12-15 -- Thou camest down also upon Mount Sinai.

Note - Who is this - "THOU"? Who is the One that led the children of Israel from Egypt to the promised land? Who is the One who appeared to Moses in Mount Sinai? Again, we must use the Bible method of interpretation as outlined by the Holy Spirit - comparing one Scripture with another.

I Corinthians 10:1-4 -- That Rock was Christ.

Note - It was Jesus Christ Himself, who amid the glory and flame of Sinai, proclaimed the Law of the Council of God - even the Ten Commandments. Thus Jesus is OUR Creator, Lawgiver, and Redeemer. In future lessons we shall note Him as our High Priest, and Coming King. The Bible from beginning to end is the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Alpha and the Omega, the one and only true way to the Father.

Section 5 -- OUR RELATIONSHIP TO JESUS

p 12 -- John 14:15 If ye love Me, keep my commandments.

Note - His commandments are the Father's, and the Father's are His - even the Ten Commandments. In keeping them we show our love to Him. How can we do less when He has done so much for us? In another lesson we shall study the provision made so that we can keep the commandments.

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How can we study God's word and not see the truth? So many people want to divorce Jesus from the Ten moral laws. Tomorrow we are going to use this same study guide and study more about the laws of God.  It's so important that we realize that our Savior never ever abandoned the Ten Commandments, not ever! So for us to dare to do so, or to follow laws that have been changed is wrong!  We are accountable for following the truth as it is revealed to us, to hide our head in the sand is to damn ourselves eternally.  Our Savior IS the truth!  Our Savior wants us to follow His commandments. Our Savior really did say this--

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

And we know this--

Rev 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Those who are Christ's will be keeping the commandments of God and they'll be able to do so through the faith of Jesus.

Jesus did not intend for the commandments of God to ever be destroyed or changed, not ever. Jesus never intended for the commandments to lose any of their importance, their truth, their righteousness that HE gives them.

Our pride, our arrogance tells us that we understand better than God, that He has to understand where we are coming from and how times have changed.  The road is NARROW and FEW will find it.  By the grace and mercy of our Lord may we be among those who find this narrow way and walk therein.

All in HIS LOVE!

Don't be deceived

Did you read the study from yesterday? If not, you really need to go back and read it so that this study makes sense.

We've been talking about the WHOLE DUTY OF MAN according to God. That WHOLE DUTY is to -

'FEAR GOD and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS'. 

God's words, NOT MINE! 

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Why are we so concerned with knowing what our duty is? Because EVERYTHING we do will be brought into judgment, every secret thing good or evil. If we know it is our duty to FEAR GOD and KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS then we have a direction given to us by God. We can't tell God we had no clue what He expected of us. Our God is FAIR, our God is JUST, and when the world ends as we know it- all will agree this is truth!

Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

The truth of this message isn't a simple one because Satan has been able to use his great deceptive powers and has the majority of the world believing in commandments that are HIS and NOT GOD'S, though everyone thinks they are from God.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

We are told NOT to be deceived, to let NO man deceive us.

We are told this…

Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Mar_13:5  And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you

Deception is such a vile thing and MANY will be deceive their eternal lives LOST because they were deceived. It might seem that only the deceptive one should be punished, but when it comes to God's truth- all are able to know it and NOT be deceived. People ARE deceived because they allow themselves to be deceived.

They love evil -

Psa_52:3  Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness.

Joh_3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Choosing darkness, choosing deception, and in the end choosing eternal death. 

Because we choose TRUTH we must search it out.

The laws of God have been changed and yesterday we did a lot of studying to prove who dared to change the law. At the end of that section of study we found this--

'The decree of the emperor, Justinian, issued in A.D. 533, recognized the pope. as
the "head of all the holy churches." (Code of Justinian, book 1, title 1, section 4.). The
overwhelming defeat of the Ostrogoths in the siege of Rome, five years later (A.D. 538),
was a death blow to the third of the three horns that were uprooted. With the year 538,
then, begins the 1260 years of this prophecy of Papal control, which would ex. tend to the
year 1798. In that year the Reign of Terror occurred in the French Revolution and the
Roman Catholic religion was set aside in France, and the French army, under Berthier,
entered Rome and took the pope prisoner. He died in exile at Valence, France, the
following year. The long prophetic time span of papal rule was ended. The "deadly wound"
of Revelation 13:3 was inflicted—a wound which prophecy says is to be healed.'

The Papacy fit every prophetic puzzle piece given.  It truth!  Today we're going to continue with this study. Again, please READ everything, several times if you need to and do NOT forget to PRAY and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to all truth!

'THE 1260 DAY PROPHECY
A.D. 538 .------A.D. 1798
THE PROPHECY OF DANIEL

"Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of
the heaven strove upon the great sea. And four great beasts came up from the sea,
diverse one from another . . "And behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and It had
great Iron teeth . . and it had ten horns.

"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little
horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold,
in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.

"I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So
he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. Then I would know the
truth of the fourth beast. . And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which
came up, and before whom three fell; and of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that
spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

"I beheld, and the same horn made war With the saints, and prevailed against
them. .

"And he shall speak great words against the most High, .and shall wear out the
saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into
his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.."—Daniel 7:2-3, 7-8, 16, 19-21, 25.

THE PROPHECY OF REVELATION

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea . .
And I saw one of his heads as It were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was
healed: and all the world wondered after the beast . . And there was given unto him a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue
forty and two months."—Revelation 13:1, 3, 5.

The Bible predicted that the terrible little horn power of Daniel 7 and 8 was to rule
the world for 1260 years. It has been well-known for centuries that this little horn of Daniel
7 and the first beast of Revelation 13 symbolize the papacy. Also called the "man of sin" (2
Thessalonians 2: 3-4), and the "antichrlst" (1 John 4:3), the papacy was definitely
prophesied to have this ruling power for 1260 years. When did this predicted time span
begin and when did it end? The next page will give you this information.

