REAL (15): Why John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if Hewas the one who would come when himself baptized Him?

I have a question from our leaders about Jesus and John the Baptist. We all know aJesus Christ was coming to Jordan to be baptized by John and then we know also that John the Baptist when heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him: are you the one who was to come or should we expect someone else? My question is: Why John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the one who would come when himself baptized Him?

Gilbert Nduwinana - REAL Burundi

Gilbert, Dr. Taylor here. 

John the Baptist asked the question about Jesus being the One because he was facing death.  He was in prison and was not seeing the works of Jesus Christ. 

The Bible is very good to show us the human side of mankind. John was weary and his faith was weak at that time. Even in this condition Jesus never changed His feelings about John.  "Assuredly, I say to u, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the Kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

Matthew 11:11

(I also believe John was doubting about his own identity. If Jesus was not the Messiah, the Christ he had worked in vain. As Paul said he was in prison, his 6 month ministry ended so rapidly. The core of John the Baptist question was if Jesus was the Christ:

“Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!” John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.” John 3:25-31, 34)

This Jesus said right after John's disciples left to return to John. The Bible never hides man's weakness and this should be a great encouragement to all of us. We do not have to be perfect!  He is perfect and anything we accomplish is because He is in us and works through us. This is the grace of God. If we could only accept this and understand that we are the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ then we would no longer think as sinners, but we would allow our minds to be renewed and begin to think like God. We would begin to see solutions and strategies that would reflect God who created us. 

Stop thinking u are a sinner and begin to walk in the righteousness of Christ!  Now u understand why Jesus said, ...but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (John).

Gilbert just a few more thoughts that I hope will encourage u. 

So often we feel we cannot do anything for God and His Kingdom because we have failed in some way. I am not making any excuse for our failures, our sin. Even though we are righteous in Christ we still have to deal with the weakness of our flesh!  This weakness, if confessed before God is not a problem. Jesus conquered sin on the Cross. 

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

1 John 1:9

Sin is not a problem with God. It is man's pride (which is a sin) that is a problem. It is when we think we can do life on our own, in our own strength. Then when we fail, and we will fail because we can not live a righteous life without Christ!  Then we have to deal with condemnation that does not come from God, but from our carnal thinking and Satan. 

So the Bible gives example after example of people God used who were far from perfect. 

We all know what a great man ELIJAH was and yet James writes, "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months."

James 5:17

The Apostles were all simple men, fishermen, tough men but Jesus saw their hearts and they changed the world. Paul the Apostle was a horrible murderer. Cheif of sinners. On and on we can go. Religion has made these men bigger than life. They were great men, but they were no different than you or me. They were just surrendered to Jesus. We must do the same. 

Blessings my friend. Don't let the traditions of religion hold u back from becoming all u were created to be!

(PTaylor)

Our perfection is in God. 

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

Matthew 5:44-48 NKJV

The word "perfect" here in Greek means "having reached its end, complete, by extension "perfect", complete in all its parts, full grown, of full age. Jesus said "you shall be prefect as your Father in heaven is perfect" speaks about the perfection of us all together as Paul explains in Ephesians chapter 4, i.e. we can't individually be perfect in ourselves, because we are only perfect in Him. In other words, in the Kingdom and in the Church we are not meant to be individuals by ourselves. Even God is not perfect without us. 

“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:22-23 NKJV

“till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Ephesians 4:13, 15-16 NKJV

REAL (14):Where people from continents came from?

I have a small question. We know in the beginning God created heavens and earth and all things were made for him.  After this God created Adam and Eve was taken from him. I know also when the Lord God created Adam and Eve there were not other people in the world. My question is: Today we see in the world many nations, many tribes, many countries, and many different people in African continent, American Continent, Europeans Continent, Asian Continent, Oceania Continent  and all came for the first  person. Where do they come from? Gilbert Nduwinana

REAL Burundi

We have to see this difference in our talking to be able to think differently. If we keep building our reasoning upon a traditional theology we got only to repeat what we have learned and we will miss the train of transformation, just to use an expression of the Western world.

