Da Bauz's Take

Greetings I am but s simple Christian who has become completely disenchanted with “chasing the ‘almighty’ dollar” thus now pursue knowing The Almighty G-d; Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach; Rabbi Yeshua Bar Yosef. It is my hope that I may present some insightful yet provocative food for thought. I welcome all who read this to ask questions. In fact please do not take anything I write at face value, rather research and verify the facts and form your own opinions. Blessings in Christ, Da Bauz

Friday 30 March 2012

PROTESTANTISM, ‘TO BE, OR NOT TO BE’

Protestantism, ‘To Be, or Not To Be’

When is a Protestant, not a Protestant? Let’s look at two (2) non-Roman Catholic Churches that many, even members of Protestant Congregations, call “Protestant Churches” today, the Lutheran Church and the Church of England, the Anglican Church.

First, let us begin with a brief exploration of the Lutheran Church. Martin Luther was according to the Church of Rome and Pope Leo X a heretic ^[1], as were the followers of Martin Luther, for his writing of his “95 Theses” ^[1] in PROTEST of the Papacy; thus enter the name “Protestant”. Even the origin of the name “Lutheran” is a gift from the Roman Catholic Church. “The term Lutheran first originated as a derogatory term used against Luther by Roman Catholics who traditionally named the practice of heresy after its leader, thus labeling the theology teachings of Martin Luther as Lutherans.” ^[2] Even the term Protestant is hardly a flattering term, as the term is as noted above, a derivative of protesting the Church in Rome.

Martin Luther’s Reformation ^[3] began in 1517, and “The Augsburg Confession in 1530 is the first formal Lutheran statement of faith”^[2] according to the “Lutheran Church History, Beliefs, Changes” website. And Martin Luther’s classic proclamation “This one and firm rock, which we call the doctrine of justification, is the chief article of the whole Christian doctrine, which comprehends the understanding of all godliness.” ^[4] was a brazen departure from the traditions, teachings and customs of the Church in Rome of the day. Contrast this with the Church of England, the Anglican (or Episcopalian for our American friends) Church.

The Anglican Church ^[5] seceded from the Papal rule in 1534 when “King Henry VIII was declared head of the Church of England” ^[5] and began in 1532 when “All Bishops were forced to sign a document stating that they would make no new laws without the consent of the King”. ^[6] And the King’s “MO” (modus operandi), if you will, was far less “righteous” (and in fact much more sinister and selfish), than was Martin Luther’s. Interestingly King Henry VIII ^[7] in as early as 1527 was noted for not being an avid supporter of Luther: “In 1527 Henry VIII wrote a book entitled Fidei Defensor. The book criticised Martin Luther and confirmed the status of the Pope.” ^[6] But of course that did not last very long, supporting the status of the Pope that is.

Just six (6) years later in 1533, a year after ‘All Bishops were forced to sign (the above noted) document’, King Henry VIII ^[7] “…passed legislation that removed the Pope's influence in England and had made himself the Head of the Church of England.” ^[6] This of course still begs the question, “WHY” did King Henry VIII ^[7]make such an unabashed proclamation? Was it for the same “noble” reasons and rationale as that of his Contemporary Martin Luther? Did the two work together in collaboration with each other? Let’s first explore very simply the “WHY”, in its absolutely simplest form.

King Henry VIII ^[7]was still married to Catherine of Aragon ^[8]in the late 1520’s when he began to “carry on” (Okay, spade a spade, have an AFFAIR) with Anne Boleyn ^[9]. And the King really really wanted a divorce from Catherine. Of course the Church in Rome, under Pope Leo X, was unwilling to grant King Henry either an annulment or a divorce. Faced with this dilemma, King Henry VIII ^[7]decided to take matters into his own hands, first by way of his self-proclaimed status as Head of the Church of England, and second the Church of England’s subsequent cessation from the Papal rule. Exceedingly selfish, and hardly righteous by any measuring stick, was King Henry VIII’s ^[7] “MO”. So I suppose that also addresses the “Was it for the same “noble” reasons and rationale as that of his Contemporary Martin Luther?” question, with a simple “NO!” Now concerning whether or not the two worked in some sort of collaboration, I would speculate that King Henry VIII’s ^[7] book “Fidei Defensor” ^[6] pretty much clears that one up too, as in “NOPE”.

Thus, as noted above, this “Anglican ^[5]” cessation was vastly different from and radically dissimilar to the Reformation ^[3] of Luther in both raw methodology and function. Yet, although they are both the result of “Protesting Rome’s authority” Protestant the two (2) individual branches of Christendom are radically different.