THE AMAZING 1260 DAY PROPHECY

Here is the amazing prophecy of the 1260 days; also called the "time, times, and
dividing of time," and the "forty-two months."

A day stands for a year in Bible prophecy (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6). A "time" in
prophecy is the same as a year (Daniel 11:13, margin and Revised Version). This
time-span prophecy is first mentioned in Daniel 7:25, where we are told that it is the length
of time that the terrible "little horn" power was to bear rule and destroy God's people.
During that time it would also try to change God's Law: "And he, [the little horn] shall speak
great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and
think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand for a time and times
and a dividing of time." Daniel 7:25.

This, in Hebrew, equals "a time, 2 times and half a time." Using the ancient
reckoning of 360 days to a year: 360 + 720 + 180 = 1260. And since a day is equivalent to
a year in Bible prophecy, this little horn power would rule for 1260 years. In Revelation12:6
we are told that the persecution would continue for "a thousand two hundred and
threescore days", which is 1260 prophetic days, or years. (Also note Revelation 11:3).
The God of heaven gave this important prophecy in yet a third way: The little horn
of Daniel 7 and 8 is the same as the first beast of Revelation 13: "And there was given unto
him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to
continue forty and two months. "—Revelation 13:5. (Compare Revelation 11:2.) Forty-two
months equals 1260 days. And Revelation also calls this time, times, and times, and half a
time" (Revelation 12:14 ,—just as Daniel does.

When did the little horn, symbolizing the papaya, have this rule? The decree of the
emperor, Justinian, in A.D. 533, recognized the pope as the "head of all the holy churches"
(Code of Justinian, Book 1, title 1, section 4). The overwhelming defeat of the Ostragoths
in the siege of Rome, just five years later (A.D. 538) was a death blow to the third of the
three horns that were uprooted (see Daniel 7:8).

With the year 538, then, begins the 1260 years of this prophecy of papal
domination, which would extend to 1798. In that year as the Reign of Terror continued in
the French Revolution and the Roman Catholic religion was set aside in France, the
French army, under Berthier, entered Rome and took the pope prisoner. The date:
February 10,1798. The imprisoned pope died in exile the following year in Valence,
France. A great cry was heard, "Catholicism is dead." The papacy had received the
"deadIy wound" of Revelation 13:3. But we are told that the wound is to be healed, and
that the time is coming when all the world will "wonder after the beast" (Revelation 13:3).
Only Papal Rome answers to the description of Daniel Seven. This chapter unveils
before us the Great Babylon of Revelation 12.17, and reveals the work it was to do in
tearing out part of God's holy Law and in hunting to the death His people.
"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the
saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws. And they shall be given into
his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. " Daniel 7:25.

Consider the following:
(1) The papal power occupies a unique place in the world—for it not only is a
religion but a kingdom as well. At the present time representatives and ambassadors from
more than forty major nations of the world come to counsel with its head of state, the pope.
Among these are representatives from the United States.

(2) The papacy came out of the Roman Empire, just as the little horn came out of
the fourth beast (Dan 7:7-8, 19-20, 23-25). It still has its headquarters in the same capital
of the ancient Roman Empire—Rome by the banks of the Tiber, in what is today called
Italy.."Long ages ago, when Rome through the neglect of the Western emperors was
left to the mercy of the barbarous hordes, the Romans turned to one figure for aid and
protection, and asked him to rule them; and thus commenced the temporal sovereignty of
the popes. And meekly stepping to the throne of Caesar, the vicar of Christ took up the
scepter to ' which the emperors and kings of Europe were to bow in reverence through so
many ages."—American Catholic Quarterly Review, April,. 1911.

"Out of the ruins of political Rome, arose the great moral Empire in the 'giant form'
of the Roman Church"—A.C. Flick, The Rise of the Mediaeval Church, 1909, p. 150.
"Under the Roman Empire the popes had no temporal powers. But when the
Roman Empire had disintegrated and its place had been taken by a number of rude,
barbarous kingdoms, the Roman Catholic church not only became independent of the
states in religious affairs, but dominated secular affairs as well.

At times, under such rulers as Charlemagne (768-814), Otto the Great (936-973),
and Henry III (1039-1056), the civil power controlled the church to some extent; but in
general, under the weak political system of feudalism, the well-organized, unified, and
centralized church, with the pope at its head, was not only independent in ecclesiastical
affairs but also controlled civil affairs." —Carl Conrad Eckhardt, The Papacy and
World-Affairs, The University of Chicago Press, 1937, p.1,

(3) It, was given its religious power over the nations at exactly the time predicted.
The last of the ten divisions was formed in A.D. 476, and three of them, the Heruli in 493,
the Vandals in 534, and the Ostrogoths in 538, were destroyed at the instigation of the
papacy because they held divergent religious views. The last of these was wiped out just
five years after emperor, Justinian, by decree proclaimed the pope to be the visible head
over all churches everywhere.

The recognition of; the Roman See as the highest ecclesiastical authority
remained the Cornerstone of his [Justinian's] policy in relation to the west."—G. Kruger,
"Justinian I, Emperor of the East, "in The New Shaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious
Knowledge, Vol. 6, p. 286.

"Down to the sixth century all popes are declared saints in the martyrologies.
Vigilius (537-555) is the first of a series of popes who no longer bear this title, which is
henceforth sparingly conferred. From this time on the popes, more and more involved in
worldly affairs, no longer belong solely to the Church;—they are men of the state, and then
rulers of the state."—Charles Bemont and G. Monod, Medieval Europe from 395 to 1270,
pp.120-121 [It is widely recognized that Vigilius' reign began in 538, the year that so much
power was given to the papacy by Justinian. His predecessor, Pope Silverius, did not die
until June, 538].

