Theodicy

Theodicy (from Greek theos, "god"; dike, "justice") is the explanation of why a perfectly good, almighty and all-knowing God permits evil.

If God is perfectly good, almighty and all-knowing, why does evil exist? The answer is actually found in the big overview of the Bible - creation, fall, redemption, restoration.

1. The Bible tells us that God's original creation was good;
2. Evil came from the fall of man when he refused to believe in God's word;
3. But God provided redemption by sending Jesus to die for the sin of the world;
4. In due time, God will effect the restoration of His creation to sinless perfection by destroying the current creation and replace it with a new one.

This leads to a second question. Why can't the perfectly good, almighty and all-knowing God do things right the first time?

The Bible did not answer this question directly. But in the book of Job, God did address this type of question by asking a series of questions (Job 38:1 - 40:2). It started with "Where were you when I established the earth? (Job 38:4 CSB)" and ended with "Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who argues with God give an answer. (Job 40:2 CSB)"

To me, this is a very logical rebuttal. Either God is perfectly good, almighty and all-knowing or you are. If God is perfectly good, almighty and all-knowing, you will have to accept that He plan to eradicate evil as given in the Bible is the best way, since He knows best. If you think that the current way is unsatisfactory and your way is better, then you are claiming to be more perfectly good, more almighty and more all-knowing than God.

Now I am not against anybody claiming to be better than God, but he or she better gives me a very good proof.

Uncaused Existence

"If everything has a cause, so why is God exempted? If uncaused existence is possible, then why don't you accept that the universe could be uncaused?"

When it comes to uncaused existence, there is a debate. Is this uncaused existence an intelligence, like God, or is it a system, like the laws of science? So what comes first, intelligence that create the laws of science, or a system of laws evolve intelligence by mindless trial and error process?

Common sense tells me that the intelligence comes first. I have never seen a system coming into existence on its own without human intelligence. The Bible also agrees with me.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 NASB, NIV, NLT)

But the evidence is not conclusive because there is only two levels of intelligence now - the uncaused intelligence (probably God) and human intelligence. It can always be argued that human intelligence can come from mindless evolution based on a uncaused existence of scientific laws because the age of the universe, currently (2013) estimated to be 13.82 billion years old, may be long enough for it to happen.

However, if the universe can be proven to be only 6000 years old, we can conclude confidently that the uncaused existence is intelligence, which is, God. Since the young universe has not been proven yet, many people cling to scientific laws as the uncaused existence. Because to acknowledge that the world is really created by an uncaused intelligence, there is an implication. Do we then have to submit to this intelligence?

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21 NIV)

The Great White Throne Judgement

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12 ESV)

Please note that only the dead will be judged at the great white throne judgement. The living will not be judged. Who are the living?

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: (John 11:25 KJV)

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6 ESV)

God May Tolerate Evil Now But He Will Judge

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:20-26 ESV)

Many people do not believe in God because evil exists in this world. But the truth is Jesus had already overcome sin and death. He will eventually reign over the whole world.

The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever." (Revelation 11:15 NIV)

Today God is tolerating evil because He is patient, waiting for more to come to repentance.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

But the day will come, when God's patience will end and every man will be judged according to his works.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (Galatians 6:7 ESV)

At the end of ages, when the fullness of sin is completed, all who do not believe will be judged at the great white throne judgement.

And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. (Revelation 20:12 ESV)

Lost And Found Again

At the beginning of the month, I lost my internet banking token in the bank. I looked inside my bag and I could not find it. I left the bank and on the way home, I thought I should have looked at the floor. Maybe it dropped on the floor while I was taking my things. Since I did not and it was too late to go bank, I gave a short prayer to God about getting the token back. I remembered the many times He answered my prayers for lost stuff.

This morning, when I was clearing some files form my bag, I found the token right at the bottom of mu bag. My God answered my prayer again even though the token was not too important to me. And again, there was some degree of scepticism on my part that I would ever see the token again.

Thank you Lord for answering a prayer of weak faith.

All And Everything

Seek God at all times!
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:6 NLT)

Thank God for everything!
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)

Praise God for everything!
I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. (Psalm 34:1 NLT)

Glorify God in all you do!
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV)

Resurrection Day 2019

Today is Resurrection Day. It has nothing to do with Easter or Eggs. It is also the first day of the week.