Where one (1) group, Martin Luther and his followers, seceded from the Church of Rome for theological reasons in Protest to and of Papal ‘sovereignty’, the other one (1) seceded from the Pope’s authority, in Protest over the subjects of marriage, annulments and divorce. Even without exploring the rituals, practices and edicts of each of the two break-away churches, one can readily see (or should be able to see) that, Not All Protestants are or were created equal.

Whether “Protestant” ^[10], “Catholic” ^[11] (a person who belongs to the universal Christian church), but not necessarily “Roman Catholic”, or “Roman Catholic” ^[11], this Christian cares NOT

Would you like to know the one true God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach? Please read on.

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”

How does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelations 3:20 NIV] How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything, anything at all? Well because the Bible tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” [Romans 10:9-10 NIV]

And for those of you who say to me, I can’t be bothered reading the Bible, “it’s confusing” or “it’s a waste of my time”, may I draw your attention to what the Bible says about wisdom: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” [Proverbs 9:10 NIV]

If nothing else, PLEASE read two chapters from the Bible – (don’t own one, sorry NO excuse, if you’re reading this, you can access this: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&version=NIV) John 3 and John 14!

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

~~~

[1] Martin Luther

http://www.christian-religion-history.com/MartinLuther.html

[2] Lutheran Church History, Beliefs, Changes

http://www.christian-religion-history.com/lutheran-church.html

[3] Protestantism, The Protestant Reformation

http://www.christian-religion-history.com/Protestantism.html

[4] Herbert J. A. Bouman, "The Doctrine of Justification in the Lutheran Confessions," Concordia Theological Monthly 26 (November 1955) No. 11:801.

[5] Anglican Church

http://www.christian-religion-history.com/AnglicanChurch.html

[6] The Tudors - The Reformation

http://www.historyonthenet.com/Tudors/the_reformation.htm

[7] Henry VIII King of England

http://tudorhistory.org/henry8

[8] Catherine of Aragon

http://tudorhistory.org/aragon

[9] Anne Boleyn

http://tudorhistory.org/boleyn

[10] Protestantism

http://www.christian-religion-history.com/Protestantism.html

[11] Merriam-Webster.com

http://www.merriam-webster.com

For additional reading, consider Wikipedia as a supplement:

Henry VIII of England
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England

Martin Luther

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Knowing God (Christ)

What is foundationally, I mean at its very CORE, what is most IMPORTANT about being (and growing as) a CHRISTIAN?

Is it "worshiping" the "K J V" (or any other) "translation" of the Bible.... or

Is it KNOWING the Person of Jesus Christ / Yeshua Ha Mashiach, GOD!

“That is why I told you that you will die in (under the curse of) your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He [Whom I claim to be--if you do not adhere to, trust in, and rely on Me], you will die in your sins.” John 8:24 (AMP)

“13 Moshe said to God, "Behold, when I come to the children of Yisra'el, and tell them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you;' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' What should I tell them?"

14 God said to Moshe, "I AM WHO I AM," and he said, "You shall tell the children of Yisra'el this: "I AM has sent me to you." ”

Exodus 3:13-14 Hebrew Names Version (HNV)

~~~

“53 Are you greater than our father, Avraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?"

54 Yeshua answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God.

55 You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, 'I don't know him,' I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word.

56 Your father Avraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad."

57 The Yehudim therefore said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Avraham?"

58 Yeshua said to them, "Most assuredly, I tell you, before Avraham came into existence, I AM."

59 Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Yeshua was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

John 8:53-58 Hebrew Names Version (HNV)

Should a “good” Christian read only the KJV, effectively “worshiping” said translation? Remember To "worship" the KJV is nothing short of Idolatry! You see folks, depending on how we look at any one or a series of any of the various ENGLISH Interpretations *** / Translations *** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word, we can see various and varied implied differences in single passages.

Would you like to know the one true God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua Hamashiach? Please read on.

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

*** RE: “Interpretations *** / Translations *** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word” Like it or not folks, every single rendering of the Word of God / Holy Bible in the English language is to some extent an interpretation. An interpretation by a human being (albeit a very scholarly and skilled one or set of scholars), and as such there are subtle nuances, variances and differences in many of the “non-essential” transliterations, passage-to-passage, between the numerous English versions available. That said, the KEY message of the Holy Bible, God’s (Christ’s) Holy Word from Genesis through Revelations remains intact and unchanged from the original texts, and is every bit as powerful and relevant to this very day, as when first penned.