The Constitution of Justinian (chapters 1 and 2 in his Civil Law) decreed that the
pope of Rome was henceforth to be legally recognized as the first pontiff of all world
churches.

(4) The 1260 year rule of the papacy continued exactly in accordance with the time
prophecy. From A.D. 638, when the sword of Belisarius elevated Pope Vigilius as
universal pontiff, to the time when the sword of Berthier thrust Pope Pius VI from office, in
1798, was exactly 1260 years.

"When in 1797, Pope Pius VI fell grievously ill, Napoleon gave orders that in the
event of his death no successor should be elected to his office, and the Papacy should be
discontinued. But the Pope recovered. The peace was soon broken: Berthier entered
Rome on the tenth of February, 1798, and proclaimed [Rome to be] a republic. The aged
Pontiff refused to violate his oath by recognizing it, and was hurried from prison to prison in
France. Broken with fatigue and sorrows, he died on the seventeenth of August, 1799, in
the French fortress of Valence, aged 82 years. No wonder half of Europe thought
Napoleon's veto would be obeyed, and that with the Pope, the Papacy was
dead."—Joseph Rickaby, The Modem Papacy, p.l. .

(5) The papacy is a religious power, and the man at its head that is both the center
and the key to the whole organization—is the pope. Without him there would be no
papacy. It is the religion of a "man. "

(6) "And upon his heads the name of blasphemy." Revelation 13:1. He will speak
"great things" (DanieI7:8), "very great things" (Daniel 7:20). "great words against the most
High" (DanieI7:25},and "great things and words of blasphemes (Revelation 13:5). "And he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name." Revelation 13:6.
"'Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so
that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." 2
Thessalonians 2:4.

"All the names which in the Scriptures are applied to Christ, by virtue of which it is
established that he is over the church, all the same names are applied to the Pope."—
Robert Bellarmine, On the Authority of the Councils, chapter 17, 1628 ed., vol. 1, p. 266
"We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." —Pope Leo XIII, Encyclical
Letter of June 20, 1894.

. . "For not man, but God separates those whom the Roman Pontiff (who exercises
the functions, not of mere man, but of the true God), having weighed the necessity or
benefit of the churches, dissolves, not by human but rather by divine authority."—The
Decretals of Gregory IX, book I, title 7, chap. 3, in Corpus Juris Canonici, 1555 ed., vol. 2,
col. 203.

"The pope is supreme judge of the law of the land. . He is the vicegerent of Christ,
and is not only a priest. forever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords." — La Civilta
Catholica, March 18, 1871.

"Christ entrusted His office to the chief pontiff . . but all power in heaven and in
earth has been given to Christ; . . therefore the chief pontiff, who is His vicar, will have this
power."—Corpus Juris Canonici, 1555 ed., vol. 3, Extravagantes Communes, book 1
chap. I, col. 29.

"Hence the Pope is crowned with a triple crown, as king of heaven and of earth and
of the lower regions [infernorum the fiery place] :'—Lucius Fermris, Prompta Bibliotheca,
'Papa" (the Pope), art. 2, 1772—1777 edition, vol. 6; p. 29.

"All the faithful must believe that the Holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff (the
Pope] possesses the primacy over the whole world, and the Roman Pontiff is the
successor of Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and is true vicar of Christ, and head of
the whole church, and father and teacher of all Christians; and that full power was given to
him in blessed Peter to rule, feed. and govern the universal Church by Jesus Christ Our
Lord:'—First Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ, "Eternal Pastor," published in
the fourth session of the Vatican Council, 1870, chap. 3, in Philip Schaff, Creeds of
Christendom, vol. 2, p. 262..

(7) 'He "shall wear out the saints. of the most High" (Daniel 7:25). He shall tread
down the host, or the people of God (Daniel 8:13, a parallel prophecy to Daniel 7). "And. .
the dragon [Satan, through the apostate church] . .persecuted the woman [the true church]
which brought forth the man-child. [Christ]. And to the woman were given two wings of a
great eagle. that she might fly Into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished
for a time, and times and half a time [1260 years], from the face of the serpent. And the
serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to
be carried away of the flood. Revelation 12:13-15. "And it was given unto him to make war
with the saints, and to overcome them, and power was given Him over all kindreds, and
tongues, and nation. Revelation 13:1

"That the church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution
that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a
competent knowledge of history. . It is impossible to form a complete conception of the
multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can
adequately realize their sufferings."—W.E.H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of
the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, vol. 2, p. 32, 1910 edition.

(An excellent though lengthy article describing in detail the right of the Roman
Catholic Church to do this, will be found in The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol.12,p. 266)..
"For professing faith contrary to the teachings of the Church of Rome history
records the martyrdom of more than one hundred million people. A million Waldenses and
Albigenses [Swiss and French Protestants] perished during a crusade proclaimed by
Pope Innocent III in 1208. Beginning from the establishment of the Jesuits in 1540 to
1580, nine hundred thousand were destroyed. One hundred and fifty thousand perished
by the Inquisition in thirty years. Within the space of thirty-eight years after the edict of
Charles V against the Protestants, fifty thousand persons were hanged, beheaded, or
burned alive for heresy. Eighteen thousand more perished during the administration of the
Duke of Alva in five and a half years."—Brief Bible Readings, p. 16.

