03/31/21 GOD'S WORD DOES NOT SAY, "EASTER"

03/31/21 GOD'S WORD DOES NOT SAY, "EASTER"

God's word is inerrant, translations are not. "Easter" in KJV should be "Passover." Resurrection relates to Passover, not Easter.

The KJV is still one of the most faithful translations. It ranks with one of two other translations as my favorite. I favor Formal Equivalence (aka Literal, Word for Word) over Functional Equivalence (aka Dynamic, Thought for Thought). However, even Formal Translations are not literally word for word. Sometimes Functional Translations give a better insight to the passage than the word for word. Though I use a variety of translations and I go back to the original languages (through the writings of scholarly Christians) and I consider the culture and idioms of the period, I spend much more of my time in Formal rather than Functional translations.

Now, back to Easter, Passover and Resurrection. The KJV is a wonderful translation, but on Acts 12:4 the translators erred.
KJV...
Acts 12:4
4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

KJV with Strong's Greek words...
Acts 12:4
4 AndG2532 when he(G3739) had apprehendedG4084 him, he putG5087 him inG1519 prison,G5438 and deliveredG3860 him to fourG5064 quaternionsG5069 of soldiersG4757 to keepG5442 him;G846 intendingG1014 afterG3326 EasterG3957 to bring him forthG321 G846 to theG3588 people.G2992

Notice the word Easter in KJV is the supposed translation of the Greek word, pascha (Strong's 3957). Look at the two different ways that Strong and Thayer define this Greek word.

STRONG...
pas'-khah
Of Chaldee origin (compare [H6453]); the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it): - Easter, Passover.

THAYER...
pascha
Thayer Definition:

1. the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people’s deliverance of old from Egypt)
2. the paschal lamb, i.e. the lamb the Israelites were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan (the first month of their year) in memory of the day on which their fathers, preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing the blood, might pass over their dwellings; Christ crucified is likened to the slain paschal lamb
3. the paschal supper
4. the paschal feast, the feast of the Passover, extending from the 14th to the 20th day of the month Nisan
   This Greek word does mean Passover, in spite of the attempted fancy footwork of KJV ONLY people. KJV ONLY people do more twisting than Chubby Checker ever did. They twist Scripture, History, Religious and Social Jargon. When they try to justify their errant view, they create a straw man to attack and twist our words to fit their agenda.

I am not going to take the time to explain the errors of the KJV argument. For most Bible believers it is clear enough to know that the word Easter is not an actual translation of Passover. The KJV ONLY explanation is a super-imposed farce.

Having said this, I do not discredit the KJV. After all, it is only a translation and not the original (though there are KJV ONLY folks who would argue this as well).

Passover is the correct word.
Herod was the individual in this passage and he would have known and used the Jewish Passover celebrations in his plan to take more Jews into custody.

Jesus, as a Jew, practiced Passover celebrations. But He also was God and therefore He was the One who initiated the Passover with Moses. The Passover was a Jewish celebration of Israel's deliverance from Egypt and was also a prefiguring of the life, death and resurrection of the Promised Messiah (Jesus Christ).

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ took place at the same time as the Jewish Passover. Though they are not the same, they have a common origin and a common meaning. Herod would have been thinking about the Jewish celebration. Herod's plan was to capture other Jewish followers of Christ after the Passover.

Unhappily, the erroneous translation of Passover to Easter has opened the door for pagan celebrations to be intertwined with the greatest God even in the Universe, when Christ became a man, died on the cross and raised Himself physically from the dead.

Don't believe anyone who tries to blame God for the confusion of a pagan fertility goddess with the Resurrection of the Son of God from the dead.

03/31/21 THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT TRUE

03/31/21 THIS IS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT TRUE

I know folks who voted against freedom and Christian principles by voting for party or race and thought it was the right thing to do.

There are still people who do not understand that Socialism and Communism are unmitigated enemies of freedom, Christ, the Bible and God's people.

There are people who embrace something because it claims to represent a given race, or a supposed social agenda or because they want to align themselves with family, friends, or racial issues, popular leaders not realizing that the very thing they embrace is the greater threat to them, their family, friends, their race and the Christian faith and community in America.

03/31/21 THIS SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING

03/31/21 THIS SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING

No Christian ever argued the spiritual advantages of referring to Christ's resurrection in terms of a fertility goddess or a rabbit.

03/30/21 INCREDIBLY, SOME DON'T KNOW

03/30/21 INCREDIBLY, SOME DON'T KNOW

In case you don't know, Communism deliberately subjugates a nation in order to dominate that nation.

