Glad Tidings
Volume 1 3, Issue 6
November/December 2009
Glad Tidings November/December 2009
Glad Tidings Something to Consider .......................p. 3
is published six times per year by
by Vince Finnegan
Living Hope International Ministries 458 Old Niskayuna Road,
Worship Yahweh ................................ p. 4
Latham, New York 12110 USA
by Vince Finnegan Hallowed be Thy Name ...................... p. 7 by Vince Finnegan
Office
518.785.8888
Fax
518.785.1990
Who Is Jesus ...................................... p. 12
info@kingdomready.org
by Vince Finnegan
Website www.kingdomready.org
Don’t Lie To Your Children .................p. 15 Glad Tidings is mailed free to anyone who requests it. Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.
by Vince Finnegan
mark your calendar with these important dates!!
December 27th - 29th .... Winter Teen Advance March 19th - 21st .......... Kingdom Fest Weekend at Woodloch
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SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
effectively worship God. The article titled WORSHIP YAHWEH shows that we are to worship the one true God and Him only.
Seasons of Praise
To worship God properly, it is vital to understand exactly who He is. With the article HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME, clarity is provided regarding God’s true biblical identity. Yahweh was very persnickety about communicating His name and identity (which warrant our full attention).
A
s we come to the close of another year, our family sends warm greetings and blessings to you. We love you and thank God for your commitment to Him.
Since Jesus is the focus of the holiday season, also included in this issue is an article about our Lord entitled WHO IS JESUS. The last article is about parenting called DON’T LIE TO YOUR CHILDREN. The many falsehoods promulgated during the Christmas season are intended to bless the children, but perhaps the opposite happens. We cannot bring about godly results by ungodly means. Today is a great day to tell someone the praises of our God.
Our God is worthy of our complete and absolute devotion. Every breath we take, every drop of water we drink, every morsel of food we eat, and everything we have were graciously supplied by our loving heavenly Father. The holiday season affords opportunity to share with others about our glorious God and our Lord Jesus. I constructed this issue of Glad Tidings to provide thought provoking information that can be used to spark conversation while witnessing to others. The articles are a little longer than usual due to the nature of the material.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
The sentiment of the season which is apparent in the songs and sermons leans toward the worshipping of Jesus. We hold a profound reverence and appreciation for our Lord, but never in the stead of God. Jesus did not worship himself, nor did he encourage others to worship him. He did worship God and gave his life so that we too could
God bless,
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WORSHIP YAHWEH by Vince Finnegan
T
he first verse in the Bible provides tremendous insight about our God – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Consider some of the many verses that speak about the Creator:
Isaiah 48:13
a garment,
“Surely My hand founded the earth, And My right hand spread out the heavens; When I call to them, they stand together.
and like a mantle You will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end." As we contemplate the awesomeness of the One who created all, we are compelled to bow down and worship Him. The Psalmist said it well when he said, “Be still and know that I am God.” Worship is indeed our proper response.
Exodus 20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day… Nehemiah 9:6 "You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. You give life to all of them and the heavenly host bows down before You.
Acts 17:24 and 25 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things”
Isaiah 45:11 and 12 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker … “It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands And I ordained all their host.
Hebrews 1:10-12 And, "you, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like 4
Psalms 33:4-9 For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD. By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. (Continued on page 5)
(Continued from page 4)
Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand…. God is to be worshipped. If your heart is not flooded with a desire to worship God, adjustments should be made because God is the purpose for man.
God is so deserving of our awe, fear, and praise. Every soul on earth is completely indebted to the Creator and Provider; yet, so few even acknowledge His existence. We should live for the praise of His glory.
O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.
For the LORD is a great God And a great King above all gods, In whose hand are the depths of the earth, The peaks of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for it was He who made it, And His hands formed the dry land. Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. Leviticus 25:23 “The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me”
David held the proper perspective which he communicated when he gathered the material necessary to build the temple.
