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Please note that these thoughts are just that.  Thoughts.  I use this to write them down as I figure a way to implement them later. God Bless you in your search.

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"Thou shalt have no other Gods before me."

When Moses went up to Mount Sinai, God gave to him the ten Commandments. 

The first of these Commandments is, "Thou shalt have no other Gods before me,"

There are the obvious Gods that we as mortals have placed before God. 

There is the obvious, "golden calf", Statues, Money, Love, Etc.  

Then there are those that are not so obvious.  One of which I would like to touch on in this writing.  

We need to define who God is.  If we are worshipping the wrong God, we have put another God before him.  

I hope we can all agree that God is the creator of all things in the heavens and on the earth.

Now comes an interesting point.  Scripture teaches us "ALL THINGS were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:3

It also teaches us that this is the "Word".  

1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:1-2

Let's break this down just a little.  

The WORD was WITH GOD and The Word WAS GOD.

AND--- He was this way FROM THE BEGINNING! 

Later in the chapter we learn... 

 "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14 

God has ALWAYS been God.  

Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning, God..."  This "God" in Hebrew is Elohim, which translated is God in plural form.  El is God in Singular.

This is amazing that the Trinity is mentioned in the first sentence of the Bible. 

Jesus was also God from the beginning.  He did not BECOME GOD from the work he did on this earth or anywhere else. 

IF YOU ARE WORSHIPPING A GOD (Including Jesus and the Holy Spirit) that has not been God from the beginning, YOU ARE WORHIPPING ANOTHER GOD and have Another God before him.  

Worshipping Baals and Ashtoreth Today!

I was going through Judges today, seeing how the Children of Israel were brought back to obedience and then fell away again to "Worshipping other gods."

It mentioned, among others, that the two main gods they were worshipping were Baal and Ashtoreth.

Baal was the god of money, symbolized by the "bull" and Ashtoreth was also known by many other names, one of which was Ishtar, Goddess of sexual immorality.  

When I look at the church I used to belong to... I see that they are one of the ten, if not the richest church in the world today.  (I actually saw a list where they were on the top.  However, the Catholic church was broken up into Parrish's and so all added together, it could still be the richest, but not according to the data that is out there.)

Baal is the god of riches!

Are you serving Baal if you serve in that church?

I also see, from the same church, that they practiced polygamy and polyandry.  All serving the goddess of sexual immorality (do your research and you will see that that was actually the main reason for the practice).

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ANCIENT TEMPLE AND TABERNACLE

In ancient times, God had his chosen people, those of the house of Israel, build a Tabernacle. 

This portable tent/building had special functions in the ancient world. It was small, approximately 45’ x 15’ and about 15’ tall.

The Tabernacle Compound was approximately 75’ wide X 150’ deep. In the compound you will find the Tabernacle itself or the Tent of Meeting or Place of Meeting. There is also a bronze altar where sacrifices are offered. Both animal and grain offerings. The High Priest offered up sacrifices on a regular basis at the Tabernacle. There was a “sea” of water outside of the Tabernacle for him to ceremonial wash prior to the sacrifices. 

The Tabernacle had two different chambers in it. The larger chamber was the Holy Place and was about 30’ x 15’. ONLY someone from the tribe of Levi could be a Priest or High Priest and only a priest could go into the Holy Place. In the Holy Place, they had a table for the Shewbread. This is where they had 12 loaves of bread, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Only the Priests were allowed to eat the bread. There was also the lampstand that needed to be constantly burning. There was also an altar of incense in the Holy Place. 

The Most Holy place in the Tabernacle comprised one-third of the structure. It was approximately a 15’ cube. The Priests couldn’t go through the veil into the Most Holy Place. The Most Holy Place only allowed one person to go into it. That was the High Priest at the time. There was only one High Priest recognized by God at a time on the Earth. (Side note, at Jesus’ time, there were two High Priests. One that was chosen by God and one that was assigned by Man). 

Separating the two chambers was a veil made with blue, purple and scarlet yarns and fine linen. Embroidered on that curtain were images of cherubim or angels. The Lord would visit the High Priest in the Most Holy Place. If he was not worthy of being there, he would be struck dead. In fact, they had bells sewn into his clothing along the bottom that rang as he moved, and he also had a rope tied to his ankle. Should he be struck dead, the other Priests would be able to pull him out of the Most Holy Place and not be killed themselves.

