I am home sick today. I sometimes think my physical maladies correspond with the sickness I see about me in society and life. There is a spiritual vacuum it seems in the world today, of course no different in days past but this vacuum seems to grow in intensity at this time of year, especially in America.
I being a student of both history and scripture, know that Christ wasn't born on December 25th in the year of our Lord. I also know the origins for this date from the Mithraism or the cult of SOL INVICTUS (the Unconquered Sun) from the days of the Roman Empire. December 25th was first celebrated as the birthday of Mithras, a persian god, usually depicted as straddling a bull and killing it with a sword.
Mithras represented a savior-king throughout the Persian Empire well before the 1st Century, but was well adopted by the Roman legionnaires. Even coins stamped by Constantine, who was a pagan who used Christianity to bind the Roman empire for unity, had the symbol of the Sun God, tied to his reign and emblazoned on coins of the time. It was only on his death bed, that Constantine the founder of today's church and it's buildings, sought water baptism, for security from his fear of death.
It was in the context of these times, that many pagan traditions were mixed into Christianity and exist even today in modern "churchianity".
Regardless of it's origin from paganism, many Christians today, exclaim that this is to be representative of the time of the birth of Christ, and churches throughout America, seek to show that in Christmas specials and more.
Even in my town, there are plans for a full size live show with animals and more at one of the cities most important atheletic and conference centers, Known as the "CAIN CENTER". This show is being brought to you by our most favored Baptist Church, the one above all others, as it refers to itself as the "First Baptist".
Christmas time becomes a scurry for the religionist to find something they can do, to outdo the rest of the churches in. This often is more of a drive for evangelism and adding numbers to their membership rolls then anything else. People will bring out their children to see live shows, live animals and all the pageantry of Christmas and the story told of Baby Jesus. This then becomes the opportunity to seek new converts to their church and new money in the "offering plates" come the next year. Oh! they will tell you, this is evangelism, but is it?
This is the time of year, that I believe that if we are true "anointed one's" of Him. That rather than emphasizing, the giving of presents or recieving of presents, that this is a time like no other for us to take what is a largely paganist in origin, materialistic in practice, and show time for the churches, and make it real to our children and those around us. It is time for Christians to do as Paul quotes in Ephesians 5:14- "Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you"
It is time for us if we lay claim to being Christian, to reveal the life and presence of Christ in us! It is time we teach our children, that Christmas isn't about "Christmas Presents but about Christ Presence".
I remind us all, to take heed to Pauls' words in the book of 2 Corinthians 15:5-
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith, examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that JESUS CHRIST is in you- unless indeed you fail the test.
The whole story of this child being born into the world and then being crucified at the young age of 33 (best appr age, based on the experts) is not the end of the story, but the beginning of a greater one. That greater story is that this Christ child would introduce life back into a world which had been dead far too long from the days of Adam, and this child would become the eternal living presence, that would reside in the hearts of all those who would recieve Him as the true life in God, a glorious redemption that restores man to the intention for which God created Him to be the very image and glory of Him! We have been restored and it was in this child that was born in Bethlehem, who through His mighty resurrection, destroyed sin and death, and now His presence is within us forever...His kingdom is everlasting, and He resides with, and in those who have recieved Him by faith. They have accepted the greatest Christmas present ever given to any man, they have recieved Christ Presence!
May the Lord bless and keep each and every one of you, during this time and season. Let it be a time to teach one another and our children, that Christmas Presents isn't what is all about, but every day is to be a lesson from one to another of Christ Presence within our own lives. The life of Christ within you, the hope of glory~!
Dr. J.
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Showing posts with label Constantine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Constantine. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Why So Long Since The Last Post
Well since I started writing my post, I have been pretty free in the mornings to write, however I had to start doing sales in the mornings as well as the evening.
The old man that I am, I have been pretty wiped out tired as the temperatures here have been crazy with sweltering humidity and lots of rain. I have been exhausted since. I also had a major computer crash about 4 days ago. I am barely up functioning on Windows XP without a lot of security updates because I had to reload and reformat and more just to get going again. It has been one problem after another.