God did not create Adam and Eve! God created Adam, male and female. Genesis 5:1-2 Eve was named Eve after they decided to be independent from God. Actually Eve was also called Adam by God. Understand, they were two, but by God they were created one. We look them as two, God looked them as ONE. 

The main thing both of them, one male and one female is that they have lost the image of God. They were not like God anymore. In that moment they who were one became two. 

This is a different thinking. This is not logical for many of us. But that is what happen. The universe was one. They were one with God. When they took and have eaten the fruit of knowledge of good and evil the universe was broken, they were divided, they only ONE who remained in the whole creation was God. I will share just this for now.!The diversity of the world we see today comes from the first man who was one with his woman. That is why Jesus died in the cross to make us all ONE again like He and His Father are ONE.!

Earth was created in just one portion. There were not continents when God created Earth. 

“And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:9-10 NIV

God said: Let the water gathered in one place and let dry ground appear.

“For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

II Peter 3:5-7 NKJV

The earth standing out of the water. There was water and in the middle there was the Earth.

And amazingly Peter also declares that existence as we know even now will cease to exist. Not just Earth but even the heavens "where God is" will be destroyed by fire.

Now read these verses carefully:

“Now this is the genealogy of the sons of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And sons were born to them after the flood.

To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.” Genesis 10:1, 25 NKJV

The name Peleg (Hebrew palag) means literally split, divided 

“To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.”  I Chronicles 1:19 NKJV

When the earth (dry ground) was flooded the earth was a singular portion in the midst of water. The dry ground was a solely portion. 

“Now the whole earth had one language and one speech.

Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:1, 2-11 

Pelegue was a descendant of Noah (read the rest of Gênesis chapter 11) and in his days mankind which had one language and were one was divided by God, mending they not just ceased to speak just one language but literally the whole dry ground was split and continents were formed. Curiously enough if you see the world map visibly you perceive every part of land came from each other as it looks like a puzzle.

In Genesis 11 the Earth and humans were divided, in Acts 2 men and women started to become one. 

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.” So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?””

Acts 2:1, 3-12 NKJV

“Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:11, 20-23 NKJV

What this subject has to do with our goal in REAL is that since men were expelled from the garden they begin to produce culture, ways of communication, establish government among themselves,  develop ways of raising their families, types of entertainment, how they educate the following generations, forms of trading and business, they have built cities and civilizations and increase religion instead of building resltionhsip with God. Before Noah you can find a man call Enoch and what we hear about him is this: Enoch walked with God!

After Noah and the flood it was not different, and men and women came together in rebellion to the point of building the Tower of Babel. All forms of culture came to the point again of despising God. Noah walked with God and after Babel Abraham walked with God.

Business and all other forms of cultures must be originated from our relationship with God. 

Dr. Josimar Salum

REAL (13):Breaking some myths around the crucification and resurrection of Jesus

Breaking some myths around the crucification and resurrection of Jesus

Dr Josimar Salum

“NOW AFTER the Sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb.” Matthew 28:1 AMP

Let us also take a look, but on what Scriptures tell about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

In this first verse of Mathew 28 we have to understand that Sabbath starts on Friday around 6 PM and ends around 6 pm of our Saturday. In our calendar (solar) Saturday ends midnight. In the Jewish calendar (lunar) the Sabbath like any other day of the week starts at dusk and ends at dusk, it is not precisely in a specific time, but simply at dusk. 

Let us then assume based in Scriptures that the expression "after Sabbath" meant after the seventh day of that week, on the first day day near dawn (around 6 AM), it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to take a look of the tomb.

“AND WHEN the Sabbath was past [that is, after the sun had set], Mary Magdalene, and Mary [the mother] of James, and Salome purchased sweet-smelling spices, so that they might go and anoint [Jesus' body]. And very early on the first day of the week they came to the tomb; [by then] the sun had risen. And they said to one another, Who will roll back the stone for us out of [the groove across the floor at] the door of the tomb?” Mark 16:1-3 AMP

Jesus died and was buried right before sunset of that evening. The next day Jesus died and was buried was a Sabbath. Jesus died at 3 pm in our calendar. Here it lies a question: In what day of the week Jesus has died? We will see clearly that Jesus had died in the fourth day of that week which would correspond to our Wednesday afternoon and not on the sixth day of the week or in our Friday. Please, keep reading.