Saturday 24 March 2012

IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF

Is history repeating itself?

Bosom Buddies:

Neville Chamberlain & Adolf Hitler

and

David Cameron & Mahmoud Abbas

"Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and Abbas are all merely personifications of the ultimate evil." CM

Is the use of the image of Hitler lame or somehow Irrelevant? Hitler’s Mein Kampf had one simple theme - “rid the world of the vermin that are the Hebrew peoples”, and Neville Chamberlain pandered to Hitler’s tyranny. Globally Islam presently has ONE (1) single minded mission “Push the Jews into the (Mediterranean) Sea.” http://bit.ly/GOXlAE

The impetus of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is precisely that of the global Islamization movement, and with David Cameron now pandering to Abbas is so far beyond disturbing, I am lost for words. For one to NOT see the relevance for the use of Hitler’s image in this case, one must either be grossly ill-informed about Hitler’s evil, or worse… perhaps one thinks Hitler had a good idea.

Either way, to argue against the use of this image is to argue at least indirectly or passively, if not blatantly, in FAVOUR of the elimination of

Israel

.

Remember, there is but ONE Islam.

NEVER AGAIN

Well that’s it, that’s Da Bauz’s Take on, history repeating itself (within this context at least) – this 24^th day of March 2012 © 2012, All Rights Reserved. wr (Da Bauz, Christian Zionist “creationist” too)

Friday 23 March 2012

THE RAPTURE

*R*A*P*T*U*R*E* coming soon to a Galaxy near you. In fact to YOUR very Star System, 3rd rock from the Sun... are you ready?

I have a question for my readers. And, I would also like to add that, although the question is NOT purely rhetorical, as I am genuinely interested in the responses and feedback of others, the soon-to-be posted query is not something I am *desperately lost* about either.

What if... (and PLEASE don't 'write me off as a heretic' either now for posing this query ), but… what if there is NO Rapture? Note, I am not asking 'what if there's NO Second Coming', as that is very much a CRUCIAL doctrine of Biblical Christianity. (for a quick review of 11 Exegetical, Key or CORE Tenets of the Christian Faith, please see my Blog on “Spirited Discussions, Rebukes, Swords and Clubs” from Da Bauz’s Take) As in, if there's NO 'Second Coming', well then there's really NO Christianity, because that is a very large part of what 'the hope in glory' is all about...

So now, back to the specific question: "what if there is NO Rapture?" I have spent most of the past 30 years studying, to one degree or another, the soon return of Christ Jesus, our SAVIOUR. Personally, I have also always tended to be a "pre-Tribulation" thinker; although through the years I have heard many great sermons, and read several very inspiring books, postulating mid-Tribulation and post-Tribulation, as well as pre-trib arguments. All of which I may add, are very well substantiated with scripture, in CONTEXT.

Then a few months ago, someone suggested to me that I try re-reading any and all of the various passages used by millions of Christians to support any one of the three (3) - pre, mid & post - Raptures noted above, but read them without the biases of someone else’s "interpretation(s)”. That's a TALL order. 30 years of walking with the Lord, and well 50 years of believing in a 'pre-trib Rapture', makes for a hard bias to let go of! By the way, he is a personal and trusted friend in Christ.

Nonetheless I have been trying; ergo I am posting the query for your pondering.

Another individual very recently presented the argument to me, based upon Luke 17:26 (I'll use the KJV for the purposes of posting here) “And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man”, and that person’s perspective is this: Noah and his family were "left behind" and "saved", while the wretched evil sinners were all whisked (*raptured*) away. See also Matthew 24:37 (AMP).

Of course when I contemplate the "... [just] as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the time of the Son of Man." Luke 17:26 AMP, I envision eight (8) people, four couples, being Noah & his wife, and his three sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their respective wives, being whisked (raptured) away in the Ark, leaving behind the earth and its wicked inhabitants to perish in the Judgment of God (Christ).

Song by Larry Norman, covered by DC Talk – “I Wish We'd All Been Ready” [Live]

Let me expand on this “pre-Tribulation” Rapture perspective, as I know many who read this hold to “mid-Trib” and / or “post-Trib”, and evidently even NO-Rapture, Rapture ideologies. Here's a *challenging* perspective on the subject of The Rapture for you all:

The man of sin, son of perdition (man of lawlessness?), whoever *he* in fact is, he is being *RESTRAINED*

“^{6 And now you know what is restraining him [from being revealed at this time]; it is so that he may be manifested (revealed) in his own [appointed] time.}

⁷For the mystery of lawlessness (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, [but it is] restrained only until ^[a]he who restrains is taken out of the way.”

according to 2 Thessalonians 2:6 & 7. (AMP)

"...restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way." 2 Thessalonians 2:7 (AMP)...