[On August 24, 1527, Roman Catholics in France, by prearranged plan, under
Jesuit influence, murdered 70,000 Protestants within the space of two months. The pope
rejoiced when he heard the news of the successful outcome. Read "Great Controversy,"
chapter 15, for the details. "Catholics say only 30,000 were slain. Protestants put the
number at 70,000. We prefer the latter figure. If there were 70,000 Huguenots [French
Protestants] in Paris the night of the massacre, so much the more justification for the
slaughter. . We have heard ring out many times the very bells that called the Catholics
together on that fatal night. They always sounded sweetly in our ears" —Western
Watchman, Nov. 21, 1912 [Roman Catholic]

"The Catholic has some reason on his side when he calls for the temporal
punishment of heretics, for he claims the true title of Christian for himself exclusively, and
professes to be taught by the never-failing presence of the Spirit of God...it is not more
'morally' wrong to put a man to death for heresy than for murder, . . [and] in many cases
persecution for religious opinions is not only permissible, but highly advisable and
necessary."— "The Lawfulness of Persecution," in The Rambler, 4, June, 1849, pp. 119,
126[Roman Catholic].

"You ask if he [the Roman Catholic] were lord in the land, and you were in a
minority, if not in numbers yet in power, what would he do to you? That, we say, would
entirely depend upon circumstances. If it would benefit the cause of Catholicism, he would
tolerate you: If expedient, he would imprison you, banish you, fine you; possibly, he might
even hang you. But be assured of one thing: He would never tolerate you for the sake of
'the glorious principles of civil and religious liberty' . . Catholicism is the most intolerant of
creeds. It is intolerance itself, for it is truth itself."—Civil and Religious Liberty," in The
Rambler, 8, Sept., 1851, pp. 174, 178. {"The Rambler" was an English Roman: Catholic
journal published from 1848 to 1862].

(8) The Bible predicted that Rome would try to change the law of God, and in its
place substitute laws of its own making. "And he shall speak great words against the most
High, and think to change times and laws." Daniel 1:25. "And it cast down the truth to the
ground, and it practiced and prospered." Daniel 8:12. "And the dragon was wroth with the
woman [the true church], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Revelation 12:11.
Seals and Marks have been used for thousands of years to mark and separate
people—and God predicts in the book of Revelation that in the time just ahead a massive
marking and sealing of men's mind will be done.

OUTLINE OF DANIEL SEVEN
1-6, 17 — Dream of three great beasts, representing three successive world
empires (Babylon, 603-538 B.C.; Medo-Persia, 538-331;Grecia, 331-168 B.C.)
7, 19,23 — The fourth beast (Pagan Rome 168 B.C.c. A.D.-538).
8; 20, 24 — The ten horns proceeding from it (see p- 8 for listing).
8,11,28-22, 24-26 — The terrible little horn power (Papal Rome, A.D. 538-1798,
with a later healing of its wound).
9-10,13-14, 22,26 — The Judgment Session in Heaven.
27 —The Second Advent of Christ, an eternity with Him.'

(Mark of the Beast -  E.G.White)

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Do you see the truth?!

Do you dare to believe the truth?!

You might think this is too much to study, but in light of the importance-  to have eternal life or not have eternal life- you would think no study would be too much!

Go ahead and let yourself be deceived by believing only in the feel good religion so many peddle. Go ahead and keep yourself from the truth, citing it's too much to take it, too much to comprehend. You make the choices that lead you truth and life. Our Savior is the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE and it was our Savior who was in agreement with God when the moral law was given, when the ten moral commandments were created and put in the ark of the covenant.

Through our Savior we are able to fulfill the 'WHOLE DUTY of MAN'.
Through our Savior we can FEAR GOD.
Through our Savior we can KEEP the COMMANDMENTS of GOD.

To think we have no active contribution after we accept Christ as our Righteousness, is to NOT believe Christ's word, and therefore not to really believe in Christ at all, but a false Christ, a pretender.

By HIS GLORY! BY HIS LOVE! All PRAISE and HONOR to HIM OUR SAVIOR AND KING, JESUS CHRIST!

More tomorrow, by His GRACE.

Who would think to change God's law?

His Commandment-His Law

The fourth commandment of the ten moral laws kept sacred in the ark of the covenant in the most holy place of the sanctuary.

The commandment that deals with time.

Is the following truth?

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Is this STILL the whole duty of man? Did the whole duty of man change? Are we no longer accountable for every work, every secret thing, good or evil? Why would the whole duty of man change? Why would no longer be accountable for our every work, our every secret thing good or evil? Did God STOP holding us accountable? When did that happen?

This is still truth- Rev_14:7  Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

And when was it written? Old Testament times? No. It was written during the New Testament times. A prophecy and in that prophecy is connected the JUDGMENT- and the worship of HIM that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of water.

Now read the fourth commandment of God's moral law-

Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

The Lord- Him that made- heaven and earth, and sea.

Why do we fail to see the significance of the judgment and THIS particular commandment?

Dan_7:25  And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High: and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

… he shall think to CHANGE the TIMES and the LAW…

Changing the law.
Changing the times.

Yesterday we discussed that we can KNOW who would do that, and how important it is for us to know not only who, but how and why this change took place. If we are to keep God's law, if this is our whole duty- if we will be judged accordingly we sure better know what His law is and make sure we keep it.

I'm going to change tracks here for a moment before I go further with this…

I say we are to KEEP God's law that this is our whole duty and I mean it. I mean that we will be judged accordingly. However some of us will have an Advocate to stand up for us as we are judged, and some won't. That Advocate will be able to speak on our behalf because we have REPENTED and CONFESSED of our failures to keep the law of God.  Does having an Advocate mean we shouldn't worry about keeping the law? No! Because the law is the standard we are to live by eternally, it is a law written out of love.  If you have an attorney standing up for you in court and they can only defend you properly if you've confessed everything to them, does that mean you are free to continue breaking the law? We are NEVER free to break the moral law of God, but we know when it happens we do have an Advocate who will plead for us when our name comes up and the decision is made whether or not we are judged and found in His righteousness. 

1Jn_1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

IF we confess.

Keeping the law by itself will NEVER save us, because we cannot keep the law perfectly without Christ, not ever. So as we continue to discuss the WHOLE duty of man and know that we are to FEAR God and KEEP His commandments, we must ever keep in mind that it is only through Christ and His righteousness that we are forgiven and cleansed.