03/30/21 VERY SCARY

03/30/21 VERY SCARY

I watch these strange teachers on YOUTUBE as they slip and slide "seamlessly" from truth to lie and from lie to truth.

03/30/21 THEY ARE DECEIVERS

03/30/21 THEY ARE DECEIVERS

They do not simply communicate deception; False Prophets EMBRACE SHAME, WALK IN CRAFTINESS, DECEITFULLY HANDLE and CORRUPT God's word.

2 Corinthians 4:1-2
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we faint not:
2 but we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 

2 Corinthians 2:17
17 For we are not as the many, corrupting the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speak we in Christ.

03/29/21 BEWARE THOSE WHO ARE CONVINCED OF THEIR OWN ERROR

03/29/21 BEWARE THOSE WHO ARE CONVINCED OF THEIR OWN ERROR

(Dr.) G. Kim is either a joke or a tragedy. Wait, he is a tragic joke. And some expose' videos about him are just as wacky.

 

03/29/21 SPIRITUAL WEAPONS FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE

03/29/21 SPIRITUAL WEAPONS FOR SPIRITUAL WARFARE

The only hope for USA is the Bible, not bullets or ballots.
Taking up the GOSPEL requires more guts than taking up GUNS, and it's wiser.

03/29/21 IT IS DONE!

03/29/21 IT IS DONE!

God promised to send a Man-Child.
It is done.
God promised to send Light to all mankind.
It is done.
God promised to send us a Sin Sacrifice.
It is done.
God promised to send us a Prophet, a Priest, a King.
It is done.
God promised to defeat the Devil.
It is done.
God promised to defeat death.
It is done.
God promised to give us a new heart.
It is done.
God promised to give us His Holy Spirit.
It is done.
God promised to redeem us.
It is done.
God promised to purify us.
It is done.
God promised to lead us.
It is done.
God promised to empower us.
It is done.
God promised to enable us.
It is done.

03/29/21 IT IS ALREADY HERE

03/29/21 IT IS ALREADY HERE

MEMORY FROM 8 YEARS AGO

I had several friends wish me and others a "Happy Easter," to which I usually responded "Happy Resurrection to you too." On one occasion I took the initiative, and said to a friend, "Let me tell you the good news." He asked, "What it is," and I said, "He Is Risen." My friend said, "That's not until Sunday." I said, "NO, it is today, He is already risen. He has been risen for 2,000 years."

Sadly, the "Easter Story," at best, is a religious event that fits snugly into a specific weekend. But "The Resurrection" is a once accomplished reality that lasts forever, miraculously transforming lives and altering destinies. It has nothing to do with rabbits, the pagan goddess Ishtar or decorated eggs. It is God (in Christ Jesus) having died for man's sins, rising from the dead physically and giving eternal life to whosoever will believe on Him. It is Christ reconciling rebellious men to God. It is Christ transforming us by His indwelling Spirit and conforming us to His own image.

 

So, I share with you, HE IS RISEN.

03/28/21 UNDERSTANDING "BY LIGHT OF" NOT "IN SPITE OF"

03/28/21 UNDERSTANDING "BY LIGHT OF" NOT "IN SPITE OF"

Christ in the Garden is unique, but it must be viewed in the LIGHT of what went before rather than IN SPITE of what went before.

03/28/21 DON'T FALL INTO THIS TRAP

03/28/21 DON'T FALL INTO THIS TRAP

Claiming Jesus did or said something, which contradicts and contravenes His revealed nature and teaching, demeans and slanders Him.

03/28/21 JESUS WAS HEARD a DASH-CAM MESSAGE

03/28/21 JESUS WAS HEARD a DASH-CAM MESSAGE

(this is the way I introduced the re-posting of my the video)
This is not study, but a quick comment on the reason for Jesus praying in the Garden that "this cup" pass from Him. The cup was not DEATH ON THE CROSS. The cup that He feared was DEATH IN THE GARDEN, WHICH WOULD KEEP HIM FROM THE CROSS.

I am about to post an updated version of my JESUS DID NOT FEAR OR FLEE THE CROSS article. It is a very in depth study. However, this is a short, simple, quick DASH-CAM MESSAGE I did a few years ago.

I have held this view since Bible College days (or longer). There have been a few Biblical issues or practices that I changed during or right after Bible College years because I studied what the Bible had to say about them (such as Biblical holiness, Christian peace making, war, civil disobedience, the absurd belief that Jesus became actual sin on the cross, which should be translated "sin offering") but in all my study I have never seen the Biblical support for the strange belief that Jesus ever tried to escape, the cross.