My saying is when you start going for God, the devil is going to come along in the shadows and do everything he can to trip you on the path. Well that has been the story, a battle with forces beyond my control. My dependency has to be totally on Christ to just survive these days.
I also have Diabetes 2, and my oral medications have for whatever reasonm other than eating the wrong foods, have quit having much of an effect, and I can't afford to purchase the good stuff at $350.00 per month, so the Doctor had me on pills that only cost me about $16.00 per month. The difference for health care in this country is on how much money you have, like most other things.
I have to see my doctor soon as the State Board requires her to take me off the Medicine I using and either get me on something else- I can't take Glucophage because of stomach problems, so I was taking Glypicide (generic for Glucotrol), so I am left with two options, she will either put me on Actos ($300.00 per month), or send me to Endrocrinolgist for the purpose of putting me on Insulin. The latter most likely and I can't afford either so I may just end up having to live in a hyper sugar state running 300 to 400 everyday. Well, that will end my ability to work or do much of anything until it all kills me. So, I am prepared to just die, I guess. What choices does a poor man have in this country? It's not about healing the sick, it's all about money like everything else. There is no justice for the poor and there sure isnt much in the line of medical care.
So, the dark chasm of life is right there all the time, staring at each of us in the face, but for the rich, there is a bridge that has been built to the other side, while the poor keep falling into the hole and disappearing.
So, if you ask where have I been, why I havent written much? Well, health and the cost of living, and being married and trying to take care of the wants of a woman, versus the desires of the Lord. Thus Paul warned..STAY SINGLE! I think it is a great idea if you really have the Lord in your heart and a mission He has given you to accomplish.
So, I will try to write more often, even if it kills me. Sorry for the laspe of time since I last posted. So on we go. I did accomplish more reading over this time and will soon be writing more about Constantine and the traditions added by men to which the church has subscribed to since.
Until, then keep me in prayer.
Dr. J
The old man that I am, I have been pretty wiped out tired as the temperatures here have been crazy with sweltering humidity and lots of rain. I have been exhausted since. I also had a major computer crash about 4 days ago. I am barely up functioning on Windows XP without a lot of security updates because I had to reload and reformat and more just to get going again. It has been one problem after another.
My saying is when you start going for God, the devil is going to come along in the shadows and do everything he can to trip you on the path. Well that has been the story, a battle with forces beyond my control. My dependency has to be totally on Christ to just survive these days.
I also have Diabetes 2, and my oral medications have for whatever reasonm other than eating the wrong foods, have quit having much of an effect, and I can't afford to purchase the good stuff at $350.00 per month, so the Doctor had me on pills that only cost me about $16.00 per month. The difference for health care in this country is on how much money you have, like most other things.
I have to see my doctor soon as the State Board requires her to take me off the Medicine I using and either get me on something else- I can't take Glucophage because of stomach problems, so I was taking Glypicide (generic for Glucotrol), so I am left with two options, she will either put me on Actos ($300.00 per month), or send me to Endrocrinolgist for the purpose of putting me on Insulin. The latter most likely and I can't afford either so I may just end up having to live in a hyper sugar state running 300 to 400 everyday. Well, that will end my ability to work or do much of anything until it all kills me. So, I am prepared to just die, I guess. What choices does a poor man have in this country? It's not about healing the sick, it's all about money like everything else. There is no justice for the poor and there sure isnt much in the line of medical care.
So, the dark chasm of life is right there all the time, staring at each of us in the face, but for the rich, there is a bridge that has been built to the other side, while the poor keep falling into the hole and disappearing.
So, if you ask where have I been, why I havent written much? Well, health and the cost of living, and being married and trying to take care of the wants of a woman, versus the desires of the Lord. Thus Paul warned..STAY SINGLE! I think it is a great idea if you really have the Lord in your heart and a mission He has given you to accomplish.
So, I will try to write more often, even if it kills me. Sorry for the laspe of time since I last posted. So on we go. I did accomplish more reading over this time and will soon be writing more about Constantine and the traditions added by men to which the church has subscribed to since.