Psalms 95:1-7
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Psalms 24:1
1 Chronicles 29:14-16 God is not only the Creator, but, according to Genesis 14, He is the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth. He sets the boundaries for people (Deuteronomy 32:8) and allows them to use His possession. If He decides that they are undesirable tenants, He takes the land away and gives it to another. History reveals how foolish man is in that he wars and kills to gain possession of something that does not belong to any man. Once he gains it, he gloats as if he is the important owner. Then, in a short time, he dies and goes away. The land stays, and some other fool fights to acquire it. 5
"But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. “For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. “O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from (Continued on page 6)
Worship Yahweh continued. . . (Continued from page 5)
Your hand, and all is Yours. God reproved Israel for their wrong attitude when offering animal sacrifices. He stated the following by the hand of the psalmist: Psalms 50:10-14 "For every beast of the forest is Mine, The cattle on a thousand hills. "I know every bird of the mountains, And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name. You have a strong arm; Your hand is mighty, Your right hand is exalted. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and truth go before You. How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.
"If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains. "Shall I eat the flesh of bulls Or drink the blood of male goats? "Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High Thanksgiving is the right response to our loving, generous, and caring God. Psalms 89:11-18 The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them. The
north
and
the
In Your name they rejoice all the day, And by Your righteousness they are exalted. For You are the glory of their strength, And by Your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the LORD, And our king to the Holy One of Israel. When the Creator and Provider 6
and possessor of heaven and earth promises to do something, we can be well assured it will come to pass. Nevertheless, when God promised Abraham about the coming Kingdom, He showed another awe-inspiring aspect about Himself. He said, “I am God Almighty… I will establish my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” Abraham’s automatic response was certainly understandable – he fell on his face in a posture of worship. In Genesis 1 according to the Hebrew text, “God” is the word ‘Elohim; in Genesis 14, Elyon is translated Most High God, and in Genesis 17, El Shaddai is translated Almighty God. The most prominent Hebrew word related to God is Yahweh, frequently translated LORD (almost 6,000 occurrences). Yahweh is God’s proper name. “I am the LORD (Yahweh), that is My name,” Isaiah 42:8. Yahweh is the true 'Elohim, Elyon, and El Shaddai. We worship Yahweh! Psalms 100:1-5 Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. (Continued on page 9)
HALLOWED BE THY NAME
P
By Vince Finnegan eople are called many things other than their name, such as mother, father, doctor, plumber, Mr., Miss, and Mrs. These titles reveal some aspect about the person but are not the person’s name. God is called many things in the Scriptures, such as God (‘Elohim), Most High God (Elyon), Almighty God (El Shaddai), and so on. All of these reveal some aspect of His magnificence though His name is Yahweh. In the English Bible, “Yahweh” was translated LORD with all capital letters. Exodus 6:2, 3, 6, 7 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD (Yahweh); and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by My name, LORD (Yahweh), I did not make Myself known to them… "Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD (Yahweh), and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage. I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. ‘Then I will take you for My people, and I
will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD (Yahweh) your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. When God commissioned Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, he asked who to tell the people sent him. God told him His name. “I am” is translated from the Hebrew word “hayah” which is the root word of Yahweh. Exodus 3:13-15 Then Moses said to God, "Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM (hayah) WHO I AM" (hayah); and He said, "Thus you shall 7
say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM (hayah) has sent me to you.’" God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD (Yahweh), the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD (Yahweh), that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images. Jeremiah 33:2 “Thus says the LORD (Yahweh) who made the earth, the LORD (Yahweh) who formed it to establish it, the (Continued on page 8)
Hallowed Be Thy Name continued... (Continued from page 7)
LORD (Yahweh) His name,
is
Psalms 135:13 Your name, O LORD (Yahweh), is everlasting, Your remembrance, O LORD (Yahweh), throughout all generations. The Encyclopedia Britannica gives a clear definition of Yaweh. “The God of the Israelites, his name being revealed to Moses as four Hebrew consonants (YHWH) called the Tetragrammaton. After the Exile (6th century BC), and especially from the 3rd century BC on, Jews ceased to use the name Yahweh for two reasons. As Judaism became a universal religion through its proselytizing in the Greco-Roman world, the more common noun Elohim, meaning “god,” tended to replace Yahweh to demonstrate the universal sovereignty of Israel's God over all others. At the same time, the divine name was increasingly regarded as too sacred to be uttered; it was
thus replaced vocally in the synagogue ritual by the Hebrew word “Adonai” (“My Lord”), which was translated as Kurios (“Lord”) in the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament. The Masoretes, who from about the 6th to the 10th century worked to reproduce the original text of the Hebrew Bible, replaced the vowels of the name YHWH with the vowel signs of the Hebrew words Adonai or Elohim. Thus, the artificial name Jehovah (YeHoWaH) came into being. Although Christian scholars after the Renaissance and Reformation periods used the term Jehovah for YHWH, in the 19th and 20th centuries, biblical scholars again began to use the form Yahweh. Regardless of their intentions when the Masoretes changed God’s name, they were reprehensibly cavalier, especially when compared with the meticulous manner in which Yahweh repeatedly endeavored to make His name known. While in Egypt, the Israelites where drowning in polytheism. They lost the connection that their forefathers – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – had with Yahweh. When God led them out of Egypt, He made known to Pharaoh, Israel, and the world that Yahweh is the only true God. The purpose of the ten plagues was to discredit the Egyptian gods while at the same time to magnify Yahweh.