So the question becomes one of "who" is restraining this "man of lawlessness"? It is commonly believed (and this includes my personal belief) that He who restrains the *lawless* one is none other than the Holy Ghost.

If the son of perdition CANNOT be REVEALED until after the *restrainer* (He who restrains) has been taken away, and the *restrainer* is the Holy Ghost... this leaves the Christians in a strange spot. WHY a strange spot, might you ask... well, I glad that you did ask!

You see, Jesus / Yeshua promised that He would 'give us the Holy Ghost to abide with us always (forever) “...shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;...” John 14:16 KJV

Thus, if God (Christ) pulls the Holy Ghost to "un-restrain" the lawless one, Christ has GOT to take me (and the rest of the Church, His Bride) with . . . And that my friends IS GREAT news!

Before I say one more word, I'll simply say this: The *RAPTURE* is, in my humble opinion, NOT an essential / central / or core doctrine or belief within the faith, therefore pre-trib, mid-trib or post-trib... are all secondary issues.

Next, just for thought provocation, consider if you will Revelation 3:10 (NIV) – “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.” As with any and ALL textual references, (biblical or otherwise) PLEASE read in context of course.

Finally, I hear and read a lot about the comparison to the days of Noah. “As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:37 (AMP) see also Luke 17:26 KJV

So, what about Noah's day?

“38 For just as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, [men] marrying and [women] being given in marriage, until the [very] day when Noah went into the ark,

39 And they did not know or understand until the flood came and swept them all away--so will be the coming of the Son of Man.^(A)” Matthew 24:38 & 39...

They were eating, drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, babies being birthed... RIGHT UP UNTIL THE VERY DAY...

Now I've heard some say, many in fact say... God doesn't take His *chosen* people away from or out of harm's way. He gives them strength to endure, push though and arrive on the ‘other side’. Well in Noah's day, He (God / Christ) gave people loads of warning to repent or PERISH. The invitation was OPEN to ALL who heard the message to "enter the Ark and be spared the soon coming desolation"

Eight people heeded said warnings, “And Noah and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him went into the ark because of the waters of the flood.” Genesis 7:7 (AMP) and accepted the invitation which led to Salvation. This of course begs the following two (2) questions:

A) Were the people of this earth who perished in the Flood of Noah's day left behind? Or
B) Were those who perished somehow whisked (raptured) away?

Very recently I've had a few people make just that claim. “B” that God (Christ) left behind His *remnant* (Noah and his family) and effectively *raptured* away the evil wicked people of the earth.

Personally, to me it looks much more like “A”, wherein the people of this earth who perished in the Flood of Noah's day were left behind. Whereas, Noah, his wife and their sons and daughters-in-law (eight in total) were WHISKED (*Raptured*) away from the earth's normal environment (normal for human habitation), and the evil wicked one's who rejected God's (Christ's) promises were "left behind" to perish in the FLOOD.

Yep, me thinks God's Word does very much in fact teach N' support the thesis that the Church WILL BE GATHERED UP (Raptured away) before the Man of Lawlessness is revealed. . .

Nonetheless, I am left pondering – “What if there is NO Rapture”? It seems many are fascinated, enamoured even, with the word "Rapture". And interpretations appear to be many and varied, about precisely WHAT “Raptured” really even means!... You see folks, depending on how we look at any one or a series of any of the various ENGLISH Interpretations *** / Translations *** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word, we can see various and varied implied differences in single passages.

No matter what, I am ready for His (Jesus Christ’s / Yeshua Hamashiach’s) soon coming RETURN! Whether it be by way of a pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib (Rapture) or NO Rapture, one thing is for certain: “Christ WILL come again!”

Would you like to know the one true God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua Hamashiach? Please read on.

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Thursday 22 March 2012

WHAT’S IN A NAME

What’s in a NAME

What is in a name and does the spelling of a given name really matter? Well according to God’s (Christ’s) Holy Word, we are told “That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee ^[a]should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” Philippians 2:10 (AMP) and as is declared in Romans also “For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise].” Romans 14:11 Thus we can see, at least at a glance, that the Name of the Lord is indeed ABOVE all others. So what about spelling then…

In Hispanic and Spanish cultures the name ‘Jesus’ is, in fact, quite common and is pronounced phonetically ‘hey zeus”, so then should we all drop on bended knee every time we meet someone with the Spanish name Jesus? I think NOT! Spelling is NOT the point here, really. Is it? I mean consider this: Both the Mormons, “Latter Day Saints” (LDS) and the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW's) use the name 'jesus christ'

In the case of the LDS, they claim that jesus christ is the elder and half-brother of Lucifer – GAG - http://www.cumorah.com/language/evidencesandreconciliations.html.