Until, then keep me in prayer.
Dr. J
Friday, April 6, 2007
Excavating Jesus
Recently the news was splattered by a story that there was to be an archaelogical documentary on television presented by the "The Discovery Channel " on March 4th, which was to prove they had found the bones of Jesus. As anyone knows this would be impossible to prove and scientifically alone it stands as pure cow manure that anyone could tell whether any bones were from Jesus. First, you would have to subscribe to the Da Vinci Code myth and lies, to find a surviving member from his lineage and this would require the impossibility of tracing, Mary the Mother of Jesus forward to a surviving genetic inheritance that was alive today or worse you would have to find a relative of the direct lineage of Jesus from him and a marriage to some woman. It amazes me how "Jews" like James Cameron could even produce such garbage. I always thought him to be somewhat intelligent yet he proved to me he is ignorant beyond belief to even want to put his name behind this production of mythology.
Second - This is the second time "The Discovery Channel" has been involved in a disputed claim about an ancient tomb, CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips reports. The man at the center of the previous case is now facing trial for forgery.
I do want to mention an excellent book on archaeology and the times of Jesus. This book is called, "Excavating Jesus". The teachings and times of Yeshua ( Jesus) revealed through the most important discoveries of biblical research and archaeological research. This book is authored by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L.Reed. John is professor emeritus of Religious Studies at DePaul University, Chicago, John L. Reed is a a professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the University of La Verne, in California.
I absolutely love how they show what the real Kingdom of God meant for early believers and what it''s nature was. It is a far cry from the Kingdom of this world, and they explain both archaelogocally and biblically how, that even in arguing the miracles and all the things we know to be true, back in the times right after Jesus resurrection would had little affect upon the hearers of these proclamations, though true, the hearers of that time, had plenty of their gods doing fantastic things as well, Jupiter rising up from the dead, and creating the Sons of Jupiter, the Caesars of Rome were also often claimed to be seen rising up from the ashes and ascending to the heavenlies, etc. These things are not explained to take from Jesus and Christians but to explain that when Paul and Peter and others debated with the pagans, and the Jews, these things unlike today, were not the grounds from which they won converts.
Though intellectual exercise was a part ot the debate, the thing that set Paul and Peter and all the Apostles apart, was their community of love, and understanding, their love of peace and love expressed to all men in Christ. This alone set the world upside down for Jesus in their times. It also goes to show how scripturally Jesus avoided leaving a place, a home, or a residence that could be exclaimed as the place of the Kingdom of God, and how Constantine thwarted Jesus purposes through the building of the Holy Sepulchre and his insistence on building Temples and buildings for worship in the style of the Romans and the Greeks for their gods for the new state-religion subjects to worship in.
In the chapter entitled "How to Bury A King", I quote,
"We do not ask whether Constantine constructed the Holy Sepulcher on the right spot. Yes, probably. We ask whether his construction was appropriate to Jesus Kingdom of God, to that Jewish ideal of a covental Kingdom on earth as in heaven. No, probably. Above all, we ask and question not so much how Constantine celebrated the sepulcher of Jesus, but how Christianity celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The truth to be told, Jesus never wanted any place on earth to be called, a holy place, what Jesus sought was to present a holy place, that had no geographical boundaries, no buildings, but a people that would promulgate through their living, their community with one another, outside of buildings, and geographical boundaries the love of God for men and women alike.