The High Priest would only go into the Tabernacles Most Holy Place once a year, at Yom Kippur. There he would offer sacrifices to the Lord. One for himself to “cover” his sins and others for the Israelites to “cover” their sins. In the Most Holy Place was the Ark of the Covenant and sitting on top of the Ark was the Mercy Seat. Above the Mercy Seat were two golden Cherubim with their wings touching each other in the middle and their other wings touching the outer walls. Inside the Ark, were the tablets of the law, 

The Tabernacle and its compound were used, for the most part, in sacrificing to the Lord. King David wanted to build a house for the Lord to come to and have it replace the tent. The Lord wouldn’t allow that, however, he did allow for Solomon, Davids’s son, to build him a house. This house is referred to as Solomon’s Temple. This temple replaced the tabernacle and was used for the same purposes, offering sacrifices, both animal and grain offerings, to the Lord. The compound was quite a bit larger than the tabernacle compound. Solomons Temple was destroyed in 587 BCE. Temple rebuild was started 536BC, then there was a break of fourteen years. The temple rebuild project restarted again in 520BC and finished 516BC. 

An important thing to note is that there was still a Most Holy Place in the temple. The Most Holy place was separated from the rest of the structure by a veil, as was the tabernacle. This is what kept the rest of the world separated from God when he came to converse to the High Priest, and again, only once a year. ONLY the High Priest has access to God. 

When Jesus was crucified, his last words, tetelestai, meaning “IT IS FINISHED”, then he gave his life. When this took place, the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom. It was TORN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. From Heaven to Earth – Opening up the world to the Most Holy Place. Then, at Pentecost, 50 days later, the Comforter Came, whom Jesus said, He “whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” The Holy Spirit at that time ENTERED INTO THOSE WHO WERE THERE… and they were BAPTIZED BY THE SPIRIT!

Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus asked, “How can a man be born again…” Jesus explains that he must be born of the “water” and of the “spirit”. Born of the water by coming into the world by birth and born of the spirit when you are born again! Then the Spirit of God is inside of you and NOT in the temple anymore. 1 Cor. 3:16 “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”. WHEN YOU ARE BORN AGAIN, you are now his temple! He now dwells in you, as the Apostle Paul Said... “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.” (Acts 17, 24)

The third temple is yet to be built. 2nd Thes. 2 “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”

When the 3rdtemple is set up. The antichrist will come to the temple and proclaim himself to be God. There are bible scholars that claim that it will be the antichrist that will actually be making the arrangements for the temple to be built and then at the halfway point (3.5 yrs.) of the last seven (49 sevens, 48 sevens have already passed. One seven left to go.) year period, that the antichrist will then be proclaiming himself to be god. That the temple will be ushering in the tribulation.

Alarming? Don’t let it be. Just remember, YOU are the Temple of God. He lives inside of you.

If you’re not Born Again, now is the BEST time to come right before God. 

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Different Jesus'

Which Jesus do You Believe In?

CHRISTIAN:  One Personage of the Triune God.  There is only one God.  Has been God from the beginning. Was God Incarnate when he came to Earth.  Named Emmanual (God With US), Paid for our sin by his death on The Cross. ( For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23)  Was Resurrected after 3 days.  Is from Everlasting to Everlasting.  He has always been God and will always be God. He will Redeem the Earth.  

MORMON:  Oldest spirit child of God the father.  Second oldest spirit child being Lucifer.  Came to Earth as a man and became a god.  Suffered for our sins in Gethsemane providing wDied on the cross and was resurrected after three days.  Has not always been a god.  One of 3 gods in the godhead.  One of many, many gods.

MUSLUM:  A great Prophet.  Not the Son of God. Was crucified and was not resurrected.

Jehovah's Witness:  Not the god of this universe, but a lesser god.  Is actually Michael the Archangel.   Was crucified and Resurrected after three days.  Jesus returned in 1914.

JEWISH:

If you have further thoughts on what I have here, please write to me.  I don't want to miss lead anyone.  

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Jesus Created Being Becoming God from Earth

King Follet Discourse - Joseph Smith Taught (from his inquiry from God)

 ...for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity, I will refute that idea, and will take away and do away the vail, so that you may see. 

 It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the character of God and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth the same as Jesus Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.  

 Here, then, is eternal life–to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you,–namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one,–from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power.  

 So, Which was it Joseph?