As for the JW's, here's John 1:1 from the JW's "New World Translation"

John 1:1

"In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god." - http://www.watchtower.org/e/bible/joh/chapter_001.htm

Note the "a god" thingy >>> and yes, I intentionally did NOT capitalize either the "J" or the "C" for the both the JW & LDS reference above.

The point is that spelling is really a secondary issue, to knowing who God is. One needs to understand the person / Deity to whom one is praying. If you’ve accepted the ONE true Holy God of Israel, Jesus Christ / Yeshua Hamashiach, into you heart, and for some reason you spell His name 'Yashewie'... I sincerely think He'd be less concerned about that "spelling" than many of us are.

Many Muslims argue, "your god-man's name is really 'Isa'." Well the simple fact here again is that "Isa" is the Arabic rendering for the Hebrew name Yeshu.

It can become very confusing true, because according to Islam's Koran (Qur'an) the name of the son of the Jewish carpenter IS, in fact, "Isa"... and also according the incredibly INKORRECT KORAN, Isa is not god, nor did he die on a cross… and the list goes on... just a man.

< What is the Arabic rendering for the name Yeshua - Google Search http://bit.ly/AD53LA >?

Again, the point is that we NEED to KNOW the Jesus Christ / Yeshua Hamashiach ("Isa" if reading in Arabic) of the ONE true Holy Bible, and not become sidetracked or otherwise distracted by the works and writings of men or demons. You see folks, depending on how we look at any one or a series of any of the various ENGLISH Interpretations *** / Translations *** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word, we can see various and varied implied differences in single passages.

We need to be prepared to 'give an answer'...

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15, NIV

Do you want to know the one true God, Jesus Christ / Yeshua Hamashiach? Please read on.

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”

How does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelations 3:20 NIV] How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything, well because the Bible tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Wednesday 14 March 2012

BE NOT DISMAYED

Be Not Dismayed

Taken from Matthew 16:18 - "...I will build My church, and the gates of (*________),

- ...will not...

- ...shall not...

(** _________________)

There are many various and varying ways that several of the English translations render this verse. For example the word with just one star (*) above is translated as:

Hell; Hades; Sheol; and even rendered as "death" in one translation - the "Good News Translation". And for the purposes of my query here, I am not concerned with the specific accuracy or even possible inaccuracy of any of those words. Suffice it to say, the implied meaning is one that refers to Satan, his home "hell" and all of it's powers (or lack thereof) over us CHRISTIANS.

The next two words either "will not" or shall not"; 11 of the more common 18 English renderings use "shall not", with seven using "will not". Once again my intent is not to debate whether the original texts should be "will not" or "shall not" (or possibly even some other variant). For the purpose of this posting, either is more than adequate. In fact, for the sake of simplicity, I will later use the phrase - "will not" and the word “Hell” for my conclusion.

Finally the word / space with two STARS (**) can be rendered as:

"...overcome it." - Once

"...conquer it." - Twice

"...prevail against it." - 11 times

"...overpower it." - Twice

"...withstand it." - Once

"...triumph over it." - Once

Now, let's consider each of these six words / word combinations, each with the prefix "the gates of Hell will not" thusly:

"...the gates of Hell will not overcome it." - "defensive stance"

"...the gates of Hell will not conquer it." - "defensive stance"

"...the gates of Hell will not prevail against it." - "OFFENSIVE stance"

"...the gates of Hell will not overpower it." - "defensive stance"

"...the gates of Hell will not withstand it." - "OFFENSIVE stance"

"...the gates of Hell will not triumph over it." - "defensive stance"

Of the 18 various English renderings (http://bible.cc/matthew/16-18.htm) only six render the passage with a meaning that implies that the church will not be "conquered by" Hell, the remaining 12 English renderings all carry a clear implication that it is IN FACT Hell, specifically the Gates of Hell, which cannot, will not stand firm against an ATTACK from ... wait for it...:

...an attack from THE CHURCH folks, an attack from / by the CHURCH!!!

The gates of Hell will not stand (prevail) against God's (Christ's) CHURCH.