“Now from the sixth hour (noon) there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour (three o'clock).” Matthew 27:45 . We have already mentioned intrinsically that in the Jewish calendar a day which begins at sunset complies of night and day and is basically divided in 12 hours of dark and 12 hours of light. 

“When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 

And Joseph took the body and rolled it up in a clean linen cloth used for swathing dead bodies And laid it in his own fresh (undefiled) tomb, which he had hewn in the rock; and he rolled a big boulder over the door of the tomb and went away. 

And Mary of Magdala and the other Mary kept sitting there opposite the tomb. 

The next day, that is, the day after the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled before Pilate And said, Sir, we have just remembered how that vagabond Imposter said while He was still alive, After three days I will rise again. Therefore give an order to have the tomb made secure and safeguarded until the third day, for fear that His disciples will come and steal Him away and tell the people that He has risen from the dead, and the last deception and fraud will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them, You have a guard [of soldiers; take them and] go, make it as secure as you can. So they went off and made the tomb secure by sealing the boulder, a guard of soldiers being with them and remaining to watch.” Matthew 27:57-66 AMP

“As evening had already come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, [the day] before the Sabbath, [Deut. 21:22, 23.] Joseph, he of Arimathea, noble and honorable in rank and a respected member of the council (Sanhedrin), who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, daring the consequences, took courage and ventured to go to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.” Mark 15:42-43 AMP

“And if a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death and [afterward] you hang him on a tree, [Josh. 10:26, 27.] His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God. Thus you shall not defile your land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance. [Gal. 3:13.]” Deuteronomy 21:22-23 AMP

We have just read Matthew and Mark's narratives to help us begin to clarify and break some myths around the crucification and resurrection of Jesus. And we must be open attentively to what they say as it contradicts some centuries of tradition imposed to us even this day. The importance of this is to establish truth and to help us think according to Scriptures as they testify about Jesus.

First let us continue to read the way Luke has written:

 “This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and rolled it up in a linen cloth for swathing dead bodies and laid Him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning (approaching). 

The women who had come with [Jesus] from Galilee followed closely and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they went back and made ready spices and ointments (perfumes). On the Sabbath day they rested in accordance with the commandment. [Exod. 12:16; 20:10.]” Luke 23:52-56 AMP

Two expressions got my attention: the day of Preparation and the Sabbath that was approaching. And there is a day between the Sabbath right after Jesus was buried - remember He had to be buried before Sabbath - and the Sabbath, the seventh day of that week.  The women rested on that Sabbath, bought the perfumes on the next day and only went to the tomb before dawn of the first day of the week. Jesus died. On the day 1 they have rested because it was a Sabbath, on day 2 they bought the specialties and you will see that on day 3 it was also a Shabbath (the seventh day of that week) in which they also have rested until they went to the grave before dawn, which it could have been around 6 AM.

Jesus was buried at the evening of the first day after He died. It was the day of preparation for the Sabbath, a special Sabbath. By now I presume you have began to figure out that it could not been Friday (or the sixth day) the day Jesus died because the next day He died there was a Sabbath, but not one they had to observe on the seventh day.  

Please, keep reading what John has written. These words has blew my mind long time ago because if Jesus died on Friday afternoon how He could have been buried for three days if He was risen  at dawn of the first day, the day we call Sunday?

 “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, It is finished! And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from hanging on the cross on the Sabbath–for that Sabbath was a very solemn and important one–the Jews requested Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away.

And he who saw it (the eyewitness) gives this evidence, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he tells the truth, that you may believe also. For these things took place, that the Scripture might be fulfilled (verified, carried out), Not one of His bones shall be broken; [Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12; Ps. 34:20.] And again another Scripture says, They shall look on Him Whom they have pierced. [Zech. 12:10.] 