JESUS DID NOT FEAR OR FLEE DEATH ON THE CROSS. He even said that He was about to die but He prayed that He would not die in the Garden AND HE WAS HEARD by the Father. He was so thoroughly spent that He thought He was about to die in the Garden and therefore it seemed obvious that He would not make it to the cross. He did not want to come short of the cross. Still, if it was the will of the Father for Him to die in the Garden, Jesus was willing and submitted to the Father. He did not understand how His death in the Garden would serve the Father, but He was willing, even TO DIE IN THE GARDEN. (By the way, theoretically, death in the Garden MIGHT NOT HAVE precluded His death on the cross, but that is an entirely different issue).

This is why we are told that Jesus LEARNED OBEDIENCE. Jesus intended to die on the cross, but in submission to the Father He prayed, NEVERTHELESS, not my will, but thine be done. And HE WAS HEARD by the Father and the Father saved Him from DEATH IN THE Garden. The Father sent an angel to STRENGTHEN (restore, heal, rescue) Jesus from obvious impending death.

Hebrews 5:6-9
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

(here is the original comment I posted with the video)
JESUS WAS HEARD
Hebrews 5:7
7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

During the time of Jesus earthly life and ministry. Jesus still has a human body, because His resurrected body was glorified, as we will also be glorified in our resurrected bodies.

Jesus faced extreme trials, which depleted His physical strength, such as His time of testing in the wilderness (Mt. 4:1-11), His prayer in the Garden (Mt. 26:36-39; Lk. 22:39-45), and His beating and crucifixion (Mk. 15:33-37).

Jesus had faced violent mobs and Satanic attacks before, trying to keep Him from the cross. In fact, Satan probably tried to have the baby Jesus aborted. We know that Herod tried to kill the infant Jesus. Satan tried to kill Jesus during the wilderness temptations. Jesus always escaped assassination. But in the Garden He thought He was about to die. This appeared to be an attack He would not escape or survive (Mk. 14:34), at which time Jesus called on the Father to let THIS CUP pass from me.

While "cup" is a term used in reference to the death of Christ on the cross, it was also used in other situations. When Jesus realized He was about to die in the Garden, He cried out to the Father to LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME. Jesus did not want to die in the Garden. Jesus wanted to make it to the cross, in order to be the promised Sacrifice.

Jesus, as a man, was not turning from His lifelong mission of death on the cross. Jesus, as the eternal God was not turning from His eternal mission to die on the cross. He feared (a natural and normal fear) that He body would not survive the Garden. He feared (in His weakened state and in His emotional upheaval (sweating drops of blood) that He would not make it to the cross.

It was at this time Jesus prayed, asking the Father to let this cup pass from Him.

Our passage in Hebrews 5:7 says that He was heard. Not only did the Father hear Jesus, the Father granted Jesus request. The cup of death passed from Jesus in the Garden. He was so physically tormented and spent that the angels came to Him, strengthening Him.

The Father saved Jesus from physical death in the Garden and granted Him His intended goal of dying on the cross.

Even on the cross Satan tried to thwart the plan of God by tempting Jesus to come down from the cross. Jesus could have called the angels to His side, but He did not.

Even after Jesus was buried the devil tried to hide the facts of the death and resurrection by spreading the lie that Jesus had been stolen away by His disciples.

Jesus feared death in the Garden, not death on the cross.

03/27/21 DON'T GAUGE CHRIST'S PERFECTIONS BY YOUR OWN FAILURE

03/27/21 DON'T GAUGE CHRIST'S PERFECTIONS BY YOUR OWN FAILURE

I think one reason so many folks choose to believe that Christ either feared or fled death on the cross is because they lower His standards and strength to that of a mere man, without the enabling grace of God.

Notice, Jesus remained faithful in His battle with death in the Garden without the prayer support of His closest disciples, though He had actually instructed them to continue in prayer. Jesus was faithful and obedient, even when He was at His physical weakest, even when He was about to die. The Father heard and answered His prayer in the Garden, to be saved from dying, and sent an angel to touch, strengthen His faltering body. Jesus never faltered in His resolve or commitment, but He was on the verge of physical death.

Many of those who fail to remain faithful and obedient during times of testing find themselves failing even with the prayerful support of other believers. And, by the way, the challenges at which they fail are not gargantuan. People need to quit (mis)judging the holy, focused, faithful obedience of Christ, based on their own personal puny commitments.