If one looks to the Amplified rendering, one will quickly see both defensive and offensive application.

"...I will build My church, and the gates of Hades (the powers of the [c]infernal region) shall [d]not overpower it [or be strong to its detriment or hold out against it]." Matt 16:18 (AMP)

You see folks, depending on how we look at any one or a series of any of the various ENGLISH Interpretations *** / Translations *** of God's (Christ's) Holy Word, we can see various and varied implied differences in single passages.

God (Christ) of course is now, and always will be, our protector. With that said, we must remember that God (Christ) wants us to be BOLD, be STRONG... "...Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." Joshua 1:9 KJV

Why, you might be asking, am I writing this? The simplest of answer is this; I have been reading / hearing a great deal lately about the soon coming:

Dark Days, End of Times, Tribulation, Mark of the Beast, (FEMA) Concentration Camps ... and as a Bible BELIEVING Christian, I do very much believe that said evil times are a comin'... BUT, we Christians are NOT to be caught in these last days crawling, cringing, and cowering... hiding as if in terror from the enemy. We ought to be staring that DEVIL down, looking him (it) square in the eyes, and boldly declaring "in Jesus mighty N' Holy name, you are NOTHING!"

Please do not misunderstand me on this, I am not in any way attempting to be flippant about this subject. The evil that we Christians WILL BE faced with, in the last days, as this age draws to a close, is going to be horrifically evil. But OURS is the Victory... IN JESUS / Yeshua's Mighty Name! Have you any interest in “KNOWING” a real and true, Loving God?

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”

How does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelations 3:20 NIV] How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything, well because the Bible tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Added reading:

2 Corinthians 5:21 – Christ made to be (virtually be) sin

Romans 13:14 – Clothe ourselves with Christ

Ephesians 6:11 – Armour of God; and

Joshua 1:6 – Be strong and courageous

Tuesday 13 March 2012

WHO IS ALLAH

Who is Allaah? Well according the Muslim’s, based upon the writings of the Qur’an Allaah is “god”. In fact, ask any Muslim and he (she, if “she” is permitted a voice) will tell you that the Holy Book of the Jews and the Christians introduces Allaah to the world, in Genesis. And guess what folks, T’is true! The god of Islam, Allaah (Shaytan / Satan / Hasatan) was in fact introduced to the world, in the Book of Genesis.

Don’t believe me? Here, look it up and read it for yourselves:

“THE serpent was more subtle and crafty than any living creature of the field which the Lord God had made. And he [Satan] said to the woman, Can it really be that God has said, You shall not eat from every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1 (AMP)

Oh, by the way… did I mention that he (allaah) is also known by some of these more common names:

Lucifer, Devil, Deceiver (of the brethren), god of this world, Liar, Father of Lies, Evil one, King of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:12), Belial (II Corinthians 6:15), and many, many more. He (allaah) is a liar, and most importantly he hates with a passion ALL of Human Kind. Alas I am getting ahead of myself. I will write more on allaah’s (Satan’s) sheer and utter hatred of human kind later [¹].

For a few more references to that Ancient Serpent, who deceived Eve, please see - Genesis 3:2, 3:4, 3:13 & 14. What else does G-d’s (Christ’s) Holy Word tell us about this evil creature? (Yes, Satan (Allaah) is a created being, ergo ‘creature’) Well in Genesis 3:15 we read where G-d (Christ) foretells that one day, Satan (Allaah’s) head will be crushed by G-d’s (Christ’s) mightiness “…he will crush your head …”!

Are there any other references to Allaah in G-d’s Holy Word? Let’s have a look:

From above it was noted that one of the many names of allaah is also the “King of Tyre”, found in Ezekiel 28:12, moving on to Ezekiel 28:15 we read, “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until iniquity and guilt were found in you.” There are also what is commonly referred to as the “Five ‘I Wills’ of Satan” (which can be found here in Isaiah 14:12 – 17 (AMP) provides a great explanation for “iniquity and guilt” which were found in allaah noted in Ezekiel 28:15 above and resulted in his eventual demise. The “Five ‘I Wills’ of Satan (allaah)” are:

I - “I will ascend to heaven”

II - “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God”

III - “I will sit upon the mount of assembly”

IV -“I will ascend above the heights of the clouds”

V - “I will make myself like the Most High”

Beyond this, Ezekiel 28:13 says he (allaah) was in the Garden of Eden: “You were in Eden, the garden of God;…” 28:14 says he (allaah) was an anointed Cherub, “You were the anointed cherub…” and verses 15 and 16 explain how he (Satan) once was blameless and then rebelled “15 You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created until iniquity and guilt were found in you.