God is God and has been God from all Eternity to all Eternity... OR  God was created and progressed from another earth just as we are?

BOTH CAN'T BE RIGHT.  

Both the Book of Mormon and early “revelations” found in the Doctrine and Covenants, describe a God who was always God. For example:

“the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity…”
Mosiah 3:5

“God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting…”
Moroni 7:22

“By these things we know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God…”
D&C 20:17

“From eternity to eternity he is the same, and his years never fail…”
D&C 76:4

A common question that comes up when such verses are explored is, “Why did Smith contradict these passages?” The answer is really quite simple. The Book of Mormon was published in 1830. D&C 20 was taught by Smith in April, 1830. D&C 76 came about in February, 1832. At this time, Smith’s theology regarding God had not totally evolved. Smith did not declare that God was once a man until he gave his infamous King Follett Discourse on April 6, 1844. In that message, Smith clearly contradicted Psalm 90:2  and Moroni 8:18, when he said, “We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 345).

 It is also important to keep in mind that Smith’s King Follett discourse was a conference message. Conference messages are very important to Latter-day Saints. As Mormon Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf once stated, “Listen to general conference with an ear willing to hear the voice of God through his latter-day prophets.” (Ensign, March 2012, 5). 

(Above was borrowed from MRM.org)

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More thoughts on the Temple. 

Why was there only one temple anciently at a time?

       There was ONLY 1 High Priest at a time and had to be from the lineage of Levi. 

The High Priest needed to go into the temple to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people.  He only went into the Most Holy Place once a year on Yom Kippur, to offer two sacrifices.  One for himself and them one for the people.  This was a sin sacrifice. 

Anciently, the Most Holy Place, where the Arc of the Covenant was, was a place where the High Priest gave an accounting of the people as well as received instruction for the people of Israel.   

The only other temples that were built were those to the other gods of the day.  Ashtaroth, etc. 

Many of them had temple prostitutes and were built to honor the goddess or gods of sex. 

When Christ was crucified on the cross, the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom. This opened up the Most Holy Place to the believers.   At the Day of Pentecost, the Spirit of the LORD was given to and brought into the hearts and lives of man.  Since that time, there has not been a need for a temple as your body is now a temple of God.  

1 Cor 3:16

 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 

 1 Cor 6:19-20

 19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 

No need for a temple today. No sacrifices needed as a sin offering since Jesus paid it all.  The Spirit living inside of you as a believer will give you guidance.

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Another thought that came to me the other day.  

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."  NEVER DID HE SAY YOUR RIGHTIOUSNESSS.  

It is ONLY IN AND THROUGH JESUS' RIGHTOUSNESS THAT YOU ARE JUSTIFIED! 

For in it [the gospel] God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith (Rom. 1:17).

But if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? I use a human argument: Is God unrighteous to inflict wrath? (Rom. 3:5).

But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed– attested by the Law and the Prophets—that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, to all who believe, since there is no distinction (Rom. 3:21–22).

God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:25–26).

Because they disregarded the righteousness from God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness (Rom. 10:3).

But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30).

He [God] made the One [Jesus] who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21).

And be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ– the righteousness from God based on faith (Phil. 3:9).

LORD, I seek refuge in You; let me never be disgraced. Save me by Your righteousness (Ps. 31:1).

Spread Your faithful love over those who know You, and Your righteousness over the upright in heart (Ps. 36:10).

Heavens, sprinkle from above, and let the skies shower righteousness. Let the earth open up so that salvation will sprout and righteousness will spring up with it. I, the LORD, have created it (Isa. 45:8).

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Thought:

You need to search deep, real deep within yourself and ask this question. 

Are you tied to your Church or

Are you tied to Jesus?    If your church closed down, was proven wrong, etc., what would you do?

DO A DEEP DIVE INTO YOUR DOCTRINES, HISTORY, SCRIPTURE ORIGINS.  

IF you wait to find out after you die, IT'S TOO LATE!!