Exodus 7:5,16,17 "The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD (Yahweh), when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst." "You shall say to him, ‘The LORD (Yahweh), the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now." ‘Thus says the LORD (Yahweh), "By this you shall know that I
“By this you shall know that Yahweh is God”, “There is no one like Yahweh our God.” am the LORD (Yahweh): behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood. With each plague, God basically had Moses say the same thing “By this you shall know that Yahweh is God”, “There is (Continued on page 9)
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(Continued from page 8)
no one like Yahweh our God.” Pharaoh was a very proud man and a very slow learner! The salvation for Israel and judgment for Egypt are how Yahweh revealed His identity. After Israel finally left Egypt, they found themselves in the wilderness, and they constantly doubted Yahweh; yet, He consistently endeavored to help them believe that He was the one true God. Such was the case with manna. Exodus 16:12 I have heard the grumblings of the sons of Israel; speak to them, saying, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; and you shall know that I am the LORD (Yahweh) your God.’" After making clear His identity as Yahweh their God, He gave commandment that they were to have no other gods before
Him. Monotheism ( the belief that there is but one God) became the crucial core of Judaism and the issue that Yahweh insisted upon and on which Israel faulted. Exodus 20:1-6 Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD (Yahweh) your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD (Yahweh) your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those
who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. The book of Deuteronomy records what took place during the fortieth year, the eleventh month, when Israel was in the wilderness. The book repeats what was communicated to their fathers recorded in Exodus. Moses also explains more and adds several additional laws, instructions, and directions. The people Moses addressed are the children of those who went into the wilderness. Of the millions of adults that left Egypt, only two entered the Promised Land. All the rest died in the wilderness, primarily because they held onto the false gods of Egypt and did not believe that Yahweh was God. Again, He makes Himself known in a authoritative striking way. Deuteronomy 4:23, 24, and 39 "So watch yourselves,
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
shall continually be in my mouth.
Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.
My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise.
