Truth really can be stranger than fiction.
First Page - Now launched! All the stories are true, or based on real events. Unlimited reading for $4.99 / month. No downloads. Read on your phone, tablet or computer.
La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.
First Page - ¡Ya está en marcha! Todas las historias son verídicas, o están basadas en hechos reales. Lectura ilimitada por $4.99 / mes. No hay que descargar nada. Lea en su teléfono, tableta u ordenador.
Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.
Manna Minutes en español:
Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.
Manna Minutes Podcast auf Deutsch:
Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.
Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?
The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!
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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried
Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.
Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6
Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.
Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!
Satan Is the god of this World: A Commentary on James 1:27
Sadly, religion is almost always defined either by a dictionary or people's personal opinions. However, the Bible, which is God's Word, defines religion in God's eyes, not man's. You are about to see how very different that definition is. In the Bible we read, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to KEEP HIMSELF UNSPOTTED FROM THE WORLD" (James 1:27).
We capitalized the last part of that scripture, because it is the part most people, including so-called Christians, tend to leave out. It is not difficult to understand what visiting the fatherless and widows in their affliction means. But what does "keep himself unspotted from the world" mean? First, we must ask what is the "world." If you're familiar with Jesus' teachings, you know there are only two kingdoms: the kingdom of God, also known as the kingdom of heaven, and the world. The world is also a kingdom, and is always in fierce opposition to the kingdom of God. In fact, there's a god of the world. We read, "The god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Corinthians 4:4).
We've just learned that the god of the world blinds people, so they won't see the glory of the gospel of Christ who is the God of the kingdom of heaven. Who is that god who blinds people? He is Satan, the arch enemy of the kingdom of God. There are "tons" of biblical scriptures that reveal this truth. We will not list them here.
Now then if Satan is the god of the world, of course he wants to spot and taint those of us who are in the kingdom of God with the hope of eventually pulling us completely away from God. In other words, he does not want us to have what is pure religion in God's eyes. Remember that definition in James 1:27? It says, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: ...and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Notice that the scripture does not say, "Pure Christianity and undefiled..." It says, "Pure religion and undefiled", because in God's eyes, there is only one religion, the one that demands obedience to him. Only in the eyes of the world are there different religions, because man believes that there are various gods of equal authority. That is not the case with the God of Israel who plainly tells us there is no god like Him (Isaiah 44:6) That's why there's only one religion to Him. And when we mix other "religions" with Christianity, we become spotted from the world. Remember, the world has a god. His name is Satan. So when we follow the world in any way, shape or form, we are actually participating in a religious system God has condemned. It's called "religion", because there's a god involved in both systems: The God of Israel for the kingdom of heaven and the god of the world. Is it possible to be neutral, not serving the God of Israel (Christianity) or the god of the world? No, it is not...at least not according to the God of Israel. The god of the world (Satan) will tell us we can be in the middle and neutral. But, remember that Satan opposes everything God does and says. There are no exceptions. Therefore, since God said we cannot be on neutral territory, it is logical that Satan says the opposite.
He That Is Not With Me Is Against Me
We cannot just hang out in limbo and say we don't serve the God of the kingdom of heaven or the god of this present world. In Matthew 12:30, the Lord Jesus said, "He that is not with me is against me. And he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."
Though it might be shocking to learn that there is no middle ground, there's nothing difficult to understand about Jesus' words. If we are not with him, we are against him. If we are not against him, we are with him. We cannot be neutral. This is no less than saying we either serve in the kingdom of God or we serve in the world whose god is Satan. And even as Christians serving in the kingdom of God, we have to be careful that we're not pulled back into the kingdom of the world. How do we do that? By practicing "pure religion and undefiled before God," which is to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. If we keep getting spotted from the world, we will end up totally against Christ, because "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (1 Corinthians 5:6).
Again, the world has a god. That god is Satan. When we serve a god, we practice religion. All religion except service to the God of Israel is impure religion.
Now then, what we'll often dismiss as a "secular" activity is nothing less than the practice of another religion in God's eyes, because it is the practice of the world. Remember that the world is the kingdom that opposes Christ. And remember, if it is of the world, it is of Satan. And because Satan is a god, we practice religion when we do what he says is okay. It is impure religion. Nevertheless, it is religion. And let us not forget that he is constantly opposing God. If God says it's good, Satan says it's evil. If God says it's evil, Satan says it's good. Therefore, to keep ourselves unspotted from the world--or impure religion--we need to carefully examine the true source of the things we do and the practices we have to see if they're in line with God's Word. That's the only way to practice pure religion in God's eyes. If we don't practice pure religion, we will practice the impure religion of the world. Remember that we are either with Jesus or against him, but we are not neutral.
We need not put so much emphasis on the name of a religion. Names come and go. And Satan is constantly inventing impure religion. Whether it's a question of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or any other impure religion; the activity is what counts, not the name. Let's give an example. There are no biblical scriptures that say, "Thou shalt not practice karate, kung-fu or yoga." No scripture says, "Thou shalt not play role-playing games." However, when we look at the things we do when we participate in these activities, we know we are in conflict with what God's Word says. We can say all we want that we are not Buddhist just because we practice yoga. And that's true. Muslims can practice yoga without giving up Islam. However, when we engage in these activities, we are practicing the impure religion of the world, because Satan is the god of the world. Just to be against Christ is to be with the world. And the world is a religion, because it has a god it serves who is Satan. Even atheists have a religion. They oppose Christ. Therefore, they are of the world. And Satan is the god of the world. These activities came from the world. Therefore they came from Satan. When we practice what any god tells us, we are practicing religion, no matter what you call it.
Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.
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