Jesus as it is written in the New Testament, went out from Peter's home or his mother in laws home, he did not bid the people "come to me where I am", he went to where they were, the byways, the alleys, the streets, the woods, the gardens, their homes, and told his Disciples the same, GO FORTH, never did he say "come to my house", but he went and made His house "where ever two or more are gathered in his name" without the elaborate ornate buildings that were later created by Constantine, without the authoritarian attitude these buildings contributed to. He went out and was a Servant not a Master. The Apostles did the same. They could have remained at home, went to the Temple and said come here if you want to hear about Jesus. No, we find even Paul seeking a place of prayer alongside a river stream, where there might be others as well seeking the solitude of nature for meditation on the Lord and to be in prayer, and Lydia, was found there. God had already set her heart apart for salvation, and Paul explained the communal - Kingdom of God to her, and not long afterward, we don't find Lydia going to the Temple, but rather prayer beginning in her household at home, and others were reached for Jesus as well. She went forth I imagine just as Paul and Peter and all of the Apostles did, not finding a welcome in the Temples often that men had built, they sought people whereever they were, at work, at play, at debate, at roadside or river side. They found people, whose hearts God had been prepared for the lesson of the Kingdom of God. I imagine she returned many times on the Sabbath day to the river and shared the Good News and then would bring them to her house to explain Our Savior, his love, his sacrifice, his resurrection by lifestyle and community of love one for another. They each came to understand, that God did not dwell in some building, not even Lydias house, but in her heart and the hearts of others like her.
The Apostles knew that a debate over just the miracles of Jesus, or even the resurrection ( though the most important tenant of our belief) would not lead a person to Jesus, they had their own gods who as well, had risen from the grave, they had their miracles and the great heroes of old. The Apostles approached others rather with the community of life that was changed for them, from hater to lover, from killer to a man of peace. Paul was a changed man, and the Kingdom of God was real in his heart, and this heart, not the argument brought people into "the Way".
It was the very reality of Christ alive in his people, their changed lives, their deeds, the actions, their love for one another, that gave precedence and reality over the pagan gods and their stories of their resurrection.
It was life changing - it had to be true this Jesus who went about doing good was really resurrected, for the people could see it in the hearts and lives of the believers. They didn't find it in a building, and I imagine, the seekers by the river side like Lydia had come to some conclusion of that or why else would they not been in their perspective temples worshipping and praying to their gods. Especially Jews on a Sabbath.
We stand in our Sepulchres, and say "come", while Jesus said "Go"!
When will the institutional church so set by Constantine and his followers through the ages, awake to the fact that what they present is nothing more than the same kingdoms the Caesars and Greek gods, and all pagan beliefs present.
The same temples, the same gods, the same priestly grab and authoritarianism.
Jesus wanted us to pray, "Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is heaven". In heaven there is no Temple for his people are his Temple, and his Son is the High Priest, and He is the Light, the Eternal Light that no man will ever see darkeness in. There is no need for sunlight there. He alone provides all the light needed. There is no need for sacrifice there for his compassion is provided instead. There is no need of tithe there, for He is the giver of all things and what could we ever return to Him that is already His in the first place. There are only His people, His priesthood of believers of all races, all nations, all that declare Jesus is Lord.
We live in a period of thought influenced by the Enlighment, these people lived in pre-enlightment times.
Their argument for Jesus was never a place to go, a person to see, or hear, but the very life of the resurrected Jesus within them, this is what brought sinners to grace, this is what saved the worse of pagans and gave them eternal life. This was the Kingdom of God come down to earth.
Not the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem that Constantine built, not any supposed home that Jesus lived in, and surely not found in a building on this earth made by the hands of men. Even Jesus had them all confused and upset when he clarified that the only building he was talking about tearing down was his body to be raised again in 3 days. The Pharisees were so carnal in thinking like the institutional church, they couldnt see beyond the place, the building that Herod built, as anything else being referred to as a temple.
Paul clarified this when he said, the body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul was not referring to a local, tax deductible, incorporated, entity of some people, under the State, meeting in a certain building anywhere. God has no other house, but His people and their heart, and the lie has stolen this for so long from His people, they have lost touch with "Christ in you, the hope of the glory".
Acts: 7:47-50 Stephen preaching to those then who still sought a place or a building as the place where God was to dwell. He states with all clarity that cannot be misunderstood. He quotes directly from scripture from the Prophets.
47- But it was Solomon who built a house for Him *(referring to the Creator Yahweh)
48- However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET;
WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME? says the LORD:
Or what place is their now for my repose?
WAS IT NOT MY HANDS THAT MADE ALL THESE THINGS?
