Tag: God

  • ‘You’re NOT MY Father!’ – the prodigal C.E. Evangelical

    ‘You’re NOT MY Father!’ – the prodigal C.E. Evangelical

    Our Family Prodigal

    Most Christians are no doubt familiar with the scenario of Jesus’ parable about the prodigal son with its two brothers questioning their relationships with their father.

    We have perhaps neglected a theological relationship of the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of God.

    Today in PART 2 of our examination of the role of the FATHER we continue in our study of doctrines of the Common Era by looking at contemporary family relationships AND parallels to the Son Jesus‘ parable of the prodigal son (which of course HE is not).

    Part 1 of God our Father and His role in the Trinity

    Parable of the prodigal son

    You'll find an archaic former view of 'the prodigal' in the New King James version of the Bible from Before the Common Era referring to the son's prodigal living common to this era.

    This parable of Jesus is part of three illustrations of those whose faith is LOST as answer to why the Lord receives and dines with SINNERS.

    Gospel of Luke 15:

    The Parable of the Lost Son

    Luke 15:11 NKJV
    Then He said:

    HERE is the riotous Common Era christian as well! You, me and others BEFORE some realize that WE may return to GOD the FATHER in humility — BEFORE some become acceptable in the Father’s house through the saving grace of the SINLESS Son JESUS our only hope and Savior.

    (You likely know more of the parable and its additional lessons from this father.)

    “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

    God the Father is Not MY father photos of two young girls

    Why do Common Era prodigals deny the Father’s love?

    Our cover PHOTO, christian family photo album or church member directory could include THOUSANDS of FACES we know who were once near and dear to our hearts.


    As noted previously the truth of SCRIPTURE has not changed. 
    
    WE cannot quite grasp the mystery of the Holy Spirit. 
    
    AND in Common Era preaching Jesus can be promoted more like WE like on the stage of 'worship.'
    
    YET the fruit of FALSE teaching may easily rot souls JESUS would save had WE prodigal evangelicals returned to the Father.

    Jesus welcomes ALL sinners with the love of a friend. This Common Era king embraces sinners of ALL cultures and beliefs without requiring any turn toward His righteousness and away from The Life of this world.

    FALSE! According to Scripture.


    Witness of a dad

    I know a man in Christ.. —such a man was caught up to the third heaven.

    The Apostle Paul in witnessing a true event without disclosure of his source of witness writes to Christians in Corinth.
    
    The 'man' in Christ may have been Paul, John during his Revelation from Jesus Christ, perhaps even Peter or another. The witness is authentic. Therefore the truth and impact of these scenes require no identification of its narrator.

    common fathers in the Common Era:

    • Their father insisted, “not in my house you don’t,” but they did.
    • Her older sister ran away with her boyfriend, then her father came into her at night!
    • Their ‘christian‘ mother was caught in the arms of another man, then threw her father out of their house.
    • The church had no idea who the father of a single mom leading worship might be.
    • Their father cheated with a woman at work, then they all moved to another town where this prodigal pastor did it again.
    • The PK (Pastor’s Kid) was known to be sleeping with a significant other.
    • When their son got his girlfriend pregnant mom helped pay for her to get an abortion.
    • She changed schools so no one would know what her mother dared not tell her father.
    • A father suspected his son partied all night with guys and girls alike.
    • HE’S NOT MY FATHER! You have to choose between him and ME,” insisted the step-daughter to her mom.

    Further resistance against fathers

    SOMETHING CHANGED, but I’m not certain when.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    What is certain in 2023 of the Common Era is that:

    • Christians have again become a minority.
    • Marriages between one man and one woman for life are rare (even among ‘christians.’)
    • Children need not be born into a Common Era home with values of God our FATHER.
    • Parents of the Common Era reject accountability to a father, a family and to God.

    Fathers (present or absent) may NOT raise, teach or discipline ANY human progeny.


    a few more facts:
    • The 1960 Census showed a record proportion married, 67.4 percent, among persons 14 years old and over.
    • The number of families in the United States in 1960 was 45.1 million. (A family is a group of two or more persons who are related to each other and living in the same household.)

    • In 2011, the Pew Research Center found that 51 percent of Americans were married, compared to 72 percent in 1960. However, rates of cohabiting couples are rising
    • according to private research company Demographic Intelligence, less than half a million couples were cohabiting in 1960, compared to 7.5 million in 2010 [C.E.]