16 Through the abundance of your commerce you were filled with lawlessness and violence, and you sinned;…”. As a result of allaah’s (Shaytan’s / Satan’s / Hasatan’s) rebellion / rebellious ways, G-d cast him (allaah) out of heaven!

Allaah was cast out of Heaven, and this ‘casting out’ can be found referred to in both Isaiah 14:15 (AMP):

“…you shall be brought down to Sheol (Hades), to the innermost recesses of the pit (the region of the dead).”

and also in Ezekiel 28:17 & 18 (AMP):

“17…I cast you to the ground; I lay you before kings, that they might gaze at you.

18 You have profaned your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities and the enormity of your guilt, by the unrighteousness of your trade. Therefore I have brought forth a fire from your midst; it has consumed you, and I have reduced you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all who looked at you.”

So, what does all of this mean? And what could any of this possibly have to do with the allaah of Islam’s fame A) being Satan (Hasatan / Shaytan) or B) HATING people (all of mankind)?

First – Consider the above passages again:

G-d first created everything, our planet, creatures (both heavenly and earthly, including the heavenly host (angels) and the birds of the air, animals of the land and creatures of the sea. What we read in Ezekiel 28: 13, 14 & 15 is that allaah was:

‘in Eden, the garden of Eden’,

‘the anointed (guardian) cherub’, and that he was

‘…blameless in his ways from the day he was created until …’.

Until what? Until “iniquity and guilt were found in” him (allaah) - Ezekiel 28:15b

Second – At some point in time after G-d created allaah, G-d created MAN (Humankind, Adam) – Genesis 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

Now, before I elaborate on what any of this has to do with allaah hating mankind, let me re-iterate from above: G-d created a ‘Guardian Cherub’ (an Angel) and gave her [³] a very special place (possibly an Archangel [²]) in G-d’s heavenly Kingdom – right next to G-d’s throne. Then, as G-d’s creative work continued and was drawing very near completion, G-d did the unthinkable (unthinkable and perhaps unforgivable too, in alalah’s eyes). G-d created man (mankind) in HIS very own image!

[¹] Now to expand upon WHY, I think, Satan (allaah) was provoked initially to his jealousy & rage directed at G-d, and eventually HATRED toward, for and of all humankind (Why allaah hates all of mankind). Imagine if you will, being at the centre of G-d’s most cherished creation; sitting right next to G-d in the Heavenly Throne Room. Imagine having command over the entirety of the Angelic Host (an Archangel, really [²]) and basically being G-d’s “PET” creation… that is until G-d (Christ) creates / created man.

Suddenly, allaah found herself [³] no longer the “apple of G-d’s (Christ’s) eye”. No longer was allaah the centre of G-d’s Heavenly creatures... no, not any longer. For once G-d created man, all of G-d’s attention and affections were now directed at His ultimate creation – MAN (mankind). For the most part the Angelic Host rejoiced and was enthralled with G-d’s most incredible creation, the Archangel Michael as well as Gabriel [⁴] along with two-thirds of the Angelic Host in fact.

The remaining one-third (1/3) (Revelation 12:3 – 9) [⁶] however, lead by their insanely jealous master allaah, rebelled against G-d and His Holy Kingdom. You see folk part of the problem, and ultimately the whole crux of why allaah hates mankind, is that every time ole allaah gazes upon the face(s) of G-d’s ultimate, most prized, creation (mankind), she [³] (allaah) sees the face of G-d whom she [³] (allaah) despises; she [³] sees He (G-d) who cast her [³] (allaah) out of heaven.

Simply put, allaah looks upon man (mankind), and she [³] sees the face of the Almighty G-d (Christ), and becomes filled with an uncontrollable rage. Allaah, to be blunt, HATES humankind, and not just those of humankind who are faithful to G-d {Christians and the Jews}, but she [³] even hates her [³] own ‘faithful’, the Muslims (followers of Islam). Don’t believe me again? Consider this:

Allaah does not deal with rejection very well. Think again about his allaah’s reaction to the ultimate creation of G-d – MAN. Allaah’s reaction was not unlike a typical human toddler who, once having tasted to sheer joy of being his parent’s ‘one and only’, finds himself an older sibling. An older sibling to a new younger “attention grabber” from his parents, and the typical toddler does not deal with the new addition very well. Still not convinced?