Psalms 34:1-3
(Continued from page 6)
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise 9
O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. (Continued on page 7)
Hallowed Be Thy Name continued... (Continued from page 9)
that you do not forget the covenant of the LORD (Yahweh) your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a graven image in the form of anything against which the LORD (Yahweh) your God has commanded you. "For the LORD (Yahweh) your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God. "Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD (Yahweh), He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. Deuteronomy 5:6-9 I am the LORD (Yahweh) your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
Deuteronomy 6:4-6 "Hear, O Israel! The LORD (Yahweh) is our God, the LORD (Yahweh) is one! "You shall love the LORD (Yahweh) your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. Deuteronomy 7:9 "Know therefore that the LORD (Yahweh) your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His loving kindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments. Deuteronomy 10:17,20 "For the LORD (Yahweh) your God is the God of gods and
the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe… "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. "He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. “Yahweh” is used 439 times in Deuteronomy; “Yahweh your God,” 239; and “Yahweh our God,” 21 times. “Yahweh” is used 1,555 times in the books of Genesis to Deuteronomy. The copious repetition should grab our attention. Yahweh wants us to understand that He is God. He is never haphazard or purposeless with the manner in which He communicates. People can be repetitious be-
‘You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. ‘You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD (Yahweh) your God, am a jealous God (Continued on page 11)
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“it is a well known fact that the doctrine of the Trinity is non-biblical. The Trinity is a manmade doctrine developed hundreds of years after the writing of the Scriptures.” (Continued from page 10)
cause they lack intelligence or skill in communication but not God. So, when He decided to use His name, Yahweh, as often as is written, we should stand up and take notice; yet, the vast majority has no idea that “Yahweh” is the name of God. Most Christians when witnessing instruct new people to read the Gospels and, in particular, the gospel of John. No emphasis is placed upon the Old Testament and the enormous information given about the identity of God. The Gospels focus primarily but not exclusively upon Jesus, the Son of God. It is not surprising that people are confused regarding the true identity of God or His Son. For the most part, followers of Christ are ignorant of the information Yahweh provided about Himself. It is impossible to understand the Son without first knowing the Father. Yahweh does not change, according to Malachi 3:5-7. He is who He is and has always been. His identity did not change with the birth of His Son. Almost 6,000 times, “Yahweh” is used in the Old
Testament providing a voluminous amount of information about our God; yet, not once is there the slightest indication that He is three in one. Contrariwise, there is the powerfully emphatic communication YAHWEH IS ONE. Yet, the commonly accepted belief of most Christians is the Trinity dogma of the unity of Father, Son, and holy spirit as three persons in one Godhead. Again, the Encyclopedia Britannica provides a factual unbiased explanation.
“Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Hebrew Scriptures: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:4). The earliest Christians, however, had to cope with the implications of the coming of Jesus Christ and of the presumed presence and power of God among them—i.e., the Holy Spirit, whose coming was connected with the celebration of the Pentecost. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were associated in such New Testament 11
passages as the Great Commission: “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” (Matthew 28:19); and in the apostolic benediction: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). Thus, the New Testament established the basis for the doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies. Initially, both the requirements of monotheism inherited from the Hebrew Scriptures and the implications of the need to interpret the biblical teaching to Greco-Roman religions seemed to demand that the divine in Christ as the Word, or Logos, be interpreted as subordinate to the Supreme Being. An alternative solution was to interpret Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three modes of the selfdisclosure of the one God but not as distinct within the being of God itself. The first ten(Continued on page 13)
Who Is Jesus?
G
abriel’s remarkable words to Mary were “Greetings favored one Yahweh is with you!” The angel went on to inform her of God’s plan regarding the birth of His son and a brief but detailed sketch of who he was to become. Luke 1:31- 33 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."
HE WILL BE GREAT THE SON OF THE MOST HIGH YAHWEH GOD WILL GIVE HIM DAVID’S THRONE HE WILL REIGN OVER THE HOUSE OF JACOB FOREVER HIS KINGDOM WILL HAVE NO END HOLY CHILD SHALL BE CALLED THE SON OF GOD
Jesus is the most important man in history, the one upon whom God’s purpose of the ages swings. Starting from Genesis 3:15 all the way through to Revelation 22:21, Jesus the Christ is often the subject of the Scriptures. No one save God is focused on
By Vince Finnegan