And after this, Joseph of Arimathea–a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews–asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate granted him permission. So he came and took away His body. 

And Nicodemus also, who first had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, [weighing] about a hundred pounds. So they took Jesus' body and bound it in linen cloths with the spices (aromatics), as is the Jews' customary way to prepare for burial. 

Now there was a garden in the place where He was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever [yet] been laid. So there, because of the Jewish day of Preparation [and] since the tomb was near by, they laid Jesus.” John 19:30-31, 35-42 AMP

Remember that according to Scriptures Jesus should have been buried 3 days or He would be raised from the dead on the third day. Definitely He could not have died on Friday or on the sixth day of that week. And He could not have resurrected on Sunday or on the first day after the week He died. 

Some say that this does not matter, so I ask: Truth doesn't matter? Of course it matters and it is essential to break religious mindsets that altogether with many myths clouds the mind to perceive that Truth that sets people free.

“For I passed on to you first of all what I also had received, that Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for our sins in accordance with [what] the Scriptures [foretold], [Isa. 53:5-12.] That He was buried, that He arose on the third day as the Scriptures foretold, [Ps. 16:9, 10.]” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 AMP

In that expression "for that Sabbath was a very important Sabbath" shines light so we may understand well all these Scriptures. 

“On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord's Passover. On the fifteenth day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. [I Cor. 5:7, 8.] On the first day you shall have a holy "calling together;" you shall do no servile or laborious work on that day.” Leviticus 23:5-7 AMP

So here are my conclusions I would like to submit to you:

Jesus died on the first month of the Jewish calendar which does not correspond either to March or April of our calendar. 

Jesus died before Passover which is easy to conclude. But Jesus died before that holy "calling together" which was also a Sabbath as Jews should not "do no servile or laborious work on that day."  

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had already all the products to prepare the body of Jesus to burry Him and they surely did right after the day He died, in the evening of the following day. Yes, they have buried Jesus in that evening, in the beginning of the Sabbath which was not the seventh day of that week, but the special Sabbath they had on that week before Passover. Sabbath is a day of rest and not necessarily the seventh day.

Jesus definitely did not die on the sixth day of that week because Mary Magdalene also wanted to purchase more products to cover the body of Jesus and they had to wait the Sabbath until the following day to be able to buy the products. That Sabbath was not a referral to the seventh day because on that week they had two Sabbaths, one after the preparation for Passover, a very important one like John described and also the regular seventh day, the Sabbath in which Jesus was raised from the dead. 

Why Jesus was raised from the dead at the end of Sabbath, which it correspond to our Saturday late afternoon, before dusk. Jesus was not raised from the dead on the first day of the week.

It is also true that when Mary Magdalene  went to the sepulcher for the second time - the first time was when she saw where Joseph and Nicodemus laid the body of Jesus, and then the second time when she went before sunshine on the first day of the week and Jesus was already resurrected. 

The myth of Sunday morning that centuries of religious traditions have perpetuated can not resist the Truth Scriptures brings. Even so Jesus was raised from the dead in any time of the day around the world, because all times, all parts of the day, either dusk or dawn are experienced all day long by all peoples.

“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not risen; And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain [it amounts to nothing] and your faith is devoid of truth and is fruitless (without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded).” 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 AMP

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REAL (12):Business x religion

Dr. Josimar Salum

Before we begin to share thoughts about entrepreneurship and business according to the kingdom we must establish a solid base. A house that is built upon sand perish. If we build Truth upon myth Truth will be lost. The greatest challenge in our walk with God is to have His solid foundation built upon the right soil. For years we have continued to do things in Church and in life without any good results because they were done upon a false foundation. 

If we don't break chains of religious mindsets we will not be free to be and to do what Jesus wants us to be and to do in our lifetime. Business is not about religion. A religious spirit is not confined to church, but also it manifests in the market. There is nothing more damaging to entrepreneurship than a religious world view. 