03/27/21 AND I KEEP FINDING MORE INFORMATION

03/27/21 AND I KEEP FINDING MORE INFORMATION

I am still reworking my JESUS DID NOT FEAR OR FLEE DEATH ON THE CROSS document. Hopefully I should have it done in few a days.

Over the years I have added passages and thoughts but never organized them or reduced them to a readable format. I am sorry for the delay. I Have wanted to do this for several years. I am planning (the Lord willing) to have it ready before Resurrection Sunday.

It will not be a complete presentation of my writings, since I have several separate articles on this subject, which I have written over the years. I hope to incorporate those findings at a later time.

The document I am working on has over 18,000 words, most of which are Bible passages. This includes
TOTAL BIBLE PASSAGES 93
TOTAL BIBLE VERSES 246.

03/27/21 JUST CLOSE THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

03/27/21 JUST CLOSE THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

It is possible for a person who has been raised in the Light to become ensnared by the Prince of Darkness.

03/27/21 A TIGHTENING WEBB

03/27/21 A TIGHTENING WEBB

Whatever lures folks to cults is what holds them captive.
It takes a change of mind, desire and will to escape.
But God can deliver.

03/26/21 JUST CLOSE THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

03/26/21 JUST CLOSE THE EYES OF YOUR HEART

It is possible for a person who has been raised in the Light to become ensnared by the Prince of Darkness.

03/26/21 A TIGHTENING WEBB

03/26/21 A TIGHTENING WEBB

Whatever lures folks to cults is what holds them captive.
It takes a change of mind, desire and will to escape.
But God can deliver.

03/26/21 AN OUNCE OF THIS PREVENTION IS WORTH TONS OF CURE

03/26/21 AN OUNCE OF THIS PREVENTION IS WORTH TONS OF CURE

If you think the word of God comes to you, as it came to Bible writers, then you need deliverance from an evil spirit.

03/26/21 CHRIST DESERVES BETTER FROM US

03/26/21 CHRIST DESERVES BETTER FROM US

Two dishonoring myths concerning Christ and His sacrificial atonement.
1- Referring to His death and resurrection by the name of a pagan fertility goddess, while teaching children that the Greatest Divine moment in human history is associated with a rabbit and eggs;
2- Saying that Jesus asked the Father to save Him from death on the cross.

I realize most western Christians are not intentionally demeaning God and His salvation when they allow either of these two popular ideas into their celebration of the Resurrection. Still, both of these ideas are an insult to Christ, His nature and His work.

I encourage you to drop "Easter" and its pagan trappings. Children should be taught the truth about this glorious event. They should not be distracted and led astray by believers to celebrate and remember the most Divine moment we know about, by focusing on pagan and fleshly interests. The lost world needs Christians who are clear about the meaning of the resurrection. Don't give them another weapon to use against the Divine work of salvation.

I encourage you to worship the Jesus who never disobeyed the Father, Who always willed and did the Father's will, Who never put His own comforts ahead of His nature or His mission. It is time to come back to the message of Christ's willful, deliberate, unflinching commitment to die on the cross. God is not glorified when people reduce His Son to a self serving, whimpering coward. Such a presentation diminishes Christ and His willful, unwavering sacrifice of love.

If you have been taught or led to believe that Jesus prayed in the Garden to escape death on the cross, then you have been misinformed. The misinformation may have come from a well meaning and dedicated Christian, but it did not come from the Bible. If you have questions about this, then you need to find the Biblical answers.

This might not win me any fans, but after all, I am not looking for fans. I am wanting to tell you the truth and draw you closer to Jesus.

03/26/21 MY REASON FOR MAKING "PERSONAL" REFERENCES

03/26/21 MY REASON FOR MAKING "PERSONAL" REFERENCES
(which some folks consider to be improper for preachers to do)

I tell my inner thoughts, like the previous post, because there are some folks who do not know or understand the calling, responsibilities and ministry of the pastor or preacher. Some folks do not have any church or Christian background and some other folks have a very distorted view of ministry because of bad experiences.

I give these little insights to help them understand the Divine message and the loving concern that motivates me. I want them to see Christ in me, I also want them to see Christ beyond, above and sometimes in spite of me.

I am a very open person. I don't put on airs. I don't camouflage or cover up my real self and though I exercise self control (as the Fruit of the Spirit) I don't hide my emotions or Biblical understanding. I realize that my personality as well as my beliefs are offensive to some people, but it is unintentional. Just by making comments, like this one, exposes me to misunderstanding and criticism. I DO TAKE STEPS to NOT offend others, but I do not withhold truth or pretend to be something other than myself.