Now back to the 'HE' who would think to change the times and laws of God.

Read ALL of the following- using your Bibles- making sure you PRAY for the Holy Spirit to guide you! If you can't read it all in one sitting, make it two or three sittings but do NOT neglect to read this, study this!

*******

'TEARING DOWN THE FOUNDATIONS

DANIEL  SEVEN

In a vision of prophetic history, Daniel the Hebrew prophet-statesman of Babylon
was shown the rise and fall of four vast empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and
Rome. This is recorded in Daniel 2 and 7—in two parallel prophecies. About a thousand
years before the events occurred, he foresaw the dismemberment of Western Rome, the
rise of the Papacy, and the establishment of the "ten kingdoms" which have developed
into the great nations of Southern and Western Europe, Regarding the correctness of this
fulfillment, nearly all conservative Protestant students of prophecy agree.

The Seventh Chapter of Daniel especially goes into detail on the prediction of the
antichrist power that for long ages was to seek to crush God's people and do away with
His Moral Law.

Daniel 7 gives a careful description of the rise of this power. Daniel calls it the
"Little Horn." After seeing in vision a series of four symbolic animals arise out of the sea,
an angel explained: 'The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall
be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down,
and break in pieces." Daniel 7:23.

This fourth beast is further described as having ten horns arising out of its head,
and we are told what they represent: 'The ten horns out of this kingdom are ten king's that
shall arise." Daniel 7:24.

Then in the dream, Daniel, as he slept, was to watch as a little horn grew in the
midst of the ten horns. As it arose, it uprooted three of those horns. The angel explained
this to Daniel: "Another [king] shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first,
and he shall subdue three kings." Daniel 7:24. And then, continuing, he gives us the most
important verse in Daniel Seven —Daniel 7:25, the verse that explains the three basic
things the man of sin, or little horn power, would do, and how long he would have this
power:

"And he shall [1] speak great words against the Most High, and [2] shall wear out
the saints of the Most High, and [3] think to change times and laws. And they shall be
given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. " Daniel 7:25.

Elsewhere in this chapter we are told more about this little horn power: 'And
behold, in this [little] horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great
things. " DanieI7:8.

"That [little] horn. . had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose
look was more stout than his fellows." Daniel 7:20.

I beheld, and the same [little] horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them." Daniel 7:21. This vision of Daniel 7 is described in verses 2.14, and mentions the . . little horn power in only one verse (7:8).

But the work of this little horn in trying to destroy both God's Law and His people was so
terrible that, in the explanation that followed (verses 17-28), most of it is about this fourth
beast and its little horn.

Clearly, the little horn was to be a deadly power reigning among the kings of the
earth that would assume the right to control the faith and consciences of men.

Just what is this fourth beast—with its ten horns—out of which this little horn
power was to arise? Student's of history I recognize that the fourth world kingdom after
Daniel's time was the kingdom of Rome.

The Roman Empire controlled civilization in the days of Jesus Christ, and it indeed
was a power to "devour the whole earth, and. . tread it down, and break it in pieces."
Daniel 7:2,3. (compare verse 7).

But prophecy foretold that this fourth beast, pagan Rome was to be divided. Ten
horns were to grow out of its head, representing ten kings, or kingdoms, that would arise
out of the Roman Empire. Students of history will again recognize that Rome was indeed
divided—and it was divided into ten divisions: the Franks, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, Heruli,
Burgundians, Suevi, Saxons, Lombards, Alamanni, and Vandals.

The prophecy said that still another horn was to arise after Rome had been divided
into its ten parts. Let us now consider this Little Horn:

(1) This little horn is to be a kingdom as the other horns are kingdoms. "The ten
horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise. And another shall rise after them,
and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. "Daniel 7:24.
(2) This little horn power is to come from the same source that the other ten horns,
or kingdoms, came from. "I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among
them another little horn." Daniel 7:8. Therefore, it was to come out of Rome.
(3) We can get the approximate date when this little horn was to arise. It would gain
its regal powers after the other horns had arisen. "And another shall rise after them."
Daniel 7:24. This could not take place until the last of the ten divisions of Rome was
formed.
(4) It was to uproot three horns, or three of Rome's divisions. Seven of these
divisions have existed down to our time. Anglo-Saxon modern England. Franks—France.
Lombards—Italy. Alamanni—modern Germany. ,Burgundian modern Switzerland.
Suevi—modern Portugal. Visigoths—modern Spain. But the Heruli, Vandals, and
Ostrogoths have no modern counterpart. They were uprooted by the little horn power at
the time it was arising.
(5) "He shall be diverse from the first." Daniel 7:24. Although a kingdom, it would
be a radically different kind of kingdom. The others were civil—this one would be religious.
(6) This religion, exercising the power and force of a worldly kingdom, was to have
a leader at its head, for it speaks through the "mouth of a man." "And behold in this [little]
horn] were eyes, like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things. " Daniel 7:8. A
man was to be at the head of this power, a man with human eyes and a human mouth:
(7) This mouth would speak great things. Revelation 13 is a parallel prophecy of
this apostate power and its blasphemies. And elsewhere we are told: "He opened his
mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them
that dwell in heaven." (Revelation 13:6), which agrees with the statement of Daniel 7.:25:
"He shall speak great words against the most High. " This man is to be guilty of
blasphemy. He is to speak great words against the God of Heaven.
(8) This power will try to destroy God's people for not submitting to its teachings. 'I
beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them" It was
predicted that he would "wear out the saints of the most High." Daniel 7:21,25.
(9) We are told the length of time that this power would have supremacy. "And they
shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. " Daniel 7:25. In
Revelation 13, speaking of the same power, we are told, "And there was given unto him a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue
1. [margin: make war] forty and two months. " Revelation 13:5. . (Compare Revelation
11:2). And, again, in Revelation 12:6, the length of time (a time span parallel to 11:3) is
spoken of I as 'a thousand two hundred and threescore days." Read each of the above
passages carefully. A "day" in prophecy stands for a year (Numbers 14:34, Ezekiel 4:6). A
"time" in prophecy is the same as a year (Daniel 11:13, margin, and Revised Version).
Three and a half times would be three and a half years. This is the same as 42 months.
And both are equal to 1260 days or years. (A prophetic year was composed of 360 days or
12 months of 30 days each).