Today we commemorates the resurrection of Jesus the Messiah which happened historically on 5 April 33 AD. It is also the Feast of First Fruits for Israel. This is not a coincidence, but the fulfilment of Moses prophecy of the Messiah in the seven festivals given to Israel in Leviticus 23.

The Messiah died on the Passover (Leviticus 23:4-8) as the passover lamb (John 1:29) on 3 April 33 AD, which was a Friday and resurrected on 5 April 33 AD during the Feast of First Fruits (Leviticus 23:9-11), which was a Sunday, because He is the first fruits of all who will be resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:20).

The Passover is always start from the sunset of 14 Nisan and end on the sunset of 15 Nisan. (Like the Chinese calendar, day 15 of the Hebrew calendar is always the full moon).

The Feast of First Fruits is always on the first day after the sabbath following the Passover.

Holidays of Israel for 2019 / 5779
Passover: 20 April / 15 Nisan (Saturday /  Sabbath)
Feast of First Fruits: 21 April / 16 Nisan (Sunday, first day after Sabbath)
Feast of Unleavened Breads: 20-27 April / 15-22 Nisan (Saturday to Saturday)

Your can use this Hebrew Date Converter to do conversion. However, the results for before the year 1752 AD and earlier may be inaccurate as this converter does not take into account a correction of ten days that was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII known as the Gregorian Reformation.

During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. (Acts 1:3 NLT)
Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. (Romans 6:8-9 ESV)
For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. (1 Thessalonians 4:14 NLT)

Karma - Buddhism Versus Reality

The follow quote taken from "Basic Buddhism: The Theory of Karma" explains the Buddhist Karma:

QUOTE
Karma is the law of moral causation. The theory of Karma is a fundamental doctrine in Buddhism. This belief was prevalent in India before the advent of the Buddha. Nevertheless, it was the Buddha who explained and formulated this doctrine in the complete form in which we have it today.

1. What is the cause of the inequality that exists among mankind?
2. Why should one person be brought up in the lap of luxury, endowed with fine mental, moral and physical qualities, and another in absolute poverty, steeped in misery?
3. Why should one person be a mental prodigy, and another an idiot?
4. Why should one person be born with saintly characteristics and another with criminal tendencies?
5. Why should some be linguistic, artistic, mathematically inclined, or musical from the very cradle?
6. Why should others be congenitally blind, deaf, or deformed?
7. Why should some be blessed, and others cursed from their births?

Either this inequality of mankind has a cause, or it is purely accidental. No sensible person would think of attributing this unevenness, this inequality, and this diversity to blind chance or pure accident.

In this world nothing happens to a person that he does not for some reason or other deserve. Usually, men of ordinary intellect cannot comprehend the actual reason or reasons. The definite invisible cause or causes of the visible effect is not necessarily confined to the present life, they may be traced to a proximate or remote past birth.

According to Buddhism, this inequality is due not only to heredity, environment, "nature and nurture", but also to Karma. In other words, it is the result of our own past actions and our own present doings. We ourselves are responsible for our own happiness and misery. We create our own Heaven. We create our own Hell. We are the architects of our own fate.
UNQUOTE

To summarise, Buddhism believed that every action you do will generate a reaction back to yourself. It is a one-to-one karma.

But in reality, karma is not necessarily one-to-one. In fact, most of the time, it is not. It has a multiplier effect. An ancestor's migration has an impact on his descendants. A ruler has an impact on a country. A religion's founder has an impact over millions or billions of people over a long period of time. The reaction to an action spreads by the natural laws of propagation. It can be for good or for bad. There is even a mathematical theory call Chaos Theory to explain how a very small change can have big consequences. All these are observable and true in the real world.

Buddha attributed the obviously observable lack of one-to-one karma in the real world to an unproven process call reincarnation. If you cannot trace the reaction to an action in your present life, then it must be caused by an action in your past life. If your action has not generated an appropriate reaction in your present life, you will get the reaction in your next life.

The Bible tells us that unfairness and inequality were caused by Adam when he disobeyed God in the garden of Eden. He ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thinking that it would make him like God. Through his disobedience, sin entered the world and spread via the natural laws of propagation. Being the first ancestor, his action caused a reaction that impact all his descendants. This reaction is still multiplying.