more; yet, the true identity of Jesus remains cloudy and marred. The reason for the confusion is a wholesale failure to study the entire Bible and interpret what is written without preconceived religious dogmas and traditions. Teachers and writers propound a worn out, illogical and nonbiblical description of Jesus that the masses swallow as “gospel.” The mystification of the Trinity has become the cornerstone of Christian faith; yet, it is a man made doctrine that began three centuries after the holy Scriptures were concluded. The word “Trinity” or the concept of the Trinity is not found in the Scriptures. The word wranglers take verses out of context to weave together a doctrine about our Lord and Savior that neither God, Jesus, the prophets, nor the apostles believed or taught. The following is a brief and limited biblical description of Jesus that can be used as an outline for your personal study of the Scriptures and a resource to share with others when witnessing. SON OF GOD - Jesus is God’s Son because of the miraculous biological creation of the seed within Mary and much more because he was always obedient to the will of God. If he had the former and not the later, he would not have been the Son of God (1 John 3:9). The holy Scriptures contain voluminous and convincing testimony that Jesus is the Son of God. (In the Scriptures, he is never called, not even once, God the Son.) Following are a few of the many who testified: 12
Matthew 16:13-17 Peter inspired by God said “Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God.” Luke 4:3 and 9 The devil knew he was the Son of God. Luke 4:41 Demons understood that he was the Son of God. Luke 22:70 Jesus said that he was the Son of God. John 1:34 John the Baptist testified that he was the Son of God. John 1:49 Nathanael knew he was the Son of God. John 3:16-18 God gave His only begotten Son. John 11:27 To Martha it was a matter of fact. John 20:31 The signs recorded in the gospel of John were written so “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”
SON OF MAN - Jesus conducted his ministry in such a way that believers could know that he was the Christ. However, this understanding was not gained because Jesus told people; rather, they listened to him, observed his ways, and God enlightened them. Jesus did not boast that he was the Christ or the Son of God; rather, he most often referred to himself as “the son of man,” which is a general biblical (Continued on page 13)
(Continued from page 12)
phrase for a human being. Eighty times in the four gospels, Jesus is called the son of man placing enormous emphasis on his humanity. The first time the idiom is used reveals that God is neither a man nor the son of man. “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent” (Numbers 23:19). When we consider the words of Jesus, we see the obvious contradistinction between him and God. Following are the first four occurrences in the New Testament which provide a small sampling. Matthew 8:20 (Continued from page 11)
dency recognized the distinctness among the three, but at the cost of their equality and hence of their unity (subordinationism); the second came to terms with their unity, but at the cost of their distinctness as “persons” (modalism). It was not until the 4th century that the distinctness of the three and their unity were brought together in a single orthodox doctrine of one essence and three persons. The Council of Nicaea in 325 stated the crucial formula for that doctrine in its confession that the Son is “of the same substance [homoousios] as the Father,” even though it said very little about the Holy Spirit. Over the next half century, Athanasius defended and refined the Nicene formula, and, by the end of the 4th century, under the leadership of Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory of Nazianzus (the Cappa-
Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Matthew 9:6 "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home." Matthew 10:23 "But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of
docian Fathers), the doctrine of the Trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.)” The explanation of the Trinity is not unique with this encyclopedia; rather, it is a well known fact that the doctrine of the Trinity is nonbiblical. The Trinity is a manmade doctrine developed hundreds of years after the writing of the Scriptures. It is tragic that the Church today does not know God’s name or His true identity. So many misguided souls believe that Jesus, the Son of God, is God and that God’s gift of holy spirit is also God. If a person would read the Bible starting in the beginning and put aside preconceived religious dogmas, he or she would see very clearly that Yahweh is God, that Jesus is His Son, and that the holy spirit is a spiritual enablement graciously given to man from God. Jesus never declared that he was God, nor did he ever encourage people to worship him. Con13
Israel until the Son of Man comes. Matthew 11:19 "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, CHRIST - Jesus is the Christ which means anointed one. Our Lord’s name is Jesus, and his title versely, Yahweh our God commanded people to worship Him and repeatedly declared that He alone is God. Jesus worshipped God and declared His name to the disciples. John 17:26 … “I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known… Hebrew 2:12 …I will proclaim your name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” Jesus also introduced Yahweh to us in a different way and told us to address Him as Father (Matthew 5:16, 44-48; 6:1-9, 14, 15, 25-34; and 7:7-11). Our Lord Jesus additionally taught us to pray and say, “Hallowed be Your name.” “To hallow” means to make holy, consecrate, and sanctify. (Continued on page 14)
Who Is Jesus? continued... (Continued from page 13)
David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:26 And it had been revealed to him [Simeon] by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. is Christ. The first mention of anointing in the Scriptures is related to the priests. The high priest was a type for Jesus the Christ. The king of Israel was the second significant anointing that was a type for Jesus the Christ. Jesus is currently serving as our high priest while he is in heaven. When he returns, he will reign as the King in God’s glorious Kingdom here on earth. Matthew 16:16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matthew 26:63 and 64 . . the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Luke 2:11 For today in the city of
John 1:41 He [Andrew] found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which translated means Christ).
when he returns. Moses spoke to the people on behalf of God, and Jesus is now God’s spokesman. Moses petitioned God on behalf of the people. Jesus is at the right hand of God, ever making petition for the saints.
