Sovereignty of God, Your Will, Your Choices

Dear Friends,

Who is in control of your life outside of your will?

- For a Christian, Jesus should be in control all of the time.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:14

- For an unbeliever, Satan or demons may all the time or at times be at the controls.
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” Ephesians 2:2

Once a person is a Christian, how much control does Jesus have in your life? That depends on how much control you allow Him to have. You should allow Him to have total control.

Where does ‘luck’ fit in? Can a Christian be lucky? No. Jesus’ sovereignty is working. There is not any ‘luck’ in a Christian’s life!

Where as in a non-believer’s life, they are at the whim of Satan, so for them they are lucky to still be alive!

The Sovereignty of God is the title of a book written by Arthur Pink. As a five point Calvinist, he believes that you became a Christian because God controls your will, so you didn't have a choice; you had to say 'yes'. He also believes 'once saved always saved'.
What do you believe?

- Do you believe that Jesus determines before a Christian is born whether he or she is going to hell, that an individual's destination is decided without him or her choosing? Different theologies define ‘predestination’ differently, so when the word ‘predestine’, etc. is read in the Bible the wrong definition maybe part of the mind-set. If a person is taught that a particular color is ‘red’ and someone else says no I was taught that color is ‘yellow’, who is right? They both can’t be right.

- Do you believe you can turn your back on Jesus, and loose your salvation?

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:5-6

The Bottom Line

For me, I want Jesus to be in control of my life all of the time! Luck is not a part of my life. I don’t want anything left to chance. If a part is left to chance, can the devil maneuver that chance? Even in playing a game, Jesus my God controls the die or dice.

In Jesus,
Bruce Klein

Bibleteach@hotmail.com
http://www.freewebs.com/bibleteach/

Exercise, Gluttony, Overweight

Dear Friends,

“For bodily exercise is profitable to a little, but godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the present life now, and of that coming.” 1 Timothy 4:8 LITV

"And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. ²¹ And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear." Deuteronomy 21:20-21

What is the difference between a drunkard and a glutton?
“Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”” Proverbs 23:19-21 JPS

“And put a sakin (knife) to thy throat, if thou be a ba'al nefesh (man given to gluttony).” Proverbs 23:2 OJB

“One of them, a prophet of their own, said: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” Titus 1:12 LITV

"Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire." Isaiah 10:16

"I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. ¹⁶ I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which wasI will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment." Ezekiel 34:15-16


Within the first year of marriage, my wife gained about 100 pounds. She keep that weight for about twelve years. How did she loose it? She asked Jesus for help then cut down on her food intake and walked at least an hour every day.

In Bible college, the boss of the denomination would pretend he had a big gut, and would pretend to place it on the pulpit saying how disgusting big guts were to the church. Some of the Bible college professors and the president of the college were guilty. He went on and on. I determined there and than I would do everything I could to keep from having a big gut!

What does Jesus think about those who are overweight?
Well, it may come back to why are some overweight?

- Some Christians have been beat-up so much that they battle depression, etc., so they gain weight withdrawing to a life of inactivity, to a life away from reality.

- Some Christians are simply immature; they have determined to eat what they want when they want. In psychology, we were taught that 'I want' represents a person still in the childish stage of life. They throw a tantrum if they don't get want they want to eat when they want it. They are good at covering-up or justifying their tantrums.

- Some Christians are busy working, taking care of their families, in ministry,etc. than one day they realize that they have become overweight.


If a Christian cannot control their eating habits, he or she probably cannot control other areas of their physical body - tongue, lust, anger, hatred, temper, etc., etc. Can a Christian not have self-control? Can a pastor be overweight? lacking self-control?

Once the weight is gained, how can it be lost?

Gluttony is a sin that needs to be confessed.
Once a person realizes that being fat is not taking care of Jesus' temple, he or she will hopefully be motivated to control their food consumption and begin to exercise. Every medical doctor says a person who is overweight is not healthy. Which means they are not taking care of Jesus' temple. You may wish to ask Jesus to help you loose your extra pounds. Will Jesus help you if you ask? Yes.

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" 2 Corinthians 10:5


In Jesus,

Bruce

Bibleteach@hotmail.com
http://www.freewebs.com/bibleteach/

Cursing (Cussing) - With or Without 4 Letter Words

Dear Friends,

What is cursing? What is cussing?
The word 'cussing' is an informal variation of cursing.

If you were to ask this question to someone outside the church, you might be told 'the use in English of four letter words'.

If you were to ask this question to Christians, you might be told, 'Cursing takes place when someone says something in a negative manner to be mean.'

Which is right?

Both are right. Not to be offensive, when someone tells someone to 'go to hell'. Are they cursing the person they are speaking too? Yes.

"Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: ¹⁴ Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:" Romans 3:13-14


The following URL is to a basic study on the use of words for cursing or blessing someone.

http://www.freewebs.com/marriagehelp/blessorcurse.htm


In Jesus,
Bruce

Jews for Jesus, Rock of Israel

Dear Friends,

There are two groups of Messianic Jews that I know about involved in attempting to falsely evangelize Jews.

Jews for Jesus

Jews for Jesus is a Baptistic in doctrine organization attempting to reach Jews with the false gospel of easy believism. They typically use the New International Version. Many of their leaders have a masters degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, so they have been taught and the ones I have met believe and have a prospective based on philosophical theology not Biblical theology.

Greg, our son, worked in a Jews for Jesus camp in Wisconsin. He was the camp's song leader and assistant counselor. He also was a summer missionary in New York City where his ministry partner was David an Israeli who died at the hands of the Palestinians. Greg was not comfortable with his training in evangelism. He was taught an aggressive, in your face, method of evangelism. He was used to his Dad's method, one of friendliness, love, caring, etc. Not seeking to argue, but to show Jesus' love.

As a family, we attended a Jews for Jesus In-gathering in Wisconsin. We had a great time.

I have personally spoken with the founder of Jews for Jesus, Moishe Rosen.

Have also spent time with Moishe Rosen's daughter and her family. Alan Bland her gentile husband is really a nice guy. Greg had a crush on their daughter.

Had traveled with another of their missionaries.

The staff have great salaries coming from their going from church to church asking for money.

http://jewsforjesus.org/


Rock of Israel

Rock of Israel is a pentecostal in doctrine organization attempting to reach Jews with the false gospel of easy believism. The New International Version is used in the books written by co-founder Ruth Specter Lascelle. She writes the way I do, in outline form.

I have had dinner with Doug Carmel a long time missionary with Rock of Israel.

Robert Specter the son of the founders who is now the leader of Rock of Israel and I in the past have spoken about me being one of their missionaries.

http://www.rockofisrael.org/index.htm


What is the bottom line, Apostolics are needed to tell Jews about Jesus.


In Y'shua,
Baruch

A Messianic Jew
Bibleteach@hotmail.com

Can a Christian Go to HELL?

Hello Friends,

Can you always receive forgiveness for your sin? NO!

"Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee." Acts 8:22

"In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth: (26) And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will." 2 Timothy 2:25-26

"For [it is] impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (5) And have tasted the good word of God, and the power of the world to come, (6) If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put [him] to an open shame." (Hebrews 12:15-17) Hebrews 6:4-6

"... but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil." 1 Peter 3:12

Forgiveness ????

In Jesus,
Bruce