A Faith That Grows

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)

We are saved by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

We are saved through faith in the finished works of our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, at the cross (John 3:36, John 19:30).

Because we are saved by His works, not ours, our salvation is assured (1 Thessalonians 5:24, 2 Timothy 2:13).

But the faith that saves does take time to grow. To have a faith that grows, you need to know God. To know God, you need to know His Word the Bible.

All Religions Are True?

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)

All religions are true. God can be reached by different religions. Many rivers flow by many ways but they fall into the sea. They all are one. - Sri Ramakrishna (1836-02-18 to 1886-08-16)

Let say there is a big problem that will cause the end of the world. Let say there are found 10 ways that will effectively solve this problem and the world will not end. Nine of these ways do not require the death of any living thing. The tenth way requires the death of your only son. What will you do? Will you offer up your son and say, "Better let him die and save the world, just in case the other nine ways fail" or would you say, "Why don't we try the nine other ways first?"

If God knew of nine effective ways to save the world without the death of any living thing, why would He send His only begotten Son to die on the cross? God would have committed a blunder that even a normal, rational human does not do.

Many people like to say that all religions are true, but may I submit to you that this statement is a lie. If the Bible is true, then all the non-Bible based religions are false. If one or some or all non-Bible based religions are true, then Christianity is false. So it will never be "all religions are true".

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6 KJV)

"Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah 45:22 ESV)

Origin Of Philistines Solved By DNA

Mizraim fathered the people of Lud, Anam, Lehab, Naphtuh, Pathrus, Casluh (the Philistines came from them), and Caphtor. (Genesis 10:13-14 CSB)

A quote from this article, "DNA shows Philistines, and modern-day Palestinians, were really European - Metro Voice News 2019-07-05":

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A dramatic and explosive DNA discovery in Israel has implications for the political struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. Three years ago, archaeologists digging in Israel revealed they had excavated a Philistine cemetery for the first time ever.  Now, an extensive report on the DNA taken from the bones they uncovered has confirmed the origins of the Philistines - one of the arch-enemies of the biblical Israelites.

"We've been able to demonstrate for the first time that the Philistines were immigrants to the region of Philistia," said Daniel Master, director of the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon.

Scientists have long suspected that modern day Palestinians are not Arab, but actually descendants of European (and mainly pre-Greek) settlers in the region.

State-of-the-art DNA testing on the ancient Philistine bones showed they had European ancestry and migrated across the Mediterranean more than 3,000 years ago and just before the Israelites were given the land by God.
.. .. ..
The DNA revelations have become a problem for many Arab leaders, but especially the terrorist groups of Hamas which controls modern-day Gaza. If Palestinians have no historical claim of always have lived in the land, why is the conflict between Jews and Palestinians allowed to continue at great cost?
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For the day has come to destroy all the Philistines and to remove all survivors who could help Tyre and Sidon. The LORD is about to destroy the Philistines, the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor. (Jeremiah 47:4 NIV)

The Philistines were destroyed by the Babylonians and the current Palestinians are not related to them. Zephaniah 2:7 was fulfilled when Israel was restored in 1948 and rebuild the city of Ashkelon.

Jesus Will Land On Mount Olive

On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward. And you shall flee to the valley of my mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach to Azal. And you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him. (Zechariah 14:4-5 ESV)

The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. (Revelation 16:19 ESV)

"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16 ESV)

Jesus Is Coming Again From The Cloud

"Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11 NIV)

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. (Revelation 1:7 ESV)

Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30 ESV)

And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." (Mark 14:62 ESV)

For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. (Matthew 16:27 ESV)

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:26 ESV)

And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. (Luke 21:27 ESV)

"I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. (Daniel 7:13 ESV)

"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on me, on him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10 ESV)

It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,  to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 1:14-15 ESV)

More On Joseph's Bones

Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I am Pharaoh, but no one will be able to raise his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt without your permission." (Genesis 41:44 HCSB)

Joseph achieved great things in life. But in Hebrews 11:22, Joseph commendation was not about what a great job he did in Egypt in managing the famine, but about his faith in God's Word regarding his bones.