You men are stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just what your fathers did.
It was very short after this, that they stoned Stephen for speaking the truth of the Kingdom of God. These promulgators of Temple worship with their high priest lifted up rocks and just as they killed Jesus and the prophets and all those who came to bring Israels' heart to the Father, they murdered him. They gnashed at their teeth at him, as so often clergymen do that at me, when I tell them in love the truth of the Gospel and how far they have wondered away from this truth.
Constantine in my opinion did the same thing. He commited murder of the truth of what the definition of what the EKKLESIA OF GOD is, but just as Christ would not remain in the grave, the EKKLESIA has been coming out, greater in numbers these days since before the time of the early (KIRKE) church fathers begin to whittle away at the truth of the Gospel and the foundation of Christ and the Apostles. These promulgaters that God lives in a building, have done exactly what the Pharisees did, they replaced the Word of God with the traditions of men.
They gnash their teeth at me, they want me stoned for telling the truth, less they lose their place of power and money, and their very substanance for groceries, debt, fine cars, nice homes, and paid for trips. They would hate the most to lose their title, Pastor, Priest, Bishop, etc. for these things are holy and precious to them and without them, they become mere men, no longer holier or more learned then their subjects.
"The Kingdom of God is within you".
The residence of God is not in some building down the street with a sign outside that says church. God lives in the hearts of His people, and this is the excavating of Jesus, that will never reveal bones, but a living and vibrant resurrected Savour.
Let Easter (the pagan celebration be gone) and let the Resurrection Day of Jesus be alive- come this week as we remember and reflect what Jesus really was all about. Let us repent from our works of darkness we have lived in for too long, and turn to the life of Jesus and the Apostles, and instead of saying come here or there, let's get up and GO to the people as Jesus did. Only love conquers all.
If you want to read about real biblical archaelogical work on excavating Jesus, then I highly recommend reading the book I mentioned earlier.
Now let us excavate the "resurrected Lord and King in our hearts, in our families and in our everyday lives. For HE LIVES!
So Go forth, and take the Gospel unto all nations in Yeshua's name. Don't sit on a pew this week, share Jesus with someone by your life in word and deed, and let it be the resurrected Jesus "excavated from the dead of the building" made alive in your heart, that speaks and acts.
I serve a risen Savour, He is in the world today, you ask me how I know this, for He is in my HEART TO STAY!
Dr. J.
Second - This is the second time "The Discovery Channel" has been involved in a disputed claim about an ancient tomb, CBS News Correspondent Mark Phillips reports. The man at the center of the previous case is now facing trial for forgery.
I do want to mention an excellent book on archaeology and the times of Jesus. This book is called, "Excavating Jesus". The teachings and times of Yeshua ( Jesus) revealed through the most important discoveries of biblical research and archaeological research. This book is authored by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L.Reed. John is professor emeritus of Religious Studies at DePaul University, Chicago, John L. Reed is a a professor of New Testament and Christian Origins at the University of La Verne, in California.
I absolutely love how they show what the real Kingdom of God meant for early believers and what it''s nature was. It is a far cry from the Kingdom of this world, and they explain both archaelogocally and biblically how, that even in arguing the miracles and all the things we know to be true, back in the times right after Jesus resurrection would had little affect upon the hearers of these proclamations, though true, the hearers of that time, had plenty of their gods doing fantastic things as well, Jupiter rising up from the dead, and creating the Sons of Jupiter, the Caesars of Rome were also often claimed to be seen rising up from the ashes and ascending to the heavenlies, etc. These things are not explained to take from Jesus and Christians but to explain that when Paul and Peter and others debated with the pagans, and the Jews, these things unlike today, were not the grounds from which they won converts.
Though intellectual exercise was a part ot the debate, the thing that set Paul and Peter and all the Apostles apart, was their community of love, and understanding, their love of peace and love expressed to all men in Christ. This alone set the world upside down for Jesus in their times. It also goes to show how scripturally Jesus avoided leaving a place, a home, or a residence that could be exclaimed as the place of the Kingdom of God, and how Constantine thwarted Jesus purposes through the building of the Holy Sepulchre and his insistence on building Temples and buildings for worship in the style of the Romans and the Greeks for their gods for the new state-religion subjects to worship in.