HIGH PRIEST LIKE MELCHISEDEK - The only person in history that was the high priest and king of Jerusalem was this Melchisedek who was written about in Genesis 14. He is the type for Jesus who was anointed both priest and King who will reign in Jerusalem in the age to come. Hebrews 5:5, 6, 9, and 10
John 17:3 This is eternal life that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "you are my son, today I have begotten you";
John 20:31 but these [signs] have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
just as he says also in another passage, "you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."
THE PROPHET LIKE MOSES - Moses stated in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 that God would send a prophet like him that would speak the words necessary to believe. Moses was a type for Jesus (Hebrews 3:1-6). Moses was the prophet of the old covenant, and Jesus is of the new. Moses led God’s people out of the house of bondage as will Jesus 14
And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. KING LIKE DAVID – Many men served as king over Israel, but David is the only one who (Continued on page 15)
(Continued from page 14)
was promised that his descendant would rule on his throne forever. David’s reign was like none other. It was the glory days for Israel and their relationship with Yahweh and as such is a type for the reign of Jesus the
Christ. Jesus is a descendant of David according to the flesh. Matthew1:1 The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David . . . Romans 1:2-4 Which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the
JESUS IS:
The light of the world John 8:12; 9:5
The Savior - Luke 2:11; Acts 5:31; 1 John 4:14
The door to the sheepfold John 10:1
The second Adam 1 Corinthians 15:45-49; Romans 5:12-ff
The good shepherd -
The seed of the woman Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31-35; Revelation 12:1-5 The seed of Abraham Genesis15:1-ff; Galatians 3:16 The Passover lamb - Exodus 12:1-36; 1 Corinthians 5:7 The lamb of God - John 1:29 The bread of life -
Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is the one to sit on the throne of David according to Acts 2:25-36; 13:22-41. Jesus came as the prophet like Moses. Today, he is at the right hand of God and is serving as the High Priest. When the Kingdom comes, he will sit on the throne of David and rule the world for the glory of God.
The perfect sacrifice 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 9:11-28 The first fruits from the dead - 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 God
-
John 10:10-16
The image of Colossians 1:15
The resurrection and the life - John 11:25
The redeemer - Galatians 4:5 Ephesians 1:7
The way, truth, and the life - John 14:6 The only way to the Father John 14:6
The judge of the living and the dead - John 5:21-29; 2 Timothy 4:1
The true vine - John 15:1-8
The firstborn from the dead - Revelation 1:5
The rock - 1 Corinthians 10:4
The bright and morning star - Revelation 22:16
The mediator of the new covenant - Galatians 3:19 and 20; Hebrews 12:24
The Lord of glory - Romans 10:9 and 10; 1 Corinthians 2:8
John 6:31-58 15
Looking for Christmas presents
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Kingdom Studies
by Vincent Finnegan
The Foundation (Volume I) The Foundation is a compilation of biblical studies primarily from the books of Genesis and Exodus. The topics selected are vital for understanding important themes that run throughout the Scriptures. Softcover book ............................................................................................................................ $12.00
Jesus the Christ (Volume II) The four Gospels reveal everything that God wants us to know about our Lord’s ministry from his genealogy to his post-resurrection appearances. Moses and all the prophets spoke often regarding the Messiah. Before Jesus was born, these Scriptures provided a complex blueprint to compare to and determine the authenticity of the Christ. Softcover book ............................................................................................................ $12.00
Living Sacrifice (Volume III) God wants us to live wholeheartedly for Him. We are to die to self and live for God. To be a Living Sacrifice means we are to be constantly living for Him. Softcover book ............................................................................................................ $12.00
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DON’T LIE TO YOUR CHILDREN by Vince Finnegan
“W
ho is on the phone?” the parent asks his or her child. Then, the child responds by giving the person’s identity. While sitting in the kitchen, the parent says, “Tell her I am in the shower.” If we teach our children by example that lying is situationally acceptable, then they learn that lying is okay sometimes. Such examples say to our children that lying is okay when it suits our purposes. Such lessons encourage deceitfulness, dishonesty, double dealings, and lack of trust. What would be the impact on children who learn their parents carried out an elaborate conspiracy throughout the early