This is the symbolic time of Bible prophecy. And so as it was predicted "for over a
thousand years the Little Horn power ruled men's lives.

The decree of the emperor, Justinian, issued in A.D. 533, recognized the pope. as
the "head of all the holy churches." (Code of Justinian, book 1, title 1, section 4.). The
overwhelming defeat of the Ostrogoths in the siege of Rome, five years later (A.D. 538),
was a death blow to the third pf the three horns that were uprooted. With the year 538,
then, begins the 1260 years of this prophecy of Papal control, which would ex. tend to the
year 1798. In that year the Reign of Terror occurred in the French Revolution and the
Roman Catholic religion was set aside in France, and the French army, under Berthier,
entered Rome and took the pope prisoner. He died in exile at Valence, France, the
following year. The long prophetic time span of papal rule was ended. The "deadly wound"
of Revelation 13:3 was inflicted—a wound which prophecy says is to be healed.'

More tomorrow by the GRACE OFOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! In HIS LOVE ALWAYS!

His Commandments and NO Others!

We've been talking about OUR duty and that is to 'Fear God' and 'Keep His commandments'.  We also discussed how there would be a power that would CHANGE God's law!  Logic prevails and tells us that if someone changes God's law, and that someone isn't God Himself, then the law we would be following would NO LONGER be God's law! Therefore, if we are keeping the changed law believing all the while we are keeping God's law, God's commandments, then we are wrong and we are NOT keeping God's commandments! 

Have you ever heard the saying- 'ignorance of the law is no excuse' ? This is truth. We cannot claim ignorance when we have the means to know the truth. God has given us His commandments, God has warned us someone would think to change His commandments, His law, but that wasn't the end of it. God gave us all we would need to know about who it was that would think to change His law.  People can KNOW who changed it, they can know what law was changed, but shockingly people don't care.  People have made it so that God's ten moral laws are outdated, strangely enough, not all of them though.  Or they've made it so the change isn't so bad, it fits right in with things, it's a harmless change.  They've even gone so far as to misinterpret things so that the change seems to be warranted, and people believe them!

God would NOT change His moral laws. The ten commandments are unchangeable as God Himself. The ceremonial laws could be altered and were, but those ten moral laws were the only laws to be put in  the Ark of the Covenant, and placed in the Most Holy Place of God's sanctuary. The ceremonial, dietary, and other laws were not put in that sacred Ark.  We've discussed it before just a few days ago how Jesus was God with God when the world was created and when these laws were given. Jesus has been from everlasting just as the Father God. Jesus had an everlasting existence and lived as God with God before He took on human flesh. Jesus knew all about the ten commandments and was in full agreement with them. So why do we ever imagine laws that were perfect to begin with would need to be changed for any reason at all?  They wouldn't. And God has told us that someone would think to change His law.

Let's look at the commandments and whether or not any have been changed that we know of throughout the years-

Exo 20:3  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

No.

Exo 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exo 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exo 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

No.

Exo 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

No.

Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Exo 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Yes.

Exo 20:13  Thou shalt not kill.

No.

Exo 20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery.

No.

Exo 20:15  Thou shalt not steal.

No.

Exo 20:16  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

No.

Exo 20:17  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

There is only one law that has been tampered with, the rest of them are untouched.

We have no quibbles over most of these laws but when we come to the fourth commandment there is a great disparity between various religious factions and their ideas of when this commandment is to be kept. Should it be kept on the seventh day, the first day, or sixth day of the week? Why is there so much confusion over this- TIME change, which would change the LAW.

People know in history that for thousands and thousands of years the Jewish calendar reveals the seventh day and the fact of the Sabbath being kept on that day. The Sabbath wasn't changed from the seventh day to the first day until Constantine in the early 300's. This is history.

I imagine already some who are reading this are just shaking their heads, thinking this doesn't matter, it's nitpicking, but it does matter!

God gave us laws and told us that someone would think wrongly to change them!

We are told that it is our duty to Fear God and Keep His Commandments, how can we do that if we are keeping someone else's commandments?   This is IMPORTANT! This isn't a minor inconvenience, but something that is important eternally. Do we bother with studying it more, or do we just throw all this aside and holdfast to our belief that it doesn't matter?

I'll tell you one thing, Satan doesn't want us studying it more, he loves the deception he's created and has practically hoodwinked everyone in one way or another so that they either don't care or don't believe.

We are going to study this more tomorrow because it is our WHOLE DUTY to Fear God and Keep HIS Commandments.  HIS Commandments, and no others!

All by HIS GRACE! All in HIS LOVE! HIS MERCY! HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS!

Our Commander - Our Creator

We are commanded.

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

We have a Commander. 

In order to have commands we must have someone giving those commands, those commands don't just appear all on their own from no where.

Our Commander is our Creator.  Our Creator. You were not born without a Creator. People will tell you that we have no creator, that we just came into being by chance. People will also say as soon as mankind could reproduce they became their own creators, meaning that each successive generation born is born further and further from the original created beings, therefore we owe nothing to that original creator because we can create on our own, we don’t need a creator to perpetuate our existence.

People say a lot of things, as long as they don't have to obey the commands of their Creator. They can't see Him, they can't carry on a conversation with Him, they can't argue with Him, they can't debate with Him, they can't touch Him, that can't smell Him, they can't hear Him therefore He can't exist.