In the chapter entitled "How to Bury A King", I quote,
"We do not ask whether Constantine constructed the Holy Sepulcher on the right spot. Yes, probably. We ask whether his construction was appropriate to Jesus Kingdom of God, to that Jewish ideal of a covental Kingdom on earth as in heaven. No, probably. Above all, we ask and question not so much how Constantine celebrated the sepulcher of Jesus, but how Christianity celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The truth to be told, Jesus never wanted any place on earth to be called, a holy place, what Jesus sought was to present a holy place, that had no geographical boundaries, no buildings, but a people that would promulgate through their living, their community with one another, outside of buildings, and geographical boundaries the love of God for men and women alike.
Jesus as it is written in the New Testament, went out from Peter's home or his mother in laws home, he did not bid the people "come to me where I am", he went to where they were, the byways, the alleys, the streets, the woods, the gardens, their homes, and told his Disciples the same, GO FORTH, never did he say "come to my house", but he went and made His house "where ever two or more are gathered in his name" without the elaborate ornate buildings that were later created by Constantine, without the authoritarian attitude these buildings contributed to. He went out and was a Servant not a Master. The Apostles did the same. They could have remained at home, went to the Temple and said come here if you want to hear about Jesus. No, we find even Paul seeking a place of prayer alongside a river stream, where there might be others as well seeking the solitude of nature for meditation on the Lord and to be in prayer, and Lydia, was found there. God had already set her heart apart for salvation, and Paul explained the communal - Kingdom of God to her, and not long afterward, we don't find Lydia going to the Temple, but rather prayer beginning in her household at home, and others were reached for Jesus as well. She went forth I imagine just as Paul and Peter and all of the Apostles did, not finding a welcome in the Temples often that men had built, they sought people whereever they were, at work, at play, at debate, at roadside or river side. They found people, whose hearts God had been prepared for the lesson of the Kingdom of God. I imagine she returned many times on the Sabbath day to the river and shared the Good News and then would bring them to her house to explain Our Savior, his love, his sacrifice, his resurrection by lifestyle and community of love one for another. They each came to understand, that God did not dwell in some building, not even Lydias house, but in her heart and the hearts of others like her.
The Apostles knew that a debate over just the miracles of Jesus, or even the resurrection ( though the most important tenant of our belief) would not lead a person to Jesus, they had their own gods who as well, had risen from the grave, they had their miracles and the great heroes of old. The Apostles approached others rather with the community of life that was changed for them, from hater to lover, from killer to a man of peace. Paul was a changed man, and the Kingdom of God was real in his heart, and this heart, not the argument brought people into "the Way".
It was the very reality of Christ alive in his people, their changed lives, their deeds, the actions, their love for one another, that gave precedence and reality over the pagan gods and their stories of their resurrection.
It was life changing - it had to be true this Jesus who went about doing good was really resurrected, for the people could see it in the hearts and lives of the believers. They didn't find it in a building, and I imagine, the seekers by the river side like Lydia had come to some conclusion of that or why else would they not been in their perspective temples worshipping and praying to their gods. Especially Jews on a Sabbath.
We stand in our Sepulchres, and say "come", while Jesus said "Go"!
When will the institutional church so set by Constantine and his followers through the ages, awake to the fact that what they present is nothing more than the same kingdoms the Caesars and Greek gods, and all pagan beliefs present.
The same temples, the same gods, the same priestly grab and authoritarianism.
Jesus wanted us to pray, "Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is heaven". In heaven there is no Temple for his people are his Temple, and his Son is the High Priest, and He is the Light, the Eternal Light that no man will ever see darkeness in. There is no need for sunlight there. He alone provides all the light needed. There is no need for sacrifice there for his compassion is provided instead. There is no need of tithe there, for He is the giver of all things and what could we ever return to Him that is already His in the first place. There are only His people, His priesthood of believers of all races, all nations, all that declare Jesus is Lord.