Have we also have done a great job in our life? But whether we did a good or bad job, our commendation will be like Joseph's, based on our faith in God and His Word.

God's KPI is clearly stated in the Bible. Let us not missed it.

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 ESV)

Joseph's Bones

Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." (Genesis 50:25 ESV)

If we read about Joseph in the Bible, especially in Sunday School context, our focus will probably be his father's favouritism, his God-given wisdom in interpretation of dreams, how his brothers sold him to Egypt as a slave, how he became the vizier of Egypt and how Jacob and his sons went to Egypt.

There is an aspect of Joseph which is likely to be missed when we study about Joseph. He was a great manager. When he became a slave of Potiphar, Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph's care and he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate (Genesis 39:6). Likewise for the prison warden who left everything under Joseph's care because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did (Genesis 39:23). It was the same with Pharaoh, who put the whole Egypt under Joseph (Genesis 41:40).

We noted the Bible's emphasis on God being the source of Joseph's wisdom. Like Daniel (Daniel 2:28) later, Joseph told the Pharaoh that his ability to interpret dreams came from God (Genesis 41:16). The same he told the cupbearer and the baker of Pharaoh (Genesis 40:8). He did not take credit for his wisdom and ability.

So if you are a great manager and a good man who never harmed a fly, do not think that you will be going to heaven because of that. The Bible, which looks at things from God's perspective, emphasized on Joseph's faith in God, his belief and execution of God's will and not his managerial abilities.

For all of Joseph's great capabilities and how well he could run a country, God's commendation of Joseph was that he believed that God would bring the Israelites out of Egypt. This is God's KPI.

So likewise, God's commendation of you, if any, may be not what you expect it to be.

By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones. (Hebrews 11:22 NIV)

Destruction of God's Temple

This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. (Jeremiah 25:11 NLT)

This is what the LORD says: "You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. (Jeremiah 29:10 NLT)

"Hear the word of the LORD, you nations; proclaim it in distant coastlands: 'He who scattered Israel will gather them and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.' (Jeremiah 31:10 NIV)

Today is Tisha B'av 9th Av 2021 (Saturday evening to Sunday evening).

On 9th Av 586 BC Jerusalem was destroyed and the Temple of God was burnt to ground. The God of Abraham had lost. Marduk (i.e. Baal), the chief god of Babylon had won. If you were a Jew at that time, how can you still have faith in the Word of God? How could you know that the Word of God is true?

The Jews of those days had no choice but to have faith in what was written in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah. When the seventy years were fulfilled and they could go back to Israel, they would know that the Word of God is true.

On 9th Av 70 AD Jerusalem was destroyed and the Temple of God was burnt to ground. From then till 1948, how would a Jew still have faith in the Word of God? How could you know that the Word of God is true? This second exile is not like the first where there is a seventy year period to look forward to.

The Jews had no choice but to believe what was written in the Tanakh, looking back at the fulfilled prophecies and looking forward to the unfulfilled prophecies.

For the LORD will scatter you among all the nations from one end of the earth to the other. There you will worship foreign gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known, gods made of wood and stone! (Deuteronomy 28:64 NLT)

Even though you are banished to the ends of the earth, the LORD your God will gather you from there and bring you back again. (Deuteronomy 30:4 NLT)

For the LORD will scatter you among the nations, where only a few of you will survive. (Deuteronomy 4:27 NLT)

The LORD your God will return you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will possess that land again. Then he will make you even more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors! (Deuteronomy 30:5 NLT)

Progressive Restoration Of Israel Prophesied

Destruction of Israel and Jerusalem prophesied by Jesus.
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24 NIV)

Future restoration of Israel and Jerusalem as a sign of His coming prophesied by Jesus.
"Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. (Matthew 24:32 NIV)