Buddhism Is False By Raymond

Found this article, "Why I Believe Buddhism and their Beliefs are False", which I quote below:

QUOTE
This is an interesting article on Buddhism written from a specific perspective. I do not know who wrote it. However I thought it would make people think about concepts that they have heard of but not what they really mean. Most people really do not know what Buddhism really believes.
1.What is Buddhism?
2.Who is Buddha?
3.What is karma and reincarnation?
4.Theory explains phenomena.
5.Reincarnation is a theory
6.Reincarnation contradicts the phenomenon of mediums invoking the spirit of the dead.
7.Spirit possession theory explains all these phenomena.
8.Demon possession.
9.Deception.
10.Works versus Grace
11. Conclusion.
1. What is Buddhism.
Buddhism is a widespread Asian religion or philosophy founded by Siddartha Gautama (Buddha;c.563-c.460 BC) in north east India in the 5^th century BC, which teaches that elimination of the self and earthly desires is the route to enlightenment.
There are two main schools of thought in Buddhism, the Theravada and the Mahayana, Theravada Buddhists believe they must personally eradicate their mental defilements and develop all the great virtues in order to gain their final salvation by following the method and example prescribed by the Buddha. They respect Bodhisattvas but do not regard them as saviours.
In the Mahayana school of thought, the Bodhisattvas play an important role by showing others the path to attain Nibbana. A Bodhisattva is a  person who is able to be released from Samsara and reaching Nibbana but delays doing so through compassion for suffering beings.
The practice of Buddhism has been modified by local customs, producing distinct varieties of worship. They include the Indian, Tibetan, Ceylonese (Sri Lankan), Burmese, Thai, Cambodian, Chinese and  Japanese varieties. It is claimed that the Siddhartha Gautama’s way of life and doctrine were substantially different from the Hindu (Vedic and Brahmanism) believing people in India. Yet he embraced the Hindu beliefs of Karma and rebirth explaining it as a natural law of cause and effect. Hence Buddhism is often considered as an off-shoot of Hinduism because it shares with Hinduism its core beliefs of Karma and reincarnation. It also shares many common terms, some of which are:  Dharma, Samsara, Mantra, Samadhi and Aum.
What distinguishes it from Hinduism is that it does not invoke the existence of gods.
Although claiming to be non-theistic, yet the practice of Buddhism involves worship of the statue or image of Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhists claim is that these images are not idols but are symbolic representations of his great qualities
One of his original concepts is that of dependent origination. It claims that that life or the world is built on a set of relations, in which the arising and cessation of factors depend on some other factors which condition them so that all phenomena in this universe are relative, conditioned states and do not arise independently of supportive conditions. Hence Buddhism does not support the concept of a creator or first cause. Since everything is conditioned, relative, and interdependent, there is nothing in this world which could be regarded as a permanent entity, variously regarded as an ego or an eternal soul.
This provided the basis for another original concept called the Anatta doctrine, interpreted as the absence of a distinct soul, self and ego for each person. Yet he believed the sum total of the Karma in the form of a consciousness for each person is distinct and continues after bodily death by reincarnating in another body. He introduced the idea of the Four Noble Truths, Suffering, the Arising of Suffering, the ceasing of Suffering, and the approach to the ceasing of Suffering.
Another original concept introduced  is The Eightfold path of a righteous life consisting of  Right Speech, Sila Right Action Morality, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Samadhi Right Mindfulness Mental culture, Right Concentration, Right Understanding, Panna Right Thoughts Wisdom. The adherence to this path would bring a Buddhist devotee closer to the salvation called Nibbana.
In Buddhism, there is no such thing as sin as explained by other religions. Sin is merely unskilful or unwholesome action resulting in further suffering in the present life or future lives. His rejection of the caste system appealed especially to the untouchables.
2. Who is Buddha.
A Buddhist apologist, K.Sri Dhammananda describes Buddha as follows:
Gautama Buddha, the founder of what came to be known as Buddhism, lived in Northern India in the 6^th century B.C. His personal name was Siddhartha, and family name Gotama. The name ‘Buddha’ was given to Him after He attained Enlightenment and realized the Truth. It means the ‘Awakened’ or the ‘Enlightened One’. He generally called Himself the Tathagata, while His followers called Him Bhagava, the Blessed One. Others spoke of Him as Gotama or Sakyamuni.
