finishing the course
Well, I see you’ve conquered the challenge of the mountain. Are you ready to ‘Finish The Journey’?
Just to let you know . . . my part with you may be ending, but the journey ever ends. Instead it continues to take you wherever God may lead you throughout your life.
This last section is designed in the hopes that you will go where God wants you to go, do what He wants you to do, ignoring what mankind wants and expects of you.
We will finish our part of the journey together by traveling to the beautiful, mountainous, rocky hills of Israel. It is like going back in time as we see the people still wearing robes and many still in tents. (Forgive the fact the photos are actually taken in the neighboring Country of Jordan.)
One of the most exciting sites is seeing a shepherd care for his sheep. Just picture having to stop the car while a herd of sheep are crossing the road. Let’s relate these sheep to us. I am sure that you have heard that Jesus is the shepherd, and we are His sheep. But are you one of his sheep? You may think so, but you may be wrong. I am sure that you are somebody’s sheep (spouse, employer, pastor, etc.) but you need to be one of Christ’s sheep. If you are sitting in a church regularly, you probably are not of Christ’s flock, but of your pastor’s or of a certain denominational belief’s flock instead.
Let’s start with the problem: “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34.
Most of the human race is as a sheep without a shepherd, but why do most supposed Christians not have a true shepherd? If you claim to be a sheep, does God speak to you? “My sheep hear my voice” John 10:27.
Churches will remind you that possessions, careers, money and even yourself may have been put before God making them your God. Now, all of these are guilty of putting other gods before the one true God. You are also guilty if you put the Bible or church before God. Right now, you are saying that those are important, you never put them before God, but use them to please God. Well, let’s see.
Do you believe that the Bible is the infallible perfect truth? Is this where you put your faith and trust? Let’s use your Bible to prove these thoughts wrong. “Jesus sayeth unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.” John 14:6. I believe that Jesus just said that He is the truth. He did not say the Bible is the truth, but that He is and that no man cometh unto the father but by Him. You can know God without ever reading a Bible or going to a church. You will know him because He will call unto you and you will know Him better than all those people sitting the pews; all dressed up, putting forth their best, fake, Sunday personality, carrying on about which version of the Bible is correct, how great it is to be in church, meanwhile forgetting our perfect, infallible God.
Has the Bible become your God/Idol? If you bought into the fact that it is the perfect, infallible word of God, then you have placed a book as an idol breaking the 1st commandment. John 1:14 reads “and the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . .” This is referring to Christ, so Christ must be the word.
Still doubt??
Revelation 19:11-13
11. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; (have you figured out that this is referring to Jesus Christ?) and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
HERE IT IS, The answer to what the Word of God really is:
13. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and ARE YOU SITTING DOWN?
13 cont'd his name is called the Word of God.
It doesn’t get any easier than this, that Bible you have declares that Jesus Christ is the Word of God.
Somehow you have let them convince you that Christ has been replaced with a book.
Religion says: The Bible is perfect truth
The Bible says: Jesus said he is the truth. John 14:6
Religion says: The Bible is the way.
The Bible says: Jesus said he is the way. John 14:6
Religion says: The Bible will teach us all of God’s truths:
The Bible says: God will send us a comforter, his own Holy Spirit, that will teach us all things. John 14:16 & John 15:26
Your religious leaders have taught you to put the creation (Bible) above the creator (Christ). Romans 1:25
Nothing that is (or has ever been) on this earth has ever been completely perfect, holy, and true, other than our Messiah, the Saviour of mankind. Christ himself.
Now you may want to rethink the emphasis you put on the Bible. I am not trying to belittle the Bible, it is very valuable and important to us. But, by no means does it have the attributes of Christ. The Bible is not our Messiah, it is not our Saviour, and it didn’t die for us.
Christ’s name is above every other name. Philippians 2:9-11
9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
And his name is the word of God. Revelation 19:13
has the church become your god?
Has your church become your god? I know you are saying it’s not your God, but a place to worship. Well, then, you shouldn’t be afraid to answer these questions, should you?
Part 1:
- Do you feel guilty when you miss church?
- Does the pastor or other church members make you feel guilty if you missed church?
- Do you feel God is happy with you for attending church?
- Do you think returning Sunday and Wednesday nights are for the more spiritual Christians or that it will please God more?
- Do you attend a specific church because that is where your family attends?
- Do you feel obligated to give money at each and every offering?
- Do you make up stories as to why you can’t attend a function or retreat?
Part 2:
- Can you miss church without at least one person saying "we missed you last Sunday"?
- Have you ever gone to different churches to see what they believe and compare? ***WARNING*** If you do this and make it known, your cult leaders (pastors) will be all over you trying to get you to stop, they are afraid that you are searching for the truth and if you find it, they will lose you and more importantly, your money.
If you answered 'yes' to the questions in Part 1 and 'no' to the questions in Part 2, then whether you want to admit to it or not, you have made church your god and are continually breaking the first commandment without repentance.
Now, Let's Get Back To Those Sheep
We will be using the book of John when looking at what a sheep is, so turn to Jon 8:47. “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because you are not of God.” Do you hear god’s words? Remember, how do you hear? You hear with your ears, not your eyes. It never said readeth God’s words, but heareth them. If you don’t hear His words, then plain and simple, “Ye are not of God”.
Now let’s go to John 10:27-29. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”
Once again, “My sheep hear my voice”. They hear with their ears and not with their eyes and it is His voice that they hear, it is not a reading with the eyes of the Bible. When is the last time you used your ears to read the Bible? If you do hear God talking, do you follow Him? They go hand in hand. If you hear his voice, then you will also follow Him - unless you have ignored Him or told Him no, then you obviously are not following Him and you probably won’t hear his voice again – until you repent and turn back to Him.