People think prayer will solve everything. That is not true. 

I understand that prayer is vital to our relationship with God. But it is fact there are many people per example that buy bikes, cars and other stuff without any prayer and succeed. They are not even believers. Some are atheists. Believers pray to buy something which can show their dependence on God, but it is the dependence that counts. In our case there is much more involved than prayer in buying a bike. You can pray as much as you want but you will need knowledge, experience, and some other things to buy the right one for the right price. Oh! Yes, someone can give you one for free. But usually in life when it is men related there is nothing free.

If you are in your house praying and praying for your needs but don't move in action to work and do whatever it takes to feed you and your family you will die of hunger. Dr. Paul Taylor crafted a word: Soulutionist. You are the solution of somebody's problem. The same Jesus who teaches us to pray is the same that commanded us to work. 

The main thing that confuses believers in the matters of life, faith and everything else is wrong interpretation of the Scriptures and Christian traditions. 

 “Thus you nullify the scriptures of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.””

Mark 7:13 NIV

The key to interpret Scriptures is Jesus, You have to interpret the Bible through Jesus. Jesus is the Key of Bible interpretation.

The work of Jesus on the cross is a finished work. There is nothing to be done regarding our faith, salvation, redemption and so on. What Jesus dismantled on the cross and it is included all religious activities, Christianity has remounted during the last centuries and we today keep doing the same within our Christian churches. 

People can twist the meaning of what we are saying if they don't want to honestly address the fact that beliefs can be based not in Jesus, but instead on human traditions, originated in misguided Bible interpretation and as results of things they have learned without questioning them to get assured they were right. 

The difference between a parrot and a baby is that a parrot learns to talk hearing people talking over and over the same words, but as they get older they never can say a word by their own.

If you are born again from the Spirit of God He lives in you. And though you can learn from other people of God you have the responsibility to think for your own and to check it out what you are learning through the Scriptures according to Jesus, the Word.

As we enter in this new journey we have to be careful to avoid disrespecting pastors and other leaders of our communities. I have met people that became rebellious and bitter towards their leaders. They begin to think that now for knowing "truth about some things" they assume they can despise those who are invested in authority. Absolutely not. Transformation comes when you are able to educate and not to revolt against your parents and your leaders. Any of us can run into the same mistake of thinking that we are better because we know more. Knowledge without wisdom can be a disgrace! 

“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

James 3:13-18 NIV

A bumble heart and a meek spirit always prevail. After more than 35 years leading people I am more convinced that the best is yet to come if I keep my mind open to learn even from those I don't agree with. 

REAL (11):The foundation to our faith is Love

By Paul Taylor

The foundation to our faith and the Kingdom of God is very simple. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-39

How can we mistreat anyone if we are truly a believer in Jesus Christ? You may not like a person for many reasons, but that does not give you the right to hurt them. We are all created in His image, but are uniquely different as we reflect the beauty of our Creator! It is our differences that make the world a beautiful place. We must all embrace the fact that we are not all alike, and see our differences as a positive and not a negative. Paul describes this in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.

Why have we allowed man to divide us? Racism or tribalism or really any kind of "ism" is man made. A child is not born a racist! He has to learn that from someone! God's word tells us that we are all created equal! Male and female, black and white, Jew and gentile, Catholic and protestant, Hutu and Tutsi, Muslim and Hindu. We are all people created in His image and we must love each other because God is love! He loved us before we accepted His forgiveness! Can we love others before they accept our forgiveness?

Forgiveness is two-fold. We are all forgiven by God! Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world! BUT have we received His forgiveness and confessed our sin? If Jesus could forgive us before we confessed our sin, can we forgive others even if they do not confess their sin or understand their part in missing the mark? That is what sin means, to miss the mark! This is what will heal our land, our relationships and marriages. This is what restores our souls! When we are reunited with God first and our fellow man second. Try it today! No strings attached! Even if that person does not respond to your forgiving them.

Jesus did! Thank you Lord for forgiving me, even while I was a sinner, separated from you! Thank you for restoring me to my Heavenly Father and giving me the ministry of reconciliation to the world! Amen!