He was born a prince who seemed to have everything. He had a luxurious upbringing and His family was of pure descent on both sides. He was the heir to the throne, extremely handsome, inspiring trust, stately and gifted with great beauty of complexion and fine presence. At sixteen He married His cousin named Yasodhara who bore Him a son whom they called Rahula. His wife was majestic, cheerful day and night, and full of dignity and grace.
Despite all this, He felt trapped amidst the luxury like a bird in a golden cage. During a visit to the city one day, He saw what is known as the ‘Four Sights’, that is, an old man, a sick man, a dead man, and a holy recluse. When He saw the sights, one after another, the realization came to Him that, ‘it is subject to age and death’. He asked, ‘Where is the realm of life in which there is neither age nor death?’ The sight of the recluse, who was calm for having given up the craving for material life, gave him the clue that the first step in His search for Truth was Renunciation.
Determined to find the way out of these universal sufferings, He decided to leave home to find the cure not for Himself only, but for all mankind. One night in His twenty-ninth year, He bade His sleeping wife and son a silent farewell, saddled His great white horse, and rode off toward the forest.
His renunciation is unprecedented in history. He left at the height of youth, from pleasures to difficulties, from certainty of material security to uncertainty, from a position of wealth and power to that of a wandering ascetic who took shelter in the cave and forest, with His ragged robe as the only protection against the blazing sun, rain and winter winds. He renounced His position, wealth, promise of prestige and power, and a life filled with love and hope in exchange for the search for Truth which no one had found.
For six long years, He laboured to find the Truth. He studied under the foremost masters of the day and learned all these religious teachers could teach Him. When He could not find what He was looking for, He joined a band of ascetics and tortured His body to break its power and crush its interference, since it was believed that Truth could be found this way. A man of enormous energy and will power, He outdid other ascetics in every austerity they proposed. While fasting, He ate so little that when He took hold of the skin of His stomach, He touched His spine. He pushed Himself to the extent that no man had done and yet lived. He, too, would have certainly died had He not realized the futility of self-mortification, and decided to practise moderation instead.
On the full moon night of the month of Vesakha, He sat under the Bodhi tree at Gaya, wrapped in deep meditation. It was then that His mind burst the bubble of the universe and realized the true nature of all life and all things. At the age of 35 years, He was transformed from an earnest truth seeker into the Buddha, the Enlightened One.
For nearly half a century, the Buddha walked on the dusty paths of India Teaching the Dhamma so that those who heard and practised could be ennobled and free. He founded an order of monks and nuns, challenged the caste system, raised the status of women, taught religious freedom and free inquiry, opened the gates of deliverance to all, in every condition of life, high or low, saint or sinner, and ennobled the lives of criminals like Angulimala and courtesans like Ambapali.
He was towering in wisdom and intellect. Every problem was analyzed in component parts and then reassembled in logical order with the meaning made clear. None could defeat Him in dialogue. An unequalled teacher, He still is the foremost analyst of the mind and phenomena even up to the present day. For the first time in history, He gave men the power to think for themselves, raised the worth of mankind, and showed that man can reach to the highest knowledge and supreme Enlightenment by his own efforts.
Despite His peerless wisdom and royal lineage, He was never removed from the simple villager. Surface distinctions of class and caste meant little to Him. No one was too little or low for Him to help. Often when an outcast, or poor and dejected came to Him, his self-respect was restored and he turned from the ignoble life to that of a noble being.
The Buddha was full of compassion(karuna)and wisdom(panna), knowing how and what to teach everyone for his own benefit according to his level and capabilities. He was known to have walked long distances to help one single person.
