Hello Demi and Carla,
I wanted to make some responses to your comments above in hope that they will be beneficial.
There is much confusion in this world today about Christianity, and it is being created by the powers-that-be who hate it, and there is a very specific reason that they hate it.
Demi, It seems to me that most religions are race-specific, or at least were intended to be. It's not an accident that Jesus Christ appeared to the Jews 2,000 years ago - they needed his message! He didn't appear to northern Europeans or the aboriginals of any land, nor the Chinese. The Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) appeared to certain semitic peoples of the desert, also; and Buddha to the people of Asia (Nepal's mountains, caves & hills). OK, you see what I mean.
Please be open-minded about the things I say because I'm being sincere in sharing the things I've found while researching. I don't have an agenda except to find the truth, which is my greatest goal in life.
Christ did indeed appear to the Jews (Judeans) and when you put the pieces together, it was for a very specific reason.
Paul explains that these things happened as an example to those who would come later: That would be us.
Christ appeared to Judeans because He's married to them. This is what the references to the Bridegroom and the Bride of Christ refer to in the Bible. Read carefully and you'll see the depth in what is being said.
God "divorced" Israel for being unfaithful. Christ gave the Judeans the opportunity to "establish" the kingdom of God (through Christ) on Earth at that time. Unfortunately, the Judeans rejected Him because they did not recoginize "the time of His coming".
"Jer 3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also."Paul explains that because of the rejection of Christ by the Judeans, the invitation to eternal life (salvation) has now been extended to all the peoples of the world.
This is very significant.
"Rom 11:7 What then? What Israel seeks, this it did not obtain, but the election obtained it, and the rest were hardened;
Rom 11:8 even as it has been written, "God gave to them a spirit of slumber, eyes not seeing and ears not hearing" until this day. Isa. 29:10; Deut. 29:4
Rom 11:9 And David said, "Let their table become for a snare and a trap, and for a stumbling block," and a repayment to them;
Rom 11:10 "let their eyes be darkened, not to see, and their back always bowing." LXX-68:23, 24; MT-Psa. 69:22, 23
Rom 11:11 I say, then, Did not they stumble that they fall? Let it not be! But by their slipping away came salvation to the nations, to provoke them to jealousy.
Rom 11:12 But if their slipping away is the riches of the world, and their default the riches of the nations, how much more their fullness?"There is much deception and evil and in the world, a subject people don't often like to think about, however, we have been warned about these things by Yahweh. Where there is evil, there is deception, and this world has no shortage of it—as evidenced by the mercury issue—among other things.
The greatest deception that will take place in the entire history of the world involves that popular character that Hollywood calls, the antichrist. This person will deceive the entire world into thinking that he was sent by God as savior of the world. Of course, this theme isn't new as many leaders of historic civilations attempted to deceive the masses that they were Gods.
A deception of this magnitude, even using today's technology, will take some time and a great deal of preparation, which we can witness even now. For example, the centralization of power of all the nations of the world into a single entity—the U.N.—is an artifact of this coming event. The Yellow-Fringe flag that exists in all of the industrialized nations of the world is another artifact of the preparations for this event. Just watch any international parade or meeting on T.V. and you'll see the various flags, all (or most) with yellow fringes on them.
This great deception is characterized by a time when Israel has lost it's identity. In other words, he does not know who he is. This time is also characterized by a group of people who will falsely claim to be Israel.
Rev 2:9 "I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan."Rev 3:9 "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."The land that was distributed to various peoples at the end of world war II—much to the surprise dismay of many onlookers in the world—was actually in preparation for this deception. This is another artifact of this upcoming deception.
The core of the story is that salvation is given to all people, if they choose to accept it on an individual level. The dealings with a particular race was—as Paul said—an example to those who could come later; us.
1Co 10:11 "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."If you continue to study the prophecies—my favorite Biblical subject—you will discover much evidence that those who have lost their identity are those who are of the true tribe of Israel—12 of them—who settled in and became powerful nations in what is now the western european nations. In fact, it's suprising to discover that, in all likelyhood, England—the most influential country in the history of the world—is the modern day remnant of the tribe of Judah.
One of the several methods to decoding prophecy is by using animal symbols. For example, Christ is the Lion from the tribe (nation) of Judah. Judah, the tribe of David. England's banner animal symbol is the lion. David's actual throne is also currently located in England and has been preserved there.
The prophecies say that the antichrist will arise from this bloodline. Keep your eyes open and see who emerges onto the world scene in the not-too-distant future and claims to be a descendant of David. He may even claim to be a descendant of Christ. We'll see.
Continued study will reveal the current priest line—the Levites—the nation that carries on it the banner animal symbol of Israel is—in all likelyhood—Germany. The symbol being the eagle, which is why the U.S. adopted this symbol as well.