 1/27/2022 - I just found some interesting Mormon scripture.  Notice the COMPLETE ABOUT CHANGE based on Joseph having his affairs and claiming they were "spiritual" marriages.  First in the Book of Mormon. in
Jacob Chapter 2, it teaches; 24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the loins of Joseph.26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people shall do like unto them of old.27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none;28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.
THEN--- D&C Chapter 132 it then teaches: 34 God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.35 Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.
37 Abraham received concubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were given unto him, and he abode in my law; as Isaac also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.38 David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
WAS IT AN OBOMINATION OR WAS IT ACCOUNTED FOR RIGHTIOUSNESS?  IT CAN'T BE BOTH!!
-------Omitting the word "THE"  
I had heard a few years back, that the Mormon Church took out the word "THE" from Ephesians 2:20.  The word 'THE" changes the WHOLE meaning of the scripture.  
I just decided that I would check to see if this is actually in their teachings... and look what I found.  I copied this narrative on this link http://www.lessonsonlife.net/built-upon-the-foundation-of-apostles-and-prophets
"Lessons on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles Lesson No. 11  "Built Upon the Foundation of Apostles and Prophets" THE LIVING CHRIST: THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLESJesus organized His Church anciently – Paul compared the Lord’s Church to a human body: “For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one [Church} whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).  The Church of Jesus Christ anciently was built on a foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone – Paul taught this when writing to Church members in Ephesus:
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (Ephesians 2:20). "
WHERE IS THE WORD 'THE'?The Text in the King James Bible actually says, "Built upon the foundation of THE apostles and prophets." (Caps added)
Going down two paragraphs in their publication... it reads.
" The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone – The Lord’s restored Church has “the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely apostles, prophets…” (The Articles of Faith 1:6). To this truth, I add my testimony to that of modern apostles: “We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth – ‘built upon the foundation of…apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone’ (Ephesians 2:20)” (The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles).
Look closely at the above.  WHY did they take out the word "THE" and add in ... letting you know that there was something there before?  The word "the" and ... ARE THE SAME LENGTH- THREE LETTERS.  Again, the word "THE" changes the whole meaning - from the ORIGINAL APOSTLES and PROPHETS to any that may want to call them as such later.  
Ask yourself, is this lying by omission?you decide, I'm just bringing you the facts.
Just to add to this, Hebrews 1:1-3 states," 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:"
August 30, 2022Earlier this month I had a discussion with a young man regarding the Bible and how there are so many things that prove the Bible as not only a great book on history but also on prophecy.  That there are so many manuscripts (around 4000 I believe), for just the New Testament alone.  Also, that the Dead Sea Scrolls, have one of the more complete scrolls of Isaiah, and that these are dated about 150 years before Christ... Giving proof that Isaiah was a prophet in his foretelling of Jesus' coming and of his Death, etc.  
Then we got into the lack and absence of proof in other books that he considered scripture.  No solid evidence of masses of people being destroyed in the Americas, none that have been validated by any archeologist outside of their faith.  
This young man then called me a sign seeker, that I wouldn't be happy until I had a sign.
I've thought about this statement and how totally untrue it is.  Let me begin.  
I believe is seeking for TRUTH.  The Apostle Paul taught - 1 Thessalonans 5:21"Prove all things, hold fast that which is good."He didn't say "Prove SOME things." - He said, PROVE ALL THINGS... Why?  Because that is how you will know the TRUTH.  Hold FAST that which is good.  If it is NOT TRUTH, IT IS NOT GOOD.  
In JOHN 8: 31-32 "Then Said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."
We need to continue in his word!!  The BIBLE is his WORD. and, searching in it, you will find TRUTH.  and that TRUTH will set you free. (Free from the dogmas of the world and of churches that have been built up for gain and/or teach FALSE DOCTRINE.)
IF YOU DON'T PROVE ALL THINGS, YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THE TRUTH.  YOU WILL HAVE RELIED ON OTHERS TELLING YOU.  
John 14:26 " But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
He will TEACH YOU.  and bring all things to your remembrance.  (How could things be in your remembrance if you HAVE NOT LEARNED THEM?)  Study the WORD!
  

-------Cross Means Life!------

When you discover that the cross DOES NOT mean Death, rather Life, your whole outlook and world changes.

Jesus suffered on the cross to take away our sins, giving us ETERNAL LIFE, IF we will believe in him.

He DIED in my place.  "The Wages of Sin is DEATH!"  He died so I can LIVE!  "He is propitiation for our sins." 1 John 2:2

Jesus set the debt of our sins aside, nailing them to the cross. Colossians 2:13-15

John records Jesus' last word, "Tetelestai", meaning, IT IS FINISHED, THE DEBT IS PAID IN FULL.

Thank you God for the cross, your grace, and eternal life.