He was affectionate and devoted to His disciples, always inquiring after their well-being and progress. When staying at the monastery, He paid daily visits to the sick wards. His compassion for the sick can be seen from His advice, ‘He who attends the sick, attends on me.’ The Buddha kept order and discipline based on mutual respect. King Pasenadi could not understand how the Buddha maintained such order and discipline in the community of monks, when he as a king with the power to punish, could not maintain it as well in his court.
The Buddha did not claim to have ‘created’ worldly conditions, universal phenomena, or the Universal Law which we call the ‘Dhamma’. Although described as lokavidu or ‘knower of the worlds’, He was not regarded as the sole custodian of the Universal Laws. He freely acknowledge that the Dhamma, together with the working of the cosmos, is timeless, it has no creator and is independent in the absolute sense. Every conditioned thing that exists in the cosmos is subject to the operation of Dhamma. What the Buddha did (like all the other Buddhas before Him) was to rediscover this infallible Truth and make it known to mankind. In discovering the Truth, He also found the means whereby one could ultimately free oneself from being subjected to the endless cycle of conditioning, with its attendant evils of unsatisfactoriness.
After forty-five years of ministry, the Buddha passed away at the age of eighty at kusinara, leaving behind thousands of followers, monks and nuns, and a vast treasure store of Dhamma Teaching. The impact of His great love and dedication is still felt today.
3. What is Karma and Reincarnation.
Karma is the sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as affecting their future fates. (i.e. the effects of a person’s actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation)
The origin of this word is from the Sanskritkarman which means ‘action, effect, fate’.
Reincarnation is the rebirth of a soul in a new body.
Incarnation is a spirit embodied in a living human from. To incarnate is to be invested in a bodily form. The origin of this word is from the Latin in- carn- which means ‘into’ ‘flesh’.
Reincarnation is a necessary adjunct to Karma. This is because incomplete punishment for a person’s evil deeds in this life will be completed in future lives.
How else would punishment for the evil deeds of Pol Pot and Idi Amin be justly meted out as these two persons died peacefully in ripe old age. It is believed that reincarnation takes place at conception or when the baby is in the womb or at birth.
4. Theory explains phenomena.
A phenomenon is a fact that is observed to exist or happen. A theory is a system of ideas intended to explain phenomena. Consistency is a harmonious agreement amongst things or parts without contradictions.
If a phenomenon contradicts a theory, then the theory is inconsistent and is probably false. If this phenomenon is consistent with another theory, then the second theory should replace the first theory.
5. Reincarnation is a theory to explain the phenomena of persons being able to recall events experienced by individuals who have died.
The strongest evidence supporting the theory of reincarnation is from the work of Ian Stevenson who documented numerous cases of children ‘recalling’ historical events and relatives of deceased individuals. Some of these amazing claims have been corroborated.
(Ref: Old Souls, the scientific evidence for past lives by Tom Shroder, published by Simon & Schuster, Rockefeller Center, 1230, Ave of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. ISBN 0-684-85192-X ©1999.)
6. Reincarnation contradicts the phenomenon of mediums invoking the spirit of the dead.
Reincarnation cannot explain how temple mediums are able to invoke the spirits of the departed.
If the spirit of the departed has already reincarnated into another body, how can it also appear in the temple medium?
7. Spirit possession theory explains all these phenomena.
To possess is to have complete power over.
The origin of this word is from the Latin possidere which means ‘occupy, hold’.
Spirit possession is the state of being under complete control of a spirit. Spirit possession is real ( Mark 1:23-25, 5:1-20, 7:24-30, 9:17-27).
Spirit possession can explain how temple mediums are able to invoke the spirits of the departed. It can also explain how some persons are able to accurately recall events experienced by individuals who have long since died.
A definite case of spirit possession is described by Roy Stemman about a Thai Buddhist monk who was born one day before his previous body died.
This case cannot be explained by reincarnation because it would mean that the baby was born without a spirit and remained without a spirit for one day.
The logical explanation is that the baby was already born with an original spirit. One day after birth, his body became inhabited or possessed by another spirit.
(Reincarnation, Amazing True Cases From Around The World by Roy Stemman (Editor of Reincarnation International), published by Judy Piatkus Ltd. Windmill Street, London W1P 1HF. ISBN 0-7499-1708-3 hbk, ISBN 0-7499-1787-3 pbk ©1997 (Ref: in page 38))
