Is God love?

Is God love?

Many preach a gospel of prosperity, and many preach God is love, and they are not wrong; both come from God, just as all other good comes from God. But they take this as His main attribute without considering the whole word of God, for it says that truth proceeds from the Father, so that truth comes before love and before prosperity. God does not reward the sinner who has not repented; likewise, His reward is in the next life, not this one. Christ said, "In this world you will have pain and suffering, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

There are many truths revealed in "The Seal of the Living God," some hidden since the foundation of the world. Yet Jesus said in Luke 12:2-3: 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3. Therefore, whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops. All truth will come to light because truth cannot be defeated and is without external influence by time, space, or matter. Lies cannot change truth; they can only change your perception of the truth, to your own detriment.

The Mystery of the Trinity

 

The Mystery of the Trinity

There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. All are one God; they cannot be separated one from the other any more than you can be separated from your thoughts or your feelings. ­­­God is one and He made us in His image. There are three different persons in one body in that your motives are not always in line with what you know you should do or what you feel like doing, nor do you do what you know you should do. Your character (which is what others see) is what you actually do. All three are you, but what others see might not reflect who you really are. With God, all three agree on every issue; thus, the three become one. So when the disciples saw Jesus (i.e., the character of God), they were actually seeing God. That is why Jesus said to the disciples, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.”

Is The Bible Historically Reliable?

Is the Bible Historically Reliable

One of the most common questions people ask today is, "Is the Bible historically reliable?"

Some believe the Bible is only a religious book, while others believe it contains real history and trustworthy testimony about God and His relationship with humanity.

When examining the reliability of the Bible, it is important to look at evidence, not just opinion. Historians often study ancient manuscripts, eyewitness accounts, and fulfilled prophecies to determine whether a document can be trusted. When the Bible is examined using the same standards applied to other ancient writings, it stands out as one of the most well-preserved and widely supported books in history.

The Old Testament was copied and preserved by generations of scribes who treated the text with extreme care. Discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls showed that many passages of the Bible were copied accurately for hundreds of years. This level of preservation is unusual compared to most ancient writings.

The New Testament is also supported by thousands of manuscripts. These documents come from different places and times, yet they contain the same message about Jesus Christ, His teachings, His death, and His resurrection. Historians often point out that the number of surviving New Testament manuscripts is greater than for most other ancient books.

Another reason many people believe the Bible is reliable is the presence of fulfilled prophecy. The Bible contains many predictions written long before the events happened. Christians believe that Jesus Christ fulfilled prophecies about the Messiah that were written centuries earlier. These include prophecies about His birth, His ministry, His suffering, and His resurrection.

Fulfilled prophecy does not force anyone to believe, but it does give strong reasons to take the Bible seriously. When a book consistently records events, preserves its message over time, and contains predictions that believers see as fulfilled, it deserves careful consideration.

Many readers who study these topics discover that faith in the Bible is not based only on tradition. Instead, it can be supported by history, testimony, and the message that runs through scripture from beginning to end.

These questions about truth, prophecy, and the reliability of the Bible are discussed in the Christian book The Seal of the Living God. The book explores why many people believe the Bible is trustworthy and why faith in Jesus Christ remains central to the message of salvation.

For anyone who wants to know whether the Bible can be trusted, the best approach is to examine the evidence personally and read the scriptures with an open and sincere mind.

Is the Prosperity Gospel Biblical?

The Prosperity Gospel: A Misguided Message?

The prosperity gospel, a theology that equates financial success with spiritual blessing, has gained popularity in recent years. However, this message contradicts the teachings of Jesus and His apostles. Not one of the apostles was rich; they all suffered and died for their faith. In fact, the Bible warns that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

The True Meaning of Blessing

The prosperity gospel preachers often claim that wealth and health are signs of God's favor, while poverty and sickness are signs of His disfavor. But this is not biblical. Jesus taught that true blessing is not about material wealth but about being content with whatever state we are in (Philippians 4:11-13). The apostle Paul wrote, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6).

A Different Gospel

The prosperity gospel is a different gospel, one that focuses on earthly gain rather than spiritual growth. It's a message that appeals to our selfish desires, rather than calling us to deny ourselves and follow Christ. Jesus warned, "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal" (Matthew 6:1).

The Biblical Perspective

The Bible teaches that suffering is a natural part of the Christian life. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The apostles suffered persecution, beatings, and even death for their faith, yet they remained faithful to the end.

In conclusion, the prosperity gospel is a misguided message that contradicts the teachings of Jesus and His apostles. A true blessing is not about material wealth, but about being content with whatever state we are in. Let's focus on storing up treasures in heaven, rather than seeking earthly gain 

Pain - What's it Good For? And why is Pain part of life?

Pain—What's It Good For? And why is pain part of life?

Pain is an inevitable part of everyday life. Some suffer more pain than others, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason for it. Let’s first consider what good can come from pain. Heat is a warning that warns us to pull back before we get burned. When we suffer an injury, the pain tells us to seek help or at least to clean and dress our wounds. So in essence, pain is a warning system that tells us something is wrong. Pain can cause an emotional reaction, which might lead to screaming, cussing, or both. This reaction lets those around us know that something is wrong and that we might need help. It seems that everything we do can cause pain. Eating too much (pain) or exerting too much (pain), or even sleeping too much, can cause pain. Pain is there to warn us, but the more we ignore it, the more pain we get. 

Pain is like a built-in alarm system that alerts us to potential harm, helping us protect ourselves. But it's not just physical—emotional pain can be just as real. And while it's not always easy, pain can be transformative, helping us grow, develop resilience, and find meaning in our experiences. 

If all we had to go by was pain, we would never know good, and the reverse is true as well. How could we know good if we never suffered pain? The Bible says that Jesus saw the joy set before Him and endured the cross with its scorn and shame. Pain is powerful, but the benefits are even more powerful. No matter what you are going through, our Mediator Jesus has gone through so much more, and He is able to get you through whatever pain is attacking you.

Is Truth Flexible?

Is Truth Flexible?

Truth today seems to be as flexible as a contortionist. We tend to twist it towards whatever outcome we want truth to declare. The problem we now encounter is we no longer recognize that it is a lie. The truth has not changed one iota; rather, our perception of what the truth is has clouded our minds, and now all we can see is what we want to see. It's like a mirage has taken over our intellects. Now, in real life, if we see a mirage, once we get to where we saw it, we realize it is a mirage. Not so with the lie. When you try to reach it, it just moves further away. People today are so afraid of the truth because they think it will tell them something they do not want to hear. And they are not wrong. Truth usually isn't something we want to hear, but it is always something we need to hear. Ignoring truth is like ignoring your taxes. It will never go away, and at some point we have to deal with it. Sadly when we reach the point that we cannot ignore it any longer, we find that the penalty is far greater than if we had just dealt with it when it originally flexed its ugly head. 

Sin is one of those things we put off, ignore, and lie to ourselves about more than any other factor. Why? Because we think that dealing with our sin is an impossible endeavor. It can't be done, so why try? The fact is that we cannot do a thing about the sin in our lives. You might say we were born to sin. This is by no means a good excuse; sin is wrong, and the penalty for sin is death. We have a solution provided us by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And it does not get any simpler than this: we admit we have a sin problem, ask Jesus into our lives, and He takes on our punishment for us. Just one caveat needs to be mentioned here. We must be sincere. If we meet this caveat and continue to be sincere, Jesus will cover our sins. You say, how will I stop sinning? You will not stop sinning, but if you were sincere, you would try very hard to stop sinning, thus showing that you have faith that God's Word is true. Then you just let Jesus do the heavy lifting.