We live in a period of thought influenced by the Enlighment, these people lived in pre-enlightment times.
Their argument for Jesus was never a place to go, a person to see, or hear, but the very life of the resurrected Jesus within them, this is what brought sinners to grace, this is what saved the worse of pagans and gave them eternal life. This was the Kingdom of God come down to earth.
Not the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem that Constantine built, not any supposed home that Jesus lived in, and surely not found in a building on this earth made by the hands of men. Even Jesus had them all confused and upset when he clarified that the only building he was talking about tearing down was his body to be raised again in 3 days. The Pharisees were so carnal in thinking like the institutional church, they couldnt see beyond the place, the building that Herod built, as anything else being referred to as a temple.
Paul clarified this when he said, the body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul was not referring to a local, tax deductible, incorporated, entity of some people, under the State, meeting in a certain building anywhere. God has no other house, but His people and their heart, and the lie has stolen this for so long from His people, they have lost touch with "Christ in you, the hope of the glory".
Acts: 7:47-50 Stephen preaching to those then who still sought a place or a building as the place where God was to dwell. He states with all clarity that cannot be misunderstood. He quotes directly from scripture from the Prophets.
47- But it was Solomon who built a house for Him *(referring to the Creator Yahweh)
48- However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands; as the prophet says:
HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND EARTH IS THE FOOTSTOOL OF MY FEET;
WHAT KIND OF HOUSE WILL YOU BUILD FOR ME? says the LORD:
Or what place is their now for my repose?
WAS IT NOT MY HANDS THAT MADE ALL THESE THINGS?
You men are stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just what your fathers did.
It was very short after this, that they stoned Stephen for speaking the truth of the Kingdom of God. These promulgators of Temple worship with their high priest lifted up rocks and just as they killed Jesus and the prophets and all those who came to bring Israels' heart to the Father, they murdered him. They gnashed at their teeth at him, as so often clergymen do that at me, when I tell them in love the truth of the Gospel and how far they have wondered away from this truth.
Constantine in my opinion did the same thing. He commited murder of the truth of what the definition of what the EKKLESIA OF GOD is, but just as Christ would not remain in the grave, the EKKLESIA has been coming out, greater in numbers these days since before the time of the early (KIRKE) church fathers begin to whittle away at the truth of the Gospel and the foundation of Christ and the Apostles. These promulgaters that God lives in a building, have done exactly what the Pharisees did, they replaced the Word of God with the traditions of men.
They gnash their teeth at me, they want me stoned for telling the truth, less they lose their place of power and money, and their very substanance for groceries, debt, fine cars, nice homes, and paid for trips. They would hate the most to lose their title, Pastor, Priest, Bishop, etc. for these things are holy and precious to them and without them, they become mere men, no longer holier or more learned then their subjects.
"The Kingdom of God is within you".
The residence of God is not in some building down the street with a sign outside that says church. God lives in the hearts of His people, and this is the excavating of Jesus, that will never reveal bones, but a living and vibrant resurrected Savour.
Let Easter (the pagan celebration be gone) and let the Resurrection Day of Jesus be alive- come this week as we remember and reflect what Jesus really was all about. Let us repent from our works of darkness we have lived in for too long, and turn to the life of Jesus and the Apostles, and instead of saying come here or there, let's get up and GO to the people as Jesus did. Only love conquers all.
If you want to read about real biblical archaelogical work on excavating Jesus, then I highly recommend reading the book I mentioned earlier.
Now let us excavate the "resurrected Lord and King in our hearts, in our families and in our everyday lives. For HE LIVES!
So Go forth, and take the Gospel unto all nations in Yeshua's name. Don't sit on a pew this week, share Jesus with someone by your life in word and deed, and let it be the resurrected Jesus "excavated from the dead of the building" made alive in your heart, that speaks and acts.
I serve a risen Savour, He is in the world today, you ask me how I know this, for He is in my HEART TO STAY!
Dr. J.
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