I believe the spirit that possesses the body of a person suppresses the expression of the original spirit of that person. I believe all possessing spirits are evil, otherwise they would not possess. I believe the Holy Spirit does not possess. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit renders a person free to choose.
8. Demon possession.
A demon is an evil spirit or devil. A person is demon possessed if he is completely controlled by an evil spirit. I believe demons are fallen angels, Satan being chief among them. A medium is a person who claims to be able to communicate between the dead and the living.
Temple mediums appear to be able to summon the spirit of the departed. They go into a trance, as if possessed, before they appear to talk like the deceased person. I believe that the demonic spirit which has possessed the departed individual was invited by the medium to speak through the medium.
I believe yoga meditation, which involves a process of emptying oneself of logic and reason, is a ploy by Satan to deceive the devotee into preparing himself as fertile ground for demon possession.
Demon possession is evil because it enslaves and suppresses the free will of the individual.
When the Hindu or Buddhist parents bring their children to their temples, they are actually offering their children as human sacrifice to demons for  possession.
I believe when an unsaved person’s body dies, his original spirit is released into the spirit realm to dwell there until the final judgment  because it is unable to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Through Hinduism and Buddhism, Satan and his fellow demonic spirits have deceived many generations of people in large parts of the world into unwittingly allowing their bodies and souls to be possessed.  This permits the demonic spirits to ‘reincarnate’ in them serially.
I believe the spirit realm is the ‘valley of the shadow of death’ (Psalm 23:4).
I believe the original spirit of an individual is from God and is eternal. When an individual’s body dies, his original spirit leaves the body and enters the spirit realm.
When a person accepts Jesus as Savior, his or her spirit becomes a sibling of Jesus who is the first born of God (Abba). As this spirit is a relative of Abba, it is permitted to enter and ‘dwell in the house of the Lord forever’ (Psalm 23:6).
If a person, during his lifetime, has not accepted Jesus as his Savior, his spirit is not sanctified (separated as holy). Even if he has performed many miracles in the name of God, his spirit would not be permitted to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7: 21-23).
When his body dies, his spirit would remain in the spirit realm until the day of final judgment, when he will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever (Revelation 20:11-15).
9. Deception.
Deception means to deliberately mislead or misrepresent the truth; to swindle, hoax, cheat, dupe, fool, or entrap.
I believe the theory of spirit possession can explain all the phenomena attributed to the theory of reincarnation as well as explain the phenomenon of invoking the spirits of the departed.
Because of this, I consider the theory of reincarnation as redundant, unnecessary and even false.
As the theory of reincarnation is open to question, it then follows that the theory of karma is also open to question.
As the theories of reincarnation and karma form the foundations of Hinduism, Buddhism and New Age, then these systems of belief are also open to question.
Then what is the purpose of the theory of reincarnation?
I believe the purpose is deception.
I believe this concept of Nirvana is a deception hatched by Satan and his fellow demonic spirits.
I believe the demonic spirit seeks to escape from the valley of the shadow of death and the eventual great white throne judgment and inevitable punishment in the lake of fire.
I believe the demonic spirit believes that by doing good works it can seek favour with God in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.
I believe on entry into the kingdom of heaven, these demons, under the leadership of Satan, will, once again, attempt to overthrow God (God).
Since the demonic spirit is unable to do good deeds in the spirit form, it needs to incarnate (to become invested in a bodily form) by possessing the body of some unsuspecting person in order to do good deeds.
Hence it needs to ‘re-incarnate’. ‘Reincarnation’ does not occur with the original spirit of an individual. ‘Reincarnation’ occurs with demonic spirits. They hop from body to body, possessing and suppressing the original spirit within each new body.
Through Hinduism and Buddhism, and their core belief of karma and reincarnation, Satan has deceived many people into accepting and believing that by doing good works, a person would qualify to have his spirit  elevated from one lifetime to the next in order to eventually reach a state of spiritual ‘enlightenment’.