The other countries of the lost identity of Israel are the other european countries that settled nearby, such as Scottland, Ireland, Denmark (the mark or "banner" of Dan), Italy, Spain, Poland, Norway, Sweden, France, etc.
There are another group of people who are most likely the offspring of Abraham's servant who God prophecied would become a great, numberous people as well. These are the modern middle-eastern peoples, like Iran, Iraq, Turkey, etc.
Gen 16:1 "Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Gen 16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Gen 16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
Gen 16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Gen 16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
Gen 16:6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
Gen 16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Gen 16:8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
Gen 16:9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
Gen 16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
Gen 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
Gen 16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
Gen 16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
Gen 16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Gen 16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Gen 16:16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram."There are a growing number of scholars who have come to realize the truth of this amazing information. By putting the pieces of history together, you get a picture that helps explain the current state of the world and allows you to see the eye-opening fulfillment of Bible prophecy in this time.
I think it's important to understand that those who control modern-day media are extremely opposed to the Bible because it interferes with their ability to become rich and powerful, and for other reasons. This is why the Bible and Christianity are so harshly slandered today.
For example, Christianity has not been forced down the throats of people. This is not the Christian way at all. It has been offered as a great gift—a wellspring of knowledge and blessing—to those who freely choose to accept it.
The few times in history where supposedly Christianity has been "forced down people's throats" was not forced by true Christians. This is not possible because this is not a Christian practice. Those forcing it were those who strove for power and money and teached something that resembled Christianity, but allowed them to retain their power and their position. This is not Christian.
The way you overcome someone who outnumbers you is by dividing them among themselves; turning them against each other, and this is exactly what has happened among the so-called Christian denominations today. It also happens among people of different races and the media subtly promotes violence and hatred while attempting to look like they are helping. This keeps the focus off of the real opressors.
Through a careful program of manipulation of the truth and distortions of history, Christ has been slandered like no one in history. After coming to this place with love, wisdom and an excellent message and a perfect work in His life, he is slandered and then rejected by the masses, only to be accepted by a remnant who have the caring and passion to research ("search and ye shall find"—"search" is the condition to finding), learn the truth and finally become a real believer and live the life by true faith and understanding what it actually means. When you truly understand the goodness of the message, you'd never want to depart from it, but it takes some searching.
America was blessed by God because we originally accepted and practiced his perfect law of liberty. Under this law, America grew in wealth and power, just as God promised when His law is followed.
An example of this is the 7-year credit pardon—bad marks are supposed to be removed from your credit report after 7 years. This is taken directly from the Biblical concept of the Jubilee where all debts were forgiven every 7th year.
Nevertheless, those who hate Christ have slowly risen to power and slandered Him and falsely turned the masses against Him through incessant lies and slander. They brilliantly make it so uncomfortable and unfashionable to call yourself a Christian in these days that some are too ashamed to even admit that they read the book for themselves, much less study it to understand what it really says.
This is why I often refer to the mainstream media and point out that they lie. I've seen them do it all the time; perhaps even nightly. Channels like the Discovery Channel spread inaccurate and completely untrue information about Christ, the Bible and the people associated with it in an effort to keep the masses from actually reading it themselves and discovering the amazing law that protects everyone from opressive people and corrupt governments. Yet, these rights and blessings continue to go un-enjoyed because the slander overcomes people and keeps them away from the book completely.
In just the same way that someone who doesn't like you may tell subtle and misdirecting lies about you and what you've done, perhaps even saying that you're slandering them, they keep you from ever even speaking to each other (divide and conquor) and discovering that the real purportrator is the one who is claiming to be the friend and protector of both parties. It's really very simple because deception and slander work exactly the same way whether it's directly at 1 person or 1 billion.
Christianity is defined, not by the actions of people, but by the Bible itself. It's important not to judge it by what people say or do, even if they call themselves Christians. Judge (discern) it by studying the book first hand.
When you do, you will discover that
nearly evey preconceived idea you have about the Bible is wrong because it's been shaped by a powerful, influential yet subtle media owned nearly entirely by people who hate the book because it gives true liberty and power to the people. From Warner Brothers cartoons to History Channel explorations of the past, they have shaped your world view from before you knew how to speak.
It's just as bad to go into a modern church and listen to a preacher to get an understanding of the Bible. Most modern seminaries that train teachers and preachers are owned or controlled by organizations that hate the very book they supposedly teach about. It's the old principle of, "Keep your friends close, your enemys even closer".
Thanks for listening. I truly hope this will help some on their way to discovering the true amazing nature of the Bible, the freedom it provides and help them navigate the modern-day waters that contain so much evil and deception.
"Read it for yourself."