REAL (10): A prophetic word for Burundi

I was praying for Burundi today and this is what I heard the Lord say, "These are my special people because I have heard the cry of those who suffer.  I hear the prayer of the poor and needy.  Many have taken advantage of these people, but I will defend them from those people who want to do them harm.  If they will call on My Name I will hear their prayer and will deliver them from all their enemies.  I will bring peace to this nation and will show them the fruit of peace and unity if they will only put down their violence and will trust Me to defend their cause.  Who will humble themselves and be the first to forgive?  It is My power to heal, but they must forgive one another and forget the past.  The past is the mirror of failure and pain, but I have not called them to look at the past.  I have called them to step into a new day.  A day of hope, compassion and prosperity.  The past can never give them any hope because you can not change what was, but you can change what will be! 

Look to the future, but not through the mirror of the past, but through the lens of My promises for this nation.  If they will only believe, every promise in My Word is theirs.  I promise to prosper them and to give them a hope and a future.  I promise to be with them and they will walk in My favor.  But they must believe that I AM is with them and that I love them and will keep My Word that I have spoken.  Burundi can and will be healed if they will turn their heart toward Me and look into the mirror of My Word.  For I will do them no harm, but will wipe away all tears, remove all pain and change the path they have walked on for many years.

It is time for a new path!  The path of the righteous that leads to favor, fruitfulness and freedom.  I always have a plan to bless My people!  So they must choose blessing and then they will receive that which they have chosen.  Out of the mouth the heart speaks.  What will be their choice?"

I pray and choose blessing for Burundi.  I speak blessing over them and that a new day is here.  That a spirit of forgiveness and compassion will hover over this nation.  In the name of Jesus!!!

Dr Paul Taylor 

REAL (9):The Kingdom and the Church

Don't get caught up in where you meet with people (in a building or any place else) and share the Word of God, encouraging each other in the faith. That is not important. 

What is important that you do gather together!  I do go to "churches - buildings where a particular church meets - all the time to speak or be part of the gathering of the body of Christ. But I also know that if I don't go to "church" I am alright. God is not going to punish me because I have fellowship in many ways with other believers and in many different places.

I can tell you this from experience that if the church building was destroyed for some reason, a huge part of those people would not know what to do!  If something happened to "their pastor" they would not know what to do!  This is a real problem. Why?  Because these people do not understand what we are teaching. They are held captive to the traditions of man and they do not know how to hear God for themselves. It is interesting that the Prophet Amos spoke to this problem. 

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord God, that I will send a famine on the land. Not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. Amos 8:11

The Church is dynamic. In time there is church only if we are gathered. Or better, the Body of Christ only manifest if we are together.

The Kingdom manifests Himself. The Kingdom is the eternal realm that manifests in time and in space. But before time and all creation was created and men made there was the Kinngdom. 

John the Baptist started preaching: Repent! 

You can't never understand the things of God if you don't change your way of thinking. That is what repent means indeed. You may be a Christian though has never changed the way you think according to the thoughts of God. Actually as we became Christians most of us if not all of us have gained some thinking that are only religious and contradictory to the Kingdom of God.

The Church of God is based in the expression "one another" Love one another, forgive one another, support one another, comfort one another and so on

The Kingdom of God is a commonwealth. There is no Kingdom of it is made of one ruler. We all are one but only if in Jesus, in Him.

We have to pull down the strongholds of selfish, independence and loneliness of the people.

In the Church and in the Kingdom of God there are no such things as I, Me, Myself, You, his/her, himself/herself. There is no Self!

Jesus said: if someone wants to follow me, you have to RENOUNCE, RESIGN YOURSELF. Do you know why? Because you will not be the only one following Him. There will be others and there is no way you can follow him alone.

The Kingdom of God is here means that the King is here. Jesus was born! The Kingdom was there because Jesus was there, present.

The kingdom is in your country,  because the King's Kings are in there, in US, etc. As ambassadors of God you are not merely representatives of God. You are the Kingdom. 