I believe even rational and logical thinking persons can choose to believe in ‘reincarnation’. This is because they have been deceived by demonic spirits. They are rendered blind to reason and logic regarding spiritual matters.
 Deception is the signature of Satan.
I believe God created man to fellowship with. God gave man dominion over the earth.  The first action of Satan to Adam and Eve was deception. Satan possessed the serpent and duped Eve and Adam into eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the one which God specifically forbade them to eat. (Genesis 3:1-7)
By this hoax, Satan cheated  mankind  of his right standing with God and dominion over the earth. Instead, mankind, including myself came under dominion of Satan and was headed for certain death.
In the ‘fallen’ state, I am unable to fellowship with God. However, God still wanted to fellowship with me.
The triune Godhead sent a part of Himself, Jesus to earth as a man to die and bear the total punishment for the disobedience (sin) of all of mankind so that in believing in this sacrifice, my  fallen spiritual self will die and become reborn as a  sibling of Christ Jesus.
As a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), I can directly fellowship with God by casting all my cares to Him, secure in the belief that I have absolute right-standing with Him ( Psalm 55:22, 1 Peter 5:7)
When I believe in Jesus as my savior, I am freed from bondage to Satan. Satan is powerless to prevent me from believing the good news of the divine exchange. What he can do is to attempt  to deceive me with alternative routes to God like Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age and Islam. Satan inspired Hinduism and Buddhism with the core beliefs of Karma and reincarnation. The concept of reincarnation has been debunked by the concept of demonic spirit possession explaining all the ‘evidence’ proffered for reincarnation.
Hence reincarnation is a lie and Hinduism, Buddhism, and New Age beliefs are deceptions. They bear the signature of Satan. With the death burial and resurrection of Jesus, Satan has had been stripped of his power over me and over anyone else who believe in the risen Jesus Christ.
The demonic possessing spirit prevents the person from hearing and understanding the good news of Grace.
In order to set free any person under bondage of demonic spirits, one can drive out demons by calling on the name of Jesus because ‘at the name of Jesus, every knee will bow’ (Philippians 2:10).
Once liberated, that person, if chosen by God,  would be able to see and believe the Gospel (good news) which is ‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
10. Works versus grace.
Most religions include in their system of beliefs the belief that doing good deeds and avoiding bad deeds make a person more spiritually ‘pure’ and therefore more acceptable by the creator.
I believe one of the main deceptions of Satan is the belief that ‘do good gets good and do bad gets bad and that if a person’s good deeds outnumber the bad, he gets to enter heaven. This is contrary to my belief that a person can never by his good deeds qualify for entry into heaven. It is only by the grace of Abba that those who have been chosen will be invited into heaven.
Grace Christianity is the only belief system which holds that nothing  man does  will qualify him to be acceptable by God, and that it is only by the grace of God is man accepted by God.  The grace of God is His son, Jesus. Only by accepting Jesus as my personal saviour can I be accepted by God. All other ways, including doing good deeds count for nothing. Jesus’s voluntary death at the cross permitted an exchange to take place, his life for mankind’s death, his perfection for man’s imperfection, his goodness for man’s evil etc.  Also, Jesus came to life again and returned to his father the creator.
Because I choose to accept Jesus as my personal saviour, I become a sibling of Jesus. Now of my bodily death, as a relative of God, my spirit can then enter and ‘dwell in the house of the Lord forever’ (Psalm 23:6). Because I believe in Jesus, my spirit welcomes the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, all possessing spirits would be driven out. The Holy Spirit will never leave me nor forsake me forever (Deuteronomy 31:8).
When an individual does not have the Holy Spirit dwelling within, he is open to demonic spirit possession and is especially vulnerable when depressed or despondent.
11. Conclusion.
I believe Grace Christianity is the only way of reaching my creator, God. All other ways, though appealing, are not genuine and may lead to possession by demons.
Because I believe in free choice after making my choice, I choose freedom from demon possession by calling upon the name of Jesus.
UNQUOTE