years of their life? This conspiracy included all the adults in the child’s life with everyone agreeing to lie and pretend something was a certain way when it was not. This scheme was so enormous that the child’s teachers, relatives, family, friends, and even complete strangers aligned with it to deceive the child. Howbeit, the whole deceptive plot was designed to make the child happy, even though it exploited the child’s innocent gullibility. Can we conclude that unrighteous means can bring about a righteous result? Can we accomplish good by doing evil? Lying and deception are the tools of the devil that make good look evil and evil look good. God does not use lies
and deception to accomplish His good purposes. God tells His children through the Scriptures to be like Him − honest, truthful, genuine, and to avoid lying, deception, and all falsehood. So what do you think? Should we tell our children that Santa Claus is coming to town? Jesus was born in the fall of the year, most likely September 11. Why then do we celebrate his birth on December 25? Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a weeklong period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman. (Continued on page 18)
17
God Bless You This Holiday Season (Continued from page 17)
The ancient Greek writer, poet, and historian, Lucian (in his dialogue entitled Saturnalia) describes the festival’s observance in his time. In addition to human sacrifice, he mentions these customs: widespread intoxication; going from house to house while singing naked; rape and other sexual license; and consuming human-shaped biscuits (still produced in some English and most German bakeries during the Christmas season). In
the
4 th
century
CE,
Christianity imported the Saturnalia festival hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. Christian leaders succeeded in converting to Christianity large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians. The problem was that there was nothing intrinsically Christian about Saturnalia. To remedy this, these Christian leaders named Saturnalia’s concluding day, December 25th, to be Jesus’ birthday. With our children, we taught them the correct time Jesus was 18
born and the Biblical truths surrounding his wonderful birth. We explained how many things in the world are confused and incorrectly represent the truth because Satan is the god of this age. We also decided to enjoy the good things about the holiday such as family and exchanging gifts while not pretending it was the birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do not believe in Santa or the many other rituals connected with Christmas, so it did not seem sensible to push these lies on our beloved children. Truth is a good gift for the children and much better than lies!
WINTER TEEN CAMP 2009 Ages 13-19 December 27th – 29th, 2009
AT
For God so loved the world, That He gave His only begotten Son, That Whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
VALUED ! This year’s Winter Teen Advance will be held at Frost Valley YMCA, which is located at 2000 Frost Valley Road, Claryville, NY 12725. Frost Valley YMCA is a 6,000 acre residential camping, environmental education and conference center located in the heart of the “forever wild” Catskill Mountain Preserve. This year’s theme is VALUED! We are so valued by Yahweh, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, that He gave His only begotten Son so that we might live forever with Him in His eternal Kingdom. Hallelujah! So, come “just as you are” and be reminded of how valued each of us truly is to Almighty God. Let us celebrate together. Winter Teen Advance will begin with registration from 3-5 pm on Sunday, December 27th and conclude with lunch on Tuesday, December 29th. The cost is $130.00 per person. Your time away will include heart-stirring teachings and music, great food (vegetarian and vegan diets accommodated), and priceless fellowship with your brothers and sisters, plus indoor and outdoor group activities. We will all be doing an outdoor group activity such as snow tubing, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, or broom ball, so you will need to bring outdoor clothes to keep you warm and dry in the snow. You may register online at www.KingdomReady.org or mail your registration along with your $50.00 deposit to Living Hope International Ministries, 458 Old Niskayuna Road, Latham, NY 12110. The balance will be due upon arrival at the advance. Please note that space is limited.
WINTER TEEN CAMP 2009 Name __________________________________________________________ Age _________ Address _____________________________________________________________________ Phone (home) ____________________________ Alternate phone _______________________ Parent or guardian’s signature (for those under 18) ___________________________________
Living Hope International Ministries
Nonprofit Org. US Postage
458 Old Niskayuna Road Latham, New York 12110 USA
Paid Latham, New York Permit No. 128
The Shema “HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE!”