    America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2022 – U.S. Census

    • 4.2% Cohabiting with joint biological child (actual # may be higher than survey sample)
    • 2.6% Cohabiting with NO joint biological child

    • 21.3% or ONE IN FIVE – NO partner present (at time of survey)
      • A few are single fathers — MOST are culturally priased as SINGLE MOMS in the Common Era

    WHY does Common Era culture reject JESUS?

    GOD, the authority of any church and especially FATHERS are anathema to the majority of this COMMON ERA.

    Roger@TalkofJESUS.com on Rejection of the Father of Trinity

    It’s quite easy for some to worship MARY, the ‘single mom’ of the child Jesus we celebrate each ‘Christmas.’

    Of course A.D. first century culture was intolerant of such things.

    What does JESUS say about ‘the Father’ that is so offensive to so many in Common Era churches in these last days?

    Gospel of John: 6:40, 8:28, 10:30 Legacy Standard Bible

    apokalypsis iēsous christos which God gave Him to show to His slaves the things which must soon happen; and He indicated this by sending it through His angel to His slave John,

    The Revelation of Jesus Christ 1:1 LSB from Morphological Greek New Testament
    Revelation 3:19-22

    ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.

    ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    Jesus standing at a door knocking

    ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

    Revelation of Jesus Christ to John

    Talk of JESUS . com

    Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

    Matthew 28:19-20 LSB – Command of the Risen Christ Jesus

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • God our Father estranged from Trinity

    God our Father estranged from Trinity

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places..

    Letter of Paul to the Ephesians 1:3 ESV
    WE began our series by asking, Are christian pulpits erasing Christ’s Biblical line of DOCTRINE?

    The Trinity and Doctrine of the C.E. Church

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ..’

    + FOCUS ON THE TRIUNE GOD the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? 
    OR 
    ++ FOCUS on OUR EXPERIENCE as worshipers?

    I introduced this series on DOCTRINES of the Common Era by quoting scripture from the first letter of the Apostle Peter to the Church.

    Last time I strongly suggested that Scripture has NOT changed.

    We looked at several Scriptures from Before Christ and in New Testaments from the years of our Lord written during the A.D. 1st century.

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

    Second Letter of the Apostle Paul to the Church a Corinth 1:3-4 ESV

    What changed in C.E. church worshipers?

    ‘SOMETHING CHANGED, but I’m not certain when.

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    I listed some facts from the A.D. 1960’s and changes in OUR thinking as a church.

    • The minimum wage was $1.00
    • Farmers made up 8.3% of the U.S. labor force..
    • about 65% of Americans were churchgoers.
    • first commercially produced birth control pill was forbidden by many churches
      • EVEN for married couples (a man and a woman)
    • Christian CHURCHES, pulpits and doctrines PREACHED, TAUGHT and encouraged:

    NO SEX before marriage, Divorce is discouraged and THOU SHALT NOT ABORT a baby living in its mother’s womb under ANY circumstances!


    christianity lite - the marketing of jesus by the church in the Common Era

    Although GOD has NOT changed it seems that worship and OUR Common Era approach to worship may have.


    What changed (in Common Era preaching)?


    Doctrine of God in a Common Era of christianity-lite

    Do you REALLY believe? Is DOCTRINE of the Bible a line in the sand for you? OR has DOCTRINE of the COMMON ERA become a blurred line in the sand of 21st century CE?

    NO Doctrine of the COMMON ERA or any other millennia will stand the test of time without defining GOD truthfully.

    Scripture of the New Testament since the A.D. 1st century Gospel always points to the Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit).

    GOD IS!

    The LORD reveals Himself through His creation, the Holy Scriptures, the HOLY Spirit and IN THE PERSON of His Only Son JESUS CHRIST.

    WE THE COMMON ERA CHURCH drift dangerously with the chaff of every worldly sin upon prevailing cultural winds of these last days.

    “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

    Gospel of Matthew 3:12 LSB

    “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” -

    so what must WE do?


    Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    Gospel of Matthew 28:19-20 ESV – Commission of the crucified, risen and returning Christ to His Disciples

    The Common Era challenge of Trinity

    people receiving the Holy Spirit descending like a dove

    Holy & unholy ghosts & spirits

    https://www.facebook.com/reel/1452049838875053

    Anyone can preach!

    You can preach in the Holy Spirit and shout out in the Holy Ghost! (Preach it, pastor.)

    – BUT – is the word of the Spirit truly that from Almighty God?

    – OR – is the preacher moved by a different spirit, perhaps a ghost of the past or demon opposed to the angels of the Lord God and Jesus Christ?


    I have witnessed the Holy Spirit for a time with a woman preaching or by a man sharing the cup of communion with the beloved saints. Yet it's mysterious power wandering flocks will follow. Beware if false preachers who also claim power from the pulpit or aisles of cloaked darkness. 
    