Isaiah Foretold Resurrection Of Jesus

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus will die in Isaiah 53:7-8 quoted in Acts 8:32-34.
This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." (Acts 8:32-34 NIV)

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. (Isaiah 53:7-8 NIV)

He also prophesied that Jesus would be executed with criminals but will be buried in a rich man's tomb.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:9 NIV)

Then finally, Isaiah prophesied that "he will see his offspring and prolong his days". This showed that He would be resurrected.
Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:10 NIV)

Salvation by Grace through Faith - 2

Saved by grace, not by works. Saved for the glory of God.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)
I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:21 KJV)
For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time - to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:9 NLT)
He saved us - not by works of righteousness that we had done, but according to His mercy - through the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:5 HCSB)

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (Psalm 23:3 ESV)
"The people whom I formed for Myself Will declare My praise. (Isaiah 43:21 NASB)
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NASB)

Christian Living Summary For April 2019

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (Romans 6:18 NIV)

What did Jesus save me from?
He saved me from my sins.
What should I do after I am saved?
Feed the new man.
Grow the new man.

What happens when we are born again?
What every Christian must do? Read, Pray and Grow.

What Every Christian Must Do - 4 Grow

How to grow?

Like the plant, abide.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4 KJV)

Like little children, feed.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (1 Corinthians 3:2 KJV)
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4 KJV)

Like all who wish to have a healthy body, exercise.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22 KJV)

Like those who want to maintain sanity, fellowship.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25 KJV)

And God will do the rest, just as how He grow babies and plants. Actually, He is really the One doing all things.
For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13 CSB)

Just seedlings and babies transformed into adults, we will be transformed to be like Christ.
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord - who is the Spirit - makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. (2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT)

But God will let the old man and new man live together while we are alive in our flesh.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30 KJV)

But if we preserve, in due time we shall reap.
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9 ESV)

We entrust our growth and preservation to He who is faithful.
He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:24 ESV)

Those who have fallen are never called in the first place.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19 ESV)

I Am Saved By The Works Of Jesus My God - 2

Because Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, to bring you to God, by being put to death in the flesh but by being made alive in the spirit. (1 Peter 3:18 NET)
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. (Hebrews 9:12 NIV)
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25 NIV)

This is good news for me. For Christ had died for my sins. I am saved because of what He has done on the cross. I have no confidence that if I have to work for my salvation, I can meet the KPI of a perfect God. By the standards of men, I cannot even make it to Harvard or Oxford. How can I expect to meet the standard of a perfectly holy God intent of keeping His heaven pure and unblemished? But it is Christ who saved me and worked in me and I will eventually be given a spiritual body at resurrection.

For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13 CSB)
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:44 ESV)
And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30 ESV)
He has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. (2 Timothy 1:9 CSB)

Unbelief Has Its Consequences

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26 ESV)

Man's ultimate sin is unbelief. He does not believe in the word of God. For this he will go to hell.

There is a guy who does not believe in the law of gravity. One day, he decided to prove to everyone that the law does not exist. He went to a tall building and jumped down. He died because of his unbelief.

Then many said of this guy, "He was a good man. He donate money to charity. He volunteered in old folk's homes. He was kind to his colleagues, generous to his friends, filial to his parent and faithful to his wife. How can Nature be so unfair and let him die just because he did not believe in the law of gravity?"

God is Nature. As Nature behaves, so God behaves.

God is Truth. Not to believe in Truth has its consequences.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18 KJV)

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 ESV)

I Am Saved By The Works Of Jesus My God

For the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel from faith to faith, just as it is written, "The righteous by faith will live." (Romans 1:17 NET)
Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith." (Galatians 3:11 NIV)
Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. (Hebrews 10:38 KJV)
Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4 HCSB)

This is good news for me. My salvation is based on what Jesus had done for me on the cross. The just shall live by faith. I live by faith in what He had done for me on the cross and it is His righteousness that I am dependent on.

If my salvation is dependent on myself or something I do, I will surely fail.
If salvation is dependent on my love for God, I am sure I do not love Him enough.
If salvation is dependent on the good works I do, I am sure I do not do enough.
If salvation is dependent on keeping the law of God, I am sure I have broken many commandments.
If salvation is dependent on my achievement in life, I am sure I do not achieve enough.

But because my salvation is based on what Jesus had done for me on the cross, I am sure of my salvation.

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 ESV)
And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 NASB)

Unbelief - Past, Present, Future

The cause of sin is unbelief.

The past
In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve did not believe God that if they eat of the fruit of tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they will die.
And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die." (Genesis 2:16-17 NIV)

The present
Today, people see Israel becoming a nation but refused to believe that this is an act of God. God is putting Israel as His flag on earth, signally His intention to set up His kingdom soon.
In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea. He will raise a signal for the nations and will assemble the banished of Israel, and gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. (Isaiah 11:11-12 ESV)

The future
People are worried about climate change and the end of the world. They do not believe the Bible which said that the end of the world is still at least 1007 years away. There must first come 7 years of tribulation followed by the millennium rule by Jesus. Then only will the world end.
And he hath strengthened a covenant with many - one week, and in the midst of the week he causeth sacrifice and present to cease, and by the wing of abominations he is making desolate, even till the consummation, and that which is determined is poured on the desolate one.' (Daniel 9:27 YLT)
Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4-6 ESV)