The Creator was all those things to the first pair He created and then everything went horribly wrong. Mankind decided they didn't need to be obedient to their Creator. Mankind shut the door, slammed the door hard on their Creator.  He gave them EVERYTHING, and they in turn decided not to obey His command to them. They decided in a split second that somehow their Creator wasn't being forthright with them, that there was more He could give them but was withholding it from them for no good reason at all. They took all that their Creator gave them and threw it away through disobedience. They weren't being oppressed, abused, tortured, and yet all they had wasn't enough. These created beings were ungrateful. These created beings decided they didn't have to obey their Creator and would rather do as they pleased. When they disobeyed their Creator and turned their back on Him, rejecting Him, He no longer could be with them. It wasn't HIM leaving them, but them leaving Him by choice!  Yes, they were banished from the garden but ONLY because of their own disobedience, their own choice. And still, we know that God did not abandon them entirely. He listened to them, He accepted or rejected their sacrifices- the sacrifices they were making in hopes of somehow making things right between them and Him. They realized their mistake but weren't sure how to fix things. Their Creator had a plan though, and it wasn't going to be easy. The disobedience by mankind threw the Creator's entire idea for them into an uproar. The Creator could have simply blotted all mankind out of  existence, He did not have to let them survive.  He didn't want to end their existence though, they were very SPECIAL creations to Him, made in His image!

So, while NO longer having the face to face, the one on one, the physical contact that seeing, touching, and hearing all can bring --the Creator had a plan and He has revealed that plan to His creations, allowing EVERYONE an opportunity know that plan.  The plan of Salvation.

Still, there are many people who don't believe, who choose NOT to believe in a Creator, let alone believe He has given them commands to follow.

Faith is a HUGE part of our Creator's plan. Believing, trusting, hoping.

I know I refuse to believe that there is no Creator, no plan of Salvation, nothing but our existence here and now and then… nothing. I refuse to believe we just happened to exist.

There is a Creator and His love for us is written in His Word to us.

Yesterday we talked about the commandments and how we are not to change a single one, not a single law not a single time involved in the law.

One thing you HAVE to notice, there is only one of the ten commandments that involves time- this is NOT something we can ignore.

Exo 20:8  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Exo 20:9  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
Exo 20:10  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
Exo 20:11  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Amazing isn't it? Not only does this one commandment deal with time, it deals with the reality of our CREATOR!

We aren't to change times or laws, and yet they would be changed and this would happen by one who is against God's Word, against God's commands, choosing rather their own times and laws.

Is this important? 

We are told this--

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Keep his commandments.

Are we keeping HIS commandments, or another's? Are we keeping the commandments that have been altered, changed or God's original commandments?

More tomorrow by the GRACE of our LORD and SAVIOR!

All in HIS LOVE!

If you don't fear God, you should.

If you don't fear God- you should. Seriously, you really should.

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Yesterday we read plenty of verse about the wrath of God, past and future. Yes, a future wrath.  Our Savior did not magically make the wrath of God disappear. We laugh when various crackpots claim the wrath of God is pouring down on us during various 'natural' disasters.  It's just nature we tell them, it has nothing to do with God's wrath. It can happen to anyone and it's all explainable by various weather patterns and such, oh, and let's not forget, global warming as a cause.  God's wrath as we learned yesterday can influence the weather. We KNOW what God did during the flood, yes? We know, we really do know if we care to believe. We are so much more comfortable just writing it all off as pure chance, mere happenstance, an out of the blue occurrence. We do not want anyone to really believe God's wrath could be in play, because that means there is something for God to be wrathful about. We'd much rather call out we're all like Job, all these things are happening to us for no reason of our own, we're victims, not sinners, not deserving God's wrath.

If you believe in God, if you believe in Jesus Christ, if you believe in the Holy Spirit, you HAVE to believe in what they stand for. What purpose is there in believing if we don't really, truly believe at all? The fairy tale God, the fantasy Jesus Christ, the fictional Holy Spirit, these are the Gods that people are really wanting to believe in. People cling to their misplaced ideas of these three Gods, they nurture them, they build their lives around them. Ask if they believe and they'll readily stand up and shout, "Yes!" But then ask if they fear God, and they are a bit taken aback. Are they supposed to really fear God? But He's loving, kind, forgiving, a big ol' teddy bear God, what is there to fear. And hey, didn't He even tell us to fear not, that fear isn't a good thing?  Isn't one of the signs of the end times- 'men's hearts failing them for fear'? So if we aren't suppose to fear, and we surely don't want our hearts to fail because of our fear then why should we fear God. Is there a difference in fear and fearing God?

Let me ask you something, as a child did you ever fear your parents? Come on, think about it honestly. Did you ever do something wrong and get called to task over it? Wasn't there a bit of fear involved as you were being told to explain? Did that fear displace your love for your parents? Is there a difference between that fear and the fear of say a complete stranger? Of course there is. You can have what is called a healthy fear and that fear involves an element of reverence, something the fear induced evilly doesn't possess. Being scared, being fearful of life around you is a revealer of a lack of trust in God that all things will work out for your good, no matter how awful they are- right? But fearing God is acknowledging the truth- He is our CREATOR, He is our REDEEMER, He is our SUSTAINER, He has POWER over us, over our lives, over our EVERY BREATH. Fearing God is knowing He is our JUDGE! Fearing God is comprehending He has a standard we are judged by, and that standard is revealed in His commandments. Our inability to live under that standard is real too, at least on our own. With Christ and with the Holy Spirit we are able to live under the standard God has given to mankind. Where we fail, He succeeds and He succeed for us IF and only IF we ask Him to, believing in Him to be our righteousness where we have none.

A constant, daily, hourly, minutely belief must exist in us. A realization that there is a standard, an understanding that we fall short of that standard, and a desire to seek forgiveness for our failing, repenting and a seeking unendingly to do what is right under our God's standard. We can never give up desiring to live as He would have us live- keeping His commandments- this is our DUTY!