That is why Jesus said: if they receive you they receive Me. As those received Jesus they have received the One who sent Him.

God wants relationship with me but a relationship that is reflected in my relationship with others.

Church, again, means assembly, gathering not necessarily in the format of a worship service!

How can I be an assembly or a gathering by myself?

It is is the same thing as saying "I have the mind of Christ". No, I don't have the mind of Christ individually. The Church, the Body has the mind of Christ, not an individual. Only the Head has the mind of the Christ in His own, even so He shares His mind with us, the Body of Christ.

Once again, the Church of God is based in the expression "one another"! Love one another, forgive one another, support one another, comfort one another and so on.

Once again, the Kingdom of God is a commonwealth. There is no Kingdom if it is made of just a ruler. We are all one but only if in Jesus, in Him. That is why the King has made us kings. We are reigning with Him. Like Dr Paul Taylor once said: God did not make man to rule over other men. God did not make man male to rule over man female, in other words, He did not intended that man would rule over woman. God is God alone, but even Him became flesh, became men, so men - men and women who in Him are One as He is - shall reign with Him.

We have to pull down the strongholds of selfish, independence and loneliness on is and among the people.

Jesus said: if someone wants to follow me... It means you have to RENOUNCE, RESIGN YOURSELF. Do you know why? Because you will not be the only one following Him. There will be others and there is no way you can follow Him alone.

And Jesus did not die just to save us from sins. He died to restore to His priests and kings all things.

Josimar Salum & Paul Taylor 

REAL (8):Pontien questions about institutions, buildings and churches

Often, people say the Church when they want to say "a religious institution, an association of people who organize themselves and make their constitution and build a hall whereby they gather to pray, worship, teachings,..".  But as you said, the Church is not a building but is me, you or any believer or an assembly of believers...

My questions are the following: 

1. If we do not have those buildings (called churches by most Christians), how will it be to teach one another,  new believers,(1 Corinthians14:23-40) ... and What about Ephesians4:11(...he gave some, apostles; ..prophets, ...evangelists... pastors and teachers).

What again about Hebrews10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;  but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as u see the day approaching. Also, 1Timothy5:1-5( on verset5).

Other question is:

What is the difference between the Church(building) of the NY and the temple of the OT? And what is their difference between the two and the Synagogue?

My last question: 

As we see all these things( that you taught us in the conversation), what can  we do as Servants of God according to the Bible? How?

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Pontien u have great questions. 

I will try to answer them in order. I am sure Josimar can fill in anything I leave out. 

1.  We have limited ourselves because of our thinking as to where we can teach or minister to people about the Lord. As has been said we r having church right now even though we r not physically together. I know businessmen who have Bible studies at their place of business. Others meet over coffee or lunch. Those in China that have to meet secretly meet in a field. The place is not important, as long as we gather to encourage, teach and pray with others. Acts 2:42. Nothing is said about a building. 

Meeting in what is called a church building is not our objection!  It is thinking that the building is holy and is the church. Remember we r trying to change thinking. Once thinking is changed the rest will take care of itself. It is important that none of condemn others because they may not understand what we r sharing. We must always remain humble before the Lord. Where u meet is not important, but what u think and understand is vital to building the Kingdom of God. 

Many Christians will be saved and go to heaven but they will not walk in the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. They r saved but they have little understanding of the King and His Kingdom. 

The 5 fold ministers do not need a church building to function.  When I went to Burundi the first time we met at the college. When we went to Madagascar this past summer we met at a hotel but much was accomplished around the dinner table in small groups. In these meetings we functioned in all the 5 fold gifts. 

U see Hebrews 10:25 fulfilled in the book of Acts as they met daily in homes and on the street, etc. the same is true today but sometimes with modern technology we meet on the phone or through email or the web. Thank God for technology!