Consider then not only how allaah deals with those who “reject” her [³] god-hood, she [³] calls for their mutilation and death. But, allaah is not just seeking or otherwise willing to settle for the annihilation of the Infidel, the ‘unbeliever’ (unbelievers of Islam that is), she [³] also very clearly seeks the destruction of her [³] own followers (Muslims). Think about recent history, just the past 10 to 12 years, if you will (update to last 15 years, as of 6 Feb 2016 [⁵]). Not only have militant followers of the evil Demi-god / She-Devil [³], allaah taken the lives of thousands of innocents just since the “September 11 Terrorist Attacks on the United States” (taken the lives of folk who are NOT believers in allaah, a.k.a. folk who are NOT Muslims); alas she [³] (allaah) has also taken the lives of scores of Muslims. Consider the plight(s) of Sunni’s and Shi’ites - allaah will never be satisfied until all human life has been wholly eradicated. Sunni’ hate Shi’ite’s and vice versa. And finally let’s NOT forget the tender children. Children at the tender ages of 10, 11 & 12, whose fathers and mothers regularly, willingly and wilfully, strap explosives onto their children to somehow ‘make amends’ for a POS Demi-god / She [³] Devil, who evidently cannot defend herself [³]!

Here are links to the Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28:

Isaiah 14 – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2014&version=AMP

Ezekiel 28 – http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2028&version=AMP

None of this sounds very much like something a loving G-d would do, does it? Have you any interest in “KNOWING” a real and true, Loving God?

“Know Jesus, know peace whereas no Jesus, no peace”

How does one get to “know” Jesus? Simple, invite Him into your heart, as Jesus says: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” [Revelation 3:20 NIV] How can we be assured that this Jesus stuff means anything, well because the Bible tells us so, as the Apostle Paul wrote:

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that G-d raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” [Romans 10:9-10 NIV]

If nothing else, PLEASE read two chapters from the Bible – (don’t own one, sorry NO excuse, if you’re reading this, you can access this: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%203:16&version=NIV) John 3 and John 14!

John 3:16 says: “For G-d so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

And John 14:6 says: “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Well that’s it, that’s Da Bauz’s take on, Who is Allaah, this 13th day of March 2012 © 2012, Amended this 6^th day February 2016. All Rights Reserved. wr (Da Bauz, Christian Zionist “creationist” too!)

Cited or consulted sources and resources

[²] - Satan (allaah) an Archangel - The Biblical texts only grant title of “Archangel” to Michael, though based upon the phraseology of the texts (Ezekiel 28:13, 14 & 15) surrounding Satan’s (allaah’s) perfect origins, and subsequent fall from Grace (read rebellion against the Most High G-d), it seems fair to speculate (not insist) that allaah herself [³] may have, in fact, been an Archangel

[³] -Satan as a she - The text found in Luke 3:32:

“…Go, tell that fox…” (possibly ‘go tell that effeminate one’) In the text found in Luke 13:32 we see Jesus the Christ use the word ‘fox’. The Greek word used here is alópéx, pronounced - al-o'-pakes - which literally means she-fox, it is a feminine noun. This reply given by Christ to some Pharisees (see Luke 13:31) who said that Herod wanted to kill Him (Christ). It has been said that Herod is a type and shadow of Satan, if not Satan herself, then the Anti-Christ certainly. Thus, Christ calls refers to King Herod as a she-fox, King Herod is noted for his exceedingly wicked, evil ways, and as such a type or shadow of the ancient evil one, Satan (Hasatan / Shaytan / Allaah). Take it as you will. I recommend reading Luke 13:22 – 35 for some basic context.

[⁴] - Archangels - The Biblical texts only grant title of “Archangel” to Michael, though some Intertestamental-period sources, such as the Book of Enoch, do afford Gabriel the title of Archangel also. See also “Why Angels” - http://bit.ly/1XaEIfl

[⁵] - Islamic terrorism over the last 15 years - http://bit.ly/1XaGBIY - though not an exhaustive list, it is very comprehensive

[⁶] - http://bit.ly/1XaEogN Got Questions RE: The remaining one-third (1/3) angels cast down from Heaven

http://bit.ly/1kliLwA - “Bible Hub”

http://bit.ly/1kliTMD - “BibleGateway”

Pages

Friday 30 March 2012

[1] Martin Luther

[2] Lutheran Church History, Beliefs, Changes

[3] Protestantism, The Protestant Reformation

[5] Anglican Church

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Saturday 24 March 2012

Friday 23 March 2012

Thursday 22 March 2012

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Tuesday 13 March 2012