Remember too, I write and save my writings for my children, my grandchildren and others who may benefit from my experiences in the Lord.

Maybe no one in the days ahead will read what I have written, but if they do, I want them to learn from my walk with Jesus.

03/25/21 I AM DRIVEN

03/25/21 I AM DRIVEN

I want to tell God's truth correctly because it is God's truth.
I want folks to believe what I tell them because I care about them.

03/25/21 IT ADDS UP, TO ERROR

03/25/21 IT ADDS UP, TO ERROR

Attacking and falsely accusing Christians, while silently watching family members get ensnared by a devilish cult is revealing.

03/25/21 UNDERSTANDING GROWS, TRUTH STAYS THE SAME

03/25/21 UNDERSTANDING GROWS, TRUTH STAYS THE SAME

Over 20 years and still adding Bible truth to my article (18,000+ words) which states,

Jesus Did Not Fear or Flee The Cross.

03/25/21 BITES THE HAND

03/25/21 BITES THE HAND

We don't always get a good return.
Some folks, to whom we have given the most, turn on us and do us the most harm.
Remember Judas.

03/25/21 Title... LIKE THE EASTER BUNNY; "JESUS FEARED" IS A LIE"

03/25/21 Title... LIKE THE EASTER BUNNY; "JESUS FEARED" IS A LIE"

 

03/25/21 THERE IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH

03/25/21 THERE IS ABSOLUTE TRUTH

Truth is truth, but truth can be weaponized against truth. It's not enough to know truth, we must know and trust, THE TRUTH (Jesus).

03/25/21 LIKE THE EASTER BUNNY; "JESUS FEARED" IS A LIE"

03/25/21 LIKE THE EASTER BUNNY; "JESUS FEARED" IS A LIE"

Jesus DID NOT ask the Father to remove death on the cross.
Jesus DID NOT fear or flee death on the cross.

03/25/21 THE ROAD TO PERDITION

03/25/21 THE ROAD TO PERDITION

The further down that, "other gospel" road you go, pride and deception will make it harder to return to the Truth.

03/24/21 BEWARE WORD OF FAITH VIEW OF GOD'S WORD

03/24/21 BEWARE WORD OF FAITH VIEW OF GOD'S WORD

WoF doctrine reduces the inspiration and authority of God's word and exalts human (devilish) ideas to Divine truth.

03/24/21 A TIMELY POST

03/24/21 A TIMELY POST
I hope you read my previous post. If you did not, here it is.

"WE MUST LET GOD EXPLAIN GOD TO US
It is possible to twist Scripture, in order to make it SEEM to say anything a person wants it to say, which is why we must approach it in humility and honesty, allowing the Author (God Himself), to enlighten us.
This requires a sober understanding of the history, languages, cultures in the Bible. We must let the Holy Spirit lead us in understanding the text (or the faithful translation of the text). God, the Holy Spirit explains and documents His revelation (the Holy Bible) by His revelation (the Holy Bible).
An understanding of the Bible requires an understanding of God, which comes by prayerfully reading the Bible. As we come to understand the God of the Bible, by reading the Bible, we will come to a greater, deeper, broader and clearer understanding of the Bible, thus making us more intimately aware of God."

I make a point of this because I wrote this at mid morning today. It was after this post that I read someone else's post that is laced with Word of Faith false doctrine and blasphemy. And remember, this was not related to my post (as far as I know). Yet it was a perfect example of false doctrine coming through false preachers and teachers. I expressed my concern but acknowledged that I still needed to read the other person's post, in order to make certain that I understood their post. I told the person, in a comment that I could be in error and if I was I would come back and apologize. I told the person I loved them (because I do). The person removed my post.

I responded again, having read the fallacious post and expressed my concern for the writer and for their being misled by false teachers. I was also concerned that she had made her errors public but did no allow me the opportunity to publicly address the errors. She followed with even more false doctrine from WoF.

Then some of her friends and other family came in to encourage her. That was interesting too, because the words of encouragement were not Biblical, but WoF errors.

I will give a more detailed presentation of these WoF false doctrines at another time (the Lord willing).

As Martha and I discussed this situation we mentioned how the false doctrines of WoF have seeped into a wide range of churches and people don't even realize they are blaspheming Jesus.

You might ask how it is possible for a person who claims to be a Christian is able to unknowingly blaspheme Jesus. Here is how.
THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT JESUS THAN THE JESUS OF THE BIBLE.

As I said, I plan on a more thorough update later.