2. The difference between the the NT church and OT temple. God allowed things in the OT that were not allowed in the NT. Acts 17:22-32. In the OT things were different because the Holy Spirit had not been sent because Jesus had not redeemed mankind. They need physical things that represented God because it was not the fullness of time for Christ to come. So Israel was a reflection of God to the world that did not know Him. Just like the Church, the people is a representative of God to the world today. 

Even in the OT God wanted to meet with the people (Ex. 19,20), but the people chose Moses to go to God for them. Today people have chosen ministers to go to God for them but it is not to be that way!  Man still is choosing physical buildings and people over personal and intimate relationship with God and man. 

So in reality because of religious teachings there is not a lot of difference between the OT temple and today's church. Jesus never desires this nor did he teach it. 

3.  What can we do today?  Have our minds renewed (Romans 12:1,2), think like God (no limitations), be sons of God and discover our identity, purpose and pursue this to the glory of God!  If we will all just be what He created us to be we will build His Kingdom and not our churches. His Church will be built upon the Rock Christ Jesus and the gates of hell will not prevail against it!

We will continue to discuss how we can do this as we move forward.  U r already doing it but u don't even know it because it doesn't fit in the mold of the religious system!  Keep believing for the impossible!

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I will contribute with these two verses 

“So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.”

Colossians 2:16-17

“For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

Romans 15:4

We already trained to read the Bible with our preconceived ideas. When we read the word church for example we immediately think about t building or a group of people doing religious staff, praying or preaching. 

We need the have new thoughts that come from God instead on relying on our traditions to try to understand what the Bible says. 

Jesus is the Living Word and He wants relationship.

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We are not Christians, we are followers of Jesus Christ

By Josimar Salum, based on an article by Ed René Kivitz 

We are just followers of Jesus Christ. We follow his footsteps. And if he died, also we died. And if he was resurrected by the power of God, we will also be resurrected at the last day. And now we no longer live for ourselves, but for our God who gave us life when we live for others.

We have no temple or altar, because we do not do animal sacrifices. We need not go to the temple or offer anything in any altar because Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  

We do not offer more sacrifices on the altar, because our life is a sacrifice to God. We give ourselves over to our God as a living sacrifice, the true act of worship is to live for him. Everything we do, we do for the glory of our God. In fact it is not what we do or do not do it is the act of worship, but we ourselves, that is, our life itself, consequently, everything we do is an act of worship. We take care of people, those who are close; all that cross our path. This is worship.  

For the same reason also we do not have priests, because we do not need people to make sacrifices for us on an altar or in a temple, because our life is that it is the sacrifice, the altar is the Cross of Jesus and we are the temple. Alone, individually I am not the temple, we, collectively, are the temple. And we are priests, but none of us are a religious authority. We have no one greatest among us, only Jesus Christ. Only Jesus is greater! He is alive among us right here, right now! And we have no holy men in our religion. There are holy men around the world, but NOT holy men of religion. In fact, we do not have a religion.

We do not have a sacred day. Sunday is not the the Day of the Lord, every day is the Lord's.  Our ancestors had a holy day: the Sabbath. But that was in the time when we needed to go to the temple to take animals so that our priests sacrificed them. Now that we surrender to our God as a living sacrifice, the true act of worship is to live for him. And we live for Him living for our neighbors in any day, any time.

Let us be clear: we do not have a religion! We are followers of Jesus, we are not Christians because Christianity is not the religion of Jesus Christ. Christianity is the religion of Constantine, the Roman emperor. Because it was Constantine who began reassembling all that Jesus Christ had dismounted. It was he who began to build temples dedicated to God, officiated a day of the week for worship, invented to worship God is something that is done in temples, appointed priests, and started this mess that you see. 

Jesus taught that we do not need temples, altars, priests, sacrifices and holy days. Ah! He taught that He loved us as we love each other, serve each other, pray for each other, build each other, comfort each other, support each other and serve each other. We are not independent, neither we act independently, we depend on God and we are His body as we are individually members of one another. We are His sheep in His Church and we are His disciples in His Kingdom and thus never act independent of each other, we are never alone. Yes, Jesus taught that God is Spirit and they that worship him, must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Jesus Christ is God.