    Test the spirits and quantify their truth by the Word and by Scripture. - RH

    For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

    1 John 5:7 King James Version
    JESUS at door with DO NOT KNOCK sign

    ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    Revelation of Jesus Christ to John 3:20-21 LSB

    ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” – Rev. 3:22


    The Apostle John preaches Jesus Christ as ‘the Word in the flesh.’

    YET even from the apocalypse of the risen Word many churches of the Common Era will preach and imagine ONLY those events which draw in the crowds.

    .. I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne…


    In the years of our Lord prior to this Common Era a remnant of pastors
    have preached JESUS in the context of Scriptural exhortation to every believer. For the 'knock at the door' passage of Christ's Revelation is a call of repentance to a lukewarm church.

    ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.

    Revelation 3:19 LSB (the Word to those on the other side of the door)

    Many worshipers lack the Spirit and christians of every era fail to have ears to hear the very breath of the Word.

    Through all the years and recent decades of our Lord, few 21st century christians have a problem with JESUS..

    since by omitting the hard parts WE can preach his gospel with so many variations.


    Our estranged Father in Heaven

    hypocrisy - syncretism, traditionalism, liberalism, and many more

    Common Era christians ESTRANGED from fathers

    What changed (in Common Era preaching)?

    If not our worshipers lifting up with the chaff in the Holy Spirit

    — if not our re-imagining a jesus to our liking —

    THEN certainly our all-too-common era trouble with the Trinity must lie in a single broken relationship: that of Common Era christians with God the Father.

    Revealed Honor to God the Father of Glory

    Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.

    ‘You shall rise up before the gray-haired and honor the aged, and you shall fear your God; I am Yahweh.

    From the Book of the Law – Exodus 20:12; Leviticus 19:32 LSB

    “I kept looking
    Until thrones were set up,

    And the Ancient of Days was seated;

    His clothing was like white snow
    And the hair of His head like pure wool.

    His throne was ablaze with fire,

    Its wheels were a burning fire.

    Daniel’s vision of the Ancient of Days 7:9 LSB

    a few more facts of Common Era worshipers

    ‘SOMETHING CHANGED, but I’m not certain when.’

    Do YOU know? Can YOU contribute a comment with YOUR opinion?
    • The 1960 Census showed a record proportion married, 67.4 percent, among persons 14 years old and over.
      • In 2022, about 132.3 million or 49.3% of Americans age 15 and over were unmarried, according to the Current Population Survey. [compared to ~33% in 1960]
    • JULY 2023 C.E.
      • Of the 63.2M parents living with their children
        • <18, 76.1% lived with a spouse,
        • 15.1% had no spouse/partner present.
        • The rest [~ ONE in TEN PARENTS] lived with a cohabiting partner.
          • Note: Direct identification of both parents began in 2007, resulting in the ability to identify children living with two unmarried parents.
    Source: Census.gov library

    How do YOU react to God the Father?

    “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

    “.. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son desires to reveal him.

    Gospel of the Apostle Matthew 7:21,11:27b CSB

    “I and the Father are one.”

    Testimony of Jesus from the Gospel of John 10:30 Christian Standard Bible

    Do YOU have a problem with THAT, dearly beloved Common Era christian estranged from GOD our FATHER?

    NEXT: More on this doctrinal challenge of the Common Era… God willing.

    Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel

  • and fear fell upon them all – Phobias from the enemy

    and fear fell upon them all – Phobias from the enemy

    FEAR descends upon us without warning when we least expect it. This is what has just happened in places distant from our secure homes and times more near these last days.

    TODAY we return to Ephesus in the first century of our Lord and then quickly jump forward to fearful times ahead and even now in this 21st century of the Common Era.
    
    IF you missed the account of Paul's previous preaching of Jesus Christ you might want to look back first.

    What do we fear?

    Disgrace, as these men ran away from a situation over which they claimed to have power?

    DEATH perhaps, IF the enemy should prevail?


    The Apostle Paul [Saul of Tarsus] was a RELIGIOUS man once feared by Christians as he pursued the unrighteousness of men and women turned from Almighty God.

    But a more powerful JESUS and the Holy Spirit had intervened most unexpectedly. NOW Paul in Christ demonstrates God’s POWER!

    6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them..

    .. some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude..

    11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul..and the evil spirits went out of them.

    16 Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them..

    Acts of the Apostles 19:16a NKJV

    PAUL HAD POWER! Unseen power. The Jewish priests observed reactions of people who had witnessed this mysterious unseen power and sought such control of the crowds as well.