We all have this duty, yet so many of us would rather hold tight to our fairy tale God and listen to the lies that we don't have live by any standard any longer, we just need to love.  We stop realizing that the LOVE, God would have us live, is found alive and well in every single commandment. It's a lot easier to just throw out the commandments and live in our own idea of love. It's much easier to pick and choose the commandments we want to keep, after all, stealing and murder are wrong no matter what, right? So we can keep those. We might even choose to keep a few more right? But to follow them all, well that's just plain nonsense, isn't it?

Take a look at the ten commandments and tell me which ones you want to keep and which ones you don't… go ahead.

Have you found any?

If you really look at them, study them, know them, know their meaning, their truth tell me honestly do you keep all of them as they were intended to be kept?

We fall short, don't we?  And it's not truly for lack of desiring to keep them, is it? It shouldn't be. There isn't a single commandment there of the ten that should be tossed away or changed in any way.

God warned us that the man of sin would think to change times and laws-

Dan_7:25  And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High: and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.

Change times, change laws!  We have NO right to believe we can do that!  We can't change God's laws to suit our idea of them. We can't make them more lax, more easy to follow, more simple to believe. We have to study them and follow them as HE desires us to!

By the grace of GOD and OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, through the power of the HOLY SPIRIT we will study more on this tomorrow.  All in HIS amazing love!

Fear - Jesus

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Our duty is to FEAR GOD and KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENTS.

Fear God- Read ALL of the following verses and note the wrath of God. We need to note it, because our God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. This God of wrath did NOT disappear. This God of wrath did not hand the reins over to another God, the God who became flesh and dwelt among us.  They share the reins- they always have and they always will in whatever capacity they exist in. Jesus did NOT have flesh before He was born on earth, but He existed from everlasting to everlasting, He was God with God. Just as I could say that I am a human with human when I am talking about my husband. There are two of us. Jesus was there as God with God during the entire time of the Old Testament. Right up until He took on flesh.

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men

He TOOK upon himself the form of a servant. He CHOSE to became flesh, to be made in the likeness of men! He was God with God and He emptied Himself of that state of existence and took on FLESH.

Php_2:7  but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men (RV)

So when we read about the wrath of God in the Old Testament we HAVE to realize that Jesus, as God with God was THERE the entire time and in full agreement with ALL that was done! When He took on flesh, God with God became Immanuel- God with us. God with God became the ONLY begotten Son of the Father.  He became subject to obeying all that He, as God with God, agreed was the whole duty of man. He became dependent upon God who was now His Father in Heaven, knowing that all that was required of Him, all the obedience, to Love God, and to Love His fellow man was just and good. By HIS grace may we comprehend all that we need to.

Please read all the following verses with the comprehension that Jesus, as God with God, before He took on flesh was right there in agreement with every single word uttered, every action undertaken. They weren't in heaven fighting against one another. Jesus did not take on flesh to prove the Father God in the wrong, not in a single thing! We have to STOP fooling ourselves, we have to! If we get caught up in fooling ourselves then we are lost, so full of delusions, so full of lies that we will remain blind right up to the point we hear our Savior tell us to get away from Him because He never knew us.   God forbid that happen to us! God forbid!

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Examples of the wrath of God- with God in agreement...

Exo 32:9  And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exo 32:10  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

God's wrath-a consuming wrath.

Num_11:33  And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

Wrath of the LORD- smiting with a very great plague.

Deu_11:17  And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

LORD'S wrath- no rain.

Deu_29:23  And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath

LORD'S wrath - like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah - fire, brimstone, salt.

Deu_29:28  And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.

LORD'S wrath- displaced from your own land.

2Ki_22:13  Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

2Ki 22:16  Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:

2Ki_22:17  Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched.

The LORD'S wrath-   against those not hearkening, not doing what God commands, burning incense to other gods.

2Ch_24:18  And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

Wrath- against those serving groves and idols.

2Ch 28:9  But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven.
2Ch 28:10  And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?
2Ch 28:11  Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.

God wroth,  fierce wrath of the Lord against those who disobey God.

2Ch_30:8  Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you

2Ch_34:21  Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.

2Ch_34:25  Because they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

2Ch_36:16  But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.

Ezr_5:12  But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

Ezr_8:22  For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

Neh_13:18  Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath.

Psa_21:9  Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

Psa_38:1  A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Psa_78:31  The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
Psa_78:38  But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.

John the Baptist-
Mat 3:7  But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Jesus-
Luk 21:22  For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
Luk 21:23  But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

Joh_3:36  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Rom_1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness

Rom_2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God

Eph_5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Col_3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience

1Th_1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

Rev 6:16  And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Rev_11:18  And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Rev_14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb

Rev_14:19  And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

Rev_15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

Rev_15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Rev_16:1  And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Rev_16:19  And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

Rev_19:15  And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

The wrath of God is NOT a thing of the past.

When we read these words-

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecc 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.


-we have to believe them!

Every secret thing, whether GOOD or EVIL will be known to God. Our every action. There isn't any other reason for us to need to fall to our knees daily seeking the forgiveness of our God, clinging to HIS righteousness, all through His grace and mercy!  Just knowing that our every action is subject to God, and knowing how far we fall short of what we know we should be as we seek to Fear God and keep His commandments, this alone should compel us to seek an ever closer walk with our Savior. Satan would have us despair, telling us it is all impossible, but we know that with Christ, nothing is impossible and it will be Christ's righteousness which saves us.

Please Lord help us to be YOURs to FEAR YOU as we need to in reverence and true fear, help us to keep Your commandments, commandments you gave to us out of LOVE for us.

In Your LOVE Always!  All glory, all praise, all honor unto You our God, our High Priest, our King!