Restoration of Israel in 1948 prophesied by Isaiah.
Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? Yet no sooner is Zion in labor than she gives birth to her children. (Isaiah 66:8 NIV)

All Israel will be saved when the fullness of the nations comes in.
I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. (Romans 11:25-26 NIV)

And the Jews will recognize Jesus as the Anointed One.
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (Zechariah 12:10 NIV)

And Jesus will take over as the King of Kings.
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)

The Great Awokening

The following quote is taken from Wikipedia:

QUOTE
Woke (/ˈwoʊk/ WOHK) is a term, originating in the United States, that originally referred to awareness about racial prejudice and discrimination. It subsequently came to encompass an awareness of other issues of social inequality, for instance regarding gender and sexual orientation. Since the late 2010s, it has also been used as a general term for left-wing political movements and perspectives which emphasise the identity politics of people of color, LGBT people, and women.
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There is one more perspective of woke - it is anti-White and anti-Bible.

Salvation Is Always by the Grace 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)

Salvation is always by the grace of God through faith in the His Word.

It has always been so from the beginning of time. Saints of old and new testament are saved in this manner, except that the mechanism of salvation is slowly revealed over time. Before the time of Moses, men had already approached God with sacrificed animals. God revealed through Moses a system of animal sacrifice. Finally in the Gospel, it was revealed that Jesus the Anointed One is the Lamb of God.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29 KJV)

He is to offer this bull just as he did with the bull in the sin offering; he will offer it the same way. So the priest will make atonement on their behalf, and they will be forgiven. (Leviticus 4:20 CSB)

For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:4 ESV)

Salvation Is Inclusive And Exclusive

"For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14 NLT)

The offer of salvation is inclusive. All can be saved.
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. (Titus 2:11 NIV)
For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 CSB)
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV)

The means of salvation is exclusive. It can only be through Jesus.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)
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)
There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all. This was the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5-6 MEV)

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. (John 14:1 ESV)

Christianity The Most Inclusive And Exclusive Religion

The following is quoted from the article "Christianity is the most inclusive (and exclusive) religion | HuffPost"

QUOTE
Christ's offer of forgiveness and salvation is perfectly inclusive because it is based entirely on his work. The beneficiaries of such grace - what the church is called to be - therefore have no reason to boast in their own superiority (be it financial, educational, social, cultural, racial, etc.) since they know their greatest asset is pure gift. The more "religious" a Christian becomes, the more humble, sacrificial and loving she desires to be.

The irony of this inclusion is that it simultaneously and necessarily excludes everyone who does not come to Christ and trust him alone for salvation. If you are in a sinking ship, and a lifeboat is offered, your only responsibility is to cling to that lifeboat. If you don't believe your ship is sinking, you will have no reason to seek out a lifeboat. Does that mean the lifeboat is divisive? Is it exclusive (in the negative way we use that term) because it will only save those looking to be saved, those open enough to admit they need saving? Or, is not this exclusion precisely the factor that makes its salvation worthy and secure in the first place? Consider two different reactions to the statement, "there's a lifeboat" - 1. "Only one? Ugh." 2. "There's one! I don't have to look anywhere else? Hallelujah!"

No other religion or worldview considers salvation as 100% gracious in this way, and yet that is precisely what makes them all more exclusive than Christianity, not less. If I have to save myself from the sinking ship in any way more than admitting that I'm sinking, then my salvation will be based on my own strength, and the hierarchies become inevitable. The irony of the critics of orthodox Christianity is that in trying to be more inclusive, they actually become less. They propose what Christian theology calls "works-righteousness", which means that something we do or achieve can merit salvation (or whatever term is given to salvation, such as happiness, paradise, nirvana, purpose, etc.). That inevitably throws the burden back upon ourselves, offering no real hope or mercy. It further oppresses the oppressed as well as offers false hope to the "achievers" and successful of the world.
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