    18 And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds.

    We may safely suppose that their confessions included the ordinary sins of every man and woman and their deeds being the evil against God and others so common in our everyday lives.

    19 Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver.

    Fear of the unseen enemy

    The LORD GOD is your enemy when YOU SIN against HIM!

    Satan and unseen spirits in which many of you do not believe are ENEMIES of the LORD GOD and His only SON JESUS CHRIST sent to SAVE you from the Judgment of your SIN.

    This CHOSEN NATION of GOD had sinned and fallen many times.

    AND they continued to deny Christ’s grace and power over sin demonstrated in JESUS.

    Priests and preachers had sinned against the SON of GOD sent to HIS OWN for forgiveness of SINS.

    The King of the Jews was sacrificed on a Roman Cross in Jerusalem.


    Paul who by now has confessed Christ witnesses to the gentiles of first century Roman Asia Minor. The Apostle once again demonstrates the power of Jesus Christ OVER sin.

    AND as always, there arose a great commotion about the Way. [v.23b]


    מָשִׁיחַ מָשִׁיחַ talk of jesus dot com
    מָשִׁיחַ מָשִׁיחַ
    PHOTO above from the 3-part Gospel Series: 12 Men Texting as their Messiah approaches

    a Common Era parable – phobomai

    We interrupt these ACTS of the first century for 
    BREAKING NEWS from Israel in this 21st century of the Common Era
    and a parable of current events.

    A man with seven sons and seven daughters whom he had set over an inheritance of great wealth and influence sent them out to build new settlements for his grandchildren. One day his oldest son gathered all of their brothers and sisters for a great music festival of songs celebrating the culture of their fathers.

    So as a trumpet sounded from the besieged holy hill beyond the locked gate they departed toward this rave for the ages led by local guides into the valley of the shadow near the salt sea.

    In the diaspora, the first day is known by its biblical name, Shemini Atzeret. We still dwell in the sukkah, but without a blessing.

    To be continued…


    In the diaspora, the first day is known by its biblical name, Shemini Atzeret. We still dwell in the sukkah, but without a blessing. Yizkor, the memorial for the departed, is also said on this day.
    
    The second day is known as Simchat Torah, during which we complete and immediately begin the annual Torah reading cycle. - source: Chabad.org
    Photo via brand X@visegrad24·Oct 7BREAKING:The woman whose body was seen on video in the back of a pick-up truck driven by Palestinian terrorists to Gaza has been identified. 30-year-old Shani Louk was a German citizen visiting Israel to attend the music festival for peace held near the Gaza border fence.

    7 October, 2023 of the Common Era

    At the RAVE of the enemy in the valley of the shadow many fall victim.

    It was NOT a festival to the LORD God and the enemy provokes the spirit of evil in any who seek pleasure in sin and death.

    May God have mercy on their lost souls.


    FEAR

    φόβος phobos – From a primary phebomai (to be put in fear)

    • Fear, dread, terror
    • that which strikes terror

    And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. And fear [G5401 – phobos] gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying,

    “A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited His people!”

    Gospel of Luke 7:15-16 Legacy Standard Bible

    “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars,
    and on the earth anguish among nations,
    in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,
    men fainting from fear [G5401 – phobos]
    and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world;
    for the POWERS OF THE HEAVENS will be shaken…

    Gospel of Luke 21:25-26 LSB
    We return now from the 21st c. C.E. to a FEAR in those witnessing GOOD in the Name of JESUS in the first century of the Lord in Ephesus recalling:

    And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived in Ephesus; and fear G5401 fell upon them all and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified.

    Acts of the Apostles 19-17 LSB

    Reaction against the Power of God

    IT ALWAYS HAPPENS THAT WHEN GOD WORKS MIGHTY ACTS OF POWER THAT UNGODLY MEN WILL DO EVIL AGAINST THE WITNESSES OF GOD AND CHRIST JESUS.

    ACTS 19:23 NKJV

    And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. 25 He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said:

    “Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship.”


    Some men FEAR disgrace, most men and women FEAR death, yet many cling to tradition forged into idols of culture condoning our sin and denying our mortality.

    These would lead the leaven of life into a pit of eternal punishment.

    “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

    Paul later writes to the ROMANS, quoting PSALM 36

    Now when they heard this, they were full of wrath and cried out, saying,

    “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

    29 So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul’s travel companions.


    third missionary journey of Paul from Acts of the Apostles

    The Apostle Paul’s ACTS in Ephesus – To Be Continued, God-willing…